Game of Love and Deception: The Billionaire's Ex Wife
Chapter 54: Shall we, love?

Chapter 54: Shall we, love?

Fowler’s Auction Event Day

As Lorenzo’s sleek Bugatti came to a stop in front of the five star Bellvue Hotel, Ashley took a deep breath and smoothed out her stunning silver dress–one of the many extravagant gifts Lorenzo had given her.

She accepted his gifts at last because she didn’t know how to return them without hurting his emotions.

The cool evening air filled her lungs as the glass rolled down, and the sound of clicking cameras and chattering guests surrounded them. From a glance, anyone could tell it was a gathering reserved for only the elites.

Ashley carefully adjusted the provocative slit on her dress, stopping just above her mid-thigh. It was a deliberate choice. Christian preferred her in more modest attire, and she knew he’d be present tonight. Lorenzo, on the other hand, shared her taste in style, or worse, even preferred more scandalous clothes, as long as she had him to scare off other men’s gawking eyes. She shouldn’t feel this good about that—but she did.

As they stepped out of the car, a thrill ran through her, and a sly smile curved her lips. They were surrounded by high-profile guests, all dressed in designer gowns and sharp tuxedos. The air was filled with the scent of expensive perfumes and the hum of hollow chatters.

Typical of the rich. Everything was meant to feel polished, but obviously not all was sincere.

Ashley had to admit she felt a little out of place. She wasn’t used to these kinds of events—Christian had always taken Kayla instead of her. And even though she was now a CEO, her inauguration party was the only one she’d attended. But with Lorenzo by her side, she felt more confident. Just a little more.

Lorenzo offered her his arm, and she hesitantly took it.

His caramel skin stood out beautifully against hers, reminding her just how much she’d loved the contrast from the very first time. She inhaled deeply when the memories tried to rush in, pushing them back.

"You look stunning... just like always," Lorenzo whispered, his warm breath brushing against her ear.

"Thank you," Ashley replied, her voice a little lower than she intended.

A flutter stirred in her chest, but she quickly pushed it aside. This was all just part of the show.

They stepped onto the red carpet, immediately drawing attention from the paparazzi, who abandoned another couple just to focus on them.

Life lesson—people always moved on to new things once they got bored of the old.

"Mr. Grey! Miss Flynn! Over here!" cameras flashed non-stop.

Ashley’s eyes drifted to the couple ahead of them. When they turned around, her suspicion was confirmed—Christian and Kayla. A subtle smile graced her lips when Kayla’s eyes locked onto hers, her perfectly made-up face twisting with both shock and anger.

Ashley kept her gaze partly on the reporters, her grip tightening on Lorenzo’s arm, aware Kayla was still watching. She could practically feel her burning with jealousy as they stole the spotlight.

The reporters fired off questions.

"Miss Flynn, Mr. Grey, how’s your relationship going?"

"Are wedding bells in the air?" another called out.

Wedding bells? Ashley almost choked on her saliva.

Lorenzo’s gaze met hers briefly, making her heart skip. Then he turned back to the reporters with a calm, unreadable expression. "No comment," he said, his deep voice polite but firm.

’Why didn’t he just tell them no?’ Ashley thought quietly. But on the surface she kept smiling, careful to stay in character.

As they attempted to walk past, she noticed Kayla’s foot subtly shift into her path.

Like a blind bat, Ashley stepped forward, her stiletto heel landing squarely on the obstacle. Thanks to her kind heart, she didn’t press hard enough to cause an injury, but she did make sure Kayla felt something.

Kayla winced, her face contorting in pain just as Christian turned to her in concern.

"How dare you!" she cried out, drawing attention.

Always a drama queen. Ashley internally rolled her eyes before immediately turning to them with an apologetic expression.

She Locked eyes with Christian before fixing her sorry gaze on Kayla.

"Oh, I’m so sorry, Miss Beckett! I didn’t see you there," she apologized sweetly.

Lorenzo turned at the sound of Kayla’s outburst, but after seeing the pain clearly written on her face, he turned back to his girlfriend. "Are you okay, sunshine?" he asked, his voice laced with genuine concern, making Ashley almost laugh.

"Yeah, I almost tripped, but thank God you got me," Ashley said with a soft voice. "But I think I hurt Miss Beckett instead. I’m really sorry," she added, continuing with her act.

Kayla, boiling with rage, wanted to puke from the lovey-dovey display they had put up in front of her. Her eyes burned with anger, but Ashley’s innocent "sorry" expression stayed intact, as if nothing had happened.

"Even a blind person wouldn’t use that excuse," Christian snapped, rushing to Kayla’s defense.

For someone who had been obsessively planning how to win Ashley back, he hadn’t meant to say that. But seeing her looking so stunning with Lorenzo made him lose it before he even realized. He suddenly regretted not taking Ashley to these events and showing her off during their marriage instead of Kayla.

Ashley noticed Christian giving her a slow once-over, his gaze pausing on the exposed part of her leg. From the corner of her eye, she caught the flicker of irritation on his face. She felt a surge of pride. If she were handed scissors right now, she wouldn’t hesitate to add to the tearing.

"Be careful how you talk to my woman, Mr. Harrington," Lorenzo replied, his tone edged with warning. "If your girlfriend hadn’t gotten in the way, there wouldn’t have been an accident."

His possessive tone made Ashley’s heart skip more beats again. But then she reminded herself it was all just a game, meant to deceive the public.

Christian’s jaw clenched, and Ashley bit the inside of her cheek to keep herself from laughing.

"Shall we, love?" Lorenzo murmured near her ear, guiding her toward the entrance while the reporters stayed outside.

Ashley glanced back just in time to catch Christian’s intense glare and Kayla’s furious expression beside him. The sight gave her butterflies.

Tonight was only the beginning of their pain.

Inside, they took their seats—Lorenzo at number six, Ashley at seven. Christian and Kayla later walked in and sat directly in front of them at numbers three and four.

Soon, the event kicked off as the moderator climbed the stage to welcome everyone.