His Ex Wife Is A Billionaire

Chapter 762

In the dead of night, Mr. Bartley summoned Alston to his study. Mrs. Bartley was already there, her presence a clear sign of the gravity of the discussion about to unfold.

“What? Call off the engagement?!” Mrs. Bartley shrieked in disbelief. “Timothy, are you out of your mind? The news has already spread like wildfire. I have the ladies from the country club practically fawning over me, showering me with gifts because our Alston is set to marry the Abernathy heiress!”

Her eyes blazed with the scandal of it all. “With the wedding just around the corner, you drop this bombshell on me. How am I supposed to show my

ace around them after this?”

“Dad! What’s going on? Why cancel the engagement?!” Alston, his face flushed with anger, recalled the evening’s humiliation. “Marilla had the audacity to hold hands with Mr. Ashbourne and dance with him right in front of me. I’ve been embarrassed already, and now you want to call off the wedding altogether?”

Edith had painted Marilla as a simpleton. But what sort of fool dares to flirt with another man in front of her own fiancé, to be so intimate in public?

The thought of it was maddening. He wanted to make her pay, to make her regret her indiscretion.

“If your dignity comes at the cost of my future, then I say your pride is a small price to pay!” Mr. Bartley’s words were shocking, his impatience written all over his face.

“What are you saying?!” Both mother and son stared at him, bewildered.

“Haven’t you seen it tonight? Aaron has fallen for that ‘simpleton‘,” Mr. Bartley said, sipping his tea with an air of self–satisfaction. “Suri approached me in confidence, asking me to break off the engagement.”

to hand Marilla over to her son, she’ll back my campaign in the upcoming election. Chairman Emeric is also in the loop. If I refuse, they’ll throw their support behind my rival. Tell me, would either

jaw, and Mrs. Bartley was

and son, this arrangement is nothing but beneficial for us!” Mr. Bartley lounged on the couch, legs crossed, transforming from a dignitary to a rogue in a heartbeat. “Firstly, Alston won’t have to marry the ‘simpleton‘ and demean himself. I’ll get what I want without

secures my campaign financing and aligns us with the influential Ashbourne family. It’s killing two birds with one stone, isn’t

oversimplifying things? The Ashbournes have a formidable reputation. I find Emeric even more daunting than Frederic!”

and probably won’t last two years. I’m not afraid of him,” Mr. Bartley retorted casually.

is like a banshee, far more terrifying than her father!” Alston fumed, influenced by Edith’s opinions. “You might handle Frederic, but can you really contend with Evadne? She’s the actual power

forget, she has

and he stood up abruptly, pointing at Alston as he shouted, “You think if it weren’t for Suri’s proposal, you’d have any chance of securing this marriage? Look at the mess you made tonight, acting like a cornered animal in front of Mr. Frederic. I’ve taught you better! Even if it’s an act, you have to maintain your composure. But you lost your temper in front of everyone! Do you think your father holds enough clout to challenge

Alston was speechless.

only agreed to marry Marilla to please Edith. He didn’t care for her; it was all a performance, a means to an end. Yet watching her dance intimately with

ruined your impression with Frederic. He’s known for holding grudges, and even if I didn’t speak up,

have what it takes to marry into their world. Give up on that fantasy!”

his engagements, inquired about the previous night’s events during his leisurely ride

every detail, including Suri’s lavish gift to Marilla and Aaron’s bold declaration of

incredibly generous with our Miss Marilla. The welcome gift alone was worth over ten

where. We’ve been planning an engagement with the Bartleys, and yet they’ve shown no such

by a mere trinket? Those Ashbournes probably have a vault full

is leagues better than that Bartley boy,” Dennis scoffed. “Last night, Alston

expression grew even darker at the mention of this. The comparison between the two suitors was the last thing he wanted

off the engagement with the Bartleys? A match with the Ashbournes would be a

son marrying an Ashbourne girl and my daughter wed to an

to remain silent.

mood. If he set aside his personal feelings, he had to admit that Aaron, Suri’s son, was a far superior match for his daughter than the Bartley

about family arrangements. But the way

Aaron wasn’t an Ashbourne.

phone buzzed, startling him from his