Aidan Lin seemed to be looking for something, his brow furrowed in displeasure.
"Mr. Lin, don't worry. We've already called the police, and they're checking the security footage now," one of his assistants said in a low voice.
"No need," Aidan's voice was as cold as the rain. "It's just a material possession."
Despite his words, his sharp gaze swept the area. His eyes landed on the black wallet sitting on the security desk and paused.
He walked over, picked it up, and glanced inside. Then, his gaze shifted to the guard.
"My wallet. How did it end up here?"
The guard jumped, scrambling to his feet. He pointed a trembling finger at Stella's retreating figure. "Mr. Lin, it was... it was that delivery girl. She said she found it and gave it to me..."
Aidan's gaze cut through the rain, landing on the small, frail figure struggling to lift a broken-down scooter.
She was soaked to the bone, a pathetic, drowned rat clashing with the glittering night. She used all her strength, but the scooter wouldn't budge. Then, her foot slipped, and she fell gracelessly into a puddle.
Aidan's assistant immediately opened a large black umbrella and hurried over. "Miss, are you alright?"
Stella pushed herself up, her knee throbbing with a fiery pain. She shook her head, trying to stand.
Aidan walked over, standing under the umbrella's shelter, looking down at her. His eyes held no gratitude, only a cold, analytical curiosity, as if observing an interesting specimen.
"You found my wallet?" he asked, his voice as devoid of warmth as his expression.
"Y-yes," Stella stammered, looking up. The rain streamed down her face, blurring his features. All she could feel was the crushing weight of his presence, making it hard to breathe.
"How much money was inside?" Aidan asked suddenly.
The question caught her off guard. She hadn't counted, but she made a guess. "About... maybe a thousand or so."
A faint, almost imperceptible smirk touched Aidan's lips. It was a look of cold amusement.
"A thousand?" He chuckled softly, pulling a thick wad of cash from the wallet. It was at least two thousand dollars. He held it out to her. "This is your reward."
Stella stared at the red bills, glaring even in the dim light of the storm.
She didn't reach for them.
She looked up, her gaze meeting his, defiant. "I didn't return your wallet for money," she said, each word clear and firm.
Aidan's expression froze for a fraction of a second.
He had seen countless people who would do anything for money. He had seen countless women who played coy, pretending to be virtuous while secretly plotting.
But this girl... her eyes were too clean. As clean as a sky washed by rain, without a single impurity.
That purity... it irritated him.
"Is that so?" He withdrew the money, his tone flat. "Then what do you want?"
"I... I don't want anything," Stella said, slowly getting to her feet, clutching her bruised knee. "I just did what I was supposed to do."
With that, she turned her back on him and went back to her broken scooter.