"How dare you?!" Christian snarled, his eyes blazing red with fury. Bleeding from his lips, he struggled to his feet and lunged at Lorenzo. But before he could land a blow, Lorenzo struck first, another punch effortlessly sending him crashing back to the floor.
Ashley stood frozen, stunned into silence as the two men clashed with raw, animalistic force. There was no doubt that Lorenzo had the upper hand—each punch leaving fresh wounds on Christian's face. If Ashley didn't intervene soon, he might actually kill Christian or at the very least, leave him with serious injuries.
Her voice cracked with frustration as she screamed at the top of her lungs. "Stop! Stop this nonsense... and get out of my office!"
Lorenzo paused and turned to her, his gaze softening as if he wanted to explain himself. Meanwhile, Christian, still writhing on the floor, shot her a glare filled with both rage and hatred.
"You both will pay for this." He threatened, spitting blood on the tiles.
Ashley didn't want to hear any explanations or excuses. She was fed up with the chaos they had dragged into her office—especially just a few days into her resumption. Her chest tightened with frustration, her mind racing as she tried to calm the storm inside her. "Both of you, out! Now!" she yelled, her patience hanging by a thin thread.
"Ash..." Lorenzo tried to speak but Ashley's glare shut him up.
Without hesitation, she reached for her phone and dialed security. The guards arrived promptly, escorting both men out as she stood, panting, her heart pounding wildly in her chest.
Claire rushed in, her face filled with worry. "Are you okay, ma'am?"
Ashley inhaled deeply, forcing herself to calm down. "I'm fine, Claire. I just need some time alone."
Claire nodded in understanding, her gaze lingering for a moment before she quietly slipped out of the office.
Alone again, Ashley slammed her palm against her desk, feeling the pain radiate through her entire arm as her annoyance boiled over. Her gaze fell on the bouquet of sunflowers and the fancy gift bag Christian had left behind. A bitter laugh escaped her before she kicked them violently, sending them flying. "Stupid man! Foolish!" she muttered through clenched teeth.
Taking a moment to compose herself, she wiped her face dry and sat at her desk, resting her head in her hands.
The rest of the day passed uneventfully, aside from Claire occasionally checking in on her.
As evening arrived, Ashley gathered her belongings and stepped into the elevator. Alone in the confined space, her mind drifted back to the drama earlier—the rage in Lorenzo's eyes, the way he had stepped in to defend her without hesitation.
Now, thinking about it, she couldn't help but wonder what he was doing at her office. Had he perhaps wanted to force her into giving him her contact information in person? Ashley didn't know much about Lorenzo yet—not even the job he did—but judging from the aura around him, she could guess he was well-connected. That made her think he could get her contact through other means with a snap, if he wanted to. Why then had he chosen to keep wasting his time by sending her gifts?
Memories of their past together ran in her head, pausing on the kiss at the mall which she still hadn't been able to get out of her goddamn mind. She took a deep breath, shutting her eyes to shake them off.
The look on Lorenzo's face when she had ordered him to leave lingered in her mind. A part of her just wanted to forget it all—to forget both him and Christian. They were both part of her painful past, and she had no desire to relive it.
By the time she stepped out of the elevator onto the ground floor, her expression was back to being composed, her posture confident. She wouldn't let anyone see the turmoil within her, not even the group of employees staring her way like she'd grown an extra head.
As she made her way toward the exit, Claire hurried to her side. "How are you feeling now, ma'am?" she asked, concern still etched across her face.
Ashley turned to her and forced a small smile. "You don't have to worry about me, Claire. I'm fine. And how many times do I have to ask you to call me Ashley? No need for formalities."
Claire's lips curved into a smile, staring down at her feet before meeting Ashley's unwavering gaze again. "Alright, Ashley," she said, before giving a small wave and heading off.
Ashley watched her go with a genuine smile this time, touched by the lady's genuine concern. She wasn't used to people caring about her, and Claire's kindness, even if it was just part of her job, meant more than she cared to admit.
Stepping outside, Ashley walked toward her car where Greg was already waiting. But before she could reach it, a familiar voice called her name from behind, halting her steps.
*******
"Some patient needs my attention now..." Dr. Bradley said, gently rubbing the spot on Kayla's ass where he had just injected her. She shut her eyes at the subtle graze of his finger on the sensitive area. "... but I'll text you an address where we can meet after work. Is that okay?"
Kayla hesitated before giving a slow nod, her gaze soft but mischievous, making the cherry-headed doctor smile.
"Be ready for me," Dr. Bradley said, walking out of his office and leaving Kayla to properly dress before she left.
Once she was done, she slowly opened the office door and stepped into the secluded hospital hallway. Dr. Bradley's office was at the extreme end of the large hospital, making it feel hidden. Kayla was mostly grateful for that; she didn't have to encounter many patients or nurses on the way.
Reaching the parking lot, she was about to open her car door when her phone beeped, signaling a new message. A sly smile spread across her lips when she confirmed it was the address Dr. Bradley had mentioned.
While driving home, she received a notification from her bank app. She immediately checked and saw that $10,000 had been transferred to her from Christian's company account.
She was surprised that he had doubled the amount she requested, unknowingly completing the sum she'd been saving for a project, earlier than planned.
"Tell me why I shouldn't love you, baby." She practically squealed before reversing her car and heading for Christian's company. On her way, she dialed a number, putting the phone on speaker so she could drive and talk.
"Hello, I have the full amount now. I'm ready for the registration," she said once the call connected.
"Alright, Miss Beckett. Have your sister meet me at the address I'll text you once the payment is confirmed. Then we can begin the process immediately," a man's voice instructed from the other end.
"And if anything goes wrong, no one can trace it back to me, right?" Kayla asked, her lip caught between her teeth.
"No one," the man replied before hanging up.