Rebecca glared menacingly at me. “Ms. Stovall, since when did you become such a busybody?”
“Go home and argue!” Ashton broke in icily. The steely look that he fixed on Joe was frightening. “You may think nothing of these women, but spare a thought for the Fuller and Quinn Corporations.”
Joe gritted his teeth, palpably displeased. “Enough. Can’t I even eat in peace now? Damn it!” He shook off Kristina’s hands violently, then immediately got up and stalked out of the room.
The others around the table had been shrinking down in their seats ever since the conflict began. Subdued, they now quietly filed out and dispersed. Rebecca had dashed out in chase of Joe, whereas Kristina alone remained in the private room.
I tugged at Ashton’s sleeve and fretted for a moment, then turned to Kristina. “Don’t get Joe riled up. You know better than anyone why he allows you to get close to him.”
Having dispensed that word of warning, I then made to leave with Ashton. Kristina’s next question, however, halted me in my tracks. “Why are you helping me?”
I glanced over my shoulder at Kristina, then replied, “I’m not helping you. It was meant to be a reminder.” Joe’s feelings for Rebecca weren’t to be sniffed at. No matter what had happened, Joe had remained steadfast by Rebecca’s side without considering anyone else. It was obvious that Joe was making ruthless use of Kristina to make Rebecca jealous.
At that moment, Kristina’s smile looked more like a grimace. “It doesn’t matter,” she said bitterly. “Money is all that matters to me. Whatever happens between Joe and Rebecca is none of my business.”
I shrugged, then replied shortly, “Good luck, then.”
It was none of my business either. As a matter of fact, I had done more than my part in even mentioning the facts of the matter. Whether Kristina was receptive towards what I’d said was no longer my concern.
After all that drama, Ashton and I walked out of the private room and back to our table. John must be wondering what on earth we’ve been up to! I mused inwardly.
“Jared sent Summer to a factory in the suburbs. You can check, but I don’t suppose Jared was planning on that child surviving. I don’t know what he did to her there. Who knows what kind of scars that experience left behind?” Kristina’s voice rang out from behind us.
A shiver ran down my spine. I whipped around immediately, but Kristina was already strolling off into the distance, bag in hand.
Then I turned to Ashton, distressed. “When you found Summer back then, did you notice anything strange?”
Ashton shook his head. “I’ll send someone to investigate. Don’t worry.”
I nodded, but there was already a tumult of uneasiness stirring up within me.
Meanwhile, John saw that Ashton and I had slowly approached the table and slide back into our seats. Pursing his lips, he complained, “What on earth were the two of you up to? Didn’t you come here to eat with me? Was the lack of intimacy really that unbearable?”
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