The Billionaire's Fake Marriage - MacKenzie Stowe Page 0,3

spread the love so to speak.”

“Yes, because spreading the love was what Roger was most known for. Oh wait,” Cole said.

“Speaking of which. Ethan will be attending the funeral, he is set to arrive tomorrow morning,” Mika said.

“Wonderful. I can’t wait to see him again,” I said.

“It will be nice. Having the brothers all in one place,” Mika said with a smile.

“Wonderful,” Cole muttered.

Mika ignored us and walked past me, I watched her go, trying not to let my eyes linger on her ass for too long.

“I’ll put these cards and the other ones on your desk when Faith is done with them. You can write the thank you notes,” she said.

“What! No!” I called out to her but she was already gone.

“It would be a nice touch to send a personalized thank you to everyone kind enough to send some comfort in our time of need,” Cole said and put his hands on his chest.

“Shut up,” I said.

Chapter 2

MIKA

“Can you make sure all the gifts are sent out by the end of the day?” I asked Wendy.

“I’m on it.”

“If there are any more cards that I missed, please write on the card what was with it and give them to me. Thanks so much,” I said.

“Sure thing,” Wendy said with a nod and then walked out of my office.

I put the stack of cards down on the desk and rolled my head around my neck, trying to get some of the tension out. What I really wanted to do was kick off my shoes, put my feet up, and enjoy a nice stiff drink. But that was hours away, if ever. There was still too much that needed to be done.

It was a job that I was happy to take on. It wasn’t my normal duties with Ashton Corp, but nothing had been normal in the office since Mr. Ashton had passed. I ached for Ryan and his brothers. To lose their father so young could not be easy. True, Mr. Ashton hadn’t been the easiest man to get along with but he was still their father.

I had met the man only a handful of times but each time had been memorable. He was a force of nature, a true old fashion man, one who was set in his ways. I was sure that some would see that as him being a bully or a chauvinist. I saw him more like a man who didn’t like change and was holding on to his legacy and what he thought was important for as long as he could.

It was over three years ago that I had met Mr. Roger Ashton. Strangely, he was the one who had interviewed me for the position of executive assistant. I thought it was odd to have the COO of a company doing a simple job interview but he didn’t see it as such.

He had told me he had been impressed with my resume and my education. He asked me a series of questions that, to this day, I don’t remember as I had been so nervous. I had wanted the job badly, not only because I needed the money, but also that I simply wanted to work for the company. I had been fascinated with it since I was in college. That the man that I had heard and read so much about was seeing if I was worthy of his company was a bit daunting.

I must have said all the right things or impressed him enough because he offered me the job on the spot. The offer letter came a few days later. I had thought that I was going to be working with Mr. Ashton. It turned out I was right but not with the Mr. Ashton I thought. Instead, I was to be working with his eldest son, Ryan.

If I thought Roger was intimidating, he was nothing compared to Ryan. Though most people wouldn’t agree with me. There was something about Ryan that made me want to be better, to do more, to prove to him that I was worthy of him and his company. It wasn’t anything that he did or said, it just was. It was evident in everything that he did, how he talked, how he even moved, that he cared and cared deeply for not only his company but his employees. It was that dedication that I was driven to. That I admired. That I wanted to emulate.

Ryan, of course, hadn’t wanted anything to do with me when