Chapter 452 Is Pearl Ashley's Double?
Diannel couldn't bring himself to lie, so he reluctantly said, "Ethan, Ashley was your wife."
Just hearing Ashley's name sent ripples through Ethan's heart. He thought to himself that he must have loved her deeply once, given how strongly her mere name affected him.
"But she passed away in an accident," Diannel added carefully. "I was afraid of upsetting you, so I avoided mentioning her."
"She's dead?"
Though Ethan had no memory of Ashley, a sharp pain unexpectedly pierced his heart at the news.
Diannel patted his shoulder consolingly. "Ethan, you've started a new life now. Don't dwell on the past. We can't bring back the dead—those of us still living need to look forward."
"Could I see a photo of her?" Ethan asked.
Diannel and Nick exchanged worried glances.
"Don't worry," Ethan assured them. "I just want to see her picture. It won't upset me."
Thinking that Ethan's amnesia would protect him from emotional pain, Diannel pulled out his phone, found a treasured photo, and handed it to him. "This is Ashley."
Ethan took the phone, and his heart raced wildly as he stared at the woman in the photo, his eyes widening in shock.
What was happening?
Why did his deceased wife look exactly like Pearl?
No wonder he lost control of his emotions whenever he saw Pearl, and couldn't help but want to...
So that was it. She looked like Ashley.
Ethan gave a bitter smile. He had thought he'd fallen for Pearl at first sight, but in reality, he had unconsciously been treating her as a substitute.
That wasn't fair to Pearl.
Ethan handed the phone back to Diannel. "Send me the photo, please."
He took a deep breath, suppressing the inexplicable sadness welling up inside him. His rational mind told him he couldn't selfishly use Pearl as a replacement for his late wife.
Diannel nodded. "Of course."
He carefully observed Ethan's expression, which remained cool and composed with no visible signs of distress, much to Diannel's relief.
"I've arranged for Aivalian cuisine for lunch," Ethan said. "After we eat, we'll proceed with the meeting."
Diannel and Nick nodded in agreement. "Sounds good."
After lunch, the group moved to the conference room to begin their important meeting.
"Currently, baby food products represent one of the nation's largest consumer markets," Ethan began. "Ferndale's greatest advantage lies in controlling the majority of dairy farms nationwide. Gold Valley District alone houses over a dozen farms. Our cattle breeds, environmental standards, and farming techniques are the most advanced in the country."
He distributed documents across the table. "These files contain comprehensive information about the owners of these farms, plus comparative environmental analyses. Please review them carefully."
"Our goal is to select one farm as our long-term milk supplier and establish a processing plant nearby," he continued. "I've personally inspected each facility, and I can guarantee the photos in these files are authentic. Today, we need to finalize our choice. Please share any opinions you might have."
As the team reviewed the documents, various voices chimed in.
"This one looks promising.""This one's excellent too."
"This one's excellent too."
"Since opinions differ," Ethan said, "let's put it to a vote and discuss the results afterward."
With over thirty people in the conference room, the voting process took about ten minutes. Finally, a staff member announced, "The farm with the most votes is... Muse Fresh Milk Limited Company."
Ethan paused, surprised that Atticus's farm had survived the screening process and emerged as the top choice. Thoughts of Pearl made his heart race unexpectedly.
Memories of their previous encounters flooded back, stirring something deep within him.
Massaging his temples to suppress his growing desire, Ethan asked, "Any comments on this selection?"
One team member spoke up, "Based on the environmental reports and owner profiles, Muse Fresh Milk Limited Company stands out. It's run by a married couple raising two healthy sons who drink their own milk. Their robust children are the best advertisement we could ask for—it shows we can trust their product quality."
Others murmured in agreement.
Ethan lowered his gaze, rhythmically tapping his finger on the table. Hearing references to "the couple" and "two sons" ignited jealousy within him. He couldn't help imagining Atticus with Pearl, which sparked an irrational urge to separate them and claim both Pearl and her children as his own.
He fought to control these emotions, reminding himself that his feelings stemmed from Pearl's resemblance to Ashley, not genuine affection for Pearl herself. If they established a business relationship, they'd meet regularly, which would only intensify these inappropriate feelings.
He couldn't allow himself such irrational behavior.
"Your Highness," Diannel said, "shall we proceed with this company?"
Nick agreed. "Their dairy operation is indeed impressive. Let's go with them."
"Their facilities and techniques are commendable," Ethan conceded, "but we shouldn't judge milk quality solely by how children appear after consuming it. We need professional testing before making our final decision."
"Have our experts conduct quality testing at Muse Fresh Dairy," Ethan instructed.
"Yes, Your Highness."
With regal authority, Ethan concluded, "We'll finalize this after reviewing the test results. Meeting adjourned."
As Ethan rose, everyone began dispersing. His assistant approached, looking confused. "Your Highness, we already used Muse Fresh Dairy products when Princess Angela needed milk. We conducted quality tests beforehand, and the results were exceptional."
"Is that so?" Ethan replied coldly, giving his assistant a chilling look that silently communicated, "You talk too much."
The assistant, sensing danger, immediately fell silent.
Having worked with Ethan for years, Diannel understood his temperament. "Ethan, is there something you'd prefer not to discuss publicly?"
"Let's drop this subject," Ethan said. "We'll revisit it after the test results come in."
Seeing Ethan's reluctance, Diannel didn't press further.
Checking the time—past five o'clock—Ethan realized Angela had spent the entire afternoon at Ashley's home. It was time for her to return, but in his agitated state, he preferred not to see Pearl.
"Angela is at a classmate's house," Ethan informed his staff. "Go pick her up."
"Where is the Princess, Your Highness?" the assistant inquired.
After a brief hesitation, Ethan replied, "Muse Fresh Dairy Company."
Behind him, Diannel raised an eyebrow, immediately understanding that Ethan's decision to pause their plans stemmed from personal reasons related to Muse Fresh Dairy.
Once Ethan had walked away, Diannel approached the assistant. "Hello, what's your name? Would it be alright if I accompanied you to Muse Fresh Dairy Company?"
"I'm Ian. Of course—follow me."
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