Secret Scion

When Griffin arrived, Sebastian and Rose had already drunk a lot. However, the two of them were both great drinkers, and they did not show any signs of being drunk at all.

"I hear that you two are engaged? Congratulations." Griffin sat down without any reservation.

Sebastian laughed and said, "Thanks, Griffin. Do come early to the banquet."

"Of course, haha!" Griffin said with a laugh. "But there's something else you want to talk about, right?"

Griffin drank from a glass that Sebastian handed to him.

Sebastian then said with a smile, "Nothing important. It's just that we haven't spent any time together for a long time, and I miss those times. Last time, there were too many people around so I didn't really have the chance to talk to you. I asked you out today so we can talk" "Everyone that knows me knows that I'm someone that's frank and upfront, and I don't like to make things too complicated. If I'm correct, you want to find out stuff about Asher, right?" Griffin asked.

Sebastian smiled and said nothing.

Griffin then continued, "Rose knows about what happened between Asher and me. Ever since then, I've never contacted Asher again. That's why I've only heard about the reasons behind him being exiled from the Crawfords, but I'm not sure about the truth of it."

Sebastian held the glass in his hand but did not sip from it. After a moment of hesitation, he then asked, "Everyone in our circle knows that you and Asher are best of friends and nothing had changed between you two for years. That was why everyone was shocked when you two went your separate ways. It was a shame, too. However, with the influence you hold, even if you lose Asher as a friend, it shouldn't affect you much."

Griffin sighed and said, "Sebastian, it seems like you still don't understand what I mean. I'm someone very straightforward and don't like it when people infer things. Let's get straight to the point. If you asked me out just to have a drink, let's go somewhere else. This place is too noisy, and I don't like drinking in places like this."

Sebastian smiled with a slight awkwardness and then said, "Fine, I'll get straight to the point. I want to work with you, Griffin. We can eliminate both Asher and Joel together."

Griffin did not say anything and instead finished the wine in his glass, and then said dispassionately, "While Asher and I have gone our separate ways, it doesn't mean that we're sworn enemies. I'm afraid I won't be able to agree to your proposal."

"However, after eliminating them, the entire Alexandrius will be ours to command. Isn't that a desirable outcome?" Sebastian continued.

Griffin laughed and said, "It is, but I'll never be someone so cold-hearted."

Rose then said, "I told you. Griffin is someone who has his own principles. Do you believe me now?"

"Haha," Sebastian laughed in a helpless tone. "If that's the case, I won't force you then. Leave Asher to me. However, I believe you won't have any trouble dealing with Joel?"

They drank until it was around ten at night.

After Griffin had left, Rose then glanced at Sebastian and asked, "So, what did you get out of that?"

Sebastian was stunned. "What do you mean?"

"Isn't the reason you asked Griffin out to test if he's really, completely cut Asher out of his life?" Rose asked.

When Sebastian heard what she said, he laughed. "I didn't expect you to manage to see through that too. That's right. I suspected that he and Asher were simply acting. They were friends for so long, so I find it hard to believe that the two would go their separate ways just like that. That was why I was testing him just now. If he were to agree to work with me to destroy Asher, then it's all a farce. However, since he rejected it, it's not a farce."

After they came out of Sky Bar, Rose asked, "Are you really going to eliminate Asher?"

"As long as Asher is alive, he will remain as a threat. However, I know that it would be quite difficult to achieve this goal since Solomon would never let anything happen to Asher. I don't want to make an enemy for the Macquoids unnecessarily either. Which means I have to make some preparations. I want to find a chance to test Asher. If he were to really give up after this, I don't mind letting him live."

Rose then said, "Didn't you already test him last time at Solstice Hotel? If it were in the past, Asher would have gotten himself injured rather than let Jeremiah force him into a corner like that."

"Not necessarily. My experience for the past few years tells me not to underestimate any opponents. Otherwise, I will be the one that gets harmed." With that, Sebastian then glanced at Rose as if he was thinking of something and said, "Why do I feel like you're concerned about him?"

Rose felt strangely anxious when Sebastian asked her about it. She then said with a blank face, "Me? Concerned about him? Are you being serious?"

Sebastian looked at Rose for a few seconds before he suddenly said with a smile, "Of course I was joking. Let's go, I'll take you home."

After that, both Sebastian and Rose were completely quiet during the journey. The atmosphere within the car was also slightly awkward.

When Rose reached home and saw Sebastian leave in his car, she then saw Willy the Kid headed toward her. She asked, "Where did you go so late at night?"

Willy quickly said, "Huxley asked me out. I just came back." After a few seconds of hesitation, he then continued, "In order to thank me, he even gave me a card. There's about 15,000 in the card. This is the card he gave me."

Rose glanced at the card in Willy the Kid's possession and then said nonchalantly, "Since he gave you the card, keep it. Don't meet up with Huxley in the meantime." With that, Rose left. At the Crawfords.

"Sir. I have news about the investigation. In the afternoon, Master Huxley went out to meet someone. The man is a servant serving the Schmidts, and his name is Willy the Kid. Seems like he's the one that came up with the plan to frame Master Asher. When they were having lunch, Huxley even gave him a sum of money.

Aiden told Solomon all his findings in Solomon's room.

When Solomon heard that, he was furious. Asher had indeed been framed.

"It's the Schmidts again!" Solomon roared. "Just a servant is enough to play Huxley like a fool! He has completely thrown the Crawfords' reputation out of the window!"

Aiden then said, "Willy the Kid is someone that's very talented in disguising himself. He's simply disguised as a strategist, but I believe that someone else is providing him with the ideas." Solomon gave it a thought and said, "Don't expose this for now. The Schmidts' aim is clearly to have their vengeance against Asher. Then, let them have their way. We'll see what else they have up their sleeves. Mr. Duncan, Asher is in a very precarious situation right now. I'll leave his safety in your hands. Don't let anyone threaten his life."

Meanwhile, Layla could not sleep because of the matter with Asher. She tossed and turned in her bed, but in the end, she simply got out of bed and left her bedroom before giving Asher a call. The more she thought about the entire matter, the more suspicious she grew.

Asher however, was obviously not interested in talking about this. He hung up the call after a few

sentences.

Layla was so angry that she dialed his number again, but Asher had already switched off his phone.

While Asher sounded very calm, Layla could feel the fury boiling within him. If someone was wronged but did not even have the desire to show his anger, it meant that he had already given

up.

The more she thought about it, the more she believed that Asher had been framed. While he was usually quite the sweet talker and liked to take advantage of others, he was just playing the character. He would never do it. Not to mention that if Asher wanted to do something to her, there was no need for him to do it at home. Too many people were around. He would be easily exposed.

No... Asher had definitely been framed.

"Layla, it's so late. Why aren't you in bed? Something bothering you?"

It was at this time when Sophia's voice rang in her ears. Layla turned to look at where the voice was coming from. It was Sophia walking toward her. She was wearing her pajamas and a coat. While she was already in her forties, she took good care of herself and was still physically fit. She looked like someone in her thirties. Sometimes even Layla was doubtful that Sophia had really given birth to her.

"Mom, I was thinking about what happened last time. Since you're here, do you feel like Asher is really someone that despicable?" Layla asked.

Sophia was stunned. She then walked over and sat by Layla's side and shook her head. "Of course not. I watched him grow from a boy to a man. I don't believe that he's someone that's capable of doing something like that. But there's no other suspect."