Chapter 124: Chapter 124: Asher
On the drive over to Lancer, Summer Lancaster did some last-minute research on the company online. Lancer was a world-renowned brand, on par with the Yates’s own company. It was hard to believe that an international brand with such a long history would plagiarize someone else, but it also seemed too coincidental for two companies to launch identical pieces of jewelry at the same time. There had to be some dark secret behind it all.
When they arrived at Lancer, Eleanor Grant and Zane Fletcher were already waiting outside. Kenneth Yates gave them a brief instruction before leading Summer Lancaster into the building.
In the enormous conference room, only one person was present. He sat at the head of the table, his back to them. The man had elegant silver hair and a tall, straight figure. Dressed in a white suit and bathed in the light from the floor-to-ceiling windows, he looked just like a prince.
The man slowly turned around, his emerald-green eyes as clear as mirrors.
"You’re finally here. I’ve been waiting for you for so long!" The man pulled out a chair at the table and sat down elegantly, a mysterious smile playing on his lips as if he had already seen through everything.
Kenneth Yates sat down opposite him, as far away as the table would allow, his expression cold. "Asher, why?" Summer Lancaster, standing to the side, was stunned. ’Do they know each other?’ she wondered. ’Why do I feel such a strong connection between them?’
Asher smiled. He placed his hands on the table, fingers interlaced, and gave a seductive smile.
"Kenneth, long time no see. Aren’t you even going to say hello?"
Looking extremely impatient, Kenneth Yates propped his head on his hand. "Right," he said reluctantly. "How have you been?"
Asher suddenly lowered his hands and gazed out the window, his expression melancholic. His green eyes, once clear, seemed to cloud over. "I haven’t been well at all. I think I’m sick," he said. "But I’m very happy that I could see you today." He then fixed his gaze on Kenneth Yates, his eyes filled with expectation.
"Then can you tell me now why you insisted I come, no matter the cost? I’m a busy man. I don’t have time for idle chatter." Kenneth feigned anxiety by repeatedly glancing at his watch.
Asher stood, walked over to Kenneth’s side, and leaned close to his ear. "I want something from you," he whispered. "Something unique."
Kenneth Yates scowled, standing up to put distance between them. "What?"
Asher didn’t seem angry at all. In fact, he was still beaming. But Summer Lancaster felt the temperature in the room plummet to a freezing low.
"Heart’s Desire!" Asher’s fingers brushed contemptuously past Summer Lancaster’s before he circled around to Kenneth’s side.
Summer Lancaster froze, instinctively clutching the ring on her left hand with her right. When she looked at Asher again, his entire demeanor had shifted. His expression had become terrifying, making it impossible to guess what he was thinking. Terrified, she backed away until she bumped into the corner of the table.
"My dear, the show hasn’t even started. Are you trying to leave already?" His demonic tone snapped Summer Lancaster back to her senses. ’How could Kenneth possibly know someone like this?’ she thought.
"I..." Summer Lancaster panicked.
"Summer, go outside," Kenneth Yates said, walking to her side and placing a hand on her shoulder.
"But..."
"It’s alright. I’ve got this."
The worried look in Summer Lancaster’s eyes gave way to indecision. She didn’t want to leave him in such a dangerous situation. If she had the choice, she would want them to leave together, but that seemed impossible now.
As Summer Lancaster pushed the door open, she glanced back at him. His gaze was confident and resolute. But her anxiety didn’t lessen in the slightest. The future was a mystery; no one could predict what the next second might bring. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust him—it was that she trusted him too much.
