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.

his favorite thing in the world after

and living away from his family, the

in his expression and

finger over one of the beautifully carved Cat’s Eye Emerald checkers. “You’re younger. You should go

his offer and settled her slender fingers on one of

was at complete odds with her cutthroat

swiftly and shrewdly, attacking while defending

panic during her match with Ian, who was totally surprised by her exceptional skills in the

defeat Ashlyn in a

game and planned his moves more tactfully than usual to counter her

Ashlyn won the tight match by

as he reorganized the checkers, asking, “You could’ve won by a

hope you’ll stand by your promise. And I

visibly tensing before his expression paled. He asked, “How could a young lady like you

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

declared abruptly as he stopped before his vegetable patch. “I swore never to treat another patient again, but since

her sleeves. Then, she stepped into the vegetable patch

Ian since she seemed like a pampered socialite to him. He asked gently, “Is it