Ashley's POV:My anger, fear and anxiety of getting caught up in the lies of my life with Ethan vanishes the moment he starts to play the video, as all my attention has shifted to my poor baby… who was captured in this surveillance footage, getting bullied by his friends brutally.Not only had they snatched his water bottle and lunch box, but they were about to push him to the ground, while at least three other kids were grabbing his collar, sleeve and elbow, pulling him in different directions at the same time.And meanwhile, the teacher was just chilling; sitting peacefully on one of the swings without showing any concern to save my baby or interfere in the fight and break it up.This scene is already enough to make my blood shoot above the boiling point.I'm confident that if I don't get to talk to this teacher as soon as possible and demand answers for her deliberate and blatant act of irresponsibility, my blood will surely start vaporizing in some time, because of the rising fire
Ethan's POV:Her eyes finally soften after a long time, after hearing Peter's words. Otherwise, I had almost lost the hope that she would ever consider my words.“Peter, I… I have told you about–”Her voice again brings me back to the present, but Peter doesn't give me the chance to enjoy it, even for a little while longer.“I know you should have briefed me about your son and moving on with your life, but that is not the reason why I am angry with you. I am not mad because you have hidden your happiness from me, but I am angry because you didn't even contact me in your misery. So before I get even angrier, it would be good for both of you to leave.”He speaks with a fake anger in his tone and a wide smile on his face, as he turns towards me. “Go and get that wench!! Who dared to hurt our precious Adrin!! Or else you both should know that I just don't look fierce, I am actually a very fierce person–”“Yes! We both know that you are a cutie patootie!! Who can almost give a tough compe
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
Ashley's POVThe bright morning light filters through the curtains, teasing my eyes and forcing me to wake up with a slight annoyance. But as soon as I try to open my eyes, I feel a heavy weight pressing down on my eyelids, along with a dull ache deep within my core.With a groan, I try to shift in bed, only to be met with a sharp jolt of pain that shoots through my lower body, paralyzing me for some seconds. My entire body feels heavy and sore, and I wince as I try to sit up; each movement that I make is met with resistance, and each breath is a struggle…. The discomfort is completely overwhelming, but it is not just my body that feels bruised and battered – it's my dignity too. Glimpses of last night start to appear in front of my eyes; at first, it's just some fleeting and disconnected images… and then, all the scattered memories come flooding into my mind at once. The deal I had made with Ethan… the pills I had taken to numb my senses… my clumsy efforts at seduction, him hover