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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
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
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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
