CEO's Contract Obsession-Chapter 215: In A Heartbeat

When Henry and Amy got home safely, they dismiss Amy’s security details including Ava, Mitch, and Dave, so they could take a well-deserved break. They have been working hard ever since they went missing.

The Welsh couple appreciate their hard work and loyalty, so Amy decided to not only dismiss them but also grant them a vacation and a bonus.

Ava took this opportunity to speak with Rei about something that would help their investigation, "Rei, Ash reached out to me and offered help in our investigation," Ava bravely informed Rei, knowing that the two men knew each other way back and Rei will keep an open mind about Ash’s offer.

Expressing concern, Rei questioned Ava’s proposition. "I’m unsure about this, Ava. It seems risky. How can we be certain that both Ash and Vanessa weren’t involved? I got reports that the two were meeting every now and then." Rei inquired, displaying a sense of worry.

Ava pointed out an important factor to Rei. "There’s one thing we can be sure of, Rei. Ash has no intention of harming Amy, and Vanessa wouldn’t want to see any harm come to Henry either. That should provide us with some assurance," Ava stated, encouraging Rei to carefully consider her suggestion.

Rei took some time to reflect on Ava’s words before ultimately agreeing with her. "Okay, but we need to ensure that Ash understands he will only provide assistance without receiving any confidential information from us. We must not give them any clues about our activities, just in case they are somehow involved," Rei asserted, emphasizing the need for caution.

Ava nodded, "Alright, I will inform him," she replied.

"You like him, don’t you?" Rei boldly asks.

Ava’s face turned red, she felt her cheeks heat up. Rei’s bold question caught Ava off guard, causing her to be momentarily unable to respond.

"I had a feeling," Rei remarked with a smirk. "Ash is a nice person, but his judgment might be clouded by his love for Amy and easily influenced by his manipulative father. You can go ahead. I won’t stop you," he added, dismissing Ava with a gesture, indicating his approval of her decision.

As Ava left Rei’s office, she let out a sigh of relief. She was grateful that Rei did not press for more details or discourage her feelings for Ash. Ava understood the potential pain that awaited her, but she was prepared for it.

Initially, her fondness for Ash stemmed from his unwavering loyalty and affection toward Amy. However, as they continued to meet and converse, her admiration evolved into something deeper.

Unknown to everyone, they had been discreetly meeting and communicating ever since the incident involving Amy and Ash at the hotel during Henry’s birthday party.

Ava couldn’t help but feel sympathy for Ash, and her heart ached for him. While she kept Ash informed about Amy’s whereabouts and well-being, she always prioritize Amy’s safety, but her own emotions were difficult to ignore. Despite her best efforts to divert her thoughts from Ash, her heart persistently gravitated toward him.

Both her heart and mind proved to be stubborn, making it challenging for Ava to forget about Ash, especially when he treated her so kindly. If only she could erase Amy from Ash’s heart to set him free, she would do it in a heartbeat.

Ava texted Ash as soon as she went inside her car.

Ava: [Rei approved of our plan but there’s a catch. Can we meet? I will tell you the details in person.]

Ash: [I’m glad to hear a piece of good news from you, Ava. I would not be able to leave the office until five. How about I pick you up and let us have dinner at my place? What do you say?]

Ava: [At your place?]

Ava creased her eyebrows, ’What is he planning? Why would he invite me to his house and it’s just the two of us,’ Ava thought.

Ash: [Haha! Are you scared? Well, someone is waiting for me at home, right now my housekeeper is attending to that someone and I don’t want to abuse her kindness to me. She has a family to go home to. I’ll be cooking, you will love it.]

Ava: [Alright, your place then. I have lots of time till then. Amy sent us home early, do you need me to buy some ingredients for you?]

Ash: [Good thing you mentioned that. Fresh parsley, fresh basil, and lemon would be good.]

Ava: [Hmm, sounds like you are going to cook some pasta.]

Ash: [Sort of... I will surprise you.]

Ava: [Ok, see you later.]

Ava’s phone slipped from her hands and landed on her lap as she abruptly realized the wide grin stretching across her face.

"Damn it, Ava! Snap out of it. This is ridiculous. You’re only causing yourself pain!" Ava scolded herself, lightly tapping her cheeks in an attempt to cool down the blush that had crept up.

Ava drove to the nearest grocery store with a light and joyous spirit. She was so elated that she didn’t even notice how effortlessly she seemed to glide through the aisles as she shopped.

As she strolled past the liquor section, Ava’s eyes fell upon a bottle of rum, and she decided to add it to her cart. ’If you’re cooking for me, then I’ll whip up a delightful dessert for you. You won’t even remember your own name after tasting what I have in mind,’ Ava giggled to herself, unconcerned about any onlookers who might catch her chuckling by herself.

Having completed her grocery shopping, Ava opted to indulge in a quick trip to a few of her favorite boutiques. Since it was just after lunch and she had ample time at her disposal, she thought it would be a pleasant way to spend the afternoon.

Upon stepping into one of the boutiques, a particular dress immediately captured her attention. It was an elegant yet understated emerald green floral overlap dress, perfect for the occasion. Excitedly, she tried it on, and as it fit her flawlessly, she couldn’t help but applaud herself for stumbling upon such a delightful find.

’Gosh! Pull yourself together, Ava! This isn’t a romantic rendezvous! Your conversation will revolve around Amy, Henry, and the person trying to harm them, not your personal feelings! Control yourself!’ Ava scolded herself again sternly, noticing her own smile reflected in the mirror.

Despite her internal conflict, Ava couldn’t resist purchasing the dress and returned home with it in her hand. Determined to make the evening go smoothly, she indulged in a long, relaxing bath and prepared herself meticulously.

"Once again, Ava, remind yourself that this is not a date," she reiterated firmly, observing her own beauty in the mirror.

She decided to curl the ends of her dark brown hair, adding a touch of elegance to her almost black locks. Opting for peachy-colored lipstick and a subtle blush, she aimed for a natural and effortless look, cautious not to appear as if it were a romantic meeting.

Shortly after, Ash arrived on time carrying a single piece of tulip which took Ava by surprise.

"What’s this for?" Ava inquired, curious about the unexpected gesture. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

"Oh, that... It’s my way of saying thank you for persuading Rei to accept my help," Ash responded, his hand scratching the back of his head bashfully.

"Thank you, but I did not persuade him. He already believes that you are a good person and genuinely wants to help Amy. He knows that you also want to apprehend that person," Ava clarified.

"Perhaps, but it wouldn’t have been possible without your support. Shall we?" Ash proposed, extending an invitation.

Ava nodded in agreement, and together they proceeded to Ash’s penthouse.

When Ava finally met the individual Ash had mentioned over their text conversation, she was utterly dumbfounded. She couldn’t believe that he had actually followed through with the suggestion.

"What? Don’t look at me like that, I went ahead and did it, ok?" Ash smirked, amused by Ava’s surprised expression, as his housekeeper handed him the newly acquired puppy before leaving them.

"It was just a suggestion. I never thought you would take it seriously!" Ava exclaimed, still struggling to comprehend that Ash had bought a puppy. She told him that some people get a new pet to help them move on when they talked over the phone after the incident.

"Haha! Well, I guess this means I’m considering the saying ’If you love them, set them free.’ I noticed how Amy lights up when she’s with Henry, a smile she never had when she was with me. But this little one... he was so excited and happy the moment he saw me," Ash explained, his face leaning closer to the puppy, who eagerly licked his face, triggering a chuckle from Ash.

Ava’s heart skipped a beat upon hearing Ash’s words.

’Does this mean there’s a chance for me to find a place in his heart?’ Ava wondered to herself as she watched Ash play with the adorable puppy.

"What are you doing? What are you waiting for? Don’t just stand there. Say hello to my new buddy," Ash then handed the puppy to Ava making her laugh when the puppy licked her face too.

"What is his name?" Ava asked.

"His name is Henry," Ash replied with a blank face.

Ava: "...!!!"