Unmasking Mrs. Newton's Secret Identities novel Chapter 1651

Just as Bentley finished speaking, the phone on the table buzzed. He glanced at the screen, then bolted out the door without another word.

"Who could it be? What's got Mr. Spade all worked up?" Helen asked, unable to curb her curiosity.

"Well, it's definitely not a guy," Taylor replied. "Out of all the men Bentley knows, the only one he shows any real warmth toward is Tyrone. But that lovesick look on his face? Yeah, we all know exactly what that means."

Sure enough, Bentley returned a few moments later, this time with a petite woman by his side.

The mood shifted uncomfortably as soon as they recognized her—it was Ashley, the woman who had been plagiarizing Helen's paintings and selling them as her own.

When Helen left, Bentley had harbored a one-sided crush on Ashley. No one had expected that infatuation to linger, let alone for them to end up together.

Indeed, life had a strange way of unfolding.

Oblivious to the tension in the room, Mia was genuinely excited that Bentley had finally found love.

She raised her glass and declared, "Congratulations, Mr. Spade! Looks like you've found your dream woman. We'll have a real boss lady in the office now!"

Despite his billionaire status, Bentley couldn't help but blush at her words.

He intertwined his fingers with Ashley's and announced with excitement, "I'm thrilled to share some incredible news—Ashley and I are getting engaged next month! We're about to build our very own little family together!"

Ashley smiled warmly, her demeanor unchanged from seven years ago. Her soft, graceful presence still had a way of evoking a protective instinct in everyone around her.

Had they stood together back then, they might have seemed a bit naive, but now they looked like a perfect match.

"Congratulations!" Mia exclaimed, clapping her hands with enthusiasm.

Taylor, however, had been frowning since they arrived. Tossing his napkin onto the table, he casually brought up Ashley's past. "An engagement is great, but since you two seem to have everything, I'm not sure what I should get you.

"Oh, wait—how about an original piece by Ms. Quarto? If I remember correctly, you've always been a fan of her work, right, Ms. Guyton?"

With that, she turned and rushed out of the room.

Bentley immediately followed, catching up to her in the lobby. "Ashley, didn't we agree to face this together? I'll be by your side every step of the way. Can't you be brave for me?"

"How can I be brave? People raised in different worlds see things so differently. I feel like I'm in a completely different reality—maybe even one that doesn't match yours…"

"That's not true!" Bentley interjected, unwilling to let her fall into despair. "As long as we have faith in each other, there's nothing we can't overcome. Trust me, Ashley. I want to build a life with you. I can't imagine loving anyone else."

"I'm sorry, I'm not in the right headspace," Ashley said, pushing his hand away. "Let's put the engagement on hold for now."

With that, she turned and ran off, not looking back.

Bentley stood frozen, the joy of the day quickly slipping away.