A Woman Worth Billions Dated the Wrong Brother novel Chapter 23

Stay

We drifted into lighter topics after that – Molly’s upcoming clothing line debut, fabric choices, venue rumors, guest lists. It felt almost normal.

Almost.

Then another call came through.

Grandfather.

“Molly, I’m sorry – I have to take this. I’ll call you back.”

Her teasing hum was the last thing I heard before I switched the line.

The moment I answered, my grandfather’s booming voice filled my ear.

“Amber, I just watched the interview.”

Of course he had.

“You are required to attend lunch today,” he continued without pause, “with your new husband and the children.”

A deliberate beat.

“It is not optional.”

Alice, still seated beside me, brightened instantly at the invitation. She had clearly heard enough of the call.

“We’re going to eat with Amber today!” she said excitedly, turning to Alex and speaking so fast the words nearly collided. “Did you hear that? We’re invited. She’s not leaving us.”

Grandfather chuckled on the other end of the line.

“She reminds me of you when you were a little girl,” he said warmly. “Whatever happened to your happiness?”

The words slipped out before I could stop them.

“It was beaten out of me by the sitters you hired.”

Silence.

For a fraction of a second, I almost regretted it.

Almost.

Before he could respond, I shifted the tone.

“We’ll be there,” I said evenly, and ended the call.

The room felt heavier afterward.

I turned to Jason.

“Ready to meet my grandfather?”

He gave a half-smile- calm, steady.

“The least I can do,” he replied, “after the way my family received you yesterday is pay my respects to the man who raised you.”

We all walked toward Jason’s wing together.

Alice was still buzzing with excitement from the invitation, her small hand wrapped around mine as if afraid I might disappear

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between rooms. Alex followed beside Jason, quieter as always, observing everything.

“Let’s get you changed, “Hold Alice softly.

Inside my dressing room, I helped her choose between two dresses. She picked the pale blue one without hesitation.

“This one,” she declared. “It matches your eyes.”

I smiled despite myself and knelt to smooth the fabric over her shoulders. For a brief moment, it felt absurdly domestic. Normal.

Across the hall, Jason was helping Alex. I caught a glimpse of them – Jason adjusting the boy’s collar, Alex standing still and patient. There was something steady about them together. Solid.

Less than ten minutes later, we were on our way.

The Asher estate rose into view sooner than I was ready for.

It was larger than the Sun estate – far larger. Expansive stone walls, manicured gardens stretching endlessly, fountains placed with deliberate symmetry. And yet, for all its size, only one Asher lived there.

My grandfather. 1

The gates opened before we even stopped.

Mrs. Rin was already waiting at the entrance.

The moment she saw me, her face softened in a way it never had for anyone else.

And when she saw the children, she lit up entirely.

“Oh, look at you,” she fussed gently, ushering Jason, Alice, and Alex inside as if they had always belonged there. “It has been far too long since this house had little footsteps in it.”

If there was any motherly warmth in my childhood, it had come from her.

Not the sitters.

Not the estate.

Her.

We moved into the living room, where my grandfather stood waiting.

He did not look angry.

That surprised me.

I had expected fury. Disappointment. Cold reprimand.

Instead, he looked… conflicted.

Older.

He greeted Jason first, measured but respectful. Then he bent slightly toward Alice and Alex, speaking to them with a gentleness few people ever saw.

Lunch was formal but not tense.

Jason and my grandfather spoke at length about business, expansion, overseas travel. Their conversation was controlled – two powerful men circling each other politely, assessing without clashing.

I watched them both carefully.

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Testing

Measuring.

When dessert was cleared, my grandfather folded his hands.

“This estate is too large for one man,” he said evenly. “You should all move here. There is more than enough room. It would be … appropriate.”

Silence fell over the table.

I hadn’t expected that.

Not so soon.

Not like this.

I opened my mouth to respond

But Alex spoke first.

“We can stay,” he said calmly.

Every head turned toward him.

He didn’t look uncertain.

He looked decided. 1

And in that moment, I realized this lunch had shifted into something far bigger than an invitation.

I turned toward Alex.

“Why do you want to stay?”

He didn’t hesitate. He looked straight into my eyes steady, unflinching.

“Because here,” he said quietly, “I won’t be locked inside a closet. And no one will try to hurt me. Or my sister. Or my dad. Or you.”

The words landed like stones.

Jason went still beside me.

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