Chapter 349
Chapter 349:
If he’d known she’d made it, he would have cleared the whole table.
Thinking back now, the meal hadn’t even tasted bad.
Not great, but no worse than Carmen’s more experimental plates.
Geoffrey muttered, “Mrs. Laurent had it binned this morning before she left. All of it p>
Ashton looked up. “All of it p>
“Yes, sir. Said it was just tasteless leftovers. Didn’t want them taking up fridge space p>
“You should’ve told me last night p>
“She told us not to. I wasn’t even supposed to say anything now. Please don’t mention it to her…” Ashton ignored him.
He kept eating, chewing mechanically.
His mood didn’t improve when he reached the office.
He hadn’t even taken off his coat when Dominic walked in.
“Sir, Franklin Vance is waiting in the conference room p>
“Let him wait p>
He didn’t care if Vance stood there all day.
He pulled out his phone and opened Mirabelle’s chat.
His thumbs hovered, tapped out half a sentence, then deleted it.
None of it sounded right.
Too late, too stiff, too rehearsed.
Whatever he sent now would reek of guilt.
He shoved the phone back into his pocket.
But the image stuck—her hand, bandaged. The food, dumped without a second thought.
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By eleven, the pressure in his head had built to the snapping point. He stood up abruptly and left his office. He didn’t knock.
The door to the conference room slammed behind him.
He dropped into the chair at the head of the table.
Franklin stood fast. “Mr. Laurent p>
He stayed standing, rubbing his palms together, sweat building under his collar. “Mr. Laurent, I’ve brought the will.” That earned him a glance.
Ashton’s eyes were flat and cold.
Franklin swallowed. “Mirabelle’s my daughter. Only daughter. What I earned should go to her. But I’ve worked in the company for years, I’ve p>
Ashton rapped the table. “Get to the point p>
“Yes, yes, of course…” Franklin fumbled with his briefcase and pulled out a stack of printed papers. “Here. This is the will. Most of the estate goes to Mirabelle. I just thought… maybe Preston could have a small portion. He’s contributed to the company, and his father’s never done a thing for him.” He held the pages out with both hands, arms extended like he was making an offering.