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Chapter 173
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Kicking Him to the Curb Chapter 174
Once she ended the call, Aspen packed her things and headed out. After giving it some thought, she decided to call Aren."I'm flying to Ertonfield for a work trip. Can you stop by my place and feed Dottie while I'm gone?""Me?" Aren stiffened on the other end, already tensing up at the thought of that fluffy little creature. "Don't you have someone else at home?""I don't trust anyone else with her. Please, Aren—pretty please?" Aspen instantly shifted into a sweet, pleading tone.Sure, Martha was at home, but she wasn't around 24/7. If she missed a mealtime, Dottie would go hungry. It was a lot more reliable to leave Dottie in Aren's care.Her sweet voice was all it took for Aren to push aside his fear and agree without hesitation. "Don't worry, Dottie will be safe in my care. Promise."With that reassurance, Aspen finally relaxed and let out a soft, silly laugh. "Thanks. You're the best. I'll bring you back something delicious!" Before Aren could say another word, Aspen had al
Kicking Him to the Curb Chapter 175
"How dare you treat me like this? Are you insane?" Gwyneth stared at Aspen, bewildered.She couldn't wrap her head around the fierce, intimidating look she received from the woman who had always been so timid and soft-spoken.Could losing a child really change someone so drastically?Aspen snapped back without hesitation, "Why wouldn't I dare? Gwyneth, I'm warning you right now that this deal is critical for Fuller Group and Colin. You better keep your little schemes to yourself, or trust me, you won't even know what hit you."Aspen roughly shoved Gwyneth aside, grabbed her suitcase back, and strode out. It had taken so much hard work and effort to bring the project this far, and all she could think about was how to secure this deal. Anything else was just meaningless background noise.Gwyneth watched Aspen storm off, her face twisting with resentment. After a moment's hesitation, she pulled out her phone and quietly sent off a quick text message.When they finally reached the
Kicking Him to the Curb Chapter 176
Colin called Gwyneth after finishing his social engagements, only to have a hospital nurse answer the phone. He rushed to the hospital in a panic, still reeking of alcohol."Gwen, what happened? How did you end up in such a state?"Colin's heart ached at the sight of the dirty and disheveled Gwyneth. He quickly took her hand and gently touched her swollen and bruised cheek."Tell me, who hurt you?"Gwyneth finally felt a little better when she saw the concern in Colin's eyes. So much had happened between them lately, and she had started to believe his feelings for her weren't as strong as before.Yet now, she could finally relax a little upon seeing the intensity in his gaze. It seemed like there was still something between them."It's nothing, Colin. Really, I'm fine. Ms. Nicholls was just angry. She'll get back to work once she vents a little. I know how important this project is to you. A few hits don't matter to me." Tears spilled from her eyes as she spoke."Aspen actually
Kicking Him to the Curb Chapter 177
Colin stood at the entrance of Crescent Holdings, checking his watch with a slight frown on his face. A cab finally pulled up in front of him just as he was about to call Aspen to hurry things along.Aspen stepped out of the cab. Seeing the impatience on Colin's face, she paid it no mind. She even glanced at her own watch. She wasn't late; she had arrived right on the dot."Mr. Fuller, we can go in now."Aspen walked over, getting straight to business. Colin nodded but strode past her toward the car behind her. He then opened the door, revealing Gwyneth's pale face.The sight of her face made Aspen's stomach churn. She didn't even glance at the wretched pair and headed straight inside. Today wasn't about pretending to be some sickeningly loving couple with Colin—it was about the technology.Colin's expression flickered as he watched Aspen's retreating figure, but he still gently took Gwyneth's hand. "You're in no condition to be here. Why did you come?""I know how important th
Kicking Him to the Curb Chapter 178
Aspen glanced toward Colin almost instinctively, only to find his expression unchanged. Meanwhile, it was Gwyneth's face that betrayed something peculiar."Ms. Nicholls, is something wrong?" Gwyneth asked as she blinked her wide, innocent eyes, staring straight at Aspen.So it was her! The cleaning lady from this morning must have been one of her people.Aspen silently withdrew her hand from her bag and spoke calmly, "My flash drive is missing.""Aspen!" Colin finally snapped. He stood up abruptly, and his brows furrowed in anger as he glared at her."What the hell is wrong with you? Do you even have a brain or a shred of professionalism? Do you realize what a rookie mistake this is?"The sheer intensity of his reaction told Aspen just how crucial this project was to his company. Looking unfazed, she rose from her seat and walked straight to the computer. Her fingers flew across the keyboard as she logged into her email."Technology may be advanced these days, but I still believ
Kicking Him to the Curb Chapter 179
It took Colin a moment to realize his misstep. He instinctively glanced at Niall and said, "My apologies. The situation was urgent, and we hadn't discussed this internally yet.""Mr. Fuller, you don't seem to trust your own project lead very much…" Niall frowned slightly as he studied Colin. Something about the dynamic between these three felt off, to say the least.Colin quickly shook his head. "No, my team and I have excellent rapport."He wasn't exactly lying. He did have strong synergy with his team—just not with Aspen. Meanwhile, the corner of Aspen's mouth twitched into a faint, bitter smile."In that case, Mr. Fuller, you can go back and calculate the costs and get me a precise quote. As for the project itself, I'm very satisfied with this software." Niall agreed outright, clearly impressed. On the contrary, Colin was genuinely surprised by this. Had they succeeded just like that?Meanwhile, Gwyneth wasn't sure whether she should feel pleased or not. Colin stepped closer
Kicking Him to the Curb Chapter 180
Niall spoke with composed frankness. When his gaze landed on Aspen again, the earlier admiration in his eyes had vanished, replaced instead by puzzlement. He truly couldn't understand why a woman like her would remain tethered to a man like Colin.It made no sense at all. Knowing there was someone else who had pined for her for years only deepened his conviction that it wasn't worth it. She deserved so much better!Once outside, Aspen immediately shook off Colin's arm and snapped, "Are you out of your mind? Now our first impression is completely ruined. Are you proud of yourself?""I didn't realize he knew," Colin muttered while lowering his head in frustration.For the first time, it struck him that there might genuinely be something wrong with his judgment. Aspen rolled her eyes when she noticed his demeanor. "Did you really think a corporation that size wouldn't do their due diligence before securing partnerships? Or did you honestly believe your little affair with your chil
Kicking Him to the Curb Chapter 181
Aspen deliberately studied Niall's expression as she spoke, wanting to gauge his reaction. Sure enough, his face showed no trace of tension or surprise. That was clear proof that this had likely been planned between him and Aren."Two peas in a pod," she thought wryly.Yet strangely, this realization eased her mind. Before this, she had worried Aren might be fighting an uphill battle alone. She felt like she could relax now that she knew he had a formidable ally.Before long, Niall drove them to a restaurant. Aspen frowned at the unexpected detour as she stepped out of the car. She raised her brows and asked, "Why are we here?""I figured your useless husband wouldn't bother feeding you. My treat," Niall bluntly remarked without hesitation. After all, there was no need for formalities, given they were batchmates in university.Aspen made no pretenses either. She flipped open the menu and immediately picked the most expensive dishes. She fixed Niall with a pointed look after slammi
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Kicking Him to the Curb Chapter 201
Faced with that gaze, Aren couldn't bring himself to refuse. All he could do was nod. "Alright, I promise you!"Aspen finally relaxed upon hearing his words of assurance—only to pass out immediately from the overwhelming pain.Aren's gentle expression vanished as he watched her lose consciousness, replaced by fury and barely contained rage. His fists clenched. He swore to himself he would never let Colin get away with this!He pulled out his phone and called Niall. "We need to accelerate our plan!""You're being too hasty." Niall remained perfectly calm. "Aren, we're both tech people. You know our greatest asset is staying level-headed."Aren leaned against the wall, his eyes fixed on Aspen's unconscious form through the glass. He wasn't usually impulsive—except when it came to her.Fortunately, Niall was the type to remain composed no matter the situation. His calmness gradually grounded Aren.Aren gritted his teeth after taking a deep breath. "I'm going to devour Fuller Grou
Kicking Him to the Curb Chapter 200
Aspen covered her ears and screamed, "Get out!"She truly couldn't accept Colin calling Sophie "defective". She couldn't accept that in his eyes, even Sophie, his own flesh and blood, was nothing more than a flawed product!Colin was about to say more when he noticed fresh blood seeping through the bandages on her back. His expression softened slightly, and he sighed in resignation.Reaching out, he brushed a hand over her hair and said, "You'll understand one day that none of this was my fault."With that, he turned and strode out."You bastard!" Aspen shrieked, hurling anything within reach across the room.The crashing sounds made Colin pause mid-step. His brows furrowed as a suffocating frustration tightened in his chest."What an unreasonable woman."In Colin's world, only he mattered. Everyone else was expendable—even his own daughter. It was especially the case for a child he had never wanted in the first place.When Aren returned with food, the chaos and destruction in
Kicking Him to the Curb Chapter 199
Aspen stared blankly at the conflicted Colin standing before her, utterly baffled by his awkward demeanor."I'll find you the best doctors to ensure there's no scarring." Colin finally managed to say.But Aspen found it utterly ridiculous. She sneered coldly. "If this is your idea of an apology, save it.""Aspen, what do you actually want?" Colin frowned at the woman before him.He couldn't understand where the obedient, accommodating woman from before had gone. Why was she covered in thorns now? What happened to her?As he looked at Aspen, Colin began to miss the woman who had once yielded to his every whim, the one who only had eyes for him. "I want to take the inheritance Mr. Fuller Senior left me, divorce you, and disappear forever. Is that so hard to understand?" Aspen laughed bitterly.Truthfully, she had made her demands clear from the start—Colin had simply refused to relinquish it when it wasn't even his to begin with.Colin replied bluntly upon hearing this, "You kno
Kicking Him to the Curb Chapter 198
"Ms. Nicholls, Jefferson Corp is our competitor now. Isn't it inappropriate for you to be so close with our rival?" Gwyneth looked at Aspen with feigned concern, putting on her usual act of pretending to care.Watching her performance, Aspen chuckled softly and tugged at Aren's sleeve. "Then don't you think it's inappropriate for you to be so close to my husband?"Hearing the words "my husband", Aren instinctively glanced at Aspen. His eyes were clearly tinged with grievance. Aspen, however, playfully winked at him, signaling him to stay quiet."Aren, is using a woman like this really fun for you?"Colin sneered at Aren before turning his glare to Aspen. He scoffed. "Don't tell me you actually think he's interested in you? If you weren't my wife, do you really believe he'd spare you a second glance?""I watched her every day long before she was your wife. I could never get enough of looking at her." Aren immediately countered, slapping Colin's words right back at him.After all,
Kicking Him to the Curb Chapter 197
Guilt, anxiety, and self-blame now flooded Aren's heart. He was terrified that something irreversible might happen to Aspen.Aspen gently wrapped her arms around Aren's waist, feeling him trembling. Her heart ached violently, overwhelmed by a surge of long-suppressed grievances.Aspen could choose to be strong when facing pain and danger alone because she had to be strong. But now, with someone here to care for her and hold her, all that carefully restrained vulnerability came rushing back. The contrast was unbearable.This emotional whiplash left her both confused and resigned. Clinging to Aren, she finally understood her own heart.The truth was, she had stopped loving and expecting anything from Colin the day Sophie passed away. Now, she realized something fundamental hadn't changed with the man she had loved in her youth, who was standing before her again. She still loved him helplessly and couldn't control her heart."Don't cry." Aren's heart shattered further. He tenderly wi
Kicking Him to the Curb Chapter 196
If Colin had spoken to her like this in the past, Aspen would have been overjoyed for days. But now, his false tenderness only made her nauseous. She gave a soft laugh, then raised her arms to wrap them around Colin's neck.Colin mistook the gesture for surrender. A smug smile curved his lips as he murmured, "Aspen, you really are smart. You know when to fold."The next second, Aspen sank her teeth into his neck with every ounce of strength she possessed. The metallic tang of blood immediately flooded her mouth.Colin roared in pain and shoved her away violently. Aspen's back slammed into the tech department's glass door—shattering it on impact. She collapsed onto the broken shards, and her back was instantly drenched in blood."Ms. Nicholls!" Zephyr rushed forward, horrified at the sight of Aspen lying in a pool of blood."Are you okay? Mr. Fuller, what the hell?"The rest of the tech team swarmed over, and someone was already calling an ambulance. When Aspen pushed herself up f
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
