Chapter 222
Chapter 222 Troy
Leander glanced at the photo and gave a soft chuckle. He tapped the edge of the slowly shook his head.
“Maeve… so it really is her p>
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He let out a long breath. Life had a strange way of looping back around. He had assumed she was just a brief encounter, someone who would disappear from his world as quickly as she entered it. But fate clearly had other plans. It kept pulling her back into his orbit, like gravity.
“Mr. Leander, you know Maeve? ”
Frankie’s brows lifted, his voice lined with curiosity. Leander’s reaction had caught his attention, and it wasn’t something he could ignore.
He began to piece things together in his mind. Leander had always been calm, composed, and completely disinterested in women. Frankie had figured it was just because no one had managed to capture his attention. But now, seeing that look on his face, he wondered if Maeve had left a mark.
Leander didn’t offer much clarity. “You could say I know her… or maybe not,” he said casually.
The vague answer only made Frankie more confused.
Leander set the photo aside and shifted back into business mode. His tone grew clipped and focused.
“The gala looks fine. No big issues. You handle the finishing touches. Let the host improvise if anything comes up on stage p>
Then his eyes turned cold and decisive.
“Once the event wraps, I want you to gather our funds. We’re moving Jeff Enterprises‘ center of operations.
“I want us in Highcliffe before the end of the month.
“And bring me every piece of intel you can find on the Ashcroft family. Ten years back. The more thorough, the better p>
Frankie stiffened. His breath caught, and his chest felt tight. In just nine months, Jett Enterprises had surged to the top of the global economy. They were now ranked first in total assets, and only a few massive national conglomerates could even come close to competing.
While their international growth had been explosive, their domestic expansion had always
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been measured and cautious. That had been the plan from the start. Frankie, Tommy, and the others had all agreed. But now, Leander wanted to break that rhythm. He was heading straight into Highcliffe. And he had his eyes on the Ashcrofts.
Frankie swallowed hard, the gears in his head spinning. “He’s an Ashcroft, too. Could he have ties to the Ashcrofts? ”
That single thought sparked like a live wire in his chest. If Leander moved into Highcliffe, it wouldn’t be subtle. It would hit like a storm front.
Meanwhile, in the presidential suite of the Sky Hotel, Maeve lay sprawled across a velvet comforter, her bare feet tucked beneath her. The TV flickered in front of her, though she wasn’t really watching. A woman in a navy–blue suit stood near the bed, arms crossed, watching her with raised brows.
She was in her late twenties, elegant and composed, her sharp eyes glinting behind a pair of slim glasses.
“Maeve, what’s up?” she asked with a small grin. “You’ve been off all day. Something wrong with Jeff Enterprises‘ setup?
“If you’re not happy with it, I can call them right now. We were invited, not begged. You don’t have to settle. With the kind of money they’ve got, they’ll fix anything you want p>
Maeve rolled over and propped her chin on her palm. Her voice came out a little tired.
“It’s nothing like that, Heather. I’m just in a strange mood p>
Then she reached out her hand and gave a faint smirk.
“Anyway, pay up. You lost the bet p>
Heather raised her brows in surprise.
“Seriously? Someone in Ravenridge didn’t know who you were p>
Maeve gave a quiet sigh and nodded. Her eyes dropped a little.
“Yeah. Some guy on the plane. I said my name and everything. He just blinked at me like I was a nobody p>
Heather had managed Maeve for over a year. This trip was supposed to be smooth–just a performance at a charity gala and a few promo shoots for Jeff Enterprises. Nothing unusual. Before they boarded, Maeve had teased her, betting that not everyone in Ravenridge would recognize her face.
She had won the bet. But it didn’t feel like a win. The fact that someone genuinely hadn’t
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known who she was, hadn’t even reacted to her name–it left a hollow ache in her chest that she couldn’t quite shake.
Heather chuckled and pulled five crisp hundred–dollar bills from her purse. She spread them out on the bed like playing cards and shook her head with a wry smile.
I mean, seriously. Who doesn’t recognize our national sweetheart? That guy must’ve grown up in the woods with no internet p>
Maeve’s gaze dropped for a moment as a familiar face flickered through her mind. Leander’s cool, sharp features surfaced without warning. Out of everyone she had met these past few years, he was the only one who reminded her of him–that person she could never forget.
But then she remembered how Leander had reacted when she brought up the Levington family. His tone, that smug look in his eyes–it was all arrogance. The kind that pushed people away. Whatever spark she thought she saw in him had died right then.
They talked a little longer until Heather’s tone shifted. “By the way, Maeve… Mr. Troy’s flying in
tomorrow. ”
Maeve stiffened. Her smile faded. “Troy? What for p>
Heather caught the change in her voice and sighed. She moved closer and placed a hand on Maeve’s shoulder. “Maeve, you’ve been engaged to him for a year. You know how hard he’s tried. You’ve seen everything he’s done for you.
“He really cares about you.
“I know you still hold on to that man who saved you. The one you lost. But you need to see things clearly. Gratitude isn’t the same as love. You can’t put your whole life on pause for someone who isn’t even here anymore.
“He’s gone.
Maeve’s shoulders jerked like something inside her snapped. Heather didn’t let go. She held her a little tighter and kept talking. “We have to face reality. No matter how badly we want to hold on, some people don’t come back. Some feelings don’t bring anyone home.
“But Troy–he’s right in front of you. He’s the eldest son of the Levington family. You know how powerful they are in Glenwick. And he’s not just his last name. He’s smart, driven, and good–looking. He made the cover of Economic Weekly at twenty–four. They named him Glenwick’s top young entrepreneur. He’s set to inherit the entire Levington empire. And with Thaddeus behind him, nobody would dare stand in his way.
“You’re the daughter of the Reyne family. You and Troy make sense. You’re a perfect match. And he’s never looked at anyone else. Why not just give it a try p>
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Every word felt heavier than the last. Maeve stayed silent, her shoulders trembling. Her lips pressed into a thin line, but she didn’t speak.
Then, after a long stretch of quiet, she finally whispered.
“Heather… I get it.
“I’ll think about it. Just let me be alone for a while p>
Heather nodded slowly. She pulled the blanket up over Maeve’s shoulders, then left the room without saying another word.
The moment the door clicked shut, Maeve’s breath cracked. A broken cry slipped out as tears rushed down her cheeks, soaking the pillow beneath her face.
Her fingers moved without thinking, reaching into her robe. She pulled out a small wooden cube, its corners rounded from years of wear. Read full story at.net
She clutched it tightly to her chest, her body curled inward like she was trying to disappear into herself. “Ice Cube… why weren’t you there when I needed you most?
“You told me once that you’d fix my eyes. You said we had so much to do together. You promised we’d chase down every last dream. Why did you leave it all behind p>
She pressed the wooden cube close, burying her face into the blankets. That tiny box was all she had left of him. His last gift. The only thing he never took back.
“What am I supposed to do now? Just tell me what to do p>
At Ravenridge Airport, a sleek private jet rolled to a smooth stop on the tarmac. Trevor stood by the gate in silence, his suit pressed, his head held low. His hands were clasped in front of him, though his fingers kept tightening. As the jet door opened, a tall figure in a long coat stepped down the ramp. The man walked like he didn’t care who watched him. His steps were slow but heavy, each one landing with quiet force.
“Troy p>
Trevor dipped his head and bowed, his voice steady but laced with tension. There was respect in his posture, but there was also a hint of fear.
Troy looked twenty–four or twenty–five. His face was sharp, almost too perfect, with cold, unreadable eyes. They moved like they could see through walls. His frame was tall and built, and his presence carried weight. He didn’t have to speak to own the
space.
This was Troy, the future leader of the Levington family, son of the Martial Sovereign, Thaddeus. People called him the Little Duke.