You Had Me, You Lost Me, You'll Never Find Me novel Chapter 96

But the truth was, she was just a fool.

That was why learning the reality had gutted her so deeply.

There was no injustice more excruciating than the sheer unfairness of the person you loved.

Faced with Sylvia's raw accusations, Ashton was completely speechless.

It was the truth. There was no defending it.

Sylvia stood up, smoothing out her emotions, and offered him one final parting blow:

"Ashton, the Sylvia who adored you, the one who loved you with everything she had... she's dead."

Panic seized Ashton's chest, nailing his feet to the linoleum floor.

He watched helplessly as Sylvia walked away toward another man.

It felt like someone was physically ripping a rib from his chest.

-

The torrential downpour battered the city for days.

There was no end in sight. The summer storm was aggressively violent, the wind and rain rattling the windows as if trying to shatter the glass.

Ashton drifted in and out of a feverish sleep. His insomnia had been vicious lately, forcing him to catch disjointed hours during the day. Half-asleep, he thought he heard the bedroom door open. He groaned, muttering, "Get out."

He rolled over, trying to sink back into oblivion.

Someone approached the bed, the mattress dipping slightly beside him. Irritated, Ashton cracked his eyes open, only to freeze. The familiar, luminous face of the woman he missed was right in front of him.

Her doe-like eyes were liquid and tender, her lips as soft as cherry blossoms. Moving with practiced familiarity, she curled into his embrace, her silky hair brushing against his chest.

Ashton's throat bobbed. His arms went completely rigid, terrified to make a sudden move.

He wanted to ask when she had arrived. Hadn't she said she didn't want him anymore? That she was done with him?

But the words died on his tongue. He was paralyzed by the fear that speaking would scare her away again.

Perhaps sensing his stiffness, the woman tensed up, rolling over to face away from him as if she were pouting.

Snapped out of his daze, Ashton immediately pulled her tightly against his chest. Inhaling her intoxicating, familiar scent, he pressed gentle kisses into her hair, one after another.

"We tracked down the person who filmed the original video. They're open to negotiating, but they're asking for a massive payout."

Ashton nodded. "I don't care how much it costs. Buy that footage."

Gideon immediately went back to work to finalize the deal.

Next, Ashton dialed Thomas Yancey. "Have you found out who ordered the hit?"

"They covered their tracks well," Thomas replied. "They used an offshore team, which makes tracing the funds tricky."

Ashton's lips curled into a predatory sneer. "I don't care how tricky it is. Tear the whole operation down until you find them. I refuse to believe there are zero leads. And keep a tight leash on the guy who threw the acid."

"Understood," Thomas said. "Should we keep eyes on Ms. Harlow?"

Ashton glanced toward the closed bedroom door. "Not right now."

As he hung up, he noticed Zelda heading toward the master bedroom with cleaning supplies.

"Don't go in there," Ashton ordered. "Wait until she wakes up."

Zelda's hand froze on the doorknob. She turned to look at him, completely bewildered. "Boss, aren't you already awake?"