You Had Me, You Lost Me, You'll Never Find Me novel Chapter 132

Without giving the person on the other end a chance to respond, he simply hung up the phone.

Even though he was the one who had ended the call, a look of profound, silent hurt washed over his face.

This was the first time Eleanor had ever seen Ashton look like this. From the time he was a child, he had never seemed to care deeply about anything.

Everything in life had come to him so easily—money, women, everything. With his striking looks, he was a natural magnet for girls. He had always possessed an indifferent attitude toward the world; if he lost something, he lost it. He certainly never lacked for replacements.

Eleanor remembered picking him up from school a few times when he was young. Every time, he was surrounded by a gaggle of girls, some even sneaking love letters into his unzipped backpack.

But Ashton's expression was always cold, keeping everyone at a calculated distance.

The first time he had truly cared for a woman was Rebecca. After her, there didn't seem to be anyone else.

Eleanor had never even considered that little starlet. In her eyes, Sylvia was just a woman Ashton kept around to fulfill his physical needs. But looking at him now, it seemed she had been entirely wrong.

At that realization, Eleanor's face grew stern.

"Was that the girl you were with for three years? Sylvia?"

Ashton arched an eyebrow, looking mildly surprised—whether it was because Eleanor had suddenly appeared or because she actually remembered Sylvia's name, it was hard to tell.

He didn't bother hiding it. "It was her."

Eleanor's frown deepened. "Didn't you two break up? Why does it sound like you still refuse to let her go and are actively making trouble for the Sterling family?"

Ashton clearly didn't want to discuss it. "Don't worry about it. It's nothing."

He stood up, ready to head out, but Eleanor grabbed his arm. "Take Reina to go look at rings in a bit. You two are getting married soon. How can you not even have a ring?"

Ashton fell silent for a moment before speaking. "She and I aren't a good match. I'm not going to marry her."

Reina, who was standing just outside the doorway, turned pale as a sheet at his words.

Harrison happened to be walking over as well. He had intended to have a word with Ashton, but hearing his son spout such nonsense made his face darken instantly. Struggling to suppress his anger, he barked, "Ashton."

When Harrison brought up the marriage to Reina again, Ashton gave the exact same answer.

"I'm not doing it. Over my dead body."

Furious, Harrison grabbed the family's heavy leather riding crop and lashed it fiercely across Ashton's back, pointing a shaking finger in his face.

"You just decide to back out of the engagement whenever you please? Where is your respect for the generations of friendship between the Wyatt and Winslet families?"

"When your grandfather passed away, if the Winslet family hadn't stepped in to help, do you think you'd be sitting as comfortably as you are today?"

"Now that we've weathered the storm, you want to break the engagement? How do you expect the rest of the world to look at the Wyatt family?!"

The sting of the whip bit into Ashton's flesh, but he gritted his teeth and took it. However, the mention of his grandfather ignited a blazing fury in his chest that he couldn't suppress. "You want to talk about Grandfather? How much better were any of you? Where were you when he passed away?"

"Growing up, whenever I needed you, where were either of you?"

"You brought me into this world but never bothered to raise me. And now that you need me, I'm just supposed to blindly obey you."