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Chapter 149
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Kicking Him to the Curb Chapter 150
"Colin is definitely not a great example of how a boss should act," Aspen said with a smirk. "You're just an overworked employee, and cussing him out is practically your right. Honestly, even I want to curse him too sometimes."She added, "But just venting doesn't help. It'll only get you into trouble, so I hope you can stay calm and think clearly about your next move. Oh, and about your bonus—don't stress. I'll cover it. No way I'm letting an employee feel unappreciated. You agree, right?"Aspen kept her tone light as she walked over and grabbed a few napkins, wiping the coffee off the table until it was spotless. At the end of the day, a job was a job—who one worked for didn't matter as much as how well they handled their business.Riley watched her from behind, lost in thought. Aspen had seen everything that had happened behind closed doors, and he couldn't help but feel a little unsettled.On the other hand, Aspen knew that if she hadn't transferred to the tech department, th
Kicking Him to the Curb Chapter 151
In the past, Aspen might have believed Gwyneth was looking out for her. But now, she knew exactly what Gwyneth's sarcastic tone really meant.Aspen didn't even bother responding to her. Instead, she looked straight at Colin and asked, "Is that what you think too?""If you're working here, you need to follow company policy. No one gets special treatment," Colin replied coldly, all business-like.Aspen let out a short laugh and said flatly, "Alright then. In that case, Mr. Fuller, why don't you lead by example? From what I heard, the bonus for the tech department was approved before I even got here, but when I submitted the paperwork today, you blocked it. Care to explain that?" She continued, "I just took over the tech department, and everything's running smoothly. So I'd really appreciate a clear explanation from you, Mr. Fuller. What exactly about this bonus breaks the rules or seems unreasonable?"Every word Aspen said was calm, calculated, and impossible to argue with. If they
Kicking Him to the Curb Chapter 152
Aspen turned her attention back to Colin after dealing with Gwyneth. She said, "Colin, you've got time to hang around here entertaining your assistant's drama, but no time to sign off on the bonuses? "Doesn't seem like something a real CEO should be doing. Approve it now—not a single cent of that bonus better be missing."Colin scoffed without even glancing at her. "Aspen, there's no need to be this aggressive. Bonuses are nothing—let's see how cocky you are when you can't bring in any contracts."With that, he yanked Gwyneth by the arm and walked off, not sparing Aspen another word.Gwyneth followed behind him like a sad little puppy, sniffing and wiping away tears with every step. "Colin, I'm so sorry. This is all my fault. I embarrassed you, and that was never my intention—I was just worried about you. Ms. Nicholls still holds a grudge against us. She's got a lot of leverage right now, and I'm afraid she might use it to hurt you."Her tears began to fall again as she spoke,
Kicking Him to the Curb Chapter 153
When Aspen saw the photos pop up on her phone, her expression didn't change one bit. She no longer felt anything at the sight of Colin and Gwyneth being lovey-dovey. As far as she was concerned, they were just a scummy pair of cheaters—a perfect match in all the worst ways.The photos might not have much bite in her hands right now, but that didn't mean they were harmless everywhere else. If she released them at the right time, she could still earn herself a good wave of sympathy points. So, she saved the pictures on her phone and calmly went back to work. ...After the scene earlier, the atmosphere in the tech department had become noticeably weird. Everyone in the company knew Aspen and Colin were married. Even though most of the guys in tech were socially oblivious engineers, they had all heard the gossip. Today, they saw with their own eyes how Colin had shown up with another woman, going after Aspen and defending that woman the whole way through. Anyone would assume
Kicking Him to the Curb Chapter 154
Aspen didn't act like some high-and-mighty leader of the tech department. Instead, she was laid-back and casual, blending right in with the crowd like any broke college graduate grabbing dinner with friends.Just then, Aren strolled in like he had appeared out of thin air, holding a fresh bouquet of hyacinths—Aspen's favorite. "Well, what a coincidence! Ms. Nicholls, you're here too? Would it be alright if I crashed this dinner?"Seeing his playful yet gentle demeanor, Aspen couldn't help but smile. She gave him a small nod and said under her breath, "You can crash, but you're still paying for your share."She took the bouquet without hesitation and set it beside her, though she made no effort to introduce him to the others. After all, their two companies were rivals, and they were even competing in the same sector. Some lines still needed to be kept. Nonetheless, everyone was young and worked in tech, so the atmosphere quickly became lively and relaxed. Aspen lifted her glass
Kicking Him to the Curb Chapter 155
It was a blatant provocation, but Aren didn't seem the least bit bothered. He simply checked his watch, smiled, and said, "I've got another meeting to hop on. I'll leave you guys to it. Catch you next time!""Pen, I'm heading out. Be good, alright?" he added with a light chuckle, reaching over Colin's shoulder to ruffle Aspen's hair in a familiar, affectionate way.There was nothing overtly inappropriate in the gesture, but the intimacy of it still made Colin silently clench his fists. Meanwhile, Gwyneth, standing off to the side, was mortified. She hadn't expected Colin to behave so out of character, actually stooping to compete with Aren in front of everyone.Even Sophie's death hadn't fazed him. But now, just a glance from Aspen seemed to pull a reaction from him. Gwyneth silently cursed at Aspen for being such a siren. She wished Aspen had never existed.Zac couldn't hold back any longer. He stepped up, annoyed. "Colin, what is this? What are you doing?"Colin patted the e
Kicking Him to the Curb Chapter 156
Aspen said, "What I meant was, I'm taking my department out for karaoke. Mr. Fuller, you should stay behind and spend time with your assistant and your future brother-in-law."She didn't hesitate to shut him down immediately. She couldn't understand why Colin, a man who clearly hated social gatherings like this, insisted on tagging along like an uninvited shadow.Colin's face darkened. "What's that supposed to mean?""It means I don't want you coming with us! If you want to go for karaoke, then go ahead. We're not coming," Aspen shot back without missing a beat. She stood up straight and firm, making it crystal clear she meant every word.And honestly, it wasn't just her—everyone else at the table felt the same way. But unlike her, they didn't have the power or the position to say it out loud since they were just regular employees. Meanwhile, Aspen was both the CEO's wife and a major shareholder. "Ms. Nicholls, even if you hate me, you don't have to embarrass Colin like this," G
Kicking Him to the Curb Chapter 157
Gwyneth followed quietly behind Colin, remaining silent throughout the ride home. As they pulled up outside the house, she hesitated before getting out of the car, her large eyes looking up at him with practiced vulnerability."Colin," she said softly, fingers twisting together nervously, "Zac and I... can still keep our jobs, right?"Colin reached out and ruffled her hair affectionately. "I always keep my promises. Stop worrying so much."The moment Colin's car disappeared down the street, Zac whirled around, turning to Gwyneth, his face twisted in frustration. "What the hell was that? Are you blind? Can't you see how differently he's treating Aspen now? Why aren't you doing anything about it?" Gwyneth scoffed, glaring at Zac. "Do you think I'm stupid? Of course I see it. When a man changes his mind, there's nothing anyone can do about it. Unless you think I'm some kind of miracle worker?" She added, "And let's be honest—if you hadn't been screwing things up for me this who
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Kicking Him to the Curb Chapter 195
Aspen regarded the furious Colin with cold composure. "You were the one who sent me to the tech department. Now you're making a scene here. Aren't you embarrassed? Do you really want to settle our personal matters in the office?""Ms. Nicholls, how can you be so defiant after what you've done?" Gwyneth interjected with faux concern, her voice dripping with false sincerity. "Colin isn't unreasonable. Just apologize, and he'll forgive you. Right, Colin?"Aspen couldn't fathom where this woman found the audacity to speak right now. Her expression darkened as she turned to Gwyneth. "You're the last person here who has any right to speak.""You…" Gwyneth gasped, stunned that Aspen would dare confront her so directly in front of Colin.Realizing she wouldn't win this argument, Gwyneth quickly tugged at Colin's sleeve and whispered, "I'll leave you two to talk. Don't be too rash, Colin. Ms. Nicholls is just throwing a tantrum. Work it out slowly, okay?"With that, she sighed and cast a
Kicking Him to the Curb Chapter 194
"What are you doing?"Aspen's expression darkened instantly. She gritted her teeth, glaring at him with barely contained fury."Aspen, you're still Mrs. Fuller, yet you parade around flirting shamelessly. Have you no dignity?" Colin's accusation rang out harshly.Seeing his angry outburst, Zephyr immediately stepped in to explain, "Mr. Fuller, it's not like that! This was a surprise we planned for Ms. Nicholls. She had no idea at all.""Shut up!" Colin snarled, his gaze so venomous that it silenced Zephyr on the spot. The latter could only watch Aspen helplessly."Are you insane?" Aspen wrenched her wrist free, her eyes icy with disdain."This is normal workplace camaraderie. There's no 'flirting,' and definitely no 'shamelessness.'"Aspen truly didn't want to make a scene in a professional setting. She had no intention of humiliating herself.But today, Colin seemed determined to scorch every shred of decorum. He gritted his teeth and looked at her fiercely. "Aspen, you really
Kicking Him to the Curb Chapter 193
With matters in Ertonfield mostly wrapped up, Aspen had plenty of other work pending. She booked her return flight without waiting a second to hear Colin's opinions.Meanwhile, Colin received a set of photos. They were images of Aspen and Aren entering the hotel together, followed by Aspen seeing Aren out. His grip tightened, fingers crushing the photos as his jaw clenched.Though Colin had never valued Aspen or even barely acknowledged her, she was still legally his wife. This behavior was unacceptable. It was a direct slap to his face!"Colin, what's wrong?" Gwyneth approached worriedly, gently tugging his sleeve. "Shouldn't we start packing to go back?"When she noticed the photos in his hand, her eyes widened in shock. "Is… Isn't this Ms. Nicholls and Mr. Jefferson? How could this be? Why would they go to a hotel together?""Shut up!" Colin swiftly gathered all the photos, shooting Gwyneth a cold glare.This was an unbearable humiliation to him, one he refused to let anyone d
Kicking Him to the Curb Chapter 192
Back at the hotel, Aren followed Aspen into her room without hesitation. His brows furrowed as he asked, "Who was that just now?""Chester Shaffer. He abducted me earlier. Then we... reached an agreement. That's all."Aspen told the truth straightforwardly. She saw no reason to hide anything. Aren felt a warm surge of relief seeing how naturally she confided in him.He looked at her gently. "Chester is dangerous. You should stay away from him.""I know he's dangerous. But it's too late for that now. He won't let me go that easily. Aren, I know everything you've done has been for my sake. I know we share the same goal. But the paths we're taking are different."This was something Aspen had wanted to clarify for a while. She had just never found the right moment until now. She couldn't let this entanglement between the two of them continue.Standing up, she faced Aren directly, meeting his gaze with solemn resolve. "Aren, I'm sorry. We can't walk this road together from now on."T
Kicking Him to the Curb Chapter 191
Even this faint trace of sorrow was enough to shatter the fragile resilience Aspen had worked so hard to build. She drew a deep breath and turned to leave this place that felt so alien to her. That was when she noticed two men approaching her.The stench of alcohol rolled off them in waves, and their grins looked lecherous and shameless. Aspen instinctively stepped back, her hand closing around the pepper spray in her bag. "What do you want?""What do we want? Ha! What do men usually want with pretty things like you?""Damn, sweetheart, you're fine as hell."They exchanged glances as their laughter dripped with obscene intent. Disgust churned in Aspen's stomach when she realized what they were planning. She sprayed the pepper spray directly at their faces without hesitation, then bolted before seeing the results.She hadn't run five steps before crashing into a solid chest. Instead of pushing her away, the man wrapped an arm around her, turned, and delivered a brutal kick that s
Kicking Him to the Curb Chapter 190
Gwyneth let out a piercing scream before proceeding to smash everything in the room within reach. She was completely unrestrained in her frenzy. She even slashed her own arms multiple times, leaving them dripping with blood.The hotel staff soon received complaints from guests in neighboring rooms. They were met with this horrifying scene when they rushed over, leaving them utterly panicked. They immediately tried contacting Colin.Colin, who had finally gotten the chance to expand his social circle in Ertonfield, was currently immersed in networking. He was busy clinking glasses and was thoroughly intoxicated.When his phone rang, he frowned at the interruption. But he answered without hesitation when he saw Gwyneth's name as the caller ID."Mr. Fuller, thank goodness you picked up! Your wife has gone mad! You need to come back immediately!"Colin's expression darkened at the news. Setting down his glass, he hurried out without another word.Niall, who had witnessed the entire e
Kicking Him to the Curb Chapter 189
Aspen didn't say much else when faced with this rare moment of leniency from Chester. She simply stood and walked out.The world was all the same now to her. People could do whatever they wanted, as long as it didn't interfere with her or her plans.Her life and pride didn't really matter to her anymore. She would go willingly if she could settle everything and then be with Sophie.Watching Aspen's retreating figure, Chester's expression shifted slightly. He picked up his cup of coffee and chuckled softly. "What an interesting woman.""Chester, if we just let her go like this, how are we supposed to answer to the client?" Kian asked, his face full of concern.Chester looked at Kian with something akin to affectionate pity, as if staring at a fool. "Do you know who we are? Since when do we owe her explanations?"Besides, after pulling a stunt like this, she'd be scrambling to cover her own tracks. You think she'd dare demand answers from us?""But doesn't this break the rules?" K
Kicking Him to the Curb Chapter 188
"Get me a computer."Aspen was caught between amusement and frustration. When she designed the alert system, she had never anticipated needing to cancel it mid-process. Now, it was proving to be a real hassle.Chester didn't waste time arguing. He ordered one of his men to bring her a laptop.Aspen's fingers flew across the keyboard, and she successfully disabled the alarm within five minutes. She looked up at Chester with wide, almost pitiful eyes and whispered, "Just so you know, this alert system was really expensive to develop.""Are you trying to die?"Chester had reached his limit. Ever since this woman had regained the freedom to speak, her words had been like tiny knives, jabbing at him relentlessly. It was infuriating!Seeing him get angry, Aspen sighed and lowered her voice. "Shouldn't we move somewhere else to discuss this? This place isn't exactly... ideal.""Fine. Follow me," Chester agreed. What they needed to talk about next didn't exactly suit this place.…S
Kicking Him to the Curb Chapter 187
"He doesn't love you?" Chester stared at Aspen in disbelief, suddenly realizing he might have targeted the wrong person."No, he doesn't. His heart belongs to someone else. I was just a pawn in his family's arrangements. We might have muddled through, but he got my daughter killed, and that's unforgivable. I will make him pay!"Aspen clenched her fists. "You want to reclaim everything the Shaffer family lost? Let's work together.""With you? Why should I?" Chester snorted, his face full of disdain.He wasn't a fool—he could tell she was stalling for time."I own 51% of Fuller Group's shares. If you need them, they're yours." Aspen said it casually, as if they were discussing the weather.None of it mattered compared to her life. She would give up anything if it meant walking out of here alive. Her words truly caught Chester off guard."You've got 15 minutes to decide. Soon, this place will be surrounded. I won't be offering any deals once that happens."Aspen smiled cheerfully
