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30.
Huling Na-update:
2025-03-14 20:51:06
Kaugnay na kabanata
Mistaken Identity 31.
Avery’s POV“You don’t think I know that? Every decision I make is about my sons. But that doesn’t mean I have to take the first job thrown at me just because it’s safe and offers stability.” She told him, trying to calm herself.“This isn’t just any job,” he countered. “This is a career. A future for your sons.”A future he controlled, right? She knew what he was not saying. A future for her sons means that one day, they would take over the company and the first step to doing that is for her to work for him. If it were something else, it would have been easier to consider, but a reporter?She had wondered about her past career before, but never once had she imagined she had been a reporter. It felt foreign. Like something that didn’t belong to her. And the way he had brushed off her question? It only made her more suspicious.She took a slow breath. Calm down. Think this through, she chanted in her head. Was she ready to let go of her sons future for her own selfish dreams? What woul
Huling Na-update : 2025-03-15Mistaken Identity 32.
Avery's POV"Come sit down. I’m not done," Grandfather ordered, leaving no room for argument.Avery sighed, regretting that she hadn’t walked out of her grandfather's office sooner. She was done with this conversation, no matter what he said. Because if he kept pushing, she was going to lose her temper.She was already mentally exhausted from trying to convince him that she knew what was best for herself and her sons.As if sensing her frustration, grandfather sighed and gestured toward the couch."We have more to discuss, Avery. I didn’t just call you here about a job in the company. Come sit, please." He reclaimed his seat, waiting for her.She didn't know why it had taken her this long to finally break free from him. Maybe because she was depending solely on him after her accident, so he now feels that he had the keys to her life.Avery let out another sigh and walked back to the couch, slumping onto it with exaggerated exhaustion. Whatever he had to say next, she already knew it w
Huling Na-update : 2025-03-16Mistaken Identity 33.
Avery's POVWithout acknowledging her protest, he pointed at the first photograph, expecting her to listen to him.“Charles Kensington,” he began. “Heir to the Kensington shipping empire. His family controls nearly half the trade routes along the East Coast. A man like him would ensure your financial security for a lifetime.” he explained.Avery eyed the picture. Charles was in his late thirties, clean-shaven, with the kind of sharp features that spoke of old money and entitlement. Somehow like Asher, but something was different with Charles. She just couldn't place it.He looked stiff, like someone who had never laughed a day in his life. Did grandfather really think that this man was suiting for her? She has kids and he was suggesting she marry a stuck-up asshole like this.She looked back at her grandfather. “Security? I don’t need security. I have more than enough money of my own, thanks to Henry.” Avery muttered.Henry had left a huge amount of money for her. The family knew abou
Huling Na-update : 2025-03-17Mistaken Identity 34.
Avery's POVShe took a step forward, her voice firm. “And what if I was interested in him? At least he wouldn’t be a business deal disguised as a husband.” she said.At this point, Avery didn't care about what he was going to say or do with her. She had not known Asher for long, but she felt the need to be on his side.Grandfather slammed his palm on the table. “That man is nothing but trouble! He’s not one of us! The Storms have always been reckless, always standing below us, the Wellesleys, in status and power. Do you really think I’d let you throw away your future on a man who can’t even secure his own?” he spat.Avery swallowed the anger rising in her throat. This was it. Grandfather was really intimidated by the storm. She wondered if they had any history between them; the Storms and the Wellesleys, that would cause him to act this way. …And below us? She didn't know if he was exaggerating or simply denying reality, but it was an obvious and clear fact to everyone that no family
Huling Na-update : 2025-03-18Mistaken Identity 35.
Avery's POV He glared at her, his anger clearly showing on his face. But there was something else beneath his anger—something that felt like fear. He feared the Storms and she was going to use that against him.For the first time, she wondered what grandfather Wellesley wasn’t telling her. Was it her past or his past. She had not seen anything about a conflict between the Wellesley and the Storms. Hell, he had invited the Storms to his birthday celebration, though only Asher had showed up.Avery’s anger boiled over. “If you want anyone to get married, perhaps you should consider your daughters and leave me the hell alone!” she snapped.They were both unmarried and had the Wellesley blood running through their veins. They would be better candidates than her.Grandfather only laughed, the sound low and humorless, like she had made a useless comment. “You think I haven’t tried them? You must be joking.” His eyes gleamed with something dark, something final. “End whatever business you ha
Huling Na-update : 2025-03-19Mistaken Identity 36.
Asher's POVThe only thing that had been on Asher's mind since he had walked into his office that morning was Avery and the boys. Hell, even after he left Avery's place last night, they still lingered in his thoughts.No matter how much he tried to push the thoughts away, they kept resurfacing, filling his mind with memories of the previous day. He keeps checking the time, wondering when he would see them again. It wasn't just Avery, but the boys too.Spending time with them had done something to him-something he hadn't been prepared for. It made his heart beat faster and brought that longing for a family. Not that he didn't have one; he did, but he wanted a family of his own.Seeing Avery laugh, watching the boys run around without a care in the world, had warmed a part of his heart that he had long buried. It felt... right. And that scared him more than he was willing to admit.At first, it had been about finding Raina Ross, then proving that Avery Wellesley was Raina Ross and the r
Huling Na-update : 2025-03-21Mistaken Identity 37.
Asher's POVNolan scoffed, shaking his head. "Yeah, it's Avery, huh? I know. She's been on your mind since that day at the mall." He muttered.Asher rolled his eyes and grabbed the document again, pretending to focus. He hoped that his lack of response would give Nolan the message that he's not interested in having this discussion with him at all.Of course, Nolan knew. The guy was like his shadow. Come to think of it, Asher had not been this distracted from work for a very long time. He was always laser focused and effective, so it was easy for Nolan to notice that he was not 100% focused.Nolan must have picked up on a thing or two from their interactions and his activities. And honestly, Asher wouldn't be surprised if Nolan knew more than he was letting on.Asher let out a slow breath, flipping through the document as if that would be enough to dismiss theconversation. But Nolan wasn't one to let things slide so easily, especially not when he smelled something worth digging into.
Huling Na-update : 2025-03-22Mistaken Identity 38
Asher's POVAsher leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling for a moment before finally answering. "She's been through a lot. And I don't want to be another complication in her life. I want to take it slowly, so it doesn't feel rushed. I want her to feel, Nolan." He explained.He knew how he usually was with his emotions. Asher usually came on strong and tends to be very dominant and assertive, especially when it came to people he cared about. But with Avery, there was this need to handle her with a lot of care and affection.Asher had an idea of what Avery had been through and had to face in her life. He couldn't imagine waking up from an accident after six months, and then having a child. Not just one, but two. The mental trauma that she had to face knowing that she had not just almost lost her life, but also her memories, would be devastating.Staying in the Wellesley family would also be traumatizing for anyone who didn't carry the Wellesley blood. He knew Mr. Wellesley and
Huling Na-update : 2025-03-23
Pinakabagong kabanata
Mistaken Identity 69.
Avery's POVThe coffee was warm in her hands, but Avery barely noticed the heat as she stared out the large window of the cafe. She checked her phone for the umpteenth time that afternoon.She didn't know why it was taking too long for Asher to respond to her missed call and she was nervous. That was why she had decided against eating something. She was worried and didn't think anything could go down her throat without coming back up.The afternoon sun bathed the park across the street in a soft glow, casting long shadows from the benches and trees. Neal stood just outside the glass, licking the edge of a large swirl of strawberry ice cream and swinging his legs lazily from the edge of a bench.It wasn't his favorite as she had promised, but it was a flavor that they had to settle for, seeing that only the mall sold the mixed flavor that was his favorite, which surprisingly was also Asher's favorite.Avery smiled faintly, sipping her cappuccino again. The peaceful moment was rare, and
Mistaken Identity 68.
Avery's POVKelvin was leaning slightly, one hand still braced against the top of the car, the other raised in a casual wave, as if this were an everyday occurrence and not completely bizarre. His expression was unreadable, a small, knowing smile tugging at the corners of his lips.Avery blinked. She remembered Kelvin and had been meaning to call him back since that day they met at the mall, but she wanted to do that after Asher had gotten back the DNA test results.She was not going to go behind his back to contact Kelvin, even though he looked and sounded like he was quite sure that she was Raina, his former girlfriend.For a moment, she just stared, unsure what to do. She took a quick glance at the rear mirror and Neal noticed her tension and followed her gaze, outside.No, no. This wasn't how she wanted this to turn out. Of course Kelvin was not aware that she had kids and she didn't know how she felt about him knowing or being near Neal.“Who’s that?” Neal asked, his tone suspici
Mistaken Identity 67
Avery's POVAvery sighed for what felt like the hundredth time, her thumb tapping the screen of her phone as she tried Asher’s number again. Still nothing. The call didn’t even ring. Just a cold, flat “call failed” that flashed on her screen like a stubborn slap to her patience.He had promised to be there with her, and she was nervous as hell. Though she knew he was busy and it wasn't yet time to meet with the realtor, she had watched the news that was going viral. She just wanted his voice to assure her that all was okay and he was going to be there. He had been with her from the onset of her business plan, and she hated to admit it, but didn't feel like she could do this without Asher.She sighed. Maybe she was leaning in too much on him. Or he was already getting tired of them. She stared down at the phone on her hand and dropped it. There was still time, no need to overthink a situation. He had promised, and he would be there.She leaned back against the driver’s seat, exhaling
Mistaken Identity 66
Asher's POVAsher looked up, first at Callahan, then at Anderson. Was this why Laurel had disappeared without a trace in the past? Why she had hidden herself from the world? What if this person had been looking for her too, like he had." Shit!" He cursed internally.“We’ve been tracking this individual for a while now,” Callahan explained. “He’s been in the area where Laurel was last seen, and we believe he’s tied to her disappearance in some way. We’re still working on the connections, but we know for sure that he’s interested in finding her—and he’s not alone.”Asher’s heart pounded as he examined the pictures. The man in the photographs didn’t look familiar to him, but the cold look in his eyes sent a shiver down his spine. Whoever he was, he had been watching Laurel. And now, with a child involved, things were taking an even darker turn.He couldn't even begin to imagine what Laurel had to go through to get to this point. Why was someone else looking for her? This was all too com
Mistaken Identity 65
Asher's POVAsher followed Callahan down the dimly lit hallway, his steps echoing in the empty space. This was the first time in all the seven years that they've been on the case, that he was coming to this part of the station.He wanted to ask Callahan where they were going. It wasn't that he didn't feel safe in the police headquarters; scratch that, Asher didn't feel safe, and the more they walked, the more mysterious everything felt.The sound of a phone ringing in one of the offices was the only noise breaking the silence. At least someone was around if detective Callahan wanted to try anything funny. In a case like this, one could only trust this much. He really didn't know why he had been called and until Callahan made it known, he wasn't going to loosen his guard.As they reached the last door, Callahan opened it, ushering Asher inside. Asher gave him a brief gaze to which Callahan nodded, before Asher walked into the room.The room was small, utilitarian, with just a few chai
Mistaken Identity 64.
Asher's POVAsher stepped out of the press room, his mind still buzzing with the energy of the announcement. It had taken every will power and self control he had not to fist bump every reporter in there with a 'Yes I fucking made it' shout.The weight of the merger and acquisition was beginning to sink in though and it took an enormous amount of effort not to crumble in it. His company had successfully secured one of the most significant financial moves in recent history. He was finally where he’d aimed to be: on top.Hamilton and co. Had been in the eyes of major investors companies, not because it was doing good or they had more money, but because it had the potential to grow under the right leadership and a huge amount of resources.He was willing to invest and sit back to reap the dividend. He smiled, turning to Julian. "Grandma wants to see us both this evening…" he muttered.Julian stopped in his steps and sighed. " Not possible, Ash. I have a flight back to catch thos evening…
Mistaken Identity 63.
Asher's POV Asher’s gaze lingered on the door for a moment, but then Julian, who had been silently observing the proceedings, gave him a small nod. “Well done,” Julian said quietly, breaking the silence.Asher didn’t respond immediately. If he did, he might get emotional. He knew that part of the reason why the deal had pulled through was because of Julian. Though he was not going to tell the man that.His focus shifted to the documents on the table in front of him—the contract that had irrevocably altered the course of both companies. The deal had been as complicated as it had been fragile, but they’d done it. Storm Capitals had acquired Hamilton & Co., and now the future of both companies would be shaped by their decisions.Asher turned to Julian, his voice low but full of satisfaction. “It’s done. This is a big win.” he muttered.Julian smiled, his eyes gleaming with approval. “It is, but there’s still work to be done. The real challenge starts now, you know that. I can't imagine
Mistaken Identity 62.
Asher’s POVThe next few days passed in a blur of meetings, phone calls, and endless paperwork. Asher barely had time to sleep, let alone think. The only time he wasn’t thinking about the deal was when he was with Avery and the boys.It was always a fresh moment for him, where he got to be free of the thinking or the responsibility on his shoulders. His relationship with Avery was also progressing at a fast rate that if care was not taken, he would ask her to marry him.They both had a lot going on in their lives now that it was only wise for him to wait. She was currently planning for her new business which he was helping her to plan too. Though they did more of kissing and cuddling than talking.Neal was like his golden retriever now, while Noel was this constant presence that never left his side whenever he was with them. Noel asked him more about work than any kid had ever done and it warmed his heart that he could talk smart business with the kid.He enjoyed every moment with the
Mistaken Identity 61.
Asher's POVGregory leaned back in his chair, staring at the documents in front of him. Asher could see the wheels turning in his mind, the struggle between loyalty and survival. This wasn’t just about money for Gregory—it was about pride. And pride, as Asher knew all too well, was something that could both protect and destroy. Would he be willing to submit under Asher's leadership as president of the company even though he remained as CEO.Not many CEOs would want that, but at the same time, Asher was also offering to keep his staff body instead of replacing them with his own. Hell, the merger and acquisition team already had job offers for the various positions and were only waiting for the deal to be finalized.For several long moments, the room was silent. He had thought that Gregory would jump immediately at the offer, but apparently, the man had not. Then Gregory’s voice broke through the quiet.“What’s the catch?” he asked, his gaze now steely.Catch? Asher understood why Hami
