Betrayed, Then Back For Blood

Ruben’s voice was steady, but his tone was cold. “Briar, | heard from Larry that you're bringing Ashton home

tomorrow?”

Briar glanced at Ashton and nodded. “Yes. We're flying out tonight and will arrive around three or four tomorrow

afternoon.”

On the other end of the line, Ruben paused for a few seconds before replying, “Got it. Travel safely.”

After Ruben hung up, Ashton asked Briar, “Why do | feel like your uncles have already tornto shreds several

times, and | haven't even arrived yet?”

Briar chuckled. “What? Scared? Are you still going to dare propose in front of my uncles?”

Ashton pinched Briar’'s smug cheek. “What's there to be afraid of? A little challenge like this won't stop me.”

Briar just smiled and said nothing. ‘A little challenge?”

What lay before Ashton was no small challenge, but two formidable forces.

Before she turned 18, her uncles wouldn't even let her date. Now, not only had Ashton whisked her away, but he

also wanted to marry her. Her uncles were probably at hsharpening their knives.

Everything was ready. They were just waiting for their direct flight to Qathana that night.

Just before they were about to leave, Briar was tagged in her private group chat. She opened the WhatsApp

group and saw it was a message from Louie Gallagher, the admin of their exclusive three-person chat.

Louie: [Briar, | heard you're coming back to Qathana?]

Louie Gallagher was the most powerful fighter at the DDC Vanguard Base and the leader of the elite instructors

at the DDC Vanguard Mercenary Special Operations Base. His whereabouts were always a mystery, and he rarely

appeared in the group chat.

For him to break his usual silence and message first meant something big was about to happen.

Briar answered honestly: [Yeah, I'm taking my boyfriend to meet my family.]

After she sent the message, Louie hadn't replied yet, but it drew out another lurker from the group.

[Boyfriend? You mean Ashton, the youngest billionaire in Dasmieca? Briar, aren't you afraid your two uncles will

tear him apart if you take him hnow?]

Briar: [It's not that serious, is it? He seems well-prepared.]

Louie: [When you get back to Qathana, find a chance to return to the base. | have something to tell you.]

Briar: [Got it.]

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Chapter 243

The group

lan.

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chat quickly fell silent. Briar put her phone away and, when Ashton wasn't looking, shot a look at

lan hurried over. “Briar, what's up?”

Briar crossed her arms and looked at lan. “Did you leak the news to the base that we're returning to Qathana?”

lan’s cheerful expression faltered, and he asked guiltily, “Yeah, wh... what's wrong?”

“Who did you tell?” Briar asked.

lan said, “I didn’t tell anyone. | just... | just mentioned in our instructors’ group chat that you were returning to

Qathana...”

Briar was speechless.

lan was one of the five main instructors at the DDC Vanguard Base. Their instructors’ group chat included the

only female instructor, Estella Farley. Estella was best friends with Mollie Campbell, the wife of the head elite

instructor, Louie, and they told each other everything.

In other words, if Mollie knew she was returning to Qathana, that meant Louie knew as well.

No wonder Louie had specifically tagged her in the group chat. Considering the upcoming annual mercenary

training at the DDC Vanguard Mercenary Special Operations Base, Briar thought with resignation, ‘Louie is using

this as an opportunity to dragback for sgrunt work!"

Briar glanced at Ashton walking ahead of her. ‘What excuse could | cup with for disappearing for half a

month without arousing his suspicion?’ she thought.

Sensing her gaze, Ashton turned around. With one hand in his pocket, he reached out to her. Once she put her

hand in his, he took it and tucked it into his coat pocket. “What's wrong?” he asked. “Nervous?”

Briar chuckled, tracing his palm with her index finger. “How could | be? I'm not the one who'll be in trouble, so

why would | be nervous?”

Ashton tightened his grip on the fingers that were unknowingly teasing him in his palm. “Let’s make a bet. 1 bet

your two uncles won't givea hard ttomorrow; they'll even seeoff with a smile.”

Briar scoffed. “Ashton, it’s good to be confident, but overconfidence often backfires.”

Ashton had just stolen their precious niece, and he expected her two uncles to see him off with a smile.

“So, let's make a bet. If you win, you can nany condition.” Ashton’s eyes held a captivating glint.

Briar agreed without hesitation. “Deal! If | lose, you can na condition too, and | won't back out.”

They boarded the plane, and by the tthey landed at a private airstrip in Qathana, both were still convinced

the other would lose.

sok

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Chapter 243

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More than a decade of wealth accumulation had placed the Grant family on the list of global billionaires.

They commanded a vast business empire in northern Qathana. While the Grant family’s industries were not as

all-encompassing as the Wade family’s, they had almost completely monopolized the entertainment industry,

one of their later ventures.

So, the Grant family had settled in a villa complex in the most prosperous commercial center in the north.

Briar owned a villa worth 30 million dollars, which the Grant family patriarch, Zeke, had personally purchased for

her.

However, when Briar brought Ashton htoday, it was to the house where Ruben and Larry lived.

The house staff had been busy since early that morning, preparing all of Briar’s favorite dishes. As for Ashton’s

preferences, her two uncles considered them unimportant.

The family driver was already waiting at the airport. After picking up Briar and Ashton, he drove them straight

home.

Laughing, Briar pulled Ashton out of the car and called out cheerfully to Ruben and Larry, who were standing at

the main entrance, “Uncles, we're back!”

Ashton smoothly followed suit. “Hello, Uncles. I'm Ashton.”

Larry was polite enough to nod at Ashton. Ruben, however, completely ignored him. He took Briar’s hand, just as

he always had, and led her into the house.

Ashton stared at his empty palm.

That confirmed it. Ruben really did not like him.

Larry patted Ashton on the shoulder. “Don’t take it to heart. What do you expect when you're the one trying to

steal the Grant family’s most cherished treasure!”

Ashton shook off his surprise and nodded. “I understand. If someone stole away my future daughter, | would look

even more upset than her uncle.”

Larry narrowed his eyes. ‘What did he mean by that? He hasn't even officially won the girl over, and he is

already thinking about whether they would have a son or a daughter?’

What Larry didn’t know was that Ashton hadn't just decided on having a son or a daughter; he had even picked

out their names.

The trunk was filled with gifts Ashton had brought. Since Ruben didn’t welchim, he painstakingly helped the

staff carry the gifts into the house, acting with great diligence.

12:55 sat, Sep 20

Chapter 244

Chapter 244