In Love, Never Say Never

In Love, Never Say Never Chapter 1156-1157-1158-1159-1160

In Love, Never Say Never Chapter 1156-1157-1158-1159-1160

“I understand,” I interrupted Wanda. “Business is business. You can call me Ms. Stovall. You’re here today as a witness to the fact that Ashton and I aren’t colluding. Most of the time we are working separately on our own tasks. I will have Mrs. Eriksen clear a desk for you to work here.”

Wanda was very accommodating. She sat herself down on a chair in my study. “There’s no need for all of that trouble,” she said generously as she cracked her knuckles. “I have a computer with me; I just need a chair and I’ll get right to work.”

I smiled at how quickly she settled in and left her to it. Marcus had been managing his company remotely for more than a month. Though the sales had declined, core businesses such as automobile and electrical appliances were still top in the industry, so they weren’t affected much. I was unable to foresee when GW Group would back off, therefore we had to halt the expansion of electronic gadgets and put our resources into the industry mentioned earlier to buy him more time. Lose a limb to save a life, as the saying went.

It was a good thing that Marcus had a good eye for talent. After I had finalized our business plan, the respective departments had begun working intensively toward our objectives. All I had to do every night was to provide final authorization for the documents prepared by them. After a week of doing that, White Corporation was deemed stable enough. I relaxed as well and planned to give Marcus a call that afternoon to brief him on the latest progress.

My call went through quickly but hung up on its own after a long period of silence. Perhaps there was news on Camelia and the child, I thought. That was why Marcus was not picking up at the moment. I tried again a while later and it went straight to voicemail.

“Is Mr. White unreachable?” Wanda asked. She remained close by this entire time and occasionally chatted with me. There were some legal documents that I had no authority to sign for even as acting chairman. Wanda too was anxious for Marcus’s return.

I nodded and turned to head indoors. “Yes, looks like he had turned off his phone.”

On second thought, perhaps Marcus’s personal secretary had an alternate way to contact him. I placed another call only to be informed by her that everybody in the company, including herself, was unsuccessful in their attempts to contact Marcus for the whole month. That was another dead end we ran into.

I stared gloomily at the text exchange between me and Marcus’s assistant as I stewed in my own panic. GW Group would have backed off after my previous encounter with Sean. But at the news of Marcus’s disappearance, all hell seemed to break loose at this point. We had no solid ground to work from.

Wanda surveyed the scene in thoughtful silence. Then, she got up and retrieved a document tightly wrapped in an envelope. “Have a look at this.”

I felt a sense of foreboding at her secrecy as I carefully unwrapped the parcel.

I had some experience in dealing with legal documents of various sorts; it didn’t take much for me to understand them.

Benjamin White and his wife passed away not long ago. Marcus inherited White Corporation only to realize that some shareholders had taken advantage of the power shift to embezzle public funds. Acting under this suspicion, Marcus was able to secure the evidence to prove that the company’s assets had been transferred outwards.

As it turned out that the guilty shareholders were led by an old friend of Benjamin’s. Marcus chose to resolve the matter quietly and reached out to him.

Before he disappeared, Marcus had Wanda draft up some documents. They had been notarized by a law firm since then and only awaited his signature. Upon completion, he would then have the power to

expel the troublemakers.

However, his absence had been an inconvenience. To make amendments to shareholder rights, his position as the rightful owner of the corporation deemed his consent mandatory. In other words, for every day that Marcus remained at large, it was another day that the thief held on to his shareholding rights. The worst part was that he possibly already had an escape plan in place.

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I had a vague impression of the man in question. I met him once when I entered White Corporation for the first time. He had an unctuous smile and an air of deception about him. I wouldn’t even be surprised if he was the one who had orchestrated Marcus’s absence.

“Can’t we pursue this matter through legal means?” I asked with a frown.

Wanda sighed helplessly. “I’ve told Mr. White this before, but he had insisted on settling the matter in private. He mentioned that Mr. Yondel had once helped the White family. Mr. White’s father had given orders before when he was still alive: if the Whites and the Yondels were to ever have a disagreement, it must be settled diplomatically as opposed to an all-out war.”

She paused with a look of disgust on her face. “Actually, Leonard Yondel still cared about his friendship with Mr. White’s father and was unwilling to embezzle from the company. Mr. White had approached Mr. Yondel once regarding this matter. If he was smart he would have given up his rights voluntarily. But until today he still has not done that. The amount of scheming he had done makes one ponder as to what else he’s up to…”

Marcus did not expect to be backstabbed for his compassion. The opportunity for Leonard to steal was too good to pass, and it had gotten to the point where Marcus himself was needed to resolve this.

“It all comes down to locating him and bringing him back,” I thought out loud.

“Since nobody is able to contact Mr. White, it will be easier to find a needle in a haystack,” Wanda said.

I lapsed into silence for a while. “Actually, no. There is someone.”

“Who?” Wanda asked at once.

“Me.” I gathered up the documents and looked at her. “Even if the call goes through, he may ignore it if it’s someone from the company. But he wouldn’t ignore a call from me.”

He was once willing to get rid of his wife for me. I was confident that he would pick up if it was me who called.

For that exact reason, the person most suited for this task was me.

Suddenly, a palpable chill invaded the room. As if by instinct, I turned toward the door and saw Ashton standing there with an intense gaze in his dark eyes. It was frightening to behold.

Did he hear everything we discussed?

Wanda saw him too. “Mr. Fuller,” she greeted him.

Ashton ignored her and stared right at me. “You will be going to M Country personally,” he said softly.

He did not even bother to postulate this as a query. His tone made it clear that he was in a towering temper, and was in no mood to be agreeable to my plan.

Keen to avoid a confrontation in front of strangers, I turned to Wanda. “Ms. Tanner, could you please give us a moment? I have something to discuss with Mr. Fuller.”

“Understood,” Wanda said tactfully and promptly exited the room.

“No need,” Ashton said as he blocked her path with his large frame; the gap was hardly enough for her to squeeze through. Frigid gaze still latched on me, he said, “There’s nothing that can’t be said in front of outsiders. Now, Scarlett, repeat what you said for me. Our two children are gone. Are you sure you want to go running around right now for someone irrelevant?”

The room was suddenly tense with the air of three people each determined for things to go their way.

I had not prepared myself for the task of convincing Ashton on the matter. “Marcus had saved my life once before,” I blurted in a panic. “He isn’t irrelevant. “Did you forget the extent you went to for Parker Larson?”

It was not my intention to keep score on our history but to illustrate a point. If Ashton could look into his conscience and find it clear, so could I with my own.

He did not expect me to bring up Rebecca. He scowled at me. “So you’ve made up your mind?”

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That was my last desperate attempt. I was pregnant. Of course, I wasn’t going to risk myself. “No, it’s just that if that step had to be taken, no one is more suitable to take it than me.”

Ashton was silently processing my speech. He looked up at me and studied me up and down as though he was seriously considering the feasibility of my plan. At last, he suddenly relaxed and turned around. As he walked out he called out to Wanda. “You, come with me.”

Wanda looked at me for my approval. When I nodded, she stood and followed him out. I did not know what Ashton said to Wanda, but she left without returning to the study. Even her documents and laptop were left here.

I had a vague idea that Ashton suspected that Wanda and I were scheming to travel to M Country to locate Marcus. He must have lost his temper at her and forbade her from interacting with me.

I did not see Ashton again the entire night. I sent a text to Wanda only to realize that her phone was in her purse that she had left here. She left in such a hurry, as though Ashton had threatened her with everything he could.

I sank into the couch after coaxing Summer to sleep to do a bit of revision while waiting for Ashton to return.

Our conversation earlier that day was not pleasant. I’d figured that after a couple of hours, we would both calm down enough to talk things through.

I was the best person for the job of locating Marcus. Although, Professor Zidd had reminded us that my pregnancy was not stable yet and I shouldn’t undertake long journeys. I held on to the hope that Ashton would come up with a solution that was the best of both worlds.

However, I had forgotten that pregnant ladies fell asleep very easily. Not long after I sat down, I fell into a deep slumber.

Suddenly, a movement in the corridor outside startled me awake. I got up to investigate and there was nothing in sight.

After standing by the door for a little longer and seeing nothing, I put it down to my imagination returned to the couch for an even deeper sleep.

I awoke the following day in the bedroom. Frowning at the quilt over my body, I got up and went downstairs to an empty living room. Breakfast was prepared on the table, with a note attached.

Mrs. Fuller, it read. Breakfast has been prepared for you. Please heat it up if it turns cold. It was written in Mrs. Eriksen’s hand. It seemed like she had to take an emergency leave.

I wasn’t raised with people to wait on me, so I didn’t mind. I heated up the mushroom soup and had it with some bread.

It didn’t take long for me to realize that there was something wrong. Usually, Summer would be aware that I had woken up and would be chattering around me at this time. But she wasn’t here. I searched the back of the house to no avail as well. It wasn’t just her; all the servants were missing. I stood alone in a completely empty house.

I couldn’t care much for anyone else but I was most concerned with Summer’s safety. After some time of nervously expecting to be contacted with news of her, I broke down and started searching for my phone. The strangest thing was that despite looking all over the study and my bedroom, there was not a communication device in sight, except for the landline in the office.

I stood flabbergasted for a good while before realizing that Ashton had me under house arrest.

The movements I heard last night were not random. Ashton must have had people in here to pack up every item that could connect me to the outside world. He was thorough; even the internet was disconnected. Without it, the once omniscient computers were now nothing more than a scrap of vinyl.

I was furious and anxious to the point of using the landline to dial Ashton’s number from heart. It wasn’t a demonstration of my memory, but a testament to the decade we spent together. If it were someone else’s number, I wouldn’t even have been able to recall the first three digits.

In love, never say never chapter 1159

Ashton picked up almost instantly. “You’re awake?” he said casually as though nothing was out of the ordinary.

“Where did you take Summer to?” I asked with much restraint, for I was still fuming at how he acted as he pleased. “I suppose you took my phone as well. Ashton, this is a new low for you.”

I had expected Ashton to fly into a rage at my words, but he acted as if he did not hear me. “A bodyguard will inspect the house every hour,” he said, in an attempt to divert the conversation. “If there’s anything you need, let them know. But do not for a moment imagine you can borrow their phones. If you do, I will make sure that they will not be able to speak again for as long as they live. I’d advise you to consider their wellbeing before you make any rash decisions.”

I knew from experience that he was in an aggressive mood, it was one that would not allow any room for compromise or reasoning. I gritted my teeth in resentment and tried again. “How about Summer? You could at least let her stay with me. She wouldn’t affect you in any way.”

“She’s at Emery’s. Summer is fond of the boy and wouldn’t miss you and I have fulfilled her wish too. This time you are not allowed to go anywhere.”

With that, Ashton slammed the phone down before I could react. It was just me and the solitude of a large empty house.

I was in a serious enough rage to fling the phone against the wall, but as it was my only mode of communication with the outside world. Having no choice, I was forced to replace the receiver with care.

It was one thing to be on your own but another to be forced into it. I was the latter. I spent the entire morning reading, but with the high anxiety level over my situation, not a sentence entered my mind. As a result, my temper only worsened.

As Ashton had mentioned, a bodyguard made his rounds every hour. They peered down at me through the length of the corridor and left promptly. It was at this moment that I felt rather sick of studying. When I heard his footsteps coming upstairs, I gazed in its direction reproachfully.

The men were dressed in similar suits. They were actually uncouth thugs clad in refined clothing. In a fit of mischief, I wanted to scare whoever was on his rounds with a fierce expression.

This man in particular did not stop at the stairs and turned around after his examination. He walked along the corridor and to the study.

As if by instinct, I held my belly and leaned back in my chair as he approached. At this point, he had arrived at the door and faced me. I looked him in the face and frowned, as it was a very familiar face to me. But at that moment I can’t quite put my finger on where I’ve seen him before.

He was in front of me within three broad strides and handed me a satellite phone with his long, outstretched arm.

I snatched it from him in surprise and delight. I had only seen this in use once before by Abe. That thing could reach the outside world through the deepest of valleys and jungles. It was a treasure to outlaws and convicts.

“Mrs. Fuller, Mr. Fuller has installed a signal blocker around the villa. This satellite phone is able to make contact with the outside world. Someone will call you soon on this number. Be careful not to let anyone see that with you.”

He had just finished speaking when the sound of footsteps came rattling up the stairs. The other bodyguards were suspicious at how long he was taking and came up to look for him. “Shon, what are you doing? Shout out if everything’s fine.”

I hastily stowed away the phone at the nearest drawer. “Nothing’s wrong,” I called out, covering up for Shon. “I just couldn’t reach a couple of books up the shelf so I asked this young man to help me out.”

The footsteps stopped abruptly at the sound of my voice. They were so afraid of being caught interacting with me and losing their tongues for it that they did not respond at all.

Shon gave me a meaningful look and hurried back downstairs, his mission completed.

After ascertaining that both men’s footsteps had receded, I retrieved the satellite phone and locked myself in the toilet of my bedroom.

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Shon would have contacted the party who wished to make contact after he left; it would ring very soon. I was curious as to who had understood my situation so well that they would risk incurring Ashton’s displeasure to help me.

I didn’t have long to wait. A light on the satellite phone flashed fifteen minutes later and I pounced on it in a haste to answer the call.

“Hello? Who is this?”

“Scarlett? It’s that you? Phew, I thought Ashton would have found out.” The sound of Emery’s voice flooded me with relief. I held up my forehead and looked into the mirror. All of a sudden, I was struck by the realization that Shon was Emery’s driver.

Ashton had purposefully engaged a new team of bodyguards to ensure that nobody had dared to create issues. Emery put two and two together when she realized that I was unreachable and when Summer was sent to her home. She pulled some strings and sent one of her own men to place me in contact with her. Emery was a tech enthusiast and had no trouble procuring a satellite phone. She was the most fearless person I have ever met.

“Is Summer alright?” I asked, anxious at the idea that Summer thought I had abandoned her. Emery disproved my theory quickly. “She loves it here. She has been having lollies and following Xavier around. There is hardly any adult supervision required.”

I…

The lollies will ruin her teeth! Ms. Moore is spoiling her to the tee!

Unfortunately, this wasn’t the time to discuss such trivial matters. I needed information on the outside. To save time, I briefly told Emery about Marcus and practically begged her for her help. “Emery, I know that you dislike Cameron and Marcus, but you really need to help me…”

Before I finished my plea, Emery cut across me. “Say no more. I will relay your message to them and hopefully, they will use the influence of the Moore family to keep the shareholders in line when you and Marcus are absent.”

Her brilliance had caught me off guard. “You’re right,” I said as I nodded vigorously.

“I can help you with that.”

I was overjoyed. “Really? Thank you so much, Emery. I will make sure that Marcus repays you too.”

“Hold your horses,” Emery said impatiently. “Marcus’s gratitude means nothing to me. Let me ask you. Do you know what you’re doing?”

Something in her voice cleared my thoughts. She was right; I had forgotten. The year before, Emery had advised me to settle down with Ashton. But here I was trying to ask for her help to be at odds with Ashton. It wasn’t something she was pleased to see.

I was dumbfounded for the moment.

“Scarlett, though it was over the line for Ashton to place you under house arrest, I think he is right this time. You’re pregnant now, are you not?”

“Yes, I am.” I had only heard from the doctor after I began helping Marcus, that was why I had not informed her.

“As long as you are aware. I won’t say much on the matter. I will help you keep an eye on White Corporation. Marcus is a flirt. Though I admire him, it’s between me and him and it has nothing to do with you. And as for you, I want you to think long and hard about it. You have lost two children, is it really worth putting yourself through that kind of torment again? Have a good rest. I’m hanging up now.”

The beep sounded like the heart rate monitor of a dead man; shrill and unceasing. I sat frozen with the phone pressed on my ear for some moments in a daze.

It wasn’t Emery’s words that had woke me up. I thought that the matter of feelings did not have the propensity to incur mutual pain. I did not believe that I was the only one in the world to treat someone who has done so much for me with the highest regard. But Ashton and Emery were there to constantly remind me that there was nothing wrong with placing one’s wellbeing above everything else.

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