Chapter 26
The three men who exited the meeting room shifted their gazes toward me. Jared arched a brow and pursed his thin lips before muttering something to Joseph. At his words, Joseph shot me a glance, then turned and took his leave.
Ashton’s gaze darkened as he fixed his eyes on me. A storm was brewing behind them—I could tell he was about to unleash his wrath.
Bracing myself, I quickly stood up, my mind flashing to Caleb. “I’m more than willing to compensate for the losses incurred over the past two days, Mr. Fuller.”
Ashton frowned but said nothing. Instead, Joe was the first to stir up trouble. “Incredible, Ms. Stovall. This project is worth a few billion, and you’ve managed to make your husband suffer a loss of over ten million in just two days! You sure are generous!”
His words dripped with sarcasm.
Noticing Ashton’s silence and grim expression, I rolled my eyes at Joe. “You really are a nosy one, Mr. Quinn.”
A stifled chuckle escaped Jared. With his hands tucked into his pockets, he looked on with innocent amusement, clearly uninvolved yet entertained.
Joe, however, was far from amused. He shot Jared a glare before turning back to me, his expression sour. “What makes you think you can talk to me like that, Scarlett Stovall?”
I had no desire to waste words on him. Joe had always been hostile toward me, convinced that I was a wedge between Ashton and Rebecca. Still, since we’d known each other for years, I chose not to mince my words. “Are you a king who’s time-traveled to the future, Mr. Quinn? Because if so, I’m afraid only the likes of Alexander the Great and Julius Caesar would have the privilege of speaking to you. You must be from that era, after all.”
Joe’s face flushed red with anger. No longer holding back, he spat, “Even a dead man has more right to speak to me than you do! To think you’d be wicked enough to kill your own child—”
“Joe,” Jared cut in sharply, his voice turning stern. “Ashton and Ms. Stovall have matters to discuss. I’ve made a lunch reservation. Let’s go and wait for them there.”
Then, turning to me, he added, “I assume you haven’t had lunch yet, Ms. Stovall. Why don’t you and Ashton join us later?”
Before I could decline, he strode out, dragging Joe along with him.
Now, only Ashton and I remained in the vast office. Unsure how he planned to handle the situation with Caleb, I decided to break the silence. “I take full responsibility for what happened. After the surgery, I stayed home to recuperate. I was consumed by thoughts of the child and completely forgot about Dr. Ludwick.”
Ashton remained brooding and silent, so I continued, “I know I’ve caused immense losses to the company. I’m more than willing to resign—”
“Is that how you intend to solve this?” Ashton suddenly asked. His voice was icy, his gaze piercing, sending chills down my spine.
“Yes,” I replied, my plan firmly in mind. If I resigned, I could finally leave J City for good.
A cold chuckle escaped Ashton as he closed the distance between us. His towering figure loomed over me, exuding an icy pressure. “You got rid of the child, signed the divorce papers, and now you’re quitting your job. What exactly are you up to, Scarlett?”
My palms grew sweaty. Instinctively, I stepped back, but before I could move any further, Ashton’s strong arm wrapped around my waist, trapping me in place. His gaze burned into mine. “Are you planning to leave J City?”
“No!” I denied immediately. “Haven’t you been wanting to sign the papers? Now that I’ve done it, you’re free to be with Rebecca. What more could you possibly want?”
“Fine.” His smirk turned even colder, his grip on me tightening. “You know how much I hate it when people act on their own accord, Scarlett. Do you really think I’d let you off so easily after you killed my child?”
I frowned, confusion washing over me. “But you didn’t want the child. Rebecca kept using it as leverage, so I took matters into my own hands instead of being forced into an abortion.”
The temperature in the room seemed to drop further. Ashton narrowed his eyes, and in that moment, he resembled a predator—dangerous, calculating, ready to strike.
“You think you’re so smart, don’t you?” he sneered.
I wasn’t sure what he meant, but I knew it wasn’t a compliment.
“Well, since the child is gone, that’s fine. We’ll just have another one.”
With that, he turned and strode away, leaving me frozen in place, staring after him in a daze. If those words had come from a loving husband, they might have sounded like an encouragement, a promise for the future. But from Ashton, they were nothing but a chilling decree.
“What are you waiting for? Let’s go,” he called back, glancing at me impassively.
Still reeling, I could only nod numbly and follow him.
Ashton took me to a large courtyard that housed an upscale restaurant. As soon as we stepped into the yard, a woman in an elegant gown approached us with a welcoming smile. “This way, please, Mr. Fuller.”
She led us past the courtyard and into a private room. Inside, Jared and Joe were already seated, chatting over cups of tea.