After tossing those words aside, Ashton turned and walked away.
Laughter soon floated up from downstairs.
Ashton’s gentle voice coaxed Isabelle, asking what she wanted to eat, while Isabelle responded with playful, unrestrained coquettishness.
At that moment, my flickering heart withered completely.
He had found his happiness. I would seek my own.
He craved freedom, so I would grant it.
I slipped into a fresh set of clothes, ordered a car with my phone, and prepared to leave the villa.
But suddenly, Isabelle knocked at the door.
Her mask of pretense fell away, revealing a smug, provocative smile.
“Miss Castellano, do you really think money can fix everything? You may have wealth, but it’s a pity Ashton won’t even spare you a glance.”
“Marrying you was just a temporary tactic. Once the Johnson crisis passes, won’t you be the one thrown out the door?”
I stood my ground, meeting her gaze without flinching.
“Yeah, money isn’t everything, but no money is nothing. Tell me, if my family pulls out their investment, do you think Ashton will choose you or that billion dollars?”
Isabelle’s smug expression faltered.
I closed the distance step by step, pressing my advantage.
“Remember, Ashton, wasn’t stolen by you. He’s someone I, Kate, willingly let go.”
“A man whose heart isn’t mine. I wouldn’t even want him.”
“As for what happened back in school—”
Before I could finish, Isabelle’s face darkened instantly.
“Shut up!”
“I don’t need your pity! Talk all you want, but we’re both women. Don’t think I can’t see through you. Your heart’s broken, isn’t it? I don’t mind helping you along.”
She spun around and slammed into the wardrobe.
A piercing scream shattered the silence.
Ashton burst through the door, his eyes blazing, and his hand struck my cheek with a harsh slap.
“What did you do!?”
Isabelle collapsed into his arms, tears streaming as she pleaded, “Kate, I’ve already apologized. Why are you doing this to me?”
“Ashton, I don’t want to be a hidden mistress anymore. Please, let me go. I just want to live…”
Veins bulged on Ashton’s forehead, rage consuming every inch of him.
“Kate, get out! Get the hell out of here!”
But there was no heartbreak in my chest, only a bitter irony.
“Ashton, this is my house. If anyone should leave, it’s you two.”
His eyes flared with shock, hatred burning bright.
“Fine. I owe you a marriage contract, so I can’t argue. But mark my words. I’ll marry you, but in this lifetime, you won’t see a single shred of kindness from me.”
With those harsh words, he swept Isabelle into his arms and stormed out.
For an entire week, he vanished and cut off all contact without a trace.
Until the engagement banquet arrived, where Ashton stood among a hundred elite heirs from the most prominent families, all lined up for me to choose from.
The moment he stepped into the Castellano estate, he looked like a hollow puppet, his face void of any expression.
Every guest assumed he was my chosen fiancé and hurried to offer congratulations.
But Ashton didn’t spare a single glance, his gaze cold and distant, unwelcoming like a winter chill.
Just as the selection segment was about to begin, his phone buzzed sharply.
Reading the message, his face drained of all color, pale as death.
Without a moment’s hesitation, he stormed forward and slapped me hard right in front of everyone.
“Kate, why did you hire someone to run Isabelle over?”
“I already came today like I promised! What more do you want from me?”
“Every second near you… even the air makes me sick!”
With that, he spun on his heel and charged out, ignoring the bodyguards scrambling to stop him.
My father’s eyes burned red with fury.
He slammed the table so hard that the entire room shook.
“That bastard! How dare he defy the Castellano family for a vixen like her?”
“Cut all ties with the Johnson Corporation immediately! And announce it publicly. Anyone who dares help the Johnsons goes against me, Vincent Castellano!”
The guests exchanged glances, whispering quietly among themselves.
No one knew who I would choose now that Ashton had stormed out.
I smiled calmly and stepped forward, taking my father’s arm.
“Apologies for the scene, everyone. Ashton and I never had anything between us, to begin with. He’s gone, so the engagement banquet will continue.”
“Gentlemen, please begin the rock-paper-scissors game. The winner will become my fiancé, gaining access to the Castellano family’s shared resources, maximizing our mutual benefits.”
“But beware, those struck by bad luck will be eliminated!”
Three quick rounds passed, and the winner was a young man who had just graduated from college.
He stood shyly on stage, ears flushed crimson, barely daring to meet my gaze.
I handed the microphone to my father and ran into the young man’s arms.
The venue erupted with thunderous applause as guests surged forward to offer their congratulations.
..…
At the hospital, Ashton’s father made call after call, only to be hung up on again and again.
Finally, Sturt Johnson burst into the hospital room, his face twisted with fury as he slapped Ashton hard across the cheek.
“You skipped the engagement banquet. Are you out of your mind?! Do you even realize what the Castellano family—”
Before he could finish, Ashton cut him off coldly. “Does it even matter if I show up? Kate’s dead set on marrying me anyway. What’s the point of that empty formality?”
His expression was drained, eyes hollow as they lingered on Isabelle.
Sturt’s anger boiled over into a bitter laugh before he raised his hand again, slapping Ashton once more.
“She’s dead set on marrying you? Kate’s already engaged to the Hamilton family! Who the hell do you think you are?”
