The Manipulated Villainess

While Aston was dealing with an unwelcomed stalker, Nicole was entering the mansion to check on her step-mother.

When her eyes swept around the main room, Garcia Han was nowhere to be seen. Then she walked to the study room where the Minister spent most of her time. Just as expected, Garcia Han was there, going through some files.

Garcia Han was flustered when she saw her step-daughter. It's understandable as this was the first time Nicole came to her willingly ever since she moved out to live alone! She never came unless she told her to. She even wondered what's wrong with her!

"What brings you here?" Garcia Han promptly asked when Nicole was approaching her desk.

"You are so quiet these days, so I came to check on you," Nicole said and halted when she was right before the desk. "Is something going on, Mother?"

"What makes you think that?" Garcia Han asked her with a confused face.

Nicole fell silent for a while, wondering what she would say. Then she decided to just be frank. "I heard some strange rumors, so I was quite worried."

Garcia Han puts down her pen and pressed her fingers together. "Are you talking about the rumor that says I will withdraw from the election?"

"Yes. I wonder how such a rumor spreads. You work so hard to become a candidate for the Presidential election. Is this some political move?" Nicole cautiously asked.

"You even talk about politics now." Garcia Han mused.

"I won't get involved if you don't like it. I'm busy enough with my company affairs." Nicole promptly said.

"I indeed consider about withdrawing." Garcia Han stated which made Nicole raised a brow. "But nothing is confirmed. I deliberately leaked the rumors to know the people's response. I will get the answer soon."

"But why? You finally got the chance you are waiting for." Nicole dumbfoundedly asked. Would someone like Garcia Han really let such a great chance pass? She didn't think so.

Garcia Han remained quiet for a few seconds as if she was thinking about something. Then she said, "I'm just tired. That's why."

Tired? Was that really the reason? Nicole realized that these days, she often heard her saying that she was tired while she never heard it before. She tried to speak up but...

"Okay. It's late now. Go home for tonight. I'll find a time to visit you soon." Garcia Han suddenly said and shifted her attention back to the files.

Nicole stood still for a while. Realizing that it's best to do as she was told, she said, "Alright. Take care." Then she walked out of the study and left the mansion.

When she walked out of the gate, she gets inside Aston's car. "What are you looking at?" She asked when she noticed him staring at the side mirror. She turned to look at the back but she only saw a car leaving.

"Nothing." Aston promptly said and turned to her. "You still look puzzled." He remarked.

Nicole let out a sigh. "I'm used to it. She is never easy to read. The same goes for tonight."

"What did she say?" Aston asked. He was also quite interested in this matter.

"She said she deliberately spread the rumors to know the people's response but she indeed considers to withdraw. She won't say more." Nicole told Aston. 

Aston nodded his head while thinking of what she said but when Cassandra Lim crossed his mind, he was completely distracted. "I think I should start paying more attention to your safety. Apart from Lester Yun, someone is eager to make use of me. I will tell you the details later."

Nicole was quite puzzled but she still nodded. "Alright. Do you still have that plan in mind? You told me that you have a perfect plan."

"Yes. Are you interested now?" Aston promptly asked. He was taken aback by her sudden question.

"Kind of. But I want to change something." Nicole said while figuring out some plan in her mind. She had to prove something.

*

Aston initially planned to went straight home after dropping off Nicole but when she received a call from Nathan, he went straight to Nathan's house.

When he reached there, Nathan asked him to have some drinks with him. It had been years since they did this, so he simply agreed though he still has to work the next day.

"It's almost 10. I don't think you will ask for me this late just to have a drink with me." Aston said, slightly patting at Nathan who was sitting next to him. "You already know that Cassandra came to me again. Am I right?"

Nathan smiled and took a sip of the whisky. "You're still good at figuring out things." He remarked. "You're right. After you told me that she met you that night, I have men tailing her. I don't want you to be cornered by her."

"Then do you trust me?" Aston promptly asked.

"Of course, yes. It's her whom I don't trust." Nathan hardly squeezed the glass at the mention of Cassandra. "You know what she's like, Aston. She has a huge pride and she won't stop until she gets what she wants."

Aston recalled his conversation with Cassandra and then turned to Nathan. "Do you know what she wants?"

Nathan scorned. "All she has in mind is expanding and strengthening her Gang. That means she wants to destroy my Reyon Gang as we are the biggest obstacle for her."

"Believe it or not, she said she wants you back. She wants me to help her." Aston said with a nonchalant face.

Nathan turned to Aston but he didn't say anything. Then he simply took a sip of the drinks again.

"I think you should sort things out, Nathan. I'm quite tired to stand between the two of you." Aston jokingly said.

"There's nothing to sort out. It already ended years ago."

"It seems like she wanted to say something to you. You can meet her just once and listen to her." Aston had no intention to help Cassandra but if what she said was true, he thought that Nathan had the right to know. However, Nathan remained quiet but his mind was fully occupied.

Nathan darted his eyes to Aston when the latter took the glass of whisky away from him. He looked at the actor with a confused face.

"I'm afraid that you would break the glass and hurt yourself." Aston simply explained with a smile and put the glass back in front of Nathan. "Stop squeezing." He said and gently patted him on the shoulder.

Nathan finally smiled and lifted the glass again.

"To be honest, I'm feeling quite wary these days. To add more to it, Cassandra finds out my weakness tonight." Aston uttered.

Nathan's face turned sour again. "She still sticks to her bad habit. Is it about your sister? Do you find her?"

"I indeed find my sister but... I doubt Cassandra would know about her, at least for now." 

"Then who are you talking about?" Nathan promptly asked. Could this man who only cared about his sister in his life possibly had another weakness? He didn't really think so.

"My lover," Aston replied without any hesitation.

Lover? Nathan was stupefied. Aston's response was beyond his expectation and as such, he ended up staring at him without uttering anything.

"Why do you give me that face?" Aston asked with a frown.

"Is this another joke?" Nathan asked with disbelief written all over his face.

"Why would I joke about this matter?" Aston said and let out a sigh.

"Then who is she? Do I know her?" Nathan's doubtful face was now replaced by curiosity. When he noticed Aston's reluctance, he quickly said, "If you're really telling the truth, I will help you. So, you should tell me first."

While Aston was in a gang, he never cared about women. But after he starts over and entered the entertainment industry, he dated many women and loved to flirts around though he was never serious. But Nathan knew that he was only attempting to hide his loneliness and messed up life by behaving this way. So, who was the one who could even be considered as his weakness? He was so eager to know!

Hearing Nathan's willingness, Aston gave a quick thought before he asked, "Have you ever heard of Yang Group?"

Nathan frowned at his question. "Are you trying to change the topic?" He asked but when he saw Aston's calm face, he simply said, "Of course. It is one of our country's biggest corporations." His displeasure was so evident in his voice that made Aston lightly chuckled.

"I'm not changing the topic. I'm talking about Nicole Yang." Aston said. He glanced at his friend and slightly shook his head out of amusement.

Nathan's eyes grew wide. "Are you saying that your lover is Nicole Yang, the young Chairwoman?"

Aston simply nodded his head with a smile but his face turned serious when he said, "So, I hope you could help me keep Cassandra in check to protect the one I love. In return, I will help you in whatever ways you want."