Chapter 6
6
Samuel and Marisol Ashford are the most daunting couple I’ve ever laid eyes on.
He’s tall and broad, wearing an expensive tailored suit and perfectly styled salt–and–pepper hair. Louise has mentioned on many occasions that he’s a certified DILF, and she wishes he were also on the marriage market because his sons don’t hold a candle to him.
Next to Samuel, Marisol is a queen, evidently adored by her king. Her gorgeous raven hair is in perfect loose waves down her back, not a strand of grey to be seen. Her stunning silver dress could pay my tuition and rent for the rest of my life.
Behind them, like bodyguards, stand their other two sons, Lucas and Peter.
Lucas, the oldest, is the spitting image of his father, save for the raven hair he got from his mother. He surveys the crowd with the same distant indifference Nathan wears so well.
Peter, the youngest, has his father’s brown locks that Nathan also shares, but his eyes are blue, like his mother’s, and they glint with slight mischief as if he’s holding back a joke no one else would understand.
Out of the corner of my eye, I glance at Nathan and notice that his jaw is clenched. He has also removed himself from Valerie’s hold.
Samuel surveys the crowd with his sharp green eyes, and it seems like everyone, including me, is holding their breath, waiting for him to speak.
“Welcome,” he finally says. His voice, despite not being loud, booms over the large space with authority and influence. “And thank you for honoring our invitation.”
All the girls curtsey, and I feel my knees and head bend before I even realize what I’m doing.
Samuel wraps an arm around Marisol’s waist as he continues, “The next couple of weeks are very important to my family and I. Three of you are going to be Ashfords at the end of this and we will not take this selection lightly. I hope you will take this as seriously as-”
He pauses when his eyes land on Nathan–on the four of us by the buffet table. Samuel frowns. “Nathan, what’s going on there?”
I turn to Nathan, but he’s looking straight at his father when he says, “An attack or an accident…” He eyes me and Valerie. “I’m not sure.”
I sense Valerie take a deep breath, and before she can spew more vindictive lies, I speak up. “Sir.” My grip tightens around June’s hand. “My little sister accidentally stained her dress. We’ve since apologized“-I shoot Valerie a look-“countlessly.”
Samuel raises a brow, eyeing June, who shrinks under his cold gaze. “She’s not a candidate; why is she here?”
I move, blocking my little sister from view. “Like I was saying to Na–your son, I’m her primary guardian and she has special needs. I can’t leave her on her own.”
“I see.”
I swallow tightly and bow my head, unable to meet his intense gaze any longer. “I understand that this is inconvenient and unusual and I’m prepared to leave.”
He cocks his head to the side as he studies me, and I resist the urge to squirm under his gaze–under the gaze of everyone on the terrace.
“You would throw away such an amazing opportunity as this just like that?”
I swallow tightly. “She’s my only family–I would do anything for her. Besides“-I glance at Nathan, and his words that night clang through me—“I never really believed I was suited for this competition to begin with.”
Marisol turns and whispers something to Samuel, and his lip twitches slightly.
I wait–wait to be dismissed, maybe reprimanded for causing such a nuisance and ruining everyone’s day.
Then Nathan moves.
I watch curiously as he walks towards his family. Even in this awful, uncomfortable moment, I can’t help but appreciate the grace with which he moves. The crowd parts around him, the girls openly gawking at the magnificence that is Nathan Ashford.
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12:38 PM
Chapter 6
He stops in front of his parents and ducks his head, speaking too low for anyone else to hear.
Lucas and Peter lean in, too, and while Lucas‘ brow furrows in a slight frown, Peter’s lips tug up at the corners, and I wonder what on earth they’re talking about.
Soon, however, Nathan straightens and moves again, this time taking his place next to his brothers.
I swallow, taking in the formidable presence of the Ashford family.
“You can stay.”
1 blink just as behind me, Valerie stifles an enraged gasp. “Sir?”
Samuel shrugs. “You and your sister can stay, as long as no more…accidents happen.”
1 gape, struggling for something to say. I thought for sure they would send us home. If I’m being honest, I think I’d prefer that.
I knew from the start that I didn’t belong here, especially now when I’ve made such a spectacularly awful first impression. \\\
I hate being noticed, and this is the worst way to be noticed.
“You’re being given a second chance,” Marisol speaks for the first time. “A “thank you‘ is in order, don’t you think?”
I bow my head. “Th–thank you.”
Samuel waves my words away and turns back to the crowd, who pauses from their murmuring and calculating glances my way to give him their
attention.
“As I was saying, this event is very important to us and we expect you to act accordingly. Now”—he waves again, and a tall, middle–aged man in an impeccable dark suit walks forward and bows slightly-“this is Easton, the head of staff and the point person in this competition. He will ensure you’re well taken care of and trained accordingly. That is all.”
I find myself curtseying again as the Ashfords start to leave. This time, however, they move through the crowd, and I keep my head down as they
move past me.
But just before he passes, my head tilts up, and my eyes meet Nathan’s. I wonder what he told his parents–did he vouch for me to stay? Why would he do that?
But when those gorgeous emerald eyes meet mine, they’re blank and offer no answers to any of my questions.
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