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The Rise of Ashton Chapter Thirty seven
A Twin, A Spy, and A Lifetime of Lies Ashton couldn’t breathe. The man in front of him, his exact reflection save for the scar on his temple, stood with an air of absolute confidence, as if he belonged here, as if he had every right to march into Titanium Inc. like he owned the place. And maybe he did. Ashton staggered back a step, his mind scrambling for logic. He had no siblings. No twin. He had been alone his entire life. Hadn’t he? The entire lobby was silent, filled with wide eyes and gaping mouths. The employees, the security guards, even Lila, everyone was frozen in stunned disbelief. The man, his twin? A doppelganger? An imposter? Ashton wasn't sure but the man smirked at him, as if enjoying the confusion and shock on his face. Finally, he arched a brow. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” His voice was smooth, composed, and filled with some kind of amusement. Ashton opened his mouth, but no words came. The twin stepped closer, utterly at ease. “I need access
The Rise of Ashton Chapter Thirty eight
Burning Bridges and Unwelcome EncountersAshton’s fists clenched so tightly his nails practically dug into his palm. His father’s cold stare, his maddening indifference he demonstrated, it was all too much. “I don't know what you're talking about, Ashton, I told you all you needed to know." Ashton hissed, “So I don't deserve to know about my own brother?!" Frederick didn't speak, he just shrugged, “There are things that are better left unsaid." He couldn't believe what his own father was saying. Could this get any worse?The lies, the betrayals, the years of manipulation. How many more secrets was he supposed to swallow? How many more revelations before he lost his sanity entirely? “So that’s it, then? You’ll just stand there and act like none of this matters? Like none of your lies mean anything?” Frederick exhaled slowly, rubbing his temple. “You’re overreacting, Ashton.” Ashton let out a sharp, humorless laugh. “Overreacting? You just admitted that my entire life has been
The Rise of Ashton Chapter Thirty nine
His Heiress in Shining Armor The moment Zoe let out her fabricated cry for help, the entire atmosphere in the hotel lobby changed. A security guard, dressed in sleek black suit moved in quickly, sneering at Ashton. "You need to step back, sir," one of them barked, shoving Ashton roughly in the chest. Ashton stumbled slightly but caught himself. "Are you seriously believing this crap?" His voice was laced with disbelief. "I didn’t touch her." Zoe let out a small, exaggerated sob, clutching her torn blouse. "He grabbed me," she whimpered. "I told him to stop, but he wouldn’t listen." Another guard, a burly man with a shaved head, narrowed his eyes. "Sir, we’re going to have to ask you to come with us immediately while we wait for the police to arrive." Ashton clenched his jaw. This was absurd. He knew Zoe was capable of deceit, but this? This was low, even for her. "I didn’t do anything," he said coldly. "Check the damn cameras." The bald guard scoffed. "Oh, I don’t need ca
The Rise of Ashton Chapter Forty
The City is too Small for Enemies Just as Verena mentioned the cameras, . Zoe’s face had drained of color, her pity card and pitiful face was quickly replaced with something closer to panic. Ashton could see it in her eyes, she was beginning to realize just how badly she had assumed everyone would play along to her silly game. Verena Mallory wasn’t just another wealthy socialite who could be manipulated with a few tears and a well-placed sob story. She was a woman who owned the room the second she walked into it, and right now, she had made it clear exactly where her allegiance lay. With him. With Ashton Verena’s emerald eyes flicked toward the nearest security guard. “Pull up the footage from the lobby cameras,” she ordered, her voice smooth and deadly. The guards hesitated, still visibly shaken by her presence. “But, Mistress Verena—” one of them began. “Now.” Her voice was cold as ice and quickly silenced any protests. The guards scrambled to obey. One of them rushed
The Rise of Ashton Chapter Forty one
A Family Meeting The black luxury car pulled smoothly into Verena’s large estate, it was big. Ashton had seen wealth before. At least for the last few weeks since his return to the Reed family, he'd seen luxury. But this? This was on another level. It couldn't compare to anything he'd seen before. The driveway alone was impressive, it was an intricate design of stonework leading up to an estate so large it looked more like a private fortress. Towering columns. Expansive glass windows that gleamed even in the dim light. Perfectly trimmed hedges that likely cost more than some people’s entire salaries to maintain. Everything about it screamed power. But none of it prepared Ashton for the real shock. Because standing there, right in the middle of the compound, was someone he never expected to see again. Celeste. Ashton couldn't help the gasp that escaped his lips. The air in the car became suddenly too tight. He couldn't breath well. His grip on the seat tightened. His h
The Rise of Ashton Chapter Forty two
The Other Side of the Coin There was silence in the penthouse. Ashton’s grip on Augustine’s hand remained firm for a second longer before he finally let go, stepping back and shoving his hands into his pockets. His gaze went between his father and his so-called brother, the strange Augustine Reed. The resemblance was undeniable. It was uncanny. In fact, Ashton has goosebumps just looking at him. It felt like seeing one's reflection on the mirror. But there was something different about Augustine. Something cocky. Frederick leaned back in his chair, watching them both with a satisfied expression. “Now that introductions are out of the way, we have more pressing matters to discuss.” Ashton’s arms crossed over his chest. “Like what?” Frederick exhaled, tapping his fingers on the armrest. “Titanium Incorporated is in trouble, but we all know that by now. We’re trying to store up money, losing investors, and if things continue at this rate, we’ll be out of business before we kno
The Rise of Ashton Chapter Forty three
The Price of SecretsAshton paced the dimly lit alleyway, hands shoved deep into his pockets as he scanned the street for the contact Carter had arranged. He has no business being her dead into the night. But Carter had insisted that if he wanted to meet the man, daylight wouldn't be good. The city was alive even at midnight, neon signs flickering from nightclubs and bars. But all Ashton could focus on was one name, Benjamin.What did Benjamin know? He's been with him all through college and although it wasn't all a lie, still, he knew something. He had to. He needed answers, and if there was even a chance that Benjamin was still alive, he had to find him. A black sedan rolled up to the curb suddenly as he stood there. Its tinted windows concealing whoever was inside. Ashton tensed as the passenger door creaked open. “You Ashton Reed?” A rough voice asked from within. Ashton hesitated, his instincts on alert. He wasn’t entirely sure this wasn’t a setup. “Depends on who’s aski
The Rise of Ashton Chapter Forty four
A Legacy of LiesDrama. Ashton could almost smell it and he got into the elevator with Liam right beside him. There was very little he could do now. Frederick himself had set up a meeting and ordered his sons to attend. It didn't matter if Ashton wanted to work with his brother or not, he had to. The boardroom at Titanium Corporation looked more or less like a battlefield. He could see that Augustine was alone. But he slouched on the seat like he owned the room. “Arrogant prick,” Ashton mumbled under his breath as he took his head just at the head of the table. “Isn't it sweet that we all had to wait for you to show up? What great example are you showing as the CEO?” Augustine cleared his throat and said in the most kind voice. Ashton hissed under his breath. But of course, he couldn't react harshly, all eyes were on him. “I had a few things to sort out with the finance department," he replied. Augustine hummed and then looked at everyone. "I thought I heard he got rid of t
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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
