Chapter 243

I flashed a grin, just to see what he'd do. "Maybe. I might stick around till the new collection drops." Ashton sat up straight, visibly annoyed. "You said one week. Now you're talking six months?" I nodded. "Exactly." He started jabbing at his phone. "What are you doing?" I asked, half-laughing. "Texting the pilot. Booking the jet." "Relax. I was joking. No need to scramble a plane. I'll be back before you know it." He paused, clearly still unconvinced. "I mean it," I said. "I'll be home soon. The team here works fast, especially Fabrizio. We had a meeting this afternoon and blitzed through what would've taken a week anywhere else." He still didn't look thrilled, but at least he put the phone down. I took that as a win. "How was your day?" I asked, stifling a yawn. Then came the business jargon. Terms like "synergy," "pipeline optimization," "strategic pain points." My eyes glazed over before he even finished the second sentence. A minute in, I was halfway down the headboard, struggli