My Heart Turned To Stone For Him

Donalds

age and a chilling clarity. Brianne's words, his words, my father's actions-

ers, the hushed murmur of unseen staff, it all felt suffocating. I heard laughter from the living room. Family. My stepmother, her

ed up, his expression shifting from amusement to irritation when he saw me. "Ashton. What is it now?

"Is that what you call it? Or is it just another transa

yes. "Watch your

e conquests. My eyes landed on a fragile porcelain vase, a relic from my childhood, a gift from my grandmot

s died. My father' s face hardened. I picked up the vase, its cool weight in m

my father demanded, hi

" And with a surge of raw, untamed anger, I flung the vase across the room. It shattered against the far wa

whimpered, burying her face in her mother's side. My f

shing himself out of his chair. "Do

"My dignity? My trust? My entire life, packaged and sold for your damn merger?

to intervene. "Ashton, darling, please.

nless you want to be the next piece of shattered porcelain." My words hung

impassive face. "Evelyn, take Chloe upstairs. Now." His voice brooked no ar

his voice low and dangerous. "Expl

her. Camden Winters. Brianne Vincent. The experimental drug. The merger. Did you really

t know what you're talking about." He tried to sound

o get access to your company's experimental drug? To save her? Did you know you were selling your

alliance, Ashton. A mutually beneficial arrangement. Camden needed the drug,

raged me, Father. You traded me like a stock option. You didn't care about my h

ger will secure our legacy for generations! It will provide countless jobs, develop life-saving tr

e as a glorified incubator for Camden Winter's 'unforgettable love'? You are pathetic, Father. Y

want? A pity party? A handout? You got your marriag

vorce. And I want to renounce my inheritance. Every single penny of

tible flicker of triumph. Good. One less heir to worry about. One less claim

its cold composure. "If that's what

bitter smile playing on my lips.

questions asked, indefinitely. And in return, you sign away every right to the Donaldson name, every single asset, every future cl

ady prepared my exile. The sheer coldness of his calculated move

ed dreams and broken trust. This was it. The final cut. I signed. My name, Ashton Donaldson, sc

ver, interfere with my life again, if you ever try to control me, or use me, or even speak my name in public, I will not only expose

I had hit a nerve. I had shown him a side of his "wild child"

rcelain and the wreckage of our relationship. The air outside felt crisp, c

on! Are you okay? Dad's furious. And Evelyn i

said, my voice flat. "

at does t

about me embarrassing you at your next debutante ball." I tried to

no. You

could protest further. I didn't want to talk

omfort. My friends, a motley crew of artists and free spirits, were

, putting a hand on my arm. "Yo

truth." I told them everything. The merger. Brianne. The dr

raw anger. "That bastard!" Maya, my closest friend, sla

tasting like poison. "But it

ked, his voice gentl

ways did. I was just too stupid to see it." The pain in my chest was a dull ache n

around me. "We're here

clinging to her. "That'

l he? Will he even notice I'm gone? Will he come after me? I push

bled through the blinds, painting the room in soft hues, I knew what I had to do. I needed to leav

. That was it. I was leaving everything behind. More than just possessions, I was leaving behind

carrying the faint scent of rain. I hailed a cab, my heart a hollow space in my c

lt beside me. It was Camden' s car. My blood ran cold. H

n' s security detail jumped out, his face grim. "Ms. D

trying to push past him. But he was too fast, t

I struggled, but

He knows about the div

ng to break free. My bag fell to the pavement, i

. He stepped out, tall and imposing, his eyes like ice. He looked utterly enraged,

he look in his eye