From His Fake Wife to Billionaire Heiress Chapter 196: A Familiar Unease

A tall, powerfully built stranger was leaning against the side of the car.

As Riley approached, he straightened up and walked toward her, a somewhat forced, earnest-looking smile on his face.

"Ms. Harper, I presume?" he began. "My name is Harvey. Mr. Ashford arranged for me to drive you today. He mentioned the location you're heading to is fairly remote and asked that I stay with you throughout the visit. I have a military background, so I'm capable in handling security—and I can keep you safe as well."

But from the moment Riley laid eyes on him, an unexplained unease settled over her.

She was certain they had never met, yet behind that earnest smile, his eyes were sharp and assessing, like a hawk's. The way he looked her over left her distinctly uncomfortable.

Riley didn't appreciate being handled this way—especially not when she was about to travel to an unfamiliar and potentially risky location, and now with a stranger whose presence instinctively put her on edge.

It felt invasive, as though an unseen pair of eyes was tracking her every move.

She regarded Harvey calmly before declining.

"Thank you, but I'll drive myself. I know the route. Besides, since this is a joint operation with Quinn Group, they'll have their own security measures in place. You can return to the office—and please extend my thanks to Mr. Ashford."

With that, she turned toward her own vehicle.

Harvey's smile stiffened for half a second, something shadowy flickering in his gaze.

He moved forward, subtly blocking her path, his expression shifting into one of concern and slight helplessness.

"Ms. Harper, wait—please."

He rubbed his palms together and hunched his broad shoulders slightly, as if trying to appear less imposing.

"Did I... do something to upset you? Please don't misunderstand. I've only recently joined Ashford Group—a distant relative of the Ashford family put in a good word for me. I'm still on probation. Mr. Ashford gave me this assignment because he trusts me, and it's kind of a test. If you don't let me accompany you... well, I won't have anything to report back. I'll probably lose the job."

He paused, adding quietly, "My family depends on this—my wife and kids."

A relative of the Ashford family?

Riley knew all too well how much trouble the family's various connections could bring.

"Which relative?" she asked coolly.

Harvey seemed caught off guard by the question but recovered quickly, nearly blurting out the name. "It's—well, Mr. Ashford's grandaunt, Edith."

An image instantly formed in Riley's mind: a woman in her fifties, known for always angling for small favors and especially for pushing all sorts of unreliable relatives into positions at Ashford Group.

Edith had a reputation in the family for being difficult—if someone she recommended was turned down or faced the slightest hiccup at work, she'd show up at Ashford Manor and raise hell until the entire household was in disarray.

For the sake of peace, Lucas' mother usually just gave in and found the person some low-responsibility role to keep them around.

The mere thought of that entitled, persistent woman made Riley's head throb.

She massaged her temples and studied Harvey once more.

Maybe she was overthinking this.

Likely, Lucas had just passed this guy onto her to avoid family drama.

Weighing the situation, and eager to prevent another scene from Edith, Riley finally relented.

"Get in the car," she said flatly, then opened the door and took a seat inside.

"Thank you, Ms. Harper!" Harvey immediately responded with a grateful, almost reverential nod, his smile widening.

But the moment Riley's door closed and she was out of view, he turned toward the driver's seat.

A faint, cold smile touched his lips without his even realizing it.

Good thing Sophia had him memorize all those complicated Ashford family ties. Otherwise, he wouldn't have cleared even this first hurdle.

Settling into the driver's seat, he shot a quick glance through the rearview mirror at Riley in the back. Her expression was cool, eyes closed as she rested. In the shadowed corner outside her line of sight, his gaze grew darker and more intent.

The car pulled smoothly away from the curb.

Half an hour later, it stopped outside the Quinn Group building.

The moment Riley stepped out, she noticed a man and a woman waiting near the entrance.

Leading the pair was a woman in her mid-twenties, dressed in a tailored skirt suit, her makeup polished and her smile bright and welcoming.

Beside her stood a middle-aged man around forty, with weathered skin and a serious demeanor. His eyes held the hardened look of someone who'd spent years on job sites, and his overall presence was stern and no-nonsense.

As soon as she spotted Riley, the young woman walked forward briskly in her heels and extended her hand warmly. "You must be Ms. Harper from Ashford Group—I've heard so much about you. I'm Anne Stone, Mr. Quinn's executive assistant. This is Calvin Keating, director of project development at Quinn Group."

"Hello," Riley replied, shaking her hand briefly before nodding toward Calvin.

Calvin returned the gesture with a short, silent nod of his own—his version of a greeting.