Chapter 76
Chapter 76
Ash shot her a disbelieving look. “What gives you the right to talk to me like that?”
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Samantha couldn’t believe that this family, on the brink of collapse, had the audacity to stand there and throw around such ridiculous accusations without a hint of self–awareness.
Not wanting to waste her breath explaining herself to someone so beneath her, Ash maintained her cool demeanor.
Seeing Ash unaffected by her outburst only fueled Samantha’s frustration. Remembering her father’s warning, she lowered her voice. “If you’re smart about this, you’ll help the Moreno family secure an investment from Shadow Ventures, and I won’t spill the beans about your little situation.”
Ash couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of it all. ‘Hasn’t Samantha just loudly proclaimed that I am being kept?
‘Now she is trying to negotiate? Is she out of her mind? she thought.
“Why are you so sure I’m being kept?” Ash asked, a smirk dancing on her lips.
“Oh, please, I’ve heard the rumors. You only have ties to Shadow Ventures because you’re living off someone else,” Samantha retorted, her tone laced with veiled threats. “If you don’t agree, I’ll grab a megaphone and announce to everyone what a shameless person you are.”
Calvert’s expression turned grim as he braced himself to intervene and stop Samantha from making her loud accusations. No matter how messy Ash’s private life might be, she was still his fiancée, at least on paper.
As the crowd began to gather, Samantha’s self–satisfied grin widened, but it instantly froze when a sharp slap echoed through the air.
Ash shook her stinging hand and couldn’t help but laugh lightly. “I didn’t know you could take a hit like that.”
“How dare you hit me!” Samantha shouted in disbelief, her hand flying to her face. Rage twisted her features as she charged at Ash, ready to fight back.
In an instant, Ash clamped her hand over Samantha’s mouth and expertly brought her down to the ground, dusting her hands off coolly. “That’s what you get!”
Samantha lay there, stunned and speechless, her face throbbing as she cradled her swollen cheek, eyes blazing with fury.
“Do you even know what happens when you spread rumors? It can really hurt, you know?” Ash added casually, her calm demeanor standing in stark contrast to the chaos surrounding them as she effortlessly took control.
With no other option, Samantha glanced at the onlookers and decided to play the victim, just lying on the ground.
At that moment, Calvert approached, his expression as cold as ice as he surveyed the scene.
His tall frame and striking features made it impossible for anyone to look away. He was way more handsome than Tristan.
Samantha, momentarily starstruck, jumped up from the ground, desperately trying to fix her messy hair. “Hey there! I’m Samantha. Can we get to know each other?”
She had no clue how ridiculous she looked with half her face swollen like a balloon.
Ash raised an eyebrow, incredulous. ‘Even now, Samantha is still fawning over a guy?‘ she thought.
Calvert’s expression remained neutral, but a hint of distaste flickered in his eyes as he subtly signaled to Shane behind him.
A moment later, Shane arrived with two sharply dressed men, quickly dispersing the crowd and effortlessly managing the
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Chapter 76
unruly Samantha,
“Can i get your number? Samantha blurted out, completely forgetting about Ash as she continued to pursue Calvert.
If she could snag a guy like him, she’d be living the dream.
Calvert was no stranger to this kind of attention, and his tone was laced with disdain as he turned to Ash. “How do you want to deal with this?”
“Take her back to the Moreno family,” Ash replied coolly, a smirk tugging at her lips as she noticed how much Calvert disliked the attention.
“Then hurry up and do it!” Calvert shot a look at Shane,
In seconds, Shane led Samantha away, her voice still trailing behind them. “Hey, you still haven’t given me your number!”
Ash couldn’t help but laugh at Calvert’s darkened expression. “I didn’t realize you had such charm.”
Calvert shot her a sidelong glance, his voice cold. “Is that amusing to you?”
“Absolutely,” Ash grinned, unphased by his icy demeanor. “It’s not every day you see someone like you in a situation like
this.”
Her unabashed enjoyment of the whole scene only seemed to irritate him further. He couldn’t shake the feeling that it was her fault he was caught up in all this, yet she remained completely unfazed, reveling in his discomfort.
Calvert’s gaze lingered on the slight curve of Ash’s lips, and before she could fully comprehend what was happening, he leaned in and pressed a soft kiss against her enticing red lips. Just as quickly, he pulled away.
Watching Ash freeze in surprise, Calvert’s previously stern expression softened, a hint of warmth flashing in his eyes.
He never expected to catch her off guard like this. Ash stood there, momentarily stunned, the cool, faint scent of Calvert filling her senses as the lingering touch of his lips sent a rosy blush creeping across her cheeks.
His swift, tender kiss felt like a gentle feather brushing against her mouth, stirring something deep within her heart.
After a moment of surprise, she blinked rapidly, her lips parting as she stammered, “You…”
Her adorably flustered reaction made Calvert’s lips twitch into a slight smile. “I came to your rescue, and you’re just standing there enjoying the show? That’s your punishment!”
Ash huffed in annoyance before turning on her heel and striding into the nearby cake shop, Calvert following closely behind, a satisfied grin on his face.
She was not accustomed to being kissed, and the sweet innocence she radiated was utterly charming—she hardly resembled someone who often put herself on the line.
If he remembered correctly, when Samantha accused her of being someone’s kept woman, Ash had brushed it off as nonsense. Maybe there was a misunderstanding after all.
Strangely enough, Calvert found himself hoping that Ash had no connection to the chairman of Shadow Ventures.
As Ash picked up a cake from the shop, she deliberately ignored the annoying man who had just kissed her. ‘What was he thinking, pulling me into this mess and kissing me like that?‘ she thought.
As she replayed the moment in her mind, she felt a swirl of confusion mixed with unexpected delight.
After all, they were just pretending to be a couple, and a quick kiss didn’t mean anything.
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Chapter 76
She gave her flushed cheeks a light pat, trying to calm her racing heart.
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At the Moreno family home, Samantha was unceremoniously dropped at the door. Grabbing the departing bodyguard, she insisted, “Hey, can you tell me who that handsome guy was?”
He wasn’t just striking; he had an undeniable presence, and he even sent someone to take her home. From what she could tell, that was a multi–million dollar Lamborghini. A man like that was definitely worth chasing after.
Shane frowned, clearly unimpressed. “Forget it. Mr. Snider is way out of your league.”
With that, he turned and walked away.
Inside, Lorelei heard the commotion and came out, her eyes widening in shock at the sight of her daughter’s swollen face.
