10
Keely didn’t recognize Aston, nor did she realize she’d been exposed
After she left, Aston called his assistant into the room. “Find out where she’s staying and who she’s living with.”
The assistant nodded and turned to leave, but Aston stopped him.
“That girl. still no leads?”
When Aston was nine, he had been framed by an enemy and kidnapped by human traffickers. They took him to a remote mountain village.
For miles, the mountains stretched endlessly, and no matter how he tiled, he couldn’t escape.
Just as he thought he’d be trapped there forever, a girl named Lisa saved him.
She led him along an unfamiliar path and handed him a few hard, stale buns. “Runalong this path. By tomorrow aftemoon, you’ll be out.”
Aston grabbed her hand. “Come with me. If they find out you helped me escape, they’ll kill you.
Lisa shook her head. “I can’t leave. If I go, I have to take my mom with me.. but her legs are broken. She can’t walk”
She was silent for a long time before spealing again. “Big brother, when you get out, report this to the police forme. My y mom was trafficked here”
After escaping, Aston fell gravely ill. By the time he recovered, he had forgotten the location of the village. All he remembered were her tear–filled, determined eyes, the large scar on her andde, and her name–Lisa
He had been searching for her ever since.
The assistant shook his head. “Sir, there are too many girls with that name in the country. We’re still sorting through the possibilities.”
Aston suppressed his disappointment and waved him off. “Keep working on it!”
A few days later, Keely took Mirabel to a local pub for drinks. While they were there, they brushed off a few men trying to flirt with them.
“The guy I met during the contract signing was insanely handsome,” Keely said dramatically. “But his aura was so intimidating–it felt oppressive. I didn’t even dare ask for his number. I can’t believe I chickened out. Who knows when I’ll ever meet someone that gorgeous again!”
But before a second passed, she perked up. “Oh my god, that guy who just walked by is so my type! I’ll be back in a bit.
Keely left, and Mirabel remained alone. Moments later, she felt the couch cushion beside her sink slightly. Assuming it was K
Keely, Mirabel leaned lazily against the person’s shoulder. “You’re back already?” she mummated,
But as soon as she got close, she realized the scent of the person’s cologne was unfamiliar,
spilling her drink and soalding her coat. She scrambled to wipe it off while apologizing, “I’m so sorry! I thought you were
Mirabel bolted upright, accidentally spillu someone else!”
Aston’s cool voice responded, “It’s fine.”
That voice Mirabel’s head shot up.
Aston
A wave of fear surged through her, chilling her to the core.
Why bei
by was for here? Did Fraser know she had faked her death? Were they here to drag her back?
The questions raced through her mind, but there was no time to dwell on them. One thought overpowered the rest–run!
She tumed to flee, but Aston grabbed her wrist. He stood and pushed her forward, pinning her against the wall from behind.
From a distance, it looked like Aston was holding her in an intimate embrace, just another couple in the dimly lit bar. No one noticed anything unusual.
“Why are you running? I’m not going to hurt you,” Aston said with his usual calm demeanor. “But you’re coming back to see Fraser.”
Mirabel tumed to glare at Aston. “Mr. Fraser, where I go is my choice. You have no right to interfere. Now, let me go.
“That’s true,” Aston said, not loosening his grip but tightening it instead. “But because of your staged death, Fraser nearly drove himself to suicide. Once he suspected you were alive, he searched the entire world for you, swinging between despair and hope. His mental state is borderline unstable. Don’t you think you owe him one meeting to settle this?”
Mirabel fell silent for a long time.
…There’s no need to meet. He and I are strangers now.”
Aston frowned slightly. “Fraser cheated during the marriage. That was his fault. You can divorce him. Why not sit down and talk it out instead of running away?”
“Lam running,” Mirabel admitted. “But given the choice, who would willingly abandon everything and hide under a false identity? I chose this not only to punish him for his infidelity but also to ensure he could never entangle me again.”
She sighed softly. “You don’t understand him. He won’t divorce me. He won’t let go. He’s capable of doing something crazy. If you truly care about him, don’t tell
him you’ve seen me.
Aston shook his head. “I’m afraid I can’t do that. You have to come back with me!
Mirabel sneered. “Fine. If you force me to return, you’ll only be bringing back a corpse.”
“You.” Aston was stunned and instinctively released her wrist.
Taking advantage of his momentary shock, Mirabel bolted.
That very night, she and Keely booked tickets to another country and left immediately. But the day after settling in, Mirabel opened her door to find two cows of bodyguards standing neatly outside.
Aston stepped out of a luxury car parked nearby, and Mirabel sighed in exasperation. “What do you want this time?”
“I’m here to propose a deal,” Aston said calmly. “I want you to stay within my sight. In return, I’ll give you access to the core technologies of all the tech companies under my name.
was irresistible.
Over the past few days, Aston had thoroughly investigated Mirabell. He knew her passion for technology and was confident his offer w
**If you agree to stay, I’ll work on convincing you to meet Fraser over time.”
“Of course, you can refuse,” he added with a shrug. “But no matter where you go, I’ll have people following you. Comparatively, agreeing is the better option.”
Mirabel muttered a silent curse at this cunning businessman but reluctantly accepted the deal.
Aston arranged for her to stay in a villa near his main company. “It’s close to the office, so it’ll be convenient for you to study and visit.”
H
