Chapter 15 Freya's Displeasure
- "Ashton!" Heidi waved excitedly when she saw Ashton.
- Harold and Frieda also smiled. Seeing Ashton and Heidi resolve their misunderstandings was all they had hoped for.
- Everyone else turned to look at Ashton, curious about the man who could gift the Radiant Lotus. Especially Heidi's aunt, uncle, and Gracie and her companions, who knew Ashton as just a poor soldier. How could he possibly be so wealthy? Their envy was palpable.
- Amelie, unsettled by Ashton's words, quickly regained her composure and sneered. "So you're Heidi's brother? I thought you were someone important, but you're just a young upstart." She turned to Heidi. "Country folks are always shortsighted. Do you think having a slightly wealthy relative means we will beg to have you? Look around and see who our guests are today."
- She glanced pointedly at John and Dylan, a smug smile on her face. Gifting the Radiant Lotus worth 30 million is impressive, but his wealth is nothing compared to those of these high-profile guests. Even these bigwigs showed respect to us by coming to our celebration, so why should we fear him?
- As her voice trailed off, all eyes turned toward John and the others. A hushed murmur rippled through the crowd.
- "That's Mr. Howell."
- "And over there, that's Mr. Henson."
- "Isn't that Mr. Read?"
- "Unbelievable! Even Dylan Brown from the Brown Family, one of Lindonbury's Four Great Families, is here in person. The Griffin Family must wield immense influence."
- Gasps of astonishment echoed all around.
- Even Gracie and her companions couldn't help but shake their heads. No matter how wealthy Ashton was, he was a small fish in the ocean compared to the Griffin Family. Heidi's decision to forgo the chance to marry into the Griffin Family for him seemed like a classic case of throwing the baby out with the bathwater.
- But just then, John, brimming with excitement, stood up abruptly. "Mr. Schwerin, you're finally here! Greetings, Mr. Schwerin!"
- "What?" The smile on Amelie's face froze instantly. "M-Mr. Howell, why are you…" she began, bewildered.
- Before she could finish, Mr. Henson also jumped to his feet. "Greetings, Mr. Schwerin!"
- Next was Noah.
- Even Dylan and the others rose to their feet, respectfully bowing to Ashton. "Greetings, Mr. Schwerin!"
- They had investigated Ashton's connections and knew today was his sister's engagement party, which was why they attended. The Griffin Family alone wouldn't have warranted their presence.
- Amelie had foolishly believed they were here to honor the Griffin Family. "W-What's going on here?" Her face turned ashen, her expression darker than a storm cloud.
- The shock rippled through the crowd. Heidi's aunt and uncle, Gracie, Natasha, and others—all of them were slack-jawed, eyes wide with disbelief.
- These people were titans, people who could shake Lindonbury to its core with a mere snap of their fingers. And yet, here they were, bowing to Ashton with such reverence? It was beyond belief!
- "Ashton…" Heidi was utterly stunned.
- She had realized Ashton was no ordinary person when she saw the Radiant Lotus pendant, but witnessing so many influential figures bow to him left her in awe. What heights has he reached in the last six years?
- Ashton simply nodded to them before walking over to her, gently wiping away her tears. "Don't cry anymore. With me here, no one will dare to bully you." He then picked up the Radiant Lotus pendant. "Come on, let me put this on you."
- "Okay." Heidi bowed her head.
- Ashton carefully placed the pendant around her neck.
- At that moment, Heidi suddenly hugged him tightly, whispering, "Ashton, I'm so sorry. Thank you!"
- Seeing this, Amelie instinctively snapped, "Heidi, you're already engaged to Klaus! How can you hug another man in front of everyone? You sl—"
- But before she could finish, Ashton's icy glare silenced her instantly.
- "My sister will marry if she wants to. If she doesn't, no one can force her into it," Ashton said, turning to Heidi. "Heidi, the decision is yours. Tell them—will you marry or not."
- Heidi looked at the Griffin Family. In Klaus' eyes, there was a plea, while Amelie's eyes were filled with venom and resentment.
- The rest of the Griffin Family wore a mix of expressions.
- After a moment, she glanced apologetically at Klaus and then gritted her teeth. "I won't marry!"
- Klaus had been kind to her, true enough. But the disdain and contempt from the rest of the Griffin Family had seared into her very soul. She realized marrying Klaus would bring her no happiness.
- "Alright, let's go home," Ashton said, nodding as he led Heidi and the others away.
- No one dared to stop them.
- John and the others left immediately, not pausing for a moment. They were only there to make an impression on Ashton. With him gone, there was no reason to stay.
- Not just them; even the Griffin Family's business partners began to leave, fearing they might inadvertently anger Ashton. A figure of his stature was beyond their ability to contend with.
- In no time, the once-bustling Griffin Residence was deserted.
- As they looked around at the now empty surroundings, Amelie and the others collapsed into their seats, faces as pale as ghosts. Regret gnawed at their hearts.
- They had squandered an opportunity to soar to the skies. Now, they weren't just grounded—they couldn't even be sure if they still had a place in Lindonbury.
- …
- After accompanying Heidi and the others home and having dinner with them, Ashton returned to The Universum. "Tomorrow is Freya's birthday. Besides the Meteor Tears necklace, should I plan another romantic surprise?" he pondered.
- Battle strategies and combat were his forte, but romance? That was uncharted territory.
- Just then, his phone rang. It was Freya calling.
- Ashton quickly answered, but before he could speak, he heard Freya's slightly chilly voice, sounding annoyed. "Ashton, I know I have no right to interfere with your personal life outside of work. But can you please keep things low-key? Now even Matilda knows her dad has another woman. How am I supposed to explain that to her?" Her voice was as cold as ice.