Secret Scion

Selena instinctively looked at Asher. Since Asher had not been in Alexandrius for the past few

years, Selena had not seen Asher for a long time. When she was at the Riverside Tavern last time, she had simply given Asher's figure a glance. She was not bold enough to even glance at his face.

Asher had clean-cut short hair. His facial features were very prominent, like that of a masterfully sculpted statue. His lips were thin and seemed to be always smiling. His eyes were black and were seemingly clear of all doubts.

In Selena's memory, Asher was still a teenager. But when she saw him again, he had already grown up and become a very charismatic man. Unlike Sebastian who had a degree of gentleness in his beauty, Asher was much more handsome in the classical sense.

Selena did not know why. When her eyes met with his, she could feel somewhat nervous as she averted her gaze and subconsciously touched her hair.

Rose could not help but frown as she suddenly felt somewhat conflicted. For some reason, she really wished that Asher was not going to be here for the engagement party.

"Asher? Everybody has already found out what you did to Layla and you still dare to show your face in my brother's engagement party? Aren't you afraid that others will ridicule you?" Jeremiah looked at Asher with a sneer.

"Huh? Isn't that the Crawfords' exiled scion? Why is he here? Did Sebastian invite him too?" "Oh, Asher. He had all the good cards in his hand, yet he still failed miserably. The Crawfords aren't any weaker compared to the other first grade households. If he didn't do what he did, he would never have fallen this far."

"He did that to himself. He could have drugged anyone else, but no... he had to drug his own cousin. He's worse than an animal."

As soon as Jeremiah said his piece, some of them who were nearby began to whisper among themselves when they saw Asher.

Layla and the Lane sisters were not that far away. Naturally, they heard everything. There were plenty of emotions flashing through Layla's heart. There was regret, remorse, and anguish. If she had calmed down and analyzed what happened instead of accusing Asher with so much certainty that he was the one who drugged her, then Asher would not have ended up like this. Asher had already gotten used to others humiliating him these past few days. At the beginning, he would be enraged by them. However, after hearing these things again and again, Asher had become numb to it. There was nothing he could do since he could not stop others from talking about it, right?

Asher simply walked toward them without giving Jeremiah even a glance. With a faint smile, he said, "Congratulations to the both of you, Rose and Sebastian."

"Thanks," Rose replied.

Sebastian then said with a smirk, "If today wasn't the day of my engagement party, I would've taught those people that humiliated you a lesson."

Asher then said, "Those who commit crimes must be punished, right? They're simply saying what they're thinking. At least, they're much more genuine than wolves in sheep's clothing, am I right?"

Everyone knew that Asher was talking about Sebastian. However, the latter was not affected by it at all and maintained his cool.

Jeremiah cut in and said, "Asher, today's a happy day for Sebastian. If you do anything rash, I won't spare you!"

Asher shrugged and then looked at Selena, "I've seen you on screen for the past few years, Ms. Horton. However, it feels like I've been looking at an illusion. Now that I've seen the real person, I feel that you're still not as mature and graceful as the woman portrayed in the television." Selena simply said with an emotionless expression, "Really? I never thought that a scion like you would pay attention to a woman like me. I'm honored."

Jeremiah then said angrily, "Auntie Selena, forget about him. He's no scion."

The ceremony would start at twelve in the afternoon. The Macquoids had built a stage in the middle of the garden and hired some minor celebrities to perform for them.

When they were having their meal, Asher was seated in an inconspicuous spot. Everyone around him were strangers.

It was not long until Huxley walked over to him with a glass of red wine in his hand and whispered, "Can't you see that the reason they invited you is to humiliate you? Asher, why don't you have any self-awareness at all? Why did you still come to a place like this after what you've become? Don't you feel embarrassed at all? I'm ashamed for you." Asher's expression became ice-cold.

Huxley then continued with a smile, "I know you hate me. But you forced my hand. Don't blame me, my dear cousin. I promise you. Once I'm the patriarch of the Crawfords, I'll let you return to the fold. We're still related by blood after all, and I don't want to see you end up on the streets." Huxley had just finished saying that when Asher grabbed the glass of wine in front of him and splashed it on Huxley's face.

After the banquet was over, Asher was about to leave the residence.

It was at this time Jeremiah came over to stop Asher with a dry smile. "Asher, you can't leave just yet. Sebastian arranged something in the evening. You have to join."

Asher then replied, "Don't tell me that he wants to consummate the marriage tonight?"

"Even if he does, he won't invite you..." Jeremiah stopped before he finished the sentence when he felt that something was wrong. He then realized that Asher had led him astray. He gritted his teeth and said, "Asher, if it isn't because of the fact that today is Sebastian's engagement party, I would've definitely mowed you down! You better stay put and not wander off!" With that, Jeremiah left.

Asher suddenly remembered the text he received last night. Sebastian wanted to test him. Asher was confused as to why Sebastian wanted to test him. What was Sebastian's motive in doing that?

At this time, many of the guests had already left. Asher then proceeded to walk around in the residence. Since Sebastian had already prepared the stage for him, he had to play along. Otherwise, Sebastian would feel very slighted.

"I didn't retaliate all these years, did I?"

When Asher reached the other side of the Macquoid's residence, a lovely voice came from behind him. However, there was a hint of bitterness in that voice that would make others feel pity for the owner of that voice.

Asher turned around and looked at Selena. While some women became uglier as time passed, some ugly women became beautiful instead.

Selena was not in either group. She was already quite pretty, but when she was still studying, she still carried a hint of innocence within her. After so many years, Selena had become the goddess of so many men. She was mature but spirited; graceful but voluptuous.

"No, because you're not that kind of woman." Asher knew that Selena was talking about what happened in the washroom. While Selena hated him, she did not act on that hate. Of course, it was not because Selena was not able to do so.

"Then, why must you keep crossing me? Do you really want everyone to know about what happened? Does that make you feel high and mighty?" Selena had wanted to ask him all those questions for a long time. However, she simply could not find a chance to ask him about it. Not to mention that it happened such a long time ago. Asher might have already forgotten about it. It was best to stay silent about it.

In truth? Selena was wrong. Every time she met Asher, he would always allude to what had happened. It made Selena feel awkward and frustrated each time.

Asher smiled and said, "I've never crossed you. I simply cross the ones that want to cross me." "Sebastian?" Selena naturally knew about Sebastian's attitude toward Asher. Especially when Sebastian treated Asher as his biggest competitor when he came back. "Even if you are on bad terms, what does that have to do with me? You keep on dragging me into this... How is that fair to me?"

Selena's beautiful eyes shone with ethereal light as her long eyelashes quivered slightly. Any man would soften seeing her like that.

Asher hesitated for a few seconds and asked, "You really want to know the reason?" "Yes." Selena nodded.

"That's because he cares a lot about you."

Selena then said nonchalantly, "Aren't you stating the obvious? I'm his aunt."

Asher shook his head and said, "That's not what I mean. When I left, he was already about 25 years old. If the person he really loved was Rose, he would have already gotten engaged to her a few years ago. Why would he drag this until today? In the past few years when he was away, I believe that Rose didn't stay in contact with him either. Even if they did have feelings for each other, time would've made those feelings much weaker. However, he wasn't engaged to Rose. Don't you think that he's just treating Rose as a replacement?"

Selena did not know how to answer Asher after hearing what he had to say.

"Selena, you know better than I do when it comes to his feelings for you. That's not familial love, but you simply refuse to acknowledge it. Am I wrong?" Crawford smiled coldly.