70: Chapter 70: This handsome guy is actually here to look for

Joanna Lawrence Joanna Lawrence felt a wave of internal conflict. Should she take the initiative to acknowledge Ashton Heath in front of the gathered crowd, or would it be more prudent to maintain a professional distance? Before she could reach a conclusion, a tall shadow swept over her.

She looked up into a face that combined striking elegance with a terrifying coldness. Ashton’s gaze, usually unreadable, was now sharp with a focused intensity. He reached out, his cool fingers gently tracing a mark on her cheek with a level of care that contrasted with the ice in his eyes.

“What happened?” his voice was low, vibrating with a controlled, dangerous edge. “You’re injured.”

“It’s nothing,” Joanna began, her voice small.

But Ashton wasn't listening. His gaze dropped to her arm, his expression hardening further. “And here as well.” An aura of absolute authority seemed to radiate from him, chilling the surrounding air. When he spoke again, each word was measured and cold: “Who is responsible for this?”

The sheer weight of his presence silenced the room. The onlookers, who moments ago had been buzzing with speculation, now stood frozen. Even those who had been most vocal in their curiosity found themselves retreating from the sheer gravity of his focus.

Joanna bit her lip, feeling the heat of dozens of eyes on her. “Ashton, please. These are just minor abrasions. I can handle it.”

Ashton didn't offer a verbal response. In one fluid, decisive movement, he lifted her from the ground. A collective gasp echoed through the corridor.

“Is that... Joanna’s new partner?” “He looks nothing like David Benington—he’s on a completely different level of influence.” “Is this why the engagement ended? The rumors clearly didn't do this man justice.”

The heated discussions resumed, but the tone had shifted from mockery to awe. Aria Rowlett stood by, her mouth slightly agape as she watched her best friend being carried away with such effortless conviction. “Joanna? What... how does he know you?”

Joanna’s face was a deep, burning crimson. She offered a small, symbolic struggle, but Ashton’s hold remained immovable. He looked down at her, his voice dropping to a private, searing murmur. “Stay still. Unless you’d like me to make our relationship even more public right here in the hallway?”

Joanna fell silent, her heart pounding against her ribs. She had heard people describe Ashton Heath as a man of iron discipline and cold restraint, but in this moment, those descriptions felt woefully incomplete. There was a fierce, protective fire beneath his surface that she was only beginning to understand.

“Ashton, put me down,” she whispered, her face tucked against his shoulder to avoid the stares. “Everyone is watching. This is unnecessary.”

“Let them watch,” Ashton replied, his voice a sultry resonance that made her pulse race. “I am your husband. If I cannot support you when you are hurt, then who is this audience for?”

“I can walk,” she countered weakly.

“Perhaps,” Ashton said as he turned toward the exit, his stride purposeful and unshakable. “But today, you don't have to.”