Corbin Ashworth paced furiously across his private study, his footsteps echoing against the polished marble floor. The confrontation with Isabelle had left him seething. Guardians! How dare she summon those lapdogs against him?
"That insolent girl!" he snarled, slamming his fist against the desk.
The door opened, and his wife Zara Beaumont glided in, her elegant features betraying nothing of her thoughts.
"I assume things didn't go as planned," she said coolly, closing the door behind her.
"She had Guardian Leif and his men waiting! My own father bypassed me and gave her control of his personal guard!"
Zara settled into a leather armchair, crossing her legs. "Did you really think Michael wouldn't have contingencies in place? He was always thorough."
"She's just a girl!" Corbin spat. "The Ashworth family has never been led by a woman!"
