4. Not fair

Bryan felt tingles for some unknown reason when he touched Ashley's hand while she was just staring at him in awe.

He looked at their hands, which were still in a handshake and Ashley was refusing to leave his hand, no not refusing, she had forgotten that she was holding Bryan's hand. She was only looking at him with awe.

Bryan cleared his throat and Ashley's mother also noticed that so she grabbed Ashley's hand, bringing her out of her trance and making her realize she was still holding Bryan's hand, so she let go.

Bryan internally sighed. He was used to girls throwing themselves at him and begging for his attention and Ashley's reaction was no different, but for some reason, Bryan felt something different from her.

Ashley's mother smiles, "Bryan, how have you been?"

Bryan smiled at her and damn his smile was like sunlight reflecting on the surface of a lake, almost blinding how can a man be so handsome.

Ashley nearly cried because this finely sculpted man was her mate. Gosh, she had never been more proud.

But then again, she should give the moon goddess a piece of her mind. How dare she mate her with a human, seriously a human!!

A handsome and powerful, cunning, manipulating cruel human bastard.

"Ashley?" her mother called out to her, and she looked at her, "yes?"

"Are you okay?" her mother asked, and Ashely could see that she was a little disappointed. Ava thought her daughter was zoning out because she had no interest in this meeting and she felt sad about it,

She felt her daughter was really irresponsible because here she was making her meet such important people and she was paying no attention.

While Ashley was strangling herself internally because she knew how judgemental her mother can be and yet she gave her a chance to judge her, she knew her mother must be taunting her internally.

While Bryan looked at her as well, he looked at her form up and down and he will say that Ashely was really a beauty.

An ethereal beauty, someone out of this world, her shiny black eyes and her thin pink lips, those bright teeth and her dazzling smile, her flawless skin, and her radiant face.

Her perfect figure and her beautiful face everything about her screamed perfect, but she was a beauty without a brain.

That was what Bryan had heard about her, how Ava Martin's daughter was a total disappointment. She was rude and arrogant and had anger issues and always looked down on others.

At first, it was hard to believe that some like Ava can have such a child but when Bryan saw Ashely's behavior that how she was zoning out and not paying attention, how her eyes wandered around and the way she stared at him and refused to let go his hand like some desperate clingy woman all of this made Bryan think that maybe the rumors were not actually false.

And that made an instant dislike develop in his heart for her.

Ashley cleared her throat.' great just, great Ashley Martin, very good. You embarrassed yourself in front of your mate, A HUMAN MATE!.'

She thought before she said, "I am a fine mother it's just it's my first time here I was admiring the decorations and the elegance of all the people here I apologize if my behavior was rude please ladies and gentlemen as a person who just stepped into this world of business please forgive my amateur mistake."

Her words were kind and sweet and the manner with which she spoke was graceful, her voice came out as sweet as honey.

Ava's eyes widened before she smiled at her daughter.

While Bryan and others thought she was not as bad as they had thought, after all, they had heard that she was arrogant, the way she accepted her mistake and apologized for it was admirable.

Ava spoke, "Yes, gentlemen, my daughter is still new to the business. Please forgive her misconduct."

Bryan spoke, "No problem Ms. Martin, it's human to make a mistake."

Ashely smiled, 'not only humans but gods also make mistakes as my goddess did, but I can't really hate her mistake, it's too handsome.'

Ava then took Ashley to make her meet other guests, with whom she had no interest. She only had an interest in her mate.

But she had to go and meet other people with a fake smiles and a burning hearts.

Her eyes often wandered in search of her mate, and she did everything in her power to focus on what her mother was saying.

"Mom." Ashley finally asked when they were alone, "How do you know Bryan Shaw?"

Ava smiled, "That child is a wonderful businessman, he came to me a few years ago to ask me to invest in his business and I did and boom, you can see where he is now..."

Ashley sighed as she saw her mate interacting with the other guests. "Yeah, I can see."

"We are also doing a joint venture with him... and Sophy is the head of that project

Ashley choked on her drink and coughed violently. Her mother looked at her worriedly. "Ashley, are you okay?"

"No, I am not!" Ashley said quickly, "I am anything but okay, especially after knowing that bitch Sophy is going to work with Bryan, mom she can't please you have to stop her."

Ava looked at her in confusion. "But why? Sophy is talented and great and has experience."

"To hell with that, mom. I will not allow a woman like her anywhere near my mate!"

Ava's eyes widened, and she gasped, "What? Bryan...is your..."

"Yes, he is... mom please don't let Sophy near him please."

Ava smiled. She was happy for her daughter but at the same time worried, "But it's already fixed."

"Then change it mom please, your daughter is more important, right ?"

Ava looked at her daughter and smiled, "yes... I will see what I can do."

"Thanks, mom."

~~~~~

"Bryan?" Bryan was approached by Ava.

He greeted her with a genuine smile, "Yes, Ms. Martin."

"Bryan, can you do me a favor?"

She asked, and Bryan nodded with no hesitation. He respected Ava a lot and was forever in debt to her because she helped her in the darkest of times.

Ava cleared her throat. "Can you teach my daughter business, and if possible, can you work with her on this venture?"

Bryan's eye twitched. He felt a little annoyed. Seriously, was Ashely so desperate that she sent her mother to ask for a favor? Maybe she knew he will say no to her. That's why she sent her mother since Bryan respected her.

Ava requested, "Please Bryan, my daughter is not as useless as everyone says, she is actually quite talented."

Bryan smiled and sighed. Ava was a parent. Of course, she would request for her daughter.

"Sure, Ms. Martin."

Ava smiled brightly. "Oh, that's lovely. I will tell her and tell me when can you begin teaching her?"

"From tomorrow send her to my office."

"Sure. Thanks a lot, Bryan."

"No problem, "Ava left after she talked to him. However, she didn't notice the cold smirk on Bryan's face. Ashely wants to learn, huh fine, he will teach her an excellent lesson to not mess with him in the future.

Ashley jumped with Joy and hugged her mom. "THANKS, MOM YOU ARE THE GREATEST!"

Ava smiled, "But Ashley, Bryan, is very strict. Make sure you don't make him angry."

"Yes, boss, I will go and say thank you to him."

Ava looked around to see Bryan Leaving with his bodyguards. "There he is Ashley. Hurry, he is leaving."

Ashley ran after Bryan all the way out and when they came out, Ashley called him out, "Mr. Shaw!"

Bryan rolled his eyes and stopped, but he covered his face with a fake smile and turned around to see Ashley with a sickeningly sweet smile. "Mr. Shaw I... wanted to thank you for..."

She stopped when Bryan raised his hand. He smiled and slowly leaned in, Ashey felt her heart stop and the hair on her neck stood up when she felt Bryan's hot breath near her ear and his warm voice invading her ears.

"Ms. Martin please don't be so desperate... it looks disgusting," he said and Ashley's heart stopped and she felt a slight pain in her heart to think that's how Bryan thinks of her, he pulled back with a smile, but now Ashley can see that his smile was not sweet it was fake and cold and his eyes held annoyance.

He winked at her and sat in his car before driving away, leaving Ashley feeling sad, "Great, I managed to ruin my reputation in front of my mate on the first day of meeting him."

She sighed and stared at the sky before she finally yelled with annoyance, "THIS IS NOT FAIR GODDESS!"

The stars twinkled, and the moon smiled while Ashley made it her mission to make an excellent reputation for herself.