Chapter 69
Jaeden knelt beside his son, Tristan, who lay unconscious on the floor, panic etched across his face as he shouted, “Tristan, wake up
Haley, frantic, rushed to her son, but her desperate cries echoed in the vast, empty reception room.
She had planned to make a scene to draw attention, only to realize it was pointless; William had cleared everyone out, leaving no one brave enough to help.
Frustration boiling over, Jaeden turned to Ash, his voice tight with emotion. “I came here genuinely to discuss a partnership, and I agreed to your terms. How could you still send someone to hurt him?”
Ash furrowed her brow as she stepped closer to examine Tristan.
It was obvious he had fainted from the shock and emotional overload; though his injuries looked severe, they had missed any critical areas, meaning he was safe from death.
“He’ll be fine,” Ash said, straightening up to face Jaeden. “Take him away now; I don’t want to see him again. Shadow Ventures investment will be processed tomorrow.”
Jaeden’s eyes widened, surprised at how easily things could be resolved, but he hesitated, glancing at his unconscious son.
Haley, filled with rage, shouted, “You murderers! I’m calling the police! Jewel, how dare you hurt my son! You won’t get away with this” Her anger clouded her judgment, making her deaf to reason.
Ash replied coolly, “Sure, you can take him and call the police. I’ll cover the medical costs, and we’ll cancel our partnership with Shadow Ventures.
Before Haley could respond, Jaeden cut in urgently, “Forget what she said; we’re leaving now, and the deal stands as you proposed!”
He quickly hoisted Tristan over his shoulder and dragged his furious wife away, fearing Ash might reconsider.
In the now–quiet room, only Calvert and Ash remained.
“What are you doing?” Ash asked, annoyance creeping into her voice; she had been in control but Calvert’s actions shifted the power dynamic. She was not happy with that.
“Are you really that clueless?” Calvert’s expression darkened, his tone sharp. “Just standing there while they insult you without defending yourself?”
Ash met his intense gaze and realized he was genuinely concerned for her.
For a brief moment, her usually steady heart raced and she didn’t know why.
She looked away, saying, “I don’t care; I’ve already sent him packing. Even without your help, he won’t come after me again.”
“How many times does this have to happen?” Calvert pressed, his eyes narrowing with a hint of seriousness as if he was upset.
She always looked cool and quick–witted with him, but just now, she only stood there when others bullied her with harsh
words.
It struck her as no coincidence that Calvert always showed up when Tristan was causing trouble.
Still, she couldn’t help but thrill at seeing that jerk get what he deserved.
1/3
23:04 Tue, 18 Feb
Chapter 69
“Thanks,” Ash said, her eyes bright with sincerity, “Let me take you to dinner to thank you for stepping in”
Calvert scoffed but didn’t refuse. “At least you’ve got a bit of gratitude”
58%
Ash didn’t mind; he wasn’t so bad after all. Having a few free enforcers on her side during their agreement could be quite advantageous.
On their way to the private room, Ash suddenly turned to Calvert and asked, “What made you rush over here?”
Calvert hesitated, recalling how he’d been in a meeting when a mysterious message from an unknown number pinged his phone. It urged him to get to Shadow Ventures to catch Ash in the act, complete with a photo of her climbing over a wall and standing outside the building,
Unable to wait for the meeting to finish, he had his assistant, Shane, handle things and sped over.
But when he arrived, the scene he found was nothing like he expected. Instead of witnessing a scandal, he saw Ash cornered by three guys, her so–called ex–boyfriend throwing insults while she stood there, frozen against the wall.
In his mind, Ash didn’t deserve to be treated like that, and he couldn’t just stand by.
Now that he’d had a moment to cool off, though, he wondered if he’d acted too impulsively. He thought, ‘Ash is tough; how could she ever let herself be bullied?‘
“I came to discuss a partnership with Shadow Ventures and just happened to run into you,” he said, his voice cool and devoid of warmth.
Is it just a coincidence?‘ Ash thought. She tilted her head, choosing not to push him for more.
Meanwhile, Jade was tucked away in a nearby coffee shop, ready to watch Ash get caught in a scandal.
She hadn’t expected to see Calvert and Ash emerge together, looking perfectly at ease with each other, completely shattering her plans.
‘What happened to the grand reveal?‘ Jade’s mind raced. ‘What trick has Ash pulled to fool Calvert?‘ she wondered.
Frustrated, she clenched her jaw; she had wanted to expose Ash, but instead, it looked like she was unwittingly helping them grow closer.
No matter how furious she felt, the pair didn’t notice her at all. With no idea of what had gone down inside, Jade could only turn and head home, vowing that next time would be different.
She refused to believe Ash could keep getting lucky.
At Whimsical Bites, Ash took in her surroundings. This was an intimate, exclusive restaurant where only the owner’s friends were welcomed.
She had planned to take Calvert out for something casual, but he insisted on bringing her here, promising the food was worth it.
“Calvert, bringing your girlfriend out to eat?” the owner, a burly man in his forties with tattoos on his arms, said with a playful grin. The contrast between his muscular arms and the apron he wore was amusing.
“My fiancée, Ash,” Calvert replied coolly, offering a succinct introduction.
Ash raised an eyebrow, noticing the camaraderie between Calvert and the man; he must be one of Calvert’s friends.
It was the first time he had introduced her to someone close to him like this.
Calvert’s lips quirked slightly as he said, “This is Noah, the owner here. He’s a fantastic cook.”
23:04 Tue, 18 Feb
Chapter 69
Ash greeted him, her gaze wandering to the menu, which was oddly devoid of any dish names.
“Why don’t you order?” she suggested, passing the responsibility to Calvert.
Without missing a beat, he listed a few upscale dishes that hinted at an extravagant meal ahead.
Noah led Calvert into the kitchen to pick out ingredients, glancing back at Ash, who was sitting nearby. He couldn’t resist asking. “So, man, are you really serious this time? You actually want to marry her?”
1
AD
Comment
