Chapter 154
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My sudden hug caught Ashton off guard. His body stiffened at the contact. After a brief pause, I heard him ask in a low, quiet voice, “Are you pitying me?”
“I feel sorry for you,” I corrected him firmly.
Ashton didn’t respond, nor did he hug me back. The silence stretched, leaving me feeling a little awkward. Just as I was about to pull away, I glanced up and noticed Logan standing nearby.
Was he here, too? Maya, that big mouth, hadn’t mentioned anything about this.
As my hands started to loosen their grip on Ashton, I instinctively tightened them again. He tried to pull back, but I held his hand firmly. “Don’t move.”
He froze, seemingly unsure of what I was doing, while I continued to hold him close. “Are you working overtime today?” I asked casually.
“What?” Ashton replied, clearly confused.
I tiptoed and leaned close to his ear, whispering, “I miss your cooking.”
I heard the sound of him swallowing hard, his throat making the faintest noise. Then, softly, he replied, “Okay.”
A shiver ran through me at his response. I glanced over in Logan’s direction and saw his fists clenched tightly, his expression dark and stormy. After a moment, he finally turned and walked away.
I released Ashton from my grip, but before I could say anything, Maya’s voice rang out on a distance. “Hello, Mr. Mercer!”
Ashton turned around to glance at Logan briefly before looking back at me. I avoided his gaze, knowing what he must be thinking. He probably assumed my little display of affection was just an act to provoke Logan. To be fair, he wasn’t entirely wrong, but I had no explanation to offer, nor did I feel the need to give one.
Maya came running over, slightly out of breath. “Mr. Drake, the lights in Zone C, Groups seven through three, got damaged by the workers installing the amusement equipment.”
Accidents were a constant in construction work–frustrating, but nothing new.
Ashton’s expression remained calm and composed as he said, “Let’s go take a look.”
He started walking away, seemingly forgetting I was even there. I stood in place, unsure whether to follow or stay behind. Embarrassed by my earlier childish behavior, I lowered my gaze and was about to sigh when I heard his voice.
“Are you coming?” Ashton asked, his tone neutral.
I looked up and met his clear, dark eyes. There wasn’t a single trace of emotion in them, as if nothing had happened at all.
He was a master at hiding his feelings. Just moments ago, I could tell he was upset, but now he was back to being completely unreadable.
“Elaine, you should come see this. There’s a lot of damage, and it’s super frustrating,” Maya grumbled, motioning for me to follow.
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Even though I hadn’t been around much lately, I still cared about what was happening, so I quickly followed them. I was walking a little too fast, and before I realized it, I stumbled forward.
Ashton reached out immediately, catching me before I could fall. The way he moved was so smooth, it felt like something out of a drama. I ended up in his arms.
Maya’s eyes widened in surprise before narrowing mischievously, and then she burst into giggles.
In the past, I would have felt completely flustered and awkward in a moment like this. But now, I didn’t. Instead, I naturally stepped out of Ashton’s embrace and thanked him. “Thank you.”
I
Ashton said nothing and continued walking, as if nothing had happened. Maya, however, looped her arm through mine and leaned in close, her voice full of mischief. “Elaine, did you notice? Mr. Drake’s ears are red.”
glanced over, and sure enough, his ears were flushed. I hadn’t noticed it before, but now that she pointed it out, it was obvious. Ashton was always so composed and tough–it was almost surprising to see such a reaction from him. It was… kind of adorable.
“Elaine,” Maya whispered, her tone teasing, “Mr. Drake is so innocent. Just one little hug and his ears turned red. I bet he’s definitely a virgin.”
“Ahem,” I coughed, shoving her away lightly. “Do you think about anything else besides this?”
