When Ashley reached the elevator, she saw a sign that read “Out of order.” She pressed the button just in case—no response.
What were the odds?
The elevator just so happened to stop working right after she’d used it?
Ashley arched an eyebrow, turned, and headed toward the stairwell.
In her palm, a few silver needles had already silently appeared.
As expected, she’d only gone down two flights when she got blocked in by a group of Sullivan family bodyguards at the landing.
“Hand over the contract!” barked the guy in front.
Ashley held the folder close to her chest, backing up slightly like she was scared.
“Mrs.
Sullivan said it doesn’t matter if she gets beaten to death!
Do it!”
The lead guard rushed forward.
She tightened her grip on the needles, ready to fight back—
Suddenly, a freezing wave of pressure swept in from behind.
Before Ashley could react, a strong arm wrapped tightly around her slim waist, and she tumbled back into someone’s chest.
Startled, she looked up—and saw Edwin’s sharp, cold profile.
He didn’t even glance her way before kicking the charging guard straight into the wall.
The guy passed out on impact.
It hit her—those two guards she’d found unconscious outside her door earlier…
was that Edwin’s doing?
“Who the hell is this pretty boy?
Tired of living?” the rest of them snapped and charged again.
Edwin didn’t even bother lifting a finger.
With a flick of his jacket, he pulled a gun from his waistband.
The cold, black muzzle pressed right up to the forehead of the guy in front.
“P-please…
Don’t…” the man trembled, basically wetting himself in fear.
Edwin’s lips barely moved as he said one word—”Leave.”
He radiated danger—his presence alone was chilling enough, and now with a gun in hand?
Might as well be death himself.
No one wanted to die for a paycheck.
The guards bolted, stumbling over each other in their hurry.
Edwin casually looked down at the woman in his arms.
“Still enjoying the hug?”
“…” Ashley let go instantly.
Then realized something was off—she looked up sharply.
Edwin was now flipping through her contract.
“All that effort just for fifteen percent of Sullivan shares?” Edwin scoffed, not even hiding his disdain.
To him, fifteen percent—or even the whole Sullivan family—wasn’t worth jack.But that contract meant everything to her.
Ashley quietly reached out her hand, her clear eyes fixed on Edwin, somehow sharp and unwavering.
Edwin found it amusing.
“Little mute,” he leaned in, his obsidian eyes glinting coldly, “Beg nicely, maybe I’ll hand the whole Sullivan family over to you.”
“…”
God, why was this guy so damn punchable?
Ashley ignored him and moved to snatch the contract back, but Edwin casually rolled it up and turned around with long strides.
She was fuming and hurried to catch up.
Too bad his legs were basically stilts.
He clearly had no intention of waiting.
In her rush, Ashley twisted her ankle.
Biting her lip through the pain, she lunged forward and wrapped her arms tightly around Edwin’s waist.
Caught off guard, Edwin stumbled slightly.
He steadied himself, looked down at her hands clinging onto him, and tried to peel them off—only to realize she had the grip of a gorilla.
“…”
Edwin’s jaw tightened as he clicked his tongue, then grabbed her by the back of her shirt and yanked her up to eye level.
“Little mute, you got a death wish or what?”
Ashley shrank her neck back, suddenly losing steam.
Head-on doesn’t work—note to self, don’t wrestle with a lunatic.
Switching gears, she worked up some tears, gave a pitiful pout, and let her eyes well up on cue…
“Dare cry and see what happens!” Edwin wasn’t buying it, eyes cold, voice icy.
“The last woman who cried in front of me?
Let’s just say her gravestone’s probably got vines on it by now.”
“…”
You’ve got to be kidding me.
Ashley sucked those tears right back in.
Instead, she pulled up the hem of her dress, showing her swollen ankle and a flash of pale calf right there for everyone to see.
With one hand clutching Edwin’s sleeve, she tilted her chin, looking up at him all soft and teary-eyed.
A few passing men sneaked glances, clearly not looking at her ankle.
Edwin’s face darkened.
He yanked her skirt back down.
“You really are asking for it.”
Before Ashley could figure out what that meant, her world flipped, literally—he’d unceremoniously scooped her up, bridal-style, and started heading straight toward the black Maybach parked not far away…
Just then, Isobel walked out the front entrance of the hotel—and saw everything.
“Well, well, Ashley!
Cheating on the King family with some pretty boy, huh?
Bold!”