Thalia walked past without acknowledging them, her face expressionless.
After she had gone, Laurina nudged Asher’s arm. “What a coincidence! Imagine running into your ex on the same flight.”
Asher lowered his eyes and remained silent.
“Oh, look at you with that brooding expression. You’re impossible,” Laurina teased.
Early the next morning, Thalia arrived at the golf course with the head partner.
She was dressed in a white sports outfit with her hair in a high ponytail, looking youthful and vibrant. Langdon Johnson’s eyes lit up the moment he saw her.
The head partner made the introductions: “This is Mr. Johnson from Caresol Group. Mr. Johnson<b>, </b>may I present Thalia Winters, a solicitor from our firm.”
Thalia smiled politely. “Pleased to meet you, Mr. Johnson.”
That gentle smile made Langdon Johnson’s heart flutter.
“I had no idea yourw firm employed such young and beautiful solicitors,” he remarked with a broad smile.
Thalia smiled without responding, while the head partner chuckled appreciatively.
“Do you y golf regrly, Miss Winters?” Langdon Johnson asked.
Thalia shook her head. “I only know a little. I wouldn’t say I’m an enthusiast.”
Sensing an opportunity, Johnson’s smile widened. “That’s no problem at all. I’d be happy to teach you.”
“What’s everyone discussing that’s so amusing?<b>” </b>
A male voice interrupted their conversation.
Thalia froze.
Asher approached, apanied by another man.
Johnson immediately adopted a deferential tone, all traces of his earlier flirtatiousness vanishing. “Mr. ckwood, you’re here to y golf as well? We were just discussing hobbies with Miss Winters here. I got a bit carried away
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with the conversation. I hope we haven’t disturbed you?”
Thalia’s hands tensed at her sides as she raised her eyes to meet Asher’s gaze, addressing him with formal politeness: “Mr. ckwood.”
The head partner rarely spent time at the firm and didn’t follow entertainment news. Though Laurina’s face seemed familiar to him, he was unaware of the rumored rtionship between her and Asher, and had no idea that the CEO of ckwood Industries standing before them was Thalia’s ex–boyfriend.
The head partner seldom had opportunities to interact with someone of Asher’s status, but he was adept at reading social cues. Seeing the respectful attitude the Caresol CEO showed this young man, he immediately understood that this elegant, dignified young gentleman must be someone of considerable importance.
He followed suit with a respectful greeting: “Mr. ckwood, a pleasure.”
Asher’s gaze lingered on Thalia.
She was wearing makeup today, and with her high ponytail and sports outfit, she looked like a university student–beautiful and full of energy, impossible to look away from. No wonder that lecher had been <b>staring </b>at her.
His eyes traveled downward, noting her long, fair legs beneath her short skirt, and his brow furrowed slightly.
Looking so attractive while in thepany of these two older men–Asher felt a sudden surge of irritation<b>. </b>
He almost couldn’t resist taking off his jacket to wrap around her waist and sending those two men packing
Suppressing his annoyance and displeasure with considerable effort, Asher’s expression remained impassive as he responded with a curt “Mmm” and added, “Quite disruptive, actually.”
Johnson bowed his head apologetically. “I’m terribly sorry, Mr. ckwood. I’ll be more mindful.”
“Carry on,” Asher said tersely before walking away.
He hade to the golf course today to apany a friend who had just returned from Russia.
His friend, Alexander Wellington, had been instrumental in helping Asher swiftly secure the deal that had undermined Tom Malfoy’s project in Russia.
Once they were at a distance, Alexander, who had remained silent until now, immediately adopted an expression of discovery. “Asher, unless I’m mistaken, wasn’t that your fiancée? Why did you two act as though you barely knew
each other?”
Alexander had emigrated to Russia over a decade ago. He didn’t know Thalia personally, but several years earlier, he had seen her photograph at Asher’s vi in Russia.
At that time, Asher had told him that the woman in the photo was the girl he had secretly loved for years.
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Later, Alexander had made a special trip back to London to attend Asher and Thalia’s engagement ceremony, congratting his friend on finally winning the heart of the woman he had pined for all those years.
“We’ve broken up.”
“What?” Alexander was shocked. “How could you suddenly break up when everything was going so well? Didn’t you wait more than a decade to finally be with her?”
A caddy approached and handed Asher a golf club.
Asher took it and swung, sending the ball flying. “I didn’t want her caught in the crossfire. Being with me nearly cost her her life.”
Alexander understood. At the previous engagement ceremony, Thalia’s sister had been kidnapped, and Asher had been seriously injured, forcing them to cancel the event. Later, he had learned the kidnapping was orchestrated by the ckwood’s adopted daughter, with Tom Malfoy backing her.
From that point on, Tom Malfoy had been actively seeking revenge against the ckwood family.
Alexander asked, “Did Malfoy make another move against her after that?”
Asher’s eyes grew cold as he told Alexander about Tom’s assassination attempt and how Randolph had been pushed down a staircase<b>. </b>
Alexander’s expression changed. “Using military–grade weapons? This is Britain, for God’s sake! How dare that madman?<b>” </b>
“He covered his tracks well. The police couldn’t pin anything on him.”
“You’d better be careful, then. That rabid dog Malfoy is capable of anything when cornered.”
<b>“</b>I’m aware.”
“Ah,” Alexander sighed, patting Asher’s shoulder. “Breaking up was the right decision, but what a shame for both of you–in love but unable to be together.”
Asher lowered his eyshes, his heart stirring.
Unable to be together despite being in love?
No.
This was only temporary.
Once the situation with Tom Malfoy was resolved, he would definitely win Thalia back.
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Meanwhile, Johnson was edging closer to Thalia. “Do you enjoy ying golf regrly, Miss Winters?”
Thalia shifted away, maintaining a polite distance as she replied: “I know a bit, but I don’t y often.”
Johnson was unaware of Thalia’s family background and assumed she was just an ordinary solicitor, dependent on a modest monthly ie of a few thousand pounds.
To him, a few thousand pounds was negligible–barely enough for a single dinner.
Johnson smiled, his expression rather self–satisfied. “Understandable. Even a basic set of equipment would cost you a month’s sry, not to mention green fees and coaching. The annual membership for this club alone is over ￡300,000. It hardly seems worth spending all your hard–earned money on something like this.”
Thalia pretended not to notice the condescension in his tone and smiled brightly. “You’re absolutely right.”
Her radiant smile left Johnson captivated, his self–control wavering.
He was ustomed to unting his wealth, never short of femalepany. He maintained multiple rtionships simultaneously and had kept numerous young mistresses over the years.
Feeling emboldened, he suggested: “Miss Winters, why don’t I arrange a membership for you? Then you could join me for a round whenever you have time.”
Thaliaughed inwardly.
She could see right through Johnson’s sordid intentions. He imed he wanted herpany for golf, but if she agreed, it would clearly involve much more than that.
Attempting to buy a young woman’s affections with a ￡300,000 membership–and at his age, he undoubtedly had a wife at home. How utterly shameless.
Thalia didn’t reveal her contempt and derision<b>, </b>merely offering a slight smile. “I’m afraid I must decline, Mr. Johnson. I’m happy to y with you today, but I simply don’t have the time regrly.”
The head partner was frantically signaling to Thalia with his eyes.
His message was clear: Why are you refusing such a generous offer?
Thalia pretended not to notice.
Johnson wasn’t offended by her refusal. He’d seen it all before and attributed her response to feminine coyness and pride.
He believed he’d encountered many such women–initially pretending to be uninterested in his money while strategically positioning themselves for greater rewards.
The colloquial term for such women was “gold–diggers.”
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Your Gold Digger is Actually A True Heiress
But in his eyes, the modest sums such women typically sought were insignificant to him.
The beautiful woman before him was extraordinarily attractive, far more so than the influencers and minor celebrities he’d previously bedded.
If he could have her<b>, </b>no amount of money would be too much.
Johnson was confident of sess, maintaining a gentle smile. “No matter. I understand solicitors are extremely busy. We’ll arrange something when you have time. For today, let’s simply enjoy ourselves.”
Thalia responded with a sweet smile: “Certainly, Mr. Johnson.”
Her smile left himpletely enchanted, his judgment clouded by desire as he proposed: “How about a little wager? <b>If </b>you can get a ball onto the green within ten strokes, I’ll give you ￡10,000. For each stroke under ten, I’ll add another ￡10,000.”
Thalia asked with an innocent smile: “And if I lose? What if I can’t make it onto the green in ten strokes?”
Johnson’s face flushed with anticipation. “Then perhaps you’d do me the honor of having dinner with me tonight? Just the two of us.”
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