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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
The Rise of Ashton Chapter Forty five
The Woman Who Left Ashton stood in the dimly lit penthouse, his pulse was hammering wildly in his ears. What was his father talking about? Who was the woman? His eyes flickered toward the door as the raggedly dressed woman stepped inside. She was hesitant, her movements uncertain, as if she didn’t belong. She lingered in the doorway, her fingers ghosting over the pristine white walls for balance.She looked hungry, like she could barely stand on her own. Her clothes were worn, her sand brown hair slightly unkempt, but her eyes looked stronger than the rest of her, like she was looking forward to something.Ashton didn't know what to say. Who was she? Why was she so poorly dressed and why was she in the Reed estate? These questions rang in his mind but he couldn't bring himself to ask them. Somehow, the room had become even more tense. His father was watching the strange woman with a frown on his face. His eyes were red and his jaw clenched. The moment her fingertips brushed a
The Rise of Ashton Chapter Forty six
The Beast AwakenedYour mother. Those words left him dumbfounded. The words left him stunned. The room went silent. Ashton’s body locked up. The air in his lungs turned to stone. He couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t think. His gaze snapped back to the woman—his mother—but she was already looking at him with desperate, tear filled eyes. A painful lump formed in his throat. This couldn’t be real. Could it? He'd learnt that his mother was dead. His father was barely ever around. His entire life was a lie. She reached for him again, her fingers hesitant. “Ashton…” she whispered, her voice cracking with raw emotion. “My baby…” Ashton jerked away. His heart pounded so violently he could hear it in his ears. His mother. The woman who had abandoned him. He staggered back a step, his entire world shattering in an instant. Frederick watched, his expression smug as if this was all some sort of twisted victory for him. But Ashton’s mind was spiraling. He had spent his
The Rise of Ashton Chapter Forty seven
The Warehouse TrapAshton drove like the devil was on his heels. And maybe he was. Because he'd never felt anger like this in a very long time, not even when his so-called brother was trying to get on his nerves. He had to get to Lancaster and find out why his father was so eager to get rid of Benjamin. What secrets did the old man hold? The city was cloaked in the deep shadows of midnight as Ashton pulled into a nearly deserted parking lot on the outskirts of town. The streetlights flickered overhead and everywhere was gravely quiet. He cut the engine, his fingers still gripping the steering wheel tightly as he scanned the area. “He's not here," he whispered under his breathe. But just as he scanned the area, he soon spotted a lone figure that stood by a rusted bench, barely illuminated by the weak light above him. Lancaster. “About time," Ashton whispered with a sigh and closed the car door as he stepped out. The investigator had one hand tucked into his coat pocket whil
The Rise of Ashton Chapter Forty eight
Into the DepthsOne plunge and the world faded into darkness. Cold. Black. Cold. Black. That's all he felt as he dived into the rushing river. The icy water swallowed Ashton whole, numbing his body instantly as he fought the urge to breathe. The current was stronger than he expected, pulling at his limbs as he fought to surface. Behind him, he heard the distant splash of Lancaster hitting the water, followed by the muffled roar of gunfire. The attackers weren’t giving up. “Find him!" One of them bellowed over the rushing of the river. This was Ashton’s warning to not break the surface. He had to remain underneath in order to not give off his location in the water. With all the strength that remained in his wet and numb muscles, he continued to fight against the currents until he was far off from the attackers. He could still hear the distant and muffled sound of gunshots and the drop of bullets in the river. Finally, after a few minutes of struggling, he broke the surface, g
The Rise of Ashton Chapter Forty nine
A Missing Past The night was slowly brightening up at dawn. Ashton walked in silence beside Lancaster, their soaked clothes clinging to their skin as they trudged along the empty road. The danger was over. At least most of it. No doubt the attackers had lost track of them with all the fake trails that they created in the forest. The cold night air bit at his exposed skin, but the pain in his side was a sharp reminder of everything that had gone wrong. “You better have a plan,” Ashton muttered. Lancaster pulled out his phone, thankfully it was slightly wet from the plastic casing. He risned it out and tapped a few buttons before bringing it to his ear. “I do.” Ashton exhaled sharply, hugging himself against the chill. He was soaked to the bones and he felt like he'd freeze any minute now. A few seconds later, Lancaster spoke into the phone, his voice low. “Yeah, it’s me. We need a pickup. Discreet. No questions asked.” A pause. “Fifteen minutes? Fine.” He hung up and turned
The Rise of Ashton Chapter Fifty
A House DividedThe thoughts roused him after a restless sleep. He couldn't get the images out of his head. The attack at the old warehouse. The fact that his father just might have been behind it. It was all too overwhelming. Ashton’s eyes snapped open and he groomed as he rolled over and then his ears picked up the distant sound of raised voices echoing through the halls of the Reed mansion. His body ached all over, the wounds from the previous night’s attack at the warehouse still fresh. His arm was wrapped tightly in a bandage, the pain dull but persistent. The doctor had done a good job patching him up. For a moment, he lay still, trying to make sense of what had awakened him. Then another sharp noise, something slamming against a hard surface, sent a jolt of adrenaline through his veins. His father’s voice could be heard loudly in the distance. And then it was followed by another voice, one he recognized just as easily. “Augustine,” Ashton whispered and rolled his eyes
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Chapter Hundred Five
Toast to DeceptionThey needed to come up with a plan. Veronica paced in Ashton’s suite, her arms folded tightly across her chest, while Augustine leaned against the windowsill, eyes fixed outside. “She’s somewhere in this house,” Veronica whispered. “He said it himself. Marcel has some crazy girl picked up like a specimen, and he’s planning to make her vanish the moment he gets what he wants.”“And we can’t wait for that moment to come,” Augustine agreed. “We need to act now.”“But how?” Veronica turned to them and rolled her eyes. “This place is crawling with security. They’re loyal to Marcel. They’ll never let us snoop around freely. If they catch on to what we’re doing, they’ll raise alarms or worse, hide her somewhere we’ll never find her.”Ashton had been quiet, seated in the corner of the room. His eyes suddenly lit up and he smirked. “Then we make sure they don’t catch on, we distract them,” he said.Veronica narrowed her eyes. “You have a plan?”He nodded slowly. “Yes. What
Chapter Hundred Four
The Drunken ConfessionTitanium Incorporated was all over the news later that evening. The air was oddly calm at the Green Mansion when the three siblings finally arrived home. It was a day indeed and they were exhausted. Veronica, Ashton, and Augustine sat across from one another, freshly changed out of their formal wear and disguises and back into their casual looks. No one mentioned the chaos that had created just hours ago.But suddenly, Marcel Green entered the room with a loud voice. “My children!” He called out. They all turned to see him. Marcel wore a deep green velvet robe over his black shirt, and for once, his cold expression was gone and he looked pleased.“Have you heard the news?” he asked with a smirk, pouring himself a glass of wine before any of them could answer.Veronica glanced at Ashton and Augustine, as if just now remembering their rehearsed story. “News?” she echoed innocently.“We were at a school reunion,” Augustine added casually. “You know how those g
Chapter Hundred Three
Mission Successful “He's a thief and you all should know this!" Veronica hissed loudly. A hush fell over the massive conference hall. “What is she talking about? Is this a comedy show?" Someone asked in the crowd. The crowd of shareholders, press, and corporate leaders had gathered for what was supposed to be a celebration of Titanium Incorporated’s monumental success but they were about to witness its downfall. They had no idea. Veronica’s voice rang out again. “You all deserve the truth. Titanium Incorporated is not what you think it is. Frederick Reed has built his empire on lies and fraud.”“Mrs Pam, what are you doing? If this is about the investment, we can talk it out!" Frederick snapped but Veronica didn't give him the time to talk. And of course, the spotlight was on her. She knew all she had to do was take the floor. Ashton stepped forward and handed thick manila folders to uniformed assistants who seemed very intrigued and began distributing them row by row. Each s
Chapter Hundred Two
Jericho Has Fallen The ride to Titanium incorporated wasn't quiet. Ashton and Augustine had to go through last minute plans and make sure Veronica fully understood what was required of her. Veronica adjusted her scarf in the mirror, her brown contact lenses hiding the green of her real eyes. Beside her, Ashton was now dressed in a charcoal gray suit, he kept checking his phone, keeping track of time and glancing at Augustine every now and then.The plan was dangerous, reckless and would get them in trouble. But it was to be done and Veronica had never been more excited over a thing. By the time they arrived at the company building where the press conference was scheduled, she was rightly dressed. Veronica clutched her handbag tighter, in it was all the evidence that could ruin Frederick Reed once and for all.Augustine opened the door first, stepping out in his tailored navy-blue suit that fit him like a second skin. His hair was slicked back neatly, and a pair of gold-rimmed g
Chapter Hundred One
The Day of Judgment The next morning, Ashton sat on the edge of the bed, tugging on the sleeves of a crisp white dress shirt, his face unusually stern Augustine stood by the mirror, fixing his red tie slowly, his brows furrowed.Neither of the brothers spoke for a long while. The silence was a little awkward but they all looked left in thought. Finally, Ashton spoke and when he did, his voice barely above a whisper despite his anger. He knew he had to keep it down. Marcel had ears and eyes everywhere. "Are you okay?" He asked. Augustine gave a short, dry laugh. "Define okay," he muttered, adjusting the knot at his throat.Ashton rose from the bed and crossed the room. "I mean after everything that happened last night with our mother, Marcel and Veronica."Augustine met his brother’s eyes in the mirror. "No," he admitted quietly. "I’m not okay. I don’t think any of this is okay."Then he pulled on a sleek black jacket, smoothing it down and staring at his reflection. It was perf
Chapter Hundred
A Mother Returns Ashton lost his breath as he stared at the woman standing before him.It couldn’t be.The last time he saw her, she had been wasting away in a hospital bed, her body frail and trembling, her cheeks hollowed out by sickness and years of neglect. He had fought to keep her alive, pulling every string he could, ensuring she received the best medical care money could buy. Frederick had tried to get rid of her by neglect but he stepped in right on time. Even though life had become chaotic and he was barely surviving himself, Ashton had never forgotten her. Never. He had made sure the nurses updated him weekly, sometimes daily, about her progress. He had sent gifts anonymously, upgraded her treatment plans, and ensured she lacked nothing when being nursed back to health. So what in fuck’s name was she doing here?He blinked once. Twice. But she remained standing there on the foyer. Her hair, once thin and matted, now slightly glistened under the fluorescent light. Sh
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
