Chapter 5

“Asher, dear? How’s the engagement going? Are you happy with the venue?”

Mrs. Eleanor Thorne’s gentle voice came through the phone.

“I’m calling to tell you that I’m breaking off the engagement.”

“Ms. Thorne’s assistant blocked me and wouldn’t let me into the venue, and he even had the security guards lay hands on me.”

“And Ms. Thorne came out, didn’t bother to get the full story, and then demanded I kneel and apologize to her assistant.”

“Your family’s standards are too high. I won’t be coming in.”

Silence hung on the other end of the line for a moment.

“What?!”

“That little punk always causes trouble for me… I’ll be right over to deal with her…”

Mrs. Eleanor Thorne muttered, followed by the sound of a car engine starting.

“Mrs. Thorne, don’t listen to this conniving little man! He’s just a freeloader trying to take advantage of your generosity!”

Leo Stone snatched my phone, his face twisted with feigned grievance.

“I was properly greeting Mr. Vance at the door, but he refused to come in and just caused trouble there instead.”

“I’ve worked tirelessly for Thorne Corp. for so many years. Can’t I even get a simple apology?”

Mrs. Eleanor Thorne’s voice turned chilling.

“Mr. Stone, is it?”

“You’re fired. Go to HR and process your resignation.”

Leo Stone’s face froze.

“My daughter’s engagement – what business is it of yours to meddle?”

“Do you think those lies can fool me?”

I hadn’t expected Mrs. Eleanor Thorne to believe me. Leo Stone’s face twitched, his hand tightening around the phone.

He squeezed his eyes, then looked at Charlotte Thorne, feigning tears.

“Ms. Thorne, if Mrs. Thorne doesn’t care about her own daughter, can’t I care?”

“Just to gain favor with a professor, you forced Ms. Thorne to get engaged to an orphan with no connections. Are you treating Ms. Thorne as just a tool for an arranged marriage?”

Silence fell on the other end of the line again.

After a long pause, Mrs. Eleanor Thorne sighed, her voice suddenly sounding much older.

“Charlotte, do you… do you feel the same way?”

“Do you think… it’s my fault? So you did all this, unwilling to get engaged to Asher?”

Charlotte Thorne glanced at me, then averted her eyes.

“As long as Asher Vance is willing to apologize properly to my assistant, I’m still willing to go through with the engagement.”

A scratching sound came from my phone case as I looked over. Leo Stone’s face was contorted.

“This… Asher… what do you say?”

The other end of the phone seemed to be waiting with bated breath.

Waiting for what? For me to apologize to Leo Stone?

All my previous patent collaborations had been with Mrs. Eleanor Thorne, and I’d always found her to be a fair person.

I trusted her family’s upbringing, which was why when my mentor said my fiancée was Charlotte Thorne, I’d come with an open mind.

But in the end, a businesswoman is still a businesswoman.

To achieve her goal, even knowing the truth, she was willing to sacrifice me.

I was curious, did she really think I had no other options besides Charlotte Thorne?

I suddenly felt a surge of amusement.

I lightly tapped the shoulder of the person in front of me.

Seraphina Hayes’ body trembled slightly.

She had been furious from Mrs. Eleanor Thorne’s words, about to retort with a sarcastic jab, but I had interrupted her.

She softened her expression and looked at me, tilting her head slightly, blinking, and signaling for me to speak.

“Seraphina Hayes, I’m planning to find a new engagement partner.”

“Are you volunteering?”