Reborn To Change My Fate-Chapter 310 - Three Hundred And Nine

Ashlyn watched him carefully from her hiding spot. Ian was Derek’s most trusted shadow guard. He was the man who handled all the secret affairs for the Grand Duke. But Ian had not been seen at the Thompson estate for a very long time.

Ashlyn thought to herself, "After vanishing for so long, refusing to return to the estate, he rushed here. Why?"

Her mind raced. She knew Ian was not the type of man to visit a dirty, hidden part of the capital for no reason. He was always on a mission. He was always working for Derek. If Ian was here, hiding his face like a criminal, it meant he was involved in something massive. Something dangerous. Something secret.

Ashlyn looked at the tall, unmarked building that Ian was standing in front of. It looked like an abandoned warehouse. The windows were boarded up with old wood. The paint on the door was peeling. It was the perfect place to hide.

After checking the street one last time, Ian reached out and pushed the heavy wooden door open. He slipped inside quickly and closed the door behind him without making a single sound.

Ashlyn stayed completely still behind the barrels. She held her breath. She knew she had to be patient.

A few minutes later, the sound of horse hooves broke the silence of the narrow street again. Another carriage rolled up. This one was slightly better than the first, but it was still unmarked. It stopped a few feet away from the building.

The door of the carriage opened. Another figure stepped out.

This man was also wearing a dark cloak with the hood pulled up, trying to hide his identity. He walked with a strong, confident stride. He did not look around nervously like Ian did. He walked straight toward the door of the abandoned building.

As the man reached the door, a sudden gust of cold morning wind blew past him. The wind caught the edge of his dark hood and pushed it back slightly.

For just one second, the man’s face was exposed to the daylight.

Ashlyn gasped softly. She pressed her hand over her mouth to stop herself from making a noise.

She knew that face. She knew the strong jawline, the straight nose, and the dark, serious eyes.

It was Derek.

Ashlyn’s mind clicked all the puzzle pieces together. If Ian is in the capital, Derek will be aware. Derek is the master; Ian is the servant. Derek had come here to find him. They were meeting in secret, away from the eyes of the royal court, away from the spies.

A slow, wicked smile spread across Ashlyn’s bruised, dirty face. Her pale lips curved upwards. The pain in her back faded away, replaced by a sudden rush of excitement and hope.

She was no longer a ruined, divorced woman sitting in the dirt. She had just stumbled upon a gold mine.

She continued her thoughts, her eyes gleaming with dark ambition. "Prince Liam would find this intriguing."

She knew Prince Liam hated Derek. She knew the Prince was always looking for a way to destroy the Grand Duke. If Derek was having secret meetings in abandoned buildings with his aide, it meant he was hiding something big. If Ashlyn could tell Prince Liam about this meeting, the Prince would reward her. He would have to forgive her for the mistake at the Golden Swan. He would see her value again. She could regain her power.

She stayed crouched behind the barrels. She was freezing, and her knees were bleeding, but she did not move. She waited patiently until the coast was completely clear. She watched the street for a long time. When she was absolutely sure that no one else was coming and no guards were watching the outside of the building, she slowly pushed herself up.

She kept her back pressed against the brick wall. She limped away as quickly and quietly as she could, heading straight toward Prince Liam’s residence to sell her new secret.

Inside the dark, dusty building, the air smelled of old wood and damp earth. There were no windows to let the sunlight in. The only light came from a few small oil lamps hanging on the stone walls.

Ian was speaking to Derek as they walked down a long, narrow hallway. Their boots made soft thudding sounds on the wooden floorboards.

"We have been at the border of Eudora for weeks, Your Grace," Ian explained, his voice low and serious. He pulled the dark scarf down from his face, revealing his tired features. He looked like he had not slept in days.

Derek walked beside him, listening closely. He kept his dark cloak wrapped tightly around his shoulders.

"Prince Liam’s men have been guarding the place heavily," Ian continued. "They blocked all the main roads. They set up checkpoints in the forests. It was impossible to get through without a massive fight, and a fight would have drawn too much attention."

Derek frowned. He knew Liam was trying to trap him.

"But all of a sudden," Ian said, turning to look at Derek with a confused expression, "they left. Yesterday afternoon, the guards just packed up their camps and abandoned their posts. The border was completely wide open."

Ian shook his head in disbelief. "I do not know why they retreated, but I did not waste the opportunity. So, I quickly brought Captain Nigel in."

Derek nodded slowly. He did not look confused. He looked deeply moved.

He thought to himself, "Marissa did it."

A feeling of immense warmth and pride filled Derek’s chest. He remembered the night before. He remembered Marissa telling him about the anger of Princess Dahlia. He remembered Marissa’s clever trap at the Golden Swan. Marissa had forced Dahlia to see Liam’s betrayal. In return, Dahlia had pulled her father’s troops away from Liam’s command. Dahlia had withdrawn the spies and the guards from the borders just to punish her husband.

Marissa had cleared the path for him. She had saved his mission without even using a single sword. She had protected him just as she promised.