In Love, Never Say Never

Ashton grazed me gently on my nose. “Remember the last time he came to find you?”

I was reminded of the dinner I had with John at La Morera some time back. Not only did he get drunk, but he got Ashton drunk as well. I had assumed his moodiness was due to a couple’s fight with Hannah, so I did not probe any further.

Now that I thought about it, it was probably more than that. “Wait. Are you saying, John is not coming home not because he’s looking for help but he’s avoiding Hannah?”

“You’re heading in the right direction. Continue.”

“And since John and Hannah are not on the best of terms now, he probably wouldn’t have mentioned Uncle Louis’ news to her. This means that someone must have told Hannah about it. That person must have known she would call me for help. Naturally, I would…”

Ashton looked at me with admiration. “Looks like your brain does have some merit.”

I pursed my lips in annoyance. “That doesn’t sound like a compliment. Anyway, who exactly is going in such a roundabout manner to get us?”

He looked at me with his obsidian eyes.

“It’s the Murphys, isn’t it?”

“Smart girl!”

Knowing all this, I decided to give John a call. After that conversation with Hannah, I did not expect my call to go through. To my surprise, he answered.

“How rare is this? I thought you were having so much fun, you’ve forgotten about me.”

I chuckled at his childish remark. “I was busy with a few things. Hannah called. She told me about Uncle Louis. Are you all right?”

“Why’d she call you? There’s no need to meddle in Uncle Louis’ affair.” His voice was evidently annoyed.

“I understand. But did something happen between you and Hannah?” I could tell it was beyond a regular lovers’ quarrel.

“What else? It’s just the usual problem. Are you free tonight? Let’s go grab dinner together. I’ve been so bored by myself recently, I need someone to talk to.”

Beneath his playfulness, I could detect some weariness in his voice. “All right. Let’s have dinner together.”

“Great! I’ll text you the address.” With that, he hung up the call.

I turned to Ashton, smiling. “Shall we eat out tonight?”

“You promised him?”

I nodded.

He remained silent, which I presumed was a yes.

Right then, someone knocked on the office door. Ashton responded, “Come in!” Meanwhile, I went to his private restroom to pick a jacket for later.

“Mr. Fuller, we’ve just received some documents from Mr. Campbell. There are a few that require your endorsement. I’ll mail it back to him first thing tomorrow.”

“All right.”

After some moments of silence, I thought the secretary had left the room. To my surprise, she spoke again, “Mr. Fuller, here is an employee promotion name list compiled by the HR department. They need your approval for this. If there are any issues, you can leave a note on it.”

“Ok.” Like before, Ashton was curt with his reply.

I waited for her to leave before exiting the private restroom. While holding on to my jacket, I looked at Ashton working fast on his documents. “Do you have to finish all these by today?”

He nodded. “It’s not a lot. We’ll meet John for dinner once I’m done.”

Noticing how thick the folders were, I almost suggested going by myself, but I swallowed my words back. Then I went over to his side and picked up the name list on his desk. Seeing the few thousand over names left me speechless.

“So much for being the chairperson. How are you going to look through so many names?”

He took a glance at the list before saying, “Help me look through and circle those who have worked with us for less than three years. As for the rest, check and see whether they’ve met the promotion criteria.”

“Isn’t this a bit too careless? Although some of them haven’t worked long in Fuller Corporation, they’ve displayed exemplary performance. Shouldn’t we give those people special consideration?”

“I’ll leave it to you!”

“I…”

“After settling these, do you think I’ll still have energy left to go through every single name on the list?” It was obvious he was counting on me for this.

I pursed my lips, unable to deny his words. In the first place, I did agree to help him out. Now that he needed my assistance, there was no reason for me to reject.

In love, never say never chapter 917

A request for promotion lay among the stack of promotion documents. I opened it and read Stella’s name written boldly on it. Stella wrote in a sincere, flowing manner, carefully detailing her experience at the Fuller Corporation as well as the expectations that had been placed on her. I noticed that Stella had occupied her position for barely more than a year. However, in all her time at Fuller Corporation, she had not produced any particularly outstanding work. After careful consideration, I set Stella’s request aside.

After a while, Ashton turned to me once he’d completed all his tasks on hand. He glanced at the pile of promotion letters with interest, then picked up Stella’s cast aside one and gave it a casual once-over. Ashton then commented, “There’s no need to take this so seriously. We’ve had no lack of remarkable employees. It’s not even in the criteria for promotion anymore.’

I nodded, then looked at him curiously. “Have you been very busy lately?”

eyebrow and declared,

heads of department. Everything’s on you now, so it’ll be a miracle if you weren’t busy. You should be supervising the work and contributions of a few directors

look,” Ashton advised. I flipped through the stack accordingly and located the document. Scanning through the list, nearly all of its names had been nominated by the

unnecessary then? I felt slightly ridiculous and laughed sheepishly. “If I told you that I didn’t see it,

me up. “Sure. Leave it. I’ll come back to sign

Ashton

a

“What kind of reward do you want?”

at the moment. He flung my

towards him flirtatiously. Tiptoeing, I planted a kiss on his lips, then teased, “If we don’t manage to do it here, I’ll compensate you tonight,

Ashton was easily won over. The man warmed to my proposal instantly

curiously, “Ashton, Mom said that she ran into Aunt Sally at the hospital. She sounds like she’s seeing someone now. Have you

her. She’s getting on in years, and it must be lonely for her, living on her own. It would

for years. She’d spent her days fighting with Sharon when she wasn’t caring for Benjamin, then had been greatly troubled by Marcus. All these years, Sally had never

opened, Ashton hauled me out of it. Streams of employees getting off work flowed ceaselessly through the lobby. Many lingered

of the crowd, a man in his twenties was clutching a bouquet to his chest. With one knee on

the object of his affections to be Stella. I was a firm believer in the magic of youth, and it was no wonder that Stella had the man

red. She looked rather awkward, perhaps due to the large crowd that had gathered around them in eager anticipation of her reply. She gazed helplessly at the man who was still kneeling hopefully before her, then said in a low voice, “Justin,

and declared, “Stella, I really do love

and cheering. In just a split second, a

difficult spot. While surveying her surroundings, Stella’s eyes fell upon me. She gulped, then turned back to Justin, stating, “Justin, I don’t understand why you would propose to me. You know that I don’t love you and naturally won’t agree. Why are you fooling yourself? I’ve told you this more than

and moving proposal would end so tragically. A hush fell over the crowd, and quite a number crept

face had turned

say never

managed uncertainly. He looked immensely vulnerable,

to say, then? I thought I’d refused you obviously enough. Couldn’t you

head, deflated. Even the vibrant bouquet he’d brandished confidently before now hung crumpled before him.

I don’t love you, pure and simple. You can go now. I’m begging you, please don’t

me out of the lobby, then sighed longingly. “After so many years at university, no one has ever confessed their love to me so grandly before. It only works if the person you’re proposing to love you back, of course. But I rather like this heady rush

my arm tightened slightly. “What do you

sober expression, I laughed. “I like the impulsive, romantic ways of these youths. Since we’ve gotten older, I haven’t been feeling many strong bursts of emotions. Life doesn’t seem as exciting

face him. Gravely, he asked, “Are you

menopause?

say you were old. I meant that I admired youths for their wholehearted and energetic approach to life. I’ve been motivated to live my days in the same way, rather than always dragging my feet around. Ugh…

waggled an eyebrow at me. “What wholehearted and energetic things do

than to talk about things like romance with an

on such things! It’s getting late,

from Ashton’s steel grip and forcefully terminated

mind, and I couldn’t help but ponder. Does Stella already have someone she

spread out over the table, as

dishes. “I had to fill my stomach first before the sight

head wordlessly at John, then sidled into the seat opposite him.

Uncle Louis has always lived an open, honest life. All the ammunition that those green-eyed monsters have against him are their own baseless rumors. There’s nothing

in eagerly. Ashton and John fervently discussed the state of the market between

I heard a woman’s voice saying, “Don’t you pity Rebecca? Her ex-boyfriend got stolen from her, and

Mr. Quinn’s woman used to be with Mr. Crest. Clearly, Mr. Quinn isn’t too picky. After all, he’s even willing to accept

Mr. Fuller got tired of her too. These rich people have no morals at all. They treat women and clothing alike, to be used and then

and appearance, they were probably socialites. I wasn’t part of

bothered by what those

Mr. Crest? Jared?

woman for a

his affection for her. Having gotten this opportunity to prove himself to

abruptly interrupted by the sound of a door being flung open. A woman dressed

automatically looked up, then started in

she in W City? Why did

looked away. Sauntering towards the sink, she asked icily, “Don’t

love, never say

sudden confrontation and grasped for a reply. Finally, I said, “I’m not a fan of getting involved

against the sink, her arms akimbo. Gazing intently at me, she scoffed, “Don’t act so high and mighty. You were clearly eavesdropping. If you want to laugh, go

clenched my jaw and turned away. I had nothing to say to

we been friends for a long time, Scarlett? Why are you in such a hurry to leave? Since we’ve bumped into each other, let’s spend some time catching up. How can you walk off like that? By the way, how’s Jared’s daughter doing? He’s been in prison for a while

on life is like. I know, however, that we’re not the same. Since you’ve already found someone, please live out the rest of your life peacefully. Stop interfering in others’ business! Besides, Summer is

trying to be kind and remind you that things aren’t that simple. I thought Jared would confess everything to you at least, but it seems now that he fully intended on keeping you in the dark. If that’s the case, I’ll keep my mouth

I could hear the edge in Kristina’s voice. Bemused, I

“Nothing! I’ll be

the spot, gazing after her absently. Though unwilling, I had to admit that what Kristina had said threw me off slightly. I was still taking our conversation apart and puzzling it over in

Walking straight into his arms, I gave a loud yelp, but it was already muffled by his broad arms and chest encircling me. I then looked up

something had happened to you,

my head vigorously, partially to clear the thoughts that were clamoring in my brain. “It’s nothing. I ran into someone I know. Let’s go back and continue

a private room, there suddenly came the sound of glass violently shattering. Ashton and I both froze and peered in. Seated

at Ashton, then whispered

lips into a thin line but said