Flash Marriage to a Stunning CEO (Alistair and Richard)

Chapter 190 Nothing Going Her Way

12 min left

"Still no word from Leo? Are you kidding me? What the hell is wrong with all of

you? He's a public figure! You let him run around unsupervised like this? Do you

even realize the risks? What if something happens to him? Who's going to answer

for that?"

Paige's heels clicked furiously across the marble floor as she paced, one hand

clenched into a fist while the other gripped her phone. Her voice cut like glass.

"Oh, he's an adult? And that means what, exactly?" she snapped. "If something

happens to him, are you going to take the fall?!"

She hurled the phone onto the couch, arms crossed tight against her chest as she

stormed back and forth. Everything lately had been slipping through her fingers,

and she hated it.

She'd planned everything so carefully—her moves calculated, her strategy

flawless. Alistair should've gone down for good. Instead, he walked free.

And not only that, her attempt to turn Mabel against Caroline had backfired

completely. She hadn't driven a wedge between them—she'd just drawn suspicion

to herself. Even Gordon, who had once trusted her like family, had started keeping

his distance.

She was still a Reed, yes, but she was also an Ashbourne by

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Chapter 190 Nothing Going Her Way

12 min left

blood. And now she wasn't even welcome at Ashbourne Manor. How pathetic

was that?

And now Leo was missing. No calls, no texts. Radio silence.

She was driving her insane.

Paige prided herself on control. Leo had always been like a kite. She could let him

soar, fly as high as he wanted, but the string? The string always stayed in her

hand.

Now that string had slipped through her fingers. And she had no idea when, or

how.

She picked up a glass of water, took one sip, and then,

unsatisfied, hurled it across the room. The crash echoed off the

walls.

A maid tiptoed in, trembling, to clean it up.

The phone rang again. Paige rushed over, her heart leaping, only to sink when

she saw the caller ID. Disappointed but composed, she forced her tone into its

usual polished calm as she picked up. "Giselle," she said sweetly, "what is it

now?"

Whatever Giselle said made Paige's lip curl. The bruise on her face still throbbed

since Caroline had hit hard.

Giselle, of course, had to mention Caroline again. Always the worst possible topic.

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Chapter 190 Nothing Going Her Way

And now Giselle was terrified.

(*) 12 min left

It had been her media team that first leaked Alistair's background online, twisting

public opinion to paint him as some scheming social climber. It was her people

who'd planted paparazzi outside Vreon Technologies, snapping that shot of

Gordon and Alistair in the lobby. The one that went viral with headlines like "Top

Tycoon Snubs Gold-Digging Man Married to His Daughter."

She'd arranged the ambush interview, the headlines, and the flood of hate.

At the time, she thought she was doing everyone a favor. If Alistair turned out tonoveldrama

be guilty, maybe the Ashbournes would even thank her for unmasking him.

The only person who'd get hurt would be Caroline. And to Giselle, that was a

bonus.

If Alistair went down, Caroline lost her husband. The Ashbourne name would be

dragged through the mud. And the Reeves family? They'd slide right into the top

spot.

It wasn't just personal. It was strategic.

Giselle had thrown herself into smearing Alistair, not out of justice, but out of spite.

Her grudge against Caroline ran deep.

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Chapter 190 Nothing Going Her Way

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And the Reeves family had been gunning for the Ashbournes for

years.

The Ashbournes were ranked first on the national rich list. The Reeves family was

second. Money wasn't the issue. They all had more than they could spend. But

being number one? That meant something.

In school, no one would remember who came in second.

In sports, silver medals didn't make headlines.

If the Reeves family overlooked the Ashbournes, Giselle would become the heiress

of America's most powerful family.

She could already hear it: "That's Giselle Reeves. Her family's worth more than

anyone else in the country."

Caroline had worn that crown long enough. It was time for Giselle to take her

place.

And for a while, things were going according to plan.

Alistair got arrested.

Then, just one day later, he was released without charges.

The case had gone straight to the top-judges, prosecutors, federal oversight.

There was no way the Ashbournes could have pulled strings. Even Gordon, with

all his power, would never

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13:19

Chapter 190 Nothing Going Her Way

(***) 12 min left

abuse the system.

He wouldn't cross that line, not for the man he refused to publicly acknowledge

as her daughter's husband.

Now Giselle was panicking. If it came out that she'd been the one behind the

smear campaign, Caroline wouldn't let it slide. And Caroline didn't play fair.

"You'll be fine," Paige said soothingly, the same way she always did. "I'll make

sure nothing happens to you."

But the words felt hollow this time, and Giselle knew it.

How could she rely on Paige when Paige couldn't even protect her own face?

Giselle was filled with regret. But she didn't dare show it. She still wanted to marry

into the Reed family.

"Mrs. Paige Reed, has Leo come home yet?" she asked carefully. "I've been

calling him for days, but he hasn't picked up. Has he started a new project or

something? Is he too busy to even answer the phone?"

The question hit Paige like a needle to the chest. She forced a smile. "Yes, he's

been busy."

But the second the call ended, she grabbed her sunglasses and

rushed out the door.

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Chapter 190 Nothing Going Her Way

Leo hadn't just gone quiet, and his assistant Ezra had disappeared too.

Something was wrong.

Terribly wrong.

(1) 12 min left

Meanwhile, Alistair was walking hand-in-hand with Eloise down a quiet, sunny

street. They passed a doll shop, and he slowed to glance through the window.

The dolls inside were dressed in elegant clothes, their porcelain faces perfectly

painted. He looked down at Eloise beside him.

She looked up and smiled, eyes curved like crescent moons.

"They can dress those dolls up all they want. None of them are as beautiful as she

is."

He cleared his throat, lowering his voice. "Sweetheart, want me to buy you a

doll?"

Eloise shook her head. "Nope."

Alistair blinked. "Really? They're pretty cute. You could sleep with one at night."

"I already sleep with my bear," she said matter-of-factly. "If I get

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Chapter 190 Nothing Going Her Way

12 min left

more, I won't be able to hold them all."

He laughed under his breath.

Caroline always made sure Eloise never lacked for anything. Maybe that was

why she wasn't easily tempted by material things. Aside from books, she rarely

asked for anything.

Those scenes other parents described? Kids screaming on the floor at the

grocery store, begging for candy or toys? He couldn't

relate.

In fact, more often than not, Eloise would politely refuse when he or Caroline tried

to buy her something.

And when he asked why? She'd say she didn't need it. Or that she already had

one.

Once, Alistair got insistent. He wanted to spoil her. She was his daughter, after all.

What dad didn't want to go overboard?

So he crouched down and asked her what she wanted most. She answered

without hesitation that she wanted her mom and dad to love each other forever.

That she wanted them to always stay by her side.

It wasn't the clothes, or the dolls, or the sweets.

It was the family.

And thankfully, they had given her that.

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