More Than A Favor

Chapter 99

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I didn’t take Ashton’s effort lightly. After finishing the breakfast he had prepared for me, I sent him a simple message: “Thank you.”

Two small words, but they carried more weight than they seemed. I didn’t want to take his kindness for granted.

After sending the message, I busied myself with the trinkets I had bought from the night market the night before. I hadn’t even gotten far when my phone rang.

For a fleeting moment, my heart raced. I felt a brief surge of anticipation.

But when I saw the number on the screen, my heartbeat returned to normal. I sighed and answered, “Mr. Langston.”

Victor cleared his throat before speaking. “Ms. Hart, have you found a new job?”

The question caught me off guard. “Yes,” I replied, nodding even though he couldn’t see me. “Is there something you need?”

Victor cleared his throat again, clearly hesitant. Instead of answering, he asked another question, “Have you started yet?”

His evasive tone made me suspicious. “Mr. Langston,” I said, my patience thinning, “just say what you need to say.”

“Uh, no, it’s nothing. Just checking in,” Victor replied, still beating around the bush.

I scoffed lightly. “If you’re so concerned, Mr. Langston, why not come out with it instead of dancing around the point?”

Victor fell silent. I could sense he was struggling, debating whether or not to tell me the truth.

I wasn’t in any hurry. I placed my phone on speaker and continued tinkering with the little trinkets in front of me, waiting for him to gather his courage.

Finally, Victor sighed and confessed, “Mr. Mercer knows about your new job.”

I wasn’t surprised. Of course Logan would find out. But I knew Victor hadn’t called just to tell me this.

I stopped fiddling with the trinkets and asked bluntly, “So? Is he planning to stir up trouble again?”

“Ms. Hart, you know Mr. Mercer well,” Victor admitted with a sigh.

I frowned. It seemed Logan wasn’t going to let me start my new job in peace. But I hadn’t received any calls from my new employer yet.

Even though I hadn’t officially started, I had already signed the contract. If they wanted to back out, they would have to notify me.

I wasn’t angry–just amused. I let out a light laugh and asked, “Did he threaten them? Did he say that if they hired me, he’d make sure they disappeared from Hilcord?”

Victor chuckled awkwardly, which was answer enough.

Logan Mercer, the quintessential overbearing CEO, really thought the world revolved around him. If someone crossed him, he’d try to erase them from existence.

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“Well,” I said, my tone dripping with sarcasm, “he better be prepared to get rid of every company in Hilcord.”

Victor sighed again. “Ms. Hart, Mr. Mercer still cares about you.”

I laughed, but there was no humor in it.

Victor hesitated before adding, “He was quite embarrassed when you didn’t show up for the proposal yesterday. He threw a fit at first, but on the way back, he told me that if you came back to him, he’d let Selene go.”

I stared at my phone, my expression unreadable. “It’s too late.”

I cut him off.

a boyfriend now.”

was a stunned silence on the other end of the line. Finally, Victor

cut was the best way to untangle

would be the blade that severed my

on Victor, I went back to organizing my trinkets and tidying up the house. Ashton had neatly folded the pink blanket he had used the night before and placed it on

image of Ashton wrapped in that small pink blanket

difficulties, but moments like this reminded me there were also

calm. I was surprisingly composed, waiting for the

my little apartment, tended to the flowers on the balcony, and still,

pot of tea and settled into the rocking chair on the balcony with a book. That’s when

unloading furniture. Two of them were smoking and chatting while others carried items into the building.

arrived

The furniture was for the new tenant moving into the apartment across from

male neighbor didn’t seem so bad. If danger ever came knocking, I could

thought made me smile as I returned to my book and

afternoon, there was a knock

find the landlady standing there, smiling apologetically. “Elaine,

inability to negotiate a

smiled back. “It’s alright.”

asked casually, “When

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she replied with a sigh. “He wasn’t in a hurry at first, but early this

a hurry, huh?” I

to understand. But he seems like a good guy. You won’t have to worry.

“I’ll try my best to get along with

she added, “do you have a mop I could borrow? I forgot to bring one, and I need to clean up his

for you,” I said,

phone in the hallway. I decided to take the mop

white, with a new bed and a bookshelf already

furniture except for the bed and bookshelf. Look at that bed–it’s perfectly

around briefly

hadn’t received any calls from my employer. It puzzled me. Was Logan’s interference less effective than I

called Nora to check if my phone was

she exclaimed, “Elaine, are you serious about this guy? He

I’m ready to take him seriously, you’ll meet

tongue. “So you’re

at my toes. “I’m not heartless.”

more than once.

Nora said, her tone warm and sincere As Nora and I continued chatting happily, I heard the sound

across the hall.

moving in today, so it seemed my new neighbor had

myself to my new neighbor? You know, just in case something like last night

chuckled on the other end of the line. “Elaine, your neighbor is a man. If you knock on his door right after he moves in, he might think you’re either

laugh. “Really? You think

said

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for a chance encounter then,” I replied, shaking my

I figured it wouldn’t take

was wrong.

even a glimpse of my

surprised me even more was that Ashton hadn’t