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42.
Huling Na-update:
2025-03-28 23:53:36
Kaugnay na kabanata
Mistaken Identity 43.
Asher’s POVAsher’s fingers curled around the folder, his grip so tight that the edges crumpled slightly. He forced himself to exhale slowly, trying to rein in his temper.“This is ridiculous,” he said, his voice dangerously low.Avery shrugged. “I know.” She mumbled.He took a brief pause before sharply looking at her. “You’re not actually considering this, are you?” he asked her, one of his brows arched.She scoffed. “Of course not. But that doesn’t mean grandfather is going to stop pushing it. He made it very clear that there’s no way I’m backing out of this, whether I like it or not.” She replied in a low voice, like she was already tired of the drama.Asher snapped the folder shut with more force than necessary. He couldn’t understand why Wellesley acted this way, even to his family. Did the old man even stop for once to consider how she felt or even his grandsons. He sighed, leaning heavily on the chair. Then, curiosity got the best of him as he kept on staring at the folder. H
Huling Na-update : 2025-03-31Mistaken Identity 44.
Asher’s POV Avery blinked. “What?” she asked. Her tone was lacking that hint of shock, so she obviously was not surprised at his response, she just didn’t understand why he would want to handle this for her or how he would take care of the matter. He wasn’t even family.Asher cleared his throat. “I said I’ll handle this.” His expression hardened as he repeated himself. “Your grandfather wants to play this game? Fine. But he’s not going to win.”Avery studied him for a long moment, looking for something that she couldn’t pinpoint in his eyes. Then, after she must have seen it, she slowly smiled. It didn’t last for long, because she probably didn’t want him to notice, but he did.She trusted him, and that was all Asher needed. It was all the go ahead that he needed from her. He has too many scores to settle with Mr. Wellesley.Asher looked at the folder that he had dropped on the coffee table and sighed. His body moved before his mind fully caught up, and the next thing he knew, he was
Huling Na-update : 2025-03-31Mistaken Identity 45.
Asher’s POV He smirked and shrugged. She was in the habit of surprising him now, just as she had called him when she needed him and had even let him hug her. Who knows, maybe she had the talent and was waiting to shock him. “Okay, if you didn’t, then who did?” he asked.Her expression softened, a hint of pride creeping into her voice. It took him a second to realize it, but he got the idea before she even spoke. “Neal. He’s very good at art.”Asher blinked, genuinely surprised. Of course he knew Neal could draw, just like every other kid his age. Neal had mentioned that he likes to draw, but this was not the kind of ability he had been expecting. The picture looked too advanced for his age. “Neal drew this?” he stuttered.Avery nodded, watching his reaction closely. He blinked, not trusting his voice to speak. This was too close to home, Asher thought. No one except his mother knew about this, but Asher could draw. He still drew, though not as frequent as he would have loved to. He
Huling Na-update : 2025-03-31Mistaken Identity 46.
Asher’s POV His gaze flickered back to the drawing in his hand, as if seeing it for the first time. He studied the details again—the way the family stood close together, the slight, protective stance of the tallest figure, the way the children seemed to lean toward him.Not Henry.Neal had drawn him.A strange, unfamiliar emotion tightened in Asher’s chest. He had expected Henry to be in the picture—expected that Neal, despite everything, would have chosen to immortalize his father in some way. But instead, he had chosen him. Why? Asher would give anything to know what was running through Neal’s mind when he drew that picture. He would give anything to go back to that moment and ask him why he had drawn him instead of his own father, Henry.Avery watched him carefully, her expression unreadable, as if she was unsure of herself.He exhaled slowly, running a hand through his hair. “Are you sure?” His voice was quieter now, not the usual confident, controlled tone. If she listened clos
Huling Na-update : 2025-03-31Mistaken Identity 47.
Asher’s POVThe boardroom at Storm Enterprises was filled with a heavy tension as Asher took his seat at the head of the long glass conference table. He always felt the weight of running the company whenever he sat on that particular chair.His sharp gaze swept over the group of executives and legal advisors assembled for this crucial meeting. His board meetings didn’t happen frequently, but when they do, it was usually because the matter was very important and couldn’t wait.He could feel the weight of the discussion ahead, the make-or-break decisions that would determine the future of the Hamilton & Co. acquisition. They had spent days and nights finding out information about the deal and Serena’s involvement in it, and if a truth, Asher was shocked at what he had found out.By his left hand side sat Nolan, his ever-efficient assistant, already flipping through his meticulously organized files and typing furiously into his ipad. Several key team members from legal, finance, and str
Huling Na-update : 2025-03-31Mistaken Identity 48.
Asher’s POV His gaze darkened. “What do we know about the specifics of Wellesley’s investment? If it’s hidden, then the investment was not something that it’s cleared by the book.” He said.A man sitting next to Patel slid another document toward him. “It started as a minor stake, but in the last six months, it’s grown. The finance team analyzed this, and they found out that it’s been coming in from paper companies across the world. We called those companies and they do not exist, but one name stood out in our research. Wellesley. We suspect he’s been planning this for a while.” He explained.Asher skimmed the figures. Mr. Wellesley wasn’t just an investor—he was the investor. He had already positioned himself as the highest shareholder in Hamilton and co. He already had total rule over the company and could claim it even before Storm Capitals merged, but he didn’t.That meant one thing.“He’s positioning himself to control the merger and the company after the buyout. Hell, he would
Huling Na-update : 2025-03-31Mistaken Identity 49.
Asher’s POVAsher stepped out of the car, rolling his shoulders to ease the tension from the long day. The weight of the meeting with Julian and the ongoing battle with Wellesley still sat heavily on his mind. He barely spared Nolan a glance as his assistant gave him a knowing nod.The meeting and other important matters had ended late and because Asher didn't want to keep the driver out so late, he had told the man to go home. He had let Nolan drive him back home, since Nolan would also be picking him up the following morning.“Let me know if anything changes,” Nolan said, already sliding back into the driver’s seat. Asher assumed that he was referring to the situation at hand. Nothing was going to change so far as he was concerned. If anything, they would discover more issues with this deal.He was starting to regret getting involved with the deal in the first place. Asher gave a short nod in response, watching as the car pulled away into the night. Nolan needed to rest as he was
Huling Na-update : 2025-03-31Mistaken Identity 50.
Asher’s POV Asher frowned, pulling plates from the cupboard. He knew that, but he didnt realize that Wellesley had been involved in far too illegal deals to begin with. “That would explain why he’s been fighting so hard to stay involved. He's hidden the fact that he's a major shareholder, quite well.” he said.Julian nodded. “It’s not about Hamilton & Co. It’s about control—and more importantly, about the influence and money he loses if he’s cut out completely. If you don’t play this right, Wellesley will make sure you regret it.” he muttered.Asher placed a plate of food in front of Julian before setting his own down across from him. “That’s why you’re here.” he mumbled. He didn't want to give Wellesley any opportunity to override him. That was why he had decided to step out and give Julian the reign. With Julian, he stood a very high chance of winning this. Julian would fight for this until the end and come out victorious. He could also be trusted to make a wise call if they need
Huling Na-update : 2025-04-01
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
