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The Rise of Ashton Chapter Forty eight
Into the DepthsOne plunge and the world faded into darkness. Cold. Black. Cold. Black. That's all he felt as he dived into the rushing river. The icy water swallowed Ashton whole, numbing his body instantly as he fought the urge to breathe. The current was stronger than he expected, pulling at his limbs as he fought to surface. Behind him, he heard the distant splash of Lancaster hitting the water, followed by the muffled roar of gunfire. The attackers weren’t giving up. “Find him!" One of them bellowed over the rushing of the river. This was Ashton’s warning to not break the surface. He had to remain underneath in order to not give off his location in the water. With all the strength that remained in his wet and numb muscles, he continued to fight against the currents until he was far off from the attackers. He could still hear the distant and muffled sound of gunshots and the drop of bullets in the river. Finally, after a few minutes of struggling, he broke the surface, g
The Rise of Ashton Chapter Forty nine
A Missing Past The night was slowly brightening up at dawn. Ashton walked in silence beside Lancaster, their soaked clothes clinging to their skin as they trudged along the empty road. The danger was over. At least most of it. No doubt the attackers had lost track of them with all the fake trails that they created in the forest. The cold night air bit at his exposed skin, but the pain in his side was a sharp reminder of everything that had gone wrong. “You better have a plan,” Ashton muttered. Lancaster pulled out his phone, thankfully it was slightly wet from the plastic casing. He risned it out and tapped a few buttons before bringing it to his ear. “I do.” Ashton exhaled sharply, hugging himself against the chill. He was soaked to the bones and he felt like he'd freeze any minute now. A few seconds later, Lancaster spoke into the phone, his voice low. “Yeah, it’s me. We need a pickup. Discreet. No questions asked.” A pause. “Fifteen minutes? Fine.” He hung up and turned
The Rise of Ashton Chapter Fifty
A House DividedThe thoughts roused him after a restless sleep. He couldn't get the images out of his head. The attack at the old warehouse. The fact that his father just might have been behind it. It was all too overwhelming. Ashton’s eyes snapped open and he groomed as he rolled over and then his ears picked up the distant sound of raised voices echoing through the halls of the Reed mansion. His body ached all over, the wounds from the previous night’s attack at the warehouse still fresh. His arm was wrapped tightly in a bandage, the pain dull but persistent. The doctor had done a good job patching him up. For a moment, he lay still, trying to make sense of what had awakened him. Then another sharp noise, something slamming against a hard surface, sent a jolt of adrenaline through his veins. His father’s voice could be heard loudly in the distance. And then it was followed by another voice, one he recognized just as easily. “Augustine,” Ashton whispered and rolled his eyes
The Rise of Ashton Chapter Fifty one
Kiss and Tell For a long moment, Ashton could only stare. Augustine and Verena Mallory. Together. His mind refused to process it. Of all the things he’d expected when she walked through that door, this wasn’t one of them. Verena had always been a mystery since he wiggled off her grip that fateful day. He did his search and found out that she was a woman of power and influence. But now, seeing her wrapped in Augustine’s arms, it felt like the universe had just played a cruel joke on him. The disbelief must have been evident on his face, because as soon as Verena’s gaze landed on him, she froze. Her striking blue eyes widened, her body stiffening against Augustine’s hold. “Oh,” The gasp slipped from her lips before she could stop it. She took a quick step back, her hands pressing against Augustine’s chest to create distance. But Augustine, oblivious, or perhaps intentionally ignoring her discomfort, tightened his grip on her waist, pulling her closer. “Darling,” he
The Rise of Ashton Chapter Fifty two
Lines We Shouldn’t CrossFor a moment, neither of them moved. Ashton wasn’t sure if he’d heard her right. But Verena didn’t back down. She stood before him, her chin tilted up, eyes locked on his with a challenge. There was no nervousness, no hesitation. Just that same look she always wore when she wanted something. And damn it, he hated that it was working. He exhaled slowly, trying to ignore the way her perfume curled around him, a mix of jasmine and something darker, something seductive and dangerous. “You’re joking,” he said, but his voice was rougher than he intended.Verena was a very attractive woman and he'd be a terrible liar to say he wasn't tempted to do as she'd asked. Verena’s lips curved into something dangerously close to a smirk. “Am I?” She stepped even closer, the space between them vanishing until Ashton could feel the warmth of her body through the thin silk of her dress. His jaw tightened. This was a game. It had to be. Verena Mallory didn’t d
The Rise of Ashton Chapter Fifty three
The Spy’s Revelation Ashton couldn't control the adrenaline rush as he stepped out of the building. The sudden revelation that Benjamin, the elusive spy he had been hunting, was finally within reach sent a cold shiver down his spine. Carter stood a few feet away, looking uneasy as he watched a hooded figure leaning on the car. The individual wore an oversized black hoodie, the fabric loose enough to conceal any defining features. Their face was angled downward, partially obscured by the dim streetlights. Ashton frowned. Something felt off. He turned to Carter and lowered his voice. “I thought you said Benjamin was here.” Carter nodded. “He is.” Ashton’s gaze sharpened as he took a step closer, scanning the figure before him. Something wasn’t right. The silhouette, the slight curve at the chest, she looked like a woman. “What kind of joke is this?” Ashton muttered. “This is a woman.” At that moment, the hooded figure lifted their head just enough for Ashton to see a g
The Rise of Ashton Chapter Fifty four
The Dream and the DrawerA bitter wind howled through the darkness, carrying snowflakes that swirled like ghostly whispers around. Ashton shivered. It was very cold. Too old for a child to be out there. He was small, no older than a child, and his body ached from the cold. A woman clutched him tightly against her chest, her arms trembling as she trudged through knee-high snow. Her ragged clothing barely shielded her from the elements, and her breath came in sharp, desperate gasps. “Hold on, my darling, I'll find shelter soon.” she whispered, her voice raw with pain. Ashton blinked up at her. Her face was blurry, her features softened by the veil of snow and darkness, but he could hear her sobs, deep, broken cries that sent tremors through her frail body. She was crying for him. The wind blew coldly against them and the woman stumbled, nearly falling, but she didn’t let go of him. Ashton buried his tiny face against her chest. He could hear the frantic pounding of her hea
The Rise of Ashton Chapter Fifty five
The ChaseThe cold morning air bit at Ashton’s skin as he stepped outside the Reed estate. If nothing, after the conversation with Carter, he needed that jog even more. The sky was still a dark shade of blue, the first hints of dawn barely creeping over the horizon. The entire world felt still, as if it were holding its breath. Ashton exhaled sharply, his breath visible in the crisp air. He adjusted his hoodie, slipped his phone into his pocket, and began stretching. His mind was still tangled in the remnants of the dream and what Carter had said. And perhaps, what he hadn't said. Shaking his head, he focused on the run ahead. He needed to clear his thoughts, push aside the weight of everything, his father’s secrets, Benjamin’s warnings, Carter’s suspicious behavior. A good run would help. But just as he took his first step down the grand stone pathway leading away from the estate, his phone vibrated in his pocket. He hesitated for a second before pulling it out. Unknown Call
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Chapter Ninety Nine
Blood of my Blood Ashton didn't have to wait for a reply before he ended the call and slipped through the iron gates of the Green estate and headed straight to the garden. Augustine was waiting there for him no doubt. He found his car parked behind a row of flowers, the engine still warm. Sliding into the driver’s seat, he saw Augustine with a black hoodie sitting in the confines of the car. Augustine pulled back the hoodie and spun around, the corners of his mouth lifting in a rare grin. “You made it,” he said. “I half-expected Marcel to intercept you.” Well, he wasn't lying. “Nearly got held up, thank goodness the driver stopped being so nosey.,” Ashton replied, allowing himself a laugh. “Yeap, I noticed when I first arrived that Marcel wanted to have me under lock and key. I had to break off in order to keep working at Titanium." Ashton nodded. Now it made sense why Augustine had decided to pretend to be a wayward boy just to get what he wanted. Being in the Green Mansion
Chapter Ninety Eight
A Ghost in the MirrorAshton sat there, stunned, staring at the name on the file. Lily Forrest.She was regarded as a ghost in the tabloid news. A missing heiress. A tragedy that had befallen a once great family. "How sure are you about this?" Ashton asked, still bewildered. Lancaster leaned back and sipped his coffee slowly. "One hundred percent. She was declared missing and then after spending a lot of money to find her, her family finally gave up and she's never been found." “She's the one then, if she's missing and her name is Lily then she could be the one. But how does this relate to Marcel? There could be a million missing Lily's in this city.” "Well, she's linked to Marcel somehow. The Forrest family knew the Green family for so long. So…there's a link somehow.” Ashton dragged a hand through his hair. trying his best to fit the pieces together. Marcel had been hiding a girl in his basement for how long? "If she's supposed to be dead," Ashton said slowly, "then how the
Chapter Ninety Seven
A Missing Forest In just a few minutes, Ashton arrived at Swam Limited. It was magnificent, the sheer beauty of it still stunned him. But he knew this was all seeds of wickedness. “Goodness! No wonder they're friends," he hissed. Peter, the driver, looked at him through the rearview mirror and asked, “who are friends?" Ashton replied, "nothing.” Shortly they rolled into the parking lot and Ashton got out of the vehicle closing the door softly behind him. Ashton stepped into the elevator and adjusted the cuffs of his designer suit, preparing himself for yet another tiring day in this establishment. He had become a worker for both Frederick and Marcel, helping them build their empires even when he knew that they did not care about him. But it was all going to be to his advantage and one way or the other he would make them pay, both of them. As soon as he got inside his secretary, Amanda ran to his side, “Thank goodness you arrived on time, the meeting is set to start, sir." A
Chapter Ninety Six
His New Mission It was a new day. The morning sun poured through the tall windows of the Green family mansion. Ashton had barely slept the previous night. Nightmares of Marcel and the nas girl plagued him even as he had breakfast. He sat alone, dressed in a simple grey shirt with the sleeves rolled up, sipping a warm cup of coffee. His eyes were distant as he stared at the meal but couldn't seem to erase the thoughts of the previous night. The revelations about Marcel left a bitter taste in Ashton’s mouth. This man was up to something. He was no knight in shining armor. He was a monster.While he was still picking on his toaster, bacon, omelette and coffee, footsteps echoed down the staircase, softly. Ashton looked up and saw Veronica appear at the edge of the room, wrapped in a navy-blue bathrobe. She looked like she'd just showered and her dark hair was still damp from the shower. Her anger was quite obvious and even before she spoke, he could hear the irritation in her foot
Chapter Ninety Five
The Green Monster Ashton felt bad for her. What could she have possibly done that would justify such harsh treatment? He reached out to hold her hands but she jerked away violently. "I don’t like to be touched," she said suddenly. "Don’t come any closer.."Ashton froze. "I wasn’t going to." He lied. "I trusted someone once. A girl. She said she was my friend and I believed her, but she was a spy. Marcel sent her to watch me and see if I was healing. And when I told her that I was, she reported it. And then they brought the doctors."Her voice cracked and she was now trembling at the memories. "They made it worse. So much worse."Ashton’s stomach turned. Marcel had mentioned doctors occasionally visiting Lily for her condition. He’d said he paid the best of doctors and nurses to attend to her. Now he wasn’t so sure if it was to hurt her or cure her. He looked into her eyes again. There was so much pain there, buried beneath layers of anger and bitterness. How long had she been h
Chapter Ninety Four
Finding Insanity 2 The Green Mansion was quiet at midnight and Ashton knew this was the right time to move around. No one would see him. He was under the cover of darkness. Slowly, he rose from the dinner table and the maid moved close to him. "Would you like anything like dessert before bed?” She asked. The idea of a sweet and sugary treat sounded fun but he had other things to attend to. "No, I'll just get in bed. I'm exhausted,” he said, placing his hands on his forehead dramatically. She nodded, apologized and went off. As soon as he returned to his room, he locked the door, and shed the clean shirt and slacks Marcel had gifted him. In their place, he pulled on a black long-sleeved hoodie, jeans, and soft boots. He strapped a flashlight to his belt, then pulled up the hood. There was no one around as he stepped into the hallway, but he moved quietly anyway, sticking to the parts of the mansion he knew no one strolled. The left wing of the mansion was kind of forbidden.
Chapter Ninety Three
Finding InsanitySoon, they got to the parking lot and got into their car. “Take me out of this bloody place," Ashton hissed. Somehow, he couldn't even stand the sight of the company anymore. It was sad that he'd built something like his and yet his father couldn't even take clean deals. He was greedy and he was willing to con a clueless monarch's wife. Well, the joke was on him. In the black sedan, Ashton peeled off the prosthetic beard, the fake eyebrows, and the glasses."God, that glue smells like death."Veronica, however, remained in character until they pulled up to the Vermartel Hotel and got into their suite. In fact, she looked like she liked her disguise. “Won't you get out of that body suit?" He finally asked. She smirked and began to remove her sunglasses and slowly unwind her turban.Her wig came off next, and her real hair tumbled free in soft waves. She pulled the padding from under her dress, revealing her true slender form."You did it," Ashton said, watchin
Chapter Ninety Two
A Deal with DevilsEveryone was in awe. The rich heiress. A monarch’s wife rumoured to own an entire village. Ashton has picked out the best profile for their disguise. A name they could not refuse or dispute. Veronica, or rather, Miss Pam, sat like a matriarch that she claimed to be.Ashton stood behind her, arms folded, disguised with a salt-and-pepper beard and thick-rimmed glasses. He played the role of her assistant and nephew, he remained quiet and held her handbag. Beside him, Augustine leaned against the table, arms crossed tightly across his chest, eyeing the other board members intensely. They all stared at her with open admiration and it seemed none of them was eager to break the silence. "So, Miss Pam," began one of the directors, a balding man with gold rings on three fingers, "you’re offering what exactly in terms of capital injection?"Veronica clipped her fingers. "Two hundred million dollars in three phases. I want board influence, multiple shares and exclusive
Chapter Ninety One
Hello, Miss Pam. Time was ticking. There was no way he was going to get there in fifteen minutes, but Ashton was counting on making an entrance either way. “What is keeping her?" He hissed impatiently and looked at his Patek Philippe watch. It was getting really late and soon, Augustine was going to be on his neck. “Gosh! Doesn't she understand the meaning of urgent?!" His fists clenched. Maybe he should have done this himself. What was keeping his sister? Just as he continued to fume, a car pulled up to the front entrance of the Vermartel Hotel. Ashton stood by the revolving doors, dressed in a simple gray suit, a flat cap tugged low over his brow, and dark glasses shielding most of his face. He had a full ginger beard and he looked nothing like his former self. It was a simple disguise that would work. All he had to do was talk less. He glanced at his watch, then at the street.Right on cue, the back door of the car opened.A woman stepped out.Ashton blinked and then bl
