CEO's Contract Obsession-Chapter 262: Acting Strangely

Regardless of how quickly Ash tried to complete his tasks, the day proved to be lengthy and demanding as new work continually piled up. In order to leave work early and pick up Ava, he went as far as canceling certain non-essential meetings.

Despite his efforts, Ash was unable to successfully complete all the urgent tasks by the end of the day. He found himself needing to extend his work hours in order to address logistical issues involving their imported raw materials being held at the port.

The initially planned short extension of Ash’s work hours stretched to three hours, leaving Ava waiting for him at his home for approximately five hours. The previous night, Ash had been filled with excitement about going to work early to surprise Ava with a gift as a token of appreciation for her assistance with Amy’s case.

However, at this point, all the stores have closed, making it impossible for Ash to purchase anything other than food from a convenience store. He made a mental note to himself to visit the convenience store later.

Right after his final meeting finished, Ash swiftly exited the room, nearly sprinting. Just when he thought his day, or rather night, couldn’t possibly worsen, he accidentally bumped into his father, Lucas Brighton.

"Why the rush? You’ve been acting strangely all day," his father questioned, observing Ash intently. "You appeared unfocused and lost. What’s going on with you?" His gaze scanned Ash from head to toe and back again.

"I assure you, there’s nothing wrong with me. Apologies, but I don’t have time for a chat right now. I need to go," Ash responded curtly, indicating his haste.

Lucas persisted, noting Ash’s urgency. "See, that’s exactly what I’m talking about. You’re in a hurry. Are you heading somewhere?" he inquired with a hint of curiosity.

"Yes, Dad, I’m going home. My dog is waiting for me, so please step aside. My housekeeper left three hours ago," Ash explained firmly, moving to the side in order to continue on his way, trying to leave his father behind.

However, Lucas wasn’t finished yet. He raised his arm, blocking Ash’s path. "You have a dog? And a housekeeper? What else haven’t you told me?" Lucas probed further, expressing his curiosity and desire for more information. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

Ash rolled his eyes and let out a sigh of exasperation. "That’s all there is. Can I go now?" His annoyance was becoming apparent, and he couldn’t contain it any longer. With a frustrated gesture, he shove aside his father’s arm that was obstructing his path.

Lucas shook his head, observing Ash as he hurriedly walked past. It was a sight he hadn’t witnessed since Amy met Henry. It crossed Lucas’s mind that perhaps Ash’s dog had given him a renewed sense of purpose and urgency in life.

Ash practically raced back home, filled with anticipation that Ava hadn’t left his house and his beloved dog, Beethoven. He left his car with the valet to park and quickly made his way to his unit. As soon as he stepped into his penthouse, his eyes searched for Ava and Beethoven. What he saw brought a wide smile to his face, relieving the tension that had built up throughout the day.

To his delight, Ash discovered Ava peacefully asleep on the sofa, with Beethoven curled up and resting on her lap. Prior to returning home, he had purchased some ice cream from the nearby convenience store. Unsure of Ava’s preferences, he opted for vanilla ice cream, ensuring that Beethoven could join in the treat as well. Additionally, he had bought chocolate, strawberry, and caramel syrup, allowing Ava the freedom to choose her preferred toppings.

As Ash made his way to the kitchen to refrigerate the ice cream before it melted, he caught sight of the dining table with an array of delectable dishes, decorated with flowers and candles. There was even an empty bowl prepared for Beethoven, who seemed to have grown impatient and already devoured his portion.

"RARF!"

Startled by Beethoven’s sudden bark, Ash turned around to find his loyal canine standing behind him, tail wagging enthusiastically, and wearing a contented smile. Ash knelt down on one knee, urging Beethoven to approach him.

"Come on, boy. Did Ava cook for you too?" he asked, a mixture of curiosity and delight in his voice.

"Yes, I did, and he loved it," Ash heard Ava’s voice as she approached him.

Standing up, Ash released Beethoven, his attention now focused on Ava. "I’m so sorry, Ava," he apologized with a hint of frustration in his voice. "There was an issue with our imports that I had to handle; otherwise, everything else in the factory would have come to a halt. It was urgent and unavoidable."

"I understand, no apologies necessary. Remember, I work as Amy’s executive assistant and head of security, so I comprehend the demands. Plus I have a good time with Beethoven here," Ava reassured, bending over to engage with the excited Beethoven upon hearing his name. "Let your daddy know that you’re a good boy for Aunt Ava, okay? Who’s the good boy? Yes, you are! You’re such a good boy," Ava exclaimed in a playful, high-pitched tone, causing Ash to chuckle.

Ash was suddenly reminded of something, interrupting his amusement and halting his observation of the heartwarming scene before him. "Oh! I almost forgot I bought some ice cream," he exclaimed. "It’s vanilla since I wasn’t sure of your preference, but I also got various ice cream syrups for you to choose from. Let me quickly put it in the fridge before it melts."

"That’s perfect, you made the right choice. I prefer vanilla with strawberry syrup," Ava expressed, showing her approval. "I’ll take care of reheating the food. Could you please wash Beethoven’s bowl? I only gave him half of his dinner so he can join us when you’re back." With that, Ava proceeded to place the dishes in the microwave for reheating.

"Oh my God, Ava, those smells incredible! What dishes did you prepare?" Ash exclaimed, captivated by the tantalizing aromas coming from the microwave.

Ava giggled as she explained to Ash, "It’s pan-grilled lamb chops with garlic and butter. The aroma you’re smelling is from the garlic, which gives it that irresistible scent." She felt a sense of ecstasy knowing that Ash enjoyed what she had prepared. Little did he know about the numerous lamb chops she had gone through, trying to achieve the perfect taste and flavor by following online tutorials.

"In addition to the lamb chops, I made roasted asparagus and Greek lemon potatoes as side dishes. To enhance the flavors, there’s also a hot bacon dressing," Ava added, her excitement evident in her voice.

Ash responded, expressing his anticipation, "Wow, Ava, just listening to you is already making my mouth water." He watched as Ava skillfully managed the plates going in and out of the microwave.

"Why don’t you go ahead and freshen up while I slice some fruits that we can later add to our vanilla ice cream?" Ava suggested. Ash quickly nodded in agreement and proceeded to do as she suggested.

As Ash walks into his room, the smile he is wearing can’t seem to go away. Ava’s smile as she explains the dish she made for him has etched into his mind and recalling it is making him smirk.

"Her smile is kinda cute," he murmured to himself as he enter his bedroom.

While Ash changes in his room, Ava set up the table once again and prepares Beethoven’s food as well. Now that Ash is here, it made her nervous since smelling the food she made is still different from tasting it. What if he doesn’t like it?

She placed Beethoven’s bowl and rub his head while he eats, "What do you think cutie? Will he like it?" Ava asked the dog who obviously didn’t reply and kept on eating.

"Shall we start?" Ash said as soon as he arrived in the dining room.

To Ava’s delight, Ash did like her cooking and kept on praising her for how delicious it was. They were both so hungry that they were able to finish their late dinner in a flash.

"Gosh, Ava, I am so full. I will get fat if I eat like this every day," Ash chuckled as he rubs his belly which had grown big.

"Giving up already? We still have dessert and you cannot say no, I already sliced the fruits that will go with it," Ava then stood up to prepare the vanilla ice cream topped with strawberry, banana, kiwi, and chocolate syrup.

"I wouldn’t say no to that challenge. But excuse me for a while, I suddenly feel the need to open up a good old bottle of wine," I’ll be back. And do you want to watch something as we eat dessert?" Ash asked.

"That would be a good idea. I’ll meet you in the living room them, meet me there," And with that, Ash left to get his most expensive wine to share with Ava.