2026-08-12 09:02:32Darius Cavanaugh's words sent a wave of cold dread washing over Ashlyn Winters.
She hadn't imagined he could be this deranged, this utterly unhinged."If you have the nerve, come at me directly," she said, her voice tight.Darius laughed, a single sharp note devoid of humor. "You think I'd let you off?"His gaze swept over her like something venomous. "You're the first person who's ever dared put horns on my head. I'll make you regret every choice that led you here."
Previous Chapter
Latest Chapter
126
Cameron Prescott signed his name with a few swift strokes of the pen.Shane Dalton smiled, something meaningful lurking behind the expression. "Mr. Prescott, here's to a fruitful partnership between our two families.""Yes, yes, wonderful!" Cameron shook Dalton's hand eagerly."And if any future projects come along, please think of us at the Prescott Group. Well, the Crane Group, I should say." Dalton's correction was smooth, almost teasing."Don't worry, our Mr. Prescott is a generous man."They exchanged a few more pleasantries before Dalton took his leave.Cameron was practically vibrating with excitement. He grabbed the contract and strode into the office, holding it aloft like a trophy. "Look at this. Signed, sealed, and done!"Susan Lawson snatched the document from his hands and scanned the pages, a crease forming between her brows. "The Crane Group wants us to transfer three billion within two days." She looked up with narrowed eyes. "Isn't
125
The Prescott clan was overjoyed. Without a second word, they snatched up the contract and swept out of the office, brimming with self-satisfaction.Charles Prescott slumped in his chair, utterly deflated. The energy had drained from his body the moment the door closed behind them."This is all my fault.""Celia, maybe you should just pull the project back."Celia moved closer and comforted him gently. "Dad, this isn't your fault. They're the shameless ones.""I'll figure something out. I promise I'll handle it."Nick had given her full authority over this matter, but since it involved the Prescott family, she still needed to go back and talk it over with him.After hastily arranging things at the company, Celia left Prescott Group headquarters and drove straight to the Aldermarsh residence.Nick looked mildly surprised when she walked through the door. "What's going on? You're home early today."Celia shook her head and told him everythin
124
Charles Prescott's office was already packed with people.Cameron Prescott stood supporting Old Mrs. Prescott, while Susan Lawson and Gloria Gordon sat nearby.Gloria's face glowed with delight as she spoke. "You see? If you'd gone to ask your daughter sooner, our family wouldn't have had to make things difficult for you.""Such a huge project, did you really think you could keep it all to yourself?"Charles's face was wreathed in smiles as well."That's right. We're all family here. With such a good project available, does it really matter who handles it? Are we family members really going to fight over this?"The moment Celia entered the Prescott Group building and reached the entrance to Charles's office, she heard the commotion inside and realized quite a few members of the Prescott family were present.Her expression remained unchanged as she walked slowly to the doorway."I'd like to see exactly who dares try to steal a project from the
123
Lydia Crane and Phoebe Whitaker were already feeling guilty, so when Celia's words reached them, cold sweat broke out on both their backs."Of course not. We were just thinking that you've been so tired today, Celia," Lydia said quickly."You've been working so hard outside. We didn't want to add to your troubles," Phoebe added.Phoebe nodded vigorously in agreement. "Exactly. We just hope you'll eat more. Look at how much weight you've lost from all this work lately."She ladled a bowl of chicken soup and set it before Celia with an attentive smile.Seeing their thoughtful gestures, Celia felt genuinely touched. "You two have been working hard as well. I think it's time I gave you both a raise."All three of them were executives at the company, so the question of salary increases was somewhat beside the point. Still, hearing Celia say this made Phoebe feel a pang of shame. Celia had always treated her exceptionally well, yet here she was harboring comp
122
By the time Nick came downstairs to the living room to wait for Celia, the sounds of activity were already drifting from the kitchen. Lydia and Phoebe had started preparing dinner.He'd suggested before that they hire a housekeeper or a live-in helper, someone to share the load of daily chores. More than that, he simply didn't want the three of them wearing themselves out. But the moment he'd floated the idea, all three had shot it down without hesitation. Their reasoning was simple: this kind of easy, unhurried routine was exactly what made a place feel like home. Celia had told him plainly that cooking for him made her happy, that the warmth and bustle of a real kitchen was something she genuinely enjoyed. The simple rhythms of everyday life, the scent of dinner in the air, the presence of people she cared about, all of it gave her a sense of peace she hadn't felt in years. Since none of them objected, Nick let it go.He'd barely been sitting in the living room for a few
121
"Ahh!""Nick, turn around! Turn around right now!""How do you just walk in without knocking?!"Lydia's shriek pierced the air, and in an instant Nick snapped back to reality. He spun around, face burning, putting his back to the scene."I didn't know you two were in here," he said, his voice stiff with embarrassment. "I thought Celia was back."Lydia looked like she might actually combust from sheer mortification. Phoebe Whitaker's face had gone equally scarlet, and both women wished the floor would open up and swallow them whole.They hadn't worked overtime today. After wrapping up contract negotiations with a business partner, they had rushed home early. Nick rarely came back, and they wanted to spend as much time with him as possible. Celia still had a few remaining clauses to finalize at the office, so she was running late.When the two of them got home, they discovered the shower in their own bathroom was broken. They remembered the one in Ce
You may also like
RISE OF THE DISCARDED SON-IN-LAW
Sage Athalar82.4K viewsSon-in-law: The Billionaire's Reign
Deliaha Shine110.0K viewsI Married a Beautiful Boss After the Breakup
Seafarer's Strike208.8K viewsRevenge of the Secret Heir
Belladonna86.3K viewsTHEY ERASED ME, SO I TOOK EVERYTHING BACK
Mica128 viewsThe Hidden Trillionaire Heir
Nicholeta255 viewsFrom Nothing To The Name They Fear
GCsage123 viewsREBORN WITH A REVENGE SYSTEM
Costa Bill229 views