Ashley's POV:As everyone settles into their respective places in the conference room, I can't help but steal a glance toward Ethan. He is seated beside me, and the entire entourage of staff members that he had brought along, were on alert around him. To my surprise, I catch a quick smile flash across his face, but it's gone just as quickly. Was it just my illusion….no it was ..as I can bet I had caught him smiling.Stunned, I quickly look down at the file in front of me, as an internal debate kicks off in my mind.Did I really just see that? Was he smiling? He was, wasn't he! I'm pretty sure he was... but I can't possibly be hallucinating in broad daylight, right?Before I can get the time to hear the arguments on both sides and reach a conclusion to the debate, Ethan's voice cuts through my thoughts. "It seems like everyone here is quite fond of wasting time! Should we start the meeting, or are we waiting for something else?"As soon as the words leave his mouth, the conference
Ashley's POV:Liam had taken a full fifteen minutes to come back, and he was accompanied by two other staff members. After he rushed to his seat, the other two employees start to distribute the files to every board member in the room.I glance around the room, noticing the tension and impatience on everyone's faces. As soon as Ethan receives his file, he flips it open and his expression turns grim."I am appalled!" Ethan exclaims, his voice echoing in the conference room. "I don't have the words after looking at the company's finances… I can't even believe that it was possible for financial data to be recorded in this way! What even… I can't decide which laurels to bestow on the accounts department."I don't need him to point out the obvious. The numbers are a mess, and anyone with even a basic understanding of finance can see that. I glance around the table, noticing the uneasy shifting of some of the board members. But just when I think Ethan has said enough, in a move that far ex
Ashley's POV:I follow Ethan outside, quickening my pace and almost rushing to avoid any unwanted attention or any more comments about our relationship. On reaching the company doors, I spot Ethan's car that is waiting right outside, and he's already inside by the time I catch up. I duck my head and slide into the car, feeling a trace of nervousness. The driver shuts the door, and the car starts moving, leaving the Waverly Group's driveway merging into the traffic. It takes me some time to muster my courage, but I finally clear my throat. "I don't know how else to say it, but I sincerely wanted to thank you, because I wouldn't have been able to attend the shareholders' meeting otherwise."I steal a glance at Ethan, expecting some sort of reaction, but he just continues staring ahead, his expression unreadable. Surprisingly, his silence feels like a slight improvement from his reaction yesterday.Feeling somewhat encouraged by his lack of response, I continue, my voice barely above
Ashley's POV: I look around, trying to get a sense of where I am, but it is totally useless. There is nothing around here—no shops, no buildings, just the endless stretch of highway. It is pouring down hard, and I clutch my bag as I walk over to one side of the road. My clothes are already drenched, and I can’t find any shelter. Not that it would help much now… I pull out my phone and curse under my breath. Only 4% battery left. Great, I can't even call a cab, what if my phone dies on me?Feeling desperate, I dial Tiffany's number, feeling guilty for disturbing her in the middle of the day… but it's not like I have any other options. "Hello? Tiffany, listen… are you free right now? Yeah, I need a favor from you..."_________Almost twenty minutes have passed since I managed to send Tiffany my location after finding a small patch of connectivity, and my phone died moments later. I jolt to my senses when a red car screeches to a halt on the side of the road. The door flies open, an
Ashley's POV:By the time I step out of Tiffany's home, a sleek black car pulls up in front of me, halting my steps. The windows roll down, and a man asks, "Miss Waverly? Mr. Johnson sent me here to fetch you."For a moment, I stand there, startled. Ethan sent him here? How did he know where I was? But the next moment, I remember his call… it had to be something urgent that he had called me for, right? Thinking this, I get in the car regardless, deciding to ask him about it later.Lost in my thoughts, I barely notice the journey passing by until the driver presses the brakes and says, "We are here, ma'am. Please head inside the goods."I step out to find a grand mansion in front of me, gleaming in the sunshine, and it almost hurts my eyes to look at it for so long. I stand there for a moment, taking in the imposing structure before taking a deep breath and stepping inside. My breath is knocked out of me at the sheer size and elegance of this house, how am I even going to find him i
Ashley's POV: I continue feeding Ethan the soup and pasta, taking a few bites myself whenever he insists. Until finally, the bowls are empty and I exhale a sigh of relief. “I'll be right back." I get my purse from the bar counter. I am sure I had some medication in there… After rummaging through it for a moment, I find what I need and bring it to him with a glass of water "You'll feel better if you sleep for some time," I say softly. Ethan hums again, his eyes already drooping as he puts his head on the pillow. Within minutes, his soft breathing tells me he is already asleep. I stand there for a moment, unsure of what to do next. He had clearly asked me to come here for some reason, so how could I leave? But it doesn’t seem appropriate to stay here like this either, while he is asleep. At the very least, I know I can't stay in the same room, that would be unimaginably creepy, right? So, I wander out of the room, but still, there is no sign of anyone else being present
Ashley's POV:“Get out!”These words are enough for me to leave this place, and never turn my head back ever again… or abandon any way in the direction of which Ethan Johnson has ever looked towards. But then I hear his last sentence, that I am hundred percent sure, has been thrown on my face like a verbal slap. "But remember! If you take even a single step out of this house, consider it to be the last day of our arrangement. I will call off the deal, and then you can have fun dealing with your succession drama."I don't know what happened to me at the moment, but I feel my anger boiling in my veins.I turn around and without wasting a second, I take three large strides towards him, crossing the distance between us before giving him any chance to react to what I am doing. It's only fair, he didn't give that chance to me, either; I pulled him closer by his collar and put my lips on his.I hear a low, annoyed growl in his throat, thinking that he would hesitate or object. But the very
Ethan's POV:I don't know what happened to me the moment I saw tears in her eyes… the eyes that resemble so much to the ones I want to see crying badly. But I guess I had previously overestimated myself in the imagination of hating Emily. No matter what she has done to me… what her presence, name, and even resemblance is doing to me… I still care about her.I know I was swayed away by the kiss and my mind had become blank for a moment, making me realize that I wasn't completely sober yet. Otherwise, there was no way I would have let her stay here, had I been in a completely composed state.After that point, everything just started to act on its own, and I was just going with the flow. But after I saw the tears flow from her eyes, it was really hard for me to continue without knowing the reason behind it… even though stopping myself was the more difficult task to be done.“Nothing, it's just… it's just.”I return back to reality when she tries to mumble something, as I feel a hand cla