My Extraordinary Wife

Ashlyn smirked, her eyes sparkling with confidence. She asked Ian, “What happens if I win? Will you promise to treat my friend then, Old Mr. Leno?”

Her confidence piqued Ian’s curiosity.

Young people don’t have the patience to sit through a checkers match. He did not believe she knew how to play at all.

“Fine. If you win, I’ll treat your friend.”

As he spoke, Ian stepped onto a stone path in his yard and strode toward the round table under the shade of grapevines. His white hair fluttered in the breeze.

Ashlyn followed closely behind and sat opposite him.

Then, she placed the board on the table and arranged the intricate emerald checkers pieces on it.

Sunlight dappled on the checkers through the thicket of grapevines. The soft illumination brought out the stunning glow of the Cat’s Eye Emerald.

Ian’s cold face seemed to soften a fraction as he observed the scene.

was his favorite thing in

his family, the

his expression

the beautifully carved Cat’s Eye

refuse his offer and settled her slender fingers on

was at complete odds with

and shrewdly, attacking while defending her

with Ian, who was totally surprised by her exceptional skills in

would easily defeat Ashlyn in a short-lived

and planned his moves more tactfully than usual to

won the tight match

reorganized the checkers, asking, “You could’ve won by a wider margin.

than enough. Old Mr. Leno, I hope you’ll stand by your promise. And I promise I’ll help you to solve the matter that has been the source of your

got to his feet, visibly tensing before his expression paled. He asked, “How could a young

admirably stoic, Ashlyn vowed, “As long as you cure my friend, I promise I’ll solve it for you. I may be a young woman,

his vegetable patch. “I swore never to treat another patient again, but since I have lost this bet, I’ll keep my

she stepped into the vegetable patch and

since she seemed like a pampered socialite