Chapter 393
Chapter 393:
The man was dressed in a crisp navy suit. He was lean and well-built, his face striking in the way that certain faces grow more refined rather than less with age. The lines near his eyes were the only suggestion that he wasn’t still in his thirties.
But it wasn’t merely his appearance that stopped her cold.
It was how much he looked like Colton.
For a single, disorienting moment, she felt as though she were standing face to face with him.
The man noticed Kristine staring and offered her a small, amused smile. “If you keep looking at me like that, I’ll have to start charging p>
Kristine caught herself and looked away, flustered. “I’m so sorry. Thank you for holding the door,” she said quickly, slipping past him into the building.
The man watched her disappear inside and tilted his head slightly, a faint crease forming between his brows. He was almost certain he had seen her somewhere before.
When Kristine reached the private dining room, Asher and Leo were already deep in conversation. Asher was speaking the local Raskor language with effortless fluency, his low voice lending the rare tongue a kind of unhurried elegance. Kristine understood none of it.
She tapped lightly on the door frame.
𝗙𝗼𝗹𝘭ow 𝘂𝗌 𝗼𝘯
Both men looked up.
Her gaze landed on Asher first, and something in her chest gave a small, involuntary lurch. In the warm restaurant light, his eyes were soft in a way that made it difficult to look away. She caught herself and shifted her attention quickly to Leo.
Leo had silver at his temples, though his skin was smooth and his bearing sharp. His file said he was well past sixty, but he carried himself like a man a decade younger. His face was the kind that didn’t leave a strong first impression — pleasant and unremarkable — yet there was a quiet intelligence about him that put people at ease almost immediately.
She thought briefly of the man at the door. That one had the same quality — a seasoned confidence that had nothing to do with age.
“Kristine, meet Leo Ford,” Asher said, drawing her back. “Leo, this is my assistant, Kristine Green p>
Kristine extended her hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Ford p>
Leo shook it, then slid a sly look toward Asher. “Since when do you hire assistants this charming p>
Asher gave the faintest smile and let the comment pass without acknowledgment, redirecting the conversation back to business without missing a beat.
Leo’s expression turned more guarded. “I want to work with you, Asher — I genuinely do. But I already have a standing agreement with the Edwards Group. Your brothers will not take it well if I make a separate arrangement with you p>
Seven years ago, it had been Asher who had secured the exclusive partnership between the Edwards family company and Ford Furnishings. A car accident three years later had destroyed everything he had built, and others had moved in quickly to claim what was his. Now Asher was methodically reclaiming it all, starting with Leo.