But only the Morgan family and the Jones family knew about their agreement.
Obviously, Raina’s wrist-cutting was a safeguard against Nathaniel forcing her to go abroad again.
Her move not only made Gordon feel sorry for her and blame Ashlyn for it, but also warned Nathaniel against forcing her. Moreover, it allowed her return to be known to the public. Her move killed three birds with one stone
Those closely involved could never see an incident as clearly as bystanders.
It was obvious that someone had never wanted to see things as they were.
Lowell’s expression shifted at Gordon’s order. He hesitated before asking, “Mr. Jones, are you really going to do this?”
Gordon and Ashlyn’s marriage had ended badly. And now, Gordon was about to compensate Ashlyn. Lowell was of the opinion that this was an insult to her.
But Gordon disagreed. He thought he was making the biggest concession for Ashlyn. According to him, Ashlyn had caused so much trouble for him and forced Raina to slit her wrist.
He thought she was reconciled because of the divorce. He believed she would be after he compensated her handsomely.
“What’s your opinion?” Gordon asked, sparing Lowell a cold glance.
Lowell froze, not daring to refute him anymore. “Okay, I’ll do it right away.”
“Hurry up.”
“Yes, Mr. Jones,” Lowell said with a nod and left.
Gordon remained alone in the big office.
He looked at the photo on the tablet computer for a long time before turning it off.
If Ashlyn insisted he apologize, he would apologize.
It was nighttime.
Gordon stopped his car but didn’t get out of it immediately.
He rolled down the window and looked at the documents on the passenger seat. After a long time, he reached out to take the file, opened the door, and got out.
This was the second time he had come to see Ashlyn.
Ashlyn was exiting the bathroom after a shower when the doorbell rang.
At the sound, Jessie, who had been playing games on her phone, looked up at her and asked, “It’s so late. Is it Devin again? I must say he loves you deeply!”
Ashlyn spared her a dry glance before opening the door.
Her smile faded as she saw the man standing at the door. “What are you doing here?”
Jessie poked her head out and also saw Gordon. She stood up from the sofa in a flash and ran to Ashlyn. “Close the door!” she demanded.
Jessie always disliked Gordon. She had tried her best to hold back her anger when Ashlyn had been married to him. But now that they were divorced, Jessie didn’t have to be polite anymore.
Jessie reached out, making to close the door in Gordon’s face.
“I want to talk to you, Ashlyn,” said Gordon.
“Talk about what? With you? I can talk about life and dreams with Ashlyn, and Devin can talk about love with her. You have no business talking to her and you are not welcome here, Gordon. Please leave,” Jessie said, but she was also afraid of him.
Gordon glanced at her lightly. She felt unable to speak as if there was something stuck in her throat.
Ashlyn looked at Jessie and said, “You’d better go back in, Jessie.”
Jessie glanced at Gordon as she said, “No. What if he beats you?”
Ashlyn pulled Jessie’s hand away from the doorframe and pushed her back into the house. She then stepped out, closing the door behind her.
She was in her loose home clothes since she had just taken a shower. The moment she walked out, Gordon could smell the fragrance of her body wash.
Gordon recalled what Jessie had just said. “I can talk about life and dreams with Ashlyn, and Devin can talk about love with her.” When he had taken Raina to the hospital this afternoon, Devin had exited the hospital, Ashlyn in his arms.
He wondered if Ashlyn and Devin were in a relationship now.
“You have five minutes.”
Ashlyn’s words brought Gordon back to reality. He came back to his senses and handed the file to Ashlyn. “I will give you the villa in West Mountain, the apartment in River Apartment, and 3% of the increase in the value of my assets during the three years of our marriage as compensation.”
Ashlyn blinked at the file in front of her. “Compensation?”
She looked up at Gordon, a comprehending smile dawning over her. “Is this because of Raina?”
Gordon didn’t answer her question. “We are divorced. From now on, we have nothing to do with each other. I don’t want these things to happen again.”
“If I remember correctly, the market value of the villa in West Mountain is about ninety million dollars right now. And I’m guessing that the apartment in River Apartment is worth about thirty million dollars. Your assets have increased in value over the past three years. That must be at least five billion dollars. Three percent. That’s about one hundred fifty million. So you are going to give me at least three hundred million dollars in all. How generous you are!”
This was not the first time Gordon had seen Ashlyn smile, but this time, it stung him. He frowned and said, “I know you are not reconciled.”
Ashlyn’s smile vanished instantly at his words.
There was ice in the gaze she directed at him. “You know I’m not reconciled? Do you know why?”
Gordon looked at Ashlyn. “Why?”
“If I fed a dog for three years, it would wiggle its tail at me. But what else have you done for me except for deceiving me and allowing your family to hurt me?” Ashlyn scoffed contemptuously. “I’m not reconciled, but don’t forget that you owe me this!”
Ashlyn reached out, grabbed the file from his hand, and threw it away in the distance. “So you want to give me money for the three years I’ve spent with you? You must be out of your mind, huh? Get out! Don’t make me say it again.”
The file bag fell to the floor with a thump, sounding just as loud as Ashlyn’s voice in the otherwise silent corridor.
It was the first time that somebody dared to yell at Gordon to get out. And it was Ashlyn, of all people.
Gordon was about to remark how ungrateful Ashlyn was but stopped at the cold expression on her face. He stared into her eyes and was unsettled at how devoid they were of emotion.
Ashlyn then turned around and went back into her house, slamming the door behind her as she did so.
Gordon was left standing there in the corridor, staring at the door.
When she slammed the door in his face, his expression darkened, and he sent it one last glance before turning his back.
He walked towards the file and paused for a moment before bending down to pick it up.
When he got back to the car, he couldn’t stop thinking about Ashlyn’s words. Did she just compare him to a dog?
She also told him that he was out of his mind.
Did Ashlyn really think that just because she was Stevie’s daughter, she could do whatever she wanted?
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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