Ashton’s POV: The One Person I Couldn’t Touch
Harry entered the room.
‘Mr Laurent, we’ve confirmed that the ones who sabotaged Mrs Laurent’s studio, and the ones who tried to run her down and then shot at her… they were all hired by the same guy.
He’s a middleman, and he works for… Genevieve Crawford.‘
TEELLERE
I stared back at Harry. ‘No mistakes?‘
Truth was, I trusted Harry’s competence. He wouldn’t get something like this wrong.
‘No. I’ve checked multiple times. It’s her. We also have a witness. Should I bring him in?‘
I rubbed my throbbing head; the wound in my abdomen ached dully. ‘Not now.‘
‘What would you like me to do next?‘ Harry asked.
‘Nothing. Not yet.‘
‘Understood.‘
‘And Mira must not find out about this.‘
Harry nodded. ‘Got it.‘
‘You can go now.‘
Once alone, I picked up my phone, thinking of calling Mirabelle, but in the end, I didn’t dial.
Guilt gnawed at me.
Anyone who dared hurt Mirabelle would pay dearly; I’d make sure they suffered.
But Genevieve was the one person I couldn’t touch, all because of what happened all those
years ago…
‘Goddamn it,‘ I muttered through clenched teeth, gripping the phone so hard I nearly
1/7
Search 12:34 PM Wed 1 Oct
Ashton’s POV: The One Person I Couldn’t Touch
cracked it.
When I’d got a grip on myself, I finally called Mirabelle.
She sounded relieved. “Thank god it’s you.‘
‘Who else would it be?‘
‘I thought it was another client calling to shout at me.‘
‘Sounds like you’ve had a bad day.‘
ร.54%
+25 BONUS
She sighed. ‘One of the worst. But enough about me. How are you? Feeling any better? Is there much pain?‘
‘I’m fine,‘ I lied.
‘What’s up?‘ she asked.
‘I miss you,‘ I said. And I truly did.
Mirabelle went quiet for a second. ‘Oh.‘
‘Well? Do you miss me?‘ I pressed.
‘Of course,‘ she said. ‘But this isn’t like you, saying all these sweet things. Are you sure you’re alright? The doctor did warn me the anaesthesia might mess with your head.‘
‘Can’t I call my wife to tell her I miss her?‘
‘Okay…‘ She still sounded uncertain.
I moved on. ‘I’ll take you out for dinner tonight. Where would you like to go?‘
‘Are
you sure you should be eating solid food? It’s only been two days since your surgery.‘
I’d forgotten about that. ‘I can’t, but you can.‘
‘So you’ll just watch me eat? That’s weird. And you shouldn’t even be leaving the hospital.
2/7
Search 12:34 PM Wed 1 Oct
Ashton’s POV. The One Person I Couldn’t Touch
65470
+25 BONUS
Besides, I’ve still got tons to do here at the studio. I really don’t fancy spending two hours at
a restaurant.‘
“Then I’ll have Kit deliver something to you. What would you like?‘
‘Anything’s fine, really. You decide.‘
After hanging up, I made another call.
‘Ash! What a surprise!‘ Genevieve answered cheerfully.
‘Genevieve.‘ My voice was cold and utterly toneless.
She sensed it immediately. ‘What’s wrong, Ash?‘
‘I know I owe you a life, Genevieve. But don’t overstep. Mirabelle is my line. If you cross it again, I won’t hold back.‘ My tone was frigid.
I ended the call without waiting for a response.
After that, I couldn’t focus on work. I called Harry back in.
‘Mr Laurent.‘
‘I need you to prepare something for me,‘ I told him, and explained what I wanted.
‘Right away,‘ Harry said, and went off to get it done.
***
Mirabelle’s eyes widened when she stepped out of the studio.
She jogged up to the car. ‘Ashton, what are you doing here?‘
‘Picking you up,‘ I said. ‘Get in.‘
‘You didn’t have to come. I’ve got Kit.‘ She climbed into the back seat. ‘The doctors said you should be on bed rest.‘
3/7
Search 12:34 PM Wed 1 Oct
Ashton’s POV: The One Person ! Couldn’t Touch
‘I’m fine.‘
54%
+25 BONUS
‘Are you, really?‘ She eyed my suit sceptically, as if she could see right through the fabric to
the wound underneath. ‘Doesn’t it still hurt?‘
‘I took painkillers.‘ Truth was, I’d had worse.
‘Still, you shouldn’t have gone to the trouble.‘ She looked genuinely concerned.
‘I need to take you somewhere.‘
‘Where are we going?‘
I told her the address.
The confused frown on her face told me it meant nothing to her.
‘It’s an old warehouse LGH owns,‘ I explained.
‘You’ll have to be clearer than that.‘ She shook her head. ‘My brain’s turned to mush after
getting yelled at all day.‘
‘I found the person who sabotaged your studio. We’re going to see her now.‘
‘You did?‘ She sat up straighter. ‘Who is it?‘
‘You’ll see soon enough.‘
When the car pulled up outside the warehouse, Mirabelle was the first one out, impatient.
I took her hand as we went into the building, with Kit leading the way.
Harry was waiting inside a room that used to be an office, standing behind a chair.
‘You?!‘ Mirabelle stopped short when she saw who was sitting there.
Catherine glared up at her with pure hatred in her eyes. She opened her mouth to speak, but when she saw me, her pupils shrank with fear.
4/7
Search 12:34 PM Wed 1 Oct
Ashton’s POV: The One Person I Couldn’t Touch
Mirabelle strode right up to her. ‘You’re the one who hacked my studio database and
messed with all the orders?‘
Catherine gave a weak nod.
‘Why the hell would you do that? And since when do you know how to hack?‘
Catherine shot a glance at me, then sneered at Mirabelle. ‘I hired a hacker.‘
‘And the gunman? The ones who chased me in the Camry? That was you too?‘
Another nod.
‘Why?‘
0470
+25 BONUS
Catherine’s smile was cruel. ‘Do you really have to ask? I hate you. You ruined my life.‘
I stood behind Mirabelle, watching Catherine closely. So far, she was sticking to the script.
Catherine grew agitated and strained against the rope binding her wrists to the chair. ‘If it weren’t for you, Rhys wouldn’t have divorced me. If not for you, Mum would still be my mum and she’d never have found out I wasn’t her birth daughter. If not for you, Dad would still be alive. You ruined my life, you ruined everything! Why should you get to live a happy life while I’m left in the gutter?‘
Mirabelle clenched her fists, but her voice stayed calm. ‘I know you’ve always hated me. I just never thought you had it in you to pull something like this.‘
Catherine let out a shrill laugh. ‘I just wish I’d done it sooner. And I wish that gunman had
aimed better.‘
She glanced at me again, her look a mix of fear and resentment.
Mirabelle turned around and reached for my hand. ‘Let’s go.‘
I looked at Harry, who gave a single nod.
She didn’t say another word until we were outside the warehouse. ‘What are you going to do
5/7
Search 12:34 PM Wed 1 Oct.
Ashton’s POV: The One Person ! Couldn’t Touch
with her?‘
‘What would you like me to do?‘
She just looked tired. ‘Turn her over to the police.‘
I nodded.
ล 54%
+25 BONUS
