《My contract love story》


 Chapter 1

    ¡°Hey dream girl! your break is over. Time to get back to work¡± a loud voice sounded through the small break room, waking thedy who slept on the couch up. She groaned as she realized that her little sleep session hade to an end, and the next time she will be sleeping in is at homete at night. Standing up, she rushed to wipe the beads of sweat on her forehead and pulled out ab from her bag on the couch. She then proceeded to remove the sanitary hair and reb her hair.


    Pulling her hair into a firm bun, she reached for a box containing new hairs and wore one. She walked up to the mirror and looked over her light green uniform, ensuring she was not out of ce, she walked out to meet the owner of the voice who called her. She walked to the middle-aged woman who sat at the desk; the woman had a firm face that looked like she won¡¯t tolerate nonsense.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    ¡°Miss Ashleigh Hartman, once again you have overslept¡± the woman said, giving her a judging look. Ashleigh ran up to grab her hands


    ¡°Ma¡¯am Smith, I¡¯m so sorry. I will take note next time¡± she apologized sweetly, cing her head on her shoulders. Mrs Smith raised her head and grabbed her nose in a teasing manner.


    ¡°Hmm, how many next times have you noted now? If I¡¯m not your aunt, you would be back to the streets¡± she said, making Ashleigh pout.


    ¡°Now go,  you have been assigned to the fourth floor. Go and start cleaning early enough so you can close¡± Mrs Smith said as she removed her hands from her shoulder and pushed her to leave. The girl stood up begrudgingly and walked out of the break room with a sigh, after the door closed Mrs Smith stared at the door as she pondered.


    Ashleigh entered the elevator to the fourth floor and was on to the supply room to get some equipment for cleaning. She scrolled through her social media ount as she waited, looking at her friend¡¯s ount; she stared at the picture of her friend at a dreamy location with the caption ¡®vacation ¡®underneath. cing her phone back to her pocket, a mocking smile came on her lips. She could only see from a distance but could not experience that splendid lifestyle, she could barely afford to put food on her table at the moment. The elevator dinged open and she walked to the supply room, entering the room she looked to see the three girls who made her dread.


    ¡°Hey look who it is¡­.. dream girl has finally decided to wake up from her sleep¡± Tyra, a dark skinned girl spoke up as she walked to Ashleigh. ncing at her hands on the doorknob, she pulled her in and closed the door, and signalled to the other girl to lock the door. Ashleigh struggled with Tyra¡¯s grip as she saw they looked the door, Tyra instead pushed her to kneel on the floor and the girls held her down by her hands.


    ¡°Little miss out of this world, why haven¡¯t we been seeing you around?¡± Tyra asked, Ashleigh refused to speak. The other girl grabbed her face roughly and lifted it to face her


    ¡°Insolent girl, don¡¯t you know you¡¯re to look up and speak¡± she shouted in her ear, making Ashleigh cringe from the sound.


    ¡°What happened again tyra¡± she managed to force out, the force which they exerted on her jaw made it difficult for her to talk. Tyra¡¯s eyes narrowed angrily and she gave her a p.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know dream girl, you just annoy me¡± she replied mockingly and Ashleigh rolled her eyes. Since she had started working herest two months, Tyra and her cronies has always been on her neck; making her work experience hell. It was bad enough that she had to start working at such an early age, she went through hell because of Tyra¡¯s antics. Tyra had a problem with her apparently for being favoured by Mrs Smith which she did not know was her aunt, and their supervisor.  she knew the contract supervisor looked at her with sympathy on the day of the interview when she pleaded for this job and chose to give it to her, she had no other rtionship with the man. They insisted that she had a special rtionship which the contract supervisor, which makes her gain favour. She usually just pleads for a while and takes on their share of cleaning, but today Ashleigh was not in the mood to do any of that.


    ¡°What do you get from beating me up? No matter what you do to me, it won¡¯t still change the fact that I have no rtionship with Mr. rk. And I will not be leaving this job as well¡± she grunted out. Tyra looked at her in disdain, wondering what to do to make her break her pretty facade, she smiled in satisfaction as she saw her that the p left a mark on her face.


    ¡°You see pretty bitches like you annoy me. You don¡¯t get it do you? I will continue to torture you until you decide to resign. Or better still, you have to admit to me that you have a rtionship with Mr rk and I¡¯ll record it to let everyone know what a cheap girl you are¡± Tyra said in a condescending tone, but Ashleigh was still unmoving. Tyra signalled the girls holding her down and they nodded in response. They immediately lifted her up and dragged her to the back of the supply room.


    ¡°Wait, what are you doing Tyra?¡± Ashleigh asked frantically, struggling to free herself from their grasp but it was too tight. Tyra only walked ahead without saying a thing and this made her tremble in fear for the first time. Ashleigh knew they were mischievous but she did not think it would be to this extent. They finally dragged her to the back of the supply room and tied her hands to the shelves that stood there with her back facing them, they then brought out a wooden stick and gave it to Tyra. Tyraughed loudly as she turned to face Ashleigh and ran her hands on her face. She look at her the features trembling in fear and smiled wickedly


    ¡°You see¡­. today¡¯s the ultimatum. You will have to do what we say today or face the consequences¡± she exined calmly


    ¡°I have told you countless times Tyra, I have no other ce to apply for a job right now. I cannot afford to leave this ce¡± Ashleigh tried pleading again, going on deaf ears to Tyra. She just stood up, walked to her back and held the stick up.


    ¡°Well, since you said this is the only option you have for now and you¡¯re not willing to confess your rtionship with Mr rk, you¡¯ll naturally have to bear the consequences¡± she concluded, raising the stick up to swing but was stopped by a cold voice


    ¡°What is going on here¡±

 Chapter 2

    Tyra immediately dropped the bat. Her minions who were also recording, turned to see a bunch of men and women staring at them. The man in the middle walked up to where they stood, each step echoed loudly in the room. They felt the coldness exude off him as he neared them and instinctively stepped back. He slightly hovered over them. His frame seemed to be so well built it almost popped through the suit and his proportions were amazing. His handsome face has the coldest look currently as he stared at Tyra and her friends. However,  that was the least of Tyra¡¯s worries at the moment.


    ¡°Who the hell is this man¡± she drooled in her mind, lusting after him.


    As she drooled over him in her mind, she also feared for her life, she watched as he walked up to where Ashleigh was tied and untied her hands, and how Ashleigh fell into his embrace.


    ¡°this opportunistic skunk ¡± she mocked, as she looked at the both of them.


    Ashleigh on the other hand, let out a huge sigh of relief as she held onto the man. The amount of fear she felt before he walked in was insane, when she was untied she had no strength in her legs.


    She gazed at the man with starry eyes; he had deep set eyes that seemed to draw her in, a beautiful yet rugged face and his hair seemed to tip over despite the gel he used to slick it back up. However this was not the time or ce, as soon as she felt strong enough to stand she tapped him silently to help her stand, but he was still somewhat lost.


    He felt her fingers prodding his shoulders and he immediately helped her stand up. He then turned to his envoy which consisted of Mrs Smith, who immediately walked up to him.


    ¡°I am yet to get an exnation and you¡­.¡± he said, turning to face Tyra who was shocked by the attention.


    ¡°They were bullying me, as they usually do¡± a voice spoke out, all of them turned to see Ashleigh who stood at a reasonable distance.


    She looked at their surprised faces and also saw Tyra¡¯s eyes narrow into slits.


    ¡°No sir, she meant to say that¡­.¡±


    ¡°You wanted to beat me with a stick. That¡¯s what I wanted to say right?¡± She continued, ignoring Tyra and her friend¡¯s fierce look.


    Mrs Smith immediately walked up to Ashleigh and checked if she was alright, sighing in relief that nothing was wrong.  She then moved to the man whose face had gotten colder as time had passed and knelt in supplication.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    ¡°I apologize Mr. Cagliari for this great error on my part. I will take responsibility for this ignorance¡± he apologized, at the mention of the name Tyra and her friends felt chills run down their spines, more fear filled them as they saw his smouldering gaze on them.


    She then turned to face the man who looked down at Mrs Smith begging the man frantically, her eyes went over his features once again: the maroon coloured suit he wore looked exquisite and seemed topliment his shoes, he controlled the room without saying much and his aura is outstanding. Her eyes widened in realization that this man might be the CEO of thepany, if it is so then this would not pass over easily. Mr Cagliari nced his secretary and he nodded in understanding.


    The man stepped out to stand besides Ashleigh, and spoke up.


    ¡°Mrs Smith, you will have to give an exnation to me at the disciplinary board meetingter today, same goes for the employees involved in this case. Our CEO Mr Cagliari will be overseeing this meeting¡± he said with a tone of finality and the mood of the room became solemn.


    Mr Cagliari began making his way out, stopping at Ashleigh, who put her head down immediately, he gave smirk and left the supply room. Once he left with the other employees, Ashleigh turned to leave  the room, ignoring the calls of Mrs Smith.


    She ran to the break room and gathered her things afterwards she exited the building. Mr Cagliari stood at the window of his office, watching the girl leave quietly from the office. He felt a presence behind him which was his secretary and asked him to speak.


    ¡°Ashleigh Hartman. She is 22 years old and was raised in an orphanage from birth. No information on what happened to her parents, but she recently was taken in by her aunt who coincidentally works here¡± he handed the tablet to Mr Cagliari who scrolled through the profile information and then he swiped to the see a head shot of her, he looked at her face once again and felt a slight sense of familiarity.


    He shook it off and gave the tablet back to his secretary, walking to his desk with his secretary in tow. He sat down on the exquisite leather chair and leaned back contemting on finding out more about this girl.


    He then gave more instructions to his secretary concerning the disciplinary board meeting, who nodded and quickly left to carry out his orders. In a while Mr. Turner came back to inform him of the meetingsmencement to which he stood up and left the office.


    At the disciplinary board meeting, Tyra and her aplices had tried twisting the story to portray Ashleigh as being provoking, but on recalling her frightened and relieved face on seeing him in the room.


    His anger brewed like a storm, and soon when the security footage was yed he was livid. He ordered that Tyra and her aplices be fired and thrown out of the building with immediate effect. Mrs. Smith was ced on probation, while Ashleigh will be dulypensated for the damages caused.


    Ashleigh Hartman on the other hand was furiously making her way to a small apartment. She fished for her keys and opened to enter the small apartment. It was moderately sized for her and her aunt and could allow for two rooms. She walked past the living room to her bedroom and ran to her bed crying.


    She sobbed as she recalled the events of the day and how pathetic her life seemed to be. She now stood at risk of losing her job, because of Tyra¡¯s antics and she knew how hard she struggled to get in the first ce. After she called down a bit, she sat up on her small bed and held her pillow to her chest, her mind ran in a million circles.


    Even if she was to be spared, Mrs Smith would definitely have to pay the consequences. All this boils down to her helping initially, and Tyra being mad at it. As she stayed in the silence her ears picked up faint movements around the house which she knew was Mrs Smith who just arrived. Mrs Smith made her way to Ashleigh¡¯s door and knocked on it, Ashleigh came to open the door for her, and Mrs. Smith stepped in.


    ¡°My dear, why didn¡¯t you tell me what was happening with you and those girls?¡± She inquired, moving to sit besides her on the bed.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think it would get this serious. I only had to bear their taunts and do their work¡± Ashleigh replied quietly, Mrs Smith tapped her head in a scolding manner.


    ¡°Foolish girl, no matter how little you think it is you have to let me know. I felt bad having to find out that they bullied you in that manner; in front of the CEO and other staff members¡±


    ¡°That man that untied me was the CEO?¡±


    ¡°Yes, he is the CEO. He was taken on a tour of the supply stores today and he met a surprising sight. Why is that important right now?¡± Ashleigh¡¯s face contorted to embarrassment on finding out that Mr Cagliari was in fact the CEO as she had suspected.


    She grabbed her aunt¡¯s hands in worry and asked


    ¡°Will I lose this job ma¡¯am? I really don¡¯t know what I would do next¡±


    ¡°No you will not. We just finished the disciplinary board meeting before I came home and the CEO wants topensate you for the damages caused by Tyra and her friends. They were also fired with immediate effect¡± she informed and Ashleigh cried tears of happiness in relief.


    ¡°Wait. Aunt, what of you? Was there any punishment ¡± She asked and her aunt waved it off, on Ashleigh¡¯s constant pestering she revealed she is currently on probation.


    ¡°It is my fault, you wouldn¡¯t go through this if you did not help me in. I¡¯m so sorry aunt¡±


    Ashleigh apologized profusely.


    ¡°I will be fine Ashleigh, it is my fault for not paying close attention to you my dear¡± She quelled her fears calmly. Ashleigh was grateful for her aunt by her side.


    Mrs Smith looked at her in a doting manner; her heart bled as she saw her struggle daily with working long hours since she left the orphanage and not being able to do what she wanted, she would have made provisions for her to go to college but she was not financially buoyant.


    She however felt it was best Ashleigh stayed by her side while she gave her as much love as she could having that she grew up without her


    parents. She called Ashleigh ¡°dream girl¡± because she knew within her that Ashleigh was made for much more than she is living in right now, it broke her heart to see her live a life that is nothing like a dream, rather it was a nightmare. She silently hoped and believed that this nightmare woulde to an end soon.


    ¡°I know all that worrying has worked up an appetite. Let¡¯s find something to eat¡± she said, cing her hands on Ashleigh¡¯s cheek.  Ashleigh nodded in response. They stood up and made their way out of the small room hand in hand. They went about it quietly, each with their own reservations and after eating they retired to their rooms for the night, praying for the following days to go as smoothly as possible.

 Chapter 3

    Adrian Cagliari stood at the top of the food chain of technology industries at 27 years old. He was one who had a keen eye for good innovations, he separated himself from the family business and built his dreampany Tixton from the ground up. Tixton is now one of Cagliari¡¯s major sessful businesses, and he became a force in the making.


    Building and maintaining his family¡¯s legacy requires a firm hand, so he was rather firm and disciplined, overseeing all matters both in Italy and America, as well as other branches in the world. He was domineering, assertive and principled, ensuring everyone was at the edge of their seats when working with him. It was like a curse and a reward.


    As he discussed with the investors, his secretary and his personal assistant was outside mentally preparing himself to interrupt the meeting. Turner then walked into the spacious office with a phone in his hands. Pausing the call, he raised his eyes to his secretary who felt a chill run down his spine.


    ¡°I thought I was clear with my instructions¡± he bit out, making Mr. Turner shiver in his shoes.


    ¡°Boss, it¡¯s a call from the house keeper at the mansion¡± Turner stuttered, stretching the phone with shaky hands. Adrian sighed, returned to the call to conclude the meeting and collected the phone from him.


    ¡°Speak¡± Hemanded coldly.


    ¡°Master Adrian  I called to inform you of your mother¡¯s sudden illness¡± the housekeeper reported as Adrian massaged his temples.


    ¡°She requests youe back home to see her¡±


    ¡°Okay Giuseppe , I will make my way there soon¡± he finished, handing the phone back to Turner.


    Adrian still had some issues to sort out here so going home seems a bit troublesome at the moment. Seeing the turn of events, he would have to attend to his mother first before continuing on these matters.


    ¡°Inform the airport to prepare for a flight to Italy by the end of the week ¡± Turner nodded and made a call to the airport to speak with the authorities.


    At the mention of Turner¡¯s name they immediate knew it was Mr Cagliari and began to make arrangements ordingly. Turner also informed Mr Cagliari¡¯s private security team in Italy and they set off to prepare too. Mr Cagliari briefly thought of Ashleigh but that was immediately pushed aside by matters arising in thepany.


    ¡°We have arrived at Italy and are preparing tond. Please fasten your seat belts and raise the tables¡­ thank you¡± the pilot¡¯s announcement rang through the speaker. Adrian lifted his eye mask to peep through the window. In a while they hadnded, a line of exquisite cars pulled up opposite the runway and the security personnel came down from each vehicle in twos making a total of six private personnel.


    They moved to where the nended and stood by as the door opened and the stairs came down, Turner was first to alight with Mr Cagliari¡¯s work devices in hand which was collected by one of them; Adrian Cagliari was next to step down and he came out in a silk shirt and shorts.


    On seeing him, they bowed ordingly and he waved his hand dismissingly, he turned to his secretary who handed his phone to him as they began walking. They began their journey to Sardinia once he entered the car and got there in an hour¡¯s time. Turner looked at his boss who sat opposite him in admiration, prior to the overnight trip he had spent the day in the office sorting out matters concerning contracts and could only leave a few hours to the trip. He admired his strong work ethic, although he was a strictly professional person who held his staff with an iron hand.


    Mr Cagliari still had work he had to sort out in Italy despite seeing his mother and his extended family.


    The cars, following closely behind one another, weaved through the city to a private estate. Upon seeing Mr. Cagliari, the gates opened, and the drivers proceeded into the estate. At the Cagliari mansion, the extended family stood outside waiting for him to arrive, some were eager while others were not. The gate was soon opened for the cars toe in and a BMW pulled up to where they stood. Adrian stepped out to see them, the eldest amongst them walked up to him.


    ¡°Adrian, we¡¯re d to have you back home¡± he spoke on behalf of the others and Adrian nodded curtly.


    The man was Adrian¡¯s paternal uncle Antonio, although he was older than Adrian by far he still paid due respect to him as the head of the Cagliari family. He was apanied by his wife and two children and Adrian¡¯s Aunt Emilie  and her family they all said a few greetings to him and asked for his well-being as they ushered him in.


    ¡°How is mother¡¯s health?¡± He asked uncle Antonio as they made their way to her room. The mansion is an elegant two storey building spanning 5, 000 square feet, it had an inbuilt horse stable and racing track, it was beautifully decorated with flowers and had a massive garden and a butterfly conservatory.


    ¡°she¡¯s been recuperating through the week; although she keeps insisting on seeing you¡± he exined, as they made their way to the first floor.


    Each floor had eleven rooms with it¡¯s own facilities. Adrian¡¯s mother stays at the end of the hall, as they walked by they were greeted by maids and butlers. Giuseppe, the head housekeeper, greeted Adrian calmly at the end of the hall.


    ¡°Madame has asked to see Master Adrian alone¡± he said, facing the other family members and they left immediately. He opened the door to see his mother sitting up on the bed as the nurses


    attended to her, she raised her eyes to meet see who entered and her features morphed into happiness on seeing her son. She beckoned for him toe over which she did and hugged him tightly, kissing him on each cheek.ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    ¡°So I have to fall ill for you toe and see me¡± she sulked, trying to evoke his feelings.


    ¡°I met you three months ago as well¡­. don¡¯t be dramatic¡± he replied firmly, making his mother sulk more.


    ¡°Humph. Same difference Adrian¡± she said, tapping his head lightly. Adrian looked at the nurse and asked her for the progress.


    ¡°Madame Eleanor Cagliari has been under emotional stress which made her blood pressure rise significantly in the past week. We have administered appropriate medications and encouraged her to try maintaining calm hobbies as she grows older¡± the nurse exined to which Adrian nodded in agreement. He thanked them all and turned back to his mother.


    ¡°Shall we have lunch now mother?¡± He asked his mother and she nodded. He stood by the bed, giving way for the nurses to assist his mother to the wheelchair.


    He looked at his mother closely as she was being moved to the wheelchair: she looked rather gaunt and most of her body fat has diminished, wrinkles were more prominent than before and he wondered what she was thinking about that made her blood pressure rise so significantly.


    The nurse informed him that they were ready to move and they pushed her to the  dining hall. They took the hallway besides her room because it had a wheelchair ramp built-in for easier movement. He renovated the building to fit this design when his mother had developed orthodontic issues, to ensure that nothing will harm her.


    He also entrusted Housekeeper Giuseppe to look for a skilled professional help for his mother as she needed closer monitoring. They had gotten to the dining hall on the first floor and entered. The family members stood on seeing him enter the hall, the nurses helped her get settled on the table and they all began to eat.


    Adrian sat at the head of the table while his mom and uncle sat besides him om each sides. Besides his uncle was his wife Francesca Cagliari and his two sons Fernando and Pierre while Adrian¡¯s aunt Emilie sat besides his mother with her two days rissa and Isabe Bernadette. The table overflowed with decadent Italian dishes, desserts and wine from the best vineyards in the city, maids were busy attending to the family members by serving dishes, refilling sses and running minor errands. Adrian ate quietly, checking on his mother from time to time if she was satisfied with the food or if she needed anything else to which the mother reassured him that she was okay. She smiled at her seeing her son and her family together, despite the internal friction. It was her husband¡¯s dream to keep the family together despite the difficulties and she is proud to have trained her son to uphold those traditions.


    The calm was soon interrupted by one of the butlers who whispered to Housekeeper Giuseppe upon entering the room. Giuseppe then turned to the family and announced that there were guests who had arrived for lunch. On Adrian¡¯s approval, they walked in to the delight of his mother and his aunt.


    ¡°The LaRosa family hase to give their personal regards to Master Adrian¡± Housekeeper Giuseppe stated as the family of three walked in.


    Adrian stood up to greet the Mr Simeon LaRosa and his wife warmly, while the daughter went to greet his mother. Caelia LaRosa was a sight to behold; she had skin with a set of round eyes, she had cherry lipstick on with a light blush to ent her rosy cheeks.


    She had a nice figure which was entuated by the dress she wore today and a nice floral scent of perfume lingered as she walked by. She was Simeon¡¯s only daughter and his pride and joy; she has achieved so much at just 21 years old. Despite this she was good natured and humble at all times. Aunt Emilie couldn¡¯t help but smirk inwardly at the sight of Caelia , who was eager to show Adrian her close bond with his mother. Despite her seemingly perfect appearance and aplishments, Caelia, like all young women, harboured her own aspirations beyond her apparent perfection.


    ¡°Caelia my dear, how have you been¡± Eleanor motioned for her toe closer and she did, squatting to face her.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine mother. Mother I only left for a short vacation and I hear you¡¯re sick¡± her calm honey voice scolded, as she reached to hold her face. Caelia frowned in concern, her round eyes roaming Eleanor.


    ¡°Dear, don¡¯t frown now! You¡¯ll only spoil your beautiful face¡± she chided, using her hand to straighten Caelia¡¯s lips into a smile. Caeliaughed and stood up to see Adrian at her side, she did a quick scam of his features and smiled afterwards.


    ¡°Adrian, it¡¯s been a while¡± she greeted him and he nodded silently.


    She sighed within herself, up till now Adrian is still not as warm as she hoped. Adrian gestured for all of them to join the meal, and they epted cheerfully, taking their seats besides Adrian¡¯s uncle. Caelia chose to sit besides rissa and Isabe as they were the same age, and were good friends. Lunch went by peacefully and they all retired to themon room to have a more rxed discussion.


    Eleanor chose to sit with Caelia, her mother and her daughter while Adrian sat with his uncle and Mr Simeon. rissa, Isabe, Fernando and Pierre chose to stay at the gazebo while they discussed. Adrian discussed the uing coboration between their families, this was very important as he may not have this time to sit and discuss in the nearest future. After they hade to a reasonable conclusion, he called for his secretary toe over.


    Caelia however kept stealing nces at him, waiting for the conversation to be over. Once the conversation was over, she looked to her mom who encouraged her quietly and then she spoke up.

 Chapter 4

    ¡°Adrian, if it is okay I would like to have dinner with you sometime next week. Your mom told me you¡¯re around for the week¡± she proposed, looking at him with a hint of eagerness in her eyes.


    ¡°Yes Adrian, I feel you guys should have lunch and catch up with each other. It¡¯s been a while¡± Caelia¡¯s mother spoke up, looking to Eleanor for support. Adrian looked at his mother who made a gesture to agree and then looked at his uncle who had a neutral stance.


    ¡°I apologize Caelia, I will not be able to join you for lunch. I have a lot of matters to settle here during the week¡± Caelia¡¯s face reddened in embarrassment and she bit her lips.


    ¡°I will ask my secretary to arrange for an appointment for you, just tell him where you want to go¡± he added, signalling to his secretary who came forward.


    Caelia was about refusing but he gave no room for rebuttal, he stood up to leave. Eleanor ced her hand on her back encouraging her and she nodded obediently.


    ¡°I will discuss with himter¡± she whispered to her, and then told her to go y with the others.


    She stood up and greeted the rest before leaving to find rissa and Co.


    Later in the night, on the second floor of the Cagliari mansion, Adrian was in his study attending to issues. Word of mouth had gone round about his arrival in Italy and sure enough, he was swarmed with various proposals, contracts reviews and diplomatic matters. Adrian Cagliari was currently holding a meeting with the executive staff of Cagliari industries from various sectors. He was apanied by his trusty secretary Mr Turner.


    The meeting went on till 11pm beforeing to a close. He asked his secretary to retire for the evening and left to his room, he met his mother sitting in front of his room door in her wheelchair with a maid waiting for him.


    ¡°I want to have a word with you briefly¡± she told him, he reached to open the door for her to enter. His room was spacious and had a minimalist design, this was mostly because he was not around much and he instructed that no one was allowed to tamper with his personal belongings. Eleanor signalled that he sits on the bed but he refused, implying that the conversation should be brief.


    ¡°Since you¡¯re like this, I might as well get to the point. I want you to get closer to Caelia. It was not very nice of you to turn down her invitation¡± Adrian stilled for a second, knowing where the conversation was heading to.


    ¡°Mother¡­¡± he tried but his mother silenced him.ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    ¡°I have allowed you do as you wished thus far, but I will not sit idly again. The LaRosa family has been your father¡¯s greatpanion when he was alive and their daughter has been your childhood friend. This arrangement was bound to happen eventually, you should stop avoiding Caelia and start building a rtionship with her¡± Eleanor chided her son. She regretted not getting the engagement fixed earlier; by now they should have a child running in the mansion. Caelia likes her son a lot so she feels that should be enough.


    ¡°Mother, I do not feel Caelia would be a suitable match for me. I don¡¯t want to be unnecessarily burdened by my father¡¯s promises. I think you should have your rest now¡± he concluded, gesturing for the maid to take her to rest.


    On their way out, they saw Turner rush into the room.


    ¡°What is it¡± he grunted out, changing into his night robe and getting ready for bed.


    ¡°Boss, I have more news about Ashleigh Hartman¡± he said, and proceeded to brief him about their findings.


    At the end of his report, a spark of surprise shed in Adrian¡¯s eyes, followed by a low chuckle.


    ¡°Is that so?¡± He mused, strollingzily to his window in thought. He then made a quick resolve and asked for Turner to contact his privatewyer.


    It had been two weeks since the incident urred and since then Ashleigh had a peaceful life working at Tixton.


    Mrs. Smith had been pardoned by the CEO and was given a higher position in a shocking turn of events. She used her new position and ensured Ashleigh was in charge of training the new recruits. This was a perk of having a family member in a position of authority.


    Despite all this Ashleigh maintained her calm demeanour, she guided the new staff ordingly and did her work as it was due. This made her earn a few friends from the recruits and from staff members around who saw her during work hours. Ashleigh loved her current work life and had saved a lot for college, so she began preparing as well.


    Currently she was in the general cafeteria having lunch with her friends James and Fiona, they sat at the back of the cafeteria, near the break room where the kitchen staff stayed. They had gotten their food and were busy chatting on various things.


    James was a tallnky guy that did not seem  capable of manualbour but he was a lot stronger than he looked. James was about 5¡å8,  had a rather tanplexion with a dreamy face while Fiona is a fun- sized girl, who is shorter than Ashleigh so they chose to call her that. They were both two years older than Ashleigh and looked after her like their baby, she liked to ship them for jokes but each time they shut it down.


    As they discussed, Fiona looked around the cafeteria before nudging Ashleigh hard.


    ¡°What was that about?¡± sheined, rubbing her shoulder to relieve the pain.


    ¡°Uhmmmm, isn¡¯t that Mr Cagliari¡¯s secretary walking towards us?¡± she yelled silently, pointing at Mr turner who was indeeding this way. Ashleigh gave a polite smile as he neared their table which he returned.


    ¡°Sorry to disturb your lunch, but I would like to see Miss Hartman¡± he exined quickly, facing Ashleigh.


    ¡°Okay I guess¡± she responded sceptical about everything, but still standing up to leave with him. As she left, she turned to see Fiona and James mouthing questions like ¡°what¡¯s going on?¡±, ¡°what did she do?¡± and all that to which she shook her head to deny knowing anything.


    They soon made their way to the first floor and he led her to the private elevator, she stopped him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to talk to me about something?¡± she questioned and Turner waved his hands.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the confusion Miss Hartman, it is the CEO who would like to see you¡± He cleared up and her heart stopped for a second.

 Chapter 5

    She wondered why Mr. Cagliari wanted to see her as Mr turner pressed the button to open the private elevator.


    ¡°Are you sure? I can take the stairs¡± she suggested but he stood firm and she entered; as they made their way up her mind ran in circles as she thought of what could make the CEO want to see her.


    She has had noints so far and had no reason to see him as well, she would only know when she gets there. Once again, she found herself on the fourth floor of thepany, which was known as the executive floor. This was where the office of the president was here and his vice president, although he has never met him before. They walked past the conference room to the end of the hall where a door wasbelled CEO in gold.


    ¡°You may go in¡± he gestured as he opened the door and she walked in. The space was wide, and it was furnished exquisitely with Italian furniture, she was astonished at how wide a room can be.


    Her eyes roamed around the ce beforending on the couch to see her aunt, Mr Cagliari and another man seated. The couches were arranged around a ss centre table, and on the table was an envelope and mugs of coffee.


    ¡°Aunt¡± she called out, Mrs Smith looked up to see her standing at a distance and smiled warmly. Mr Cagliari also raised his eyes to see her and the man as well.


    ¡°My dear, why are you standing so far?¡± she beckoned but Ashleigh stood adamant, peering at Mr Cagliari suspiciously.


    ¡°What¡¯s this about aunt?¡± she questioned firmly, staring at Mr Cagliari head on who smiled amused.


    He looked dashing today; he wore a beige coloured suit and matching shoes, his hair was slicked back in an elegant style and his stubble framed his lower face, making him seem more mature. He sat with his legs crossed and reached for his cup of coffee on the table, sipping it nonchntly.


    ¡°Won¡¯t youe here? will we have to shout it to you? ¡±


    Ashleigh moved to sit besides her aunt carefully.


    Adrian took a long look at her; her eyes were apprehensive as she waited for him to speak and her hands held onto her aunts clothes tightly.


    ¡°Ashleigh, I have been discussing with your aunt before you arrived ¡± he remarked, she turned to her aunt who avoided her eyes.


    ¡°I have a proposition for you- a marriage proposal¡± he stated, and Ashleigh could not hide her shock.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Could you repeat what you said?¡± she asked, looking at him in disbelief.


    ¡°I am asking you to marry me¡± he repeated firmly, and she let out a startledugh.


    This man seemed to be out of it at the moment, because who talks about marriage so lightly.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s just that it sounds funny. Is it a joke? Can you tell a better one¡± her smile quickly dimmed and she looked serious. Her aunt tried to intervene but she was not in the mood to hear her speak.


    ¡°No Mrs Smith, I need to speak to him¡± she said, holding his gaze.


    ¡°Well, Mr Cagliari, why do you want to marry me?¡± she asked sarcastically, he gave a wry smile in response.


    ¡°Miss Hartman I have a pressing need so I want someone who suits those requirements¡± he replied, giving her a good look.ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    Ashleigh was bewildered by the fact that she was here hearing the nonsense he had to say, more so that her aunt had heard this but could not refuse.


    ¡°Mrs Smith, did you hear what he said? ¡± she inquired and Mrs Smith let out a low sigh.


    ¡°Well Ashleigh dear, I have heard it all but I want you to consider it as well¡± she responded, her voice getting more quiet as she Ashleigh¡¯s disbelief deepened.


    ¡°Look, Ashleigh, it¡¯s not a bad offer. He has promised to care for you andpensate you when the contract is over¡± she attempted to encourage Ashleigh but Ashleigh shifted from her.


    ¡°Miss Hartman, I am Mr Cagliari¡¯swyer and legal representative. I have the marriage contract ¡± the man who observed silently spoke up.


    He moved to remove the paper from the envelope and he ced it in front of her. Ashleigh sat silently, staring at the header of the contract.


    It was written in bold letters:  MARRIAGE AGREEMENT CONTRACT.


    ¡°Ashleigh, I know this is a lot for you to take in. I want you to think carefully.  During the period  you will be my legal wife, you and your aunt will be fully taken care of. It¡¯s more of a favour to you¡± Adrian added, looking at her still figure. Ashleigh raised her head to look at him.


    ¡°Did I ask you to do me a favour Mr. Cagliari? There are a thousanddies who would take this opportunity but I will not. And don¡¯t you ever call me for this again ¡± she said through clenched teeth, turning to leave abruptly.


    She was at the door when Adrian said something that made her stand still.


    ¡°Miss Hartman¡­. or is that your real name?¡± He questioned and she turned sharply with a fierce glint in her eyes.


    ¡°What? You think you¡¯re a mere orphan? Then your aunt hasn¡¯t been entirely truthful to you has she?¡± Adrian taunted Ashleigh, and she marched straight up to him.


    ¡°What are you talking about¡± she asked in a hushed tone, making him stand up to face her.


    Her heart was beating loudly at the moment as she red at him, this was the thorn that pierced her heart. She longed to find out about her birth parents but she did not have the resources so it was buried at the back of her mind, one of the things that she hoped to do after saving up was to find her birth parents if they are alive or dead.


    She lived her life day by day at the orphanage home until her aunt showed up one day. Till now, anytime she asked her aunt or tried to bring up the discussion, her aunt shot it down fiercely every time, stating her parents are dead and there was no reason to talk about it. She told her no stories of her parents, home town or family where they grew up in as children, she exined that this was for the best. Looking at Adrian Cagliari, she now confirmed that there is more to the story than she knew.

 Chapter 6

    ¡°Whatever I want to know about my parents I can find out myself¡± she retorted and he chuckled at her.


    He truly admired her courage and naivety, thinking she would be able to find out about her parents so easily.


    ¡°My dear¡­¡± he drawled, running his hands through her hair yfully.


    ¡°Be my guest. You would be dead at the first try. Your Aunty Smith knows this very well, your case is not as simple as you think it is¡± he continued. Her fiery gaze tugged at his heart string wildly, he liked her little acts of defiance even though she is a shivering leaf.


    ¡°I am the only one that can guarantee your safety. You can only walk naively around this world for long but they are lurking in the shadows,  waiting for you. Once you step out of your shell, trust me your head would be in your hands. But don¡¯t take it from me though, find out for yourself how long you can survive out there¡± he drawled, gesturing for her to leave.


    Ashleigh was filled with fear at this point, she looked at  Mr. Cagliari as he strolled to his office chair, signalling he was done with the conversation, hiswyer followed suit standing up to reach for the papers. She then looked at her aunt who looked slumped on the chair, as if admitting defeat.


    As thewyer was about grabbing thest paper on the floor she quickly grasped his hand. Her other hand grabbed her light coloured uniform tightly in desperation as she looked straight at Mr Cagliari who was on the phone calling his secretary toe in and escort them out.


    ¡°Where do I need to sign?¡±


    **********************************


    ¡°Boss, I have news about Ashleigh Hartman¡± Turner stood behind his boss, after ensuring the door was closed properly.


    Adrian turned to face him, seeing as he came at this time of the night despite asking him to retire already it must be important. Adrian had asked Turner while he was in America to investigate more on Ashleigh¡¯s background and since then he had not heard anything about it.


    ¡°Sir we tried contacting the orphanage where she was raised in, and we got to know that the only information they had about her was given by the person who dropped her there¡± he reported, moving to give him the tablet where the details where held.


    ¡°The caretakers in charge said they had no idea of who the person was, as they were just employed seven years ago, the older caretakers have retired to live in the a hidden old age home funded by the organization funding the orphanage¡± Adrian scrolled through the information puzzled.


    The orphanage should at least have information on the people who drop children in the orphanage home matter how small, the current people employed have only limited information about her while the ones who do have gone into retirement.


    ¡°We were able to cajole them to going through the old archives of information which they spent days doing until this past week where they found a DNA test result from their records¡­.. Her ancestry is 95% Italian¡± he stated, making Adrian freeze for a moment. Looking at the test results he saw the words in bold: ITALIAN.


    ¡°Not only that sir, Her blood type has been tested to be one of the rarest types, but the records on her blood type has been stashed away by the senior caretaker. We made the journey to find the caretaker who had the blood type information and she told us the full story¡±


    ¡°She said they had met a man outside the orphanage home at the time who was severely injured, but clutching a baby wrapped in a shawl tightly, she was only a few days old.


    He refused in letting any of them touch the baby so they let him in to tend to his wounds, for the next few days they struggledmunicating with him as he spoke only Italian but they were able to contact a trantor.


    He said that hisst mission was to ensure that the child was safe, he handed them over to them and told them to give her a name; only telling her date of birth. He told them not to tell a soul of the event of the days and then he left despite their pleading to stay a few more days. She said theyter received news of his death¡± Adrian was deep in thought at this point, the identity of this Ashleigh seemed to be a bit troublesome.


    ¡°Did she tell you the name of the man?¡± He spoke up after a while.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    ¡°Lumiere was his name sir¡± he replied, leaving him deep in thought. He seemed to have heard of that name but recall when exactly. He needed to find out more about this name, and where her blood can be traced to. Reaching for his phone, he called his uncle.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for calling thiste but I¡¯m working on  something and I need to make some enquiries¡± he stated.


    ¡°No problem Adrian, what can I assist you with?¡±


    ¡°Have you heard of the name Lumiere?¡± his uncle remained silent for a while on the phone. Pulling himself together, he quickly asked.


    ¡°Why do you ask?¡± He questioned silently, his voice somewhat reluctant. Adrian¡¯s curiosity was heightened, his mind running in circles to try and put the pieces together.


    ¡°Son, Lumiere is thete steward of the Rossi family¡± his uncle mentioned and mind instantly clicked.


    He remembered he was five years old visiting his grandfather one Christmas when the news came of the murder of Lumiere, the head steward of the Rossi family. He recalled vividly as his grandfather shooed him away from the study to receive those guests but he still stubbornly ced his eyes through the peephole and listened closely.


    ¡°The story of the Rossi family was probably the most tragic one, they were one of the most affluent families in Italy until the only daughter fell in love with the son a mafia crew. This broke out a cold war between the two families and they were soon eliminated, leaving only Lumiere and the new-born with the mafia on their heels. It waster reported that the both were found and killed abroad. All this happened when you were still a child so you won¡¯t have any knowledge on this¡± he detailed, leaving Adrian speechless.


    The Ashleigh Hartman, the girl in America currently cleaning a floor of his building maybe the heiress to the Rossi family that was dered dead for over twenty years now.


    ¡°What happened after that uncle?¡±


    ¡°Well, the Rossi family businesses and estate was been handed over to a management firm who they closely worked with and the deeds of ownership has been ced in their care. Her mafia father had tried iming the business a few times under the rights of marriage but was unsessful at each attempt¡± he concluded, and Adrian thanked him and bade him goodnight. He then gave an order to his secretary to contact his privatewyer, as this matter will be taken carefully.


    Now, he currently sat facing Ashleigh as thewyer read the terms of the marriage contract loudly:


    ¡°This Marriage Contract (the ¡°Agreement¡±) is made and entered into as of the [Date] by and between [Mr. Adrian Cagliari] , the first party, and [Miss Ashleigh Hartman] the second party.¡±


    ¡°WHEREAS, the First Party desires to marry the Second Party, and the Second Party desires to marry the First Party; and


    WHEREAS, the parties desire to enter into a binding agreement to govern their marriage, including the terms of their financial arrangement and the division of their assets in the event of divorce¡±


    ¡°NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants contained herein, the parties agree as follows:


    1. Marriage. The parties agree to marry each other on xx day, xx month, xx year


    2. Financial Arrangement. During the marriage, the parties shall maintain separate financial ounts and shall be solely responsible for their own debts and obligations. However, the first party has takes onplete responsibility of the following expenses:


    Housing


    Utilities


    Food


    Household expenses


    Academic expenses


    Childcare expenses (if applicable)


    3.. Division of Assets. In the event of divorce, the parties agree to divide their assets as follows:


    Each party shall retain all property that they owned prior to the marriage.


    All property acquired during the marriage shall be divided equally between the parties.


    4. Premarital Agreement. The parties acknowledge that they have entered into a ¡°Premarital Agreement¡±, which shall govern the division of their assets in the event of divorce. The parties agree that the terms of the Premarital Agreement shall supersede any conflicting terms of this Agreement.


    5. Amendment. This agreement may be amended only by a writing signed by both parties.


    6. Severability. This agreement will be deemed severable under the conditions of infidelity.


    7. Entire Agreement. This agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior or contemporaneousmunications, representations, or agreements, whether oral or written.


    8. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in ordance with thews of the state.


    9. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.


    IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of the date first written above.¡±


    [Signature]


    [Party 1 Name]


    [Signature]


    [Party 2 Name]


    he finished, cing a pen in front of her. Ashleigh held the pen, looking at her aunt who nodded affirmatively and turned to examine Mr Cagliari who was watching her.


    ¡°You promise to tell me about my birth parents?¡± she asked once more, and he nodded calmly.


    She then picked up the pen and signed on the dotted lines, handing over to her aunt to sign as well. Thewyer then passed the papers to Adrian who signed as well and he signed as a witness.


    ¡°So in the presence of both witnesses, I dere Ashleigh and Adrian Cagliari husband and wife. Congrattions to both of you¡± he announced as they all stood up and began shaking hands.


    In all this Ashleigh stood helplessly, looking at her aunt who smiled at Adrian warmly like he isn¡¯t the bad guy here. She has finally given in and married this man so she can find out about her parents, it sounds somewhat pathetic that she has to sell her rights away to know who her father and mother is.


    ¡°Mrs. Cagliari¡± Adrian drawled, strollingzily to stand by her side. He looked at her sad face and held her chin to face him.


    ¡°Call me Adrian¡± he whispered in a smoky tone, his eyes gripping her soul. Ashleigh had not imagined that she would ever stand at a 6 feet distance to this man, but she is now staring at this man up close.


    She pushed him away and stepped back, withe everything that happened in the past hour she needed time to let it soak in.


    ¡°If we are done here, I will be taking my leave¡± she put out, leaving the office immediately with a loud bang on the door.


    Mrs Smith pleaded for Mr Cagliari not to be annoyed at her, he justughed dismissingly.


    ¡°Aunt, there¡¯s no need to worry. Just inform Ashleigh that we will be going for the marriage certificate tomorrow morning and from there we will discuss living arrangements¡± she thanked him and turned to leave the office as well. Adrian stood for a while staring at the door before returning to his work.


    Ashleigh went back to her assigned work space to continue from where she stopped. This time her break was over at this time but with what just happened, she had no appetite to eat. Grabbing the cleaning equipment from the store room, she trudged to the empty offices and began cleaning the offices.


    She was angry, upset and had a million things on her mind so she chose to focus all that chaotic energy into her work, at least she will finish fast and be able to clock out earlier. She went about her work quietly; not noticing someone entering the office and walking up to her.

 Chapter 7

    ¡°Ashleigh!¡± the voice shrieked and she jolted out of her seat to see Jamesughing his head off.


    She hit him repeatedly as she tried to still her heart and after a while he started apologizing when her hits became more painful.


    ¡°You went missing after that call from the secretary so I came to find you¡± he said, sitting on the chair which she finished dusting.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry James, I just have a lot on my mind right now¡± she muttered as she wiped the desk down with a wet rag.


    ¡°Why? What was the meeting about? You just left with the hot secretary and didn¡¯t give us the tea after¡± heined and Ashleigh stopped what she was doing. She spun to face in him surprise.


    ¡°Wait¡­. James!!¡± She eximed as James scratched his hair sheepishly.


    ¡°Well¡­ he looks fine but he¡¯s always out of it anytime I see him¡± he admitted and Ashleighughed loudly.


    She had only a few interactions with Mr. Turner and they were very polite and short. Now that she is married to his boss, she may interact with him more, as for the charm she didn¡¯t see what made him attractive. He was rather anky guy with a rather timid personality; that may also be due to being an assistant to such a man, poor kid.


    ¡°I¡¯m not seeing it but if you like him then I¡¯m not one to judge¡± she raised her hands in the air, smiling as she returned to her work. James leaned back in the chair watching her closely, she skilfully avoided his question and focused on him instead.


    ¡°You still are yet to answer my question Ashleigh, why did Mr. Turner call you out of lunch?¡± He repeated, making her still again. She leaned on the table, facing him squarely.


    ¡°He just called me to check in on some things for the executive lounge¡± she lied, and he nodded convinced.


    ¡°Lucky you, you had the opportunity to visit that lounge. If only I had an opportunity to work there,  I¡¯d be one step closer to achieving my goals ¡± he sighed looking at the ceiling dreamily,  Ashleigh snorted in response.


    That executive lounge was the bane of her existence from today onwards.


    ¡°It¡¯s not all that James¡± she said, bringing him out of his reverie to give her a dumb look.


    ¡°Girl stop ying like that, you know that not just anyone is assigned there. The CEO is the one who personally selects the person assigned to clean because he¡¯s very particr about his workspace and workshop¡± he stated, whispering thest part under his breath.


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you spent like a week and a half here? You already know the office like the back of your hand¡±


    ¡°It helps me get around easily¡± he shrugged.


    ¡°Okay time¡¯s up! Leave now, you¡¯ve slowed my work by two hours¡± she ordered, pulling him out of the seat and pushing him out of the door.


    She felt a bit relieved speaking to him but she doesn¡¯t want to lose focus, so she began pick up the speed. After three hours of dusting, rearranging and decluttering the offices on the floor she was done for the day. Exhausted, she made her way to the her aunt¡¯s office where workers were to sign out for the day and she entered to see her working on the desk. Mrs Smith raised her head at the opening of the door to see Ashleigh who stood stiff and her eyes softened.


    ¡°Ashleigh dear, pleasee and take a seat let¡¯s talk about it¡± she pointed to the chair across where her table where she sat, Ashleigh was not moving.


    ¡°What¡¯s the use? It¡¯s already been done and settled¡± she responded tly.


    ¡°It is done, but you haven¡¯t heard the reason why I agreed to your husband¡¯s..¡±


    ¡°don¡¯t call him that¡± she interrupted, ring at her aunt. Mrs Smith held her breath at the anger of her niece, she felt aggrieved so she could only look at her with pleading. Ashleigh eventually sat down quietly.Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    ¡°My dear, I cannot say I¡¯m helpless to agree with Mr. Cagliari¡¯s proposal. I feel so guilty about this entire situation¡± she started.


    ¡°As Mr Cagliari mentioned earlier, I am very much at risk for being here with you, but when I found out you were alive I couldn¡¯t stop myself. I had to find you. I knew I could not help you achieve your goals or give you a very good life than the orphanage but I felt you should just stay with the only surviving rtive of your family¡± she said, Ashleigh looked at her confused.


    ¡°I apologize for always avoiding the topic of your birth parents, for not telling you but I am sworn to secrecy by someone who spared my life and gave me the opportunity to stay with you. Your aunt is so powerless, I am only a servant to the circumstances of my life¡± she exined, tearing up in the process.


    On seeing her aunt cry, she felt bad for not understanding her point of view and reached over to console her.


    ¡°When you get like this, I feel bad aunt. I¡¯m sorry for being so rude to you¡± Ashleigh apologized guiltily.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. My dear, you may get angry, upset and even hate Mr Cagliari so much at the moment but you have learn to work with him and be patient. I know you will want to make trouble for him¡± she chided, making her grumble in response.


    ¡°Mr. Cagliari will be more help than you expect¡± Mrs Smith said in an encouraging tone.


    Seeing as her aunt was optimistic about the marriage, Ashleigh decided to give him a benefit of doubt.


    ¡°Aunt I¡¯ve finished my work for today so I will be signing out¡± she exined, as she stood up to grab her things.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine. Mr Adrian has asked prepare for tomorrow morning, you¡¯ll be collecting your marriage certificate. ¡± she informed, Ashleigh¡¯s nodded in understanding.


    She then reached for her employee card and scanned it through the electronic system on her aunt¡¯s desk and left for home. At the bus stop, dazed, she stared at the cars passing by, only then realizing this was herst day as a single woman.


    ¡°What should I do with these few hours I have left?¡± she thought to herself as she scrolled looked through her social media.


    She decided on buying herself a gift with a bit of the money she has saved so far and her eyes lit up at the thought.


    She stood and entered the next bus and settled down in a seat closest to the door, after twenty minutes the bus pulled up at the bus stop across downtown mall and she stepped down and began strolling on the sidewalk as she nced around. She stepped down and walked in; downtown mall is a newly opened shoppingplex where luxury items were sold at high-end stores, she knew because she had seen a lot of influencers talk about the ce online.


    Up till now Ashleigh could only watch videos of others touring the mall but today she stood in the building. The floors were paved with exquisite tiles, that glistened under the sun rays which entered through the ss ceiling, there was chatter in the air as groups of people walked about the ce. She walked past various stores and stopped at a jewellery store, entering to see the workers who greeted her warmly and ushered her in. The shop had ss shelf filled with various types of essories: earrings, rings, nes, hair clips, bracelets and much more. There were also show desks decked with essories as well.


    She stood at the desks and peered at the essories disyed through the ss with the worker at the other side. Her eyesnded on a slim diamond encrusted bracelet and she looked to the attendant and asked about it.


    ¡°You have a good eyes Miss. This piece has been the most popr amongstdies your age, it has matching ne and earrings but thosee at an extra price¡± she exined, bringing the bracelet to the top of the table for Ashleigh to have a closer look.


    She made a decision to buy the whole set upon seeing it closer and asked the worker to pack it up. Walking to counter, she handed her card to the worker who made the payment and her card with the bag to her. On seeing the price, her eyes went wide in surprise  in marvel at how expensive it was. She had also liked to get a dress as well that she would wear for tomorrow¡¯s event but the total cost of just this set of jewellery had covered her week¡¯s worth of expenses.


    ¡°So much for gifting myself¡± she sighed as she left the store, her bank ount was probably crying at the moment.


    For the rest of the day, she just nced through the sses of various departments stores that cared to disy their products and took note of some things she would want to buy and when she was tired, she made her way home to prepare for the next day.

 Chapter 8

    The next day at a privatew firm, Adrian Cagliari stood in a private lounge provided to him by hiswyer.


    The room was moderately sized and had been moderately furnished; with a window that stretched from one wall to another with a view of the gate, one could see who was entering and leaving but someone standing outside couldn¡¯t see in.


    Adrian stood at the window wearing a blue coloured suit with a ck shirt, his hair slicked back gel and he had a chilly aura around him. This devilishly handsome man peered at the window, sipping the coffee in his hands slowly.


    ¡°Boss, I just spoke with the driver you sent, he mentioned that Miss Ashleigh refused taking the car and said she will make her way here by herself¡± Turner reported and Adrian nced at his watch, frowning deeply as Ashleigh was already an hourte .


    Adrian¡¯s major pet peeve wasteness and people who camete; he was of the opinion that everything had a particr time at which it should happen, this makes the oue of each action precise and urate but doing thingster does not give the required result.


    Moreover, Adrian knew his time is worth a lot of money, the Cagliari group ofpanies produces a total revenue of ten trillion dors a year which was four hundred and fifty seven million an hour generated by him alone. His time is so precious that he feels that he should use it on something that made more value, not waiting for someone.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    He raised his eyes, he saw Ashleigh with her aunt walking in through the security stop and he loosened his demeanour a bit. She wore a pair of high waist pants with a white coloured blouse and a pair of matching shoes.


    Her hair was parted in the centre fell around and framed her face and she had a small bag hung across her body. She smiled curtly as she passed through the check in, her smile stopping as she stood still and stared up straight at him, she could sense someone standing up looking at her.


    ¡°Turner, go and wee them in¡± he said, staring at her squinting eyes and Turner left immediately.


    She soon looked ahead to see Turner and she walked into the building with his close guidance. The door was opened and both of them walked in with Turner , Adrian stretched the cup which turner collected and left, leaving the three of them in the room. Mrs smith walked up to Adrian greeting him warmly and they exchanged a few pleasantries with each other while Ashleigh stood behind them watching their exchange. He then moved to stand in front of Ashleigh and coldly stated.


    ¡°You¡¯re an hourte. I need you to understand that my time is very valuable to me and when i say you should be here at a certain time, you keep to the time¡± he continued coldly, looking her up and down.


    ¡°Mr. Cagliari, I do not know how you do things with your employees, but take note that things would have to change with me here now. So talk to me nicely, or don¡¯t talk at all¡±


    Ashleigh countered, moving to return his gaze with more fire.


    The environment became tense with the their friction, Mrs Smith stood behind confused on what to do and this was the scene Turner and thewyer met on walking into the room.


    Adrian and Ashleigh currently sat besides each other on a couch in the lounge, the air between them frigid as they stared at the marriage certificate form ced in front of them. Mrs Smith sat opposite Ashleigh while Mr turner stood behind Adrian and hiswyer sat across. They had both not said a word to each other since the little face off earlier and Ashleigh preferred it that way; she could at least tolerate his face when his lips had nothinging out of them.


    ¡°Mrs Cagliari, I hope you brought the required documents¡± thewyer started, Ashleigh nced at her aunt who brought out her birth certificate, adoption papers and passport photographs.


    ¡°This will be okay. I¡¯ll bring a single status deration form for you to sign so fill this in first. Also, while we waited for you, Mr Cagliari had already filled his part of the certificate and processed everything. You only have to fill in your details and hand it over to me¡± he exined, handing her a pen to fill in the form. She filled it quietly and handed it over to him. He then left toplete the formalities and came back with two copies of the marriage certificate in fine print.


    ¡°Congrattions to both of you, as of this instant you are officially a married couple¡± he congratted, handing each of them a copy. Mrs Smith and Mr turner smiled warmly, congratting them as well. Adrian faced Ashleigh with a deep look in his eyes.


    ¡°Congrattions once again Mrs. Cagliari¡± he said and his wife just let out a silent ¡®you too¡¯, brooding as she stared at the marriage certificate. Adrian stood up, grabbing Ashleigh who was deep in thought to stand up too.


    Ashleigh who was not ready whatsoever had slipped due to sudden contact between their hands but Adrian was quick to ce his other arm around her waist to support her to stand firmly. He was bent slightly towards her direction and their eyes met as he pulled back, making her heart run two times faster. This was not missed by Mrs Smith who was at first surprised,ter smiling on seeing her niece¡¯s reaction.


    ¡°I want us to take a picture together, after all it¡¯s a memorable event¡± he exined to her, and signalled to Turner who brought a photographer into the room.


    ¡°Next time ask me before grabbing my hand so suddenly, I was startled¡± she stuttered silently, coughing to let out the anxiety as she faced the camera. Adrian faced the camera as well and they then took pictures together with thewyer, Mrs Smith and Mr Turner.


    The next pictures were of the couples alone so the rest stood behind the photographer, the first set of pictures were taken but the photographer was unsatisfied looking at them. He glimpsed at Ashleigh and Adrian in front of him and in the camera roll, they were a good pair but there was a very obvious friction between the couple.


    ¡°Sir and madam, you are the couple of the moment so your pictures should look the best. I observed that there is no closeness between the loving couple so the pictures are off. Could you two move more closer ¡± the photographer suggested, and they both looked at each other wearily before drawing closer a bit.


    Adrian stretched his hands slowly to hold her closely and the photographer smiled in satisfaction as he took the pictures. Looking at the camera, he nodded happily and told them the pictures were okay, Ashleigh quickly removed herself from his grasp and gave a good distance.


    ¡°I would like to invite you aunt for a celebratory lunch if you don¡¯t mind?¡± He asked and Mrs Smith nodded in response.


    ¡°Mr. Reynolds my secretary will keep in touch concerning the fees. He¡¯ll be sure to add a bonus for your good work as well¡± thewyer¡¯s face lit up like a child on Christmas and thanked him graciously as he turned to leave; visualizing his bank ount at the moment.


    To Mr Reynolds it is an honour to work closely with such a reputable man like Adrian, he had a lot of rules but rewarded greatly if you do his work ordingly. He was already envied by his fellow colleagues, with thismend they will turn green and he couldn¡¯t wait.


    Mr turner led the way to the underground parking lot with the new couple following behind and Mrs Smith trailing at the back. Once they arrived a group of slick ck cars waited for them at the entrance and Turner opened the door for Ashleigh to enter while Adrian walked to other side and entered as well. He then stood back besides Mrs Smith and signalled for the driver to move which made Ashleigh panic, facing him.


    ¡°My aunt hasn¡¯t entered, yet your secretary is telling us to leave?¡± the driver steered into the street smoothly and immediately shifted the gears of the car, and then took off. Adrian who was already working on his phone raised his face to meet hers.


    ¡°Your aunt will follow closely behind us, no need to panic¡± his cool voice rang through the silent car, silencing Ashleigh temporarily.


    She felt tingles radiate through her body from the sound of his voice and her ears rung slightly and she couldn¡¯t understand why, so she decided on staying quiet during the trip and only react when necessary.


    She directed her attention to the car¡¯s interior, it looked it was made with exquisite leather, it had automated driving system and state of the art navigation system that the driver used while driving. Even though she didn¡¯t know other abilities of the car and side attractions, she was a 100% sure it costs a fortune to customizer this car as well as others.


    ¡°just how wealthy was this man?¡± Ashleigh wondered to herself, she finds out something new everyday.


    Before they knew it they were in the other side of the city and thendscape changed vastly to an upper ss setting. The driver moved into a restaurant which was all to familiar to Ashleigh, and her eyes brightened as she looked at the signboard stating the name ¡®Le monde¡¯ in cursive font.


    Le monde is an elegant restaurant that offers the best dining experience, it catered to the high in society and reservations here were the one of the hardest to make and those who were able to had already done so months ago due, the chefs that worked here were the best in the world and offered food that took you to the historic city where it was from. Le monde was not just a restaurant, it was an experience for those who were able to dine here, and she knew this from the videos people who had been here made talking about their dining experience.


    The cars parked in the underground parking lot and both came out, walking to where Mrs Smith stood.


    ¡°Shall we move in?¡± He spoke up, leading the way into the restaurant while the secretary waited behind in the car.


    Two burly men followed behind them as they made their way into the building and after confirming their reservation and other things they were led by a waiter to a private room.


    The ambience was mellow; the room was spacious and decorated with antiques on the shelves on the walls and had natural lighting in from the French window at the end of the room.


    The table was round and made of marble, with properly folded napkins and cutlery ced properly for each guest. They settled in, with Adrian holding her aunt¡¯s chair as she sat down beforeing to sit besides her.


    The chairs were arranged for the new couple to sit besides each other while Mrs Smith sat facing them. There was silence as Adrian ordered for lunch and after the waiter left, he addressed them.

 Chapter 9

    ¡°I feel we should talk about the living arrangements. After you left the office with your aunt yesterday I made some arrangements¡± he started the conversation, and Ashleigh looked at him keenly.


    ¡°Aunt I have arranged for a penthouse for you, it is not too far from where we will stay so she cane and visit you at any time¡± Ashleigh frowned, looking to her aunt who looked pleased at the arrangements but was hesitant.


    ¡°Adrian I feel this is not necessary, I am supposed to give you both a gift instead¡± she refused gently but Adrian was firm in his stance.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Aunt I feel this is very trivialpared to the gift you have given me. Besides, I will be assured of your well-being if you stay in the ce I have arranged for you. It is much more safer¡± Mrs Smith knew she eventually had to give in so she nodded calmly, thanking him.


    Ashleigh on the other hand was petrified at the thought of staying with him and immediately raised her objection.


    ¡°I do not wish to stay with you in the same living space. You have acquired a penthouse for my aunt and I feel that will be okay for both of us. Moreover the contract does not state that we have to live with each other in the period that this marriage stands¡± she stated sourly, causing the edge of his lips to curl up slightly.


    He had been facing her aunt for the time being but feeling her re on him he turned to see her deep frown, she was already making things difficult for him at the start of their rtionship.


    ¡°You see Mrs Cagliari, I don¡¯t want to run around the whole city looking for you every once in a while for the next few months, so it¡¯s best you are where my sight is for close supervision. Also, part of the many terms that mywyer didn¡¯t read is that living arrangements will be decided by me and are non- negotiable. Any further questions?¡± He finished, leaving no room for objection and Ashleigh was crestfallen.


    Mrs Smith who couldn¡¯t see her niece so upset spoke up in her favour.


    ¡°Of course you¡¯re right Adrian, she has to stay with you so you can be aware of her whereabouts at all times but Ashleigh is a bit hesitant at the moment as the only person she has lived so closely with is myself. I would like to ask that she stays for a week with me at the penthouse, she will be ready to move in by the weekend¡± she pleaded and Ashleigh stared at him furtively, doubtful of whether he would agree.


    ¡°Mrs Smith, I am only doing this for you. Ashleigh will stay with you for the week but early Saturday morning she will be picked up with her things. We will be having dinner in the middle of the week also, details will be ryed to her. One more thing Ashleigh¡± he directed his cold gaze to her.


    ¡°No matter what the circumstances have been, I believe you are a mature adult who has willingly undergone this agreement, for whatever reasonspelled you to. This is not a romantic rtionship in any way but for the mutual benefit of both of us, you more than I. For this reason, you need to grow up and stop whining and bickering, it will only make things worse for you as I am your benefactor¡­.. you don¡¯t want to anger me¡± he had a very grim look on his face, standing up to leave the room.


    ¡°Enjoy your meal, I have other things to attend to¡± Adrian paid no regard to both of them anymore, closing the door behind him.


    Ashleigh¡¯s eyes were fixed to the door, burning holes in them as that was the only thing she could do.


    The meal eventually came and was delectable, with a wide variety of dishes to choose from, but each one she ate was just as an obligation to fill her stomach and left a sour taste in her mouth. The words he said echoed again and again in her ears, the frosty look in his fox-shaped eyes, the slight stubble framing his chiselled jaw as he uttered the words that stabbed at her ego. She had developed a strong dislike for Mr Adrian and had tried to dissuade herself from it before, but now it was settled in her heart.


    In the following days Ashleigh and her aunt settled down in the penthouse arranged by Mr Cagliari and were getting used to the changes around them.


    For one, the penthouse he arranged was five timesrger than where they stayed, it was a beautifully schemed ce that was already furnished by Mr Cagliari¡¯s interior designers with orders to do as they directed if there was any changes they wanted to make. Of course there was nothing they wanted to change, there was more things that they had to learn how to use from the butler.


    Yes, a butler. He was already here on the day of Ashleigh and Adrian¡¯s marriage arranging the apartment and sorting out the things that were brought from their former apartment. Mr. Atkinson is Mr Cagliari¡¯s butler who is in charge of overseeing his affairs in the United States, he selected despite his family¡¯s various attempts of sending butlers to him from Italy for the sole reason of keeping them out his private matters.


    He wanted someone with no connections whatsoever to his family in Italy and the selection process was rigorous, till he met Atkinson. Atkinson has been his butler for seven years now and so far Adrian has noints. He was an elderly man who looked healthy for his age ; he was of average height with a round body making him look chubby, his face is quite aged, his head has a bald spot in the centre with grey hairs framing the ces around it, and was professionally dressed at all times.


    Atkinson has been kind enough to let them know how things worked in the house, ensure the hired staff work ordingly and maintain the house effectively. This left Mrs Smith and Ashleigh with not much to do but rx and discuss.


    There was also an assigned car and drivers to each of them. Ashleigh¡¯s car was more luxurious than her aunt¡¯s, it made her slightly ufortable for her to go to work, as they would want to park up front and each time she would have to direct them to drive to the underground parking lot. There was also a change in her wardrobe, most of her clothes were taken out and reced by various luxurious items from designer brands by a personal shopping assistant assigned to her.

 Chapter 10

    ording to Mr Cagliari, she should have to look the part of a CEO¡¯s wife in every aspect, that meant not taking any of her thrift or store bought clothes. They were also taken for a spa session where there had all services offered to them as VVIP¡¯s of the ce, Ashleigh had a much needed facial and hair treatment and she looked more appealing. Her face now had a dewy look, her round eyes were more prominent due to thesh treatments, her coffee- brown hair now looked more healthier and grew rapidly  than before making it thick, with the curls framing her face. The man in question was not around, she was informed by the butler that he is on a business trip and any information will be passed on by him.


    ¡°he imed to be annoyed me but still did this much for I and my aunt when he is not supposed to be bothered. Business trip my foot¡± she thought to herself as she listened to Mr. Atkinson.


    This changes no matter how subtle she was, still showed and caught the attention of the people she was working with. She had decided to work for a month more before quitting with the excuse of preparing for college so till then, she still worked as the cleaner in her husband¡¯spany¡­.. yeah. Ashleigh was hounded by her friends Fiona and James on her sudden glow up, they were both fashion freaks and knew everything about brands and the collections that are in or a fad.


    She yed it off casually stating she wanted to invest in herself more, they took it half heartedly on her insistence on not saying more than she told them. They were also asional long stares as she walked passed tables during lunch at the cafeteria which she ignored, going about her business.


    Today was about to be one of those days, she was making her way to the cafeteria when she was stopped by Mr. Turner. He looked like he was short of breath, his hair slightly messed from running to catch up with her.


    ¡°Mr. Turner are you okay? You could have just called out to me, or call my number ¡± she reached to phone his back soothingly and he shared his head signalling he was alright.


    ¡°Actually Mrs Ashleigh, Mr Cagliari just only came in from his trip and has asked me to meet you and bring you to him¡± he exined quickly, gesturing for her to move ahead of him.


    ¡°Good, I¡¯ve been meaning to speak with your boss anyways¡± she said as they went through the back to the underground parking lot and he ran to open the car door for her.


    She settled in besides Adrian, the driver taking off once she was in the car. Adrian was still on a business call and had only nced briefly at the sound of her entering the car, the tablet propped on a mini table and had a pair of ear pods on each ear with a royal blue suit that fit him like a glove, making him look more handsome. This handsome man however had his full attention on the meeting, and had a very cold aura around him for the meantime to prevent any disturbances that may arise, Ashleigh just sat silently besides him till when she was able to speak. After a while, the opportunity soon presented itself as he ended the call.


    ¡°Mr Cagliari you finally have time to see me. I have been unable to reach you despite my many attempts, didn¡¯t Mr Atkinson inform you¡± she questioned Adrian as he massaged his temples lightly to shake of the headache.


    ¡°I had informed him to let you know that I will not be avable during the time of my trip and whatever issues arises he should solve it appropriate. Pray tell, Ashleigh, what is the pressing matter that couldn¡¯t be handled by anyone else but me¡± he deadpanned, setting his gaze on her.


    ¡°Uhm¡­. it was about all the things you have done. I wanted to let you know that we aren¡¯t a charity case for you to feel like you have to do those things for us to feel better. I and my aunt are fine with just the bare minimum¡± Ashleigh stated in a matter-of-fact tone, making Adrian chuckle at her face.


    Her round eyes were firm, her lips a bit t in an attempt to make herself look serious, her hair carelessly falling around her face. Still holding her gaze, he leaned on the arm rest separating both of them with his lips turned slightly upwards.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    ¡°How long did you want to shout that to me on the phone sincest weekend? Must be nice getting it all-out of your system. That being said, I would like to point out two things to you¡±


    Firstly, I do not view you and your aunt as a charity case, neither would I have done any thing out of guilt or sympathy. These are the things I am supposed to do for my wife and inw¡± his deep voice echoed through the car, sending tingles through her ears and spine again.


    ¡°Secondly, this is expected treatment of the wives of the Cagliari family. This is my responsibility to you for the time this marriage stands, so I am just doing my duty and yours is to cooperate ordingly. So far I feel I have been doing my best, don¡¯t you think so too Mrs. ?¡± he teased, running his fingers through her hair yfully.


    Ashleigh was unsure of how to respond as she was bombarded by so many things at once; his face that was close to hers, the slight tug of her hair, the earthy scent that overwhelmed her nostrils.


    She stuttered as she pulled back, seating firmly in her chair as she tried to still her heart beating violently. Adrian observed her in amusement, he had thought that carrying out this n may be difficult at first, but from what he is seeing now, it may be easier than he thought. Then again, it was a given that Ashleigh would fall for him eventually despite her willingness to resist, when the most desirable bachelor is dropped at your doorstep it is not easy to resist. He looked at her again as she faced the window adamantly and sighed in disappointment, although it was a good thing for him, he at least hoped for her to put up a good fight along the road.


    The car quickly pulled into a jewellery shop and parked underground, his security surfaced immediately and escorted them inside.


    ¡°I thought we were going for lunch¡±


    ¡°We are, before that we have something more important to do¡± he exined, entering the private elevator which dinged open.


    It stopped at thest floor and opened to reveal a bright spacious room with various work tables. Each table had someone propped on a chair, with a bunch of sketch papers working silently, in the centre was a podium with a man addressing them. He looked a bit shorter than Adrian, dressed in a pair of high waist pants and a sweater with a pair of shoes, his hair was curled and a pencil was ced in his right ear. He spoke swiftly in a foreignnguage ncing around the room till his eyesnded on both of them, his eyes widened in realization and he left them to continue their work, strolling to where she and Adrian stood.


    ¡°In which direction will the sun set today with me seeing Adrian in the flesh?¡± he jeered, eyeing Adrian in marvel.


    ¡°Beau. It¡¯s always a pleasure to meet you¡± Adrian rolled his eyes in response, Ashleigh peered at him.


    ¡°Ashleigh, this is Beau. The owner of the jewellery store we are in. Beau this is Ashleigh, my wife¡± he did the introductions and Beau¡¯s mouth was agape at the end.


    Ashleigh was surprised on seeing his reaction, she thought that this marriage if not public was known by his friends and closest family but it was not.


    ¡°W-was this why you asked for the rings to be made? Oh my!¡± Beau went into double shock as Adrian affirmed his thoughts, looking at Ashleigh in bewilderment.


    Beau was in Adrian¡¯s close circle and would know if anything was toe up one way or another, but this was news that not even his closest friend knew. He walked up to her and gave her a close look from head to toe and looked deeply into her eyes. Ashleigh just stood awkwardly, unsure of what to do, Beau stepped back and gave a side nce to Adrian.


    ¡°Ashleigh, you are too pretty. Adrian I must say I am impressed, although I am genuinely curious on how you managed to convince her to marry you¡± he asked, making Ashleigh giggle as he frowned in response to Beau¡¯s question.


    ¡°Come my lovelies, I do not want to disturb the workspace right now with all this chatter¡± he beckoned, walking down therge hall to a door at the end.


    With a wave of his hand at the doorknob, the screen brightened and he put in his password. The door made a click and opened up to reveal a small office. This space could only allow three people to be present at the same time so the bodyguards waited as they entered. The room was barely decorated, it only had a table, with a chair and two on opposite sides, a cab with a locked safe and a board with many sketches pinned on it.


    ¡°Excuse my very little workspace, I have ns to expand soonest¡± he apologized, walking to the safe to unlock it as they sat down.


    ¡°With all the grants and partnership offers you received in thest quarter, ns of relocation should have been concluded by now¡± Adrian looked over the small office in disappointment.


    Beau was the next generation¡¯s top jeweller. He is from an affluent background but had a strong vision from the onset hence he focused on getting trained from one of the best jewellers in Italy before relocating to start his store in America. In a while he started gaining recognition for his designs among the upper ss society and got multiple grants and partnerships offers, one being from Adrian. As a major investor in the business, he had given Beau a sum to help secure a bigger location for his store and ns were agreed on earlier in the year, but Beau tends to be a bit slow with these matters hence till now no ns has been carried out.


    ¡°I¡¯m not really good at the financial and nning aspect of this business, I only know how to focus on my work. I am still searching for someone who can help me put the ns together¡± he replied, cing an exquisitely carved box on the table in front of them.


    Ashleigh who was just an observer to their conversation so far perked up when the box was ced in front of them, she looked at Adrian besides her who egged her to open the box.


    The box was carved exquisitely out of dark polished wood and it had a hinged lid that was gold ted and glistened under the light.

 Chapter 11

    She pushed the lid and it popped open to reveal a pair of beautiful rose gold rings ced on the velvet cushion. One was in, the other one had princess cut diamonds carefully arranged around the band of the ring, glistening brightly. Ashleigh¡¯s eyes widened at the sight of the rings, Adrian nodded satisfied with the work Beau had done.


    ¡°We got married a few days ago. Won¡¯t it be weird that we do not have wedding rings as a couple?¡± Adrian spoke up, turning Ashleigh¡¯s chair to face his direction and pulling it closer to him.


    He took the ring box from the table and propped it with his hands for her to see it closely.


    ¡°What do you think? Isn¡¯t it nice?¡± he asked, raising it to her eyes for closer inspection. Ashleigh watched as each diamond shimmered at every contact with sunlight and then to Adrian.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful¡± she approved, Adrian smiled warmly. He ced the box on the table, reached for her right hand and grabbed it, raising up her fingers.


    Holding her fingers delicately with his left hand, he reached for the ring in the box and pulled it out gently; then slipped it on her fourth finger. Ashleigh sat there silently, watching him half-smile after he wore the ring on her finger. She stared at her hand and felt that it suddenly became heavier, and her heart beat wildly at the thought of the possible oue of all this. Adrian in a few days had changed the entirety of her life, he spentvishly on housing and daily living saying it was the bare minimum of what he was supposed to do.


    Now he bought a wedding ring which was exclusively designed by the a name that is on a global rise, for a marriage of six months.  Ashleigh feared for what she will have to give in return for all this, and what will remain for her after the end of the six months contract. All this worries reflected in her eyes as she gazed at Adrian who was waiting for her. She carefully picked up the ring on the cushioned box and raised her hand in a motion to ask for his. The sizes of their hands were noticeably different as she grabbed his. She slipped the ring on his finger and as she looked at him a click sound rang through the silent room. They turned to see Beau holding his phone at them, smiling sheepishly when he was caught.


    ¡°I apologize, but you guys looked so sweet together I had to take a picture of you two¡± he cooed, looking at the picture with heart eyes.


    Adrian frowned, reaching for the phone but Beau was two steps ahead of him so he stood up from his seat.


    ¡°Beau, hand over the phone. I want no picture in the public, online or even among closest friends, not even my family¡± he warned sternly.


    ¡°I know all this Mr. Adrian, no need to yell at me. I think that if not you, Ashleigh is allowed to keep this memory¡± He exined, walking to where she sat.


    ¡°Give me your number baby girl. You need me more than you think, especially when dealing with Adrian grumpy here¡± he teased, stretching his phone out to her.


    Ashleigh smiled curtly as she collected it and typed her number in, and returned it to him. To her, knowing one friend of Adrian is one less thing she would have to struggle to find out, her phone soon buzzed in her purse and Beau smiled cheekily.


    ¡°So if you have any questions, any at all, please call me. Don¡¯t bother to go to him¡± he encouraged her, making a puke face at end of his sentence as he pointed to Adrian, eliciting a cheeryughter from Ashleigh which simmered down as she caught the gloomy look on her partner¡¯s face. He only stood up quietly and reached for her hand, pulling her from the seat as well.


    ¡°Since we are both satisfied with the rings, we will be on our way¡± he announced, keeping his hand firmly on hers. Ashleigh¡¯s heart raced as she felt his grasp be tighter and quickly focused on beau.


    ¡°Oh! I forgot you are newly married. Go on and enjoy your marital bliss, be sure to leave me a messageter Mrs.¡± he shooed them out, winking at Ashleigh as he walked up to close the door to his office.


    As they made their way to the restaurant for their lunch date, Ashleigh was lost in thought but nced at Adrian from time to time.


    Remembering the few moments they had today and the ring that glittered on her finger as the afternoon sunrays hit, her tummy turned in a way that she did not like. She reminded herself of the fact that this is a transactional rtionship, and sticking to the transactional side will be of more benefit to her than anything else. However, in her heart she thought that seeing how things go along the way will not be that bad.


    After they had a rather quiet lunch, Ashleigh and Adrian were seated at the private resting area in the restaurant and were sipping on tea in their mugs. They were seated in a love seat which faced the zed walls and only quiet footsteps could be heard once in while. Both sipped on silently, until one spoke up.


    ¡°Mr. Cagliari, seeing as this marriage has already begun, I would ask that you keep to your side of the agreement¡± Ashleigh started, her gaze fixed on the view outside. Adrian¡¯s lips curled up at the edges slightly, he continued sipping the tea in silence.


    ¡°Now what does keeping my side of the agreement mean to you?¡± he asked, ncing at her briefly.


    ¡°It means you will tell and show everything about my parents to me¡±


    ¡°Eager aren¡¯t we?¡± he teased, the edges of his eyes curling up slightly as he turned to face her.

 Chapter 12

    He grabbed the hand ced on herps and held them firmly in his palms as he feigned a pondering expression.


    ¡°I guess you did not understand the contract clearly. I am in all ways at control of this marriage and the agreements made concerning this issue. I will be the one to decide whether you are fulfilling your part of the agreement or not¡± he exined slowly.


    ¡°And so far, you haven¡¯t met the requirements for me to consider fulfilling my side of the contract¡± he finished, patting her head like a child.


    Ashleigh could feel her face heating up in anger as she red at the idiot CEO besides her. No matter how he meant it, he was right. She was basically still not at the level to reason with him or make demands of what he should give her. Thinking constantly of what her ultimate goal was, she calmed herself down and asked in a calm manner.


    ¡°What am I yet to do that makes you say I have still not met my part of the agreement?¡±


    ¡°You are yet to move in with me¡±


    ¡°I do not see how my being with or away from you makes any difference. We are not in a love marriage that requires that I be with you forfort purposes. I don¡¯t actually care if you¡¯re besides me or in Antarctica, your presence means nothing to me¡±


    ¡± Mrs Cagliari, I do not like to repeat myself over and over again. We had gone over this earlier, whether the thought of it makes you ufortable or not, I do not care. You¡¯reing home with me today¡± her eyes widened.


    ¡°Hey! You said I had till weekend¡± she pouted.


    ¡°And I changed my mind. I¡¯ll give your two options: it¡¯s either youe with me to the house and I¡¯ll give you some information on your parents by weekend OR you stay till weekend with your aunt but expect any information from me by next weekend. Up to you¡± he said in a t tone, looking at her with full intentions to do as he said.


    On seeing his serious demeanour, she caved in.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go¡± she mumbled out but Adrian pretended not to hear. Scooting closer to her, he leaned closer to her lips and asked again.


    ¡°What did you say? I didn¡¯t quite hear it¡­¡±


    ¡°I said let¡¯s go dumbass¡± she yelled but was silenced by his finger on her lips in a shush motion.


    ¡°Uh uh, watch yournguage Mrs. Cagliari. Be a good girl¡± he said, shaking his head in a teasing manner, smiling in a sly manner.


    ¡°We¡¯re here, let¡¯s go in¡± Adrian stepped out of the car, stretching his hand out to Ashleigh. Ashleigh grabbed his hand and was helped out of the car to stand in front of thendscape, it was massive. It was a single storey building with a contemporary design, it had neutral colours scheme and was beautifully decorated with a lush garden leading up to the doorstep of the  home.


    They walked through the hallway leading to living room and as they entered, the house light flooded the open-n living space, bouncing off walls painted in a soft, cool shade of pale linen. The absence of clutter was striking, furniture arranged with purpose rather than profusion.


    A low-slung, charcoal sectional sofa hugged the centre, its sharp lines softened by plush, cream-colored cushions. Opposite, a sleek coffee table in light, natural wood anchored the space, its smooth surface adorned only with a single, sculptural vase holding a minimalist arrangement of white lilies.


    Sunlight streamed through floor-to-ceiling windows, illuminating the polished concrete floor. Arge, woven rug in a subtle geometric pattern added warmth underfoot, its muted tones echoing the natural textures throughout the room. Along the windows, sheer white curtains hung like ethereal whispers, their folds catching the light and casting delicate shadows.


    Ashleigh was stunned as she took it all in, it was even more elegant than the her aunts home. They were met by a young maid at the living room who weed them and took the bags from the security who brought them in. She dressed rather smartly in a pair of ck jeans and shirt which she tucked in. Her hair was slicked up into a firmly parked bun on her head and she had a pair of ts shoes on. She smiled curtly at her, standing in front of them as she waited for Adrian to start.


    ¡°This is my butler¡¯s daughter Tara. She is employed to be here when her father is not around and since he¡¯s at your aunt¡¯s home she has been residing here ¡± Adrian introduced her to Ashleigh and her eyes widened in surprise.


    ¡°Tara, as Mr. Atkinson may have told you already this is my wife Ashleigh. She is the second person inmand when I¡¯m not around and you will defer all matters of this house to her unless it is important¡± he exined, Ashleigh ncing and him in shock at hisst sentence.


    ¡°Sir, shall I ask the chef to begin dinner preparations?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Tell him to prepare ordingly for the new madam in the house¡± he instructed firmly, and Ashleigh was stumped again, heat staining her cheeks and ears lightly.


    Tara nodded and bowed, leaving to continue her duties. Seeing that it is only the both of them in the hallway Ashleigh quickly used her arm to bump his shoulder lightly.


    ¡°I barely want to be here and you assigned the responsibilities of the house to me?¡± Adrian arched his brows.


    ¡°So you don¡¯t leave here unless you have to. You seem to want to run from me when I have done nothing to you yet. And you are my wife, it will only make sense if you are ced as my second inmand¡± he said innocently, pulling her cheeks lightly and walking into the house.


    Ashleigh rubbed her cheeks violently to stop the blushing and followed behind him.


    As they  made their way through the house, Ashleigh noticed that the house seemedrger on the inside than it appeared from the outside. The interior of the house was widely spaced and if you spoke loud enough could echo your voices, she concluded was due to the minimalistic design of the home. A few pieces of furniture could be seen here, it was nothing too shy but with a closer look you could tell it wasn¡¯t ordinary made or store bought


    ¡°What was your inspiration for this home? It looks rather pale inparison to the ce my aunt is staying¡± Ashleigh asked, as they made their way through the stairs to the first floor. Along the hall were doors on each side which were four in number, the fifth door was at the end of the hall. Each door had a panel that would light up as they passed and would show a small circle.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I simply asked the interior designer to create something that would appeal to my taste¡± Adrian walked up to the fourth door and it immediately lit up, he proceeded to ce his thumb on it longer and the settings screen came up.


    ¡°So you have a rather nd personality. Good to know¡± shemented, and he paused for a while. Without looking behind him he reached for her hand and ced it on the small circle as well, in turn not only that door dinged, every door in that hall apart from the fifth door dinged and the door opened.


    ¡°Which is more reason you have to stay here. You can choose to change this ce up as you like, after all it is your home now¡± he said, pulling her through the door to reveal a ratherrge room.


    The colour of the walls room are eggshell and mushroom, the furniture was as well. There was a bed close to the window and a full length mirror was ced with a dresser by the side. Then there was a miniputer desk set up with aputer, printer, and keyboard in mint colour. There was a mini whiteboard above where theputer was with an attached marker holder.


    ¡°This will be your room for the next six months. Everything you need is here and if there are any adjustments you want to make  tell Tara about it,  she will put a call through to the interior designer¡± he exined, his eyes on her as she walked into the room.


    Ashleigh¡¯s heart quickened as she looked at the room; the room was perfectly arranged. She would be here for the duration of their marriage, under the same roof with an enigma like Adrian Cagliari.


    Adrian, perceiving her reaction, smirked internally. Maintaining his calm demeanour, he walked to the door to leave.


    ¡°My room is the fifth door, do not disturb me. If there is nothing else, Tara will show you around the houseter¡± he said nonchntly, the door closing with a click after his exit. Ashleigh stared hard at the door, her annoyance growing deeper as the silence settled in.


    She was continuously being reminded even in her reverie that she was dealing with a proud and an ignorant man who only cared about himself and not about her. There was no difference between her moving in today or by weekend, she was inevitably trapped by him but Adrian wants to always show that he has the upper hand than her. He always forced her to dance to his tunes by dangling her parents over her head.


    ¡°Which he did not end up telling me about. He¡¯s about to hear it from me¡± she huffed, storming out to meet him wherever he is. The top floor had a  balcony through which she peeked over to see him walking into the living room and she rushed to meet him downstairs.


    ¡°Adrian you are yet to fulfil your part of the agr¡­.¡±


    Ashleigh¡¯s voice died down as she saw a group of people corporately dressed along with Mr. Turner turn to look at her. Adrian who was close to the entrance of the room turned in surprise to see her there.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 13

    Seeing the situation, Ashleigh was about to move back in embarrassment but was immediately grabbed by Adrian and drawn to his side. The group of people watched the two of them in curiosity and looked amongst themselves for who would speak up. Ady dressed in a simple gown smiled casually and spoke up.


    ¡°We were all wondering on what would make a man like Mr Cagliari keep us waiting for over 20 minutes. Turns out he was tending to his guest¡± she suggested, everyone there nodding in agreement.


    ¡°I apologize for the interruption. This is my wife, Ashleigh Cagliari. We recently got married¡± Adrian said, raising up their interlocked hands and rubbing it gently with his other palm.


    ¡°Amore, these are my clients who havee for contract signing ¡±  he leaned and whispered in her ear, his hands leaving their interlocked ones to rest on the small of her back firmly. In front he painted a somewhat intimate rtionship between them but behind he was firm in how he wanted her to respond and behave.


    The clients on hearing from Adrian who Ashleigh was to him had a more receptive countenance and greeted her curtly, surprise being evident on their faces. Ashleigh leaned into his embrace a bit and said a few words of greetings to the clients as well, she looked up at him and smiled as warm as she could, because her current state of embarrassment was nothingpared to how she felt initially.


    ¡°I thought I managed to pacify you earlier. Obviously not because you followed me here with no shoes¡± he stared at her bare feet with a slight frown, signalling his assistant who knew exactly what to do.


    In a minute he exited the room, went upstairs to Ashleigh¡¯s room and grabbed a pair of slippers; he returned to the living room and ced them in front of her. Adrian then assisted Ashleigh to wear the slippers.


    ¡°Babe, you should not go anywhere without a pair of slippers on your feet. I do not want you to catch a cold suddenly¡± he cautioned with a somewhat sweet tone, making Ashleigh blush furiously.


    ¡°We are very pleased to meet you Mrs Ashleigh. We did not know Mr. Adrian is capable of doting on someone this much¡± a man spoke up from the group and Ashleigh lowered her head to hide her face that was practically red at that point.


    A lot of things had happened in a few minutes but what was somewhat unbearable was Adrian¡¯s attitude, part of her felt he behaved extra to fluster her but for the most of it she was stunned by his words, the name calling and the Oscar worthy behaviour.


    She was worried because she liked it. Her heart skipped several beats since the moment he called her amore, drew her closer and had a doted on her. Not that it was true, but in the moment it seemed to real for her. In order to avoid anymore embarrassment she had to leave, and she had to leave fast.


    ¡°I was not aware that Adrian had guests so I barged in rudely. I apologize for taking up much of your time, I will leave you all to it¡± she said, reaching for Adrian¡¯s hand and prying it of her body.


    They all smiled at her in response, signalling they had no issues with her being there. As Ashleigh turned to leave she was stopped by Adrian and she gave him a quiet re.


    ¡°My love, it would be rather rude if we let theme all this way without hosting them properly. Don¡¯t you think so?¡± He asked, the clients shook their heads in an attempt to refuse.


    ¡°Please join us. I know my wife is a bit shy to tell you but we nned to have a celebratory dinner. At first it was only going to be the two of us but seeing as you all are here you are invited to join us¡± he announced generously, pulling Ashleigh to stand besides him again. Ashleigh could not hide her emotions this time as she red openly at him, he was pushing her to the limit.


    Amongst the clients was a rather elderly man who had been silently watching and observing everything. Mr. Turner stood closely besides him during all this and answered the questions that was asked. On hearing Adrian¡¯s invitation dinner, he finally spoke up.


    ¡°We will be honoured to join you and your wife for dinner Mr. Cagliari¡± he epted the invitation, and Adrian smiled curtly at him.


    ¡°Amore, I trust you will arrange a lovely feast with the chef. Instruct the chef ordingly¡±  he said, leading her to leave the room.


    At the door, he leaned and whispered in her ear


    ¡± Won¡¯t you my love?¡±


    After the scene Adrian created about them having a dinner to celebrate their ¡°love¡±, Ashleigh found her way to the kitchen to oversee the preparations being made. The only thing is, she had no clue as to how and what she needed to do to host a dinner party of worthy of her new status. She strolled in to see the preparations ongoing for dinner by a group of chefs and assistant  which were divided amongst the kitchen.


    The kitchen like other rooms in the house is wide spaced with a neutral colour scheme. There were two cooking stations at opposite sides of the room and arge counter top table with bar stools ced underneath. The counter top was currently filled with ingredients being prepared by the chef assistants. The station close to the door is mainly for all types of cooking of the main dishes while the other station is dessert preparations. Each side had an array of high ss gadgets and cooking equipment that Ashleigh had not heard of before.


    Overseeing everything was Tara who stood with a clipboard in her hand, she discussed seriously with an elderly man who wore the chef  clothes. They both looked up to see hering towards them and immediately took a somewhat serious stance.


    ¡°Mrs. Cagliari wee to the kitchen. Currently as Mr. Cagliari has ordered, the menu for this evening¡¯s client dinner is underway¡± Tara informed her, and the chef besides her nodded calmly in agreement.


    ¡°This is the resident chef, Mr. Frank. He is the one in charge of running the kitchen and arranging the daily menu. Mr Frank this is Mrs. Ashleigh, Mr. Cagliari¡¯s wife, be sure to carry out her instructions as well¡± Tara exined and his eyes lit up in acknowledgement. He quickly wiped his hands on his apron and extended his hand to shake hers.


    ¡°I am honoured to meet the Mrs of this home, after a long wait Adrian has finally brought hispanion home¡± he spoke in a rushed tone, with subtle signs of an ent. Ashleigh smiled sheepishly at hisment and brushed it off.


    ¡°I apologize for not making an introduction earlier, I had to settle down properly before going around to meet everyone¡± she apologized and he was quick to refuse the apology, stating that she should take as much time needed. Tara gave a slight nce at her with an arched brow. Once their pleasantries ended she handed over the clipboard to Ashleigh.


    ¡°This is the menu curated by Chef Frank for this evening¡¯s dinner, please go through it and make any adjustments needed¡± she exined to Ashleigh. Ashleigh looked at the clipboard; the handwriting was somewhat in cursive so it was unreadable to her, she also did not understand the words written.


    She handed the clipboard back to her as she was clueless of what was going on. Ashleigh barely had organized a birthday party, she just ordered a bunch of pizza, buy a cake in a store close to where she stayed and called it a day. Now, she is being expected to host a dinner for Adrian and his clients.


    ¡°I barely understand what you have written, I do not know what to do as well. Since you¡¯re doing a good job, carry on¡± Tara gave a long look at her in response and nodded.


    calmly.


    She turned to the chef and they discussed for a few minutes, the chef then left to continue his duties while Tara led Ashleigh to a corner where she would sit quietly for the next hour, watching as they ran around in a hurry. The dishes were already being set and moved to the outdoor dining from the kitchen.


    ¡°The dinner will start in a while, you can go and get ready now¡± Tara echoed over her thoughts, bringing Ashleigh back to her consciousness. She looked up to see the kitchen empty, in front of her stood Tara a slight frown on her face. She then shoved a small piece of paper in her hand.


    ¡°I have written down the dishes prepared for the evening in that paper. You can go through it while you are changing. I do not want to have Adrian go on about not putting you through¡± she taunted, leaving Ashleigh surprised. She was sure that Tara was nice to her earlier when she came in with Adrian, she showed no signs of hostility to her like she is showing now.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± Ashleigh took a double take, standing up to face Tara who looked at her with a slight scowl on her face.


    ¡°You are excused. Originally, I thought Adrian had brought ady worthy of his status, but now I know looks can be deceiving. It¡¯s only a matter of time before you are not here, so until then just be a good pet to him. Do not try to prove anything to him, and maybe you can get a fairpensation for your hard work¡± she said in a demeaning tone, looking at her with clear disdain in her eyes.Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Ashleigh quickly pulled her close up to herself and red back.

 Chapter 14

    ¡°Adrian? Aren¡¯t you being to careless in how you address your boss? Not that I care of your perceived rtionship with him, I would only like to rify one thing¡±


    ¡°In case Adrian has not told you, I will. You do not want to deal with my bad side¡± Ashleigh warned, looking directly at Tara before pushing her back.


    Ashleigh stormed off to her room to get ready and once she got there she sat down on the chair in front of her dresser still fuming. She had some initial suspicions when she saw a youngdy assigned to care for Adrian¡¯s home but understood that it was due to her dad being the main butler.


    It just did not seem right that a young and pretty girl like her who was supposed to be out there living her life just chose to stay 24/7 indoors overseeing an estate but now it made sense. She was already in control of the things which Ashleigh would have to do as a wife and has by the way she addresses Adrian, she has been here for years. If there was need for a convenient rtionship she was the best option, but it seems that her arrival here has spoiled Tara¡¯s efforts.


    Her thoughts were interrupted by a quiet knock on the door, the door quietly opened to reveal Mr. Turner who stood cautiously.


    ¡°Boss asked me to tell you to ne down in the next five minutes¡± he informed, adjusting his tie nervously.


    ¡°Tell your boss that I wille down when I¡¯m ready, hmm?¡± Ashleigh said in the sweetest tone she could muster but it came out as a threat. Mr. Turner nodded quickly and left immediately, the door closing behind him in a quiet click.


    Before then, in the living room, the meeting which was supposed to be brief had turned into an hour long deliberation of the contract and business terms. Despite all this, both parties did not seem toe to an agreement on how to divide the profits, there was a bit of hassle because Adrian was firm on his terms but Mr. Turner had been there to diffuse the conversation quickly.


    As his assistant, he had noticed Adrian was slowly growing indifferent to the meeting and suggested quietly to him that they end the discussion for now and have dinner.


    ¡°Mr Cagliari would like to continue this discussion at a more convenient time during the week. However, you are very much wee to have dinner as earlier mentioned, Mrs. Cagliari has put in a lot of effort to prepare a lovely menu¡± Mr. Turner soothed, the clients reluctantly agreeing.


    He then left to meet Mrs Ashleigh in hopes she will be ready to lead the guests to the dinner table but not only was she not ready, the mood seemed to be off.


    ¡°Why are they both in an off mood? The only victim of theirbined anger is me¡± he grumbled as he made his way back to his boss to pass on her message. He walked up to his boss and passed her response across quietly, he could already feel shivers running down his spine as his boss¡¯s frown became deeper.


    ¡°Do not worry sir, I¡¯ll handle the situation¡± he quickly reassured before stepping forward to the clients.


    ¡°The Madame will be joining us shortly, she asked that you go ahead to the dinner table¡± he signalled for them to stand and led them out the living room to the dining area which was at the back.


    However on getting there, they were met with Ashleigh already waiting for them. She wore an orange strapless body con gown with a knitted top and a pair of sandals, her hair was parked up and held with a clip, the front hairs falling delicately to frame her face.


    ¡°I apologize for my tardiness, it was quitest minute with the preparations so I had ample time to get dressed up¡± she apologized, walking up to Adrian who until that point had his eyes glued to her. She held his hand and smiled delicately at him, to the surprise of Mr. Turner who had just seen that she was upset not too long ago.


    ¡°Babe, let¡¯s have dinner now¡± he looked her over again and nodded silently. She led him to the table, the clients following Mr. Turner who showed them their seats.


    The table was long enough to amodate all the clients and was decorated with mini lily bouquets, tes and cutlery were ced ordingly by the chef assistants and they all stood by the side, the head chef in front along with Tara. They all settled down except Ashleigh who stood besides Adrian who sat at the head of the table. She could feel Tara¡¯s strong re at the back of her head and decided to take advantage of the situation.


    ¡°I wee you all to our celebratory dinner. It is an honour to have you all dine with us, and the chef have prepared ordingly for the asion. Unfortunately, it is due to myck of sufficient knowledge that I cannot tell you specifically of the dishes that has been prepared by the chef¡± she quavered, slightly lowering her hand from Adrian¡¯s shoulder where it was initially ced.


    She looked defeated as she avoided Adrian¡¯s eyes by stepping farther from him, this sparked whispers among people at the table. Adrian looked to Mr Turner in question and he was clueless as to what happened, the elderly man who was seated besides Mr. Turner quickly looked at Ashleigh¡¯s distant frame and his eyesnded on Tara who had an obvious frown directed at Ashleigh. His eyes lit up in understanding and he cleared his throat loudly, gaining the attention of everyone.


    ¡°Mrs. Cagliari, we do not mind at all whether you are knowledgeable about these things or not. What matters the most is that he has found a worthypanion, which is you¡± the elderly manplimented, making her smile a bit. She raised her eyes to meet Tara¡¯s and taunted her.


    After Mr. Turner left the room earlier, she began deliberating on how to prove her position in Adrian¡¯s life to Tara. Without being told, she knew that her anger will only worsen Adrian¡¯s mood, put her at a disadvantage and prove Tara¡¯s point. She had to get him to act how she wanted, then show her anger.


    ¡°I already mentioned earlier that Tara will be here to provide assistance wherever need be, didn¡¯t I?¡± he reiterated.


    ¡°Yes, but¡­..¡±


    ¡°But nothing Ashleigh. I knew all this before I asked you to oversee the preparations. Regardless of whether you know or you do not, you are still in charge¡± he concluded, beckoning the Chef toe forward to carry on with the introduction.


    Ashleigh then sat down besides Adrian with the help of Mr. Turner and silently thanked him. Chef Frank had began exining each dish on the menu and it¡¯s significance to the asion and everyone except Adrian listened with rapt attention.


    Adrian dragged Ashleigh¡¯s chair a bit closer to him and pulled her in.


    ¡°What was that ?¡± He asked quietly, Ashleigh looked at him with a sarcastic smile and responded.


    ¡°What do you think? If you had just told me of my parents like I asked earlier in the day, I wouldn¡¯t have to be in this crappy situation. It is easier for you to be married to me, but it is difficult for me. Not only do I have to suck up to you, I also have to prove to your fan base as well¡± she blew hot,  surprising Adrian as she moved away.Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Now he was fully conscious, staring at Ashleigh who continued smiling like nothing was said as she conversed lightly with others at the table. The appetizer were served and they nibbled on it in anticipation of the main dishes. After a few minutes, the main dish was served and there were a variety of side dished to pair.


    The chef assistants went round attending to each guest, serving drinks as requested. The dishes were decadent, hadyers of taste and the side dishes made it a galore of deliciousness. The clients at the end of the meal were served a slice of delicately threeyered cake to which they all finished and requested for second helpings. The clients were allpliments to the chef who had prepared such a delicious feast for them and he was sincerely grateful for their appreciation.


    In all this, Ashleigh enjoyed her meals quietly, but ignored all efforts made by Adrian to close the obvious friction between them. Adrian had offered to help her cut up the fish, pour her wine, feed her cake but she turned it all down. She was in no mood to entertain his gestures but she however still held the Fort down. She fulfilled her role as the hostess, checking that everything was done ording to n and even standing up once in a while to check in on the elderly man who sat besides Mr. Turner.


    Once dinner was over, Mr. Turner along with the clients made their way through the back door to the parking lot which was behind where they had dinner. Left behind was Adrian, Ashleigh and the elderly man.


    ¡°I hope the meal was not too heavy sir¡± Ashleigh asked concerned but the man onlyughed lightly.


    ¡°This was one of the best meals I¡¯ve had so far, I have to thank you both for your kind hospitality¡± he said with gratitude, they both nodded calmly. Ashleigh turned to leave them but was stopped by his voice.


    ¡°I have something to say to you both¡± Ashleigh turned back and stood besides Adrian.


    ¡°I hope that you two will support each other wholeheartedly, despite what maye. I seem like an old man just babbling to you both but I know what I mean; you remind me of when I newly got married¡± he exined, and thier eyes widened ; one in difort and the other in surprise.

 Chapter 15

    ¡°Like both of you, I and my wife agreed to marry each other for convenience. It was a rocky start for us but at the end of the day she is my onlypanion whom I hold dear¡± he said with a bit of solemnity in his tone, and for the first time he looked somewhat lonely.


    Ashleigh melted on seeing the old man¡¯s plight, he seemed to regret not having her by his side. At the same time, her heart wavered, was this going to be her fate as well?


    ¡°My dear, I felt your emotions earlier. I understood all you meant and I want to tell you to be strong, because there is a lot more from where that came from¡± he held her hand firmly, speaking with calmness.


    Ashleigh only nodded in understanding, thanking the man quietly as he let her hand go. He began to walk to the door slowly, the both of them watching as he left. At the door, he turned back to look at Adrian.


    ¡°Tell Mr. Turner toe tomorrow with the contract for signing. For the sake of your wife I have agreed to your conditions¡± he announced, turning back to leave. The two of them stood awkwardly for a while, allowing the message to sink in to them.


    ¡°That is Mr. Oscar Fernando, the CEO of grazec group ofpanies. He was the major figure which was needed to approve this contract signing and he surprisingly came today¡± Adrian said, looking at Ashleigh for her reaction. Ashleigh who was already unsettled with everything, just let out a quiet ¡®oh¡¯.


    ¡°So that means my job here is done then¡± she voiced out quietly  as she left , walking past the chefs and Tara and leaving the room with a silent click of the door.


    Adrian felt his heart being pricked continuously, his impatience which died down earlier had now resurfaced.


    ¡°Now, I need someone to tell me what the hell happened over the dinner preparations¡±


    As the morning sun rose on the Cagliari mansion, Ashleigh woke up in a sour mood. Most of the night had been spent recapping the whirlwind of events: the ring, lunch, dinner¡­ To think it all happened in one day! And Adrian? The very thought of him made her heart skip a beat  several times a day, no less. A pathetic smile yed on her lips.


    Currently dressed in thepany shirt, trousers, and sneakers, she sat at her dresser, a scrunchie holding her hair back. The pre-dawn sky was a canvas of fading darkness, slowly giving way to the orange glow of the rising sun. The clock disyed 6:45 am in bold red numbers.


    Tranquility shattered as her door unlocked and swung open. A familiar cologne reached her nose, followed by the sound of footsteps approaching. In the mirror¡¯s reflection, their eyes met for a fleeting moment before Ashleigh broke the contact, reaching for her watch.


    Adrian stood close behind her, hesitant.


    ¡°Good morning, Ashleigh,¡± he began.


    ¡°Like you requested yesterday, I have information about your parents.¡± He retrieved an envelope from his suit pocket.


    Adrian¡¯s original n had been to provide a basic overview. But after a meeting with the kitchen staff, he¡¯d called his secretary to expand on the information, ensuring Ashleigh had everything she needed. They¡¯d workedte into the night, fueled by Adrian¡¯s guilt that kept him wide awake despite his desire for sleep. Two meager hours of sleepter, he was up at 5 am, ready to face her.


    The coldness radiating off her was palpable. Only when he mentioned her parents did she turn back, her gazeced with sarcasm.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re finally ready to tell me? What¡¯s the catch this time?¡± He gave no response to herment and continued.


    ¡°Mr. Turner investigated for the past week, and this is what we found. Your parents, and your entire family for that matter, are not originally from America. You are a first generation American simply by virtue of residing here.¡±


    She absorbed all this information, her face a mask of emotions. Apart from her aunt, she truly was an orphan in the real sense. The parents she¡¯d hoped to meet after years of separation weren¡¯t there to wee her. What was the point of all this, then? Silence stretched in the room as Ashleigh contemted this. Finally, she spoke again, her voice mellow.


    ¡°Can you tell me how I ended up in the orphanage?¡±Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    ¡°The information we obtained indicates you were separated from your mother at birth in an emergency. For your safety, she requested you be taken away from your hometown and brought here by a close confidante.¡±


    ¡°You may have noticed some peculiarities about the orphanage you grew up in. It remains in a somewhat hidden location to this day. This strategic choice ensured you had no contact with anyone outside those assigned to look after you. Your aunt also came into the picture at your mother¡¯s request.¡±


    ¡°Have you been able to find out where I¡¯m from?¡±


    ¡°Not yet.¡± Adrian lied.


    He decided to withhold the information until his ns were finalized. His investigating team had also advised that for her safety, she should avoid traveling to Italy for the next few months. Word was going around that her father¡¯s family was currently investigating the possibility of her being alive. He knew they would find out the truth eventually, but for now, as long as the search was restricted to Italy, Ashleigh was safe here.


    ¡°To conduct further investigation, the team needs a DNA sample,¡± he exined. Her eyes lit up in anticipation.


    ¡°When can I get it done?¡±


    ¡°Not right now. I have some things to attend to first.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t they juste here and take a sample? I heard there are simpler test kits avable now?¡±


    ¡°No. You¡¯ll be doing the test under my supervision.¡± He finished, Ashleigh sighed as she stood up. By this time, the sun had begun rising, and Ashleigh assumed it was probably time to leave for work.


    As she began packing her necessities in her backpack, she expected Adrian to get up and leave. But he remained where he stood, watching her movements keenly. He noticed her choosing a pair of earrings and a bracelet that seemed new, but not part of the jewelry he¡¯d ordered for her.


    The ring box was propped open, the wedding ring disyed elegantly on it. It was anathema to Ashleigh. She was in a dilemma. Wearing the ring to work was obviously out of the question, and normally she would just ignore it and go on her way. Now that Adrian stood so close, he could see everything she did and had noticed her hesitation.


    She saw Adrian¡¯s hand move past her to the jewelry disy on her table. He grabbed a dainty ne and the ring. He ced the ring on the ne and then sped it around her neck. Thankfully, her hair was already up in a bun, so there was no need for him to brush it aside.


    Denial warred with an undeniable attraction. She shouldn¡¯t feel this way, not after everything. But the sight of them together in the mirror sparked a flicker of something she couldn¡¯t quite suppress.


    They looked picture-perfect. His eyes squinted as he adjusted the sp of the ne, securing it. A few strands of hair strayed stubbornly from the gel, just like him. His face, though calm, held a hint of urgency as he fastened it. To her eyes, he embodied perfect handsomeness.


    Adrian stepped back from her, finally looking forward to seeing if she was staring back at him through the mirror. He gently brought her back to reality by adjusting the ne to rest perfectly on her chest.


    ¡°Always wear this ne in public,¡± he said in a soft tone. ¡°In my family, it¡¯s considered bad luck for a married woman not to wear a ring. It implies wishing your husband ill.¡±


    He cleared his throat after a moment of silence. Ashleigh simply looked at him, then at the card in her hand.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be away for a while,¡± he continued.


    ¡°Mr. Oscar requested I take a work trip to hispany in Mexico. I¡¯ll be gone for the next month. While I¡¯m away, you¡¯re in charge. I made sure to rify that with all the staff afterst night¡¯s debacle.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the point of all this?¡± Ashleigh finally asked.


    ¡°To apologize,¡± he said.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for how I made you feel. I may hold most of the power in this contract, but unlike what you said earlier, your requests are very important to me.¡± He assured her, but Ashleigh remained silent, her emotions a mystery.


    ¡°If you say so¡± she replied, tucking the ne under her shirt before grabbing her backpack. A nce at her phone sent her eyes wide with shock. She¡¯d spent far more time with Adrian than intended, and work loomed. There were also a couple of missed calls from her friends, probably already waiting at the bus stop.


    ¡°This was a nice talk, but I¡¯m alreadyte. I should get going.¡± She hurried out of the room, leaving Adrian with a multitude of questions about her decision to continue working after their marriage. He knew better than to ask. He was already learning about her various moods and how he triggered her defiance. It was best to let it rest for now.


    Turner entered through the door Ashleigh left ajar and stood behind Adrian, his demeanour instantly turning serious. The mood in the room shifted as well.


    ¡°Good morning, boss,¡± Turner began. ¡°I have information from the hangar. The private jet team is ready and awaiting your arrival.¡±


    Adrian hummed casually as he strode towards Ashleigh¡¯s dresser. Picking up the ring box, he tossed it carelessly in his hand as he listened to the details Turner ryed about his Mexico trip.


    ¡°Turner, contact the investigation team,¡± Adrian instructed. ¡°I need information on Ashleigh¡¯s father. While I know he was from a mafia family, I need specifics: his current whereabouts and activities over the past three years.¡±


    ¡°Also, see if they can find any other close rtives on her mother¡¯s side,¡± he added. Turner diligently noted everything on his phone.


    Adrian dropped the ring box back on the dresser and strolled out of the room. Mr. Turner followed closely behind. Lost in thought about whether he¡¯d covered everything, he stopped abruptly in the hallway, Ashleigh¡¯s image shing in his mind.


    ¡°Instruct Mr. Atkinson to assign close guards for Ashleigh,¡± he ordered. ¡°They¡¯ll follow her wherever she goes. Let him know, and Ashleigh as well, that she should avoid public transportation whenever possible.¡±


    With that final directive, Adrian continued his walk towards the car which would take him to the hangar, and then boarding the jet that would whisk him away to Mexico.

 Chapter 16

    Ashleigh had gotten to work safely with her friends, unaware of the two watchful eyes following her every move. Adrian¡¯s bodyguards stood out in Mrs. Smith¡¯s office. Their imposing figures, d in ck suits, one with curly hair tied back, the other bald, drew skeptical nces from Mrs. Smith as she sized them up.


    Fortunately, Mr. Cagliari¡¯s call came in just then. ¡°Good morning, Adrian. You heard correctly, Aunt. I¡¯m just settling in here in Mexico,¡± she greeted him warmly.


    ¡°I called to check on you and also to let you know about these two gentlemen in your office. They¡¯re Ashleigh¡¯s assigned


    Bodyguards, and I¡¯d like them to be ced under your department.¡±


    ¡°Oh, if that¡¯s what you want, then I don¡¯t have a problem with it,¡± Mrs. Smith replied, though her eyes remained fixed on the guards.


    ¡°However, I do worry they might stand out a bit and raise some eyebrows among the other staff.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that, Aunt. I¡¯ve taken care of everything on that end. They know how to handle themselves discreetly,¡± he assured her casually.


    Mrs. Smith finally epted the arrangement. ¡°Does Ashleigh know about them?¡± she asked, and the line went silent for a moment.


    ¡°Not yet, Aunt. This is for security reasons, due to some recent developments. I¡¯ve also made arrangements for her to start college  her long-awaited dream will finally be fulfilled. They¡¯ll be needed sooner rather thanter to ensure her safety.¡±


    Mrs. Smith found it unsettling that Ashleigh wasn¡¯t aware of Adrian¡¯s decision, but she understood her niece¡¯s likely resistance. The news about college, however, filled her with joy.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s best for me not to interfere in your decisions,¡± she conceded. ¡°I¡¯m sure you both will handle the aftermath ordingly.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Aunt. I need to get to work now, but please don¡¯t hesitate to contact me if there¡¯s any emergency,¡± he concluded, ending the call before she could say goodbye.


    Mrs. Smith sighed and turned back to the guards. ¡°What are your names, gentlemen?¡±


    ¡°Tristan, ma¡¯am,¡± said the one with the curly hair.


    ¡°Jake, ma¡¯am,¡± the other replied.


    ¡°ording to your boss¡¯s instructions, I¡¯m offering you both positions here. In return, I¡¯ll need you to¡­¡± Mrs. Smith stood up and walked into the small storage room in her office. Emerging with twopany-branded shirts, she handed a pair to each of them.


    ¡°Change into one and keep the other as a backup. You can use the storage room. When you¡¯re both finished, I¡¯ll exin your duties and responsibilities. You understand that, in addition to your primary duties, you¡¯ll also be working within thepany, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am, we¡¯re aware,¡± they replied in unison.


    ¡°Good. Go ahead,¡± she gestured to the storage room, and they entered to change.


    In a few minutes, they were back out, looking much more casual than before. Mrs. Smith then exined that they would initially work alongside the others and be assigned to work directly under Ashleigh after a week. As she said, their presence drew curious stares from the staff members during the tour of thepany.


    After the tour, she took them to an area and assigned them some tasks to begin with. They surprisingly performed the jobs well. asionally, Mrs. Smith checked their progress, and if they weren¡¯t bodyguards, she would have thought they had years of experience.


    Lunch break arrived, and everyone gathered in their usual cliques in the cafeteria. Ashleigh sat with James and Fiona, who were amusing her with a lively conversation. Other cleaning staff members surrounded them, some chatting among themselves, while others listened to thetest updates James and Fiona were sharing about what happened while Ashleigh was away.


    Mrs. Smith arrived at their table with the two guards, causing a stir of whispers in the cafeteria.


    ¡°Aunt!¡± she called out cheerfully, a smile on her face as she approached them. Her gaze quickly shifted from her aunt to the two unfamiliar figures standing beside her, and a look of confusion clouded her features.


    ¡°Good afternoon everyone, I hope you¡¯re all enjoying your break. I have an announcement to make  we have two new additions to our staff,¡± she informed them, observing their surprised reactions.


    Their faces mirrored their astonishment as they looked at the two built men, who seemed out of ce in this department.


    ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking,¡± Mrs. Smith continued.


    ¡°They¡¯ve been here for a few hours, and I¡¯ve put them to the test. They¡¯re surprisingly good at their jobs.¡±


    She introduced them. ¡°This is Jake Donovan and Tristan Michel. I trust you all will wee them warmly. Due to these new additions, there will be an updated duty roster. You can alle and see it at the end of the workday. Thank you,¡± she concluded, leaving both of them with the rest. Silence reined for a while as Jake and Tristan stood, James broke the awkward moment by speaking up.


    ¡°So, this is the cleaning crew at Tixton Company. I¡¯m James, Fiona¡¯s to my right, and Ashleigh¡¯s across from me. Over at the other bench are Sofia, Jill, and Beatrice. I used to be the only guy, but now you two are here, so I won¡¯t feel so outnumbered.¡±


    Fiona nudged him yfully. ¡°What are you talking about? You fit in perfectly with us. We didn¡¯t even realize you were the only guy on the team.¡± James feigned offense with a mock pout, ncing at the two stoic figures beside him.


    ¡°Thanks for the support, bestie,¡± he said sarcastically.


    ¡°Why the frown? You can be free with us¡± Ashleigh asked kindly. As if a switch flipped, the two men began sharing a few details about themselves. They all got to know each other a bit better, but it was clear something was off. They only answered questions from Ashleigh and remained silent when everyone else spoke.


    Lunch break ended, and everyone returned to their assigned areas. Ashleigh, James, and Fiona were thest to leave, with Jake and Tristan trailing close behind. Fiona subtly tried to signal for a quick meeting, but with their watchful eyes, it was impossible.


    Ashleigh, growing increasingly irritated by their behavior, finally spoke up. ¡°Can you guys head to your assigned areas, please?¡±


    They both readily agreed and left. As soon as they were out of sight, James and Fiona let out a sigh of relief. James practically dragged them into the nearest bathroom and mmed the door shut.


    ¡°Those guys are seriously weird,¡± Fiona dered, her voice hushed. ¡°They creeped me out the way they just stared and didn¡¯t interact with anyone else.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s strange,¡± James agreed. ¡°They only seem to respond to Ashleigh. It¡¯s like we¡¯re invisible.¡± Ashleigh shook her head, equally confused. She had no idea why they acted this way, but they made her uneasy too. Their voices were t and emotionless, devoid of any personality.


    ¡°You¡¯re the second inmand, Ashleigh,¡± James suggested. ¡°Maybe you should talk to Mrs. Smith about it.¡±


    Ashleigh considered it but ultimately disagreed. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s necessary. It¡¯s their first day, and they might just be nervous and need time to adjust.¡± They dropped the topic for now and continued their conversation as they headed back to work.


    The day wore on, and soon it was closing time. Ashleigh was on her way to her aunt¡¯s office to clock out and see if she could convince her to let her stay over since Adrian wasn¡¯t around. Her phone vibrated, and she saw it was Mr. Turner calling.


    ¡°Hey, Mr. Turner! I didn¡¯t realize you had my number.¡±


    ¡°The phone was programmed with some essential contacts, including mine. Please don¡¯t hesitate to call if you need anything at all. I¡¯m here to assist you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, thank you. You already have your hands full being Adrian¡¯s assistant. You don¡¯t need to worry about my minor requests.¡±


    ¡°It was Mr. Cagliari¡¯s order that I attend to your requests. He has also told me to inform you that you will be using the car assigned to you. Your driver is currently waiting in the private parking lot¡± he ryed, making Ashleigh pause mid-step.


    ¡°I have already made ns to leave with my friends.¡± Ashleigh protested.


    ¡°Mr. Cagliari says this is for your safety and best interest. You will be going anding back with the driver every day.¡±


    Ashleigh clenched her fists.


    ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous! Where is your boss? I have a few words for him.¡± She could hear him whisper something on the other end before speaking again.


    ¡°He¡¯s currently unavable at the moment. He will speak to you as soon as he¡¯s free,¡± he told her.


    ¡°I know he¡¯s there. Ry my message to him ¨C I don¡¯t give a damn!¡± She enunciated each word clearly, ending the call before he could say anything else. She resolved within herself not to let himpletely control her movements. For now, she would silently go along with him.


    She walked heavily to her aunt¡¯s office and found her discussing with Fiona and James.


    ¡°We¡¯ve been waiting for you a while, Ashleigh. We have to start going,¡± Fionained, standing up to grab her bags, pulling James to stand up as well.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, guys, but I have to leave with my aunt.¡±


    ¡°Uh, she didn¡¯t say so?¡± They looked at Mrs. Smith in confusion. Mrs. Smith was about to rify when she saw Ashleigh signaling her to cover up.


    ¡°Oh yes, I wanted her toe with me, so I sent her a text an hour ago,¡± she added quickly.


    ¡°Well, then see you tomorrow, Ashleigh,¡± they bade goodbye and left immediately.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    Ashleigh and Mrs. Smith was left in the office. Mrs. Smith decided to ask Ashleigh why she lied, but Ashleigh spoke up even before she could ask.


    ¡°Adrian¡¯s assistant just called me a few minutes ago, telling me that Adrian has prohibited me from going to work anding back by myself. An assigned driver is waiting at the parking lot for me,¡± she huffed, grabbing her backpack from the mini locker in the office.


    ¡°It¡¯s nice of him to consider your safety and well-being¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not nice of him to restrict my movement! You won¡¯t let that happen, will you, Aunt? Let me go home with you, after all it¡¯s the weekend and what¡¯s the worst that can happen?¡± she attempted to persuade her aunt. Mrs. Smith, who had recalled the conversation she had with Adrian earlier in the day, remained unconvinced.


    ¡°Ashleigh, you have to go to your own home and learn how to get used to your surroundings. Maybe then Adrian will be less restrictive with your movements,¡± she chided her niece, whose face fell into a pout.


    ¡°If you say so,¡± Ashleigh mumbled in a small, defeated voice. Mrs. Smith smiled faintly at her niece¡¯s dejection and nudged her to gather her things, so they could leave.


    When they got to the underground parking lot, two cars waited parked side by side for them, with the drivers standing near the passenger doors. They shared theirst goodbyes, and Ashleigh watched as her aunt drove away.

 Chapter 17

    The sleek ck car deposited Ashleigh at the imposing wrought iron gates of Adrian¡¯s estate. Her heart hammered a nervous tattoo against her ribs. Spending the weekend at her husband¡¯s mansion, a man who seemed to control her every move  it was enough to make anyone uneasy.


    As the car pulled away, she took a deep breath, the crisp evening air filling her lungs. She looked at the doorway to see Tara standing with a stoic expression. Unlike the other day, she dressed up in a flowery gown, her hair falling past her shoulders and framing her heart-shaped face. Although she looked like a typical sweetheart, her demeanour was cold.


    ¡°Mrs. Ashleigh,¡± she greeted with a curt nod.


    ¡°Why are you here? It¡¯s clear you don¡¯t want to be here¡±


    ¡°Mr. Cagliari has asked that I ensure you arrive¡± she said in a clipped tone, turning to enter the house.


    Ashleigh followed behind with embarrassment etched on her face.


    Tara led her to the kitchen where the meal prepared was set on the table. Today the head chef is absent, only a chef assistant is in the kitchen working on dessert when Ashleigh entered.


    ¡°Chef Frank is not around today?¡±


    ¡°Chef Frank will not be avable till Monday, he works weekly shifts. The weekend head chef will be starting this night; you can meet him then or tomorrow morning¡± her voice trailed as she left the kitchen.


    Ashleigh had an uneventful dinner with the chef assistant, after that she strolled to her room and decided to have a long soak in the bathtub.


    Clothed in a cosy bathrobe, she emerged from the bathroom an hourter. As she went through the closet for a nightie, she pondered on what to do for this night. Another train of thought that ran through her mind was how Adrian had arranged an array of night wears; from pyjamas, shorts and tank tops to night gown and robes and even lingerie, all in silk, cotton andce. Her cheeks med especially at the lingerie selection, they were¡­ particrly eye-catching.


    Why all these lingerie when there wont be an opportunity for intimacy in these months? She would have to ask him when they talk eventually. Her hands eventually stopped on a silk maroon night piece that stopped above her knees, covering it up with a matching gown. She let down her hair from the towel she wrapped around her head and was about to start drying it when she heard a knock on her door.


    She stood up and opened the door to find Tara standing there, a tablet clutched in her hand. Tara red at her with a frown, scrutinizing her from head to toe.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± Ashleigh asked impatiently, mirroring her displeasure.


    Tara came to her for something, hasn¡¯t said what it was and is looking at her like she had filth on her. The tablet buzzed insistently, and with a look of obvious disdain, Tara thrust it at Ashleigh.


    ¡°You have a call from Mr. Cagliari,¡± she snapped before storming off, leaving Ashleigh surprised.


    Leaning the tablet against the mirror, Ashleigh answered the call. The screen showed a beige-colored background with a bookshelf propped against it. Aptop momentarily blocked the camera, then Adrian appeared, seated in an office chair and talking to someone off-screen. Mr. Turner approached him, whispering something in his ear. Adrian¡¯s brow furrowed in realization as he nced towards the camera.


    Ashleigh noticed immediately that he wasn¡¯t dressed in his usual attire. He wore a casual shirt, his hair falling messily across his face. He always struck her as impossibly handsome, a stark contrast to his uptight personality. In the background, she heard Mr. Turner¡¯s voice fade as he escorted the person out and closed the door. Now it was just the two of them, Adrian¡¯s full attention focused on her.


    ¡°Good evening, Ashleigh,¡± he greeted, his arms crossed on the table as he leaned forward to study her.


    For a fleeting moment, his eyes widened in surprise, but the expression vanished as quickly as it came. Ashleigh decided to ignore it, focusing on her frustration with his controlling behavior.


    ¡°Good evening, Mr. Cagliari,¡± she replied casually, picking up the hair dryer and plugging it into the outlet. Adrian watched her silently, waiting for her to settle in.


    ¡°I thought I told you to call me Adrian,¡± he said.


    ¡°You did,¡± she countered, setting the dryer on low heat and starting to dry her hair. ¡°But I seem to forget sometimes because I¡¯m being treated like a staff member here. Which, by the way, I am not.¡±


    She decided that if she was going to voice her opinion, she would do it on her own terms. If sass was what calmed her nerves, then sass it would be.


    Ashleigh¡¯s frustration simmered.


    ¡°Even in yourpany,¡± she argued, her voice tight, ¡°there¡¯s room to bend the rules if it doesn¡¯t work. But here, with me, an employee of Mr. Cagliari, apparently autonomy goes out the window? Only Mr. Cagliari¡¯s word matters?¡± Her gaze held his, her lips pressed into a firm line.


    Adrian remained silent for a long moment, rubbing his temples as if trying to ward off a headache.


    ¡°Is this about the transportation issue?¡± he finally asked.


    Ashleigh ignored his question, her defiance a shield against the growing tension. She continued drying her hair, the rhythmic hum of the dryer a counterpoint to the unspoken conflict.


    ¡°Are you going to answer my question, Ashleigh? Did I stutter?¡± His irritation red.


    ¡°Oh, so now I can¡¯t even be silent?¡± she retorted, her voiceced with sarcasm.


    ¡°Should I just open my mouth wide and wait for you to speak?¡± She finished drying her hair, brushing it out with practiced ease.


    Adrian leaned forward, his gaze intense.


    ¡°You can¡¯t throw those words around while looking like that,¡± he murmured, his voice a low rumble.


    ¡°Unless you¡¯re prepared for the consequences.¡±


    Ashleigh felt a lump form in her throat. The yful defiance evaporated, reced by a nervous blush. The air crackled with unspoken desire and a tension that went beyond simple annoyance.


    ¡°That¡¯s not the point,¡± she stammered, her voice barely a whisper.


    ¡°Then what is?¡±


    ¡°I want to be able to go to work on my own,¡± she pleaded,


    ¡°And visit my aunt. It¡¯s barely been six hours and I¡¯m already going stir-crazy.¡± She leaned against the table, a pout forming on her lips.


    A sigh escaped Adrian¡¯s lips. ¡°Alright, let¡¯spromise. You can go to work by yourself once a week, and visit your aunt for a weekend once a month. How does that sound?¡±


    Ashleigh grumbled, her hair bouncing with the movement.


    ¡°It¡¯s this or nothing,¡± he interjected, his voice firm but not unkind.


    With a resigned sigh, Ashleigh conceded. At least he¡¯d listened, a small victory amidst the restrictions.


    ¡°And for your boredom,¡± Adrian continued, ¡°there¡¯s a movie theatre in the house. Did Tara forget to mention it?¡±


    ¡± Tara has her head was probably so far up her ass¡± Ashleigh huffed.


    ¡°Language,¡± Adrian cautioned.


    ¡°I won¡¯t apologize,¡± she bristled.


    ¡°You were more than happy to reprimand the staff the other night. All you seeded in doing was making her even more insufferable.¡±


    ¡°And you had nothing to do with that?¡± he countered, a hint of amusement flickering in his eyes.


    ¡°I was too busy being mad at you to bother annoying her,¡± she retorted.


    ¡°Besides, all that anger, it¡¯s not even about me, is it? It¡¯s about you.¡± She med.


    Adrian raised an eyebrow. ¡°What do you mean, me?¡±


    A wry smile yed on Ashleigh¡¯s lips.


    ¡°Come on, Adrian. Surely you know about Tara¡¯s¡­ undying love for you, shall we say?¡± she added, making air quotes with her fingers.


    ¡°Oh, yes I do¡± he said nonchntly.


    Ashleigh¡¯s smile faltered. ¡°And you still brought me here? You still married me?¡±


    ¡°Yes? Why shouldn¡¯t I have?¡± Adrian looked genuinely confused, his gaze shifting from Ashleigh to the document on his desk.


    ¡°Why?¡± she pressed, her voiceced with frustration.


    ¡°She seems like the perfect match for you. Same background as me, practically runs the house already. Here I am, barely knowing what the chef cooked for dinner the other night.¡± He chuckled softly at her admission, momentarily closing the document.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t exactly given me a reason to regret marrying you,¡± he countered.


    ¡°What Tara knows and can does from years spent here, first with her father and then as staff. It doesn¡¯t make her a better fit for me, nor does it mean you can¡¯t learn about the house just like she has. Sure, she¡¯d have been a more convenient choice, already living here. But for reasons of my own, I chose you.¡±


    His words sent a jolt through Ashleigh. A part of her wanted to be angry, but another part, a tiny, hopeful part, clung to the belief that there was more to his decision than mere convenience.


    ¡°As for Tara¡¯s crush,¡± Adrian continued, his voice turning serious, ¡°most women probably do find me attractive. I am, after all, the most eligible bachelor in the city, wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡±


    Ashleigh sputtered, momentarily speechless. His words were undeniably urate, but to hear him say them so casually was infuriating.


    ¡°What nonsense are you talking about?¡± she finally managed, her cheeks burning.


    He arched an eyebrow, a yful glint in his eyes. ¡°Oh, so you don¡¯t have a crush on me, Mrs. Cagliari? Then perhaps I¡¯ve failed in my duties as a husband to properly entice my wife.¡±


    A hint of seriousness returned to his voice. ¡°Listen, Ashleigh. As my wife, you need to learn how to assert yourself. Tara won¡¯t be the only person you encounter who might harbor certain feelings towards me. How will you handle them? Are you going to let other women walk all over you?¡±


    ¡°Remember this,¡± he dered, his voice firm,


    ¡°Only you hold the title of Mrs. Cagliari, and that titlees with a certain level of respect. Make sure everyone knows that, without hesitation.¡± Adrian said, holding her gaze for a moment, a flicker of something unreadable crossing his features.


    Finally, he spoke. ¡°I¡¯ll speak to Tara and arrange a movie screening for you tomorrow evening. Consider it a chance to familiarize yourself with the house. By tomorrow, I expect you to be ready to act the part.¡± He flipped open the document once more, his attention seemingly returning to his work.


    Ashleigh sat there for a moment, a whirlwind of emotions swirling within her. Adrian¡¯s words, both flippant and serious, echoed in her mind. There was a lot to unpack, a lot to learn about him, about Tara, and perhaps even about herself.Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    ¡°If you¡¯re going to call and say things like that,¡± Ashleigh said, her voice strained, ¡°it¡¯s better if you don¡¯t. I¡¯d rather wait for you toe back in person.¡±


    Adrian chuckled. ¡°Aww, is my wife shy? I must admit, I do enjoy our conversations¡­ and the nightie, by the way.¡±


    Ashleigh¡¯s cheeks flushed. ¡°Speaking of which, do you have no shame choosing such revealing lingerie and nightgowns?¡±


    ¡°Not at all,¡± he replied, a hint of amusement in his voice. ¡°I hired a stylist, and she picked out everything you see. Based on what I hear and now see, she has excellent taste.¡± He eyed the silk robe hanging loosely on her shoulders, highlighting her corbones.


    Ashleigh could feel her face burning up through the screen. Knowing another word from him might push her over the edge, she quickly changed the subject. ¡°So, what did you say about the in-house theatre?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll let Tara know about it,¡± Adrian said. ¡°The rest is up to you.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s all,¡± she said briskly, reaching for the end button, ¡°goodnight. Eat a proper meal and get some rest.¡±


    ¡°Hold on,¡± he interrupted. ¡°There¡¯s one more thing you should know.¡±

 Chapter 18

    A wry smile touched Ashleigh¡¯s lips. ¡°One more thing, huh? Seems like Adrian¡¯s got a lot to tell me tonight.¡± Settling back into the chair, she braced herself for another unexpected announcement.


    ¡°I¡¯ve made arrangements for you to start college,¡± he dered.


    Ashleigh¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, then lit up with excitement. She snatched the tablet back from its stand, her voice trembling as she spoke. ¡°Are you serious? This isn¡¯t some kind of borate joke, is it?¡±


    Adrian chuckled, his amusement evident. ¡°No jokes, Ashleigh. It¡¯s true. But to get in, you¡¯ll need to take the entrance exams. That means enrolling in some tutoring sses.¡± He rxed back in his chair, gesturing towards something off-screen.


    A momentter, Mr. Turner appeared, handing him a document. Adrian ced it on his desk.


    ¡°Which college are you interested in?¡± he asked, his voice softer than usual. ¡°Mr. Turner put together a list of options.¡±


    The question acted like a key unlocking a dam within Ashleigh. Sheunched into a detailed exnation of the colleges she¡¯d bookmarked, her voice filled with a passion that surprised even her. Robin College of Sciences (RCOS) was clearly her top choice.


    Adrian watched, captivated, as her eyes sparkled with enthusiasm. She described the state-of-the-art biochemistry facilities and the bright future that awaited graduates of the program. Even Mr. Turner couldn¡¯t help but lean in, a hint of surprise etched on his face. It wasn¡¯t every day he saw the usuallyposed Mrs. Cagliari chatter excitedly.


    ¡°So,¡± Adrian said finally, a smile ying on his lips, ¡°three colleges, with Robin College of Sciences as your number one. And you¡¯re set on studying biochemistry. Interesting choice.¡±


    ¡°It is,¡± Ashleigh agreed, her voice firm with conviction. ¡°But RCOS is also the best ce to study any science course. They have incredible resources, and the opportunities for graduates are endless.¡±


    A thoughtful silence descended upon them. Adrian steepled his fingers, his gaze fixed on Ashleigh. In that moment, a new side of her had emerged  passionate, driven, and surprisingly knowledgeable. It was a side that both intrigued and challenged him.


    ¡°You mentioned that before,¡± Adrian said, his voice a low monotone as he scanned the list and circled something.


    ¡°I know how difficult it is to get in,¡± Ashleigh confirmed, her voice tight with nervous energy. ¡°So far, they¡¯re the only science college that hasn¡¯t released their application forms. But I¡¯ve been preparing for the entrance exams all year.¡±


    She darted off-camera for a moment, the tter of textbooks echoing through the room. Returning, she piled four hefty tomes on her dresser with a thud, the sound startling Adrian on the other side of the screen.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to stress anymore,¡± he said calmly, handing the paper back to the unseen figure behind him. ¡°I¡¯ll speak to someone at the college about applications. You¡¯ll be applying and taking the exams this month.¡±


    A wide smile bloomed on Ashleigh¡¯s face. She could almost picture herself walking the paths of Robin College, surrounded by friends, new and old. Attending Robin had been a dream she¡¯d nurtured since her days at the orphanage. It was a memory that came rushing back, sparked by Adrian¡¯s mention of the esteemed institution.


    She remembered a sweltering summer day when a car pulled up, sleek and luxurious, like the ones Mr. Cagliari drove. A tall, confident figure emerged and strode towards the caretakers, who greeted him with warm embraces. They then ushered him towards a group of children gathered at the other end of the room, where Ashleigh stood amongst them.


    The visitor, a pre-med student at Robin College, regaled them with tales of his life there. He spoke of spacious rooms, a stark contrast to the crowded dorms of the orphanage, and his articte manner left asting impression on Ashleigh.


    ¡°Can I go to Robin College too?¡± she¡¯d blurted out, clutching a tattered chemistry textbook. His immediate frown sent a tremor of fear through her.Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    ¡°Ashleigh, getting into Robin College requires exceptional intellect or strong connections, ideally both,¡± he exined gently.


    ¡°But I am smart, right?¡± Ashleigh protested, her voice childish, drawing curious nces from the other children.


    ¡°You are smart,¡± he conceded, ¡°but not Robin College smart, not yet. It¡¯s easy to believe that here, but the world is full of brilliant children, even brighter than you, and even they don¡¯t always get in. In my case, my parents were fortunate enough to secure me a spot.¡±


    With that, he dismissed himself, his attention shifting to a group of older kids. The memory ended with him leaving for ¡°reading hours,¡± leaving Ashleigh feeling like a deted balloon.


    But the memory also sparked a determination that burned brightly in her eyes now. She would get into Robin College. She would find him, walk up to him with her head held high, and prove she was Robin College smart, not just orphanage smart.


    Fueled by this resolve, she spoke. ¡°I¡¯ll be applying for the schrship grant,¡± she dered, her gaze fixed on Adrian. ¡°So, I¡¯ll only need your help with the application process.¡±


    Adrian remained silent for a moment, listening intently as Mr. Turner spoke in hushed tones beside him. A flicker of concern crossed his features as he met her determined stare.


    ¡°Are you absolutely certain?¡± Adrian asked, concerncing his voice. Mr. Turner, standing beside him, murmured about the schrship¡¯s exclusivity  only five students awarded every four years.


    Ashleigh met his gaze, her voice unwavering. ¡°Absolutely. I just need to know when applications open and how long the exam is.¡±


    Adrian, sensing her determination, simply nodded. ¡°If that¡¯s what you want, then that¡¯s how it will be. Your assigned tutor will arrive Monday evening. Discuss your preferred lesson format and report back on your arrangements.¡±


    With a triumphant glint in her eyes, Ashleigh dered, ¡°Mr. Cagliari, remember this: I¡¯ll get into that school on my own merit. Goodnight.¡± She reached to end the call.


    Adrian stared at the darkened screen, a flicker of surprise crossing his features. The woman who had been blushing moments ago now radiated a newfound confidence. Intrigued by this transformation, he decided to observe her progress.


    ¡°Mr. Turner,¡± he called, approaching his assistant. ¡°Immediatelypile a list of the top college prep tutors specializing in Robin College admissions. I need it on my desk by tomorrow morning. We have interviews to conduct.¡±

 Chapter 19

    Excitement crackled in the air after Ashleigh hung up. Her long-held dream of attending college was finallying true. In a month, she¡¯d be a student! Grabbing her textbooks, she piled them on her desk and switched on theputer. Rushing to the college website, the wee banner seemed to gleam, a symbol of her imminent arrival.


    Minutes flew by in a daydream of college life. Finally, snapping out of her reverie, Ashleigh decided to create a study schedule. Though work had eaten up most of her time, she was determined to catch up. Thankfully, Adrian was arranging a tutor to provide focused support. With luck, she could finalize a schedule by Monday night.


    An hourter, the scheduleplete, sleep beckoned more powerfully than dinner. The excitement was buzzing through her veins.


    The next morning, Ashleigh woke up with a lightness she hadn¡¯t felt since arriving. Adrian¡¯s news had been the best gift he could have given her. Dressed in a matching pastel purple skirt and blouse, her hair in two ponytails, she even added a touch of makeup. When she finished, she looked radiant.


    Her phone, resting on the dressing table, buzzed incessantly. It was James and Fiona, bombarding the group chat with messages about her day. Rolling her eyes at their early-morning energy, Ashleigh snapped a selfie and sent it with a message: ¡°Feeling good, decided to wear some makeup.¡±


    The chat remained silent for a moment before erupting in a flurry of hearts, fire emojis, and capitalizedpliments. Smiling, she grabbed her tablet and slipped on some slides, heading downstairs. A collision with Tara on the stairs startled them both. Tara¡¯s frown deepened as she scanned Ashleigh from head to toe.


    ¡°Seems you¡¯ve taken to dressing uptely,¡± Tara sneered, a hint of malice in her voice. ¡°Last night and again today. Let me offer some unsolicited advice: Adrian won¡¯t be any more attracted to you. In fact, you might be repelling him.¡±


    Ashleigh¡¯s eyes widened with sudden realization. Tara¡¯s annoyance stemmed from her outfit during the video call. Unsuspecting of Adrian¡¯s call or his reaction, Ashleigh felt a flicker of satisfaction. Tara¡¯s insecurity confirmed Ashleigh¡¯s newfound significance in Adrian¡¯s life.


    Ashleigh decided to take the high road. Ignoring Tara¡¯s outburst, she continued down the stairs, handing the tablet off dismissively. Tara, fuming, stood rooted to the spot.


    Tara¡¯s frustration had been simmering since Ashleigh¡¯s arrival. Initially, she¡¯d dismissed Ashleigh as someone Adrian wouldn¡¯t take seriously. However, Adrian¡¯s stern dinner-table deration demanding respect for Ashleigh shattered that illusion.


    Despite her efforts to cultivate a closer rtionship with Adrian, she remained stuck in the professional zone. Her attempts to meticulously manage the household, sometimes bordering on harshness towards the staff, were fuelled by a desire to impress Adrian, to prove her worth. Yet, here he was, elevating Ashleigh to a position of authority, demanding Tara treat her as an equal. How could she show respect to her perceived rival?


    The previous night had been the final blow. Witnessing Ashleigh answer Adrian¡¯s video call while d in a nightgown had broken Tara¡¯s spirit. Rarely did Adrian call during his business trips, yet here he was, reaching out to Ashleigh. Tara, tasked with delivering the call, had been forced to confront their connection.


    Unable to contain herself any longer, Tara stormed down the stairs after Ashleigh, grabbing her arm roughly. ¡°Don¡¯t get ahead of yourself!¡± she spat. ¡°You¡¯re delusional. Adrian just needs you for a while. Once he¡¯s done, you¡¯ll be back to wherever you came from.¡±


    Unable to contain herself any longer, Tara stormed down the stairs after Ashleigh, grabbing her arm roughly. ¡°Don¡¯t get ahead of yourself!¡± she spat. ¡°You¡¯re delusional. Adrian just needs you for a while. Once he¡¯s done, you¡¯ll be back to wherever you came from.¡±


    Ashleigh stared at her for a moment, then augh bubbled up, escting into a full-blown fit. Tears welled up in her eyes as she struggled to regain herposure.


    ¡°I¡¯m truly sorry,¡± she offered, wiping away the tears. ¡°But that¡¯s just so ridiculous.¡±


    Herughter subsided, but her expression hardened. ¡°Remember when I warned you about getting on my bad side? You just sessfully did that.¡± She took a step back, establishing a clear physical barrier.


    ¡°Let me straighten you out,¡± Ashleigh continued, her voice firm.


    ¡°You seem awfully upset about my marriage to Adrian. Did he ever lead you to believe you had a chance? It¡¯s no secret you¡¯re only here because of your father. You grew up in this house, and Adrian generously offered you and your father employment. But your ambitions seem rather¡­twisted.¡±


    Her posture unwavering, Ashleigh locked eyes with Tara. ¡°You see yourself as the victim of my arrival, but if Adrian had any romantic feelings for you, I wouldn¡¯t be here. You¡¯d be his wife. Wake up, Tara. He never chose you, and he wouldn¡¯t choose you even if I left  which I have no intention of doing.¡±


    Themotion had drawn the attention of the household staff, who gathered in the hallway. Security personnel materialized at the entrance, silently observing the unfolding scene.


    Ashleigh¡¯s final words hung in the air, heavy with authority. ¡°Remember who you are, Tara,¡± she said, her voice firm. ¡°And act ordingly. Actions have consequences.¡± With a gesture, she signaled the security personnel waiting at the doorway.


    Tara¡¯s face contorted in fury. She struggled against their firm grips, but her resistance was futile. ¡°This is outrageous!¡± she shrieked.


    ¡°My father will hear about this!¡±


    Ashleigh remained unfazed. ¡°Your resignation is effective immediately. I will not tolerate disrespect in this household. Please escort her out.¡± The security guards nodded curtly and ushered a frantic Tara out of the mansion.


    The remaining staff exchanged shocked whispers. Tara, the iron-fisted head housekeeper, had been a pir of the Cagliari residence for years. Her word had beenw, overseeing the entire estate and the daily lives of all the staff. Adrian, a fleeting presence, visited for no more than two days at a time, leaving them to operate under Tara¡¯s rigid rule. Now, with the new mistress asserting herself, a sense of change hummed in the air.


    ¡°That applies to all of you,¡± Ashleigh dered, her gaze sweeping over the stunned faces. ¡°Any behaviour resembling hers will not be tolerated. Is that understood?¡± Nervous nods and muttered confirmations rippled through the room. Alone now, a wave of doubt washed over her. Leaning against the wall, she fretted about Adrian¡¯s reaction.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°He said to establish myself, not fire Tara!¡± she chastised herself internally.


    Unbeknownst to her, a silent observer remained  the new head chef, his amusement barely concealed beneath a curtly disyed smile. He cleared his throat, drawing Ashleigh¡¯s startled attention. A man in chef¡¯s whites stood before her, his amusement barely hidden by a thin smile. Ashleigh straightened up, ready to face whatever came next.

 Chapter 20

    ¡°Good morning, Mrs. Cagliari. I¡¯m Chef Larry. I work as the head chef in the Cagliari kitchen on weekends. It¡¯s a pleasure to finally meet you.¡± He extended his hand, and she returned the handshake briefly before pulling back.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m Ashleigh. You can call me that,¡± she responded.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about that, will I get fired if I do?¡± he teased. Ashleigh¡¯s eyes widened as she began to refute his ims.


    ¡°Just kidding,¡± he said with a chuckle, ¡°no need to get yourself more riled up than you are at the moment. This time, I can say it was well deserved. Tara needed someone to bring her down a peg.¡± His tone was appreciative, almost relieved that she threw Tara out.


    ¡°Hmm, seeing as you¡¯re so happy about this, I¡¯d say you have some grudges against her,¡± Ashleigh observed.


    ¡°Some would be an understatement,¡± he huffed, pushing up his sleeves that fell down to his wrist, as he had done earlier.


    ¡°Well, all that scolding this morning must have brewed up an appetite. I¡¯ve prepared breakfast. If you¡¯d please follow me,¡± he stated, gesturing for her to walk ahead.


    They walked past the kitchen to the outdoor dining table, where a decadent array of dishes wasid out for her. At the sight of all the delicacies, her stomach grumbled. She sat down and began to eat.


    She filled her te with each of the dishes and ate silently. Chef Larry bustled around, refilling her ss of juice and preparing lunch. Ashleigh would steal nces at him from time to time, studying him closely.


    He had sharp features, a stubble that added to his manly aura, and a well-built physique-not overly muscr, but enough to show he worked out regrly. He was a couple of centimetres taller than her, with tanned skin and short brown hair.


    Ashleigh thought he looked moderately good, but she subconsciously found herselfparing him to Adrian. Adrian was taller and had a more imposing presence, while Chef Larry radiated a happy, bubbly energy that was evident even in his interactions with the staff.


    Larry noticed her side nces and smiled at her inability to conceal herself.


    ¡°Ashleigh, I can feel your eyes on me,¡± he said. Ashleigh apologized quickly, the tips of her ears turning red.


    ¡°If you have anything to ask, please do,¡± he encouraged, pulling a barstool from the kitchen to sit with her outside. The sight was somewhatical as he towered beside her with the barstool, which he refused to use. He insisted it would be rude to sit at the same level as her.


    ¡°How old are you and where are you from? Your physique suggests you used to do something that required a lot of strength.¡±


    Ashleigh¡¯s perceptive observation struck a chord with Larry. ¡°You¡¯re quite right, Mrs. Cagliari,¡± he admitted.


    ¡°I was a military chef beforeing here. Twenty-seven years old.¡±


    Surprise flickered across her face. He didn¡¯t seem his age. ¡°That¡¯s incredible! You wouldn¡¯t think you were five years older than me. You have a very mature air about you,¡± she remarked, earning a slightly sceptical look from Larry.


    ¡°Well,¡± he countered, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have expected the mistress of the Cagliari residence to be so young either. But then again, Mr. Cagliari seems to have made a good choice.¡±ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    A blush crept up Ashleigh¡¯s neck. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t say that!¡± she protested, waving her hands dismissively. Larry chuckled at her shyness.


    Their conversation flowed easily, peppered with Larry¡¯s jokes that elicited genuineughter from Ashleigh. By the end of breakfast, she felt a lightness she hadn¡¯t experienced in a while. She¡¯d gained a glimpse into the weekend chef¡¯s personality.


    Needing to address the uing movie night, Ashleigh gave Larry instructions for snacks. ¡°Prepare everything for the movie this afternoon,¡± she requested, ¡°and hold off on lunch prep until dinner.¡±


    With a farewell, she left the table and headed upstairs, leaving Larry frowning thoughtfully behind.


    Certain details had piqued his interest. Ashleigh seemed to entertain Adrian¡¯s opinions, but not wholeheartedly. The ring was conspicuously absent from her finger, and she¡¯d be flustered when the conversation veered towards their rtionship.


    One could interpret it as a simple desire for privacy, but Larry¡¯s gut told him a different story. He sensed ack of genuine marital bliss between Ashleigh and Adrian, despite a clear attraction.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s clear the table,¡± he barked, and the kitchen assistants sprang into action, whisking the tes away for washing.


    Larry carefully collected the cutlery Ashleigh had used, holding it with a strange delicacy as he approached the trash bin. As he tossed it away, a dark look washed over his face. Like that discarded cutlery, he thought, Ashleigh wouldn¡¯tst long either.


    Brushing his hands off, he quickly regained hisposure and went about tidying up.


    Meanwhile, Ashleigh emerged into the hallway to a sight that filled her with confusion. Several staff members stood waiting for her. With Tara¡¯s sudden departure, they were left without a clear leader for household matters. The memory of her earlier deration  asserting her authority  brought a wave of dread. Until Mr. Atkinson, the estate manager, arrived, she was in charge. Failure to act could portray her poorly.


    The rest of the morning and early afternoon were a whirlwind of problem-solving. Ashleigh tackled each issue as it arose, feeling drained by the constant demand on her energy. By the time afternoon arrived, all she craved was rxation. And what better way to unwind than a movie night?


    The only hurdle was locating the home theatre. Standing cluelessly in the first-floor hallway, her gaze flickered between the doors adjoining her room, across from it, and beyond. Just as she contemted giving up and retreating to her room, a voice startled her from behind.


    ¡°The theatre is right there,¡± a familiar voice announced. Ashleigh spun around to see Chef Larry approaching, a trayden with snacks bnced precariously in his hand.


    ¡°Larry!¡± she eximed, relief washing over her. ¡°You scared the living daylights out of me!¡± Her hand instinctively flew to her chest.


    Larry chuckled, a hint of amusement sparkling in his eyes as he steadied the tray. ¡°Sorry, couldn¡¯t help myself. You looked like you were about to solve the world¡¯s greatest mystery just by staring at those doors. Can you open it, please? My arms are killing me.¡±


    With a yful nudge, he gestured towards the door. Ashleigh quickly obliged, her fingertip unlocking the high-tech panel with a soft chime. As the door slid open, revealing a haven for movie lovers, she was oblivious to Larry¡¯s furtive nce. A flicker of something unreadable crossed his face as he noticed the other rooms on the floor illuminate in response to her fingerprint scan.


    The theater was a marvel of modern technology. Soundproofing promised an immersive experience, while a giant screen dominated the wall. A self-service snack bar,plete with a popcorn machine, candy cane maker, ice-cream station, and a disy of Larry¡¯s delectable edibles, awaited her at the entrance.


    Having prepped herself with a YouTube tutorial, Ashleigh navigated the movie selection and settled into a plush seat, ready to unwind. ¡°Just let me know if you need anything else,¡± Larry said, turning to leave.


    A question bubbled up, and Ashleigh called out, ¡°Wait, how did you know this was the theater?¡±

 Chapter 21

    Larry froze, a heavy silence settling between them for a moment. He finally turned to find Ashleigh already waiting for his exnation.


    ¡°ording to the staff roster, only the butler and cleaning crew are assigned to this floor,¡± she mentioned, her toneced with suspicion. ¡°No one else is permitted ess.¡±N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    Larry¡¯s smile faltered slightly. ¡°Right. Actually, Tara did have mee up here once to help her with some food supplies for Mr. Cagliari,¡± he exined, the exnation sounding a bit forced.


    It did seem strange to Ashleigh, but she brushed it off. With only a month of marriage under her belt, she had little knowledge of Adrian¡¯s specific dietary needs. ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± she dismissed, her attention returning to the movie ying on therge screen.


    The film was an older one, but one she¡¯d been eager to see. By the time the credits rolled, she felt thoroughly satisfied and ready for bed. As the movie ended, the theater lights automatically flickered on, prompting her to exit.


    Opening the door, she collided with Mr. Atkinson, who was just about to enter. A pang of guilt washed over her as the morning¡¯s fiasco, specifically her forceful dismissal of Tara, resurfaced in her mind. Seeing Mr. Atkinson here so unexpectedly fueled her anxieties; he wasn¡¯t supposed to return for a while.


    ¡°Madame,¡± he greeted her with a polite bow.


    ¡°Mr. Atkinson, I sincerely apologize for the sudden inconvenience,¡± Ashleigh blurted, her voiceced with regret. ¡°I imagine this has been quite a hassle for you.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for apologies, Madame. In fact, I should be the one apologizing for my daughter¡¯s disappointing behavior,¡± he countered, his words unintentionally amplifying Ashleigh¡¯s guilt.


    It wasn¡¯t Mr. Atkinson¡¯s fault that Tara harbored an unhealthy obsession with his employer; he surely raised her the best he could.


    ¡°Has this incident increased your workload significantly?¡± she inquired, her toneced with concern.


    ¡°Not at all, Madame,¡± he reassured her with a light smile. ¡°It¡¯s simply part of the job. No need to worry about it.¡±


    Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of approaching footsteps in the hallway. They turned to see a maid approaching, a familiar tablet clutched in her hand. At the sight of the device, Ashleigh instantly knew it was Adrian calling, likely regarding Tara.


    Mr. Atkinson epted the tablet from the maid and handed it to Ashleigh, bowing slightly before taking his leave. Ashleigh stared at the screen with a mixture of apprehension and dread. The bright call interface disyed Adrian¡¯s name prominently. Taking a deep breath for mental preparation, she answered the call. The screen flickered to life, revealing Adrian seated at his desk, mirroring the scene from yesterday. However, this time, he was dressed in a sharp corporate suit, exuding his usual CEO aura. His expression was noticeably more serious than before, and the faint sound of colleagues discussing matters in the background added to the tense atmosphere.


    Ashleigh greeted Adrian with a cheerful, ¡°Hello, Adrian,¡± lifting the tablet to ensure her face filled the screen.


    Adrian offered a brief nce of acknowledgment before returning his attention to the paperwork sprawled across his desk. He tackled a series of issues with Mr. Turner and others present, issuing orders that were swiftly carried out. Once the room quieted, he finally turned his focus back to Ashleigh.


    ¡°It seems you have a busy day,¡± shemented with a hint of concern.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± he confirmed. ¡°Today¡¯s agenda included a crucial meeting with Mr. Oscar¡¯spany, where we finalized project ns. This was followed by additional staff meetings to address various contract-rted issues.¡±


    He paused, then continued, a hint of formality entering his voice, ¡°To top it all off, Mr. Atkinson called me during a meeting to inform me about Mrs. Cagliari¡¯s dismissal of Tara, the assistant head butler. Perhaps you could recount this morning¡¯s events from your perspective?¡±


    Ashleigh scanned his face for any sign of anger, but his expression remained neutral, leaving her uncertain of his emotions.


    ¡°It was a sudden decision,¡± she began, a touch defensive creeping into her voice. ¡°Tara also used some disrespectfulnguage towards me.


    Adrian raised an eyebrow in response to her justification. Ashleigh felt a wave of shame wash over her, his silence speaking volumes.


    ¡°Mrs. Cagliari,¡± he began, his voice measured, ¡°while I encouraged you to establish your authority yesterday, your actions achieved that goal, but perhaps at a cost?¡± He allowed his question to hang in the air, heavy with unspoken implications.


    ¡°I understand it might be challenging initially,¡± Ashleigh offered tentatively, ¡°but I believe things will settle down in time.¡±


    For the first time since the call began, a hint of a smile yed on Adrian¡¯s lips.


    ¡°It definitely will. You have to make sure it turns out well.¡±


    Ashleigh remained confused after Adrian¡¯s cryptic, ¡°It definitely will, you have to make sure it turns out well.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Atkinson is already back at the mansion,¡± he continued, ¡°but your aunt¡¯s house needs a recement butler. That¡¯s where youe in. You will be in charge of recruiting a suitable recement for your aunt¡±


    A sense of relief washed over her. It was a fair solution, and knowing her aunt¡¯s new butler would be reliable brought her peace of mind. Scheduling the assessment around her work and studies wouldn¡¯t be a problem ¨C an afternoon should suffice.


    ¡°One more thing,¡± Adrian interjected. ¡°Mr. Atkinson mentioned the instructions you gave the staff before his arrival.¡±


    Ashleigh puffed out her chest, a flicker of pride in her eyes. ¡°I did my best! How was it?¡±


    ¡°Adequate, but there¡¯s room for improvement,¡± Adrian replied.


    ¡°Starting Monday, Mr. Atkinson will be giving you aprehensive tour of the house and its responsibilities. You¡¯ll also be making the final decisions.¡± He resumed reading his documents, leaving Ashleigh speechless.


    ¡°Adrian, are you serious?¡± she finally stammered. ¡°How can I handle that on top of work and college?¡±


    ¡°Simply stop working,¡± he suggested calmly. ¡°It¡¯ll be easier to manage everything if you¡¯re home full-time. You were nning to resign anyway.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but things have changed,¡± Ashleigh countered. ¡°I actually enjoy my job now.¡±


    A frown etched itself onto Adrian¡¯s face. ¡°It¡¯s inappropriate for the CEO¡¯s wife to be apany cleaner. Think about the optics. You initially needed the job, but those needs have been met. There¡¯s no reason to continue.¡±


    His voice, intended to be soothing, grated on Ashleigh¡¯s nerves.


    ¡°Mr. Cagliari,¡± she retorted, her voice firm, ¡°my reputation is of no concern to you. I have no intention of revealing our marriage unless absolutely necessary. Besides, we¡¯re separate entities within thepany. Our paths never cross.¡±


    Adrian¡¯s expression darkened with each of her statements. A tense silence hung in the air as they locked eyes. Ashleigh could feel the pressure, his attempt at intimidation evident. But she wouldn¡¯t back down.


    ¡°If you insist on working,¡± he finally conceded, his voice cold, ¡°prepare for early mornings. Mr. Turner,¡± he addressed his assistant, ¡°end the call.¡±


    The screen flickered to ck, leaving Ashleigh fuming. Frustration gnawed at Ashleigh. A flicker of progress, a sliver of hope that Adrian was finally listening, was extinguished with hisst words. Here he was again, dictating her life like entries in his corporate ledger. Manage the house full-time? Quit her job? The audacity! His voice,ced with a chilling finality during the call¡¯s end, confirmed her suspicion ¨C this wasn¡¯t a suggestion, it was a veiled order.


    Her nails dug into her palms, the anger of a hot ember ring in her gut. No. She wouldn¡¯t be his puppet, his trophy wife confined to the gilded cage of their mansion. She had a life, a career she was building, and a future she wouldn¡¯t surrender so easily. Determination hardened her gaze. She would fight him on this, every step of the way.


    But a flicker of unease danced at the edges of her anger. Adrian had a way of wearing her down, chipping away at her resolve with his brand of quiet persistence.


    Monday loomed, a storm cloud on the horizon. What exactly did he have nned? What new tactic would he unleash to bend her to his will? As she stared at the nk screen, a cold dread slithered down her spine. This power struggle had only just begun.

 Chapter 22

    The first rays of dawn peeked through the window as Ashleigh was jolted awake by Mr. Atkinson at 4:00 am. Following Adrian¡¯s instructions, Mr. Atkinson ensured Ashleigh began her duties promptly. After a quick confirmation that she was awake, he excused himself, allowing her a brief thirty minutes for a shower before rejoining him.


    Shadowing Mr. Atkinson, like a loyal but wearypanion, Ashleigh observed him inspect the work of the first and second-floor staff. He exined the roles: the first floorprised cleaning personnel responsible for maintaining both her and Adrian¡¯s supplies, as well as cleaning the theater room and her quarters (though she witnessed them cleaning that morning due to her early start). Adrian¡¯s room and study, however, were Mr. Atkinson¡¯s sole domain. Since Ashleigh wasn¡¯t yet allowed ess to these private areas, Mr. Atkinson assigned her supervisory duties in his ce while he cleaned.


    Their tour continued downstairs, where Ashleigh was introduced to the remaining staff. Mr. Atkinson ensured she understood the oversight expected of her  everything from overseeing the groundskeepers and interior maintenance to assigning security personnel throughout the house and estate. Finally, they reached the kitchen, where Chef Frank was already whipping up breakfast. Ashleigh, with a heavy heart, took charge of menu nning for the week, including breakfast, lunch, dinner, and even the staff meals.


    As if the workload wasn¡¯t daunting enough, Mr. Atkinson then delved into the mansion¡¯s inventory management system, exining how to monitor supplies on a weekly and monthly basis. He even presented the financial ounts, dropping another bombshell on Ashleigh.


    ¡°Normally, I present Master Adrian with a monthly summary of the inventory and financial reports,¡± he exined.


    ¡°However, he has decided you¡¯ll be responsible for preparing and presenting them this month.¡±


    Ashleigh stifled a sigh of exasperation. The sheer volume of tasks since dawn was already overwhelming, and yet Adrian continued to pile on the responsibilities. She stole a nce at the now-bright sky, a stark reminder of her own job and the life she was leaving behind.


    ¡°Hold that thought, Mr. Atkinson!¡± Ashleigh practically vibrated with barely contained chaos.


    ¡°Turns out I¡¯m running behind schedule for a prior engagement.¡± She snatched her phone, a whirlwind of motion as she bolted from the room.


    Mr. Atkinson, ever the Stoic butler, could only raise an eyebrow in her wake.


    ¡°Breakfast, Madame?¡± he called after her, but the only answer was the m of a distant door.


    The car ride to the office was a blur of exhaustion-induced sleep. Ashleigh stumbled out, greeted only by the concerned murmur of the driver as she practically fell into the office building. The fluorescent lights assaulted her bleary eyes as she reached Mrs. Smith¡¯s office. Sweat stered her once-crisp clothes, and her hair resembled a war zone. This, unfortunately, was the glorious image she presented to her colleagues as she stumbled through the door, mere seconds before the clock struck eight.


    A collective gasp rippled through the room as Ashleigh mmed her ID card into the reader, a desperate beat of triumph before copsing into the nearest chair. Worried stares drilled into her from Tristan, Jake, James, Fiona, and the rest of the team. Mrs. Smith loomed over her, a thundercloud gathering above a tightly crossed chest.


    ¡°You¡¯rete, Ashleigh,¡± Mrs. Smith boomed, her voice leaving no room for argument.


    Ashleigh forced a smile, her heart hammering a frantic rhythm against her ribs.


    ¡°Apologies, Mrs. Smith,¡± she lied, the weight of a hundred withheld secrets pressing down on her. ¡°Lost track of time, you know how it is.¡±


    Mrs. Smith¡¯s skeptical gaze could curdle milk. ¡°Let this be a one-time urrence,¡± she warned, her voiceced with steel.


    ¡°Unexcused tardiness will not be tolerated.¡± With that, she swept out of the room, leaving a stunned silence in her wake.


    The meeting dissolved as quickly as it formed, colleagues offering a mixture of concern and curiosity. James and Fiona rushed to her side, while Jake and Tristan lingered awkwardly nearby


    ¡°Ash, what happened? You look like you wrestled a bear and lost,¡± James blurted, concern etching lines on his face.


    Ashleigh forced another smile, a newfound resolve hardening her features. ¡°Nothing major, guys. Just ate-night study session that ran long.¡± She straightened her clothes, ignoring the damp chill and the lingering scent of sleep.


    ¡°Fresh shirt,ing right up.¡±


    With that, she marched towards her aunt¡¯s office locker, oblivious to the wide-eyed stares of her friends and the silent questions hanging heavy in the air. James and Fiona turned to look away to give her privacy but saw the pair who stood there embarrassed and they both gasped loudly.


    Ashleigh froze. Her heart hammered a frantic tattoo against her ribs. A quick nce back confirmed her worst nightmare ¨C Jake and Tristan, the bodyguards, were still lingering by the lockers. They¡¯d witnessed the whole¡­ revealing¡­ disy.


    ¡°What are you still doing here?¡± she hissed, her voice tight with a mixture of annoyance and humiliation. They stammered apologies, mumbled excuses, and finally shuffled out under James¡¯ pointed re.


    Fiona and James exchanged a look, a silent apology hanging heavy in the air. Ashleigh sank into a chair, burying her face in her hands. The morning had been a disaster, and it felt like things were just going from bad to worse.


    ¡°Today just keeps getting better,¡± she muffled, her voice thick with frustration.


    Fiona reached out, her touch warm andforting on Ashleigh¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Hey, chin up,¡± she soothed. ¡°It¡¯ll get better, you¡¯ll see.¡±


    James, ever the optimist, piped up, ¡°On the bright side, you¡¯ve got a killer bod. At least they had something nice to look at.¡±


    Both Fiona and Ashleigh shot him with withering res.


    ¡°James! I¡¯m their boss!¡± Ashleigh eximed, finally pulling her hands away.


    ¡°Hey, just offering a silver lining,¡± he defended, feigning innocence. Fiona swatted him on the head, clearly unimpressed by his ¡°two-brain-cell¡± suggestion.


    The rest of the day was a tense dance. Ashleigh managed to avoid Jake and Tristan, sessfully burying herself in work on the executive floor. She restocked supplies, cleaned like a woman possessed, even skipped lunch to stay out of sight. When the hunger pangs became impossible to ignore, she holed up in a makeshift storage room off the executive lounge, burying herself in her textbooks. Despite the morning¡¯s chaos, her dedication to her studies remained. Today, a new tutor is arriving to help her prepare for the college entrance exams. She was determined to impress.


    Just as she was starting to wind down for the day, a ringing phone shattered the peace. Mr. Atkinson¡¯s voice crackled through the line.


    ¡°Apologies for interrupting, Madame,¡± he began, ¡°but there are a few urgent matters that require your immediate attention. They can¡¯t wait any longer.¡±


    Ashleigh groaned internally. Just what she needed  more work, and more importantly, more Mr. Atkinson.


    ¡°Can¡¯t it wait a few hours?¡± she pleaded. ¡°I¡¯m swamped.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, Madame,¡± Mr. Atkinson replied, his voice leaving no room for argument. ¡°It absolutely cannot.¡±


    ¡°Well then,¡± she spat, her eyes shing with a dangerous light.


    ¡°I¡¯ll starting home. I will meet my aunt first.¡± This wasn¡¯t just about the workload anymore; this was about control.


    Adrian was trying to manipte her, try to weigh her down so she can ultimately give in and beg but she was done ying his game. She stalked down to her aunt¡¯s office, the fire in her belly a stark contrast to the exhaustion clinging to her like a second skin. Her aunt looked up at the sound of the door, concern furrowing her brow.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    ¡°Ashleigh, what¡¯s wrong?¡± The worry in her aunt¡¯s voice softened the sharp edges of Ashleigh¡¯s anger for a moment.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, Aunt¡± she lied, forcing a smile. But the lie died in her throat as her aunt¡¯s next words sent a jolt of ice through


    her veins.


    ¡°My dear, I just got a call from Adrian. He says you¡¯ll be having a half-day because of the burden of¡­¡± Her aunt trailed off, her voiceced with apology. But Ashleigh¡¯s ears had perked up at a single word.


    ¡°Aunt, you said Adrian called you?¡± Her voice was low, the calmness a mere facade for the storm brewing beneath the surface.


    ¡°He did,¡± her aunt confirmed, looking increasingly bewildered.


    ¡°He said that Mr. Atkinson had some urgent issues concerning the house which needed your full attention. And you¡¯ll be taking half-days from now on¡± A shiver ran down Ashleigh¡¯s spine. This confirmed her thoughts on Adrian¡¯s tactics.


    A slow, dangerous smile spread across her face. ¡°No worries aunt, there won¡¯t be a need for that. Only today will there be a half-day¡±

 Chapter 23

    As Ashleigh left her aunt¡¯s office, a n began to take shape in her mind. She was done ying by Adrian¡¯s rules; it was time to seize control. Reaching the private elevator, she paused, then opted for the stairs instead. With newfound determination, she marched through the underground parking lot towards a waiting car. The driver took off promptly, delivering her to the mansion.


    Mr. Atkinson greeted her upon arrival. ¡°I apologize for interrupting, Madame, but the interview for a new butler is scheduled for shortly. Mr. Cagliari insisted on your presence.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m aware, Mr. Atkinson,¡± Ashleigh replied.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    ¡°However, I¡¯ve had a change of ns. In addition to finding a butler for the house, I¡¯d like to hire a personal assistant.¡±


    Surprise flickered across Mr. Atkinson¡¯s face. ¡°But Madame, this wasn¡¯t part of the initial n. Mr. Cagliari certainly won¡¯t approve.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Cagliari ced me in charge of managing this mansion, didn¡¯t he?¡± Ashleigh countered, her tone leaving no room for argument.


    ¡°Therefore, I make decisions concerning its overall well-being, including my own. My well-being is paramount right now.¡±


    ¡°Very well, Madame,¡± Mr. Atkinson conceded. ¡°But I must inform you that your tutor is scheduled for a session between 5 and 7 pm.¡±


    ¡°Then expedite the candidate interviews,¡± Ashleigh instructed. ¡°Please proceed.¡±


    Mr. Atkinson bowed and left to carry out her orders.


    Ashleigh¡¯s n was simple: hire and train her own personal assistant who would handle mansion affairs until she returned from work. Having someone loyal on her side was crucial. Since her arrival, everyone from the secretary to the security personnel reported to Adrian, and her requests were only granted if they received his approval or fell within his guidelines. She yearned for a team who would answer directly to her, regardless of any opposition. Hiring an assistant was the first step on this long journey.


    An hourter, Mr. Atkinson returned with thirty candidates  fifteen for each position  and ushered her to the designated interview room in the living area.


    As the clock struck four, Ashleigh and Mr. Atkinson finished interviewing the final candidate for the butler position. A few hopeful faces stood out, particrly a middle-aged woman named Katherine. Her experience shone through, and Ashleigh suspected she¡¯d be a wonderfulpanion for her aunt.


    ¡°Katherine seems well-suited,¡±


    Mr. Atkinson agreed. ¡°Let¡¯s employ her.¡±


    With the butler search on track, Ashleigh needed to shift gears. She had a tight schedule  thirty minutes for the personal assistant interview, another thirty to freshen up and grab a bite before her tutor arrived. But first, she had a n.


    While Mr. Atkinson familiarized Katherine with the mansion¡¯syout, Ashleigh gathered her staff. She¡¯d already devised a unique interview method and needed their help to set the stage. Once Mr. Atkinson departed with the new butler, Ashleigh addressed the staff, outlining her instructions for setting up the interview room. Momentster, fifteen eager candidates entered, finding a desk adorned with a specific object waiting for each of them.


    ¡°Wee,¡± Ashleigh greeted, her voice firm yet weing. ¡°Today¡¯s session will determine who will be my loyal personal assistant. Please note, this position is open only to female candidates.¡±


    A murmur of understanding rippled through the room as everyone¡¯s attention focused on Ashleigh.


    ¡°Here¡¯s the test,¡± she exined.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be leaving the room for ten minutes. During this time, feel free to observe your surroundings, take notes, and even interact with each other if you wish. When I return, you¡¯ll write down three things: a detailed description of the item on your desk, the location of at least three other items you noticed, and one insightful observation about the office setup or your fellow candidates.¡±


    A beat of silence followed as Ashleigh¡¯s words sank in. Some candidates immediately began scrutinizing their assigned objects, while others paused, formting a strategy. A hint of a smile yed on Ashleigh¡¯s lips. This wasn¡¯t your typical interview  it was a test of their attentiveness, their ability to think on their feet, and perhaps even a glimpse into their personalities.


    ¡°Remember,¡± she concluded, her gaze sweeping the room, ¡°attention to detail and intelligent thinking are key. Good luck!¡±


    With a final nce, Ashleigh turned and exited, leaving the fifteen candidates and their curious minds to the task at hand. Silence reigned once more, broken only by the soft scratching of pens on paper. The ten minutes ticked by, the anticipation in the room growing with each passing second.


    Ten minutes flew by. As Ashleigh re-entered the room, a satisfied smile yed on her lips.


    ¡°Alright everyone, time¡¯s up! Please put down your pens and begin writing your answers.¡±


    A flurry of activity filled the room as the candidates diligently recorded their observations. Once everyone finished, Ashleigh collected the answer sheets, her eyes scanning the pages with focused concentration.


    After a few moments of deliberation, she looked up, a satisfied nod gracing her features.


    ¡°Well done, everyone. Based on your answers, I¡¯ll be shortlisting the top three candidates for a final interview. The winner will be chosen based on that final round.¡±


    A collective breath escaped the room, reced by a tense silence. The candidates, their faces etched with nervous anticipation, knew they had given their all. Now, all they could do was wait.


    Breaking the silence, Ashleigh announced,


    ¡°The shortlisted candidates are¡­¡± As she named the three finalists, a wave of disappointment washed over the remaining hopefuls. They rose from their chairs, their dreams of securing the position dashed, and began to file out of the room.


    The three finalists, however, remained, their gazes fixed on Ashleigh who sat poised behind her desk.


    ¡°Wee,¡± she began, her voice firm yet weing.


    ¡°Now, we¡¯ll conduct brief individual interviews to determine who will be my trusted personal assistant.¡±


    Solemn nods from the remaining contenders acknowledged her words. Ashleigh locked eyes with the first candidate and offered a warm smile.


    ¡°Let¡¯s begin with you. Can you tell me about a time when you had to think on your feet and find a creative solution to a problem?¡±


    Without hesitation, the womanunched into a detailed and confident ount of a past experience. Her quick thinking and resourcefulness left a strong impression on Ashleigh. The process continued as Ashleigh posed the same question to the second and third candidates. Both women demonstrated impressive skills: one excelling inmunication, the other disying remarkableposure under pressure. Each candidate¡¯s performance left Ashleigh with a difficult decision to make.


    Following the interviews, she took a few moments to carefully consider her options. Scrutinizing her notes, she weighed the strengths and weaknesses of each contender. Finally, a confident smile spread across her face.


    ¡°And the winner is¡­¡± she dered, pausing for dramatic effect, ¡°Susan!¡±


    Susan¡¯s face erupted in pure joy as Ashleigh continued, ¡°Susan, your keen eye for detail, sharp thinking, and exceptionalmunication skills make you the perfect candidate for this role. Congrattions!¡±


    Warm apuse rippled through the remaining candidates as Susan rose, her face beaming with pride. Ashleigh extended her hand, and Susan grasped it firmly, their handshake solidifying the new partnership.


    ¡°Congrattions again, Susan ,¡± Ashleigh said with genuine warmth.


    ¡°Let¡¯s work together to achieve great things!¡±


    Turning to the remaining candidates, she offered a final word of encouragement.


    ¡°To the two of you, please don¡¯t be discouraged by my decision. While today may not have gone your way, I was truly impressed by your abilities and potential. This won¡¯t be thest time our paths cross.¡± With a nod of understanding, the two women exited the room, their chins held high despite the disappointment.


    With the other candidates dismissed, Ashleigh gestured for the staff to clear the room. Susan watched silently as the interview space was transformed back into the familiar living room. A nce at her watch confirmed Ashleigh¡¯s dwindling time.


    ¡°Susan,¡± she began, rising to her feet.


    ¡°It¡¯s Mrs. Ashleigh Cagliari, but please, call me Mrs. Ashleigh.¡± Susan nodded eagerly, a hint of nervous energy radiating from her.


    ¡°You¡¯ve impressed me with your skills andposure,¡± Ashleigh continued, her voice taking on a more serious tone.


    ¡°I¡¯ve chosen you for the role of my personal assistant. The question is, can you handle the responsibility, no matter the challenges?¡±


    Susan¡¯s chest puffed with pride. ¡°Absolutely, ma¡¯am. I¡¯m ready for anything.¡±


    Her response seemed to leave Ashleigh unconvinced. Leaning in closer, her voice dropped to a whisper.


    ¡°Even to the point of death?¡±


    Ava¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, a flicker of fear momentarily clouding her expression. However, it vanished as quickly as it appeared, reced by a steely resolve.


    ¡°Yes, Mrs. Ashleigh,¡± she replied, her voice unwavering.


    A satisfied smile tugged at Ashleigh¡¯s lips. ¡°Good. Then your duties begin now. Follow me.¡± She turned and strode out of the room, Susan trailing closely behind.


    The weight of Ashleigh¡¯s cryptic words hung heavy in the air, leaving Susan with a gnawing sense of unease. What exactly had she gotten herself into?

 Chapter 24

    Monday evening cast a nervous shadow over the grand house. Ashleigh, a whirlwind of energy, paced the living room, the only sound her footsteps echoing in the vast space. She¡¯d ensured everything was in order with Mr. Atkinson  chores delegated, Susan, the new butler, settled in the staff quarters (a meeting awaited herter).


    The doorbell¡¯s jarring ring startled her. Taking a deep breath, she straightened her blouse and marched towards the door.


    A woman in herte 50s, impably dressed with a leather briefcase, stood on the doorstep.


    Mrs. Cagliari?¡± the woman inquired, her smile warm and inviting.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s me. Please,e in.¡± Ashleigh ushered her in. This was Dr. Amelia Brooks, the top college prep tutor Mr. Cagliari had chosen, specializing in those seeking entry to Robin College, Ashleigh¡¯s ultimate goal.


    Dr. Brooks settledfortably into a plush armchair, her gaze sweeping across the room with a practiced eye.


    ¡°Mr. Cagliari informed me of your aspirations to attend Robin College,¡± she began, her voice calm and reassuring. ¡°An admirable ambition, Ms. Cagliari. Admission requires exceptional effort; Robin is a prestigious institution.¡±


    Ashleigh nodded, a flicker of doubt creeping into her confidence.


    ¡°I understand. I¡¯m prepared to work as hard as necessary.¡±


    Dr. Brooks offered a warm smile. ¡°Excellent. Now, tell me about your academic background, particrly your strengths and weaknesses in science subjects.¡±


    The next hour flew by in a flurry of questions and answers. Dr. Brooks¡¯ assessment was thorough. While Ashleigh possessed a strong foundation in chemistry and biology, physics and advanced mathematics needed work.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be discouraged,¡± Dr. Brooks soothed, noticing Ashleigh¡¯s slumped posture.


    ¡°Focused study can address these gaps. I¡¯ve created a personalized curriculum to maximize your chances. We¡¯ll begin with a mix of pre-recorded lectures and online resources, supplemented by two in-person sessions per week where we¡¯ll delve deeper and practice problem-solving.¡±


    Relief washed over Ashleigh. This structured approach felt manageable, a stark contrast to the overwhelming sea of information she¡¯d been struggling to navigate. ¡°Sounds perfect, Dr. Brooks. I¡¯m ready to start whenever you are.¡±


    A satisfied smile yed on Dr. Brooks¡¯ lips. ¡°Excellent.¡±


    The next two hours flew by in a whirlwind of scientific inquiry. Dr. Brooks honed in on Ashleigh¡¯s strengths, delving deep into areas like chemistry and biology. She peppered Ashleigh with questions, gauging her understanding of various concepts and offering insightful advice. Here and there, Dr. Brooks identified gaps in Ashleigh¡¯s knowledge, rmending additional reading materials to solidify her foundation.


    Just as the clock struck seven, Mr. Atkinson materialized in the doorway. ¡°Madame,¡± he announced, ¡°your lesson has concluded for the evening.¡±


    Ashleigh acknowledged him with a nod. ¡°Thank you, Dr. Brooks,¡± she said, turning to her tutor. ¡°Having you on board for my admissions process is a relief. I truly appreciate your guidance.¡±


    ¡°No need to thank me, dear,¡± Dr. Brooks replied with a smile.


    ¡°Just be sure to review the areas we identified before our next session. Get a good night¡¯s rest, and remember, focus is key!¡± Rising from the armchair, she gathered her books and tucked them neatly into her briefcase.


    Mr. Atkinson escorted Dr. Brooks out and then returned to find Ashleigh still seated. ¡°Mr. Atkinson,¡± she began, curiosity piqued, ¡°how has Adrian structured the lesson schedule?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Cagliari has opted for alternate days, Madame,¡± he replied, leaning forward to present a schedule Mr. Turner had drafted based on Mr. Cagliari¡¯s instructions.


    ¡°The duration will increase as we progress towards the final week madame.¡±


    A wave of relief washed over Ashleigh. Even with their strained rtionship, Adrian had taken her workload into ount by scheduling alternate days. It offered a sliver of hope, a flicker of doubt about his absolute animosity towards her.


    ¡°That works perfectly,¡± she confirmed, ncing up from the schedule. Mr. Atkinson offered a brief nod in response.


    ¡°Dinner is ready, Madame,¡± he announced. ¡°Chef Frank has prepared his finest.¡±


    ¡°Excellent,¡± Ashleigh replied. ¡°Please deliver it to my room, and I would prefer Susan to handle it.¡±


    Mr. Atkinson acknowledged her request with a nod. As he exited the room, Ashleigh rose and began her evening routine. Shortly after settling into her nightgown, a hesitant knock echoed on her door. It creaked open to reveal Mr. Atkinson and Susan, thetter nervously clutching a tray of food. The memory of Susan¡¯s skepticism from earlier shed in Ashleigh¡¯s mind. Susan stood frozen at the threshold, only entering after a gentle nudge from Mr. Atkinson, who then closed the door behind them. Ashleigh perched on the edge of her bed, observing as Susan nervously arranged the meal. Once finished, Susan remained by the side, studiously avoiding eye contact. Ashleigh sensed the new assistant¡¯s apprehension and decided, after a few bites of her meal, to alleviate the tension.


    ¡°Susan, tell me about yourself¡± she began, raising the fork with food to her mouth.


    ¡°Oh, Mrs. Ashleigh,¡± Susan stammered,unching into a nervous introduction. ¡°I¡¯m neen, almost twenty in a few months. I have two brothers and a mother, and we all live together in the south part of the city. Luckily, I was able to finish high school here.¡±


    Ashleigh nodded, taking in Susan¡¯s appearance. At 5¡¯4¡å, Susan had a lean build that spoke of a life less privileged. Her short, ck hair framed deep brown eyes that held a mix of apprehension and hope. This job was a lifeline, a chance to give her ailing mother and brothers a better life, and Susan was determined to make the most of it.


    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Ashleigh said.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°What are your dreams for the future?¡±


    ¡°In high school, I was on the tech team, and I¡¯d really like to study software engineering,¡± Susan replied, her voice tinged with uncertainty.


    ¡°What if by working this job you don¡¯t get to fulfill your dreams?¡± Ashleigh¡¯s pointed question had momentarily thrown her off bnce.


    The worry in Susan¡¯s eyes as she contemted the possibility of dashed dreams made Ashleigh chuckle. She finished her meal, took a cleansing sip of water, and set the ss back on the tray.


    ¡°Rx, Susan, I was just teasing,¡± Ashleigh said with a lightugh. Relief washed over Susan¡¯s face.


    ¡°You¡¯re part of my team now, and I n to reward your hard work. This position you hold is crucial, understand?¡±


    Susan nodded, her apprehension slowly giving way to a sense of purpose. Ashleigh leaned back on the bed and continued,


    ¡°You¡¯ll be my eyes, ears, and voice in this house. You¡¯re my representative when I¡¯m not here. Don¡¯t let anyone disrespect you because of your age. Disrespecting you is disrespecting me, thedy of the house. You¡¯ll take orders only from me. Not even Mr. Atkinson can give you instructions that contradict mine.¡±


    Susan¡¯s eyes widened slightly at the weight of responsibility being ced on her young shoulders.


    ¡°Tomorrow morning, I¡¯ll show you your duties. Be up by four; we start at five. You¡¯re a full-time employee for me, answerable only to me for your needs and requests. Everything that happens in this housees to my attention. You¡¯ll work from five to nine pm, and before you leave, you¡¯ll brief me on the day¡¯s events  no details left out. Is that clear?¡±


    ¡°It sounds like a lot,¡± Susan admitted, a flicker of anxiety returning. ¡°But the more effort I put in, the greater the reward, right?¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Ashleigh confirmed, standing up to stretch. ¡°That¡¯s all for tonight. Any questions can wait until tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Goodnight, Mrs. Ashleigh,¡± Susan said politely as she collected the tray and exited the room.


    The next morning, Ashleigh meticulously walked Susan through the mansion¡¯s operations. She also informed Mr. Atkinson said that Susan would be his new point of contact for all matters rted to her. Whether he¡¯d ry this information to Adrian or not, Ashleigh didn¡¯t care. Her focus wasser-sharp on work and study. The following days were a blur of intense activity. Textbooks became Ashleigh¡¯s constantpanions, their pages adorned with colorful highlights and scribbled notes. The evenings were filled with the quiet hum of online lectures. Dr. Brooks¡¯s voice guiding Ashleigh throughplex scientific concepts.


    By the end of the first week, Dr. Brooks was impressed with Ashleigh¡¯s progress. ¡°Let¡¯s move on to past exam questions,¡± she dered, arriving the following week with a stack of practice papers and a whiteboard marker. The air crackled with nervous energy as Ashleigh gazed at the daunting pile  Chemistry, Biology, Physics, and Advanced Math, all staring back at her with relentless intensity. However, as they tackled the first problem set, a remarkable transformation unfolded. Ashleigh¡¯s initial nervousness evaporated, reced by aser-like focus. Each day brought new challenges, but she met them with a determination that surprised even Dr. Brooks. The hours flew by in a whirlwind of exnations, discussions, and problem-solving. By the end of the second week, Ashleigh brimmed with a growing sense of aplishment.


    ¡°Mrs. Cagliari,¡± Dr. Brooks remarked during their Friday session as they reviewed the final solved problem, ¡°you possess a natural aptitude for science. You grasp concepts with remarkable speed and aren¡¯t afraid to ask rifying questions. With continued dedication, there¡¯s no doubt you have a very good chance of achieving your dream.¡±


    Ashleigh¡¯s heart swelled with pride. This wasn¡¯t just validation from Dr. Brooks; it was self-validation. Robin College wasn¡¯t an impossible dream; it was a tangible goal. While Ashleigh immersed herself in her studies, she entrusted the day-to-day responsibilities to Susan. Over the past two weeks, Susan had blossomed, carving out a vital role within the mansion. As Ashleigh¡¯s trusted right hand, she reported directly to Mr. Atkinson, often even assuming the lead when matters required Ashleigh¡¯s direct attention. Meticulously following Ashleigh¡¯s instructions, Susan provided detailed daily updates on everything that transpired within the mansion during Ashleigh¡¯s work and study hours. Through these updates, Ashleigh learned that Mr. Atkinson had informed Adrian of Susan¡¯s presence.


    However, despite the news, Adrian hadn¡¯t contacted her since that initial phone call. On one hand, she felt a strange sense of relief  frequent calls would undoubtedly haveplicated the situation with Susan. But on a deeper level, a pang of disappointment lingered. He hadn¡¯t bothered to inquire about her preparations, a simple question that would have meant something. Every day, with a flicker of hope, she¡¯d wait for Mr. Atkinson to arrive with the tablet, announcing a call from Adrian. But with each passing day, the possibility grew dimmer.


    Another change swept through the household: Chef Larry took over the weekday and weekend menus. This shift stemmed from Chef Frank¡¯s unfortunate bout of food poisoning, whichnded him in the hospital. Larry, with his easy-going nature, quickly formed a friendship with Susan. The rtionship between Ashleigh and Larry blossomed as well. He became her personal snack provider during outdoor study sessions, ensuring she had well-bnced meals before leaving for work in the mornings, and even asionally joining her in these sessions.


    One of these evenings, as Ashleigh was immersed in a physics textbook, there was a knock on her door.


    She was mindlessly answering questions so she couldn¡¯t be bothered with who it was so she called out, ¡°Come in.¡±


    The door creaked open, revealing Chef Larry. He carried a tray of snacks and, with a bright smile on his face.


    ¡°Is this a bad time?¡± he asked.


    Ashleigh, surprised by his voice, looked up. ¡°No, not at all. Come in.¡±

 Chapter 25

    He entered the quiet room and ced the tray on the table, nudging her books aside gently.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Susan? Didn¡¯t you tell them to bring me my food?¡± Ashleigh asked, surprised by his direct approach. Meals were typically delivered by Susan or Mr. Atkinson.


    Larry chuckled. ¡°Susan and Mr. Atkinson are swamped right now. I just thought I¡¯d check in and make sure you weren¡¯t losing your mind behind all those books.¡± He took a step back, giving her space.


    A tired smile yed on Ashleigh¡¯s lips. ¡°Thanks, Larry. You really didn¡¯t have to do this.¡± She reached for a sandwich, taking a tentative bite.


    The tray held an assortment of rich-looking cream and jam sandwiches alongside a ss of lemon iced tea. The first bite revealed a thick slice of bread filled with sweet strawberry jam and cream. Her eyes lit up with unexpected delight.


    ¡°Chef Larry, this is amazing!¡± she eximed, taking another bite. Before long, the tray was empty, her initial slump reced by a sense of lightness.


    ¡°So, not depressed, just hadn¡¯t eatentely? Good to know,¡± Larry teased, earning augh from Ashleigh.


    She sighed, stretching to ease her stiff muscles. ¡°It¡¯s just that hours of problem-solving get draining after a while.¡±


    ¡°Well, Mrs. Cagliari,¡± Larry said gently, ¡°all work and no y makes for a dull schr, wouldn¡¯t you agree? I have faith you¡¯ll get into Robin College, but you need to take breaks as the days go by. When was thest time you did something fun?¡±


    Ashleigh paused, unable to recall thest time she¡¯d allowed herself a moment of leisure.


    ¡°What can I possibly do?¡± Ashleighmented. ¡°It¡¯ste, and movies aren¡¯t exactly appealing right now.¡±


    She watched as Larry pondered, a thoughtful crease forming between his brows. Suddenly, his face lit up.


    ¡°Karaoke night!¡± he dered.


    Ashleigh raised a skeptical eyebrow. ¡°Karaoke? Seriously?¡± Despite her initial reservations, Larry¡¯s infectious enthusiasm tugged at the corners of her lips.


    ¡°Why not?¡± he pressed, his eyes gleaming with excitement.


    ¡°It¡¯s the perfect way to unwind! You¡¯ve been holed up here for hours, drowning in textbooks. You deserve a break, Mrs. Cagliari.¡±


    He was right. The relentless study grind, from the office to the mansion, was starting to feel suffocating. The thought of something carefree and fun was undeniably tempting.


    ¡°But alone? That wouldn¡¯t be much fun,¡± she countered, her mood dipping slightly.


    ¡°Not alone!¡± Larry eximed, already formting the n.


    ¡°Let¡¯s make it a staff event. Invite everyone!¡±


    ¡°Will theye?¡± Ashleigh asked, doubt creeping in. ¡°After the Tara incident, I¡¯m not sure they¡¯d be too thrilled.¡±


    ¡°Exactly why you should invite them,¡± Larry insisted, earning a long sigh from Ashleigh.


    He was right, the past few days had been tense, and everyone could use a chance to rx. Plus, his enthusiasm was contagious.


    ¡°And I can even convince Susan to join in,¡± he added. ¡°She has a hidden talent, a great voice, you wouldn¡¯t believe it.¡±


    The image of Susan¡¯s stern face belting out a tune brought a chuckle from Ashleigh. ¡°Alright, alright,¡± she conceded.


    ¡°But if this turns into a disaster, it¡¯s on you.¡±


    ¡°Full responsibility epted,¡± Larry grinned triumphantly.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me, Mrs. Ashleigh, I have a menu to n for this evening¡¯s festivities. There¡¯s a lot to prepare.¡±


    Ashleigh interjected, ¡°Speaking of the menu, I was thinking something savory, maybe followed by smoothies and ice cream to bnce out the spice.¡±


    ¡°Consider it done, Madame,¡± Larry replied with a wink, turning to leave with the empty snack tray in hand.


    At the door, Larry bumped into Tara and Mr. Atkinson, who exchanged surprised nces. He simply bowed, stepped aside, and continued on his way.


    ¡°Mrs. Ashleigh, is everything alright? Why was Chef Larry here?¡± Susan inquired, a hint of concerncing her voice.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Susan,¡± Ashleigh reassured her. ¡°He just brought some snacks and a fantastic idea.¡± She paused, leaving them both hanging.


    ¡°He suggested a karaoke night for everyone,¡± Ashleigh continued.


    ¡°Just to lighten the mood a little around here.¡± Susan and Mr. Atkinson mirrored her initial surprise. ¡±


    Karaoke night?¡± Susan echoed, raising an eyebrow. Mr. Atkinson, ever stoic, managed to keep his expressionposed, although a flicker of surprise betrayed his emotions.


    ¡°That was my first reaction too,¡± Ashleigh admitted. ¡°But eventually, I realized I could really use a mental break from all this studying. And you guys could probably use one too, wouldn¡¯t you you agree?¡±


    Mr. Atkinson raised an eyebrow. ¡°Indeed.¡±


    ¡°Yes, indeed,¡± Ashleigh confirmed.


    ¡°So, it¡¯s decided. We need to start making arrangements. I want everything ready by seven sharp.¡±


    Taking charge, Ashleigh, Susan, and Mr. Atkinson sprang into action. They decided on a suitable space, and Mr. Atkinson led them to a grand ballroom tucked away in another wing of the mansion. Ashleigh marveled at the discovery; the mansion seemed to hold endless secrets. Within a few hours, the ballroom transformed into a vibrant karaoke haven. Colorful streamers and balloons adorned the ceiling, and a makeshift stage stood proudly in the center of the room. The staff began trickling in around 6:55 pm, everyone seated and expectant by seven o¡¯clock. Susan and Mr. Atkinson took their positions at the back of the hall, while Chef Larry stood beside Ashleigh on the stage. Nervous excitement bubbled within Ashleigh, but with Larry¡¯s encouraging presence at her side, she ascended the makeshift tform.


    ¡°Good evening, everyone,¡± she began, her voice wavering slightly. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re all wondering why I called you here tonight. It¡¯s simple  I felt we all needed a chance to rx.¡±


    Her announcement sent a murmur of surprise rippling through the staff.


    ¡°I know we¡¯ve all been working hard to maintain the Cagliari mansion, often without breaks,¡± she continued.


    ¡°I¡¯ve witnessed the incredible effort you¡¯ve all put in, regardless of any changes or challenges that arose. So, I decided we deserve a fun-filled evening.¡±

 Chapter 26

    A wide smile spread across her face. ¡°Tonight, let loose and sing your hearts out! Food and drinks are avable for all, and feel free to mingle and enjoy yourselves. Let the night begin!¡± she dered, throwing her arms open in a weing gesture. The staff erupted in cheers, their anticipation for a unique and exciting evening palpable.


    As the night unfolded, Ashleigh¡¯s initial hesitation melted away, reced by a wave of excitement. Chef Larry kicked things off, taking the stage and electrifying the crowd with an upbeat song. When thest note faded, he ushered Ashleigh onto the makeshift tform, the microphone thrust into her hand. With a deep breath, sheunched into a powerful rendition of her favorite song. The room erupted in apuse and cheers, a surge of freedom washing over her  a feeling she hadn¡¯t experienced in weeks.


    Chef Larry rejoined her on stage, their voices harmonizing perfectly as they belted out a duet. Even Susan, unable to resist the infectious energy, found herself singing along, her sweet voice adding anotheryer to the chorus. The night flowed withughter, music, and joyous revelry. Ashleigh, momentarily forgetting the weight of her studies, reveled in the pure joy of the moment. For the first time in weeks, she felt like her true self again  carefree, happy, and brimming with life. The staff, too, cast off their usual reserve, choosing songs, belting out lyrics, sharingughter and food, and interacting freely with each other. Some even approached Ashleigh, surprised to discover their previously stern ¡°Madame¡± possessed  a warmth they hadn¡¯t known existed. As the evening drew to a close, Ashleigh turned to Larry, her smile filled with genuine gratitude. ¡°Thank you for this, Larry,¡± she said, her voice sincere. ¡°I needed this release tonight.¡± Larry returned the smile, his eyes radiating warmth. ¡°Anytime, Ashleigh. Remember, all work and no y makes for a dull schr. We should definitely do this again sometime.¡±


    The night of music andughter left Ashleigh feeling rejuvenated. Briefly, she¡¯d forgotten the looming exams and the pressure of her studies, simply enjoying thepany around her. Larry, in particr, had been a constant source of support and encouragement, and a flicker of gratitude for his presence in her life warmed her heart.


    However, not everyone shared her enthusiasm. Mr. Atkinson, a silent observer throughout the evening, seemed to pick up on the subtle bodynguage between Ashleigh and Chef Larry, particrly their closeness. Once everyone dispersed for the night, he picked up the tablet and ced a call to his employer.


    Adrian, engrossed in work at his office, looked up as Mr. Turner, his secretary, entered with a call from Mr. Atkinson.


    ¡°Answer it,¡± Adrian instructed, and the call was connected on speakerphone.


    ¡°Good evening, sir,¡± Mr. Atkinson¡¯s voice greeted politely through the speaker.


    ¡°Yes, Mr. Atkinson,¡± Adrian responded, a hint of weariness creeping into his voice. ¡°How has the day gone?¡±Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Mr. Atkinsonunched into a detailed ount, everything seeming mundane until he reached his true purpose for calling.


    ¡°However, sir, there was an unexpected turn of events today.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± Adrian inquired, his attention sharpening.


    ¡°For the first time, Mrs. Cagliari decided to host a karaoke night for the staff this evening,¡± Mr. Atkinson informed him.


    Adrian¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°Karaoke?¡± he echoed, skepticismcing his tone.


    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Mr. Atkinson confirmed.


    ¡°Apparently, she intended it as a reward for everyone¡¯s hard work.¡± A faint smile yed on his lips, a silent amusement at Ashleigh¡¯s unorthodox leadership style.


    He may not agree with such activities, but her sincerity was undeniable. He entertained the image of Ashleigh belting out a tune in front of the staff  a sight he wouldn¡¯t mind witnessing.


    ¡°Sounds like a lively evening then,¡± Adrianmented dryly.


    ¡°Indeed, sir. It seems Mrs. Cagliari needed this release. When the new Chef Larry suggested the idea, she readily agreed. She seemed genuinely light-hearted this evening, even singing a few duets with him,¡± Mr. Atkinson continued, his voice neutral but his message clear.


    Adrian¡¯s pen ttered to the desk as he snatched the phone from Mr. Turner, his gaze hardening.


    ¡°Mr. Atkinson,¡± he began, his voice low and dangerous, ¡°walk me through the events of this evening.¡±


    As Mr. Atkinson recounted the details of the karaoke night, the room seemed to grow colder with each passing second. Adrian¡¯s eyes narrowed, his imagination conjuring scenes of Ashleigh and Larry in close proximity. By the time Mr. Atkinson finished, the air crackled with Adrian¡¯s barely contained fury. Even Mr. Turner felt a suffocating pressure emanating from his usuallyposed boss.


    ¡°It appears Ashleigh hasn¡¯t established clear boundaries with the staff,¡± Adrian muttered, his jaw clenched in disapproval.


    ¡°Mr. Atkinson, I require immediate information on this new Chef Larry. His appointment as head chef in Chef Frank¡¯s absence was news to me.¡± His voice wasced with icy disapproval.


    Mr. Atkinson simply nodded in acknowledgment before ending the call. Left alone in the tense silence, Adrian¡¯s frustration bubbled over. He impulsively typed a message on his phone, his fingers flying across the keyboard: ¡°Ashleigh, I¡¯ve been informed about your recent behavior with Larry. It¡¯s uneptable. Maintain a professional distance. I¡¯ll be home soon, and we¡¯ll have a long talk.¡±


    He reread the message, a dark scowl etching his features. With a sigh of dissatisfaction, he deleted the usatory text and tossed the phone into Mr. Turner¡¯s waiting hand.


    ¡°Turner,¡± he barked, his voice sharp, ¡°reschedule my return for next weekend.¡±


    Mr. Turner blinked, momentarily stunned. ¡°But sir, there¡¯s still a lot to be finalized regarding the contract¡­¡± he stammered, attempting to reason with his clearly agitated boss.


    Adrian cut him off with a withering re. ¡°Did I stutter, Turner? Make the necessary arrangements to ensure my return next weekend. Is that understood?¡±


    ¡°Y-yes sir,¡± Mr. Turner squeaked, his throat tight with apprehension.


    He scurried out of the room, leaving Adrian alone with his simmering anger. The distance between him and Ashleigh seemed to widen with each passing moment. It was clear he needed to take action to ensure Ashleigh understood her ce  as his wife, and as the mistress of his mansion.

 Chapter 27

    The third week came, and each day was closer to the exam and tightening Ashleigh¡¯s already packed schedule. Studying consumed her every waking moment, bleeding into her work responsibilities. The tension was palpable, and Mrs. Smith, recognizing the strain, granted Ashleigh a leave of absence until the exam was over. The house became her study haven, broken only by quick meals and fleeting chats with Chef Larry and the other staff. Even those brief moments of respite began to feel like stolen time.Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    During the week, a message from Mr. Turner arrived, detailing registration procedures for the exam which spanned the first three days of the fourth week. With registrationplete, Ashleigh threw herself into a study frenzy. Days blurred into an endless loop of textbooks, notes, and practice questions. Sleep was a luxury she barely afforded, fueled by a relentless blend of coffee and determination. Susan¡¯s pleas for breaks fell on deaf ears; there simply wasn¡¯t a minute to waste.


    On the fourth day, Ashleigh descended the stairs, study materials clutched in her arms, only to find Mr. Atkinson waiting, his face etched with concern. Beside him stood Susan, a simr furrow etched on her brow. Mr. Atkinson¡¯s usual demeanor was reced by an unsettling withdrawal, a feeling of foreboding churning in Ashleigh¡¯s stomach.


    ¡°Mrs. Cagliari,¡± he began, his voice devoid of its usual warmth, ¡°Mr. Turner just informed me that Mr. Cagliari will be returning home unexpectedly next weekend.¡±


    Ashleigh¡¯s carefully constructed study schedule crumpled under the weight of Adrian¡¯s early return. But a deeper worry flickered to life within her. The surprise visit, coupled with the tense atmosphere, hinted at something more than a simple schedule disruption.


    ¡°Is there anything I need to prepare?¡± she asked, her voiceced with caution.


    Mr. Atkinson hesitated, then shook his head. ¡°Well, Mr. Cagliari has requested that you begin preparing the monthly reports. He intends to review them upon his return,¡± he informed her.


    Ashleigh nodded, understanding settling in its ce. Mr. Atkinson paused, then spoke again, his voiceced with concern.


    ¡°However, Mrs. Cagliari, I would advise you to¡­¡± He trailed off, his eyes flickering with a silent plea.


    ¡°Advise me what, Mr. Atkinson?¡± Ashleigh pressed, a sliver of apprehension creeping into her voice.


    Mr. Atkinson¡¯s words hung heavy in the air. ¡°Perhaps it would be best to refrain from any¡­ unnecessary activities until Mr. Cagliari returns,¡± he finished delicately.


    Ashleigh¡¯s brow furrowed in confusion. ¡°Unnecessary activities?¡±


    The meaning struck her, a wave of defiance washing over her. The karaoke night, held over the weekend, had been a sess, a wee reprieve from the relentless studying. Why would Adrian object?


    Ashleigh¡¯s brows furrowed in confusion. Sensing her bewilderment, Mr. Atkinson cleared his throat.


    ¡°Mr. Cagliari prefers a certain decorum in the household, Mrs. Cagliari. Perhaps it¡¯s best to avoid activities that might be misconstrued as unprofessional.¡±


    His words stung. Ashleigh had strived to build rapport with the staff, fostering a more rxed and positive environment. Was that wrong? Frustration simmered within her.


    ¡°Thank you for the update, Mr. Atkinson,¡± she replied curtly, her voice tight with suppressed anger.


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep Mr. Cagliari¡¯s preferences in mind.¡±


    She retreated to her room, her heart heavy. The joy of the previous weekend vanished, reced by simmering resentment towards Adrian¡¯s controlling nature. She had the right to manage the household as she saw fit, and his disapproval felt like a suffocating attempt to control her. Meanwhile, news of Adrian¡¯s unexpected arrival rippled through the staff, stirring concern. Chef Larry, catching wind of it, approached Susan with a worried expression.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Susan? Mrs. Cagliari seems upset.¡±


    Susan hesitated. ¡°Mr. Atkinson just informed Mrs. Ashleigh that Mr. Cagliari is returning early, and it seems her recent actions haven¡¯t met with his approval.¡±


    Larry frowned. This earlier arrival might be due to information that reached Adrian. He sighed, needing a new strategy. But first, he needed to understand the reason for the early return.


    ¡°What kind of actions?¡± he pressed gently. After some deliberation, Susan decided to share what Mr. Atkinson had revealed.


    ¡°The karaoke night, for one. Mr. Atkinson mentioned that Mr. Cagliari prefers a more formal atmosphere in the house. He also wasn¡¯t thrilled about my employment, from what I heard,¡± she said nervously.


    Larry sighed in relief. This meant Adrian wasn¡¯t aware of anything specific about him.


    Susan, grabbing his hand anxiously, blurted out, ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll be fired when Mr. Cagliaries home?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t say for sure,¡± Larry admitted.


    ¡°This will be my first meeting with him too. But Mrs. Ashleigh seems like someone who won¡¯t give in easily.¡± He offered reassurance, calming the worried teenager.


    ¡°Mrs. Ashleigh was upset,¡± Susan mentioned, turning to leave. ¡°I should go check on her.¡±


    After she left, Larry¡¯s smile vanished, reced by a cold glint in his eyes. A new determination hardened his features. Ashleigh retreated to her room, a storm of emotions churning within her. Adrian hadn¡¯t bothered to speak to her since the


    Tara incident, offering no support for her exams. Now, he announces his unexpected return and disapproval of her management style, his ignorance grating on her nerves. Yet, stewing wouldn¡¯t help her situation. Priorities first. She settled back to studying, the rhythmic scratch of her pen the only sound in the room.


    A soft rap on the door startled her. Susan peeked in, her youthful face etched with concern. ¡°Is everything alright, Mrs. Cagliari? You seemed upset earlier.¡±


    Ashleigh forced a smile. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, Susan. Just some exam stress. Actually, I have a task for you. Could you startpiling an inventory report? Gather information from the department heads about current stock levels and what needs replenishing.¡±


    ¡°Of course, ma¡¯am,¡± Susan replied, her eyes lingering on Ashleigh¡¯s drawn face.


    The following days fell into a relentless routine. Ashleigh became a prisoner of her studies, confined to her room. Meals and necessities were delivered discreetly by Mr. Atkinson or Susan. The intense focus began to take its toll. By the weekend, Ashleigh felt a familiar ache in her throat, her usual voracious appetite dwindling. A feverish heat radiated from her skin.


    Taking a break felt like a luxury she couldn¡¯t afford, especially with Adrian¡¯s return looming. Pushing through the fatigue, she focused on refining the inventory report. Susan, ever watchful of her Madame, had noticed the subtle changes  the pallor that reced Ashleigh¡¯s usual vibrancy, the way her meals remained untouched. Her concerns were brushed aside with assurances that it was just a passing cold. Yet, witnessing Ashleigh on that weekend, Susan knew it was far more serious.


    ¡°Madame, please,¡± Susan pleaded, her voice trembling. ¡°We need to call a doctor. You¡¯re not getting any better.¡±


    Ashleigh waved a dismissive hand, her voice raspy. ¡°No need for that, Susan. I just wanted to check on your progress with the report.¡± It was a feeble attempt to deflect attention. Witnessing her employer¡¯s stubbornness, Susanplied but harbored a silent resolve to inform Mr. Atkinson. Hours bled into one another as Ashleigh meticulously reviewed the inventory data. Exhaustion gnawed at her, her eyelids growing heavy. With a sigh, she dismissed Susan and copsed onto the bed, her body and mind finally sumbing to their demands. For the first time in days, she drifted off into a deep sleep.


    Sunday morning arrived, devoid of Ashleigh¡¯s usual morning bustle. Susan, worried by the silence, peeked into the room and found her Madame in a state far worse than the previous day.


    Panic surged through her. She frantically dialed Mr. Atkinson¡¯s number, requesting a doctor. Receiving no immediate response, she raced downstairs, tears blurring her vision, determined to find the butlers.


    At that precise moment, Mr. Atkinson was weing Mr. Cagliari and Mr. Turner, who had just emerged from their car. Susan, tears streaming down her face, burst into the scene.


    ¡°Mr. Atkinson, please! Call a doctor! Mrs. Cagliari is unconscious!¡± Her voice echoed through the hallway, shattering the calm arrival.

 Chapter 28

    Shock hung heavy in the air as Susan¡¯s frantic words echoed. Adrian, his face an unreadable mask, snapped his head towards Mr. Atkinson. ¡°Exin yourself,¡± he demanded, his voice tight.


    Mr. Atkinson, flustered, stammered, ¡°I wasn¡¯t informed, Mr. Cagliari. Apparently, Mrs. Cagliari is unwell.¡± His gaze darted towards the anxious Susan.


    ¡°I tried to tell you,¡± Susan blurted, ¡°but Mrs. Ashleigh wouldn¡¯t let me raise an rm.¡±


    A mix of surprise and concern flickered across Adrian¡¯s face. He turned to Mr. Turner, his voice clipped. ¡°Get a doctor. Now.¡± Mr. Turner scurried off, dialing on his phone.


    Unable to stay still, Adrian paced the hallway, his eyes flitting nervously between the stairs leading to Ashleigh¡¯s room and Mr. Atkinson. ¡°How long has this been going on?¡± he finally managed, his voice strained.


    Mr. Atkinson cleared his throat. ¡°To my knowledge, since the beginning of the week. Mrs. Cagliari¡¯s been studying excessively for her exams, barely eating or sleeping.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s crazy,¡± Adrian muttered, his initial reservations forgotten. His only concern now was Ashleigh¡¯s well-being.


    He reached her door and pushed it open, his breath catching. The room was dimly lit, the only light filtering through sheer curtains. Ashleighy sprawled on the bed, flushed and frowning in difort. Her usually vibrant features were pale and drawn, a testament to her illness.


    Adrian approached, his hand hovering over her forehead. He felt a feverish heat radiating from her skin. At his touch, Ashleigh¡¯s brow twitched and her eyelids fluttered, but she didn¡¯t wake. Behind him, Susan rushed to open the curtains, letting in fresh air.


    Hurried footsteps approached the door. It was the doctor, a kind-faced woman with a concerned expression. Adrian stepped aside to allow her in, his eyes never leaving Ashleigh¡¯s form. The doctor examined Ashleigh thoroughly, asking Susan questions in a calm, reassuring voice. When she finished, she turned to Adrian, her expression grave.


    ¡°It seems Mrs. Cagliari has a severe case of the flu,¡± she exined. ¡°Thebination of stress and excessive caffeine consumption has exacerbated it. Fortunately, with proper rest and medication, she should make a full recovery.¡± Relief washed over Adrian as the doctor finished her examination.


    The tension that had coiled in Adrian¡¯s gut since his arrival finally loosened. ¡°Thank you, doctor,¡± he said, a hint of a smile gracing his lips for the first time. ¡°Do whatever needs to be done.¡±


    The doctor, a kind-faced woman with a concerned expression, sprang into action. With Mr. Atkinson¡¯s assistance, she set up an IV for fluids and antibiotics, alternating them hourly. Susan received instructions to monitor Ashleigh¡¯s temperature and breathing every thirty minutes.


    When the doctor attempted to insert the IV line, Ashleigh stirred in difort. Adrian, noticing her struggle, immediately reached out and took her hand gently. ¡°Ashleigh, stay still,¡± he urged in a calming voice. His touch seemed to have an instant effect, quieting her restlessness and allowing the doctor to proceed.


    Susan watched in surprised awe, while Mr. Atkinson and Mr. Turner exchanged a silent nce of understanding. Recognizing the calming influence Adrian had on Ashleigh, the doctor suggested he stay by her bedside as she wasn¡¯t fully conscious. Mr. Turner, ever resourceful, pulled over the chair Ashleigh normally used at her desk and ced it beside the bed for his boss. The sight of the tall Adrian perched precariously on the small, pink chair while holding his wife¡¯s hand was ratherical.


    The next few hours were a blur of worry as they waited for Ashleigh to wake up. Adrian¡¯s initial patience began to wear thin. With each passing hour, he peppered the doctor with increasingly frustrated questions about why Ashleigh hadn¡¯t regained consciousness. The doctor, though confused by his agitation, patiently reassured him that it was simply exhaustion causing the prolonged sleep.


    Knowing Adrian had just returned from a long business trip, Mr. Atkinson and Mr. Turner gently tried to persuade him to freshen up and get something to eat. But their efforts were in vain.


    Ashleigh finally stirredter that night, just as Adrian, finally convinced to take a break, felt her fingers twitch in his grasp. ¡°Susan, help me up,¡± she rasped, her voice weak. ¡°I can¡¯t rest¡­ I have to take the exam¡­¡±


    She attempted to rise, but Adrian gently but firmly pushed her back into the pillows. ¡°You can¡¯t even open your eyes properly, yet you want to get up?¡± he said, a hint of coldness creeping into his voice. Her brow furrowed in confusion at the sound of his voice.


    Despite her weakness, Ashleigh persisted. However, a quick nce from Adrian to the doctor, who promptly injected a sleeping medication into the IV bag, brought an end to her struggle. She drifted off to sleep almost instantly.


    Adrian watched her sleeping form with a mix of annoyance and relief. He was finally at ease now that she had regained some consciousness, but her lingering concern about the exam grated on him. He stood up, intending to freshen up for the night. He instructed Mr. Atkinson to watch over her closely and report on her progress first thing in the morning. The doctor was also given a temporary room near Ashleigh¡¯s in case of emergencies.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    Adrian¡¯s sleep was restless. The next morning, he summoned Mr. Atkinson for a report on how Ashleigh had fared through the night. In the midst of the report, Mr. Turner entered with an urgent call from Mexico. Adrian excused the butler and took the phone. The call concerned his sudden departure; although most issues were resolved, some required immediate executive attention. By the time he finished the call, it was well into the morning. He handed the phone back to Turner and headed to Ashleigh¡¯s room.


    Ashleigh was finally awake, her eyes blinking sleepily as she conversed with the doctor. Surprise flickered across her face when she saw Adrian standing beside the bed. They both listened intently as the doctor offered advice on self-care and a healthier lifestyle. The doctor also rmended some natural herbs to replenish lost nutrients. With Ashleigh awake and alert, the IV was removed, transitioning to oral medication.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be taking my leave now, Mr. Cagliari,¡± the doctor said, packing her bag. ¡°For any questions, feel free to contact me. My secretary will arrange payment. Turner, please show the doctor out.¡±


    After the doctor and Turner left, Adrian signaled for everyone else to clear the room, the door closing softly behind them.


    ¡°Adrian? You¡¯re here,¡± Ashleigh croaked, her voice weak.


    ¡°I arrived yesterday, right before you lost consciousness,¡± he exined, approaching her bedside.


    He noticed an improvement in her appearance since the previous day. A light dress, likely thanks to Susan¡¯s help, reced her sleepwear. Her hair was secured in a tie, but her skin retained a faint flush.


    ¡°One might think,¡± Adrian began, a hint of disapproval in his voice, ¡°that you¡¯d be mature enough to know your limits for the sake of your health. Unfortunately, it seems that¡¯s not the case.¡±


    ¡°I simply wanted to ensure I was fully prepared for the Robin College exam,¡± Ashleigh defended herself weakly.


    ¡°If I hear that school¡¯s name again, you can forget about it entirely. You seem determined to do everything yourself. What good hase of it?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t overlook your role in my current state, Mr. Cagliari,¡± she countered, a cough escaping her lips at the end. ¡°Adding the house responsibilities to my existing workload was bound to take a toll. Isn¡¯t this what you desired? It happened.¡±


    Adrian reached for a ss of water by the bedside and offered it to her. A tense silence descended upon them. Ashleigh¡¯s words struck a chord. He tried to ignore the possibility that he¡¯d been too hasty, pushing it down. After all, it would be easier if she just resigned, as originally nned.


    ¡°You seem to have plenty of energy, Mrs. Cagliari, pointing fingers so readily,¡± he said finally. ¡°Since you refuse to take responsibility for your choices, perhaps you should have some time to reflect. Your admission to Robin College has been indefinitely postponed. No room for arguments.¡±

 Chapter 29

    Tension crackled in the air, thick with unspoken words. Ashleigh, stung by Adrian¡¯s pronouncement, red at him. The water ss trembled in her hand, mirroring the turmoil within her.


    ¡°Indefinitely?¡± she rasped, her voice barely a whisper butced with anger.


    ¡°Who gets to decide that?¡± ¡°Your husband,¡± Adrian countered, his tone clipped.


    ¡°Convenient, isn¡¯t it?¡± Ashleigh shot back, her voice dripping with sarcasm. ¡°When it suits you to control or belittle my dreams, you¡¯re suddenly my husband.¡±


    ¡°Look who¡¯s talking,¡± he retorted. ¡°The woman who nearly threw her health away for a dream that surely could have waited.¡±


    ¡°Not ¡®a¡¯ dream, Adrian,¡± Ashleigh pressed, her voice gaining strength. ¡°My dream. You say it could have waited? How long exactly? Since I was a teenager, Robin College has been my aspiration. I¡¯ve waited and yearned for this chance. This is my life, Adrian, not some trophy you can hand out or take away on a whim.¡±


    He took a deep breath, a slight crack appearing in hisposed facade. ¡°This isn¡¯t about control, Ashleigh. It¡¯s about priorities. You could have been seriously ill, all for an exam that can be rescheduled.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you see?¡± Ashleigh pleaded, her voice growing stronger.


    ¡°This opportunity won¡¯t wait! It¡¯s my chance to build a future, a career on my own merit, independent of you. Besides, the contract we signed clearly states you¡¯d support my education in any way possible.¡±


    ¡°Not at the expense of your health,¡± Adrian countered, his voice turning cold.


    ¡°This was just an entrance exam, and you ran yourself into the ground. What happens when you face actual coursework?¡± His words stung deeper than the fever ever could. A surge of anger red within Ashleigh, battling the remnants of fatigue.


    ¡°As I said before,¡± she retorted, her voice firm, ¡°this wouldn¡¯t have happened if I wasn¡¯t burdened with all the housework.¡±


    ¡°Yesterday I literally dragged myself from the study table to go arrange the report you requested and passed out after that¡± The air grew heavy again, a more suffocating silence than before. Adrian stared at Ashleigh, his jaw clenched tight.


    Perhaps a flicker of guilt crossed his face for a fleeting moment, but it was quickly masked by a frown. Just as Adrian was about to speak, a sharp rap on the door shattered the tense quiet. Turner entered, a mix of fear and urgency etched on his face. He could practically feel the waves of anger radiating from both his boss and his wife, but the message had to be delivered nheless.


    ¡°Apologies for interrupting, Mr. Cagliari,¡± Turner began, ¡°but there¡¯s an urgent call from Mr. Oscar.¡± Adrian sighed in frustration. He nced at Ashleigh, who still simmered with suppressed anger. But instead of meeting his gaze, she turned her head away, her eyes fixed on the window.


    ¡°Look,¡± Adrian started, his voice softening a touch, ¡°get some rest now. We can talk about this properly when you¡¯re feeling better.¡± Ashleigh remained silent, her gaze unwavering from the window.


    With a curt nod, Adrian left the room, Turner by his side. At the doorway, he bumped into Susan. He paused, his steely gaze causing her to flinch.


    ¡°I believe she¡¯s been out here for a while, sir,¡± Turner exined, his eyes flickering away from Susan. Without a word, Adrian addressed Susan.


    ¡°Go in and be with her,¡± he ordered curtly before striding off to deal with the pressing issue. Susan, relieved by the dismissal, entered Ashleigh¡¯s room. The sight that greeted her was of Ashleigh staring out the window, her posture radiating dejection.


    ¡°Mrs. Ashleigh, how are you feeling?¡± Susan asked cautiously. The sound of her voice piqued Ashleigh¡¯s interest, and she turned her head to face Susan.


    ¡°Come closer, Susan,¡± Ashleigh beckoned weakly.


    ¡°How long have you been waiting outside?¡± she inquired, watching Susan walk towards the bed. She knew Susan was fiercely loyal and would wait for hours to see her, despite a healthy dose of fear towards Adrian.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t been waiting long,¡± Susan reassured.


    ¡°I came in earlier this morning to help you get dressed, but you were still fast asleep. I just wanted to make sure you were alright.¡± Out of habit, Susan began smoothing out the rumpled sheets.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to worry about me, Susan,¡± Ashleigh murmured, though Susan remained wary of Adrian.


    ¡°Mrs. Ashleigh,¡± Susan began hesitantly, ¡°it wasn¡¯t wise to neglect your health like that. I was terribly frightened when I found you unconscious. Mr. Cagliari was quite worried too, you know. He wouldn¡¯t leave your side until you woke up.¡± Susan confessed reluctantly.


    Ashleigh looked up at her, a flicker of surprise crossing her face. ¡°What did you say about Adrian?¡± Ashleigh pressed, her voiceced with disbelief. Susan blinked, momentarily confused.


    ¡°Do you mean Mr. Cagliari? When I found you unconscious,¡± Susan continued, ¡°Mr. Atkinson wasn¡¯t avable. I ran to find him and met him with Mr. Cagliari. All I wanted was for him to call a doctor. I must¡¯ve appeared quite distraught.¡± A flicker of surprise crossed Ashleigh¡¯s face.


    The resentment she harbored towards Adrian had softened considerably.


    ¡°He was angry, but concerned?¡± she asked, her voice barely a whisper.


    ¡°Very much so, Mrs. Ashleigh,¡± Susan confirmed.


    ¡°He stayed by your bedside the entire time, refusing even a drink of water until you woke up.¡± Silence settled once more, a contemtive quiet this time. Finally, Ashleigh spoke, her voiceced with concern.


    ¡°I hope this hasn¡¯t caused any undue worry among the staff.¡±


    ¡°Oh, everyone¡¯s been beside themselves,¡± Susan replied.


    ¡°The way I rushed for Mr. Atkinson must have alerted them. Even Chef Larry hasn¡¯t been able to settle, constantly asking after you.¡± Ashleigh seemed lost in thought, barely registering Susan¡¯s words.


    ¡°Do you think Mr. Cagliari will be very upset?¡± Ashleigh questioned to see her response.Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    ¡°Upset, certainly, given the scare you gave everyone,¡± Susan acknowledged.


    ¡°But with time, I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll understand.¡± Ashleigh let out a long sigh. ¡°I certainly hope so,¡± she murmured, a flicker of worry returning to her eyes.


    ¡°Otherwise, attending Robin College bes an impossibility.¡± Susan felt a surge of determination.


    ¡°You absolutely must take the exam, Mrs. Ashleigh. You¡¯ve worked so hard for this opportunity. Deep down, I don¡¯t believe Mr. Cagliari would be so cruel as to deny you.¡± A teasing smile yed on Ashleigh¡¯s lips.


    ¡°Hmm, that much faith in Mr. Cagliari, Susan? Weren¡¯t you scared he¡¯d fire you for my little breakdown?¡± Susan straightened her shoulders, a newfound confidence in her voice.


    ¡°I¡¯m simply basing it on what I witnessed. Whether I stay or not is uncertain, but I believe he¡¯ll be reasonable, at least. If not, I won¡¯t hesitate to speak on your behalf, to exin the importance of Robin College to you.¡± Ashleigh¡¯s smile widened, touched by her loyal assistant¡¯s bravery.


    ¡°You¡¯re a gem, Susan,¡± she said, reaching out to cup Susan¡¯s cheeks.


    ¡°Just like you said, I¡¯ll be attending Robin College. Mr. Cagliari will just have toe to terms with it.¡± Susan nodded, relieved.


    ¡°Perhaps a little rest would do you good, Mrs. Ashleigh. The doctor did say your appetite should return soon, and you do have medication to take.¡± Ashleigh shook her head, a small smile ying on her lips.


    ¡°Not just yet. I¡¯m not quite hungry.¡± Susan¡¯s concern flickered again.


    ¡°But Mrs. Ashleigh, you need to eat something! And take your medication on time.¡± Ashleigh, however, seemed averse to the idea. The mere mention of medication seemed to churn her stomach.


    ¡°Like I said,¡± she insisted, her voice firm but kind, ¡°I¡¯m not hungry right now. Sleep is what I need.¡± Susan, seeing the fatigue etched on Ashleigh¡¯s face, relented.


    She adjusted the pillows forfort, then pulled the chair from the study table to sit beside the bed and then grabbed the chair from Ashleigh¡¯s study table and positioned it beside the bed, much to Ashleigh¡¯s amusement.


    ¡°Do you intend to watch over me like a child?¡± Ashleigh teased, although a hint of fatigue was evident in her voice. Seeing Susan¡¯s determined expression, she decided not to argue further and simply drifted off to sleep.

 Chapter 30

    Frustration simmered beneath the surface as Adrian tackled his work. He made calls, barked orders, and even mmed hisptop shut in irritation. Mr. Turner, ever cautious, kept his distance. Anything he did seemed to further irritate his already vtile boss.


    Despite theser focus on his tasks, Adrian couldn¡¯t shake Ashleigh¡¯s words. Her usations about his contribution to her workload echoed in his mind, sessfully evoking a pang of guilt. The shrill ring of the phone shattered his concentration. He red at Mr. Turner, who held the phone out with a questioning look.


    ¡°Sir, it¡¯s Dr. Brooke, Ashleigh¡¯s tutor,¡± Turner announced.


    ¡°Answer it and hand it over,¡± Adrian instructed, snatching the phone from Turner¡¯s grasp.


    ¡°Mr. Cagliari, good afternoon. I¡¯ve been trying to reach you for weeks,¡± Dr. Brooke¡¯s voice came through the line. ¡°Your secretary mentioned you were unavable.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Dr. Brooke, business has been demandingtely,¡± Adrian exined, omitting his earlier instructions to block the tutor¡¯s calls. Anger at Ashleigh¡¯s refusal to quit her job had clouded his judgment. He¡¯d assumed she had everything under control, negating the need to monitor her studies. Now, it seemed he was sorely mistaken.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m d I finally caught you,¡± Dr. Brooke continued. ¡°The exams started today, and I was calling to check on Ashleigh.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid Ashleigh won¡¯t be taking the exam,¡± Adrian informed her, a heavy silence following his words. ¡°She¡¯s been ill and is currently recuperating.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s terrible news,¡± Dr. Brooke sighed. ¡°Ashleigh was incredibly invested in this opportunity. She prepared rigorously for our sessions and made remarkable progress in such a short time.¡±


    ¡°The poor girl practically toiled away,¡± Dr. Brooke continued, her voice tinged with disappointment. ¡°She¡¯d have me repeat possible questions and rehearse answers endlessly. That kind of determination is exactly what Robin College seeks in their students. Honestly, she would have been a perfect candidate for the schrship.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t there other exam opportunities?¡± Adrian inquired, a glimmer of hope flickering.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t Ashleigh mention it?¡± Dr. Brooke replied. ¡°Robin College prides itself on being an elite institution. They only hold examinations once a year. She could try next year, but that puts her at a disadvantage. The applicant pool will only grow, and frankly, her age might work against her as well. They typically ept students between 17 and 21.¡±


    Dr. Brooke¡¯s words hung heavy in the air, leaving Adrian speechless. This new information onlypounded the situation.


    Dr. Brooke¡¯s parting words hung heavy in the air. ¡°Mr. Cagliari, I hope you¡¯re supporting her during this. Especially since shecked your support during her preparations, it took a toll on her.¡±


    Adrian gritted his teeth. ¡°If that¡¯s all, Dr. Brooke. Good day.¡±


    He ended the call, throwing it to Mr. Turner who fumbled to catch it.


    ¡°Get Mr. Atkinson in here, now,¡± Adrian barked, frustration coloring his voice.


    Atkinson, the ever-efficient butler, appeared momentster. ¡°You called for me, sir?¡±


    Tell me about the past two weeks,¡± Adrian demanded, his voice clipped.


    ¡°How did Ashleigh manage?¡±


    Atkinson cleared his throat. ¡°Mrs. Cagliari struggled with the workload, sir. She even decided to hire an assistant to help her while she was at work.¡±


    ¡°Even then,¡± he continued, shaking his head, ¡°after her studies, she¡¯d call Susan every night. Checking in, asking about the day¡¯s events, staff issues, giving instructions for the next day. Despite it all, her books never faltered. Her aunt eventually had to grant her leave because her work performance suffered.¡±


    Adrian listened intently, a knot tightening in his stomach with every word.


    ¡°Susan did her best, sir,¡± Atkinson went on, ¡°but Mrs. Cagliari is a determined woman. She did what she felt she had to do, even resorting to consumingrge quantities of your strong coffee brew to stay alert.¡±


    Adrian stared, a jolt of shock coursing through him. That exined the excessive caffeine. His special brew, designed for histe nights, was the culprit behind Ashleigh¡¯ste-night study sessions. Guilt gnawed at him as he realized the lengths she¡¯d gone to, the sacrifices she¡¯d made for her dream. Dr. Brooke¡¯s call, coupled with this new revtion, painted a stark picture of his own shorings.


    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Atkinson,¡± he finally managed, his voice tight. ¡°You may go. And see to it that all caffeinated products are removed from the storage. My personal brew is to be handed over to Mr. Turner.¡±


    Atkinson nodded curtly and left the room. The afternoon wore on, punctuated by the scratch of Adrian¡¯s pen as he dealt with minor tasks. But guilt gnawed at him, a relentless current pulling him towards Ashleigh. Finally, unable to sit still any longer, he decided to check on her.


    As the sun dipped below the horizon, he rose from his desk, instructing Mr. Turner to meet with Atkinson before closing for the day. With a cold resolve etched on his face, he headed towards his room. A quick change into a pair of gray pajamaster, he emerged, his hair slightly ruffled. He looked handsome, despite the determined glint in his eyes. The soft click of his slippers echoed down the hallway as he reached Ashleigh¡¯s door, his hand hovering over the knob.


    A muffled conversation drifted from inside. It was Susan, pleading with Ashleigh. ¡°Mrs. Ashleigh, you have to eat something. Your medication is long overdue, and you promised to eat after your nap.¡±N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    Ashleigh¡¯s voice, weak and devoid of enthusiasm, replied, ¡°I¡¯m not hungry, Susan. I already told you.¡±


    Adrian entered the room just as Susan attempted to coax a reluctant Ashleigh to eat. ¡°You¡¯re not on IV fluids, are you?¡± he inquired, startling Susan with his unexpected presence.


    Ashleigh turned, her body stiff, to see him standing beside Susan. Susan dipped her head in a brief greeting, while Adrian frowned at the tray in her hands.


    ¡± Potatoes andmb? That¡¯s hardly suitable for someone recovering,¡± he said coldly.


    ¡°Mr. Atkinson didn¡¯t brief you on what Ashleigh needs?¡±


    Susan stammered, ¡°S-sir, I was informed, but I thought this might be more to Mrs. Cagliari¡¯s liking.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not about personal preferences,¡± Adrian countered sharply. ¡°You follow instructions.¡±


    Susan, clearly flustered, could only nod in agreement.


    ¡°Adrian, it¡¯s alright,¡± Ashleigh interjected weakly. ¡°She was just trying to be helpful.¡±


    He turned to her, his gaze unwavering. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t she follow instructions? You do the same when it suits you. Here you are, refusing the food you need to recover properly.¡±


    He gestured towards Susan. ¡°Go, tell the kitchen to prepare a light porridge for Mrs. Cagliari.¡± Susan nodded and hurried out of the room.


    ¡°I already said I¡¯m not hungry,¡± Ashleigh insisted, watching him approach the bed.


    ¡°Starving yourself out of anger won¡¯t solve anything,¡± he stated.


    ¡°If you want things to improve, you need to focus on getting well.¡±


    A flicker of hope sparked in Ashleigh¡¯s eyes. ¡°What do you mean by ¡®improve¡¯?¡±


    ¡°What I said,¡± he replied.


    ¡°This opportunity for Robin College is still within reach, but only if you cooperate.¡±


    ¡°Every time I¡¯ve done that, it¡¯s ended in regret,¡± she countered, her voiceced with bitterness.


    He leaned to meet her gaze, his eyes holding hers captive. Her heart, already amped from the residual caffeine, pounded in her chest, a drum solo only she could hear. Hisrge hands reached out and cupped her face, gently tilting it upwards.


    ¡°This time will be different,¡± he murmured, his voice a husky whisper.


    ¡°You won¡¯t have regrets.¡± The intensity in his gaze sent a flush creeping up her cheeks, a stark contrast to the feverish pallor that had lingered earlier that morning.


    A hesitant smile touched his lips. ¡°You look a little better than this morning, at least.¡±


    Author¡¯s note:How are you enjoying the book so far?

 Chapter 31

    Ashleigh recoiled from Adrian¡¯s touch, her gaze darting nervously away. Her heart pounded a frantic rhythm, threatening to escte her fever.


    ¡°You¡¯re just trying to distract me from my frustration,¡± she used, her voice tight with suspicion. Adrian continued to smile, unfazed by her usation.


    ¡°Actually,¡± he countered nonchntly, settling into the plush pink chair, ¡°I simply wanted to get a closer look at you, like I did this morning. You seem to be the one reading ulterior motives into my actions.¡±


    However, a hint of mischief danced in his eyes as he met her gaze. She couldn¡¯t ignore the yful spark that contradicted his seemingly earnest words.


    ¡°Regardless,¡± Ashleigh said, her tone softening slightly, ¡°I trust you¡¯ll keep your promise this time, Mr. Cagliari. But will it be possible to schedule the examination sometime after this week? Robin College is notoriously selective with their admissions.¡±


    ¡°Why waste your energy worrying about that right now?¡± Adrian replied, his voice assuming a more authoritative tone. ¡°Focus on recovering. That¡¯s all that matters.¡±


    As if on cue, Susan entered the room, carrying a steaming bowl of porridge. The otherwise nd beige offered little to tempt Ashleigh¡¯s appetite, especially considering the few meager pieces of minced meat adorning the surface. Her face contorted in disappointment.


    ¡°Adrian, couldn¡¯t I have something else?¡± she pleaded, her voice weak butced with a hint of childlike defiance. ¡°Something¡­ more exciting?¡±


    Adrian chuckled, a warm sound that sent a pleasant shiver down her spine despite her illness. ¡°You¡¯ll have plenty of time for exciting meals when you¡¯re fully recovered. For now, this is the best option for you.¡±


    He offered her a gentle smile, gesturing for her to begin. Ashleigh reached out, her hand trembling slightly, and scooped a hesitant spoonful of the porridge.


    Contrary to her expectations, the broth-infused porridge boasted a surprisingly delicate vor. The light texture made it easy to swallow, and before she realized it, the simple meal had managed to awaken her slumbering appetite. Soon, the bowl was empty. Susan, filled with satisfaction, cleared the tray, a subtle smile ying on her lips as she exchanged a knowing nce with Adrian before leaving the room.


    Mr. Atkinson entered on her heels, carrying the prescribed medication. Ashleigh, momentarily energized by her newfound hunger, put up a valiant effort to resist taking it. But the stern look in Adrian¡¯s eyes, coupled with the yful barb about her ¡°child-like behavior,¡± ultimately persuaded her toply.


    ¡°Taking care of yourself would be beneficial, Ashleigh,¡± Adrian said, his voice surprisingly gentle. ¡°You¡¯re quite a handful to handle when you¡¯re ill.¡±


    ¡°Well, I never said you had to be the one tending to me,¡± she retorted with a yful pout. ¡°You¡¯re free to leave if you wish.¡±


    ¡°If I did,¡± he countered with a smirk, ¡°I¡¯m certain you¡¯d make life miserable for the staff, refusing to eat or take your medicine. It would be a refreshing change for them, seeing their usuallyposed boss behave like a child.¡±


    His teasing words elicited a genuine frown from Ashleigh. Though his words wereced with humor, there was a hint of truth to them.


    Ashleigh had a reputation. Ever since childhood, she¡¯d been known as the ¡°fussy sick kid¡± at the orphanage. While typically robust, her rare illnesses transformed into ordeals for the caretakers. Days of refusing food and fluids often ended in forced intravenous nutrition. Her recovery was equally trying  a period of weakness and resistance that left the staff utterly exhausted. Thankfully, as she matured, Ashleigh became more responsible for her health. asional fevers, colds, and work-rted aches became the norm, easily treated with soothing herbal teas.


    ¡°That¡¯s not quite true,¡± she mumbled childishly, unintentionally reinforcing his point.


    ¡°Since you¡¯ve chosen to stick around for my recovery,¡± she continued, her voiceced with a hint of usation, ¡°you could at least be helpful. After all, you¡¯re partly to me for this state. I¡¯d like a bath, so a hand up would be appreciated.¡± She extended a hand towards him.


    Ignoring her request, Adrian surprised her by scooping her up into his arms.


    ¡°Adrian! What are you doing? I just asked for help getting out of bed!¡± Ashleigh eximed, flustered, and squirming in his grasp.


    ¡°You keep saying I caused this,¡± he countered, ¡°so I¡¯m taking responsibility. You could barely manage your spoon; how long could you stand?¡± He squeezed her thighs gently to hold her steady, sensing her attempt to wriggle free.


    ¡°Don¡¯t move, be a good girl,¡± he ordered in a husky voice, his gaze locking with hers. Ashleigh froze, a nervous gulp escaping her lips.


    A heat wave flushed through her. Her hands, sped around his neck, turned slick with sudden perspiration. Held in his arms, she felt as if she might dissolve. Seeing him in pajamas, rxed and handsome, had robbed her of breath when he entered earlier. Now, with the events of the evening culminating in this unexpected embrace, it felt like he deliberately intended to take her breath away.


    Just as he started walking towards the bathroom, Ashleigh managed to speak. ¡°I need to get something to wear,¡± she croaked.


    He stopped and proceeded towards her wardrobe. Gently setting her down, he offered her the opportunity to choose her sleepwear. However, as if to validate his earlier statement, her legs buckled beneath her. He caught her just in time, preventing a fall.


    ¡°And what was that about walking on your own?¡± he inquired with a yful glint in his eyes. Ashleigh couldn¡¯t help but squirm under his scrutiny.


    With a firm hand on her waist, Adrian guided Ashleigh towards the wardrobe. He used his free hand to open it, but Ashleigh remained oblivious, her focus entirely captured by the sensation of his arm around her. A gentle squeeze brought her back to the present. Her gaze met his with a flicker of annoyance.


    ¡°Would you stop that?¡± she mumbled.


    ¡°Why should I?¡± he countered yfully. ¡°You¡¯ve been out of it for a minute. Care to share what¡¯s on your mind?¡±


    Ashleigh averted his gaze. ¡°No, I¡¯ll just choose my sleepwear now, thank you.¡± She reached for a pair of silk pajamas, but Adrian gently intercepted them.


    ¡°Silk won¡¯t befortable for your fever,¡± he exined. ¡°Cotton would be better.¡± He held up a pink, short-sleeved cotton nightgown.


    ¡°You seem to know a lot about caring for sick women, Mr. Cagliari,¡± Ashleigh remarked, taking the gown from him.


    ¡°Well, I should,¡± he replied. ¡°I took care of my grandmother when she was ill.¡± A genuine warmth filled his voice. Despite his words, Ashleigh couldn¡¯t shake a feeling of skepticism.


    ¡°Nobody else? Just your grandma?¡± she probed, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you like to know?¡± he teased, a yful smirk gracing his lips as he leaned closer.


    Just then, Susan entered the room, witnessing her employer and Ashleigh in a peculiar state. Adrian leaned close, his arm around Ashleigh¡¯s waist, while Ashleigh held the nightgown tightly. Deciding to interrupt, Susan spoke up.


    ¡°Madame, if you require assistance getting ready, please don¡¯t hesitate to ask.¡±


    Both Ashleigh and Adrian turned towards her. ¡°Susan,¡± Ashleigh instructed, ¡°draw the bath and assist me tonight.¡± She pushed Adrian away subtly, causing him to roll his eyes in amusement.


    Susan scurried into the bathroom to prepare the bath. Upon returning, she informed Ashleigh it was ready.Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    ¡°Thank you for your help so far, Adrian,¡± Ashleigh said politely, ¡°but I can manage from here with Susan¡¯s assistance.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure? I¡¯m happy to help further,¡± he offered. Ashleigh shook her head, a faint blush creeping onto her cheeks. ¡°It¡¯s fine, really. I¡¯ve been standing for a while now, a few steps won¡¯t be a problem.¡±


    Ashleigh disengaged from Adrian¡¯s hold and leaned into Susan, who stood beside her. With slow, careful steps, they made their way to the bathroom. Adrian watched them until the door closed behind them, a chuckle escaping his lips at Ashleigh¡¯s defiance. He then settled back into the ufortable chair, a habit he¡¯d developed during his stay.


    An hourter, Ashleigh emerged from the bathroom. The scent of jasmine filled the room. She looked exactly as he¡¯d imagined her: undeniably cute but also surprisingly alluring. Her skin flushed red from the hot bath, weariness etched on her face.


    ¡°You¡¯re still here?¡± she asked, surprised. He replied with a silent nod, taking over from Susan and helping her into bed. The moment her head touched the pillow, Ashleigh fell fast asleep.


    Susan, relieved to see her employer finally resting, bowed respectfully and retired for the night. Adrian sat beside Ashleigh for a while, listening to her soft snores. Once convinced she was settled for the night, he stood and left the room, casting onest look at her sleeping form before switching off the lights and following Susan out.

 Chapter 32

    For the next two days, Ashleigh remained confined to her room, recovering. Mr. Atkinson or Susan delivered all her meals, medications, and necessities. Though Adrian didn¡¯t stay constantly, he made a point to visit every evening for at least an hour after returning from work. During these visits, Ashleigh persistently questioned him about Robin College, but his answers remained frustratingly vague.


    By the weekend, Ashleigh felt strong enough to move around freely. Her eagerness to escape confinement meant breakfast would be her first outing. News of her recovery brought relief and joy to the staff. They eagerly awaited their Madame¡¯s return, and Chef Larry prepared a magnificent feast in her honor.


    Ashleigh woke up in a chirpy mood, bustling about the room with Susan. She wanted aplete transformation: fresh sheets and pillows, a lighter scent in the air, new curtains in a brighter color scheme, even a change in toiletries. Everything that reminded her of her gloomy week of illness had to go. Adrian entered to find her talking with Susan, who looked overwhelmed by the numerous requests.


    ¡°It¡¯s quite a brisk start to the day, Ashleigh,¡± hemented, drawing her attention as he stood by the door.


    ¡°Good morning, Adrian. I need aplete overhaul,¡± she exined, watching him approach. ¡°I want a different room when Ie back from breakfast. Anything that reminds me of being sick needs to be gone.¡±


    ¡°Your orders will be followed,¡± he replied. ¡°But for now, breakfast awaits downstairs. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve been looking forward to it all week.¡±


    They descended the stairs infortable silence, where Mr. Turner and Mr. Atkinson greeted them. Mr. Turner wore a lighter expression than usual.


    ¡°Good morning, Mr. Turner. It¡¯s good to see you,¡± Ashleigh greeted him with genuine warmth.


    ¡°Good morning, Mrs. Ashleigh. I¡¯m delighted you¡¯re feeling better,¡± he responded, a smile breaking across his face.


    ¡°Mr. Cagliari,¡± Mr. Atkinson announced, gesturing for them to follow, ¡°breakfast will be held outside this morning.¡±


    Adrian and Ashleigh followed him past the kitchen, their surprise growing as they reached the outdoor dining area. The table was adorned with colorful balloons and strategically ced flowers, creating a vibrant scene. The staff stood by the door, beaming smiles as their Madame approached. Chef Larry stood at the far end, his gaze fixed on Adrian walking beside Ashleigh.


    ¡°Good morning, Madame! We¡¯re so happy you¡¯re feeling better!¡± the staff greeted in unison, their enthusiasm startling Ashleigh slightly.


    ¡°Mrs. Cagliari,¡± Mr. Atkinson began, acting as their spokesperson, ¡°the staff wanted to put together a small celebration for your recovery. The gardeners picked the flowers, the cleaning staff added the balloons, and the kitchen staff prepared the delicious food.¡±


    Ashleigh¡¯s smile widened as she took it all in. This unexpected gesture warmed her heart. ¡°Thank you all,¡± she said, touched by their thoughtfulness. ¡°This is a truly lovely surprise.¡± Turning to Mr. Atkinson, she added, ¡°Please make sure everyone enjoys this meal. If there¡¯s not enough, have them prepare more.¡±


    The staff erupted in cheers. Some lingered to personally express their joy at her recovery, while others dispersed. Chef Larry discreetly positioned himself near the table, sending the assistants inside. This subtle movement didn¡¯t escape Adrian¡¯s watchful eye. He took a seat, preparing for his first encounter with the Chef. Since theirst phone call, Mr. Atkinson had sent him information on Chef Larry, and one detail had piqued his curiosity. However, Ashleigh¡¯s illness and ongoing business matters had diverted his attention. Now, he finally had the opportunity to meet him.


    The two men locked eyes  Adrian with a cool stare, Chef Larry with a brief but scrutinizing nce. Chef Larry broke the silence first.


    ¡°Good morning, Mr. Cagliari. It¡¯s a pleasure to finally meet you in person.¡± He proceeded to serve Adrian a selection of dishes from the spread on the table.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Chef,¡± Adrian acknowledged with a nod, ¡°I see you¡¯ve prepared a delightful feast. Mypliments.¡±


    Chef Larry bowed respectfully. ¡°I do my best, sir. It¡¯s all for the sake of Mrs. Ashleigh¡¯s recovery.¡± He nced back at Ashleigh, who was still conversing with the staff.


    Frowning slightly, Adrian was about to speak when Ashleigh returned to the table, effectively cutting him off. The air crackled with a subtle tension, hinting at an underlying dynamic between the Chef and Adrian and Ashleigh, noticed the mood when she got to the table. She decided to lighten the mood.


    ¡°Chef Larry, this spread is incredible!¡± Ashleigh eximed, her eyes sparkling as she surveyed the beautifully presented dishes.


    ¡°I thought you deserved a proper meal after all you¡¯ve been through,¡± he replied modestly.


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t be humble! The staff mentioned this surprise was your idea too,¡± she revealed, her gaze meeting his intently.


    Adrian¡¯s brow furrowed slightly. ¡°Well,¡± he began, hesitantly scratching the back of his neck, ¡°seeing you miss your exam after all that hard work¡­ I just wanted to do something, however small, to cheer you up.¡±


    With a grateful smile, Ashleigh took a seat beside Adrian. He politely pulled out her chair and then returned to his own.


    ¡°How very benevolent of you,¡± Adrian remarked sarcastically, earning a side-eye from Ashleigh.


    ¡°Thank you so much, Chef Larry,¡± Ashleigh said sincerely, her voice brimming with appreciation. ¡°I truly appreciate your efforts.¡±


    Chef Larry¡¯s response was a gentle smile and a whispered, ¡°It¡¯s no trouble at all, Mrs. Ashleigh.¡±


    The exchange didn¡¯t sit well with Adrian, who cast a disapproving nce at them. An ufortable silence descended as Chef Larry catered to Ashleigh¡¯s requests. A strange tension bubbled within Adrian, spoiling his appetite.


    ¡°Haven¡¯t touched your food yet, Adrian?¡± Ashleigh inquired, noticing his untouched te.


    ¡°I was waiting for you,¡± he grumbled, his gaze fixed on Chef Larry, who seemed oblivious to the rising tension.


    Ashleigh followed his stare to see Chef Larry . Realization dawned on her  she hadn¡¯t mentioned the chef change.


    ¡°Actually,¡± she began, ¡°I may have forgotten to tell you¡­ Chef Larry is here because Chef Frank had an ident and couldn¡¯t continue. Rather than find a recement, Chef Larry offered to take on the position full-time.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Atkinson did mention his arrival,¡± Adrian admitted, his voice strained.


    ¡°He seems skilled, but there are a few things that concern me. However, let¡¯s just eat. You need to take your medication soon.¡±


    He picked up his fork, but the initial enthusiasm for the meal seemed to have vanished.


    Ashleigh noticed Adrian¡¯s growing displeasure during the meal, but decided to address itter. For now, she relished the delicious food, requesting refills of juice and chatting with Chef Larry. Their conversation flowed effortlessly, like old friends catching up. Larry shared his activities during her illness and even promised to prepare one of his culinary creations from that week.


    Meanwhile, Adrian¡¯s irritation simmered with each passing moment. By the time Ashleigh finished her meal and took her medication, his patience had worn thin. He stood up abruptly and left, his foul mood evident to both Ashleigh and Chef Larry.


    ¡°I assume Mr. Cagliari isn¡¯t pleased with my presence here,¡± Chef Larry remarked, a weak smile failing to mask his disappointment. Ashleigh noticed the dejected look he tried to hide.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Chef Larry,¡± she reassured him. ¡°He¡¯s just upset I didn¡¯t tell him about your new role.¡±


    Chef Larry shook his head. ¡°No, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s all of it. I wouldn¡¯t want any misunderstandings on my ount. Please, do whatever you need to do if there¡¯s a problem.¡±


    Ashleigh frowned. ¡°Nonsense! Whatever¡¯s bothering him, I¡¯ll handle it. Your position here is secure, you¡¯re part of the family now,¡± she dered firmly.


    He nodded silently, epting her reassurance.


    ¡°Well, I should be going now,¡± she said, rising from her seat.


    Only after she left did Chef Larry look up, a smirk recing his earlier disappointment. He stared at Ashleigh¡¯s retreating form.

 Chapter 33

    Ashleigh, determined to clear the air with Adrian about his strange behavior towards Chef Larry, hurried up the stairs. Spotting him engrossed in a call as he neared his study, she sprinted down the hall to intercept him. Adrian, deeply involved in his conversation, didn¡¯t register Ashleigh¡¯s approach until she practically dashed in front of him, halting his progress towards the study door.


    ¡°Wait! I need to talk to you,¡± she blurted, catching her breath as she leaned against the doorframe. He gave her a surprised look before finishing his call.


    ¡°That will be all for now,¡± he said, pocketing his phone.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± he inquired, concern recing his initial surprise.


    ¡°We need to talk about Chef Larry,¡± she started, noticing his brow furrow at the mention of the name.


    ¡°Is that so?¡± he replied, his tone guarded.


    ¡°Yes,¡± she pressed, ¡°your mood seemed off ever since I joined you at breakfast. And then you mentioned something about him being¡­ intriguing?¡±


    Adrian studied her for a moment, gauging her genuine curiosity. He softened his initial bluntness.


    ¡°Perhaps you¡¯re trusting him a bit too readily, wouldn¡¯t you say?¡±


    ¡°Trusting him? How so?¡± she asked, confused by his implication.


    ¡°This close rtionship with him,¡± he borated.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you find it a bit strange? A highly skilled military man at such a young age, suddenly whipping up gourmet meals and desserts for you?¡±


    ¡°Is that what¡¯s bothering you?¡± Ashleigh countered, a hint of amusement in her voice.


    ¡°I admit, I was initially curious about his background too. But he exined that he left the military at his grandmother¡¯s request. Apparently, she wanted him to settle down and pursue a more stable career, so he chose to be a chef.¡±


    Adrian nodded slowly. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, fine. However, I think this unnecessary closeness with him shouldn¡¯t continue.¡±


    ¡°Unnecessary closeness?¡± she raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°We simply talk, Adrian. It¡¯s a normal friendship.¡±


    ¡°There shouldn¡¯t be any personal rtionships between employer and employee, beyond the professional one,¡± he asserted, a hint of possessivenesscing his tone.


    Ashleigh shook her head, disagreeing. ¡°That¡¯s where I have to differ, Adrian. It¡¯s important to create a bnced work environment for staff. Fostering genuine connections leads to better morale and productivity.¡±N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    ¡°So, hosting karaoke nights is your idea of a bnced work environment?¡± he scoffed, amusement flickering in his eyes.


    ¡°If anything, it¡¯s made the staff a little too rxed, and I can see how it could create misunderstandings.¡±


    He made a move to open the study door, but Ashleigh stood her ground, determined to finish her point.


    ¡°So be it then,¡± Ashleigh dered, her voiceced with defiance.


    ¡°But you handed all the decision-making to me when we made this deal. I¡¯ll lead this house as I see fit.¡± Adrian smirked as he entered the study, amusement dancing in his eyes.


    ¡°A month ago, you couldn¡¯t wait to be done with everything to do with this life, with me even. Now you¡¯re asking me to back off? Quite a remarkable change, wouldn¡¯t you say?¡±


    Ashleigh stood there, a wave of emotions washing over her. Only now, with his words, did she truly grasp the passage of time. A month. A single month since she¡¯d signed the contract, a month since the world had tilted on its axis. Just a month ago, bitterness had been her constantpanion, coloring her perception of everything around her, especially Adrian.


    Yet, a monthter, she had to acknowledge the undeniable shift. The fierceness that had fueled her every interaction with him had begun to wane gradually, reced by something less vtile, something she couldn¡¯t quite define. Perhaps it was the way he¡¯d taken care of her during her illness, a stark contrast to the cold, distant person she¡¯d expected. Regardless of the reason, her perspective had undeniably changed.


    However, amidst this internal transformation, a gnawing remained. Two months. That¡¯s how long it had been since she¡¯d agreed to this charade, and neither of her primary goals hade to fruition. The doors of Robin College remained firmly shut, the coveted admission slipping through her grasp. And the information on her parents? Still veiled in frustrating ambiguity. The power dynamic remained firmly in his favor. Her resolve hardened. This wouldn¡¯t stand. She had to find a way to turn the tables, to gain some leverage in this bizarre situation.


    With a heavy heart, Ashleigh entered the second month of this strange marriage. News of Robin College¡¯s closed admissions, gleaned from a quick inte search, dealt another blow. Adrian was already gone on another business trip, having left before dawn that morning, unreachable by phone. Back at her workce, she found sce in the familiar embrace of her aunt, Mrs. Smith. Tears streamed down Ashleigh¡¯s face as she recounted the news.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Ashleigh,¡± Mrs. Smith soothed, gently stroking her niece¡¯s back. ¡°I believe Adrian is working on something.¡±


    ¡°He refuses to tell me anything, and now he¡¯s gone again!¡± Ashleigh cried out, frustrationcing her voice. ¡°He keeps letting me down, Aunt! I hate this feeling of dependence.¡±


    Her outburst reached the ears of James and Fiona, who rushed to her side, rmed by the sight of their beloved friend in tears. They assumed her distress stemmed from the college rejection, their hearts aching at the sight.


    ¡°What happened to our schr?¡± Fiona asked gently, attempting to offerfort. Mrs. Smith simply shook her head, a silent plea hanging heavy in the air.


    ¡°Actually, Ashleigh was ill throughoutst week, hence she could not attempt the examinations¡± Mrs. Smith announced, and shock registered on their faces.


    They rushed to Ashleigh, offering silentfort with a warm embrace. Witnessing Ashleigh¡¯s dejection after all her exam preparation left them speechless.


    After a while, Ashleigh managed topose herself, but a dull ache throbbed in her head. Despite Mrs. Smith¡¯s offer to return home, she refused, opting for a painkiller instead. Leaving now wouldn¡¯t reflect well on her with her subordinates, and the thought of returning to that house was unbearable.


    The painkiller took effect, allowing her to soldier through the rest of the day. With a brave face, she tackled her workload. As evening approached, everyone began wrapping up their work. Ashleigh started gathering her things too. Fiona and James exchanged a hesitant nce, yearning to lift her spirits with a fun outing. They weren¡¯t sure if she¡¯d be receptive after the day¡¯s events.


    ¡°Ashleigh,¡± James began hesitantly, catching her attention.


    ¡°Yes?¡± she responded, turning towards them.


    ¡°Fiona and I were wondering if you¡¯d be interested in hanging out today,¡± James suggested.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been swamped recently, and we haven¡¯t had much quality time.¡±


    Ashleigh stood there for a moment, considering their invitation. Her mind raced with an escape n.


    Petty as it felt, resentment gnawed at her. Adrian could flit off on business trips whenever he pleased, dropping out of contact, while she remained confined within the four walls of his house, waiting for his return.


    A smile yed on her lips as she faced them.


    ¡°Let¡¯s do it,¡± she agreed, surprising them with her quick eptance.


    They expected a little more persuasion. Stepping closer, she grabbed their arms, her voice dropping to a whisper.


    ¡°Actually, I have a much better idea,¡± she confided, a mischievous glint in her eyes.


    Author¡¯s note: is Ashleigh petty or is it needed for her to have her escape?

 Chapter 34

    ¡°Are you sure we won¡¯t get in trouble at work, Ashleigh?¡± James, the ever-present voice of doubt, asked again, hoisting himself upright in his hammock.


    ¡°You should have worried about that three days ago, James,¡± Fiona countered, rolling her eyes beneath the cucumber slices adorning her face.


    ¡°We¡¯re halfway through the week; why not enjoy it?¡±


    Ashleigh, nestled in the furthest hammock, hummed along to music filtering through her earbuds, blissfully unconcerned. James had initially balked at the idea of escaping to this secluded resort, but Ashleigh¡¯s fervent desire for a break from the city had swayed them. Nestled two towns away amidst a lush forest, the resort catered to luxury camping enthusiasts. Fiona, with a well-ced ¡°favor¡± owed by the owner, secured them a discounted rate, while Ashleigh discreetly transferred a substantial sum into Fiona¡¯s ount on the eve of their departure.


    Work and, more importantly, the mansion, were far from Ashleigh¡¯s mind. She¡¯d informed her aunt of a week-long mental health retreat at Fiona¡¯s ce, securing time off for herself and her friends under this pretense. The truth ¨C a week-long escape ¨C remained a secret. Here, amidst the tranquility of nature, her sole focus was finding peace. Witnessing their tant disregard, James resigned himself to his hammock, forced rxation recing his initial anxiety. The afternoon melted away, and as the sun dipped below the horizon, they retreated to their rooms for the night.


    Back in the lobby, flyers advertising an uing cocktail party caught their attention.


    ¡°Fancy going out again, or should we call it a night?¡± Fiona inquired.


    ¡°I¡¯d love to attend,¡± Ashleigh replied.


    With a n in mind, they scattered to their rooms to prepare. Ashleigh indulged in a luxurious rose bath, followed by a deep-conditioning hair treatment. She then donned a newly purchased outfit  a pair of stylish shorts and a matching top  before curling her hair in a half-up, half-down style secured with a whimsical bow. Light makeup entuated her sun-kissed glow, with a touch of blush, eyeliner, and a rosy lip tintpleting the look. A final touch  flower earrings and a ne from the resort¡¯s gift shop  finished the ensemble. Slipperspleted the image as she nced at the clock, thirty minutes past the party¡¯s scheduled start time.


    Fiona and James stood at Ashleigh¡¯s door, rapping impatiently. She scrambled to retrieve her phone from the nightstand, its twin glowing beside it.


    ¡°Sorry I¡¯mte,¡± she apologized, hurriedly smoothing her shirt without making eye contact. When she finally looked up, she met their stunned faces. Fiona gaped openly, while James¡¯ eyes widened in pleasant surprise. Ashleigh, despite the casual shorts and shirt, radiated beauty.


    ¡°Ashleigh, you¡¯re gorgeous even in casual wear! It¡¯s not fair!¡± Fiona eximed, a mixture of awe and yful indignation in her voice. James offered a silent nod of agreement, momentarily speechless.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be silly, Fiona, you look stunning too,¡± Ashleighplimented, eliciting a smile.


    Fiona sported a lovely blue short dress with strappy sandals. Her jewelry, a touch more refined than Ashleigh¡¯s, featured silver earrings and a delicate ne. Her hair flowed down her back, held back only by a pair of sunsses perched on her head. wless makeuppleted the picture, giving her a sophisticated air. James, mirroring Ashleigh¡¯s attire in shorts and a shirt, had gone the extra mile by styling his hair with a touch of curl.


    ¡°Let¡¯s grab a photo before we head out,¡± James suggested, raising his phone for a selfie. A flurry of picturester, both group shots and individual takes, they set off for the resort bar where the cocktail party was taking ce. The venue was an outdoor lounge nestled behind the resort, facing the vast expanse of the sea. Upon arrival, their group garnered immediate attention. While Fiona and James seemed unfazed, Ashleigh felt a flicker of nervousness. A waiter approached them and ushered them to a table, afortable-looking six-seater.


    ¡°Would it be possible to have a table for three?¡± Ashleigh inquired politely, a slight frown creasing her brow when she saw the setting.N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    The waiter offered a courteous apology. ¡°I¡¯m afraid the smaller tables are upied, ma¡¯am. This would be the only avable option.¡±


    Ashleigh opened her mouth to protest, but Fiona interjected smoothly.


    ¡°This will be perfectly fine, thank you very much,¡± she said, pulling Ashleigh gently towards a chair.


    ¡°Fiona, why did you interrupt me?¡± Ashleigh murmured in frustration as they settled down. ¡°I could have persuaded him.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that, Ashleigh. This table is just asfortable.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s not! We¡¯ll have to share it with threeplete strangers.¡±


    James let out a snort. ¡°Worst-case scenario, you make new friends. How tragic,¡± he teased, earning a yful re from Ashleigh while Fiona chuckled in amusement.


    The waiter who had attended them earlier returned, presenting a menu offering a selection of drinks and appetizers. Fiona and James opted for alcoholic beverages, while Ashleigh, with her lower alcohol tolerance, chose a refreshing mocktail. As the waiter disappeared to prepare their orders, Fiona resumed their earlier conversation.


    ¡°The whole point ofing to this event is to socialize, Ashleigh,¡± she dered, a hint of exasperation in her voice.


    ¡°Your social butterfly skills seem to have flown the coop.¡± Fiona¡¯s blunt remark sparked a protest from Ashleigh. ¡°That¡¯s not true! I have good social skills.¡±


    Her friends exchanged incredulous looks. ¡°Says the girl who practically walked in with her head down,¡± Fiona countered.


    ¡°When was thest time you interacted with a guy outside of work, someone other than James?¡±


    Ashleigh fell silent under Fiona¡¯s scrutiny. Memories of her secret wedding surfaced, a silent weight on her chest. Dating was off-limits, a truth she couldn¡¯t reveal.


    ¡°See my point? Your social life is non-existent, Ashleigh. That¡¯s why tonight, you¡¯re not leaving without snagging a guy¡¯s number!¡± Fiona dered triumphantly.


    ¡°I¡¯m not here for the dating scene, Fiona,¡± she stammered, desperately trying to deflect. ¡°Just a rxing getaway.¡±


    But before she could borate, Fiona¡¯s sharp eyes caught sight of people approaching their table.


    ¡°Well, looks like rxing will have to wait,¡± Fiona dered, her gaze fixed on the neers.


    A wave of panic washed over Ashleigh. The urge to flee back to her room intensified. But before she could act, the men arrived, apanied by the waiter carrying their drinks and food. As Fiona warmly greeted the man in the center of the group, introducing him as the resort owner, Jerry, Ashleigh mumbled her own quiet hellos, focusing primarily on her food and drink.


    ¡°Everyone, this is Jerry,¡± Fiona announced, gesturing towards the man beside her. ¡°He¡¯s the owner of the resort and a good friend of mine.¡± Jerry offered them a friendly smile.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to finally meet you both,¡± Jerry said. ¡°Fiona¡¯s told me quite a bit about you.¡±


    ¡°Hopefully, all good things,¡± James quipped with a wink. Jerry chuckled in response.


    He then shifted his attention to Ashleigh. ¡°I hope you¡¯re enjoying your short stay here, Ashleigh,¡± he said gently.


    Ashleigh forced herself to look up from her te and manage a polite smile.


    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Jerry. It¡¯s a beautiful resort you have here. Thank you for hosting us.¡±


    Jerry waved his hand dismissively. ¡°Please, call me Jerry. We¡¯re all friends here.¡±


    ¡°and there¡¯s no need to thank me!¡± Jerry boomed, his voice tinged with amusement, ¡°it was Fiona¡¯s first time calling in a favor, so I was happy to oblige.¡± He cast a tender nce at Fiona, who blushed and averted her eyes.


    James couldn¡¯t resist a teasing remark. ¡°Sounds like more than just a ¡®favor¡¯ being called in here,¡± he said with a wink.


    Laughter rippled around the table, but Ashleigh remained withdrawn, focusing intently on her food.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t introduced us to yourpanions, Jerry,¡± James said, gesturing towards the two men nking the resort owner.


    ¡°My apologies,¡± Jerry said, a touch of formality returning to his voice. ¡°This is Matthew,¡± he said, pointing to the man beside him, ¡°and Reese,¡± he continued, indicating the other. Both men offered friendly waves.


    Matthew was an imposing figure, his broad chest straining against his thin shirt. Emerald eyes glinted mischievously beneath a neatly trimmed beard, and a dangerous smile lurked on his lips. Sitting beside him, Reese presented a stark contrast. His blonde hair shimmered under the soft lighting, while freckles danced across his cheeks. A gentle smile softened his features, giving him an ethereal air.


    ¡°Nice to meet you guys,¡± James greeted, his gaze lingering a bit too long on the broad Australian.


    ¡°What¡¯s the n for tonight?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Well,¡± Matthew drawled in a thick Australian ent, sending a shiver down James¡¯s spine, ¡°initially, I was hoping for good drinks and a good time. But now¡­¡± he trailed off, his eyes locking with James in a way that made him feel inexplicably unsettled.


    Amused nces passed between Ashleigh and Fiona as James let out an audible gasp.


    ¡°Let¡¯s shake things up a bit, shall we?¡± Ashleigh interjected, her voice surprisingly steady. Before anyone could protest, she stood and gestured to the empty seat beside James. With a nod, Matthew took his ce, immediatelyunching into conversation with James. This left Ashleigh with Reese, and seeing that she wanted nothing of that sort with him she maintained her silence, not willing to engage in conversation with him.


    Reese observed with a gentle smile. ¡°I noticed your hesitation.¡±


    ¡°Apologies,¡± Ashleigh replied, her smile apologetic. ¡°I¡¯m not interested in anything romantic, and I wouldn¡¯t want to mislead you.¡±


    Reese¡¯s smile widened. ¡°The feeling is mutual. Friends?¡± he offered, extending his hand. Relief washed over Ashleigh as she sped it, grateful for his understanding.


    With the awkwardness settled between Ashleigh and Reese, Jerry piped up with a suggestion.


    ¡°Perhaps we should start with some shots to break the ice?¡± Jerry suggested, lifting his ss in a toast. Everyone except Ashleigh readily agreed.


    ¡°Actually,¡± she began, ¡°I¡¯m not much of a drinker. I¡¯d prefer to sit this one out.¡±


    A chorus of groans arose from James and Fiona. ¡°Ash,e on!¡± Fiona whined.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be a spoilsport! But if that¡¯s what makes you happy, then don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be more than happy to help you back to your roomter.¡±


    James chimed in, his voice tinged with worry. ¡°Ash, you came on this trip to rx, right? Let loose a little. It¡¯s just for one night.¡± He sped his hands together in a pleading gesture.


    Caught between her initial resolve and the urging of her friends, Ashleigh wavered. She hade here to unwind, and refusing to participate now would seem contradictory. Besides, it had been a while since she¡¯d indulged in a drink. The colorful cocktails had been tempting her for a while now.


    With a resigned sigh, she mumbled, ¡°Alright, fine. But just one.¡±


    Jerry, sensing the shift in mood, immediately summoned the waiter for another round of drinks. Ashleigh downed the first shot in one go, a fiery warmth spreading through her chest. Encouraged by her friends¡¯ cheers, she continued drinking cocktails , the initial reluctance quickly fading.


    The alcohol loosened Ashleigh¡¯s inhibitions. She interacted freely, her smile outshining the sun as she agreed to Fiona¡¯s silly photo ideas. Fiona, watching her friend¡¯s carefree spirit resurface, felt a twinge of amusement ¨C it had been a long time.


    But Ashleigh¡¯s newfound boldness took a reckless turn. Later, with James and Matthew mysteriously disappearing together, Fiona found Ashleigh in the restroom, giggling uncontrobly as she attempted a slurred video call while squatting on the floor.


    ¡°Party¡¯s over,¡± Fiona dered, confiscating and switching off the phone. Unaware of the looming drama, Fiona led a tipsy Ashleigh out of the restroom. Little did she know, those stolen seconds in the bathroom would change the course of Ashleigh¡¯s trip.

 Chapter 35

    Three days ago


    Adrian returned Monday night to the mansion with ns to see Ashleigh concerning her admission. After theirst conversation on Saturday, he¡¯d instructed Mr. Turner to contact Robin College¡¯s administration to discuss her admission. The news wasn¡¯t bad ¨C the college was holding a stakeholder meeting the next morning, perfect for potential investors like Adrian. He¡¯d arranged a trip immediately, leaving in the dead of night to secure Ashleigh¡¯s ce.


    As expected, the school administration weed him with open arms. Heid out his ns for investment, with one crucial condition: Ashleigh¡¯s admission. The deal was finalized with eager eptance. Eager to share his sess and pick a suitable exam date with Ashleigh, Adrian rushed back home. But upon arrival, he was met with an empty house and the unsettling news that Ashleigh had gone to work and hadn¡¯t returned.


    He wasted no time calling Mrs. Smith, who informed him that Ashleigh was staying with her. While displeased by theck ofmunication regarding Ashleigh¡¯s whereabouts, he chose to let it slide for the time being. However, by the second day, with no calls, texts, and a switched-off phone, his patience wore thin. Determined to bring her back, he made his way to Mrs. Smith¡¯s house.


    The moment he arrived, Mrs. Smith¡¯s guarded demeanor and reluctance to discuss Ashleigh¡¯s location set off rm bells. ¡°Adrian,¡± she began, her voiceced with disappointment, ¡°I must say I¡¯m quite let down by how you handled Ashleigh¡¯s exams. You promised to deal with any concerns about her studies.¡± Adrian sighed, rubbing his temples in frustration.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    ¡°I understand Ashleigh¡¯s here,¡± he admitted. ¡°Let me assure you, it¡¯s nothing like that. I left abruptly to secure her college cement. She can take the exams at a mutually agreeable date.¡± Mrs. Smith¡¯s eyes widened with realization and a flicker of guilt.


    ¡°If that¡¯s why she hasn¡¯t returned my calls,¡± he said, ¡°please ask her toe down so we can head home together.¡± Mrs. Smith, however, remained rooted to the spot.


    Confusion clouded Adrian¡¯s face as he repeated his request. ¡°Mrs. Smith, please ask Ashleigh toe down. There¡¯s no point arguing about this.¡± Yet, the worry in her eyes only intensified his growing rm.


    ¡°Actually, Adrian¡­¡± she began hesitantly. As she finished her exnation, a wave of anger washed over his face. He immediately called for Mr. Turner, who was nearby.


    ¡°Find the addresses of Fiona Mallory and James Wilson,¡± hemanded with steely resolve. ¡°Send a team to each location. If Ashleigh is found at either ce, bring her back to the mansion immediately. Use force if necessary.¡± Mr. Turner, recognizing the urgency, wasted no time carrying out his orders.


    Mr. Turner¡¯s voice held a tremor of trepidation as he reported, ¡°Sir, there was no sign of Miss Ashleigh at either address. Both apartments were empty, and the keys were inexplicably left in in sight.¡± Adrian¡¯s gaze snapped towards Mrs. Smith, a flicker of surprise crossing her face at the news.


    ¡°But Ashleigh told me she was staying with her colleagues this week!¡± Mrs. Smith eximed defensively. But Adrian¡¯s icy re silenced her protest.


    ¡°There are two possibilities,¡± he stated, his voice devoid of warmth. ¡°Either she lied to you, or you were more aware of her little trip than you¡¯re letting on.¡± Mrs. Smith¡¯s guilt hung heavy in the air, the lie about Ashleigh¡¯s whereabouts now impossible to deny.


    ¡°Adrian, please don¡¯t¡­¡± she began, but he cut her off with a curt rise from his chair.


    ¡°I believe we¡¯re done here, Mrs. Smith,¡± he finished coldly, his exit marked by a m of the door.


    Outside, Mr. Turner stood dutifully by the car. Adrian barked out an order, his voice taut with repressed fury.


    ¡°Find Ashleigh. Track her every move for the past 24 hours. I need a full report on my desk by this evening.¡± He mmed the car door shut, the roar of the engine echoing his mounting frustration as he stormed back to the mansion.


    True to his word, Mr. Turner returned that evening, a folder clutched in his hand. He entered the study, the tension in the room thick enough to cut with a knife.


    ¡°Sir, I¡¯vepiled Ms. Cagliari¡¯s activities for thest day,¡± he began,ying the folder on the desk.


    ¡°Proceed, Mr. Turner,¡± Adrianmanded, his voice betraying none of the turmoil within.


    Mr. Turner cleared his throat and began detailing his findings. ¡°Ms. Cagliari left the office at 5:30 PM yesterday in thepany of her friends. Herst inte search focused on vacation rentals in X City. By 6:00 PM, her phone¡¯s location pinged near an ATM close to a bus station with routes extending to five nearby towns. There were no transactions on her personal bank ounts, but a transfer of $100, 000 was made from the credit card you provided for her expenses to the ount of her colleague, Ms. Fiona Mallory.¡±


    Adrian listened intently, a flicker of grudging respect sparking in his eyes. Ashleigh was sharp. Suspecting the phone might be monitored, she¡¯d switched it off at a crucial juncture. Bank statements could be traced, so she¡¯d moved the necessary funds to another ount, knowing he wouldn¡¯t have ess to her friends¡¯ finances. She¡¯d covered her tracks meticulously.


    ¡°Deploy search teams to every town the bus station services,¡± he instructed, his voiceced with steely determination. ¡°They are not to return until she¡¯s found.¡±


    As Adrian dismissed Mr. Turner, a heavy silence settled over the room. He realized, with a sickening certainty, that unless a stroke of luck intervened, finding Ashleigh wouldn¡¯t be easy. The audacity of her defiance stunned him. He had underestimated her strength, her will. And he vowed to himself that this would never happen again.


    Days turned into a blur of frustration. By mid-afternoon of the third day, Adrian was a seething cauldron of anger. The reports on the search teams were uniformly bleak. Ashleigh had vanished without a trace. It was as if she¡¯d simply fallen off the face of the earth, leaving him with a gnawing sense of helplessness and a burning desire to find her, no matter the cost.


    Currently¡­.


    The air crackled with tension as Adrian mmed a tablet onto his desk. ¡°Are you trying to tell me,¡± he thundered, his voice a low growl, ¡°that a team of seasoned professionals can¡¯t locate a woman and her two friends? Is this the best your recruitment skills can muster, Mr. Turner? Perhaps I need to find a morepetent¡­ secretary.¡±


    Mr. Turner flinched, his eyes flitting nervously between Adrian¡¯s taut face and the damning information disyed on the tablet. ¡°My apologies, sir,¡± he stammered. ¡°The search teams are working around the clock¡­¡±


    ¡°Clearly, not hard enough,¡± Adrian interrupted, his voice dripping with icy disdain. ¡°They haven¡¯t brought back a single shred of useful information.¡± He turned on his heel and stalked towards his room, leaving Mr. Turner drowning in the wake of his fury.


    ¡°Get out,¡± Adrian barked, his hand on the doorknob. ¡°And don¡¯te back until you have something concrete.¡± The m of the door echoed through the mansion, leaving a heavy silence in its wake.


    Mr. Turner, his shoulders slumped in defeat, turned to see Mr. Atkinson, the butler, observing him with a sympathetic grimace. Susan, Ashleigh¡¯s assistant, stood beside him, her face etched with worry. With a gentle smile, she ced a hand on Mr. Turner¡¯s arm.


    ¡°Before you dive back in,¡± she said softly, ¡°go and get something to eat. You need your strength for this.¡±


    Despite his initial protest, Susan¡¯s firm grip steered him towards the kitchen. He hadn¡¯t touched a meal since yesterday afternoon, the stress of the situation gnawing at him. As he ate, he couldn¡¯t help but question his fate. Why work for a boss as ruthless as Adrian Cagliari, and why, for that matter, did Adrian choose a woman as strong-willed as Ashleigh?


    He left the kitchen with renewed determination, only to find himself back in the same frustrating loop of dead ends and unanswered questions. Hours bled into each other, the tension in the mansion thickening with each passing moment.


    Then, just as despair threatened to consume him, an opportunity arose. Bursting into Adrian¡¯s study, Mr. Turner found his boss pacing, a storm brewing in his eyes.


    ¡°Sir,¡± he announced, his voice tight with excitement, ¡°I have an update on Ms. Cagliari¡¯s location. Her phone was switched on briefly, and we were able to track it to a town called Q, two towns away.¡±


    A flicker of life returned to Adrian¡¯s face. ¡°Excellent work, Mr. Turner. Get the driver ready. We leave for Town Q in ten minutes. If the search teams manage to pinpoint her exact location, I don¡¯t want them contacting her. I¡¯ll handle this myself.¡±


    With a curt nod, Adrian disappeared into his room to change. Mr. Turner wasted no time, informing Mr. Atkinson of the news and Adrian¡¯s decision. Atkinson swiftly arranged for a security detail to discreetly follow Adrian, while Mr. Turner prepared the vehicle.


    Minutester, Adrian descended the stairs, his face a mask of cool determination. ¡°The car is ready, sir,¡± Mr. Turner announced, stepping aside for his boss.


    Adrian strode past him without a word, settling into the back of the waiting car. The driver, already briefed, punched the coordinates into the GPS and pulled away from the mansion, the red taillights vanishing into the inky night.

 Chapter 36

    The journey to Town Q had been uneventful, the real challengey in finding Ashleigh¡¯s exact location within its vast expanse. For hours, Mr. Turner and his team had tirelessly scoured the town, their efforts hampered by the knowledge that Ashleigh was likely hidden somewhere within the surrounding forest. The prospect of them aimlessly searching the entire town gnawed at Adrian.


    He reached the outskirts of Town Q and pulled over, dialling Mr. Turner¡¯s number in the car behind him. ¡°Any progress?¡± he demanded, frustrationcing his voice. Mr. Turner¡¯s report mirrored theck of progress that had gued them for hours.


    Just as despair threatened to consume Adrian, his phone rang. His eyes narrowed as he saw Ashleigh¡¯s name sh on the screen. ¡°Work fast,¡± he barked to Mr. Turner, instructing him to trace the call, before answering.


    ¡°Hello,¡± he said, his voice cool and controlled. Yet, his carefully constructed facade crumbled upon hearing Ashleigh¡¯s voice. It was a drunken giggle, an infuriatingly cheerful sound that sent a jolt of anger through him.


    ¡°Hiiiii,¡± she slurred, punctuated by another giggle. The evidence of her intoxication was undeniable, and it only fueled his annoyance. Not only had she defied him with this impromptu trip, but she¡¯d gotten herself inebriated,pletely disregarding her safety. He opened his mouth to speak, but a new voice cut him off.


    ¡°Party¡¯s over,¡± a female voice dered firmly before the line went dead. Adrian tried to call back, but the phone was switched off. In the backseat, Mr. Turner¡¯s phone buzzed, and he answered promptly.


    ¡°Sir, we¡¯ve located Mrs. Cagliari. I¡¯ll send the coordinates to the driver immediately.¡±


    ***********************


    Fiona had finally managed to usher Ashleigh to a secluded corner in the lounge, copsing onto a nearby chair with a sigh of relief. The drinks had taken their toll, a throbbing headache blooming behind Fiona¡¯s eyes. Yet, she didn¡¯t dare let go of Ashleigh¡¯s hand, who, despite her exhaustion, remained hyperactive. This wasn¡¯t how she¡¯d envisioned loosening Ashleigh up. A stern vow formed in her mind  after tonight, there wouldn¡¯t be a single drop of alcohol near her friend.


    Fiona¡¯s gaze flickered to Ashleigh, concern etched on her face. Getting Ashleigh some water to sober her up was imperative. However, even the thought of leaving her side  fearing a potential escape attempt  left Fiona rooted to the spot.


    A wee sound of approaching footsteps drew her attention. Relief flooded her face as she saw Jerry and Reese approaching, Jerry¡¯s brow creased with worry.


    ¡°Oh thank goodness you¡¯re here!¡± she eximed.


    ¡°Please, could you get a bottle of water for Ashleigh?¡± Jerry, sensing the urgency, immediately gged down a waiter.


    Fiona watched with relief as the waiter delivered water, and she coaxed a few reluctant sips from Ashleigh. Once the water was gone, Ashleigh slumped back into Fiona¡¯s arms, finally sumbing to sleep. Fiona exhaled a shaky breath, the tension draining from her shoulders.


    ¡°We waited for a while,¡± Jerry said softly, gesturing to the small bags in his and Reese¡¯s hands. ¡°But you two didn¡¯te back, so we gathered your things.¡±


    Fiona offered a weak smile, her hand flying to her temple where a throbbing headache had begun to make its unwee presence known. Jerry¡¯s concern was evident as he captured her hand in his.


    ¡°You should call it a night yourself,¡± he suggested gently. ¡°You¡¯ve had quite a few drinks too.¡±


    Fiona shook her head, a flicker of defiance crossing her face. ¡°I have to take Ashleigh back to her room and make sure she sleeps. I promised her earlier.¡±


    Jerry wouldn¡¯t back down. ¡°I know you did, but you can¡¯t in your current state. You¡¯ll just wind up hurting yourselves. Let Reese take her back. I¡¯ll find you some painkillers.¡± He nudged Reese forward, who stood awkwardly beside him.


    Fiona eyed Reese with a hesitant frown. Despite the evening¡¯s unexpected camaraderie, Fiona remained wary, unable to fully shake her initial distrust.


    ¡°Fiona, it¡¯s alright,¡± Jerry pleaded. ¡°You saw how well they interacted earlier. And you know I wouldn¡¯t suggest something like this if it wasn¡¯t safe. Besides, I don¡¯t have ¡®those kind of friends.''¡±


    Fiona nced at Reese, who shifted ufortably under her gaze. With a resigned sigh, she finally conceded. ¡°Alright, Reese. I¡¯m trusting you on this. Please prove me wrong.¡±


    Reese nodded solemnly. Slinging Fiona¡¯s bag over his shoulder, he gently reached for Ashleigh, supporting her weight as they navigated the hallway towards the elevators. Fiona watched them disappear into the metal doors, a sliver of unease gnawing at her stomach.


    Inside the elevator, Reese rummaged through Ashleigh¡¯s bag for the keycard while she mumbled incoherently under her breath. Locating it, he took a firm hold of it and waited for the elevator to reach its destination. As the doors slid open on the third floor, he helped Ashleigh out, bracing himself for a short walk to her room. What seemed like a manageable task after their long night took a sharp turn as Ashleigh suddenly became restless, her struggles intensifying.


    ¡°Let me go! I want to go back!¡± she slurred, her face flushed with protest. She wrestled against Reese¡¯s grip, but his hold remained firm.


    ¡°No, Ashleigh,¡± he soothed, his voice calm despite the rising tension.


    ¡°You need to rest. We¡¯re almost there. Just a few more steps, and you can sleep it off.¡±


    Ashleigh¡¯s resistance grew more frantic. ¡°I don¡¯t want to! He knows, and I have to go back!¡±


    Her words were a cryptic puzzle to Reese, who nheless focused on getting her to her room.


    He hadn¡¯t noticed the chilling shift in the air, the sudden drop in temperature that seemed to emanate from the figure lurking at the end of the hallway, a silent observer to the struggle. Ashleigh, sensing the shift in atmosphere, stopped fighting and wentpletely still.


    ¡°See, I told you he knows,¡± Ashleigh whispered, her voice slurred. Leaning her head against Reese¡¯s shoulder, she drifted back into sleep.


    Her words sent shivers down Reese¡¯s spine. He nced down at her face, confusion etched on his own. Lifting his head, he understood. A man, his face contorted in anger, stood at the other end of the hallway, a stark contrast to the terrified-looking individual and two burly figures nking him. Adrian¡¯s gaze was like aser, cutting a path directly to Reese. Each step he took seemed to echo thunderously in the otherwise silent corridor.


    ¡°Is this the man Ashleigh was talking about?¡± Reese thought, his resolve solidifying.N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    Seeing her fear triggered a protective instinct. He tightened his grip on her, gently cing an arm around her waist. His eyes locked with Adrian¡¯s.


    ¡°Good evening, sir,¡± Reese began, striving to maintain a friendly tone and ease the tension. ¡°How can I help you tonight? Perhaps you¡¯re lost and need directions?¡±


    Adrian¡¯s gaze flickered from the way Reese held Ashleigh to his face. He studied him with a cold intensity before speaking.


    ¡°I¡¯m not lost,¡± he stated, his voice devoid of warmth.


    ¡°I¡¯ve merely found something that attempted to go missing.¡± His eyes narrowed as they settled on Ashleigh.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen anything missing,¡± Reese countered.


    ¡°And you don¡¯t seem to be a guest here, Mr¡­?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Cagliari,¡± Adrian filled in the nk, his voice dripping with icy formality.


    ¡°And I¡¯m not a guest. I¡¯vee to take her.¡±


    A jolt of recognition shot through Reese. He knew of Mr. Cagliari, a highly respected figure in the industry, a man his family regrly did business with. But he couldn¡¯t fathom a reputable businessman resorting to such strong-arm tactics, especially for a seemingly intoxicated woman. He vowed to protect Ashleigh from this despicable man and vowed to warn his father about any future dealings with him.


    ¡°Mr. Cagliari,¡± Reese began, his voice firm. ¡°I believe there¡¯s been a misunderstanding. This is my girlfriend. Perhaps you should look elsewhere.¡± He pulled Ashleigh closer, a defiant gesture.


    Adrian couldn¡¯t help but smirk at the feeble lie. ¡°I think I¡¯d recognize my own wife, wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡± he countered, his smile sending a jolt of shock through Reese.


    ¡°Wife? Like I said, you¡¯re confused,¡± Reese insisted, his voice cracking slightly.


    Adrian¡¯s face darkened. With a sharp snap of his fingers, Mr. Turner materialized at Reese¡¯s side, a tablet held out silently. Numbly, Reese stared at the screen disying a picture of Ashleigh and Adrian¡¯s wedding ceremony. He nced at the woman peacefully sleeping on his shoulder, then back at the picture. This exined her earlier hesitance.


    ¡°Considering your intentions might have been honorable, Reese Orwell,¡± Adrian stated coldly, ¡°I¡¯ll choose to overlook your transgression. However, your involvement ends now. Hand over my wife, or face the consequences.¡±


    Shame washed over Reese. He stammered an apology as he gently released Ashleigh from his grasp. Swiftly, Adrian scooped her up in a princess carry, his entourage falling into step behind him. They disappeared down the hallway, leaving Reese standing motionless, the weight of his mistake pressing down on him.

 Chapter 37

    Bleary-eyed and throbbing with pain, Ashleigh finally cracked open her eyelids. The day was already bright, the morning long gone. Lifting a hand to her head proved a monumental task, met with a fresh wave of nausea. A groan escaped her lips as she attempted to sit up, but the sound was cut short by the approaching footsteps.


    ¡°Footsteps?¡± she thought, bewildered. Room service wouldn¡¯t enter a locked room, so who could it be? Her questions were answered abruptly by a familiar voice.


    ¡°Mrs. Ashleigh, you¡¯re awake! Chef Larry whipped up a special concoction for hangovers,¡± chirped Susan, causing Ashleigh to snap her eyes open in a jolt, disregarding the spike of pain that apanied the movement.


    Panic washed over her as she took in her surroundings. She was back in the mansion, specifically her room. Her mind reeled. Noticing the shock etched on Susan¡¯s face, she squinted and croaked,


    ¡°I¡­ I was brought back?¡±Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Yes, the boss brought you home early this morning. He instructed that you shouldn¡¯t be disturbed after he ced you in bed,¡± Susan exined, holding out a tray with a steaming mug.


    Ashleigh¡¯s heart plummeted. How had he found her? She¡¯d been so careful to cover her tracks.


    epting the mug from a hesitant Susan, she sipped the tea, her mind a whirlwind of frantic thoughts. Her eyes darted to the nightstand where two phonesy neatly side-by-side. A gasp escaped her as she choked on the liquid.


    ¡°Mrs. Ashleigh, are you alright?¡± Susan inquired, rmed by the sudden fit.


    Ashleigh waved a hand dismissively, the answer to her unspoken question hanging heavy in the air.


    ¡°Who put these here?¡± she managed, already knowing the answer.


    ¡°The boss,¡± Susan reiterated, bewildered by her Madame¡¯s error.


    The previous Monday, after transferring the money to Fiona, Ashleigh had taken a calcted risk. Aware that using Adrian¡¯s phone would expose her ns, she¡¯d dragged James and Fiona to a phone store, purchasing an identical replica. Now, the sight of the two phones side-by-side confirmed her worst mistake  in her haste to leave the hotel, she¡¯d grabbed the wrong phone.


    ¡°Is something wrong, Madame?¡± Susan asked gently, concerned by the dramatic shift in Ashleigh¡¯s mood.


    With a wave of dismissal, Ashleigh mumbled, ¡°It¡¯s fine. Please go and prepare the bath.¡±


    Susan scurried away to fulfill the request, leaving Ashleigh alone with a heart pounding a frantic tattoo against her ribs. Dread coiled in her stomach as she envisioned theing confrontation with Adrian.


    Mentally, she rehearsed her defense: theck ofmunication regarding her college admission  a situation that had stressed her to the point of illness  justified her need for a break. Yet, as the day wore on, there was no sign of him, no call, no booming presence in the mansion.


    Byte afternoon, curiosity trumped apprehension. Ashleigh descended the stairs, encountering Mr. Atkinson on her way.


    ¡°Good day, Mr. Atkinson,¡± she greeted, her voice slightly strained.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡±


    He offered a curt nod in return.


    ¡°Good afternoon, Mrs. Cagliari. I trust Chef Larry¡¯s hangover cure provided some relief? If not, I can readily fetch some medication.¡±


    Embarrassment colored Ashleigh¡¯s cheeks as she declined the offer.


    ¡°Thank you, but I¡¯m managing. I hope my absence hasn¡¯t caused too much disruption; I simply needed a break,¡± she apologized, her voiceced with trepidation.


    Sensing a deeper meaning behind his words, Ashleigh pressed on.


    ¡°Mr. Atkinson, please speak freely. You seem to have something on your mind.¡±


    He hesitated for a moment before responding.


    ¡°If I may be frank, Mr. Cagliari¡¯s search for you on Monday night was¡­ concerning. His temper red upon learning of your absence, which unfortunately spilled over onto the staff. I speak not for myself, but for Susan, who nearly faced termination. Madame, I believe a less¡­ drastic approach to voicing your grievances might be more¡­ productive.¡±


    Shame washed over Ashleigh, her cheeks burning.


    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Atkinson,¡± she mumbled, quickly maneuvering past him.


    His words hit a nerve. In her self-absorption, she hadn¡¯t considered the ripple effect of her actions.


    Hadn¡¯t she thought to ask Susan about her well-being after the sudden disappearance? Perhaps that¡¯s why Adrian hadn¡¯t spoken to her  unlike him to remain silent after a disagreement, even if it meant an explosive argument.


    Lost in thought, Ashleigh wandered into the kitchen, nearly colliding with a hard surface. Chef Larry¡¯s swift hand on her arm steadied her back to reality.


    ¡°My apologies, Chef Larry,¡± she stammered, epting his guidance towards a bar stool. ¡°I was lost in thought.¡±


    ¡°Just recovered from a hangover, are we?¡± he teased gently, guiding her to a barstool.


    ¡°Best to rest your mind and avoid any unnecessary headaches.¡±


    Ashleigh sank onto the stool, a sense of unease settling in her gut.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid my mind won¡¯t be easily rested,¡± she confessed.


    ¡°It seems I may have been a bit¡­ careless in leaving without a proper word.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Surprising? Yes. Careless? Not necessarily,¡± Chef Larry stated, meeting Ashleigh¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know the details behind your trip, but I wouldn¡¯t dismiss it as carelessness.¡±


    A flicker of hope sparked in Ashleigh¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°I just needed a mental break after learning Robin College closed admissions. Unfortunately, it seems Adrian didn¡¯t take it well. He almost fired Susan.¡±


    ¡°It was chaotic,¡± Chef Larry chuckled, a hint of sympathy in his voice.


    ¡°Mr. Cagliari was very hard on Susan, Mr. Atkinson, and even his secretary. The poord was terrified.¡±


    Ashleigh winced. ¡°It¡¯s not funny, but I understand why it might seem that way. A break was necessary, but leaving without telling him¡­¡± Her voice trailed off, and Chef Larry noticed the shift in her posture.


    ¡°You take these trips often, don¡¯t you?¡± he inquired gently.


    ¡°Why the change this time?¡±


    Ashleigh hesitated, her gaze flickering away.


    ¡°Yes, I usually do, but this time¡­ I didn¡¯t tell him.¡±


    A slow smile spread across Chef Larry¡¯s face.


    ¡°Then perhaps Mr. Cagliari shouldn¡¯t be so offended. Your need for a break is valid.¡±


    Ashleigh offered a hesitant smile in return. ¡°If only it were that simple.¡±


    She thought to herself.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get lunch started,¡± Chef Larry said, rising. As he left, Ashleigh was left alone with her churning thoughts.


    She decided to wait for Adrian¡¯s return, hoping to exin her actions calmly. But the weekend passed with no sign of him, and Mr. Atkinson remained tight-lipped.


    Monday arrived, and Ashleigh approached thepany with a knot of dread in her stomach.


    The atmosphere was thick with tension. People scurried around, their usual chatter reced by a nervous silence. Reaching her department, she found her colleagues huddled together, hushed whispers hanging in the air.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± she asked, her voice sharp with worry. Her colleagues exchanged a look, and one spoke up, his voice tight.


    ¡°Mr. Cagliari is back. He¡¯s started a staff audit. Everyone who was absentst week is in hot water. James and Fiona¡­ they¡¯re going to be fired.¡±

 Chapter 38

    Surprise contorted Ashleigh¡¯s features. This wasn¡¯t how she envisioned her return.


    ¡°Where are they?¡± she pressed, urgencycing her voice. Her colleagues pointed towards Mrs. Smith¡¯s office before dispersing back to their duties.


    A frantic rush of movement carried Ashleigh through the door, where she found Mrs. Smith mid-conversation on the phone. James and Fiona stood before her, fear etched on their faces. Relief flickered in their eyes upon seeing her. Ashleigh rushed towards them, engulfing them both in a tight hug.


    ¡°Ashleigh! We were worried sick!¡± Fiona eximed in a hushed whisper. ¡°You disappeared the next morning, no message, no call, nothing!¡±


    Remembering the abruptness of her departure, Ashleigh could only manage a weak smile.


    ¡°My apologies, Fiona. My leaving was¡­ hasty. An emergency came up, and I had to rush out.¡±


    James, unconvinced, raised an eyebrow. ¡°At midnight? What kind of emergency couldn¡¯t wait until morning? Besides, you were hammered and went straight to sleep after, or so Fiona says.¡±


    Fiona chimed in, concern filling her voice. ¡°Ashleigh, you can tell us whatever it is. Honestly. Jerry¡¯s friend mentioned a maning to pick you up in the dead of night. Who was that?¡±


    Ashleigh¡¯s surprise was genuine. She didn¡¯t recall Reese being present when Adrian arrived. She strained to remember the conversation, but her memory drew a nk. Most likely, Adrian had introduced himself as her husband, and Reese decided to keep his identity under wraps. Now wasn¡¯t the time to reveal that information to James and Fiona.


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie to us,¡± James pressed, his voice firm.


    ¡°Fiona and I have noticed a shift in youtely. We figured you¡¯d tell us when you were ready. You haven¡¯t been staying with Mrs. Smith anymore, and even she seems clueless about your well-being. She didn¡¯t even know about your college rejection until this Monday. How can an aunt know so little about her niece? Last week, you transferred arge sum from a card that wasn¡¯t yours to fund Fiona¡¯s trip. Plus, you bought a replica phone and switched them. It¡¯s like you were trying to disappear.¡±


    James¡¯ words hammered at Ashleigh, panic rising in her chest. She desperately searched for a way to deflect the increasingly tense situation, but Mrs. Smith hanging up the phone saved her from formting a response.


    ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous, Mrs. Smith!¡± she eximed, the fury barely contained. But before she couldunch into another protest, Fiona¡¯s gentle hand on hers quelled the rising tide.


    ¡°Where do we go to wait for the meeting, Mrs. Smith?¡± Fiona inquired, her voice barely a whisper of concern.


    Mrs. Smith, her face etched with worry, gestured towards the door. ¡°On the executive floor, the conference room.¡± With that, Fiona and James exchanged a nervous nce before exiting, leaving Ashleigh and her aunt alone in the heavy silence.


    ¡°Why am I not facing the same consequences as them? We were all on that trip together,¡± Ashleigh finally demanded, her voice strained.


    Mrs. Smith sighed deeply, her gaze holding a mixture of disappointment and resignation. ¡°It¡¯s an executive decision, Ashleigh. I was informed this morning at the Heads of Department meeting. You, of course, know why.¡±


    ¡°They had nothing to do with my actions! If anything, I stopped James from leaving mid-trip because of me.¡± Ashleigh¡¯s voice rose in a desperate plea, but it fell on deaf ears.


    ¡°That¡¯s not how Adrian sees it,¡± Mrs. Smith countered, her voiceced with a hint of anger.


    ¡°He came to my house, found out I¡¯d lied about you being with me, then discovered you were neither at Fiona or James¡¯s ce for the get-together like you¡¯d imed you¡¯d be. Three of you vanished. You know why this decision was made.¡±


    Shame washed over Ashleigh, forcing her head down. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry, Aunt,¡± she mumbled, the words barely audible. ¡°I just¡­ I thought you wouldn¡¯t approve of my n.¡±


    ¡°Ashleigh, ¡°Those ¡®little actions¡¯ of yours have consequences.¡± Mrs. Smith said, her voice heavy.


    ¡°Imagine how I felt lying twice to Adrian. He wouldn¡¯t listen to reason after that. Now, Fiona and James, who thought it was just a normal trip because of your lie, are facing the brunt of his anger. They could be unemployed by the end of the day!¡± Her words hit Ashleigh like a physical blow, the weight of responsibility crushing her.


    ¡°There¡¯s a reason I warned you about needing patience with Adrian. It seems you haven¡¯t heeded my advice,¡± Mrs. Smith concluded, leaving the air thick with a heavy silence.


    Just like Mr. Atkinson¡¯s words echoed in her mind, the realization of her short-sightedness mmed into Ashleigh, herck of foresight had a ripple effect. She¡¯d created this mess, and now it was her responsibility to fix it.


    ¡°The panel starts in thirty minutes, right? I¡¯m going to see Adrian,¡± she announced, her voice firm with a newfound resolve.


    Mrs. Smith raised an eyebrow. ¡°Mr. Cagliari has been swamped since arriving this morning. I haven¡¯t been able to reach him myself.¡±


    Ashleigh wasn¡¯t fazed. She knew Adrian¡¯s tactics  avoiding a confrontation until the deed was done.


    ¡°Then he¡¯ll just have to amodate me in these next minutes,¡± she dered, her jaw set. Grabbing her phone, she dialed a familiar number.


    ¡°Good morning, Mrs. Cagliari,¡± Mr. Turner¡¯s voice came through the receiver.


    ¡°Good morning, Mr. Turner. I need to speak with Mr. Cagliari,¡± Ashleigh stated, her voice leaving no room for argument. A brief silence followed, then Mr. Turner¡¯s voice returned,ced with hesitation.


    ¡°I apologize, Mrs. Cagliari, but the boss is unavable right now. May I take a message?¡±


    ¡°I think my choice of words may have been unclear,¡± Ashleigh countered, a steely glint in her eyes. ¡°Inform Mr. Cagliari that I¡¯ming to speak with him right now. He¡¯d better be ready to see me when I get there.¡±


    With a final click, she ended the call and marched out of her aunt¡¯s office, a determined glint in her eyes. This mess was her creation, and she wouldn¡¯t let her friends suffer the consequences.


    With a resolute purpose, Ashleigh bypassed the regr elevators and headed straight for the reserved one. She didn¡¯t care if a few heads turned. Reaching the executive floor, she marched towards the CEO¡¯s office, her steps echoing in the silence.


    Two imposing guards stood sentinel at the door. They blocked her path as she approached.


    ¡°Good morning, Miss,¡± one guard said curtly. ¡°The CEO is unavable for visitors at this time.¡±


    Ashleigh rolled her eyes, her annoyance simmering. ¡°Visitor? Seems your briefing was iplete.¡±


    nting her feet firmly, she addressed them with a steely gaze. ¡°Here¡¯s the deal. Either one of you informs him I¡¯m here  and trust me, he¡¯s very much aware  or this gets messy. Your CEO would prefer the former, wouldn¡¯t he?¡±


    The guards exchanged a worried look. The tension crackled in the air before one of them, with a mumbled apology to his partner, darted inside the office. He emerged momentster, pushing the other guard aside with a curt, ¡°Go take a break.¡± Ignoring their stunned expressions, Ashleigh took a deep breath and stepped into the opulent space.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Thest time she¡¯d been here, Adrian had been sprawled on the couch. Today, he sat regally behind his desk, a picture of power and control. As always, a hitch caught in her breath at his undeniable handsomeness. However, that was quickly eclipsed by the anger simmering just beneath the surface.


    Mr. Turner, his assistant, stood near the window. He started towards her, but Ashleigh silenced him with a raised hand. Her gaze locked onto Adrian, who remained focused on his paperwork, deliberately ignoring her presence.


    Silence stretched between them, thick with tension. Finally, Adrian looked up, dismissing Mr. Turner with a gesture. Now, it was just the two of them.


    His dark eyes narrowed. ¡°So, you¡¯ve finally sobered up enough to grace me with your presence,¡± he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.


    Ashleigh met his gaze head-on, unfazed. ¡°I¡¯m here about Fiona and James. Please reconsider firing them.¡±


    A smirk yed on Adrian¡¯s lips. ¡°Well, Mrs. Cagliari, that¡¯s simply not an option. Unless, of course, you¡¯d be willing to take their ce.¡±

 Chapter 39

    Ashleigh¡¯s jaw clenched tight. ¡°Absolutely not,¡± she gritted out, her voice barely a whisper above a growl.


    Adrian met her gaze, his expression unreadable. ¡°Then consider this conversation over,¡± he finished, his voice devoid of emotion as he redirected his attention to the paperwork littering his desk.


    Silence descended upon the room, heavy with tension. Ashleigh forced herself to take a deep breath, her anger simmering just beneath the surface. ¡°With all due respect, Mr. Cagliari,¡± she began, her voice calmer this time, ¡°I fail to see how firing me or my friends will solve anything.¡±


    Adrian leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers before him. ¡°On the contrary, Mrs. Cagliari. From the beginning, we¡¯ve been at odds over you working here after our marriage. Between your household duties and your workload, it all contributed to your breakdown.¡±


    Ashleigh¡¯s temper red. ¡°That was because-¡± she started, but Adrian held up a hand, silencing her.


    ¡°Yes, I know,¡± he conceded, his voiceced with a hint of begrudging eptance. ¡°Because I exacerbated the situation. But beyond the strain of dual responsibilities, it hase to my attention that you may be influenced by certain individuals here within thepany.¡±


    ¡°If this is about the trip,¡± Ashleigh interjected, her voiceced with defiance, ¡°James and Fiona had no idea about it until after the fact!¡±


    Adrian scoffed. ¡°And why should I take your word for it? First, I¡¯m told you¡¯re at your aunt¡¯s. Then, upon arriving there, I¡¯m informed you¡¯re staying with ¡®innocent¡¯ friends. Yet, upon reaching their ce, you¡¯re nowhere to be found.¡± With each usation, Ashleigh felt a pang of guilt twisting in her gut.


    ¡°Why shouldn¡¯t you trust me?¡± she countered, her voice rising with each word. ¡°I trust you, even though your promises remain unfulfilled!¡±


    The tension in the room crackled as Adrian locked eyes with her, his gaze heavy with unspoken emotions.


    ¡°By the way you¡¯re speaking, Mrs. Cagliari, it seems you have a firm grasp on the situation. Therefore, I¡¯ll leave you to contemte the consequences for you and your aunt if you choose poorly.¡±


    A ghost of a smile yed on Adrian¡¯s lips as he continued, his voice devoid of warmth. ¡°By the time the disciplinary board meeting concludes, the news of James and Fiona¡¯s dismissal will circte freely throughout thepany. I¡¯ve authorized the release of a statement detailing the reasons behind this executive decision. I¡¯m sure you can connect the dots.¡±


    Ashleigh stood frozen, the weight of his words settling heavily upon her. The terrifying picture he painted brought a stark realization. Her continued employment would not only damage her own reputation but would smear her aunt¡¯s as well. The fabricated sick leave covering her disappearance would paint a picture of tant favoritism.


    As she stood lost in thought, the door creaked open, revealing Mr. Turner. ¡°Sir, the meeting will begin in ten minutes,¡± he announced, his voice cutting through the thick tension.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Adrian turned to him, issuing a flurry of instructions, effectively dismissing Ashleigh¡¯s presence. Left alone with her swirling thoughts, Ashleigh watched the clock tick down, each passing minute pushing her closer to a corner. Fury bubbled within her, directed at both Adrian¡¯s maniption and her own impulsive actions.


    Finally, with a defeated sigh, she forced out the words, her voice thick with resentment, ¡°I¡¯ll do it!¡±


    Adrian nced up from his conversation with Mr. Turner, a flicker of something akin to satisfaction crossing his features before he dismissed his assistant.


    Defeat colored Ashleigh¡¯s voice as she choked out, ¡°I¡¯ll do it!¡±


    Adrian finally tore his gaze from Mr. Turner, a hint of satisfaction flickering across his face before he dismissed his assistant with a curt nod.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± Adrian pressed, his voice devoid of warmth. ¡°What exactly are you agreeing to?¡±


    Ashleigh lifted her chin, her defiant gaze locking with his. ¡°I¡¯ll resign, Adrian. Just don¡¯t fire James and Fiona.¡± Her voice trembled, and she clenched her fists to stop the tears stinging her eyes.


    Adrian leaned back in his chair, a sly smile ying on his lips. ¡°Resignation is eptable, Mrs. Cagliari. However, there¡¯s one more condition.¡±


    ¡°You said resign, and I agreed,¡± she countered, her voice ragged.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± he conceded. ¡°But your resignation wille with a full disclosure. We¡¯ll announce the reason for your departure publicly. You¡¯ll then be given a two-week notice to finalize your contract termination. During this period, you¡¯ll be working exclusively on this floor.¡±


    Just as Ashleigh opened her mouth to protest, Mr. Turner piped up, a quick nce at his watch preceding his words. ¡°Sir, the meeting starts in two minutes.¡± He stood stiffly behind Adrian, a silent witness to their tense exchange.


    Adrian¡¯s voice dripped with a cruel amusement. ¡°Deal or no deal, Mrs. Cagliari?¡±


    The weight of her choices pressed down on Ashleigh. Images of James and Fiona losing their jobs shed in her mind.


    With a resigned sigh, she gritted out, ¡°Deal.¡±


    A satisfied smirk yed on Adrian¡¯s lips. ¡°Wise decision,¡± he said, gesturing to Mr. Turner, who presumably knew what to do. He then rose from his chair and headed towards the door.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t fair,¡± Ashleigh mumbled, tears blurring her vision as she watched him leave.


    As if sensing her despair, Adrian stopped and turned back. His imposing figure seemed to fill the room, suffocating her. All she wanted was to escape this office, to escape him. Just as she contemted a desperate dash for the exit, she felt his hand reach for her chin, gently tilting her face upwards. Instinctively, she resisted, but his strength overpowered hers.


    ¡°I hate you,¡± she spat, tears streaming down her cheeks as she red at him with a burning fury.


    A flicker of something unreadable crossed Adrian¡¯s eyes. Before she could react further, he surprised her by pulling her close, his thumb brushing away the tears staining her face.


    Adrian¡¯s gaze swept over Ashleigh, lingering on the tear streaks that painted her face with a strange vulnerability. Her lips, bitten raw from nervous anticipation, seemed fuller somehow. A dark memory flickered in his mind  Ashleigh, intoxicated at the resort, leaning carefree against another man. The audacity of it  so carefree in someone else¡¯s arms while she was so determined to flee him at every turn, and now, the raw hatred burning in her eyes.


    His fingers, unconsciously tightening around her waist, betrayed the storm brewing inside him. He forced himself to remember  her feelings were irrelevant.


    ¡°Hatred serves no purpose, Mrs. Cagliari,¡± he said, his voice a low murmur. ¡°Actions have consequences, and this is yours to bear. Hold your head high. I¡¯ll see you at home.¡± His eyes held hers for a moment longer, then he released her and strode out, leaving her alone in the opulent office.


    Ashleigh stumbled towards the couch, copsing onto the plush cushions. The weight of the situation pressed down on her. She had moments topose herself before facing the aftermath of the meeting. When she finally rose, her steps were heavy as she made her way back to her desk on the executive floor.


    As she walked, she felt the scrutiny of her colleagues. Whispers followed her like a shadow. Some stares were usatory, othersced with pity. Each one felt like a brick added to the invisible wall closing in on her. Reaching a breaking point, she sought refuge in her aunt¡¯s empty office, the familiar space offering a temporary escape.


    Tears welled up again, spilling over as she gave in to the overwhelming emotions. The sobs came in waves, each one a release of the anger, frustration, and fear swirling within her. When the storm subsided, she sat numbly, the remaining hours of her workday dragging by in a blur. Finally, the clock struck the end of her shift. With a defeated sigh, she gathered her belongings and trudged towards the parking lot, the whispers echoing in her ears even as she drove away.

 Chapter 40

    In the following days, the whispers surrounding Ashleigh¡¯s resignation faded to a dull hum. Assigned to the executive floor, she found the pace far more rxed. Fewer offices meant less hustle and bustle, and the remaining space was dedicated to conference rooms and media events. The only real disruption was the constant presence of thepany owner himself.


    Back home that night, after hours of stewing in silence, Ashleigh made a decision. She wouldn¡¯t let Adrian turn her into a pawn in his borate game. Until she found a way to regain the upper hand, silentpliance seemed the best course of action.


    Adrian, however, took full advantage of her presence on his floor. He piled on the tasks, transforming her workload into a relentless beast. Breaks were confined to the snack room, where Mr. Turner, ever dutiful, presented lunch for Adrian alongside a weary Ashleigh. Any lull in her schedule was promptly filled with nonsensical errands. By day¡¯s end, she was a mindless automaton, copsing into the car and driven home in a daze. Her friends¡¯ints about their dwindling social life and her demanding workload went unanswered. Through it all, Ashleigh maintained an unsettling calm, a mask hiding the turmoil within.


    Beyond the office walls, Adrian tightened his grip. Security measures underwent a meticulous revaluation, emerging even more stringent. The previously agreed-upon visits to her aunt and weekend outings were abruptly cancelled. Mr. Turner even reced her phone with a more sophisticated model, its advanced tracking capabilities rendering the off switch useless. All this, a calcted effort to provoke a reaction  a breakdown, a fight, anything. Yet, Ashleigh remained silent, refusing to give him the satisfaction of aint or outburst.


    One afternoon, Ashleigh found herself crouched at the center table in Adrian¡¯s office, attempting to reassemble a decorative piece that had inexplicably fallen apart just before her arrival. Its delicate nature made the task a humorous spectacle for Adrian, as each of her attempts ended in frustration. Finally, she gave up, her gaze meeting his for the first time in days. It was then, in that moment of quiet surrender, that Adrian heard her speak.


    Ashleigh slumped onto the floor in the center of Adrian¡¯s office, frustration simmering just beneath the surface. The centerpiece, a delicate arrangement that had ¡°coincidentally¡± fallen apart before her arrival, mocked her from the coffee table.


    ¡°Mr. Cagliari,¡± she began, her voice tight with annoyance, ¡°this isn¡¯t working.¡±N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    A smirk yed on Adrian¡¯s lips  a silent victoryp for finally eliciting a response from her. However, he maintained a cool facade, his gaze glued to hisptop screen.


    ¡°What?¡± he feigned ignorance, brow furrowed in mock concentration.


    Exasperated, Ashleigh gathered the scattered pieces and rose to her feet. She marched over to his desk and, in a move that startled him, let her hand fall across hisptop, sending the centerpiece fragments cascading across its surface.


    Adrian¡¯s head snapped up, his eyes locking with Ashleigh¡¯s. She stood defiant, arms crossed over her chest.


    ¡°This,¡± she emphasized, gesturing towards the mess, ¡°and all these little tricks you¡¯re pulling to keep me here.¡±


    Adrian steepled his fingers, squinting at her. ¡°This floor is your designated work area. Naturally, I expect you to be here during work hours.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my lunch break,¡± she countered, her voice rising with each word. ¡°I could be spending this time somewhere else, not reassembling these stupid things!¡±


    ¡°As I¡¯ve repeatedly stated,¡± Adrian said, his tone clipped, ¡°everything you need is readily avable on this floor. Lunch was hours ago, rendering your point moot.¡±


    Ashleigh scoffed. ¡°Is this about my friends? You can¡¯t control who I see outside of work. I agreed to stay here, didn¡¯t I? Or are you afraid I¡¯ll disappear again?¡± A flicker of surprise crossed her features at the thought.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to worry about an escape attempt,¡± Adrian replied coolly. ¡°Extensive measures are in ce to ensure you leave this building no earlier than 4 pm.¡±


    Ashleigh scowled. He was right, of course. Recently, she¡¯d noticed an increased security presence. New bodyguards patrolled the premises, and she suspected these were in addition to Adrian¡¯s personal security detail. Then there were Jake and Tristan, the guards who¡¯d failed to keep tabs on her during the trip. Their punishment, though unknown to her, had evidently been severe  their heightened vignce now bordering on paranoia.


    ¡°So, if it¡¯s not about my friends, what is it?¡± Ashleigh pressed, her patience wearing thin.


    Adrian met her gaze with a long, unreadable stare. He wouldn¡¯t admit it was to hear her voice again, even if it wasced with anger and annoyance. He wouldn¡¯t admit that the constant bickering and tension were preferable to the deafening silence that had settled over their lives since her forced resignation.


    He merely shrugged. ¡°Simple. You follow my instructions. Now, clean up this mess you created and reassemble the centerpiece ording to my instructions.¡± His eyes held a glint of something unidentifiable, a hidden agenda beneath the surface.


    Ashleigh stared back at him, a flicker of hope flickering in her eyes. Maybe he was just joking, maybe she wouldn¡¯t have to clean up this mess after all. But as Adrian¡¯s gaze remained unwavering and intense, the hope died. She wouldn¡¯t have minded staying here a little longer, under his watchful eyes.


    ¡°You¡¯re serious?¡± she finally blurted, exasperationcing her voice.


    He offered a curt nod, and with a sigh that spoke volumes, Ashleigh began collecting the scattered pieces. Adrian watched, his eyes drawn to the delicate movements of her hands as she picked up each fragment, her brow furrowed in concentration. Unlike the usual frustration etched on her face, this frown held an unexpected charm. A mischievous glint sparked in his eyes  perhaps a little more teasing was in order.


    d in thepany uniform  a crisp shirt tucked into trousers  her hair cascading down her shoulders, Ashleigh stretched to reach a stray piece. In that moment, the ne nestled against her wedding ring slipped out from beneath her blouse, dangling precariously.


    ¡°Can you help me with those on yourptop?¡± she queried, her voice soft.


    Adrian met her gaze for a fleeting moment before shaking his head, a hint of amusement ying on his lips.


    Ashleigh rolled her eyes yfully before maneuvering closer to his desk to retrieve the remaining pieces. The air crackled with a sudden awareness as she came within arm¡¯s reach. A wisp of jasmine, the same fragrance from the night he¡¯d held her close when she was sick, filled his senses. An unexpected urge to hold her again gripped him. He waited until she reached the far end of the desk, her hand outstretched for a piece, before subtly disrupting her bnce.


    With a startled gasp, Ashleigh found herself tumbling forward,nding squarely in Adrian¡¯s arms. He instinctively wrapped them around her, their gazes locking in a charged moment. A flicker of awareness danced in Ashleigh¡¯s eyes before she quickly averted them, her voice barely a whisper.


    ¡°Please, Mr. Cagliari,¡± she murmured, her voice tight with a mixture of emotions, pushing against his chest in a feeble attempt to create some distance. ¡°Let me go.¡±


    She attempted to push herself away, but his hold remained firm. A tense struggle ensued, her movements restricted by his embrace.


    ¡°Why?¡± he challenged, his voiceced with a dark humor.


    ¡°Is it because jt isn¡¯t the boy from the other night holding you?¡±


    Ashleigh¡¯s head snapped up, a spark of defiance igniting in her eyes.


    ¡°So, now you have a reactions¡± he mused, a steely glint entering his gaze.


    ¡°I hate you!¡± Ashleigh punctuated by a ragged breath.


    Adrian let out a humorless chuckle, his hands moving from her waist to gently cup her face. Beneath the anger that burned in his chest, a flicker of something more intense started to take root.


    ¡°You don¡¯t hate me,¡± he countered, his voice husky as he drew her face closer. With each passing inch, he felt her resistance melt away, her body subconsciously curving into his. Her eyes gradually fluttered shut, a silent surrender to the unspoken tension.


    The air hung heavy with a maelstrom of emotions. Emotions Adrian himself couldn¡¯t quite decipher. What he did know, with a startling rity, was a feeling far more potent than mere anger stirring within him. An unexpected desire, a raw need, pulsed through his veins as they hovered a mere breath apart. His other hand, acting on its own ord, tightened around her waist, eliciting a gasp from her. The space between them evaporated as they leaned in, a silent question hanging in the air¡­

 Chapter 41

    The door creaked open, shattering the charged atmosphere and jolting them both back to reality. Mr. Turner, mid-conversation with a group outside, caught a glimpse of the scene unfolding in the office. He quickly ushered the visitors out, muttering about needing a few minutes.


    Ashleigh¡¯s cheeks burned a fiery crimson. The near-miss sent a jolt of panic through her, and she struggled even harder to disentangle herself from Adrian¡¯s embrace. But he remained unyielding.


    A kaleidoscope of emotions warred within Adrian. Relief, a strange and unwee sentiment, washed over him at Mr. Turner¡¯s interruption. His behavior in the past few minutes had been uncharacteristically impulsive. But a stronger current of anger surged through him, directed at his oblivious secretary for shattering the moment. His piercing gaze pinned Mr. Turner in ce, silently demanding the man understand the situation and leave.


    ¡°I-I apologize, Boss,¡± Mr. Turner stammered, his voice barely a whisper under the withering re. ¡°It was a mistake.¡±


    ¡°Do you even possess the most rudimentarymon sense?¡± Adrian thundered, his voiceced with barely-contained fury. ¡°Why haven¡¯t you left yet?¡±


    Mr. Turner visibly cowered. ¡°S-sir, I-I¡¯m here to inform you of the arrival of the Robin College examination officers,¡± he squeaked out.


    Adrian¡¯s eyes shed with recognition, a flicker that caused Ashleigh, still struggling in his arms, to freeze.


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s today, isn¡¯t it?¡± he remarked casually, a stark contrast to Ashleigh¡¯s utter bewilderment.


    ¡°Excuse me, Adrian,¡± she stammered, her voice tight with confusion. ¡°What is Mr. Turner talking about?¡± Perhaps the sudden interruption had muddled her understanding.


    Adrian met her gaze with a nonchnt shrug. ¡°Just a little something I arranged. Your college entrance exam and interview. Today. Completely slipped my mind.¡±


    ¡°What!¡± Ashleigh shrieked, her eyes wide with terror. Adrian, on the other hand, seemed remarkably unfazed by her reaction.


    ¡°Why are you acting like I ¡®forgot¡¯ to tell you?¡± he countered, a yful glint in his eyes. ¡°I simply forgot it was today.¡±


    Ignoring her mounting questions, Adrian shifted his attention back to Mr. Turner, who awkwardly continued to witness their exchange. With a narrowed gaze and a curt gesture, Adrian dismissed him. The door clicked shut, leaving him alone with Ashleigh, whose face mirrored pure astonishment. His fingers reached out, brushing a stray strand of hair loose from its tie.


    ¡°See,¡± he said in a light voice, his gaze lingering on her, ¡°I didn¡¯t forget to tell you. I just forgot it was today.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps we could continue this conversation in a less¡­promising position,¡± Ashleigh suggested, her voiceced with a hint of breathlessness as she nced at Adrian¡¯s hands still wrapped around her waist.


    Despite her attempt to appearposed, a blush crept up her neck. The memory of their near-kiss sent a shiver down her spine. A part of her had wanted to melt into his embrace, to drown out the confusion swirling in her head. But logic had intervened, reminding her of the precarious situation they were in. Now, all she craved was escape, a chance to process the whirlwind of emotions and regain control.


    Of course, Adrian wasn¡¯t about to make things easy.


    ¡°This seems perfectly suitable to me, wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡± he countered with a teasing glint in his eyes.


    Ashleigh shot him a withering look. ¡°Easy for you to say, considering you¡¯refortably perched on your chair. My legs, on the other hand, are about to give out.¡±


    ¡°Funny,¡± he drawled, ¡°that wasn¡¯t a concern a few moments ago, was it?¡±


    Ashleigh squirmed in his grasp. This time, Adrian relented, his hold loosening enough for her to slip free. With a rush of movement, she put some distance between them,ing to stand stiffly in front of his desk.


    Clearing her throat, she forced out, ¡°So, you were saying?¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes,¡± Adrian began, his tone nonchnt. ¡°I finalized that agreement over the weekend. We decided on an interview date, which you could have chosen, of course. Unfortunately, I returned Monday night to inform you, but you were absent. So, who¡¯s to me here?¡±


    His words struck a chord of guilt within her. Her aunt¡¯s advice about patience echoed in her mind.


    ¡°Frankly,¡± he continued, his voice softening slightly, ¡°¡±after your little disappearing act, I questioned whether to continue with the college arrangements. It was either that, or you don¡¯t work here.¡±


    A flicker of gratitude sparked in Ashleigh¡¯s eyes. Despite everything, he¡¯d followed through.


    ¡°It¡¯s all rather sudden,¡± she admitted, her gaze flickering towards the door where Mr. Turner presumably stood with the college representatives. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I¡¯m entirely prepared.¡±


    ¡°Prepared or not,¡± Adrian dered, ¡°this is your opportunity. Besides, you practically passed out studying for it, wouldn¡¯t you say?¡±


    Ashleigh couldn¡¯t help but roll her eyes. ¡°Must you always give backhandpliments?¡±


    A wry smile touched Adrian¡¯s lips. ¡°Properpliments wille when the situation merits them. Turner!¡± he boomed, his voice echoing through the office.


    The door swung open once again, revealing Mr. Turner nked by a middle-aged couple and two of Adrian¡¯s security personnel carrying briefcases. The couple, dressed in professional attire and sporting friendly smiles, entered the office. Adrian rose from his desk and moved to stand beside Ashleigh.


    ¡°Good afternoon, Mr. Cagliari,¡± the man greeted, extending a hand for a handshake. Adrian shook it firmly, then turned to the woman. ¡°Mrs. Kin, a pleasure.¡±


    ¡°We are Mr. Donald and Mrs. Kin,¡± the woman introduced herself, ¡°from Robin College.¡± They both nodded politely.


    Adrian cleared his throat, cing a hand on Ashleigh¡¯s waist in a gesture that was reassuring.


    ¡°We¡¯ve been expecting you. My apologies for the earlier wait  some pressing matters needed my immediate attention.¡±


    ¡°No worries at all!¡± chirped Mrs. Kin, her eyes twinkling as theynded on Ashleigh. ¡°And this must be Ashleigh?¡±


    Ashleigh, rendered speechless by a mix of nerves and the unexpected physical contact, could only manage a hesitant nod.


    Sensing her difort, Adrian took over. ¡°Yes, this is Ashleigh Cagliari, my wife, and the student taking the exam today. Forgive her quietness  nerves tend to get the best of her.¡±


    A gentleugh rippled from Mrs. Kin, quickly echoed by herpanion. ¡°No need to apologize, dear,¡± the woman soothed, her face radiating warmth.


    ¡°Everyone gets nervous. It¡¯s perfectly natural.¡± Ashleigh offered a silent nod, her posture still stiff with anxiety.


    ¡°Shall we take a seat?¡± Mr. Turner interjected helpfully, ushering everyone towards the plush couch. The security personnel deposited their briefcases efficiently before excusing themselves. Mr. Turner stationed himself discreetly at a distance.


    ¡°Now, let¡¯s get started,¡± Mr. Donald began, his voice calming.


    ¡°We¡¯ll walk you through the examination process. First, there¡¯s a multiple-choice section covering all the subjects relevant to your chosen course of study. That will take about three hours. Afterward, you¡¯ll have a one-hour oral interview. Once we¡¯ve tallied and reviewed your results, you¡¯ll be informed of your sess or otherwise.¡±


    Ashleigh followed his exnation with a series of small nods, the knot of tension in her stomach tightening with each passing moment.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t hesitate to ask if you have any questions about the process,¡± Mrs. Killian added kindly.


    Ashleigh shook her head, her throat too dry to speak.


    ¡°Excellent,¡± Mrs. Kin said, a hint of a smile ying on her lips.


    ¡°Then, shall we begin?¡±


    As they set up the examination, a sudden urge to stop Adrian from leaving overwhelmed Ashleigh. He was about to move away from the couch when she reached out, frantically grasping his hand. He paused, his gaze meeting hers, and instead of pulling away, he gently ced his hand over hers.


    Leaning in close, his voice a husky murmur against her ear, he teased, ¡°How about that? My usually stoic wife clinging to me.¡±


    A faint blush crept up Ashleigh¡¯s cheeks, but her grip on his hand remained firm.


    ¡°You¡¯ll do just fine, Mrs. Cagliari,¡± he whispered, his deep voice sending a shiver down her spine.


    Their eyes locked for a fleeting moment, a silent exchange passing between them, before she reluctantly released his hand. With a final nce, Adrian straightened and addressed the examiners.


    ¡°Mr. Turner is here to assist you with anything you might need,¡± he assured them. They both nodded in acknowledgment, their eyes following him as he exited the room.


    Alone with the examiners and Mr. Turner, Ashleigh took a deep breath, trying to quell the nervous butterflies fluttering in her stomach. Adrian¡¯s final words echoed in her ears, his baritone voice a surprising source offort.


    The examiners ced theptop in front of her, guiding her through the login process for the exam interface. With a click, the test began. The next three hours were a blur of questions, a mix of the familiar and the challenging. However, thanks to Dr. Brooke¡¯s rigorous preparation sessions, Ashleigh tackled them with a newfound confidence. Once she submitted her answers, the oral interviewmenced. The examiners bombarded her with questions, testing her knowledge and understanding of various topics.


    Exhaustion, both mental and physical, crashed over Ashleigh by the time the four-hour exam ended. The whirlwind of emotions leading up to it, the test itself, and the grueling oral interview had taken their toll. While the questions themselves hadn¡¯t been insurmountable, they still required focus and effort. Mr. Turner, who had silently observed the whole ordeal, found himself surprised by his employer¡¯s wife. Her initial nervousness had led him to doubt her abilities, but Ashleigh had more than proven her worth for Robin College.


    Seeing her slumbering form curled up on the couch, Mr. Turner quietly ushered the examiners out of the office, leading them to the conference room where Mr. Cagliari awaited. Adrian had been away for a business meeting, returning just as the oral interview wrapped up.


    ¡°We¡¯re happy to announce that Ashleigh has passed the interview and been granted admission,¡± they informed him. Adrian expressed his gratitude and instructed Mr. Turner to handle the necessary paperwork.


    He returned to the office to find Ashleigh still asleep on the sofa,pletely spent. As he settled beside her, his movements stirred her awake.


    ¡°Did I pass?¡± she mumbled sleepily, her eyes fluttering open to meet his.


    ¡°You did brilliantly, Mrs. Cagliari,¡± he murmured, as he leaned down and ced a soft kiss on her cheek.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.

 Chapter 42

    A surreal sense of aplishment washed over Ashleigh as she sat in her room, surrounded by mountains of clothes. Susan, her ever-reliable assistant, meticulously folded them into arge suitcase, a team of helpers bustling around her. The news of her eptance into Robin College had arrived a week ago, yet the memory of jolting awake from the couch, sleep forgotten in a surge of joy, remained vivid.


    Back home, she¡¯d found the official letter nestled amongst her mail, a crisp confirmation that she was to report to campus for a mandatory freshman orientation that very weekend. The news had been met with ecstatic reactions  her aunt and friends bursting with pride, thetter particrly curious about the sudden turn of events. Sharing the news with Larry and Susan had set off a joyous chain reaction, with Susan spreading the word amongst the other staff members. The week since had flown by in a whirlwind of excitement. ¡°Madame,¡± a familiar voice cut through Ashleigh¡¯s daydream, startling her. She looked up to find Susan standing before her, an exasperated look etched on her face.


    ¡°Apologies, Susan, it won¡¯t happen again. What was your question?¡± Ashleigh stammered, a sheepish grin spreading across her face as muffled chuckles erupted from the other staff discreetly observing the exchange. Susan sighed dramatically.


    ¡°Mrs. Ashleigh, you¡¯ve said that four times now, only to forget a minuteter.¡±


    ¡°I understand, Susan. I truly am excited, but don¡¯t you think three days¡¯ worth of clothes is a bit excessive?¡± Ashleigh questioned, her gaze flitting skeptically towards the overflowing suitcase.


    While the college letter had stated a week-long orientation, Adrian had taken it upon himself to ensure Ashleigh¡¯s return within three days. His exnation to her was the prevention of ¡°a repeat of previous events,¡± while to the school administration, it was a matter of security concerns surrounding his high profile. Ashleigh was secretly grateful he hadn¡¯t borated further, particrly on the events of that day in his office  the memory still sent a blush creeping up her cheeks.


    ¡°Mrs. Ashleigh, packing everything is absolutely necessary!¡± Susan countered, her voiceced with gentle insistence.


    ¡°This is your first time living away from home for an extended period. Remember, Robin College is an elite institution, which means it will be filled with sophisticated individuals. You¡¯ll want to make a good impression, wouldn¡¯t you?¡± Ashleigh couldn¡¯t help butugh at Susan¡¯s well-meaning concern. With a yful smile, she walked over to the suitcase and began extracting select items, much to Susan¡¯s dismay.


    ¡°Absolutely essential to pack everything, Mrs. Ashleigh!¡± Susan dered, her voiceced with concern as she wrestled with a mountain of clothes.


    ¡°This is your first time living away for an extended period, remember? Besides, Robin College is an elite institution, bound to be filled with sophisticated individuals. You¡¯ll want to make a good impression, wouldn¡¯t you?¡± Ashleigh chuckled at Susan¡¯s well-meaning anxiety.


    ¡°Elite minds, Susan,¡± she rified, approaching the overflowing suitcase.


    ¡°I imagine a prestigious university like Robin College attracts students more focused on academics than fashion. I n to make a good impression with intellectual conversation, not a designer wardrobe.¡±


    ¡°Half of these clothes should suffice for this trip,¡± she instructed, gesturing towards the overflowing suitcase.


    ¡°Comfortable and casual wear will be best, considering I¡¯m unsure of the orientation venue.¡± The other staff members observing the exchange nodded in agreement and resumed their packing duties. Susan paused, her lips pursed in a silent argument before finally conceding with a nod.


    ¡°As you wish, Mrs. Ashleigh. But don¡¯te back pouting if things don¡¯t go ording to n,¡± she warned yfully, returning to her packing.


    Ashleigh¡¯s smile faltered, a teasing glint entering her eyes. ¡°You seem awfully neutral about my departure, Susan. Don¡¯t you care about me at all?¡± she inquired, flopping dramatically beside her assistant, who rolled her eyes in response.


    ¡°Mrs. Ashleigh,¡± Susan sighed, ¡°you know I¡¯m probably the happiest person in this building right now.¡±Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    ¡°Your face doesn¡¯t exactly scream overjoyed,¡± Ashleigh countered, peering at Susan¡¯s impassive expression.


    Since Ashleigh considered Susan a younger sister, she found amusement in teasing her. Susan¡¯sposed outward demeanor often masked a sea of emotions simmering beneath the surface. It also amused Ashleigh that despite constant reminders, Susan still addressed her formally. This didn¡¯t prevent a few informal remarks from slipping through asionally.


    ¡°No wonder Mr. Cagliari seems more adept at keeping you quiet,¡± Susan muttered under her breath, not realizing Ashleigh had caught it. Ashleigh¡¯s cheeks flushed a crimson red.


    ¡°What was that supposed to mean, Susan? Are you stepping out of line?¡± she sputtered, the sly smile on her assistant¡¯s face doing little to ease her irritation.


    Though anger red, she couldn¡¯t entirely me Susan. In a moment of emotional vulnerability, Ashleigh herself had recounted the events of that day in Adrian¡¯s office. Her voice hardened.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been dragging your feet with this task, Susan. See to it that it¡¯s finished within the next half hour.¡± Susan, clearly aware she¡¯d crossed a line, simply nodded and picked up the pace.


    ¡°So, any updates on the preparations for tonight¡¯s karaoke night?¡± Ashleigh asked after a moment of silence, hoping to shift the conversation.


    ¡°Everything¡¯s set for a seven o¡¯clock start, Mrs. Ashleigh. Chef Larry¡¯s been busy in the kitchen all afternoon,¡± Susan reported, and Ashleigh acknowledged her with a grateful nod.


    Inspired by Chef Larry¡¯s suggestion, Ashleigh had decided to host another karaoke night for everyone. This time, it was a celebratory affair for her college eptance, and the announcement had been met with joyous anticipation from the staff. She¡¯d even informed Adrian about it at work, and after some yful back-and-forth, he¡¯d agreed to attend on the condition that he joined the festivities. With the n cemented, they¡¯d settled on a beach theme, encouraging everyone to wear casual attire. Ashleigh couldn¡¯t wait for the evening to unfold and the singing to begin.


    Susan, having meticulously reorganized the suitcase ording to Ashleigh¡¯s instructions, finished her task and headed off to join Mr. Atkinson in setting up the event hall. Ashleigh, with the uing guest of honor in mind, decided to personally oversee the culinary preparations in the kitchen.


    ¡°Hey, Chef Larry! How¡¯s everythinging along?¡± she greeted, stretching on her tiptoes to peek at the tantalizing array of food on the counter. Chef Larry, surrounded by his diligent assistants, looked up and offered Ashleigh a curt smile.


    He barked out a few instructions before striding towards her, where she strained to see over the counter. He reached for a tray, bringing it down to her level. Her eyes widened at the sight of juicy meatballs, and she instinctively grabbed a skewer.


    ¡°Preparations are almostplete. I made sure to incorporate Mr. Cagliari¡¯s preferences, just like you requested,¡± he dered, puffing out his chest with mock pride. Ashleigh couldn¡¯t help but smile at his yful demeanor.


    Popping a meatball in her mouth, she closed her eyes, savoring the vorful explosion. ¡°Mmm, this is exquisite! Compliments to the chef,¡± she proimed, her taste buds dancing with delight.


    Chef Larry beamed with genuine pride.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you head upstairs and get ready, Mrs. Cagliari? After all, Mr. Cagliari will be home soon,¡± he suggested, gently guiding her towards the door by cing his hands on her shoulders.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Ashleigh stammered, her cheeks flushing a rosy pink.


    ¡°Don¡¯t I dress up every day?¡± ¡°Of course you do,¡± he chuckled.


    ¡°But tonight¡¯s different. You need to look absolutely stunning! Now go on, shoo!¡± Ashleigh left the kitchen with a shy grumble, leaving Chef Larry behind.


    As he watched her retreat, his bright smile gradually faded into a deep frown. The current joy swirling around Ashleigh wouldn¡¯tst the night. By nightfall, that jubtion would transform into a crushing despair.


    Editor ¨C AlphaNovel Writer

 Chapter 43

    Ashleigh grumbled as she climbed the stairs. It seemed everyone was picking on her today, constantly bringing up Adrian. Why did they hold this perception of their rtionship? They were hardly affectionate or a love couple. Perhaps her behavior unintentionally portrayed otherwise. But Adrian, the constant subject of their whispers, hadn¡¯t even bothered to address the events of the previous week. Pushing those thoughts aside, Ashleigh focused on getting ready for the night¡¯s festivities.


    By 7 pm, everyone had gathered in the event hall. Mr. Atkinson and Susan had opted for a simple yet elegant design. Beach-themed decorations were strategically ced, adding a touch of whimsy. The stage was more borately decorated this time.


    A ¡°Congrattions!¡± banner nked by streamers adorned the background. An upgraded karaoke machine boasted various microphones, and additional games promised to spice up the evening. The entrance table, overflowing with culinary delights, showcased Chef Larry¡¯s talents. Sliders, miniature food disys, colorful drinks, grilled meats and fish, sushi rolls, caviar, and a cheese spread on a serving board were just a few of the offerings.


    Chef Larry and his assistants, looking dapper in shorts and beach shirts, manned the station, serving everyone with smiles. Susan, sporting a rxed demeanor and two ponytails, chatted with guests while d in a gown. The other staff members, d in casual attire, mingled about. Even Mr. Atkinson, after some yful coercion, had joined the casual dress code.


    After grabbing their meals, everyone settled into their assigned chairs. Susan, microphone in hand, took center stage.


    ¡°Good evening everyone, and wee to the second edition of the Cagliari mansion karaoke night!¡± she boomed, her voice momentarily drowned out by a wave of cheers and excited chatter. Once the noise subsided, she continued, ¡°You all probably thought the first one was a one-time thing, but guess again! We¡¯re here tonight not just for our esteemed Madame, but for the big boss himself!¡±


    The announcement sent a ripple of surprise and excitement through the crowd. Mr. Cagliari, known for his strict demeanor and insistence on decorum, allowing something so informal? It was a shock to their system.


    ¡°Why are we gathered here tonight?¡± Susan posed dramatically, cing her hands on her chin in mock contemtion. The audience, ustomed to her calm demeanor, erupted inughter.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s no secret,¡± she continued, a yful smile spreading across her face, ¡°but I¡¯ll say it again for good measure! Our very own Madame, Mrs. Cagliari, has be a college student!¡±


    A thunderous cheer erupted from the crowd, followed by whistles and excited chatter.


    ¡°And to celebrate her incredible achievement,¡± Susan announced, ¡°we¡¯re throwing this party in her honor before she departs in just a few days!¡±


    As if on cue, Ashleigh entered the brightly lit hall. Her gaze darted past the cheering crowd, searching for a specific face that was noticeably absent. A smile flickered across her lips as she spotted Susan gesturing towards her.


    ¡°Without further ado,¡± Susan dered, her voice booming, ¡°let¡¯s give a warm wee to our beloved Mrs. Ashleigh Cagliari!¡±


    The spotlight instantly snapped on, bathing Ashleigh in an unexpected re. She instinctively raised a hand to shield her eyes. Susan, sensing her difort, signaled to the technician, who quickly dimmed the spotlight.


    Ashleigh lowered her hand and surveyed the room, a wave of warmth washing over her as she saw everyone standing and cheering.


    Chef Larry, who had discreetly approached her side, leaned in and whispered, ¡°You look absolutely radiant, Mrs. Cagliari. Congrattions.¡±


    Ashleigh offered a distracted nod, her eyes scanning the room once more for any sign of Adrian. Disappointment tugged at her heart. He had promised to be there by 7 pm sharp. Pushing aside the negativity, she reminded herself that the night was still young.


    ¡°May I escort you to your seat, Mrs. Cagliari?¡± Chef Larry asked, extending a hand with a gentle smile.


    Taking a deep breath topose herself, Ashleigh returned the smile. ¡°Yes, of course,¡± she replied, cing her hand in his.


    As they walked through the crowd, Ashleigh greeted everyone warmly. Upon reaching the front, she noticed a reserved seating area set apart from the main group, presumably for Adrian¡¯s arrival. She settled into her seat and with a gracious smile, gestured for everyone to be seated.


    ¡°Once again, congrattions, Mrs. Cagliari,¡± Susan said, her voice filled with admiration. ¡°You look stunning tonight.¡±Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Ashleigh offered a grateful smile. ¡°Thank you, Susan. I truly appreciate this.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯d love to hear a few words from you before we begin the festivities,¡± Susan continued, stepping back and handing the microphone to Ashleigh.


    Standing up to address the crowd, Ashleigh cleared her throat. ¡°Good evening everyone. It¡¯s wonderful to see all of you here tonight. You all look fantastic! Thank you so much for celebrating this milestone with me. You¡¯ve all been incredibly supportive throughout my journey, even during my illness. Your kindness means the world to me. While I can¡¯t express my gratitude enough, I hope this little gathering shows my appreciation. Now, let¡¯s rx and enjoy yourselves! The night is young!¡±


    Her words were met with enthusiastic apuse, and the cheering crowd raised their sses in a toast. As the music filled the air, Ashleigh scanned the room once more, a sliver of hope lingering that Adrian might still make an appearance.


    After the initial speeches, the festivities kicked into high gear. Everyone eagerly joined in the games and revelry, while Chef Larry ensured Ashleigh¡¯s meal was served promptly. She watched with amusement as the staff members, usually so reserved, loosened up and embraced the yful atmosphere.


    The highlight was a raffle draw featuring a dazzling array of gifts Mrs. Cagliari had personally selected. A collective gasp rippled through the crowd as Mr. Atkinson wheeled in a cart overflowing with prizes  designer bags and shoes, trendy clothes, sparkling jewelry, and even household appliances. But the real showstoppers were the high-value gifts: shopping vouchers worth thousands of dors,ptops, phones, and a top-of-the-lineputer.


    The winner of theputer, a middle-aged woman with kind eyes framed by wrinkles and a crown of silver hair, approached Ashleigh with tears welling up. This was Mrs. Hernandez, a member of the gardening staff. Ashleigh initially harbored reservations about an elderly woman doing such strenuous work. However, Mr. Atkinson exined Mrs. Hernandez¡¯s situation  she was the sole caregiver for her grandchildren after their parents tragically passed away. Learning this, Ashleigh had increased her sry and reduced her workload.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how to thank you, Mrs. Cagliari,¡± Mrs. Hernandez choked out, her voice thick with emotion. ¡°You¡¯ve truly been an angel. My eldest grandchild desperately wanted aputer for school, something I couldn¡¯t afford with all his siblings to look after. This will make him so happy! Thank you, Madam, from the bottom of my heart.¡±


    Ashleigh reached out and squeezed Mrs. Hernandez¡¯s hand gently, wiping away a stray tear. ¡°It¡¯s my pleasure,¡± she said sincerely. Simr scenes yed out throughout the evening as other staff members, overwhelmed by Ashleigh¡¯s generosity, expressed their heartfelt gratitude. These weren¡¯t just expensive items; they were tokens of appreciation for the family Ashleigh had created in this short time.


    As the night wore on, the excitement shifted to karaoke. Yet, Adrian remained conspicuously absent. Ashleigh couldn¡¯t deny the gnawing disappointment. Despite knowing his aversion to such events, she¡¯d held onto a sliver of hope that he¡¯d make an effort for her. Here she was, foolishly clinging to a hope that perhaps he held her in higher regard than his absence suggested. The staff members began to pick up on her subdued mood. Whispers, barely audible, rippled through the younger crowd.


    ¡°She put on a whole show trying to be a lovey-dovey couple with the boss, and he just blows her off again,¡± one voice sniped,ced with a touch of malice. ¡°Serves her right for thinking a high and mighty guy like him would ever care about her.¡±


    A chorus of snickers followed, their eyes flitting towards Ashleigh, oblivious on the other side of the room.


    Susan, never one to tolerate disrespect towards Ashleigh, caught their exchange with a withering re. These were the newer recruits, much younger than the rest and hired at Ashleigh¡¯s insistence over Mr. Atkinson¡¯s concerns about ack of experience. Their youthful energy was supposed to invigorate the team, but so far, it had only manifested in petty gossip behind Ashleigh¡¯s back. Susan normally turned a blind eye, attributing it to Ashleigh¡¯s recent health struggles. But this time, their malicious whispers crossed a line.


    With a firm rap of her knuckles on the table, Susan silenced their chatter. Towering over the young women, she strode purposefully towards the microphone, her expression a storm cloud.

 Chapter 44

    With a determined glint in her eye, Susan announced, ¡°Unfortunately, it seems our boss won¡¯t be joining us for karaoke tonight. But hey, the night¡¯s been fantastic so far, and we can¡¯t let that dampen our spirits! Let¡¯s get this karaoke party started!¡±


    A wave of cheers erupted from the crowd, quickly dispelling any disappointment. Mocktails, meticulously prepared beforehand, were distributed to lighten the mood. While most were non-alcoholic, a few cheeky younger staff members saw an opportunity for mischief. They pretended to request refills, distracting the assistants while their friends surreptitiously spiked some of the remaining mocktails.


    One particr young man exchanged a knowing nce with Chef Larry as he passed by. Larry acknowledged him with a subtle nod, his gaze flickering towards a disheartened Ashleigh. All evening, Larry had been waiting for this moment.


    Adrian¡¯s absence was the icing on his cake. Without him there, his n would be much easier to execute. It was a simple scheme. Seeing Ashleigh downcast, she¡¯d likely reach for a drink. One of the spiked mocktails,ced with a powerful sleeping drug, would be readily avable. Meanwhile, the rest of the staff would be served alcoholic mocktails, ensuring they were sufficiently inebriated.


    Once the opportunity arose, Larry would guide a drugged Ashleigh upstairs to her room. Using fingerprints he¡¯d collected, he¡¯d gain ess to Mr. Cagliari¡¯s study. There, he¡¯d retrieve the file he desired, slip out unseen, and nt the incriminating evidence in Ashleigh¡¯s room, framing her for the theft.


    With a predatory glint in his eyes, Larry approached the assistants and barked an order to serve the mocktails. Cluelessly, they began their rounds. Larry swiftly spiked two of the drinks just as Mr. Atkinson arrived at his side.


    ¡°For Madame Cagliari, ensure it¡¯s strictly non-alcoholic,¡± Mr. Atkinson instructed, eyeing the colorful concoctions with suspicion. ¡°Fruit juice would be preferable.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Mr. Atkinson,¡± Larry replied, feigningpliance. ¡°Have a drink yourself, sir. I¡¯ll go prepare the fruit juice for Mrs. Cagliari.¡± He thrust the drugged mocktail towards Mr. Atkinson, who epted it with a wary nce before walking away. Unbeknownst to him, Larry shot a venomous re in his direction, silently urging him to consume the drink. Mr. Atkinson, oblivious to the danger, obliged and left the hall.


    Larry hurried to the kitchen, retrieving the pre-prepared juice he knew Mr. Atkinson might insist upon. Returning to the hall, he found his n unfolding perfectly. The staff were in various stages of drunkenness, some slumped over tables, others singing off-key. Mr. Atkinson, his head resting heavily on his arm, appeared thoroughly inebriated. A cruel smile yed on Larry¡¯s lips as he approached the mocktail bar, poured the prepared juice, and carried it over to a preupied Ashleigh.


    ¡°Well, well, Mrs. Celebrant,¡± he addressed her, his voiceced with a hint of faux concern. ¡°You seem quite out of sorts.¡±


    Ashleigh¡¯s gaze met his, a heavy sigh escaping her lips.Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    ¡°Can¡¯t be helped,¡± she said, tossing her phone onto the table. ¡°My husband still hasn¡¯t arrived, and the night¡¯s almost over.¡±


    Ashleigh¡¯s voice trembled slightly as she questioned Chef Larry, ¡°He made a promise, didn¡¯t he? Isn¡¯t that important too? I finally got into Robin College, shouldn¡¯t that be something to celebrate as well?¡±


    Chef Larry offered a tight smile. ¡°I¡¯m sure Mr. Cagliari has a valid reason, Mrs. Cagliari. You know the demanding nature of his work. They say he barely came home before this.¡± His words were meant to beforting, but they rang hollow in Ashleigh¡¯s ears.


    Disappointment washed over her again, a familiar ache in her chest. ncing around the room, she saw only carefree revelry ughter, dancing, uninhibited joy.


    ¡°Sometimes,¡± she said wistfully, her voice barely above a whisper, ¡°I wish my life was simpler. Maybe then I could be as carefree as them.¡±


    Chef Larry leaned in, his voice a low murmur. ¡°Well, their carefree naturees courtesy of a little something extra in their drinks. They have their own burdens, Mrs. Ashleigh, believe me.¡±


    Ashleigh¡¯s eyes widened. Now the uninhibited behavior made sense. A flicker of envy sparked within her, quickly extinguished by a growing unease.


    ¡°How did this happen?¡± she asked, concern etching lines on her forehead. Some of the staff members were bing increasingly disoriented, their attempts at merriment bordering on the bizarre.


    Chef Larry shrugged, a barely concealed amusement dancing in his eyes. ¡°Apparently, one of the younger gardeners snuck some alcohol into the mocktail mix. We only realized it after the drinks were served. It¡¯ll wear off by morning, harmless fun, really.¡± He threw his head back andughed as an elderly woman attempted aplicated dance move, only to lose her bnce and tumble to the floor.


    Ashleigh, however, didn¡¯t share his amusement. A cold dread began to creep into her heart.


    ¡°Lucky them,¡± she mumbled almost to herself. Chef Larry, ever observant, smirked and ced a ss of juice in front of her.


    ¡°You know you can¡¯t have any alcohol, Mrs. Cagliari,¡± he said, his voice dripping with false sympathy. ¡°But this fresh juice should quench your thirst.¡±


    Ashleigh scowled. This was another one of Adrian¡¯s restrictions, another reminder of his control. She grumbled and took arge gulp of the juice, pushing the empty ss toward him with a curt nod.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back to keep youpany, if you don¡¯t mind,¡± he offered, his voice overly solicitous.


    Ashleigh, desperate for an ally in this sea of drunken revelry, simply nodded in agreement. She tentatively asked for a mocktail, a plea he granted with a show of magnanimity. The more intoxicated she was, the better, it seemed.


    When things settled down somewhat, Chef Larry returned to Ashleigh¡¯s side. As they conversed, she felt a strange sensation creeping in  a pleasant tipsiness that gradually morphed into dizziness.


    Chef Larry watched her with calcting eyes and finally, the moment he¡¯d been waiting for arrived. He sauntered towards the microphone stand, a grin spreading across his face.


    ¡°Well folks,¡± he announced, his voice booming through the hall, ¡°thatst song seems to be the grand finale!¡±


    A chorus of groans and yful boos erupted from the drunken crowd. ¡°No way! The night can¡¯t end until Mrs. Cagliari sings!¡± someone shouted.


    Chef Larry chuckled. ¡°I know, I know, we all wanted our esteemed Madame to grace the stage. Unfortunately, she¡¯s quite exhausted. Therefore, she has requested we wrap things up. Thank you all foring, and goodnight!¡±


    His words,ced with a hidden urgency, spurred the more sober members of the staff into action. They began helping their inebriated colleagues out of the hall, the festive atmosphere dissolving into a chaotic exodus. With most of the crowd dispersed, Chef Larry¡¯s smile widened into a sinister leer. The stage was set.


    Disorientation swirled around Ashleigh like a thick fog. Mr. Atkinson remained slumped in his chair, seemingly oblivious, the perfect picture of sleep. In her woozy state, Ashleigh leaned heavily on Chef Larry, who pretended to be burdened by mocktails but looked suspiciously smug.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get you to bed, Mrs. Cagliari,¡± he purred, his voice dripping with false concern. ¡°You look ready to drop.¡±


    Ashleigh mumbled agreement, her eyelids fluttering shut with each passing moment. ¡°Howe you¡¯re not¡­ affected?¡± she slurred, her words barely forming a question. Chef Larry had indulged in a few mocktails during their conversation, dismissing her earlier concerns.


    ¡°High tolerance, Mrs. Cagliari,¡± he lied, tightening his grip on her arm to steady her swaying form. ¡°But your well-being is all that matters right now.¡±


    He guided her towards the stairs, each step a perilous journey for Ashleigh. Reaching the top floor, a mischievous glint flickered in Chef Larry¡¯s eyes. He tapped his smartwatch, plunging the mansion into sudden darkness.


    This wasn¡¯t a random ckout. Chef Larry had painstakingly installed a program capable of overriding the mansion¡¯s security system, but it was a one-shot deal. Triggering it would trigger an immediate alert to the Cagliari estate surveince team, giving him only minutes before they traced the breach.


    With the CCTV cameras on the first floor disabled, the only footage captured would be a dark, empty hallway. It was a risky gamble, but one he was willing to take. He flicked on his shlight, leading Ashleigh towards her room. He pressed her fingerprint against the security panel, surreptitiously collecting another sample for ess to Adrian¡¯s study.


    Just as he emerged from the room, a blinding beam of light cut through the darkness. Startled, he stumbled back, ying the part of a drunken reveler.


    ¡°Wh-where am I?¡± he stammered, fumbling around with his hands as if disoriented.


    The source of the light was Mr. Atkinson, his face etched with a deep scowl. This was aplete surprise for Chef Larry. The drugged mocktail should have knocked the old man out cold. He himself had sumbed to the effects for a while, exining the ckout. But there he stood, a formidable obstacle in his path.


    What Chef Larry didn¡¯t know was that Mr. Atkinson was no ordinary butler. Years of covert training had equipped him to resist various poisons and intoxicants. While the drug had indeed affected him, causing a deep sleep, the sudden power outage, likely triggered by an external breach, had jolted him awake just in time.


    Confusion flickered across Chef Larry¡¯s face as a harsh beam of light sliced through the darkness. Mr. Atkinson stood before him, a formidable figure etched with suspicion.


    ¡°Care to exin yourself, Chef Larry?¡± Mr. Atkinson¡¯s voice wasced with ice.


    ¡°M-Mr. Atkinson,¡± Chef Larry stammered, feigning drunkenness. ¡°Just¡­ helping Mrs. Cagliari to bed. Lost track of the doors in this state.¡± He crumpled the stolen fingerprint sample into his pocket, a nervous smile stered on his face.


    ¡°You have a light,¡± Mr. Atkinson pointed out, his gaze sharp. ¡°And you im to be ¡®tipsy,¡¯ not disoriented. Exin the discrepancy.¡±


    Panic wed at Chef Larry, but outwardly, he remained calm. ¡°Perhaps you misunderstand, Mr. Atkinson. See for yourself.¡± He gestured towards the door, a forced smile ying on his lips.


    Mr. Atkinson examined the study door, finding no sign of tampering. He then checked on Ashleigh, who slept soundly.


    ¡°I appreciate your assistance with Mrs. Cagliari,¡± he said, his voice stern. ¡°However, but your professionalism with our Madame needs¡­ improvement. Discretion and propriety apply to all interactions, a fact you¡¯d be wise to remember. Goodnight..¡±


    With a curt nod, Larry swallowed his anger. Just then, the lights flickered back to life. Mr. Atkinson received a call, his eyes widening in realization. He nced at Chef Larry as he spoke into the phone.


    ¡°A software bug, you say?¡± Mr. Atkinson¡¯s voice held a hint of usation, his gaze lingering on Larry before he walked away. Larry was left fuming in silence, as his carefully crafted n crumbled around him.

 Chapter 45

    A dull ache throbbed in Mr. Atkinson¡¯s head, a lingering echo of the electrical malfunction he¡¯d spent hours fixing. He patrolled the silent staff quarters well past midnight, ensuring everyone was tucked in. Finally, at 2 am, the quiet shattered with the arrival of Mr. Cagliari, his ever-present bodyguards nking him like shadows. They deposited their employer at the door with a curt nod before melting back into the night.


    Adrian shrugged off his jacket, handing it to Mr. Atkinson with a sigh that spoke volumes. The air crackled with tension, and Mr. Atkinson, a seasoned observer, knew to navigate cautiously.


    ¡°Good morning, sir,¡± he ventured tentatively. ¡°Your trip seemed¡­ taxing.¡±


    Adrian grunted in response, his long strides carrying him straight for the kitchen. A midday flight to Italy, fueled by a supposed family emergency, hadnded him face-to-face with his mother¡¯s machinations. Lunch with Caelia, another unsubtle nudge towards an unwanted rtionship, had devolved into a bitter argument. Disagreements with his mother were never pleasant, but her maniptive tactics left a particrly foul taste in his mouth.


    Mr. Atkinson anticipated his needs, pouring a ss of water that awaited Adrian on the deserted kitchen counter. Adrian drained the ss in one long gulp, his gaze sweeping across the sterile silence. The eerily quiet house extended to the kitchen, a stark contrast to his usualte-night encounters with one or two staff members and the ever-present crew catering to his nocturnal cravings.


    ¡°The house is empty,¡± he finally spoke, a hint of suspicioncing his voice. ¡°Where is everyone?¡±


    Mr. Atkinson hesitated, a flicker of worry crossing his features. ¡°Everyone is asleep, sir, except for myself.¡±


    Adrian¡¯s brow furrowed. He vaguely recalled Ashleigh mentioning a karaoke night, but surely that wouldn¡¯t incapacitate the entire staff. ¡°A karaoke session shouldn¡¯t leave everyoneatose, should it?¡±


    Mr. Atkinson shook his head, a grim expression settling on his face. ¡°No, sir. It wasn¡¯t the event itself, but something that transpired during the event that seems to have knocked everyone out.¡± He paused, letting the weight of his words hang heavy in the air before continuing.


    A deep frown etched itself onto Adrian¡¯s face as Mr. Atkinson spoke. ¡°Sir, the evening¡¯s festivities went well for the most part. However, near the end, mocktails served from the kitchen appeared to contain a significant amount of alcohol.¡±


    Adrian¡¯s already deep voice rumbled with anger. ¡°Why is that? Weren¡¯t there strict instructions on alcohol consumption?¡±


    ¡°Indeed, sir. I ensured everything adhered to your guidelines. But after investigating the incident, I discovered some younger members of the gardening staff had snuck alcohol into the mocktail mix without anyone¡¯s knowledge.¡±


    ¡°Why wasn¡¯t this caught immediately? Couldn¡¯t it have been stopped as soon as it was noticed? Or are you implying some ipetence on your part, Mr. Atkinson?¡±


    Mr. Atkinson¡¯s voice remained calm despite the rising tension. ¡°My apologies, sir. Thest thing I recall is ensuring Mrs. Cagliari received fruit juice instead of a mocktail. They offered me a drink as well, but I passed out shortly after. I only awoke when the estate surveince informed me of a ckout in the mansion.¡±


    With each word, Adrian seemed to simmer further. ¡°What about Mrs. Cagliari? Did she consume the mocktail?¡±


    ¡°I am unsure, sir. However, she was also deeply asleep when I found her. Chef Larry escorted her to her room. He too appeared to be under the influence when I encountered him,¡± Mr. Atkinson finished.


    Adrian sprang to his feet, a surge of fury coursing through him. He couldn¡¯t bear the thought of the chef anywhere near Ashleigh. Despite his repeated warnings about maintaining a professional distance, she had clearly ignored him once again. In his absence, she¡¯d seized the opportunity to get close to another man. He stormed towards her room, his hand reaching for the knob, only to be stopped by Mr. Atkinson¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Sir, I believe confronting Madame about this now would be unwise. As I mentioned, she is fast asleep.¡± Adrian¡¯s hand on the doorknob faltered.


    ¡°Sir,¡± Mr. Atkinson continued, ¡°I believe Mrs. Cagliari relied on Chef Larry in the absence of any other clearheaded individual to assist her.¡±


    ¡°And why was she knocked unconscious after consuming only a ss of fruit juice?¡± Adrian countered, his voice tight with suspicion.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    Mr. Atkinson paused, letting the question hang in the air, forcing Adrian to connect the dots.


    Realization dawned on Adrian¡¯s face. He pivoted towards his study, his long strides echoing through the quiet hallway. Pushing open the door, he strode purposefully to his desk. With a deft press of a button, a concealedpartment opened, revealing aptop. He swiftly logged into the mansion¡¯s surveince system.


    The footage confirmed Mr. Atkinson¡¯s ount: the male staff spiking the mocktail mix, the drinks being served, and even the moment Chef Larry offered Ashleigh the juice followed by the spiked mocktail. Adrian saw the sinister look in Chef Larry¡¯s eyes as he noticed Ashleigh¡¯s severe dizziness and announced the premature ending of the event. And then, as they reached the first-floor hallway stairs, the lights abruptly cut out.


    Though the screen remained dark, Adrian could practically hear the conversation between Mr. Atkinson and Chef Larry, a cold glint shing in his eyes as he stared into the ck void.


    It wasn¡¯t entirely clear what infuriated him more: Ashleigh¡¯s seemingly unfettered trust in the chef or the man¡¯s tant ulterior motives.


    ¡°Sir,¡± Mr. Atkinson¡¯s voice broke the silence, ¡°in all my years of training for tolerance to various substances, I¡¯ve never encountered anything as potent as what was used tonight. I barely managed to make it to confront Chef Larry. It begs the question: what did he administer to Mrs. Cagliari, and how will she feel in the morning?¡±


    Adrian remained silent, leaning back in his chair, lost in a whirlwind of thoughts. Mr. Atkinson¡¯s words resonated with a chilling certainty. The drug used on Ashleigh was strong, far beyond anything intended for mere intoxication.


    Dawn arrived, painting the sky with streaks of orange and pink. The mansion, however, remained shrouded in a different kind of haze  a collective hangover. Staff members stirred, their heads pounding and memories fuzzy. Mr. Atkinson, ever the pir of efficiency, securedrge quantities of pain relievers and hangover remedies. Gratitude filled the air as he dispensed them, work grinding to a halt for the first hour as the medication kicked in.


    Ashleigh, scheduled for a 6 am wake-up call, remained blissfully unaware of the chaos. When she finally stirred at 10, a throbbing headache hijacked any attempt to rise. Disoriented, she clutched her head, a vague memory of orange juice and a single sip of mocktail swirling in her foggy mind. Her phone, buzzing with missed calls, mocked her from the nightstand. As she fumbled for it, the door creaked open. Adrian, his face an unreadable mask, stepped into the room.

 Chapter 46

    ¡°A ss of water is more preferred, it will help you see things more clearly, don¡¯t you think?¡± he said, making way for Susan to walk up to her and hand her the ss of water and anagelsic.


    She looked at him with her eyes squinted and nodded, grabbing the ss from the tray and taking the anagelsic. The water aided her parched throat, but for the headache she would still need to wait a while. Susan helped her rx at the head of the bed, and at her request passed her phone to her, before turning to leave. She opened her phone to see the texts asking why she wasn¡¯t at work already, and it was then it was her: they nned to spend the day together and have a farewell dinner.


    ¡°Oh shit! I am supposed to be at work right now. I have to meet my friends¡±. Her eyes widened as the realization dawned on her, and with a little relief she felt she attempted to stand up and get dressed.


    ¡°What happenedst night?¡± His voice was low, a dangerous growl simmering beneath the surface.


    Ashleigh stopped, and her mind raced as she tried to piece together the fragmented memories of the previous night. The karaoke, the drinks, theughter  it all seemed like a distant, hazy dream. The only concrete memory was the overwhelming sense of exhaustion that had consumed her.


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t remember much,¡± she responded, her voice trembling slightly. ¡°I just remember feeling tired and then¡­ nothing.¡±


    Adrian¡¯s jaw clenched. He moved closer, his imposing figure looming over her.


    ¡°And you didn¡¯t think about this, how you only took a ss of juicest night and couldn¡¯t wake up this morning? Your priorities are misced, Ashleigh¡± he chided, and this caused Ashleigh to fume silently.


    He was yet to address his absence at the karaoke event yesterday but he wasted no time picking on her this morning.


    ¡°My priorities are not misced. Unlike you, I honor themitments I¡¯ve made. My friends at work are organizing a send-off party and told me before now. So I apologize for not being too concerned at the moment.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately Ashleigh, you cannot leave until this issue is sorted out. You were drugged¡± he informed Ashleigh, and she let out a gasp of disbelief.


    ¡°That¡¯s not possible. That is because I had a mocktail. Chef Larry told me that the younger staff snuck alcohol into the drink without his knowledge and I had a ss.¡±


    ¡°I would have believed that if the whole staff were not deeply intoxicated as well. Also, there was a break into the mansion¡¯s surveince systemst night and the power in the house was cut off at the time you and everyone were deeply asleep. Isn¡¯t that a bit too convenient?¡± he wondered, maintaining eye contact as he leaned to her face.


    ¡°Chef Larry seemed to have told you about this beforehand, like he anticipated a reaction of this sort, huh?¡± he questioned, a cold aura emanating from him as his cold gaze pierced her soul.


    ¡°Yes, he told me, and it was good he did, seeing how you¡¯re taking the issue this morning. He had no knowledge of what kind of alcohol was in the mocktail, and he mentioned it to me in concern. He even told me I was restricted from taking the mocktail and I still did, so I cannot me him for the effects I am feeling now, knowing fully well it was my decision.¡± she fired, returning his cold stare with a fiery one.


    For a moment as Adrian looked at her, he felt a stir in his heart. Her eyes which were initially dull, were filled with fire. The intensity in her to defend her truth whether right or wrong, struck him, even now as she was cluelessly defending the very person who is against her. However, it annoyed him that it was channeled against him.


    ¡°Whether you believe it or not, I have viewed the facts and made a decision. Firstly, those male staffs who spiked the drinks have been fired with immediate effect. Chef Larry who had full knowledge of it has been ced on probation and you are not allowed to leave until I have investigated this matter¡± he announced, and she stood up to face him.


    ¡°I think you forget that you have no right to make any decisions about the household without my approval, as effectivest month all household issues were ced in my care by you, Mr. Cagliari¡±, Ashleigh recalled, walking up to him in slow steps.


    ¡°So, if what you¡¯re trying to say is that I should fire Chef Larry and the gardeners, best believe I will not be doing so¡± she finished, and they had a ring stand-off.


    ¡°You are quite deficient in your leadership, Ashleigh, and as your husband I must step in wherever I deem fit. You decided to hold a karaoke event and did not adhere to the guidelines given by me. You got drunk and drugged as well as the staff and an attempt at infiltration of the mansion was made yesterday, and you think I should still let you handle the house affairs?¡± he questioned, and with each word she felt a stab to her heart.


    ¡°I am willing to overlook all that, but the fact that you want to waive aside the punishment of the offenders for friendship or whatever rtionship you feel you have with those people proves you¡¯re a bad person¡± he finished off, and Ashleigh stood stunned at his final words. His words stung more than she¡¯d like to admit, and she could feel the tears stinging her eyes.


    Silence reigned in the room as they exchanged looks. While Adrian was still strong and unwavering in his demeanor, Ashleigh had a resigned look of hurt on her face as she gathered thest of her courage to speak to him.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m bad. If that¡¯s what it takes for me to protect the ones who care about me, then so be it. To you, I¡¯m a bad judge of character and people. I make the most stupid decisions and I haven¡¯t done anything worth noting, but then again, when have you ever appreciated me? I¡¯m not worth that in your opinion. What I know is that Larry was there in my tears, joy and pain, heforted me when you could barely call, he celebrated me every day, he listens to me and never judges me. He encouraged me when I felt lost about you, and even tillst night he consoled me when you couldn¡¯te to celebrate with me like you promised you would! ¡± With each sentence Ashleigh¡¯s tone got higher, the tears she tried to hold in were now falling freely across her face.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Do you see me? Do you hear me? Do you consider me anything more than the girl you made sign a marriage contract that will do anything you say? I know I do not have the right to ask anything of you, you¡¯re my benefactor. All I will say is you don¡¯t have the right to make any decisions about the people I care for deeply. And for that reason you cannot fire Chef Larry¡± she finished, looking at him onest time as she cleaned the tears from her eyes,


    ¡°And if like you said, I chose to be friends with my worst enemy, says a lot about my rtionship with you¡± Ashleigh finished, and with a sniffle she stumbled past him to enter the bathroom and closed it with a loud bang.


    Adrian stood still, staring nkly at the space Ashleigh once stood facing him and for the first time he had a sinking feeling in his heart.


    Author note: What do you think of Ashleigh¡¯s and Adrian in today¡¯s chapter?

 Chapter 47

    After the confrontation, an ufortable silence settled between Adrian and Ashleigh. Adrian decided to spare Larry and the other staff from termination, as Ashleigh had requested, and departed for an extended business trip that same evening, before Ashleigh returned from her farewell party. The house felt emptier than usual for Ashleigh, and unable to bear the embarrassment, she decided to move into the hostel permanently, instructing Susan to pack her belongings ordingly.


    As they arrived at Robin College, Susan announced, ¡°We have arrived, Madame.¡±


    Ashleigh looked up from her device to see the college gates, marking the first verification point, where security would check her admission letter and orientation slip. Susan offered to handle the check-in process, but Ashleigh declined.


    ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary, Susan. I¡¯m the student, after all. There¡¯s nothing special about me.¡± She unbuckled her seatbelt and stepped out of the car, walking up to the security building to check herself in.Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    The gate, adorned with gold and the college¡¯s initials, stood tall, and the building bustled with activity. Ashleigh was promptly attended to, and once her identity was verified, she received a stamp on her orientation slip, instructing her to present it at every entry point. She quickly exited the office and returned to the car, which drove into the college vicinity as the gates opened.


    As they drove down the long, empty road, Ashleigh lowered the window, cing her chin on the sill to feel the soothing breeze on her face. She smiled slightly, savoring the moment she had craved  true freedom. After a few minutes, they arrived at the main campus, abuzz with activity. Tall, cutting-edge buildings stood alongside bustling sidewalks, where students engaged in conversation and banter. Various stores offered a range of items for purchase, and traffic regtions governed the movement of cars.


    Ashleigh¡¯s eyes sparkled with excitement as they pulled up to her hostel, a three-story building with a pastel color scheme, decorated with grass and flowers. A walk path led to the reception area, neatly tiled. Ashleigh stepped out of the car, and Susan and the driver followed, offering to help with her luggage, but Susan insisted Ashleigh enter alone. Inside, the reception area was spacious, with two female staff working onputers at the front desk, near the entrance to the main hostel.


    ¡°Good afternoon, it¡¯s lovely to meet you! Wee to Robin College, and specifically to the female hostel, where I, Miss Maisie, and my colleague, Mrs. Johnson, serve as managers,¡± thedy introduced herself and her colleague, who offered a brief smile. Ashleigh nodded in response.


    ¡°I¡¯m Ashleigh Hartman, and I¡¯ve just gained admission. I was asked to attend the orientation program,¡± Ashleigh exined, and Miss Maisie nodded.


    ¡°Okay, then! May I see your eptance letter, orientation slip, birth certificate, and high school diploma, please?¡± Ashleigh handed over the documents, which Miss Maisie reviewed before typing the information into theputer.


    The printing machine promptly produced a paper, which Miss Maisie handed to Ashleigh along with her submitted documents.


    ¡°I¡¯ve logged your information into the system, and this basic info slip contains your room details. Please carry this slip with you at all times for your registration, which begins tomorrow. Remember to sign out before leaving and sign in upon returning. If you have any questions, don¡¯t hesitate to ask,¡± Miss Maisie instructed, and Ashleigh nodded in understanding.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have a staff member escort you to your floor and room when you¡¯re ready. Unfortunately, your friends cannot proceed beyond this point,¡± Miss Maisie said, ncing past Ashleigh to Susan and the driver, who stood waiting. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll see them off,¡± Ashleigh replied, turning to walk back to Susan.


    ¡°This is all for now, Susan. Thank you for apanying me,¡± Ashleigh thanked her, and Susan shook her head.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to thank me, Mrs. Ashleigh; I¡¯m here to serve you. Always take care of yourself, and if you need anything, I¡¯m just a call away,¡± Susan said, and Ashleigh nodded silently.


    They stood in silence for a moment, each trying to hold back their emotions. Susan looked at her Madame, knowing she was still hurting from the previous conversation with Adrian.


    ¡°Mrs. Ashleigh, please don¡¯t go this far,¡± Susan whispered, hoping to prompt Ashleigh to reconsider her decision. Ashleigh stared at her, and soon a tear dropped on her cheek, which she quickly wiped away.


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense. Now go,¡± Ashleigh smiled, shooing Susan toward the door.


    At the door, Susan turned to wave at Ashleigh onest time before entering the car. The driver started the engine and drove away, leaving a trail of dust behind. Ashleigh gazed into the empty space for a while before taking a deep breath and turning to face her hostel. This would be a new start for her, and she was determined not to let anything weigh her down. With the attendants behind her, slips in hand, Ashleigh walked into the hostel, ready to make the most of her time.


    As they exited the elevator on the first floor, Ashleigh made her way down the marble-tiled hallway, her footsteps echoing off the walls. The corridor was bathed in a warm glow, entuating the sleek design of the hostel. Each floor boasted six spacious rooms, with thergest situated at the end of the hall. Ashleigh¡¯s room, the second-tost, was a serene oasis. As she approached, she noticed a group of girls casting curious nces and whispering among themselves, making her feel slightly uneasy.


    The attendants paused at the door, and Ashleigh smiled, dismissing them. ¡°This will be all, thank you.¡± They nodded and handed her a sleek ck keycard adorned with the college¡¯s logo and her room number in gold. Ashleigh unlocked the door and stepped inside, her luggage in tow.


    The room exceeded her expectations, boasting a lc color scheme and elegant furniture. Two princess-styled beds, draped in fancy curtains, stood at opposite sides of the room, apanied by dressers and study desks. A small kitchte allowed for microwave cooking, with a snack drawer below. A cozy corner featured plush bean bags, a dainty center table, and a TV for movie nights. Ashleigh¡¯s eyes widened in amazement; private colleges certainly offered a unique experience.


    Noticing her roommate¡¯s belongings on the second bed, Ashleigh assumed they would meetter. She began unpacking and arranging her belongings, taking her time to settle in. As night fell, Ashleigh decided to shower and change, too excited and tired to feel hungry. As she drifted off to sleep, she wondered about her roommate¡¯s whereabouts, but the thought soon faded into a peaceful slumber.

 Chapter 48

    It was the next morning, and as part of her usual routine, Ashleigh woke up at 6 am, feeling refreshed and ready to start the day. The silence as she got ready felt different; typically, Susan would assist her and update her on the morning¡¯s developments, while Mr. Atkinson would only appear for urgent matters. As Ashleigh approached her dresser, she carefully selected a pair of essories and a simple ne. However, when she reached the ring box, she hesitated.


    Her gaze softened as she opened the box, revealing the wedding ring with a delicate chain attached. Memories flooded back of Adrian cing it on her neck, insisting she wear it at all times. She also recalled theirst conversation, which left a heaviness in her heart.


    ¡°Is it necessary to wear the ring now?¡± she pondered, holding the box up to eye level and studying the sparkling princess-cut diamond.


    After a moment, she decided she didn¡¯t need to carry the identity of someone who didn¡¯t reciprocate. After all, she already identified herself as Ashleigh Hartman. It seemed better this way, especially since Adrian had no intention of acknowledging a romantic rtionship between them, not to talk of a public rtionship.


    With that conclusion, Ashleigh closed the box and ced it in the bottom drawer. She continued her morning routine, and by 7:30 am, she was almost ready to leave when a loud noise echoed against the door.


    Walking over, she opened it to find a girl tumbling through, while her friendsughed behind her. Ashleigh noticed the girl, younger than herself, dressed in a crop top, shorts with fis stockings, ck boots, and heavy makeup adorned with silver jewelry. Her friends, simrly dressed, filmed the incident on their phones.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Ashleigh asked, concerned, reaching out her hand. The girl continued giggling, ignoring Ashleigh¡¯s gesture. Feeling awkward, Ashleigh withdrew and stood beside the door.


    ¡°Could you guys help me up?¡± the girl groaned from the floor. Her friends quickly assisted her, brushing past Ashleigh to copse onto the bed.


    Ashleigh closed the door and watched them interact, still wondering why they had ignored her. Gathering her courage, she tried again to connect.


    ¡°Hello, one of you must be my roommate. I¡¯m Ashleigh Hartman, I moved in yesterday,¡± she said with a smile.


    One of the girls nced up. ¡°We know. It¡¯s pretty obvious,¡± she replied dryly.


    ¡°Oh. How can you tell?¡± Ashleigh asked, curious.


    They exchanged knowing looks. ¡°No fully settled student would dress like you,¡± the first girl remarked, eyeing Ashleigh¡¯s attire of shirt and jeans.


    ¡°And no one in their right mind would move into this room and floor at this hour, especially not with Megan, unless you¡¯re new,¡± the second girl added, gesturing towards the girl who had fallen but not spoken to Ashleigh.


    ¡°Her name¡¯s Megan,¡± Ashleigh noted to herself, observing the girl closely.


    ¡°Well, I hope we can get along,¡± Ashleigh offered optimistically.


    The girls stared nkly. Megan finally sat up and forced a smile. ¡°Ashleigh, right?¡± she asked. Ashleigh nodded eagerly.


    ¡°Your sses will be starting soon. Want to head out?¡± Megan suggested, motioning towards the door as her friends snickered.


    Ashleigh blushed faintly, silently gathering her things into her bag. With a slight stumble, she exited the room. Taking a moment to gather her thoughts, she began her descent downstairs. Unlike the quiet of the previous evening, the hostel was bustling with activity.


    Arriving at the ground floor, Ashleigh spotted Miss Maisie at the reception.N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    ¡°Good morning, Miss Maisie,¡± she greeted warmly.


    ¡°Morning, Ashleigh! Have you had breakfast? It¡¯s going to be a busy day!¡± Miss Maisie replied warmly, handing Ashleigh a small pin with legible writing.


    ¡°This will be your identifier. It¡¯ll help you spot other new students too. You need to be at the conference hall for the first program. There¡¯s a shuttle outside, and you can use GPS to find your way. Good luck!¡± Miss Maisie finished, and Ashleigh thanked her before leaving the hostel.


    ¡°This will be your identifier. It¡¯ll help you spot other new students too. You need to be at the conference hall for the first program. There¡¯s a shuttle outside, and you can use GPS to find your way. Good luck!¡± Miss Maisie finished, and Ashleigh thanked her before leaving the hostel.


    Fortunately, the bus was still in the parking lot when she arrived. Strangely, it was nearly empty except for a few girls. Ashleigh took a seat as the bus departed promptly at 8 am. At each stop, girls disembarked after scanning a card, which Ashleigh realized she didn¡¯t have. Anxiety gripped her as she wondered how to pay.


    When it was her turn, she hesitated. ¡°Um, I¡­ I didn¡¯t know I needed a card,¡± Ashleigh stammered nervously, overhearing whispers among the other girls.


    ¡°What is this, a free ride? Sick of girls like you trying to scam us,¡± the irritated bus driver snapped, causing Ashleigh to shrink back.


    ¡°I¡¯ll pay for her,¡± a voice behind her interjected. Ashleigh turned gratefully to see her rescuer: a girl in a knee-length floral dress with stockings and heels, her purse slung over her shoulder. She looked displeased as she paid for Ashleigh.


    With the fare settled, the bus driver reluctantly allowed them to disembark. The girl walked off with a roll of her eyes, but Ashleigh hurried after her.


    ¡°Hi, sorry to bother you, but thank you for helping me,¡± Ashleigh said earnestly.


    The girl turned to face her with a displeased expression.


    ¡°Robte. Next time,e prepared with your card or find another way. We don¡¯t tolerate scammers here. Understand?¡± she said sharply.


    Ashleigh nodded silently, feeling flustered as she watched Robte walk away. Her mind raced with one nagging question: why did everyone seem to be so harsh towards her?

 Chapter 49

    Ashleigh entered the grand conference hall, a centerpiece of the college known for its imposing architecture. The high ceilings and expansive space left her in awe. Sunlight streamed through therge ss windows, bathing the room in a warm glow. The hardwood floor, polished to a high gloss, reflected the light, and the echoes of footsteps filled the space as students settled into their cushioned seats.


    Ashleigh took her ce among the other students, facing the stage where a podium bearing the college¡¯s logo stood prominently. Behind the podium, a row of chairs was upied by department and school officers, and a massive screen disyed the college¡¯s name in elegant cursive. Contrary to her expectations, only a small number of students had gathered for the program. A tall, middle-aged woman in a suit approached the podium and began the orientation.


    ¡°Good day, new students! Wee to the orientation program designed for you to meet your faculty members and advisors, who you¡¯ll be working with over the next few years. I am Mrs. Seinfeld, head of the admissions department at Robin College, and on behalf of the college management, I wee you to this esteemed institution. Robin College is a prestigious university renowned for cultivating the greatest minds and personalities across various disciplines. We aremitted to continuing this tradition for years toe. You have a unique opportunity to join the ranks of those who have walked these paths leading to your future.¡±


    ¡°You may have encountered information online or heard from friends and family that the academic environment here can be challenging. While what you¡¯ve heard is urate, your determination and discipline will ultimately demonstrate whether you can thrive. As you can see, you are part of a smaller cohort this year, as you were admitted through a special request, which is not typical. Therefore, make the most of this opportunity and honor the efforts made on your behalf. That will be all for now. Best of luck to you all,¡± she concluded, and the hall erupted in apuse as she returned to her seat.


    Following her, another staff member took the stage to provide detailed information about the college, its amenities, and the academic programs. Ashleigh listened intently, taking notes as needed. After an hour of exnation, the staff member opened the floor to questions, addressing various concerns and clearing up any misconceptions.


    ¡°Since that¡¯s thest question, we will conclude this session. There are stands organized by faculty, where senior students are avable to provide more information about their departments. Additionally, there is a school stand at the entrance where you can fill out your details and collect your student kit. Have a good day,¡± the speaker announced, and the students began to disperse.


    Ashleigh felt a sense of relief as the orientation ended, gaining clearer insights into her academic path. She reviewed her orientation slip to identify her faculty and made her way to the corresponding stand. The area was bustling with activity, featuring arge booth divided by department. She approached the standbeled ¡°BIOCHEMISTRY DEPARTMENT¡± and was greeted by two girls who appeared somewhat bored. Her eyes widened in recognition when she saw the girl who had helped her earlier. As Ashleigh approached, the girls looked up; one had a cheerful expression, while the other seemed less enthusiastic.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you,¡± the girl with the dim expression remarked, giving Ashleigh a scrutinizing look. Ashleigh, recalling their previous encounter, stepped back slightly.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Cassidy, don¡¯t be mean! Don¡¯t mind her. I¡¯m Ang Reese, the student representative for the Biochemistry Department. It¡¯s nice to meet you! Wee to Robin College! You¡¯re so pretty. What¡¯s your name?¡± Ang asked excitedly, her enthusiasm making Ashleigh smile shyly.


    ¡°I¡¯m Ashleigh Hartman. It¡¯s nice to meet you too,¡± Ashleigh responded timidly. Ang moved closer, allowing Ashleigh to get a better look at her. Ang wore a cropped cotton sweater, a skirt, and t shoes, with her maroon hair pulled back in a ponytail. An ID card hung around her neck, and a customized school pin adorned her sweater.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be afraid. Unlike Cassidy here, I don¡¯t bite¡­ unless you want me to,¡± Ang said with a wink, causing Ashleigh to gasp slightly. Ang¡¯s yful remark elicited augh from her.


    ¡°It works every time,¡± Ang said afterposing herself, while Cassidy remained unamused beside her.


    ¡°Are you done? Can we give her the stuff and go? I¡¯m bored out of my mind,¡± Cassidy interjected with a raised eyebrow. Ang then began to gather the items.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind me asking, are there no other studentsing here?¡± Ashleigh inquired.


    ¡°What do you think, Robte? You¡¯re the only student who arrived thiste for reasons only Heaven knows,¡± Ang pointed out. Ashleigh¡¯s eyes lit up in understanding, though she was puzzled by the term Cassidy used earlier.


    ¡°Robte?¡± Ashleigh asked, and Cassidy started to exin but was interrupted by the thud of arge boxnding on the counter, ced there by Ang.


    ¡°Robte is the term used for new students like you. Get used to it because you¡¯ll hear it a lot until your status as a student is fully established,¡± Ang exined.


    ¡°This is your wee package! It includes a department hoodie, a pair of tracksuits, sneakers, your student ID, payment card, and your timetable. I¡¯d also like you to fill in your contact details so you can be added to the student forums for both the department and the school. Make sure to mute your notifications but check your messages regrly. Additionally, there¡¯s a day where we all wear a specific color; it¡¯s a great way to meet others in the department. Since sses are ongoing, things might be hectic for now,¡± Ang said, quickly going through the contents of the box for Ashleigh to examine.


    The package contained all the items Ang mentioned, along with extras such as jotters, customized phone and tablet cases, stickers, water bottles, and hair ties. The quality of the items impressed Ashleigh, and while she had not expected to see Cassidy again, she was pleased to have a familiar face, no matter how unfriendly it was.


    ¡°Do you have any final questions?¡± Ang asked.


    ¡°Um, how do I navigate Robin College?¡± Ashleigh asked cautiously. Ang and Cassidy exchanged a knowing look before Cassidy spoke up.


    ¡°Robte, if there¡¯s one piece of advice I can give you, it¡¯s to keep your heart guarded and your eyes wide open. Nothing will prepare you for what you¡¯re about to experience here.¡±

 Chapter 50

    The chill that Cassidy¡¯s words sent through Ashleigh¡¯s heart became more than a mere shiver-it turned into a bone-deep truth she woulde to understand fully. The days following the orientation were a whirlwind for Ashleigh. Between her newlymenced sses and a mountain of coursework that loomed over her with the mid-semester exams just two weeks away, she also had to contend with the icy, indifferent attitudes of her ssmates. The biochemistry department she had joined was thergest in the department¡¯s history, with fifty students, her inclusion being the final count. The senior sses, by contrast, had fewer than twenty students each. Despite their small numbers, the collective presence of these students was overwhelming, their attitudes creating a palpable sense of exclusion.


    From the moment she arrived, it was clear that Ashleigh was not wee. Her ssmates made it apparent through their actions and dismissive attitudes that she was not invited to interact, walk, or even sit with them. The sense of alienation waspounded by derogatoryments about her being inferior, given that they knew neither her surname nor her family background.


    Ashleigh soon discovered that Robin College catered to the elite, with power dynamics that could be as ruthless as they were influential. The effort required to establish a presence in such an environment was grueling, andpetition was fierce. Each lecture orb period turned into a spectacle of academic prowess, where any perceived weakness could quickly be a target for scorn. While Ashleigh didn¡¯t mind thepetitive atmosphere-indeed, it kept her on edge-what she dreaded was the aftermath. In a ce where geniuses were known to be sore losers, any slip could turn her life into a torment.


    Today was poised to be one of those critical days. The chemistryboratory was bustling for their final ss of the day. Each student had their own station, but the desks were positioned close enough to allow conversations among the groups. Ashleigh, still an outsider, chose the desk nearest to the door. The professor for the session, the kindly but formidable Professor Patel, entered and stood before the ss.


    ¡°Good afternoon, everyone. Wee to the final lecture for today. I know you¡¯ve all been through a series of lectures, but think of this as the pinnacle of your efforts. Give it everything you¡¯ve got,¡± Professor Patel¡¯s deep voice resonated in the now silent room, broken only by the hum of the air conditioning.


    ¡°As you may have seen on the ss forum, today¡¯s session will include a mini-quiz to prepare for next week¡¯s mid-semester exams. I trust you¡¯ve reviewed your notes, as this quiz will be closed-book and will ount for a quarter of your grade. Points will be awarded subjectively, so I¡¯ll be determining the final scores based on today¡¯s performance,¡± he continued, met with nods and murmurs of agreement from the students.


    ¡°This quiz will be conducted in groups of five. Each row represents a group, and you¡¯ll be working on one station together. The group that gives the most urate answer first will receive the full mark, with scores decreasing by five points for each subsequent group, so I wouldn¡¯t want to be thest group if I were you,¡± he added with a light tone, though the gravity of his words was clear to everyone.


    The room buzzed with activity as students discussed their feelings about the group work. Some were pleased, seeing it as an opportunity to share the workload, while others, particrly those in Ashleigh¡¯s row, expressed their displeasure. Ashleigh overheard the sighs and whisperedints from those around her.


    ¡°The topic for today¡¯s quiz is¡­¡± Professor Patel paused, drawing the ss into a tense silence. The choice of topic would significantly impact their grades.


    ¡°Enzyme Kics!¡± he announced. The ss split into a mix of excited squeals and disappointed groans.


    The excitement came from the middle row, known by the students as the ¡®Jewels¡¯-a group of five students who were among the top ten most influential new arrivals at Robin College. Gerald stair, Diane Julian, Samantha Millicent, Cameron Watson, and na Russell made up this well-known group. Ashleigh had seen their pictures online and admired them from afar, but her first week at Robin had been a harsh wake-up call.


    na Russell, in particr,manded attention. As the daughter of a retired Hollywood couple turned industrialists, she was not only a legacy but also a prodigy in science. At just sixteen, she had the highest GPA in her high school, was the valedictorian, and had received offers from five Ivy League colleges before choosing biochemistry at Robin. With her striking appearance and impressive background, na was as arrogant as she was talented, ignoring anyone she deemed beneath her, including Ashleigh.Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    ¡°na, this is going to be a piece of cake!¡± Diane¡¯s overly enthusiastic voice rang out, oblivious to the surrounding students. She clung to her boyfriend Cameron¡¯s arm. na merely nced at them, her indifference palpable.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s settle down,¡± Professor Patel said, regaining the ss¡¯s attention.


    ¡°The objective of this quiz is to determine the Michaelis Constant and maximum velocity of the enzyme provided by theb assistants using three substrates. The group with the most urate values will win.¡±


    Once theb assistants distributed the materials, the students gathered at their stations to begin. As Ashleigh approached her group, she could feel the palpable hostility from one particr student, causing her heart to race.


    ¡°Hey, new girl! Don¡¯t mess this up for us. We don¡¯t want our gradepromised after all the hard work we¡¯ve put in,¡± he spat, ring at her with disdain. The other group members muttered their agreement, their harsh stares making Ashleigh feel even more unwee.


    ¡°I¡¯ll try my best,¡± Ashleigh replied, trying to keep her voice steady as she reviewed the protocol sheet. She had only briefly studied enzyme kics the night before, not expecting it to be the quiz topic.


    As the timer began, the workmenced. While some students struggled with the problem, others worked quietly. For Ashleigh¡¯s group, it was a mix of confusion and cooperation, with some members unsure of the next steps but receiving help from those more knowledgeable. Ashleigh chose to work silently, preferring topare answerster rather than risk making a mistake and incurring the wrath of her group.


    An hour into the session, Professor Patel and theb assistants moved around, checking progress and offering guidance. After an intense period of beakers clinking and pipettes working, a group finished and confidently submitted their results. Diane submitted their work to Professor Patel, and the ss watched enviously as she returned to her seat. na, seated in the middle, wore a small smirk of satisfaction.


    As the other groupspleted their submissions, Ashleigh¡¯s group finished second tost. When Professor Patel began reviewing the submissions, the tension was palpable.


    ¡°Impressive work from all of you,¡± he began. ¡°However, the group with the most urate values and therefore the full marks is Cameron Watson and na¡¯s group!¡±


    The ss erupted into apuse, with cheers echoing from those who admired the ¡®Jewels¡¯. Ashleigh¡¯s group, seated in the front row, was disheartened to hear their cement. Ashleigh lowered her head, eager for the ss to end so she could avoid any further confrontation.


    ¡°Cameron Watson, could you pleasee to the front and show your ssmates the workings so they can learn from this?¡± Professor Patel requested. Cameron made his way to the front, enduring the usual swoons from the female students. He rolled his eyes but took his ce to exin their method and results.


    As Cameron spoke, Ashleigh¡¯s gaze remained fixed on her workbook. Something wasn¡¯t adding up. Her eyes widened as she realized that Cameron¡¯s group had used an incorrect buffer concentration value, rendering their results invalid. Unable to stay silent, she raised her hand amid the apuse.


    ¡°Professor, I need to say something,¡± she said, her voice cutting through the room.


    ¡°Speak on, dear,¡± Professor Patel encouraged. Ashleigh swallowed hard, trying to steady her voice.


    ¡°I believe that, based on the exnation Cameron provided, they used an incorrect buffer concentration value, which invalidates their results,¡± she said. Her words elicited gasps from the ss.


    The ¡®Jewels¡¯ immediately lost their smiles and turned their disdainful gazes toward Ashleigh. The guy who had spoken harshly to her earlier leaned in and whispered, ¡°If you¡¯re not sure about this, just shut up.¡±


    ¡°Just wait!¡± Ashleigh retorted, standing up to present her workbook to Professor Patel.


    Professor Patel adjusted his sses and scrutinized her workbook carefully. After a tense moment, he looked from the book to Ashleigh with a skeptical expression.


    ¡°Ashleigh is correct,¡± he dered. ¡°The buffer concentration value used by Cameron¡¯s group was incorrect, rendering their results invalid. Full marks will go to Ashleigh¡¯s group. The scores for the rest of the ss will be adjusted and sentter today after reevaluation.¡±


    The room fell into stunned silence, and Ashleigh¡¯s face broke into a triumphant smile. Cameron¡¯s face reddened as he erupted, ¡°Is this a joke? Professor, check again!¡±


    Ashleigh, maintaining herposure, returned to her seat and began to gather her belongings quietly.


    ¡°If you¡¯d like, I can have the questions forwarded to the senior sses for further verification,¡± Professor Patel said firmly. ¡°But it remains a fact that Ashleigh¡¯s observation was correct. Be more meticulous next time.¡±


    Displeasure was evident among Samantha and the others, but na, who had remained silent throughout the ordeal, finally spoke up. Rising from her seat, she walked over to Ashleigh¡¯s desk where the workbooky.


    She examined the workbook before turning to Cameron, whose fury was barely contained. ¡°Cameron, it¡¯s important to ept correction gracefully,¡± na¡¯s voice was smooth but carried an edge. ¡°It was our mistake this time, and we will learn from it.¡±


    na then turned to Professor Patel and offered an apology. Carrying the notebook, she closed it with deliberate care, ncing at the name written inside. With a measured but firm motion, she ced the book down on Ashleigh¡¯s desk, causing Ashleigh to look up in surprise and recoil slightly under na¡¯s intense gaze.


    ¡°We should also learn to give praise when it¡¯s due,¡± na said coolly, her smile both pretty and unsettling.


    ¡°Well done, Ashleigh Hartman.¡±

 Chapter 51

    Ashleigh smiled and replied, ¡°Thank you.¡± na then grabbed Cameron¡¯s hand, signaled to the others at the back, and turned to leave.


    Samantha and Diane didn¡¯t miss the chance to shoot her fierce looks as they departed, and soon after, the rest followed suit. The guy from earlier, along with other students from Ashleigh¡¯s row, gathered around her once the ssroom had emptied. She looked at them in confusion.


    ¡°Ashleigh, why did you do that?¡± the boys questioned, their frustration evident.


    ¡°Their work was incorrect, and I merely pointed it out to the professor,¡± she exined, which only seemed to heighten his frustration.


    ¡°I know that! But why did you handle it like that? You could have simply met with the professor privately and exined your observations. Instead, you did it publicly. You¡¯ve attracted na¡¯s attention, and this is the first time someone has scored higher than her. Now, she¡¯s inst ce. Don¡¯t you see the issue?¡± he countered, and Ashleigh narrowed her eyes.


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one who said you didn¡¯t want to fail because of me? I helped us get the highest mark and ensured that everyone, including na and her friend, could learn from their mistakes. Everyone makes errors, no matter how brilliant they are,¡± Ashleigh pointed out. The boy scowled in response.


    ¡°See, Ashleigh, I don¡¯t want to get into trouble because of you. We were fine with taking second, third, or even fourth ce, as long as we stayed out of na¡¯s way. But now, because of your actions, we might all be in trouble. You¡¯re such a troublesome girl,¡± he remarked bitterly, and the other students voiced their agreement.


    Thestment struck a nerve with Ashleigh. It reminded her of someone who used to constantly berate her. She stood up in anger, mmed her hands on the desk, and red at the ungrateful group in front of her.


    ¡°What lovely people I have to work with today. At first, you didn¡¯t want anything of mine affecting your performance and were upset about not scoring well. Now, you¡¯re angry because we got the best score on the quiz. If you¡¯re so eager to be mediocre, feel free to ask Professor Patel to adjust your scores to the previous ones. If you want to be mediocre just to avoid upsetting na, go ahead. But don¡¯t think I¡¯ll relinquish this grade for anyone. If you¡¯ll excuse me,¡± she said, grabbing her things and leaving theboratory as they watched in silence.


    As she exited the faculty building, the words of the boy echoed in her mind, gradually morphing into Adrian¡¯s voice. She reached the bus stop and waited for the next bus. When it arrived, she boarded and made her way back to her hostel. No matter where she was, Adrian¡¯s presence loomed in her thoughts. She recalled how he had always criticized her actions, even though she had good reasons for them. Her heart ached with longing, and she wished she could hear his voice again. It had been three weeks since theirst conversation at the mansion, and Adrian Cagliari had yet to contact her through Mr. Atkinson. She regrly charged the phone he had given her, hoping he would call or text. Despite knowing her new campus address, he hadn¡¯t reached out. Ashleigh knew Mr. Atkinson had informed Adrian of her move to campus, but still, there was nomunication. Thisck of contact confirmed her fear that Adrian saw her only as a contract worker.


    The bus stopped at the final stop in front of Ashleigh¡¯s hostel, jolting her out of her thoughts. She paid her fare, got off, and signed in at the hostel. Upon reaching her room, Ashleigh found it empty and messy, with the lingering scent of perfume. Sighing, she dropped her bag and began cleaning up the mess her roommate had left behind. This had be her routine since Megan showed no interest in tidying up after herself. Apart from the mess, Ashleigh rarely saw Megan. Megan would stumble into the room at midnight, and by the time Ashleigh woke up, Megan would already be gone, presumably for sses or to go out at night. When both were in the room, Megan maintained a stony silence, refusing to engage with Ashleigh. Initially hurt, Ashleigh had grown ustomed to the situation. By the time she finished cleaning, the sun had set, and the night sky had emerged. Exhausted, Ashleigh copsed onto her bed. As she rxed, her phone rang. It was Chef Larry.


    ¡°Hi, Chef!¡± she answered, trying to catch her breath.


    ¡°Hi, Mrs. Cagliari. You sound tired. Did you work out?¡± he asked, his deep voice filling the room with concern.


    ¡°Do I need to work out with a roommate like this? I¡¯ve been cleaning up after her for the past few days since I arrived,¡± Ashleigh exined, and Larry chuckled.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s college for you. You remind me of my time there. My roommate had terrible hygiene and character. I still don¡¯t know how someone can be so careless,¡± he joked, eliciting a smallugh from Ashleigh.


    ¡°Mrs. Ashleigh, you can always report the situation to your hostel managers. It¡¯s a fancy school, so they should address your concerns,¡± he advised seriously. Ashleigh sighed.


    ¡°It did cross my mind, but I don¡¯t want to seem like I¡¯m giving in to her. I¡¯ll talk to her calmly about this first. If that doesn¡¯t work, I¡¯ll approach the managers,¡± she reasoned.


    ¡°As always, you¡¯re the boss!¡± he eximed, and Ashleigh rolled her eyes, turning to lie on her stomach. Her next words were on the tip of her tongue, but she hesitated, staying silent. It seemed Chef Larry knew her too well and spoke up.


    ¡°Mrs. Cagliari, you can ask away,¡± he encouraged.


    ¡°How¡¯s the mansion? Is everything going well? Is Susan okay? Are the staff doing well? Are there anyints?¡± she started, but he interrupted.


    ¡°Everything is fine, Mrs. Cagliari. There are no staff issues that Mr. Atkinson can¡¯t handle. Susan misses you a lot, but she¡¯s fine,¡± he reassured, easing Ashleigh¡¯s worries.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind me asking, why are you staying away from home when it clearly seems to affect you? You¡¯d be better off at home,¡± he asked. Ashleigh went silent.


    ¡°If it¡¯s because of your disagreement with Mr. Cagliari, I can leave. I don¡¯t want to be the reason you leave your home,¡± he said, echoing his usual concerns, but Ashleigh dismissed his doubts.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. What happened that night was clearly a misunderstanding. After all, Mr. Atkinson¡¯s investigation found nothing suspicious about you, right?¡± Ashleigh mentioned.Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    He nodded, fully aware that the investigation results were negative because Mr. Atkinson had removed anypromising material after leaving.


    ¡°But still¡­ let me go if it will resolve the issue,¡± Chef Larry said pleadingly, and Ashleigh shook her head, as if he were sitting beside her.


    ¡°No, and that¡¯s final. If you bring this up again, I¡¯ll make sure your sry is deducted,¡± she said firmly, and he promised not to mention it again.


    ¡°Are you still in contact with the boss? Has he called you?¡± Chef Larry inquired.


    ¡°Yes, we still talk, although he¡¯s unhappy with my decision,¡± she lied, feeling a tightness in her chest.


    ¡°Are you sure? Because it sounds like you¡¯re sad,¡± he observed. Ashleigh swallowed the tears welling up in her eyes before she responded.


    ¡°That¡¯s nonsense!¡± she eximed, dabbing the tears from the corners of her eyes, though her silent sniffles did not escape his notice.


    ¡°I have to end the call now, Chef Larry. Good night,¡± she concluded, and after his final remark, she ended the call. Chef Larry smirked as he looked at his phone.


    Although his initial n hadn¡¯t worked out as expected, the oue seemed even more advantageous. The growing distance between Mr. and Mrs. Cagliari presented him with opportunities to exploit. Now, it was up to him to decide how to use this to his advantage.

 Chapter 52

    The next morning, Ashleigh awoke to the sound of phone buzzing as Professor Patel announced the final scores for the test. na and her group hadnded in second-tost ce, a position that, to Ashleigh, seemed like a small victory-at least they hadn¡¯te inst. When she saw her own workbook posted with Professor Patel¡¯s notes and exnations, a smile spread across her face. It was a great start to the day, though she was blissfully unaware of the challenges awaiting her.


    The day before, na had returned home in a state of mortification. She couldn¡¯t believe she had overlooked such a crucial detail in her work, and the public correction had stung deeply. Cameron¡¯s argument had only intensified the humiliation, making it seem as if she was unable to admit her faults. That night, while tossing and turning, na plotted her revenge. She couldn¡¯t stand the thought of anyone besting her without consequence. Ashleigh, in particr, was her target. As she watched Ashleigh enter the ssroom and take her seat, na leaned over to Samantha, who was seated next to her.


    ¡°Sam, did you follow through with my instructions this morning?¡± na asked, her voice barely more than a whisper.


    Samantha leaned in, her eyes gleaming with mischief. ¡°Yes, I did everything as nned. Now, let¡¯s see how sharp this girl really is, especially after she was so quick to point out your mistake yesterday.¡±


    As the lecturer arrived and the day¡¯s sses began, the atmosphere in the room shifted to one of intense scrutiny. The lecturers seemed determined to keep everyone on edge, firing questions at random to ensure that no one could afford to rx. Professor Patel had discussed the previous day¡¯s debacle with his colleagues, and the consensus was that the ss had missed crucial details. To prevent such oversights from happening again, today¡¯s lectures would focus on revisiting fundamental concepts.


    The questions began broadly, coveringmon concepts and basic definitions. But as the day progressed and Ashleigh¡¯s turn came, the questions became increasingly specific. Ashleigh found herself fielding difficult queries from various professors, and it became clear that she was the primary target. Despite her usual tendency to be overlooked, today she was the center of attention. The pressure mounted, and even when another student attempted to answer, the lecturers insisted on Ashleigh providing the responses. She nced at the student from yesterday, their eyes locking for a brief, awkward moment before he quickly looked away.


    By the break period, Ashleigh was mentally drained from the relentless questioning. She trudged to the cafeteria, her energy waning. The bustling hall was packed, making it almost impossible to find a seat. Her gazended on a pair of hands waving at her, and she squinted to see the guy from her ss beckoning her over. After a moment of hesitation, she pointed to herself, confirming she was the one he wanted. With a mix of curiosity and reluctance, she made her way to his table.


    When she arrived, she found him seated with two other guys. She stood with her lunch, unsure of what to expect.


    ¡°What¡¯s this about?¡± Ashleigh asked warily.


    ¡°Just sit down, Ashleigh. There¡¯s no other ce to sit, and you¡¯ll look ridiculous standing there,¡± he said gruffly. Despite his tone, she took the offer and sat down, grateful for the chance to rest and eat. As she ate, she tried to ignore the curious stares from the others at the table.


    After a few minutes of eating in silence, Ashleigh couldn¡¯t help but break the quiet. ¡°So, what¡¯s the real reason you called me over?¡±


    The guy nced at his friends before speaking. ¡°Actually, I wanted to admit that you were right about yesterday. I was trying too hard to please na, and it was a mistake.¡±


    Ashleigh was taken aback by his confession. ¡°What made you change your mind so suddenly? Weren¡¯t you ready to stand by your initial stance?¡±


    One of his friends, a dusty blonde with a slightly muscr build, spoke up. ¡°We told him he was being a jerk, especially since you were willing to stand up for your group. You deserve better than that.¡±


    The other friend, with jet-ck hair, chimed in, ¡°Damien here didn¡¯t think of reaching out to you, even though he¡¯s a loner himself.¡± He gave Damien a yful p on the back of his head.


    ¡°Your name is Damien,¡± Ashleigh said, realization dawning on her.


    Damien nodded. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m Damien. This is Arthur,¡± he pointed to the blonde, ¡°and Oliver,¡± he gestured to the ck-haired guy. ¡°We¡¯re all first-year students, and we¡¯d like you to be friends with us.¡±


    Ashleigh eyed Damien skeptically. ¡°Why should I ept friendship from someone who seems to be trying so hard to avoid trouble?¡±


    Damien leaned in with a grin. ¡°Look, Ashleigh, this could be beneficial for both of us. You might think you know everything now, but Robin College can be tough to navigate. I can help you figure things out, and you can help me with coursework.¡±


    ¡°Plus, you get two very cool guys as friends,¡± Arthur added, with a wink. Oliver rolled his eyes but smiled slightly.


    Ashleigh considered the offer. At this point, any assistance was wee, and having three more friends seemed like a good deal.


    ¡°Deal,¡± she said, extending her hand for a shake. Damien grasped it firmly, and Arthur and Oliver cheered in unison.N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    ¡°But how do I know you really know your way around Robin College? After all, you¡¯re a first-year too,¡± Ashleigh asked, still cautious.


    Arthur¡¯s expression turned serious. ¡°My family has been connected to Robin College for generations, and I have a cousin graduating this year. I know the ins and outs of this ce and why you shouldn¡¯t have crossed na.¡±

 Chapter 53

    ¡°na¡¯s family closely mirrors mine, but with a far broaderwork. Her grandfather served as the vice chancellor of the college in his early days andter became a major benefactor to the institution. Several buildings on campus bear his name, including the cafeteria where we currently sat. Her influence in Robin extends widely; she could easily make or break your career if she chose to.¡± Damien leaned in as he spoke, and his two friends nodded in agreement.


    ¡°Moreover, she¡¯s in a high social position and has been mingling with the student body. To be honest, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve heard of you since you arrived¡­ Ashleigh, what did you say yourst name was again?¡± Arthur interjected, his tone slightly condescending. Ashleigh felt her ears grow warm with embarrassment.


    ¡°Hartman. Not that it matters. I don¡¯t think she¡¯d go that far over a failed question,¡± Ashleigh replied, trying to sound dismissive, but her words were met with unblinking stares.


    ¡°If you say so. I¡¯m just giving you a heads-up,¡± Damien said with a resigned shrug, and they all returned to their meal.


    Once lunch ended, Damien and Ashleigh exchanged contact details before heading to their next lecture. As Ashleigh was about to board the bus, Damien stopped her.


    ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± he asked, his tone puzzled. Ashleigh gestured toward the bus station, where a bus waited for students.


    ¡°The bus. We need to get back, right?¡± she responded, perplexed by his question.


    Damien looked at her for a moment before shaking his head. He then produced a sleek key from his pocket and turned to walk away.


    ¡°Just follow me,¡± he instructed. Ashleigh followed him to the parking lot on the other side of the building, where cars were parked. Damien clicked a button on the key, and a sleek emerald green sports car responded, its rear lights glowing. He got in, leaving Ashleigh standing in stunned silence.


    ¡°Get in quickly. Are you going to stand there and gawk?¡± Damien snapped, and Ashleigh, still reeling, climbed in beside him. He drove off at high speed towards their faculty.


    As he navigated the streets, Ashleigh couldn¡¯t help but marvel at the car. ¡°You own this car?¡± she asked, unable to hide her astonishment.


    Damien briefly nced at her before returning his focus to the road. ¡°You don¡¯t have one?¡± he inquired.


    Ashleigh fell silent. Damien¡¯s observation hit home. ¡°That answers my question. Owning a car is basic in Robin. It makes getting around easier and saves you from rude bus drivers,¡± he said as they arrived at the faculty. Ashleigh noted that most students arrived by car, exining the sparse bus ridership.


    They alighted from the car and entered the faculty, just in time for their elective courses. They parted ways as they headed to their respective lectures. Despite the change in setting, the earlier tension followed Ashleigh into the ssroom.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard from the Professor that you¡¯ve been toox in your studies,¡± began the short, round lecturer. ¡°I did not expect my top students to overlook such crucial information in their work. Therefore, we¡¯ll have a quiz and debate session today.¡± The ss groaned in unison.


    ¡°Do notin! This is a reminder to prepare for mid-semester exams next week,¡± he said firmly, silencing the room.


    The quiz session was as grueling as expected, with Ashleigh facing more technical questions than her peers. It quickly became apparent that the lecturer wasparing her with na. When na answered effortlessly, Ashleigh faced more challenging questions and corrections. This disparity did not go unnoticed by the ss, which began to vocalize their observations.


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s expected from na. She¡¯s consistently set the record for the ss. Maybe the new girl just had a lucky streak yesterday,¡± Ashleigh overheard a whisper. Her grip tightened on her pen as frustration simmered within her.


    na sat confidently, her posture rigid and a faint, almost ghostly smile on her lips as she observed Ashleigh¡¯s struggle. Her gaze asionally met the lecturer¡¯s, who seemed to revel in the spectacle. The lecturer¡¯s excitement was palpable; pleasing na promised substantial rewards.


    Clearing his throat loudly, the lecturer sought to regain control of the room¡¯s increasing noise. ¡°I think this brief session has rified where we stand regarding coursework. Expect simr questions for next week¡¯s exams. To conclude today¡¯s session, we¡¯ll have a debate.¡±


    He moved to the podium and retrieved two bowls filled with folded papers. ¡°We¡¯ll choose participants at random ording to your seat numbers. The topics will be drawn randomly, and the two contestants will present their arguments. At the end, everyone will decide who made a stronger case,¡± he exined. The students nodded, eager for a change of pace.


    The debate topics ranged from scientific principles to social and ethical issues. Some even drew on contemporary inte debates, which sparkedughter and engagement among the students. As midday approached, the professor signaled the end of the ss.


    ¡°It¡¯s time for thest debate session. The remaining two students, pleasee forward,¡± he announced. Ashleigh swallowed nervously as she stood, ncing back to see na approaching with a determined expression. Samantha discreetly began recording the moment on her phone.


    The lecturer drew the final topic and announced, ¡°The importance of allosteric regtion in enzyme function.¡± The ss responded with an audible murmur of interest.


    ¡°Will you be arguing for or against?¡± the lecturer asked. na gestured for Ashleigh to choose first. Ashleigh chose to argue in support of the topic, and the debate began.


    Ashleigh started by outlining the basic concepts and importance of allosteric regtion. Her clear and concise exnation captured the ss¡¯s attention. When it was na¡¯s turn, she immediately went on the offensive.


    ¡°You made a point, but your view of allosteric regtion is rather simplistic. It¡¯s just one of many mechanisms, and you¡¯re overstating its significance,¡± na said sharply. Ashleigh raised an eyebrow, unfazed.


    ¡°It¡¯s expected you¡¯d view it that way as a novice biochemist,¡± na concluded, and the ss eagerly awaited Ashleigh¡¯s response.


    ¡°Allosteric regtion is central to cellr control. Without it, enzymes wouldck proper regtion, leading to chaos. Its importance is not easily dismissed,¡± Ashleigh countered, her voice firm.


    ¡°Are you aware of other mechanisms like feedback inhibition? Relying on allosteric regtion alone oversimplifies enzyme regtion,¡± na retorted, her eyes gleaming with challenge. Ashleigh¡¯s eyes sparkled as she leaned forward.


    ¡°That¡¯s precisely my point, na! Allosteric regtion integrates with other mechanisms to form a sophisticated control system. Empirical evidence supports it as the primary mechanism controlling enzyme activity,¡± Ashleigh argued, her intensity evident.


    ¡°It¡¯s textbook knowledge, na. Did you not know that?¡± Ashleigh finished, leaning back with a hint of satisfaction as na shifted ufortably.


    The ssroom fell into a stunned silence. The lecturer, caught between surprise at Ashleigh¡¯s prowess and apprehension regarding na, quickly intervened. ¡°That¡¯s sufficient. Both of you have madepelling arguments. However, it¡¯s up to your peers to decide who made the stronger case.¡±


    He called for a show of hands. Several students raised theirs in favor of na, while a majority supported Ashleigh. The result was unequivocal.


    ¡°Congrattions to Ashleigh! Please give her a round of apuse,¡± the lecturer announced. The ssroom erupted in apuse and cheers, much to Ashleigh¡¯s delight.


    na stormed to her seat, her anger palpable. Ashleigh, smiling graciously, bowed respectfully before collecting her belongings. As she left the ssroom, na¡¯s icy gaze followed her through the windows. Samantha, unsure of how to respond, sat quietly beside na.


    ¡°na¡­¡± Samantha began tentatively.


    ¡°Shut up and delete that video. We¡¯re leaving,¡± na snapped, standing up in frustration. Samantha quickly gathered their things and followed her.


    As they made their way down the hall, Ashleigh intercepted them.N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    ¡°na, I just wanted to say congrattions as well. I learned a lot from your arguments,¡± Ashleigh said, extending her hand in a gesture of goodwill.


    na and Samantha looked at her with disdain. ¡°Can¡¯t you see we¡¯re on our way out? Please excuse us,¡± Samantha said with clear irritation, attempting to move past Ashleigh.


    ¡°That¡¯s not very kind. na, can¡¯t you tell your friend?¡± Ashleigh said, her disappointment evident as she nced at na, who remained silent.


    ¡°Anyway, I didn¡¯t expect much. I waited behind to let you know something,¡± Ashleigh said, leaning closer to na to whisper. ¡°You don¡¯t want to deal with my bad side.¡±


    With that, Ashleigh straightened up and walked away. With each step she took, na¡¯s expression grew darker

 Chapter 54

    Ashleigh walked away from the previous day¡¯s events without realizing that by the next morning, she would be the talk of the department. It was Saturday morning, and Ashleigh had nned to sleep in, enjoying a rare weekend of rest. However, she was roused from her slumber by the persistent ringing of her phone, which vibrated against her bed. Groggily, she reached out in the direction of the phone, still half-asleep, and picked it up, eyes closed.


    ¡°What?¡± she groaned as she answered the call, cing it against her ear.


    ¡°What did you do yesterday in ss?¡± the voice on the other end asked. Ashleigh squinted, trying to ce the caller¡¯s identity.


    ¡°Sorry, who is this?¡± she asked, her confusion evident.


    ¡°Damien. Does that ring a bell? Anyway, back to my question-what happened in ss yesterday?¡± Damien asked, his tone urging her for an answer.


    ¡°Nothing much. Why do you keep asking about this, Damien?¡± Ashleigh replied, trying to recall if something unusual had urred in ss.


    ¡°Because you¡¯re trending on the department¡¯s onlinemunity page,¡± he said, causing Ashleigh to sit up in bed, fully alert.


    ¡°What!?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m looking at a video of you and na debating allosteric regtion, I¡¯m impressed. It¡¯s currently the most-viewed video in the science category,¡± Damienplimented, and Ashleigh swallowed hard.


    ¡°I mean, the lecturer made us do it as a mini quiz; it was nothing too serious. Why would someone record it?¡± Ashleigh wondered aloud.


    ¡°Drama, obviously. I thought I mentioned that you should steer clear of na at lunch? It seems I¡¯ve been convinced by my friends to befriend a troublemaker,¡± Damien sighed in exasperation.


    ¡°I¡¯m not troublesome. She tried to embarrass me yesterday by making me look foolish, but I managed to outsmart her. Now I¡¯m the viin?¡± Ashleigh said, frowning.


    ¡°I hope you¡¯re more than just talk when shees for you,¡± Damien conceded, and Ashleigh rolled her eyes.


    ¡°So, is that the only reason you called? Nothing else?¡± Ashleigh asked after a moment of silence.


    ¡°Why? Is there something else you were hoping for?¡± Damien replied awkwardly, unsure of what else to say. He hadn¡¯t considered what to talk about when he called Ashleigh, and since they had only recently formed an alliance, he didn¡¯t know much about her apart from what he was learning now.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s a bit disappointing,¡± Ashleigh said in a low voice, chuckling at his attempt to salvage the situation.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. You just woke me up, so I expected a bit more than a reprimand,¡± she said yfully. Damien paused before clearing his throat.


    ¡°Alright then. Since we¡¯re still on the phone, I¡¯d like to use this opportunity to go over our study ns,¡± he said. They spent a few minutes nning their study sessions around the mid-semester exams. Damien informed Ashleigh about the school¡¯s culture of keeping the library open 24/7 during exams and how some faculties offered overnight rooms and meal services. For biochemistry and other natural science courses, in addition to study notes, there wereboratory courses. To prepare for the mid-semester exams, theb would be open on selected days for extra practice. They decided to use the main library on alternate evenings until midnight and do overnight study sessions onb days.


    As they were about to end the call, Ashleigh heard a ringing on Damien¡¯s end.


    ¡°It seems someone has something important to tell you. I better end¡­¡± she began, but Damien interrupted.


    ¡°Wait! It¡¯s Arthur. He keeps insisting I add him to the call,¡± Damien exined. With a tap, Arthur¡¯s voice came screeching through the phone.


    ¡°Hey, guys!¡± Arthur greeted with a high-pitched tone that made Ashleigh pull the phone away from her ear.


    ¡°We were fine before you joined,¡± Damien said tly, slightly annoyed.


    ¡°Boohoo, Damien. You¡¯re always in a prissy mood. Ashleigh, darling, I called because of you,¡± Arthur said in a sweet tone, which made Ashleigh raise an eyebrow at his exaggerated sweetness.


    ¡°Why me?¡±


    ¡°Because you¡¯re our new friend! And more importantly, from what I hear, you¡¯re the drama, ¡± Arthur eximed. Ashleigh shook her head in denial.


    ¡°I¡¯m not the drama! That video will probably blow over by this evening, and everyone will be back to normal¡­ right?¡± Ashleigh said, hoping to reassure herself. Damien snorted in response.


    ¡°They might take it down, but it has definitely reached its target audience,¡± Arthur said, echoing Damien¡¯s earlier point.


    ¡°My point is that you need to make a ssh in the social scene. With this video, you¡¯ve gained some traction in the onlinemunity. Although people don¡¯t know you yet, with the right moves, you could rise to the top, just like na,¡± Arthur rambled excitedly. Ashleigh nodded silently, not wanting to dampen his enthusiasm.


    ¡°Although I appreciate your enthusiasm, Arthur, I don¡¯t think I¡¯m cut out for that. I just want to go through college peacefully,¡± Ashleigh said calmly. Damien remained silent during this exchange.


    ¡°It seems you and Damien are cut from the same cloth. But I won¡¯t stand for it. You need to build a solid presence on campus to avoid being bullied. Socializing is also important for making connections. There¡¯s no debate-we¡¯re all going to be well-rounded individuals! That¡¯s why I¡¯ve decided we¡¯re going to the club tonight,¡± Arthur announced. Both Ashleigh and Damien protested.


    Arthur was determined this time. He had hoped that Ashleigh¡¯s presence in their group would lead to more socializing, but it seemed he had attracted another introvert like Damien and Oliver. Realizing this, he decided not to let them be intellectual loners.


    ¡°You need this to fully understand the ins and outs of Robin College, Ashleigh. Mr. Smarty-pants over there can refuse because he grew up with some of these people, but you can¡¯t. I¡¯ll pick you up at 5 pm. Ciao,¡± Arthur said, ending the call and leaving Ashleigh wondering who Damien was connected to that are elite students.


    After the call ended, Ashleigh checked the video online. She clicked on it and saw it was recorded by a student sitting near the front, capturing the entire debate from start to finish, including na¡¯s expression when she was dered the winner. The headline boldly read: UNDERDOG BEATS TOP BIOCHEMISTRY FRESHER IN SHOWDOWN!!!!, making it sound more dramatic than it actually was.


    She scrolled through thements:


    @biolover84: It was even more intense in person; the look on na¡¯s face could cut through steel.


    @Henrietta45: the girl just had a streak of luck, this proves nothing about na or the girlContent from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    @justlok: Serves na right; maybe now she¡¯ll realize she¡¯s not all that!


    @Sadiesink: I like this girl, by the way. What she did takes guts! What¡¯s her name?


    @Ishnawaves: The girl is just a show off, eager for the opportunity. SMH


    @weeba: why is this here when we have mid-semester next week? Petition to take it down!


    Despite the praises Ashleigh couldn¡¯t help but feel worried, as this was not how she expected the situation to go. She also recalled the words of Damien and Arthur and wondered if she was truly prepared for the attention. She closed the page and focused on getting some chores done and preparing a meal. As usual, her roommate was absent, so Ashleigh spent the afternoon watching a movie. After a while she checked the department¡¯s onlinemunity to see that the video was taken down with a strict message from the Dean against use of phones during lectures unless permitted by the lecturer. He also mentioned that the student responsible for the uploading of the video will be punished ordingly.


    Soon it was time for Arthur to arrive and when Ashleigh checked her wardrobe, she realized she had nothing suitable for a club outing. Her clothes consisted mainly of dresses and casual wear in pastel tones, with shoes limited to ts, sandals, or wedges. She sighed, recalling that Susan had left her more formal clothes at the mansion, reminding her that they might be useful for parties. With only thirty minutes left to prepare, Ashleigh quickly chose a jumpsuit and sneakers, then hurried into the shower.


    By 5 pm, she barely made it downstairs. Arthur and Damien were waiting in a sleek red sports car, which was far more stylish than Damien¡¯s previous vehicle. Damien was dressed in a full racing outfit-ck pants, a jacket, branded sneakers, and Dolce and Gabbana shades. Arthur wore a full denim ensemble with stylish boots, and both had their hair impably styled.


    As Ashleigh approached, Arthur removed his sunsses and looked at her in shock.


    ¡°Is this what you¡¯re wearing to the club?¡± he asked, examining her outfit from head to toe.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Ashleigh replied.


    ¡°Get in. We¡¯re going shopping,¡± Arthur said with a sigh of disappointment.

 Chapter 55

    ¡°I told you clearly that we¡¯re going to the club tonight. Why did you dress like it¡¯s a pic at home?¡± Arthur asked, his gaze fixed on her through the side mirror.


    ¡°This is what I had¡­ is it that bad?¡± she replied defensively, and Arthur rolled his eyes in response.


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you been to the club, Ashleigh?¡± he questioned. She shook her head cluelessly.


    ¡°Are you surprised, Arthur? Ashleigh uses the bus to get around, so don¡¯t expect much from her,¡± Damien interjected, his eyes fixed on the road as he drove.


    Arthur turned to look at Ashleigh and shook his head in disappointment.N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    ¡°Enough said¡­ drive on, Damien,¡± he said, holding his hand up in silent disapproval as he flopped back dramatically into his seat. Soon enough, they arrived at a private department store.


    Arthur showed his membership card, and they entered the store. He went straight to business, while Ashleigh followed behind him with the store attendants, and Damien sat on a couch to wait. Arthur selected a few options for Ashleigh and handed them to her. She eyed the clothes, noting they were on the shorter side.


    ¡°Arthur, I don¡¯t feelfortable in short skirts or trousers,¡± she said.


    ¡°What are you, a nun? It¡¯s fine. Just try on the ones you¡¯refortable with instead,¡± he dismissed her concern, ordering the attendant to return the dresses she didn¡¯t like.


    Ashleigh stepped into the dressing room. After trying on the remaining dresses, she settled on a green satin crop top and a pair of ck flowing trousers. When she emerged, Arthur¡¯s eyes lit up in excitement.


    ¡°This is perfect! We¡¯re good to go!¡± he eximed. Ashleigh nodded in agreement as she looked at herself in the mirror. He dragged her out, instructing the attendant to pack up the remaining clothes and bring them to the counter.


    ¡°Oh Arthur, you really didn¡¯t have to do this. The outfit I have on is okay for now, and I¡¯ll pay for it,¡± she protested, but Arthur ignored her and continued to the counter, dragging her past where Damien sat.


    Damien, who had been waiting, looked at them as they passed by without acknowledging him. He stood up and followed them to the counter, stunned as he observed how Ashleigh¡¯s outfit had transformed her appearance. Ashleigh, paying no attention to him, was still arguing with Arthur, who extended his card to the staff at the counter.


    ¡°Ashleigh, I decided to bring you here and get you these outfits because I don¡¯t n on having you look dull when we go out. This is just the first of many social events we¡¯ll be attending. So, I¡¯ll be paying for the outfits,¡± he insisted.


    ¡°Moreover, this is a private department store, and each item must be paid for with a membership card,¡± he continued. Ashleigh gave in silently and let him proceed with the payment.


    Once they finished and the outfits were packed, Ashleigh reached for them, but Arthur pped her hand away. As she rubbed her hands in pain, a staff member immediately grabbed the bags and waited for them.


    ¡°You don¡¯t do that; that¡¯s why the staff members are here,¡± Arthur said.


    ¡°You could have said that without hitting her,¡± Damien spoke up for the first time, startling Ashleigh, who had not noticed his presence.


    ¡°It¡¯s called tough love. She¡¯ll have to get used to it,¡± Arthur replied unfazed, adjusting his sses from his head to his eyes and walking ahead.


    They left the store, and Damien drove for a few minutes before arriving at the club. He made his way to the underground parking lot where a valet stood waiting. They pulled up to the entrance and disembarked, Damien handing his keys to the valet as they walked through the door held open by security guards in suits. The hallway was narrow, but the echoes of music resonated as they neared the end, which led to the club. However, Arthur turned down another hallway.


    ¡°We aren¡¯t going through that door?¡± Ashleigh asked, quickening her pace to walk beside him. They reached a set of stairs and began climbing to a door at the top.


    ¡°Of course not. We¡¯re going this way,¡± he said, approaching the entrance where a security guard stood. The man, seeing Damien, made way for them to enter. They entered arge, dimly lit space with a handful of elegantly dressed people milling about. The floors were shiny in the dark, the walls cushioned to muffle the loud music from the ground floor, and a minimal chandelier provided soft lighting. Waiters moved around with trays of champagne, and couches were ced around where some guests sat in groups or pairs. Ashleigh took it all in with fascination and was gently shaken by Arthur.


    ¡°You¡¯re gawking. Don¡¯t make it obvious,¡± he whispered with a smile as a waiter offered them sses of champagne.


    ¡°This is where most studentse on weekends; it¡¯s the closest club to the school campus,¡± he exined as they made their way to the balcony overlooking the general hall below.


    ¡°Down there is the general hall, which is divided into sections. Up here is the reserved section, where the real elites hang out. From student body representatives to school ambassadors and influencers, they alle here. This is your first step to social visibility in Robin,¡± he said. Ashleigh nodded in understanding as she looked downstairs.


    Her eyes widened when she saw her roommate dancing wildly with her friends. This was the first time she had seen her since herst visit to their room a few days ago. As she tried to focus on them, she was interrupted by a female voice.


    ¡°Arthur, what a pleasant surprise!¡± The voice called out. Ashleigh turned to see him exchanging pleasantries with thedy and her friends.


    ¡°I did not expect to see you here today. You haven¡¯t been around for a while,¡± she said, her voice overly sweet as her smile brightened.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m just here to unwind with a new friend! Say hi, Ashleigh,¡± Arthur said, gesturing to Ashleigh. She greeted them all with smiles.


    ¡°Oh, nice to meet you, Ashleigh¡­?¡± the woman drawled, waiting for a response.


    ¡°Hartman. Ashleigh Hartman,¡± she replied for rity. The woman looked at her with a hint of confusion.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t ring a bell, I¡¯m afraid,¡± she said dismissively, and Arthur¡¯s smile faltered slightly.


    ¡°Well, since you¡¯re here, Damien should be around too. Can you point me in his direction?¡± the woman asked, standing on her tiptoes to look around.


    It was then Ashleigh noticed Damien was not with them, and she wondered why he had been so quiet. Arthur ced his hand on the girl¡¯s shoulder, pulling her down to face him, and put on the sweetest smile he could muster.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know where he is, but I¡¯ll let him know you asked! Enjoy the party,¡± he said. The girl gave him a menacing look before walking off with her friends.


    ¡°Bitch,¡± Arthur muttered, just loud enough for Ashleigh to hear, making her cover her mouth inughter.


    ¡°Who¡¯s the girl?¡± Ashleigh inquired.


    ¡°Someone not worth mentioning. That¡¯s why you need to be here, so you don¡¯t make friends with your worst enemy as well. There are plenty of people like her in Robin,¡± he exined.


    ¡°If you say so. Also, where is Damien? Why does he keep disappearing?¡± Ashleigh asked, scanning the area for him.


    ¡°Oh, he¡¯s in the private booth over there with his staff,¡± Arthur pointed out. Damien emerged from the booth with some people.


    ¡°His staff?¡± Ashleigh asked.


    ¡°Yeah. He owns this club-well, his dad does, technically-so it¡¯s more work for him when wee here, while we get to enjoy ourselves. That¡¯s why we don¡¯te here much. Also, there are bitches like her milling around, vying for his attention,¡± Arthur exined. Ashleigh nodded in understanding.


    ¡°Now let¡¯s get to why we¡¯re here, shall we?¡± he said, holding out his hand. Ashleigh swallowed hard before taking it.


    He proceeded to introduce her to various people, engaging in conversation, banter, and light jokes. Arthur was carefree, mingling effortlessly and bing the life of the party, while Ashleigh hesitated to say anything that might seem awkward. As the night progressed, Damien joined them. Ashleigh noticed him only because she was paying close attention to her surroundings.


    ¡°Are you having a good time?¡± Damien asked quietly in her ear. She nced at him briefly.


    ¡°Not that much, but Arthur is really keen on this opportunity, so I have to make it worth it,¡± she replied, watching Arthur dramatically exining something to the others, whoughed along.


    ¡°He¡¯s like that even with a ss of orange juice-that¡¯s why he¡¯s an art student,¡± Damien said lightly, observing his friend from his corner.


    After a while, Ashleigh felt the need to take a break and stood up.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Damien asked, drawing the attention of others to her.


    ¡°Oh, I feel a bit stuffy, so I¡¯m going for a walk,¡± she exined. They all nodded, and Damien made way for her to pass.


    She walked to the balcony, observing the party below as people swayed to the music. Her gazended on the exit where she saw her roommate and her friends once again. This time, they were with a group of guys and appeared heavily drunk. Both friends were making out with the guys while her roommate was held by two guys and led out.


    Ashleigh debated whether she should follow them, given that her roommate had made it clear she wanted nothing to do with her. However, seeing how those guys were holding her roommate, she decided to act. With Arthur and Damien upied, she slipped away quietly.

 Chapter 56

    Ashleigh¡¯s heart pounded as she sprinted through the dimly lit underground parking lot, her breathing in sharp gasps. She¡¯d seen Megan and those two guys earlier; they had been leaving the building just before her. Now, the parking lot was deserted. Ashleigh nced around anxiously, trying to piece together the sequence of events. As she exited the lot and headed toward the street, her mind raced with fear.


    ¡°Why can¡¯t I find them?¡± she muttered to herself, her voice trembling. ¡°It was only a minute between when they left and when I followed.¡± She scanned the alleyways adjacent to the building, each darkened passage holding only eerie silence.


    As she reached the third alley, a chilling sound pierced the quiet-cries of distress. Ashleigh¡¯s pulse quickened. She peered into the dimly lit alley and her stomach dropped. There was Megan, pinned against the wall by the two men from earlier. One man held Megan¡¯s arms forcefully against the wall, while the other was lifting her gown. The sight was horrifying, and Ashleigh¡¯s mind raced with panic.


    She thought briefly about calling the police, but she knew it might be toote by then. In a frenzy, she pulled out her phone, dialled Damien¡¯s number, and set it to speaker mode before dropping it on the ground. Her fingers trembled as she quickly removed her shoes and limped toward the alley, her heart pounding.


    ¡°Hey! Stop that right now!¡± she shouted, her voice quavering with fear. The man holding Megan¡¯s arms looked up, his face contorted with annoyance.


    ¡°Is this some kind of joke? Youngdy, move along if you know what¡¯s good for you,¡± he barked, his voice dripping with menace.


    Megan¡¯s weak voice emerged from behind the men. ¡°Help me, please,¡± she begged, her words muffled as one of the men pped her and tied a rag around her mouth to silence her.


    ¡°Forget it, Joe. If she doesn¡¯t want to leave, then grab her too. The more, the merrier,¡± the other man snarled.


    Joe, the man facing Ashleigh, charged at her. Panic surged through Ashleigh as she lunged at him, but he anticipated her move. She felt her skin crawl as he grabbed her arm, dragging her into the alley with a brutal grip. Ashleigh¡¯s cries for help echoed through the alley as she struggled against him. He threw her to the ground, the rough pavement scraping her knees and was about to silence her with a blow when she seized the opportunity. With a swift kick to his groin, she sent him crashing backward in pain.


    The other man, distracted by themotion, turned toward Megan. In a desperate attempt Ashleigh kicked the man and itnded, snatching Megan¡¯s purse before grabbing Megan and helping her up. They stumbled together, Ashleigh gripping Megan around the waist as she dragged her toward the alley¡¯s exit.


    ¡°Grab that stupid bitch! We can¡¯t let her escape!¡± the man roared, and Ashleigh¡¯s heart raced with fear as she quickened her pace.


    She could hear the men getting up and closing in on them, her heart dropped as looked hopelessly at the entrance , but then the sound of approaching footsteps came from the entrance. Arthur and Damien appeared with a small crowd at the mouth of the alley, their presence a sudden relief. Ashleigh felt her shoulders rx as Arthur and Damien quickly took action. Arthur rushed over to Ashleigh, helping her to her feet.


    ¡°Ashleigh, what happened?¡± Arthur¡¯s voice was filled with concern as he scanned her bruised and disheveled form, the whispers of the people behind rising. Ashleigh couldn¡¯t be bothered about the onlookers at the moment, only Megan.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Megan? Is she okay?¡± Ashleigh asked, twisting to see Damien holding Megan gently in his arms. Seeing Megan safe brought a wave of relief.


    ¡°She¡¯s fine, Arthur. Help me stand,¡± Ashleigh said, trying to steady herself. Arthur helped her up, and she turned to see the two men escaping as the security chased them.


    The men scrambled over the wall, narrowly avoiding capture as the security guards rushed past. Damien¡¯s face darkened with frustration.


    ¡°Fools! Make sure those guys are caught,¡± he bellowed, as the security team nodded and ran down the road in pursuit while two remained by his side.


    ¡°You two, sort this out¡± he ordered the man by his side who nodded and they turned to the crowd and began leading them away from the scene.


    Ashleigh hurried over to Megan, who was now unconscious in Damien¡¯s arms.


    ¡°We need to get her to the hospital, now,¡± she insisted, her voice tight with urgency. They left immediately, heading for the nearest hospital.


    At the hospital, they handed Megan over to the nurses, who quickly wheeled her into a ward for treatment. Ashleigh paced anxiously and a nurse took Ashleigh to examine her thoroughly. After what felt like an eternity, the nurse dressed the wound on her knees and assured Ashleigh that she had no other external injuries. Anagelsics and an ice pack were prescribed for the swollen and bruised areas.


    An hourter, the police arrived to take Ashleigh¡¯s statement. They meticulously reviewed the details and assured her they would open a case. They nned to speak to Megan the next morning. After the officers left, the doctor emerged from the ward. Ashleigh, still trembling with worry, approached him with Arthur and Damien beside her.


    ¡°Your friend is stable now,¡± the doctor said, his tone reassuring. ¡°She was drugged and had alcohol in her system, so we had to act quickly to flush it out. She¡¯s a bit restless now due to the shock, but she¡¯ll be asleep soon. You can visit herter.¡±


    Ashleigh nodded, her face reflecting both relief and exhaustion. ¡°Thank you, Doctor.¡±


    Arthur ced aforting hand on Ashleigh¡¯s shoulder. ¡°What are you saying? Of course, we would help you! Thankfully, you called Damien in time.¡±


    Damien, however, remained silent and brooding, his anger barely concealed. ¡°Why did you act so rashly, Ashleigh? Your safety is as important as Megan¡¯s. Why didn¡¯t you wait for us?¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t wait! I had to do something!¡± Ashleigh shot back, her voice rising in frustration.


    Arthur stepped in to diffuse the tension. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Damien. What matters is that Ashleigh called for help and we got here in time. Don¡¯t rile her up.¡±


    Damien red at Ashleigh before storming off. Ashleigh started to follow him but was stopped by Arthur¡¯s hand on hers.


    ¡°He just needs time to cool down. He was scared when we got the call,¡± Arthur exined gently. ¡°What¡¯s your n now?¡±


    Ashleigh nced at Megan¡¯s ward, her mind made up. ¡°I think I should stay here with her, at least until she wakes up. Even though she¡¯s not exactly fond of me, I don¡¯t want to leave her alone.¡±


    Arthur raised an eyebrow in surprise. ¡°Your roommate hates your guts? That was a waste of time then¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that, Arthur. She needed help,¡± Ashleigh said firmly.


    Arthur shook his head in disagreement but offered, ¡°Do you need us to stay with you?¡±


    Ashleigh looked puzzled. ¡°I thought Damien had gone home.¡±


    Arthur chuckled. ¡°He¡¯ll just sulk in the car, but he won¡¯t leave you alone.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯ve already troubled you two enough. It¡¯s better if you rest. I¡¯ll be okay,¡± she said.


    ¡°If you¡¯re sure. We¡¯re just a call away if you need anything. Take care,¡± Arthur said, pulling her into aforting hug before heading out.


    Ashleigh watched them leave, feeling a mix of gratitude and mncholy. She entered the room where Megany. The space was modestly sized, with a couch by the entrance and Megan¡¯s bed just a few feet away. Megan¡¯s face was bruised, her expression twisted in pain. An IV line dripped fluid into her arm, and a probe monitored her vitals.


    Ashleigh approached the bed, her heart aching at the sight of her friend. Gently, she took Megan¡¯s hand.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Megan. You¡¯re safe now. No one will hurt you,¡± she whispered soothingly. Megan¡¯s face rxed slightly, and she settled into a peaceful sleep.N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    As Ashleigh turned to sit on the couch, a phone buzzed. She scanned the room until she found the source of the noise-it was in Megan¡¯s purse. She retrieved the phone and answered the call.


    ¡°Megan! I¡¯ve been calling you for hours! What¡¯s happening?¡± a mature male voice demanded, a mix of relief and frustration evident.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t Megan. This is Ashleigh Hartman. Megan¡¯s in the hospital,¡± Ashleigh exined, her voice trembling.


    There was a pause on the line before the voice dropped dangerously low. ¡°Tell me everything.¡±


    Ashleigh took a deep breath and began to recount the events, her voice steady despite the lingering fear.

 Chapter 57

    ¡°This is not Megan, sir. This is Ashleigh Hartman. Megan¡¯s currently in the hospital.¡± The gentle yet firm voice cut through the room, casting a palpable heaviness in the air.


    Mr. Turner swallowed hard, his gaze flicking nervously from the terrified assistant to his boss, who red darkly at the phone. The tension in the room seemed to intensify with each passing second.


    Earlier¡­


    After their heated argument, Adrian had retreated to Italy, seeking sce in his mother¡¯spany and the familiar rhythm of business at Cagliari Industries. The trip was intended to be a period of both personal and professional reflection. It offered him a chance to delve into Ashleigh¡¯s background, to sift through her family¡¯s history and their business dealings. Adrian reminded himself that his primary goal for marrying Ashleigh was to further his own ambitions. Her feelings, whatever they might be, were merely a means to an end. He resolutely chose not to address her probing questions about his emotions, as he had no answers that would satisfy her or himself.


    Yet, despite his resolve, his actions betrayed his intentions. Throughout the trip, Adrian kept a close watch on Ashleigh. He was well aware of her movements and ensured that Tristan and James were on constant surveince, tracking her every step at Robin College. Their reports included details about her daily schedule, the people she interacted with, and her whereabouts. It was a meticulous operation, and Adrian¡¯s interest was both keen and unyielding. He relieved them of their duties on Saturday morning, instructing them to resume their surveince on Monday.


    The evening found him at a business g hosted by the Association of Companies in Italy. Caelia, at his mother¡¯s insistence, apanied him. Alexander Myron, a prominent politician, business executive, and a friend, greeted Adrian with a firm handshake and a broad smile.


    ¡°Hey Adrian, it¡¯s been a while,¡± Alexander said, his imposing presence entuated by his tailored suit and chiseled features.


    ¡°It certainly has. I trust you¡¯re well?¡± Adrian replied. Alexander¡¯s eyes flickered to Caelia, who stood beside him, a small smile ying on her lips.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You¡¯ve finally broughtpany with you. You¡¯ve given everyone the impression of a lone wolf for far too long. Nice to meet you,¡± Alexander teased, turning his attention to Caelia.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you. I¡¯m Caelia LaRosa,¡± she replied, her gaze lingering on Adrian with a touch of admiration.


    ¡°LaRosa, I have some dealings with your family. Please convey my regards,¡± Alexander said. Caelia nodded politely.


    Adrian paid little attention to their exchange, focusing instead on a conversation with Mr. Turner, which earned him curious nces from Alexander. Caelia, despite Adrian¡¯s aloof demeanor, maintained her gracious smile. She had long anticipated this opportunity to be with Adrian, and nothing would dampen her spirits. Their entrance into the hall had attracted attention from various media outlets, and by the end of the evening, their presence would be stered across news outlets, solidifying their rtionship status. This thought alone made Caelia¡¯s heart race with excitement.


    Alexander¡¯s assistant approached, whispering something into his ear, causing Alexander¡¯s expression to darken.


    ¡°Is everything alright?¡± Adrian asked, noting the shift in Alexander¡¯s demeanor.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing too grave. I¡¯d like to discuss something with you privately, if you don¡¯t mind,¡± Alexander replied, gesturing for Adrian to follow him. Adrian agreed with a nod.


    ¡°Do I need toe with you?¡± Caelia asked.


    ¡°No, stay here and mingle. I¡¯ll be back soon,¡± Adrian assured her. Caelia reluctantly removed her hand from his arm, allowing him to follow Alexander to a nearby conference room.


    Inside the room, they discussed general matters before Alexander broached a proposal for coboration. Their conversation grew intense, with Alexander¡¯s assistant frequently stepping out and returning with a somber expression. Despite Adrian¡¯s questions, Alexander imed it was a personal issue.


    After another brief absence, the assistant hurried back into the room, handing Alexander a phone.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the interruption, Adrian. I need to take this call,¡± Alexander said, and Adrian nodded in understanding.


    As Alexander answered, his anger became palpable, his words sharp and frustrated. When the caller responded, his demeanor shifted abruptly, and Adrian¡¯s as well. The unexpected caller caused his heart to still.


    Presently¡­


    The news from Ashleigh had ignited a fire within Alexander and Adrian, his previously controlled demeanor now brimming with anger and worry. Alexander, who had witnessed Adrian¡¯s earlier indifference, watched as a flicker of emotion passed through his face before he regained hisposure. He was taken aback by this sudden disy of raw emotion. Yet, his focus remained on finding Megan.


    ¡°So, where are you now?¡± Alexander inquired, the phone¡¯s silence stretching before Ashleigh¡¯s response.


    ¡°It depends on who¡¯s asking. What rtionship do you have with Megan?¡± she questioned, her voice tinged with agitation. Adrian nced at Alexander, waiting for his answer, and sighed deeply.


    ¡°I¡¯m her fiance. So, can you tell me where you are?¡± he pressed in frustration , a ghost of a smirk fleeting across Adrian¡¯s face.


    ¡°Oh, then we¡¯re at Fulmer¡¯s Hospital, northeast of the city,¡± Ashleigh replied. Adrian¡¯s assistant quickly noted the location and left the room.


    ¡°So, I take it you¡¯ll be heading there?¡± Ashleigh¡¯s voice resonated through the room, and Adrian¡¯s eyes fluttered close, his chest tightening Ashleigh¡¯s voice echoed in the room once again.


    ¡°Yes¡­ and Ashleigh, are you alright?¡± Alexander asked, his gaze fixed on Adrian, who had yet to open his eyes.


    ¡°I have a minor injury, but I¡¯m fine,¡± Ashleigh assured, ending the call.


    A heavy silence followed before Adrian broke it. ¡°When were you nning to tell me about your engagement?¡± he asked, his voice low and controlled. Alexander nced at him, a mixture of surprise and reluctance on his face.


    ¡°We hadn¡¯t spoken until recently. I reconnected with Megan and we got engaged, though she wasn¡¯t exactly thrilled about it. She¡¯s been a challenge,¡± Alexander admitted, an affectionate smile betraying his frustration.


    ¡°You don¡¯t seem to mind her troublesome ways,¡± Adrian remarked, observing his friend¡¯s infatuated expression.


    ¡°I could say the same about you and Ashleigh. You appeared unusually concerned for someone you don¡¯t know, quite a contrast to earlier¡± Alexander countered, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°I have no significant rtionship with her. I didn¡¯t mention it because it¡¯s not relevant,¡± Adrian stated impassively, but his face showed a hint of urgency.


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I saw. You nearly leaped out of your seat when you heard her voice. You seem quite familiar with her,¡± Alexander observed, though Adrian remained unmoved.


    Alexander¡¯s assistant returned, prompting Alexander to stand. ¡°I must leave. The situation is more critical than I anticipated. We¡¯ll reconvene at a more suitable time,¡± he said, and Adrian nodded in acknowledgment.


    As Alexander prepared to leave, he paused at the door, casting one final look at Adrian.


    ¡°You¡¯ve heard about her whereabouts. You should know better. Open your heart before it¡¯s toote. You can only deny your feelings for so long,¡± he advised before departing, leaving Adrian alone with his turbulent thoughts.

 Chapter 58

    As the sun began its ascent, its warm rays crept through the ward room¡¯s window, casting a soft glow over the space. Ashleigh, nestled on the couch, stirred awake. The couch had been ufortable the night before, but fatigue had dulled her difort, making it tolerable. Megan, however, was just beginning to rouse from a fitful sleep. Confusion clouded her mind at first. She nced around the unfamiliar hospital room, her heart racing with a blend of fear and disorientation.


    It took a moment for reality to sink in, and when it did, she was overwhelmed by the memories of the previous night. Her skin crawled as she recalled the disturbing incidents where the men from the party had invaded her personal space. Silent tears streamed down her face as shey there, trying to process her trauma. The muffled sound of Megan¡¯s distress woke Ashleigh. She bolted upright, concern etched on her face as she rushed to Megan¡¯s bedside.


    ¡°What happened, Megan? Are you in pain? Should I call the doctor?¡± Ashleigh¡¯s voice trembled with worry.


    The sudden burst of concern startled Megan, who thought she was alone and she quickly wiped away her tears and turned to face Ashleigh. An icy re reced her earlier vulnerability.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. What are you doing here?¡± Megan¡¯s voice was cold, and she snuffled slightly.


    ¡°I saved you from those guysst night and brought you here,¡± Ashleigh exined, observing Megan¡¯s disheveled state.


    ¡°So, you go to clubs? Who¡¯d have thought,¡± Megan remarked snidely, arching an eyebrow. Ashleigh frowned, displeased by thement.


    ¡°That¡¯s not the point. Where were your friends? They drugged you, and if I hadn¡¯t intervened, you might have been assaulted. Why did they leave you with those guys?¡± Ashleigh¡¯s voice rose with frustration.


    ¡°They left with some guys too. They checked on me before they left, though,¡± Megan defended weakly, recalling how her friends had been too distracted to notice her distress, despite being sober.


    She had always known deep down that her friends were using her for her money. She had seen the snide remarks, the whispers, and the istion. Yet, she chose to ignore it, as long as she was footing the bill for their outings, both on weekdays and weekends, including the previous night.


    ¡°But you were already drunk before that. No real friend should leave you at the mercy of strangers,¡± Ashleigh continued, her tone stern. Megan¡¯s gaze hardened in response.


    ¡°Just because you helped mest night doesn¡¯t mean you can talk down to me. It¡¯s MY life! I got drunk willingly. Whatever happened was my responsibility to bear alone. Don¡¯t expect me to worship you; you¡¯re still a nobody,¡± Megan retorted, turning to face the window. Her harsh words stung Ashleigh, who took a step back, surprised by the outburst.


    ¡°I guess I was too concerned. I apologize for intruding. I¡¯ll leave you alone now,¡± Ashleigh said quietly after a long silence, reaching for her purse with shaking hands and walking towards the door.


    Her heart felt heavy with disappointment as she left the room, ignoring the nurses¡¯ calls from the reception desk. As she made her way through the hospital corridors, Ashleigh¡¯s emotions swirled. Megan¡¯s harsh words had cut deeply, suggesting that she preferred the suffering over receiving help. Distracted by her thoughts, her phone rang. Seeing Arthur¡¯s name on the screen, she answered.


    ¡°Hey Ashleigh, I¡¯m on my way to pick you up, go to the underground parking lot. Is Megan doing better now?¡± Arthur¡¯s voice was tinged with concern.


    ¡°Yes, she¡¯s awake. Thanks for calling,¡± Ashleigh replied. She heard Arthur sigh in relief. ¡°Thank goodness! Poor girl! I hope she wasn¡¯t too harsh on herself,¡± he inquired.


    ¡°Actually, she was quite harsh. She told me I had no right to criticize her choices and that she would handle her problems on her own,¡± Ashleigh exined. Arthur scoffed.


    ¡°Then I take that back. I told you helping her was a mistake. People like her need to face the consequences of their actions. Now look at how she treated you,¡± Arthur said.


    ¡°And I said I would help her regardless,¡± Ashleigh countered firmly.Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    ¡°Well, enjoy ying the saint. It suits you,¡± Arthur remarked lightly, the sound of him biting into something on the other end came through the phone.


    ¡°I just don¡¯t understand why she dislikes me so much. I¡¯ve never done anything to offend her. She¡¯s been rude since we first met,¡± Ashleighined, as she turned to the direction of the underground parking lot.


    ¡°It¡¯s like that sometimes. Not everyone will like you, just as you might not like everyone you meet. Think about it-don¡¯t you have someone you¡¯ve never liked from the start?¡± Arthur¡¯s question made Ashleigh reflect on Adrian. Lost in thought, Ashleigh entered the parking lot and bumped into someone, causing her to stumble. Her phone slipped from her grasp.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry! I didn¡¯t see where I was going,¡± she apologized, reaching out to steady herself.


    The person she collided with was apanied by security, and her phone was handed back to her. Arthur¡¯s concerned voice continued to call her name from the phone. The man she had bumped into stood tall with an athletic build. His piercing blue eyes, sharp jawline, and thick, curly blonde hair gave him a striking appearance, reminiscent of a demigod she had once seen in a business magazine at the office while cleaning. It struck Ashleigh that this was Alexander Myron, the CEO she had only seen in pictures.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Are you okay?¡± Alexander¡¯s velvety voice wasced with genuine concern. Ashleigh, still stunned, nodded numbly.


    ¡°Y-you¡¯re CEO Alexander Myron, aren¡¯t you?¡± she stammered. A gasp escaped her lips as he nodded, a faint smile ying on his lips.


    ¡°It¡¯s an honor to meet you,¡± she managed to say, her voice almost a squeak.


    ¡°And I must say the same, Ashleigh Cagliari,¡± Alexander replied with a warm smile. Ashleigh¡¯s eyes widened in shock.


    Realizing the call with Arthur was still ongoing, she quickly ended it and looked at Alexander with a guarded expression.


    ¡°You must be mistaken. I¡¯m Ashleigh Hartman. How do you know my name?¡± she asked, stepping back warily. Alexander chuckled softly.


    ¡°I¡¯m Megan¡¯s fiance and Adrian¡¯s good acquaintance.¡± The revtion took Ashleigh by surprise, and she stared at him, processing the information.

 Chapter 59

    ¡°Now that I see you, it makes sense why he¡¯s like that,¡± Alexander remarked, studying her with a reserved gaze.


    ¡°What makes sense? Did you meet Adrian?¡± Ashleigh asked, stepping closer at the mention of Adrian.


    Alexander observed the eagerness in her eyes and internally rolled his eyes. The couple seemed to share many simrities.


    ¡°I thought you said I was wrong earlier?¡± he mused, but Ashleigh ignored his teasing.


    ¡°Did he tell you about our rtionship?¡± she pressed, her eyes gleaming with hope.


    ¡°He mentioned there was a rtionship but didn¡¯t specify the nature of it. I figured it out on my own,¡± he said, recalling his conversation with Adrian the previous night.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Ashleigh murmured, averting her gaze as she tried to hide her disappointment.


    ¡°By the way, I appreciate your help with my fiancee. Your timely intervention ensured her safety,¡± he said, and Ashleigh offered a weak smile in response.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Your girlfriend, however, doesn¡¯t share the same sentiment,¡± she said, recalling their earlier conversation. For the first time, Alexander smiled.


    ¡°I apologize on her behalf. Megan can be quite rude at times,¡± he said, and Ashleigh nodded graciously.


    ¡°To show my gratitude, I¡¯d like to extend a hand of friendship to you,¡± he offered, removing his hand from his pocket and extending it toward her.


    Ashleigh looked at his outstretched hand and then at him with skepticism. She was unsure whether he was sent by Adrian or not, and if he had ulterior motives.


    ¡°Why would you befriend me? Aren¡¯t you Adrian¡¯s friend?¡± Ashleigh asked, eyeing him warily


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s more about what you stand to gain. As Adrian¡¯s friend, I think I can offer you some valuable advice on handling your rtionship,¡± he exined. Ashleigh thought for a moment before epting his offer and shaking his hand.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I have to decline. I¡¯m unsure of your true intentions, and I don¡¯t see any issues with my rtionship with my husband. I hope you won¡¯t take offense,¡± she said. He smiled casually and raised his hands in a gesture of refusal.


    ¡°No offense taken. However, I¡¯d still like to extend an offer,¡± he continued, signaling his bodyguard, who promptly handed him a business card. Alexander extended it to her.


    ¡°Here¡¯s my business card. My office address and contact numbers are on it. The main desk will connect you to my office phone,¡± he exined. Ashleigh examined the card for a moment before epting it.


    Meanwhile , a car pulled up, and they both looked to see Arthur driving toward them.


    ¡°It seems your friend is here. Until next time then. Don¡¯t forget to call,¡± Alexander said, turning to leave with his bodyguards.


    Arthur stopped and got out of the car, attempting to rush past Ashleigh, but she held him back.


    ¡°Where are you going, Arthur? I¡¯m right here,¡± she said. Arthur sighed in frustration, ncing over her shoulder at the now-empty hallway.


    ¡°Why did you stop me? I wanted to meet him,¡± he said, giving her a cross look. Ashleigh chuckled at his frustration and guided him back to his car.


    ¡°You can see him next time,¡± she consoled, buckling her seatbelt as he looked at her pointedly.


    ¡°Alexander Myron is not someone you meet casually. He¡¯s a significant politician and industrialist. For him toe here, it must be something very important,¡± Arthur said as he started the car, reversing out of the parking lot.Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    ¡°Well, his fiancee was nearly assaulted, so he came,¡± Ashleigh said absently, staring out at the road. Arthur gasped in surprise.


    ¡°THE Alexander Myron is your snotty roommate¡¯s fiance!? That lucky bitch,¡± he eximed, shaking his head.


    ¡°What did you even talk to him about, looking like a hot mess?¡± he asked and she recalled the conversation was about Adrian.


    ¡°Nothing much. He just needed to know some details about what happened to Megan and what was done,¡± Ashleigh said, trying to sound casual as her heart still raced from her encounter with Alexander.


    Arthur, finding no issue with her response, continued driving and discussing various topics. Ashleigh, however, was lost in thought. She remembered Arthur¡¯sment about the importance of Alexander¡¯s visit and felt a bitter pang. Adrian¡¯sck of concern, especially when he hadn¡¯t even bothered to call, stung. Whether or not Adrian knew about her situation, the fact that he didn¡¯t care was troubling. She was involved in a life-threatening situation, so why was he so indifferent?


    ¡°Ashleigh!¡± Arthur¡¯s voice cut through her thoughts. She looked up to see him regarding her with concern.


    ¡°What?¡± she asked.


    ¡°We¡¯re at your hostel. I¡¯ve been calling you for the past minute, but you seemed deep in thought. Are you okay?¡± he asked, worry evident in his eyes. She noticed his hand resting on herp.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. I was just lost in thought,¡± she responded, unbuckling her seatbelt, grabbing her handbag, and opening the door to get out.


    ¡°Take care of yourself, Ashleigh. You seem frazzled. Make sure to rest and eat well; midterms are next week,¡± he said. Ashleigh nodded silently as she entered the hostel.


    ********************************************


    At the same time thousands of miles away in Italy, Adrian strolled through the vineyard, nked by his assistant and Caelia, while two estate guides provided a thorough overview of the property. But their words barely registered-Adrian¡¯s mind and Caelia had to nudge him several times before he snapped back to the conversation, and Mr. Turner quietly filled him in on what he¡¯d missed. He was consumed by Alexander¡¯s parting words from the night before about not suppressing his feelings and hearing Ashleigh¡¯s voice. Unnerved by the nights events, Adrian abruptly decided to cut the event short and leave personally, instructing Mr. Turner to take Caelia home.


    Unbeknownst to Adrian, Caelia had already spoken with his mother that morning about the previous night¡¯s abrupt end. By the time morning arrived, his mother had arranged for him to apany Caelia throughout the week, offering his advice as she prepared for her winery¡¯sunch. Caelia smiled warmly at Adrian, epting his apologies for his distracted demeanor, but beneath her calm exterior, she felt deeply hurt. She had meticulously prepared for today-early appointments for hair and makeup to achieve an effortless look-only for Adrian to barely notice or pay attention to the agenda if the day.


    As the tour wrapped up, Adrian briefly discussed final arrangements with the staff. They were then guided to a secluded gazebo overlooking the vineyard, where avish spread awaited them,plete with local wine samples. Mr. Turner stood nearby as Adrian and Caelia took their seats. The atmosphere was serene, interrupted only by the quiet clinking of cutlery. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, Caelia broke the silence.


    ¡°Thank you for spending the day with me,¡± she said softly as the wine was poured. ¡°I¡¯m a bit overwhelmed with the business nning, and my dad insists I manage it on my own. I hope Aunt Eleanor didn¡¯t trouble you too much.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no trouble,¡± Adrian replied, trying to sound reassuring. ¡°I¡¯ll handle any issues that arise. Yourunch will be a sess.¡± His words brought a small, appreciative smile to Caelia¡¯s face.


    As they began their meal, Caelia tried to make small talk, but Adrian¡¯s responses were brief and distracted. Mr. Turner, holding Adrian¡¯s phone, noticed a call from Alexander. He hesitated but, when the call persisted, handed the phone to Adrian.


    ¡°Who¡¯s calling?¡± Adrian asked, raising his ss of wine.


    ¡°Mr. Alexander, sir,¡± Mr. Turner said, offering the phone. Adrian took it, pressing it to his ear.


    ¡°Adrian! Didn¡¯t expect you to pick up,¡± Alexander¡¯s voice rang out, light with a touch of mockery.


    ¡°What do you want, Alexander? I¡¯m busy,¡± Adrian replied, his gaze flicking to Caelia, who watched him from across the table.


    ¡°Oh, I thought you¡¯d be interested in hearing about my fiancee,¡± Alexander continued, his tone dripping with false innocence. ¡°Considering it was right next to you I received the call.¡±


    Adrian¡¯s grip on the wine ss tightened. ¡°How is she?¡± he asked, keeping his voice as steady as he could manage.


    ¡°She¡¯s fine, though not too pleased to see me,¡± Alexander replied, a hint of satisfaction in his voice. ¡°I also met her roommate, Ashleigh Hartman.¡±


    Adrian¡¯sposure slipped for a fraction of a second. ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°Yes, lovely girl. I even invited her to visit,¡± Alexander said, his words thick with insincerity. Adrian froze, the ss midway to his lips, his expression hardening.


    ¡°Why would you do that?¡± he asked, his voice low and controlled, though the irritation was unmistakable.


    ¡°Why not? She¡¯s a bright girl. Wanted to thank her for helping my fiancee,¡± Alexander replied, feigning innocence. Adrian¡¯s fist clenched under the table, fighting to keep his frustration in check.


    ¡°She seemed quite rattled, actually. It¡¯s good her friend is there to support her. He seems like a decent guy,¡± Alexander added casually. Adrian rubbed his temples, trying to contain his growing anger, especially with Caelia sitting right across from him.


    Caelia couldn¡¯t ignore Adrian¡¯s tense demeanor any longer. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± she asked gently.


    Her voice carried over the line, and Alexander¡¯s satisfaction was evident as he caught the tension in Adrian¡¯s reply. ¡°I see you¡¯re not alone. I¡¯ll let you get back to your date. Enjoy,¡± Alexander said, his toneced with smugness before he ended the call.


    Adrian set the phone down with a barely contained sigh, struggling to regain hisposure. Alexander¡¯s remarks had hit the mark, and Caelia looked at him from the corner of his eye, wondering who was the girl they spoke about that changed his mood.

 Chapter 60

    Ashleigh spent the rest of the weekend deep in thought. By Monday, she was still torn between reaching out to Alexander for help with Adrian or deciding if contacting Adrian was even worth the trouble. For now, her midterms were her primary concern, so she got ready to meet Damien, Arthur and Oliver. Just as she was about to leave, her phone rang. Seeing Fiona¡¯s name sh on the screen, she winced, remembering she hadn¡¯t spoken to Fiona or James since the office party.


    ¡°Hi, Fiona! How are you?¡± she answered, trying to sound cheerful, but a loud male voice boomed in the background, nearly deafening her.


    ¡°I told you she was alive, Fiona! She just didn¡¯t want to call us. And her phone¡¯s working fine, too,¡± James voice boomed in the background, his footsteps growing louder as he neared the phone.


    ¡°James, don¡¯t talk like that! I¡¯ve just been busy settling into college,¡± Ashleigh replied, her voice tinged with guilt for neglecting her friends.


    At first she had been preupied with her argument with Adrian that she barely interacted with them at the party, then with settling down into college and her sses and now with the whole Alexander issue.


    ¡°Yeah, right! Now that you¡¯re in your fancy college, your friends don¡¯t matter anymore,¡± James grumbled.


    Before Ashleigh could respond, Fiona¡¯s voice cut in. ¡°Forget us-Mrs. Smith said she hasn¡¯t heard from you either.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry! There¡¯s been a lot on my mind, but I promise to keep in touch from now on,¡± Ashleigh apologized, folding her hands as if they could see her.


    ¡°Well, if you say so,¡± Fiona relented, nudging James, who muttered a reluctant ¡°fine.¡± Ashleigh thanked them both profusely.


    ¡°So, how¡¯s everything at the office? I miss being there every day,¡± Ashleigh asked, her hands gripping the phone tightly, hoping to catch up on thetest happenings.


    ¡°It¡¯s been tough without you. We got a new head working alongside Mrs. Smith, and she¡¯s a real pain in the butt. Everyone hates her,¡± Jamesined, prompting Ashleigh to raise an eyebrow. James was known to be picky, especially over minor issues.


    ¡°Everyone hates her, or just you?¡± Fiona echoed in the background, followed by the sound of a yful p, which made Ashleigh giggle.


    ¡°No, everyone hates her! Don¡¯t listen to Fiona, Ashleigh,¡± James insisted.


    ¡°I believe you, James¡­ but just to be sure, I¡¯ll ask Fiona.¡±Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°James hates her because she wasughing with his office crush the other day,¡± Fiona tattled, and Ashleigh couldn¡¯t help but smile as she heard James bickering with her.


    ¡°Office crush? That¡¯s new. What happened to Matthew, the Australian hottie from the resort?¡± Ashleigh teased, recalling how James had been all over Matthew that night.


    ¡°If you¡¯d bothered to be a good friend, you¡¯d know that he ghosted me! Now I have to relive those memories,¡± James said with a sniffle, causing Ashleigh¡¯s eyes to widen.


    ¡°Ghosted? How many chapters did I miss?¡± she asked in shock.


    ¡°You missed a lot! Tristan and Jake resigned a week after you left,¡± Fiona informed her, and Ashleigh gasped.


    ¡°What? Why?¡± she inquired, her brow furrowed in confusion.


    ¡°No one knows, except your aunt. We haven¡¯t heard from them since.¡±


    ¡°Wow, I have toe over then! A lot has happened,¡± Ashleigh muttered, though Fiona and James overheard her and cheered at the idea.


    ¡°Yes, you do! We have so much to talk about. When will you be free?¡± Fiona asked eagerly. Ashleigh checked her calendar, feeling uncertain.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure yet, but I think I¡¯ll have some free time after my midterms,¡± she said, ncing over her schedule.


    ¡°Then it¡¯s settled! You¡¯lle over this weekend, and we¡¯ll meet at your aunt¡¯s ce so we can all catch up,¡± James dered enthusiastically.


    Ashleigh hesitated, remembering that her aunt now lived in the house provided by Adrian. The sudden upgrade would be difficult to exin, especially since she hadn¡¯t told them about her contract marriage to Adrian yet.


    ¡°James, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s possible¡­¡± she began, but her voice was drowned out by a loud female voice calling in the background, followed by James groaning.


    ¡°It¡¯s our boss. We¡¯ve got to go,¡± he exined, and Ashleigh quickly said her goodbyes before the call ended.


    Ashleigh amxiety lingered as she ended the call. She knew she needed to talk to them about possibly meeting at one of their houses instead or even finally telling them about her marriage contract with Adrian. But she wasn¡¯t ready for that conversation just yet, especially since they¡¯d already suspected something after the resort incident. Now, with midterms looming, she had even more on her te.


    As she pondered her next steps, another call came in-this time from Arthur, signaling that he had arrived. Ready to go, Ashleigh headed downstairs, where Arthur and Oliver waited for her in a different car. Arthur, looking bored as usual, sat in the front seat while Oliver was behind the wheel.


    ¡°Are you the designated passenger whenever you¡¯re not driving?¡± Ashleigh teased as she approached the car.


    ¡°It¡¯s called a passenger princess, honey. You¡¯ll get used to it. Now get in,¡± Arthur quipped, pointing to the backseat.


    Ashleigh smiled and slid into the car, but her smile dropped as she saw Damien in the backseat brooding. She remembered how he angrily stormed off that night after their minor disagreement, and she had not seen or heard from him after that night. It seemed he was still unwilling to speak to her.


    ¡°Hi, Oliver. Hi, Damien,¡± she greeted them both. Oliver responded with a warm smile, but Damien merely grumbled a response, leaving Ashleigh feeling a bit awkward.


    Unsure whether to continue the conversation after Damien¡¯s curt reply, she opted for silence. The quiet stretched on, growing increasingly ufortable, until Arthur finally rolled his eyes in frustration.


    ¡°Damien, don¡¯t you have something to say to Ashleigh?¡± he nudged Damien, who nced at Arthur before turning to Ashleigh.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for being too emotional that night,¡± he apologized quietly, surprising Ashleigh.


    He looked like a child being scolded and made to apologize, and Ashleigh had to suppress a smile. Clearly, Arthur kept a tight grip on him.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, really. You had your reasons, and I wasn¡¯t entirely right either,¡± Ashleigh replied graciously, and Damien nodded in acknowledgment.


    ¡°You¡¯d think it was a child Arthur was talking to,¡± Olivermented, ncing at Damien, who still appeared to be sulking.


    ¡°Well, he better get over it because we need to focus on this week¡¯s midterms. Tensions are usually high, and the results can change everything. Some students might even have to leave,¡± Arthur warned, scrolling through his phone. Ashleigh swallowed hard, anxiety creeping in at the thought of losing her current standing.


    ¡°So, you and Damien need to patch things up. We¡¯ve got a long week ahead,¡± Arthur concluded as Oliver pulled up to the university library.


    They exited the car and walked into therge hall, which was filled with students engaged in various activities. Though it was a library, the atmosphere was a mix of studious focus and subdued chatter. Damien led them to the librarian¡¯s desk, where they checked in with their ID cards before heading further inside.


    ¡°Here¡¯s the n: you and Damien will revise together for obvious reasons, while Oliver and I join our department study groups. We¡¯ll meet here in the evening for dinner, then we¡¯ll drop you off afterward. Sound good?¡± Arthur exined, and they all nodded in agreement.


    ¡°You two better be chummy by the evening,¡± Arthur instructed, eyeing Ashleigh and Damien, who were standing apart. They exchanged nces before nodding again. Arthur and Oliver then broke off from the group, leaving Ashleigh and Damien to their own devices.


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