Chained To Me: A Billionaire Enemies To Lovers Romance

Chapter 49 -Aston

It's the night of the charity gala. I have only one thing on my mind. Beautiful fucking Everly.

I've thought a lot about what she said, that she wants more from me. And I'm ready to give it.

I enter the ballroom, which is transformed from a simple room to an oasis of beauty. The theme is "Winter Wonderland," so everything shines with the light. Huge wine glasses serve as centerpieces, adorning every table filled with fake snow and winter scenes. Blue lights strobe off the walls, emitting giant snowflakes. Crystal chandeliers drip down from the ceilings, illuminating the sparkling tables and the white dance floor.

I have to say, the party planners did a great fucking job. But my eyes search for one person, and I don't see her anywhere.

Lina comes up to me. She's dressed in a light blue shimmery dress and faux fur stole. "Darling, you're here. Don't you look fabulous!" She kisses me on both cheeks."

"Hey, Lina. You look great." I continue to look around for Everly.

"I'd say this gala will go off without a hitch. What a wonderful idea this was. I'm so proud of you," she says, pulling me into a full-blown hug.

I hug her back, understanding that Lina and I have come a long way. She damn near quit on me.

"Thanks," I say to her. "But this was all Everly. She came up with the idea for having a charity, for this gala, everything."

Lina looks at me knowingly. "I told you she was the one to call and would fix everything. Didn't I?"

I smile down at her. "You fucking told me. I should've listened from the beginning."

Indeed, I've come a long way from being a pompous asshole with an image problem to having seemingly grown a heart. I just wish I could find Everly so that I could tell her that.

"Hey, have you seen Everly?" I ask Lina.

She shakes her head. "No, I haven't. But I'm sure she's around here somewhere."

"Yeah. I'll go find her."

I leave Lina to socialize while I search the crowds for Everly. I am stopped by almost everyone who wants to thank me for creating The Aston Thomas Center for Cancer Research.

It feels good to do this thing in honor of my mother. And it heals the pain a bit. I know this charity will do a lot of good in her name.

I walk around the gala, talking to people and thanking them for coming.

My former client, Yousef Shannon, approaches me.

"Aston," he says, clapping me on the back. "It's so good to see you."

"Is it?" I question him.

The last time I spoke to him, he was dropping me as a real estate broker.

"I know things have been rocky," he says. "But I'd appreciate it if you continued working with me. We have so much history together. I realize you've gone through some personal things, but let's not let that stop us."

I analyze him. He's a tall man with graying black and white peppered hair and intense, nearly black eyes. I also know he's intelligent, and he wouldn't be saying these things if he didn't mean them.

I reach out my hand for him to shake. "You know that place on Townsend Street is still available. I'd love to show it to you. It's a fucking beautiful penthouse, one you need in your portfolio."

"Set it up." He smiles at me as he turns to leave.

I realize that things are turning around thanks to Everly and her efforts to rehab my image. I'm no longer Aston Thomas, the guy who fucked three strippers. I'm Aston Thomas, the billionaire luxury real estate titan. I'm back to where I belong. Or at least I will be when this charity gala goes off without a hitch.