Stars Waited Above Empty Streets by Lorin Wren 182

Chapter 182 A New Scarf 

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At the same time, the name Ava kept rising in Soren’s mind, settling in deeper than he expected and starting to matter more than it should have. 

Who would’ve thought? A wild one like Ryan actually knows how to behave sometimes. 

Ava saw him and smiled. She said, “Mr. Goodman, you’re here too. Good evening. Ryan has really had you to thank for looking after him.” 

Soren did not even get the chance to respond before Ryan locked onto him with a deadly stare. He had not expected Ryan to be this petty. She had only said one sentence to him, yet Ryan was already radiating pressure. 

Soren hurriedly waved his hands, his voice cautious and stiff. “You flatter me, Ms. Morren. It was simply my responsibility.” 

The moment he finished speaking, he took several steps back and made sure not to drift anywhere near Ava. Soren honestly had not seen this coming. The moment Ryan became someone’s husband, this was what he turned into. 

Ava picked up the fish food and sprinkled it into the tank. She waved at the two little fish swimming lazily inside. “Good night, Nori. Good night, Pebble.” 

Nori was the milky white one, while Pebble was the purple one. After Ava brought them home, she set up an unused fish tank and kept it in her bedroom. 

She turned off the light, slid under the covers, and quietly closed her eyes. 

The next morning, Ava woke up right on time when the alarm went off. Her eyes barely wanted to open, but the moment she remembered her schedule for the day, she forced herself up. 

Mason arrived quickly. He was already there while Ava was still eating breakfast. Jonathan invited him to join them, and Mason did not refuse. He ate a little, then sat back in his chair and watched Ava in silence. 

Jonathan said to him, “I am leaving Ava with you. Just one condition. Keep her safe.” 

“I will, Great–uncle Jonathan,” Mason replied with a nod. 

After they left the Morrens‘ residence, Mason glanced at the scarf wrapped around Ava’s neck and narrowed his eyes. “That scarf does not really match what you are wearing.” 

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16:47 Sat, Jan 17 M… 

Chapter 182 A New Scarf 

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Ava touched the scarf with one hand. “It is Keith’s. I forgot to return it to him yesterday.” 

Mason reached out and removed it from her neck. “Then, we will buy you a new one later. I will keep this for now. It would be a shame if it got dirty. You can give it back to him next time.” 

If Keith ever heard that, he would probably thank him through clenched teeth, polite on the surface and quietly furious underneath. 

Once Mason saw that there was nothing belonging to anyone else around her neck, he finally found it acceptable. He took her hand and led her into the car. 

Right after that, he made a video call to his secretary and told him to buy a woman’s scarf and wait at the terminal. 

Being handed a task like this first thing in the morning nearly froze the look on Jason’s expression. He had been with Mason for over a decade now. 

The last time he got an order this ridiculous was when Mason sent him out in the middle of the night to buy breakfast. 

This was only the second time he had ever received such an absurd assignment. 

Then another thought crossed Jason’s mind. Mr. Heiser had me book a ticket to Pluto yesterday and even reserved a hotel room. Now he’s asking me to buy a woman’s scarf… this… 

His eyes went wide instantly. Is Mr. Heiser chasing after some woman? I don’t know how far things have gone between them, but if Mr. Heiser’s willing to skip work and she’s okay with going on a trip with him, who knows–they might already be an official couple. 

Jason instantly got this surge of energy like he’d downed a triple shot of espresso. He scrambled to call his contacts and, moving at full speed, ran to a familiar luxury store to grab a woman’s scarf. 

When he got to the VIP lounge, Jason handed the shopping bag to Mason with utmost respect, keeping his eyes focused the entire time. 

Mason took the bag and said to Jason, “I’ll transfer the money to you later. I’ll toss a little extra in your bonus this month.” 

Jason, the ultimate grind, immediately felt a surge of motivation. Inside, he was thinking. If good stuff like this keeps happening, I’d be all in. I’d happily run errands for Mr. Heiser every single day. 

Mason didn’t introduce Jason to Ava. He just turned and walked over to her. 

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16:47 Sat, Jan 17 M… 

Chapter 182 A New Scarf 

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Finished 

As Jason left, he couldn’t completely squash his nosy side. He stole a glance at them but pulled his eyes away almost immediately. 

Then, he clicked his tongue. She’s seriously a stunner. No wonder even someone as emotionally locked down as Mr. Heiser can humble himself. Looks like I’ll have to stay sharp from now on. 

Mason walked over with a tote bag and stood next to Ava. “Just grabbed something, not sure if you’ll like it.” He pulled a scarf out of the bag as he spoke. 

Ava glanced at the label. It was a luxury brand that was really popular with young people. The scarf was a limited–edition gold print cashmere, woven with metallic threads that caught the light and shimmered a little. 

Mason draped the scarf around her neck. “Looks good. Way better than Keith’s scarf.” 

Ava rolled her eyes. “You’re seriously comparing them?” 

“I’m just stating the facts,” he said. 

After a few more words, a steward led them down the VIP corridor to board the starship. 

It was Ava’s first time in a first–class ship, and she couldn’t help letting out a little sigh. “Being rich is nice,” she said. 

Mason sat down next to her and adjusted her seat a bit. “Satisfied now?” 

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