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

so it’ll be a miracle if you weren’t busy. You should be supervising the work and

through the stack accordingly and located the document. Scanning through the list, nearly all of its names had been nominated

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

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

a sneaking suspicion that Ashton had been delaying

wall. In a low, hoarse whisper, he demanded, “Aren’t you going to

baffled. “What kind of reward do you

at the moment.

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

was easily won over. The man warmed

then, I recalled the matter with Sally and inquired curiously, “Ashton, Mom said that she ran into

in years, and it must be lonely for her, living on her own. It would be good for her to have someone keep her

had lived in the White residence 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 had the chance to do anything for herself. If Sally

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

their faces inquisitively. In the middle of the crowd, a man in his twenties was clutching a bouquet to his chest. With one knee on the ground, both his posture and face were brimming

and further examination revealed the object of his affections to be Stella. I was a firm believer in the magic of youth, and it

her reply. She gazed helplessly at the man who was still kneeling hopefully before her, then said in a low voice, “Justin, can

declared, “Stella, I really do love you! Say yes, and I promise I’ll take care of you for the

a split second, a

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

present had imagined that that heartfelt and moving proposal would end so tragically. A hush fell

had turned crimson with

say never chapter

He looked immensely vulnerable, his

him coldly. “What else did you want me to say, then?

him. Justin had bitterly wrung it in

none of those reasons! I don’t love you. It has nothing to do with your money or your abilities at all. I don’t love you, pure and simple. You can go now. I’m begging you, please don’t

many years at university, no one has ever confessed their love to me so grandly before. It only works if the

tightened

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

pulled me to face him. Gravely, he asked, “Are you tired of

menopause? 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 the same way, rather than always

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

better than to talk about

while, I laughed a little too brightly. “Let’s not dwell on such things! It’s getting late, and John

away from Ashton’s steel grip and

in my mind, however. Stella’s blushing, rosy face resurfaced in my mind, and I couldn’t help but ponder. Does Stella already have someone she loves? Is that

time, John had indeed already reached the restaurant and was midway through his meal. Looking at the half-eaten dishes spread out over

for a waiter to bring another round of dishes. “I

then sidled into

He filled Ashton’s glass with wine, then answered, “There’s no concrete evidence. His superiors are biased against 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 for them

The waiter laid out another round of dishes, and we tucked in eagerly. Ashton and John fervently discussed the state of the market

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

voice answered, “I don’t know about that, but I 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 accept his friend’s hand-me-downs! It’s

got tired of her too. These rich people have no morals at all. They treat women

gossiping away. Judging by their elaborate outfits and appearance, they were probably socialites. I

I was bothered by what those

Mr. Crest? Jared?

woman for a ride?

Rebecca’s feet, so deep was his affection for her. Having gotten this opportunity to prove himself

was abruptly interrupted by the sound of a door being flung open. A woman dressed entirely in black strode out from

automatically looked up,

she in W City? Why

looked away.

love, never say

momentarily taken aback by Kristina’s sudden confrontation and grasped for a reply. Finally, I said, “I’m not a fan

intently at me, she scoffed, “Don’t act so high and mighty. You were clearly eavesdropping. If you want to laugh, go ahead.

jaw and turned away. I had nothing to

her, Kristina raised her voice and challenged, “Haven’t 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

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,

back and guffawed. “Are you threatening me now? I’m not interested in Summer. I was merely trying to be kind and remind you that things aren’t that simple. I thought Jared would confess everything to you at

I could hear the edge in Kristina’s voice. Bemused, I asked, “What do you mean

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

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

fact, I was so utterly occupied with my thoughts that I didn’t notice Ashton waiting out in the hallway. Walking straight into his arms, I gave a loud yelp, but it was already muffled by his broad

reached out and brushed my hair aside tenderly. “I was worried that something had happened to you, so I came over. What’s

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

of our table. As we walked past 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 tentatively, “Is that

into a