Chapter 544

Chapter 544:

Ashton brushed aside Luther’s tirade, his demeanor still grave as he delved deeper into his recollection of that cloyingly sweet aroma.

Luther, seeing Ashton lost in thought and oblivious to his taunts, couldn’t contain his glee.

Seizing the moment, he shoved into Ashton, wrenching his hand away from the knife.

“If you won’t cut it, I will! Rayden, let me take the lead!” Luther exclaimed with enthusiasm.

Before Rayden could even respond, Luther had already clasped his hand and made the inaugural cut into the cake.

With a brazen grin, Luther offered Rayden the first slice, saying, “Rayden, you’re the star today. You should have the first piece; only then can the rest of us indulge!”

Rayden was taken aback by Luther’s brash actions. His instinct was to glance at Ashton, who appeared unconcerned with Luther usurping his moment, lost in a world of his own.

Though Rayden found himself tangled in a web of confusion, annoyance and disappointment simmered beneath the surface. Yet, considering that Luther was the…

son of his friend, Rayden felt a sense of obligation. Despite Luther’s lack of decorum, the cake sat enticingly before him, a gesture he couldn’t afford to refuse.

With a forced smile, Rayden accepted the slice and picked up a fork, ready to taste it.

At that moment, as the cake was cut, Ashton caught a stronger whiff of the sickly sweet scent.

The clarity of the fragrance jolted his memory awake, transporting him back to the dark sewers used by the Dark Night Organization for their gas experiments, where he had rescued Milena.

N𝑒w 𝒸h𝒶𝓅𝓉𝑒𝓇s rєlєasєd 𝒶t g𝓐l𝓷ovєls.𝓬○𝓶

Though he hadn’t inhaled the gas himself, this noxious sweetness was likely one of the ingredients used in its creation. No!

Suddenly, Ashton snapped back to the present, just in time to witness Rayden bringing the piece of cake toward his lips. With reflexes sharper than a whip, Ashton sprang forward, knocking the cake from Rayden’s hand.

“Don’t eat it!” Ashton exclaimed, his expression taut with urgency.

Rayden stared at Ashton, bewildered, about to seek an explanation. However, before he could voice his confusion, Luther, reveling in his moment of triumph, lost his composure entirely.

From Luther’s perspective, this was merely a ploy by Ashton to regain the upper hand after Luther had overshadowed him. Unable to contain himself, Luther yelled, “Ashton, are you out of your mind? In front of all these esteemed guests, not only did you refuse to cut the cake, but now you’ve sent Rayden’s first piece tumbling to the floor! You clearly hold no respect for him!”

Turning to Rayden, Luther scoffed, “Rayden, it’s your birthday, and instead of honoring you, this man has turned your celebration into a circus. He’s shown nothing but disrespect! Let me take care of this and help you toss him out!”

Rayden was the director of Staville Police Department. Naturally, his training and experience had honed his skills in reading people’s expressions.

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