He Lent Her My Cullinan, I Canceled His Family’s CardsChapter 01
My brand-new Cullinan had barely left the dealership before it was wrecked.
Nicholas Drake’s assistant took it for a drive, got into an accident, and destroyed the entire front end.
This was already the third car she’d destroyed this month.
“I let the first two slide, but this one wasn’t even insured yet. How exactly do you plan on paying me back?”
Lindsay Morgan shrank back, her shoulders trembling as tears streamed down her face.
“I’m sorry, Mrs. Drake. I’ll pay you back even if it means selling everything I have.”
Nicholas, who used to do everything I asked, stepped in front of her, his face hardening as he rounded on me.
“Juliette, seriously? It’s just a car. I’ll pay for it.”
A second ago, Lindsay had been shaking with fear.
When I reached for the card Nicholas was holding out, she slapped it right out of my hand. It clattered to the floor.
“Mrs. Drake, every cent you spend comes from Mr. Drake.”
“How do you even have the nerve to ask for his money?”
Nicholas chuckled. “That’s just how greedy she is.”
I looked down at my authorized user card lying on the floor and laughed.
When a man stops behaving, you don’t try to fix him. You replace him. Expecting him to change is pointless.
On my way out of Nicholas’s office, I pulled out my phone and called my assistant.
“Shut down every Ashford Bank card currently being used by the Drake family. Every single one.”
—
That afternoon, I received an unexpected call from Veridian Auto Gallery.
“Ms. Ashford, your Cullinan’s severely damaged.”
“The repair bill would be enormous. We recommend writing the vehicle off.”
I froze. “What?”
“Your husband had it towed here.”
“We were told to bill the repairs to your account, but with damage this severe, we wanted to confirm with you first.”
I grabbed a cab and headed to the dealership right away.
The moment I arrived, I saw my new car. Or what was left of it.
The vehicle was completely mangled beyond recognition.
It was the brand-new Cullinan—the latest model. Gloss black. Understated yet undeniably luxurious.
I loved it the moment I saw it. I only drove it once.
Now it was ruined. And of course, Lindsay was behind it.
After leaving the dealership, I went straight to Nicholas’s company.
Without bothering to knock, I pushed open the door to his office.
Nicholas and Lindsay were reviewing the same contract.
They stood so close their shoulders were practically touching.
The instant I walked in, Lindsay jumped away from him as though she’d been electrocuted.
“Mrs. Drake, you should knock before entering Mr. Drake’s office.”
I ignored her completely and looked at Nicholas.
“You let Lindsay take my Cullinan out to practice driving again?”
Nicholas remained perfectly calm, as if he’d expected me to come storming in.
“Honey, why are you so upset? It’s only a car.”
I laughed coldly. “Two weeks ago, you took my SUV and gave it to her to practice.”
“Not even a day later, she wrapped it around a tree. Totaled.”
“Last week, you took my Bentley. She somehow drove that one straight into a river.”
“She climbed out just fine. My car, on the other hand, sank to the bottom.”
“And now you’ve given her my brand-new Cullinan. She totaled that one too.”
“Three cars destroyed in a single month, and somehow she walks away without a scratch every time.”
“I’d say it’s pretty reasonable to suspect she’s doing it on purpose.”
“Honey, Lindsay just got her driver’s license. Of course she’s not a great driver yet.”
Nicholas didn’t sound bothered at all.
“That’s exactly why she needs more practice.”
“You can’t accuse her of doing it on purpose just because the cars were wrecked and she walked away fine.”
“The fact that she’s okay just means she’s lucky.”
I laughed coldly. “Three major accidents, and she walks away without a scratch every single time.”
“You’re right—she must be incredibly lucky.”
I folded my arms, staring at him.
“I told you after the first two, if your secretary wants driving practice, she stays away from my cars.”
“And yet you handed her my Cullinan anyway.”
“Did you even ask me first?”
Nicholas flashed his usual shameless grin.
“Honey, what’s yours is mine.”
I turned my gaze toward Lindsay.
“I let the first two go. But this one wasn’t even insured yet.”
“How exactly do you plan on paying me back?”