hapter 204: Under New Faces-1
The office had gone quiet, but Ashcroft barely noticed.
His attention was fixed entirely on the phone in his hand, his gaze locked on one name as if it carried more weight than it should.
It didn’t make sense. It shouldn’t have mattered this much.
And yet-here he was, hesitating.
For a man who had never struggled to make a decision, this felt… ridiculous.
He was about to press it-then stopped, his thumb hovering over the screen.
With a quiet exhale, he changed his mind and opened Messenger instead.
He typed, We need to talk.
Ashcroft stared at the words for a full second before frowning and deleting them.
Too serious.
He tried again.
Let’s talk when I get there.
He studied it, jaw tightening-then deleted that too.”
Too stiff.
A breath left him as he dragged a hand over his face, forcing himself to try again, slower this time.
We have to talk… properly, when I get there.
He read it twice.
Then grimaced-and deleted it.
What the hell was he doing?
His jaw tightened as frustration crept in.
This was ridiculous. He had negotiated with criminals, dealt with hostile governments, stared down men who would kill without hesitation-yet somehow, sending Harper Lin a simple message had him second-guessing every word like an idiot.
His grip tightened slightly around his phone as the memory surfaced-uninvited, unwelcome, and
far too clear.
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hapter 204 Under New Faces 1
+25 Points
That night in the cave-the heat between them, the way she felt against him, the way she sounded.
His eyes shut briefly.
The deal.
No attachment. No complications. Three months-and then it ended.
That was what they agreed on. No expectations. No questions.
Definitely not this-staring at her name on his screen like it meant something it wasn’t supposed
He looked at her name again.
Then, after a long pause, typed one final message.
We had a deal, Ms. Lin. I’ll uphold mine when I arrive. I expect the same from you.
The words sat there-authoritative, demanding.
He stared at the screen, not deleting it, not sending it either, his thumb hovering as something
unfamiliar crept in and refused to settle.
This was him. Direct. Uncompromising. A man who didn’t take no for an answer.
And yet, the fact that he didn’t even understand what this feeling was unsettled him more than he
cared to admit.
A part of him already knew. Somewhere along the way, he had broken the deal-and worse, he hadn’t even noticed when it happened.
His jaw tightened as he forced his thoughts into something simpler-something he could control.
Right. This was just lust. Nothing more.
Once he got what he wanted, it would pass.
It had to.
His thumb hovered over the button, tension coiling as if the damn thing might explode beneath it.
For the first time in a very long while, Nicholas Ashcroft felt it-hesitation.
Not doubt. Not fear. Something sharper.
Something in his gut telling him this message might be a mistake he’d end up dealing with later.
But uncertainty was not something he tolerated.
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Chapter 204 Under New Faces-1
Never had been.
+25 Points
If he wanted something, he didn’t wait around thinking about consequences-he moved. He took
That was who he was.
He needed to do something-anything-to finally define whatever this was between them, because
not knowing was starting to piss him off.
His jaw set.
Then, before he could overthink it again, he pressed send.
The message vanished.
Delivered.
Ashcroft went still, staring at the screen like he could take it back if he tried hard enough.
“…Well,” he muttered under his breath.
Too late now.
Before he could spiral any further, the door to Damien’s private room opened.
Damien stepped out first, still wearing Hudson’s face. To anyone unaware, it would have been
impossible to tell otherwise-same build, same posture, the illusion almost seamless at a glance.
He looked, for all intents and purposes, like Hudson himself stepping through the door.
Dressed in the fitted black elite security uniform of Blackwood Enterprises.
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Cedella
Cedella is a passionate storyteller known for her bold romantic and spicy novels that keep readers hooked from the very first chapter. With a flair for crafting emotionally intense plots and unforgettable characters, she blends love, desire, and drama into every story she writes. Cedella’s storytelling style is immersive and addictive—perfect for fans of heated romances and heart-pounding twists.