Chapter <b>131 </b>


    “I haven’t had time to notify anyone yet,” Asher replied, ncing at his watch. “It’s gettingte. I need to grab these documents and leave immediately.”


    Lady ckwood’s brow creased with displeasure, her tone taking on a reproachful quality. “Stay for dinner and go afterwards. If there’s any problem, I’ll handle the consequences.”


    “That’s hardly appropriate,” Asher maintained his air of indifference. “You alone can’t represent thepany. Just wait–you’ll be receiving a call about an emergency board meeting any minute now.”


    With that, Asher left everyone in the hall and went upstairs,pletely disregarding the gathering.


    Downstairs, the Fitzgerald family exchanged bewildered looks.


    Professor Fitzgerald was the first to speak: “Lady ckwood, does your grandson not know that today’s dinner was arranged for him to formally meet Alice?”


    Though Professor Fitzgerald was two years older than Lady ckwood, he still addressed her respectfully as “Lady ckwood” given her status and position.


    His question was diplomatically phrased.


    Cami, however, made no attempt to hide her displeasure. “Lady ckwood, what exactly does this mean? Alice was standing right in front of him, and he didn’t even greet her. Is he pretending not to know what this dinner


    signifies, or is he genuinely unaware?”


    Grace lowered her head to conceal the mockery in her eyes, thinking to herself: Who does your granddaughter think she is, expecting my brother to acknowledge her? So desperate to get married, are you?


    Lady ckwood, publicly slighted by her grandson, was certainly displeased. However, facing the Fitzgeralds‘ questioning, she maintained a forced smile. “You misunderstand. My grandson was likely in such a hurry to retrieve something from the study that he forgot to greet everyone. When hees back downstairs, I’ll formally


    introduce Alice to him.”


    Cami was about to say more, but her husband silenced her with a look.


    Grace, seated beside Lady ckwood, inadvertently met Alice’s gaze.


    Alice offered a polite smile.


    Grace, consumed with jealousy, couldn’t be bothered to reciprocate and coldly averted her eyes.


    Alice’s smile became strained, not understanding why the ckwood adopted daughter seemed to harbor such inexplicable hostility toward her.


    In the study.


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    Asher made a phone call.


    Ten minutester, Lady ckwood and Andrew downstairs received calls informing them that an emergency board meeting had been called to address an urgent matter at ckwood Industries,


    Andrew knew exactly what was happening–this was his son’s doing.


    Lord ckwood Sr. had already officially transferred the family’s leadership to Asher, and Andrew, following his father’s instructions, had handed over thepany’s operations to Asher as well.


    Asher was now the most influential figure in ckwood Industries.


    Lady ckwood hung up the phone, her face ashen. It seemed she no longer had any control over her grandson.


    Cami, noticing her expression, asked, “Lady ckwood, is something wrong?<b>” </b>


    Lady ckwoodposed herself, though her face remained cold.


    She could choose not to attend the board meeting–she wasn’t particrly concerned about corporate projects.


    Her primary concern was Asher’s future marriage.


    However, this call had given Asher the perfect excuse to avoid today’s matchmaking arrangement.


    Lady ckwood replied, “It’s nothing serious. It seems there genuinely is an urgent matter at thepany, as Asher mentioned. I’ve just received the call.”


    Professor and Cami Fitzgerald exchanged nces before saying, “Well…”


    Alice’s expression became slightly rigid.


    Was the matchmaking meeting she had anticipated going to fall through like this?


    As they were speaking, Asher came back downstairs with the documents and headed straight for the door, ignoring


    everyone.


    “Asher, stop right there,” Lady ckwoodmanded sternly.


    Asher turned, waving the document folder. “Grandmother, you received the call too, didn’t you? I wasn’t lying–there’s genuinely an urgent matter.”


    Lady ckwood spoke sharply, “Don’t think I don’t know that you arranged for that call. Stop ying ignorant. You will stay for dinner today!”


    Asher stood his ground, looking at his grandmother with perfectposure. “Fine, then I won’t pretend anymore.”


    He turned to Alice, his tone cold. “Hello, I’m Asher ckwood. I apologize, but I have no interest in matchmaking. I


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    wasn’t informed about this arrangement beforehand. I currently have no ns for dating or marriage, so please don’t waste your time on me.”


    Alice’s face paled.


    Having said his piece, Asher turned and left,pletely unconcerned about the reactions behind him.


    “You–you stop right there! Asher!” Lady ckwood shouted furiously.


    Asher didn’t pause for a moment, quickly disappearing from everyone’s sight.


    The Fitzgerald family was livid.


    Professor Fitzgerald’s chest heaved with anger. “However powerful the ckwood family may be, this is no way to treat people. Our granddaughter is hardly without suitors. You invited us here and proposed this match, and now it seems as though we’re the ones desperately seeking a connection with your family!”


    Lady ckwood was thoroughly exasperated, havingpletely lost theposure she’d disyed earlier.


    Catherine, Asher’s mother, stepped forward to apologize: “This is entirely Asher’s fault. We’re truly sorry. Please don’t be upset.”


    The Fitzgerald family continued to express their outrage until Lady ckwood offered a substantialpensation


    to appease their anger.


    It wasn’t that the ckwoods particrly cared about the Fitzgeralds‘ feelings, but Lady ckwood valued her reputation. The fault clearlyy with the ckwoods, and for the sake of her dignity, she had to apologize–otherwise, word would spread, causing her to lose face.


    She had thought that by ambushing Asher with this arrangement, he would have no choice but to participate in the matchmaking. She never expected that he would refuse to even go through the motions.


    After finally seeing the Fitzgeralds off, Lady ckwood went toin to Lord ckwood Sr.


    “Look at what your grandson has done. He wouldn’t even give me the slightest consideration in front of all those


    people.”


    The elderly gentleman sat at his desk reading a newspaper, not even bothering to look up. “I told you not to rush into arranging matches for Asher so soon after breaking his engagement with the Winters girl. You refused to listen.”


    “How can I not be anxious? Asher will soon be twenty–nine. Men his age already have children running around.”


    Lord ckwood Sr. calmly turned a page of his newspaper. “Is that so? As I recall, those closest to Asher–young Darwin and Quinn–are still unmarried, aren’t they?”


    Lady ckwood was displeased, giving her husband a sharp look. “Alwaysparing with the wrong examples. Look at the Johnsons and the Montgomerys–their great–grandchildren are already calling them great–grandmother.”


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    Lord ckwood Sr. smiled wearily. “Why are you worrying unnecessarily? Asher knows what he’s doing, I will favor his match with the Winters girl. Once he resolves the matter with Tom Malfoy, it would be best if they consid find their way back to each other.”


    Lady ckwood shook her head. “Absolutely not. I don’t like that Winters girl. Solicitors are too sharp tongued She’s contradicted me several times. Where’s her respect for elders?”


    The elderly gentleman gave her a cool nce. “If I may say so, why are you, as an elder, quibbling with the younger generation?”


    Lady ckwood continued to argue incessantly, determined to make her case to her husband.


    Lord ckwood Sr., thoroughly annoyed and unable to dismiss her, simply stood up and walked out himself


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