The Ex-Wife They Begged To Keep - Chapter 202: Chapter 202

It was a blatant threat. Serena clenched her teeth, glaring at Ashton as he scoffed and walked away.
Watching his retreating figure, she couldn't shake a sense of unease—that he would do something far worse later on.
"What happened?" Lana frowned, stepping out of her office just in time to catch the tail end of the confrontation. She didn't really remember Ashton, so she hadn't recognized him at first glance.
Serena's face was pale as she recounted the incident.
"That bastard actually came here to threaten you?" Lana's face flushed with anger. "I should've been here. How dare he show his face to Chloe?"
Serena bit her lower lip anxiously. "The way he left... It felt like a warning. What if he retaliates?"
"Don't worry. We've got enough dirt on Ashton to bury him ten times over. Does he really think his family can protect him forever?" Lana sneered. "No matter how much his family spoils him, they won't side with him forever in the court of public opinion, right?"
Serena knew she had done the right thing, and she didn't need to worry about it, but doubt still gnawed at her.
"Relax. Go back to your office," Lana said, patting her shoulder. "You've been through enough lately. If Ashton shows up again, leave him to me. I'll beat him up."
Serena was amused, and the tension eased slightly. "I know you've got my back. I'm just worried about what he might do to Chloe. The rest doesn't matter." She glanced toward Chloe's office and sighed softly.
That afternoon, Ashton proved Serena's fears right.
Shortly after Lana left for a client meeting, a group of men loomed outside the studio.
"Who are those guys? They look like they're here for trouble," one employee murmured just as the group barged in, led by Ashton.
"Serena, Chloe, get out here!" Ashton held a baseball bat. When he met with stunned silence, he swung it into a glass panel, shattering it with a sharp crack.
Most of the employees were women, their faces now pale with fear.
Ashton reveled in their terror. "Come out, or I'll trash this whole place."
On his signal, his men began wrecking the office. Ashton didn't care about the consequences. His family's wealth could cover any damage.
Serena and Chloe, who had been in a meeting, rushed out to find chaos.
"Ashton, have you lost your mind?" Chloe stormed forward and slapped him hard. "This isn't your house. You can't just barge in and cause trouble."
"You dare hit me?" Ashton snarled, gripping her wrist. "You all need to learn your lesson. I warned Serena this morning. But then again, if you knew your place, you'd already be my wife."
Chloe's stomach dropped. Only then did she know that he had come this morning.
Serena was completely ignored by Ashton. She turned to a nearby employee and whispered, "Did anyone call the police?"
The staff, having regained their composure after the initial shock, had already called the police. They nodded. "Don't worry. We've already called the police. They should be here soon."
Relieved, Serena stepped forward. "If you have a problem, take it up with me. What you're doing is illegal." She pulled Chloe behind her protectively.
Ashton scoffed, "Illegal? So what? I'll pay the fines. Money is never an issue for me, you know."
Chloe clenched her fists, itching to lunge at him, but Serena held her back. "Don't stoop to his level, Chloe. The police are on their way." Then, she met Ashton's gaze defiantly. "Go ahead. Keep acting like a tyrant. Someone will put you in your place."
Ashton hadn't expected Serena to be so quick-witted. Though he had played the fearless bully earlier, a flicker of unease crept in. Lately, his scandals had caused Kingsley Group's stocks to plummet. His parents had warned him to lie low.
However, Ashton couldn't swallow his pride. Born into a wealthy family, he had never been humiliated like this before. For the first time, he had been fooled by a group of women.
Just then, the sound of police sirens echoed outside. Soon, several officers rushed into the studio, immediately restraining Ashton and his gang upon seeing the wreckage.
"At the very least, you've committed property damage. At worst, attempted assault," Serena said, her voice steady now that the police had arrived. "Sir, thank you for your help."
"Don't worry," one officer replied. "We won't let anyone get away with harming others. Take inventory of the damages. You can demand compensation later."
Serena didn't care about the money. As Ashton had boasted, he had plenty to spare. If he kept harassing her like this, it would disrupt the studio. Reputation aside, her employees were already scared.
Serena was determined to run this studio well, and she would definitely protect her team.