hapter 12 Since Briar came with Edgar earlier , her motorcycle was still back at the Jennings family . To get to Wade Mansion , she'd need to call a cab . But just as she stepped outside and pulled out her phone , a black Bentley rolled up to the curb . The driver was Brandon , one of Ashton's bodyguards she'd seen at the Wade Mansion . The car stopped right in front of her , and the back window rolled down to reveal Ashton , laptop open on his lap . " What a coincidence , Miss Jennings , " he said , gl glancing up from his screen . " Where are you off to ? Want a ride ? " Briar's lips twitched . She was sure he already know exactly where she was going . She gave him a dry smile . " What a coincidence . " She had just told him she'd be coming to treat Griffin , so obviously she wasn't going anywhere else . This whole act of his - pretending to run into her - felt old - school . Still , Ashton was good - looking . Briar had a soft spot for pretty faces , so even though his move was kind of cheesy , she gave him a warm smile and answered honestly , " I was just about to grab a cab to your place . " " Perfect . I'm headed home too . Want to ride together ? " he offered with a grin . Briar nodded . " Why not ? " Anyway , a free ride in a Bentley was way better than a cramped cab . Brandon hopped out of the driver's seat and opened the door for her . " Please , Miss Jennings ." " Thanks , " Briar said , sliding in like she belonged there . As she sat down , she happened to catch a glimpse of Ashton's laptop screen - investment documents tied to Shoneport University . She reacted immediately - he wasn't bluffing when he said he had money tied up in the school . Ashton didn't try to hide anything . He wrapped up whatever he was working on , then shut the laptop and reached for his briefcase . " This just came in - your acceptance letter from Shoneport University ," he said , handing her an elegant envelope and a thick welcome packet . " Thanks , " Briar said , taking it and opening it right away . She'd grown up overseas , so this was her first time seeing a university acceptance letter from Dasmieca . The packet was surprisingly fancy . The first thing inside was a stunning photo of Shoneport University's main gate , followed by 3D layouts of all the department buildings . Since her major was traditional medicine , those buildings were highlighted - they looked clean , professional , even kind of pretty . Briar flipped through everything carefully before tucking it all into her backpack . Ashton didn't say much during the ride . He only asked a few quick questions about Griffin's condition . Briar noticed him glancing at her from time to time , but his looks weren't weird or uncomfortable - more curious than anything - so she just ignored them . They pulled into the Wade Mansion before 11 AM . Like last time , a group of people had gathered in the yard . But this time , it wasn't Griffin's oldest son's family . It was the second son's group waiting out front . It seemed that the family had worked out a rotation , taking turns watching over Griffin until he got better . Briar followed Ashton into the yard , and right away , a dozen pairs of eyes locked onto her . No one was even looking at Ashton anymore . And one girl in 1/2 13:35 Mon 28 Jul 6 De Chapter 12 the crowd , Emily Wade , her stare held the weight of suspicion , as if she believed Briar brought trouble in with the wind . Briar wasn't dressed up , just in casual clothes , but she'd worn a little makeup earlier for her Jennings Group meeting . It brought out her features , making her even more striking than she'd been here before . From the very first glance , Emily felt a surge of quiet hostility toward Briar , driven by a woman's innate sense of jealousy . On top of that , Briar's sudden appearance had ruined her parents ' plan to hire Wyatt for Griffin's treatment . " Ashton , is she the miracle doctor who did acupuncture on Grandpa ? " Emily asked , forcing a smile . " She's so young . Can we really trust her ? I mean , I'm about to become Wyatt's student . Why don't I treat Grandpa instead ? " She walked up , her eyes shifting from jealousy to disdain as she looked at Briar . She reached for Ashton's arm like it was natural , but he moved away without a word , his face expressionless . Griffin had four sons . The third son , Wilder , was married to Eileen , and they only had one kid , Jalen . The eldest and second sons each had two children . Ashton was the fourth - oldest grandkid . Emily awkwardly pulled her hand back , clearly embarrassed . But she didn't dare argue with Ashton , so she turned her glare on Briar instead . But Briar didn't even blink . She just stood there coolly , waiting for Ashton to lead her inside . She had zero interest in playing petty games . Ashton glanced at Emily , his voice flat , his eyes cold . " You ? You've barely scratched the surface of medicine in the past two years . I appreciate that you want to help Grandpa , but I'm not about to let you treat him . Just stand back and observe . " His words hit like a slap . Emily's face stiffened . " Ashton , I am still a Wade . I started learning medicine because of Grandpa . " " Then wait until you officially become Wyatt's student before offering to treat anyone , " Ashton cut her off , not bothering to sugarcoat it . He stepped past her and led Briar inside . Emily clenched her jaw and stared daggers at Briar's back . She refused to believe Briar could pull off some miracle with a few needles . She figured that even if Briar managed to wake her grandpa up , it wouldn't change anything . Wyatt had said her grandpa's condition was complex and would need serious treatment . Meanwhile , Briar followed Ashton into the house and into Griffin's room . Griffin was already sitting up in bed . When he saw Ashton walk in with a young woman , he knew right away this had to be the one who had treated him last time . He was still weak , but he managed a faint smile when he saw Briar . " Hello , Mr. Griffin Wade . " Briar smiled , her tone respectful . She'd grown up around Zeke , and he'd taught her to be polite to elders . Seeing Griffin smile at her , she smiled back - genuine this time . Discover our latest featured short drama reel. Watch now and enjoy the story!