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Chapter 168 Parasites
Edouard let out a wheeze and sat upright.
His hands shook as he hauled himself up with that polished black cane.
“Where do you get off talking like that?” he barked. ‘What do you mean, your house, your food? LGH and this villa were built off my back.”
Ashton gave a short laugh.
He looked down at Edouard like he was some washed–up street performer shouting in the park.
“You’ve got quite the imagination. Without me, LGH would have collapsed two years ago. This place would have been repossessed. You’d be out on your arse. The only reason you’re sitting here with heating and a functioning liver is me. You think your pension covered those hospital bills? You’d be dead by now.”
Edouard slammed his cane against the marble twice.
“You listen to yourself. What kind of lunatic talks to their grandfather like this? Do you even see me as family?”
“No,” Ashton said plainly. “You’re just another parasite. You all are. I don’t owe you anything. And if I hear you’ve stirred up more trouble, you won’t live to see spring.”
Edouard staggered.
His cane slipped.
He dropped back onto the couch, chest heaving, color draining fast.
“You’ve gone mad,” he gasped. “Completely unhinged-”
“Then maybe you should have thought twice before pulling this stunt. Actions have consequences.”
“I-”
Edouard’s throat bobbed.
His mouth opened twice, but nothing came out.
His fingers flexed around the handle of his cane.
“I didn’t know they were planning anything. If I had I would have stopped it.”
Declan shot forward, half–jogging out of the corner like he’d been waiting for a cue.
“I swear I had nothing to do with it, either! I got here five minutes before you, Ash. I didn’t know anything.”
Reginald mumbled something behind him. “Neither did I…”
Gwendolyn turned her head sharply and glared at him like she wanted to slap the words back into
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his mouth.
Then she smiled at Ashton.
“It was a misunderstanding. Mirabelle didn’t know the date meant anything. She just wanted to surprise you.”
Ashton turned slowly until he was facing her directly.
Her shoulders dropped an inch.
“You think I’m that gullible? You really think I’d believe you over my wife?”
“It’s not about belief,” she said quickly. “Neither of us meant any harm. Mirabelle and I were just- just trying to be kind.”
“Funny how that sounded like I ran the whole thing. Weren’t you the one who dragged me here in the first place?” I stopped in front of her, arms loose at my sides. “You called me up crying about wanting the family to get along. Said it’d just be a quiet dinner. You made it sound like you cared.”
She licked her lips. Her voice came out breathy. “I didn’t lie. I just said we could all have a meal—”
“That’s enough,” Ashton cut in. “You knew exactly what you were doing. Try it again, and you won’t be setting foot in this house again.”
He turned to Reginald. “And you. You’ve been loafing around too long. There’s a site in Namibia that needs people. I’ll have HR send your ticket.”
Reginald shot up from the sofa. “You can’t be serious! I’m your father! You’re sending me to Africa?
“You’re free to resign. But you’ll lose every share, every dividend, and every cent of your payout. Your call.”
His mouth opened and shut. Nothing came out.
Then Ashton looked at Declan.
Declan threw up his right hand like he was taking an oath. “I swear on everything, I wasn’t involved. Mum roped in Mirabelle. Not me. Please don’t freeze my cards.”
Ashton glanced back at Edouard.
“No point wasting breath on you. Just focus on making it through winter.”
Then he reached for my hand.
“We’re leaving.”
We walked out.
The air outside was damp, cool against my neck.
He opened the car door.
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I got in.
So did he.
But he didn’t start the engine.
He just sat there, jaw tight, one hand gripping the steering wheel like he was trying not to crush it.
“I thought things with your family weren’t that bad,” I said quietly. “Last time, they were polite enough. You said the whole marriage thing was just to keep your grandfather happy and get everyone off your back, so I figured… I just wanted to do something for your birthday.”
My voice kept dropping, and I couldn’t seem to stop.
My hands had knotted together in my lap, fingers twisting around each other like they had a mind of their own.
“But that was me being stupid. I wasn’t thinking. I was busy with Yvaine yesterday, and when your stepmum called, I just–my brain didn’t catch up. I should have asked you first. I shouldn’t have gone over on my own. I messed up.”
I swallowed.
“It’s my fault. I’m sorry.”
The car was still.
No hum from the engine, no light except for the faint silver bleeding through the windshield.
I couldn’t see his expression, just the rigid line of his jaw.
“I get it if you’re upset,” I said, louder this time. “You can yell at me if you want.‘
“Not going to,” he said, turning his head toward me. “That’s Gwendolyn’s thing. She talks sweet, plays nice, then twists the knife behind your back. You didn’t know. That’s on me. I should have warned you what kind of family this is.”
He shut his eyes for a second, breathing out through his nose.
“I’m not angry. I just “his voice caught. He cleared his throat, but it didn’t help. “My mum died on this day.”
I looked up.
The moonlight caught in the lines of his face, cutting across the shadows from the branches outside.
He wasn’t crying, but his mouth was tight and his eyes had that flat, heavy look I recognized too well.
Ashton always looked untouchable to me.
Sharp, controlled, impossible to rattle.
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707
But right then, I knew better.
He had pressure points. He bled.
I leaned over and wrapped my arms around him.
“Tell me,” I said against his shoulder. “Only if you want to.”
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Chapter 169 His Past
