Ashton almost stumbled to the ground when an arm caught him and his entire weight rested against the body of another's. He looked beside him and saw Mai Lee helping him remain stable on his feet. “Mr Pearce!” She cried out in a worried tone as she grabbed him. “You're hurt! I told you earlier! You're losing too much blood.”“It's not the knife wound, it's another wound that hurts but I'm fine, I'll be fine.” He managed to bring the words out of his mouth. “What other wound? Where does it hurt?” She wearily searched his body with her eyes as she spoke. She was worried as to what kind of wound could be hurting even more than the knife in his stomach but she didn't seem to find blood anywhere else on his body. He took himself from her hands and stood straight on his feet. “Don't worry about me, I will be alright. I'm driving back to sky castle hotel. I promised to return Ms. Cooper's car in good shape.”“But Mr Pearce–”“I'll be fine. I promise you that I won't die before you can le
Her hands subconsciously reached for his body and his sudden grip on it caused her to flinch with an audible gasp.His grip on her hand was gentle yet firm and she didn't understand why a simple touch on the hand was causing all of her nerves to malfunction. “Be gentle,” he said in a cool tone while staring down into her eyes. She felt he must have thought she was reaching for the knife and it made her feel a little less embarrassed. She nodded her head while looking up at him and he released her hand and looked away.There was a glint of anger in his deep blue eyes as he stared at her and she could swear it remained there as he looked away. But she decided to ask no questions and just focus on what she wanted to do. She had a little knowledge on treating wounds, only a little, but she had never gotten a chance to put it to the test. Now that she was granted a chance, she felt nervous to the core because she mustn't fail. But her tension was on a low level because she knew that A
Rebecca got home that night feeling drained. She helped herself to a nice bath and a change of clothes and didn't leave her room for a while. She couldn't get over the things that Ashton had said to her and she couldn't stop herself from wondering what had really happened while she was unconscious. Who did she see before she blacked out? Who was the man that pushed open the door and had a mighty aura circulating around him?She shook her head along with the thoughts that maybe Ashton was the real hero. All she wanted to believe was that maybe he tried to help and ended up getting hurt. The man that broke down the door was probably from the strike team that Mr Jameson had called and he saved the both of them.Did Mr Jameson really call the strike team? “Stop doubting him Rebecca!” She slapped her cheek gently. “Stop doubting your own family! How could you even try to consider the words that Ashton said? Of course he'd say things to his own favor, he would never admit to her that h
The fork in her hand froze as she heard the words that left her mother's tongue. She was already expecting it so why did she feel surprised by it? Theron didn't even seem to look up as his mother talked about marriage. Rebecca gave him a side glance and watched him eat like her mother hadn't just said something absurd. He must not be surprised, Rebecca thought to herself. They must have obviously talked about this behind my back but when? Rebecca carefully dropped her fork into her plates, letting it make only a gentle clatter noise then picked up a napkin to wipe her mouth. She heaved a gentle sigh, almost inaudibly before speaking up in a serene tone. “Mom, I know you mean well but I cannot get married, not now, not after everything that I have just gone through.” Diana's fork and knife clattered loudly against her ceramic plate as she let them fall carelessly into it.Rebecca flinched at the sound of it and she could see Theron from the side of her eyes that he had reacted the
The room was dark and cold. Winter drew in as quickly as it could as autumn came to an end. A hush of cold breeze blew in through the half opened window and the drapes flapped like a cape in the wind. Outside grew a storm, dark and gray as the sky began to rumble like it was having a tummy ache and droplets of rain dripped from the sky onto the earth which immediately began to soak them up. People hurried their steps on the road outside of the hotel to get to their destined homes while the staff inside the hotel compound seemed to be rounding up a chore or two before the rain would fall.Anyone who took one look at the sky would tell that it was going to be a heavy shower. Even the moon had hid himself behind a few grey clouds to huddle until the rain would pass over or at least when he felt it was safe to come out again.Ashton stood by the window with his hands buried in the depths of the pocket of his trousers. His eyes stared emotionlessly at the growing storm and the smell o
“Me???” Rebecca's voice came out almost as a shriek. She scoffed. “What?” And scoffed again. “Well what do you think? That he wants me or Theron or Mr Jameson?” Diana questioned her daughter. Rebecca made an attempt to reply but ended up stuttering nonsense like her tongue had suddenly gone numb. “Obviously not,” Her mother continued. “He must hate all of us to the guts. You my dear, he is probably not over you yet and he wants to try to push his way back into your life and ruin you!” Ruin her? What made her mother think that Ashton was trying to get her back just to ruin her? Why did they all seem to have that particular mindset that the only thing Ashton ever wanted was her destruction and he would even want to come back to her just to make sure it happened? None of what he ever did or had ever done proved them right about that. ‘Sure he lies to me some times when he does not want to admit to defeat’, she thought to herself. ‘But I'm sure he is not as evil as their tongues mak
Rebecca sprung awake before the call of her alarm and went to the bathroom to freshen up. She got dressed in a pink bra top and a black leggings then a pair of white sneakers.She searched inside her wardrobe for a pullover after realizing that the chilly breeze was yet to be gone and she eventually picked an ash colored hooded pullover.Her hair was made into a ponytail behind her and it bounced as she made her way down that stairs. Surprisingly, her mother was already up and preparing breakfast at seven in the morning.She walked down the stairs and joined her mother in the kitchen. “Good morning mom.”“Morning my darling, how did you sleep?” The woman responded while tending to the food on the stove.“I slept quite well although it was cold all night. I think that should be the last autumn rain. Anyway, I'm heading out for a jog to warm myself up.” Rebecca announced to her mother.
The road was clear and calm. The sun was barely up– trying to sleep in a bit or rather still feeling drowsy– and the sky was a calming blue decorated with a few partially fading white smoke-like clouds. A cool breeze blew against Ashton's face as he jogged down the road ahead of him. A few others decided on a morning jog as well to heat up themselves due to the coldness of the weather but it was only a scanty number. A single bead of sweat formed on his head as he made his way down the free road, even after jogging for almost a long while now, he still wouldn't sweat. The weather was cooling rather quickly even though it was still autumn everywhere. A thought came and left Ashton's mind as soon as it entered. ‘What if that arrogant man has an attack a day sooner than I expect?’ As the question began to build up in his mind, a sudden vibration from his pocket caused the thought to disappear completely. He stooped to catch his breath for not even up to a second before dipping his
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