Chapter 803
Chapter 803:
“Boyfriend, Hawthorne Miller, who can actually give me the life I deserve? Any rational person would’ve made the same choice.”
Ashton, quietly observing the exchange, finally understood.
It wasn’t the man who was tied to Abrial; it was the woman—Lucretia, Abrial’s ex-girlfriend.
And judging by their words, it seemed Lucretia had not only taken advantage of Abrial’s generosity for her own career but also betrayed her.
Ashton’s jaw tightened. He couldn’t let Abrial face this humiliation alone. Taking a step forward, he looked directly at Lucretia and spoke calmly but firmly. “So, you’re Lucretia Rodgers? Well, I can’t say it’s a pleasure meeting you, but I do owe you a small thank-you. If you hadn’t betrayed Abrial, I might not have had the chance to be with her now.”
As he spoke, Ashton turned his attention to the man beside her, Hawthorne.
For some reason, the man’s face struck a chord of familiarity. Ashton narrowed his eyes, racking his brain to place where he had seen him before.
At that moment, the atmosphere was thick with tension between Abrial and Lucretia, so Ashton merely took a brief look at Hawthorne before shifting his attention back to Abrial. He lovingly encircled Abrial’s slim waist with his arm.
Upon witnessing their closeness, Lucretia scoffed dismissively and said, “Really, what’s with the display of affection? You’re just like I was, drawn to Abrial for her wealth. I’ve been there, so save your act for someone else.”
In response, Ashton pulled Abrial closer, asking, “For her money? That’s ridiculous! Abrial is beautiful and fit. Who else here is as greedy as you?”
Flushed with pleasure from Ashton’s words, Abrial’s cheeks and ears reddened, yet she enjoyed the sensation. Her smile nearly overshadowed her irritation.
Unbothered, Lucretia boldly grasped her boyfriend, Hawthorne, by the arm and bragged, “And what if I am materialistic? Most people would never get such an opportunity! Do you have any idea who my boyfriend is? Hawthorne is pursuing a doctorate in medicine and already holds a master’s degree. He’s the second son of the Miller family, one of Staville’s three most powerful and influential families!”
𝗙𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 — 𝖙𝖗𝖚𝖘𝖙 gⲁ𝗅𝗇𝗈ν𝖊𝗅𝘀﹐𝖼𝗈𝗺
Ashton’s eyes narrowed upon hearing this. Hawthorne’s face had seemed familiar; he did share a resemblance to Leonardo. Ashton remembered Leonardo mentioning his elder son’s recent wedding and his younger son’s new girlfriend, who he planned to introduce to the family soon.
It was quite the twist of fate that Ashton had encountered the younger son’s girlfriend before even Leonardo had.
Reflecting on his ties with Leonardo, Ashton found the situation ironically humorous.
Regaining his composure, Ashton offered his hand to Hawthorne with feigned respect. “So, you’re the second son of the Miller family. I’m Ashton Baldwin. Pleased to meet you.”
However, Hawthorne, having been abroad and unaware of Ashton’s reputation in Staville, looked down on Ashton with a mix of arrogance and disgust, coldly dismissing the offered handshake. “I’m not interested in making your acquaintance.”
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