Chapter 2

Her question hung in the air. Unanswered.

Without saying anything, Justin moved towards the drawer.

“Justin, I'm talking to you!” She thundered her tone loudly.

“Just wait, my dear wife. And I will give you an answer!” Justin stated.

He opened a safe inside the drawer she never knew existed. One would think it was just a plain wall. That means there were a lot of things she never knew about him in three years. He punched in the code with his back facing Ashley. Justine brought out a brown envelope.

"Here is your answer."

Ashley slowly took the document with a thudding heart. Her hands vibrated reading the title of the document.

' divorce agreement.'

Her entire body went rigid. Justine had a smirk on his face looking at shattered Ashley.

"You never loved me, why did you Marry me? Because I'm docile." She answered her own question.

Justine's eyes were void of any emotion. He brought out a pen handing it over to Ashley. She hesitated for a while.

"Sign it now."

Justine dropped the pen on the floor. Ashley's eyes followed the pen as it rolled over to her feet. She picked the pen up. This was pure betrayal. Three years was enough to build a career.

Ashley signed her side of the document. Flipping over she read the agreement which stated she would receive a monthly allowance from Justine as compensation.

"You should sign that too, you will need it. You would be the biggest fool if you refuse to sign it."

There was a hint of mockery in his voice.

Ashley left it unsigned.

"I don't need your money Justine. Before you came into my life I was doing just fine."

Justine laughed.

"Fine. Come on Ashley. You were broke, a lot of debt hanging in your neck. If I hadn't stepped into your miserable life you would have jumped into the ocean."

"Well this loveless marriage is a death sentence itself."

"Enough!"

Lady Wilson stepped into the room. All this while she had been behind the door eavesdropping. She was excited hearing Ashley accepted to sign the divorce paper.

"You are leaving this house right this minute you bastard."

Lady Wilson dragged Ashley from her hair all through the staircase.

"The swamp is where you belong, not a mansion."

"Let me go."

Ashley cried out in pain. Lady Wilson threw her out of the gate ordering the security never to let her into the house for any reason. Justine watched Ashley from the window thrown on the tarred road crying her eyes out. He felt no pity towards her. Ashley brought this upon herself.

The night was cold and dark. Cold breeze tossed Ashley back and forth, it was about raining heavily on Ashley. She had nowhere to sleep, no friends, no family to call for help. Shadows of waving leaves caused a spooky feeling on Ashley.

Ashley wrapped her hands around her quivering body walking barefooted on the road like a mad woman. At this hour of the time, there wasn't any taxi spotted to drop her off at the free shelter home for the homeless like herself.

An incoming headlight shined into Ashley's eyes. The vehicle drove past her splashing water all over her body. She did not bother, her mind was prepared for the worst scenario.

Unknowingly, the car reversed back to Ashley parking by her side. Ashley looked up at him, She was quivering to death. The stranger brought out a picture, the girl he was looking at shared a striking resemblance with the girl in the picture. Ashley couldn't hear the next word she passed out.

*****

"Doc, will she be alright?"

A deep voice questioned looking at the worn out lady on the sick bed.

"Yes. It might take some time for her to wake up." The doctor responded.

"How much time doc?"

The individual sounded impatient.

"Not long."

The doctor briefly. He looked at Ashley as though he was hiding a thing or two about her health. His throat bubbled up and down.

"I must leave now, call me in case of any emergency."

"Will there be any emergency doc?"

The man stood head to head with the doctor with an icy blue eye.

"I'm… I'm just saying just in case. In the meantime there is nothing to worry about."

"I hope so doc. We pay you really good money. Nothing must happen to our mistress."

There was a warning of danger in his voice. One mistake and he wouldn't hesitate to kill the doctor.

The doctor shook his head positively assuring things will not go wrong. This mysterious family isn't one to mess up with. No one touches the tail of the lion and lives to tell the story.

Down the stairs there was a commotion. Buzzing voices with no one saying a clear word to the understanding of others.

"Silence."

The oldest man in the room out everyone in order.

"Grandfather, how certain are you that she is your granddaughter?"

Alex the eldest grandchild spoke first. He had been so worked up hearing there was another grandchild who had been missing for twenty years. Alex sent out spies to find her first. Unluckily grandfather found her sooner

"Her blood has been taken for a DNA test and it will be out soon. Do not worry yourself."

"Grandfather I know you still mourn the death of your son and his family in that fatal accident but grandfather it's not possible for a child to survive please do not be fooled."

Cassandra spoke next. She was the family beauty diva. Always conscious of her appearance.

"Grandfather, I don't mind having another cousin; she might be nice to me." The family's last born Lilah spoke with a beaming smile. Others have been so hostile to her. She hoped Ashley would be different from others.

"Let the DNA speak first, only then will I pass my judgment."

"Grandfather, your right hand man might be playing tricks on you to get your money."

Alex spoke again banging the table. Grandfather could Sense his aura of insecurity. Alex doesn't like competition. He wants to be on top of the family business alone.

"I called you here to inform you all of her arrival and not to ask about your opinions. You all are dismissed."

Alex was the first to leave followed by Cassandra. Lilah pecked her grandfather before leaving for her sports car parked outside. She said no word to the others. It was pointless.

"We need to eliminate her first." Cassandra suggested.

"Don't tell me what to do. Get the DNA results."

Cassandra left him. Alex was a man of superiority. He doesn't like being told what to do. Alex went into his room in the multi billion manor.