Hearing my silence, he must have thought that I was still unable to let it go. Hence, he said, “HiTech is still yours. No matter what happens from now on, it’ll always be yours. Please rest well for the baby.”
“Ashton,” I called out, my voice slightly rough. “About the accident that happened when you sent Rebecca to K City and the Fuller Corporation’s emergency. Were these all part of your plan?”
These two incidents had happened too coincidentally, and after they happened, I ruminated over all kinds of possibilities. The only possibility I dared not think about was the possibility that they were all part of Ashton’s plan.
He looked at me with a stern gaze. “Are you suspecting that I’ve used you as the scapegoat?”
My heart ached as I stared at him. “From the moment I entered the company, I’ve been in charge of the projects. I’ve never done any marketing and auditing jobs. Yet, after completing Dr. Ludwick’s case, you put me in charge of the audits for Fuller Corporation and HiTech. Based on what I gather from how you usually work, you’d give me only one case at a time. However, you’ve given me both at the same time.”
At that, he raised his brow. “Go on.”
I shifted my body to find a more comfortable position to lie in before I continued, “You say it’s my punishment for delaying Dr. Ludwick’s final payment, but it’s just a cover. The two major problems that Fuller Corporation faces after listing are the capital chain and financial risk.”
“Fuller Corporation’s funds have always been the most sufficient among the listed companies. Why do you think that the Fuller Corporation will be short of funds?”
Looking at how confident he was, I could not help but laugh. “If your funds are sufficient, why did the company lose tens of millions just because Dr. Ludwick delayed his final payment by a few days?”
Glancing at his furrowed brows, I continued, “Fuller Corporation’s emergency is just part of your plan. During those few days, you eliminated the stockholders who could not survive and bought their stocks at low prices. When Fuller Corporation returned to normal, these stock prices would be then sold at a higher price. In this way, the Fuller Corporation’s market value will increase by almost double.”
He was the one in charge of the company. Naturally, he knew all of these.
After hearing that my analysis was close to the truth, he raised a brow and said, “You’re my wife. There is no reason for me to put you at risk.”
The moment those words left his mouth, I burst into laughter. “Ashton, do you really take me as your wife?”
There are only so many important people in the company. Jared and Joe are friends who had gone through tough times with him. There was no way he would make them the scapegoat.
At the end of the day, I was the most suitable candidate.
“Scarlett, many things in this world aren’t as simple as what meets the eyes. You’re smart, but you don’t know everything.”
He sounded weary, and I could see that he was exhausted.
Falling silent, I leaned on the headboard to collect myself. Then, I climbed out of the bed and muttered, “Go ahead with your work. I’m going to take a walk downstairs.”
Mrs. Eriksen was tending to the plants that the rain had wrecked yesterday. When she saw me downstairs, she chuckled, “You’re awake. Are you still feeling unwell?”
I shook my head in response. It was then I noticed the bayberry tree in the garden could not avoid the cruelty of the rain too; the bayberries were all over the floor, and they all looked ripe.
After recovering from my fever, I was in a much better mood. I then returned to the living room to grab a basket so that I could pick the bayberries that were close to me.
Looking at the delicious, red fruits, my mouth watered, and I moved to put them in my mouth.
“What a glutton!” came a voice behind me. It was Ashton. He walked over to me and took the basket from me as he muttered, “There are a lot of insects inside these bayberries. If you don’t wash them before you eat them, you’ll have an upset stomach later.”
At that, he handed the basket to Mrs. Eriksen and instructed, “Soak them in saltwater for a while.”
Mrs. Eriksen quickly took it, and she gave us a wink before she left.
After that, I raised my head to look at the bayberries that I could not reach. Ashton then commented, “Pick the ones by the end of the branches. Otherwise, they’ll all fall to the ground, and it’ll be a waste.”
At that, he glanced at me. However, instead of reaching out to pick the fruits, he bent over and carried me up.
Before I could come to my senses, he had already carried me up onto his shoulders. “Stay still and be careful.”
For a moment, my world spun. Instinctively, I held his head to support myself as I wondered in disbelief. Why is he making me pick the fruits this way?
“Stop daydreaming and pick them quickly,” he urged.
I was now at a height much taller than I was used to. After a pause, I picked the fruits that I could reach.
However, I did not have a basket with me, so I froze. A thought popped into my mind, and I shoved the bayberry into Ashton’s mouth.
As both of his hands were holding onto me, he could only let me shove the fruits into his mouth.
After eating several bayberries, he mumbled, “Stop putting them in my mouth and ask Mrs. Eriksen to bring the basket over. I can’t eat that many.”
“Didn’t you say I’d get an upset stomach if I eat it like this? Have more. I want to know if you’d get an upset stomach,” I replied as I continued picking the fruits.
Mrs. Eriksen then took out the basket. When she saw me on his shoulders, she blurted out, “Oh my god. Be careful! She’s already five months pregnant. What if she falls from that height? We have a ladder at home. Don’t do this; it’s not safe!”
