Chapter 129: Chapter 129 Failed Collaboration

The possibility of collaboration had likely been discarded long ago.

At this point, he simply could not be bothered to entertain them any further.

"Are you done?" Gideon asked, turning his attention to Ashley.

Ashley nodded.

Without a word, Ashley picked up a napkin and gently wiped the corner of her mouth, earning a faint look of resignation from Gideon.

"Alright, let’s leave." The moment Gideon rose from his seat and extended a hand to help Ashley up, another figure moved even faster.

Gage was already on his feet.

Stepping between them, he firmly took Ashley’s arm and carefully assisted her to stand, all while shooting Gideon a hostile glare. There was no way he was going to continue allowing this man to take advantage of every opportunity to get close to his newly found sister.

The corners of Gideon’s lips twitched slightly.

For perhaps the dozen times that day, he felt somewhat helpless.

Still, he chose not to argue. He merely watched as Gage helped Ashley to her feet, his expression calm despite the obvious obstruction.

Ashley, on the other hand, felt equally helpless.

Between her overprotective brother and Gideon, she was beginning to feel as though they viewed her as some fragile invalid incapable of taking care of herself. At least she understood Gage’s behavior. Having only recently found his sister, it was natural for him to want to spoil her and make up for the years they had lost.

As for Gideon...

She had absolutely no idea what his excuse was.

Rather than wasting energy trying to figure him out, Ashley pushed the thought aside and returned her focus to the matter that truly concerned her.

Business.

Her opinion of the three businessmen before them had already sunk to rock bottom. The failed meeting had effectively brought them back to square one, forcing them to search for a new distributor and business partner from scratch.

However, the encounter had also confirmed her earlier suspicions regarding the current state of Maple Leaf City’s business circle.

The problem was not limited to these three men alone.

They were merely symptoms of a much larger issue.

If even the most influential businessmen in the city behaved this way, there was a high probability that many of the others would share similar mindsets and ambitions. Greed, short-sightedness, and a desire to seize immediate benefits seemed to have become the norm.

More importantly, the three men seated before them were not ordinary businessmen. They stood at the top of the local food chain, possessing extensive networks, influence, and resources that surpassed most of their competitors.

Since collaboration with them was no longer an option, finding alternative partners would become significantly more difficult.

And Ashley had little doubt that today’s events would not simply end here.

Men like these were not the type to quietly accept rejection.

If she had to guess, they would likely use their influence behind the scenes to interfere with or even sabotage any future partnerships Gideon’s company attempted to establish.

The road ahead had just become far more troublesome than she had anticipated.

"Tsk."

Ashley couldn’t help clicking her tongue in annoyance.

"Are you worried?"

The deep voice suddenly sounded beside her ear.

Without her noticing, Gideon had already closed the distance between them. While Gage was busy pushing back her chair after she stood up, Gideon had effortlessly taken advantage of the brief distraction to move closer.

Far too close.

As he leaned down to whisper, his warm breath brushed lightly against the shell of her ear.

Ashley’s body instantly stiffened.

A strange shiver ran down her spine, causing her eyelashes to flutter uncontrollably. The sensation spread through her body like ripples across still water, leaving a trail of goosebumps in its wake. Yet despite the unexpected intimacy, she felt no urge to pull away.

Quite the opposite.

His proximity left her feeling strangely lightheaded, her heart beating faster than it should. A dangerous sense of exhilaration stirred within her chest, making her acutely aware of every inch separating them.

The scent that lingered around him, the warmth of his body, and the low timbre of his voice seemed to weave together into an invisible net that quietly ensnared her senses.

Unconsciously, she bit her lower lip.

The subtle movement lasted only a moment, but it did not escape Gideon’s notice.

His sharp eyes immediately caught it.

A trace of satisfaction flickered across his gaze, and the corners of his lips curved upward ever so slightly.

Slowly, he straightened and put a little distance between them once more. He knew very well that if Gage turned around and caught him leaning so closely toward Ashley, he would be rewarded with another hostile glare.

Still, Gideon didn’t mind.

The brief retreat did nothing to diminish his good mood.

After all, he had seen her reaction clearly.

Just as her presence affected him in ways he had never expected, he was pleased to discover that she was not entirely immune to him either.

"Mr. Walker, what do you mean by this?! Are you seriously going to leave us hanging like this?!" The businessman in the middle shot to his feet. His chair scraped loudly across the floor before crashing backward with a heavy thud.

The outburst caught everyone off guard.

The two businessmen beside him were equally stunned. Ashley, Gage, and Gideon had risen so naturally that it took them a moment to realize what was happening.

They were leaving.

Not stepping out temporarily.

Not taking a break.

Leaving.

The three men’s expressions immediately darkened.

Even if Gideon had no intention of cooperating, they had expected him to at least reject them formally. Instead, he had finished his meal and stood up to leave as though the meeting had been nothing more than lunch.

It was humiliating.

The businessman in the middle naturally felt slighted.

Unfortunately, he had forgotten who Gideon Augustus Walker was.

Did Gideon need to explain his decisions to anyone?

No.

The moment they tried to pressure him and subtly threaten him with their influence, Gideon had already made up his mind. There were plenty of opportunities and plenty of people willing to work with him. If one option became troublesome, he would simply choose another or create an opportunity for himself.

To him, the negotiation had ended long ago.

Everything afterward had merely been lunch.

That was why he had not brought up business again. Continuing the discussion would only waste his time, and the three businessmen had already been crossed off his list.

Yet they clearly had no intention of letting the matter end there.

If they could not understand his actions, they were determined to make him say it outright.

"Have I not made myself clear enough?" The warmth and gentleness that Gideon had shown Ashley moments ago vanished without a trace.

In its place emerged the man who had built his reputation through power, influence, and an uncompromising will.

A suffocating pressure descended upon the room.

His voice was neither loud nor angry, yet the three businessmen felt their hearts tighten. The sharpness in his eyes alone was enough to make the atmosphere several degrees colder.

"B-But..."

The businessman who had remained silent throughout most of the meeting finally opened his mouth. However, the moment his eyes met Gideon’s piercing gaze, the words lodged themselves in his throat. His courage crumbled instantly, forcing him to lower his head and remain silent.