Chapter 89 A Killer? A Stalker? (Part 1)

After teasing Scarlett, Asher left with a smug satisfaction.

Sitting in his car, Asher hung the prayer beads Scarlett had given him around his neck, glancing at it while driving. He noticed a fresh scent emanating from the prayer beads, a fragrance intrinsic to sandalwood, mixed with Scarlett's distinctive scent.

The red string, which Scarlett had always kept close to her skin nestled between her breasts, was long enough to drape down to his chest.

With a somewhat lecherous move, Asher brought it to his nose for a sniff, feeling a burst of excitement. He then tucked it inside his shirt, his mood significantly uplifted.

The next morning at eight o'clock, after a morning workout, Asher returned home to take a shower. His wife Avery had already eaten breakfast and gone to work.

Having breakfast at home, Asher drove to Stella Turner's Platanus Community.

He had just received a message from Stella asking him to bring breakfast. Having spent much time together, he knew her well. Initially, Stella had struck Asher as a determined and competent career woman, much like his own wife.

Yet, he soon discovered he was mistaken. While Stella was indeed hardworking, her life lacked the organization and planning Avery had – a total contrast. But this aligned with Stella's spontaneous nature.

Knock-knock-knock... Reaching the eleventh floor, Asher knocked three times, but there was no sound from inside.

She couldn't have slept in again, could she?

Now that he was there, Asher pulled out his phone and called Stella.

"Good grief, waking me up at the crack of dawn... how annoying," Stella grumbled from inside after a few rings.

The door slid open, and there stood Stella, yawning profusely. She barely managed a glimpse at Asher before her eyelids drooped again, and she shuffled back toward her bedroom in her slippers.

"Hey, hey! It's time to get up. Plan your birthday schedule," Asher said as he caught her hand, his tone laced with exasperation.

"Got it."

Asher sighed as he entered, and as he was closing the door, he heard Stella's groggy voice, "I've already thought about the schedule, was up planning until past one in the morning. It's all noted in my little notebook."

Asher was speechless.

Stella didn't retreat to her bedroom. Mumbling to herself, she swayed toward the sofa.

Asher watched the woman in front of him, moving as slowly and gracefully as if she were eighty years old, almost as if asleep.

But that wasn't what rendered him speechless. Stella Turner was wearing a black slip dress, one strap already fallen, revealing a generous expanse of her creamy shoulder, enticingly beautiful even from the glimpse afforded by the drooping fabric.

Feeling a pang of awkwardness, Asher averted his gaze, only to hear Stella murmuring, "Just find a spot to sit. I'm going to snooze a bit longer, just a bit..."

Turning his head, he saw Stella slumped on the sofa, already slipping back into slumber.

Asher was really speechless, not to mention the fact that he had come here today to celebrate her birthday. Well, at least he was also the President, a fact Stella sometimes seemed to overlook entirely!

After a morning of working out, Asher too was feeling weary. He took a seat on the sofa, glancing inadvertently at Stella, who was once again deep in sleep.

In her slumber, Stella was the picture of tranquility, her usual vivacious and bold demeanor faded away. Her long hair was strewn over her shoulders, framing one side of her delicate, seductive face. One hand hugged a pillow while the hem of her dress revealed slender legs, and her dainty feet with polished red nails rested peacefully - she slept with an inherent feminine allure.

Quietly, Asher reached into his pocket and took out the birthday present he had prepared for her – a sapphire bracelet.

The gift might have been pricey, but to Asher, it was nothing. There were times he had gotten the better end of the deal with her, and when he first joined Fly Pictures, Stella had been a significant help.

Hesitating, Asher gently lifted Stella's hand and slid the sapphire bracelet onto her wrist. The bracelet was named after the tiny white spots within the polished stones that resembled dainty crescent moons.

Those moons were actually impurities in the stone, but the carved bracelet's appealing appearance made it very popular, causing its price to soar. The sapphire bracelet looked like it had found its true owner on Stella's smooth skin, exuding a sense of refined elegance amid its charm.

"What are you doing? Stop it, let me sleep some more..." Stella mumbled, swatting her hand in a daze, seemingly reacting in her sleep to the sensation of Asher's touch. Without realizing it, her hand clasped over Asher's larger one, pulling it toward her chest.

Speechless, Asher stayed put on the sofa, not daring to make a sound and disturb her. It was clear that Stella needed her rest, likely craving over eight hours of sleep each day.

No wonder his physique was so well-developed...

Asher casually picked up his phone, scanning through the day's news online, clearly bored. Just as Scarlett Foster had worried, Asher tried to play it cool about the upcoming trip to Red Resort, but deep down, he couldn't shake off the nerves.

Facing the imposing Parker family, he realized his current self didn't quite measure up.

He had done all the prep one could do — a 24/7 workout regimen would not only be fruitless but could practically wear him down completely.

Seeking a diversion to ease his mind, celebrating Stella Turner's birthday seemed like the perfect distraction.

After an undetermined amount of time spent scrolling, Asher felt a weight on his shoulder. Glancing sideways, he saw Stella, her head resting there, lips puckering slightly before settling back into a sweet slumber...

CEO of the esteemed Fly Pictures or not, now doubled as a pillow, what more could Asher do!

He continued to browse quietly, though a bit irked by the invasive, unhealthy animations that seemed to pop up no matter what type of news he sought, always featuring a man and a woman at the forefront.

With Stella sleeping soundly against him, a slight turn of his head would bring him face to face with her.

As a married man, Asher knew it wasn't quite fair to Avery. But then, which man could truly resist such a situation?

Especially now, when Stella's hand enveloped in his, stirring something inside him.

He gently embraced her, the softness of her body and its subtle, serene scent intensifying the turmoil of his thoughts.

Men often think with their desires, and Asher was no exception. Holding Stella, realizing she was still deep in sleep against him, he swallowed hard. His hand, seemingly of its own accord, began to wander from her waist, inching toward that much-longed-for...

"Hmm..."

His hand trembled, barely daring to apply any pressure, but just as he sought to indulge further, Stella made a soft noise in his arms and woke up...

Asher's hand snapped back as if struck by lightning.

Stella shifted to a more comfortable position, rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand, her voice muffled, "What time is it?"

"It's nine. You've slept for about an hour. Want to go back to sleep?"

"No, I'm good," she answered, shaking her head and slowly releasing Asher's arm, sitting up straight.

Asher sat in silence, his thoughts a complex web.

After freshening up, Stella Turner slipped into her bedroom like a shadow.

Tick-tock, twenty minutes, thirty minutes, fifty minutes passed...

Pacing back and forth at Stella Turner's bedroom door, Asher half-suspected she'd fallen asleep—again. Just as he raised his hand to knock, the door swung open.

The Stella Turner that stood before him was a stunning transformation. She was clad in a casual purple plaid shirt and black shorts that showcased her confidently long legs, an eye-catching sight.

"What's with the stare? Don't I look nice?" Stella's eyes playfully rolled, catching Asher, who was gawking, and pursing her lips in a slight, proud smile—clearly, his reaction pleased her.

"You spent over fifty minutes just to throw on a flannel and a pair of shorts?" Asher asked with a dazed expression.

"What do you know? Choosing an outfit is serious business; I have a ton of clothes. In the end, I just went with this. Doesn't it look good?" Stella's face stiffened with pride, her tone a mix of irritation and satisfaction.

"Of course, you look great in anything," Asher replied, touching his nose. Internally, he added, 'Even more so without clothes!'

"Let's go." Asher was bored from waiting; he had been there since eight, and it was almost ten now. This was right in line with Stella's own time estimate.

"Hold on!" Stella chirped, suddenly dashing back into the bedroom as though remembering something forgotten.

Another fifteen minutes later, she reappeared, purse in tow. Her once-fluffy hair was now casually tied back with a ribbon, and she donned a white sun hat – the perfect look for a day out.

"I think you should skip the heels today, huh?" Asher said, slipping on his sneakers at the doorstep. He wasn’t sure what Stella had planned, but he suspected a lot of walking, hence the choice against dress shoes.

"Oh, I thought of that last night," Stella hummed proudly, pulling a pair of white canvas shoes from the shoe cabinet.