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    <b>66 </b>


    E35 vouchers


    After carrying the gifts inside, Ashton walked into the living room uninvited, sat down beside Briar, and came face–to–face with Ruben, who had a look of disgust.


    “You must be Ashton?” Ruben’s brow twitched.


    He thought, ‘It’s said that the current head of the Wade family has always been arrogant and insufferable, and it seems the rumors are true. Is he deliberately going against me?‘


    Ashton looked sincere. “Mr. Grant, you can just call me Ashton.”


    While Ruben wanted to create distance, Ashton insisted on making their rtionship more intimate. Everyone knew that those not close to Ashton could only call him Mr. Wade.


    The name “Ashton” was typically reserved for close family or friends.


    Ruben was speechless.


    He decided to stop beating around the bush. “I heard from Larry that you n to propose to Briar?”


    Ashton sat up straight with a serious expression and nodded. “Yes, the feeling between Briar and me is mutual. When I first decided to pursue her, I did so with the intention of marrying her. If she weren’t so young, I would want to marry her right away…”


    “Yes, it’s far too early for marriage,” Ruben interrupted, his tone t. “Briar is only 18. I’d prefer she not even think about marriage until she’s at least 28. Before that, we just want her to live a happy life.”


    Ruben thought, ‘This kid is cunning. He hasn’t even been in the house for ten minutes, and he’s already set several traps in our conversation. Is he really that eager to whisk our Briar away?‘


    What Ruben left unsaid was that even if Briar only dated and never married, they could support her for the rest of her life.


    Ashton, even if Ashton was incredibly wealthy, the Grant family was well–off too. They had no need to use a young woman to secure their family’s future.


    Ashton understood Ruben’s implication. He nced at Briar, who was smirking smugly, then suddenly pulled out his phone and changed the subject. “Ruben, forgive me for being forward, but I’d like to send you some information to review.”


    Although Ruben was surprised, he saw the seriousness in Ashton’s eyes and nced at a baffled Briar. He then nodded. “Alright, send it over.”


    Ruben didn’t ask how Ashton got his contact information. As the head of the Wade family and founder of the Dark Net, he wouldn’t be respectfully known as Ashton Wade if hecked such a basic skill.


    A secondter, Ruben’s phone chimed with a text notification. He opened it, his expression shifting from suspicion to shock in an instant. After carefully reviewing the message, he looked up, and his gaze toward Ashton sharpened. “Ashton, this information…”


    55 vouchers


    But when he met Briar’s curious gaze, Ruben stopped the words on the tip of his tongue. He said to Larry, “Larry, keep Briarpany downstairs for a while.”


    Then, Ruben turned to Ashton. “Ashton, follow me to the study.”


    Ashton stood up. “Alright.”


    Briar was speechless.


    She thought, ‘What’s going on? What message did Ashton send my uncle? Why is he reacting so strongly?‘


    Larry watched the two of them go upstairs, equally puzzled. “Briar, what did that kid send to Ruben? Why is he reacting so strongly?”


    Briar shrugged. “I don’t know! Ashton never mentioned it to me.”


    Larry and Briar exchanged a look, then tiptoed upstairs together. Finally, they both pressed their ears against the closed study door to eavesdrop.


    Unfortunately, the study door was soundproof, and the people inside were speaking quietly. They listened at the door for <i>a </i>long time but couldn’t hear a single word.


    Ovee with curiosity and unable to hear the conversation inside, Larry urged, “Briar, aren’t you a great hacker? Hurry and hack Ruben’s phone!”


    The corner of Briar’s mouth twitched. “Larry, did you forget? Your phones have a super firewall that I personally installed. Even for me, it would take at least an hour to hack them.”


    Larryughed awkwardly. “Uh… sorry, I forgot. If I had known this firewall would one day be used against us, I wouldn’t have rushed you to reinforce this super firewall.”


    After Briar became an expert hacker, they discovered that many of the Grant family’sworks were being monitored by unknown hackers. So, Briar created a super firewall herself.


    Just how super was this super firewall? It was so secure that even its founder, Briar, would need at least an hour to breach the imprably thick firewall.


    Since they could not hear anything, Larry and Briar could only return to the living room downstairs to wait.


    An hourter, dinner was ready. Larry urged Briar to go upstairs to call them for dinner, but just then, Ruben and Ashton came downstairsughing and talking.


    ‘Wait!? Laughing and talking?‘ Briar and Larry were speechless.


    To top it off, Ruben personally poured Ashton a ss of wine he had won at auction for several million dors. “Here<b>, </b>Ashton,” he said. “This is a fine vintage I was nning to cer. Tonight, we drink until we drop.”


    Ashton took the ss with both hands. “Thank you, Ruben.”


    The sight of the two men being so friendly and familiar with each other left Briar and Larrypletely stunned.


    <b>12:55 </b><b>Sat</b><b>, </b><b>Sep </b><b>20 </b>


    <b>66 </b>


    <b>55 </b>vouchers


    Larry nudged Briar with his elbow. “Briar, do you think Ruben waspletely charmed by Ashton? He was only in the study for an hour, and now his attitude has changed.”


    Briar was also puzzled. “Ashton has no medical talent. He can’t make something like a love potion.”


    The dinner left Briar and Larrypletely confused. Meanwhile, Ruben and Ashton drank ss after ss, the alcohol bringing them even closer. In the end, Ruben even had Ashton stay the night.


    However, he had Briar take Ashton to her vi for the night.


    Just as Ashton had bet with Briar, Ruben sent him off politely and with a smile.


    “Briar, Ashton drank a little too much tonight. That restorative of yours is really something, isn’t it? Make him a bowl before he goes to bed,” Ruben reminded Briar before closing the door.


    And just like that, Briar was bundled out the door by Ruben.


    With a bang, the vi’s main door mmed shut right in front of Briar.


    The moment the door shut, the supposedly drunk Ashton straightened up, lifting his head from Briar’s shoulder. His voice wasced with a smile as he said, “Honey, looks like I won our bet!”


    Briar looked up at the starry sky, pretending she hadn’t heard Ashton’s smug tone. “Wow, the stars are so beautiful tonight!”


    Ashton reached out and turned her head to face him, his gaze fixed on her eyes. “Babe, a true gentleman honors their bets<b>.</b><b>” </b>


    AD