Semua Bab I Slapped My Fiancé—Then Married His Billionaire Nemesis: Bab 141 - Bab 150

Ashton entered the study first and walked straight to the leather chair behind the desk.He didn’t speak. He didn’t look up. He unlocked his phone, scrolled, tapped something, and stayed quiet.Franklin hovered near the centre of the rug, hands twitching at his sides, eyes darting around like he couldn’t decide whether to sit or stay upright.Eventually, he stayed standing.Ashton kept scrolling.Franklin cleared his throat.No response.‘I know Mira’s been... distant,’ he started, his voice thin. ‘She probably told you stuff about us. Some of it is true, I admit. But we raised her. She’s got a temper, sure, but she’s our daughter. Watching her do well now... it makes me proud.’Ashton’s eyes flicked up, then dropped back to the screen.Franklin kept going, his tone sliding into something meant to sound sentimental. ‘She hardly comes home these days. I miss her. Her mother does too.’The corners of Ashton’s mouth twitched.Franklin perked up a little, mistaking it for warmth.He launc

‘He said he’s into jewellery,’ Yvaine said. ‘Wants to try something different. Let’s just meet him and see.’‘Fine.’We didn’t have to wait long.At half ten, the door opened and a guy walked in.White crewneck jumper, loose black trousers, no tie, no jacket.Not sloppy, just not trying too hard either.He looked fresh out of uni. Big smile, clean skin, short black hair, the kind of face casting agents probably fight over.Yvaine nudged my elbow and muttered, ‘Fit. Nice build. He’s wearing head-to-toe designer. Think he’s some bored rich kid?’I kept my voice low. ‘He doesn’t look like someone who knows how to get shit done.’We both straightened our backs.I motioned Priya over, and the three of us lined up on one side of the little glass table.He sat opposite, still grinning.‘Hi,’ he said brightly. ‘I’m Daniel Williams, twenty-two, just graduated from Eastwick. Looking for work. Would love the chance to join your team.’His voice was smooth, posture decent.It was irritating how l

‘Happy birthday,’ he said again.He placed it on the worktable.The cake inside was tiny.Four inches, maybe.Enough for two.The icing was smooth and white, with a single purple flower piped dead centre.No glitter, no sprinkles.Just that flower, neat, precise, a shade darker than amethyst.Primrose, my birth flower.I stared at it for a few seconds.‘Thanks,’ I said quietly, before my voice could crack.He lit a candle on top, just one, and grinned at me.‘Make a wish.’The flame flickered.I closed my eyes.Nothing came to mind straight away.My brain spun in ten directions before settling.I opened my eyes and blew out the candle.The smoke curled upward, sharp and faint.‘Happy birthday,’ Ashton said.I repeated it. ‘Happy birthday to me.’The heat in the room had settled into my chest.It wasn’t from the heater.‘Cake?’ he asked.Then he swiped a finger through the frosting and smeared it across my cheek.‘Birthday girl.’I blinked. Then grabbed a chunk off the side and smeared

Harper’s face immediately flushed red.‘Did I do something wrong? I don’t think we’ve met before, but if I’ve upset you in any way, I’m happy to apologise.’Cassian touched her shoulder.‘Don’t cry, let me figure out what’s going on,’ he said, then turned to me. ‘I’m honestly trying to introduce you to a client. What’s going on? Why are we getting into this before we even eat?’I’d aimed my snark at Harper to stand up for Yvaine, but Cassian? He was the one who really made me sick.I stared him down. ‘Drop the act. You think I don’t know what you two are up to?’Cassian, being an old friend of Ashton’s and a few years older than me, had always gotten my respect in the past.But not today.‘I’ve known Yvaine forever, you know we’re close. Yet here you are, bringing this woman here. What’s your play, Cassian? You trying to rub it in Yvaine’s face? Or maybe you want me to sit here with Harper and stir up some drama between me and Yvaine?’The room went deathly quiet.The look on Cassian’

I thought the episode was over.I was wrong.‘Mirabelle, there’s… a big client down here!’ Priya called up to me from the first floor.I made my way down quickly, but when I saw Harper, the smile I’d been trying to keep on my face disappeared in an instant.I slowed my steps, forced myself to look at her without rolling my eyes. ‘What do you want?’‘Mirabelle, listen…’ Harper gave me this ridiculously familiar smile and stood up, as though we were best friends. ‘There’s been a misunderstanding. I came to explain everything to you.’‘Don’t try to be friendly with me. We’re not on first-name basis.’Harper’s eyes welled up a little, and her voice softened. ‘I didn’t know Cassian had a girlfriend when we were together. If I had known…’I wasn’t buying it for a second.‘If you’d known, you still would have been with him. You’re not in love with him. You’re in love with the resources he gave you. You don’t care about his relationship status or whether you were the other woman.’‘That’s not