Chapter 355 Illusion


    Remorsefully, ire said, "It''s my fault...I shouldn''t have put it here. I thought it would be easier for you


    to grab it if it was kept closer to you. I didn''t think you could also knock it down identally..."


    "ire, it''s okay. I''m not hurt. I am just clumsy sometimes. It''s not your fault, don''t worry."


    "You didn''t get burnt, did you?" asked ire, feeling guilty.


    "No, no. It didn''t ssh on me. Just don''t worry about it...


    Could you please clean up the ce? I''m going to my room for a while," said Ashley with a reassuring


    smile.


    "Okay, Miss Mu. I''ll take care of this..." ire replied, her eyes still low.


    Leaving ire there, she forced herself to climb the stairs, even though her feet were hurt.


    She sat on the edge of the bed once she reached her room and checked her feet. The right one was


    alright, but the left one was miserable.


    There was a red blotch on the instep. It had already started to swell.


    She hissed quietly and walked to the bathroom to run cold water over it. Once the pain and stinging


    alleviated a bit, she fished for an ointment in her medical kit.


    The ointment cooled down the spot instantly, making her feel much better. She then rested on the bed,


    ying a game on her phone.


    Every now and then, therge empty bedroom overwhelmed her. She felt bored and lonely.


    She never felt like that when Andrew was around. They didn''t even have to be talking for her to feel


    comfortable. His sheer presence was enough.


    Everything felt different now. Her mood these days had changed.


    She wasn''t used to sitting idly, without having anything to do.


    Now that her foot wasn''t bothering her so much, she forgot about itpletely. She realized that she


    hadn''t been to the cake shop for a long time. ''I don''t have anything to do anyway, so why not go to see


    Ellie there?''


    She acted as soon as she got that thought. She changed into better clothes and left the house. On her


    way out, she told ire she might note back home in the evening.


    ire stared at her back, mumbling to herself, "What''s the matter? Did she fight with Mr. Lu again? Are


    they not getting along?"


    She didn''t know a fight was often a result of unsolved, trivial matters that piled up over time. They


    slowly grow bigger and bigger, finally reaching a stage where they be difficult to handle. That was


    the situation they were in right now.


    After getting out of the taxi, Ashley stood outside the shop for a long time. She remembered how nice it


    used to be to work here and take care of the shop. Why did she agree with Andrew on the idea of


    working in hispany?


    Moreover, they had even broken rules to enroll her. Now they expected her to be grateful to them.


    Was it toote for her to change her mind?


    On the other hand, she did like her job in thepany.


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    ''Well, forget about it for now! y it by ear, '' she thought, shrugging and finally walking in.


    Nina and Cheryl were very happy to see Ashley.


    "Ashley, what brings you here today? You haven''t visited in such a long time! Where have you been?"


    Ellie hadn''t told them she had started working at thepany.


    They thought it was because she had to deal with some personal matters that she hadn''t beening


    to the shop.


    "Um...I''ve started working at thepany," Ashley said.


    "Oh, really?" Cheryl looked at her in surprise. "Work at thepany? So you aren''t working here


    anymore?"


    "Yes, but I''ll stille here whenever I have time," replied Ashley, feeling like she''d betrayed them.


    Cheryl nodded slowly, then muttered, "But why did you suddenly start working there?"


    "Well, it was probably a whim," said Ashley sheepishly.


    "Ha-ha! You''re so cute, Ashley!


    But whenever you find the job too stressful, you cane back here! We need you in the cake shop!"


    said Cheryl, smiling genuinely. They all missed her terribly.


    "Sure. This shop means so much to me...Ellie and I poured our blood and sweat to establish it..."


    Ashley said, looking all around her.


    "By the way, where is Ellie? Has she note today?"


    "She is resting inside," said Cheryl.


    "Okay, I''ll go see her. You two work hard! Don''t bezybones."


    "Sure thing! You know you can''t find anyone more diligent than us in the entire world," Cheryl said,


    chuckling and winking.


    They continued to banter for a while before Ashley finally walked into the lounge.


    Ellie sat on the edge of the couch, lost in thought.


    She didn''t even notice Ashleye in. Ashley was going to call her out, but the moment she saw her


    in that state, she started to tiptoe. She walked over to her back quietly, covered Ellie''s eyes and tried to


    fake as different a voice as she could. "Guess who this is!"


    Ellie was startled! But she recognized Ashley''s familiar fragrance, her forced voice and her touch. She


    was relieved first, then ted.


    "Well, well... I say it''s a heartless pig!" said Ellie cockily.


    Ashley''s mouth fell open. She let go of Ellie instantly and jumped in front of her. "Why am I a heartless


    pig? You aren''t as kind as you used to be! How could you make that groundless usation against me,


    huh?"


    "You tell me, if you aren''t heartless, why hadn''t youe here even once since you started working at


    thepany?" asked Ellie, raising one of her eyebrows.


    Ashley heaved a sigh and sat down beside her. "Here I am! Right in front of you. I think you are very


    good at managing everything on your own! See how well you handle the shop without me!"


    Ellie nudged the tip of Ashley''s nose with her finger and said, "Oh, you mean you''re always right, huh?


    Then why did youe here at all?"


    Ashley was displeased. "Why, can''t Ie to see you when I''m free?"


    Ellie''s expression turned inquisitive. "Aren''t you supposed to stay home and keep Andrewpany? I


    don''t see a reason for you toe here..."


    Ashley got stiff and uneasy, but soon adjusted herself. Ellie didn''t even notice the change. "He has to


    work overtime."


    "Ah, I see! He''s unavable so you came to see me...well, is that fair?"


    Ashley pushed her down the couch. "What nonsense are you talking about? I came to see you on


    purpose! I missed you, idiot!"


    They fought with each other yfully for a while, pulling at each other''s hair and clothes,ughing like


    little girls.


    When they finally stopped, Ashley happened to take a close look at Ellie''s face.


    She looked different than usual.


    It was difficult to pinpoint, but her features and manners were more graceful than before.


    She looked much prettier and more charming.


    Ashley continued to stare at her, almost in a state of trance.


    Ellie waved her hand in front of her face and asked, "What''s wrong with you? Did you lose your soul?"


    Ashley snapped back to reality. "No...Ellie, why do you look different?" she asked, while running her


    skeptical eyes all over her.


    Ellie''s heart missed a beat but she managed to maintain herposure. "What is different?"


    Ashley sighed. "I can''t really say. It''s just a feeling. You look much prettier than before!"


    Ellie felt relieved. "Oh, I thought you meant I had something on my face. Well, it''s probably because


    you haven''t seen me for such a long time that you''ve forgotten what I look like!" she said, rolling her


    eyes.