Stardom's Sweetest Payback: No Room For Regret, Mr. CEO

Ashley froze for a moment, completely thrown off by Kevan's presence.

In a voice weighed down by cold, Kevan asked, "Should I help you find a lawyer?"

Ashley shook her head right away. "There's no need for that."

She never cared about getting a single cent. She only brought it up to provoke Lisette and nothing more.

Kevan let out a quiet laugh that held nothing but scorn. "I really misjudged you, Ashley. What made you believe you had the right to demand a share of my wealth?"

Hadn't she already lived a life filled with everything luxury could offer?

Those words stung deep. Ashley pushed a smile onto her face. "I was messing around. I don't have time to scheme like that. If you're worried, I can put it in writing."

Fury crept across Kevan's features, darkening them by the second.

Lisette used that moment to tilt her head forward, exposing the red mark Ashley left on her cheek. "Kevan, did I do something wrong? Why else would she strike me?"

Once he took in the sight of Lisette's swollen face, a sharp glint cut through Kevan's eyes as he turned on Ashley. "You laid a hand on her? What gave you the right?!"

His words struck Ashley so hard that her breath hitched, leaving her chest tight and aching.

Three years of standing by his side, and her own husband chose to shield another woman while tearing her down.

Kevan really was unbearable.

Ashley met his glare without flinching. "It was just a slap. After everything you two have put me through, this doesn't even begin to measure up. You both should get far worse."

Kevan's eyes thinned into a chilling line. "What are you implying?!"

Ashley refused to drag herself through the filth of his betrayal. The memory alone was enough to turn her stomach. "Forget it. You should have the divorce papers by now. Sign them as soon as you can."

His brows jerked in anger. He hadn't imagined she would push him toward ending things so quickly, as if she could hardly wait to be done with him. Rage surged through him. "Be at my office tomorrow at ten. If you're late, I won't bother waiting!"

A quiet, cold laugh slipped from Ashley before she turned and strode off.

She had never been eligible to attend the summit on her own. Rosanna had passed her the invitation. She thought she could use the event to search for work, yet seeing Kevan and Lisette together ruined any desire to stay a second longer.

Much later that night, Kevan returned home. Out of habit, he slipped off his coat and held it out, expecting familiar hands to take it. No one came. The emptiness startled him, and it hit him only a moment later that Ashley had asked for a divorce.

His gaze drifted toward the vacant sofa, and a weight settled heavily in his chest, as though something irreplaceable had slipped away.

For three years, she had been there almost every night, sitting exactly in that spot while waiting for him.

Unable to shake the suffocating tightness in his ribs, he called out, "Jane, make me a bowl of chicken soup."

Half an hour later, Jane White set the steaming bowl on the dining table. "Mr. Ford, your soup is ready."

Kevan lifted the spoon for a single taste before pushing it aside, the flavor striking him as disappointingly plain. "Jane, your cooking needs work."

"Mr. Ford, even if I learned every recipe out there, I still wouldn't be able to match the way Mrs. Ford made this. You probably never noticed since you were always occupied with business, but she spent hours on your chicken soup. She cleaned everything piece by piece and watched the pot the entire time. Too much heat ruined the texture, and too little kept the aroma from coming out. She stayed right beside it until it was perfect."

A shadow crossed Kevan's eyes as he shifted the subject. "Jane, where is my light blue shirt?"

Confusion flickered across her face. She had no idea. Ashley had always taken care of his clothes, and she had never needed to step in.

Before she managed a reply, Kevan ordered, "Call Ashley."