Mark took a deep breath and calmed himself down. It wouldn't do to ridicule himself amongst those that found him in high esteem.He took out his phone and called up his mother. The woman would somehow find a way to let Mava get into the event.He could feel the displeasure radiating off the actress in waves and nearly sneered. She was acting like she could get into the event on her own power. Mark had met a lot of deluded people, but she was a special kind. She believed everyone was at her mercy because she was loved by her fans, people that meant next to nothing in this kind of gathering.She was a measly tool for him to get back at Ian. He wouldn't let one night take away all his progress.He brought her there so people would see the difference between him and his stupid half-brother. The fact that Ian was born legitimately was the only edge the man would ever have over him.A woman in a white and red dress came up behind the announcer with a wine glass in her hands."You dare disr
Eventually, Ian, Ashley and Yu Zhen eventually had to come down from the gallery to their designated seat, but only because the host of the event would be coming upn to the stage-like platform any minute.Gentle classical music played from the live band at the right side of the hall.Like an annoying joke, their table was adjacent to Mark and his family. Ian, Ashley, Rita, Hillary and Yu Zhen all sat down on their round table. Brand new plaques showed the seating arrangement."Give that child to me", Hillary said the moment she saw them. Ian raised an eyebrow. What child? Was she talking about Ashley? He wasn't delivering Ashley to anyone."You see the names mother, we're not disobeying grandfather", he said simply, sitting down at the round table on the seat beside his mother."But I haven't even spent any time with her", Hillary complained softly."I'll steal her for you mom, Ian can't gatekeep, she was mine first", Rita assured her mother as she sat next to Ashley – who obviously
“Ladies and gentlemen, esteemed guests, cherished friends”, Alexander Hills started, his silver hair gleaming under the lights of the chandelier. Ashley threw a glance at Ian’s gorgeous serious-looking side profile and then glanced back at his grandfather. Ian would be a very handsome old man. He had his grandfather’s facial structures and she was sure his grandfather looked a lot like this when he was still young. The Hill grandfather possessed a timeless elegance that bellied his years. His silver hair, meticulously groomed, framed a face etched with the subtle lines of a life richly lived. He had deep-set eyes like pools of wisdom that hinted at a reservoir of stories untold.Ashley directed her gaze back at Ian and her heart skipped a beat as she imagined him sitting beside her with them as old as his grandfather was. She shook her head to dispel her random errant thoughts and realized that the room was laughing. The man’s speech had been going on and she zoned out.“However, as
He had gotten into painting many years ago. Ever since he turned sixteen, he had become permanently stressed. Most of the issues he had at present originated from that bleak period in his life. Mark was brought into the family at that period and it was jarring seeing a boy your age being thrust into one’s life just like that.His father had ordered him to get along with the boy and then he disappeared again, like he was wont to do. Ian had just decided to pick up his brush, as Hills, they had gotten teachers for almost every conceivable thing, so painting came easier to him than it had when he first started. He released a single painting at a period he was particularly in anguish and it had circulated so much that he knew exposing that he had done it would mean his mother would have made him give up heading the corporation in the future to pursue life as an artist.Ian had seen many people’s reaction to his works, they had fueled his vanity greatly. None ever came close to his grandf
Ian had woken up at the right side of bed today, again. Honestly he should start paying Ashley an actual salary, her job was the most efficient among everyone he knew.She had tried catapulting out of bed at the crack of dawn but he had lead arms and was tired as heck. So she had to resign slowly to just sleeping again until a respectable hour.As he got to work, he was met with several smiling faces, some bold ones even looking teasing.He ignored it and sat in his office, Yu Zhen already sitting in the chair opposite his."Mornin'", Yu Zhen saluted, looking impeccable in his brown suit – obviously the shirt in it was unbuttoned to the navel."Hmm, morning. Rundown?", He asked, settling into his seat and grabbing his work tablet from his desk. "Your grandfather loved Renci's painting as usual, your wife is every artist's favorite person, and everyone is now interested in the mega-aquarium. A few of the older women filmed you, and Reid disappeared for no reason to meet a tall guy in
Two months laterAshley reluctantly opened her eyes to the morning light, cold and alone on the bed and the realization of Ian's absence hit her with an unexpected wave of frustration. The bed that was always radiating of shared warmth, felt cold and unwelcoming. A silent resentment crept into the edges of her thoughts.Gazing at the bed, she couldn't help but notice the vacant side where Ian's sleepy adorableness had been a comforting presence. The sheets, now untangled and void of his warmth, seemed to mirror the plane of her thoughts.A sigh escaped her lips, carrying a mix of longing and irritation. The room, once a haven of shared dreams, echoed with the absence of the laughter and whispered banter that usually accompanied their mornings.As Ashley swung her legs over the side of the bed, a sense of discontent lingered in the air. As she navigated the morning alone, Ashley couldn't shake the yearning for the body heat and sleepy adorableness that had become an integral part of h
Ashley grabbed one of Ian's navy blue wool vests – yes she was also surprised he had textures that weren't suits or gym clothes – and wore it on her white short sleeved shirt, completing the aesthetic with loose navy blue pants.She spun around in the mirror and smelled the vest – that did not smell like Ian because sadly, he had very good laundry workers – before shrugging and grabbing a purse and stuffing her things in it.She never took Ian's black card out, she was certain she would never need to spend that much and Rita couldn't come into their room anyways."I'm heading to Saturday scrunchies", she called out as she reached the garage. Almost immediately, her four guards stepped out and bowed their heads."Who's coming with me?", She asked sarcastically. She obviously knew it was Sven. The Saturday scrunchies were accompanied by Sven.School was Oliver. Randomly appearing at Ian's office was for Sven and Liam. Everything else was with Sven and Charles."Sven", they echoed with a
“This is very lousy auditing. You’re fired”, Ian deadpanned and threw the papers in his hand on the floor. This wasn’t the first time this branch had audited lazily. He knew there was a launderer somewhere and he would fish the person out even if it was the last thing he did.“Ah Zhen, Kevin”, he called as he walked out of the office of his prime suspect, the police would be coming over to do their jobs soon. The man wasn’t the only embezzler. They took advantage of their ridiculous location to do their dirty work and the people he often sent were not thorough enough in their search. They most likely hadn’t expected Ian himself to come to their branch.Yu Zhen came up behind him, looking tired as hell. Kevin had long since given up looking put together. “Close down this branch. Permanently. Check out the good employees and transfer them to the closest branch.” If there was Ian thing Ian valued it was useful people and he wouldn’t let the innocents take the fall for the evil ones.Yu