Chapter 111
Chapter 111
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Ash was caught off guard by his sudden flare–up. “Alright, calm down. That’s why I got in touch with you–so everything’s under control. You’re worried this could mess up our deal?”
For a moment, she felt a strange flutter. It was silly, but she almost thought Calvert was actually worried about her. How ridiculous.
He didn’t say anything right away, but there was a flicker in his eyes–something unreadable. Realizing she had probably made things awkward, she switched gears. “Any idea who’s behind this? Was it Samuel?”
“Samuel?” Calvert raised an eyebrow. “Why would you think that?”
Ash frowned, confused. “You didn’t see him? He took off before you got there? Just bailed?”
Calvert shook his head. He paused, thinking back. His expression darkened. “When I got there, you were laid out on a metal platform. I saw someone slip away, but I couldn’t tell who. It must be him, we’ll have to dig deeper.”
One thing was obvious: whoever it was didn’t want to face him directly.
Ash’s face grew serious. “If he’s scared of you, that means you must know him. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have run. He wasn’t shy when it was just me.”
“I’m betting it’s Samuel Shelton. We had a run–in not too long ago, and he’s still sore about it. He’s slippery though, won’t be easy to track down. But I’ve got a lead we can follow.” As she thought about it, a face came to Ash’s mind.
Calvert tried to go over the details again but came up blank. Truth be told, he had panicked. The only thing on his mind at the time was making sure Ash was safe.
Now that he’d calmed down, he kept reminding himself that his concern was purely professional. They still had a contract, after all. That’s all it was–he just took his commitments seriously.
“I’ll have someone look into this,” he said, nodding. “If you come across anything, let me know. But stay out of it.”
Ash raised an eyebrow, confused. She was the one who had been attacked. ‘Why should I stay out of it?‘ she thought, ‘and since when did Calvert turn into such a control freak?‘
“Why? This is my business. I’m thankful you saved me, really, but I still need to handle this myself,” she replied, not wanting to be in his debt any more than she already was.
The more she owed him, the harder it would be to repay. Plus, their relationship wasn’t exactly one that needed extra complications.
Calvert’s expression tightened. He moved closer, his steps deliberate, stopping right by her bed. Then, out of nowhere, he bent down, bringing his cold, serious face just inches from hers. The faint scent of pine from him filled her senses.
Ash froze. Her whole body stiffened, eyes wide, barely breathing. She didn’t move an inch.
He placed a hand on her shoulder, his grip firm but gentle. “Don’t forget,” he said, voice low, “you’re my fiancée now. I have every right to help you with this.”
‘Seriously? This attitude again? Feels like I’m stuck in some bad rom–com! For once, Ash–usually quick with a comeback- found herself at a total loss for words.
Ash finally snapped out of the whole “domineering CEO” moment and pushed him away, still feeling a bit awkward. “I get it, you’re the CEO and all, but seriously, do they teach ‘being overbearing‘ in CEO training or something?” She quickly tied up her hair, trying to shake off the weird vibe.
Calvert didn’t respond right away. He just sat on the fancy European–style sofa nearby, making it look colder than elegant.
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14:41 Mon, 24 Feb
Chapter 111
Though, Ash couldn’t deny he was a little easier on the eyes like that.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” he asked.
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Ash tossed the golden blanket off and moved to sit on the edge of the bed. “I mean exactly what I said. I’ll handle this investigation myself. Last time you drove me home from the hospital, didn’t you hear my phone ringing? You didn’t pick up, right?”
Calvert’s voice was flat. “No. Why would I answer your phone? I’m not your secretary.
Ash nodded, thinking for a moment. “So, why did you suddenly drop out of the Riverstone’s Commercial Area deal? You were all in before.”
“You’ve got a lot of whys,” he said, his eyes turning icy.
Ash resisted the urge to roll her eyes. ‘What, I can’t ask a few questions now?‘ she thought. All she had done was bring up some points, and now Calvert was acting all irritated.
And didn’t he just claim she was his fiancée? Whoever actually married this guy would have it rough. Good looks really didn’t mean much after all.
Calvert seemed to catch her thoughts. “Are you gonna mock me?”
“No, no, I wouldn’t dare mock my knight in shining armor. You did just save me, after all.” Ash flashed him a sarcastic smile.
He didn’t even blink. “What else are you keeping from me?”
Ash stretched and got up from the bed. “We’re business partners at best. I don’t owe you a full explanation. If you’re that curious, do your own digging.”
Ash reached for her pocket, realizing her phone was still with Eleanor. She had promised Brooke she’d go shopping that afternoon, but had no idea what time it was.
“I already told your mom we’re together,” Calvert said out of nowhere.
Ash froze. She hadn’t said a word about it, yet Calvert had somehow nailed it. ‘Is he secretly learning mind–reading or something?‘
She gave him a long, suspicious look, as if he were some kind of psychic. “Don’t go guessing my thoughts again, got it? And who asked you to update my mom on my whereabouts?”
Ash pouted, like a kid sulking. Calvert’s stern expression softened. “I’ll wait outside for you. There’s a change of clothes in there, and all the cameras are gone.”
Her eyebrows shot up in surprise. She still saw Calvert as the same annoying guy he always was, but now he was acting all thoughtful. “Oh, uh, thanks.”
“If you really want to thank me, promise me something,” he said, standing up, his eyes locked on hers.
Ash eyed him warily. “Depends. What do you want? I’m not agreeing to anything that crosses my lines.”
Calvert had this sudden urge to just crack her head open to see what was going on in there. Sometimes, Ash was all calm and collected, but other times, she was just plain quirky.
He held her gaze and said, “Look, promise me you won’t be so formal with me for the next year. If we’re going to pull off this act, we need to act like a real couple.”
Ash saw how serious he was and smirked. “Okay, but try not to get too into character. I’d hate for you to lose yourself in the
