Lick Me Up If You Can Novel (Completed) - Chapter 154

“Good morning, Mr. Miller.”

As always, the security guard greeted the man who stepped out of the van with a friendly tone. The man with brilliant platinum blonde hair possessed an intimidating height and a physique to match, enough to exert pressure on anyone just by standing there. Even though he saw him almost every day, the guard instinctively tensed up and forced a smile, but the man merely nodded expressionlessly.

The man’s face had unbelievably sharp and delicate features, but it was devoid of expression. Showing no emotion, often giving off an unsettling aura, the man handed his car keys to the parking attendant and immediately walked towards the elevator.

After confirming that he had taken the private elevator and was rapidly ascending to his office, the security guard quickly picked up the phone at the reception desk and contacted the secretary’s office.

“Yes, understood.”

Upon hearing of her boss’s arrival, the secretary quickly checked the office, then returned to her desk and straightened her posture, looking at the door.

“Good morning, Mr. Miller.”

The secretary greeted her boss in a businesslike tone as he appeared punctually, as always. Just then, a dry lightning bolt struck in the gloomy sky. Seeing a flash of light appear and disappear against the gray sky visible through the panoramic window, the secretary felt a chill run down her spine.

The man walked past her and entered his office. After confirming the door had closed, the secretary quickly moved towards the pantry. The coffee she had set to brew should be ready by now. She was busy preparing tea along with documents to take in when suddenly, a knock was heard.

What is it at this hour?

The secretary, who had unconsciously frowned and looked up, then saw the person who entered the office and her expression grew even more troubled.

Knock, knock, a quiet knock was heard. Ashley, who had just taken out a cigarette and put it in his mouth, lit it, waiting for his secretary to enter. As expected, the secretary opened the door and came in, but her hands were empty, no coffee or documents.

“Um, Mr. Miller.”

The secretary spoke, her expression uncharacteristically troubled.

“It’s an unscheduled matter this early in the morning, but… a visitor has arrived suddenly.”

“A visitor? Now?”

To her boss, who frowned and checked his wristwatch, the secretary immediately replied,

“It’s 9:10 AM. I told her that an unscheduled appointment would be difficult, but she insisted that if you heard her out, you would agree.”

To his cool gaze, which stared at her without a word, the secretary added,

“She’s a woman, says she’s a high school classmate, and asks for just a moment of your time. She said it wouldn’t take long, about ten minutes.”

Soon, Ashley, hearing the name, let out a ha that contained annoyance.

“Send her away.”

He spoke as if she was not worth a second thought, but unlike other times, the secretary did not act immediately. As if she had expected such a reaction, she carefully continued,

“Um, she said she has something to talk about regarding ‘Koi.’”

It was only a few seconds, but the secretary noticed that her boss had clearly stiffened. This reaction from him was new, but she had no time to be surprised. Ashley slowly opened his mouth and glared at her with a terrifying expression she had never seen before.

“Why didn’t you say that from the beginning?”

“Th-that’s.”

The secretary, who had unconsciously stammered, hastily regained her composure and adjusted her tone, but a faint tremor still remained in her voice.

“Ms. Abbott said if you refused to meet her and told me to send her away, I should tell you that.”

“…Ha.”

This time, he let out a gasp aloud. The secretary fidgeted, looking at Ashley’s gaze from across the desk, which seemed to find her utterly absurd.

I really should have just sent her away.

Late regret washed over her, but it was already too late. More than anything, she felt self-loathing at the fact that she had been swayed by the other person’s confidence and overwhelming momentum.

She couldn’t hide her bewildered expression as she looked at her boss, but Ashley no longer looked at his secretary. As if deep in thought, he inhaled cigarette smoke until his cheeks hollowed deeply, then slowly exhaled the smoke. After a moment, he finally spoke.

“…Let her in. No need for tea.”

The secretary, who somehow understood his low, slightly hoarse voice, hastily replied, “Yes,” and quickly turned around. After she left the office, the door soon opened, and the unwelcome guest appeared.

“Hi, Ash. It’s really been a long time. You seem to be doing well.”

The high, powerful voice that had chanted cheers tirelessly over ten years ago flowed from her mouth unchanged. Ashley looked at Ariel’s lively smiling face, just as she used to be, without even a flicker of movement.

If it were the old him, he would have smiled back and greeted her, but now it was different. Ashley’s expressionless gaze, fixed on her, clearly showed annoyance. Ariel hadn’t expected him to welcome her either, so such a reaction didn’t hurt her or even upset her at all. Rather, she liked that he was displeased, Ariel couldn’t hide her smile as she surveyed the office.

“Amazing. My entire apartment building would be the size of this office alone. To use such a huge office all by yourself, you’ve really succeeded, haven’t you? You must have made a huge fee from this trial, too? Is that one potted plant worth that much?”

She spoke with full sarcasm, but Ashley was equally unaffected. Well, he probably lived hearing all sorts of insults from the world, so this much wouldn’t even be amusing. Ariel easily accepted this and moved.

She readily sat on the sofa, habitually crossing her long legs and leaning comfortably against the backrest. Ashley, seeing Ariel, deliberately checked his wristwatch. He had no intention of giving her a single second more than the ten minutes she had mentioned. Three minutes had already passed while she was boasting.

As Ashley took his eyes off his watch, Ariel finally spoke.

“Did your friends ever imagine that you’d be sitting in an office like this, obsessed with mere five or ten minutes, squeezing the blood out of poor people?”

To her somewhat absurd question, Ashley openly scoffed at her.

“You didn’t come all this way this early in the morning just to talk about old times, did you?”

“Of course not. You’re quick-witted, I like that. Some things haven’t changed, have they?”

Ariel, who had retorted as if she had been waiting, then frowned.

“But you’re not even offering your guest tea? You make so much money, yet you’re so stingy.”

“Six minutes and two seconds.”

As Ashley recited the remaining time indifferently, Ariel chuckled instead of being flustered, then finally got to the point.

“You met Koi, didn’t you?”

To Ashley, who just stared intently at her face instead of answering, Ariel continued,

“What’s going on? You bought him clothes and even gave him advice when he was going on a date with someone else? Where did the person who went crazy when I just wiped a bit of sauce from Bill’s mouth go?”

Ashley frowned, then opened his mouth. And pointed out a major error.

“It was his chin.”

Ariel’s expression turned utterly dumbfounded. But Ashley’s face remained largely unchanged. Ariel conceded to his point for now.

“Right, his chin. Anyway, that’s not the important thing, is it?”

Ariel, who had smiled sweetly, then narrowed her eyes and glared at him, saying,

“Honestly, Ash. What exactly are you up to? I don’t believe at all that you genuinely wish for Koi’s happiness. Koi seems to still trust you, but I’m different.”

To her fiercer tone, unlike before, Ashley responded with a relaxed demeanor.

“How cruel, to doubt my sincerity. Even if I’ve changed a lot from before…”

“No, you haven’t changed in that aspect.”

Ariel interrupted him. Looking at his frown, Ariel continued with a confident tone.

“Koi was special to you, wasn’t he? So much so that you only kissed for over a year of dating.”

A heavier silence than before settled between them.