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?”

an eyebrow and declared,

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

a name list that’s already been vetted. You can take a 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

slightly ridiculous and laughed sheepishly. “If I told you that I

a hand, then pulled me up. “Sure. Leave it. I’ll come back to

sneaking suspicion that Ashton had been delaying me on

against the wall. In a low, hoarse whisper, he

kind of reward

Ashton frowned. His handsome face looked almost petulant at the moment. He flung my hand aside and retreated to another corner of the elevator

towards him flirtatiously. Tiptoeing, I planted a kiss on his lips, then

Ashton was easily won over. The man warmed to my proposal instantly and grinned. “Now that’s an

recalled the matter with Sally and inquired curiously, “Ashton, Mom said that she ran into Aunt Sally at the hospital. She sounds like she’s seeing someone now. Have you been in touch

head. “I’ve been busy lately and haven’t been to see her. She’s getting on in years, and it must be

Sharon when she wasn’t caring for Benjamin, then had been greatly troubled by Marcus. All these years, Sally had never had the chance to do anything for herself. If Sally had indeed managed to find someone to enjoy the rest of her days with,

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

in his twenties was clutching a bouquet to his chest. With

and further examination revealed the object of his affections to be Stella. I was a firm

her reply. She gazed helplessly at the man who was still kneeling hopefully before her, then said in a low voice, “Justin, can we discuss this back at home? Let’s

but Justin seemed resolute on seeing his proposal through. He gazed at her adoringly and declared, “Stella, I really do love you! Say yes, and I promise I’ll take care of

a split second, a chant picked up, “Say yes,

had frozen on Stella’s face faltered. It was evident now that she hadn’t been shy. She was merely embarrassed at having been placed in this 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 once already. Please leave, and don’t ever use this

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

face had turned crimson

love, never say never

the last time,” Justin finally managed uncertainly. He looked immensely vulnerable, his heart having been promptly

at him coldly. “What else did you want me to

head, deflated. Even the vibrant bouquet he’d brandished confidently before now hung crumpled before him. Justin had bitterly wrung it in his despair. “Why? Is

go now. I’m begging you, please don’t embarrass me like that ever again, OK?”

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

arm tightened slightly.

impulsive, romantic ways of these youths. Since we’ve gotten older, I

to face him. Gravely, he asked,

approaching menopause? I wondered

frustration. “I didn’t 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

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

better than to talk about things like romance with an old pedant like

I laughed a little too brightly. “Let’s not dwell on such things! It’s getting late, and John should have already arrived. We shouldn’t make

then wrenched my hand away from Ashton’s

I couldn’t

dishes spread out over the table, as well as the nearly empty bottle of wine, I cried ruefully, “Mr. Stovall, you’re really getting more and more

and sniggered. Then he called for a waiter to bring another round of dishes. “I had to fill my stomach first before the sight of you two behaving all lovey-dovey

sidled into the seat opposite him. “How’s Uncle

him. Uncle Louis has always lived an open, honest life. All the ammunition that those green-eyed monsters have against him are

discussed the state of the market between glasses of wine.

the stall, I heard a woman’s voice saying, “Don’t you pity Rebecca? Her ex-boyfriend

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

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

over at those two women airily gossiping away. Judging by their elaborate outfits and appearance, they were probably socialites. I wasn’t part of that circle and naturally didn’t like to

I was bothered by what those two women

Mr. Crest? Jared?

woman for a ride? Who was

affection for her. Having gotten this opportunity to prove himself to her, why

My deep reverie was abruptly interrupted by the sound of a door being flung open. A woman dressed

automatically looked up,

Isn’t she in W City?

of hesitation appeared in Kristina’s gaze before she looked away. Sauntering towards the

say never

taken aback by Kristina’s sudden confrontation and grasped for a reply. Finally, I said, “I’m not a fan of getting involved in other

hands and leaned 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 ahead. I don’t

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

a hurry to leave? Since we’ve bumped into each other, let’s spend some time catching

I don’t know what your outlook 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 my daughter. Jared isn’t good enough for her, and neither are you. If you do anything to her, I guarantee that you’ll

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 shut as well. It

in Kristina’s voice. Bemused, I

Kristina waved my concern off dismissively. “Nothing! I’ll be

I had to admit that what Kristina had said threw me off slightly. I was still taking our

a loud yelp, but it was already muffled by his broad arms and chest encircling me. I then looked up at him in a slight

something had happened to you,

clamoring in my brain. “It’s nothing. I ran into someone I know. Let’s

suddenly came the sound of glass violently shattering. Ashton and I

at Ashton, then whispered

pressed his lips into a thin line but said