Chapter 3

ASHFORD

The second I end the call with Lennox, I dial the line of my assistant, who picks up the call after the second ring.

Took him so freaking long.

“Yes, boss.” He sounds like he just woke up from sleep, but I don’t care. “How may I help you?”

“Get your ass up, Desmond, go to Winslow jewelry and get me a customized engagement ring.” I can hear Desmond gasp over the phone.

“A customized engagement ring?” He asks, surprise lace his voice. “It is part of the new collection, Boss.” He tries to remind me like I am not aware.

“I am aware, Desmond, hence the reason I told you to get it for me now. I need it in forty minutes.” I am a second away from snapping at him.

I am not one to do things out of plan, but when it comes to Lennox, I end up doing a whole lot of things out of plan. Like getting her a customized engagement ring when she called saying she lied to her college classmates that she is engaged to me.

She was expecting me to yell at her, but that will be the last thing I will ever do. She’s been a good friend for five years, and covering up for her was the least I could do.

“Okay, Boss, I’ll get it done.” Desmond sounds unsure, but he knows not to question me any further.

 Exactly forty minutes later, he arrives at my penthouse with the engagement ring. “Are you sure about this, Boss? Last I remembered, you were not in any relationship. Not even one for the past five years.”

I take the ring from his hand and glare at him. “What are you trying to say?”

He swallows and slams his mouth shut. 

“Good, now leave. Have a lovely night.” 

I am out of my penthouse afterwards, heading to the address Lennox texted to me. Once I am there, I grab a coat which I bought on my way to the restaurant.

The temperature had dropped an hour ago and knowing the kind of person Lennox is, I am sure she didn’t bring a jacket with her to the reunion.

“Where is your engagement ring?” A lady asks, directing the question at Lennox, who opens and closes her mouth when words fail her.

I step in at that moment to save her from further embarrassment. 

All eyes fall on me, including Lennox, whose eyes soften upon seeing me. She grabs her bag, ready to rush towards me, but I am faster.

I stride towards her, kneel before her and bring out the engagement ring. 

Lennox’s face goes pale instantly and her jaw drops to the ground. She is surprised because when she called earlier, I only told her I would come pick her up, not propose to her in front of her classmates.

While she is still frozen in shock, I slip the ring onto her finger and drape the coat around her shoulders. “Let’s go home. The weather is dropping.”

“What are you doing?” She whisper-yells, her eyes wide as a saucepan. “You don’t need to do this, Ashford.”

“I definitely need to.” I pull her into a hug, whispering into her ear. “This is a payback to them for being mean. Their rings are barely three-carat, while yours is customized. Show it off, baby.”

A soft chuckle rips out of her throat as she wraps her arms around my broad back. “Thank you so much for saving my ass.”

“You’re always welcome.” I rise to my feet and grab her waist, picking her up in a bridal style.

Lennox gasps, her lips part in shock. “They are already surprised enough, Ashford. Put me down!” She whispers into my ear as we make our way out of the room.

“I like the pale look on their faces. It is so satisfying.” I chuckle as we walk past the main restaurant full with people who begin to whisper upon seeing us.

Phones and cameras begin to appear one after another, capturing the moment, while Lennox hides her face in my chest.

She doesn’t want a scandal. Cute.

Once we are out and in my car, she exhales and glares at me. “Why did you do that?”

My brows furrow and I ask. “Do what?”

“You can’t afford to be caught in a scandal, Ashford. You’re a CEO, not some random person.”

“Okay, ma’am.” 

My lips pause in a thin line as I rev the car to life and drive off to Lennox’s apartment.

………..

     

  I knew a scandal was going to break out, but it happened faster than I expected. The very next day after picking Lennox from the restaurant, news was circulating about us.

Lennox’s face is blurred in the news because she was fast enough to hide her face from the prying eyes of people in the restaurant, but mine isn’t.

A smile breaks out of my lips as I watch the news on the TV, right after coming out of the bathroom. 

My phone is blowing up with calls from Desmond, but I ignore it as I go about my day. He never stops calling until I finally decide to pick.

“Why are you calling, Desmond? Do you intend on blowing up my phone?” 

Desmond sighs, and I can hear the tiredness in his voice. “Did you watch the news?”

“Yes, I did.”

“It said and I quote; Billionaire Ashford Winslow caught picking up a woman in a bridal style in a famous restaurant in Marble Falls City, and on her finger was a huge customized engagement ring.” Desmond pauses for a second and continues. “Wait, is she the woman you gave the customized engagement ring to?”

“I don’t think I owe you any reply, Desmond, just cancel my schedule for the day.” I hang up and just as I am about to put on something comfortable, my phone rings again. I smile when I see it is Lennox calling. “Hi, Fiancée.” I say in a playful voice.

“Can we meet, Ashford?” She sounds serious and the smile on my lips disappears.

“Okay, text me the location.”

 I arrive at Lennox’s cafe and meet her already sitting in one of the chairs. I can tell she is dead serious from her expression.

She doesn’t let me sit before she starts. “Did you watch the news?”

I nod slowly as I take my seat. “Yes, I did.”

“I told you not to pick me up in a bridal style because it might cause a scandal, now see what you’ve done.” She sounds worried about me. Cute.

“I’m fine, Nox. I am.”

“I am not fine with it, Ashford. You’re no ordinary man. You’re the CEO of a group of companies, you can’t afford to get caught up in scandals.”

I watch her ramble on and on and I can’t help but smile. Even when she does the most mundane things, I find them extremely cute.

“Take a deep breath, Sunshine.” I cut in on her ramble.

She stares at me in silence and takes a deep breath. I reach for her hands, giving them a reassuring squeeze. “I’m fine. Scandals don't bother me.”

“I’m sorry for pushing you into a tight corner.” Her head drops and my heart fucking twists painfully.

“I have a suggestion.” I lean back into my seat and her gaze falls on me instantly.

“What is it?” Her brows lift in curiosity.

“We should play along.”

“Play along to what?”

“To the media’s narrative.”

Her eyes go wide and she takes her hands from my hold, while I mourn the lack of warmth. “We can’t do that.”

“Why?”

“I don’t want to put you in jeopardy.”

“Well, I can take any hit the media throws at me…” I am still speaking when Lennox’s phone rings.

She reaches for her phone and picks up the call. “What is it, Mom?”

A second later, her eyes go wide again and she shakes her head frantically. “I can’t do that, Mom, and moreover, that wasn’t me.”

“It wasn’t.” She grits, but her Mom hangs up and Lennox groans.

“Is everything okay?” I ask out of concern.

“How on earth was she able to recognize me in the photo taken from the restaurant?” She mumbles to herself.

“Tell me what is going on, Nox.” I’m starting to get worried. I shouldn’t have put her in a tight corner.

“My Mom wants me to bring you home tonight for dinner.” She blurts out, her hands digging through her locks. “This is so fucked up.”