The evening sun set over the sky of Beaumont City, and a chilly wind blew in through the open window of Ashton's bedroom. His eyes were set on the clock, with the long hand standing over twelve and the short one over six. The event was to take place at eight that night, so he had to be at Elizabeth's home before then. A part of him felt hesitant about the whole idea—what if Mia was there? After what she told him, and now worse, it would look like he was trying to replace her. But a deal was a deal, and he wouldn't be going against his words just because of his doubts. He rose to his feet with a sigh. She had requested his presence extra early too, so he had to be on his way. ★Rebecca walked towards her large bed, dressed in a thick red robe and a white towel wrapped around her head, and sat herself down as she picked up her phone that had been vibrating. To her surprise, it was Myles, and she instantly answered it. "Hello? Sorry for not answering on time; I was in the bathroom.
Ashton let a smile work up on his face as his eyes watched her. She stood a few steps away from him, looking like a cute little doll thanks to her Barbie stature. He simply shrugged his shoulders with a cool expression on his face. "I would rather pass on the offer." "Are you kidding me? How will you protect me from crazy people then?" She said this as she dropped the shoes to the ground and placed a hand on her hip."Won't Mia be going with you?" "She's already there; you just didn't see her because she was probably in the garden with the event planner or something." Ashton didn't say anything. Even his expression remained unhindered; it was almost as if he had a calm, resting face."Oh please? For me to feel fully protected, you have to be by my side tonight. You'll drive me there and stay with me until the party is over; it's no stress anyway since you'll just go back to the penthouse apartment once everything is done." She pleaded as she walked towards the bed and sat herself
The buff men stood there with glares that spelled evil intentions. Ashton didn't like the sound of it, as he realized this was a second attack.He wondered what exactly these men wanted since they seemed to be interested in only him this time around. Well, he wasn't going to sit around and let his curiosity eat him up. He parked the car and opened the door."Wait, what are you doing?" Elizabeth asked him as she held him by his forearm. "We are so close to the hotel; I can just call the security team, and they'll have them all taken care of.""They seem to be here for me, and I want to know why." He said. The expression on his face was just as cool as it always had been. She knew no amount of arguing would be able to change his mind. She didn't know him much, but if there was one thing she was sure of now, it was that he always wanted to do things his way, no matter the risk. As long as others are protected. He would protect her with his life if need be, and she knew it, even though
Rebecca arrived at the entrance of Sky Castle, eyes falling on her as she stepped down from her car dressed in a white floor-length gown. Her beautiful looks brought people to stare, wondering how someone could be so beautiful as she strode down towards the main entrance. Diana, her mother, was dressed flamboyantly in a way that called for attention as she cat-walked next to her daughter. Both women were wonderfully adorned, and they enjoyed the number of eyes that couldn't keep away from them. "Isn't that the owner of Knowles and Co?" A lady asked her friend as she sighted Rebecca."No way! She is! How did she get invited to such a high-end party?" Another asked her friend. The murmurs brought a big smile to her face. That's right! She boasted to herself that she was the next big thing soon to take place in Beaumont City. "Marvelous, isn't it?" Diana glanced at her daughter as she spoke. "Indeed, mom, indeed." Rebecca responded. The hotel was far from breathtaking. It was tru
The air suddenly became hazardous as Rebecca found it hard to breathe. She hadn't had anything to drink; otherwise, she would have called herself drunk.Did Ashton really just shrug his shoulders at her?"Why should he be ashamed to have me by his side?" Elizabeth arched her slim brows as she questioned.All Rebecca could do was scoff. And scoff again!"What is a beautiful young lady like you doing with the likes of him? My name is Myles Jameson, by the way. May I ask what name has been given to such a damsel as you?" Myles stretched his hand forward to shake her. Elizabeth eyed him up and down and plainly spoke. "I didn't ask for your name, and neither do I find the need to introduce myself to the likes of you."Myles withdrew his hand with a dry cough. He was a little taken aback by the fact that she wasn't falling head over heels for him.No woman had ever rejected him so bluntly before! He was still finding it hard to believe, but he knew he had to hide such weak emotions at the
Rebecca gritted her teeth as she watched Elizabeth walk away. She suddenly found herself worrying if that slut was a slut at all!With the confidence in her voice and the look of certainty on her face, perhaps there was something she already knew, but even the gods knew she would never tell her.Myles walked up to her where she stood and watched Elizabeth and Ashton with a clear look of anger and irritation on his face. "Don't you worry, Rebecca, I'll make that spoiled brat go on her knees in a month's time; you just wait."That was one thing Myles and she were beyond certain of. Ashton could never reach him, talk more about surpassing him; he couldn't even do it in his dreams!Rebecca gulped down her saliva as a feeling of uneasiness rose inside of her. "I can't help but feel like something is wrong somewhere."But she couldn't quite place her finger on it.★The Hall of Sky Castle was filled with numerous business people
A loud gasp erupted in the hall as they all chorused it in utmost surprise.Ashton had struck Myles even harder than a strike of lightning would have. No one had believed it because they had barely even seen it happen.Fire burned in Ashton's eyes as he was consumed by an aura of rage. They didn't notice it or when it happened, but Ashton was now on his feet."What the f*ck?!" Myles growled. He tried to get up to his feet, but everything around him seemed to be spinning as he stumbled back to the ground.Diana rushed to him, and a loud gasp escaped her mouth, with her eyes shining wide in shock as Myles spat out blood from his mouth. "Oh my god! Mr Jameson! Are you alright?"Myles froze for a second; he didn't know how to react as his
Myles couldn't believe it even though it happened twice in a row! Did she just hit him? For real? He wasn't the only one left dumbfounded by her action. Murmurs filled the hall from all those who backed him up and insulted Ashton just a while ago. Not a single person dared to withstand the fire in Elizabeth's eyes or even dare to speak up and talk less of questioning her action. But Myles refused to be embarrassed in front of several eyes. "What? Why would you hit me? What exactly was that for?!" His eyes widened as the veins on his neck bulged out like they were about to snap. His fists clenched into a ball out of rage as he tried to stop himself from doing the unthinkable! If it were Ashton then he wouldn't even hold back at all! "A little bird of mine told me what you have been up to, who do you think you are to try and crash my own party?" Elizabeth arched her thin brows as she spoke. "Who do you think you are?" Even a queen would definitely not have the kind of aura she
The night was thick and the wind blew incessantly as Rebecca Knowles sat alone in her dark study. Her fingers drummed anxiously and noisily against the glass table as she mulled and thought over and over about the events of the past few weeks. She had played her hand well, or so she had thought. Manipulating Ashton and blackmailing him with Kelvin was one of her best plans in her grand scheme—everything had gone exactly as she planned. She let out a laughter at the thought. Soon and no one would hear anymore about the man, Ashton Pearce. He would be long gone, and so would his legacy. She was going to make sure of it. But right now, there was this unusual feeling of unease that was beginning to creep in. Things weren’t adding up. No doubt, Ashton had been far too calm lately, and she could feel something shifting beneath the surface, something she hadn’t accounted for. She hoped that it wasn't exactly what it was that she was thinking. As far as she knew, Ashton had asked to see Ke
Ashton paced the length of his living room, the dark light of the evening made out very long shadows against the walls. His mind raced as ge struggled to process the bombshell his informant had just dropped on him. For the last few weeks, Rebecca had held the upper hand, weaponizing that kid against him, threatening to take away the one thing he had vowed to protect above all else. But now, everything had shifted. The truth, as ugly as it was, lay before him. Kelvin wasn’t even his son.He grabbed his head as he felt the migraine come down on his oh so heavily. She was sick, Rebecca. His phone buzzed on the coffee table, and without hesitation, he grabbed it, his thumb hovered frantically over Thomas Gomez's contact. Ashton’s mind flashed back to their last conversation—the one where Thomas had warned him about Rebecca’s unpredictability. He was right, more than Ashton wanted to admit.Taking a deep breath, Ashton hit the call button. It rang twice before Thomas answered.“Gomez,”
Ashton had barely left the bar when his phone rang again. This time, it wasn’t Marco or Elizabeth—it was someone unexpected. He glanced at the screen and saw the name. A cold chill washed over him as he hesitated for a moment before answering.“Pearce,” the voice on the other end growled, low and menacing. It was Gregory, one of Rebecca’s most trusted associates and a man who had never hidden his disdain for Ashton. “We need to talk. Now.”Ashton’s hand tightened around his phone. “What do you want, Gregory?” he asked. “There’s no time for games. Meet me at the old pier in thirty minutes. Don’t be late.” The line went dead before Ashton could reply.A sense of unease settled over him. What could Gregory possibly want? He had never approached Ashton directly before, and the suddenness of the call reeked of desperation. Ashton wasn’t a fool—he knew he was walking into something dangerous. But if Gregory had information or was willing to talk, it was worth the risk.He texted Elizabeth
Ashton’s thoughts raced as he walked alongside Elizabeth, their footsteps echoed down the dimly lit streets. The weight of Rebecca’s threats still hung heavily in the air, but Elizabeth’s revelation about the mysterious meeting had lit a fire within him. He needed answers—and fast. His phone buzzed in his pocket, and when he saw the name on the screen, a flicker of hope stirred within him.It was his contact, the spy he had placed to gather intel on Rebecca."Ashton," the voice on the other end was low, cautious. "I’ve got something big. Meet me at the usual spot in an hour. You need to hear this in person." He said to him. Ashton nodded, though the man couldn’t see him. "I’ll be there." He said. Elizabeth looked at him questioningly, and Ashton explained, “It’s my guy. He has something—something important. This might be the break we need.” he said to her. Elizabeth nodded, her expression unreadable but supportive. "I’ll come with you." She said. They headed to the meeting plac
Ashton stood under the shower, the steam enveloped him like a shroud. The water cascaded down his body and it washed away the remnants of the earlier confrontation with Rebecca, but he knew the bitterness of her words lingered in his mind like a stain that wouldn't come out. He could hear her mocking laughter echoing in the recesses of his thoughts, taunting him with the possibility of losing everything he held dear, including his son and his job.His phone buzzed incessantly on the counter, jolting him from his thoughts. Elizabeth's name flashed on the screen, and he immediately felt a feeling of urgency mixed with dread. He had kept her in the dark about the fallout with Rebecca, not wanting to drag her into the chaos. But as he turned off the water and toweled himself off, he knew he couldn't hide from her forever.After pulling on a pair of sweatpants and a loose t-shirt, he picked up the phone and answered. “Hey, Liz." He said. “Ashton,” Elizabeth’s voice came through, steady a
Ashton leaned back in his chair, the leather creaking beneath him as he stared at the glowing screen of his phone. The fury that had once consumed him now simmered beneath a surface of determination. Rebecca had made her move, but he was ready to play the game on his own terms. He had to find a way to outsmart her—find a way to reclaim not just his son, but his entire life.He opened his contact list, scrolling through names until he landed on the one that stood out. A name he hadn’t thought he’d have to rely on again: Myles Jameson. They hadn’t spoken since their falling out over the rumors, but desperate times called for desperate measures.With a deep breath, he dialed Myles’ number, his heart racing as the line rang. He had no idea how Myles would react after everything that had happened, but he couldn’t let fear hold him back.The call connected, and after a few rings, Myles’ voice broke through. “Ashton? Is that you?” Myles asked. “Yeah, it’s me,” Ashton replied, trying to kee
Ashton Pearce paced back and forth in his apartment, his phone was clutched tightly in his hand as he paced. The walls felt like they were closing in on him, like they were going to suffocate him as the weight of his situation bore down on him. His career, his reputation—everything he had worked so hard for—was now on the line, and he knew exactly who was behind it. Rebecca.Why was she being this way ?Why did she had to be so cruel and evil to him?The sound of his phone dialing Rebecca’s number sent a jolt of fury through him. He'd had enough of her games. After about three rings, the line finally clicked open and her cool, composed voice greeted him.“Ashton,” Rebecca said, her tone was smooth. It was laced with a venomous sweetness that made his blood boil. “What a surprise.” She purred into the phone. “Cut the crap, Rebecca,” Ashton snapped at her, he was unable to keep the anger from his voice. “I want to see my son. Where’s Kelvin?” he demanded. Since she claimed he was h
Rebecca’s mind still buzzed endlessly with how intense and the discussions of her meeting she had with Miguel as the car cruised through the darkened city streets. She glanced out of the window, and watched the blurred lights as they passed, but her thoughts has already spinned ahead, she anticipated her next move. Miguel was a snake, she knew that much, but for now, he was her snake—one she could use to finally dismantle the Cooper empire alongside Ashton Pearce and claim her victory.But as much as she felt in control, there was a gnawing voice in the back of her mind. Was she truly prepared for what working with Miguel would entail? She knew that she wasn’t naive. Miguel played by his own rules, and while he may have agreed to their alliance, she knew trust was a fragile thing in their world. Still, the adrenaline that coarsed through her vein was undeniable. The rush of power, the thrill of knowing she was about to topple giants—it was almost addictive. Myles wouldn’t underst
Rebecca stepped out of the sleek black car, the hum of the city faded as she stood before the entrance to Miguel’s exclusive club, the same one she had been to with Myles but tonight, let's just say she was doing things in her own terms and by that, going with Myles was too much crowd. The neon lights flickered above the doorway, it illuminated an eerie glow on the street. Tonight was different—tonight, she had come alone.Myles had no idea about her plan, and she oh so discreetly intended to keep it that way. This was her decision, her strategy to forge a new alliance and take control of the situation. Myles could be too cautious, too predictable. But Rebecca knew that if they were going to bring down the Coopers, they needed someone ruthless, someone like Miguel.Not that she hadn't slandered him behind his back, but he mustn't know about that. She was dressed to kill, she wore a dark emerald dress that hugged her frame, it exuded power and confidence. Her heels clicked against the