<b>Chapter </b><b>12 </b>
Camden and <b>I </b>had barely finished getting our divorce papers when he immediately announced his engagement to
Vera.
He managed to marry her just before her thirtieth birthday.
Keeping his promise to her.
Their wedding was an extravagant affair.
Practically every important person in the city showed up.
During this period, thanks to the deep partnership with Sterling Industries, Ashworth Holdings had be the industry’s darling.
Among the guests were those betting on Ashworth’s bright future, as well as those showing respect to Sterling
Industries.
And I had prepared a very special wedding gift.
They were having Vera’s dream garden wedding.
Which made things perfect for me.
My rented helicopter just had to circle overhead during the ceremony, making sure everyone could clearly read the
banner:
“Congrattions to Mr. Ashworth and Soup Girl on your union!”
With the helicopter in the air, the security team waspletely helpless. They could only stand there fuming.
Camden’s face was ck as thunder throughout the ceremony, while Vera kept her eyes red and tears barely in check.
After the ceremony, as everyone was moving inside for dinner, Camden’s executive assistant came running through the crowd, screaming:
“Mr. Ashworth, we have a crisis!”
“Sterling Industries, Carter Corporation, and Zane Holdings have all simultaneously announced they’re pulling their investments. We’ve already paid massive upfront costs on several core projects–there’s no way to cover this gap. The market’s already reacting and our stock price is in free fall…”
The assistant was practically crying: “Several major shareholders are dumping their stock to cut their losses, and someone’s aggressively buying up all our scattered shares on the market. Our team can’t keep up with the pace!”
“What?<b>” </b>
<b>13:27 </b>
Hell Yeah. Forget the Other Woman, My Smart House Was Cheating On Me<b>! </b>
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Camden looked like he’d been struck by lightning, frozen in ce.
It wasn’t until Vera approached him, confused, calling his name, that he snapped back to reality.
He shoved her away without a word of exnation and ran toward Ashworth Holdings like a madman, stumbling as
he went.
I stood on the hotel’s top floor, looking down at the chaos of the ruined wedding below.
I smiled softly.
My phone rang.
It was Marcus.
“Sister, everything’s ready.”
I hummed in acknowledgment.
“Ashworth Holdings needs new ownership.”
He paused, his voice gaining a note of warmth: “Sister. Wee home.”
Yes.
Marcus and I had reconciled long ago.
Everything that happened after the coffee shop meeting was part of our n.
And everything Marcus had done was actually fulfilling Dad’s final wishes.
Dad had never approved of Camden.
He’d seen right through the coldness beneath that passionate facade.
He used to say:
“A man who didn’t shed a single tear when his own mother died–how much genuine feeling could he really have? Sage, he’s not right for you.”
But I’d been too much in love then, too blind.
Dad had no choice but to support Camden as much as possible and provide me with a generous dowry, hoping I’d have enough leverage in the Ashworth family.
The day Dad died, I was on a business trip in another city.
Marcus was the one with him at the end.
Wee Cheating On Mel
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Dad had gripped Marcus’s hand with all his remaining strength.
“Marcus, you have to protect Sterling Industries for me. It’s your sister’s… strongest foundation…”
<b>“</b><b>I </b>can’t watch over that Camden boy for her anymore.”
“I’m most afraid that our family empire will just feed his ambitions and end up… devouring my daughterpletely…”
His eyes lost focus for a moment, then suddenly sharpened as he stared at Marcus:
“You remember this…”
“If that boy treats her well and your sister is happy, then help them quietly from the shadows. Let her live in peace and joy.”
“But if…”
“If she’s wronged, you must bring her home in style. Let her be the carefree Sterling heiress again!”
Tears streamed down my face.
Dad had always seen more clearly and thought further ahead than I had.
Marcus leaned against the doorframe, his gaze settling on my red–rimmed eyes, a mischievous smile tugging at his lips:
“Dad said you were a hopeless romantic who needed to learn some hard lessons.”
I red at him without any real anger. “Get lost!”
I’d fallen for Camden because he’d once saved me.
When I was little, I’d almost been kidnapped by human traffickers.
Camden had rushed in without hesitation, fighting desperately to protect me.
His hands had been cut deeply in the struggle–he still had the scars.
That teenager’s reckless devotion had stayed with me forever.
Who could have known that the seemingly pure boy who’d been willing to risk his life for me was already rotten to the core?