Secret Scion

Castor hurried to placate them with a smile. "Dove is not very familiar with proper etiquette, Mr. Schmidt. I hope you won't blame her for her faults. Dove, Mr. Schmidt is here for your birthday party to pay us his respects. You mustn't be rude."

"Hmph." Dove harrumphed.

Garrett felt upset to know that he was so unpopular. He had not expected Dove to have fallen for Asher as well. He might not have feelings for her, but his physical urges were not something to scoff at.

"Castor, have I not made myself clear that we're friends? There's no need for all these

explanations between us. I only just found out that it's Ms. Yaeger's birthday today. I couldn't prepare anything special because I came in a hurry. Please accept my small token of appreciation." As he spoke, Garrett snapped his fingers, and an attendant came in carrying a gift

box.

Those words might sound like ones of generosity, but they were far from it. This was Garrett implicitly expressing his stance toward the Yaegers.

Why would Garrett consider Castor a friend unless Castor chose to defect to the Schmidt's side? The fact of the matter was, however, that Castor did not make his stance known yesterday. Garrett was trying to undermine Asher's trust in Castor.

Castor lightly furrowed his brows. "I'm afraid I lack the qualifications to be your friend, Mr. Schmidt. You're quite a funny one, aren't you? Haha."

Castor was also an intelligent man who did not want Asher to misunderstand his intentions and was thus quick to make his position clear. This statement, at least, allowed Asher to know that he had not joined Garrett.

"Who is this Mr. Schmidt guy? I don't think he's someone from Rollinsford."

"He's most likely not from here. Didn't you hear Mr. Yaeger respectfully addressing him as Mr. Schmidt? In my opinion, I think Mr. Schmidt is just like Asher and is from the Capital City." "What's going on? Why are scions from the Capital City suddenly showing up here in Rollinsford?"

Several youngsters who did not know Garrett were discussing in low whispers.

"You're thinking too much, Castor. I've never cared about one's identity when it comes to friendship. You'll be treated with the greatest sincerity even if you were a beggar on the side of the road as long as we click."

Garrett smiled faintly at Castor then approached Asher. "You have quite the luck on your side, Asher. Two women are competing for your favor. How nice. But your days are over. There's no need for you to worry about what happens after I get rid of you. I'll be the one to take care of your ex-wife. Haha."

"Detestable scum!" Noelle spat out.

"You'll know when I'm being detestable. Asher might look like an eye candy, but he's quite unfortunately a dead man. Why not you be my woman? I can give you anything you want." Garrett's lips quirked up into a sinister smile.

Noelle's expression was frosty. Just as she was about to retort, a slender palm connected with Garrett's face.

Slap!

The crisp slap resounded like an explosion. Castor and the others who were standing nearby could feel a phantom pain spreading on their face.

No one could have imagined that he would be slapped in the face in front of so many people. This would not do his reputation any favors.

"What the fuck are you doing, Asher?!" Radley hollered in horror. "Are you alright, Mr. Schmidt?"

A red handprint bloomed on Garrett's face in an instant. His entire temperament grew grim as he radiated icy hostility.

He was a man who had lived up to his twenties and had never been backhanded across the face. Now, he was on a warpath.

"My apologies, Master. I was late. Do forgive me." Just then, a middle-aged man in a tunic suddenly materialized in front of the crowd like lightning.

The man was Rodrick Johnson, an ace that Garrett had brought with him.

"Shall I have the hit be repaid tenfold, Master?" Rodrick asked uneasily. His purpose for coming

to Rollinsford was to protect the heir of the Schmidts, and yet Asher had backhanded Garrett right under his nose. He would be in hot water should Xavier Schmidt find out about this. Garrett straightened his glasses that had been skewed to one side, took a deep breath and declared, "I'll be the one to collect what I'm owed. Remember this well, Asher. I'll have you begging on your knees within the month!"

Garrett wanted nothing more than to kill Asher now. He believed Rodrick had the means to do so, but what was the fun in that? He continued to hold himself back despite burning with anger. He left after uttering his seething words.

Radley and his posey could only follow after Garrett had left.

It was at that moment when Rodrick turned to glance at Asher, looking every bit tangled as he said in indifference, "You haven't changed one bit even though we haven't met for two years, Asher. You're as arrogant as ever. You'd have been dead long ago if the Schmidts had allowed me to take action back then. You were allowed a new lease in life for two years and yet you show no appreciation for it."

"You'd kill me?" Asher smiled dismissively.

"You'll know soon enough whether or not I'd do it." With that, Rodrick left with a sweep of his sleeve.

Noelle, meanwhile, focused her attention entirely on Asher. He had actually backhanded Garrett

for her sake. It meant that she still held an important position in his heart.

She felt as though she had ingested honey that was so incredibly sweet.

She had been worried that Dove would take Asher away, but now it seemed that her worries were unfounded.

Noelle's lips inadvertently curled upward, revealing a hint of happiness.

"You were way too cool, Ash. Who the fuck cares about some Mr. Schmidt? He'd still get beaten

up when put up against you." After a brief moment of consternation, Livia giggled as she

approached Asher. She looked every bit like a fangirl as she fawned over him.

"He asked for it," Asher said serenely. "I'm sorry for spoiling everyone's fun. I still have some matters to attend to, so I'll be excusing myself now."

Dove seemed to have more to say as she watched Asher leave but found herself unable to say a word.

Livia gave Dove a smug look. "I'll also be taking my leave, Ms. Dove. I hope everyone has fun." She then grabbed Asher by the hand and swaggered out.

Dove did not verbally express a thing but it was clear that Livia had also angered her.

Castor patted his sister on her shoulder to comfort her. "Don't be angry. Stay and accompany the guests. I'm going to go outside for a bit."

He hurried to the parking lot after leaving the dining hall and hastened to speak with Asher who was getting into the car. "Can I have a moment, Mr. Crawford?"

The duo then stepped aside. Castor offered Asher a lit cigarette. "Garrett Schmidt visited the Yaeger estate yesterday, Mr. Crawford."

Asher nodded. "I assumed so."

"To tell you the truth, Garrett intended to win over the Yaegers, but I didn't agree. My hopes are that you won't misunderstand my intentions, Mr. Crawford. I got to know you first. If I had to place my eggs in the basket, it would be yours." If he chose not to make his position clear, he might not have the chance to do so again.

Asher took a few drags of his cigarette. "I'll try my best to not disappoint."

"I'm relieved to hear that but I'm not quite certain yet as to where the Hoffmans and the Sullivans stand. Should I try to find out what they intend to do?"

Asher waved it off. "There's no need for that. Everyone has their own aspirations. They're free to do as they please. There's no need to worry so much when it's just Garrett. I was the one who crippled his elder brother two years ago. He's still no one you need to take seriously two years later."

Livia and Noelle were both seated in the car and could not help but look out the window at Asher's not-quite-tall silhouette. "Asher told me that if his identity were to ever come to light, he'd be killed. His feud must be with the household supporting Garrett. But he beat him up for your sake. Anyone can tell that he still loves you."

"Killed?" Noelle frowned. "What's going on here, Lily?"

Livia shook her head. "I'm not quite sure. It might be a grudge he incurred before he married in." "You're saying the Stewards are the reason he was did in?"

"That's not quite it either. Ash isn't an ordinary man. His identity would've been exposed sooner or later. In this case, it was sooner, rather than later."

Noelle turned to stare at Asher again, feeling every bit perplexed.

When Asher got into the car, Noelle wanted to speak with him, but she did not know how to start the conversation.

It was when Asher finally got out of the car that she chased after him and summoned up the courage to say, "Thank you, Asher."

"Why are you thanking me?" Asher turned back to look at Noelle.

"Thank you for putting yourself in harm's way several times for my sake, and thank you for blowing your cover to help the Stewards."

Asher's heart might be forged with iron, but it began to melt at that moment. Noelle had not changed much over the two years. It all boiled down to one thing-affection.