After I Stopped Loving Him (Isabella and Ethan) novel Chapter 909

The bouquet she swapped out was probably from Harold. Stephanie didn’t bother tossing it, just set it down next to the vase. The maid would throw it out later when she came by to tidy up.

A little while later, Cynthia and Zachary came downstairs. As soon as they saw Stephanie, they greeted her with bright smiles.

Stephanie grinned back. “Ethan’s away on a business trip, so I was home all by myself, bored out of my mind. I figured I’d shamelessly come over for a meal. Food always tastes better with good company.”

Cynthia laughed. “Stephanie, you’re welcome to eat with us any time you want. Meals are always more fun with more people. Besides, you live so close.”

“Ethan’s on a trip?”

“Yeah, he left for the airport early this morning. He’s got a lot of work to catch up on, so he’s going to be busy for a while. Let him handle it, it’s his job after all.”

Cynthia gave a little “oh” and then asked, “How long will he be gone this time?”

“He said ten days, maybe two weeks, but it depends on how things go. If he needs more time, it could stretch to a month. He’s had business trips before where he was gone for two months straight.”

Isabella knew that all too well.

In her previous life, Ethan was a total workaholic. He’d leave at the crack of dawn and come home late at night, and he was always traveling for work. Sometimes he’d be gone for weeks, even months.

She used to want to go with him on those trips, but he always turned her down. He’d say she didn’t understand business, that she wouldn’t be able to help, and that she’d only be a distraction.

“That’s just how business is,” Cynthia said, glancing at Isabella. “Ever since Isabella started her company, she’s been working day and night. Those dark circles under her eyes never go away. I keep telling her to get more rest, but she always says she can’t sleep if there’s still work to do.”

Isabella poured everyone a glass of warm water and replied, “Mom, I know. I’m still young, I can handle it. It’s not like I stay up all night every day. That only happened when I first started the company.”

Now the business was running smoothly, with a management team in place. She didn’t need to handle everything herself anymore. She could even take a day off here and there.

Her main job now was to go out and find new deals, meet potential partners, and make sure everyone at the company had work to do. If she had some free time, she could even visit the set when they were filming.

“Don’t push yourself just because you’re young,” Cynthia said, her tone soft but firm. “Staying up late is bad for your health. Now that your company’s stable, try to make it home by eleven every night, and don’t go to bed later than midnight.”