Chapter 140

Ashley POV

"Brother Jared," I blurted out before I could think twice. Just for a split second, I cringed. 'Brother' was not exactly the most suitable way to address someone at work, especially someone who was my subordinate as well. The dread I had before - of being seen as a child wearing her mother's clothes - rushed back at me with full force, and I felt my face heat up under his piercing gaze.

But to top it off, he bowed to me as well.

"I did not expect you to come this early, Madame," he said in a cold, dry, and solemn tone of voice. His hazel eyes, which were strikingly similar to Jayden's - both in shape and color - stared at me emotionlessly as he straightened up.

Or at least, that's what I would think if I were just an observer. Now, I knew him well enough to see the faintest of changes, whether it was in his body language or his actual demeanor, just as I instantly realized that he was wary of me.

Even if he was not, the fact that he called me 'madame' was more than enough to show his attitude towards me.

"'Madame'?" I muttered.

All of a sudden I remembered Hailey, and I offered her an apologetic smile. "He was just joking," I said hurriedly, reading the shock in her eyes. "Thank you. I will be able to take care of myself from here."

Her smile looked unsure, making me curse myself for the bad first impression she would get from her soon-to-be boss. Turning back to Jared, I tried to block out my pounding heartbeat as I motioned for him to follow me. He merely nodded, and then I led him away from the reception desk, where a few delivery guys and other employees had started to gather and stopped beside one of the windows.

"Is there somewhere more private for us to talk?" I asked quietly.

"I will take you to your father's office," he replied monotonously.

I swallowed. "Okay."

The two elevator rides to my Dad's office were eerily quiet. I battled the urge to stroke my arm, even as I found myself striking up conversations a few times, they never went further than the weather and my Dad's condition. He was not looking at me, and I found it hard to look at him. Because every time my eyes traveled over his figure, I kept remembering the tattoo on his shoulder.

I kept remembering the blood on his hands.

Speaking of the blood, he was still wearing his engagement ring. I took it as a good sign, especially since I had decided to keep it on for the day as well. The ring felt heavier than usual, so I thought about leaving it at home. But as I watched his unreadable eyes flicker over my finger, I knew that it was the right decision to wear it.

If indeed I had to become his fiancée to know more about him and his tattoo, then I should still be his fiancée. Because despite his quiet nature and being a bit unapproachable, he's not a bad person. There must be a reason why he has that tattoo.

There had to be a way for me to help him.

Dad's office was, unsurprisingly, styled with all of Mom's favorite materials and colors, which meant rich wood and marble mixed with glass and metal in a variety of modern shapes. Circling the spacious room once and enjoyed the view from the top floor before I settled myself behind the large desk in the center back of the office.

"Well," I started in a slightly joking tone, "How much of a kid do I look like running back and forth in their parents' workplace?"

Jared had waited silently in the corner of the room as I looked around, but now he took a step forward, only stopping when he was directly in front of me, on the other side of the desk. "Not much, madame," he said, his eyes looking down.

"Don't call me that," I snapped, more annoyed and irritated now than embarrassed. I get why he might want to keep his manners when there are other people around, but now that it's just the two of us, he has no reason to behave differently. He should not have addressed me with an honorific because I was younger and more inexperienced than him, not even he should have avoided my gaze.

"You are the new CEO of Red Moon Inc., aren't you?"

"Yes." Hesitantly I answered, but said it anyway. "But nothing has changed between us."

I hated lying to him, but I literally did not know any other way to deal with him about the secret. He would never tell me if I broke off our engagement, and I could not pretend to move on with my life after what I had seen. He wasn't striking me like a gangster, which meant there was a chance he had been dragged into all of this by circumstance. I had to know the truth - and let's hope that the truth was not painful.

Because if he really was part of a ruthless pack like Maverick Death, I had to report him. And that meant Jayden would find out too.

That was probably the hardest thing of all. I did not want Jayden to get hurt any worse. Even though I knew he was strong - strong enough to face the entertainment world, strong enough to get through nightmares like amnesia - he was beyond resilient. He could still break.

How would he feel if his only sibling, with whom he already had bad blood, turned out to be a criminal? How would it affect his career? His dreams? His life?

How would it affect someone who has been betrayed by almost all of his family members?

No, it would never. I had to hope for the best. I had to believe that his gentleness was not just a mask. I had to hope that Jayden's brother was better than their father - and maybe, someday, could be the one that he leaned on.

Yet I had to know. I had to know why Jared had the "Stone" sign tattooed on his right shoulder.

"But you... you have seen my tattoo," he stated.

I nodded. "I have."

"And you know what it means?"

"Yes."

His eyes narrowed slightly. "Then you also know how dangerously involved you are with me."

"We are engaged," I retorted pointedly. "Do you think you can hide everything from me forever?"

He did not answer.

"You're smarter than that," I went on, frustration welling up inside me. "I can't marry a criminal."

"I'm not a criminal."

His tone changed. Cold, deathly cold. Not harsh, not loud - but enough to make me hold my breath, too scared to breathe it out.

"I'm sorry," he said hurriedly, his tone turning calm again. "I can't stand hearing people call me that. Because I'm not like that. Not anymore."

I had never heard him speak like that before. Normally he spoke in moderation, always like he was weighing every word. But now... his outburst was too shocking. I could barely digest what he had just said.

"'Not anymore'?" I repeated quietly.

He nodded once, firmly.

"I want to help you," I said after a fairly long pause that I spent trying to read his expression - and it failed. "I want to believe you, but I can't just accept that you are a... former criminal. I need answers. I need the truth."

He remained quiet, not moving an inch. But I knew the meaning of my words was clear. Without me having to say it out loud, he would know that I was ready to report him to the guards if he remained silent.

"Then let's talk," he said finally.

My eyes widened. I had not expected him to give in this easily. I thought I would have to harass him for weeks first.

"But not here and now," he added, his eyes hard to read. "I need time to get myself ready."

"How about dinner this Friday?" I offered gingerly, wondering if it was too soon.

"Will there be more than just the two of us?"

I raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

He averted his gaze. "Have you told anyone about my tattoo?"

"No."

"Not even your parents?"

"No," I answered honestly, shaking my head. "We will have a meal and talk just the two of us."

He stared at me for a few seconds before he nodded at last. "Okay."

As our eyes locked, I watched a shadow of relief flicker for a moment before disappearing from his face.

"It's Friday. Do you already have a place in mind, or do you want me to find one?"

"Ah, fine." I cleared my throat lightly. "I was not thinking that far ahead. We can eat wherever you want."

"How about The Monarch?"

I smiled at the fleeting memory. "Sounds good."