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The Rise of Ashton Chapter Sixty seven
The Forgotten YearsMemory lane? Ashton didn't know why that sounded oddly too familiar considering his circumstances. Did Augustine know how horribly confused he felt? Did he know anything more about Veronica than he was letting on? The car ride was long and silent, the hum of the engine the only sound filling the space between them. Ashton clenched his jaw, glancing at Augustine, who was focused on the road ahead, his expression giving nothing away. “Where are we going?” Ashton finally asked, breaking the silence. “You’ll see,” Augustine said simply. “That’s not an answer.” “It’s the only one you’re getting right now.” Ashton exhaled sharply and turned to the window, watching the landscape blur past. He wasn’t armed, and the realization left him on edge. But as he sized up Augustine, he reassured himself, if it came down to a fight, he could take him. Years of taekwondo and self-defense training weren’t for nothing. But he hoped he didn't have to fight his brother. H
The Rise of Ashton Chapter Sixth eight
Trapped on the BridgeThe men didn't stop chasing them as they rushed into the car, finding a way to reverse out of the parking lot of the school. Ashton sprinted toward the abandoned lot. His legs burned, his breath came in ragged gasps, and behind him, the sound of rapid footsteps and gunfire echoed through the school’s quiet lot. Augustine was right behind him, and for once, neither of them had the time to argue. "Get to the car!" Augustine shouted. Ashton didn’t need to be told twice. His eyes locked onto the sleek black sedan they had driven in, parked near the rusting chain link fence. The engine was off, but the keys were still inside. They just had to get there. Another gunshot rang out. Ashton ducked, cursing under his breath. "Who the hell are these people?!" "No idea," Augustine grunted. "But they sure as hell aren’t here to say hi!" That alone was obvious and it made Ashton even more upset. How many times did he have to duck a bullet in one month? It was be
The Rise of Ashton Chapter Sixty nine
Breaking Point"Stay with me," Ashton growled, shaking him. "Stay with me, damn it!" Augustine coughed, blood flecking his lips. His fingers weakly grasped at Ashton’s sleeve. "I’m fine," he muttered, though his voice was barely above a whisper. "Just...a scratch..." A scratch? That was a goddamn bullet wound, and Augustine was slipping away. Before Ashton could react, the masked men snapped into action. "Move! Take them!" Ashton watched in shock as the men got out of the van and tried to grab him and Augustine. Ashton fought with all he had. Punches. Kicks, blows, everything he had. But he was outnumbered sixteen to one. The odds were against him on every side. "We're taking him now!" the man barked, holding Ashton off despite how much he fought. Two men rushed forward lifting Augustine’s limp body from Ashton’s grasp. "Don’t take him!" Ashton snapped, his voice raw, "you cowards!”At this same time, the roar of new engines added to the chaos on the bridge. Headlights s
The Rise of Ashton Chapter Seventy
Marked for DeathMorning came slow. The night that passed was the longest of Ashton's life. Every time he woke up, he could almost hear his brother's voice right in the hotel room. His dreams were plagued with his face. Was he dead? Was his ghost now haunting him? “Bloody hell!" He swore as he slammed his hands down on the alarm clock and jerked up. What was the alarm for anyway? He couldn't even recall. Sighing, he padded out of bed and went to the kitchen to grab a cup of coffee. Celeste and Carter had both left him yesterday with more questions than answers. But the good thing was that they offered to help him. Or at least that's how he understood it. Celeste was convinced that they had a common enemy and he didn't know why. But so far, he knew how influential the Monroe family was and that they could help him. So, he was in. After getting his coffee, Ashton sat in the dim motel room, staring at the ceiling, his thoughts all over the place. The events of the past 24 hou
The Rise of Ashton Chapter Seventy one
The Reunion The elevator hummed softly as it descended, the low mechanical whirr barely masking the hammering in Ashton's chest. He kept his posture relaxed, his fingers resting lightly against his hip where his newly acquired gun was tucked beneath his jacket.The blonde in the sun hat maintained her gaze, an almost lazy amusement in her expression as she took him in.Ashton knew what she was. But he had to play along, the lobby was filled with eyes and he didn't want to endanger anyone. "Nice day for a stroll, don’t you think?" she mused, tilting her head slightly as she drew closed to him. Ashton remained silent. He didn’t like playing with ladies. He was well trained to respect women. The two men flanking the women shifted subtly, positioning themselves to box him in.He noticed when they slowly surrounded him but still, he wasn't alarmed. He forced himself to exhale evenly, calming his expression. If he reacted too soon, they'd have him. If he waited too long, he’d be dead.
The Rise of Ashton Chapter One
A Bitter AnniversaryAshton Reed had everything mapped out. A promising future, a degree from a prestigious college, and a girlfriend he’d been with for three years, Zoe Matthews. Today, of all days, was supposed to be the day it all came together.He was a step closer to landing his dream job in finance. But there was one glaring issue. Despite his intelligence, his hard work, his effort, he had failed every single job interview so far.He couldn’t figure it out. What was wrong? He knew he was qualified, more than qualified. The initial phone calls were full of promise but when it came time for the interviews, it all fell apart. Something wasn’t clicking. Each time he walked out of a corporate office, his hands were shaking. How could he give his girl the life she deserved? That morning had been no different. The hiring manager, a middle-aged man with cold eyes, barely glanced at Ashton’s resume. Instead, he skimmed through it with a sigh before firing off questions that had no
The Rise of Ashton Chapter Two
A Scorned Man Ashton’s heart pounded as his eyes locked onto the scene before him and in that moment, the reality of what he was witnessing shattered his entire world. Zoe, his girlfriend, the woman he had adored for the past three years, was entwined in the arms of another man. She wasn’t just in bed with him, she was naked, fully engaged, laughing and moaning in a way that felt like a slap in Ashton’s face.“When will your loser boyfriend be back?" The man asked, still not aware of his presence. Zoe moaned loudly, “Let's not talk about him." Ashton hissed. He'd seen enough. He'd heard enough. Zoe gasped at the sound of his voice, she looked over, and her eyes widened in shock when she saw Ashton standing there, frozen in the doorway with cake plastered on the floor. For a brief moment, everything seemed to pause and then, the panic set in. Zoe scrambled to cover herself with the sheets, her face pale as she threw the pillow on the naked man beside her. “Ashton… I can explain
The Rise of Ashton Chapter Three
A World Against Him The man laughed and leaned back against the headboard, completely at ease in Ashton’s presence. He looked as if he had already won. "You poor, clueless fool,” he said, shaking his head with amusement. "I’m rich. And that means I can take whatever I want, including your girlfriend." Ashton’s fists clenched, his nails digging into his palms, but the man continued to laugh. “You kept failing every job interview, didn't you? Kept wondering why nothing was going your way?" He let out another laugh, shaking his head. Ashton couldn't speak. He was speechless. The man seemed to know everything about him. Zoe had told him everything. "That wasn’t just bad luck. I made sure every company you applied to turned you down. Money opens doors, but it also closes them." Ashton’s entire body stiffened as the weight of the words sank in. His failures, his crushed dreams, hadn’t been his fault. This man, lounging comfortably in his bed with Zoe, had orchestrated it all.“Wh
Latest Chapter
Chapter Seventy one
The Reunion The elevator hummed softly as it descended, the low mechanical whirr barely masking the hammering in Ashton's chest. He kept his posture relaxed, his fingers resting lightly against his hip where his newly acquired gun was tucked beneath his jacket.The blonde in the sun hat maintained her gaze, an almost lazy amusement in her expression as she took him in.Ashton knew what she was. But he had to play along, the lobby was filled with eyes and he didn't want to endanger anyone. "Nice day for a stroll, don’t you think?" she mused, tilting her head slightly as she drew closed to him. Ashton remained silent. He didn’t like playing with ladies. He was well trained to respect women. The two men flanking the women shifted subtly, positioning themselves to box him in.He noticed when they slowly surrounded him but still, he wasn't alarmed. He forced himself to exhale evenly, calming his expression. If he reacted too soon, they'd have him. If he waited too long, he’d be dead.
Chapter Seventy
Marked for DeathMorning came slow. The night that passed was the longest of Ashton's life. Every time he woke up, he could almost hear his brother's voice right in the hotel room. His dreams were plagued with his face. Was he dead? Was his ghost now haunting him? “Bloody hell!" He swore as he slammed his hands down on the alarm clock and jerked up. What was the alarm for anyway? He couldn't even recall. Sighing, he padded out of bed and went to the kitchen to grab a cup of coffee. Celeste and Carter had both left him yesterday with more questions than answers. But the good thing was that they offered to help him. Or at least that's how he understood it. Celeste was convinced that they had a common enemy and he didn't know why. But so far, he knew how influential the Monroe family was and that they could help him. So, he was in. After getting his coffee, Ashton sat in the dim motel room, staring at the ceiling, his thoughts all over the place. The events of the past 24 hou
Chapter Sixty nine
Breaking Point"Stay with me," Ashton growled, shaking him. "Stay with me, damn it!" Augustine coughed, blood flecking his lips. His fingers weakly grasped at Ashton’s sleeve. "I’m fine," he muttered, though his voice was barely above a whisper. "Just...a scratch..." A scratch? That was a goddamn bullet wound, and Augustine was slipping away. Before Ashton could react, the masked men snapped into action. "Move! Take them!" Ashton watched in shock as the men got out of the van and tried to grab him and Augustine. Ashton fought with all he had. Punches. Kicks, blows, everything he had. But he was outnumbered sixteen to one. The odds were against him on every side. "We're taking him now!" the man barked, holding Ashton off despite how much he fought. Two men rushed forward lifting Augustine’s limp body from Ashton’s grasp. "Don’t take him!" Ashton snapped, his voice raw, "you cowards!”At this same time, the roar of new engines added to the chaos on the bridge. Headlights s
Chapter Sixth eight
Trapped on the BridgeThe men didn't stop chasing them as they rushed into the car, finding a way to reverse out of the parking lot of the school. Ashton sprinted toward the abandoned lot. His legs burned, his breath came in ragged gasps, and behind him, the sound of rapid footsteps and gunfire echoed through the school’s quiet lot. Augustine was right behind him, and for once, neither of them had the time to argue. "Get to the car!" Augustine shouted. Ashton didn’t need to be told twice. His eyes locked onto the sleek black sedan they had driven in, parked near the rusting chain link fence. The engine was off, but the keys were still inside. They just had to get there. Another gunshot rang out. Ashton ducked, cursing under his breath. "Who the hell are these people?!" "No idea," Augustine grunted. "But they sure as hell aren’t here to say hi!" That alone was obvious and it made Ashton even more upset. How many times did he have to duck a bullet in one month? It was be
Chapter Sixty seven
The Forgotten YearsMemory lane? Ashton didn't know why that sounded oddly too familiar considering his circumstances. Did Augustine know how horribly confused he felt? Did he know anything more about Veronica than he was letting on? The car ride was long and silent, the hum of the engine the only sound filling the space between them. Ashton clenched his jaw, glancing at Augustine, who was focused on the road ahead, his expression giving nothing away. “Where are we going?” Ashton finally asked, breaking the silence. “You’ll see,” Augustine said simply. “That’s not an answer.” “It’s the only one you’re getting right now.” Ashton exhaled sharply and turned to the window, watching the landscape blur past. He wasn’t armed, and the realization left him on edge. But as he sized up Augustine, he reassured himself, if it came down to a fight, he could take him. Years of taekwondo and self-defense training weren’t for nothing. But he hoped he didn't have to fight his brother. H
Chapter Sixty six
BlankAshton stepped out of the Blackwell Hospital, his breath misting in the cold night air. His heart was still racing, though not from adrenaline anymore. It was the intensity of what he had just uncovered, all the lies, the betrayal, the lengths to which his father had gone to erase his mother from existence. “Wicked old goose!" He hissed as he got to the car park. He clenched his jaw, shoving his hands into his coat pockets as he made his way to his car. The truth had been there all along, just waiting for him to uncover it. His mother had been abandoned. Denied medical treatment. Left to suffer because Frederick Reed had deemed her unworthy. Ashton got into the car and slammed the door shut. Carter looked at him through the rearview mirror. “Where to, sir?" Ashton hissed, “home.x The ride was silent as they drove back to the Reed estate. Thankfully, Carter didn't ask questions. He wasn't ready to answer anyways. His mind was a storm, torn between anger and a cold reso
Chapter Sixty five
A Mother's Heartthrob The speed on the motorbike was exceptional. The city lights blurred into streaks of gold and red as the motorcycle tore through the streets. The cold night air bit at Ashton’s skin, but he barely noticed. His focus was locked on the darkened roads ahead, on the wind whipping past his face, and on the woman maneuvering the bike with impressive speed. Behind them, the men that pursued from the house had vanished into the distance, but Ashton didn’t let his guard down. He still had his gun in hand as he twisted his head slightly, scanning the streets. No headlights, no black vans. Had they really shaken them? Even if they seemed to be out of immediate danger, Rovan didn’t slow down. She weaved through the lonely road with the confidence of someone who had done this a hundred times before. Every sharp turn, every sudden swerve sent adrenaline coursing through Ashton’s veins. It was reckless. It was dangerous. But so far, Rovan seemed to know what she was
Chapter Sixty four
The Badass Rovan Ashton took the flash drive from Rovan’s outstretched hand, his fingers tightening around it as he studied her. The dim street light outside barely illuminated her face, but he could see the slight skepticism in her eyes, the kind of look that belonged to someone who had lived on the run for too long. “This isn’t enough,” he said flatly. “If you want me to believe you, I need more.” “You should be glad I'm giving this to you. You'd never be able to find out what happened to your sister otherwise." Ashton looked at her and then the flash in his hands, “Frankly, I don't care." Then he flipped the flash drive in his hands, “I need information and I know you have it." Rovan sighed, shoving her hands into the pockets of her dark coat. “We can’t talk here. It’s not safe.” “Then take me where we can talk." Rovan looked at him like he'd just lost his bloody mind. “I think you're missing something here. I'm helping you, you aren't in the right place to make demands
Chapter Sixty three
A Messenger “Sir, we found out that the elevator was being tampered with," one of the security men said. Ashton sighed and shook his head. “I'm sure it's nothing, just make sure the lights don't go out again.” “Sir, you don't understand, you might have been in danger in there, I think we were breached." This was the part that he didn't want to deal with. He didn't want anyone snooping around just in case they found the Irish woman. She'd gone through so much stress to warn him. "Don't bother, I'm fine. Don't push it.” He warned sternly and then left them all stunned. As Ashton made his way toward the executive wing, a voice called out behind him. “Mr. Reed! Sir, if I could just have a moment of your time.” Ashton barely slowed down. He hoped no one would get nosey and ask about the elevator. He wasn't about to tell anyone what happened in there. A young man,no older than twenty-seven, hurried after him, his eyes were gleaming with enthusiasm. The ID clipped to his blazer re
