Skip to content
Novel Catalog
Chapter 16: She Has Done So Much for Him
Lainey’s voice was sharp as she spoke to Ainsley. “Good for you.”
Ainsley knew her friend was still upset, but she didn’t know how to comfort her. Instead, she just quietly watched, allowing the silence to settle between them. When Lainey’s comment finally sunk in, Ainsley couldn’t help but let out a soft laugh. The tension in the air felt ridiculous.
Meanwhile, Cason’s face twisted into an unreadable expression as he frowned at Ainsley. “My mother chased you out. Are you sick?” His voice held a trace of concern—too little, too late.
Ainsley could hardly believe her ears. Was he actually acting concerned about her now? Was this the same man who had treated her like nothing for so long? Her eyes flicked to the door of the bureau, and a feeling of ridicule washed over her.
Her expression remained cold and indifferent as she met his gaze. “Yes, I’m sick. So, Mr. Baldry, please finish the procedures as soon as possible to avoid any further misunderstanding.”
With that, she turned on her heel and pulled Lainey away, not giving Cason a chance to say anything else.
Once Ainsley and Lainey were gone, Cason pulled out his phone and dialed Kaliyah’s number. He needed answers about what had happened the day before.
“Kaliyah, what happened yesterday?” His voice was clipped, the irritation palpable.
Kaliyah answered, sounding a little helpless. “I wanted Ms. Easton to stay, but Lindsay seemed to be at odds with her, so I asked someone to drive her away.”
A faint unease bloomed in Cason’s chest as he listened, and he cut her off before she could say more. “Kaliyah, that house was given to her by me.” His voice held a note of finality.
Ainsley, of course, had no idea what Cason had said to Kaliyah. She checked her phone, finding a series of missed messages from Roman.
“Miss, can you accept $500?”
“$400 can do!”
“Miss?”
“Hello?”
“Money really isn’t a problem!”
Ainsley rolled her eyes in disbelief. This was starting to feel like a game she had no interest in playing.
Meanwhile, over at the Gage household, Roman was anxiously watching Manuel as he fiddled with a vase of roses. His face was calm, but his mind was clearly elsewhere.
“Mr. Gage, what if Ms. Easton ignores me? I’ve already lowered the rent to $400! Is that still expensive?” Roman’s voice was tinged with frustration.
Manuel’s gaze was steady as he cut the excess leaves from the flowers, his tone unusually placid. “Don’t worry.”
But Roman wasn’t convinced. Leaning in closer, he asked, “Mr. Gage, what are you thinking? It’s your house. You could just give it to Ms. Easton outright. Why are you making it seem like it’s mine? Even if you like her, there’s no need to hide it.”
Manuel glanced at him, a faint smirk playing at the corners of his lips as he continued to work with the flowers. “You wouldn’t understand.”
Roman couldn’t help but mutter, “I don’t understand. But Ms. Easton has been married before… I didn’t expect you to be interested in a divorced woman…”
Before Roman could finish, he tripped over his own feet, nearly tumbling to the floor. As he righted himself, he looked up to see Manuel walking past him, wiping his hands on a cloth, and casually remarking, “You talk too much.”
Roman stood there, utterly stunned, as Manuel’s words lingered in the air. He could hardly wrap his mind around the situation. What was going on with Manuel?
Just then, Ainsley sent Roman a message:
“Mr. Heyman, thank you for your kindness. Just give me the market price. When it’s convenient for you, we can go see the house.”
Roman hesitated before handing the phone to Manuel. “Mr. Gage, Ms. Easton said that she wants to rent it at the market price…”
Manuel’s lips curved into a rare smile as he looked at the message. “Then do as she says.”
That night, Cason was at a bar, surrounded by a group of friends. He wasn’t speaking much—just drinking, deep in thought, his mood dark and brooding.
The friends around him exchanged quiet whispers, unsure if they should approach.
“Cason really went through with the divorce?” one of them asked, his voice filled with disbelief. “Does that mean he and Kaliyah are getting married now?”
“Well, of course,” another friend chimed in. “I heard that Kaliyah’s father and some others are involved too.”
“It’s good for Cason and Kaliyah,” someone else added. “That Ainsley girl isn’t all that great. She doesn’t have much education, and she’s an orphan.”
The comments hung in the air like smoke, but the mood in the group shifted when one of them hesitated, then said, “But remember, when Cason was at his lowest point, Ainsley did a lot for him. She found him a few projects back then, didn’t she?”
Cason’s head snapped up at the mention of Ainsley’s name. His eyes narrowed, a flash of something—anger? Regret?—flashed across his face as he leaned forward, his voice low and dangerous. “What did you say?”
The group fell silent, their eyes flicking nervously between one another. It was clear that Cason was no longer in the mood for idle gossip. But in the back of his mind, a question lingered. Had Ainsley really done so much for him?
