From His Fake Wife to Billionaire Heiress Chapter 264: Staying at Ashford Manor

Her thoughts drifted back to the private conversation in Caleb's study that afternoon.

The new energy project documents Caleb had shown her were indeed highly promising, brimming with untapped potential and substantial commercial value.

Caleb's intention could not have been clearer. He hoped she would leverage her professional expertise and extensive industry connections to take charge of the projects, injecting new vitality and profit growth into the declining Ashford Group.

She had agreed readily at the time, adopting a humble and respectful demeanor.

Privately, she had no intention of sacrificing her own efforts to benefit the Ashford Group any longer.

Given her clear understanding of the company's tangled internal politics and rigid, outdated management structure, these cutting-edge projects would only be wasted and mismanaged under Ashford's control.

They were far better suited to become her own strategic assets, developed independently under her personal corporate banner.

Dinner ended soon after. Riley excused herself to step outside for fresh air and wandered alone into the villa's garden.

Inky darkness shrouded the night sky, and a cool evening breeze brushed gently against her cheeks.

Her phone vibrated softly in her pocket just then.

She pulled it out to see a text from Sebastian, "Not heading back tonight?"

Riley typed a quick reply, "Staying at Ashford Manor for the night."

She slipped the phone back into her hand and stood rooted in the night breeze.

Her mind drifted involuntarily to the flash of jealousy she had seen in Sebastian earlier that day.

The urge to call him and explain her complicated situation tugged at her heart, yet rationality overcame impulse in the end.

The entire Ashford Manor was riddled with watchful eyes and hidden informants, and she dared not take any unnecessary risks.

Sebastian sent no further reply.

Riley waited quietly for a while longer, but her phone screen remained dark and silent.

A faint trace of disappointment flickered in her heart, followed by quiet self-mockery as she put the device away.

Before she could turn to leave, a rubber ball came flying out of nowhere, slamming hard against her calf.

The sudden impact made Riley stumble forward, barely managing to steady her balance.

She glanced down to see an obvious red mark bloom across her skin, with a sharp burning pain spreading outward instantly.

Dim garden lighting was still bright enough for her to spot a small head poking out from behind a cluster of waist-high rosebushes.

It was Jeremy.

No trace of remorse lingered on the boy's face for his mischief. Only smug triumph and deliberate providence shone in his expression.

A cold edge settled over Riley's features. "Did you do that on purpose?"

Not a flicker of fear crossed Jeremy's face after being caught. He pulled a playful face at Riley and stuck out his tongue, his shrill childish voice sharp and spiteful. "Mean witch! Serves you right!"

His expression shifted completely in the next second.

He pouted his lips and burst into loud, exaggerated sobs that echoed across the garden. "Ahhh, that hurts so much!"

The commotion carried all the way back to the brightly lit villa's living room.

Lucas, Sophia, Julian, and Anthea—who had come downstairs unnoticed—hurried out to the garden with looks of urgent concern etched across their faces.

Every pair of eyes skipped straight past Riley, whose calf still bore the fresh bruise, and locked onto Jeremy rolling on the ground throwing a dramatic tantrum.

"Jeremy! What happened to you?" Anthea rushed forward first and pulled the boy gently into her arms, checking his body anxiously for any sign of injury.

Jeremy leaned into her embrace without hesitation, rubbing fake tears from his eyes and launching into his well-rehearsed lie between broken sobs.

"I was playing ball in the garden and accidentally hit Ms. Harper... I said sorry right away, but she got really angry. She called me a bastard with no father to teach me manners and even tried to hit me!"

His words came in broken, hiccuped bursts designed to evoke sympathy.

"What?" Fury flared instantly in Anthea's eyes the second she heard the accusation.

She lifted her head to glare sharply at Riley, anger blazing in her gaze. "Riley! What is wrong with you? Jeremy is just a small child who knows no better! Why would you hold a grudge against him? How much strength could a child have kicking a ball? How could you be so cruel to insult him like that?"

Lucas' face turned livid with rage as well.

The phrase "no father" cut into his heart like a sharp blade.

Riley had made pointed remarks before about Jeremy's flawed personality stemming from a father's absence, subtle jabs that accused Lucas of failing his parental duties.

The old grievance resurfaced instantly, and he believed Jeremy's fabricated story without a second thought. Disappointment and blame filled his gaze as he looked at Riley.

Sophia, meanwhile, played the role of a terrified, wronged mother perfectly.

She hurried over to take Jeremy from Anthea's arms, checking his body over carefully. Once she confirmed her son was unhurt, tears welled instantly in her eyes, and she turned to face Riley with a trembling voice.

"Riley... I know you've always resented me. I can bear any insult or anger you direct at me. But why would you take it out on a helpless child? He's still far too young to understand anything."

Tears streamed down her cheeks as she spoke.