Ashley’s eyes widened in astonishment, her face a picture of disbelief.
She thought to herself, ‘Why did he call me baby?Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.
“Why did he say it so boldly!”
On the other end of the phone, Kevin clearly heard these words. He was stunned for two seconds. Then his brows furrowed
instantly.
The sound of another man calling Ashley ‘baby’ reached his ears clearly, and he thought, ‘It is such an intimate nickname.
‘He mentioned that his hand was numb because she had pressed it for too long. He said it with such a flirtatious tone.
‘Does Ashley have a boyfriend now?
‘Is her boyfriend staying by her side the whole time she’s sick in the hospital?”
Awave of panic washed over Kevin, and he couldn’t help but ask, “Ashley, is there someone with you?”
Ashley cleared her throat and responded as naturally as she could, “Yes. Anyway, why did you call me?”
Kevin said, “It’s nothing important. Since you''re sick, | won’t bother you further.”
Ashley replied, “Okay, | have other matters to attend to, so I''m going to hang up now.”
Staring at the disconnected phone, Kevin furrowed his eyebrows tightly, the ambiguous sentence “Baby, my hand is numb from
your pressure” echoing in his ears, and he was lost in thought.
After hanging up the phone in the hospital room, Ashley stared in disbelief at the man who started it all. “What did you just say?”
Valentin nced at his hand, his demeanor calm and even slightly innocent. “My hand really did get numb because you had
pressed it for too long.”
She thought to herself, ‘Fine.’
Taking a deep breath and looking him straight in the eyes, Ashley
uestioned. “Then why did you suddenly call me baby?”
alentin raised an eyebrow slightly. Would you prefer if | called you oney?”
shley retorted. “Would you just shut up?
fter a moment of silence. Valentin moved a little closer to her.
is expression grew gloomy as he looked deeply into Ashley’s beautiful res. his voice low and slow. Are you so unwilling to let
Kevin know bout our rtionship?
shley blinked, her eyshes fluttered “We are secretly married, after
alentin’s expression remained unchange, but a chilling and sinister eling crept up inside him.
e thought to himself. ‘She’s still thinking of Kevin.
ut then Ashley changed the topic abruptly ‘However, it wouldn’t really atter if Kevin knew about our marriage. It wouldn’t make
any
ifference.”
alentin stiffened suddenly. The gloom on his face vanished in an
stant
is eyes fixed intendy on Ashley. He did not want to miss a single coression on her face. “You don’t like Kevin anymore!”
shley was taken aback.
de thought to herself, “What?
dikdike Kevin before?
Who started this rumor?
nembriber now, | started it myself!
prado de up tostory about liking a boy in her ss to call off her nged damarriage with Valentin in her childhood.
evite lesbaga headache, rubbed her forehead and spoke. ‘Of course, | tlike he hid fet’s not bring up the past
ides, assume you. i will be faithful to you. | will never engage in any propriate be behavior with another man while I’m married to
you!”
Chapter 78
Hearing her say she no longer liked Kevin, Valentin felt an indescribable joy surge within him like crazy.
But as she continued, his brow furrowed imperceptibly. “So, you can engage in any inappropriate behavior with other men after
we divorce?”
“Of course, we''ll be free once we divorce.” Ashley calcted quickly in her mind. “We should be able to get a divorce in about
half a year.”
The joy in Valentin’s heart vanished as if he had been doused by a bucket of cold water.
He thought to himself, ‘She’s looking forward to divorcing me this much.
‘She wants to sever ties with me that badly.’
Valentin stared at her without a word.
After a long silence, he spoke with a meaningful tone. “ording to the agreement, we are to fulfill marital duties during our
marriage.”
Ashley was very confused. “Marital duties?”
Valentin leisurely raised an eyebrow and slowly uttered a few teasing words. “Like sleeping together.”
The moment he finished speaking, Ashley waspletely stunned.
Valentin reached out and gently ruffled her hair, smiling softly, “Good girl.”
Ashley was speechless.
Before long, she finished her IV treatment, and a nurse came over to remove the needle.
Ashley btedly realized that the itchiness from the allergic reaction on her skin had stopped, and although it had notpletely
healed, the redness and swelling had subsided somewhat.
The hospital director arrived with a few specialists.
The leading expert, holding an allergy test report, said, “Ms. Ramos, ording to our tests, you are allergic to mangoes and also
to items containing propylene glycol.”
Ashley was confused. “Propylene glycol?”
The expert exined seriously, “Some air fresheners contain this
10:27
ingredient. Contact with it could trigger your allergic reactions. Just avoid. it in the future.”
Ashley suddenly understood.
That evening, she had gone out to dinner with Bryce and Laura.
After the meal, she went to the restroom, where the strong scent of air freshener likely contained an excessive amount of
propylene glycol, causing her allergy.
Ashley nodded. “Thank you. I''ll remember that.”
The specialists checked on Ashley once more.
After a thorough discussion, they concluded. “Ms. Ramos, your allergies have improved significantly. With some antiallergic
medication, you should fully recover in about three days.”
Ashley’s expression brightened. “Thank you!”
The experts hastily said, “No need to thank us. It’s our duty to treat and save patients.”
Only then did the specialists breathe a sigh of relief, thinking, ‘We''ve finally managed to treat the patient Mr. Kingsley had
brought in without any mishaps, and we can report back sessfully!
Tom stepped forward to get the medication with the specialists and noted the usage instructions.
Ashley didn’t need to be hospitalized and was helped into the car by Valentin.
She returned to the Kingsley Vi.
Having heard that Ashley was ill, Zain couldn’t rest easy and rushed over from the Kingsley Manor in the middle of the night.
Seeing Ashley return from the hospital, he asked anxiously, “Ashley, how do you feel now? Are you still ufortable
anywhere?”
Ashley felt warm and responded with a vibrant smile, “Mr. Kingsley, I’m much better now. You shouldn’t have troubled yourself
coming here sote.”
“| was worried about you. | had to see for myself, Zain scrutinized Ashley from head to toe and replied, his concern evident as he
noticed her still
10:27
somewhat swollen skin, “You''ve suffered a lot, Ashley.”
Ashley managed a wry smile. “Not at all, Grandpa. I’m almostpletely better now.”
Zain then turned to Valentin. “I asked you to take good care of Ashley. How did you let this happen?”
Valentin readily epted the me, saying, “I was negligent this time.”
Ashley was speechless.
She thought to herself, ‘It’s not his fault.
‘Itwas my fault. | identally ate something that triggered my allergies.
Ashley quickly changed the subject. “Grandpa, it’ste. Don’t rush back today. Why don’t you stay here tonight?”
Zain beamed with a smile. “Alright, Ashley, you’re so considerate! It’ste, and you''ve been sick. You should go upstairs and rest
early.”
Saying this, Zain asked Valentin to apany Ashley to rest.
However, upon going upstairs, Zain realized they weren’t staying in the same room but were sleeping separately.
Frowning in displeasure, Zain asked, “Valentin, why aren’t you ar Ashley sleeping together?”
He thought to himself, ‘I don’t oftene to the Kingsley Vi, a didn’t know Valentin and Ashley have been sleeping separately.
‘How long will it take for me to have my great-grandchild?’
Zain looked at them and probed. “Are you two fighting?”
Ashley instinctively shook her head. “No.”
Relieved yet puzzled, Zain insisted, “If you aren''t fighting, you shouldn''t sleep separately. You’re married. Don’t be like this
anymore.”
Ashley didn’t know how to respond.
She looked at Valentin, who appearedpletely unruffled by the situation.
Under Zain’s urging, Ashley had no choice but to enter the master bedroom with Valentin.
Chapter 78
Ashley’s heart skipped a beat as the bedroom door closed behind them.
She thought, ‘He just said in the hospital that we need to fulfill our marital duties, and now we’re going to share a bed tonight?”