Chapter 98: Are You Kelvin's Apprentice? (2)

"No more, our car can't fit anything else. Plus, a lot of these plants are finicky," Asher repeated.

"I don't know much about them; I just buy what I like. I've always been into flowers and furry pets," Stella said, stopping by a display of succulents. She pouted at Asher, "I just tend to forget to feed them. I had a puppy once, and I accidentally starved it to death. It broke my heart for days, and I swore off pets after that."

Asher's mouth twitched as he overheard the conversation, a grim realization dawning on him—it was his first time hearing about a pet that starved to death.

"Remember to water these plants…" Asher began, instantly regretting his words.

He now understood why Stella's place had no plants—just two cacti.

“I’ll probably forget. When I get home, I'm so exhausted that I barely have enough energy to sleep, let alone remember to water them," Stella said with an awkward laugh, her dimples briefly showing, as she affectionately wrapped her arms around Asher's elbow. "But now that’s what I have you for, right? Once these plants make it to my place, they are your responsibility. Just don’t forget to water them from time to time.”

It was hard to tell if Stella did it on purpose, but the way she leaned into him sent a rush of heat through Asher’s body. He nodded gravely, "Yes, I'll make sure to 'water' them regularly."

“Hmm?” Stella glanced at him, quickly picking up on the subtext behind his words. She wasn't some naive girl; she pinched him, slightly annoyed, "And here I thought you were a gentleman. Seems I was wrong—you're just a closet pervert, with your mind full of unhealthy thoughts!"

Asher blushed with embarrassment. Initially, it wasn't something he’d considered until the way Stella framed 'watering' sparked his imagination.

“Ahem…” Asher coughed to cut her off as he noticed a florist nearby, looking their way.

Stella caught the florist's gaze, her cheeks blushing with a mix of irritation and embarrassment at the attention.

After 10:00 PM, Asher and Stella, followed by a pair of porters with carts full of plants, made their way.

Harmony Hills Hotel was known for its meticulous service. They had partnerships with local shops and even had a greenhouse set up next to the flower market for guests to temporarily store their purchases.

In addition to the greenhouse, they offered pet cages and storage rooms for guests with an abundance of local products that were cumbersome to carry around, ensuring convenience. After all, for a $3,000-a-night stay, these services were just a drop in the bucket. Impeccable service was what kept guests coming back.

Regrettably, for Stella, having the flowers in her villa that very night to enjoy was non-negotiable. Fortunately, the hotel staff were more than happy to oblige, which took a weight off Asher's shoulders.

Upon arriving at the villa, Stella Turner burst into action, arranging potted plants with a particular zeal. She even placed her two favorite flower pots by the bedside in the bedroom.

Asher shivered, his mind racing with the thought – was this woman planning on staying here for good?

Damn, that's thirty hundred a night!

After greeting her, Asher headed downstairs for a shower. Fresh out of the shower and full of energy, Stella dragged Asher to play billiards.

Asher was a pool shark, a skill honed not by his family but by his college roommates who played pool frequently out of boredom.

But Stella Turner was clearly a novice, and to keep the lady happy, Asher had to lose.

The trick was not to make the losing too obvious.

Asher was slightly dumbfounded. While most people bent over backward to keep their bosses happy, here he was, trying his best to cheer up a subordinate.

It was past ten at night when Stella Turner began to yawn incessantly, worn out from the day's exertions.

"Ah..." Just then, Stella let out a sudden scream.

"What's wrong?" Asher jumped in alarm.

"Oh no, I forgot, it's my birthday, and I forgot to call my mom."

Watching Stella dash upstairs in a hurry, Asher could only respond with a wry smile.

Asher had been looking forward to Stella going to bed, as he certainly had some ideas.

But just as his thoughts began to wander, he snuffed them out.

Three minutes? That would be mortifying!

With this thought, Asher hastily sat at the pool table and began searching online on his smartphone.

"Ah... is it normal for a guy to be quick on his first time? Too excited? Can't control it? Breathing techniques? Diverting your attention?"

After finding this information, Asher finally eased his mind—it wasn't just his issue.

With that in mind, Asher felt an urgent need to test out his new knowledge with Stella.

Before that, though, he dove deeper into research about spicing up the bedroom life, uncovering all sorts of posture to please a woman.

The more Asher read, the more his head spun with a dizzying array of tips and tricks, feeling like he learned quite a lot.

Imagining the passionate entanglement with Stella Turner, his heart blazed uncontrollably!

Now, Asher wasn't ready for this chapter of his life to end; happiness was just beginning.

Staring at Stella Turner's peaceful, sleeping face on the plush king-size bed, Asher's heated heart was suddenly drenched in cold water.

He quietly closed the door and slipped out discreetly.

As he approached the front door of his villa, he glanced through the peephole out into the empty courtyard and breathed a sigh of relief. Nobody was there.

The follower must be skilled, Asher thought, but apparently had no intention of making a move against him for now, probably just shadowing him.

He dialed Avery's number, and after a brief conversation, he learned Avery was spending the night at her parent's house. This information eased Asher's mind a bit more.

Thoroughly inspecting every inch of the basement, Asher found neither bugs nor surveillance equipment. It was quite a relief. After all, this was one of the Bennett family's assets in New York – one of the four major clans. It was unlikely anyone would dare to pull anything here, and the Bennetts themselves wouldn't jeopardize one of their main businesses by planting such devices.

Tonight, Asher planned to craft a batch of Spirit Elixir, and he was being exceedingly cautious with every move. He sneaked into the restroom, checked diligently, and after securing the door, pulled out his phone to make a call.

"Hey, it's me, Asher," he said softly.

"Asher, I've heard about your situation. I'll accompany you to the Red Resort tomorrow," Ethan's serious voice came through amidst the background noise.

"Where are you? It's so noisy," Asher frowned slightly, the din in his ear was grating.

"I'm at a nightclub with a client. Hold on; I'll find a quieter spot." Ethan's voice receded as he spoke to someone quietly, then hastened footsteps followed, and soon a door shut.

The noise ceased almost instantly, and Ethan's voice came through again, clear this time, "Asher, is there something else you wanted to discuss?"

"Yeah, there's someone I'm trying to get information on," Asher got straight to the point, recalling the shadowy figure who'd been tracking him.

"Who?" Ethan curiously inquired, thinking Asher should be more concerned about the upcoming visit to the Red Resort.

"He's very skilled, an expert in surveillance. I spotted him tailing me today," Asher didn't hold back the details with Ethan. If he couldn't trust Ethan, then he truly didn't have any real friends.

"Here are some photos I took. They aren't very clear because of the distance and the angle—I didn't want to spook him and escalate the situation." Asher sent Ethan several pictures.

After listening to Asher's account over the phone, there was a long pause as Ethan stared at the photo Asher had sent before finally speaking, "Asher, from what you've described, this guy is most likely gunning for you, though Stella Turner might also be in his crosshairs. He's definitely after one of you."

"Who is he?" Asher asked.

"Hattori, a big shot even by New York standards. The picture's a bit grainy, but I wouldn’t mistake him because Hattori is the protector of the Whitmore Family,” Ethan said, his tone growing more serious.

Leaning against the wall, Asher's expression also grew solemn for a few minutes.

Coming from a powerful family himself, Asher was well-acquainted with the practice among many prominent families to hire a super skilled individual as a protector. His own family, the Whites, had employed a chief along with a squad of eighteen elite guards.

Unfortunately, the fall of the White family wasn't due to gang wars, but instead through business failures that caught the attention of national regulators. Against the might of government power, the White family was powerless, and their eighteen elite guards proved to be of little use.

These guards were personally trained by Asher's grandfather, especially the chief. After the grandfather's passing, the chief and the guards had likely faded into obscurity or moved to other cities; after all, people need to make a living.

As protectors of the family, their capabilities were undeniably formidable. Asher had only learned some fighting skills in adherence to family traditions, which at best made him a basic-level fighter.

Back then, still young and unaware of the different levels of martial prowess, Asher knew that Hattori, having been handsomely paid by the Whitmore Family to be their protector, must be exceptionally strong.

He was aware that the trouble stemmed from him having beaten up the third son of the Whitmore family, which not only made headlines but also put the Whitmores in a tight spot publicity-wise.

However, the fact that Asher was not only the son-in-law of the Morgan family, but had also single-handedly taken down thirty bodyguards, showcased his own formidable strength, probably giving Hattori pause before making a move.

If Hattori's target was himself, that was one thing, but if it was Stella Turner...