Filed To Story: The Broken-Hearted She and The Icy He Book PDF Free
James wanted more from him. Which meant… James cared more about him than ever before!
Overcome, Ashton decided to add extra ceremony. Spotting a bundle of dried flowers in the trunk, he hurriedly grabbed it and thrust it into James’s hands.
“Happy birthday! I’ll sing for you.”
“Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you…”
Who on earth wanted flowers from another man-and a birthday song on the roadside?
James’s face darkened further. The only saving grace was that the street was empty; otherwise, this humiliation would have been unbearable.
“If you think this isn’t enough, I can gather everyone at the resort to sing for you later.”
James pressed his lips into a grim line. Just the thought of being surrounded like that made his scalp prickle.
Clearly, Ashton had left his brain at home this morning. If James didn’t spell it out, he’d never understand.
After letting the silence settle, James finally said coldly, “Remind Lily that today is my birthday.”
Ashton froze, then the truth clicked.
So that was it! James wasn’t dropping hints because he wanted Ashton to celebrate-he wanted Mrs. Ginger-no, his wife-to do it!
As the most attentive of lackeys, Ashton couldn’t fail him now. He straightened, nodding eagerly. “I’ll call her right away!”
Wife…
Hearing that word made James’s lips curve almost involuntarily.
He had left before Lily woke, but he knew she had an early session at the recording studio and had set her alarm for seven. By now, she should be up. He didn’t stop Ashton.
When Ashton called, Lily had just finished washing up. She answered at once.
“What’s the matter?”
“Today is James’s birthday,” Ashton said, sneaking a glance at his boss. “If you haven’t prepared a gift yet, I can suggest a few ideas.”
Lily chuckled softly. She knew Ashton meant well.
“Thank you for reminding me. I’ve already prepared his gift. Don’t tell him-I want to surprise him tonight.”
“Got it.”
Ashton’s heart leapt.
The lady had something planned. James would be thrilled. And if James was happy, then so was he.
He exchanged a few more polite words with Lily before hanging up.
In truth, when Lily had said she’d prepared James’s gift, Ashton, the ever-clever assistant, had already discreetly switched on the speakerphone.
After ending the call, he repeated to his boss, “Mrs. Luke remembered your birthday. She’s already prepared your gift, but she told me not to tell you-she wants to surprise you.”
“Mm.”
James’s voice stayed icy, but the corners of his lips betrayed him, rising no matter how he tried to keep them down. In his dark eyes, warmth bloomed like a field of spring flowers.
Through the rearview mirror, Ashton caught the ghost of a smile on his boss’s face and nearly stomped on the gas in shock.
Then he found himself grinning too, brows arching in delight.
Seeing James and Lily so close genuinely pleased him. He sincerely hoped they could stay sweet forever.
But as he was basking in the glow of their happiness, a sharp gunshot cracked the air.
A split second later, a bullet slammed into the speeding Koenigsegg’s body…
Lily’s birthday gift for James was a tie, a white shirt, and a suit jacket.
She had made them all herself.
The gift box had already been bought.
After hanging up, she laid the tie, shirt, and jacket neatly inside, admiring them for a long while.
She trusted her sewing skills. James was so handsome-she didn’t even dare imagine how good he would look in clothes she had made with her own hands.
She gazed at her “masterpiece” with quiet pride before closing the lid and tying a perfect bow with the ribbon.
After breakfast, she had the driver take her to the recording studio.
She’d drunk quite a lot of water earlier, so the first thing she did upon arrival was head to the restroom.
As she stepped out of a stall, she saw a cleaner standing nearby.
She assumed the woman was about to empty the bins and thought nothing of it. She had run into cleaners in bathrooms before.
But just as she walked past, the “cleaner” lunged forward and clamped a rag over her nose and mouth.
Lily struggled desperately-she had no intention of letting this woman overpower her.
For safety, two trained bodyguards had been assigned to accompany her everywhere.
Of course, they couldn’t follow her inside the restroom, but they wouldn’t have gone far. One cry for help and they would come.
She opened her mouth to scream, lifting a foot to kick over a mop bucket to make noise-
But the cloth over her mouth was soaked in a heavy sedative.
The pungent sweetness filled her nose. She hadn’t even managed a sound before the darkness swallowed her whole.
“Why hasn’t she come out yet?”
The two bodyguards waiting outside grew uneasy after more than ten minutes.
“I’ll check.”
One strode quickly to the door and knocked. “Madam, are you almost done?”
No answer.
His unease deepened.
They called several more times, still no response.
Even though it was a women’s restroom, they didn’t dare wait any longer and burst inside.
Every stall door stood open. Lily was nowhere to be found.
Their faces went pale.
They had stood guard the whole time. She couldn’t have simply vanished. It was the sixth floor -she couldn’t have climbed out a window.
Only one person had entered the restroom during that time: the female cleaner.
And on the cleaner’s cart had been a large lidded trash bin.
The two men exchanged a grim look.
They immediately requested the building’s security footage.
The video showed the cleaner pushing her cart out of the restroom-but soon she rolled into a blind spot. Then nothing.
Panic clawed at their throats, but they didn’t dare hide the incident. They dialed James’s phone to report what had happened.
Call after call went unanswered.
They tried Ashton-also no answer…
Lily woke because of the cold.
Spring’s chill bit into her as icy water splashed over her body. She shivered violently.