Chapter 41 Things Changed


    Raymond''s eyes grew heavy with exhaustion. The flight was tiresome but Raymond felt that something


    was wrong. He rushed towards thepany the moment he got off the ne.


    Raymond arrived at thepany post haste. He was greeted with the terrible news that Ashley had


    already resigned. The exhaustion overwhelmed his body while he tried to process the news. His legs


    were wobbly and his shoulders felt sore. He sat in the chair as the fatigue took over his body.


    Raymond was apanied by Lena, who massaged his shoulders to help him rx. His stress


    seemed to diminish from every stroke of Lena''s delicate hands.


    His eyelids grew heavy as his tense body loosened up. He felt really sleepy with Lena''s massage.


    However, his drowsiness flew away when Lena spoke.


    "Raymond, I''m sorry that I didn''t take good care of Ashley. She quitted. I wasn''t able to convince her to


    stay." Lena''s voice was soft and apologetic. Her bright eyes were full of sadness and pity. Anyone


    would be convinced that she felt sorry when Ashley left thepany.


    Raymond''s heart raced when he heard Ashley''s name. He felt like something pulled him out of a dream


    and pped him with reality.


    Raymond hesitated at first but then he asked Lena, "Do you have any idea why she resigned?"


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    He was anxious while he waited for Lena''s answer. He feared that Ashley resigned because of the


    reason he had in his mind.


    "I''m sorry, but no. I didn''t want her to leave, so I tried to persuade her to stay. I asked her about her


    reasons. However, you''re aware that Ashley and I aren''t close. She has always hated me ever since


    we were young girls. She wouldn''t talk to me about such things.


    In fact, she snarled at me when I asked her to stay. She told me to leave her alone, and that it wasn''t


    my business,"


    Lena replied to Raymond. Her eyes were moist and ready to cry. She looked sorrowful as if she was a


    victim. People wouldn''t dare to me her for anything.


    Raymond wanted to ask more about Ashley''s abrupt resignation. He opened his mouth but decided to


    say nothing when he saw Lena''s depressed face.


    Any man would feel the need tofort such ady in tears. Their hearts would melt and they would


    want to embrace the beautifuldy in tears.


    "Hush now Lena. I understand that it''s not your fault," Raymond wiped Lena''s tears as heforted


    her with his deep, warm voice. He wrapped his arms around her to calm her down.


    He understood Ashley well enough to know how hard-headed she could be. She wouldn''t let anyone


    change her decision once she already made up her mind. Not even Raymond could persuade her.


    "Raymond, do you think Ashley resigned because of me? She was perfectly fine before I was


    employed here. Everybody thought she enjoyed being in thispany. Did I do something wrong?


    Why did she have to leave right after I started to work here?" Lena''s voice quivered when she asked


    Raymond. Her eyes were filled with regret and confusion.


    Raymond didn''t know what to say to make Lena feel better. He wanted to deny Lena''s worries and tell


    her that Ashley left because of another reason. However, it seemed like it was the truth – Ashley did


    leave because of Lena.


    Ashley was a devoted and diligent employee before Lena showed up. She achieved remarkable results


    in the tasks given to her and never once showed any sign that she wanted to leave thepany.


    However, she began to act differently when Lena entered thepany.


    Raymond started to reminisce Ashley''s stay in thepany. His face showed a homesick expression.


    This made Lena feel gloomy.


    Lena told Raymond that she considered it was her fault that Ashley left just to test Raymond. She had


    always wondered who Raymond felt more important to him, herself or Ashley. However, when she saw


    that Raymond actually believed that it really was her fault, she couldn''t help but feel angry.


    Lena feared that Raymond might ask her to quit the Luo group just so Ashley could work there again.


    Raymond did consider such a thought. He just found it difficult to express himself. He didn''t know how


    to tell Lena to leave so that Ashley coulde back. Ashley might act cold towards Raymond but he


    believed that deep inside Ashley''s heart, she still cared about him.


    "If she really did leave because of me, then I should be the one to go. Ashley can still work here and I


    will be back at the Mu group." Lena suggested with tears in her eyes.


    Raymond''s spirits were lifted with what Lena said. This would make Ashleye back and Lena


    seemed fine with it. However, just as soon as Raymond''s mind was filled with hope, Lena said with an


    awkward face, "But what about your mother? It was because of her that I started to work here. Won''t I


    disappoint her when I leave so suddenly?"


    Raymond''s hopes were crushed with Lena''s words. The sudden realization from what Lena said made


    him stiff and confused. He looked like someone sshed cold water in his face.


    Raymond was stunned. His mind pondered with how her mother would react in such an event. It was


    his mother''s idea for Lena to work in hispany. If he did ask Lena to leave just so that Ashley could


    come back, his mother would loathe Ashley even more!


    Raymond had never once disobeyed his mother. He epted every arrangement she made in the


    past. He was a good and devoted child. He wouldn''t do anything that would upset his beloved mother.


    Raymond became reluctant to ept Lena''s offer to leave. His face that was previously full of hope


    now became disheartened.


    He remembered all his sacrifices to manage hispany. Raymond was able to develop the potential


    of thepany. It was only a small subsidiary of the Luo Group but it progressed well in the past few


    years.


    Of course, Ashley was also responsible for the developments in thepany. She made great


    contributions to improve the business.


    Lena noticed that Raymond started to hesitate. She became happy at how reluctant he became about


    Ashley''s return. There was no way that Lena would allow Ashley toe back to the Luo group.


    Lena waspletely aware of how to manipte Raymond. He loved his mother very much and would


    always obey her everymand. Raymond would treat his mother''s words as if they were from God.


    Lena understood that she needed to develop a close rtionship with Raymond''s mother. An evil grin


    streaked across Lena''s face as she perfected her schemes to marry into the Luo Group.


    "Lena, I can''t let you do that. You are just over thinking things. Ashley has her own reasons for leaving.


    It''s not your fault that she resigned." Raymond lied about what he thought was Ashley''s reason. He


    decided not to ask Lena to quit thepany. He had already given up on the idea that Ashley would


    come back.


    Raymond wrapped his hands around Lena to calm her down. He tried tofort her before he left her


    office.


    The posts on the forum had been deleted. No one was allowed to mention it. The employees were


    ordered not to gossip about the event. Raymond, who was away, had no idea of the catastrophe that


    made Ashley leave.


    …


    Ashley and Ellie got up early in the morning. They had breakfast together and walked to the bus stop.


    The sunlight was warm on their early trip. They were headed towards the store they had inquired


    yesterday, along with everything they needed to sign the contract.


    They nned to rent the store. They would decorate it so that they could have their own shop.


    However, they felt ominous as they entered the front door. A middle-aged woman sat in the middle of


    the store and stared absent-mindedly at the walls. She was the shop owner but she wasn''t aware that


    Ashley and Ellie had already arrived.


    Ashley cautiously walked towards the shop owner. She lightly tapped the shop owner''s shoulder and


    said, "How are you, Lily? Are you okay?"


    "Oh Ashley, I haven''t noticed youing in! It''s nothing. I''m fine." Lily looked startled, but she replied


    with a smile on her face. However, Lily''s smile seemed forced.


    "Lily, where is the contract? We brought everything we need for signing," Ashley asked as she noticed


    that Lily had nothing on her hands. A wave of confusion struck Ashley.


    "I''m sorry! I do not have the contract! The shop has actually been rented out by my son two days ago.


    He has already received a deposit from the renters. They wille tomorrow to sign the contract. I''m


    so sorry. I should have called you and told you about it ahead of time."