When There Is Nothing Left But Love Chapter 1518


    After making the payment, Ashton returned the card to me and expressed his intention to leave.


    As Nathaniel was upied by guests trying to tter him, Ashton took the opportunity to lead us out


    through the side door.


    The moment Audrey was buckled up inside the car, Nathaniel rushed over and called out, “Ashton,


    Scarlett, wait.”


    “What do you want?” Ashton turned around and asked ndly.


    Nathaniel smiled faintly and shifted sideways to allow the assistant behind him to step forward and


    present the oil painting that was already wrapped in kraft paper.


    “My staff are inexperienced. Since you like this painting, just take it with you. You don’t need to pay a


    single cent. I’ll arrange someone to follow behind your car and deliver the painting to your house, then


    find a suitable spot to frame it up.”


    Having said that, one of the assistants brought a cheque forward and respectfully handed it to Ashton


    with both hands.


    There was nothing odd about bestowing gifts to your own family. In fact, it could strengthen the bond


    between them, but there was no such bond between us and Nathaniel, to begin with.


    Ashton stared unblinkingly at him and parted his lips slightly. “Even brothers need to keep family and


    business separate. Besides, I don’t like taking advantage of others.”


    After that, he swiveled around and got into the car, taking the seat next to Audrey without once looking


    back. John replicated his actions, pulling open the front passenger door and sliding in. Hence, the


    atmosphere turned rather awkward.


    I was left with no choice but to patiently lighten the situation. “They don’t have anything against you. It’s


    just how they are. Don’t take it to heart, Nathaniel.”


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    “Of course.” Nathaniel didn’t seem angry at all. Then, he changed the topic. “Anyway, make sure


    Ashton enjoys his vacation. I’ll see him at thepany.”


    At the mention of thepany, my expression froze slightly, but seeing that he had no intention to


    continue speaking, I pursed my lips into a smile and boarded the car.


    Even after the car roared to life, Nathaniel’s smile did not falter as he stood in ce and saw us off.


    However, it was a superficial smile that concealed his scheming ways.


    After the car drove a distance away, Ashton’s voice filled the car. “What did Nathaniel say to you just


    now?”


    I was coincidently trying to figure out the deeper meaning in Nathaniel’s words. A brief pauseter, I


    ryed, “He said to return to thepany after your vacation is over.”


    John interjected from the front seat, “He didn’t evene forward to stop you from resigning before.


    Then he visitedte at night, but it was about his own art exhibition. He didn’t show any concern for the


    company, but look, he’s finally showing his true colors.”


    He wasn’t deliberately making a jab at Nathaniel, but his actions in the past two days were too phony.


    One second he pretended to be unconcerned about the grudges between the Hall family and Ashton,


    and the next, he was making insinuations through the oil painting and the art exhibition. Unbeknownst


    to him, it was all merely a clown act to us.


    Ashton didn’t disy much of a reaction. He only lowered his gaze, as though immersed deep in


    thought.


    His subtle mannerisms were all too familiar to me. I could tell at a nce that he was already


    formting a n in his mind. But as usual, he would keep everything to himself and carry the n out


    in secret. In the end, we would only get to know the oue and not the process.


    This seemed to be a habit he had developed when he dedicated his life to avenging his parents over


    twenty years ago. After falling in love, he gradually changed his ways, but after experiencing amnesia


    and breaking out of the hypnosis ced on him, his temper and habits spiraled out of control and


    everything went back to square one.


    But I knew that change couldn’t be rushed. Reaching out to gently nudge his arm, I took the initiative to


    ask, “What have you thought of?”


    Ashton turned his head to look at me as surprise shed across his eyes, but it vanished as soon as it


    appeared. In a calm voice, he exined, “Let’s see it to the end. Since Nathaniel is so keen on


    bing a sessful hunter, then let’s work even harder to y the role of a trapped prey and return


    to thepany because we’re left with no choice.”


    His thoughts coincided with mine. It seemed like the hypnosis didn’t cause him to lose the tacit


    understanding he shared with me for more than a decade.


    I failed to stifle the smile on my face and slid my hand toward Ashton’s to intece our fingers.


    “Oh God, save me.” Upon noticing this from the front passenger seat, John held his forehead in agony.


    “Please get me away from this ce this instant. I’m going to die from all this public disy of


    affection.”