Ethan's POV:Meeting!! Did I hear it right! She has gone for some business meeting, from which she won't be back till afternoon…No, this is not possible. She can't leave her child alone for that long… I know her too well to know that there is something fishy in this statement.This is when I realize something I should have noticed a long time ago, that she doesn't even have a brother!How come she suddenly has a brother now, and where the hell is that Mike Houston when his fianceé and son need him the most?!Really! She is leaving me for that jerk!?Or at least she is thinking about it, because I am sure that is not going to happen in the next five hundred years, or any other of her lifetimes!! I am not going to let it happen…“Anything else, Sir? Do you want to leave any message for her?”The receptionist pulls me out of the zone I am lost in, and without any second thought, the words jump out of my mouth. “Yeah! How is Adrin–”“He is fine sir! He will be sleeping till afternoon,
Ashley's POV:“Hello.”I managed to reply with a smile, trying to maintain the decorum of the formal meeting, but I know the vibes of this place and these men are completely off, and I have gotten myself in this situation myself. The realization that I have messed up badly and I don't even know how I am going to deal with the situation makes me look at my phone and consider dialing a speed dial for help or sending a message for my rescue.But this hope of mine also vanishes the moment I discreetly turn my phone screen upwards, and notice that there is no network present on it.Damn it.I cursed internally, when Mr. Wangley speaks again. “Miss Hazel, why are you still standing? Please make yourself comfortable and don't worry about someone else listening to our secrets! This is a private room, and no one can hear anything after that door is closed since this room is entirely soundproof.”I don't know if I am supposed to be scared to hear this, or consider this information useful. Be
Ethan's POV:I have finally reached the floor the girl has instructed me to go to, and look around to see where Ashley could be. Just then, I spot a waitress coming downstairs; probably, she is returning after serving someone.But something about this girl is giving me the hint that there is something wrong, or she knows that something wrong is going to happen, but she is not concerned about it. In fact, she is somehow a part of that wrong- doing itself. This thought starts to make my heartbeat go crazy.Please God! Please, please keep her safe, please keep her safe till I reach her…I pray to God internally as I rush in the direction where the girl has told me she might be; because I know that until and unless I see that she is safe, with my own eyes, nobody will be able to help me. Please keep her safe. Please keep her safe. Please God… please.I don't know why, but I am completely unable to think about anything else, apart from this phrase… till the moment I finally reach the pri
Ashley's POV: Everything here belongs to me and I was born with this right! And if someone tries to snatch what is your right, you have to fight for it.Thinking this, I touch my pendant, seeking some strength before I resume walking… until I finally reach my destination: the grand foyer of the prestigious Waverly Corporation.Today, I was facing the glass doors that lead to my father's office, but they seem imposing instead of welcoming. I can see the group of older directors looking at me through the glass door with scornful looks on their faces.They can't even hide how much they hate me being here; everything and everyone present here is standing against me, forming a barrier and blocking my path.But ignoring them, I take a step forward. Just then, the security guard also signals me to stop, leading me to declare angrily;"I demand to be let in!" I could hear my voice echoing through the marble-clad entrance hall. "This is my father's company, and no one can legally stop me f
Ashley's POVI find myself standing outside the grand hotel, my heart pounding with fear and anticipation. Although I have declared to Mr. Clifton that I would do anything and everything to secure my place, just the thought of seeking assistance from Ethan is enough to make me stumble in my step.After all, Ethan Johnson is known for his undefeatable power and fearsome reputation… and right now, my throat is completely parched by the idea of facing him and requesting his help. I don't know why I even agreed to come here, why would someone like Ethan help me out? After what he has managed to achieve at a young age by taking over the Johnson Group and ruthlessly crushing his competitors, Ethan has established himself as a formidable figure in the business world. And he isn't really fond of giving out favors… at least that's what I have heard. I feel more and more uneasy with each passing minute, and Tiffany's warning echoes in my mind;"Dad, what are you saying, she can't go to Ethan
Ashley's POVAs a last resort, I request Ethan to sit and talk somewhere, hoping that he will agree to sit face to face in some cafeteria of the hotel. And there, I might be able to persuade him to reconsider his stance.But instead of agreeing to or rejecting my question right away, he just looks at me with an unreadable expression. Finally, with a subtle nod, he gestures towards his hotel room;"Very well, let's talk. But I'm leaving a very important meeting for this, Miss Waverly, so you better make it worth my time."I feel like my ears have lost all credibility today, forcing me to question the accuracy of what I am hearing, again and again.Is he really asking me to go to his room, instead of a public place?!Shocked and uncomfortable as I may be, I also know that I can't say no at this point. And the impatient manner in which he has lifted his eyebrow while glancing at his watch is telling me I don't have much time to decide. With a deep sigh, I walk into his room; but to my
Ethan's POVI don't know what it is, but there is something in the back of my mind that's trying to alert me about something ominous… along with my heartbeats, but I ignore everything– until it finally happened.I step out of the shower, the steam following me outside as I loosely drape a robe over myself. The ends of my hair are dripping with water, and I glance at myself in the mirror before stepping out, expecting that girl… Ashley Waverly to be there, ready to sacrifice herself in return for my help. Without my permission, my mind flashes back to the image of her sleeping soundly outside my door, as if she wasn't crouched in the lobby of a five star hotel but sprawling on her own personal bedroom! Her auburn hair was scattered all over the place and when our eyes met, for a fleeting moment, I actually thought…I thought she was back, and those eyes made me stop in my place, along with my heart. Emily, she was back? What was she doing here, was something wrong?But just before I
Ashley's POVIn the hotel lobby, I pace anxiously, trying to soothe the nerves gnawing at my insides. My heart is heavy with worry and anxiety, I want to make it quick, before my time runs out… Ding!The elevator doors chime open and relief washes over me, but it is rather short-lived. Tiffany rushes out, her eyes mirroring my own turmoil as she approaches, clutching a brown packet with the medication I'd requested. I knew she would do it, regardless of whether or not she agrees: Tiffany is nothing if not reliable. But instead of handing the packet over, she rushes to my side, speaking in an urgent whisper;"Ashley, please… do you even know what kind of mess you are stepping into? You are not in a state to make such serious decisions, you just lost your parents in a tragic accident just a week ago, and you've received a major shock today, just take some time to think about it."I brush off her concerns, masking my uncertainty with false bravado."Nothing is going to change even the