After Death, Love Unveiled (Elara and Lysander)
Unveiled 182

Chapter 182

Lysander received a message, then slipped his phone back into his pocket.

That afternoon, Elara was working on something in her office. When she looked up, she was startled to see Asher standing in the doorway.

Asher had been busy dealing with matters related to his stepfather for a long time, and Elara hadn't seen him around in quite a while. She hadn't even noticed when he arrived and nearly jumped out of her skin, Standing up, Elara walked toward the door. Seeing her approach, Asher assumed she was going to say something to him. Just as he was about to speak, the door slammed shut in his face with a loud bang.

Asher let out a helpless chuckle. He had initially come to talk to Evelyn about something, but after seeing Elara sitting there, he couldn't resist stealing a few extra glances at her.

He wasn't sure what he was doing. His mood had been chaotic lately, and he often found himself wanting someone to talk to. Clearly, though, Elara wasn't the right person for that.

Shaking it off, Asher headed straight to Evelyn's office. After finishing his business, he ran into Adair on his way out. "Excuse me, Mr. Blackwood," Adair said, stopping him.

Adair usually addressed him by his first name. Hearing the sudden formality, Asher frowned slightly.

"Ms, Balslev, I've sent you messages recently, but you never replied," Asher said, his tone faintly displeased.

"I've been too busy," Adair replied. Though Asher's expression remained gentle, there was a subtle coolness in his eyes.

"I heard about your stepfather's passing. My condolences. You must be even busier now," Adair looked at him and continued. "There's a lot on my plate," Asher admitted, his voice calm but tinged with weariness. Despite his well-groomed appearance, he carried a faint aura of exhaustion.

Adair smirked. "You came all the way here to see Elara and didn't even bother to visit me."

Hearing her tease, Asher immediately clarified, "I just came to see Ms. Hawthorne about something."

Adair laughed. "I know. I'm just messing with you. Even if you were interested in Elara, she'd never feel the same way. She's in love with Lysander."

Lysander was outstanding in every way, which was why Adair didn't worry at all about whether Asher still harbored feelings for Elara.

Her words cut through Asher like a knife. There was so much he wanted to say, how Lysander used to be insignificant in Elara's eyes. But he held his tongue, unwilling to tarnish Elara's reputation.

"I've got things to handle at the office. I'll be going now," Asher said tersely before walking away without another word. Adair watched him leave, frowning slightly. she thought to herself.

Back at QuickClip, Asher had just stepped out of his car when a staff member approached him. "Mr. Blackwood, welcome back," they greeted.

Asher entered the building and listened intently as his team updated him on the company's progress. Just then, a woman stumbled into him, colliding with his chest.

12:20 Sun, Nov 24 GO.

Chapter 182

"What's wrong with your his assistant snapped at the woman.

"Sorry," the woman murmured, bending down to pick up the items she'd dropped. As she stood back up, her face came into full view. Asher froze for a moment. To his surprise, it was Daphne.

Daphne stared at him, her eyes fixated.

His assistant, visibly irritated, scolded her. "Step aside. Staring at Mr. Blackwood like that is incredibly rude."

"Mr. Blackwood, hello," Daphne said, ignoring the assistant's tone. "It's been a while."

Asher let out a faint chuckle. Back in their school days, Daphne and he had been considered the golden couple, a match made in heaven. Now, though, as he looked at her, she didn't seem remotely worthy of him anymore. "What are you doing here?" he asked, his tone devoid of warmth

"I'm here for an interview," Daphne replied. "I recently moved back to Starfield City and am looking for a job. I didn't expect to run into you here."

Asher smirked coldly. He'd been in the public eye a lot lately, so Daphne's claim of surprise was clearly fabricated.

"Did you really not expect it, or was it all part of your plan?" Asher asked, his voice sharp.

Judging by her current state, her cheap clothing, and her tired demeanor it was evident that she wasn't doing well.

Asher knew exactly what kind of person Daphne was. Most likely, she had seen how successful he'd become and was trying to worm her way back into his life.

Asher remembered how Daphne had once aborted his child, only to now show up at his company for a job interview. The irony of the situation made him feel like he'd achieved a satisfying kind of revenge.

Back then, Daphne could never have imagined that Asher, the son of a gambler, would one day rise to this level of success. Daphne lifted her gaze to meet his. "If I had known this was your company, I wouldn't have come. I know you hate me." The people around them, seeing Asher speaking with Daphne, exchanged confused glances, unsure of what was happening. Asher turned to them. "You all go ahead and prepare for the meeting. I'll join you in a bit."

"Understood, Mr. Blackwood," one of them replied before they all filed out of the room.

Once they were alone, Asher looked at Daphne and said, "All these years, and you're still as good at acting as ever."

Daphne studied him closely. She'd heard about his recent successes, but seeing him in person, so poised, so polished, was still hard to believe.

'Is this really Asher? The son of that gambling addict?' she wondered.

Hearing him accuse her of acting, Daphne responded, "I really just came here looking for a job."

Asher sneered. "Weren't you supposed to be marrying rich? You even aborted my child to marry some old man. And now, here you are, looking for work?"

At the mention of the child, Daphne froze. Her lips trembled slightly, and she clenched her hands tightly.

After a long pause, she finally replied, "I'm not with him anymore."

"Not with him?" Asher let out a mocking laugh. "He dumped you, didn't he?"

Chapter 182-

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"I was with him because of my family's situation, Daphne explained. "But later, I realized we weren't a good match, so we broke up." Asher smirked. "As long as he had money, wasn't that enough for you? You love money, don't you? So why wasn't it a good match?"

Daphne's gaze softened as she looked at him carnestly. "Because I could never forget you. After being with you, everyone else felt... inferior.

"Asher, I always knew you were amazing, but I never imagined you'd become this extraordinary. You went from having nothing to where you are now. You're the most inspiring person I've ever known.

Though her flattery felt good to hear, Asher's bitterness toward her remained undiminished. "You're shameless enough to say anything for money. Honestly, I don't know what I ever saw in you. You're nothing compared to Elara."

At the mention of Elara, Daphne's expression soured, and she frowned.

Taking a deep breath, she said, "You're right. It's all my fault. I'm the reason you and Elara broke up."

"You hit the nail on the head," Asher replied coldly. "If I'd known back in school what kind of person you were, I'd never have ruined things with her for your sake."

The thought of Elara now being with Lysander made his blood boil.

Asher had once believed that as long as he became successful, he'd never lack admirers. But looking back now, he realized that only Elara had ever truly cared for him, genuinely, unconditionally.

Even when he had nothing and came from such a disadvantaged background, she had liked him for who he was.

Daphne, on the other hand, had only loved the image of him as a wealthy man.

Daphne bit her lip. "I'm sorry," she murmured, tears rolling down her cheeks. "I'll go now. Sorry for bothering you today."

As she turned to leave, Asher stopped her. "Wait."

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