Chapter <b>250 </b>


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    Ashton’s words warmed Briar’s heart, though she tried to appear calm. “Actually, it wasn’t that hard. You just learn to be more reckless than anyone else.”


    Those who feared death often died the fastest.


    His heart aching for her, Ashton pressed Briar’s head into his chest. “Alright. We won’t talk about it anymore.”


    She was only 18. Of all the things she could have learned, she chose <i>to </i>risk her life.


    ‘Is she saying all this just to make me ache for her?‘ he thought.


    Briar nestled in Ashton’s arms, a triumphant smile on her lips. “So, are you still angry?”


    Ashton sighed. “After you’ve made yourself sound so pitiful, how could I still be angry?”


    Although Ashton knew Briar was just being difficult on purpose, he couldn’t help himself. He cared more about the hardships she had endured than hearing her exnation.


    As for the fact that Briar was an elite instructor at the DDC Vanguard Mercenary Special Operations Base, there was no rush. If she wouldn’t borate, he could always ask Jabari for the details.


    Jabari, who had snuck away from the vi, suddenly sneezed. “Who’s scolding me behind my back?”


    Jasmin gazed at Briar’s vi in the distance. “Could it be Ashton?”


    Jabari rubbed his nose. “No way, right? We weren’t the ones who exposed Briar’s cover. If Ashton is looking for trouble, he should be going after Briar!”


    Jasmin got into the car and leaned against the open window, looking at Jabari standing by the door. “Do you think Ashton will give Briar a hard time? Besides, with her skills, winning him over should be a piece of cake, right?”


    Jabari also got into the car and said smugly, “Then that has even less to do with me…”


    “But making him happy doesn’t mean his anger is gone!” Jasmin’s words instantly put Jabari on edge.


    Jabari immediately started the car. “Honey, you’re right. A cunning man like Ashton might actually use this as an excuse toe after me. We can’t stay. Let’s go now!”


    The car sped away as if a demon were chasing it from behind.


    After that short interlude, it was already 7:30 a.m. and almost breakfast time. They skipped their morning run, changed clothes, and went to the Grant family.


    When they entered the courtyard, Larry was humming a tune while watering his nts. It was clear he was in


    <b>a </b>great mood.


    “Morning, Uncle Larry,” Briar said.


    <b>12:56 </b><b>Sat</b><b>, </b><b>Sep </b>


    “Morning, Briar,” Larry replied.


    Ashton also greeted him politely, “Morning, Uncle Larry.”


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    Seeing how polite Ashton was, Larry’s smile widened. “Morning, Ashton. Did you sleep wellst night?”


    Ashton nodded, walked over to Larry’s side, and took the hose from him to help water the flowers. “Briar’s restorative worked wonders. I slept very well.”


    Ashton certainly knew how to interact with elders.


    He had steered the conversation perfectly with just one sentence.


    Larry immediately began telling Ashton amusing stories about Briar’s childhood,pletely unaware that Ashton was skillfully getting information out of him.


    Briar tried to warn Larry, but Ashton skillfully deflected all her attempts.


    Briar covered her face, forced to warn him directly. “Uncle Larry, can’t you tell Ashton is trying to pump you for information? You’ve nearly spilled all my embarrassing childhood secrets.”


    It was more than just her embarrassing childhood stories. If she let the two of them keep talking, Briar was certain that Ashton would manage to learn even more from her uncle about her reckless, death–defying antics from five years ago.


    Larry froze, then turned to the innocently smiling Ashton. “You little rascal, you almost tricked me. Now, get inside.”


    Ashton smiled nonchntly. “What are you saying? We’re all family. No one is tricking anyone; we’re just having <i>a </i>friendly chat.”


    Larryughed as well. “Don’t push it. If you keep asking, someone will get upset. And then, I’d like to see how you manage to cate her.”


    Ashton nced at the fiercely ring Briar and shrugged. “Alright, we’ll head inside first.”


    Briar turned and entered the house first. She needed to warn Ruben that Ashton was full of tricks andpletely unpredictable.


    Ruben was on the living room sofa watching the business news. When he heard a noise at the entrance, he turned and asked, “Did someonee to your door to cause trouble today?”


    Briar shook her head. “No, it was just a misunderstanding. A friend was ying a prank on me and happened


    to run into Ashton.”


    Briar was not surprised that Ruben knew what had happened at her front door this morning. The Grant family’s influence was not as vast as the intelligenceworks ofrge organizations like DDC Vanguard and 121<b>, </b>but it far surpassed the means of ordinary businessmen.


    Besides, they were in the same neighborhood. She couldn’t hide anything from Ruben.


    12:56 <b>Sat</b><b>, </b><b>Sep </b><b>20 </b>


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    Ruben nodded, his eyesnding on Ashton as he walked in behind her. He greeted him first, “Morning,


    Ashton.”


    Ashton replied with a smile, “Morning, Ruben.”


    Seeing Ruben’s attitude toward Ashton, Briar knew she couldn’t stop them. Ruben liked Ashton more than


    Larry.


    If Ashton wanted to learn about her past from Ruben, he would not even need to pry; Ruben would tell him everything.


    She watched the two men chatting casually while watching the financial news, then silently turned and sat at the dining table.


    ‘Forget it. Let him pry if he wants. After all, I have some secret identities that not even my uncles knew about,’ she thought.


    Taking out her phone, Briar sent a message to Memphis, asking for an update on the investigation into Ben.


    Memphis: [Briar, no news yet. Also, Louie and Kameron found me during the investigation.]


    Briar: [Let them. They’re also tracking Ben. If you have any new leads, you can share them, since they’re investigating on behalf of the base.]


    Memphis: <b>[</b>Understood.]


    Briar: [Alright, then. Stay safe, and keep sharing your location with me.]


    Memphis sent an “OK” and went offline.


    “Who are you chatting with?” Ashton’s voice came from above Briar. She looked up and saw that he was standing behind her.


    Briar gestured with her phone and told him the truth, “I was asking my operative about the progress in tracking Hayden.”


    Ashton sat down in the chair next to Briar. “Any new leads?”


    Briar shook her head and said glumly, “No.”


    Ashton ruffled the top of Briar’s head, pressing down a stubbornly upright cowlick. “You know, since you haven’t been able to track him down, have you considered that you might be looking in the wrong direction?”


    Briar’s expression sharpened as she looked at Ashton. “Ashton, have you found a new clue?”