《Save Myself from Desperation》 Chapter 1 Ashley apologize to Jessica right now The man¡¯s cold and harsh voice echoed in the sp acious living room. Ashley Ramos stood in the center, her long eyshes slightly lowered. She pinched the recording device hidden in her pocket and looked at the man sitting on the sofa while ordering her rudely. He was Jeremy Ramos, her third elder brother. Seated next to Jeremy was the supposed pseudo-heiress of the Ramos family, Jessica Ramos, who had no blood rtion whatsoever. And now, Ashley¡¯s own brother was demanding that she apologize to Jessica.. ¡°Ashley, you intentionally pushed Jessica down the stairs. How can you be so malicious? You''re even worse than a beast!¡± Jeremy scolded. ¡°You don¡¯t deserve to be my sister!¡± Ashley felt a pang of sorrow. Her eyshes trembled as she suppressed the stifling pain deep in her heart and murmured, ¡°I didn¡¯t...¡± However, before Ashley could say anything else, Jeremy grabbed a nearby ss and fiercely threw it at her. ¡°How dare you quibble!¡± Jeremy roared. With a loud crash, the cup struck Ashley¡¯s instep and shattered into pieces.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Ashley¡¯s delicate foot instantly swelled up. The broken ss shards pierced her skin, scratching her slender calf. Tiny red threads of blood emerged on her smooth skin, looking quite terrifying. Yet, Ashley stood motionless as if she couldn¡¯t feel the pain. This wasn''t the first time her own brother had beaten and scolded her like this. ¡°Jeremy, please, no more hitting,¡± Jessica implored, anxiety in her voice. ¡°Ashley didn¡¯t intentionally push me down the stairs. It¡¯s not her fault, 1225 really! Don¡¯t me her. It was my own clumsiness...¡± Jeremy suddenly softened, concern etched on his face. ¡°Jessica, why do you keep defending her? My dear little sister, have you ever considered how terrible it would be if you were left with scars from falling down the stairs?¡± ¡°But, Jeremy...¡± Jessica still pretended to plead. ¡°Alright, Jessica, be a good girl. Stop defending her! Let me check if you got hurt,¡± Jeremy said. ¡°I''m fine, Jeremy. Don¡¯t worry...¡± While watching this disy of sibling love, Ashley felt an unexpected wave of weariness. Jeremy was protective of Jessica because she was a girl, and scars wouldn¡¯t be bing on her. However, he had shown no hesitation when hurling a cup towards Ashley just moments ago. Her legs now bore numerous wounds from the shattered ss, and blood continued to trickle down. Apparently, Ashley would be left with scars too. She was also a girl, more significantly, Jeremy''s own sister! Ashley had been abandoned since childhood. She grew up in an orphanage and waster adopted by her grandparents. She had also been pampered and had never faced such treatment before! After Jeremy concluded his attention on Jessica, he noticed Ashley''s delicate features now adorned with a subtle sneer. His displeasure deepened. ¡°What''s with that look on your face? very ¡°Ashley, when we brought you home two years ago, we made it clear. Jessica grew up in our family. Even though she isn¡¯t blood- rted, you should treat her as your own sister! ¡°As her older sister, you should pamper her and protect her! ¡°But what have you done in these two years?¡± At his words, a bitter smile graced Ashley''s lips. 4 Two years ago when the Ramos family found her, her grandparents had already passed away. She thought she had finally found a family and didn¡¯t need to face the world alone. So, she rejected the invitation from her grandfather''s friend, Zain Kingsley, and chose to return to the Ramos. family. In these two years, Ashley had been cautious and amodating in every aspect. Regardless of what it was, she always gave the best to Jessica. Ashley was more like Jessica¡¯s humble foliower, adapting herself to anything that Jessica disdained to make a living. She thought that by doing this, she could gradually integrate into the family. Her parents and five brothers would ept her and consider her one of them. But in the end, her parents continued to favor Jessica blindly, showering Ashley, their biological daughter, with endless me and insults. Ashley had even overheard them saying maliciously and disdainfully, ¡°If Ashley had died outside back then, our family would be complete.¡± At that moment, Ashley couldn''t believe her ears. Apang of helplessness pierced through her, causing pain in her heart as if someone had gripped it tightly, leaving her no room to breathe.. Ashley couldn¡¯tprehend what she had done wrong. She didn¡¯t know why her own family despised her so much to the point of wishing she had died outside. Since they felt this way, why did they bring her back to the Ramos family two years ago? Ashley closed her eyes, feeling a sudden calmness that she had never experienced before. ¡°Forget it, she thought, I¡¯ve had enough. | don¡¯t want this family anymore.¡± Ashley no longer desired any of these family members. For some reason, Jeremy felt a sudden panic as he saw Ashley seemingly letting go of something. Her expression was so ieved like she had broken free from a cocoon and gained a new life. He picked in his belt and struck it towards Ashley. ¡°If you don¡¯t apologize to Jessica, I¡¯m sure a good beating will teach you a lesson!¡± However, the next moment, his wrist was steadily seized by a slender hand. It was Ashley. She actually...halted Jeremy. ¡°Ashley, you!¡± Jeremy was immediately displeased. Ashley had been meekly and obediently trying to please them for the past two years, enduring insults and beatings without a word. But now, she even dared to resist. Watching Jeremy¡¯s astonished look, Ashley couldn¡¯t help but sneer, her features radiant and delicate. ¡°| already told you. | didn¡¯t push Jessica.¡± Jeremy didn¡¯t believe any of Ashley¡¯s words. ¡°Oh, so you''re still quibbling? | think you¡¯re asking for a beating!¡± ¡°Jeremy.¡± Ashley''s gaze was indifferent, devoid of any emotion. ¡°If | have evidence proving | didn¡¯t push anyone, then... ¡°Both you and Jessica will apologize to me!¡± ¡°What did you just say?¡± Jeremy almost thought he had misheard, looking angered and anxious. ¡°You actually want me to apologize to you? You...you¡¯re insane!¡± He would never admit that such a wretched person was his sister! Jessica was sitting on the sofa and eagerly anticipating Ashley being beaten up. Upon hearing Ashley''s words, she couldn''t help but feel slightly confused. ¡°Evidence?¡± Jessica thought, ¡®What evidence could she possibly have?¡± Jessica sneered inwardly as she stood up, pretending to be considerate. ¡°Jeremy, let it go. Don¡¯t be upset with her anymore.¡± ¡°Jessica, don¡¯t speak for her!¡± Jeremy roared in frustration, veins popping on his forehead. ¡°I want to see what evidence she can produce!¡± Ashley, with an indifferent expression, reached into her pocket and led out something. Jessica lowered her head to get a better look, and when she saw what it was, her face turned pale in an instant, Arec..: recording per? How is that possible? How could Ashley possibly. carry something like that?¡¯ Jessica thought. Ashley took out the recording pen and pressed the y button. expressionlessly. After a series of buzzing noises, a deceptively delicate voice came from the recording pen. ¡°Ashley, how does this position look to you?¡± Jeremy immediately recognized that it was Jessica¡¯s voice. Then, a voice as melodious as a mountain spring followed. ¡°Jessica, why are you standing at the stairwell?¡± Jeremy also recognized this voice. It was Ashley¡¯s. The next moment, Jeremy heard Jessica uttering extremely malicious words in her delicate voice. ¡°Ashley, what if | say you pushed me down. the stairs? How will Jeremy punish and scold you then?¡± Chapter 2 jeremy immediately turned to look at Jessica, his face filled with disbelief. Jessica, my kind-hearted little sister... How could she utter such nderous words?¡¯ he thought. Jessica felt a wave of unease, hastily attempting to defend herself. Jeremy, it¡¯s not like that! This isn¡¯t true!¡± However, the recording continued ying, offering her no chance to quibble. Ashley¡¯s considerate voice came from the recording pen again. She tried to persuade Jessica, ¡°Jessica, are you sure you want to do this?¡± Jessica responded with a sneer, seemingly taunting, ¡°Ashley, even if you try to stop me, it¡¯s useless. As you know, Jeremy has always believed me. He will never believe you.¡± The next second, Jessica eximed, ¡°Ah, Jeremy, hurry! Ashley is trying to push me down the stairs. She says I¡¯m not worthy of being a part of the Ramos family, that | don¡¯t deserve to stay in this house. She wants to kick me out, and I¡¯m so scared... Jeremy,e save me!¡± After hearing all of this, Jeremy finally figured out the truth. Ashley didn¡¯t push Jessica at all. All of this was orchestrated by Jessica herself. She deliberately walked to the stairwell and pretended to be pushed, then put all the me on Ashley and framed her. Throughout, Ashley remained innocent. Jeremy had wrongly med his own sister! He stared at Ashley in bewilderment for a moment, then suddenly furrowed his brows. ¡°Ashley, even if | misunderstood you, why didn¡¯t you exin it to me at the beginning?¡± Ashley heard Jeremy¡¯s question, and a touch of sarcasm appeared in her eyes. This was simply ridiculous. Her own brother acknowledged his mistake vet turned the me on her for not exining herself. Counter? Jeremy, item you haven''t aged, but your memory has certainly regressed?This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Jeremy was left speechless after being retorted. He recalled that just a few minutes ago, Ashley was trying to exin, saying she didn¡¯t push Jessica. But what did he do back then? Not only did Jeremy not believe Ashley, but he didn¡¯t even have the patience to listen to her words. He even grabbed the water ss and fiercely smashed it towards her! The wounds on her feet from the broken. ss were still bleeding. Jeremy turned around in a daze, looking at Jessica beside him with disappointment. Jessica, frightened, instantly teared up. ¡°Jeremy, | know | was wrong! | shouldn¡¯t have framed Ashley. | just...don¡¯t want to lose you and Mom and Dad!¡± Jeremy, hearing her exnation, was briefly stunned. Seeing that he was willing to listen, Jessica knew she could turn this situation over. She instantly appeared even more heartbroken, and her tears fell like a heavy rain. ¡°Jeremy, | grew up in the Ramos family since | was a child. I''ve always considered you my brother and treated Mom and Dad as my birth parents. ¡°Since Ashley came back, I¡¯ve always been afraid that you and my parents. will reject me, afraid that you''ll abandon me. After all, Ashley is prettier than me and has a closer blood rtionship with you. ¡°| was just too afraid of losing you all, which led me to make such a mistake against Ashley. Jeremy, | know | was wrong. It was all my fault! | won''t dare to do it again in the future.¡± Jeremy¡¯s heart had already softened a bit the moment he saw Jessica¡¯s teary look. And now, he was even more moved by her even more moved by her sincere apology. ¡°What bad intentions could Jessica havere apology. just too concerned about j family ties Jeremy said to himself, He immediately made up his mind, turned to Ashley, and said, ¡°Jessica fred you only because she had been blinded by her confusion. Since you haven''t suffered any harm, as her elder sister, you should be more tolerant. Don¡¯t hold it against her, okay? Just forgive her this time.¡± Ashley only found his words incredibly ridiculous, Her own brother not only didn¡¯t support her when she was falsely used but also asked her to be tolerant and forgive Jessica. How absurd! Ashley had no desire to stay in this family any longer. She couldn''t bear to look at the hypocritical faces of her so-called families any longer. They only made her disgusted. Jeremy, feeling no fault in himself, continued condescendingly, ¡°Ashley, if you continue to be so petty and refuse to forgive Jessica, don¡¯t me me for kicking you out of this family!¡± Ashley¡¯s exquisite and stunning face remained expressionless, her gaze icy as a de. ¡°Jeremy, there¡¯s no need for you to kick me out. Today marks the end of any connection between me and the Ramos family. | won¡¯t linger a moment longer in this house!¡± With that, Ashley paid no attention to Jeremy''s expression and went straight to her room to pack her belongings. It was actually quite pitiful. Considering she had lived with the Ramos. family for two years, Ashley didn¡¯t have much to take with her. Her stuff couldn''t even fill a single suitcase. Her household registration hadn¡¯t been officially integrated into the Ramos family until now, and now, she wouldn¡¯t need it anymore. Quickly finishing packing her luggage and various documents, Ashley wiped the bloodstains from her legs caused by the ss shards. She didn¡¯t have time to disinfect them, so she temporarily applied a few band-aids. Then, she changed into a long skirt to cover the abrupt wounds on her legs. After doing all these, Ashley left her room with the suitcase. Despite her Two years of residence, this bedroom remained as cold as ever. Jeremy, seeing Ashleying out with her suitcase, finally realized that Asdey wasn¡¯t just throwing a tantrum. ¡°Is she really leaving this home? Severing all ties with the Ramos family?¡± He thought. Jeremy¡¯s face turned livid with anger. Ashley, think it through. If you leave this house today, don¡¯t ever think abouting back! You''d better not regret your decision.¡± Without looking back, Asliley asserted with each word, ¡°I will never regret it!¡± Jessica, witnessing this scene, could barely contain her satisfaction and joy. She thought, ¡®H ooray! Ashley is finally being kicked out! From now on, everything in the Ramos family will be mine, including their affection and wealth!¡¯ Despite the excitement in Jessica¡¯s heart, her face disyed apparent concern. ¡°Jeremy, just persuade Ashley toe back! How can a girl like her survive without our family? What if she¡¯s bullied?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t bother about her!¡± Jeremy coldly snorted, his expression arrogant. ¡°I¡¯m sure she''ll beg us toe back in just a few days. By then, I''ll give her a good lesson!¡± As soon as he finished speaking, a bodyguard rushed in, looking flustered. Seeing Ashley leaving with her suitcase, the bodyguard didn¡¯t even bother acknowledging her. It was well-known that this supposed heiress had no standing in the Ramos family, and there was no need to show her any respect. The real darling of the Ramos family was Jessica, the girl who wasn¡¯t even rted to them. The bodyguard stumbled into the living room, looking overjoyed. He exed, ¡°Mr. Ramos, Ms. Ramos, distinguished guests have arrived! They''re already at the entrance. Judging from the license te of their car, it looks like the Kingsley family¡¯s vehicle!¡± The Kingsley family? ga Jeremy and esta exchanged a nce, both seeing shock and ecstasy in gach other ¡®STOVOL The Kingsley family was the foremost elite in Kilos City. While the Ramos family was also an influential household, their influence and power were nothing whenpared to the Kingsley farmily. A top-notch aristocratic family like the Kingsleys had a deep heritage thatsted for hundreds of years and widespread influence, far surpassing the Ramos family. Over the years, the Ramos family had been trying to establish a rtionship with the Kingsley family, aiming for business cooperation, but their attempts had been in vain. Unexpectedly, the Kingsley family hade to visit today. ¡°Hurry! Let¡¯s go out to wee them!¡± Jeremy, his hands trembling with excitement, quickly adjusted his attire, instructing the bodyguard to lead the way. Jessica also tidied up her clothes, a shy blush appearing on her delicate face. She lifted her skirt and followed suit. ¡°| wonder which member of the Kingsley family hase today. Could it be...that man?¡¯ Jessica thought. Chapter 3 Jeremy and Jessica dashed ahead, reaching the entrance of the mansion before Ashley Just as the bodyguard had mentioned, an understated yet luxurious ck car was silently parked on the roadside. After seeing the license te number, Jeremy¡¯s chest throbbed with excitement, his heartbeat quickening. In all of Kilos City, only one person dared to use this license te number, and that would be Valentin Kingsley. Valentin, the young helm of the top-tier Kingsley family and the current CEO of the Kingsley Group, with assets reaching trillions, stood as the uncrowned king of Kilos City. Today, Valentin actually deigned toe personally, which was an honor beyond measure for the Ramos family. Jeremy, overwhelmed with excitement, walked briskly to the car and said tteringly with great respect, ¡°Mr. Kingsley, | didn¡¯t expect you toe in person. | apologize for not offering you a warm wee. Please forgive me!¡± However, after Jeremy finished speaking, he waited for quite some time, but no one came out of the car or said anything. ¡°What''s going on?¡± Jeremy thought, the smiled on his face suddenly froze. Jessica flipped her hair, making herself look shy and delicate. She then stepped forward and revealed a gentle smile, asking in a soft voice, ¡°Mr. Kingsley, you¡¯ve honored us with your personal visit today. May | ask the purpose of your visit?¡± However, even after Jessica spoke, there was still no response from inside the car.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. ¡°What exactly is going on?¡¯ Jeremy and Jessica exchanged nces, both puzzled. They would never mistake this license te. It was indeed Valentin¡¯s car. However, after a round of respectful greetings, neither of them received any response. At this awk oment, the door on the passenger side suddenly opened, and a man who seemed like an assistant stepped out Jeremy recognized him instantly. This man was Tom Shaw, Valentin¡¯s chief assistant Jeremy quickly figured out the situation. Given the current status of the Ramos family, they probably didn¡¯t have the right to have a direct conversation with someone of Valentin¡¯s caliber. Therefore, it was reasonable for Valentin to send his assistant to talk to them. Jeremy knew that a big shot¡¯s right-hand man could never be neglected. Moreover, Tom was Valentin¡¯s chief assistant. Establishing a connection with him would be extremely advantageous for the Ramos family. Jeremy, understanding the situation, immediately greeted Tom with a warm smile, ¡°Hello, Mr. Shaw, you...¡± However, Tom didn¡¯t even look at him, heading straight for Ashley, who was not far away. Jeremy and Jessica witnessed this scene, feeling as if they had just been doused with cold water. They just stood there motionlessly, staring nkly at Ashley in a daze. Tom approached Ashley, nodded slightly, and politely greeted, ¡°Ms. Ramos, hello. I''ve been entrusted by Mr. Zain Kingsley to invite you to his house.¡± Zain? Ashley heard the name, and a warm feeling surged in her heart. It turned out to be Zain Kingsley. e and She had been left alone since childhood, raised in an orphanage,ter adopted by her grandparents. Zain was a good friend of Ashley¡¯s grandfather, and he had met Ashley when she was still a little girl. Tom showed Ashley a pocket watch, easily recognizable as the one Zain had worn for many years. It seemed that Zain had indeed sent Tom to pick her up. Since Zain had asked her toe over, it was hard to refuse, so Ashley nodded. ¡°Okay, then. Thank you for picking me up.¡± as it¡¯s my pleasure!¡± Tom smiled warmly, taking the Quircase from shands. the luggage ced. Tom opened the back door of the car, saying, Ms. Ramos, please.¡± Ashley bent to get Lin the car, and halfway in, she suddenly noticed there was someone else in the car. It was a man. The man sat in the back, with his long legs casually crossed, dressed in a pristine white shirt, every button meticulously fastened. He exuded an air of aloofness and restraint. He was holding a stack of paper documents, and his fingers were long and well-defined. Upon hearing the door opening, the man¡¯s gaze finally lifted from the documents, turning toward the direction of the door. Just as Ashley got into the car, she bumped into a pair of ocean-like eyes. ¡°I''m Valentin Kingsley. I¡¯m here to pick you up on behalf of Grandpa.¡± The man¡¯s voice was clear, deep, and carried a leisurely warmth like a drizzle in spring falling gently on ake. ¡°Valentin...Kingsley?¡± Hearing this familiar yet strange name, memories from Ashley¡¯s childhood rushed back. Her grandpa had once told her that she would marry Zain¡¯s grandson. when she grew up, and his name was Valentin Kingsley. So... This could only mean that the man next to her was the one she would marry. He was her fianc¨¦! After Ashley got into the car, the ck vehicle shot away from the Ramos. family¡¯s vi like an arrow. Jeremy and Jessica stood there, dumbfounded, as if struck by lightning. They couldn¡¯te back to their senses even after the car had disappeared. With had Ashley ven traced Ashley with such respect inviting her into the car as if she were a bucen Throughout the whole process, Tom didn¡¯t spare Jeremy and Jessica a nce, treating them as insignificant mice, beneath his notice entirely.¡± How...How could this be? Jessica¡¯s elegant facade crumbled, her brow furrowing in frustration. She hated being overwhelmed by Ashley the most. That brief spectacle was an outright assault on her pride. Ashley had t rampled her dignity into the metaphorical dirt. Inside the car, Ashley sat serenely in the back seat, casting a furtive nce at the striking man beside her. She wondered if he retained any recollection of their so-called engagement. A faint hope lingered that he had forgotten. Ashley always felt that such a childhood promise was more like a fantasy. Yet, Valentin, it appeared, was privy to her inner musings. He raised an eyebrow and swallowed slightly, then uttered two words that sent a jolt through her. ¡°I remember.¡± Ashley was shocked. Her apprehension materialized into reality. Describing her history with Valentin was akin to navigating a convoluted maze. Despite being adopted by her grandparents, Ashley¡¯s life was one of rtivefort. Her grandfather''s standing was unique, and even Zain, the former patriarch of the Kingsley family, was a bosompanion of her grandfather. Zain frequented their home, often apanied by his grandson Valentin. That was how Ashley and Valentin knew each other. They were basically childhood sweethearts and got along quite well during their younger days. So, Ashley''s grandfather and Zain agreed to Wiereroi married the future. During those early years, Ashley had no idea what marriage meant. But ashley matured and grasped the implications of their engagement, Valentin became increasingly awkward to deal with. Valentia probably didn¡¯t favor this engagement as well. His attitude towards Ashley morphed into an enigmatic coldness, especially when she spent time with thed next door. Valentin often targeted her on purpose and jeered at her with every harsh word he had ever learned. As a result, Ashley disliked him even more, and the former sweethearts soon became arch-enemies. This strained association endured until high school, a period marked by Ashley¡¯s pinnacle of rebellion. Defiantly, she confronted her grandfather, pleading for an annulment of this ridiculous engagement, iming to have developed feelings for a fellow ssmate. Valentin, upon learning of this, cornered her in her room. His gaze mirrored the depths of a frigid abyss. He questioned the soundness of Ashley''s judgment, asserting that she could fall for any male creature that sheid eyes on. Ashley had never seen Valentin so gloomy before, and his harsh question. led to a big fight. It was a sh of wills, and from that moment onward, their rapport soured. Later, Valentin pursued studies abroad, and they had never met again. When Ashley glimpsed Valentin while entering the car earlier, she failed. to recognize him immediately. Compared to her recollections, he seemed to have changed a lot... Chapter 4 - Chapter 4 s the car gained speed, she observed the street view outside the window rapidly moving backward. Ashley noticed that ever since she got in the car, Valentin had stopped looking at his documents. He was gently caressing a not- so-obvious scar on his left wrist. His hands had distinct, pronounced knuckles. It looked like a bite mark. Noticing her scrutinizing gaze, Valentin spoke nonchntly with an implied meaning. ¡°Bit by a stubborn wildcat.¡± Ashley fell silent. He seemed to recall something, his eyebrows slightly raised. ¡°Sharp and quite fierce.¡± Ashley cursed in her mind. She thought, ¡®You''re the wildcat. ¡°You''re the fierce one. ¡°That bite mark on his wrist was made by me when we were kids, quarreling, and | bit his wrist in anger. ¡°| didn¡¯t expect he would remember it so clearly after all this time. ¡®Didn''t he use any cream for that scar? Why is there still the bite mark? ¡°Valentin surely wouldn''t look at this scar every day and hold a grudge against me for biting him, right?¡± Ashley touched her nose, feeling guilty, and looked out at the street. Valentin didn¡¯t say anything, staring at her fair side profile, repeatedly caressing the bite mark on his wrist with his fingertips as if he was touching more than just the scar... Ashley could feel his gaze. It made her feel uneasy, awkwardly turning her head, just about to say, ¡°Stop looking at me.¡± Before she could speak, she met Valentin¡¯s eyes. He slightly raised his eyebrows, his tone yful, speaking, ¡°What? Ashley, do you want to bite me again?¡± Ashley was neechless When Valeutin called her by her name, his voice was enchanting and cated an inexcribable lingering charm, making Ashley¡¯s heartbeat suddenly ski p a beat. ought, Wher, we were kids, Valentin used to call me so gentle this Wait! Who wants to bite him?¡¯ Soon, the car arrived at the Kingsley Manor. The wrought iron gate adorned with carvings slowly opened to both sides, and the car drove into the manor.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Through the car window, Ashley saw that the manor¡¯s scenery was exceptionally elegant. There was a vast artificialke nearby, and beside it was a garden full of precious flowers and nts. There was also a vineyard and fruit orchard in the distance. It was muchrger than the-Ramos Vi. The car stopped in front of a fountain. An old man with a cane was surrounded by ser vants, anxiously waiting by the fountain. Zain had gray hair, leaning on a cane, but he was still spirited. His eyes were full of the wisdom of the years. Although it had been a long time, Ashley recognized him at a nce. He was Zain. After getting out of the car, Ashley immediately approached to greet him, her eyes welled up with tears. ¡°Mr. Kingsley!¡± ¡°It''s good to have you here!¡± Zain finally saw the person he had been waiting for, affectionately holding Ashley¡¯s hand. ¡°Ashley, I''ve been eagerly awaiting your arrival!¡± ¡°Mr. Kingsley, how have you beentely?¡± ¡°Don''t worry. I¡¯m still quite good!¡± Zain looked at Ashley, his eyes filled withpassion. ¡°You''ve lost weight, but you''re still as beautiful as ever!¡± Ashley smiled sweetly, beaming with joy, her eyes enchanting. Ashley had he features, especially But since childhood, with delicate and charming eyes; pure and clean, like a spring under the moontent, as if the cars were reflected in them. Zain adored her treating her like his own granddaughter. He handed his cane to a se rvant, holding Ashley with one hand and Valentin with the other Come, let''s tall in the living room!¡± Once in the living room, they sat down on the sofa. The se rvant presented freshly brewed cups of coffee. Zain held Ashley¡¯s hand, sighing deeply, ¡°These past few years, I¡¯ve been sick and went abroad for treatment, constantly unwell. Only recently have | started to recover and could finally return home. ¡°As soon as | returned, | heard that the Ramos family was treating you poorly, and | couldn¡¯t rest easy. So, | asked Valentin to bring you back from the Ramos family. ¡°Ashley, if the Ramos family treats you badly, you don¡¯t have to stay there! From now this is your home! | am your family!¡± on, Overwhelmed by the tender affection and care she hadn''t felt in so long, Ashley felt a tingling in her nose as her voice became soft, hinting at a s ob. ¡°Mr. Kingsley...¡± ¡°My dear child! Good girl!¡± Zain patted Ashley¡¯s hand with empathy. ¡°You''ve suffered a lot these two years! ¡°Look,¡± Zain changed the subject, introducing to Ashley, ¡°This is Valentin. You used to y together a lot when you were kids. You would often stay close to him, remember?¡± Recalling how she used to follow Valentin around as a child, Ashley now felt somewhat embarrassed. She smiled politely and nodded slightly. Valentin was sitting next to Ashley, calm andposed. With his eyshes cast down, he grasped the cup with his well-defined hands, serving coffee to Zain. A simple action, but done by him, was particrly pleasing to the eye... Zain probed. ¡°Ashley, what do you think of Valentin?¡± Ashley didn¡¯t know how to answer, thinking, What can | say? We barely 12:26 ted in the war on the way here, and Valentin probably still holds a dge over our pas calling out Lisa ge thing Valentin doesn¡¯t like me, and | don¡¯t like him either! Not getting an answer, Zain asked again, ¡°Ashley, tell me, what do you think Valentin?¡± > Ashley had to look down, vaguely responding, ¡°He¡¯s a good man.¡± Valentin, silent until then, heard her answer, his eyebrows slightly raised. He looked up at Ashley, his gaze calm, lingering on her for a few seconds before looking away. Hearing Ashley''s answer, Zain was overjoyed. ¡°Good! Now | can rest assured about you two being together!¡± Ashley was confused. ¡°What do you mean?¡± -She thought, ¡®Being together?¡± Zainughed heartily. ¡°Years ago, your grandfather and | arranged this marriage for you two. Now, you seem a perfect match! ¡°Well, Ashley, there¡¯s no better day than today. Why not settle things. today and get married? How about that?¡± Ashley was startled, blinking her beautiful eyes, filled with astonishment, quickly refusing. ¡°Mr. Kingsley, this isn¡¯t a good idea!¡± Remembering something, Zain suddenly looked sad. ¡°Ashley, my health is worsening, and | don¡¯t know when Ill be gone. If you and Valentin can get married today, | can rest assured when | fulfill my agreement with your grandfather. ¡°Ashley, don¡¯t worry. No matter what, the Kingsley family will always support you. You can always rely on Valentin!¡± Listening to Zain¡¯s heartfelt words, Ashley found it difficult to refuse, and the words of rejection choked in her throat.¡± She looked up at Valentin beside her, hoping he would reject Zain¡¯s suggestion. She thought, ¡®He definitely doesn¡¯t want to marry me. He¡¯s always been. 12:26 Sinexplicab Since we were kids, always getting mad at me! Seeing Ashley¡¯s gaze Valentin put down his cup and looked up at Zain, crly pcused and serious. ¡°Okay, Grandpa, we''ll get married today Ashley was stunned She thought, ¡®What is going on here?!¡± Chapter 5 An hourter, Ashley followed Valentin out of the City Hall, holding the marriage license in her hands, deep in thought. She thought, ¡®How did | suddenly get married? ¡°How did | suddenly have a husband?¡± Confused, Ashley tugged at Valentin, her face full of bewilderment. ¡°Why did you suddenly agree to get married?¡± Valentin nced at her hand holding his, his voice low and casual. ¡°When Grandpa suggested we get married, you looked at me. Wasn''t that your way of agreeing?¡± Ashley was speechless. ¡°When did | ever ask you to agree to get married? | wanted you to reject his proposal.¡± It seemed to dawn on Valentin then, his expression filled with regret. ¡°I see. | misunderstood. But you won¡¯t me me, right?¡± Ashley was stunned. She thought, ¡®He sounds a bit too maniptive. ¡°| really can¡¯t figure it out. Is Valentin deliberately targeting me again?¡± Before going to bed that night, Ashley was arranged by Zain to sleep in Valentin¡¯s bedroom. Ashley looked at the only bed in the room and felt a headache. Fortunately, Valentin had an urgent video conference and went to the study to work. Taking advantage of his absence, Ashley decided to take a shower, mainly to treat the cuts on her calf from the ss shards. She hadn''t properly. treated the wounds yet. Entering the bathroom, she turned on the shower. The small cuts on her calf, on still unhealed, stung painfully with wa them, but she had no choice. Her band-aids weren''t waterproof, so she had to endure it. The warm water from the showerhead melted away the day¡¯s weariness. with each drop. 115 12:26 After showering, Ashley realized she had forgotten to bring her change of clothes into the bathroom. Luckily, Valentin wasn¡¯t there, so she could go out and get them. Picking up and wrapping a towel around herself, Ashley opened the bathroom door. The next second, she froze, unable to move, still holding the door open She thought, ¡®Is Valentin standing by the floor-to-ceiling window? ¡°When did hee back?¡¯ Probably during the shower, she didn¡¯t hear him due to the sound of the water. The instant Ashley opened the bathroom door, Valentin, hearing the sound, instinctively turned his head. Then he saw Ashley, barefoot, with wet hair clinging to her cheeks, making her skin look even more smooth and delicate. The towel was loosely wrapped around Ashley, revealing her elegant corbone, and the curvature of her chest was subtly alluring. The length of the towel was barely to her thighs. Her long legs could attract anyone¡¯s gaze. She captured all of Valentin¡¯s attention. Seeing voluptuous Ashley, Valentin, usuallyposed, slightly startled, then raised his eyebrows slightly. Realizing what had happened, Ashley mmed the bathroom door shut and hid inside. She thought, ¡®Oh my! How embarrassing!¡± Ashley wished she could hide away! Just then, Valentin¡¯s deep, husky voice came through the door. ¡°Do you need any help?¡± Ashley fell silent. She thought, ¡®He must have guessed, right? ¡°He knew that I didn¡¯t bring my clothes in. 25 12:26 Swallowing hard, Ashley awkwardly asked, ¡°Could you pass me my clothes, please? They¡¯re by the bed. Thank you!¡± Valentin looked over and saw them on the chair beside the bed. Her ck silk nightgown, bra, and underwear were all there.. Valentin¡¯s eyes widened slightly, but he calmly picked up her clothes and handed them to her. After changing, Ashley emerged from the bathroom awkwardly. Valentin looked nonchnt as if nothing had happened. This eased Ashley¡¯s embarrassment somewhat. While showering, Ashley had been pondering over something. She felt she and Valentin were truly ipatible, having always struggled to get along. Taking a deep breath, Ashley said slowly, ¡°Valentin, we should not get married.¡± Hearing her words, and after a long silence, he spoke, his eyes narrowed. slightly. ¡°Are you still in love with your high school ssmate?¡± His words choked Ashley again.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. She thought, ¡°What? ¡°High school ssmate?¡± It took her a moment to realize he was referring to the time she asked her grandfather to call off the future marriage arrangement with Valentin, iming she liked a boy in her ss. She thought, | can¡¯t believe he still remembers that!¡± Valentin¡¯s face darkened, his voice cold. ¡°So you really don¡¯t want to marry me?¡± Confused, Ashley thought, ¡®Do you want to marry me?¡± His gaze fixed on her. She couldn''t figure out what was on his mind. Valentin said, ¡°Fine, I''ll have someone draft a divorce agreement, valid one yearter. We can divorce after a year.¡± She thought, ¡®A year?¡¯ Ashley was initially startled, then realized. She believed that if they lived 12:26 together based on the divorce agreement and then divorced, Zain would probably be less opposed to their divorce. ¡°Fine!¡± She would fulfill their one-year marriage, then part ways with Valentin. ¡°Where should we sleep tonight?¡± Ashley looked at the only bed in the room, wondering how they were going to sleep. Valentin¡¯s gaze darkened, and he walked out after looking at her intently. ¡°I''ll sleep in the guest room.¡± With a m, he left the room, leaving Ashley alone. She remembered the way Valentin had looked at her before do thinking, ¡®It¡¯s just like when we were kids. He always seemed to do everything so intriguing and meaningful, but | couldn¡¯t get it. ¡°It looks like | can¡¯t peacefully coexist with him.¡¯ Soon after, there was a knock on the door. Ashley went to open it. The old butler of the mansion, Gavyn Holmes, stood outside. Wearing a tailcoat and with a kindly face, he handed her a tube of ointment. ¡°Ms. Ramos, your leg is wounded. This ointment is very effective, and it won¡¯t leave scars after using it.¡± Ashley was touched that Gavyn noticed her wounded leg. ¡°Thank you!¡± Gavyn smiled kindly, ¡°Ms. Ramos, Mr. Kingsley prepared this for you.¡± She thought, ¡®Mr. Kingsley? Is he referring to Valentin?¡± Ashley was taken aback. Gavyn, ever so straightforward, ryed. ¡°Mr. Kingsley told me to give the ointment to you, but he didn¡¯t allow me to tell you it¡¯s from him.¡± Ashley didn¡¯t know what to say at the moment. Gavyn left promptly after delivering the message. Stunned, Ashley looked at the ointment in her hand, feeling a mix of emotions. She was surprised that Valentin had prepared it for her. 1996 Her phone vibrated. She got a text from Jessica. [Ashley, are you okay? Where are you staying tonight? Are you at the Kingsley Manor?] Reading the message, Ashley scoffed inwardly. She thought, ¡®Is she still pretending to be sincere? ¡°| used to tolerate Jessica out of a desperate need for the family bond, but look where that got me. ¡°From today, | won¡¯t make concessions for Jessica! ¡°| won''t give up anything for the Ramos family anymore. I''ll live for myself!¡¯ Chapter 6 The next morning dawned with gentle, warm sunlight streaming through the window. Ashley¡¯s eyshes fluttered as she slowly awakened from her slumber. She gazed at the unfamiliar ceiling overhead. It took her a moment to realize she was in Valentin¡¯s room. She and Valentin got their marriage license yesterday, and she would be living there from now on. Ashley got up from the bed, noticing the healing scar on her calf. The ointment Valentin had Gavyn bring over was proving quite effective. At breakfast, Zain sat at the head of the table, with Ashley taking her ce beside Valentin. Zain couldn¡¯t help but beam with joy when he looked at Ashley. ¡°Valentin, let¡¯s pick a good day soon to hold the wedding ceremony for you and Ashley! It''ll also be the perfect time to announce your marriage!¡± Valentin nodded slightly. ¡°Okay.¡± Ashley was startled, and under the table, she gently kicked his leg with hers. Valentin¡¯s breath hitched, and he nced down to see Ashley¡¯s leg gently against his. Through their thin clothes, he could distinctly feel the softness and warmth of her leg. Valentin¡¯s gaze darkened. He looked at her and seemed to question with his eyes, ¡°What''s wrong?¡± Ashley leaned in and whispered in his ear, ¡°We just signed a divorce. agreement yesterday, agreeing to divorce in a year. Announcing our marriage now will make the divorce more troublesome, won''t it?¡± Valentin frowned. Ashley continued in a low voice, ¡°So, let¡¯s sk ip the wedding for now and keep the marriage secret, okay?¡± His gaze darkening, Valentin looked at her intently for a long time before turning away without expression. 12-201 Ashley turned to Zain and smiled, ¡°Let¡¯s not rush the wedding. We can talk about itter. However, Zain was eager for grandchildren. ¡°Ashley, the wedding is ultimately up to you. It¡¯s okay if you want to hold itter, but don¡¯t make me wait too long.¡± Ashley smiled politely and said something else, smoothly steering the conversation away from the wedding topic. After breakfast, Zain returned to the Kingsley Manor because he didn¡¯t live at the Kingsley Vi. It was the weekend, and Valentin didn¡¯t have to go to the office. He sat on the living room sofa, wearing a loose, thin sweater, flipping through a finance magazine with a casual yet noble demeanor. His hands. had pronounced knuckles. Remembering the ointment fromst night, Ashley rolled her eyes and went upstairs to fetch it. Approaching Valentin with the ointment, she coughed awkwardly and said, ¡°This ointment is really effective. You have a bite mark on your wrist. Maybe you can try it?¡± He didn¡¯t look up from his magazine. ¡°No need.¡± Ashley blinked. ¡°You want to keep that bite mark forever?¡± Finally, he looked up from the magazine and stared at her, his tone cold. ¡°Aren¡¯t you always thinking about divorcing me? Why bother with this?¡± Ashley didn¡¯t know how to respond. He scrutinized her, his eyes intense and piercing. ¡°What if | want to keep this mark?¡± Ashley was choked by his words. She thought, ¡®What a strange preference. ¡°Who likes to keep scars on themselves?¡± ¡°| remembered | did not bite him that hard, yet the mark left, ¡°Fine, since he doesn¡¯t want to use the ointment, | won''t insist. She turned to leave. Valentin casually stretched out his legs. Focused on the ointment, Ashley stumbled over his legs, losing her bnce and falling towards him.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. The next moment, she was caught in his strong embrace. Valentin had reached out and held her. Ashley found herself almost lying on him, their bodies pressed together. Unexpectedly, she felt Valentin¡¯s warm, firm chest against her. With one arm around her waist, he looked down. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Ashley, close to him, felt his warm breath on her neck when he asked her, sending tingles of excitement down her spine. She shivered, her ears burning hot. ¡°Thank you!¡± She quickly got up, thanked him, and hurried away, clearly uneasy. Valentin raised an eyebrow, watching her flee, and then he moved his legs backward that had been in the way. Gavyn, just entering the living room, was shocked to see Valentin intentionally tripping Ashley! Back in her room, Ashley touched her neck until the tingles of excitement faded, then let out a long sigh. She set the ointment on the dressing table, and her phone buzzed. She received a message. [Congrattions, you''ve passed the preliminary round of Show Your Dance. Please attend the semifinals in a week. The theme is ¡°White¡±. We look forward to your performance.] Ashley almost forgot about thepetition. Previously, Jessica wanted to enter a modern dance contest, had dragged her along to sign up. Jessica was talented and confident, having danced for many years. Jessica, aware of Ashley¡¯s background in dance, cu nningly coaxed her into entering the dancepetition under the pretense of deepening their sisterly bond. Jessica¡¯s real n was to shine brighter by comparison, positioning Ashley as the in foil to her own morous, swan-like elegance. Keenly aware of Jessica¡¯s ulterior motives, Ashley still chose to participate, driven by her eagerness to ingratiate herself with the Ramos family. She followed Jessica¡¯s lead in everything, including entering thepetition. In the preliminary round, Jessica¡¯s maniption was evident. She dressed Ashley in an unsuitable outfit, starkly contrasting with her own elegant attire. This clever ploy made Jessica stand out as a vision of grace and beauty, effortlessly clinching the top spot in the initial round. Ashley had been immersed in dance since her early years, lovingly trained by her grandmother. She had effortlessly mastered every dance. form. When she was at a casual performance at a school event, she once caught the eye of Megan Rice, a renowned dancer, who saw potential in her. Despite being handed the most unsuitable costumes, Ashley was able to show her innate talent. However, she deliberately underperformed, aiming to curry favor with the Ramos family, unbothered by being overshadowed by Jessica. She believed this humility would earn her their respect. But her efforts were met with nothing but derision from her brothers, who cruelly mocked her for being over-confident, embarrassing the Ramos family. They even asserted Jessica''s superiority in every way, belittling Ashley''s talents. Upon receiving that surprising message on her phone, Ashley thought in disbelief, ¡®Did | really advance in the preliminaries? ¡°And now, I''ll face Jessica in the next round. With beautiful eyes, she smiled faintly as she thought, ¡®This time, I¡¯m curious to see if Jessica can still im the top spot in the semifinals.¡± The semifinal round¡¯s theme was White, a challenge in modern dance. Many practiced modern dance, but few excelled in it. With a focused mind, Ashley made a performance that embodied the theme, and then she made intensive rehearsals. Valentin, aware of herpetition, had no particrment. Gavyn, keen and observant, already knew everything, thinking, ¡®Mr. Kingsley seems quite unconstrained about Ms. Ramos¡¯ choices, almost as if he¡¯s content to stand behind her, supporting whatever she decides to do. Time swiftly moved on, and the week of thepetition arrived. Ashley unexpectedly encountered Jessica and Jeremy backstage when arriving at the venue on time. A dapper, handsome man apanied Jessica and Jeremy. He was Frankie Ramos. Ashley recognized with just a cold gaze. Chapter 7 Upon seeing Ashley, Jessica immediately ran up to her, her face etched with worry. ¡°Ashley, what happenedst time was my fault. Please move back to the Ramos Vi. It¡¯s not safe for a girl like you to live outside alone.¡± Jeremy sneered coldly, ¡°Jessica, don¡¯t bother with her! She¡¯s the one who made a fuss about cutting ties with the Ramos family. Even if she dies out there, it¡¯s a consequence of her own making!¡± Ashley darkened when she heard these words, her expression turning scornful. ¡°I¡¯m not dead, much to your disappointment.¡± his ¡°You!¡± The fury within Jeremy red up, rage reaching new heights. She thought, ¡®Ashley had changed. Where was the girl who used to bepliant and try to please us? ¡°Now, she seemed to be covered in thorns, so aggressive! Jeremy nced at Frankie next to him and took a deep breath as if issuing an ultimatum. ¡°Ashley, if you admit your mistakes now and crawl back, the Ramos family might still take you in. But if you insist on being stubborn...¡± ¡°ld rather be stubborn.¡± Ashley interrupted coldly, no longer wanting to waste her energy arguing with him. She turned to leave. Jeremy immediately reached out to stop her, his eyes filled with rage. ¡°Ashley! Watch your attitude! Do you have no respect for your brother at all?¡± She thought, ¡®Brother? Jeremy never treated me like family, and now he demanded my respect. ¡°How ridiculous. ¡°Jeremy, I¡¯ve already cut ties with the Ramos family. What right do you have to demand my respect now?¡± ¡°Moreover.¡± Ashley nced at him, who reached out his arm, blocking her path, her voice icy. ¡°Don¡¯t stand in my way.¡± Jeremy¡¯s face turned gloomy with anger, and just as he was about to explode, Frankie, who had been silent till now, suddenly spoke. ¡°Ashley.¡± Ashley turned to look at him, meeting a pair of cold, disdainful eyes. If this had happened before, her heart would have sk ipped a beat. She would wonder if she had done something wrong again, and if there was something she hadn¡¯t done well enough, always ming herself. But now, after repeated heartaches and despair, she was numb. Ashley looked at Frankie indifferently, her voice gentle. ¡°Mr. Ramos, what do you want?¡± He thought, ¡®Mr. Ramos...¡± This distant and formal address made Frankie frown slightly. Ashley used to follow him around, timid and careful, always calling him Frankie with respect. Back then, he only felt disgust, thinking, Why would someone like Ashley be my sister? Only Jessica could call me Frankie because she is my real sister. But now, hearing Ashley call him with this distant and cold ¡°Mr. Ramos,¡± Frankie felt a twinge of difort. Suppressing this feeling, his face gloomy, he asked, ¡°The day you left the Ramos Vi, was it the Kingsley family who came to pick you up?¡± Ashley couldn''t help butugh, thinking, ¡®So that is what this is about. ¡°Right, Frankie, as the current CEO of the Ramos Group, would do anything to establish ties with the Kingsley family. ¡°So the first thing Frankie said to me wasn¡¯t to ask why Isevered ties with the Ramos family but to pry into the Kingsley family¡¯s affairs through me. ¡°Jeremy was also behaving out of character just now, implying that if | admitted my mistakes and returned to the Ramos Vi, the Ramos family would still ept me. ¡°It turns out they all just want to use me to get information about the Kingsley family. ¡°That¡¯s probably thest bit of use | have to the Ramos family! 24 Ashley looked at Frankie quietly, her beautiful eyes filled with coldness. ¡°Mr. Ramos, that¡¯s none of your concern.¡± She left after speaking, not wanting to say another word to these obnoxious people. Watching Ashley¡¯s retreating figure, Jessica bit her lower lip, tears welling up in her eyes. ¡°Jeremy, Frankie, was Ashley so cold just now because she still holds a grudge about what happened before?¡± Jeremy felt a surge of distress. ¡°Jessica, don¡¯t be so submissive! Even if you framed Ashleyst time, she¡¯s still a member of the Ramos family. She wasn¡¯t really harmed. Why could not she endure a bit of injustice? Must she be so petty as to sever ties with the family? It¡¯s all her fault in the end!¡± Frankie gently patted Jessica¡¯s head, his cold expression turning gentle. ¡°Alright, Jessica, don¡¯t cry. | bought a brand new sports car yesterday as a gift to celebrate you taking first ce in today¡¯s semifinal.¡± Jessica stopped crying and began tough. ¡°Jeremy, Frankie, thank you. | will do my best to win first ce!¡± Jeremy said proudly, ¡°Jessica, you are so talented in dancing. Winning a semifinal first ce is very easy for you. | bet the final first ce in Show Your Dance will also belong to you!¡± As the three talked, the four Show Your Dance judges approached. ¡°Mr. Frankie Ramos, Mr. Jeremy Ramos, Ms. Ramos, hello!¡± Jessica greeted them with a warm smile. ¡°Hello, judges.¡± Out of respect for the Ramos family, the judges ttered Jessica. ¡°I could tell from the preliminaries, Ms. Ramos, you are very talented in dancing. | believe you will surely take first ce in the semifinals!¡± ¡°Right, Ms. Ramos, your dance not only shows great flexibility, but your creative choreography is also impressive!¡± Jessica, feeling proud, maintained a modest demeanor. ¡°Thank you for your kind words.¡±Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. At that time, a staff member from backstage ran over. ¡°Judges, Ms. Megan Rice has arrived at the venue and is in the judges¡¯ lounge!¡± ¡°Ms. Rice?¡± One of the judges eximed in surprise, ¡°Wasn''t Ms. Rice supposed toe only for the final? Today is just the semifinal. Why is she here for the semifinal?¡± ¡°Ms. Rice said she saw the contestant list and spotted a promising talent, so she couldn¡¯t wait and came early.¡± ¡°A promising talent?¡± The four judges exchanged looks and headed towards the lounge. ¡°Anyway, let''s go meet Ms. Rice first.¡± Megan Rice was a highly respected authority in the dance world, a leader. in modern dance, and adored and respected by dancers. Moreover, the winner of Show Your Dance would be Megan¡¯sst student and receive her personal training in modern dance. Jessica¡¯s goal in participating in Show Your Dance was to win first ce and, more importantly, to be Megan¡¯sst student. Frankie guessed and said, ¡°Could this promising talent be Jessica?¡± Jeremy excitedly agreed, ¡°Definitely! Jessica was the first in the first round. Who else could be the promising talent? Ms. Rice must havee for Jessica!¡± Hearing that, Jessica beamed with barely concealed delight. If Megan hade for her, then she was one step closer to bing Megan¡¯sst student! Chapter 8 At ten o¡¯clock in the morning, the semifinals of Show Your Dance officially began. There were five hundred spectators in the audience and four judges on the panel. Moreover, the legendary figure in modern dance, Megan, was also there. Although in her forties, Megan was still in good shape and had an outstanding demeanor. Fine lines at the corners of her eyes added a touch of elegance to her age. Today, Megan attended the show as a judge. She was seated at the judges¡¯ table. Her slender neck and graceful posture stood out, making her temperament particrly outstandingContent ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Besides the on-site recording, Show Your Dance was also broadcast live online. Many fans of modern dance were eagerly waiting in the livestream. [Coming! The semifinals are starting!] [Support modern dance! | hope it keeps getting better and better!] [Oh my, Ms. Rice actually came to the venue!] [Thispetition will be exciting.] [I remember Jessica, the first-ce contestant in the preliminaries. She was amazing! Looking forward to her performance in the semifinals!] [You''re right about that.] There were twenty contestants in the semifinals, with a high elimination rate of sixty percent. Therefore, thepetition was fierce. After the host finished the opening remarks, the twenty contestants began their performances in the order they drew. Ashley was unlucky today, drawing thest spot, with Jessica performing right before her. Today¡¯s theme for the semifinals was White, effectively setting a framework for the contestants, all of whom performed in white dance costumes on stage.. At first, the audience enjoyed the performances, but as time went on, they grew tired. Even the viewers in the livestream room couldn¡¯t help but startining. [How did these people even make it to the semifinals??] [I swear a chicken could even have a better posture than these people¡¯s dancing posture when pecking!] [Take it easy, everyone. Jessica, the first in the preliminaries, hasn¡¯t performed yet.] [Exactly, Jessica¡¯s set to take the stage for her dance. Let¡¯s hang tight a little longer.] As per the rules, after each performance, the judges would score on the spot, with the highest score being ten. But after several performances, no contestant had scored above 8.5. Compared to the other four judges, Megan was particrly strict. Up to now, the highest score she had given was a seven. It wasn¡¯t until Jessica took the stage that the dull atmosphere in the venue shifted. Even the sleepy audience perked up. ¡°Jessica''s dance is indeed worth watching!¡± ¡°She looks so stunning in modern dance, dressed in white, just like a princess!¡± Under the gentle background music, Jessica, dressed in a white dress and with a flower in hand, graced the stage with a modern dance that exuded elegance. She was naturally talented at dance and had studied it systematically. Therefore, her body movements and facial expressions showed the artistic-conception of the dance perfectly. Her graceful and charming performance won a lot of apuse. The online audience also heaped praise on the performance. [This is a real modern dance, way better than the previous ones!] [Honestly, Jessica looks beautiful in white. Although she¡¯s not the prettiest, she has a fresh and ethereal demeanor that makes her stunning in white!] [Moreover, she dances so well. It''s obvious that she¡¯s well-trained.] [The winner of today¡¯s semifinals is definitely going to be Jessica again!] Jessica stood on stage, smiling at the judges. The four judges exchanged nces, all aware that Jessica was the apple of the Ramos family¡¯s eye and the Ramos Group president, Frankie, personally came to watch thepetition. They would naturally take care of her and favor her a bit. Moreover, Jessica¡¯s performance was indeed good. The four judges made eye contact and then raised their dry erase paddles one by one. [9.4 points.] [9.5 points.] [9.5 points.] [9.4 points.] When the scores were revealed, the audience erupted in apuse. None of the contestants had received more than 8.5 from the judges before. However, now, Jessica received a stunning 9.5, causing a sensation. Jessica was overjoyed inside but appeared graciously modest, saying sincerely, ¡°Thank you, judges!¡± The camera then focused on Megan. Megan looked at Jessica on stage with an appreciative look instead of her -usual indifferent face. She raised her dry erase paddle. [9 points.] [Wow, Ms. Rice gave Jessica 9 points!] [Ms. Rice is always strict. The highest score she previously gave was only 7 points. Giving Jessica 9 points means she really appreciates Jessica!] [It''s in the bag! Jessica is definitely winning the semifinals!] Jessica was overjoyed and specifically spoke to Megan with a smile. ¡°Thank you, Ms. Rice!¡± When Jessica went offstage, Frankie and Jeremy were considerately waiting backstage. ¡°Jessica, Ms. Rice really appreciates you!¡± Jeremy genuinely felt happy for Jessica. ¡°I knew it. When Ms. Rice mentioned there was a promising contestant, she must have meant you!¡± Frankie smiled faintly and handed Jessica the key to a sports car. ¡°The first ce in the semifinals is surely yours, Jessica. Congrattions in advance.¡± ¡°Thank you, Frankie!¡± Jessica smiled sweetly, ncing secretly at Ashley not far away, thinking, ¡®Ashley, do you think you can compete with me?¡¯ The audience was still whispering about the high score of 9 points Megan gave, discussing non-stop. Even the announcement of thest contestant¡¯sing performance by the host couldn¡¯t stop the discussions. The venue was noisy. Suddenly, the stage lights dimmed. Momentster, a spotlight was cast over the center of the stage. In the dim light, a stunning figure in white stood gracefully, ethereal, and beautiful. The previously noisy audience fell silent instantly. All eyes were drawn to the stage. Ashley, dressed in white, looked ethereal and otherworldly. Agentle breeze caused her hair to flutter and her white dress to sway. Under the soft white light, she was bathed in a silvery glow, appearing ethereal and breathtakingly beautiful. As the camera zoomed in, Ashley''s delicate face appeared unexpectedly in everyone''s view. Her eyebrows were finely shaped, and her eyes were exquisitely beautiful and slightly upcurved at the corners. Her gaze was clear, her posture graceful, and her skin wless, making her seem too perfect to be real. The audience held their breath as if afraid to disturb her. Even the livestream viewers fell silent and stoppedmenting. After a full three seconds, a barrage ofments appeared. [Golly!! Who is this beauty?] [I can¡¯t believe it! Her nce at the camera was so charming. I¡¯m spellbound by her!] [I need all the information about this woman within three minutes!] [Ashley! The host just called her Ashley!] [Ashley isn¡¯t just charismatic but incredibly gorgeous, much prettier than Jessica! When the camera zoomed in on her, | was taken aback by her beauty!] [No way! I¡¯ve never seen such a looker, | wouldn¡¯t even dare to photoshop myself to look that beautiful. She¡¯s naturally this beautiful!) [Forget calling her Ashley. She¡¯s my honey now!!] Meanwhile, at the Kingsley Group headquarters, in the CEO''s office, Valentin sat behind his desk, his face expressionless as he signed a contract with a pen in his hand, evidently busy with work. Beside him, Tom was intently watching his phone screen. It was the livestream of the Show Your Dance semifinals. Finally, when Ashley appeared, Tom eximed, ¡°Mr. Kingsley, Ms. Ramos is on stage!¡± Holding the pen, Valentin stopped signing and looked up at the phone. screen. Chapter 9 Tom astutely handed Valentin his phone. He knew Valentin had been eagerly anticipating Ashley''s performance. Unfortunately, Ashley drew lots to be thest one to perform, and Tom had to wait a long time before it was her turn. Therefore, as soon as Ashley appeared, he immediately informed Valentin. Valentin turned his attention to the livestream on the phone. Ashley, dressed in a stunning white dress, looked ethereal and breathtakingly beautiful. However, Valentin¡¯s brows furrowed almost imperceptibly when he saw thements scrolling on the phone screen. He thought, ¡®Honey? ¡®They are calling Ashley honey! ¡®But Ashley is actually my wife. She is my honey! At thepetition venue, hearing the audience¡¯s praises of Ashley that she looked more beautiful, Jessica, who was touching up her makeup, became so angry that she smudged her lipstick on her lips with her hand trembling. She hated nothing more than Ashley''s face! Nearby, Jeremy and Frankie were taken aback by Ashley¡¯s appearance. They always knew Ashley was beautiful. But when she was with the Ramos family, she always followed them around, ttering and pleasing them like apdog, without any dignity. They wondered when her demeanor became so captivating. On stage, a rhythmic piece of ssical music slowly started. Ashley faced the audience. With the music¡¯s beat, she gently lifted her leg and began to dance gracefully. As she gently raised her arms, her sleeves slid down slowly, revealing her fair arms and slender intertwined fingers. She made graceful and gentle dance moves. Agentle breeze made her hair sway in the air while her white dress. fluttered gently. Simultaneously, snow-white petals began to fall from above. Ashley¡¯s every dance step was precise, her spins and dance moves getting faster with the beat of the melody. Each spin was natural and smooth, every pose breathtakingly beautiful. She moved swiftly, her figure graceful, like a goddess from a myth. In the vastpetition venue, a hush fell so quietly that everyone could even hear a pin drop. Everyone''s eyes were glued to the stage as if they were transported into a pure white dream of modern dance. As the music''s tempo quickened, Ashley suddenly leaped upwards. She made a split mid-air with a grand jet¨¦, and then shended lightly. Her fluttering dress stirred up the snow-white petals on the ground, creating dreamlike beauty. With the music shifting to a softer cadence, Ashley sat on the stage, her dress spreading out like a blossoming flower amid falling petals. She looked like a fairy, with her fair and slender neck and her slightly lifted chin. Her eyes were clear and bright as she gazed upward into the distance. The stage lights slowly dimmed. Only then did the audience realize the performance had ended, all wearing expressions of eagerness for more. They really hadn''t seen enough yet. The livestreamments went wild. [Wow, so impressive! | can¡¯t believe | actually saw a fairy dance in my lifetime!] [Did you see that mid-air split? Amazing! So steady and light!] [With five years of dance experience, | can tell that Ashley is a very experienced top-tier dancer. She makes difficult moves look effortless.] [I thought Jessica¡¯s modern dance was good, but her dance is just averagepared to Ashley¡¯s!] [Weird! How did Jessica get first in the preliminaries over Ashley?] At thepetition venue, after Ashley¡¯s performance, it was the scoring time. The four judges should give their scores first. They exchanged nces and whispered among themselves. HA ¡°Ashley really danced well. What score should we give her?¡± ¡°Well, Ashley is indeed good, but how can shepare to Jessica? Although Ashley is also from the Ramos family, she¡¯s not as favored as Jessica.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°Moreover, Frankie is here, clearly supporting Jessica. We better y it smart. After their discussion, the four judges quickly wrote down the scores. (9.2 points.] (9.3 points.] (9.2 points.] (9.2 points.] The scores caused a stir among the audience, with whispers and discussions. The viewers in the direct broadcasting room were also stunned. (What? Why are Ashley¡¯s scores so low?] | remember Jessica got two 9.4 points and two 9.5 points. Ashley danced better. Why get such low scores?] Right, Ashley danced better than Jessica.] No way! What were the judges thinking? Are they blind?] Backstage, Jessica saw the scores and breathed a sigh of relief. She knew the four judges were tactful. Jeremy, seeing the scores, also rxed. He could tell Ashley danced better. than Jessica. But it didn¡¯t matter to him who was better. He just wanted Jessica to win. first ce. Jeremy smiled smugly, ¡°With these scores, Ashley is already 0.9 points behind Jessica. Only Ms. Rice hasn¡¯t given a score. She¡¯s always strict, so she won''t give a high score. The first ce in today¡¯s semifinal will definitely be Jessica¡¯s.¡± Frankie nodded slightly. ¡°Jessica will surely be the winner.¡± He thought, ¡®So what if Ashley danced well? The first ce only belongs to Jessica ¡®Besides, Ashley is Jessica¡¯s big sister. Letting Jessica have the first ce is only right. On stage, Ashley, seeing the scores, remainedposed and humble. ¡°Thank you, judges.¡± Next was Megan¡¯s turn to give the score. Megan stared nkly at Ashley, her gaze inscrutable. Only after a reminder from a staff member beside her did she realize it was her turn to score. Coming to her senses, Megan quickly wrote down the score and then raised her dry erase paddle to disy it. Chapter 10 The number ¡°10¡± was clearly written on the dry erase paddle. As soon as Megan showed her dry erase paddle, the audience was shocked. ¡°410 points?¡± ¡°Did | read it right? Ms. Rice gave her ten points?¡± ¡°It''s a full mark! Ms. Rice actually gave Ashley a full mark!¡± In addition to the audience, even the host was astonished and quickly raised the microphone. ¡°My friends, this is the first full mark in our twopetitions! It¡¯s also the only one! Congrattions to Ashley!¡± Ashley showed a graceful smile. ¡°Thank you, Ms. Rice.¡± Megan smiled in response and looked more excited than Ashley. The host asked, ¡°Ms. Rice, can you tell us why you gave Ashley such at high score?¡± Megan raised her microphone and looked in Ashley¡¯s direction. ¡°| believe I¡¯m not the only one who can see that Ashley''s performance is very consistent with the theme ¡®White and Ashley has very strong dance skills. She can do some difficult moves perfectly with ease. It is no exaggeration to say that she is better than | did back then.¡± Megan''s words caused a heated discussion among the audience. Even the viewers who watched the livestreammented crazily. [Wow, Ms. Rice thinks so highly of Ashley!] [Everyone knows that Ms. Rice was known for winning first in the National Dance Competition. At that time, she was known as the most talented modern dancer. No one has been able to surpass her in so many years.] [Ms. Rice only gave Jessica nine points, while she gave Ashley ten points. It seems Ms. Rice extremely recognizes Ashley¡¯s performance!] [Ms. Rice is indeed more professional than the other four judges. How could the four judges give such low points?] [I''ve downloaded Ashley''s dance and will y it on a loop!] After listening to Megan¡¯sments, Ashley carried herself gracefully and said sincerely, ¡°Thank you for yourment.¡± Megan nodded and looked at Ashley with a hint of expectation in her eyes. The host stood on the stage, facing the audience. ¡°Now, all twenty contestants have finished their performances. Let¡¯s invite them to the stage together. We''re going to have the first winner in today¡¯s semi-final based on the judges¡¯ scores!¡± Twenty contestants took the stage one after another. Jessica nced at Ashley on the stage, with strong jealousy and resentment hidden deep in her eyes. ¡°How could that bi tch dance so well... Jessica cursed in her mind. The host said, ¡°The total scores of each contestant will now be announced. Please look at the big screen!¡± As the tense drum music sounded, the total scores of each contestant were shown on the big screen. When it was time to show Jessica¡¯s score, she looked at the big screen. nervously and wrung her hands, waiting for the result anxiously. Finally, the screen disyed that her score was 46.8 points. The host said excitedly, ¡°Congrattions to Jessica for getting 46.8 points! It is the highest score so far!¡± Jessica smiled and immediately looked at Ashley. Jessica cared more about Ashley''s score than hers. ¡°Please don¡¯t let Ashley surpass me!¡¯ Jessica prayed inwardly. Next, Ashley''s total score would be announced. Unlike Jessica, who was nervous, Ashley looked veryposed. As the big screen was scrolling, it kept the audience in suspense. Finally, the result showed the total score was 46.9 points. The host took a closer look to make sure he was not dazzled before he announced it loudly. ¡°Congrattions to Ashley for getting 46.9 points! She¡¯s the one with the highest total score among all the contestants! In other words, congrattions to Ashley for reaching first ce in thispetition!¡± His words caused an outburst of apuse in the audience. The online viewers in the livestream were also giving exmations of praise in thements section. [Wow, Ashley won first ce!] [She deserves it!] [Dear me! Have you seen it? She is only 0.1 points higher than Jessica. That is so close!] [To be honest, Ashley''s performance is indeed better than Jessica¡¯s this time. Ms. Rice even gave Ashley a full mark.] [Congrattions to Ashley! I¡¯m starting to look forward to her performance in the finals!] Hearing the result; Jessica could no longer keep her kind expression, and her face became a little gloomy. She thought, ¡®Dam n it. That b itch actually took first ce! Why did Megan give Ashley a full mark?¡± Frankie and Jeremy even congratted her in advance for winning first. ce, but now it was like a p in the face. Jessica felt embarrassed and clenched her fists with resentment. She thought it was fortunate that this was just a semi-final. The finals. would be in a week. She swore she would get first ce in the finals and be Megan¡¯s student no matter what it took. Frankie and Jeremy looked at each other backstage and frowned in a sulk. ¡®Seriously? The winner is not Jessica but Ashley! How could this be?¡¯ Jeremy thought in disbelief. Anger surged in his heart. He wondered, ¡®Ashley must have done it on purpose! Why does she s natch everything Jessica wants?¡± Seeing Jessica return backstage in frustration, Jeremy felt sorry for her. ¡°Jessica, don¡¯t be discouraged. It was Ashley¡¯s sheer luck that made her take first ce!¡± Frankie alsoforted her. ¡°Jessica, cheer up. | believe you will get first ce in the finals.¡± Jessica had tears in her eyes, sad and tenacious. ¡°Frankie and Jeremy, thank you for supporting me. | will try my best in the finals! But | still feel happy for Ashley to win first ce in the semi-final. | just didn¡¯t expect her to be so good at dancing.¡± Jeremy sighed, ¡°My dear sister, why are you still caring about Ashley? She has long wanted to disown our family. She is no longer a member of our family!¡± ¡°Jeremy...¡± Jessica pretended to have a worried look on her face but was actually gloating in her mind. She thought, ¡®Ashley, what''s the point even though you got first ce in the semi-final? You still can¡¯t get anything from the Ramos family.¡¯ While the three of them were talking, Megan came backstage. Jessica was surprised and immediately walked over excitedly. ¡°Ms. Rice, why did youe backstage? How can | help you?¡± Megan nced at her and smiled politely, ¡°No need, thank you.¡± Jessica felt Megan¡¯s cold attitude and frowned. Megan came backstage to look for Ashley but didn¡¯t see her after looking around. In the end, she went to a staff member and asked, ¡°Excuse me, did you see Ashley?¡± The staff member thought for a moment. ¡°Ashley? She went directly back to the locker room to change clothes and left after receiving a call.¡± Megan smiled helplessly, not expecting Ashley to leave so soon.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Jessica watched Megan in the distance and could tell she was looking for someone, but Jessica didn¡¯t hear who she was looking for. Jessica frowned and wondered, ¡®Is Megan looking for Ashley? No, that¡¯s impossible. Ashley had been living outside since childhood and knew nothing. How could she be favored by Megan?¡± After Ashley left thepetition site and changed her clothes, her phone rang, and she answered it. ¡°Hello.¡± Valentin¡¯s husky and deep voice sounded on the phone, sending a thrill all over her. ¡°Ashley, congrattions.¡± Chapter 11 Ashley took down her phone perplexedly and nced at the screen to make sure it was Valentin calling. ¡®Did Valentin actually say congrattions to me? Does he know that | won first ce in the semi-final?¡¯ she wondered. Ashley put the phone back to her ear and asked in disbelief, ¡°Did you watch the livestream?¡± Valentin replied, ¡°Yes.¡± Ashley was dumbfounded. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be so interested in the dancepetition and even watch the livestream.¡± Valentin was lost for words for a while. Ashley blinked her clear eyes and added, ¡°I remember you were not interested in things like dance when you were a child. Sure enough, one¡¯s hobbies will change when he grows up.¡± Valentin was silent on the phone for a long while before he spoke through gritted teeth. ¡°Ashley, I¡¯m not interested in dancing.¡± Ashley was even more baffled. ¡°Then why did you watch the livestream?¡± After waiting for a long time but not getting Valentin¡¯s answer, she nced at the screen and found they were still on the call. She wondered, ¡®Why doesn¡¯t he speak? Is he having a bad signal? Or he just doesn¡¯t want to talk?¡¯ Ashley couldn¡¯t understand what Valentin was thinking about. ¡°Hello? Valentin? Are you busy? Then | shouldn''t disturb you any longer. I¡¯m hanging up.¡± Ashley hung up the phone quickly. She never expected the first person who congratted her to be Valentin, her frenemy. Valentin was speechless and helpless when Ashley hung up the phone. Ashley went back to her room and took a shower as soon as she returned. to the Kingsley Vi. Having hot water drizzled over her body, she felt much better and rxed. The wound on her calf had fully healed. Her skin looked delicate, without any scars left on it. The ointment Valentin asked Gavyn to bring her was really effective. Since Valentin had such great ointment to remove scars, Ashley didn¡¯t know why he still kept the tooth mark she bit on his wrist until now. She wondered why he didn¡¯t get rid of the mark. After taking a shower, Ashley dried her hair, put her hair into a bun, and changed into loose home clothes. Just as she finished changing her clothes, her phone rang. It was a call from the director of Show Your Dance. Ashley answered the phone and said, ¡°Hello.¡± ¡°Ashley, sorry to disturb you at this time. Is it convenient for you to have a talk?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Good!¡± The director said with a ttering smile, ¡°Here''s the thing. Ashley, your performance in the semi-final watched the show left messages on ou he. Many viewers who. Twitter ount, hoping you can register a Twitter ount. They want to follow you!¡± ¡°Oh, | see,¡± Ashley replied knowingly with a smile. ¡°I will register an ount on Twitterter.¡± ¡°Great. I''ll wait for your news.¡± After hanging up the phone, Ashley downloaded Twitter and registered an ount. The official Twitter ount of Show Your Dance immediately posted a tweet. [Ladies and gentlemen, in response to your request, Ashley has registered a Twitter ount! This is her ount @Ashley. Everyone can go follow her now!] Ashley¡¯s ount was newly registered and had no fans. However, that tweet immediately attracted many fans who had watched. the dancepetition. Within a short time, Ashley¡¯s Twitter ount had reached ten thousand followers. Fans mored for her to start a livestream and wanted to see her. Ashley thought for a while and started a livestream on LiveMe. As soon as the livestream started, there was a burst of gift dynamic effects. on the screen before she could speak. It showed two fans giving her 15 teddy bears in the livestream room. Ashleyter learned that the teddy bear was a new gift recently. The dynamic effect was very beautiful, making it very popr. Many fans liked to give it, but money was required to buy it, and each teddy bear cost 40 cents. One of the two fans gave her ten teddy bears, which meant he or she spent four dors. Ashley immediately stopped them. ¡°Thank you for your gifts, but | don¡¯t want you to spend money on them.¡± Before she finished speaking, someone gave her gifts again in the livestream. This time, the fan gave her 5.2 thousand teddy bears. Other fans were shocked to see this number. It meant the man spent over 2.08 thousand dors for Ashley. As he gave so many gifts, he immediately became the first on the top fans list and left a message. [Ashley, | love you!] The other viewers were amused. [Dude, why did you give so many gifts?] The man replied proudly: [I¡¯m happy to spend money for Ashley!] Judging from his words and gifts, everyone could tell he must be rich and obsessed with Ashley. Just as everyone was impressed, a man called ¡°Ariml¡± ranked first on the top fans list. To everyone¡¯s astonishment, he gave Ashley 520 thousand teddy bears. 12pter 11Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. His generous gifts made everyone dumbfounded. One of the fans thought, ¡®520 thousand teddy bears? That means he spent 208 thousand dors! My goodness! Who is this rich guy? How could he be so generous?¡± Just before those fans could react, Ariml left a message. [Ashley is my wife.] Ashley was confused and shouted unconsciously, ¡°Who is this guy?¡± Those fans also couldn¡¯t believe what was happening, as if they were witnessing a battle. Not long after a man gave Ashley 5.2 thousand teddy bears, Arim| directly gave her 520 thousand of them. Everyone couldn¡¯t help but suspect Ariml was intentional. They were so shocked that Ariml spent more than 200 thousand dors just to tell everyone that Ashley was his wife, as if he was warning other men to stay away from her. Seeing so many costly virtual gifts, those fans couldn''t help but get curious about this mysterious man. There was one thing they could be sure of, which was he must have been a big shot. Driven by curiosity, the fans immediately clicked on Ariml¡¯s ount, which didn¡¯t post anything on LiveMe. Even his avatar was the default, and he only followed Ashley. His nickname ¡°Ariml¡± didn¡¯t look like a name at all. The first two letters should be the abbreviation of Ashley¡¯s name, while the rest of the letters brought people infinite imaginary space. Those fans couldn¡¯t figure out the exact meaning, but they felt ¡°Ariml¡± might probably represent ¡°Ashley Ramos is my love¡±. They couldn¡¯t believe even his nickname was showing his love for Ashley. Ashley had to stop them from giving her gifts again. ¡°Thank you for supporting me. Please don¡¯t send any more teddy bears. Thank you!¡± Some fans began toment. (Alright. Alright. No more gifts.] | guess Ashley must be talking to the mysterious big shot, Ariml.] | can¡¯t stopughing. LOL.] Those fans discovered the mysterious man was very obedient even though he was very aloof. After Ashley said no more gifts, he never gave her gifts again. Ashley had a casual chat with her fans after that. In the livestream, her hair was tied up into a simple bun. She had a smooth forehead, cre amy skin, and a pair of smiling eyes. (Ashley is gorgeous!] | lost my heart to Ashley¡¯s beauty again!] [Guys, I¡¯m sure Ashley is my long-lost wife!] (Watch your mouth. If you say she is your wife again, the mysterious man wille out to show his domineering love again!] LOL. I¡¯m going tough my as s off.] In the headquarters of the Kingsley Group, Valentin held his phone and raised his eyebrows slightly, watching Ashley¡¯s livestream with interest. He didn¡¯t log out of LiveMe until Ashley finished her livestream. No one would know his nickname was ArimI. Chapter 12 Ashley nced at Ariml¡¯s avatar but couldn¡¯t recognize him. In the evening, she went downstairs. In the living room, Valentin had just returned from thepany. He lifted his chin slightly and pulled off his tie. His slender fingers and slightly protruding Adam¡¯s apple made him quite frigid and se xy. Seeing Ashleying downstairs, he was a little joyful and asked, ¡°What would you like for dinner?¡± Ashley¡¯s tone sounded casual. ¡°I have no preference.¡± Their meals were usually prepared by the ser vants, and she rarely made a request. The next second, Valentin walked towards the kitchen, picked up the apron, and put it on. ¡°Then I¡¯ll make a simple meal.¡± Ashley¡¯s eyes widened, filled with astonishment. ¡°You will go to cook?¡± Valentin replied, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Ashley shook her head, walked over curiously, sat on a high stool, and stared at him in disbelief. Valentin stood in front of the ind, lowering his head. He was washing vegetables skillfully and looked like he knew how to cook. Ashley felt it strange as she remembered Valentin was very disdainful of cooking when he was a child. She could vividly remember it because she refused the engagement with Valentin when they were children. Ashley once said Valentin, who couldn''t cook, was not her type, and she wanted to find a man who could cook as her husband. Unexpectedly, Valentin had be so good at cooking now, which really impressed Ashley. While making soup, Valentin noticed Ashley staring at him with bright eyes like a curious kitten. He raised his eyebrows, took a spoonful of soup, let it cool, and raised it to her mouth. ¡°Help me taste it.¡± Ashley nodded and wanted to hold the spoon. He didn¡¯t let it go but put it near her mouth. ¡°I''ll hold it.¡± Ashley was stunned for a moment but didn¡¯t think too much. She took a sip of the soup, and her eyes lit up. ¡°Awesome! It tastes great!¡± ¡°Alright. | guess | should put no more seasoning.¡± ¡°Yeah, it tastes perfect.¡± Ashley took a look at the dishes. Even though Valentin said he would cook a simple meal, all the dishes. were her favorite. Soon, the dishes were brought to the dining table. Valentin showed a faint smile and said, ¡°Ashley, it¡¯s time to congratte you for winning the first ce in the semi-final.¡± His words surprised Ashley a little. It turned out he made a meal to congratte her on her first ce in the semi-final. No one in the Ramos family had ever cared about her like this. Ashley was deeply touched and responded with a charming smile, ¡°Thank you!¡± Valentin put a piece of steak on her te. ¡°Here you are. Hope you like it.¡± Ashley took a bite of the steak. It was so delicious that she wanted to gulp the whole piece. She swallowed the food, stared at him with bright eyes, and praised him. sincerely, ¡°It¡¯s great. | didn¡¯t expect you to be a good cook!¡± Valentin lowered his eyes and chuckled. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± He responded casually, ¡°Since I¡¯m a good cook, am | qualified to be your husband now?¡± Ashley almost choked and began to cough. Valentin frowned and patted her on the back. ¡°Take your time.¡± Ashley choked all because of what he just said. She knew he must be teasing her about the reason she used to refuse the engagement in childhood. Before Ashley went to bed at night, there was a knock on her door. She went to open the door and saw Valentin standing outside. He seemed to have taken a shower. His hair was still a little wet, hanging messily in front of his forehead, and his body carried a fresh and pleasant smell. ¡°It''s sote. Is something wrong?¡± Ashley asked.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°Il came to get something,¡± he said, ¡°There¡¯s a document that | need in this room.¡± Ashley responded and turned sideways to let him in. Zain arranged for her to stay in Valentin¡¯s room, so Valentin was forced to live in the guest room. For fear of being discovered by Zain, Valentin didn¡¯t take much stuff away from this bedroom. Feeling sorry to upy his room, Ashley looked at him bending down to sort documents, and cleared her throat. ¡°How about... you move back to the master bedroom?¡± Valentin paused and turned to look at her, suppressing the joy in his eyes. He thought in disbelief, ¡®Is she asking me to move back and share the same bed with her?¡± Chapter 13 However, Ashley said with smiling eyes, ¡®I''ll move to the guest room!¡± Her words had once again let Valentin down. Ashley hesitated and said, ¡°I feel bad to upy your room all the time.¡± Without saying anything, Valentin looked at her intently for a long time and showed a smile. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you would feel bad.¡± Ashley was puzzled and then red at him. ¡°What do you mean!¡± Valentin¡¯s tone sounded like she was very thick-skinned. He raised his left hand. A bone protruded from his wrist, which looked s exy and had a tooth mark on it. ¡°When you bit me as a child, didn¡¯t you feel quite good?¡± Out of guilt, Ashley stopped ring at him. Valentin raised his eyebrows. ¡°Just stay in this master bedroom.¡± Ashley scratched her head. ¡°But this is your room.¡± Valentin chuckled casually. ¡°For the sake of our happy time in childhood, | can¡¯t treat you badly.¡± Ashley was speechless, not knowing why he mentioned those things in childhood. She looked around and said, ¡°There are many of your things in this room. Would you like me to pack them up and send them to your room. for your convenience?¡± ¡°No, I''ll get it myself when | need it.¡± ¡°Then you have toe frequently. Isn¡¯t it inconvenient?¡± ¡°Not at all,¡± Valentin¡¯s tone sounded meaningful. He didn¡¯t think it was inconvenient as it was a good excuse to go to her room in the future. Valentin looked down at her with deep eyes. ¡°The final of Show Your Dance is in a week?¡± Ashley nodded. ¡°Yes, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Valentin said, ¡°There is an auction tomorrow night. Do you want to go?¡± Ashley thought about it for a while. As there were still a few days away from the final and she hadn''t been to an auction for a long time, she wavered a little and nodded immediately. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Okay, I''ll take you there tomorrow.¡± Valentin took the documents, his voice deep and maic. ¡°Good night Ashley blinked in surprise. ¡°Good night.¡± Valentin walked out and closed the door behind him. Ashley stood there for a while and threw herself on the soft bed. When she first met Valentin after many years of separation, she felt a little strange, but after getting along with each other for a few days, she gradually regained the previous familiarity. The next night, Ashley and Valentin went to the auction together. Tom drove in front. Ashley and Valentin were sitting in the back seat. In less than half an hour, they arrived at the auction site. Ashley noticed there were staff at the door. If they wanted to enter the auction venue, they had to show the invitation for check. Ashley followed Valentin, waiting for him to show the invitation. However, several managers from the auction came to greet him in person and respectfully led him to the private room on the second floor. In the private room, the staff prepared drinks and snacks. Ashley took her seat. a The private room was in a good location from where they could see the hall on the first floor clearly. Valentin picked up the coffee pot and poured her a ss of coffee. He tested the temperature against the cup and said warmly, ¡°It''s a little hot.¡± Ashley nced at him. ¡°I¡¯m not a child.¡± He smiled, ¡°When you were four years old, you were burned while drinking water and cried so hard. Did you forget it?¡± Chapter 13 Ashley didn¡¯t know what to say for a while. Tom was standing aside, lowering his head and snickering. Ashley¡¯s ears blushed, and she red at Valentin, embarrassed. ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense. | didn¡¯t.¡± Valentin lowered his eyes and smiled softly, ¡°Alright, I¡¯m talking nonsense. You have never cried when being burned, okay?¡± Ashley couldn''t think of an excuse and could only deny it bluntly. After sitting for a while, she got up and went to the bathroom. Coming out of the bathroom, she took a look at the decoration of the auction venue. It was elegant and fancy, very pleasing to the eye. There were paintings hanging in the corridor, which were valuable at first sight. Ashley nced at them with interest and couldn''t help but be confused. There was actually a fake among these paintings. ¡°Couldn''t they tell it is fake?¡¯ She wondered. As it had nothing to do with her, she didn¡¯t tell others. Ashley was looking at the paintings on the wall when someone suddenly called her name from behind. ¡°Ashley? Is that you?¡± Jessica came over in surprise and covered her mouth in disbelief. ¡°Ashley, why are you here?¡±Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Ashley turned back indifferently and saw Jessica. Jessica looked at Ashley up and down, her eyes full of astonishment. Peopleing to attend this auction were either rich or powerful who could only enter with an invitation. The Ramos family spent a lot of effort to get three invitations. Jessical came over with joy and had never expected to meet Ashley here. ¡°Dad, Jeremy, look. Ashley is here too!¡± Jessica turned around and said. with fake joy. Behind Jessica were Jeremy and their father, Evan Ramos. Evan had a well-maintained figure, but he had a few grey hair and obvious wrinkles at the corners of his eyes. Evan was still chatting with Jeremy. When he saw Ashley, his face suddenly darkened, and he walked over. ¡°Ashley, how did you sneak into. this ce?¡± Evan''s words sounded very harsh. Ashley¡¯s tone was nonchnt. ¡°Where | am has nothing to do with you.¡± ¡°You...you bi tch! How dare you talk to me like this!¡± Evan¡¯s chest heaved. in anger, and he raised his hand to p Ashley. Ashley became solemn and raised her hand to block him. ¡°Mr. Ramos, you still want to hit me like before, you are wrong.¡± if As her biological father, Evan had a hot temper and even wanted to beat her without any reason. But when facing Jessica, he spoiled her and gave her everything she wanted. Evan was stunned for a moment when being blocked, and it irritated him more. ¡°How dare you! You even have the guts to dodge now!¡± Ashley used to regard Evan as her father and longed for a trace of fatherly love from him. Even though she was pped, she wouldn''t me him. But now, Ashley had woken up to reality. Such a man was not worthy of being her father. Evan stared at her, anger boiling in his eyes. ¡°I just went abroad for a few days. As soon as | came back, | heard from Jeremy that you ran away from home and disowned us. Why are you so childish?¡± Ashley let out a sarcastic sneer. ¡°Mr. Ramos, since you already know | have severed ties with the Ramos family, you have no right to hit me again.¡± Evan never expected his low-key daughter to be so sharp-tongued. Jeremy was adding fuel to the fire. ¡°Dad, you see? Ashley is really selfish. She doesn¡¯t care about us at all!¡± Jessica pretended to persuade. ¡°Jeremy, don¡¯t say that...¡± ¡°Enough. Jessica, there is no need to defend her.¡± Evan interrupted Jessica in a gentle voice as if he was afraid of scaring Jessica, while his eyes were full of disgust and sullenness when he turned to look at Ashley. 475 ¡°Ashley, you''d better get out of here! Once you''re discovered, it will be a disgrace to our family!¡± Ashley looked at him with a stern face ¡°Mr. Ramos, it would be easier for you to get out of my sight!¡± ¡°You...you bi tch!¡± Evan was so angry that he wanted to p Ashley again, but Tom walked over from not far away. Tom was Valentin¡¯s special assistant, so Evan naturally recognized Tom. The Ramos family tried hard to get close to the Kingsley family but had never had a chance. Seeing Tom, Evan immediately softened his expression and put on a ttering smile. ¡°Mr. Shaw, what a coincidence. How have you been?¡± However, facing Evan¡¯s ttery, Tom didn¡¯t even look at him. Evan''s ttering smile froze on his face, and he looked very embarrassed. ¡°Mr. Shaw,st time we....¡± Before Evan finished speaking, he was shocked by the scene in front of him. Tompletely ignored him and walked up to Ashley, bending down slightly with a respectful attitude. ¡°Ms. Ramos, I¡¯ming to take you back to the private room.¡± Chapter 14 Ashley nodded slightly. ¡°Good.¡± Then, she left with Tom. Evan froze on the spot as if being hit by a big blow. He tried to curry favor with Tom, while Tom came to pick Ashley up. His mind was filled with questions. ¡®Is Tom here for Ashley? Why is he so respectful to her? How could it be?¡± Thinking of Tom¡¯s indifference to him, Evan frowned in a sulk, ¡°Jeremy, what''s going on?¡± Jeremy was also puzzled. ¡°Last time Ashley ran away from home, it was Tom who came to pick her up. Could it be that...she has something to do with the Kingsley family?¡± Jessica had her heart in her mouth, both nervous and jealous. She thought, ¡®How could Ashley be close to the Kingsley family? Why would the Kingsley family be interested in her? It''s impossible. Even though Jessica was trying tofort herself, she couldn¡¯t deny Tom¡¯s respectful attitude towards Ashley. The seats of three invitations that the Ramos family had worked so hard to get were located in the hall on the first floor. Logically speaking, they were not qualified to go to the second floor. It was Jessica who wanted toe up for a visit, so Evan and Jeremy came up with her. The auction was about to start. The three of them couldn''t stay any longer, so they hurried back to the hall on the first floor. Ashley could be in the private room on the second floor, while Jessica could only be in the hall on the first floor, which caused jealousy and resentment to brew in Jessica''s heart again. Returning to the private room on the second floor, Ashley sat on the chair next to Valentin. There were many exquisite snacks and fruits 011 the table. 12 28 Ashley ate a few pieces of fruit, staring at the hall on the first floor, wondering if there would be anything amazing in the auction. Finally, the auction officially began. The auctioneer came on stage, made some opening remarks, and then started bidding on the first lot. Each guest in the audience was given a paddle. If they were interested in the auction, they could raise the paddle and bid. The highest bidder would get the lot. Once the auctioneer hammered three times, the deal would bepleted. The auctioneer presented enthusiastically, ¡°The first lot is this princess crown! Iid on it are 108 diamonds and 99 pearls, and it was once deeply loved by Yavelyn¡¯s queen!¡± As the auctioneer presented, the hostess disyed the crown around to the audience. When the atmosphere was liven up, the auctioneer began to call out the price. ¡°The starting price of this princess crown is 160 thousand dors. Anyone interested in it can start bidding!¡± ¡°170 thousand!¡± ¡°180 thousand!¡± ¡°190 thousand!¡± Many guests began to bid, and soon, the price reached 190 thousand dors. Jessica¡¯s eyes were sparkling upon she saw the princess crown. Jeremy noticed her expression and immediately raised the paddle. ¡°200 thousand!¡± Jessica was so surprised that tears welled up in her eyes. ¡°Jeremy...¡± Jeremy smiled and behaved like a good brother. ¡°You deserve this princess crown. You''re the only little princess of our family.¡± Evan also nodded. ¡°Jeremy is right. Jessica, let Jeremy buy it for you since you like it.¡± Jessica was so moved that her eyes turned red. ¡°Dad, Jeremy, thank you!¡± The auctioneer on the stage heard the bid and repeated it loudly, ¡°200 thousand! Mr. Jeremy Ramos bids 200 thousand! Any more bids?¡± On the second floor, when the lot was first brought onto the stage, Valentin looked at Ashley beside him. She looked indifferent and was obviously not interested in the pearl crown. Valentin didn¡¯t bid but turned to look at Tom. Tom understood and went to the first floor. The auctioneer raised his hammer and asked the bid again, ¡°Mr. Jeremy Ramos bids 200 thousand dors. Any more bids? If not, this princess. crown will belong to Mr. Jeremy Ramos! 200 thousand first, 200 thousand second...¡± At this moment, a clear male voice sounded in the hall. ¡°240 thousand!¡± The auctioneer immediately stopped hammering and looked in the direction of the bidding, feeling very excited. ¡°Mr. Tom Shaw bids 240 thousand!¡± Hearing Tom¡¯s name, Jeremy, Jessica, and Evan all turned their heads and looked over. ¡°Mr. Shaw? He also wants this pearl crown?¡¯ Jeremy wondered. He thought for a moment and didn¡¯t want to bid more since Tom wanted. it. The Ramos family had been working on getting close to Tom, and this pearl crown could be regarded as a gift. But Jessica liked this pearl crown very much... The auctioneer on the stage continued to ask, ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, the bid has now reached 240 thousand. Who still wants to bid for it? Any more bids?¡± ¡°260 thousand!¡± A middle-aged man in the audience raised the paddle and also took a fancy to the crown. Jeremy immediately looked in the direction of would bid again, but Tom was sitting there wit om, expecting that Tom an indifferent expression. 12-28 and no longer bid. ¡°What''s going on?¡¯ Jeremy wondered. Evan frowned slightly, ¡°Jeremy, bid for it again.¡± Jeremy nodded. He raised his paddle. 270 thousand!¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Tom raised the paddle again. ¡°280 thousand!¡± ¡°280 thousand! Mr. Shaw bids 280 thousand!¡± The auctioneer smiled wildly, ¡°It seems this princess crown is very popr. Is there anyone who wants to bid? If you miss this chance, there will be no next time!¡± ¡°300 thousand!¡±Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. In the corner, a middle-aged rich man raised the paddle and wanted to buy the crown for his mistress. Jeremy stared in the direction of Tom, waiting for him to bid, but Tom. was careless and seemed not determined to get the pearl crown. But as soon as Jeremy bid, Tom would follow up and outbid him. ¡°Dad, what should we do...¡± Jeremy frowned in confusion. Evan also noticed something was wrong. Tom was obviously targeting them and didn¡¯t want them to take away the pearl crown. Jeremy pondered for a moment and said, ¡°Did we offend Mr. Shaw?¡± Evan recalled carefully. He thought, ¡®It¡¯s even difficult for us to see Tom. How could we have a chance to offend him? Is it because of the fight we had with Ashley just now? Is Tom avenging Ashley? How could it be possible?¡± Jessica showed deep reluctance in her eyes but said generously, ¡°Dad, Jeremy, since Mr. Shaw has misunderstood us, we¡¯d better notpete with him for now. Maybe I¡¯m not lucky enough to deserve this pearl crown.¡± Seeing her being sensible, Evan was pleased and felt sorry for her. ¡°Good girl. Sorry for that! There will be other items in a while. If you like any of them, | will buy it for you!¡± Jessica nodded. ¡°Dad, I¡¯m okay with that.¡± Chapter is In fact, she was simmering with rage. She wanted that princess crown so badly, bu Tom was giving them a hard time. Jeremy put down the paddle and stopped bidding. As soon as he stopped, Tom also didn¡¯t bid anymore. In the end, the pearl crown was bought by a wealthy man for 360 thousand dors. On the second floor. Ashley was slightly startled by what happened. When she saw Tom bidding, she thought he liked this princess crown very much. Now, she finally realized Tom was giving Jeremy a hard time. Jessica failed to get what she wanted. Ashley was sure she must be furious right now. Ashley pondered and suddenly thought of something. She turned to look at Valentin and asked, ¡°Did you send Tom to the first floor?¡± Valentin looked at her, tapped the cup, and said calmly, ¡°No.¡± ¡°So, he went there by himself?¡± Ashley felt touched and didn¡¯t expect Tom to do so. Tom returned to the private room on the second floor and was excited after experiencing bidding at will. ¡°Ms. Ramos, Mr. Kingsley asked me to go down and bid. Did you see the frustrated expressions of Jessica and Jeremy?¡± 12:28 Chapter 15 Ashley swiftly turned toward Valentin, her clear eyes brimming with astonishment and surprise. She murmured, You just said it wasn¡¯t you who sent Tom down!¡± Valentin was speechless, not knowing what to say. He then nced emotionlessly at Tom. Tom¡¯s excitement hadn¡¯t fully subsided when he suddenly felt a chill down his spine. He wondered, ¡°Um, what¡¯s going on? Did | say something wrong?¡± Items at this kind of auction typically ranged from lesser to finer quality, with the prices of the items increasing toward the end. At the moment, an antique piano was being auctioned. It was preserved from the medieval era to the present, and its starting bid was a hefty one million dors. Jessica had her heart set on this piano. Having missed out on the princess crown earlier, she was determined to acquire this piano. Jeremy didn¡¯t want to see Jessica disappointed again, especially since she was the only sister he acknowledged. So, Jeremy was fully determined to acquire this piano, repeatedly raising his paddle, quickly raising the bid to two million dors. Witnessing this affectionate scene between the brother and sister, Ashley¡¯s eyes shifted slightly, pondering. She then turned to Valentin and asked, ¡°Can | bid too?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± he replied, his eyebrows slightly raised. ¡°Do you like this piano?¡± ¡°| don¡¯t.¡± Ashley shook her head, and raised her paddle following the previous bidder. ¡°Two million four hundred thousand dors.¡± Hearing this bid, the auctioneer immediately looked toward the second floor and excitedly repeated. ¡°Ms. Ramos bids two million four hundred thousand dors!¡± 175 12.8 Hearing the name ¡°Ms. Ramos,¡± the Ramos family members frowned. deeply. Especially Jeremy, who suddenly looked icy. ¡°That troublemaker, does she have no self-awareness? How dare she bid? She must be trying to s natch Jessica¡¯s thing again!¡± Jeremy was infuriated. He then raised his paddle and shouted, ¡°Two million six hundred thousand dors! ¡°Two million six hundred thousand dors! Bid number 20, Mr. Jeremy Ramos, bids two million six hundred thousand dors! Any more bids? Don¡¯t miss out on this chance if you love pianos!¡± The auctioneer announced loudly. ¡°Three million six hundred thousand dors.¡± Ashley bid calmly once again. This bid caused a collective gasp from the audience. One amongst the crowd thought, ¡®She actually added one million dors. Ms. Ramos is no ordinary bidder. Hesitating for a moment, Jeremy gritted his teeth and raised his paddle. ¡°Three million eight hundred thousand dors!¡± Ashley followed calmly. ¡°Four million eight hundred thousand dors.¡± Jeremy thought irritably, ¡®What the hell? Another one million dors. The auctioneer, flushed with excitement, announced, ¡°Four million eight hundred thousand dors! Ms. Ramos bids four million eight hundred thousand dors! Bid number 20, Mr. Jeremy Ramos, will you continue to bid?¡± Jeremy hesitated again. He had thought over two million dors would. be enough to secure the piano, but the price now had soared to over four million, far exceeding his expectations. Evan, seething with anger, nced toward the second floor and said, ¡°That troublemaker, she just wants to s natch Jessica¡¯s thing!¡± Jessica bit her lip, tears welling up in her eyes. ¡°Dad, if Ashley wants it, let her have it. | don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°My dear daughter, don¡¯t talk like that, Evan said, his heart aching with sympathy as he gently patted her hand. ¡°You liked the princess crown so much, and yet you didn¡¯t get it. How can | let you be disappointed again?¡± Having said this, Evan turned to Jeremy and instructed, Jeremy, keep bidding.¡± Jeremy nodded and raised his paddle again. ¡°Five million dors¡± With the price reaching this point, the other guests in the hall stopped bidding. After all, not everyone could afford spending five million dors on a piano. Ashley smiled faintly, ¡°Five million six hundred thousand dors.¡± The auctioneer immediately looked in Jeremy¡¯s direction, asking, ¡°Mr. Jeremy-Ramos, Ms. Ashley Ramos bids five million six hundred thousand dors. Will you bid again?¡± Jeremy felt the pinch, thinking, To be honest, spending over five million dors on a piano really isn¡¯t worth it. But losing face in front of Ashley. especially when the piano is something Jessica wants, would be even more embarrassing! Seeing Jeremy''s hesitation, Jessica wiped the tears from the corner of her eyes and choked up. ¡°Jeremy, stop bidding. | don¡¯t want the piano. anymore. Let Ashley have it.¡± Initially reluctant to bid, Jeremy softened at the sight of Jessica¡¯s tears and raised his paddle again. ¡°Six million dors!¡± Asly satisfaction then flickered in Jessica¡¯s expression upon seeing this. She thought, ¡®This tactic is something I¡¯m well-versed in. By appearing considerate and retreating strategically, the Ramos family will naturally fulfill all my wishes.¡¯ After Jeremy ced his bid, he listened attentively. The other guests in the hall also held their breath, waiting to see if Ms. Ramos on the second floor would continue to bid. One of them then pondered, ¡®Spending six million dors on a piano really isn¡¯t worth it.¡± Observing Jeremy¡¯s rigid back, Ashley thought he must be sweating now. She pondered, ¡®Knowing Jeremy as | do, this price is probably his upper 12.23 limit. If | bid again, he most likely won''t follow.¡± Ashley¡¯s eyes squinted slightly, and a faint smile yed on her lips. She leisurely put down her paddle, not bidding any further. Seeing this, the auctioneer raised his gavel and announced loudly. ¡°Bid number 20, Mr. Jeremy Ramos bids six million dors! Any more bids? Six million dors going once! Six million dors going twice! Six million dors...final call, and sold!¡± After saying this, the auctioneer brought down the gavel with a bang. It signified the auction¡¯s conclusion. The auctioneer couldn¡¯t have been more thrilled. ¡°Congrattions to Mr. Jeremy Ramos for winning the antique piano at the price of six million dors!¡± Jeremy immediately breathed a sigh of relief and wiped the sweat from his forehead. He pondered, ¡®If Ashley had bid again, | definitely couldn¡¯t have followed. It¡¯s good that she knew when to stop. Evan also breathed a sigh of relief. Meanwhile, the surrounding guests began to whisper. ¡°In my opinion, spending six million dors on a piano really is a foolish move!¡± Onemented. Another agreed, ¡°Indeed, that piano is worth at most two million dors.¡± ¡°Jeremy is just a wealthy fool after all! Someone remarked sarcastically. Another chuckled, ¡°Hahaha, only a fool like him would spend six million dors on a piano!¡± Yet another added amusingly, ¡°Hey, look at the auctioneer, he¡¯s almost.ughing his head off!¡± Hearing these mocking remarks, Jeremy¡¯s expression shifted instantly. He slowly realized the situation and pondered, ¡®Ashley wasn¡¯t actually interested in the piano Jessica wanted but was deliberately driving up the price! She intentionally made me pay six million dors for a piano to make me look like a fool!¡±This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Evan also came to his senses at this moment, so angry, he stood up abruptly. Seeing that everyone around was watching him, he reluctantly sat back down. In such auctions, sales are final, with no chance of regret. Thebel of being the fool was now stuck on them. Meanwhile, Tom watched Ashley¡¯s maneuver in the private room on the second floor and was thoroughly impressed. He thought, ¡®Without any effort, she made the Ramos family unnecessarily spend so much. And they can¡¯t even express their frustration, just carrying thebel of a fool. This move was brilliant!¡¯ Ashley pondered, ¡®Actually, | know that Jeremy and Evan wouldn''t have been so easily provoked under normal circumstances. But when tes to Jessica, they always get overly anxious. They are intent on giving Jessica the best while disregarding me, the biological daughter, as if | were insignificant. Seeing mepete in the bidding, Jeremy immediately defends and favors Jessica without a second thought, while |, his biological sister, receive nothing but endless reprimands and suspicion.¡¯ Ashley was aware of the reasons but no longer felt as upset as befor had seen through the true faces of the Ramos family. Moreover, there were still many opportunities for her to embarrass t in the future! Chapter 16 Halfway through the auction, a hostess cautiously took the stage to present andscape oil painting. The auctioneer announced loudly, ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, this piece, Whispers of Frost, is the final masterpiece of the renowned modern artist, Mr. Simon Hunt. It is also the pinnacle of Mr. Hunt¡¯s artistic skills! This is a must-have for lovers ofndscape oil paintings!¡± Ashley immediately perked up upon hearing this. She pondered, ¡®Grandpa was a top-tierndscape oil painter. Many people were willing to spend a fortune on his paintings but were turned away. | essentially grew up surrounded byndscape oil paintings. And Mr. Hunt was one of Grandpa¡¯s good friends. Ashley looked over with great interest, but after just one nce, her brow furrowed slightly... Valentin noticed her expression and couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°What''s wrong?¡± Ashley sighed softly, ¡°This painting is a fake.¡± Valentin thought in shock, ¡®What? It was a fake painting?¡± eyes Tom, who was nearby, also widened his in disbelief. ¡°Ms. Ramos how can this be a fake painting?¡± He pondered, ¡®Not to mention that the venue of this auction is extremel reputable and one of thergest in the country. Considering the items being auctioned, professionals thoroughly authenticate each one before being put up for auction. The likelihood of it being a fake is incredibly slim. Ashley blinked, her eyes clear and resolute, and she stated, ¡°This ¡°Whispers of Frost¡¯ is indeed a fake one.¡± Tom couldn''t help but ask, ¡°Ms. Ramos, are you knowledgeable in art. appraisal?¡± Ashley replied casually, ¡°Fairly so.¡± Tom scratched his head in confusion, turned to Valentin, and waited for his instructions. Valentin, with deep eyes, nced at Ashley and immediately believed. her. He gestured for Tom with a wave to handle the situation. Still filled with doubts and surprise, Tom left the private room as instructed. Tom then went to the auction¡¯s backstage, found Noah Palmer, the auction manager, and informed him about the suspected fake painting. The Kingsley Group held shares in this auction house. Therefore, when Valentin arrived, several of the auction¡¯s managers greeted him with utmost respect, essentially weing their own boss. Upon hearing Tom¡¯s exnation, Noah couldn''t help butugh. ¡°Mr. Shaw, you must be joking. How can it be a fake painting? Our items are professionally authenticated ande with certificates. We wouldn¡¯t dare to auction anything without such certificate.¡± Tom was at a loss for words and insisted, ¡°I¡¯m not joking with you. Someone just said that the painting on stage right now is fake.¡± Seeing Tom¡¯s serious face, Noah¡¯s smile faded, and his brow furrowed. ¡°Tom, who told you this painting is fake?¡± Tom pointed toward the private room on the second floor. ¡°There, Ms. Ramos, who was bidding against Jeremy just now.¡± Noah thought, ¡®I know this Ashley. She came to the auction with Mr. Kingsley. He seems to take great care of her, and they appear to have a close rtionship. But... Noah was skeptical. ¡°Can a young girl like Ashley really discern the authenticity of this painting? She¡¯s not just pulling my leg, is she?¡± Tom pondered, ¡®Honestly, | don¡¯t understand it either, but Mr. Kingsley has absolute trust in whatever Ashley says. He indulges her to the extreme.¡¯ As the auctioneer on stage finished the detailed presentation and was about to start the bidding, Tom clicked his tongue and urged, ¡°Noah, not matter whether it¡¯s real or fake, you need to have the painting removed. immediately. What will happen to our auction house''s reputation if it turns out to be a counterfeit after being sold?¡± Noah nced toward the private room and was still hesitant. He pondered, ¡®Can | really take the word of this young girl who knows nothing? Is she just intentionally causing trouble because of Mr. Kingsley¡¯s indulgence? This painting could fetch at least six million dors today. Removing it now would mean a significant loss. Seeing Noah''s inaction, Tom urged him anxiously, ¡°Hurry up, Noah. This is Mr. Kingsley¡¯s order!¡± Hearing Valentin¡¯s name, Noah didn¡¯t dare dy any longer, though his tone was still reluctant. ¡°If it¡¯s Mr. Kingsley¡¯s order, then I''ll have someone notify the auctioneer to remove the painting and call in a few more appraisers for a re-appraisal.¡± Noah thought, ¡®Hmph, | want to see for myself whether this painting is a fake or not. If it turns out not to be, I''ll have a word with this Ms. Ramos. Tom then returned to the private room on the second floor. ¡°Mr. Kingsley, the matter has been taken care of,¡± Tom reported, ncing at the situation in the hall. ¡°The painting has been removed and reced with a new item.¡± Ashley turned to look at Valentin and smiled, ¡°You really trust me that much?¡± Valentin slowly poured her another cup of coffee. ¡°Of course | do.¡± Upon hearing his affirmative response Ashley rolled her eyes yfully and looked at him mischievously. ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid | was just making things up?¡± Upon hearing her words, Valentin nced at her, leaning backzily in his chair, his pale and slender fingers tapping lightly on the table. ¡°Even if it was made up, so be it.¡± Ashley was momentarily stunned, and her eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°If | was making it up, withdrawing that painting from the auction could have. caused a significant financial loss.¡± Valentin¡¯s brows lifted imperceptibly, and he appeared seemingly unconcerned. ¡°So what?¡± Meeting his intense, deep gaze, Ashley felt an inexplicable flutter in her heart and ufortably shifted her gaze away. Tom was shocked when he saw this scene. He thought, ¡®Is Mr. Kingsley really just indulging Ms. Ramos¡¯ whims to Clupter ItiThis content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. this extent? It feels like he¡¯s bing more and more muddle-headed.¡± About 20 minutester, while Ashley was observing the auction. downstairs, Noah, apanied by several professional art appraisers, respectfully knocked on the private room¡¯s door. Tom nced outside and reported to Valentin in a low voice. ¡°Mr. Kingsley, Mr. Palmer is here.¡± Valentin¡¯s voice was deep as he replied, ¡°Let him in.¡± Upon receiving permission, Noah entered with a bright smile, followed by the appraisers. ¡°Mr. Kingsley and Ms. Ramos, sorry to disturb you both.¡± Having a rough idea of the reason for their visit, Tom was filled with curiosity. ¡°Have you determined whether the painting is real or fake?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Noah''s eyes sparkled as he looked at Ashley, who was seated gracefully. ¡°Ms. Ramos is truly incredible. We had eight appraisers thoroughly examine the painting, and they concluded that it is indeed at fake!¡± Valentin was not surprised by this oue at all. Tom, however, was astounded, and his mouth agape. Noah was somewhat embarrassed. ¡°We had it authenticated before but never identified it as a fake. Today, with eight appraisers, only these two were able to identify it as a fake after a detailed examination. This painting... It¡¯s incredibly deceptive.¡± Tom, hearing this, was even more astonished. He thought, ¡®Only two out of eight appraisers could tell it was fake after nearly 20 minutes of detailed examination. And yet, Ms. Ramos knew it. was fake at just a nce. This is... Tom couldn''t help but look toward Ashley and pondered, ¡®My goodness, Ms. Ramos is too impressive! No wonder Mr. Kingsley trusts her so much!¡¯ HOW Noah, who had initially thought Ashley was just a young girl with no real abilities and felt Valentin was just indulging her whims, completely changed his attitude, thoroughly impressed. He pondered, ¡®After all, if this fake painting had been sold andter discovered to be a counterfeit, it would have ruined the auction house¡¯s reputation. Noah said, ¡°Ms. Ramos, we are truly grateful to you!¡± Chapter 17 Noah repeatedly expressed his gratitude, saying, ¡°Ms. Ramos, you''ve been a great help to our auction house this time. We are very grateful!¡± Ashley responded with a gracious smile, appearing humble and unpretentious, ¡°You¡¯re wee. It was just a small effort on my part.¡± Noah had a growing fondness for her modest attitude. Initially, his respect for Ashley stemmed from Valentin, but now, Noah genuinely admired her. The leading art appraiser among the group stepped forward and asked, ¡°Ms. Ramos, could you please share how you identified that this painting, Whispers of Frost, is a counterfeit?¡± The suspected fake painting was brought over, and the appraiser unrolled it before Ashley for her insights.. Ashley first nced at Valentin. She instinctively looked at Valentin since she was most familiar with him. out of everybody else here. He raised his eyebrows slightly and casually said, ¡°If you want to exin, go ahead.¡± Tom, beside them, was at a loss for words. He pondered, ¡®How should | say this? I¡¯ve never seen Mr. Kingsley so amodating towards anyone! Ashley didn¡¯t hold back. Standing up, she walked to the scroll and pointed her delicate finger to the mountain lines in the upper right corner. ¡°Here, the lines are discontinuous, and the flow of the strokes slightly differs from Mr. Hunt¡¯s usual style.¡± The art appraisers immediately examined the area closely, and it took them quite some time to see what she meant. ¡°| see it now! Right here, the trajectory of this line is off!¡± ¡°My goodness, this detail was so well hidden.¡± ¡°| have to say, the forger is an expert. He imitated Mr. Hunt¡¯s brushwork to near perfection, almost undetectable to the untrained eye.¡± 115 12:29 ¡°Exactly. Bob and | had examined this painting repeatedly even notice this.¡± and didn¡¯t ¡°Ms. Ramos, you are truly remarkable and much superior to us old fellows, hahaha!¡± Ashley politely smiled and pointed to the signature in the lower right corner. ¡°The cement of the signature is also incorrect. Mr. Hunt. usually signs in less conspicuous ces. This is too obvious.¡± The appraisers followed Ashley¡¯s indication and nodded in agreement. ¡°That¡¯s right. Of the eight of us, only Leo and Sam noticed this problem, barely identifying the painting as a counterfeit.¡± ¡°Ms. Ramos, if you don¡¯t mind me asking, do you often appraisendscape oil paintings?¡± ¡°Ms. Ramos, | have a grandson about your age who also studiesndscape oil paintings. Could | give you his phone number? Could you spare some time to give him some guidance?¡± The art appraisers, enthused by Ashley¡¯s exnation, eagerly surrounded her as if they had a multitude of questions to ask. Seeing Ashley surrounded by them, especially after hearing the mention of a ¡°grandson about her age,¡± Valentin¡¯s expression immediately turned. grim. Tom, witnessing this scene, was nearly speechless. He thought in annoyance, ¡®What¡¯s going on here? Giving phone numbers? Is this turning into matchmaking? Ms. Ramos is already taken. She¡¯s Mr. Kingsley¡¯s secret wife, for goodness¡¯ sake!¡¯ Watching Valentin¡¯s expression grow increasingly grim, Tom quickly stepped forward to ease the tension, saying, ¡°Alright, alright, everyone, now that we know this painting is a fake, let¡¯s not bother Ms. Ramos anymore!¡± The art appraisers, getting halted in their tracks, reluctantly fell silent. Ashley then finally got a breathing spell and returned to her seat. Noah, being a shrewd businessman, quickly thought of an opportunity. He smiled warmly at Valentin and Ashley, ¡°Mr. Kingsley, would you consider giving us the honor of appointing Ms. Ramos as an honorary consultant for our auction house?¡± Upon hearing this, Valentin looked at Ashley and asked her, out of respect for her decision, ¡°Would you like that?¡± Ashley was somewhat confused, and she asked, ¡°Honorary consultant? What is that?¡± Noah exined with a smile, ¡°We would like to appoint you, Ms. Ramos, as a senior art appraiser for our auction house. Don¡¯t worry, we won''t bother you regrly. Only when we receive paintings that our own appraisers cannot authenticate will we ask for your help. Of course, we would offer you generouspensation.¡± Understanding the proposition, Ashley thought to herself, ¡®So that¡¯s what it is. It doesn¡¯t sound too troublesome, just asionally helping them authenticate paintings. It won''t take much effort. Thinking of this, Ashley nodded in agreement. ¡°I ept your offer, but | prefer not to use my real name.¡± Hearing her agreement, Noah was ecstatic, even more thrilled than if he had won a million-dor lottery. He immediately assured her, ¡°Of course! We''ll amodate all of your preferences, Ms. Ramos! A pseudonym is fine if you don¡¯t want to use your real name!¡± ¡°Pseudonym...¡± Ashley couldn¡¯t think of a good name on the spot and randomly chose one. ¡°Then let''s go with Rita Grant.¡± ¡°Great, | will draft an employment contractter. It¡¯s a great honor to have you as our senior appraiser!¡± Noah, unable to hide his joy, showered her with praise. Then, turning to Valentin and Ashley, he said, ¡°Please continue enjoying the auction. Wel won¡¯t disturb you further.¡± After a moment''s thought, Ashley decided to help them fully and said. with a clear and melodious voice, ¡°The ¡®Mountain Stream¡¯ painting in the corridor is also a fake.¡± Noah waspletely stunned as the words sank in. He wondered, A...another fake painting?¡±This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. But Noah had no doubt or contempt toward Ashley this time, only gratitude. ¡°Thank you for pointing that out, Ms. Ramos. it immediately!¡± WIl remove After thanking Ashley several more times, Noah finally left the private Chapter 17. room. And with that, the room once again returned to its peaceful state. Ashley exhaled deeply, picked up her coffee cup, and took a sip. When she put put the cup down, she noticed Valentin silently watching her. Ashley blinked. ¡°Why are you staring at me? Is there any money on my face?¡± Valentin remained silent. Valentin shifted his gaze away and casually said, ¡°Someone earlier wanted to introduce his grandson to you.¡± Ashley dismissed it nonchntly with a wave of her hand. ¡°He didn¡¯t mean that literally.¡± Valentin¡¯s deep eyes flicked toward her, and then he fell silent again. Tom, who was beside them, shook his head helplessly. He thought, ¡®Oh, Ms. Ramos, can¡¯t you see? Mr. Kingsley is jealous. As the auction approached its end, Ashley, resting her chin in her hand,zily observed the scene in the hall below. She then noticed that Frankie had arrived at some point. The auctioneer, though his voice was growing h oa rse from shouting, still full of enthusiasm. ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, herees thest item in our auction today! It s a sapphire ne, a unique creation by the world- renowned designer Violet Knight, who spent three years on this unique sapphire ne. It¡¯s the only one of its kind in the world!¡± The hostess then showcased the sapphire ne to the audience below. The auctioneer introduced it loudly, ¡°This ne has a beautiful name, Bluelove, a masterwork of dedication by Violet Knight! ¡°Especially, the sapphire on this ne is uniquely pure and the only one in the world! A must-have for enthusiasts! ¡°Now, let''s start the bidding for this ¡®Bluelove¡¯ ne with an opening bid of four million dors!¡± Ashley¡¯s eyes lit up upon hearing the name Violet. She showed a great interest in the ¡®Bluelove¡¯ ne. Valentin noticed the change in her expression and raised an eyebrow. He wondered, ¡®Is Ashley interested in this ne?¡± Down in the hall, Jessica was fixated on the ne on stage, eximing in admiration, ¡°So beautiful...¡± She pondered, ¡®It¡¯s indeed a masterpiece by the top designer Violet. Jessica had once learned that Ashley admired the designer Violet and her creations. ¡®If | can win this piece that Ashley liked and unt it in front of her, her reaction would surely be priceless, Jessica thought c unningly. Just thinking about it made Jessica eager to see Ashley''s defeated expression. Sitting beside her, Frankie smiled faintly when he heard Jessica¡¯s exmation and offered, ¡°Since you like it, Jessica, | will bid on it and give it to you as a gift.¡± Chapter 18 Jessica pretended to be considerate and shook her head. ¡°There¡¯s no need, Frankie. Jeremy already spent six million dors on the piano just now. | don¡¯t want you all to spend any more on me.¡± Frankie frowned, ¡°Six million dors? What happened?¡± Jeremy promptly recounted the trick of Ashley driving up the price, still seething with anger as he recalled it. After hearing the story, Frankie¡¯s gaze turned icy as he looked toward the private room on the second floor. He thought, ¡®How dare Ashley to bully Jessica like that? She is really too audacious. Even though Jessica once falsely used her and wronged her, Jessica is still young, just a child. Does Ashley really need to hold. onto that grudge and bully Jessica like this? Can¡¯t Ashley be a bit more forgiving?¡± Seeing Jessica¡¯s restrained and aggrieved demeanor, Frankie sympathetically ruffled her hair, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t be sad, Jessica. The piano was a gift from Jeremy. I¡¯ll secure for this ne and give it to you as a gift.¡± Tears shimmered in Jessica¡¯s eyes as she slyly added fuel to the fire by saying, ¡°Frankie, | heard Ashley also likes nes designed by Violet. Why don¡¯t you bid for it and give it to Ashley instead? That way, we can coax her back to the Ramos Vi and stop her from running away from home. | really want Ashley toe back.¡± At these words, Frankie, Jeremy, and Evan were deeply moved. One of them thought, ¡®Even in such a situation, Jessica still thinks of Ashley. How kind and sensible Jessica is. In contrast, how does she behave as an older sister? In what way can Ashleypare to Jessica?¡± Admiring his daughter¡¯s sensible demeanor, Evan mused, ¡®So what if Jessica isn¡¯t my biological daughter? Where else can | find such an understanding and caring girl?¡± As the head of the family, Evan spoke up. ¡°Alright, Jessica, even if we give the ne to Ashley, she won''t appreciate it. Besides, is she even worthy of it? She''ll only degrade its value! ¡°Frankie is managing the Ramos family¡¯s business now. It¡¯s nothing for him to bid for a ne and give it to you. My dear daughter, just ept it, okay?¡±***** Once Evan spoke, Jessica no longer resisted and pretended to ept reluctantly. ¡°Well...if you say so, Dad, Ill ept it.¡± While Jessica appearedpliant, she was secretly pleased with herself. She not only managed to get Frankie to bid the ne for her, but also further tarnished Ashley¡¯s image in the eyes of the Ramos family. Jessica was killing two birds with one stone. As the auctioneer announced the starting bid for the ¡®Bluelove¡¯ ne, many guests in the audience began to bid. ¡°Four million six hundred thousand dors!¡±Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°Five million dors!¡± ¡°Six million dors!¡± ¡°Seven million two hundred thousand dors!¡± The bidders included both men and women. Thedies wanted it for themselves, while the men thought of giving it to their loved ones or family members. After all, the sapphire ne was truly stunning. Many women in the crowd were captivated by its beauty. The auctioneer tirelessly fueled the excitement, ¡°Alright, eight million dors! The current bid is eight million dors by Mr. Hall, number 40! Any more bids?¡± ¡°Eight million four hundred thousand dors!¡± ¡°Nine million dors!¡± ¡°10 million dors!¡± ¡°10.2 million dors!¡± Once the bids surpassed 10 million dors, the increments became much smaller. Initially, the bids were increasing by several hundred thousand dors, but now they were mostly going up by 200 thousand dors at a time. Glopter In The number of bidders was plentiful at the beginning, their voices ovepping, but only a few remained by now. After all, not every guest had the financial capability to continue. The auctioneer looked toward the row at the back left. ¡°Now we have Mr.. Smith at number 13 bidding 10.4 million dors! Any more bids, please raise your paddles!¡± Frankie raised his paddle. ¡°11 million dors!¡± He increased the bid by 600 thousand dors in one go. Observing this, Ashley raised her eyebrows and pondered, ¡®It seems Frankie is intent on winning this for Jessica. Judging by his demeanor, he is determined to get it.¡± man As Ashley expected, right after Frankie¡¯s bid, another wealthy on the other side of the hall followed suit. ¡°11.2 million dors!¡± Frankie nced over indifferently and raised the bid. ¡°11.6 million. dors!¡± The wealthy man became morepetitive. ¡°12 million dors!¡± Frankie raised his paddle again. ¡°12.6 million dors!¡± Without the auctioneer¡¯s prompting, the two engaged in a bidding war. As the price reached 12 million dors, the number of bidders dwindled even more, leaving only Frankie and the wealthy man inpetition.. The rest of the audience¡¯s attention was riveted on these two, curious to see who would give in first. The wealthy man gritted his teeth and shouted, ¡°13 million dors!¡± Not expecting him to be so persistent, Frankie showed a slight change in hisposed demeanor. ¡°1 3.2 million dors!¡± The increments of the bids were not asrge as before, indicating that Frankie was nearing his budget limit. The wealthy man, stillpetitive, countered. ¡°1 3.6 million dors!¡± Frankie, no longer as calm as before but ncing at Jessica beside him, still raised his paddle. ¡°1 3.8 million dors!¡± The wealthy man hesitated for a long while before finally lowering his paddle. 1 3.6 million dors was already his limit. He couldt bid any higher. Seeing the wealthy man give up, Frankie inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. He thought, ¡®If the bidding had continued, I¡¯m not sure how much longer | could have held on.¡¯ Realizing the oue, the other guests began murmuring in hushed voices, ¡°It seems Frankie really does have deep pockets!¡± ¡°Hmm? But I¡¯ve never heard about Frankie having a wife. Who is he buying the ne for?¡± ¡°It must be for his sister.¡± ¡°His sister?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the Ramos family heiress, Jessica! Thedy sitting next to Jeremy and Evan!¡± ¡°Speaking of which, | remember that Ashley, the one who drove up the price earlier, is also a Ramos family heiress, the long-lost daughter they finally found, right?¡± ¡°You might not know, although Ashley is the biological daughter, she¡¯s not as favored as Jessica. How can shepare with Jessica?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not right. I¡¯ve seen Ashley before. Whether it¡¯s in looks or demeanor, Ashley is much better than Jessica!¡± ¡°It''s true that people will only spend money on those they love! The Ramos family doesn¡¯t spend a penny on Ashley, clearly showing disdain for their true heiress.¡± ¡°So, it''s Jessica who''s really lucky, doted on by her parents and brothers. Who knows, maybe she''ll even inherit all of the Ramos family¡¯s wealth someday.¡± These conversations were in hushed tones, but Jessica asionally caught two snippets. Hearing people envy her fortune, her vanity was greatly satisfied. She mused, This is the life | deserve, basked in everyone¡¯s admiration. Ashley should be beneath me, not even worthy to be my s ervant! This ne is as good as mine. | can¡¯t wait to unt it in front of Ashley!¡± The auctioneer on the stage raised his gavel and excitedly asked, ¡°This ¡®Bluelove¡¯ sapphire ne, bid by Mr. Frankie Ramos at 1 3.8 million dors! Any more bids? ¡°Since there are no more bids, 1 3.8 million dors going once! 1 3.8 million dors going twicel 1 3.8 million dors...¡± Just at that moment, a deep, ma ic voice rang out from the di rection of the second-floor private room. ¡°20 million dors!¡± Chapter 19 Among the crowd, someone thought in shock, ¡¯20 million dors? Wow! This bidding voice was like a thunderp out of the blue, rendering everyone in the hall speechless. The scene fell into utter silence! Even the auctioneer on stage was so surprised that he almost bit his tongue. His voice trembled and suddenly rose in volume as he said, ¡°Ladies and gentlemen! The gentleman in the private room on the second floor has bid 20 million dors! Yes, that gentleman directly offered a price of 20 million dors!¡± The auctioneer knew that the gentleman in the private room was a major shareholder of their auction house and the president of the Kingsley Group. However, Valentin always kept a low profile at auctions and never revealed his identity. Thus, the auctioneer, being tactful and following usual practice, did not disclose Valentin¡¯s identity to the audience, simply referring to him as the gentleman from the private room on the second floor. Following the auctioneer¡¯s excited and high-pitched announcement, the guests below seemed to wake from a dream, finally recovering from the shock. ¡°My...my goodness! Did | hear that right? Did someone just bid 20 million dors?¡± ¡°Inparison, the previous bids seem like child¡¯s y. Frankie was struggling to raise by 200 thousand dors, and now this gentleman from the second floor casually throws in 20 million dors,pletely overpowering!¡± ¡°Tsk, to offer a bid of a bid of 20 million dors so easily at an auction as if it¡¯s just a game, that¡¯s not something ordinary people can do...¡± Some people in the hall couldn¡¯t help but stand up and crane their necks to look toward the second-floor private room. But from their angle below, they couldn¡¯t see anything, let alone identify who made the bid. On the second floor, Ashley, sitting next to Valentin, heard his casual ¡°20 million dors¡± float past her ear. Startled, she jerked her hand, spilling coffee from her cup. Chapter U Ashley turited stiffly toward him, her clear eyes brimming with disbelief as she asked, ¡®I didn¡¯t expect a grown man like you actupay like nes?? She pondered, | really didn¡¯t ser thating! Valentin was puzzled after hearing her. Valentin then pinched the bridge of his nose helplessly. He pulled out a tissue to wipe the coffee spilled on the table in front of Ashley and casually said, ¡°I just noticed that you seemed very interested in this ne, Ashley.¡± Ashley was stunned again. She thought, ¡®He couldn''t be...nning to buy it for me, could he?¡¯ The auctioneer remained visibly excited. After all, a bid as high as 20 million dors was quite rare. He looked eagerly in Frankie''s direction and announced. ¡°The gentleman from the second-floor private room has just bid 20 million dors! Any more bids? Anyone else?¡± Frankie¡¯s expression turned grim. He pondered, ¡®I did indeed want to buy this ne for Jessica, but 1 3.8 million dors was already my upper limit. And this gentleman from the second-floor private room, starting with 20 million dors, added over six million dors on top of my bid. He did it so effortlessly. It¡¯s clear that 20 million dors is nothing to him. How can |pete with the gentleman with such immense wealth and power?¡± Jessica had thought this ne was already in the bag for her, but an unexpected twist threw a wrench in her ns. It was like having a sure. thing slip through her fingers. Jessica couldn''t help but feel a sense of anxiety as she turned to Frankie and said, ¡°Frankie...¡± Frankie, unable to bear seeing his sister upset but also feeling helpless, suggested. ¡°Jessica, I''ll get you another ne. Let¡¯s not go for this one, okay?¡± Jessica was far from happy inside. She had already nned to unt the ne in front of Ashley and relish Ashley''s defeated expression. Now, with things taking this turn, how could she be content? Jeremy, known for his hot temper, became furious at Jessica¡¯s disappointment. ¡°Da mn it! Who is this person who suddenly showed up anyway?¡± Evan suddenly thought of something, his expression turning grave, saying, ¡°The second-floor private room? Ashley, that wretched thing was also in the second-floor private room. Upon hearing this, Jeremy dismissively retorted, ¡°Dad, there are two private rooms on the second floor. It¡¯s already a stroke of luck that wretch Ashley managed to be up there. How could she possibly know the gentleman who just bid? They definitely aren¡¯t in the same room!¡± Evan thought it over and agreed inwardly, ¡°That''s right, what great luck could Ashley have to know such a prominent figure?¡± With the situation as it was, Jessica had no choice but to give up on the ne reluctantly. She pondered, ¡®But on second thought, not knowing who won the ne and that it didn¡¯t fall into Ashley¡¯s hands is still somewhat satisfying.¡¯ The auctioneer looked toward Frankie''s direction and asked again if there would be any further bids. However, it was evident that Frankie, who had been determined to win the ne just minutes ago, was now utterly overpowered and unable to make another bid. None of the other guests had the capacity to ce higher bids either. The auctioneer raised his gavel high, ready to strike, saying, ¡°Since there are no more bids, 20 million dors going once! 20 million dors going twice! 20 million dors...final call, and sold!¡± The gavel knocked on the table, finalizing the auction.. The auctioneer, smiling, looked toward the second floor and quickly announced. ¡°Congrattions to the gentleman in the second-floor private room for winning this ¡®Bluelove¡¯ ne! Congrattions!¡± The audience below craned their necks to look toward the staircase. Since the ne had been auctioned off, it was certain that someone woulde down to im it. Everyone was quite curious about which big shot had bid 20 million dors. As everyone eagerly waited, they were surprised to see Noah from the auction house walking up to the stage. ¡°Please ce the ne in a gift box¡± Noah instructed a staff member while cautioning, ¡°Handle with care. He then lowered his voice, not wanting to be overhead by the crowd. ¡°I''ll deliver it personally. This ne must have beer, bought for Ashley. | just so happened to need to see her about something. He had already prepared the contract to appoint Ashley as a senior appraiser and nned to take it to her for signing. Hearing Noah¡¯s words, the auctioneer was initially surprised, then quickly understood, pondering, ¡®Mr. Kingsley has never brought ady companion to the auction before. Seeing him today with Ms. Ramos, their rtionship seems extraordinary, so it¡¯s not surprising Mr. Kingsley bought the ne for her After speaking, Noah carefully carried the gift box upstairs. He thought anxiously, This is a 20 million dors ne, 20 million dors!¡¯This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Unfortunately, some sharp-eared guests in the front row overheard Noah¡¯s words, and the news spread like wildfire. ¡°|... can¡¯t believe it. The ne is for Ashley? Am | hearing this right? The same Ashley who was driving up the price earlier?¡± ¡°Who else could it be? Ashley is also in the second-floor private room!¡± ¡°Hey, those in the front, what did you hear? We couldn¡¯t catch what Mr. Palmer said from back here.¡± ¡°Mr. Palmer said the ne is for Ashley!!¡± ¡°What? Ashley? Really??¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s true! Mr. Palmer said it himself, and we in the front row all heard it!!¡± The news quickly spread throughout the first-floor hall. Jessica was initially stunned, and then her brows furrowed tightly. She thought angrily, ¡®What? The ne is actually for Ashley? Someone had spent 20 million dors just to gift it to Ashley?!¡± Jessica¡¯s expression instantly turned grim. Not getting the ne she wanted and seeing it being given to Ashley Clojiter bec with avish bid felt even more painful to Jessica than if so neone had outright killed her! Chapter 20 The surrounding people kept whispering. Some of them even tantly looked at the ce where the Ramos family was ¡°Oh, s hit. The Ramos family wanted to buy this ne for Jessica. They bit the bullet and only dared to bid 14 million dors, but the man. on the second floor directly bid 20 million dors and auctioned the ne for Ashley.¡± ¡°Inparison, the Ramos family is overrated!¡± ¡°D amn it. | just said that Ashley is no match for the fake darling of the Ramos family in fate. Unexpectedly, a mysterious big shot splurged 20 million dors on that ne for Ashley. It¡¯s incredible...¡± ¡°If someone can spend 20 million dors on me, | willugh my head. off!¡± A woman stared in the direction of the private room on the second floor, and her face was full of longing. She envied Ashley. Jealousy surged up in Jessica¡¯s heart upon hearing these words. Jessica thought, ¡®Ashley... Ashley... That bi tch! Her family doesn¡¯t love her. How can she upstage me?! ¡°Ashley has beaten me in every way since the dancepetition. ¡®And someone even spent 20 million dors to buy a ne for Ashley! Who is that person?¡± Jessica clenched her hands into fists with her nails digging into her flesh. Her face was unprecedentedly gloomy The expressions of Jeremy and Evan were not much better either. Frankie¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change much, but he frowned and looked displeased. Frankie thought, ¡®Real darling or fake darling? The crowd''s discussions are a humiliation to the Ramos family Could it be that... my family really owes Ashley?¡± In the private room on the second floor, Noah carefully put the gift box on the table and opened the lid. ¡°Mr. Kingsley, Ms. Ramos, this is the ne ¡®Bluelove.¡± Ashley looked at the ne in the gift box. She still couldn¡¯te to her senses. She thought, Valentin spent so much money and gave me this ne! Am | dreaming?¡± Noah took out the contract for appointing Ashley as a senior appraiser and asked her to sign it. After signing, Noah left proactively and waved to Tom beside him.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Tom also left the private room. Only Ashley and Valentin were left there. Ashley couldn''t wait to ask him with a puzzled look, ¡°Are you serious? Why did you suddenly give me a gift?¡± Valentin didn¡¯t answer but ask, ¡°Don¡¯t you like it?¡± Ashley was even more shocked. She did like Violet¡¯s designs, but... ¡°As | like it, and you simply bought and gave it to me?!¡± Valentin said lightly, ¡°Can¡¯t 1?¡± ¡°Of course, you can... But | just think... It was very strange. The rtionship between Valentin and Ashley was not good when they were children, and they were like enemies. Now that they had received a marriage license, their rtionship was less tense. But giving her a ne worth 20 million dors was too sudden. Ashley¡¯s long and curled eyshes trembled. She didn¡¯t know what to say for a while. Valentin looked at her and smiledzily. ¡°Just treat it as...a wedding gift | bought for you.¡± Ashley liked the name of this ne Ashley was surprised. She thought, ¡®A wedding gift? Should the husband give a wedding gift to his wife?¡¯ She just got married and had little experience. She had never cared about such things before. Ashley nced at the luxurious and beautiful sapphire ne, pressed her lips, and asked, ¡°Do | need to give you a gift in return?¡± Topic 20 She thought Valentin would decline humbly, but the next second, she heard his smiling voice. ¡°Of course.¡± Ashley paused for a moment. She wondered, ¡®Well. That is a bit difficult to give him a wedding gift. What should | prepare?¡¯ Valentin raised his hand and took out the ne from the gift box. He stood up and walked to Ashley, looking at her. ¡°Shall | put it on for you?¡± Ashley was thinking about what gift to give him. She nodded absently. Valentin walked up behind her and put the Bluelove on her neck. Ashley had a slender neck, and her skin was tender. This luxurious and bright ne didn¡¯t outshine her but became an essory for her. -Valentin¡¯s fingers gently brushed against the smooth skin when he buckled the ne. That touch made Ashleye to her senses. The ce where Valentin¡¯s fingers brushed seemed to be injected with a weak electric current, making her feel a bit of numbness. She couldn¡¯t help trembling slightly. This strange feeling made Ashley tense her back. She wouldn¡¯t notice the touch on the back of her neck at ordinary times. obvious and magnified infinitely. But at this moment, it wa Ashley couldn''t help but swallow, feeling a little nervous. She asked, ¡°Have you buckled it?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Valentin held her shoulders and asked her to stand up. ¡°Go and look in the mirror.¡± There was a mirror on the left side of this private room. Ashley walked over and looked at herself in the mirror. But her gaze was not on the ne but the man behind her. Valentin stood right behind her, holding her slender shoulders with his hands in an intimate posture as if he were holding her in his arms. Ashley felt a little ufortable. She took a step forward and got out of his arms, Valentin looked down at his hands. Ashley¡¯s warm body temperature was still lingering on his fingers. He gently rubbed his fingertips. When he looked up, his eyes met Ashley''s in the mirror. He raised his eyebrows slightly, and his voice was maic. ¡°This ne suits you. very well.¡± Ashley looked at herself in the mirror. This ne was indeed. beautiful. But it also made her more stressed. She thought, ¡®What kind of gift should | give Valentin in return?¡± It was past ten o''clock in the evening when the auction ended. Valentin nced at his wristwatch and asked Ashley, ¡°Are you hungry? Do you want to eat something?¡± Ashley was hungry. She touched her stomach and smiled, ¡°Let''s go have some midnight snacks.¡± They left the private room. After taking only a few steps, Valentin¡¯s mobile phone rang. It was something about work, Ashley asked him to answer the phone while she walked around the corridor and appreciated the paintings hanging on the wall. She watched these paintings and soon reached the stairs. ¡°Ashley!¡± Someone called her, and the voice sounded quite angry. Ashley turned around and saw Jeremy Jeremy had already left, but the more he thought about today¡¯s auction, the more angry he became, so he came to Ashley alone, wanting to teach her a lesson. He rushed upstairs angrily. As soon as he reached the corner of the stairs, he saw Ashley standing at e stairs and noticed the brilliant ne around her neck at a nce. He became even angrier. ¡°Ashley! Sure enough, you stole Jessica¡¯s ne!¡± Ashley stood at the stairs, looking down at Jeremy. ¡°Stole? Jessica¡¯s ne? It¡¯s mine. You don¡¯t have enough money to buy it for her in the auction.¡± Thisment hit Jeremy right in the sore spot. He red at Ashley as if he wanted to kill her right away. ¡°| warn you, Ashley. If you dare to bully Jessica again, | won¡¯t let you go.¡± Ashley¡¯s eyes suddenly turned cold upon hearing this. Jeremy¡¯s face was livid, and his eyes were sharp. ¡°Ashley, don¡¯t me me for neglecting brotherly affection. You are my biological sister, but Jessica is also my sister. ¡°What''s more, Jessica had saved my life when | was in danger. What did you do at that moment? You ran away! On this point, you will never match her in my heart. She is better than you in every aspect!¡± Jeremy yelled at Ashley, but Ashley¡¯s expression did not change at all. She was calm and indifferent all the time. Ashley snorted, ¡°Jeremy, | have severed ties with the Ramos family a long time ago. You''d better remember this. Don¡¯t ever say that | am your sister again. It¡¯s disgusting. ¡°By the way, do you really believe Jessica was the one who saved you back then?¡± Chapter 21 Upon hearing this, Jeremy¡¯s eyes widened in astonishment. ¡°What do you mean? Who else could be if Jessica wasn¡¯t the one who saved me? Could it be you? ¡°Ashley, are you trying to take credit for Jessica saving my life? Why are you being so cruel? Jessica risked her own life to save me, and now you want to take credit for it. That¡¯s really heartless of you a Ashley was not surprised by Jeremy¡¯s reaction. She had already expected. this scene. He was hopeless. Jeremy thought Ashley wanted to take credit for what Jessica did. He felt aggrieved for Jessica. He quickly approached Ashley with the intention of pping her, stating, ¡°I''ll knock some sense into you!¡± Ashley¡¯s eyes were cold. She kicked Jeremy. Jeremy fell down at the entrance of the stairs. His arms were bruised. from the impact of the fall. He grabbed onto the handrail to prevent himself from rolling down the stairs. Ashley kicked him and almost made him roll down the stairs. Jeremy was so angry that his lips trembled. He st aggered up from the ground. Just as he was about to curse, a security guard of the auction house rushed over from the first floor. The security guard looked at Ashley and then at Jeremy. He knew that Ashley was a distinguished guest of the auction house as she went to the private room on the second floor with Valentin. As for Jeremy... ¡°Mr. Ramos, non-VIP customers are not permitted to ess the second floor. The auction has concluded. You can leave now.¡± Anon-VIP customer? fullpen your Jeremy had never been insulted like this. He became eyes and see who | am. I¡¯m Jeremy Ramos, the third young master of the Ramos family!¡± ww The security guard sneered, ¡°Oh, the third young master of the Ramos family? Come on, take Mr. Ramos out Even if he called Jeremy ¡°Mr. Ramos¡¯ in a polite manner, some security guards rushed forward and drove Jeremy out rudely. The third young master of the Ramos family? He was nothing in front of Valentin. Within a few seconds, the stairs became quiet. Nobody could bother Ashley.. Ashley was surprised. These security guards at this auction house werepetent. Ashley saw Valentin walking toward her out of the corner of her eye. He just finished making a phone call. They left the auction house and went to a restaurant for some midnight snacks. In the private room, Ashley took a few bites of food, looked around, and asked Valentin opposite, ¡°By the way, did you bring the gift box of th ne?¡± ¡°What''s wrong?¡± ¡°My neck is bearing a weight that it shouldn¡¯t bear when | eat with an expensive ne.¡± Ashley was very stressed and wanted to take the ne. She said, ¡°I''ll feel distressed if | knock it identally.¡± Valentin put a piece of shrimp on her te. He said casually, ¡°Rx. It¡¯s just a ne.¡± Ashley was not a pretentious person. She nced at him and continued to eat without thinking of taking the ne off again. The food in this restaurant was pretty good. The dishes were to her liking,Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. And there was one dish that Ashley particrly enjoyed. Valentin took note of this and remembered that it was her favorite vor Ashley was halfway through eating when she picked up the lemonade at hand and took a few sips. It was sour and sweet. She liked the taste and linished the whole ss in a short time. ¡°Is there anything else you want to eat?¡± Valentin asked casually. ¡°No. The food here is enough.¡± Ashley rolled her eyes and suddenly was curious about something. ¡°Valentin, | want to ask you a question.¡± ¡°Um?¡± Valentin leaned back on the chair, looking at her with a casual posture. ¡°|...¡± Ashley smiled slyly. Her beautiful eyes were as bright as stars. ¡°Will | be entitled to a significant portion of your assets if we divorce after a year?¡± Valentin was stunned. He had thought about what she wanted to ask, but she actually asked about divorce. Valentin stared at Ashley with an expressionless face for a while. Suddenly, he said with a fake smile, ¡°If you don¡¯t divorce me, you will get more property.¡± Ashley frowned and waved her hand in front of her eyes. ¡°Why...everything is swaying?¡± Valentin was confused. He squinted and noticed something was wrong with her expression. He immediately stood up and walked over. ¡°Are you all right? What''s the matter with you?¡± Ashley stared at him with a puzzled look. She stretched out her index finger and poked the air. ¡°Ah... Why are there many of you? Here is one... There¡¯s one, too!¡± Valentin grabbed her hand, thinking she was drunk. He immediately called the restaurant manager over. After checking, he knew that Ashley had ordered a ss of lemonade, but the waiter served her Hard Seltzer. Hard Seltzer had a sour and sweet taste, but it had a high alcohol content. People who were not ustomed to drinking could get drunk after consuming just one ss. The manager immediately apologized, ¡°Sorry, sir. I¡¯m so sorry. It¡¯s our mistake, We willpensate you.¡± Valentin frowned, and his eyes were gloomy. Fortunately, he knew that Ashley was not allergic to alcohol. Even if she identally drank something containing alcohol, it would not cause. harm to her body. her body. But she drank a ss of Hard Seltzer. She would be drunk all night. ¡°Haha... Ashley¡¯s eyes were blurred, and she grinned. She was drunk and poked the air with her index finger. Valentin leaned over to put one arm around her shoulders and the other on the back of her knees. Then, he carried her in his arms and strode out of the restaurant. They arrived at the Kingsley Vi. Valentin took Ashley out of the passenger seat. Gavyn saw this scene and was stunned for a moment. He quickly stepped forward and asked, ¡°Mr. Kingsley, what happened to Ms. Ramos?¡± Valentin¡¯s voice was low. ¡°She is drunk Prepare hangover medicine.¡± Only then did Gavyn realize that Ashley was drunk. Just now, he saw Valentin¡¯s nervous look and thought something se had happened to Ashley. Ashley was drunk, and Valentin was so nervous. It seemed that he was very concerned about her. Valentin carried Ashley upstairs to her room and put her on the bed. He asked worriedly, ¡°Is there any difort?¡± Ashleyy on the bed. Her sight was blurred because of drunkenness. ¡°You... Who are you?¡± Valentin was speechless. Ashley was thoroughly drunk. ¡°lm Valentin.¡± ¡°Valentin?¡± Ashley¡¯s response was blunt. It took her a long time to remember him. ¡°Valentin, that ba stard who has been against me since childhood!¡± Chaptre all¡¯ She said and waved her hand upwards, Because she was drunk, and she couldn''t control her rength. Ashley pped Valentin. The p was hard and made Valentin tilt his head. There was a red palm print on his handsome face. Chapter 22 Valentin licked his teeth, turning to look at her. ¡°You bit me when we were kids. And now, you even pped me. Ashley, you''re quite something.¡± This was the first time someone had pped him across the face since he was born. Valentin wasn¡¯t angry, though. After all, it was Ashley who pped him. In fact, Valentin was rarely angry with her. In a drunken stupor, Ashley was oblivious to the fact that she had just pped someone. She found it amusing andughed charmingly with her eyes squinted. She even reached up and patted her own face. Valentin quickly caught Ashley''s hand, preventing her from hurting herself. Luckily, he stopped her in time, and her face was spared from a red mark. Observing Ashley''s adorable and clueless expression, Valentin couldn¡¯t help but chuckle, shaking his head in resignation. He truly had no way to deal with this little drunkard. Gavyn brought in hangover medicine. Valentin instructed him to leave it on the table, nning to give it to Ashleyter. Gavyn set the medicine down and left. ¡°It seems that Mr. Kingsley is going to stay here and take care of Ms. Ramos all night, he thought. Valentin sat on the edge of the bed, helping Ashley to lean against his shoulder. He then picked up the hangover medicine and a ss of water. ¡°Here, take this.¡± Ashley looked at the pills with disdain, wrinkling her nose. Her speech. was a bit slurred. ¡°What''s this...what is it?¡± Valentin smiled slightly, teasing her without any sense of guilt. He whispered, ¡°This is your favorite candy. Want to try it?¡± Saying that, he fed the pill to her lips. Ashley, upon hearing it was candy, took it willingly and put it in her mouth. It was indeed a bit sweet. She giggled, her eyes squinted in joy. ¡°It¡¯s sweet!¡± ¡°Really? Then have another one,¡± Valentin said. ¡°You should have one as well!¡± Ashley, like a three-year-old, pushed the pills towards Valentin, sharing the delightful treat with him. Valentin lowered his eyes, ncing at the hangover medicine for a moment. After a pause, he took one and put it in his mouth. Both of them took the same medicine, sipping from the same cup of water. ¡°I''ve taken it. These are all yours now.¡± Valentin once again fed Ashley a pill. Ashley obediently took the medicine and swallowed it. Valentin took the cup and ced it aside, still letting her lean against his shoulder. ¡°Headache?¡± ¡°Not at all!¡± To prove that she really wasn¡¯t in pain, Ashley even shook her head.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. The girl¡¯s soft hair brushed against his neck, tickling his skin and evoking a subtle itch that seemed to crawl into his heart along his nerves. Valentin¡¯s eyes suddenly darkened. Just as he was about to speak, Ashley''s phone rang. She picked it up and saw a spam message. Ashley couldn''t think properly now. She pondered for a moment, unable toprehend the message. She returned to the home screen, where she saw her wallpaper. Like a precious treasure, Ashley brought the phone to her face, rubbing against it and murmuring something softly. Valentin leaned in to identify her words. And to his surprise, he heard 12:30 her saying something like, ¡°Babe, you''re so handsome!¡± Valentin frowned, took her phone, and saw the wallpaper. It was a character from a manga. Almost amused, he licked his upper teeth. Ashley used to call Vaientin with all kinds of wicked nicknames she could ever think of, and now she was calling a manga character ¡°babe¡± and saying he was handsome. Valentin squinted in displeasure. He ced her phone on the bed, then suddenly called her by her full name. ¡°Ashley Ramos.¡± Ashley, in her dazed state, looked at him. Valentin lowered his eyes, his gaze unusually profound. He asked, ¡°Who did you grow up with?¡± Ashley blinked her eyes, too drunk toe up with an answer. He continued, ¡°Who used to tell you stories every night when you were al child?¡± Ashley blinked her eyes again, struggling to find something in her muddled mind. Valentin went on. ¡°Who helped you with your homework and sk ipped. ss with you when you were in school?¡± Ashley¡¯s curled eyshes trembled, and her clear eyes became moist with gentle ripples of emotions swirling inside. After a while, she finally remembered, excitedly raising her hand. ¡°It¡¯s you!¡± Valentin grabbed her hand, his slightly calloused fingertips gently swept over the delicate skin of her wrist. ¡°And what did you consider me when you were little?¡± With pride, Ashley puffed her chest and said, ¡°Dear Valentin!¡± Valentin found her adorable, and a low, se xyugh escaped his throat. He picked up Ashley¡¯s phone, which had a lock screen password. Raising an eyebrow, he entered Ashley¡¯s birthday, which sessfully unlocked it. Valentin opened the camera, holding it in front of their faces. ¡°Then shall we take a photo together?¡± Ashley immediately tilted her head and leaned in. She raised her lips slightly, her eyes full of leisure and charming smiles. Valentin¡¯s head leaned against hers. They both looked into the camera, and he pressed the capture button. After taking the photo, Valentin tapped the screen, shamelessly changing Ashley¡¯s wallpaper to the picture of the two of them. He only changed the wallpaper, not delving into the contents of her phone. cing Ashley¡¯s phone on the table, Valentin helped her lie down. ¡°Do you want to sleep?¡± Ashley rubbed her temples, feeling a bit tired. She nodded and murmured, ¡°Mmm..¡± ¡°Go ahead, then. You''ll wake up sober tomorrow.¡± Ashley puffed her cheeks and muttered something softly, then closed her eyes, clutching the quilt. Valentin remained sitting by the bed, listening to her gradually shallow and rhythmic breathing, knowing that she had fallen asleep. He lifted a strand of her hair near her temple and put it behind her ear, his voice low, attractive, and affectionate. ¡°Goodnight.¡± Early the next morning, sunlight streamed through the curtains, revealing fine dust particles floating in the air. As the light slipped in from different angles, the bright sun raysnded on Ashley¡¯s face. Her smooth skin, like the wheat in autumn, was full of vitality and beauty. Ashley¡¯s eyes flickered as she awakened from her sleep. She reached out, shielding her face from the sunlight. After a moment of dazed staring at the ceiling, she suddenly remembered something. Last night, she went to have some midnight snacks with Valentin and got drunk, but she couldn¡¯t remember how she got back. Drinking tended to make Ashley¡¯s memory hazy, and she couldn¡¯t recall, no matter how hard she tried. She got up, puzzled, and started to freshen up. Ashley descended the stairs and spotted Valentin in the living room. He held a set of documents, focused on reading while flipping through the pages, producing a faint rustle. Hearing her footsteps, Valentin raised his head to look at her. ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± ¡°Mmm,¡± Ashleyzily responded, still a bit drowsy. While looking away from him, she suddenly halted, her eyes widening. ¡°What happened to your face? Why is there a red handprint? Did someone p you?¡± Valentin set aside the documents, silently observing her. Ashley urged, ¡°Speak up.¡± Valentin remained silent. Ashley suddenly noticed that his gaze was full of grievances, as if she had just cheated and abandoned him overnight. Perplexed, Ashley scratched her head. A bold idea emerged in her mind. ¡°The handprint on your face... It wouldn''t be from me, would it?¡± Valentin gazed at her, his tone faintly pitiful. ¡°There¡¯s no need to doubt. yourself.¡± Ashley was speechless. ¡°Oh, dear. Did | p him when | was drunk? What was it, then? Domestic violence?¡± She thought. While feeling awkward, Ashley¡¯s phone rm went off. She casually turned it off, but the next moment, she discovered her new wallpaper. ¡°What the hell? Why is it a photo of me and Valentin?¡¯ Most importantly, she was giggling like an idiot in that photo! Chapter 23 Ashley raised her phone, showing it to Valentin with a puzzled expression. ¡°What''s going on here?¡± Valentin nced at it and lied calmly. ¡°You got drunk and insisted on taking a photo with me. Then, you set it as your wallpaper.¡± Ashley found his exnation hard to believe. She wasn¡¯t about to fall for it. ¡°That can¡¯t be possible!¡± Valentin turned his head, showcasing the handprint on his cheek. ¡°Well, | didn¡¯t believe you¡¯d p me at first.¡± Ashley suddenly felt guilty. Apparently, Valentin wouldn¡¯t have pped himself. So, the handprint on his face must be her doing. And...she probably had changed the wallpaper herself. Ashley licked her rosy lips, her voice soft and gentle. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the p. As for the wallpaper... must have done it while | was drunk. My mind was such a mess back then. I''ll change it back right now.¡± As she spoke, Valentin remained speechless. Ashley swiftly changed the wallpaper back to the original one. Valentin squinted and looked at her meaningfully, his eyes carrying something else. After breakfast, Valentin went to the study to deal with his work. Ashley remembered pping him the night before. She pondered for a while and went to the kitchen to prepare a fruit te. Then, she carried it upstairs to the study and knocked on the door. However, the door wasn¡¯t shut and swung open immediately. Ashley blinked and looked inside, asking, ¡°Are you busy?¡± Valentin sat behind the desk, closing the contract he was reviewing on theputer. ¡°Not really. What''s up?¡± Ashley smiled, walking over and cing the fruit te on the table. ¡°I brought you some fruits. | just prepared them myself. They''re really SweetS Valentin nced at the fruits and then looked up at her. ¡°Go ahead. What crime did you¡¯mit this time?¡± Ashley¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Valentin leaned back, looking at her with a sly smile, his voice low and careless. ¡°Since we were kids, you''ve only been this nice to me when you''ve done something wrong.¡± Ashley was shocked and started to recall whether what he had said was true. After a brief recollection, Ashley figured out that Valentin wasn¡¯t lying. ¡°You''re Ashley cleared her throat, ignoring her sense of guilt. overthinking it. It''s just because | identally pped you yesterday when | was drunk, and | wanted to apologize.¡± Valentin grunted, lowering his eyes to the fruits on the table. ¡°I won¡¯t ept this apology.¡± Ashley was stunned for a moment and asked warily, ¡°What else do you want, then?¡± Valentin smiled, his tone indifferent. ¡°I don¡¯t mind you pping me, so there¡¯s no need to apologize.¡± Ashley was stunned again. She thought this wicked man would take advantage of the situation, but he didn¡¯t seem to care. Now, it seemed that Ashley had wronged Valentin and misunderstood his intentions. He indeed appeared like an upright person. Ashley now believed that it was her who insisted on taking the photost night and making it her wallpaper. But now that the fruits were already prepared, they shouldn''t go to waste. So, Ashley left them on Valentin¡¯s desk. As she turned to leave, she noticed a brush and some paint on the nearby bookshelf. A sudden idea popped into her head. Ashley eximed, her eyes glittering, ¡°Valentin, I''ve figured out what wedding gift to give you!¡± 12:30 Valentin raised an eyebrow in curiosity. Ashley took over the paint and brush. Let me try this out. If you don¡¯t like it, I''ll get, you something else.¡± Seeing that she was about to paint something, Valentin cleared a space or the desk for her and helped her put the paint into a palette. He rolled up his sleeves, revealing the muscr outline of his forearms. Blue veins popped up on his tanned skin, emitting an inexplicable allure.. Since childhood, Ashley had excelled at painting.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Valentin often assisted her with these preparations, making the process. appear effortless. To be fair, Ashley''s painting was more like an artwork that could be sold for money. Valentin wondered what she would paint for him. After preparing the paint, Ashley dipped the brush again and, with a flourish, began to paint. The style of her painting was elegant and extremely vivid. Valentin looked down and saw what she had painted. It was his portrait. Valentin was speechless. This portrait somehow made him seem like a hundred years old. Ashley, satisfied with what she had painted, put the brush down. ¡°I had an exceptional feeling today. Look at this portrait. It¡¯s compact in structure, creating a great effect. Besides, this is my sincere blessing for you.¡± Valentin could tell that her painting was decent, and her blessing was indeed sincere. However... He nced at Ashley with a helpless smile. ¡°Is this your wedding gift to me?¡± Ashley, holding up the portrait, looked at him in bewilderment. ¡°Don¡¯t you like it? | can paint you something else. Just name it.¡± Valentin raised an eyebrow. ¡°I can name whatever | want?¡± Ashley patted her chest confidently. ¡°Of course.¡± 12:30 Valentin yfully tapped the desktop, his eyes fixed on her Then, he said calmly, ¡°Since it¡¯s a wedding gift, how about painting ad¡¯s portrait?¡± Ashley, thinking it was a simple request, began, ¡°Ok, that¡¯s easy. Just a kid''s... ¡°Wait a minute.¡± Ashley looked at Valentin, her eyes widening in surprise, filling with astonishment. ¡°A kid? What kid?¡± Valentin chuckled, ¡°Our kid, of course! Ashley¡¯s eyes widened even more. ¡°What nonsense are you talking about?¡± Valentin raised an eyebrow, whispering in a low, maic voice, ¡°You¡¯re my wife. Who else can carry my child except you? Hmm?¡± ¡°Wife? Kid? What on earth is he talking about?¡± Ashley thought. Her earlobes turned even redder than a cooked lobster. Angrily, she red at Valentin. ¡°Stop talking nonsense!¡± She put down the pen, turned around, and walked out, not wanting to deal with him anymore. Watching her leave, Valentin put his hands into his pants pockets, swallowing slightly as he chuckled in a low, alluring voice. ¡°Why are you leaving? You haven''t finished the painting | asked for.¡± Ashley halted, turned around with a stern re, and mmed the door shut with a loud bang. ¡°This wicked man is just as annoying as he was in childhood!¡¯ She thought. Back in her room, Ashley''s earlobes were like a ball of fire, After a long while, the heart-fluttering hotness finally dissipated. Her phone chimed. Ashley checked the message and saw the theme for the final round of the ¡°Show Your Dance¡± program: Red. ¡°Red?¡± Ashley pondered, beginning to brainstorm her performance for the final round, which would be held a weekter. Once Ashley had her performance outlined, it was time for rigorous rehearsals. This afternoon. Ashley went to the program venue for a rehearsal. After changing her clothes, she walked out of the dressing room and saw a familiar figure in the corridor. It was Jeremy. ¡°He isn¡¯t a contestant. Why is he here now? Ashiey thought. Ashley nced around, and next to her was the judges¡¯ resting room. She wondered if Jeremy hade here to meet the judges. Trying to avoid getting involved in matters rted to the Ramos family, Ashley turned to leave. However, she overheard discussions from the judges¡¯ resting room. It was the four judges from the show, excitedly talking without even closing the door properly. ¡°Haha! Ten hundred thousand dors for each of us! Another big profit!¡± ¡°Mr. Jeremy Ramos is quite generous. In order to ensure Jessica gets first. ce in the finals, he just handed us 40 hundred thousand dors!¡± ¡°Who gets first ce depends on how we score. Just give high scores to Jessica and low scores to Ashley when the time comes!¡± Upon hearing this, Ashley¡¯s eyes shed with disdain. It turned out that Jeremy had bribed the judges. He was indeed protective of Jessica. To secure her victory, he was actu resorting to such clich¨¦ and hical methods to favor his sister. At this moment, the judges in the room continued their excited discussion. Ashley took out her phone from her pocket and started recording their conversation. She decided to send this audio file to the director''s email. The director of this show was known for being fair and upright, and Ashley believed that upon hearing the audio, he would ensure justice. After the rehearsal, Ashley returned to the Kingsley Vi. As she entered the living room, she noticed a man in a pink shirt sitting on the sofa. He had his back against her, so Ashley couldn¡¯t see his face, but she could tell he had a good physique, giving off a debonair vibe is that pink shirt. Valentin was sitting across from him, facing Ashley''s direction. When he saw Ashleying in, the aloofness in his eyes instantly softened into a gentle affection. ¡°You¡¯re back,¡± he said. The next second, the man in the pink shirt stood up and turned to Ashley. His lips curled into a charming smile as he greeted. ¡°Hello, Mrs. Kingsley!¡± Ashley was shocked by how he addressed her. Chapter 24 Ashley looked at Valentin in surprise. She was sure he had never met this man in pink before. Joseph Fox, in the pink shirt, enthusiastically introduced himself, ¡°Hello! I¡¯m Joseph Fox. Valenin¡¯s grandfather is my grandfather, too!¡± ¡°Oh, so he¡¯s Valentin¡¯s cousin!¡¯ Ashley thought. Joseph smiled warmly, looking lively and handsome. Ashley had heard about the Fox family, another top-tier family in high- society. It turned out that they were connected with the Kingsley family by marriage. ¡°Please have a seat!¡± Joseph was very easy-going and humorous, following his own rhythm. ¡°Ah, no wonder Valentin often mentioned you. You are truly beautiful, even more gorgeous than most of the female celebrities in the entertainment industry! It¡¯s a pleasure to finally meet you!¡± ¡°Hello,¡± Ashley found it a bit difficult to adapt to his enthusiasm and loquacity. However, the fact that Valentin had often mentioned her before made her curious. She nced at Valentin suspiciously. Valentin gave Joseph a warning look, his gaze carrying a subtle threat. Joseph touched his nose in confusion, thinking, What was wrong with saying that? Valentin did mention Ashley¡¯s name frequently before! Upon Ashley¡¯s entrance, Joseph''s eyes lit up at the first nce. She was wearing a yellow beaded embroidered dress, looking delicate and bright. Moreover, her wheat-colored skin seemed to glow under the light, wless and exquisite. However, what surprised Joseph the most were Ashley¡¯s eyes.. Those clear and lively eyes seemed to have a pool of spring within them, shimmering with a moist and alluring charm. Ashley walked over and sat on the sofa next to Valentin. 12:30 Joseph followed suit, and his gaze lingered on Valentin and Ashley. repeatedly, Perfect, he thought, ¡°They¡¯re a match made by heaven!¡± ¡°Mrs. Kirigsicy, Valentin is really fortunate to have you as his wife!¡± Joseph eximed.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Ashley¡¯s lips twitched slightly as she looked at Valentin beside her. Valentin was also looking at her. His gaze collided with Ashley¡¯s. Valentin raised his eyebrows slightly and poured a cup of coffee for Ashley, his voice clear andnguid. ¡°Joseph is right.¡± Ashley felt speechless, thinking, ¡°Why did he be a sweet talker all of a sudden?¡¯ She blinked in confusion and picked up the coffee cup to take a sip. Joseph was restless. He rolled his eyes and looked at them slyly, asking, ¡°Hey, you two should try harder. When can | be an uncle?¡± Ashley was shocked and almost spat out the coffee in her mouth. It seemed that Joseph¡¯s thoughts were too wild. Joseph raised an eyebrow with a mischievous smile, exuding a debonair and charming vibe. ¡°Besides, not only me but also my grandfather... Oh, our grandfather is also looking forward to having a great-grandchild!¡± Ashley suddenly realized something. She wondered, ¡®Could it be that Joseph came here under Zain¡¯s instructions to check on how Valentin and | are getting along?¡± However, she and Valentin would sign a divorce agreement in a year, so having a kid was not in their ns. Valentin, sensing Ashley¡¯s thoughts about divorce from her expression, immediately turned to distract Joseph with a gloomy look. ¡°It''s gettingte.¡± He was implying that it was time for Joseph to leave. Joseph, however, was reluctant. ¡°Valentin, just let me stay for a meal! I¡¯ve never had dinner with you and your wife together. Oh, by the way, Mrs. Kingsley, let¡¯s exchange phone numbers for future convenience.¡± 12:30 Sure, Ashley smiled, exchanging contact information with Joseph. However, she found the term ¡°Mrs. Kingsley a bit awkward. Joseph stayed for dinner and reluctantly leftte in the evening, making ns to visit often in the future. At the Ramos Vi, in the living room Jessica sadly looked at Frankie. ¡°Frankie, can¡¯t youe to see my finals?¡± Frankie, feeling apologetic, exined, ¡°Jessica, there¡¯s a problem with apany project, and | must go abroad. | won''t be able to attend your finals. Jessica nodded understandingly. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Your work is important, but you should care most about your health. Don¡¯t immerse in your job all the time. Remember to take a rest.¡± Frankie felt very touched, feeling grateful to have such a sensible sister. Jessica was very different from Ashley, who only caused trouble to the family. Rumors were circting that the Ramos family had been treating Ashley poorly. How was that even possible? Jeremy stood up from the sofa. ¡°Frankie, go ahead and focus on your work. I''ll be with Jessica during the finals. I¡¯m sure Jessica will win first. ce this time!¡± After all, except for Megan, the other four judges had all been bribed. Jessica¡¯s victory was almost guaranteed, with high scores from four out of five judges. As for Megan, she was too upright and principled to ept bribes. Nevertheless, it didn¡¯t matter. With the other four judges on their side, Jessica was sure to secure first ce. Soon, their parents, Evan and Bertha Ramos, came downstairs. Bertha, wearing a long dress that outlined her plump figure, looked elegant and luxurious. Hearing the children discussing the finals, Bertha touched Jessica''s hair affectionately Jessica, your finals are in a few days. Only bankie and Jeremy are supporting you. What about your other broers? Are they too busy to spare any time for you?¡± Jessica sweetly replied, ¡°Mom, that¡¯s not true. My other brothers have been sending encouraging messages. They¡¯re just too busy right now.¡± Bertha shook her head helplessly. ¡°They''re busy every day and seldome home.¡± Despite herint, her tone was full of pride for her sessful sons. And her only dissatisfaction was... ¡°Ashley is so evil. She not only severed ties with us but also wants to steal Jessica¡¯s first ce!¡± Bertha frowned, expressing her disdain and dislike for her own daughter. ¡°Why did | give birth to such a daughter? She can¡¯tpare to Jessica in any aspect. If | had known, | would have drowned her in the river when she was born!¡¯ Bertha thought. ¡°Mom, maybe Ashley...¡± Jessica lowered her head, ying with her fingers. ¡°Maybe Ashley just wants you to pay more attention to her, so she¡¯s acting this way. Dad, Mom, Frankie, Jeremy, you should care more about her in the future. I¡¯m fine with it.¡± Bertha¡¯s brows furrowed even tighter upon hearing this. ¡°Jessica, stop saying such things. When have we ever mistreated that da mn girl? We brought her back to our family and provided her with everything she needed. Perhaps we were a bit strict, but we did it for her own good. She wouldn''t be sessful without discipline!¡± ¡°But Mom, Ashley is your biological daughter...¡± Jessica whispered. ¡°Jessica, my sweet daughter, how many times have | told you? You are my only daughter, even closer than a biological one! Do you understand?¡± ¡°Yeah, | understand. | know you love me the most. Jessica replied with a sweet smile, thinking smugly, ¡®Ashley, oh, Ashley. Everything that should be yours will be mine! The affection of your brothers and parents is already mine, and I''ll soon taste the victory of Show Your Dance! Chapter 25 In the blink of an eye, it was the day of the finals for Show Your Dance.¡± The finals were still conducted in a livestream format.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Dance enthusiasts on the inte had been eagerly waiting in the chat. room. As soon as the show started, the barrage of comments became lively. I''ve waited a week, and finally, the finals are here! By the way, the theme for this final is ¡®red. I¡¯m more interested in Ashley¡¯s performance. | wonder if there will be any surprises this time.] I''m looking forward to Jessica. She posted several photos of her hard training on Twitter. | feel like she has a good chance of winning this time.] Did you guys notice? Jessica and Megan are following each other on Twitter] Everyone! Shocking news! I¡¯ve got a big piece of gossip! Do you know the rtionship between Ashley and Jessica?] Huh? What rtionship could they have?] | have a friend who knows some secrets about the wealthy families. He said Ashley and Jessica are sisters! Ashley is the real daughter brought back by the Ramos family three years ago, and Jessica isn¡¯t their biological daughter, but she grew up in the Ramos family. However, the Ramos family doesn¡¯t like Ashley.] (What? Why don¡¯t they like her? What''s wrong with them?] Hmph, it must be because Ashley did something wrong. Otherwise, why wouldn''t the Ramos family like her?] Hey, | disagree with you. If someone ps you on the street, it must be your fault, isn¡¯t it? Otherwise, why don¡¯t they hit someone else instead of hitting you?] At the venue, after giving the opening remarks, the host conducted random interviews with the five judges to hype up the atmosphere. First, he asked the other four judges a few simple questions. Finally, the host shifted the focus to Megan. 12:0 Japter 25 Megan was a master of modern dance, with many years of experience and high prestige in the industry. She had quite a few legendary and inspirational stories. After a brief interview, the host curiously asked, ¡°I heard recently that you want to take on a female student as yourst student, but despite several attempts, that girl has refused. Is it true?¡± Megan smiled slightly, ¡°Yes, | have a candidate in mind who excels in all aspects, and | wanted to take her as my only student, personally instructing her in dance. Unfortunately, | haven¡¯t seeded yet.¡± The host was astonished. ¡°You offered to instruct her personally, yet she rejected you multiple times?¡± Megan didn¡¯t find it difficult to admit, and she gracefully smiled, ¡°Although she has rejected me several times, | really want to take her as my student. So, | won''t easily give up.¡± At this moment, the surprise of theizens matched that of the host. [What? Ms. Rice asked that girl to be her student, and she rejected Ms. Rice multiple times?] [rm so curious! Does anyone know who it is? Who does Ms. Rice want to take as her student?] [No wonder! Ms. Rice was supposed to participate only in the finals, but she also came in thest round. She said she found a talented girl, and this girl might be the one Ms. Rice wants to take as her student!] [Oh, right! | suddenly thought of it! Could it be Jessica? Jessica and Ms. Rice are following each other on Twitter!] [Wow! Now that you mention it, it¡¯s highly possible!] After the host finished hyping up the crowd, the finals officially began. After the elimination rounds, there were a total of eight contestants in the finals. The order of performance on stage was based on the reverse ranking from the elimination rounds. For example, Ashley was the first in the elimination rounds, so she would be thest to perform in the finals. The first three contestants on stage had average performances. One contestant, due to nervousness, almost stumbled midway through the performance, leaving the audience feeling disheartened. 12:30 Cepta ! The fourth contestant showcased exceptional skills, delivering a spectacr performance that energized the atmosphere. The livestream viewers also showered her with praise. Ashley, who was waiting backstage, observed everyone¡¯s performances. As the fourth contestant received feedback from the judges, it was soon the turn of the fifth contestant. However, this contestant was too nervous and almost tripped on her own dress before even stepping onto the stage. Quick on her feet, Ashley reached out and steadied her. The relieved contestant patted her chest. ¡°Thank you so much! Otherwise, | would have fallen right here.¡± Falling before even starting the performance would not be a good situation for a dancer. Ashley smiled, ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± The contestant, with a sweet appearance and delicate skin, smiled back, revealing two adorable dimples. ¡°I¡¯m Miranda Longman. It ll be my turn. soon. I¡¯m so nervous. After Miranda told Ashley her name, Ashley also introduced herself, ¡°I¡¯m Ashley Ramos.¡± Miranda grinned, showing her adorable dimples. ¡°I know you. You''re an amazing dancer. | could tell that from thest round. You deserved to win the first ce in the elimination round!¡± Miranda admired those who were good at dancing, and she genuinely acknowledged Ashley¡¯s first-ce achievement in the elimination round. The host on stage began announcing and inviting Miranda to perform. Taking a deep breath to calm her nerves, Miranda yfully winked at Ashley and mouthed. I¡¯m going on stage! See you!¡± Ashley nodded with a gentle smile. ¡°Go for it.¡± Miranda had good dancing skills, but her nervousness caused a minor mistake in the middle of the performance. Fortunately, Miranda quickly adjusted and the rest of the performance went smoothly. Aftering down from the stage, Miranda ran to Ashley egretfully pouting. ¡°Ah, | was still too nervous. But finally, it''s over Whatever the result will be, | already did my best. | can finally rx now!¡± Ashley could sense that Miranda had eased up a lot. you Miranda¡¯s eyes sparkled, and she asked expectantly, ¡°Can | call you Ashley?¡± Ashley slightly raised an eyebrow. ¡°Of course.¡± Miranda cheered. ¡°Great! You can call me Miranda. That¡¯s what my family and friends call me. Oh, by the way, when you go on stageter, don¡¯t be nervous. Stay calm, okay? Don¡¯t be as nervous as | did. | always mess up when | feel anxious.¡± Ashley found it quite amusing. Despite making a mistake in her own performance, Miranda wasn¡¯t overly upset. Instead, she enthusiastically advised Ashley not to be nervous. Ashley could tell that Miranda was kind and easy-going. The two chatted for a while, and then it was the turn of the seventh contestant, Jessica, to go on stage. As Jessica stepped onto the stage, Miranda couldn¡¯t help but whisper a quickint in Ashley''s ear, ¡°I don¡¯t like Jessica very much. She seems. very arrogant, like a proud rooster with a haughty attitude.¡± Hearing this metaphor, Ashley couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. Chapter 26 However, Jessica¡¯s performance in this round was outstanding. She wore a long red dress, holding a silk fan, and performed a dramatic menco dance. menco dances were challenging, especially when carrying a silk fan like the one Jessica had. A slight misstep could result in an error. However, Jessica¡¯s movements were precise, and her rhythm was excellent, making her performance fiery and passionate. Every movement was executed perfectly without a single mistake. Even her facial expressions were captivating, effectively engaging the audience. Afterpleting her performance, Jessica bowed in gratitude to the audience. The audience erupted into enthusiastic apuse, and the live chat was filled with praises. (Well done! Jessica performed even better today than in the elimination round. She must have trained hard privately. | like this kind of hardworking contestant!] Jessica is the darling of the Ramos family. She has everything, yet she still works so hard. What right do | have to ck off?] | get it now. No wonder the Ramos family likes Jessica. Even though she¡¯s not a biological daughter, who wouldn''t like a girl who works so hard and strives for improvement?] Huh? Don¡¯t go too far, guys. Jessica did perform quite well this time, but there¡¯s no need to praise her like this!] On stage, the judges began scoring. The four judges who were bribed by Jeremy exchanged nces and revealed their scores. (9.8 points.] (9.7 points.] (9.9 points.] 12:30 (9.8 points.] As soon as these scores were announced, the audience erupted into chatter. ¡°Wow, such high scores! Almost a perfect 10!¡± ¡°It seems these judges really like Jessica¡¯s performance.¡± ¡°To be honest, Jessica did really well this time.¡± ¡°| wonder how much Megan will score. After the four judges gave their scores, it was time for the guest judge Megan to score. She raised her dry erase paddle and looked at Jessica on stage, her eyes filled with encouragement. ¡°9.1 points. You did well today. Keep up the good work.¡± Jessica was overjoyed. ¡°Thank you, Ms. Rice!¡± [Last time in the elimination round, Ms. Rice gave Jessica a score of 9. This time, it''s 9.1. It indicates that Jessica has indeed improved.] [I''m starting to like Jessica even more. She¡¯s hardworking and humble, and she has a good family background. She¡¯s undoubtedly the family¡¯s. darling.] [Wow. | envy her so much!] Jeremy, standing backstage, saw the judges¡¯ scores and felt satisfied. He had initially wanted the judges to give Jessica a perfect 10, but making it too obvious might raise suspicions. Regardless, he was confident that no matter how well Ashley danced, these judges would not give her high scores. ¡®Huh! The first ce will definitely be Jessica¡¯s!¡¯ Jeremy thought. On the other side, Miranda, shocked by the high scores, widened her eyes. ¡°How did she get such high scores?¡± Jessica did perform pretty well, but her dance wasn¡¯t good enough to get her such a high score. Miranda looked aside at Ashley and clenched her fists. ¡°Ashley, it''s almost your turn. Good luck!¡± Cupter 26 Ashley shed a gentle smile at her. ¡°Thank you.¡± Miranda, while cheering for Ashley, couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit worried. As a dancer, she could naturally assess the level of each contestant. She initially thought that Ashley would secure first ce in today¡¯s finals. However, after seeing Jessica¡¯s score, she suddenly became uncertain. It seemed like Jessica also had a significant chance of winning. The host announced the entry of thest contestant. Many audiences were eagerly awaiting Ashley¡¯s performance. Hearing the announcement, they all fixed their gazes on the stage. The stage lights dimmed, and after a moment, a spotlight shone down on a white carpet ced h orizontally at the center of the stage. In the dazzling light, a graceful red figure stood at the center of the carpet. The intense red color immediately drew the eyes of the audience.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. The girl wore a thin, flowing red gauze skirt and stood barefoot on the carpet with heels slightly raised, disying her delicate ankles. Her skin was so smooth that it could almost reflect the light. On one of her slender ankles, there was a painted tattoo of a red rose, adding an extra hint of charm to her beauty. As the camera slowly moved upward, the stunning and graceful face of the girl entered everyone¡¯s view. Her skin bore a beautiful wheat color, and a touch of vermilion was painted on her forehead. And her eyes, gleaming like rippling water, outlined with red eyeliner, exuded an alluring and captivating charm. The girl¡¯s glittering skin, rosy lips, and flowing red garments created a captivating scene. The livestream chat instantly exploded withments. [Wow! I¡¯m going crazy! Ashley¡¯s entrance is so beautiful and bewitching! | didn¡¯t make a typo. It¡¯s genuinely bewitching!] [Ah, Ashley, you¡¯re killing me with your beauty!] [Holy s hit! Ashley¡¯s face is absolutely stunning! Last time, she looked like a fairy in that white dress. Today, she looks so seductive and charming in ve and charming in red. Her versatility is amazing!] [She¡¯s totally stunning.] [By the way, is she performing ballet? Look at her shoes.] The audience was curious and focused their attention on the stage. As the background music started, Ashley lifted her legs and began to dance gracefully. The thin red gauze skirt fluttered with her every step, revealing her eye-catching ankles. The red rose tattoo emerged and disappeared along her dance moves, looking extremely alluring. Ashley crossed her hands in front of her, creating a beautiful and charming pose. Her feet lightly rotated, and the thin red skirt spun around like blooming flowers. After a series of rotations, Ashley gracefully bent backward, stretching her flexible body and forming a beautiful arch. When she stood upright again, her hands swiftly swung to both sides, and she leaped into the air like a joyful little deer. Seeing her leap, everyone was amazed by her agility and elegance. ¡°She¡¯s amazing!¡± Someone whispered excitedly. At this moment, all the stage lights illuminated. Then, Ashley danced toward the center of the stage and leaped again. Her long legs formed a beautiful line mid-air, and her red dress also danced along with her like a fleeting me. Ashley performed a perfect grand jet¨¦ Seeing this scene, the audience erupted into excitement. ¡°It''s actually a grand jet¨¦!¡± ¡°Holy s hit! It¡¯s incredible!¡± ¡°This is quitemon in ssical ballets, but not everyone can perform it perfectly! Even some excellent dance teachers find it allenging!¡± Chapter 27 Ashley stood barefoot on the stage, spun several times, and waved her slender arms. She performed the grand jet¨¦ again. Spontaneous apuse erupted from the audience. This was because Ashley¡¯s dance movements were incredibly graceful and light, yet powerful, achieving the perfectbination of strength and beauty! On the stage, afterpleting a difficult move, Ashley suddenly leaped into the air, executed a perfect split, and lightlynded on the floor. Surprisingly, she managed to execute another perfect split whilending. Upon witnessing this breathtaking scene, some excited audience. members in the back rows couldn¡¯t help but stand up. Ashley¡¯s dance moves were truly stunning, and the dancing was. undeniably difficult! Even the judges on the judging panel had their eyes widened in amazement. Megan fixedly stared at Ashley on the stage and looked irrepressibly astonished. Executing a sequential split required not only profound dance skills but also exceptional aerial control. Ashley not only aplished these feats but also managed to maintain a sense of aesthetics. When shended on the floor with a split just now, she was like a drop of rain dropping into theke, creating a diffusion like a ripple on theke¡¯s surface, incredibly beautiful and breath-taking. Without exaggeration, Ashley¡¯s skill reached the pinnacle of dance... Even after Ashley finished her performance and answered the curtain. call, the audience below was still immersed in the previous awe, unable to recover for a long time. The barrage in the livestream was flooded withments. [Oh, my! Grand jet¨¦! And a perfect split in the air! Ashley, you always 14-0 1931 surprise me!] [That is seriously amazing! Especially when shended on the floor lightly, the scene looked like a painting!] [I thought the grand jet¨¦ could only be seen in TV dramas but didn¡¯t expect someone to be able to make it...] [The perfect split in the air is quite difficult. Very few dancers can do it!] Backstage, Jessica was so angry that she clenched the water bottle in her hand, almost deforming it. ¡°The grand jet¨¦... | never expected that Ashley would have a trump card. My performance just now suddenly seemed worthless after Ashley''s show! She thought. Jeremy looked at Ashley on the stage with aplicated expression. Even though he disliked Ashley, he had to admit that she danced really well. Shepletely outshone Jessica.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. ¡®Bribing the judges to make Jessica a winner... Is it a bit unfair to Ashley?¡± He couldn¡¯t help thinking. ¡°Jeremy...¡± Upon hearing this, Jeremy turned around and saw Jessica¡¯s eyes tr red. She looked so aggrieved that he immediately hardened his h ¡°Jessica, don¡¯t cry. Ashley danced horribly. She¡¯s nothingpar you!¡± Jessica shook her head, tears hanging on her eyshes on the verg falling. ¡°Jeremy, don¡¯t say that. | think Ashley danced really well. | cpare to her at all. Even if she gets first ce today, I''ll be happy i her. | just don¡¯t understand why Ashley dislikes me so much...¡± Jeremy felt a pang of heartache. ¡°How could shepete with you? Ashley just knows she isn¡¯t as good as you and is jealous! Jessica, you¡¯re. definitely going to be the winner in today¡¯s finals. The judges are about start scoring. You''ll be able to go on stage and receive your award soon!¡± On the stage, the judges began scoring. The four judges Jeremy had bribed exchanged a few whispers, hesitant. ¡°| initially wanted to give Ashley the lowest score, but her performance today was just too good. Giving her a low score would easily arouse suspicion among the audience.¡± ¡°How about we don¡¯t give Ashley the lowest score? She really danced well. this round. | don¡¯t bear to give her the lowest score.¡± ¡°Hey, are you smitten with Ashley just because she looks good?¡± ¡°Enough. Let¡¯s get on with it! We''ve taken the money and have to do the job!¡± ¡°Exactly, we''ve already taken Mr. Ramos¡¯ money and can¡¯t just give it back, right?¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s just score Ashley lower than Jessica.¡± After a brief discussion, the four judges raised their dry erase paddle. (9.2 points.] (9.3 points.] 9.1 points.] (9.2 points.] Seeing these scores, online audience was bewildered. (What¡¯s going on? 9.1? So low?] (What? How did they score? It seems a bit too low. | remember Jessica got 9.9!] [The judges must have their reasons. They¡¯re professionals. We''re just the audience. How can we understand as much as the judges?) Exactly. The judges must know more than we do!] Seeing these scores, the host was also stunned for several seconds. Then, in a hurry, he raised the microphone and said, ¡°Next, let''s have Ms. Rice. give her score!¡± Megan had already set her score and raised her dry erase paddle. 10 points.] She gave Ashley a perfect score again! The host quickly asked, ¡°Ms. Rice, can you exin the reason for giving Ashley a perfect score?¡± 34 12.31 Megan nced at the four judges and then at Ashley on the stage. She said calmly, ¡°The highest score is only 10, so | could only give you 10. Ashley As Megan finished her words, the whole venue was in an uproar. Although Megan gave Ashley a perfect score, after the program team¡¯s. calction, Ashley''s total score was 46.8, Jessica¡¯s total score was 49.2, and Miranda¡¯s total score was 41.6. The other five contestants had even lower total scores. Therefore, the contestant with the highest total score for this round was. Jessica. The host invited all the contestants onto the stage, preparing to present the trophy to the first-ce winner. Miranda walked to Ashley¡¯s side, feeling indignant for her. There must be something shady going on. Ashley clearly danced better than Jessica. but she only got lower points. It was too abnormal, Miranda thought. However, the judges had already finished scoring, and as a contestant, she had no right to question. With her head held high, Jessica nced in Ashley''s direction arrogantly, feeling incredibly proud. ¡°So what if you danced well? The first ce is still mine, she said inwardly. Chapter 28 The host raised the microphone, loudly dering, ¡°Dear audiences, | now announce the first ce of the grand finale of Show Your Dance.... At this point, the host suddenly stopped. The audience thought the host was intentionally building suspense, stretching their necks in anticipation of the announcement. However, after waiting for over a minute, the host didn¡¯t continue. ¡°What''s going on? Why is he building suspense for so long? What¡¯s wrong with him?¡± Some audiences began expressing their dissatisfaction. ¡°Hey, look. The host seems to be listening to something in his earpiece.¡± ¡°Yeah. That''s true!¡± ¡°What''s happening? What''s going on?¡± The host paused midway through the announcement because he had. received a voice in his earpiece from the backstage director. ¡°Wait! We need to stop! We''ve received an audio message...¡± The audience below was getting impatient and wondering what was happening. The contestants on stage wore puzzled expressions, looking at each. other. No one knew what was going on. Noticing the confusion, Jessica frowned nervously. What¡¯s happening? The host was about to announce me as the first-ce winner, but why did he suddenly stop?¡¯ She thought. In the livestream, viewers flooded the screen with question marks. [What''s going on? Livestream malfunction?] When all the audience was puzzled, the host finally spoke again. ¡°Dear audiences, the production team of Show Your Dance received an audio message in our program email before the start of the finals, but we didn¡¯t have time to check it. Just three minutes ago, a staff member discovered this audio. And now, we have chosen to y this audio publicly. Please listen together!¡± After the host finished his words, he stepped aside, revealing arge 12.81 screen behind him. The staff member synchronized the screen of aptop to therge screen. Everyone in the venue saw the program team¡¯s email on the big screen, disying the anonymous audio message it had received. At this moment, Jessica suddenly had a bad premonition on the stage. ¡®Could this audio message be... No! Please don¡¯t y it!¡¯ She prayed desperately and anxiously in her mind. However, the staff member had already clicked on y in front of everyone. After a series of buzzing electrical noises, the voice of a middle-aged man discussing emerged. ¡°Ashley and Jessica are both heiresses of the Ramos family, but they have vastly different destinies. Mr. Jeremy Ramos went to great lengths for Jessica.¡± The audience below instantly recognized the voice. It was the voice of a judge from Show Your Dance! And this judge was currently on the stage! Everyone turned their eyes towards the judge. The judge was sweating cold at this moment. It was indeed his voice, but he didn¡¯t know when it was recorded. The audio continued to y. ¡°To ensure Jessica gets the first ce, Mr. Jeremy Ramos has spared no expense. The amount of money he expense. The amount of money he gave us is quite substantial.¡± ¡°Then how should we score Ashley in the final a couple of dayster?¡± ¡°Of course, we should give her low scores. Mr. Jeremy Ramos has paid us, and we need to do the job for him.¡± ¡°Yeah. Jeremy is really generous. Each of us got ten hundred thousand dors. That¡¯s a considerable profit!¡± ¡°Actually, Ashley dances really well. Unfortunately, she¡¯s in Jessica¡¯s way. It''s reasonable for us to prioritize money over principles.¡± 274 12:31 ¡°In thest round, during the semifinals, we specifically gave Ashley low scores. Never expected she would still secure the first ce.¡± ¡°This time, let''s lower her scores even more in the finals. That can ensure Jessica takes the first ce, right?¡± Upon hearing this, the audience was no more confused. way, we The venue erupted in a tumultuous response, and the livestream was also in an uproar. | can¡¯t believe it! Bribery! The judges epted bribes!] Mr. Jeremy Ramos? Did Jeremy bribe them?] Definitely. Jeremy is Jessica¡¯s brother!]Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. No wonder these jerks deliberately gave Ashley low scores. It turns out they''ve been bought. How could they put their professional integrity out the window?] Did you hear that just now? During the semifinals, these jerks intentionally gave Ashley low scores. Fortunately, Ashley was excellent enough and secured first ce.] (Ashley is so pitiful. How did she end up with such family members? Her biological brother bribed the judges to prevent her from winning and le an unrted girl win instead.] D amn! How ridiculous they are! Jeremy is truly worse than animals!] At this moment, Jessica was in a panic. ¡®How did this information get exposed? How did Jeremy¡¯s bribery of the judgese to light? What a loser! He couldn''t even do such a simple thing!¡¯ She thought. In the backstage area, Jeremy angrily kicked over the chair beside him and looked exasperated. ¡®D amn it! Who exposed this? Now everyone knows | bribed the judges! And it¡¯s on the livestream, broadcasted directly on the inte. How should | face the others?¡¯ He thought. The host turned towards the direction of the four judges, questioning on the spot, ¡°Dear judges, can you exin this situation?¡± The four judges exchanged nces in panic, trembling nervously. They wanted to offer some defense, but the audio recording was crystal clear. With such tant evidence, they couldn¡¯te up with any usible exnations. 34 1231 The revtion of their eptance of bribes was exposed in front of everyone, causing a drastic fall in their reputation. Even their future. careers as judges werepletely ruined. Following that, the host turned to Jessica, questioning again, ¡°Jessica, do you know about Jeremy bribing the judges?¡± At that moment, everyone turned their eyes towards Jessica. She clenched her hands so tightly that it seemed as if she would crush. her palms. The people around her looked at her with disdain and disgust. Each nce was like a sword nailing her to the pir of shame. Chapter 29 Jessica¡¯s expression was more embarrassed than ever, as if she had been stripped naked and pointed at. She took a deep breath and forced herself to speak. ¡°I don¡¯t know about the bribery, and | don¡¯t know why Jeremy would do such a thing. Even if it''s for me, | would never ept this kind of backdoor deal... Dance is my faith. I¡¯ve practiced so hard for so long just to participate in thepetition with my abilities. I¡¯m sorry for disrupting thepetition!¡± Despite Jessica¡¯s sincere words, the audience below wasn¡¯t buying it.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°She doesn¡¯t know? Jessica ims she doesn¡¯t know?¡± ¡°| don¡¯t believe it. Jeremy is her brother. They are together every day. How could she not know about Jeremy bribing the judges?¡± ¡°But Jessica does practice hard privately. She performed well in this round. It doesn¡¯t seem like she took a backdoor approach.¡± ¡°Why believe everything she says? Don¡¯t be so naive, folks!¡± In the backstage area at this moment, Jeremy had a momentary look of confusion upon hearing Jessica¡¯s words. Jessica actually said she didn¡¯t know... While | didn¡¯t explicitly tell her about the bribery with the judges, | had hinted at it. | thought Jessica understood. Facing public scrutiny just now, Jessica said she didn¡¯t know it... Was she trying to divert the usations to me to shield herself from public criticism, or did she really not know?¡¯ He thought. Astaff member passed by, looking at Jeremy with aplex expression. Although, out of respect for the Ramos family, the staff members didn¡¯t say anything, the disdain and implication in their eyes were impossible to hide. Jeremy felt like his back was being burned by the scrutinizing gazes, and he suddenly became extremely embarrassed. ¡°Most importantly, who exposed this audio clip? Who sent it to the program¡¯s email?¡¯ Jeremy wondered. A sh of insight crossed his mind, and he immediately looked toward Ashley on the stage. Ashley stood there calmly, her delicate and bright face showing no 12:31 surprise or curiosity about the exposed audio incident. Jeremy instantly felt a chill on his back, believing it must be rted to Ashley! She must be the one who had sent the audio to the program¡¯s email! ¡°This b astard! Why is she so ruthless to me? I¡¯m her biological brother. How could she be so cold-blooded?¡¯ Jeremy thought. On the stage at this moment, when Miranda saw the exposure of the judges¡¯ bribery, she was so excited that she almost jumped up. She shook Ashley''s arm enthusiastically and whispered, ¡°Ashley, no wonder the judges gave Jessica such high scores. It turns out they were paid for it! | knew she didn¡¯t dance as well as you! This is great. Being exposed in public like this is a complete disgrace! I¡¯m wondering who exposed the recording. Well done! I¡¯d like to give my thumbs up!¡± Ashley couldn''t help but be amused by Miranda. She had recorded the audio when she overheard the judges discussing it during her rehearsal a couple of days ago. Ashley sent it to the program¡¯s email in advance, but she didn¡¯t expect the program team to check it only after thepetition. On the other side, after hearing Jessica¡¯s response, the host couldn¡¯t determine the truth of her words for the time being. However, he announced, ¡°Dear audience, the director just informed me through the earpiece that, after an emergency discussion by the program team, all the judges¡¯ scores for the contestants just now are canceled! ¡°After the program team¡¯s deliberation, we are handing the scoring power to the five hundred audience members present. Each of you will have one vote to give to your favorite contestant. The one with the highest votes will be the first-ce Show Your Dance Grand Finals winner! And she will be able to be Ms. Rice''s student!¡± After the host finished his words, staff members distributed voting devices to the audience. Everyone was allowed to cast only one vote, so they were cautious. The livestream viewers expressed their discontent. [I protest! Why can only the live audiences vote? Aren''t we audiences?] [This is an emergency. The crew probably didn¡¯t have time to set up 12.311 online voting.] [Actually, online voting is not secure. There¡¯s a high chance of fake ounts and vote maniption!) [Oh, my. Guys, go check on Twitter! Jeremy bribing the judges is trending! Everyone knows it now!] [I saw it too! Many people on the trending topic are discussing this, all criticizing Jeremy! They say he¡¯s shameless, using his wealth to sn atch away someone else''s first ce. That''s what a humble upstart would do!] The on-site voting concluded, and the program team urgently tallied the results. Then, the host announced the rankings. Looking at the cards in his hands, the host announced, ¡°After counting the votes on-site, the contestant who secured the eighth ce is Roxanne Kerr! She received 18 votes!¡± Spa rse apuse echoed in the venue. Roxanne had made mistakes due to nervousness during her performance, resulting in a lower vote count. The host continued to announce the rankings, quickly reaching the fourth position. ¡°Now, | announce the contestant who secured ce is Miranda Longman! She received 35 votes!¡± h Miranda was rxed after thepetition and was happy to s fourth position. She bowed to express her gratitude to the audi The host proceeded to announce the third and then the second ¡°The contestant who secured the second ce is Jessica Ramos! S. received 43 votes!¡± As this ranking was announced, a wave of surprise swept through the audience. After some inquiry, it was evident that some believed in Jessica¡¯s innocence and appreciated her good performance today. Therefore, s| received over forty votes. Now, it was time to announce the first ce. The host raised the microphone and dered loudly, ¡°The winner of th Show Your Dance Grand Finals is Ashley Ramos! She received a total o 305 votes! Congrattions, Ashley!¡± Chapter 30 As the host finished his words, enthusiastic apuse erupted from the audience. ¡°That¡¯s fantastic! | voted for Ashley, and my vote is in there!¡± ¡°So is mine. | didn¡¯t hesitate for a moment and directly voted for Ashley!¡± ¡°Look, this is the well-deserved first ce. The supporters for Ashley are much more than for Jessica!¡± In the livestream,ments flooded. [Congrattions, Ashley! First ce in the Grand Finals! You''re well-deserved!] [Did you guys see that? Ashley alone got over 300 votes, almost ten times more than the second ce. She got andslide victory!] [Incredible. This vote number is truly amazing. Ashley got more than half the votes all by herself!] [But why are there people actually voting for Jessica? That¡¯s unreasonable!] [In my opinion, the program team should cancel Jessica''s qualification. She and Jeremy bribed the judges.] [It wouldn¡¯t matter even if they don¡¯t cancel it. Jessica¡¯s still getting crushed by Ashley. Ashley''s votes are way ahead of hers!] At the venue, the staff went on stage to present Ashley with a trophy and certificate. Confetti and golden powder showered down from the ceiling, creating a festive atmosphere throughout the venue. Miranda was joyful and reached out to catch some streamers, offering sincere congrattions, ¡°Congrattions, Ashley! | knew | was right about you. You surely deserve the first ce with your talent!¡± Ashley smiled as she replied, ¡°Thank you.¡± Other contestants around them also extended their congrattions to Ashley, acknowledging her victory wholeheartedly. Meanwhile, Jessica stood still and looked at Ashley with malice and 12:31 Chapter 30 hostility. ¡®Da mn it. That bi tch still managed to take the first ce. It should have been mine. The one whom Megan epts as a student also should have been me. But now Ashley sn atched away all this!¡¯ Jessica thought. After the award presentation, the host turned towards Megan, saying, ¡°Ms. Rice, the floor is yours.¡± Megan took the microphone, but instead of immediately addressing the matter of epting a student, she looked at Ashley on stage and asked, ¡°May | ask, who did you learn your dance from?¡± Ashley truthfully responded, ¡°I learned it from my grandma.¡± Ashley grew up in an orphanage and waster adopted by her grandparents. 7 Her grandma loved dancing and was skilled at it. When she noticed. Ashley¡¯s talent in dancing, she began teaching her from a young age. As Ashley''s grandma aged, she yed dance videos from her youth for Ashley to watch. Ashley¡¯s grandma maintained her passion for dancing throughout her life, even refraining from having children to preserve her figure. Ashley¡¯s grandpa unconditionally supported his wife¡¯s decision, and they loved each other deeply throughout their lives. Ashley¡¯s dance foundation was thusid by her grandma¡¯s guidance and teachings. Megan seemed to have guessed something and asked excitedly, ¡°Is your grandmother¡¯s surname Sawyer?¡± Ashley was momentarily surprised but nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± Megan smiled slightly and looked at Ashley with more admiration. ¡°ording to the show¡¯s rules, the grand finale winner will be my student, receiving personal instruction from me in dance. Ashley, are you willing to be my student?¡± Upon hearing this question, the audience looked at Ashley. They thought Ashley would surely agree. After all, given Megan¡¯s status, everyone learning dance would want to be her student. upter 30 The host also looked towards Ashley. He poised the microphone near his mouth, ready to congratte the two on their teacher- student rtionship. However, in the next moment, Ashley shook her head apologetically. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Rice. | cannot agree to be your student.¡± Her words left the audience in stunned silence for several seconds. The once lively venue suddenly became quiet, followed by a collective confusion. Everyone was surprised. Ashley actually refused Megan! She didn¡¯t want to be Megan¡¯s student! The online viewers were equally astonished, almost suspecting they were mishearing things. [Well, Ms. Rice tried to take on a student multiple times and got rejected. Now, she tries to take on Ashley and gets rejected again. Poor Ms. Rice...] [Feel sorry for Ms. Rice.] [Ashley, what are you doing? Why refuse? Don¡¯t be so ungrateful!] [Ashley is too arrogant. How dare she refuse Megan?] At the venue, the host was so surprised that he almost bit his tongue. He hurriedly asked, ¡°Ashley, did you refuse to be Ms. Rice''s student?¡±This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Ashley remainedposed. ¡°Yes.¡± The host was so shocked that he almost choked on his saliva. ¡®Ashley seems a bit too audacious, rejecting such an offer right after winning first. ce,¡¯ he thought. Upon hearing Ashley¡¯s refusal, Miranda became extremely anxious. She tugged at Ashley''s sleeve and whispered, ¡°Ashley, what if you offend Ms. Rice? What ifizens start criticizing you? Hurry up and change your statement. Say you''re willing to be Ms. Rice''s student!¡± Ashleyfortingly patted her hand, also whispering, ¡°I really can¡¯t be her student.¡± Miranda became so worried that she broke into a sweat after hearing what Ashley said. Not far away, Jessica, upon hearing Ashley¡¯s rejection of Megan, first paused in surprise, then burst into mockingughter. ¡°This b itch really hasn¡¯t seen the world. She doesn¡¯t know what¡¯s good for her. How dare she refuse Megan? If she offends Megan, she won''t have an easy time in the future, especially in the dance circle. Ashley, you¡¯ve brought this upon yourself. Get ready to be suppressed by Megan!¡¯ Jessica said inwardly. The host turned to Megan, anticipating how embarrassed and angry she might be. When considering how to remedy the situation, he saw Megan look at Ashley with a smile and good graces. Megan chuckled and spoke extremely affectionately. ¡°Ashley, you rejected me again.¡± Hearing this, the host looked shocked. He widened his eyes, slowly processing the situation. ¡°Ms. Rice, are you saying...¡± Megan nodded, looking at Ashley with love and admiration in her eyes. mentioned before that | have someone in mind who excels in every aspect. Several times, | wanted to take her as my student, but she refused. That person is Ashley.¡± The host, the audience, and the online viewers were all dumbfounded. ¡°| Chapter 31 Chapter 31 Chapter 31 (What? The person Megan wanted to take as a student but got rejected multiple times is actually Ashley!] No wonder Megan said she excelled in every aspect. It''s true. Ashley is beautiful with a great figure, and has a solid foundation in dance. She is wless indeed!] [Ashley Ramos, the woman the great Megan Rice repeatedly sought to mentor!] So, when Megan came early to be a judge in the semi-finals, saying she found a promising talent, she was actually referring to Ashley?] (Oh, | initially thought it was Jessica. ..] Jessica isn¡¯t worthy! She bribed the judges and cheated. She deserves to be publicly shamed!] Don¡¯t forget Jeremy, that scum.] On the stage at this moment, Jessica, upon hearing Megan state that the person who had rejected her multiple times was Ashley, clenched her palms, nails sinking deeply into her flesh. ¡®How could it be... How could it be Ashley? When Megan initially mentioned discovering a promising talent, she wasn¡¯t talking about me but Ashley... | have been so self¡ªconceited, thinking it was about me. How ironic!¡® She thought. Jessica felt as if she was pped in the face. What embarrassed her even more was the fact that Megan, who wanted to take Ashley as her student, had been rejected multiple times by Ashley. Jessica had once begged Megan to take her, but Megan had been cold and indifferent. On the other hand, Megan showed enthusiastic admiration for Ashley, and despite being rejected, she did not feel embarrassed. Megan even repeatedly humbled herself, only hoping to take Ashley as her student. How could this be? The stark contrast made Jessica burn with rage. She looked at Ashley venomously, with surging jealousy and hatred. In the backstage area, when Jeremy heard this news, he was shocked to the point where his pupils. dted. He had never expected the person that Megan had wanted as her apprentice and who rejected her, to be Ashley, his biological sister... Jeremy was initially surprised, but then began to bask in reflected glory. Ashley, the person the renowned Megan Rice couldn¡¯t have as her apprentice, was his sister! Who wouldn¡¯t envy and admire that? Jeremy started seeing Ashley differently. ¡®Ashley is good. She isn¡¯t disgracing the Ramos family. If she wants to return to the Ramos family, | will be merciful and not oppose it anymore, he thought. Jeremy nned to talk to Ashley after thepetition and tell her that he agreed to her return to the Ramos family. Onstage, Miranda was so excited that she nearly jumped up. Grabbing Ashley''s arms with both hands, she said with bright eyes, ¡°Ashley! It¡¯s actually you! The apprentice Ms. Rice has always wanted is you! Oh, my. This is so amazing! But at the same time, this is to be expected because your qualifications are truly outstanding! No wonder Ms. Rice noticed you!¡± 12:14 Ashley was a bit dizzy from Miranda¡¯s excitement and reached out to steady her. ¡°Miranda, calm down first.¡± Flushed with excitement, Miranda said, ¡°How can | calm down? I¡¯m already showing a lot of restraint! For us dancers, this is really earth-shattering news!¡± Ashley was left speechless. She couldn''t understand Miranda''s excitement. However, it was not Miranda''s fault to be so excited. This was indeed earth-shattering news. Even the audience was buzzing, discussing it in hushed tones. And the host was dazed and even forgot the next steps in the program. Megan raised the microphone, smiling at Ashley on the stage. ¡°When | learned that your grandmother¡¯s surname is Sawyer, and you learned to dance from her as a child, | understood. Returning to his senses, the host quickly asked, ¡°Ms. Rice, what did you understand?¡± Megan paused for a while and then said respectfully, ¡°If that predecessor surnamed Sawyer was Ashley¡¯s teacher, then | am indeed not worthy to take Ashley as my student.¡± The host was stunned. And Megan¡¯s statement once again shocked the entire audience. The livestream was immediately flooded with livements. (What? Megan actually said she¡¯s not worthy to take Ashley as her student?] Ms. Rice is too modest, isn¡¯t she?] It doesn¡¯t sound like modesty. Megan was genuinely respectful when saying she didn¡¯t deserve to be Ashley¡¯s teacher.] Sawyer... Could it be Myrna Sawyer, the legendary master dancer renowned at home and abroad?] (Wow! Myrna was an even more esteemed heavyweight, the best of the best in the dance world! Even someone like me, who doesn¡¯t know much about dance, has heard her name!] If Ashley¡¯s grandmother is really Myrna, no wonder Megan would say she¡¯s not worthy to be Ashley¡¯s teacher...]Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. The host was astonished after hearing Megan¡¯s words. After a considerable pause, he asked, ¡°Ms. Rice, since Ashley cannot be yourst student, ording to the program rules, the honor can be passed on to the next in line, the second-ce winner, Jessica Ramos. Are you willing to take Jessica as your student?¡± Upon hearing this, Jessica felt ecstatic, not expecting a windfall like this. She thought she had no chance to learn from Megan, but the situation had taken a twist, and now she could be Megan¡¯s last student! Jessica immediately looked in Megan''s direction and smiled eagerly. She enthusiastically said, ¡°Ms. Rice, | really admire you and have always hoped to receive your guidance.¡± However, Megan nced at her coldly and said, ¡°Jessica, you¡¯re not worthy¡± ¡°What?¡± Jessica was shocked. She didn¡¯t expect Megan to say in front of everyone that she wasn¡¯t worthy! Not expecting this turn of events, the host was almost choked by his own saliva. ¡°Ms. Rice, I...¡± 12 *term didn¡¯t even want to look at jessten again the said indifferently, ¡°Someone who tries to obtain the meat plus Huangh to try out cheating has a corund mind. Such a person doesn¡¯t deserve to be my chudent Ed rather love on the ept someone unworthy¡± The odd and straightforward words left jessica bating her lower lip, turning it pale. Kleen armally remeted jessies in front of so many people, stating that she has a corrupt mind, and Falling her oneily It was like a slope in the face but Jessent Chapter 32 Jessica stood on the stage in embarrassment, holding the microphone tightly. Megan had openly insulted her. Jessica was the darling daughter of the Ramos family, yet Megan taunted her harshly in public. Not only did Megan say she was not worthy to be Ashley''s teacher, but she said Jessica was not worthy to be her student. Jessica found it most intolerable being inferior to Ashley. She gritted her teeth tightly but couldn¡¯t hide the abashed expression. The discussion in the audience and strange looks from other contestants made her feel like a sewer rat. Jeremy was stupefied backstage when he saw this scene. He didn¡¯t expect Megan to have a lot ofints about Jessica and humiliate her in public. Seeing Jessica being insulted, Jeremy felt sorry for her and wished he could rush to the stage to defend her. But thinking about Jessica saying that she didn¡¯t know about bribing the judges, Jeremy couldn''t help but frown and felt less sorry about her. On stage, Miranda held Ashley¡¯s arm, unable to suppress the smile on her face. She whispered, ¡°Ashley, Ms. Rice is so cool! Look at Jessica. She looks so embarrassed.¡± Ashley raised her eyebrows and turned to look in Megan¡¯s direction. Megan was also looking at her with an earnest smile. Ashley smiled at her in response. The host didn¡¯t expect the situation to be so intense and asked, ¡°Ms. Rice, didn¡¯t you and Jessica follow each other on Twitter before?¡±Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Since they followed each other, it was reasonable to assume Megan had some appreciation for Jessica¡¯s dance. Megan thought about it for a moment and understood what the host was asking. She said indifferently, ¡°My Twitter is managed by my assistant. It must have been her. | don¡¯t know about this, and | will unfollow Jessica immediately.¡± [My goodness, so that¡¯s how it is.] [It turns out that her assistant did it.] [Ms. Rice seemed to dislike Jessica very much and said she would unfollow Jessica immediately...] [This is so embarrassing...] After that, Megan changed the topic. ¡°I heard that Ashley is also on Twitter, right?¡± a<< The host nodded. ¡°Yes! Many viewers who watched the show left us messages, saying they liked Ashley¡¯s dance, so our program team invited Ashley to register a Twitter ount. Ms. Rice, why did you ask this?¡± Megan smiled, ¡°I''d like to friend Ashley on Twitter.¡± The host looked in Ashley¡¯s direction. ¡°Ashley, what do you think?¡± Ashley responded with an elegant smile, ¡°Thank you for your favor, Ms. Rice. | will surely follow you.¡± 12-15 Megan still wore a smile. ¡°Okay, that¡¯s a deal. Has anyone noticed that Ms. Rice¡¯s attitudes toward Ashley and Jessica are so different?] [LOL. The most embarrassed person on stage must be Jessica.] [That''s so embarrassing!] | can¡¯t tell you how happy | am!] Every second was torture for Jessica for the rest of the time. She cursed in her mind. That bitch stole my limelight! She took away what belonged to me! If it weren''t for Ashley, the first ce would have been mine, and Megan would have epted me as her student. Everything is ruined now. It¡¯s all because of Ashley. Why doesn¡¯t she go to hell?¡± The final of Show Your Dance finally came to an end. Much of its content became trending topics with hashtags on Twitter. For example, ¡°Ashley executed a perfect split in the air¡°, ¡°Ashley won first ce in Show Your Dance¡°. ¡°Ashley refused to be Megan''sst student¡°, ¡°Jeremy and Jessica bribed the judges¡°, and ¡°Megan said Jessica was not worthy to be her student". Some people who didn¡¯t watch the show clicked on the trending topics. They were first amazed by Ashley''s grand jet¨¦ and then were angered by Jeremy and Jessica¡¯s bribery of the judges. Finally, they discovered Ashley had rejected Megan many times and was the talent Megan had been looking for. Many people were astonished as Ashley was not only stunning but also a good dancer. What was more, she even rejected Megan many times. They couldn¡¯t help but wonder what background Ashley had.. Since then. Ashley hade into public view. Some people revealed that Ashley was the real darling of the Ramos family and Jessica was the fake one who stole Ashley¡¯s position, but the reality was that the Ramos family didn¡¯t care about Ashley but doted on the fake one. Not knowing the reason, some people thought Ashley was miserable, while some thought there should be something wrong with her, which made her family hate her. As for Ashley, she still didn¡¯t know the situation online at this time. Just as she came out of the dressing room after changing clothes, she met Jeremy in the corridor. Ashley ignored him and walked away. Jeremy was irked and immediately reached out to stop her. ¡°Ashley, don¡¯t think you can be disrespectful to me just because you won first ce! ¡°Did you send the recording of me bribing the judges to the program team? Why are you so heartless? Do you know how people are criticizing me and our family online?¡± Ashley sneered, ¡°I have severed ties with the Ramos family long ago. You are no longer my brother. ¡°No matter how people criticize the Ramos family and you, what does it have to do with me?¡± Jeremy red at her, lost for words for a moment. ¡°Ashley, if you want to make up with our family, | may intercede with Dad for the sake of Megan¡¯s great favor toward you.¡± Ashley¡¯s eyes suddenly turned cold. ¡°Jeremy, the Ramos family only makes me sick. 2a) Chap 32 ¡°| will never go back in my lite Ashley ignored Jeremy¡¯s livid face and stormed off. Looking at Ashley¡¯s leaving figure, Jeremy kicked the wall in a expected fit of temper. He had neve Ashley would even refuse him. Chapter 33 Jessica came over and saw Jeremy standing in the corridor. She immediately had tears in her eyes. and put on a pitiful look. ¡°Jeremy, Ms. Rice humiliated me on the stage but favors Ashley very much... ¡°Why does Ashley want to snatch everything from me? She knows that | have always wanted to learn from Megan...¡± Seeing Jessica shed tears, Jeremy wanted tofort her and swore at Ashley like before, but he was lost for words. Jeremy pressed his lips and didn¡¯t speak after a long while. ¡°Jessica, about bribing the judges, you...¡± Jessica was stunned as Jeremy didn¡¯tfort her at first. She stepped forward and said in an innocent tone, ¡°Jeremy, how could you bribe the judges for me? This is wrong. | want to win the show fair and square through my own efforts. Jeremy was perplexed, not knowing if Jessica scapegoated him intentionally or if she really didn¡¯t know about him bribing the judges. But he had clearly hinted at her. Seeing Jeremy was a little solemn, Jessica changed her attitude. ¡°I know you did it for me, so | will bear the consequences with you! If people want to criticize me, I¡¯m okay with that!¡± Jeremy was touched and felt Jessica was so sensible. She would rather bear the consequences and face people¡¯s criticism with him. Jeremy felt much better but still had some doubts. He couldn''t help but think of what Ashley said to him at the auction. ¡°Do you believe...Jessica was the one who saved you back then?¡± Jeremy thought Ashley was making it up to take Jessica¡¯s credit, but he was a little confused after what happened today.N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. He seemed unable to confirm whether the person who saved him was Jessica. Jeremy took a deep breath, looked at Jessica, and asked, ¡°Jessica, was it you who risked your life to save me from danger?¡± Jessica was panicked for a moment. ¡®Why did he suddenly ask this? Did he suspect something? She wondered. Jessica¡¯s mind was a mess, but she still remained calm on her face. She widened her eyes in surprise, full of innocence Jeremy, why do you ask this? ¡°Although I¡¯m not rted to the Ramos family, I¡¯ve long regarded you as my brother. If you are in danger, of course, | will try my best to save you.¡± Jeremy patted her shoulder to soothe her. Jessica, don¡¯t think too much. I¡¯m just asking casually.¡± Jessica bit her lower lip with a grievance. ¡°Jeremy, do you think | scapegoated you for bribing the judges? | really didn¡¯t know about it at that time. When the host asked me, | could only say that | didn¡¯t know. | didn¡¯t mean to let you bear it alone.¡± ¡°Tknow. Silly girl, how could | me you?¡± Jeremy smiled andforted her, but she could tell he was a little absent-minded and didn¡¯t treat her as well as before. Jessica gritted her teeth, thinking that she had to find a way to regain Jeremy''s trust. 12:15 Ashley was packing in the lounge. Joseph suddenly came over, smiling charmingly. ¡°Ashley, congrattions on winning first ce!¡± Ashley looked back and saw him wearing a pink shirt, standing leisurely at the door of the lounge, his sunsses twirling on his index finger. ¡°| watched the whole livestream. Ashley, you were amazing! Valentin must be waiting for the good news. ¡°Keep your voice down.¡± Ashley lowered her voice to warn him and looked around. Fortunately, there was no one nearby. If others heard Valentin¡¯s name, her marriage would be exposed. ¡°Come on.¡± Joseph walked over and said in a low voice, ¡°Ashley, is Valentin so terrible? Why don¡¯t you announce your marriage?¡± Ashley was speechless for a moment and had a strange feeling. Joseph''s words sounded like Valentin was kept by her. Joseph helped her pack her things and pulled her out. ¡°Hurry up. Your Romeo is waiting for you at home to congratte you!¡± ¡®My Romeo?¡± Ashley repeated in her mind. She couldn''t respond for a while. Joseph always liked to say some humorous words. While Joseph pulled Ashley out, they were photographed by a passing staff member and posted online. Ashley was currently very popr online, and this photo immediately attracted a lot of attention. [Wow! Who is that guy holding Ashley¡¯s hand? He¡¯s so hot!] He looks like Joseph Fox, the second son of the Fox family?] Yes, it¡¯s him! The second son of the top wealthy Fox family. Joseph! His stunning face surpasses many male celebrities in the entertainment industry. He was once on the trending topic because of his good appearance!] He¡¯s not only rich and handsome but also powerful. The Fox family is not an ordinary wealthy family but a top famil in the upper ss, at the same level as the Kingsley family. Moreover, the two families have a very good rtionship and are connected by marriage.] (Wait! | suddenly remembered something! When Ashley had a livestream, there was a mysterious man named Ariml who spent more than 200 thousand dors on giving her teddy bears. Could that man be Joseph?] [Oh my! | must say they¡¯re meant for each other!] @Ariml, are you Joseph?) @Ariml, do you have a close rtionship with Ashley?] Joseph pulled Ashley into the car, and they sat in the back seat. The car drove to the Kingsley Vi. Joseph looked at his phone and found he and Ashley were rumored to be having a rtionship in such a short while. 12-151 Chapin 33 Joseph was shocked. He thought, ¡®Come on. It¡¯s not funny. | don¡¯t want to get into trouble. Joseph swallowed in panic and sent a message to Valentin. [Valentin, Ashley and | are rumored to be having a rtionship..] In the Kingsley Vi, Valentin was sitting on the sofa in the living room and saw the message from Joseph when his phone rang. Valentin didn¡¯t reply immediately. Then, he received a bombardment of messages from Joseph. [Valentin, | didn¡¯t do it on purpose! Those people are so crazy. They are talking nonsense!] [Who is Arim!? Did he spend more than 200 thousand dors on buying Ashley teddy bears?] [He must be crazy!] [Valentin, you can¡¯t sit still! Go to Ashley¡¯s livestream and buy her teddy bears worth two million dors!] After reading the messages, Valentin looked very calm as he was the mysterious man in Ashley''s livestream room. Chapter 34 As soon as Ashley walked into the living room of the Kingsley Vi, she saw Valentin sitting on the sofa. He crossed his legs leisurely and held his phone, tapping on the ck screen. He looked at her, hiding ineffable emotions in his deep eyes. Ashley was confused by his gaze. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Joseph, following Ashley, was so frightened by Valentin¡¯s cold gaze that his legs went limp. He thought, ¡°Valentin, don¡¯t me me. | didn¡¯t wait that to happen either. It¡¯s those people who have wild imaginations.¡± In this weird atmosphere, Ashley¡¯s phone rang, and he received a message from Miranda. They friended each other on Twitter after the final. Miranda: [Ashley! Check Twitter! There is a rumor about you and Joseph!] [Ashley, what is your rtionship with Joseph? Sorry, I¡¯m just so curious!] Ashley was puzzled and wondered, ¡®What¡¯s going on?* She checked her phone and found out that a photo of her and Joseph had been taken and exposed online. People were specting that Joseph was the mysterious man who spent more than 200 thousand dors for her. Ashley raised her eyebrows and looked at Joseph. ¡°You aren¡¯t Ariml, are you?*. She didn¡¯t even know Joseph at that time, so it was impossible for him to send her gifts. As expected, Joseph waved his hands repeatedly. ¡°It¡¯s not me. | don¡¯t have that ount! Who is Arim!? He actually spent more than 200 thousand dors to give you virtual teddy bears. Is he crazy?¡± Ashley frowned in confusion, ¡°I don¡¯t know either.¡± Joseph pondered and said, ¡°Could he be your crazy fan? Maybe he was so generous because he likes. you so much. | bet he must be very rich.¡± Catching a glimpse of Valentin with a cold face on the sofa, Joseph said, ¡°Even if he¡¯s rich, he can¡¯t show off like this! Valentin, he must be insane, right?¡± Valentin¡¯s face turned more gloomy. Joseph took out his phone while speaking. ¡°T¡¯ll set right the rumor right away. How could those people talk nonsense about my rtionship with Ashley?¡± In fact, Ashley didn¡¯t take it seriously. ¡°You don¡¯t need to be so nervous.¡± Joseph thought, ¡®How can | not be nervous? Valentin looks so jealous as if he¡¯s going to eat me. For fear of irritating Valentin, Joseph logged into his Twitter ount and quickly posted a statement. [I''m here to rify that I¡¯m only Ashley¡¯s friend and loyal fan. We¡¯re not having a rtionship, and Ariml is not me! Please stop spreading the rumors.] Joseph was once on the trending topic because of his outstanding appearance. In addition, he was born into a rich and powerful family, so he had many fans on Twitter. As soon as his rification was posted on Twitter, it caused a heated discussion in thement area. [I''ve read it! So, Joseph and Ashley are not in a rtionship, and he is not Ariml.] 12.15 [Crap. Joseph is Ashley¡¯s friend and a loyal fan. Ashley is so awesome!] [The suspense is killing me. Who is Ariml?] After Joseph rified on Twitter, he looked at Valentin expectantly, but he felt worried at the same time. ¡°Valentin, do you know who is Arim!? He must have ill intentions to send Ashley teddy bears. | don¡¯t think he is a good person.¡± Valentin still didn¡¯t speak. Joseph looked very anxious and kept offering Valentin advice. Joseph thought, ¡®Facing such a powerful love rival, why isn¡¯t Valentin worried at all? Maybe Valentin doesn¡¯t care about the teddy bears at all. After all, he spent 20 million dors at the auction to buy a ne for Ashley. How can this Arimlpare?¡± While Joseph was cheering for Valentin, an idea shed across his mind.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. He screamed inwardly, ¡®Valentin looks so calm. Could he be Arim|?!¡± Joseph was shocked by this possibility and almost choked. Ashley asked in puzzlement, ¡°What''s wrong? Do you want some water?¡± Joseph identally found the truth and couldn''t react for a while. ¡°No, Ashley. I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡®It must be Valentin! He got to be Ariml! Otherwise, how could he be so calm? Damn! | even said Ariml is insane and has ill intentions... Thinking of this, Joseph was in despair and even imagined the worst-case scenario. ¡°Valentin...¡± Joseph swallowed in fright and tried to make up for his mistake. ¡°Don¡¯t take my words seriously. Ariml sent so many teddy bears to Ashley, and he must be a good person! | believe he is a handsome and rich man!*. Valentin nced at him casually without saying anything. Joseph was more confirmed about his spection. He still couldn¡¯t believe Valentin hid his identity and went to Ashley''s livestream room. Joseph wanted to stay for a meal, but he had something to deal with and left after answering a call. Before leaving, Joseph winked meaningfully at Ashley. Ashley was confused, wondering. ¡®What is he doing?¡± Looking at Joseph¡¯s leaving figure, Ashley asked in puzzlement, ¡°What''s wrong with him?¡± She couldn''t understand why Joseph¡¯s attitude toward Ariml changed so quickly. Valentin raised his eyebrows and exined, ¡°He has been very lively since he was a child.¡± Judging from his tone, Ashley could tell he had been used to Joseph¡¯s entric character. She sat on the sofa and raised her hand to squeeze her shoulders. Today¡¯s dancepetition was a little strenuous, and her shoulders were a little sore. After a while, Valentin¡¯s husky and maic voice sounded in her ears. ¡°Would you mind?¡± Ashley was slightly startled. Valentin put his hands on her thin shoulders and began to massage with a moderate force. ¡°No, no. I''ll do it myself.¡± Ashley felt ill at ease. 12:15 Valentin didn¡¯t give her a chance to dodge.¡± He turned sideways and gently squeezed her shoulders, looking very skillful. ¡°Come on. You used to enjoy it in childhood.¡± Ashley was speechless for a moment. Valentin lowered his eyes and nced at her. As he was sitting behind her, he could only see her tender profile and soft earlobes. He raised his eyebrows and said tongue in cheek, ¡°Don¡¯t you remember you often bossed me around, huh?¡± Send Gift Chapter 35 12-15 Ashley¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and she fell into an awkward silence. In her childhood, she was very clingy to Valentin and often told him what to do. Recalling that she often asked him to massage her and help her with her homework, Ashley felt very embarrassed. She coughed out of guilt and pretended not to hear him, refusing to admit that she had often bossed him around. Seeing her pretending not to remember, Valentin raised an eyebrow and drawled. ¡°Ashley, you really don¡¯t remember?¡± He leaned closer to her ear, his voice low and alluring. ¡°That¡¯s okay. | can help you recall it.¡± Ashley¡¯s ears were flushed. It was the first time she got so close to him, and she could even feel his warm breath. Ashley touched her flushed ear and said in abashment, ¡°You''re so close to mel Valentin massaged her shoulders and teased, ¡°Don¡¯t be so heartless. | still remember you were clingy to me when you were little.¡± Ashley didn¡¯t expect her words to give him a chance to mention the past again. As her cheeks blushed, she pped his hands away, pouting in a sulk, ¡°I''ll do it myself!¡± Valentin took a look at his hands, which had red marks as Ashley pped them hard. He wasn¡¯t angry but found it spiced up their rtionship. Seeing Ashley squeeze her shoulders clumsily, he was amused and couldn''t resist her cuteness. Valentin chuckled, showing a bit of joy. ¡°It¡¯s better to let me do it.¡± Ashley snorted and said stubbornly, ¡°I said | can do it myself.¡± He raised an eyebrow, his eyes full of affection. ¡°But | want to help. Would you like to give me a chance?¡± Ashley nced at him and agreed in a histrionic tone, ¡°Alright. You¡¯d better cherish this opportunity.¡± Valentin smiled faintly, his eyes filled with tenderness. He continued to squeeze her shoulders through a thinyer of clothing. Ashley had to admir he was very skilled. His force was neither light nor heavy, and it relieved her fatigue a lot. ¡°Do you often massage others¡¯ shoulders? Why are you so skilled?¡± She couldn''t control her curiosity. Valentin almostughed and narrowed his eyes seriously. ¡°Ashley, have you seen me massage others?¡± Ashley recalled in her mind and did realize she hadn''t seen him massage others. Valentin nced at her and said in a maic voice, ¡°I have only massaged you.¡± Ashley¡¯s heart flustered for a moment. Her mind went nk, and she didn¡¯t know what to say. Valentin didn¡¯t seem to need her answer and changed the topic naturally. ¡°I haven¡¯t congratted you on winning first ce in the final yet¡± 12-15 Ashley also skipped thest dopic. ¡°Have you watched the livestream again?¡° He nodded and said, ¡°That man named Jeremy...¡± Ashley felt disgusted when hearing Jeremy''s name. She waved her hands, not wanting to mention him. ¡°He is...¡± Before she could finish her words, her phone rang. It was Jeremy calling. Ashley cursed in her mind, ¡®Speak of the devil and he doth appear. She hung up the phone with an indifferent face. Past experience told her Jeremy must be calling to scold her for not going easy on Jessica and being ungrateful to the Ramos family. In Jeremy''s eyes, Ashley was not his sister but a target he could abuse at will when he was unhappy. In the eyes of the Ramos family, she was probably even less important than the stray dogs on the street. Ashley didn¡¯t want to give Jeremy another chance to scold her, so she simply hung up. Just as she put the phone down, it rang again. It was still Jeremy.. Ashley hung up again and impatiently cklisted him. Being hung up, Jeremy frowned and called again patiently, but the result showed that he was cklisted. Jeremy was stunned and looked at his phone in disbelief. He thought, Ashley didn¡¯t answer my calls and blocked me? She dared to cklist me? How dare shel¡¯ In the Kingsley Vi, Valentin cooked the dinner in person to celebrate Ashley¡¯s winning first ce in the final of Show Your Dance.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Seeing the table full of her favorite dishes, Ashley felt a trace of warmth ripple over her body. ¡°Thank you. Valentin smiled, ¡°Since you want to thank me, why don¡¯t you do me a favor?¡± Ashley blinked in confusion. ¡°How can | help?¡± Valentin said, ¡°Help me take off my clothes.¡± Ashley was so shocked that her eyes widened. He raised his arms and calmly corrected his words. ¡°Help me take off the apron.¡± Ashley was speechless.. Seeing him in an apron like a good husband, she touched her nose awkwardly and walked behind him to untie his apron. She had long eyshes, and the light in the living room made them cast a faint shadow under her eyelids. Ashley lowered her eyes, her gaze falling on his slender waist. Valentin was wearing a white shirt and ck trousers, with the lower part of his shirt tucked into the 12:15 trousers, entuating his slender waist, making him sexy and distant. Somehow, Ashley really wanted to use her hands to measure his waist. She suppressed the urge and untied his apron. ¡°It¡¯s untied.¡± Valentin stood still and smiled, ¡°Ashley, | said | want you to help me take it off.¡± Ashley¡¯s eyes widened. Just as she wanted to retort, she caught a glimpse of her favorite food on the table, so she didn¡¯t say anything. She thought, ¡®Forget it. | can¡¯t be so ungrateful. He even cooked to celebrate for me. Ashley stood behind the man, making a face at his back, and reluctantly helped him take off his apron. ¡°It¡¯s done. Are you satisfied?¡± Valentin lowered his eyes and chuckled. ¡°You helped me take it off personally. How could | not be dissatisfied?¡± Ashley blinked, feeling something was wrong with his words, but she couldn''t tell the exact reason. Valentin¡¯s dishes stimted her appetite, and her belly almost bulged as she couldn''t control herself for a while. Ashley stroked her round belly and went out for a walk to digest the food. After strolling, she went back to her room and took a shower. As soon as she came out of the bathroom, there was a knock on the door. Ashley walked over and opened the door. Valentin stood outside the door. ¡°I¡¯ming to fetch something Ashley nodded and turned sideways to let him in. Many of his things were still in the master bedroom. She proposed to move them out before, but he didnt agree and only said he woulde when needed. Seeing Ashley''s hair was still wet, Valentin picked up the hair dryer beside him. ¡°Let me help you dry your hair. Ashley was about to refuse, but he had already turned on the hair dryer, and a slight buzzing sound broke the silence in the room. Valentin stood in front of Ashley, holding the hairdryer over her head. He raised his other hand and ran his fingertips through her hair. The fragrance of shampoo wafted by, lingering around his nose. As Ashley had taken a shower not long ago, she only wore a ck silk strappy nightgown, revealing her tender shoulders and a large part of the skin on her chest. With thin straps hanging on her creamy shoulders, she looked alluring and erotic. Valentin hurriedly looked away, hiding his desire. Chapter 36 Ashley lowered her head slightly, enjoying the warm wind blowing on her scalp. Valentin¡¯s fingers ran through her hair, making her close her eyes infort. After a while, the sound of the hair dryer stopped. ¡°Is it done?¡± Ashley raised her head, touched her hair, and found it was all dry. Valentin reached out and put a strand of hair from her temples behind her car. While inadvertently touching the delicate skin of her neck, he swallowed, and his voice was a little hoarse. ¡°Yeah.¡± Ashley felt her neck tickled and trembled unconsciously. ¡°Don¡¯t touch there. It tickles.¡± Valentin raised an eyebrow and touched her neck again. ¡°Is it here?¡± Ashley felt a thrill all over. ¡°Why are you still touching it?¡± She pped his hand away in a sulk. ¡°What did youe to get? ¡°Wireless headphones,¡± he answered and put the hair dryer on the table beside him. Ashley responded and didn¡¯t ask any more questions. While he went to take his headphones, Ashley sat down by the bed and yed with her phone. Her Twitter followers had increased to more than 300 thousand, and the post she sent two days ago had attracted tens of thousands ofments. Ashley viewed thement below and found many fans were begging for her to reply to them. Ashley randomly replied to a few interestingments. A fanmented: [Ashley is so stunning! | love you! As long as you reply to me, | will go homework immediately!] Ashley replied: [Grant your wish.] do my Another fanmented: [Ashley, what pen did you use? Because | can¡¯t erase you from my mind!] Ashley only replied with a few question marks. Looking at those corny words, she even got goosebumps. Then, she continued to read the nextment. [Ashley, look at me! | really like you! You¡¯re my first. idol, and | will be your fan from today on! Can you call me darling?] While Ashley was typing ¡°Darling*, a seductive voice sounded above her head. ¡°Darling? Valentin used a rising tone in the end, carrying irresistible sexiness in his maic voice, sending Ashley a thrill all over. She stopped typing and raised her head in surprise. Valentin stood in front of her, nced at the content on her phone¡¯s screen, and raised an eyebrow slightly. ¡°Darling?¡± His voice tickled Ashley¡¯s ears, the thrill rippling over her body. ¡°What...What are you calling me?¡± 12:16 He tilted his head and said in an innocent tone, ¡°Aren''t you typing this word?¡± Ashley was lost for words for a moment. Valentin suddenly leaned down closer to her face. The distance was so close that they could feel each other¡¯s breathing. The atmosphere instantly warmed up, the air filling with lust. Ashley¡¯s heart skipped a beat and started pounding again. She stuttered. ¡°What...what are you doing?¡± Valentin gazed at her with a sensual voice. ¡°I¡¯m your fan, too. Why don¡¯t you call me that?¡± Ashley slowly opened her eyes wide in astonishment. ¡®Call him that too?¡¯ She asked herself in her mind. Ashley was stupefied and froze there. Valentin nced at her phone screen and then looked up at her with a chuckle, indescribably sexy, ¡°Come on. I¡¯d like to hear it.¡± Ashley couldn''t react for a while as her mind went nk. Valentin found himself attracted by her astonished look as if he was looking at a frightened cute kitten. He raised an eyebrow pleasantly, stroked her earlobe, and slowly stood up. Ashley didn¡¯te back to her senses even after Valentin left. Hearing the door close, Ashley blinked and touched the earlobe that had been stroked by him. It tingled and was blushing and hot. Why did he touch me again? Ashleyined in her mind. She stood up abruptly, grabbed the water ss on the table, and drank water in gulps before calming, down her intense heartbeat. ¡°Wait. Valentin said he was my fan?¡¯ She wondered again. Ashley nced at her phone and was not in the mood to reply to thement. However, more people came toment because of her reply, and her fans mored to see her selfies and watch her livestream. Ashley thought for a while, took off her nightgown, changed intomon clothes, and started the livestream. As soon as her livestream started, her fans swarmed in. [Oh my! Is Ashley without makeup? She¡¯s still so beautiful!] [Her skin is so smooth! | feel she is even glowing. She¡¯s like a princess!] [Ashley is the most beautiful woman in the world!] [Ashley, wait for me. I''ll make a lot of money ande back to marry you!] Looking at those fans¡®pliments, Ashley was amused and couldn¡¯t help smiling. Her lips were red and glossy, and her smile was like a rose in full bloom, bright and stunning. Those fans expressed their amazement crazily again. In addition to her fans, other people also came to watch her livestream. Ashley looked at the questions on the screen and chatted casually with everyone. ¡°Yes, | just took a 2/8 12:16 shower, and my hair was just dried. | didn¡¯t want to tie it up.¡± ¡°Yes, | ate a lot tonight and was stuffed.¡± ¡°| didn¡¯t make the dinner... My family made it. I¡¯m not good at cooking.¡± ¡°Stop. Stop! Don¡¯t give me gifts, everyone! | started the livestream because you want to see me. Let¡¯s just have a casual chat.¡± Ashley stopped fans from buying her gifts and chatted with them for a while. Then, she received several private messages. She clicked in and found it was Jeremy. His online nickname was his real name. Jeremy: [Ashley, how could you block my number?] [You exposed my bribery of the judges, and | forgave you.] [lf you want to go back to our family, | can intercede for you, but why did you block me?] [Ashley, have you ever treated me as your brother?] [Apologize to me quickly and pull me out of the cklist! Did you see that?] Ashley was a little sulky and thought, ¡®How could Jeremy even harass me during a livestream? What''s wrong with him? He used to be indifferent and hate me, but now he keeps looking for me over and over again.¡± Ashley didn¡¯t want to waste time replying to him.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. She clicked on her phone, preparing to block Jeremy''s online ount as well... But at this moment, a dynamic effect shed on the screen of her live livestream room. Then, there was a series of system prompts. [Jeremy gives you Love Bang x66.] [Jeremy gives you Rainbow Puke x66.] [Jeremy gives you Concert x66.] With those gifts, he immediately became number one on the gift list. Ashley was stunned. ¡®Is he insane?¡® She cursed in her mind.. As Jeremy''s online nickname was his real name, viewers in the livestream room became silent when they saw the gift-giver name. 3/3 Send Gift Chapter 37 hapter 37 Those viewers couldn''t help but start a discussion after silence. This is...really Jeremy? Ashley''s brother?] Bullshit! What kind of brother is he? Did you forget Jeremy bribed the judges in today¡¯s final to help Jessica take first ce? He didn¡¯t treat Ashley as his sister at all!] (Why did | hear that the Ramos family seems to dislike Ashley?] [You''re putting it lightly. They even hate her. | wonder if Ashley has done something wrong to them!] Hey, even though we can¡¯t know who you are, can you watch your mouth?] (Guys, | suddenly remember one thing! There is amon rule on the livestream tforms. The person who ranks at the top of the gift list can ask the streamer to do one thing. Now...] While they were discussing. Jeremy was typing in a fury. (Ashley, apologize to me! Get me off the cklist! Did you hear that?] The viewers were puzzled and began another heated discussion. (Apologize? What the hell? Wasn''t it Jeremy who bribed the judges? What did he ask Ashley to apologize for?] Didn¡¯t they say that the Ramos family didn¡¯t like Ashley? Howe Jeremy was cklisted?] Now, it seems like Jeremy is begging for Ashley¡¯s attention.] But Jeremy is the number one on the gift list. Can Ashley refuse him? She has no reason to refuse, hasn''t she?] Ashley¡¯s eyes suddenly turned cold when she saw Jeremy''s words. ¡°He wants me to apologize? That''s impossible, she thought firmly. While Ashley was thinking about how to respond, dynamic effects shed across the phone screen again. [Ariml gives you Concert x520.] [Ariml gives you Rainbow Puke x520.] [Ariml gives you I¡¯m Very Rich x520.] [Ariml gives you Drama Queen x520.] The dynamic effects flickered for a long time before stopping. The other viewers noticed the top one on the top fans list had been changed from Jeremy to Ariml. The screen was soon upied by countlessments. [Crap! It¡¯s Ariml! The mysterious guy!] [520! The number of gifts in each type is 5201] [Ariml gave so many expensive gifts. He jumped to the top of the list and is streets ahead of Jeremy in second ce!] [Is he trying to protect Ashley?] [LOL. Jeremy can¡¯t get Ashley to take him out of the cklist now, can he?] 12:16 Ashley looked at Ariml¡¯s name on the gift list and blinked in confusion, wondering, ¡®Who exactly is he? y was also puzzled after being kicked off the top fans list. Jeremy ¡°Who is Ariml?* He thought. What happened was so dramatic that thements in the livestream room never stopped. More viewers poured in, and the number almost reached tens of millions. There were manyments which kept asking Ariml. [Sir, you¡¯re now at the top of the list. What do you want Ashley to do?] Facing their countless same questions, Valentin typed slowly. [No, | only want her to be happy.| His reply made the viewers go crazy again. [Wow. Why do | feel he¡¯s so into Ashley?] [I feel it, too! He is obsessed with her!]Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. [Does anyone know who this mysterious guy is? He likes Ashley so much and must be her fanboy.] Ashley looked at thements with a hint of doubt in her mind. She was also very curious about who Ariml was. As for Jeremy... Ashley looked at the camera with a sarcastic sneer. ¡°Jeremy, | have severed ties with the Ramos family long ago. ¡°Don¡¯t pester me ever again.¡± Her voice was resounding and firm. It attracted manyments again. [My goodness. Ashley directly disowned the Ramos family in the livestream. That''s cool!] [I also think she doesn¡¯t want a brother like Jeremy, who is shameless and partial to the fake heiress!] [But it¡¯s improper to cut off ties with her family, isn¡¯t it? After all, they''re her family. Is there anything that cannot be forgiven? How could she abandon her family so cruelly?] [Forgive them? Don¡¯t lecture others if you don¡¯t experience what others have suffered!] [She must be so disappointed that she wanted to cut off ties with her family. What on earth has she gone through?] Jeremy looked at Ashley in the livestream, and his heart skipped a beat. He thought. ¡®She actually announced in public that she was severing ties with the Ramos family. Will she never return again?¡ã In the living room of the Ramos Vi, Evan and Bertha were both sitting on the sofa. Frankie came back from abroad on a business trip.. Their second son. Charlie Ramos, and the fifth son, Matthew Ramos, also rushed back from work. Their fourth son, Ryan Ramos, had important things to deal with abroad. The Ramos family watched the rey of the livestream. Ashley wore a nonchnt face in the video and had publicly severed ties with the Ramos family. Evan mmed the table. ¡°How could she spread it in public? Everyone knows it now. She is really a disgrace to our family!¡± Evan was old-fashioned and mean, and what he cared about most was the Ramos family¡¯s reputation. Jeremy said with a frown, ¡°Dad, please stop saying that!¡± Bertha patted the back of Evan¡¯s hand and said softly, ¡°Cool down, Evan.¡± Jessica clenched her hands secretly when she saw Jeremy trying to defend Ashley. Charlie was a top cultural relic restorer with a quiet and stable personality, and he hadn''t expressed his opinion on this matter. Matthew was a popr singer in the entertainment industry. He had been holding concerts abroad recently and only had time to go home today. Matthew was sitting next to Jessica, with a hint of arrogance and disgus in his eyes. ¡°Let it be since she wants to disown us. It doesn¡¯t matter, even though she announced it in public. Our family doesn¡¯t need her either.¡± After a few seconds of silence, Jeremy nced at him and said, ¡°I want to talk to Ashley again and ask her if she is willing to return to our family.¡± Matthew couldn¡¯t understand. ¡°Jeremy, we have shown enough forbearance to her. What else do you want to ask?¡± At this time, Frankie gave a calm analysis. ¡°Ashley is notpletely useless. Megan tried to ept her as her student many times but was rejected. Moreover, Ashley is bing more popr online. If she is willing to return, she will still be a big help to our family.¡± Frankie was in charge of the Ramos Group, and the most important thing for him was interest. Jeremy was stunned for a moment, not expecting Frankie to n to take advantage of Ashley. Jeremy wanted to talk to Ashley because what Ashley said to him that day kept echoing in his mind. all day long. ¡°Do you believe...Jessica was the one who saved you back then?¡± Chapter 38 Evan, finding Frankie¡¯s words reasonable, nodded. ¡°Frankie, call that wretched girl now and tell her it¡¯s my decision. | agree to let her return to the Ramos family.¡± ¡®Ashley didn¡¯te back when Jeremy asked her. But now that | am inviting her back, that should be enough for her, isn¡¯t it?¡± Evan thought with annoyance. Hearing Evan''s charitable tone, Jeremy was irritated and thought, ¡®As if Ashley woulde running back just because the Ramos family shows a bit of kindness.¡± Frankie took out his phone and called Ashley. However, it then showed that he had been blocked. Even Frankie, who was usually calm andposed, disyed an expression of disbelief. ¡°I¡¯m blocked tool¡± Jeremy, for some reason, suddenly felt relieved. He pondered, ¡°Turns out I¡¯m not the only one who¡¯s been blocked. Evan''s eyes narrowed, and wrinkles creased the corners of his eyes as he said, ¡°I''ll call her.¡± It had been a long time since Evan had reached out to this daughter of his, and on the rare asion he did, it was because of this matter. But when Evan called, he found he was blocked too! Bertha thought momentarily and took out her phone, saying. T¡¯m her mother. They say there¡¯s a special bond between mother and daughter. She surely wouldn''t have the heart to block me.¡± But when she called, she found that she was blocked too! Matthew, the fifth heir of the Ramos family, skeptically took out his phone. As soon as he dialed the number, he, too, faced the fate of being blocked! ¡®Great, she blocked the entire family! Matthew thought angrily. Matthew, who had already despised Ashley, was even more displeased now. ¡°Is Ashley really that eager to cut ties with us?!¡± Meanwhile, the second heir of the Ramos family, Charlie, sat quietly on the sofa, seemingly indifferent to the whole situation. Seeing the Ramos family members getting blocked, Jessica secretly breathed a sigh of relief. She then pondered, ¡®I thought the Ramos family had softened and were going to let Ashley back. Thankfully, Ashley screwed it up herself. Jeremy, no longer upset about being blocked by Ashley, stood up righteously and said, ¡°That¡¯s enough. I¡¯m not the only one blocked. ¡°I''ll go find Ashley in a few days and talk with her properly.¡± Upon hearing this, Frankie looked at Jeremy skeptically. Matthew''s face clearly showed his dissatisfaction and confusion, wondering. | really don¡¯t understand. Why has Jeremy''s attitude toward Ashley softened? Why isn¡¯t he as disdainful of her as before? Jessica, who had just rxed, tensed up again. She couldn''t help but think, ¡®With Ashley¡¯s desperate craving for family affection, what if she actually softens and agrees toe back... 12-16 Meanwhile, over at the Kingsley Vi. Ashley had just finished a livestream with her fans and was lying in bed, getting ready to sleep. Before sleeping, Ashley opened the LiveMe and browsed through the profile of ¡°Ariml¡± but couldn¡¯t gather any information. She wondered, ¡°Who could this person bet As she was pondering, she received a WhatsApp message from Joseph.. [Mrs. Kingsley, Mrs. Kingsley. Are you asleep yet?] Ashley broke out in a cold sweat and replied: [Can you not call me Mrs. Kingsley?] She still wasn¡¯t used to this title. Joseph, adamant about upholding his cousin¡¯s status, responded: [You married Valentin, so you¡¯re Mrs. Kingsley! What else should | call you?] Ashley wrote back: [Just call me by my name.] Joseph insisted: [No! You are Mrs. Kingsley!! You are Valentin¡¯s wife. I''ve epted that!) Ashley was at a loss for words. Ashley then wrote: [Why are you texting me thiste at night?] Joseph replied excitedly: [Hehehe, | watched your livestream just now. Ariml really defended you well. Nicely done!] it! [And that Jeremy, what a rubbish brother, he deserves itContent provided by N?velDrama.Org. Ashley was rendered speechless. She pondered, ¡®I didn¡¯t expect Joseph to watch the livestream too. But why does he get so excited about Ariml?¡± After chatting with Joseph for a while, Ashley put down her phone and went to sleep. The following morning, Ashley and Valentin had breakfast together. Joseph arrived soon after they finished their meal, still wearing his shy pink shirt. Despite the shy color, his good build, especially his long and straight legs, made him look quite dashing in it. ¡°Good morning, my dear Valentin and Ashley!¡± Joseph greeted them with a beaming face, eager to give Valentin a warm hug- Valentin then nced at him nonchntly. Joseph immediately stopped in his tracks, not daring to go for the hug. As for hugging Ashley, he didn¡¯t dare to even think about it. Joseph had long noticed Valentin¡¯s possessiveness over Ashley. ¡°What brings you here so early?¡± Ashley asked casually. ¡°I''ve got something to discuss with you!¡± Joseph responded. He was thirsty and eagerly took a big sipt of coffee as soon as he sat on the sofa. ¡°With me?¡± Ashley instinctively looked toward Valentin. In this ce, she was most familiar with Valentin. In uncertain situations, her first reaction was to look at him, probably feeling he was the most reliable and safe. Valentin enjoyed her gaze and smiled faintly, his voicezy and enticing. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, in it''s nothing serious.¡± Ashley then rxed and turned to Joseph, raising an eyebrow yfully. ¡°Alright, let''s hear it.¡± Joseph smiled radiantly and was about to speak when Ashley¡¯s phone suddenly rang- ¡°Hold on, let me take this call.¡± ¡°Sure, sure, take your call.¡± Joseph, like a parrot, repeated the phrase twice. He wasn¡¯t in a hurry, so he let Ashley answer the phone first. Ashley didn¡¯t step aside and answered directly in front of him. It was a call from an unknown number. Acheerful male voice then came from the other end, asking. ¡°Hello, is this Ashley Ramos? I¡¯m Scott Wilson, an agent from Starry Entertainment. I¡¯ve seen your dance on ¡®Show Your Dance¡® and think you have great potential. Have you considered signing with an agent?¡± Ashley was momentarily surprised. ¡°Signing with an agent?¡± Scottughed. ¡°I was going to ask if you want to debut as an artist, but there¡¯s really no need to ask that. You¡¯re already famous online, and being the winner of ¡®Show Your Dance, you''ve essentially already made your debut and taken the central spotlight! So, are you interested in signing with an agency?¡± Joseph, who had been leisurely waiting for Ashley to finish her call, suddenly became restless when he heard someone offering Ashley a contract with an agency. He frantically gestured to Ashley, pleading, ¡°Ashley, turn it down! Don¡¯t ept it! Pleasel¡± Receiving Joseph¡¯s frantic gestures, Ashley blinked in confusion, wondering, ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡± Ashley then quickly made an excuse. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, | need to think about it.¡± Scott, shrewd as he was, quickly replied, ¡°No problem at all. If you ever need anything from my service, just contact me. | guarantee, with my 10 years of experience in the industry, | see great potential in you! You have a high chance of bing a superstar!¡± Having worked in the industry for a long time, Scott could easily discern someone with star quality. And Ashley was precisely that person. She was born to shine brightly. After hanging up, Ashley looked at Joseph, feeling amused and puzzled. ¡°What was that look for? Why were you giving me those signals?¡± Chapter 39 Joseph first nced at Valentin, who was sitting beside Ashley. Valentin gave a slight nod. Receiving the cue, Joseph¡¯s eyes lit up as he quickly turned to Ashley and spoke as fast as a machine. gun. ¡°Ashley, don¡¯t sign with otherpanies. Sign with our own agency! Why let outsiders benefit from this?¡± Ashley was puzzled and fell silent. Joseph continued with a raised eyebrow and a carefree smile, ¡°With your current poprity, surely manypanies must want to sign you. So, do you want to get into the entertainment industry? If you do, then don¡¯t give otherpanies the advantage. Sign with our family¡¯spany. It¡¯s a win-win!¡± Joseph then pulled a business card from his pocket and stylishly held it between his index and middle fingers, handing it over to Ashley. it on it. Ashley nced at it and noticed it was a card with the name Royal Entertainment on it. She knew of this agency. It was one of the most famous and thriving agencies in the entertainment industry, with many top celebrities under its banner. Joseph beamed. ¡°This entertainmentpany was co-founded by the Kingsley and Fox families, though Valentin hasn¡¯t been involved much, mainly because he¡¯s been too busy.¡± Royal Entertainment was profitable and well-regarded in the industry, but Valentin already had his hands full managing the Kingsley Group. Upon hearing this, Ashley was surprised. She turned to Valentin and asked, ¡°So you''re the big boss of Royal Entertainment.¡± He looked down and chuckled lightly, ¡°So, do you want to sign with Royal Entertainment?¡± Ashley paused for a few seconds, pressed her lips together, and asked, ¡°Do you think | am capable of it?¡± ¡°Of course you are,¡± Valentin answered without hesitation, ¡°If not you, then who else?¡± Ashley blinked, pondering, ¡®Doesn''t that sound like something a die-hard fan would say?¡± Joseph couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Ashley, why do you ask such a question? With your looks and talent, you''re perfect! Didn¡¯t an agent just call you, wanting to sign you?¡± Valentin raised his hand and interrupted Joseph, Valentin¡¯s deep eyes fixed on Ashley with a serene. and profound gaze. If you want to be an artist, you can consider signing with Royal Entertainment. If you don¡¯t want to, then there¡¯s no need to think about it.¡± He fully respected Ashley''s opinion, not forcing her into doing anything. Upon hearing this, Ashley felt her long, dense eyshes tremble. Deep down, Ashley genuinely loved the artist industry. It was partly out of interest and partly to fulfill her grandmother''s wish to promote modern dance. However, when Ashley was first found by the Ramos family a few years ago, they looked down on her, saying she was overreaching by entering the entertainment industry and that it would be embarrassing. But when it came to Jessica wanting to do the same, the Ramos family wholeheartedly supported her, iming Jessica was sure to be a sensation, and even had the singer Matthew help her. The insults and humiliations Ashley had received from the Ramos family no longer mattered to her. 12:16 Yet, no matter how indifferent she felt, the scars of what had happened were indelibly etched in her memory. Valentin quietly looked at Ashley, lifted his hand, and gently touched her head, softly murmuring, ¡°Ashley, no one has the right to judge you, especially not the Ramos family. Do what you want to do, okay?¡± When his words echoed, Ashley felt a strong stir within her. The tingling aftereffectsted long, followed by an undeniable softness that surged through her. Ashley felt moved. Her clear eyes sparkled with a lively and intense glow. She smiled, and her expression exuded an indescribable vivacity. She appeared lively and carefree as she agreed, ¡°Alright.¡± Upon hearing this, Joseph immediately encouraged her. ¡°Ashley, then you must sign with ourpany! It¡¯s better to be in our ownpany than to be bullied by outsiders!¡± Ashley raised her eyebrows slightly, and her eyes sparkled as she replied, ¡°Il know, no need to rush me.¡± Joseph was thrilled. ¡°How can | not be in a hurry? But don¡¯t worry, Ashley, | promise to find you the best agent!¡± He then pondered, ¡®As for the gender of the agent... Joseph nced in Valentin¡¯s direction. He continued to ponder, ¡®Needless to say, with Valentin, the jealous type around, male agents are, definitely out of the question! As for a female agent... | need to investigate her sexual orientation first!" Within just two days, Joseph had made his choice of agent and presented it to Valentin for approval. After reviewing it, Valentin seemed quite satisfied. Joseph immediately took Ashley to the Royal Entertainmentpany building that day to sign the contract and introduce Ashley to her agent. Soon after, they arrived at the office of the general manager of Royal Entertainment. ¡°Mrs... Ahem, Ashley!¡± Joseph almost let slip the title ¡°Mrs. Kingsley¡± in front of others but quickly corrected himself, mindful of Ashley and Valentin¡¯s secret marriage. Fortunately, Joseph was quick¡ªwitted. ¡°Ashley, this is Laura Mitchell, ourpany¡¯s top agent. She''ll be in charge of managing you! She also manages another artist, the popr male top star Bryce Sinir, whom she brought to fame herself!¡±Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Ashley observed the woman before her, thinking, ¡°She must be in her thirties, dressed in a ck, tailored suit, her hair tied back, with a sharp makeup look.* While Ashley was observing Laura, Laura was also assessing her. Laura pondered, ¡®This girl is beautiful, not in a delicate and frail way, but strikingly beautiful, enough to stand out even among the most popr actresses in the industry. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Laura Mitchell, your agent from now on.¡± Laura extended her hand to Ashley with a polite smile. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Ashley Ramos.¡± Ashley shook hands with Laura, Ashley¡¯s exquisitely beautiful eyes and brows lighting up with a gentle smile. 12:16 Joseph cheerfully encouraged them. ¡°Feel free to ask each other any questions you might have.¡± Laura nodded. ¡°Sure, Mr. Fox.¡± She then turned to Ashley and curiously asked, ¡°I¡¯ve seen your performance on Show Your Dance, which was very impressive. But do you have any other skills besides dancing?¡± Upon hearing the question, Joseph thought, ¡®Of course, Ashley has other skills. I''ve heard about the auction. She¡¯s quite skilled at appraising art and antiques.¡± After a moment of thought, Ashley replied with a smile, ¡°Does songposing count?¡± Laura¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Certainly, that could be a selling point for you.¡± Pausing for a moment, Laura asked, ¡°Do you mind if | ask about the Ramos family?¡± Ashley was momentarily surprised but then felt a warmth in her heart. ¡°Not at all, go ahead.¡± She mused, ¡°This agent seems a bit aloof, but she¡¯s considerate of my feelings. Ahint of admiration shed in Laura¡¯s expression when Ashley said she didn¡¯t mind. ¡°I saw the news about you cutting ties with the Ramos family, Matthew from the Ramos family is a popr singer who alsoposes and writes his own songs. You know about him, right?¡± Ashley nodded. ¡°Yes, | do.¡± She thought with a sigh, ¡®More than just knowing him, | even once helped Matthew write songs before.¡± Laura then asked a few more questions, her expression revealing nothing, but her satisfaction with Ashley increased. Laura had a strong feeling that Ashley had the potential to be a sensation in the future... Chapter 40 Chapter 40 Chapter 40 The next day, Royal Entertainment held a grand press conference to announce the signing of Ashley as their artist publicly. In addition to the presence of various major media outlets, the press conference was also broadcast live online, publicly announcing Ashley''s signing with Royal Entertainment to the entire inte. Instantly, gossip news started popping up online. [Explosive news! Royal Entertainment has officially announced signing Ashley, showing great confidence in her!] [Exclusive scoop! Ashley won first ce in ¡®Show Your Dance¡¯ and was signed by thergest talent agency, Royal Entertainment. Her career momentum is skyrocketing!] [Royal Entertainment holds a grand press conference for her. Megan tried several times to take her as a student but was rejected. Want to know who she is? Click here for the story and photos!] Simr news stories were abundant. Ashley¡¯s Twitter followers increased to several hundred thousand as the buzz grew. Her fans were overjoyed, celebrating with great enthusiasm. The hashtag ¡°Ashley Signs with Royal Entertainment¡± quickly climbed to the top of the trending searches. The Ramos family members also saw the sensational news. Jeremy¡¯s expression grew serious. He had been trying to contact Ashley for the past few days, but since Ashley had blocked his number and he didn¡¯t know where she lived, he couldn¡¯t find her. Jeremy btedly began to worry, wondering, ¡®Where has Ashley been since she left the Ramos Vi? Does she even have a ce to stay? Jessica bit her lip and said softly, ¡°Ashley had actually signed with Royal Entertainment. I¡¯m really happy for her. She will surely do well in the future.¡± Jeremy nodded thoughifully. ¡°Perhaps.¡± He suddenly realized that since Ashley had left the Ramos Vi, she seemed to have been reborn, emerging radiantly, her life apparently getting better and better. Jeremy pondered, ¡®But why didn¡¯t Ashley sign with the Ramos family¡¯s entertainmentpany and instead choose an external one like Royal Entertainment? Did we...the Ramos family had disappointed Ashley so much?¡± Hearing Jeremy¡¯s response. Jessica felt a sudden jolt in her heart. She thought, ¡®If this were before, Jeremy would definitely haveforted me and harshly criticized Ashley. But he just nodded nonchntly, agreeing that Ashley will do well. Jessica¡¯s sense of crisis grew increasingly intense. Fortunately, at that moment, Frankie called. Frankie was busy working at the office when he saw the news of Ashley signing with Royal Entertainment and quickly called Jessica. He said, ¡°Jessica, don¡¯t overthink it. Although our Ramos family¡¯s entertainmentpany isn¡¯t as developed as Royal Entertainment, Matthew is our own artist and a popr star in the entertainment industry. We''ll have Matthew take good care of you. It''ll be the same.¡± 12-16 Chapter 40 Jessica obediently responded. ¡°Frankie, thank you all for supporting me.¡± Frankie smiled faintly, ¡°Silly girl, we¡¯re family. There¡¯s no need for thanks. | can see that you''re naturally cut out to be a big star, Jessica. You''re bound to be extremely popr. And Ashley? How could she possiblypare to you?¡± Jessica felt a thrill of joy inside but still modestly said, ¡°Frankie, don¡¯t say that. Ashley is much better than me.¡± When Ashley was mentioned, Frankie¡¯s tone became cold and indifferent. ¡°Jessica, you have been spoiling Ashley. That¡¯s why she has grown arrogant and ran away from home, even publicly cutting ties with the Ramos family online, directly affecting the stock of the Ramos Group.¡± As a businessman and the person managing the Ramos Group, Frankie¡¯s primary concern was profit. Ashley''s public severance with the Ramos family had caused the Ramos Group''s stock to decline, and he was far from pleased. Jessica said, ¡°Frankie, don¡¯t be angry. Ashley didn¡¯t mean it. She¡¯s just throwing a little tantrum. ¡°Till talk to Ashley again. I¡¯m sure | can persuade her toe back to the Ramos family on her own...¡°. Hearing Jessica¡¯s words, Jeremy¡¯s brow involuntarily furrowed. He wondered, ¡°Why do | feel like Jessica¡¯s words are somewhat strange, as if she¡¯s subtly ming Ashley for being temperamental while portraying herself as understanding and sensible... Am | overthinking it?¡± Jessica ended the call with Frankie and noticed Jeremy staring at her. She quickly shed a cute smile, asking, ¡°What are you looking at, Jeremy?¡± ¡°Nothing...¡± Jeremy shook his head, unwilling to borate. After the press conference, Ashley returned to the Kingsley Vi and received a congrattory message from Miranda. [Congrattions, Ashley! Signing with Royal Entertainment is fantastic. You''ll definitely be hugely popr!] Ashley smiled knowingly and replied sincerely: [Thank you, Miranda.) She mused, ¡®Although | met Miranda during the Show Your Dancepetition, she¡¯s actually a nice girl with a righteous character. Having such a friend naturally made Ashley happy. Just after replying to Miranda¡¯s message, her phone rang. It was a call from an unknown number. Ashley was momentarily puzzled. She then slid the screen and answered, ¡°Hello?¡± There was a brief silence on the other end before Jeremy¡¯s restrained voice came through. ¡°Ashley, it¡¯s me. When are you going to unblock me?¡± Ashley was momentarily speechless. She then lowered her phone and nced at it. She thought in annoyance, ¡®Really, Jeremy? Getting a new number just to call me?¡® Jeremy continued, ¡°Ashley, | saw the news today. Did you sign with Royal Entertainment? Where are you staying now? Did you have a ce to stay after leaving the Ramos Vi, or are you really with the Kingsley family...¡± Not wanting to deal with him anymore, Ashley abruptly ended the call. 2/3 12:16N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. She wondered. What¡¯s gottch into Jeremy? Even resorting to using a new number to call me. Ashley promptly blocked this new number as well. She felt that anything rted to the Ramos family surely meant trouble. Staring at his new number that was blocked, Jeremy was so frustrated he almost threw his phone. He thought, ¡°Why did she block me again? Can¡¯t she just let me talk to her?¡± A few dayster, Joseph took Ashley to a vacation resort to celebrate her signing with Royal Entertainment, with all expenses covered by thepany. Hearing that thepany was covering all expenses, Ashley happily agreed. Joseph lifted his chin, smiling and winking at her, saying, ¡°Ashley, | forgot to tell you, Valentin will also be at the resort. After all, he¡¯s thepany¡¯s big boss. How can we go without him?!¡± Ashley was at a loss for words. Upon arriving at the resort, Joseph led Ashley to their amodation and opened the door with a room card. ¡°Valentin is still at the office. He¡¯lleter. Come here, take a look at this room. You and Valentin will be staying here tonight.¡± Ashley was stunned speechless. She thought in shock, ¡®What? I¡¯m sharing a room with Valentin tonight?¡± Chapter 41 Chapter 41 Chapter 41 Ashley surveyed the room, finding it elegantly andfortably furnished, with a huge floor-to-ceiling window offering a panoramic view of the scenic beauty of the resort. Distant mountains appeared in shades of indigo, enveloped in a haze, resembling a painting. Meandering waterways, lush trees, expanses of flower beds, and a crescent-shaped artificialke with vast, misty waters could be seen within the resort. Just standing at the huge window and taking in the view was enough to make one feel refreshed and at ease. Ashley looked around and concluded that this room must be one of the best in the resort, wlessly perfect in every way. The only downside was that there was only one bed in the room... She couldn''t help but wonder, ¡®Am | really going to share a bed with Valentin?¡± Seeing that it was still early, Joseph handed Ashley the room key and suggested, ¡°Valentini will take a while toe over. How about we go explore the resort first?¡± Ashley nodded in agreement. ¡°Sure.¡± Not only was the scenery in the resort pleasant, but the air was also fresh. While walking under an arch of climbing roses, Joseph¡¯s phone rang. He apologetically took it out and said, ¡°Ashley, | need to take this call.¡± ¡°No problem, go ahead,¡± Ashley said, thinking, ¡®I¡¯m not a child. | won''t get lost on my own. Joseph then hurried off to take the call. Ashley looked around, thinking, ¡°This trellis of climbing roses is gorgeous, and there are even some vibrantly colored birds around, probably kept by the resort. While she was observing the birds, someone suddenly tapped her shoulder from behind. Assuming it was Joseph who had returned, Ashley turned around and, to her surprise, found Jeremy standing there. Ashley¡¯s good mood was instantly ruined, her expression turning to one of annoyance. Jeremy, of course, noticed the change in Ashley¡¯s demeanor and felt somewhat ufortable. He pondered, ¡®Ashley was enjoying the scenery in a cheerful mood before she saw me. But the moment she turned and saw me, her mood visibly soured. Do | irritate her that much?¡± What was even more vexing for Jeremy was that seeing Ashley, the sister he once detested, now stirred a hint of excitement in him. He thought, ¡°I finally had a chance to talk to Ashley. | didn¡¯t expect to run into her at this vacation resort. ¡°Ashley, you need to unblock me right now! And where have you been staying since you left the Ramos Vi?¡± Jeremy asked. ¡°What does it have to do with you?¡± Ashley responded, her face expressionless and her voice indifferent. ...¡± Jeremy was taken aback and choked on his words. His face flushed red, and he awkwardly yelled, ¡°I¡¯m your brother. Isn¡¯t it normal for me to ask where you are staying?¡± Ashley looked at him with a gaze that seemed to pity the intellectually challenged. 12:17 ¡°Jeremy, how many times do | have to say it? I¡¯ve cut ties with the Ramos family. You''re no longer my brother.¡± Jeremy¡¯s hands, hanging by his sides, clenched into fists as he red at Ashley. ¡°Even if you had cut ties with us, you are still a part of the Ramos family, and you still have the blood of the Ramos family in your veins!¡± Upon hearing this, Ashley¡¯s clear eyes were immediately filled with a trace of coldness. She thought angrily, ¡®Having the blood of the Ramos family flowing through my veins is an unchangeable fact that only makes me feel utterly disgusted! Jeremy immediately affirmed his belief, insisting, ¡°So, stop talking about cutting ties with the Ramos family. Be sensible and come back home. I¡¯ve already spoken to our parents and Frankie. They won''t oppose your return to the Ramos Vi.¡± Ashley then sneered mockingly, ¡°Jeremy, you''re really being too presumptuous.¡± ¡°What did you say, Ashley?!¡± He eximed in shock. Ashley¡¯s expression remained unchanged as she spoke each word clearly and forcefully. ¡°Jeremy, let me tell you, the Ramos Vi and all of you, my so-called family, are like dirty, foul¡ª-smelling stones in a cesspool. | feel disgusted even ncing at you! ¡°Go back? | will never step foot in the Ramos Vi again in my life!¡± Ashley dered firmly. ¡°You!¡± Jeremy¡¯s chest heaved violently, trembling with rage. He pondered, ¡®I never imagined that we, the Ramos family, would be seen as so repulsive in Ashley¡¯s eyes. Like dirty, foul-smelling stones in a cesspool... There could be no harsher words than these!¡± Jeremy would have pped Ashley for saying such things if this had been in the past. But now, facing Ashley¡¯s icy, indifferent eyes devoid of any emotion, he found himself unable to raise his hand. Jeremy mused, ¡®How did the little sister who used to chase after me, hoping for just one nce from me, be this indifferent and unfeeling person she is today... Jeremy clenched his fists tightly, struggling to articte his thoughts. He then asked, ¡°Fine, tell me, what did you mean when you saidst time that it wasn¡¯t Jessica who saved me back then?¡± Ashley¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, her expressionced with biting sarcasm. ¡°What? You don¡¯t think I¡¯m trying to steal Jessica¡¯s credit, do you?¡± ¡°| can clearly distinguish whether you¡¯re stealing credit or not! Jessica, she¡¯s so...¡± Jeremy had just started to speak when suddenly someone grabbed his shoulder from behind and yanked him back with force. A loud thud their resounded. Jeremy lost his bnce and fell heavily to the ground. The pathway was covered in stones, and the unexpected fall left Jeremy feeling like every bone in his body ached. ¡°Damn it, who the hell grabbed me!¡± Jeremy, known for his vtile temper, cursed loudly. As he cursed, he looked to see who it was. He found Joseph standing over him, looking down with a stern expression. ¡°Joseph...¡± Jeremy¡¯s eyes widened in shock, and he immediately swallowed his words of anger. Joseph first looked at Ashley beside them, full of concern, asking. ¡°Are you alright, Ashley? Did this 12:17 piece of trash bother you?¡± Seeing him full of worry, Ashley couldn''t help but smile, ¡°No, I¡¯m fine.¡± Only then did Joseph rx, thinking to himself, ¡®Valentin had asked me to look after Ashley. If she got bullied by someone from the Ramos family, how could | face him? He definitely won''t let me off the hook. Joseph looked down at Jeremy on the ground, sneering mockingly, a cold arrogance etched in his expression. Jeremy, I¡¯m warning you, if you dare to bully Ashley again, you''ll see what happens.¡± Jeremy was astonished, wondering, ¡®Why did Joseph suddenlye forward to stand up for Ashley, looking like he¡¯d go to any lengths to protect her? Could it be that Joseph and Ashley have a close rtionship? No, that¡¯s not it. | remember now. Ashley had signed with Royal Entertainment, which is Joseph¡¯spany. Though appearing as a carefree yboy, Joseph is extremely protective of hispany¡¯s artists. That must be why he¡¯s defending Ashley this fiercely! Jeremy, sore from the fall, grimaced as he stood up. ¡°Mr. Fox, what do you mean by this?¡± Joseph raised an eyebrow, his smile devilishly yful. ¡°I hit you. Simple.¡± Upon hearing this, Jeremy¡¯s anger red up instantly. However, he was painfully aware that the Fox family wasn¡¯t just an ordinary wealthy family. They were a force that the Ramos family couldn¡¯t afford to mess with. Therefore, Jeremy couldn''t afford to retaliate or speak harshly even after being hit. He had to endure. the humiliation and, begrudgingly, turned his gaze toward Ashley.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. But Ashley seemed to find even ncing at him distasteful. Jeremy then felt a pang of frustration, like a needle prickling his heart. He couldn¡¯t help but think, ¡®In the past, Ashley would have defended me. She would have been concerned if | got hurt. But now... Why doesn¡¯t she stand up for me anymore? Doesn''t she ca about me at all? How can she side with an outsider over her own brother?¡± Disheartened, Jeremy nced at Ashley onest time before limping away. Once Jeremy was out of sight, Joseph again thoroughly checked on Ashley to make sure she was unharmed. After Joseph had confirmed she was fine, he finally felt relieved. Ashley found Joseph¡¯s overreaction amusing. ¡®Is all this really necessary?¡± ¡°Of course it is! And, by the way,¡± Joseph said with a mischievous wink. He then acted all mysterious, asking, ¡°Ashley, do you know why Jeremy is here at the resort?¡± ¡°| don¡¯t know.¡± Ashley shook her head. Joseph chuckled mischievously, ¡°Just rx. Valentin said he has arranged a special show for you. today!¡± ¡°What kind of show?¡± Ashley asked, curious. Josephi yed coy. ¡°Valentin found a video rted to Jessica, and it¡¯s quite intriguing! Just wait and see. The time hade for the truth of that year to be revealed to all. Chapter 42 Jeremy had only walked a few steps when he saw Jessica approaching him. ¡°Jeremy, what happened to you?¡± Jessica asked, hurrying forward when she saw him limping. These past few days, she felt that Jeremy wasn¡¯t as open and affectionate with her as before, guessing he was still upset about the recent incident where he had been used as a scapegoat for bribing a judge. To regain Jeremy''s trust, Jessica had specially brought him to this resort, inviting a bunch of friends along. ¡°Jeremy, where did you hurt yourself?¡± Jessica moved to support him. ¡°It''s nothing.¡± Jeremy replied, feeling a warmth in his heart upon seeing Jessica¡¯s concern for him, He mused, ¡®Why can¡¯t Ashley be as concerned about me as Jessica is?¡± Recalling what had just happened, Jeremy still felt irritated. ¡°I just ran into Ashley.¡± ¡°Ashley?¡± Jessica was surprised after hearing him. ¡°Ashley is here too?¡± Jeremy nodded in affirmation. ¡°Yeah.¡± Jessica¡¯s eyes twinkled, and she smiled innocently, ¡°That¡¯s great! Let¡¯s invite Ashley to join us! | haven''t seen her in so long. I really miss her!¡± Hearing this, Jeremy was moved. He thought, Jessica is really considerate and sensible. This is how the family should be. How distasteful the things Ashley said earlier about the Ramos family being like foul-smelling stones in a cesspool are!¡± Jeremy had been feeling guilty toward Ashley these past days and had amiably agreed to her return to the Ramos Vi but was met with resistance each time. He thought, ¡®It seems Jessica is the most understanding and the most suitable to be my sister. As for what Ashley said about Jessica not being the one who saved me, was it just nonsense?¡± Jessica excitedly asked, ¡°Jeremy, where is Ashley? I''ll go find her!¡± He replied, somewhat sarcastically, ¡°No need. She has signed with Royal Entertainment and has climbed the socialdder, She is living the high life now! She doesn¡¯t care about us anymore!¡± ¡°Jeremy, don¡¯t say that...¡± ¡°Let''s not talk about her anymore, Jessica, Jeremy said, not wanting to dwell on the subject. Jessica detected Jeremy¡¯s indifference toward Ashley from his tone, and a secret triumph flickered in her expression. Jessica then thought smugly, ¡®That¡¯s more like it. The Ramos family should all revolve around me. They should cherish and care for me like a treasure. Why bother about that worthless Ashley!¡± ¡°Okay, Jeremy, let¡¯s head back then!¡± She said. With an obedient and understanding look, Jessica continued, ¡°Jeremy, your birthday is next month, but my friends and | decided to celebrate it for you today in advance.¡± Jeremy was pleasantly surprised and smiled, Jessica, with you just remembering my birthday, it¡¯s already enough for me. You don¡¯t need to go to all that trouble.¡± She insisted, ¡°No way. In my heart, Jeremy, you are like my real brother! It¡¯s only right | prepare 12:17 something special for my brother¡¯s birthday.¡± ¡°Jessica, stop talking about real or not real siblings. In my heart, you are my real sister, understand?¡± ¡°Yes, | understand, Jeremy!¡± Jessica said, her eyes brimming with tears of gratitude. Watching her easily content and pure-hearted demeanor, Jeremy couldn''t help but think, ¡®If only Ashley could be as understanding as Jessica...¡± The resort had beautiful scenery, and guests could enjoy outdoor barbecues by the crescent-shaped lake. Jessica had specially arranged an outdoor gathering with elegant long dining tables adorned with white embroidered tablecloths and prepared an array of delicate pastries. The friends Jessica brought to the resort immediately started speaking highly of her when they saw Jeremy and Jessica return. ¡°Jeremy, Jessica made all these pastries herself, just to celebrate your birthday in advance!¡± The group of friends, consisting of men and women from affluent circles, frequently socialized with Jeremy and Jessica, considering themselves part of the elite. ¡°Jeremy, you''re so lucky to have such a wonderful sister! Unlike mine, who always just argues with mel¡± ¡°Hahaha, Jessica is famously considerate and sensible. You can¡¯t envy that!¡± ¡°Jessica, why don¡¯t you also consider me your brother? | want to experience having a caring little sister like you!¡± ¡°Stop it, stop it!¡± Jeremy waved them off proudly. ¡°That¡¯s enough. Jessica is my sister, and none of you can im her!¡± Jessica smiled gently, ¡°Okay, Jeremy, please have a seat and try the pastries | made for you.¡± Jessica gently guided Jeremy to a chair and ced a piece of his favorite vored cake in front of him. ¡°Jeremy, this is your favorite vor.¡± Since it wasn¡¯t his official birthday yet, the cake wasn¡¯t a birthday cake. But having Jessica personally make snacks for him warmed Jeremy¡¯s heart like a gentle spring breeze. Just as he was about to take a bite, he saw Ashley and Joseph walking toward them, chatting andughing. The crescent-shapedke was a famous spot in the resort. Ashley, led by Joseph, spotted Jeremy and his group with just a nce. After a brief nce, she indifferently shifted her gaze away and continued walking with Joseph to thekeside, where they sat down at a table with the resort''s special coffee and snacks. Seeing this, Jeremy¡¯s brows furrowed in displeasure. He thought irritably, ¡®Not only has Ashley blocked my numbers, but now shepletely ignores me in person, too. It¡¯s like she doesn¡¯t even see me. She really doesn¡¯t consider me as family anymore!¡± Jessica¡¯s friends also noticed Ashley. ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t that Ashley? And who¡¯s that with her? Mr. Fox?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s Josephl Ashley has recently signed with Royal Entertainment. Joseph is her boss!¡± ¡°She seems quite capable, able to make it into Royal Entertainment.¡± ¡°As if, Can she evenpare to Jessica?¡± 12:17 1 ¡°Exactly, Jessica treats Jeremy with such devotion. Can Ashley do that? Of course not!¡±Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°That¡¯s why there¡¯s a difference between one sister and another!¡± ¡°Jessica is better, although not biologically rted. She grew up in the Ramos family and has be a refineddy. Ashley is no match for Jessica!¡± As Jessica listened to these praises and the disparagement of Ashley, she couldn''t help but feel smug. Yet, amidst her smugness, Jessica couldn¡¯t help but feel envious, thinking, ¡®Ashley has actually signed with Royal Entertainment. And Joseph, the second heir of the Fox family, is so good to Ashley. But it doesn¡¯t matter. As long as | keep the Ramos family on my side, their fortune will be mine, and Ashley won''t get a cent. Then, the group of friends continued to tter Jessica arid belittle Ashley. While Jessica was secretly reveling in her triumph, she suddenly heard Jeremy''s cold rebuke. ¡°Enough, stop talking nonsense!¡± His reprimand silenced the group, leaving them exchanging puzzled looks. Jessica couldn¡¯t help but frown in irritation. She pondered, ¡®Why is Jeremy defending that wretch Ashley again?¡± Chapter 43 Jessica quickly shifted her approach, speaking sweetly and gently to recapture Jeremy¡¯s attention. ¡°Jeremy, look over there.¡± Jeremy followed her gaze and saw arge projection screen nearby, ready for video yback. Jessica picked up a remote control lying nearby and pressed the y button. The screen then began to disy a video montage. It was a montage of photos of Jessica and the Ramos family, spanning from her childhood to the present. The first image showed a one-year-old Jessica being held by Evan and Bertha. Then, there was a photo of her at two years old, yfully ying behind Jeremy. There was a touching moment of Jessica being fed by Frankie at four. mu at age five. And a proud disy of her first drawing was gifted to Jeremy Each image that appeared was filled with familial affection and nostalgia. After watching the video, Jeremy couldn¡¯t help but feel his eyes begin to sting with tears forming. ¡°Jessica, this is...¡± Jessica beamed. ¡°Jeremy, | edited this video myself. It¡¯s not very good, so don¡¯t make fun of me.¡± Jeremy reassured her, wiping a tear from the corner of his eye. ¡°Silly girl, how could | ever make fun of you? This video contains so many memories of our family. | am more moved than anything.¡± The others around them chimed in with their praises, and some even moved to tears by the sentimental video. Jeremy looked at the big screen with a sense of nostalgia as he watched the video edited by Jessica. It brought back a flood of memories from their past. He suddenly realized he had been somewhat neglectful of Jessicately and felt regretful. Jeremy mused, ¡®I really shouldn¡¯t have been so distant. Jessica is such a caring and understanding sister. | shouldn¡¯t be treating her coldly. Jessica noticed the change in Jeremy''s expression and smiled smugly to herself. She was adept at ying the card of familial affection. Effortlessly, she used this tactic to regain Jeremy¡¯s trust. Jessica then nced at Ashley, who was not far away, her eyes brimming with the pride and scorn of a victor. Over on the other side, because they weren¡¯t too far away, Joseph also saw the video being yed on the big screen and was momentarily speechless, eximing, ¡°Seriously, this is so pretentious!¡± Joseph then worriedly nced toward Ashley. He pondered, ¡°I can tell that Ashley values family deeply. Seeing Jessica being so cared for by the Ramos family in the video, | wonder if it might upset her. The Ramos family really puzzles me. They finally found their true lost heiress and brought her back home. However, instead of weing Ashley, they treated her harshly while showering affection on the one who isn¡¯t their real heiress. It¡¯s as if they''ve lost their minds!¡± However, looking over at Ashley, Joseph noticed her exquisite face showed no sign of disturbance as if she was watching a clown¡¯s performance. Chupire 43 ¡°What''s wrong¡± Ashley asked, raising an eyebrow as she noticed him looking at her. Joseph replied. ¡°Oh, nothing! | was a bit worried... but now, | see | was overthinking it Ashley thought, | know what he¡¯s worried about. But from the moment | cut ties with the Ramos family and my heart went cold, | stopped expecting anything from them. Now, they mean even less to me than strangers. As Jessica finished ying the carefully edited video of family moments, sessfully moving Jeremy to tears, she was about to put down the remote control. Unexpectedly, another video started ying automatically on the big screen. Asound of crying suddenly resounded, startling everyone.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Please, let me go!¡± The voice begged amidst sobs. The crowd, hearing the voice, looked toward the source of the sound. One of them thought, ¡°Damn! What is this? Who''s crying? It¡¯s chilling!¡± The crowd looked toward the screen in unison. They then saw a video disying a dimly lit room. In it. Jeremyy unconscious on the ground, bound with ropes, showing signs of having been beaten. Alongside Jeremy were Jessica and Ashley, each tied to a chair, appearing to be victims of a kidnapping. Jessica was terrified. She kept crying and pleading for help. It was Jessica¡¯s voice that had been heard crying. Ashley with her hands tied behind her back and a few strand hide her stunning face. of her hair disheveled, still couldn¡¯t She tried to calm Jessica, saying. ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Jessica, it¡¯s going to be okay.¡± Jessica, sobbing uncontrobly, said. ¡°Those thugs kidnapped us, they''re going to kill us, they definitely will!¡± Despite being the same age as Jessica, Ashley looked at her with a firm gaze, treating her like her own sister. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, Jessica, I''ll protect you.... Just then, the door was kicked open, and a tall, burly man entered the room. He first kicked the unconscious Jeremy and then approached Ashley and Jessica with a menacingugh and raspy voice. Today, I''m going to kill that useless Jeremy! You''re his sisters, Which one of you is willing to die for him?¡± This video was so sudden and unexpected that everyone watching it was stunned and unable to react at first. Jeremy recognized the man in the video, and his expression turned grim. He thought. I''ll never forget this man. He was one of the criminals who kidnapped me! When | was kidnapped. | was knocked unconscious and didn¡¯t know what happened afterward. | only knew that Jessica heroically saved me while Ashley selfishly abandoned me and ran away. Why am | now seeing this video of the abduction?¡± Seeing this unexpected video, Jessica felt a chill run down her spine, and her hands trembled in fear. She pondered fearfully, ¡®How can this be happening? | thought I had destroyed this video long ago. Why is it being yed now? Stop it! Jessica then picked up the remote control and frantically tried to turn off the video. 12:17 But the moment she pressed on the remote control, it didn¡¯t work! The video still continued to y on the big screen! Jessica pondered anxiously. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Who is ying this video! Stop it! Don¡¯t y it anymore!¡¯ However, her prayers went unheard. The video continued ying, with the sinister-looking kidnapper asking Jessica and Ashley, ¡°Come on, both of you are Jeremy¡¯s sisters. Who''s willing to die for that loser?¡± The fact that Jeremy had been kidnapped was not a secret, and as those around them recalled the incident, they instantly formed a judgment in their minds upon hearing the kidnapper¡¯s question. ¡°It must have been Jessica who stood up for him!¡± ¡°Yeah, | remember Jeremy once mentioned that it was Jessica who saved him back then. Ashley just knew how to run away!¡± ¡°Although Jessica is not his biological sister, she was willing to die for Jeremy. How can Ashleypare to her?¡± Jeremy, too, thought the same. Although he was unconscious at the time, heter learned that it was Jessica who had saved him. But in the next moment, the video showed Jessica, faced with the kidnapper¡¯s question, hesitating before shaking her head violently. ¡°| don¡¯t want to! | don¡¯t want to die for Jeremy! Kill him if you must, but don¡¯t kill me!¡± 3/3 Send Gift Chapter 44 Chapter 44 Jeremy stood up abruptly, appearing as shocked as if he had just bumped into a ghost. He looked aside at Jessica in disbelief.N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. Jessica was desperately trying to press the remote control, attempting to turn off the video. But no matter how hard she pressed, it had no effect. The video continued ying on the screen smoothly. ¡°No way! | don¡¯t want to die for Jeremy! If you want to kill someone, just kill him! Please spare me!¡± Jessica cried out loud in despair, maliciously pushing Ashley forward. ¡°Take her! She¡¯s willing to die for Jeremy! Just kill Ashley. She can die for him!¡± The gangster looked at Ashley andughed maliciously. ¡°How funny. You were justforting Jessica, and now she¡¯s throwing you under the bus, haha!¡± Ashley remained silent, offering no response. The gangster turned his gaze toward Ashley, pointing at the unconscious Jeremy on the ground. ¡°Now, tell me, are you willing to die for this loser?¡± At this moment, Jeremy clenched his fists nervously. ¡®How would she answer?¡¯ he thought, ¡®How would she treat her own brother?¡± The next second, Jeremy saw Ashley gazing down. In such a chaotic and dangerous environment, her beautiful eyes were still glittering like stars, tenacious and dazzling. However, Jessica had already! cried her eyes out, looking embarrassed and desperate. Ashley looked at the gangster and answered with a clear and resolute voice, ¡°I¡¯m willing. But you have to keep your word and let them go.¡± At the drop of those words, Jeremy''s mind instantly went nk, and he even forgot how to breathe. He couldn''t believe that Ashley was actually willing to die for him. After Ashley was brought back to the Ramos family, Jeremy had always despised her. Instead of showering her with kindness and love, all he had ever done to her was scolding and beating. However, at that moment of life and death, Ashley was actually willing to die for such a horrible brother like him. And Jessica, whom Jeremy had always cherished like a blood sister, abandoned him without any hesitation, showing no concern for his safety. ¡®How could this be.. Jeremy murmured to himself. His mind suddenly became chaotic, all in disorder. He staggered a few steps backward and only managed to steady himself by grabbing onto a nearby table. The people around were all stunned into silence. They hadn¡¯t expected that the person willing to sacrifice herself for Jeremy would not be Jessica but Ashley, the one who had been discarded and despised by the Ramos family. ¡°Why is the truthpletely different from what we heard?¡® Everyone wondered, ¡®Could it be that Jessica has been lying to Jeremy all the time?* These people, though brought here by Jessica, found it impossible to defend her in this unexpected situation. They all exchanged nces in confusion and eventually shifted their focus to Jessica. Those peculiar gazes made Jessica feel very uneasy and anxious. She felt like she had fallen into an 12:17 icy abyss that froze every drop of her blood. Her lips trembled as she desperately tried to exin, ¡°It¡¯s not like that, Jeremy. It¡¯s not like that...¡± Meanwhile, on the huge screen, the video continued to y, leaving her no room to quibble. The assant kicked Jeremy, who was still in aa, then left the room grumpily. In the room, only Ashley, Jessica, and the unconscious Jeremy remained. Jessica couldn¡¯t stop crying. ¡°Ashley, I-I was just too scared. | didn¡¯t mean to sacrifice you. | really didn''t...¡± Without a word, Ashley looked at Jessica calmly as if she had seen through something. Jessica sobbed. ¡°Ashley, please believe me. If this thug lets me go, I''ll make sure Mom and Dade to rescue you and Jeremy!¡± Ashley still didn¡¯t say anything. She painstakingly moved the chair bit by bit, shifting it next to Jessica, quietly helping her untie the bindings. ¡°Ashley, you...¡± ¡°Hush.¡± Ashley nced at Jessica with indifference. ¡°I''ll untie you first, then you can untie me.¡± The ropes were tightly bound, but Ashley, familiar with this type of binding, quickly untied Jessica. ¡°Now, untie me.¡± Ashley cast a nce at Jessica¡¯s freed hands and calmly directed her step by step. ¡°Go around to the left, and then...¡± Just then, a loud bang resonated outside. The entire house was affected by the fierce shock outside and quaked for a moment. mes could be seen through the ss, and it seemed that an explosion had urred. The door, which the gangster had locked when leaving, was sted open by the tremendous force of the explosion. Staring at the open door and the terrifying mes outside, Jessica froze for two seconds before sprinting out. Jessical Ashley frowned, urgently calling her. However, Jessica had already escaped. Ashley was still tied to the chair. She looked anxiously toward the direction of the door, but Jessical did not return. Witnessing this scene, Jeremy¡¯s anger surged, and he mmed his fist onto the table with a loud. thud. The onlookers were astonished. ¡°| can¡¯t believe it. Did Jessica...run away alone?¡± ¡°Damn, how could she do this? Ashley finally helped her untie the ropes. But seeing the door blown open, Jessica escaped without hesitation, not even caring about Jeremy!¡± ¡°At least she should have untied Ashley first, right? If it weren¡¯t for Ashley untying her, how could she have had a chance to escape?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying! Damn, I¡¯m really disgusted!¡± Jeremy, with a gaze filled with fury and disappointment, stared at Jessica beside him. Jessica¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She was anxious and scared, and her tears couldn''t stop falling. ¡°Jeremy. 12171 it''s not like that. | didn¡¯t escape...¡± Jeremy gritted his teeth, pointing to the screen angrily. ¡°How dare you lie to my face? Just take a look at what you did!¡± Jessica bit her lip tightly, her face turning pale. She held the remote control in her hand as if it were a lifeline, desperately trying to turn off the video on the big screen. ¡®Stop ying it!¡¯ She thought, ¡®Please! Please turn it off now!¡± However, it seemed like the video on the big screen was under some kind of hacker''s control and couldn''t be turned off. Jessica¡¯s heart instantly sank to the bottom of a pit. Meanwhile, in the video, Jessica had selfishly escaped. Ashley nced at the unconscious Jeremy on the floor, took a deep breath, and tried to calm herself. Her bound hands struggled awkwardly as she tried to untie the ropes by herself. But the ropes were tied too tightly. It was inconvenient for Ashley to untie them on her own. It took nearly three minutes before she finally managed to free herself. During these three minutes, Jessica, who had escaped, did not return once. With the ropes undone, Ashley regained her freedom. Seeing this, Jeremy breathed a sigh of relief. ¡®Great, Ashley finally untied the ropes. Now she could escape!" But at the same time, Jeremy couldn¡¯t help but feel nervous, wondering if Ashley would escape alone or together with him, who was still in aa back then. Chapter 45 Jeremy blinked nervously, staring intently at the big screen. In the video, Ashley stood up from the chair after untying herself and walked towards unconscious Jeremy without hesitation. She didn¡¯t escape on her own. Instead, she actually nned to take Jeremy with her. Jeremy¡¯s eyes welled up with tears. He hadn''t cried in years, but now, as he was watching Ashley walk towards him in the video, his eyes stung with emotion, and even his heart trembled in great shock. At that moment, another loud explosion echoed outside. The house quaked again, and windows burst open. As a result, the chandelier on the ceiling swayed and crashed down. However, it was heading directly for Jeremy¡¯s head. Jeremy was still in aa,pletely unable to dodge. If the chandelier had struck his head, the consequences would have been unimaginable. In this critical moment, a figure swiftly shed by. Ashley rushed over at an incredible speed and threw herself on top of Jeremy, shielding him from the falling chandelier. She actually protected him with her body. The chandelier crashed onto Ashley''s back with a loud shatter. Fragments pierced through her clothes, cutting into her back and causing blood to seep out. The bright red color on the screen burned into Jeremy¡¯s eyes. Ashley would rather get hurt herself than let anything happen to him. He was so mean and ruthless to her, yet she protected her with everything she had. Other people nearby were astonished, their mouths hanging open in disbelief. Some sensitive girls almost burst into tears. ¡°Ashley actually...¡± ¡°She was so far from Jeremy, yet she ran over in time...¡± ¡°If the chandelier had fallen on Jeremy''s head, the oue would have been tragic. Maybe even fatal!¡± ¡°| remember Ashley was mistreated by the Ramos family. But when danger came, she truly saw Jeremy as family and went all out to protect him.¡± ¡°Yeah, unlike Jessica, who only cared about saving herself!¡± In the video, Ashley shielded the unconscious Jeremy as the broken shards stabbed into her back. The blood instantly oozed out and dyed her clothes red. However, Ashley didn¡¯t check her own injuries. Instead, she immediately looked at Jeremy lying beneath her. Seeing that he was unharmed, she breathed a sigh of relief. Ashley staggered to her feet. She had no time to tend to her wound. Instead, she reached behind her, pulling out the pieces embedded in her skin one by one. Witnessing this scene, the onlookers felt a collective cringe, empathizing with the pain. 12.171 Chaptry 45 Without hesitation, Ashley endured the pain and pulled out the rest of the shards. More blood gushed out from her back. She didn¡¯t have time to stop the bleeding. Instead, Ashley quickly helped Jeremy up and carried him on her back. However, when Jeremy was lifted, Ashley suddenly frowned. Her face turned deathly pale, and she elenched her teeth tightly, biting down on her lower lip. Her rosy lip was soon drained of any color as if she was enduring tremendous pain. Outside the screen, Jeremy, now filled with worry, couldn¡¯t understand what was happening. ¡°What happened?¡± He asked himself. A perceptive girl suddenly spoke up. ¡°It''s Ashley¡¯s back! There¡¯s a piece of shard that she didn¡¯t pull out. | noticed it just now. So when she carried Jeremy on her back...¡±Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Oh, dear!¡± Another girl covered her mouth, her eyes filled with shock. ¡°When she carried Jeremy. the shard on her back was subjected to external pressure. Doesn¡¯t that mean...it all pierced into her body?¡± ¡°The entire shard went into her body? Who could endure that!¡± ¡°Although I¡¯m a tough guy. | can¡¯t possibly endure that. Ashley is just a delicate girl...¡± ¡°At that time, Ashley truly considered Jeremy as her brother...¡± Listening to the discussions around him, Jeremy felt a suffocating pain in his chest, as if a thick sponge was blocking his breath. Ashley once truly considered him as her family. Despite the pain in her back, she still carried him, determined to escape together.. However, Jeremy had never shown any kindness to Ashley. Jeremy stared at the video on the screen, his eyes burning red. He had never hated himself so deeply. In the video, Ashley, looking frail and weak, carried Jeremy on her back while enduring the p pain piercing into her. She was bleeding badly, and her blood drops kept dripping to the ground. While carrying Jeremy out of the room, Ashley left a crimson trail along the path she walked. Even in such agony, Ashley never abandoned Jeremy, persistently carrying him to safety. Seeing the blood trail behind Ashley, witnessing her enduring the intense pain, and observing her steadfast determination to carry him, Jeremy couldn''t hold back his tears any longer. Overwhelming self¡ªme and regret swept over him, leaving a sharp pain in his heart. It was Ashley who saved him. She tugged him back from the ws of Death. Ashley was willing to endure injuries and risked her life just to save him. Jeremy couldn¡¯t help but recall what he had done to his kind-hearted sister. He had despised her, hated her, scolded her, abused her, trampling her sincere heart into the dust. Jeremy staggered backward, covering his chest in agony. It felt like his heart was being squeezed tightly, making it difficult for him to breathe. 12:17 ¡®lm such a bastard, Jeremy scolded himself, I¡¯m such a horrible creature, even worse than an animal!" Tears blurred Jeremy''s vision as he turned to look at Jessica, his eyes filled with intense disappointment and hatred. ¡°Jessica, you imed you saved me back then. How dare you! How dare you tell such lies!¡± He roared. ¡°Jeremy, | didn¡¯t...¡± Jessica shook her head repeatedly, tears streaming down her face. Pointing at the big screen, Jeremy angrily shouted, ¡°The video is right here, yet you still deny it! Ashley was the one who saved me, and you were the one who ran away! Jessica, how could you shamelessly steal Ashley¡¯s credit?¡± Jeremy, please listen to me,¡± Jessica sobbed, her face stained with tears, presenting a pitiful appearance. She still wanted to portray herself as weak and pitiable, just like before. However... Asharp p echoed through the air. Jeremy pped Jessica mercilessly. ¡°Do you still want to argue? The proof is right here. What else do you have to argue about?¡± Jeremy seethed with anger, breathing rapidly. ¡°Jessica, when | woke up from mya, you told me that it was you who saved me. You even imed that Ashley had abandoned me and escaped on her own. How could you have the audacity to say such things? How could you be so malicious!¡± Chapter 46 Chapter 46 Chapter 46 Jeremy remembered it vividly. When he woke up in the hospital, Jessica imed she had saved him and falsely used Ashley of running away alone. At that time, he already harbored a strong dislike for Ashley, and Jessica¡¯s words only intensified his resentment. For an entire month, he kept Ashley at arm¡¯s length, not wanting to see her at all. Looking back, Jeremy wondered if Ashley had desperately wanted to exin and tell him the truth during that month. But he, swayed by Jessica¡¯s one-sided narrative, refused to see Ashley, iming that her face made him nauseous. Thinking about it now, how helpless and desperate must Ashley have felt during that month? Despite risking her life to save him and enduring immense suffering to bring him to safety, Ashley was treated unfairly afterward. She must have felt very depressed and helpless back then. All of this was because Jessica lied to Jeremy. Jessica stole Ashley¡¯s credit, portraying herself as a kind-hearted sibling, and she even ndered. Ashley shamelessly. ¡°Jessica, how could you be so heartless! You bastard!¡± Jeremy¡¯s face turned livid, and he red at her with eyes filled with fury. ¡°Jeremy, | didn¡¯t mean to lic. | was just so scared back then...¡± Jessica cried profusely, grabbing Jeremy''s sleeve as she approached him. ¡°Jeremy, it¡¯s all my fault. | know what | did was horrible. | was just afraid you would be disappointed in me. You¡¯re my brother, and | didn¡¯t want to lose you.¡± If this had been in the past, Jeremy would have felt sorry for her and forgiven her by now. But not this time. Jessical Jeremy angrily interrupted her, ¡°Stop trying to justify yourself! Can you justify your actions. to Ashley?¡± Aresounding p echoed again. Jeremy struck Jessica¡¯s other cheek, leaving a red mark. Her eyes were swollen from crying. Seeing this situation, the onlookers were hesitant to intervene. Although they were brought there by Jessica, what she had done hadpletely shattered their previously held views. The whispers among them didn¡¯t stop, and they weren¡¯t afraid of Jessica overhearing. ¡°Damn, how long has Jeremy been kept in the dark?¡± ¡°| always thought Ashley had selfishly escaped back then, but it turns out Jessica was the one who ran away!¡± ¡°Geez, Jessica is really good at distorting the truth! She painted herself as a great savior while ndering Ashley. How shameless!¡± ¡°| think the one who has it the worst is Ashley. What did she do wrong? She saved Jeremy, and instead, she got unfairly used!¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t anyone in the Ramos, family believe her? No matter what, she is the biological daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ramos, Jeremy¡¯s blood sister, right?¡± 12:17 ¡°Damn, | suddenly understand why Ashley cut ties with the Ramos family...¡± Hearing these discussions, Jeremy knew he couldn¡¯t refute them. They were right. He had been at jerk, believing Jessica¡¯s one- sided version. Ashley was his biological sister, but he never believed her. Jeremy suddenly wanted to find Ashley. ¡®| must find her right now! | have to get my own sister back!¡± He thought. Jeremy immediately looked towards the nearbyke. Then, he saw Ashley and Joseph standing up, walking away expressionlessly. A pang of sorrow struck Jeremy¡¯s heart, and without thinking, he rushed to catch up with them. ¡°Jeremy!¡± Seeing this, Jessica immediately reached out to stop him. She couldn''t let Jeremy find Ashley. Ashley longed for family. If Jeremy went to find her, she would undoubtedly forgive him easily. By then, Jeremy would definitely bring Ashley back to the Ramos family. And if Ashley actually returned, Jessica feared that she might be kicked out in no time. Jessica was horrified at the thought of this possibility, and she shouted desperately, Jeremy, I''ll apologize to Ashley right now. | shouldn¡¯t have done this. It was all my fault!¡± However, Jeremy had no patience to listen to her nonsense. ¡°Fuck off!¡± He cursed and forcefully pushed Jessica away. Jessica stumbled and lost her bnce, copsing on the ground with a thud. She froze for a moment and couldn''t help but cry when watching Jeremy hurriedly chase after Ashley. Jeremy actually pushed Jessica to the ground and left without looking at her. He had never been so rude to her.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Meanwhile, Ashley and Joseph left thekeside together. Reflecting on the video yed on the big screen a while ago, Ashley still felt quite emotional. The truth from back then was finally revealed to the public. However, she hadn''t been able to find this video no matter how hard she tried. How could it end up ying on that screen? Moreover, Jessica had tried several times to close the video, but it seemed like someone had hacked 1. it. Suddenly, Ashley remembered Joseph¡¯s words from earlier. ¡°Rest assured. Valentin will let you enjoy a good show today.¡± Could it be... Arealization struck Ashley, and she looked at Joseph with surprise. ¡°Valentin found this video?¡± Joseph raised an eyebrow proudly and was quick to give credit to Valentin. ¡°Of course! Valentin searched for days and finally found it. He even mobilized his intelligence agency for this. ¡°There you go, finally clearing your name! How about it? Did you enjoy today¡¯s show?¡± Ashley¡¯s long and delicate eyshes trembled, and her heart surged with emotions. 12:18 Couples 46 Valentin, unexpectedly, had Investigated and cleared her name. After saving Jeremy back then, she lost too much blood and fell into aa. When she woke up. Jessica had imed all the credit She had tried to tell Jeremy the truth, but he wouldn''t even see her. When Ashley tried to exin to others in the Ramos family, they only believed Jessica and used Ashley of lying, trying to steal Jessica''s credit. No one believed Ashley¡¯s words Feeling deep despair, Ashley remembered that there seemed to be a surveince camera in the room where they were held captive. However, when she tried to find it, she discovered that the footage had beenpletely destroyed, and even the gangster had been silenced. All evidence that could prove the truth was gone. But today, Valentin had somehow found and restored the surveince footage that was once shattered and destroyed. Ashley quickly realized something else. ¡°So, was this vacation at the resort nned in advance?¡± Joseph smirked. ¡°To be honest, this resort is under the Kingsley Group. Therefore, the manager of the resort reported Jessica and Jeremy''s visit to Valentin long ago. ¡°As for Jessica, to please Jeremy, she specially edited a family video and asked the resort to set up a big screen for her. Since the big screen was already set up, it seemed like a waste only to y one single video, don¡¯t you think?¡± Ashley said nothing, absorbing the information. Just then, Jeremy, wearing a mournful expression, caught up with them. ¡°Ashley!¡± Send Gift Chapter 47 Chapter 47 Chapter 47 As soon as Ashley heard Jeremy¡¯s voice, she immediately frowned in disgust. Jeremy ran up to her, and his eyes were filled with remorse and guilt. His lips trembled, and so was his voice. ¡°Ashley, I¡¯m so sorry. | made an awful mistake...¡± Upon hearing Jeremy¡¯s words, Joseph looked at him with disdain and sneered, ¡°Now you realize you were wrong? What took you so long?¡± Jeremy¡¯s face was filled with anguish. ¡°I was deceived by Jessica. | didn¡¯t know it was you who saved me back then. If | had known...¡± Joseph''s expression of disdain deepened at Jeremy''s words. He first nced at Ashley, who looked thoroughly disgusted with Jeremy. Then, Joseph couldn¡¯t hold back any longer and ruthlessly retorted, ¡°So, you finally realize that Jessica deceived you? Tell me, how did she manage to fool you? Oh, right! Jessica just casually made up a lie, and you believed it without even verifying it. You didn¡¯t even listen to Ashley''s exnation. I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ve never truly considered Ashley as your family. Ashley is your biological sister! Why can¡¯t you even trust her?¡± Jeremy was left speechless, blocked by Joseph¡¯s usations. He couldn''t bear to argue because, in the past, he had never trusted Ashley, not even a bit. He also had never treated her as family. If Jeremy had shown even a single bit of trust in Ashley, he wouldn¡¯t have easily believed Jessica¡¯s one-sided story.. In the end, it was his failure to fulfill the responsibilities of being an older brother. Ashley didn¡¯t want to talk to Jeremy and tried to leave with Joseph. ¡°Ashley!¡± Jeremy eximed, blocking her way ¡°| was wrong. | shouldn¡¯t have treated you so poorly.¡± Listening to his bted apology, Ashley only felt indifferent, as if Jeremy''s words meant nothing to her. Jeremy looked at his biological sister, full of self-reproach, with a mind full of words he wanted to say, apologies he wanted to express, and an acknowledgment of his past mistakes. But he hesitated on how to begin. Joseph nced at Ashley and then at Jeremy. That was Ashley¡¯s matter, and he didn¡¯t want to interfere too much. He gestured to Ashley, indicating that he would step aside for a while. However, he just stayed nearby in case Jeremy dared to bully Ashley again. After Joseph walked away, Ashley stared at Jeremy expressionlessly, her voice cold. ¡°Jeremy, there¡¯s nothing for us to talk about.¡± Jeremy felt a sting from her cold attitude, but he knew he deserved it. After all, it was all his fault. ¡°Ashley, I¡¯m truly sorry. | was wrong all along! ¡°It''s a pity | found out toote. You were the one who risked everything to save me. You are my sister, the one | should have cherished the most! ¡°It''s all my fault for being blind and neglectful. | never fulfilled my duty as your older brother... ¡°Ashley, it¡¯s all my fault. | shouldn¡¯t have treated you like that.¡± Jeremy spoke with a pained expression, tears glistening in eyes. his Ashley only chuckled lightly, her tone indifferent. ¡°Oh, so what? Just because you admit you were wrong now, does that erase all the physical and verbal abuse | was subjected to in the past?¡± The former Ashley would have been excited and forgiven him on the spot upon hearing such heartfelt apologies. She would have epted his apology and happily resumed their sibling rtionship. But the current Ashley, having experienced repeated heartaches and despair, no longer held any expectations for the Ramos family. She had no desire to be involved with them again. Hearing Ashley''s words, Jeremy felt as if a huge stone had struck his chest. He asked himself, ¡®Can acknowledging my mistakes erase all the abuse and insults | subjected Ashley to before?¡± Jeremy could never forget how he had treated Ashley in the past. Just thinking about it made him feel tortured and remorseful, suffocating his chest and making it hard to breathe. Jeremy recalled the time when they first brought Ashley back to the Ramos family. She was so vibrant, charming, and lively. However, in her desperate attempt to fit into the family and gain their approval, she sacrificed her true self. She became submissive, always amodating, and trailed behind them, trying to please everyone. Her longing for family and her desire for recognition from the Ramos family led her to this lowly and submissive position. Yet, despite her humility, she received no ounce of familial affection in return. Jeremy dared not dwell on how he had treated her in the past. He had verbally abused her, hurling all sorts of offensive words at her. He even used her of having a malicious heart and trying to steal Jessica¡¯s position as the Ramos family heiress. Furthermore, Jeremy imed that Ashley wasn¡¯t worthy of being his sister. In addition to verbal abuse, he also physically throwing water cups at her, causing her to baulted her, including hitting her with his belt and The realization of how he had mistreated his own sister struck Jeremy like a bolt of lightning. He raised his hand and pped himself hard. ¡°Ashley, | am a scoundrel! I¡¯m truly sorry. | couldn¡¯t believe | used to treat you like that. How could | my own sister? I¡¯m such a bastard!¡±N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. hit With tears welling up in his eyes, Jeremy pped himself again, begging for Ashley¡¯s forgiveness. Ashley nced at the setting sun on the horizon, her expression calm and undisturbed. She looked at Jeremy and said, ¡°Jeremy, | regret saving you back then.¡± Jeremy felt as though a heavy hammer had struck his heart, and every drop of his blood seemed to have frozen. Ashley said she regretted saving him. She must be extremely disappointed in him to have said something like that. It seemed that Ashley didn¡¯t want him as her brother anymore. Jeremy¡¯s tears overflowed and streamed down his cheeks. His heart ached as if thousands of arrows had pierced through it. 12:13 Jeremy trembled and staggered a few steps back, then suddenly copsed in front of Ashley. Frowning slightly. Ashley lowered her gaze to look at him. Jeremy sat on the ground, tears streaming down his face, his crimson eyes filled with regret and self¡ªme. ¡°Ashley, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry for what | did to you. ¡°| was such an idiot before. | was a scoundrel. | failed to fulfill my duties as your older brother. Can you forgive me? Please give me a chance to make amends.¡± Ashley looked down at him, her clear eyes showing no emotion, her tone indifferent. Jeremy, a bted apology can never heal the wound.¡± Her painful past could not be erased by a simple apology. After saying this, Ashley turned and left without giving another nce at Jeremy. Not far away, Joseph, seeing Ashley walk away, quickly approached her. ¡°Ashley, are you done talking?¡± Ashley nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± Joseph nced back at Jeremy, who was still sitting there in a daze, seemingly realizing the depth of his mistakes. Jeremy stared at Ashley as she walked away, tears still flowing uncontrobly He had been such a fool and had mistreated his own sister. It was only fair for Ashley not to forgive him immediately. But now, Jeremy was determined to prove himself to Ashley. He would do his best to make amends and gain her forgiveness someday. Ashley will forgive me eventually, right?¡¯ Jeremy murmured to himself. Chapter 48 After returning to the hotel, Joseph checked his phone and grinned. ¡°Oh, Valentin is finally here! I''ll head back to my room right now so as not to disturb you guys, okay?¡± Ashley found it strange and asked, ¡°Who said you¡¯re disturbing?¡± Joseph patted his chest proudly. ¡°I know you don¡¯t mind me, but | have a keen sense. | don¡¯t want to be a third wheel.¡± Ashley was speechless. Joseph approached her with a meaningful smirk. ¡°Valentin definitely doesn¡¯t want me to be a third wheel either.¡± Ashley rolled her eyes at him. Before she could respond, Joseph swiftly disappeared. Ashley stroked her forehead helplessly and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, from which she could enjoy the breathtaking view of the entire resort. She had to admit that the scenery here was indeed impressive. Ashley admired the scenery for a while, then turned around to scan the room. She instantly felt something was off when her gaze landed on the only bed in the room. At this moment, the room door was knocked open. Valentin had returned. His appearance was overwhelmingly handsome, especially in his white shirt. He had broad shoulders, a muscr waist, and long legs that exuded an elegant and noble temperament.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Valentin casually reached out and loosened his tie. His well-defined fingers and slightly protruding Adam¡¯s apple conveyed a unique charm. Noticing Ashley staring at him without blinking. Valentin raised an eyebrow and said with a smile, ¡°Why have you been staring at me?¡± Ashley blushed at the unexpected question and retorted, ¡°Stop making things up.¡± Valentin loosened his tie again and asked carelessly, ¡°Alright, then. Do you have something to tell me?¡± Ashley¡¯s eyshes trembled as she nced at him. She cleared her throat awkwardly and said. ¡°Um. I''d like to thank you for ying that video.¡± Valentin¡¯s gaze turned abruptly intense at her words. After watching the surveince video, he couldn¡¯t help but feel distressed. Seeing Ashley shielding Jeremy from the falling chandelier, her severe injuries made him. heartbroken. If Valentin were present, he would willingly bear all that pain for Ashley. ¡®How could that loser be worthy of Ashley hurting herself so badly? He doesn¡¯t deserve her painstaking protection!¡¯ Valentin thought. Approaching Ashley, Valentin reached out and gently touched her back. His eyes filled with tender concern. ¡°Does it hurt?¡± He asked. Ashley was caught off guard. It took her a moment to realize that his fingers were tracing the spot where the chandelier had pierced her back when she carried Jeremy. Meeting Valentin¡¯s gentle gaze, her heart suddenly skipped a beat. 13 12:19 Shaking her head lightly, she replied. ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt anymore. There¡¯s not even a scar now.¡± Valentin looked down at her, his long eyshes concealing the bloodthirsty emotions in his eyes. He reached into his pocket and took out a delicately carved wooden box. Then, he opened it, revealing a unique and beautiful bracelet lying inside. It was a silver chain adorned with two bean-shaped rubies. The rubies had a peculiar and translucent red color that gleamed warmly under the light. Valentin took her wrist, his expression full of carefulness, and ced the bracelet on her delicate wrist. ¡°What''s this?¡± Ashley blinked, looking at him with confusion. She wondered why he suddenly gave her a bracelet. Valentin replied casually, as if he had randomly chosen this bracelet from a stall at the night market. ¡°I knew it would look good on you, so | bought it.¡± In reality, the bracelet was rmended by a fortune-teller. Valentin wasn¡¯t superstitious, but he didn¡¯t want to see Ashley get hurt or face any sort of danger again. The red rubies were said to bring good fortune and protect against disasters. Even if she were in danger, her misfortune could be transferred to him. Ashley remained blissfully unaware, absentmindedly twirling the bracelet around her wrist. Reflecting on the past, she had endured quite a bit after being reimed by the Ramos family. An anonymous message had once reached her, offering a way out from the clutches of the Ramos family. Unfortunately, fueled by her desperate yearning for familial bonds, Ashley had dismissed the message, blinded to the true nature of the Ramos family members. Subsequently, she sensed an unseen benefactor, someone who had shielded her from numerous trials. Ashley couldn¡¯t help but wonder who this mysterious figure was. If she ever found out, gratitude would be expressed, perhaps even in the form of a heartfelt dinner. Yet Ashley had no idea that this mysterious figure was right in front of her. Valentin remainedposed and inquired, ¡°Joseph mentioned that Jeremy is seeking your forgiveness. What''s your stance on the matter?¡± Ashley pondered for a while. Except for Jeremy, everyone else in the Ramos family probably had all learned by now that their precious daughter was nothing but a liar. After contemting, Ashley found herself indifferent to the fate of Jessica within the Ramos family. Whether they med her or forgave her and continued to shower her with affection was inconsequential. As for Jeremy, forgiveness was not on her agenda. Ashley¡¯s smile exuded a touch of elegance. The corners of her attractive eyes slightly raised up as she said, ¡°I¡¯ve already severed ties with the Ramos family. They are no longer my concern. Let them be.¡± Observing her carefree demeanor, Valentin felt a bit distressed. He couldn¡¯t help but touch her head. Ashley must have faced countless disappointments to have reached such a state of eptance. However, it didn¡¯t matter. 12.19 Valentin had resolved to be her family from this point forward. Ashley rolled her eyes swiftly before she smiled once again, ¡°Thanks again for helping with the Jeremy video.¡± Valentin responded casually, ¡°It was just a small favor. No need for thanks.¡± Ashley smirked, feeling rather amused. Valentin made his work sound easy, but ording to Joseph, he had spent several days investigating to retrieve that video.¡± ¡°| still want to express my gratitude. Locating that video couldn''t have been easy.¡± Valentin chuckled softly and swallowed. ¡°Since you insist on thanking me, how about...calling me ¡®honey¡® to show your appreciation?¡± Ashley was briefly stunned. ¡°What? Honey?¡± She couldn''t believe what she had heard. Ashley instantly blushed, almost burned out by embarrassment. ¡°What on earth are you talking about!¡± Valentin looked at her calmly, shing her a casual and alluring smile. ¡°Didn¡¯t you mention wanting to thank me?¡± Pausing for a moment, Ashley hesitated. The sultry undertones in Valentin¡¯s voice, low and captivating, echoed with each word he uttered. ¡°Come on. Do as | said.¡± The blush on Ashley¡¯s face had now reached her carlobes. She shot him an exasperated look. ¡°I never said | would thank you like that. Stop daydreaming. Besides, why should I... Ashley was simply too embarrassed to address Valentin with any intimate title. Valentin tilted his head slightly, innocence ying on his features. ¡°But you are my wife. What¡¯s the matter with...¡± But his words only made Ashley''s eyes widen even more. Chapter 49 Before Valentin could finish his words, Ashley couldn¡¯t stand it anymore. She pounced to cover his mouth and said, ¡°Just shut up! | won''t say thank you again, okay?¡± At the moment of her pouncing, Valentin opened his arms and caught her in an embrace. He held her waist, looking down at her, a pleasant and sexy smile on his face. ¡°Ashley, you¡¯re so domineering. How can you stop me from talking?¡± Ashley, who hadn''t covered Valentin¡¯s mouth but chin, shifted her hand from his jaw to cover his mouth. ¡°Enough!¡± With his mouth being covered, Valentin raised an eyebrow but didn¡¯t resist, appearing as if he¡¯d let her deal with him as she pleased. ring at him, Ashley, due to shyness, twinkled her eyes. ¡°You''re not allowed to speak casually like that in the future.¡± Valentin remained silent, not making any promises. Ashley¡¯s expression turned even more fierce. ¡°Did you hear me?¡± With one arm around her waist, the other hand gently lifted, Valentin pinched her soft cheek. Ashley immediately turned her head aside and said, ¡°Stop pinching my face. I¡¯m all grown up. Don¡¯t treat me like a child.¡± I''m not a three-year-old anymore. Randomly pinching my face... That¡¯s embarrassing!" She thought. Valentin found her cute with this move, and a chuckle escaped his throat. Due to being silenced, he sounded somewhat deep as he spoke. ¡°I just wanted you to call me in an intimate way. Is that considered talking nonsense?¡± Ashley was stunned again.. As Valentin spoke, his lips grazed gently over her palm, causing a shivering sensation and a ticklish. feeling. Ashley curled her fingers involuntarily. It dawned on her that when she had just pounced to cover his mouth, she had ended up in his arms. Their bodies were tightly pressed together, creating an ambiguous and dangerous closeness. Even through the thin fabric, she could distinctly feel his warmth. Ashley felt a sudden tightness. She immediately released his mouth and took two steps back. Awkwardly avoiding eye contact, she stared at the nearby floor-to-ceiling windows, speaking softly. ¡°Have you forgotten? We signed a divorce agreement, and we''re getting divorced after one year.¡± Therefore, she didn¡¯t want to call him in an intimate way. Hearing what she said, Valentin looked displeased, and his expression darkened. Divorce? Valentin narrowed his eyes dangerously and said chilly. ¡°Is that so?¡± Surprised by his reaction, Ashley looked back at him. ¡°Have you really forgotten? We signed a divorce agreement before, with a one-year deadline.¡± How could Valentin forget? He lowered his gaze and nced at his fingers, still carrying the lingering warmth from her waist. Chapter 49 He slowly and gently flicked his fingertip. ¡°| haven''t forgotten.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t mean we have to get divorced for sure just because we signed a divorce agreement, he thought. Ashley had dinner with Valentin and Joseph. They enjoyed the resort''s specialty dishes, which were delicious. Joseph, with aplex mood, nibbled on his fork, watching Valentin alternately serve Ashley food, pour her coffee, and peel shrimp for her. ¡®Fine, | don¡¯t have to eat. I¡¯m already full. This couple fed me with their sweet moments, Joseph thought. Joseph couldn¡¯t help but contemte self-destruction and handed his te over, saying, ¡°Valentin, | want to eat shrimp too! Peel one for me!¡± Valentin didn¡¯t even nce at him. ¡°Can''t you peel it yourself?¡± Joseph was stunned. He felt so hurt!N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Josephpromised and tried another approach, on the verge of self-destruction. ¡°Well, Valentin, can you pour me a ss of water?¡± He just wanted to experience some warmth of brotherhood. However, the next moment, Valentin gave him a cold nce. So, Joseph felt the shattered fragments of brotherly love falling onto the ground. Joseph wore a defeated expression. Regret flooded him. He thought he shouldn''t have joined them for dinner. Valentin was no longer single, and here he was, not only single but feeling annoyed for losing his hair! After finishing the meal, Joseph, the singleton, quickly retreated to his room. He needed to y games to vent his frustrations by insulting people in the games to soothe his wounded heart! After Ashley and Valentin finished dinner, Valentin received an important phone call as soon as they returned to their room. An important contract required his approval, so he had to open hisptop to handle the work promptly. Ashley shook her head with emotion, realizing that Valentin was really busy. While Valentin worked on the sofa, Ashley quietly wandered around the room. Seeing snacks on the table, she casually took some, went to the balcony, and lounged on a rattan chair while eating and ying with her phone. Logging into Twitter, she noticed a tweet she had posted yesterday with tens of thousands of comments. Opening thement section, she saw the topment. 12:19 Shapley D for And Sir,e quickly. Ashley posted a selfell It had tens of thousands of likes. Ashley was confused. Who on earth is this Aril? When did | have a fan of such a high caliber? She thought. Time Howed by, mud Valentin finished the urgent work. When he lifted his wrist to check the time, he tonul it was past ten in the evening. Cncing around, he spotted Ashley on the balcony. He walked over and said in a munguette voice, ¡°It¡¯s windy tonight. Don¡¯t catch a cold!¡± Sitting on the rattan chair with a bottle of red wine in her hand, Ashley didn¡¯t respond to him. When Valentin noticed the wine in Ashley¡¯s hand, he twitched his eyes slightly. He crouched down in front of her. As expected, he saw that Ashley was drunk. She narrowed her eyes with a faint blush on her cheeks. She had consumed most of the bottle of wine. Valentin pinched his brow, wanting to take the wine bottle from her hand, but Ashley was reluctant to let go. He chuckled helplessly, ¡°Ashley, let go.¡± Ashley tilted her head and looked at him sadly. She trembled and said, ¡°Valentin, you... You¡¯re bullying me again!¡± Valentin was helpless. When did | bully her? Does she think | want to steal her wine? He thought.. Ashley leaned closer to Valentin and pouted. Her rosy lips glistened with a faint, watery sheen. She softly and gently said, ¡°Why do you look even more handsome than before?¡± Valentin raised an eyebrow and said seductively, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to remember how | looked before, Ashley¡± Ashley grabbed his hand and pressed the back against her hot cheek, feeling slightly cool. She sighed, ¡°Sofortable...¡± Valentin stiffened, and his hand against her cheek trembled slightly. He lowered his head, feeling his throat tightening. ¡°This is dangerous, he thought. Valentin let Ashley stick close, took the opportunity to remove the wine bottle from her other hand, and stood **7. ¡°Ashley, you''re drunk. Shall | carry you back to the room?¡± It was windy on the balcony, and Ashley might get a headache if she stayed in the breeze after getting drunk. Ashley, slow to react, stumbled and clumsily got up, inadvertently falling towards him. Valentin quickly supported her, pulling her into his arms to prevent her from falling. Ashley seemed to discover something amusing suddenly and stared at his face. ¡°You... You¡¯re really handsome. Aslight smile yed about Valentin¡¯s lips. ¡°You just said that.¡± Ignoring him, Ashley tapped her forehead against his chest, then lifted her head to look at him. repeating like a broken record. ¡°Valentin, you¡¯re really handsome.¡± Chapter 49 Valentin rolled his Adam¡¯s apple and couldn''t help butugh. Hisughter was pleasant and sexy. What did you call me. Ashley Staring at this handsome and charming face in front of her. Ashley increasingly felt that Valentin was good-looking. Whether it was because her head was too dizzy or enchanted by his face, she suddenly lifted her chin and kissed him... When Ashley kissed him. Valentin¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, and his pupils contracted with astonishment. He froze in ce, letting Ashley messily kiss him. Her teeth cut his lip, and the taste of blood spread between their mouths. The pain brought him back to his senses. Valentin restrained himself from reacting, but his body was tense. He didn¡¯t want to take advantage of her vulnerability, so he restrained himself hard. Ashley¡¯s mind was a mess, and she only felt that Valentin¡¯s lips were soft and slightly cool, veryfortable, relieving the warmth brought by the alcohol in her body. She clumsily kissed him again, and at that moment, Valentin felt something explode in his mind like the fragments of a kaleidoscope, bursting into a myriad of colors. He tightened his arm around her waist abruptly, pulling her even closer into his embrace. At that moment, he didn¡¯t want to be a gentleman anymore. Send Gift Chapter 50 Chapter 50 As Ashley pulled away, Valentin held the back of her head, taking the initiative to deepen the kiss. He kissed her forcefully and passionately. Ashley was already dizzy. She didn¡¯t even know how to breathe properly. Her muddled mind became even more disoriented during this intense kiss. When Valentin finally released her, her lips were slightly swollen. A deep red rose to the corners of her eyes, which made her look like someone who had been thoroughly taken advantage of Valentin¡¯s hands were still around her waist as he lowered his head, affectionately rubbing his nose against hers. ¡°Ashley...¡± He called her name with a deep, maic voice that carried a noticeable huskiness, incredibly sexy. Despite the wind on the balcony, Valentin was concerned that Ashley might catch a cold. He carried her back into the room. Once heid Ashley on the bed, his phone rang. It was a video call from Joseph. Valentin casually answered it, saying, ¡°Speak quickly if you have something to say.¡± cing the phone on the table¡¯s stand, he continued to take care of Ashley, Seeing Ashley sitting dizzily on the bed through the video call, looking as if she had been drinking, Joseph quickly asked, ¡°What happened to Ashley? Is she drunk?¡± Valentin nodded and had Ashley lean against his shoulder. He poured a ss of warm water and brought it to her lips, helping her take a sip. Observing the situation, Joseph hurriedly exined, ¡°Grandpa just called me. He was asking about how you and Ashley are getting along. | told him you''re getting along well with each other. He¡¯s just concerned about your rtionship with Ashley. It¡¯s nothing major. Well, you take care of Ashley first. See you tomorrow.¡± Valentin replied with a nod. Ashley heard someone talking and looked at the phone, but she saw nothing. She turned her head to look at Valentin dazzledly and smiled sweetly. She started repeating. ¡°You¡¯re so handsome, always have been! Hey, your mouth is bleeding.¡± She leaned closer, blinking as she examined the corner of his mouth. Valentin lethargically replied, ¡°You bit me.¡± With a puzzled frown, Ashley couldn''t process the information in her dizzy state. Valentin gestured towards the balcony, slightly lifting his chin. ¡°Just now, on the balcony.¡± After a moment, Ashley finally recalled. Suddenly, she leaned over and yfully bit his lip again, proudly saying, ¡°Yep. That was me!¡± Joseph, who hadn''t had a chance to end the video call, happened to witness this scene. He pretended to cover his eyes with his hand and peeked through his fingers,ughing mischievously. ¡°Wow! What did | see?¡± Valentin frowned. He thought Joseph had disconnected the call. He reached to end the video call. However, Ashley leaned towards the phone. When she saw Joseph on the other side, she waved at 12-19 him with a cute expression, and then pulled Valentin in front of the camera to boast to Joseph. ¡°Look, | bit him!¡± Joseph was left speechless.. He just wanted to make a video call with Valentin, and he ended up getting fed sweet moment again! ¡°Sorry for the interruption. I''ll leave you to it! Carry on!¡± Joseph felt like he was suddenly kicked in the face while happily walking down the street, pretending to cry at the end of a video call. ¡°| need to go curse a few more people in the game to ease my wounded heart!¡¯ He thought. Meanwhile, Valentin helped Ashley remove her shoes and assisted her lying on the bed. He asked, ¡°Is there anywhere ufortable?¡± Ashley shook her head, reaching out to touch Valentin¡¯s impably handsome face. She blinked and repeatedly said, ¡°You''re so handsome!¡± Valentin chuckled and looked pleased: ¡°You praised me like this a lot tonight, Ashley¡± Encouraged by this, Ashley leaned in and gave him a smooch, lovingly caressing his face. Valentin cheekily rubbed his face against her palm and asked, ¡°Do you want to sleep?¡± ¡°No!¡± Ashley reached to pull at her clothes, attempting to undress like a three-year-old. ¡°I haven''t taken a bath!¡± Valentin twitched his eyes at her words. He immediately reached over to stop her from undressing. ¡°Let''s skip the bath tonight and just go to sleep, alright?¡± ¡°No!¡± Ashley pouted, wanting to continue undressing. But Valentin was pressing her hands, preventing her from doing so, which made her feel annoyed. Valentin raised his other hand to press his temple, showing signs of potential breakdown. He couldn''t handle it when she was doing this. He didn¡¯t want to be a gentleman anymore. However... ¡°Ashley, be a good girl. Let¡¯s skip it tonight and bathe tomorrow, okay?¡± Valentin exerted great effort to restrain himself, his low, coaxing voice carrying a hint of coaxing. Without waiting for Ashley¡¯s response, he cradled her in his arms on the bed, patting her back soothingly and softly coaxing, ¡°Good girl, sleep in my arms.¡± Ashley frowned and whimpered as she awoke from a dream the following morning. As soon as she opened her eyes, she was greeted by a strong chest with well-defined muscles and at sexy and charming corbone. And her hand was resting on the man¡¯s abdominal muscles. Ashley was startled. The sleepiness immediately chased away as she sat up from the bed. ¡®Valentin! Why did | sleep in his arms?¡® She thought. Valentin had realized it when Ashley had just woken up, and at this moment, he slowly sat up. 12:19 Chapter 50 ¡°Awake?¡± He raised his hand to adjust his clothes, pulling them tightly as if guarding against someone taking advantage of him. Ashley blinked, observing his movements, and her mouth twitched slightly. ¡°Are you guarding against me?¡± ¡°Who would want to take advantage of him? I¡¯d rather jump from here than do anything to this jerk!¡± She thought. Moreover...N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. ¡°Why did we sleep on the same bed?¡± Ashley rubbed her temples, feeling ufortable with the hangover. She vaguely remembered that she seemed to have gotten drunk against night. Since this resort room only had one bed, it was unsurprising that she shared the bed with Valentin. ¡°Last night...¡± Ashley was about to ask something when she suddenly noticed something. ¡°Why is your mouth broken?¡± Valentin raised an eyebrow slightly. He had just woken up, so his voice carried a hint ofzy hoarseness. ¡°You bit me.¡± Ashley was stunned. ¡°Don''t talk nonsense!¡± Ashley didn¡¯t believe it. Valentin had anticipated this reaction long ago and gave her a look that seemed to me her ruthlessness. Ashley was confused. Valentin picked up his phone and retrieved the video call with Joseph from yesterday. Ashley still looked puzzled. The video call couldn¡¯t prove anything. Normally, video calls couldn''t be reyed. However, Valentin somehow managed to find a rey ofst night''s video call after clicking on the Screen. Ashley was greatly shocked. Curious, she leaned over. Although it was a small window in the upper right corner, it was enough to see clearly what she had done and said. The next moment, Ashley widened her eyes. In the vid¨¦o, she lunged at Valentin, pecked at his lip, and proudly dered, ¡°Yep. That was me!¡± She even dragged Valentin to show off to Joseph. ¡°Look, | bit him!¡± Ashley felt so embarrassed. She didn¡¯t expect herself to really bite Valentin. And she even showed off to Joseph. Ashley wanted to escape so much at this moment. She immediately reached out to pause the video, feeling ashamed and embarrassed. She couldn''t bear to watch it any longer. Chapter 51 Ashley nervously swallowed and said, ¡°Well...¡± Before she could finish her words, Valentin interjected casually, ¡°This was my first kiss. You know, | was forced.¡± Ashley was dumbfounded. | forcefully kissed Valentin?¡¯ She thought. Feeling even more guilty, Ashley silently lifted the quilt, got out of bed, and fled the scene. Though evading was shameful, it seemed effective. Just as she had taken a few steps, the quiet room resonated with the sound of the video ying again. ¡°Yep. That was me!¡± ¡°Look, | bit him!¡± Ashley stumbled, her ears turning explosively red. She immediately turned around and rushed back. ¡°Don¡¯t y it again...¡± She pounced, kneeling beside the bed, trying to snatch Valentin¡¯s phone. Valentin didn¡¯t evade, just raised the hand holding the phone and smiled, ¡°Are you trying to destroy the evidence?¡± Ashley, both embarrassed and anxious, red at him with anger. He sighed as if genuinely aggrieved, ¡°Yesterday, you praised me and forcefully kissed me. But today, you¡¯re scolding me. Why did you change your mind so quickly?¡± At the mention of the forceful kiss, Ashley¡¯s earlobes turned red, and she almost wanted to bite. Valentin to death. ¡°You''re just talking nonsense!¡± Anxiously, she jumped onto the bed, finally snatching his phone. Clicking to delete the video fiercely, she finally breathed a sigh of relief. However, before she could rxpletely, she heard Valentin¡¯s low, maic voice next to her. ¡°The video is deleted, but...¡± Asudden pang of anxiety hit Ashley as she looked up. Valentin met her gaze, a teasing smile ying about his lips. ¡°What are you nning to do about the spot where you bit my lip?¡± Ashley blushed. Valentin leaned closer, watching her with a yful andnguid expression. ¡°I¡¯ve given you my first. kiss. Shouldn¡¯t you take responsibility for me?¡± After he finished his words, Ashley widened her eyes. Three secondster, she jump bang. off the bed and darted into the bathroom, mming the door with at Leaning against the door, Ashley patted her wildly beating heart, closed her eyes in frustration, and punched the wall with a thud. She felt like beating herself to death for forcefully kissing Valentin! After finishing her morning routine, Ashley sneaked out of the room to avoid Valentin bringing up the forceful kiss. Chapter 51 Unfortunately, just as she stepped out, she ran into Joseph in the corridor. Joseph blinked meaningfully at her, smiling ambiguously, ¡°Good morning, Ashley.¡± Ashley felt embarrassed. Last night, she bit Valentin in front of Joseph during their video call. Feeling awkward, she responded, ¡°Good morning.¡± After saying that, she quickly walked towards the direction of the elevator. Watching her brisk departure, Joseph muttered to himself, ¡°Ashley was so boldst night. But why is she so shy today?¡± This holiday resort had beautiful scenery and fresh air, especially in the morning. Ashley walked by theke, trying to ease her awkward mood. The brilliant morning sun cast ayer of golden light on theke, with gentle ripples and sparkling waves, creating a picturesque view. Ashley enjoyed the scenery. Suddenly, she saw Jeremy running towards her with excitement. ¡°Ashley!¡± Jeremy looked visibly excited and ran up to Ashley in a few steps. Ashley frowned, showing both indifference and repulsion. Seeing her expression, Jeremy felt a pang in his heart. However, he deserved it, considering the blindness that led to owing so much to Ashley. Full of remorse, Jeremy cautiously asked, ¡°Ashley, have you had breakfast?¡± Ashley didn¡¯t want to talk to him and started to walk away. Jeremy immediately caught up, looking at her with expectant eyes. ¡°Ashley, | used the resort''s kitchen to prepare some breakfast for you. If you haven¡¯t had breakfast yet, | can bring it to you.¡± Ashley frowned even more at his words. Jeremy hurriedly exined, ¡°Though it¡¯s my first time cooking. | practiced for most of the night, and | believe it will be good! | made the food you like. Ashley continued walking without stopping. Jeremy chased her, saying, ¡°Ashley, it¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t want to return to the Ramos family. | understand your feelings now.¡± He took out a key and a bank card from his pocket, saying, ¡°This key is for my apartment in the Splendid Garden. It has been cleaned. You can stay there if you don¡¯t want to return to the Ramos family. Also, this bank card has no limit. You can use it freely for anything you need.¡± Jeremy spent the whole night thinking about how to make amends to Ashley. After careful consideration, he decided to ensure Ashley''s basic needs first, like clothing, food, shelter, and transportation. He didn¡¯t know where Ashley was staying after leaving the Ramos family, so he offered her the apartment in the Splendid Garden, which was one of the best properties under his name. The bank card he handed her had no spending limit, allowing her to use it freely. Jeremy then pulled out a car key. ¡°And this car. If you don¡¯t mind, you can use it as you please. Now that you''ve signed with Royal Entertainment, but | don¡¯t know if they arranged an assistant for you. Ashley, let me be your assistant, running errands and taking care of you, okay?¡± Aside from taking care of Ashley¡¯s basic needs, Jeremy was most looking forward to reconnecting with Ashley, who he had ignored for so long. Even if it meant working as her errand boy, he was willing to do so. Hearing this, Ashley nced at Jeremy with a faint expression and said, ¡°Jeremy, | don¡¯t want anything that belongs to you.¡± Her tone suggested that touching his belongings would dirty her hands. Jeremy stood frozen in ce. Watching Ashley¡¯s resolute departure, Jeremy felt a mixture of heartache and bitterness. There were water blisters on his palms he had gotten from cooking for Ashley, and he hid them with great care. Suddenly, he called out to her retreating figure. ¡°Ashley! I¡¯ve made too many mistakes in the past, and it¡¯s understandable if you''re not ready to forgive me now. But | will do my best to make it up to you!¡± Ignoring his words, Ashley walked away decisively. Jeremy stood in ce, feeling deste. After a moment of contemtion, he suddenly remembered. Jessica. He realized that everything Ashley had suffered was somehow connected to Jessica. While trying to make amends for what happened to Ashley, Jeremy also felt the need to bring justice to the situation. Havinge to this realization, Jeremy suddenly became cold. Jessica had taken credit for Ashley''s achievements, which created a big misunderstanding between him and Ashley, and even strained their sibling rtionship.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. ¡®In this case, does Jessica, this false heiress, still have the right to stay in the Ramos family?¡® He thought. 3/3 Send Gift Chapter 52 In the living room of the Ramos Vi, Evan and Bertha sat in the main sents. Frankie, Charlie, and Matthew were seated on the sofa. Even Ryan hade back from abroad especially. Ryan was an Internationally renowned race car driver with short hair and a rugged appearance, In the center of the living room, Jeremy cast a cold nce at the tearful Jessica. He picked up the remote control and reyed the video of the incident when he was kidnapped by criminals, making it clear to everyone in the Ramos familly. ¡°Mom, Dad, Frankie, Charlie, Ryan, Matthew, you all see it now. This is the truth back then. The one who saved me back then was Ashley, not Jessical Jessica not only escaped on her own but also deceived mel¡± Jessica cried uncontrobly, her tears falling incessantly. ¡°Jeremy, I¡¯m sorry for what | did. Do whatever you want to me. | won¡¯t try to defend myself¡± Jeremy sneered, ¡°Do you even have the face to defend yourself? The facts are right here. Are you capable of defending yourself?¡± Hearing this, Bertha interrupted Jeremy with a pained expression, ¡°Enough, Jeremy. Don¡¯t be rude to Jessica like this. Jessien, what you did this time is indeed wrong. How could you lie?¡± Seeing Bertha¡¯s empathy, Jessica immediately cried with tears in her eyes. ¡°Mom, please don¡¯t me Jeremy. Everything is my fault. Jeremy can scold me however he wants. | deserve it. With the video evidence in ce, Jessica knew that any further attempt to defend herself would be in vain. Instead, she chose to cry, admitting her mistakes and hoping to gain sympathy from the other members of the Ramos family.N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. With this in mind, Jessica suddenly cried and kept saying she was sorry. Bertha immediately felt heartbroken and said, ¡°Jessica, my poor jessica, don¡¯t¡¯cry.¡± Jeremy¡¯s expression remained cold, and he spoke with emphasis. ¡°Mom, from now on, | only have one sister, and that¡¯s Ashley! As for Jessica, she has no blood rtion to me, and she will never be sister!¡± Frankie frowned at Jeremy¡¯s words, ¡°Jeremy... Matthew, being younger, couldn¡¯t stay seated and stood up. ¡°Jeremy, how can you say that about Jessica?¡± my Evan, with the authority of the family head, spoke. ¡°Jeremy, | understand you''re angry now, but think about it. Although Jessica took credit for Ashley¡¯s achievements, Ashley hasn¡¯t suffered any losses. She''s still fine now.¡± With an incredulous expression, Jeremy retorted, ¡°Dad, how can you say that? Ashley is your biological daughter!¡± Evan furrowed his brows. He knew Ashley was his biological daughter. But he tended to side with Jessica because she was less troublesome. Jeremy took a deep breath and clenched his fists. ¡°Jessica must pay the price for her mistakes. A person with such a malicious heart doesn¡¯t deserve to stay in the Ramos family!¡± Matthew was shocked and angered, eximing, ¡°Jeremy, are you going to kick Jessica out of the Ramos family?¡± Ryan, who had been silent, couldn¡¯t hold back and said, Jeremy, calm down. Jessica was just a child at 12.19 that time, and she was also frightened. She acknowledged her mistake now, didn¡¯t she?¡± Matthew chimed in, ¡°Exactly, Jeremy. Jessica has already apologized. Don¡¯t be so unforgiving.¡± Frankie thought for a moment and said, ¡°Jeremy, since we misunderstood Ashley, bring her back to the Ramos family, and resume her position as the Ramos family¡¯s heiress. This should be enough for her. Don¡¯t hold a grudge against Jessica anymore.¡± Listening to these absurd words and looking at the faces in front of him, Jeremy suddenly understood why Ashley chose to sever ties with the Ramos family. ¡®What kind of family members are they?¡¯ He thought. Jeremy forced a bitter smile, his tone filled with sarcasm. ¡°Resume her position as the Ramos family¡¯s heiress? Enough? Frankie, what the hell are you talking about! You can¡¯t rte to things that haven¡¯t happened to you, can you?¡± Evan mmed the table. ¡°Enough! Jessica has already apologized. What more do you want?¡± Jeremy red at him angrily. ¡°If you don¡¯t kick Jessica out of the Ramos family, then | will sever ties with you!¡± Upon hearing this, Bertha covered her chest, breathing heavily. ¡°Jeremy, you...¡± Charlie, who had been quiet, quickly poured a ss of water and handed it to Jeremy. ¡°Jeremy, Mom is not in good health. Don¡¯t make her angry!¡± Still on her knees, Jessica crawled step by step to Bertha, crying pitifully. ¡°Mom, please don¡¯t be angry. | can leave the Ramos family if Jeremy doesn¡¯t forgive me.¡± Evan quickly lifted her up with concern. ¡°Jessica, get up. This is your home. No one can kick you out of this family without my permission!¡± Bertha staggered to her feet, grabbing Jeremy¡¯s hand. ¡°No a family.¡± One is allowed to leave. We ar Jeremy asked expressionlessly, ¡°Mom, what about Ashley? Isn¡¯t she your daughter?¡± Bertha fell silent for a moment before speaking. Jeremy, don¡¯t take me wrong. Ashley has only been back in the Ramos family for two years, while I¡¯ve watched Jessica grow up from an early age. If you were me, who would you bond with more?¡± Jeremy felt a chill in his heart. ¡°Mom, so you know. Ashley has only been back for two years. Shouldn''t wepensate her more?¡± Bertha blurted out, ¡°But we shouldn''t mistreat Jessica either!¡± Ryan quickly added, ¡°Jeremy, | left thepetition and came back from overseas this time just to see Jessica. | won''t forgive you if you kick her out of the Ramos family¡± Matthew chipred in, Jeremy, I¡¯m against it too.¡± Frankie said, ¡°Enough, Jeremy. You''re still in anger. Calm down.¡± Jeremy weakly tugged at the corner of his lips, his face filled with bitterness. ¡®Ashley, | truly understand why you said the Ramos family is disgusting, he said inwardly. Jeremy cast a cold nce at Jessica. Sooner orter, he would drive her out of the Ramos family. Right now, he couldn¡¯t sever ties with the Ramos family. He had to stay there. If Jessica or anyone from the Ramos family tried to harm Ashley, he would be the first to inform her. Matthew took the opportunity to escort Jessica back to her room andforted her with a few gentle words. 12:20 Chapter 52 He thought Jessica must be terrified today. Matthew med Ashley for stirring up such chaos in the Ramos family. After leaving Jessica¡¯s room, he took out his phone and checked the chat with Ash. ¡°Why hasn¡¯t Ash been respondingtely?* He thought. Ash was Matthew¡¯s most respected mentor. Though Matthew was a popr singer in showbiz, he had once faced criticism for being unable to produce good songs. People said he had lost his touch, and he gradually became afraid to attend public events, even falling into depression and contemting leaving the industry. It was Ash who inspired him, helping him create new songs and winning the Most Popr Male Singer Award. Ash not only brought him honor but also saved him from a life-threatening situation. Ash was the most mysterious and renownedposer in the country, gaining widespread fame with the song The Land. Despite having countless fans, no one had ever seen Ash¡¯s real face, let alone the gender. Many aspired to be Ash¡¯s student, but Ash publicly epted only one student. That was Matthew. It was considered an immense honor. Matthew felt proud to be Ash¡¯s student and held great reverence for his mentor. However, recently, all the messages Matthew sent to Ash got no reply. ¡®Is Ash too busy to reply to me?¡± He thought At the Kingsley Vi, after returning from the resort, Ashley felt a bit hesitant to face Valentin. Every time she saw the corner of his mouth where she had bitten him, she felt uneasy. Yet, Valentin always unted the bitten mouth in front of her. He would walk past her, grab something nearby, or ask her what she wanted for lunch. Sitting on the sofa in the living room, Ashley couldn''t resist asking when she saw Valentin pass by her for the eighteenth time. ¡°Today is a workday. Why have you been at home all day? Aren¡¯t you going to the office?¡± Valentin stopped in his tracks, casually ncing at her. ¡°I¡¯m not in the mood, so | want to take a break for a couple of days.¡± Ashley was surprised. ¡°Not in the mood? What happened?¡± Valentin stood in front of Ashley, looking down at her from head to toe. His tone waszy and casual. ¡°I was forcefully kissed, and that woman refused to take responsibility.¡± Chapter 53 Chapter 53 Ashley was speechless. She shouldn''t have asked Valentin. Valentin raised his eyebrows. He suddenly leaned down, put his hands on the back of the sofa bnd Ashley, and restrained her in his arms. The unexpected approach startled Ashley, The two of them were close to each other. Ashley could smell Valentin¡¯s fresh and pleasant breathing Her eyshes trembled. Aftering to her senses, she wanted to dodge. But behind her was the back of the sofa. There was no room for her to hide, She could only tilt her head back. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Valentin chuckled. As Ashley tilted her head back a little, he moved closer, keeping, close to her and staring at her. Being stared at by him, Ashley¡¯s heart skipped a beat and was beating in disorder. In the quiet and ambiguous space, Valentin looked her in the eye. His smiling voice escaped was maic and sultry. ¡°Someone kissed me forcefully and refused to take responsibility for me. Ashley, give me advice, What should | do? Um?¡± Ashley didn¡¯t know what to say. She pressed her red lips, put her hands on his chest, and tried to push him push him away. ¡°You stand up first. Valentin didn¡¯t move at all. He restrained Ashley between his arms and the sofa. ¡°Help me and give me an idea. What should | do?¡± Ashley took a deep breath. Out of guilt, she looked away and dared not to meet his eyes. Her gaze fell on Valentin¡¯s arm, which was leaning against the sofa. The cuffs of his white shirt were rolled up and revealed his muscr forearms. Ashley could see the blue veins under his skin, exuding an air of aloofness and restraint. ¡°Ashley, why don¡¯t you look at me?¡± Valentin used a rising tone in the end, and his warm breath blew on Ashley¡¯s ears as he spoke. Ashley felt a thrill all over. Her back instantly tensed up, and her fingers curled up unconscious/ ¡°You... Valentin, you stand up first.¡± Valentin didn¡¯t move. He looked at her, and his gaze slowly moved from her eyebrows and the tip of her nose to her lips. His intention was unvarnished. Ashley was tensed, and her heartbeat was fast and chaotic. She blinked and blushed, having the urge to close her eyes. ¡°Valentin, Ashley! I¡¯m here to see you!¡± Zain¡¯s sonorous voice came from outside. Ashley was startled. She immediately stretched out her hand to push Valentin and whispered shyly, ¡°Grandpa is here. Stand up!¡± 12:20 Valentin remained silent. Ss He frowned and licked his upper teeth. Then, he raised his hand and pinched Ashley¡¯s soft earlobe before standing up and letting her go.. Ashley immediately got up from the sofa. She felt the earlobe that Valentin had touched was burning. She dared not to look at Valentin, turned around, and ran out of the living room. ¡°Grandpa, why are you here today?¡± Watching her leave, Valentin squinted. After a few seconds, he nced down and chuckled, indulgent and doting. Zain walked into the living room with Ashley¡¯s support, beaming with joy. ¡°I miss you ande to see you. How have you been? Are you used to living in the Kingsley Vi?¡± Ashley smiled, ¡°Yeah. Grandpa, how¡¯s your health?¡± ¡°Fine. My family doctor said two days ago that myplexion is improving. I¡¯m pleased that you care about me so much.¡± ¡°Grandpa, take a seat.¡± Ashley helped Zain sit down on the sofa. Zain nced at Valentin on the side and was slightly surprised. He thought, ¡°Why did Valentin look annoyed as if he had been interrupted?¡® ¡°Ashley.¡± Zain pulled Ashley to sit beside him and patted her hand affectionately. ¡°Tell me, did Valentin bully you?¡± Ashley looked in Valentin¡¯s direction, coughed slightly, and shook her head. ¡°No.¡± Zain was then satisfied. He looked at Valentin and suddenly frowned, ¡°Valentin, how did you break the corner of your mouth?¡± Upon hearing this, Valentin raised his eyebrows. Ashley frowned nervously and red at him, signaling him not to talk nonsense. Valentin received her signal. He lowered his head slightly, straightened his sleeves, and then said casually, ¡°Sorry, Grandpa. Ashley didn¡¯t allow me to say it, so | can¡¯t tell you that she bit the corner of my mouth.¡± Ashley was dumbfounded. Valentin... Why was he so scheming? Zain heard this and was happy. He beamed with a smile. He thought, That¡¯s great. Valentin and Ashley are getting along very well! | will have a granddaughter¡ªinw. I¡¯m finally relieved: Ashley¡¯s cheeks heated up with embarrassment, and she abruptly changed the subject. ¡°Grandpa, what brought you here today?¡± Zain held her hand, and his eyes were full of love. ¡°I came here today to give you a gift. It is the Kingsley family¡¯s blessing that you are willing to marry Valentin. This gift is what | should have given. you at that time.¡± Ashley was shy. ¡°Grandpa, please don¡¯t say that.¡± Zain smiled and asked the servant to bring the gift over. ¡°Ashley, take a look and see if you like it.¡± Ashley stood up and looked over. There was a beautiful harp. Clupter 53 She recognized it at a nce. The harp was not an ordinary one. It was one of the top ten famous harps in the world. ¡°Grandpa, this harp. Ashley was shocked. Atrace of nostalgia appeared in Zain¡¯s eyes. ¡°Ashley, your grandfather taught you to y the harp. since you were a child. | know you also like ying the harp. Your grandfather has passed away..... | especially found this harp for you. | hope you like it.¡±Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Zain initially wanted to hire a craftsman to use the highest quality materials to customize a harp for Ashley. But no matter how expensive the customized harp was, it couldn¡¯t match the one handed down from generations. So he spent a lot of money to buy this harp from a harp collector. Ashley looked at this harp and knew very well that it would cost at least hundreds of millions of dors to buy such a precious harp. This gift was too valuable. Valentin knew Ashley very well and could tell her thoughts at a nce. He said in a gentle voice, ¡°It¡¯s just a gift that contains Grandpa¡¯s feelings, and the most important thing is that you like it.¡± Zain said with a smile, ¡°Yes, Ashley, do you like it? You can y it and have a try.¡± ¡°Of course, | like it. Grandpa, | don¡¯t know what to say!¡± Ashley thanked Zain. She smiled, and her smile was as bright as a blooming flower. She walked over, thought for a while, and tried to y The Land. The Land was the first song Ashley wrote, and it had a different meaning to her. Send Gift Chapter 54 Ashley sat by the harp, pressing the strings with her left hand and plucking the strings with her right hand. With just a slight lift of her index finger, the harp made a deep and far-reaching tone. It was pleasant, making people think of ancient times. This harp was worthy of being one of the top ten famous harps. Ashley was surprised. The tone overwhelmed her, and then she was immersed in ying it. Valentin looked at Ashley, who was immersed in ying the harp. A trace of warmth appeared in his cold and deep eyes. He knew that The Land was the first song written by Ashley. She posted it on the Inte under the name Ash. The song enjoyed popr love as soon as it was released and went viral for a while. This song could be yed with various instruments, but the most suitable one was the harp. The tune changed from gentle to passionate. The emotions it contained were unique and strong. Valentin had listened to it so many times in private that he knew the score by heart. Zain sat on the sofa and enjoyed the music. He had boundless feelings even if Ashley finished ying the song. He praised, ¡°Ashley, you y the harp better than before. | have heard so many famous. harpers y the harp, but none of them are better than you.¡± Ashley smiled, ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯m ttered.¡± Zain became anxious upon hearing this. I¡¯m not ttering you. You yed it very well. Ashley, do you like this harp?¡± ¡°| like it very much. Thank you.¡± ¡°I''m d that you like it. As long as you like it, my effort is not in vain.¡± Zainughed heartily and pulled Ashley up affectionately as if he had endless words to talk to her. Hepletely ignored Valentin. Valentin stood alone and was speechless. After lunch, Zain returned to the Kingsley Manor. Ashley put away the harp. This harp needed to be stored properly. She put it in another ce and returned to the living room. Valentin was staring at her. His eyes were deep. It seemed that he had been staring at Ashley for a long time. Ashley¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She stared at him arrogantly. ¡°Stop staring at me.¡± Valentin chuckled. He sat leisurely on the sofa and crossed his legs. He waved to her. ¡°Come here.¡± Ashley didn¡¯t listen to him obediently. She stood still and refused. ¡°No. Why do I have toe to you as you said?¡± Valentin raised his eyebrows, stood up abruptly, and said casually, ¡°Okay, since you don¡¯t want toe over, then I¡¯ll go over.¡± Ashley rolled her eyes. How could Valentin be so cheeky? Ashley nced at him as Valentin walked over and deliberately walked towards the sofa. She didn¡¯t want to have close contact with him anyway. Ashley walked to the sofa and sat down. Valentin raised his eyebrows slightly and smiled. He was not angry and returned patiently. Seeing himing back. Ashley immediately stood up and wanted to walk away. However, the next second, Valentin held her shoulders, looked down at her with his deep eyes, i said in a low voice, ¡°Why are you escaping? | won''t do anything to you.¡± and Ashley felt a sudden tightness. She red at him. ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? | don¡¯t want to see your bitten mouth.¡± Valentin grunted, tilting his head deliberately. He showed her the bitten corner of his mouth and said, ¡°Then, why didn¡¯t you push me away and bite me instead, huh?¡± Ashley didn¡¯t know what to say for a while. Valentin paused for two seconds, seeming to recall. ¡°Let me think about how many times Ashley bit mest night.¡± Ashley was stunned. Her eyes widened in surprise. ¡°Oh, | remembered it. You bit me at least three times...¡± Before Valentin could finish speaking, Ashley stretched out her hand and covered his mouth, feeling ashamed and embarrassed. ¡°Don''t say that.¡± Valentin chuckled, and his voice was low and maic. He was pleased. Ashley red at him, loosened her hand on his mouth, and turned to leave. But Valentin held her wrist. He gently rubbed her delicate skin. ¡°Do you want to go to the racecourse tomorrow?¡± Ashley was angry at this moment. She responded without looking back, ¡°No!¡± Valentin softened his tone, and there was a hint of coaxing in his maic voice. ¡°The racecourse has your favorite white horse.¡± Ashley was intrigued.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. She liked white horses. Not only did they look elegant and gorgeous, but they were also beautiful while running. She had tamed a strong horse when she was a child. But Ashley thought Valentin would mention the matter that she had bitten the corner of his again if she went to the racecourse with him. She had a headache just thinking about it, so she reluctantly refused. ¡°No. | don¡¯t want to go there.¡± Valentin stayed at the back of her head. The hand that was holding her wrist moved down slowly, and he lightly scratched her palm with his index finger. ¡°Really?¡± Ashley felt itchy in her palm. 579 085 The itch spread from her hand and reached into her heart, and she even felt numb in her tailbone for a moment. Ashley shook his hand off ufortably as if she was electrocuted. Then, she ran up the stairs without looking back. ¡°No! | won''t go.¡± Valentin looked at her running back and raised his eyebrows slightly. He shouted in a casual tone, ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go there together when you want to go.¡± Ashley snorted. She whispered, ¡°Humph! Who wants to go there with you?¡± 2/3 12:20 Ce 54 Back in the room. Kadry reducendi a cults from $ Los the sger Joseph segel by day he got with Real Entertainment. todey vauched du weren und uneserved in wandered. 1. Tawa ¡°Are you buy?¡± Lauright to the paint ¡°Well, I''m calling to tell you that | have epted the variety those Great Surprise for you Laura was umpabile person and went straight to the point. This is a famous livestream variety show. The pay considerable, and you jua haeve to do one episode. ¡°And my other celebrity, Bryce, it slon in this variety show. He will take care of you whenever you hod¡± Ashley was no stranger to the name Bryce Bryce was a male star. He was handsome, popr, and had countless fans. Laura continued. ¡°Every episode of this variety show will attract a lot of viewers. You are a neer in showbiz and probably won''t have many pictures. You can take advantage of this variety show and show up in public. It will be of great help to you.¡± Ashley was quite interested in the variety show. ¡°Laura, when will it be recorded?¡± ¡°Aweekter.¡± ¡°Okay. | get it¡± Ashley just said a few words and hung up the phone. Then, she searched Great Surprise online. She had heard of the variety show but hadn''t watched it. She was about to choose a episode of this variety show to watch when Laura called her again. ¡°Ashley, | just learned that Matthew will also participate in this variety show. The program team said he initially rejected the invitation, but when he heard that you would participate, he changed his mind and agreed ¡°Matthew aimed at you. Ashley, you... Do you still want to go to this variety show?¡± Laura knew that Ashley had severed ties with the Ramos family, so she deduced that the rtionship between Ashley and Matthew was not good. Unexpectedly, Matthew would cause trouble for Ashley even if she just wanted to participate in a variety show. Ashley sneered when she heard this, and she smiled sarcastically, ¡°Of course. Why should | be the one to quit?¡± She would not flinch just because of the Ramos family. Since Matthew wanted to cause trouble for her, she would give him this opportunity. Chapter 55 The variety show Great Surprise would be recorded in the suburbs. Laura apanied Ashley there. If anything happened, as her agent, she could help solve it in time. After all, the program team also invited Matthew and Ashley. Anyone could read its intent. Ashley had publicly severed ties with the Ramos family. The ratings would not be low if she appeared in the same picture as Matthew. Viewers wanted nothing more than to see family members turn against each other. Laura and Ashley arrived at the recording scene. The staff of the program team led them into the guest lounge. There was already a person in the lounge. Ashley looked up and recognized Bryce at a nce. He sat casually on a chair and swiped his mobile phone with his head lowered, His brown hair was slightly messy, with a strand of silver hair on his forehead, making him look unrestrained and handsome. ¡°Bryce,¡± Laura called him. Bryce looked up upon hearing this. He was handsome and had a bit of unconcealed unruliness. He nced at Laura and then at Ashley, who was standing aside. Ashley looked at him calmly. Laura introduced, ¡°Bryce, this is the Ashley | told you before. She will be on the variety show with you today. Take care of her.¡± Bryce groaned, put his phone back into his pocket, and stood up with a lukewarm attitude. Laura saw his indifference and shook her head helplessly. Bryce was not a bad guy. He was just a bit unruly. He had many fans, and they liked his unruly style. Laura sternly reminded, ¡°Bryce, be aware of your attitude.¡± Bryce put his hands in his pockets with an indifferent look. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with my attitude? Should | take off my clothes and do a pole dance for her to show my passion?¡± Laura frowned and was about to scold him when Ashley on the side said calmly, ¡°It sounds good. So please go ahead.¡± Bryce heard this and red at her. He thought Are you kidding? How dare you take it seriously! Laura was stunned. Damn it Her two celebrities were both difficult to manage. But that was good. After all, Ashley wouldn''t be bullied anymore. Laura nced at her wristwatch. ¡°The recording will start in half an hour. You can chat and get familiar with each other. I''ll go and see the director.¡± Laura was a well-known agent in showbiz and was an old acquaintance with some directors and screenwriters. 1/3 12:21 She left. Only Ashley and Bryce were left in the lounge. Bryce was in his twenties, and he was tall and handsome. He looked at Ashley unabashedly and said. surly. ¡°Listen, even though Laura has asked me to take care of you, | won''t do it.¡± Ashley raised her eyebrows slightly. She did not care about his warning. ¡°You''re overthinking. | don¡¯t need your care.¡± Bryce red at her and snorted coldly. He sat back on the chair, deliberately making a loud noise. He was like an awkward child. Ashley ignored him. She walked to the seat furthest from him and sat down. Bryce frowned and nced at her. He knew Ashley and had seen her photos online a few days ago. But today, he saw her in person and found her even more stunning than in the photos. But why did he need to take care of her? Even though Bryce came from a wealthy family, he had never relied on his family. He had made it all by himself. His father had forced him to give up his career in showbiz and go home to inherit the family property several times. But he relied on his abilities to establish a foothold in the showbiz and became a famous star. Bryce¡¯s motto was ¡°Be famous or give up. He wouldn¡¯t take care of neers casually. A few minutester, two more guests came over. The male was Hayes Brown, who was in his thirties. He was a capable actor with good acting skills but an average reputation. The female was Shirley Potter and was in her twenties. She debuted in a girl group and had and had many fans. Besides, her fans were active and aggressive, so few people dared to provoke her. As soon as Shirley entered the lounge, she noticed Ashley sitting quietly. Ashley had an eye-catching appearance. She didn¡¯t wear makeup today, but her face was stunning. Even if she was makeup¡ª free, she could attract everyone¡¯s attention. Shirley stared at Ashley but did not greet her. Instead, she walked toward Bryce with a sweet smile. ¡°Hello, Mr. Sinir.¡± The most famous person among them was Bryce. Of course, she chose to say hello to Bryce first. In showbiz, it was expected to praise superiors and belittle inferiors. The popr people were always the ttering targets. However, Bryce only responded lightly with a distant attitude. Shirley met with setbacks and smiled awkwardly. She had long heard that Bryce was unruly and indifferent. She saw him today and knew that the rumors were true. Hayes smiled and came out to smooth things over. ¡°Hello, Bryce. Shirley, take a seat over here. There is a space here.¡± He gave Shirley an out, and Shirley reacted quickly. Hayes looked at Ashley next to him and smiled, ¡°Are you Ashley? I¡¯ve read about you online before. It is the first time we have met. Hello.¡± Ashley smiled slightly, ¡°Hello.¡± 2/3 12:211 She had just finished speaking, and the lounge door opened from the outside. Miranda looked inside and walked into the lounge. Miranda saw Ashley and smiled. She ran toward her excitedly. ¡°Ashley, long time no see!¡± Ashley stood up in surprise. ¡°Miranda.¡± They hadn''t seen each other since the dancepetition and didn¡¯t expect to see each other in this variety show. Miranda hugged Ashley happily and whispered, ¡°I signed a contract with an entertainmentpany a few days ago. My agent arranged this variety show for me. | didn¡¯t expect to meet you here. What a coincidence! Ashley, I¡¯m so happy.¡± Ashley hugged Miranda with a bright smile. ¡°I¡¯m happy, too. | haven¡¯t seen you for a long time.¡± Miranda then greeted several other guests in the lounge and sat beside Ashley. While everyone was chatting, the door opened again, and thest guest walked in. It was Matthew. He wore sunsses. Matthew came in and stared at Ashley. He wished that he had never had this biological sister, and he even cursed that Ashley had died as soon as she was born. Jessica was almost kicked out of the Ramos Vi by Jeremy because of Ashley. Matthew took off his sunsses bitterly and red at Ashley with cold eyes, revealing undisguised disgust. Hayes couldn¡¯t help but be a little surprised. There were rumors on the Inte that Ashley had a bad Ashley publicly severed ties with the Ramos family. Judging from Matthew''s expression, it seemed terrible.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. that the rtionship between Ashley and Matthew was tionship with the Ramos family. Later, Matthew was Ashley''s brother, but he stared at her in disdain when he saw her. Bryce didn¡¯t like Matthew and rolled his eyes at him. Matthew wore sunsses indoors and pretended to be cool. Miranda held Ashley¡¯s arm worriedly. Ashley patted the back of her hand tofort her. Matthew walked to Ashley, looked at her condescendingly, and said with an arrogant face, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you greet me¡± Chapter 56 Chapter 56 Ashley was speechless and nced at Matthew lightly. ¡°Why do | have to say hello to a dog?¡± Despite being shorter than Matthew as she sat there, there was an air of disdain and self-assurance emanating from her when she looked at the standing Matthew. Matthew didn¡¯t know how to retort. He red at Ashley as if he wanted to kill her. He thought, ¡®Ashley is indeed sharp-tongued. No wonder Jessica has always suffered in front of her recently.¡± Ashley finished speaking, and the huge lounge suddenly became quiet. Shepared Matthew to a dog.... Matthew was a top and famous male singer. Not to mention that he was her biological brother, but because of his poprity and reputation in showbiz, everyone had to respect him. Ashley was the first to call Matthew a dog in public. There was a dead silence in the lounge. Bryce burst intoughter, which was loud and tantly arrogant, and his shoulders were shaking whileughing. Others were wary of Matthew¡¯s reputation and background, but Bryce was not In addition, he had long disliked Matthew, and Ashley¡¯s words pleased him for no reason. Shirley was stunned for a few seconds and immediately stood up, tteringly giving the seat next to her to Matthew. ¡°Matthew, there is a seat here. You can sit here.¡± Matthew red at Ashley walked toward Shirley, and started chatting with her. His attitude toward Shirley was enthusiastic and utterly different from that toward Ashley just now as if Shirley was his sister. After a while, the staff came over to notify them that the variety show was about to start recording- It was an outdoor livestream variety show. As soon as the livestream opened, fans immediately sent countlessments, especially the fans of Bryce and Matthew. Their fans praised them excitedly. After all, Bryce and Matthew were the most popr and had a great number of fans in this variety show. The next was Shirley. Her fans were active and also sent manyments. In contrast, newly debuted artists like Ashley and Miranda had fewer fans. Only severalments about them appeared on the screen. In addition to everyone''s fans, someizens were just interested in gossiping about these guests. [I heard Ashley and Matthew participated in a variety show together, so I¡¯m here!] [Me too! It is undeniable that Ashley is beautiful. She is stunning!] The director team was scheming. After the six guests appeared, they arranged for Ashley and Matthew to stand together. However, Ashley didn¡¯t cooperate with their arrangement. She simply walked away, feeling annoyed even being close to Matthew for a second. 12.21 Her behavior dumbfounded the audience in the livestream. [Oh, shit! It¡¯s so exciting from the beginning!] [Ashley doesn¡¯t even want to pretend to be friendly in front of the camera. She made no attempt to disguise her dislike for Matthew!] [Matthew is a famous star and has more than 80 million fans. | guess he has never been treated in disgust by others...] The director team kept an eye on the poprity of the livestream. As soon as this segment was broadcast, the number of viewers in the livestream skyrocketed. Great. They invited the right guests for this variety show, Ashley was indeed a focus of topics. Then, the director team started the warm-up session and led the six guests to an outdoor racecourse. ¡°Everyone, let''s have a warm-up. You willpete in horse riding, and the winner will get a reward.¡± Ashley was surprised when she heard about riding a horse. A few days ago, Valentin said he would take her to the racecourse, but she reluctantly refused because she didn¡¯t want to be reminded of the forced kiss. She didn¡¯t expect that there would be a horse riding segment in this variety show. She would have fun today. The director asked the guests to go to the stables to choose horses. Ashley¡¯s gaze fell on a white horse at a nce. It was all white, gorgeous, and elegant, looking like a noble prince among horses. Bryce chose a purebred horse. This kind of horse ran fast and was suitable for participating inpetitivepetitions. Matthew chose a brown horse. It was high, good at jumping obstacles, and very popr inpetitions. Seeing Ashley''s white horse, Bryce nced at her several times. Thinking of Laura¡¯s orders, he couldn''t help but say, ¡°Ashley, the horse you chose is beautiful, but it''s mettled. Can you ride it?¡± Miranda also reminded, ¡°Ashley, why don¡¯t you change it to a docile one?¡± Ashley raised her eyes slightly. ¡°There is no need to bother. | can ride it.¡± This horse was not mettled. Instead, she thought it was very tame. Compared with the mettled horse she had tamed when she was a child, this horse was much docile. Moreover, she liked white horses. Matthew squinted at Ashley. He initially didn¡¯t want to make her look bad on the show, but she had called him a dog and made no secret of her dislike for him in front of the camera. He thought of Jessica¡¯s recent grievances, then sneered, ¡°She knows nothing about horse racing except for choosing something good-looking.¡± Shirley echoed Matthew and said contemptuously, ¡°Ashley, it¡¯s understandable that you like good-looking horses. But this is a competition, and you can¡¯t just care about the horse¡¯s appearance.¡± Hayes nced at everyone and did not speak unadvisedly. Ashley nced at Matthew indifferendy. ¡°Hun, you said | knew nothing about horse racing and was inferior to you. Do you think you will be the winner?¡± 2/3 Chapter 36 Matthew was stunned and nced at the other guests. ¡°I didn¡¯t say that!¡± Ashley smiled mockingly. Then what are you barking? Bryce was stunned. Ashley didn¡¯t need his help at all. She could deal with Matthew alone. Miranda anxiously pulled Ashley''s sleeve. Ashley shook her head at her soothingly, indicating that she was okay. If it were anyone else, she wouldn''t retort like this. But the opponent was Matthew, a member of the Ramos family, Ashley would never tolerate the Ramos family and let anyone in the Ramos family bully her. Matthew''s fans saw their idol being retorted like this and immediately sentments to scold Ashley. [Fuck off! Ashley, you are just a neer. How dare you be so arrogant!] [Matthew is your brother and also your senior in showbiz. You must respect him. You shameless bitch!] [You are ayman who knows nothing about horse racing. Matthew kindly reminded. you, but you dared retort him. | curse you for falling off the horse soon.]Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. [I''m speechless. Ashley, you don¡¯t know how to ride a horse or horse riding. | hope you will fall off the horse and die!] There were countlessments on the screen for a while. Matthew¡¯s fans were scolding Ashley. Amid the chaos, the horse racing began. Ajudge swung a g. The six guests rode on their horses, and the first to reach the end would win. Matthew stared at Ashley and saw her mounting the white horse. The white horse was indeed mettled. It raised its two front hooves, roared, and raised its neck, trying to throw down the one on its back. Matthew saw this and smiled proudly. He had said that the white horse was mettled. Ashley didn¡¯t know much about horse racing and chose a good-looking horse. Ashley would be thrown down. Even if she were injured after falling, Matthew would not feel distressed for her. Chapter 57 Chapter 57 Shirley saw the situation at Ashley''s side and couldn''t help but sneer. She thought. | initially thought Ashley would be my archrival in showbiz in the future with her outstanding appearance. Now, it seems that she is brainless. If she falls from a horse on this show,izens willugh at her.¡¯ Matthew''s fans in the livestream had already begun to gloat over Ashley''s misfortune. [That embarrassed bitch!] You didn¡¯t listen to Matthew. You deserve to fall!] Matthew rode his horse and didn¡¯t even look forward topeting. He hoped Ashley would fall off the horse. He thought, ¡®Only after a fall will she realize her mistake and apologize to me.¡± But the next second, his expectant look froze. Ashley rode the mettled horse. At the critical moment when she was about to be thrown off by the horse, she leaned over and lowered her center of gravity to firmly steady herself on the horse¡¯s back. The mettled horse jumped and spun around twice. Ashley was not afraid, and her eyes were full of excitement. She grabbed the reins with her right hand and pulled it back skillfully. The horse snorted and raised its two front hooves. As the front hooves stamped on the ground, it calmed down from its irritable state. Ashley¡¯s eyes were bright in excitement. She touched the horse¡¯s neck as if rewarding. Then, she mped her legs on the horse in the ribs and rushed toward the finish line. Matthew¡¯s fans saw this scene. They suddenly stoppedmenting and forgot to curse. After several seconds,izens came to their scenes andmented in disbelief. [No way! This mettled horse has been tamed by Ashley just like that! She just spent several seconds!] [Who the hell said Ashley knew nothing about horse racing? The way she tamed the horse was even more skillful than that of a professional horse trainer!]Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. [Cameraman, what are you all waiting for? Hurry up and follow Ashley to take pictures! A beauty. riding a horse looks so stunning!] [Something is weird. Bryce was watching over her when Ashley was taming the horse just now! I thought he had left.] Bryce remained silent. Seeing that Ashley had tamed the mettled horse safely, he rode his horse to the finish line. Matthew recovered from his daze. He gritted his teeth in anger and hurriedly rode his horse to chase Ashley. He thought, ¡®Ashley is so good at taming horses!¡± Ashley could not only tame a horse but also ride it very fast. She immediately distanced herself from Matthew. Matthew frowned and chased after Ashley even faster. Ashley rode on her horse. The wind whistled in her ears and she felt sofortable that all her pores were breathing. This feeling of freedom was so wonderful. Just as she was about to reach the finish line, she heard a frightened screaming from not far 1/3 Chapter 57 away. Ashley looked back and saw Matthew and Bryce¡¯s horses hitting each other. Their horses were frightened and immediately lost control. They ran around and roared. Bryce and Matthew could ride horses, but they could not calm down their horse at that moment. Ashley knew the situation at a nce. Matthew must have ridden the horse too fast when chasing her, which caused his horse to hit Bryce¡¯s horse. The two horses were frightened and lost control. They ran off the track and rushed toward the crowd nearby, causing screams. People would be injured if the two horses hit someone. Ashley frowned. She pulled the reins, turned the horse around, and ran in the direction of ident Bryce¡¯s horse rushed toward the crowd out of control. And Matthew¡¯s horse hit the fence next to the crowd. Matthew''s forehead was covered with sweat. He tried his best to control the mettled horse, or he would fall off the horse when he hit the fence. But the horse was frightened and could not calm down. It even became more and more manic. Matthew was so anxious that a cold sweat broke out on his back. At this moment, he saw Ashley riding in this direction with a calm look. Matthew thought, ¡®Ashley... Are you here to save me? Definitely is!¡± It could be seen from just now that Ashley was very good at taming horses. She wasing to save her brother. Even though Matthew hated Ashley, he couldn¡¯t help but feel happy at that moment. Matthew thought, ¡®Ashley is quite qualified andes to me.¡± He waited for Ashley to save him, but the next second, she passed by him without even looking at him. Matthew froze like a bucket of cold water had been poured on his head. Then rage surged in his chest. Ashley went to save Bryce and didn¡¯t care about him at all. Ashley knew that time was urgent. She rode faster, finally caught up with Bryce, and shouted, ¡°Hold the reins!¡± ¡°| can¡¯t control it!¡± Bryce was anxious like a cat on hot bricks. He tried several methods to no avail, and the horse continued to rush forward. The crowd was running away, but some older staff members couldn¡¯t run fast. Astaff member ten feet ahead failed to run away in time. If the horse hit the person, the consequences would be disastrous. Ashley took a deep breath, rode forward quickly, and passed in front of Bryce. She looked back at him and calcted the distance between the two horses. Then, she turned over, jumped up from the horse, and jumped to the side. 12:21 Just at this moment, Bryce¡¯s horse ran over. Ashleynded on his horse urately. Bryce was startled. Before he could react, the person behind him grabbed the reins in his hand. Ashley grabbed the reins and pulled back skillfully. The horse roared, raised its two front hooves high, and stopped immediately. The frantic horse was instantly calmed down. It stopped rushing toward the crowd in front. Bryce was dumbfounded at this moment. Someone fell from behind andnded on his horse. The person sat behind him, took the reins from his hands, and reined in the horse with one hand. The galloping horse beneath him raised its front hooves high and stopped immediately. Bryce swallowed with fear and looked back. The bright sunlight shone on Ashley¡¯s delicate and gorgeous face. She was indescribably exuberant. Even the sunlight in her eyes sparkled with subtle and lively light. And Bryce was sitting in Ashley''s arms. Bryce was stunned. Damn it At this moment, Matthew, who was not far away, mmed into the fence and fell off the horse. The director team immediately surrounded. Fortunately, Matthew rolled down and fell without any serious injuries. This sudden incident frightened the audience in the livestream. Everyone was relieved to hear that no one was injured. [By the way, Ashley jumped onto Bryce¡¯s horse was so cool. It was like a plot in an idol drama!] [But Bryce is sitting in Ashley¡¯s arms... It''s funny!] [Matthew¡¯s fans were gloating just now, wanting to see Ashley fall off the horse, but it turned out that the person who fell was Matthew. What a joke!] Matthew fell off his horse and stared at Ashley not far away w bloodshot eyes. He thought, ¡®Ashley... She saved Bryce instead of saving me. She¡¯s ruthless! Even if I¡¯m not kind to her, I¡¯m her brother! | have beaten and scolded her before, but I¡¯m his brother and have the right to hit her. Why is she so vindictive?!¡± Chapter 58 Chapter 58 Due to an unexpected incident, the recording of the show had to be temporarily halted, resuming only twenty minutester. The audience watching the livestream expressed their understanding, as someone had fallen off a horse and needed to be attended to.. After the program paused, Bryce found himself sitting in Ashley¡¯s arms, panting for breath, his face. flushing with embarrassment. He thought to himself, ¡®Here | am, a grown man, saved by a young girl and sitting in her arms. ¡°My image!¡± Ashley was more disdainful than Bryce. As soon as the horse stopped, she quickly dismounted. Miranda ran over, panting. ¡°Ashley, are you hurt? That was really scary. | was terrified!¡± Ashley felt a warmth in her heart. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Bryce also got off the horse, looking at Ashley with aplex expression. He remembered Laura asking him to look after Ashley on the show. Ironically, it turned out he was the one who needed looking after. Bryce held a fist to his mouth and coughed lightly, awkwardly saying. ¡°Ashley, thanks for just now. Thank you.¡± Ashley¡¯s eyebrows raised in confidence. ¡°If you want to thank me, then how about you do a pole dance for me?¡± Bryce was truly speechless. He thought, ¡®Why does she still remember the pole dance!¡± However, by now, Bryce really looked at Ashley with newfound respect and admiration. Miranda looked at them, sensing that Ashley and Bryce seemed to be bickering but appeared to have a good rtionship, As the three of them were talking, a staff member ran over with a phone, saying it was Ashley¡¯s phone, and it was a call for Ashley. Since mobile phones were not allowed to carry during the recording of the variety show, they were temporarily kept with the staff. Ashley nced at the caller ID, raised her eyebrows, and walked aside to answer the call. When she returned after the call, Bryce asked curiously. ¡°Who called you? You''re being so secretive.¡± Ashley casually replied, ¡°A friend of mine.¡± Bryce prodded. ¡°What friend? Why so secretive?¡± Ashley nced at him. ¡°Why are you asking so many questions?¡± Bryce puffed up his chest in a show of false bravery. ¡°Laura told me to look after you, and I¡¯m just doing what she said.¡± Ashley bluntly unmasked him. ¡°You''re just being nosy.¡± Miranda couldn¡¯t help butugh. Ashley thought about it and felt there was no point in hiding, saying. ¡°It¡¯s my friend who ys the instrument. He heard | was nearby recording a show and wanted to meet me, but | didn¡¯t let him come.¡± 12:21 Chapter 58 Bryce looked her up and down, marveling. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to have such clout. What kind of instrument does your friend y, a piano?¡± Ashley shook her head. ¡°No, a harp.¡± Upon hearing it was a harp, Bryce looked towards Shirley, not far away. ¡°Look over there. Shirley¡¯s character isn¡¯t the best, but she¡¯s great at ying the harp. She¡¯s even a student of the harp maestro, Eddy Moore.¡± Miranda nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve heard about that too. Shirley is really skilled at the harp and a student of Eddy.¡± Ashleyughed meaningfully. ¡°Eddy.¡± Bryce looked down at her, starting to bicker again. ¡°Your friend ys the harp, too. Can he be taken. as a student by Eddy?¡± Ashley retorted leisurely, ¡°Why are you so nosy? Is gossiping your side job?¡± Bryce was momentarily stunned. He thought, ¡°Wait a minute. When Ashley was on the phone earlier, | vaguely saw the caller ID, and the name seemed to be ¡°Eddy.¡± ¡®Holy cow. It must just be a coincidence, right?¡± Soon, the twenty minutes passed, and the recording of the show continued. The setting moved from outdoors to indoors. As the livestream resumed, the director''s team immediately updated the viewers on Matthew¡¯s condition. He had rolled off the horse and scraped his arm, but there was no serious injury elsewhere. Matthew''s fans were relieved. At the same time, they grew more discontent with Ashley, thinking. Ashley didn¡¯t rush to save our idol immediately. What kind of person is she! The director team kept apologizing. ¡°We''re really sorry. An unexpected situation urred during the horse race, and no winner was decided. But no worries. We''re about to start the next segment right away! ¡°This time, we''re dividing our six guests into two teams. Based on our observations just now, Ashley, Bryce, and Miranda will be on one team, and Matthew, Shirley, and Hayes will be on the other team! ¡°We assure everyone that this segment will bepletely safe and quite elegant! ¡°Here we are! The task is to y the harp! Each team will nominate one member to y The Land by the famousposer Ash!¡± As soon as these words were spoken, the livestream went wild. It¡¯s Ash! My favoriteposer!] | love Ash too! Every piece Ash has written has been a hit! The Land is Ash¡¯s first piece!] Is Ash a man or a woman? | really want to see Ash in person!] The mention of Ash excited theizens and made Matthew''s fans proud. Ash is Matthew''s mentor. We''re proud!] (Ash only publicly epted Matthew as a student. We¡¯re even prouder!] 12:21 | wonder if Matthew has ever seen Ash in person.] Matthew''s expression softened instantly when he heard they had to y Ash¡¯s The Land, his face filled with admiration and respect. Ash was his most beloved mentor. He had practiced every piece by Ash countless times. He wouldn¡¯t allow anyone to disparage Ash. After hearing about the segment, Hayesughed. ¡°Then our team will definitely win. Matthew not only ys the harp but is also Ash¡¯s only student. Who could y better than him?¡± Bryce frowned upon hearing this. He thought, ¡®Matthew, this lucky fool, somehow managed to be the famous Ash¡¯s only publicly acknowledged student. ¡®Now ying Ash¡¯s The Land, Matthew definitely has a huge advantage. Shirley nced at Matthew¡¯s arm. ¡°But Matthew¡¯s arm is injured, which makes it difficult for him to y the harp. Having Matthew compete will be an unfair advantage for our team, which won''t be fun. Matthew looked in Ashley¡¯s direction and sneered contemptuously, ¡°I won¡¯t use my mentor¡¯s fame to overpower others. Let''s have Shirley y instead.¡± Hayes pped. ¡°Shirley works too. She¡¯s a student of the harp maestro, Eddy. We still have a big chance of winning!¡± The director team announced. ¡°Okay, Shirley will represent your team!¡± Then, they turned to Ashley''s team. ¡°How about your team?¡± Miranda waved her hand. ¡°I don¡¯t y the harp.¡± Bryce knew how to y the piano and guitar but not the harp. He looked at Ashley. ¡°How about you?Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Ashley nced at the harp being brought in by the staff and replied sinctly. ¡°I can.¡± Bryce was surprised with widened eyes. ¡°How good are you?¡± Ashley replied, ¡°Not bad.¡± Bryce felt a bit disheartened, thinking. Is she good or not? ¡®Forget it. It''s just a variety show segment. Participation is what matters, not winning or losing.¡± Send Gift Chapter 59 Finally, the contestants for both teams were finally confirmed. The director gave them considerable freedom. ¡°Ashley and Shirley, either of you can start ying first. It¡¯s up to you to decide.¡± Shirley was quick to respond and stepped forward. ¡°I''ll go first.¡± She was always confident in her harp skills, especially being a student of the harp maestro Eddy. She believed she could surely outperform Ashley. Moreover, she thought that by ying first, she could set high expectations for the audience, making Ashley''s performance seem mediocre inparison. Shirley nced at Ashley with a slight smile. ¡°I''ll y first, then you can follow. Do you have any objections?¡± Ashley nced at her in a nonchnt manner. ¡°I¡¯m fine with anything Shirley turned to the camera, her smile warm and modest. ¡°I really admire Ash and love the piece The Land. Please don¡¯t mind if there are any ws in my performance.¡± [Shirley is being too modest. | remember her ying the harp on a show, outshining all the professional harpists that time!] Shirley took a seat in front of the harp, took a few deep breaths to calm herself, ced her hands on the strings, and began ying The Land. Her posture was clearly professional. The music from the harp was lingering and evocative. After she finished, apuse immediately filled the room. Hayes couldn¡¯t help but praise, ¡°Shirley, you truly are a student of the harp maestro Eddy. Your performance was enchanting! I''ve never heard such a beautiful harp ying!¡± ttered by thepliments, Shirley felt proud but maintained a humble demeanor when she faced the camera. ¡°Hayes, you''re exaggerating Hayes insisted, ¡°Not at all. Your exquisite harp skillsbined with Ash¡¯sposition are a perfect match! Matthew, don¡¯t you agree?¡± Matthew nodded. ¡°Indeed, it was very well yed.¡± In Matthew¡¯s mind, the best rendition was by his mentor, Ash. The director raised the microphone towards Ashley¡¯s team. ¡°Shirley has finished ying. It¡¯s time for your team toment.¡± Miranda, not well-versed in the harp,mented first, ¡°It was pretty good.¡± Then Bryce spoke casually. ¡°It was okay.¡± Hayes jokingly teased, ¡°Bryce, you can¡¯t downy our team just because we¡¯repetitors.¡± Bryce casually cleaned his ear and nonchntly replied, ¡°What can | say? | don¡¯t know much about harps. | can only give a general opinion.¡± ¡°Alright, let''s leave it at that,¡± Hayes said, turning to Ashley with a smile, ¡°What do you think about Bryce¡¯sment?¡± Ashley nced at Bryce and spoke calmly. ¡°He was being too polite. He thought, ¡°What?¡± 12.22 Hayes was taken aback. Shirley''s face turned sour as she looked at Ashley discontentedly. ¡°Ashley, what do you mean by that?¡± Ashley looked directly at her, unfazed. ¡°The Land is divided into four parts. You yed the first two parts well but struggled from the third part onwards, even could not y fluently, almost entirely focusing on technique rather than emotional expression.¡± Matthew frowned slightly upon hearing this analysis. The Land was divided into four parts. It was indeed challenging from the third part. Many people found it difficult to continue learning past the third part. to Shirley''s performance did be strained from the third part, focusing more on avoiding mistakes rather than conveying emotions. Butpared to others, Shirley''s performance wasmendable. Shirley stood up abruptly upon hearing Ashley¡¯s critique. The harp was her pride and joy, and she couldn''t tolerate such criticism. Shirley''s fans in the livestream were also unsettled. [Seriously? Ashley dares to criticize Shirley this way? Does she think too highly of herself?!] [Shirley is a student of the harp maestro Eddy! This isn¡¯t a joke!]. [Exactly, Shirley''s harp skills are evident to all. Ashley, a mere amateur, has no right to judge!] [I think Ashley just wants fame and is using this as a publicity stunt!] Shirley also thought Ashley was seeking attention and said disdainfully, ¡°Ashley, what gives you the right to judge me this way?¡± Ashley lifted her chin slightly, gesturing towards the director. The director asked me to give my opinion.¡± Shirley, taken aback and clenching her fists, retorted, ¡°Ashley, | was trained by Mr. Moore, and he never criticized my ying. What right do you have to say that? By the way, you do know who Mr. Moore is, don¡¯t you?¡± Ashley smiled smugly, ¡°I just heard about it. Mr. Moore is your mentor.¡± Shirley, proud and defiant, said, ¡°Good that you know. He never criticized my ying, so what qualifies you to say so?¡± Ashley replied, ¡°If Eddy didn¡¯t say you yed poorly, it means he wasn¡¯t being honest.¡± ¡°You!¡± Shirley, speechless and gritting her teeth, challenged. ¡°Since you say so, Mr. Moore is nearby. Let¡¯s call him over, and you can confront him face-to-face!¡± After saying this, Shirley looked at the director. T¡¯d like to invite my mentor over. Is that okay?¡± The director nodded immediately. ¡°Of course!¡±N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. He thought to himself, ¡®Eddy is a renowned harp maestro! ¡®His presence will be an honor for our show! ¡®Besides, he¡¯s nearby, so it won''t take long. However, the director still asked the livestream audience for their opinion. The online audience quickly expressed their enthusiasm through livements. After all, encountering someone as prominent as Eddy wasn¡¯t an everyday urrence. They were eager and delighted at the rare opportunity to see Eddy. 1292 Astaff member handed Shirley her phone. Shirley dialed Eddy¡¯s number. But the call didn¡¯t go through. No one answered. Shirley gritted her teeth and dialed again. There was a long time busy signal this time, but just before the waiting time ended, the call connected. Responding to the show''s advice, Shirley switched to speakerphone... Eddy¡¯s voice, tinged with impatience, came through. ¡°What?¡± Shirley respectfully greeted. ¡°Mr. Moore, | yed Ash¡¯s The Land on the show, a piece you personally taught me, but someone imed | didn¡¯t y well.¡± Eddy casually responded, ¡°So what if they said that?¡± Shirley anxiously exined, ¡°Mr. Moore, that person criticized iny ying and imed you weren''t honest with me.¡± Eddy paused for two seconds and quickly asked, ¡°Who said that?¡± Shirley promptly answered, ¡°Ashley Ramos!¡± There was silence on the phone for two seconds, then followed by a loud bang as if something had fallen. Shirley quickly asked, ¡°Mr. Moore, are you okay?* Eddy¡¯s voice trembled as he replied, ¡°I¡¯ming over right now!¡± After hanging up, Shirley felt a triumphant satisfaction, thinking, ¡®Mr. Moore really cares about me.¡± She looked disdainfully at Ashley. ¡°Mr. Moore will be here soon.¡± Ashley remainedposed, her expression unflustered. ¡°Fine.¡± Shirley sneered internally. She thought, Just keep pretending. You''ll regret it when Mr. Moore arrives!¡± Chapter 60 Chapter 60 Miranda looked worriedly at Ashley. ¡°Ashley.¡± Bryce was incredulous. ¡°Ashley, | said Shirley''s harp ying was okay because | don¡¯t understand the harp. How can you say the same? Ashley corrected him. ¡°I didn¡¯t say it was okay, | said it was not good.¡± Bryce felt darkness before his eyes, almost fainting from anger, and he whispered, ¡°Is that the point right now!¡± ¡°What is the point, then?¡± Ashley looked at him. Bryce took a deep breath, looking at her with a mixture of frustration and disappointment. ¡°The point is Eddy! The harp maestro, Eddy! Eddy ising here to confront you in person!¡± Ashley replied leisurely, ¡°I know.¡± Bryce, feeling helpless, ran his fingers¡ªthrough his hair, finding her unppable attitude difficult to deal with. The online audience of the livestream, hearing that Eddy agreed toe, were thrilled. [Shirley is awesome. She actually got Eddy toell [Seems like Eddy is pretty fond of Shirley!] [Ashley is done for. Did you hear how anxious Mr. Moore sounded when he said I¡¯ming over right now! He must be furious.] [Ashley is really asking for trouble, not only blindly criticizing Shirley but also facing off with Mr. Moore in person.] [That''s Eddy, a maestro in the harp world! Ashley is nowhere near Mr. Moore''s level!] Matthew looked in Ashley''s direction, feeling a sense of schadenfreude. He thought, ¡®Ashley, this fool dares to confront Eddy. ¡°Shirley is Eddy¡¯s student, and Eddy will definitely side with Shirley. ¡®Once Eddy arrives, Ashley¡¯ll be utterly humiliated. She¡¯s really brought this on herself. ¡°Thankfully, Ashley has already severed ties with the Ramos family, so even if she¡¯s embarrassed, it won''t reflect on the Ramos family¡° Bryce was nervous, thinking, ¡®Once Eddy arrives, | should try to help Ashley out. After all, she¡¯s one of us. ¡®Besides, Ashley just helped me calm an out-of-control horse. Soon, a staff member from the program team came to inform, ¡°Mr. Moore is here!¡± The director, visibly excited, said, ¡°Hurry up. Bring him in!¡± Led by the staff, an elderly man in a suit with graying hair and using a cane walked in. Shirley immediately went up to greet him excitedly. ¡°Mr. Moore, thank you foring. | really had no choice but to ask you here.¡± However, Eddy seemed not to hear her and didn¡¯t even nce at her, walking straight ahead. Shirley puzzled, frowned, and followed him, smiling sweetly, ¡°Mr. Moore, | know I¡¯ve disturbed you. Before today¡¯s show, | called to visit you, and you didn¡¯t see me. Now, I¡¯ve asked you here, and it¡¯s a bother for you to make the trip.¡± 18 12:22 As if unable to bear the disturbance any longer, Eddy waved his hand dismissively. ¡°Enough.¡± Shirley was stunned. Others around were also shocked by this scene, confused about what was happening. Seeing that Eddy was heading towards Ashley, Shirley bit her lip. It dawned on her that Mr. Moore was in a hurry to stand up for her. She quickly followed, pointing at Ashley ahead. ¡°Mr. Moore, she¡¯s the one who said | yed The Land poorly! But you taught me that piece yourself¡± Eddy finally looked straight at Shirley, tapping his cane firmly on the ground twice. ¡°If she says you yed poorly, then you yed poorly!¡± Shirley was taken aback and then widened her eyes in disbelief. ¡°Mr. Moore, you... Not just Shirley but everyone else around was also dumbfounded. [Does Eddy agree with Ashley¡¯s critique?] [Wasn''t Mr. Moore supposed to be protective of Shirley? Why does it seem like he¡¯s supporting Ashley?] After reprimanding Shirley, Eddy continued walking towards Ashley. When he reached Ashley, his excitement was almost palpable. His hand trembled slightly, resting on a cane. With his voice quivering, he said with utmost respect. ¡°Ms. Ramos.¡±N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Shirley was stunned when he spoke. Bryce looked utterly confused. Matthew, too, was equally puzzled. The livestream viewers went wild in an instant. [WTF?? Ms. Ramos?] [Why is Mr. Moore so respectful towards Ashley?] [Seriously, what¡¯s going on here?] After Eddy addressed her respectfully, Ashley nodded unemotionally in response. Eddy stood before her, looking at her, eyes bright and intent, filled with excitement and undeniable. reverence. ¡°Ms. Ramos, | called you earlier. Hearing you were here recording a show, | wanted toe and see you. You didn¡¯t allow me, but now, here | am, finally seeing you.¡± He and Ashley had both learned to y the harp under the tutge of Ashley''s grandfather. Since he started his apprenticeship later, he naturally addressed Ashley with great reverence. Hearing this, Bryce suddenly understood, thinking to himself, ¡°It''s not a coincidence! ¡®Her friend ¡®Eddy¡® who called Ashley during the show¡¯s break, that¡¯s the harp maestro Eddy!¡± Shirley stood dumbfounded as if struck by lightning. Matthew''s brows furrowed deeply, thinking, ¡®Ms. Ramos? ¡®Eddy, someone of such an advanced age, is addressing Ashley, a young girl, as Ms. Ramos?¡± Chapter 60 The livestream¡¯s chat went even craziet. [Eddy said he wanted to meet Ashley, and Ashley didn¡¯t ter filin On die her and when buy wants to meet Eddy, she is turned away. What a stark contr [Was Mr. Moore¡¯s Tming over right now over the phone actually he Ashley?] [So, does Shirley now have to be very respectful towards Ashley, Coming back to her senses, Shirley reluctantly approached. Mr. Mais, gri Before she could finish, Eddy shot her a look. ¡°Shur your me Shirley timidly closed her mouth. Ashley nced at Shirley, then turned to Eddy with a calm tone. Te she grair dude Speaking of this, Eddy twisted his eyebrows in distress. ¡°Ms. Ramos, yes, she is my student... Her grandmother brought her to me. | refund, five her grandmother kept pleading in front of me, determined to have me ept her fattet har sme her grandmother beg so persistently, so | reluctantly took her as my student The viewers were in shock: [So that¡¯s how Shirley became Mr. Moore¡¯s student to this w moral coercion?] Shirley''s face flushed with embarrassment. ¡°Mr. Moore, you taught me The Land. You never sav yed it poorly Eddy tapped his cane forcefully. ¡°I never said you yed it well either!¡± 3/ The livestream¡¯s chat went even crazier. [Eddy said he wanted to meet Ashley, and Ashley didn¡¯t let him. On the other hand, when Shirley wants to meet Eddy, she is turned away. What a stark contrast in treatment!] [Was Mr. Moore''s ¡°I¡¯ming over right now!¡± over the phone actually him being eager to see Ashley?] [So, does Shirley now have to be very respectful towards Ashley, too?] Coming back to her senses, Shirley reluctantly approached. ¡°Mr. Moore, you...¡± Before she could finish, Eddy shot her a look. ¡°Shut your mouth.¡± Shirley timidly closed her mouth. Ashley nced at Shirley, then turned to Eddy with a calm tone. ¡°Is she your student?¡± Speaking of this, Eddy twisted his eyebrows in distress. ¡°Ms. Ramos, yes, she is my student... Her grandmother brought her to me. | refused, but her grandmother kept pleading in front of me, determined to have me ept her. | couldn¡¯t bear to see her grandmother beg so persistently, so | reluctantly took her as my student.¡± The viewers were in shock: [So that¡¯s how Shirley became Mr. Moore¡¯s student? Is this like moral coercion?] Shirley''s face flushed with embarrassment. ¡°Mr. Moore, you taught me The Land. You never said | yed it poorly.¡± Eddy tapped his cane forcefully. ¡°I never said you yed it well either!¡± Chapter 61 Eddy looked at Shirley with a mixture of mncholy and helplessness. ¡°You do have some talent for the harp, but it¡¯s rather limited. Yet, you¡¯re so confident in yourself. As your mentor, it¡¯s hard for me to constantly discourage you, so | haven''t told you that you yed badly.¡± Shirley couldn''t believe this was the truth. Looking gloomy, Shirley gritted her teeth and retorted defiantly, ¡°Mr. Moore, you speak so poorly of me. Are you implying that Ashley ys well? Is she even better than you?¡± Eddy¡¯s expression immediately turned stern. He firmly held his cane to thud on the ground and dered, ¡°Of course, she¡¯s better than me! Otherwise, why else would | treat her with such respect? ¡°How dare you address Ms. Ramos by her name? That''s disrespectful! Apologize to her now!¡± In an instant, Shirley''s eyes widened in disbelief. She thought, ¡®Apologize to Ashley? Refer to her as Ms. Ramos?¡¯ Bryce couldn''t help but let out a snort ofughter. He had been worried that Ashley would be bullied, but now, with Eddy¡¯s arrival, Shirley was utterly humiliated. Among them, Ashley seemed to hold the highest status in the harp circle there. Eddy urged Shirley to apologize. Raising her hand to stop him, Ashley said indifferently, ¡°No need. | won''t stoop to her level.¡± Eddy frowned at Shirley, clearly displeased. ¡°Ms. Ramos is being generous by not holding your rudeness against you. Now, you should thank Ms. Ramos!¡± Shirley''s eyes widened in disbelief again. She thought, ¡®Not only do | have to apologize to her, but | also have to thank her?¡± The livestream audience, witnessing this unexpected turn only one thought. events, had They thought, ¡®Despite Ashley''s young age and Eddy being quite old, Eddy¡¯s respect for Ashley is remarkable!¡± Eddy red at Shirley, thinking, ¡®My student is far too disrespectful to Ashley. ¡°This is rude! ¡®It''s infuriating enough to make me want to dismiss her!¡± eme Shirley clenched her fist and looked at Ashley, saying with reluctance, ¡°Ms. Ramos, thank you for not taking my disrespect to heart. However, although Mr. Moore respects you, ording to the show¡¯s rules, it¡¯s your turn after | yed The Land.¡± She thought, ¡®I really want to see how well Ashley can y. | can¡¯t believe she will y better than me!¡¯ Eddy, seeing Shirley''s defiant behavior, looked at her as if she was a fool about to meet her doom and was about to reprimand her. Ashley raised her hand to stop him, smiling faintly, ¡°Your student is amusingly foolish. But ording to the rules, | shall y The Land.¡± Shirley thought she must have misheard. She wondered, ¡®Amusingly foolish?¡± Matthew, hearing Ashley was about to y The Land, was disdainful. He thought, ¡°This jinx is unworthy of ying Ash¡¯s The Land. A poor performance will be an insult to both Ash and The Land!¡± Under the gaze of everyone present, Ashley calmly took her seat in front. of the harp, gently pressing the strings with her left hand. The moment she sat down and slightly raised her hand, an innate ssical elegance emanated from her, as if she had been one with the harp for many years. The livestream audience was immediately captivated by her serene and steady demeanor. Matthew suddenly widened his eyes as Ashley began to pluck the strings. Ciapter 61 ying the first note. By the time Ashley yed the fifth and sixth notes, Matthew¡¯s eyes were brimming with surprise, his profound gaze fixed on Ashley.. He thought to himself, ¡®It¡¯s just like... Just like when my mentor Ash personally yed The Land! ¡°That free and easy harp sound not yed for the sake of learning orpeting, but yed to enjoy the beauty of the harp!¡¯ So far, Matthew had only felt this soul-resonating sensation when listening to Ash y. Now, hearing Ashley y, he found himself experiencing that same feeling: He thought, ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡± -Everyone at the venue and the online livestream audience had their eyes fixed on Ashley, who was seated before the harp. The lingering harp music was distant and prolonged as if it transported people from the noisy and shy modern city to a poetic and picturesque ce. At first, they thought the harp sounded tranquil and graceful as if they hade to a quiet countryne, looking at smoke curling up from the chimneys. Upon listening again, they felt the harp¡¯s rhythm quicken, adding a sense of loneliness, like countless men parting from their families, about to head to the battlefield. Suddenly, the harp sounded even more deste and profound. The rhythm became increasingly faster, unfolding a scene of strife and conflict before their eyes, which made them excited. Matthew stared unblinkingly at Ashley¡¯s fingers on the harp. This was the most difficult part of ying The Land. Ashley¡¯s hands moved incredibly fast, with nimble and intricate techniques, with fluid grace and precision, without a hint of roughness or pause! The greatest characteristic of the harp was its tranquility. You needed to express a deep andplex emotion from the third section of The Land, which was particrly challenging. Yet, Ashley¡¯s performance was wless Matthew sincerely felt that even as Ash¡¯s student, he couldn''t y at such a high level. Towards the end. Ashley¡¯s technique became even moreplex and varied, the harp¡¯s celestial sound transitioning from a small town to a bustling city, magnificent and splendid, like a song of a golden age. From the seaside to the ins, from the desert to the city, this was The Land! After Ashley finished ying, the audience remained silent for several dozen seconds before they woke up from that dreamy and picturesque dream, returning to reality. ¡°Ashley, that was so beautifull¡± Miranda said, still captivated, pping enthusiastically. Bryce, always so candid, walked up to Ashley and patted her on the shoulder. ¡°Come on. You¡¯re too modest. When | asked how good you. were at the harp, you said average. If this is average, then what are the rest of us supposed to do? | feel like you y just as well as Ash!¡± Hearing Bryce¡¯s words, Matthew thoughtfully furrowed his brow. He thought, ¡®It seems I¡¯m not the only one who feels this way.¡± At this moment, the livestream viewers were going wild again.. [Ashley¡¯s performance was amazing! | felt like | was dreaming. It was so immersive!] [Now | see why Mr. Moore respects her so much. Her harp skills are even better than his!] [No offense, but Shirley''s skills are trashpared to Ashley¡¯s. She doesn¡¯t even qualify to be arrogant in front of Ashley!] After Ashley¡¯s performance, the director asked Matthew''s team forments as per the show''s routine. Hayes immediatelyughed and said, ¡°Beautiful! Ashley, you¡¯re incredible. No wonder Mr. Moore speaks so highly of you!¡± Chapter 61Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. The director turned to Matthew. ¡°Matthew, what do you think?¡± Matthew''s lips were tightly pressed, and his look towards Ashley wasplex look, but he quickly changed his expression. He thought, I''ve always looked down upon Ashley, but she truly surprised me today. Chapter 62 Bin asking Matthew to praise Ashley was like asking him to p himself inuti the face. No matter what, he just couldn¡¯t bring himself topliment heter Ye Ashley truly yed the harp wonderfully, even better than him. Mathew struggled for a long time and finally managed to say two beiniging words. ¡°Not bad.¡± The eradidien saw right through him. [Not bad? Are you mixing in personail ridges? Seems like you can¡¯t handle losing!] Then the cititctor turned to Shirley. Shirley twisteted her clothing with her fingers nervously, not expecting Ashley to besos/skilled at ying the harp. She thought to beherself. The Land she just yed is as good as Ash. No wonder My Moore Holds her in such high regard. Shirley bit her tipiidid nced at Eddy beside her. Upon seeing Eddy ring, she quicklyl saadid with genuine respect, ¡°Ms. Ramos ys wonderfully, much better than me Eddy huffed loudly thinking to himself. At least Shirley isn¡¯t co foolish. To hear Ashley y the curbieve today was worth the trip.¡± The director announced dugish andgaphone.. Clearly, in this round of hap ploviving Ashley¡¯s team has won! The winning team will have a cantitable donation made to needy children in your honor by the show!¡± Miranda cheered and pper. Thanan svon!!! ely bryce nudged Ashley¡¯s arm and whispertd. Not bad. | was lucky to have you on my tean. Ashley nced at him leisurely and hummert.d. You can thank me by doing a pole dance. Bevca froze. He thought, ¡®Damn! ¡®Is she ever going to let that go?!¡± There was onest segment in the show, and the production team respectfully asked Eddy to rest, then announced with a megaphone. ¡°In our final segment today, after our harp performance, we''ve specially invited a harp collector to show his collection to the audience and promote musical culture!¡± Next, the six of them went by car to the residence of the harp collector. This harp collector, Martin Felix, was in his seventies, with gray hair and a schrly demeanor, and it was apparent from his behavior that he was a man of great cultivation. Martin had watched the livestream and heard Ashley ying The Land. famous ones As soon as the six of them arrived, he bypassed the most Bryce and Matthew, and went straight to Ashley with a beaming smile. ¡°You must be Ashley. | listened to your harp ying. It was truly delightful!¡± Ashley smiled gracefully, her face beamed, ¡°Thank you for yourpliment.¡± Martin sized up Ashley, nodding nonstop. He thought, This youngdy is beautiful and has an extraordinary demeanor. No wonder Eddy values her so much. Martin said with a smile, ¡°Eddy often mentions you to me, saying that at your young age, you have a natural talent for the harp and have reached. the pinnacle of skill. ''ve always wanted to meet you, and today, | finally have. Ashley responded with a polite smile, You tter me too much.¡± ¡°Not at all. You deserve the praise!¡± Martin chatted with Ashley for a bit before turning to the other people. ¡°Everyone, pleasee in. My collection of harps is right this way.¡± The camera followed them inside, and the livestream variety of harps. udience saw a Martin picked out a few and exined their history and significance to 2/5 23.28 Chapery 52 the viewers. The director looked around and asked, ¡°Mr. Felix, | heard you have a millennium-old harp in your collection. Would it be possible for you to show it to us?¡± Ashley thought. A millennium old harp She heard that, her brows arising imperceptibly. The harp Zain had given her was indeed a millennium-old harp. Martin looked sad and regretful. ¡°Don¡¯t get me started. My millennium-old harp was bought by someone as a gift for a young lady. ¡°| still regret it. What¡¯s the use of giving it to a youngdy? It¡¯s such a waste. It would have been better to give it to Ashley!¡± Ashley was speechless. Bryce raised his eyebrows with a teasing smile. ¡°Would you be willing to give it to Ashley then?¡±N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. When he heard this, Martin showed a look of empathy. ¡°Of course, | could tell from The Land that Ashley ys the harp, and she understands it deeply. It¡¯s like finding empathy for a sublime melody! Giving the harp to her is just right! ¡°But unfortunately, someone else bought it and gave the harp to a ydy. Such a waste of a fine instrument!¡± Curious, Miranda asked, ¡°Mr. Felix, how much did that man pay for the millennium-old harp of yours?¡± Martin grew more regretful when he thought further. ¡°Sixty million dors, no, it¡¯s not about the money. I¡¯m going to call him right now. offer to refund the money, and ask him to return the harp to me!¡± As he said this, he began to take out his phone. Ashley blinked and spoke up quietly. ¡°Actually, that millennium-old harp is in my possession.¡± Martin, in the midst of reaching for his phone, was stunned. Bryce was utterly confused. Matthew was shocked. 28:28 The livestream audience couldn''t believe what they were hearing. [What? The millennium-old harp is with Ashley?! It was bought by someone who then gave it to Ashley?!] It took several seconds for Bryce to regain hisposure from the shock, not even realizing he had cursed, ¡°Damn, is that for real? Ashley, you''re not joking, right?¡± He thought to himself, ¡®Sixty million dors! That''s sixty million dors!¡± Martin was also astonished. ¡°It¡¯s with you? The youngdy he gifted it to is you?¡± Ashley nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± Matthew paused for a moment, and then sneered mockingly, trying to dampen her enthusiasm out of habit, ¡°Ashley, that¡¯s a terrible joke. Would someone be willing to spend sixty million dors on a millennium-old harp for you?¡± Matthew scoffed after speaking. His contemptuous manner seemed to say, ¡°You¡¯re not worthy of it.¡± Matthew¡¯s fans, already displeased with Ashley for not helping Matthew during the previous horse race, seized the opportunity to criticize her. [It''s disgusting. What¡¯s the point of her making such a joke?] [Dreaming about someone spending sixty million dors on a h her. How shameless!] [How can Matthew have such a stupid sister? She¡¯s a blot on Matthe reputation!] Ashley¡¯s expression was coolly indifferent, not even ncing at Matthew Matthew, feeling ignored, was instantly filled with indignation. He thought, This damn girl, she never dared to ignore me before, and now she¡¯s treating me this way!¡± Beside them, Martin couldn''t wait and took out his phone. ¡°Hold on. I''ll nanake a call right now!¡± die dialed the buyer¡¯s number. After a few rings, the call was answered. 23:28 Martin put it on speaker and asked urgently, ¡°Zain, do you remember the millennium-old harp you bought from me a week ago?¡± Zain¡¯s resonant voice came through the phone. ¡°What? Do you want it back? Martin, | warn you. There¡¯s no taking back as been sold! Martin spat and retorted, ¡°Who''s asking for it back? | just want to know who you gave that harp to?¡± Zain, puzzled, asked, ¡°Why are you asking this?¡± In a hurry, Martin urged, ¡°Just tell me, did you give it to a youngdy named Ashley?¡± Chapter 63 Chapter 63 Zain was surprised. ¡°How did you know? | did give the harp to Ashley. Where did you hear about it?¡± To make sure they were talking about the same person and not just a coincidence of names, Martin cautiously asked, ¡°Is the Ashley you''re talking about an actress?¡± Zain spoke with pride. ¡°Of course! Ashley is the big star of our family!¡± Ashley blushed, falling into silence. She thought to herself, ¡®How am | a big star? I''m just an unknown actress. Matthew''s facial expression froze at these words, his wide eyes making him look quiteical.N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. He felt like he was filled with a mix of emotions. He thought, ¡°That millennium-old harp is worth sixty million dors. ¡®It was really given to Ashley!¡¯ [Holy cow, | must be dreaming.] [What an extravagant gift! Could | ever get a chance to receive someth like this?] [I think it¡¯s perfect that the harp was given to Ashley. Who else but Ashley deserves it?] [Where are Matthew¡¯s fans now? They were so eager to insult Ashley just moments ago. Why the silence now? Are they too ashamed to show up now?] After hanging up the phone, Martin looked at Ashley with excitement. ¡°This is great. The harp has found the right owner. It hasn¡¯t been wasted!¡± Ashley also liked the harp very much and said earnestly, ¡°I will take good care of this harp.¡± Out of curiosity, Martin asked, ¡°What is your rtionship with Zain?¡± Ashley smiled slightly, ¡°He and my grandfather are good friends, so I¡¯m also close to him.¡± 25.25 ¡°| see,¡± Martin.pondered for a moment before saying, ¡°Ashley, since Zain gave the harp to you, | won''t take any money for it. I¡¯ve decided to gift the millennium-old harp to you free of charge!¡± Miranda was so shocked at hearing this that she almost fell over. ¡°Mr. Felix, what did you say?¡± Martinughed heartily. ¡°I¡¯m saying I''ll give it to Ashley for free! I''ll refund the sixty million dors to Zain. Of course, | did so just out of respect for Ashley! ¡°Being able to hear Ashley y The Land today made me feel like | found a true connoisseur in sublime melody. Giving the harp to Ashley, that¡¯s where it truly belongs!¡± At that moment, everyone at the scene fell silent. They thought, ¡®A harp worth sixty million dors. ¡®He¡¯s just giving it away. ¡°That¡¯s so capricious! ¡®But on second thought, it makes sense. Mr. Felix is a harp collector. He values the harp more than money. ¡®Ashley''s harp ying has reached the pinnacle. Giving it to her is just right. That millennium-old harp can then realize its fullest value.¡± [Oh my, this is the first and only person I¡¯ve seen who got the sixty million dor freebie.] [Is the Ramos family regretting cutting ties with Ashley now?] With thest segment recorded, the show came to a sessful close. Even after the livestream ended, the viewers felt they hadn¡¯t seen enough. It was a pity that Ashley was only participating in this one episode and would not be in the next. At the show, Matthew¡¯s eyes were intently fixed on Ashley, who was not far away, a wave of self-doubt surging in him. He thought to himself, ¡®Could it be true, as Jeremy said, that Ashley is actually quite nice? Is it the Ramos family that isn¡¯t good enough for Ashley?¡± Suddenly remembering something, Matthew took his phone back from a staff member and texted Ash. [Ash, why haven''t you been replying to metely?] [Have you been busy recently?] [Ash. I¡¯m filming a variety show today, and one of the segments involves us ying The Land on a harp. Someone yed it so simrly to you.] Matthew thought, | wanted to say it was just like Ash¡¯s ying. But how can Ashley bepared to Ash? Even if Ashley is great at the harp, in my heart, Ashley is nothingpared to Ash!¡¯ Holding his phone with respect and devotion, Matthew sent several messages to his most revered mentor, Ash. But he didn¡¯t receive a single reply. He thought, What¡¯s going on? ¡®| feel like Ash has been quite cold to metely. ¡®Cold... Just thinking about Ash being distant made Matthew¡¯s throat ache with difort, and his mind became a mess, leaving him unable to think. He wondered, ¡®Did | upset Ash?¡¯ In a daze, Matthew looked up, ncing around nkly, and suddenly noticed Ashley not far ahead, taking out her phone to check messages. Send Gift Comment 23.28 Chapter 64 Chapter 64 Seeing the three messages from Matthew, Ashley¡¯s clear eyes disyed cold disdain and aversion. Matthew was so down and out in the past, unable topose good songs due to ack of inspiration. He was ridiculed by netizens, suffered from depression, and even considered quitting the music industry and ending his life at one point. Back then, Ashley sincerely regarded Matthew as her biological brother, sympathizing with his plight and helping him without expecting anypensation. At Matthew¡¯s lowest point, under Ash¡¯s identity, she took him as a student, helping him create new songs, win the Most Popr Male Singer Award, and regain his confidence. However, after cutting ties with the Ramos Ashley would be annoyed at the sight of Matthew and had no desire to reply to his messages. This time, Ashley still did not reply to the messages, only putting her phone away with a cold expression. She thought resolutely, ¡®I need to find time to disown Matthew, to end our master-student rtionship officially. From then on, He will no longer be my student.¡¯ Ashley put away her phone and took a few steps forward when Matthew suddenly ran up to her, blocking her path. He asked urgently, ¡°Ashley, what were you just looking at? Who sent texted you?¡± ¡°What does it have to do with you?¡± Ashley replied with a cold tone. Matthew''s eyebrows furrowed, a sense of panic arising within him for no apparent reason. Matthew was anxious because Ash hadn''t replied to his messages for a long time, fearing that Ash would despise him. ¡®If Ash really despises me, it will be more painful than death, Matthew thought. Looking at Ashley, Matthew asked through gritted teeth, ¡°The piece you 1/6 23.28 yed in the show, The Land, sounded almost identical to Ash¡¯s ying.¡± Ashley raised her eyebrows slightly, pondering, He actually noticed. But... Ashley calmly asked, ¡°What does that have to do with you?¡± ¡°Ashley!¡± Matthew, who had found fame at a young age and carried some arrogance, shouted angrily, his eyes bloodshot, ¡°What kind of attitude is this!¡± Just as Ashley was about to retort, an irritating voice came from behind. ¡°That''s the attitude one uses when dealing with a dog. | don¡¯t see any problem there.¡± Ashley looked back and, to her surprise, saw Bryce. He hade over with Miranda. -With his hands in his pockets and his chin slightly lifted, Bryce looked at Matthew with a brazen re. ¡°Ashley has already cut ties with the Ramos family. Do you still expect her to respect you? Maybe you should take a good look at yourself first.¡± Matthew had never heard someone talk like this to him. His expression then instantly darkened. He retorted, ¡°Bryce, this is the Ramos family¡¯s private matter. It¡¯s none of your business.¡± Bryce clicked his tongue in disbelief. ¡°Didn''t | just say? Ashley has already cut ties with your Ramos family. What, has the Ramos family regret it now and changed their minds? Wanting to beg her toe back?¡± While Bryce was speaking, Miranda stood in front of Ashley, trying to protect her. Awave of warmth then surged in Ashley¡¯s heart. She held Miranda¡¯s hand and said, with irrelevant people. Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Let''s not waste time her Matthew attempted to speak again, but what he saw next was Ashley leaving without looking back. Bryce gave Matthew a disdainful nce and turned to leave with Ashley. Once they had walked far away, Bryce cleared his throat and solemnly dered, ¡°Ashley, let¡¯s get one thing straight. | wasn¡¯t helping you back 23.25 there. | just really can¡¯t stand Matthew Ashley nced at him and retorted, ¡°I never said you were helping me.¡± Bryce was momentarily at a loss for words. Miranda chuckled, ¡°Alright, alright, no more bickering, you two. Ashley, | just got a call. Something¡¯se up at home. | need to hurry back.¡± Ashley responded, ¡°Alright, be safe on your way.¡± ¡°Sure, I¡¯m heading off then!¡± Miranda nodded. After Miranda left, Ashley and Bryce had walked only a short distance when Laura approached them. Laura patted Ashley on the shoulder. Though her expression was as cold as usual, her tone was quite approving, ¡°Not bad for your first time on a variety show.¡± Bryce, not wanting to be outdone, sought recognition. ¡°What about me? did pretty well, too, right?¡± Laura gave him a look that left him to figure it out for himself. Bryce, feeling slighted,ined, ¡°Laura, aren¡¯t you being a bit biased? Ashley, did you cast some kind of spell on Laura to win her over?¡± Ashley then also gave him a look, leaving him to interpret it. Bryce was rendered speechless. Ahint of amusement flickered in Laura¡¯s eyes. ¡°Come on, it¡¯s almost lunchtime. I''ll treat you both to a meal. The trio then headed to a nearby restaurant and had lunch together. After the meal, Bryce¡¯s assistant came to pick him up, as he had other engagements to attend in the afternoon. Just before leaving, Bryce sat in his car rolled down the window, and looked out at Ashley, asking, ¡°Do you want me to follow you on Twitter to boost your followers? | know you''ll want it. Other celebrities wish I''d follow them, but | don¡¯t.¡± Ashley smiled gracefully, ¡°No need.¡± Bryce was left speechless. He thought to himself, ¡®Damn. You y hard to get.¡± With a huff, Bryce red at Ashley, rolled up the window, and drove off.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. Laura shook her head with resignation, initially intending to drive Ashley back. Coincidentally, Ashley had run into an old acquaintance. Ashley then told Laura to go ahead without her and that she didn¡¯t need a ride back. Ashley then went to the caf¨¦ with the old acquaintance and chose a private room on the second floor. ¡°Ashley, what a coincidence to meet you here.¡± The man sitting across from Ashley had a handsome and refined face, radiating joy at their reunion, his smile as warm and elegant as the moon in the embrace of the night sky. Ashley smiled gently, ¡°It is quite a coincidence.¡± The man across from her was Kevin Franco, her former high school ssmate. Previously, to cancel her arranged marriage with Valentin, Ashley had lied about having a crush on a male ssmate, using Kevin as a cover. Kevin was unaware of this and hence had spared them any awkwardi and their meeting was just a simple reunion between old friends. Kevin¡¯s smile was warm and weing, like a gentle spring breeze. ¡°I watched your variety show today. | didn¡¯t know you yed the harp so well. It was very impressive!¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Ashley responded. Kevin took out his phone and suggested. ¡°Let''s exchange phone numbers. It''d be nice to keep in touch for any future matters. After a moment of consideration, Ashley saw no harm in exchanging numbers and gave him hers. Kevin saved it and cheerfully added, ¡°After graduating from university, | went into fashion design. | came here for work today and didn¡¯t expect to bump into you.¡± ¡°Fashion design?¡± Ashley raised an eyebrow. 23-23 Catching her expression, Kevin quickly asked, ¡°Are you interested in that?¡± ¡°Somewhat,¡± Ashley smiled but didn¡¯t borate further. After chatting for a while, Ashley, having other matters to attend to, stood up to bid Kevin farewell. Once they left the caf¨¦, they saw Kevin''s assistant waiting outside for him. ¡°Mr. Franco.¡± Kevin draped his suit jacket over his arm and turned to Ashley with a gentlemanly demeanor, asking, ¡°Where are you headed? Can | give you a ride?¡± Ashley politely declined. ¡°Thank you, but it''s not necessary.¡± Kevin stood by his car watching her, fell silent for a moment, then suddenly smiled, ¡°Alright then, hope to see you again sometime.¡± Upon returning to the Kingsley Vi, Ashley entered the living room and saw Joseph lounging on the sofa. He sat there casually, with fruits and snacks on the coffee table, asfortable as if he were in his own home. ¡°Good afternoon, Ashley.¡± Joseph greeted cheerfully. 1000 ¡°Good afternoon,¡± Ashley replied, ncing around and not seeing Valentin. She asked curiously, ¡°Where¡¯s Valentin?¡± Joseph chuckled mischievously, winking at her, ¡°Ashley, you¡¯re back and immediately asking for Valentin. Do you miss him?¡± Ashley sat opposite Joseph, popped a grape into her mouth, and replied, ¡°I just asked where Valentin is. Why are you reading so much into it?¡± Joseph then shouted toward the staircase, ¡°Valentin,e down quick! Ashley is back, and she says she misses you!¡± Startled, Ashley threw a grape at him. ¡°Stop yelling nonsense!¡± Joseph dodged nimbly and thenughed cheekily. ¡°Ashley, don¡¯t waste food.¡± Ashley retorted, ¡°Fine, | won¡¯t waste food. How about | use something 23: else to hit you? Is that okay?¡± As she said this, she reached for a cushion and was about to throw it at Joseph. Just then, Valentin appeared,ing down from upstairs. Upon closer inspection, his usually calm and collected expression bore a hint of surprise, and even his steps seemed slightly hurried. Send Gift Comment GI6 Chapter 65 Joseph suddenly stood up with a cry and ran toward Valentin. ¡°Valentin, Ashley is going to hit me with a cushion!¡± Valentin responded without even asking why, ¡°Then why are you running? Go and stand still.¡± Joseph was left speechless. He thought, ¡®Is he telling me just to stand there and let Ashley hit me? Valentin, are you really choosing her over me?¡¯ Then, Joseph dramatically burst into tears, wailing. ¡°Alright, fine, it seems I¡¯ve just wasted all these years of affection and time on you!¡± Ashley was at a loss for words. She thought, ¡®Is he insane?¡± Ashley put down the cushion, intending to ask Valentin what he was doing upstairs. But as she turned, she met his deep, intense gaze. His eyes seemed to radiate heat from the depths of it. Upon seeing this, Ashley felt a wave of warmth surge through her, causing her to look away in a fluster. She grabbed the cushion again and hurled it at Joseph, thinking, ¡°That''ll teach you to speak nonsense.¡± After getting hit by the cushion, Joseph was puzzled. He wondered, ¡®Why is she hitting me again?¡± Joseph raised his hands in surrender. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, | was wrong. Ashley, I¡¯m leaving now. | won¡¯t disturb you both!¡± Once he said that, he turned and was about to flee. Ashley narrowed her eyes and said, ¡°Stop right there.¡± Joseph froze, turning back with a pitiful look, asking, ¡°Is there anything else, Ashley?¡± Just as Ashley was about to speak, her phone rang. It was Miranda calling. Ashley then slid her finger across the screen to answer the call. By then, Valentin had realized the truth and pondered, Joseph saying Ashley missed me was just his usual nonsense, and | actually took it seriously. | thought Ashley had really missed me. Valentin¡¯s eyes narrowed as he gave Joseph a nonchnt nce. Seeing this, Joseph was startled and felt a chill down his spine. He thought anxiously, ¡®Oh no, Valentin had caught on!¡± After finishing her call with Miranda, Ashley was in no mood for Joseph¡¯s antics, her brows knitting together in worry. ¡°What''s wrong?¡± Valentin asked as he approached her. ¡°Something happened over at Miranda¡¯s family,¡± Ashley exined. ¡°Her dad hit a car this afternoon. It wasn¡¯t serious, and nobody was hurt. Just somepensation and repair costs should have sufficed. But the other car¡¯s owner is causing trouble. He refuses to settle.¡± Victor Sullivan, the damaged car¡¯s owner, was a notorious wealthy heir known for exploiting his family¡¯s influence to cause trouble. No matter how much Miranda¡¯s family offered topensate, Victor was adamant about pressing charges and even threatened to send Miranda''s father to prison. Miranda¡¯s father tried to pull some strings, but no one dared to confront Victor. It was evident that Victor was really powerful. Miranda was distraught over the phone, crying about her father being at risk of imprisonment. Though the charges were baseless, Victor¡¯s influence made it difficult for anyone to intervene. Upon hearing the whole story, Joseph was speechless. ¡°That scumbag Victor is throwing his weight around again?¡± Ashley, feeling concerned, said, ¡°Miranda was crying so much, | should go see her.¡± She then pondered, ¡®And see if | can help her in any way! Joseph gestured toward Valentin with a lift of his chin and said, ¡°Ashley, why bother going yourself? Just ask Valentin. It''s a matter of a word for him.¡± 23-23 Ashley raised an eyebrow and nced at Valentin beside her. Joseph grinned. ¡°Valentin can sort it out with just a word.¡± He thought proudly, Victor may be powerful, but he¡¯s nothingpared to Valentin.¡± Ashley, quick-witted, didn¡¯t y coy. She gently pulled Valentin to sit on the sofa and asked, ¡°You must be tired after a long day. Can | give you a shoulder massage?¡± Valentin found himself at a loss for words. Joseph, pretending to cover his eyes, said, ¡°You two enjoy your time. I¡¯m out of here!¡± With that, he hurriedly made his exit. Then, Valentin and Ashley were the only ones left in the living room. Ashley poured a cup of coffee and diligently brought it to Valentin. ¡°Here, be careful. It¡¯s hot.¡± She knew the importance of showing respect when asking for a favor. Valentin nced at Ashley casually and took out his phone to make a call. Three minutester, Ashley received another call from Miranda. Miranda¡¯s voice was filled with surprise and no longer tearful.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. She eximed, ¡°Ashley, you don¡¯t have to worry about me anymore. Everything''s been resolved! ¡°That Victor not only dropped the issue but also apologized to us profusely, saying it was all for Ashley¡¯s sake. Ashley, you must have helped, right? Thank you so much!¡± Ashley then blinked in astonishment. She pondered, ¡°That was quick?¡¯ After hanging up, Ashley turned to look at Valentin beside her. He raised his eyebrows and spoke in a teasing, husky voice. ¡°Ashley, | had put in quite an effort to help you.¡± Ashley was momentarily speechless. She thought, ¡®Seriously? All you did was just make a phone call. You didn¡¯t even leave the room or move an inch. What effort are you talking about?¡± Valentin then hinted at his real intention. ¡°So, how do you n to repay me?¡± After a pause, Ashley looked at him and suggested. ¡°How about | massage your shoulders and serve you coffee? Is that okay?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not enough,¡± Valentin replied. ¡°What do you want then?¡± Ashley asked. Valentin suddenly took her hand, his calloused thumb gently caressing her wrist. With a light chuckle and a seductive tone, he suggested. ¡°How about you repay me with yourself?¡± Ashley was taken aback and speechless. Ashley¡¯s eyshes fluttered in surprise like the wings of a startled butterfly. After several seconds, she btedly withdrew her hand, saying, ¡°Then | might as well beat you up.¡± Valentin was at a loss for words. As Ashley spoke, she actually went and punched him twice. But she was not really using much force. Valentin looked down at the spot where Ashley hit him, then suddenly grasped her wrist again, his gaze intense and deep as he looked at her. The air then grew thick with ambiguity. Ashley swallowed nervously, feeling unexpectedly thirsty. ¡°I need to tell you something.¡± Valentin raised an eyebrow. ¡°Oh?¡± He thought, ¡°Tell me something? She¡¯s quite conscientious, isn¡¯t she?¡± Ashley broke away from Valentin¡¯s intense gaze, took a sip of water to calm herself, and said, ¡°I ran into Kevin today. Do you remember him?¡± Valentin¡¯s expression darkened at the mention of the name. 23-201 Chapter 65 He pondered, Kevin... Of course, | remember. Back then, Ashley wanted to call off our arranged marriage because she had a crush on a high school ssmate, Kevin. That was the first time | felt jealousy. ¡°You met Kevin, and then what?¡± Valentin asked and watched her closely as if analyzing her. ¡°And then?¡± Ashley recalled briefly and reported. ¡°We just talked for a bit and exchanged phone numbers, nothing more.¡± ¡°Exchanged phone numbers... Valentin nced at her phone, and a storm was brewing in his eyes. Just then, Ashley remarked, ¡°People really do change as they grow up. Kevin now looks even more handsome than in high school...¡± Before she could finish, Valentin suddenly grasped her chin, cutting her off. Send Gift Chapter 66 Ashley was taken aback. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Valentin looked at her. His gaze was deep and intense, and his fair, handsome face turned grim. Jealousy surged in his heart again. Valentin mused, Ashley onlypliments me when she¡¯s drunk. Yet now, she so openly admires Kevin.¡¯ Feeling Valentin¡¯s unwavering gaze, Ashley¡¯s heart pounded nervously. Ashley then tried to escape Valentin¡¯s grasp, but he her no chance to gave flee. Holding her chin, his cold fingers gently caressed her skin. After a long pause, he spoke coldly. ¡°Ashley, your taste in men is still as poor as before.¡± Ashley was baffled and speechless. ¡°What''s wrong with my taste?¡¯ She thought. Fuming, Ashley red back at him. ¡°Even if my taste is bad, yours is worse!¡± Vacuum owned. Ashley swatted away his hand from her chin. ¡°Let go of me. Don¡¯t touch me like that.¡± Valentin¡¯s expression then turned grimmer. Ashley stood her ground angrily. ¡°You say my taste is bad? Well, | think you¡¯re handsome. I¡¯ve always thought you were good- looking since we were kids. There, that¡¯s my bad taste!¡±N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. Valentin froze, his expression momentarily dazed. Ashley stood up and walked away with a huff, leaving him with the view of her departing figure. She didn¡¯t want to deal with him anymore. She thought angrily, ¡®If | talked with him again, | would be a fool!¡± Valentin watched Ashley¡¯s indignant departure, and his eyes narrowed 23:20 slightly. After a moment, he picked up his phone and sent a message to his assistant, Tom. Tom, who was munching on a fried chicken, paused for several seconds upon receiving the message. He pondered, ¡®Investigate Kevin Franco? Who is Kevin? Why does Mr. Kingsley want me to investigate Kevin''s recent detailed information?¡± Tom knew well that as apetent and discreet assistant, he shouldn''t ask too unnecessary many questions. He then thought, ¡®It¡¯s just a simple task to investigate a Kevin.¡± During dinner time at the Kingsley Vi, the old butler, Gavyn, directed the servants to serve the dishes but noticed the atmosphere at the dining table was off. He wondered, Why isn¡¯t Ms. Ramos speaking to Mr. Kingsley at all? She¡¯s not even eating the food he serves her, either. Could they have had a spat? That¡¯s impossible. Since Ms. Ramos moved into the Kingsley Vi, they''ve never argued. What happened today?¡± Not only Gavyn but Tom also sensed something amiss the next day. During a meeting, Valentin emanated a forbidding air, filling the conference room with an intimidating chill. Thepany¡¯s senior executives were all on edge, hardly daring to breathe. Several of them, who were not very strong mentally, didn¡¯t stop wiping sweat from their brows. After the terrible meeting, several executives immediately pulled Tom aside and bombarded him with questions. ¡°Mr. Shaw, what''s going on? Is Mr. Kingsley in a bad mood today?¡± Tom was also wondering. One of the executives, still shaking, patted his chest and said, ¡°That was way too close just now. | made a small mistake in my proposal, and although Mr. Kingsley didn¡¯t say anything, the way he looked at me was terrifying. | almost wet my pants!¡± Tom rolled his eyes in disbelief. ¡°Then you shouldn¡¯t make mistakes.¡± Running his hand over his thinning hair, the executive replied anxiously, 2/5 28:29 ¡°It''s strange. | also made a mistake in myst proposal, but Mr. Kingsley didn¡¯t hold me ountable. It was a small error this time, but it nearly cost me my life!¡± Tom frowned, ¡°Don¡¯t just say nonsense. Mr. Kingsley is always fair and strict in official matters, rewarding and punishing appropriately.¡± The executive insisted, Tm serious, Mr. Shaw! Why would | lie to you? Remember when Mr. Kingsley gave a sry raise to all the staff a while ago? Tom then had a sudden realization as he reflected. ¡®Back then, Mr. Kingsley had just gotten married to Ms. Ramos. He was exceptionally happy and even raised sries for all employees. It made sense that he didn¡¯t pursue minor mistakes then... Tom suddenly connected the dots and pondered, ¡®Wait a minute, Mr. Kingsley has been in a bad mood all day. Could it be rted to Ms. Ramos?¡± That evening. Tom drove Valentin back to the Kingsley Vi after work. Upon arriving at the Kingsley Vi, Tom immediately sought out Gavyn, the butler, and asked in a hushed tone, ¡°Did Mr. Kingsley and Ms. Ramos have a fight?¡± e has been off since Gavyn looked troubled. ¡°Thest night.¡± Tom also started to worry. He mused, ¡®Ms. Ramos¡¯ influence on Mr. Kingsley is indeed significant.¡± As Gavyn was worrying, his eyes suddenly lit up. He then hurried back to his room with his old, stiff legs and pulled out a collection of books he had treasured for over a decade. He thought, ¡®Mr. Kingsley and Ms. Ramos must have argued because hecks experience in romance!¡¯ Gavyn, holding the books, approached Tom and confidently said, ¡°Mr. Shaw, give these books to Mr. Kingsley. They will surely mend their rtionship!¡± Tom curiously looked at the titles, and the next second, he was speechless. The books¡¯ titles were ways to coax women. 28:29 The Ten Key Points for Men to Pursue Women 100 Tricks to Coax Your Wife 20 Ways to Make Her Happy When She¡¯s Angry Tom was immediately rendered speechless. He then thought somewhat exasperatedly, ¡®What kind of nonsense is this? If these work. I''ll eat my hat. Pushing the books aside, Tom went to the living room to investigate. He thought, ¡°Well, well, Ms. Ramos is sitting on the sofa, looking at her phone, either busy or chatting with someone. She barely nced at Mr. Kingsley when he came back from the office, and that¡¯s it, no other reaction. Tom scratched his head in distress. He wondered, ¡®What should | do now? Valentin adjusted his tie emotionlessly in the living room and nced at Ashley on the sofa before walking out Tom was surprised and hurried after him, asking, ¡°Mr. Kingsley, are you going out?¡± Valentin paused, straightening his shirt cuffs with an indifferent expression. ¡°I¡¯m not feeling well.¡± Tom was taken aback and became worried. He then quickly reached for his phone. ¡°I''ll call the family doctor right away!¡± Valentin remained silent but slowly turned back, his gaze lingering on Ashley in the living room. Tom¡¯s action with the phone halted as he suddenly understood. ¡®How clever of me!¡¯ He thought with a smug realization. Calmly putting away his phone, Tom shouted dramatically toward Ashley in the living room, ¡°Ms. Ramos,e quick! Mr. Kingsley is not feeling well, and he¡¯s trembling in pain! He almost fainted just now!¡± His shout was incredibly pitiful. Tom even exaggerated a bit. Hearing this, Ashley¡¯s brows immediately furrowed. She initially didn¡¯t want to bother, but he was in pain and almost fainting? Chapter 67 Ashley immediately ran over and saw Valentin being supported by Tom. Valentin¡¯s eyebrows were tightly furrowed, and he seemed stand, looking weak and distressed. ¡°What''s happened?¡± Ashley''s eyes widened in shock. ¡°Why has he suddenly be like this?¡± able to ¡°Ms. Ramos. Tom quickly said, ¡°Mr. Kingsley isn¡¯t feeling well. Could you please help him back to his room? I''ll call the private doctor right away.¡± ¡°Okay...¡± Ashley reached out to support the man. Tom released his hold and hurried away. In fact, there was no need to call a doctor. With Ashley there, Valentin would be just fine! Ashley supported Valentin while examining his face. ¡°Why are you suddenly feeling so unwell? Should we go to the hospital?¡± Valentin looked at her delicate face and shook his head weakly. ¡°No need, just help me back to my room.¡± Ashley had no choice but to help him upstairs. He seemed so weak, leaning his entire body towards her. Ashley was forced into close contact with the man, almost hugging together. She could barely support him back to his room. As soon as they entered, Valentin lost his bnce and toppled towards her. Ashley instinctively reached out, catching him in her arms. Her arms encircled the waist of the man, her forehead bumping against his chest as she quickly asked, ¡°Are you alright?¡± Valentin¡¯s chin rested on the top of her hair. He smiled lightly and spoke in a weak voice. ¡°Sorry, | didn¡¯t stand still.¡± Ashley grew increasingly worried. ¡°What did you do? You stand.¡± Leven 23.29 The man hummed lightly, caressing her soft hair, his husky voice revealing a hint of vulnerability. ¡°Ashley, can | hold you for a while?¡± Ashley was worried. ¡°I''m not a doctor. What is the point of holding me? | should take you to the hospital.¡± She wondered why Tom hadn''t called the doctor yet. How slow was he? Ashley heard Valentin¡¯s low voice above her head the next second, sounding pitiful. ¡°I don¡¯t want to go to the hospital. Just stay with me for a while, okay, Ashley?¡± Ashley was at a loss for words. As a child. Valentin always disliked going to the hospital when he was sick. Unable to convince him, Ashley sighed, ¡°Alright then, let me help you to bed.¡± After assisting him to lie on the bed, Ashley quickly dashed to the side, returning with a cup of hot water. ¡°Here, drink some hot water,¡± she urged. Valentin remained silent. The sat up took the cup, and sipped two, looking weak. Then hey down again. Ashley set the cup aside and sat at the bedside. She asked with concern, ¡°Where do you feel unwell?¡± Valentin grasped her hand and ced it on his belly. ¡°Here, it hurts. Can you rub it for me?¡± Confused, Ashley felt his warmth through his thin white shirt, along with his ez abs Her fingertips involuntarily curled up as if scorched. Ashley looked at Valentin with her eyes moist. She was about to retract her hand when she noticed Valentin furrowing his brows slightly, looking ufortable yet enduring it stoically. ¡®It seems quite painful... She thought. The awkwardness in her heart vanished in an instant. 23:29 Ashley opened her palm and gently rubbed his belly. ¡°Is this okay? Am | hurting you?¡± Hearing her question, Valentin slightly raised his eyebrows. ¡°No, it¡¯s much morefortable now.¡± Ashley sighed in relief. ¡°Then I''ll help you a bit longer.¡± Valentin closed his eyes in pleasure. However, after a few minutes of massaging, Valentin¡¯s brows furrowed. Her hand was gently kneading his abdomen... This was purely asking for trouble. As Ashley massaged, her eyelids suddenly twitched. Why did it feel like his temperature was rising? Could his condition be worsening? Worried, Ashley ced her hand on his forehead to check his temperature. ¡°Are you running a fever?¡± But she couldn''t feel any abnormality in his temperature, Valentin nced at her hand pressed against her forehead, steadying his restless emotions. His voice turned hoarse when he spoke. ¡°Is this a reliable way to check for a fever?¡± mn Caught off guard, Ashley looked around and asked, ¡°Do you ha first-aid kit here? A thermometer?¡± Valentin shook his head. Blinking, Ashley pressed her lips, pinched them tightly with her thum and forefinger, hesitated for two seconds, then suddenly leaned forwar pressing her forehead against his. As Ashley did so, their foreheads intimately touching, Valentin¡¯s breathing uncontrobly lightened. Ashley somewhat rxed after feeling the temperature for a while. ¡°It seems you don¡¯t have a fever,¡± she said and intended to sit back. However, just when she was about to retreat, Valentin suddenly grasped her waist and pulled her back. Caught off guard, Ashley fell onto the man, her heart tightening slightly, 23.29 hhadds imediately bracing against the bed. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Thhirib boilies pressed together, Valentin¡¯s eyes gazed directly at her, his Idobbb6fpassion yet tender. ¡°Ashley..¡± Hechheathbeat skipped. After a ppause) Valentin spoke softly, his sensual, hoarse voice tinged with a hintoofaulty. Would you lie down with me for a while? I¡¯m still feeling quite amwall Ashley wicked hereyes slowly, her heart constricting uncontrobly as her fingers clcienabed the sheets beneath her. Lying atop the man she felt his strong, steady heartbeat. His heartbeat seemeddo carry a faint electric current to her, sending a tingling sensation through her body,pelling her to rise from him without a second thought. As Ashley gooup, Valetinia also sat up with her. Why are you getting nupooAshley asked, her eyshes trembling. If you don¡¯t want to die downthen I''ll sit with you,¡± he replied. Ashley fell silent upon hearing thisis. Licking her lips. Ashley stidsboidd check why Tom hasn''t ca loctor yetContent provided by N?velDrama.Org. ¡®No need,¡± the man said casualideanite against the headboard an ying with her hand, gentiy aqasing her fingers, ¡°I¡¯m feeling mu better now.¡± Frowning, Ashley respontied. But you said you were feeling unwell. Valentin nced at her with a faint samice exuding anguorous charm.. thanks to your care. he remarked Then sit here, Ashley suggested, aucppingwithdraw her hand, but Valentin stopped her. Ele leaned forward. pulling a small, navy bhiesqquare gift box from a nearby drawer. bloiding the gift box in front of Ashley aleann popened it, revealing a proof delicate and beautiful earrings insidic. Chapter 67 Ashley¡¯s eyshes fluttered in surprise Valentin had given her a ne and a bracelet before. That bracelet, adorned with two beautiful rubies, was on her wrist. ¡°Why are you giving me another gift?¡± She asked. The man seemed to ponder seriously, then looked at her indulgently. He chuckled, ¡°I like buying things for you. Is that reason enough?¡± Chapter 68 Ashley¡¯s heart fluttered as if a dandelion had been gently plucked, sending down its soft, fuzzy seeds. She wanted to say something but momentarily at a loss for words. Valentin took the earrings from the box, his voice low and maic. ¡°Let me put them on for you?¡±. Ashley nced at him and leaned in. The man¡¯s fingers delicately held the beautiful earrings, gently cing them on her After he was done, he lightly tickled her soft, fair earlobe and looked at her affectionately. ¡°They suit you very well.¡±Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. Ashley felt a sudden warmth in her earlobes, spreading to her cheeks, and she touched her earlobe awkwardly. ¡°Since you''re better now, I''ll be leaving.¡± Just as she stood up, Valentin caught her wrist. He frowned, looking frail and in pain. ¡°It¡¯s started to hurt again.¡± Ashley blinked in disbelief. ¡°Weren¡¯t you just fine a moment ago?¡± Valentin took her hand and ced it on his abdomen. ¡°It hurts again. Rub it for me, please.¡± Ashley was speechless. However, she didn¡¯t listen to him this time. Ashley poured a fresh cup of hot water for him. Seeing Valentin feigning weakness, an impulse struck her, and she said, ¡°Here you go, little fe.¡± Valentin was perplexed. He stared intently at her for a while. Suddenly, he smirked. But it wasn¡¯t fully a smile nor a frown, and he put the cup on the table. Ashley was about to ask why he wasn¡¯t drinking. In an instant, her world spun as she found herself pinned down on the bed by Valentin. 10:25 D Clupter 68 Ashley¡¯s heart tightened, and she widened her eyes in surprise. ¡°What are you doing?¡± The man was hovering over her, close enough to kiss her with just a slight dip of his head. His eyes narrowed, a dangerous and flirtatious gleam within. ¡°What did you just say? Say it again.¡± Ashley felt somewhat guilty, but she decided to y innocent. She wanted to push him away and got up. However, the two of them were too close. Ashley inadvertently brushed her lips against his cheek as she raised her head. Valentin paused for a second, then chuckled. His chest vibrated, hisugh husky and sensual, incredibly alluring. Ashley¡¯s face flushed instantly. Annoyed and embarrassed, she pushed him away. ¡°Deal with your difort yourself! I¡¯m leaving!¡± She said and tried to run out, her legs feeling weak. But after just a few steps, Ashley heard his teasing, chuckling voice from behind. ¡°Taking advantage then running away? What¡¯s all this about?¡± Ashley red at him and snapped. ¡°Shut up!¡± That day, Ashley received a call from Laura, asking her toe to the company. Ashley pushed the door open at Royal Entertainment in Laura¡¯s office. and saw Bryce was also there. Bryce sat on the sofa in the reception area, his forehead characteristically streaked with a strand of silver hair. Dressed stylishly, his fingers adorned with several decorative rings, he lounged with one leg casually crossed over the other. Spotting Ashley entering, Bryce looked at her, his smile ambiguous. ¡°I¡¯ve followed you on Twitter.¡± Ashley was confused upon hearing this. 10:25 1 With a tongue click, Bryce retorted, ¡°What''s with that face, Ashley? There are so many people | don¡¯t follow despite their wishes! Taking the initiative to follow a minor celebrity like you is already breaking my norm!¡± Ashley chuckled, ¡°You can take back your norm. | don¡¯t need it.¡± Frustrated. Bryce removed a ring from his finger and threw it at her. Laura was at a loss for words. Was this a kindergarten fight or what? Feeling helpless, Laura gave himself a facepalm and waved to Ashley. ¡°Ashley, take a seat. Check your Twitter and follow back Bryce first.¡± Ashley-sat down and took out her phone, only to find that the hashtag. ¡°Bryce Follows Ashley¡± had climbed to the top of Twitter¡¯s trending list. Thements were quite varied. [Wow, Bryce is following a female artist for the first time!] [Maybe it¡¯s because they were both on a variety show recently, and Ashley even helped Bryce calm a runaway horse.] [I can¡¯t stopughing when | remember Bryce sitting in Ashley¡¯sp!] The discussion online was bustling. It was evident that Bryce was incredibly popr. Ashley found Bryce¡¯s Twitter ount and followed him back. Upon seeing her follow back, Bryce snorted, ¡°At least you know what¡¯s good for you.¡± Ashley nced at him leisurely. ¡°Sorry, | did so by mistake. I''ll unfollow you right now.¡± Bryce red at her. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare!¡± Being unfollowed after being followed would be a blow to his pride! Laura, once again feeling a headacheing on, held her forehead in despair and said helplessly, ¡°You two, stop fighting. Ashley, | called you here today for two things. ¡°First, I''ve got you a cameo in a TV show. It¡¯s a role that involves dancing 10.25 Chapter 68 and ying the harp, which suits you perfectly. It¡¯s not a big part. You can finish shooting in a day, tomorrow at the set.¡± Ashley nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± Laura continued, ¡°The second thing is more important. Youpose music, right?¡± Ashley replied, ¡°Yes.¡± Laura smiled, ¡°Bryce is releasing his personal EP next month, a mini-album with three songs. | want you topose one for him. The coboration between you both can significantly boost your poprity.¡± Ashley said, ¡°No need.¡± Bryce ¨¦choed, ¡°Don¡¯t want to.¡± Both of them spoke in unison. Initially lounging in the coach with one of his legs crossing the others, Bryce became visibly irritated upon hearing Ashley¡¯s refusal. He cast an annoyed nce at her before turning to Laura. ¡°Laura, you heard her. She doesn¡¯t want to do it.¡± Laura asked, ¡°What about you?¡± With his handsome features, Bryce smirked confidently. ¡°My EP will definitely be a hit. | don¡¯t mind helping someone out. But what''s the use if I¡¯m willing and she isn¡¯t?¡± Ashley raised her eyebrows wryly. ¡°You just said you didn¡¯t want to.¡± Bryce looked at her, his smile somewhat mischievous. ¡°I¡¯ve changed my mind. | want to now. | want to coborate with you. What can you do about it?¡± Ashley was speechless. With a sigh of resignation, Laura felt that Bryce was willing from the start. He was just too proud to admit it. After handling Bryce, Laura gestured for him to be quiet and turned to Ashley. ¡°What about you, Ashley? This is a great opportunity¡± Ashley was about to speak when her phone chimed twice, indicating two new messages. 10:25 It was Matthew who sent it to Ash¡¯s ount. [Ash, my new album is releasing next month, and there¡¯s still one song. left unfinished. Would you be willing topose it for me?] [Ash, it¡¯s been a long time since west worked together. I¡¯m looking forward to coborating with you again.] Matthew said, following hist message with a cheeky meme. Ashley read the message indifferently. However, she was still frustrated by the overly sweet expression in the meme. Chapter 69 Chapter 69 Ashley did not reply to Matthew¡¯s message. She looked at Laura and asked, ¡°Laura, is Matthew also releasing a new album in a month? Are our schedules shing?¡± Laura frowned at the mention of this. ¡°Matthew was supposed tounch his album in two months, but he suddenly brought it forward to next month, causing a sh in our schedules. ¡°You know how popr Bryce is. Every move he makes is being watched, and Matthew, a hit singer, is no exception. With both of them releasing music at the same time, people are already secretlyparing their sales.¡± In reality, Bryce was releasing an EP with only three songs. But the album released by Matthew contained ten songs. Given the pricing of three dors per song, even if more fans purchased Bryce¡¯s EP, the total sales revenue would likely still fall short of Matthew''s. Ashley pondered briefly and smiled, ¡°Laura, I¡¯ve decided to write a song for Bryce.¡± Laura was surprised. She chuckled, ¡°You¡¯ve agreed? That¡¯s wonderful.¡± Bryce raised an eyebrow in surprise, ncing at her. ¡°Why did you suddenly agree?¡± Ashley smiled slightly, yfully throwing his words back at him. ¡°I changed my mind, and now | want to. What can you do about it?¡± Bryce was speechless. ¡®Damn,¡¯ He murmured. Bryce licked his teeth and looked at Ashley intently. Laura tapped on the table, saying, ¡°About the EP, let''s discuss the details. Bryce, which song are you still missing the melody for?¡± Bryce leaned back on the sofa, twirling a ring on his right finger with hist left hand. ¡°The hardest one.¡± ¡°The hardest one?¡± 10:25 Laura immediately understood, pulling up the song¡¯s outline on her phone and walking to Ashley. ¡°Ashley, take a look.¡± Ashley scanned it briefly, noticing it was a dark-themed song. It was indeed interesting.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. Her interest piqued, Ashley responded confidently, ¡°Okay, | think | got it.¡± Bryce looked surprised for a moment. ¡°You''re sure? When can you have it ready?¡± Ashley answered, ¡°Tomorrow night, I''ll give it to you.¡± Bryce was taken aback. That was fast! Not only Bryce but even Laura was surprised by the rapid development. She quickly interjected, ¡°Ashley, don¡¯t forget, you have to spend a whole day on set tomorrow.¡± Ashley spread her hands nonchntly. ¡°That¡¯s why | said I''ll give it to him tomorrow night.¡± If it weren¡¯t for the filming, Ashley would review the script tonight and give the music to Bryce tomorrow morning. Bryce remained silent. Laura, too, was speechless. Suddenly, Bryce stood up, facing Ashley directly. He leaned slightly forward, his ne swinging in the air, the silver lock of hair on his forehead making him look strikingly rebellious. ¡°Ashley, can you really do it? | don¡¯t want a hastily-made piece. Are you. sure you''re not deceiving me?¡± Ashley met his gaze, unfazed. ¡°Well... What if | am lying to you?¡± After a few seconds of silence, Bryce burst intoughter. ¡°What can | do? | can¡¯t do anything if you lie to me, bu...¡± Before he could finish, Laura pped the back of his head. ¡°Watch your mouth.¡± Bryce stood up, his face contorted with frustration. ¡°Alright, alright, I''ll watch my mouth. | meant | offered her a fancy meal to inspire her songwriting.¡± Ashley brushed off the suggestion. ¡°Skip the meal. How about a pole dance for some fun?¡± Bryce was at a loss for words. Not this again! Why did pole dancing alwayse up? Laura gave a few more instructions before letting the two leave. The next day, Ashley, apanied by Laura, filmed her cameo in the TV show. The shot was from morning till afternoon. In the final scene, the character yed by Ashley who was in white and holding a harp, died from an arrow to the chest, falling on the stage on which she usually dance. She twirled to the ground, her white dress spreading like petals, stained. with striking sshes of red. Astreak of red blood graced her lips, her stunningly beautiful face wearing a faint smile. Yet her eyes were lonely and numb, staring nkly upwards. Slowly, a tear slid down her cheek. But the smile still lingered on her lips. The director, standing behind the camera, watched Ashley''s performance and immediately turned to Laura to praise her, ¡°Ms. Mitchell, you''ve truly found a gem. Ashley has the makings of a superstar and shows no signs of stage fright at all!¡± It wasmon for neers to feel intimidated in front of the camera, often getting so nervous they couldn''t even deliver their lines. But Ashley was different. She not only performed beyond expectations. but did it in one take. She embodied her character so well, making her performance incredibly impactful. This kind of talent had the potential to be a superstar. Ashley would be hugely popr if she kept the right path. The director couldn¡¯t stopplimenting Laura about Ashley. ¡°She¡¯s stunning. That face is wless from every angle. She might even overshadow our lead beauty in the show, haha.¡± Laura modestly smiled, ¡°If there¡¯s a fitting role in the future, feel free to contact us.¡± The director nodded vigorously. ¡°Absolutely!¡± After finishing her cameo, Ashley and Laura left the set. It was only the afternoon, and Laura suggested Ashley rest. Later in the evening, she would visit the office to deliver the composed music to Bryce. That evening, in Laura¡¯s office... Bryce couldn''t wait anymore and arrived early. Ashley hadn''t arrived yet, leaving Bryce waiting on the sofa anxiously. Unable to sit still, he stood up and paced around the room. In a resigned tone, Laura advised, ¡°Just sit down, Bryce. Ashley has been filming all day. | asked her to rest a bit. She''ll be here soon.¡± Bryce refused to sit. ¡°Had | known, | wouldn¡¯t have rushed this. Giving her a couple more days wouldn''t have hurt.¡± Looking at some documents, Laura remarked, ¡°That''s not what you said. yesterday.¡± Bryce narrowed his eyes with one hand in his pocket and the other tossing and catching his phone. ¡°Yesterday, | said that if Ashley couldn¡¯t write the song, I¡¯d admit it, but...¡± Before Bryce could finish, the office door swung open, and a crisp voice interrupted, ¡°Who says | can¡¯t write it?¡± Bryce raised an eyebrow and pocketed his phone. ¡°So you''ve finished writing it?¡± Ashley looked at him with a bright smile and handed over the music score. ¡°See for yourself.¡± Chapter 69 Bryce quickly took it over. Laura also walked over. At first, Bryce nced at the music sheet with an indifferent air. As he read on, his expression grew more serious. By the end, his face was utterly expressionless. However, his pupils were trembling ever so slightly. ¡°This piece of music...¡± He had never seen anything like it before... That such music even existed in the world... Laura didn¡¯t quite understand music theory. She hurriedly asked, ¡°Bryce, what do you think?¡± Holding the music sheet, Bryce¡¯s fingers were trembling slightly. His eyes, fixed on the sheet, finally spoke after a long pause. ¡°It''s far beyond my expectations.¡± Was Laura immediately felt relieved upon hearing this. Bryce always proud and fearless. His reaction meant that this dark-themed piece was truly extraordinary. Bryce then looked up at Ashley, his lips trembling as he asked, ¡°What is the name of this piece?¡± Ashley smilednguorously and replied, ¡°At first, | thought of naming it ¡®Die if You Don¡¯t Love Me, but considering its distribution, | decided on ¡®Dark Faith¡¯ instead.¡± Dark Faith... Upon hearing the name, Bryce nodded without hesitation. ¡°Yes, let''s call it ¡®Dark Faith¡¯!¡± Looking at the music score in his hands, Bryce was profoundly moved. He took out his phone and eagerly posted a tweet. [New song of the month featuring a mysteriousposer! Stay tuned!] Bryce, already a sensation, caused a stir with this tweet. Terms with hashtags like ¡°Bryce¡¯s new song¡± and ¡°mysterious composer¡¯ instantly trended. 10.26) Chapter 69 Netizens began to specte. [Mysteriousposer? Who is it?] [By the way, who do you think will have higher sales, Bryce or Matthew? They will release new songs at the same time.] [Definitely Matthew! He¡¯s a professional singer, and he does songwriting all the time. He¡¯s surely better than Bryce!] [Matthew will win not just in sales but in total revenue, too! He¡¯s releasing an album with ten songs, while Bryce only has three. There¡¯s noparison!] Meanwhile, Matthew saw the tweet and scoffed. He thought, ¡°What mysteriousposer? ¡®Unless Ashposed for Bryce, there¡¯s no way his sales could surpass mine!¡± But how could Ash possiblypose for Bryce? Chapter 70 Matthew had nned to release his album in two months, but he deliberately advanced the release by a month, coinciding with Bryce¡¯s. new songunch. He was determined to give Bryce a blow. Matthew''s and Bryce¡¯s horses had lost control during a recent variety show. Ashley shockingly chose to save Bryce instead of her own brother. Moreover, Bryce had overstepped his bounds in defending Ashley, even going so far as to insult Matthew, calling him a dog and telling him to watch himself. Just the thought of it made Matthew m on the table in anger. His decision to release his new song earlier than nned wasn¡¯t just a whim. It was a confidence move. Matthew was certain his sales would surpass Bryce¡¯s, providing the perfect opportunity to dete Bryce¡¯s arrogant demeanor. He wanted to show Bryce the consequences of siding with Ashley. In that case, Matthew believed this would leave Ashley without any allies. Eventually, she would have no choice but to return to the Ramos family, disgraced and ready to be scorned. He was looking forward to the day Ashley woulde back to him, crying and begging for forgiveness. Matthew hummed a tune with a sense of pride as he continued to prepare his new album. He was just one song away from completion. ncing at his phone, he saw that his message to Ash had once again. gone unanswered. Ash still hadn¡¯t replied. Clutching his phone, Matthew repeatedly opened the chat with Ash, initially suspecting that his phone was malfunctioning and not receiving messages. However, even after switching to a new phone, there was still no reply from Ash. It wasn¡¯t the phone that was the issue. Ash was genuinely ignoring him. 10.26 The thought of being disregarded and abandoned by Ash turned Matthew¡¯s face pale with a rush of anxiety. Had he upset Ash in some way? But Matthew couldn¡¯t think of anything. Probably, Ash was just too busy to respond to his messages. ¡°Yes, that must be it,¡± he murmured. Ash was just too busy to reply. Comforting himself with these thoughts, Matthew felt slightly relieved from anxiety. Considering how busy Ash was, so busy that he didn¡¯t have time topose for his student, it was even less likely that he would write a song for Bryce. Therefore, that mysteriousposer with Bryce had nothing to fear of Next month, Matthew was determined to shame Bryce with his new song release to prevent him from protecting Ashley. At Royal Entertainment, in Laura¡¯s office... Bryce, unable to let go of the sheet music for ¡°Dark Faith¡± given to him by Ashley, alternates between sitting and standing, his emotions too stirred to settle down for a long time. Suddenly, he made a bold decision. ¡°Ashley, | have three songs in this EP. Will you write the other two for me?¡± He asks. Ashley was dumbfounded. She thought to herself that even a ve wouldn''t be ordered around like this! Laura found it amusing. ¡°Bryce, weren¡¯t the other two songs already written by someone?¡± Full of disdain, Bryce waved his hand and replied, ¡°I used to think those songs were good. But after this, they seem unworthy. To ce them on the same album will be an insult to ¡®Dark Faith¡±.¡± Laura was left speechless. 10:26) Chapter 70 After that, Bryce looked at Ashley with a bright smile. His eyes were full of anticipation. ¡°I won''t let you write for nothing. After deducting production and promotional expenses, the money earned from these three songs will be a profit of at least a few million dors. | don¡¯t want a cent of it. It¡¯s all yours! Just as long as you write the songs for me. What do you say?¡± Such a generous offer even made Laura gasp in surprise. She had estimated. With Bryce¡¯s fame, the earnings from these three songs could be at least ten million dors. ¡°You won''t take any part of it and give it all to Ashley?¡± Laura almost doubted her ears. Bryce smirked, looking freely and rebelliously. ¡°Don¡¯t always talk about money. It meant nothing to me. I¡¯m doing this for art!¡± Ashley saw right through him. ¡°That''s a lie.¡± Bryce replied, ¡°Alright, | have more money than | can spend. This amount is just a trifle to me. Laura was speechless. How infuriating he was. Bryce urged Ashley, ¡°Come on, tell me. Will you agree to write the remaining two songs?¡± After pondering for two seconds, Ashley smiled with an indescribable vibrancy. ¡°Alright, | guess | couldn¡¯t say no to that. Tell me, what are the styles of the remaining two songs?¡± Bryce was extremely excited at her agreement. He even eagerly proposed a pinky promise, fearing she might change her mind. ¡°So it¡¯s settled then! The two remaining songs will have a ssic style and a theme of redemption.¡± Ashley pondered briefly before asking ¡°Does thepany have any musical instruments?¡± Caught off guard, Bryce nodded. ¡°Yes, in the 12th-floor practice room. There¡¯s a piano, a guitar, even an organ.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s go there now,¡± Ashley suggested. Bryce was taken aback. ¡°Right now?¡± 10:26 No way! Could it be that Ashley was ready to write the songs immediately? They arrived at the practice room on the 12th floor. It was night, so the room was deserted at the moment. Laura turned on the lights, instantly illuminating the room. Ashley nced around briefly, then headed to the piano and sat down. ¡°Let''s start with the redemption-themed song.¡± Bryce looked at her with disbelief. ¡°You''re just going to write it like this?¡± Ashley¡¯s fingers rested on the ck and white keys of the piano and said. casually, ¡°When inspiration strikes, | just try to y the tune out.¡± With that, Ashley started to y, her fingers moving gracefully like a dancer, dancing elegantly. Harmonious notes flowed as they danced over the keys. Bryce¡¯s ears perked up instantly. He couldn''t believe that a casual y could sound this delightful! Bryce had studied in theory. He could identify most of the notes Ashley yed. After a segment, Ashley paused briefly to revise a few notes. The changes seemed minor, but the piece naturally transitioned from its initial gentleness to a more robust and powerful melody when she yed again. ying and revising, Ashley smoothly finalized the entire piece and transcribed it into sheet music. Seated at the piano, Ashley looked at Bryce and handed him the sheet music, saying, ¡°Here, this redemption-themed piece is ready.¡± Bryce was dumbfounded. ¡°Ashley, has it even been ten minutes since we entered the practice room, and you''ve already composed a piece?¡± Laura corrected him. ¡°To be precise, it¡¯s been 8 minutes and 26 seconds.¡± Ashley blinked innocently. ¡°When inspiration strikes, the writing just flows. And inspiration, well, it''s something you can¡¯t just find on demand.¡± Bryce was on the verge of swearing. 10:26 ¡®Damn, she wrote a song in less than 10 minutes!¡± He thought. The point was it sounded terrific! It was even better than what others had struggled to create over months! Was this what they called talent? Ashley stood up and walked over to the organ nearby. She yed and tweaked the melody, sometimes frowning, sometimes deep in thought. In no time, she had alsopleted a song with a ssical style. Looking at the music score, Bryce had only one thought. ¡®How the hell did she write so well?¡± The song was not only pleasing to the ear but also refreshingly unique. ¡°Ashley,¡± Bryce said, ¡°I paid you at least ten million dors to write songs, and you¡¯re done in 15 minutes? That is quite easy money...¡±N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. Sitting at the organ, Ashley nced at him indifferently. ¡°Just tell me if you want these two songs or not. Without hesitation, Bryce replied, ¡°I want them!¡± Laura shook her head and chuckled, ¡°So, what are the names of these two songs?¡± Ashley replied, ¡°Well, the dark-themed one is called ¡®Dark Faith, and the one with the ssical style is ¡®Youth. As for the redemption-themed one, let¡¯s call it The Shape of Light¡±.¡± Suddenly, Bryce realized something. | feel these three songs have a bit of Ash¡¯s style...¡± Hearing this, Ashley raised an eyebrow in surprise. Laura, of course, knew of Ash¡¯s fame and turned to Ashley. ¡°When producing the album, we will credit theposer''s name. Is it fine if we write your name on it? Ashley Ramos, perhaps?¡± Ashley slowly stood up. She smiled and said leisurely, ¡°For theposer, just write....Ash.¡± Bryce disagreed, ¡°Why write Ash? Just use your own name. Using someone else¡¯s name is copyright infringement, and Ash is so famous...¡± 10:26 Before he could finish, Bryce suddenly realized something, his eyes widening in shock. No... No way! Instead of Ashley, but Ash... Was that mean.... Even Laura, usually soposed, was stunned into silence. Chapter 71 It took Bryce almost a minute to recover from his shock. His eyes were fixed intently on Ashley, his face filled with disbelief. ¡°Ashley, you can¡¯t be serious? You''re Ash? Stop kidding around!¡± Ashley raised her eyebrow and found his reaction somewhat amusing. ¡°Why would | joke about this?¡± Still in a daze, Bryce nced at Laura and then back at Ashley. Finally, he pinched the flesh on his arm. ¡®Damn, it hurt!¡¯ He thought. That wasn''t an illusion! No wonder the style of these three songs seemed like Ash¡¯s.. No wonder Ashley could write two songs in just 15 minutes. No wonder, during that reality show, when Ashley yed ¡°The Land,¡± it was identical to Ash¡¯s performance. All of it made sense now. It turned out that Ashley was Ash! Both excited and restless, Bryce began to pace around Ashley in circles. Ashley felt dizzy as Bryce spun her around. ¡°Are you okay?¡± She asked. Laura grabbed Bryce firmly. ¡°Calm down!¡± Finally, Bryce stopped. Trembling, he reached out to touch Ashley¡¯s arm. Ashley instinctively pulled away. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°I''m just touching the legend, Ash!¡± Bryce eximed. Ashley was speechless. The legend? She was still young! Bryce was overwhelmed with excitement. ¡°Ashley, do you know what Ash means to musicians? She¡¯s like a legend! Let me touch your arm, just for a second!¡± 10:0 Ashley remained silent. Laura suddenly reached out and touched her as she stood there, lost for words. Ashley looked puzzled. ¡°| just wanted to touch you too,¡± Laura exined. Ashley didn¡¯t know what to say. By now, Bryce had processed the shocking news. Smirking, he said, ¡°Ashley, you''re really something for a minor celebrity. Oh my, | just asked Ash to write songs for me... It was totally worth it!¡± Used to their banter, Ashley didn¡¯t hold back. She raised her eyebrow and replied yfully, ¡°d you know it.¡± Suddenly, Bryce leaned in. ¡°Besidesposing, how about you do the arrangement for me too?¡± Ashley smiled with her eyes squinted, ¡°Sure, just dance a pole dance for me, and I''ll arrange it for free.¡± Bryce remained silent upon hearing this. It looked like she couldn''t get over pole dancing. Ashley was too obsessed with it! As they were talking, Ashley¡¯s phone rang. The caller ID showed it was Valentin. Surprised for a moment, Ashley walked aside to answer the call, ¡°Hello?¡± Aman¡¯s deep, maic voice came through the receiver, tinged with at slight electric buzz that tingled the ears. ¡°Still busy? When are youing back?¡± Ashley replied, ¡°Almost done, finishing up soon.¡± Valentin offered, ¡°I''lle pick you up.¡± Ashley declined. ¡°No need, don¡¯t trouble yourself to make the trip.¡± Hearing this, the man chuckled, ¡°How is it a trouble to pick up my own wife?¡± 10:26 Ashley¡¯s ears heated up, speechless. He insisted, ¡°It''ste. I¡¯d bettere get you.¡± ncing at the night outside the window, Ashley realized it was indeedte and instinctively advised, ¡°Then be careful driving at night.¡± The manughed pleasantly. ¡°Ashley, you finally care about me.¡± Ashley was puzzled and at a loss for words. She quickly ended the call without responding. ¡°Who''s caring about him, that jerk!¡¯ She thought After hanging up, Ashley chatted with Bryce and Laura for a bit. H As things were almost wrapped up, Bryce still had some final tasks, while Ashley and Laura left the building together. Exiting thepany¡¯s main entrance, she saw Valentin¡¯s car parked a few steps away. Ashley and Laura said goodbye, and Ashley walked over to get into the car. Laura had thought that a friend of Ashley¡¯s was picking her up, but her gaze froze upon seeing the car¡¯s license te. That license te... In all of Kilos City, only one person would use it. The person picking up Ashley was...Valentin? Laura¡¯s shock was no less than when she first discovered that Ashley was. indeed Ash. In just one evening, Ashley had twice overturned her understanding of things. But then she thought about it. Ashley had been signed by Joseph to join. thepany, so her status was extraordinary. Now,te at night, Valentin would drive to pick her up. He was probably the most noble driver in the world. It seemed that Ashley''s rtionship with Valentin was quite unusual! 10:26 On the other side, once Ashley got into the car, the man naturally leaned over and carefully fastened her seatbelt for her. Once Ashley was seated, she didn¡¯t have to lift a finger. She was taken care of very attentively. After fastening the seatbelt, the man looked up at her, his eyes with warmth. ¡°You are working sote today. Are you hungry?¡± Ashley did feel a bit hungry after Valentin mentioned it.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. She red at him yfully, deliberately being difficult. ¡°It¡¯s all your fault for making me feel hungry.¡± Valentin found her pouty and adorable demeanor irresistible. Ruffling her hair, he said, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s all my fault. Let''s go get something to eat, Ms. Ramos.¡± Ashley turned her head to dodge his hand. ¡°Stop messing up my hair.¡± He raised an eyebrow yfully and tousled her hair again. Ashley pped his hand away. ¡°Why are you so annoying? Just like when you were a kid.¡± The man chuckled softly, mimicking her. ¡°Why are you so cute? Just like when you were little.¡± Ashley was speechless. In that instant, her face flushed red. Embarrassed, Ashley lifted her right foot and kicked at his shin. Valentin nced nonchntly at the spot she kicked, not angry or even somewhat pleased. ¡°You kick much lighter than when you were little.¡± Ashley remained silent. The day of the album release arrived in a blink. The release was scheduled for ten in the morning. It was just past eight, and curiousizens were already gathering to watch. Bryce and Matthew, both famous stars with tens of millions of followers, 10:26 were releasing songs on the same day, making it hard not topare their sales. The excitement was palpable. Bryce and Matthew¡¯s fans were eagerly rubbing their hands together, ready to buy their idol¡¯s new songs as soon as they were released, with no one willing to be left behind. At nine o''clock, Matthew posted a teaser on his Twitter. [Every two years, | release an album, and today is the day for another one. This album contains a total of ten songs, and for one of them, I¡¯ve invited a friend to help with theposition. | believe everyone will love. it! Looking forward to 10 o¡¯clock!] The fans excitedly screamed, their money ready for Matthew¡¯s new song. Online onlookers caught on to some important information. [Wow, could Matthew have invited Ash? Matthew is Ash¡¯s only student, so when he releases an album, Ash will definitely help, right?] [Remember Matthew''sst album? He had Ashpose for it, which directly clinched the title of that year¡¯s top-selling album, even breaking records! Ash¡¯sposition skills are genuinely impressive!] [I don¡¯t mean to jinx Bryce, but Matthew¡¯s album will have higher sales ifparing the two!] [Speaking of which, who is the mysteriousposer Bryce hired?] [It''s probably just an averageposer. It would¡¯ve been revealed earlier to attract more attention if it was a big shot.] Finally, amid the discussions and anticipation ofizens, ten o''clock arrived. The music tform simultaneously released new songs by Matthew and Bryce. Everyone was specting that Matthew''s mysteriousposer was Ash. They had no choice but to check out Matthew¡¯s new song first. After all, Ash''s reputation was too prominent and highly attractive to everyone. Chapter 72 Chapter 72 To everyone¡¯s surprise, theposer Matthew invited wasn¡¯t Ash but a well-known industry figure named Cameron Denver. [Weird, doesn¡¯t Ash really like Matthew? Ash publicly took him as his only student. So why didn¡¯t Ashpose for Matthew¡¯s new album?] [Cameron is also impressive. Hisposing skills are slightly inferior to Ash¡¯s. He¡¯s definitely a big shot too!] [OMG, have you guys seen the sales? Matthew¡¯s new album sold 110 thousand copies in a minute! That¡¯s insane! No wonder he¡¯s a top-charting, popr singer!] Besides fans, some casualizens also bought Matthew¡¯s new album. After all, Matthew was a professional singer with a pleasant voice, having won the Best Singer award twice. When such a talented star released a new song, it was natural for fans and casual listeners to listen, joining the excitement. [Latest update! Bryce¡¯s new EP sold 80,000 copies in a minute! Just slightly behind Matthew!] [When ites to sales, Matthew is far ahead. An album by Matthew costs 30 dors, while Bryce¡¯s EP is only nine dors. Doing the math, Matthew is set to win by arge margin!] [Oh, and who¡¯s that mysteriousposer for Bryce¡¯s work? Has it been announced yet?] [Not yet. So far, they''ve only revealed the lyrics and singer, both by Bryce. Theposer and arranger are still unknown. This really piques. my curiosity. Who could be behind Bryce¡¯spositions?] [I might be speaking out of turn, but | feel like Bryce¡¯s new song sounds. better than Matthew¡¯s...] Due to Bryce and Matthew releasing new songs at the same time, the inte was abuzz with attention. However, thisst comment got lost in the noise and didn¡¯t attract much attention. Meanwhile, at the Ramos Group¡¯s entertainmentpany, Matthew looked at the rapidly increasing sales figures with a satisfied smile. Even without Ash¡¯s support, the results were as he had expected. His album¡¯s sales were leading. Plus, it kept widening the gap with Bryce. He thought it wouldn¡¯t be long before Bryce was left far behind. ¡°What can you brag about now, Bryce? He mused. It wasmon sense that when a celebrity released a new song, other stars often helped promote it by posting about it on Twitter. Matthew was constantly monitoring the situation online when he suddenly noticed that Ashley had specifically tweeted to promote Bryce¡¯s new song. Matthew''s face suddenly turned sullen. He couldn''t believe it. Instead of promoting his own brother, Ashley wast helping Bryce. It was like a betrayal!N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Jessica had also signed with the Ramos family¡¯s entertainmentpany. She was sitting beside Matthew and quickly sensed his mood. With a swift thought, she spoke up. ¡°Matthew, don¡¯t be mad at Ashley. I''ll tweet right now to promote you!¡± Matthew felt a warm swell in his heart. Jessica was not only sensible but also considerate of her family. She was the sister Matthew truly appreciated. Unlike Ashley, who always seemed to work against him, betraying their bond. Jessica did more than just tweet to support him. She showcased her purchase of 100 albums. Matthew''s album was limited on sale. One could only purchase 100 pieces, and Jessica exceeded the maximum limit. Her action instantly drew the attention of the onlinemunity. [Hey, didn¡¯t Ashley tweet in support of Bryce? Did she buy his new song?] [No, not a single one.] [Ah, Jessica¡¯s support for Matthew seems to carry more weight.] 10.26 Just then,izens suddenly discovered Joseph had retweeted Ashley''s al tweet andmented: [Joining Ashley ins Bryce¡¯s new song. I¡¯ve already bought 100 copies!] Netizens were immediately surprised: [Oh my gosh! It''s Mr. Fox!] Although Joseph owned Royal Entertainment, he had never tweeted his support for other stars in thepany when they released new songs. Now, Joseph said he was supporting Bryce, all because of Ashley. It was apparent Joseph was doing this for Ashley¡¯s sake! The next second,izens discovered that Miranda had retweeted Ashley''s promotional tweet,menting: [Joining Ashley in supporting Bryce¡¯s new song, already purchased 100 copies!] Theizens were at a loss for words. Alright, there was another one. Miranda was known to have a good rtionship with Ashley in reality shows, so it made sense that she supported Bryce for Ashley¡¯s sake. However, Shirley retweeted Ashley¡¯s tweet the next second,menting: [Joining my senior in supporting Bryce¡¯s new song, already purchased 100 copies!] Theizens were stunned for two seconds before bursting into wildughter. [LOL Shirley had a harppetition with Ashley in the reality show. She had found out that Ashley was indeed her senior, and now she was helping Ashley promote Bryce. Subsequently, the harp maestro, Eddy, retweeted Ashley''s tweet, expressing support for Bryce¡¯s new song and mentioning purchasing 100 copies. The inte was abuzz with shock and excitement! [Wow! Even Eddy is here! He is a national master, after all!] Eddy had never been involved in the entertainment industry. But now he posted a tweet to support Bryce, just for Ashley¡¯s sake. It was unexpected. 10:26 Afterward, Megan, the master of ssical dance, retweeted Ashley¡¯s Twitter post: [Joining Ashley in supporting Bryce¡¯s new song, purchased 100 copies! By the way, Ashley, are you really not willing to be m student?] Theizens were shocked. [Goodness, Ms. Rice is here too!] [Again, all for the sake of Ashley!] my [But why is Ms. Rice always thinking about taking Ashley as her student?¡± It''s somewhat funny, hahaha!] Following this, the harp collector Martin, who waived sixty million dors in fees for Ashley, retweeted Ashley''s Twitter post: [Joining Ashley in supporting Bryce¡¯s new song, purchased 100 copies!] Netizens were at a loss for words. [My goodness, another big shot has joined the scene!] [All because of Ashley¡¯s support for Bryce.] [What an impressivework Ashley had!] [It was truly enviable!] One should never underestimate the influence of these big shots. Their support for Bryce¡¯s new song could sway their followers to do the same. That was far more significant than Jessica buying 100 albums for Matthew. In no time, Bryce¡¯s album sales skyrocketed. It was visibly closing the gap with Matthew''s sales. Furious, Matthew kicked over a chair, his face turned sullen. If only Ashley had supported him, he¡¯d have all these influential figures on his side, not Bryce¡¯s. Now, they were all rallying behind Bryce, all thanks to Ashley! 10:26 Chapter 73 Asizens were left in awe of Ashley¡¯s formidablework, a surprising twist caught their attention. Jeremy retweeted Ashley¡¯s tweet with ament: [Wholeheartedly supporting Ashley! | just purchased 100 copies of Bryce¡¯s new EP] Theizens were stunned. [What the hell? Jeremy!] [Rather than supporting his younger brother Matthew, he opted to purchase Bryce¡¯stest songs?] [Wait. Jeremy¡¯s main point was the unconditional support for Ashley, and buying Bryce¡¯s new songs was just a side note.] [Do you mean he finally acknowledges Ashley''s talent and is desperately trying to mend things with her?] Seeing Jeremy''s retweet, Ashley coldly turned a blind eye. Meanwhile, Matthew couldn''t hide his frustration. He thought, ¡®Has Jeremy lost his mind? To seek forgiveness from Ashley, he even went as far as to support Bryce, my direct competitor! He is making a spectacle for others tough at!¡± The news of Jeremy purchasing Bryce¡¯s new songs did stir up considerable discussion online. As time passed,izens couldn''t resist sharing their thoughts on the quality of the songs released by both artists. [Incredible! Why do Bryce¡¯s new songs sound so amazing? Is it even real?] [I also bought Matthew''s new album. The songs are good, butpared to that, Bryce¡¯s are more astonishing] [Tsk, it seems Matthew can¡¯t do without Ash. In thest album, Ash helped with theposition, assisting Matthew in winning the Most Popr Male Singer Award. Without Ash this time, he can¡¯t even produce a stunning new song.] [You guys above are probably just trying to create a buzz! Matthew¡¯s songs are also good!] 10:26 However, with the word spreading, Bryce¡¯s new songs soon gained positive reviews. Twitter was soon filled with hashtags, ¡°Bryce¡¯s new songs are great¡±, ¡°Dark Faith¡± and ¡°The Shape of Light¡±. Conversely, ¡°Matthew is a bad singer¡± had been trending. Thements on them were in sharp contrast. Someizens who hadn''t purchased the new songs yet, tempted by the widespread acim with a 95% positive rating, couldn¡¯t resist and decided to give it a listen. After all, one song cost only three dors, and three pieces were just nine, not exactly breaking the bank. Upon buying, they discovered that it wasn¡¯t just propaganda. The songs. were genuinely good. The remaining five percent of negative reviews seemed to be from haters. Others who had already bought the new songs couldn¡¯t resist purchasing a few more copies to share with friends. They were convinced that this year¡¯s chart-topping songs had toe from Bryce. Of course, what caught theizens¡¯ attention the most was the genius behind these captivating songs. [Bryce, please! Quickly reveal theposer!] Curious about theposer, theizens stumbled upon a surprising revtion. The number of copies sold for Bryce¡¯s new songs surpassed that of Matthew! Matthew''s new album had sold 800 thousand copies. Bryce¡¯s new EP had sold 810 thousand copies. It had taken the lead! And the gap continued to widen at a rapid pace! Clearly, Matthew''s new album was on the verge of slowing down, while Bryce¡¯s sales were skyrocketing. | just checked again, and Bryce has already sold 1.15 million copies! The growth is incredible!] 10:26 But in terms of total sales, Matthew is still ahead. His album costs 30. dors, while Bryce¡¯s is only nine. The difference is substantial.] | might be overthinking this, but | feel Bryce¡¯s new songs have a hint of Ash¡¯s style.] (Oh, that¡¯s it! | agree with you! It¡¯s a bit reminiscent of Ash¡¯s style!] Witnessing the increasing poprity of Bryce¡¯s new songs, Matthew frowned, his expression growing more serious. Even though his sales were currently higher, at this rate, Bryce would catch up sooner orter. Moreover, the trending hashtag ¡°Matthew is a bad singer¡± kept attracting attention, which was annoying. Matthew kept a close eye onizenments and noticed some expressing that Bryce¡¯s new songs had some of Ash¡¯s style. Disdainful, Matthew thought, ¡°Could anyone just imitate Ash? Don¡¯t make meugh!¡¯ However, as he scrolled through thements, it wasn¡¯t just one person saying this. Manyizens shared the same sentiment. Despite disdain, Matthew couldn''t resist going to a pirate website. Without spending a dime, he listened to Bryce¡¯s new songs. After just listening to one piece of them, he was sure. It indeed bore the style of Ash! He sneered inwardly, Thisposer dared to imitate my mentor Ash!¡± Given Matthew''s existing displeasure with the praise for Bryce¡¯s new songs, he decided to capitalize on this defect he just seized on.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. He promptly posted a scathing tweet. Matthew: [I heard someone is trying to imitate my mentor Ash. Well, can just about anyone replicate Ash? If a song like this is still being praised, it¡¯s truly a tragedy in the music industry. Listen, blind imitation won''t get you far! Many people try to imitate Ash but can never be Ash! Ash is my forever respected mentor!] Matthew posted this tweet in the name of Ash¡¯s student, exuding a righteous tone. It instantly grabbed the attention of numerous netizens. Matthew''s fans were even moved to tears. [Matthew, you are right! I¡¯m so d that you¡¯re still the boy who loves. music after all the twists and turns!] [Ash is Matthew¡¯s mentor. Some people dare to imitate Ash for attention! How disgusting!] [To be fair, Matthew¡¯s tweet is quite moving. Seeing others¡¯ praise for Bryce¡¯s new songs, | initially wanted to support him. But after seeing Matthew¡¯s tweet, | instantly abandoned the thought.] [I won''t buy Bryce¡¯s songs as well!] [@Bryce, go away! Stop imitating! Ash¡¯s student is Matthew!] ¡°Matthew criticizes the imitation of Ash¡± quickly became a trending hashtag. Seeing the praise in thements, Matthew smiled with satisfaction. He thought, ¡®That¡¯s more like it. Why bother buying Bryce¡¯s new songs? My songs are the best!! However, the next moment, Matthew''s smile froze. On Twitter, Bryce had just posted a special tweet, solemnly revealing information about theposer. It was a concise and forceful line of text. [Thank Ash for being theposer and arranger ¡°Dark Faith¡±, ¡°Youth¡± and ¡°The Shape of Light¡±.] of my three songs, Chapter 74 The moment this tweet was posted, it was like tossing a bomb into at s¨¦reneke, sparking immediate reviews on the Inte. [What the hell! Seriously? Ash? Is Ash the mysteriousposer for Bryce?] [ls This for real? Don¡¯t mess with me! Ash is Matthew''s mentor. How could hepose for Bryce?] [Could it be a namesake?] Upon discovering Bryce¡¯s tweet, Matthew was left in a state of shock. He eximed inwardly, ¡®How could it be? How could Ashpose for Bryce? It must be another person with the same name!¡¯ Refusing to believe, Matthew posted another tweet with trembling hands... Matthew: [Heh, it seems not only Ash¡¯s style but even his name is mimicked. Pathetic!]Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. Matthew¡¯s fans promptly rushed to defend their idol. [I can¡¯t believe this. It¡¯s so disgusting! Copying Ash even in the name!] [Everyone knows that Matthew is Ash¡¯s only student. Ash doesn¡¯t even have time topose a song for Matthew. How could he compose for someone else unrted?] Matthew¡¯s panicked heart gradually calmed down. He thought, ¡®Yes, Ash has been too busytely to spare me any attention. How could he have time topose songs for someone else? It must be a case of mistaken- identity.¡¯ Matthew opened the chat with Ash, intending to report the incident: [Ash, someone is using a name identical to yours, trying to ride on your poprity...] He had just finished editing the message, and a notification popped up before he could send it: [Ash posted a tweet.] Matthew was stunned, wondering why Ash, who hadn¡¯t updated his Twitter in a long time, suddenly tweeted. He had followed and turned on notifications for Ash. 10:261 He immediately clicked in. On Ash¡¯s certified ount, which had been silent for half a year, there was a retweet of Bryce¡¯s new song with thement: [A pleasant coboration.] ¡°Bang.¡± Matthew''s face turned deadly pale. His hand shook, and the phone fell to the ground. Meanwhile, on the Inte, Ash''s tweet was a bolt from the blue, once again causing a stir. In an instant,izens flooded Ash¡¯s Twitter. [Ash! You''ve finally released a new song! ¡°Dark Faith¡± is so good!] [Ash, why did you suddenlypose a song for Bryce?] Someizens even rushed to Bryce¡¯s Twitter. [Bryce, you''re the coolest! Please answer my question. Have you seen Ash¡¯s true appearance? Ash is so talented. He must be an experienced middle-aged person, right?] Hashtags like ¡°Ash released new songs¡¯, ¡°Ash¡¯s pleasant coboration with Bryce¡± and ¡°Bryce¡¯s mysteriousposer is Ash¡± immediately shot up to the top of the trending list. The one ¡°Ash¡¯s pleasant coboration with Bryce¡± trended directly to the first spot and hit the Inte. Twitter servers were on the brink of copse. Discussions amongizens showed no sign of ceasing. [Given Matthew¡¯s reaction, it seems he didn¡¯t know Ashposed songs for Bryce.] He definitely didn¡¯t know. Matthew just posted a tweet using Bryce¡¯sposer of imitating Ash. It¡¯s so awkward...] Ash used to really appreciate Matthew, taking him as a student at Matthew¡¯s lowest and never giving him up. Now, he¡¯s writing songs for Bryce. Did Matthew do something to upset Ash?] It doesn¡¯t matter. I''ll support Ash¡¯s new songs and buy Bryce¡¯s new EP!] 10:20 ?''m Ash¡¯s fan, so | bought 100 copies of Matthew''s new album solely because he is Ash¡¯s student. But there seems to be some mistake. Now I¡¯m going to buy Bryce¡¯s songs!] For a moment, Ash¡¯s formidable fanbase flooded into Bryce¡¯s new song purchase links. Bryce¡¯s new song sales were growing even faster than before, reaching an unprecedented pace. As time passed, around the evening,izens who had been monitoring the sales noticed that Bryce¡¯s new EP had sold 3.35 million copies! Meanwhile, Matthew had sold only one million. Bryce¡¯s new song sales revenue had surpassed Matthew¡¯s! And it continued climbing at a rapid pace, pulling away from Matthew more and more. It was only a matter of time before the total sales surpassed 100 million! [What the heck! Bryce actually surpassed Matthew! We are witnessing a historic moment!] [He beats Matthew¡¯s ten songs with just three. Unbelievable!] [Ash¡¯s influence is truly enormous. | estimate two-thirds of the people bought them just because of Ash.] [Without Ash, Matthew is nothing!] At this moment, Matthew remained motionless on the couch in a dimly lit room, holding a posture of curled-up despair. He was in a state of shock. Ashposed songs for Bryce and not for him... He had invited Ash to be hisposer, but Ash hadn''t responded even ¡ª once. ¡®Did | really upset Ash?¡¯ He thought. Thinking of this, Matthew was engulfed by immense panic. He picked up. his phone, fingers trembling, and sent a message to Ash. [Ash, did | upset you?] [Ash, why did youpose for Bryce? [Ash, if | did something wrong, | can correct it. Can you please respond to me?] However, several minutester, there was still no reply from Ash. Matthew was afraid Ash would no longer talk to him, afraid Ash would abandon him. At the thought of this possibility, Matthew felt like the world was copsing. When Matthew was at his lowest, on the brink of suicide, it was Ash who¡± took him as a student, giving him hope, a second chance at life, and honor. But now, Ash was about to abandon him. Matthew¡¯s breath caught. A chill came creeping over one as he edited another message. [Ash, can | meet you? The time and ce are up to you.] Matthew intently stared at the phone screen. Suddenly, with a ding, his eyes lit up. Ash finally replied! Ash replied: [Okay.] Matthew was so excited that he stood up in one leap. If Ash was willing to meet him, there was still room for resolution. He made up his mind that when he met Ash, he had to figure out where he went wrong and correct it! Getting refreshed, Matthew no longer listened to the pirated versions. Instead, he clicked on the official tform and bought Bryce¡¯s three songs. He must support Ash¡¯spositions. However, as Matthew saw Ashley''s tweet supporting Bryce, his face instantly turned cold. He cursed inwardly, The two-faced woman makes me sick. Go to hell!¡¯ 10:26 Chapter 75 Chapter 75 In the Royal Entertainment, Laura¡¯s office, Bryce stared at Ashley on the sofa, his eyes gleaming with excitement. Initially, when he asked Ashley topose songs for him, it was a move to leverage her poprity. However, Bryce instantly shifted his perspective upon discovering that Ashley was the renowned Ash. Having Ashpose for him was a stroke of incredible luck. Bryce fixed his gaze on Ashley, the excitement still vivid in his eyes. ¡°Actually, it''s not just theizens who are curious. I¡¯m curious, too. Being Ash, why would you be willing topose songs for me?¡± Ashley raised an eyebrow, ready to respond. Bryce interrupted with a smug tone, ¡°I know! It must be because we¡¯ve spent these days together, and you were so impressed by me that you decided to grace me with your songwriting skills! Damn, it¡¯s all my overwhelming charisma!¡± Ashley was left speechless. She had never encountered someone so narcissistic. Sitting behind the desk, Laura wore an expression of utter embarrassment. Bryce smiled, his tone turning serious, | was just kidding. | know you''ve cut ties with the Ramos family and don¡¯t want anything to do with them, so you won''t write songs for Matthew anymore, right?¡± Ashley nodded. ¡°You could say that.¡± Bryce stood up. ¡°To thank you for writing songs for me, how about avish dinner tonight? Let¡¯s celebrate the sess of the album, and Laura, you should join us.¡± Just as Laura was about to speak, her phone rang She picked it up, answered the call, and put it on speaker. Arobust, middle-aged voice came from the other end. ¡°Hello, Ms. Mitchell. I¡¯m Josh Parker, the director of the show The Shape of Music Sorry to call you sote. I¡¯d like to invite your artists, Ashley and Bryce, to 1977 appear on our variety show!¡± ¡°The Shape of Music¡± was the hottest music variety show in the country, and many artists were eager to be part of it. Now, the chief director personally called and invited the two of them. Josh didn¡¯t beat around the bush and said straightforwardly, ¡°Bryce¡¯s new song is a hit, and he is perfect for our show. Also, Ashley has been promoting Bryce¡¯s new song, so we¡¯d like to invite both of them. The recording is scheduled for a week from now. Instead of immediately agreeing, Laura inquired, ¡°Mr. Parker, besides Ashley and Bryce, who else have you invited as guests?¡± Josh chuckled, ¡°Ms. Mitchell, there¡¯s no need for secrecy. I''ll be honest. with you. While the final lineup is still in the works, confirmed guests. include Matthew and Jessica.¡± Laura frowned upon hearing this. It seemed like fate had a twisted sense of humor. Turning her gaze to Ashley, she thought about the uing encounter with Ashley. Ashley, however, remained unfazed. She had long dismissed the Ramos family. Moreover, she had agreed to meet Matthew. It was an opportunity to meet him as Ash. On the other end, Josh continued, ¡°Have you decided? Will Bryce and Ashley join the show?¡± Laura turned to look at Ashley, seeking her opinion. Ashley nodded affirmatively. Bryce gave Laura a reassuring nce as if saying, ¡°Rest assured, Laura. If the Ramos family dares to bully Ashley, | won¡¯t stand idly by.¡± With a sense of relief, Laura responded to Josh, ¡°Yes, Mr. Parker. Ashley and Bryce agree to participate in your program.¡± Josh, with heartyughter, eximed, ¡°Great! By the way, | have a bold question. Do Ash and Bryce know each other? Can we have the privilege to get Ash¡¯s contact information?¡± Filled with suspicion, Laura asked, ¡°Mr. Parker, why do you need Ash''s 10 27 Clupter 75N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. contact information?¡± Brimming with anticipation, Josh exined, ¡°Oh, this is just an attempt. to invite Ash to our show. With Ash¡¯s fame and poprity, it would. undoubtedly skyrocket our viewership if he agrees to join us!¡± Laura thought. ¡®Ashley¡¯s participation is Ash¡¯s, isn¡¯t it?¡± It was just that the public didn¡¯t know Ashley was Ash. Laura advised calmly, ¡°Mr. Parker, it¡¯s well-known Ash never shows his appearance or participates in any show. Your effort will be in vain.¡± Josh sighed with regret, ¡°I know. Ash, the talentedposer, never appears in public, but | want to give it a try.¡± Just as Laura was about to add something, she suddenly saw Ashley holding up a piece of paper in front of her. The paper read: [Ash agrees to participate.] Taken aback, Laura lifted her head to look at Ashley. Ashley nodded calmly. Bryce was also astonished, eximing inwardly, ¡®My goodness! The most mysterious and famousposer, Ash, will be ona show, appearing in public!¡± On the other end of the call, Josh was puzzled at Laura¡¯s long silence. ¡°Hello? Ms. Mitchell, are you still there? Is it a bad signal?¡± Snapping out of her daze, Laura hastily replied, ¡°Mr. Parker, I¡¯m here. | have good news to tell you... Ash has agreed to participate in your show.¡± Josh was stunned and then shouted ecstatically, ¡°Really? Is this for real? Ms. Mitchell, please don¡¯t tease me! | have a heart condition and can¡¯t handle such excitement!¡± Laura rubbed her temples. Indeed, she wasn¡¯t the only one surprised. ¡°Mr. Parker, it¡¯s true. Ash has agreed to participate in your program.¡± ¡°Goodness, what stroke of luck is this? I¡¯ve managed to invite Ash!¡± Josh was so excited that his words were incoherent. ¡°Thank you, Ms. Mitchell! You¡¯re my benefactor now! We are eagerly anticipating Ash¡¯s arrival!¡± Laura was speechless, wondering, ¡®Is this a customary way to express 10:271 Chapter 75 gratitude?¡± Once the deal was sealed, the ¡°The Shape of Music¡± staff couldn¡¯t wait to announce the news on their official ount on Twitter, causing at sensation. [Dear audience, great news! Next week, our program will wee a heavyweight guest! His songs with unique style are widely known and loved by millions. Next week, the famousposer Ash will be a guest on ¡°The Shape of Music¡±. Stay tuned!] This announcement exploded across the Inte. ¡°Ash will be on ¡°The Shape of Music¡¯ in a week,¡± and ¡°Ash will make a public appearance¡± skyrocketed to the top of the trending topics. The two hashtags hit the Inte! Netizens couldn''t contain their excitement. My goodness! Ash, my idol! I¡¯m finally going to see you!] P''m crying! Finally!) Stay calm, everyone! Let¡¯s lower our expectations for now! Many imagine Ash as a handsome man or a beautiful woman, but in reality, someone who rarely shows his face is probably not that good-looking. Otherwise, he should have shown his appearance long ago!] | agree with thement above. From my point of view, Ash is probably an overweight middle-aged man, and maybe even balding.] Damn it. Stop scaring me...] At the same time, Matthew received Ash¡¯s reply, agreeing to meet him on ¡°The Shape of Music¡± a weekter. Matthew was ecstatic, anxiously awaiting the moment he would meet Ash in person. Ash never appeared publicly. This time, participating in a variety show alongside him was a rare exception. It meant that Ash still cared about him! Matthew nned to have a heartfelt conversation with Ash. If, as theizens guessed, Ash turned out to be a middle-aged man, he might even suggest a godfather rtionship to strengthen their bond. And, of course, he would ask Ash topose songs for him again. On the other side, Bryce invited Ashley and Laura to a celebratory dinner for the sess of his new songs. Although all the earnings went to Ashley as aposer fee, he was happy to treat her. However, as they arrived at the designated restaurant, they encountered. Matthew and Jessica.. ¡°Ashley...¡± Jessica paused, immediately putting on a gentle smile and attempting to hold Ashley¡¯s hand.. Matthew stopped her, sounding disgusted. ¡°Jessica, don¡¯t bother with this leech.¡± Chapter 76 Chapter 76 Hearing that, Laura frowned. Before Ashley could speak, Bryce stepped forward and sneered, ¡°Who is this? Oh, it''s Matthew who we defeat. Why are you still in the mood to eat after your new song sold so poorly?¡± Matthew''s face suddenly turned awful. His new song''s sales volume and sales amount were worse than Bryce¡¯s, which undoubtedly annoyed him. Bryce was deliberately embarrassing him. Although Ashposed for Bryce, helping him win, Matthew couldn''t bear to see Ashley help Bryce promote the new song. Matthew red at Ashley coldly. ¡°Don¡¯t think you can do whatever you. want just because Jeremy has changed his opinion of you. Let me tell you, you don¡¯t even think of setting foot in the Ramos Vi!¡± Bryce narrowed his eyes, cold and cruel. ¡°Matthew, | asked you to reflect on what kind of things you werest time, but it seems you didn¡¯t do what | said. You are still so arrogant. The Ramos family? Just a rubbish!¡± ¡°You!¡± Matthew''s face turned blushed with anger. Ashley looked at Matthew with icy eyes, which were devoid of emotion. ¡°Matthew, listen up. | will never return to a disgusting ce like the Ramos Vi.¡± After Ashley finished speaking, she left with Bryce and Laura without hesitation.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Matthew was in a daze as he recalled what she had just said. He thought, ¡®Ashley actually said...she would nevere back... Why could she say such words... Matthew was inexplicably reluctant to hear it. He raised his head in a daze and wanted to chase Ashley. However, when Matthew saw Ashley and Bryce leaving together, his face suddenly turned cold because he remembered that Bryce had beaten him in the sales of new songs. He thought, ¡®I should not feel sympathy for this jinx. She is a heartless Chapter 76 beast who only helps outsiders and doesn¡¯t care about her own family! It¡¯s better if she stays away!¡± Matthew thought, ¡®I will be able to see Ash in a week. When the time.es, | will ask Ash to help me write a new song and get revenge on Ashley and Bryce!¡± Bryce booked a private box. After all, he and Ashley were celebrities, so they had to be careful not to be photographed. After sitting down, Bryce cleared his throat. ¡°Ahem, Ashley, what | said just now was not to help you. | was just displeased with Matthew.¡± Ashley raised her eyes slightly and chuckled, ¡°I know.¡± Bryce clicked his tongue. ¡°That''s great! Laura was speechless. Bryce raised his chin and signaled to Ashley. ¡°Order food, and this meal is on me. Order whatever you want. Don¡¯t save money for me.¡± Ashley wasn¡¯t shy about ordering, pointed at the menu, and said, ¡°This page, this page, and this page.¡± Bryce was stunned. He thought, ¡®Oh My, when others order food, they order one dish after another, but she ordered page by page. There are several dishes on a page of the menu! ¡®In addition, all she ordered were the signature dishes on the first few pages of the menu, which were very expensive. It seems she really doesn¡¯t try to save money for me! ¡°Good, you have invented a new way of ordering food,¡± Bryce couldn''t help teasing. No matter how serious and calm Laura was in daily life, she couldn¡¯t help butugh at that moment, but she was happy because she also wanted to try the restaurant¡¯s signature dishes. After the food was served, they found that although Ashley ordered many dishes, the portions of each dish were small. Surprisingly, the three managed to finish all the dozen dishes. 10.27 After dinner, it was already past ten o¡¯clock in the evening.. Ashley received a call from Valentin. He said he would drive over to pick her up. Ashley said goodbye to Bryce and Laura, then walked across the road and entered Valentin¡¯s car. The sky was dark, and neon lights were shing on the road. Bryce couldn¡¯t see who hade to pick Ashley up and asked curiously, ¡°Laura, who is here to pick up Ashley?¡± Laura nced at him meaningfully. ¡°Observe for yourself.¡± Bryce put his hands in his pockets, looking tall and strong. Hearing her words, he was speechless. ¡°Why are you so secretive? Goodbye. I¡¯m going home.¡± Meanwhile, Ashley got into the car, sat in the passenger seat, and looked at Valentin in the driver¡¯s seat. Valentin wore a clean white shirt with two buttons unbuttoned at the cor, revealing part of his sexy corbone. One of his hands was casually resting on the steering wheel, his wrist bones were slightly protruding, his fingers were long and powerful, and he had a seductive charm. Ashley blinked, the corners of her red lips slightly curved. ¡°Thank you for picking me up again.¡± Valentin looked sideways at her. ¡°Thank you?¡± After two seconds, he spoke leisurely and meaningfully as if to remind her, ¡°You are my wife. Who else would | pick up if not you?¡± Ashley was silent. She thought, ¡®All right, | will never say thank you to him again. After returning to the Kingsley Vi, Ashley got out of the car and saw Toming sote. He must havee to Valentin for some critical work. ¡°Hello, Ms. Ramos.¡± Tom greeted with a smile. Ashley was surprised. ¡°Do you still have to work at such ate hour?¡± 10:7 ¡°Yes. | have to report to Mr. Kingsley on an important work.¡± Tom said. looking at Valentin aside Valentin nodded slightly. ¡°Go to the study After speaking, he looked at Ashley. ¡°Are you going to rest now Ashley said. ¡°Yes¡± She raised her hand to touch her neck, feeling a little itchy. In the car just now, Valentin saw her touching her neck asionally, so he couldn¡¯t help but ask ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Ashley frowned in annoyance and poured in displeasure. ¡®I feel a little itchy Valentin looked down at her. The next second, his eyes suddenly widened. The skin on Ashley¡¯s fair and tender neck was red and swollen. Ashley noticed his unusual reaction and was about to ask what was happening when she glimpsed her arm. She discovered red marks on her tender, fair skin, apanied by a slight numbness and itching She really wanted to scratch. The same went for her other arm, which looked a little scary. Ashley was a little frightened and murmured. Am sick? Just when she was frightened. Valentin suddenly held her hand and wrapped it in his warm palm. Ashley was startled and withdrew her hand, her eyes filled with tears, looking moist. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me now. | don¡¯t know what¡¯s wrong with me? She was afraid that she might infect him. Valentin hugged her directly and patted her back to soothe her. It¡¯s okay, Ashley. Don¡¯t be afraid. We are going to the hospital now. After speaking, he looked at Tom. His face suddenly turned cold and severe, looking extremely gloomy, ¡°Go to the hospital immediately and find the best experts!¡± Tom was stunned momentarily, then nodded at once. ¡°Yes!¡± He thought. No matter how important the work is, it can not be reported now because it is not as important as Ms. Ramos in Mr. Kingsley¡¯s eyes. Fifteen minutester, they arrived at the hospital entrance. The nurse on duty found the experts and doctors who had gone off work had returned in a hurry in the middle of the night. Even the director of the hospital rushed back. Wearing a white coat, the director led arge group of leading experts and hurried towards the hospital entrance. The nurse thought, ¡®Which...big shot came to our hospital?¡¯ Chapter 77 Chapter 77 Tom drove the car to the hospital as quickly as possible. The director of the hospital led a group of experts to greet Valentin immediately. Then he saw Valentin anxiously getting out of the car with a woman in his arms. Everyone recognized her at just one nce. The woman turned out to be Ashley, the female star who had been very popr on the Inte in the past two days. Everyone was stunned for a second. They thought, ¡®How did Ashley, a female star, get involved with Mr. Kingsley? Moreover, the rtionship between the two seems to be very close, and it looks like Mr. Kingsley cherishes Ashley very much.¡¯ However, it only took them a second to recover from their initial shock. The director immediately stepped forward and said, ¡°Mr. Kingsley, is this thedy who needs medical treatment? Mr. Shaw just told me about the general situation on the phone. Her condition is urgent. Let''s take thisdy to the consultation room first.¡± Valentin¡¯s face was dark. ¡°Okay.¡± After entering the consultation room, Ashley was helped to lie on the hospital bed, and several experts conducted a joint consultation. Tom wiped the sweat from his forehead and nced at Valentin, who kept frowning. Obviously, Valentin was very worried about Ashley¡¯s condition. Those experts did not dare to dy and immediately checked Ashley¡¯s condition. After all, Valentin brought her there personally, so they didn¡¯t dare to neglect her. Observing red and swollen patches on Ashley¡¯s exposed skin, several expertsmunicated in low voices, looked at Ashley, and asked, ¡°Ms. Ramos, do you feel chest tightness or numbness in your limbs now?¡± Ashley nodded. She felt tightness in her chest and even was short of breath. The most senior expert said, ¡°Ms. Ramos, you have a severe allergy. If it 10.271 it may lead to shock.¡± gets worse, it may Ashley thought, ¡®Allergy? Shock?¡¯ Ashley was startled. She was allergic to mangoes, but she didn¡¯t touch them today. The doctor immediately treated Ashley and checked her for allergens. Hearing the word ¡°shock¡±, Valentin frowned tighter, looking highly fearsome. In the ward, Ashley sat on the hospital bed receiving an infusion. The sensation of chest tightness gradually lessened. ¡°It turns out to be an allergy. I''ve inconvenienced so many experts by having theme to check on me...¡± She felt quite embarrassed. Tom¡¯s heart was still fluttering with fear. ¡°Ms. Ramos, the doctor just said that you might be in shock if your condition was more serious. Fortunately, we arrived in time. ¡°Moreover, Mr. Kingsley is very worried about your condition. Whether it is a serious or a minor illness, you cannot be careless!¡± Tom finally figured out that even if Ashley just had an ordinary fever, Valentin would be highly nervous, let alone that she was severely allergic. Hearing his words, Ashley nced at Valentin beside her. Just now, they didn¡¯t know she was allergic. The skin on her body was red and swollen, which looked so scary, but Valentin hugged her without any scruples andforted her not to be afraid. Ashley¡¯s fingers curled up unconsciously, and her heart inexplicably throbbed. Tom was very considerate and cleverly exited the ward, no longer being a third wheel there. Ashley and Valentin were the only ones left in the ward. Valentin sat down on the chair in front of the hospital bed and touched her head gently. ¡°Are you still feeling terrible now?¡± Ashley shook her head. The infusion had taken effect, and she wasn¡¯t so ufortable anymore. 10:27 However, she still felt the red and swollen skin on her arms itchy and couldn''t help but want to scratch it. Valentin held her down quickly, coaxing her, ¡°Just endure and don¡¯t touch it.¡± Due to the illness, Ashley''s normally clear eyes were now moist, and a hint of redness appeared at the corners, giving her a somewhat delicate. appearance. ¡°But it is really itchy. Let me scratch it just once. Please.¡± Valentin pressed her hand and coaxed her patiently in a deep and gentle. voice, ¡°Ashley, be good.¡± Ashley really felt her arms itch and wanted to scratch them. Valentin had no choice but to skillfully navigate around the infusion tube and gently pressed his fingers on the red and swollen patches on her arm. ¡°Do you feel better?¡± Ashley instantly felt less itchy and noddedfortably. Valentin pressed her arms gently and looked sideways at her. ¡°Did you eat mangoes?¡± Ashley immediately shook her head repeatedly. ¡°No!¡± She knew she was allergic to mangoes, so she couldn¡¯t take the in ive to eat mangoes to court death. Ashley was about to speak when she suddenly realized something asked curiously, ¡°Do you still remember that | am allergic to mang thought you had forgotten it.¡± Valentin nced at her leisurely and said with indescribable emotions, ¡°Of course, | remember everything rted to you.¡± Ashley was startled and blinked her eyes twice. ¡°No wonder you still hold a grudge against me for biting you when | was a kid.¡± Valentin was confused. He thought, ¡®Do | hold a grudge?¡± Valentin almostughed angrily and stared at her for a long time without saying a word. Suddenly, he leaned over and moved closer to her face.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. 10:27 Ashley¡¯s eyelids twitched, and she instinctively dodged backward. However, she was sitting on the hospital bed, with the wall behind her head, unable to escape at all. She couldn¡¯t help but hold her breath. ¡°Why are you so close to me?¡± Valentin stared at her, his gaze moving ambiguously down to her rosy lips. Immediately afterward, he said in a deep and sexy voice, with a bit of teasing, ¡°Since | hold a grudge against you, should | bite you as revenge?¡± Ashley¡¯s eyes widened in shock. She thought, ¡®Does he want to bite me?¡± Suddenly, a cell phone ringtone interrupted the ambiguous atmosphere. It was Ashley¡¯s mobile phone ringing. Ashley thought, ¡®It is almost midnight. Who is calling me?¡¯ Ashley took out her cell phone and looked at it. The caller ID was Kevin. Valentin naturally saw that name. A sense of oppression overflowed from him, and his eyes showed a hint of coldness and gloominess. Ashley took the opportunity to push him away. ¡°I''ll answer a phone.¡± After speaking, she swiped the screen to answer the call. Kevin¡¯s soothing voice came through the phone. ¡°Ashley, I¡¯m sorry to call you sote. I¡¯d like to ask you a favor.¡± Ashley asked in confusion, ¡°What¡¯s up? I¡¯m in the hospital now, so | may be unable to help you.¡± ¡°Hospital?¡± Hearing that, Kevin quickly asked, ¡°Are you sick? Why did you go to the hospital?¡± Ashley said, ¡°Allergy.¡± Kevin said, ¡°Allergy? What are you allergic to? Is it serious?¡± Ashley nced at the infusion bottle and answered briefly, ¡°It¡¯s not serious. | feel much better.¡± She felt more and more surprised that after so many years, Valentin still remembered that she was allergic to mangoes. 10:27 Kevin''s tone on the other end of the phone revealed a hint of ¡°Which hospital are you in? I''ll visit you now.¡± worry. The ward was very quiet. Vaguely Hearing Kevin¡¯s words, Valentin narrowed his eyes slightly and stared at Ashley silently. Ashley was so nervous when he looked at her that she couldn¡¯t help but make eye contact to ask him, ¡®What''s wrong?¡± Valentin was sitting in front of the hospital bed. His hand was pressed. under her arm when he teased her just now. He looked at his hand, which was pressed, and spoke without deliberately lowering his voice to ensure that the person on the other end of the phone could hear him. ¡°Baby, my hand is numb from your pressure.¡± Ashley was stunned for a moment. Chapter 78 Ashley¡¯s eyes widened in astonishment, her face a picture of disbelief. She thought to herself, ¡®Why did he call me baby?Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. ¡°Why did he say it so boldly!¡± On the other end of the phone, Kevin clearly heard these words. He was stunned for two seconds. Then his brows furrowed instantly. The sound of another man calling Ashley ¡®baby¡¯ reached his ears clearly, and he thought, ¡®It is such an intimate nickname. ¡®He mentioned that his hand was numb because she had pressed it for too long. He said it with such a flirtatious tone. ¡®Does Ashley have a boyfriend now? ¡®Is her boyfriend staying by her side the whole time she¡¯s sick in the hospital?¡± Awave of panic washed over Kevin, and he couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Ashley, is there someone with you?¡± Ashley cleared her throat and responded as naturally as she could, ¡°Yes. Anyway, why did you call me?¡± Kevin said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing important. Since you''re sick, | won¡¯t bother you further.¡± Ashley replied, ¡°Okay, | have other matters to attend to, so I''m going to hang up now.¡± Staring at the disconnected phone, Kevin furrowed his eyebrows tightly, the ambiguous sentence ¡°Baby, my hand is numb from your pressure¡± echoing in his ears, and he was lost in thought. After hanging up the phone in the hospital room, Ashley stared in disbelief at the man who started it all. ¡°What did you just say?¡± Valentin nced at his hand, his demeanor calm and even slightly innocent. ¡°My hand really did get numb because you had pressed it for too long.¡± She thought to herself, ¡®Fine.¡¯ Taking a deep breath and looking him straight in the eyes, Ashley uestioned. ¡°Then why did you suddenly call me baby?¡± alentin raised an eyebrow slightly. Would you prefer if | called you oney?¡± shley retorted. ¡°Would you just shut up? fter a moment of silence. Valentin moved a little closer to her. is expression grew gloomy as he looked deeply into Ashley¡¯s beautiful res. his voice low and slow. Are you so unwilling to let Kevin know bout our rtionship? shley blinked, her eyshes fluttered ¡°We are secretly married, after alentin¡¯s expression remained unchange, but a chilling and sinister eling crept up inside him. e thought to himself. ¡®She¡¯s still thinking of Kevin. ut then Ashley changed the topic abruptly ¡®However, it wouldn¡¯t really atter if Kevin knew about our marriage. It wouldn¡¯t make any ifference.¡± alentin stiffened suddenly. The gloom on his face vanished in an stant is eyes fixed intendy on Ashley. He did not want to miss a single coression on her face. ¡°You don¡¯t like Kevin anymore!¡± shley was taken aback. de thought to herself, ¡°What? dikdike Kevin before? Who started this rumor? nembriber now, | started it myself! prado de up tostory about liking a boy in her ss to call off her nged damarriage with Valentin in her childhood. evite lesbaga headache, rubbed her forehead and spoke. ¡®Of course, | tlike he hid fet¡¯s not bring up the past ides, assume you. i will be faithful to you. | will never engage in any propriate be behavior with another man while I¡¯m married to you!¡± Chapter 78 Hearing her say she no longer liked Kevin, Valentin felt an indescribable joy surge within him like crazy. But as she continued, his brow furrowed imperceptibly. ¡°So, you can engage in any inappropriate behavior with other men after we divorce?¡± ¡°Of course, we''ll be free once we divorce.¡± Ashley calcted quickly in her mind. ¡°We should be able to get a divorce in about half a year.¡± The joy in Valentin¡¯s heart vanished as if he had been doused by a bucket of cold water. He thought to himself, ¡®She¡¯s looking forward to divorcing me this much. ¡®She wants to sever ties with me that badly.¡¯ Valentin stared at her without a word. After a long silence, he spoke with a meaningful tone. ¡°ording to the agreement, we are to fulfill marital duties during our marriage.¡± Ashley was very confused. ¡°Marital duties?¡± Valentin leisurely raised an eyebrow and slowly uttered a few teasing words. ¡°Like sleeping together.¡± The moment he finished speaking, Ashley waspletely stunned. Valentin reached out and gently ruffled her hair, smiling softly, ¡°Good girl.¡± Ashley was speechless. Before long, she finished her IV treatment, and a nurse came over to remove the needle. Ashley btedly realized that the itchiness from the allergic reaction on her skin had stopped, and although it had notpletely healed, the redness and swelling had subsided somewhat. The hospital director arrived with a few specialists. The leading expert, holding an allergy test report, said, ¡°Ms. Ramos, ording to our tests, you are allergic to mangoes and also to items containing propylene glycol.¡± Ashley was confused. ¡°Propylene glycol?¡± The expert exined seriously, ¡°Some air fresheners contain this 10:27 ingredient. Contact with it could trigger your allergic reactions. Just avoid. it in the future.¡± Ashley suddenly understood. That evening, she had gone out to dinner with Bryce and Laura. After the meal, she went to the restroom, where the strong scent of air freshener likely contained an excessive amount of propylene glycol, causing her allergy. Ashley nodded. ¡°Thank you. I''ll remember that.¡± The specialists checked on Ashley once more. After a thorough discussion, they concluded. ¡°Ms. Ramos, your allergies have improved significantly. With some antiallergic medication, you should fully recover in about three days.¡± Ashley¡¯s expression brightened. ¡°Thank you!¡± The experts hastily said, ¡°No need to thank us. It¡¯s our duty to treat and save patients.¡± Only then did the specialists breathe a sigh of relief, thinking, ¡®We''ve finally managed to treat the patient Mr. Kingsley had brought in without any mishaps, and we can report back sessfully! Tom stepped forward to get the medication with the specialists and noted the usage instructions. Ashley didn¡¯t need to be hospitalized and was helped into the car by Valentin. She returned to the Kingsley Vi. Having heard that Ashley was ill, Zain couldn¡¯t rest easy and rushed over from the Kingsley Manor in the middle of the night. Seeing Ashley return from the hospital, he asked anxiously, ¡°Ashley, how do you feel now? Are you still ufortable anywhere?¡± Ashley felt warm and responded with a vibrant smile, ¡°Mr. Kingsley, I¡¯m much better now. You shouldn¡¯t have troubled yourself coming here sote.¡± ¡°| was worried about you. | had to see for myself, Zain scrutinized Ashley from head to toe and replied, his concern evident as he noticed her still 10:27 somewhat swollen skin, ¡°You''ve suffered a lot, Ashley.¡± Ashley managed a wry smile. ¡°Not at all, Grandpa. I¡¯m almostpletely better now.¡± Zain then turned to Valentin. ¡°I asked you to take good care of Ashley. How did you let this happen?¡± Valentin readily epted the me, saying, ¡°I was negligent this time.¡± Ashley was speechless. She thought to herself, ¡®It¡¯s not his fault. ¡®Itwas my fault. | identally ate something that triggered my allergies. Ashley quickly changed the subject. ¡°Grandpa, it¡¯ste. Don¡¯t rush back today. Why don¡¯t you stay here tonight?¡± Zain beamed with a smile. ¡°Alright, Ashley, you¡¯re so considerate! It¡¯ste, and you''ve been sick. You should go upstairs and rest early.¡± Saying this, Zain asked Valentin to apany Ashley to rest. However, upon going upstairs, Zain realized they weren¡¯t staying in the same room but were sleeping separately. Frowning in displeasure, Zain asked, ¡°Valentin, why aren¡¯t you ar Ashley sleeping together?¡± He thought to himself, ¡®I don¡¯t oftene to the Kingsley Vi, a didn¡¯t know Valentin and Ashley have been sleeping separately. ¡®How long will it take for me to have my great-grandchild?¡¯ Zain looked at them and probed. ¡°Are you two fighting?¡± Ashley instinctively shook her head. ¡°No.¡± Relieved yet puzzled, Zain insisted, ¡°If you aren''t fighting, you shouldn''t sleep separately. You¡¯re married. Don¡¯t be like this anymore.¡± Ashley didn¡¯t know how to respond. She looked at Valentin, who appearedpletely unruffled by the situation. Under Zain¡¯s urging, Ashley had no choice but to enter the master bedroom with Valentin. Chapter 78 Ashley¡¯s heart skipped a beat as the bedroom door closed behind them. She thought, ¡®He just said in the hospital that we need to fulfill our marital duties, and now we¡¯re going to share a bed tonight?¡± Chapter 79 Ashley nced ufortably at Valentin and said, ¡°I¡¯m going to take a shower first.¡± She then went into the bathroom with her change of clothes. In fact, this wasn¡¯t the first time she had shared a bed with Valentin. Thest time at the vacation vi, she had woken up in Valentin¡¯s arms after a night of heavy drinking.. But at that time, she had been drunk, whereas now she waspletely. sober, which inevitably made her feel a bit uneasy. After her shower, Ashley came out of the bathroom to find Valentin standing by the window on a call, seemingly discussing work matters. She quietly dried her hair with a towel without a word. Valentin had noticed her as soon as she came out of the bathroom and had said a couple of words to the person on the phone before hanging ¡®ib He turned around, saw Ashley drying her hair in a leisurely way, walked over, and picked up the hairdryer. ¡°Let me do that.¡± The truth was, he thoroughly enjoyed taking care of her every need The soft sound of the hair dryer filled the room. Valentin held the dryer with one hand while his other hand gentlybed through her hair, The warm air lightly blew on her head, and Ashley closed her eyes infort, looking as content as a cat basking in the afternoon sun. Soon, her hair was dry.N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. Ashley walked over to the vanity, arranging her hair in front of the mirror. Valentin¡¯s gaze followed her. He watched Ashley in the mirror. Ashley¡¯s features were delicately beautiful, her lips naturally red, and her skin wless. Her eyes, fresh from the shower, seemed to sparkle, making her look 10271 exceptionally enchanting. As Ashley brushed her long hair, she noticed Valentin¡¯s steady gaze in the mirror and met his eyes. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to take a shower?¡± Valentin raised an eyebrow yfully. ¡°Will you dry my hair if | do?¡± Ashley snorted with arrogance. ¡°In your dreams. Dry it yourself.¡± Valentin chuckled at her response, shaking his head indulgently. While Valentin showered, Ashley crawled under the covers and browsed- her phone.. There was nothing interesting in the news, not even any gossip. As she aimlessly scrolled through her phone, the bathroom door opened, and Valentin emerged after taking the shower. Immediately. Ashley tossed her phone aside, closed her eyes, and pretended to be asleep. She thought to herself, I¡¯m not fulfilling any marital duties tonight!¡± Valentin, drying his hair with a towel, nced at Ashley, lying quietly on the bed. He paused slightly and approached. He saw Ashley motionless on the bed, seemingly deep in sleep. Valentin nonchntly raised an eyebrow. He bent down, reaching out with his right hand to lightly scratch her waist. His fingers were well-defined. Instantly, Ashley¡¯s body tensed, and even the eyeballs beneath her lids couldn¡¯t help but move. Valentin¡¯s brows raised again, a teasing smile on his face. He had grown up with Ashley and knew her too well, certainly aware of her most ticklish spots. He reached out again, lightly scratching her waist. Unable to resist, Ashley suddenly moved away. She could not take it anymore, so she opened her eyes, wide and indignant, ring at him as anger surged within her. 10:27 Valentin smiled softly, his voice gentle. ¡°So you''re not pretending to sleep anymore?¡± Being found out, Ashley turned her back to him, refusing to admit it. ¡°Who¡¯s pretending? | was just getting sleepy, about to fall asleep, okay?¡± Amused by her antics, Valentin teased, ¡°Don¡¯t you need me to tell you a bedtime story?¡± Ashley retorted, ¡°I¡¯m not a child anymore.¡± She used to pester him for bedtime stories as a child, but now, she didn¡¯t need them anymore. Ashleyy on her side, and soon, she felt the mattress behind her dip slightly as Valentiny down. Valentin¡¯s clean and refreshing scent wafted over, ambiguously lingering at her nose, very prominent. Ashley¡¯s body tensed slightly, her heartbeat uncontrobly quickening. Seeing Ashley lying on her side, Valentin said nothing and made no extra movements. He just reached out to turn off the light. The beautiful moonlight spilled in through the gaps in the curtains. In the quiet, Ashley stealthily turned her head for a nce. Valentin¡¯s eyes were closed, and he seemed to have fallen asleep. Ashley sighed in relief. She had been through a lot that day, even making a trip to the hospital in the evening, and she was quite tired. As soon as she rxed, she fell asleep without realizing it. Valentin opened his eyes in the darkness, his expression indifferent, showing no signs of fatigue or readiness to sleep. He turned to look at Ashley beside him. Ashley¡¯s profile, illuminated by the moonlight, was stunningly beautiful, breathtakingly attractive. Valentin¡¯s expression softened, and with a gentle motion, he scooped her into his arms. He fell asleep holding her. 10:271 Chapter 79 The next morning, Ashley woke from her sleep. Barely awake, she opened her eyes only to find herself facing Valentin¡¯s warm, firm chest. Her hand was inside Valentin¡¯s pajama top, touching his abs. Ashley was shocked. Her legs, too, had entwined themselves tightly around Valentin¡¯s legs, like the octopus¡¯. Ashley was stunned for a second before fully awakening. She thought, ¡®How did I end up in Valentin¡¯s arms again? I''m holding him so tightly!¡± ¡®| don¡¯t have a habit of clinging to someone in my sleep, so why do | always end up clinging to him?¡± Ashley swallowed nervously and cautiously looked up. Valentin was quietly closing his eyes, his longshes casting a faint shadow beneath them, his breathing shallow, still in slumber. Ashley prepared to quietly pull away. But as soon as she moved, Valentin woke up, slowly opening his Ashley quickly stopped moving. Valentin looked down and nced at Ashley entangled around hi Adam¡¯s apple moving slightly, and he couldn''t help but let out a pl chuckle. ¡°Why are you holding me so tight?¡± Valentin¡¯s voice, hoarse from just waking up, was sexy and enticing. Ashley suddenly felt a numbness throughout her body, especially near her tailbone, and she felt her earlobes getting hot. Irritated and embarrassed, she pushed him away and leaped out of bed as if escaping. She hadn''t run two steps when Valentin¡¯snguid and cozy voice came from behind her. He leisurely called out to her. ¡°You sleep with me and then run off, not even giving me an exnation?¡± 10.271 Chapter 80 Chapter 80 Ashley nearly fell headfirst, turning around huffily. ¡°I did not sleep with you!¡± Valentin sat up leisurely from the bed, his pajamas disheveled, revealing his firm chest, looking like someone who had been taken advantage of. Ashley was speechless. Suddenly, her eyelids trembled violently, and she ran guiltily into the bathroom. It took several deep breaths for her to calm her racing heart. She thought, ¡®Anyway, Zain is returning to the Kingsley Manor today, so he won''t see whether Valentin and | sleep separately. ¡®| will never share a bed with him again. ¡®Why does he always take advantage of me? It¡¯s so annoying. After breakfast, Zain chatted with Ashley for a while before leaving for the Kingsley Manor. Before leaving, he reminded her to take care of herself and asked Valentin to look after her well. Implicitly, he hoped Valentin and Ashley would sleep together in t future, not in separate rooms. Ashley obediently agreed, but inwardly, she ignored his suggestion. She thought, Just sleeping together for one night, and | let Valentin take liberties with me. If we sleep together every day, what will happen? ¡®We better sleep separately in the future. ¡°It''s strange, though. | clearly went to bed on the other side, so how did | end up in his arms when | woke up?¡± After taking her medicine today, Ashley felt her allergy symptoms had significantly improved. The most important thing with allergies was to avoid the allergens so she could recover quickly. 10:28 By the third day, the swelling and redness on Ashley¡¯s body hadpletely subsided, and her skin was as smooth and delicate as before. The hospital specialists lived up to their reputation. They said it would take three days, and she recovered within three days. As Ashley was looking at herself in the mirror, her phone pinged several times with a barrage of messages from Joseph. Joseph texted: [Ashley, are you sick? Allergic?] Joseph texted: [I was out of the country for a couple of days. | just got back today and heard from Grandpa that you had an allergy. How are you feeling? Better now?] Joseph texted: [With you being ill, Valentin must be beside himself with worry.] Joseph texted: [Valentin must be so worried he can¡¯t even eat!] Ashley was speechless.. She thought, Joseph, this jokester, always talks nonsense. ¡®But he¡¯s actually right this time. ¡®For the past few days, Valentin has been watching me take my medication on time and is constantly concerned about my conditio more worried about my health than | am! Ashley typed on her phone, texting him: [I¡¯m already better. I¡¯m fully recovered now.] Joseph replied instantly: [That¡¯s a relief!] Joseph texted: [I¡¯m transferring you some money to celebrate your recovery. May all the annoying sicknesses go away!] Joseph transferred a substantial amount of money into her bank ount. She looked at her phone screen, which was full of bank transfer notifications. Ashley was surprised. She thought, ¡®Why is Joseph suddenly giving me so much money. After the transfer, Joseph made a video call. Ashley casually answered, ¡°What''s up?¡± Joseph first checked to see if she had indeed recovered, then rxed and said cheerfully. ¡°Ashley, | want to take you out tomorrow. A friend of mine is opening a club, and he¡¯s invited me. Since | have nothing else to do, | thought I¡¯d invite you and Valentin to join.¡± Ashley thought for a moment. ¡°I''ll ask Valentin.¡± Valentin was in the upstairs study, working. Ashley chatted with Joseph as she walked upstairs and knocked on the study door before entering. Valentin was sitting behind the desk, lightly tapping on theputer keyboard, his fingers long and graceful. Seeing her, he temporarily stopped his work. Ashley walked over and showed him her phone screen. ¡°Joseph is inviting you out.¡± Valentin nced at Joseph in the video call, then looked up at her. ¡°Do you want to go?¡± Ashley looked unenthusiastic. ¡°Not really.¡± Hearing she didn¡¯t want to go, Valentin was even less interested. He looked at Joseph on the screen, saying with a cold tone, ¡°No.¡± Joseph was taken aback, about to protest. Suddenly, Ashley changed her mind, looking excitedly at Valentin, smiling slyly, ¡°You¡¯re not going? That¡¯s great, I''ll go!¡± Valentin was stunned. On the other end of the phone, Joseph couldn¡¯t help but burst outughing. Valentin gave him a cold look. Joseph immediately stoppedughing, cing his hand over his mouth and zipping his lip, daring only tough silently in his heart. Valentin abruptly hung up the video call. He reached out, grabbed Ashley''s wrist forcefully, and pulled her into his 10:281 embrace.N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. Ashley had been standing next to the desk while Valentin sat in the chair. Caught off guard by his pull, she suddenly found herself sitting on Valentin¡¯sp. Ashley gasped in surprise, eximing, ¡°What are you doing?¡± Valentin¡¯s eyes fixed on her, his expression a mix of anusement and something yful. She had a bad feeling. ¡°Ashley, what did you mean by that just now?¡± Puffing her cheeks, Ashley smirked triumphantly. ¡°Nothing much. I¡¯m just saying if you don¡¯t go, | will.¡± As she tried to rise from his embrace, Valentin wrapped his arms around her waist, firmly keeping her seated on hisp, his eyes narrowing slightly. ¡°So, you really don¡¯t want to go with me?¡± Unustomed to such intimacy with him, Ashley immediately dropped her yful demeanor. ¡°I was just joking, teasing you. Let go of me first.¡± Valentin didn¡¯t loosen his grip, half-jokingly saying, ¡°But now I¡¯m a bit angry.¡± Ashley looked puzzled. Right after he said this, she suddenly felt a pain in her chin. Valentin leaned down and gently bit her chin. Ashley¡¯s eyes widened in pure shock, her expression a mix of disbel and confusion. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Still holding her waist, Valentin lifted his other hand to caress her chin. cozy smile appeared on his face, his fingers distinct. ¡°I can¡¯t really do anything to you, so | have to vent my frustration like this.¡± Ashley was stunned. Valentin leaned in again, his nose gently touching against hers in an intimate and affectionate gesture. This act made Ashley¡¯s heart flutter, her eyshes trembling like the wings of a startled butterfly, her fingers involuntarily clenching. Still seated on Valentin¡¯sp, she instinctively tried to stand up. Valentin¡¯s arm around her waist tightened suddenly, preventing her from moving. He leaned down, their foreheads lightly touching, his longshes casting a shadow as he gazed at her with intense and seductive eyes. Ashley¡¯s heart skipped a beat. In the next second, Valentin¡¯s kissnded on her lips. He kissed her lips without hesitation. Ashley¡¯s heart fluttered, and at that moment, her face flushed with a surge of warmth. As she tried to pull away, Valentin held the back of her head, deepening the kiss insistently. Apart from a drunken incident before, this was the first time she kissed. him sober. That thrilling, tingling sensation washed over her body like a tidal wave. Ashley¡¯s mind went nk, feeling as if all her strength had been drained, leaving her limp in his arms. Valentin, looking down, gently kissed her moist lips, pressing the back of her head with one hand and intertwining his fingers with hers with the other, their fingers interlocked. Send Gift Comment 10:28 Chapter 81 Chapter 81 Ashley had no idea how long time had passed. She got up from Valentin¡¯s embrace, her face flushed red, feeling both shy and embarrassed. She was even close to tears, appearing delicate and charming. ¡°Valentin, you...¡° She paused, then shouted in a fit of bashful anger, ¡°I¡¯m giving you the cold shoulder! No, I¡¯m cutting ties with you! Forever!¡± Valentin slightly raised his eyebrows and stood up. Ashley suddenly became nervous, fearing he might kiss her again, and immediately turned and ran out of the study. She went back into her room, leaning against the door, breathing erratically, with weak legs. She couldn''t help but touch her lips, her heart racing and taking a long time to calm down. The next morning, Joseph, dressed in a shy pink shirt and hooking his sunsses with his slender fingers, walked into the living room with a carefree demeanor. ¡°Good morning, Ashley. Remember we nned to go to the club? I¡¯m here to pick you both up!¡± Ashley, ¡°Both of us?¡± Joseph nced at Valentin sitting on the couch, smiling. ¡°Yes, you and Valentin. Ashley frowned in annoyance, ¡°He¡¯s not going.¡± Valentin was quite surprised. He thought to himself, ¡®Sheesh, | really upset Ashley yesterday.¡± ¡°Valentin, aren¡¯t youing?¡± Joseph wanted to ask Valentin again, but Ashley quickly pulled him out. the door. Joseph had no choice but to send a text: [Valentin, are you really noting?] Valentin replied: [Take her to have fun first. I''lle overter.] 09:32 Joseph sent back: [Okay, waiting for you! Hurry up!] at On their way to the club, Joseph asionally nced Ashley in the passenger seat, his eyes rolling around inquisitively before he ventured to ask, ¡°Ashley, did you and Valentin have a fight?¡± Ashley rested her elbow on the car window and supported her forehead. ¡°Why do you ask?¡± Joseph looked up, his tone smug. ¡°You left Valentin alone at home just now. I¡¯m so clever. | figured it out!¡± Ashley nced at him. ¡°Why are you so nosy?¡± Joseph raised an eyebrow, grinning yfully. ¡°Gossip brings joy! Ashley,e on. Did you fight with Valentin or not?¡± Ashley replied, ¡°It¡¯s not exactly a fight.¡± Joseph persisted. ¡°Then what happened? A little tiff?¡± Ashley replied, ¡°Not really that either. Ashley thought of the kiss from the day before. Her earlobes grew hot. again, and her heart skipped a beat. Joseph couldn¡¯t get the whole story, but from Ashley¡¯s expression, he felt that it seemed less like a fight and more like flirting. Joseph was dying of curiosity to know what exactly had happened. They arrived at the club. Joseph drove right in. As soon as they parked, the club¡¯s owner came over to greet them, showing a familiar and respectful attitude towards Joseph. Although Joseph and the club owner were friends, Ashley could tell that his family¡¯s powerful background meant that the owner always treated. him with the utmost respect. Since it was the grand opening, the owner was busy with lots of things, so Joseph didn¡¯t ask for special treatment and just said they would enjoy themselves. After the pleasantries, the club owner left to attend to other matters. Joseph led Ashley inside. ¡°Ashley, see if there¡¯s anything you want to do. Let¡¯s have a st today.¡± 2/6 09:32 The club wasrge and luxurious, with unique decor. Besides indoor entertainment facilities, there was also an outdoor horseback riding area, a golf course, and a shooting range. Only the wealthy and prominent. frequented this ce. The weather today was great, with clear, sunny skies. Ashley didn¡¯t want to stay indoors, so she headed to an outdoor recreation area. Joseph, looking at a nearby horse ranch, suddenly remembered. ¡°Right, Ashley, | saw you on that variety show before. You are quite skilled at horseback riding.¡± Ashley smiled slightly, ¡°I used to like it as a kid, so | learned horse training.¡±This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Joseph suggested. ¡°Shall we go for a ride then?¡± -Ashley agreed, ¡°Sure.¡± Ashley and Joseph walked towards the horse ranch. Before they reached the ranch, Ashley spotted a tall man from a distance He had distinctive bangs in front of his forehead and wore a silver earring in his left ear. It was Bryce. When Ashley saw Bryce, he also saw her and Joseph by her side. Bryce was momentarily surprised, thinking, ¡°Why are these twoing together? ¡®It seems like they''ve arranged toe here together for fun.¡± Bryce had heard that Ashley and Joseph were friends but thought they were just casual friends. He hadn¡¯t expected their rtionship to be this close. He felt that there was more than friendship between them. Joseph was the general manager of Royal Entertainment, which made him Bryce¡¯s boss. However, Bryce had always been rebellious and unreserved, and he got along well with Joseph. Bryce dismounted from his horse and greeted Joseph. ¡°Mr. Fox.¡± 00-32 After saying that, he turned to Ashley with a fake smile. ¡°What a coincidence. Joseph saw Brycee down from the horse and almost immediately thought of that famous scene from the variety show. Holding back.ughter, he asked, ¡°Bryce,st time on the show, your horse went out of control. Ashley chased it down and jumped onto your horse, and you ended up in her arms. How did that feel?¡± Bryce was embarrassed. He thought to himself, ¡®Why bring up the most embarrassing thing? ¡°This issue is almost turning into a dark chapter of my past!¡± Ashley chuckled teasingly, ¡°I forgot to ask you too. How did it feel? Tell Us. Bryce fell silent. He thought, ¡®My image is ruined. How could | feel anything good?¡¯ Not wanting to dwell on it, Bryce pointed to the nearby track, determined to redeem himself. ¡°Ashley, we didn¡¯t have a proper contest on the variety show. How about we have apetition today?¡± Ashley¡¯s eyebrows raised. ¡°Sure.¡± She felt like going for a ride anyway. Joseph did not participate. He just stood by, watching their race. Like on the variety show, Ashley chose a pure white horse, gorgeous and graceful. Bryce rode a ck horse. With the sound of a whistle, their horses took off from the starting line at the same time. Bryce quickly realized that Ashley¡¯s horse-riding skills were superb. She could control not only the speed of the horse but also its burst of energy. At the start, Ashley shot off like an arrow released from a bow, leaving Bryce far behind. Being left behind at the start, Bryce had no chance of catching up. Unsurprisingly, Ashley reached the finish line first. 09:32 Several dozen secondster, Bryce arrived on his horse. ¡°Ashley, you''re too fast.¡± Joseph whistled and pped proudly. ¡°You are impressive as ever, Ashley, amazing!¡± Ashley pulled on the reins, dismounted gracefully, and patted the horse¡¯s neck as if to reward it. ¡°Finally, I''ve had a satisfying ride.¡± Not willing to admit defeat, Bryce looked down at her from atop his horse with a triumphant smile. ¡°Ashley, besides horse riding, what else are you good at? Let¡¯s have anotherpetition.¡± He refused to believe he couldn''t win against her. Hearing that, Ashley pondered the question for a moment. She thought to herself, ¡®What else am | good at? If | were to list everything I¡¯m good at, it would take quite a while to finish.¡¯ Ashley looked around and spotted a shooting range not far away, her face. beaming with an idea. ¡°I¡¯m also quite fond of shooting.¡± Bryce snorted with augh, ¡°Perfect. | enjoy shooting too. Let¡¯s see who''s better.¡± They went to the shooting range. Joseph quietly pulled Ashley aside and whispered, ¡°Ashley, | hadn¡¯t realized you were into shooting. Valentin likes it too!¡± When Ashley heard this, her eyebrows rose slightly, her face beaming. ¡°I know.¡± Joseph was taken aback. ¡°You know that? You know Valentin likes shooting?¡± Ashley confirmed, ¡°Of course.¡± She learned about shooting together with Valentin as a child. She was all too familiar with Valentin¡¯s shooting skills. Joseph''s eyes rolled around as he asked with curiosity, ¡°So, who¡¯s a better shot, you or Valentin?¡± Chapter 82 Chapter 82 Ashley smiled slightly and deliberately yed coy, saying, ¡°Guess.¡± Joseph was speechless. He thought to himself, ¡®Don¡¯t leave me hanging like this!¡± The people who came to this club were all wealthy or famous. Somet recognized Bryce and Ashley as celebrities and only nced curiously, without crowding around them, despite their recent online fame. The guns at this shooting range were very realistic, almost indistinguishable from the real thing. With high spirits, Bryce stood at the track. ¡°Ashley, let us each take three shots. Whoever scores higher wins.¡± Ashley replied, ¡°Okay.¡± Bryce didn¡¯t dawdle. He picked up the gun next to him and aimed at the target with a very cool and professional posture, obviously well-practiced. After aiming, he decisively pulled the trigger. With a bang, the bullet shot out. The shooting range was equipped with electronic scorekeepers. As soon. as the bullet hit its target, the nearby electronic screen quickly disyed the result: [10 points.] Bryce fired two more shots, and the scorer disyed: [10 points, 10 points.] So, after three shots, Bryce scored 10 points on each. Joseph gave a thumbs up. ¡°You''re damn too good! Every shot¡¯s perfect!¡± Bryce didn¡¯t know what to say. He thought to himself, ¡®Nice praise, but don¡¯t tter me like that again. Knowing Joseph¡¯s yful and carefree character, Bryce epted this unconventionalpliment with ease. Bryce looked towards Ashley with a teasing smile. ¡°How about that?¡± Ashley nodded. ¡°Very good.¡± 100 20-60 Chapter $2 She thought to herself, ¡®His skills are genuinely impressive. It¡¯s amazing for someone to hit a 10-pointer. ¡°But to hit three consecutive 10-pointers is not something an ordinary person can achieve. Joseph suddenly interrupted, waving his fist, ¡°Ashley, | can praise him, but you shouldn¡¯t! Don¡¯t boost his ego and dampen your spirit. Go on. Beat him!¡± Bryce was at a loss for words. He thought. Why do | feel like Joseph is so biased?¡± Joseph was just joking. After all, with Bryce scoring 10 points on every shot, even if Ashley was a good shooter, how could she surpass him? ¡°Ashley, you should just...¡± Before Joseph could finish, Ashley raised her gun and fired three shots without even aiming. The scorer disyed. [10 points.] [10 points.] [10 points.] Joseph''s eyes widened in shock, his face dumbfounded. He thought to himself. ¡®Holy crap, that was fast! ¡®| hadn''t even finished speaking, and she fired three shots without aiming! ¡®She hit 10 points on each shot so quickly!¡± ¡°Ashley, you''re too fast! | don¡¯t even shoot this fast in video games! No exaggeration, you could match a professional sniper!¡± Joseph couldn¡¯t stop praising her, chattering away. Bryce was energized, suddenly excited, thinking, ¡®Ashley¡¯s shooting skills. are truly extraordinary! ¡®Without aiming to hit consecutive 10-pointers, and so swiftly. ¡®It took me at least thirty seconds to make those three shots. ¡®But it took Ashley less than a second from shooting to finishing!¡± ¡°Ashley, you...¡± 1 Bryce couldn''t finish his sentence, filled with immense admiration for Ashley¡¯s shooting skills.. But this also meant that he had lost to Ashley in this contest, which was frustrating for him. Ashley nced at Bryce, struck by an idea, and raised her pistol again. towards the target. target. But this time, the scoreboard showed: [6.2 points.] [5.5 points.] [3.6 points.] Joseph was momentarily dumbfounded, thinking to himself, ¡®What''s going on?¡¯ Bryce was also at a loss. But the next moment, Bryce¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. Surprisingly, the spots where Ashley had hit the target formed the shape of a star. Joseph gasped in amazement. He thought, ¡®Holy cow, how is this even possible?¡¯ ¡°Ashley, are you shooting or drawing!¡± Joseph was utterly impressed. He had seen and experienced all sorts of things in his life, but this was the first time he had seen someone draw on a shooting target! She had drawn a star! He thought, ¡®Could this be any more astonishing? ¡®Her shooting skills are beyond words! ¡®It''s something ordinary people just can¡¯t do. 09:32 ¡°Wait, she drew a star on the targets? ¡®Doesn''t Bryce like stars?¡± Suddenly, Joseph felt irked, turned around, and blocked Ashley¡¯s path. ¡°I¡¯m upset now! The kind of upset that¡¯s not easily soothed! You can¡¯t just draw a star for him! | want one, too!¡± Ashley asked, ¡°What do you want? If your favorite pattern is tooplex, it might not be possible to draw it for me.¡± Joseph raised an eyebrow, had a suave and charming smile, but said, ¡°My lucky number is 2. Can you shoot a pattern 2 for me?¡± Ashley chuckled inwardly. She thought, ¡°This silly guy!¡¯ Ashley raised her pistol with ease and fired several shots at the ad target, perfectly outlining the shape of a number 2. Joseph was very Satisfied. ¡°Not bad. Very nice! | like it!¡± Ashley was speechless. In delight at his pattern 2, Joseph couldn''t resist snapping a photo with his phone, feeling the urge to show off on Twitter. After tweeting, he turned around and noticed Bryce still intently staring at the star on the target. Just as Joseph was about to call out to him, he caught sight of a few people not far away. Joseph, stunned, looked over with narrowed eyes and chuckled disdainfully. He thought, ¡°What a small world.. To run into disagreeable people even here! Joseph whispered, nudging Ashley with his elbow, reminding her, ¡°Ashley, look over there. It''s Matthew, Jeremy, and Jessica.¡± Upon hearing this, Ashley looked over with an expressionless face. Jeremy, spotting Ashley from afar, ran over excitedly. ¡°Ashley! Are you here to have fun too? ¡°I''ve been calling you every day, but I¡¯m always on your block list. Ashley, can you stop blocking me? | promise not to bother you!¡± Jeremy knew Ashley blocked him but still couldn¡¯t help calling her several times a day. He hoped that maybe Ashley would unblock him someday. However, every call he made was unsessful. Ashley never unblocked him. Jeremy was neither discouraged nor disappointed, thinking, ¡®It''s because | was too bad in the past. I¡¯ve hurt Ashley deeply. ¡°It''s understandable that Ashley doesn¡¯t want to forgive me just yet. Matthew, following behind and seeing Jeremy so submissive to Ashley, was irritated. ¡°Jeremy, why are you so subservient before this dam woman...¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Jeremy interrupted Matthew before Matthew could finis gave him a stern look. ¡°Matthew, Ashley is my biological sister, my only sister. | won¡¯t allow to speak ill of her! Otherwise, don¡¯t me me for being rude!¡± Matthew frowned, ¡°Jeremy.¡± Jessica, biting her lip with discontent, thought, Jeremy used to defend met like this, but now, he¡¯s all about protecting that wretch Ashley. After reprimanding him, Jeremy turned back to Ashley, hastily exining, ¡°Ashley, | didn¡¯te here to hang out with them. Now, just seeing Jessica annoys me.¡± Jessica, who thought she had misheard, bit her lip even harder. Without paying any attention to them, Jeremy looked at Ashley, full of care and concern.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. ¡°Ashley, | came with them just to keep an eye on them, to prevent Matthew and Jessica from plotting against you.¡± Matthew was stunned upon being mentioned by Jeremy. Jessica thought she had misheard. Chapter 83 Matthew was immediately displeased. Jeremy, how can you scold her like that? Look at Jessica. She¡¯s just a girl, and you¡¯ve made her cry!¡± Jessica¡¯s eyes reddened, her expressionplex, tears welled up in her eyes. Jeremy sneered coldly, retorting sharply to Matthew, ¡°You feel sorry for Jessica because she¡¯s a girl, and don¡¯t let me scold her, but what about the way you scolded Ashley just now?¡± Matthew was suddenly at a loss for words. But he didn¡¯t think he was wrong. He thought to himself, Jessica is my dearest sister. Of course, I''ll defend her. ¡®Besides, how could Ashley evenpare to Jessica? She¡¯s not worth it!¡± After Jeremyshed out at Matthew, he turned his cold gaze to Jessica. ¡°Stop pretending. | just mentioned you in one sentence, and you cry like this. When you took credit for Ashley¡¯s achievements, why didn¡¯t you. cry? Now you''re shedding crocodile tears!¡± Jessica¡¯s trembling stopped abruptly. She hadn''t expected Jeremy to criticize her so publicly without sparing her feelings. With tears in her eyes, Jessica said, ¡°Jeremy, it was my fault for taking credit for Ashley¡¯s work, and | won''t deny it. | hope Ashley can forgive me, and I¡¯m willing to do anything you ask!¡± However, Jeremy remained unmoved, scolding with disgust. ¡°Enough, stop pretending! | feel sick seeing this pretense! If you truly feel. sorry for Ashley, then do something about it. Don¡¯t just talk. ¡°Start now. Look at Ashley and apologize! Admit that you framed her and took her credit! Do you dare?¡± Jessica¡¯s expression froze. She thought, Jeremy actually wants me to apologize sincerely to Ashley? ¡®How could | want to do that! ¡®But | just boasted that I¡¯d do anything if Ashley forgave me. 115 09:39 ¡®If | now show I¡¯m unwilling to apologize sincerely, wouldn¡¯t | be contradicting myself? It will be a p in the face.¡± Bryce and Joseph, who had been worried that the Ramos family would bully Ashley, stood quietly by her side, never expecting to witness such a dramatic scene of an internal dispute in the Ramos family. Ashley, protected by them, felt somewhat speechless. She thought, I¡¯m really not that fragile. Jessica, biting her lower lip, nced at Jeremy, whose face was unpleasant, even expressionless. She wanted to change Jeremy¡¯s view of her, to have his favor returned to her, so she took the plunge. She was extremely reluctant, but Jessica suddenly stepped forward, approached Ashley, and burst into tears. ¡°Ashley, Jeremy is right. | owe you an apology! ¡°| was too young and foolish before, taking your credit and even falsely. using you of abandoning Jeremy and running away. Ashley, | truly realize my mistake, and | sincerely apologize, begging for your forgiveness!¡± Ashley looked down at the apologetic Jessica, her beautiful face. emotionless. Bryce and Joseph looked on as if watching a drama. They thought, ¡®Forgive Jessica?¡± Deep down, they hoped Ashley would never forgive the Ramos family. At that moment, Jeremy earnestly said, ¡°Ashley, let''s ignore her. Jessica. definitely isn¡¯t truly remorseful!¡± Jessica, who was crying her eyes out, stopped at his words, her face unable to maintain its repentant expression. She shouted in disbelief, ¡°Jeremy!¡± She thought, ¡®It was Jeremy who asked me to apologize sincerely to Ashley. ¡®Now it¡¯s Jeremy telling Ashley to ignore me. 09:32 Chapter RT ¡®How can he do this? Is he ying with me?¡¯ When Ashley heard Jeremy¡¯s words, she nced at him lightly, her tone cold. ¡°What did you say? Us?¡± Jeremy felt a sharp pain and overwhelming sorrow. He thought, Ashley still refuses to forgive me, even taking issue with my saying ¡®us! ¡®| deserve this. No matter how sad | feel, | have to bear it myself.¡± However, upon hearing Jessica¡¯s piercing cry of ¡°Jeremy,¡± Jeremy looked over with a cold sneer. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you acting like a sweet and obedient. girl now? Why are you suddenly shouting my name so loudly? Can¡¯t keep up the act, right? | saw right through you from the day | learned the truth!¡± At his words, Jessica suddenly clenched her fist with a gloomy and embarrassed look. Matthew couldn¡¯t stand it any longer. He pulled the tearful Jessica. towards him and red at Jeremy with uncontroble anger. ¡°Jeremy, how can you bully Jessica like this for Ashley, that double-dealer? I...¡± Before he could finish, there was a loud thump. Jeremy had thrown a punch right at Matthew! Jeremy¡¯s expression was cold, a hint of ruthlessness in his voice. ¡°I told you before. If you dare say one more bad word about Ashley, don¡¯t me me for being rude!¡± Matthew, struck by the punch, stood there stunned as if struck by lightning. He thought to himself, Jeremy actually hit me. ¡®He hit me over Ashley. Joseph clicked his tongue in disbelief and thought, ¡®Now you stand up for Ashley. Where were you earlier?¡± Ashley didn¡¯t want to watch this farce anymore and turned to leave. Jeremy quickly followed her. ¡°Ashley, did we disturb you just now?¡± Meanwhile, Matthew watched Ashley¡¯s lonely look when she walked 09:32 away without a word. He was suddenly struck by a memory. It was Ashley''s first meal with the Ramos family, and in an attempt to defend Jessica, he had been rudely shouting that he didn¡¯t want to see someone disgusting at the table, as it spoiled his appetite. The disgusting person he referred to was Ashley. During that meal, everyone in the Ramos family watched as if it was a drama, with no one standing up for Ashley. As he hurled insults, Ashley stood up, looked down, and silently left the table. It was her first meal with the Ramos family, and she was driven away from the table by his relentless insults. Then, on his birthday, when the whole family went to the shooting. range, Ashley scored higher than Jessica, who curled her lips unhappily, and heshed out at Ashley. When it was time to cut the cake in the evening, he deliberately cut one piece less. Everyone in the Ramos family got a slice except for Ashley, who was left with an empty te.This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. He said with contempt, ¡°Disgusting people don¡¯t deserve to eat my birthday cake.¡± Ashley, who had just wished him a happy birthday with a sweet smile, looked down sadly the next second. While the rest of the Ramos family enjoyed their cake andughter, only Ashley stood with her head down, looking at the empty te in front of her, and quietly left the living room. These memories flooded back to him. The image of Ashley''s forlorn departure figure from the past ovepped with the figure in front of him. A bitter feeling rose in Matthew¡¯s heart. Without thinking, he ran in front of Ashley. ¡°Ashley, | know Jessica took credit for your work, and that was her fault. How about we make a bet? | know you can shoot, and if you can beat me, I''ll agree to let you return to the Ramos family. Moreover, I''ll never hit you or yell at you again. I''ll treat you like | treat anyone else! 09.32 ¡°How about it? Do you dare to bet with me? If you win in shooting, I¡¯ll agree to let youe back to the Ramos family!¡± The moment he finished speaking, Ashley looked at him in astonishment. Joseph was stunned. Bryce was confused. They thought, ¡®What on earth is Matthew thinking? How dare he say something like that? ¡®What kind of ridiculous bet is this? Is he saying that if Ashley wins in shooting, he''ll agree to let here back to the Ramos family?¡± Chapter 84 Bryce contemted, ¡®I know Matthew''s shooting skills. I''ve seen him showcase it in a variety show before, and he¡¯s pretty good. He even gained a lot of fans because of this. Butpared to him, Ashley¡¯s shooting skills are on another level. Like just now, Ashley shot a star shape and a ¡®2¡¯ on the target. Her ability has reached the level where she can hit exactly where she wants. Even if Matthew practices for another fifty years, he won''t be able to catch up to her. So, in a shootingpetition between these two, Ashley would definitely win. But then, can she really return to the Ramos Vi after winning the bet?¡¯ Bryce nced at Ashley¡¯s expression, noticing her frowning and obviously displeased look. He stepped forward and said, ¡°No, this bet is too unfair for Ashley.¡± Joseph rolled his eyes dramatically. ¡°Who would want to even bet on such a thing!¡± Jessica was initially upset about how Matthew had softened toward Ashley, even agreeing to let Ashley return to the Ramos family and promising never to hit or scold her again. However, upon hearing Bryce and Joseph¡¯s words, Jessica¡¯s first thought was that Ashley was scared. Jessica mused, ¡®Well, yes, Matthew is an excellent shooter. How could Ashley possibly beat him? The idea of winning the match and returning to the Ramos Vi is nothing but her pipe dream!¡± Jessica thought about it and then looked at Ashley with a gentle and amiable gaze. Jessica said, ¡°Ashley, remember when we all went to the shooting range for Matthew¡¯s birthday? You scored higher than me back then. Your shooting skills are definitely great, so you should just ept Matthew''s bet. ¡°| believe you won''t lose to Matthew. Then, you can return to the Ramos Vi, and our family can be reunited again. I''ll get to see you every day, too.¡± To Matthew''s ears, Jessica¡¯s words sounded understanding and considerate. However, Jeremy''s eyebrows knotted tightly upon hearing her. 09:32 He angrily thought, Jessica, this fake heiress, upying the Ramos family heiress position and even always putting on a show, is so hypocritical and shameless!¡± Jeremy felt like he was about to vomit outst night''s dinner! He then quickly nced at Ashley and thought, ¡®Ah, my own sister ist much prettier. Just looking at her makes me feel better. Naturally. Jeremy hoped Ashley could return to the Ramos Vi, but it had to be Ashley''s own willing choice, not because she was forced.N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. He pondered, ¡®Besides, | have seen Matthew¡¯s shooting skills. | knew it would be very, very difficult for Ashley to win against him. Jeremy frowned, ¡°Ashley, don¡¯t agree to this bet. Matthew is trying to coerce you.¡± ¡°Jeremy.¡± Matthew said coldly, ¡°Haven''t you always wanted Ashley return to the Ramos Vi? I¡¯m giving her that chance now!¡± ¡°Ashley,¡± Matthew said, looking at Ashley, and continued, ¡°What do say? Do you dare to bet with me? ¡°If you win, I''ll agree for you to return to the Ramos Vi, and | will never hit or scold you again! ¡°But if | win, you will no longer be my sister, Ashley, and we will never restore our sibling rtionship in this lifetime!¡± Ashley initially didn¡¯t want to entertain such a ridiculous bet, but upon hearing thest part, she raised her eyebrows with interest, saying, ¡°Matthew, remember, these are your words.¡± ¡°Of course! Do you dare to bet with me?¡± Matthew challenged. ¡°Let''s get started then,¡± Ashley agreed. Upon hearing Ashley¡¯s eptance, Jeremy became anxious. He thought, Ashley might lose. What if she does? Well, if she loses, then. she''ll just be my sister alone!¡± With an indifferent look, Bryce nced at Matthew and suddenly grew curious, wondering, ¡®What would Matthew''s reaction be if he found out that Ashley is his most respected mentor, Ash?¡± Following that, everyone then went to the shooting range. 09:34 Matthew picked up the gun beside him, nced disdainfully at Ashley, and said, ¡°We''ll get live shots each. I''ll go first.¡± After saying this, he aimed at the target ahead, taking a deep breath to steady his mind. Steadiness is crucial in shooting. One shouldn''t be in a hurry. Matthew rxed his breathing, eyeing the target for quite a while, and finally pulled the trigger. Then, a loud bang echoed as the bullet shot out. The electronic screen disyed: [10 points.] Jessica excitedly jumped up, eximing, ¡°Matthew, you¡¯re amazing! Even more urate than before!¡± Matthew smiled smugly, ¡°Ashley, it¡¯s your...¡± Before he could finish his sentence, he saw Ashley beside him raise her handgun and fired without even ncing at the target. The electronic screen showed: [0 points!] Bryce was at a loss for words. Joseph was speechless as well. He pondered, ¡®She really doesn¡¯t want to win. Jeremy frowned deeply, thinking, ¡®As expected, with Ashley¡¯s skill level, it¡¯s hard to beat Matthew. Jessica felt secretly delighted, thinking, ¡®Great, that wretched Ashley is bound to lose now. She''ll have to cut ties with Matthew forever! Then all of Matthew''s love will be mine! But Matthew was suspicious, thinking, Wait, this isn¡¯t right. I''ve seen Ashley shoot on my birthday before. She wasn¡¯t this bad.¡¯ Narrowing his eyes, Matthew fired andther shot at the target. But due to being affected by his emotions, he was slightly off. The score showed: [9.8 points.] Still, Ashley turned and fired a shot without looking at the target. The score showed: [0.8 points.] 28 09:32 Then, the match continued. Matthew scored 9.6 points. Ashley followed with 0.6 points. With his next shot, Matthew scored 9.4 points. Ashley, in her turn, scored 0.4 points. Joseph and Bryce exchanged a knowing nce, instantly understanding what she was doing. One of them pondered in astonishment, ¡®Damn, Ashley is only shooting the decimal points of Matthew''s scores! Her shooting skills are so advanced that she can hit any score she wants!¡± ugh to Jeremy¡¯s eyes widened in excitement, thinking, | thought Ashley was not good at shooting, but | never imagined she was already skille the extent where she could fool around like this. Ashley is in being such an underachiever, and as her brother, I¡¯m really h back!¡¯ At that moment, Matthew realized what was happening and stare disbelief, his hand trembling slightly as he held the gun.. He pondered, ¡®How could this be... Ashley is only shooting the decimal points of my scores! And she¡¯s even doing it so quickly, so urately... How Skilled must one be to control the score so adepitly!¡± Matthew''sposure was shaken, and hisst shot veered off course. He only scored 5.6 points. Ashley raised her hand and fired another shot, scoring 0.6 points. Me Matthew stared hard at the target for a long while before finally gritting his teeth and turning to Ashley. ¡°Ashley, you did this on purpose! You intentionally lose to me!¡± He shouted. Matthew angrily thought, ¡®Ashley¡¯s shooting skills are clearly superior to mine!¡± Ashley indifferently nced at the gun in her hand and lifted her gaze to look at him. She then smiled mockingly. 4/5 ¡°Matthew, don¡¯t forget your bet.¡± Chapter 85 Chapter 85 ¡°You!¡± Matthew''s face turned ashen. The bet was that if he won, he and Ashley would never again have a sibling rtionship in this lifetime. Matthew pondered angrily, ¡®Okay, Ashley would rather lose to me on purpose to sever our sibling ties forever, right?! So be it! What''s the big deal anyway?! Just a sister, as if I''ll ever cry and beg Ashley to be my sister again! | will never!¡¯ Having won the bet, Ashley was finally relieved from having to endure Matthew¡¯s nauseating voice. She put down the shooting gun and left the shooting range with Joseph and Bryce. With the Ramos family members around, Ashley had lost even the moo to y. But as soon as Ashley took a step, Jeremy immediately followed her, cautiously calling out. ¡°Ashley...¡± Ashley gave him a cold nce and said sharply, ¡°Move aside.¡± Jeremy felt a piercing pain from her indifferent look. It was as if his heart, was being torn apart. But who could he me? He had caused this situation himself. It was Jeremy who had pushed his own sister away. He wondered sadly, ¡®How could | have been so blind before, not to see Ashley¡¯s worth?¡¯ Watching Ashley¡¯s retreating figure, Jeremy clenched his fists and determinedly thought, ¡®No matter how much effort and hard work it takes, | will earn Ashley¡¯s forgiveness.¡± Jeremy turned around and looked at the target, where Ashley had scored 0.8, 0.4, and 9.6 points. He took out his phone, snapped a photo, and proudly posted it on Facebook. He captioned it: [Look, my sister shot these. Isn¡¯t she amazing?!] Jeremy¡¯s Facebook friends were instantly perplexed, with one of them 00:32 thinking, ¡®Are you okay, bro??¡± The next moment was even more shocking when Jeremy solemnly posted another update. [Note: It was my own sister who shot these, not that disgusting person. Jessica.] His friends were bewildered once again. Another one pondered, ¡®Why does it feel like Jeremy has be obsessed with praising his sistertely? And the person he was praising was Ashley, which was really shocking.¡± After posting on Facebook, Jeremy nced toward Matthew and Jessica. and openly taunted. ¡°Some people try all their life and still can¡¯t measure up to Ashley¡¯s level!¡± Matthew immediately red at him, eximing, ¡°Jeremy!¡± Jessica remained silent, with her nails digging into her palms and her lip. She thought, ¡®I didn¡¯t expect that wretched Ashley to be so skilled in shooting. Well, it''s better this way. Now, Matthew will never restore hi sibling rtionship with Ashley. Then, Matthew¡¯s love will forever be mine alone!¡± After Ashley, Joseph, and Bryce left the shooting range, Bryce received a phone call about an urgent matter and had to leave immediately. Before leaving, Bryce looked at Ashley and reminded her, ¡°Don¡¯t forget. about the variety show The Shape of Music¡¯ in three days.¡± ¡°| haven''t forgotten, Ashley replied. Never missing a chance to banter, Bryce retorted, ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m trying to be helpful, but rather I¡¯m concerned that those important people tend to forget things.¡± Ashley retorted with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s good that you recognize I¡¯m an important one.¡± Bryce was momentarily at a loss for words. He thought in annoyance, ¡®Damn it. | can never win an argument 270 with 09:32 herl Joseph, however, seemed intrigued. ¡°Ashley, | heard the famous Ash is going to make a public appearance on The Shape of Music. If you meet Ash, don¡¯t forget to get an autograph for me!¡± Ashley was momentarily caught off guard and fell silent. Joseph continued spectively, ¡°I wonder what Ash looks like. Perhaps he¡¯s a middle-aged man, maybe even a bald one. There¡¯s a saying, right? The lesser the hair, the more talented the person is!¡± Ashley didn¡¯t know how to react to that either. Bryce was equally speechless. Joseph; noticing their reactions, blinked innocently and asked, ¡°Why are you looking at me like that? Did | say something wrong?¡± With a subtly amused smile, Bryce agreed, ¡°Yeah, you''re absolutely right. You''re quite the genius.¡± Since Bryce had other matters to attend to, he exchanged a few words. and left. Joseph and Ashley then decided to explore other areas of the club, continuing their day. Soon after, Joseph received a phone call. After hanging up, he looked at Ashley with a grin and said, ¡°Ashley, Valentin ising over.¡± He pondered, ¡®No wonder Valentin ising sote. He was preparing a gift for Ashley¡¯ Remembering the sober kiss from yesterday, Ashley angrily frowned, ¡°So what if he¡¯sing.¡± Joseph scratched his head, asking, ¡°Ashley, did you really have a fight with Valentin?¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t,¡± Ashley replied curtly. Joseph immediately felt relieved, thinking, ¡®Good, they didn¡¯t fight.¡¯ However, the next second, Ashley said, ¡°I¡¯ve cut ties with him.¡± Joseph was bewildered and pondered, ¡®Cut ties?? That sounds even more serious than a fight!¡± 3/6 09:32 Once Valentin had arrived, Joseph noticed that Ashley had indeed cut ties with Valentinpletely. They didn¡¯t even utter a single word to each. other. Joseph was getting worried, but then he saw Valentin seemed to be. enjoying the situation. ¡®Great, he is not in a panic, but | am. They might appear to have cut ties, but in reality, they¡¯re flirting!¡¯ Joseph thought resignedly. Joseph quickly found an excuse to leave, giving Valentin and Ashley some space alone. ¡®Where else can you find such an observant, helpful, and cute cousin like. me?¡¯ Joseph pondered proudly. After Joseph left, Ashley gave Valentin a warning nce beside her and walked ahead without saying a word. Valentin raised an eyebrow and leisurely followed her. Not far away was the horse field, with its endless green grass and a cotton candy-like clouds floating in the blue sky. A cool breeze brougfort as they walked. After a few steps, Ashley suddenly heard a thud from behind. She then turned around to look. Ashley then found Valentin¡¯s tall figure looming over her. Having lost his bnce, he fell toward her while reaching out to hold her. Ashley was stunned and immediately rendered speechless. Valentin held her and said in a light, maic voice, ¡°Sorry, | tripped and lost my bnce.¡± Ashley immediately looked at the ground, her lips twitching slightly. ¡°The ground here is very t, and there¡¯s not even a small stone here. How can you trip?¡± He chuckled sensually, ¡°My left foot tripped over my right.¡± Ashley was rendered speechless. She pushed Valentin away and warned sternly, ¡°I¡¯m currently cutting ties with you. Please don¡¯t talk to me. Thank you.¡± 40 09:33 Chapter 85 Valentin¡¯s eyebrows lifted slightly, then casually said, ¡°So, Miss, who is currently cutting ties with me, are you thirsty after ying all this time? Would you like something to drink?¡± Upon hearing his question, Ashley did indeed feel a bit thirsty. However, she remained resolute and held her ground. Ashley red at Valentini with puffed cheeks and turned her head away, ignoring him.N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. Amused by her reaction, Valentin couldn''t resist ruffling her hair and asked, ¡°I also have your favorite green grape zed cake. Want some?¡± Ashley was instantly tempted after hearing him, and she swallowed hard. She mused. ¡®He actually remembers my favorite dessert. But Ashley resisted the temptation, swatting away Valentin¡¯s hand, showing her resolve not to eat. He looked down with a soft chuckle, his Adam¡¯s apple bobbing slightly, his voice teasing and alluring. ¡°I made it myself. How about giving it a try, Miss?¡± Ashley was taken aback, thinking, ¡®He made it himself?¡± Aguess suddenly popped into her mind, wondering. ¡®Did hee here. sote because he had made me a dessert?¡± Still, Ashley refused to give in to the sweet temptation because she hadn''t forgotten about their ongoing dispute. With a haughty huff, she turned and was about to walk away. However, Valentin suddenly wrapped his arm around Ashley¡¯s shoulder, leading her toward an indoor area. ¡°Come on, Ashley, be a good girl and give it a try.¡± Jessica had something to discuss with Ashley, so Jessica quietly slipped away from Jeremy to find her. As soon as Jessica arrived, she saw Ashley being affectionately embraced by a man as they entered a room decorated with understated yet. luxurious furnishing. 09:33 From Jessica¡¯s angle, she could only see their backs, But it was already enough to shock her. Jessica pondered, ¡®I would never mistake Ashley¡¯s figure, but who is that man hugging her? Why are they so intimate? Ha, no wonder Ashley has been doing so well since leaving the Ramos Vi. It seems she has climbed the socialdder and is being kept by a man! Jessica¡¯s expression darkened, and she immediately followed them. She thought determinedly. | must find out who this man keeping Ashley is!¡± Jessica caught up to the steps and was ready to push the door open.. However, a waiter dressed in a ck and white uniform approached her, saying. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, miss, but this area is not open to the public.¡± Jessica was momentarily taken aback, then scoffed arrogantly, looking down her nose. I¡¯m a paying customer at this club. Are you saying | can¡¯t move freely around? What a joke!¡± Chapter 86 The waiter maintained a polite demeanor, saying, ¡°Miss, the building behind me is only essible to our VIP guests. Please understand.¡± ¡°VIP guests?¡± Jessica thought, and her expression immediately turned grim. She knew those who could attend this club were wealthy or influential. Yet, Jessica hadn¡¯t expected there to be a hierarchy even here. The area in front of Jessica was reserved exclusively for VIP clients. It implied that merely having money wasn¡¯t enough. One also needed. status and influence. Ashley could enter, but Jessica couldn''t. This was a direct blow to Jessica¡¯s vanity, which was something she couldn''t tolerate. Jessica then red fiercely at the waiter blocking her path, feeling increasingly frustrated. She hadn¡¯t seen the man embracing Ashley yet and was far from ready to give up. Jessica thought about calling Matthew toe over. But she knew that if Matthew came, Jeremy would definitely follow. Given Jeremy¡¯s current blind favoritism towards Ashley, Jessica knew it would onlyplicate matters. After a moment of thought, Jessica took out her phone and called someone named David Thompson. David was one of her suitors. He came from a notable family, but he was unattractive and notorious for his phndering ways, surrounded by many women, which was why Jessica had no interest in such a man. Jessica wouldn''t have bothered with David if she didn¡¯t need him now. Once Jessica ced the call, David answered it quite quickly. Then, a frivolous and flirtatious voice came through the phone, asking, ¡°Oh, Jessica, you finally remembered to call me?¡± 09-33This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Suppressing her disgust, Jessica spoke softly. ¡°I¡¯m at a club in the city¡¯s eastern part today. It¡¯s a new opening, and | just thought of you since you live nearby. I''d like to invite you to join me.¡± Davidughed more lewdly. ¡°If it is my dear Jessica inviting me, how can | refuse such an honor?¡± Jessica felt nauseated but still said, ¡°Then Mr. Thompson, please hurry over. I¡¯m waiting for you.¡± David arrived in a shy shirt in less than fifteen minutes. His chubby, flushed face was oily, and when he smiled, his chubby cheeks nearly closed his eyes into slits. ¡°Jessica, my dear, does inviting me out mean you''re considering to develop something with me?¡± Jessica, enduring her disgust, smiled warmly, ¡°Mr. Thompson, I''d be so grateful if you could do me a favor.¡± David loved it when women catered to him and asked in a pleased tone ¡°What favor?¡± Jessica lifted her hand, pointed to the nearby building, and said, ¡°Mr. Thompson, that area is only for VIP guests. With your influence, you can surely get in, Mr. Thompson. | need your help to find someone for me.¡± Jessica¡¯s words carried a tone of ttery toward David. Upon hearing this, Davidughed heartily. ¡°Of course, | can get in there. Who do you think | am? | am David Thompson! Isn¡¯t it just a matter of finding someone? I''ll do it for you! Who are you looking for. Jessica, my dear?¡± Jessica quickly responded, ¡°My sister Ashley is in there. I¡¯d like you to help me see who Ashley is with, Mr. Thompson. I''m quite worried about. her. David certainly knew who Ashley was, especially with her current rising poprity online. At the mention of Ashley¡¯s name, the image of her stunning beauty shed in his mind, instantly piquing his interest. He pondered, ¡®Compared to Jessica, Ashley is a true beauty. It¡¯s a pity | haven''t had the chance to meet Ashley, Otherwise, with my flirtatious. nature, | would have pursued her already. 09:33 Meanwhile, Valentin led Ashley into the indoor area. Once inside, Ashley looked around. It was a spacious and elegant hall, tastefully decorated with various flowers, creating an elegant and fragrant. atmosphere. A few attendants stood in the corners, prepared to serve at any moment. Valentin guided Ashley to a long table and sat down. The attendants then brought over an assortment of exquisite drinks and desserts, meticulously arranging them on the table. Ashley nced down and saw several slices of green grape zed cake on a white porcin te, looking beautiful and delicate. Sitting opposite her, Valentin grabbed a silver fork, picked up a small piece of cake, and offered it to her, ¡°Want a taste?¡± Ashley nced at him and turned her head away. She pondered, ¡®We''re in the middle of a one-sided breakup. I¡¯m not falling for your sweet gestures.¡¯ Valentin slightly raised his eyebrows and couldn''t help but chuckle softly. He then persistently offered the cake to her. Ashley turned her head away again. Valentin continued to offer the cake to her as if he wouldn''t give up until she tried it. He persisted, holding his hand up, and said with a low, husky voice and a smile, ¡°Ashley, | spent a long time making this. Just one bite? Hm?¡± Ashley paused, then opened her mouth and bit down fiercely. The moment the vor hit her tongue, her clear eyes lit up. Ashley thought, This is delicious! How is his cooking so good?¡± Just as Ashley was about to ask Valentin how he learned to bake, but remembering she was still in a one-sided breakup, she hesitated and fell silent again, visibly annoyed. Charmed by her adorable reaction, Valentin let out a soft chuckle, sensually saying, ¡°I learned it from way back.¡± Back then, he and Ashley hadn¡¯t fallen out. 305 09:33 Chapter 86 But Ashley disliked the arranged marriage with Valentin, criticizing him for not knowing how to cook, which was not her type. Ashley even expressed she wanted to marry a man who could cook. After that, Valentin started learning to cook in secret, and he even had burned the kitchen several times. He knew Ashley loved green grape zed cake and spent days perfecting 1. However, before Valentin could even bring the cake to Ashley for her to taste, he heard Ashley saying that she had developed feelings for a male ssmate in her ss and that she had fallen for Kevin... ssmate in her ss and that s Holding the fork, Valentin offered another piece of cake to Ashley, asking ¡°Here, have another.¡± He mused. ¡®No matter the past, now Ashley and | are already bound by a marriage license.¡± Not wanting to be fed. Ashley took the fork from Valentin¡¯s hand and ate. by herself. After a while, Valentin¡¯s phone rang. Ashley nced at it and saw that it was a call from Tom. She thought that it was probably work-rted. Valentin didn¡¯t leave to take the call but answered it right there. He felt that there was nothing he needed to hide from Ashley. After eating a few pieces of cake and sipping her drink, Ashley, seeing that Valentin was still upied with the call, got up to see and admire the flowers in the hall. After a while, she turned back and noticed Valentin watching her intently. He sat leisurely, phone to his ear, casually resting his other hand on the table, and his pale, slender fingers lightly tapping twice on the surface. Valentin listened to Tom¡¯s work report, asionally humming in response. But Valentin¡¯s gaze remained fixed on Ashley, following her every move, his deep eyes radiating a passionate and intense affection. AIS Chapter 87 Chapter 87 Under Valentin¡¯s intense gaze, Ashley¡¯s heart subtly tensed, and her carlobes blushed faintly. She pressed her red lips together, walked back to Valentin, and yfully poked his face, signaling him to face forward and properly listen to Tom¡¯s call instead of staring at her. Just as Ashley withdrew her hand, Valentin suddenly caught her fingers. He held her delicate, pale fingertips and couldn¡¯t help but bring them to his lips and gently bite them. Ashley¡¯s back then stiffened, feeling a tingling sensation spreading through her body. After biting, Valentin lifted his gaze to look at her. His longshes gave him an even more stunning look when viewed from a lower angle, appearing carefree and enticing, like a bewitching figure. Ashley¡¯s eyshes fluttered, and she pulled her hand back in a fluster as if she were a little startled and raised her fist as a warning. ¡®How dare you... I¡¯m still cutting ties with you!¡± Valentin smiled and chuckled, his chest vibrating slightly, then his eyes. twinkling with amusement. Tom, on the other end of the phone, was puzzled. He pondered, ¡®I¡¯m reporting serious work matters here. did Mr. Kingsley suddenly chuckle? Is there something wrong with my report that amused Mr. Kingsley?¡± Ashley nced at the fingertip Valentin had lightly bitten, her heart racing uncontrobly. Feeling embarrassed, she walked away to continue. admiring the flowers nearby. The flowers in the hall were beautiful, even wafting a faint fragrance. As Ashley walked and admired them, she reached a window nearby and noticed a lovely pot of hyacinths. While she was enjoying the view, a man stopped beside her. Raising her head and looking over, Ashley saw a man with a chubby face. 115 09:33 ¡°Hello, beautiful, I¡¯m David Thompson.¡± David cast a lecherous, narrowed-eyed gaze at Ashley, sizing her up from head to toe. He thought, ¡®Gorgeous, she¡¯s truly gorgeous. This woman in front of me has red lips and fair skin, a slender figure, and skin so fair it seems to glow. Even though she¡¯s not dressed revealingly, she¡¯s incredibly alluring.¡¯ David, tasked by Jessica, hade to see who the man with Ashley was. But upon entering, he only saw Ashley admiring the flowers alone, with no man in sight. Davidughed mischievously, his eyes narrowing to slits: ¡°Beautifuldy, are you all alone here? That must be so lonely!¡± Ashley¡¯s gaze was cold and indifferent, showing no emotion as she retorted, ¡°Whether I¡¯m alone or not, what does it have to do with you David then took a step forward, intending to say more. However, two attendants quickly approached David and sternly reminded him, ¡°Mr. Thompson, Ms. Ramos is our esteemed guest.¡± The implication was clear, which was that Ashley was not someone David¡¯ could afford to offend. Upon hearing this, David¡¯s expression turned grim, but then he forced a smile and retorted, ¡°How esteemed can she be? Is she more esteemed than me?!¡± He thought in annoyance, ¡®It isn¡¯t like | didn¡¯t know who Ashley was. She¡¯s just an uncherished heiress of the Ramos family.¡± David was already a flirt, and now he was even bolder, extending hist hand with a lustful look, wanting to touch Ashley¡¯s hand. Seeing this, Ashley¡¯s gaze sharpened. Then, a loud bang echoed! Ashley lifted her right leg and kicked toward David! With just one kick, David was sent tumbling to the ground, his belly fat quivering.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. David howled in pain, his face contorting in rage as he stood up and furiously pointed at Ashley, yelling. 0933 ¡°Ashley, how dare you you kick me?! Do you know who | am? | can ruin with just a flick of my finger! And you dared to kick me! Who do you think you are?!¡± Before Ashley could respond, a cold, bone-chilling voice suddenly came from behind her. ¡°She¡¯s my wife. Any objections?¡± Hearing this voice, David immediately lifted his head and looked up. The next second, he seemed to be struck by lightning, his eyes wide in shock. Valentin strode forward gracefully, his handsome face expressionless yet exuding a dark and fierce¡¯air. Especially the look Valentin gave David was icy and oppressive as if carrying the chill from and of extreme cold. David¡¯s legs went weak, nearly breaking into tears from fear. He thought in horror, Valen...Valentin! Why is he here? Wait! Did he just say Ashley is his wife?¡± David was dumbfounded, pondering, Ashley is Valentin¡¯s woman! No, hist wife... Could it be that Valentin and Ashley are already married?! In just a second, countless thoughts raced through David''s mind, leading. to the most terrifying realization, which was that he had just harassed. Valentin¡¯s wife. David thought anxiously, I¡¯m doomed... If Valentin decides to avenge Ashley, not even the Thompson family can save me! No wonder those attendants said Ashley was someone | couldn''t afford to mess with. David swallowed in terror, his body trembling uncontrobly, hoping Valentin didn¡¯t have a deep affection for Ashley. However, in the next instant, David despaired as he noticed something. Valentin, previously exuding a fierce and intimidating air, instantly softened when he looked at Ashley. His icy demeanor melted away, reced by tender affection. Valentin even reached out to adjust Ashley¡¯s clothes in a gesture that seemed practiced and natural, as if he had done it countless times before. 09:43 Chapter 87 On the other hand, Ashley treated Valentin with a haughty and indifferent attitude. Yet Valentin, surprisingly, didn¡¯t get angry. Instead, he indulged and pampered her with a resigned yet doting attitude, clearly showing he was deeply devoted to Ashley. David closed his eyes in despair, feeling like he had plunged into an ice-cold abyss. He thought, ¡®Of all the people | could have flirted with, why did it have to be Valentin¡¯s woman? This is the end for me. If Valentin decides to avenge Ashley, | might not be able to stay in Kilos City anymore. Even the Thompson family might be expelled because of me. As if confirming David''s fears, Valentin nced at the two attendants and uttered coldly. ¡°Throw him out.¡± Thekk promptly moved forward, grabbing the weake and dragging him out. Ashley shot Valentin a nce. Although he had defended her, the memory of him biting her finger made her snort dismissively, and walked away in a huff. Then David saw the usuallymanding and revered Valentin helpless shaking his head and affectionately chasing after Ashley while calling out to her, ¡°Ashley...¡± With that, David fully realized the gravity of his actions. Outside, Jessica waited anxiously. She pondered, ¡®I want to see which man is keeping Ashley. Then I''ll go back and tell Jeremy. We''ll see if he still defends Ashley like this.¡¯ As Jessica waited, to her surprise, she saw David being escorted out by Iwo attendants, who unceremoniously threw him out. Startled, Jessica quickly approached. ¡°Mr. Thompson, what happened...¡± Before she could finish, David got up from the ground and pped Jessica across the face. ¡°You wretch, this is all your fault!¡± Jessica, clutching her face in pain, shouted angrily, ¡°David!¡± She thought furiously, ¡®How dare this fat, ugly man hit me.¡± 09:33 Always ustomed to being on a pedestal, Jessica was infuriated, her chest heaving with rage. However, remembering Ashley inside, sheposed herself and asked, ¡°Mr. Thompson, who was Ashley with? Did you see the man?¡± Chapter 88 David thought, ¡®Of course, | saw who Ashley was with. It was Valentin, and they were already married. But this marriage has not been made. public. Not a whisper of it has been heard. If | had known Ashley was Valentin¡¯s wife, | wouldn¡¯t have dared to flirt with her, anyway. It seemed like Valentin and Ashley had a secret, marriage.¡± Having just offended Valentin, David dared not stir up more trouble by revealing their marital status, especially since he surmised it was kept a secret. Thinking about how he had angered Valentin and possibly ruined his own life, David was filled with regret and rage, ring at Jessica. ¡°This is all your fault, wench!¡±Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. Jessica, insulted for no reason, couldn¡¯t hold back any longer and started yelling, ¡°David, have you lost your mind?!¡± She thought, ¡®No matter what, | am the heiress of the Ramos family. How dare this fat fool insult me like this?¡¯ Yet, seeing the stark difference in David before and after he entered, she couldn''t help but wonder, ¡®What exactly happened inside? Who did David see that scared him so much? The higher the status of the man inside, the more it proves that Ashley is being kept. Otherwise, why would such a powerful and influential man stay with Ashley? He can¡¯t genuinely have fallen for Ashley, can he?¡± Jessica secretly gritted her teeth in anger, thinking, ¡®l must expose the man who¡¯s keeping Ashley. Will Jeremy continue to favor Ashley, then? Will he still want to atone for Ashley? He''ll probably just feel disgusted! Sooner orter, all the attention of the Ramos family members will return to me!¡¯ Meanwhile, Ashley had only walked a few steps in the hall when Valentin caught up with her. Valentin blocked her path, slightly leaning forward, and his deep gaze fixed on her. His low, maic voice was seductive and enticing as he said, ¡°Babe, when are you going to make up with me?¡± Ashley had heard the term of endearment ¡°babe¡± from him before, but her heart still skipped a beat. 115 09.83 She red at Valentin, feeling embarrassed, thinking, ¡®Forever!¡± Ashley was determined not to speak to him again. Valentin lowered his gaze and chuckled softly. He then noticed some grass clippings on her shoes, probably from ying outside earlier. Valentin then asked a server for a tissue. Taking the tissue from the server, Valentin knelt on one knee before Ashley, carefully removing the grass from her shoes. Ashley was momentarily stunned, her eyes widened in surprise. Valentin, without any hesitation, knelt in front of her, using hands that had signed million-dor contracts and exuded unparalleled dignity, to clean her shoes attentively. Ashley¡¯s chest tightened as she was overwhelmed by indescribable emotions. ¡°Wow! What have my clever eyes just witnessed!¡± Joseph appeared out of nowhere, covering his eyes with his hands but deliberately leaving a small gap to peek through,ughing mischievously while looking in their direction. Ashley¡¯s expression immediately turned grim. However, Valentin remained unaffected and continued cleaning the grass off Ashley¡¯s shoes until they were spotless. Ashley quickly pulled him to his feet. Valentin¡¯s eyebrows lifted slightly, and he seized the opportunity to hold her hand. Ashley¡¯s ears heated up, and she jerked his hand away as if electrocuted. She thought angrily, ¡®We are in the middle of a fight, in the middle of cutting ties. Can¡¯t you take this seriously?!¡± Joseph had initially thought Valentin and Ashley had reconciled, but it became apparent that Ashley was still upset with Valentin, seemingly still in the midst of their breakup. Joseph then pondered, ¡®But, even though they say they''re breaking up, why do | sense ambiguity from them? Damn, this is the first time I¡¯ve seen such a breakup. They have absolutely no respect for single people 09.33 like me!¡¯ The weekend arrived in the blink of an eye, and the recording of ¡°The Shape of Music¡± began.. This was the hottest music variety show in the country and would be livestreamed. Manyizens had long been looking forward to it, patiently waiting on the livestream. After all, the most famous and mysterious geniusposer, Ash, was going to make a public appearance, turning this event into the most significant point of attention on the entire Inte. Evenst night''s scandal of a top celebrity didn¡¯t cause much of a stir. Netizens were eagerly waiting to see Ash¡¯s true face finally. Moreover, the show had invited Ashley, Bryce, Matthew, and Jessica. Bryce and Matthew¡¯s song battle a few days ago was so thrilling and exciting thatizens were still enthusiastically discussing it. Finally, at 10 AM, the show officially started. It was an indoor variety show, and the host first invited Matthew and Jessica to the stage. Matthew, in a white suit, looked tall and dashing, while Jessica, in a pure white chiffon dress, appeared innocent and graceful, waving and smiling at the camera. Matthew''s fans went wild in the live chat. Knowing about Matthew and Jessica¡¯s rtionship and being supportive, they alsoplimented Jessica while praising Matthew. [Wow, these two are so handsome and beautiful! Like a prince and princess!] [They¡¯re like siblings from a wealthy family in a drama series!] [What do you mean ¡®like¡¯? They are the real wealthy siblings!] Then, the host invited Ashley and Bryce toe on stage. 09:33 With his handsome featuressa stand of striking silver hair, and a ck earring in his left ear. Bryce ended in air of youthful vibrancy and. rebellious charm as he walked bassince On the other hand. Ashley were ed idressi her fair and radiant skin.plemented by the gentle upton at the corners of her eyes, making her look summingly beautiful Then, there was a delicate tassel anklet ordonned her slender, fair ankle, adding a touch of innocence and hitre odbernlready stunning appearance. The five chat erupted with a chorus of vinai Laqueals as soon as these two appeared. 1. such beauty is an assault on the senses! Ashidey you must have rerceousness syndrome¡±!] Bryce is so handsome! Bryce. | love you. | love you so much im not exaggerating, but this is what | call real beentry textbo auractiveness, the essence of a wealthy heiress and hee hahaha, in terms of looks. Ashley and Bryce are indeed icotel: ab Druri dhest new song release. Bryce had outsold Manees it is the adready caused dissatisfaction among Matthews fans coward shicwynd Bryce. Now, seeing thesements, their displeasure grew. What uncaress are you talking about? Please, it sucks! Just so you khoow. shley baburuready cut ties with the Ramos family. She can¡¯t even step ot in the Ricanos Vi now. What a joke!! an the deditional fan above stop acting out? Ashley chose to cuutides the Kamovosmamily because she looks down on them, alright??||| lus, in terms oldobooks, Ashley is indeed prettier than jessica, and Brycee more handsororethan Matthew. Anyone with eyes can see that.. latthew¡¯s fansriboone.even more agitated, Give me a break. This is a music variety show, not a beauty contest. lusical talent is what natureats!] Exactly, in Matthew¡¯s how abibunt, heposed five out of ten songs. imself. That''s what a un is! Chapter 88 [Do Ashley and Bryce even know how topose music? They know nothing!] [Umm... Just ament from a bystander. Doesn''t Ashley y the harp?] [So what if she knew how to y the harp? Can shepose? Can she write songs? Does she have any creative talent? No? Then stop. bbering!] The bystander who wanted to defend Ashley were now at a loss for words. The three new songs Bryce released were allposed by Ash, and it was true that Bryce didn¡¯t know how topose. And Ashley had not been seenposing or writing songs, so it was assumed she couldn''t either. However, this argument didn¡¯t attract much attention from otherizens. After all, most of them were eagerly anticipating Ash¡¯s appearance. Ashley, Bryce, Matthew, and Jessica had already made their entrances, and it was expected that Ash would be next. Chapter 89 The host deliberately teased the audience, saying, ¡°Dear viewers, Ash, our mysterious guest, will appearter. Please keep your eyes peeled and wait!¡± Upon hearing this, the viewers in the livestream were frustrated and annoyed at being kept in suspense. However, despite theirints, not a single person left the livestream. They were just too curious about Ash¡¯s true identity. The viewers of the livestream continued to skyrocket. Since this was a music variety show, the host invited Bryce and Matthey to perform one of their new songs live as a promotion. Bryce performed Dark Faith. Then, Matthew sang the lead single from his album, which he hadposed himself. Both of them disyedparable singing talents, making it hard to dere a winner. However, in the livestream, Bryce seemed to have more supporters.N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. Matthew¡¯s fans scoffed, arguing that even though Dark Faith sounded. good, Bryce didn¡¯tpose it himself. In contrast, Matthew''s song was his ownposition, showcasing his talent. [Of the four guests on the show today, only our Matthew can write songs!] [Ha, some people don¡¯t release new songs, nor can they write music. | wonder why they¡¯re even on a music variety show. Yes, I''m talking about. Ashley. What does she have besides her beauty?] [Good thing she has cut ties with Matthew. Our Matthew doesn¡¯t have to be dragged down by her anymore!] Ashley¡¯s fans couldn¡¯t stand it anymore. [So what if she can¡¯tpose? Ashley is on the show because the production team invited her!]. 14 09:33 On the set, after Bryce and Matthew finished performing their new songs, the host chatted with them about the creative process behind their music. Then, the host divided the four guests into two teams, with Ashley and Bryce on one team and Matthew and Jessica on the other. Holding the microphone, the host announced. ¡°Now, let¡¯s move on to a music-rted game. Ashley and Bryce¡¯s team will write four lines of lyrics on the spot. ¡°Meanwhile, Matthew and Jessica¡¯s team willpose a tune on the spot. You don¡¯t need toplete an entire song, just the melody for these four lines of lyrics.¡± Although Bryce wasn¡¯t good atposing music, he was adept at writing lyrics. He had written the lyrics for all three of his new songs. In less than two minutes, Bryce¡¯s inspiration flowed, and he wrote four lines of lyrics. He then passed them to Ashley, whispering, ¡°How''s this?¡± Ashley nced down at them and replied in a hushed voice, ¡°Pretty good.¡± Bryce smirked with a hint of arrogance. ¡°Who would dare to criticize my lyrics?¡± Ashley gave him a sideways nce and smiled slightly, ¡°I''ve seen your lyric-writing skills. When will | get to see your pole dancing skills?¡± Bryce was momentarily speechless, taken aback by her unexpected comment. Annoyed, he thought, ¡®Damn it. The words ¡®pole dancing¡¯ are like a fatal. blow!¡± Bryce then wondered if he had lost his mind back then and thought, ¡°Why on earth did | ever mention pole dancing in front of Ashley?¡± Because Ashley and Bryce were speaking in hushed tones, the livestream audience couldn¡¯t hear them, which sparked their curiosity... [What are those two talking about? Is there something we VIPs aren''t privy to?] [Has anyone else noticed that Ashley and Bryce seem to have a bit of 09:881 chemistry?] [What??? @Ariml, hey,e here! Someone is randomly shipping a couple here!] On the other side, Matthew and Jessica were still working onposing their music, and it looked like it was going to take a while. A viewer wondered: [Why don¡¯t they let Ashley and Bryce¡¯s teampose?] Matthew¡¯s fans immediately chimed in: [Are you joking? Bryce should stick to writing lyrics. As for Ashley, she can¡¯tpose or write lyrics. She should be grateful just to appear on the show!] After nearly 30 minutes, Matthew finallypleted theposition for the four lines of lyrics. The show''s crew had already prepared a piano. The host invited Matthew to y the tune on the piano and sing the lyrics along with it. Dressed in a crisp white suit, Matthew approached the piano and sat down. His fingers gracefully danced over the keys, ying out the melody he hadposed. After Matthew''s performance, the host asked the other three guests for theirments. With eyes brimming with admiration for Matthew, Jessica smiled, ¡°Matthew, you yed so beautifully. This is my first time witnessing someonepose on the spot. It¡¯s amazing!¡± Then, the host turned toward Bryce. Bryce lifted his microphone and said, ¡°I¡¯ve witnessed someone else live.position.¡± The host quickly asked, ¡°Can you share more about that?¡± With a cheeky grin, Bryce confidently responded, ¡°Ash hadposed two songs for me in just 15 minutes.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, the livestream¡¯s chat exploded. [Wow! Two songs in 15 minutes! That''s the genius Ash for you!] 09.33 [Umm, but it took Matthew 30 minutes topose music for just four lines of lyrics...] [When is Ashing on? I¡¯m dying of curiosity here.] Next, the host looked towards Ashley for herments on Matthew¡¯s liveposition. Ashley picked up the microphone. But before Ashley could speak, Matthew interjected, ¡°I don¡¯t need. feedback from someone who doesn¡¯t understand how to compose a song.¡± His words were clearly directed at Ashley. Ashley didn¡¯t respond but simply nced coolly at Matthew, her beautiful eyes brimming with disdain. Matthew sneered inwardly, thinking, ¡®What does Ashley know? She was, totally inadequate to critique my work!¡¯ After the liveposition segment concluded, the host excitedly announced. now, let mear viewers, | know you''ve all been eagerly waiting. So now, let me formally announce that the legendary Ash is about toe!¡± Chapter 90 Finally, Ash was about to reveal himself! Theizens had been looking forward for a long time. The live stream¡¯sments explode enthusiastically, filled with mentions of Ash¡¯s name. It was crazy, like a top celebrity in the entertainment industry had arrived. ncing at the script in hand, the host followed the nned schedule of the show. Ashley and Bryce were asked to head backstage, leaving Matthew and Jessica on stage. Bryce¡¯s fans were displeased upon seeing this. Hey! What are you guys doing? Why on earth is Bryce leaving the stage. when Ash is about to appear? Ridiculous!] [And why is Ashley leaving as well?] Damn it, they''re not even giving them a chance to be seen!] On the other hand, Matthew¡¯s supporters were mocking this turn of events. Isn''t it obvious? Matthew is Ash¡¯s student. Of course, they would keep Matthew on stage.] Just save it, you guys. Ashley has nothing to do with Ash. What will she do if they keep her on stage?] [Oh my, | can¡¯t stopughing! Well done to the show¡¯s team for getting rid of the irrelevant early. Can¡¯t wait for Matthew and Ash to recognize each other!] Although Ash had previously written songs for Bryce and not for Matthew, Matthew¡¯s fans firmly believed it was just a coincidence. They were convinced that once Matthew and Ash recognized each other, Ash would take care of Matthew as he always did, treating him as his closest student. Matthew became extremely nervous on stage when he heard that Ash was about to appear. 1/5 09:33 In fact, he had searched for Ash backstage before the show started but couldn''t find him. Matthew still wondered what Ash looked like... Seeing Ashley being escorted off the stage, Jessica couldn''t hide her smug satisfaction. Matthew was about to meet Ash, and Jessica would also be honored as Matthew¡¯s sister. Perhaps she would be famous after this show. As for Ashley, she could go wherever she wanted. Jessica didn¡¯t bother anymore. At this moment, only Matthew and Jessica remained on the stage as guests. Addressing the camera, the host made a few jokes. ¡°Asking Ashley and Bryce to leave the stage was the director¡¯s decision, not mine. I¡¯m just following the show¡¯s script, so if you¡¯re going to me someone, me. the director, not me!¡± After lightening the mood, the host turned to Matthew and asked, ¡°Matthew, we all know you are Ash¡¯s only student, and you''re about to meet Ash in person. What are you feeling right now?¡± Matthew''s fingers tightened slightly around the mic. ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m both nervous and excited.¡± ¡°Can you share with us why Ash chose to be your teacher?¡± The host asked: Upon hearing this, Matthew''s expression turned wistful for a moment, ast if he were going back to those hopeless days. Jessica reached out silently to hold Matthew¡¯s wrist, offering him support. Surrounded by so many cameras, she naturally wanted to y the role of a supportive and dutiful sister. Matthew slowly emerged from those dark memories, facing his past with. a smile. ¡°| became famous at a young age. The first song | wrote when | debuted was a hit and earned me countless fans. After that, | went on to write several popr songs and won several awards.¡± ¡°But | don¡¯t know when it started, and | hit a block. | couldn¡¯t find inspiration, nor could | write good songs. The new songs | released wereN?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. 09:33 Chapter 90 either criticized or ridiculed. ¡°Many fans still had high hopes, expecting me to write great songs again, but the more they expected, the greater the pressure | felt. ¡°The more arrogant a person is, the harder it is to ept their own failure,¡± Matthew said with a wry smile, ¡°I was like that in the past, unable to ept my failures. ¡°During that time, | fell into deep self-doubt. | struggled to write, never satisfied with my work, growing more and more disgusted with myself. From a rising star to a mired mess, | locked myself away, too scared to face the world, even battling depression and thoughts of ending it all...¡± His fans were already in tears at this, sobbing uncontrobly. They were all too familiar with those hopeless days, waking up every day worrying they might hear news of Matthew leaving the industry. Little did they know, their idol had been struggling so deeply with mental issues that he had once contemted suicide. Matthew nced at Jessica beside him, smiling with relief, ¡°Back then, Jessica also supported me. Although she doesn¡¯t compose music, she wrote lyrics for me. Jessica, do you remember?¡± Jessica nodded gently. ¡°Of course, | remember. | was worried about your condition, so | wrote The Brightest Flower¡¯ for you.¡± Matthew frowned immediately. ¡°Jessica, the lyric you wrote for me was ¡°The Brightest Star.¡± The name signified that he was still the brightest star in the sky, even in the darkest moment before dawn. Corrected by Matthew, Jessica was startled and quickly covered her mouth, apologizing with a smile, ¡°Sorry, Matthew, | got nervous and remembered it wrong.¡± Matthew didn¡¯t dwell on this incident and turned back to the camera. ¡°The person I¡¯m most grateful for is still my teacher, Ash. ¡°In my darkest and most deste moments, when | thought of ending my life, it was Ash who found me online and offered to take me as his student. ¡°At first, | couldn¡¯t believe it, thinking it might be a scam. Onlyter did | 09:33 realize that Ash truly wanted to take me as a student and teach meposition. ¡°Ash never criticized me, and he was never harsh on me. Nor did he burden me with high expectations that might have stressed me out. Ash was like a long-time friend, using methods that suited me best to help met find inspiration and create new songs. ¡°Everyone knows what happened next. The album Ash helped me compose won the Most Popr Male Singer Award for me and became the best-selling album of that year.¡± Upon hearing this, the host couldn¡¯t help but express admiration. ¡°I had. no idea Ash had this side to him.¡± Matthew smiled, his eyes brimming with admiration and gratitude. ¡°You could say that Ash helped me out of the darkness and rest confidence. Without Ash, | might still be stuck in the mire or pe have sumbed to the pressure...¡± Matthew paused, his eyes glistening with tears, and dered emphatically, ¡°It was Ash who gave me a second chance at glory and The weight of these words moved everyone in the livestream, bringing tears to their eyes. [Oh my goodness, please let Ashe to the stage quickly! Let Matthew meet his teacher!] By the way, is Bryce and Ashley just stay in backstage?] Matthew''s fans were buzzing with anger upon seeing thetestment. Matthew is finally meeting with his mentor Ash! Let''s not let Ashley spoil the mood, okay?] Exactly! When Matthew was judging the music earlier, he said Ashley didn¡¯t understand theposition and wasn¡¯t qualified to comment. It¡¯s harsh but true. What right does she have to call herself Matthew¡¯s sister?] [And let¡¯s get one thing straight... When Matthew and Ash recognize each other, Ashley better not shamelessly try to cozy up to Matthew! And she better not try to leech off his poprity either!] Ashley¡¯s fans were nearly livid reading thesements. Matthew''s fans were bing more annoying by the minute, always 4/5 09:33 leveraging Ash¡¯s status as Matthew''s teacher. Atst, the moment everyone had been waiting for arrived. The host¡¯s voice trembled with excitement. ¡°It is an honor to have Ash, the most famous and mysterious geniusposer in the country, on our show today! ¡°It¡¯s even more of an honor that this is the first time Ash has ever appeared in public online!. ¡°Now, please wee Ash to the stage!¡± As the host finished speaking, the lights above the stage suddenly turned. on, and therge doors at the back of the stage slowly opened to both sides. The audience in the livestream held their breath in anticipation, eager to see Ash¡¯s true face. Matthew looked on nervously, thinking, ¡®Ash, you are finally about to appear...¡± Even though meeting Ashley today was a buzzkill, seeing Ash made that bummer insignificant. As therge doors on the stage gradually opened, a graceful figure. emerged under the dazzling lights. a8 Chapter 91 A figure walked amidst dazzling light, her face obscured by the backlight, yet her elegant posture was unmistakable. Her slender waist could barely be grasped, and her long hair fluttered gently. Theizens were thrilled upon seeing this figure. Ash was a woman, not the beer-bellied, balding man they had imagined! Matthew, too, realized that Ash was a woman. He had initially thought Ash was a middle-aged man, as spected online, and had even nned. on asking Ash to be his godfather. Unsure of Ash¡¯s age, he now wanted to consider her a sister... Matthew stood nervously, his gaze fixed in Ash¡¯s direction. Finally, the graceful figure emerged from the glittering starlight, bathed in the soft white light from behind. The woman was stunningly beautiful, her delicate skinplemented by a red dress that made her resemble a blooming rose, dazzling and beyond everyone. As the audience in the livestream saw her face, the chat went silent. It was a deathly stillness. It was...Ashley! It took the online audience several dozen seconds to snap out of shock, theirments flooding the screen in a frenzy. Meanwhile, Matthew¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief upon seeing Ashley¡¯s face, his expression frozen like a fool in disbelief. He couldn''t believe it. It was absolutely impossible! Matthew clenched his fists tightly. His eyes fixated unwaveringly on Ashley, his entire being as tense as a fully drawn bowstring. Jessica also looked at Ashley intently and didn¡¯t move a bit. How could this be.... Jessica clenched her teeth, utterly unwilling to believe what she was 08:11 Chapter 1 seeing. The next second, Ashley took the microphone from the host. Her clear, attractive eyes gazed into the camera, and smiled politely. Her eyebrows and eyes were captivating, like a bold and beautiful rose. ¡°Hello everyone, I¡¯m Ashley,¡± she said. Pausing briefly, her melodic voice echoed through the microphone, reaching every listener''s ears. ¡°lm also Ash...¡± Matthew staggered several steps backward when her words ended, his body trembling. His eyes, crimson with intensity, were fixed in Ashley¡¯s direction. Ashley was Ash... Ash was the teacher he respected and grateful for, whom he regarded as a benefactor and akin to a second set of parents. And yet, she was also his biological sister, whom he had insulted and wished dead! At this moment, Bryce was also re-invited onto the stage. Bryce had known for a long time that Ashley was Ash. Compared to the others, he appeared much moreposed. Bryce smiled and said, ¡°I mentioned earlier that Ash wrote two songs for me in 15 minutes. That¡¯s true. | witnessed Ashley make them at that time.¡±N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. Ashley smiled charmingly. ¡°The Land¡¯ was the first song | wrote. | was inspired at the time and released it online afterpleting it, and | didn¡¯t expect it to be so well-received. I¡¯m truly honored.¡± Bryce asked curiously, ¡°Was ¡®The Land¡¯ the first piece you ever wrote? It must have taken a long time, right?¡± Ashley nodded. ¡°It did take a long time, about thirty minutes to finish.¡± At that moment, viewers in the livestream were baffled. [Thirty minutes? That''s what she considered a long time?] [Oh my, now | get it. No wonder Ashley''s performance of ¡°The Land¡¯ on 08-11 Chapter 91 that show was simr to Ash¡¯s. It¡¯s her song, of course, it would be the same!] [Wait, who was it that said Ashley can¡¯tpose?] [Hahaha, it was Matthew¡¯s fans! They even said that after Ash and Matthew recognized each other, Ashley should stop trying to cozy up to Matthew. It turns out Ashley is Ash herself!] [Speaking of a real p in the face, isn¡¯t it Matthew? He boasted that Ashley didn¡¯t understand theposition and wasn¡¯t qualified to judge his music. Haha, thinking back, it¡¯s so embarrassing for him!] [In that case, it was Ashley who rescued him in Matthew¡¯s darkest days, granting him a second chance at life and honor.] At this moment, all of Matthew''s fans were stunned and didn¡¯t know what to say. They had never imagined that Ashley, whom they had constantly scorned and belittled, was the revered Ash they had been so eager to fawn on. On the stage, Matthew stared fixedly in Ashley''s direction, standing motionless as if struck dumb by a heavy blow. Ash was his faith, his light, the person he had devoted his life to repaying. Yet, it was only today that he learned the truth. The Ash he had worshipped, who had pulled him out of the mire, was his sister... The very person he had trampled upon, severed ties with, and wished had never been born. No wonder Ashley''s melody of ¡°The Land¡± sounded so familiar, just like Ash¡¯s. He should have recognized it long ago... But he hadn''t, even going as far as to mock Ashley for not being worthy topare with Ash. His past foolish actions now seemed like a dumbass! Matthew¡¯s heart was being tormented, on the verge of bursting with intense regret. Unable to hold back, he walked dazedly towards Ashley, murmuring, ¡°Ash...¡± Chapter 92 Chapter 92 Bryce let out a disdainful sneer upon hearing Matthew call out to Ash. Just moments ago, he¡¯d been so full of malice towards Ashley that he¡¯d almost wanted her dead. But now, he was shamelessly approaching her. Bryce thought, ¡®Shame on you!¡± Matthew, always so arrogant, now seemed unaffected by Bryce¡¯s mockery. He was no longer concerned with anything around him. His eyes were solely for Ashley, and Ashley alone. Matthew''s eyes were red, his lips trembling. ¡°Ash...¡± But as he uttered her name, Ashley red at him fiercely. It was a look filled with disgust and indifference. Matthew''s words faltered.This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Being looked down upon by the person he respected and followed most, as if he were a nobody, twisted a painful knot in his heart, almost suffocating him. Regret and guilt filled his chest. ¡°Ashley... You are Ash...¡± The truth finally came to light. It was Ashley who pulled him out of the dark mire... It was Ashley who single-handedly elevated him to the throne of honor... Ashley should have been the faith he followed, the deity he looked up to, someone more important than his own life... But what did he do? How did he treat his benefactor? Matthew cursed Ashley with the vilestnguage. He was determined to drive her out of the Ramos family and wished for her death! How could he be so despicable? He was a monster! 146 08:11 ¡°Ashley... Ash...¡± Matthew''s voice choked, his eyes red as he looked at Ashley, his throat burning ufortably. He had no right to call her name! His past behavior was utterly foolish and made him look like a joke! Ashley remained indifferent all the time. She nced at Matthew without expression, then turned to the camera. In front of thousands ofizens, she made a public announcement. ¡°From now on, Matthew is expelled! ¡°He is no longer a student of Ash! ¡°| have nothing more to do with him!¡± Ashley dered, her words clear, resonating in everyone''s ears. Matthew''s mind whirled. He felt a blur before his eyes and dizziness in his head. With a thud, he clumsily fell to the ground. Ash broke off their rtionship... She even publicly dered that Matthew was no longer her student... Matthew''s faith hadpletely copsed at that moment with a thunderous crash. He was a superstar with at least ten million fans. And now there he was, awkwardly sprawled on the ground. Matthew''s face was pale, his eyes lifelessly fixed on Ashley, looking. soulless like a walking dead. Ash didn¡¯t want him anymore... His idol, thoroughly disappointed in him, was abandoning him... Ashley looked down at him, her eyes emotionless. ¡°Remember, everything I¡¯ve given you, including honor, | can take back at any time,¡± she said. This statement might sound arrogant, but it was utterlypellinging from Ashley. Struggling to his feet, Matthew reached out to grasp the hem of Ashley¡¯s clothing, tears brimming in his eyes. ¡°Ash...¡± But Ashley moved away before he could touch even a fragment of her garment. The audience in the livestream was initially shocked to hear about Ashley severing ties with Matthew, but soon erupted in overwhelming support. They recalled how Matthew had bullied Ashley in the past. He dared to embarrass her openly on the show, so one could only imagine what he did privately. Ashley had once saved him under the name Ash. Such kindness wasted. on the ungrateful! And even if Ashley wasn¡¯t Ash, even if she had never helped Matthew, she was still his biological sister. How could Matthew be so cruel to his flesh. and blood? Was he out of his mind? Eventually, ¡°The Shape of Music¡± ended amidst astonishment. As Ashley walked towards the backstage, Matthew, staggering, hurried after her. ¡°Ashley!¡± He called out. Matthew''s appearance hadn''t changed much, but he looked significantly more dejected, unable to hold back the tears welling up in his eyes. ¡°Ashley, | was wrong. | am sorry! I''ve been such a jerk before! ¡°Can you still take me as your student?¡± Matthew couldn''t bear it. To him, it felt as if the world was ending. Matthew''s face was etched with pain as he reached to grasp Ashley¡¯s sleeve. Catching a glimpse of her disdainful expression, he meekly withdrew his hand. ¡°Ashley, even though I¡¯m your brother and older than you, I¡¯ve only now realized that it¡¯s been you looking after me all this time. ¡°And yet, | was so cruel to my sister...¡± Matthew recalled what he had done to Ashley in the past. The first day Ashley returned to the Ramos Vi, he called her filth and chased her 08:11 pler 92 from the dining table. Later, even though Ashley was obedient at Ramos Vi, he deliberately picked on her and locked her in the cold, damp basement with cockroaches and rats. He only released Ashley when she had a fever, still berating her as over-sensitive. Tears surged from Matthew''s eyes, and he began to p on his face. ¡°Ashley, | truly don¡¯t deserve to be your brother!¡± He felt he was worse than any beast. Ashley watched Matthew p himself, her expression calm and untroubled, without a flicker of emotion. ¡°Matthew, it¡¯s toote for you to say this.¡± She had once harbored hopes for the Ramos family,promising step by step for the sake of what they called family, even at the cost of her well-being. But all it had brought was intensified suffering. Ashley had seen through it all. The people of the Ramos family weren¡¯t worth it. Matthew observed Ashley''s indifferent demeanor. His heart was filled. with heaviness. Trembling, he pleaded, ¡°Ashley, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ve wronged you. ¡°You helped me escape the darkest phase of my life, and | repaid your kindness with ingratitude...¡± Ash had always been a good teacher to him, selflessly teaching him the art of songwriting and supporting him like a true friend. However, his behavior towards Ashley was nothing but criticism and insults. Despite his harsh treatment, Ashley continued to teach him as Ash. Back then, Ashley might still have had hopes for him. Perhaps she was still longing for a hint of familial love. Matthew closed his eyes, tears rolling down his cheeks, his heart aching with pain. 08:11 ¡°Ashley, | realize I''ve been wrong all along. I¡¯ve never fulfilled my responsibilities as a brother... ¡°| know, whatever | say now, you won''t forgive me. ¡°But, Ashley, even if | am no longer your student, can¡¯t we be siblings again? Give me a chance to make it up to you...¡± Ashley stared at him, her gaze calm yet tinged with a hint of sarcasm. ¡°Matthew, don¡¯t forget the bet we made at the shooting range. You and | will never be siblings again in this lifetime.¡± Upon hearing this, Matthew''s eyes widened suddenly, followed by intense regret and frustration swirling in his heart. ¡°No, I...¡± He had personally severed their sibling bond. Shaking his head vehemently, Matthew pleaded, ¡°Ashley, | was wrong... | regret it so much! Can we nullify that bet, please?¡± Ashley scoffed, no longer willing to listen to another word of his nonsense. Without hesitation, she turned and left. Matthew watched her, like watching his own faith, slowly walking away from him, step by step. He leaned against the wall in the corridor and slid down weakly to the ground. ¡°Matthew?¡± When Jessica came over looking for him, she saw Matthew sitting on the ground, frustrated like a loser. Jessica quickly went over to help him up. Matthew stared nkly at Jessica. A sh of insight struck him, and he suddenly remembered some details he had never noticed before. Chapter 93 Matthew suddenly red at her with a frown. ¡°Snap!¡± With a loud p, he struck Jessica across the face.. Jessica was utterly stunned and covered her face with her hand. ¡°Matthew, how could you hit me?¡± She eximed.. The p was so forceful that her face began to swell. Jessica was already frustrated. She was on the show with Matthew today, hoping that after Matthew met Ash, she would be able to bond with the famous Ash herself. But fate dealt her a harsh blow. She had never expected Ashley to be Ash! Watching Ashley being praised and admired by everyone, Jessica¡¯s jealousy grew uncontrobly, her insides burning with rage. Ashley, that despicable woman, always seemed better than her in every aspect! During the two years since Ashley''s return to the Ramos Vi, she had been treated like an unwanted child, unloved by her family. It should. have been Jessica who was in the spotlight, receiving all the praise. Now, everything had changed. Jessica couldn¡¯t ept it, nor could she bear it! She covered her swollen face, and her mind grew increasingly sinister. Jessica insinuated slyly. ¡°Matthew, | know that finding out Ashley is Ash must have been a huge shock to you... ¡°Ashley is really something... Why didn¡¯t she tell you earlier that she was Ash?¡± Jessica¡¯s words were undoubtedly fanning the mes. Matthew, of course, knew what Jessica was implying and looked at her with a smirk. Feeling uneasy under his gaze, Jessica stammered, ¡°Matthew, why are you looking at me like that?¡± Matthew softened his expression, smiling more tenderly. ¡°Jessica, during those dark days when | was lost, you wrote a song, ¡°The Brightest Star, to encourage me. Besides the lyrics, you said two more. lines to cheer me up. Do you remember what they were?* Jessica clenched her fist upon hearing this. Forcing a smile, she stuttered. ¡°Matthew, it''s been so long, I¡¯ve forgotten.¡± ¡°Forgotten, have you?¡± Matthew gently lifted his hand to tuck Jessica¡¯s hair behind her ear. But his face turned sullen the next instant, and he forcefully grabbed Jessica¡¯s hair. In pain, Jessica¡¯s face turned pale, filled with panic. ¡°Matthew! I... | just forgot, and that¡¯s all!¡± Holding her hair tightly, anger seething in his eyes, Matthew used. ¡°You''re lying! There were no encouraging words besides the lyrics! | was just testing you, and you gave yourself away right there! ¡°Because ¡°The Brightest Star¡¯ wasn¡¯t written by you, was it? ¡°That¡¯s why you got the name wrong, calling it The Brightest Flower¡¯ back on the stage!¡± Matthew should have realized this earlier. How could Jessica get the name wrong, especially for such meaningful, encouraging lyrics? ¡°This song, The Brightest Star, was written and given to me by Ashley, wasn¡¯t it!¡± Matthew''s grip on Jessica¡¯s hair tightened, the raging fury in his voice. nearly scorching her to ashes. Pain surged through Jessica. Her nose tingled with soreness, and tears welled up. ¡°Matthew, please stop... I¡¯m scared...¡± ¡°Scared?¡± Matthew¡¯s anger and regret violently shed within him, desperately seeking an outlet. ¡°When you were impersonating Ashley, why weren''t you scared? Huh?¡± Matthew yanked Jessica¡¯s hair, pulling her down forcefully, mming her 08:11 to the ground! He despised Jessica for impersonating Ashley. But he hated himself even more! Back then, he had been unkind to Ashley, even venting his pain on her. Still distressed over her brother''s descent into darkness, Ashley even wrote the lyrics, hoping to help him. However, Matthew disdainfully ignored Ashley¡¯s efforts, considering them too despicable to nce at. This created an opportunity for Jessica. She offered to deliver Ashley''s lyrics to Matthew, only to brazenly im them as her own. Meanwhile, Ashley had no choice but to find another way. Under the name Ash, she secretly continued to guide and support Matthew. Upon realizing the truth, Matthew''s heart ached intensely, his cheeks. streaked with bitter, salty tears. He reflected on the countless injustices and abuses Ashley had suffered within the Ramos Vi. Matthew also acknowledged his hypocrisy. He had shamelessly epted. Ash¡¯s help while mercilessly mistreating Ashley. ¡®What on earth do | owe Ashley?¡¯ Matthew wondered. He felt the debt was too vast ever fully to repay. Clutching his chest in agonizing pain, Matthew gasped for air like a fish. on the brink of death. In a fit of rage, he violently kicked Jessica on the ground and staggered. off in the direction Ashley had gone. Matthew rushed out to the parking lot As he walked outside, he saw Ashley and Bryce walking away. Suddenly, he was seized by a wave of nervousness, simr to the feeling. of encountering a long-lost friend. He yearned to run over to Ashley, yet he couldn¡¯t bring himself to do it. Somehow, he found himself stealthily trailing behind the two, like a thief in the shadows. 28 08 Matthew''s gaze was fixed unblinkingly on Ashley¡¯s profile. The sunlight draped her in a glow, casting a sacred air around her. Her skin, delicate as the first snow of winter, shimmered with a fragile, crystal-like beauty. Her eyshes were long, and her eyes sparkled with tiny, scattered lights, like a gxy spilling over, with all its stars captured in her gaze. Matthew watched until his eyes burned, but he refused to blink. It was the first time he realized that his sister was indeed beautiful. She was such a delicate girl, born to be adored by all. But Matthew and his family treated her that way... All the suffering Ashley endured came from her own family! How ironic was that! Matthew had never hated himself so much, to the point of wanting to end his own life. Then, he overheard Ashley and Bryce¡¯s conversation. Walking beside Ashley, Bryce nced at her with a yful smile. ¡°Ashley, since you''ve severed your mentorship with Matthew, how about taking on a new student?¡± Ashley nced at him casually. Bryce pointed himself and eagerly volunteered. ¡°What about me? | am a superstar with over 80 million fans, after all. | won''t embarrass you! ¡°Plus, | love art! I''d give up money for art. Remember when | did not hesitate to pay at least ten million dors for your song? So, please take me on, will you?¡± Ashley tly refused. ¡°No.¡± Persistent and pleading, Bryce urged, ¡°Don¡¯t reject it so quickly. | may not know how topose, but I¡¯m willing to learn. Plus, | have a good grasp. of music theory. | want to write my own lyrics and music for a song! ¡°Ashley, Matthew never paid you the teaching fee when he was your student, right? | can pay! No matter the amount, | can afford it!¡± Bryce might not have others, but he was not short on money. Ashley was visibly annoyed upon hearing this. It seemed like he was trying to solve everything with money. Did she look like someone who was swayed by money? However, when Bryce mentioned his desire to write his song, Ashley¡¯s interest was piqued, and she somewhat wanted to help him.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. Ashley mused. ¡°I''ll think about it.¡± Matthew, trailing behind, instantly changed hisplexion upon hearing this. Unable to hold back, he rushed forward to intervene, eximing. ¡°No way!¡± Startled, Bryce clutched his chest. ¡°Matthew, are you insane? Coming like that out of nowhere!¡± Matthew hadn¡¯t intended to ambush, but he couldn¡¯t be bothered to exin. He looked at Ashley intently. ¡°Ash, please don¡¯t take anyone else as your student...¡± Ashley had noticed Matthew following earlier but had simply ignored him. Ashley frowned at him. Her eyes showed unmistakably distant. ¡°Matthew, who | want to teach is none of your business. ¡°Do you think you can meddle with my actions?¡± Chapter 94 ¡°No!¡± Matthew shook his head, his eyes reddening as if he was on the brink of tears. ¡°Ashley, | was your student, your only student...¡± Ashley no longer wanted him, even thinking about teaching others. It was like a punishment directly to his heart... Ashley spoke indifferently, and there was no sign of emotion on her face. ¡°Matthew, | remind you that for thest time, our rtionship is over. From now on, you are not to call yourself my student, and I''m no longer your teacher. ¡°And the only student | have will definitely not be you, whether now or in the future.¡± As Ashley finished her sentence, Matthew felt like his heart was being. brutally extracted with a knife and then smashed onto the ground. Agaping, bloody hole seemed to pierce through his chest, with cold winds howling through it, causing such pain that his blood seemed to cease flowing. Matthew''s eyes felt scorched, tears rushing out uncontrobly as he wept. and pleaded in agony. ¡°Ash... Ashley, you can yell at me or push me away. | deserve it. ¡°But, could you please not take someone else as your student... I¡¯m begging you...¡± Being chosen as Ash¡¯s only student was the most glorious event in his life. She was also the faith that pulled him out of the mire. But now, everything was shattered. He couldn''t me anyone else. It was all his own doing. Like a drowning man desperate for a lifeline, Matthew reached out frantically to grasp Ashley¡¯s hand. ¡°Ashley, I¡¯m sorry, | wronged you.... ¡°Can you please hold off on taking another student... Give me a chance to 08:12 make amends to you, please...¡± He owed so much to Ashley. Any form ofpensation wouldn''t be too much. Ashley frowned, and as Matthew¡¯s hand reached out, she swiftly avoided him. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡± Matthew''s fingers stiffened as he meekly withdrew his hand. Ashley nced at Bryce, saying, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Bryce looked at Matthew. The once arrogant man, now fallen to such a miserable fate, truly deserved it. However, Ashley and Bryce had barely walked a few steps when Matthew followed them again. Wherever Ashley went, he was right there, following her like a piece of -gum stuck to the bottom of a shoe. Ashley stopped, her eyebrows furrowed in annoyance. Matthew cautiously asked, ¡°Ashley, it¡¯s already afternoon. You must be hungry, right? Let me take you out for lunch! | know a restaurant nearby that has your favorite fried shrimp!¡± Matthew said this with a bitter smile. He knew Ashley loved fried shrimp because he used to bully her at the dinner table back when they were in Ramos Vi. Matthew would throw away her favorite dishes, feeding them to the dogs instead. It was his way. of humiliating her, implying that even dogs were more important than she was. He was such a jerk before! Matthew was overwhelmed with regret and self-me, wishing he could p himself. ¡°Ashley, let me take you to that restaurant...¡± Before he could finish, Ashley, fed up with his annoyance, kicked him. fiercely. Matthew clutched his stomach, staggering back several steps. Finally finding some peace, Ashley left with Bryce, leaving Matthew behind. 08:12 Watching Ashley leave, Matthew clutched his stomach, looking reluctant. Even though Ashley had kicked him, he didn¡¯t me her. In fact, Matthew thought he deserved more. Ashley should kick him harder. Lost and confused, Matthew stood there and watched until Ashley disappeared, unwilling to leave. He wanted to follow her, regretting that he hadn¡¯t spent quality time with his sister. But Matthew could tell that Ashley was annoyed with him. How could he make it up to his sister... At some point, Jeremy arrived. He looked around and didn¡¯t see Ashley, regretting hisingte. He had watched the livestream of the show and knew Ashley was Ash, so he hurried over, anticipating what had happened. Unfortunately, Jeremy was still toote to see his sister. Seeing Matthew''s gloomy demeanor, Jeremy couldn¡¯t help but find it amusing. ¡°That¡¯s what you get for trying to bully Ashley at the shooting range the other day! | should have punched you harder!¡± Matthew nced at him tiredly. ¡°Jeremy, has Ashley forgiven you?¡± Matthew''s words hit right where it hurt. Jeremy lost his mood for teasing. He lowered his head in despair. ¡°No...¡± Matthew said, ¡°Jeremy, how could we have been so blind to miss such a great sister?¡± Jeremy replied, ¡°Because we''re both jerks.¡± ¡°Yeah, you''re right, Jeremy.¡± Matthew let out a sigh. This was an outdoor parking lot, and although there weren¡¯t many pedestrians, asionally, someone would pass by.N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. The two brothers found a secluded spot and sat on the curb, their faces. more depressed than the other, as if they had lost something important. 08:121 Chapter 04 ¡°Jeremy, | finally understand why you insisted on driving Jessica out of the Ramos family. | even tried to stop you then. How foolish that seems now. ¡°Don¡¯t mention that disgusting woman to me,¡± Jeremy replied curtly. ¡°Let''s do this together this time. Let¡¯s drive Jessica out of the Ramos. family!¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Jeremy agreed eagerly. He would do anything to avenge Ashley. ¡°Jeremy, do you know where Ashley moved to after she left the Ramos Vi? | want to live by her side and atone for my sins by taking care of her every day.¡± Sitting on the curb and stretching his legs, Jeremy looked frustrated. ¡°If | knew where Ashley was living, do you think you¡¯d have the chance to move there? ¡°Dream on!¡± Matthew hung his head with his eyes red. He looked miserable, staring at the ground. ¡°Jeremy, I¡¯m not in a good mood, don¡¯t be harsh on me.¡± Jeremy eximed, ¡°Get lost! Just thinking about how you tried to bully Ashley at the shooting rangest time makes me want to punch you again!¡± Matthew suddenly looked at him. ¡°Jeremy, did Ashley hit you when your asked for her forgiveness?¡± Jeremy was taken aback and shook his head. ¡°No, did Ashley hit you?¡± Matthew nodded; his tone was boastful. ¡°Just now, Ashley kicked me. She did it herself! Jeremy, Ashley didn¡¯t hit you, right? Does that mean she has really given up on you, not even bothering to hit you?* Jeremy became anxious yet also found it somewhat absurd. Matthew spread his arms wide, showing off a shoe print on the white T-shirt over his stomach. ¡°Look, this is where Ashley kicked me. It even left a mark!¡± He intended to keep this imprint forever, not wiping or washing it off. This was Ashley¡¯s shoe print, after all. Jeremy was green with envy. 03:12 Why did Ashley only hit Matthew and not him? And here was Matthew, unting it in his face. Jeremy was so mad upon seeing this! I''m done... Why Ashley didn¡¯t hit me? He wondered, ¡®Did she give up on me, thinking | didn¡¯t deserve to be forgiven?¡± Jeremy couldn''t stand it. He had to beg Ashley to hit him to feel at ease. Having just boasted about being kicked by his sister, Matthew suddenly remembered something. His expression turned stern as he pulled out his phone from his pocket. Seeing him with the phone, Jeremy asked in confusion, ¡°What are you going to do?¡± Matthew took out his phone, his face solemn. ¡°Confess and settle ounts. Jeremy didn¡¯t understand. Confess? Settle ounts? Ten minutester, Jeremy understood what he meant. Chapter 95 Chapter 95 Matthew, a pop singer with eighty million fans, shockingly released a public confession on Twitter. In his confession, Matthew admitted to his past bullying and abuse towards Ashley, detailing each incident without any excuses and fully exposing his wrongdoings. Such a self-damaging apology from a famous star like him was career-ending. Matthew revealed Jessica¡¯s true nature in the confession¡¯s final part, which was beyond the surface. [I always thought The Brightest Star¡¯ was Jessica¡¯s gift to me, only to learn it was Ashley''s work today, and Jessica had taken the credit for it.]N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. [I was so blind to take someone who habitually lied, stole credit, and was hypocritical as a family while being harsh and heartless to my sister, Ashley. This is a guilt | can never wash away in my lifetime.] [From now on, | have only one sister, and that is Ashley!] This confession caused an uproar online. After all, Matthew was a famous singer with many fans, and he was at the peak of his career. The release of this apologetic confession didn¡¯t just make entertainment news headlines. It also topped the social news. Netizens knew that Ashley and the Ramos family didn¡¯t get along, but they never imagined Ashley had been bullied like that in the Ramos Vi. She was driven away from the dinner table by her brother, locked in the basement with roaches and rats, and humiliated by him, being told she was less important than a dog... What kind of life was that? Not only wereizens shocked, but even Matthew''s fans were taken aback. They had always thought of their idol as a person of integrity and charm, never imagining such a stark contrast in his private life.. 08:12 How hical he was! He was such a monster to torment and bully his sister like this. Matthew¡¯s fans had always believed he was right and put their efforts into defending him. Thus, it felt like justice when they were criticizing and abusing Ashley. However, they didn¡¯t know they were actually helping the evil side! Those fans who had previously insulted Ashley flocked to her Twitter apologize. Most of Matthew¡¯s fans were girls. Seeing their idol treat a girl in such a manner, they were shocked to discover his true character. The sudden. revtion of his actual persona led to a massive disappointment. Many couldn¡¯t ept it and started to unfollow him. Matthew¡¯s fan count was visibly plummeting. With each refresh, tens of thousands of followers disappeared. Plus, several endorsement deals were terminated aspanies publicly announced their disengagement with Matthew. Hashtags like ¡°Matthews Confession¡±, ¡°Matthew Publicly Apologizes to Ashley¡±, and ¡°Massive Unfollow for Matthew¡± trended across multiple tforms. The magnitude of this scandal and its negative impactpletely doomed Matthew¡¯s future in the industry. Jeremy was stunned by these developments. Matthew had ruined his own career... All he did was speak up for Ashley... And for a grand apology to her... ¡®Damn it! Why didn¡¯t | think of this strategy first?¡¯ Jeremy wondered. Jeremy was filled with frustration and urgency. He quickly logged into his Twitter ount and posted a confession letter. This left the online onlookers utterly bewildered. ¡°What''s going on today?¡¯ They wondered. 08:12 Why were the Ramos brothers posting confessions one after the other? However, they were utterly shocked after reading Jeremy¡¯s post. It turned out that Jeremy had once been kidnapped, and Ashley had desperately rescued him. However, Jessica took all the credit for Ashley¡¯s bravery and even lied to Jeremy! Theizens were buzzing with disbelief. [Damn, Jessica again? She was so evil!] [After all this, how can the Ramos family still hold her up as the princess of the family?] [The Ramos family¡¯s entertainmentpany had just promoted Jessica¡¯s debut not long ago, and now her public image has completely copsed. How could she be a celebrity? Someone like her should be banished from the entertainment industry!] [Seriously, what¡¯s wrong with the people in the Ramos family?] The confessions posted by Jeremy and Matthew caused a sensation. across the Inte, leading to criticism of the Ramos Group. As a result, thepany¡¯s reputation suffered greatly, and its stock prices plummeted. Meanwhile, the members of the Ramos family gathered in the living room of Ramos Vi, enveloped in a heavy atmosphere. Evan was visibly upset, his chest heaving with anger as he browsed through the online criticism aimed at their family. ¡°This is ridiculous! Nonsense!¡± He eximed. Bertha quickly came to soothe him and gently rubbed his chest to calm. him down. ¡°Evan, don¡¯t get worked up. Take a moment to cool down.¡± Evan''s face reddened, and his voice was thick with emotion. ¡°Look at your sons! The two of them are a disgrace! It¡¯s embarrassing for these two to post our family affair on the Inte! ¡°What will people think of the Ramos family now? We''re nothing but a joke!¡± Nothing was more uneptable for Evan than tarnishing the Ramos family¡¯s reputation. 3/5 08:12 Frankie added with a solemn face, ¡°Dad, there¡¯s also the issue with the Ramos Group''s stock price. It¡¯s fallen quite a bit due to the negative impact on ourpany¡¯s image.¡± Frankie¡¯s brows remained furrowed as he looked at the tablet in his hands, the concern evident in his gaze He had already called thepany¡¯s public rtions department, asking them to minimize the impact of the situation. However, other forces seemed to fan the mes secretly, trying to vindicate Ashley and suppress the Ramos family. Charlie nced at Jessica, who was sobbing quietly and handed her a ss of water. ¡°Jessica, please stop crying.¡± Ryan sat down beside Jessica in a clean biker¡¯s outfit with a rugged look. ¡°Jessica, don¡¯t cry. Matthew is a jerk. How could he p you? You took credit for Ashley¡¯s lyrics, so what? It¡¯s not worth to be angry about it. ¡°And Jeremy, how could he publicize your past on the Inte? You didn¡¯t mean to take all the credit for Ashley''s work. Now Jeremy¡¯s actions. are just making everyone online criticize you.¡± Looking exhausted, Frankie rubbed his temples and said to Jessica, ¡°Now, the Inte is full of nder and calls for your exit from the entertainment industry. ¡°For your safety, stay at home for a while. When this is over, I''ll find your ys and variety shows. Okay?¡± Jessica sobbed with her head down, the red mark from Matthew¡¯s p still swollen on her face. She felt a deep sense of injustice. It was not fair! How could that despicable woman, Ashley, shine in glory and be praised by everyone? Meanwhile, Jessica felt like a pariah, scorned and forced to hide away at home. She just couldn¡¯t ept this oue. Jessica cried with her shoulders trembling, looking utterly pitiful. 08-12 Bertha¡¯s heart ached for her. ¡°My dear, please stop crying. It breaks my heart to see you like this.¡± Bertha said, her brows furrowed with concern. She turned to Frankie, desperation in her eyes. ¡°Frankie, you must think of something. Can you help Jessica change her reputation? ¡°Maybe we can find some of Ashley¡¯s scandals to spread around the inte and get people to criticize her. That might help Jessica get her reputation back too!¡± Chapter 96 Jessica was stunned for a moment upon hearing this. Bertha was Ashley¡¯s biological mother, but she showed no mercy for Ashley.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. She even asked her son to dig up dirt on Ashley, leading theizens to abuse Ashley. Frankie heard this, and his expression did not change at all. He nodded calmly. ¡°Okay, I''ll do it right now.¡± Ryan snorted coldly, ¡°Frankie, go and dig up dirt on Ashley right away. | can¡¯t wait to see her being scolded. | believe she won''t dare to bully Jessica in the future!¡± Charlie frowned, thinking it was inappropriate. But in the end, he did not. object. Frankie spent a whole night and tried to dig up dirt on Ashley. But the result dumbfounded him. He couldn¡¯t have any dirt on Ashley. After Ashley returned to the Ramos family, everything she did was to please them, hoping to gain some affection from her family in a humble. way. Bertha frowned, ¡°How can it be? | don¡¯t believe it. How can Ashley be so. kind? She must have done something secretly, but we didn¡¯t find out.¡± Evan snorted in disdain, ¡°Ashley is good at pretending as if we have treated her badly.¡± Jessica bit her lip. She thought, ¡®Ashley.. There is no dirt on her. Then what should | do to lead theizens to abuse her? How can | whitewash. what | have done?¡¯ Jessica didn¡¯t need to trouble thinking of tricks. Bertha turned to look at Frankie and said, ¡°Frankie, since you haven''t dug up dirt on Ashley, can you fabricate some of it?¡± Jessica¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. Fabricate the dirt on Ashley... A mother fabricated the dirt on her daughter just to let others abuse her daughter online... Jessica was stunned for a moment and then couldn¡¯t help butugh. She thought, Ashley, what right do you have to go against me? The mother you respect and yearn for the most does not have the slightest. love for you.¡± Frankie¡¯s expression remained calm when he heard the bizarre request to fabricate the dirt on Ashley. He had no feelings for his biological sister, saying. ¡°Don¡¯t bother. There is a surveince video in the living room. I''ll ask someone to edit it so that the fact can be obfuscated.¡± About two hourster, Frankie received a video of more than ten seconds. and posted it online. The video showed that Ashley pushed Bertha down on the sofa ruthlessly in the living room of the Ramos Vi. In addition, Frankie rified on Twitter: [Ashley''s severance from the Ramos family is not as simple as everyone saw. Jeremy and Matthew did something wrong to Ashley, but no one else in the Ramos family did. Ashley pushed down her mother. She is an unqualified daughter.] As soon as this video was posted, it attracted the attention ofizens. Manyizens did not believe it initially, thinking Ashley would not do such a rude thing. However, someizens who knew technology watched this video and discovered that this video was not spliced or faked but real. This video sparked much debate amongizens. Ashley pushed down her mother and made her mother fall. This behavior was uneptable. Her mother gave birth to her in ten months of pregnancy, but she pushed her down. Theizens who had supported Ashley changed their opinion of her gradually. At the Kingsley Vi, Ashley sat on the sofa in the living room and browsed gossip on the Inte. She saw this video and was startled at first. After a while, she smiled sarcastically. This video was not fake. 08-12 However, the previous video clips were cut. What happened at that time was that Evan picked up the ashtray and wanted to hit her. He didn¡¯t throw it at her urately but almost hit. Bertha. Ashley reached out and pushed Bertha away to protect her from being hit by the ashtray. Unexpectedly, Frankie used that scene to discredit Ashley. Ashley thought, ¡®Are you trying to whitewash the reputation of the Ramos family and want the share price of the Ramos Group to rise back?¡± She smiled contemptuously and sneered, ¡°Frankie, you must have that ability if you want to do it.¡± If Frankie was smart enough, he would have deleted the surveince footage. However, it was not difficult for Ashley to find the original video. At this moment, Valentin came back from thepany. He wore a white shirt, which outlined his perfect figure. Valentin loosened his tie and went up to Ashley.. Ashley sat on the sofa and looked up at him with bright eyes. ¡°What''s up?¡± Valentin looked at her and stretched out her right hand. There was at ck USB sh disk in his palm. Ashley blinked. ¡°What''s it?¡± Valentin¡¯s voice was low. ¡°The original video.¡± Ashley was a bit surprised. But she didn¡¯t need his help. Valentin put the USB sh disk into her soft palm, and his voice wast maic. ¡°Just let me help you once, okay?¡± Ashley didn¡¯t know what to say for a while. She pressed her rosy lips, nced at him in a histrionic manner, and took the USB sh disk. 08:12 Then, she took aptop and inserted the disk. She clicked to y the original video. It was the surveince footage in the living room that recorded what had happened that day. In the video, Evan took an ashtray and wanted to hit Ashley on the head, but he missed and almost hit Bertha. To protect Bertha, Ashley reached. out and pushed her away in a hurry. The truth was in the video. Ashley smiled. With this original video, Frankie couldn¡¯t confuse right and wrong. But Ashley was not in a hurry to disclose the truth. She watched the news. online and probably figured out the situation.. In this short time, Bertha had already epted an interview. In the interview video, Bertha wiped her tears away and said sadly, ¡°After taking Ashley back to the Ramos family, | always tried to make up for herck of family affection in the past, but | didn¡¯t expect that she would... ¡°Maybe it was because | didn¡¯t do well enough that Ashley felt resentful and pushed me down.... ¡°Jessica is not my biological daughter, but | watched her grow up and knew her personality very well. ¡°She may have done something wrong to Ashley, but she has always bee very sensible and respectful to me. She is even more thoughtful than Ashley...¡± Ashley watched Bertha¡¯s interview video. She lowered her head quietly and hugged her knees. She closed her eyes, and her long eyshes couldn¡¯t help trembling. slightly. It turned out that not only Frankie wanted to frame Ashley, but her biological mother, Bertha, was also involved. Bertha lied openly and put the me on Ashley. She even led the public to abuse her online and insult her. 08:12 She belittled Ashley and elevated Jessica. Ashley had told herself many times that she would not have any more expectations for the Ramos family. However, she still couldn¡¯t help but feel a severe pain in her heart. Ashley thought Bertha gave birth to her and was different from the others in the Ramos family... She thought even if Bertha hated her, she wouldn''t be so cruel to her. But Ashley was wrong. Nothing was different... Ashley clenched the USB sh disk in her palm, and she thought, ¡®Well, I''ll break up with the Ramos family totally!¡± Chapter 97 Ashley turned off Bertha¡¯s interview video expressionlessly. Suddenly, Valentin put his warm hand on her shoulder and affectionately pulled her into his arms. He stroked her slender back, and there was overflowing love in his eyes. ¡°Ashley...¡±N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. Ashley was startled, feeling Valentin¡¯s warm and reassuring embrace, listening to his strong heartbeat. For a moment, she became greedy for this tenderness. Ashley had been abandoned since childhood and waster adopted by her grandparents. She had imagined countless times what it would be like to have parents.. Whenever she saw other children having parents, she would secretly envy them. But after she returned to the Ramos family, she found that not all parents loved their children. Valentin grew up with Ashley. He knew well how much she yearned for parental love. But the Ramos family ruined her expectations... Valentin¡¯s eyes were gloomy, and his arms holding Ashley tightened. Ashley paused, raised her arms, and hugged him. She smiled, ¡°Valentin, I¡¯m fine.¡± Now, she just wanted to live her life well. She would not care anything about the Ramos family. After a while, her mobile phone rang. It was a call from Laura. Ashley answered the phone, ¡°Hello, Laura.¡± Laura had always been calm, but at this moment, she couldn¡¯t help but show a bit of anxiety. ¡°Ashley, have you seen the video online? Frankie posted a video and said that you pushed down your...Bertha.¡± Laura didn¡¯t use the word ¡°mother¡±. 15 08:12 After all, Ashley had severed ties with the Ramos family. Besides, she thought a person like Bertha was not worthy of being a mother. Ashley replied, ¡°Yeah. | saw it.¡± Laura said firmly, ¡°Ashley, | believe you would not do such a thing. There must be something wrong.¡± Ashley felt warm when she heard this and said with a smile, ¡°Thank you, Laura. But | did push Bertha down.¡± Laura was stunned. Ashley exined concisely, ¡°But there was a reason. | pushed Bertha because an ashtray was thrown at her. | wanted to prevent her from being hit, so | pushed her away in a hurry.¡± Laura understood. ¡°So, the video posted by Frankie was notplete. The previous video clips had been cut ¡°Ashley, the current public opinion on the Inte has been biased. Frankie must have paid Inte trolls to create a buzz. Many netizens said you had severed ties with the Ramos family and were hated by them. all because of your problems. ¡°Frankie wanted to whitewash the reputation of the Ramos family and Jessica. Ashley, don¡¯t worry. | will find a way to get the original video and clear your name.¡± Ashley smiled, ¡°Laura, | have got the original video.¡± Laura was surprised. What? She thought she had heard wrongly, so she took a deep breath and asked, ¡°You have got it? Really?¡± Ashley nced at Valentin beside her and said ambiguously, ¡°Yes. A friend of mine found it for me.¡± Laura was speechless after hearing this. She felt like she had no use as an agent. Ashley could handle the matter by herself. 08:120 What was the use of her as Ashley¡¯s agent? Now that the truth had been found, Laura felt relieved and asked, ¡°Then do you want to post the original video online to clear your name?¡± Ashley¡¯s eyes turned cold. ¡°Laura, take it easy. | want to hold a press. conference tomorrow.¡± Frankie wanted to cken Ashley¡¯s image and whitewash the reputation. of the Ramos family. This time, Ashley would not let the Ramos family and Frankie have a chance to make a reversal. Seeing that Ashley had her own n, Laura responded, ¡°Okay. | will fully cooperate with you.¡± She paused for two seconds and then said in a helpless tone, ¡°Jeremy and Matthew have been waiting at the entrance of Royal Entertainment since yesterday. It seems that they want to see you.¡± Jeremy and Matthew didn¡¯t know where Ashley lived, and Ashley blocked. their phone numbers, making them unable to contact her. They wanted to meet Ashley, so they could only wait for her at the door of Royal Entertainment. They could meet Ashley when she went to thepany. Laura didn¡¯t know what to say. She had never seen such cheeky people like Jeremy and Matthew before. They waited for Ashley at thepany¡¯s entrance, like two bums. Laura was helpless. ¡°Ashley, your two brothers have been waiting for you. at thepany¡¯s entrance. Over time, it will have a bad impact. Should | ask someone to drive them away?¡± Ashley¡¯s voice was cold. ¡°They are not my brothers. Just drive them away.¡± Laura was slightly surprised when she heard this. She thought Ashley''s attitude would soften after Jeremy and Matthew apologized. It seemed that their apologies did not help. No matter what they did, Ashley would never forgive the Ramos family. 3/5 08:12 Chapter 97 Laura nodded. She remembered that she was talking on a phone, and Ashley couldn¡¯t see her nodding, so she said, ¡°Okay. I''ll ask some people to drive them away.¡± After hanging up the phone, Laura notified the security guards to drive Jeremy and Matthew away from thepany entrance. Then, she posted an announcement online, saying that a press conference would be held tomorrow to give the public an exnation. regarding Ashley''s pushing down Bertha. At the Ramos Vi, Frankie saw the announcement and smiled disdainfully. He guessed that Ashley decided to hold a press conference to deny that she had pushed Bertha down. Even if Ashley denied it, she could not give her evidence because the original video had been deleted. There was no second copy of the video in the world. Frankie poured himself a ss of red wine in a good mood. He thought, Ashley, your reputation will be ruined this time. The Ramos family and the Ramos Group will get better and better! Frankie sipped the red wine and stared at the onlinements on the tablet screen. Besides, he asked the public rtions department to pay Inte trolls to create a buzz. Netizens did not know the truth, and the public opinion had been led astray. Public opinion on the Inte was rapidly moving in a direction that was unfavorable to Ashley. [I have said before that Ashley¡¯s severing ties with the Ramos family and not being liked by the Ramos family must be her own fault!] [Bertha said in the interview video that Jessica is more considerate than Ashley. No wonder the Ramos family likes Jessica. | would also like. Jessica if | were Bertha.] [My mother passed away two years ago, and now | hate unfilial people. Ashley, you are heartless. | regretted liking you because you are Ash!] Ashley¡¯s fans tried to defend Ashley. But there were too manyments that scolded Ashley. They couldn¡¯t fight back. Someizensmented that everyone needed to calm down, but they were abused by Frankie¡¯s trolls and dared not to comment. Frankie was confident that he could control the situation online. He stood up and walked to the balcony. ¡°Mom, Jessica, look. The situation is developing in our expected direction.¡± Bertha read thesements cursing Ashley, but she was not sad at all. ¡°Great. The reputation of the Ramos family and Jessica will gradually improve, and the Ramos Group¡¯s stock price will also rise.¡± Chapter 98 Jessica was overjoyed when she knew the situation online, but she still pretended to be anxious about Ashley. ¡°But would it be harmful to Ashley? She will hold a press conference tomorrow...¡± Bertha held her hand and sighed, ¡°Jessica, you are too sensible. Ashley has cut all ties with the Ramos family. You don¡¯t need to care about her. | gave her a life, and she should repay me. Now | just let her be abused online. It won¡¯t be harmful to her anyway. Don¡¯t worry about her.¡± Bertha finished speaking and then looked at Frankie aside. She ordered, ¡°Frankie, keep an eye on tomorrow''s press conference. | won''t ept Ashley¡¯s apology. She also has to apologize to Jessica and the Ramos family.¡± Frankie was looking forward to watching tomorrow¡¯s press conference. ¡°Okay. | know.¡± At the Kingsley Vi, Ashley saw the abuse online, but her mood was not affected. She received manyforting messages from many friends. Joseph, Bryce, and Miranda also sent her messages. Ashley replied one by one, telling them not to worry. In the afternoon, she went to Royal Entertainment to discuss tomorrow¡¯s press conference with Laura.. After discussing the details, Ashley left Laura¡¯s office. She nced at the time. It was almost five o¡¯clock in the afternoon. As she was walking out of thepany, she bumped into two strange cleaners in the corridor. The two ¡°female¡± cleaners were tall. They wore work clothes and masks. Their long hair covered their shoulders, and their bangs half covered their eyes. Ashley nced at them subconsciously and didn¡¯t pay attention to them. She just thought they were tall, over six feet. Ashley continued walking forward, preparing to take the elevator 08:12 downstairs. But after walking a few steps, she discovered that the two cleaners were following her furtively. She frowned and thought, ¡®Are the two cleaners my anti-fans? Did they scold me online and want to curse me in real life?¡¯ Ashley stopped and turned around. The two cleaners didn¡¯t expect her to turn around suddenly. They panicked for a moment, then pretended to look around and started. mopping the floor with the mops in their hands. But they were unskilled and didn¡¯t even know how to use a mop. They stained the clean floor. Ashley nced at them casually and asked, ¡°Why are you following me?¡± The two cleaners remained silent and just waved their hands. Ashley nced at the dirty floor and looked at them. ¡°You watched the news on the Inte and believed that | pushed down my mother. So you want to scold me in person to vent your dissatisfaction, right?¡± Upon hearing this, one of the cleaners became anxious and shouted, ¡°No! Absolutely not!¡± The ¡°female¡± cleaner shouted in a resonant male voice. Ashley was shocked. She stared at the cleaner and looked puzzled. The cleaner who was exposed took off the mask. ¡°Okay, okay. | won''t pretend anymore. Matthew, take off your mask.¡± Ashley saw their faces. She suddenly frowned, and her face turned cold. The two cleaners who wore women¡¯s clothes and wigs were Jeremy and Matthew. They were not allowed to stand at thepany¡¯s entrance, so they disguised as cleaners and sneaked in. Matthew wore a cleaner¡¯s skirt. He waved his long, curly hair, threw away. the mop, and rushed to Ashley. Ashley felt this scene was disgusting.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. 08-12 She wanted to close her eyes. Matthew said excitedly, ¡°Ashley, | saw the videos online. You must have had a good reason to push Bertha. | believe you!¡± He wanted to say, ¡°Even if you pushed Mom¡¯, but he thought of Bertha¡¯s interview video. Bertha tantly framed Ashley, belittled her, and promoted Jessica. She had gone too far this time. He didn¡¯t want to call Bertha ¡°Mom¡±. Jeremy also threw the mop away and rushed over. ¡°Well done, Ashley. | also believe you.¡± Ashley didn¡¯t want to see them. They were annoying. She turned around and wanted to leave, but Jeremy blocked the way. ¡°Ashley, don¡¯t read those curse words on the Inte. They are blind and stupid. Matthew took out his mobile phone, showed her the screen, and looked at Ashley with a loyal expression. ¡°Look, | retorted every comment that cursed you. And | also paid Inte trolls to scold the Ramos family.¡± He even scolded himself. Jeremy worriedly asked, ¡°Ashley, what will you do at tomorrow¡¯s press conference?¡± Ashley didn¡¯t answer but looked over with an indifferent look. ¡°Get out of the way.¡± Jeremy stood in front of her in a skirt and wig and said cautiously with sad face, ¡°Ashley, no matter what happens tomorrow, Matthew and | will always stand on your side.¡± Ashley lost her patience and said coldly, ¡°Get lost. Didn¡¯t you hear me?¡± Jeremy felt pain in his heart. A bitter feeling surged in his chest. He lowered his head and silently moved out of the way. Matthew wanted to say something, but when he saw Ashley¡¯s expression. of disgust and resistance, he shut up in despair. Ashley left without looking back, pressed the elevator button, and went downstairs. She needed to call Laura and remind her not to let Matthew and Jeremy slip in again. 08:12 Chapter 98 It wasn¡¯t until Ashley disappeared that Matthew picked up the mop on the ground. ¡°Jeremy, she always ignored us. What should we do?¡± Jeremy thought of something and snorted proudly, ¡°Ashley only ignored. you. She talked to me just now.¡± Matthew frowned. Jeremy showed off. ¡°Ashley said two sentences to me just now.¡± She said, ¡°Get out of the way.¡± and ¡°Get lost. Didn¡¯t you hear me?¡±. They added up to 11 words in total. Matthew was speechless and jealous. ¡°She scolded you.¡± Jeremy was not embarrassed. ¡°But she didn¡¯t even scold you. It seems she doesn¡¯t want to pay attention to you. Listen, even if you are my biological brother, you are not allowed to steal her from me in the future. It was me who found Ashley¡¯s kindness first.¡± Matthew red at him. ¡°Ashley is also my sister!¡± Jeremy picked up the mop on the ground and wanted to hit Matthew, but he wore a skirt and almost identally exposed his butt. He ignored his image and wore women¡¯s clothes. Fortunately, his effort was not in vain, and he finally met Ashley. But Jeremy frowned again when he thought of theizens¡¯ curses on Ashley. The next day, the press conference was held on time. As public opinion fermented, the online abuse against Ashley reached its peak. Reporters from all major media came to the scene and crowded the press conference hall. They waited for Ashley to give an exnation. Frankie, Bertha, and Jessica also paid close attention to this press. conference. 08:12 There was a long table on the stage in the press conference hall. Ashley sat in the middle. Laura was on her right, and Joseph was on her left. Ashley¡¯s incident was influential. Since she was an artist of Royal Entertainment, it was necessary for Joseph, the general manager of Royal Entertainment, toe to the scene. From yesterday to now, a day and a night had passed. Under Frankie¡¯s malicious spread, Ashley had been dubbed ¡°the person who cruelly pushed down her biological mother¡¯, ¡°a heartless daughter¡±, and ¡°a daughter who abused her mother¡±. Just two days after the news that Ashley was Ash had been made public, such negative news broke out, which was more likely to attract public. attention. Many media and reporters reported and expressed their opinions on this matter. [It takes two to tango! It seems that it is not the Ramos family¡¯s fault that Ashley severed ties with her family!] [Even if Ashley is Ash, she can¡¯t abuse her biological mother! She has not moral integrity! Such a person doesn¡¯t deserve the public¡¯s attention!] [Ashley, you are an unfit daughter. Apology to your mother!] There were many reports with highly provocative headlines on the Inte. In addition, Frankie paid Inte trolls and took advantage ofizens¡¯ kindness and filial piety to create a buzz. Netizens did not know the truth and were furious. Theymented indignantly and cursed Ashley, asking her to exin to the public. At this moment, those reporters in the press conference hall were staring at Ashley on the stage with excitement. Ashley was indeed the focus of topics. Anything rted to her could be trending news. Before Laura officially kicked off the press conference, a reporter couldn''t wait to ask loudly, ¡°Ashley, respecting parents is the basic quality of a Chapter 99 person, but what did you do? Bertha once said in an in that your had been left alone since childhood, but as a mother, she has never given up looking for you.... ¡°Bertha is a good mother. She took you back to the Ramos family, but you treated her like that and pushed her down mercilessly. Ashley, why did you repay her kindness with cruelty?This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. ¡°You were criticized byizens all day and night on the Inte, but you attended the press conference as morously as before. There was not a trace of haggard or repentance on your face. You don¡¯t think you have done anything wrong, do you?¡± Laura frowned, not expecting the reporter to ask such pointed questions at the very beginning of the press conference. Ashley sat there calmly. She was selfposed, and her eyes were as bright and beautiful as before. ¡°I¡¯m not haggard because | have a good psychological quality. Huh, are you jealous?¡± The reporter was choked up and asked angrily, ¡°Ashley, just admit that you pushed down your mother!¡± Ashley looked at the reporter with a disdainful look, and her voice wast cold. ¡°First, | have severed ties with the Ramos family. Bertha is no longer my mother. Sir, please pay attention to your words. ¡°Secondly, | admit that | did push Bertha.¡± Ashley said this calmly, but the effect was like a spark flying into a pil explosives. The interest of all those reporters was aroused at once. Several reporters in the front row ignored the rules for a moment and hurriedly asked, ¡°Ashley, you admitted in public that you pushed Bertha down. She is your biological mother. How could you do such a rebellious behavior?!¡± ¡°Ashley, Frankie said that except for Jeremy and Matthew, no one in the Ramos family has done anything wrong to you, but you had severed ties with the Ramos family. Can you exin this matter?¡± Some reporters stared at Joseph on the stage and asked, ¡°Mr. Fox, Ashley is an artist of Royal Entertainment. Do you still want to protect such a morally corrupt person? Aren¡¯t you afraid of being boycotted by netizens?¡± 08:13 The press conference was livestreamed. Frankie. Bertha, and Jessica watched the livestream, keeping an eye on the press conference. In the livestream, those reporters kept questioning Ashley. Their kinds of questions were thrust at Ashley like sharp swords. Frankie felt quite proud that things were developing in the direction het expected. He had destroyed the original video. Ashley had no way to prove her innocence and could only admit it. Netizens believed that Ashley was shameless, and her reputation waspletely ruined. However, it was not enough once and for all. Frankie was thinking about how to find a way to put Ashley in jail so that she could nevere out. In this case, she could never go against the Ramos family and Jessica. In the press conference hall, those reporters questioned Ashley as if they were attacking a heinous sinner. Their questions were sharp. Joseph sat on Ashley¡¯s left side. His usually carefree face was gloomy at this moment. He was so angry that he wanted to p the table and stand 1. Ashley held his wrist and asked him to calm down. A tall reporter in the crowd red at Ashley on the stage and asked angrily, ¡°Ashley, you admitted that you pushed down your mother, then you should apologize to Bertha! And you owe the Ramos family an apology!¡± Upon hearing this, Ashley looked at Laura on her right and nodded. slightly. Laura received the signal, stood up, and looked at those angry reporters with a cold face. ¡°Apology? You are right. Some people do need to apologize. ¡°The people who should apologize are not Ashley but Frankie and Bertha! 08:13 ¡°Ashley is an artist of Royal Entertainment. Today, Royal ntertainment will solemnly seek justice for Ashley. Now, we ask Frankie and Bertha to apologize to Ashley!¡± As Laura¡¯s resonant and powerful voice fell, those furious reporters suddenly became quiet. They opened their mouths in surprise. Apologize to Ashley! What? Laura asked Frankie and Bertha to apologize to Ashley? Was she crazy? Ashley pushed Bertha down, and Bertha was the victim. Frankie exposed this matter and made Ashley¡¯s true colors public. Why did Laura ask them to apologize to Ashley? When those reporters were still dumbfounded, Laura turned on theptop at hand and projected the pictures onto a screen. Laura clicked the video that Frankie had posted online and yed it. In the video, Ashley pushed Bertha away, and Bertha fell on the sofa. Those reporters saw this and were impatient. ¡°Ms. Mitchell, we have watched this video countless times!¡± ¡°The video shows that Ashley pushed her mother down, and she also admitted it just now. Do you want to deny it?¡± ¡°How dare you ask Bertha to apologize to Ashley? Are you trying to force a sad mother to death?¡± Laura ignored the noise and those angry reporters¡¯ questions. She said calmly, ¡°Everyone, you got so much information in this ten-second video. ¡°Well, | have a moreplete video for you to watch.¡± Frankie was watching the livestream. He sneered in disdain when he saw this. plete video? The full version of the video had been destroyed by him long ago. It would be impossible for Ashley to find it. Chapter 100 Those reporters at the scene were stunned after hearing Laura¡¯s words. plete video? Wasn''t the full version that Frankie posted online? On the stage, Laura took out the USB sh disk that Ashley gave to her. She inserted it into aputer to y the video. The video was recorded in the living room of the Ramos Vi. Evan looked at Ashley standing beside the sofa with an angry face and shouted, ¡°Ashley! Do you want to piss me off? Why are you so disobedient?¡± With a cold face. Bertha to Ashley and said, to your dad! Do you hear me?¡± ¡°Admit your mistake. Those reporters saw this video and were very impatient. What was going on? This video further proved that Ashley did something wrong, and she made Evan and Bertha angry. However, their expressions changed when they saw the following pictures, and they looked in disbelief. In the video, Evan yelled at Ashley, ¡°Jessica just broke your doll and shed your leg with scissors. Why do you cling to it? Jessica cried just now. Ashley stood there, not caring about the wound on her leg. She lowered her head sadly. ¡°That rag doll...was a meeting gift that my grandma when she adopted me from the orphanage... After she passed away, | kept that doll with me...¡± However, Evan interrupted her angrily, ¡°I don¡¯t care about it. Jessica cried because of you. You must apologize to her!¡± Ashley pressed her lips and didn¡¯t speak. Bertha pushed Ashley hard and urged impatiently, ¡°Are you deaf? You damn girl! You must apologize to Jessica right now. How could | have such an annoying daughter like you?¡± 14 08:13 Ashley was pushed, staggered for two steps, and almost fell. But she didn¡¯t apologize to Jessica. Evan was so angry that he grabbed the ashtray on the coffee table and smashed it at Ashley¡¯s head. Those reporters were nervous when they saw this. What would happen if the ashtray hit Ashley¡¯s head? It would crash the head and cause bleeding. Ashley was Evan¡¯s biological daughter. How could Evan hit her ruthlessly? The following pictures in the video showed that the ashtray didn¡¯t fall on Ashley¡¯s head. Instead, it flew toward Bertha, who was standing beside Ashley. When Bertha was about to be hit by the ashtray, Ashley pushed her away in a hurry. With a bang, the ashtray fell to the ground and shattered into pieces. Bertha fell onto the soft sofa without any harm. The video ended here. The huge hall was noisy just now, but now, it was so quiet that people. could hear their breathing. It took dozens of seconds before some reporters stammered in disbelief. ¡°This... Ashley pushed Bertha away to save her...¡± ¡°If Ashley hadn¡¯t pushed Bertha away, Bertha would have been hit by the ashtray.¡± ¡°Bertha had just scolded Ashley, but Ashley still saved her. Who said she was not good to Bertha?¡± ¡®Besides, Jessica broke Ashley''s doll and cut Ashley¡¯s leg with a knife, but Evan and Bertha asked Ashley to apologize to Jessica! How could there be such partial parents?!¡± ¡°They are not just partiality but also doited. Ashley didn¡¯t even care about. the injury on her leg that Jessica cut. She just felt sad about the broken doll, which was the first gift her grandmother gave her, and her 03:18 grandmother''s relic. But Jessica broke it...¡± ¡°Oh my goodness! | was very impressed...¡± Everyone initially thought Ashley was an unqualified daughter. But the facts showed that Evan and Bertha were inadequate parents. They thought Ashley was rude to her biological mother, but the fact was that Evan and Bertha abused Ashley indiscriminately. Evan hit Ashley with an ashtray without hesitation, and Bertha scolded Ashley with hateful words. They never regarded Ashley as their daughter. Frankie was Ashley¡¯s brother, but he helped his parents to do bad things. He posted the iplete video online to confuse right and wrong, ckened Ashley''s name, and even ledizens to abuse Ashley online. Ashley was poor. She had such an impersonal family. Those reporters looked at each other in embarrassment, not knowing what to say. They thought they were the righteous party seeking justice for Bertha. But they never expected that they were used by someone with ulterior motives to target innocent and pitiful people... Those reporters looked at Ashley, who was calm all the time. A female reporter was deeply moved. She said with tears, ¡°Ashley, is this why you severed ties with the Ramos family? If so, | support you!¡± Those reporters spected that Ashley¡¯s severing rtions with the Ramos family was due to her own fault. Now, it seemed that it was the Ramos family¡¯s fault. Joseph finally felt relieved for Ashley when he saw the situation reversed. But he didn¡¯t expect that Ashley had been bullied like this by the Ramos family... On the stage, Laura looked at Ashley. Ashley nodded slightly. Laura knew her meaning. She calmed down, then nced at those reporters and said coldly, ¡°As for Frankie, he posted the clipped video 3/4 08:13 Chapter 100 online, which constituted false usations and ndered against Ashley. He seriously damaged Ashley''s rights and interests. We have called the police and will prosecute Frankie.¡± At the Ramos Vi, Frankie saw the reversal of the press conference and stood up from the sofa abruptly. His face was gloomy and looked terrifying. He thought. Damn it! How did Ashley get theplete version of the video?¡± Bertha was very nervous and patted her chest anxiously. ¡°What should. we do now? Everything was exposed...¡± Jessica supported her andforted her. ¡°Mom, don¡¯t worry. Frankie, even if Ashley said that she called the police, she was warning us. She has alwayspromised on us. This time, she won''t...¡± However, a servant hurriedly ran into the living room before Jessica finished speaking. ¡°Mr. Ramos, the police are here! They said...said...¡± The servant hesitated and dared not to speak. Several police officers had walked in with solemn faces. ¡°Frankie, we received a call. You posted false news online and defamed Ashley. Your behavior had a huge impact on Ashley. The evidence is conclusive. You are under arrest.¡± Frankie clenched his fists. His face was unprecedentedly gloomy.N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. He thought, ¡®Ashley, you dared call the police! How could you be so cruel? I¡¯m your brother! Do you really want me to be arrested?!" Frankie was the Ramos Group¡¯s president. If the police arrested him, it would be a great shame for him. Chapter 101 However, with the evidenceid out and the police involvement due to a severe usation of defamation, Frankie was eventually taken away. Bertha, witnessing the situation, fainted on the spot. Charlie and Ryan rushed home upon hearing the news. Chaos erupted in the entire Ramos family. The extensive press conference was simultaneously a livestream on the Inte. Netizens who had condemned Ashley were left dumbfounded after learning the truth. They couldn¡¯t believe Frankie and Bertha coborated to nder Ashley. Frankie and Bertha were undoubtedly unqualified as Ashley¡¯s mother and elder brother. Meanwhile, after enduring harm from her family, Ashley now faced condemnation fromizens who believed whatever they heard. Thoseizens¡¯ misguided sense of justice was, in reality, a second blow. to Ashley! Someizens acknowledged their error and began apologizing to Ashley. Some deleted their tweets criticizing Ashley, feigned ignorance of the situation, and continued to attack the next target. Hashtags like ¡°Ashley, Ash, you are still my idol¡±, ¡°Misdeeds of the Ramos family¡± and ¡°The Ramos family owes Ashley an apology¡± swiftly. ascended the trending charts. Following this incident, the true nature of the Ramos family wasid. bare before the public. Even the image of the Ramos Group suffered damage, turning negative. The press conference concluded. Ashley, Joseph, and Laura exited the venue, spotting Bryce and Miranda 09:16 wearing masks in the crowd. Seeing Ashley, Miranda was jubnt and ran over. ¡°Ashley, I¡¯m so d for you! The truth has finallye to light, and you¡¯ve been cleared!¡±N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. From yesterday until now, witnessing the online condemnation and attacks against Ashley, Miranda had felt restless and didn¡¯t know how to assist. Anxiety even caused her to fall ill. Moved, Ashley smiled, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you toe to the press conference.¡± Miranda exined, ¡°I couldn¡¯t wait at home any longer, so | came to the venue. Oh, | encountered Bryce at the entrance.¡± Bryce, wearing a ck mask, approached with hands in pockets, his tall figure and silver hair standing out. ¡°Impressive, Ashley. Crisis averted.¡± Before Ashley could respond, Joseph stepped forward on high alert, warning Bryce, ¡°Stay away from Ashley.¡± Bryce frowned in confusion. Ashley looked at Joseph, her eyes filled with puzzles. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Full of crisis awareness, Joseph was angry and exined urgently, ¡°You''re not aware yet. There¡¯s spection online about a romantic rtionship between you and Bryce! You rescued him in horse racing andposed. songs for him in the name of Ash. Fans are going crazy!¡± He thought, ¡®Why areizens making a wild guess? Ashley belongs to Valentin! Ashley was incredulous. She thought, ¡°Why doizens consider Bryce and me as a couple? What a ridiculous notion!¡± Ashley¡¯s rejection was evident on her face. ¡°Iposed songs for Bryce, but not for free. | received payment. It¡¯s a straightforward business transaction.¡± Seeing Ashley reject the rumor vehemently, Bryce squinted and looked at her meaningfully. He smirked, arrogantly dering, ¡°I''ll post on Twitter now, saying that Ashley and | don¡¯t get along. We''ll fight whenever we meet. No one is allowed to guess our rtionship!¡± Hearing his words, Laura immediately intervened. ¡°Don¡¯t mess around. No celebrity will post such things on Twitter!¡± Bryce smiled provocatively, ¡°Since no one did before, I''ll be the first!¡± Laura sighed, ¡°Don¡¯t make a scene!¡± Given Bryce¡¯s rebellious personality, Laura believed that if she didn¡¯t stop him, he might really go through with it. As his manager, she would be the one dealing with the aftermathter. ncing at the time, Laura changed the subject. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. Bryce and Miranda, you''re both here out of concern for Ashley. Since the matter is over now, let¡¯s have a meal together.¡± Always generous, Joseph said, ¡°Let¡¯s go. | will treat!¡± After lunch, Joseph drove Ashley back to the Kingsley Vi. He also got out of the car and shouted before reaching the living room, ¡°Valentin, I¡¯ve safely brought Ashley back!¡± Beside him, Ashley was shocked by his shout. She raised her hand and rubbed her car. ¡°Don¡¯t shout. What do you mean by safely bringing met back?¡± Joseph raised an eyebrow, smiling yfully, ¡°I attended today¡¯s press. conference not only because I¡¯m the boss of Royal Entertainment. Valentin repeatedly instructed in advance that my main task was not to attend the press conference but to take care of you at all times!¡± Puzzled, Ashley blinked her eyes. She wondered why Valentin specially assigned Joseph such a task. Joseph approached with a smirk, seizing the opportunity to speak well of Valentin. ¡°Ashley, have you noticed that Valentin is always protecting you?¡± Ashley¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She entered the living room, her eyshes. trembling. Valentin descended the stairs, exuding an indescribable elegance in at crisp white shirt and ck trousers. 09 16 Ashley¡¯s attention was immediately drawn to the sizable box in his hands. Intrigued, she asked, ¡°What are you holding? It¡¯s quite large.¡± Valentin soon approached her and presented the box. ¡°Open it.¡± In that fleeting moment, Ashley felt a rush of joy. Her eyes lit up, and she blinked as she asked, ¡°Another gift for me?¡± Joseph followed closely behind and marveled at the substantial size of the gift box. ¡°Wow, what a gift! Valentin, howe you never get me anything?¡± Valentin cast a subtle nce at him. Joseph instantly grasped the situation. He thought, ¡®Alright, | don¡¯t deserve it. Well, Valentin is as consistent as ever in favoring his wife over me!¡¯ Ashley had already unveiled the gift box, revealing an irresistibly cute, fluffy toy fox inside. Her eyes sparkled. She reached out and squeezed it. ¡®So soft. | like its texture!¡¯ Ashley thought. Ashley looked up at the man in front of her with bright eyes, surprised. and delighted. ¡°Why did you suddenly give me such a cute toy?¡± Valentin reached out to tousle her hair, smiling gently, ¡°Do you like it?¡± Ashley nodded delightedly. ¡°I love it! It¡¯s so cute!¡± She had been fond of cute plush toys since childhood. Although she had restrained herself a bit as she grew older, she still liked them very much. Ashley raised her hand and pinched the fox¡¯s ear, discovering that this toy fox was a limited edition. Seeing her so fond of the gift, Valentin couldn''t hide the gentleness in his eyes. grandmother had once given her a doll, which was broken. leoriginally wanted to find an identical one to give to Ashley, making up for her loss. However, he realized that even if it were identical, it would never be the 09-10 One given by her grandmother. It would only add to her sadness. So, he gave Ashley a plush toy that she liked. The doll given to Ashley by her grandmother couldn''t apany her in the future. As arecement, Valentin wanted this toy fox to continue to apany her. Chapter 102 Caught off guard, Joseph found himself showered with others¡¯ romantic. affection. He eximed in distress, ¡°I can¡¯t endure this any longer! Howe nobody gives me gifts? Please think of me, the poor bachelor!¡± Ashley was speechless.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Suddenly, Ashley remembered something and nced at Valentin. ¡°Hey,. your birthday is approaching soon.¡± Valentin raised an eyebrow in surprise, dragging out his wordszily. ¡°Oh? You remember my birthday.¡± Joseph, eager for gossip, forgot about his misery and swiftly turned to look at Ashley. Blushing. Ashley stammered, ¡°Of course, | remember!¡± She celebrated his birthday every year in their childhood, which she would never forget. Joseph immediately seized the opportunity to gossip and asked with eyes. shining brightly, ¡°So, Ashley, how are you nning to celebrate your husband¡¯s birthday this year?¡± Ashley flushed and red at Joseph. ¡°None of your business.¡± In the afternoon, Zain came to visit the youngsters. Supported by a cane, Zain smiled spiritedly upon seeing Ashley. ¡°Ashley, | came today to see you and, by the way, to see Valentin!¡± Feeling he was the unnecessary one, Valentin was at a loss for words. Joseph ran out of the kitchen. ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯m also here!¡±. Zain beamed with pleasure. ¡°I¡¯m so d to see you all!¡± As the night fell, Zain stayed at the Kingsley Vi and had dinner with the three youngsters. The atmosphere at the dining table was harmonious. While eating, Joseph, seeing his amiable grandfather, couldn¡¯t help but feel emotional. He thought, ¡°This is what a home looks like. In contrast, the Ramos family is like hell on earth, Ashley is wise to cut ties with them.¡± 09:10 Apanied by a few shes of lightning, thunder rumbled. A torrential downpour began. Looking at the heavy rain outside, Joseph suggested that Zain should stay at the Kingsley Vi tonight instead of returning to the Kingsley Manor. He would also stay there. It would be fine if the rain were light, but with thunder and a downpour, it wasn¡¯t safe for the driver. Zain was persuaded and decided to stay at the Kingsley Vi for the night. When it was time for bed, Zain paid particr attention to Valentin and Ashley and found they went into the main bedroom together without separating. He felt highly pleased. In the main bedroom, Ashley closed the door and sighed quietly. She couldn¡¯t believe she was once again forced to share a bed with Valentin. ¡®| mustn¡¯t take advantage of him tonight, she thought. She absolutely couldn''t roll into his embrace again. Ashley went to take a shower first, and then shey on the bed and dealt. with the messages on her phone. Hearing the sound of the bathroom door opening, Ashley looked up. Valentin came out of the bathroom, his hair still wet. Water droplets. rolled down from the tips of his hair and traced along the sexy and distinct corbone, emanating a seductive charm. After he dried his hair with a towel, Ashley put down her phone and beckoned him. ¡°Come here.¡± In response, Valentin raised an eyebrow leisurely. She was the first one to beckon him over like this. Valentin chuckled, his eyes filled with indulgence, and walked over. He looked down at her and smiled, ¡°Ashley, no pretending to sleep this. time?¡± After a brief pause, Ashley retorted, ¡°I didn¡¯t pretend to sleepst time! Forget it... | just want to ask you what birthday gift do you want this year? 09:16 Valentin squinted his eyes slightly, silently looking at her. Ashley slowly retracted into the quilt, leaving only a head poking outside. Catching the quilt, she looked at him with moist eyes. ¡°| mean, you can tell me if you want anything. | can prepare in advance so | won¡¯t give you something you don¡¯t like.¡± Valentin seemed to consider for a moment seriously. ¡°Anything | want?¡± Ashley nodded. ¡°Feel free to speak. | will definitely satisfy you!¡± As soon as the words fell, a shadow loomed over her. Valentin bent down and kissed her with his slightly cool lips... Chapter 103 Caught off guard by the kiss, Ashley widened her eyes in shock. Valentin didn¡¯t go further, just lightly touching her lips. Then, he withdrew slightly and gently brushed against her soft cheek with his high nose. Such intimate gesture between lovers was more ambiguous than a simple kiss. Ashley suddenly felt a thrill all over, clearly sensing her heart pounding. Unconsciously, she tightened her grasp along the edges of the quilt. She forgot to blink, staring directly at the man. The beautiful eyes shimmered with bewilderment, enhancing her already delicate features. and making her more charming. ¡°Valentin, you... She wondered why he suddenly kissed her again. He did the samest. time. Snapping out of the daze, Ashley blinked in disbelief, and embarrassment surged within her. ¡°I''ll break up...¡± Before she could finish her words, another kiss silenced her. This time, it wasn¡¯t a brief touch. It was a forceful and passionate kiss, carrying a hint of aggression. Compelled to raise her jaw to respond to Valentin, Ashley felt the air in her chest being forcibly taken away. Moisture shimmered in her clear eyes, and a hint of crimson appeared at the corners. She didn¡¯t know how long this kisssted, and Valentin finally released. her. He gently brushed against her moist red lips with his fingertips, looking at her meaningfully. ¡°Break up with whom? Huh?¡± He seemed to say that if she dared to mention breaking up again, he would kiss her one more time. Ashley understood the implied threat in his words, pouting with anger, ¡°You''re so annoying.¡± 09:16 Valentin chuckled, his voice sexy and husky, ¡°You¡¯re so cute.¡± Ashley immediately closed her mouth, Valentin narrowed his eyes and stared at her. ¡°Do you know what | want for my birthday gift?¡± Feeling ufortable under his gaze, Ashley replied softly, ¡°Yes...¡± His eyes became even more meaningful, and his fingertips gently caressed her cheek. Ashley frowned and pouted, ¡°You just want to have sex with me, right?¡± Valentin was momentarily puzzled. Although that was indeed what he wanted, it wasn¡¯t the meaning behind. his previous words. Ashley curled her lips and said straightforwardly, ¡°Last time, you mentioned at the hospital that ording to the divorce agreement, wel need to fulfill our marital duties.¡± Since they returned from the hospital, he consciously kissed her, and today, he kissed her again. It seemed that he really wanted to have sex, but... Ashley nced at his lower body and swiftly averted her gaze. ¡°If you really want to, just handle it yourself!¡± Hearing her words, Valentin raised an eyebrow, almost amused. ¡®Handle it myself?¡¯ He thought. He silently looked at her for a while before saying, ¡°What if | want to do it with you?¡± Ashley suddenly froze. She blinked and asked, ¡°What did you say in the previous sentence?¡± Valentin didn¡¯t understand why she suddenly asked this, but he recalled. and repeated, ¡°Do you know what | want for my birthday gift?¡± Ashley decisively answered, ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± She didn¡¯t mean to break her words. She just couldn''t realize Valentin¡¯s birthday wish of fulfilling marital duties. Ashley grabbed the quilt to cover her head, unterally dering that she 275 09:16 had fallen asleep. Looking at the round lump on the bed, Valentin narrowed his eyes and stood up slowly. With a meaningful smile, he asked, ¡°Ashley, when did you be so timid?¡± Ashley ground her teeth. With her head covered in the quilt, she stretched out a leg and wanted to kick him. However, because she couldn''t see, her leg iled in the air, missing its target. Seeing her childish and cute action, Valentin raised an eyebrow slightly, and the gloom within him faded away Bending down, he suddenly grasped her delicate ankle with his warm. palm. Ashley¡¯s spine stiffened. Yet, instead of letting go, Valentin held onto her ankle, pulled her foot towards him, and teased, ¡°I¡¯m right here. Kick over here.¡± Ashley¡¯s heart skipped a beat. The spot where he held her ankle seemed to feel warm and itchy, causing her to shiver involuntarily. Tentatively, Ashley kicked out lightly, and to her surprise, she hit the mark. Athrill went through her, and she hastily withdrew her leg under the quilt. Looking at the balled-up little animal, Valentin raised his eyebrows but refrained from further words. The rain ceased overnight, and the morning air felt remarkably fresh, with raindrops gently rolling on flower petals. Zain and Joseph stayed the night at the Kingsley Vi yesterday, and everyone had breakfast together this morning. After the meal, Zain and Valentin headed to the study for a discussion. Ashley sat on the living room sofa, leisurely enjoying some fruit. 09:16 Feeling quite at home, Joseph casually settled down next to Ashley and. speared a piece of cantaloupe with a small fork. ¡°Ashley, | heard the Ramos family is scrambling to get Frankie out of jail.¡± Ashley wasn¡¯t surprised by this revtion. ¡°I had a hunch.¡± Joseph looked astonished. ¡°You had a hunch?¡± Ashley responded calmly, ¡°Yes.¡± In any case, the Ramos family still wielded a certain level of influence. They wouldn¡¯t let Frankienguish in jail without taking action. However, going to jail would be a permanent stain on Frankie''s reputation. More importantly, Frankie, the Ramos family, and the Ramos Group were now notorious. It had be widely known online, with no chance of turning the tables. Joseph scrolled through the news on his phone, grinning broadly. ¡°Ashley, look! The stock price of the Ramos Group has hit rock bottom. Do you know what happened to their crucial projects? Upon hearing the president is in jail, coborating partners urgently initiate risk. assessments and withdraw investments one after another. All projects are forced to halt!¡± Joseph thumbed up, gleeful. ¡°Ashley, your move nearly sent the Ramos family to the brink of copse.¡± The Ramos family, which was never considered top-tier among the elite. families in Kilos City, was now in dire straits. As Joseph continued speaking, he got even more excited. ¡°Ashley, that supposed pseudo-heiress, Jessica, is after the Ramos family¡¯s fortune, right? Now that the Ramos family¡¯s assets have shrunk significantly, she must be furious! Wait! | suddenly realized your move has hit several. people in the Ramos family at once!¡±N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. Ashley, growing weary of his chatter, said, ¡°Enough of your annoying bbering. You¡¯re giving me a headache.¡± Joseph immediatelyined intively, ¡°How can you find me annoying? Aren¡¯t we in a good rtionship?¡± Ashley responded with no sense of guilt, ¡°No.¡± Suffering a sudden hit, Joseph ran away with a sense of dejection. Chapter 104 Ashley sat alone on the sofa for a while, receiving a message on her phone. [Are you determined to retire for sure? Reply to me. Reply to me now! Don¡¯t pretend you didn¡¯t see this message!] Lazily, Ashley typed: [Yeah.] The person on the other side panicked: [Don¡¯t do that! We can¡¯t live without you, even for a single day!] Ashley smiled and exchanged a few yful words with the person who sent her messages. As Ashley expected, Frankie stayed in jail for nearly a month before the Ramos family managed to get him out. During that month, Bertha cried day and night as her eyes swelled fromThis text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. tears. Seeing Frankie return, Bertha immediately instructed the servants to prepare hot water for a bath to help ease his fatigue. In just a month, Evan¡¯s hair had turned noticeably grey, and his spirit was not as vibrant as before. nat Evan, who cared deeply about his reputation, vented his frustration at Frankie like a volcanic eruption. ¡°Your imprisonment has disgraced our family! The Ramos family¡¯s dignity and honor are all gone!¡± Bertha quickly intervened. ¡°Evan, please don¡¯t scold him. It¡¯s good that Frankie is back.¡± Jessica, considerate and understanding, added, ¡°Dad, please don¡¯t be angry. It¡¯s most important that Frankie is back. Money and reputation are external matters that can be earned back slowly.¡± Although Jessica said this, her heart was filled with resentment. She had thought that by driving Ashley out of the Ramos family, all their wealth would be hers. But now, with Frankie¡¯s imprisonment, the Ramos family¡¯s wealth had 09-16 significantly dwindled, without knowing a specific number. And that meant her money was dwindling! Charlie, a calm and serene art restorer, not overly concerned with wealth, agreed, ¡°Jessica is right, Dad, please don¡¯t worry.¡± Ryan patted Frankie¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Frankie, you''ve suffered. It¡¯s all because of that heartless Ashley, who cares nothing for family ties!¡± Frankie remained silent. Aftering out of jail, he seemed much gloomier. Watching the negative news about the Ramos family, the falling stock. prices of the Ramos Group, and the public criticism towards the Ramos family, Frankie tightly frowned. He thought, | would not allow the downfall of the Ramos family under my watch. Suddenly, explosive news appeared! The internationally renowned fashion designer ¡°Attelia¡± announced her retirement! Frankie suddenly became excited. Attelia was the chief designer of the globally famous luxury brand Glory Youveile. Glory Youveile was so prestigious that dignitaries, socialites, and elegantdies worldwide favored its clothing. Attelia was one of the founders of Glory Youveile and its chief fashion designer. It could be said that Attelia was a legendary figure in the design industry, with a reputation that resonated globally. Though Attelia had never shown her face publicly, a photo of her back. had been taken, revealing a gracefuldy who was undoubtedly at Zyrrinthian. The Ramos Group owned a clothing brand. If they could recruit Attelia as the chief designer, it would greatly benefit the Ramos Group. Moreover, Attelia, as a legendary figure in the design world, had an extraordinary influence and driving force. 09-16 Recruiting Attelia to the Ramos Group could also boost its reputation. slowly. Frankie gazed at the only photo of Attelia¡¯s back, his eyes gradually. bing firm. He had to find a way to recruit Attelia and restore the reputation of the Ramos Group and the Ramos family! Chapter 105 Seeing Valentin¡¯s birthday approaching, there were only a few days left. Ashley became increasingly anxious, not having decided on a birthday. gift for him. It had to be a proper gift, considering it was his birthday, a day that came only once a year. Joseph came to the Kingsley Vi every few days. Seeing Joseph¡¯s smug expression, Ashley came up with an idea and promptly called him over, leading him to a gazebo in the garden for a chat. This gazebo was Ashley''s favorite spot in the Kingsley Vi. It situated next to a vast artificialke where a gentle breeze rustled. through the pleasant scenery. Since Valentin was still at thepany and hadn¡¯t returned yet, Ashley intended to extract some information from Joseph. Seated on the bench inside the gazebo, Joseph raised an eyebrow inquisitively. ¡°What¡¯s up, Ashley?¡± Ashley cleared her throat, subtly inquiring, ¡°Have you prepared a birthday gift for Valentin?¡± Joseph replied, ¡°Of course!¡± Ashley continued with a smile, ¡°And what kind of gift have you prepared for him?¡± Joseph, arms folded, raised an eyebrow mischievously. ¡°That''s a secret!¡± Ashley was speechless.. Ashley didn¡¯t expect him to be so cautious. Joseph rolled his eyes around and quickly assessed the situation. ¡°Ashley, are you still struggling with what to give Valentin for his birthday? It seems like you¡¯re really taking this birthday seriously.¡±Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. Ashley, sitting across from him, waved her hand. ¡°Regardless of how seriously | am taking it, he has given me so many gifts before. | should reciprocate properly, shouldn''t I?¡± 09:16 Hearing this, Joseph became gossipy out of curiosity. ¡°What kind of gifts. did Valentin give you before? Tell me!¡± Ashley once again became speechless. How could he be so gossipy all the time? Joseph rubbed his chin, realizing how rare it was that Ashley was putting in effort to choose a birthday gift for Valentin. As a self-proimed love strategist, he felt a sudden sense of duty to provide some guidance. Excited by the idea of this divine mission, Joseph quickly darted to Ashley¡¯s side and eximed, ¡°Ashley, what was the birthday gift you gave Valentinst time?¡± ¡°Thest time?¡± Ashley pondered for a moment. It turned out that thest time she gave Valentin a birthday gift was a long time ago. Joseph betwee ¡°ore grief on his face, wondering how things got so strained between them. He asked, ¡°Tell me about the gifts you gave him on his. birthday when you were kids.¡± Ashley, feeling a bit embarrassed, touched her nose. ¡°Well, the gifts | gave him back then were handmade, not anything valuable.¡± ¡°No! Ashley, don¡¯t belittle yourself!TM Gifts made by Ashley would undoubtedly be precious to Valentin, possibly treasured until now. Joseph was so curious that he could not help but ask, ¡°Ashley, when did you meet Valentin?¡± Ashley casually observed the scenery outside the gazebo. ¡°Just when we were kids, a few years old.¡± Joseph, feeling curious, begged her to say more. ¡°Tell me about it, Ashley, I¡¯m really curious!¡± Ashley recalled the first time she met Valentin. Back then, he was different from his current self. At that time, she lived in the countryside with her grandparents. 09:16 During that time, her grandpa was immersed in farming. Although he nted various crops, none of them bore fruit. Peanuts wouldn''t yield. peanuts, and beans wouldn''t produce beans.. But her grandma and grandpa had a strong bond, and her grandpa always had his way. So, the three of them moved to the countryside. together. Zain brought his grandson to visit Ashley¡¯s grandfather. It was the first time Ashleyid eyes on Valentin. Amidst the summer cicada¡¯s song, the wind blew the leaves, making the gentle rustle. The young boy with soft hair, fair skin, and exquisite features s He looked prettier than all the kids she had seen. However, his eyes seemed lifeless, cold, and distant, unlike the livel expression typical of other children. While Zain and Ashley¡¯s grandfather were discussing matters, Ashley took Valentin outside to y. Ashley liked this pretty young boy. Despite her efforts to engage him in conversation and show him around the bridges and trees and the location to see the cricket fight, he remained silent. Ashley couldn¡¯t help but wonder if something was wrong with him, considering hisck of speech and expression. She even thought of the term ¡°amentia¡± she had learned from a book a couple of days earlier. Feeling sad for him, Ashley asked Valentin to wait in the shade of trees. outside while she went home briefly. Worried that he was an amentia, Ashley reminded him not to run around and stay under the shadow of trees. Valentin gave her a nce, expressionless, without saying anything. Running back home in her floral dress, Ashley took out her favorite fruit-vored milk and invited this dummy boy to share it. However, when she returned with the milk, she found several mischievous vige kids surrounding Valentin, seemingly ready to tease him. Ashley rushed over, shooing the kids away. Looking at this pretty dummy mentally handicapped boy, Ashley held his hand and reassured him with a smile, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, these kids can¡¯t beat me. I''ll protect you!¡± Valentin looked at her for a while but withdrew his hand from hers in the end. Later, Valentin¡¯s grandfather, Zain, returned home, but Valentin stayed behind to spend some time there. Ashley liked this pretty boy a lot, was delighted to have him around, and wanted to y with him every day. However, Valentin, being reserved and seemingly mentally challenged, kept to his room and showed little interest in ying. One day, Ashley decided to make a flower crown with wildflowers and grass and went to Valentin¡¯s room to give it to him. Valentin was practicing calligraphy in his room. Upon lively running towards him, Ashley identally knocked over an ink bottle on his table. ck ink spilled everywhere, staining her pretty dress. Panicking, Ashley tried to wipe it off with her hands, but it soaked into the fabric. Feeling distressed, she was surprised to hear Valentin, who had been taken for a mentally handicapped boy, say, ¡°I''ll help you.¡± Ashley was shocked to find out that Valentin wasn¡¯t a dummy and he could talk, her eyes widening. After spending more time with him, Ashley discovered that Valentin was neither mentally challenged nor dumb. In fact, he was quite intelligent. Moreover, he couldugh. Once, she pestered him and told him a joke which made himugh. Ashley¡¯s eyes widened as if she had found something surprising. ¡°Your look even better when you smile! No, no, you were already handsome, but you¡¯re even more handsome when you smile!¡± From that day on, Valentin smiled more often, no longer as cold and distant as before. 475 09-160 Reflecting on these old memories, Ashley thought they had been forgotten in the depths of her mind, but certain scenes and phrases. remained vividly etched, resistant to fade with the passage of time. Sharing these memories, Ashley recounted to Joseph the first time she met Valentin. Joseph, pping his forehead, suddenly became enlightened. ¡°I remember now, Ashley. The first time you met Valentin, he wasn''t in the right state because the Kingsley family encountered some issues at that time.¡± Chapter 106 Chapter 106 Ashley furrowed her brows slightly. ¡°What happened?¡± Joseph hesitated for two seconds before speaking softly. ¡°At that time, Valentin¡¯s parents had just passed away, and he witnessed their deaths.¡± Ashley felt a pain in her chest. ¡°The parents of Valentin passed away at that time? ¡®Valentin was just a few years old, witnessing the departure of his parents ¡®No wonder he seemed so off back then, cold and distant as if he had. sealed himself in a transparent shell. thought she. Ashley had heard about the news of Valentin¡¯s parents¡¯ passing, but she didn¡¯t know the specific time. She didn¡¯t dare to ask Valentin, fearing it would bring up painful. memories. Surprisingly, it happened at the time they first met. Joseph sighed, bing mellowpared with his usually carefree demeanor. ¡°Ashley, Valentin is fortunate to have you by his side, which makes him happy.¡± Ashley quickly waved her hand modestly. ¡°It¡¯s not just me; my grandparents were there for him too.¡± Joseph became speechless. He wondered how Ashley could be so naive and straightforward. He tried so hard and could onlye up with a pretentious sentence!N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. However, Ashley was deep in thought, When Valentin was a child, | used to give him handmade gifts for his birthdays. ¡°What if | made a gift for him this year as well? ¡®But what should | make? ¡®A flower crown? That was something for children. ¡®How about designing a piece of clothing for him? ¡®But with his birthday just around the corner, time was too tight. Ashley pressed her lips, calcting the time in her mind. If she stayed up 09:17 a couple of nights, she should be able to make it. That night, Ashley sketched the design. Then, she bought the materials and started the handmade process. After staying up two nights, dark circles appeared under her eyes. Ashley applied a facial mask while working, trying to rejuvenate her fatigued. skin. In the midst of this, Ashley was taken to attend a music awards ceremo by Laura. Bryce received the Most Popr Male Singer Award. In the capacity of Ash, Ashley won the Best Arrangement and Best Composition awards. In the audience, Matthew also attended the award ceremony. Despite his ruined career and the loss of numerous fans, he used to be a popr singer, and the organizers still invited him. They thought Matthew might decline their invitation due to the current controversies. But to their surprise, not only was Matthew present, but he also arrived. early. Apanying Matthew was Jeremy. Seeing these two, the other small and big stars in the audience couldn¡¯t help but give themplicated and disdainful looks, remembering their penitential posted online and their bullying of their younger sister. Matthew and Jeremy, however, faced the contempt without flinching. As long as they could see Ashley, they could endure the disdainful nces. They sat in the audience, apuding vigorously when Ashley went on stage to receive her awards. Jeremy thought in excitement, ¡®Ashley is so beautiful and amazing!¡¯ Matthew thought happily, ¡®Ashley is fantastic. These awards have be more advanced because of her!¡± As soon as the award ceremony ended, Ashley left the venue and hurried 09:17) back to the Kingsley Vi, continuing to prepare the gift for Valentin. Jeremy and Matthew followed, but couldn¡¯t even catch a glimpse of Ashley. The brothers exchanged nces, both feeling lonely. They wondered when they would be able to speak with Ashley. Finally, under Ashley¡¯s diligent efforts, just a day before Valentin¡¯s birthday, she finished the handmade gift. In the evening, Valentin returned from thepany. Tom, as his assistant, drove him.. As soon as he got out of the car, Tom tirelessly carried down various beautifully wrapped gift boxes. Ashley was puzzled, ¡°Why there are so many gifts?¡± Putting the gift boxes down, Tom asked the housekeeper to put them. away and wiped the sweat from his forehead. ¡°These are all from Mr. Kingsley¡¯s friends and some people who want to befriend him. They know Mr. Kingsley never holds birthday banquets, so they sent gifts in advance.¡± Ashley nodded and found out the reason. With so many gifts, Valentin probably wouldn¡¯t bother opening them at all. In the evening, Ashley, Valentin, and Joseph had dinner with Zain. Zain, being old, couldn''t stay upte, so he cut the cake, presented the gifts, said some diligent words, and then asked them to enjoy themselve while he went to rest. Once Zain left, Joseph took out his gift, saying, ¡°Valentin, | need to wish you a happy birthday ahead of time. | won''t disturb your private time with Ashley.¡± Upon hearing his words, Ashley became speechless. After Joseph presented the gift, he chuckled meaningfully and then. slipped away. Ashley was curious. ¡°What did he give you?¡± 09-17 Cher 106 She wondered why Joseph chuckled in that way. Valentin, seeing her curiosity, casually opened the gift. But halfway through unwrapping it, Valentin saw what was inside, and his brow frowned, feeling helpless. Seeing his expression change, Ashley stretched her neck and looked over. ¡°What''s in there?¡±. Valentin expressionlessly put away the gift and said, ¡°Nothing.¡± Ashley once again felt speechless. She knew that there must be something! She didn¡¯t expect that Valentin wouldn¡¯t let her see it yet! Ashley quietly extended her hand, wanting to open it herself. Unexpectedly, Valentin pped away her hand, collecting the gift and the box together. Ashley didn¡¯t know what to say. The more he forbade her, the more curious she became! Time passed unnoticed, nearing midnight. Ashley hurriedly ran back to the room to get her gift. She had pre-packaged it in an exquisite box. Returning to the living room, Ashley handed the gift box to Valentin, just like every time she gave him a birthday present. Her eyes curved as a bright and lively smile burst on her face. ¡°Valentin, happy birthday.¡± Valentin¡¯s eyebrows lifted imperceptibly as his voice waszily seductive. ¡°I¡¯ve waited for your gift for many years.¡± Hearing this, Ashley¡¯s fingertips trembled slightly. ¡°Then, take it.¡± He reached out to take the gift, looking at her. Ashley understood his meaning at a nce and nodded. ¡°You can unwrap it now.¡± Valentin opened the gift box, revealing a white silk shirt inside. The fabric and craftsmanship were exceptional, and visibly different 09.17 from ordinary clothes. Although there was no special design, it looked more textured than regr clothing. Only when he picked it up did he notice a subtle pattern of embroidery. on the shoulder, visible only from a specific angle. At the neckline of the shirt, there was an ¡°A¡± symbol on the back. Valentin looked at the embroidery. This was the signature of the internationally renowned designer, Attelia. Every piece of clothing designed by Attelia in person would have an inconspicuous but strongly personalized ¡°A¡± symbol. However, Attelia had only designed women¡¯s clothing and never created. men¡¯s clothing. Valentin looked up casually, his lips slightly curling. ¡°This shirt...¡± Ashley became nervous. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is there a problem?¡± He chuckled lightly, ¡°No, | just wanted to ask, did you specially ask Attelia, to design this shirt for me?¡± Chapter 107 Chapter 107 Ashley was almost nervous to death. She thought he didn¡¯t like the outfit, but it turned out to be a different issue. ¡°Do you want to know about this?¡± Ashley raised her eyebrows slightly with her hands behind her back, looking mischievous like a cunning little fox. ¡°Sure, you tell me what birthday gift Joseph just gave you, and I''ll tell you! if this outfit was designed by Attelia.¡± Valentin raised an eyebrow without saying anything. Ashley was curious and tried to negotiate with him. ¡°It¡¯s a fair deal, and nobody loses. You tell me first, what did Joseph give you?¡± Valentin seemed persuaded by her and beckoned for her toe closer. Ashley immediately approached eagerly, her ears perked up. In response, Valentin¡¯s thin lips curled slightly, his tone tinged with a teasing edge. ¡°It¡¯ste, baby. Go wash up and get some sleep.¡± Ashley could not believe her ears. ¡°What? ¡®Go wash up and sleep?¡± Ashley didn¡¯t even notice the term ¡°baby¡± for a moment, staring with disbelief. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know where this outfit came from? Why aren¡¯t you curious, Valentin? | am so disappointed in you!¡± Her fair face and slightly widened eyes were excessively cute. Valentin chuckled softly, his Adam''s apple bobbing aszy and enticingughter escaped from his throat. It carried a seductive tone that was captivating to the ears. ¡°Ashley, | can find out what | want to know.¡± ¡®Well, that exined. Ashley gritted her teeth and took a deep breath. ¡°Let me tell you, this is Attelia¡¯s first design for men. And it¡¯s for you. Aren¡¯t you touched?¡± 09.17 Valentin, indifferent, only felt moved by Ashley¡¯s actions. ¡°I am touched. because you gave me clothes.¡± Ashley immediately seized the opportunity. ¡°Since you¡¯re so moved, tell me what Joseph gave you!¡± He nced at her. ¡°You really want to know?¡± Ashley nodded quickly. He noddedzily. ¡°Oh well, call me ¡®honey, and I''ll tell you.¡± Ashley fell silent in confusion. ¡°Are you not willing to do so? Then I''ll take this.¡±Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. Valentin picked up the gift box Joseph gave him, intending to take it upstairs, acting like he didn¡¯t want Ashley to see it. Ashley was even more curious. After holding back for a few seconds, unable to resist, she followed him. Valentin took a few steps. When he just stepped on the stairs, he paused. and turned around. Looking at Ashley following him, hezily smiled, teasingly asking, ¡°What''s the meaning, Ashley? Why are you so attached to me?¡± Ashley, annoyed, wanted to punch him. This guy was doing it on purpose! Feeling annoyed, Ashley came up with an idea. ¡°I could call Joseph and ask him directly!¡± She could not help but think how clever she was. Ashley excitedly took out her mobile phone. Valentin raised an eyebrow. Without saying anything or trying to stop her, hezily leaned on the stair handrail with a hand in his pocket. His. posture could not be more leisurely. Ashley called Joseph and asked him directly. But Josephughed mischievously. ¡°Ashley, if you want to know, let Valentin tell you.¡± 09:17 Ashley was speechless. Her curiosity waspletely crushed. Even if Valentin told her voluntarily, she didn¡¯t want to know anymore. Feeling annoyed, Ashley hung up the phone without looking at Valentin, and went upstairs. As she passed by him, her wrist was suddenly caught. Ashley stiffened her neck, refusing to look at him, and sternly repeated what he said earlier. ¡°It¡¯ste, wash up and sleep.¡± Saying that, she walked upstairs without turning her head back. Valentin raised his eyebrows slightly, watching her back, and shook his head helplessly. It wasn¡¯t until Ashley¡¯s footfall disappeared around the corner of the stairs that he continued walking upstairs. Not walking a few steps, Ashley, who had already returned to her room, suddenly came back, peeking out a little head from the stairs and hesitantly said, ¡°Valentin...¡± Seeing her cute appearance, he smiled lightly, ¡°Yes?¡± They looked at each other across the stairs. Ashley licked her lips. ¡°Well, do you want to make a wish for your birthday?¡± He raised his eyebrows questioningly. Ashley scratched her head, feeling a bit embarrassed. ¡°| made a small cake this afternoon. It¡¯s not that good, and I¡¯ve been hesitant to bring it out. If you want to make a wish, you can use it. If you don¡¯t want to, forget about it.¡± Earlier, they had cut the cake during dinner, but it was just a normal cake-cutting without blowing out candles or making wishes. Although he was already an adult and didn¡¯t care about the birthday candle-blowing ceremony for kids, she hesitated for a long time and decided to ask, just to see if he wanted to make a wish. Valentin didn¡¯t answer immediately, calmly looking up at her. His gaze fell on Ashley withplex emotions. 375 09:17 His long eyshes were exquisite, and the gorgeous light from the chandelier created a faint shadow under his eyelids. The lines from his brow to his jaw were so sharp that he seemed elegant and handsome. When not smiling, he appeared cold and dominant, with a sense of aloofness that kept others at bay. Seeing that he remained silent, Ashley felt a bit uncertain. ¡°It''s okay if you don¡¯t want to make a wish. | just asked casually.¡± He smiled, his voice teasing, ¡°A cake made by Ashley in person? Of course, | will have it.¡± Three minutester. Ashley excitedly took out the cake she made and ced it on the dini table. She was happy that someone appreciated her terrible cooking skills. But this cake, let alone the patterns on it, even the shape was quite unconventional, like an irregr polygon. Ashley, with a serious face, warned in advance, ¡°Don¡¯tugh. | intentionally designed this shape.¡± Valentin turned his face away and couldn¡¯t help butugh. Ashley, feeling annoyed, threatened, ¡°If youugh again, | won¡¯t let your eat it.¡± Then he really stoppedughing and said, ¡°Okay.¡± Ashley was shocked and speechless. Was he so eager to have the cake? Ashley couldn''t help feeling a bit smug; her eyes narrowed into crescent moons. ¡°You have good taste. This is the first time I¡¯ve made a birthday cake for someone.¡± As she wasn¡¯t very skilled in cooking, she didn¡¯t make cakes often. She inserted the candles and turned off the lights in the dining room. The orange candlelight swayed gently, and Valentin looked at her. Ashley became inexplicably excited. 09:17 Since returning to the Ramos family two years ago, she hadn''t celebrated her birthday again. Because they only celebrated Jessica¡¯s birthday and not hers. After such a long time, the celebration for Valentin¡¯s birthday today made her feel the anticipation she had when she was a child. With sparkling eyes like radiant stars, Ashley said, ¡°Make a wish.¡± Valentin closed his eyes as his long eyshes cast shadows on his cheeks. Each eysh was clear and distinct, and under the candlelight, it seemed as if there were stars at the tips, making him look like the most handsome demon, causing a thrilling heartbeat. Ashley thought he would make a good wish, but in less than two seconds, he opened his eyes. She wondered if he had made any wishes at all. Ashley paused for a second and quickly leaned over to help him blow out the candles, feeling curious. ¡°What wish did you make that you finished so quickly?¡± Chapter 108 Chapter 108 Without waiting for Valentin to speak, Ashley quickly interjected, ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about it. Otherwise, it''ll lose its magic.¡± Valentin slightly raised his eyebrows. Ashley turned on the lights in the dining room and noticed Valentin was about to cut the cake. Her eyelid twitched involuntarily. ¡°You know, maybe we shouldn¡¯t eat this cake. Just light some candles, make a wish and that¡¯s enough. No need to eat it.¡± She had tasted it, and the vor wasn¡¯t great.. Earlier, when she said she wouldn''t let him eat if heughed again, she was just joking. But Valentin still cut a piece, using his slender and pale fingers to pick up a small fork to taste it. Ashley admired his courage. ¡°How is it? It¡¯s terrible, isn¡¯t it?¡± He paused, then swallowed it quietly, looking at her with a serene. expression. ¡°It has a very unique taste. She thought, ¡®Unique?¡± ¡°Thanks for that.¡± Ashley intended to dispose of the unsessful cake. But Valentin stopped her. ¡°I haven''t finished eating.¡± Ashley was perplexed. ¡°You still want to eat it even though it tastes bad? Wait, are you nning to eat it all?¡± He replied as if it was only natural, ¡°It¡¯s your first cake for me, Ashley. Of course, | should eat it all.¡± Taken aback, Ashley blinked rapidly, her eyshes fluttering. ¡°Just don¡¯t me me if you end up in the hospital.¡± Upon hearing that, Valentin appeared puzzled, clearly not expecting her reaction. Ashley returned the cake to the table. As she turned around, she caught a glimpse of the gift from Joseph that Valentin had set aside.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. 09:17 While Ashley pretended not to care outwardly, her curiosity was piqued. Seizing an unguarded moment, she stealthily approached and held. Joseph¡¯s gift, feigning surprise. ¡°Oh, how did this get into my arms?¡± Valentin couldn''t help butugh softly. ¡°Are you that curious?¡± Ashley¡¯s eagerness to open it was palpable. Valentin, lounging in his chair with a hand resting casually on his forehead, indulgently said, ¡°Go ahead and take a look.¡± Ashley eagerly opened the box. The next second, she was stunned by the contents. Inside were a variety of sex toys! Pink handcuffs and cute yet sexy cat ears, among other things, were hard to take in! Most outrageous was a note, which said: [Valentin, happy birthday! Wishing you and Ashley have a sex harmony!] The word ¡®sexual harmony¡¯ was emphasized in bold and uppercase. Ashley¡¯s mouth twitched in disbelief, her expression one of sheer incredulity. No wonder Joseph had kept his gift a secret. ¡°Seen enough? Are you satisfied now?¡± Valentin asked with an air of leisure, clearly teasing her. For a moment, Ashley was at a loss for words. She gave him a look as if he was a viin, then pulled out a piece of rope intended for bondage. y. She nced at the rope and then at Valentin. Valentin raised an eyebrow, his tone deliberatelynguid and teasing. you like this kind of thing, huh?¡± Hearing this, Ashley almost stumbled, ring at him fiercely before cracking a sly smile, aiming to scare him. ¡°This is for tying you up.¡± He pondered for a moment and surprisingly nodded. ¡°That''s not entirely out of the question.¡± Ashley was shocked by his reactions and hastily threw the rope back onto 09:17 the table. ¡°It''s reallyte. I''m going to wash up and sleep. Good night.¡± Without looking back, she walked away. Watching her leave, Valentin chuckled softly from his chair, ¡°Leaving so soon? | was still waiting for you to tie me up.¡± Ashley had almost left, but on hearing this, she stopped in her tracks, turned around, and quickly approached him. She picked up the rope and swiftly tied his hands. He thought she would not do so, didn¡¯t he? Seeing her reaction, Valentin raised his eyebrow slightly in surprise, he smiled, offering no resistance as she tied him up. Ashley, after securing the man in the chair, pped her hands in satisfaction, pondering her next scare tactic. Just then, Valentin¡¯s phone Tang. ¡°Could you get that for me, please?¡± He asked as his hands were bound and unable to take the call. The phone was in his pocket. Ashley nced down briefly, then averted. her gaze, her face serious as she reached in to retrieve it. As her hand brushed his pocket, his body tensed for a moment, followed. by a light chuckle as he lowered his eyes. Ashley asked, confused, ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± Valentin, his smiling eyes rxed, gently shook his head. Ashley retrieved his phone, and the caller¡¯s ID was ire Fox. It was a woman''s name. With his hands still tied, Valentin had Ashley answer the call and put it on speaker. Once it was connected, Ashley remained silent out of politeness. Amelodious and gentle female voice came through. ¡°Valentin, happy birthday. | tried to ount for the time difference but got dyed. It¡¯s past midnight over there now, isn¡¯t it?¡± Valentin responded in a low voice with a note of familiarity, ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± 09:171 pter 108 Hearing his tone, it was clear that he was familiar with this woman, Ashley nced his way. The woman continued, ¡°Here''s a bted birthday wish for you. Also, I¡¯ve mailed a birthday gift to you. It should arrive in a few days.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Valentin answered, then turned his gaze to Ashley. Ashley wasn¡¯t looking at him; she was staring at the cake she had made. After some small talk, the woman said with a lightugh, ¡°I won¡¯t disturb you any longer. Goodbye for now.¡± Valentin replied, ¡°Okay.¡± The call ended shortly after. But after this interruption, Ashley¡¯s mood to yfully scare him faded, and she no longer felt like continuing this game. She untied the rope. from his hands. Valentin watched Ashley quietly, letting out a barely audible sigh since he realized that she didn¡¯t care. He then exined, ¡°That''s Joseph¡¯s elder sister, my cousin. She¡¯s currently abroad.¡± Realizing the reason why ire shared the samest name with Joseph, Ashley almost finished untying him but then re-tied the Tope. Valentin looked slightly bewildered. Ashley blinked yfully, and asked with a smile. ¡°Can you untie yourself?¡± ncing at her, his wrists moved subtly. With a few nimble twists of hi fingers, the rope was loosened. Seeing this, Ashley became speechless. Her effort had been in vain. After staying upte for several nights preparing Valentin¡¯s birthday gift, Ashley finally got a good sleep and did not get up in until the next. morning. Uponing downstairs after freshening up, she discovered that he had actually finished the unptable cake she had made. Noticing him sitting on the sofa, wearing the white shirt she had 09-17 designed, she nced over casually. Upon closer inspection, her gaze abruptly paused, filled with unhidden admiration. His figure was already impressive, and while designing the shirt, she had imagined how it would look on him. The result was even more striking than her imagination. From his Adam''s apple to his corbone, the shirt outlined an alluring silhouette. The cuffs were rolled up, exposing his strong arms with the blue veins, subtly entuating his strong build. Every inch of him radiated elegance. Ashley mused that if Valentin had been her model, she would have ventured into menswear design much sooner. With no ns for the afternoon and the birthday celebration ongoing, Ashley decided to spend the rest of the day out with him. Returning to the Kingsley Vi that evening and barely settling on the sofa, a flurry of messages from Joseph arrived. [Ashley, there¡¯s trouble!] [Reply as soon as you see this!] His messages ended with a mischievous smile emoji. Upon seeing these, Ashley became confused. Chapter 109 Ashley stared at Joseph''s message. He was panicking about something at first, yet he sent a grinning emoji next, so it was definitely not something serious. Ashley typed and replied: [How can you still beughing if something. has happened? What¡¯s wrong?] Joseph replied instantly: [Wait for me, I''ll reach the Kingsley Vi soon! Will be there in five minutes!] Ashley could only stare at her phone, wondering what it might be. Exactly five minutester, Joseph came storming in. As soon as hel entered the living room, he asked, ¡°Where is Valentin?¡± Ashley was sitting on the sofa while hugging a soft pillow. ¡°He¡¯s in the study working on something urgent. Do you want to see him?¡± Joseph waved his hand. ¡°Since he¡¯s busy, I''ll just tell you. There won''t be any difference.¡± Ashley pointed to the sofa opposite her. ¡°Sit down and tell me.¡± The servant brought a ss of juice over. Joseph felt his throat was very dry, so he grabbed the ss of juice and. drank arge gulp. Then he grinned at Ashley and said, ¡°Ashley, did you hang out with Valentin this afternoon?¡± Ashley was surprised. ¡°How did you know?¡± Joseph put up a mysterious look. ¡°I also know that both of you went to the amusement park. Am | right?¡± Ashley found it funny. ¡°We did go to the amusement park to celebrate h birthday and have some fun. But there were too many people in the amusement park, so we didn¡¯t stay for long. How did you know?¡± Joseph scooted over and sat next to Ashley before showing her something Valentin on his phone. ¡°Someone has taken a photo of you and Valentin at the amusement park and posted it online. Seriously, this is such a nice photo!¡± Ashley looked down at the photo. 00:17 Judging from the angle of the photo, one could immediately tell that it was secretly taken by a passerby nearby. Under the bright sun, Ashley was wearing a sun hat and a mask while Valentin was standing next to her, his head slightly lowered to listen to her words, exposing his profile directly to the camera. Valentin¡¯s name was already widely known, not to mention that he also had exceptionally handsome looks and a prestigious family background. Although he was nota star in the entertainment industry, he was very famous. As soon as the photo was posted online, it immediately attracted theizens¡¯ attention. After all, the small detail in the photo of a high-profile person like Valentin lowering his head to listen to a woman simply looked too gentlemanly and doting, and people could tell that the rtionship between them was not simple. Netizens were so excited that they couldn''t sit still and began to dig into the identity of the woman in the photo until it eventually became a trending topic.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. Joseph was very satisfied with this photo and even saved it to his album. ¡°Ashley, look, isn¡¯t it beautiful? And they managed to capture the ambiance! Although you were wearing a mask, | could recognize you right away!¡± Ashley was at a loss for words. Now, she just wanted to know whether theizens had found out who the woman in the photo was. Joseph nced at Ashley¡¯s expression and said, ¡°Usually, paparazzi woul not dare to post Valentin¡¯s photos online without permission, but this wa taken by a passerby, so it was immediately posted online, causing everyone toe up with a lot of spections now. Besides...¡± Ashley shot him a look. ¡°What?¡± Joseph cleared his throat, trying to hold back hisughter. ¡°I¡¯ve just looked at the situation online, and a particrly sharp-eyed netizen has suspected the woman in the photo to be you because of the simr eye shape. But they also thought that you¡¯re not rted in any way to Valentin, so they are still making further confirmations.¡± 09:177 Ashley didn¡¯t know what to say. Then Joseph''s expression became serious, and he said, ¡°Ashley, I¡¯ve checked and found out that the reason this inconsequential photo could. cause such an uproar and be a trending topic was because someone. secretly added fuel to the mes.¡± Ashley frowned, ¡°What do you mean?¡± Joseph said. ¡°It was Frankie. He intensified the impact caused by the photo and took advantage of the situation to try to divert theizens¡¯ attention. With this, everyone will be wondering about the rtionship. between Valentin and the woman in the photo and whether Valentin has any other women. They will stop paying attention to the Ramos Group. and the fact that Frankie was jailed a few days ago.¡± After all, Valentin and Frankie were not on the same level, andizens were definitely more interested in the affairs of a big shot like Valentin. Not daring to offend Valentin openly, Frankie only dared to secretly hire paid posters to intensify the impact of the photo. Though he had done it very covertly, Joseph still managed to find out. Upon hearing this, Ashley¡¯s expression suddenly turned hostile. She thought, ¡®Frankie, how dare you use Valentin as a distraction. Hmph, Valentin grew up with me, yet you dared to take advantage of my person? Frankie, you''re screwed.¡± Joseph''s heart jumped to his throat. He suddenly felt like Ashley was. because Frankie was using Valentin for Frankie''s own purpose. angry Joseph hurriedly asked, ¡°Ashley, just now you said that Valentin is busy working on something urgent in the study, so he must not have seen what is happening online yet. So, what are you going to do?¡± Ashley narrowed her eyes, her expression indifferent. ¡°Confront it head-on, of course.¡± Hearing this, Joseph secretly cursed in his heart and immediately leaned over. ¡°Ashley, do you need any help or financial assistance? | can provide it for free!¡± Ashley took out her phone and answered Joseph without raising her head, ¡°Money? | have.¡± Joseph pondered about it. Ashley had written songs for Bryce before, yet 09:17 Bryce didn¡¯t want even a penny of the money earned from it and gave it. all to Ashley as songwriting fees instead. The album was a hit, earning at least tens of millions of dors. Moreover, Joseph always suspected that Ashley had other ways to make money. Soon, Joseph discovered that Ashley¡¯s move was very simple yet ruthless, as she directly spent money to remove the trending topic about that photo. Afterward, she bought a trend, and all the unpleasant information abou Frankie¡¯s imprisonment and the Ramos Group instantly became a trending topic, which everyone could see as long as they went online. Joseph blinked stupidly and checked online, only to find theizens. were allmenting. [Wow, the trending topic about that photo is suddenly removed. | bet Mr. Kingsley has spent money on it. It should be to protect that woman''s privacy, right? Whoa, not only is he rich and handsome, but also powerful! | feel like I¡¯m melting!] Joseph was rendered speechless. He thought, ¡®Unfortunately, it¡¯s the other way around. The trending topic was removed by that woman to protect your beloved Mr. Kingsley. Once the trending topic was removed, Ashley lowered her eyes and fell into deep thought. Given the unfavorable situation the Ramos Group was facing at the moment, many projects had been suspended by their business partner The Ramos Group had two most important business projects at the moment. One was the Ramos Group¡¯s clothing brand, and the other was the Ramos Group''s entertainmentpany. Then, Ashley would start with that clothing brand. Ashley picked up her phone and walked to the side, pulling up Jaden Walter¡¯s name from her contact list and dialing the number.. The call was answered soon, and a clear male voice came from the receiver, but his tone was full of resentment. ¡°Attelia, you still have the guts to call me, huh? You and | founded Glory 476 09:17 Youveile together back then, but now, you have cruelly left me alone and gone into retirement as you please! Do you know how lonely I''ve be?!¡± Ashley put the phone away from her ear very skillfully and waited until Jaden finishedining before speaking. ¡°I have something important to talk with you about.¡± Jaden was stunned for a moment, and then his tone became serious. ¡°What is it?¡± Ashley said, ¡°It¡¯s about the Millein Fashion Association.¡± Not far away, Joseph¡¯s eyes widened in surprise upon hearing mention the Millein Fashion Association. Joseph had obviously heard of the Millein Fashion Association. top and the most distinguished association in the fashion industry its members consisted of the most renowned clothing brands in vai countries. The president of the Millein Fashion Association was Attelia, the chief designer of the world-famous luxury brand, Glory Youveile. And the vice president was a man named Jaden Walter... Speaking of Glory Youveile, it was a luxury brand jointly founded by Attelia and Jaden. Jaden was a mixed-race man who was responsible for Glory Youveile¡¯s business operations, while Attelia, the chief designer, was responsible for clothing design. However, just some time ago, Attelia, its founder and chief designer, announced her retirement from Glory Youveile. Joseph looked at Ashley in surprise and wondered, ¡®Who is she calling? Why is she mentioning the Millein Fashion Association?¡± Ashley walked a little further away while holding the phone and said to Jaden, ¡°The clothing brand of the Ramos Group of Zyrrinthia is a member of the association, isn¡¯t it?¡± Jaden replied, ¡°Yes.¡± Ashley said coldly, ¡°Remove the Ramos Group¡¯s clothing brand from the association.¡± Chapter 110 Hearing it, Jaden was stunned for a moment before he became overjoyed. ¡°Thank goodness! You''ve finally decided not to help the Ramos Group. anymore! Because you wanted to help the Ramos Group, you made their inferior clothing brand a part of the Millein Fashion Associationst year. But this is an association that consists of reputable international brands. from all over the world, so what you did has entirely lowered the association¡¯s standard! | was really devastated!¡± Ashley pressed her lips. At that time, she had wanted to do her best to help the Ramos Group, but in the end, she realized she had been too naive. Still unconvinced, Jaden asked again to make sure, ¡°Have you thought it through? If the most distinguished association in the fashion industry. officially and publicly removed the Ramos Group, it would be equivalent. to sending a message to the whole industry that the Ramos Group¡¯s brand has been sanctioned. Will you regret it?¡± ¡®Regret?¡± Ashley said expressionlessly, ¡°The Ramos Group is the one being sanctioned.¡± Once Ashley hung up the phone, she began to think about the Ramos Group¡¯s entertainmentpany. Previously, the most popr and renowned artist of the Ramos Group¡¯s entertainmentpany was Matthew Now that Matthew¡¯s stardom was ruined, Frankie would definitely find way to bring fame to the other artists in thepany, let them take ove Matthew''s position, and make the Ramos Group''s entertainment.pany rise again. Ashley sneered in her heart, ¡®Let it rise again? In your dreams. Ashley searched online and found that among the artists in the Ramos. Group¡¯s entertainmentpany, one with the biggest potential to be famous was a five-member boy band. Frankie must have ced his hope on those five people. 00:171 Meanwhile, Frankie was sitting in front of theputer in the Ramos. Vi''s study with a deep frown. The Inte was flooded with unpleasant news about him being jailed. and the Ramos Group. He thought in puzzlement, ¡®What¡¯s going on? Hasn¡¯t all the unpleasant news been suppressed? Why is it all over the Inte again?¡± Suddenly, the phone beside him rang, and Frankie answered the call. ¡°Mr. Ramos, this is bad!¡± Frankie furrowed his brows even deeper. ¡°What''s wrong?¡± The person on the other end of the phone said urgently, ¡°The Millein. Fashion Association has just issued a formal stent that it will remove the Ramos Group''s clothing brand from the list!¡± Frankie abruptly stood up from his chair. ¡°How did it happen?!¡± Back then, the Ramos Group was somehow lucky enough to join the Millein Fashion Association, the most distinguished association in the fashion industry. Because of this, the grade of the Ramos Group¡¯s clothing brand had increased a lot, and the brand became a mid to high-end brand. But why was it suddenly removed from the list today? The person on the other end of the phone said, ¡°Mr. Ramos, after we were removed from the Millein Fashion Association, the Millein Fashion Week, an event to which we received the invitationst month, also ser an official letter saying...we are no longer allowed to participate.¡± In short, it seemed that the Ramos Group¡¯s clothing brand had been. sanctioned. Therefore, they could no longer participate in fashion weeks or fashion designpetitions. From now on, the Ramos Group would have no chance of having anything to do with fashion anymore. If this continued, the Ramos Group¡¯s clothing brand would be unable to develop. It would be just the same as waiting to die. Frankie mmed his fist on the table and cursed inwardly, ¡®Damn it, how 09:17 did ite to this?¡± Suddenly, yet another call came in. Once Frankie picked up, the person on the other end shouted, ¡°Mr. Ramos, bad news!¡± That sentence was what Frankie hated to hear the most right now. His face livid, he asked, ¡°What happened?¡± The person on the other end said anxiously. ¡°Something happened to the most popr artists in our entertainmentpany. Pleasee over!¡± Thirty minutester, in the backstage lounge of a musicpetition show. Frankic looked at the five boys before him coldly. They were the members of a five-member boy band. Although they were only C-list stars, they were already the most famous artists in the company. Frankie said sternly, ¡°Haven''t we talked about this? As thergest investor, | can decide for you to get first ce in this music competition. Once you be the champion, you will gain more fame, and offers for endorsement ads will alsoe afterward.¡± It would help thepany earn more money, as what the Ramos Groupcked the most now was the circting capital. The eldest member of the five-member boy band said timidly. ¡°But there were seniors who are more talented and capable than us in this musicpetition. If we were decided to get the first ce, the audience would definitely bash us.¡± Besides, they didn¡¯t want to get a fake first ce at all. Frankie didn¡¯t care, as he was only interested in profit. ¡°So what if you ge bashed? Only the first ce will be the winner. Also, your management contracts are about to expire. As long as you get the first ce, thepany will renew your contracts as soon as possible.¡± Suddenly, the door to the lounge opened, and the show director walked in. He cheerfully said, ¡°I''m sorry, Mr. Ramos, but allow me to introduce you. This is the newest and also thergest investor of our show.¡± Once the director finished speaking, he stepped aside. 09.17 Frankie looked over with a frown. Then, he saw Ashley, who was wearing a smart suit, walking in on her high heels with Joseph beside her. Upon seeing Ashley, the look of hatred and disgust suddenly appeared on Frankie¡¯s face. It was all Ashley¡¯s fault that he was jailed and that the Ramos Group also fell even more. However, what Frankie minded about the most now was the new investor the director had just mentioned. Had the director meant Joseph? Yet, the next second, the director introduced to Frankie, ¡°Mr. Ramos, Ms. Ashley Ramos is now thergest investor in our show.¡± Startled, Frankie widened his eyes in disbelief. How was it possible? ¡°Ashley, you...¡± Unlike Frankie¡¯s flustered look, Ashley smiled charmingly with those red lips and said, ¡°Can¡¯t ept that I¡¯m richer than you?¡± Joseph finally realized that everything Ashley did was clearly to make the Ramos Group go bankrupt. Ashley casually nced over the five-member boy band before finally looking at the director standing on the side. ¡°You just said that you had no choice but to designate this boy band to get the first ce due to the pressure of a certain investor. So what about now?¡± The director immediately smiled and said, ¡°Since you are ourrgest investor now, of course, you have the final say.¡±This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Ashley said, ¡°Thenpete as how it should be. Winners that have bee decided internally will never be able to win the first ce.¡± Frankie red intently at Ashley. Frankie thought bitterly, ¡®Did shee here intentionally to ruin everything? Damn it! | need these boys to win thispetition and be a huge hit! They¡¯re the only hope to bring my entertainment company back to life, yet Ashley chose to interfere! 09:17 Chapter 110 ¡°Why is Ashley suddenly targeting the Ramos Group?¡± Chapter 111 The director looked at Ashley with sparkling eyes filled with admiration. He had to admit Ashley was much better than Frankie. She didn¡¯t throw her weight around and didn¡¯t pull the string, making sure thepetition was fair and square. The director quickly brought a chair and asked Ashley to sit down. The five-member boy band was stunned when they saw Ashleye in. They finally came to their senses after a while and rushed to Ashley excitedly. ¡°Hello, Ash. We are your big fans! | like yourposition very much! Hope to have the opportunity to cooperate in the future!¡± ¡°Thank you, Ash! We finally no longer have to be ranked first by pulling the strings!¡± Ashley found the boy band quite interesting when hearing thest. sentence. The youngest member of the band whispered to the team leader next to him, ¡°Our contract at the Ramos Group is about to expire. Can we look for a chance to sign with Royal Entertainment so that we can have the opportunity to work with Ash...¡± Ashley raised an eyebrow slightly. ¡°You want to changepanies?¡± The five-member boy band nodded immediately. Ashley looked at Joseph on the side. Joseph couldn¡¯t react from the astonishment yet. Ashley became thergest investor and came to oppose Frankie¡¯s decision. She also used her influence to poach the band which was most likely to be popr, and it helped her cut the ground on which Frankie stood. Joseph thought, ¡®Ashley is really cool today and is targeting the Ramos family tantly...¡± He usually loved gossip and knew a lot about the entertainment industry. The band members had upright personalities and good character, who had the potential to be popr. 08:37 1 Joseph waved at them. ¡°Come over!¡± Frankie was so angry that veins popped out on his forehead. He looked at the band members with gloomy eyes. ¡°Do you want to changepanies? You won''t renew your contract with the Ramos Group?¡± The oldest member of the band said, ¡°Sorry, Mr. Ramos. We really don¡¯t agree with the philosophy of the Ramos Group...¡± The thing that Frankie made them the top before thepetition pressured them. Besides, no one could reject the chance to go to Royal Entertainment and work with Ash. Frankie was usually quite mature andposed, but the boiling anger made him grit his teeth and his face grim. He could only invest more money to outdo Ashley, but he didn¡¯t have so much money right now. The current situation of the Ramos family was not optimistic. Its clothing brand and entertainmentpany were battered one after another overnight. Even though there were other artists in thepany, they were not as popr as the five-member boy band, and it needed to take a lot of resources and time. Frankie wanted to boost Jessica¡¯s poprity, but her current reputation. was not good, and she wouldn''t be able to bring much benefit to thepany in a short period of time. What Frankie cared about most was the Ramos family¡¯s clothing brand, which was suddenly expelled from the fashion association and sanctioned by the industry. Frankie pondered, ¡°Why do | feel like someone is taking revenge on us? But we still have Attelia. If Attelia could be invited, I¡¯m sure she would bring our family¡¯s clothing brand back to life with her influence and ability.¡± Attelia was probably thest hope for him. In the study room of the Kingsley Vi, by the time Valentin finished his 08.37 Chapter III work, it was very | late. He rubbed his temples, leaning back on the chair. The bulging curve of his Adam¡¯s apple looked very sexy, but the light of the study room on his face revealed his fatigue. In the silence, his phone dinged, and it came a message from Tom. [Mr. Kingsley, when you and Ms. Ramos went to the amusement park, a passerby took a photo of you and posted it online, which has now be a trending topic.] Valentin frowned.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. He checked online and found the trending topics were all negative news about Frankie and the Ramos family, but there were no photos of him and Ashley. At this time. Joseph opened the door and ran in with exct that hadn''t faded in his eyes. ¡°Valentin, | have something big to tell you!¡± Valentin put down his phone. ¡°What''s up?¡± Joseph became incoherent with excitement and recounted the story of Frankie trying to use photos to divert attention, Ashley spending money to remove trending topics, and investing a lot to be thergest investor to tantly poach the Ramos Group¡¯s artists. Joseph asked curiously, ¡°Valentin, do you think Ashley does this for you. and is avenging you?¡± Valentin¡¯s brows gradually unfurrowed. Ashley had been protective of others since she was a child. Joseph walked back and forth in the study and touched his chin, pondering something. ¡°I once heard Ashley talking to someone on the phone about Millein Fashion Association, but she walked away while she was on the phone. | couldn¡¯t hear anything after that. Could it be rted to the Ramos family¡¯s clothing brand? ¡°Although Ashley is always disgusted with the Ramos family, she just drives them away and keeps a distance from them, but she took the initiative to target the Ramos family today as if she wanted to make them. copse...¡± Joseph couldn¡¯t help but suspect Ashley did it for Valentin. 08:371 Chapter 111 Valentin still remained silent. Joseph leaned over and asked, ¡°Valentin, how are you feeling? Tell me about it!¡± Valentin raised an eyebrow and tapped the table. ¡°It¡¯s not bad to be protected.¡± Joseph thought in astonishment, ¡®What the hell did | hear?!" He almost suspected he was hallucinating. Since it was veryte, he decided to go home to avoid disturbing the two lovebirds. In the bedroom, Ashley was applying a facial mask when there was a knock on the door. She ran to open the door, and Valentin was standing outside. As the door opened, he was startled for a moment and then chuckled. Ashley patted the facial mask and said, ¡°Stopughing. Wait a moment.¡± She ran back to theptop and continued what she hadn''t finished yet. Without saying anything, Valentin put his hands in his trouser pockets, leaned on the door frame, and looked at Ashley affectionately. She was wearing loose house clothes, and her hair was tied in a fluffy bun, making her very soft and cute. Valentin really wanted to hold her in his arms and rubbed her head: Neither of them spoke in the quiet atmosphere, and there was only the sound of Ashley tapping the keyboard. Ashley finished the work on theptop after a while and stood up to stretch herself. She turned off theputer and turned to look at Valentin. Just as she was about to speak, she met his deep eyes. It seemed he had been looking at her all the time. Ashley¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She took off the mask from her face. restlessly and asked, ¡°What''s the matter?¡± Valentin raised an eyebrow while looking at her tender face. He walked Chapter II over and said casually, ¡°There¡¯s something | need to rify with you.¡± Ashley blinked in confusion. ¡°What is it?¡± Chapter 112 Valentin walked up to her and took out his phone. Ashley looked over and saw the photo of them taken by a passer-by at the amusement park. Several peoplemented below the photo. [Am | the only one who feels the rtionship between them is special?] [Speaking of which, this is the first time Valentin has been photographed with a woman. | wonder if he has affairs with other women in private. He¡¯s so rich and must have kept many girls, right?] Valentin pointed to the secondment and said to Ashley, ¡°No.¡± Ashley was embarrassed for a moment. She touched her ears and said in a low voice, ¡°You don¡¯t need to exin this to me. | won''t make a fuss about it.¡± Valentin nced at her. ¡°What if | want to make a fuss?¡± Before Ashley could react, he grabbed her waist and pulled her into his arms. Ashley was stunned, surrounded by his clear and pleasant fragrance. She buried her head on his chest and could clearly feel his strong heartbeat through his thin shirt. Ashley came to her senses and tried to push him away. ¡°Who taught you this? I¡¯ll beat you up if you do this again.¡± Valentin didn¡¯t let go of her and rubbed his chin against the top of her soft hair. He chuckled and said, ¡°It was you who taught me. Ashley was confused. ¡°Stop ndering me!¡± He leaned closer to her with smiling eyes, his warm breath brushing against her ears. ¡°Don¡¯t you remember you said you liked hugging me when you were a kid?¡± Ashley was stupefied again. She wondered, ¡®Did | say that?¡± Ashley might have said it, but she would never admit it. ¡°| said it in childhood. Don¡¯t take it seriously.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Valentin finally loosened his grip, rubbed her head, and said in a maic and sultry voice, ¡°You said you would protect me back then, and you''re protecting me now, aren¡¯t you?¡± Ashley averted his gaze, puffed her cheeks, and said stubbornly, ¡°It¡¯s because | don¡¯t like Frankie.¡± Valentin chuckled and teased, ¡°Alright, alright. You have no intention of protecting me at all.¡± Ashley¡¯s earlobes blushed. She red at him with watery eyes and pushed him out. ¡°It¡¯s veryte. You should go back to bed. Don''t stay in my room.¡± Valentin nced at her hand and asked meaningfully, ¡°Ashley, want to tie me up today?¡± Ashley widened her eyes, shocked by his request. ¡°Suit yourself!¡± Don''t After pushing him out of the room, Ashley immediately took her phone and sent a message to Joseph. [Have you slept yet?] Joseph replied instantly: [No, no! It¡¯s still early!] Ashley immediately typed. [What''s going on with those birthday gifts. you gave Valentin?] She was so embarrassed when she opened the gift at that time. Joseph burst intoughter. [Ashley, you know everything?] He continued typing. [In fact, | knew that Valentin would let you see it sooner orter.] Even if Valentin didn¡¯t want Ashley to know about those birthday gifts, he would surelypromise and agree to Ashley¡¯s requests if she insisted on asking for the answer. Joseph knew Valentin always had no principle when it came to Ashley. Ashley was helpless. [Don¡¯t give such dirty gifts in the future.] Joseph still didn¡¯t give in. [Howe? | wish you a happy sexual life. It''s 08-37 my sincere wishes!] Ashley sent: [Alright. Whatever.] Joseph replied: [Ashley, why are you up sote? It¡¯s not good for your health.] Ashley added: [I know, so | choose to stay up all night.] Josephughed again. [That makes sense. How about Valentin? He worked sote today. Hasn¡¯t he slept yet?] Ashley replied: [He just went back to his room and should go to bed. soon.] Joseph was stunned for a moment. He scratched his head and typed in confusion. [Go back to his room? What does that mean? Don¡¯t you share the same bedroom?] Ashley screamed inwardly, ¡®Damn! | spilled the beans!¡± Ashley immediately withdrew thest message. But Joseph was more sure that he had read it correctly. He typed fast. [I''ve seen the message! There is no use in withdrawing it!] Ashley could only give up and stopped replying. As aresult, Joseph bombarded her with messages. [What''s going on, Ashley? Did you quarrel with Valentin? Are you separated?] [Didn¡¯t you have a good time on Valentin¡¯s birthday yesterday?] [No, have you always slept separately?] Without receiving a reply, he thought Ashley was asleep and decided to call her. Ashley didn¡¯t answer his call and decided to pretend to be asleep. Joseph sent her messages again. [You don¡¯t even answer my call now. What have | done?] [They don¡¯t like me, and now, even you start to hate me.] Seeing this message, Ashley frowned with worry and replied: [What¡¯s 08:371 going on? Did someone give you a hard time?] Joseph replied instantly: [Yes, it¡¯s because of my face. They all say a handsome man is not a good person.] Ashley was speechless. She thought, ¡®I knew | shouldn¡¯t have replied to him!¡± Joseph sent again: [Hey, why are you ignoring me again?] [Ashley, if you and Valentin keep sleeping apart like this, when can | be an uncle?]This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Ashley¡¯s heart fluttered when she saw thest message. She thought for a while and still replied: [It¡¯ste. You should go to bed.] Joseph replied: [Ashley, onest question!] Ashley sent: [Say it.] Joseph replied: [Does Grandpa know that you and Valentin have been sleeping in separate rooms?] Ashley also realized it was a little tricky. She hesitated for a while before sending Valentin a message. [Have you slept yet?] There was no reply. Valentin probably should have fallen asleep. 750 He must be tired after working sote today. Ashley put down the phone and prepared to talk to him tomorrow, but there was a knock on the door. Ashley was startled and went over to open the door. Valentin stood outside the door and had already changed into pajamas. He held his phone and said with a faint smile, ¡°I¡¯m right next door to you, and you¡¯re sending me a message?¡± Ashley blinked. ¡°I¡¯m chatting with Joseph, so | sent a message to you.¡± Valentin said, ¡°You asked me if | slept. What''s wrong?¡± Ashley subconsciously looked at the screen of his phone. Then, her eyes. 08-37 widened slightly when she saw how Valentin noted her contact. Chapter 113 Ashley couldn''t help but take another look to make sure she saw it right. Valentin pinned her WhatsApp ount to the top of his contacts. More importantly, she was the only one pinned at the top. What surprised her more was how Valentin noted her ount. It was the number ¡°61¡±. Ashley pondered, ¡°What does that mean? My birthday isn¡¯t June ¡®st. That¡¯s strange.¡± Just as she was confused, Valentin flicked her forehead. ¡°What''s in your mind?¡± Ashley snapped back to reality, touched her forehead, and decided to get down to business first. ¡°I sent a message to you because there is something | want to talk to you.¡± Valentin walked to the sofa and sat down. ¡°Huh?¡± Ashley also walked over. ¡°I blurted out something when | was chatting. with Joseph. Now that he knows we have slept separately all the time, will he tell Grandpa?¡± Valentin looked up at her. After a few seconds, he tapped on the armrest of the sofa with some regret in his voice. ¡°What should we do? Ashley, it seems you have to sleep with me every day from now on.¡± Ashley was lost for words for a while. She had already been mentally prepared and knew that Joseph would tell Zain.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. ¡®Forget it. What''s the big deal? We have slept together before. Sheforted herself in her mind. Ashley remembered that strange note and couldn''t help but ask, ¡°Valentin, is my birthday in June?¡± Valentin stood up in confusion, put the back of his hand on her forehead, 08:37 and said in a joking tone, ¡°Are you having a fever? ¡°Did you even forget your birthday?¡± Of course, Ashley didn¡¯t forget her birthday. She only felt so weird about the number. Ashley went to the airport in the morning to pick up Jaden, who was going to stay in Zyrrinthia for a period. Jaden¡¯s surname was Walter. The Walter family was one of the ten most noble and established. families in Takydo and enjoyed a high reputation. Back then, Ashley co-founded Glory Youveile with Jaden. Arriving at the airport, Ashley got out of the car wearing a mask and saw arge group of reporters surrounding the exit. Jaden liked to be high-profile and told the public about his trip to Zyrrinthia. As soon as the reporters heard one of the founders of Glory Youveile woulde to Zyrrinthia, they immediately came over to take photos with their camera equipment. Seeing so many reporters, Ashley decisively turned around and left. However, a sharp-eyed reporter recognized her before she had taken several steps. The reporter ran over immediately and shouted her name. ¡°Ashley! Ashley is there!¡± His loud voice attracted the attention of the pedestrians around him. Some passers-by were Ashley¡¯s fans and came over cheerfully. Ashley was helpless and couldn''t leave now. Some fans were so excited that they swamped the ce where Ashley stood. Ashley immediately stopped them and said, ¡°Everyone, please slow down and don¡¯t shove.¡± Being touched by her words, the fans cheered frantically and took the initiative to maintain order. 2/5 08:37 The reporters outside the crowd held up their cameras and kept taking pictures. ¡°Ashley, why did you suddenly appear at the airport? Will you go abroad recently?¡± Ashley answered simply, ¡°I came to pick someone up.¡± Another reporter asked, ¡°A friend or your family?¡± Hearing the question, the reporter next to him snorted, ¡°How could Ashley have any family? The Ramos family is not worthy of her family at all!¡± Another reporter immediately stopped him. ¡°Keep your voice down! Frankie and Jessica are not far away!¡± Ashley raised an eyebrow with interest and looked not far away. Then, she saw Frankie with a stern look and Jessica who was following him frailly. The moment Frankie saw Ashley, his face instantly darkened, imbued. with hatred and resentment. Jessica asked softly, ¡°Frankie, Ashley just said she came to pick someone. up at the airport...¡± Frankie snorted coldly, ¡°What kind of person could she pick up? It must be some kind of idle friend she made somewhere! Let''s wait for Jaden here. When hees out, we''ll ask him if he could introduce us to Attelia.¡± Jessica nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± You say Frankie asked, ¡°Jessica, did before that you knew Jaden¡¯s. assistant?¡± Jessica nodded. ¡°Yes, Jaden¡¯s assistant and | were ssmates in college. | bet Jaden brings his assistant with him to Zyrrinthia this time. When Jadenes out of the airport, we can get to know him through his. assistant. Frankie was delighted. ¡°Jessica, fortunately, we have you. Otherwise, we wouldn¡¯t even have a chance to make friends with Jaden.¡± If they couldn¡¯t get close to Jaden, they wouldn¡¯t be able to meet Attelia, let alone save the Ramos family¡¯s clothing brand. It made things a lot easier as Jessica knew Jaden¡¯s assistant. Frankie thought, ¡®That¡¯s my good sister, unlike that heartless woman. Ashley only knows how to target our family!¡± The reporters nearby heard the conversation between Frankie and Jessica and couldn''t help but whisper in surprise. ¡°No way. Jaden¡¯s family background is prominent, and he is the found of Glory Youveile. His assistant must be extraordinary. Jessica even knows Jaden¡¯s assistant. How could she have so many connections?¡± ¡°Although Jessica is not rted to the Ramos family, she has been living at rich life since she was a child and is a real debutante!¡± Hearing these ttering words, Jessica smoothed her hair gracefully, and her vanity was greatly satisfied. Ashley came to pick up her unimportant friend, while Jessica had the opportunity to meet the founder of Glory Youveile. This huge difference. made Jessica feel proud as if she had proved her superiority over Ashley, At this moment, there was a noise at the airport exit. Ashley looked over, and a tall figure came into her view. He had a slender figure, broad shoulders, and a narrow waist, as if he was born to be a model. His good appearance aroused exmations as soon as he appeared in public. The most stunning part was his blue eyes, which were like the sparkling sea, exuding irresistible charm. Meeting Jaden¡¯s gaze, Ashley showed a bright smile. She thought, ¡°This guy is still as mboyant as before even after a period.¡¯ The reporters nearby immediately took pictures with their cameras. Jaden came out of the airport with his assistant. When he was about to walk in Ashley¡¯s direction, a person suddenly rushed over and stopped him. ¡°Hello, Mr. Walter, I''m Frankie Ramos, the president of the Ramos Group. So sorry to meet you in this way today. Please forgive my disturbance.¡± Jaden paused when he heard Frankie¡¯s name. Seeing he was willing to stop, Frankie felt a surge of joy, not expecting he would get the opportunity to talk to Jaden so smoothly. Chapter 114 However, the next second, Jaden squinted condescendingly at Frankie, who was blocking the road. ¡°Frankie? I''ve never heard of you.¡± Frankie was stunned upon hearing this, and his smile suddenly froze, looking funny. In fact, Jaden had heard of Frankie and knew that he was Ashley''s eldest brother, but he couldn¡¯t stand how Frankie had bullied Ashley before, so he deliberately mocked him. Frankie looked embarrassed. Then he thought Jaden was the founder of Glory Youveile and rarely came to Zyrrinthia, so it was normal not to recognize him. So, Frankie shifted his gaze to Jessica. Jessica understood Frankie¡¯s meaning and nodded slightly. She looked the assistant beside Jaden and smiled gently. ¡°Damon, | contacted you yesterday. Now that Mr. Walter is in Zyrrinthia, we''d like to offer our warmest wee and treat him to a meal. Can we have this honor?¡± Damon whispered to Jaden, ¡°Mr. Walter, this is Jessica.¡± Jaden frowned, ¡°Jessica?¡± He didn¡¯t know Jessica. Damon lowered his voice and said, ¡°She is my college ssmate, and she said she wanted to make acquaintance with you.¡± Jaden had a good rtionship with Damon. He heard what Damon said. and turned to look at Jessica. Jessica saw his gaze and was pleasantly surprised. Frankie was excited when he noticed that Jaden¡¯s attitude toward Jessica was different. He thought, Jessica is capable and can strike up a conversation with Jaden!¡± Jessica took the opportunity to introduce, ¡°Mr. Walter, Frankie is my eldest brother. We would like to treat you to dinner. We won''t dy you for long.¡± 15 08:38 Jaden heard this, and the gentleness on his face suddenly disappeared. He sneered. He thought, Jessica turns out to be Frankie¡¯s sister. She is also the one. who bullied Ashley. That bad woman! Frankie didn¡¯t know why Jaden¡¯s face suddenly turned cold. Jessica didn¡¯t understand what happened. She thought, ¡®Did | say something wrong?¡± Frankie couldn''t help but ask, ¡°Mr. Walter, the Ramos Group''s clothing. brand was expelled from the Millein Fashion Association a few days ago. Could you please tell us the reason?¡± Jaden nced at him, his cold gaze tinged with a hint of sarcasm. ¡°The Ramos Group''s clothing brand is just a low-end brand. You were lucky enough to join the association. Isn¡¯t it normal to be expelled?¡± His words dumbfounded the surrounding reporters. They looked at ead other in confusion. They thought Jessica knew Jaden¡¯s assistant and could befriend Jaden. But now, it seemed that was not the case. Jessica bit her lip in embarrassment and took a step forward. ¡°Mr. Walter, we don¡¯t mean to waste your time. We just want to have a chance to talk. with you.¡± Jaden was stopped again, and his face turned even colder, especially. when he saw Ashley waiting for him not far away and seeming to be impatient. yawned Ashley saw Jaden standing at the exit for a long time. She yawn impatiently. Jaden saw this and immediately ran over. He couldn''t let Ashley wait for him and be anxious. Jaden ran away, and Damon also ran after him. Those reporters saw this scene and were a little stunned. It was rumored that Jaden came from an aristocratic family and was a respecter of proprieties. Why did he run away in such a hurry in public? Frankie frowned. 275 08:38 Jessicaforted and said, ¡°Frankie, don¡¯t worry. We will meet Attelia. Mr. Walter hurriedly left because he must have something important to do. We can talk to him much today, which is already a good start.¡± Frankie nodded. Jessica was right. It was good enough to talk so much Jaden just now. However, halfway through Frankie¡¯s nodding, he stopped stiffly. He stared in a certain direction in surprise. ¡°Frankie, what are you looking at?¡± Jessica was confused and followed Frankie¡¯s gaze. The next second, she was also stunned. She saw Jaden, who had just run away in a hurry, running toward Ashley. Jessica gritted her teeth. She still had a fluke, thinking Jaden just passed by Ashley. Yes, it would! But the next second, Jaden ran to Ashley and stopped. He smiled, oper his arms, and wanted to hug Ashley, but Ashley stopped him in disgust. and refused to let him hug her. Frankie and Jessica were shocked. The surrounding reporters were all dumbfounded when they saw this. scene. Jaden ignored etiquette and ran over in a hurry to go for Ashley! Those reporters suddenly remembered another thing. Ashley just said that she was there to pick up someone. So, the person she picked up was...Jaden, the founder of Glory Youveile! Oh, dear! How could these two people know each other?! Those reporters caught the big news with their acute insights. They immediately ran over and asked questions. ¡°Ashley, What is the rtionship between you and Jaden, the founder of Glory Youveile?¡± ¡°You seem to have a good rtionship. Have you known each other for a long time?¡± ¡°Ashley, are you and Jaden friends or lovers?¡± 08:38 Jaden heard these questions and raised his eyebrows. His blue eyes were as charming as the sea. ¡°Ashley, she is my...dream girl.¡± As he finished his words, the surrounding reporters were shocked again. Jaden¡¯s family was one of the top ten noble and oldest families al What was more, he was the founder of Glory Youveile, a world- fai luxury brand. But he said that Ashley was his dream girl. It was surprising. Some people whispered, ¡°So, Jaden, whom Jessica and Frankie tried so hard to make friends with, is Ashley¡¯s friend?!¡± ¡°Just now, Jessica said that she knew Jaden¡¯s assistant. | thought her connections were wide enough, but now, she is completely worthlesspared to Ashley.¡± ¡°Ashley, how did you and Jaden know each other? Is this question. convenient for you to answer?¡± Ashley heard the words ¡°dream girl¡± and nced at Jaden warningly. Jaden immediately changed his words. ¡°Okay, okay. | won''t call you my dream girl. Just my friend, okay?¡± Compared with the indifference he treated Frankie and Jessica, his ttering manner was totally different from that just now. Those reporters were surprised. Sure enough! The rtionship between Jaden and Ashley was special. It wasn¡¯t until Ashley and Jaden left the airport that Frankie came to his senses. He stared in the direction where Ashley was leaving. He tried hard to curry favor with Jaden, but Jaden was obedient and ttering to Ashley. Frankie thought, ¡®How did Ashley know Jaden? That damn girl!¡±This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. The scene between Ashley and Jaden was posted online by reporters. It instantly drew the attention ofizens. [Could Ashley have worked in Glory Youveile before and met Jaden?) 08:38 Ashley drove Jaden and Damon to a vi. After entering the door, Ashley said, ¡°Jaden, it will be inconvenient for me to pay you a visit if you stay in a hotel, and the public will misunderstand our rtionship if we are caught on camera. This vi vacant, and you can stay here for now! Jaden understood. ¡°Is this your vi?¡± Ashley nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve already asked someone to clean it. I¡¯ll buy whatever is missing.¡± Jaden immediately rushed over and wanted to hug her. ¡°We haven''t seen each other for a long time. Let me hug you...¡± Ashley stretched out her arm and warned him with a serious look. ¡°Stop. Don¡¯te over. Being refused again, Jaden looked depressed. Ashley was about to take Jaden to have dinner when her phone chimed. She received an email. Ashley clicked it casually. After checking it, she smiled brightly. But Jaden felt that her smile looked dangerous. ¡°What is it?¡± Jaden asked. Ashley showed him the screen and said in disdain, ¡°An annoying man wanted to make an appointment with Attelia.¡± Chapter 115 Chapter 115 Jaden looked at the screen of Ashley¡¯s mobile phone and saw the sender of the email was Frankie at a nce. The email was: [Hello, Attelia. I¡¯m sorry to contact you in such a discourteous way. | tried to meet you through Mr. Walter, but unfortunately, | didn¡¯t get the chance. The Ramos Group''s clothing brand. once joined the Millein Fashion Association, which you approved. | wonder if you still remember it. But a few days ago, the Ramos Group¡¯s clothing brand was suddenly expelled from the association for unknown reasons... Not long ago, | heard you retired from Glory Youveile. | sincerely ask if you are willing to take up the position of chief designer of the Ramos Group. We will offer you the most handsome sry. | know that given the current situation of the Ramos Group, it would be outrageous to invite such a famous designer like you, but | still want to take the liberty of asking if | can have the honor of meeting you.] After reading this email, Jaden didn¡¯t know how to describe his mood. He just thought it was ridiculous. ¡°Is Frankie an idiot? You didn¡¯t even want to be the chief designer of Glory Youveile. How dare he invite you to be the designer of the Ramos Group? He must be dreaming!¡± Ashley sat on the armchair nearby, leaned back, and said, ¡°Frankie values profit the most. Now that the Ramos family has a negative image and bleak business, he urgently needs someone to turn the tide.¡± Jaden read the email again. The more he read it, the more ridiculous het felt. ¡°Frankie begs you to help him bring the Ramos family¡¯s clothing brand back to life. But he was so tough when he bullied you before. ¡°Will you meet this bastard?¡± Ashley raised her eyebrows. ¡°I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s giving me a chance to screw him up right after | came up with this idea. Oh, let me think about. how to give him a surprise.¡± Jaden heard this and squinted his blue eyes with a surprised look. ¡°Dear, are you serious? Are you no longer defending the Ramos family but are starting to take the initiative to deal with them?¡± Ashley nced at him coldly. ¡°Don¡¯t call me dear.¡± 05:38 Chapter 115 Jaden was a mixed-race man and grew up in a more open environment. He was outgoing, and he always called her ¡°dear¡± or said ¡°I miss you¡±. He was not angry but smiled. His eyes were deep and charming. His sea-like blue eyes were even more beautiful when he smiled, making look handsome and attractive. While Jaden and Ashley were talking, Damon had already ced the luggage. Ashley nced at the time and was about to get up when her mobile. phone rang. It was a call from Valentin. She answered it, said a few words, and then hung up. Jaden nced at the caller ID and raised his eyebrows slightly. ¡°This name... | have seen it. Isn''t it...¡± Ashley opened a bottle of water and took a sip. ¡°Valentin.¡± Jaden nodded excitedly. ¡°Yes! The man is your fianc¨¦. He has a so-called engagement with you, right?!¡± Ashley was stunned. She almost spit out the water in her mouth and hurriedly wiped the water stains from her lips with a tissue. Her eyes widened in surprise. ¡°How did you know it?¡± Jaden shrugged and said casually, ¡°Isn¡¯t itmon knowledge? Ashley put down the tissue and said, ¡°Don¡¯t mention it again.¡± Upon hearing this, Jaden smiled, ¡°Dear, did | say something wrong? Well, I''ll listen to you anyway.¡± Ashley didn¡¯t answer him. ¡°Good. Don¡¯t talk nonsense anymore.¡± She thought, ¡®My fianc¨¦? It sounds weird. Jaden shrugged and continued, ¡°I didn¡¯t talk nonsense. Didn''t Valentin grow up with you and have a so-called engagement with you? So, to some extent, he is your fianc¨¦.¡± Ashley looked at Jaden, feeling amused and puzzled. ¡°I have only mentioned these things to you twice, and you remember them quite clearly.¡± Jaden smiled, ¡°Of course. | remember everything Attelia told me.¡± 24 08:38 Ashley rolled her eyes at him. Jaden thought for a moment and squinted his blue eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t take the so-called engagement seriously.¡±This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s not talk about this for now! Ashley stood up, not wanting to talk to Jaden about this anymore. She waved her hand generously as if she were queen. ¡°Go. Let me take you to eat!¡± Ashley took Jaden and Damon to the restaurant for lunch. After lunch, Jaden asked Damon to return to the vi first. He wanted to take a walk on the street with Ashley. There were lush sycamore trees on both sides of the road. The wind blew, and a few leaves swirled and fell on pedestrians¡¯ shoulders. Jaden saw a men¡¯s clothing store and walked in with interest. Ashley shook her head helplessly. Jaden liked various trinkets. She put on a hat and mask and followed him into the store. Jaden nced around the store and was not interested in these expensive clothes. Suddenly, his blue eyes widened slightly in surprise. He picked up a unique brooch. This brooch was not as gorgeous and noble as the usual ones but had the shape of medieval armor, which was very special. It was a men¡¯s clothing store. Ashley had nothing to buy, so she leisurely leaned against the counter and waited for Jaden. Seeing Jaden interested in a brooch and hesitating whether to buy it, Ashley got a little bored waiting for him. ¡°Haven¡¯t you decided yet? You''re not short of money anyway, or | can buy it for you as a gift.¡± Jaden turned his head and looked over when he heard this. Under the bright light of the store, he looked at the woman in a red dress. She had tender skin and long, wavy hair. Her delicate fingers were tapping the ss counter rhythmically. It seemed that she got bored waiting for him. Ashley took out her bank card and was about to pay for him. Jaden smiled and walked toward her. ¡°Dear, are you so impatient when 08:38 shopping with me?¡± Ashley squinted at him. ¡°Dare you call me dear again?¡± Jaden suddenly felt that there was a hint of threat in her voice. He raise his hands in surrender. ¡°Okay, okay. I¡¯ve already chosen.¡± Only then was Ashley satisfied. She saw a pair of men¡¯s cufflinks not far away. They were made of obsidian and had a nice shape. She smiled and decisively bought them. She thought, ¡°The pair of cufflinks are quite suitable for my fianc¨¦...Valentin very well. They left the store. Jaden saw that Ashley had just bought a pair of men¡¯s cufflinks. He looked at her and asked, ¡°This pair of cufflinks are not for me. Who did you buy it for?¡± Ashley didn¡¯t bother to answer. Jaden covered his chest with a sad look, and his blue eyes were full of depression. ¡°You are going shopping with me but thinking about another man. Am | still your best partner?¡± Ashley was speechless. Joseph drove a shy pink sports car and stopped at the Kingsley Vi. He got out of the car, mmed the door, and ran toward the living room. ¡°Valentin! Valentin!¡± He rushed into the living room and saw Valentining down the stairs, He immediately ran over and asked, ¡°Have you read today¡¯s news?¡± Chapter 116 Valentin, already used to Joseph¡¯s boisterous behavior, settled on the living room couch without even lifting his gaze. ¡°What news?¡± Joseph pulled out his phone and showed the screen to him. ¡°News abou Ashley!¡± At the mention of Ashley, Valentin¡¯s indifferent demeanor shifted, and het immediately lifted his gaze to look at the phone. Joseph yed a video he found online, saying, ¡°The press took this today. Ashley was at the airport picking up someone. It was Jaden, the founder of Glory Youveile!¡± Pointing at the video of Ashley and Jaden at the airport, Joseph¡¯s gossip-loving soul was ignited. ¡°How does Ashley know someone like Jaden? And she even went to the airport to pick him up. Jaden was calling Ashley his dream girl and seemed very protective of her. They appear to have known each other for a long time and share a special bond... Then Joseph showed another video. ¡°Look at this, Valentin. Someone captured Ashley and Jaden having dinner together and they even went shopping after that! Have you ever gone shopping with Ashley?¡± After Joseph asked, he felt a sudden shift in the atmosphere, and the air turned heavy and stifling. Joseph immediately fell silent. He thought to himself nervously, ¡®Oh no, | spoke too much!¡± Valentin sat on the couch, his deep gaze fixed on the video. His expression was calm, yet there was an underlying intensity. Valentin lowered his gaze, fixating on the video. The footage captured Ashley and Jaden shopping in the store, discreetly recorded by a nearby employee. Valentin pondered, ¡®Dear... Jaden called her dear... Ahint of coldness flickered in Valentin¡¯s eyes, his handsome and fair face taking on a stern expression. 4/4 03.381 Joseph cleared his throat awkwardly, trying to recover from his blunder. ¡°It¡¯s alright, Valentin. Ashley also went to the amusement park with you, remember?¡± He thought to himself, ¡®We''re not behind in this!¡± After a moment of thought, Valentin asked in a deep voice, ¡°Glory Youveile¡¯s chief designer Attelia has a photo of her back, doesn¡¯t she?¡± Joseph was initially taken aback, unsure why Valentin suddenly asked this question. Once Joseph came back to his senses, he nodded. ¡°Yes, there is a back photo. It shows a woman, and it¡¯s rumored to be Zyrrinthian.¡± With his eyes lowered, Valentin delicately tapped on his phone screen. and pulled up the photo from the Inte. The instant the woman¡¯s back appeared on the screen, Valentin stiffened, and his eyes widened slightly. A few secondster, he lowered his gaze and let out a soft, sensual chuckle. Joseph was already feeling anxious, regretting that he had asked Valentin if Ashley had gone shopping with him earlier. His unease grew when he heard Valentin suddenlyugh, making him even more anxious. Swallowing nervously, Joseph asked, ¡°Valentin, why are youughing...¡± He nervously thought, ¡°This suddenugh is really unsettling. Valentin nced at Joseph indifferently, raising an eyebrow slightly. He then showed Joseph the picture of Attelia¡¯s back on his phone and said, ¡°This is Ashley.¡± Previously, Valentin hadn¡¯t been curious about Attelia, so he had never investigated or specifically looked at her backview photo. Today was the first time he saw it. Joseph was utterly shocked upon hearing Valentin¡¯s revtion. ¡°What? Attelia is Ashley, and Ashley is Attelia?!¡¯ Joseph thought in astonishment. ¡°Really, Valentin? How did you recognize her? Wait, you just nced at AB} 03:38 this photo of her back and can already know she is Ashley?¡± Joseph was genuinely impressed.This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. He thought, ¡°There¡¯s not even a hint of a face in this back photo, and yet Valentin recognized the person as Ashley. The extent of his attention to Ashley is truly remarkable! Joseph had felt it before, but now more intensely, he mused, ¡®Ashley really does hold a very special ce in Valentin¡¯s heart!¡¯ Joseph suddenly stood up. ¡°So, Ashley is actually the other founder of Glory Youveile and its chief designer, that legendary figure in the design. world!¡± He had a sudden realization and pped his hands, saying, ¡°No wonder Ashley and Jaden are so familiar with each other. They have known each other for a long time. Wait, does that mean Ashley and Jaden are more. than just ordinary friends?¡± Valentin nced at Joseph nomittally and said, ¡°Attelia¡¯s first design for men¡¯s wear was for me.¡± Joseph was rendered speechless. He wondered, ¡®Why do | feel like he¡¯s silently asserting his dominance? He¡¯s still trying to disy their affection even in this situation!¡± In the evening, Ashley returned to the Kingsley Vi. Valentin was in the kitchen cooking. Ashley looked around and noticed he hadn¡¯t let the vi¡¯s chefs cook. Instead, he was doing it himself, wearing an apron that oddly gave him at homely vibe. In a cheerful mood, Ashley walked over and offered, ¡°Let me help you!¡± Without looking up, Valentin replied, ¡°No need. You just sit and enjoy the meal.¡± However, Ashley wasn¡¯t particrly touched by his gesture. ¡°Admit it, you just don¡¯t like how | cook, do you?¡± He chuckled softly, leisurely lifting his gaze to nce at her, ¡°Since we were kids, it¡¯s always you who didn¡¯t like me. When have | ever didn¡¯t like 08:38 Chapter 116 you?¡± Ashley retorted, ¡°Then why won¡¯t you let me help you?¡± Valentin was washing vegetables, the water streaming over his distinct, pale fingers, exuding a restrained sensuality. He spoke casually, and his voice was deep and maic. ¡°Ashley, could you get me an autograph from Attelia?¡± Ashley paused momentarily at his words, then realized and asked, ¡°You saw the news about me picking up Jaden from the airport, didn¡¯t you? You like Attelia?¡± Upon hearing this, Valentin¡¯s deep eyes fixed unwaveringly on Ashley. Every line from his brow to his jaw radiated allure. With a faint smile and a sparkle in his eye, he spoke tenderly yet passionately. ¡°Yeah, | like her very much.¡± Ashley¡¯s long, curled eyshes fluttered slightly. She pondered, ¡®I gifted him clothes designed by Attelia on his birthday, but he seemed indifferent back then. Why has he suddenly started liking her? Is my design so impressive that it made him like it this much?¡¯ Ashley smiled. Her bright and lively eyes sparkled with teasing charm. and her chin lifted slightly. ¡°Sure! | can get you a dozen!¡± Watching her proud and yful demeanor, Valentin chuckled and said, ¡°Well, thank you, dear.¡± Hearing this endearment term, Ashley''s smile froze. She stammered, ¡°What...what did you just call me?¡± Valentin wiped his hands and approached her. Observing her eyes widen in surprise, he gently pinched her earlobe and teased. ¡°Why, he can call you that, but I can¡¯t?¡± Chapter 117 Chapter 117 Upon hearing his words, Ashley''s mind went nk, thinking, ¡®Who could call me that?¡± Arealization shed through her mind, and she pondered, ¡®Could Valentin be referring to Jaden?¡± Only then did Ashley grasp the situation. She immediately opened her phone to search online. Sure enough, there was a video of her and Jaden shopping, secretly recorded by a sales assistant. She thought in annoyance, ¡®Of all things, the way Jaden called me ¡®dear¡¯ got recorded too!¡¯ Ashley was at a loss for words. Feeling mentally exhausted, she put down her phone, and when she looked up, she was met with Valentin¡¯s emotionless gaze. Ashley¡¯s temple throbbed suddenly, like someone caught cheating by their spouse, and a sense of guilt surged up. She then blurted out a clich¨¦ from the cheater¡¯s ybook, ¡°Listen to my exnation! This is really a misunderstanding!¡± Valentin responded indifferently, ¡°Exin then.¡± Ashley pondered, ¡®I thought he would say he wouldn''t listen to me.¡± She cleared her throat and hurriedly exined, ¡°Jaden just talks like that. When he says ¡®dear,¡¯ it¡¯s like calling someone by their name. It has no other meaning!¡± Valentin asked in a seemingly casual tone, ¡°So, you''re close to him?¡± Ashley felt as if she was being interrogated but didn¡¯t dare to hide. anything. She nodded. ¡°Yes, we''re quite close. After all, I''ve known him. for a long time.¡± As soon as she finished speaking, Valentin¡¯s eyes narrowed, his voice deep. and heavy as he asked, ¡°And what about us?¡± ¡°Our rtionship is, of course...¡± Ashley started to say but suddenly stopped. ¡°Of course what, hmm?¡± His expression grew slightly cold, hinting at a subtle danger.This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. 08.38 Ashley thought carefully, ¡®My rtionship with Valentin is reallyplex. It is hard to describe in specific terms. If | had to put it into words, it would be... Ashley pressed her lips together and looked at Valentin with deep affection. ¡°My rtionship with you is such that if you fell into a rive would immediately jump in to save you and give you CPR.¡± Valentin was momentarily taken aback, a warm intensity simmering in his deep eyes. The next second, Ashley smiled mischievously, her eyes crinkling, ¡°But | know you''ve been able to swim since you were young, Valentin, so there¡¯s no need for me to save you, right?¡± Valentin was momentarily at a loss for words, caught off guard by her yful tone. He then couldn¡¯t help butugh at her remark. After Ashley finished speaking, she excitedly pulled out a small, deep blue square box from her pocket. Inside the box were the cufflinks she had bought. Ashley grabbed Valentin¡¯s hand and pushed the box into his palm, saying, ¡°Here¡¯s a little gift for you.¡± After saying this, she ran off to get a drink. Valentin was surprised. He then raised his eyebrows and opened the box to find a pair of obsidian cufflinks inside. After a few seconds, he chuckled softly, looking at Ashley, who was drinking water. Warm and teasing, hisid-back voice carried over. ¡°Thank you for the gift, my dear.¡± Ashley, who was drinking water, almost choked. Valentin yfully raised an eyebrow. ¡°If you get choked, I''ll be there to give you CPR right away, Ashley.¡± Ashley was left speechless. She thought in annoyance, ¡®He¡¯s doing this on purpose! Absolutely on purpose!! 08.38 C Recently, the Ramos family¡¯s fashion brand suddenlyunched several popr new haute couture designs, significantly increasing their poprity. Ashley sat on the sofa at the vi while Jaden sat opposite her. Jaden was studying the new designs released by the Ramos Group on tablet. As he browsed through the photos, his brows furrowed in confusion. ¡°This is odd. Why does the style of these designs seem so simr to yours?¡± Ashley, who was eating cherries, lifted her head and looked over upon hearing this. After seeing the styles of the clothes, Ashley¡¯s eyes paused briefly, and she then smiled mockingly with her red lips, ¡°That¡¯s because those are my designs.¡± ¡°| just knew it!¡± Jaden clicked his tongue and continued, ¡°Then how can the Ramos family release these new designs and im Jessica designed. them? ¡°And during the interview, Jessica revealed her deep concern for the family business¡¯ struggles. Drawing upon her self-taught fashion design. skills, she stayed up a couple of nights to create new designs. To her surprise, they were incredibly well- received.¡± Ashley wiped her delicate fingers with a tissue. Her expression was cold as she replied, ¡°I sketched a dozen or so designs when | was at the Ramos Vi a couple of years ago. | forgot to take them with me when | left.¡± After all, such designs were easy for her to create on a whim and weren''t considered important, so she forgot to take them when she left the Ramos Vi. Jaden quickly put two and two together and eximed, ¡°So Jessica stole your work and passed off your designs as her own. That''s shameless!¡± People were already praising Jessica on the Inte as a talented designer while conveniently forgetting that she had giarized Attelia. As Jaden spoke, his phone suddenly rang. After the call, Jaden turned to Ashley, saying, ¡°The association had expelled the Ramos family¡¯s fashion brand a while ago, so they''ve lost the right to participate in major designpetitions. But there¡¯s a design symposiuming up, and Frankie wants to apply to join. As the 344 08:38 association¡¯s president, will you allow it?¡± Before Ashley could answer, Jaden said with a face full of disdain, ¡°Why let these thieves participate? Just kick them out!¡± Ashley nced at him and chuckled softly, ¡°Why not let them join? Le them.¡± Jaden looked puzzled and was about to ask why when he suddenly realized. ¡°I get it! You have a habit of leaving your ¡®A¡¯ signature on your designs. We can use that to expose Jessica and Frankie''s theft and pin them to the wall of shame, right?¡± Ashley raised her eyebrows subtly. ¡°Not bad, you''ve finally had a smart moment.¡± Jadenughed with a snort. ¡°Dear, I¡¯ve always been smart, okay?¡± In the blink of an eye, the day of the design symposium arrived. Chapter 118 This design symposium was held annually,sting two days each time. On the first day, top designers from the fashion industry gathered to exchange and evaluate each other¡¯s creations. The second day featured a fashion banquet, a gathering of the industry''s best, truly a feast for the fashion world. Ordinarily, this symposium was an annual event without much particrity. However, this year, rumors had spread that Attelia, the reclusive chief designer from Glory Youveile, would attend the symposium. Once this news broke out, it sent shockwaves through the circle, attracting numerous renowned designers from abroad. After all, meeting Attelia, a legend in fashion design, was an opportunity not to b In the morning, when Ashley was about to leave for the symposium, Joseph insisted on joining her. ¡°Ashley, let mee with you for some exposure! | have no work today. and am bored. Let me drive you there!¡± He pleaded. Ashley was puzzled. ¡°Why are you so free, but Valentin is so busy?¡± Unabashed and even proud, Joseph puffed out his chest, his face beaming with pride. ¡°I was born to enjoy life, that¡¯s why!¡± Ashley was at a loss for words. She thought sarcastically, ¡®That¡¯s quite evident from your personality. Joseph proudly raised an eyebrow and yed with his sunsses, twirling them in the air. ¡°Actually, Valentin has been busy with charity donations these past few days. The Kingsley Group makes annual donations to orphanages and impoverished areas, doing what they can for public welfare.¡± Ashley nodded in understanding. ¡°I see, that¡¯s a good thing.¡± She mused, ¡®I also make donations to orphanages every year. After all, | started out as a stray and grew up in an orphanage before being fortunate. enough to be adopted by my grandparents. If it weren''t for the 08-38 Chapter 118 orphanage taking me in, | might have died out there. So, ever since | had. the means, I¡¯ve been making annual donations to ces like orphanages.¡¯ Joseph paused, his expression turning serious as he said, ¡°Ashley, actually, a big reason why Valentin donates to orphanages each year is because of your childhood experiences.... ¡°Valentin... He really keeps all your matters close to his heart.¡± Upon hearing him, Ashley felt a sharp tug at her heartstrings. Then, her heart felt as if it was enveloped in a warm, soft embrace. Ashley pondered, ¡®So, Valentin insists on doing these charitable acts each year because of my past... todo Joseph then cheerfully urged, ¡°Let''s go, Ashley! | have nothing today but to be your personal chauffeur, dedicated to driving you!¡± Ashley nced at his shy pink sports car, not particrly keen on it. Joseph immediately whined. ¡°Ashley, you can¡¯t look down on my little pink car! Haven''t you heard? Pink is the color for real men!¡± Ashley was left speechless. Joseph opened the car door and pulled Ashley toward it. ¡°Hurry up, hurry up! This is my beloved little pink car. | don¡¯t just let anyone ride in it.¡± Again, Ashley found herself speechless at his enthusiasm. Meanwhile, Jaden was waiting outside the design symposium venue for Ashley. Suddenly, a shy pink sports car made a dramatic stop right in front of him, causing his eyelids to twitch in shock. He thought disdainfully, ¡®What the... Whose ridiculous car is this?¡± Then, Jaden saw Ashley stepping out of the car with a dashing man. On seeing Jaden, Joseph immediately became alert, thinking angrily, This is the guy who calls Ashley ¡®dear Ashley then went and introduced the two men to each other. She said, ¡°This is Jaden Walter, a friend of mine.¡± 08.38 pter 118 Ashley then gestured toward Joseph, saying, ¡°And this is Joseph Fox, also. my friend.¡± Despite Joseph¡¯s apparent hostility, Jaden still extended his hand to Joseph, and he smiled with his blue eyes as clear as the ocean, ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± Joseph shook hands with Jaden coolly. After the handshake, Jaden turned to Ashley and suggested, ¡°It¡¯s about time. Shall we head inside?¡± Ashley nodded in agreement. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Joseph, fiercely protective as always, seized the opportunity to step in between Ashley and Jaden, bluntly separating them. Jaden nced at Joseph with a look of disbelief, wondering. ¡®Is there something wrong with this guy?¡¯ Meanwhile, inside the venue, as part of the annual Design Exchange. Competition, the venue was decorated with an impable sense of fashion. Even the overhead lights were artistically angled for dramatic effect. The venue was spacious, filled not only with domestic and international. fashion designers but also with media journalists. After all, rumors were swirling that the legendary designer Attelia would attend, making it a must-capture moment for the press.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. At the entrance, staff members were checking the invitations of the arriving guests. Frankie and Jessica handed over their invitations to the staff and then entered the venue. As soon as the journalists saw Frankie and Jessica, they immediately swarmed around them. Everyone knew that the Ramos family¡¯s fashion brand had recentlyunched several highly popr new women¡¯s designs, bringing the Ramos Group''s clothing line back from the verge of bankruptcy and boosting its sales dramatically. And the designer of these new outfits was Jessica! Despite Jessica¡¯s recent poor reputation in the entertainment circle, her designs were so attractive and popr that they offset much of the negative criticism. Jessica¡¯s clothes were so well-received that she even earned acim as an emerging genius designer. A journalist took the lead and asked, ¡°Jessica, we''ve never seen you design. clothes before. Did you always have such incredible desig Jessica smiled gracefully, ¡°Our Ramos family owns a fashio self-studied fashion design. | just wanted to contribute to my business this time. | didn¡¯t expect the few designs | created to be well-loved by everyone.¡± Another journalist asked, ¡°Your designs are filled with talent and inspiration, earning you the title of a rising genius designer, surpassing many seasoned designers with years of experience. How do you feel about that, Jessica?¡± Jessica¡¯s eyes flickered slightly. Those were the designs she had found in Ashley¡¯s room. The moment Jessica saw those drafts, she was captivated by the beautiful and stunning garments, and it took her a long time to recover from the shock. She mused, ¡®I never knew Ashley could design clothes...and even do it so excellently, so perfectly... Since Ashley had been driven out of the Ramos Vi, Jessica took those designs and told Frankie they were her own creations made after nights. of hard work. As expected, once those designs were turned into clothing and showcased, they caused a sensation in the design world and revived the Ramos family¡¯s clothing brand. Thanks to these outstanding designs, Jessica slowly began to see an improvement in her reputation. She wasn¡¯t worried about getting caught for stealing the designs. Jessica had meticulously checked each draft, and there was nothing on them that connected back to Ashley. Jessica pondered, ¡®Even fate is helping me. Why should | back down? These designs are mine now!! 08:38 Upon hearing the reporter¡¯s question, Jessica modestly smiled, ¡°No, there are many senior designers with great experience. How could | darepare myself to them?¡± Upon hearing Jessica¡¯s humble answer, even the reporters couldn''t help. but feel a sense of admiration. ¡°Many people say that the style of the clothes you designed is somewhat simr to Attelia¡¯s. Do you have anyments on that?¡± Jessica chuckled, ¡°Attelia is the most talented and famous designer in the fashion industry. | really admire her designs, so my style might inadvertently resemble hers a bit.¡± The journalists had an epiphany, and one of them thought, ¡®So Attelia is Jessica¡¯s idol!¡¯ Standing nearby and watching Jessica¡¯s interview, Frankie couldn¡¯t help but reveal a tender, satisfied smile on his usually stern face. He pondered, Jessica is truly a blessing for the Ramos family. Her talented designs have revived the Ramos family¡¯s fashion brand, making the Ramos family increasingly sessful. Only someone like Jessica, who helps the Ramos family, deserves to be the Ramos family¡¯s heiress. Ashley, that bringer of misfortune, should stay as far away as possible.¡¯ Frankie was now more convinced than ever that driving Ashley out of the Ramos Vi was the best decision he had ever made. Hearing the mention of Attelia, Frankie recalled the email he had sent to Attelia, offering her the position of chief designer at the Ramos Group. He thought, ¡®I haven¡¯t received a reply from Attelia, but | also haven¡¯t been rejected. This means there¡¯s still hope! It''s said that Attelia will also attend this Design Exchange Competition. Could it be...that Attelia ising specifically for the Ramos family?¡± At that moment, Ashley, Jaden, and Joseph walked into the venue from the entrance. The reporters immediately surrounded them excitedly. ¡°Mr. Walter, you¡¯re the founder of Glory Youveile and a good friend of Attelia. It¡¯s rumored that Attelia will attend this Design Exchange Competition. Is this true? Can you give us any insight?¡± Asked a reporter. Hearing this question, Jaden nced at Ashley beside him and then at the crowd of reporters, tempted to say ¡°Attelia herself is right in front of Chapter 119 Askeptical reporter asked, ¡°Mr. Walter, we know you and Ashley are close friends, but today is a Design Exchange Competition, strictly a matter of the design industry. Why have you brought Ashley along?¡± Dressed in a suit, Jaden adjusted his cor and said clearly, ¡°My friend has some design knowledge, so | brought her along.¡± Everyone was surprised. Ashley knew about design? The journalists were stunned. They immediately pressed on after regaining theirposure. ¡°Ashley, you know fashion design? Do you have any work? How would you rate your skills?¡± Ashley responded with a calm demeanor, ¡°It¡¯s not bad.¡± The reporters didn¡¯t take it seriously upon hearing this. They had never seen any of Ashley¡¯s design works before and assumed her skills were probably below average. After all, design wasn¡¯t something that just a few draws could achieve, nor was it a skill that could be quickly learned. Nearby, Frankie heard Ashley¡¯s response. His brow furrowed with scorn. and disgust on his face. During her two years at the Ramos Vi, Ashley had mentioned her interest in helping design clothes for the Ramos family¡¯s fashion brand. ButL had rebuked her. What did Ashley know about fashion design? She was simply trying to cause trouble, seeking the family¡¯s attention. Looking at Ashley not far away, Frankie suddenly had a thought. Could Ashley be here to apologize to him? Ashley always showed him the utmost respect when she was one of the Ramos family. She would stay up all night to care for him when he was ill. Ashley dreaded angering him and was willing to do anything to please him. Now, Ashley was attending the Design Exchange Competition, but she knew nothing about design. Was shee to seek his forgiveness? Could it be that Ashley wanted to get back to the family when she saw 0843 the Ramos family was doing great? Frankie frowned and red at Ashley with anger. As long as he was with the Ramos family, Frankie would never allow Ashley to return. Meanwhile, Ashley was about to find a seat with Jaden and Joseph after her interview with the reporter. Just then, a man with a gentle appearance approached. ¡°Ashley, it¡¯s been at long time,¡± he said. Ashley turned and was surprised to see Kevin. ¡°Oh, right!¡¯ She remembered now, Thest time Ashley met Kevin, he mentioned pursuing a career in fashion design after graduating from college. It made sense for him to be at today¡¯s design exchange event. ¡°Indeed, it has been a long time,¡± Ashley replied with a polite smile. ¡°Do you have an interest in fashion design as well?¡± Kevin asked, intrigued. ¡°Just a little,¡± Ashley answered indifferently. ¡°| never realized we shared this interest. We should discuss it more if you have the time,¡± Kevin said with a smile, ¡°I just hope | won''t be bothering you.¡± Standing beside them, Joseph frowned upon hearing this. ¡°Who is this guy?¡± He thought, ¡®Coming right in and talking about future discussions. He must have other intentions!¡± Jaden nced at Joseph, whose face was etched with wariness. He narrowed his blue eyes and seemed to begin to know why Joseph had shown hostility towards him earlier. The Design Exchange Competition this year was more than just a forum for sharing ideas. It had evolved into apetition among designers. Unlike previous years, many international designers also came to the event this time. Thus, the organizers had specially arranged a contest between designers. from different countries. The challenge was to create design drafts on the spot. It was apetition for the purest form of design. Such a task demanded not only inspiration but also immense creativ To design an astonishingly beautiful garment, one needed more than ju a fleeting moment of inspiration. It was a significant challenge. Therefore, creating design drafts live was incredibly demanding. Thepetitors were divided into the Global Team and the Zyrrinthia Team. The Global Team consisted of six foreign designers. As for the Zyrrinthia Team, local designers at the event could volunteer to participate in the contest. Many designers were present, but few were willing to sign up for thepetition. It was because there were six internationally famous designers from abroad who had formidable skills and others were afraid. it would be shameful if they lost. Frankie looked at Jessica and offered a rational analysis. ¡°Ashley, you should enter thepetition. I''ve seen the work of those foreign. designers, and it can never rival your designs. If you win, it''ll boost your fame, and the Ramos family¡¯s fashion brand will skyrocket in reputation.¡± Jessica¡¯s heart tightened at the thought She had no experience in fashion design. How could she possibly create a design on the spot? Yet, meeting Frankie¡¯s encouraging and expectant gaze, Jessica clenched her teeth and decided to ¡°borrow¡± some of Ashley''s past designs. Noticing Jessica''s entry, Jaden¡¯s eyes narrowed. He whispered to Ashley, ¡°This is your chance topete as well.¡± Ashley raised her eyebrows and smirked. ¡°Sure.¡±N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Finally, the participants were confirmed. Ashley stepped onto the stage, surprised to see Kevin had also signed up topete. 08:39 Kevin smiled at her. Ashley nodded in response. On the stage, the six members of the Zyrrinthia Team were seated on left, while the six of the Global Team were on the right. Each participa had a small table in front of them, with various papers and pens for drawing their design drafts. Upon seeing Ashley among the crew, Frankie frowned and scoffed. He couldn''t believe Ashley dared topete. She would only embarrass. herself when she lost. Frankie¡¯s eyes turned expectantly to Jessica, the Ramos family¡¯s lucky star. He was confident Jessica would win the contest, further elevating the Ramos family¡¯s fashion brand. Chapter 120 Thepetition officially began. The rule was that each participating designer had to create a fashion. design using ¡°stars¡± as an element within one hour. was The challenge difficult, not only because of the required element but also due to the time constraint. The organizers had prepared pens of various colors and materials, enabling the designers to capture their vision on paper perfectly. Frankie intently looked at Jessica on the stage as soon as thepetition. started. He saw Jessica pondered for a moment before she began to sketch. Frankie¡¯s worries started to fade. It seemed that Jessica already had an idea and was inspired. Relieved, he nced towards Ashley. She was drawing something on paper but stopped after a short while and remained motionless in her seat. Frankie frowned. ¡®Had Ashley finished her drawing already?¡¯ ¡®Was she just here to mess around?¡± While the other designers continued to sketch, Ashley had already stopped, appearing idle. It was like she had handed in a nk sheet during an exam. Clearly, Ashley didn¡¯t know design. The audience couldn''t see what the participants on stage were drawing. They could only notice when someone started or stopped sketching. During the wait, there were whispers among the spectators. ¡°Did you notice Eric from the Global Team? His design skills are exceptional. He had won several international design competitions. | was sure he was going to take first ce today!¡± ¡°Let''s not underestimate Jessica from the Zyrrinthia Team. She¡¯s a rising talent in design. She might have had a chance to outdo Eric!¡± ¡°Indeed, the recent fashion lines released by the Ramos family were all Jessica¡¯s creations. They were breathtakingly beautiful. | couldn¡¯t help but buy a set as a collector''s item!¡± Chapter 120 ¡°But remember Ashley? Jaden said she knew her stuff. She must have been quite skilled if she caught Jaden¡¯s eye, right?¡± ¡°Hahaha, just look at the stage! Ashley had already stopped drawing. | think Mr. Walter was just joking. We shouldn''t take it seriously. Ashley seemed to be there just for the sake of it!¡± Ashley couldn¡¯t hear what the people below were talking about on stage. She put down the pen and nced at the clock. It hadn''t passed twenty minutes from the start. ording to the rules, designers were not allowed to move around freely. Ashley had no choice but to sit still, propping her chin with her hand and almo falling asleep. Finally, an hour was up. All the designers on stage, whether they had finished or not, had to stop. drawing immediately, as continuing would vite the rules. Next came the scoring phase. At this moment, the six designers from the Zyrrinthia Team were seated on the left side of the stage, while the six from the Global Team sat on the right. The judges were seated behind a long table in the center. The first to be evaluated was Eric Stewart from the Global Team. His design was disyed on therge screen on stage. Amurmur of amazement and admiration rippled through the audience as a beautiful silver evening gown appeared on the screen. The dress, resembling a mermaid-style gown, had a hem made of silver tassels, adding a rich texture. Even from a sketch, one could imagine how stunning it would look on a model. The cinched waist design highlighted. a slim waistline. Silver tassels formed a star shape on the right side of the waist. ¡°Wow, this dress is so beautiful!¡± ¡°The concept of using silver tassels to form stars is quite unique!¡± After the design presentation concluded, the five judges on stage began to score. It was a ten-point system, and unsurprisingly, all five judges. simultaneously awarded a high score of 9.9. GE 80 Ashley sat in her seat, ncing at Eric¡¯s design. It didn¡¯t intrigue her, but she had to admit that Eric¡¯s design skills were well enough. Following Eric¡¯s presentation, it was the turn of the designer from the Zyrrinthia Team. Next up was Zyrrinthia Team¡¯s first designer. Ashley looked at him immediately. She was more interested in her team¡¯s designers.. It was a man in his twenties. Unfortunately, his design, disyed on the big screen, was only halfpleted, not fully drawn. The moment this unfinished work was presented, designers from the Global Team almost burst intoughter. ¡°Shame, the work isn¡¯t even finished within the time. No way it''ll score high!¡± ¡°Judging by what he¡¯s managed to draw, it¡¯s pretty average, nothing astonishing!¡± And so, Zyrrinthia Team¡¯s first designer received 5 points from the judges, not even meeting the passing grade. Thepetition followed an arena format.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. The first designer of the Zyrrinthia Team couldn''t surpass Eric, so next. up was their second designer to take on the challenge. The second designer''s creation, also featuring stars, had a somewhat conventional skirt design. The judges awarded it 6.1 points, barely a pass. Again, Eric had won. Then, it was time for Zyrrinthia¡¯s third designer to step up. was not as This design was slightly better than the previous ones, but it astonishing as Eric¡¯s creation, scoring only 7.2, far from enough to outshine Eric. This meant that Eric had sessively defeated three designers from the Zyrrinthia Team. Eric, already known for his arrogance, seemed even more cocky after defeating threepetitors in a row. He lounged in his chair, arms crossed, looking extremely arrogant. His gaze towards the Zyrrinthia Team wasced with smugness and disdain. The audience and the press began to grow anxious at this sight. ¡°Friendship first,petition second... But such a crushing loss for the Zyrrinthia Team is hard to swallow.¡± ¡°Eric is undoubtedly talented, but he is so cocky! Look at him. It¡¯s quite disturbing!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t rush, everyone. We haven''t seen Jessica¡¯s design yet. She¡¯s an emerging genius in design, and | have a feeling she might outdo Eric!¡± The Zyrrinthia Team had lost three times in a row, and now it was Kevin, designer number four, who was up to continue the challenge against Eric. Upon hearing Kevin¡¯s name, Ashley looked over with keen interest. The big screen disyed Kevin''s design. It was a voluminous midnight blue skirt with a cinched waist adorned with a slender silver chain. The neckline featured an asymmetrical one-shoulder design embellished with a star-shaped flower on the shoulder, its edges sparkling with tiny diamonds, like twinkling stars. Watching the screen, Ashley could tell that Kevin had a solid foundation in design and had his own ideas. The audience and journalists below were all stunned. ¡°Wow, that dress is gorgeous!¡± ¡°Is this designer named Kevin? | think I¡¯ve seen his name in magazines before, no wonder his design is so impressive!¡± ¡°Oh my goodness, can Kevin beat Eric? I¡¯m starting to get nervous!¡± Chapter 121 Ashley watched Kevin''s design on the big screen, and her expression remained calm. She had a rough idea of what score the judges would give Kevin. Ashley turned her gaze and caught Kevin¡¯s eyes looking her way. Ashley was momentarily taken aback, then smiled at him. Kevin responded with a smile. His grin was like a gentle breeze in the spring. Soon. Kevin¡¯s design presentation ended. The judging panel began their scoring. After some deliberation, they awarded a score of 9.5. Ashley saw this score and raised her eyebrows knowingly, confirming her earlier guess. The audience visibly deted upon seeing the score. Their expression turned sour in disappointment. ¡°How is it just 9.5? It¡¯s still lower than Eric!¡± ¡°| thought Kevin¡¯s design was so good, he might beat Eric, but if even Kevin can¡¯t do it, then all our hopes rest on Jessica now.¡± ¡°Jessica is ourst hope. She has to win one for the Zyrrinthia Team!¡± Meanwhile, on the stage, Eric saw Kevin''s score of 9.5, and his face lit up with smugness. ¡°Sorry, | win again. | thought the designers from the Zyrrinthia Team were something special. It turns out the people joining this Design Exchange Competition aren''t impressive at all.¡± Kevin''s face turned sullen as he retorted, ¡°Losing to you only reflects my shorings, not those of the other designers at Zyrrinthia.¡± He spoke without a hint of subservience or arrogance. However, Ericughed mockingly. ¡°But I¡¯ve already beaten four of you. from Zyrrinthia, including you!¡± His tone dripped with disdain for the designers of Zyrrinthia, Kevin wanted to argue back, but the facts were undeniable. ! Hearing this, Ashley nced indifferently towards Eric, her expression calm. The audience below couldn''t contain themselves anymore at this moment. ¡°Damn, this Eric is so arrogant!¡± ¡°He¡¯s a foreigner and looks down on us like that. It¡¯s just shameful! No matter how talented he is in design, a person like that won''t seed!¡± Anyone would feel ufortable being looked down upon in their country. The Zyrrinthia Team had lost four times in a row, leaving only Jessica and Ashley¡¯s designs yet to be showcased. The audience¡¯s anger andpetitive spirit were ignited, all eyes turning to Jessica, pinning all their hopes for victory on her. ¡°Jessica, you must win!¡± ¡°Zyrrinthia designers¡¯ reputation is in your hands!¡± ¡°Don''t worry, everyone. Jessica''s design skills are well-known to all. She¡¯s so talented and will definitely win! She''ll beat up that Eric for sure!¡± In the crowd, Frankie heard everyone¡¯s expectations for Jessica and felt a surge of excitement in his chest, his heartbeat quickening. He thought, Jessica... Indeed, she is the lucky star of the Ramos family! ¡®If Jessica can win against Eric this time, she will surely restore the Ramos. family¡¯s reputation and be the person of everyone''s gratitude! ¡°Everything about the Ramos family, including their business, will flourish by then.¡¯ Finally, the design draft of Jessica was presented. The audience below all looked towards the big screen with bated breath. It was a stunning pink gown that captivated everyone¡¯s attention. The wide skirt was adorned with flowers and vines, scattered, growing upwards as if a spring breeze had swept through an orchard, bringing thousands of blossoms to life. Its beauty was so mesmerizing that one couldn¡¯t look away. The neckline was made of sheer material and. embroidered with a few pink stars. Seeing this design that brought the essence of spring to life, the audience widened their eyes. ¡°So beautiful!¡± ¡°This is so gorgeous! | wish | could wear this gown!¡± ¡°True to Jessica¡¯s reputation! Truly a rising genius designer! To create such a unique design in just an hour!¡± ¡°She should be able to beat Eric this time, right?¡± In the crowd below, Jaden glimpsed the design on the big screen and squinted. He scrutinized it from up to down and sneered. It was clearly Attelia¡¯s style! Jaden was certain it was Ashley''s old design. Jessica had indeed memorized Ashley''s design and used it in thepetition! On stage, Ashley recognized the gown at first sight. It was a sketch she had drawn casually. Jessica had deliberately learned it by heart. However, Jessica had added something to the original design. It was a foolish, unnecessary touch. After the five judges reviewed Jessica¡¯s design, one with considerable experience couldn''t help butment. ¡°Jessica, I¡¯ve seen many designers¡¯ drafts, including those of very famous. ones. Your design reminded me of someone.¡± Jessica sped her fingers nervously while seated. Yet she smiled and asked, ¡°What do you mean, sir?¡± The judge stroked his beard and replied, ¡°Jessica, your design style is very simr to Attelia¡¯s.¡± The moment the name Attelia was mentioned, there was a stir among the audience and the participants. After all, Attelia is a legendary figure in the design world, and everyone. there recognized the weight of that name. Jessica¡¯s smile stiffened, but she managed to maintain a casual tone as she spoke. ¡°| admire Attelia¡¯s designs, so it¡¯s no surprise that my style tends to gravitate towards hers.¡± One of the judges, deep in thought, remarked, ¡°I see... Jessica, this design. of yours is incredibly talented. | dare say it almost surpasses all the other designers present here.¡± As soon as he finished his sentence, the room erupted in astonishment. But it made sense. How else would Jessica be hailed as a rising prodigy in design? She was indeed exceptional... Upon hearing this, Frankie puffed out his chest in pride, looking honored. Jaden, on the other hand, wore a look of disdain. ¡®Hah, she would definitely outshine the others here by stealing Attelia¡¯s designs,¡¯ he thought. ¡°However.¡± The judge suddenly changed his tone. ¡°Jessica, this design of yours with pink stars on the neckline seems discordant. These pink stars. mar the overall perfection of the gown.¡± Jessica¡¯s face instantly stiffened at thisment. The original design by Ashley didn¡¯t have these stars. Jessica had added them to incorporate the element required by the competition rules. However, it unexpectedly disrupted the harmony of the entire piece... With a sigh of regret, the judge continued, ¡°This piece is truly wonderful, but it¡¯s such a pity. These few stars have spoiled the whole broth. It could have been a perfect score, but now | can only give you a 9.7 point.¡± At this announcement, Frankie was stunned in ce.. Ascore of 9.7 points for Jessica and Eric scored 9.9. This meant that Jessica had lost... Frankie had hoped to restore the prestige of the Ramos family, but now it was all for naught. ¡®Damn it, how could this happen!¡¯ He wondered.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. The audience, who had been so full of expectation just moments ago, were now equally disappointed. ¡°No way, | had such high hopes for Jessica. Those stars, she added, were just terrible.¡± ¡°It''s over, even Jessica couldn¡¯t beat Eric. Now, the Zyrrinthia design. world ispletely outdone by the Global Team. No one can beat them. now. ¡°Look at Eric. He¡¯s practically gloating to the heavens!¡± Eric sat on the chair and smirked in mockery. ¡°Zyrrinthia Team, | beat your whole team by myself. Now, what do you have to say?¡± Kevin frowned deeply, ¡°You''re speaking too soon. We still have one. designer¡¯s draft yet to be revealed.¡± Eric knew who Kevin was referring to. He nced at Ashley indifferently. ¡°A design that was sketched for less than twenty minutes before stopping. What could she possibly have created? She didn¡¯t evenplete a full draft, did she?¡± The other designers of the Global Team burst intoughter upon hearing this. The audience''s faces turned red with embarrassment and disappointment. ¡°Maybe Ashley should just give up. Even if she can design, stopping after less than twenty minutes, how can she possibly outdo Eric?¡± ¡°Ashley¡¯s draft shouldn''t be disyed. It''ll only bring more shame to our Zyrrinthia Team.¡± ¡°Exactly. Eric already looks down on us. Showing Ashley¡¯s poor design. will only make it worse!¡± ¡°| can¡¯t believe it! Ashley has no sense of design. Why would she participate in thepetition? Is she just asking to be humiliated?¡± ¡°| didn¡¯t expect the Zyrrinthia designmunity to lose to the Global. Team like this. If only Attelia were here. Things would get better.¡± At that moment, Jaden stood up. His eyes narrowed as if he was looking at a group of fools. ¡°Since it¡¯s apetition, let¡¯s have every designer present their designs. That would be fair, wouldn''t it?¡± Jaden was the founder of Glory Youveile and vice-president of the Millein Fashion Association. The Association indeed sponsored today¡¯s Design Exchange Competition. So, when Jaden spoke, the designers at the venue dared not object any further. But they weren''t enthusiastic either, looking with disdain towards. Chapter 122 Just a moment ago, Joseph overheard those people belittling Ashley. He rolled up his sleeves, ready to confront them, but Jaden beat him to it. Now that Jaden had intimidated those individuals, Joseph had nothing left to retort. He took out his phone, opened the video mode, and captured Ashley¡¯s design sketches to show Valentinter. On the stage, Eric looked at Ashley with disdain. ¡°You used less than. twenty minutes. What good design can you create? Disying it would. only be a disgrace to yourself!¡± Ashley nced at him lightly and said, ¡°So what? You don¡¯t even dare to look at the design | drew in less than twenty minutes?¡± Eric lost his tongue. He sat up straight and red at Ashley angrily. ¡°I don¡¯t dare to look? Let me tell you, | joined this design exchange to challenge Attelia! Who knows, maybe | can even surpass Attelia now. Do you think I¡¯m afraid of an unknown designer like you? ¡®Since you''re not afraid of making a fool of yourself and not afraid of further embarrassing the Zyrrinthia Team, then go ahead and showcase. your design! | defy what earth-shattering masterpiece you can create in twenty minutes!¡± Eric deliberately emphasizes the word ¡°masterpiece,¡± making it obvious. he was being sarcastic. Ashley sized Eric up. It wasn¡¯t until this moment that she looked at him directly. Her tone suddenly became icy. ¡°Challenging Attelia? You''re not qualified.¡± After saying that, Ashley prepared to showcase her design sketch.This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Next to her, Jessica, seeing Ashley about to disy her design, felt a sudden surge of anxiety. Having stolen Ashley¡¯s previous design works, she knew better than anyone that Ashley was exceptional in fashion design. Now, if Ashley drew exceptionally well this time and defeated Eric... ¡®No!¡¯ The mere thought was hard for Jessica to ept. She had just lost to Eric, and if Ashley won against him right after, her newly improved reputation would once again take a hit. 115 11:10D Jessica looked evil at this moment, as if she harbored a sinister n. She would rather see the Zyrrinthia Team lose to the Global Team, have Eric look down on the designers from Zyrrinthia, and have the reputation of the Zyrrinthia design industry insulted by foreigners than see Ashley surpass Eric! Since Jessica was the 5th designer of the Zyrrinthia Team, and Ashley was the 6th, Jessica was sitting right next to Ashley. Seeing Ashley about to showcase her design, Jessica immediately picked up a bottle of water from the table and pretended to take a sip. And when putting it back, she intentionally pushed it outward. Suddenly, the bottle tipped over as the cap wasn¡¯t tightened, and water sshed out. Aconsiderable amount of water sshed onto Ashley''s design sketch. The design draft was made of paper. As the water droplets sshed, the design drawn on it instantly blurred and spread out. The unexpected turn of events left everyone present stunned. As if just realizing she had ¡°identally¡± knocked over the water bottle, Jessica quickly stood up, wearing a look of guilt, almost on the verge of tears. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ashley. | identally spilled the water bottle just now, and the water sshed onto your design sketch... I¡¯m really sorry!¡± Ashley narrowed her eyes, looking at Jessica expressionlessly. Although that gaze seemed tock force, Jessica felt her heart suddenly tighten. Ashley''s nce was like a sharp ice de. The moment Ashley looked at her, Jessica felt as if her heart had been clenched. It frightened. her to the point that her breath stopped for several seconds, and an involuntary chill ran down her spine. Witnessing Ashley''s design sketches getting wet, the audience below became even more pessimistic... They already thought that Ashley couldn¡¯t win against Eric with a designpleted in just twenty minutes. Now, with the design got wet, it seemed even more impossible. A judge impartially said, ¡°Designer No. 6, your design sketch got wet. Why not change the paper and redraw your previous design?¡± Since the drawing was wet and the pigment blotted, it would affect the overall presentation. Chapter 122 Ashley lowered her gaze to the blotting-out pigment on the paper. She picked up a fine silver pen from the side and casually drew something her draft. Then, she calmly said, ¡°No need to redraw. Let it be like this.¡± As she finished her words, the entire venue fell into stunned silence. Especially Eric on the stage. After his initial surprise, he burst into merciless mockery. ¡°It¡¯s your own choice not to redraw. Don¡¯t make excuses if you loseter!¡± The other five designers from the Global Team now felt even more confident. ¡°Eric, it looks like you''ll win again! With her design sketch in this condition, how could she possiblypete with you?¡± ¡°Now it¡¯s easy. The five of us don¡¯t even need to showcase our designs. Eric alone has won against all the members of the Zyrrinthia Team. Hahaha!¡± The designers from Zyrrinthia in the audience felt increasingly ufortable when they heard these harsh taunts. ¡°Does Ashley have a problem? Why didn¡¯t she choose to redraw? Now, she¡¯s made our Zyrrinthia design industry even more embarrassing!¡± ¡°| really can¡¯t stand it. Ashley is such an idiot. Why doesn¡¯t she focus on being a celebrity bute to make trouble in our design industry?¡± As the irritable designer ranted, Jaden cast a cold re in his direction. Feeling intimidated by Jaden¡¯s influence, the designer immediately shut. his mouth but still looked unconvinced. On the side, Joseph had been recording the whole process, capturing the moment when Jessica intentionally knocked over the water bottle. Joseph was furious, almost exploding with anger. Just as he was about to expose Jessica¡¯s malicious actions publicly, Ashley disyed her design. sketch on therge screen! The audience below, who had been disheartened andcking expectations for Ashley, absentmindedly turned their gaze toward therge screen, hoping that this embarrassingpetition would end soon. However, the previouslyining audience suddenly fell silent as they saw Ashley¡¯s design sketch on the big screen. Chapter 122 On the stage, Eric, who had been arrogantly watching, became frozen in the next moment. His contemptuous expression froze on his face. It was a gown that was so captivating that it could attract everyone¡¯s attention at a nce. The borate and gorgeous ck gown was stained by pigment and resembled the vast night sky. Silver strokes on the dress outlined. diamond-like sparkling lights resembling the stars in the night sky. The stars, shining brightly, seemed to drape the Milky Way on it. Though the hemline of the gown was dampened by water and looked muddy, the contrast between the muddy part and the splendid. magnificence of the dress on the upper part created a vivid and striking effect, capturing the minds of everyone present. Even if immersed in mud, one still looked up to the stars! Who could be worthy of wearing such an astonishing gown? Not a single sound could be heard in the vast venue, and silence filled the air. After several tens of seconds, the audience below slowly recovered from the amazement. However, their eyes were still fixed on therge screen disying Ashley¡¯s design sketch, hesitant to even blink. ¡°It''s so beautiful!¡± ¡°This gown is designed so perfectly and is so shocking! Ashley is actually this amazing?¡± ¡°Ashley created such an excellent design sketch in less than twenty minutes. I¡¯m not exaggerating. She¡¯s more talented than all the designers present!¡± ¡°And this design draft was even sshed with water. Ashley disyed her talents on the spot, casually making a few strokes to turn the situation around. What kind of terrifying talent is this?¡± The audiences who had looked down on Ashley moments ago were now thoroughly conquered by her design. They forgot how they had criticized her and started praising her. Eric''s expression instantly turned extremely unpleasant. He had initially thought this Ashley was not worth mentioning, but now, 475. 11:10 even in such an unfavorable situation, she had presented such a stunning piece. As a designer, Eric could discern that Ashley''s design sketch was of a caliber that could rival Attelia, the legendary figure in the current design world! Without the need for discussion, the five judges on the stage. simultaneously held up their scoring cards to give their marks. Chapter 123 There were five judges. Every judge scored ten points! Seeing the dazzling score, Jessica clenched her clothes tightly with her fingers hanging by both sides. She thought, ¡®I had already wet Ashley''s design draft with water. Why could that bitch Ashley still get such a high score!¡± Jessica was so angry that her whole body was trembling. She thought, ¡°Why? Why am | inferior to Ashley in everything?¡± Seeing Ashley¡¯s score, an intelligent reporter in the audience immediately shouted excitedly. ¡°Ten points! Ashley¡¯s score is higher than Eric¡¯s! So Ashley defeated Eric! This time, the Zyrrinthia Team defeated the Global Team!¡± The foreign designers who just thought Eric would win and sent congrattions to Eric in advance felt as if they had been pped hard. on the face at that moment, and they were highly embarrassed. The designers from Zyrrinthia in the audience had been despised by Eric for so long, and now they could finally feel proud. ¡°Well done! Ashley is awesome! Eric was very arrogant before, but now he¡¯s not qualified to be arrogant!¡± ¡°| thought Jessica was thest hope, but | didn¡¯t expect Ashley to be!¡± ¡°Oh, | looked down on Ashley before. I¡¯m really ashamed... Jessica doesn¡¯t deserve to be a new, talented designer, but Ashley does!¡± When Frankie in the crowd saw that scene, his face turned awful with. anger, and his chest rose and fell violently. He thought, ¡®Ashley, Ashley, Ashley again!¡± Nothing made him feel more annoyed than seeing Ashley being praised! He thought that Jessica would be appreciated by everyone and help restore the reputation of the Ramos family this time, but he didn¡¯t expect Ashley, the jinx of his family, to win! ording to thepetition rules, since Ashley defeated Eric, it was the 11:101 turn of the second designer of the Global Team to challenge Ashley. The work of the second designer of the Global Teams was not as good Eric''s. Ashley satzily on the chair, tapping the armrests, looking calm and leisurely. Her red lips slightly raised. ¡°Is this the best you can do? Next.¡± The designer was infuriated immediately but couldn''t refute it because. his work was indeed not as good as Ashley¡¯s. From the second designer to the fifth designer, all four lost to Ashley. Seeing the familiar scene, the designers and reporters from Zyrrinthia watching thepetition were so delighted. ¡°Oops, just now they looked down on designers from Zyrrinthia, but who are the people who lost to Ashley? Oh, it''s Eric and his stupid teammates. Hahaha!¡± Humiliating others with their failures was delightful. Now, it was the turn of the sixth designer of the Global Team to challenge Ashley. His design draft was disyed and received a score of ?), So far, all six designers of the Global Team had lost to Ashley. Ashley raised her eyebrows slightly, leaned back in her chair, looked at the arrogant Eric, and echoed what he had said to despise him. ¡°It seems that foreign designers are just so-so.¡± Ashley had red lips, fair skin, and gorgeous facial features. Her eyes made no secret of her arrogance and contempt for him. She was so mboyant and eye-catching. The eyes of the reporters and designers in the audience twinkled when they saw Ashley¡¯s overbearing look as if she had knocked all the sixt designers of the Global Team to the ground. They thought, ¡®She is...so cool!¡¯ Ashley reversed the situation alone and regained all the dignity the Zyrrinthia Team had lost! She even defeated Eric, who was arrogant and contemptuous of others, to the point where he could not fight back! 2/5 11:101 However, it was not over yet. Ashley stood up from the chair. Her beautiful face was expressionless, and she looked at Eric indifferently. ¡°Since you don¡¯t know how to respect Zyrrinthian, there is no need for everyone in the Design Exchange Competition to respect you. The exit is behind you. Get out!¡± Eric was stunned for several seconds before he realized that Ashley wanted to drive them out! He thought, There is nothing more embarrassing than being kicked out. in full view of the public... Eric''s face suddenly turned livid, and he shouted angrily. ¡°The Design Exchange Competition is organized with the support of the Millein Fashion Association. Attelia is the president of the Millein. Fashion Association. She is not even present. Ashley, who do you think you are to kick us out!¡± Hearing that, Ashley chuckled softly, her voice crisp and pleasant, ¡°Jaden,e here.¡± Jaden walked onto the stage with a smile. His bright eyes were icy. ¡°Eric, Attelia has just contacted me. Attelia just wants to say two words to you. about your behavior: get out.¡± Jaden was one of the founders of Glory Youveile, who was also the vice. president of the Millein Fashion Association. No one dared to question. what he said. Jaden snapped his fingers gracefully and called the security guards at the venue. The security guards followed Jaden¡¯s instructions and drove Eric and his teammates out without mercy. Seeing that scene, the reporters and designers in the audience cheered. They felt so relieved and overjoyed! They thought, ¡®Ashley...is so awe-inspiring.... ¡®Besides, Attelia is so cool that she lets Eric get out directly!¡± Areporter couldn¡¯t help but look at Jaden on the stage and asked, ¡°Mr. Walter, there are rumors that Attelia will attend the Design Exchange 11:10 Competition this time. Will she reallye?¡± Jaden looked at Ashley beside him. Ashley nodded slightly at him. After receiving the signal, Jaden nced at Frankie in the crowd with a dangerous smile and then answered the reporter. ¡°Yes, Attelia will attend thispetition. ¡°Everyone, the Design Exchange Competitionsts for two days. Attelia will publicly attend the fashion dinner party tomorrow!¡± As soon as Jaden finished speaking, everyone in the vast venue immediately became excited. ¡°Did | hear it wrong? Attelia is here and will make a public appearance at tomorrow¡¯s dinner party! Great!¡±Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. The reporters were so excited that they immediately broadcast the. explosive news and what happened at today¡¯s Design Exchange Competition online. Attelia was really very famous. Evenizens who didn¡¯t understand fashion design had heard of this name. Attelia was a legend in the fashion design industry and a Zyrrinthian. She would make a public appearance tomorrow, and netizens naturally looked forward to it excitedly. In addition,izens were shocked when they saw Ashley defeating Eric with a water-soaked design draft. They said: [Ashley knows how to design clothes and has superb skills. Oh My, she¡¯s such a treasure!] Amidst the exmations, someizens discovered something was wrong. [Ashley¡¯s design draft was sshed with water by Jessica. Did Jessica push the water bottle over on purpose?] Chapter 124 Chapter 124 Thisment gained a lot of likes, and more and moreizens bega to sense something amiss. [I also feel like Jessica intentionally knocked over the water bottle to ruin. Ashley¡¯s design draft!] [It really doesn¡¯t add up. The timing of the water bottle being knocked over was too suspicious! Right when Ashley was about to present her design, Jessica¡¯s water bottle just happened to fall over. Can it really be such a coincidence?] However, manyizens also disagreed: [You guys are thinking too much. There¡¯s no evidence proving Jessica did it on purpose. Stop spreading rumors.] At this time, the Design Exchange Competition had just ended. Joseph''s phone captured the moment when Jessica deliberately knocked over the water bottle. He was now fuming with anger and couldn¡¯t wait to show the video to Ashley. But Ashley was surrounded by several designers asking her for advice. These designers were not only young but also quite handsome. Joseph looked resigned. Ashley really was popr wherever she went, and he couldn¡¯t help but worry for his brother. Meanwhile, Jessica browsed the inte, her mind swirling with doubt. ¡®Have theizens discovered that | had intentionally knocked over the water bottle? No way.¡± Jessica believed she had been so discreet, and there was no way she could have been caught. She carefully rewatched the reporter¡¯s broadcast. As she expected, the angle of the shot didn¡¯t capture her tipping over the water bottle. The online spections were just guesses. With this realization, Jessica felt a weight lift off her shoulders. ¡®So what if | had knocked over the water bottle to ruin Ashley''s design? Who could use me of anything without evidence?¡¯ 115 11:101 Jept 124 Jessica sneered smugly, crafted a feigned innocent tweet, and sent it [I didn¡¯t mean to knock over the water bottle, and I¡¯m sorry Ashley¡¯s design got sshed. But | didn¡¯t do it, and if criticizing me makes peop feel better, then go ahead. The truth will stand clear in the end. | won''t argue.] [Ashley is my sister, and I¡¯ve always hoped she¡¯de back to the Ramos family. I''ve wanted to get along with her...). [She grew up in an orphanage, and | really feel bad for what she went through. Just a couple of days ago. | made donations to five orphanages. hoping to do some good deeds for Ashley. ..] With this tweet, Jessica portrayed herself as a victim of online harassment, misunderstood and wronged. Upon seeing this, the public was immediately filled with questions and confusion. [Who¡¯s criticizing you? And you are ying the victim now?] Someizens thought they were rational and came to her defense. [Enough already. Jessica has responded, saying she didn¡¯t mean to knock over the water bottle. Some of you need to let go!] [Exactly. Jessica¡¯s been quietly doing charity work, donating to five orphanages!] [While donating to charity shouldn¡¯t be a moral obligation. Ashley grew up in an orphanage and never donated herself, right? Jessica¡¯s really done something great here.] As public opinion kept going, the hashtag. ¡°Jessica donates to orphanages¡± was even trended on social media. Meanwhile, Joseph had been waiting for several minutes and finally saw the group of designers around Ashley leave. ¡°Ashley!¡± Joseph ran over, showing her the video he had captured. ¡°Look what | go! Jessica deliberately knocked over that water bottle!¡± Being directly involved, Ashley knew all too well Jessica¡¯s intent. Watching the video Joseph shot, she nodded in approval. ¡°Nice, it''s very clear.¡± Joseph was thrilled. ¡°I¡¯m going to post this video right away. Expose her!¡± 2B) 11-11 He then looked at Ashley, habitually seeking her opinion. Ashley smiled brightly with a hint of amusement, ¡°Why are you lo at me? Go ahead and post it. Or what? Save it for Jessica¡¯s sake?¡± ¡°Right on!¡± Joseph immediately logged onto the inte. But as soon as he opened Twitter, he saw a trending topic with the hashtag, ¡°Jessica donates to orphanages¡¯. Joseph frowned and clicked on the link. It turned out Jessica had tweeted a denial of intentionally knocking over the water bottle. Joseph couldn¡¯t help but sneer, thinking, ¡®How can she have the audacity to deny it? ¡®And she even uses charity as a badge of honor? The hypocrisy is practically jumping off the screen. And then there were those self-proimed rationalizens, going on about how Jessica donated to the orphanage, but Ashley didn''t.This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Joseph looked at thesements with an incredulous expression. ¡®Who said Ashley never donated to the orphanage? ¡®My brother and the Kingsley Group had regrly contributed to orphanages for years, all because of Ashley¡¯s childhood experiences.¡± Jessica¡¯s public announcement of her donation made it to the trending topics, causing quite a stir. Amidst the online spectacle, a blogger, verified as a volunteer, dropped at comment. [Wait a minute, | always volunteer at our local orphanage, and from the director, | was told that someone named Ashley has been donating yearly. | thought it was a coincidence, but it turns out to be the Ashley who became a celebrity!] Netizens were shocked when they saw thisment. What surprised them even more was that, besides this volunteer, a reputable charity organization also posted on social media. [Ashley donates annually to orphanages through our organization. Below is the Detailed breakdown of her contributions.] Upon seeing the donation details,izens realized that Ashley h doing charity work for a long time, making annual donations wit seeking publicity. [Wow, having had a tough childhood herself, Ashley has been quietly helping kids who went through simr hardships after gaining the mean to do so...] [This is what true charity looks like! Ashley never publicized her efforts. This is my first time hearing about it.] [Wait a minute, it just hit me. Jessica only donated once to the orphanage and made it public. Is she using charity as a tool for self-promotion?] Someone tagged Jessica in a post saying: [You''re just using charity to glorify yourself! | can¡¯t believe | was just praising you for your charitable work. You''re deceitful! Ugh!] Joseph couldn¡¯t help but nearly burst intoughter at this sudden turn of events. And he thought it was the perfect timing to strike while the iron was hot. He uploaded the video he had taken of Jessica knocking over a water. bottle and called her out publicly. (Jessica,e see the evidence for yourself!] [Evidence? What evidence?] The onlookers clicked on the video curiously, only to be stunned the next. second. The video Joseph posted clearly captured Jessica deliberately knocking over the water bottle, ruining Ashley''s design drafts. Temperamentalizens couldn''t sit still. They flocked to Jessica¡¯s Twitter,menting: [Jessica, | dare you say it one more time that you didn¡¯t knock over that bottle on purpose!] Jessica hadn¡¯t seen the video Joseph posted and replied confidently: [I¡¯ll say this onest time. It wasn¡¯t on purpose. The truth will stand clear in the end. | won¡¯t admit to something | didn¡¯t do!] Chapter 125 Theizens were utterly shocked by Jessica¡¯s shamelessness: [You still evidence right in your trying to argue with this? Joseph just pped CSS: [You still face! You¡¯re doomed now!] Upon seeing thisment, Jessica frowned in confusion, Joseph?¡¯ She immediately checked, the video posted by Joseph. With each second of the video, the color drained from Jessica¡¯s face, her face turned ghostly pale, and her fingers began to tremble. ¡®How could this be... How did Joseph manage to capture this!¡¯ At this moment, more and moreizens who saw the video were utterly shocked. [Damn, this video is crystal clear, Jessica deliberately knocked over that water bottle!] [Seriously, Jessica just denied it earlier. I''ve seen shameless person, but never on this level!] [Ashley was representing designers from Zyrrinthia in apetition. against foreign designers. Jessica preferred to see her country lose and. face the scorn of foreigners rather than see Ashley win. What kind of person does that?] Theizens kept hashtagging Jessica and said: [You''re a disgrace! A traitor! How can you be so selfish?] [Just a few days ago, | saw your amazing designs and thought you had real talent. | was starting to think better of you. Now, heh. There¡¯s not a single good person in the Ramos family!] Recently, Jessica¡¯s reputation had improved due to her design talents. But today, it all came crashing down, igniting even more fury among netizens. Jessica looked at the usations and insults online, gripping her phone so tightly that her knuckles turned white, her face contorted with rage, and her eyes filled with hatred. Jessica didn¡¯t think she did anything wrong. She just didn¡¯t want to be outshone by Ashley. Chapter 125 If anything was wrong, she believed it was all Ashley''s fault. Jessica was biting her lip so hard that it turned pale, her face looking shockingly fierce. ¡°Jessica, what are you doing standing here with your phone?¡± Frankie came over and asked. Jessica snapped back to reality, forced an awkward smile, and then put on a pitiful look. ¡°Frankie, people online are ming me for Ashley...¡± She knew she couldn''t hide the incident of knocking over the water bottle that had blown up online, so she bettere clean to Frankie. Frankie¡¯s face darkened. He wouldn''t let anyone insult the Ramos family¡¯s sweet princess. Frankie checked the inte on his phone, and his eyes widened in shock. The water bottle incident was actually Jessica¡¯s doing... Even after her designs were sabotaged, Ashley still managed to outshine Eric. How exceptional is Ashley''s design talent?¡± Lost in thought, Frankie looked up and saw the retreating figures of Ashley, Joseph, and Jaden. They were leaving the conference room. Frankie couldn''t help but think that if Ashley were appointed as the lead designer for the Ramos Group¡¯s fashion brand, she would surely outperform Jessica and revive the Ramos family more swiftly... Jessica bit her lower lip and watched Frankie¡¯s expression with tears in her eyes. She wondered what Frankie thought about the incident and whether he would me her for deliberately knocking over the water bottle. Imagining several possible reactions, Jessica was caught off guard when Frankie suddenly started chasing after Ashley in the distance instead of talking to her. ¡°Frankie?¡± Jessica felt her heart tightened and hurriedly followed after him. Ashley was leaving the venue while listening to Joseph talking about what was going on online. They had just walked to the exit when suddenly someone blocked her path. Looking up, she saw Frankie. Joseph and Jaden immediately turned serious, both looking stern as if to guard Ashley. Frankie seemed preupied, his expression serious as he looked at Ashley with a strained voice. ¡°Back in those two years with the Ramos. family, you once said you wanted to help design clothes for the Ramos family¡¯s fashion brand. It turns out you were serious...¡± He had thought she was just messing around to get their attention and had harshly scolded her without understanding her intentions. But now, he realized she truly had a talent for design, and her skills were. impressive. Ashley¡¯s gaze was clear and steady, her tone devoid of any emotion. ¡°Frankie, what''s the point of asking this now?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s pointless...¡± Frankie¡¯s hands clenched into fists at his sides. His hair was slightly disheveled from running over to find Ashley. ¡°Frankie, you...¡± Jessica hurried over to them. Frankie didn¡¯t pay her any attention, his gaze fixed firmly on Ashley. He took a deep breath and said. ¡°Ashley, since you once sincerely wanted to help the Ramos family¡¯s fashion brand, as the CEO of the Ramos Group, Frankie Ramos, | now invite you to be the designer for the Ramos Group''s fashion brand. ¡°Plus, | agree to your return to the Ramos family. From now on, no one in the Ramos family will ever hit or insult you again. And as for what Jessica had done, I''ll ensure she apologizes to you.¡± Hearing this, Jessica felt her heart leaped to her throat. She couldn''t believe Frankie was actually asking her to apologize to Ashley and even invited Ashley back to the family. Joseph and Jaden, hearing Frankie''s words, which he thought were full of deep emotion and righteousness, couldn¡¯t help but sneer internally. They couldn¡¯t help but roll their eyes. The reason Frankie wanted Ashley toe back was clearly just for the benefit of the Ramos family, expecting Ashley to be their ve. Frankie was indeed a businessman. 11:11 It was something Joseph and Jaden both understood. Ashley, knowing Frankie so well, obviously saw it even clearer. After hearing what Frankie said, Ashley couldn''t help butugh. She smiled, and her eyes tinged with sarcasm. ¡°Frankie, if you have some problem in your head, go to the hospital. Don¡¯t have a fit here.¡± ¡°Ashley!¡± Frankie immediately tightened, ring at her with a cold intensity. Ashley raised her hand, regretfully touching her temple. ¡°I¡¯ve forgotten, sorry. | thought you¡¯re a decent man again.¡± Frankie¡¯s face turned ashen. But the next second, he heard Ashley say.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. ¡°The Ramos family is stinking. You might like wallowing in there, but | certainly don¡¯t. ¡°Frankie, I''ll say this onest time. | havepletely cut ties with the Ramos family and will never return in this lifetime. As for you, stop calling yourself as my brother. It¡¯s disgusting!¡± Each word dropped coldly and sharply, causing Frankie to clench his fists. tightly. It wasn¡¯t until Ashley had left that Frankie stiffly turned around, his gaze following Ashley¡¯s retreating figure. The coldness in his eyes was so intense. Ashley used to respect him above all others. Frankie couldn¡¯t believe Ashley had just uttered such final and insulting words to him. He had given Ashley a chance to return to the Ramos family, but Ashley refused. The Ramos family¡¯s fashion brand didn¡¯t necessarily need Ashley to save. it. There was still Attelia. When Frankie thought of Attelia, his anger subsided a bit. He would see Attelia at tomorrow¡¯s dinner, after all. Earlier on stage, when Jaden announced Attelia¡¯s attendance at tomorrow¡¯s dinner, he smiled at Frankie. ¡®Did that mean Attelia¡¯s showing up tomorrow was specifically for the Ramos family?¡¯ he wondered. Chapter 125 The mere thought filled Frankie with an overwhelming joy. Tomorrow, he was certain he could persuade Attelia to join them. Chapter 126 Chapter 126 As Ashley, Joseph, and Jaden stepped out of the venue, they ran into a group of young designers. The moment these designers saw Ashley, they hurried over, their faces. filled with admiration as they eximed, ¡°Ashley, the starry nightgown. you designed for the contest was absolutely stunning! It looked amazing!¡± Ashley smiled a bit shyly, ¡°Thank you! One of the designers, a slender man, scratched his head, his tone full of regret. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the misunderstanding before...¡± During thepetition, they had been overly critical from the sidelines, saying Ashley''s participation would only lead to a more humiliating defeat for the Zyrrinthia Team. But, in the end, it was Ashley who salvaged the reputation of Zyrrinthia¡¯s designmunity. Hearing these apologies, Joseph couldn''t help but snort, still visibly annoyed. Hearing that cold snort, Jaden narrowed his eyes and looked at Joseph, sensing his unusual protectiveness towards Ashley. After the designers apologized to Ashley, they briefly discussed some design matters. One of the designers asked, ¡°Ashley, the starry night dress you designed has a style reminiscent of Attelia¡¯s. Are you a fan of Attelia?¡± Ashley raised an eyebrow at the question, responding in a yful tone, ¡°Of course, I¡¯m a fan.¡± Jaden struggled to hold backughter, thinking how bold it was for Ashley to express admiration for her own work. Another designer took out his phone, visibly excited. ¡°Ms. Ramos, your design skills are impressive. Could we exchange contact information? I¡¯d love to consult you on design matters in the future if that¡¯s okay?¡± Joseph, who always backed his brother, immediately went on high alert. Men understood men the best. That man said he wanted to discuss design, but it was just a pretext to get Ashley''s phone number. 115 11:11 Chapter 126 Joseph stepped forward with a sneer. ¡°Buddy, if you want to talk design, let¡¯s talk design. Why the need to exchange contact info? And hey, why don¡¯t you add me while you¡¯re at it?¡± That designer''s cheeks turned a slight red as he sheepishly put away his phone. As everyone was chatting, Kevin walked over with an assistant following him, carrying documents and other items. After the designers apologized to Ashley, they left. Kevin approached Ashley with a genuine smile. ¡°| haven¡¯t congratted you yet. Winning over Eric with a design sketch damaged by water is impressive.¡± Ashley smiled, ¡°Thank you.¡± Kevin smiled warmly, ¡°Although we were ssmates, we lost touch. | never expected you to pursue fashion design, let alone be so talented at it.¡± Ashley replied, ¡°Your design draft is pretty good, too. You really have your own ideas.¡± Kevin smiled and shook his head, acknowledging his shorings. ¡°I¡¯m not as good as you even though I¡¯m a few years older. | can see that.¡± Jaden looked curiously at Kevin and interrupted, ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say you were ssmates? Howe you¡¯re a few years older than Ashley?¡± Kevin smiled and exined, ¡°She skipped a grade in high school, so she was younger than her peers.¡± ¡°Skipped a grade?¡± Jaden was of mixed heritage. He didn¡¯t quite understand what that meant. It took a few seconds for him to understand the term, squinting his eyes in thought. Then, looking at Ashley with a mix of surprise and admiration, he exims, ¡°Sweetheart, you were really something special even as a kid! Why haven''t you ever told me about this?¡± Ashley didn¡¯t take it seriously at all. ¡°What''s there to talk about?¡± Jaden fell silent. ¡°You''ve mentioned your childhood fianc¨¦ to me twice, yet you never brought up skipping a grade, which is a big deal!¡± Jaden turned to Joseph, who was standing nearby, and asked, ¡°Did she 2/5 ever mention this to you?¡± Joseph answered distractedly, ¡°No.¡± Jaden felt a bit more bnced mentally. He then realized that Joseph was answering his question absentmindedly, his eyes almost glued to Kevin. Jaden narrowed his eyes as he pulled Joseph under a nearby billboard. Joseph frowned, ¡°Why did you bring me here?¡± Seeing Joseph constantly looking at Ashley and Kevin a few feet away, Jaden smiled slyly, raising his eyebrows, ¡°Are you a friend of Ashley''s?¡± Joseph didn¡¯t even look at him. ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious?¡± Jaden smirked as he spoke with a hint of double meaning. ¡°Why do | get the feeling that you¡¯re not really Ashley¡¯s friend, huh?¡± Finally, Joseph turned to face him, sizing Jaden up. ¡°What are you implying?¡± With a hand casually in his pocket and a mischievous glint in his eyes, Jaden teased, ¡°We''ve only known each other for half a day, but | can tell that you like Ashley, don¡¯t you?¡± At those words, Joseph nearly choked. His face turned to shock and panic. ¡°What the hell are you talking about!¡± he eximed. Jaden clicked his tongue, his eyes charming. He listed his observations. ¡°You were hostile towards me. You thought | had a crush on Ashley, right? ¡°And now, you''re constantly watching Kevin, obviously guarding against him. ¡°So, if it¡¯s not that you like Ashley, what is it?¡± Joseph was silent. It wasn¡¯t that the guess was entirely wrong. The first two points were quite urate. But the final conclusion was totally off the mark. It was so wrong. Joseph¡¯s face turned sullen. He gritted his teeth and said, ¡°Jaden, for heaven¡¯s sake, if you don¡¯t know, don¡¯t guess! Ashley is my brother''s girlfriend!¡± 11-11 ¡°Your brother¡¯s girlfriend?¡± This revtion struck Jaden with shock. ¡®His brother¡¯s girlfriend? What the world is going on?¡± While Jaden was in shock, he suddenly thought about something. ¡°I get it now! You''re the brother of Ashley''s childhood fianc¨¦!¡± Joseph looked bewildered. ¡°Childhood fianc¨¦?¡± Jaden didn¡¯t borate, just feeling speechless. ¡°Why would you even think | like Ashley? I¡¯m her close friend, her best partner, get it?¡± Joseph gave a false smile. ¡°Which partner calls the other ¡®sweetheart¡±?¡± Jaden raised an eyebrow, casually wrapping an arm over his shoulder. ¡°What¡¯s the big deal? | can call you sweetheart too, huh?¡± Joseph was at a loss for words. He felt a chill run down his spine, and he blurted out a curse, ¡°Damn it, man. You''re annoying!¡± After that, he swatted Jaden¡¯s arm off his shoulder. On the other side, Kevin nced at his watch, his voice gentle. ¡°It¡¯s almost noon. How about we grab lunch together?¡± Ashley instinctively declined. ¡°Today¡¯s not a good day. | already made ns to have dinner with some friends.¡± Kevin nced towards Joseph and Jaden not far away and nodded in understanding. ¡°Alright, some other time then.¡±This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. After chatting a bit, Ashley said goodbye to Kevin. Once Kevin had left, Ashley looked at Joseph and Jaden, teasing, ¡°What are you two up to? Are you whispering secrets behind my back?¡± Hearing Ashley''s call, Joseph immediately ran back, his expression somewhat weird. ¡°Ashley, your friend is...¡± Chapter 127 Chapter 127 Joseph paused midway through speaking. Jaden walked back slowly with his hands in his pockets, saying with a joking smile in his blue eyes, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with me? Go ahead.¡± Joseph sneered coldly, ¡°Humph.¡± Jaden deliberately teased him, ¡°Why don¡¯t you speak?¡± Joseph didn¡¯t bother talking to him. ¡°Humph!¡± Ashley looked at them speechlessly and sighed. Those two boring men. They were childish. At noon, the three of them had lunch at a nearby restaurant. After lunch, as soon as they left the private room, Jaden answered at phone call from home, and it couldn¡¯t be finished in a short time. So he signaled to Ashley that he needed to go to the side to take a call. Ashley waved and signaled Jaden to answer the call, and she and Joseph waited for him there. After Jaden walked away, Ashley was about to return to the private room with Joseph to sit and wait for Jaden. She took a few steps and found Joseph standing at the private room door, looking toward the left of the corridor, ¡°What''s wrong?¡± Ashley asked suspiciously. ¡°l saw. there. senior in showbiz.¡± Joseph raised his hand and pointed over Ashley looked in the direction he was pointing and saw an older man in the corridor who was thin and a little depressed. The older man¡¯s hair was half-gray, and there were wrinkles on his face, but his eyes were bright and wise. Ashley recognized him at a nce. He was Sean Ashworth, a well-known older actor in showbiz and a highly respected artist who had won the n lifetime achievement award. In Ashley¡¯s impression, Sean had always been energetic, and even at an old age, he would participate in some film and television dramas w good scripts. But why did he look a little out of sorts today? Sean had been staring at his phone screen as if reading something. He didn¡¯t notice the trash can in the corridor and tripped as he passed by. The ce where Sean had been tripped was right at the private room door. Joseph quickly reached out to support him. ¡°Be careful.¡± Ashley then asked, ¡°Are you okay?¡± A fall was severe for older people. They would get injured from it. Sean stood firm and smiled gratefully, ¡°I¡¯m fine, thank you.¡± Ashley breathed a sigh of relief and was about to say something when she saw Frankie and Jessica walking towards this side. As Frankie came over, he pulled Sean from Joseph''s hand. ¡°Mr. Ashworth, the private room | booked is on the third floor. | looked for you for a while. It turned out that you were on the second floor.¡±This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Sean sighed, ¡°Huh, | am really getting old. | can¡¯t even find a private room correctly.¡± ¡°Don''t say that, Mr. Ashworth. You''re in good spirits.¡± Frankie looked solemn. Obviously, he didn¡¯t say that from the heart. After saying that, he looked at Joseph aside with a sarcastic look. ¡°Hello, Mr. Fox. Mr. Ashworth has agreed to sign a contract with the Ramos Group. Please don¡¯t do the despicable act of poaching from behind.¡± Joseph narrowed his eyes and said in a cold voice, ¡°Frankie, do you think others are as shameless as you? | just helped Mr. Ashworth. What are you afraid of?¡± Frankie frowned slightly but did not respond to Joseph. Instead, he nced at Ashley expressionlessly and helped Sean to the private room on the third floor. 2/5 Ashley was confused. ¡°What''s going on? What did he mean? Poa Ashworth?¡± Joseph said with contempt, ¡°That shameless scum is ying the tric thief crying ¡®stop thief.¡± Ashley returned to the private room and sat down on the chair. ¡°Tell me more about it.¡± Joseph became angry when she thought about it. He sat beside her and said angrily, ¡°Mr. Ashworth disbanded his studio some time ago, so | visited him and asked him if he was willing to sign with Royal Entertainment. ¡°After all, Mr. Ashworth is a highly respected veteran artist in showbiz and has won a lifetime achievement award. It will be good for Royal Entertainment if he signs the contract. He is equivalent to a pir of my company. ¡°Besides, Mr. Ashworth has excellent acting skills and rich experience in acting. He only needs to spare one hour every week to give lessons to the young people in thepany, which will be enough for them to benefit a lot.¡± Ashley looked at Joseph up and down and eximed, ¡°You surprised me, Joseph. Who said you are ignorant and ipetent? | think you are insightful and care about thepany¡¯s interest.¡± Joseph smiled cynically, ¡°Humph, | have many abilities, yet others don¡¯t know it.¡± Ashley rolled her eyes slightly and asked tentatively, ¡°ording to what Frankie just said, it seems that you failed to sign a contract with Mr. Ashworth. Is it?¡± The more Joseph thought about it, the angrier he became. ¡°Ashley, you don¡¯t know that | had already negotiated with Mr. Ashworth, and he had agreed to sign with Royal Entertainment, but Frankie suddenly disrupted and poached Mr. Ashworth. As for Frankie, he wants to sign Mr. Ashworth to take advantage of his prestige and then boost the Ramos Group¡¯s reputation. He is calcting.¡± Ashley didn¡¯t quite understand. ¡°How much benefit did Frankie give Mr. Ashworth to suddenly make him change his mind?¡± Joseph sighed, ¡°Ashley, have you noticed that Mr. Ashworth didn¡¯t seem. to be in good spirits just now? His wife was hospitalized and was diagnosed with cancer. She doesn¡¯t have much time left.¡± Ashley frowned. No one could avoid death. Joseph continued, ¡°Mrs. Ashworth used to like a dress of Glory Youveile very much and has always wanted to buy it, but that dress was designed. and made by Attelia. There is only one in the world, and it is only for disy, not for sale. She likes the dress but can¡¯t buy it. It is a great sadness to her. ¡°Jessica has been rated as a new talented designer recently. She drew at design draft for Mrs. Ashworth and said that she could design a dress. simr to Attelia¡¯s to appease her biggest regret.¡± Ashley snorted. She thought, Jessica drew a design draft for Mrs. Ashworth? It¡¯s nothing. more than giarizing my previous manuscript.¡¯ Joseph said, Mr. Ashworth and his wife are devoted to each other. When he learned that Jessica could heal his wife¡¯s biggest regret and let her wear the dress she cherished so much before she died of cancer, Mr. Ashworth changed his mind and agreed to sign a contract with Frankie.¡± Ashley smiled slightly. Her gaze was calm. ¡°Even if Jessica designs a simr one, it won¡¯t be the one that Mrs. Ashworth wants most.¡± Joseph spread his hands. ¡°There is no way. Attelia¡¯s piece is only for disy and not for sale. If Jessica can design a dress simr to Attelia¡¯s piece, Mrs. Ashworth will also be delighted.¡± Joseph did not me Sean for his sudden change. After all, he loved his wife. It was understandable that he wanted to make up for his wife¡¯s biggest regret during her lifetime. In fact, after knowing that Ashley was Attelia, Joseph wanted to ask her if the dress could be for sale. At worst, he would spend a sum to buy it and give it to Sean¡¯s wife, and he could still sign a contract with Sean. But he thought that Ashley must have had her reasons for only disying the dress but not selling it. Joseph respected Ashley and did not want to take advantage of the family¡¯s affection to let her sell the dress. Chapter 127 He thought, ¡®Oh, I¡¯m the most considerate, gentle, charming, and w man. Is there anyone who canpare to me?¡¯ Joseph was shamelessly moved by himself, but the next second, he sa Ashley resting her temple on her hand, looking at him with a confiden expression. ¡°Rx. Frankie can never sign the contract with Sean.¡± Joseph was stunned, swallowed, and asked, ¡°Ashley, | found that you have been particrly targeting Frankie recently.¡± Ashley¡¯s lips were bright red, looking beautiful and charming. ¡°Yeah. | do want to target him.¡± After saying that, she stood up with a calm look. ¡°Let''s go.¡± Joseph immediately stood up. ¡°Where are we going?¡± 575 Ashley took Joseph out of the pr back after answering the phone. ¡°Shall we go back now?¡± Jaden put his phone into his pocket and asked casually. Ashley shook her head and was about to speak when she saw Frankie appearing at the corner of the stairs from the corner of her eye. He seemed to have juste down from the third floor. Frankie was alone. It seemed that Jessica and Sean were still in the private room on the third floor. Frankie also saw Ashley and Joseph. He was in a good mood and walked over provocatively. His stern and handsome face showed a kind of arrogance and pride. Frankie said, ¡°Joseph, | may as well tell you that Sean has agreed to sign a contract with the Ramos Group today. It is useless for you to be attentive to him.¡± His words contained an intention of venting his anger and showing off. The Ramos family had been in a trough recently, and letting Sean, a veteran artist with a lifetime achievement award, be at its side was like a ray of sunshine on rainy days. It also meant that the Ramos family would turn the corner and go upwards. Joseph sneered with a hint of arrogance and cynicism, ¡°Frankie, Mr. Ashworth just tripped over the trash can, and | helped him. But in your eyes, it was an act of courtesy. Huh, it seems that you are just a scumbag.¡± Frankie''s face suddenly turned cold. Usually, he would have been angry Joseph said so. But he was in a good mood today and only regarded Joseph¡¯s words as a loser¡¯sint. if Frankie turned to look at Ashley. His eyes were cold and stern, not like he was looking at his biological sister. Chapter 128 Ashley, you have poached the five-member boy band of the Ramos. Group. Just now, | invited you to be the designer of the Ramos Group''s clothing brand, and you refused. Do you want to see the Ramos family. go downhill? ¡°Huh, no way. What you expect will never happen. The Ramos family. will only get better and better!¡± Signing the contract with Sean today was the first step in theeback of the Ramos Group. Ashley raised an eyebrow indifferently, looking at Frankie with a hint of sarcasm in her beautiful eyes as if as if watching a drama. ¡°Frankie, are you sure you can sign the contract with Sean?¡± Frankie smiled confidently, ¡°Of course. We are going to sign the contract. Unless Ashley could buy the dress that Sean¡¯s wife coveted from Attelia, Sean might refuse to sign a contract with the Ramos Group.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. But how could Ashley get that dress? Even if Ashley and Jaden, the founder of Glory Youveile, were friends, and Jaden was willing to sell the dress to Ashley, the premise was getting. Attelia¡¯s consent. After all, Attelia was the designer of it. Ashley raised her hand elegantly and stroked a strand of hair behind ear. Looking at Jaden beside her, she said calmly, ¡°The Glory Youveile dress, which is the only one in the world and only for disy but not for sale, is named ¡®Dimi, right?¡± Jaden nodded. ¡°Yes. What''s the matter?¡± The name for the dress, ¡°Dimi,¡± was given by the designer, Ashley. Ashley pulled Joseph over to Jaden and said, ¡°Joseph needs this dress now. You are the boss of Glory Youveile, so just give it to him for free.¡± Jaden¡¯s eyes widened in shock upon hearing this. He looked at her in disbelief. ¡°What did you say?¡± Free? Alot of top-notch jewelry and diamonds were used in making that dress. Even the fabric was the rarest silk in the world, which was quite expensive. Seeing Jaden¡¯s shocked expression, Frankie became even more that he had guessed correctly. Ashley''s wish to get the dress thi Jaden was simply wishful thinking. Only Attelia had the right to decide whether to sell that dress or no Frankie thought, ¡®Ashley is too proud and overestimates herself. She thought Jaden would give the dress away as she asked. Humph, she is. kidding herself! When Joseph heard Ashley say it would be free, he was so moved that her eyes welled up with tears. He wondered, ¡®Ashley is so kind. She is the best girl in the world!¡± Jaden was devastated. How could he be willing to give the dress away for free? Jaden nced at the annoying Frankie and anxiously pulled Ashley a few steps away. He whispered, ¡°You designed Dimi and made it. You can sell it to whoever you want. It¡¯s okay. But why are you giving it away for free? ¡°Is Joseph short of money? Even if he needs the dress, you can sell it to him at the original price. Isn''t it just ten million dors? Can''t he afford. it?¡± ¡°He can afford it, but...¡± Ashley blinked her bright eyes. ¡°As you said just now, it¡¯s only ten million dors, and | don¡¯tck the money, so | just gave it to Joseph for free.¡± Jaden was stunned. He thought, ¡®You send a dress worth at least ten million at will. You are really loaded.¡± Frankie couldn¡¯t hear what Ashley and Jaden said, but he could tell from his expression that Jaden did not agree to give the dress to Joseph. Everything was as he expected. Frankie was in a good mood and straightened the cor. No doubt Sean would sign the contract with the Ramos Group. Jessica and Sean came down from the third floor. Sean was older and had difficulty in walking. When he went downstairs, he had to hold on to the handrails and walk slowly. 375 Jessica couldn¡¯t no longer hide the disgust in her eyes. She cursed in heart, ¡®You¡¯re such a slowpoke. Can¡¯t you walk faster? You won''t fall die!¡± Frankie was indifferent when he saw Sean stumbling over. The contract was destined to be signed anyway, so there was no need to be attentive to Sean. ¡°Frankie, why are you in the corridor on the second floor?¡± Jessica asked in confusion. After asking, she saw Ashley, Joseph, and Jaden standing aside. Frankie''s face was full of the pride and joy of a winner. ¡°I came to see the Ramos Group''s defeated opponents.¡± Ashley had poached the five-member boy band before. Today, she defeated Eric at the Design Exchange Competition and once again, showed her extraordinary talents. But everything the Ramos family did was not going smoothly. If Frankie signed Sean today, he would win Ashley and Royal Entertainment once. He felt morefortable than ever before. Frankie looked at Sean. He was determined to sign him. ¡°Mr. Ashworth, let¡¯s sign the contract now.¡± Sean actually didn¡¯t want to sign a contract with the Ramos Group, but Jessica could design the dress that his wife wanted so much. Sean was willing to agree to anything to let his wife wear her favorite. dress before she died. With this in mind, tears welled up in his eyes. Sean said, ¡°Okay, after signing the contract today, | hope Jessica will make the dress as soon as possible. My wife...¡± His wife didn¡¯t have much time left. Jessica pursed her lips in disgust. Although she stole the design from Ashley, it was unlucky to sell such a beautiful dress to a dying person. Frankie led Sean out to avoid unwee surprises. ¡°Mr. Ashworth, let¡¯s sign the contract now.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, he saw Ashley walking toward him with. a meaningful smile. Chapter 129 Ashley smiled and stretched out her hand to support Sean, who had difficulty walking. ¡°Mr. Ashworth, | heard Mrs. Ashworth likes the dress. Glory Youveiletelyunched, which is named Dimi.¡± Sean nodded in a daze. ¡°Yeah, my wife likes it very much, but the dress is only for disy and not for sale, so | have never got it.¡± Frankic looked at Ashley¡¯s behavior with dissatisfaction and sneered coldly, ¡°What do you mean, Ashley?¡± He suspected Ashley had worked against him to stop the Ramos Group signing with Sean. But he thought Ashley couldn¡¯t make it. Ashley grinned and looked more charming with delicate features. She nced at Frankie causally, then looked at Sean solemnly and spoke clearly. ¡°Joseph from Royal Entertainment would give you Dimi for free, hoping to make up for Mrs. Ashworth¡¯s regret. Sean couldn''t believe Ashley¡¯s words for a moment, and he widened his eyes slightly in shock. ¡°For real?¡± Ashley chuckled reassuringly, ¡°Of course.¡± After speaking, she waved to Jaden and Joseph and asked them toe over. Jaden smiled gently, ¡°Joseph will give you Dimi from Glory Youveile for free, Mr. Ashworth.¡± Sean stared at Jaden for a moment before realizing that the handsome. guy before him was Jaden, the founder of Glory Youveile. He then believed in Jaden¡¯s promise. Sean¡¯s hands even trembled with excitement. His wife could finally wear the original dress she had longed for. Sean looked at Frankie apologetically, and the wrinkles on his face showed the vicissitudes of life. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Ramos. My wife still likes the original dress the most.¡± 15 11:11 Frankie immediately lost his temper and questioned with anger, ¡°Do you want to break the contract, Mr. Ashworth?¡± Sean sighed awkwardly, ¡°The Royal Entertainment¡¯s handlers came to me first, and | already agreed to sign with them, but you used my wife to make me change my mind. Now, Joseph from Royal Entertainment can. give my wife the original dress, and | have to sign with them to repay their kindness. I¡¯m so sorry.¡± As Sean spoke, he looked at Joseph sincerely. ¡°You don¡¯t need to give that dress away for free, Mr. Fox. | don¡¯t want to take advantage of you and intend to buy it at the original price.¡± Ashley¡¯s behavior of giving away the dress for free left Joseph admiring, and his tears almost fell down in affection. He felt delighted to have Ashley¡¯s support. When Joseph came back to his senses, he heard from Sean about buying the dress at full price, and he didn¡¯t know how to answer for a while. Ashley signaled Jaden with her eyes. Jaden immediately exined, ¡°You don¡¯t need to pay it at full price, Mr. Ashworth. We''ll give Dimi to Mrs. Ashworth for free, and Attelia also agrees with our decision. ¡°Mrs. Ashworth¡¯s favor of dressesunched by Glory Youveile goes far beyond the value of the dresses, and she gives the dresses a deeper meaning. ¡°Dimi is now in the collection of the headquarters, and | will arrange to fly it back as soon as possible.¡± The dress named Dimi looked particrly elegant, and the older could. bring out its beauty, which inadvertently fit Sean''s wife well. Sean raised his hand and wiped the corners of his eyes, with tears in his eyes. He choked with sobs. ¡°Thank you. Thank you so much.¡± Before Frankie could react, Sean had already made a deal with Jaden. He couldn¡¯t suppress his anger anymore. He didn¡¯t expect Ashley to give the dress away for free, and Jaden even agreed with it. Frankie thought, ¡®Didn¡¯t they need to ask Attelia for advice? How did Asislevonese Jaden?¡¯ The veins on tabikie ¡®b forehead burst, and he looked extren Ashley ruined the Ramos Group¡¯s chance of aeback, and couldn''t bear it. Joseph cherished the clite and took Scan to Royal Entertainment to sign the contract ashhteerd trankie would go after them again.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Before leaving. Asileined at frankic, and her dedicated features showed sarcastism. Can you still sign with Sean now?¡± Hearing this. Frankic¡¯s face clchoticed with anger. He thought. How dare she me deckanie? Why does she have no respen tooming Frankie finally realized Ashley had deliberately targeted him. But Ashley used to treat him respectivy In Ramos Vi¡¯s living room. Bertha wasisiting on the couch drinking contee. When she found Frankie and festica aing back in the gloom, she couldn¡¯t help but ask with concern. Men¡¯s wrong? Is there something wrong with thepany an Frankie didn¡¯t reply to her in depression jessica threw herself into Bertha¡¯s arms with teen in her eyes and shouted coquettishly. ¡°Mom, Frankie and Bertha suddenly became nervous and urged, Cotud jessica. Is it und at Ashley amin? isica chen told her what had happened just now. Paranthis, us crtha¡¯s eyebrows frowned tightly ssica throw w water and destroyed Ashley¡¯s design dran, wivitith was vites/anatotezes, and Ashley destroyed frankie¡¯s contact with Sean oth lesestacaderante into adversity because of Asisletry ercha lood dopustutdenly and choked with sobs. ¡°Why does Ashleekeep arming use d already ruined everything for us. ssica stood up. Moiom... Bertha took a deep breath and suddenly made a decision. ¡°I''ll go Ashley. After all, we are her family. Even if we did something wro the past, she can probably forgive us.¡± Frankie looked solemn and muttered, ¡°Mom...¡± Bertha had made up her mind. ¡°You don¡¯t have to persuade me, Frankie. | have to talk to her. Tell me, where is Ashley now?¡± Frankie didn¡¯t know where Ashley lived after leaving Ramos Vi. But just now, when Joseph took Sean to Royal Entertainment to sign the contract, Ashley followed them. Frankie thought for a moment and spected. ¡°She should be at Royal Entertainment now.¡± Bertha tidied up her hair and picked up her handbag. ¡°I''ll go find her now. She needed to talk to Ashley about recent matters. When Bertha arrived at Royal Entertainment, she went straight into the lobby on the first floor, but the receptionist told her that outsiders were not allowed in without an appointment. Bertha frowned impatiently and wanted to call Ashley on her mobile phone, but she remembered her number had been blocked by Ashley before. She had to ask the receptionist to call Ashley¡¯s agent, Laura. In Laura¡¯s office, she got a call from the receptionist. After the receptionist exined what had happened, Laura looked over to Ashley, who was sitting on the couch. ¡°Aldey, the receptionist called and said ady named Bertha wants to nect you and is waiting for you in the lobby on the first floor. Do you want to meet her?¡± Chapter 130 When Ashley heard Bertha¡¯s name, she paused slightly. A sense of fierce could be witnessed from her eyes, but it soon faded, and she returned to calm. ¡°| won''t meet her. Tell the receptionist to kick her out.¡± Ashley replied calmly. Laura naturally understood Ashley''s attitude toward Bertha and conveyed Ashley''s words to the receptionist. In the lobby on the first floor, Bertha¡¯s red lips slightly widened after hearing the receptionist¡¯s words, unable to ept them. She didn¡¯t expect Ashley to refuse to meet her. As Ashley''s mother and family, she took the initiative to look for Ashley, but Ashley refused to meet her. Bertha immediately got furious and looked gloomy. She gritted her teeth. and walked out of Royal Entertainment in high heels. Bertha didn¡¯t go far when she noticed a supermarket nearby. She happened to have her ID with her, so she went to the supermarket to get a new SIM card. Then, Bertha called Ashley with this new number. Ashley soon answered the phone with a polite and distant tone. ¡°May | ask who is calling?¡± Bertha suppressed her anger and shouted in a low voice, ¡°How dare you refuse to meet me, Ashley?¡± Before she finished speaking, Ashley hung up the phone directly. Bertha froze for a while and took the phone off her ear in disbelief. When she found the hung-up call, she lost her temper, and even her face twisted. Bertha didn¡¯t give up and called Ashley with this new number again. But she found Ashley had blocked the new number the next moment. She even couldn''t believe it. Bertha couldn''t catch her breath and almost fainted. She felt a choking sensation in her chest and threw the phone back into her bag with a sullen expression. Bertha felt angry and also felt inexplicably distressed. She wondered why her rtionship with Ashley fell into distance. Bertha held her handbag and looked up at Royal Entertainment. She hesitated for a while before deciding to wait for Ashley here. She didn¡¯t think Ashley could stay in thepany forever. As long as Ashley came out of thepany, she could meet her.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. In Laura¡¯s office, she nced at Ashley on the couch and felt relieved when she found Ashley looked normal and didn¡¯t be affected by Bertha. In Laura¡¯s view, Bertha didn¡¯t deserve to be Ashley¡¯s mother. At this time, the office door was pushed open. Joseph ran in with high spirits. ¡°Thank you very much this time, Ashley. | dealt with Sean under your support.¡± Joseph found Laura here, so he hid the real rtionship between him and Ashley. Ashley raised her eyebrows and grinned brightly, which looked energetic. ¡°Has the contract with Sean been signed?¡± Joseph made a gesture and replied, ¡°Yep! We had already signed the contract. | won¡¯t fear Frankie will get in the Thank you for your support, Ashley. You¡¯re awesome. way anymore. After Joseph finished speaking, Jaden walked in and patted Joseph on the shoulder. ¡°Aren¡¯t you forgetting something?¡± Jaden didn¡¯t belong to Royal Entertainment, and he just followed Ashley to visit thepany. Joseph rolled his eyes speechlessly. ¡°What does it have to do with you? What are you asking for?¡± Jaden sighed, ¡°As the boss of Glory Youveile, | give away Dimi for free. Shouldn¡¯t you express your gratitude toward me?¡± 1112 Joseph sneered and deliberately joked with him. ¡°I won''t satisfy you. What can you do with me?¡± Jaden seemed leisurely, looked at Ashley on the couch, and asked with a smile, ¡°Did he ignore my efforts on purpose, darling?¡± Before Ashley could speak, Joseph, who always doted on Ashley, frowned. He found the appetion too intimate. Joseph narrowed his eyes slightly and warned with a sullen expression, ¡°Don¡¯t treat Joseph flightily, Jaden.¡± Jaden was not annoyed either. He grinned meaningfully and replied, ¡°Don''t forget what I¡¯ve done for you, Joseph.¡± Joseph choked on his words. He had never met such a disgusting one before. Ashley helplessly held her forehead andpletely ignored them. In the afternoon, Bryce came to Laura for business. When Bryce noticed Ashley sitting on the couch, he raised his eyebrows. and greeted them with his mboyant silver hair. ¡°Long time no see.¡± Ashley raised her head and looked at him. ¡°Long time no see.¡± Bryce looked around the office. In addition to Ashley and Laura, he found Joseph and Jaden, who had blue eyes. Bryce recognized Jaden, the boss of Glory Youveile and Ashley¡¯s friend. ¡°Come here, Bryce.¡± Laura had Bryce sit down on the chair before the desk and chat with him about his work. Bryce had amercial shoot and a live broadcast tonight. After talking to Laura, he immediately left with a full schedule. When Bryce walked out of the door, he turned back and looked at Ashley on the couch. The warm sunshine streaming in through the window. It shone on Ashley and made her look extremely noble. Her lips were bright red, like a beautiful rose. Bryce couldn''t help but stare at her for a while and ask curiously, ¡°Can Chapter 130 you design clothes, Ashley?¡± Hearing this, Ashley raised her head and asked, ¡°What''s wrong?¡± Bryce smiled and showed a sense of arrogance. ¡°Design one for me whe you''re free. I''ll pay you three times the price.¡± Ashley intended to refuse and told him she didn¡¯t design menswear, but she suddenly thought of the shirt she had designed for Valentin on hist birthday. That was her first and only time designing menswear. The shirt fit Valentin well. It seemed that she was very talented in designing menswear. But she wouldn''t design it for anyone else again. Ashley looked at Bryce, and her eyshes quivered gently. She smiled and refused simply. ¡°I won¡¯t design for you. I¡¯m busy.¡± Bryce seemed a little disappointed. He looked at Ashley for a while, waved his hand, and left. In the evening, Ashley checked the time and found it was time to go. home. She stood up and bid farewells to Laura. When Ashley, Joseph, and Jaden had just walked out of thepany, a figure suddenly rushed over and stopped before her. Ashley was startled for a moment. When she recognized Bertha before. her, she frowned slightly. She didn¡¯t expect Bertha to be there. She suspected that Bertha had been waiting since the afternoon. Jaden didn¡¯t know Bertha, but Joseph did. Bertha once used Ashley of pushing her down, which caused Ashley to be abused by theizens. But fortunately, the truth was revealedter. Joseph hated the vicious Bertha very much. ¡°What will you try to nder about Ashley bying to herpany, Mrs. Ramos?¡± Joseph smiled indifferently and deliberately asked such a strange question. Bertha¡¯s face turned pale, and she felt awkward. However, she didn¡¯t regret having ndered Ashley. She regretted that her usation had been overturned, causing Frankie to go to jail. Bertha still felt resented when she thought of Frankie¡¯s imprisonment, but she had another purpose ining to Ashley this time. She suppressed her anger and said, ¡°I want to talk to you, Ashley.¡± Hearing this, Ashley was a little startled. It had been a long time since she had heard Bertha call her so intimately. Chapter 131 It was funny. This was Ashley¡¯s first time hearing such a neutral term of address from her mother. Bertha used to either call her by her full name or scold her as a ¡°worthless girl¡± or a ¡°good-for-nothing¡±. Ashley initially didn¡¯t want to pay attention to Bertha, but now, she was somewhat interested. She signaled Joseph and Jaden, then walked with Bertha to a fountain nearby. The setting sun cast itsst rays, sprinkling the fountain¡¯s water with sparkling diamonds. The shimmering water was quite beautiful. Ashley, however, didn¡¯t admire the scenery. With a cold tone, she asked, ¡°What do you want to talk about?¡± Bertha fiddled with her handbag. She had never spoken so humbly in front of Ashley, and it took her a few seconds to speak ina bitter voice. ¡°Ashley, your brother and sister...¡± Ashley cut her off coldly. ¡°Mrs. Ramos, | don¡¯t have a brother, and | certainly don¡¯t have a sister.¡± Bertha felt a sting in her heart and widened her eyes in disbelief. Her well-maintained face showed faint wrinkles. ¡°What did you call me?¡± In her mind, Bertha thought, ¡®Mrs. Ramos? She won''t even call me Mom?¡± Ashley, taller than Bertha snorted and looked down at her. ¡°Mrs. Ramos, if you''re here to discuss what | should call you, | don¡¯t have time for this.¡± Bertha¡¯s breathing quickened. She closed her eyes, then reopened them as if ready to humble herself. She spoke softly. ¡°Today, at the Design Exchange Competition, Jessica knocked over a water bottle and ruined your design. The incident was posted online, and many people are criticizing her. Jessica¡¯s reputation, which had just started to improve, is being tarnished again. ¡°Ashley, can you post a statement online saying you¡¯ve forgiven Jessica so people will stop criticizing her, please?¡± Ashley¡¯s tone was indifferent, barely showing any emotion. ¡°You''re upset that Jessica is being criticized?¡± Without hesitation, Bertha replied, ¡°Jessica is my daughter. Seeing so many people criticize her, how can I, as her mother, not feel upset?¡± Ashley found this amusing and actuallyughed, but her eyes didn¡¯t share the humor. ¡°Mrs. Ramos, when you falsely used me of pushing you and let the inte insult me, did you feel even a bit sorry for me, the one being criticized?¡± Bertha was speechless and couldn¡¯t respond for a while. Ashley¡¯s smile faded, and she turned to leave. Seeing this, Bertha quickly reached out to stop her, pleading urgently, ¡°Just help Jessica by making a statement. If she continues to be criticized. like this, her reputation will bepletely ruined. ¡°And Frankie. The Ramos family finally got him out of jail. He¡¯s always been ambitious, wanting to make the Ramos family more and more sessful. And today, you ruined his n to sign the contract with Sean. ¡°Ashley, please stop targeting Frankie and Jessica, okay?¡± Ashley looked at Bertha emotionlessly. ¡°When they were bullying me, why didn¡¯t you talk to them like this?¡± Bertha¡¯s fingers trembled slightly, knowing she was in the wrong, but she still reached out to stop Ashley from leaving. ¡°Even if the Ramos family wronged you in the past, that¡¯s all in the past now. Let''s just let bygones. be bygones...¡± Ashley had never heard such absurd words before. For a moment, she didn¡¯t even want to waste her breath arguing with Bertha. Bertha stared into Ashley¡¯s eyes, her voice tinged with a hint of a choke. ¡°Ashley, Frankie and Jessica are really in a tough spot right now. Please, just let them off this once. I¡¯m begging you...¡±N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Ashley¡¯s calm demeanor remained undisturbed. ncing at Bertha¡¯s hand blocking her way, she felt disgusted. ¡°Get your hands off me. | find them dirty.¡± With just a few words, Bertha felt like she had been pricked by a needle, tremblingly withdrawing her hand. ¡°Ashley, | just...¡± Ashley looked over with a cold and distant gaze. ¡°Mrs. Ramos, I''ve 08.17 already cut ties with you as a mother. Stop calling yourself that.¡± After all, Bertha was only acting so submissive for the sake of Jessica and Frankie. Bertha fell silent upon hearing Ashley¡¯s words, looking at her in a daze. Two years ago, when Bertha brought Ashley back to the Ramos family, she knew Ashley was so beautiful that she easily outshone Jessica, who had been pampered since childhood. Bertha was more surprised than anything the first time she saw Ashley, wondering how she could have given birth to such a beautiful daughter. Whether it was her delicate eyebrows and eyes or her lovely facial features, none of them resembled her. She had even doubted how she and Evan could have a daughter so exquisitely beautiful. Bertha¡¯s emotions surged as she looked at Ashley, hesitating for two seconds before speaking again, pleading, ¡°Ashley, please spare Jessica and Frankie this once...¡± Just as Bertha finished speaking, two tall figures suddenly rushed over before Ashley could respond, standing protectively in front of Ashley. Chapter 132 Two figures appeared suddenly, darting over in a sh. Ashley instinctively became alert, but when she looked up, she saw it was Jeremy and Matthew. Bertha was stunned for a few seconds. ¡°Jeremy? Matthew?¡± Once she recognized her sons, Bertha immediately started questioning them, ¡°You two haven''te home recently. Where have you been? Your dad and | have been worried about you so much. Do you know that?¡± Jeremy didn¡¯t respond to Bertha¡¯s questions. His first concern was Ashley, and he asked anxiously, ¡°Ashley, did Mom bully you just now?¡± Matthew was equally anxious. ¡°Ashley, if Mom bullied you, tell me, and I''ll help you!¡± Matthew and Jeremy had beening to the front of Royal Entertainment every day, hoping for a chance to see Ashley. When they arrived and saw Bertha talking with Ashley, they rushed over without a second thought, worried that Bertha might be bullying Ashley. Seeing Jeremy and Matthew appear before her, Ashley frowned slightly. Jeremy immediately understood that Ashley was annoyed by their noise and bothered by their presence. Matthew knew it too, feeling like his heart was pierced by thousands of needles at Ashley''s disgust and disdain, filling him with intense sourness. and regret. Bertha,pletely ignored by her two sons, shouted with suppressed anger, ¡°You two rascals, speak up! You haven¡¯t evene home these past few days. Where have you been?¡± Though she scolded them, her concern was evident in her tone. Jeremy then turned to Bertha, his eyes full of disapproval. ¡°Mom, we''ve only been gone a few days. Why are you so worried? Why don¡¯t you show the same concern for Ashley, who¡¯s been away from the Ramos family for so long?¡± Bertha was left speechless, not knowing how to argue back. Ashley looked over at the three of them indifferently, feeling suffocated. by the Ramos family members crowding around her. As Ashley turned to leave, Matthew carefully stopped her, pleading, ¡°Ashley, please don¡¯t go yet. | have something for you...¡±. Before Ashley could respond, Matthew quickly turned to Bertha, his expression stern. ¡°Mom, why are you here looking for Ashley? | overheard you earlier. Do you want Ashley to forgive Jessica and Frankie?¡± Bertha¡¯s face, showing signs of aging despite good care, was filled with deep worry. ¡°Matthew, you don¡¯t understand the situation Jessica and Frankie are in now...¡± Matthew coldly interrupted her. ¡°Of course | know. Jessica deliberately. knocked over the water bottle, ruining Ashley¡¯s design. She deserves the criticism online! If Jessica were here, | wouldn''t just scold her. I¡¯d hit her!¡± Bertha¡¯s eyes widened in disappointment. ¡°Matthew, how can you say. that? Jessica is your sister!¡± Matthew scoffed, ¡°Sister? Does Jessica share a blood rtionship with me? No! Wake up, Mom. Why are you protecting someone like Jessica with such ill intentions?¡± Bertha trembled with anger, stammering, ¡°You...You...¡± Jeremy joined in. ¡°Mom, Matthew is right. Why protect someone like Jessica? The Ramos family has provided her with everything since she was young. We''ve done more than enough for her! ¡°And Frankie, too! Would he be in jail if he hadn¡¯t falsely used Ashley of pushing you? He¡¯s getting what he deserves! Why should Ashley forgive them?¡± Bertha, shaking with rage, suddenly pped Jeremy across the face. ¡°Jeremy! Frankie is still your elder brother. How can you say such things? To say that him being in jail is deserved, that¡¯s too much!¡± Jeremy¡¯s face turned to the side from the p. He lowered his eyes, his handsome face emotionless. He touched his cheek, feeling both pain and swelling. Jeremy looked up, meeting Ashley''s gaze. He paused, feeling a rush of surprise and happiness, and smiled, ¡°Ashley, don¡¯t worry about me. I¡¯m not hurt.¡± Ashley was speechless, her voice t. ¡°Who¡¯s worried about you? Even if you were beaten to a pulp, | wouldn''t bat an eyelid.¡± Jeremy¡¯s smile froze on his face, turning bitter. It felt like his heart was being crushed and tormented by a gripping hand, making even breathing painful. Hearing these words, Bertha pointed at Ashley with burning anger, her eyes turning to Jeremy. ¡°Listen to what she¡¯s saying! Even if you were beaten to death, she wouldn¡¯t care about you! Why do you still call her your sister when she¡¯s like the devil?¡± Jeremy¡¯s expression suddenly darkened, his voice cold and sharp. ¡°Say one more thing against her and see what happens.¡± This time, Jeremy didn¡¯t even call Bertha ¡®Mom¡¯ Shocked by Jeremy¡¯s threatening words, Bertha was gasping for breath in anger. ¡°Jeremy...you...¡± Jeremy¡¯s face was stern, his eyes showing a fearless determination. ¡°Ashley saved my life. If she asks me to die now, | will do it willingly.¡± The surprise on Bertha¡¯s face grew, her eyes and mouth wide open in shock. She never expected her son to be willing to go to such lengths for Ashley. He felt such remorse toward Ashley.... Ashley nced at Jeremy indifferently her expression unchanged. Matthew pressed his lips, looking at Bertha in disbelief. ¡°You want Ashley to forgive Frankie and Jessica, but why can¡¯t you consider Ashley¡¯s feelings? She¡¯s your biological daughter.¡± Bertha¡¯s eyes showed no emotion. ¡°Ashley is indeed my biological. daughter, but | raised Jessica from a young age, and my feelings for her are deeper. What¡¯s wrong with that?¡± Matthew quickly looked at Ashley, worried these words might hurt her. However, having faced countless disappointments, Ashley had grown. indifferent to the motherly love and kinship she once yearned for. 34 Bertha¡¯s words couldn''t stir a ripple in her heart. Jeremy, frowning, immediately saw through Bertha¡¯s lie. ¡°Ashley has been back with the Ramos family for two years and has been more attentive and filial to you than Jessica. Yet, you can¡¯t even give her a sliver of love!¡± Bertha argued irrationally. ¡°Which parent doesn¡¯t have favorites? | just prefer Jessica. What''s wrong with that?¡± Ashley¡¯s expression was indifferent. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, why did you and Evan look for me two years ago and bring me back to the Ramos family?¡± ¡°We did it because... Bertha started, then suddenly stopped. ¡°Why?¡± Ashley stared at her, sensing there was a reason behind this. Jeremy and Matthew exchanged nces, both filled with confusion.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Two years ago, Bertha and Evan told them they had finally found their long-lost biological sister and were bringing her back to the Ramos family. Could there be another reason for bringing Ashley back to the Ramos family? Chapter 133 Bertha, seemingly unwilling to speak, said in a harsh tone, ¡°There is no reason. You are my biological daughter. Doesn''t it make sense that | would want to take you home after | found you?¡± Taking a deep breath, Bertha looked at Ashley and suddenly said gently, ¡°Ashley, I¡¯m begging you. Don¡¯t ever go against Jessica and Frankie again, okay?¡± Jeremy clenched his fists in displeasure. He thought his mother had finally realized she was wrong, but it turned. out that talking to Ashley so gently was just for Jessica and Frankie. Matthew looked at Bertha disapprovingly. ¡°You better go home and teach Jessica and Frankie to behave themselves!¡± Bertha only stared at Ashley, her eyes filling with tears. ¡°Jessica¡¯s reputation is terrible right now. You post a statement online saying. you''ve forgiven Jessica for destroying your designs and ask theizens to stop cursing Jessica. Okay?¡± Ashley looked straight at Bertha without hiding. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Bertha was instantly delighted. However, Ashley smiled the next second and said mockingly, ¡°Jessica¡¯s reputation will get worse.¡± Bertha¡¯s face turned instantly pale. She was so horrified that her voice trembled. ¡°Ashley, what else do you want with Jessica?¡± Ashley chuckled at Bertha¡¯s words. Her smile terrified Bertha. She said, ¡°Why don¡¯t you go back and ask Jessica what she did?¡± After saying that, Ashley didn¡¯t want to see Bertha anymore and turned away without a second thought. Bertha stared at Ashley¡¯s back as if she were looking at a decapitated. criminal. Tears streamed down the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes. ¡°What did I do wrong to have such a...¡± Bastard daughter... Before Bertha finished speaking, she met with cold res from Jeremy and Matthew. Chapter 133 Her words of crying and cursing were instantly stuck, and she swallowed. back. Afterward, Jeremy and Matthew chased in the direction Ashley left. Watching Jeremy and Matthew protecting Ashley so diligently, Berthal was angry and anxious, thinking. They''re Jessica¡¯s brothers. They should. defend Jessica. Jeremy and Matthew catch up with Ashley. Matthew hurriedly asked. ¡°Ashley, how have you been? Jeremy and | have been worried about you anding to Royal Entertainment''s door every day. We just want to have a meeting with you.¡± Jeremy said, ¡°Ashley, can you pull my number off the cklist? | can¡¯t contact you, and I¡¯m really worried about you.¡± Ashley stopped in annoyance. Jeremy and Matthew followed suit and stopped. Matthew carefully pulled something out of his pocket. The singer, who used to be famous and arrogant from a very young age, had now turned into a humble brother bent on pleasing his sister. Matthew held up the cute, chubby doll he pulled out of his pocket. ¡°Ashley, look at this little doll. ¡°We went to the amusement park together when we were at Ramos Vi: earlier. You saw a store that sold dolls and wanted to buy one, and | was being an asshole and wouldn''t let you... ¡°| went to the amusement park we used to go to these days. But the man who sold the dolls stopped selling them a year ago. | asked many people. before finding his house and asking him to teach me how to make a doll. | made this doll myself. ¡°Ashley, if you still like dolls, I''ll give you one | made myself.¡± Ashley didn¡¯t even look at the doll and said indifferently, ¡°You''re in my way. Get out of the way.¡± Matthew froze for a moment, his fingers squeezing the doll steeply. Ashley left again. Jeremy panicked and chased after her. ¡°Ashley, if you don¡¯t like it, Clupter 13 Matthew won''t give you that doll. Please don¡¯t be displeased, Ashley...¡± Not far away, Joseph immediately frowned when he saw Jeremy and Matthew pestering Ashley. He thought, ¡®What¡¯s going on? Bertha came to see Ashley, and so did Jeremy and Matthew!¡± Not knowing Matthew and Jeremy, Jaden asked, ¡°Who are these two?¡± Joseph exined briefly, ¡°They''re Jeremy and Matthew, also from the Ramos family, Ashley¡¯s third brother and fifth brother.¡± Jaden instantly understood and thought, ¡°They''re from the Ramos family, so they''re bad either. Ashley walked over. Joseph asked quickly, ¡°Are you done talking to Bertha?¡± Ashley nodded. ¡°Yes, let¡¯s go home.¡± Joseph responded, ¡°Okay.¡± Watching Ashley¡¯s determined departure, Jeremy and Matthew stood still. and were sad. ¡°Jeremy, when can we get Ashley to forgive us?¡± Looking down at the doll in his hand, Matthew looked deste. ¡°Matthew, are you okay?¡± Jeremy was a little worried. He had been with Matthew this time and knew Matthew had worked hard to make up for Ashley not getting a doll. before. He even hurt his hand when learning to make a doll. His hand- that wrote songs and yed the piano just got injured so recklessly. But Ashley didn¡¯t even look at the doll. Matthew looked up with a bitter smile. ¡°I used to be so stupid and bully Ashley so much. | deserve all of this.¡± No matter how cold Ashley was to him, it couldn¡¯t dampen his desire to gain Ashley''s forgiveness. Matthew stroked the doll¡¯s adorable chubby face and regained his energy. ¡°Jeremy, we finally met up with Ashley today. It¡¯s good!¡± Jeremy nodded. ¡°Yes, Ashley even talked to us. That¡¯s a lot better than it was before. We''ll get Ashley''s forgiveness as long as we stick around.¡± Jeremy thought back. Ashley had told him, ¡°Who''s worried about you? | wouldn¡¯t even frown if you were beaten up and crippled.¡± While Ashley had told Matthew, ¡°You''re in my way. Get out of the way.¡± Jeremy immediately counted the words and said with satisfaction, ¡°Ashley said fifteen words to me and only nine to you. Hmph, | win this time!¡± Matthew fell silent | got angry. He thought, ¡®Why did Ashley only say nine words to me? She should have cursed me a couple more times.¡± Bertha returned to Ramos Vi. Jessica hurriedly helped her sit down on the couch in the living room. ¡°Mom, how was it going, and what did Ashley say?¡± Frankie poured Bertha a ss of water, guessing vaguely by Bertha¡¯s expression. ¡°Ashley turned down your request?¡± Bertha patted her chest to adjust her breathing and cursed, ¡°How could she be so cruel!¡± Frankie had prepared for this and wasn¡¯t panicking at the moment. ¡°Mom, don¡¯t worry. I''ll figure it out.¡±N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. After analyzing calmly for a moment, Frankie looked at Jessica and said, ¡°Jessica, we can meet Attelia at the banquet tomorrow. You have such a good level of design. I''ll manage to find a chance for you to chat with Attelia.. ¡°Then, show Attelia your design. Maybe Attelia will like your design after. seeing it. In that case, we will have a greater chance of inviting Attelia to be the chief designer of the Ramos Group. By then, everything will be fine for the Ramos Group.¡± Jessica was a little nervous at his words because her designs were stolen. from Ashley. She thought, ¡®Luckily, no one knows. I''ll show Attelia these designs. tomorrow night. Jessica nodded and smiled sweetly towards Frankie, | got it, Frankie. I''ll strive to help the Ramos Group get better Frankie stroked Jessica¡¯s head in relief, thinking she was so thoughtful. Now, they were just waiting to see Ant at the banquet tomorrow Chapter 134 Chapter 134 Jaden returned to the vi he was temporarily staying at. Sitting in Joseph¡¯s shy pink sports car, Ashley returned with him to Kingsley Vi. On the way back, Joseph, who was driving, casually asked, ¡°Ashley, you and Valentin aren''t still sleeping in separate rooms, are you?¡± Ashley, somewhat speechless, replied, ¡°No.¡± After herst chat with Joseph about identally revealing too much, she started sharing a room with Valentin. Suddenly remembering something, Ashley curiously asked, ¡°You said Valentin mentioned me to you before?¡± Josephughed. ¡°Yes, he did.¡± Ashley inquired, ¡°What did Valentin say about me?¡± Joseph chuckled, ¡°Guess?¡± Ashley said, ¡°Okay, did he mention how | used to bully him when we were kids? How | bit him once?¡± Ata red traffic light, Joseph stopped the car,ughing uncontrobly. ¡°Why would you think that way?¡± Holding her head in one hand, Ashley replied, ¡°Then what did he mention about me?¡± Joseph turned to look at her, surprised. ¡°Ashley, you said you used to bully Valentin as a kid? | don¡¯t believe it. | think no one can bully Valentin.¡± Ashley blinked. As a child, she did boss Valentin around quite often, demanding him to do her homework, tell her stories, or give her a shoulder massage. Joseph said with a meaningful smile, ¡°Ashley, Valentin must have willingly let you boss him around. Otherwise, you couldn¡¯t have done it.¡± Ashley¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She thought, ¡°Valentin willingly let me boss him around? Really?¡± They returned to Kingsley Vi, and Valentin hadn''te back from hispany yet. Joseph hung around for a while, then left in his car to have fun. Ashley took a bath, dried her hair, and looked at the time. It was almost seven in the evening, and Valentin still hadn¡¯t returned. She figured he be busy at thepany. mus Ashley had dinner alone. After dinner, wandering into the kitchen, she remembered Joseph¡¯s words about Valentin willingly being bossed around by her. She decided to cook dinner for Valentin. Her cooking skills weren''t great, but she was enthusiastic. She even had Kingsley Vi''s chef teach her. Unfortunately, she didn¡¯t quite get the hang of it, and the food was slightly burnt. She realized cooking was indeed an art. Around nine in the evening, Valentin returned from work, carrying the innate authority and nobility that naturally befitted a leader. His handsome, youthful face carried a sense of detachment. Entering the living room, he casually loosened his tie with a seductive. charm. Noticing her on the sofa, Valentin paused slightly. Then Ashley¡¯s gaze met his. His indifferent look softened with a gentle smile. He asked in a deep, attractive tone, ¡°Ashley, are you waiting for me toe home?¡± Ashley turned away, pretending to be indifferent. ¡°I wasn¡¯t waiting for you. | was watching TV¡± Valentin nced at the TV and then back at Ashley, his eyebrows slightly raised. The TV was showingmercials. Ashley¡¯s ears turned red. ¡°I just like watchingmercials.¡± He chuckled and said slowly, ¡°Yes, Ashley, you lovemercials.¡± Ashley, like a cat whose tail was stepped on, suddenly red up, angrily turning off the TV with the remote andining in a futile attempt to cover her embarrassment, ¡°Unbelievable! Why are there so many 03:58 Chapter 134 commercials on TV?¡± With a sudden change of topic, she asked yfully, ¡°By the way, did your eat tonight? Are you hungry after working sote? How about a midnight snack?¡± Valentin loosened his tie and unbuttoned the top two buttons of his shirt. with one hand. ¡°Midnight snack?¡± Ashley stood up excitedly, pulling him to the dining room and serving the food she had kept warm for him. ¡°Look! | made it all by myself, just for you. Valentin nced at the food, his brows rising subtly. ¡°Who asked you to cook?¡± Ashley was taken aback. ¡°What''s wrong?¡± He looked up at her with an intense gaze. ¡°You don¡¯t need to do these trivial things. It could hurt your hands.¡± Ashley was initially moved but then realized and red. ¡°Are you disliking my cooking?¡± Heughed, and Adam''s apple bobbed as he chuckled softly, ¡°Baby, | like it so much.¡± ¡°| can tell you don''t like it.¡± Ashley pulled out a chair. ¡°If you like it, sit down and eat.¡± Valentin looked at Ashley, then at the slightly burnt and unappetizing food. He calmly sat down, picked up a fork, and tasted. ¡°How is it?¡± Ashley eagerly asked, ¡°Is it better than the cupcakes | madest time? It might not look great, but it tastes okay, right?¡± He nodded. ¡°It''s much better.¡± Ashley smiled, sitting down at the table and resting her chin on her hands. ¡°I find cooking quite fun. Maybe | should cook for you every day to practice my skills.¡± When he heard this, Valentin¡¯s eyelids twitched slightly. He set down his fork, reaching out to pinch her check. ¡°From now on, tell me what you want to eat, and I''ll cook. Don¡¯t cook again, okay?¡± Ashley was speechless. She wondered if her cooking was so bad that he felt the need to pamper her like this. Though the food didn¡¯t look great, Valentin ate quite a bit, nearly finishing everything Ashley had made. Seeing him put down his fork, Ashley blinked and leaned in. ¡°What have you told Joseph about me before?¡± Valentin immediately understood, raising an eyebrow slightly. ¡°You cooked for me just to find this out?¡± Ashley exined, ¡°No, | just wanted to cook for you.¡± He smiled slightly, nomittal. Valentin stood up to go upstairs. The maid began cleaning up the table. Ashley followed Valentin, curious. ¡°Tell me, what did you say to Joseph about me? You didn¡¯t mention any embarrassing stories from my childhood, did you?¡± Valentin asked, ¡°Like what?¡±. Ashley replied, ¡°Like the time | identally bumped my head when | was little.¡± on adogN?velDrama.Org ? 2024. He chuckled, pushed open the bedroom door, and walked into the bedroom. Ashley, clingy, followed him. ¡°Don¡¯tugh. Just tell me.¡± Valentin stopped, turned to look at her, and finally spoke, smiling, his tone casual yet sexy, ¡°I¡¯m going to take a shower, Ashley. Do you want to join me?¡± Ashley looked up, only then realizing she had followed him to the bathroom. Her eyes widened in surprise. ¡°I¡¯m not showering with you.¡± After saying that, she turned and left the bathroom, mming the door behind her. Valentin came out of the shower, drying his hair with a white towel, his damp hair falling casually on his forehead, adding a touch of wildness. He then nced at Ashley, who was sitting on the bed and looking down at some documents. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± he asked casually. Chapter 135 Chapter 135 Ashley, absorbed, didn¡¯t look up. ¡°Divorce papers.¡± Valentin was shocked and puzzled. Without bothering to dry his hair, Valentin walked over with a deep breath, only to see Ashley looking down, seemingly engrossed in something. His eyes narrowed threateningly as he reached out his hand. Ashley, absorbed in the papers in her hand, was startled by his approach. and looked up. He gestured to her with his hand. His eyes, clear and bright, seemed even more attractive from a recent shower. Give it to me.¡± ¡°Do you want to see it too?¡± Ashley, sitting on the bedside, patted the space beside her. ¡°Sit down. Let¡¯s look at it together.¡± Valentin was speechless. He had hoped Ashley would invite him to look at something else. Valentin didn¡¯t sit down. Instead, he took the divorce agreement from her hand. She had only just seen the first page. ¡°Why are you suddenly looking at this?¡± Valentin asked. Ashley replied, ¡°I¡¯m checking the terms. | never really read them closely before.¡± When she signed the divorce agreement, she had only nced over it before swiftly signing. She had an irrational trust in Valentin, believing he wouldn¡¯t hurt her, so she had signed after only a brief look. Although they had reunited less than a day ago and imed they were ipatible, for some reason, her inexplicable trust toward Valentin remained unshaken. ¡°Looking at the terms?¡± Valentin asked curiously. Ashley nodded vigorously. ¡°Yeah.¡± She amused Valentin. He flipped a few pages and then handed it back to her, pointing to a specific use. ¡°Look at this one. Read it carefully.¡± He was so serious that Ashley immediately looked. She was shocked to see it was about fulfilling marital duties. In fact, Ashley had noticed this use when she first signed the agreement, but she hadn¡¯t thought deeply about it. Ashley coughed lightly, pretending to be calm as she looked away and shoved the agreement into the drawer of her nightstand. ¡°I''m tired. | don¡¯t want to read anymore. I¡¯m going to sleep,¡± after saying this, shey down, but Valentin grabbed her wrist. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Ashley looked at him warily. He smiled charmingly, his seductive demeanor enveloping her, ¡°Now you saw it. Why not fulfill our marital duties together?¡± Ashley red at him. Still holding her wrist, he gently caressed her delicate skin. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do anything else. Just help me dry my hair. That¡¯s not too much, right?¡± Ashley felt a strange sensation on her skin where he touched. ¡°Why can¡¯t you do it yourself? You''re too tall. It¡¯s tiring for me to keep my arms raised to dry your hair,¡± she said, clenching her fingers and protesting. ¡°Then I''ll sit down so it won''t be tiring for you, Ashley.¡± Ashley was speechless. He kept staring at her as if he would continue holding her wrist unless she agreed.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. His gaze was particrly captivating, especially when he looked at someone with such a focused and tender gaze, tempting one to indulge. Two minutester, Valentin sat casually on the sofa, and Ashley, with a stern face, reluctantly dried his hair with a towel.. She couldn¡¯t understand why she had agreed to dry his hair. She felt like his charm had bewitched her. She thought he was just too handsome. Valentin sat while Ashley, regretfully holding a towel, stood wiping his hair. Suddenly, she felt a tight grip around her waist. Valentin had embraced her, his arms around her waist, his forehead resting against her belly. Ashley stopped drying his hair. ¡°What are you doing?¡± she asked. Valentin, smelling the faint fragrance on her, spoke casually. ¡°My hair is dry now. You can stop.¡± Ashley asked again, ¡°What are you doing with your hands?¡± He chuckled softly, holding her slender waist while pinching it teasingly, his voice low and seductive, ¡°I¡¯m just holding my babe.¡± Ashley felt a strange sensation sweeping over her at that moment, like a tide washing over her. Her eyshes fluttered lightly as she protested, ¡°Stop calling me that. Let go of me.¡± He didn¡¯t let go, casually saying, ¡°Don¡¯t move. Let me hold you for a while.¡± After two seconds, he made up an excuse. ¡°I¡¯m a bit tired today.¡± Ashley stopped pushing him away and looked down at him. From this angle, she could see his prominent nose and long eyshes. His jawline was sharp, and his features impably delicate. Ashley yed with his hair a bit. ¡°You''re tired? Then you should go to bed and rest. Holding me won¡¯t help you rx.¡± Valentin was speechless. He looked up at her, then slowly stood up. Ashley felt a sense of weightlessness the next second as she was sudde held in his arms in a princess carry. Surprised, she cried out, instinctively clutching his clothes, ¡°Valentin!¡± He looked down at her with a muffledugh. ¡°Ashley, why are you holding on so tight?¡± Ashley flushed, and she red at him bashfully. But her eyes were enchanting, and her blushing face made even her re adorable and irresistibly charming. Valentin swallowed hard, gazing at her flushed face, his voice low and seductive. ¡°Who says | can¡¯t rx while holding you? I''ll try it tonight.¡± Before Ashley could react, he carried her to the bed. She immediately rolled away, wrapping herself in her nket, determined not to sleep cuddled up with him. Although they had been sleeping in the same bed these past few days, they kept to their sides. She had no intention of cuddling up with him. But Valentin pulled her back, causing her to fall back into his embrace. His teasing voice sounded in her ears, making her heart flutter. ¡°Why are you rolling into my arms?¡± Ashley was speechless, feeling he was being unreasonable. Annoyed, she puffed her cheeks and kicked at him. ¡°You pulled me back!¡± Before she could kick him, he caught her ankle. Valentin¡¯s eyes darkened. He locked her slender ankle effortlessly. He gently caressed her ankle with his thumb, his voice husky and incredibly attrac Chapter 136 Ashley¡¯s heart skipped a beat when his fingers brushed over her ankle, and she subconsciously retorted, ¡°I¡¯m not weak. | have a great physique, you know.¡± Hearing this, Valentin raised an eyebrow leisurely. His gaze swept over her slowly as if seeing through her. His intense, seductive gaze was hard for her to resist. Ashley¡¯s heart pounded. Suddenly, she didn¡¯t know how to react. And yet, he nodded. ¡°You do have a great physique.¡± Ashley was speechless. ¡°Where are you looking at?¡± Ashley¡¯s face turned red instantly, her heart racing. He remained holding her ankle, and a faint, irresistible feeling gradually surged up underneath his touch, ticklish and itching. She immediately wanted to pull her leg back. But when she tried, she couldn''t break free from his grasp. He still held her ankle. Ashley¡¯s long, dense eyshes trembled slightly, and she pressed lips, murmuring softly, ¡°Let go of me first.¡± Valentin caressed her ankle gently with his fingertips, seemingly to let go. He casually asked, ¡°Are you not going to kick me anym Ashley feigned ignorance. ¡°Huh? You must be mistaken. | never in to kick you.¡± His eyebrows slightly raised, but in the next second, he suddenly tightened his grip, pulling her back by her ankle. Ashley was startled and then found herself in his embrace, filled with a fresh, clean scent. Hey down with her, gently brushing her cheek with his nose, flirtatious and intimate. ¡°Ashley, we agreed to sleep together tonight.¡± Ashley responded, ¡°I didn¡¯t!¡± Valentin raised an eyebrow, coaxing gently. ¡°Then how about | tell you a bedtime story?¡± Ashley snorted, ¡°Do you think I''m a three-year-old? | don¡¯t listen to Little Red Riding Hood anymore.¡± After she said that, her face brightened, ¡°I want to hear a different story.¡± He chuckled, his chest vibrating slightly, clearly pleased. When Ashley woke up the next morning, she saw his strong chest and attractively delicate corbone. She felt he was very sexy. His disheveled appearance was incredibly charming. Ashley swallowed hard, slowly looking up to meet his deep eyes. He seemed to have been awake for a while. Ashley greeted awkwardly. ¡°Good morning.¡± ¡°Good morning.¡± Valentin smiled, his voice husky and gentle from just waking up. ¡°Thank you. Ashley. | had a good restst night.¡± Ashley was speechless. He still remembered she said holding her wouldn¡¯t help. It wouldn¡¯t make him rest well. Ashley puffed her cheeks. ¡°You might have rested well, but | didn¡¯t.¡± that so?¡± he seemed to seriously consider for a moment, then said a bit reluctantly. ¡°Then I''ll let you hold me tonight. How about that?¡± Ashley was speechless. She leaned forward, her head bumping against his chest. ¡°Not a good idea.¡± Yet, he chuckled casually. ¡°Why are you throwing yourself into my arms?¡± Ashley became even more annoyed, raising her hand to his neck and leaning on him. ¡°Not only do | throw myself into your arms, but | also can choke you.¡± Valentinughed, lifting his chin to expose his neck, making it easier for her to choke. He put one hand casually on her waist. His expression was seductive. ¡°Remember to hold me tonight after you¡¯re done choking me, Ashley¡± Ashley felt speechless, thinking she might as well choke him to death. After breakfast, Ashley took a stroll in the garden and called Miranda to catch up. She had been quite busytely and hadn''t seen Miranda much Chapter 136 Returning to the living room and not seeing Valentin, she guessed he was in the study upstairs. Ashley casually turned on the TV and saw Bryce¡¯s new show. She watched half an episode and found it quite engaging, with a captivating plot. Sittingfortably on the sofa, Ashley picked up the fruit te from the coffee table, munching on fruits while watching TV. Just as an episode ended, her phone rang. It was Joseph. Turning off the TV and still holding the fruit te, she decided to put the call on speaker. ¡°Ashley! Ashley!¡± Joseph¡¯s cheerful voice came through. ¡°I¡¯ve got something to tell you. Guess who | ran into this morning?¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°Come on, guess!¡± ¡°Just tell me, or I¡¯m hanging up.¡± Ashley speared a piece of watermelon. and popped it into her mouth, not in the mood for guessing games. ¡°Wait! Don¡¯t hang up!¡± Joseph clicked his tongue. ¡°Ashley, you won''t believe it. This morning, at the suburban club, | ran into that annoying guy, Jaden. He¡¯s new around here, right? How does he get around so much?¡± Ashley was unsurprised. ¡°That¡¯s just how he is. Did you guys hang out?¡± Joseph chuckled slyly, ¡°| managed to get some juicy gossip out of him.¡± Ashley was intrigued. ¡°Juicy gossip?¡± Joseph said, ¡°Yeah, about you.¡±This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Ashley was puzzled. ¡°What kind of gossip about me?¡± Joseph sounded almost dramatic. ¡°Ashley, Jaden said that you had a lot of admirers. The line of suitors could stretch for miles.¡± Ashley was speechless. Joseph stroked his chin. ¡°And someone with a really unusual identity. chased you, right? Who was that special person? Jaden didn''t tell me.¡± She suddenly remembered a strikingly handsome man when she heard him say unusual identity. After a few seconds of silence, Ashley said annoyedly, ¡°That traitor, Jaden! Why did he tell you everything?¡± ¡°It''s because I¡¯m good at gathering information.¡± Josephughed. He was really curious and persistently asked, ¡°So, who was this special person? Oh my, Valentin has so many love rivals.¡± Ashley was exasperated. ¡°Rivals? Don¡¯t talk nonsense.¡± Joseph insisted, ¡°I¡¯m not. And there¡¯s your ssmate Kevin. | can tell he definitely likes you.¡± Ashley was bewildered. ¡°You must be mistaken.¡± She thought, ¡°Kevin liked me? That was news to me.¡± Joseph firmly defended his keen intuition, assuring. ¡°I¡¯m absolutely not mistaken. Trust me, Ashley.¡± Ashley was taken aback and decided to keep her distance from Kevin from now on. Setting the fruit te back on the coffee table, Ashley stood up with her phone, nning to return to her room. But as she turned around, she saw Valentin standing casually not far away. Feeling inexplicably guilty, Ashley had been on speakerphone with Joseph, and she had no idea how much Valentin had overheard. She whispered to Joseph, ¡°I have something to do, gotta hang up.¡± Valentin approached her with deep and gloomy eyes as soon as the call. ended. ¡°So, a lot of people chased after you?¡± Ashley was speechless. She felt doomed, realizing he had heard everything. He remained calm, but there was hidden anger in his eyes, his voice low and deep when he asked, ¡°Someone with an unusual identity?¡± Chapter 137 Ashley touched her nose awkwardly, feeling embarrassed about the whole situation. She blinked sincerely. ¡°No, there isn¡¯t anyone special like that. You must have heard wrong.¡± Valentin clearly didn¡¯t believe her. He stared at her silently, his gaze carrying an invisible aggressiveness. The standoffsted less than three seconds. Ashley gave up and looked down. ¡°Alright, that¡¯s true. But | have nothing to do with that person now.¡± Valentin narrowed his eyes. ¡°So, you had something to do with him in the past?¡± Ashley was exasperated, wondering why he was focusing on such a different point. Upon hearing that, Ashley instantly recalled some memories she would rather not mention, her expression subtly changing. ¡°Let''s not talk about it. That doesn¡¯t matter. | have nothing to do with that person now.¡± Seeing her evasive demeanor, Valentin could easily guess that Ashley and that person must have had some history and it wasn¡¯t anything normal. Valentin frowned with a gloomy gaze. He felt that since Ashley didn¡¯t want to talk about it, he would have to find out it himself. After Ashley finished exining, she hurriedly ran upstairs to her room. Just as she sat down at her vanity, her phone buzzed with a message from Joseph: [Ashley, you said you had something urgent to do. Are you done now?] Ashley replied: [What do you want?] Joseph texted: [If you¡¯re done, let¡¯s continue our chat. Who is that extraordinary person who pursued you?]This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Ashley was really fed up and texted: [Can you not be so nosy?] Joseph whined and texted righteously: [I can¡¯t... Gossip is the joy of life. | can¡¯t lose it like a fish can¡¯t live without water.] Ashley was speechless.. Angrily typing, Ashley texted: [Stop it. Valentin overheard us just now...] Joseph was stunned for two seconds, then burst intoughter. He texted: [Valentin heard it? How did that happen?] Joseph knew Valentin must be seething with jealousy. He figured that now Valentin knew someone had pursued Ashley, he would definitely investigate thoroughly and uncover that person''s identity. Joseph rolled his eyes cunningly as he called Ashley. Once she answered, he said in a teasing tone, ¡°You know, Ashley, Valentin has many admirers too.¡± This time Ashley didn¡¯t put the call on speaker and held the phone to her ear. ¡°I know.¡± Joseph was surprised. ¡°You know?¡± Ashley replied calmly, ¡°He is so handsome. Of course he had lots of admirers.¡± Joseph quickly asked, ¡°So, how do you feel about that, Ashley?¡± Ashley said, ¡°What feelings should | have? | feel it''s very normal.¡± Now Joseph was really worried for Ashley. ¡°Aren¡¯t you jealous at all, Ashley?¡± Ashley was shocked and puzzled. Even after Joseph hung up, her thoughts were still ina daze. She wondered if she had ever felt jealous. That day was the weekend, and Valentin didn¡¯t have to go to the office, so he stayed at home all day. After lunch, Ashley sat on the sofa in the living room and casually grabbed a bag of snacks from the snack cab. In the past, the Kingsley Vi didn¡¯t have these snacks, but Valentin, knowing her fondness for them, had ced snack cabs around the house, specifically filled with her favorite treats. Ashley tore open the snack bag, eating absentmindedly while her gaze fell on Valentin, who was not far away! He had been handsome since he was young. The profile of his face, from his brow to his jaw, was wlessly striking. He had a dignified and graceful demeanor, like an exquisite statue, every move radiating an enticing charm. Having grown up with Valentin, Ashley naturally knew he had always. been popr with women. However, Valentin was different when he was with her. Perhaps because he was familiar with her, he disyed a casual, leisurely ease, teasing her like teasing a kitten. But he was extremely cold and distant with others, hardly speaking a word. Many women only admired him from afar, silently harboring their affection. Ashley wondered if she was really jealous before. Lost in thought, suddenly, someone blocked her view. Valentin had quietly approached her. Ashley had to look up at him standing before her, seated on the sofa. ¡°What are you doing?¡± she asked. He stood there, his attractive legs and strong waist exuding ant indescribable elegance. He spoke in a teasing tone with his hands casually in his pants pockets. ¡°I just noticed someone secretly watching me.¡± Ashley felt a pang of nervousness. ¡°I wasn¡¯t secretly watching you.¡± He smirked and raised an eyebrow. ¡°Come on, here | am. Now you can look at me openly.¡± Ashley¡¯s fingers trembled slightly. She then pulled him to sit on the sofa, insisting, ¡°I was not looking at you. Sit down. Don¡¯t stand in front of me.¡± Valentin sat down beside her on the sofa without any resistance.. He sat sideways, his elbow on the back of the sofa, his hand propping up his forehead, the veins on his hand distinctly visible. He said nothing, just casually gazed at her face. Ashley¡¯s cheeks flushed in less than ten seconds, and she pushed the snack bag into hisp, annoyed. ¡°Can you stop looking at me?¡± He looked down and chuckled lightly, ¡°Ashley, you¡¯re so beautiful. How can | not look?¡± Ashley was speechless and irritated. Deciding to give Valentin a piece of her mind. She picked up a tissue, cleaned each finger, and then turned towards him. After a silent pause, she suddenly leaned in with a mischievous smile. ¡°Do you know why | was secretly watching you?¡± He slightly raised his eyebrows. ¡°Hmm?¡± Ashley reached out, gently caressing his face with her fingertips. Valentin was taken aback. Ashley smiled seductively, her charming eyes captivating, ¡°Valentin, you¡¯re so handsome. How can | not look?¡± She yfully said the same words he said before, caressing his face teasingly, ¡°Your face feels nice.¡± Seeing his startled expression, Ashley snorted proudly, confident she could handle him. After teasing him, she withdrew her hand and stood up triumphantly, intending to leave. But the next second, Valentin caught her wrist and pulled her into his embrace. Valentin¡¯s eyes were darker than ever. He ced her hand on his face, his voice low and teasing. ¡°Since you like touching me so much. I''ll let you do it more.¡± Ashley was shocked and confused. He raised an eyebrow. ¡°You said | feel nice, so touch me all you want here.¡± Ashley was speechless. Then, she was forced to touch him for a long time. She had to admit that his skin was indeed very good. At eight in the evening, the Design Exchange Competition dinner began. Many designers and journalists arrived early at the banquet hall, all wearing excited expressions. The famous Attelia was attending the banquet tonight, and everyone. wanted to meet this legendary figure in the design world. Chapter 138 The banquet hall was decked out in high fashion, bustling with elegantly dressed guests. A magnificent chandelier hung overhead, casting a dazzling light throughout the room. Even the chairs in the resting areal were designed in unique, irregr shapes, adding to the modern vibe. Many guests nced asionally at one particr chair, distinguished only by a name tagbeled Attelia, stirring curiosity. Her name alone seemed to captivate everyone¡¯s attention. Though Attelia had not yet arrived, reporters were already snapping photos of her chair from every angle, rushing to post them online, eager not to be outdone by their peers. After taking his photos, a male reporter noticed a female reporter beside. him and curiously remarked, ¡°Is that dress you''re wearing from the Ramos Group¡¯stest collection? The one designed by Jessica?¡± The woman nodded with a conflicted look. ¡°Yes, | was immediately struck by this dress when itunched and couldn''t wait to buy it. But then, at yesterday¡¯s Design Exchange Competition, Jessica was used of intentionally knocking over a water bottle to ruin Ashley''s design sketches.¡± ¡°s, Jessica may have a questionable character, but | really love this. dress she designed. | struggled with whether to keep it or not. Then | decided to wear it today and then put it away, never to wear it again.¡± The reporter was torn. She loved her dress, yet someone of dubious character designed it. She worried about gossip if she wore it out. But she couldn¡¯t bring herself to throw it away either, deciding to indulge just this once before vowing never to buy from the Ramos Group again. The male reporter, understanding her dilemma, patted her shoulderfortingly and wanted to say something. Just then, Jessica and Frankie arrived at the banquet hall. ¡°Look, Jessica and Frankie are here!¡± ording to the Design Exchange Competition traditions, designers. attending the dinner usually wore their own creations. Jessica was dressed in a blue velvet fishtail dress. The rolling hem of the Chapter 138. dress trailed behind her like ocean waves, seeming toe alive with each step she took. She looked like a mermaiding from the sea with that stunning gown. She also wore matching blue velvet gloves that reached her elbows,pleting her ensemble¡¯s elegant and noble look. ¡°Look at Jessica''s gown. It¡¯s gorgeous!¡± ¡°I''ve seen many mermaid gowns, but none as beautiful as this. She looks. like a real mermaid.¡± As soon as Jessica and Frankie appeared, the reporters rushed to take photos. ¡°Jessica, did you design your gown?¡± they asked. Jessica leisurely nced over the hall, noticing the admiration in everyone¡¯s eyes. Feeling smug, she nodded with aposed look. ¡°Yes, | designed it myself. ording to the rules of Design Exchange Competition, attending designers must wear their own designs, so | chose this mermaid gown.¡± When they heard her confirmation, the crowd¡¯s respect for Jessica¡¯s talent as a designer grew. Despite her wed character, it was undeniable that Jessica¡¯s designs were brilliant, surpassing all the other designers present. In the crowd not far away, a few designers caught sight of such a stunning creation and habituallymented in low voices, ¡°Have you noticed? From the bodice to the gloves, the design of this gown is very reminiscent of Attelia. It¡¯s really impressive that Jessica managed to design something like this.¡± ¡°The only pity is that the gown is too noble and elegant. Jessica, though the designer who crafted it herself, can¡¯t bring out the true beauty of this ensemble.¡± It''s inevitable. Jessica¡¯s looks and figure are not particrly remarkable. If a professional model wore it, the gown would look even more beautiful.¡± Jessica was basking in the crowd''s praise, her vanity satisfied like never before. When she heard thest remark, her face suddenly stiffened with a clear displeasure. Frankie heard the crowd¡¯s discussion too, but couldn¡¯t refute it. Chapter 18: Jessica was good-looking but not strikingly gorgeous. In fact, the Ramos family members were all quite attractive, but Jessica wasn¡¯t their biological daughter and naturally didn¡¯t inherit their beauty. However, even after growing up away from the family, Ashley possessed a stunning beauty that surpassed everyone in the Ramos family. Frankie had once doubted if Ashley was really one of the Ramos family because she was just too beautiful to be true. The first time he brought Ashley back to the Ramos family, he found it strange, wondering how Evan and Bertha could have such a beautiful daughter. As Frankie¡¯s thoughts wandered, amotion suddenly arose at the entrance of the banquet hall. Everyone subconsciously turned to look, and then, in the next second, they were rendered speechless by the dazzling beauty before them. At the entrance, Ashley and Jaden stepped into the hall together. Ashley wore a spectacrly gorgeous and elegant gown, its fabric entuating her already smooth skin, making it appear even more delicate and lustrous, like a fine pearl. The gown was designed with a cinched waist, perfectly highlighting he slender waist. Most striking was the hem of the gown, embroidered with silver thread in avish yet mysterious pattern, reflecting dazzling light with her every move. As Ashley walked into the banquet hall, the crowd, already stunned by the gown, grew even more amazed and admiring as they got a clearer view of her face. They couldn''t be more astonished. She was exquisitely beautiful, exuding a captivating charm. Her red lips. were temptingly bright and paired with her gown. She looked like an enchanting flower blooming from the abyss, bewitching and alluring. The crowd felt she was too stunning, too shocking. ¡°She''s so beautiful.¡±This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. ¡°That¡¯s Ashley. It was so beautiful that my heart nearly skipped a beat. | thought Jessica¡¯s mermaid dress was nice, but now | realize Ashley is the Chapter 138. most stunning person here.¡± The reporters who were just interviewing Jessica immediately swarmed. towards the entrance, eager to interview Ashley and Jaden.. Even other designers in the hall couldn¡¯t contain their excitement and gathered around to watch. When she saw this, Jessica¡¯s fingernails dug into her flesh. She bit her lower lip hard, her eyes filled with unwilling jealousy and resentful anger towards Ashley. She felt that as long as that contemptible Ashley appeared, she would always be overshadowed. But she should have been the one in the spotlight. Jessica thought of Ashley as a worthless outcast abandoned by the Ramos family, never her match. At this moment, Frankie, staring in Ashley¡¯s direction, took more than a dozen seconds to snap back from his daze. Ashley was his sister, and he felt that she had changed a lot since leaving the Ramos family. Ashley remained as breathtakingly beautiful as ever, but her demeanor had changed dramatically. Although she dressed in such a luxurious and stunningly beautiful gown, the gown didn¡¯t overshadow Ashley. It instead served as a foil to her. Moreover, Ashley''s design talent had surpassed all the designers he knew, including Jessica. Frankie wondered if Ashley had designed the gown herself. Just then, a female designer close to Ashley recognized the gown she was wearing. ¡°Isn¡¯t that the Iris Twilight from Glory Youveile?¡± Iris Twilight was a collector¡¯s edition gown designed by Glory Youveile¡¯s. chief designer, Attelia. It was an instant favorite among royals and socialites upon its release. But this Iris Twilight, limited in production and priceless, was unavable for many wealthy socialites, regardless of their wealth. Once the name Iris Twilight was mentioned, other designers in the hall. recognized it too. ¡°Wow, it really is Iris Twilight. Its fabric, style, and embroidery is undoubtedly a limited edition designed by Attelia.¡± ¡°Wait! Howe Ashley is wearing a gown designed by Attelia?¡± This question brought a momentary silence to the noisy banquet hall. ording to the convention¡¯s tradition, designers attending the banquet usually wore their own designs. Now Ashley was wearing Attelia¡¯s gown. Everyone began to specte... Chapter 139 Chapter 139 A young designer covered her mouth in shock, whispering to her colleagues in a low voice, ¡°Could Ashley be Attelia?¡± This spection was too shocking, almost unbelievable. Her colleagues initially couldn''t believe it, swallowing hard in astonishment and lowering their voices. ¡°That can¡¯t be, right? Ashley is too young. Could she really be the legendary design guru Attelia? | just can¡¯t believe it.¡± ¡°Not just you, | can¡¯t believe it either. It must be a coincidence, right? Besides, Ashley and Jaden are close. Maybe Jaden lent her the Glory Youveile dress to wear?¡± ¡°That¡¯s possible. This Iris Twilight must be temporarily lent to Ashley by Jaden.¡± Ashley, besieged by reporters, didn¡¯t hear their whispers. After dealing with the press, she walked into the banquet hall with Jaden. Seeing Jessica¡¯s outfit today, Ashley raised her eyebrows, thinking Jessica was so shameless. Jaden recognized at a nce that the blue velvet mermaid dress Jessica wore was one of Ashley''s earlier designs. Once Jessica wore it, shepletely ruined the dress, lowering its elegance. Unable to hold back any longer, Jaden looked at Ashley. With her long, thick eyshes, Ashley nced at her nails before looking up and coldly smiling, ¡°Let¡¯s expose her, then.¡± With Ashley¡¯s approval, Jaden was thrilled, thinking, Jessica, you are doomed.¡¯ Not far away, Jessica saw the Iris Twilight on Ashley and was shocked that Attelia¡¯s design was on Ashley. Frankie also looked stunned. As Jessica tried to figure it out, Jaden approached her. ¡°Mr. Walter.¡± Jessica snapped back to reality and immediately greeted him 14 warmly with a smile. But Jaden looked stern, narrowing his eyes slightly, his tone indescribably cold when he said, ¡°Jessica, how did you end up wearing the gown. designed by Attelia, the lead designer of Glory Youveile?¡± As soon as he spoke, the bustling venue seemed to pause. Just a moment ago, it was lively, and then suddenly, it became eerily silent. Whether it was the chattering reporters or those in the corner discussing the Iris Twilight on Ashley, everyone turned their gaze toward Jaden and Jessica. Everyone was shocked. They wondered if Attelia had indeed designed the dress that Jessica was wearing. But they were puzzled and thought, ¡®Didn¡¯t Jessica just im it was her own design?¡¯This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. As if answering their doubts, Jaden spoke again. Everyone in the hall could hear him clearly. ¡°Jessica¡¯s blue velvet mermaid dress was designed. by Attelia a year ago. However, Attelia only finished the sketch, and she has never instructed anyone to produce or sell it. So Jessica, how did you end up wearing it?¡± The crowd, initially confused, finally understood and were utterly dumbstruck. ¡°Is this blue velvet mermaid dress Attelia¡¯s design? No wonder | felt it resembled Attelia¡¯s style.¡± ¡°Let me get this straight. Jaden said Attelia only drew the design. It hasn¡¯t been made or sold, yet now it¡¯s on Jessica. Did Jessica steal Attelia¡¯s design?¡± ¡°Damn, really? That can¡¯t be true. Jessica just said she designed it herself.¡± Hearing Jaden¡¯s usation, Frankie immediately looked at Jessical seriously. ¡°Jessica, do you know what Mr. Walter is talking about?¡± Frankie was undoubtedly protecting Jessica. He would never allow anyone to use her of stealing design drafts. Jessica, nervously clenching her fists, felt a cold sweat break out on her back. She tried to appear calm, but her pale face showed her anxiety. Taking a deep breath, Jessica forced herself to calm down. Her voice, however, still trembled slightly when she said, ¡°Mr. Walter, | don¡¯t understand what you mean. | can assure you | designed this blue velvet fishtail dress myself.¡± Jaden sneered, ¡°Even now, you''re still trying to deny it.¡± Jessica recalled the situation carefully. There was no evidence to prove she stole Ashley''s design drafts, and no one could testify that she did. Thinking of this, Jessica became less nervous and frightened. She retorted again, ¡°Mr. Walter, | know you''re the owner of Glory Youveile, but isn¡¯t it unfair to use me of stealing design drafts just based on your say-so?¡± Jessica sounded like she was innocent, but she actually subtly used Jaden of using his power to nder her. Everyone couldn''t help but discuss. ¡°That¡¯s true. He could not nder her such a serious usation without any evidence.¡± ¡°Yes, an usation of stealing design drafts could ruin a designer¡¯s career. Even Jaden shouldn¡¯t make such ims without proof. He should be more cautious.¡± Frankie, initially confused, now believed firmly that Jessica was the true designer of the dress. Frankie knew that Jaden was friends with Ashley and suspected that Jaden¡¯s usation of Jessica stealing design drafts was an attempt to bully Jessica on behalf of Ashley. Frankie was angered. His face turned pale as he coldly questioned, ¡°Jaden, you imed Jessica stole Attelia¡¯s design drafts. Do you have any evidence? If not, you should apologize to Jessica.¡± Jaden, however, remained calm and nced subtly in Ashley¡¯s direction. Ashley subtly raised an eyebrow and nodded at him. She signaled him to do what he should do, intending to ruin Jessica¡¯s reputation that day. Seeing Ashley¡¯sposed and calm demeanor, Jaden felt reassured. Adjusting his cuffs, Jaden then looked at Frankie and Jessica, scoffing coldly, ¡°Evidence? Of course, | have evidence for someone as stubborn as you.¡± Chapter 140 Frankie nced at Jessica, seeing her unwavering determination, and felt more confident. ¡°Jaden, stop beating around the bush. Just show us the evidence!¡± Jaden narrowed his eyes, looking at Frankie as if he was a joke. After a brief pause, Jaden spoke calmly. ¡°As many of you might know, Attelia has a little habit when she designs clothes. She leaves her signature ¡®A¡¯ mark on them.¡± As soon as he said this, the surrounding fashion designers nodded in agreement. ¡°That¡¯s true. | admire Attelia. I¡¯ve studied her designs, and she indeed has this habit of leaving an ¡®A¡¯ mark on her works.¡± Some renowned designers preferred to leave their mark on their works. Attelia¡¯s ¡°A¡± mark was special and had been trademarked, bing a signature feature of her brand. It was something only Attelia herself could us ¡°So, you''re saying that if we check Jessica¡¯s mermaid dress for an ¡®A¡¯ logo, we can tell if it¡¯s an Attelia design?¡± ¡°If Jessica¡¯s dress has an ¡®A¡¯ logo, and it matches Attelia¡¯s exactly, then it certainly can prove something, right? After all, Jessica wouldn''t put someone else¡¯s logo on her own designs, right?¡± As they spoke, everyone turned to look at Jessica. Hearing Jaden¡¯s so-called evidence, Jessica scoffed inwardly. ¡®Do you think I¡¯m a fool?¡± Before putting on the dress, she had thoroughly checked it three times. There were no marks on the dress, let alone this ¡°A¡± logo. Besides, she had stolen Ashley¡¯s design sketches. It had nothing to do with Attelia. Jessica felt increasingly confident. However, despite her inner triumph, she maintained a tearful expression, looking like someone wronged and oppressed, even exuding a sense of dignity. ¡°Mr. Walter, although you use me of stealing Attelia¡¯s design drafts, | am innocent and can swear that my dress has no ¡®A¡¯ mark on it!¡± she dered. ¡°If you still doubt me, then | am willing to cooperate and let you examine this blue velvet mermaid dress I¡¯m wearing!¡±This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Frankie felt deeply pained. Jessica was facing such a grave injustice yet still behaved decently. She was indeed the daughter of the Ramos family. Frankie became increasingly protective of Jessica, looking at Jaden with a sullen face. ¡°Mr. Walter, there are a lot of people around, so let me make this clear. Even if you are the founder of Glory Youveile and the Ramos can¡¯t stand up to you right now, | want you to know this. If Jessica has been proven to be ndered, | will make sure justice is served for her!¡± Upon hearing this, Jaden narrowed his eyes... ¡®Frankie, this fool, is indeed protective of Jessica, his so-called sister. How could he be so harsh towards his real sister, Ashley?¡± Initially, Jaden only wanted to expose Jessica for stealing design drafts, but now, he was intent on bringing down Frankie along with her. ¡°Justice? Heh...¡± Jaden stared at Frankie coldly, his voice cold. ¡°Let''s see what can you do.¡± Frankie''s face turned sullen at that moment. Anyone would feel embarrassed at this situation, and Frankie, who was always proud, felt even more frustrated. But right now, the first thing to do was to rify Jessica¡¯s reputation. Frankie calmed himself down and urged, ¡°Jaden, just hurry up and start your examination!¡± Jaden wasn''t in a hurry. He called over a staff from the banquet and whispered something to him. Then, the staff left. During this moment, Jaden nced toward Ashley, who was walking over casually. As she approached, the crowd parted to make way. Dressed in the Iris Twilight gown, Ashley was stunning and distant, like at deity above all, making people want to clear a path for her. 24 Chapter 140 Seeing Ashley approach, Frankie couldn¡¯t help but feel impressed. However, the next moment, Frankie was conflicted upon realizing he had a positive impression of Ashley. He shifted his gaze away as if to avoid Ashley, looking towards Jessica. Upon seeing Ashley, Jessica felt her mind grow even more malicious. This bitch. Is she trying tough at me? ¡®Heh, that¡¯s not going to happen. This dress has no mark on it! Jaden can¡¯t prove anything!¡± Soon after, a staff brought over the item Jaden had requested. Everyone craned their necks and saw a device that looked like a magnifying ss but more sophisticated. Jaden took it and nced at Ashley. Ashley pointed towards the elbow of Jessica¡¯s right hand. Jessica was wearing blue velvet gloves that matched her gown, extending to her elbows. Jaden quickly caught on and sneered, walking towards Jessica. ¡°Give me your right hand.¡± Seeing the magnifying device in Jaden¡¯s hand, Jessica felt her heart skip a beat in panic. ¡®Is it... The mere thought of a certain possibility sent a cold sweat trickling down. her back, leaving her stiffened and motionless. Jaden urged with a stern voice, ¡°Your right hand, reach it out.¡± Jessica remained frozen. Her face turned deadly pale. The crowd was puzzled, wondering what was happening and why Jessica was dazing. After all, all she needed to do was to reach out and prove her innocence. Frankie looked at Jessica, baffled. ¡°Jessica...¡± Losing his patience, Jaden grabbed Jessica¡¯s right-hand glove and yanked it off. He then examined the inside of the glove with the magnifying device. After looking for a couple of seconds, Jaden sneered, ¡°Jessica, open your Chapter 140 eyes and look closely. What is this?¡± Before Jessica could respond, the other designers couldn¡¯t help but crowd around. Through the magnifying device, it was crystal clear that there was a wave with silver thread at the opening of the glove. At the center of this wave, there was a small, unique ¡°A¡± symbol! ¡°| see it! There really is an ¡®A¡¯ sign! It¡¯s not just any ¡®A¡¯. It¡¯s the same as the ¡®A¡¯ sign exclusive to Attelia!¡± ¡°No wonder they need a magnifying device. It¡¯s not easy to see with the naked eye!¡± ¡°As everyone knows, this ¡®A¡¯ mark is unique to Attelia and is a registered trademark. No one else can use it, but now it is on Jessica¡¯s mermaid dress. This means... ¡°Damn, Jessica really stole Attelia¡¯s design! No wonder | thought it looked so much like Attelia¡¯s style when | first saw this mermaid dress!¡± Chapter 141 As soon as the unique ¡°A¡± sign showed up, the reporters in the banquet hall immediately crowded Jessica, bombarding her with one piercing question after another. ¡°Jessica, you imed this mermaid dress was your own design, yet it bears Attelia¡¯s ¡®A¡¯ mark. How do you exin this?¡± ¡°Jessica, Jaden used you of stealing Attelia¡¯s design. Do you dare to respond? Do you dare to admit it?¡± At this moment, Jessica¡¯s mind was in turmoil. Her face drained of color, and she felt like she had fallen into an abyss. A chill ran down his spine. ¡°What''s happening? Why is there an ¡°A mark on my glove... What on earth is going on!! Jessica¡¯s lips trembled, her face pale, but she defiantly retorted, ¡°I didn¡¯t steal Attelia¡¯s design. The ¡®A¡¯ mark is there because | admire Attelia, so | stitched it in the clothing!¡± Jaden scoffed, his toneced with disdain, ¡°Jessica, just a moment ago, you were insisting that there was no ¡®A sign on this dress. Why change. the story suddenly?¡± ¡°|...¡± Jessica was speechless, caught by her own contradictory statements. Just then, a female reporter approached Jaden and said urgently, ¡°Mr. Walter, may | use your magnifying device?¡± Amale reporter nearby recognized her. ¡°Hey, we talked at the beginning of the party. The dress you''re wearing is from the Ramos Group fashion brand, and Jessica designed it!¡± The female reporter nodded. ¡°Right.¡± She really liked Jessica¡¯s design but disdained her character, nning to wear this dress only once after buying it. She had never expected that Jessica¡¯s design would seem to be a copy. Jaden raised an eyebrow and passed over the magnifying device. The reporter took it and carefully examined the dress¡¯ sleeve. Then, her face turned shocked. ¡°There¡¯s one here too! This dress also has the ¡®A¡¯ mark of Attelia!¡± 10:13 Everyone around immediately looked over in surprise, and they were shocked upon seeing that. ¡°What the heck? This is Ramos Group''s clothing brand¡¯s product, right? And it also has the ¡®A¡¯ mark!¡± ¡°Even if Attelia is Jessica¡¯s idol, and Jessica leaves the ¡®A¡¯ symbol on her own dress, that¡¯s not right leaving it on other clothes sold by the Ramos. Group, is it?¡± ¡°What idol? Jessica just contradicted herself! She was just swearing there was no ¡®A¡¯ mark on her gown, and next, Jaden found it with a magnifying device. It¡¯s clear she stole the design!¡± ¡°So, all the outfits Jessica designed for the Ramos family were just stolen from Attelia?¡± ¡°That¡¯s terrifying! No wonder Jessica suddenly imed she could design clothes. She had never designed any before. Plus, her skills are so impressive, and her style is so simr to Attelia¡¯s. Now everything makes sense!¡± The reporters pieced together the story, and the cameras turned back to Jessica. The rising star designer was actually a thief... There was no bigger scandal than that. ¡°Jessica, do you actually have any design talent, or were all your designs. stolen?¡± ¡°Jessica, when Ashleypeted with those foreigners a few days ago, your knocked over a water bottle to ruin her design. And now, it turns out all your designs are stolen from Attelia. Don¡¯t you think your personality is rotten?¡± Jessica was jostled and pushed, stumbling backward. Those sharp questions, the disdains and probing gazes of those around her, made her feel as if she were nailed to a shame pole, so embarrassed that it was even hard to breathe. ¡°The ¡®A¡¯ logo... Why did every piece of clothing have an ¡®A¡¯ logo on it? This was the only thought in her mind. Frankie didn¡¯t expect this turn of events and waspletely bewildered, thinking, Jessica¡¯s designs were stolen. He didn¡¯t even realize the reporters were surrounding Jessica. 1013 Chapter 141 He had thought Jessica was truly a designer, capable of bringing hope to the Ramos Group¡¯s fashion brand, a lucky star for the Ramos family. But in reality, the sister he was so proud of had stolen all her designs. Surrounded by reporters, Jessica suddenly remembered something. A crazed hatred welled up in her mind as she red at Ashley, who stood. outside the crowd. In contrast to ca¡¯s disheveled state, Ashley exuded a cold elegance in her stunning ck gown. Her beauty was distant and unreachable. Catching Jessica¡¯s gaze, Ashley smiled brightly. This smile sent a chill down Jessica¡¯s spine. ¡®Ashley... She must be behind this!¡± Gritting her teeth, Jessica thought that she couldn¡¯t go down alone. Faced with the reporters¡¯ relentless and sharp questioning, Jessica suddenly let out a sinisterugh, shouting hysterically. ¡°| didn¡¯t steal Attelia¡¯s designs! | just took these drafts from Ashley¡¯s room! If they are Attelia¡¯s, then Ashley stole it from Attelia!¡± The banquet hall suddenly fell silent at the moment she said that. Seeing the shock and disbelief on the faces of the journalists, Jessicaughed somewhat crazily, thinking, ¡°Heh, Ashley, now your reputation is ruined with me!¡± It took a while for the reporters to process Jessica¡¯s hysterical confession. ¡°Jessica took these designs from Ashley¡¯s room? So, Ashley stole from Attelia first, and then Jessica stole from Ashley?¡± ¡°But everyone saw Ashley¡¯s design skill in the designpetition. She won the first ce easily. | don¡¯t think Ashley needs to steal designs with her skills.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t we ask Ashley herself?¡± The reporters immediately shifted their focus, turning their questions. toward Ashley Watching Ashley being surrounded by the journalists, Jessica smiled. smugly. Ashley, oh Ashley, if Fll suffer, you''ll suffer with me!¡± The reporters crowded in front of Ashley, asking urgently, ¡°Ashley, did you hear that? Jessica ims those design drafts were taken from room. She¡¯s using you of stealing from Attelia! Can you give u exnation?¡± Before Ashley could say anything, Jaden suddenly dragged a chair over for her to sit. The reporters were baffled. Seriously, who had the mood to sit down now? This wasn¡¯t some rxed press conference, after all. ¡°Mr. Walter, you...¡± A reporter began but suddenly stopped, eyes widening in disbelief and stuttering. ¡°This chair...¡± Jaden dragged over a chair with a sticker written ¡°Attelia¡± on the back. It was Attelia¡¯s chair, yet Jaden brought it over for Ashley to sit in... Everyone was bewildered, thinking, ¡®Is Ashley worthy to sit on that chair... Wait a second!¡± Jaden mentioned that Attelia woulde to tonight''s dinner. And tonight, Ashley walked into the hall with Jaden, dressed in Attelia¡¯s. limited design, the Iris Twilight.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. ¡®No way, Ashley is actually... Chapter 142 Jaden raised an eyebrow, turning to Ashley. ¡°Jessica just used you of stealing your own designs. How ridiculous is that?¡± Ashley sneered, ¡°Me, stealing from myself?¡± ¡®Me, stealing from myself... What Ashley said echoed in everyone¡¯s ears. The reporters were nearly dropping their jaws at these words. The room, buzzing just a second ago, fell into a stunned silence, their mouths agape. An older reporter was the first to regainposure, though his voice still trembled with shock. ¡°Ashley, do you mean...¡± Jaden looked around at everyone before making a formal introduction. ¡°That¡¯s right, Ashley is the lead designer of Glory Youveile, Attelia! And also the co-founder of Glory Youveile!¡± His firm statement echoed throughout the entire banquet hall. Jessica was smugly thinking that she had sessfully dragged Ashley down with her but suddenly found her malicious smile freezing on her face. She gradually widened her eyes and mouth like a ridiculous crown from a movie scene. ¡®What did they say? Ashley is Attelia? So, stealing Ashley¡¯s design drafts. means | have stolen Attelia¡¯s work? No! How can this be?¡± Jessica couldn''t believe it. But the designs she had taken from Ashley¡¯s room and the clothes made. based on those drafts bore the ¡°A¡± sign on them... She had to believe it even she didn¡¯t want to. Jessica red at Ashley and clenched her fist tightly. The shock and. resentment in Jessica¡¯s heart was like a balloon, rising up and suddenly blowing up. pressed against her throat with a metallic taste. Ashley is Antelia, Autelia is Ashley... she kept thinking. The most ridiculous thing was that the Ramos family even considered. inviting Attelia to be their lead designer. The whole thing was like aplete joke to her. Journalists and designers at the banquet also heard Jaden confirm thatThis content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Ashley was indeed Attelia. After several seconds of shock, they swarmed around Ashley like fans around a legendary superstar, crazed with excitement. The designers were so thrilled because they were finally meeting Attelia in person. After all, Attelia was a legend in the fashion design industry, representing the pinnacle of today¡¯s industry. She was the pride of Zyrrinthia¡¯s designmunity. It was all normal for these designers to be thrilled. They were finally meeting a legend in the industry. It would have been a surprise if they. hadn¡¯t gone wild. And those reporters now kept snapping photos of Ashley with their. cameras, with shbulbs bright enough to blind someone. ¡°I''ve finally figured it out. No wonder Ashley¡¯s designs are so outstanding! She won with a damaged draft in that international competition because. she is Attelia!¡± ¡°Wait a second, it just hit me! Jessica stole Ashley¡¯s designs and even had the nerve to use Ashley of stealing from Attelia?¡± ¡°Unbelievable, Jessica is truly despicable! But she could never guess that Ashley was Attelia! Jessica even tried to frame her. She was truly pathetic!¡± to: ¡°So, Jessica sabotaged Ashley¡¯s design at thepetition to make Ashley lose to the foreigners. She betrayed her own country and stole Ashley¡¯s designs, posing herself as some kind of up-anding genius designer. That¡¯s a fraud! How can someone be so disgusting!¡± ¡°Damn, Ashley is so wronged. She didn¡¯t do anything, and she¡¯s framed by scum like Jessica. It¡¯s like she¡¯s hit the worst luck in the world!¡± The crowd started to criticize Jessica right in front of her. Their eyes filled with anger and disdain when they looked at her. If there were rotten eggs around, they would¡¯ve surely been thrown at Jessica. Jessica¡¯s face turned deathly pale as she awkwardly tried to retreat and hide. However, the journalists¡¯ cameras focused on her, leaving her no ce to hide. They broadcasted every single one of her crimes live on the 10.13 inte. At that moment, there was a sudden loud bang from the corne banquet hall. It was the sound of a chair being knocked over. Everyone turned towards the noise and saw Frankie. He stared at Ashley, eyes widening in shock. Upon hearing that Ashley was Attelia, the one he had been desperately searching for, he felt his head spin with a rush of emotion as if something inside him had exploded. He couldn''t believe that Ashley was Attelia, and she was also thest hope of the Ramos Group¡¯s fashion brand. His own sister, whom he had mistreated and kicked out of their family, was the Attelia he had been longing to meet. How could fate y such a cruel trick on him? This meant that when Ashley offered her designs to the Ramos family, she had been genuinely trying to help their fashion brand. However, he was so arrogant back then and refused to believe Ashley. He even insulted her with the most venomous words he could think about. Frankie couldn¡¯t help but wonder if things would be different now if he had shown just a little patience and trust towards Ashley. He was with regret, wondering why he was so foolish back then, unwilling to believe his own sister. Frankie stood rigid as if he were a puppet with its strings cut, staggering backward, knocking down a chair without even noticing. His gaze fixed nkly on Ashley. The noise of the falling chair drew the attention of others in the banquet. hall towards him. Ashley also nced over with an indifferent gaze. At that moment, Frankie tensed up. He felt a surge ofplex and intense emotions attack him. There was fear, nervousness, and anticipation rolling over him like a tsunami, leaving him at a loss.... However, Ashley nced at him brielly, not even a second, and shifted her gaze away indifferently as if Frankie was invisible. 10-3 Frankie felt as if someone threw cold water on him, chilling him to the core, a coldness creeping into his heart. He had actually hoped that Ashley would spare him another nce. The guests at the party looked at each other, murmuring, ¡°I heard that Frankie was desperate to meet Attelia. Heh, turns out Ashley is Attelia. Frankie must be totally dumbfounded now!¡± ¡°It''s karma! Frankie teamed up with Bertha to nder Ashley, using her of pushing her own mother. They have no humanity at all! He¡¯s Ashley¡¯s brother, after all!¡± ¡°I''m really fed up with the Ramos family. Ashley is beautiful and talented, yet they favor Jessica, a morally corrupt and scheming nobody. What are they thinking?¡± Chapter 143 In the past, Frankie would have rushed to defend Jessica upon hearing someone talk about her like that. But now, Frankie just stood there, as if deaf to the insults hurled at Jessica and blind to her current embarrassing situation. He could only see one person, Ashley, who was stunningly beautiful among the crowd. Everyone else was a blur. Only Ashley was crystal clear. She was his beloved sister. The disdainful and mocking nces from others felt like thorns in Frankie¡¯s back, unbearable. He wanted to turn and flee, to escape from there. Yet, his eyes stayed on Ashley. At that moment, Ashley was surrounded by reporters, bombarded with questions. Areporter finally voiced a question that had been lingering in her mind for a long time, ¡°Ashley, you''ve always been known for designing women¡¯s wear and have never ventured into men¡¯s fashion. Will you consider designing men¡¯s clothing in the future?¡± Upon hearing this, Jaden also looked at Ashley in curiosity. Ashley, as if struck by a thought, lowered her eyshes and chuckled, looking breathtakingly beautiful. She replied, ¡°I won¡¯t be designing men¡¯s wear for the public.¡± The journalists, clever as ever, immediately caught the point in her words. ¡°Not publicly? Does that mean you might design men¡¯s clothing privately?¡± ¡°Wow, which lucky gentleman has the privilege of having Attelia¡¯s design? Ashley, is he someone special to you?¡± Ashley¡¯s eyes sparkled like jewels, her lips red, and she said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, | can¡¯t answer that¡± But Jaden got it instantly. He didn¡¯t even need to guess. It was obviously about Ashley¡¯s childhood fianc¨¦. ¡®Hoes before bro, huh, Ashley?¡¯ Jaden thought. He had been Ashley¡¯s best. friend since childhood, yet Ashley never designed any clothes for him. The reporters at the event had live-streamed everything that was happening tonight. Netizens had been eagerly curious about what Attelia really looked like. Then, in the live stream, they saw Ashley was indeed Attelia. Everyone was stunned. [No way!] [You''re Ash, and also Attelia?] [Ashley, you are amazing!] Various social media tforms were quickly dominated by two hashtags, ¡°Ashley is Attelia¡± and ¡°Jessica Steals Ashley¡¯s Design Drafts¡±. Especially the revtion that Ashley was Attelia shot up to the number one trending topic. Theizens couldn''t contain their curiosity and eagerly started following Ashley on her social page. Ashley¡¯s follower count was skyrocketing at an astonishing rate, increasing by tens of thousands with each refresh, setting a new record for gaining followers! Meanwhile, the dinner party came to an end. Ashley and Jaden left the banquet hall together. Frankie had been staring at Ashley. Seeing Ashley leaving, he started to follow her without a second thought. However, Jessica stopped him, her eyes welled up with tears, seemingly pitiful. ¡°Frankie, all the reporters are talking about me stealing design drafts... Her reputation waspletely ruined now. There was no way to salvage it, and she couldn¡¯t bear this oue. Jessica¡¯s eyes were red in anxiety, her voice thick with sobs. ¡°Frankie...¡± But before Jessica could say anything, Frankie looked at her. expressionless. Jessica felt her heart skip a beat, anxious and nervous. She couldn''t tell if it was with goodwill or malice by the way Frankie. looked at her. Frankie¡¯s face was stern, devoid of any emotion. He didn¡¯t even have the patience to talk to Jessica and pushed her away forcefully. Wearing high heels, Jessica couldn¡¯t maintain her bnce and fell to the ground with a thud. Frankie didn¡¯t even look at her, rushing towards the exit of the banquet hall, seemingly chasing someone in a hurry. Jessica fell clumsily to the ground in the public. Her first reaction wasn¡¯t to get up but to stare at Frankie¡¯s retreating figure in disbelief. She couldn''t believe Frankie hadn¡¯t listened to her, hadn¡¯t noticed her tears, and had even pushed her down. ¡®Has Frankie lost his mind?¡± At that moment, Frankie reached the exit and finally caught up with Ashley. He ran up to her, about to speak, but was met with Ashley¡¯s cold and disdainful gaze. Frankie''s words died in his throat. Ashley didn¡¯t want to bother Frankie and left with Jaden. Frankie turned around numbly, watching Ashley¡¯s retreating figure. His legs felt as heavy as if filled with iron, unable to move. The way Ashley looked at him just now was so cold, so disdain, as if even ncing at him was beneath her. Indeed, why wouldn¡¯t Ashley despise him? He had once stooped so low as to try to send Ashley to prison. Ashley had every reason to hate him. Frankie was ovee with cowardice not daring to follow her. He felt his heart was being tortured, overwhelmed with regret for the first time. Frankic stood there like a statue, staring in the direction Ashley had left. But Ashley was long gone, and he couldn''t find her figure, but he Chapter 143 remained there, staring nkly in that direction. People bustled around him, but he stood still. After an unknown amount of time, Frankie finally moved, wandering the street. The sky had darkened, with few people around, only cars with their lights on speeding past. The neon lights on the street cast reflections on his disheartened face. Frankie wandered, crossing the street in a daze, nearly getting hit by a car without realizing it. The driver cursed loudly, but Frankie was oblivious. ¡®It''s all over, everything. The Ramos family¡¯s fashion brand is finished. The Ramos family¡¯s entertainmentpany is beyond saving. And Ashley, she... Unbeknownst to him, the sky had started to rain. Frankie soaked to the skin, his clothes heavy and clinging. He didn¡¯t seek shelter but walked on, lost in a daze. Meanwhile, the weather was sunny and pleasant on a small ind abroad. In a vi on the ind, a butler hurried into the living room, excitedly reporting to a handsome man in a wheelchair, ¡°Mr. Pliskin, the chief designer of Glory Youveile, Attelia, has gone public! Her photo is all over the inte now!¡± The man in the wheelchair, Lester Pliskin, was strikingly handsome, but he seemed to have a problem with his legs. Upon hearing what butler said, he picked up his cellphone. His mother was a big fan of Glory Youveile¡¯s clothing and had always wanted to meet the chief designer. However, this designer was mysterious and never seen in public. Finally, the chief designer hade to the public now.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. He found a photo of Attelia online, but the next second, his eyes widened. in shock upon seeing the stunning girl in the picture. A trace of confusion and surprise emerged on his face. Chapter 143. ¡°This Ashley... She looks like Mom.¡¯ He remembered he had a little sister who had gone missing as a child and started to wonder. The man gazed intently at Ashley¡¯s photo. After a moment, he spoke in a low, maic voice. ¡°Send someone to Zyrrinthia to investigate Attelia¡¯s background.¡± The butler stood straight. ¡°Yes, Mr. Pliskin.¡± However, the man suddenly changed his mind, his eyes narrowing. ¡°Never mind, I''ll go to Zyrrinthia myself¡± Chapter 144 Chapter 144 The butler was startled. He hurriedly intervened. ¡°Mr. Pliskin, your leg...¡± He looked at Lester¡¯s legs and the wheelchair, saying sadly, ¡°Last month, Mr. George Pliskin wanted to send you to run an overseas branch, but you broke your leg. You''ve been staying in the wheelchair for a month and still haven¡¯t recovered. ¡°It might be a bone injury. Your leg isn¡¯t fully healed yet, and traveling to Zyrrinthia might worsen it.¡± Lester stopped the butler with a gesture. ¡°My leg is not important.¡± His sister mattered the most. Born with a silver spoon, his sister was the only daughter in his family, the apple of everyone, yet she went missing at a very young age. Over the years, his family had never given up searching. They had investigated for any slight clue or a simr-looking girl, but each time, they found nothing. Lester stared at the photo of Ashley emotionally. Ashley¡¯s features bore a faint resemnce to his mother¡¯s in her youth. ¡®Could this Ashley be my sister?¡± The butler was still worried, and he advised, ¡°Mr. Pliskin, with your leg condition, it¡¯s really not good for you to move around. You can¡¯t even get out of your wheelchair. Perhaps you shouldn''t go in person, just to be safe. | can let someone investigate immediately.¡± Lester dismissed the suggestion again. ¡°No, I''ll go myself.¡± The butler was genuinely concerned. ¡°But your leg, you can¡¯t even leave your wheelchair...¡± He stopped abruptly, his eyes widening in astonishment. Just then, Lester, who seemed unable to walk and sat in his wheelchair, suddenly stood up. The butler was utterly dumbfounded. ¡°Mr. Pliskin, your... Your leg is. healed!¡± Lester kicked his legs, smiling slyly. ¡°What do you mean healed? My leg was never injured. | just didn¡¯t want to go to the overseas branch, so | lied. to George, saying | broke it.¡± The butler stood speechless. To avoid going to the overseas branch, Lester pretended to beme month and even used a wheelchair. That was typical of Lester. Lester nced again at Ashley¡¯s photo. ¡°I¡¯m going to Zyrrinthia in person, leaving right now.¡± The butler no longer tried to stop him. Instead, he asked, ¡°Should we inform your mother?¡± Lester shook his head. ¡°No need to tell her just yet.¡± Over the years, his mother had missed her lost daughter every day, often thinking she¡¯d found her, only to return with disappointment each time. He didn¡¯t want to see his mother go through another disappointment and sorrow. So, he decided to wait until things were certain before telling her. The butler asked again, ¡°Should we inform Mr. George Pliskin?¡± Lester shivered. ¡°No.¡± If George found out his limp was a ruse, then he might end up crippled for real. Meanwhile, back to the Zyrrinthia, Ashley and Jaden had just left the banquet hall and were walking towards the hotel¡¯s parking lot when suddenly, two figures jumped out from a corner. It was Jeremy and Matthew. They were flushed with excitement. ¡°Ashley, we just saw the live broadcast. Turns out you''re Attelia, the lead designer of Glory Youveile!¡± Ashley frowned, wondering how these two had juste out from nowhere. Jaden knew these two were the Ramos, his face showing clear signs of hostility. Jeremy just stared at Ashley and hurried to exin, ¡°Matthew and | heard 23 10:13 you were going to tonight¡¯s design exchange dinner, so we waited for you. at the hotel¡¯s parking lot, and you''re finally here!¡± Matthew kept nodding. Jeremy and | have been waiting outside for over three hours since the banquet started until we finally saw youe out!¡± Their skin was covered in red and swollen mosquito bites. They had no choice. The corner had too many mosquitos and couldn''t fend them off. During the three hours of waiting for Ashley outside, they had feasted the mosquito well. Jeremy was about to continue, but Ashley turned to Jaden. car? Let¡¯s go.¡± Jaden gestured. ¡°Just up ahead.¡± Ashley replied, ¡°Then let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s your Having said that, they walked towards the parked cars ahead. Jeremy felt a sharp pain in his heart when he got ignored, a wave of loneliness overwhelming him, his eyes downcast. Matthew was about the same, biting his lips as he watched Ashley and Jaden walk away. ¡°Jeremy, should we follow them?¡± Jeremy lowered his gaze, then suddenly remembered something. ¡°Matthew, let''s go back to Ramos Vi.¡± Matthew was puzzled. ¡°Back to Ramos Vi?¡± Jeremy replied, ¡°Yes, we need to ask Mom about the real reason why Ashley was brought back home in the first ce.¡± Matthew''s eyes narrowed, a realization dawning on him. ¡°Right, Jeremy, if we can figure this out and then tell Ashley, she''ll definitely listen to us.¡± They were furled by determination and immediately went back to Ramos Vi. Meanwhile, Ashley and Jaden had just reached the parking area when a shy pink sports car screeched to a halt nearby Seeing the pink car, Jaden felt his eyelids twitched. As expected, the car window rolled down, and Joseph peeked out with his Chapter 144 charming face, smiling. ¡°Hop in, Ashley. Valentin sent me to pick you up. Jaden clicked his tongue, turning to Ashley. ¡°Is your childhood fianc¨¦ that worried about you? Even arranges a ride just for you to go home?¡± Ashley was at a loss for words. ¡°Can you please stop saying childhood fiance?¡± Jaden asked. ¡°Don''t you like it?¡± ¡°It''s disgusting.¡± Ashley retorted. ¡°| think it¡¯s quite nice. Jaden smiled, looking at Joseph, ¡°Right, sweetheart? What do you think?¡± Hearing this, Joseph thought Jaden was once again calling Ashley. The next second, he realized that Jaden was calling him. Joseph was speechless and cursed inwardly, ¡®Damn it! ¡°Get lost!¡± Joseph yelled at Jaden, ferociously angry, visibly showing his disdain. Jaden¡¯s ears buzzed from the shouting. He rubbed his ears, thinking how easily Joseph would get ticked off. Ashley watched the scene with amusement, smiling, ¡°Jaden, you deserve. After saying that, she got into Joseph¡¯s car, and they drove back to Kingsley Vi together. Jaden fell silent. Great, now I¡¯m the disliked one! In the Ramos family¡¯s living room, Bertha sat on the sofa with Jessica crying hard in her arms. Evan stood with has hands behind his back, his face sullen, ring at Jessica and saying with a hint of disappointment, Jessica, how could you Meal Astley¡¯s design drafts? Now that your theft has been exposed, it¡¯s the Ramos family¡¯s reputation that¡¯s been Barnished?Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. This was the first tane Jessica had been scolded by Evan She timally nced at her so called father subbing with her tears falling Bertha fell sympathy and gently pating Jessicas back frowning at Evan, Chapter 144 ¡°Enough, Evan. Jessica¡¯s still a kid. Why are you making such a big deal out of this? She made a mistake this time. She can learn from it and do better next time, right?¡± Jeremy and Matthew had just returned to Ramos Vi and hadn''t even stepped into the living room when they heard Bertha¡¯s ridiculous words. Jeremy couldn¡¯t contain his frustration and strode up to Bertha, saying sternly, ¡°Jessica is already an adult, not some child! She can do better next time? Heh! The fact that she kept doing such deceitful and hical things shows that she was born to be evil!¡± Chapter 145 ¡°Jeremy! How can you say that?¡± Bertha interrupted sternly, ¡°Jessica is crying. She knows she was wrong!¡± Jessica curled up in Bertha¡¯s arms, crying pitifully, her voice soft and weak. ¡°Mom, | do realize my mistake this time... Jeremy was so angry that his vein throbbed. Jessica is just so good at ying the victim!¡¯ Matthew looked around the living room. Besides Evan, Bertha, and Jessica, Charlie and Ryan were also here. Only Frankie was missing. Where had Frankie gone? Charlie looked at Jessica and frowned. He wanted to lecture her since he knew Jessica had stolen Ashley¡¯s design draft. But seeing Bertha so protective of Jessica, unwilling to let her face even a word of rebuke, Charlie hesitated and eventually chose to stay out of it. Still looking rugged as ever, Ryan nced at Jeremy and Matthew, inquiring, ¡°You two finally decided toe home?¡± At the mention of this, Evan mmed on the table in anger. ¡°When was thest time you two even came home, huh?¡± Jeremy took a deep breath, suppressing his rage and disgust towards his family. He got straight to the point. ¡°Mom, Dad, if you both don¡¯t like Ashley, then why did you bring her back to our family in the first ce?¡± Bertha was taken aback and frowned. Her words came out somewhat awkwardly. ¡°Ashley is my daughter. What''s wrong with bringing her back to the Ramos family after finding her lost?¡± Matthew stared at Bertha¡¯s eyes. ¡®Is it true?¡± Bertha turned to Evan. ¡°Evan, you tell them.¡± Evan was silent for a moment, then nodded calmly ¡°Indeed, that¡¯s the case. Why are you suddenly asking this?¡±This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Jeremy and Matthew exchanged a nce and didn¡¯t believe it. Bertha didn¡¯t continue this topic. ncing at the darkening sky outside and hearing the patter of rain, she asked worriedly. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte, and 15 it''s raining outside. Why hasn''t Frankiee back yet?¡± Jessica replied softly, ¡°After the design exchange dinner ended, Frankie rushed after Ashley. | haven''t seen him since then.¡± ¡°He chased Ashley?¡± Bertha pondered for a moment, then looked at Charlie. ¡°Charlie, could you call Frankie and ask him to come back soon?¡± Charlie nodded and called Frankie. But the call went unanswered until it disconnected automatically. Bertha¡¯s worry deepened. ¡°What''s with Frankie? Why isn¡¯t he answering his phone?¡± Evan sighed. Frankie had always been ambitious, determined to grow the Ramos Group into a more significant enterprise at all costs. He wanted to make the Ramos Group a powerhouse. The Ramos family had now fallen from grace, and Frankie had pinned his hopes on Attelia, who was Ashley, the sister he had always looked down upon. He must be at a loss now. Bertha urged, ¡°Ryan, please call Frankie.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Ryan took out his phone and dialed Frankie. This time, however, the call went straight to voicemail. Bertha grew worried, tears welling up in her eyes. She knew Frankie was hit hard, but where could he be? He was noting home and answering the phone. Bertha feared for the worst, hoping nothing else had gone wrong. Meanwhile, Joseph dropped Ashley off at Kingsley Vi, but he didn¡¯t get out of the car. There we go, mission aplished! Valentin entrusted me to bring you home safely. Now, my job¡¯s done. Enjoy your lovely might Ashley¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Just go if you''re going to leave. Stop talking.¡± Joseph raised his hands in surrender Alright, alright, no more talk. Ashley, say hi to Valentin for me Oh, wait, you don¡¯t have to. He ising out to take you.¡± Chapter 145 Ashley turned around to see Valentining out from the living room. The warm light from the living room highlighted his figure from behind, casting his tall figure. ¡°Wow, looks like your husband came out just for you. | guess that¡¯s my cue to leave!¡± Joseph chuckled, quickly driving off in his pink sports car. Ashley was speechless. Joseph sure had a way with words.. Turning back. Ashley saw Valentin standing on the steps in front of the living room, his legs long in his suit pants, exuding a mix of restraint and allure. As she approached, she heard his deep, casual voice. ¡°Why haven''t you gotten the signature from Attelia for me yet?¡± Ashley was speechless again. So, Valentin knew she was Attelia when he asked for the autograph. He was messing around with her. Valentin raised an eyebrow. ¡°How many days do you owe me now? Huh?¡± Puffing her cheeks, Ashley huffed and climbed the stairs. ¡°What''s the rush? I''ll give you soon.¡± Reaching the top step, Ashley suddenly tripped over something, her body tilting forward uncontrobly. Valentin¡¯s eyes darkened, and he quickly caught her. Ashley fell into his arms, her forehead bumping against his chest, her nose feeling sore. Tears almost spilled from Ashley¡¯s eyes as she rubbed her nose and muttered softly. ¡°What did | trip over just now...¡± While she was muttering, Ashley¡¯s gaze suddenly froze, her eyshes fluttering Valentin followed her gaze and saw a faint red lipstick mark on his white shirt. Seeing this, Valentin raised his eyebrow and humaned, realizing it was a lipstick mark She had just returned from the dinner party and hadn''t wiped off her lipstick, so it must been smudged when she fell. Ashley¡¯s cheeks burned hot, and she didn¡¯t even bother to rub her nose, hastily wiping it off. ¡°Let me get that for you!¡± Valentin, however, stepped back. His Adam¡¯s apple moved slightly as he chuckled flirtatiously, ¡°Let¡¯s consider it a signature from Attelia.¡± Ashley was puzzled. He raised an eyebrow. ¡°A signature that¡¯s exclusively mine. What do you think?¡± Ashley was at a loss for words. Valentin leaned in, his breath warm and allure by her ear. His voice was husky and teasing as he said slowly, ¡°I really like this signature.¡± Ashley felt her whole body go weak, her heart suddenly tightening. Gazing at his strikingly handsome face, Ashley swallowed hard, then she smiled somewhat mischievously, ¡°Do you want another exclusive. signature?¡± Valentin slowly straightened up. ¡°What is it?¡± Ashley suddenly pinched the flesh on his arm, giving it a gentle twist. His skin immediately reddened. ¡°See, this is your very own exclusive signature!¡± Ashley smiled slyly, like a little fox that had just gotten away with mischief. Valentin raised his eyebrows, looking at the red mark on his arm. He called her by her full name in resign, ¡°Ashley Ramos, are you trying to murder your beloved husband?¡± Ashley was speechless. She reached out and twisted his arm again. ¡°Shut up!¡± Valentin chuckled, not moving away of crying out in pain, his eyes filled with fondness: The next afternoon, Ashley went to Royal Entertainment. She discussed some work-rted matters with Laura. After leaving thepany, Ashley encountered a man sitting in a wheelchair at the main entrance. He had handsome features, but unfortunately, he was sitting in a wheelchair, seemingly having a condition with his legs. Next to his wheelchairy a bottle of mineral water, which had fallen to the ground. Seeing his difficulty, Ashley kindly picked up the water bottle for him. ¡°Here you go.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Lester took it, his eyes fixed on Ashley¡¯s face. ¡®It seems even more alike in person, he thought. He realized that Ashley didn¡¯t just look a bit like his mother. Lester was overwhelmed with emotion, unable to express his excitement. He had rushed overnight to Zyrrinthia and without rest upon arrival. And now, seeing Ashley in person, Lester felt a sense of familiarity. He couldn''t help but wonder if Ashley was his sister, who had lost since she was a child. The quickest and most urate way to know would be a DNA test. Chapter 146 After helping to pick up the water bottle, Ashley was about to leave. ¡°Sorry, please wait a moment!¡± Lester called out to her, his tone tinged with urgency. Ashley paused, looking at Lester curiously. The rain had poured all night, and it was only in the afternoon that the sun had emerged. Her eyes looked even more bright and clear under the sunshine. Asense of warmth and familiarity bubbled up in Lester¡¯s heart as he looked at Ashley. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Lester Pliskin.¡± Lester looked at Ashley from his wheelchair, introducing himself. Ashley nodded. ¡°Hello.¡± Lester smiled, his face stunning. Ashley couldn''t help but feel a pang of sympathy. Lester was so handsome, yet he was disabled and needed to use a wheelchair. He is so strong despite being disabled. What a shame, she thought. Lester didn¡¯t know he had formed this kind of image in Ashley¡¯s mind. He wheeled closer to her. ¡°Actually, | came here specifically to see you.¡± ¡°Specifically?¡± Ashley asked. Lester began to exin, his voice clear and pleasant, ¡°I saw the news yesterday and learned that you''re Attelia, the lead designer for Glory Youvelle Frankly, my mother is a huge fan of your work. She¡¯s a supreme amber of Glory Youveile, and she really likes the gowns you design Ashley jendered for a moment The supreme menders of Glory Youngile were very rate, limited to just ten globallyN?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Bring wealthy wasnt cough to be a supreme member of Glory Yauvele Chur had to possess status and thence Being a supreme member meant having a global ranking in status and influence. The Pliskin... Ashley¡¯s eyes widened slightly, remembering. Among the supreme members of Glory Youveile, there was one particrly distinguished and elegant customer, known as Mrs. Pliskin. ¡®Is she the mother of this Lester?¡¯ she wondered. So, this Lester came from the Pliskin family, an ancient and prestigious family that had lived for centuries and was regarded as one of the top four elite conglomerates. The Pliskin family¡¯s current influence was primarily centered in Takydo. Their wealth and power were so enormous that many countries¡¯ governments were backed by their support. Ashley sized up Lester, sitting in the wheelchair, and felt weird. She hadn''t heard of any Pliskins needing a wheelchair, Ashley couldn¡¯t help but wonder if he was an imposter. Lester noticed Ashley''s wariness but felt reassured by it. Ashley wast indeed smart, not naively trusting strangers. He pulled out a unique material membership card and showed it to Ashley. ¡°This is my mother¡¯s membership card from Glory Youveile.¡± Ashley couldn¡¯t be more familiar with the Glory Youveile membership. cards. She had designed them herself, after all. There were only ten cards. in the world. Even if someone tried to replicate them, it would be impossible due to the card¡¯s unique material. In sunlight, it shimmered with a faint purple hue, and the texture could be clearly felt upon touch. With just one look, Ashley knew the card in Lester¡¯s hand was truly a Glory Youveile membership card. Lester continued, ¡°My mother has always wanted to meet the chief designer of Glory Youveile, but you never came to public, so she never got the chance.¡± Ashley smiled politely, ¡°Perhaps we''ll meet in one day.¡± Lester stared at Ashley''s face and couldn''t help but ask, ¡°I know you¡¯re a celebrity with many fans, and I''ve seen some of your personal information online. Is the age listed there true?¡± Ashley raised her eyebrow. ¡°You''re curious about my age?¡± This was the first time someone had asked her that. Lester smiled, ¡°Sorry, it might be a bit offensive to ask ady her age.¡± Ashley waved her hand, not minding this problem, her voice clear. ¡°The age on my profile is real. There¡¯s no fabrication.¡± After all, age wasn¡¯t something that needed to be kept secret. Although she had been abandoned as a child and grew up in an orphanage, she knew her exact age because of an emerald ne she had engraved with her birth date. Lester¡¯s fingers tightened abruptly on the armrest of his wheelchair as he heard Ashley''s response. It matched. The age was about the same. Ashley was the same age as his long-lost sister. Lester felt his heart skip a beat, his eyes red as he had stayed up all night. ¡°Last night, | read a lot about you online. Have you severed ties with the Ramos family? Did they treat you poorly?¡± This wasn¡¯t a secret, and Ashley nodded nonchntly. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve cut ties with them.¡± Lester narrowed his eyes coldly. Even though he hadn''t confirmed that Ashley was his biological sister, seeing how the Ramos family had treated her, a fierce and angry emotion rose within him. ¡°The Ramos, those scum bags, how could they bully her... Lester closed his eyes, struggling to suppress the anger, his voice trembling. ¡°My sister also went missing when she wils Her nickname is Ellis, and we haven''t found her to this day...¡± Ashley was a bit stunned, realizing that the Pliskin family had also experienced such a tragedy. Her nickname is Ellis... Awave of bitter sadness welled up in Ashley, her eyshes quivering. She also had been lost as a child, but fortunately, she was adopted by her grandparents and raised healthily. Later, she found her biological family and returned to the Ramos family, only to realize that no matter how much she tried to please them, they never liked her. Such a family might be worse than having none at all. After hesitating for a few seconds, Ashley couldn¡¯t help butfort Lester softly. ¡°You''ll find your sister eventually. Maybe she¡¯s also hoping to reunite with your family soon.¡± Lester looked at her, his gaze holding a deeper meaning. ¡°You''re right. Maybe we''ll find her soon.¡± While chatting, a stray dog suddenly ran over, sniffing around Lester¡¯s wheelchair. Lester tried to roll his wheelchair away, but the gravel path made it difficult. Today was the first time Ashley had met Lester, yet she felt she was getting along with him quite well, as though she had known him for a long time as if there was some kind of bond between them. Ashley guessed it might be because she found Lester¡¯s appearance. appealing. She kindly moved behind Lester¡¯s wheelchair to push it. ¡°No need. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Lester didn¡¯t want to bother her pushing his wheelchair for such a trivial task, so he quickly stood up. Ashley was baffled. ¡®What is going on here?¡± She watched as someone who had been in a wheelchair suddenly stood up and effortlessly pushed it aside. Blinking in surprise, Ashley asked, ¡°You''re not disabled?¡± Chapter 147 Lester smiled and chuckled, ¡°I¡¯m used to sitting in a wheelchair for at month. | will feel ufortable if | don¡¯t sit in it.¡± Ashley didn¡¯t respond. She suddenly thought Lester was not very reliable. At this moment, a man who looked like a butler came over with a few sturdy bodyguards in ck. The butler walked to Lester and greeted him in a low voice. ¡°Mr. Pliskin.¡± Lester nodded slightly. Ashley nced at the few bodyguards in ck uniforms, which were printed with the Pliskin family¡¯s crest. nervous Lester looked at Ashley, feeling unprecedentedly He asked anxiously, ¡°Ms. Ramos, can I...call your name?¡± Ashley nodded casually. ¡°Of course.¡± Everyone who knew her called her that. Lester felt ecstatic and continued, ¡°Ashley, can we leave each other''s. phone numbers?¡± Ashley was about to nod and say yes. But she nced at Lester¡¯s healthy legs and thought, ¡®He is notme but sits in a wheelchair. Is he reliable?¡± Lester saw the hesitation and doubt in her eyes and regretted why he had.e there in a wheelchair. He suddenly thought of Jaden and said immediately. ¡°Jaden founded the Glory Youveile with you and is a founder of it. So you are good friends, right?¡± Ashley squinted slightly. Lester hurriedly exined, ¡°I know Jaden. You can ask him if you don¡¯t believe what | said. Although I¡¯m not familiar with him, you and | are still considered acquainted. Could | have your phone number?¡± Ashley thought for a moment and finally nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± 10:14 Ashley gave Lester her contact information and left. After walking a few steps, she took her mobile phone and sent a message to Jaden: [Got up yet?] Jaden replied instantly: [Of course. Look at the time. It¡¯s already afternoon. I¡¯m not a pig who sleeps in, okay?] Ashley was not even bothering to talk nonsense and sent: [Do you know Lester Pliskin?] Jaden replied: [Yeah, but I¡¯m not familiar with him. I¡¯ve met him a few times asionally.] Ashley read Jaden¡¯s reply and tapped on the side of the phone a few times with her fingertip. As Lester said, he knew Jaden. Jaden was a descendant of a noble family, and his family was one of the top ten ancient aristocratic families in Takydo. The Pliskin family''s sphere of influence was also in Takydo, so it made sense that the two of them knew each other. Jaden asked in confusion and sent: [Why do you suddenly mention Lester?] Ashley thought for a while and sent: [Do you have any photos of Lester?] Jaden replied: [Yes. Although he rarely appeared online, | have a photo of him.] Ashley sent: [Send it to me.] Jaden quickly sent the photo. Ashley looked at Lester¡¯s appearance in the photo. He had delicate and handsome features and was the man she had just met. More importantly, Lester in the photo was not in a wheelchair, and his legs were healthy. Jaden was confused. He sent: (Why did you suddenly ask about Lester?] Ashley didn¡¯t hide anything. She replied: | just met him at the entrance of Royal Entertainment] Jaden sent: (Lester came to Zyrrinthia?] Ashley replied: [Yeah.] Jaden sent: [Why? The Pliskin family¡¯s business basically does not involve Zyrrinthia.] Ashley replied: [I don¡¯t know either. Jaden sent: [By the way, after your identity as the chief designer of Youveile had been exposed, the customers who like the dresses you designed wanted to meet you, including thedies from some countries. and the princess of the Yavelyn royal family. Do you want to meet them?] Ashley replied: [No. | have no time.] Jaden shook his head regrettably. She didn¡¯t even want to see the princess. of the Yavelyn royal family. He sent: [Okay, | will decline their invitations for you.] After contacting Jaden, Ashley put her phone into her bag and walked a few steps. Suddenly, she felt something was wrong and sensed someone. was following her. She frowned slightly, pretending not to notice, and walked forward calmly. After walking a dozen steps away, Ashley turned around suddenly and saw a sneaky person. That person saw her turning back, trying to hide to the side, but there was no hiding ce nearby, so he could only turn his back to her. Ashley sneered and walked over. Sc walked around to the man. man seemed ashamed and didn¡¯t want to be seen by her. He covered This face and turned to face away from her. Aste frowned and walked around to the man again. Wieztie maantied to avoid her again. Ashley suddenly recognized him, uddenly turned cold. ¡°Frankie.¡±This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Being: reomized, Frankie stopped suddenly and stood there without dizing 10 now. Ashleyndinooca boda recognize him. Frankie find thangaidotpared to usual. He still wore the clothes from yesterday''s Design Exchange Competition. dinner. It seemed that he had been caught in the rain last night se the wet clothes were dried by the sun, and there were yellowis them. Frankie''s hair was messed up by wind and rain. After a night, he had a stubble on his chin. At this moment, he didn¡¯t look like the president of the Ramos Group, who had always been noble and elegant. Seeing Frankie in such a deste state, Ashley¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change at all. She did not even bother to nce at him for one more second, so she turned around and was about to leave. Frankie reached out and stopped her. Ashley looked at him with cold eyes. Frankie didn¡¯t sleep all night. After being rained all night and blown by the wind in the morning, he now had a high fever. His eyes were bloodshot. He had not returned to Ramos Vist night when the dinner had. ended, but he had just walked around in the rain all night, and his legs were swollen and numb. Frankie didn¡¯t want to return to Ramos Vi, and neither knew where to ¡®b He didn¡¯t want to answer the phone calls from the Ramos family, so he simply turned off his phone. Unknowingly, he had already walked to the entrance of Royal Entertainment in the rain. Frankie had been standing there without drinking water since this morning. At noon, he finally saw Ashley. Like a sneaky thief, he secretly saw Ashley walking into thepany,ing out, and talking to a man in a wheelchair. Then, unconsciously, he quietly followed her. After following her just a few steps, Ashley spotted him. Seeing Ashley''s indifferent eyes, Frankie wanted to speak but didn¡¯t know Chapter 147 what to say. His voice was hoarse due to a high fever. ¡°I...¡± Ashley didn¡¯t have the patience to listen to his nonsense. ¡°Get out of the way.¡± Her voice was chill. Frankie had a high fever, but he felt somewhat cold. What Ashley said. struck him like an ice cube in his throat, gradually melting and flowing into his heart. That feeling made him almost shed tears. Ashley ignored him and left. After walking a few steps, she suddenly heard a bang behind, like the sound of someone falling. She paused slightly and continued walking forward without looking back. Frankiey on the ground, looking at her decisive figure. He trembled with convulsions and struggled to get up from the ground... Within a few days, Ashley heard that Frankie was missing and could not be found. Chapter 148 Chapter 148 Ashley knew that Frankie was missing because someone from the Ramos family hade to her. That day, Laura arranged an outdoor variety show for Ashley. When Ashley left the set after recording it, she saw Charlie and Ryan. Charlie was a cultural relic restorer with a rtively indifferent and quiet. personality. He rarely appeared in public. The first time Laura saw Charlie, and did not recognize him. Ryan was a racing driver. People who were not interested in racing would. naturally not know him. They didn¡¯t look like fans and came to Ashley, so Laura asked routinely in a cold tone, ¡°May | ask what you want?¡± Ryan wore a ck jacket. He responded with a cold face, looking a bit. ferocious, ¡°I am Ashley''s fourth brother, and | have something to do with her. Upon hearing this, Laura immediately became vignt. Ashley held her shoulder, motioning her not to worry. Laura lowered her gaze and thought for a while. She knew that Ashley had her own n, so she left, leaving them room to talk. But Laura didn¡¯t walk far away. If anything happened, she could go over in time to help Ashley. Some staff members cleaned up the props on the set. When they saw what was happening at Ashley''s side, they looked over curiously but didn¡¯t approach to gossip. Ashley looked at Charlie and Ryan. Her eyes were even colder than when. she faced strangers. Ryan immediately asked, ¡°Ashley, are you hiding Frankie?¡± Ashley thought it was ridiculous. ¡°Are you sure you want to ask such a stupid question?¡± Ryan was furious. He suppressed his anger and shouted, ¡°Don¡¯t say you don¡¯t know, Frankie hasn¡¯t been back to Ramos Vi since that dinner. We called him, but his phone was off. We couldn''t find him! ¡°He has been missing for five days now. We called the police but have found him yet. Dare you to deny that his disappearance has nothing t do with you?¡± eues were Ashley¡¯s cold. ¡°Of course, it has nothing to do with me. | don¡¯t care whether Frankie disappears or returns to Ramos Vi.¡± Ryan clenched his jaw in anger, making his angr face be more. and more fierce. He roared, ¡°Ashley! Frankie knew you were Attelia, and then he had a mental stimulus. He didn¡¯t go home or answer our calls. It has been five days now. No one knows if he is missing or in an ident, alive or dead. As his biological sister, you don¡¯t care at all. You are really inhuman!¡± Ashley couldn''t help but smile, but the smile looked sad and ironic. ¡°When | used to care about you, you didn¡¯t want it. Now that | don¡¯t care, youe to use me. What kind of logic is this?¡± Ryan lost his tongue, knowing that he was being unreasonable, and his eyes became even more fierce. He yelled at Ashley, ¡°I¡¯m your brother. Can¡¯t | use you? Ashley, it¡¯s all because of you that the Ramos family is in this situation! ¡°Do you know that Jessica has been scolded and didn¡¯t even dare to go out? Mom was in tears all day long. She fainted yesterday and is still in the hospital. Frankie is missing and cannot be found. We don¡¯t even know whether he is dead or alive. Jeremy and Matthew didn¡¯t even go home all day long! ¡°The Ramos family is in such a miserable situation now because of you. It¡¯s all your fault. You caused the family to be like this!¡± Ashley¡¯s gaze sharpened, and her voice was cold. ¡°This is who you really are. You never reflect on yourselves. ¡°Ryan, the Ramos family deserve the current situation.¡± Ryan¡¯s expression turned even worse when he heard this. He was about to continue yelling at Ashley when Charlie, who had been silent next to him, suddenly said, ¡°Enough, Ryan. We are here to inquire about the whereabouts of Frankie.¡± Unlike the fierce Ryan, Charlie was gentle and said calmly. ¡°Ashley, we are worried about the disappearance of Frankie. If you know his Chapter 148 whereabouts, we hope you can tell us. Ashley looked at her so-called second brother, who was refined, calm, and restrained. In the past two years since she had returned to the Ramos family, Charlie witnessed her being bullied by other members of the Ramos family, but he never intervened. Maybe it had nothing to do with him, or he was condoning it. Now that he knew about Frankie¡¯s disappearance, he actually showed his anxious side. Charlie looked at Ashley calmly. ¡°From what | know of Frankie, he should want to see you now and say something to you. If hees to see you one day, | hope you can tell him and let him go home. Our mom is very worried about him.¡± Ashley didn¡¯t respond but turned to walk towards Laura. Laura saw hering and asked, ¡°Is the talking over?¡± Ashley nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± Laura said, ¡°Well, let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ashley left with Laura. At the Kingsley Group, Valentin had just finished a high-level meeting and returned to the office to sit down when Joseph called. He sat on the office chair, leaned back slightly, and loosened his tie, Then, he picked up the phone with the other hand and answered the call. ¡°Valentin, have you heard that?¡± Joseph said excitedly, ¡°Frankie seems to have disappeared. Is he hiding somewhere, or did something unexpected. happen to him?¡± Looking exhausted, Valentin rubbed his temples and was not interested. in that. Joseph didn¡¯t receive a response but could still speak with great interest. ¡°By the way, what is Frankie doing? Isn¡¯t he trying to use the trick of torturing himself to arouse Ashley¡¯s pity?¡± Joseph suddenly felt that his guess was reasonable.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Chapter 148 That trick was all-purpose and usually very effective. What if Ashley became soft-hearted? Joseph expressed his guess but didn¡¯t receive any response. He felt a little depressed. ¡°Valentin, what are you doing? Why are you turning a deaf ear to me? Am | still your adorable cousin? Do you think | am noisy?¡± Valentin casually nced at the phone screen andzily said, ¡°I¡¯m going to hang up.¡± Then, Joseph heard beeps. He thought, ¡®How could you hang up so decisively? Do you dare to hang up if it is a call from Ashley?¡± Joseph dialed again. As a result, the call rang for a long time and was not answered until it was about to be ended automatically. Joseph grumbled, ¡°Valentin, why did you coldly hang up on me? Do you know how much it hurts my heart? Do you even realize...¡± Before Joseph had finished speaking, the phone was hung up again. Joseph called again. However, this time, Valentin didn¡¯t answer it. Being ignored, Joseph typed on the screen and texted: [Valentin, answer my call. | have something important to discuss. It¡¯s about Ashley.] After sending the text message, Joseph called Valentin. This time, Valentin answered it immediately. Joseph wondered, ¡®Sure enough, Valentin is really concerned about Ashley He suddenly felt even sadder, but when he thought about the gossip he would share with Valentin, he smiled evilly and said, ¡°I heard that someone with an unusual identity pursued Ashley. Have you figured out who it is? Chapter 149 Chapter 149 Valentin said casually, ¡°Are you curious?¡± Joseph chuckled, Tm gossiping... I¡¯m concerned about your rtionship. | am very experienced in love and can teach you how to deal with your love rival.¡± Valentin raised an eyebrow and didn¡¯t reply. Joseph asked gossipily, ¡°So, have you figured out that person?¡± There was a hint of indifference in Valentin¡¯s deep-set eyes. He looked at the information he had investigated at hand. There was a photo on it. The photo only captured the man¡¯s side face in the darkness. In the picture, the man slightly lowered his head and lit a cigarette with a lighter. The firelight illuminated the man¡¯s side face, and it could be seen that the man had a pair of beautiful eyes, but his eyes were cold, revealing gloomy paranoia.This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. The man¡¯s surname was Banks, and he did have an intersection with Ashley... After Ashley and Laura separated, she received a call from Miranda. They hadn''t seen each other for a while, so they made an appointment to have lunch together today. She went to the appointed restaurant and booked a private room. Miranda entered the private room, opened her arms, and hugged Ashley, smiling with two cute dimples on the corner of her lips. ¡°Long time no see, Ashley!¡± Ashley also missed her so much. ¡°Yeah, we haven''t seen each other for a long time. Take a seat.¡± The two sat down at the dining table. Miranda¡¯s eyes shed with surprise. ¡°I read the news a few days ago. It turns out that you are the famous designer Attelia, Ashley, you are amazing. The clothes you designed are so beautiful!¡± Ashley was slightly surprised. ¡°Have you seen all?¡± 13 Chapter 149 Miranda nodded. ¡°Of course. | like Glory Youveile¡¯s clothes very much and watch every new season¡¯s clothes. And | bought two of them.¡± She said as she took out her mobile phone. There were several pictures in the album that she was in Glory Youveile¡¯s dresses. ¡°Look, | bought these two.¡± Ashley looked at the screen and smiled softly, ¡°They suit you very well and look good on you.¡± Miranda blushed. ¡°Really? | was worried | couldn¡¯t pull off these beautiful dresses.¡± Ashley nodded. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s true.¡± Miranda grabbed Ashley¡¯s hand excitedly. ¡°The designer said so, and I''ll be relieved.¡± ¡°Glory Youveile¡¯s clothes are beautiful. | like a dress set very much but can¡¯t buy it, so | can only put the pictures on my phone and look at them. daily. Every time | thought the person who designed these clothes was a good friend of mine, | felt so honored. It was almost like a dream.¡± Ashley was amused by her and couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Which set? I''ll give it to you.¡± Miranda waved her hands repeatedly upon hearing this. ¡°No, thanks. It¡¯s not appropriate.¡± She couldn''t buy it because the dress was too expensive. It would be too embarrassing if Ashley gave it to her for free. Ashley raised an eyebrow slightly, with a charming smile in her beautiful eyes. ¡°It''s just a piece of clothing. What''s appropriation with giving it to a friend? Tell me which one you like, and I''ll ask someone to deliver it to your home.¡± Miranda¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She thought, ¡®Is this what it feels like to be loved? What kind of amazing friend she is?¡± After dinner, Ashley and Miranda chatted for a while before they separated. Then, Ashley came to Jaden. Entering the vi, Ashley sat on the sofa and nced at Jaden, who had 10:11 just gotten out of bed with messy hair. She said speechlessly, ¡°Are you just getting up?¡± Jaden scratched his hair randomly, and there was a hint of sleepiness that had not yet dissipated in his blue eyes. ¡°Dear, | just took a nap.¡± Ashley rolled her eyes at Jaden. ¡°Well.¡± Jaden went to wash a te of cherries, put it on the coffee table in front of Ashley, and asked casually, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Ashley said, ¡°No big deal. | just want to ask you when you n to return to Takydo.¡± ¡°Huh, you are driving me away?¡± Jaden pressed his temples and said, ¡°Let¡¯s talk about itter. I¡¯m not in a hurry anyway. By the way, you met Lester before?¡± Ashley ate the cherry and nodded. Jaden thought for a while and sat on the sofa beside Ashley. ¡°This matter is not that simple. How could Lester meet you identally? He must be here for you.¡± Ashley nodded. ¡°I knew. He also said he knew | was Attelia, so he visited me specifically.¡± Jaden touched his chin, still feeling that it was not that simple. He was lost in thought for a while. Jaden watched Ashley eating cherries, which made him want to eat them. too. He pinched one from the fruit te and said casually, ¡°Lester is not a man to be trifled with.¡± Ashley was surprised. ¡°Is it?¡± Jaden nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡± Ashley picked up the wet tissue on the side and wiped her fingers. ¡°I think Lester is quite easy to get along with. When | met him, he was sitting in at wheelchair. Except for pretending to beme, he seemed to be very talkative, polite, and refined. He doesn¡¯t seem like someone who''s not to be trifled with.¡± Jaden raised an eyebrow in surprise. ¡°He performed so well in front of you?¡± 28 10-111 Ashley frowned, ¡°What do you mean?¡± Jaden chuckled, ¡°Lester did very gently in front of you. | heard that he is ruthless. He could smile at his opponent one second and kill him the next.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s it.¡± Ashley didn¡¯t care. She leaned back on the sofa. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. | probably won¡¯t see him very often in the future.¡± Jaden looked at her. ¡°But | think Lester is here for you.¡± Ashley said nothing. At the hotel where Lester stayed, the butler put a pile of documents in front of Lester. ¡°Mr. Pliskin, this is the information we investigated about Ms. Ramos. However, we only found part of it. Some of it seems to have been deliberately hidden.¡± ¡°Deliberately hidden?¡± Lester¡¯s face was solemn. The butler answered respectfully, ¡°Yes, so some information has not been found yet.¡± Lester squinted, turned to the first page, and read the information line by line. Ashley had returned to the Ramos family two years ago and had been abused and bullied by them. This year, she had publicly cut all ties with her family. She had repeatedly rejected Megan, a famous dancer, to be her student. She was the talentedposer, Ash, the senior of Eddy, the harp master. In addition, she was the founder and chief designer of Glory Youveile... These were all pieces of information that could be easily found. Lester turned to the next page and frowned when he saw the content on Chapter 150 Lester frowned as he read the first line of information: [Ashley Ramos is married. Her husband is Valentin Kingsley.] He was stunned. Lester thought, ¡®Ashley married Valentin?¡± Valentin was well-known, and Lester naturally knew him. After all, the Kingsley family had power worldwide, and the Pliskin family hade into contact with the Kingsley family. Even if Ashley¡¯s husband was such a powerful man like Valentin, Lester still thought Valentin didn¡¯t deserve her. Lester thought his excellent sister had been deceived by a bastard. He alleviated his strange mood and continued to read. Lester frowned again when he saw the second piece of information: [Ashley has a close rtionship with the Racing Legend ¡°Ava¡±. There is evidence that Ashley may be ¡°Ava¡±, but it has not been identified yet.] Lester was interested in racing, so he knew Ava. Ava had won the championships in the world¡¯s top racingpetitions three times, achieving the three sessive championships. His results. had broken the best record in the past, and racing enthusiasts affectionately call him the Racing Legend. Although Ava had his face covered every time he participated in racingpetitions and was very mysterious, it could be seen that he was a male. Lester thought, ¡°Could Ashley be Ava?¡± He stared at the document thoughtfully and remained silent for a few seconds before continuing to read the information below. This item was Ashley¡¯s specific date of birth. The birth year was the same as that of Lester¡¯s lost sister, but the specific date of birth was different. Lester didn¡¯t think about it too much. Ashley grew up in an orphanage. Maybe she misremembered her birthday. 10 He continued to read. This information was: [Before Ashley was taken back to Ramos Vi, Evan had taken a paternity test three times. The three results showed that Evan was her biological father.] Lester narrowed his eyes and read this item carefully again. Ashley had taken the paternity test with the Ramos family three times. Each identification result showed that Ashley had a blood rtion with the Ramos family and was Evan¡¯s biological daughter... Lester furrowed his eyebrows tightly. He thought, ¡®Did | get the wrong person again this time? Isn¡¯t Ashley my sister, who has been lost since childhood?¡¯ Lester stared at the information in his hand with a cold expression and said nothing. The butler on the side asked tentatively, ¡°Mr. Pliskin, it...¡± He sighed. The three paternity test results showed that Ashley was Evan¡¯s biological daughter. It seemed she was not the daughter the Pliskin family had been looking. for. Lester came with full hopes this time and would return with disappointment. Lester remained silent. The spacious room was quiet. He couldn''t help but recall the scene when he met Ashley. Ashley¡¯s facial features were very simr to his mother¡¯s... When he saw Ashley, he felt inexplicably warm in his heart... Lester closed his eyes and suddenly clenched the document in his hand. When he opened his eyes again, there was a trace of firmness in them. He didn¡¯t want to give up so arbitrarily He would find a way to do the paternity test for Ashley. If the results showed that Ashley had no blood rtion with the Pliskin. family by then, he would give up... 1014 Ashley returned to Kingsley Vi in the evening, but Valentin hadn¡¯t returned from thepany yet. She was alone, feeling bored. Joseph suddenly came. ¡°Good evening, Ashley!¡± Joseph greeted. Then, he ran to the study on the second floor and exined as he went upstairs, ¡°I¡¯m here to get something. I¡¯ve told Valentin.¡± Ashley nodded and let him go upstairs to get it. When Joseph came down, he held a small dark blue box in one hand and answered the phone with the other, saying, ¡°Do something. Get that silver Agera FE supercar for me, please!¡± Ashley heard what he said and raised an eyebrow in surprise. She thought, ¡®Doesn''t he like pink sports cars?¡± Joseph spoke a few more words to the person on the other end of the call and then hung up. He saw Ashley sitting on the sofa and rolled his eyes, preparing to act as a love counselor. ¡°Ashley, it¡¯s close to the time of getting off work. Why don¡¯t you call Valentin and ask when he will be back?¡± Ashley blinked and said, ¡°What''s there to ask? He wille back after getting off work.¡± Joseph was speechless. Ashley was not at all romantic. Joseph got a blow before after giving just one piece of advice. He did not know what to say next. Anyway, Ashley wouldn''t understand his meaning. Ashley waved to him. ¡°Come here.¡± ¡°What''s up?¡± Joseph said and unconsciously walked over. Ashley smiled brightly and said, ¡°Don¡¯t you like pink sports cars? | heard what you said. on the phone just now. Why do you want that silver Agera FE supercar?¡± Upon hearing this, Joseph happily sat next to Ashley. ¡°Ashley, you know Agera FE? It¡¯s a famous model of a racing car!¡± =e 10:111 Ashley nodded. ¡°Yeah. What¡¯s wrong?¡± Joseph seemed to have met a confidant. ¡°It¡¯s true that | like pink sports cars, but | also like the silver Agera FE. Ashley, do you know Ava, the Racing Legend?¡± Ashley blinked and coughed slightly. ¡°Hum.¡± Joseph looked admiring. ¡°The silver Agera FE used to be unpopr, and not many people liked it. It was discontinued three years ago, but the car became popr immediately since Ava drove it once. No matter how rich a person is, it is difficult to buy. | also wanted to buy it but never found one, so | asked a friend to see if he could get one from a car collector for me.¡± Ashley didn¡¯t speak. The excitement on Joseph¡¯s face gradually faded away as he spoke. He lowered his head, looking in low spirits. ¡°Unfortunately, although Ava is the Racing Legend, | heard that he died in a car ident.¡± Ashley was stunned. ¡°Ava is dead?¡± She thought, ¡®Who said | died in a car ident?!¡±This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Joseph''s eyes were full of regret. ¡°Since Ava announced his retirement two years ago, he has not participated in a racing competition in public. Some people said that they saw Ava get into a car ident and die in a pool of blood.¡± He sighed, ¡°A legendary racing driver died in a car ident. Oh, what a pity!¡± Ashley tried to subdue her anger. She cursed in her heart, ¡®Which bastard spread those rumors about me?¡± Joseph sighed heavily, ¡°Those race car drivers who idolize Ava even organized an online memorial ceremony for him on the forum. Will Aval know they¡¯re missing him?¡± Ashley was speechless. She wondered, ¡®Memorial ceremony? They are missing me?¡± Ashley looked calm, but anger was boiling up inside her. Chapter 151 After Joseph left, Ashley angrily opened the snack cab and ate three packs to rest her anger. She nced at the time and saw it was almost dinner, but Valentin hadn¡¯te back yet. Ashley couldn''t help but send him a message: [Are you busy?] Valentin replied instantly: [What''s up?] Ashley was lying on the sofa, raising her calves back and typing on hist phone. She replied: [It¡¯s okay. | just wanted to ask when you would be back.] Valentin seemed surprised for a moment. [Ashley, are you caring about me?] Ashley paused. She rolled her eyes and came up with an idea. She typed: [Yes. I¡¯m concerned about when my honey wille back for dinner. You must be tired after working until sote.] Then, she sent a massaging shoulders emoji. She sent: [Hurry up ande back for dinner. I¡¯m hungry.] Ashley sent three messages in a row, waiting for a reply, but the next second, Valentin called her. She was stunned for a second and hurriedly answered the call. Valentin¡¯s low, maic voice reached her ears through the speaker. ¡°Don¡¯t wait for me. You can eat first.¡± Ashley sat up from the sofa, picked up a pillow, and held it in her arms. ¡°It¡¯s boring to eat alone. | want to wait for you toe back and eat together.¡± After speaking, she suddenly realized that Valentin had already said that, so he probably hadn¡¯t finished his work yet. Ashley hurriedly said, ¡°Are you still busy? I''ll leave you to your affairs. Don¡¯t worry about me. I¡¯m just bored.¡± Valentin chuckled. The ending tone was soft and charming, making 09.06 Ashley¡¯s heart beat fast. ¡°I¡¯m not busy. I''ll go back right away.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Ashley patted the pillow in her arms. Her eyes were beautiful and bright. ¡°Then I''ll wait for you toe back and have dinner together.¡± In the conference room of the Kingsley Group, halfway through the meeting, the senior executives saw Valentin picking up his mobile phone to reply to a message. They guessed that something important needed to be responded to in time. Valentin paused the meeting and made a phone call. So they thought more and more that there must be a very important thing. Normally, Valentin had never paused a meeting midway. Since the meeting had been suspended, there must be something important. But the next second, those senior executives heard Valentin tell the person on the phone. ¡°Don¡¯t wait for me. You can eat first.¡± These people were stunned. Someone thought, ¡®It turns out that Mr. Kingsley¡¯s family is calling him: home for dinner. | thought it was such an important thing. However, the next second, what was even more shocking was that they heard Valentin say to the person on the other end of the call, ¡°I¡¯m not busy. I''ll go back right away.¡± The senior executives were shocked for a moment. Then, they couldn''t help but start gossiping. Someone who could use a text message to call Valentin back halfway through the group meeting had an extraordinary rtionship with him. Only Tom, Valentin¡¯s special assistant, knew everything well. The person on the other end of the call was none other than Ashley. The only one who could let Valentin do this was Ashley. Ashley didn¡¯t wait for a long time, and Valentin returned. She was surprised. ¡°You came back sost. He only used half the usual time to be home. Valentin removed his tie with a hint of joking in his eyes. ¡°What if |e backte and starve you? What¡¯s more...¡± He suddenly stopped. Ashley said curiously, ¡°Go ahead.¡± Valentin smiled, ¡°What''s more, it¡¯s rare for you to miss me so much.¡± Ashley exined, ¡°I want to have dinner with you, not miss you, okay?¡± Valentin raised an eyebrow and said, ¡°Oh, you¡¯re not missing me. Well, I''ll go back and continue working.¡± Ashley was stunned. Valentin turned to leave. Ashley¡¯s eyes twitched, and she reached out to hold him. ¡°Can you stop being unreasonable? Sit down and have dinner. Valentin almost thought he had heard wrongly. He narrowed his eyes, and his expression was a mix of amusement and something yful. ¡°What did you say, Ashley?¡± Ashley sighed helplessly and muttered, ¡°You were just being unreasonable... Ah!¡± When Ashley was speaking, Valentin suddenly reached out to scratch her waist. Ashley¡¯s waist was ticklish. Valentin grew up with her and knew where she was sensitive the most.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. So, he deliberately scratched her several times. Ashleyughed and twisted to dodge. ¡°Ah, stop. It¡¯s itching.¡± Valentin slowly retracted his hand. ¡°Are you afraid now?¡± Ashley patted her face, dispersing the smile, and asserted, ¡°Are you kidding? I¡¯m not some sensitive puppy!¡± But the next second, she saw Valentin reaching out again. Ashley turned to run. 09.47 After running only a few steps, Valentin hugged her from behind and locked her in his arms. His warm chest was pressed against her back, and his casual and maic voice sounded above her head. ¡°Why did you run away if you are not afraid of me?¡± Ashley retorted, ¡°I didn¡¯t run away. | just went to eat.¡± Valentin raised an eyebrow but said nothing with a calm and casual attitude. Exerting a little force with his fingertips, he gently pinched the flesh around her waist. Ashley froze instantly and felt an itch on her back, making her tremble slightly. She bit her rosy lips and gave in. ¡°Okay, okay. I¡¯m afraid of you. Let me go.¡± Valentin chuckled, and the sound was indescribably attractive. His Adam¡¯s apple rolled. He leaned close to her ear and made a sound. ¡°Woof. Ashley¡¯s eyes suddenly widened. It took her a few seconds to realize that Valentin was teasing her about. what she had just said, ¡°If I''m afraid of you, I¡¯m a puppy.¡± Ashley was angry. She started trying to break Valentin¡¯s arms arour her waist in anger. ¡°Let me go, and | promise not to hit you.¡± Valentin chuckled, put his arms around her waist, and rested his chi her head. Then, he pushed her affectionately towards the dining table He smiled and said in a maic voice, ¡°Aren¡¯t you hungry? Let¡¯s eat.¡± Ashley snorted and went to eat. After dinner, she took a bath angrily. Before going to bed, Ashley sat on the bed, staring unblinkingly at Valentin, who was answering the phone by the window. After he hung up, she beckoned him. ¡°Come here.¡± Valentin walked over calmly and stood beside the bed. Ashley patted the soft bed. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. Go to bed.¡± 475 09:07 Valentin raised an eyebrow, looked her up and down, and nodded. slightly. ¡°Okay.¡± As soon as Ashley saw Valentin lying down, she immediately turned over and straddled his waist. Then, she took out the birthday gifts Joseph had given Valentin from the bedside table, raised his hand above his head, and tied up with the rope. Ashley sat astride Valentin¡¯s waist, looked down at his tied hands, and pped with satisfaction. The next second, she found Valentin didn¡¯t panic at all. He even raised an eyebrow slightly with a faint expectation in his eyes. ¡°Oh, you like this posture.¡± Ashley was stunned. Chapter 152 Ashley¡¯s beautiful eyes widened in surprise. She looked at Valentin beneath her. ¡°I¡¯ve tied you up, and you''re still so unscrupulous?¡± Valentin didn¡¯t look like a tied-up person at all. His posture was leisurely andfortable, and he seemed to be looking forward to her next move. ¡°You tied me up and straddled my waist. What is next?¡± Ashley gritted her teeth angrily and decided to beat him at his own game, making him itch. She wanted to see his calm demeanor broken and then let him beg for mercy. But when Ashley scratched him, Valentin was just stunned for a moment and showed no further reaction, not even avoiding her. Ashley¡¯s tender cheeks bulged in frustration. Sure enough, Valentin had not been ticklish since childhood, as he was now. Hey beneath Ashley with his clothes disheveled, and his hands were raised above his head and tied up. His hair was a mess, looking like he had been bullied. It seemed that he wouldn¡¯t resist no matter what Ashley wanted. However, Valentin¡¯s eyes were calm, and he said casually with a teasing smile, ¡°Go ahead. Don¡¯t stop.¡± Ashley didn¡¯t know what to do for a while. She suddenly came up with an idea. She picked up the birthday gift box that Joseph had given before and rummaged through it. The pink handcuffs were useless. Valentin¡¯s wrists were already tied up with a rope. The small leather whip was useless. Ashley was not a sadist. She rummaged through the box but didn¡¯t find any suitable prop. Ashley put down the gift box disappointedly. Suddenly, she saw a cute pink bunny-eared headband. Her eyes lit up with a hint of mischief shing in them. Swiftly, she took 00:07 out the headband and put it on Valentin¡¯s head before he could react. Valentin was stunned. Ashley immediately took photos with her mobile phone to record his unusual appearance. After taking photos, she smiled and eximed, ¡°Wow, you are so cute in this pink bunny-eared headband!¡± Valentin squinted at Ashley. However, his look seemed increasingly. dangerous. He casually flipped his wrist, beginning to leisurely untie the Tope. Ashley admired the photos on her phone and nodded with satisfaction. ¡°Valentin is so cute. Should | print these photos...¡± As she talked about printing, she found that Valentin had already untied. the rope that bound his wrists. Ashley¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and she wanted to run away. Before she could run away, Valentin held her waist with one hand, pressed her back with the other, and suddenly pulled her into his arms. Ashley was caught off guard and fell on top of him. Then, she saw his dangerous and ambiguous smile. ¡°I can be cuter then. Do you want to see it?¡± Ashley had a strange feeling, thinking what he said was weird. She immediately shook her head. ¡°No.¡± Valentin coaxed her in a low voice, ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to see it?¡± Ashley actually wanted to see it and was particrly curious about what he meant. But she thought it was not something good for her. Ashley was still falling on top of Valentin, and their bodies clung to eachN?velDrama.Org ? 2024. other. Her heart skipped a beat. ¡°Yeah. | don¡¯t want to see it.¡± Valentin put his hands on her back and moved down her spine inch by inch. The warmth of his palms spread to her body through the thin 09:07) fabric of her pajama, and the atmosphere gradually became erogenous. That thrilling, tingling sensation washed over her body like a tidal wave. Ashley blinked and said softly. ¡°Let me get up first.¡± Valentin said casually, ¡°Call my honey¡± Ashley paused for a moment. Just as she was about to speak, her mobile. phone rang. The caller ID showed an unknown number. ¡°Who is calling mete at night?¡± Ashley wanted to get out of Valentin¡¯s arms, but he didn¡¯t let her go. She didn¡¯t bother struggling, so she just answered the phone in his arms. However, no one spoke after she answered it. Ashley thought the connection was terrible and asked suspiciously, ¡°Hello, who is this?¡± But there was still no one to speak. Ashley nced at the screen. They were still in the call, so she brought the phone back to her ear and asked, ¡°Hello?¡± The people on the other end of the call didn¡¯t speak, but Ashley could hear the faint breathing sound. Ashley thought, ¡®Is this a mischief?¡¯ She frowned and looked at Valentin confusedly. Valentin hooked a strand of her long hair around his fingers. When he saw Ashley looking at him, he took her phone and hung up. ¡°Who is that? A harassing call?¡± Ashley nced at the number and found. that she had never seen it before. Valentin still hooked her hair. It seemed that he liked her hair very much. He guessed and said, ¡°Maybe it''s Frankie.¡± When Ashley heard the name, her eyes turned cold. She didn¡¯t know if that call was from the missing Frankie. But she was not even bothering to call back, so she put down her phone 09:07 and ignored it. There was a charity dinner recently, and both Ashley and Bryce were invited to attend. Before the dinner started, Laura led them to the guest lounge prepared. by the organizer. Ashley and Bryce were rtively famous, so the organizer prepared a private lounge for them. Ashley saw the attendance list and knew that Miranda was also invited to attend the charity dinner, but Miranda had not arrived yet. She texted Miranda, asking her to go straight to this separate lounge when she arrived. Bryce had been a little busy recently and had hardly rested well. There were faint dark circles under his eyes. With a strand of silver hair hanging on his forehead, he looked as rebellious as ever. ¡°Ashley, | recently wanted to shoot an MV for my new song and invite you to y the female lead. Do you?¡± Ashley smiled, ¡°No.¡± Bryce felt embarrassed. ¡°Can you not refuse me so quickly?¡± Ashley said, ¡°No.¡± Laura shook her head helplessly. ¡°Bryce, it seems that you are no enoughtely. You are still in the mood to quarrel with Ashley.¡± Bryce snorted, rolled his eyes at Ashley fiercely, and sat on the sofa without saying a word. After more than ten minutes, Miranda finally came up, gulping for air. ¡°What''s wrong?¡± Ashley asked. Miranda patted her chest and said with lingering fear in her heart, ¡°Something happened to me on the road, and | almost had a car ident. Fortunately, the other party didn¡¯t care and didn¡¯t ask forpensation.¡± Ashleyforted her. ¡°It¡¯s great you are fine.¡± Miranda thought of the person she had almost smashed into his car and 475 09:07 smiled, ¡°Ashley, that man wears a ck jacket and is handsome with an angr face.¡± Ashley couldn''t help but chuckle, ¡°You are still in the mood to think about this.¡± Miranda¡¯s eyes were full of affection. ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m a nymphomaniac. The man gave me his contact information and asked me to call him if | found something wrong with the car. In fact, this car ident is not his fault.¡± Ashley raised an eyebrow knowingly. It seemed that the man was nice. He took responsibility proactively and left his contact information. Miranda suddenly pped excitedly. ¡°By the way, that man is also a racing driver.¡± When Laura heard this, her intuition told her she might know that man. He had angr features, wore a ck jacket, and was a racing driver. These characteristics were so much like Ryan¡¯s. Chapter 153 Chapter 153 Laura looked at Miranda and asked, ¡°What¡¯s his name? Did he tell you?¡± Miranda shook her head obediently. ¡°No. He seemed pretty nice, though. He knew | was a celebrity and didn¡¯t leak the news about my near car ident. He even helped me keep it secret.¡± Laura pondered for a moment and thought maybe she was overthinking. She doubted Miranda would coincidentally encounter Ryan... Lunand After Miranda finished talking about the car ident, she took Ashley¡¯s hand, worriedly saying, ¡°Ashley, when | wasing to the lounge earlier, | saw Jeremy and Matthew outside. | think they came specifically for you.¡± Miranda used to like Matthew a lot, enjoyed his songs, and even idolized. him. But after learning what the Ramos family had done to Ashley, Miranda decisively stopped being a fan and didn¡¯t like Matthew anymore. She would unconditionally stand with Ashley if she had to choose between the Ramos family and Ashley.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. When she heard Jeremy and Matthew''s names, Ashley¡¯s expression immediately became indifferent. ¡°Don¡¯t bother with them.¡± As soon as she finished speaking, there was a knock at the door. Bryce, who had been sitting silently on the couch, turned his head to look at the door. Laura went to open it. When she opened the door, she found Jeremy and Matthew standing there. ¡°Ashley...¡± Jeremy looked straight at Ashley, ignoring everyone else. ¡°Can youe out for a moment? | have something to hand over to you.¡± Bryce stood up from the couch and walked next to Ashley protectively, coldly eyeing Jeremy and Matthew. Miranda also showed no kindness towards Jeremy and Matthew. Ashley saw that Jeremy was indeed holding a box in his hands. After looking down and thinking for a moment, she decided staying there 14 09:07 wouldn''t solve anything and walked over. Then, they walked out of the lounge and into the corridor. Matthew stared at Ashley intently. He didn¡¯t want to miss her expression change. ¡°Ashley, how have you beentely? Are you okay?¡± Ashley ignored him, looking impatiently at the box in Jeremy¡¯s hands, signaling him to get to the point. Jeremy hurriedly said, ¡°Ashley, you must have heard. Frankie has been missing recently. | don¡¯t know if he had an ident or went somewhere... | haven''t been able to contact him either.¡± Ashley¡¯s expression remained calm and detached as if she was listening to something insignificant. Matthew continued, ¡°Before Frankie disappeared, he came to Jeremy and me. He left us something to pass on to you. Jeremy and | didn¡¯t know where you lived and couldn''t contact you, so we came here after hearing you were attending a charity dinner tonight.¡± Jeremy handed the box to Ashley, saying, ¡°This is what Frankie asked us to give you. Matthew and | haven''t opened it.¡± Ashley nced at the box but didn¡¯t even take it, not wanting to ept it. Knowing Ashley¡¯s disdain, Jeremy opened the box himself. ¡°Ashley, you should take a look first, then decide whether to take it or not.¡± When he moved the lid, they saw what was inside the box. Ashley¡¯s eyes widened when she saw what it was. Inside the box were two items. On the left was an emerald ne. Ashley recognized it instantly it was her emerald ne. She had been adrift since childhood and had an emerald ne with her birth date engraved. Ashley had carefully preserved this emerald ne since she was young. Unfortunately, two years ago, when she returned to the Ramos family, Jessica saw her emerald ne and curiously took it away to y with it. Ashley, wanting to fit in with the Ramos family, agreed for Jessica to y with it, only to be told the next day that Jessica had lost it. 09.07 Chapter 153 Ashley was really angry and anxious at that time, urging Jessica to search thoroughly for it, insisting that she must find it. When Frankie learned about this, instead of ming Jessica, he sternly reprimanded Ashley, saying that it was just an old emerald ne. It was not worth to ask them to find it for her. He even worried that Jessica. might have yed with it all night and dirtied her hands with the emerald ne. Since then, the emerald ne has been lost and never found. Now, Frankie had specially found it and asked Jeremy and Matthew to give it back to her. In addition to the emerald ne, there was also a broken diamond hairpin in the box, which had been glued back together from its shattered pieces. That was the first Christmas Eve Ashley spent with the Ramos family. Evan and Bertha had prepared luxurious and valuable gifts for Jessica. But for Ashley, the gift was an old diamond hairpin that Jessica was about. to throw away because she didn¡¯t like it anymore. Such a second-hand, used, and old gift was eventually crushed under Frankie''s foot. Now, Frankie had painstakingly glued it back together piece by piece. Ashley found it all quiteughable.. She couldn¡¯t understand why Frankie had kept the crushed hairpin all this time. But the act of gluing it back together seemed foolish and ridiculous to Ashley. Jeremy carefully asked, ¡°Ashley, this is what Frankie asked me to give you. Do you...want to take it?¡± Ashley only took back her emerald ne, feeling that even touching the diamond hairpin would dirty her hands. Matthew quickly added, ¡°Ashley, Frankie also had a message for us to convey to you.¡± Ashley didn¡¯t want to listen and was about to head back to the lounge. But just then, she saw Lester approaching. She was puzzled to see him there. In a ck shirt with long legs, Lester sheered, ¡°You should just give such persistent people a good beating.¡± It was clear he was referring to Jeremy and Matthew. Jeremy and Matthew immediately looked at Lester, realizing his hostility towards them. Ashley, not wanting to see Jeremy and Matthew anymore, signaled Lester and walked with him to the other end of the corridor. Only when Jeremy and Matthew were out of sight did Ashley stop and ask, ¡°Why are you here?¡± Lester smiled, saying ambiguously, ¡°| made a donation for charity, so | was invited to the charity dinner. It¡¯s quite a coincidence to meet you. here.¡± Ashley was speechless. Lester said it was a coincidence, but he obviously came specifically for Ashley. He wanted to personally find out if Ashley was indeed his sister, who had gone missing when they were children. As for how to do a DNA test, he thought that hair with follicles could be used for testing... With a thoughtful look, Lester eyed Ashley¡¯s long hair, thinking that instead of waiting for another day, he might as well take this opportunity to get some of her hair. Without making a sound, Lester moved a step closer to Ashley and reached his hand toward the hair on her back. Chapter 154 However, just as Lester was about to reach out to Ashley... Ashley quickly sensed his movement and stepped back, her eyes full of inquiry. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Lester was speechless, finding the situation extremely awkward. Worried that Ashley might misunderstand him as a womanizer, Lester quickly made an excuse. ¡°There¡¯s a bit of dirt on your shoulder. Maybe you rubbed against something. | was just trying to help you wipe it off.¡± ¡°No need, I''ll do it myself.¡± Ashley raised her hand and patted her shoulder. Lester, heartbroken, withdrew his hand, catching a glimpse of the emerald ne in Ashley''s hand. The emerald ne seemed to have Ashley¡¯s birthday engraved on it. Lester paused, his tone deep and meaningful when he asked, ¡°Ashley, have you ever thought that maybe you''re not really a Ramos?¡± Ashley was taken aback and looked down, hershes trembling. ¡°I¡¯ve thought about it.¡± Lester suddenly felt a glimmer of hope. Ashley smiled wryly, her voice never so downhearted, ¡°Unfortunately, Evan and | did a DNA test, which indicated a positive result for the parent-child rtionship.¡±Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. She did it three times, each time confirming they were biologically rted. Even though she loathed the Ramos family, ording to the test results, the Ramos family were her blood rtives. The Ramos family, which she despised the most, was where she belonged. Lester couldn¡¯t help but furrow his brow as he observed Ashley. At this moment, she appeared so deste and shattered. This stirred Lester''spassion and a desire to protect her. Just then, someone called Ashley¡¯s name from behind. ¡°Ashley. What are 09:07 you doing here?¡± Ashley turned around to see Joseph and Jaden. Ashley raised an eyebrow with interest. ¡°How did you two end up together?¡± Joseph immediately showed disgust, distancing himself from Jaden and running to Ashley. ¡°I just happened to meet Jaden outside. | didn¡¯t know he was also attending the charity dinner.¡± Jaden walked over with a teasing look, his features striking and eyes captivating. He chuckled while looking at Joseph, ¡°Well? | didn¡¯t expect to meet you either!¡± Joseph didn¡¯t want to speak with him any longer, ncing over at Lester somewhat indifferently. Lester didn¡¯t say anything. He just stood there with a hint of amusement in his demeanor. He knew Joseph was the brother of Ashley¡¯s fianc¨¦. Ashley turned to ask Jaden, ¡°What''s going on? Why are you at the charity dinner?¡± Jaden shrugged. ¡°I represented Glory Youveile and made arge donation, so | got invited.¡± Ashley was speechless. Jaden nced at Lester, sizing him up discreetly. ¡°Long time no see.¡± Lester smiled faintly, ¡°Long time? We just saw each otherst year, though you were quite beaten up then Jaden was speechless. Jaden knew they had metst year, but he didn¡¯t expect Lester to bring up the fact that he was beaten up. Jaden found Lester incredibly cunning. Ashley, seeing this, suddenly understood why Jaden had said no one wanted to mess with Lester. But she thought Lester seemed quite easygoing. Joseph slightly raised his eyebrows, finding Lester quite interesting. 09:07 He thought anyone who could tease Jaden was an interesting person. Joseph was enjoying the show when Lester suddenly looked over at him. Lester seemed to see right through him as if knowing he was enjoying the show. But Lester didn¡¯t expose him, smiling, ¡°Nice to meet you, Joe.¡± Joseph had never been so speechless. Joseph was so frustrated he almost scolded, cursing in his mind, ¡®How dare you call me Joe? | barely know you, okay!¡± Ashley watched in disbelief as Lester effortlessly dealt with them while chatting andughing. She cleared her throat and turned to Joseph, asking, ¡°You''re here for the charity dinner too?¡± Joseph, no longer paying attention to Lester, excitedly turned to Ashley and winked mysteriously with his left eye. ¡°Ashley, I¡¯ll let you in on a secret. There¡¯s a surprise waiting at the charity dinner tonight.¡± Ashley felt puzzled. ¡°What kind of surprise?¡± Joseph, teasing, replied, ¡°You''ll find out soon.¡± Ashley was speechless. Soon, the charity dinner began. The event was lively, attended not only by stars from the entertainment. industry but also by elite figures from the business world and somet high-society debutantes. Ashley spotted Kevin not too far away as she entered the banquet hall. She was surprised that he had also been invited to the charity dinner. Remembering Joseph¡¯s words about Kevin¡¯s feelings for her, Ashley rubbed her forehead, feeling a headacheing on. She decided to keep her distance from Kevin. Such charity dinners usually included a fundraising auction. Ashley took the seat arranged by the organizers. To her left were Joseph and Jaden, and to her right were Miranda and Bryce. Lester sat next to Jaden. On stage, the auctioneer spoke about charitable causes. 3/5 09:07 Chapter 151 Then, with excitement and honor, he announced. ¡°We''re honored to have a special mystery guest with us tonight¡± The crowd buzzed with curiosity at the mention of a special mystery guest. Everyone''s curiosity was instantly piqued. They wondered who it could 1. Beaming with excitement; the auctioneer said, ¡°We didn¡¯t expect our invitation to be epted, given his status and position. It''s seldom he attends such events. But, to our surprise, he epted. We''re truly honored.¡± The crowd exchanged looks of surprise. ording to the host, this mystery guest held a high status. Given the status of the people present celebrities, business moguls, and socialites how much more prestigious could this mystery guest be? They wondered if the auctioneer was exaggerating. Initially uninterested, Ashley now curiously looked towards the stage. She wondered who could excite the auctioneer so much. Joseph sat in his chair, smirking nonchntly, his demeanor carefree and rxed. Finally, the auctioneer dramatically announced. ¡°Please wee our distinguished mystery guest, Valentin, the president of the Kingsley Group.¡± The announcement was like a bolt from the blue. Some were so shocked that they stood up abruptly, while some choked. on their drinks in surprise. The crowd was astonished that it was Valentin... They realized the auctioneer wasn¡¯t exaggerating. The mystery guest¡¯s status was indeed significant. But as the auctioneer had said, someone like Valentin usually wouldn¡¯t attend such events. What made him decide toe to this charity. dinner? Was there a specific reason? When Ashley heard Valentin¡¯s name at that moment, her eyes widened in 09.071 surprise, filled with disbelief. She wondered if she had heard correctly. Valentin was attending the charity dinner as a mystery guest. But she couldn¡¯t help wondering why he hadn¡¯t mentioned his attendance to her. Chapter 155 Chapter 155 Ashley was stunned for a moment before realizing that this was the surprise Joseph had mentioned earlier, At that moment, everyone in the crowd, from movie stars to business tycoons and socialites, craned their necks, looking up at the stage. Valentin, dressed in a well-tailored ck suit, walked onto the stage. His white shirt was meticulously buttoned to the top, exuding a restrained yet. sensual vibe. His gaze casually swept over the crowd. His stunningly handsome face seemed indifferent and distant, radiating a noble and commanding demeanor that only a person of high status could have. When his eyesnded on a particr spot in the crowd, he suddenly paused and had a carefree smile. Ashley, sitting right there, suddenly realized Valentin was looking at her. Though they were just looking at each other across the crowd, Ashley''s heart raced. This secret eye contact strangely felt like a hidden flirtation, causing her ears to burn uncontrobly. Ashley quickly looked away, flustered. Once she calmed down, she heard the whole venue erupt into noise, especially the two girls behind her, who were clearly thrilled. ¡°Ah, Mr. Kingsley is so handsome!!!¡± ¡°Did he just look down here? And he smiled, right? Was he looking in our direction?¡± ¡°No way! He¡¯s so handsome. I''d love to have sex with him.¡± Ashley heard these crude remarks and nced at Valentin on stage. She thought he really had the power to attract attention wherever he went. Suddenly, Ashley¡¯s arm was grabbed by Miranda, who was sitting next to her. Miranda excitedly whispered, ¡°Ashley, do you think Mr. Kingsley has a 09.07 girlfriend? Someone saw him at an amusement park with a woman. wonder if that woman is Mr. Kingsley¡¯s girlfriend.¡± Ashley, who had been photographed at the amusement park with Valentin, was speechless. I Meanwhile, looking at Valentin on stage, Jaden raised an eyebrow, recognizing him as Ashley''s childhood fianc¨¦ Valentin. In terms of looks, Valentin and Ashley were a perfect match. As for Lester, his expression was somewhat cold. He thought this must be the man Ashley was supposed to marry. He felt a resurgence of annoyance at the thought of his sister being taken by Valentin. Valentin briefly spoke a few words about charity on stage before sitting down in the middle of the front row, respectfully guided by a staff member. Given his status, it was natural for him to sit there. Sitting in the second row, Ashley nced at Valentin not far away and quietly asked Joseph beside her, ¡°Howe Valentin is here? Why didn¡¯t he tell me in advance?¡± Joseph chuckled, ¡°I wanted to surprise you. How about it? Are you thrilled?¡± Ashley replied, ¡°It almost scared me to death, okay?¡± The next part of the event was the auction for donations. The attending celebrities donated personal items for auction, and the selling price was considered their personal donation. Miranda had brought a diamond ne, starting at two thousand dors. A wealthy man bought it for 160 thousand dors. Generally, these auction bids weren''t too high, just enough to show participation, not to unt wealth. Bryce brought an antique he bought on a foreign trip, starting at two thousand dors. A young socialite bought it for 400 thousand dors. The auctioneer invited Bryce on stage to hand over the antique to the socialite, Brittany Walsh, who was dressed in an ice-blue gown. The auctioneer invited Bryce on stage to hand over the antique to the socialite, Brittany Walsh, who was dressed in an ice-blue gown 09:071 Chapter 155 To liven up the atmosphere, the auctioneer casually asked, ¡°Ms. Walsh, you bid earlier but specifically went for Bryce¡¯s antique. It seems. didn you really like it.¡± Tall and beautiful, Brittany raised her hand and flirtatiously moved her hair.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Not really. | bought this antique just because | like Bryce, so | wanted to have something of his.¡± Upon hearing this, the auctioneer immediately turned to Bryce, brimming with curiosity, It sounded like Brittany and Bryce knew each other before. Bryce looked indifferent, ncing at Brittany with a hint of impatience in his proud demeanor, deliberately misinterpreting her words. ¡°Thank you for liking this antique.¡± Brittany didn¡¯t mind and smiled seductively, ¡°I know you heard me. Bryce didn¡¯t respond and didn¡¯t look at Brittany again. The auctioneer quickly smoothed things over with a few witty remarks. Bryce stepped down and returned to his seat. Ashley¡¯s gazended on Bryce. ¡°Wow.¡± Joseph was even more curious. ¡°Wow.¡± Miranda joined in the gossip. ¡°Wow.¡± Bryce was speechless, finding these three overly nosy. Bryce¡¯s temple throbbed in annoyance. He red at them and growled in a lowered voice, ¡°Stop making a fuss.¡± Although he tried to keep his voice down, Bryce was still a bit loud. Lester and Jaden also curiously nced over. Ashley suddenly understood Joseph, finding joy in gossiping about others and bringing happiness to oneself. The next moment, Ashley noticed Valentin in the front row, who seemed to have overheard and looked over at her with an inscrutable gaze. Ashley was perplexed, wondering why he was looking at her. 09.07 Several more celebrity items were auctioned off. Suddenly, Joseph nudged Ashley, who whispered, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Joseph stared at the back right. ¡°Look over there.¡± Ashley followed his gaze and saw Evan and Charlie. Evan looked a decade older than just a few days ago. His hair, previously with a few gray strands, was now almost half gray. Ashley knew Bertha was still in the hospital and wondered why Evan and Charlie were at the charity dinner. Ashley coldly nced at them before looking away. Evan, catching sight of Ashley, felt a surge of anger. He held her responsible for the downfall of the Ramos family, leaving them in shambles. Thinking of Bertha in the hospital, the missing Frankie, and Jeremy and Matthew not returning home, Evan felt a murderous rage towards Ashley. Charlie patted Evan¡¯s shoulder, his voice still gentle when he said, ¡°Dad, don¡¯t overthink.¡± Evan tried to calm himself and looked towards Valentin, who was sitting. in the front row, his eyes filled with urgency. Evan hadn¡¯t nned to attend the charity dinner, but hearing of Valentin¡¯s attendance, he rushed over. He longed to meet with Valentin, and now he had the opportunity. Evan''s main goal was to secure an investment from the Kingsley family. The Ramos family was on the brink of bankruptcy. If he could persuade Valentin to invest, they might still have a chance for a turnaround. Previously, Frankie tried to win over Attelia, not realizing Ashley was. Attelia, which ended up being a huge embarrassment. Evan was confident in winning over Valentin. In his mind, a man like Valentin couldn¡¯t possibly be associated with Ashley. Chapter 156 Chapter 156 Evan attended the charity dinner not only to seize the opportunity to meet Valentin but also for another reason. Just a few minutester, the auctioneer on stage announced. ¡°Next up for auction is a famous painting prepared by Jessica. Unfortunately, Jessica couldn''t make it to our charity event due to illness. However, the painting she prepared is quite exquisite, with a starting bid of two thousand dors.¡± As soon as Jessica¡¯s name was mentioned, therge venue fell silent, followed by an outburst of chatter. ¡°Damn, Jessica? Such a disgraceful woman still has the nerve to show up. She should just get out of showbiz.¡± ¡°Exactly. Who would want her stuff? It¡¯s just bad luck.¡± Amidst the arguing, a man fond ofndscape oil paintings spoke up. ¡°Hold on. Don¡¯t curse just yet. Look at the stage. The painting Jessical prepared is a rare authentic piece. Besides, Jessica is doing this for charity. Let¡¯s not be too harsh.¡± Joseph scoffed at this, thinking to himself that charity was just her pretense. He considered Jessica a despicable person, trying to whitewash her image. under the guise of charity. All those excuses about being sick and unable to attend were just a cover. Everyone despised Jessica now. She didn¡¯t dare to show up. Frustrated, Joseph nudged Ashley''s arm and whispered, ¡°No wonder Evan and Charlie came to the charity dinner. It¡¯s all for Jessica.¡± Ashley could tell at a nce that the painting on stage was indeed a rare masterpiece. She knew Charlie likely prepared it for Jessica. Charlie, a cultural relic restorer fond of paintings, had collected many famous paintings. Now, he was willing to offer his cherished collection to Jessica. Ashley thought Charlie was really a good brother. 09:07 Meanwhile, at the banquet hall entrance, Jessica sneaked in, wearing a hat and mask, covered up except for her eyes. After much deliberation, Jessica couldn¡¯t bear to not see for herself and decided toe. But given her tarnished reputation, she had to dress like this to avoid being recognized and insulted in public. Watching Ashley look radiant and attend such an event while she had to stay hidden, Jessica was filled with twisted resentment. She decided to get a female dog when she got back, naming it Ashley. She would beat and scold it every day. Thinking this way, Jessica felt some of her hatred subside. Looking at the painting on the stage, she was determined to seed. It was a genuine painting worth at least four million dors. She thought that with a starting bid of two thousand dors, anyone would fiercely bid for it. She thought, ¡®So what if | have a bad reputation? You all still want to bid for my stuff. She believed that once the reporters covered this, showing Jessica offering her genuine painting for charity and how selflessly generous she was, she could earn a good reputation and leave theizens with no reason to criticize her. The auctioneer had already announced the start of the bidding. Those not interested in paintings, especially those who loathed Jessica¡¯s character, were not keen. ¡°Pah, who would want that trash¡¯s stuff? | don¡¯t even want to see it.¡± ¡°| think someone like Jessica has no right to be at a charity event. They shouldn¡¯t have brought her stuff up on stage.¡± ¡°Exactly! Whoever bids for Jessica¡¯s painting, I''ll despise them too.¡± However, this was an opportunity not to be missed for those who love art. The starting bid of two thousand dors was incredibly tempting. But, listening to the crowd¡¯s scorn and insults towards Jessica, people 25 09-077 were hesitant to raise their paddles to bid. After all, the attendees at tonight''s dinner were all distinguished figures. They felt that it would be a humiliation to be despised by these elites for bidding on that painting. Thus, a rare and strange scene unfolded in the banquet hall. A painting worth four million dors had a starting bid of just two thousand dors, yet no one made an offer. Jessica was dumbfounded. She thought to herself, ¡®Are these people fools? Such a great deal is being ignored.¡± Evan frowned deeply while Charlie¡¯s expression remained unchanged, as if the events unfolding had nothing to do with him. Finally, an elderly gentleman sitting in the front row seemed ready to raise his paddle. Jessica was overjoyed and recognized him as Ross Foster, the CEO of Foster Real Estate. Being seated in the front row, Ross was a significant figure. If he bid, others in the hall, no matter how angry, wouldn¡¯t dare to object. She believed her painting would be sold. Jessica even thought about having her online supportersment: [Jessica¡¯s painting bought by the wealthy Ross Foster shows her kind heart. Turns out Jessica is so wonderful and generous. Hope everyone stops criticizing her. Am | the only one who feels for Jessica?] At that moment, in the front row, Ross, a man of superficial elegance who didn¡¯t really understand art, thought the painting looked good and considered bidding for it. The auctioneer, noticing his intent to bid, eagerly looked towards him. Just as Ross was trying to raise his paddle, a chilling gaze suddenly fell upon him. Ross felt a surge of fear, and as he turned his head, he met a pair of cold. and indifferent eyes. Seeing Valentin staring at him, he panicked. 3/5 09:071 Ross, seasoned in the business world and shrewd, could sense that Valentin¡¯s look, though not overtly threatening, carried an intimidating and chilling demeanor. He quickly understood. No matter how powerful Foster Real Estate was, it couldn¡¯tpare to the Kingsley Group. Ross had hoped to coborate with the Kingsley Group on several of his recent projects. Meeting Valentin¡¯s icy stare, Ross felt a chill down his spine and instantly understood the message. Still earnestly looking at Ross, the auctioneer asked, ¡°Mr. Foster, are you going to bid on Jessica¡¯s painting?¡± Rossughed awkwardly, pretending to scratch his head. ¡°I¡¯m just scratching an itch!¡± The crowd didn¡¯t buy his excuse of just raising his hand to scratch anThis content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. itch. They burst intoughter, finding it amusing. The auctioneer joked, ¡°I thought you were about to bid.¡± Ross¡¯ expression quickly turned serious. He adopted a righteous. demeanor. Jessica, a person known for her many wrongdoings, selfishness, and deceit, who would want the painting she prepared.¡± Ross said all this in one breath as if eager to distance himself. After speaking, Ross turned to Valentin with a ttering look. But Valentin had already looked away, no longer paying attention to him. Ross¡¯ words were quite harsh. In front of everyone, he used three. negative descriptions, making the surrounding crowd gasp in shock. Jessica¡¯s face turned pale, her nails digging into her palms. She thought Ross wanted to bid, but she was puzzled as to why he suddenly changed his mind. Even worse, Ross openly criticized her in front of everyone. Chapter 157 Ross didn¡¯t dare to bid for the painting anymore, nor did anyone else in the hall. Evan couldn''t bear it any longer. Continuing like this was akin to humiliating Jessica, putting her in an awkward position. In a burst of anger, Evan raised his paddle. ¡°Twenty thousand dors.¡± Evan wanted to shout out an extravagant bid of two hundred thousand dors to help Jessica. But given the Ramos family¡¯s current financial difficulties, he thought it best to save wherever possible. Jessica. tightly bundled up, saw Evan bidding. Although it was just a mere 20 thousand dors, she felt relieved that the situation wasn¡¯tpletely embarrassing. However, the next moment, the auctioneer apologetically said, ¡°Mr. Ramos, this painting was donated by you on behalf of Jessica for the charity auction, so you cannot bid on it yourself.¡± Evan was stunned. The crowd burst intoughter at the sight. ¡°Evan tried to help Jessica, but it''s even more embarrassing now.¡± ¡°She deserves it. Shameless people like Jessica deserve this.¡± ¡°| can¡¯t believe how much Evan dotes on Jessica. Yet, he¡¯s so cold and ruthless to his own daughter. | really don¡¯t understand...¡± ¡°Of course, because Jessica knows how to pretend and act coquettishly. She¡¯s so shameless!¡± When Jessica heard the mocking around her, her face turned extremely gloomy, filled with venomous hatred. She couldn¡¯t believe her bad reputation couldn''t be whitewashed at all. The painting Jessica prepared on stage didn¡¯t receive a single bid. It just failed to sell. This never happened before. Many journalists at the event immediately posted this event online. 09.08N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Some perceptive journalists sensed something unusual. No matter how notorious Jessica was, the painting was genuinely valuable, yet no one dared to bid for it. Even Ross, who initially wanted to bid, suddenly changed his mind. They knew Jessica had offended someone extremely powerful. She was probably going to be banished from showbiz. In the second row, Joseph nudged Ashley, raising his eyebrows, and whispered. ¡°Ashley, do you know why Ross suddenly changed his mind and didn¡¯t bid?¡± Ashley, also surprised by the turn of events, whispered, ¡°Why?¡± Joseph observed everything. Ross was about to raise his paddle when Valentin warned him with a mere nce. Joseph thought Valentin was truly a madman in love. Leaning towards Ashley, Joseph whispered with a mysterious smile, ¡°Of course, it¡¯s because of your husband.¡± Ashley was speechless. She realized that he was mentioning Valentin. Ashley nced towards Valentin in the front row, catching sight of hist neck and his handsome, refined profile. Seemingly sensing her gaze, he suddenly turned to look at her. Ashley¡¯s eyshes trembled, feeling the awkwardness of being caught peeping, and she quickly looked away in panic. Valentin raised an eyebrow, leisurely turning away. The auction continued with items from other celebrities. The host''s eyes lit up when he saw the next auction item and name. He smilingly said, ¡°Our next item for auctiones from the mysteriousposer Ash and the talented designer Attelia. Yes, it¡¯s Ashley. I¡¯m also at fan of Ashley!¡± As the auctioneer finished speaking, the spotlight moved to Ashley in the seating area. Many people turned their gaze towards Ashley. 09:081 Soft lighting shone on her overly beautiful face, her skin smooth, lips. glossy. She was smiling gracefully, exuding an enchanting charm, especially those bright and charming eyes captivatingly beautiful. Awave of astonished murmurs arose all around. Her beauty was truly unparalleled, and even those who didn¡¯t like her couldn''t deny her stunning looks. After the auctioneer introduced Ashley, he announced loudly. ¡°Next up: for auction is a bracelet prepared by Ashley, with a starting bid of two thousand dors.¡± As soon as he said that, a gentleman raised his paddle. ¡°One hundred thousand dors.¡± This bid was five times higher than the amount Evan had called out earlier to help out Jessica. Immediately after, a beautiful young girl raised her paddle. ¡°One hundred and sixty thousand dors.¡± She looked over at Ashley with sparkling eyes as she bid. His lips twitched. Joseph knew this girl must be one of Ashley''s fans. He thought Ashley truly charmed everyone. Unable to resist, Joseph quietly asked, Ashley, how much did this bracelet cost you?¡± Miranda, also curious, leaned in to listen. Ashley thought for a moment, then shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t remember. | bought this bracelet a long time ago. It wasn¡¯t expensive.¡± The bracelet¡¯s price soared to four hundred thousand dors in just a few seconds. Joseph, impressed, murmured, ¡°The bracelet isn¡¯t expensive, but it reached four hundred thousand dors in just a short while, all because your fame drove up its price.¡± Miranda nodded in agreement. ¡°Of course, everyone wants a bracelet worn by Attelia.¡± She couldn''t resist touching Ashley''s wrist and chuckled, ¡°I can¡¯t get a bracelet worn by Attelia, but | am satisfied to touch her hand.¡± 00-08 Ashley was speechless. Seeing Miranda touch Ashley, Bryce wished he were a woman so he could touch Ashley without hesitation. ¡°I¡¯d like to touch Ash too. Wonder if she''d let me.¡± Ashley replied, ¡°No.¡± And she rolled her eyes at the absurdity. Just then, Joseph suddenly heard Kevin bid from a distance. ¡°Four hundred and sixty thousand dors!¡± Joseph sat upright, no longer exchanging whispers with Ashley, and squinted in Kevin''s direction, contemting his intentions. It was Ashley''s bracelet Kevin was bidding on. Ashley, recognizing Kevin''s voice, was momentarily surprised. Soon after, Lester casually raised his paddle. ¡°Six hundred thousand. dors.¡± Ashley turned to him, speechless, and asked in a low voice, ¡°Why are you bidding on this?¡± Lester smiled, ¡°I''d like to collect something of yours.¡± Ashley was speechless. Then, Jaden jokingly raised his paddle. ¡°Seven hundred thousand dors. Ashley was at a loss for words. She was overwhelmed by theirpetitive spirit. The next second, Kevin raised his paddle again. ¡°Seven hundred and forty thousand dors.¡± Another gentleman bid. ¡°Seven hundred and sixty thousand dors.¡± Kevin raised the bid again. ¡°Eight hundred thousand dors.¡± Ashley frowned slightly at this. Ever since she heard about Kevin¡¯s feelings for her, she had wanted to avoid too much contact with him. But now Kevin was continuously bidding... 09.081 Lester, recognizing Kevin''s voice and noticing his consecutive bids, curiously looked over to see a mild-mannered gentleman bidding. Lester guessed he might be one of Ashley''s suitors. ncing at Valentin sitting in the first row, Lester thought the situation became interesting with Ashley''s fiance and suitor both present. With a yful expression, Lester set down his paddle and stopped bidding. Currently, Kevin held the highest bid. If no one outbid him, then Ashley¡¯s bracelet would be his. Chapter 158 Chapter 158 The bidding for an ordinary bracelet soaring to 800 thousand dors. was beyond everyone¡¯s expectations. It was all because of Ashley¡¯s fame that drove up the bracelet¡¯s value. However, the soaring didn¡¯t stop there. After Kevin bid eight hundred. thousand dors, Patrick Roberts, a young man in the back left, raised hist paddle. ¡°Eight hundred and forty thousand dors.¡± No sooner had he finished speaking than a morousdy bid. ¡°Eight hundred and sixty thousand dors.¡± Patrick, unwilling to back down, bid. ¡°Nine hundred thousand dors.¡± The host, noticing Patrick¡¯s frequent bids, yfully quipped. ¡°It seems you have a special liking for this ne, Mr. Roberts.¡± With a shy smile, Patrick replied, ¡°My girlfriend likes Attelia, so | thought I''d try to win it for her.¡± Hearing this, the crowdughed. ¡°Patrick is always so caring towards his girlfriend, always remembering what she likes.¡± Joseph gave Ashley a thumbs up, impressed by her poprity. Ashley looked back and saw a rather handsome young man, not yet thirty, blushing and scratching his head shyly as everyone praised him. Joseph thought it would be a satisfying oue if Patrick secured Ashley''s bracelet for his girlfriend. But the next second, he heard Kevin bid. ¡°Nine hundred and forty. thousand dors.¡± Patrick seemed to struggle, only raising by ten thousand dors. ¡°Nine hundred and 50 thousand dors.¡± Kevin bid again. ¡°One million dors.¡± He added 50 thousand dors in one go, rounding up to an even a million dors. Then Patrickcked the confidence to continue, and no one else in the hall bid either. It was evident to everyone that Kevin was determined to im Ashley¡¯s 09:08 bracelet and appeared ready to keep bidding. Joseph frowned in dissatisfaction and nced at Valentin in the front row, only to see him sitting still, but he was motionless. Joseph wondered why Valentin wasn¡¯t worried at all about Ashley¡¯s suitors. Lester, since the beginning, had known everything without pointing it out. He leaned back in his chair, casually observing Ashley and Valentin. Although Lester always felt that Ashley had been tricked by Valentin, now that she was married, he thought his priority should be to observe how Valentin behaved and see if he would treat Ashley well. The auctioneer announced. ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, the current bid by Mr. Franco is one million dors. If no one else bids, then this bracelet of Ashley¡¯s will belong to Mr. Franco.¡± Hidden in the back row, Jessica watched this scene, seething with irritation. She prepared a prized painting for auction, but no one bid, whereas Ashley''s ordinary bracelet was going for one million dors. She couldn¡¯t help but feel unjustified. Filled with jealousy and resentment, Jessica red at Ashley¡¯s back, nearly aze. ¡°The current highest bid is one million dors from Mr. Kevin. Are there any other bids?¡± the auctioneer asked again. Joseph was on pins and needles, not wanting Ashley¡¯s bracelet to end up in Kevin¡¯s hands. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that he owned Royal Entertainment and was Ashley''s boss, making it inappropriate for him to bid, he would have raised his paddle long ago. Ashley frowned, pondering whether or not to let Jaden... Just then, her gaze met Valentin¡¯s. He was looking over with a tilted head. His eyes were dark and deep, and when he gazed at her, there was an emotionless intensity. Ashley¡¯s heart skipped a beat. 09.08 The next second, she saw him casually raise his sign and say in a casual tone, ¡°Ten million dors.¡± As he spoke with such ease, the auctioneer stood dumbfounded for a while, making sure he hadn¡¯t misheard. He realized it was Valentin who had made the bid. Incredulous, the auctioneer swallowed hard and swiftly turned towards. Valentin. All the other attendees directed their gaze toward the center of the first row, disying uniform expressions of astonishment. Valentin, who hadn¡¯t bid once throughout the event, had unexpectedly bid for Ashley''s bracelet... They wondered if Valentin also liked Ashley''s bracelet... And Valentin had instantly raised the price tenfold! Even Kevin, determined as he was, couldn¡¯tpete with him. Effortlessly bidding 10 million dors, Kevin stood no chance of winning, Hiding in thest row, Jessica was so surprised that she even took off her mask. mask She recognized it was Valentin. She couldn''t believe that the aloof Valentin also liked Ashley''s bracelet and spent 10 million dors on it. Though 10 million dors was nothing to Valentin, his specific action of bidding for Ashley''s bracelet was bewildering. Shocked, Jessica hastily pulled off her mask, forgetting her disguise for a few seconds before hurriedly putting it back on. Even more shocked was Evan. He, aged and experienced, was staring at Valentin, unable to fathom why such a prestigious man would specifically bid for Ashley¡¯s bracelet.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. He was puzzled by the whole situation. Unlike the dumbfounded crowd, Joseph let out a long sigh of relief at this moment. 09.08 He had been almost worried to death, thinking Valentin was too calm, only making his move now. Joseph felt Valentin wouldn''t let another man take something Ashley had WOTT. Jaden internally remarked that Valentin, as Ashley¡¯s childhood fianc¨¦, indeed loved her deeply. Lester sat still, nced at Valentin, and then turned his gaze to Ashley, sincerely hoping for more people to treat her well. Yet, he felt regret that Ashley had chosen to marry early. The auctioneer swallowed again, his tone a mix of surprise and excitement when he said, ¡°The current bid by Mr. Kingsley is 10 million dors. Is there anyone else who would like to bid? Anyone else?¡± The crowd thought the host¡¯s question was needless. No one could outbid something Valentin wanted. Even if someone dared to bid against Valentin andpete for a few rounds, in the end, others¡¯ financial power couldn¡¯t match Valentin¡¯s. The auctioneer looked towards Kevin and asked, ¡°Mr. Franco, will continue to bid?¡± you Kevin''s face reddened slightly, and he shook his head. As a design. director, he could never afford a price higher than 10 million dors. Ten million was his limit, but it was just a casual bid for Valentin. Even if Kevin wanted to bid, he simply couldn''tpete with Valentin. The auction had reached a decisive moment, and the excitement was palpable. The host, his face aglow with excitement, announced. ¡°I now dere that Mr. Kingsley officially wins Ashley¡¯s bracelet. Ashley, pleasee on stage and personally hand over the bracelet to Mr. Kingsley.¡± There was a burst of apuse from the audience, many of whom were looking on with great interest. Everyone was curious about Valentin¡¯s motive behind bidding for Ashley''s bracelet. As per the rules, Ashley was indeed supposed to go on stage and hand over the item to the winning bidder, just as Bryce had earlier handed 09:08 over his antique to Brittany. With a mischievous smile, Joseph teased, ¡°Go ahead, Ashley. It¡¯s your turn! Miranda was utterly bewildered and excited beyond words, urging, ¡°Ashley, you¡¯re about to interact with Mr. Kingsley. Go on! Don''t be nervous!¡± Ashley was speechless. Bryce nced at her and said gently, ¡°I hear Mr. Kingsley is usually cold. and distant, but since he bid on your bracelet, he probably won¡¯t be cold. to you. Don¡¯t be nervous.¡± Ashley remained speechless. The auctioneer stepped aside as they walked onto the stage, leaving the center stage to Ashley and Valentin. Ashley sneakily nced at Valentin, feeling a new and strange emotion. She never expected to share the stage with Valentin. The auctioneer cracked a few jokes before asking with curiosity and a hint of anxiety, ¡°We all know Ashley is not only Ash but also the famous. Attelia. Mr. Kingsley, did you bid on Ashley''s bracelet because you think. she¡¯s talented due to these identities?¡± Unaware of the true story, the audience perked up, eager to hear Valentin¡¯s response. They were extremely curious. Ashley looked towards Valentin, guessing he would simply nod in agreement. She thought the best response would be that he bid on her bracelet because he thought she was talented. But then, Valentin slowly raised his eyebrows. In his deep, maic, sensually captivating tone, he said, ¡°No, | just like Ashley. That''s all.¡± Ashley was momentarily speechless, stunned. Chapter 159 Gasps of surprise rippled through the audience, as if something surreal has happened, leaving them wide-mouthed in shock. Valentin was actually saying that he liked Ashley. Not because of Ash and Attelia¡¯s identities but because he liked Ashley herself! Everyone wondered if Valentin¡¯s words were true. The grand hall fell into silence. Not a sound could be heard. Everyone stared at the stage dumbfounded, even holding their breath involuntarily. The audience couldn''t react at all. Ashley, emerging from her initial surprise, widened her eyes and shot a re at Valentin. She thought, ¡®Why would he say something like this in front of everyone?¡¯ Valentin saw her cute expression with wide-open eyes due to surprise and couldn¡¯t help but smile. The host was too shocked and dropped the microphone to the ground. It became the only sound in the quiet hall. This sound brought everyone, including the host, back to their senses.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. The host quickly bent down to pick up the microphone. Due to the immense shock and astonishment, her fingers trembled uncontrobly. The audience thought, This host¡¯s mental resilience is reallycking! It would be better if | hosted. | will find everything out!¡± The host trembled as she tested the microphone. Luckily, it didn¡¯t break. Facing the intense gaze from the audience, the host nervously cleared her dry throat and asked in a slightly trembling voice, ¡°Mr. Kingsley, you just said that you like Ashley herself?¡± Upon hearing this, Ashley looked at Valentin again and shook her head slightly, signaling him not to speak nonsense and to deny it quickly. 14 09:08 However, Valentin deliberately nodded, saying, ¡°Yes.¡± Ashley thought, ¡®Very well. You are done, Valentin. Let¡¯s wait until it finishes.¡± She didn¡¯t hide her anger, ring straight at Valentin with her bright and beautiful eyes. She was already looking forward to the end of the banquet. The host''s right hand, holding the microphone, trembled even more. She cautiously continued to ask, ¡°What you mean is, you like Ashley...¡± Valentin saw Ashley¡¯s gaze and felt that she was like an angry cat at the moment. He didn¡¯t continue teasing Ashley, but raised an eyebrow and said. ¡°Il am a loyal fan of Ashley.¡± What? A loyal fan?¡¯ When the audience heard this answer, they let out a long sigh of relief. Not hearing the answer they expected, their mood fluctuated like a roller coaster, up and down. ¡°So he is a fan of Ash.¡± ¡°No wonder he said he liked Ashley earlier.¡± ¡°Wait!¡± ¡°A loyal fan?!¡± ¡°That¡¯s even more crazy!¡± ¡°That¡¯s Valentin, the president of the Kingsley Group, the helm of the Kingsley family. Powerful and influential, someone to be admired and unreachable. He actually likes a celebrity!¡± ¡°And he likes Ashley?¡± It was normal for a man like Valentin to fall for a woman. But it was rare for him to publicly acknowledge himself as Ashley¡¯s loyal fan. Kevin couldn''t divert his attention from Ashley and Valentin on stage, astounded by the unexpected admiration Valentin held for her. With his status, he willingly bowed down as one of her fans. Evan tightly clenched his hands, gritting his teeth, forcefully suppressing the astonished emotions that might drive him to rise from his seat. He thought, ¡®That kind of woman, Ashley, has gained Valentin¡¯s favor.¡± He had thought that Valentin would have no connection with Ashley. But Valentin¡¯s words were like a heavy p, awakening him from his arrogance. He tried everything just to have a meet with Valentin, to climb onto his power. And yet, Valentin held such admiration for Ashley. This was something he couldn''t ept Evan''s expression kept changing, filled with mixed feelings. Fuming with anger, Evan suddenly had an idea. He seemed to have a way to get the investment of the Kingsley family! He could use Ashley to secure investment from the Kingsley family. Charlie, on the other hand, epted this fact shortly after his surprise. After leaving the Ramos family, Ashley¡¯s performance had always exceeded their expectations. Jessica sat in the back row, feeling like a drum was pounding hard in her ears, making it difficult for her to think. Then she tightly clenched her dress with her fingers. Kevin bid one million dors to buy Ashley''s bracelet. Now, an even more powerful figure, Valentin, bid 10 million dors and imed to like Ashley, calling himself her loyal fan. Jessica was consumed by envy. She thought, ¡®Why isn¡¯t Valentin my fan? Why doesn¡¯t he like me?¡± The host''s gaze shifted between Ashley and Valentin, seizing the moment to share another piece of surprising news. Chapter 160 Before the announcement, the host smiled and asked Ashley a question. ¡°Ashley, Valentin just said that he¡¯s your loyal fan. How do you feel about that?¡± Ashley didn¡¯t want to discuss her feelings. She just wanted to confront Valentin and ask him what he meant. But in front of so many people, Ashley couldn¡¯t answer like that. She nced at Valentin and replied, ¡°I¡¯m surprised and honored.¡± Valentin raised an eyebrow at her response. The audience understood Ashley''s answer. It would be strange if she weren''t surprised.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. The audience was buzzing with excitement and curiosity upon hearing Valentin dere himself as Ashley¡¯s fan, and Ashley herself was no exception. The host asked Ashley to hand over the bracelet to Valentin and then. announced with a smile, ¡°This bracelet was won by Mr. Kingsley, who happens to be Ashley¡¯s fan. Since they are so destined, why not give each other a hug now?¡± Ashley replied, ¡°What? A hug?¡± She found the suggestion quite strange. Other celebrities didn¡¯t hug the auctioneer when handing over their items. She nced at Valentin standing upright with no signs of refusal. Ashley thought, ¡®Well, hugging isn¡¯t a big deal. She turned around to face Valentin. Before she lifted her arm, Valentin leaned in and hugged her proactively. Ashley was slightly taken aback. Valentin¡¯s refreshing and pleasant scent surrounded her. In such a noisy environment, she could hear his strong heartbeat. Her fingertips trembled slightly, and then she hugged back. 09:08 A There was enthusiastic apuse from the audience. Amidst the dazzling lights, they embraced amidst the noise. Joseph immediately took out his phone to capture this historic moment. While taking the picture, Joseph noticed that Ashley was wearing a navy blue gown that was ssy and understated. Valentin¡¯s tie happened to be in the same color family. Valentin must have deliberately chosen a tie in a simr shade. Joseph was amazed once again by Valentin¡¯s thoughtfulness. Valentin had just publicly dered his admiration for Ashley, iming to be her loyal fan. He must have been annoyed by Kevin¡¯s relentless bidding. Valentin was jealous and decided to express his affection for Ashley so openly. Joseph rubbed his chin, curious about how Kevin would feel seeing Ashley and Valentin embrace. Many people were still looking at Ashley when she returned to her seat. It was Valentin¡¯s first time embracing a female in public. It seemed that Valentin really admired and respected Ashley. As Ashley sat back down in her seat, Joseph eximed excitedly, ¡°Wow!¡± Jaden nced at Valentin, sitting in the front row, and joined in. ¡°Wow!¡± Miranda felt she couldn''t be left out and chimed in as well, ¡°Wow!¡± Ashley felt the scene familiar. She remembered cheering for Bryce and Brittany like this earlier. How unpredictable life was. Ashley awkwardly smiled and settled back into her seat. Miranda immediately grabbed Ashley¡¯s arm and enthusiastically asked, ¡°How does it feel? Seeing Valentin up close on stage, do you think he¡¯s even more handsome now?¡± Ashley started to ponder seriously. Despite her past conflicts with Valentin, she sincerely replied, ¡°He is quite handsome.¡± 2/4 09:081 Miranda¡¯s enthusiasm grew, and her cheeks flushed. She continued in a lowered voice, ¡°Tell me, what does it feel like to hug Mr. Kingsley? Were you nervous? Did your heartbeat quicken?¡± Ashley said, ¡°I was alright.¡± Although Miranda¡¯s voice was low, she was sitting on Ashley''s right side, while Joseph was on the left, so he faintly heard Miranda¡¯s question. He thought, ¡®Why would Ashley be nervous? They''ve hugged each other countless times in private. How could she be nervous?¡± Miranda, being gossipy, suddenly remembered something and became worried. She anxiously said, ¡°Ashley, Valentin said that he¡¯s your loyal fan and admires you. | can¡¯t help but wonder if there¡¯s another motive behind his words.¡± Ashley blinked. ¡°Another motive?¡± Miranda nodded earnestly, her clear eyes filled with concern for Ashley. Seeing that no one was paying attention, Miranda spoke in a hushed tone. ¡°Valentin intentionally said those words. His true motive may be to get close to you and use his influence to force you to sleep with him.¡± Ashley was speechless. Joseph was drinking water while eavesdropping on their conversation. He widened his eyes and nearly choked. Valentin would force Ashley? Miranda¡¯s imagination was too vivid. Joseph, with a flushed face from choking, quickly patted his chest to ease the difort. He was shocked by Miranda¡¯s thoughts. Seeing that Ashley didn¡¯t believe her, Miranda became even more. worried. She analyzed in a whisper, ¡°Ashley, this kind of thing happens a lot in the entertainment industry. Many wealthy and powerful investors want to force female celebrities to sleep with them. I¡¯ve witnessed it firsthand. And you are so beautiful, I¡¯m worried...¡± Ashley acknowledged that Miranda¡¯s statement held some truth, but it seemed a bit far-fetched to use Valentin. 34 09.08 Valentin genuinely had no intention of that. Ashley chuckled and reassured Miranda by patting her hand, ¡°I know you¡¯re concerned about me, but trust me... Joseph couldn''t ept Valentin¡¯s reputation being tarnished. Without waiting for Ashley to finish speaking, he joined the conversation. Joseph turned to look at them, suppressing his anger and gritting his teeth as he whispered to Miranda, ¡°Miranda, you don¡¯t need to worry. Ashley is perfectly safe! No matter where she is, no one would dare to force her! Understand?¡± Even if someone wanted to do so because of her beauty, Valentin. wouldn''t easily let them off. Joseph abruptly joined the conversation, leaving Miranda stunned for several seconds. She nodded in dazed agreement. ¡°You''re the CEO of Royal Entertainment, Ashley''s boss. Since you said so, you will definitely protect her, right?¡± Joseph sneered, ¡°Sure!¡± But he still felt angry that Valentin was misunderstood. Chapter 161 After the charity auction, there was a cocktail party and dinner. The organizers prepared some wine and desserts, and the guests chatted with each other. Miranda was a little hungry and asked Ashley to eat dessert together. Ashley didn¡¯t have much appetite. She took out her phone and sent a message to Valentin, questioning him. [How could you say those words on stage just now?] After sending the message, Ashley looked around the noisy banquet hall and found Valentin in less than a second. Valentin exuded extraordinary handsomeness with a superior physique. and a noble demeanor, easily standing out in the crowd. Ashley looked over from a distance and noticed that many people surrounded Valentin. They wanted to take this chance and talk to him. But Valentin had no expression. His eyshes were slightly lowered, and his eyes were cold. It made people feel that he was very difficult to approach. Those who wanted to talk to him hesitated and didn¡¯t dare to get close when they saw him like this... Only those with influential status or cooperating with the Kingsley Group dared to continue talking to him. Ashley watched for a while and felt bored. She continued to scan the banquet hall and saw Brittany and Bryce in the corner. Bryce looked very impatient, but Brittany didn¡¯t mind at all and followed him with a charming smile. Sensing Ashley¡¯s gaze, Bryce approached her, saying, ¡°Ashley, | have something to attend to and need to leave now. See you.¡± When Bryce walked over, Brittany had been following him the whole time. Upon hearing that Bryce was leaving, Brittany frowned. She was 09:301 Chapter 161 dissatisfied. After Bryce finished speaking to Ashley, he left the banquet hall. Brittany followed immediately. But Bryce walked quickly and never looked back. Wearing high heels, Brittany couldn¡¯t catch up and lost sight of Bryce. Ashley watched this scene with mixed feelings. After a while, Lester and Jaden walked over. Jaden squinted his eyes and asked suspiciously, ¡°Where¡¯s Joseph? Isn''t he with you? Ashley pointed not far away and said, ¡°He¡¯s over there.¡± Joseph was surrounded by a group of people and looked helpless. These people didn¡¯t dare to strike up a conversation with Valentin and came to ask him instead. Achubby man couldn''t believe it and asked, ¡°Mr. Fox, is Valentin genuinely a fan of Ashley? Is he?¡± Joseph rolled his eyes and said, ¡°Of course, it¡¯s true!¡± Upon hearing this affirmative answer, the crowd exploded.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. ¡°Ashley has indeed be famous recently. Even Valentin admires her so much. It¡¯s really surprising.¡± ¡°Actually, it¡¯s not surprising. She looks young, but she¡¯s really talented. My brother and sister are her fans, too.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. Don¡¯t forget that Ashley is a talentedposer and the founder and chief designer of Glory Youveile. This brand is a globally renowned luxury brand. She is more impressive than many of us here! Especially since she is so young.¡± ¡°No wonder she is favored by Valentin.¡± ¡°The Ramos family cut off ties with Ashley. They must be regretting it now. | think Jessica, whom the Ramos family has always cherished, can¡¯tpare to Ashley at all.¡± Not far away, Evan heard these words, and his smile disappeared. He thought, ¡®How could they say that Jessica couldn¡¯t compare to Ashley? 09:30 Chapter 161 Jessica is much better than Ashley! ¡®Lam her father. | gave her life. Even though our rtionship is not good, as my daughter, she should repay me and the Ramos family. ¡®Itis Ashley¡¯s duty to request investment from Valentin for the Ramos. family.¡¯ Joseph finally got rid of the crowd and ran towards Ashley, saying, ¡°I can finally take a breath. Those people are too nosy!¡± Ashley handed him a ss of water and said, ¡°Take a break.¡± Joseph said, ¡°Ashley, you¡¯re so good. Only you care about me!¡± + Jaden said unhappily, ¡°How did you see that she cares about you? Don¡¯t daydream all the time.¡± Joseph raised his leg to kick him and said, ¡°You don¡¯t understand. anything!¡± Miranda saw them ying around and whispered to Ashley, saying that she needed to go to the restroom. Ashley nodded and said she would wait there. After Miranda left, Joseph and Jaden continued to argue. Just as Lester was about to talk to Ashley, Ashley¡¯s pursuer, Kevin, approached. ¡°Ashley.¡± Kevin walked straight towards Ashley with a warm smile on his face. Joseph immediately stopped arguing with Jaden and stared at Kevi warily, wanting to see what he was up to. Ashley felt a slight headache when facing him. She treated Kevin pol but distantly. ¡°Do you need something?¡± Kevin said gently, ¡°During the auction just now, | wanted to bid for your bracelet, but Mr. Kingsley got it instead.¡± Ashley smiled politely and didn¡¯t say anything. Kevin recollected andmented, ¡°Mr. Kingsley stated on stage that he likes you and is your fan. | thought | misheard.¡± Ashley understood his mood. ¡°I was surprised, too.¡± Kevin smiled, ¡°Actually, I¡¯m your fan, too.¡± 09:30 Ashley could only say, ¡°Uhm, thank you.¡± Just as she finished speaking, she sensed someone coldly staring at her from behind, with a strong sense of oppression in that gaze. Ashley¡¯s back tensed, and she immediately turned around. Unexpectedly, she saw Valentin¡¯s deep-set eyes. Valentin was walking briskly towards this side. Lester saw Valentin approaching and raised his eyebrows, waiting for the show to begin. Kevin couldn''t figure out why Valentin wasing over, but he still greeted him. ¡°Mr. Kingsley, hello.¡± Valentin stopped beside Ashley and started scrutinizing Kevin. His tone was t without any fluctuation. ¡°Hello.¡± After speaking, he looked at Ashley beside him again. Ashley inexplicably felt that the atmosphere was strange. Kevin looked at Ashley and said, ¡°We haven''t been in contact much since high school graduation. Let¡¯s meet more in the future. There are some design matters that I''d like to consult with you.¡± Upon hearing these words, Valentin narrowed his eyes, and hist scrutinizing gaze became fierce. Ashley didn¡¯t know how to respond. Ever since Joseph said that Kevin liked her, she didn¡¯t want to have interaction with Kevin. So when Kevin said he hoped they would meet more in the future, it made her very distressed. After thinking for a while, Ashley decided she had to find a way to make Kevin give up on her once and for all. Ashley looked around and saw that there weren¡¯t many people nearby, and no one could hear their specific conversation. Ashley nced at Valentin beside her and said to Kevin, ¡°I¡¯m afraid we can''t.¡± Kevin was taken aback, not understanding why. Ashley took a deep breath and suddenly held Valentin¡¯s hand. She said solemnly to Kevin, ¡°Let me introduce my husband to you. He''s Valentin.¡± Chapter 162 When Ashley introduced Valentin as her husband, the whole scene fell silent. Joseph was surprised. He had expected Ashley to keep her rtionship with Valentin a secret until she admitted it to Kevin.. Ashley finally admitted her rtionship with Valentin.. Joseph was moved to tears. He even felt the day was especially memorable for Valentin. The information that Lester found showed Ashley and Valentin had a secret marriage. He never expected Ashley to introduce Valentin like this before her suitors. This showed that Valentin was more important in Ashley¡¯s heart than Kevin. But he denied his conjecture. Lester nced at Kevin with pity. Actually, Kevin had no ce in Ashley''s heart. As for Jaden, he only thought Ashley and Valentin were perfect together and they were made for each other. At this time, Valentin suddenly stiffened when he heard Ashley''s introduction, and he only stood still nkly. After a moment, his eyshes trembled slowly, and he nced at Ashley''s hand holding his. Then, he raised his head and looked up at her beautiful profile. Ashley sensed Valentin¡¯s gaze, but she didn¡¯t look back at him. She guessed Kevin could get her means. Kevin was instantly surprised and astonished, and the shock couldn¡¯t dissipate for a while. Did Ashley introduce Valentin as her husband? Had she already married? Had she married Valentin, the president of the Kingsley Group? 115 09:30 Kevin couldn¡¯t ept the incredible news for a while. He was even more shocked than hearing Valentin¡¯s confession as a fan to Ashley. No wonder Valentin purchased Ashley''s bracelet just now. But Kevin suddenly remembered something, and his lips trembled twice quickly. Then, he asked nervously, ¡°Do you remember | called you when you were hospitalized with allergies? | heard a male voice on the phone.¡± At that time, he heard a male voice on the phone, and it sounded like Ashley had a close rtionship with him. Kevin now realized it was Valentin¡¯s voice. As if to confirm his guess, Ashley nodded and said calmly, ¡°When | was hospitalized for allergies that day, he stayed with me all the time.¡± Kevin felt his nerves tighten and then ease slowly. Finally, he breathed a sigh of relief. Kevin said bitterly, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be married to Mr. Kingsley. | haven¡¯t congratted you yet.¡± Ashley smiled lightly, ¡°It¡¯s a secret marriage, so we haven''t made it public.¡± Kevin''s mind fell into a mess at that moment, and he didn¡¯t even know what he said. After expressing his blessings, he bid farewell, turned around, and left. Ashley breathed a sigh of relief and thought the matter should be settled. Seeing Kevin leave, Joseph nced at Ashley and Valentin holding hands. with a smile, and he pulled Jaden and Lester away. ¡°Come on. Let''s check. it out.¡± Lester still wanted to stay there. Although he didn¡¯t know if he was rted to Ashley, he still wanted to spend more time with Ashley. Moreover, he intended to find a chance to get Ashley¡¯s hair for a paternity test. Joseph found Lester still there, so he dragged him forward. He couldn¡¯t understand why Lester stayed there all the time. He couldn''t allow anyone to disturb Ashley and Valentin alone. 00:30 Hence, Joseph pulled Jaden and Lester away together. Ashley let go of Valentin¡¯s hand and looked around first. She found potted nts and flower baskets in their way, and their intimate behavior went unnoticed. Ashley cleared her throat and said, ¡°Well, | just had to tell Kevin about. our marriage in order to get away from him. Valentin¡¯s brows furrowed, almost invisible. ¡°Did you just tell the truth to reject him?¡± Ashley nodded. ¡°Yep.¡± Valentin suddenly fell silent, and his throbbing heart returned to calm. He thought Ashley was finally willing to go public with their rtionship but didn¡¯t expect it to be an excuse for her to reject Kevin. However, she rejected Kevin decisively without hesitation. If she ever had feelings for Kevin before, she disliked him now. Thinking of it this way, Valentin smiled slightly, feeling indescribably pleased. Actually, he felt delighted to be Ashley''s excuse for rejecting Kevin. Ashley noticed Valentin¡¯s silence and scratched her head strangely. ¡°Cat got your tongue? | didn¡¯t lie or take advantage of you. We indeed got married.¡± Valentin raised his eyebrows leisurely and said casually, ¡°Well, we indeed got married.¡± Ashley grinned. ¡°But we will get divorced soon.¡± Valentin widened his eyes in shock. Ashley counted on her fingers. ¡°We''ll get divorced in less than two months.¡± Valentin was speechless. Ashley¡¯s words echoed in his ears. Valentin was distressed and asked meaningfully, ¡°Are you troubled by others¡¯ pursuits?¡± Sia) 09.301 ¡°Did you mention Kevin?¡± Ashley thought for a while and said, ¡°Except for Kevin, it bothers me whenever someone | dislike pursues me.¡± Valentin lowered his head and asked back, ¡°Really?¡± Ashley nced at him. ¡°Sure, you¡¯ve had a lot of suitors since your childhood, and you might know better than | do.¡± Ashley suddenly recalled what had happened on the stage and said, ¡°Why did you say you were a fan up there?¡± Valentin seemed to think about it seriously and then said, ¡°I really shouldn''t have said that.¡± Ashley replied, ¡°But it''s toote to take your words back.¡± Valentin smiled, ¡°I should just say you are my wife.¡± Ashley choked on his words. She raised her hand and wanted to hit him. But when she raised her hand halfway, she found the others in the ballroom ncing at them with gossip. The others didn¡¯t find it strange with Joseph, Jaden, and Lester here. After they left, the others in the ballroom paid attention to Ashley and Valentin and gossiped about them, and they even found their rtionship unusual.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Ashley immediately retracted her hand and coughed lightly. ¡°I ha keep my distance from you now. | fear others will misunderstand rtionship. I¡¯m off now.¡± Valentin was speechless. He found Ashley''s words ridiculous. After speaking, Ashley noticed Evan and Charlie walking towards her sid in a hurry before she left. Chapter 163 Chapter 163 Facing Valentin, Charlie was no longer as calm as before but a little nervous. Evan grimmed in excitement, showing his wrinkles. He bowed and ttered. ¡°Hello. Mr. Kingsley. | am Ashley¡¯s father. | never expected you would appreciate Ashley so much. What an honor!¡± Hearing this, Ashley immediately got furious. She found Evan hypocritical. How ridiculous it was! Evan had never treated her intimately at the Ramos family. Now that she got Valentin¡¯s admiration. Evan ttered them. Ashley looked at Evan¡¯s joyful expression and found it disgusting. Valentin always paid attention to Ashley¡¯s expression. When he noticed her displeasure, he looked indifferently and stared sternly at Evan. Evan shivered in fear, and when Valentin neglected him, he smiled again. ¡°I really didn¡¯t expect you to appreciate Ashley so much, Mr. Kingsley. How lucky she is to have your favor!¡± After speaking, Evan looked at Ashley and scolded seriously in a low voice, ¡°Why don¡¯t you thank Mr. Kingsley?¡± Ashley sneered, ¡°You got the wrong one for you, Mr. Ramos. Where is your daughter?¡± ¡°Ashley!¡± Evan wanted tosh out at Ashley, but Valentin was still there and still admired Ashley. If Ashley could convince Valentin to fund the Ramos Group, the Ramos Group¡¯s current critical situation could be settled, and it could developi well under the Kingsley Group¡¯s support. Evan suppressed his anger and said, ¡°How can you say this, Ashley? Even family members have conflicts, and we should solve the conflict in time instead of fighting outside.¡± Ashley easily got the implication of Evan¡¯s words. ¡°Fighting outside? Are you ashamed of my behavior? But the Ramos family has always been. ashamed, so my behavior today shouldn¡¯t affect you.¡± 09.30 ¡°How dare you?¡± Evan¡¯s face and neck flushed in anger. He reached out to point at Ashley, but when he noticed Valentin, who was indifferent, he had to restrain himself. Ashley looked more determined as she spoke. ¡°I had already broken off a rtionship with the Ramos family and had no affection for you anymore. Watch your words, Evan.¡± Evan''s fingers even trembled in anger this time. As his biological daughter, Ashley always disobediented him, and he couldn¡¯t stand her temper anymore. He hoped Ashley would be as sensible as Jessica. He now needed Ashley to persuade Valentin to fund the Ramos Group. Otherwise, he had begun to teach Ashley a lesson. Evan had no choice but to endure it, acting like he backed down for Ashley now.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. ¡°Don''t cut ties with us, Ashley. | always treat you as my biological daughter. As your father, | will dote on you. ¡°We may have had some misunderstandings before, but just put them behind us now. Go home, please, Ashley. We''ll get along well with each other and live a happy life.¡± Ashley couldn''t bear it. ¡°Go home? Don¡¯t gross me out.¡± Charlie wanted to speak, but when he caught a glimpse of Valentin next to him, he moved his lips and finally stayed silent. Evan took two deep breaths and added, ¡°Your mother and | made our mistakes, but no parent is perfect in the world. We''ll reflect on our behaviors. Go home with me, please.¡± Valentin, who had been silent, finally spoke at this time. Evan noticed Valentin¡¯s reaction and felt extremely excited. He never expected he could meet Valentin and even talk to him, which satisfied his vanity. However, Evan fell into his excitement when Valentin¡¯s cold voice. sounded. ¡°Since you made a mistake, why don¡¯t you apologize to Ashley?¡± Evan was startled and froze in ce at a loss. 2/4 09-30 Didn''t Valentin ask him to apologize to Ashley? Evan had never been so stunned before, but then he was lost in thought. He didn¡¯t expect Valentin to value Ashley so much that he even wanted to im justice for Ashley. If Ashley asked Valentin to fund the Ramos Group, he must agree with it. Evan weighed the pros and cons and then forced a smile, which looked awkward. ¡°Your mother and | indeed ignored your feelings before. | solemnly apologize to you before Mr. Kingsley, and | hope you can forgive us.¡± Ashley felt sick. She nced at Valentin, signaled to him, and walked away. Evan immediately got furious and wondered how dare Ashley just leave. without any courtesy. He had already apologized to her, but she still wouldn¡¯t forgive him. Evan secretly cursed but still smiled before Valentin, ¡°Sorry to bother you, Mr. Kingsley.¡± After speaking, Evan chased after Ashley with Charlie. Ashley expected Evan to chase after her. Before Evan could speak, she stared at him indifferently. ¡°I had already read your mind. Now that I¡¯m useful to you, so you¡¯re sucking up to me. But | would never fulfill your wish.¡± ¡°Ashley,¡± Evan cursed sternly without Valentin here, ¡°Even if you verba sever ties with the Ramos family, you¡¯re still rted to me. | gave you li You should make it up for what you did to the Ramos family.¡± Charlie frowned slightly, ¡°Please lower your voice, dad. Ashley will understand it.¡± At this time, Miranda came out of the bathroom and searched around the banquet hall. When she found Ashley and Evan together, she immediately ran over worriedly. ¡°Ashley!¡± Miranda ran to Ashley¡¯s side and asked, ¡°Are you okay?¡± Ashley felt touched and shook her head. Then, Ashley looked at Evan and sneered with extremely indifferent 00-30 sights. ¡°If Lam still rted to the Ramos family, then | will bankrupt it step by step until there is no chance of aeback for you.¡± Ashley finished speaking coldly. Evan raised his hands and pressed his chest in anger. He felt a pain in his heart and almost fainted. Charlie hurriedly supported him in time. After Ashley finished speaking, she left there with Miranda. She wore a beautiful blue dress, showing her arrogance and determination. She even looked indifferent with her dedicated features. Ashley felt disgusted again. She wondered why she rted to the Ramos family she hated the most. Ashley felt depressed, and her long eyshes trembled. In a daze, she found Lester standing not far away, walking towards her. Chapter 164 Lester walked quickly to Ashley and asked protectively, ¡°Did Evan bully you just now?¡± Ashley felt touched secretly and shook her head. ¡°They can¡¯t bully me now.¡± Lester felt relieved. He had an inexplicable affinity for Ashley and would be particrly nervous about Ashley''s affairs. Even if it turned out Ashley was not rted to him, he could treat Ashley as his family. Outside the banquet hall, well-wrapped Jessica didn¡¯t want to be. witnessed by others and intended to leave secretly after the auction. When she walked out with her head lowered, she didn¡¯t watch out and bumped into a reporter who passed by in a hurry with a camera. ¡°Who are you? Mind your step when walking,¡± the reporterined. in anger as his chest hurt. Jessica¡¯s hat fell off, but she didn¡¯t dare to pick it up. She feared being recognized, so she tilted her head and covered her face with her hands. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± After speaking, she intended to leave. The reporter stopped her strangely. ¡°Why are you leaving in a hurry Your hat has fallen off!¡± The reporter kindly picked up the hat and handed it over. Jessica had no choice but to pick it up with one hand while still covering her face with the other. The reporter sensed her cover-up and suspected her of being a thief. Many business elites and celebrities were in attendance at the charity, and the reporter spected Jessica sneaked in to steal something. Thinking of this, the reporter couldn''t help but stare at Jessica. When she put on her hat, the reporter noticed her exposed eyes.. Although Jessica wore a mask, the perceptive reporter still recognized 09:30 her. ¡°Jessica! You are Jessica!¡± The reporter was so surprised that he shouted loudly. There were many reporters around outside the ballroom taking photos. of the celebrities. At this moment, they heard Jessica¡¯s name and. immediately looked around curiously. ¡°Jessica? Really? Why would Jessica be at the charity dinner?¡± ¡°There she is! Have you found out? She wore a hat and a mask.¡± ¡°She is so wrapped up.¡± The reporters spotted Jessica and immediately surrounded her. Jessica subconsciously wanted to hide away, but the reporters gathered around her and blocked the way. Jessica raised her hands to cover her face, not wanting to expose such an image to the camera. But all she did was in vain. Reporters took photos. and peppered her with questions. ¡°Why did youe to the charity dinner, Jessica? When did youe? Have you been hiding all the time?¡± ¡°At the auction just now, Evan said you couldn¡¯te to the scene because you were ill. Can you exin the contradictory situation?¡± ¡°No one purchased the famous paintings you had prepared. But Valentin bought Ashley¡¯s bracelet for 10 million dors. How do you think it?¡± Hearing various questions, Jessica gritted her teeth in anger. She detested Ashley the most now. However, a bespectacled male reporter asked a sharp question. ¡°Jessica, you stole Ashley¡¯s design draft and ndered Ashley for stealing Attelia. Now you secretlye to the charity dinner. Do you want to steal something from Ashley again?¡± Hearing his words, Jessica had hit a nerve, and her face immediately turned pale. She didn¡¯t expect this reporter to ask such a sharp question without mercy. Jessica felt awkward and suffocated, but she couldn¡¯t utter a word to 09:30 refute it. Her reputation had been ruined, and any ordinary journalist could purposely make difficulties for her with such questions. Jessica felt very resentful. She couldn¡¯t tolerate her reputation being tarnished. Jessica raised her hand and took off her hat and mask, epting the reporters¡¯ interview. When she looked up at the camera, tears filled with her eyes, and she seemed regretful and self-reproaching. m indeed ill. | came to the charity dinner today just because | wanted. to meet Ashley and apologize to her in person.¡± The reporters looked at each other after hearing this. Had Jessica prepared to apologize in person? Jessica raised her hand to wipe her tears, deliberately not wiping them clean. Tears still hung on her eyshes, and she even choked with sobs. ¡°But Ashley doesn¡¯t want to meet me, and | have no chance to apologize to her.¡± Akeen reporter immediately asked, ¡°Jessica, are you using Ashley of not being generous enough to give you a chance?¡± Reporters could always read others¡¯ minds. After the reporter¡¯s reminder, everyone immediately sensed the hint of Jessica, suddenly more disdain. for her. Jessica¡¯s mind was exposed, and she hurriedly cried and shook her head. ¡°Nope, | just sincerely want to express my apology to Ashley. If you don¡¯t believe it, | will solemnly apologize to Ashley now before reporters andThis content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. cameras.¡± Reporters were still skeptical of Jessica¡¯s words. Did Jessica really admit her mistake? Jessica wiped away her tears again. Her nose turned red from crying, and she looked at the camera with tearful eyes. ¡°| made a lot of mistakes in the past, Ashley. How foolish | am! | realized my fault now. | don¡¯t ask you to forgive me, but | hope you give me a chance to make it up. 09:30 Chapter 164 ¡°| did something wrong, so | deserve to be med byizens. | hope you''ll give me a chance to correct myself. I¡¯m sorry, Ashley. I¡¯m so sorry.¡± Jessica cried as she spoke. Her tears ran down and messed her makeup 1. After apologizing. Jessica bowed solemnly to the cameras. Seeing this situation, the reporters couldn''t react within a short period of time. They found Jessica¡¯s apology sincere. She admitted her mistake and even bowed sincerely. Reporters immediately posted the video online. The news of Jessica publicly bowing to Ashley to apologize immediately spread online. Inside the banquet hall, Ashley was chatting with Lester when she noticed that others looked at her from time to time. She wondered what had happened again. Miranda was on her phone in boredom when she suddenly eximed. She then raised her head in surprise. ¡°Jessica publicly apologized to you, Ashley.¡± Ashley raised her eyebrows slightly and looked down. Then, she watched the video of Jessica crying and apologizing before tl camera. She didn¡¯t expect Jessica to attend the charity dinner. Moreover, Jessica was outside the banquet hall. Miranda looked confused. ¡°Jessica cried hard. Did she apologize to you. sincerely? Netizens all discussed it online now. Jessica had solemnly apologized, and they¡¯re waiting for your response to see if you could ept it.¡± Lester nced at the video and could easily see Jessica¡¯s hypocrisy. She even fooledizens with her tears. ¡°Response?¡± Ashley smiled brightly, ¡°Well, | will leave theizens at satisfactory responseter.¡± 09:30 pter 164 ¡°How do you n to respond, Ashley? Miranda asked. Ashley lowered her head and tidied her skirt up. Then, she walked out. ¡°Jessica is still outside the banquet hall. I¡¯ll go meet her first.¡± Miranda was worried. ¡°I will go with you, Ashley. | fear Jessica will deliberately bully you.¡± Ashley chuckled when she heard this and pinched Miranda¡¯s cheeks with her fingers. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I''ll protect myself well.¡± Ashley met Lester¡¯s worried eyes and smiled at him, too. Then, she walked out of the banquet hall. When she walked outside the banquet hall, she found Jessica still surrounded by reporters. Jessica wanted to leave a long time ago, but reporters kept blocking her. In anxiety, she found Ashley wearing an elegant blue dressing forward. Jessica was jealous secretly. She felt that all the attention and wealth. should belong to her. But Ashley owned it all. Ashley took what had belonged to her, As soon as Ashley came over, the reporters ignored Jessica and hurriedly ran towards Ashley. Ashley responded with a few words, then asked the reporters to disperse and walked towards Jessica. The reporters gathered in the distance and were reluctant to leave, but they did not get too close. They believed Ashley had watched the apology video and came to meet. Jessica on purpose. She must have something to talk to Jessica. Did she want to forgive Jessica? Chapter 165 Even though the reporters were too far away to hear what Ashley and Jessica said, they kept snapping photos. Over here, Ashley looked at Jessica expressionlessly and asked, ¡°You were publicly apologizing to me?¡± Jessica knew the reporters were taking pictures and smiled politely, ¡°Yes.¡± Ashley nced down at her own nails and asked indifferently, ¡°Did you just say that you want my forgiveness in front of the cameras?¡± Jessica clenched her fingers, remaining silent. This feeling of being inferior in front of Ashley was really irritating for her. Ashley looked at her with a sneer. ¡°I can¡¯t hear you if you apologize to the camera. If you want my forgiveness, apologize to me again, right here, to my face.¡± Jessica nced at the reporters in the distance, noting they were still picturing. She maintained a polite smile but spoke through gritted teeth.. ¡°Ashley, | don¡¯t need your forgiveness!¡± Ashley sneered, ¡°Then why bother apologizing to me on camera?¡± Jessica¡¯s face turned sullen. However, she had to force another smile upon remembering the reporters, looking ridiculous as she spat out. ¡°You think | really wanted to apologize to you? | had no choice! | did nothing wrong. Why should | apologize to you? ¡°Ashley, | stole your design draft, and you knew from the start, right? You didn¡¯t expose me right away just to make me look foolish. You revealed it in public only because you wanted to humiliate me! You should be sorry to me!¡± Ashley had never heard something so ridiculous. ¡°You stole my design draft, and I¡¯m the one to me?¡± Jessica¡¯s eyes filled with hatred as she said, ¡°Det toofortable, Ashley. Just because you''re doing well now doesn¡¯t mean it''ll last. One day, you''ll be begging me for mercy!¡± While they were talking, Evan hurried over. ¡°Jessica, why are you here?¡± 1/5 09:30 He then turned to Ashley, his voice stern. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare bully Jessica!¡± Ashley scoffed, ¡°Me, bully her? ¡°Evan, it¡¯s your daughter who came crying to me with a fake apology and expected me to respond. Fine, I''ll give her o Ma As Ashley spoke, she took out her phone. Jessica nced over, curious to see how Ashley was going to do, but then. she realized that Ashley¡¯s phone had been recording the whole time! Jessica¡¯s face instantly turned deadly pale. She had been so focused on the reporters in the distance and hadn¡¯t noticed Ashley was recording their conversation! ¡®Bitch!¡¯ Jessica panicked, trying to snatch Ashley¡¯s phone. But Ashley had iting. She dodged and shot Jessica a sharp re. That look from Ashley was like a de pressed against her throat. Jessical shivered, her fear spreading in her soul. Ashley posted the recording to Twitter along with a message. At that moment,izens were discussing the video of Jessica¡¯s apology. [To be fair, | think Jessica''s apology seems sincere. She was crying her eyes out. Look at her snot. She definitely knows she messed up.] [Can we not mention the snot, please? Now | can¡¯t stop looking at Jessica¡¯s runny nose.] [Did you guys see Jessica¡¯s bow in that video? It looked really sincere. Just not sure if Ashley will ept it.] When everyone was discussing, they noticed that Ashley had posted on Twitter. Ashley said: [Seeing Jessica¡¯s apology video really touched me. But when | found Jessica and wanted to hear an apology from her, things just...] [Well, it¡¯s okay, I¡¯m fine. If Jessica doesn¡¯t want to apologize, she doesn¡¯t have to. | really am okay. | won¡¯t make it hard for her.] After reading this, theizens were puzzled.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Ashley seemed to y innocent with that post. It was somewhat bitchy. 09:30 and didn¡¯t match her style. They started to wonder if Ashley''s ount was getting hacked. There was also a voice recording with the tweet. Clicking on it with at mixture of confusion and curiosity, the listeners were increasingly. shocked as they listened. [Holy cow! Jessica said what?] ¡°You think | really wanted to apologize to you? | had no choice! | did nothing wrong. Why should | apologize to you? ¡°Ashley, | stole your design draft, and you knew from the start, right? You didn¡¯t expose me right away just to make me look foolish. You revealed it in public only because you want to humiliate me! You should be sorry to me! ¡°Don''t get toofortable, Ashley. Just because you''re doing well now doesn¡¯t mean it''llst. One day, you''ll be begging me for mercy!¡± The Twittermunity was aroused with shock. Damn it! Jessica¡¯s apology was a fake!] Stealing Ashley''s designs and then ming Ashley? Jessica, are you out of your mind? How can you even say that?] Man, | almost fell for Jessica¡¯s act! All that bowing and apologizing just to whitewash herself and salvage her reputation!) Jessica is rotten. She just won''t regret it. She needs to be kicked out of the entertainment industry. | can¡¯t stand to even look at her!] Such a hypocrisy! She¡¯s just so bitchy!] Hold on, now | get why Ashley¡¯s post was so bitchy. She was mocking Jessica by using her move!] Meanwhile, the charity event came to an end. Joseph browsed the inte and saw Ashley¡¯s response. He had only one. thought, Ashley was just brilliant. Using Jessica¡¯s move to get back to her. Now, Jessica¡¯s fake apology had been exposed, and the bacsh from the public reached its peak. Everyone online was demanding Jessica quit the entertainment industry. In the hospital room, Bertha sat in her bed. Her face, already pale from 09:30 illness, turned even grimmer as she watched the online uproar. Jessica was crying hard. ¡°Mom, do you think | did something wrong?¡± Bertha was worried and wiped Jessica¡¯s tears. ¡°Of course not, dear. It¡¯s all Ashley''s fault. That wicked girl deliberately recorded you to trap you!¡± Charlie nced at Bertha, frowning, but remained silent. Evan felt a headache as he watched the online uproar. ¡°Jessica, maybe it¡¯s time for you to announce you are quitting the entertainment industry.¡± Jessica¡¯s eyes widened in shock. ¡°Dad!¡± She couldn''t ept just being humiliated and kicked away from the industry while Ashley continued to shine, basking in everyone''s adoration. Jessica couldn¡¯t ept such an oue. She wanted to take everything from Ashley! Evan felt sympathetic but could only say, ¡°Jessica, this is getting serious. Theizens are boycotting you. Even if you don¡¯t leave the industry, you''ll be criticized wherever you go.¡± Ryan followed, advising, ¡°Jessica, listen to Dad. There¡¯s no turning back. from this. You can only calm everyone''s anger by announcing your retirement. Don¡¯t worry, I''ll work hard to support you for life!¡± Jessica didn¡¯t want to ept this oue but found no better solution. She tearfully posted a retirement announcement on Twitter. Bertha hugged her. ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Jessica. From now on, you''ll just be apple of our family. Daddy, Mommy, Charlie, and Ryan will alway you.¡± Jessica cried hard in Bertha¡¯s arms, but her face showed a hint of sinis The Ramos family had fallen. She didn¡¯t want to be the apple of the family anymore. She looked down on the fallen Ramos family now. The news of Jessica leaving the entertainment industry stirred the inte for three full days before calming down. Netizens joyfully spread the word that this scum bag had finally left. 09:30 There would be no more polluting the public¡¯s view! Recently, Laura secured a high-end perfume endorsement for Ashley and Bryce. The brand had both men¡¯s and women¡¯s fragrances. Naturally, Ashley endorsed the women¡¯s line and Bryce the men The advertisement required shooting abroad. Upon seeing the location was Manditus in Yaloria for the shoot, Ashley felt a sudden twitch in her eyelid. This ce, Manditus, reminded her of someone. Hisst name was Banks, with a pair of charming eyes. His background wasn¡¯t normal, and he had once pursued her. Recalling past events, Ashley suddenly felt reluctant to go to Manditus. But she had alreadymitted to shooting the advertisement. So, she had no choice but to fly to Manditus with Bryce. As soon as theynded, Ashley received a message on her phone. [It''s been a long time, sweetheart.] Chapter 166 Chapter 166 [Sweetheart, long time no see.] Chapter 166 Ashley saw this message and frowned, feeling neither ttered nor disturbed by being called ¡°Sweetheart, just a sense of headache and fatigue. The message had no contact name attached. It was from an unknown number. But Ashley knew who sent it. No one would call her that except that jerk, Andrew Banks. Ashley was going to ignore it, pretend she hadn¡¯t seen it. She thought about blocking the number but then realized it would be pointless. Even if she blocked this jerk, he always found a way to contact. her. After pondering for a moment, Ashley decided to cut the knot and once again bring up the fact that she was married. She typed indifferently: [I¡¯m married, Andrew.] Andrew replied quickly: [Hey, sweetheart. You finally decide to talk to me?] Ashley was speechless. That wasn¡¯t the point at all. Frustrated, Ashley typed fiercely: [I said I¡¯m already married!] Andrew didn¡¯t seem surprised, replying calmly: [I know, with Valentin.] Ashley was startled. [You''ve been investigating me?] Her marriage to Valentin was a secret, not announced to the public. Ordinary people wouldn''t know about her marriage to Valentin unless they investigated. ¡°This jerk! What have you uncovered about me?¡± Seeming to know what she was thinking, Andrew said: [Are you cursing me?] Ashley fell silent. 18 09:30 The message came through again: [Keep it up. | kind of like curse me.] it when you Ashley was utterly speechless. ¡°You''re crazy! Just as sick as before!¡± Ashley typed furiously: [I¡¯m already married, so stop calling me sweetheart and don¡¯t bother me anymore!] Andrew replied nonchntly: [So what if you''re married? | don¡¯t mind being the other man.] Ashley was frustrated. ¡°Screw you! You nutcase! Who wants you to be the other man?¡± Ashley had never encountered such a request. She took several deep breaths to suppress the urge to swear, regretting that she had event responded to him earlier. She was now full of regret. While Ashley was annoyed, her phone chimed again with a new message. Ashley thought it was Andrew again and looked over with irritation, only to find it was from Valentin. Her irritation instantly subsided. Valentin asked: [Landed yet?] Ashley typed back joyfully: [Just did, heading to the hotel now.] Valentin replied: [Text me when you get to the hotel.] [Sure, will do.] Just as she sent this message, Bryce squinted and asked, ¡°Ashley, who are you chatting with? You''ve been holding the phone since you got off the ne.¡± Ashley was so used to retort with him and said, ¡°Someone cares about me, unlike you. No messages. Must be lonely, huh?¡± Bryce, not to be outdone, smirked wildly. ¡°Who says | don¡¯t have any!¡± Ashley raised an eyebrow, gossiping. ¡°Is it that Ms. Walsh? What¡¯s going on between you two?¡± Bryce¡¯s face stiffened at this, ring back with annoyance, clearly not wanting to mention Brittany. He said sternly, ¡°Ashley, stop gossiping.¡± 215 09:30 Chapter 166 They came to Manditus for a perfume advertisement shoot, including both Ashley and Bryce as the endorsers and Laura, their agent, along with some bodyguards and assistants from their team. The perfume brand had arranged their hotel in advance and even sent someone to pick them up from the airport. After they met, they took a car to the hotel. Their rooms were on the twelfth floor, offering a panoramic view of the river from the floor-to-ceiling windows. Ashley walked around her room and settled her luggage in the corner. She sent a message to Valentin: [Report. Arrived at the hotel!] Just seconds after sending the message, Valentin¡¯s video call came through. Ashley paused for a moment before answering the call.. Soon, Valentin¡¯s charming face showed up. The lines from his brow to his jaw were strikingly attractive and wless. Ashley was bewildered. ¡°Why are we doing a video call?¡± Valentin sat at his desk and casually unbuttoned the top of his shirt, saying with a maic voice, ¡°I just wanted to see you.¡± Ashley blurted out, ¡°See me for what?¡± Valentin fell silent. After a moment, he looked away, chuckling helplessly, ¡°Alright then, just pretend | didn¡¯t miss you.¡± Ashley¡¯s eyes widened slightly, her voice trembling. ¡°You missed me? Really?¡± How long had it been since she left home? From boarding the ne tonding, then checking into the hotel, it hadn¡¯t even been eight hours yet. Valentin leaned his head on his hand and hummed in response, staring at Ashley. ¡°When are youing back?¡± Ashley was speechless. 09:31 She had just arrived abroad. Her work hadn''t even started yet. ¡°Valentin, are you alright? You seem off to me.¡± Valentin chuckled lowly, ¡°What''s off about me?¡± Ashley replied, ¡°It seems like you are whining.¡± Valentin fell silent again. Seeing him at a loss for words, Ashley felt much better. She lifted her phone to give him a quick tour of her hotel room. ¡°Look, this is where I¡¯m staying. It¡¯s pretty good.¡± Although it couldn¡¯tpare to Kingsley Vi, it was still quite nice. After showing him around, Ashley set her phone on a stand. ¡°I¡¯m going to put down the phone and unpack my luggage.¡± Valentin nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± Ashley figured she would be abroad for at least half a month, so she had to organize her luggage properly. Valentin watched her intently as she packed her things, his eyes cast down. Suddenly, he called her name seriously, ¡°Ashley, is there something you''ve forgotten to tell me?¡± Looking down at her open suitcase, Ashley nced at her phone so upon hearing this. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Valentin tapped on the table, casually asking, ¡°For instance, about someone who had pursued you?¡± Ashley curled her lips. ¡°What''s there to talk about that?¡± Then she countered. ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell me about yours?¡± Ashley smiled brightly, ¡°Well, well, well, Valentin. You have always been. so handsome. You must have had a lot of pursuers back then and can¡¯t even list them all, right?¡± Valentin raised an eyebrow, teasing, ¡°You remember so much about me, Ashley.¡± Ashley retorted, ¡°Who said | remember it? | didn¡¯t!¡± 09:31This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. She huffed and turned away, focusing on packing her luggage. She even casually took out her underwear and put them on the bed. Suddenly, Ashley realized Valentin could see from that angle. She swiftly reached out and snatched them back. Then, she heard Valentin¡¯s teasingughing through the video call. ¡°It¡¯s not like it¡¯s the first time I''ve seen them.¡± Chapter 167 Ashley blushed and red at Valentin, her eyes bright and clear. Of course, it wasn¡¯t the first time he had seen it. Ever since they started. sharing a bed, such moments were inevitable. But Ashley was still embarrassed when he mentioned it right away. And now, separated by a phone screen, Ashley felt frustrated that she couldn''t hit him. She waspletely at a loss with him. Ashley grabbed her phone off its stand and said, ¡°I¡¯m hanging up!¡± Valentin raised his eyebrows. ¡°Getting busy?¡± Ashley retorted, ¡°No, just tired of looking at you. | want to find someone else.¡± Valentin¡¯s eyes narrowed, his voice deep and low. ¡°Say that again, Ashley.¡± Ashley took advantage of Valentin not being able to reach her through the phone and lifted her chin defiantly, boldly saying, ¡°It¡¯s the same even if | say it again. | don¡¯t want to see you, humph!¡±. Valentin chuckled ambiguously, ¡°Then Ill have to find a way to make sure you see me every day.¡± Ashley was puzzled. Suddenly, he lowered his voice and sounded intimate. ¡°Babe.¡± Ashley¡¯s ears tingled, and a shiver ran down her spine. She rubbed her earlobe somewhat awkwardly. ¡°What do you want?¡± Valentin stared at her and said with a maic voice, ¡°Don¡¯t go to anyone. else, okay? | can be with you every day.¡± Ashley felt her heart skip a beat. She bit her lips, which were red and moist, and after a moment''s hesitation, she mumbled, ¡°Who needs you... I¡¯m hanging up.¡± After ending the video call, Ashley stared at her phone for a while before she sent Valentin a message. [So you were really being coy, huh?] Valentin replied with a question mark 09:311 After Ashley packed her bags, Laura came to her. ¡°Ashley, we''ll have dinner with the brand teamter and then discuss the shooting details. I¡¯ve notified Bryce about it.¡± Ashley nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± The dinner was at a local restaurant with the brand team, the director of the shooting, and other staff. Together, they finalized the specific ns. for the ad campaign. It was nine o''clock when they finished. Ashley returned to her room and decided to take a shower. After bathing, she heard her phone ringing. Picking it up, she saw an unknown number calling. Ashley looked closer but still couldn¡¯t find out who was calling. Andrew hadn¡¯t used this number when he texted her earlier. She swiped the screen and answered, ¡°Hello, who is this?¡± There was silence on the other end. Ashley¡¯s brows furrowed, feeling a sense of familiarity. Her face turned. cold. ¡°Frankie?¡± The person on the other end paused his breathing but remained silent. Ashley hung up with a frown, frustrated. It was the same thing every time, a call without a word. Ashley had just finished drying her hair and put down the hairdryer. when her phone rang again. This time, it was Miranda calling. Ashley¡¯s mood waspletely different from before, and she answered cheerfully. ¡°Ashley, did | bother you?¡± Miranda asked immediately. Ashley chuckled, ¡°No, not at all.¡± Miranda¡¯s face lit up with joy, her cheeks dimpling with a smile. ¡°That¡¯s great! Ashley, you¡¯re working in Manditus right now, right? I''m going there in a few days! Can |e to see you?¡± Ashley was thrilled and responded, ¡°Sounds great. Are youing to Manditus for a vacation?¡± 28) 09:31 Miranda paused for a couple of seconds and shyly said, ¡°Not exactly a vacation. Remember | told you about that | almost had a car ident and the handsome race car driver | met?¡± Ashley replied, ¡°Yes, | remember.¡± Just the day at the charity dinner, Miranda nearly had a car ident on her way there. She met a handsome guy with a rugged face, dressed in a ck jacket, who turned out to be a race car driver. Ashleyughed. ¡°Do you know his name?¡± ¡°Yes, his name is Bradley!¡± ¡®Bradley... Ashley pondered momentarily and realized she had never heard this name before. Over the phone, Miranda said, ¡°In a few days, the world-ss racing championship will be held in Manditus. Bradley is participating, and he invited me to watch it live. He¡¯s even got a ticket for me.¡± AshleyN?velDrama.Org ? 2024. knew about the uing race in Manditus and was also nning to go watch. She teased, ¡°Looks like you''ve had quite the chat with Bradley these days. He¡¯s even inviting you to watch his race.¡± Miranda, shy as ever, blushed instantly. ¡°Ashley, stop teasing me.¡± Ashley could sense that Miranda and Bradley seemed to like each other. They might actually get together. Ashley casually asked, ¡°How good is Bradley at racing?¡± Miranda responded, ¡°He said he¡¯s really good at it.¡± to Ashley raised an eyebrow, intrigued by his confidence and getting more curious about him. ¡°Alright, let me know when you''re coming Manditus. | was also nning to watch the race. We can go together and let me see this Bradley.¡± Miranda lit up. ¡°That would be great. I''ll call you when I¡¯m going there! I¡¯d feel scared going to Manditus alone.¡± Ashley reassured her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I''ll be there with you.¡± ¡°Ashley, you''re so kind. Thank you so much!¡± 09:31 Ashley chatted with Miranda for a few more words before ending the call. Afterward, Ashley and Bryce worked together on the perfume. commercial. Since they had already discussed the shooting n in advance, the filming went smoothly and was finished in three days. During these three days, Valentin called her daily via video and texted her frequently. Sometimes, Ashley was busy filming and couldn¡¯t see them right away, but she replied as soon as she could. To Ashley''s relief, Andrew didn¡¯t bother her again. After themercial shoot, they had dinner with the brand team to celebrate the shooting. Ashley didn¡¯t return home immediately. The car race was just a few days. away, and she nned to watch it before leaving. Bryce also stayed, eager to experience the thrill of watching the race live. Unexpectedly, Lester and Jaden also arrived in Manditus, wanting to see the game. The day before the race, Joseph showed up too. Ashley was utterly speechless. ¡®Is this a gathering now?¡± She went to the airport to pick up Joseph. As soon as they met, Joseph gave her a big hug. ¡°Ashley, I¡¯ve missed you so much!¡± Ashley curled her lips. ¡°You always say that.¡± Joseph winked and chuckled, ¡°Valentine probably misses you even more!¡± Ashley nced at him. ¡°Did Valentine tell you that himself?¡± Joseph patted his chest confidently. ¡°No need for words, | can tell it!¡± Ashley just rolled her eyes. Ashley had arranged a room for Joseph at her hotel. As soon as Jaden saw Joseph, they started bickering again. 09:31 Ashley didn¡¯t bother with them. In the evening, Miranda called to say she hadnded. Ashley went to the airport to pick her up and also met Bradley, the race car driver. Chapter 168 Chapter 168 Lester was worried about Ashley going to the airport alone, so he drove her there. Although this was Yaloria, the Pliskin family owned properties there, so it wasn¡¯t surprising that Lester managed to get a car. As soon as Ashley got into the car, Joseph ran over, smiling brightly, ¡°Wait for me! I¡¯ming with you. Staying in the hotel is so boring, | feel like I¡¯m dying!¡± Ashley quickly closed the car door and spoke through the window. ¡°What do you need toe for? Stay in the hotel, and don¡¯t wander around.¡± After saying this, she turned to Jaden, instructing, ¡°Keep an eye on Joseph, make sure he doesn''t...¡± Ashley paused mid-sentence, realizing that wasn¡¯t quite right. Joseph and Jaden were always bickering. The idea of Jaden keeping an eye on Joseph was ridiculous. With no better option, Ashley turned to Bryce. ¡°You keep an eye on Joseph and Jaden.¡± Joseph immediately objected, raising his fists in protest, ¡°Hey Ashley, I¡¯m the boss here! If anyone¡¯s watching, it should be me keeping an eye on Bryce!¡± ¡°Sure, boss, whatever you say. I''ll listen to you. Bye, boss!¡± Ashley casually responded, ¡°Be good, and I''ll bring you back some treats, okay?¡± ¡°Do you think I¡¯m a three-year-old? Bribing me with treats won¡¯t work anymore!¡± Joseph continued his protest. ¡°I want something fun, not just treats!¡± Ashley was left speechless. That didn¡¯t sound very grown-up. On the way to the airport, Ashley received a message from Miranda. [Ashley, I¡¯ve justnded. Bradley came to pick me up at the airport, but | still want to stay with you.] [You can meet Bradley when you are here.] Ashley replied: [Okay, I''ll be there soon.] 09:31 There was no traffic, and they were about five minutes away from the airport. Sitting in the driver¡¯s seat, Lester nced at Ashley in the passenger seat. Ashley was looking down at her phone, her eyshes casting a shadow, her skin delicate. The evening sun streamed through the window, casting a soft glow on her face. Lester couldn''t help but say, ¡°Leaving the Ramos family was the right. decision for you.¡± Ashley paused, then looked up, smiling warmly. Her eyes sparkled lively as she said, ¡°Of course, it was the right decision!¡± After leaving the Ramos family, she climbed out of the swamp of their influencegan to live freely, surrounded by a group and of caring. friends. The desire for family and kinship in her heart seemed to fade gradually. She also slowly freed herself from the choking bonds imposed by the Ramos family. Ata red light, Lester stopped the car. Looking at Ashley, who was lively and shining, he blurted out, ¡°Ashley, how about you be my sister?¡± Lester was surprised by his own words. He had intended to wait until after the DNA test to discuss such matters. But his fondness for Ashley, that urge to protect and cherish her as hist own sister, was something even he couldn''t control. Ashley froze upon hearing this. Her eyes widened in surprise. There was also a hint of skepticism in her mind. ¡®Be his sister?¡± Although she had a good impression of Lester and felt an unspeakable. kinship with him, the idea of bing his sister was something else entirely... Ashley suddenly thought about something. ¡°Oh, | see! You mentioned that your little sister went missing when she was young and hasn''t been found yet. So... You want to think of me as your sister?¡±This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Lester smiled, looking calm, but his fingers gripping the steering wheel tightened nervously. 09:31 Chander 168 He said with a joking tone, ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but I¡¯ve always felt like you were the sister | lost.¡± As he said this, Ashley¡¯s eyes widened in shock. The astonishment that had faded moments ago came back, filled with incredulity. That was the first time she knew that Lester had felt that way. Blinking, Ashley swallowed hard. ¡°But, | am indeed a Ramos.¡± When she got back with the Ramos family, it wasn¡¯t something taken. lightly. They had done a DNA test to confirm it. Moreover, they did the test three times to avoid any mistakes. Each time, the results showed that she was rted to Evan. Upon hearing this, Lester narrowed his eyes coldly. He knew that the likelihood of an error was very small after having done the DNA test three times. The fact that Ashley and Evan were biological father and daughter was almost certain. Yet, Lester couldn''t help but feel a hint of reluctance. He needed to find a way soon to conduct a DNA test for Ashley and the Pliskin family. At the airport, Miranda looked at the rugged-faced man in front of her, smiling, her dimples faintly visible, ¡°Bradley, you really didn¡¯t have toe all the way to the airport to pick me up. I''ll be at your game tomorrow.¡± Bradley was dressed in a ck jacket, tall and muscr, looking somewhat stern when he wasn¡¯t smiling. However, his expression softened in front of Miranda. He looked at Miranda with a sense of tenderness and affection. ¡°Miranda, you came all the way abroad to watch my race. | had to pick you up from the airport. I''ve even arranged a hotel for your stay.¡± Miranda quickly waved her hands. ¡°No need, really. | have a friend right here in Manditus. I''ll stay with her.¡± Bradley furrowed his brows, probing. Your friend, is it...Ashley?¡± 3/ 09:31 Miranda¡¯s eyes lit up. She kept nodding. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s her! She is quite impressive, very famous, with loads of fans! She¡¯s here to shoot amercial and also to watch tomorrow''s car race!¡± Miranda had once joined Ashley on a variety show. They even sat together at the charity dinner. Many journalists and fans knew they were close friends. Miranda smiled brightly, ¡°Plus, she¡¯sing to pick me up. from the airport. She should be here any moment. Are you a fan of hers? If so, you might get to meet her in person! | can put in a good word for you. Maybe she will take a photo with you!¡± Upon hearing this, Bradley turned a bit awkward, and he coughed. ¡°Since you¡¯re with your friend, I¡¯m relieved. I¡¯m not a fan of Ashley, and there are some things | have to do with my racing team. | need to leave now.¡± ¡°Really? You''re leaving?¡± ¡°Yeah, there¡¯s a race tomorrow, and I¡¯ve got some arrangements to make with my team.¡± ¡°Okay then. You better get going if you¡¯re busy!¡± Miranda didn¡¯t insist on him staying, waving at him instead. ¡°We''ll catch up on our phones tonight. Bradley had hoped to spend more time with Miranda, but it seemed impossible now. After a brief chat with Miranda, he had to leave. Arriving at the airport, Ashley got out of her car and saw Miranda gazing wistfully in a direction. Ashley walked over and patted her shoulder. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Seeing it was Ashley, Miranda quickly pointed. ¡°Ashley, look over there, the guy in the ck jacket, that¡¯s Bradley!¡± Ashley followed her gaze, and in the next moment, her Chapter 169 ¡°That man in the ck jacket seems a bit like... Ryan?¡± Ashley looked closely, but Bradley had got in the car, and she could not longer make out his features clearly. Is it someone with a simr build?¡¯ she wondered. Miranda sighed regretfully, ¡°I wanted to introduce you to Bradley, but his team had a sudden issue, and he had to leave.¡± Pondering. Ashley raised her eyebrows and smiled, ¡°No worries. He is in the game tomorrow, right? I''ll see him then.¡± Miranda wrapped her arms around Ashley¡¯s. ¡°Right, we''ll catch him. tomorrow then!¡± Then, they got into Lester¡¯s car. Seeing the man in the driver¡¯s seat, Miranda greeted him awkwardly. ¡°Hello, Mr. Pliskin.¡± Lester¡¯s hand rested casually on the steering wheel, strong and veined, exuding a sense of allure. He nced at Miranda through the rearview mirror. ¡°Hello.¡± Ashley was sitting in the backseat next to Miranda. Miranda leaned close to Ashley and whispered, ¡°Ashley, | forgot to mention at the charity dinnerst time that your friend is so handsome! He could be a star!¡± Ashley couldn''t help butugh. ¡°How does hepare to that race car driver, Bradley?¡± After a moment of thought, Miranda replied, ¡°Mr. Pliskin is still more handsome. Oh! And Mr. Kingsley could be a star as well. He''s like the definition of handsome!¡± The image of Valentin¡¯s charming face shed in Ashley¡¯s mind. Miranda wasn''t exaggerating. Valentin, indeed, was very attractive. As they were quietly chatting, Ashley¡¯s phone suddenly rang. It was a call from Valentin. As Ashley discussed him, he called, suddenly making her feel guilty.. 09:31 After answering, she heard the man¡¯s deep, maic voice. ¡°I¡¯ve calcted the time difference. Is it dinner time there?¡± With the sunset nearing the horizon, Ashley replied, ¡°It¡¯s evening, yes, time for dinner.¡±. Valentin said. ¡°Remember to eat well.¡± Ashley was speechless. ¡°I¡¯m not a child. | know that.¡± After a brief chat, they hung up, and Ashley continued discussing with Miranda the topic of who was more handsome. Lester saw the two girls in the back whispering and giggling about something. Upon returning to the hotel, Ashley searched around and finally found the person she was looking for in Joseph''s room. The moment Ashley knocked and entered, she saw Bryce and Jaden with their faces covered in long, thin strips of paper, looking utterly hrious. Joseph, on the other hand, had a clean face. Noticing Miranda, Bryce waved his hand to her. But as he spoke, a strip of paper by his mouth was blown away, making the scene even more. away, making the scene even moreical. Ashley couldn''t help butugh. ¡°What are you guys up to?¡± Joseph was holding a deck of cards and waved it smugly. ¡°ying a game. Whoever loses gets a strip of paper stuck on their face. These two just can¡¯t beat me!¡± Ashley raised an eyebrow. ¡°You''re good at this game, right, Mr. Fox?¡± Joseph looked proud. ¡°Exactly, | was born to y! Come on, Ashley, join us. It¡¯s more fun with more people!¡± Seeing his mischievously smiling face, Ashley felt herpetitive spirit was instantly ignited.. With nothing much to do at the moment, she gathered Miranda and Lester to sit down, forming a circle. Joseph brought over a plump, balloon-like toy and exined, ¡°Let''s go. over the rules. This thing will slowly inte until it pops. We''ll pass it around, and whoever has it when it bursts must answer a truth question 09:311 or take on a daring challenge.¡± Ashley quickly said, ¡°Simple enough, let¡¯s get started.¡± ¡°Then let the game begin!¡± Joseph announced, passing the balloon toy to Lester next to him. Lester then passed it to Miranda, and Miranda handed it to Ashley. Miranda handed it to Ashley.. Then, Ashley passed it to the next person. Finally, as the toy was on the verge of popping, Jaden deliberately slowed down, passing it in slow motion to Bryce. Bryce was visibly annoyed upon seeing this. Just as he was about to pass. it on, the balloon burst in his hand. Joseph immediately burst intoughter. ¡°The balloon just passed from my hand, and now it¡¯s my turn to ask a question. You have to tell the truth! Bryce, tell me, what''s the deal with you and Brittany? Spill it!¡± Everyone knew about the incident at the charity dinner, so as soon as Joseph asked, they all curiously turned to Bryce. Ashley gave Joseph a thumbs-up. That was indeed a good question. Bryce pinched the burst balloon and answered vaguely, ¡°Brittany and | knew each other in the past.¡± Joseph was eager for gossip and quickly followed up. ¡°You knew each. other before, and then what?¡± Bryce replied, ¡°That''s a second question.¡± Joseph was speechless. Just you wait. I¡¯ll get it out of you!¡± Since the balloon had burst in Bryce¡¯s hands, it was his turn to pass. it next. After being passed around a few times, the balloon burst in Joseph''s hands by sheer coincidence. Bryce smiled sinisterly, looking toward Joseph, obviously wanting revenge. ¡°Come on, if you had to choose a guy here to kiss. Who will it be?¡± Joseph was taken aback. ¡®Damn it. That''s so out of line!¡¯ 3S} 09:31 me somethhing else!¡± was cast as hucru the under the light. ¡°Im just ually do it What What are you afraid of?¡± tomach hurt Go@bonchoose!¡± but whom joseph woh would pick. st looking at Lester, when who is sitting next to Lester.wher pitting out his drink os if it were said to Ashley¡¯s admirers,This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. it gaze. he narrowed hus ed sys.smiling king me ertainly didn¡¯t dare to choose Loose Lester and d-smiled mysteriously, Dartul, as even tell you in advance, don¡¯t choose nuseme ose you? Stop ttering yours scoff: 4 at Bryce with a challenging sicile, you. You! | pretending to kiss him. copsed, desperately trying to protect his you could choose nie, not actually say kiss secing this. seph when it came to messing around. ring Bryce and let him off the hook onge hence he panately, the balloon burst in Ashley¡¯s yo med the question. Dua avous smile. ¡°Let¡¯s not go for truth this thonrat conscr on your phone and tell that Ashley was stunned. Joseph was even more anxious than Ashley, nearly spitting out his drink in surprise. ¡°Jaden, what kind of dare is that!¡± It might work if said to Valentin. But it would be chaos if it were said to someone else. Especially if the first contact happened to be one of Ashley¡¯s admirers, that would stir up even more trouble. Chapter 170 Chapter 170 But Joseph¡¯s anxiety was pointless. The rules of the game were clear and had to be followed. Ashley took out her phone while trying to recall whom she had recently. called and who was the first contact on her list. Seeing her take out her phone, Joseph couldn¡¯t sit still. He ran over, anxiously praying that Ashley''s first contact wasn¡¯t one of her many admirers. Noticing Josephe over, Ashley didn¡¯t avoid him and checked her call history. To her surprise, the first contact was Valentin. Ashley was stunned. Oh, right, she remembered. On the way back to the hotel, Valentin had called her, reminding her to eat well. Joseph instantly rxed upon seeing it was Valentin. ¡®What a coincidence! Ashley and Valentin sure are in close contact, he thought. They had just talked on the phone an hour ago. Standing a bit away from Ashley, Bryce couldn¡¯t see who was in the contact and asked curiously, ¡°Who is it? Someone from our circle?¡± Joseph chuckled, ¡°I won''t tell you! Go on, Ashley, call it!¡± Seeing Joseph¡¯s eager and cheerful expression, Lester and Jaden instantly guessed it must be Ashley¡¯s husband. Under Joseph''s urging, Ashley bit the bullet and dialed Valentin. Valentin always picked up her calls quickly. Ashley wasn¡¯t quite prepared when the call connected immediately. Caught off-guard, she blurted out, ¡°I miss you.¡± Upon hearing this, Valentin was in a moment of bewilderment. He felt a surge of emotion attacked him. His heart skipped a beat. ¡®Ashley said she missed me?¡¯ 09:31 1701 He was just about to respond when Ashley hung up the phone at the next second. Valentin waspletely puzzled. He dialed again, but Ashley didn¡¯t answer, cutting off his call and then sending a message: [Well, I¡¯m ying a game right now. Fil call you at 10 PM!] Valentin fell silent. ¡®y...a game?¡¯ His eyes narrowed dangerously. Ashley felt guilty after sending the message and red at Jaden.. Jadenughed fearlessly. ¡°Isn''t this great?¡± Ashley made a false smile, ¡°Great? Okay then.¡± In this round of the game, Ashley hadpleted a daring challenge. So, in the new round, the balloon passed from her hands, and it was her turn to ask for a truth or dare. After several rounds, Ashley had figured out the timing needed for the balloon to burst. So, when passing it on, she deliberately slowed down, and just as the balloon reached Jaden¡¯s hands, it popped right on cue. Ashley nced over and sneered, ¡°Come on, call the first person in your contacts and tell them you¡¯re missing them.¡± Jaden was speechless. A few roundster, the balloon burst again in Jaden¡¯s hands. Ashley held her chin with one hand and smirked. ¡°Keep going, cal second person in your contacts, say you miss them.¡± Jaden waspletely stunned. ¡®Man, | messed up!¡± Joseph loved seeing Jaden defeated,ughing so hard he almost slumped on the floor. ¡°Jaden, you''ve finally met your match! Hey, where do you think you¡¯re running off to?¡± Finally, the game ended with Jaden frantically fleeing. Afterward, everyone gathered for dinner at the hotel¡¯s restaurant. 09.31 C Having finished their meal, Ashley led Miranda to the room she had. reserved. The two chatted for a while, and Ashley advised Miranda to get a good rest for the car race they nned to see the next morning. Back in her own room, Ashley took a shower. Feeling refreshed andfortable in bed, she called Valentin. As soon as the call connected, she heard Valentin¡¯s clear, slightly hoarse voice asking, ¡°Ten o''clock?¡± Ashley blinked, recalling her message during the game, saying she¡¯d call him at ten. ncing at the clock, Ashley scratched her head and said proudly, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? It¡¯s only 9:58, isn¡¯t it?¡± There was a pause on Valentin¡¯s end. He couldn''t help but chuckle softly, ¡°Go on, tell me.¡± Ashley instantly understood what he meant. She turned over in bed, saying casually, ¡°Nothing much, just ying Truth or Dare, and | had to call the first person on my call log.¡± Valentin raised his eyebrow and said cheerfully. ¡°So I¡¯m the first person Don your call log, huh?¡± Ta¡¯s because you had just called me¡± Seems like | need to call you more often, then.¡± To prevent you from calling some other guy during a game, say miss him. Ashley va uppbruptly. ¡°No! We don¡¯t y that game often. Besides, wouldn¡¯t din ne several times a day be a hassle for you?¡± Valentin raad disc eyebrows, his tone casual yet seductive. ¡°That''s no trouble er allt diihin my own wife. Ashley¡¯s eyshes ducere, gripping the bedsheets subconsciously. ¡°Alright, call if you want but in going to sleep now.¡± ¡°Wait a second¡± 09:31 ¡°Is there something else?¡± Ashley asked, only to realize the call had ended. When she was puzzled, a video call from Valentin came through.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Ashley answered with suspicion, ¡°Weren''t we just on a call? Why a video call now?¡± Valentin scrutinized her, taking in every detail. ¡°Nothing much, just wanted to see you. Haven''t seen you all day, after all.¡± His voice was deep and maic, as ifced with a seductive hook. Ashley¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Then, she seemed to remember something and leaned close to the camera, blinking. ¡°Did you see my dark circles?¡± Valentin found her appearance cute and replied casually, ¡°No, | didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Don''t fool me.¡± Ashley picked up a small mirror from her nightstand. ¡°Look, the dark circles are showing. | haven''t been resting well these past few days.¡± ¡°You haven''t rested well?¡± he frowned. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s why I¡¯m feeling sleepy today,¡± Ashley said, putting her mirror back on the bedside table and yawning. ¡°Tomorrow morning, I¡¯m going to a car race. Maybe take a look at a handsome race car driver.¡± Valentin¡¯s face darkened immediately, his voice stern. ¡°See what?¡± Ashley thought he hadn¡¯t heard her and repeated, ¡°The car race, and maybe a good-looking driver. | heard he¡¯s really handsome, a friend of Miranda¡¯s. You know Miranda, right?¡± Valentin almostughed in annoyance, his expression far from pleased. At this moment, he couldn¡¯t bother whether it was Miranda or anyone. else. Ashley was genuinely tired, yawning again. ¡°But ording to Miranda, this race car driver isn¡¯t as handsome as you. Without thinking, Ashley teased, her sleepy mind speaking freely, ¡°Can¡¯t help it, Mr. Kingsley has always had good looks, not just nice to look at, but also nice to touch.¡± Valentin froze, the coldness in his eyes melting away like spring snow, vanishing instantly. ¡°Wait till you get back. You can touch it every day.¡± 09:31 Ashley suddenly realized what she had just said. ¡°I¡¯ll...deal with it when I get back. Time to sleep!¡± With that, she ended the video call, her sleepinesspletely gone. Really, what was she thinking? The next morning, Ashley, along with Joseph, Miranda, and others, went. to watch the car race. Their seat was at the main grandstand, offering an excellent view. Plus, there were sixrge screens around them, broadcasting the race live. It was the pre-race preparation period. Miranda scanned around and soon spotted Bradley in the driver¡¯s rest. area. She immediately pointed him out to Ashley. ¡°Ashley, look over there, the guy in ck, that¡¯s Bradley!¡± Ashley followed her gaze. However, her expression suddenly turned cold when she saw Bradley¡¯s face. Chapter 171 Miranda noticed something off about Ashley and quickly asked, ¡°What''s wrong, Ashley?¡± Ashley stared at the driver in ck and confirmed again, ¡°You''re saying the guy in the ck clothes is Bradley?¡± Miranda nodded, puzzled, ¡°Yeah, why? What''s up?¡± Ashley smiled bitterly, thinking. ¡®Bradley? Heh, he even takes a fake name. That¡¯s obviously Ryan!¡± ¡°Did he tell you his name was Bradley?¡± Ashley hesitated and asked Miranda, ¡°Yes, he said his name was Bradley, Ashley, why do you ask this? Could it be...¡± Miranda asked in surprise. ¡°That''s not his real name?¡± That''s not his real name.¡± ¡°What?¡± Miranda was astonished, pausing for a moment before murmuring. ¡°He gave me a fake name... Then what is his name? Do you know him? Ashley remained expressionless and calmly said, ¡°His real name is Ryan, and he is from the Ramos family. Before | cut ties with them, he was my brother. ¡°What? A member of the Ramos family?¡¯ Miranda¡¯s eyes widened in shock as if she had heard an unbelievable joke, and it even felt hard to breathe. She didn¡¯t know Ryan, didn¡¯t understand him, but hearing that he was one of the Ramos made her guess that Ryan must have been abusing Ashley like Frankie and Jeremy, mistreating her, far from a decent family member. Yet, during their recent interactions, she always thought Bradley was at good person, even developing a liking for him. Despite not understanding racing, she had even traveled abroad to watch hispetition. But now, the truth was that Bradley was Ashley¡¯s despicable brother. After a long moment, Miranda snapped out of her daze, suddenly standing up. ¡°Ashley, the race doesn¡¯t start for another hour. | want to go find Bradley and ask him about this. Will youe with me?¡± 11:07 ¡°Alright.¡± Ashley stood up and went with Miranda to the driver¡¯s rest area. Typically, spectators weren''t allowed near the driver¡¯s rest area. Butst night, Bradley told Miranda that he had arranged with the staff for her to visit the lounge any time before the game started. Last night, Miranda had even felt a sweet sense of being specially treated because of his actions. Upon seeing Miranda approaching, Bradley was surprised. However, the next second, his expression turned sour as he saw Ashley beside Miranda, his brows furrowing into a scowl. Witnessing such a stark change in Bradley¡¯s expression, Miranda instantly realized that everything Ashley had said was true. Ryan had been using the alias ¡°Bradley¡± to deceive her. The Bradley she thought was a good guy was actually Ashley¡¯s despicable brother. Miranda suddenly lost the will to ask. Her spirits dampened as she lowered her eyes. ¡°Ashley, let¡¯s go back.¡± Ashley couldn''t bear to see her so dejected. ¡°Miranda, if you...¡± Just then, Bradley, or Ryan, ran over in a panic, calling out, ¡°Miranda!¡± As he reached them, Ryan red at Ashley. ¡°Ashley, did you say something? | warn you...¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Miranda suddenly cut him off sharply, her hands clenched. The emotions she had been suppressing burst out, her eyes reddening. but she stood firmly before Ashley. ¡°Miranda...¡± Ryan opened his mouth, his voice barely audible. Ashley was taken aback. She hadn''t expected Miranda to defend her. A wave of tenderness washed over her heart, and she patted Miranda''s shoulder. ¡°lll wait over there,¡± she said. Ashley could tell Miranda had something to say to Ryan.. 2/6 11:07 ¡°Okay.¡± Miranda nodded. Ashley didn¡¯t go far, standing a short distance away. Over here, Miranda looked at Ryan and suddenly realized. ¡°Yesterday at the airport, right after | told you that Ashley wasing to pick me up, you suddenly said you had to leave because of some issue with your team. But there was no issue, right? You were just trying to avoid Ashley, right?¡± Ryan didn¡¯t deny it. ¡°Yes.¡± He hadn¡¯t known Ashley would being to the car race, so he had invited Miranda. But when he learned that Ashley woulde, he had a feeling his secret of being Ryan woulde out in front of Miranda. He just hadn¡¯t expected it to happen so soon. Miranda closed her eyes, her eyshes fluttering. ¡°Why did you tell me your name was Bradley? Why didn¡¯t you tell me your real name?¡± I...¡± Ryan nced at Ashley and spoke regretfully. ¡°I knew you were friends with Ashley, so | didn¡¯t reveal my real name at first because | was worried...¡± ¡°Worried that if | knew you were from the Ramos family, Ashley¡¯s former brother, | wouldn¡¯t give you the time of day, right?¡± Miranda cut him off. ¡°Miranda...¡± Ryan took a step forward, trying to exin. But Miranda stepped back. ¡°Since you know it, let¡¯s not see each other anymore.¡± Ryan¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°We''ve gotten along so well these past days. Why let Ashley affect our rtionship?¡± Thinking back on their recent interactions, Miranda lowered her eyes, tears welling up. ¡°The person | enjoyed being with was Bradley, not Ryan.¡± In front of Ashley and the Ramos family, she would unconditionally choose Ashley. Let the Bradley she thought she knew to stay in the past forever. After saying this, Miranda turned and walked away. 11:07 Ryan, however, suddenly grasped her wrist, shouting, ¡°Miranda, don¡¯t you really remember me?¡± Miranda paused and looked at him. ¡°What do you mean by remember you?¡± Ryan stared at her, his eyes bloodshot with a vivid red. ¡°Two years ago, the hospital, Christmas Eve.¡± Back then, he had injured his right leg and the doctors had dered he would be disabled for a lifetime. This meant he could never return to the racetrack. How could he possibly be a race car driver as a cripple? From the moment the doctors said he couldn''t be cured, he felt his life. had copsed, and he became lost. On that cold Christmas Eve night, Ryan dragged his injured right leg down to the hospital garden and sat on a bench. Snowkes drifted down from the sky, but he felt no cold. Agroup of naughty kids passed by, throwing branches and clumps of dirt at him, mocking him as a cripple. Ryan didn¡¯t even try to dodge, letting those kids circle around him andugh at him. Somehow, a girl with a sweet smile appeared out of nowhere, helping him fend off the naughty kids and handing him a bright red apple. When Ryan looked up, he saw the girl smiling with two charming dimples. She sat down to chat with him. On a snowy night, under the warm glow of a streetmp, in his darkest. and most desperate moment... The girl with the sweet smile who gave him the red apple stayed with him for two cold hours. She only left after making sure those kids wouldn¡¯te back. Miranda was utterly astonished as Ryan recounted this memory. She couldn¡¯t believe that the Ryan before her was the same little cripple bullied by those kids. 11:07 ¡°Your leg...is cured?¡± she asked. Ryan¡¯s voice was hoarse. ¡°Yes.¡± The Ramos family found a top-notch, internationally renowned doctor who only operated on national figures and refused to treat Ryan. Somehow, the doctor had changed his mind and agreed to treat Ryan. His right leg finally healed, and he returned to the racetrack he had longed for. At the same time, he began searching everywhere for Miranda, wanting to thank her for bringing warmth into his darkest, most despairing moments. Ryan was thrilled when he saw Miranda had be a celebrity. However, Miranda became good friends with Ashley. He hesitated for a long time, worried that Miranda wouldn''t ept his identity as a member of the Ramos family, and he never dared to approach her. It wasn¡¯t until the charity dinner back then, when he encountered. Miranda in a near car ident, that he began to interact with her under the alias of Bradley. After hearing all this, Miranda finally understood. It made sense now. why Ryan had left his number at the charity dinner, insisting she call him if needed, even though the ident wasn¡¯t his fault. ¡°I''ve been looking for you for two whole years, Miranda.¡± Ryan gripped Miranda¡¯s wrist, his eyes reddening. ¡°Can we...not let Ashley affect our rtionship?¡± Ashley stood at a distance, waiting patiently.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Not long after, Miranda returned. ¡°Ashley...¡± Miranda¡¯s eyes were welled up with tears. Her eyshes trembled as she looked at Ashley. Chapter 172 Chapter 172 Only taking one nce at Miranda¡¯s pained and sorrowful expression, Ashley felt a pang of heartache. Ashley quickly approached her. ¡°Did Ryan do anything to you?¡± No. Miranda¡¯s lips turned white as she struggled to hold back tears. ¡°I just talked to Ryan, and we decided never to contact each other again. We''re... We¡¯re going to act like we never knew each other.¡± ¡°Miranda, you know, actually...¡± Ashley felt uneasy. She reached out and gently wiped away the tears in the corner of Miranda¡¯s eyes. ¡°If you still have feelings for him...¡± ¡°No,¡± Miranda interrupted, gripping Ashley¡¯s hand tightly in hers. Tears shimmered in Miranda¡¯s eyes as she looked earnestly at Ashley, saying, ¡°Ashley, even though | had feelings for Bradley... Ryan has done. so many hurtful things to you in the past. You¡¯re my good friend. If | had. to choose between the Ramos family and you, | would definitely choose. you.¡± Upon hearing this, Ashley¡¯s heart ached terribly, and she couldn''t resist. pulling Miranda into her arm. ¡°Miranda...¡± Miranda hugged Ashley back, and her arms trembled slightly. As she buried her forehead in Ashley''s shoulder, her tears began to flow uncontrobly. ¡°I just never thought that | had already met him two years ago...¡± Ryan had just said that regardless of whether Miranda despised him or not, he would never forget that snowy Christmas night. He would always remember the youngdy who gave him a red apple. Ryan even said he had been looking for Miranda for two whole years. However, there was something Miranda couldn''tprehend. She mused, ¡®Ryan can care so much about me, a stranger, so why couldn''t he be kinder to Ashley, his own sister? Why does he treat a stranger better than his own family? If only Ryan had treated Ashley well, | wouldn¡¯t have been so repulsed by him... Meanwhile, Ryan, watching Ashley and Miranda embracing, furrowed his brows deeply. 11:07 He wondered when Ashley had be interested in car racing. Ryan pondered, ¡®If it weren¡¯t for Ashley wanting to watch the race, | could have continued pretending to be Bradley and be with Miranda much longer. Now that Miranda knows I¡¯m Ryan, she¡¯s decisively chosen. Ashley¡¯s side and no longer wants to have anything to do with me. If | start treating Ashley well now, will Miranda stop despising me? No, why should | be nice to Ashley? She''s the reason Miranda dislikes me so much!¡± Soon after, Ashley led Miranda back to their seats. Joseph, noticing their return, raised his eyebrows in surprise. ¡°What happened? Why does Miranda look like she¡¯s been crying?¡± ¡°| wasn''t,¡± Miranda denied, though her eyes were still slightly red.. ¡°Still denying, huh? Your eyes are all red like a little rabbit,¡± Josephmented, lounging with his legs crossed, teasingly looking at Ashley. ¡°She didn¡¯t just have a breakup, did she?¡± Ashley was at a loss for words, thinking, Joseph really knows how to say the wrong thing at the wrong time. Miranda pressed her lips together. ¡°I haven¡¯t even dated yet. How could it be heartbreak?¡± ¡°Breakups are no big deal,¡± Joseph confidently said and snapped his fingers. ¡°There are plenty of handsome men out there. I''ll introduce someone to youter!¡± ¡°You? Introducing someone?¡± Jaden couldn¡¯t help but retort, ¡°Come on, knowing you, you''d introduce another yboy like yourself. Don¡¯t go. ruining young girls¡¯ lives.¡± Joseph immediately got defensive. ¡°How am | a yboy? I¡¯ve never done anything immoral like cheating or meddling in others¡¯ rtionships! Bryce, back me up here!¡±This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Bryce nced at Joseph and smirked. ¡°Maybe it wasst year? | happened to see you being quite chatty and touchy with a few girls, Mr. Fox...¡± ¡°Damn it, stop ndering me!¡± Joseph snapped, wishing he could tape Bryce¡¯s mouth shut. ¡°Alright, enough, quiet down for a bit, Ashley said, rubbing her temples. in frustration, wondering why the conversation had shifted to 11:07 introducing boyfriends. Clinging to Ashley¡¯s arm, Miranda whispered, ¡°Let¡¯s forget about introducing men.¡± For Miranda, men were never as important as her sisterhood. Ashley was constantly attentive to Miranda¡¯s mood and gently patted her hand. ¡°Do you still want to watch the race? We can go back if you don¡¯t feel like it.¡± ¡°No need.¡± Miranda immediately shook her head. ¡°We''re already here. It would be a waste not to watch. Besides, Ashley, you''re interested in racing, so we should definitely stay until the end.¡± ¡°Alright, then we''ll stay until it''s over,¡± Ashley responded, her heart. softening as she gently pinched Miranda''s cheek. Lester, who was sitting nearby, observed the interaction between Ashley. and Miranda and quickly figured it out. ¡°Did you guys just go see Ryan?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Ashley acknowledged. ¡°Ryan...¡± Lester uttered the name, a cold indifference shing through his eyes. He thought irritably, ¡®Another one of the Ramos family who once bullied Ashley... Soon after, the car race began, and the atmosphere was electric. Thepeting vehicles zoomed off from the starting line with incredible. speed. Ashley had always been interested in racing and was quite familiar with Ryan¡¯s racing skills. However, as she watched for a while, she couldn''t help but raise an eyebrow in surprise. She saw that Ryan was off his game today. He wasn¡¯t performing at his usual standard. When he took the first bend, he was unexpectedly overtaken by two other cars. This was an unlikely scenario, given Ryan¡¯s standard skills. Though Ryan managed to regain his lead for a brief moment, he was surpassed again atter turns and nearly caused an ident due to his 11:071 rashness. And because he was too impatient, he almost overturned. By the time he crossed the finish line, he only managed to secure fifth ce, not even making it into the top three. After the race ended, Ryan¡¯s team members surrounded him, expressing their frustration. ¡°What happened to you today, Ryan? This isn¡¯t like you!¡± ¡°Exactly, you could have easily taken first ce, but...¡± ¡°Ryan, no one but Ava, the Racing Legend, is better than you at racing. But today you only managed fifth ce, that¡¯s so unlike you! What went wrong?¡± For a professional racing team, winning first ce means not just honor but also a significant prize. Now, he had lost out on both. Ryan then irritably ran his fingers through his hair. His ruggedly handsome face showed traces of defeat. He knew his performance was off because he couldn''t stop thinking about Ashley and Miranda... Ryan cursed under his breath and kicked a nearby wall in frustration. He then looked up toward where Ashley was sitting in the audience. To his dismay, he found that Ashley wasn¡¯t even looking at him. The feeling of being ignored, especially by Ashley, instantly made Ryan¡¯s temper re up. He then looked toward Miranda beside Ashley. But as soon as their eyes met, Miranda looked away indifferently and unhesitatingly. Ryan instantly felt a tightness in his chest, as if his heart had been clenched, causing a dull, throbbing ache. He couldn''t help but wonder, ¡®How did | end up in this situation?¡± Chapter 173 Although Ryan only managed to secure fifth ce in the race, he had always been a hot favorite for the championship and, indeed, possessed remarkable skills. The unexpected dip in his performance sparked a flurry of discussions. among the audience, curious about what had gone wron The race host then approached Ryan with a microphone for an interview. There were sixrge electronic screens set up around the venue. Ryan¡¯s interview was live-streamed in real-time on the big screens, allowing the entire audience to watch. The host asked, ¡°Ryan, you seem to have underperformed in this race. What happened?¡± Ryan¡¯s eyebrows furrowed, and his expression involuntarily betrayed at hint of aggression. ¡°I wasn¡¯t in the right state of mind today. | apologize for not meeting the expectations of the racing fans.¡± ¡°Not in the right state of mind? Is it due to a recurrence of your leg. injury?¡± the host asked knowledgeably. ¡°We all know you had a serious. leg injury that almost led to a lifelong disability, but thankfully, you recovered and returned to the track.¡± Ryan shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s not the leg injury. It was my mindset today.¡± The host expressed his regret, saying, ¡°I know I¡¯m speaking for all the racing enthusiasts here when | say that Ava, the Racing Legend, was the only one that could have beaten you in a race. However, Ava is not here. today. Even so, you still narrowly missed first ce. What a pity.¡± ¡°Ava, the Racing Legend... Ryan repeated in his mind. He was well aware of Ava¡¯s reputation. Ava had won the world¡¯s top car racing championship three times in a row, achieving a triple championship and earning the title of the Racing Legend. His racing skills were exceptional. However, Ava suddenly announced retirement two years ago, taking the fans by surprise. 11:07 Many racing fans had pleaded with Ava not to retire, but unfortunately, it was to no avail. Ever since then, Ava has neverpeted in a race publicly again. Asudden realization shed through Ryan''s mind as he recalled an incident two years ago. Back then, his right leg had been seriously injured, and ordinary doctors were unable to treat it effectively. The Ramos family had managed to find a top-notch, internationally renowned surgeon. However, this surgeon typically only operated on high-profile individuals and refused to treat Ryan. Then, the doctor changed his mind for some unknown reason and agreed to treat Ryan. It was also around this time that Ava suddenly announced his retirement. Ryan couldn¡¯t help but wonder if the two events happening so coincidentally might have some connection. This interview was broadcast live to therge screens at the venue, allowing the audience to follow along. Upon hearing the host mention Ava, the fans on-site instantly became excited. ¡°Ah, Ava! My favorite racer!¡± ¡°Mine too! Ava retired two years ago, but | still vividly remember thest. race, especially that thrilling turn. It was so exhrating!¡± ¡°s, why did Ava suddenly retire two years ago? It still saddens me.¡± As Lester listened to these discussions, he subtly nced at Ashley. He had thoroughly investigated and discovered that Ava, the Racing Legend mistakenly believed to be a man by racing fans, was actually Ashley. Lester pondered, ¡®Who would have guessed that the widely admired Racing Legend was actually a youngdy?¡¯ As for the reason behind Ava¡¯s retirement two years ago, Lester had also discovered the truth. 11:07 It was all because of Ryan, that ungrateful brute.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Ashley had made a deal with that top surgeon to heal Ryan¡¯s injured right leg and allow him to return to the racetrack he so dearly loved. She agreed to announce Ava¡¯s retirement in exchange for the surgeon agreeing to treat Ryan. The surgeon¡¯s nephew was also a racer who could never achieve first ce as long as Ava was around. Therefore, to ensure his nephew¡¯s sess, the surgeon agreed to treat Ryan on the condition that Ava retired. Ashley agreed to this deal for Ryan¡¯s sake. At the height of her glory and the peak of her career, she announced her retirement and gave up her beloved racing. The lengths Ashley had gone for Ryan... Lester¡¯s gaze deepened as he looked at Ashley¡¯s side profile, thinking. about how she had truly desired recognition and affection from the Ramos family. He pondered just how much she had sacrificed and given up for those ungrateful, heartless Ramos family members. When Ashley noticed Lester was staring at her, she asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± Lester replied, suppressing the turmoil of emotions within. him. After watching her for a moment, his eyes, unbeknownst even to him, filled with unspoken tenderness. ¡°Ashley, you must always remember that you are the most important. Take good care of yourself.¡± Ashley was taken aback for a moment, then she smiled radiantly, ¡°I know that now.¡± Lester instinctively reached out to ruffle her hair but stopped halfway, realizing the gesture was too intimate for their current rtionship. ¡°What are you two whispering about?¡± Joseph butted in curiously. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear the host mentioning Ava just now? The famous Racing Legend!¡± Ashley chuckled, ¡°Yes, | heard.¡± 11:07 ¡°Ah, it¡¯s such a pity that the Racing Legend retired at the peak of his career,¡± Joseph said as he clutched his chest with deep sorrow. ¡°Not just retiring at their peak, but also dying young, oh!¡± Ashley was left speechless, thinking, ¡®Here we go again!¡± Turning around, she realized that the surrounding audience was also discussing Ava¡¯s supposed tragic demise. ¡°My favorite Ava, the Racing Legend... Why did he have to die in a car ident? | can¡¯t ept it!¡± ¡°Actually, it¡¯s good that Ava retired to live freely. But why, oh why, did such a talented person have to be taken by heaven?!¡± ¡°Last year, our fan forum held an online memorial for Ava. The entire page was in ck and white. | wonder if Ava can see from heaven how. much we miss them.¡± ¡°Ava deserves this mourning! Such a loss!¡± Ashley was utterly speechless, unable to believe the absurdity of the situation. Lester¡¯s expression darkened instantly upon hearing these words. He thought irritably, ¡®What is all this bullshit about ident and dying young?! Ashley is alive and well! Don¡¯t curse her!¡± After hearing the discussions around him, Joseph, who was oblivious to the actual situation, even considered having everybody in the venue have a moment of silence to pay respects to Ava. Bryce sighed repeatedly, and even Jadenmented on the tragedy of a young talent gone too soon. Miranda sighed, ¡°I may not know much about racing, but I, too, feel regret hearing about Ava¡¯s death.¡± Ashley¡¯s forehead throbbed with irritation, and she couldn¡¯t hold back. any longer, correcting them. ¡°Ava¡¯s not dead. He¡¯s alive and well!¡± Ryan¡¯s questioning voice came from behind as soon as she finished. speaking. ¡°Ashley, what did you just say? Ava¡¯s not dead?¡± Ryan hade to talk to Ashley and happened to hear her remark. He first looked surprised, then scoffed, ¡°Ashley, since when have you been so interested in racing? How do you even know Ava¡¯s not dead?¡± Chapter 174 Ryan had been the most likely racer to win this race, but his performance. went awry, and he only ended up in fifth ce. This had the entire audience at the edge of their seats, trying to figure out what had wrong. gone So, when Ryan made his way to the spectator stands to find Ashley, the people around him craned their necks to see. They then overheard Ashley saying. ¡°Ava isn¡¯t dead,¡± instantly causing a stir among them. ¡°Ava is still alive? Are you serious? Don''t fool us!¡± ¡°That girl with long hair said it herself! She said Ava is still alive and well! And Ryan questioned her about it!¡± ¡°Come on, how would a girl like her know such things? She probably just made it up.¡± ¡°Wait... Isn¡¯t that Attelia over there?¡± A foreign spectator suddenly recognized Ashley, eximing, ¡°Oh my! The woman who said Ava isn¡¯t dead is Attelia, the chief designer of Glory Youveile!¡± Even though the venue was at Yaloria, Manditus, there were many Zyrrinthian spectators. Initially, everyone was too focused on the race to recognize Ashley. However, after the foreign spectator pointed her out, many others a started to recognize her. ¡°My goodness, it really is Attelia!¡± ¡°Look how beautiful and elegant she is!¡± ¡°| didn¡¯t know she was interested in racing. She had evene all the way to Manditus for it. Seeing how popr and admired Ashley was, Ryan frowned and snorted. disdainfully. He thought sarcastically, ¡®All this fuss just because she designs dresses? It¡¯s not just the Zyrrinthian crowd. Even the foreigners seem eager for a photo with her. What''s the big deal anyway?¡± With that thought, Ryan looked on even more disdainfully. 144 11:07 Ryan then crossed his arms and looked down at Ashley from the aisle, arrogantly saying, ¡°Ashley, you just said that Ava isn¡¯t dead. Do your realize how foolish your lie is?¡± The surrounding crowd instantly quieted down, their attention turning to Ashley, curious if she knew something about Ava. Meanwhile, Ashley, sitting in her seat, calmly looked up at Ryan, who was standing. Even though she was clearly not as tall as him and was in a position of apparent disadvantage, she exuded an air of calm and defiant demeanor. ¡°If you think I¡¯m lying, then how can you be so sure Ava is dead?¡± Ashley challenged. Ryan sneered, ¡°Ava hasn''t participated in any race since announcing his retirement two years ago, and his social ounts have been inactive. There were even people saying that they saw him lying in a pool of blood after a car ident. It¡¯smon knowledge among racing fans.¡± Upon hearing him, the fans around them nodded in agreement. It was indeed as what Ryan had said, hence why they had organized an online memorial for Ava. Ashley found it rather amusing, then she looked at Ryan and asked, ¡°So. someone imed they saw Ava in a car ident? It seems like you''re going by hearsay without any evidence. If | say Ava isn¡¯t dead, what you the right to use me of lying?¡± 8 ¡°You!¡± Ryan was taken aback, not expecting Ashley to be so quick-witted Angrily pointing a finger at her, he eximed, ¡°I''ve never seen you show interest in racing before, so you''re clearly an outsider. And now you suddenly im that Ava isn¡¯t dead. Isn''t this just an attempt to gain attention by using Ava¡¯s fame? Let me tell you, Ashley, this is ack of respect for the deceased!¡± Lester, who was sitting nearby, was irritated upon hearing Ryan, and his eyelids twitched. He pondered irritably, ¡®Lack of respect for the deceased? Ryan is such a fool: Joseph''s expression then turned grim as he cautiously watched Ryan. Although Joseph was puzzled as to why Ashley imed Ava was still 11:07This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. alive, he unconditionally supported her. Miranda looked at Ryan with disbelief, clearly repulsed by his arrogant demeanor. She wondered, ¡®Ashley is his sister. Why is he targeting her like this?¡± anger at Noticing Miranda¡¯s aversion, Ryan felt irritated and directed his Ashley. ¡°Ashley, how do you know Ava isn¡¯t dead? If you¡¯re talking about Ava, who has passed away...¡± But, before he could finish, Ashley interrupted him with a scoff and stood. up unhurriedly. Her expression was filled with a clear, mocking sarcasm as she spoke in a casual tone. ¡°I just met Ava today, so of course, | know he¡¯s not dead.¡± One among the crowd then repeated in his mind, ¡®She...just met Ava today?! As soon as Ashley said this, it instantly ignited excitement among the surrounding race fans, who erupted into a flurry of chatter. ¡°Did | hear that right? Ashley said she just met Ava today!¡± ¡°Holy crap, Ashley knows Ava?¡± ¡°Ashley, have you really seen Ava? Was it the real Ava? Are you friends. with him?¡± Not just the racing fans but Joseph and Jaden Bryce were also stunned. They wondered in shock, ¡°Ashley...met Ava today? How did we not know. about this?¡¯ Ryan was equally shocked by Ashley¡¯s words, his brows furrowed, and his gaze turned sharp. ¡°Ashley, Ava has never shown his face publicly. Your say you''ve seen him, and just today at that. Who knows if you''re telling the truth?¡± Upon hearing this, the crowd calmed down a bit. Indeed, no one here had seen Ava in person and couldn''t tell whether Ashley was telling the truth or not. Just then, two security guards, looking hurried, ran toward the racetrack entrance, holding walkie-talkies and respectfully saying, ¡°Roger that! Mr. Pun Lawrence has arrived. We''re going out to greet him now!¡± 11:07 Hearing Pun¡¯s name, the racing fans on the scene erupted with excitement again. ¡°Mr. Lawrence? The only person who has seen Ava¡¯s real face?¡± ¡°It must be him. Didn¡¯t you see the security guards going out to wee him? Mr. Lawrence is Ava¡¯s friend. He¡¯s the only one who¡¯s seen Ava in person. But why has Mr. Lawrencee here so suddenly?¡± ¡°Mr. Lawrence is also interested in racing. He and Ava had co-founded a racing team, with Mr. Lawrence as the manager and Ava as the star racer. But it¡¯s a shame Ava suddenly retired two years ago, and since then, the team disbanded, and Mr. Lawrence stopped paying attention to racing. Why did he suddenlye to the race today?¡± ¡°Is it because he heard someone say Aya isn¡¯t dead, so he made a special. trip?¡± ¡°That is possible!¡± Ryan was, of course, well aware of Pun¡¯s friendship with Ava. Hearing of Pun¡¯s sudden arrival, Ryan¡¯s first reaction was surprise. However, this surprisested only a few seconds before Ryan figured it out, looking at Ashley mockingly. He pondered with a slight smirk, ¡®Mr. Lawrence is the only one who¡¯s seen Ava¡¯s true face. Now that Mr. Lawrence has personallye to the race, it¡¯s obviously for Ava. Let¡¯s see how Ashley continues to lie about having just met Ava today!¡± Chapter 175 As everyone¡¯s attention was focused on the imminent arrival of Pun, Joseph quickly pulled Ashley aside and whispered, ¡°Did you meet Ava today? When?¡± Ashley pondered for a moment and answered truthfully, ¡°This morning.¡± That morning, while she was washing up and looking in the mirror, she had just seen her reflection in the mirror. Jaden was immediately thrilled and eximed, ¡°Honey, you know Ava, the Racing Legend? Can you introduce me? I¡¯ve always wanted to meet Ava!¡± ¡°That¡¯s not right,¡± Bryce said, stroking his chin and carefully thinking it over. His brows furrowed slightly. ¡°Ashley, we¡¯ve been together all day. You didn¡¯t go out alone. When did you have time to meet Ava?¡± Upon hearing this, Jaden thought, ¡®Right, Ashley has been with us all day.¡± He then lowered his voice and asked Ashley, ¡°Did you make up meeting Ava today just to contradict Ryan?¡± Ashley was momentarily puzzled and pondered, ¡®Making it up?¡± Jaden clenched his right fist and hit it into his left palm. ¡°This is bad. Mr. Lawrence is about to arrive. He¡¯s Ava¡¯s friend. Won''t your lie be exposed when he sees you?¡± ¡°Exposed?¡± Miranda also grew anxious. Seeing Pun was about to arrive, she wondered, ¡®What if he publicly uses Ashley of lying?¡± Joseph gritted his teeth, adopting a determined stance as if ready to defend Ashley at all costs. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ashley. Even if you were bluffing, it doesn¡¯t matter. | support you unconditionally. You can bluff all you want!¡± Ashley, witnessing all this, was speechless. Lester couldn''t take it anymore and shook his head in resignation. ¡°Enough, you''re all overthinking it. Stop guessing.¡± Although they were speaking in hushed tones, Ryan, who was observant of Ashley¡¯s every move, still managed to overhear a few sentences. He thought smugly, ¡®So Ashley was just bluffing. She didn¡¯t meet Ava 11:07 today. How humiliating for her! Wait until Mr. Lawrence arrives, and she''ll be publicly exposed for lying!¡± Soon after, two security guards respectfully escorted an elegantly dressed older man toward them. ¡°Mr. Lawrence, right this way, please.¡± Despite his age, Pun exuded an air of extreme refinement. He was dressed in a vintage suit, his gray hair neatlybed back and topped with a ck top hat, resembling a medieval noble. He leaned on a silver cane in his right hand, followed by a line of bodyguards in ck suits, clearly a man of significant status. The racing fans on the scene immediately recognized him and thought. excitedly, ¡°That really is Mr. Lawrence, the one who co- founded a racing team with Ava, the Racing Legend!¡± Ryan approached Pun excitedly. ¡°Hello, Mr. Lawrence!¡± Pun recognized Ryan, a well-known and skilled racer, and nodded. courteously. However, Pun did not respond to Ryan¡¯s greeting and continued. walking straight ahead. Ryan was momentarily taken aback, then hurriedly followed him. ¡°Since Ava retired two years ago, you disbanded the racing team and stopped. following racing. Your sudden appearance at the race today has surprised everyone.¡± Alook of regret and nostalgia shed in Pun¡¯s eyes after hearing about Ava¡¯s retirement. Even after two years, Pun still felt a deep sense of loss over Ava¡¯s retirement. Sensing Pun¡¯s sorrow, Ryan quickly seized the opportunity to stir the pot. ¡°Since retiring, Ava has never updated his social ounts, and rumors say he died in a car ident. But just now, someone lied about having met Ava today...¡± Pun¡¯s expression turned grim at these words, and he suddenly stopped walking. He then struck his cane heavily on the ground. This was clearly a sign of his anger. 11:07 Ryan briefly paused, a flicker of surprise crossing his face, followed by at surge of guilty pleasure. He thought, ¡®Mr. Lawrence and Ava have a close rtionship, and he hates it when people exploit Ava for their gain. Ashley lying about. meeting Ava today has clearly hit a nerve with Mr. Lawrence. No wonder he¡¯s angry. As Ryan reveled in this moment, Pun finally looked straight at him. ¡°Who told you Ava died in a car ident?¡± Ryan muttered, ¡°Mr. Lawrence, that...¡± Pun struck his cane forcefully, his eyes zing with fury, and he scolded, ¡°Who gave you the audacity to curse Ava? Ava is very much alive!!¡±. ¡®What? Ava isn¡¯t dead?¡¯ Ryan thought in shock.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. He stood there, dumbfounded, as he was reprimanded in front of everyone. Hearing Pun¡¯s words, the surrounding race fans became restless and immediately rose from their seats. ¡°Mr. Lawrence, are you saying Ava is still alive? Please answer me, this is very important to me! Ava is my favorite racer!¡± ¡°If Mr. Lawrence says so, it must be true! My beloved Ava, the Racing Legend, is still alive!¡± ¡°So, what Ashley said earlier was true?¡± ¡°Did she really just meet Ava today?¡± Ryan frowned and looked at Ashley with a face full of shock, wondering. ¡®Did she really meet Ava today? What is Ashley¡¯s rtionship with Ava then?¡± The next moment, what startled Ryan even more was that, after scolding him, Pun walked straight toward Ashley. Once he arrived in front of Ashley, Pun¡¯s eyes were filled with excitement and longing. Despite being older, Pun stood before Ashley and respectfully removed his ck top hat, nodding politely at her. 11:07 This gesture in etiquette signified profound respect. Everyone was collectively shocked by this scene, thinking, ¡°Mr. Lawrence, an elder of high stature, is showing such respect to the young Ashley?! What¡¯s going on?!¡± Pun looked at Ashley, his eyes twinkling with tears as if he had longed for this moment. ¡°Av...¡± He stopped halfway through the name, remembering Ashley didn¡¯t want to reveal herself as Ava, and quickly corrected himself. ¡°Ashley, you''ve finally returned to the racing track.¡± Ashley chuckled and smiled brightly, ¡°Not really, | just came to watch a race today.¡± ¡°| see...¡± Pun replied, pondered for a moment, and said, ¡°Even though you don¡¯t n to return to racing, it¡¯s a pity, but I¡¯m very happy to see you today. | came straight here as soon as | heard you were here.¡± The racing fans listening to their conversation could clearly tell the two were very familiar with each other. They pondered, ¡®Returning to the racing track? Does Ashley race, too? And Mr. Lawrence came here as soon as he heard Ashley was here? He values her that much?¡± A few bold individuals couldn¡¯t resist asking, ¡°Mr. Lawrence, what is your rtionship with Ashley?¡± Pun elegantly put his hat back on. ¡°Ashley and | are very good friends.¡± Another person said, ¡°Ashley said earlier that she had met Ava today. Ist that true?¡± ¡°If Ashley said she saw him, then she definitely did,¡± Pun responded. Since he knew Ashley was Ava, he was sure that she would see herself every day. This was an explosive news for the race fans. Previously, someone imed to have seen Ava die in a car crash, even sharing a photo on a forum. The person in the photo resembled Ava. Since Ava¡¯s retirement, Pun, closely associated with Ava, had stopped following racing news and couldn¡¯t debunk the rumors in time. As a result, the rumor gained traction and was believed to be true. 11.07 Today, they finally received confirmation that Ava, the Racing Legend, had not died in a tragic ident. Moreover, Ashley had seen Ava today. Everyone then returned to the question, wondering, ¡®What is Ashley¡¯s rtionship with Ava? Are they also good friends?¡± At this moment, Ryan stared at Ashley, and looked bewildered. He mused, ¡®Ashley has changed a lot since leaving the Ramos family, doing many unexpected things, like being the mysterious composer Ash and the talented designer Attelia. Now, Mr. Lawrence, who co-founded a racing team with Ava, is showing such respect to Ashley. Mr. Lawrence even said he thought Ashley had finally returned to racing. Could it be.... Aseemingly absurd thought then suddenly popped into Ryan¡¯s mind, ¡®Could it be that Ashley is Ava, the Racing Legend?!¡± Chapter 176 However, Ryan quickly dismissed this thought. He thought, ¡®Everyone knows Ava, the Racing Legend is a man. And Ashley is a woman. How could the two be connected?¡± Ryan then quietly breathed a sigh of relief. He pondered, ¡®How can it be like this? Frankie¡¯s search for Attelia led to Ashley, and Matthew¡¯s mentor Ash is also Ashley. It is making me paranoid now. But thankfully, Ava, the Racing Legend, is a man. Ashley can¡¯t possibly be Ava. The tension inside Ryan then finally eased. Yet, he still looked at Ashley curiously. ¡°Mr. Lawrence just said he thought you were returning to racing today. Howe | didn¡¯t know you could race?¡± Ashley responded indifferently, ¡°There¡¯s a lot you don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Ashley!¡± Ryan immediately felt irritated, thinking, ¡°What kind of attitude is this toward her brother? Doesn''t she have any respect?¡¯ Ryan took a deep breath and stared intently at Ashley. ¡°Since you can race, why not have apetition with me right now, here at the racetrack?¡± He wanted to see just how good Ashley¡¯s racing skills were. If her skills were mediocre, then it was even less likely she was Ava. But to Ryan¡¯s surprise, Ashley, with a slight raise of her eyebrows, decisively refused his offer. ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± With a look of confusion, Pun turned his gaze to Ashley, silently asking why she refused topete. To Pun, it seemed like a good opportunity to teach Ryan a lesson, especially after his rude behavior toward Ashley. Sensing Pun¡¯s query, Ashley chuckled, yet with a barely noticeable bitterness, ¡°Have you forgotten? | promised someone that | would no longer participate in racingpetitions.¡± Upon hearing this, Lester immediately understood and pondered, ¡°This is 1/5 11:07 the deal Ashley made with that doctor! Ashley announced her retirement to get the doctor to agree to operate on Ryan¡¯s injured leg and promised the doctor she would never race again. For Ryan, she sacrificed her own. racing career without hesitation... Hearing Ashley''s words, Pun suddenly remembered that Ava had. indeed said he would no longer participate in racing competitions when he announced his retirement. However, Pun only knew that Ava had suddenly retired, not aware of the specific reason behind it. Pun thought it was such a shame. For whatever reason, Ashley had to end her racing career at its peak, its most glorious moment. But it was Ashley''s choice. All Pun could do was support her. So after Ava¡¯s retirement, Pun, overwhelmed with regret and heartache, never paid attention to racing again. Only when he heard Ashley was here today did Pune specially. At that moment, Ryan, hearing Ashley say she had promised someone not to race again, scoffed derisively, ¡°You''re not scared, are you? You''re afraid to race against me, so you found such an excuse?¡± Ashley¡¯s gaze then turned ice cold as she looked at him indifferently. Secondster, she looked away with a poker face. ¡°Feel free to interpret it however you wish.¡± Ryan¡¯s eyes shed with more profound scorn. ¡°Just admit it if you¡¯re scared to race. There¡¯s no need to give me such a ridiculous excuse, saying you promised someone not to race again. Aren¡¯t you embarrassed?¡± With that, Ryan deliberately let out an exaggerated and mockingugh, which was particrly grating. Lester¡¯s expression instantly turned grim, his gaze toward Ryan carrying a chilling, almost lethal edge.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Lester thought irritably, ¡®Ashley sacrificed her career for Ryan to fulfill his dream of returning to the racetrack. She promised the doctor she would retire in exchange for Ryan¡¯s treatment. And what is Ryan doing now? Mocking Ashley for being a coward and belittling her for not daring to 11:07 race. What did Ashley¡¯s sacrifice earn her? Just this thankless, cold-hearted response?¡± While Ryan wasughing loudly, he suddenly felt a cold, eerie gaze enveloping him, instantly silencing him. He turned to look and saw it was Lester. Lester was staring at Ryan with eyes as cold as the bottomless ice of a frozenke. Ryan was startled and quickly averted his gaze in a panic. Ashley¡¯s thick eyshes fluttered slightly as she turned to nce at Lester. ¡°The race is over. Let¡¯s go.¡± With that, she turned and walked away. Joseph and Jaden exchanged stunned looks, then hurriedly followed her. Watching Ashley¡¯s retreating figure, Ryan sneered again, ¡°Ashley, it looks. like you really are too scared to race me. Since you''ve made up such a ridiculous excuse, I''ll just assume you really did promise someone race.¡± not to Though Ryan said this, his tone was clearly sarcastic, mocking Ashley for being afraid to race him and deliberately finding an excuse to evade the challenge. Bryce¡¯s expression darkened, and after ring at Ryan, he turned and walked away, following Ashley. Ryan didn¡¯t bother with Bryce, but he instantly felt a sharp pang in his heart when he caught Miranda¡¯s disappointed and disheartened look. Ryan mused, ¡°Why does Miranda always side with Ashley? Can¡¯t Miranda understand me for once? What¡¯s wrong with me disliking Ashley and treating her poorly? Has Ashley ever been nice to me?¡± Fuming inside, Ryan stared fiercely at Ashley¡¯s back. ¡°Ashley, this is your chickening out and running away. Don''t regret itter!¡± Ashley seemed as if she hadn¡¯t heard him and walked away without even. looking back. Ryan was convinced that Ashley was definitely not Ava, as Ava wouldn''t be this cowardly. At that moment, Pun nced disapprovingly at Ryan and then at 84 11:07 Ashley¡¯s retreating figure. Suddenly, Pun remembered something and. quickly chased after Ashley. ¡°Ashley!¡± Ashley stopped upon hearing Pun¡¯s voice. Pun quickly approached her, saying ¡°Ashley, | just remembered. ¡°When you agreed not to race again, it meant not participating in officialpetitions. Right now, a private match between you and Ryan doesn¡¯t count as an official race!¡± Ryan arrogantly walked over with his arms crossed and taunted. ¡°Mr. Lawrence, | know Ashley is your friend, but it¡¯s useless to find excuses for her if she herself doesn¡¯t dare to race. ¡°Shut up!¡± Pun cut him off with a cold re. ¡°Let¡¯s get this straight. If you want to race Ashley, this match will just be for bragging rights. The winner gets no prize money, nor will it affect any racer¡¯s points or standing on the leaderboard!¡± The so-called leaderboard was a system where racers earned points for winning in official races. Even though Ava had retired two years ago and hadn''t raced since, he still held the top spot on the leaderboard, with a substantial lead over the second-ce racer. Even after giving other racers two years of opportunities, no one had managed to catch up, with Ava still dominating the highest record. Looking mockingly at Ashley, Ryan sneered, ¡°I agree with Mr. Lawrence¡¯s terms. It¡¯s just a friendly match. Now, do you dare to Trace me?¡± ¡®Do | dare?¡¯ she echoed in her mind. ¡°Ha...¡± Ashley lowered her gaze and chuckled. Her eyshes lifted. slightly, and her eyes gleamed mysteriously. ¡°Ryan, since we''re going topete, let¡¯s raise the stakes. Whoever loses has to beg for mercy. Do you dare?¡± Chapter 177 Chapter 177 Upon hearing Ashley¡¯s bet, Ryan immediately wondered if she was up t some trickery. to But then Ryan reconsidered. Ashley had been making all sorts of excuses to avoid racing him from the start, even resorting to theughable excuse of having promised someone she would quit racing. He thought, ¡®Now, Ashley is proposing a bet where the loser has to beg. Isn¡¯t she just trying to scare me off?¡¯ Ryan felt contemptuous inside. He wouldn¡¯t dare im expertise in other fields, but he had extreme confidence in his skills and abilities on the racetrack. Moreover, it was Ryan who had initially challenged Ashley to a race. If he now refused this bet, it would seem as if he was afraid of her. ¡°It''s just a bet. What do | have to be afraid of?¡± he smugly said. Ryan¡¯s face was rugged, and when he gotpetitive, he looked fierce, his gaze at Ashley conveying his confidence in victory. He warned her, ¡°Ashley, just so you know, don¡¯t cry when you lose!¡± Ashley simply smiled faintly, ¡°You better think about how you''re going to beg me for mercyter! ¡°Ashley!¡± Ryan nearly lost his cool and grumbled to himself, ¡®She really doesn¡¯t know her limits!¡± Seeing that Ashley finally agreed to race, Pun felt it was a good opportunity to put Ryan in his ce. Pun happily ordered his bodyguards to bring the silver Agera FE sports car from his collection for Ashley to use in the race. Soon after, the car was delivered. Ryan had his own customized racing car, with a specially modified engine for racing, performing much better than average cars. The silver Agera FE Pun provided was a decent race car, but it couldn¡¯t match Ryan¡¯s in terms of performance. Both their cars were now lined up at the starting point, ready for the race. 115 11:08 The game was about to begin. Although the racing fans at the scene were unclear on how the situation had escted to this, they were excited to see Ryan and Ashley race. In the previous race, Ryan had performed poorly, finishing fifth. They wondered if he could show his true skills this time. Joseph knew Ryan¡¯s abilities were formidable, arguably the best in the racing world. However, Joseph had never seen Ashley race and was unsure of her abilities. The thought of her possibly losing filled him with dread and anxiety. Joseph rushed to Pun and asked nervously, ¡°Mr. Lawrence, since you''re Ashley¡¯s friend, do you know how good she is at racing?¡± Jaden was equally anxious. Pun, however, smiled courteously, ¡°The race is about to start. You¡¯ll see for yourself very soon.¡± Hearing this, Joseph felt a lump in his throat, thinking, ¡°Why is he being. so mysterious? I¡¯m really worried about Ashley losing. What if Ryan bullies her... He was really afraid that Ashley would lose and be bullied by Ryan... Bryce and Miranda were also anxious, while Lester appeared rtively calm. There was a heated debate among the spectators in the stand about who would win the race. Even though Ashley was Pun¡¯s friend, and the racing fans respected. Pun, they didn¡¯t view Ashley with the same regard. After all, in racing, skill was everything. ¡°Although Mr. Lawrence says Ashley can race, | still think Ryan has a better chance of winning. After all, Ryan is a professional racer, and I¡¯ve never heard Ashley''s name in the racing world.¡± ¡°It''s obvious Ryan will win! Don¡¯t let his fifth ce in thest race fool. you. That was just an off day for him. Frankly, the only person who could. beat Ryan in racing is Ava, the Racing Legend!¡± ¡°Indeed, I¡¯ve been watching races for five years, and since Ava retired, Ryan has been the number one in racing. Surely, Ashley''s amateur racing ILON dalls cantpare to a professional. fcousask me, it¡¯s a shame for Ashley to race against van. It¡¯s going to obbad for a girl to lose and beg for mercy!¡± With the sound of the starting gun, the nee officially began. 36mthen sped off from the starting line simutantonuitv hletevrbove a silver Agera FE while Ryan was in a bitcionat culT. Te blinker te car zoomed ahead in the blink of any, leaving Athley¡¯s ver spposts Cartar behind. tau sugeren, mang that his professional race car cassit assi hleys silvimnone in terms of performance alone. It was only aura for mto leave not traning. wever wwas intentionallygging behind. Her silver car nni couldan match the initial speed of a professional race car 1. not gettinn cried away, seized the opportunity to elerate. Hiss ack car sped ahtne like lightning, increasing the distance between him d Ashley. atching Ashley ni mhher behind. Ryan scoffed, thinking. | thought e was all that but this is she¡¯s got? All that talk about begging for ercy if you losedHai looks like Ashley will be the one begging to the stands. Joseph was utterly anxious as he saw Ryan¡¯s ck car iding all the way. den and Bryce were notas fitmntic as Joseph, but their expressions we ually grims he fans in the stands had a jobbblew it on their faces. 1. | told you. Ashley couldn¡¯t possibibit Ryan. She¡¯s already falling hind, and it¡¯s just the start. heres no way a casual racer cunt professional, especially meone of Ryan¡¯s caliber sk, sk, thinking about Ashley having top begion inerry atter losing. | hd of feel sorry for her! Jeanwhile, the cars were approaching the rbbetid on the racetrack. Ryan was entirely focused, and all his attention was on the track. When it came to his greatest passion, racing, he had always been highly dedicated. Before entering the bend, Ryan began to slow down appropriately, nning to speed up once safely through the curve. Just then, he caught a glimpse of a silver sh from the corner of his eyes, rapidly approaching from behind. It was Ashley! Ryan frowned and then sneered, thinking, ¡®Does Ashley really think she can overtake me while | slow down for the curve? Ha! Everyone knows one must slow down for a curve, otherwise, you risk flying off the track or crashing into the barrier. If | have to slow down for the bend, so does Ashley. How can she overtake me?¡±Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. But the next second, Ryan¡¯s eyes widened in shock. He saw Ashley¡¯s silver car, like a meteor streaking across the sky, not slowing down at all! With a smooth and slick drift, her tires screeched against the pavement, and she was through the bend in a blink! Then, with a clean and beautiful maneuver, she instantly overtook! Seeing this, Joseph jumped up, his adrenaline skyrocketing with excitement. He thought excitedly, ¡®She did it! Ashley has overtaken Ryan! So clear and slick, absolutely beautiful!¡± Miranda was so thrilled she almost screamed. Thee racing fans in the stands, stunned for several seconds at the sight, thehen erupted into incredulous exmations. What WWirat just happened? Damn, how did Ashley overtake him just Thauwazab beautiful! That drift around the bend was incredible! She handleti dahcurve even better than Ryan, a professional! Is Ashley really just a castaner?¡± Could it hot Ryan is off his game again, allowing Ashley to overtake?¡± 11:083 ¡°Uh, maybe Ryan wasn''t in top form in thest race... Look, Ryan is catching up to Ashley!¡± At that moment on the track, Ryan''s eyes were fixed on Ashley ahead. Clutching the steering wheel tightly, he elerated in pursuit. Finally, he was closing in on Ashley. Ryan thought smugly, ¡®Ha, | knew it. Ashley overtaking me was just at fluke. In the end, I¡¯m the one who¡¯s going to win this race!¡± Just as he was about to overtake Ashley¡¯s silver car, she suddenly sped up. leaving him far behind once again. The audience watched in frustration, wondering, What''s happening with Ryan? Why is he spacing out? How could he let such a perfect. opportunity to overtake slip by?¡± Then, the same scene was repeated twice more. Each time Ryan struggled to catch up to Ashley, thinking he was about to overtake her, she suddenly sped up again, leaving him far behind. Each time was the same. The racing fans in the stands fell into an eerie silence as they realized an unbelievable fact. They thought, ¡®Once could be luck. But happening two, three time row? That''s skill! Ashley is doing it on purpose! She¡¯s toying with Ry Giving him hope only to dash it, like a cat ying with a mouse!¡± Chapter 178 ¡°Oh my goodness! Are Ashley¡¯s racing skills so good? She tantalized Ryan, a professional racing driver. Her racing level can match that of Ava, the Racing Legend.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t Ashley join a professional racing team with such good skills? If she bes a professional racing driver, she will be the next Ava!¡± ¡°Ashley said before that she promised someone not to participate in racingpetitions in the future. Now it seems that what she said is true... ¡°Damn it! | just said that Ryan would win thispetition. I¡¯m too ignorant to recognize her.¡± Ryan naturally discovered that Ashley was tantalizing. He gritted his teeth in anger, and his eyes shed red with fury. But he couldn¡¯t catch up with Ashley, and getting angry would be useless. He could only helplessly watch Ashley reach the finish line ahead of him. Ryan finally reached the finish line. got out of the car, and mmed the door. He wanted to ask Ashley why she had teased him just now. It was a burning shame to him. But he saw Ashley getting out of the car calmly. The bright sunlight shone on her, making her shine in the light. Ashley said in azy and contemptuous tone, ¡°I¡¯ve given you a chance to win so many times, but you can¡¯t catch me. Loser.¡± Ryan was stunned and suddenly became furious. His handsome face distorted with fury. He cursed in his heart, ¡®Loser? Ashley dared scold me a loser!¡± Joseph ran over excitedly and heard Ashley¡¯s jibes at Ryan. The contempt and disdain in her eyes were undisguised, tantly telling Ryan that she just despised him. She now looked like... a queen. In addition to Joseph, Bryce, Jaden, and Miranda also ran over. ¡°Ashley, you win! That''s great!¡± ILOS anda jumpeed with joy and rushed over to hug Ashley. en Ryan hbandMiranda¡¯s voice, he froze slightly and couldn¡¯t tip ning todoobanther. soon as Matannax taught his gaze, she looked away without ever king at him. in sped his sidht hand. ter walked over de arrel with a smile. He was not surprised that derzelve ley could win. an wiped away the steras from the corners of his eves with a dkerchier. Huseves shoone with excitergent and nostalgia. He finally Ava on the racing track 22... | almost forgot sopceething noortant joseph pped and smiled adly. Ryan, ording too topoet just now, the losing party has to logize and beg forceeyou don¡¯t forget it, do you?¡± n¡¯s face turned gloom would rather be killed at onceshthan beg Ashley''s forgiveness in public. at are you waiting fort Didn¡¯t you here?¡± joseph would not let Ico. n had been so arrogant and builfeed ssidey just now. Ashley had ady told him she had promisocheers not to participate in racin petitions, yet he stillughed at her and forced her. ley... Ryan stared at her fiercely with ther. How dare you let me beg you top pony eyes. ¡°I am your corey ley nced at him. The gentie porn the corners of her eyes made took stunningly beautiful. What: Do you want to go back on your racing fans nearby all looked in this decoon. Although no one ke their eyes were rossipy m had agreed to the bet before thepetition, lisoid enbarrass self if he could not afford to lose and regretec ivan who had no rage to take responsibility for his ord would beddonzeldown on avrowned. He would never apologize 19 Ashley and beegcerdor Even if others would look down upon him, he would never do that. Suddenly, there was a bang. Ryan¡¯s eyes widened, and he groaned in pain. Someone kicked him in the back of his knees from behind. The severe pain made Ryan hardly stand still, and he knelt on the ground. Coincidentally, he knelt in front of Ashley, Lester calmly withdrew his foot, and his voice was ice-cold. ¡°Do you have to let others teach you how to keep your word?¡± Joseph burst outughing. ¡°Oh, Ryan, the way you kneel to beg for mercy is special.¡± Ryan couldn¡¯t get up for a while. He immediately raised his head, seeing Ashley¡¯s condescending gaze. Ashley raised her right foot casually to lift Ryan¡¯s chin and said with a stern look, ¡°Now you know...can | bear your apology?¡± In an instant, Ryan became livid. He pressed his lips into a thin line and red at Ashley. He thought, ¡®Ashley, this bastard... She dared humiliate me like this hadn''t even dared to speak loudly to me and retort me when [hit scolded her before. But now, she...¡± Ryan trembled slightly in a fury. He knelt in front of Ashley in public was so embarrassed and angry that he immediately got up. Ashley didn¡¯t bother to say anything to him.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. She winked at Joseph, Lester, and others, and then the group left the racing track. Ryan red at Ashley''s back fiercely. The hatred in his eyes became even more intense. ¡°How could | have such an annoying sister? Ashley was not as good ast Jessica. ¡®Besides, Ashley¡¯s racing skills are so high... Ryan thought. When Ryan looked away, he noticed the contemptuous looks of the 11:08 racing fans around him and frowned. Their nces made him feel embarrassed again... After leaving the racing track, Pun invited Ashley to have lunch at his manor. They hadn''t seen each other for a long time. Pun was excited. To y a good host, he asked the servants to prepare a table full of local delicacies. After eating for a while, Joseph couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Ashley, when did you start racing? And your skills are amazing.¡± Bryce sat opposite Ashley and looked up at her. ¡°She''s really awesome.¡± Jaden thought for a while and turned to look at Lester. ¡°You were not nervous at all during thepetition. Do you know something?¡± Upon hearing this, Miranda looked at Lester curiously. Lester nced at her slowly and shifted his gaze to Jaden. He smiled, ¡°You are actually overthinking things. Should | know something?¡± Jaden rolled his eyes at him. He wondered, ¡®I¡¯m not overthinking, okay? You old fox.¡± Pun looked at Ashley with respect in his kind eyes. ¡°Ashley, don¡¯t your friends know your identity?¡± Ashley nodded. | haven''t had time to tell them yet.¡± Joseph immediately asked, ¡°What is your identity?¡± Pun thought, ¡®Ashley said that she hadn¡¯t had time to tell them yet, meaning she didn¡¯t n to hide it from her friends. With this in mind, he smiled, ¡°Ashley¡¯s racing skills are so high because she is Ava, the Racing Legend.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, the dining hall suddenly fell silent. Joseph blinked quickly, looking at Ashley in disbelief. ¡°Ashley, you...you are... ¡°You are Ava?!¡± Jaden was stunned. His blue eyes were full of doubt. ¡°Isn¡¯t Ava a man? Oh my goodness! Ashley, are you actually a man?¡± Ashley said, ¡°I¡¯m a woman.¡± She used to wear a wig when she participated in racingpetitions, so 11:08 = her fans thought she was a man. Miranda¡¯s eyes. lit up with excitement. ¡°Ashley, you are awesome, whether you are a man or a woman.¡± Ashley was speechless. After the initial shock, Bryce rarely retorted to Ashley. ¡°Indeed, she is amazing as a man or a woman.¡± Ashley sighed helplessly. Only Lester had known about it for a long time, and he looked at others¡¯ surprised expressions with great interest. It would be great if Ashley were really his sister. And it was also an honor for the Pliskin family. The Ramos family didn¡¯t cherish such an excellent daughter. After dinner, Ashley epted Pun¡¯s invitation and visited his manor. She left there in the afternoon. After returning to the hotel, Ashley took a break. Joseph took her out to see the night scene after dinner. ¡°There is a river nearby. The river view is breathtaking, especially at night. We will return home tomorrow. Let¡¯s see the river today!¡± Joseph''s proposal interested Ashley. The group walked to the river together. The river was vast, with brightly lit cruise ships sailing slowly. The high-rise buildings on both sides of the river shed bright lights, reflecting blurry shadows on the river. ¡°Is the night scene beautiful?¡± Joseph asked, taking credit. ¡°Yeah, it looks good.¡± Ashley nodded. But there are a lot of people, most of them tourists from all over the world. After visiting for a while, a growing number of visitors crowded there and were noisy. Joseph and the others of the group became caught up ina 3/G 11-08 seething mass of people. Joseph turned around and found that the group had been separated by the crowd. When they were reunited, he frowned and asked, ¡°Where is Ashley?¡± Lester immediately turned to look around. Jaden asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t she with you?¡± ¡°No, we were separated just now,¡± Joseph said and immediately took out his mobile phone to call Ashley, but no one answered.. Bryce frowned, ¡°Look for her around.¡± Miranda had already looked for Ashley. But after finding her for a while, she couldn¡¯t find Ashley or get through the phone. Joseph''s heart skipped a beat. He thought, I¡¯m done! Has something unexpected happened to Ashley?!¡± Chapter 179 Joseph was anxious and frightened. He called Ashley again, but her phone was off. ¡°Her phone is turned off?¡± Joseph''s back was covered in cold sweat. If something happened to Ashley, he wouldn¡¯t have to return home. He didn¡¯t know how to exin it to Valentin. Lester had strong observations. While looking for Ashley in the crowd, he took out his mobile phone and decided to call the apanying bodyguards and ask them to bring some people to find Ashley. Unexpectedly, he just took out his cell phone and received a call from his brother, George Pliskin. Lester wondered, ¡®Why did George suddenly call me?¡¯ He swiped the screen to answer the phone. ¡°George.¡± ¡°It''s me. I¡¯m Ashley!¡± The girl¡¯s clear and pleasant voice came from the other end of the call. Lester was stunned. ¡°Ashley?¡± As soon as he spoke, Joseph, Jaden, Bryce, and Miranda, who were looking for Ashley, immediately gathered around him. ¡°Is a call from Ashley?¡± Joseph was anxious, staring at Lester. Lester nodded. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s her voice.¡± Joseph breathed a sigh of relief and patted his chest. Ashley¡¯s sudden disappearance almost gave him a heart attack. His heart was really scared. Fortunately, Lester connected with Ashley. Jaden, Bryce, and Miranda also felt relieved when they heard that. Lester took down his phone from his ear and nced at the screen. It was a call from George, but why was Ashley speaking? ¡°Ashley, why didn¡¯t you call me on your mobile phone?¡± ¡°Oh, my phone is out of battery and turned off,¡± Ashley sighed. It was LS 11:08 unlucky. ¡°Didn¡¯t everyone get dispersed by the crowd just now? | was pushed a little far away and couldn¡¯t find you when | turned around. mobile phone was in silent mode, and | didn¡¯t receive any calls from you. Then it ran out of power and turned off. | met a man on the roadside who looked a lot like you. He recognized me, said he was your eldest brother, and came to Manditus to see you.¡± Ashley would not easily believe strangers¡¯ words, but that man had Lester¡¯s number in his mobile phone contacts. She dialed it and actually got through. After listening to Ashley¡¯s exnation, Lester rubbed his forehead and thought, ¡®George came to Manditus. It seems that he already knew that Ashley might be our sister who had been lost since childhood.¡± ¡°Ashley, where are you now? Joseph and | will go find you right away.¡± Ashley answered, ¡°I¡¯m next to a swan-shapedntern.¡± Lester looked over. This swan-shapedntern was a famousndmark nearby. It was indeed far away from where Lester was now. Ashley had actually been pushed over there by the crowd. After hanging up, Lester immediately led Joseph and others there. Walking to the swanntern, they saw Ashley talking to a man. The man was tall and handsome with outstanding facial features. He wore a well-tailored ck suit. His face seemed to be stained with frost and snow, carrying the coldness of being superior and indifferent. Even though George looked cold and indifferent, his perfect face, as if carefully carved by the creator, attracted many women to look at him frequently. His height and temperament were outstanding among the crowd. The person next to George was a man who looked like an assistant. The assistant lowered his head slightly, looking extremely respectful. Joseph saw the intact Ashley, and thest trace of worry in his heart disappeared. He wanted to run over, but when he saw the man beside Ashley, he stopped. However, Joseph had always been casual. He just paused a second and. then ran towards Ashley. ¡°Ashley, | finally found you! Fortunately, you are okay. Otherwise, how could | exin to Valentin?¡± Ashley blinked and thought, ¡®Is it that serious?¡¯ She coughed lightly, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m fine.¡± On the side, Bryce was slightly startled when he heard Joseph¡¯s words and keenly sensed something was wrong. Why did Joseph say he could not exin to Valentin? ¡®If something happened to Ashley, couldn¡¯t he exin to Valentin? What is the hidden rtionship between Ashley and Valentin?¡¯ Bryce wondered. Jaden secretly looked at George, who had a cold temperament. Lester raised an eyebrow slightly and introduced to everyone while chatting andughing, ¡°This is George Pliskin, my brother.¡± Jaden suddenly realized that the man beside Ashley was George, the current leader of the Pliskin family. George¡¯s appearance was somewhat simr to Lester¡¯s. Miranda only dared to peek at George because he looked too cold. She thought his face was covered with ayer of frost, and even his hair exuded chill, making people fear getting close to him. His temperament waspletely different from Lester''s. Lester was cunning and scheming, while George was cold and distant. It waste at night, and everyone no longer admired the night view of the river and returned to the hotel. The group went back to their rooms. George followed Lester to his room. Lester asked, ¡°George, why did youe here suddenly?¡± George walked to the single sofa and sat down, looking up at Lester. HeThis content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. asked coldly, ¡°How long do you n to dy it if | don¡¯te?¡± 11:08 After saying that, he shifted his gaze to Lester¡¯s legs. ¡°Your legs are healed? Are you no longer in a wheelchair?¡± Lester felt somewhat guilty. George¡¯s handsome face took on a stern expression. ¡°Then go abroad and manage the branch.¡± Lester panicked, and veins popped out on his forehead. He quickly changed the subject. ¡°George, you saw Ashley. What do you think?¡± Thinking of that girl with a bright and lively smile, George softened his usual cold face. Lester knew what George meant as soon as he saw his expression. He smiled, ¡°You also think Ashley is a bit like our lost sister since childhood, right?¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me about this earlier?¡± George looked at Lester.. Lester sighed, ¡°I want to confirm it before telling Mom. After all, we have mistaken girls many times before. Every time we find the wrong person, Mom would feel sad.¡± ¡°So you''re hemming and hawing, and you still haven¡¯t confirmed it yet?¡± ¡°George, taking a paternity test is not that simple.¡± Lester had been having a headache about this matter for a long time. Looking at George, Lester suddenly smiled, bent over, and approa ¡°Do you have any good ideas?¡± George pushed him away expressionlessly and said in a calm tone, ¡°Exin this matter to Ashley.¡± Lester was startled. ¡°Is that okay?¡± George tapped the sofa¡¯s armrest, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t try to take hair or other things from her secretly. Tell her directly. It is also a sign of respect for her. Lester nodded thoughtfully. George was right. He had to respect Ashley''s wish. a George continued, ¡°Il have brought Mom¡¯s blood sample and trustworthy doctor. After exining it to Ashley, we can start the paternity test if she agrees.¡± 11:08 Lester paused for a moment. He didn¡¯t expect George to bring blood samples and doctors over. He eximed in his heart, ¡®George is indeed efficient.¡± Lester took a look at the time. It was still early and not time to go to bed, so he said, ¡°Let¡¯se to Ashley now and exin it to her.¡± Chapter 180 Chapter 180 Lester called Ashley and learned that she was not busy, so he took George there. After knocking on the door and entering, Ashley nced at George, who had a cold temperament, and then shifted her gaze to Lester, asking, ¡°It¡¯s sote. Why did youe here?¡± She was rtively familiar with Lester and couldmunicate more casually. George frowned slightly. ¡®Ashley didn¡¯t greet me. Did | scare her as | looked too cold? ¡®| should havee here early and gotten to know her in advance. Damn! Lester took advantage and got familiar with her. George thought. Lester was happy. He finally developed some feelings with Ashley during this period. George put on a cold face all the time. Of course, Ashley wouldn¡¯t take the initiative to talk to him. Lester smiled, ¡°Ashley, do you remember | had told you before that your were a bit like my sister, who had lost since childhood?¡± Ashley thought for a moment and nodded. ¡°Yeah. | remember that.¡± ¡°Actually, I¡¯m not the only one who feels this way. George also thinks so.¡± Lester mentioned George. Ashley nced at George and pressed her lips. ¡°But | am definitely not your sister. ¡°| have done the paternity test with the Ramos family three times, and the results showed that | have a blood rtion with them. | am indeed a member of the Ramos family. ¡± Lester was silent for two seconds. His Adam¡¯s apple rolled slightly. Het said solemnly, ¡°Ashley, what | say next may be a bit offensive, so | want to apologize to you first.¡± Ashley was startled for a moment and immediately said, ¡°Go ahead.¡± Lester smiled at her, but his smile looked a little lonely. 11:08 ¡°George and | have been looking for our sister, who has been lost since childhood, and my parents never give up on finding their daughter. We are always looking forward to finding her as soon as possible. Even though someone has only a slight resemnce to her, we will try our best to investigate. Unfortunately, we are disappointed every time. But even so, we never gave up for a moment. ¡°Now... Ashley, | take the liberty to ask you, can you take a paternity test. with us and get an exact result?¡± Ashley¡¯s eyes widened slightly, with a hint of astonishment in them. Paternity test? She heard this request and felt a bit strange. But Lester said it so seriously and sincerely just to find his sister, who had been lost since childhood. Ashley thought for a while and thought it didn¡¯t matter to take a paternity test. If the Pliskin family could get a definite result, they wouldn''t have to worry about it all the time.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. She nodded to Lester. ¡°Okay, | can ept it.¡± ¡°Ashley, you agreed?¡± Lester¡¯s eyes overflowed with surprise, like a beam of light breaking through the haze and fog. ¡°Yes, | agreed. However...¡± Ashley paused and said with a serious face. ¡°We have to go to a regr hospital to do it.¡± Only in this way were the results obtained convincing. Seeing her cute and cautious look, Lester couldn''t help butugh. ¡°Okay. When will it be convenient for you to go to the hospital?¡± soon Ashley felt it would be better to resolve this matter as as possible to avoid worrying about it. She had booked the flight back home tomorrow, but for that matter, she could dy the departure date by one day. Ashley answered, ¡°Tomorrow.¡± Lester nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± After entering the room, George¡¯s eyes fell on Ashley. There was a trace of softness in his cold eyes. He wanted to say something but feared 11:08 scaring her, so he remained silent. Joseph was shocked after knowing that Ashley had agreed to take a paternity test with the Pliskin family. Joseph thought, ¡®Could it be that Ashley is rted to the Pliskin family?¡¯ Curiosity suddenly surged in his heart, and he changed the flight tickets, which were dyed by a day. Ashley, Lester, and George went to the hospital the next morning. In addition, Joseph and Miranda also followed, while Jaden and Bryce stayed in the hotel. The doctor brought by George had been working with the Pliskin family all year round and was very famous. The hospital dean came out to greet him and called him professor. The doctor drew blood from Ashley and took it together with the blood sample of Lester¡¯s mother to do the paternity test. Lester requested expedited service, and the results would be avable in about three hours. After drawing blood, Lester helped Ashley stand up. Looking at the obvious red dot on her arm, he asked in concern, ¡°Does it hurt?¡± ¡°No.¡± Ashley shook her head. She was not afraid of needles, so it was okay. ¡°Go over there and sit.¡± Lester took her to sit on a chair in the rest area. George couldn¡¯t help but frown when he saw the red dot on Ashley''s arm. The ce where the needle was pricked began to turn blue. Her skin was tender, and the blue area looked more and more evident. George¡¯s assistant brought drinks and snacks. George nced at them, picked up a bottle of water, and unscrewed the cap before handing it to Ashley. Ashley was stunned, then took it and smiled softly, ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. George''s voice was clear and pleasant. ¡°I am sorry you have suffered.¡± ¡°No.¡± Ashley scratched her head, feeling embarrassed. 11:03 It was just a blood draw, and she didn¡¯t mind it at all. Joseph stood aside and nced back and forth at Lester and George. Although the paternity test results had not yete out, they were quite concerned about Ashley. Miranda suddenly sighed in a low voice, ¡°It¡¯s not bad if Ashley is a member of the Pliskin family.¡± Joseph looked at her, raised an eyebrow, and asked her to continue. Miranda lowered her voice and said, ¡°In this way, someone will treat Ashley as a rtive and treat her well. Unlike those in the Ramos family, no matter how much Ashley devoted, she couldn¡¯t get affection from them.¡± Joseph raised an eyebrow again and said, ¡°I am also very kind to Ashley.¡± ¡°That¡¯s different,¡± Miranda shook her head and murmured. ¡°Friendship. and family affection are different.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. Joseph nodded. Regardless of whether the paternity test results proved that Ashley had at blood rtion with the Pliskin family or not, the thing certain was Valentin would always treat Ashley well and be her family. Miranda walked over, sat beside Ashley, and asked in a low voice, ¡°Ashley,. are you nervous?¡± Ashley smiled. ¡°No.¡± She had taken three times of paternity tests with the Ramos, and each result proved that she had a blood rtion with them. Therefore, she basically knew that she would have nothing to do with the Pliskin family. Joseph handed two pieces of dessert to Ashley. ¡°You have been taken so much blood. Eat sweets and make up for it.¡± Ashley smiled helplessly. She wasn¡¯t nervous, but Lester couldn¡¯t calm down. The feeling was like the undercurrents in the depths of the sea, which were surging and stacking up, upsetting him. George sat on the chair with an indifferent face, but he gently tapped the 11.03 armrest of the seat, revealing his uneasy heart. Time passed quickly. Finally, three hours passed.. The doctor came over with the report. ¡°Mr. Pliskin, the results are out.¡± Lester¡¯s eyes widened suddenly. He strode over and asked, ¡°Mr. Morgan, what was the result?¡± Chapter 181 The doctor brought by George was Tyler Morgan, who had been cooperating with the Pliskin family all year round. Naturally, he also knew that the Pliskin family had been looking for the daughter, who had been lost since she was a child. Tyler handed the report to Lester. ¡°Mr. Pliskin, the paternity test results are here.¡± Lester took it and turned directly to thest page. George strode over. Ashley sat on the chair and did not move. Miranda held her arm and sat there with her, staring anxiously at the report in Lester¡¯s hand. Her heart was pounding, and she was actually more nervous than Ashley. Joseph was always restless and very curious. He had already sneaked up to Lester and stretched her neck to look at the report. He read the result: [There is a high degree of DNA mismatch between the test specimens. The person conducting the test and the individual being tested do not share a biological rtionship.] The moment Lester saw the words ¡°do not share a biological rtionship,¡± his hands that held the report tightened. George thought, ¡®Ashley has no blood rtionship with the Pliskin family... She is not my sister, who was lost since childhood...¡± He frowned slightly, and his face was still expressionless, making it difficult for people to see what he was thinking, yet there was an underlying intensity. George witnessed every link. He watched the Blood drawing procedure, so it could not be switched. And he brought the doctor. There were no mistakes in every link. However, the result proved that Ashley was not his sister... Joseph saw the result and had mixed feelings. He turned back to look at Ashley and shook his head at her. Seeing this, Miranda was surprised for a moment and felt a little 115 08:50 disappointed..... She thought Ashley would finally have a family that truly cared about her and loved her. Miranda sighed helplessly. She turned to look at Ashley, ¡°Ashley...¡± As a person involved, Ashley did not have many mood swings and was not surprised. She had done the paternity test with the Ramos family before, and she was determined that she was indeed from the Ramos family, so she had already expected that she would have nothing to do with the Pliskin family before the result came out. The results only verified her initial thoughts. Ashley stood up and walked to Lester. She pressed her lips and said in a soft voice, ¡°Now that the results are out, you don¡¯t have to focus on me. | believe that you will find the sister you miss.¡± Lester lowered his gaze, and something seemed to be simmering in his deep eyes. His voice was hoarse. ¡°Although you are not my biological sister, Ashley, can | treat you as my sister?¡± He liked Ashley and wanted to pamper and protect her like a family member. Ashley was stunned when she heard this, then she smiled and chuckled, ¡°You don¡¯t have to treat me as your sister. We are already friends.¡± Lester smiled at her and said in aid-back voice, ¡°Right. We are friends.¡± George stared at Ashley, then shifted his gaze to the report again, withplex emotion in his eyes, Miranda suddenly looked in a certain direction and said, ¡°Why are you here?¡± Joseph heard this, turned around, and immediately frowned. It was Ryan. When Ryan saw Miranda, he strode over with surprise in his eyes. He covered his right elbow with his left hand, saying, ¡°I fell while riding a motorcycle and came to the hospital for a bandage. Miranda, why are 08:50 you in the hospital? Are you feeling ufortable?¡± Ryan ignored his injury and looked at Miranda with a worried expression. Miranda didn¡¯t speak. She caught a glimpse of arge scratch on Ryan¡¯s arm. It was bloody, stained with rough stones, and bleeding, looking painful. Miranda¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. She wanted to say something, but finally, she looked away and said nothing cruelly. ¡°Miranda, tell me. Are you all right?¡± Ryan forgot about his injury and asked worriedly. The next second, he caught a glimpse of Ashley not far away. Ryan¡¯s face suddenly became cold, and he frowned slightly. His eyes were full of fierceness,pletely different that way when he looked at Miranda. Joseph was shocked by Ryan¡¯s change. Why did Ashley¡¯s brother be such a total birdbrain? Ryan remained silent, staring at Ashley with a cold expression. His eyes were full of hatred.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Joseph lost his temper. ¡°What the fuck are you staring at? Didn¡¯t you forget you knelt to Ashley at the racing track yesterday?!¡± He deliberately said this to outrage Ryan. Ryan suddenly became embarrassed. Just as he was about to retort, he caught a glimpse of the paper that seemed to be the paternity test report in Lester¡¯s hand. Then, he shifted his gaze to Ashley and saw the bruise on her arm after blood. was drawn. Ryan thought about it and quickly understood. He sneered disdainfully, ¡°Ashley, do you still want to take the paternity test to look for your family?¡± Ashley looked at him expressionlessly. Ryan thought it was ridiculous and looked at her as if he were looking at a miserable wretch. He sneered, ¡°Why are you so naive? Do you think we would casually 08:50 Chapter 18t recognize a girl and say that she is the daughter of the Ramos family? After having a careful investigation and paternity test and confirming that you have a blood rtionship with the Ramos family, we decided to take you back.. ¡°Now that you have severed ties with the Ramos family, you want to cling to the Pliskin family and be a daughter of a wealthy family. Why have | never realized how snobbish you are?¡± Ryan hated Ashley so much that he wished that he had never had such a sister and even wondered why Ashley hadn''t died when she was a child. Whenever he saw disdaining the Ramos family, he felt resentful. How could Ashley disdain the Ramos family? The Ramos family gave her life. Although she had been lost since childhood, the Ramos family took her back and raised her for two years. and had done enough for her. What right did she have to despise the Ramos family? After Ashley heard what he said, her eyes were ice-cold. ¡°Are you done?¡± Ryan snorted coldly. ¡°Ashley, even if you severed ties with the Ramos family and said that you had nothing to do with them, you have a blood rtionship with them and would always be a descendant of the Ramos. family.¡± Ashley suddenly clenched her fists and closed her eyes. Her thick eyshes fluttered slightly. She had a blood rtionship with the Ramos family. That was the most painful, disgusting, and unchangeable fact for her. When she opened her eyes, she looked coldly at Ryan. Her piercing gaze was like a sharp ice de. Ryan suddenly fell silent. Joseph could no longer hold back his anger. The next second, he punched Ryan, making a dull sound. Miranda ran to Ashley and protected her with concern. How could Ashley have such a group of inhuman family members? Miranda thought if her family were like this, she would feel suffocated. 45 08:30 George said in a cold voice, ¡°This is a hospital. Don¡¯t fight here.¡± ¡°George?¡± Lester looked at him in surprise. Joseph did what he also. wanted to do, but he didn¡¯t expect George to stop Joseph. The next second, George nced at the assistant beside him and ordered coldly, ¡°Take him out and teach him a lesson.¡± The assistant nodded in agreement and immediately asked the apanying bodyguards to follow George¡¯s instructions. Lester was surprised. George was the same as before, short-spoken but ruthless. Ryan would be doomed today. Chapter 182 Ashley looked at George and was about to say something, but Lester was the first to speak. ¡°Ashley, we are friends. How could we not help when someone bullied you?¡± Ashley smiled, ¡°Thank you.¡± In fact, she could deal with Ryan herself. But being cared about so much by a friend made her uncontrobly feel warm. Miranda heard George¡¯s words and watched the group of bodyguards walking towards Ryan. She was a little worried and wanted to say something, but she finally didn¡¯t say anything. George and Lester had nned to have dinner with Ashley, but after Ryan¡¯s disturbance, Ashley was not in the mood and returned to the hotel. ¡°Ashley, you...¡± Joseph followed Ashley and asked worriedly. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°I''m fine,¡± Ashley nced at him and said. ¡°Don¡¯t fight in the future. How should | exin to Valentin if you get beaten up?¡± Joseph felt underestimated. He puffed up his chest and said, ¡°Don¡¯t look down on me. I¡¯m an excellent fighter, okay? Ryan is no match for me.¡± Ashley raised an eyebrow. ¡°Really? Are you that powerful?¡± Joseph was proud. ¡°Of course!¡± ¡°Okay. I''ll trust you this time.¡± Ashley chatted with Joseph for a while before going back to the room to rest. Looking at her back, Joseph sighed, ¡°I have to tell Valentin about thisPlease check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. matter.¡± Joseph returned to his room. Before sitting down, Jaden and Bryce came over. ¡°How¡¯s the result?¡± Jaden asked immediately. Joseph spread his hands. ¡°Ashley has no blood rtionship with the Pliskin family. They have found the wrong person again. | thought 115 08:50 Ashley couldpletely cut off from the Ramos family.¡± Bryce frowned slightly. Jaden didn¡¯t speak. When he was silent, his mixed-race facial features looked more handsome. After a while, he looked at Joseph with his blue eyes. ¡°Is there a flight ticket back to Zyrrinthia tomorrow?¡± Joseph nced at him lightly. ¡°You won¡¯t return to Zyrrinthia with us. Why did you care about this?¡± Jaden was speechless. He suddenly smiled, ¡°Dear, why do you reject me so much?¡± Joseph rolled his eyes at Jaden and kicked him. ¡°Get out.¡± Bryce watched the two of them calmly. He was used to seeing it and didn¡¯t find it surprising. Ashley took a bath after returning to the room. Shey in the bathtub, soaking her whole body in the hot water. The water rippled, and the steam rose up, seeming to evaporate away the fatigue in her heart. Ashleyy there quietly, closing his eyes and gradually rxing. Suddenly, the mobile phone ced aside rang. Ashley wiped her hands, picked up the phone, and took a look. It was a video call from Valentin. Ashley rejected it. She soon received a message. Valentin sent: [Why did you reject it?] Ashley typed and replied: [I¡¯m taking a bath. Wait a moment.] Valentin sighed helplessly on the other end of the phone. After taking the bath, Ashley came out of the bathroom, dried her hair with a hair dryer, andy downfortably on the bed to call Valentin. The video call connected instantly. Valentin looked at Ashley on the screen. Her skin was tender and wless, 08:50 and her lips were moist and red, like delicate roses, tempting him to pluck. After a bath, her eyes seemed filled with hazy mist. When she looked at the camera, she exuded a tempting charm. Valentin¡¯s eyes suddenly darkened a bit. He slightly lowered his eyes to hide the surging emotions in his eyes, and then he said in a hoarse voice, ¡°Joseph told me what happened today!¡± Ashley shook her head helplessly. Joseph was quite a bbermouth. ¡°Did you take a paternity test with the Pliskin family?¡± Valentin asked. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m not rted to the Pliskin family by blood.¡± Ashleyy on the bed, holding the mobile phone in one hand and supporting her chin with the other. ¡°They found the wrong person. Lester thought | was his lost sister from childhood. | told them | had done paternity tests with the Ramos family before, and | was identified as the daughter of the Ramos family. Valentin looked at her for a moment, and his eyes showed a hint of emotion. He suddenly said, ¡°I''lle to you now.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Ashley was shocked upon hearing this. She sat up from the bed. ¡°Now? | will return to Zyrrinthia tomorrow.¡± She thought, ¡®What¡¯s wrong with him?¡± Valentin stared at her and said in a low voice, ¡°You are in a mood.¡± Stunned, Ashley blinked and moved closer to the camera. She pursed he cherry lips slightly and asked with a charming smile, ¡°I''m in a mood? How did you see that?¡± ¡°Ashley.¡± Valentin¡¯s eyes were deep, and his low, maic voice overflowed with affection. ¡°I know you better than you think.¡± When Ashley heard this, her smile froze, and her heart seemed wrapped in something soft, making it beat fast. She retracted the smile she forced and lowered her head. ¡°Okay, you know me very well. | just feel a little tired and miss my grandparents.¡± What Ryan said made Ashley feel numb and tired. The more tired she was, the more she missed her grandparents and the days with them when she was a child. 3/5 08-501 Chapter 182 But her grandparents had passed away, and she would never see them again. Ashley took a deep breath and suppressed the soreness in her heart. ¡°But you don¡¯t have toe to see me. | will return to Zyrrinthian tomorrow. It will be tiring for you to make another trip.¡± After speaking, Ashleyy back on the bed again, supporting her chin. with her palm and tapping her cheek gently with her fingers. There was azy smile on her beautiful eyes. ¡°Besides, after hearing what you said, | suddenly feel better. Really. I¡¯m relieved now.¡± In addition to her grandparents, she still had Valentin. He grew up with her and was the one who apanied her throughout her young life. They were thousands of miles away, but looking at him through the camera, the fatigue in Ashley''s heart suddenly dissipated. Valentin didn¡¯t speak. Ashley put her face close to the camera, blinking her big and bright eyes. ¡°Come on, look at me. You know me so well, then take a look and see if | am relieved.¡± After saying that, she made a face. Valentine looked at her and chuckled, ¡°You look better.¡± But he was still worried about Ashley and wanted to go to her side immediately to stay with her. Ashley didn¡¯t know what Valentine was thinking. After chatting for a while, she hung up the video call after learning he was busy. Then, she surfed the Inte for some time. In the afternoon, she heard a knock on the door. Ashley thought it was Josephing to find her, so she walked over and opened the door. ev was st The door opened, and when he saw the man standing outside. When she came to her senses, she wanted to close the door immediately. But the man put his hand on the door panel to stop her from closing the door. The corners of his beautiful eyes were slightly upturned. He smiled evilly, ¡°Baby, why do you run away when you see me?¡± 08:50 In the evening. Joseph came over to have dinner with Ashley. When he raised his hand to knock on the door, he found it was not closed, so he opened it. ¡°Ashley, why don¡¯t you close the door?¡± Joseph asked suspiciously. The next second, he saw Ashley¡¯s mobile phone on the carpet. But Ashley was not in the room. Chapter 183 ¡°Ashley?¡± Joseph picked up the mobile phone on the ground and looked around. the room but couldn¡¯t find Ashley. He thought, ¡®Has she gone out? No, if she goes out, she won¡¯t drop her phone on the ground or close the door. With this in mind, Joseph''s heart suddenly skipped a beat. Could something really happen to Ashley this time? Ashley had been separated from the group by the crowd yesterday, but fortunately, she met George on the roadside. Joseph¡¯s expression became stern. He immediately turned around and ran to Lester and George¡¯s rooms to see if Ashley had gone to find them. George sat on the sofa in Lester¡¯s room with the paternity test report in his hand. He stared grimly at the results on thest page. ¡°Are you also surprised, George?¡± Lester sighed. The first time he met Ashley, he felt an inexplicable affinity for her, and Ashley was as old as his lost sister. In addition, Ashley¡¯s facial features were also simr to those of Lester¡¯s mother when she was young. These signs made Lester believe that Ashley was probably the biological sister he had been looking for. But the results let him down. He had the wrong person once again. Ashley had no blood rtionship with the Pliskin family.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Lester thought the fact was unexpected and uneptable, but the result was unmistakable. Ashley was really not his sister. He didn¡¯t know how much his biological sister had suffered while alone. She was born with a silver spoon in her mouth and shoul lived a happy and carefree life and been loved by all her family... 175 08.50 M Lester sighed again. There was a hint of annoyance in his eyes. ¡°What are you thinking about, George?¡± George stared at the paternity test report in his hand with iprehensible emotions in his cold eyes. Just as he was about to speak, there was a sudden knock on the door. Lester went to open the door and saw Joseph. ¡°Has Ashleye to see you?¡± Joseph asked anxiously, getting straight to the point. ¡°No. what happened?¡± Lester asked.. ¡°It''s over. Something might really happen to Ashley this time.¡± Joseph was sweating profusely with Ashley¡¯s mobile phone in his hand. ¡°I went to look for her just now. The door of her room was open, and her mobile phone was on the ground, but she was not in the room.¡± Lester¡¯s expression instantly became stern upon hearing this. George heard their conversation and strode over. His voice was cold. ¡°The door is open? Go to the hotel management to check the surveince footage.¡± Joseph nodded and went to the rooms of Jaden, Bryce, and Miranda, but Ashley was not there. ¡°Ashley is missing?¡± Miranda was anxious and ran out in slippers. ¡°Has anyonee to Ashley?¡± Bryce asked. His eyes were full of worrie Upon hearing this, Jaden thought of something and frowned. Could it be...that man... ¡°Check the hotel surveince footage first.¡± Joseph¡¯s palms were sweaty. He ran to the hotel receptionist and asked to check the surveince footage of the corridor. Generally, in five-star hotels, there were surveince cameras in the corridors. The door to Ashley¡¯s room was open, but no one was there. If someone hade to see her, that person must have appeared in the corridor. Joseph would know who it was as long as he checked the surveince footage. 08:50 Joseph exined his intention to the receptionist. The receptionist didn¡¯t agree at once and said, ¡°Sorry, sir. | have to ask the hotel manager for permission, then you can check it.¡± Joseph frowned. It would be toote to find Ashley if he had to follow the procedure before getting the permission. At this time, George suddenly spoke with a cold voice. ¡°Is the hotel manager Alfred? I¡¯ll call him.¡± ¡°Mr. Pliskin!¡± The young receptionist immediately recognized George and Lester next to him. After all, the Pliskin family had property in Manditus and a high status. George had already called Alfred and put him on speakerphone. Then, the receptionist heard Alfred¡¯s ttering voice. ¡°Okay, okay, Mr. Pliskin. | will arrange for someone to retrieve the surveince footage for you right away.¡± The receptionist understood instantly. The group of people in front of her were all distinguished guests and could not be ignored. She immediately dialed the hotel¡¯s internal phone number and asked the security personnel to retrieve the hotel¡¯s surveince footage. In the security room, the staff quickly retrieved the surveince footage in the hotel corridors and elevators. The picture showed that the surveince cameras were fine before four o¡¯clock in the afternoon, but after that, the cameras suddenly broke down, and the picture was dark, and nothing could be seen. ¡°There may be a problem with the wiring, and the cameras suddenly broke,¡± the staff spected and exined. Joseph panicked. The wiring had no problem. Someone must have deliberately destroyed the surveince cameras. Lester frowned, ¡°Someone must havee to Ashley.¡± George took out his mobile phone and called the apanying bodyguards, asking them to look for Ashley nearby. Jaden thought for a while. He walked away with his mobile phone, found 08:50 apter 183 number from the contacts, andddialedit. ut the call could not get through..... amn it! seph¡¯s back was covered ina colleweest. fecing anxious and scared. If mething happened to Ashley, howwoodd be exin it to Valentin? though he was scared, in this sit done radio tell Valentin abou is as soon as possible. seph tremblingly took out his cell phone candidled Valentin. he call was answered quickly. seph swallowed. a chill running through his body, lucy and | had oked a fight to return to Zyrinthia too100w.buutomatit she iddenly...suddenly disappeared...¡± ter joseph anished speaking there was a dead since othe other end the call, which exuded an intimidating, poldrendaciousdeding, What do you mean missing? Valentin¡¯s voice was chill. Joseph wiped the cold sweat from his forehead Thembecold Bertin what happened in detail. He had found than the docAAlter¡¯s omwasiopen.and no one was in the room when he went tocincisi tution. the surveince cameras in the hotel were broken. Bertin,we now guess that someone hase to Ashle eptis fmuckered. That person was so cunning and ddibe oke the surveince cameras. No one could find out who it wa lentinisquumtel. His eyes were ice-cold, and his handsome face pressionties: datowwho it is. ¡± Josephwaasssummed and his eyes widened in surprise. ¡°You kno hat do youuntan: Wito is it?¡± ave five minutes to arrive at the hotel. hat?¡± Joseph was sticoceed. Walentin, you havee to Manditus ande almost at the hotel wheerere stay?¡± hy did Valentiosuddenly? didn¡¯t tell everyonerationun this. 05:500) Did hee here specifically to give Ashley a surprise? After knowing Valentin came, Joseph seemed to have a rock and was no longer so worried. Chapter 184 Less than five minutes, a row of ck cars parked before the hotel. The door of the car in the middle opened, and Valentin got out of the car. He looked gloomy, and no one dared to chat him up. Joseph immediately ran over, and he found Valentin brought lots of subordinates. Joseph was so surprised that he even burst into tears. ¡°It¡¯s been almost half an hour since | found out Ashley was missing, Valentin. | didn¡¯t take good care of Ashley.¡± Joseph med himself very much. But Valentin didn¡¯t me him. The priority now was to find Ashley as soon as possible. He walked straight into the hotel lobby and walked toward Jaden. Bryce noticed Valentin, who got out of the car, feeling obviously surprised. He guessed Valentin showed up at Manditus in Yaloria looking for Ashley. Bryce thought, ¡®What is the rtionship between Ashley and Valentin?¡± Miranda couldn''t help but exim. Then, she came back to her sen hurriedly reached out, and covered her mouth. She thought, ¡®Mr. Kingsley deserves to be Ashley''s loyal fan. He eve came abroad to meet her. He really loves her! George recognized Valentin right away. Everyone in the upper ss ha heard of Valentin and was aware of his status. He wondered why Valentin came to Manditus from Zyrrinthia. Lester exined in a low voice, ¡°This is Ashley''s secret husband, George.¡± George choked on his words. He had never known Ashley was married. George was suddenly irritated by Valentin¡¯s presence. He felt Valentin had taken his treasure away. 08:50 41 Whiljaden felt nervous, a shadow suddenly feelbover him. Hilooked up and found Valentin standing betacee him. This was the first time jaden had faced Valentin uppkose, and he sddenly froze in ce. Matatini showed no expressions on his face and asked touldly, Where is dicte sinned and asked back. ¡°Who is it?¡± aleitsin morphed. Andrew.¡± delt was suddenly amazed and wondered how he knew about Andrew. sens ditleised about the current situation. buttcesuddenly nanbbed fideo once said Ashley had a wooer with a specin identity. oulda been? seph sudddidit gigured it out and said. ¡°Damn il Did Andrew have ything to do otrashley¡¯s disappearance? Do you know where Andrew Jadena: or a moment, testcted and others all looked towards jadec. den instantly felt themesme Fle took a deep breath and said elplessly. ¡°I called Andrewbban i didnt get through. | can¡¯t find him now ther.¡± seph hurriedly asked. Theddo you know where he is?¡± have no idea about it.noont with him. Jaden nc alentin and coughed lightlyBB | can guarantee that he will no shley.¡± seph frowned, ¡°What do you act? That''s literally what | mean. Jadeie prise diemphatically. ¡°If Ashley''s sence is rted to Andrew, then we cares assured. He will never hu shley.¡± seph couldn''t utter a word to refute for moment. hey couldn¡¯t be reassured at all.. idging by Jaden¡¯s words, Andrew treated Ashletes specially as her wooer. Chapter issin Hence, tldyvididn¡¯t trust Andrew''s moral character. Josephlomekid toward Valentin. From the sidil Walentin looked extremely gloomy, with anger in his eyes. He tilted his dad and ordered the subordinates to go find Ashley immediately.|v. The car drove into a private seaside vi with beautiful scenery. The car was driven byby a beefy hodyguard. After parking the car, he spoke respectfully to Audrevinin dhe back. ¡°Here we are, Mr. Banks.¡± Andrew leaned forward dandoran out of the car. He wore a silk shirt with two buntons opmeatabe.cenditiine, revealing his delicate corbone and making him more charzamin Andrew walked arotond cold die bersule of the car and opened the door with his knuckled angers. i atered ashley in the back seat and said, ¡°Get out of the car.. Ashley sat still and red at him in difference. ¡°Nope.¡±All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Andrew secrned to expect her cores. He tited his head with a smile and stretched out his arms. ¡°Well. Ilday you out.¡± Ashley was speechless. Get our of the way.¡± ashley got out of the car in silence and fle the salty sea breez She nced over and found a private beach hotonfar away. The su the evening shone on the sea, and the surface ofofthe sea glimmer rcially beautifully. ssley wasn''t in the mood to enjoy the sceneryadsksked angrily, ¡°W idd gou bring me here? Chapter 185 Ashley asked in anger, ¡°Why did you bring me here?¡± Andrew bent slightly, met her eyes, and smiled, ¡°I want to be with you.¡± Ashley took a step back and distanced herself from him. Andrew nced at her backward steps causally. ¡°The way you avoided me distressed me a little.¡± Ashley rolled her eyes and deliberately took a step back. He sneered inexplicably, suddenly walked forward, and approached her, staring at her closely. ¡°You have nowhere to hide.¡± His voice sounded raucous and sexy, showing a sense of danger. ¡°Andrew!¡± Ashley called his name, cursed him secretly, and distanced herself from him again. ¡°You didn¡¯te to me a few days ago, so why did you do it today?¡± Andrew didn¡¯t answer her question, but a smile yed around the edges of his lips. ¡°Judging by your expression, you cursed me again secretly.¡± Ashley choked on his words. He didn¡¯t mind it and put his hands in his pockets. He looked slender a straight, then said casually, ¡°Valentin has been sneaking up on me the few days, so | didn¡¯t go to you.¡± Ashley suddenly widened her eyes in shock. Valentin? Andrew stared at her and asked meaningfully, ¡°Did he bother me to keep me from going to you?¡± Ashley blinked. She wondered when Valentin knew about Andrew. Valentin even secretly tried to stop Andrew from pestering her. Andrew suddenly raised his hand, pressed her head with his palm, and forced her to turn her head to meet his eyes. ¡°Why are you still thinking 4/4 08:51 bout hin when I¡¯m standing before you right now!¡± sley found his words ridiculous. he couldn¡¯t utter a word to refute and pped hinihanda wwayWhy did obring me here today?¡± dideew rowed his eyes slightly and replied. ¡°Have you unrgotten what promised ne?¡± sle was startled. ticed wouldn''t remember it for a moment. dre y suddently smiled, with a threatening look. If you do correr. I''ll sous syn here until you figure it out. aring this.stale vuned around and intended to run away widared durirenew force her to stay there? She found Andrew¡¯s beltavivor i los contabl Andrew held denna the next second. aley numed arounddantija drew lowered his head and stared at her. wore a ck shin. wwiitin made him exceptionally robust. He tilted his id slightly and saidi deiserutv.van bullied you, right? | can help you with him.¡± aley shook of his hand My personal affair is none of your bus the hotel, Lester was slightly shocked for a moment when he heart drew¡¯s name. ually, Andrew had an unusual ectaticioship with the Pliskin family ore. iter looked at jaden and asked, Doshley and Andrew know each ier? en first nced at Valentin, who was answwnnaithe phone next to n, and then lowered his voice and said indriww has always been aley¡¯s suitor. Actually, his feelings toward dislets ware unusual and rond ourprehension, but he will never hiusley Lester fell into gloom when he heard this, and he had no idea that Andrew once courted Ashley.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Then, he suddenly thought of something and felt relieved slightly. He said yfully, ¡°What a coincidence!¡± ¡°What a coincidence! What are you talking about?¡± Joseph was immediately dissatisfied and added, ¡°Who the hell is Andrew?¡± Andrew secretly took Ashley away from the hotel, which someone ordinary could make, indicating his special status. As Joseph asked, he found Valentin hung up the phone. Joseph hurriedly ran over and asked, ¡°How is it going, Valentin?¡± Valentin nced at Jaden, not far away, fiercely. Valentin¡¯s stare gave Jaden the creeps. He lowered his voice when he talked about Andrew just now, but Valentin still heard him. ¡®Have you found out Ashley¡¯s whereabouts, Valentin?¡± Joseph asked. ¡°| got some leads.¡± Valentin raised his wrist and checked the time on his watch before striding out of the hotel. Joseph was overjoyed and hurriedly followed. ¡°I''ll go with you, Valentin.¡± Andrew stayed on the third-floor balcony of the private vi by ¡®ib He sat on the balcony railing, with his legs hanging outside, who behavior looked dangerous. The sea breeze blew his hair and his ck shirt, showing his muscu figure, and he looked out at the sea not far away now. Ashley wasn¡¯t in the mood to enjoy the scenery, and when she noticed his dangerous behavior, she suddenly asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid I''ll reach out and push you down?¡± Andrew didn¡¯t mind it. He had no guard against her even in such a dangerous situation, and he just asked, ¡°What happened after you pushed me?¡± ¡°Then you fall to your death,¡± Ashley replied. Andrew chuckled and turned his head to look at her. ¡°If | die, I''ll take you 08:51 with me.¡± Ashley was speechless. She found Andrew crazy. Andrew suddenly asked, ¡°Had you done a paternity test with someone from the Pliskin family?¡± Ashley was startled and frowned, ¡°How do you know it?¡± Chapter 186 Andrew raised his eyebrow and said seriously, ¡°I always pay attention to anything rted to you.¡± Ashley ignored his words and asked casually, ¡°Did you get the test results?¡± ¡°Yep,¡± Andrew told the truth and smiled meaningfully, ¡°I sincerely hope. you are the missing daughter of the Pliskin family.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Ashley was surprised. He lowered his head, looked at her, and said seriously, ¡°If you agree to my pursuit, | will exin it to you.¡± ¡°Are you out of your mind?¡± Ashley suddenly got furious. She found him still sitting on the balcony guardrail, reached out, and wanted to push him. As a result, when she reached out her hand, Andrew noticed her movements, but he sat still and didn¡¯t duck. Ashley held her temper, red at him, and withdrew her hand without a word. ¡°What a pity! Your hope is dashed. | have nothing to do with the Pliskin family.¡± Andrew stared at her hand and asked leisurely, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you push me?¡± Ashley looked indifferent. ¡°I don¡¯t want to touch you.¡± He smiled, ¡°But | want you to do it.¡± After speaking, Andrew took the initiative to reach out his hand, and his fingers had sharp artiction. His tan skin gave him more power in his hands. Ashley fell into silence and couldn¡¯t understand his behavior. She took a step back with no expression and avoided his touch. ¡°You dislike the sea, but why did you bring me here?¡± Andrew didn¡¯t touch Ashley, and he twisted his fingertips gently. He didn¡¯t get furious at all but even smiled, ¡°You still remember my preferences. | didn¡¯t expect you to know me well.¡± 1/3 Chapter 186 Ashley sneered. He turned over and got off the balcony guardrail, walked up to her, and raised his eyebrows slightly. ¡°I don¡¯t like the sea, but you do.¡± Ashley choked on his words. She indeed loved enjoying the sea, but she didn¡¯t want him to be with her.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. She frowned and asked, ¡°You said | once promised you something, but | indeed can¡¯t remember it. | have a bad memory.¡± Andrew sighed and hit the nail on the head. ¡°I won¡¯t buy your bullshit. You just don¡¯t take my affairs seriously.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you just tell me?¡± Ashley asked. He tilted his head and smiled wickedly, ¡°How boring it is! | expect you to remember it.¡± Cut the crap,¡± Ashley snorted coldly and turned around out of his sight. She looked towards the beach outside. This private beach was connected to the vi. Ashley could go for a walk contite beach at any time, but there were some bodyguards patrolling necatlevi. Ashtesy roomed. ¡®Is it true that Valentin has been trying to stop you recently?¡± Andrewwiianced at her and replied, ¡°There is no need for me trifles froonyou.¡± Ashley found bal hole in his words and pointed at him. ¡°You have me before..¡± Andrew was immineediately amused and stroked his brow with his fingertips. Histless shook a little withughter, and the depression i eyes faded. He looked joyful and said. ¡°Every time | meet you, | feel delighted! the Ashley didn¡¯t reply and was secretly lost in thought. She found Andrew hadn''t pestered lieriscone time ago, and it turned out Valentin secretly held him back. She wondered when Valentinkate about Andrew¡¯s rtionship with her. ¡°Do you want to inake a het?? Andrew suddenly asked. ¡°Bet on what?¡± Ashley raised her eyebrows slightly and felt interested in 1. Andrew put one hand in his pocket and leaned leisurely against the balcony railing. His ck shirt was held against him by the sea breeze, revealing the faint outline of his abdominal muscles. He lowered his head and focused his sight on her face. ¡°We bet Valentin wille to find you.¡± Ashley thought for a moment and said, ¡°He will not.¡± Joseph would have known about her disappearance by now, but even if he had told Valentin, Valentin couldn''t be out of the country from home any time soon. Andrew raised his index finger and shook it slightly. ¡°You lost the bet, Ashley.¡± Chapter 187 Ashley was stunned. She thought for a while and asked in surprise, ¡°Did Valentine to Manditus? When did hee? How did you know?¡± Andrew replied casually, ¡°He had me watched, and so did I. ¡°Moreover,¡± Andrew observed her expression, narrowed his eyes, and said, ¡°You seem pleased to have Valentin here.¡± He paused for a second and added, ¡°But I¡¯m dissatisfied with your pleasure.¡± Ashley couldn''t refute for a moment.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to divorce him?¡± Andrew stared at her all the time, observing her expression. Ashley¡¯s divorce had nothing to do with Andrew, but it urred to her that she could make up an excuse to stop Andrew from pestering her. She calmly cleared her throat and softly replied, ¡°We''re not getting divorced. We have a great rtionship. I¡¯m married and have a family of my own, so stop acting out on me.¡± Andrew was unpleased with Ashley''s words and looked extremely distressed. After a long time, he said, ¡°I have no choice but to intervene in your rtionship.¡± Ashley choked on his words. She couldn''t bear it anymore and cursed, ¡°Get lost.¡± But Andrew grinned and said with a frivolous smile, ¡°I enjoy your cursing. Go ahead.¡± Ashley was speechless. ¡°Have you found you¡¯re out of your mind?¡± ¡°How did you feel it?¡± Andrew asked. ¡°How ashamed you are! You enjoy the abuse of others and even intervene in others¡¯ lives. | have never met someone filthy like you.¡± Andrew heard her words word by word and raised his brows flirtatiously. ¡°You misunderstood me, Ashley. | only enjoy your abuse of me, not others.¡± He didn¡¯t dispute Ashley''s remarks about himself. But he couldn¡¯t ept Ashley defined himself as filthy. Andrew took a step closer to her, forced a smile, and said meaningfully, ¡°Why do you think I¡¯m filthy? | haven¡¯t gone too far with you since | brought you here.¡± ¡°You should never have brought me here.¡± Ashley looked directly at him. without eluding. ¡°| have no choice,¡± Andrew hooked around a strand of her hair and added ambiguously, ¡°I want to meet you. Besides, you promised me personally before.¡± Ashley fell into silence. She indeed couldn¡¯t remember what she promised Andrew. Bodyguards patrolled outside the vi while cooks and servants prepared.vish dinners in the kitchen, all of Ashley¡¯s favorite vors. Ashley hadn¡¯t had dinner with Andrew for a long time, and she suddenly recalled the scene from which they had just met. As time went by, it was getting dark outside. Andrew sat on a single couch in the living room, ying with a lighter in his hands. His fingertips rubbed against the gear, making a slight sound, and the me flickered on and off. The light from the lighter silhouetted Andrew''s sharp profile. Ashley nced at him and walked around the living room idly. Through therge floor-to-ceiling windows, she could see the bright moon on the sea. When she turned around, she found Andrew staring at her back unabashedly. ¡°Why are you staring at me?¡± Ashley said fiercely. ¡°You look like a fierce wolf,¡± Andrew stood up leisurely, nced at the clock on the wall, and said hoarsely, ¡°Haven¡¯t you remembered yet?¡± Ashley frowned, ¡°I really forgot. Get to the point.¡± At this moment, a subordinate in ck hurriedly walked over and 08:51 whispered in Andrew''s ear. Andrew looked calm, with no emotions in his eyes. He grinned and said, ¡°He got here faster than | expected.¡± Ashley blinked nkly. She wondered what did Andrew mean by it. Did Valentine here to find her? Chapter 188 Andrew felt displeased with Ashley¡¯s expectations. He narrowed his eyes. and said in gloom. ¡°Are you looking forward to meeting Valentin?¡± ¡°If | don¡¯t expect Valentin toe, should | expect to be forced to stay here and recall the past? | even suspect you lied to me on purpose.¡± After speaking, Ashley ran out of the living room. Andrew frowned in anger. As Ashley ran past him, he suddenly stretched out his hand and mped her soft wrist. He said defiantly. ¡°Do you want to make another bet?¡± ¡°Bet on what?¡± Ashley instantly got alert. ¡°Just bet.¡± Valentin paused for a while, raised his eyebrow, and smiled meaningfully, ¡°Bet if Valentin can get you out of here.¡± Ashley frowned and said coldly, ¡°Stop picking on him, Andrew.¡± ¡°Pick on him?¡± Andrew sneered, grabbing Ashley¡¯s wrist with one hand, and tapping his temple with the other. Then, he added, ¡°I have a bad memory. | even forgot to give you today¡¯s greeting gift.¡± Ashley looked serious and refused indifferently. ¡°I don¡¯t want it.¡± Andrew was cunning and always behaved crazily with an abnormal. mind, so Ashley wouldn¡¯t ept his gift. But Andrew ignored Ashley¡¯s refusal and ordered the subordinate on the side, ¡°Take the gift here.¡± Then, he took Ashley to the study on the second floor. When they entered the study, Ashley broke free from Andrew''s grasp. At this time, the subordinate came over with a rectangr gift box and handed it to Ashley with both hands. Ashley stood still and looked up at Andrew, who was standing by the window. ¡°I told you | don¡¯t want it.¡± Andrew tilted his head and smiled perversely, ¡°If you don¡¯t take it, he will have to keep holding it.¡± Andrew mentioned the subordinate who delivered the gift. Ashley frowned. She didn¡¯t want to trouble others, so she took the gift with reluctance. The subordinate finally breathed a sigh of relief and stood aside with hist head down respectfully. Ashley opened the box and found a silver pistol inside, which was not a toy but a real gun full of bullets in it. Ashley immediately recognized the model of the pistol. Although it was rare, it performed well and wasmonly used by mercenaries. Ashley sneered. She found his gift as abnormal as himself. ¡°Why did you give it to me?¡± Ashley looked at Andrew speechlessly. ¡°Don''t you like it?¡± ¡°Sort of.¡± Ashley was good at shooting and interested in firearms, but she couldn¡¯t bring the real pistol on board. At this moment, a dazzling light shed through the ss window of the study. Under the darkness, the light came closer and closer, and it looked like a caring from a distance. Ashley was moved, and her heart beating violently. She seemed something and ran to the window to look out. One ck car after another drove towards the vi and surroun the cars pulled up, the burly bodyguards in ck got out and slo approached the vi. As soon as these bodyguards got out of the cars, they pointed their g in the direction of the vi. ense Seeing this situation, Andrew¡¯s subordinates, who were patrolling near the vi, immediately became vignt. They all gathered together and blocked before the vi. They also pointed their guns at the bodyguards before them. The two parties formed a confrontation. In the tense and dangerous situation, the door of the ck car parked in the middle slowly opened, and the noble Valentin showed up out of the 08:51 1 car. In the dark night, the lights of several cars merged together. Valentin leaned over and got out of the car, standing under the backlight. His face was blurred, and only the outline of his side could be discerned. But Ashley on the second floor recognized him at a nce, and she knew it was Valentin. Valentin indeed came there to save her. Ashley froze for a moment. She turned around and wanted to run out. But the subordinate standing aside immediately raised his hands and blocked Ashley¡¯s way. Ashley frowned, stopped, and looked at Andrew aside. ¡°Enough is enough.¡± ¡°Do you still remember the bet just now, Ashley?¡± Andrew sneered coldly, ¡°I bet Valentin can¡¯t take you away from here.¡± After speaking, he forcefully dragged Ashley back to the window and had/ her face out. Ashley struggled subconsciously. But Andrew stood behind Ashley as if hugging her from behind. He held her left hand with one hand, picked up the silver pistol with the other hand, and ced it in the palm of Ashley¡¯s right hand. Then, Andrew held Ashley¡¯s right hand with the gun from behind as if teaching her how to shoot. However, he slowly raised the muzzle and pointed it in Valentin¡¯s direction outside the vi. ¡°Andrew!¡± Ashley¡¯s eyes suddenly widened, and she called his name coldly and immediately struggled out. Andrew firmly grasped her right hand, holding the gun from behind with great strength, pointed the gun in the direction of the muzzle, and aimed it at Valentin outside the vi without any deviation. He lowered his head slightly and whispered meaningfully in Ashley¡¯s ear, Chapter 188 ¡°Don''t you n to divorce him?¡± At this time, Valentin, outside the vi, seemed to feel Ashley¡¯s direction. He suddenly raised his chin and looked towards the second floor of the vi with his stern eyes. Then, the bodyguards around him immediately looked up and followed his gaze. The bodyguards sensed the gun pointing at them. They looked alert, immediately turned the muzzle of the gun, and pointed in the direction. of the second floor. At this time, in the second-floor study, Andrew stood behind Ashley, holding her right hand with the gun from behind. He lowered his head slightly, and Ashley even could feel his warm breath. ¡°You didn¡¯t want to marry him at first, right?¡± Ashley didn¡¯t like being cooped up and said indifferently without any emotions, ¡°It¡¯s none of your business.¡± ¡°Since you don¡¯t want to marry him, how about | help you get rid of him?¡± ¡°How dare you?¡± Ashley replied in anger. She found Andrewpletely lost control. Ashley closed her eyes and took a deep breath. ¡°If you are abnormal in mental, please leave me alone. Let go of me now, Andrew. Do me?¡± Andrew chuckled, with affection in his eyes. ¡°But | feel reluctant you go.¡± ear Ashley had her back to him and couldn¡¯t see his expression. She gri her teeth in anger, suddenly elbowed back, and hit Andrew in the che He groaned in pain hoarsely and hurriedly gasped. His groans sounded ambiguous. Ashley took the chance to break free from Andrew¡¯s grasp. She turned to look at Andrew and instantly pointed the gun at his head. Andrew had a gun pointed at his head, but he still lookedpletely unconcerned. He rubbed his chest with his fingertips and sighed, ¡°How fierce you are!¡± 46 Seeing this situation, the subordinate immediately took out his gun and pointed it at Ashley''s temple. As a subordinate, whether Andrew loved Ashley, he would protect Andrew whenever he was threatened. However, Andrew suddenly looked sullen and stared at the subordinate with sinister eyes. ¡°How dare you pull a gun on her? Put it down!¡± The subordinate was stunned for a moment. Andrew didn¡¯t mind if Ashley held him at gunpoint, but he got furious when the subordinate did it to Ashley. ¡°Mr. Banks,¡± the subordinate muttered, wanted to exin the situation to Andrew. Andrew looked gloomy and said meaningfully, ¡°I enjoyed her pointing a gun at me. You got a problem with that?¡± The subordinate immediately fell into silence and withdrew his gun. But he feared Ashley might hurt Andrew. Ashley looked speechless at this time. ¡°Knock it off, Andrew!¡± But Andrew just nced at the clock on the wall. ¡°There are only twenty minutes left, and haven''t you still remembered what you promised me?¡± Ashley didn¡¯t know how to reply. She pointed a gun at him, but he was still concerned about the trifles in this situation. Ashley nced at the clock and found it was eleven-forty. She guessed the whole thing had something to do with the time. Outside the vi, Valentin raised his head and looked in the direction of the second floor, and when he intended to walk towards the vi, a gunshot broke the tranquility of the night. Valentin¡¯s face fell, and Andrew came out of the vi within a few seconds. Then, Andrew¡¯s subordinates immediately stepped aside to make way for him. Both sides were still facing off with guns raised.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. But Andrew strolled a few steps away from Valentin and stopped, narrowing his eyes and looking him up and down. Valentin looked sullen and asked indifferently, ¡°Where is Ashley?¡± Andrew smiled and said emotionlessly. ¡°She doesn¡¯t want to leave with you.¡± Hearing this, Valentin immediately got furious and couldn''t suppress his anger anymore. He said coldly, ¡°I''ll repeat it, where is Ashley?¡± This meant he had limited patience and issued an ultimatum. But Andrewughed, raised his eyebrow, and said, ¡°I''ll repeat it. She doesn¡¯t want to leave with you.¡± Then, Ashley''s voice sounded. ¡°I do want.¡± The crisp and sweet voice suddenly broke the tense atmosphere. Valentin looked startled, immediately turned around, and saw Ashley. running out of the vi quickly. Seeing this situation, Andrew''s brows immediately furrowed. Ashley ignored him but ran straight towards Valentin and hurriedly rushed before him. She blinked at him with fearful eyes and said, ¡°He is talking nonsense. | want to leave with you.¡± Chapter 189 Valentin¡¯s eyes narrowed suddenly when he saw Ashley running towards. him. He hadn''t expected Ashley to run towards him so eagerly and without hesitation. After all, Andrew was a very special suitor to her, and they shared an unusual past. Valentin instinctively raised his hand to catch Ashley as she ran to him. He looked her over carefully from head to toe, relieved to see she wasn¡¯t hurt. ¡°What was that gunshot just now?¡± he asked, frowning slightly. ¡°That was me shooting a vase in the upstairs study. He tried to keep me there, but | took the chance to run out. As soon as | did, | heard him saying that | didn¡¯t want to go with you. It¡¯s a lie. Don¡¯t believe him,¡± Ashley exined quickly, without even catching her breath. From a distance of about fifteen steps, Andrew watched Ashley chatting with Valentin, his eyes narrowing dangerously. ¡°Babe, why are you ignoring me?¡± he asked. Hearing the word ¡°Babe¡±, Valentin frowned even more as if a chill was about to emanate from him. Ashley pouted, ¡°Get it straight. You forcefully brought me here. She wasn¡¯t even hitting him, but he expected her to cozy up to hi Andrew snorted softly, looking at Ashley and Valentin standing sid side with a low and gloomy tone. ¡°Ashley, are you sure you want to g with him?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Ashley answered without hesitation. She wasn¡¯t foolish because she wouldn¡¯t stay with Andrew, who she thought was crazy. Hearing her answer, Valentin felt touched and instinctively took her hand to protect her by his side. Watching them hold hands, Andrew frowned as he fixed his gaze on their intertwined hands. 115 08:51 pter 189 He brought Ashley there and hadn¡¯t even touched her, and she used him of having dirty thoughts. Now Valentin was openly holding her hand, and she didn¡¯t even flinch. Andrew thought to himself, ¡®Who¡¯s the dirty one now?¡¯ Feeling Andrew¡¯s sharp gaze, Valentin, with a cold light in his eyes, said, ¡°I¡¯m holding my wife¡¯s hand. Do you have a problem with that?¡± Wife? Andrew let out a coldugh, mocking. ¡°So what if she¡¯s your wife? I¡¯m her future affair!¡± Ashley was speechless. In her mind, she thought, ¡°You motherfucker, here we go again!¡± Hearing his words, Andrew''s subordinates were shocked and looked at him in disbelief. They thought to themselves, ¡®Affair partner? ¡®Mr. Banks, when have you be like this? ¡°This is shocking!¡± Andrew swept his gaze dangerously across the room. ¡°This is mine and my Babe¡¯s romantic matter. You wouldn¡¯t understand! If anyone deres to stare, I''ll make them blind.¡± His subordinates immediately averted their eyes, focusing only o themselves. They all thought to themselves, ¡®Romantic matter? ¡°This is the first time we''ve ever seen this kind of thing!¡± After speaking, Andrew nced at his watch. ¡°Ashley, it¡¯s past midnight. Haven''t you remembered what you promised me?¡± Ashley blinked, looking confused. She had no recollection of such a thing. To be honest, she was starting to doubt Andrew. His actions were always unpredictable and mysterious, and she wondered if he was just making things up to trick her. 08:51 Andrew gave a sinister smile but said nothing more. However, there was a hint of loneliness in his charming eyes. He looked at the dark night sky and gestured for his men to put away their guns. His menplied. About three secondster, Valentin also signaled, and his bodyguards put away their weapons. Ashley quietly breathed a sigh of relief. Though they were abroad, where gun control wasn¡¯t as strict, a real confrontation could have been messy. Fortunately, both sides stepped back. Valentin escorted Ashley to a ck car parked nearby. Watching Ashley leave, Andrew looked somewhat disappointed. ¡®Babe, we''ll meet again soon... On the way back to the hotel. The two sat in the back of the car. Valentin looked at Ashley again, concerned. His voice was hoarse and deep. ¡°Are you hurt?¡± ¡°No.¡± Ashley shook her head, her eyes unblinkingly fixed on him, feeling like she hadn''t seen him in a long time. Valentin raised an eyebrow, surprised at how meekly she looked at 1 like a gentle kitten. He couldn''t help but reach out and gently ruffle her hair, speaking casually. ¡°Jaden said Andrew wouldn''t hurt you.¡± Ashley nodded without hesitation. ¡°Pretty much. He won''t hurt me.¡± At her words, Valentin slightly frowned, ¡°You trust him that much?¡± Ashley blinked, her cheeks puffing up as she protested in a muffled voice. ¡°Valentin, are you trying to trick me into saying something? Okay, fine, | actually knew him before, so...¡± Before she could finish, Valentin leaned in and hugged her tightly. Ashley suddenly stopped speaking, her long eyshes trembling slightly. She then felt his arms around her, shaking with a subtle, restrainedContent is ? by N?velDrama.Org. shiver. Unexpectedly, Ashley felt a sting in her eyes. She buried her forehead in Valentin¡¯s chest, nuzzling it with a hint of coyness and dependence she didn¡¯t even realize she had. His clean, crisp scent enveloped her, bringing an unprecedented calmness to Ashley¡¯s heart. She raised her arms to hug him back. Back at the hotel, Joseph and the others gathered around as soon as they got out of the car. Even though it was past midnight, no one had slept. After all, with Ashley missing, everyone could not fall asleep. ¡°Ashley, you''re finally back! | was so worried about you!¡± Joseph ran over with tearful eyes. Initially, George had found a clue, and Joseph wanted to follow, but George, concerned about the danger, didn¡¯t let him. Moreover, George hade to Yaloria in Manditus on short notice, with not many people. Thankfully, Lester had arranged for a group of bodyguards from the Pliskin family to follow George¡¯smand in searching for Ashley. Seeing the concern in Miranda and Bryce¡¯s eyes, Ashley felt a warm surg in her heart. ¡°I¡¯m okay. Sorry for worrying you.¡± ¡°As long as you''re fine.¡± Lester finally rxed his tense heart upon seeing Ashley safe and sound. George looked over at Ashley, relieved to see she was unharmed. Compared to everyone''s concern, Jaden seemed less worried, knowing all along that Andrew would never harm Ashley. Suddenly, Ashley remembered Andrew''s wish that she was the lost. daughter of the Pliskin family... Ashley looked suspiciously at Lester. ¡°Do you know Andrew? Does he have a connection with the Pliskin family?¡± ¡°Well...¡± 08:51 Lester didn¡¯t answer immediately, ncing at George first. George remained silent for two seconds before speaking softly. ¡°Somehow connected.¡± Valentin¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly as he looked towards George. Ashock ran through Ashley, and she urgently asked, ¡°What¡¯s the rtionship between Andrew and the Pliskin family?¡± Chapter 190 Lester knew that George, a man of few words in their family, wouldn¡¯t say much. So he answered with a mysterious tone. ¡°The story between Andrew and the Pliskin family is long.¡± Joseph, eager to know the truth, urged him. ¡°Then make a long story short.¡± Lester remained silent, just smiling. He looked at Joseph teasingly. ¡°Why are you in such a hurry, Joe?¡± Joseph was instantly annoyed. He felt like Lester was making fun of him. Joseph thought Lester¡¯s teasing was ruining his cool and tough image! Seeing the conversation drifting off-topic, Ashley quickly stepped in. ¡°Alright, alright, stop teasing him and just tell us.¡± Seeing Ashley¡¯s eagerness, Lester made a long story short. ¡°Andrew is engaged to my sister.¡± Ashley was shocked. It was like a bombshell had been dropped without warning. Joseph''s face showed utter shock, almost doubting what he heard. ¡°Wait that¡¯s too brief. Give us more details!¡± Lester nced at him and slowly began. ¡°Although Andrew¡¯s identity isplex and his background mysterious, he is indeed my sister¡¯s fianc¨¦. Their engagement was arranged at birth. ¡°But my sister got lost when she was little and was never found. So, the marriage arrangement was left unresolved and never mentioned again, as if it was implicitly canceled. But it was true.¡± Ashley was surprised again. Andrew was the fianc¨¦ of the Pliskin family¡¯s younger daughter. No wonder Andrew hoped Ashley was the lost daughter of the Pliskin family. Ashley felt relieved she wasn¡¯t! 14 Luckily, the DNA test results showed she had no rtion to the Pliskin. family! Jaden was surprised. He looked at Ashley and asked, ¡°If you¡¯re the long-lost daughter of the Pliskin family, does that mean Andrew is your fianc¨¦?¡± Before Ashley could reply, Joseph, who was always super protective of his sister, jumped in to argue. ¡°That¡¯s nonsense! Ashley took a DNA test with the Pliskin family. She¡¯s not rted to them and definitely not to Andrew. Stop making up stories!¡± Joseph quickly nced at Valentin after saying this. Valentin frowned, surprised by the connection between Andrew and the Pliskin family¡¯s daughter. Ashley agreed with Joseph. ¡®What fianc¨¦? | have nothing to do with that!¡± After chatting for a while, it was past midnight. Ashley was safe, and everyone felt relieved. They all went to their rooms to rest. Before leaving, Bryce asked, ¡°Should | prepare a new room for Mr. Kingsley?¡± Joseph nodded, but inside, he was thrilled. ¡®No need for a new room. Valentin can just sleep with Ashley. ¡®After all, they are legally married.¡¯ Ashley had something to ask Valentin. When everyone had gone to thei rooms, she quietly pulled Valentin into her room. Valentin raised an eyebrow slightly at her sneaky appearance. ¡°Trying to have a secret rendezvous?¡± Ashley was speechless. She thought, ¡®Secret rendezvous? Oh, please. ¡°| have something to ask you,¡± said Ashley, picking up a hair tie from the dresser. She tied up her hair and asked, ¡°Why did you suddenlye to Manditus from abroad?¡± Valentin leaned casually against the dresser, watching her tie her hair. Her fingers were delicate and elegant, moving gracefully. 08:51 He couldn''t help but find her captivating, even in such a simple act as tying her hair. After a few seconds, he casually said, ¡°This morning during our video call, | felt something was off with you, so | came to check on you.¡± Ashley froze, remembering the DNA test with the Pliskin family at the hospital that morning and meeting Ryan. Ryan had told her she was from the Ramos family. This unchangeable fact made her feel numb and tired. She had tried to act normal during the video call, but Valentin had noticed.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Ashley could not believe he flew all the way from home to be with her over such a small thing. ¡°But I¡¯m flying back home tomorrow, and you flew all this way to see me. Isn¡¯t that a hassle?¡± ¡°Is it?¡± Valentin didn¡¯t seem bothered at all. He gently brushed a strand of hair behind her ear and softly pinched her earlobe. ¡°Seeing you a day earlier makes it worth the trouble.¡± Ashley¡¯s heart skipped a beat, feeling a lingering warmth on her earlobe. where Valentin had touched. She looked up at him, her eyes shimmering, and gently pressed her red lips together. ¡°Valentin, is there something you want to ask me?¡± Valentin leaned in closer to her, gazing deeply into her clear eyes. ¡°You really popr, huh?¡± Ashley¡¯s eyshes fluttered, understanding exactly what he meant. ¡°You mean me and Andrew, right? You''ve looked into Andrew, haven''t you? His background is reallyplicated and probably hard to figure out... ¡°As for my rtionship with him, to put it simply, he once saved me, but | also saved himter, so we¡¯re even. Nobody owes anyone anything.¡± Upon hearing this, Valentin frowned slightly. Andrew once saved Ashley, and Ashley had also saved Andrew... Was it because of this bond that Ashley trusted Andrewpletely, 3/5 08:51 100 believing he would not hurt her? Valentin felt a hint of jealousy in his heart, envying this special bond between Ashley and Andrew. Ashley touched her nose and said, ¡°About Andrew pursuing me, honestly, | don¡¯t think he¡¯s really after me.¡± Andrew''s way of thinking was unusual. His actions were reckless, and he even tried to keep her by his side against her will. Was that really pursuing someone? Ashley really wanted to avoid that. Looking at Valentin in front of her, Ashley blinked. Valentin always respected her wishes and her freedom. She could do whatever she wanted with Valentin, and he would always indulge her... After everything that happened today, Ashley thought she wouldn''t sleep well, but lying next to Valentin, smelling his fresh, comforting scent, she fell asleep quickly. The next morning. Ashley woke up really hungry, wanting to go to the hotel restaurant for breakfast, but Valentin was on a call that seemed to be long. She gestured to him to continue his call in the room and went to the restaurant. Starving, she ran out of the room and saw Joseph and Jaden eating breakfast in the restaurant. They were sitting with their backs to her, not noticing her arrival. Ashley¡¯s eyes twinkled mischievously, and she tiptoed towards them, nning to scare them. But just as she was getting close, she heard them talking about love and heartbreak. Jaden was bragging to Joseph. ¡°That¡¯s nothing. | have a brother who liked a girl for ten years and never got her. She even married someone else in the end.¡± Joseph sighed sadly. ¡°Now that you mention it, | remember my brother. He¡¯s been after someone for over ten years and still hasn''t seeded.¡± 08:32 Ashley was listening with interest but then frowned.. She thought, ¡®What does that mean? ¡®Valentin has been after someone for over a decade and hasn''t seeded?¡¯ Chapter 191 Chapter 191 In a moment, Ashley felt like her feet were nailed to the ground, standing still without moving. She did some math in her head. If Valentin had liked someone for over a decade, that meant he had had feelings for her since his school days. That was a long time. Ashley couldn''t quite describe how she felt. She was initially starving, but now she didn¡¯t even feel like eating. On one hand, she wanted to figure out who Valentin liked. On the other hand, with Valentin¡¯s qualities, she thought if he had liked a girl for over ten years and she hadn''t reciprocated, maybe she was just not seeing his worth. But Joseph¡¯s tone was full of mncholy and wistfulness, not sounding like he was joking. It seemed Valentin did have someone he¡¯d liked for over ten years and hadn''t won over. Ashley had hoped to hear more from Joseph, but he only said that one thing before shifting the topic away from Valentin¡¯s secret crush. Ashley was almost frantic. ¡®How can you just stop talking in the middle of a story? It¡¯s so frustrating!¡± Just then, Jaden finished eating and stood up from his seat. Turning around, he saw Ashley in the restaurant and waved her over. ¡°Are you here to eat? Come and join us!¡± With Jaden¡¯s gesture, Joseph also noticed Ashley and nced behind her. ¡°Where¡¯s Valentin? Didn¡¯t hee with you?¡± ¡°He¡¯s handling a work call,¡± Ashley replied. ¡°That¡¯s fine. Valentin will probably join us soon. Ashley, let me tell you, today¡¯s breakfast is exceptionally delicious! | suspect they might have changed the chef. You must try it! It¡¯s so much better than yesterday''s!¡± But Ashley was in no mood to eat because she was curious. She walked over and sat down at the table, hesitated for a couple of seconds, and then couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Joseph, you were saying...¡± Joseph was very enthusiastic, even helping Ashley with pouring water. He stopped when he heard her start to speak and eagerly asked, ¡°What?¡± Jaden also looked over at her. Under their curious eyes, Ashley suddenly felt it might be better to ask Valentin himself about this. She thought, ¡®Yeah, | should just ask him directly. ¡°It''s okay,¡± Ashley said nonchntly as she stood up. ¡°You and eat. I¡¯m going back to find Valentin.¡± After saying this, she turned and left the hotel restaurant. guys go ahead Joseph, lookingpletely confused, scratched his head. ¡®Why did she leave without eating breakfast? ¡®What did she want to ask me just now?¡¯ Back in her room, Ashley saw Valentin still on the phone, speaking in business jargon. Seeing her return, Valentin raised his eyebrows in surprise and asked with his eyes, ¡®Weren''t you hungry? Why didn¡¯t you have breakfast?¡±Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Ashley took out her phone, typed a note, and showed him the screen. [I have something to ask you.] After reading it, Valentin nced at Ashley, nodded slightly, and sped up his work report on the phone. Ashley sat on the bed, observing Valentin, who was standing by the window on the phone. He wore a clean, white shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, revealing his well-defined forearms. His skin, with its visible blue veins, somehow looked irresistibly sexy. The morning sunlight streaming through the window made him look more graceful and poised. Ashley¡¯s gaze wandered over him from head to toe, involuntarily resting on Valentin¡¯s stunningly handsome face. From his perfectly shaped eyebrows to his straight nose, her gaze finally settled on his thin lips that moved as he spoke. Chapter 191 She had to admit, his lips were beautiful. They were not too thin and had a pale red color. They looked so kissable. Ashley¡¯s mind uncontrobly drifted to the times they had kissed. Valentin might look cool and aloof, but his lips felt soft and desirable... Snapping back to reality, Ashley realized what she was thinking, and her checks flushed, turning as red and warm as sun-baked Toses.. She pped herself on the face in frustration. ¡°What am | thinking!¡¯ she scolded herself. Still on the phone, Valentin caught a glimpse of Ashley pping herself and hesitated for a moment, then couldn''t help but chuckle softly. His chuckling, with his eyes lowered, was incredibly charming. Ashley¡¯s cheeks burned even hotter, and she gave him an annoyed re. It was more of a soft look than a re, without any real threat behind it. Valentin¡¯s subordinate on the other end of the phone heard the sudden.ughter and stopped talking, confused. ¡®What happened? Was there something funny about the report, or did | say something wrong?¡¯ This made the subordinate very nervous. Valentin gave a few instructions and quickly hung up the phone, walking over to her. Looking at Ashley sitting on the bed, he bent down, his back forming an attractive line, and looked at her with a smile in his eyes.. He raised a hand and gently touched her forehead with the back of his cold hand, teasing her. ¡°Come on, let me see, have you gone crazy? Why are you hitting yourself?¡± Ashley felt shy. She leaned her head back to avoid his hand. ¡°You''re the crazy one!¡± she retorted. Valentin¡¯s eyebrows lifted almost imperceptibly, his voice casual and yful. ¡°So, what are you thinking about? Why are you hitting yourself?¡± ¡°| hit myself because | want to. | hit myself when I¡¯m happy, and | hit myself when I¡¯m not. It¡¯s none of your business!¡± Ashley retorted stubbornly. ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± Valentin drew out his words, slowly standing up straight his gaze lowered but fixed on her. ¡°Maybe next time, someone els should do the hitting.¡± ¡°Someone else? You want me to hit you?¡± Ashley asked suspiciously. Valentin¡¯s eyes sparkled with a hint of a smile, his deep, maic voice more captivating than ever. ¡°I can¡¯t just stand by and watch you hit yourself. Since I¡¯m your husband, Ill have to take it for you.¡± Ashley blushed even more. She thought, ¡°Even if you''re willing, | wouldn¡¯t do it. I¡¯m not into domestic violence! Why say you''re my husband...¡± Remembering something earlier, Ashley scratched her head, stood up, and cleared her throat. ¡°Valentin, | have something to ask you.¡± He nced down at the time and, pulling her along, suggested. ¡°Aren¡¯t you hungry? Let¡¯s talk over food.¡± Ashley wasn¡¯t really hungry anymore, but she nodded. ¡°Sure. It¡¯s about what | heard Joseph saying at the restaurant earlier...¡± Just as Ashley started to speak, Valentin opened the door. They ran into Bryce and Miranda in the hallway as they were about to leave the room. Bryce stopped in his tracks, first checking the room number to confirm it was indeed Ashley¡¯s, then a look of utter disbelief crossed his face as he stared, speechless, at Valentining out of Ashley¡¯s room early in the morning. Under what circumstances would a mane out of a woman¡¯s room in the early morning? What exactly was their rtionship? Miranda was stunned, her eyes wide and mouth agape. She couldn''t believe what she was seeing. Valentin had rushed over from his country yesterday to rescue Ashley from Andrew, which Miranda found odd enough. Even a devoted fan wouldn''t go to such lengths for their idol. And now, early in the morning, she saw Valentining out of Ashley''s room... Did they spend the night together? Miranda shivered. Could she be right? After everything Valentin had done for Ashley, could it be that he had ulterior motives? ¡°Ashley, you and Mr. Kingsley...¡± Chapter 192 Ashley pressed her forehead, feeling a headache. This is bad. I can¡¯t exin this, she thought. She knew that no one would easily believe if she said Valentin was just there to chat or discuss work. While Ashley was stressed, Valentin looked calm and collected, as usual. He even seemed to want everyone to know about his rtionship with Ashley. He confidently walked Ashley out of the room in an eerie silence, closing the door slowly and gracefully, showing off his elegance. Then, he turned to Miranda and Bryce, who were still stunned in the hallway. Since they were Ashley¡¯s friends, his tone was indifferent but not too distant. ¡°Is there something else?¡± Miranda, recovering from her shock, nced cautiously at Valentin and swallowed nervously before turning to Ashley with a mix of surprise and concern. ¡°Ashley, you and Mr. Kingsley...¡± Ashley knew what Miranda was thinking just by her look. She was thinking about the unspoken rules of the industry. ¡°Don¡¯t jump to conclusions! It¡¯s not what you think! It¡¯s not...¡± Ashley started to exin her rtionship with Valentin. She wanted to clear up the misunderstanding, especially since Valentin had juste out of her room early in the morning. She couldn¡¯t let Miranda think it was something scandalous. But halfway through, Ashley remembered that Valentin had been in love with someone else for over ten years and never got together with them. Revealing her marriage to Valentin might not be a good idea then. And then there was the matter of their divorce... Since he was in love with someone else, divorcing seemed necessary. Ashley was lost in her thoughts and brought to reality by Valentin¡¯s deep and cold voice. ¡°Unspoken rules?¡± His voice was filled with a chill, scaring Miranda a bit. Valentin¡¯s attitude towards Ashley was so different from that of others. He was ying double standards. Ashley quickly tugged on Valentin¡¯s clothes. Valentin looked down at her, then took her hand as if no one else was there. Looking at Miranda and Bryce, he emphasized each word. ¡°We¡¯re married.¡± Ashley was shocked. At that moment, Miranda¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief,pletely stunned. She couldn''t believe her ears. Married? Bryce was equally shocked and looked back and forth between Ashley and Valentin, finally settling on Ashley with a more serious look. ¡°Ashley, you...¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Miranda snapped back to reality, about to scream excitedly. Ashley quickly let go of Valentin and dashed over to Miranda, covering her mouth. ¡°Calm down.¡± Miranda looked up with big, sad eyes, wondering how she could possibly calm down. It wasn¡¯t a secret affair. It wasn¡¯t a boyfriend-girlfriend thing. They were married! They had already tied the knot! Her best friend had secretly married a top-notch tycoon! Who could stay calm knowing that?! Whileforting Miranda, Ashley nced at Bryce. Thankfully, he seemedposed, looking down, lost in thought. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for keeping this from you,¡± Ashley said, full of remorse. Miranda shook her head quickly, grabbed Ashley¡¯s hand away from her mouth, and said, ¡°Don¡¯t be sorry, Ashley, I totally get it. It''s normal for you to keep it a secret!¡± After saying that, Miranda took Ashley¡¯s hand again and covered her own mouth, blinking her big, innocent eyes at her. Miranda¡¯s cute and clueless look was simply too adorable, Ashley couldn¡¯t help butugh, hugging Miranda tenderly. Valentin watched this scene, puzzled. He nced at his hand, which Ashley had let go of, and felt ignored, seeing Ashley hugging Miranda closely... Did she just leave him to hug another woman? Feeling close to Ashley, Miranda suddenly felt Valentin''s doomy stare and quickly stepped out of Ashley¡¯s embrace. Ashley actually hadn¡¯t had enough of the hug. Excitement didn¡¯t die down for Miranda, even during breakfast. Everyone went to the hotel restaurant together. Miranda and Lester were also at the restaurant. Joseph and Eiden had alreadye, but bored, they still sat there bickering. The group decided to sit down together for breakfast. Miranda¡¯s curiosity was at its peak. She clearly had many questions for Ashley but didn¡¯t dare to ask recklessly in front of Valentin. Feeling helpless, Ashley nced towards Bryce, who was calm andposed without making a sound. Finally, Miranda couldn¡¯t hold back anymore. She cleverly found an excuse. ¡°Ashley, aren¡¯t we going back to our country this afternoon? Let¡¯s buy some souvenirs nearby. Will youe with me?¡± Ashley thought answering some of Miranda¡¯s questions wouldn¡¯t be bad and rxed, so she nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± She had wanted to ask about the person he liked but decided to wait until they went shopping. After all, shopping wouldn''t take too long. After breakfast, Ashley pulled Valentin aside and informed him discreetly that she would go buy some souvenirs nearby with Miranda. Valentin, however, was worried. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you,¡± he insisted. Ashley was startled for a moment before realizing what he was worried about and waved her hand dismissively. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Based on what I know about Andrew, I¡¯mpletely sure he won¡¯te looking for me.¡±This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Valentin narrowed his eyes slightly. ¡°You know him that well?¡± Ashley didn¡¯t respond. He asked again, his tone more cautious. ¡°Ashley, do you understand me as well as him?¡± Ashley was even more speechless. How did we end up talking about this? Not wanting to argue or make a fuss about going out and causing others to worry, Ashley gave in. ¡°Alright, if you¡¯re that worried, I won¡¯t go out.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Ashley suddenly brightened up. ¡°I¡¯ll just go directly to Miranda¡¯s room and talk to her. After all, Miranda just wanted to ask her own questions, and it didn¡¯t matter where they talked.¡± ¡°You go back to your room. I¡¯m going to see Miranda,¡± Ashley said and turned to run off to Miranda. Valentin was left behind, feeling ignored and at a loss for words. Chapter 193 Chapter 193 So, Ashley went to Miranda¡¯s room. She told Miranda that Valentin was worried about her leaving the hotel, so they wouldn¡¯t buy souvenirs. If there were anything to discuss, they would do it in the room. Miranda¡¯s eyes lit up when she heard this. ¡°Wow, Mr. Kingsley is so concerned about you! He¡¯s really thoughtful!¡± she eximed. Ashley didn¡¯t know what to say. Miranda said, a bit embarrassed, ¡°I never thought of that!¡± Quickly, she pulled Ashley to sit beside her on the bed, her cheeks slightly red with excitement. ¡°Seriously, | was too excited to eat breakfast. | never imagined I''d have the chance to sit at the same table with Mr. Kingsley. It¡¯s all thanks to you, Ashley!¡± Ashley found her words were so funny. ¡°It¡¯s just a meal.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s different. It¡¯s not just any meal when it¡¯s with Valentin!¡± Valentin was a noble tycoon with power and influence. Most people wouldn¡¯t even get a chance to see him! Unable to hide her excitement and curiosity, Miranda asked, ¡°Ashley, when did you and Mr. Kingsley get married?¡± ¡°Almost a year now.¡± ¡°Wow, that long!¡± In her heart, Ashley thought, ¡®Actually, agreement. s almost time for our divorce ¡°When did you guys meet?¡± Miranda¡¯s imagination was running wild, already picturing a romantic drama. Ashley briefly answered, ¡°We knew each other as kids, but then we were apart for a while. We reunited a year ago.¡± Miranda¡¯s eyes lit up again. ¡°You''re childhood sweethearts! That''s so meant to be!¡± Ashley¡¯s eyes lit up with a small smile, finding the term ¡°childhood sweethearts¡± much nicer than Jaden¡¯s childhood fiance¡±bel. 115 da suddenly figured something out. ¡°Now i retinat¡¯s why Mr. sley bid on your bracelet at the charity dinner randaid he was your fan. The truth is, he¡¯s your husband!¡¯ blinked. ¡°You could say that. Isy! | think you and Mr. Kingsley are a perfect match.my bat everything You''re so well-suited¡± wees from thepliment, touching her eyelid sace ailly, he has... pussc., thinking wasnt right to talk about Valentins persoonl behind his back ecided tonasit himter and get the whole story. ida quackbame a huge fan of Ashley and Valentin¡¯s love story asons. Before they knew it an hour and a half had all who woolide excited about hearing a real-life romantic up rlosch chatting foron chart half hour. Miranda reluctantly sent Ashley Ishould teep you coo long. Mr. Kingsley is probably waiting usty y was speechless.. ¡®b 15 Ashley left. Miranda tosse 1 her room door and hummed a song packing her bags. getting ready to go back home in the afternoon. ide inly, her phone 22. pa call from Ryan. had exchanged contact istorante wen Miranda thought Ryan radley Warner. le all ada frowned, wanting tong cesdenudly answered the call id. ad nda, you finally picked up ray call us once was filled with joy e phone. DE the wrong button. Bye. Mirandas osobl Ryan¡¯s brow furrowed, his voice filled with disappointment and reluctance. ¡°Miranda, why let Ashley affect our rtionship?¡± sister, Miranda held the phone emotionlessly and said, ¡°Ashley is your and you mistreat her. | can¡¯t believe you''d be any better to me, a stranger.¡± Ryan was taken aback and tried to justify himself. ¡°Yes, Ashley is my sister, but look what she did to the Ramos family. Our family is in ruins because of her! My mom has been sick and hospitalized, Frankie¡¯s whereabouts are unknown, Jeremy and Matthew are hardly home, Jessica was forced out of the entertainment industry, and only my dad struggles to keep the crumbling Ramos Group afloat. It¡¯s all Ashley¡¯s fault!¡± ¡°Don''t twist the truth! It was you who hurt Ashley first. She was only defending herself!¡± Miranda was trembling with anger. ¡°Just look at Jessica. How many times has she harmed Ashley? Frankie and Bertha made up lies to nder Ashley, trying to get her jailed. All these things are known all over the inte. Which one of them is not true? Did Ashley ever do anything wrong to you all before she left the Ramos family? Wasn¡¯t she good enough for you?¡± Before leaving the Ramos family... Ryan remembered how, before Ashley left, she was like a dignity-less person, desperately trying to please them, seeking a bit of affection. Ashley knew he liked racing cars, so she stayed up all night to make a car model for him. He didn¡¯t even nce at it and smashed it on the floor. Heter found out Ashley was allergic to mangoes and deliberately made her eat them, wanting to see her ugly allergic reaction. At first, Ashley refused, but he sternly told her that he would ignore her forever if she didn¡¯t eat. Hearing this, Ashley immediately stuffed the mango into her mouth. He even threatened her, saying a few bites weren¡¯t enough. She had to eat all five mangoes. Her allergy made her entire body break out in itchy, swollen rashes, and she was almost unconscious. Heughed loudly at her miserable state. Enduring her allergic difort, Ashley cautiously asked if he would ept another racing car model she¡¯d make by staying up late again. Of course, he refused and pushed her away, walking off. Chanzer P32 Remembering these past events, Ryan frowned. ¡°Ashley is my sister. It¡¯s only right toon her to be good to me. Isn¡¯t it normal for sisters to be nice to their bodies?¡± Miranda found this absurd. ¡°And you''re her brother. Why don¡¯t you treat herwell? 1. Ruanasut a loss for words. Mind closed droves. | justforted you a little whe your right leezand maht never race again, and you''re so nice Ashley has done soo much for the Ramos family. Why don¡¯t youAll content is ? N0velDrama.Org. It''s different Ramses reddened. ¡°When | discovered | couldn¡¯t race again. | was stom,west and most desperate. Yourfort and that apple you gave 150 much 10 me!¡± Why didn¡¯t you care when Ashleyforted you after your injury?¡± Miranda sharply questioned. Ryan frowned more doranty Lalleyforted him and even offered to find a doctor for his summery The best doctor in the wood. But what kind of doctor could disbandi He thought she was just boasting 100 get the attention of the Ramos family. He didn¡¯t believe Ashley could findd doooor and angrily kicked her out of his room, saying her face made him sisichandoo stay out of his sight. Later, a top world-renowned surgeon aialiveused to operate on his ice, then suddenly agreed. It must have been for the sake of the Ramos mity de should be grateful to the Ramos fumiy toonsshley handa. Ahley didn¡¯t help me at all. She is FREE Becare Ryan could finish, Miranda didn¡¯t want to hara awmore and hangup with a click Staring at the disconnected call. Ryan was so angry wanted a smash He felt that it was all because of Ashley, the evil luck charm, that Miranda thought so little of him. He would never forgive Ashley in his life! Ashley returned to her room and saw Valentin sitting on the balcony chair, resting with his eyes closed. His long eyshes trembled slightly as she approached, and he opened his eyes, revealing a fleeting brilliance. ¡°Are you sleeping?¡± Ashley walked up to him. ¡°No.¡± Valentin replied calmly, ¡°You don¡¯t understand me, not even knowing if I¡¯m asleep.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be unreasonable.¡± Valentin lifted his gaze, silently looking at her. Ashley stood in front of him, their eyes meeting. Her delicate features seemed like a painting. ¡°I''ve wanted to ask you something, and now is a good time.¡± Chapter 194 ¡°What happened?¡± Valentin remembered. She¡¯d said she had something to ask him since breakfast and hadn''t had the time to do so until now. ¡°Sit down first.¡± Valentin pulled her to sit down in the wicker chair next to him. Asilver coffee pot sat on the ss round table, rising in a curling mist that gave off the aroma of coffee. Valentin leaned over and picked up the silver coffee pot, pouring her coffee with a pleasing elegance and nobility from his bones. Not having the mood to admire his elegance at the moment, Ashley said directly, ¡°I hear you have had a crush on someone for over ten years.¡± Instantly, Valentin stopped pouring coffee. The scene was deathly quiet. It took several seconds before his eyshes fluttered lightly. Putting the coffee pot down, he looked up at her and said in a deep voice, ¡°Where did you hear that?¡± ¡°| heard about it from Joseph when | went to the diner this morning.¡± Ashley blinked. ¡°I was sneaking over to try to scare him from behind when | happened to hear him tell Jaden that you have a crush on someone for over ten years and haven''t been able to pursue her.¡± Valentin fell silent. Ashley didn¡¯t notice her subconsciously pinching her dress. ¡°Is Joseph telling the truth or not?¡± She thought, ¡®He¡¯s liked that person for over ten years. Such a long time.¡± Valentin looked at her silently, as if he had only been looking at her for a few seconds and as if he had looked at her for as long as a century. Finally, he admitted, ¡°It¡¯s true.¡± Ashley¡¯s eyshes fluttered twice at his words, like butterfly wings fluttering in panic. She said slowly, ¡°Oh.¡± a Standing up suddenly, Valentin walked over to her and squatted down on one knee, his sight at her level. er 194 looked at her, his eyes unusually shades force you know i have a sh on someone, you''ve been doing what you m this morning until now. Doesn¡¯t that botoc: entin thought. Isn¡¯t she jealous at all! should have been doing so at all?¡± Hey¡¯s pupils quivered, and she lowered deres eveAserer two se looked up at him and said honestly. | was limery 15 m rheard what joseph said. | ran back to ask you wionoure reprised than anything else. | didn¡¯t believe it you li can you not go after her? Then, since you like soi Ised to get divorced soon. lets just ge divorced wheremchenime IRS. and emrin almostughed in irritation, thinking. She¡¯s so decisivere Bestdienly frowned. If you have someone you like, why wide you to your conjugal duties with me before?¡± stin bole books dat her without a word for a long time before sxiderenly 12. You''ve lways loved watching the show since you were a bit | by nodded dit bronsciously. ¡°Yes.¡± she looked puzzled and thought, ¡®How did the conversation enly ger to watching the snow? with the rent wweather, neither in the country nor Manditus. da, where they werere cow, had snowed atin looked atheroddenly¡¯s snowing in Osakin. Begian. Why don¡¯t kip the return today adid justly there? ?Ashley was stunned. tin in Begian was kowwanthhe show country. When she was a childi. saw this ce in a book madd coinedly pointed it out to Valentin. ng that they would go to dean together to see the snow in the re. But diey had a filing daandtheir childhood promise was r kept. ley thought. Why is he suddenly inhere now? A pre-divorce ley scratched her head, feeling werdts appropriate?¡± 104 tin said, ¡°Didn¡¯t we agree when we were kids that we would go there her?¡± y¡¯s heart clenched slight entes wenu aid in confusion. ¡°Why do you suddder thing wrong?¡± ad of their childhood, and want to go now? Is there tin looked at her withour roving it deep eyes that swirle f faintly visible ripples. ought. Since it''se to this. III tell her | lite! mg his answer. Ashley blinked in contusioroot knowing what he ed to do. Since he was really up to somecama..see nodded and said Alright let''s go together.¡± pened that joseph came to find them this image. on as he walked in the door, he shouted in any way. My dear rin and Ashley, what are you doing? It¡¯s time for head to the prot up and walked over. ¡°We''re not reaming horaes van We''re me to Begian temporarily h was so excited when he heard about it that he camerad ad happily. Ashley, what are you going to do in Beginn Iswantogo. avengah, at, lie looked at Valentin and smiled brightly, Valeenmy woyeur cunest brother, with you.¡± checessed aroid nce from Valentin. ellenent, chiming. Okay, I¡¯m not worthy! nokosad as huntay piifully. Ashley, are you sure you don¡¯t want to with tychc gin, enney nerves to take me, Valentin surely won''t object 1. Valeun wat nog te to anything Ashley says arve long grande figured out that with Valentin¡¯s bottomless predettigupots Ashley. Ashley will definitely be the one m in the tubarely LE oseph immediately looked to Asher for item. hought Ashley would agree to take um, given that he and Ashley had La good rtionship. the next second. Ashley patted him in the cat and reassured him. od boy, we really can¡¯t take you this ime. ph was speechless. hought. Valentin doesn¡¯t care about or the Ashley What ared kinship. I¡¯m so sad! ph covered his broken heart and an nu of the room sady, ing that the two were not returning for while, the others sensibly in ask any more questions. However, Lester mukt over Anle, and nun repeatedly and felt something wash que m rge looked cold, still thinking about the DNA rents between the amily and Ashley. 1. wore a ck ducktail cap. the brim of which pressed down on the ads of silver hair that red across his forehead, and baket (town at iphone without saying a word. an ocean blue eyes swirled with smiling. ¡°Have a good time then was speechless. mide i milled with two cute dimples on her face. ¡°Ashley, have a more Within Kingsley.¡± ved saved silent. She thought. We''re actually on a divorce tour thiss toniceann care if it¡¯s nice. ictyou le for them to book a light. Valemin made a cail. ley Gray Group had two long-established branches in the gory fiery. He asized someone to send a private jet, which they tly to Uv lon mbrrin Begian. ad organized verd overstung so that Ashley didn¡¯t have to worry thing but bingbrinemg herself along. moon, the ne ausent ved at snow gotry andnded at a snow Ttrexont she stepped offth ne, nie.shley saw a world of white snow and ice hocfiect crunching as she stepped on it, and snowkes floating in the air inng from the sky in a flurry. Not farnyththe pine forest stretched into the mountains, covering the pine branches swith snow. She could vaguely see a few elk strolling through the ssQow. like a forest wondend. Ashley had puuton a warm jacket and clothes on the ne at instruc100.5666she didn¡¯t feel cold at all now. The two had just gotten off the ne, and the resort manager, Ja Mn, who haddoort been waiting for them, led a group of people greet them with samites as if they were greeting their boss. Ashley was surprised for a 100ment. After listening for a while, she realized that thergey Group owned the igloo resort. ¡°Mr. Kingsley. Ma. Ramoss, we have everything ready. This way, please.¡±This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. After a few pleasannies. Jackson invited Valentin and Ashley to the igloo. While jackson was leading ghee way. Ashley quietly tugged on Valentin¡¯s sleeve and asked him withhercyyes what was going on. ie Valentin reached out and rubbedd ber bead. ¡°Haven''t you loved this ce since you were a kid?¡¯ Ashley was stunned for a mooeenther ppretty eyes filling with dismay. thiniting, He developed an igloogesso here because | said I liked it when | was a kid?¡± Valentin raised his hand and brushed away the few snowkes that fell on her hair. His low, husky voice was sexy and provocative. ¡°From now on, we cane over whenever you want, bkay?¡± Send of Chapter 195 When they reached the front of the snow lodge, Jackson said a few more ttering words and left sensibly. Ashley looked around, curious and marveling at everything here. A thickyer of snow had gathered on top of the igloo like a fluffy mass of cream. Ashley went inside the igloo with Valentin. It was constructed simrly to the room they normally stayed in and was warmed by heating equipment and a burning firece that asionally made a slight rattling sound as the wood burned. There was a wall ofrge floor-to-ceiling windows, and the snowy world outside could be seen through the transparent ss. Not far from the cedar forest, the elk lowered their heads for food. It was as beautiful and dreamy as a fairy tale world. The table in the room was prepared with various well-cooked delicacies, giving off a tantalizing aroma of food. There were also fresh roses in a vase on one side, their petals dripping with crystal clear dew as if they hadn''t been picked long ago. The whole room was warm. ¡°Are you hungry?¡± Valentin asked as he watched Ashley walk here and there, never quieting down, and couldn¡¯t help but pull her. ¡°No.¡± Ashley shook her head. She wanted to go out now to lighten her mood. ¡°What about you? Do you want to eat now?¡± Valentin raised an eyebrow with doubt. Ashley said, ¡°Let¡¯s go out if you don¡¯t want to eat.¡± Valentin nced at her clothes and turned to bring over a white down jacket with two cute bunny ears on the hood. ¡°It¡¯s cold outside. Change before you go out.¡± Ashley nodded and changed her clothes. She looked like a round, white rabbit and scampered out with hops and bounds. Shaking his head helplessly, Valentin chuckled as he lowered his head and hurriedly followed. Chapter 195 There was a big ski slope in this resort, and Ashley saw it when she came. over just now. She hadn¡¯t skied in a long time and was very interested. After putting on her gear, she skied out skillfully on her own without any guidance from her instructor. Valentin knew she could ski and was good at it, so he wasn¡¯t worried about her falling. Ashley skied smoothly and unobstructed to the finish line and betterContent is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Preparing to take a break and wait for Valentin toe over, Ashley suddenly saw a man skiing ahead of her, crashing uncontrobly in her direction. Ashley tapped the ground with her ski pole and then avoided it lightly. The man didn¡¯t control his direction well and fell over, even splitting his legs coquettishly. Ashley was about to say something when the man got up and cursed in pain, ¡°Why did you just move? It¡¯s because of you that | fell.¡± Ashley was confused and thought, ¡®It was obviously you who fell down and almost hit me, okay?¡± The man felt it was embarrassing to fall in public, so he cursed and made, trouble. The tourists watching nearby could hardly stand it anymore. Jackson, who was patrolling nearby, heard the argument and immediately rushed over. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why are you all arguing?¡± The man knew Jackson. ¡°Jackson, you¡¯re just in time!¡± Smiling insidiously, he pointed at Ashley and said, ¡°Look, it¡¯s her blocking there that made me suddenly fall while skiing.¡± Jackson looked in the direction of the man¡¯s finger, and he saw a beautiful face the next second. He thought, ¡®Isn¡¯t this Ms. Ramos?¡¯ Jackson immediately looked around, thinking, ¡®Huh? Where is Mr. Kingsley? Mr. Kingsley doesn¡¯t seem to be nearby. That man was still scolding. pter 195 tourist in the crowd conidn¡¯t stand it. ¡°Obviously, you didn¡¯t control die rection well. What does thatve to do with thatdy? If you wantitok ame it, just me yourselfconnot skinng well. ie man immediately gazrdhovendooking menacing. this time. Ashley came over within smile in her beautiful eye ¡°Hello. rkson. kson hurriedly smiled. ¡°Hello. Mi.. kamos.¡± ckson, do you know.coch other? The man was confused. kson was speechless and reprimande Your the one who almost 1. Ramos. Hurry up and apologize to Ms. Kamos.¡± ckson!¡± The man was unconvinced suddenly realized that jackson oked very respectful and scared of the youngdy. He couldn''t help but y in exasperation. Why are you afraid r? kson, unable to stand it and thinking this nam was incredibly stupid. essed his voice and yelled. This is the fernable proprietor of our resort!¡± thought. Of course. | have to be afraid of fee. The whole resort was veloped because of her. e man stared as if struck by lightning, thinking Fremate proprietor?¡± itson immediately called the nearby security guarn hand shered the an dit in despair. en jackson smiled apologetically at Ashley, Ms. Ramoslimi so sorry at he just bumped into you.¡± hey don¡¯t care that much. ¡°It¡¯s okay. was such a cold day, but jackson was sweating on us for chical He so his hand to wipe away the sweat che dhe male proprietor this kind of thing the t toptats y at the resort This is a serious mistakepa hirytale staredat it letung Jacksono about his own intees t brian wand the next ce to have fun when Valentiame ove pris urity toying the entire resort. Ahley was a little tree t cure ina etxoeriood. his time, snowkes were falling in this sy again ing almost unished ying, they turned the igloo. ley suddenly thought she hadn''t add sowman when walking to gloo. thought, It can¡¯t be missed. toy ran to the door of the igloo and genusnowman rig se thick pile of snow. retin shaved with her when she was building indomar and made Two snowmen were next to each other like closemoamans. Mashiy didn¡¯t think the one she made looked very good haddea and a cunning sh in her eyes. She wrote the word tion the snowman¡¯s belly and pointed it out to him. Look this is timrrassed his eyebrows slightly and said in a low and hoarsse voice. hanseoivin your heart.¡± eynazrowed her eyes. ¡°Are you saying the snowman | built is agy? kling. Hey pecked up a small branch on the side and wrote a wood bon nowman diednd made. This is you.¡± written.Askitdey¡¯s name on the snowman¡¯s belly as well. comers of es out kidy¡¯s mouth twitched slightly. ¡°It¡¯s over. When the sum the temperature rises, we will melt into water together. in thought house seriously and said, ¡®It can be saved and kept ver. Ashley waved lier and repeatedly, thinking. It is just a snowman. here is no need to keeppist. felt there was no neeckt coochiete troublesome things. it ey had just rolled in leaba wandced them beside her. At monent, she secretly petkel one and threw it towards Valentin n he wasn¡¯t paying attention. ntin, who was thrown.Jelt prezzileki. Chapter 196 Chapter 196 Ashley ran away after doing the bad thing. The two long bunny ears on the hood jumped up and down as she ran. Valentin was caught off guard and was hit by a snowball. He touched his tongue against his face and watched her flee with a smile. ¡°Ashley, your dare to hit me, and you are so scared that you run away?¡± Ashley ran to a safe distance before stopping. ¡°I¡¯m not running away. I¡¯m taking a walk.¡± Valentin thought, ¡°Taking a walk... Good.¡¯ He waved to her. ¡°Come back. | don¡¯t care.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Ashley was cautious. He nodded. Ashley didn¡¯t go back. Instead, she wisely ran back to the igloo. Valentin chuckled and shook his head with an expression of indescribable indulgence.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. The two went back to the igloo. The room was the right temperature, so they didn¡¯t feel cold. Ashley took off her down jacket with bunny ears. It was already evening, and orange lights lit up outside. One could see through therge floor-to-ceiling windows that snowkes were falling under the orange light, which was a unique feeling. Ashley was watching intently when she suddenly received messages from Joseph. [Ashley, are you having a good time?] Isn¡¯t it fun there?] [You guys didn¡¯t even take me with you. I¡¯m going to get angry! You''ll never coax me out of it.] Ashley was speechless for a while. Raising her phone, she took a photo of the snowy scene.de and sent 15 it to him. Joseph cried even louder after reading it. [Oh, it¡¯s so beautiful. | want to go there, too! You and Valentin just left me behind so ruthlessly!] Ashley replied: [I''ll bring you here next time.] Joseph was still sad. [Oh, don¡¯t think you can coax me like this. A wounded heart is not easily repaired. | have principles, too, and I¡¯m really. angry this time.] Ashley said: [Well, in that case, | won¡¯t bring you next time either.] Joseph was stunned. He was so angry that he typed faster. [Are you still my favorite Ashley?] Ashley replied decisively: [No.] Joseph immediately retorted: [No! You are my favorite Ashley, and will always be! No one can rece it!] Ashley was speechless. Joseph asked: [Wait a minute, where is Valentin? Why don¡¯t | see him?] Ashley replied: [He is preparing dinner aside.] Joseph said: [Hey, Valentin is awesome. Ashley, you''re so lucky. | won''t disturb you anymore. How sensible | am!] Ashley was speechless once again. Valentin walked over at that moment, strong and graceful. He tilted his head to indicate the direction of the table. ¡°Would you like something to eat?¡± Ashley was hungry, so she walked to the dining table and sat down. The table was full of her favorite food. So, she identally overstuffed herself. Ashley paced back and forth in the room remorsefully and turned to look at Valentin. ¡°By the way, you said you came to see the snow today because you had something to do. What''s the matter?¡± Without answering, Valentin walked toward her and asked, ¡°Are you still stuffed?¡± Ashley was embarrassed. ¡°No, I¡¯m better now. The main reason is that the dinner just now was so delicious.¡± So, she identally overstuffed. Valentin raised his eyebrows slightly and said in a funny way, ¡°It would be bad if you are ufortable.¡± Ashley wasn¡¯t ufortable. After walking, she walked over to the couch in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows and sat down, quietly enjoying the snowy scene outside. Valentin sat down in front of the floor-to-ceiling window with her. Seeing a bouquet of roses in the vase beside him, he raised his hand and stroked it twice. Ashley turned to see this quiet and beautiful scene. Valentin was caressing the delicate roses, blending into a picture of great beauty. After looking at it for a while, Ashley asked casually, ¡°Do you like this flower very much?¡± He looked like he loved it. Valentin shook his head slightly and said in a somewhat lower voice, ¡°No, I¡¯m a little nervous.¡± ¡°Nervous?¡± Ashley was surprised, thinking his nervousness was too subtle to see. She asked, ¡°What are you nervous about?¡± Valentin raised his eyes to look at her, with a faint emotion she couldn¡¯t understand floating in his unfathomable eyes. His eyes looked like an abyss, seeming to absorb Ashley¡¯s soul into it. Ashley couldn''t help but stare at him. After a while, she lowered her eyes and said inaudibly, ¡°Actually... | have been wondering today who the person you like is and why you didn¡¯t sessfully pursue her...¡± She had thought long but hadn¡¯t figured out who it was that he had been liking since he was a student. Of course, she and Valentin were not in the same grade. As they grew older, their rtionship was not as close as it had been when they were children, and it became increasingly awkward. They would even argue. And maybe he liked a girl in his ss, she just didn¡¯t know Ashley couldn''t help but slow down her breathing and asked softly, ¡°Will you continue to pursue her in the future?¡± He looked at her seriously and intently. ¡°Yes.¡± Ashley curled her fingers and nodded slightly before turning to look at the snowy scene outside the window. The snow seemed to be falling more heavily. Agust of wind blew, and snowkes flew all over the sky. This pre-divorce trip would be a very impressive one for Ashley. Valentin looked at Ashley¡¯s delicate side face and said gently, ¡°Do you like no snow very much?¡± The snowkes outside the window seemed to fly into her eyes and melt into water. She nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± He asked, ¡°Do you know what | like?¡± Hearing his words, Ashley withdrew her gaze and looked towards him with her beautiful eyes. Her inadvertently furrowed brows had an indescribable vor. She thought, ¡®What does he like? It seems that he has never shown any obvious preferences since childhood.¡± Ashley frantically thought about what he liked to watch or eat. With what she knew about him, she could still say it if she wanted to. Suddenly, a shadow shrouded her eyes. Valentin came closer and sped her waist with his warm palms. He held her waist tightly as if he wanted to control her. Ashley was stunned, and her eyes widened slightly. The thoughts in her mind suddenly broke apart. She could no longer think about what he liked. Immediately afterward, she felt a pain on her lips. Valentin kissed her hard. He rubbed and kissed her moist and red lips, and the voice that overflowed from his throat was husky and sexy as hell, like an ambiguous blow to Ashley¡¯s heart one by one. ¡°You.¡± Valentin said, ¡°Ashley, | like you.¡± Chapter 197 The firece in the igloo was burning, snow was falling outside the window, and elk were walking in the pine forest not far away. It was a forest wondend-like ce. And Ashley heard Valentin say he liked her at such a ce. Her pupils shrank violently, and her mind went nk. Her hands and feet were frozen, not knowing what reaction to give. Until a momentter, Valentin¡¯s maic voice slowly brought her consciousness back. Valentin¡¯s voice was soft and affectionate, like the whisper between lovers, but with a hint of astringency. ¡°| know that you always reject suitors decisively. What''s more, you hated me so much when you were a child. ¡°You heard that | have someone I¡¯ve liked for many years. In order to cover this up and prevent you from rejecting me, | can just name someone to get over it. ¡°But | don¡¯t want you to misunderstand.¡± Speaking of this, he paused momentarily and looked at her deeply as if all the beautiful scenes in the world were not as good as hers. He continued, ¡°Ashley, it¡¯s just you. The only person I¡¯ve liked for so many years is you.¡± Ashley¡¯s eyshes blinked unconsciously. ¡°Valentin, you...¡± Ashley stuttered for a moment, and her mind seemed to be filled with aPlease check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. it out. bunch of tangled white clouds. She couldn¡¯t figure She thought, ¡®I¡¯m the one Valentin has liked for over ten years. Valentin liked me a long time ago. ¡®He and | were close at first when we were kids. But when we grew up, we often fell out and sometimes quarreled. How could he possibly like me? ¡°Especially when we fell out, Valentin blocked me in my room when he heard me say | liked Kevin, my ssmate. His eyes were 1/6 11and shocking, and he asked me if | was out of my mind to like Kevin. Wait a moment!¡± Ashley then reacted, thinking. ¡®Was he jealous?¡¯ Shocked, Ashley recalled it carefully. In the beginning, she and Valentin were very close. They had been engaged since they were kids by both of their grandfathers. Then, when they got a little older and realized what the betrothal meant, the more she looked at Valentin, the more awkward she became. After that, Ashley didn¡¯t want to get too close to Valentin, preferring to find other friends of her age to y with. That was when the two started. to fall out and even quarrel. Valentin¡¯s attitude towards her was especially gloomy and unpredictable when he saw her ying with the neighbor''s children. Ashley thought Valentin was deliberately targeting her at that time. It turned out that... ¡°Have you been jealous?¡± Itpletely upended what Ashley had always known, blinking her moist eyes nkly at him. Valentin did not deny it. ¡°Yes.¡± He didn¡¯t know at that time what he¡¯d done wrong to be alienated from Ashley suddenly. Ashley even said she hated him, yet she smiled brightly at someone else. Valentin¡¯s heart seemed to be ripped apart with anger and jealousy when he heard Ashley say she liked Kevin. Yet, he couldn¡¯t change the fact that Ashley hated him Ashley kepa shaking her head and hurgedly exined, ¡°No! | never liked Kevin. | thought the engagement was weird and | wanted to end it with you, so | purposely made up an excuse.. Ashley was saying when she was suddenly taken into Valentin¡¯s arms with force. He was so hard that he seemed to be hugging his world Ashley then realized that Valentin had carried her to sit on hisp at some point, and she was nestled in his arms. Blinking, Ashley moved ufortably twice to find afortable position in hisp. She poked his chest with her finger. ¡°Are you blind? How could you like me?¡± Valentin said helplessly, ¡°Don¡¯t talk about yourself like that.¡± Ashley said, ¡°For the confession you just made, I... ¡°Stop saying if you want to reject me.¡± Valentin put his arm around her waist and stroked the delicate skin of her cheek with his other hand. Quite shocked, Ashley thought, ¡®I can¡¯t even say that?¡± Ashley gritted her teeth and said, ¡°You''re being unreasonable! You''ll get beaten up like this. Forget it. | won¡¯t bully you for now. I''ll tell you seriously. I''ll consider your confession.¡± Valentin suddenly let out a chuckle. Ashley didn¡¯t know why. ¡°Why are youughing?¡± Valentin moved closer, touching his forehead to hers. The position was so intimate that they could feel each other¡¯s breath. ¡°I¡¯m d you didn¡¯t reject me outright.¡± It was a much better oue than he had expected. In every possibility Valentin envisioned, Ashley would not hesitate to reject his confession. Ashley¡¯s heart trembled, and she said softly, ¡°You¡¯re happy with that? Then you''re asking too little.¡± ¡°Ashley, if you don¡¯t want me to ask for so little, agree to my pursuit. Well?¡± ¡°Let me think about it¡± It was so sudden that her mind was still cluttered with thoughts even how. She had always thought she and Valentin were rivals as children, but she had never expected him to suddenly confess his feeling saving that he had been silently fond of her for many years. How could she not be touched? But it was really sudden and unexpected. She didn¡¯t want to treat his love of more than ten years in a hazy manner. As such, she wanted to think about it to treat him properly and see her true heart... They returned home the next day. No sooner had they returned to Kingsley Vi than they saw Joseph waiting in the living room with great interest. Ashley was still a little tired from her day of fun yesterday. After greeting Joseph, she was ready to go upstairs and rest. Just walking up the stairs, she turned to Valentin and asked, ¡°Did you bring back that little snowman?¡± ¡°Here. I¡¯ve been holding it for you.¡± Valentin handed her the little snowman doll in his hand. It was a little souvenir from the igloo resort. Ashley thought it was pretty cute and brought it back. Seeing that she liked it, Jackson immediately brought all the snowman dolls of various sizes and models to her, saying that he wanted to present her with a whole set. Ashley was speechless then. She only took two cute ones. Handing one of them to Joseph, Ashley said, ¡°This one is for you, and the other is for me and Valentin.¡± Joseph instantly took it joyfully, thinking, ¡°This little snowman is so cute!¡± And the little snowman Ashley gave him was special, with two little pink blushes on its face. He loved pink the best! ¡°Wow! Ashley, you remembered that | like pink. I¡¯m so impressed!¡± Joseph was so moved that he wanted to shed tears. But looked up, he realized that Ashley wasn¡¯t even listening to him. Instead, she tiptoed up to Valentin¡¯s ear. Not knowing what she whispered to Valentin, Valentin smiled with his eyes lowered, and Ashley even poked Valentin¡¯s waist affectionately. It looked like a scene of a young couple. Joseph fell silent, thinking, ¡®Is anyone listening to me? ¡®And there are no words that | can¡¯t hear. I''m not a child. | can listen to what a child can''t. Ashley finished whispering to Valentin and ignored Joseph before heading upstairs to rest. Joseph asked, ¡°Valentin, what did Ashley say to you?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Joseph thought, ¡®Great. Valentin really favors Ashley! Joseph narrowed his eyes and rubbed his chin, approaching Valentin. smartly. ¡°Valentin, something is wrong with you and Ashley.¡± ncing at him slowly, Valentin walked over to sit on the couch and said honestly, ¡°I confessed to her.¡± Joseph''s eyes immediately widened at that. ¡°And? Did Ashley say yes?¡± Valentin did not answer immediately. ¡°Tell me, Valentin.¡± Joseph was extremely anxious. ¡°She said think about it.¡± ¡°Think about it...¡± Lost in thought, Joseph took two steps back and forth in the living room and suddenly walked over to Valentin, saying with a serious look, ¡°Valentin, I¡¯m very experienced with things like rtionships, seriously.¡± Valentin nodded slightly, signaling him to continue. Joseph analyzed seriously. ¡°In my experience, if a girl likes you and you confess to her, she will definitely say yes on the spot. The fact that she says she''ll think about it means she doesn¡¯t like you that much. And there¡¯s a big chance that she''ll reject you after thinking about it...¡± Before Joseph could finish speaking, he felt Valentin¡¯s fr aze and immediately changed his words. ¡°Of course, | just saw that Ashley has gotten a lot more intimate with you, so the chances of her agreeing to your confession are high!¡± Though he heard what he wanted to hear, Valentin looked nervous, pondering what Joseph had just said. Joseph had just said, ¡°It means she doesn¡¯t like you that much. And there¡¯s a big chance that she''ll reject you after thinking about it...¡± Valentin thought, And the divorce agreement between me and Ashley is about to expire! Chapter 198 Valentin suddenly stood up from the couch. Joseph was almost startled. ¡°Valentin, what are you doing?¡± Valentin said, ¡°Goodbye.¡± Joseph was confused. He thought, ¡®When did | say I¡¯m leaving? | still want to eat here. However, the next second, Valentin had turned to walk upstairs. ruthlessly. At this time, Ashley had just finished taking a shower and was drying her hair. Valentin knocked on the door and came in. He naturally took the hair dryer from her hand and skillfully helped her dry her hair. Valentin¡¯s fingers were running through her blonde hair and massaging gently. Ashley¡¯s eyes narrowed infort. After drying her hair, Ashley casually asked, ¡°Why are you up here?¡± As soon as she finished speaking, Valentin reached out and hugged her, resting and rubbing his chin on the top of her soft and fragrant hair. ¡°Come and rest with you.¡±All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Ashley blinked. ¡°Yeah, you really should get some rest. You''re too busy every day.¡± He released her and looked down at her, raising his eyebrows lightly, his casual voice transmitting pleasure. ¡°Baby, you¡¯re caring about me?¡± Ashley lifted her chin arrogantly. ¡°For the sake of you taking me out for fun, I''ll reluctantly care about you!¡± Valentin chuckled, with a particr kind of sexiness. ¡°Then, to repay your concern, I''ll take a nap with you.¡± He opened his arms and said in azy tone, ¡°Come on. Help me undress.¡± Ashley was speechless. L She thought, ¡®Is this his way of repaying?¡± Ryan went to the hospital to visit Bertha. Bertha was sitting on the hospital bed. Herplexion seemed better, but she still couldn''t be discharged from the hospital. Jessica and Charlie were here to apany her, and Evan was still dealing with the mess of the Ramos Group. ¡°Mom,¡± Ryan asked with a frown as he sat in a chair next to the bed, peeling an apple with a fruit knife. ¡°When | injured my right leg earlier, our family found a top international surgeon. That doctor didn¡¯t agree to operate on me at first, so why did he suddenly agree?¡± ¡°Ryan, why do you suddenly ask this?¡± Bertha was puzzled. ¡°| just thought of this problem identally. Mom, please tell me.¡± ¡°There is no reason. The Ramos family hadn¡¯t fallen from grace at that time. That doctor would surely agree to treat you for the sake of the Ramos family.¡± Ryan, however, frowned and thought, If for the sake of the Ramos family, why didn¡¯t he agree to operate on my leg in the first ce?¡¯ He suddenly thought it was wrong, so he came to the hospital today to ask Bertha. At this time, Charlie asked in a faint voice, ¡°Ryan, did your leg injury recur? Why are you asking this suddenly?¡± ¡°No, Charlie. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Ryan shook his head. ¡°Ryan, I¡¯m d you''re okay!¡± Jessica poured a ss of water and brought it over, ¡°Ryan, the Ramos family is like this because of me. You mustn''t have another incident.¡± Ryan felt ufortable. ¡°Jessica, stop talking nonsense. What does the Ramos family falling from grace have to do with you?¡± ¡°Ashley targeted the Ramos family so much because of me. If...¡± Jessica¡¯s eyes reddened, and tears instantly welled up. It was very heartbreaking for Ryan to see her cry. ¡°Jessica, stop bullshitting. It''s clearly Ashley''s fault. She¡¯s the one who doesn¡¯t know right from wrong and could hit her family so hard.¡± Chapter 198 ncing at Ryan and then at Jessica, Charlie didn¡¯t say anything. Jessica cried and threw herself in front of Bertha¡¯s hospital bed. ¡°Mom, you¡¯d better let me leave the Ramos family! If | leave the Ramos family, maybe Ashley will calm down and won''t target the Ramos family... After all, it¡¯s all my fault. | shouldn¡¯t be greedy for your love.¡± ¡°Silly girl, stop talking nonsense!¡± Bertha hurriedly held Jessica¡¯s ha ¡°The Ramos family¡¯s current downfall is all because of Ashley, that vermin! | wish | never had her as a daughter! Jessica, don¡¯t ever say anything about leaving the Ramos family again. Are you trying to break my heart?¡± ¡°But Mom...¡± ¡°Jessica, | will never allow you to leave the Ramos family either!¡± Ryan put down the apple he was peeling and held Jessica¡¯s shoulders. ¡°You''ll always be a member of the Ramos family. If Ashley dares to bully you in the future, I''ll break her legs!¡± ¡°Ryan... Jessica burst into tears. ¡°Alright, stop crying, my silly sister...¡± Ryan transferred another 20 thousand dors to Jessica for her allowance. Seeing her finally break intoughter, he was upset. He thought, ¡®The Ramos family was never so frugal before we fell from grace. | gave Jessica a million dors at a time for allowance. Now I''m... It¡¯s all Ashley¡¯s fault. After leaving the hospital, Ryan made a phone call to Ashley and found. out that he had been blocked. He was so angry that he had nowhere to vent his anger. After calming down, Ryan searched the Inte for the doctor who operated on him. To his surprise, he found out that the doctor was currently giving a seminar in Kilos City. The doctor''s name was Nell Pound. Ryan inquired about the hotel Nell was staying at and drove there immediately. But he didn¡¯t know the room number Nell was staying in, and the hotel receptionist wouldn''t disclose it freely. Chapter 198 Ryan had to wait outside the hotel. Finally, in the evening, he waited for Nell toe out of the hotel and immediately walked over. ¡°Hello, Mr. Pound! I¡¯m Ryan. You operated on my right leg before!¡± Nell was deeply impressed with the name Ryan and looked him up and down several times. ¡°Your leg injury recurred?¡± ¡°No, | came over today because | had a question for you!¡± ¡°What''s the question?¡± Ryan took a deep breath and said seriously, ¡°When | injured my right leg, you were initially reluctant to operate on me but then suddenly agreed. Why is that?¡± Chapter 199 Chapter 199 Nell''s expression momentarily changed because of Ryan¡¯s question. He still remembered Ryan. Though he refused to be Ryan¡¯s orthopedic surgeon at first, he finally operated on Ryan for a leg injury. If Ava, precisely Ashley, hadn¡¯t begged him to treat Ryan, he wou have agreed. Nell''s nephew was a race car driver, but he had never won one race against Ashley. To help his nephew to win the championship, he made a deal with Ashley. He promised that as long as she agreed to give up her racing career, he would do her a favor and operate on Ryan. Thinking of Ryan, she immediately agreed, which surprised Nell. To help Ryan back on the track, she gave up what she loved and announced her retirement from motor racing at the height of her career. For Nell, the deal with her was something hical that couldn¡¯t be known by the public. However, as the primary beneficiary of the deal, Ryan had the right to know the truth. ¡°Don¡¯t you know why | agreed to operate on you?¡± Nell, who looked a little overweight, asked with glistening eyes. Ryan shook repeatedly. In fact, he had never thought about it before. He took it for granted that Nell agreed to treat him because he was one of the Ramos family. After the operation, Ryan thanked Evan and Bertha for what they had done to him. And he was more grateful to Jessica than Ashley, his real sister. He hated Ashley so much that he didn¡¯t want to see her face at all. Every time she came to visit him, Ryan drove her out of his ward without a single nce at her. ¡°In order to treat your leg, your family begged me several times. Finally, | agreed to operate on you,¡± Nell lied. ¡°| have a seminar to attend to, and I¡¯m running out of 14 oo Nell left in a panic. He had to keep the deal with Ashley secret, because he didn¡¯t want it to tarnish his reputation.. Before long, Nell saw a tall man not far away. The man leaned leisurely against the car, as if he was waiting Nell immediately recognized him. He was Lester, the second master of the Pliskin family. It was acknowledged that the Plisk was one of the four big families. ¡°Mr. Pliskin, what are you...¡± Nell quickly went to greet him. Lightly ncing at him, Lester said straightforwardly, ¡°The secret deal between you and Ava...¡± Nell froze in shock, wondering why Lester knew about it. After a moment of thought, he calmed down. It wasn¡¯t difficult for Lester to find it out. After all, the Pliskin family powerful, and Lester was a man who was capable of anything. was Staring at him, Lester continued in a cold tone, ¡°I need you to tell the public about the deal you made with Ashley.¡± ¡°|...¡± Nell was torn. ¡°This deal is between Ava and I. | can¡¯t make it public.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Lester looked at him with a smile. Lester¡¯s steely smile sent shivers down his spine. Nell was so scared that he could barely stand on his feet. Though Lester came across as a gentleman, he actually was a ruthless man who couldn''t afford to be messed with. Nell stuttered in fear, ¡°O-Okay, I''ll do as you say.¡± ¡°Hey, it hurts. Be gentle.¡± At Kingsley Vi, Ashleyyzily on the bed. Sitting beside her, Valentin gave her a massage, with his fingers tracing all the way down her back. Lying like a sleepy cat, sheined about his bad massage skills in a sweet tone, ¡°How about this?¡± He did it more gently. hapter 199 That¡¯s more like it.¡± Ashley felt so rxed that she didn¡¯t even want to open her eyes. Suddenly, her phone rang. Pun¡¯s name showed up on the caller¡¯s |.D. She answered the phone. Before she retired from motor racing, Pun formed the tea and he was the team manager. ¡®Hello, Ashley,¡± he said gracefully. Pun sounded younger tha actual age. ¡°I hope I¡¯m not disturbing you, do |?¡± ¡®Of course not.¡± ber, ¡°Great.¡± He continued with augh, ¡°Actually, Kerston¡¯s 60th anniversary is in a couple of days. They want to invite Ava, the Racing Legend, to their anniversary celebration.¡± Kerston was the world¡¯s top race car manufacturer. Most race car drivers. were big fans of this brand. Given that it was the most influential race car brand, a race car produced by Kerston was worth at least 500 thousand dors. ¡°Ashley, Jason Miller, the president of Kerston, called me the other day. He said he wanted to invite Ava, the Racing Legend, to the anniversary celebration, where you can make your public appearances as the spokesperson for Kerston.¡± However, Ashley wasn¡¯t feeling up to it, saying, ¡°Thanks, but no.¡± Pun quickly said, ¡°If you agree to be the spokesperson as the Racing Legend, they''ll pay you 10 million dors in return.¡± She still wasn¡¯t interested. ¡°I¡¯m not short of money now.¡±Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°| know, Ashley, but hear me out.¡± Pun paused for seconds and continued in a mncholy tone, ¡°Many people thought that Ava had passed away. Although there were rumors that Ava was alive not long ago, you didn¡¯t make any announcement. The public was so disappointed,¡± Ashley was speechless. Seriously? I¡¯m not dead yet!¡¯ she thought. ¡°Fine, you got me. She had a little frown between the is the versarytacoration?¡± 4 bedetyrinthia on the 3rd of next month. Soming happily, wassushad with her answer. ¡°It¡¯s settled. I''ll go with your AOW. I take up your time. See you then. oooh y, can you ASCOD Lovena linle bit?¡± Paresos silout to hang up, he suddenly heard a husk on the phone Webley why do | hear a man¡¯s voice?¡± he as ibfounded, showcase round, dared at Valentin who talked allo en, and tried to sm to Fulian. ¡°Nothing. You heard it wrong. it¡¯s ny pet htin was lost for needs. her pet heavenderro.. in didn¡¯t know what to sam hought. My hearment bo poor, but I¡¯m not a fool. never seen a per taik. letato all its owner Baby an slightly coughed and thathic. Ashley, trust me. I¡¯ve been down road before. | understand. be dtime. awo some privacy. Have a thought. What? Wait What do you can? Why don: | understand? ir hanging up the phone, Ashleyinari booked a Valentin. Frised has eyebrows and teased. Ata i hop e one to talk she roared inwardly falentin testin tad i ddenly saw the end, she woulda: Rae Mix instays in su hapter 199 inching her cheek slightly. ¡°Do you want me to keep massaging you?¡± he sked. Thinking of how great she felt when he massaged her, Ashley gave in and inswered with a nod, ¡°Yes!¡± He took a swallow and chuckled, ¡°Good girl.¡± Ashley was wordless. On the day of Kerston¡¯s 60th anniversary celebration, Ashley took a loo at the date before going out. Today was the third. She couldn¡¯t put her finger on it, but she felt like it was a special day. She thought about it carefully. It hit her that her divorce agreement with Valentin would expire in ten days. Her heart skipped a beat. Given that she was in a rush, blinking, she left hurriedly. Many artists, celebrities, and top race car drivers were invited to Kerston¡¯s 60th anniversary celebration. It was said that Ava would show up. Her hardcore fans couldn''t wait to see her. They were grateful that their idol was still alive. No words could describe how excited they were. Chapter 200 At Kerston¡¯s 60th anniversary celebration, the magnificent banquet hall vas packed. Ashley looked pretty smart in a white suit, walking into the hall with Pun. she went in further and saw Lester, who wore a silver suit jack ck shirt. He stood out among the crowd, really attractive. ¡®Ashley.¡± He handed his red wine ss to a waiter on the side and walked over with a smile on his face. ¡°| didn¡¯t expect you to be here,¡± she said in surprise and joy. It struck her that the Pliskin Group used to partner with Kerston, the world¡¯s top race car manufacturer. It made sense that Kerston, as host, invited Lester to their 60th anniversary celebration. ¡°I''m not here by myself. Dr. Pound''s with me,¡± he replied with a smile. She wondered, ¡®Dr. Pound? ¡®A doctor with thest name ¡®Pound¡±?¡± Nell''s face popped into her mind. It reminded her that to help Ryan return to the race track he loved, she made a deal with Nell, who promised to treat Ryan¡¯s leg in return. Outside the banquet hall at this time, Ryan, who was always seen in his racing wear, rarely wore a suit today. He cut his hair ina crew cut and looked dashing. He was a top race car driver who had won second ce driving Kerston¡¯s race car. The good performance of a racing driver was also a good advertisement to promote race cars in a way. Naturally, Ryan was invited to today¡¯s celebration. ¡°Jessica, follow me,¡± he said. hapter 200 Ryan, I¡¯d better not go in there.¡± Jessica flinched, her eyes full of worries and fear. ¡°What if people see me there and talk behind my back?¡± Ryan felt heartbroken when he heard this. When Jessica was still the only daughter of the Ramos family, people had the utmost respect for her. However, she now had lost everything and ended up aughi He thought it was all Ashley¡¯s fault. ¡°Don''t be afraid, Jessica. I''ll be there for you. | won''t let anyone pick oThis content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. you. What''s more, the guests of this celebration are allowed toe with their family.¡± ¡°Ryan, you¡¯re so considerate. I...¡± She seemed moved, with tears in her eyes. To win over the Ramos family, Jessica had been pretending to be innocent and vulnerable in front of them since she was a child. While they were talking, Ryan suddenly saw Miranda walking over not far away. Miranda, as an artist, was also invited to this celebration. ¡°Miranda!¡± He immediately went over to say hello. She wore a champagne-colored dress. When she saw him, she froze for a few seconds. Frowning slightly, Miranda walked straight toward the banquet hall without stopping. ¡°Miranda.¡± Ryan stretched out his hand to stop her, his eyes full of sadness. ¡°Are you not going to talk to me anymore?¡± ¡°It''s up to you.¡± She was as sad as Ryan. After all, she used to fall hard for him. However, seeing his face now tore her heart. If he wasn¡¯t Ashley¡¯s brother, she and Ryan would... However, it was what it was. ¡°Miranda, I¡¯ve been looking for you for two years. Is Ashley more important to you than | am?¡± les,¡± she answered without hesitation. When she first met Ashley, they were both candidates in a dance ompetition. Miranda almost fell before going on stage. It was Ashley vho helped her. She still remembered that not long ago, she casually said that sad her eye on an expensive dress designed by Attelia, which was wor million dors. She couldn''t afford to buy it, but Ashley broug dress as a gift. Miranda wouldn''t give up the friendship between her and Ashley be of Ryan. ¡°Miranda...¡± He said with a gloomy face, ¡°I want us to get back together. What exactly do you want me to do?¡± She took a deep breath and replied, ¡°Unless you apologize to Ashley. | need you to promise me that you will never wrong her and treat her badly.¡± ¡°No way!¡± he interrupted angrily. ¡°Why should | apologize to her? She¡¯s an ingrate. She had failed the Ramos family and me. She¡¯s the one who should apologize!¡± ¡°You...¡± Miranda looked pissed. She thought Ryan was ridiculous. Miranda couldn''t be bothered to reason with him, so she ignored him and directly walked toward the banquet hall. ¡°Ryan, is she...¡± Jessica didn¡¯t know what was going on in the first ce. She was curious about why Ryan would know Miranda. She pondered, ¡®Doesn¡¯t he know that Miranda is a friend of that bitch? ¡®And Ryan seems to love Miranda very much... ¡°You know that, Ryan? You two look perfect for each other,¡± she teased deliberately. Ryan was pleased to hear that. ¡°Well said, Jessica. You¡¯re indeed my sweet sister. You''re right. Miranda and | are meant to be together. I''ll marry her one day She bit her bottom lip and looked at him with innocent eyes. ¡°Will | get left out after you get married? What if you only cares fe and hapter 200 bandon me? I''m so scared.¡± That¡¯s not going to happen.¡± He gently patted her on the head and continued, ¡°Jessica, you¡¯re my only sister. Of course, | care for you. My wife will treat you about. You''ll always Same way as | do. You have nothing to worry about. You''ll always be loved by both of us.¡± Thank you, Ryan. I¡¯m so grateful that I¡¯m your sister.¡± Inside the banquet hall, when Ashley was chatting casually with Pun, Miranda walked toward her. She greeted Ashley with a sweet smile. Generally speaking, Bryce, as one of the most popr artists, would be invited to today¡¯s celebration. However, he had to shoot amercial, so he couldn''te. Miranda gave Ashley a hug happily. Noticing Lester on the side, she smiled shyly, ¡°Nice to meet you, Mr. Pliskin.¡± Nodding, he answered in a less serious demeanor, ¡°Nice to meet you too.¡± Except for well-known racing drivers, there were many celebrities and artists. Therefore, the hall was packed with reporters, who were busy taking pictures. Some of them saw Ashley and Pun chatting like old friends. They began to whisper. ¡°It''s so weird. | had a thing for motor racing before, so | knew Mr. Lawrence used to form a team with Ava. Howe Ashley knows Mr. Lawrence? | mean, they''re from two different worlds.¡± ¡°Haven''t you heard that she¡¯s a friend of Mr. Lawrence, and she¡¯s a racing driver?¡± ¡°Seriously? You''d gotta be kidding me! ¡°The racing game between her and Ryan was held in Manditus, Yaloria. Didn¡¯t you see it on the news? | got the video of the match. Check it out!¡± Rather than a formalpetition, it was more or less a private bet. Thus, there weren''t too many details about the game on the news. Even some big fans of racing knew nothing about it people read the news. As soon as they heard that there was a video of the racing game, other reporters immediately gathered around to watch it. In the video, Ryan was in the lead at the beginning. However, Ashley passed him with a stunning and skillful drifting. On one hand, she seemed to give Ryan opportunities to pass her. On the other hand, Ryan wasn¡¯t able to overtake her no matter how hard he tried. ¡°Unbelievable! | didn¡¯t expect her driving skills to be so extraordinary.¡± A reporter widened his eyes in astonishment. ¡°The drifting and the oversteering are awesome! I¡¯m going to worship her.¡± ¡°It¡¯s thrilling! I''m starting to have a thing for motor racing.¡± ¡°Wait a minute. Her drifting...¡± An experienced sports reporter suddenly frowned in confusion. That''s wrong with this drift? It was perfect. She¡¯s even better than a professional racing driver.¡± The sports reporter exined, ¡°I¡¯ve studied each racingpetition of Ava¡¯s. | know better than anyone what Ava¡¯s racing style was like. Her drifting reminds me of Ava. No. Her drifting is as same as Ava¡¯s!¡± ¡°What? Are you sure?¡± He reyed the video, watched it carefully, and confirmed in a deep voice, ¡°I¡¯m definitely sure.¡± The other reporter next to him swallowed in disbelief. ¡°In other words... Is Ashley Ava? Have we mistaken the Racing Legend for aman?¡± Chapter 201 Chapter 201 Reporters were shaken up about the conclusion. They fell silent, their mouths dropping open in surprise. ¡°What? | thought Ava was a man.¡± ¡°Me, too. Is Ashley Ava? How...could that possibly be true?¡± Fa ¡°Hang on. It¡¯s said that Kerston invited Ava to their 60th anniversary celebration. We''ll find out whether Ashley is Ava very soon.¡± ¡°But | heard that Ava had declined to attend the banquet.¡± ¡°No way. Why did Ava refuse it? Kerston announced that they had hired a top racing driver as their secret spokesperson. If it isn¡¯t Ava, who will it be?¡± When Ashley was chatting with Pun and Lester, she suddenly found that the reporters around her were looking at her from time to time. She turned to stare at them. Her sudden stare caught them off guard. As their gazes met, the reporters immediately looked away as if they had been caught doing something bad. Ashley was confused. It was as if she was some kind of monster. Beside her, Lester couldn¡¯t help butugh. She asked with a confused look, ¡°Why are youughing?¡±This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. He teased, ¡°It¡¯s quitemon that an artist is afraid of meeting reporters. And now it''s the other way around. Interesting.¡± She was speechless. As Ashley was about to reply, she saw Ryan and Jessica walking into the hall. She immediately put on a gloomy look. Obviously, Ryan also noticed her. Needless to say, Ashley was invited as a popr artist. 08-557 He cursed inwardly, ¡®I can¡¯t believe she still has the nerve to show up at all kinds of events. If it weren¡¯t for her, Jessica wouldn''t have ended up as the least favorite artist. My poor Jessica, what did she do to deserve this? ¡®If there weren¡¯t so many people around, I''d definitely teach this vicious woman a lesson!¡¯ Everyone in the hall nced at Jessica with contempt and sarcasm in their eyes. Some of them whispered, ¡°Look who¡¯s there. Doesn¡¯t she have any sense. of embarrassment?¡± ¡°Shame on her.¡± Ryan got more angry when he heard it and hated Ashley even more. However, his priority was to protect Jessica. At this time, Jason Miller, Kerston¡¯s president, entered the hall. Jason was a middle-aged foreigner with blond hair and blue eyes. Ryan came up to greet him like they were close friends. ¡°Hello, Mr. Miller.¡± Jason nodded and replied, ¡°Ryan, long time no see.¡± He sounded like a native speaker. Ryan smiled broadly, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that Kerston¡¯s 60th anniversary celebration would be held in Zyrrinthia.¡± Jason replied, ¡°Zyrrinthia remains an untapped market for us. We value and respect customers here. Based on our professional assessment, we decided to hold our anniversary celebration in Zyrrinthia.¡± A brand like Kerston which had thrived for 60 years highlighted the importance of product quality and customer service. People in the hall were surprised to see Ryan and Jason getting along with each other. ¡°Look at them. Ryan and the president of Kerston seem so close.¡± ¡°What''s all the fuss about? The brand of Ryan¡¯s race car is Kerston. He¡¯s been driving it for many years, and he once won second ce. It¡¯s not surprising that he knows Mr. Miller.¡± 08:55 ¡°| heard that Mr. Miller is going to announce a mysterious spokesperson today. It¡¯s said that he¡¯s a racing driver. Will it be Ryan?¡± ¡°Well, there¡¯s a good chance. Ryan has been driving Kerston¡¯s race car. What¡¯s more, he seems to be a close friend of Mr. Miller. He¡¯s likely to be the spokesperson.¡± After exchanging pleasantries. Ryan stretched out his right hand and said, ¡°It¡¯s an honor to be invited to Kerston¡¯s 60th anniversary celebration.¡± Jason shook hands with him, without saying anything. When he caught a glimpse of Ashley not far away, he seemed happy, and he couldn¡¯t wait to walk toward her. However, the staff came to report in a low voice, ¡°Mr. Miller, it¡¯s time for the banquet.¡± Jason frowned. He had been looking forward to speaking to Ava. If Ryan hadn''t stopped him, he would¡¯ve had time to greet Ava. Given that the banquet was about to start, Jason had no choice but to go on stage first. As the president of Kerston, Jason gave a brief introduction to the history of the brand and the achievements Kerston had made over the pa years. People warmly apuded from time to time. past 60 At the end of his speech, Jason said excitedly, ¡°Kerston considers it as privilege to be chosen by most racing car drivers. Without them, Kerst would never get where it is and be a well-known brand worldwide ¡°After careful consideration, we chose a top racing driver as Kerston¡¯s sole spokesperson. ¡°Since Kerston was established 60 years ago, this is the first time we have a spokesperson.¡± There was a loud burst of apuse. As a top-notch race car brand, Kerston was going to have its first spokesperson in 60 years. People believed that the spokesperson must be somebody. They wondered who that could possibly be. 08:55 Was it Ryan? At this time, the staff pushed out a big cake. Kerston celebrated its 60th anniversary with a six-story cake. ¡°Next, I¡¯m going to invite our spokesperson to the stage and cut the cake with me.¡± After that, he went down the stage. Everyone craned their necks and stared unblinkingly at Jason, wondering who he would invite to the stage. At this time. Jessica nervously asked Ryan next to her, ¡°Ryan, are you Kerston¡¯s spokesperson?¡± He lowered his eyes, lost in thoughts. Kerston had never spoken publicly about its spokesperson. It remained unknown. ording to Jason, Kerston¡¯s spokesperson was a top racing driver. Looking around. Ryan was sure that none of them was as good as him as a race car driver. He had been driving a Kerston¡¯s car. Moreover, he got along with Jason. A few moments ago, Jason chatted with him. Everything convinced Ryan. When Ryan collected his thoughts, he saw Jason walking toward him. Ryan was thrilled inside. People around him gasped in shock and whispered. ¡°Look, Mr. Miller is walking toward Ryan.¡± ¡°They had a great time chatting. | knew it was Ryan.¡± As Jason approached Ryan, Jessica¡¯s heart was pounding in excitement. She subconsciously clenched her fists. She eximed in her mind, Finally, the day hase! The Ramos family is going to turn the tables. ¡®Anyone who bes the spokesperson for Kerston can get 10 million dors. It¡¯s a huge sum of money for the Ramos family. With the money, we can take back what we lost. 08.55 ¡®lll be the nobledy of the Ramos family again. I''ll be rich and respected again! ¡®Ashley can¡¯t steal my thunder again!¡± As Jason came near, Ryan rubbed his hands nervously, wiped the sweat off his palms on his clothes, and stretched out his hand with a smile on his face, ready to shake hands with Jason. ¡°Mr. Miller, I¡¯m so ttered...¡± However, Jason didn¡¯t shake hands with him, nor did he nce at Ryan. He kept walking forward and walked past Ryan. Ryan froze in embarrassment, and his hand stopped in midair. Jessica was thunderstruck. Then she immediately turned to look back. Jason walked toward Ashley, smiling with satisfaction and pride in his eyes. Chapter 202 Jajason walked up to Ashley and greeted her with a radiant smile, extending his hand for a handshake. He eximed excitedly, ¡°Hello! Ms. Ramos.¡± Asialley also reached out her hand and replied with a smile, ¡°Mr. Miller, halets. Seeing them shaking hands and talking, the guests in the banquet hall were clill amazed, their mouths gaping. Theodd tell that Jason''s attitude towards Ashley was much warmer thin it had been towards Ryan earlier, even bordering on excitement. When acting Ryan just now, Jason had only responded politely, without sucha amaniile. Coold dubbchant Kersion¡¯s spokesperson was... As in coonnning everyone¡¯s spection, Jason looked at the crowd and dered with notion. It is an hoooooouuso have invited Ms. Ramos to be Kerston¡¯s first and only spokespersonithe past sixty years!¡± The people were stunned for seconds. They had actually guessed correctiv Immediately, the entire banquet hall erupted with thunderou ¡®ib However, some propis foound it strange and whispered to theirpanions. Strange. Didn¡¯t Jason sayyhhey had chosen a racer as the spokesper Why did they invite Ashleyisis she celebrity?¡± You must have forgonen in Ashley can also race! She¡¯s even better than Ryan! He¡¯s nopetition toohed!¡± But even if Ashley is a great racersbes not a professional. She hasn¡¯t participated in any oficial races, anddennane was never heard of in the racing world before! Well, that¡¯s true... Ryan heard Jason announce they chossAshley as Kerston¡¯s racing spokesperson. It felt like a bomb exploding in his ears, leaving him. dumbfounded. It took him more than ten seconds to snap back to reality, his face turning pale, his eyes ring fiercely at Ashley. If anyone else took this opportunity away from him, he might not have been so angry. But it was Ashley. The person he despised and detested the most snatched the opportunity from him. Ryan felt a sense of anger and humiliation. Ryan took a deep breath and walked up to Jason. ¡°Mr. Miller,¡± he said. Jason frowned slightly. Ryan looked at Ashley with disdain and coldly spoke. ¡°Mr. Miller, you just said you would invite a top racer as the spokesperson, but now you''ve invited Ashley. Isn¡¯t that against the rules?¡± Jason shrugged. ¡°How is it against the rules?¡± Ryan forcefully stated, ¡°Ashley has never participated in any official racingpetitions, and her name is unheard of in the racing world!¡± Jason seemed to hear a joke. He turned to Ashley with a helpless smile. ¡°Ms. Ramos, did you hear what he said?¡± Ashley raised an eyebrow and nced at Ryan. Ryan clenched his fists, his forehead pulsing with veins. He th ¡°What does that look mean? ¡®Is she mocking me? Does she think I¡¯m a joke?¡± Just then, Jason spoke again, clearly addressing the crowd. ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, | said we would invite a top racing driver as spokesperson. It wasn¡¯t a lie. ¡°On the contrary, it is my great honor, after relentless pursuit, to finally invite the racing legend, Ava! ¡°Yes, Ashley is Ava!¡± AAt that moment, Ryan¡¯s angry expression froze as if struck by lightning on the head. He almost fainted. 08:55 He thought, Ashley... ¡®Ava... ¡®Ashley is the legendary racer Ava... ¡®How can this bel Ashley was his most detested and looked-down-upon sister. But his proudest racing skills couldn¡¯tpare even a bit to Ashley¡¯s.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. It dealt a heavy blow to his self-esteem. The reporters were all incredibly excited. One reporter said to another, ¡°You didn¡¯t guess wrong earlier. No wonder Ashley¡¯s drifting skills are just like Ava¡¯s. Because she is Ava herself!¡± ¡°Ryan even doubted that Ashley had ever participated in any official racingpetitions, but she has participated in countless races! And she has won first ce many times. She truly is a racing legend!¡± After the initial surprise, the banquet hall erupted with enthusiastic excitement. The crowd on the outskirts went crazy, pushing their way in. ¡°Ava! My beloved racer!¡± ¡°No wonder Ashley¡¯s racing skills are even better than Ryan¡¯s! | understand now. How could the level of a racing legend be low? | am at devoted fan of Ava. In my heart, Ava is the ultimate champion of racing!¡± ¡°But isn¡¯t Ava a man? So is Ashley actually a man?!¡± Hearing thest question, Ashley thought helplessly, ¡®What are they talking about? | am a woman! A true woman!¡± Pun, who was standing next to Ashley, smiled helplessly. He turned to the person who doubted Ashley¡¯s gender and exined, ¡°Ashley used to wear a wig during races, so you mistook her for a man.¡± At that time, Ashley didn¡¯t want to reveal her true identity, so even if fans mistook her for a man, she didn¡¯t deny it in time. Now, she was truly being doubted about her gender. Everyone suddenly realized. ¡°So that¡¯s how it is. The racing legend is actually a woman! Awesome! Girls canpete with boys!¡± No wonder Ashley confidently stated back then that Ava hadn¡¯t died. 08:55 Impter stor W | turned otosbehe was Ava. And, of course, she knew she was still alive! Therefore, all difle online memorial services organized by fans on the Drums were in vain. ishley was invitedtechost stage by Jason. The guests and reporters in Itendance arachchidd her rith excitement. ason smiled and sa duh Avh didn¡¯t want to be our spokesperson at first, ut Mr. Lawrence te haped convince her. Ava is here today primarily to let cr fans know that shehack doing well.¡± shley took over the to conversation. ¡°I appreciate everyone¡¯s support, but | eally havent died. Chi sas al obve. Let¡¯s not have any more memorial ervices. It¡¯s quite stramange The people below isugiten, d. was because iter fans toved her too much, and Ava was so mysterious, ever appearing in public. sesc. everyone had misunderstood. lext. jason invited Ashley to cut the cake together to celebrate Kerston¡¯s Oth anniversary. Jessica watched Ashley on stre, c. basking in the adoration of the rowd. jealousy and hatred reflected in her eves. She clenched her teeth. he thought If it weren¡¯t for Ashley Ryan would be the spokesperson! could have also shared the eicht BiBuonow... Ashley, this bitch, how much more dodoshshe want to take | had known earlier. | should have found a way to strangle emoved out of the icmos family! h the bich die in the sewer. Then we would travll these pr carca viciously imagined. But when she turneded to Roman beside her noudvely asked, Ryan, now that you know Ashleyey is. ava, da you like ne! w: vai also angry. ¡°Of course not! badan muy admired Ava before, considering her as a role in doted for WTCHED.5. enail@verovone wanted to strive for first ce.e When he learned of Ava¡¯s retirement, he felt conflicted, both grateful and disappointed. He was grateful that he no longer had a formidable opponent. He was disappointed because a legendary racer had retired. But now, knowing that Ashley was Ava, Ryan felt that his previous admiration should not have existed. Ryan¡¯s eyes turned crimson as he stared fixedly at Ashley on the stage. He suddenly took a few steps forward and loudly questioned, ¡°Ashley, no, | should call you Ava now. When you abruptly announced your retirement, your racing fans were in agony. Some even cried and got drunk for you. ¡°Now that you''re back, don¡¯t you think you should tell those fans the reason behind your retirement right here, in front of so many people. and journalists?¡± Chapter 203 Ashley heard the question and looked coldly at Ryan. Her gaze didn''t show much emotion. But to Ryan, it felt like a sharp ice de shooting his way. His back immediately tensed up. Suppressing the chill running down his spine, Ryan forced himself to look back and retorted, "You can''t even give an exnation to the race fans who support you?" Pun frowned upon hearing this, thinking, ''Why does Ryan always deliberately pick fights with Ashley?'' Lester gave Ryan a warning look and thought, ''Ryan is such an idiot. Ashley did so much for him in vain.'' However, the guests and journalists in the banquet hall were curious about Ryan''s words. "It was indeed sudden when Ava retired, and she didn''t exin the reason." "That''s right. Ava was at the peak of her career, and most racers wouldn''t retire at such a time. If she had continued racing, she would have won many more championships!" "Yeah, why did Ava suddenly stop her career?" In the midst of heated discussions, Jessica smiled at Ryan. She was genuinely relieved that it seemed Ryan''s attitude towards Ashley hadn''t changed. She firmly believed that Ryan''s love would still belong to her alone! He would still revolve around her! A journalist couldn''t hold back and asked, "Ashley, why did you suddenly retire during your prime? Can you tell us the reason?" Pun nced at Ashley and saw her deste expression. He answered the reporter''s question on her behalf, "Ashley made an agreement with someone to never participate in any official races again, hence the retirement." Immediately, someone followed up with more questions. "What kind of agreement? Who did she make it with?" Ashley finally spoke, and her voice was t. "I''m sorry, it''s a confidentiality agreement, so I can''t disclose it." ''A confidentiality agreement?'' Upon hearing these words, the people in the banquet hall exchanged puzzled looks. ''It seemed that things are not simple... ''There must have been something big happening, something that forced her to retire.'' Ryan, however, sneered, "Confidentiality agreement? Ashley, is that just an excuse you made up, or is it because the real reason is too embarrassing to admit?" Pun''s anger started to rise upon hearing this. The others in the banquet hall had no personal hatred against Ashley and didn''t make any malicious spections. But Ryan, as Ashley''s brother, was suspecting his own sister like this. He had no affection for her whatsoever. Lester looked at Ryan as if he were looking at a despicable criminal, and his eyes filled with an icy chill of death. He told the bodyguard behind him, saying, "Bring Nell in." Within seconds, Nell was brought into the banquet hall. Ryan furrowed his brows, thinking, ''Mr. Pound? What is he doing here?'' When Ashley saw Nell appear, she was momentarily surprised but then understood, looking at Lester. It was he who brought Nell here. The deal she made with Nell was a confidentiality agreement, so she couldn''t disclose it voluntarily to everyone. Ryan walked up to Nell, his face full of confusion. "Mr. Pound, why are you here?" Nell nced at Lester with fear, his legs trembling, and then looked back at Ryan. He said with a trembling voice, "Didn''t you want to know why I agreed to perform surgery on you back then?" Ryan paused for a moment, nodding. "Yes." Under Lester''s oppressive gaze, Nell shakily began to speak. "You injured your right leg and could no longer race. You couldn''t ept this fact, and your family tried everything to find me, hoping that I could perform surgery on you. "But I refused. To be honest, you''re not someone, and your family is nothing special. I simply didn''t have the energy to operate on you." Upon hearing this, Ryan felt awkward but couldn''t refute it. Nell took a deep breath and continued, "After I rejected you, I heard that you became depressed and lost interest in life. But then, the racing legend Ava, that is Ashley, specifically came to me and asked me to perform surgery on you." Ryan was shocked. ''Ashley contacted Nell? ''Asking him to help me? ''That''s impossible. Why would Nell listen to Ashley?'' Nell wiped off the sweat on his forehead and continued, "At first, I didn''t agree. But unexpectedly, Ashley, the Racing Legend, set aside her pride to do chores for me just to ask me to operate on you. "I have a nephew who is also a racer, but his skills are not as good as Ava''s. He has never won first ce. In order to help my nephew achieve that, Ashley and I made an agreement. As long as Ashley announced her retirement, I would agree to perform surgery on you. "I thought Ashley wouldn''t agree, but she thought for a few seconds and said yes. She retired at the peak of her career, giving up her beloved racing career just to let me heal your leg and give you a chance to return to the racetrack." Ryan couldn''t hear what Nell said next. His ears were echoing with the words. "Ashley retired at the peak of her career, giving up her beloved racing career just to heal his leg and let him return to the racetrack." He thought, ''No, this can''t be true!'' Ryan didn''t even dare to look at Ashley on stage. He grabbed Nell''s cor. Furious, he roared, "You''re lying! Do you think I''ll believe this? How could Ashley do such a foolish thing for me?" Nell was being choked by the cor, struggling to breathe. With a red face, he said, "I have the agreement with me! It''s in my briefcase. You can take it out and see for yourself!" Ryan immediately let go of Nell and found his briefcase. He trembled as he took out the agreement. He swiftly flipped through the pages. The contents of the agreement were exactly as Nell had described. At the end, Ashley''s handwritten signature was there. ''How could this be?! My leg was healed because of Ashley? ''The person who saved me from the despair and darkness, giving me the chance to return to the racetrack, was Ashley? ''For me, Ashley was willing to give up her racing career.'' Ryan couldn''t believe it. The others in the banquet hall, after listening to Nell''s ount, were all stunned. "I can''t believe the truth is like this!" "Oh my, how could Ashley do that? She was at the peak of her career, and yet she retired just because of Ryan. Why did she treat Ryan so well?" "Why didn''t Ashley consider herself? Ryan loves racing, and not being able to return to the racetrack must be painful for him. But what about her? She also loves racing. Was her sacrifice really worth it?" "Especially since Ryan is such an ungrateful and malicious person. Her sacrifice wasn''t worth it at all!" "I guess at that time, Ashley still saw Ryan as her brother, as family, and wanted to help him." "She traded her racing career for Ryan''s!" Listening to the discussions around him, Ryan tightly squeezed the agreement in his hand, his knuckles turning white. His heart felt as if it were pierced by countless arrows, in pain to the point of suffocation. Why did it have to be like this... As if a puppet on strings, Ryan mechanically turned his head, afraid yet longing, to look at Ashley in the distance. Ashley descended from the stage and walked up to Lester, whispering, "Why did you bring Nell here?" Lester looked at her with sympathy and regret. "Seeing you being targeted by Ryan, I couldn''t stand idly by." Ashley felt a warmth in her heart and smiled, saying, "Thank you." "Ashley..." Lester softly called her name. "What''s wrong?" Ashley asked. Lester gazed into her clear eyes and pleaded, "Ashley, could you please do another DNA test with us?"Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 204 Ashley was surprised at his words. She thought, ¡®Do another DNA test with them? Haven''t we already done. it?¡± Lester tried to crack an apologetic smile and said, ¡°George and | both felt that the results fromst time were strange.¡± Ashley became even more puzzled. Lester and George thought there was something wrong with the previous DNA test results. But when she had the test donest time, she didn¡¯t leave the hospital at all after the blood was drawn, so there was no possibility of the blood sample being tampered with.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. The test results shouldn¡¯t have been wrong. She wondered if it was really necessary to do it again. Ashley looked at Lester next to her with doubt. Seeing his hopeful eyes, she couldn''t bear to refuse. ¡°Okay, let''s do it again.¡± After all, she had already done it once, and she didn¡¯t mind doing it a second time. However, she believed that the results would be the same as first one. Because she was the daughter of the Ramos family, she def no rtionship with the Pliskin family. Lester¡¯s eyes lit up when she agreed. ¡°Ashley, thank you.¡± Ashley smiled lightly, ¡°You''re wee. Besides, you''ve helped m like with the rification just now.¡± She had made a confidentiality agreement with Nell and couldn''t dise the reasons for retiring to the media reporters. After all, revealing such an agreement would affect Nell¡¯s reputation as a odontor. ubondoday, Nell exposed the truth in front of the reporters, which must abave been arranged by Lester. lichguests and reporters present were all discussing vigorously after 08:50 apter 201 istening to Nell¡¯s confession. They never expected that the racing icon Avannut her retirement bit Ryan! essica nced at Ashley in the distance and then at dosievastated Ryan, pererly surprised. end thought. Ashley, this despicable woman, actually madewath nurses for the Ramos family. Ahn mind. Rvan insulted her and maliciously formed her toe 1112)ZIN S SISITS see her allergic reaction she almost went back and fare score the sake of the so-called family. Ashley was will TIVE SO nice or van, she retired herself so that Ryan could return to there retetnich becasts Ryan loved racing. naamd ductor the Ramos family, even if it meant samincing her e would be willing. be ready areas to receive affection from the Ramos family. formaretyddspre doing so much. none of the Ramos family embers pudattich attention to her. en¡¯t they all fastdomme? They always treat me as the apple of theirin sica finally found something she did better than Ashley and r ug expression e wanted to take away wadery¡¯s family. oking at the lost Ryanairessica walked over and spoke gendy. Ryan.. an turned his head blonskiviwandaw jessica standing in front of him s brows suddenly furrowed a adhie pushed her away abruptly. sica stumbled and alnom teftall. e wondered. Has Ryan gone city? dare he push me! Im his belelvive di sister! an pushed Jessica away and took a deep breath, clenching his fists as walked towards Ashley with heavy steps. 08-56 0 Jessica immediately stopped him, seemingly gently persuading him while actually belittling Ashley. ¡°Ryan, | know you¡¯re feeling bad right now. Ashley has done so much for you, giving up her love for racing. But you¡¯ve been unaware of this all along, so there¡¯s no need to feel sorry! ¡°| believe that everything Ashley did for you willingly, without expecting anything in return! Ryan, you don¡¯t need to feel guilty towards her! ¡°Ashley shouldn''t have kept this from you all the time. Maybe she never really considered you as her true family...¡± Jessica used Ashley of hiding the truth. This time, Ryan didn¡¯t believe Jessica¡¯s words. Instead, he looked yearningly at Ashley not far away. However, Ashley didn¡¯t even nce at him. Even if Jessica tarnished her image in Ryan¡¯s heart, Ashley no longer cared. Ryan felt his breathing bing difficult. He thought, ¡®Ashley must have experienced too many disappointments to be so indifferent and no longer care about the opinions of the Ramos. family... Suddenly, the trembling Nell spoke. ¡°Although Ashley and | mad confidentiality agreement, it was only meant for the media report Ashley can tell her family the truth, butter...¡± Nell paused, finding it difficult to continue, ¡°Butter, Ashley told me she did tell her family the truth, but they didn¡¯t believe her. Ashley wanted me to exin it to them face-to-face, but...but | didn¡¯t want to ruin my own reputation, so | refused Ashley¡¯s request.¡± As Nell¡¯s words fell, Ryan staggered and almost fell. He remembered that Ashley had once said she would help him find doctors, find the best doctors in the world to perform surgery on him. But he didn¡¯t believe her. How could she find any good doctors? He thought Ashley was just bragging to get his attention. Later, when Nell agreed to perform the surgery on him, he thought it was 3/4 08:56 because of the Ramos family¡¯s status. He became more and more grateful to the Ramos family, treating Jessica as his lucky star but treating Ashley worse. He insulted and abused Ashley, driving her out of his sight. During the two years Ashley spent in the Ramos family, he had considered mistreating her and ignoring her as a habit. The guests and reporters in the banquet hall were speechless after hearing Nell¡¯s words. ¡°How can you be like this? Is there no medical ethics? You made such an unfair deal with Ashley just for your nephew. And you even refuse to exin everything to Ashley¡¯s family in private to protect your own reputation.¡± ¡°Nell is certainly at fault, but Ryan is the biggest one! How could he never believe a word Ashley said? If it were me, | would definitely believe my sister!¡± ¡°Poor Ava. Just for that beast Ryan, she quit her career at the p peak. The key point is that Ashley has given so much and hasn''t received any recognition or love from the Ramos family! She was lost and finally reunited with her family, but...¡± ¡°Ashley has never done anything wrong to anyone in the Ramos family!¡± ¡°Don''t forget about Jessica! What she said just now was disgusting. She still the same, with a deceitful heart! And the Ramos family treats her a precious gem?¡± Chapter 205 Chapter 205 The story was so astonishing that the reporters on-site immediately reported it online. Because ¡°The Racing Legend¡± was truly famous, ¡°Reasons Behind the Racing Legend Ava¡¯s Retirement at the Peak¡± quickly upied the trending topics on various social media tforms. Aside from the racing enthusiasts, many ordinaryizens clicked on it as well. After all, Ava¡¯s retirement came too suddenly, and many people wanted to know the reason. The results shocked everyone. Ava was a woman. Even more shocking, she turned out to be Ashley! The onlookers exploded instantly. Is this a coincidence or the Ashley | know?] (Ashley? Wasn¡¯t she the one who rejected the dance master Megan times? Or Eddy¡¯s senior, the genius mysteriousposer Ash, the founder and chief designer of Glory Youveile?] Yes, it¡¯s her! | read it several times, and it¡¯s really her! It¡¯s not a coincidence!] several Damn, Ashley... So, the Ava that | admired and loved is you!] | always thought Ava was a man, but she¡¯s actually a woman!] The racing fans, recovering from their astonishment, immediately started focusing on the reasons behind Ashley''s sudden retirement. But when they found out, their blood pressure skyrocketed. It was all because of Ryan! She had sacrificed so much for the Ramos family, yet she hadn¡¯t received any love or attention in return! Those people were not worthy of being her family! Fortunately, Ashley had cut ties with them. Due to the news breaking out, the video of Ashley and Ryan''s race 08:56 quickly gained poprity. Originally, only those interested in racing knew about the race, but now even those unfamiliar with racing began clicking on the video. Seeing Ashley¡¯s sleek drifts and superior racing skills, thements were filled with praise like ¡°so cool¡± and ¡°amazing.¡± Many men admired Ashley, and there were even girls who excitedly wanted to be Ashley¡¯s girlfriend. Netizens found that when the racing fans mistakenly believed that she passed away at a young age, they even held an online memorial for Ashley. It was amusing. Ashley had too many interesting stories. At the same time, in the banquet hall, Kerston¡¯s 60th anniversary celebration came to an end. Jason approached Ashley and expressed his sympathy. ¡°Ms. Ramos, never expected you to have such a group of family members...¡± I Ashley smiled, feeling relieved, ¡°I have cut ties with them. They are no longer my family.¡± Jason nodded in agreement. ¡°That¡¯s for the best! We look forward to a pleasant coboration. Kerston is honored to have you as our spokesperson!¡± Ashley shook hands with him. ¡°Me, too.¡± After a brief conversation, Ashley bid farewell to Jason and walked out with Lester. Ryan stood nearby in a daze, seemingly ignoring the disdain and mockery from the people around him. Even if he heard, he couldn¡¯t muster the energy to care. Tears welled up in his eyes as he stared at Ashley. It felt as though a sharp dagger pierced his heart, carving out a piece of flesh. The pain made it difficult for him to breathe, and his blood seemed to stop flowing. Ashley had always been mistreated and bullied by him, her own brother. In order to help him return to the racing circuit, she... He valued racing more than his own life. When his right leg was injured, the doctors dered that it couldn¡¯t beThis content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. 08:56 healed and he would be disabled for life. He would never be return to the racing circuit. able to His hope copsed, and he felt like it was all over, doomed to live as a cripple. He plunged into the abyss of despair, wishing for death every day. Ashley, who had always been ridiculed and bullied by him, actually sacrificed her racing career to ask Nell to perform surgery on him, hoping to give him a normal life and let him return to the racing circuit. Ashley was his savior. But how did he treat Ashley? Ryan¡¯s heart was tearing apart as if thousands of ants were biting at it. His entire body was in pain, and his legs could barely support him. Seeing Ashley preparing to leave, Ryan couldn¡¯t bear it any longer and chased after her. However, when Ryan stood in front of Ashley, she wore no expression on her face. ¡°Move aside.¡± ¡°|...¡± Ryan had a thousand words to say, but his throat felt blocked, unable, to form a coherent sound. Lester sneered, ¡°She said, move aside. Didn¡¯t you hear?¡± Ryan remained motionless, his gaze fixed on Ashley. Only then did he realize that he had never really looked at her This was the first time he truly observed her with patience. But it was toote. His sister no longer looked up at him with plea eyes, hoping for the long-awaited familial love. Ashley no longer had any expectations of him. Ryan was stung by Ashley¡¯s indifference, and slowly, he stepped aside. Ashley walked away without looking back. Lester apanied her throughout. Ryan stood still, stiff as a statue, until he looked up and saw Miranda standing in front of him. ¡°Miranda, | think | made a mistake...¡± 08:56 Miranda looked at him with pity. ¡°You said you searched for me for two whole years?¡± ¡°| wasn¡¯t lying about that,¡± Ryan said sorrowfully. ¡°| didn¡¯t say you were lying.¡± Miranda stared at him expressionlessly. ¡°All | did was apany you for two hours on that Christmas night, helping you drive away those kids who called you a cripple and giving you a red apple. You thought | brought warmth to your darkest hour and wanted to find me to thank me. ¡°But the person who truly pulled you out of the abyss and allowed you to return to the racing circuit was Ashley. ¡°Even if we don¡¯t talk about this, did Ashley ever do anything to hurt you in the past while she was with the Ramos family? She sincerely gave everything she had to you, even hurting herself, and gave you everything she could. You only realize you were wrong now. It¡¯s really toote.¡± Ryan¡¯s heart felt like it was being entangled by thin threads, each loop getting tighter and tighter, seeping into his flesh. Ryan clenched his fist and suddenly turned around to run outside. ¡°I¡¯m going to find her!¡± Ashley and Lester walked side by side. ¡°Just now, you said we''ll do another DNA test. When should we do it?¡± After thinking momentarily, Ashley suggested, ¡°Let''s do it as soon as possible. How about today?¡± Chapter 206 Chapter 206 Ashley thought it would be better to do the DNA test as soon as possible. Otherwise, she would keep worrying.. Lester chuckled. He liked Ashley¡¯s straightforwardness. However, Lester said. ¡°Let¡¯s do it tomorrow. George will bring my parents¡¯ blood samples tomorrow. Is it okay to do the test then?¡± ¡°Sure, postponing it for a day is fine. But why do you have both your parents¡¯ blood samples?¡± Ashley found it strange. She thought. Wouldn¡¯t it be enough to use either the father or mother¡¯s sample? Why do we need samples from both?¡± Lester thought for a moment and said, ¡°After my parents found out about your existence, they both want to be the first to establish a rtionship with their daughter. They almost had a quarrel about using blood samples. In the end, George made the decision to bring both of their samples.¡± Both wanted to be the first to establish a rtionship with their daughter. Ashley found this couple truly amusing. Lester sighed softly, ¡°My parents have always wanted toe and see you in person. However, I¡¯m afraid they might overwhelm you with the warmth.¡± Ashley was puzzled. How warm could they possibly be to overwhelm. her? Lester exined with a smile, ¡°Over the years, my parents have missed their lost daughter every day. After they learned of your existence, they wanted toe and see you every day. George and | had to stop them. We need to wait until the resultse out.¡± Ashley blinked, thankful that his parents didn¡¯te. Because she had no rtionship with the Pliskin family, she wasn¡¯t the daughter they had been searching for. Even if they came, it would be pointless. However, Ashley couldn¡¯t help but feel envious. The couple were really good to their daughter. 08:56 1 She thought of her own parents. Evan and Bertha were her parents, but she had never received their attention and love. ¡°Ashley, let''s keep tomorrow''s DNA test confidential. Don¡¯t tell anyone,¡± Lester earnestly reminded her. Ashley understood. It was to ensure the integrity and security of the DNA test. ¡°Okay, | won''t.¡± After ncing at the time, which was almost evening, Ashley said, ¡°Let me treat you to dinner. | haven''t thanked you properly for helping me clear up the misunderstanding.¡± ¡°No need to say thanks. I¡¯m happy to help you,¡± Lester said with a smile. ¡°Well then, at least let me treat you to dinner,¡± Ashley smiled along. Just as they were about to head to a nearby restaurant, Ryan suddenly rushed over, panting heavily. The smile on Ashley''s face vanished instantly, and she turned cold. Ryan saw the change in Ashley¡¯s expression and felt a pang of pain that took his breath away. His voice came out hoarsely. ¡°Ashley...¡± Lester scoffed, ¡°You used to speak ill of Ashley all the time. Don¡¯t call her so affectionately.¡± Ryan¡¯s face turned red from the mockery, and he said in agony, ¡°I mistakes before. | wrongly used you. Ashley, I...¡± ¡°Ryan,¡± Ashley coldly interrupted him, her expression indifferent. ¡°Do stand here blocking the way.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t stand here blocking the way.¡± Those disdainful and indifferent words intensified Ryan¡¯s pain. If it weren¡¯t for Ashley, his leg wouldn¡¯t have recovered, and he wouldn''t even have the right to stand here. ¡°Ashley, | know | was wrong. I¡¯m sorry...¡± However, Ashley didn¡¯t ept his apology. She ignored him and said to Lester, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± It felt as though even one more second here would ruin her mood. 24 08-561 u had so much to say to Ashley and subconsciously wanted to stop rorom leaving. wwhen he looked into Ashley¡¯s eyes. Ryan couldn''t raise sun armand anything to stop her. ementtered how Ashley used to look at him with pleadiyeves., nino bobocioser to him. But he had no patience for her reading mas duister instead. hoping that Ashley would just disappearan hchiedes had reversed. He had so much to say to Ashley. He wanted Idosose to her. anted to toxtailcher ¡°Sister¡± again. anted to hearar Ashley call him Brother again. Ashley didnt want that now. ng Ashley¡¯s babkek without a hint of nostalgia, Ryan stood there inaa , tears of regret at streaming down his face. His normally essionless face was 15 now tiled with remorse and pain. sky gradually darkened. 1 remained motordesoss, like na soulless sculpture. n jeremy and Matdeveved this was what they saw. had learned from thete cren that die Racing Legend whley, after their initial asterosisne they fill proud. They im thed for the location of of restos a celebration and rushed rtunately, they were one stepsid They only saw Ryan 1 wasn¡¯t their purpose for roming. They wanted to see Ashley missed another chance to meeter tahley. Vv Matthew was still proud, saying liegemmy. Ashley is amazing. She¡¯s t ng Legend!¡± my nodded, feeling both happy and nonrrassed. ¡°We''re her older hers, yet we can¡¯t do anything. We''ve really let Ashley down.¡±. Jeremy, it¡¯s only you who can¡¯t do anything.g.ch can sing! Matthew idly puffed out his chest. ¡°After all. | used toch a top singer!¡± my was speechless. Matthew reminisced and boasted, ¡°Ashley even wrote a song for me under her alias ¡®Ash¡±!¡± Jeremy, jealous, picked up a stick from the ground and wanted to hit Matthew with it. Matthew quickly dodged with agility. Jeremy, however, walked towards Ryan, holding the stick. ¡°Jeremy, what are you doing?¡± Matthew asked anxiously. ¡°I''ll break Ryan''s leg and give it back to Ashley! He should have been disabled from the start!¡± Jeremy coldly said, raising the stick in his hand.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Matthew was shocked and too scared to stop him. He covered his eyes in fear. Ryan remained motionless, standing there. His eyes slowly moved, and he regained his senses. However, when he saw Jeremy raising the stick, Ryan didn¡¯t flinch. It was as if he was atoning.. He wanted to atone with his leg. He thought, ¡®Go ahead, break my leg. It¡¯s what | owe Ashley¡¯ Chapter 207 Ishicy is the greatest driver but will never be able to participate in racing petitions. She does all of this for you Ryan Jerereviclenched the ick and swung it hard at Ryan with veins buiging on hhin right hand! yan sill didn¡¯t dodge. atthew couldn''t help but peek through his fingers within haids wvering his eyes. His mouth opened wide in surprise whethe saw trerny hitting Ryan without hesitation. issash the stick was about to hit Ryan¡¯s right leg, jererny stopped erry Matthew was confused and didn¡¯t know what was going cron. restyrere the stick away, looked at Ryan angrily, and rebuted. Don¡¯t dis cheie: p trick of hurting yourself to make Ashley pay attenCITO D tthew sudetenly realized Ryan wanted to get Ashley¡¯s sympathy with ha cheap prick so scherming, he thought. 1 stood stily as it he didn¡¯t hear jererny¡¯s words and didn¡¯t carere e only thing rechnew was that he had harmed Ashley. e is the creates strive and capable of icing, but she annou remment just for myiegs. e¡¯s willing to give up bhricing career, pull me out of the abys pair, and let me recusurrod the rare track | love. e sacrificed for me. Why dididtil di cherish such a good sister? Ryan ught an rassed his head a pan and looked at the dark sky above. The sky 5 so gloomy, just like his nooddiat the moment. His tears rolled down controbly again. an raised his hand to cover his syeveslis voice was hoarse and sounded his throat was blown by the cold wom wind. ¡°jeremy, you are right. id wrong. | owe Ashley one... erry looked at his depressed look and dididn¡¯t know what to say. 08:56 301 Matthbwalsisd felt depressed. Ashley hadn''t forgiven him yet.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Ryani hinnally found you. I¡¯m worried about you so much.¡± Suddenly, Jessica zamo own anxiously, looking very concerned about Ryan. Jessica wassistunned after seeing Jeremy and Matthew on the side, and she pretended debesurprised and greeted ¡°Jeremy, Matthew, | haven''t seen you for a door titind. | miss you every day. How are you doing?¡± ¡°Shut up! Tonnoot your brother Jeremy snorted in disgust, ¡°Don¡¯t call my name. | only hoone sister, and she is Ashley.¡± ¡°Yes. Mathewalsisdelt disgusted. ¡°Look at your face in the mirror. How do you look like on Ranos family? | don¡¯t want you to be my sister!¡± Jessica¡¯s eves wicicand din shock when she heard their words. How dare Matheww.gybose words, she thought. Although she was noothe iniciogical daughter of the Ramos family, she was beautiful. She wasnoons good-looking as others in the Ramos family, about which she was helpless even though she cared. She wanted to have nic surgery, but Bertha didn¡¯t agree to do it, considering that it would fail Now jessica was insulted by Manbaw. She was irritated, but she had to suppress her anger. jessica said, ¡°Jeremy. Mauhewi fereatly miss you. | hope you un home and bring Ashley back togethheit Nonsense! Don¡¯t act like that. Jeremy interrupted her and sco mercilessly. ¡°You hope Ashley reums she Ramos family? I¡¯m you are the one who doesn¡¯t want her back nost!¡± jessica bit her lips and pretended to beguiti with tears in her eyes. jeremy, what are you talking about? Want kind of person | am in you Stop acting! Jeremy felt disgusted at her expression. When | got Kidnapped, you escaped. Ashley risked eriilutoostuene, but you reced her. You are such a vicious bastard! mbbe blind to dote on you actore hemon: jeremy thought about it, the angrier hobbans So he pped sessica onder face. 11:08:56 m Asmack came, and Jessica¡¯s face was hit severely! Red fingerprints instantly showed on her face. Her tears burst out. J¨¦ssica covered her swollen face and looked at Matthew for help. ¡°Matthew, Jeremy...¡± ¡°Don''t call my name!¡± Matthew¡¯s face immediately became gloomy. He walked to Jessica and grabbed her hair suddenly. Jessica screamed in pain. Matthew still grabbed her hair with strength and was indifferent while she was crying. ¡°Jessica, don¡¯t think I''m unaware of what you did. You want to be an imposter and rece her. So Ashley could only help me behind the scenes with the name of Ash.¡± With his words, Matthew gay her hair a hard pull. gave Asharp pain surged through Jessica''s head. Her tears streamed down again. ¡°Matthew, can you just let me go?¡± ¡°Let you go? Fine.¡± Matthew smiled coldly, grabbed Jessica¡¯s hair, and threw her out with all his strength. Then Jessica staggered and fell to the ground. Her elbows and knees were scratched. Her blood flowed out instantly with the soil stained on the wound, which caused her heart to twinge. Her hair was also messed up, and she looked pathetic. Jessica stood up from the ground with tears on her face. She crying. ¡°Ryan, look at Jeremy and Matthew...¡± Ryan, ¡®| did not take credit for Ashley''s sacrifice for Ryan to return to t track. So Ryan has no reason to lose his temper on me,¡¯ Jessica th However, in the next second, Ryan raised his right hand and pped Jessica. ¡°You ask me for help? You''ve done so many evil things to Ashley. How you still have the nerve to ask me for help, Jessica?¡± Ryan asked. After this p, Jessica¡¯s ears were buzzing, and she almost couldn''t hear the sound. When Jessica licked the blood with the tip of her tongue, she realized that Ryan had pped her so hard that her mouth bled. At this moment, Jessica had never got herself into such a situation with 08:56 T pret 2012 rhdiain messy her face swollen, her mouth bleedinghberface covered ittretcars and her elbows and knees all scratched.I. You felescica was so angry that her chest heaved violentity, and she even got pretend to be pitiful. When she glimpsed Ryan¡¯s fierce eyes, she hrakh hier eieck in fright, turned, and ran away in a panid he wanted to see Evan and Bertha and let them seek justiceddobber. t''s ¡®sli silicy suault for causing me such misery! she thought. cengsicicrumnaway jeremy. Matthew, and Ryan looked ancluother nd simultaneous v stapped themselves omparert backsssic they were the ones who deserved to be ppedd. ecause of their bidness, they bullied Ashley and didn¡¯t cherish ssacha ood sistertr s there any newwabout Frankier Ryad suddenly asked. No.¡± Jeremy shockkisin nazd. ince Frankie disappeared. he had never contacted them. They didn¡¯t now where Frutacions.nomw.what he was doing, or he had suffered omething... yan clenched his fists andouddenly made up his mind with a firm ioot. will find a way to make tev tong me.¡± [atthew snorted. Whaumethod can you take? Let alone ask or forgiveness, it is even diffidator jeremy and | to see her.¡± yan lowered his eyes with an anticions expression. ¡°Maybe | can here Ashley lives.¡± remy and Matthew were overjoyed driven they heard Ryan¡¯s words. Really?¡± they could know where Ashley lived derwould definitely move there ve next to Ashley, serve her, make up pinnd atone for their sins! The next day in the morning, after brendan, Asisliler called Lester. They would go to the hospital for the second DNA icienntication. Chapter 208 ?Chapter 208 After breakfast, Ashley sat on the sofa in the living room and called Lester. The call was answered quickly. They arranged to go to the hospital together in the afternoon. George would alsoe by then. "Are you going out this afternoon?" Valentin asked casually after she hung up the phone. "Yes." Ashley thought for a moment and said, "Not only this afternoon. I also have to go out this morning." Pun would return to Yaloria tomorrow, so she nned to take him around and visit some ces this morning. After all, this was Pun''s first time in Zyrrinthia, and Pun loved Zyrrinthia and its culture very much. "Shall I go with you this morning?" Valentin sat down on the sofa next to her. He crossed his legs, turned slightly sideways, tilted his head, and stared at her with his deep eyes. His eyes filled with sexy and affectionate possession, like a man looking at his woman. Ashley was texting Pun on her phone. She didn''t even raise her head when she heard it and teased, "For you to be Pun''s tour guide, that''s too overqualified, is it?" Valentin chuckled, raised his eyebrows slightly, and said casually and seductively, "Ashley, it has nothing to do with Pun. I just want to be with you." Ashley finally raised her head and looked at him. She was caught off guard and met Valentin''s affectionate gaze. Her heart suddenly skipped a beat, and she looked away in a flutter. The next second, she turned her head, looked back stubbornly, and reached out to cover his eyes. "Don''t look at me in that way." Valentin chuckled again, raised his right hand, and pulled down Ashley''s soft hand with his warm palm covering the back of her hand. He pinched her fingers for fun with azy smile in his eyes. "You''re so strict, Ashley. Can''t I stare at my wife?" ''After he told me about his feelings, he no longer hides them, does he?'' Ashley thought. Ashley wanted to withdraw her hand, but it didn''t move, so she nced at him. "As a reminder, our divorce agreement expires in nine days." Valentin paused for a moment, then acted as if nothing had happened. "I know." Ashley looked at him in satisfaction. "Great." As soon as she finished speaking, she felt her little finger being hooked by Valentin. Ashley looked down and saw Valentin hooking her little finger with his and shaking it slightly. Then, Valentin held her hand slowly. He inserted his fingers into the gaps between her fingers and entwined with hers. There was an unusual intimacy to this gesture. Valentin''s thumb gently rubbed the smooth skin on the back of her hand. "Then I will try my best to make you want to be with me." The words took Ashley''s breath away. Her eyshes trembled, but she didn''t say a word. He held her hand and shook it slightly. "Huh?" Ashley couldn''t flinch. She puffed up her cheeks and put on a helpless expression. "I heard you." "So shall I be with you this morning?" he asked again. "Aren''t you with me now?" Ashley lowered her head and stared at his hands. ''It''s strange. Why does his hands look so pretty? When browsing gossip on the Inte a few days ago, I saw many fans saying that they liked male celebrities'' hands and regarded their hands as a bonus. ''But I looked at the photos of their hands one by one and felt that those hands were not as pretty as Valentin''s,'' she thought. Ashley couldn''t help but think ofizens'' dirty talk. They said it would be a pity when they couldn''t have such beautiful hands in their beds. After staring at his hand for a while, she was suddenly pulled gently, and then her body fell into Valentin''s clean embrace. "Um..." Ashley blinked nkly. "Why did Valentin suddenly hug me?" she thought.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. She was startled, then raised her eyes to look at him. "What''s wrong?" From Ashley''s position, she met Valentin''s deep eyes, which were full of lust that was hard to resist. Ashley was tense immediately. Valentin lowered his head and gently rubbed the tip of his nose against hers. Their breaths were ambiguously intertwined. Valentin''s deep eyes were staring at her closely. His voice was hoarse with lust. "I want to kiss you." At that moment, Ashley subconsciously tightened her fingers around Valentin''s waist, which wrinkled his white shirt. The clean white shirt was wrinkled, giving it an erotic feeling. Her eyshes trembled in panic, and her earlobes were hot and red. She looked like she was bewitched, neither hiding nor refusing. "Valentin, Ashley, look what I brought!" At this moment, Joseph''s excited voice came from outside. Ashley was startled, woke up from the confusion, and continuously pushed him. "Someone ising!" Valentin frowned, still holding her without letting go. Ashley couldn''t break free and looked out of the living room warily. Seeing that Joseph was about to enter, she whispered anxiously, "Hurry up, Joseph will be here soon." Valentin''s tongue touched the roof of his mouth irritably, and he hugged her hard before letting go. Joseph happily ran into the living room, holding a big box. The next second, when he saw Valentin''s gloomy and unhappy face, he suddenly looked confused. "What''s wrong?" Ashley coughed awkwardly. "You said you brought something just now?" Joseph immediately became active as Ashley mentioned and said as if he was offering a treasure, "My friend went out of town two days ago. He returned today and brought me a great thing, my childhood favorite! So I brought it to you right away. Valentin,e and take a look!" Valentin squinted his eyes dangerously. "Okay, let me see what you brought." Joseph was stunned and thought, ''Why did he sound so scary? What happened? Why is he so unhappy suddenly? It looks like he got refused by Ashley.'' Joseph immediately looked at Ashley for help. After all, it was right to go to Ashley if something happened. Ashley waved her hand. "Leave him alone. Show me what you brought." Valentin''s eyes became more dangerous. ''What does her words mean?'' he thought. Ashley pretended not to notice Valentin''s gloomy gaze and ran to Joseph despite the pressure. "What is in such a big box?" Joseph opened the package with excitement and revealed what was inside. "Look, a superrge Spider-Man toy!" Ashley was confused inwardly. Joseph added, "Don''t show me that face, Ashley. This is Spider-Man! He specializes in fighting evil and protecting the earth. Don''t you love him?" Ashley was speechless. Joseph looked at Valentin. Just as he was about to say something, he suddenly noticed that Valentin''s face was even more gloomy than before, with disdain. ''Oh my, why do I feel even scarier!'' Joseph thought. Joseph thought quickly with his clever brain and realized btedly. "Did I disturb you guys? I''ll leave right away. Just pretend I haven''t been here." Ashley reached out to pull him. "No, you didn''t. Stay here with Valentin for a while. I need to go out." Chapter 209 Joseph felt that he had identally offended Valentin, so he did not dare to stay alone with Valentin. He asked hurriedly, "Ashley, why are you going out?" "Do you remember Pun? He will return to Yaloria tomorrow. I''m free this morning, so I nned to take him around for a tour," Ashley replied. "I can go with you!" Joseph rmended himself enthusiastically. "When ites to having fun, no one knows better than me." Ashley thought, ''That''s true.'' Ashley looked back at Valentin and asked for his opinion. Valentin raised his hand to rub his forehead, stood up, and walked over. He said in a hoarse and low voice, "If you don''t want me to apany you, you can let Joseph follow you." Joseph leaned toward Valentin with a smile. "Valentin, you made a great decision." Valentin nced at him unhurriedly. Joseph immediately raised his head, kept his chest straight, and stood at attention with a good attitude. Ashley thought for a moment and nodded. "Alright. Then I''ll take up your whole morning." "Don''t say that." Joseph waved his hands and pretended to sigh, "Oh, I am a moneyed idler. I have no choice. I was born to have fun." Ashley was speechless and thought, ''A moneyed idler. These words were so arrogant!'' After packing up, Ashley and Joseph drove out together. They went to the hotel to pick up Pun first and then took Pun to several nearby Zyrrinthia-styled attractions under the leadership of Joseph. Ashley wore a mask all the way, and she almost got recognized. Fortunately, Joseph was clever and covered for her, so they left the scenic spot quietly. At lunch, Joseph highly rmended a restaurant whose dishes tasted local, and its specialty was passed down from the royals. The restaurant was located in an ancient alley. It didn''t look any special from the outside but did inside. It only received twenty tables of customers per day, and those who could dine here were all rich, powerful people. Although they came here temporarily today, the restaurant reserved a private table for Joseph all year round, so they didn''t have to make a reservation and could walk in. Before entering the restaurant, Ashley turned and looked back. No strange people were in the alley, but she felt someone secretly following her. "What''s wrong? What are you looking at?" Joseph saw her looking outside and asked. Pun also stopped. "Ashley, what''s wrong?" Ashley looked away, shook her head, and smiled, "Nothing. Let''s have a meal." They entered the restaurant, walked by the artworks disyed, and headed to the private table. The three of them sat down at the dining table and ordered the specialty here and a few Zyrrinthia dishes that Pun had always wanted to eat. After the waiter served the dishes, Joseph hurriedly rmended, "Ashley, have a try. The specialty is delicious!" It tasted good. Ashley found it was worth the high price. Pun was full of praise after having a try. There were few local Zyrrinthia restaurants abroad, and the taste was not good. Only when he came to Zyrrinthia could he taste the typical food. After lunch, they walked out of the restaurant. Walking along the alley for a while, Ashley frowned slightly and got the feeling of being followed again. Ashley walked a few steps and pretended to look back casually as she turned a corner. There were no strange people in the alley. But at the corner, she saw a piece of clothing exposed. Ashley raised her eyebrows slightly and thought, ''Oh, over there.'' "What''s wrong?" Joseph asked worriedly when he saw her keep looking back. "Nothing, go ahead," Ashley said, but she turned back and walked towards the corner. Joseph and Pun looked at each other in astonishment and quickly followed. The people hiding in the corner thought Ashley was gone and poked his head out furtively. As a result, the next second, he was caught off guard and saw Ashley walking up to him. Matthew and Jeremy both screamed in shock. Only Ryan was calm. When he saw Ashley appearing in front of him, his eyes filled withplex and strong emotions.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Ashley''s face suddenly turned cold. ''It was them,'' Joseph thought and was speechless. He thought it was something scary, but it turned out to be these three idiots from the Ramos family. "What are you doing here? Why are you secretly following Ashley?" "Ashley." Jeremy came to his senses from the surprise and praised Ashley without thinking. "Why are you so smart? You caught us in one go." Matthew nodded ordingly, showing his affection for his sister. "Yes, you''re so smart, Ashley!" ''Now, no matter what Ashley did, she was so awesome in our eyes. No, Ashley is born to be awesome!'' Matthew thought. Joseph got goosebumps when he heard their words and rubbed his ears impatiently. "Are you out of your mind? Now that you want to be a qualified brother, why didn''t you do that early?" Ashley didn''t even want to say a single word to them. Her eyes were cold. "Why are you following me?" Ryan still wore a ck racing suit, but he looked more haggard and less fierce than before. His voice was hoarse and rough. "Ashley, we just want to see you..." Ashley thought, ''Really insane!'' Jeremy stepped forward and said cautiously, "Ashley, I know I made many mistakes before." All he wanted now was a chance to make up for her and atone. Matthew''s eyes were sincere. "Ashley, I know you are living a good life after leaving the Ramos family. If you need any help, you can tell us. No matter what, we are willing to do it for you." Ashley said calmly, "Really?" Matthew nodded immediately. "Yes, anything!" Ryan and Jeremy looked over expectantly when they heard Ashley''s question. Ashley nced at them expressionlessly and said indifferently, "Then...never follow me again." Matthew was stunned, as if cold water poured over his head. The pain surged into his heart densely, and loneliness surrounded his whole body. After Ashley finished speaking, she turned and left without looking at them again. Joseph and Pun quickly followed. Jeremy looked at Ashley''s leaving figure with misery in his eyes. Ryan wanted to chase after her but paused and stopped. "Now Ashley doesn''t want to see us. Let''s not bother her and go find her in two days." ''What should I do to win back Ashley''s broken heart?'' he thought. ***** After lunch, Ashley, Pun, and Joseph visited nearby attractions. When it was time to go to the hospital with Lester for DNA identification, Ashley sent Pun back to the hotel where he was temporarily staying and then asked Joseph to go home first. Joseph asked, "Ashley, what are you going to do? You let me go home alone? Valentin will miss you if he doesn''t see youing home." "Don''t be so exaggerated, okay?" Ashley said. Joseph replied, "I''m telling the truth. Valentin keeps you in his heart all the time." "Okay, I know. I need to go. You go home first," Ashley said. Joseph was a discerning person. He guessed that Ashley might have some personal matters, so he nodded. "Okay, then I''ll go home first. If you need help, call me... No, call Valentin anytime." ''I''m so clever,'' he thought. Ashley pulled a wry face. "Okay, I got it." After sending Joseph away, Ashley went to find Lester. She didn''t hide it from Joseph intentionally, nor did she distrust Joseph. Mainly because the DNA identification this time would be kept secret temporarily, and no one else would be informed. When she arrived at the hotel where Lester was living, George seemed to have just gotten off the ne. He brought over his parents'' blood samples and Tyler, who did the first identificationst time. "Ashley, sorry to trouble you." Lester was apologetic for asking her for DNA identification again and again. "It doesn''t matter." Ashley didn''t take it to heart at all. "Let''s go to the hospital now." "Okay," Lester replied. They went to the hospital together and followed the same process asst time, drawing blood and waiting for the results toe out. Chapter 210 Chapter 210 Ashley sat on a chair in the VIP lounge area after drawing blood. Tyler, whom George brought here, still did the DNA identification this time. Tyler had worked for the Pliskin family for many years. He had superb medical skills and profound qualifications, and knew that the Pliskin family had been looking for the missing daughter. ¡°Ashley.¡± Lester sat on Ashley¡¯s right side and saw the pinholes on her arms, which were particrly easy to notice on her smooth skin. He couldn''t help but frown, ¡°Does your arm hurt?¡± ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t.¡± Ashley shook her head and smiled slightly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± She was not afraid of injections. Compared to the pain she suffered in the Ramos family before, the pain of injection was nothing. George had a poker face and was always reticent. It seemed that no one could get close to him. At this moment, when he faced Ashley, his expression became much more rxed. He smiled unnaturally, ¡°Would you like something to drink?¡± ¡°No, thanks,¡± Ashley answered truthfully. Lester, next to him, was dumbfounded with a scared expression. ¡°George, you...¡± ¡®Am | dazzled? George smiled so gently. ¡®No way! Growing up together, | never saw George smile much time,¡¯ Lester thought. ¡°George, you...¡± Lester looked at the smiling George with inquiry, feeling strange. ¡®Did he be insane?¡¯ he thought. George turned to look at Lester when he heard Lester¡¯s words. The gentle smile disappeared instantly, and he returned to his usual coldness. Since they were parted in Manditus, Yaloriast time, he practiced smiling in front of the mirror fifty times every day after returning home. 115 08:57 hapter 210 0 not scare Ashley with iar alcold face when he met her again. George thought, Did isi sinile unnaturally just now? Then how can | e closer to Ashley?¡± it this time. Lester taitaliotlotonote friendly when he saw George return to is cold face.e That¡¯s great! Lester thoughtchi le was used to George¡¯s cold le tice.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Why do | make it sound inizianochist?¡¯ he thought. shley didnt nonce dir queueration. She took out her phone and boted at the time. The DNA identatcanon results would be avable in bout an hour. lot long after. Lester received a call mom his mother. soon as Lester answered his mother. e. Karen Pliskin, on the other end Fthe phone, asked anxiously and arvoto.ly. ester. have the results nout? How is it? ester nced at Ashley beside hin. wawadadiaside, and siniled helplessly. Moin not yet. Don¡¯t be so anxious, How cant be anxious? Karen wore an atesan and dignified blue dress 1th a noble temperament, but at this time she has as anxiou Now daughter have longed for day and chu ester replied. ¡°Mom, you¡¯re so anxious that you do pawarch mul now, are you? Dad will be worried abonovovou. is portts and be married for many years and wow rewery to mother test slightly ufortable or are so sometim termalo be worried. hat is my bound was too anxious to eat. Karen lowered her voice, eliberate iding ivianusband, Brian Pliskin, next to her, and quietly to comine unded more nous than me korduvere i thought, it can¡¯t be helped My parems missisi them ighter too micis Atter waning for so many years, can they motor be Moust pin. | will tellimat as soon as the resultse out, Lester said i nt ¡°Okay, your dad and | are waiting.¡± Karen hesitated for two seconds and asked expectantly, ¡°Lester, | want to talk to Ashley, can I? Is it too abrupt?¡± This mentality of eagerly wanting to find their daughter and to get close but not daring to approach her rashly before the result was confirmed was natural. Lester thought for a while. ¡°Mom, just wait until the resultse out. There is less than an hour left. Please wait patiently.¡± He was afraid that his parents would be too enthusiastic and scare Ashley. ¡°Well, you must tell us immediately when the resultse out.¡± Karen then asked, ¡°Lester, where is George?¡± ¡°George is chatting with Ashley.¡± When did he learn to chat with others? With his taciturn appearance, he can¡¯t even say ten words in a sentence.¡± Karen ruthlessly talked about George and reminded uneasily, ¡°And you, Lester, although you are more talkative than George, you are not much better. So don¡¯t scare Ashley.¡± ¡°Mom, are you a little too biased?¡± ¡°Biased? Ashley is probably my baby daughter. How can youpare with Ashley? Listen, you have no status in our family now. It will be worse in the future.¡± ¡®Fine. That¡¯s my destiny. ¡®Definitely, my sister will be doted on by the whole family, and then it''s my mom, Lester thought. Lester didn¡¯t mind at all. For his missing sister in childhood, he was willing to give her all the best things in the world. With such a family status, there was nothing wrong with being lower than his sister. When the identification resultse outter, if Ashley was his sister, he wanted to be the first to develop a rtionship with her and couldn''t let George and his parents get first. seg Ashley and George were chatting when she received a message from 408-47 Chapter 210 Joseph. [Ashley, I¡¯m back at Kingsley Vi.] [When Valentin saw me, he asked, ¡°Why Ashley didn¡¯te back with you together?¡± | said you had some personal matters.] [Sure enough, | was right. Valentin misses you very much if he can¡¯t see you for a while. He waits for you toe home, like a kid waiting for his parents.] [Ashley, he can¡¯t survive without you.] ¡®Like a kid waiting for his parents? Joseph''s words are too exaggerated,¡± Ashley thought. Ashley-replied helplessly: [What is Valentin doing now?] Joseph immediately grasped the point. [Are you caring about him?] Ashley didn¡¯t reply. Joseph typed quickly. [I have conveyed your concern to Valentin. Praise me.] Ashley said: [Praising you? Well, stop kidding. I''ll go back soon.] Joseph replied: [Okay, we''re waiting for you.] Ashley put the phone back in her pocket. Lester came back after the call. ¡°George, Mom called just now,¡± Lester said. George nodded. It was easy to guess the reason for his mother¡¯s call. Ashley also guessed it. They were all waiting for the identification resul toe out. Her mood was just like her first time doing the DNA identification. She didn¡¯t feel nervous at all. George and Lester were on the side. The tension and expectation in their hearts had almost burst out, which made their hearts ups and downs. They found it hard to calm down. When waiting anxiously, one always felt that time was slow. They didn¡¯t know how long it took, but finally, Tyler took the report and came over. Chapter 211 Tyler held two DNA reports in his hand. George brought the blood samples of Brian and Karen, so Tyler took this opportunity to test Ashley¡¯s blood with theirs. ¡°What''s the result?¡± Lester was impatient to stand up and ask. George also stood up. His eyes fixed on the report in Tyler¡¯s hand. Tyler didn¡¯t speak without permission and handed over the report. ¡°Mr. George Pliskin, Mr. Lester Pliskin, you''d better look at it yourself.¡± Lester quickly took it and looked at the report of Ashley and his mother. George was looking at the report of Ashley and his father. As the person involved in the identification, Ashley was the calmest of the three and silently looked at the report. When Lester saw the result on thest page, he frowned tightly, looking gloomy. He immediately turned his head to look at the report in George¡¯s hand. After seeing the identification result clearly, he frowned more tightly. Both reports had the same result. The two samples had a high degree of DNA mismatch. There was no blood rtionship between the two people. Lester looked at George in astonishment and confusion. George looked indifferent and stared at the identification results motionlessly with his eyes as if covered by snow. Ashley also saw the result, just as she expected. She was not astonished.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. After looking at the expressions of George and Lester, Ashley pressed her lips and took the initiative to break the silence. Her voice was gentle and soft. ¡°The results were the same after two identifications, so...¡± She was not the missing daughter of the Pliskin family. Moreover, the DNA identification this time was kept secret, and no one 115 09:24 else was informed. She never left the hospital and stayed here after drawing blood, so there was no possibility of the blood being stolen. Tyler, who did the DNA identification, was brought here by George personally. Therefore, she had nothing to do with the Pliskin family. ¡°Ashley...¡± Lester turned to look at her with his eyes full of regret that he didn¡¯t want to believe the result. The first time he saw Ashley, he felt an inexplicable affection for her. He always felt that Ashley was the sister he had lost since childhood. The identification results gave him a blow. Ashley had nothing to do with him. She was not his sister. Ashley didn¡¯t know what to say, so she could onlyfort them warmly. ¡°You will find your missing sister with your efforts.¡± Ashley¡¯s beautiful eyes shined bright like a star. Lester looked at her, and the gloom in his heart gradually disappeared. But he still felt regretful. ¡®Ashley has nothing to do with our Pliskin family, Lester sighed inwardly. Lester took out his phone and walked to the side to call his mother, telling his parents the results. George and Ashley stayed in ce. George pressed his lips, looked at Ashley, and did not mention the report again. Although the identification results showed that Ashley was not his sister, George¡¯s attitude towards her did not cool down. He still felt like he wanted to get close to her. ¡°We troubled you to draw blood again, Can we have a meal togetherter?¡± George asked. Ashley noticed his kindness and couldn''t refuse him, so she nodded. Lester had a phone call with his mother and could feel his mother¡¯s loss and sadness across the line. ¡°The jewelry, diamonds, clothes, real estate, airnes, cars, and private 09:24 inds my mother prepared for my sister can¡¯t be given away again,¡¯ Lester sighed inwardly. They left the hospital and found a restaurant to eat. At the table, after ordering, Lester cared about Ashley and asked, ¡°Ashley, is Ryan still pestering you now?¡± Ashley suddenly looked unhappy when mentioning Ryan. ¡®He used to bully me. Now he pesters me. He is so annoying, Ashley thought. ¡°Don¡¯t mention him.¡± Ashley didn¡¯t want to hear about the Ramos family and asked casually, ¡°How long will you stay in Zyrrinthia this time? When will you go back?¡± ¡°| won''t go back for the time being.¡± Lester nced at George next to him. ¡°George, what about you?¡± ¡°Let''s talkter,¡± George said coldly. Lester shook his head helplessly and thought his mother was right. George was too cold-tempered. While the three of them were chatting, Ashley received a call from Miranda. ¡°Hello, Miranda, what¡¯s going on?¡± Ashley asked after answering. ¡°Ashley, are you online today?¡± Miranda¡¯s tone was a little astonished and excited. ¡°I just saw a video on the Inte.¡± ¡°What video?¡± Ashley asked. Miranda replied, ¡°I randomly saw the video of Bryce at the airport taken by a fan. Bryce is in the video with another newly debuted female star!¡± Ashley asked, ¡°Really? Bryce and the new female star?¡± As Miranda heard her tone, she knew Ashley was gossiping and quickly exined, ¡°That female star has nothing to do with Bryce.¡± Ashley blinked. ¡°I thought there was some scandal.¡± ¡°Although that female star has nothing to do with Bryce, she has something to do with you,¡± Miranda added. Miranda added. ¡°What?¡± Ashley was confused. ¡°What does she have to do with me?¡± 09:24 ¡°Ashley, when | opened the video and saw the female star, | felt she looked a bit like you. Netizens who saw her also said the same,¡± Miranda said. Ashley raised her eyebrows slightly and thought, ¡®She looks a bit like me?¡± Nothing was surprising. There were many people with simr looks in the world. But she was still curious about it. ¡°Miranda, send me the video.¡± Miranda said, ¡°Okay, right away.¡± After hanging up the phone, Ashley received the video from Miranda, opened it, and watched it. It was a two-minute video shot by a fan with a phone after Bryce came out of the airport and was picked up by fans. In addition to Bryce, the fan recorded a womaning out of the airport. The woman looked very elegant with long hair and tanned skin. Ashley was slightly shocked when she saw the woman''s face. The woman did look a bit like her. Evenizens thought so. [Look at the woman in the corner. Who''s that? Ashley?] [Not, Ashley is taller than that woman. But that woman does look a bit like Ashley. She¡¯s quite pretty!] [Nonsense, Ashley is so beautiful, and someone who looks like her must be beautiful, too! By the way, who is this youngdy in the video?] [I know! Her name is Cara Ward, the newly debuted female star. She has a good personality and looks pretty. It is said that she knows a lot of things. She is a gentle princess who is both beautiful and talented. Unfortunately, Cara grew up in an orphanage, which is quite heartbreaking.] ¡°Ashley, what are you looking at?¡± Lester asked curiously when he saw Ashley staring at the phone. ¡°A video.¡± Suddenly, an idea shed in Ashley¡¯s mind. ¡®Cara grew up in an orphanage... she thought. 4/5 09:24 Ashley showed the video to Lester and asked, ¡°Look at this girl. Does she look a bit like me?¡± Lester and George both watched the video and nodded slightly. There was a slight resemnce. Ashley said, ¡°You told me before that your mother and | look a little simr, so is this girl also simr to your mother? And she grew up in an orphanage. Could it be...¡± George immediately understood what she meant. ¡®Could this girl named Cara be the sister they have been looking for?¡¯ he thought. Chapter 212 Chapter 212 Lester stared at the video of Cara once again, contemting as he asked, ¡°George, what do you think?¡± George¡¯s expression remained unchanged. He lightly tapped the table, his tone carrying an air of indifference. ¡°Just go and find out.¡± ¡°Alright, I''ll have someone look into it,¡± Lester said, slightly narrowing his eyes as he handed the phone back to Ashley. After the meal, the three of them left the restaurant. Just as they stepped out of the restaurant, Ashley received a call from an unknown number. She answered the phone with a casual ¡°Hello.¡±All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. On the other end, Bertha¡¯s discontented voice came through. ¡°Ashley, don¡¯t you have a conscience? You even blocked your own mother¡¯s number!¡± Ashley¡¯s expression turned cold. ¡°Bertha, you got no say about my conscience.¡± ¡°You!¡± Bertha was so angry that her fingers trembled, and her breath became rapid. ¡°Are you trying to drive me mad? What did | do to deserve a daughter as ungrateful as you!¡± ¡°If this is what your call is about, | don¡¯t have time for it,¡± Ashley said, poised to hang up. ¡°Ashley Ramos!¡± Bertha interrupted, and her tone filled with indignation. ¡°I¡¯ve been in the hospital, and not once have you bothered to visit. Even if | were on my deathbed, you still won¡¯t show up?¡± ¡°Back when you and Frankie conspired to use me of pushing my own biological mother down, did you remember that | was your daughter?¡± Ashley asked calmly. Bertha was momentarily silenced by the retort, and after a while, she said. with a deste tone, ¡°Let bygones be bygones. Come to the hospital and see me. My condition...¡± ¡°Your condition has nothing to do with me.¡± Ashley rejected emotionlessly. 09:24 ¡°Ashley...¡± Bertha¡¯s breath quickened again, like an old, wheezing bellows. ¡°Alright, if you don¡¯t grace me a visit, | won''t insist. But mark my words, no more tormenting Jessica. Jeremy, Ryan, and Matthew dared toy hands on her, all because of you!¡± Ashley sneered, and her eyes filled with sarcasm. She thought, ¡®No wonder the sudden call. After all these years of neglect and no concern from her own mother, the call was solely about her foster daughter. Lester and George, upon hearing Bertha¡¯s name from Ashley, immediately understood who was on the phone. They looked at Ashley with concern. Ashley shook her head at them, signaling that everything was fine, then took a few steps away. On the other end, Bertha continued her tirade, ¡°Jeremy, Ryan, and Matthew treated Jessica so well before. They neverid a hand on her, not even a harsh word. Now, they''ve resorted to violence, all because of you!¡± Ashley nced at the withered leaves of the ne tree on the roadside. and suddenly felt exhausted. She closed her eyes and said, ¡°I regret reuniting with the Ramos family three years ago.¡± Upon hearing this, Bertha fell silent momentarily and then murm ¡°Are you using me of favoritism?¡± Ashley remained silent. Bertha defended herself. ¡°What do you know? In the first two days a we brought you back to Ramos Vi, Jessica hid under her nket, silently shedding tears. She was afraid she had no ce in this family, crying and imploring us to send her away. You have no idea that witnessing her sorrow tore at my heart.¡± Ashley sneered, ¡°So, ever since | rejoined the Ramos family, you¡¯ve been ying guardian angel for her? Afraid she''d be wronged?¡± Bertha took a deep breath. ¡°You are indeed my biological daughter, but Jessica is the one Evan and | brought back from the orphanage. | watched her grow step by step. The first time she wore new clothes, the first time. she had a birthday cake, the first time she went to an amusement park... All of it. 1, as her mother, was there. The nurturing bond of these years is 09:240 not something that can be faded away with time.¡± ¡°And what about me?¡± Ashley¡¯s eyshes fluttered a bit. Her voice remainedposed. ¡°While you were dressing her in new clothes, taking her to the amusement park, and celebrating her birthdays, | was alone in an orphanage. You shield and favor her, fearing she might face hardships. But what about me, your own flesh and blood?¡± ¡°Why do you have to measure yourself against Jessica! You went through so much hardship growing up, handling a fair share of setbacks. Jessica isn¡¯t like you. She had afortable upbringing since childhood, and her tolerance level doesn¡¯t match yours!¡± Bertha paused momentarily, then softened her tone. ¡°You had gone missing since you were young. | missed you too, but we couldn¡¯t find you back then. Eventually, we went to the orphanage and brought Jessica back. That¡¯s when | found sce and ced all my longing for you onto Jessica. ¡°So many years have passed. Jessica is already a part of the Ramos family. Can¡¯t you just treat her like a sister? Jessica is not like you. She doesn¡¯t understand as much, and she doesn¡¯t have aplicated mind. Don¡¯t bully her again. It¡¯s a mother¡¯s plea, please, I¡¯m begging you...¡± Ashley hung up the phone without a word. She pressed her hand against her heart, feeling a trace of sadness. Ashley had never asked for much. A mere fraction of the motherly lov Bertha showered on Jessica would have sufficed. Yet, even this meager amount of affection was beyond her reach. Seeing her hang up the phone, Lester walked over, and before getting close, he caught sight of Ashley¡¯s slightly pale face. He immediately rushed over. ¡°Ashley, what¡¯s wrong?¡± George strode over immediately after hearing that. ¡°I''m fine.¡± Ashley took two deep breaths, suppressing her difort. She had long decided to cut all ties with the Ramos family. She shouldn''t let herself be affected by them. ¡°Are you sure? Did Bertha say something just now?¡± Lester was still 09:24 worried. ¡°Everything is fine.¡± Ashley wouldn''t bother with Bertha anymore. It was gettingte. Time to go home. Ashley bid farewell to Lester and George. George scrutinized Ashley''s expression. Noticing that she appeared fine, he finally eased his tension. Lester remembered the glimpse of Cara he saw in the video earlier. He needed to check on that. Back at Kingsley Vi, as soon as Ashley entered the living room, she saw Joseph sitting on the sofa, hugging half a watermelon, who was more at ease here than in his own home. ¡°Ashley, you''re back!¡± Joseph immediately tossed the watermelon aside and ran over to greet her. Ashley responded with an ¡°Um¡± and nced around. Not seeing Valentin, she couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°Where¡¯s your brother?¡± Chapter 213 ¡°There was an issue at thepany, and my brother had to dash to the office.¡± Joseph bounced around in front of Ashley, curious. ¡°Ashley, where did you disappear this afternoon?¡± ¡°| went to the hospital.¡± Since the DNA test was already done, Ashley didn¡¯t hide it from Joseph. As she talked, she walked to the sofa and sat down. Ashley spotted sliced watermelon on the fruit te, picked up a piece, and started eating. ¡°What? To the hospital?¡± Joseph became nervous. ¡°Why would you go to the hospital for no reason? Are you sick? Where does it hurt? You have to tell Valentin!¡± Joseph reached for his phone, ready to call Valentin, looking all anxious. Ashley quickly stopped him with a twitch at the corner of her mouth. ¡°Calm down. I¡¯m not sick.¡± Relieved, Joseph put down his phone and sighed, ¡°You scared me! | thought something happened to you. So, if you didn¡¯t go to the hospital because you''re sick, did you visit someone?¡±All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. ¡°Not to visit someone, but to do another DNA test with the Pliskin. family,¡± Ashley briefly exined the condition, also sharing the results with Joseph. Sitting on the sofa beside her, Joseph rubbed his chin and pondered. ¡°So, George and Lester doubted the results of the first DNA test. That''s why they quietly had another one done. ording to thistest result, you really have no rtion to the Pliskin family?¡± Ashley nodded, swallowing a piece of watermelon. ¡°I was born a Ramos.¡± Joseph objected, ¡°Ashley, those folks from the Ramos family who don¡¯t appreciate you aren¡¯t your family. Associating you with them is an insult!¡± Joseph raised an eyebrow, smiling confidently and carefree, ¡°Anyway, now that you¡¯re married to my brother. From now on, Valentin, me, and my grandpa are your family!¡± Ashley felt warmth and smiled, ¡°Why are you so good with words?¡± ¡°I''m just stating the facts!¡± Joseph lifted his chin and grinned, exuding a confident vibe. 4/4 09:24 ¡°By the way!¡± Joseph suddenly remembered something and asked with vignce, ¡°That guy, Andrew, has he been looking for you lately?¡± ¡°No.¡± Ashley shook her head, surprised. ¡°Why are you concerned about him?¡± ¡°Concerned? I¡¯m just helping my brother guard against his love rivals!¡± Joseph dered with a righteous expression. Ashley thought for a moment. ¡°Fine.¡± Joseph moved closer to Ashley, asking in a hushed tone, ¡°Ashley, what''s going on between you and Andrew? Tell me. | promise not to tell anyone.¡± Ashley looked amused. With Joseph¡¯s gossiping mouth, who would believe that? ¡°| just knew him from before.¡± Ashley didn¡¯t want to dwell on it, giving a simple answer. ¡°Then, when we were in Manditus, what did he want by taking you away? Is he up to no good, nning something malicious?¡± Ashley was also puzzled about that. Andrew imed she had promised him something, but she hadn¡¯t figured out what he meant. ¡°ording to my brother, Andrew took you to a seaside vi?¡± Josephmented, ¡°Hmm, he seems to know how to be romantic.¡± ¡°Romantic?¡± Ashley found it amusing. There¡¯s nothing romantic abou Andrew is actually a bit afraid of water.¡± ¡°Afraid of water?¡± Joseph was surprised. ¡°Really? Someone like him is afraid of water? Is he faking it?¡± Ashley sighed lightly. When she first met Andrew, she learned a bit about his past. Andrew was often abused by his parents when he was a child, with marks of beatings all over his body. On his sixth birthday, he was thrown into a swimming pool by his mother. She held his head down, not letting hime out of the water, forcing him to be submerged. At the brink of drowning, she mercifully grabbed his head, allowing him 09:24 to gasp for air, only to press him back into the water, subjecting him to the fear of imminent drowning repeatedly. During this process, his father stood by, indifferent, even making a phone call to inquire about his illegitimate son. His head was pressed into the water repeatedly, and the cycle continued until the six-year-old Andrew ultimately passed out. Ever since then, he was haunted. Although Andrewter forced himself to face his psychological trauma. and learn to swim, he still didn¡¯t like the feeling of being soaked in water. Andrew also disliked sea, especially when the sunlight shone on it, reminiscent of that swimming pool from his six-year-old memory. Ashley had some understanding of Andrew''s gloomy and entric personality, which was somewhat rted to his childhood experiences. ¡°That¡¯s weird.¡± Joseph scratched his head, puzzled. ¡°He doesn¡¯t like the sea but took you to a seaside vi?¡± Ashley fell silent. Because she liked it. Andrew said she liked the sea, so he took her to a seaside vi. ¡°Oh, forget about him.¡± Ashley grabbed a tissue and wiped her fingers. Anyway, Andrew hadn¡¯t contacted her recently, and she was enjoying the peace. Suddenly, Ashley remembered that the day Andrew took her away was his birthday. On his sixth birthday, he was almost drowned by his mother and hadn¡¯t celebrated his birthday since, feeling that his birth was a kind of sin. When they first met, she seemed to have said something to him. ¡°Andrew, your birth is not a sin. Not at all. ¡°Your birthday for this year has alreadye and gone. If we''re still in touch when your birthday rolls around next time, I''ll celebrate it with you.¡± So, he took her away on his birthday, not letting her go until after 3/4 09:25 Chapter 213 midnight. Ashley pinched her forehead. This was really a twist of fate. Joseph still wanted to say something, but Gavyn hurried in. ¡°Ms. Ramos, Mr. Palmer from StarGavel Auctions is here. He has a painting and would. like you to appraise it.¡± ¡°StarGavel Auctions?¡± Joseph smiled, ¡°Isn¡¯t that our auction house? Last time, Valentin spent 20 million dors on a ne for you. Ashley nodded, thinking of the ne, her heart still fluttering. It was during that auction that she identified some fake paintings for the auction house and was hired on the spot as an appraiser to help them authenticate some challenging artworks. She didn¡¯t want to use her real name then, so she casually took a pseudonym, ¡°Rita Grant.¡± For convenience, she didn¡¯t hide her rtionship with Valentin from Noah. If Noah needed help appraising paintings, he could directlye to Kingsley Vi to find her. Ashley looked at Gavyn, saying gently, ¡°Let Mr. Palmer in.¡± Gavyn nodded. In a short while, Noah walked in with a smiling face, seeing Ashley and Joseph in the living room. He quickly greeted. ¡°Ms. Ramos, Mr. Fox.¡± Chapter 214 Joseph rose from the sofa, asking, ¡°Noah, what painting did you receive again?¡± Noah quickly motioned for his assistant toe forward. The assistant carefully held a box and opened the lid, revealing an ancient painting inside. ¡°Ms. Ramos, sorry for the sudden intrusion.¡± Noah took the painting from his assistant and approached Ashley. ¡°Our auction house¡¯s eight appraisers couldn¡¯t determine its authenticity. So, we brought it to you for a look.¡± Ashley¡¯s grandfather, a former top-tier master inndscape oil painting. created notable works and amassed a collection of renowned artwork Growing up surrounded by paintings, she developed a deep love and profound understanding of oil painting under his guidance. Upon seeing the painting in Noah''s hands, Ashley walked over. It was a masterpiece titled Moon in the Mountains by the artistic genius. Thomas Willis.. The painting exhibited signs of aging, disying a distinguished patina and visible craquelure, and it was on a linen canvas. Joseph clicked his tongue and said, ¡°This painting looks old. If it''s a real deal by Thomas, it must be worth at least 20 million dors.¡± Noah frowned, ¡°In theory, yes, but our appraisers couldn¡¯t confirm its. authenticity. Ms. Ramos, what do you think?¡± Ashley stared at it for a while and shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s fake.¡± ¡°What? Ashley, how did you figure that out so quickly?¡± Joseph was astonished. Ashley smiled slightly as she exined, ¡°Although this painting looks old, you can tell it¡¯s deliberately aged by examining the canvas.¡± ¡°Deliberately aged?¡± Joseph was puzzled.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Ashley nodded, pointing at the center of the painting. ¡°The lines of the mountain peaks here don¡¯t align with Thomas¡¯ typical style of depiction. Also, look at the blue here. It should blend te and azure, but it appears 09-25 lighter than usual, right?¡± Mixing te and azure was basically Thomas¡¯ signature. Ashley analyzed. ¡°This painting is likely a modern imitation deliberately aged using varnishes or zes to simte the effect and give it a slightly yellowed or aged appearance. The imitator did a good job, making it look. authentic.¡± Joseph listened in amazement. ¡°Ashley, you¡¯re amazing! How do yo know all this? | didn¡¯t even realize there was so much expertise involved.¡± Noah felt relieved. ¡°Thank you, Ms. Ramos. With your exnation, | now have a clear understanding.¡± Ashley smiled, ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± Noah expressed a few more courteous words before finally departing with his assistant. Like a curious child, Joseph circled around Ashley. ¡°Ashley, how do you know so much abo painting?¡± ¡°My grandfather used to paint and taught me a lot.¡± ¡°Oh, | see.¡± Joseph marveled internally, grateful that Ashley was adopted. by her grandparents. Otherwise, growing up in an orphanage would have been quite difficult. ¡°Ashley, can you paint too?¡± ¡°A little.¡± Ashley didn¡¯t hide it, responding calmly. Joseph raised his eyebrows. ¡°I don¡¯t believe you.¡± His phone suddenly dinged as Joseph talked, and he received a news. notification. He intended to nce quickly and put the phone away, but the headline caught his eye, freezing his gaze. Ashley noticed his unusual expression and asked, ¡°What''s wrong?¡± Joseph snorted, extremely annoyed, saying, ¡°Why is there so much fake news these days? There¡¯s no way Valentin could be romantically involved with other women!¡± Ashley was puzzled and thought, ¡®What? Valentin? Romantically involved 09:25 with other women?¡± ¡°Ashley, don¡¯t you dare believe it! Valentin is pure and chaste. He has been preserving himself for you! There¡¯s absolutely no way he would be involved with other women!¡± ¡°Preserving himself?¡± Ashley''s lips twitched. ¡°What a mess of words.¡± ¡°Oh, the choice of words isn¡¯t the point! The point is the meaning | want. to convey, you understand, right!¡± ¡°Of course, | understand.¡± Ashley¡¯s bright eyes slightly lifted. ¡°I naturally believe Valentin.¡± Upon hearing Ashley¡¯s words, Joseph instantly felt relieved. Still, he couldn¡¯t help but be curious. ¡°Ashley, you trust Valentin that much?¡± ¡°Nonsense. Who would | trust if | don¡¯t trust him?¡± Ashley spoke with an air of certainty. Joseph was speechless. He was initially concerned that these messy rumors might affect the rtionship between Ashley and Valentin. But it did not affect them, and Joseph was even showered with their affection for each other. ¡°Show me. What exactly is this rumor?¡± Ashley couldn¡¯t help but be curious about the content of this gossip. Chapter 215 Joseph was no longer worried. With a cheerful demeanor, he handed the phone over. ¡°Ashley, since you trust Valentin so much, I''m relieved to show you.¡± Ashley took the phone, nced at the gossip details, and couldn¡¯t help but be surprised. The female lead of the scandal was a woman somewhat resembling her, Cara Ward, a newly emerging female celebrity. Paparazzi had captured Cara dining at a restaurant. As she walked to the entrance, a tall, elegant man came to meet her. Subsequently, the two entered the restaurant together. Due to the angle, the paparazzi couldn¡¯t capture the man¡¯s face clearly, only his back and a blurry profile. In theory, it should be impossible to identify him from such an indistinct. image. However, some curiousizens zoomed in on the photo, carefully examining it for an extended period. Folks, | have a bold guess! Look at the man in the photo. Although the side profile is blurry, isn¡¯t he handsome and somewhat resembling Valentin?] (Valentin, the president of the Kingsley Group? How is that possible? What connection could a small star like Cara have with someone of Valentin¡¯s stature? You''re overthinking!] I¡¯ve looked at it several times, and he really looks like Valentin! Although the paparazzi¡¯s shot is blurry, this man¡¯s height and physique are not ordinary! They are really simr to him!] ¡®Ah, it just hit me! Remember when Valentin was caught on camera with ady at the amusement park? Doesn''t she bear a striking resemnce to Cara?] (Ah, it¡¯sing back to me! Back then, | guessed it might be Ashley, but now it looks like it was actually Cara?] [Oh my, it¡¯s falling into ce! So, Cara and Valentin know each other. They are not only having dinner together, but Valentin even goes out of 09:25 Chapter 215 his way to pick her up at the restaurant entrance!] [Wow, they were seen together at an amusement park before, and now they''re photographed having dinner together. It¡¯s reasonable to specte, could these two be dating?] Under the discussion ofizens, this gossip quickly spread. Aman of Valentin¡¯s stature naturally drew attention when rumors. surfaced, especially considering his reputation for keeping a distance. from women. There were no other scandals besides being seen at an amusement park with ady. Now, manyizens spected that Cara resembled the woman photographed with him at the amusement park. This connection fueled curiosity and gossip amongizens, and the rumor quickly became a hot topic. Seeing Ashley staring at the gossip, Joseph suddenly felt uneasy. He coughed slightly and said, ¡°Ashley, please don¡¯t jump to conclusions! The photos taken by the paparazzi are so unclear, and the height and physique of the man in the photo...¡± Joseph hesitated and thought, ¡®Well, the height really resembles Valentin... Damn, what''s going on!¡¯ Ashley heard him stop halfway. She looked at him with a slight frown. ¡°Continue. What about the height and physique?¡± Under her gaze, Joseph felt his heart skip a beat and hurriedly exined ¡°Ashley, please don¡¯t overthink it! I''ll call Valentin now and let him exin to you in person!¡± He thought, ¡®Bro, you need to handle your wife yourself!¡± Joseph was about to dial the number, but Ashley stopped him with a calm expression. ¡°No need to call.¡± Hearing this, Joseph''s heart instantly sank halfway. ¡°Ashley, please! Even if you don¡¯t trust Valentin, give him a chance to exin. Don¡¯t jump to conclusions!¡± ¡°That is no need.¡± Joseph felt discouraged, his tearful eyes pleading. ¡°Ashley, why not! You should at least give him a chance to exin the situation!¡± 09:25 ¡°No need. You don¡¯t have to call...¡± Ashley didn¡¯t finish her sentence. ¡°| won''t listen to you!¡± Joseph covered his ears, shaking his head vigorously, full of grievances. ¡°I¡¯m going to call Valentin! Ashley, you must listen to his exnation!¡±All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Ashley was momentarily speechless. Her eyelids twitched fiercely, and she retorted, ¡°Joseph, what are you doing? Don¡¯t overanalyze things! Stop being so dramatic!¡± Joseph blinked and put down his hands from his ears. ¡°I was just anxious. You seemed so disheartened that you didn¡¯t even want to hear Valentin¡¯s exnation.¡± ¡°When did | appear disheartened?¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you let me call Valentin then? You clearly want to send him to the sidelines! You don¡¯t even want to hear his exnation!¡± What? Ashley¡¯s temple twitched momentarily, and she rubbed her forehead helplessly. ¡°What | meant is, there¡¯s no need to call Valentin. | can tell the man in the photo isn¡¯t him.¡± Joseph was relieved, and he let out a long breath. ¡°You scared me! | thought you... Wait, you recognized that the man in the photo isn¡¯t Valentin?¡± Ashley nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± Joseph widened his eyes in astonishment. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it! The photo didn¡¯t even capture his face, and the side profile was blurry. How did you recognize him?¡± Ashley blurted out, ¡°Valentin has a better physique than the man in the photo, and his temperament is much better.¡± Joseph blinked, then suddenly smirked. ¡°Ashley, you know so much about Valentin¡¯s physique.¡± Ashley retorted, ¡°What? The key is the second half! The temperament!¡± ¡°Got it, got it.¡± Joseph brushed aside the second part, zeroing in on the first with a yful chuckle. ¡°So you''re quite familiar with Valentin¡¯s physique. Now | can breathe easy!¡± Ashley was rendered wordless again and thought, ¡®Why is he still fixated on physique?¡¯ 09:25 Suddenly, Joseph leaned in and said mysteriously, ¡°Ashley,st time Valentin recognized you as Attelia based on your back in that photo. You two really have great chemistry!¡± Ashley was slightly startled. ¡°Really? That''s how he knew I¡¯m Attelia?¡± Joseph nodded enthusiastically. ¡°Yes, yes! | was shocked at the time. With just a nce at that back shot, Valentin recognized you. You two must like each other a lot to have such understanding!¡± Asubtle blush graced Ashley¡¯s earlobes as she learned about it. At this moment, Joseph¡¯s phone received another news notification. Clicking on it, he saw a Twitter post from Cara. [I had dinner with a friend, and for some reason, we were captured by the paparazzi. | hope everyone refrains from specting. The man in the photo is just my friend, not Mr. Kingsley. It¡¯s genuinely not him. Also, today, | had the pleasure of meeting a highly esteemed master of cultural relic restoration whom | greatly admire, and | even took a photo with him!] Below was a picture of Cara and the cultural relic restoration master. Netizens were closely following this. They immediately gathered to watch after learning that Cara had posted on Twitter. [It''s not Valentin. ..] [Oh wow, Cara cleared things up so swiftly! No desire for attention at all! If it were someone else, they would have surely let the spection about. Mr. Kingsley linger a bit longer!] [Honestly, | think Valentin and Cara are quite a match with good looks. and height, especially because Cara is so well-behaved. Who wouldn''t adore such a girl?] [A photo with the cultural relic restoration master? Does Cara have knowledge of relic restoration? She seems so elegant and talented!] Joseph saw thement about Valentin and Cara being a good match and couldn¡¯t help but feel speechless. He thought, ¡®Open your eyes and look closely. Where¡¯s the match? The only perfect match for Valentin is Ashley!¡¯ Ashley nced over and saw the photo of Cara with the cultural relic 09:25 restoration master. She was stunned. The man posing with Cara was actually Charlie. Chapter 216 Joseph nced at the photo and clicked his tongue. ¡°Isn¡¯t this Charlie?¡± Charlie was Ashley¡¯s second brother. Joseph was surprised that Cara knew him. Ashley took a quick look and expressionlessly averted her gaze. ¡°Ashley, are you okay?¡± Joseph observed her expression and cautiously inquired. Ashley chuckled softly, ¡°I¡¯m not that fragile. Don¡¯t worry about me. I¡¯m fine.¡± If it always weighed on her heart whenever she encountered someone from the Ramos family, she was simply looking for trouble for herself. ¡°That¡¯s good!¡± Joseph patted his chest. Just as he was about to say. something, he suddenly saw Valentin hastily walking into the living. room, even running to Ashley without caring about his image. Joseph was stunned. ¡°Valentin, why are you in such a hurry? What happened?¡± Valentin swiftly reached Ashley before she could react. Seeing the phone in her hand, his brows furrowed, a rare hint of panic in his eyes, and his voice low. ¡°It¡¯s fake, it¡¯s not me.¡± After a moment of contemtion, Ashley understood.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. He was exining that the rumor had nothing to do with him and that the man in the photo wasn¡¯t him. ¡°| know.¡± Ashley blinked her beautiful eyes and spoke softly. ¡°I know it¡¯s not you.¡± Upon hearing her words, Valentin¡¯s expression eased a bit, relieved that she didn¡¯t misunderstand. Suddenly, Joseph burst intoughter. ¡°Why are youughing?¡± Ashley looked at him, puzzled. ¡°Ashley.¡± Josephughed meaningfully. ¡°Except for when Andrew took you away, Valentin has never been in such a hurry. He¡¯s afraid of being misunderstood by you. All his urgency is rted to you.¡± 09:25 Ashley was at a loss for words. She did see Valentin running just now. It was scarce! Her heart skipped a beat, and she pressed her rosy lips. ¡°You don¡¯t need to be in such a hurry. | know it¡¯s not you.¡± ¡°Yeah, Valentin!¡± Joseph grinned, reliving the moment. ¡°Ashley recognized it wasn¡¯t you right away and even threw in a compliment about your killer physique!¡± Ashley was speechless. She red threateningly at Joseph. Looking confused, Joseph scratched his head. ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything wrong. You just said Valentin has a good physique!¡± Ashley really wanted to hit him now. Turning her head, she met Valentin¡¯s teasing gaze. Ashley clenched her fist and red at Joseph again. Seeing Ashley about to lose her temper, Joseph immediately bolted. ¡°Well, it¡¯s gettingte. | have to hurry home! No need to see me off, not need to see me off!¡± As his voice faded away, he disappeared in seconds. Now, only Ashley and Valentin were in the living room. She remembered his flustered appearance and cleared her throat. ¡°You don¡¯t need to be in such a hurry, and Cara just rified the rumors on Twitter.¡± Valentin loosened his tie, his voice low and attractive. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to misunderstand.¡± When he saw this rumor at the office, he immediately dropped his work and rushed back, not wanting Ashley to think he had rtions with other women. ¡°When did you see it?¡± he asked. ¡°About half an hour ago,¡± Ashley walked to the sofa and sat down, casually answering, ¡°Joseph said he saw rumors about you online, so | took a look.¡± 09:25 Chapter 216 The man walked to her, bending down slightly, one hand supporting the sofa beside her. His eyes stared at her without blinking. ¡°Seeing rumors about me, did you feel...even a bit jealous?¡± Chapter 217 Valentin suddenly leaned closer to Ashley. Her eyshes quivered, and her eyes filled with tears. ¡°I recognized it''s not you in the photo, so there is no need for me to be jealous.¡± ¡°And before you recognize it?¡± Valentin stared into her eyes and asked. Ashley thought about it for a moment. When she first heard about Valentin¡¯s scandal with someone else, she indeed felt confused, but she didn¡¯t be suspicious of him. ¡°| believe you.¡± Ashley raised her hand and patted him on the shoulder. She even nodded solemnly with sincere eyes. She thought Valentin would be impressed by the answer. After all, everyone wanted to be trusted. As aresult, Valentin nced leisurely at her hand patting his shoulder, then looked at her face and said meaningfully, ¡°But | hope you discipline me.¡± Ashley choked on his words. She asked nkly all of a sudden, ¡°What should | do?¡± Valentin raised his eyebrows and said in a flirty tone that sounded like joking, but he looked very serious. ¡°I want at least five checking calls a day.¡± Ashley was shocked by his words. ¡°Five phone calls? You''ve gone too far. Do | have to check you for hickeys or hair?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± he answered without any hesitation, even looking forward to it. Ashley couldn¡¯t utter a word to reply. Valentin suddenly leaned down, put his hands under her armpits, and picked her up face to face. Ashley was picked up by him with a sudden startle. She subconsciously wrapped around his neck with both hands. ¡°What are you doing?¡± After speaking, she distinctly felt Valentin pull her legs apart and loop them around his waist. He said leisurely, ¡°Upstairs, so you can check me for hickeys.¡± 09:25 ¡°| won''t check you. Just put me down.¡± She found the embrace ambiguous. Her legs were wrapped around his waist, hanging on him like a ko. Valentin didn¡¯t let go. He just held Ashley in his arms and walked upstairs. At this time, Gavyn led several servants from outside into the living room to clean up. When they noticed Valentin and Ashley, they suddenly dropped their heads. Ashley immediately felt awkward and shy. She struggled in Valentin¡¯s arms andined in a low voice, ¡°Put me down. Hurry up!¡± Her struggle fueled Valentin even more. He suddenly stopped and raised his hand to p her on the butt. ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± Ashley was startled and blushed all of a sudden. She suddenly felt numb, didn¡¯t dare to struggle anymore, and buried her whole face in Valentin¡¯s shoulder in embarrassment. Valentin nced sidelong and found Ashley shyly buried her face in his neck. Her soft long hair fell down, causing strands of itching on his neck. He couldn''t help but chuckle, ¡°How lovable you are, Ashley!¡± Ashley gritted her teeth in anger and then bit him on the shoulder. Valentin seemed to feel no pain. He nced at her casually and continued to carry her upstairs. ¡°Whatever. If you want to bite me, go ahead.¡± Hearing this, Ashley felt unmoved but bit him again harder. Valentin raised his eyebrows slightly and spoke slowly with a casual and indulgent tone. ¡°You''d better bite a tooth mark that matches the one on my wrist.¡± Hearing this, Ashley stopped biting. She blinked and looked up in realization. She had just buried her face in Valentin¡¯s neck, so a few strands of hair stuck to the side of her face in a mess. She suddenly realized Valentin¡¯s intention. 09:25 ¡°Did you deliberately keep the scar from the tooth mark | bit on your wrist when | was a child?¡± She had her suspicions before, and if Valentin had applied scar cream, the toothmark couldn¡¯t have remained until now. Valentin looked distressed and replied, ¡°You hated me but loved Kevin so much. You even broke up with me over him. | found myself annoying and had to sneak one mark about you. Ashley couldn''t utter a word to reply. ¡°Watch yournguage.¡± Valentin couldn''t help but chuckle and just carried her to the bedroom. door on the second floor. He stopped and looked at her with sincere eyes. Ashley buried her face in his neck just now, and beads of sweat appeared on her forehead. The red circles of her eyes showed her to be particrly charming and attracted Valentin all the time. Valentin lowered his head, gently rubbed her cheek with the tip of his nose, and his low but serious voice sounded. ¡°Yeah, | left your bite mark on purpose.¡± Ashley could hear his sexy voice and sense his hot breath. Her heart suddenly skipped a beat, and she felt touched with her fingertips curled up slightly. She raised her head and met Valentin¡¯s soulful eyes. For a moment, she absorbed in his tenderness and couldn''t extricate herself. At this time, the atmosphere between them was extremely ambiguous. Valentin¡¯s maic voice sounded in the quiet atmosphere. ¡°Do you want to check my hickey right now?¡± Ashley blinked several times before catching a glimpse of them at the bedroom door. She immediately jumped off Valentin, turned quickly, and ran into the bedroom. Then, she mmed the door and locked it from the inside. Valentin, who was locked out, felt helpless. 09:25Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. He twisted the handle but couldn''t open the door. He then took out his phone and sent her a message. [Why did you run away? Open up!] In the room, Ashley sat before the dressing table and looked at herself in the mirror. She found herself blushing due to shyness, and she couldn¡¯t help but raise her hands to pat her cheeks. Then, her phone rang, and she got a message from Valentin. Ashley snorted arrogantly and didn¡¯t intend to open the door. Valentin sent another message within a few seconds. [Ashley?] Ashley still didn¡¯t open the door. She didn¡¯t want to check for hickeys. After a while, there was another message from Valentin. [If you don¡¯t open the door, you will suffer a lotter.] Ashley got angry. How dare he threaten her? She expected Valentin¡¯s next move then. In less than two minutes, Valentin opened the door with the spare key. Ashley sighed helplessly, and she even forgot the spare key. ¡°Well, since you just came back from thepany, are you tired now? Have you had dinner? Do you want something to eat?¡± Ashley quickly changed the subject. Valentin stepped up to her and smiled meaningfully, showing a sense of danger, ¡°How dare you shut me out, Ashley?¡± Ashley noticed his emotions and decided topromise now. She smiled sweetly, ¡°Are you hungry, Valentin? How about | cook something for you myself?¡± Valentin fell into silence. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you talking? Are you sick of my cooking?¡± Valentin raised his hand helplessly and pinched his eyebrows. Then, he turned around and walked to the bed to sit down. 09:25 Ashley followed closely, blinking at him with fluttering eyshes. ¡°Are you really angry? | didn¡¯t mean to shut you out just now.¡± Before she could finish speaking, Valentin suddenly took her wrist. When he pressed, she was pulled into hisp. Ashley blushed again. Valentin put his arm around her waist and said indistinctly, ¡°Well, I¡¯m really angry.¡± ¡°Then you...¡± ¡°Hence,¡± Valentin interrupted her and approached her closer. ¡°Kiss me and calm my nerves.¡± Chapter 218 Ashley¡¯s eyes suddenly widened in shock. How could she take the initiative to kiss him? ¡°Nope.¡± Ashley blushed and turned away. ¡°Really?¡± Valentin raised his eyebrows slightly and pinched her waist. several times on purpose. Ashley was particrly ticklish on that spot and immediately wriggled out. ¡°Sorry, sorry, my fault. Stop it!¡± She realized she had been wrong to shut him out. Ashley made up her mind, licked her lips, and took a deep breath. Then, she leaned over, kissed Valentin on the cheek, and hurriedly backed away. ¡°Well, | did it.¡± But Valentin smiled meaningfully. He lowered his head, and his sexy chuckle sounded. ¡°| want you to kiss my lips, not my cheek.¡± Hearing this, Ashley blushed all of a sudden. Valentin stared at her, who widened her eyes in shock, grinned, and pinched her chin with his fingers. ¡°Kiss me.¡± She was drowning in his husky and maic voice and couldn''t help it. His voice captivated her, and she felt nervous. Ashley clenched Valentin¡¯s white shirt tightly as if there was a stumbling deer in his chest. Her finely curled eyshes trembled slightly, with heart thumping. Just when she hesitated and wanted to retreat, Valentin suddenly raised his hand, grabbed the back of her head, and lowered his head to kiss her directly. Ashley was stunned for a moment. The next moment, she felt Valentin¡¯s sweet breath.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. The flirtatious and lingering kiss drained Ashley of her strength. 09:25 Shey limp in Valentin¡¯s arms, her mind nk, and could only ept his kiss. After a long time, Valentin hugged Ashley''s waist with one hand and sped the back of her head with the other hand. Then, he reluctantly stepped away and gently bit Ashley¡¯s juicy lips. Ashley felt as if she couldn¡¯t breathe, and her eyes filled with tears. The end of her eyes was flushed, and her sights looked extremely charming. Feeling dizzy and weak, she leaned on Valentin as a support. Valentin enjoyed herpliance. He kissed her eyebrows, the tip of her nose, and her lips gently as if to kiss her all over. ¡°It''s a bit itchy.¡± Ashley tilted her head and avoided his lingering kiss. Valentin chuckled and hugged her hard. He stared at her obsessively and lowered his voice. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. | just love you so much.¡± Ashley was touched, and she looked at him in confusion. ¡°Why do you love me?¡± He naturally asked back, ¡°Why don¡¯t | love you?¡± Judging by his tone, he treated his affection toward Ashley as a matter of course. Ashley said, ¡°I¡¯m serious with you.¡± Valentin replied, ¡°So did I.¡± Ashley choked on his words. She couldn''t utter a word to refute. ¡°By the way, Cara, who had an affair with you today, me.¡± Ashley suddenly remembered this coincidence. ooks a little like ¡°| didn¡¯t pay attention to it.¡± After he found out he was involved in a scandal, he immediately dropped his business for fear of being misunderstood by Ashley. He didn¡¯t care about Cara¡¯s identity. Ashley took out her phone and found Cara¡¯s photo. ¡°Take a look.¡± Valentin nced at it casually. ¡°She is not as pretty as you.¡± 09:25 Ashley said, ¡°I¡¯m not asking you topare her to me.¡± Valentin replied, ¡°A little bit, with few simrities.¡± Ashley flipped through a few more photos. Cara grew up in an orphanage, and Ashley wondered if she had something to do with the Pliskin family. But she didn¡¯t expect Cara to cross paths with Charlie. Valentin frowned slightly. He discovered his name would be linked to any online search because of the scandal with Cara. He immediately got furious and called Tom to deal with the online. gossip. ¡°Well, Mr. Kingsley. | got it.¡± Tom understood Valentin¡¯s mind and even advised, ¡°I''ll have your name associated with Ms. Ramos.¡± Valentin said, ¡°Well.¡± He only wanted to be associated with Ashley, not anyone else. Hearing this conversation, Ashley found Valentin¡¯s behavior ridiculous. Ashley immediately said to Tom on the other end of the phone, ¡°Just deal with your business. Don¡¯t involve me in it.¡± Tom was stunned for a moment and greeted. ¡°Hello, Ms. Ramos.¡± He then realized Ashley had stayed with Valentin. It meant the scandal hadn''t affected the rtionship between Valentin and Ashley. Valentin¡¯s mood was always affected by Ashley. If Ashley felt displeased, Valentin would be in a bad mood, either. In that case, Tom and other colleagues would fall into panic. Early the next morning, Joseph came over cheerfully. ¡°Good morning, Valentin and Ashley.¡± Ashley still sat at the dining table, having breakfast. Valentin expertly picked up a shrimp and fed it to her. Ashley felt awkward and refused to have it at first, but she noticed 09:25 Valentin kept the move and didn¡¯t withdraw his hand. Ashley had no choice but to take it in one bite. ¡°Ouch! What do you mean by it?¡± Joseph pretended to cover his eyes but peeked through his fingers. Ashley swallowed the food and said, ¡°Why are you here so early? We haven''t even finished breakfast.¡± Joseph directly sat down at the dining table. ¡°I came to join you for breakfast. Can you feed me a shrimp, Valentin?¡± Then, Valentin nced at Joseph coldly. Joseph had already guessed the result. But he enjoyed teasing Valentin. After breakfast, Joseph proposed excitedly, ¡°Valentin is off this weekend. Why not we go for an outing together, Ashley?¡± Ashley replied, ¡°How childish you are! | can¡¯t believe you like outings.¡± ¡°Do you want to go, Ashley?¡± Joseph asked. ¡°Nope.¡± ¡°What about you, Valentin?¡± Joseph asked again. ¡°Nope.¡± Joseph nodded understandingly. If Ashley refused, it was impossible Valentin to agree with it. Ashley chatted with Joseph for a while and then got a call from Noah of StarGavel Auctions. Joseph noticed the caller and basically guessed Noah¡¯s purpose. He hurriedly asked Ashley to turn on the speakerphone. ¡°I''m sorry to bother you so early, Ms. Ramos.¡± Ashley replied, ¡°Never mind. Go ahead, please.¡± ¡°Well, Ms. Ramos.¡± Noah said excitedly. ¡°Today, a client brought in a painting for me to auction, and | found it was a painting named Territory from contemporary artist Aurora Easel. 09:25 ¡®Aurora¡¯s painting has been sought after by many people, who are willing to pay a high price for it, and if it can be sessfully auctioned, we''ll surely make a handsomemission. I''d like to take Territory for your inspection if you¡¯re free now. Are you avable?¡± ¡®No need.¡± Ashley smiled and replied, ¡°Your Territory is a fake.¡± Noah was stunned. ¡°How can you tell it¡¯s fake when you haven''t appraised it, Ms. Ramos?¡± Joseph also felt confused. He didn¡¯t expect Ashley to authenticate it without an observation. After a while, Ashley said, ¡°The original Territory is in my house.¡± Joseph choked on her words in shock. Noah was surprised and expressed his gratitude. After Ashley hung up the phone, Joseph immediately turned to look at Valentin. ¡°Where is the original painting? Is it in the study?¡± Valentin grinned, raised his chin slightly, and gestured in Ashley¡¯s direction. ¡°In the ce where her grandparents used to live.¡± ¡°It''s in Ashley''s former house.¡± Joseph turned to look at Ashley and said excitedly, ¡°Aurora is very mysterious. She only paints and never shows her face. Did you meet her when you bought the painting, Ashley?¡± Ashley blinked and said nothing. Joseph looked at Valentin again. ¡°Since you know where Aurora¡¯s painti is, were you there when Ashley bought it? Have you met Aurora?¡± Valentin sat on the couch with a casual attitude. ¡°What do you say?¡± Joseph scratched his head in confusion, and suddenly, a bold guess came to his mind. He turned to look at Ashley dumbfounded. ¡°Is the artist Aurora you, Ashley?¡± Chapter 219 Before Ashley could speak, Joseph said firmly, ¡°It must be you! | asked. you yesterday if you could paint, and you admitted. But I''ve always suspected you have been hiding your abilities. You¡¯re Aurora, aren¡¯t you?¡± He found out he had underestimated her before. Ashley no longer hid it and nodded calmly. ¡°Yeah.¡± Joseph even stood up in excitement. ¡°How awesome you are, Ashley! Even if | had no idea aboutndscape oil painting, | had heard the name. Aurora. Many people thought she was an elder with high artistic attainments, but | didn¡¯t expect you to be so young.¡± Joseph kept talking excitedly, ¡°How close our rtionship is! | wonder if you could paint a picture for me when you''re free. I''ll frame it and hang. it in my home to cultivate my artistic temperament.¡± Then, he turned to look at Valentin. ¡°Please intercede for me, Valentin. | want a painting from Ashley.¡± Valentin directly refused. ¡°Don¡¯t overwork Ashley.¡± Ashley shrugged helplessly. Joseph found Valentin partial toward Ashley. He just asked for a painting but was targeted by Valentin.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Ashley coughed lightly. ¡°Actually, I¡¯m not tired. What do you want?¡± Joseph immediately raised his hand like a well-behaved child. ¡°I want a painting of a starry sky. Every star should be extra bright. In that case, my mood will be better when | enjoy it.¡± Ashley replied, ¡°Okay, great idea.¡± ¡°You''re a peach, Ashley. | can¡¯t believe you don¡¯t think my idea is naive.¡± Joseph was moved to tears. Ashley nced at him. ¡°Just a bit naive.¡± Joseph choked on her words and couldn¡¯te back to his senses. Ashley¡¯s attitude toward him distressed him. Joseph nced at Valentin and found him staring at Ashley all the time. 09:250 Then, he nced at Ashley again. He felt like he had interrupted their time together. Hence, Joseph quickly ran away without looking back in order to leave. there. Ashley blinked nkly, looked at Valentin on the couch, and asked, ¡°What is he here for? Just for breakfast?¡± Valentin raised his eyebrows and replied, ¡°He got a painting of yours.¡± At that point, Ashley walked up to him andined in a low voice, ¡°You just talked nonsense again. A painting doesn¡¯t burden me with anything.¡± Valentin said, ¡°Il don¡¯t want you to paint for him.¡± Ashley asked, ¡°Why?¡± ¡°You haven''t even painted for me,¡± Valentin replied. Ashley refuted, ¡°Nonsense! I¡¯ve painted it for you before.¡± ¡°Yeah, you drew me a dog.¡± Valentin raised his eyebrows, looking at her leisurely. Before Ashley could reply, her phone suddenly rang, and it was called by a strange number. When she got a strange call now, she became wary and suspected the cal hade from anyone in the Ramos family. But if she didn¡¯t answer the call, what if someone else called for urgent. business? Ashley thought for a while and then simply answered it. ¡°Hello?¡± After speaking, Ashley waited for the one on the phone to reply. However, she could only hear the faint sound of breathing but no words. Ashley frowned. She suspected it was Frankie calling. She looked indifferent and directly hung up. 09:25 Valentin noticed her reaction and figured out the situation. He said in a low ¡®Is it Frankie calling?¡± Voice ¡°He is out out of his mind. He always called me from different numbers, but he never talked when | picked up the calls.¡± Ashley, indeed, couldn''t understand his mind. Valentin raised his hand and pulled her to sit down on the couch. ¡°I''ll help you find out his location now.¡± ¡°There is no need to investigate him. | don¡¯t care about it.¡± Ashley showed no interest in Frankie¡¯s whereabouts at all, nor did she care about his behavior. After all, she had nothing to do with the Ramos family now. Suddenly, the cell phone rang again. Ashley thought it was Frankie on the phone again, and when she intended to hang up, she nced over and realized it was Laura. ¡°Laura,¡± Ashley answered the call and greeted energetically. Laura had always been serious, but when she heard this energetic voice, she was moved toughter. ¡°You''re invited to participate in a variety show recently held by the Traditional Culture Association of our country, which aims to announce the traditional culture through the influence of celebrities.¡± ¡°Traditional culture? It is neat. I''m interested in it.¡± ¡°Well, I''ve sent the recording process to your email. You can check itter.¡± Laura added, ¡°Bryce has been invited to participate either. The recording time will be three dayster. However, | heard Charlie was also invited.¡± As a well-known restorer of cultural relics, Charlie would be on a show like it as an authority. Ashley replied calmly, ¡°Never mind, Laura. He won''t affect me.¡± ¡°Well, by the way, have you noticed a new celebrity named Cara?¡± ¡°Yeah, what''s wrong?¡± Ashley asked. ¡°She looks a bit simr to you. Theizens now treat her the way they treat you. We''ll just sit back and wait for the poprity to fade.¡± 09:25 Ashley didn¡¯t like to bepared. ¡°Well, Laura. | got it.¡± Ashley chatted with Laura for a while before hanging up the phone. In the afternoon, Ashley found her ount had been added to a WhatsApp group by Miranda. There were only three in the group, who were Ashley, Miranda, and Bryce. Bryce asked: [What do you mean by it?] Miranda replied: [We can chat in this group then.] Bryce didn¡¯t reply. Miranda asked: [Is Ashley online?] Ashley replied: [Yep.] Miranda continued: [Check out Twitter. Cara has just responded to theparison to you.] Ashley was surprised for a moment. She clicked on Twitter and found Cara¡¯s post. [Il indeed hold respect and affection for Ashley. Maybe fate mak ne have something inmon with her.] [But | am what | am. I¡¯m not someone else, and | don¡¯t want to [I hope that you will notpare me to Ashley in the future, wh also disrespectful to Ashley. Thank you for your attention, and let show you an oilndscape painting of mine as a little present.] Cara posted andscape oil painting. Theizens read this response and instantly became her fans. [Cara said she was unique in the world. How awesome she is!] She even considered the disrespect toward Ashley. How gentle Cara is! | indeed admire her.] How beautiful the painting is! This shows the high standard of Cara¡¯s painting.] 09:26 | read about Cara. She graduated from a prestigious university and specialized in many art forms. She is pretty and talented, with a gentle personality.] Let¡¯s notpare Cara with Ashley in the future. Cara is not worse than Ashley. It is indeed disrespectful to others.] Ashley nced at it casually and found Cara¡¯s painting to be of high quality with a solid foundation. In the group, Miranda typed and sent a message. [There¡¯s been a lot of attention on Carately. You stayed with her from the airport that day. Did you pay attention to her, Bryce?] Bryce replied: [I don¡¯t have to pay attention to her.] Miranda typed. [So did I. | am still keen on Ashley.] Ashley couldn''t help but smile and sent her a sticker. Bryce added: [By the way, don¡¯t bete for the variety show in three days, Ashley.] Ashley replied: [Don¡¯t worry. | will definitely not bete.] Three dayster, Ashley and Bryce went to the variety show recording site together to participate in it. After arriving at the scene, the staff led them to the guest lounge first. Ashley pushed the door open and walked into the lounge. Then, she immediately noticed Charlie and Cara chatting with each other. Ashley met Cara at this moment, and she subconsciously observed her appearance for a while. Ashley then realized Cara¡¯s features were simr to hers. Chapter 220 As soon as Ashley walked into the lounge, Charlie noticed her. He looked at Ashley calmly, moved his lips, and then finally fell into silence. Sensing Charlie¡¯s gaze, Cara looked towards the door of the lounge and found Ashley and Bryceing in. Cara was stunned for a moment, and then she smiled gently and generously, ¡°Ashley, Bryce.¡± Bryce frowned and replied indifferently, ¡°I¡¯m not familiar with you.¡± Bryce had always been rebellious, and many people knew his character. But anyone would get awkward by his frank words. However, Cara still smiled gently, ¡°No offense.¡± Bryce ignored her and nced at Ashley. He slightly raised his chin and gestured forward. ¡°Let¡¯s go sit over there.¡± They went to the left chairs and sat down. Cara stared at Ashley¡¯s graceful figure with mixed emotions in her eyes. Her sights stayed on Ashley for several seconds before looking away. The lounge was quiet, so the sound of Cara talking to Charlie was noticeable. Ashley could hear it clearly. She didn¡¯t expect Cara to be familiar with Charlie. But it had nothing to do with her. After a while, Haton poked his head and pushed open the door. He looked handsome and young, with full of innocence in his eyes, which made him lovely. He pushed the door open and came in. When he saw Ashley¡¯s direction. clearly, he cheered up with joy and immediately ran over. ¡°Hello, Ashley. I¡¯m Haton Lance. | like you very much, and | am a fan of yours.¡± Haton stretched out his hand. He looked young and shy, and his ears even slightly blushed. 09:261 Ashley was shocked by the enthusiasm. She smiled slightly and reached out to shake his hand. ¡°Thanks for your fond.¡± Haton felt excited to shake hands with Ashley, and he couldn¡¯t speak coherently. He raised his other hand and scratched his head naively. ¡°Don¡¯t mention it, Ashley. | am your biggest fan.¡± Bryce, on the side, nced at him.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Haton hurriedly greeted him. ¡°Hello, Bryce. Your newlyunched song is so beautiful. It is worthy of Ash¡¯s melody. How awesome Ashley is!¡± Bryce was speechless. He thought Hatonplimented him, but Haton steered the subject back to Ashley. Haton deserved to be Ashley¡¯s die-hard fan. Only then did Haton notice Charlie and Cara in the lounge. He greeted them politely and then sat next to Ashley excitedly and nervously. He wanted to look at Ashley but was afraid to do it directly, so he finally stared at Ashley secretly. He finally had the chance to get up close with Ashley. Haton felt nervous, and his heart beat faster. He wondered if he could get an autograph from Ashley, hug her, and take a photo with her. At ten in the morning, the program officially started and was broadcast live. Except for Charlie, the other four guests were all celebrities. Fans in the livestream room had been impatiently looking forward to their idol¡¯s appearance. When the program officially started and the livestream broadcasted, fans began to extol their favorite celebrities. Although Cara was a neer who had just debuted, her character had attracted many fans recently. Earlier,izenspared her to Ashley, so viewers paid extra attention to her. 09:26 [Look! Ashley and Cara are on stage together. Cara¡¯s features are simr to Ashley''s, but Ashley is prettier.) [Actually, Ashley¡¯s features are wless, | admire her appearance.] [Her looks are not worth showing off, and it means nothing. | prefer Cara. How gentle she is!] [I am fond of Cara either.] Verv When the host introduced Charlie,izens respected him much. As a cultural relic restorer, he made great contributions to the protection of cultural relics. However, someone found out about Charlie¡¯s background and felt shocked. [Damn it! Charlie is Ashley¡¯s brother. They bothe from the Ramos family.] [Well, Cara posted a picture of her and a cultural relic restorer the other day. Is that Charlie? They seem to have a close rtionship.] [I heard Charlie never abused Ashley, and Cara is willing to be friends with him, which proves his gentle character.] [Since he is a friend of Cara, | choose to believe him. | won¡¯t question the integrity of Cara¡¯s friend.] [I agree with it.] After introducing the guests, the host made an opening statement. After all, this program mainly promoted traditional culture, so each guest would exin relevant knowledge to the audience. Ashley told interesting anecdotes about ssical dance. At the mention of ssical dance, the audience recalled thepetition named Show Your Dance that Ashley once participated in. A grand jet¨¦ she performed in the final was particrly impressive. Bryce talked about chess, which he had studied under the pressure of his parents in childhood. When it was Cara¡¯s turn, she smiled gracefully, ¡°| am good atndscape oil painting, and my favorite is Van Gogh¡¯s Sunflowers.¡± 09:26 Chapter 220 Cara had posted her painting on Twitter before, andizens all praised it. When she said she was good atndscape oil painting now, she gained the praise ofizens again. When it was Haton¡¯s turn, he touched his hair and smiled shyly, ¡°I can y cymbals.¡± Hearing this,izens immediately burst intoughter. The host specially prepared cymbals for Haton and had him y on the spot. Netizens still keptughing. After all, they had never witnessed a handsome celebrity y cymbals, which looked novel and contrasting. Butizens couldn''tugh any more after a while. [This performance woke me up.] [I almost cheered up by the sound of cymbals.] [Cymbals deserve to be our country¡¯s ssical instrument.] After Haton finished ying, he looked specifically in Ashley¡¯s direction with expectation in his eyes, as if he looked forward to Ashley¡¯s approval. Ashley didn¡¯t expect him to look toward her. She was stunned for a moment and immediately apuded. ¡°You yed it very well. | can tell you¡¯ve been studying it for years.¡± Hearing Ashley''spliment, Haton¡¯s ears blushed, and he almost stuttered in excitement. ¡°Thank...thank you, Ashley.¡± Netizens in the livestream room immediately sensed the unusual. [What''s going on? Is Haton a fan of Ashley? Does he like Ashley?] [How normal it is! | am also a fan of Ashley.] [How shy Haton is! Ashleyplimented him, and he blushed. | indeed like the way they get along.] At the show, Cara watched the interaction between Ashley and Haton, and then she stared at Ashley withplex emotions in her eyes. She looked at Ashley for a long time before looking away. Cara clenched her fingers and recited Ashley¡¯s name in her mind. When she faced the camera, she gave a gentle smile again. Chapter 221 Chapter 221 After Haton yed cymbals, the host continued with the next session. ¡°Dear audience and guests, we''ll y a game now. ¡°Our team received some antiquities. Some of them are real and the rest. are fake. Now we''ll put them on disy, and for those that are real, we''ll donate them to the National Museum for free.¡± Hearing this, several guests apuded Then, the staff presented those items to the stage. The host went to the far left first and took out an ancient framed painting. was The host introduced, ¡°This is the painting named Frameless, drawn by the famous ancient painter Rembrandt van Rijn. But the painting passed around too long and not well preserved. The lower right corner was soaked with water.¡± In the lower right corner of the painting, there was a mark where the ink had been smudged, which destroyed the beauty of the entire painting. The host looked in the direction of Cara and asked with a smile, ¡°Cara, since you are an expert atndscape oil painting, is this painting authentic or fake?¡± Cara walked to the painting, looked at it carefully for a few minutes, picked up the microphone, and replied, ¡°The Frameless should be a fake.¡± Netizens in the livestream room were instantly stunned. [Damn it! A fake? How could she tell it?] [Why do | feel like it¡¯s real?] Then, the host looked in Ashley¡¯s direction. ¡°How do you think it, Ashley?¡± Ashley nodded. ¡°It¡¯s a fake.¡± [Howe Ashley repeats Cara¡¯s words?] [Ashley jumped to conclusions without even walking over to observe it. How hasty it is!] 115 09:02 [Take it easy. As a renowned restorer, Charlie could tell the difference.] As expected, the host looked at Charlie next to him and asked, ¡°Mr. Ramos, you have restored many cultural relics, including some ancient paintings. Can you help us identify the authenticity of this painting on the spot?¡± Charlie stared at the painting for a few seconds, then raised the microphone. ¡°This painting is a fake.¡± Hearing this answer, the host was surprised for a moment. The program had asked professionals to identify it in advance, and the host had already got the result. It was normal for Charlie to tell it, but he didn¡¯t expect Cara and Ashley to authenticate it. The host immediately looked at Cara, who was the first to identify the fake, and asked curiously, ¡°How did you identify it, Cara?¡± Cara smiled softly and elegantly, ¡°I am good atndscape oil painting and have a certain understanding of it. Rembrandt van Rijn¡¯s painting focuses on the contrast of light and shade, and he always uses light to shape the three-dimensional sense of scenery. However, the light in this painting is simple, and there is no obvious contrast between light and shade. ¡°Moreover, Rembrandt van Rijn is one with perverse behavior, which leads to a rich level of his paintings. He always used bright colors to vent his emotions, and his paintings can present a strong conflict of basis. But while this painting does its best to imitate his brushstrokes, it still falls short of his maniacal state of painting.¡± After hearing this, the host looked at Charlie for confirmation. Charlie nodded, indicating that what Cara said was correct. Netizens were immediately shocked. [She actually exined it well. How awesome she is! Cara knows a lot, and | have never heard the terms she mentioned.] [I couldn¡¯t resist the gentle and talented Cara. | finally understand the reasonizens supported her, and | almost fell in love with her.] [Ashley said the same as Cara. She answered right, either.] [Don¡¯t be kidding. Ashley didn¡¯t even check the painting. She must talk Chapter 221 nonsense causally, and she even repeated Cara¡¯s words.] Netizens talked enthusiastically, and the show continued.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. The second one was Voynich¡¯s manuscript. Cara could identify authenticity and even exined the reason, so the host looked at her first. ¡°Do you think this Voynich¡¯s manuscript is real or fake?¡± Cara still walked up to it, stared at it carefully for a few minutes, and then shook her head. ¡°It must be a fake.¡± Bryce and Haton had no idea about it, so they just made a casual guess. Then, the host looked at Ashley. ¡°What do you think, Ashley?¡± Ashley answered concisely, ¡°It''s fake.¡± The host finally looked at Charlie. Charlie¡¯s answer was the most authoritative at present for them. He raised the microphone and replied, ¡°Cara is right. Itis a fake.¡± He only mentioned Cara, which meant he only took Cara¡¯s answer seriously. The host eximed in admiration, ¡°The program had asked professionals. to identify it in advance. Everyone answered correctly. Voynich¡¯s manuscript is a fake.¡± Damn it! Cara was right again!] | am indeed fond of Cara. She knows too much. How elegant and talented she is!] [Ashley answered without checking carefully. Did she really copy Cara¡¯s answer?] Ashley is good at dancing,posing, designing, and car racing, but cultural relic appreciation cannot be learned overnight. If she doesn¡¯t understand, there is no need for her to copy someone else¡¯s answer. I¡¯m disgusted with her behavior.] Don¡¯t go too far. What if Ashley came up with it on her own?] How funny it is! | bet Ashley¡¯s next answer is the same as Cara¡¯s. Otherwise, I''ll pay for my words.] 3/5 09:02 Then, the host presented a porcin dish. The host still asked Cara to answer first. Cara looked at it carefully for a while and smiled modestly and gently, ¡°I have no idea about porcin. But | feel it should be real after checking it.¡± Bryce and Haton still answered casually, and they gave different answers. When it was Ashley''s turn, she nodded slightly. ¡°It¡¯s real.¡± Finally, Charlie gave an authoritative answer. ¡°Cara is still so humble. You are right. The porcin dish is real.¡± After speaking, Charlie turned to look at Ashley and frowned slightly. He wondered why Ashley always copied Cara¡¯s answer. If Cara said it was a fake, Ashley said the same. If not, Ashley still repeated Cara¡¯s words. Charlie didn¡¯t understand why Ashley copied Cara¡¯s answer. Hearing Ashley''s answer, theizens began to weigh in. [I guessed it right. Ashley gave the same answer as Cara. She obviously copied Cara.] [Why did she have to copy Cara¡¯s answer when she didn¡¯t understand it? How excellent Cara is! | have never seen such a talented celebrity before. | have been obsessed with her.] [Host, can you ask Ashley first? | look forward to her answer. If she can¡¯t others¡¯ answers, she will show her true colors.] copy Next was a jewel. The host said, ¡°A collector gave the jewel to us, which was designed by the famous designer Jean Schlumberger. This jewel is of high artistic value. If it is real, we''ll donate it to the National Museum for free.¡± Hearing the name of Jean Schlumberger, the audience all looked over attentively. But the host didn¡¯t go as theizens wished and still asked Cara to answer first. Cara put on the specific gloves prepared by the program and put on twoyers of gloves with different materials. Then, she picked up the jewel 09:02 and observed it carefully several times. Finally, she shook her head regretfully. ¡°What a pity! It¡¯s a fake.¡± Bryce and Haton didn¡¯t understand, and they still answered casually. The next one was Ashley. She didn¡¯t stand still this time but put on gloves, picked up the jewel, and looked up and down. [She finally pretended to observe it. But it¡¯s toote. She didn¡¯t. understand it, so her answer is of no value.] [She seems to be professional. Did she copy Cara¡¯s posture just now?] [Again, | bet Ashley will give the same answer as Cara¡¯s after she pretends. to observe it. Otherwise, I¡¯m at your mercy.] At this moment, Ashley put down the jewel in her hand and said calmly, ¡°It¡¯s real.¡± When she finished speaking, the host looked shocked. Netizens in the livestream room fell into confusion. [Did | hear it correctly? Why is it different this time?] [She must do it on purpose. She didn¡¯t dare to copy Cara¡¯s answer, so she deliberately gave a contrary answer.] Cara was stunned for a while, then looked at Ashley with a smile and said gently, ¡°You are wrong, Ashley. The jewel must be a fake.¡± Chapter 222 Upon hearing Cara assert so definitively that the jewel was a fake, Ashley turned to look at her. Ashley turned to look at her. Meeting Cara¡¯s smile, Ashley also smiled faintly, ¡°Is that so? | think it¡¯s genuine.¡± Cara continued to smile gently, ¡°Ashley, this jewel really is a fake.¡± Bryce and Haton exchanged nces and wondered, ¡®Cara sounds so certain. Does she have solid proof?¡± The online viewers of the livestream, seeing the disagreement between the two, almost unanimously sided with Cara without a second thought. [Although | don¡¯t understand much about this, I¡¯m following Cara¡¯s lead!] [Cara hasn''t been wrong since the start. If she says the jewel is fake, then it¡¯s almost certainly fake. Why is Ashley stubbornly insisting it¡¯s real?] [See? Once Ashley stops copying Cara¡¯s answers, she knows nothing!] At this point, the show¡¯s host nced at the card in hand, which indicated the jewel¡¯s authenticity, verified by professionals arranged by the show. After reading the experts¡¯ verdict and hearing the differing responses from Ashley and Cara, the host looked at Ashley in utter astonishment. The host nced at Ashley in great surprise.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. The host thought in disbelief, ¡®The experts¡¯ evaluation matches Ashl im! The jewel is authentic! Ashley...has got it right this time? Did s just guess correctly?¡¯ The host''s first instinct was that Ashley had guessed, then turned to Car lifting the microphone to ask, ¡°Cara, how did you determine this jewel is a fake?¡± Looking at Ashley and speaking slowly as if teaching a student, Cara exined to Ashley, ¡°In ancient times, subjects had to avoid using the king¡¯s name. However, this jewel has ¡®CL¡¯ engraved in the upper right corner. If it belonged to Jean Schlumberger, his king at the time was Charles Lancaster the Third. To avoid using the king''s name, Jean would never have carved ¡®CL¡¯ on it.¡± After a pause, Cara added, ¡°A jewel with the king¡¯s name is undoubtedly a fake.¡± 115 09:03 As she exined, the show''s camera zoomed in on the jewel, clearly showing the engraved ¡°CL¡± in the upper right corner for the livestream audience to see. After hearing Cara¡¯s exnation, the host turned to Charlie and asked, ¡°Mr. Ramos, what do you think?¡± Charlie, usually calm and collected, showed evident admiration. ¡°Indeed, Cara is right. A jewel with the king¡¯s name must be a fake.¡± Hearing Charlie''s agreement, the livestream¡¯s chat erupted. [I''ve heard of this rule too! Ancient subjects always avoided using the king¡¯s name. Cara¡¯s logic makes sense!] [Even Charlie agrees with Cara¡¯s assessment, and he¡¯s a professional art restorer. He wouldn¡¯t make a mistake, so this jewel must be fake!] [Wow, Cara is so impressive. She hasn¡¯t been wrong at all since the start!] [Tsk, Ashley just had to give an opposite answer to Cara, and she¡¯s wrong again. Oh well, she should just copy Cara¡¯s answers. Let''s not be too hard. on Ashley!) After hearing Charlie¡¯s response, the host looked again at Cara. ¡°So, Cara,, you''re certain this jewel is a fake?¡± Cara nodded with a faint smile, replying, ¡°Yes.¡± The host then asked Ashley, ¡°Ashley, do you still believe it¡¯s auther Ashley hummed in affirmation. Bryce, growing anxious, subtly tugged at Ashley''s sleeve and whispe know you don¡¯t like the Ramos family, but Charlie is an expert in thi field. If he says the jewel is a fake, it¡¯s almost certainly a fake...¡± Ashley raised her eyebrows slightly. ¡°No, it is genuine.¡± Bryce was left speechless and thought with resignation, ¡®Alright then. | knew Ashley was stubborn. But what can | do other than support her?¡± Meanwhile, Haton watched Ashley with his worried puppy-dog eyes. He pondered, ¡°This is unbearable! | don¡¯t want to see my idol get outdone by someone else!¡¯ Upon hearing Ashley¡¯s insistence that the jewel was genuine, the online 09-03 viewers felt helpless, thinking, ¡®Why is she so stubborn?¡± [Are you kidding me? How can she still think it¡¯s real? Charlie already said it¡¯s fake, and Cara just taught Ashley so much for nothing!] [No way around it. Ashley deliberately gave an answer opposite to Cara¡¯s. Even if Ashley''s wrong, she¡¯s got to stick to her guns now.] [Stubbornness is truly a pain!] At this moment, the host, looking at the card in his hand, announced, ¡°Unfortunately, only Ashley got it right this time! This jewel used by Jean. has been authenticated by professionals, and it is indeed genuine!¡± The chat instantly erupted and was filled with exmation and question marks. They all then thought incredulously, ¡®What? Genuine? Ashley was right? Are you kidding me, host?!¡± Upon hearing the host''s announcement, Cara¡¯s brows suddenly furrowed, her smile fading into a sullen expression. She pondered irritably, ¡®Ashley got it right? How is that possible?!¡± Charlie also furrowed his brow with a hint of confusion in his eyes. Bryce and Haton, after their initial shock, felt a sense of relief as if they had narrowly escaped a disaster. ¡°Ashley, you really got it right! It is genuine!¡± Bryce said proudly. ¡°Ashley, | knew you were the best!¡± Haton eximed. He had a fanboy expression as if saying, ¡°My idol is number one.¡± The host eagerly turned to Ashley and asked, ¡°Ashley, how did you determine that this jewel is genuine?¡± A viewer who had bet to do something absurd on the livestream if Ashley was right immediatelymented: [She guessed it! She must have guessed it! Otherwise, I''ll do a handstand and wash my hair on the livestream!] With a clear and melodious voice, Ashley exined, ¡°Indeed, this jewel. has a king''s name, but the ¡®CL isn¡¯t directly engraved on the jewel. Instead,ter generations applied a thinyer of sealing wax on the outside of the jewel, and the ¡®CL was engraved on that sealing wax. Later individuals did it as a deceptive measure to protect the jewel. The sealing 3/5 09:03 Chapter 222 was a faint crack near this ¡®CL, and the color appears unusual. If you look closely, you can notice it.¡± After Ashley finished speaking, the camera immediately zoomed in on the jewel for a close-up. Charlie squinted to take a closer look and indeed spotted the fine crack. and the slight color difference that was hard to notice. He pondered. ¡®Even I, a professional art restorer, had overlooked this. How could Ashley have noticed with such precision? When did she learn all this? How does she know so much about jewel artifacts?¡± Ashley continued. ¡°The outeryer of scaling wax can be removed. This jewel is one of the four famous jewels from ancient times, owned only by royalty or the contemporary literati and wealthy merchants. Plus, being used by Jean adds to its historical value.¡± The host, delighted by Ashley¡¯s exnation, said. ¡°Ashley, you are absolutely right! Our show had this verified by professionals, and it is indeed one of the four famous ancient jewels!¡± After listening to Ashley¡¯s calm exnation, the viewers were silent for several seconds before they came to their senses and started flooding the chat. (Wow, Ashley actually got it right! Seems like she didn¡¯t just guess, huh?] [Of course not! She was so logical and consistent with the professional assessment. How could it be a guess? Can you guess something like that?!] So, Ashley wasn¡¯t copying Cara¡¯s answers in the previous rounds. Instead, she actually knew?] Especially during the painting appraisal, Ashley didn¡¯t even look closely. She just nced and recognized the authenticity. She¡¯s even more skilled than Charlie and Cara! Does Ashley also paint?] Hah, | said earlier that Ashley figured it out herself, and you allughed. at me. Now you see who''s the fool! To the one who bet on doing that absurd thing, you better not chicken out!] Hmm, when Cara was exining about ¡°a jewel with the king''s name is undoubtedly a fake¡± like a teacher to Ashley, it turns out Ashley knew more than her...] Cara then clenched her fingers tightly, but when she looked at Ashley. 09.03 she still smiled, ¡°Ashley, you really know a lot, and you got it all right.¡± Ashley responded with a smile, ¡°It was okay.¡± As Charlie sized up Ashley, his eyes filled with a hint of puzzlement, wondering, ¡®When did she be knowledgeable in artifact appraisal? And to such an extent?¡¯ Three hourster, after the recording of the episode ended, Ashley had. just reached backstage when she received a call from Lester. She wondered if he had found out whether Cara was indeed the lost heiress of the Pliskin family. Chapter 223 Chapter 223 Ashley stepped into the corridor to answer Lester¡¯s call. ¡°Hey, Ashley, | just watched your variety show livestream. It was brilliant, and | had learned a lot from you.¡± Lester¡¯s voice came through, tinged with amusement. Ashley had a moment of realization. ¡°No wonder you called right after | finished the show. You were watching the livestream and timed your call perfectly?¡± He confirmed, ¡°Of course, | had to watch your show.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Ashley scratched her head, feeling somewhat embarrassed, and then asked, ¡°By the way, does Cara have any connection with the Pliskin family?¡± Lester didn¡¯t hide anything, replying truthfully, ¡°| checked Cara¡¯s background. She grew up in an orphanage, and her age matches my sister¡¯s, but we haven¡¯t done a DNA test yet. ¡°Besides, when | saw Cara, | didn¡¯t feel that kindred familial connection...¡± So, he was inclined to think that Cara probably wasn¡¯t rted to the Pliskin family and not the sister he lost in his childhood. ¡°| see.¡± Ashley paused and continued sincerely, ¡°Regardless, | hope you find your sister soon.¡± Lester chuckled, ¡°I''ll take that as a good omen from you.¡± Ashley also chuckled. She then chatted with Lester for a while longer before hanging up. Just as she ended the call, Joseph¡¯s call came through. Ashley swiped the screen to answer, asking, ¡°Hey, what¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Ashley, who were you talking to? | tried calling you, but your line is busy!¡± Joseph sounded like a know-it-all. ¡°My sixth sense tells me you definitely weren''t talking to Valentin. Am | correct?¡± Ashley was genuinely surprised, her eyes widening slightly. ¡°Your sixth sense is that urate?¡± Joseph smiled smugly, ¡°Ashley, just admit how urate | am! Am | not 09:031 like a irvoyant?¡± She sighed, ¡°Alright, alright, you got it right. But how did you know | wasn¡¯t talking to Valentin?¡± ¡°Because Valentin has been right next to me since a while ago, and his phone hasn''t rung once!¡± Josephughed so hard that his mouth almost reached the back of his head, and if he had a tail, it would definitely be wagging joyously. Ashley was rendered speechless and almost rolled her eyes, thinking, ¡®Darn it, | fell for such a simple trick! And here | thought Joseph¡¯s sixth sense was really that sharp!¡± Joseph wasughing uproariously, his stomach nearly aching from it. ¡°So, Ashley, who were you talking to just now? | have the speaker on. Let Valentin hear, too.¡± Ashley sighed and pondered, ¡®I can¡¯t believe this guy.¡¯ ¡°It was nobody special, just Lester calling to chat,¡± Ashley replied, seeing no reason to hide it from Valentin. We''re ¡°Oh, so it was Lester,¡± Joseph said cheerily. ¡°Now that you''re done with the show,e on out. Valentin and | are here to pick you up. waiting outside the studio.¡± Ashley was shocked, pondering, ¡®What? Valentin came to pick me up? There are so many people here right now. What if we get seen?¡± ¡°Why did you guyse?¡± Ashley asked while hurrying to the dressing room to gather her things before heading out to meet them. ¡°Oh, you know, Valentin wanted toe pick you up. He¡¯s been missing you...¡± Joseph began but was cut off mid-sentence as the phone seemed to be taken away. Then, she heard Valentin¡¯s low, maic voice saying, ¡°Joseph and | are waiting for you outside, Ashley.¡± ¡°Okay, | got it. I''ll be right out,¡± Ashley replied before hanging up. As she reached the dressing room door, she encountered Cara smiling warmly. ¡°Hello, Ashley.¡± ¡°Hello.¡± Ashley was a bit puzzled. She wasn¡¯t close with Cara, yet Cara always addressed her so familiarly. 2/6 09:03 Chunter 293 Cara gracefully brusisted & lock of hair behind her ear, continuing, ¡°Ashley. I¡¯ve seen yourststuff online before. | must say, you''re very impressive and knowledgeable.¡± ¡°Thank you, you''re quite knowledgeable yourself,¡± Ashley responded, understanding the an oon muial ttery. ¡°Thendscape painting you posted on Twitter the odibor day was very well done.¡± Cara then lowered her racons she smiled gently. Then, she suddenly looked up and asked, ¡°Dopod dishike me because of my rtionship with Charlie?¡± Upon hearing this. Ashley smiled with a hint of amusement, ¡°Your rtionship with Charlie is your business. | don¡¯t concern myself with it.¡± Cara remained smiling even a ac hearing her. Only after Ashley went into the dressing room did Cara¡¯s smile gradually fade. Cara then took out her phooncadd dialed a number. The call connected quickdy. Cara softly said. ¡°Mr. Morgan | have enge Ashley in person today.¡± A middle-aged man¡¯s voice came throughhhe phone, asking, ¡°So, what do You think?¡± Cara¡¯s eyes lingered on the direction ofthe crossing room, recalling Ashley''s performance on the show today, as svetelias her past deeds and various secret identities. She indeed knows a lot but...¡± Cara¡¯s voice nati¨¦d¨¦fimo a 1000 enigmatic. This just makes me more interessed in her.¡± hamiddle-aged man said, ¡°Cara, I¡¯ve trained you toomany yea neno less than Ashley. It will be easy for you to surpashter Go ke her pay the price she deserves.¡± Foto 14. Mr. Morgan.¡± erica hanging up, Cara nced at the screen and saw a singleltse naine des ashe contact Morgan. erringing ato for a while, Cara put her phone back into her pocketer dresumed smiting gently. airwhitin in the dressing room, Bryce saw Ashley and sighed wearility, tired to even banter. | have an ad to shoot in a bit. | need to delvere Chapter 223 now.¡± Knowing his schedule was always packed, Ashley waved him off. ¡°Go on then.¡± ¡°Are you going back alone?¡± Bryce asked. ¡°Someone¡¯sing to pick me up,¡± she replied. Bryce intended to ask who it was but stopped himself, guessing it was either Joseph or Valentin. Bryce looked at Ashley intently, turned, and walked away, casually waving his hand without looking back. ¡°I¡¯m off now.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ashley responded, quickly packing her things before hurrying out to the broadcast building. Just as she found Joseph¡¯s car in the parking lot, Haton caught up to her. ¡°Ashley!¡± He called out, running over with his ears slightly reddened and his clear puppy-dog eyes looking at her with admiration. ¡°Ashley, can | have your autograph?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Ashley said cheerfully, smiling radiantly, ¡°Where would you like me to sign?¡± ¡°On this photo, please!¡± Haton carefully produced a picture. Ashley took it and saw that it was a shot from the show they had recorded, probably taken by Haton¡¯s assistant. She wondered, ¡°They have printed it out this quickly?¡± Haton scratched his head sheepishly. ¡°Ashley, this is our first photo together... | brought a pen. Just sign directly on it!¡± Ashley took the pen and signed her name in the lower right corner, followed by a heartfelt note. ¡°May each day bring you joy.¡± She thought of it as a sweet blessing for her beloved fans. Haton¡¯s eyes lit up at the words. ¡°May each day bring you joy.¡± He was as excited as a puppy seeing a bone. ¡°Thank you, Ashley! | will always like you!!¡± Haton thought excitedly, ¡®My idol is the best in the world! | must protect the world greatest Ashley!¡± ¡°Thank you. I''ll Keep an eye on you, too,¡± Ashley said with a smile. As they spoke, she suddenly felt a dark, resentful gaze on her back. Turning sharply, Ashley saw Joseph running toward her while anxiously wiping sweat from his brow. ¡°Ashley, what are you doing? Why are you talking so much to that handsome young man? Hurry up, get in the car.¡± He pondered nervously, ¡®Valentin¡¯s going to be jealous!¡¯ Ashley nced toward the car¡¯s back seat, and even though she couldn¡¯t see through the window, she could almost picture Valentin sitting inside. She wondered in disbelief, ¡®Really, he¡¯s jealous over this?¡± Haton, of course, recognized Joseph as the CEO of Royal Entertainment and Ashley¡¯s boss, but Haton didn¡¯t expect Ashley¡¯s boss toe pick her up personally. ¡®She truly lives up to the expectation as my idol. Even the boss values her so much!¡¯ Haton innocently thought. Turning to Haton, Ashley said, ¡°I have to go now.¡± ¡°Okay, Ashley, take care on your way!¡± Haton waved reluctantly, and his innocent puppy-dog eyes filled with longing. ¡°You take care, too,¡± Ashley replied politely. Once they said their goodbyes, Joseph hurriedly pulled Ashley away. After Ashley got into the car, she sat next to Valentin and immediately felt his cold, resentful gaze, making her swallow nervously. Tom drove while Joseph, in the passenger seat, craned his neck to look back, asking, ¡°Ashley, what''s going on with you and Haton? Why were you talking for so long? Valentin was watching the whole time when you guys were chatting.¡± Ashley was at a loss for words after hearing that. Meanwhile, on the road outside, Jeremy, Ryan, and Matthew, who had been hiding in a corner and saw Ashley and Joseph get into the same car, quickly got into their own vehicle.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. 09.035 Jeremy drove stealthily, following the car Ashley was in. Feeling conflicted, Matthew asked, ¡°Jeremy, is it really okay for us to secretly follow Ashley like this?¡± Ryan responded, ¡°This way, we can find out where she¡¯s living now.¡± While keeping his eyes fixed on the car Ashley was in, Jeremy followed it stealthily. ¡°Yeah, since Ashley isn¡¯t fond of us, this is the only way to find out where she lives.¡± Chapter 224 Chapter 224 Jeremy was driving, with Ryan seated in the back. In the passenger seat, Matthew kept watching the car ahead, which was carrying Ashley and Joseph. He cautioned uneasily. ¡°Jeremy, don¡¯t get too close, Ashley might notice.¡± ¡°Like | need you to tell me that.¡± Jeremy maintained a steady speed, not too slow to lose them, yet not too close to be discovered. ¡°Jeremy, what do you think makes Joseph value Ashley so much? Sure, he¡¯s the CEO of Royal Entertainment, but picking up Ashley himself seems a bit unreasonable, right? Why didn¡¯t he pick up other artists from hispany?¡± Matthew asked with suspicion. Jeremy turned the car onto another road, exining, ¡°Joseph has always been protective of the artists in hispany.¡± ¡°It''s not that simple. This is clearly out of line,¡± Matthew retorted, looking at Jeremy as if he were clueless. ¡°Jeremy, seriously, use your mind.¡± Jeremy was at a loss for words, gritting his teeth in frustration. ¡°Shut up if you don¡¯t want a beating!¡± At that moment, Ryan spoke up. ¡°Jeremy, Matthew is right.¡± ¡°You shut up too!¡± Jeremy''s forehead throbbed with veins, thinking everyone was starting to go against him. He was annoyed at how his little brothers dared to talk to him like that. Ryan habitually wore a ck jacket. ¡°Think about it, Jeremy. Today¡¯s reality show was recorded by Ashley and Bryce together, and Bryce is also from Royal Entertainment. Why would Joseph pick up Ashley but not Bryce?¡±This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Hearing Ryan put it that way, Jeremy furrowed his brows. ¡°Huh, that¡¯s actually true...¡± Sitting in the passenger seat, Matthew suddenly made a startling connection, his voice rising in rm. ¡°That Joseph, he couldn''t be interested in Ashley, could he?¡± As he said this, a sudden silence fell over the car. One could hear a pin drop at that moment. 09:03 After a while, Jeremy, grinding his teeth in anger, eximed, ¡°No way! Absolutely not! Joseph, that yboy, won''t take Ashley seriously even if he likes her. Ashley will end up getting hurt!¡± Ryan frowned tightly, his face showing hostility and fierce. ¡°Right, absolutely not.¡± His sister couldn¡¯t be dragged down by such a brat. With a regretful look, Matthew sighed, ¡°We must protect Ashley at all costs. We can¡¯t let Joseph get his way!¡± Jeremy nodded firmly, and Ryan did the same. The three of them were in agreement. Meanwhile, Ashley sat in the backseat of the car ahead, ncing at Valentin beside her. She blinked. ¡°Why did you suddenly come to pick me up?¡± Valentin took her hand, fiddling with her fingers, casually saying, ¡°Came to pick you up for dinner at Grandpa¡¯s house.¡± Ashley quickly gave him a look. There are others in the car, don¡¯t touch my hand like that!¡± Valentin seemed to know what she was thinking and smirked. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Ashley fell silent. Tom knew that being an assistant meant being Valentin¡¯s right hand an made sure not to pry into things he shouldn''t. So, he kept his eyes strictly on the road ahead as he drove. In the passenger seat, Joseph didn¡¯t care about that. He turned around, seeing Valentin holding Ashley¡¯s hand, and chuckled, ¡°Ashley, going to Kingsley Manor for dinner is just one reason. More importantly, Valentin has been missing you. That''s why he came to get you even before. show was over. your ¡°Actually, Valentin wanted to go inside the broadcast building to find you, but he couldn¡¯t just show up like that. The moment he steps out, the TV station¡¯s leadership and a whole bunch of people woulde out to greet him. It would be a big hassle. ¡°So he had to sit in the car and wait for you. And after finally seeing you.e out, he saw you chatting andughing with Haton for so long... 09:03 Speaking of which, what were you and Haton talking about, Ashley?¡± Ashley cleared her throat. ¡°Nothing much, he¡¯s a fan. He asked for my autograph.¡± Valentin looked at her. ¡°A fan?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Ashley nodded firmly, not understanding why there was any reason for jealousy, and argued. ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with signing an autograph for a fan, right?¡± ¡°I''m a fan of yours too,¡± he said, as if iming a title. Ashley was speechless. She quickly nced at Joseph in the front row. Sure enough, he was grinning hard, shing his bright white teeth like a fool. Tom, however, remainedposed as a highly-paid top-tier assistant should be. He acted as if he hadn''t heard a thing, his expression unchanging. In reality. Tom¡¯s grip on the steering wheel tightened as he fought to keep his lips straight. He had worked for Valentin for so many years and never heard him. im to be anyone¡¯s fan. Only Ashley seemed to have this effect on Valentin. Suddenly, Tom¡¯s face turned serious, staring at the rearview mirror. ¡°Mr. Kingsley, Ms. Ramos, a car has been following us.¡± ¡°What the heck? What car?¡± Joseph peered into the rearview mirror. ¡°What''s going on?¡± Valentin narrowed his eyes with a sense of sharpness. Tom quickly asked for instructions, ¡°Mr. Kingsley, Should | call our head of security, rk, and have hime over with the team right away?¡± Today was a personal day for Ashley, and she hadn¡¯t brought her bodyguard. It would be safer to call her bodyguards, considering the car following her might have ill intentions. Sitting in the backseat, Ashley nced rearward and spotted a familiar car amidst the traffic. ¡®Isn¡¯t that Jeremy¡¯s car?¡± 09:03 Chap 294 She saw Jeremy driving this car back when she was in Ramos Vi Ashley frowned, double-checking to make sure she wasn¡¯t mistaken. She looked at the license te. Indeed, it was Jeremy¡¯s car ¡°No need to call the bodyguard Ashley stopped Tom, meeting Valentin¡¯s questioning gaze, and sighed. The car following us is Jeremy''s.¡± Joseph couldn¡¯t help but curse. ¡°Is he out of his mind? Why is he following us? Tom, find a ce to pull over Let¡¯s stop for a bit. Ashley said. Tom nced at the rearview mirror. Seeing Valentin give a nod, he responded, ¡°Alright, Ms. Ramos, there¡¯s a spot to park just up ahead.¡± Soon, the car came to a stop Ashley pushed open the door on her side, ready to step out, when suddenly Valentin grasped her wrist. Ashley turned back, puzzled Valentin stared at her, his eyes deep. ¡°Ill go with you¡± Chapter 225 Chapter 225 Joseph agreed as he pushed open the car door, eager to follow suit. ¡°Yeah, Ashley, let Valentine with you!¡± Who knew that lunatic Jeremy was thinking? Thinking back to Jeremy''s past behavior in the Ramos family, hist attitude, and his mistreatment towards Ashley, Joseph felt he must get out of the car, too, just to be sure Ashley was safe. Ashley caught the worry lingering in Valentin¡¯s eyes. Her heart skipped a beat. She felt a warmth inside her heart, feeling like she had been cherished. Her nose tingled, and she smiled, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I''ll be fine. Jeremy wouldn¡¯t dare do anything to me now. You guys just wait for me in the car. Valentin frowned. Ashley gripped his hand, gently soothing over the back of his hand. ¡°Really, I''ll be back soon. And you guys are in the car, so if anything happens, you can alwayse to me. Valentin pondered, and his eyes cast down. Given the current situation with Jeremy, he probably wouldn¡¯t dare do anything to her. Reluctantly, Valentin let go of her hand and reminded her, ¡°Make it quick.¡± ¡°Sure!¡± Ashley obediently responded and then got out of the car. In Jeremy''s car behind them, seeing the car ahead suddenly stop, Matthew lookedpletely baffled. ¡°Why did they suddenly stop? Should we stop too?¡± Jeremy parked at the sideway. ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s stop for a bit and see if Ashley needs anything...¡± Before Jeremy could finish, Matthew immediately shouted, ¡°Jeremy, Ryan, Ashley¡¯s getting out of the car! Why is she walking towards here?¡± Ryan was surprised, wondering if Ashley spotted them or if she was just 09:03 heading to the nearby supermarket.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. As he pondered this, Ashley walked straight to their car and tapped on the window impatiently. Jeremy was taken aback, then he quickly rolled down the window, his face lighting up with excitement. ¡°Ashley! Did youe to see us?¡± Ashley almostughed out of frustration. That was ridiculous. She peered through the window and saw Jeremy, along with Matthew and Ryan, all gathered. ¡°Why are you following me?¡± Ashley¡¯s voice was cold, devoid of any emotion. Now that they had been discovered, Ryan decided to get out of the car and quickly approached Ashley. ¡°Ashley, we... We just wanted to see you. You''ve been avoiding us.¡± Matthew quickly followed, stepping out of the car. ¡®Damn, Ryan¡¯s already got a head start chatting with Ashley!¡± Jeremy also wanted to get out, but Ashley was standing right outside the driver¡¯s side window. He couldn''t open the door without risking bumping into her. What if he identally hit her? Jeremy¡¯s palms started to sweat in frustration as he couldn¡¯t get out of the car. Finally, he bit the bullet, climbing over to the passenger side and getting out from there. ¡°Ashley, don¡¯t stand by the road. It¡¯s not safe,¡± Jeremy said as he ran over, standing between Ashley and the passing cars on the road. Ashley didn¡¯t want to be protected in this way and moved under a nearby tree. The three Ramos brothers immediately followed her. ¡°So, what do you guys want?¡± Ashley asked again, her voice indifferent. Ryan looked at Ashley almost in a greedy way, as if he hadn¡¯t seen her in a very long time, his throat tightening, ¡°Ashley, we want to make for our past mistakes. Can you give us a chance?¡± Ashley furrowed her brows tightly. up Jeremy quickly spoke up. ¡°Ashley, | don¡¯t want to lie to you. | followed 09:03 T you secretly in my car to see where you''re living now. We want to move there too, be there for you every day, make amends, and seek your forgiveness!¡± Matthew nodded, affirming that Jeremy was telling the truth. Ashley sneered, her eyes filling with irony. ¡°You¡¯ve followed me and used. such a trick to find out where | live without my consent. Keep that kind of amends to yourselves. | don¡¯t want it.¡± Matthew''s face turned pale, showing panic and embarrassment. Indeed, theypletely disregarded her wishes and used this sneaky way to find out her address to ease their guilt. ¡°Ashley, please don¡¯t be angry, we were wrong. We should have considered your feelings!¡± Jeremy realized his mistake and apologized. Ryan pressed his lips. ¡°It was me. | told Jeremy to do it. Ashley, if you¡¯re angry, be angry at me alone.¡± Ashley looked at the three of them indifferently, not wanting to utter another word, and turned to leave. Just then, Ryan suddenly noticed a kid learning to skateboard behind Ashley. The kid¡¯s skateboard had gone out of control and was speeding towards them. Ashley didn¡¯t see iting with her back turned. Ryan saw the whole situation clearly. The kid on the runaway skateboard yelled in panic, ¡°Ah! Watch of Seeing the kid about to collide with Ashley, Ryan frowned and read cout decisively, swiftly pulling Ashley out of the way. The kid rushed past like a small cannonball, missing Ashley but hitting Ryan with a loud crash.. Tac impact was so strong that Ryan was knocked to the ground. The skateboarding kid also fell and got up crying. He kept apologizing, ¡°Tinocory, I¡¯m so sorry... Ashby furrowed her brows and nced at her arm, where Ryan had just pulled leenaway, pondering. 09-03 m Jeremy and Matthew snapped out of their shock and quickly helped Ryan to his feet. At the same time, they were frustrated. It was a great opportunity to show off, after all. But they hadn''t seized it. ¡®Damn it!¡¯ Ryan endured the pain and looked at the crying kid, saying coldly, ¡°It''s okay. Just be more careful next time.¡± Then, he let the kid go. ¡°Ashley.¡± Ryan looked at Ashley, his stern face softening. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about what just happened. | just didn¡¯t want to see you get hurt. Besides, you have helped me get back to my racing by finding doctors to heal my leg. Anything | do for you is only right.¡± Ashley nced at him indifferently and turned to leave. It wasn¡¯t until Ashley was out of sight that Ryan could no longer hide his pain. He grimaced, almost copsing to the ground. ¡°What''s wrong?¡± Matthew supported him. ¡°Ryan, are you okay?¡± Ryan¡¯s face was pale. He spoke through the pain. ¡°I hit my head on a stone when | fell. It''s really hurting...¡± It felt like his head was about to explode. Jeremy took a look at the back of Ryan¡¯s head, and his face turned pale immediately. ¡°You''re bleeding! Your head¡¯s cut open!¡± Matthew hurriedly said, ¡°Get to the hospital now! Ryan, let me tak lead in these stunts next time. I¡¯m tougher and can handle the falls better!¡± ¡°You wish!¡± Ryan retorted with his head spinning with pain, ¡°This wo is for Ashley. I''ll bear it forever!¡± ¡°Alright, let''s get to the car and head to the hospital!¡± Jeremy said, helpin Ryan to the car. But just then, he saw someone approaching and froze. Chapter 226 Jeremy¡¯s surprise quickly turned into rising anger upon seeing who it was. It was Charlie and Cara! During today¡¯s reality show, Charlie hadn¡¯t supported Ashley. He had praised Cara at every turn. Fury burning within him, Jeremy let go of Ryan and intended to confront Charlie for justice. Ryan, who had already suffered a gash on the back of his head, felt dizzy, as if his brain was buzzing. His world spun, and when Jeremy released him, Ryan lost his bnce. He fell to the ground with a thud. Coincidentally, he hit the back of his head again, causing the blood to flow even more. ¡°Ryan!¡± Matthew was a bit dumbfounded as he looked at Ryan falling to the ground again. He paused for a moment before reacting and helped him up. ¡®Damn! | hope he hasn¡¯t gotten a concussion!¡± Jeremy saw Ryan lying on the ground, looking like his brains were about to spill out. He was stunned and hurried back to help him up. ¡°My bad, my bad! | shouldn¡¯t have let go of you! Please don¡¯t die here!¡± Upon hearing this, Ryan was so angry he wanted to curse. But he was: dizzy and barely able to stand. He seriously wondered if Jeremy was trying to take him out so Jeremy could seize Ashley''s affection all to himself. ¡®What a sneaky bastard!¡¯ Ryan thought. Witnessing this scene, Charlie furrowed his brows. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°How can you even ask that?¡± Jeremy retorted irritably, supporting Ryan. ¡°Tell me, how did you treat Ashley on the reality show today, huh?¡± ¡°| didn¡¯t target her,¡± Charlie replied calinly. ¡°Yeah, right. You just kept favoring Cara on the show. You''re too busy to pay attention to your sister, right?¡± Jeremy said sarcastically, casting a disdainful nce at Cara. Cara stepped forward, her dress fluttering in the breeze, making her look graceful. She smiled gently, ¡°You''ve got it wrong. Mr. Charlie Ramos and 1 09:03 | are good friends, so he appreciates me. And Ashley, | really like her and hope to be friends with her too.¡± Matthew nced at Cara, thinking that the way she smiled was so fake, almost like wearing a mask. Looking at Jeremy, Matthew said, ¡°Jeremy, stop wasting time with them. Let¡¯s get to the hospital to bandage Ryan up! Ryan¡¯s losing too much blood!¡± At that moment, Ryan was pale and shivering. Before leaving, Jeremy red at Charlie and said, ¡°We have bullied Ashley back when she was in Ramos Vi. Even though you neverid a hand on her, you never stopped us either. You just stood by, indifferent... | hope from now on, you won''t do anything bad to Ashley!¡± Then, Jeremy and Matthew helped Ryan into the car and sped off to the hospital. Cara looked at Charlie, who seemed to be pondering something, and called out, ¡°Mr. Ramos?¡± Charlie snapped back to reality and shook his head. ¡°It''s nothing.¡± Cara seemed to be considerate and didn¡¯t press further, smiling, ¡°I really would like to get to know Ashley better...¡± Ashley and Valentin had arrived at Kingsley Manor, along with Joseph. ¡°Grandpa, we''re back!¡± Joseph hadn''t even entered the living room when he started sweetly calling out. ¡°Come in,e in!¡± Zain sat on the living room sofa and saw the figures outside, gesturing them toe over. Ashley followed Valentin inside, noticing an elder and his granddaughter beside Zain. The granddaughter was a pretty and delicate girl. As soon as Yakira saw Valentin, she quickly stood up and approached. him, her cheeks flushed. ¡°Valentin, it¡¯s been so long.¡± After her bashful greeting, Yakira turned to Joseph, looking moreposed. ¡°Hello, Joseph.¡± Valentin nodded politely in response, then whispered to Ashley, ¡°The 241 Tanoon the sofa is Grandpa¡¯s friend, Mr. Lindo Quiller, and this is his grandddaughter, Yakira Quiller.¡± Hearing this. Ashley nced at Yakira and then gave Valentin a incaningful look. Valentin raised an eyebrow in question, but Ashley remained silent. Yakirasserneed to have a crush on Valentin, her attitude making it quite obvious.. Joseph cleverly picked up the conversation, greeting. ¡°Yakira, howe you and Mar puller came today?¡± My grandfathert had something to do around this area, so we visited Mr. Zain Kingsley vidong the way,¡± Yakira replied, her voice soft and gentle. However, she seemned more curious about Valentin and Ashley than answering joseph¡¯s session and kept ncing at them. Yakira recognized Ashbury. After all. Ashley''s stunning beauty and fame were well-known and has story widely circted online. But Yakira couldn¡¯t heb ooddering why Ashley was at Kingsley Manor with Valentin. Areahendidose she wondered. Upon noticing Yakira¡¯s curidous gaze, Valentin took Ashley''s hand and introduced her formally Tussis Ashley, my wife.¡± This revtion was utterlynespecated Yakira¡¯s eyes widened in shock. Wife? Yakira was so astonished that she could barely speak. ¡°You... You Ashley are married?¡± She never heard this before. When did this happen?¡± Ashley was equally surprised, not expecting Videntin to make such a sudden announcement, Valentin still held her hand and spoke in nade our marriage public due to private cahimuldepp voice. ¡°We haven''t easons. Yakira nodded biankly, struggling to process this astonishing news. Valentin, the CEO of the Kingsley Group, and Ashleyho had severed. ces with the kamos family, seemed to have no ronnection whatsoever. 49.08 Chapter 226 But it was obvious that Valentin treated Ashley respectfully and protected her, unwilling to let her suffer even the slightest difort. That was why he would introduce her seriously. It was clearly a sign of love, wanting to give her nothing but the best. Yakira had always been curious about what it would be like for a man as unreachable as Valentin to fall for someone. Today, she had a glimpse of that.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Plus, Valentin and Ashley seemed to match perfectly. ¡°Sorry, | didn¡¯t know about your marriage until today. Well, here¡¯s a bted congrattions. | wish you two happiness in your marriage,¡± Yakira said, her voice tinged with the sorrow of an unrequited crush yet also a sense of unspoken relief. ¡°Thank you,¡± Valentin responded, polite but distant. Ashley nced at Valentin and then expressed her gratitude to Yakira. Joseph smiled brightly, ¡°Of course they are happy! Happy marriage, happy life!¡± Chapter 227 Yakira and Lindo hade here on an impromptu basis. After discussing with Zain and talking to Valentin and Joseph, they got up and were ready to leave. Zain would have liked to keep them for dinner, but Lindo had othermitments and couldn''t stay. Zain didn¡¯t insist, as they were all acquaintances and could have dinner together anytime, and sent them away with a smile. Turning back to the living room and seeing Ashley, Zain was happy and intimate. ¡°Ashley, | haven''t visited you in a while. How are you doing? Are you okay?¡± Ashley smiled sweetly, her eyes curved into a crescent moon, bright and moving. ¡°Grandpa, it should be meing over to see you more often. I¡¯ve been doing welltely and even gained weight!¡± ¡°No, Ashley. Why do | think you have lost weight again?¡± Zain felt Ashley was skinny and quickly said, ¡°Come on, the dinner is ready. Let¡¯s sit down. and eat first!¡± ¡°Grandpa, did you forget about me? You don¡¯t care about me at all!¡± Joseph interjected, using Zain of being biased. ¡°I¡¯m definitely not your biological grandson!¡± ¡°You brat. You''re so tall. It¡¯s hard for me to ignore you!¡± Zain narrowed his eyes and looked Joseph up and down. ¡°Joseph, why are you only getting taller and not growing your brain?¡± Joseph was instantly sad and turned to Valentin. ¡°Valentin, did you hear that? Grandpa said | haven''t grown my brain. How could he say that about his grandson?¡± Valentin gave him a sidelong nce and said slowly, ¡°Grandpa is right.¡± Joseph was lost for words. He thought, I¡¯m at the bottom of the food chain in this family? | can¡¯t live with this!¡¯ But the next moment, seeing the fragrant pan-fried beef steak with ck oper on the table, Joseph ran over excitedly. ¡°Wow! Grandpa, | know pepper you still love me! You had the chef prepare so many of my favorite 09:031 Chapter 227 dishes!¡± Zain shook his head helplessly. ¡°That''s for Ashley. You''re benefiting from Ashley!¡± Joseph didn¡¯t care. ¡°It means Ashley and | have simr tastes. It¡¯s called fate!¡± Zain sat in the main seat. Valentin pulled out a chair for Ashley, and they sat on the same side of the dining table. Joseph, a bachelor, sat on the other side of it. Not long after eating, Zain looked over at Valentin and Ashley and said. worriedly, ¡°Ashley, it¡¯s going to be a year since you and Valentin got married. | remember that your first wedding anniversary is in five days. When are you going to have the wedding? If you don¡¯t have a wedding, people won''t even know you''re married.¡± Ashley¡¯s heart trembled slightly. There were five days to go until their first wedding anniversary. Looking back a year ago, she was naive enough to get a marriage license with Valentin and sign divorce papers for a year. She thought, Time. flies...¡± Ashley gently touched Valentin¡¯s leg under the dining table and him to reply to Zain. Valentin nced down at Ashley¡¯s leg next to his, feeling the warn her body heat and the softness of her touch through the thin fabric a faint fragrance. His heart moved slightly, and he looked up at her, calmly holding her knee under the dining table and rubbing it gently. Ashley sat up straight in an instant like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, her spine tensing. She thought, ¡®Where is he putting his hand?¡± Seeing her in this lively and adorable state, Valentin teasingly raised an eyebrow before looking at Zain sitting in the main seat. ¡°Grandpa, we''ll do it as soon as we can.¡± 09:03 Chapter 227 Zain nodded repeatedly. ¡°That¡¯s good! I¡¯m not rushing you guys. More than anything, | want you to take care of Ashley and the two of you to be together.¡± Listening to Zain¡¯s words, Joseph bit the steak and was happy, thinking, ¡®Let Valentin and Ashley bear the responsibility for the marriage. ¡®But Ashley¡¯s expression isn¡¯t quite right. She¡¯s sitting there with her head. down and not eating. What is she doing?¡¯ At this time, Ashley had no appetite for food at all and only wanted to eat Valentin! She thought, ¡®Why doesn¡¯t Valentin eat but put his hand on my knee? And he¡¯s squeezing and pinching, like he¡¯s having an affair with me, making my heart beat so fast. What if someone sees us?¡± On the other side, Joseph was happily biting into his steak when he suddenly heard Zain change the subject to him. ¡°Joseph, you''re not young anymore. Don¡¯t mess around outside anymore. Have a good rtionship, and don¡¯t make those messes.¡± Not loving those words, Joseph put down his steak and said, ¡°Grandpa, why do you say that? When did | mess around outside? I''ve been peacefultely. I¡¯ve been honest and righteous!¡± ¡°Then get yourself a wife and show me!¡± Joseph was dumbfounded and said shamelessly, ¡°Grandpa, don I¡¯m still a child! How could any child in the world get married?¡¯ He didn¡¯t want to get married now and feltfortable being ald whatever he wanted with no one bothering him. Zain wanted to p Joseph on the back of the head when he heard Joseph talking nonsense. Joseph immediately stopped Zain, bing serious in his demeanor, and said solemnly, ¡°Okay, Grandpa. I''ll tell you why I¡¯m not in a rtionship today.¡± Ashley stopped caring about Valentin¡¯s hand on her knee at once at his wwords and looked toward Joseph curiously. SShe thought, ¡®Did he have any emotional injuries before? Or is there a wwoman deep in his heart that he can¡¯t forget?¡¯ 09.03 ¡®ib Chapter 227 Eviven Valentin looked at Joseph. Hele knew Joseph but didn¡¯t know that Joseph still had such deep thoughts. Jokesuph sat there, looking into the six eyes of the three people in front of himad said solemnly. ¡°If | tell you, you must keep my secret.¡± Ashleienodded. ¡®We''ll keep it confidential. Go ahead.¡± Jokes pigished. looking lonely, ¡°Actually, I¡¯m an angel and not allowed to Ashley y fe confused. Valentinerea speechless. Zain was sooungry that he grabbed a nearby stick and tried to hit Joseph.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Joseph immediately jumped up and ducked out of the way, holding in hisuginter until it is ist stomach hurt. ¡°You guys asked me, and | answered. And you guys didiubetheve me when | finished. What can | do?¡± Ashley was spenardekess. She thougin, What a waste of my feelings! I¡¯ve been worrying about him for nothing. After dinner, Ashley were with Zain to water the flowers in the sshouse in the cardeitto for a while as a walk. Then she followed Valentino the room on the second floor y used to live. he Once inside, Ashley didn¡¯t have one to look around the room furnishings when her cell phonesdienly rang. The caller ID showed ¡°Andrewwhhe asshole.¡± Ashley subconsciously tried to bingbbm suddenly remembered forgetting Andrew¡¯s birthday inst me the potted out her cheeks in tangle and took a deep breath as she edit to Valentin, Tm going to answer a phone call first. After saying that, she ran to the balcony Valentin saw the caller ID) on her cell phone and thinew it was from Andrew He thought, Ashley specifically avoideti meandran to the balcony to 09.03 Chapter 227 answer... balcony. Ss eyes became serious. A little angry, he walked towards the Chapter 228 Ashley had just run to the balcony before the call was connected when she saw Valentin following her. She subconsciously waved her hand at him. ¡°Go back to your room first. I¡¯ll answer the phone.¡± Valentin did not go back to the room, nor did he continue to walk forward. He leaned against the balcony¡¯s ss door and casually folded his arms. ¡°Go ahead. | won''t disturb you.¡± He stood there with such a strong sense of presence, watching her answer the phone in person. Ashley was at a loss for words for a while. Thinking about it, she figured she wasn¡¯t cheating on him and had nothing to avoid him. She just felt a little weird. Ashley turned her back and picked up the phone, holding it to her ear and even unconsciously lowering her voice. ¡°Hello.¡± Andrew, on the other end of the phone, was momentarily surprised when he heard the call go through and then smiled, ¡°Tsk, | thought you would just hang up and ignore me. You actually answered the phone?¡± ¡°Why are you calling? Is there something wrong?¡± Ashley was not in the mood to talk nonsense with him and asked in a low voice. ¡°Baby, you have such a sneaky voice...¡± Andrew narrowed his charming eyes and smiled ambiguously, ¡°Are you having an affair with me behind Valentin¡¯s back?¡± He asked in a good mood, ¡°Are you willing to let me be your home wrecker?¡± Ashley was speechless. She regretted answering his call. Ashley took two deep breaths and said quickly, ¡°I forgot about your birthday earlier...¡± There was a sudden silence on the other end of the line. After about five or six seconds, Andrew¡¯s dark and dangerous voice 09:04 sounded. ¡°You finally remembered?¡± Ashley rubbed her nose in embarrassment. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you remind me then? Would you die for slightly reminding me?¡± ¡°Ashley, would it seem too pathetic of me to remind you of my birthday actively?¡± Ashley didn¡¯t answer. Andrew¡¯s husky, gloomy voice rang through the phone receiver, hardly hearing any emotion. ¡°It¡¯s not the first time you¡¯ve abandoned me.¡± ¡°Don''t you talk nonsense!¡± Ashley was instantly agitated. ¡°Abandon? | don¡¯t have a special rtionship with you. Don¡¯t throw dirt on my head!¡± After Ashley finished speaking, Valentin suddenly grabbed her wrist. She looked up to see Valentin approaching at some point. There was a wooden wicker chair on the balcony. Valentin sat down on it and pulled Ashley into his arms. Ashley blinked in bewilderment, lifting her hand to cover the receiver of her cell phone, and whispered in confusion, ¡°What are you doing?¡± Valentin said frankly, ¡°I¡¯m afraid you''ll get tired from standing and answering the phone.¡± Ashley fell into silence, thinking that was a bad reason. Ashley released her hand from covering the phone and asked And the other end, ¡°Why are you calling today?¡± Andrew did not answer the question and asked slowly, ¡°Ashley, who told me ¡®Your birth is not a sin. I''ll help you celebrate your birthdays from now on.¡±?¡± Ashley fell silent. ¡°Baby, if you didn¡¯t do what you promised me, shouldn¡¯t you make it up to me?¡± Ashley thought, ¡®Make it up?¡± Frowning, Ashley was wrapped tightly around her waist by Valentin before she could say anything. Then she heard Andrew say ¡± wrecker.¡± Ashley remained silent. She thought. ¡®He said that again!¡¯ make it up to me for being your home Ashley was sure that Valentin heard Andrew''s words. Valentin¡¯s hand around her waist suddenly tightened, and then he lowered his head and came closer to her. The distance between the two was very close so that Ashley could feel his warm and ambiguous breath. Ashley¡¯s eyshes trembled. She panicked and lowered her eyes, directly resisting Andrew on the other end of the line. ¡°Can you stop being crazy? I¡¯m in a proper marriage. My husband and | are in a good rtionship! If you¡¯re calling me for something as morally corrupt as being a home wrecker, I¡¯m too busy to talk to you.¡± She heard Andrew snort lowly. Alow, husky snort came through the weak electrical current, indescribably paranoid. ¡°Baby, I¡¯ll go to Zyrrinthia after a while.¡± Ashley frowned suspiciously, thinking. What does it matter to me if he comes or not?¡¯ Without saying much, Ashley finished listening and hung up.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. She raised her eyes to meet Valentin¡¯s deep, quiet ones, like a deep al as if they were sucking one¡¯s soul into them. Ashley was currently sitting on Valentin¡¯sp. Being looked at by him such a way, Ashley moved closer to him actively before she could make any thinking and moved in his arms. After realizing what she¡¯d done, Ashley awkwardly raised a hand to touch her neck. ¡°Well, that, just ignore what Andrew said. He hasn''t been thinking right. Anyway, don¡¯t take what he said seriously.¡± Valentin gazed at her intently, his eyes dimmer than ever. ¡°Ashley.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Ashley looked up. Valentin caressed the side of her face. His throat rolled, and the voice that spilled from it was low and loving, stirring Ashley¡¯s heart. 09:01 ¡°| can give you whatever Andrew can give you and whatever Andrew can''t.¡± After a pause, he continued, ¡°Don¡¯t be mesmerized by him, huh?¡± Ashley was stunned. Her eyshes fluttered twice quickly, her heart. pounding and her pretty eyes touching. ¡°Of course, | won¡¯t be mesmerized by him... | don¡¯t like him...¡± Valentin¡¯s tensed nerves rxed slightly at hearing her say she didn¡¯t like Andrew. Just now, Valentin listened to her and Andrew on the phone, listening to their unique past. In those pasts, she knew Andrew so well. Not only did she know Andrew¡¯s obscure childhood and birthdays, but she had also firmly said to Andrew, ¡°Your birth is not asin.¡± Andrew had saved her, and she had saved Andrew. Those pasts and bonds were something Valentin could never be a part of. The jealousy and darkness in his heart broke through and grew wildly like a towering tree. Because of his childish and despicable mind, he¡¯d hugged Ashley while she was still on the phone with Andrew, as if that was the only way to break the bond between her and Andrew, to be closer to her, and to have a sense of presence around her. ¡°Ashley, how long have you and Andrew known each other?¡± Ashley blinked and blurted out, ¡°It hasn¡¯t been that long! Unlike you, and | grew up together. | can¡¯t even count how long | have known you. Valentin looked at Ashley steadily in front of him. Ashley suddenly lowered her eyshes, raising her palm and gently cing it on Valentin¡¯s heart. She raised her eyes, which were beautiful like the stars in the sky. ¡°Valentin, | thought back carefully. Other than my grandparents¡¯ figures, the only one | can think of is you.¡± They grew up together and spent all their youth together, like a family. Even what Ashley once thought was a falling out was Valentin¡¯s undered fondness. 09:04 Upter 228 Just after she was cut off from the Ramos family and at her most painful and lonely times, he appeared to her and epted her into his world, making her feel at home again. Ashley winked yfully. ¡°What should | do? | always feel like you''re the only person I¡¯ve been close to in the world since my grandparents died. If only | had known a few more friends when | was...¡± Before she could finish speaking, Valentin couldn¡¯t hold back any longer and took her into his arms with fondness and desperation. All of a sudden, he smelled the faint and tender fragrance of Ashley. The dark emotions that had grown out of his possessiveness of her were gradually soothed. ¡°You''re enough with just me,¡± Valentin said, hugging her. Ashley grunted lightly in arrogance and deliberately retorted to him, ¡°Who wouldn''t want to have more friends?¡± Valentin hugged her hard, the tip of his nose brushing against her soft earlobe. ¡°Ashley...¡± Valentin¡¯s warm breath brushed against Ashley¡¯s ear as he spoke. Stimted, Ashley shivered softly and uncontrobly. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Ashley, be with me...¡± Ashley was startled suddenly and quietly grasped Valentin¡¯s cloth uncontrobly eased her breathing. Immediately afterward, she heard Valentin¡¯s maic voice slowly sounding indescribably reverent and warm. ¡°Whether you like me or not, | will always love you and be nice to you. Chapter 229 Chapter 229 Ashley¡¯s thoughts went nk momentarily as she listened to Valentin¡¯s vow-like confession. She could clearly feel that her heart was vibrating violently, and the strong numbness and throbbing spurted out with the heartbeat. ¡°Whether you like me or not, | will always love you and be nice to you...¡± Hearing these words, Ashley couldn¡¯t help but be moved. However, such blind dedication was unfair to Valentin. Ashley moved her fingers and got up from Valentin¡¯s arms. Valentin saw Ashley get out of his arms as if to avoid suspicion just as he finished his confession. His eyes dimmed for a moment. Then he smiled, his tone returning to its usualziness, and said as if nothing had happened, ¡°Ashley, it¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t ept me now. It means | haven¡¯t done enough. ¡°Then I''ll continue to think of ways to try to be better to you.¡± Ashley¡¯s heart suddenly tightened. Sunlight poured in through the clear ss windows of the balcony, casting ayer of light on Valentin¡¯s long eyshes. His pupils were like a clear and transparent ocean, and her figure was reflected in them. Valentin, such a noble, handsome, and elegant man, just quietly waited for Ashley, not forcing her at all and respecting her wishes... She thought, ¡®He¡¯s been dying to get a response from me ever since he confessed to me that day. Ashley stared at him for a moment, her eyshes trembling and her red. lips shining. ¡°Grandpa just said there are five more days until our first wedding anniversary. It¡¯s actually when my divorce agreement with you expires...¡± Valentin knew her so well that he naturally understood what she meant. Ashley would decide whether to divorce him in five days and respond to his confession. Valentin quickly made a judgment based on the current situation. No 09:04 matter which method was used, the calcted results were simr. The probability of being rejected by her in five days was still very high... Seeing that he remained silent, Ashley coughed lightly and asked, ¡°Are you worried about me divorcing you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He did not deny it, and his eyes were gloomy. ¡°I roughly calcted it. There¡¯s a 73 percent chance you''ll divorce me.¡± Ashley was confused about the 73 percent. She thought, ¡®What is this? How did he calcte it?¡¯ Ashley blinked in bewilderment and was just about to ask what 73 percent was when her cell phone suddenly rang. It was from Laura. Ashley answered it casually, ¡°Hello, Laura.¡± ¡°Ashley, | need you to log on to Twitter now.¡± Laura, everpetent, said briefly, ¡°Haton, who taped the show with you today, tweeted a picture of the two of you together, saying that he sessfully met with his idol. You should log on to Twitter and respond to him.¡± ¡°Oh, okay, | got it.¡±Content held by N?velDrama.Org. Hanging up the phone, Ashley told Valentin, ¡°I need to deal with something first.¡± Valentin looked over to see her open the Twitter interface. Ashley had just logged on to Twitter when she saw a hashtag: ¡°Haton sessfully met with his idol, Ashley.¡± She tapped in to see thetest Twitter from Haton. [I finally got a chance to meet with Ashley today! Not only is she beautiful, but she¡¯s also exceptionally good at so many things!! | even got Ashley¡¯s autograph. I¡¯m showing off to everyone now!!!] Just by reading the text, one could tell that he was excited, with so many exmation points. He also showed the picture that Ashley had signed for him earlier. Only then did Ashley realize that Haton had been following her on Twitter for a long time. It turned out that Haton had been her follower $), Chapter 229 since before, but she hadn''t noticed. y followed Haton andmented a couple of kind words under his Twitter. Theizens immediately became active and kept reminding Haton. [Haton,e on! Your idol replied to you.] [Ive looked at that picture of Ashley and Haton together several times, and | have to say, Haton¡¯s eyes are so pretty. He¡¯s quite handsome, and he matches Ashley well.] Ashley saw thements and zoomed in on Haton in the photo. After looking at it, she nodded and muttered, ¡°He is pretty good- looking.¡± But no sooner had she finished speaking than Valentin reached out and took her cell phone away. Ashley raised her head nkly. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Valentin looked at her with a meaningful smile. ¡°Good-looking?¡± Ashley fell silent. She thought, ¡®What? Why didn¡¯t | realize he was so easily jealous before?¡± Standing up, Valentin pulled Ashley back into the room, picked up a photo album from the desk, flipped to a particr page, and asked deeply, ¡°Ha... What is his name?¡± Ashley immediately said, ¡°Haton.¡± Valentin nced at her sidelong and said coldly, ¡°You remember his name quite well.¡± Ashley remained silent. She thought, ¡®He¡¯s so good at setting things up! He did it on purpose, didn¡¯t he?¡¯ Valentin flipped to a page in the album and tapped twice on the photo. ¡°Who looks good in this picturepared to Haton?¡± Ashley looked down and saw the person in the photo clearly the next second, and the corners of her mouth twitched slightly. But she was very sensible. Without hesitation, she answered bluntly, ¡°Of course, the person in the photo is good-looking.¡± 3/5 09:047 Chapter 229 Valentin inclined his head to look at her. ¡°Where does this one look good?¡± ¡°Everywhere!¡± Ashley reached out and pointed to the person in the photo. ¡°This handsome man is not only good-looking, he¡¯s also kind, brave, and strong!¡± Ashley said all this without taking a breath, and then she lifted her head. and blinked her watery eyes at Valentin as if to ask, ¡°Are you Satisfied with that?¡± Valentin raised an eyebrow. ¡°Why does it sound to me like you¡¯re praising so reluctantly?¡± ¡°No!¡± Ashley summarized seriously. ¡°Seriously, I''ve never seen a better-looking person than this guy in the photo.¡± Valentin seemed satisfied and reluctantly let her go. Ashley was helpless, having never realized he was so easily jealous before. She pointed to the photo and asked, ¡°When did you take this?¡± She recognized the person in the photo at first sight. It was Valentin. ¡°In college,¡± he replied in azy tone. Ashley was instantly interested. They had fallen out then and had no contact. She picked up the album with interest and flipped through it, trying to get a sense of his life after they had fallen out. After flipping through it, she realized that he didn¡¯t like taking photos at all. There weren¡¯t many pictures from beginning to end, and more of them were of him and her as children. Ashley blinked. ¡°Have you always kept these photos?¡± Hearing this, Valentin looked up at her. ¡°Did you throw them away?¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± Ashley immediately retorted, exining, ¡°They are all kept at my grandparents¡¯ house. | have kept them well.¡± Valentin¡¯s eyes suddenly turned profound. He raised his hand and rubbed. her head. As if it wasn¡¯t enough, he pulled her into his arms. ¡°I suddenly want to hug you.¡± Ashley was confused, not understanding what had happened to make him suddenly want to hug her. 15 After being held by Valentin for a moment, she pushed him away. ¡°Okay, you should have hugged me enough.¡± Valentin nced at the way she pushed him away and raised his eyebrows slightly. ¡°You¡¯re avoiding me now?¡± Ashley immediately objected, saying righteously, ¡°What are you talking about? What do you mean ¡®you¡¯re avoiding me now? I¡¯ve been avoiding you since long before, okay?¡± Valentin was at a loss for words. Chapter 230 After having dinner with Zain in the evening, Joseph stayed at Kingsley Manor, and Ashley and Valentin returned to Kingsley Vi. Ashley walked into Kingsley Vi¡¯s living room and sat on the couch. She hadn''t even rested for a moment when she received a call from Simon Hunt, her grandfather''s lifetime friend. Simon knew that Ashley could paint and that Ashley was the mysterious female painter, Aurora. ¡°Ashley. I¡¯m organizing a painting exhibition in the next few days, not a solo exhibition, but aprehensive one, showing landscape oil paintings by many famous artists. | would love to invite you to participate!¡± Simon warmly invited. Ashley thought that Simon was a good friend of her grandfather¡¯s when he was alive and that Simon was a true lover of paintings, so she agreed to the invitation. The next morning, Ashley nned to go back to where her grandparents used to live. The paintings she painted were ced in her previous home. Ashley spoke to Valentin and got ready to head out. Valentin, however, stood up. ¡°I''ll apany you.¡± He was worried that if she went back alone, she would be prone to think of her deceased grandparents and fall into sadness. ¡°Don''t you have to go to thepany today?¡± Ashley didn¡¯t want to interfere with his work. ¡°You don¡¯t have to stay with me. I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°It''s just work. How can it be more important than you? After Valentin finished speaking, he called Tom and asked him to cancel what he could in today¡¯s schedule and postpone what he couldn''t Ashley gently bit her lower lip, her heart indescribably soft. Ashley had no choice but to go out with him. Her grandfather sometimes moved to the country when he got excited and wanted to farm Chapter 230 But he also had plenty of ces to stay in the city. The residences were vacant, but Ashley hired someone to clean them regrly. Ashley led Valentin to a suburban vi and pushed the door in. The flowers in the yard were in full bloom. Only theck of care had caused ayer of petals and fallen leaves to umte on the ground. Opening the door to the living room, they went in. The house was still bright and clean because the cleaners were hired to clean it regrly, so no dust had umted. The house was furnished exactly as it had been when her grandparents were alive and hadn¡¯t been moved one bit. Ashley¡¯s eyes were sore as she watched these memorized scenes, and a hidden wave of rolling tears appeared in the bottom of her eyes. It was as if the old days of living with her grandparents floated before her eyes, like a slide movie, rewinding scene by scene, from the present scene by scene back to when she was a child and when she was first adopted from the orphanage by her grandparents.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. At that time, Ashley had no parents or rtives. But she had grandparents and Valentin... She had also had the warmest of kinship... Suddenly, her right hand fell into a warm palm. Ashley turned her head in a daze and met Valentin¡¯s deep eyes. The beautiful boy who had grown up with her had traveled through time and grown into his current handsome, dignified form. After so many things, the people closest to her as a child returned to her... Ashley blinked lightly, and the tears in her eyes dissipated. Her delicate eyebrows slowly revealed a charming smile. ¡°I suddenly realized that are exceptionally handsome.¡± Valentin was stunned. you It took Valentin several seconds to react to her sudden remark, raising his eyebrowszily and saying, ¡°Ashley, so all those compliments you gave me yesterday were perfunctory.¡± 09.01 Chapter 230 Ashley was at a loss for words. ¡°| take back what | just said. Just pretend | didn¡¯t say it.¡± Ashley pointed to the couch next to her. ¡°Make yourselffortable. I''ll pack up the painting.¡± The paintings she painted in the past were all framed, so she rolled them up and put them in a box. After packing up the paintings, Ashley delivered them to Simon, and they would be disyed at the show when the time came. Back at Kingsley Vi, Ashley drew the painting of a starry sky she¡¯d promised Joseph earlier and called him to pick it up. Joseph was having a good time at the bar when he got the call and immediately rushed over. Joseph was excited to see the finished painting. ¡°Wow, Ashley, your painting of a starry sky is beautifull¡± Ashley sat on the couch and snackedzily. ¡°It¡¯s good that you know.¡± ¡°The shining stars are too charming! | love it so much!¡± Joseph hastily took out his cell phone and took dozens of photos from various angles for posting on Twitter. He evenbeled it as being drawn by ¡°Aurora¡± herself. Joseph had quite a few followers on his Twitter ount, and they we instantly shocked to see the stunning painting of a starry sky and the name Aurora. [Really? Did Aurora really draw this painting?] [As far as | know, Aurora only paints elegantndscape oil paintings and is a superb female artist. But | didn¡¯t think she could paint a starry sky so stunningly.] [Ipared the drawing styles. It seems like Aurora really drew it!] [Please, handsome Joseph, tell me how you got Aurora to paint for you. Have you met Aurora in person? What does she look like?] Joseph had fun looking at thement section. He immediately replied when he saw thementplimenting him on his handsomeness. [Aurora looks a bit like Ashley. ..] 09:04 T Theizens were instantly confused, thinking, ¡®Looks a bit like Ashley?¡± At noon, the highly prestigious Skyward Art Exhibition in Zyrrinthia officially announced that Aurora, the famous and mysterious female. painter, had been invited to attend the exhibition three dayster. Netizens immediately gathered around when they saw the news. In addition to Aurora, the Skyward Art Exhibition invited many other famous painters, which could be regarded as a great event in the painting world. And among those invited painters, someone pointedly spotted Cara. [Did you guys see that? Cara¡¯s been invited to the exhibition, too!] [Wow, Cara is excellent! Skyward Art Exhibition is very famous, and those who can be invited to it are the top masters in landscape oil painting. I¡¯m afraid she¡¯s the youngest girl invited!] [I have to admit that Cara is good at drawing. She must have had years of practice, and her drawing style is somewhat simr to Aurora¡¯s]. [Wait a minute. Joseph said Aurora looks a bit like Ashley, and Cara¡¯s eyebrows also look like Ashley¡¯s. Could Aurora be Cara?] Chapter 231 Could Aurora be Cara? Netizens were shocked at this idea and felt there was a great possibility. After all, Cara¡¯s level ofndscape oil painting was impressive. However, someizens objected. [I don¡¯t think so. Joseph said that Aurora looks a little like Ashley. Why don¡¯t you guys just guess that Aurora is Ashley? Remember, Ashley can draw. She¡¯s the talented designer Attelia. How couldn''t she draw if she¡¯s designed so many beautiful clothes?] [Don¡¯t be ridiculous. How can drawing a design be the same as andscape oil painting? They''re not rted at all.] [Stop arguing and look! | found Ashley¡¯s painting from her previous variety show. It¡¯s got something to do withndscape oil painting, right?] A picture followed thement. Netizens checked out the picture with curiosity. After looking at Ashley¡¯s painting,izens burst outughing. Ashley drew the still life of two pears that were randomly ced on the table. And the pears were still close together. [Are these pears? | can only say that Ashley¡¯s painting is not bad, but it¡¯s still a bit far from Aurora]. [Not to mention Aurora, she can¡¯t evenpare to Cara. | know Ashley is great in some aspects, but her painting skills... Seriously, stopparing her to Cara. Comparing the still-life pears to Cara¡¯sndscape paintings is self-defeating.] [I feel Ashley''s painting of these two pears is extraordinary. You guys only focus on the content of the painting. Why don¡¯t you look at her painting skills?] All your favorite ces are on Facebook Get details and more on Pages. Go to Facebook. VISIT SITE >> 09:11 But it didn¡¯t take long for thement to be flooded withments from otherizens. Someizens evenpared Ashley''s paintings of pears with Cara¡¯sndscape paintings. Theparison made Ashley¡¯s childish painting of pears look even more so and was directly crushed by Cara¡¯s high-end landscape paintings. Meanwhile, in Bertha¡¯s ward, Jessica was sitting in front of Bertha¡¯s hospital bed, gloating at the onlinements of Ashley being crushed by Cara. She thought, ¡®Heh, Ashley, the bitch, finally had her day! She really thinks she¡¯s good?¡¯ There was always someone better. The hatred and vengeance in Jessica¡¯s heart got a great vent as she watched thements online that Ashley was inferior to Cara. She thought she could use Cara to put Ashley down... ¡°Jessica, what are you looking at?¡± Bertha asked as shey on the hospital bed with a pale face. Jessica returned to her senses and said softly, ¡°Mom, it¡¯s nothing but Ashley getting scolded online...¡± ¡°Being scolded? She deserves it!¡± Taking Jessica¡¯s phone and reading the whole story, Bertha said mockingly, ¡°She is not as good as Cara, so she deserves to be scolded byizens so that she can wake up. Otherwise, she really feels that she is very capable.¡± Bertha put down Jessica¡¯s cell phone. Her eyes were filled with love when she looked at Jessica. ¡°Ashley isn¡¯t as good as you... She hasn¡¯t visited me once since I¡¯ve been in the hospital... You¡¯re the only one who¡¯s been there for me...¡± It was the caregivers taking care of her, about going to the bathroom and showering, but Bertha was content to have Jessica in the ward with her all the time. ¡°Mom, don¡¯t say that. | should apany you.¡± 2/0 09:14 VISIT SITE >>> Pages Have All the Detalls ¡°Jessica, the Ramos family isn¡¯t what it used to be, and | couldn¡¯t even give you a rich life. But you still treat me so well...¡± Bertha said, bursting into tears. ¡°Jessica, | didn¡¯t raise you all these years for nothin: ¡°Mom, | have long thought of you as my real mother. | will always be with you and the Ramos family through the hard times.¡± Jessica said touchingly, but in her heart, she had been secretly nning to find an opportunity to privately transfer the rest of the Ramos family¡¯s property as soon as possible. The Ramos family had long since fallen from grace. Even though Evan spent every day at thepany, thepany¡¯s performance was still poor. Frankie was missing and unounted for. Jeremy, Ryan, and Matthew were now all trying to please Ashley and didn¡¯t evene home. Furthermore, Bertha was hospitalized, which cost quite a lot of money every day. Jessica had long take the rest ofgured out that she couldn''t dy any longer. She had to take the rest of the Ramos family¡¯s possessions as soon as possible and transfer them all. When the time came, it wouldn¡¯t matter to her if Bertha was kicked out of the hospital and died in the street. ¡°Jessica, I¡¯m so relieved that you¡¯re willing to stay with the Ramos family through the hard times...¡± Bertha said as she burst into tears again, holding Jessica¡¯s hand with love and appreciation in her eyes. ¡°You¡¯re my best behaved and most beloved daughter...¡± Joseph looked at the online situation at Kingsley Vi and frowned suspiciously. The corners of his mouth suddenly twitched as he looked at Ashley, who was snacking on the couch. ¡°Ashley, why are you still eating?¡±Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Ashley snacked happily, her cheeks puffing out like a cute little squirrel. ¡°You still care whether | eat or not?¡± 4/6 Facebook! Pages Have All the Details VISIT SITE >> 09:14 ¡°Did Valentin prepare all these snacks for you?¡± ¡°Yeah, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°| knew it.¡± Joseph, furious with sadness, threw himself at the couch. ¡°Valentin never prepared them for me. Why is he so biased? | want some, too!¡± Ashley was speechless. Joseph ripped open a bag of chips and took two big bites with tears in his eyes while saying Valentin was biased. ¡°Ashley, do you know Cara?¡± ¡°No. What¡¯s wrong?¡± Ashley nced at him strangely. ¡°Why do you ask such a question?¡± ¡°Netizens areparing you two. They say Cara crushes you in painting.¡± ¡°Let me see.¡± Ashley took the phone and roughly nced at it, spreading her hands in disinterest. ¡°Netizens just love to gossip andpare everything. It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± ¡°Speaking of gossip...¡± Joseph winked at Ashley, ¡°Ashley, how are you and Valentin doing now?¡± Ashley nced at him and was about to speak when her cell phone suddenly rang. It was from Simon. Simon was a close friend of Ashley¡¯s grandfather when he was alive and the organizer of the Skyward Art Exhibition. Ashley picked up the phone and said politely, ¡°Hello, Mr. Hunt.¡± ¡°Ashley, I¡¯m calling to ask your opinion on something.¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± IL ¡°Ashley, the Skyward Art Exhibition is in three days. | set up the venue today, and Charlie from the Ramos family came and said he was interested in Aurora¡¯s painting and wanted to buy the Territory.¡± Simon smiled, ¡°I thought Aurora was you, so | need you to agree to sell it or not.¡± 09.11 All your favorite VISIT SITE >>> Pages Go Ashley frowned. She thought, ¡®Charlie wants to buy my painting?¡± ¡°| won''t sell it.¡± Ashley decisively refused. ¡°Okay, | respect your decision.¡± Simon, of course, had heard about Ashley and the Ramos family and understood her decision. ¡°By the way, Ashley, in addition to Charlie, Jeremy and Matthew came and said they wanted to buy Aurora¡¯s paintings.¡± Ashley was confused and didn¡¯t know what they were doing. She thought, ¡®Do Jeremy and Matthew know painting? Why would they want to buy my paintings?¡± Chapter 232 Simon exined, ¡°Jeremy and Matthew said that they saw someone on the Inte mocking you with the paintings of Aurora and Cara, so they wanted to buy Aurora¡¯s works to tear and burn them up.¡± ¡°Not for sale!¡± Ashley uttered each word clearly in disgust. Joseph, who was on the side, faintly heard the content on the phone and almostughed out loud. Jeremy and Matthew, these two idiots, are too stupid to curry favor with Ashley,¡¯ he thought. As time flew,izens were looking forward to the Skyward Art Exhibition. Precisely, they were all looking forward to the attendance of Aurora and Cara. After all, the Skyward Art Exhibition was prestigious. Those who were invited were top masters ofndscape oil painting. Aurora had always been mysterious and had a great skill ofndscape oil painting. Many people would pay high prices to purchase her paintings but failed to get her work. As for Cara, she was the only person who was qualified to participate in the Skyward Art Exhibition in the entertainment business. Her outstanding talent, gentle temperament, and beautiful appearance. attracted the admiration and following of manyizens. The number of Cara¡¯s fans increased rapidly. She became the most popr female star recently. Just the day before the Skyward Art Exhibition, an anonymous ount posted a photo on Twitter. [Big news! Someone just sent me a picture. It¡¯s a photo of a banquet that was taken three years ago. The banquet probably was held in a foreign country. Cara is in the photo, as well as...Valentin, the president of the Kingsley Group!] As soon as the anonymous ount posted the photo, it became a trending topic. Manyizens had seen it. 1/3 09:14Content held by N?velDrama.Org. VISIT SITE >> Pages Have All the Detalls In the photo, the banquet hall was filled with luxury decorations. Valentin stood in a corner with his hands holding a ss of red wine, and he looked at the red wine with his eyes lowered. He was dignified and. charming. The crowd surrounded him, and they all wanted to talk to him. Not far away, Cara was wearing a white fishtail gown, graceful and elegant. She was looking in the direction of Valentin. The post was instantly abuzz withments. Holy! | checked it in the software. This photo is not edited!] (Oh my, so Valentin and Cara recognized each other before?] (What kind of recognition is it? Cara looked in the direction of Valentin, but Valentin didn¡¯t even raise his head, obviously unaware of Cara.] That''s what makes it romantic! In thevish banquet hall, she looked through the crowd and stared at him, surrounded by people. | can write a love story in my mind!] Damn, | suddenly became a shipper of Valentin and Cara... This photo is stunning. They match up so welll] (Wow. I¡¯m not the only one who thinks Cara and Valentin are a perfect match!] Just when thements on this photo increased, aizenment [Oh my, | have a friend who works at the Kingsley Group. He said M Kingsley canceled all his schedule tomorrow and made time to go to Skyward Art Exhibition!] Thisment was immediately liked by manyizens to the front row [Holy crap. Valentin made time to go to the Skyward Art Exhibition tomorrow. Could it be that...he went there for Cara?] [I didn¡¯t believe it at first, but when | saw the photo of Cara and Valentin in the banquet hall, | suddenly thought it was possible. This photo was taken three years ago. Maybe they have known each other since then!] Chapter 233 Chapter 233 Someizens believed that Valentin went to the art exhibition for Cara and even became a shipper of them.. After all, it sounded romantic for a man as distinguished and wealthy as Valentin to cancel all his schedule to go to a woman¡¯s art exhibition. In short, the Skyward Art Exhibition attracted much attention. Coil The most important reason was that the topndscape oil painting. master, Aurora, would publicly attend this exhibition. Aurora was mysterious and had a great skill ofndscape oil painting. Many people couldn¡¯t get her painting works even with a high price. Those students who learnedndscape oil painting all had copied Aurora¡¯s paintings. All of this showed the status of Aurora, How couldn''t the public be expected to see such a master ofndscape oil painting attending the Skyward Art Exhibition? Eventually, it was the day of the Skyward Art Exhibition. The Skyward Art Exhibition was held at thergest art gallery in Kilos City. Thendscape oil painting enthusiasts who came to see the exhib and reporters with cameras were all at the crowded entrance of th gallery. Many well-knownndscape oil painting painters were invited to the Skyward Art Exhibition. The organizer speciallyid a red carpet at the entrance to show respect for the painters. Whenever a painter entered the gallery, reporters took photos with their cameras, turned their heads, and asked around, ¡°Is that Aurora?¡± After a while, a ck car slowly parked. Cara, wearing a white fishtail gown, got off. All your favorite ces are on. Facebook Get details and more on Pages Go to Facebook VISIT SITE >> 09:14 Chap She was curvy with a gentle smile on her face. With each step, she showeckcharmand looked like an attractive model walking on the stage. Cazavesad female painter invited to the exhibition and a female star in the entertainment business at such a young age. Many of her fans also came to the scene. ra¡¯s anteriddimice immediately made her fans scream with excitement. ¡°Cara is so beautiful!¡± ¡°She looks like princess. People on the Inte always say that Cara is somewhat similda to Ashley and not as pretty as Ashley. But | don¡¯t think so. Cara is more becamful than Ashley!¡± Forget about Ashley barads the only celebrity invited to the Skyward Art Exhibition. Does Ashley¡¯s skill of painting pears deserve to bepared with Cara Soopbidding!¡± Capa¡¯s fans always sawnectionsments that Cara was not as good-looking as Ashley, so tagy had deep hostility towards Ashley. Surrounding reporters vanowe to interview Cara as they saw her. ¡°Cara, many famous painters were invited this time. You are the youngest but skilled. What''s your opinion ¡°Cara, manyizens think you pay style is simr to Aurora¡¯s and specte that you are Aurora. Can you respond to the Aurora¡¯s and Cara answered the first question huby. As for the second question. Cara smiled gently and said, ¡°Aurndscape oil painting master. Manyyppopplewho studyndsc painting have copied Aurora¡¯s works, and coddol hadmire Aur works. Therefore, we have a simr style..Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. As for the spection, thanks for your antination. My skills inndscape oil painting are far inferior to Auroon¡¯s lif Tm lucky enoug encer her today, | will ask her for advice on painting.¡± The reporters were surprised. ¡°It seerns that rissalsona fan of Aurora.¡± oinother reporter asked, ¡°Cara, two days ago,izenspared the pears Ashley painted with yourndscape work. Do your khoobbout this?¡± 09:14 All your favorite ces are on Facebook. Get details and more on Pages. Go to Facebook. VISIT SITE >>> Cara smiled and shook her head. ¡°I haven¡¯t paid attention to this matter, but | want to be friends with Ashley. If she wants to learn landscape oil painting, | will be willing to teach her whatever she is interested in.¡± Cara¡¯s fans were immediately moved to tears after hearing her answer. ¡®Oh my, Cara is so kind! Please don¡¯t teach Ashley. She can¡¯t draw any works with her poor skill of drawing pears, the fans thought. At this moment, another ck car slowly approached. After the car stopped, the door opened. Joseph was handsome in a retro suit and got off. When the reporters saw Joseph, they were all confused and thought, ¡®Why does Mr. Fox alsoe to the art exhibition?¡± However, Joseph did not enter the gallery after getting off. Instead, he walked to the car¡¯s door, opened it, and stretched his right hand as a gentleman. ¡®What? Is there anyone else?¡¯ everyone thought. Then, they saw a hand gently ced on Joseph¡¯s palm, and then, a sexy and attractive leg stepped out of the car with a high heel studded with diamonds. An experienced reporter immediately raised his camera and captured it once he saw this scene. When the woman got off, her delicate face was finally revealed. Her skin was smooth as silk, her lips were sexy with red lipsticks, and her eyes were bright, showing her unique beauty. She was...Ashley! ¡°Why did shee?¡± A reporter was surprised and asked. ¡°Probably she came to see the exhibition with Joseph,¡± another reporter beside him replied. ¡°If not, how could shee with Joseph?¡± ¡°It makes sense. Maybe you''re right. Ashley looks so amazing every time | see her. When she got off just now, | took a photo of her. She is perfect with no effort.¡± ¡°Yes! | thought Cara was pretty just now, but now that Ashley appeared, | instantly felt Cara became ordinary. Ashley¡¯s figure is way way more 09:14 All your favorite ces are on Facebook Get detalls and more on Pages Go to Facebook VISIT SITE >> outstanding than Cara¡¯s, let alone her delicate face...¡± The reporter was judging. Suddenly, a reporter beside him touched him, gesturing for him to shut up quickly and be careful of Cara. The reporter immediately shut up and looked at Cara cautiously as he was reminded. Cara heard the reporter¡¯s words, saying she was ordinary and not as beautiful as Ashley.... ¡®Is that so?¡¯ Cara thought and stared at Ashley coldly, not far away. When the reporter looked at her, Cara put a gentle smile on her face again and said softly, ¡°It''s fine. | don¡¯t mind.¡± The reporter immediately breathed a sigh of relief and thought, ¡®Oh, Cara is indeed considerate and kind. She is a nice person.¡± However, Cara¡¯s fans didn¡¯t think so. ¡°Each time Ashley appears, people judge Cara and say she is not as beautiful as Ashley. I¡¯m so annoyed. ¡®l felt it was great for Cara to be friends with Charlie. Just making friends with people she dislikes and let her upset!¡¯ they thought. But Cara¡¯s fans quickly calmed down. ¡°This is an art exhibition, not a beauty pageant. Cara is an invited painter. Ashley is just a visitor whoes to appreciate Cara¡¯s paintings.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. In terms of the ability ofndscape oil painting, Cara is better!¡± ¡°| heard that Valentin, the president of the Kingsley Group, will alsoe to the exhibition for Cara today! Ashley only has a beautiful face and can¡¯tpare with Cara in other aspects. Easy, everyone.¡± Chapter 234 Chapter 234 Ashley and Joseph got out of the car and briefly epted interviews with reporters. Then, they walked into the art gallery. The gallery was decorated with an elegance and artistic style. Manyndscape oil painting works were framed and hung on the walls. These were representative works of well-known painters with exquisite skills, attracting many people to stop. Joseph walked around and quickly concluded. ¡°Every painter has. disyed three to five masterpieces, but Ashley, your paintings get the most people¡¯s gaze when | look around.¡± Joseph pointed to the right front as he spoke. ¡°Look, your paintings are in that area! It has the most people watching and appreciating, right? Even the reporters were holding cameras to take photos of your painting.¡± It had to admit that Aurora was indeed famous. She almost stole all the other painters¡¯ thunder in the exhibition. Ashley looked in the direction Joseph pointed and was slightly startled as she saw Charlie. Joseph clicked his tongue impatiently. ¡°It¡¯s strange. Why does that guy Charlie like Aurora¡¯s paintings so much? His gaze is fixed on Territory.¡± Ashley was also surprised. She didn¡¯t expect Charlie to like her painting Territory so much. Charlie stared at the paintings on disy for a long time. When he looked away, his eyes met Ashley¡¯s gaze, who was not far away. Charlie frowned and questioned himself, ¡®Why did Ashleye here? Does shee to see paintings with Joseph?¡¯ ¡°Mr. Ramos.¡± At this time, Cara came over and greeted Charlie gently. ¡°I just saw you staring at Territory by Aurora. Do you like it?¡± Charlie withdrew his gaze, looked at Cara, and nodded. ¡°Yes, | like it very much. | contacted Mr. Hunt, the organizer, and wanted to buy Territory by Aurora, but unfortunately, it is not for sale.¡± VISIT SITE >> Pages Have All the Details 09:11 Caraforted him softly. ¡°Maybe Aurora likes this painting very much, so she is reluctant to sell it. However, if Aurora had known that the famous restoration expert of cultural relics, Charlie, wanted to buy her painting, she should have sold it to you.¡± Charlie lowered his eyes and pondered. ¡°Hope so.¡± Cara saw Ashley not far away, smiled, and said to Charlie, ¡°Mr. Ramos, your sister also came to see the exhibition.¡± Charlie agreed at first, then calmly denied, ¡°She has severed ties with the Ramos family and is not my sister.¡± ¡®Ashley is free to see the paintings. It has nothing to do with me. However, with Ashley''s ability to paint pears, how can she appreciate suchndscape oil paintings?¡¯ Charlie thought. At this moment, a group of staff surrounded Simon and came over. Simon was wearing a suit with gray hair, but he looked energetic and amiable. The surrounding reporters recognized him as the organizer of the Skyward Art Exhibition and raised their cameras immediately. They thought, ¡®Cara is the only painter attending the exhibition nearby. Did Simone to see Cara?¡± But the next moment, Simon walked straight towards Ashley and greeted her kindly. ¡°Ashley, | finally have you here!¡± Ashley smiled politely, ¡°d to see you, Mr. Hunt.¡± When the reporters saw this, they were stunned and thought, ¡®Ashley and Simon are that familiar?¡± Even Charlie and Cara were stunned for a moment. Simon smiled and exined, ¡°Ashley¡¯s grandfather and | are close friends. Therefore, | also regard Ashley as my granddaughter.¡± The gallery was in an uproar as his words came out. The reporters were shocked inwardly, What? Simon''s granddaughter?This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. 09:11 All your favorite ces are on Facebook Get details and more on Pages Go to Facebook VISIT SITE >> ¡®Simon is well-known in the field ofndscape oil painting. He can easily. invite painters to such an art exhibition, which shows his infany 1 ¡°How can such a big shot be so close to Ashley? ¡®Damn it, how many powerful people does Ashley know? ¡®She is so well-connected! ¡®| thought that Ashley came to see the paintings with Joseph, but now it seems the opposite.¡± Simon walked to Ashley and said in a low voice, ¡°Ashley, | just received a call that Clinton Baze wille to see your paintings today.¡± When Joseph heard the name, he was surprised and said, ¡°Clinton? The famous painter in Yavelyn? Does he also like the landscape oil painting of our country?¡± Simon nodded. His voice was still low. ¡°Yes, Mr. Baze said he likes. Aurora¡¯s work very much. He has studied them for a long time and thinks that thendscape oil painting of Zyrrinthia is very artistic. So after hearing the news that Aurora attended today¡¯s art exhibition, he immediately came here from abroad, hoping to meet Aurora.¡± Ashley raised her eyebrows in surprise. ¡°Okay, | got it.¡± Joseph couldn¡¯t stop wondering, Ashley is so famous!¡± After Simon finished his words, he left temporarily. The reporters did not hear what they were talking about because of the low voice, so they guessed Simon was exhorting Ashley. Manyndscape oil painting enthusiasts came to see the exhibition in the gallery. Of course, most of them were looking around. ¡°Where''s Aurora?¡± ¡°They said Aurora wille. Why haven''t I seen her yet?¡± ¡°Mr. Hunt, where is Aurora?¡± In a series of questions, Simon looked calm. He smoothed his gray beard. VISIT SITE >> Pages Have All the Details 09:15 and personally interpreted each representative painting from the attending artists. When he interpreted Cara¡¯s work, Simon said friendly, ¡°Cara¡¯s paintings are great. It is rare to be skilled at such a young age. ¡°The painting Winter Landscape with Sleigh once won the first prize in the Kivous Painting Competition, right?¡± Cara wore a modest smile. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m honored.¡± The surrounding people were amazed at Simon¡¯s words. ¡°Kivous Painting Competition? It¡¯s the most authoritativendscape oil paintingpetition in the country. Winning the first prize in such apetition shows her high painting level.¡± ¡°To get a high achievement at such a young age, Cara is so amazing. She has a bright future!¡± ¡°Cara must be the best painter in the entertainment business! She is knowledgeable and talented!¡± ¡°Speaking of female stars, | think of Ashley¡¯s pears again, which can¡¯t bepared with Cara¡¯s painting...¡± Charlie looked at Cara with admiration and thought, ¡®Herndscape oil painting skills were impressive.¡± The fans of Cara around felt so proud when they heard thepliments. ¡°Even though Cara is not as beautiful as Ashley, she is more talented than Ashley!¡¯ they thought. After Simon finished interpreting Cara¡¯s painting, the surrounding enthusiasts urged him, ¡°Mr. Hunt, you have interpreted all the paintings only left Aurora¡¯s. Do you want to put Aurora as thest one? Come on, | came here for Aurora today.¡± Simon walked a few steps to his right and stood at Aurora¡¯s fourndscape oil paintings. His kind face showed a bit of solemnity. ¡°It is a great honor for the Skyward Art Exhibition to invite the master ofndscape oil painting, Aurora Easel! ¡°| believe manyndscape oil painting enthusiasts like Aurora, and so do ¡°Next, wee Aurora Easel! She will personally interpret her paintings Chapter 235 After the words came out, people around Simon and the reporters all turned their heads and looked around. ¡®Is Aurora among the crowd?¡¯ they thought. Not far away, Charlie also looked around. He really wanted to know who Aurora was and to meet her. ¡®If Aurora knew | wanted to buy Territory, would she agree to sell it to me because of my identity as a restorer of cultural relics?¡¯ Charlie wondered. Cara also became curious and thought, ¡®Such a mysterious and talented female painter, who could it be?¡± Simon stroked his gray beard, turned his head slightly, and looked in the direction of Ashley with appreciation in his eyes. Charlie¡¯s eyes widened in shock after he realized who Simon was looking ¡®ib He thought, ¡®Simon was looking at...Ashley! Could it be... Cara was also shocked and astonished. She clenched her fists tightly, digging her nails into her palms. ¡®No...no way! How could Ashley be the famousndscape oil painting master Aurora with that skill of painting pears? ¡®How could she be better at painting than me? Maybe...Simon was looking at the person behind Ashley, she thought. However, the next second, Simon walked to Ashley and said kindly, ¡°Ashley, sorry, | should call you Aurora now. It¡¯s a great honor to invite you to the Skyward Art Exhibition!¡± The moment Simon finished his words, the entire gallery fell silent. ¡®Holy...crap! Ashley is Aurora!¡¯ Cara¡¯s fans thought. Cara¡¯s fans wereughing at Ashley for her poor painting skills. However, now, they were so shocked by what Simon said. They all dropped their jaws as if they had been hit by lightning. All your favorite ces are on Facebook Get details and more on Pages Go to Facebook VISIT SITE >> 09:15 Even the surrounding reporters did note to their senses from the shock in time. They thought, ¡®Ashley, who painted the pears, is the long-awaitedndscape oil painting master Aurora.¡¯ ¡®Someone on the Inte once said he could tell Ashley¡¯s great painting skills from the pears. He was right!¡± After dozens of seconds, these reporters realized something, raised their cameras with trembling hands, and kept shooting. Simon led Ashley to Aurora¡¯s paintings. The warm and bright lights fell on Ashley. She was like a blooming rose with her delicate face. She lowered her eyes and smiled, ¡°Hi everyone, | am Ashley Ramos, also Aurora Easel.¡± Everyone heard her lovely voice. There was a great burst of apuse in the gallery. Thosendscape oil painting enthusiasts were so excited that even a few men praised Ashley madly. ¡°Aurora, | like your paintings so much! | have copied Territory more than a hundred times!¡± ¡°Me too! | thought Aurora would be an olderdy because of he painting skills, but | didn¡¯t expect her to be so young! You must youngest and most aplished painter in today¡¯s exhibition!¡±All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. ¡°You are so beautiful and talented in painting. Who on earth said Ashley¡¯s paintings are inferior to Cara¡¯s? He is totally wrong!¡± ¡°Any of these Aurora¡¯s paintings is more impressive than Cara.¡± ¡°Cara also said she would teach Ashley to draw when she received the reporters¡¯ interview. That''s so embarrassing now...¡± ¡°There is someone who boasted that Cara is the only female star in the entertainment business invited to the exhibition. He also said that Ashley was just a visitor. Now, he should be ashamed of himself!¡± All your favorite ces are on Facebook Get detalls and more on Pages Co to Faceta. VISIT SITE >>> 09:15 At this time, Cara¡¯s eyes were fixed on Ashley. She clenched her fists so hard that she almost crushed her hands. She thought, ¡®Great, Ashley Ramos. | really underestimated you!¡¯ Not far away, Charlie was listening to Ashley¡¯s interpretation of Territory to everyone and looking at her in a trance. He thought, The Territory | like was actually painted by my sister Ashley. ¡®If | told Ashley now that | wanted to buy the painting, would Ashley...sell it to me?¡¯ Charlie had aplicated and strange feeling in his heart. Since Ashley returned to the Ramos family, he ignored her and did not care about her. He was used to Jessica being around, so he gave more attention to Jessica. Moreover, Jessica was better at pretending to be cute than Ashley. The squeaky wheel got the grease. He always preferred Jessica and felt that Ashley, his biological sister, was sensible and didn¡¯t need much attention. Even though he knew she was bullied and abused by the members of the Ramos family, he never stopped them or helped her. But now, Ashley painted his favorite Territory. d He also thought of Ashley''s ability to identify the cultural relics on the show a few days ago. These changes made him feel an uncontroble strange feeling i heart. This biological sister...seemed worthy of his attention... At this moment, a staff ran over excitedly and reported to Simon, ¡°Mr Hunt, Mr. Baze ising. He is outside right now!¡± Hearing the news, the crowd gasped. ¡°Mr. Baze? The Yavelyn famous painter Clinton Baze? Why does hee here?¡± ¡°Is Clinton also interested inndscape oil painting of Zyrrinthia?¡± While everyone was whispering, Simon nodded slightly to Ashley and then led the staff out. 09:131 After Charlie heard Clinton¡¯s name, he pondered and walked to Cara. ¡°Cara, is Clinton here for you?¡± As soon as Charlie asked, the people and reporters immediately looked over curiously. Charlie exined calmly, ¡°Cara and Clinton are friends. They met several times at art exhibitions abroad and even changed numbers.¡± Hearing Charlie''s words, everyone''s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°Oh my, Cara actually knows Clinton, a great painter, and makes friends. with him.¡± ¡°That''s awesome! It seems that Clinton came to see Cara.¡± Cara smiled slightly and said, ¡°Clinton once said he is very interested in ourndscape oil painting. Maybe he came to see the art exhibition.¡± Charlie smiled, ¡°Cara, you are important to have such foreigners like Clinton pay attention to our painting, which is a good spread of our culture.¡± Someone echoed, ¡°Yes, it is a great achievement culture and let more people know and like it!¡± to carry forward our Cara heard these praises and nced at Ashley not far away. She became pleased from her depressed mood just now. Cara¡¯s fans were excited and thought, ¡®Even though Ashley is Aurora a Cara is not as good at painting as Ashley, the painting master Clinton i Cara¡¯s friend, and hees for Cara, which makes us so proud of it.¡¯ After a while, Simon led a dark-skinned man in.. Clinton was fit and about forties with the elegance of an artist. Simon said something to Clinton. Then Clinton raised his head and looked at the crowd in front with earnestness in his eve eyes. At this moment, Ashley, Cara, and Charlie were all in the crowd. When Clinton looked up, everyone was sure that Clinton was looking at Cara. Cara smiled gently and greeted Clinton when he came over. ¡°Clinton, it¡¯s been a long time.¡± 09-151 ¡°Cara?¡± It seemed that Clinton just found out Cara was also in this exhibition. He smiled politely, ¡°d to see you.¡± ¡°Clinton, why did you...¡± Before Cara could finish her words, Clinton interrupted her anxiously, ¡°Sorry, Cara, I¡¯m in a hurry right now. I''ll talk to youter, okay?¡± Cara was startled, then smiled considerately. ¡°You want to see the paintings? Please.¡± Clinton nodded and immediately walked away without saying a word. Cara thought Clinton was eager to appreciate the paintings, but then, she saw Clinton reach out to Ashley, intending to shake hands with Ashley. Clinton looked at Ashley in excitement and joy. ¡°Aurora, | finally meet you!¡± Chapter 236 Chapter 236 Clinton was excited and joyful. ¡°Aurora, | finally meet you!¡± Ashley shook hands with him and smiled, ¡°Hi, d to see you.¡± People around saw Clinton ignore Cara, went to Ashley enthusiastically, and expressed his excited feelings to Aurora. ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯ they thought. A boy in the crowd couldn''t help but ask, ¡°Mr. Baze, aren¡¯t you here for Cara?¡± Clinton was talking to Ashley. When he heard this question, he felt bothered and frowned, ¡°Of course not. | heard that Aurora would attend the art exhibition, so | came here by ne from abroad overnight to meet her. ¡°As for Cara, | knew she also attended this exhibition just now.¡± After hearing Clinton¡¯s words, everyone gasped again. Anyone who knew Clinton knew he was frank. His words were also influential. ¡°Oh...oh my! Mr. Baze came by ne for Aurora, not for Cara!¡± ¡°He just found out that Cara is also in this exhibition... Well, Clinton doesn¡¯t pay attention to Cara at all. | thought Cara and Clinton were very familiar...¡± ¡°Look at Clinton¡¯s excited face. He is so happy to meet Ashley.¡± After hearing Clinton¡¯s words, Cara¡¯s face became stiffened. The gentle smile on her face could no longer be maintained. Clintonpletely ignored her and came here for Ashley... Cara was left alone. She gritted her teeth, took deep breaths, and smiled softly to show she was generous and didn¡¯t mind. At this time, the reporters surrounding Clinton and Ashley took chance to ask a question, ¡°Mr. Baze, | heard that you are very interested inndscape oil painting of Zyrrinthia. Can | know the reason?¡± Clinton smiled calmly, ¡°Because of Aurora.¡± Everyone was surprised. Ashley also looked at him in surprise. 115 09:15 Clinton looked at Ashley and said sincerely, ¡°I¡¯ve heard of thendscape. oil painting of Zyrrinthia before, but | don¡¯t know much about it and have no interest. The first time | saw your painting, | was attracted by its artistry, which | had never experienced before. From then on, | began to study your paintings and learn yournguage, hoping | could meet you. andmunicate with you one day.¡± Ashley was slightly startled and smiled, ¡°I¡¯m so d you like our painting. Thendscape oil painting is a unique painting form of our country. It has its system and profound cultural meanings. It is also the essence of our culture.¡± Clinton nodded repeatedly. ¡°Since then, | have been very interested in the culture of Zyrrinthia and also studied many paintings. However, | still have some questions. | wonder if you can help me?¡± Ashley smiled, ¡°My pleasure.¡± After listening to the conversation, everyone at the gallery was more convinced of Clinton¡¯s admiration for Aurora. He even learned thenguage! They never expected Ashley to spread the culture unknowingly. Charlie looked at Ashley with disbelief. He didn¡¯t expect Clinton to admire her so much... Clinton suddenly remembered something, took an exquisite box from his pocket, and handed it to Ashley. ¡°A gentleman entrusted me to give you this gift.¡± Ashley was confused. ¡°Who?¡± Clinton replied, ¡°He said he adored you so much.¡± Ashley was even more confused. The reporters nearby immediately sensed something and thought, ¡®Someone adores Ashley and asks Clinton to give her a gift. This person is unusual for he can ask the famous painter Clinton to do him a favor. Clinton thought about it and said to Ashley, ¡°He said you called him ¡®bastard Andrew. He intended toe to see your painting in person, but he couldn¡¯t get away for a while... He also said he likes the pears you draw. It looks great!¡± 09.15 Ashley sneered inwardly, ¡®I know it! Andrew Banks!¡± Joseph stood by the side, heard the name, and immediately became. nervous. ¡®Damn it! Andrew''s intention is too obvious!¡¯ he thought. Clinton handed the box to Ashley and opened it gently. It was a beautiful rose brooch. The rose was cut with a rare pink diamond, and it could catch everyone¡¯s eyes at once. There was also a note underneath, and ¡°The Final Rose¡± written on it. A female reporter in the crowd suddenly eximed, ¡°Is it that poem, ¡®In my barrennd you are the final rose¡±?¡± ¡°So romantic!¡± Another girl cupped her face and said. But Ashley felt it was troublesome. She didn¡¯t want to ept this gift at all. She couldn¡¯t make Clinton embarrassed, so she had to take the box and decided to return it to Andrewter. Joseph was anxious and thought Andrew just wanted Ashley to be his girlfriend. The romantic words were nonsense,¡¯ he thought. A bold reporter quietly asked Joseph, ¡°Mr. Fox, Ashley works at yourpany. Do you know who this man is?¡± Joseph replied angrily, ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± The reporters were so curious and btedly thought of something. ¡®No- wonder Joseph posted a painting of a starry sky drawn by Aurora on Twitter and said that Aurora looked like Ashley. It turns out that Joseph already knew Ashley was Aurora. Areporter wearing sses suddenly asked, ¡°Mr. Fox, | heard that Mr. Kingsley wille to today¡¯s art exhibition. Is it true?¡± Joseph hummed and chuckled, ¡°Of course.¡± The reporter probed, ¡°Mr. Fox,izens spected that Mr. Kingsley wille here for Cara, will he?¡± Joseph put on a dangerous smile. ¡°You can ask Valentin directly.¡± The reporter trembled in fright and thought, ¡®I don¡¯t dare to ask him.¡¯ At this moment, a staff ran over and stuttered in excitement, ¡°Mr. Hunt...Mr. Kingsley...is here...for real!¡± Simon was so excited that his beard trembled. ¡°Come with me to greet him!¡± After Simon finished speaking, he ran slowly with his old legs, which showed his pleasure. Everyone present knew Valentin and was all excited to look outward. ¡°Oh my, Valentin really came here!¡± ¡°Is he here to see thendscape oil paintings? Or, asizens guessed, he is here for Cara.¡± ¡°| have no idea. But being able to see Mr. Kingsley is enough to brag about for a lifetime.¡± Cara¡¯s fans immediately became excited as they heard Valentin¡¯s name. They thought, ¡°That was Valentin, the president of the Kingsley Group.¡± ¡®He was more famous than Clinton. ¡®Cara once had a photo taken with Valentin, and Valentin¡¯s attendance at the exhibition this time was probably for Cara. How could | not be excited?Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. With suchparison, Clinton showing up is nothing. Chapter 237 Chapter 237 Not long after, arge group of staff surrounded Valentin and walked over attentively. Valentin was tall and graceful. He was dressed in a crisp white shirt emphasizing his robust waist. His long legs were covered in those perfectly tailored pants. Valentin had an understated allure as he strolled gracefully, giving off this cool and ssy vibe. Especially as he listened to Simon¡¯s report while walking, every inch of his features, from the straight nose to the sharp jawline and the alluring Adam¡¯s apple, exuded a captivating charm. A few girls in the crowd immediately eximed in a low voice.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s really Mr. Kingsley! He¡¯s really here!¡± ¡°So good-looking! So good-looking! He¡¯s so attractive that I¡¯m practically speechless!¡± ¡°| really want to crumple his white shirt...¡± All eyes were on the handsome and noble man, and Cara was no exception. She instinctively raised her hand, adjusted her dress, and tucked a strand of loose hair behind her ear. After ensuring her image was wless, she nervously sped her hands.. However, from the moment of entering the venue, Valentin¡¯s profound gaze excluded everyone irrelevant, focusing uniquely on Ashley. As long as Ashley was present, he could only see her in his eyes and no one else. Joseph had grown ustomed to this because Valentin was a hopeless. romantic deeply in love with his wife. Just then, a bold young reporter excitedly approached, fearlessly interviewing. ¡°Mr. Kingsley, there have been rumors online these past few days suggesting you attended today¡¯s art exhibition for Cara. Is that true?¡± Seeing the actions of the young reporter, other journalists immediately felt a cold sweat. How daring! He dared to interview Valentin directly! 15 09:15 Joseph observed the scene and subtly grimaced. He had just brought it up, and someone was foolish enough to ask Valentin the question. But hearing the reporter''s question, the curiosity of many people was piqued. Was it true that he came for Cara? Unexpectedly, Valentin stopped in his tracks, looking at the young reporter who asked. It seemed like he was willing to answer this question. Btedly sensing the tension, the reporter nervously repeated the question. ¡°Mr. Kingsley...did you attend the art exhibition today for Cara?¡± In the next instant, Valentin¡¯s calm and indifferent voice echoed in everyone''s ears. ¡°Who is Cara?¡± At that moment, everyone fell into silence and wondered. ¡°What? Valentin doesn¡¯t know Cara?¡± ¡®He doesn''t even know who Cara is!! ¡®Cara is a recently popr female celebrity who trended on social multiple times. Valentin doesn¡¯t know her, indicating he hasn¡¯t paid attention to her.¡± ¡°This response truly is ruthless, leaving no room for mercy! dia This brief and indifferent reply silenced the venue to the point tha6 a pin drop could be heard. Everyone swiftly turned their heads tow Cara. Cara¡¯s breathing became difficult at this moment, and her face turned pale. Clenching her fingertips tightly, she supported herself to avoid any sway or loss ofposure. She had never expected Valentin to embarrass her like this in front of everyone. Cara¡¯s fans were also bewildered. ¡®Mr. Kingsley doesn¡¯t know Cara?¡¯ ¡°So, he didn¡¯te for Cara this time? How could this happen!¡± 09:151 That bold and reckless young reporter mustered courage again and asked, ¡°Mr. Kingsley, there has been a photo circting online for the past two days showing you and Cara together... The reporter stopped himself halfway In that photo, Cara¡¯s gaze was directed toward Valentin, but he simply lowered his eyes to look at the red wine ss in his hand. It was evidently one-sided, as Valentin seemed utterly unaware of her presence. With this young reporter taking the lead, other reporters couldn¡¯t help. but ask questions. ¡°Mr. Kingsley, there¡¯s a photo of you and Cara together online. Sometizens specte that you two might have had some connection before...¡± ¡°No,¡± Valentin denied again, his voice devoid of any fluctuation. The questioning reporter was instantly frightened, swallowing his saliva nervously. Valentin was so straightforward, showing no mercy. It seemed like he really wanted to distance himself from Cara. On the other hand, Joseph nudged Ashley¡¯s arm, lowering his voice. ¡°See that, Ashley? Valentin¡¯s move is really swift and decisive. He publicly stated that he had no connection with Cara. It¡¯s to show his loyalty to you.¡± Ashley was literally speechless. She thought, ¡®What loyalty? What kind of messy words are these! C speak properly?¡± Ashley ground her teeth and lowered her voice. ¡°This is called rification, not showing loyalty.¡± ¡°Oh, Valentin just doesn¡¯t want you to get the wrong idea! Even a hint of misunderstanding must be nipped in the bud quickly and decisively. Ashley, trust me, | swear on my conscience, from childhood to now, both physically and mentally, Valentin has only ever had eyes for you!¡± Joseph patted his chest and said in a firm tone. Ashley was speechless again, thinking, He is genuinely an overly protective brother. ¡®Wait a minute. Physically? Valentin and | haven¡¯t done anything yet!¡¯ 09:15 On the other hand, after confirming that Valentin had no connection. with Cara and didn¡¯t attend the art exhibition for her, the reporters started specting. ¡°It seems Mr. Kingsley is here today just to appreciate the artwork.¡± However, at this moment, Valentin lifted his eyebrows slightly, and his tone was no longer as distant and cold as it was just now. ¡°Not exactly.¡± ¡°So, Mr. Kingsley, did youe here for...¡± Valentin smiled slightly, his tone hinting at a trace of subtle fondness, ¡°To see Ashley. | really like Aurora Easel.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, the journalists and onlookers, even Ashley herself, were left astonished. Just when the buzz created by Clinton wasn¡¯t enough, now a more influential figure, Valentin, stepped into the spotlight, and once again, he was here for Ashley! Chapter 238 The reporters were sharp individuals, able to sense that Valentin was in a good mood. They wanted to seize this rare opportunity to ask him a few questions. After all, figures like Valentin were not easily essible for interviews. However, before the reporters could ask questions, Valentin had already cast several nces in Ashley¡¯s direction in just a few seconds. All of them figured that Valentin was eager to see the paintings of Aurora and thought he had a deep love forndscape oil painting. The reporters were savvy enough to exchange nces and promptly closed their mouths, not daring to dy the big shot¡¯s time for appreciating the paintings. Only Joseph knew that Valentin was not admiring the paintings but rather his wife. Simon and the staff quickly approached Valentin and escorted him toward Ashley. Didn¡¯t Valentin mention that he came for Ashley? Where else would he go if not towards her? Even though the reporters didn¡¯t move forward for interviews, their cameras were still held high, continuously filming Valentin. When Valentin reached Ashley, they snapped many photos of the two. As Valentin approached Ashley, he noticed her holding a delicate little gift box. It seemed like someone had given her a present. ¡°What''s this?¡± He squinted slightly, taking the initiative to inquire. Feeling a headacheing on, Ashley held the gift like a hot potato, with nowhere to hide it.. Standing beside Ashley, Clinton heard Valentin¡¯s question and straightforwardly exined, ¡°This is a gift from Ashley''s admirer. He asked me to bring it over for her.¡± As an Aurora fan, Clinton instinctively addressed her by first name instead of surname. 115 09:50 He was straightforward and didn¡¯t hide anything about the gift. Joseph felt like running over to cover Clinton¡¯s mouth. He thought, Why does he have to be so explicit? Valentin must be on the brink of letting his jealousy spill now!¡± Valentin caught the word ¡°admirer¡±. He casually nced at the gift box, then raised his gaze. His tone conveyed ambiguity as he said, ¡°Ms. Ramos seems quite popr.¡± Ashley was speechless. Joseph grumbled internally, ¡®Oh my, it¡¯s not just on the brink. It''s everywhere now!¡± Yet, amidst the jealousy, Joseph couldn''t help but sense a flirtatious tone as Valentin addressed Ashley as ¡°Ms. Ramos¡± in front of everyone. Was there a hint of yful banter? At this moment, Simon added fuel to the fire with great pride. ¡°Ashley is talented and beautiful. Having numerous admirers is simply par for the course.¡± Joseph grimaced and thought, ¡®Damn, why does he have toplicate things!¡¯ Just as Simon finished speaking, he felt Valentin give him a disdainful nce. Simon wondered if he had said something wrong but dismissed the thought quickly, as every word he spoke was true. Joseph quickly changed the topic, smiling, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s not talk about admirers. Let''s discuss the art exhibition. Valentin, since you''ve met. Aurora, have a good chat with her, okay?¡± Giving Ashley a knowing look, Joseph smiled with a touch of mystery. He said, ¡°Ashley, Valentin really, really likes Aurora, and he really, really likes you...paintings!¡± He deliberately stretched the ¡°you¡± for a moment. Ashley¡¯s eyelids twitched, and she thought, ¡°This troublemaker couldn¡¯t go a day without stirring things up!¡¯ Looking at Valentin in front of her, Ashley inexplicably felt a tacit understanding between them under the gaze of many eyes. Her 2/5 09:50 heartbeat slightly quickened. ¡°Thank you, Mr...¡± Ashley hesitated for a moment, feeling awkward to address him. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Kingsley, for your appreciation.¡± On the inside, she thought, ¡®Well, | haven¡¯t called him that before.¡± Valentin raised an eyebrow. ¡°You''re wee, Ms. Ramos.¡± Upon hearing this, Joseph thought, ¡®Wow, Ms. Ramos and Mr. Kingsley, what a perfect match!¡± Meanwhile, not far away, Charlie watched Ashley in the crowd, feeling a strangelyplex emotion welling up within him. Every time, Ashley managed to surprise him. Charlie turned to see that Cara had been watching Ashley and Valentin¡¯s direction, seemingly focused on their interaction. ¡°Cara,¡± Charlie called her name, pausing before continuing, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Clinton and Valentin to be here for Ashley. It seems they are both really into Aurora¡¯s paintings.¡± Cara''s eyshes flickered gently. She was immersed in her thoughts. ¡®Both are into Ashley... Especially Valentin. He didn¡¯t even spare a nce. for me and focused solely on her.¡¯ Cara continued to gaze at Ashley and Valentin, but her tone was strangely tender. ¡°Ashley is admired by so many people. It¡¯s truly enviable.¡± ¡°Cara...¡± ¡°But it''s okay,¡± Cara sighed lightly, smiling at Charlie. She looked graceful and gentle. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m inferior to Ashley. What do you think, Mr. Ramos?¡± Charlie nodded in agreement. ¡°Indeed, you are better than Ashley.¡± The Cara he knew had many talents, and her abilities were outstanding. ¡°Just a bit regrettable,¡± Cara sighed softly. ¡°Regrettable about what?¡± Charlie was puzzled. ¡°It''s regrettable that Ashley is Aurora. Given her misunderstanding of you and the Ramos family, she might not agree to sell you that painting you 3/5 09:50 D Chapter 238 like so much. Charlie furrowed his brow. He genuinely liked the painting Territory. Would Ashley refuse him because of the Ramos family¡¯s misunderstandings? The reporters at the scene had already reported the art exhibition events online with hashtags: ¡°Ashley Ramos is the master oil painter Aurora Easel¡±. ¡°Valentin Kingsley attends the exhibition for Ashley Ramos¡±, Valentin Kingsley doesn¡¯t even know Cara Ward¡± and ¡°Yavelyn famous. painter Clinton Baze learns hernguage for Ashley Ramos¡¯. These hashtags dominated the trending searches, creating a buzz online Netizens who couldn''t attend the exhibition were shocked to see these trends. [What? Ashley is Aurora?] [Ashley, are you really this amazing!] Someizens who spected that Valentin and Cara had some connection and even intended to ship them were directly struck down by the truth. Why bother shipping? Valentin had openly dered that he didn¡¯t know Cara at all! It must be said that Valentin¡¯s attitude toward Ashley and Cara was wholly different and iparable. In one moment, he coldly imed not to know Cara, and in the next, he showed great admiration for Ashley, creating a stark contrast. At this moment, a reporter uploaded a video from a charity banquet a while ago. Curiousizens clicked on the video and were once again shocked. Valentin had spent 10 million dors to purchase Ashley''s personal bracelet, openly dering himself a fan of Ashley and expressing his admiration. This charity banquet wasn¡¯t broadcast live, soizens saw this footage for the first time, and it instantly caused amotion. Holy shit, what''s this amazing thing! Useless paparazzi, why is this.ing out only now!] [Oh my gosh, Ashley is the one connected to Valentin!] 09:50 [Of course. Cara only appeared in a group photo, and Valentin didn¡¯t. even look at her. What''s the point of specting about their connection!] Have you all noticed how Valentin and Ashley make such a stunning pair! The visuals and the height difference are just perfect. | can¡¯t resist shipping them!] Just ship them casually. There is no need to take it seriously. Valentin has never shown interest in women. His appreciation for Ashley is likely purely tonic.]Content held by N?velDrama.Org. Tom monitored the online public opinion, and upon seeing thesements, he immediately clicked the like button frantically. The comment [Valentin and Ashley make such a stunning pair] was the ton trending. He also actively disliked thement [Just ship them cas There is no need to take it seriously.]. As Valentin¡¯s qualified and considerate assistant, this was what he shoul do. Chapter 239 Chapter 239 After the Skyward Art Exhibition concluded, Charlie took the initiative to find Ashley. However, Ashley was indifferent, and she looked at him with cold eyes ast if he were a stranger. Charlie paused briefly upon meeting her icy gaze. When they were in Ramos family, although Charlie was indifferent to Ashley, Ashley¡¯s eyes towards him were always full with expectation. ¡°Ashley. | really like your painting Territory, and I¡¯m willing to pay a hig price for it.¡± Ashley refused bluntly. ¡°It¡¯s not for sale.¡± Charlie frowned, probing. ¡°Do you not want to sell the painting, or do you not want to sell it to me?¡± Ashley chuckled, cold mockery in her beautiful eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t want to sell it to you.¡± H Charlie furrowed his brows even more tightly, about to say something more, but Ashley had already turned and walked away as if saying another word to him would be a waste of time. After taking care of the post-exhibition matters, Simon invited Ashley, Valentin, Joseph, and Clinton to the adjacent lounge. Everyone took a seat on the sofa. Clinton bombarded Ashley with numerous questions, hardly giving her a moment to breathe. Joseph nced at Clinton, then Valentin, thinking Clinton shouldn¡¯t. monopolize Ashley''s time. It was time to give her back to Valentin. After Clinton finally quieted, Simon said, ¡°Ashley, you suffered a lot during your time with the Ramos family in the past two years.¡± Recent revtions about the Ramos family¡¯s actions made it clear that they did not treat Ashley well despite bringing her back home. Ashley shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Mr. Hunt, it¡¯s all in the past.¡± 09:50 Simon, hearing her words, felt even more ufortable. She had endured so much hardship, yet sheforted him. How could the Ramos family be so cruel to such a good girl? Simon sighed and spoke affectionately. ¡°Ashley, join me for dinner tonight. Let''s have a good chat.¡± ¡°Sure, Mr. Hunt.¡± Facing an elder, Ashley couldn¡¯t refuse. After saying that, she instinctively nced at Valentin beside her. Only then did she realize that he had been looking at her for who knows how long. Seeing Ashley looking over, Valentin raised his eyebrows slightly and discreetly squeezed her hand. Ashley¡¯s heart tightened, thinking, ¡°There are still others around. After Joseph heard Simon''s words, he couldn¡¯t help but sigh inwardly, Well, he¡¯s even upying Ashley¡¯s dinner time. ¡®Thankfully, the dinner is scheduled for tonight, not tomorrow. Tomorrow marks the first anniversary of Valentin and Ashley¡¯s marriage. They will definitely celebrate it together!¡¯ Cara returned to her apartment, and her phone rang. The caller was Tyler. Cara answered, ¡°Mr. Morgan.¡± His voice sounded displeased from the other end. ¡°What happened today? Is dealing with Ashley so challenging?¡± Cara tightened her fingers on the phone. ¡°Mr. Morgan, | didn¡¯t expect Ashley to be Aurora Easel.¡± ¡°Cara, | believe you won''t disappoint me next time,¡± Tyler said. Then, he asked, ¡°Has anyone from the Pliskin family contacted you?¡± ¡°No,¡± Cara replied. Tyler continued, ¡°They are investigating you. They want to see if you are the lost daughter of their family.¡± Upon hearing this, Cara raised her hand to touch her face gently and 09:50 walked to the mirror. Seeing the resemnce in her look to Ashley, she couldn¡¯t help but close her eyes. Cara hung up Tyler¡¯s call and took out another shabby phone from the cab. After turning it on, she inserted a seldom-used SIM card and dialed a number. Once the call was answered, Cara spoke indifferently. ¡°Keep an eye on Ashley today and teach her a lesson.¡± After finishing her words, Cara turned off the old phone and removed. the SIM card. During dinner, Ashley arrived at the prearranged restaurant. Entering the private room, Simon was already there, along with Clinton, who insisted on joining for dinner to spend more time with Ashley. ¡°Mr. Hunt. Clinton.¡± Ashley greeted. ¡°Ashley is here! Come and have a seat.¡± Simon beckoned happily. Ashley walked over and sat down. In addition to Simon and Clinton, there was also a young and handsome man who appeared to be in his twenties. Simon smiled, ¡°Ashley, this is my friend¡¯s grandson, Jamie Chastain. Het has always admired Aurora, so | brought him here to meet you.¡± Jamie stood up, his charming face showing a warm smile. ¡°Hello, today | finally have the honor of meeting you. It turns out you¡¯re Aurora. I¡¯ve heard your name many times before. You''re quite famous. I¡¯ve even followed you.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Ashley replied politely. Jamie smiled lightly, ¡°I¡¯ve heard you y the harp and know you as theposer, Ash. | didn¡¯t expect you to be a painter as well. You¡¯re truly talented.¡± After a moment of thought, Ashley remembered she had publicly yed the harp, probably during the variety show performance of The Land. Unexpectedly, Jamie had been following her for quite some time. 09.501 Simon chuckled, ¡°Both of you, sit down. Don¡¯t just stand there. Have a seat and talk.¡± Looking at the scene, Clinton suddenly recalled a phrase he had learned. He leaned over to Ashley and asked in a low voice, ¡°Ashley, is this a blind date in your country?¡± Ashley, amid drinking water, almost spat it out! She thought, ¡®A blind date? What kind of nonsense is this!¡¯ Ashley quickly waved her hand and corrected him in a low voice. ¡°This is not a blind date. Just a friends¡¯ meeting.¡± Clinton nodded. He thought he had a goodmand of theirnguag However, he acknowledged that thenguage¡¯s depth was vast and profound, and he still hadn¡¯t fully mastered many aspects. At the middle of dinner, Ashley received a text message from Joseph. [Ashley, when will you be back? I¡¯m at Kingsley Vi right now. Let me share a little secret with you. Valentin has a gift prepared for you.] Ashley blinked. Why did Valentin buy her gifts again? [What gift? | haven''t finished dinner yet. I''ll be backter.] Joseph replied: [Besides Simon, is Clinton also there?] Ashley answered: [Yes, and Simon¡¯s friend¡¯s grandson.] Joseph became alert. [What? There are other men?] Ashley replied: [What''s wrong?] Joseph asked again: [Is he around your age? Do the elders know each other? Do you and him even havemon interests?] Ashley replied: [Yes. Why?]All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Joseph exploded. [Ashley, this is absolutely a blind date!] Ashley was speechless. She thought, ¡®Why is everyone thinking like that? It doesn¡¯t seem like a blind date at all!¡± Joseph stood up and looked at Valentin on the sofa. ¡°Your wife is going on a blind date.¡± 4/6 09:50 Chapter 239 ¡°What?¡± Joseph said, ¡°Valentin, do you know which restaurant Ashley is having dinner at?¡± Valentin had already stood up and walked out. ¡°I know.¡± Ashley told him before leaving.. Without a word, Joseph quickly followed him out. Of course, he had to join Valentin in finding Ashley. ¡°You should have just told Simon directly at the art exhibition that you and Ashley are already married.¡± At the restaurant, Ashley wiped her mouth with a napkin and went to th restroom. As soon as she entered the restroom cubicle, she heard a noise outside. Ashley¡¯s eyes narrowed, preparing to go out and take a look, but when she reached for the door, she found it wouldn¡¯t open. It seemed someone had locked it from the outside. Ashley¡¯s gaze turned cold, and her expression instantly darkened. Her phone was in the private room, so she couldn¡¯t make a call. Ashley narrowed her eyes, raised her right leg, and kicked the door with force. The cubicle door wasn¡¯t sturdy, and it was easily kicked open. Ashley searched the restroom but found no one. She wondered who had locked the door. Ashley¡¯s face became cold, and she immediately went to the restaurant''s front desk to check the surveince footage. As she walked to the first-floor hall, she encountered Valentin and Joseph rushing over. Ashley was shocked. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Joseph was also stunned. He then walked towards Ashley. ¡°Valentin and | came to find you. Why aren¡¯t you in the private room?¡± 5/6 09:50 Speaking of this, Ashley frowned in confusion. ¡°I just went to the restroom, and someone locked the door. | kicked it open...¡± Before she finished speaking, Joseph¡¯s expression suddenly changed. He shouted, ¡°Ashley, get out of the way!¡± Ashley didn¡¯t understand what he meant for a moment and was slightly startled. In just a short moment, Valentin ran up to her with a stern face, hugged Ashley, and protected her underneath him. Almost at the exact moment as Valentin hugged her, Ashley heard a lou bang. The giant chandelier on the ceiling suddenly fell, smashing Valentin. Chapter 240 Ashley¡¯s mind echoed with a thunderous crash, briefly freezing her in ce. Warm, crimson blood dripped onto her face. ¡°Valentin!¡± Ashley''s eyes turned red in an instant, her voice trembling. Valentin let out a muffled groan due to the intense pain, a strong scent of blood surging from his throat. Despite the agony, he reassured her in broken breaths, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, I¡¯m fine...¡± Ashley¡¯s eyes were sore. How could he be fine? The ground was covered in shattered pieces of chandeliers and ring red blood, all flowing from him. ¡°Valentin!¡± Joseph was shocked, and he ran over in panic. While supporting Valentin, he took out his cell phone with trembling fingers to call an ambnce. Ashley rose from the shelter of Valentin¡¯s embrace, witnessing the massive bloodstains on his back. Giant chandelier fragments had cut his skin, and some prated into his flesh. Blood rushed out eagerly. And his head... The back of his head was also struck, his hair soaked in fresh blood. He looked as if he had just been pulled from a pool of blood. the air heavy with a pungent smell of it.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Ashley¡¯s hands trembled uncontrobly. Half-supporting, half-carrying Valentin, her voice quivered. ¡°The ambnce will be here soon!¡± His injuries looked too terrifying. Ashley dared not move him recklessly. fearing she might worsen his condition. The restaurant manager and staff rushed over immediately at the sudden turn of events. Seeing the injured person in the hall, the restaurant manager turned pale instantly. He thought, ¡®Valentin! It''s over. This kind of influential figure getting seriously injured in their restaurant would be a severe blow, even if it meant closing down. 1/5 09:51 The manager¡¯s hands and feet were ice-cold. He ran over in a panic, trembling as he pulled out his phone, nearly in tears. ¡°Ms. Ramos, Mr. Fox. I''ll arrange a car to take Mr. Kingsley to the hospital immediately!¡± Seeing the manager approach, Joseph immediately suppressed his impatience and coldly ordered, ¡°Seal off all the information. Nothing can be leaked.¡± What happened to Valentin today would significantly impact his family,pany, and the outside world. It was crucial to keep it under wraps. The restaurant manager was at a loss. After hearing what Joseph said, h immediately nodded and followed the instructions. Simon and Clinton heard themotion and rushed out of the private room. Seeing Valentin was injured, Simon was immediately flustered. He hurried over. ¡°Ashley, what happened to Mr. Kingsley? And you, are you hurt?¡± Ashley shook her head, eyes glued to Valentin since the incident. She just briefly replied, ¡°Mr. Hunt, I''ll take him to the hospital first.¡± ¡°Alright, go quickly!¡± Though he was unclear why Ashley and Valentin were so close, Simon recognized this wasn¡¯t the time to ask such questions. The wailing siren of an ambnce echoed from outside. Joseph finally breathed a sigh of relief. Ashley turned to the manager, her tone unusually stern. ¡°Trouble yourself to check the surveince in the main hall, as well as the corridor on the second floor and the exterior of the restroom.¡± The manager nodded repeatedly. Even if Ashley didn¡¯t say so, the restaurant facing such an incident required checking the surveince. footage to find out the details. Finally, they were in the ambnce, rushing to the hospital. Valentin¡¯s injuries were on his back and head. He was lying on a stretcher covered in blood. Medical staff urgently cleaned the chandelier fragments embedded in his body. Ashley carefully held Valentin¡¯s hand, her eyes burned by his bloody 2/5 09:51 wounds, both sour and bitter. ¡°How do you feel now?¡± ¡°I''m fine...¡± Valentin wearily lowered his eyelids as if he could fall asleep at any moment. He suppressed the rapid gasps caused by the pain because he didn¡¯t want to worry her. ¡°Ashley, don¡¯t worry...¡± Ashley felt her chest was tight and painful. How could she not worry? How could he rush over so quickly, shielding her regardless of everything? Joseph also got into the ambnce. Seeing this situation, he felt as if there was something stuck in his throat. He opened his mouth, not knowing what to say. Traffic was congested during the dinner rush hour, and even the ambnce moved slowly. When would they finally reach the hospital? Frustrated, Joseph cursed under his breath and called a director on his phone. In no time, patrolling police cars and motorcycles swarmed in. Sirens. red, clearing a path for the congested traffic. Escorted by the police, the road ahead was all green lights, and they swiftly arrived at the hospital. Exiting the ambnce, they were immediately taken to the emergency room. Ashley and Joseph anxiously waited outside. The hospital''s director, vice director, and a team of medical staff hurried over. ¡°Ms. Ramos, Mr. Fox, don¡¯t worry. We¡¯ve got the best doctors in town taking care of Mr. Kingsley.¡± Joseph nodded and looked at Ashley, who hadn''t taken her eyes off the emergency room door. Sighing, Joseph realized thatforting words were futile. The best oue would be Valentining out of the emergency room safely. In less than ten minutes, Zain, supported by Tom, staggered over. ¡°Ashley, Joseph, what¡¯s going on? How could he get injured out of the blue?¡± 09:51 ¡°Grandpa...¡± Ashley heard the voice and turned to look at Zain, a wave of self-me washing over her. Seeing through her thoughts, Joseph quickly reassured her, ¡°Ashley, this has nothing to do with you.¡± He could guarantee that even if it happened again, Valentin would still protect her without hesitation. Joseph exined the incident of the falling chandelier and Valentin shielding Ashley to Zain. Only then did Zain understand why Ashley felt guilty. He quickly grabbed her hand. ¡°Silly girl, don¡¯t overthink it. This has nothing to do with you. Now, let¡¯s wait for Valentin toe out of the emergency room, alright?¡± Ashley nodded. Her gaze fixed on the emergency room door, and she couldn''t shake off the worry. After a while, Joseph¡¯s parents also arrived. They were Valentin¡¯s elders and equally worried. Ashley greeted them politely. Ralph and Maggie were amiable. Naturally, they knew about Ashley and treated her like a family. ¡°Grandpa, you sit down first.¡± Joseph supported Zain, helping him sit on a chair. ¡°Yes, Dad, don¡¯t worry. Valentin will definitely be fine.¡± Ralph and Maggie. also consoled him. Zain sat down. His eyes, weathered by the years, filled with concern. He held onto Ashley¡¯s hand. ¡°Ashley, don¡¯t worry too much.¡± Ashley responded with a sound, verbally assuring everyone while. keeping her eyes fixed on the emergency room. Time crawled by, each minute and second feeling extraordinarily slow. Outside, the sky grew darker, fully enveloped in the night. After what felt like an eternity, the emergency room door finally opened. Chapter 241 The doctor emerged from the emergency room, wiping the sweat off his forehead. Ashley and Joseph immediately surrounded him. ¡°Doctor, how is he?¡± Ashley hastily inquired. Ralph and Maggie also helped Zain over. The doctor looked at the crowd and dared not offend any of these people. He carefully and patiently exined, ¡°The wounds on the patient¡¯s back have been properly treated and bandaged. There''s nothing major at the moment. The more challenging issue is the injury on the back of his head. After appropriate treatment, vital signs have stabilized, but continuous observation and treatment are still needed. However, the patient is still unconscious, so we''ll transfer him to a VIP room for better care.¡± Ashley frowned, ¡°Doctor, when will he wake up?¡± The doctor couldn¡¯t make a definitive statement. ¡°It depends on the observation of specific conditions. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the patient should regain consciousness soon.¡± Despite her lingering concerns, Ashley nodded. ¡°Alright, thank you.¡± ¡°You''re wee. It¡¯s our duty.¡± The doctor reiterated, ¡°Regarding the wounds, due to cuts and punctures from fragments, it¡¯s crucial to keep them dry and avoid infection.¡± ¡°Okay, | understand.¡± Ashley took note of it earnestly. Joseph had been listening by the side, and it was only then that he breathed a sigh of relief. The unconscious Valentin was transferred to the VIP ward. After administering fluids and exining some precautions, the doctor temporarily left the room. Ashley gently held his other hand that was not with a needle, but Valentiny quietly with closed eyes, his face pale. He was lost in a deep sleep, unable to respond to her. Zain walked to the bedside and saw his grandson motionless and 09:15 unconscious. He would be lying if he said he wasn¡¯t worried. As an elder, witnessing the suffering of his descendants was the most dreaded thing. ¡°Grandpa, Valentin will definitely wake up early tomorrow morning. Don¡¯t worry too much,¡± Joseph reassured. He then nced at his parents, saying, ¡°Dad, Mom, don¡¯t worry too much either.¡± Maggie nodded and looked at Ashley by the bedside. She kept her head. down, eyes fixed on Valentin. Ashley remained silent and seemingly lost. in thought. Maggie couldn''t bear to see it. As a woman, she thought it might be easier for her to advise Ashley. Maggie approached and patted Ashley''s shoulder. ¡°Ashley, don¡¯t be too anxious. The best doctors and professors are here in the hospital. They''ll do their best to take care of Valentin. Don¡¯t worry too much.¡± Ashley¡¯s eyshes trembled, nodding slightly. ¡°I know, thank you.¡± Maggie sighed softly and said no more. Ralph came over, holding Maggie¡¯s hand, signaling to her that this was the young couple¡¯s matter. It was futile to advise too much. Just thought about it. If the husband was injured and unconscious, how could his wife not be worried? Joseph, witnessing his parents holding hands, was used to it. His parents. were always affectionate, showering him with their affection for each other at home. Ashley received a call from Simon inquiring about Valentin¡¯s condition, so she briefly updated him. Simon wanted toe over for a visit, but it was alreadyte, so Ashley advised against it. Outside the window, the night was dark. Before they knew it, it had already passed midnight. Joseph nced at the time and spoke. Grandpa, Dad, Mom, let Ashley and me stay in the ward. You should go home and rest for a while.¡± Ashley agreed, ¡°Yes, Grandpa, you should return first.¡± 09.14m Making the elderly stay up all night was too much for their bodies. Zain couldn''t rest assured and wanted to stay in the ward. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m still strong.¡± Ashley pressed her lips, advising, ¡°Grandpa, Valentin won''t feel at ease. seeing you like this. You should go home. If anything happens, I''ll call you promptly.¡± Joseph nodded immediately, adding a few words of persuasion. Zain, Ralph, and Maggie had to leave the ward and repeatedly reminded Joseph to call immediately if anything happened. Joseph repeatedly assured them. The ward gradually became quiet, leaving only Ashley and Joseph. Ashley sat down by the bedside, holding Valentin¡¯s hand, looking at the unconscious man. His skin was pale, and only the faint sound of his breath could be heard. His eyshes didn¡¯t flutter at all. Joseph picked up a water bottle, unscrewing the cap. ¡°Ashley, would you like some water?¡± Ashley wasn¡¯t thirsty. She took the water and ced it aside. Then, she used a thermometer to check Valentin¡¯s body temperature. Fortunately, it was normal, and the wounds on his back hadn''t caused any fever or infection for the time being. Joseph also sat down by the bedside, letting out a low sigh. It was already past midnight, which was supposed to be the first anniversary of Valentin and Ashley¡¯s marriage. Unfortunately, such an incident urred, and Valentin was lying in a hospital bed, unable to say a word to Ashley. Joseph looked at Valentin on the bed, then at Ashley, and caught a glimpse of the bracelet on her wrist, feeling momentarily surprised. He couldn''t help but sigh, ¡°It seems to be quite effective...¡± Ashley didn¡¯t understand, puzzled. ¡°What''s effective?¡± Joseph raised his chin, gesturing towards the bracelet on her wrist. Ashley became even more bewildered ¡°What''s wrong with this?¡± 14 This bracelet was a gift from Valentin some time ago, and she really liked. it. She would often wear it. It was a delicate silver chain with two rubies. shaped like red beans strung on it.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. The two rubies were exceptionally translucent, emanating a warm luster, beautiful and pleasing. Joseph was astonished. ¡°Ashley, you don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°What should | know? This is the bracelet Valentin gave me before. What¡¯s wrong?¡± Ashley asked in confusion. ¡°Didn''t Valentin tell you? This bracelet was specifically blessed by a pastor.¡± ¡°What?¡± Ashley was taken aback, wide-eyed with disbelief. ¡°Blessed?¡± ¡°Yes, exactly. When Valentin knew about you getting seriously injured. while saving Jeremy, he was heartbroken. Although he¡¯s not superstitious, he didn¡¯t want you to suffer any harm in the future. So, he specifically went to ask for this bracelet. The red rubies contain some of his blood and can umte blessings while warding off disasters. Even if a disaster urs, it can be transferred to him.¡± Ashley was utterly stunned, feeling like her nerves had been pulled tight. Joseph''s words repeated in her mind. umte blessings and ward off disasters. Even if a disaster urs, it can be transferred to him... How could he do this? When Valentin gave her the bracelet, he casually mentioned. ¡°It looks great on you, so | bought it.¡± You, liar. Chapter 242 Chapter 242 Joseph was surprised that Valentin didn¡¯t tell Ashley anything when he gave her the bracelet. Ashley looked at the ruby bracelet on her wrist. This gift was beyond precious. It meant that Valentin was willing to protect her with his life. So how could she burden him with her suffering? Ashley wanted to take off the bracelet. Joseph saw through her intention and immediately stopped her. ¡°Ashley, everything Valentin has done for you, he did willingly! If you don¡¯t want him to suffer for you, then protect yourself in the future. That¡¯s what he wants!¡± Ashley gently touched the two vibrant red gemstones and nodded. She looked at the unconscious Valentin and longed to hear him call her name, to see the deep gaze he used to look at her. She missed him more. than ever before. Joseph now understood why Valentin had only given the bracelet to Ashley without exining its meaning. He probably just wanted to see her safe and happy without burdening her. Joseph looked at the silent Ashley and remembered the scene in the restaurant when the chandelier fell. At that critical moment, he didn¡¯t have enough to get close to Ashley, only managing to warn her to move away. But Valentin ran to her side so fast and shielded her in time. The chandelier fell, crashing onto Valentin. Ashley didn¡¯t get hurt at all. It showed just how well Valentin protected her. Time passed slowly in the quiet night. The liquid in the IV bottle reached the bottom. Ashley called the nurse to remove the needle from Valentin¡¯s arm. Several attending physicians rushed in. Normally, there wouldn''t be so many doctors at once. But the identity of Valentin was extraordinary. The doctors were particrly cautious. They double-checked everything to ensure his vital 09:133 signs were stable before finally feeling relieved. After the doctors gave Ashley some instructions, they left the ward. The door closed. Ashley sat by the bedside, holding the hand that Valentin had just been infused through. His hand was slightly cold. Ashley gently wrapped her hands around his hand to warm it. Joseph had some water and asked, ¡°Ashley, are you tired? It¡¯ste now. If you''re tired, go rest on the nearby bed for a while. I''ll take care of him.¡± Ashley shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not tired.¡± She had no intention to sleep. ¡°What did Valentin say about me before?¡± Ashley suddenly asked in a soft voice. Joseph thought for a moment, put the water bottle aside, and sighed, ¡°Valentin did mention you before. But | felt like he thought about you more than talked about you.¡± Joseph lowered his voice and said, ¡°The most memorable time was during a high-level meeting. Because of the Fox family and the Kingsley family¡¯s cooperation, | was there, too. | happened to notice that Valentin was absent-minded while listening to the department managers¡¯ reports. It was really rare. Valentin rarely got distracted! | leaned over to take a look and saw him unconsciously writing something on the paper!¡± Joseph vividly described it, piquing Ashley''s curiosity. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Your name! A-S-H-I-L-E-Y! He must have been missing you so much! Otherwise, why would he unconsciously write your name on paper during a meeting?¡± Ashley¡¯s heartbeat quickened as she tightened her grip on Valentin¡¯s hand. ¡°And then?¡± ¡°Then Valentin noticed that | was peeking and gave me a re. | was scared and sat properly! managers ¡°But Ashley, | thought about itter. Maybe it was because the mana mentioned thest name ¡®Ramos¡¯ when reporting, so Valentin thought of you right away! He associated you with just a surname. Valentin must have been missing you every day back then.¡± 09:15 Ashley looked at Valentin withplicated emotions. Josephter discovered that Valentin organized charity events in the organized charity events in the Kingsley Group every year, donating to orphanages. It was also because Ashley had grown up in an orphanage. Joseph scratched his cheek and said seriously, ¡°Actually, even though you two broke up back then, Valentin had always secretly cared about you. Really!¡± Ashley raised her eyes. ¡°He secretly cared about me?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Joseph nodded emphatically. ¡°He knew that the Ramos family found you. He knew that you did a DNA test with them, and they are your real family. Valentin was happy for you. He knew that you had always missed your parents and had finally found your family. ¡°Later, he found out that they didn¡¯t treat you well. Valentin was unhappy every day. He wanted to go and find you. But you two had broken up, and you hated him so much. Valentin could only send you anonymous messages, saying he could help you leave the Ramos family. But you refused, andter, he could only help you secretly.¡± Ashley¡¯s heart suddenly felt a sting as memories flooded back. She remembered the message. After being taken back to the Ramos family, she endured a lot of pain. She once received an anonymous text message offering to help her escape. But at that time, she was too desperate for family love, thinking she could move them. She didn¡¯t see the true nature of her so- called family and. rejected Valentin. Later, she noticed that someone was secretly helping her, shielding her from much of the suffering caused by the Ramos family. That person turned out to be Valentin She thought they hadpletely lost contact for so many years. It turned out he had always been silently watching over and helping her. How much had he done for her without her knowledge? Joseph''s phone suddenly rang, and he walked out of the ward to take the call. 09:15 Ashley sat by the bedside, holding Valentin¡¯s cold hand. Looking at Valentin¡¯s closed eyes and pale face, tears welled up in Ashley¡¯s eyes. She leaned down and pressed her forehead against Valentin¡¯s slightly cool hand. ¡°Please wake up soon.¡±This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. She missed him so much, more than she had ever thought possible. Ashley closed her eyes, her delicate eyshes trembling. A burning tear fell onto Valentin¡¯s fingers. Joseph finished his call and saw Ashley hunched over the bed through. the ss window of the ward. Her shoulders trembled, consumed by loneliness and destion. Joseph didn¡¯t push open the door. He turned and went back to the corridor. Chapter 243 It took Joseph over half an hour to return to the ward. Seeing Ashley''s slightly reddened eyes, Joseph didn¡¯t ask why. If Valentin knew that Ashley had cried for him, he would probably be both happy and distressed. Joseph shook his phone and calmly said, ¡°It was my sister who called just now.¡± ¡°Your sister?¡± Ashley''s voice was a bit hoarse. She thought for a while and remembered. It was that girl named ire. She called Valentin on his birthday. ¡°Yes, ire has been abroad for the past few years. | guess my parents called her to tell her about tonight.¡± Joseph put his phone back in his pocket and sat down in front of the hospital bed, continuing, ¡°ire bought a ne ticket toe back immediately, but the weather there is bad, with heavy snow and strong winds, so the ne couldn''t take off. That¡¯s why she called. | told her not to worry and not to rush back. Valentin might wake up soon.¡± Ashley nodded. ¡°Safety is important. If the ne can¡¯t take off, there¡¯s no need to risk rushing back.¡± Joseph nced outside. The night was covered with a clear silver glow, and a hint of white appeared on the distant horizon. One night had passed quickly. ¡°Ashley, are you tired? Do you want to sleep for a while?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not tired.¡± ¡°Alright then.¡± Joseph didn¡¯t insist anymore. Not to mention Ashley, he himself had no sleepiness at the moment.. In the morning, several doctors came to the ward and changed the dressing on Valentin¡¯s back wound. Everything was fine, except that Valentin remained unconscious with no signs of waking up. ¡°When will he wake up?¡± Ashley asked. 09:151 The doctors exchanged nces, and the most experienced one replied, ¡°His back wound is not serious, but he was hit on the back of his head by a heavy object. As for when he will wake up, it depends on the situation. Perhaps he will wake up in a few hours. We just checked, and his current condition is stable. Let¡¯s wait until this afternoon.¡± ¡°Alright, thank you.¡± Ashley furrowed her brows. Soon, Tom helped Zain and Joseph¡¯s parents to the hospital. Tom brought some breakfast. Ashley had no appetite to eat. Joseph advised, ¡°Ashley, you haven¡¯t slept all night. If you don¡¯t eat anything, you won''t be able to handle it.¡± Zain spoke seriously. ¡°Ashley, | know you''re worried about Valentin. But you have to eat something. Otherwise, if Valentin wakes up and sees you looking worn out, he''ll surely question us!¡± Ashley¡¯s worries were slightly relieved by Zain¡¯s yful words. However, she really didn¡¯t, have an appetite. She forced herself to eat a little and then put down the fork. Zain walked to the bedside and looked at Valentin, who had been unconscious throughout the night. Zain¡¯s expression became solemn. But when he saw Ashley, he felt a bit reassured. Valentin had a difficult life. His parents passed away when he was very young. He didn¡¯t get to enjoy their love for long. Zain also felt that he was getting old and might leave this world any da The only one who could apany Valentin was Ashley. However, Ashley¡¯s own family was a mess. But luckily, they could apany and support each other. Zain felt more and more sorry for the two of them and couldn¡¯t help but sigh heavily. ¡°Grandfather, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Joseph asked nervously. Zain waved his hand and said dejectedly, ¡°I just remembered that today is Valentin and Ashley¡¯s first wedding anniversary, but...¡± 2/5 09:15 But they were spending it in the hospital. Ashley lowered her gaze and squeezed the handle of the water cup slightly. Joseph also felt down when he heard Zain¡¯s sad words. Tom looked around, wanted to say something, but didn¡¯t know what to say. Finally, it was Ralph and Maggie whoforted Zain.. In the morning, Ashley received a call from Lester. She walked out of the ward to answer it. Lester didn¡¯t beat around the bush. He asked directly, ¡°Ashley, | heard that Valentin is injured and hospitalized?¡± Ashley was surprised. ¡°How did you know?¡± Because Joseph had blocked the news. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Lester quickly exined. ¡°Joseph blocked the news, but | overheard something.¡± Ashley wasn¡¯t too worried. With Lester''s abilities and the Pliskin family¡¯s resources, they could easily find out. ¡°Yes, he¡¯s in the hospital now.¡± ¡°How is he?¡± Lester asked with concern. He thought to himself, Although | am not happy that Ashley married Valentin at such a young age. But he is still her husband. | should care about him, too. If something really happened to Valentin, wouldn¡¯t Ashley be a young widow?¡± Ashley didn¡¯t know that Lester had so many thoughts. She simply said, ¡°He has been unconscious since yesterday and hasn''t woken up yet.¡± ¡°Unconscious?¡± Lester frowned, ¡°Is it so serious?¡± Ashley leaned against the wall in the corridor and rubbed her head wearily. ¡°The doctor said he was hit on the back of his head by a heavy object. It¡¯s uncertain when he will wake up.¡± Lester became nervous. ¡°I''ll go to the hospital this afternoon to visit.¡± 09:15 Ashley didn¡¯t refuse his concern. After hanging up the phone, Lester looked up at the apartment in front of him, where Cara lived. He came personally today to confirm whether Cara had any connection to the Pliskin family. The weather was gloomy today, with a drizzle in the air. Cara came out of the apartment. She was about to open her transparent white umbre when she noticed someone beside her. Lester leaned against the wall, and one leg slightly bent. He held a cigarette with his fingers. With a flicker of crimson light, white smoke. rose gently. As Cara observed him, Lester raised his head, revealing a carefully. sculpted face by the Creator. Even in the dim weather, Cara could see his deep eyes. Lester smiled, but his voice was as cool as the autumn rain. ¡°Ms. Ward, can we talk?¡± Cara was momentarily surprised but nodded. She realized that there were several tall bodyguards following behind. Lester. They sat at a window seat in a nearby caf¨¦ by the street. Lester exined his purpose. Cara looked at him with surprise after hearing it. ¡°Are you saying that you''re from the Pliskin family and | might be your long-lost sister? And you want to do a DNA test?¡± Her expression showed astonishment as if she had heard this for the first time. Lester nodded lightly. Cara¡¯s features did resemble Ashley¡¯s to some extent, but when facing Cara, he didn¡¯t feel any familiarity. Cara lowered her gaze and gently stirred the coffee with a silver spoon. After a while, she spoke. ¡°Although | grew up in an orphanage, | don¡¯t think I¡¯m your lost sister.¡± 09:15 Lester was interested. ¡°Why are you so sure?¡± She put down the spoon and looked into his eyes. ¡°The director of the orphanage who took me in said | had abel with me that said ¡®Ward. He named me Cara. So, | shouldn¡¯t have any connection to your family.¡± Lester squinted his eyes and then smiled, ¡°Okay, let''s leave it at that.¡± He stoodThis content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. up, tapped the table with his index finger, and said, ¡°This coffee is on me. Enjoy.¡± with that, he turned and left. Watching Lester''s retreating figure, Cara was confused. ¡®Is there anything wrong with him?¡± At the same time, in the hospital, the restaurant manager nervously found Ashley. Ashley remembered that she had asked the manager to check the surveince footage of the restaurant yesterday because someone had tried to lock her in the restroom. Chapter 244 Outside the ward, Joseph followed Ashley out and wanted to hear about the surveince. The restaurant manager nervously asked, ¡°Ms. Ramos, Mr. Fox, is Mr. Kingsley alright? Is he injured?¡± Ashley didn¡¯t reveal the truth and vaguely said, ¡°He¡¯s in the ward now. His injuries are not serious.¡± The manager breathed a sigh of relief and thought, ¡®Thank goodness he¡¯s okay! ¡®If something really happened to him, it would be troublesome, and the impact would be too widespread! ¡®But Ashley and Mr. Kingsley¡¯s rtionship seems unusual. ¡®Not only did Mr. Kingsley save Ashley at the first moment, but now Ashley is also apanying Mr. Kingsley in the hospital. What''s their rtionship?¡± Though he was curious, he didn¡¯t dare to ask directly. Ashley continued, ¡°Did you find the surveince footage?¡± ¡°Ms. Ramos, after you left yesterday, | arranged for someone to check the surveince footage, but...¡± The restaurant manager frowned and paused before saying, ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened, but since 6:10 p.m. yesterday, the surveince suddenly malfunctioned and stopped working. It didn¡¯t capture anything.¡± Ashley recalled that she arrived at the restaurant around 6 p.m. It was too coincidental. Someone deliberately sabotaged the surveince. ¡°The surveince malfunctioned?¡± Joseph couldn''t believe it. ¡°Isn¡¯t that too coincidental? It¡¯s abnormally coincidental.¡± The manager¡¯s forehead broke out in a cold sweat as he nodded repeatedly. ¡°Yes. So after finding out that the surveince was broken, | asked the staff to recall the situation at that time, and there happened to be a waitress who captured a suspicious man. 115 09-15 M ¡°A suspicious man? Where¡¯s the photo?¡± Joseph immediately asked. ¡°Here, | brought it. The manager quickly took out his phone and brought. up the photo from the album. Ashley and Joseph looked down. The photo was blurry, like a snapshot. It showed a man wearing a ck duckbill cap, and only the chin and half of his face could be vaguely seen. The restaurant manager exined, ¡°This waitress was secretly ying with her phone at the time. She was taking pictures of the scenery outside the restaurant and happened to capture this man. He also came to eat but requested a separate room for himself. When the waitress delivered the food, she found that this man wasn¡¯t in the room and had been away for a while. Now that | think about it, it seems strange.¡± Ashley immediately remembered that when she went to the restroom yesterday, someone locked the door from the outside. Ashley nced at Joseph. Joseph understood and said to the manager, ¡°Send me this photo.¡± He wanted to investigate who this man was. After the manager left, Joseph turned to Ashley and asked suspiciously, ¡°Ashley, when Valentin and | went to the restaurant to look for you. yesterday, why weren''t you in the private room? Instead, you were he lobby on the first floor.¡± Ashley said, ¡°I went to the restroom at that time. As soon as | entere sensed someone outside. | turned around to push the door but foun locked. | ended up kicking the door open.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Joseph furrowed his eyebrows. ¡°I''ll have someone check who this man is. Once we find out, we should know what exactly happened.¡± Ashley nodded. They could only rely on that now. They returned to the ward. Zain was sitting beside the bed. But Valentin remained silent with his eyes closed. Only the sound of his shallow breathing could be heard. Other than that, he showed no response at all, as if he had fallen into a deep sleep. From morning till afternoon, the hospital director and doctors came several times to examine Valentin¡¯s various physical indicators. 09-157 The results of the examinations were all normal, but there was still no sign of him waking up. Ashley nced at the time. It was already past 3 p.m. Almost twenty hours had passed since Valentin fell into aa. After discussing with several doctors, the hospital director cautiously said, ¡°Mr. Kingsley¡¯s vital signs are stable, which is the best news we have. It indicates that Mr. Kingsley is gradually recovering...¡± The hospital director went on, but he mentioned a lot of technical terms. Joseph didn¡¯t quite understand and simply asked, ¡°When will Valentin wake up then?¡± Zain was also anxious, staring at the director intently. The director felt immense pressure and cautiously replied, ¡°It depends on the specific circumstances. We will continue to monitor Mr. Kingsley¡¯s condition.¡± Ashley understood the underlying meaning in his words. Even the doctors couldn''t specte on when Valentin would wake up.Content held by N?velDrama.Org. Joseph was anxious, but being anxious wouldn¡¯t solve the problem. This was already the best hospital in the city or even the entire country. Moreover, Valentin¡¯s vital signs were fine. Everything was normal except for his inability to wake up. Joseph suddenly thought of a horrifying term, ¡°vegetative state.¡± He thought, Valentin won¡¯t be a vegetable, right?¡± Joseph immediately pped himself, reminding himself not to make wild guesses. He believed that Valentin wouldn¡¯t be so unlucky and would wake up soon. Seeing Joseph suddenly p himself, Zain asked with confusion, ¡°Joseph, what are you doing?¡± Ralph and Maggie were also puzzled. Joseph shook his head repeatedly and said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. | was praying for Valentin.¡± 3/5 09:15 3 Ralph and Maggie exchanged a nce, thinking, ¡®What kind of special prayer is this? ¡®Could our son have gone crazy?¡± Ralph thought for a moment and whispered, ¡°Valentin and Joseph¡¯s rtionship has always been good. Now that Valentin is in a coma, it¡¯s normal for Joseph to be anxious.¡± Maggie sighed. ¡°But Joseph is too strange. How did he end up hitting himself?¡± Ralph advised, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Joseph has always been silly since he was a child, so it''s normal for him to act like this now.¡± Maggie nodded. ¡°You''re right. He has never been clever since he was small.¡± Hearing this conversation, Joseph felt helpless. He thought, ¡®Il am your child, Mom and Dad! ¡®How can you belittle me like this? ¡®Am | just a foundling?¡± Shortly after, Ashley received a call from Lester, saying that he wasing to visit Valentin. In addition to Lester, George also arrived, Zain, who had once dominated the business world in his younger years. knew about the Pliskin family¡¯s background and had heard of George and Lester as well. Facing Zain, the former head of the Kingsley family, George and Lester greeted him politely. They also greeted Ralph and Maggie. Seeing Valentin sleeping on the bed, Lester furrowed his brow and thought, ¡®He hasn¡¯t woken up for almost a day now. It seems his injuries are somewhat serious. Chapter 245 After visiting Valentin, Ashley apanied Lester and George out of the ward. ¡°Ashley, don¡¯t worry too much,¡± Lester advised. ¡°Take care of yourself. Don¡¯t exhaust yourself before Valentin wakes up.¡± George, who was usually indifferent, expressed concern. ¡°Yes, Ashley, take care of yourself.¡± Ashley nodded. ¡°I will. Why are you still here?¡± ¡°We''ve been investigating Cara''s situation recently. We want to find out if she is blood-rted to us.¡± Lester raised an eyebrow slightly. ¡°I met her this morning.¡±Content held by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°How is it? Did you find out anything?¡± Ashley asked. ¡°Not yet, but George hase up with a perfect way to confirm if Cara is our long-lost sister,¡± Lester said meaningfully. ¡°A perfect way?¡± Ashley was surprised and looked at George standing beside her. The always calm George became excited, thinking, ¡®Ashley isn¡¯t afraid of me anymore. She¡¯s voluntarily looking at me!¡± Suppressing his joy, he nodded calmly. ¡°Yes, | have a foolproof method. We''ll confirm it soon.¡± Ashley didn¡¯t ask for specifics about the method. Given George and Lester¡¯s intelligence and means, since they dared to say that, it must guarantee sess. After chatting for a while, Ashley walked them downstairs. The VIP ward was on the eighth floor, and they took the elevator to the first floor. After getting off the elevator, Lester said, ¡°Ashley, don¡¯t go out. There are too many people outside, and you might be recognized.¡± Ashley nodded. ¡°Okay, then be careful on your way back.¡± Lester and George chatted with Ashley for a while before leaving the hospital. 09.10 Ashley pressed the elevator button, preparing to return to the eighth floor. At that moment, someone called out to her from behind, ¡°Ashley?¡± Ashley instinctively turned around and was surprised to see Jeremy. Besides Jeremy, Matthew and Ryan were there. Ryan had a piece of gauze taped to his forehead. ¡°Ashley, are you feeling unwell? Why did youe to the hospital?¡± Jeremy ran over with concern, carefully inspecting Ashley. ¡°Are you sick? Have you seen a doctor?¡± Matthew and Ryan also hurried over. Ashley didn¡¯t want to talk much with them and wanted to enter the elevator, but the elevator hadn''t arrived yet. Matthew anxiously asked, ¡°Ashley, how do you feel? | know a doctor in this hospital. We don¡¯t have to wait in line. | can take you to see him right away!¡± Ryan added, ¡°Ashley, | know you dislike us, but your health is important. Shouldn¡¯t you go see a doctor first?¡± Their noise irritated Ashley, and her eyebrows furrowed. ¡°I¡¯m not sick.¡± Jeremy felt relieved upon hearing that. ¡°That''s great! As long as you¡¯re fine. | was too worried just now! When | saw you at the hospital, | thought you were sick.¡± What made him even sadder was that she came to the hospital alone. He was d that Ashley wasn¡¯t sick. If she had reallye to the hospital alone for treatment, how helpless she would have been. ¡°Ashley,¡± Jeremy took two deep breaths and pleaded, ¡°take my number off your cklist. | promise not to disturb you. If you need anything, day or night, you can find me anytime, and I''ll be there!¡± ¡°Take me off your cklist, too.¡± Matthew''s gaze was filled with longing. ¡°If something like today happens again, you don¡¯t have toe to the hospital alone. We are your brothers, and taking care of you is our duty!¡± Jeremy and Matthew quickly tried to please Ashley with their words, while Ryan fell behind. He couldn¡¯te up with anything heartfelt, so he pitifully said, ¡°Ashley, take me off your cklist, too.¡± 09:16 Ashley didn¡¯t pay attention but noticed the bandage on Ryan¡¯s forehead. Matthew immediately said, ¡°It happened a few days ago when we secretly followed you. A skateboarder rushed over, and when Ryan pulled you away, he was knocked down by that skateboarder and hit his head. Today he came to change the bandage.¡± Ashley remembered that incident. Ryan pulled her away, but he ended up being knocked down by the skateboarder. She didn¡¯t expect such a slight action would result in a head injury. Ryan¡¯s rugged face showed a hint of embarrassment. ¡°Ashley, don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s not serious at all. It will be okay soon.¡± Ryan knew it was a good chance to win Ashley¡¯s favor, but he didn¡¯t want Ashley to feel guilty. ¡°It''s just a superficial wound. It¡¯s nothingpared to what you¡¯ve done for me in the past!¡± Ashley nced at him without saying a word. Jeremy suddenly realized. ¡°Ashley, if you¡¯re not here for medical treatment, then you must be visiting our mother, right?¡± This was the best hospital in the city. Bertha had been staying in this hospital since she got sick. But she wasn¡¯t in the VIP ward. She was in a regr room on the fifth floor. Upon hearing this, Ashley coldly denied, ¡°No.¡± Jeremy nodded, not finding her attitude cold at all. After all, Bertha had done many things to hurt Ashley. She still obstinately considered Jessica, who was hypocritical and malicious, as precious. Jererny believed that Bertha would soon fall victim to Jessica¡¯s schemes. ¡°Then, Ashley, why did youe to the hospital?¡± Matthew curiously asked. After asking, Matthew realized that Ashley disliked him so much and 09:16 T didn¡¯t even want to see him. How could she answer his question? Ashley ignored his question and stared at the changing floor number on the screen. She really wanted to leave this ce, far away from them. Ryan felt regretful. He couldn¡¯t see how good Ashley had been to him. before and didn¡¯t know how to cherish her. Now that he wanted to make amends, it was already toote. Jeremy was also sad. After hesitating for two seconds, he opened his phone¡¯s photo album and passed the phone to Ashley. Jeremy said solemnly, ¡°Ashley, | had tried to offer you a house, a car, and a bank card, but you turned them down. You didn¡¯t want to ept mypensation. ¡°But it''s okay. This is a notarized will that | made. If something unexpected happens to me one day, all my possessions will go to you. I¡¯ve signed the will, and it''s legally binding after notarization.¡± Matthew widened his eyes and leaned over to take a look. The photo showed the contents of the will. All his property would belong to Ashley, and Jeremy had signed it. ¡°Jeremy, when did you do this?!¡± Matthew was shocked. ¡°It has been a while,¡± Jeremy said calmly. He was the first person to discover Ashley''s virtues and the first to want her forgiveness. But since Ashley refused to ept anything from him, he couldn¡¯te up with other solutions and got the will notarized. He gave Ashley all the property under his name. Ashley was stunned. When she heard about the will, she was indeed surprised. She hadn¡¯t expected Jeremy to make such a decision and write a will at such a young age. Matthew was both shocked and angry, thinking, ¡®Why didn¡¯t Jeremy share it with me? It¡¯s such a good way topensate Ashley.¡¯ Jeremy once again gained Ashley¡¯s favor in advance. Matthew felt especially angry and jealous. 09:16 Matthew solemnly said, ¡°I will make a will, too! | will give all my property to Ashley!¡± Ryan also said, ¡°Count me in. I''ll do it as well.¡± Ashley was speechless. Did they all treat making a will as a child¡¯s y? ¡°Ashley?¡± At this moment, a gentle female voice called out Ashley¡¯s name from behind. Ashley turned her head. She raised an eyebrow when she saw Cara and Charlie. Chapter 246 Jeremy was puzzled and angry as he saw Cara and Charlie together. He thought, ¡®What is Charlic up to? Is he out of his mind? Why is he still with Cara?¡¯ Cara seemed oblivious to Jeremy¡¯s angry face. She walked over gracefully and gently asked. ¡°Ashley, why are you at the hospital? Are you not feeling well?¡± Ashley nced at her, her tone distant. ¡°No.¡± Charlie became dissatisfied with Ashley¡¯s attitude. He thought, ¡®Cara has always wanted to be friends with you, but you always reject her? ¡®Can''t you be more friendly?¡± Matthew snorted and stepped forward, standing between Ashley and Cara. He felt that Cara was pretending and not as gentle as she appeared. He didn¡¯t want her getting close to Ashley With him around, Ashley wouldn''t be troubled by Cara. Seeing Matthew standing in front of her, Ashley found it all very perplexing. Cara discreetly examined Ashley. When she saw that Ashley had no sign of injury, she clenched her fingers, and her gaze turned vicious. She thought, ¡®Valentin really protected you well. You weren''t harmed at all.¡± Cara sent the man to lock Ashley in the restroom, wanting to teach her a lesson. Of course, she knew everything that happened at the restaurant yesterday. Since Ashley wasn¡¯t hurt, Valentin must have been seriously injured. Cara gritted her teeth and thought, ¡®Why does he like Ashley so much? Why?¡± Just then, the elevator finally arrived. The elevator doors opened. 09:16 Ashley didn¡¯t want to be around the Ramos family anymore. She couldn¡¯t wait to leave this ce. As she was about to step into the elevator... She saw Bertha sitting in a wheelchair inside the elevator. Evan was pushing the wheelchair from behind while Jessica stood next to the wheelchair, chatting with Bertha.. Ashley thought. Why am | so unlucky today? Why do | keep running into them everywhere?¡¯ Evan pushed Bertha out of the elevator, and as soon as he saw Ashley, he started criticizing her. ¡°So you finally remembered to visit your mom? Only now you realize she¡¯s sick!¡± Bertha also saw Ashley. She had beenughing and joking with Jessica just a moment ago, but now her brow furrowed. The love in her eyes vanished without a trace, reced by me. ¡°You refused toe and see me before. Why are you here now? Leave, | don¡¯t want your visit!¡± Ashley found it amusing. ¡°You are still so self-righteous. Did | say | came to see you?¡± ¡°You...¡± Bertha became short of breath and pale with anger. She regretted giving birth to such an uncultured and ill-mannered daughter. Veins popped on Evan''s forehead as he scolded, ¡°You bastard! How dare you talk to your parents like this! Don¡¯t you know how to be polite?¡± ¡°Dad!¡± Ryan couldn''t help but warn, ¡°Don¡¯t forget, Ashley has cut ties with us. You have no right to demand anything from her!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Matthew added, ¡°When Ashley was with us, we didn¡¯t see you treating her well. And now you expect her to be obedient. What kind of logic is that? Before scolding Ashley, think about yourselves. Have you fulfilled your duties as parents?¡± Jeremy didn¡¯t speak, but his defense of Ashley was resolute. Seeing his three sons standing against him, Evan flew into a rage. ¡°You ungrateful bunch! Are you trying to drive me to my death? Do you even remember that I¡¯m your father?¡± Jeremy spoke coldly. ¡°Dad, if you keep berating Ashley and behaving so 09:16 terribly, then this will be thest time | call you ¡®Dad.¡± Evan froze for a moment upon hearing this, staring at Jeremy. ¡°Jeremy, what do you mean by this?¡± Charlie, who had been silent all along, also furrowed his brow at this moment. Jeremy calmly locked eyes with Evan. ¡°If you continue to scold Ashley and have a bad attitude, then from today onwards, |, Jeremy, will cut ties with the Ramos family and have no connection with you!¡± His words were clear and loud. Evan was stunned by Jeremy¡¯s words. He stared at him, his fingers trembling with anger. ¡°You...¡± Bertha felt a pang of pain in her heart. She pressed her chest, struggling for breath, angered to the point of being unable to speak. ¡°Jeremy!¡± Charlie scolded heavily, ¡°Stop making a scene!¡± ¡°Am | making a scene?¡± Jeremy sneered, ¡°Charlie, I¡¯m just asking them not to scold Ashley. Is that too much to ask? Is it considered making a scene?¡± Charlie remained silent, unable to respond. Charlie thought, ¡®Yes, he just wants them to stop scolding Ashley. ¡®Is that too much to ask for?¡± Ashley was momentarily stunned by Jeremy¡¯s words, too. Jeremy sighed bitterly, ¡°Ashley, ever since you left the Ramos family, I¡¯ve graduallye to understand a lot. The people in this family are not as good as | thought. Ashley, you still have things to do. You should go.¡± Ashley looked at him deeply, ignoring the furious Evan and Bertha, and walked into the elevator. Evan wanted to reach out and grab Ashley. Jeremy raised his arm and stopped him.. Ashley entered the elevator, and the doors slowly closed. She pressed the button for the eighth floor. Evan red at Jeremy and furrowed his brow tightly. ¡°Jeremy, why are you protecting her so much?¡± 3/5 09-16 ¡°Dad,¡± Jeremy interrupted coldly, ¡°my words just now were not a joke or a scene.¡± He looked at Bertha and said, ¡°Mom, | hope you remember this, too.¡± Jeremy finished speaking and left. Matthew and Ryan exchanged nces and hurriedly followed him, showing their support for Jeremy¡¯s stance. Jessica watched in astonishment. She knew that these three had different attitudes towards Ashley. But she never expected them to be willing to sever ties with the Ramos family for the sake of Ashley.. She thought, ¡®Why does everyone like this bitch?¡± Cara remained silent throughout and only spoke to Charlie till now. Charlie it seems like: leave first.¡± have some family matters to deal with. I''ll Charlie nodded, thinking, ¡®Cara is always so considerate. Cara left. Charlie looked at Evan and Bertha and advised, ¡°Mom, Dad, don¡¯t be angry. Jeremy was probably just too angry just now. When he calms down, he''ll realize his mistake.¡± Evan disappointedly said, ¡°It must be Ashley instigating them! Let¡¯s not talk about them anymore. When are youing back to thepany to help?¡± Charlie stayed silent for a moment and said, ¡°Dad, I¡¯m not interested in managing thepany.¡± Jessica secretly rejoiced and persuaded, ¡°Dad, Charlie has always been indifferent to fame and fortune. You shouldn¡¯t force him. I''m here to help with thepany now, and it¡¯s the same. Ill work hard to revive the Ramos family!¡± Evan understood Charlie¡¯s character and nodded. Bertha felt relieved. ¡°Jessica, you¡¯ve been working tirelessly with the finances at thepany. It¡¯s exhausting and tough for you. Yet, you neverin. You''re really a good girl.¡± 09:16 Chapter 246 ¡°Mom, it¡¯s my duty. | am also a part of the Ramos family!¡± ¡°Jessica works so hard, and there haven''t been any mistakes in her work.¡± Evan trusted this daughter. He had raised her since she was little. He said, ¡°In that case, | will transfer some of my shares to you so you can establish yourself in thepany as soon as possible!¡± ¡°Thank you, Dad! | will continue to work hard!¡± Jessica smiled sweetly, but her thoughts turned malicious. She thought, ¡®Being in charge of finances allows me to transfer the Ramos family¡¯s assets. ¡®In less than a month, I''ll be able to absorb most of the Ramos family¡¯s wealth. ¡®By then, I''ll be able to get rid of all these burdensome people and no longer have to please them.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Ashley returned to the ward, and as soon as she stepped out of the elevator, she saw Joseph in the corridor. ¡°Ashley! Where were you? Why did youe back sote?¡± ¡°| bumped into some acquaintances downstairs. What''s wrong? Why are you so anxious?¡± Ashley¡¯s eyes lit up suddenly. ¡°Has he woken up?¡± Chapter 247 Filled with excitement and joy, Joseph beamed, ¡°I saw Valentin move his finger. It¡¯s true! | already called the doctor.¡± Ashley¡¯s face lit up. She immediately ran into the ward without a reply. However, Valentin was still lying unconscious with his eyes closed. Several doctors were examining him. Her joy vanished. Disappointment came with that. Zain motioned for her toe over. She walked over with a heavy heart. ¡°Ashley, don¡¯t worry. At least he could move. It¡¯s a good sign.¡± Zain consoled her in a soft tone. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Joseph continued with a serious expression, ¡°Now that Valentin can move, it¡¯s only a matter of time before he awakes.¡± She nodded. Though she knew it was no use worrying about Valentin, she was anxious and couldn¡¯t wait to see him open his eyes. This was the first time that Joseph saw her so worried about Valentin. Hel didn¡¯t know whether to be happy or sad at this moment. He hoped Valentin woulde to his senses as soon as possible and see how much Ashley cared about him. After the examination, doctors said with their faces looked less solemn, ¡°We had checked up on Mr. Kingsley. Though he can¡¯t instantly react to external stimtion, he¡¯s conscious, which is a sign ofing out of hisa. We''ll keep him here for a period of time for further observation.¡± After a sigh of relief, Zain replied, ¡°I got it. Thank you.¡± The leading doctor said politely, ¡°This is what we should do.¡± In the evening, Ashley persuaded Zain, Ralph, and Maggie to go home. They had been in the hospital with Valentin all day long. More importantly, they were no longer young, and not as energetic as Ashley and Joseph. Afraid that the three of them were worn out, Ashley let them go home for a good rest. Before Zain left, he asked the chefs to make Ashley a decent dinner and a 09:16 maid of Kingsley Vi to bring it over. There was a bathroom in Valentin¡¯s personal ward, which was quite convenient. After Zain, Ralph, and Maggie left, Joseph suggested that he wanted to stay a little longer with Valentin out of concern. Ashley saw his bloodshot eyes and said, ¡°You haven¡¯t gotten much sleep thest two days. You need to go back home for a rest now. ¡°No, I¡¯m worried about Valentin.¡± He pointed at her bloodshot eyes and retorted, ¡°You really should take a look at the dark circles under your eyes. You haven''t slept a wink in two days. Just go home now.¡± She looked into Valentin¡¯s face and answered, ¡°Joseph, please. | want to stay with him a little longer.¡± He kept persuading her to go home for a good rest, but she insisted. He had no choice but to give in. Considering there were doctors and bodyguards of the Kingsley family waiting outside, he was sure Ashley wouldn''t be in any danger. More importantly, today was their anniversary. Joseph didn¡¯t want to disturb them, so he agreed to leave first, leaving them alone. He kept asking her to take care of herself and turned to look at her several times before leaving the ward. After Joseph left, the ward became quiet. The table was filled with food made by the chefs of Kingsley Vi. The warm soup looked good. A delicious smell of food floated through the air. However, Ashley had no appetite at all. She went to the bathroom to wash her face instead. After that, she walked out of the bathroom with a wet warm towel in her hand, came up to Valentin¡¯s bedside, and gently wiped Valentin¡¯s face with the towel. Hey quietly with his eyes closed. Under the warm light above his head, his long eyshes cast a faint shadow under his eyelids. Given that he looked pale, the color of his lips stood out. Though she knew he wouldn¡¯t make any reaction, she was afraid that she 09:16 wiped his face too hard and hurt him. Trying to be gentle, she slowly wiped from his forehead to his chin with the towel. Ashley couldn''t help but touch his lips, but he stilly there lifelessly. Her eyes slightly reddened. She looked away, started to unbutton him, and wiped his body gently with the towel. Carefully wiping his body, she tried to avoid the wound.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. As the doctor said, she couldn''t get his wound wet. After that, she gently buttoned him up. Sitting in front of Valentin¡¯s bed, Ashley held his hand and caressed his fingers. She thought, ¡®Please wake up. ¡®Today¡¯s our first anniversary. And it¡¯s going to be over in less than an hour.¡¯ She stared unblinkingly at him, afraid of missing any of his movements. However, as time passed by, Valentin justy there motionlessly. Midnight came, and her eyes got blurry with tears. She suddenly stood up and kissed him on the lips. She thought, ¡®It¡¯s okay we didn¡¯t celebrate our anniversary this time. We still have our second and third anniversary! Sitting beside him, she looked into Valentin¡¯s pale face and identally fell asleep. When she woke up the next day, it was bright outside. Lying beside him in the same position too long, she felt her arms had gone numb. However, instead of paying too much attention to the pain, she immediately looked at Valentin, who was still lying there unconscious, with no sign of waking up. She desperately wanted to see him moving his fingers like he did yesterday, but he didn¡¯t. Three days went by, and Valentin was still inaa. 09:16 Doctors had checked him many times, but they couldn¡¯t tell when he would wake up. Ashley grew more worried. There was a depressing vibe inside the ward. Outside the set, a ck car was parked along the road. Lester handed the photo to a middle-aged man next to him and said lightly, ¡°Meet Cara with this photo. Tell her that she looks like your daughter who got lost when she was a child, and you want to do a paternity test with her.¡± The man named Luciano Bendish took the photo over. The woman in the photo had been edited in Photoshop, who looked so much like Cara. ¡°Yes, Mr. Pliskin.¡± Lester said with a grin, ¡°Time to show your acting skills. Don¡¯t fail me.¡± ¡°Please rest assured.¡± After saying that, Luciano got out of the car with the photo in his hand. Inside the set, Cara was shooting her parts as a supporting role in the movie. After she finished a scene, the staff of a production team came over and said, ¡°Ms. Ward, there is a middle-aged man outside looking for you.¡± She smiled with a confused expression, ¡°A middle-aged man?¡± Aman nearby joked, ¡°Wow, it seems Cara has be a popr artist. Even a middle-aged man is your fan.¡± The staff quickly exined, ¡°No, he doesn¡¯t seem fans. He said he came here for his family, and Ms. Ward looks like his daughter who was lost when she was young.¡± Cara wondered, ¡®What? ¡®His lost daughter? ¡®How¡¯s that possible? | don¡¯t have any family.¡¯ She narrowed her eyes in doubt. Though everyone knew that Cara grew up in an orphanage, out of curiosity and sympathy, the staff let Luciano in when he heard he was looking for his long lost daughter. Chapter 248 The staff looked at Cara considerately and said, ¡°Ms. Ward, you grew up in an orphanage. How great would it be if you found your family?¡± Cara had always been sweet and kind in public. Everyone liked her so much that they wanted to help her find her family. Dumbfounded a little, Cara replied with a sweet smile, ¡°Thank you all for your concern.¡± She looked over and saw an elegant middle-aged man holding a girl¡¯s hand. The girl looked five or six. Everyone around was whispering. ¡°This middle-aged man seems to have a lot of ss and a great taste in clothes. Judged by his fancy clothes, | bet he¡¯s some kind of sessful businessman. It¡¯s good news if he¡¯s Cara¡¯s true family.¡± ¡°That little girl... Is she his daughter?¡± ¡°But Cara looks nothing like him...¡± Luciano and the little girl came over hand in hand. When he saw Cara, a lump rose in his throat, with tears in his reddened eyes. To take a good look at Cara, he wanted to get closer, but he seemed afraid of being rude. Luciano¡¯s acting was so good that everyone took it for granted that it was exactly how a heartbroken father would react when he finally met his lost. child. People were deeply touched. The staff reminded softly, ¡°Sir, this is Ms. Ward.¡± Luciano choked on tears and looked at Cara lovingly. ¡°I know. I¡¯ve seen her on TV. I''ve watched all her shows and yed them dozens of times. She indeed is a beautiful artist with talent.¡± The crowd looked sad. What Luciano said tugged at their heartstrings. He sounded like a father who was so proud of his child that he kept repeatedly watching her shows on TV. Cara looked at him carefully and said softly after a while, ¡°You said | look. like your lost daughter, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He handed her the photo and continued, ¡°Check it out. This is your mother. You two look so much alike. Right?¡± 115 09:16 Chapter 248. She looked down at the photo and found that she herself looked just like the woman in the photo. The crowd gathered around and took a look at the photo. They eximed in surprise, ¡°They indeed look so much alike. Especially the mouth. Cara had the same one as the woman¡¯s.¡± Luciano snorted inwardly, ¡®Of course they look alike. The photo was edited in Photoshop.¡¯ The staff looked at him and asked, ¡°Sir, is she Ms. Ward¡¯s mother?¡± Luciano nodded and wiped his tears from his eyes while sobbing. ¡°Yes, she is. We lost Cara when she was a child. Her mother shed tears every day. We had tried to find her since then but failed... ¡°Later, we had Mara, Cara''s little sister. Even so, we never stopped finding Cara. However, my wife had been in poor health and hospitalized for the past two years.¡± As he spoke, he shed tears and said to the little girl he was holding, ¡°Mara, the person in front of you is probably your sister. Do you like her?¡± Mara looked up at Cara and said in a sweet voice, ¡°Are you my sister? Mommy misses you so much.¡± Mara¡¯s baby voice made everyone¡¯s hearts melt. taki The staff looked at Cara and advised, ¡°Ms. Ward, how about you ta paternity test?¡± Cara said nothing. Cara wondered, ¡®It¡¯s impossible that | have anything to do with the man. What¡¯s going on?¡¯ Luciano looked at her who remained silent and said considerately, ¡°Cara, | know you don¡¯t trust me, but my instincts told me that you''re my lost daughter. Please... | beg you to go to the hospital with me for a paternity test. ¡°And your mother... She misses you badly. If you''re indeed our lost daughter, we feel honored and happy. If not, it¡¯s okay. We''ll keep looking for her.¡± Luciano sounded really sincere. 09:16 Everyone turned to look at Cara. Though she looked moved, she was overwhelmed with doubt and concern inside. If she refused Luciano¡¯s request, she would be judged as a heartless woman. What was more, she was sure she had nothing to do with Luciano, so she wasn¡¯t afraid of taking a paternity test. After weighing the pros and cons, Cara looked at the staff next to her and asked in a soft tone. ¡°If | go to the hospital now, will | slow down the shooting process?¡± The staff quickly answered, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ms. Ward. I''ll tell the director that you have something important to do and need a day off.¡± She smiled, ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to. You¡¯ve been kind to us, Ms. Ward. We all hope that you can find your own family.¡± ¡°He¡¯s right, Ms. Ward. Besides, it won¡¯t take much time if you take a paternity test.¡± After leaving the set, Cara went to a nearby hospital with Luciano. They did a blood test and waited for the results toe out. In the meantime, Mara had been silent and well-behaved, holding Luciano¡¯s hand. Three hourster, the test results came out. Cara went through the report and said with a smile, ¡°The paternity test results show that you¡¯re not my biological father.¡± She knew the result from the beginning. Luciano sighed, ¡°What a shame. I¡¯ve mistaken you for her.¡± She put away the report and was about to say something. Suddenly, she saw Lester walking over with a grin. Stunned, she asked, ¡°Mr. Pliskin, what a surprise to see you here.¡± She hadn¡¯t seen him since they met at the coffee shopst time. She wondered why Lester was here. 09:16 ) Cara noticed that Lester fixed his eyes on the test report in her hand. She smiled lightly and said, ¡°This man thought that | was his lost daughter, so he demanded a paternity test with me. However, the results showed that it was just a mistake. We''re not rted.¡± She flicked her hair with her hand and reminded deliberately, ¡°| rememberst time in the coffee shop, you said that | might be the lost daughter of the Pliskin family.¡± Lester looked at her and said with aplicated grin, ¡°It was a mistake, too. ¡°Cara, you have nothing to do with the Pliskin family.¡± She froze and then asked in confusion, ¡°Mr. Pliskin, what do you mean?¡± He tilted his chin and looked at the test results in her hand, saying, ¡°That is the proof. The paternity test you took was with the Pliskin family. And the test results show that you aren¡¯t the daughter of the Pliskin family.¡± Cara was thunderstruck. She didn¡¯t see iting. Her face twisted in shock. After a while, she immediately turned to look at Luciano. He looked at Lester and said respectfully, ¡°Mr. Pliskin.¡± Cara was taken aback, thinking, ¡°They... ¡®Luciano works for Lester! ¡°They set me up and tricked me into taking a paternity test.¡± The doctor did draw Luciano¡¯s blood just now. However, it was reced by the blood of Lester¡¯s parents before doctors. sent the blood sample away for analysis. Therefore, Lester was convinced that Cara wasn¡¯t biologically the daughter of the Pliskin family. Cara clenched her fists in anger. Lester took the report from Luciano and deliberately waved it in front of her.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. He smirked with arrogance. After a disdainful nce at her, he turned to 09:16 Chapter 248 leave. Seeing Lester and Luciano walking away, she gritted her teeth angrily. After a while, she walked to a corner where no one was around. She called Tyler and told him what had happened. ¡°What?¡± Tyler kicked the chair next to him, which made a great sound. ¡°So Lester¡¯s sure that you that what you means have nothing to do with the Pliskin family. Is ¡°Yes.¡± Cara took a deep breath and closed her eyes tightly. After a moment of silence, Tyler roared on the phone. ¡°As nned, George will ask me to help them do the paternity test with you. After all, I''ve worked for the Pliskin family for many years. As long as | secretly tamper with the test results, you can be the daughter of the Pliskin family. This is how it¡¯s going to be, but Lester ruined everything! ¡°To make you be one of the Pliskin family, | tampered with Ashley¡¯s paternity test results. That¡¯s why the Pliskin family still knows nothing about the truth so far. However, it¡¯s all in vain.¡± Chapter 249 Chapter 249 Cara tightly grasped her phone, exerting so much force that her joints turned white. Little did she expect Lester to y such a move without warning. The fact that she grew up in an orphanage had spread widely on the Inte. In addition, her facial features resembled Ashley¡¯s, which meant. she looked somewhat like Karen. Cara thought it would attract the attention of the Pliskin family and lead them to recognize her as their lost daughter. Indeed, Lester hade looking for her before. That day in the coffee shop, she refused to acknowledge herself as the Pliskin family¡¯s lost. daughter at first, fearing it would be perceived as an attempt to gain financial benefits. In anticipation, after the coffee shop encounter, Lester would approach. her again for a DNA test. Tyler had been coborating with the Pliskin family for many years. His medical skills were exceptional, and his qualifications were profound. He was the go-to person for DNA tests to find the lost daughter. All it took was a slight alteration by Tyler in her and the family¡¯s DNA results, showing she had a blood rtionship with the Pliskin family. Then she could sessfully be the family¡¯s lost daughter, and Ashley would never rte to the Pliskin family at all. However, Cara never expected Lester to make such a move today. On the other end of the phone, Tyler was so angry that he gritted his teeth. ¡°The entire n has been disrupted!¡± George always took Tyler along during the previous two DNA tests conducted between Ashley and the Pliskin family. He was adamant that the tests be performed by their trusted coborator, Tyler, who had worked with the family for many years. Tyler manipted the test results two times, indicating no blood rtion between Ashley and the family. The Pliskin family¡¯s youngest daughter went missing during her childhood, and, of course, it was rted to him. Tyler had no intention of letting Ashley and her family recognize each other. But... 09:16 Tyler paced back and forth, fuming, then squinted and said, ¡°Cara, Lester did this because he doesn¡¯t trust you. He must be secretly investigating your identity. You need to limit contact with me. We can¡¯t let the Pliskin. family know my involvement.¡± ¡°Alright, | understand, Mr. Morgan.¡± After hanging up, Cara looked up at the ring sun in the sky. It wasn¡¯t until her eyes stung and tears welled up from the intense light that she averted her gaze. She thought, ¡®Ashley... This is thest time. | would not let you have it easy next time.¡¯ In the hospital room, Zain, Ralph, and Maggie were nowhere to be seen. Ashley stood by Valentin¡¯s bedside. When Joseph entered the room, he saw untouched food on the table, furrowing his brow. ¡°Ashley, you have to eat something.¡± Ashley tucked Valentin in and casually replied, ¡°I''ll eatter.¡± Joseph didn¡¯t believe her at all. He walked over and forcefully sat Ashley down at the small table. ¡°No, you have to eat now. | need to see you eat.¡± This was Ashley¡¯s favorite meal that Zain specially asked the chef from Kingsley Vi to prepare. But Ashley had little appetite. She rubbed her forehead and said, ¡°I¡¯m not hungry now. I''ll eatter.¡± Joseph stared at her, and suddenly, tears welled up in his eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t wait any longer. How can | exin to Valentin if he wakes up and sees you''ve lost so m much weight in just three days? If he knows you haven''t taken care of yourself, he¡¯ll break my legs!¡±Content held by N?velDrama.Org. Ashley didn¡¯t answer. Joseph pitifullymented. ¡°Ashley, consider it as preventing Valentin from beating me and also to spare my legs from being broken. You really should make an effort to eat more.¡± Ashley was speechless. It seemed as if his life depended on her taking a bite of this meal right away. 09:16 ¡°Alright, alright, I''ll eat. I''ll eat now, okay?¡± Ashley sighed in resignation. ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± Joseph immediately handed her the cutlery. ¡°Eat more. If Valentin sees you lose weight, he''ll be heartbroken!¡± Ashley didn¡¯t know how to respond to that. While Ashley reluctantly ate, Joseph went to check on Valentin. Strangely, Valentin had shown no physical reactions since that slight movement of his fingers. What was going on? Joseph sighed heavily. Now, he was no longer the carefree and wealthy man he used to be. All he wished for was for Valentin to wake up soon. Although Ashley had little appetite, she made an effort to consume a substantial portion of the meal to avoid worrying people. a Shortly after putting down the cutlery, she received a call from Laura. Ashley walked to the side and answered the call, ¡°Hello, Laura.¡± ¡°Ashley.¡± Laura¡¯s voice was as brisk as ever. ¡°Recently, some movie producers have been interested in casting you. One script is rted to racing, with the female lead as a car driver. Another script is about artifact restoration, with the female lead as an artifact restorer. I¡¯ve carefully reviewed both scripts, and they seem promising. Do you want toe to thepany and take a look and see if you''d like to take on these roles?¡± ¡°Laura, | can¡¯t go right now.¡± These two movie scripts sound promising, but Ashley didn¡¯t hesitate and declined. ¡°Laura, one of my family is currently ill, and | need to take care of him at the hospital.¡± Laura was surprised. ¡°What happened? Is it serious?¡± ¡°The situation is a bit tricky at the moment. So, | have to stay at the hospital.¡± ¡°Okay, take care of your family first.¡± Laura was confused. The family Ashley mentioned definitely did not refer to the Ramos family. So, who was this sick family member could. be? 3/6 09:16 Chapter 249 Laura didn¡¯t ask any more questions for now, sensing that Ashley''s family issues were affecting her emotionally, so she only said a few words of advice andfort. After hanging up. Ashley put down her phone. Not long after, Lester and George arrived. Looking at Valentin, still unconscious on the bed, Lester¡¯s expression. slightly darkened. He then turned his gaze to Ashley, noticing her visible weight loss in just a few days. It seemed that she was genuinely concerned about Valentin. George, astute as always, stepped into the room and immediately noticed Ashley had be a little thinner. The coldness in his eyes softened, revealing a touch ofpassion. It had never been apparent before, but now he realized that Valentin held a more significant ce in Ashley¡¯s heart than anyone had thought. ¡°Ashley, don¡¯t worry too much. No matter what, you still have to take care of yourself,¡± Lester advised, expressing genuine concern from a family perspective. ¡°| know.¡± Ashley nodded. She understood these well. However, understanding didn¡¯t always trante to controlling one¡¯s emotions. Lester gave George a nce and said to Ashley, ¡°We have found out about Cara. She has nothing to do with the Pliskin family. She is not the lost sister we''ve been searching for.¡± ¡°What? How did you find out?¡± Ashley curiously asked. Joseph also looked over after hearing this and spected. ¡°Did you do a DNA test?¡± ¡°Yes, we did.¡± Lester cleared his throat and recounted the process of deceiving Cara into taking a DNA test. After hearing this, Joseph¡¯s mouth twitched. ¡°Damn, that¡¯s so cunning!¡± Lester raised an eyebrow, looking at George with a sly smile. ¡°George, Joseph said you were cunning. Did you hear that?¡± This method was actually devised by George. 09.10 George, with an icy demeanor, gave Joseph a cold look. Joseph immediately tensed up. George was too aloof and reticent. Even his hair seemed to exude a chill. Only when facing Ashley did he not appear so cold. Joseph immediately looked pitifully at Ashley, silently pleading for help. Ashley then said. ¡°Alright, don¡¯t scare him already.¡± Upon Ashley¡¯s words, George ceased to focus on Joseph and turned his full attention to Ashley. His expression softened, and a subtle smile emerged as if she were the sole person he would heed. Lester, witnessing George¡¯s rare smile, was no longer astonished. He even casuallymented in his mind. ¡®Not bad. This smile is much more natural than before. ¡®It seems practicing smiling in front of the mirror fifty times every day is effective. Ashley sighed, ¡°I thought you would find your sister this time. | didn¡¯t expect another mistake.¡± Lester¡¯s eyes flickered. He had a feeling, an inexplicable premonition, that Ashley might be the sister who had been lost since childhood. He didn¡¯t know if this was some kind of spiritual connection between. rtives, between siblings. But two DNA tests had been conducted, both showing no blood rtion between Ashley and the Pliskin family, During the tests, Lester confirmed that Ashley''s blood sample was used, and there was no tampering. The doctor who conducted the tests was Tyler, who had worked with the family for many years. Where in this process had something gone wrong? Chapter 250 Chapter 250 If Lester could think of it, George naturally thought of it too. The two exchanged a nce, both understanding the expressions in each other¡¯s eyes. The two DNA tests conducted between Ashley and the Pliskin family might have some doubts. Further investigation was needed. After spending more than half an hour in the ward, George and Lester left. Ashley sat back on the chair in front of the hospital bed and checked the wounds on Valentin¡¯s body. The ces scratched by the chandelier fragments had begun to heal. Joseph also sat in front of the bed. ¡°Is it time to change the dressing?¡± Ashley nced at the time. ¡°There¡¯s still an hour left. No rush for now.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Joseph looked at Valentin on the bed and then at Ashley, seeming like he wanted to say something but hesitated. ¡°What''s wrong?¡± Ashley looked at him. Joseph looked hesitant, ultimately shaking his head. Intrigued, Ashley was about to inquire further when her phone receive message from Miranda. She sent it in a three-person WhatsApp groupprising herself, Ashl and Bryce. Miranda¡¯s text read: [Ashley, are you there? | want to ask you something. Has Ryan approached you recently?] Seeing the message, Ashley frowned slightly and understood immediately. Ashley replied: [He came to see you?] Miranda seemed troubled. [Yes, he came to me yesterday, admitting his past mistakes, asking for your forgiveness, hoping | could let go of the grudges and restore the rtionship to what it used to be.] Ashley pondered momentarily and typed. [What are your thoughts?] Miranda replied quickly: [I prefer to keep my distance from him at the 09:16 moment. As long as you haven''t forgiven him, neither will |.] Ashley thought for a moment. Miranda and Ryan once did have a beautiful rtionship. Ashley typed. [Miranda, it mainly depends on your feelings. Don¡¯t worry too much about me.] Miranda replied: [Absolutely not. Friends are the most important!] [Ashley, if | were in your shoes, | wouldn''t forgive a brother who caused me so much pain in the past. Can he really erase his past mistakes with a simple apology? That will be too easy!] With a friend like Miranda, Ashley truly felt the unparalleled strength of friendship. Miranda sent a picture of a stray cat she encountered today. [I met this cutie on the street today, sharing it with you.] Ashley erged the photo. It was a chubby orange cat. [It¡¯s adorable] Suddenly, Bryce chimed in: [Can you discuss your matters privately?] Miranda instantly replied: [No way! If you don¡¯t want to see it, leave the group then]. She sent the message along with a crossed- arms emoji. Bryce texted. [Aren''t you afraid I''ll be aware of your personal affairs?] Miranda replied: [There is no need to be afraid. Speaking of which, Bryce, how are things going with Brittany?] She sent the message and an emoji with a face full of gossip. Ashley had almost forgotten about Brittany, the beautiful girl who was interested in Bryce at that charity dinner and wanted to pursue him. Bryce seemed to want to avoid the topic. [I have something to take care of. I''ll go ahead.] Ashley and Miranda then chatted for a while. Just as she was about to put down her phone, she received a call from Jaden. Sitting next to her, Joseph, upon seeing Jaden¡¯s name, disdainfully clicked his tongue.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Ashley nced at him, finding it strange that these two always shed, constantly bickering. 09:16 Joseph signaled. ¡°Put it on speaker, Ashley.¡± Ashley answered the call and put it on speaker. Jaden¡¯s voice came with a hint of a smile. ¡°Darling...¡± Before he could say any more endearing words, Joseph ruthlessly interrupted, ¡°She is not your darling!¡± He knew that Jaden would be talking rubbish. So, he had Ashley put it on speaker in advance, and sure enough, Jaden started calling Ashley ¡°Darling¡±! Hearing Joseph¡¯s voice, Jaden paused for a moment, then, with a smirk, he said, ¡°My dear, you''re here too.¡± Joseph''s face darkened, and retorted, ¡°I¡¯m not your freaking dear!¡± Feeling a headacheing on, Ashley interrupted their bickering and asked Jaden, ¡°Why are you calling?¡± Without any courtesy, Jaden ordered, ¡°I¡¯m at the airport now. | just got off the ne and didn¡¯t bring an assistant. Come and pick me up!¡± Ashley was astonished. ¡°You came to Zyrrinthia? As the boss of Glory Youveile, why don¡¯t you stay at headquarters but keep running around?¡± ¡°Ashley, do you have the nerve to say that to me!¡± Jaden immediately became irritable. ¡°Is Glory Youveile mine alone? What about you? You just leave everything to me! I¡¯ve lost weight from doing it all by myself!¡± ¡°Calm down!¡± Ashley hastily interrupted. ¡°What¡¯s the matter with your visit to Zyrrinthia this time?¡± ¡°Anyway,e pick me up at the airport, and I¡¯ll bring you a piece of important news!¡± ¡°What news?¡± Joseph interjected, bargaining, ¡°You tell us the news first, and then we''ll go to the airport to pick you up.¡± ¡°My dear, you¡¯re taking advantage of me,¡± Jaden chuckled. ¡°If you don¡¯t say it, no one will pick you up!¡± Joseph threatened. ¡°Alright.¡± Jaden sighed, then said mysteriously, ¡°I got information that Jessica is secretly selling shares of the Ramos Group behind Evan''s back.¡± Ashley¡¯s eyes narrowed when she heard this, and she repeated Jaden¡¯s Chapter 251 Ashley noticed that Joseph and Jaden never seemed to get along. Seeing a chance to mend things, she decided to ask Joseph to pick up Jaden at the airport. However, Joseph, with his usual calm demeanor, seated with crossed legs. "What? Pick him up? He''s not that important. I''m not going." Sighing, Ashley conceded, "Alright, then I''ll go." She stood up, ready to leave. Joseph, however, hastily got up and grabbed her. "Well, I can go. You stay here with Valentin, please." With a satisfied expression, Ashley patted his shoulder. "Good. That''s what I want." Joseph was speechless, feeling like he had fallen into a trap. Joseph drove to the airport to fetch Jaden, while Ashley waited in the ward. ncing at the watch, she found it time to change the dressing on Valentin''s wound. Ashley called the doctor. After the dressing change, the doctor reassured her, "The wound is recovering well with no signs of inmmation. It seems you''ve been careful when cleaning it. The wound hasn''t touched water." Ashley nodded. "Yes." The doctor checked Valentin''s body and provided some instructions before leaving the room. Seated beside the bed, Ashley held Valentin''s pale, bony hand. She sighed gently, intertwining her pinky with his, expressing tenderness and affection. After about half an hour, Jaden hadn''t shown up at the ward, but the voices of him and Joseph arguing in the corridor could be heard. Luckily, they were in the hospital corridor, and with the entire eighth floor devoid of other patients, their voices weren''t too loud. Jaden entered the ward, finding Valentin lying unconscious on the bed. His deep blue eyes widened in shock. "What''s going on?" He now understood why Joseph brought him straight to the hospital from the airport without wasting a second. ''Thought he had some trick up his sleeve, worried he brought me here to steal my kidneys. Turns out, there''s a real patient in the hospital,'' he thought. Ashley briefly exined the incident with the falling chandelier. Jaden, upon listening, immediately looked around nervously to check if Ashley was injured. ''Good. She seems all right,'' he thought. Jaden then observed Valentin who was still unconscious. Hemented in a casual tone, "This guy really cares about you. He''d rather get hurt than see you suffer." Ashley was silent. Joseph said, "Can''t you use another term? Like your husband or something. Isn''t it much better than ''this guy''?"Content held by N?velDrama.Org. Jaden coolly waved his hand. "Used to it. So when will he wake up? Did the doctor say anything?" Ashley shook her head. "The doctor can''t confirm." Furrowing his brows, Jaden acknowledged the severity of a heavy object hitting the back of the head. Seeing Ashley''s worried expression, he guessed that the most agonizing part was her constant worry, considering Valentin had been unconscious. They chatted for a while, and Ashley pointed to a nearby chair, suggesting Jaden sit down. "You mentioned on the phone that Jessica wants to sell the shares of the Ramos Group. Is this information reliable?" ''Jessica has used all sorts of schemes to drive me out. Would she be willing to sell the shares? And more importantly...'' she pondered. "Even if Jessica wants to sell secretly, how many shares does she have?" she then asked. Although Ashley hadn''t worked in thepany, she knew that the majority of the shares were always held by Evan. With a brooding look, Jaden patted his chest. "Chill, this info is legit! "Remember the Ramos Group''s clothing brand? Since Jessica snagged some designs, the brand is tanking. She is making moves, trying to offload the brand to a foreignpany, way outside Zyrrinthia." He sipped water and said, "I go by Jaden Walter, but my realst name is Casbutt. I have worked with the acquisitionpany that Jessica is looking for. The CEO of thatpany is aware of the family issues. He knows there''s tension between the family and Attelia. Oh, and Jessica isn''t just selling the clothing brand. She''s also secretly selling the Ramos Group shares." Ashley tuned in. "Oh, got it." Joseph got all serious, breaking it down. "Jaden, you said Jessica''s been doing some sneaky share-selling behind Evan''s back. Looks like she is out to grab whatever''s left of the Ramos family and leave. She is done with the Ramos family?" Jaden squinted. "Given Jessica''s nasty style, it is totally possible." Josephughed. "It is a real mess between Jessica and the Ramos family. Evan and Bertha''s darling daughter is stabbing them in the back? Do they have any clue? Well, so interesting." Ashley thought for a bit, then turned to Jaden. "Is Jessica still on the down-low looking for buyers?" "Yeah, she is keeping it hush-hush, not going public with it." Jaden thought a second and suggested, "Should we get the Zenith Group to hit up Jessica?" "The Zenith Group?" Joseph said. His eyes popped a bit. "Isn''t that a big-shot investmentpany worldwide?" The Zenith Group was involved in intricate business operations, primarily focusing on investments. Most folks just saw the Zenith Group as a heavy weight in the investment game. Jaden nced at him. "Yep, started the Zenith Group when I was 16. What is the fuss?" Joseph was shocked. ''What? 16? Wait,'' he thought. Joseph''s eyes shifted a bit. "No, my family''s branch in Takydo worked with the Zenith Group. I managed that cob myself. I remembered the Zenith Group''s rep isn''t Jaden. Or are you the puppet master behind the scenes?" "Of course, I am pulling the strings. I was just 16 back then, and couldn''t legally run the show." Jaden pointed at Ashley. "The Zenith Group almost tanked once, and she tossed in some cash, pulled an all- nighter, and came up with aeback n. She ended up being a major shareholder behind the scenes, too." Joseph couldn''t resist teasing, "See, I told you, you are incapable. Needed her to save the day!" Jaden retorted, "What are you saying?" Joseph finally caught on. "Wait. Ashley, you are some secret shareholder in the Zenith Group too?" Jaden was still stuck on the earlier topic. "Seriously. Am I incapable? Why?" Ashley, a bit helpless, touched her forehead. "Alright, you two, cut it out. Jaden, have thepany reach out to Jessica." Since Jessica was plotting to secretly dump the Ramos Group''s shares and go head-to-head with the Ramos family, it was a golden opportunity. ''Imagine if Evan and Bertha find out their sweet daughter''s n. Gunning for the family''s fortune, huh? Well, their faces would be priceless,'' she thought. This time, Jaden was sticking around Zyrrinthia for a bit, crashing at an apartment Ashley had set up for him. Two more days ticked by, making it five days since Valentin took that dive into aa, and he was still out cold. Ashley was getting more and more on edge. If he didn''t wake up in the next couple of days, that was a solid week of deep sleep. And that was gonna be a whole lot of trouble. Chapter 252 One morning, Zain came to Valentin''s hospital room. Ashley was hanging around, looking a bit tired. A faint shade of ck had formed beneath her eyes. Zain thought about telling her to take a rest, but he knew she would just decline. Joseph had been stopping by the hospital room every day. During lunch, Ashley got a call from Noah at StarGavel Auctions. Joseph guessed, "Noah''s throwing another puzzle your way, Ashley. Put it on speaker." Ashley thought the same, but with her mood, she didn''t want to see anyone. She swiped the screen and picked up the call. "Hey, Ms. Ramos, sorry for bothering you again," Noah said, keeping it quiet. "We''ve got someone at our auction house looking to sell two old bronze statues." Selling bronze statues at auctions was a no-go, especially the rare Renaissance ones. Regr bronze ones could be traded through a strict legal process. "But our experts can''t tell if these are real. Can you check them out?" Noah asked. "I''m tied up right now," Ashley replied. Being smart, Noah cut to the chase. "So, can you confirm if they''re real?" Ashley sighed. "I''ll swing by in a few days." Joseph muttered under one''s breath, "Noah''s a smooth operator." On the other end, Noah whispered like it was a secret mission, "This seller seems shady. If these bronze statues are real, this could be a shady deal in rare artifacts. So, are you busy? Can you stop by now and help out? If there''s a problem, we''ll call the cops." Ashley frowned. She knew that trafficking artifacts was a real possibility. Zain, hearing Noah on speaker, nudged Ashley. "Check it out. If it''s shady, exposing it is a good deed. Plus, it''s a thumbs-up for the country." Besides, Zain wanted Ashley to change things up. She''d been stuck in the hospital room and looked worn out. Checking a bronze statue wouldn''t take much time. Noah, recognizing Zain''s voice, greeted him with respect. "Hello, Mr. Kingsley." Zain gave a solemn "Hi". After a pause, Ashley told Noah, "Okay, I''ll swing by soon." Noah showered thanks in high spirits. Ending the call, Zain told Joseph, "Joseph, go with Ashley. Take care of her and help her rx. I''ll stick around with Valentin." "Got it, Grandpa." Ashley and Joseph headed to StarGavel Auctions. Noah had long been waiting at the entrance. "Ms. Ramos, Mr. Fox, been waiting for you!" "Just cut the small talk. Where''s the guy with the bronze statues?" Joseph asked. "He''s in a private room on the first floor. Follow me." Noah led the way. "Honestly, those bronze statues even have some writing on them." Ashley raised an eyebrow. "Alright, got it." Stepping into the swanky room on the first floor, they spotted a middle-aged guy lounging in a chair. He had an ordinary square face, dressed casually, and there were two adorable bronze statues on the nearby table. When he noticed Ashley, the guy, Tobby Swift, stood up, looking perplexed. "Who''s she, Mr. Palmer?" Noah adjusted his sleeves and grinned. "Mr. Swift, meet Ms. Ramos, our appraisal pro. We gotta check if these bronze statues are legit. If they''re real, we can p them up for sale." Tobby eyed Ashley, uncertain. "But isn''t she the celeb Ashley? Knows anything about old stuff?" Noah proudly lifted his chin. "You catch her on that TV show? Ms. Ramos rocks at appraising on screen. She''s also a fancy appraiser for StarGavel Auctions." Tobby recalled that he had missed the recent TV show but had heard about Ashley''s antique skills. ''She seems to know her stuff, maybe even more than that expert Charlie Ramos. But could a young gal like her handle these bronze statues?'' he wondered. As words got out about Ashley''s arrival, other appraisers at the auction house quickly gathered around. "Good to see you, Ms. Ramos." "Been a while, Ms. Ramos, been a while. Mr. Fox is here too." "Please check out these bronze statues." Ashley smiled and chatted with them. Next to her, Joseph proudly stood tall with his chest held high, soaking up the glory. Seeing a bunch of elder appraisers praising Ashley, Tobby reluctantly believed that she was a special-appointed appraiser here.Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. "Please, Ms. Ramos, verify these two bronze statues I brought," he said. Ashley turned her head, her eyes lighting up a bit. Joseph, catching her vibe, wondered, ''Are these bronze statues the real deal?'' Other appraisers who had already given the bronze statues a look whispered to each other. "The shine, the patterns, and the writing. I scoped them out with a magnifying ss, and they look pretty legit." "But, you never know. People these days add fake writing to make fake bronze stuff." A young appraiser, not totally sold, said, "I bet they''re real!" Next to Ashley were professionally crafted gloves. She put on twoyers of gloves and, when she attempted to reach for the bronze statue on the left, she noticed rust on its base. She hesitated and decided not to touch it with her hands. Instead, she grabbed a pro magnifying ss and bent down to carefully check the writing on the bronze statue. After a bit, Ashley stood up and then eyed the right bronze statue for a while. After a quick pause, Ashley shook her head. "Fake. Both of them are fake." As soon as he heard this, Tobby''s eyes popped in disbelief. "How''s that possible? They are my special pick. They can''t be fake. Do you even know antiques?" Joseph, backing Ashley up, fired back. "Nonsense! She knows more than you. They are your special pick? Well, you got tricked." Joseph had been itching to get involved, and now that they were fake, he touched them, asking, "Ashley, how would you know they''re fake?" The young appraiser, who wasn''t fully convinced, frowned, "Yeah, are you really sure they are fake? The rust, you see? They look just like the real things." Ashley nced at him and calmly exined, "These were made from pre-cast molds along with the Renaissance copper pieces. The inscription on them was addedter. As for the rust on the outside, it looks authentic, but at the base of the bronze statues, there are uneven spots in the rust." Joseph snatched up a bronze statue and checked out the rust on the base. Other experts huddled in. "Look, right here! The rust isn''t even. But what if it''s just scratches? Besides this part, the rest of the rust looks legit." Ashley spilled the beans. "This rust isn''t natural. Someone put it there on purpose. They hit it with strong acid and then buried the bronze statue in a pit under the outhouse. It speeds up the rusting. So the rust looks real, like the genuine stuff." "What?" Joseph, hearing this, waspletely thrown. "Buried under an outhouse?" "Yeah." Ashley nodded. "It''s the easiest way to fake bronze and rust it up. Even though it stinks when buried in an outhouse, the acid takes away the smell." "Oh, crap!" Joseph shouted. He stared at the bronze statue in his hand, almost going crazy. "I just touched this thing with my bare hands!" he added. Chapter 253 Joseph winced, dropping that fake small bronze statue and making a beeline for the exit, desperate to scrub and disinfect his hands. The appraisers nearby didn¡¯t bat an eye since they''ve handled such things before. ¡°Yeah, I''ve heard my master spill the beans before. Burying fake bronze statues in an outhouse pit is a tricky way to fake authenticity.¡± ¡°Look, the rust on these two bronze statues is suspicious. None of it¡¯s natural. They¡¯re definitely knockoffs!¡± ¡°| mentioned earlier. The engravings could be bogus too. I¡¯m on the same page. Ms. Ramos. | also think these small bronze statues are phony.¡± The skeptical young appraiser shot Ashley a stare, staying mum with heavy breaths and turning red-faced. Noah turned to Tobby who was baffled, saying, ¡°The bronze statues you''ve got are fake. We can¡¯t put them up for sale.¡± Tobby, gritting his teeth, argued, ¡°How could they be fake?¡± But StarGavel Auctions was the go-to, the real deal in the auction house game. That was why Tobby came here. Noah grinned, subtly probing. ¡°If you''re not buying it, get someone else to take a look. Also, where¡¯d you snag the bronze statues?¡± Tobby avoided the question, growling in frustration, ¡°Hold on. I¡¯ve got another bronze statue here. I''ll bring it over for you to check out.¡± Ashley, a bit surprised, thought, ¡®Another one?¡¯ After that announcement, Tobby dashed out. Noah looked at Ashley, respectfully asking, ¡°Mind waiting a bit, Ms. Ramos?¡± Ashley replied, ¡°Sure.¡± After about half an hour, Joseph finally came back after washing his hands. Each hand was disinfected at least a hundred times, judging by the red skin. ¡°Ashley...¡± Joseph said, eyes moist. ¡®Oh, | am grimy. My hands are not 08:51 clean, he thought. Ashley blinked. ¡°It¡¯s okay. You''re not the first toy hands on it. Besides, those bronze statues have changed hands so many times. They¡¯re quite clean by now.¡± Anearby appraiser chuckled, ¡°Yeah, Mr. Fox, | touched them with my hands too. Just wash and disinfect. It¡¯s no big deal.¡± Joseph felt a bit relieved. But he still wanted to wash his hands once again. Soon. Tobby brought over another small bronze statue with anger and disbelief. ¡°Give it a good look. Tell me if this is real or fake.¡± Noah had someone carefully ce it on a nearby table. Ashley, back in gloves, bent down and gave it a thorough once-over. The surrounding appraisers also gathered around, eager to see. Ashley first checked out the rust and then scrutinized the inscription carved on it, her expression suddenly turning serious. ¡°How¡¯s it?¡± Joseph asked immediately. This time, before Ashley spoke, he wouldn¡¯t dare to touch anything at random. Ashley stared intently at the inscription. After a moment, Ashley turned to Noah, subtly nodding her head. Noah was shocked. This is the real deal!¡¯ he thought.. Seeing that Ashley didn¡¯t immediately confirm its authenticity but instead signaled to him, Noah understood her meaning. He quietly left the private room and dialed the police. After Noah made the call and returned, Ashley pretended to continue searching for a few more minutes. Tobby, impatient, urged, ¡°Why''s it taking so long this time?¡± Joseph, protective, retorted, ¡°What''s the rush? Whether it¡¯s real or fake, it¡¯s right here. It isn¡¯t going anywhere. Ashley looked at it for a few more minutes before slowly speaking. ¡°Yep, this one¡¯s the real deal.¡± 08:51 Tobby¡¯s eyes lit up with joy, and the steam from the fake statues ¡°Well, at least one of them isn¡¯t a knockoff.¡± van Noah, wearing a sneaky grin, asked, ¡°Where did you get this statue?¡± Tobby casually brushed it off. ¡°Don¡¯t sweat the small stuff. Help me hunt down some big shots, art collectors, or loaded folks.¡± A puzzled appraiser nearby threw shade. ¡°Something feels off about this statue. Ms. Ramos.¡± Tobby scowled. ¡°What¡¯s your deal? You aren¡¯t gonna flip-flop and call it fake now, right?¡± The appraiser waved it off. ¡°Nah, not what | meant...¡± While these two bickered, a bunch of cops barged in, bringing along some fancy folks in their middle ages. Sharp-eyed appraisers recognized them. They were the big-shot director of the National Museum and a bunch of expert archaeologists. Seeing the cops, Tobby went as pale as a ghost, stuttering. ¡°What...what¡¯s the deal here?¡± The top cop shed his badge, talking tough, ¡°We''ve got a tip about someone dealing in ancient swag.¡± Ashley chimed in, ¡°The inscription on it is from the Renaissance period, documenting the life of a noble. The legacy of this noble is under the custody of the state. How did youe across this statue?¡± Joseph was shocked, wondering, ¡®Is he a thief?¡¯ Tobby, shaking like a leaf, denied, ¡°I swear, | didn¡¯t do that. | bough from someone else.¡± The cops moved in. ¡°Come spill the beans at the station. Help us clea this up.¡± Tobby, on the verge of a meltdown, shook as thew took him away. Excited by Ashley¡¯s words, the National Museum director beckoned to an archaeologist by waving his hand. ¡°Edward, check this out.¡± This archaeologist eyed it like a hawk, then beamed at Ashley. ¡°You hit the bullseye! The scribbles do tell a noble¡¯s story! This statue is legit, dating back to the Renaissance period. It¡¯s remarkable that you were able 05:51 to tell its history! These scribbles carry serious historical weight, goldmine for research.¡± Ashley smiled, ¡°Got a bit of know-how in this area, so | could tell.¡± a The legit bronze statue got snatched by the pros, doing wonders for historical digs. The archaeologist chuckled, ¡°Not many decode these scribbles. You''re more than just book-smart. You''re slick with appraising. Are you also good at artifact restoration? Those familiar with this field would know that appraising artifacts and restoring them share some simrities. Nodding. Ashley spilled. ¡°A bit.¡± Smiling, the director was stoked. ¡°You''re a hotshot. Would you fancy a gig at the National Museum?¡± Joseph scratched his head. ¡®She is the specially appointed appraiser here. How can he openly poach her?¡¯ he wondered. The director found a middle ground. ¡°How about it? Let''s swap digits. | might need your help down the road.¡± Ashley pondered a second, pulling out her phone. ¡°Sure.¡± By now, Noah was downright bamboozled. ¡°Even the director of the National Museum showed up? He is raving about Ms. Ramos and asking for her digits. ¡®StarGavel Auctions hit the jackpot!¡¯ he thought. This incident made headlines that afternoon. Rita Grant, a young fema appraiser from StarGavel Auctions, not only authenticated a bronze statue but also assisted the police in apprehending a group of cultural relics traffickers. Archaeologists initiated protective measures for the looted ce, causing a huge stir in the world of cultural relics, Evenizens who usually paid no attention to archaeology had heard of Rita Grant¡¯s name and marveled at her skills. In their hearts, this youngdy seemed more formidable than Ashley and Cara. What kind of legendary figure is she?¡¯ they all wondered. It was said that the director of the National Museum, along with ON 511 professional archaeologists, praised Rita endlessly. Many artifact appraisers and restorers flocked to StarGavel Auctions to catch a glimpse of her true identity. Returning to the hospital room, before Ashley could sit down, she received a call from Noah. Many people havee to the auction house to meet you, Ms. Ramos. Noah paused for a few seconds and said hesitantly, ¡°Even Charlie from the Ramos family came. He says he came to see Rita Grant.¡± This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 254 Noah continued, ¡°He got wind that you''re a pro at fixing old stuff, so he shows up with something, thinking he could get some advice from you.¡± Noah, fully clued in on Ashley¡¯s deal with the Ramos family, knew it was up to Ashley whether she would deal with Charlie or not. After catching Noah¡¯s talk on the phone, Ashley raised an eyebrow. ¡°What¡¯s he bringing?¡± ¡°He has got some mystery item inside a box. | couldn¡¯t figure it out, probably some old thing he wants your magic touch on. Are you up for a meet?¡±Content held by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Nope.¡± Ashley turned him down t-out. 12: Getting Ashley''s vibe, Noah said, ¡°Got it. I''ll tell him you¡¯re a no-go.¡± Today, thanks to Ashley, StarGavel Auctions got some serious online love together with the name, Rita Grant. Even folks who weren''t into auctions had heard the buzz. Lots of online folks were hoping StarGavel Auctions would spill the beans on Rita. But StarGavel Auctions wasn¡¯t going to spill the tea on Ashley without her say-so. After wrapping up the chat with Noah, Ashley checked the clock. It was pushing past seven in the evening. Strolling over to the bed, she took a peek at Valentin¡¯s situation, a worried frown creasing her forehead. He had been out cold for six days now. And tomorrow would hit the one-week mark. Zain had the chef whip up some fancy dinner, but they couldn¡¯t really chow down. Joseph, eyeballing the hands that handled the fake statue and reying the toilet episode in his mind, had his appetite plummeting even more. ¡®Oh, | might need some therapy for that!¡¯ he thought. But to keep Zain¡¯s spirits up, Joseph filled him in on the StarGavel Pter 254 Auctions scene. ¡°Grandpa, everyone online is dying to know who Rita is. Ashley¡¯s a total boss.¡± Zain, all praises, chimed in, ¡°Ashley is indeed something.¡± Ashley blushed at thepliment. Joseph let out a soft sigh. ¡®If Valentin saw how great Ashley was, he would praise her as well. Looking back, he always has her back and cheers her up, he thought. Joseph recalled that after Ashley had been treated like dirt by her own folks, she had not only fought her way out of that suffocating mess, but Valentin had been with her every step of the way. Valentin had always wanted to see her shake off the dust and shine bright like a real star. Zain, lost in thought, mentioned, ¡°Ashley, you used to be into calligraphy when you were little, right?¡± Ashley nodded. She then remembered that when they got their marriage certificate, Valentin had handed her a 20-million-dor ne as a wedding gift. Back then, she wanted to write a piece of calligraphy as a return gift and he suggested some fancy words for calligraphy, like ¡°A hundred years of happiness together¡±. She felt a bit awkward and didn¡¯t write it at the time. It had been put off and she still hadn¡¯t penned it for him. After a while, seeing it wasn¡¯t exactly early, Ashley told Zain and Joseph to go back for some rest. The big hospital room was just her and Valentin. Ashley soaked a towel in warm water and gave him a gentle wipe-down. After cleaning him up, she dressed him. Out of the blue, a stab of pain hi her stomach, and she winced. She guessed that it was probably from not eating right these past days. She rubbed her belly for a bit, and the ache eased up. She let out a long sigh, choosing not to go to the nearby nurse¡¯s bed to sleep. Instead, she remained lying down beside Valentin¡¯s bed. She grabbed his sturdy hand, her teary eyes locked on his pale and knocked-out face. Without even realizing it, she drifted off into dreand. 08:52 Chapter 254 ***** Ashley had a dream where someone was holding her. The embrace felt warm, like gentle spring water or the warmth of sunlight. However, the person¡¯s face was blurry, and she couldn¡¯t make out who was holding her. Ashley murmured softly, instinctively moving towards theforting embrace. The sensation of the hug became increasingly real. Her eyshes trembled, and beneath her light eyelids, her eyeballs twitched. She slowly opened her sleepy eyes. In the next moment, she met the deep gaze of a man. Ashley jolted, the drowsiness instantly fading away. She fully awoke from the dream, her eyes widening in realization. ¡°Val...Valentin!¡± Chapter 255 Ashley froze abruptly, and her mind went nk. She remained motionless for a long time, then blinked and rubbed her eyes with her hand.Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. The sight before her did not dissipate. Valentin still opened his eyes and stared at her. His eyshes lowered, with affection in his eyes. ¡°Are you up? Are you finally up?¡± Ashley suspected the scene was a dream. She stared at Valentin before. her nkly, then carefully stretched out a finger and poked him tentatively. As aresult, as soon as she stretched out a finger, Valentin wrapped it in the warm palm of his hand. Valentin stared at Ashley¡¯s lovable behavior and grinned leisurely, then he said gently, ¡°Ashley.¡± When he spoke, he found his voice dry, and he couldn¡¯t even make a sound. He said hoarsely as if he hadn¡¯t spoken for a long time. ¡°Ashley.¡± The moment Ashley felt Valentin¡¯s temperature and the moment she heard Valentin¡¯s hoarse voice, Ashley finally breathed a long sigh of reli and felt grounded. Tears filled in Ashley''s eyes. She hugged Valentin excitedly and said, ¡°Yo finally woke up! You''ve been in aa for seven days!¡± But Ashley was too excited to control her strength, and she even flung him on the bed, who let out a dull groan. Ashley thought of the injury on his back and climbed up from his arms. Then, she asked nervously, ¡°Did | push the wound on your back? Does it hurt?¡± Valentin felt some pain, but he shook his head. ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt.¡± Valentin sat up slowly, still holding her hand. ¡°Was | in aa for seven days?¡± 08:52 pter 255 In his mind, he seemed to have fallen into a sleep for a long time. asionally, he could hear someone calling his name and talking gently to him. The gentle and saving Ice was like a beam of light, tearing through the darkness and saving him from his unconscious state. ¡°Yeah, you were in aa for seven days, and you never woke up. We''ve been worried about you.¡± Ashley checked his wound and found it intact. She had been lying on the edge of the bed, but she then realized she slept on the bed. ¡°Did you put me to bed? When did you wake up?¡± Ashley stared at him unblinkingly. No wonder she seemed to have dreamed of a warm embrace holding her just now. ¡°| just woke up not long ago.¡± Valentin¡¯s voice was still hoarse. When he came out of thea, he still felt blurred, and he could only stare at the white ceiling of the ward. After a while, he finally came back to his senses. He remembered that Ashley had almost been hit by a falling chandelier before he passed out, and although he had shielded her, he still worried about her situation. He immediately looked around in anxiety. It was just dawn, the smell of disinfectant filled the air, and the ward was quiet. Suddenly, he noticed a furry head next to his hand. He slowly red his head and looked over. He found Ashley¡¯s hair loose and h pressed against his hand tightly. His beloved Ashley fell asleep on the edge of the bed without a garment on her back. He immediately checked carefully and found she didn¡¯t get injure He then breathed a sigh of relief. But Ashley¡¯s ufortable sleeping position on the edge of the bed made him frown. He wanted to carry her to bed, but not long after he woke up, he was so weak that he could hardly exert any strength. He even managed to get up with great difficulty. He had been able to pick her up with ease before, but it took a great deal of effort to carry her to the bed now. ¡°Why are you lying next to the bed?¡± Valentin looked at her lovingly. Even if he got injured, he didn¡¯t want her to suffer because of him. ¡°| worried about you,¡± Ashley blurted out. All the depression of the past few days dissipated. She cheered up and returned energetically. ¡°I guarded your bedside the whole time, so | was the first to know when you woke up. ¡°By the way, don¡¯t move around yet. I''ll have the doctor check you out.¡± Ashley immediately got up from the bed. Although Valentin woke up, she still took his condition seriously and intended to ask for the doctor¡¯s opinion. Ashley jumped out of bed, and as soon as she did it, she suddenly froze in ce. She pressed her lips, slowly stretched out her hand, and pinched her leg hard. She then gasped with pain. Valentin noticed her reaction, hurriedly pulled her over, and gently rubbed her legs regardless of his sore and weak arms. ¡°What''s wrong?¡± Tears filled Ashley¡¯s eyes, but she still showed a charming smile. She blinked her tearful eyes, and even her voice trembled. ¡°I didn¡¯t dream, Valentin. You finally woke up. | dreamed you woke up several times before, but when | came back to my senses, you were still lying bed.¡± Valentin paused while rubbing her legs. He choked on her words and felt extremely distressed. But after a while, he felt Ashley¡¯s care and dependence on her. ¡°It''s not a dream this time, Ashley. | really woke up.¡± In response, Ashley hugged him tightly again, and tears filled her eyes. Ashley thought of Valentin¡¯s injuries and hurriedly let go for fear of identally hurting him. 08:521 After all, Valentin had just woken up from aa, and he was delicate. now. Ashley hugged him for a while and immediately called the doctor over to check on Valentin. Then, she took out her cell phone and called Zain and Joseph to tell them Valentin had regained consciousness. The dean of the hospital led several doctors and hurried over, gasping for air. When they saw Valentin sitting on the hospital bed, they all felt excited and finally breathed a sigh of relief. Valentin finally woke up. The dean showed the most sincere and joyful smile these days and said excitedly. ¡°We will arrange aprehensive examination for you right now, Mr. Kingsley.¡± This series of examinations was quite troublesome. Ashley felt uneasy and always apanied Valentin. After the examination, Ashley helped Valentin sit back on the bed. At this time. Tom supported Zain. Joseph, Ralph, and Maggie quickly. rushed to the hospital. ¡°Valentin!¡± Valentin finally woke up instead of lying lifeless in bed. Tears. filled Joseph''s eyes, and he couldn¡¯t help but cry. ¡°Valentin.¡± Zain¡¯s hands trembled in excitement, and joy filled his vicissitude eyes. Valentin finally woke up. Ashley¡¯s care these days hadn¡¯t been in vain. Valentin and Ashley could always apany and rely on each other in the future. Zain was finally relieved and no longer worried. Chapter 256 Valentin got close to Zain. Judging by Zain¡¯s expression, Valentin could help but frown, ¡°Grandpa.¡± read his mind. He couldn''t Zain raised his hand to wipe the tears from his eyes and nodded repeatedly. ¡°You finally woke up. Ashley has been taking care of you recently, and she even lost weight.¡± Valentin knew Ashley well, and he had guessed it. Ashley originally had difficulty in gaining weight. Valentin took her to Kingsley Manor and took good care of her, providing her with the best living conditions so that she could gain some weight, but now she has lost weight again. Ashley didn¡¯t take her efforts seriously, but Zain¡¯s words made her shy. Ralph and Maggie talked to Valentin and finally felt relieved when they found Valentin¡¯s condition returned to normal. After the amination, the dean and the doctors came over with the expedited report. Ashley asked nervously, ¡°Dean, how is he doing now?¡± Zain, Joseph, Ralph, Maggie, and Tom all looked toward the dean. The dean unfolded the inspection report in his hand and said carefully, ¡°After inspection, Mr. Kingsley¡¯s wounds are no longer serious, and all physical indicators are normal. However, Mr. Kingsley suffered a sever head injury and will remain in the hospital recovering. We need to observe if he develops any symptoms. After all, the brain was the most important organ in the human body, so doctors took seriously the consequences of a severe head injury. Ashley stood before the bed at this time. Hearing this, she couldn¡¯t help but hold Valentin¡¯s hand. They intertwined their fingers. Valentin wrapped his palm around her hand. Ashley sensed his encouragement and calmed her tension. The dean added, ¡°Moreover, Mr. Kingsley has been in aa for nearly a week. He just woke up not long ago. It is inevitable that he will be weak. But don¡¯t worry about it. He will recover gradually.¡± 08-521 Pier 256 Then, the dean exined some other considerations. Ashley wrote it all down. In order not to disturb Valentin¡¯s rest, the director led the doctors out of the ward after exining the precautions. Joseph finally took the chance and rushed to the bed. He reached out and poked Valentin, then squeezed his arm. Feeling Valentin¡¯s warmth, tears suddenly filled his eyes. ¡°I''ve been worrying about you every day, Valentin. | fear you will be a vegetable.¡± Hearing this, both Valentin and Ashley fell into silence. Maggie red at him. ¡°How dare you? What are you talking about?¡± Joseph pressed his lips, looked at Valentin longingly, and pointed at his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m indeed worried about you, Valentin. Can you find the dark circles under my eyes?¡± Valentin and Joseph had always had a close rtionship, and he could understand Joseph¡¯s concerns. He reached out to pat Joseph on the shoulder. The weak couldn''t stand other''sfort. Joseph''s mood had already calmed down. Valentin patted him on the shoulder andforted him, which made Joseph unable to hold his tears back and cry directly. ¡°But the dark circles don¡¯t affect my dashing face. Actually, Ashley is mo worried about you than | am. She had been in the ward with you every day, hadn¡¯t had meals on time, and even hadn''t left the ward.¡± How sensible and considerate he was! He even tried to help Valentin and Ashley develop their rtionship. Joseph found himself deserving of being Valentin¡¯s supporter.Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Hearing this, Valentin looked at Ashley, who stood aside. He stared at Ashley affectionately with mixed emotions in his eyes. Ashley sensed Valentin¡¯s gaze and coughed lightly in shyness. ¡°Joseph just made it up and exaggerated.¡± 08:52 ¡°| just told the truth.¡± Joseph winked at Valentin and added, ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, ask Ashley about it.¡± Ashley choked on his words. In the early morning, the sun rose slowly, and the warm sunlight poured. through the window into the ward, driving away all the haze. The atmosphere in the ward had finally relieved a lot and was no longer dull. They chatted for a while, and Joseph wanted to leave Ashley and Valentin alone. Zain thought so, either. He winked at the others, and they all left the ward. After Tom left, he came back again and brought breakfast. After putting down the packing box, Tom hurriedly left with joy. Valentin¡¯s recovery had even lifted his mood. Ashley shook her head helplessly. Sheid out the dishes and took a look at it. She found the dishes Tom had prepared all digestible, which was suitable for delicate Valentin. ¡°You have just woken up now. How weak you are! Have the dishes. digestible first.¡± Ashley served Valentin a bowl of oatmeal and asked worriedly, ¡°You jus woke up not long ago. You have been checking and chatting for so lon Are you tired? Do you want to sleep?¡± Valentin raised his eyebrows slightly and replied, ¡°Nope.¡± When he spoke, he stared at Ashley all the time, as if he hadn¡¯t seen her for a long time and couldn''t get enough of her. ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± Ashley nced at his head, hoping that the injury would heal as soon as possible without leaving any seque. ¡°By the way, we suppressed the news that you were in aa and didn¡¯t make it public.¡± Ashley told him what had happened these days. ¡°Joseph and Tom dealt with the business in thepany, but there is a lot of paperwork that needs to be handled by you personally.¡± Valentin nodded. 08:52 Chapter 256 ¡°Fortunately, you woke up today. If you hadn¡¯t woken up, we wouldn''t be able to hide youra.¡± Ashley¡¯s eyshes trembled slightly. If he didn¡¯t wake up, Ashley wouldn¡¯t be able to bear it, and the tip of her nose turned sore at the thought. Valentin saw her tearful eyes and felt extremely distressed. He didn¡¯t want Ashley to suffer, so he held her hand tenderly and joked. in a casual tone, ¡°I¡¯m not dead yet.¡± Hearing this, Ashley immediately reached out and covered his mouth. ¡°Don¡¯t joke about it.¡± She was too sensitive about death now to take any outrageous jokes. Valentin lowered his head and chuckled, pulling down her hand and covering her mouth. His voice was still hoarse but inexplicably pleasant. ¡°You love me so much, Ashley.¡± Ashley nced at him and lowered her sights at the sumptuous breakfast on the table. Then, she pressed her red lips slightly and looked up at Valentin with tearful eyes. ¡°You were in aa for seven days, and we passed our first anniversary. ¡°| told before that I''ll tell you on our anniversary if | want to divorce you.¡¯ Chapter 257 Chapter 257 Hearing Ashley''s words, Valentin still stayed calm, but his pupils trembled slightly. He felt strangely nervous, with mixed emotions in his eyes. He stared at Ashley closely all the time and said maically, ¡°Hence, will you reply to me now?¡± Ashley raised her chin proudly. ¡°I''ll tell you after you¡¯ve had breakfast.¡± Valentin¡¯s eyebrows rose imperceptibly. He was a little surprised, then lowered his head, chuckled, and said helplessly and indulgently, ¡°Don¡¯t bully me, Ashley.¡± His tone sounded a little aggrieved and pitiful. Ashley instantly got angry. ¡°I never bullied you.¡± Valentin causally nced at the dishes on the table, raised his eyelids, and looked at her delicate face. ¡°I¡¯m not in the mood for breakfast.¡± Ashley was speechless. ¡°In that case, you must have the breakfast, either.¡± He just woke up and needed breakfast to recharge. Moreover, Ashley needed several minutes to get prepared. In the series she had watched before, a girl confessed to a boy pink flowers. Ashley found it cliche but extremely romantic. It would be monotonous for her to confess to Valentin in the d ward. But she wouldn¡¯t be able to improvise the flowers. Ashley recalled other series she had watched. A boy confessed to a a hot air balloon, but they almost fell to their deaths. But Ashley found the hot air balloon interesting. She intended to improvise a hot air balloon. But she immediately dismissed the idea. ea of Valentin was too delicate and pale now, and Ashley decided not to bother 08.50 anymore. Ashley nced at the deserted ward and then at the delicate Valentin. She was in thought and anxious. When she found Valentin refused the breakfast, she felt more anxious. ¡°Have your breakfast now. Why are you staring at me?¡± Valentin looked at her leisurely and raised his eyebrows slightly. ¡°What are you thinking about, Ashley?¡± ¡°It''s none of your business!¡± Ashley made an excuse causally and added, ¡°I wondered what to do if you didn¡¯t wake up today.¡± Hearing this, Valentin indeed thought about it seriously. After speaking, Ashley regretted it. She smacked her mouth and blinked her eyes. ¡°I made that up. I¡¯m sure you''ll wake up.¡± Valentin still looked pale. His eyes blushed due to illness. Seeing Ashley''s lovely look, he couldn¡¯t help but chuckle and then smile. His smile was like a ray of warm sunshine that could melt all the cold. Ashley was used to his dashing appearance before, but she couldn¡¯t help but feel touched now. Valentin¡¯s voice sounded hoarse, with a bit of sexuality for no reason. ¡°I figured it out. It doesn¡¯t matter if | can¡¯t wake up.¡± Ashley frowned and disliked the subject. Valentin spoke slowly, with the utmost rationality. ¡°You are my wife and the first heir. If | die, you can inherit all my property and power. In that case, you can live a pampered life and whatever you want, so I can rest assured.¡± When Valentin finished speaking, Ashley¡¯s eyes widened in shock. Sh even couldn¡¯t utter a word for a moment. ¡°Why did you consider abo it?¡± Valentin grinned as if talking about somethingpletely normal. ¡°It¡¯s my responsibility to consider it for you.¡± Valentin¡¯s words echoed in Ashley¡¯s cars. But she didn¡¯t think so. 08:52 Ashley looked at him with tearful eyes. Her heart rate quickened, so did her breathing rate, and she even raised her voice. ¡°After all you¡¯ve done for me, don¡¯t you want to be there for me all the time?¡± Valentin nodded seriously. ¡°I want to.¡± If he couldn¡¯t be there for her, what if someone bullied her? Even if he couldn¡¯t be there for her, he would ensure she lived a happy life. Hearing his words, Ashley¡¯s long eyshes trembled in touch. She could feel Valentin¡¯s care for her, and she was shocked and distressed at the same time. She couldn''t ept Valentin¡¯s assumptions. Ashley red at him in anger and suppressed her trembling voice. ¡°Shut up from now on! Have the breakfast first!¡± Valentin no longer refuted. After breakfast, Ashley asked him to rest while she cleaned up the remaining dishes. Valentin wanted to help her, but Ashley refused. After finishing packing, she turned around and found Valentin rubbing his forehead with his fingers and frowning slightly. Ashley immediately asked nervously, ¡°Do you have a headache? What''s wrong with you?¡± Valentin shook his head slightly. ¡°I¡¯m fine. It doesn¡¯t hurt very much.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Ashley was nervous about his every move now and said, ¡°I''ll have the doctor over right now.¡± After a while, the dean hurriedly came to the ward.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Ashley immediately exined Valentin¡¯s situation. The dean hurriedly asked, ¡°Mr. Kingsley, do you feel dizzy and nauseated besides having a headache?¡± Valentin said in a low voice, ¡°No.¡± The dean slowly breathed a sigh of relief and exined, ¡°The headache is caused by the blow to the head. If you can¡¯t bear the pain, you can try taking painkillers.¡± 08:52 Valentin replied, ¡°No need.¡± Ashley asked worriedly, ¡°Dean, how to treat the headache?¡± If Valentin suffered from headaches for the rest of his life, he would always be in pain. Valentin bore the pain this time without painkillers, but what should he do next time? Ashley hoped his condition would be cured once and for all. The dean exined, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ms. Ramos. We will formte a suitable treatment n for Mr. Kingsley.¡± Ashley replied, ¡°Well, then I''ll trouble you.¡± Itsted for more than twenty minutes before Valentin¡¯s headache dissipated. After the dean left the ward, Ashley looked at Valentin¡¯s pale face and felt distressed. If only Valentin hadn¡¯t saved her when the chandelier fell. She really didn¡¯t want Valentin to suffer because of her. Seeing Ashley''s sorrowful expression, Valentin shook his head helplessly and pulled her before him. ¡°Don¡¯t overthink about it. It really doesn¡¯t hurt.¡± ¡°I''m not a child, and you can¡¯t fool me! He chuckled softly, opened his arms, and said, ¡°Well, if you hug me, won¡¯t hurt then.¡± Ashley was speechless. Valentin¡¯s words wouldn''t fool her. But Ashley still hugged him without hesitation. Not long after, George, Lester, and Jaden heard about Valentin¡¯s condition and came to visit him. Valentin didn¡¯t get seriously injured. They all breathed a sigh of relief. However, Valentin still looked a little pale. They stayed in the ward for a while, then stood up to leave for fear of disturbing him. Ashley followed Jaden outside the ward and asked, ¡°How about Jessica¡¯s secret resale of the Ramos Group''s shares?¡± Chapter 258 Jaden didn¡¯t get a chance to speak when Ashley¡¯s phone rang. It was an unfamiliar number calling. Ashley frowned, wondering, ¡®Is it Frankie? ¡®Or someone else calling me with something important?¡± Ashley answered the call. Unprepared, she heard Evan¡¯s voice filled with hatred and anger on the other end of the line. Ashley, do you have any conscience left, you wicked girl? It''s because of you that Jeremy, Ryan, and Matthew are all breaking ties with me. They refused to acknowledge me as their father. Did you instigate them? How could | give birth to such a bastard like you?¡± Ashley retorted, ¡°Evan, all these kids are breaking ties with you because you can¡¯t tell right from wrong.¡± After saying that, she hung up immediately.Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Everyone from the Ramos family was just causing her trouble. Jaden impatiently said, ¡°Why is Evan so annoying?¡± ¡°Ignore him. How is our n going with Jessica?¡± Ashley asked. Jaden squinted his eyes and smirked cunningly. ¡°She''s taking the bait. | had someone from the Zenith Group secretly negotiate with Jessica. She wants to sell the Ramos Group¡¯s shares at a high price. To avoid suspicion, we didn¡¯t offer a high price but tried to negotiate it down. ¡°But the price remains within Jessica¡¯s expectations. You can rest assured. Jessica will take the bait sooner orter. This will be a fatal blow to the Ramos family.¡± After bidding farewell to Jaden, Lester, and George, Ashley returned to the hospital room. Meeting Valentin¡¯s inquisitive gaze, Ashley exined proactively, ¡°I was just talking to Jaden about Jessica. She¡¯s been secretly selling the Ramos family¡¯s shares.¡± Ashley briefly exined Jessica¡¯s situation to him, then continued, ¡°Lester and George have been in Zyrrinthia recently. A few days ago, they did a DNA test with Cara, and she is not their long-lost sister.¡± All of these things happened while Valentin was unconscious. Valentin nodded slightly after listening. Ashley was now very concerned about his health. Seeing him sitting on the hospital bed, she worried that he might get tired and asked, ¡°Do you want to lie down and rest for a while?¡± Valentin nced at her and said, ¡°Do you think I¡¯m fragile?¡± ¡°No,¡± Ashley immediately denied. She only treated him as a delicate flower that needed careful nurturing. Ashley sat down on the chair in front of the bed and sent a message in the group chat with Bryce and Miranda. [Bryce, are you there?] Bryce replied: [Howe you¡¯re so busy but still have time to find me?] Ashley directly asked: [Did Brittany sessfully take you down?] Bryce helplessly replied: [Ashley, can¡¯t you stop being so nosy?] Miranda also saw the message. [I want to know, too.] Ashley quickly typed. [Bryce, how did Brittany pursue you? Or give me Brittany¡¯s contact information.] Bryce asked: [Why do you need her contact information?] Ashley replied: [I want to learn from her how to pursue men.] After sending this message, Bryce and Miranda were silent for a long time. Bryce and Miranda asked: [What?] Miranda said: [Ashley, what are you doing? Who are you pursuing? Aren¡¯t you already married to Valentin?) Bryce asked: [Are you divorced from Valentin?] Ashley replied: [No, not at all.] Miranda became even more confused. [Ashley, are you nning to Who is it? Whose charm pursue someone else behind Valentin¡¯s back could be greater than Valentin¡¯s? Don¡¯t have an affair, Ashley. What if Valentin catches you?] Ashley imagined the scene of being discovered by Valentin and couldn¡¯t help but shudder. She quickly replied: [I¡¯m not pursuing anyone else. I¡¯m just pursuing Valentin.) As aresult, Bryce and Miranda became even more puzzled. Miranda said: [I recognize all of these words, but when they¡¯re put together. | can¡¯t understand.] [Ashley, aren¡¯t you already married to Valentin? Why do you still have to pursue him? Or are you and Valentin ying some kind of married game?] Bryce stated: [You don¡¯t need to pursue him. It¡¯s obvious that Valentin really likes you. Just beckon with your finger, and he''ll follow you Ashley felt like these two were not helpful at all. She needed Joseph''s help. Joseph knew Valentin well. Ashley immediately messaged Joseph. [Where are you?] Joseph replied quickly: [What¡¯s wrong? | specifically left to give yo Valentin some alone time.] [See how considerate | am. Valentin just woke up, so you must have to talk about. I''ll go to the hospitalter in the afternoon.] She thought Joseph was quite talkative. Ashley directly asked: [What romantic things does Valentin like?] Joseph questioned: (Ashley, why are you asking this?] Ashley responded: [Just curious. A random question.] Joseph exined in detail: [Romance or not depends on who''s preparing it. If it''s prepared by you, even a pile of rubbish, Valentin will definitely 08.32 like it. He¡¯ll even find it artistic.] [But if it¡¯s something | prepared, even if it''s a priceless gift, Valentin won¡¯t bother to look at it. Even if he takes a quick nce, he''ll still find it distasteful. That¡¯s hypocrisy.] [Comparing the two, I¡¯m really pitiful! I¡¯m so sad!!] Ashley transferred him some money tofort him. Joseph replied after seeing it: [Wow, thank you, my dear Ashley. | don¡¯t feel sad at all now!] After thinking for a while, Joseph still does your question mean exactly couldn¡¯t understand. [Ashley, what Ashley replied: [It doesn¡¯t mean anything, just a random question.] Joseph asked: [Wait a minute. So you find the rose brooch that Andrew. gave you romantic?] Ashley quickly responded: [Of course not. I''ll find an opportunity to give it back to him.] Joseph said: [I support you.] Ashley sighed and put down her phone. It seemed like Joseph couldn''t help her either. She didn¡¯t get any useful information at all. When she looked up, she met Valentin¡¯s deep gaze. She didn¡¯t know how long he had been staring at her. Ashley¡¯s heart raced. ¡°What''s wrong?¡± ¡°Who were you messaging?¡± he asked. ¡°No one,¡± Ashley replied. Valentin squinted his eyes, threateningly asking, ¡°Were you chatting with Andrew?¡± Ashley was taken aback. How did he think of Andrew? Valentin¡¯s voice was low, slightly nervous as he said, ¡°You said you would give me an answer after breakfast.¡± Breakfast had already been over for a long time, and it was time for her 08:52 to give him an answer. Ashley blinked. She decided to do it right now. She stood up and rushed into Valentin¡¯s arms like a gust of wind, then kissed his lips. At that moment when Ashley¡¯s sweet and tender lips touched his, Valentin seemed to see the most beautiful scenery of all time. Ashley lifted her head slightly and looked at the handsome Valentin, saying softly, ¡°Valentin, we didn¡¯t spend our first anniversary together this time. Let¡¯s celebrate together in the future on our second, third, or tenth anniversary.¡± Chapter 259 Ashley finished speaking and felt a bit embarrassed. She had never had this kind of lifetimemitment conversation with Valentin before. She stared at Valentin¡¯s face, wanting to see his reaction. But Valentin stood there motionless as if he had lost his soul. There was no response from him, not even a blink of an eye. ¡®What¡¯s wrong?¡± Ashley scratched her head in confusion. After hearing what Ashley said, Valentin felt as if a bright white light exploded in front of him. His rationality shattered. His heart seemed to stop beating. Only Ashley¡¯s words echoed in his ears. ¡°Let''s celebrate future anniversaries together, like the second anniversary, third anniversary, and tenth anniversary.¡± Valentin had prepared himself for all the possible replies that Ashley might give him. He had thought about Ashley rejecting his pursuit and divorcing him. He had thought about Ashley not making a decision and considering further. He had even thought about Ashleypromising and trying to be with him after he got hurt. He had considered all possibilities except for this kind of answer. Ashley talked about the future, such a distant future. She mentioned the tenth anniversary. She ced him, Valentin, in her future. Seeing Valentin¡¯sck of reaction, Ashley waved her hand in front of his eyes. Still, there was no response, and Ashley grew anxious. ¡°Are you okay? Why aren¡¯t you moving?¡± ¡®He couldn''t have fainted again, could he? ¡®Can someone faint with their eyes open?¡¯ she thought. ¡°Don¡¯t scare me.¡± Ashley nervously hugged him, even considering calling ic doctor. shicv¡¯s body, warm and soit, was. his bracemce again. Finally, his pes moved. He was like a deep sea, calm on the waste but with multuous waves beneath.. e looked deeply into Ashley¡¯s eyes and uncertainly ask, tan you say rarain?¡± shicy paused for a moment, cooperatively repeating the previous tds. Don¡¯t scare me. zitin said. ¡°Not those words, the one before.¡± hey said. ¡°Are you okay? Why aren¡¯t you moving: letin was Teechless. evertinked her watery eyes. Finally, she realized what he wametito moved, she said. ¡°I spent so much time preparing and cacditing my intoe up with the confession, and it turns our you didnhh elviv drin bir adhiey was unhappy, she decided to fulfill his wish. ¡°Okay.everen givyowa didn¡¯t hear it clearly. All forgive you and say it again.. aid we considn¡¯t celebrate our first wedding anniversary together this is e. Buxinithe mutare, for the second anniversary, third anniversary. And ry year aftendat, we should celebrate together. Did you hear it i rivi eitin toisked at the beautiful and radiant Ashley in his arms, ression nging unpredictably. hing, no event anti-billion-dor business deal or gaining y-inducing power, consildpare to the surprise of this answ all the bloodah hibdibly had stopped flowing. you wont disore nand we''ll be together for the rest of our li was overwhelmed by mere surprise but still somewhat tertain ley''s eyes darted are a cunning little fox. Jokingly, she said. just now i was jokin, teteasprovalt entin¡¯s face changed, and inthis trip on her waist, pulling closer. ¡°Cal down,¡± Ashley immediately said, then yfully touched the back of his hand. ¡°I¡¯m serious. | wasn¡¯t joking.¡± Valentin nced at the hand that was touched. The room fell silent for a few seconds. Ashley looked up, and her eyes were as clear as a sky that had just rained. She put aside her yful smile and looked at Valentin with seriousness and focus. ¡°During the days you were unconscious, | learned a lot of things | didn¡¯t know before, like this bracelet on my wrist. You specially picked it for me, saying it could bring me good luck. ¡°Valentin, you treat me so well. You like me so much. But it seems | don¡¯t. like you as much, which is unfair.¡± ¡°| don¡¯t want fairness.¡± Valentin¡¯s voice was low and husky as he gazed at her quietly. As long as Ashley stayed by his side, he would be satisfied. He didn¡¯t dare to ask for more. ¡°That¡¯s not right.¡± Ashley said seriously, ¡°Since I''ve decided to be with you, | should treat you well. | can¡¯t just make you do all the giving.¡± Ashley took a deep breath and thought carefully. She looked at Valentin with sincerity. ¡°Valentin, | will try my best to love you in the future, to love you as you love me. ¡°| will also try my best to treat you well, just as you treat me well.¡± In an instant, Valentin¡¯s heart began to beat uncontrobly. The bright sunlight shone through the ss, casting a dazzling light Ashley. Her skin was as smooth as silk. She earnestly promised to try t love him and treat him well. At this moment, she was like a beautiful re in the Garden of Eden, captivating his every thought. He was willing to dedicate everything to her. Valentin passionately kissed Ashley¡¯s rosy, moist lips with a dominant, aggressive force that couldn¡¯t be refused. 18.50 Ashley was tightly embraced by Valentin, feeling a slight pain on her lips. He had never kissed her so passionately and intensely before. Ashley¡¯s fingers involuntarily curled up, unsure whether to push him. away or hold him tight. But her body made the choice for her. She tightly held onto Valentin¡¯s clothes, tilting her head back as if offering herself as a sacrifice, letting him take whatever he wanted. The sunlight gradually nted. Tiny specks of dust danced lightly like mischievous elves in the sunlight. Ashley picked up a mirror and looked at her mouth. Her lips were red and swollen, almost bitten by him. It troubled her how she would face other people.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. She red fiercely at the culprit beside her, grinding her teeth in anger. Suddenly, she smiled mischievously and asked, ¡°Is it still possible for me to divorce you now, Valentin?¡± Valentin raised an eyebrow. ¡°No, Ashley, it¡¯s toote for that.¡± Ashley threw the mirror aside and deliberately asked, ¡°What if | had asked for a divorce just now? What would you do?¡± Valentin said, ¡°Then | would consider staying unconscious forever and never waking up.¡± Ashley realized that Valentin truly understood her weak point. Valentin no longer teased her. He took her hand and said gently, ¡°Ash it¡¯s not easy for us to get a divorce.¡± Ashley asked, ¡°Why?¡± She guessed it was because the assets weren''t easy to divide. Valentin lightly touched her fingers, intertwining them, and looked down at her. ¡°Whether you want to love me or leave me is not the same thing. ¡°In other words, even if you want a divorce, | wouldn¡¯t agree.¡± Chapter 260 Ashley was startled, and her eyes widened. ¡°So this is what you think. All your previous understanding and empathy was just for show? You said to let me choose whether to agree to you, whether to divorce you. And now, it seems that even if | wanted a divorce, you wouldn''t agree. So why did you let me choose?¡±Content held by N?velDrama.Org. Valentin rubbed her head, trying to calm her down. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. | meant that if you want a divorce, | will find other reasons to dy it. Postpone the divorce, and then | will have a chance to continue to pursue you.¡± Ashley gritted her teeth. ¡°You¡¯re so cunning.¡± Valentin looked at her seriously and said affectionately, ¡°Ashley, | can¡¯t bear to leave you for the second time.¡± Valentin¡¯s deep and sexy voice slowly entered Ashley¡¯s ears, causing her heart to beat faster again. She knew that Valentin¡¯s first time referred to their previous conflict. They were separated for so many years. This time, he couldn¡¯t bear to leave her for the second time. Ashley felt that this reason was eptable. Ashley said, ¡°Alright, | won¡¯t argue with you about this anymore. By the way, when I had just left the Ramos family, Grandpa asked us to get married and register. You agreed. Did you not think it through, or did you actually want it?¡± Valentin didn¡¯t deny it and lightly brushed her cheek with his nose. ¡°Yes, | have been longing for you for a long time.¡± ¡®Longing me for a long time! Ashley¡¯s earlobes turned red suddenly, feeling inexplicably shy by the straightforwardness of his words. When Valentin confessed his feelings to her, he mentioned that he had liked her since childhood. She had already guessed it. When they registered for marriage, Valentin must have thought it through. He was willing, so he took the opportunity to get a marriage license and bind them together. 115 Chapter 260 He had been clever since childhood, very good at taking advantage of the situation. Seeing Valentin still staring at her, Ashley held his face in her hands and. asked, ¡°I already said | won¡¯t argue with you anymore, so why are you still staring at me?¡± Valentin¡¯s face still looked pale, and he lowered his head to ask, ¡°If on that day when the chandelier fell, someone else saved you, would you still agree to be with me?¡± Ashley was taken aback. ¡°First of all, | have to rify that | didn¡¯t just agree because you saved me or got hurt for me. Furthermore, there is no if. It was you who saved me that day, not someone else.¡± Ashley felt like it was her fault. She didn¡¯t give Valentin enough love and security, which made him start doubting and asking such questions. She needed to reciprocate his love equally. Although she had never been in a rtionship before, she understood that if the love between two people wasn¡¯t equal, cracks would easily appear over time. ¡°Don''t worry. | will try my best in the future to love you as much as you do.¡± Ashley leaned closer and kissed Valentin hard. ¡°See, | have never kissed any other man before.¡± Valentin raised an eyebrow, chuckled, and said, ¡°One kiss is not enough. Give me one more.¡± Ashley warned, ¡°Don¡¯t push your luck.¡± After a while, Valentin raised his hand and rubbed his head. ¡°Ih headache.¡± Ashley became nervous. ¡°I''ll call the doctor.¡± Valentin grabbed her hand and smiled suggestively, ¡°Just one kiss fr you, and the pain will go away.¡± hin the afternoon, Joseph rushed to the hospital room eagerly. Valentin, how do you feel now? Do you still feel ufortable aawwhere 08:531 Ashley mocked, ¡°He¡¯s doing just fine now.¡± He was in such a good mood that he started teasing her. Joseph stared at Valentin and carefully examined him. Apart from a slightly paleplexion, he seemed much better in spirits. There was even a radiant look of satisfaction on his face. ¡°Wait, radiant and satisfied?¡± Joseph squinted his eyes and observed Valentin and Ashley. He felt that something was off between them, very off. Something must have happened between them. And it was definitely something good. Otherwise, Valentin wouldn''t be in such high spirits. ¡°Valentin, I¡¯m happy to see you are fine.¡± Joseph said. But Ashley frowned slightly, knowing that Valentin¡¯s asional headaches needed to be treated as soon as possible. She didn¡¯t want him to suffer. Shortly after, Tom also arrived, bringing some urgent documents for Valentin to sign and hisptop. Ashley asked angrily, ¡°Is work really that important?¡± Valentin was still receiving treatment in the hospital room, yet he start working. What if he got sick again? Tom awkwardly scratched his head, thinking, ¡®I don¡¯t want this either am also very concerned about Mr. Kingsley. ¡®But there are some tasks that require Mr. Kingsley¡¯s personal signature and they can¡¯t be postponed any longer. | have no other choice. Valentin looked at Ashley, pleased and happy that she was defending him. He exaggeratedly said, ¡°Ashley is the best.¡± Ashley blushed. She didn¡¯t expect Valentin to flirt with her in front of others. Joseph¡¯s eyes flickered back and forth, thinking, ¡®It seems like their 08-53 rtionship has progressed further.¡¯ ¡°But it''s okay. Even in my condition, | have to earn more money for you,¡± Valid. Ashley wondered, ¡®What do you mean by earning money for me? I¡¯m not your boss.¡± Valentin didn¡¯t lie in bed all the time. Although he was weak, he needed. to move around to aid his recovery. Fortunately, it was a VIP hospital room with enough space. He walked over to the nearby sofa and sat down, taking the contracts that needed his signature from Tom. Ashley kept a close eye on him, feeling relieved when she saw that he was still in good spirits. She looked at Joseph beside her and whispered, ¡°Did you find out who the hatman in the restaurant was?¡± Joseph became excited. ¡°I was just about to tell you. | have found out bout that person. His name is Mike, a thug. | haven''t let him know that. we''re investigating him yet. We secretly ced eavesdropping and surveince devices in his house. Yesterday afternoon, | finally caught him making a suspicious phone call. Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t put it on speaker, so | couldn¡¯t hear who was on the other end. But it''s okay. He will definitely contact the perso again, and we will soon find out who''s behind all this.¡± Valentin raised his head. ¡°What hatman?¡± It''s the person who followed Ashley to the restaurant that day. H iritetended to lock her in the restroom,¡± Joseph exined immediate VValentin became nervous. His aura began to darken, and his voice tu calold. ¡°Show me the surveince video!¡± Joseph teased up. Valentin became extremely serious when it came to alevy¡¯s safety Asisley blinked but didn¡¯t find Valentin¡¯s seriousness scary at all. Jokate le quickly took out his phone. ¡°This is the surveince footage. He was nitong the phone call. The audio is too low, so | couldn''t hear who was on slidcoherend of the line¡± 08:53 Valentin took the video and transferred it to hisptop. His fingers quickly typed on the keyboard, lines of code appearing on the screen. He activated a mysterious system. Aseries of dazzling images shed by at an invisible speed. After a while, the video went through data processing, and all faint sounds became clear. Even if the phone call wasn¡¯t on speaker, the voice from the other end. became audible. ¡°Mike, | told you to teach Ashley a lesson...¡± It was a woman''s voice. When Ashley heard this, her eyebrows furrowed. She knew the woman. Joseph also recognized it. ¡°Damn it. That''s Cara¡¯s voice. Cara wants to hurt Ashley.¡± Chapter 261 As soon as Joseph concluded that Cara was behind all this, he was frightened by Valentin¡¯s furious face. Joseph swallowed and immediately looked up at Ashley. Ashley was calm and still listened to the conversation between Cara and Mike in the surveince video.. ¡°Mike. | asked you to teach Ashley a lesson, how did you screw up?¡± Cara questioned. Mike replied. ¡°I followed Ashley into the restaurant. Just when I was about to lock her in the toilet secretly and teach her a lesson, Ashley was alert, and she realized something was wrong and kicked open the door.¡± ¡°Did Ashley know it was you?¡± ¡°She didn¡¯t. Don¡¯t worry, Cara. | destroyed all the surveince cameras in the restaurant in advance. Even if Ashley pulled the footage, she wouldn''t be able to find me, let alone you ¡°Well, be careful. Although Ashley has been in the hospital recently, don¡¯t let others know and blow my cover.¡± ¡°Okay, | will.¡± The conversation ended. Joseph got irritated after hearing it. ¡°Is Cara out of her mind? Who the hell does she think she is? As for Mike, he¡¯s really obedient to Cara. If | hadn¡¯t kept an eye on him, we couldn¡¯t find out.¡± Joseph looked at Ashley with confusion. ¡°Ashley, have you known Cara before?¡± Ashley shook her head. ¡°No, | haven''t.¡± Joseph was mad at Cara and thought, ¡°They didn¡¯t get history, so Cara was just insane. Is she jealous of Ashley? Valentin was in a mood and pondered, There must be a plot Valentin turned his head to look at Tom and ordered coldly, ¡°Ask someone to keep an eye on Cara. Find out all her information. | won¡¯t cut her some ck.¡± Chapter 261 ¡°Yes, Mr. Kingsley!¡± Tom nodded. Tom did not dare to waste time, so he immediately went out to give orde ¡®After all, Ms. Ramos was involved, which was offending Mr. Kingsley!¡¯ he thought. Then Valentin looked at Ashley and said softly, ¡°I know you can solve the problem on your own, but | can¡¯t stand idly by when it comes to your safety.¡± ¡®Cara wanted to hurt Ashley, so | couldn¡¯t just let her go. She must pay for it. Valentin thought. Ashley was moved, so she walked over to Valentin, sat beside him, and held his hand. She couldn¡¯t help but teasingly touch his hand. ¡°I understand. You are protecting me.¡± After a pause, she blinked and gave him a hint. ¡°After Joseph leaves, | will personally thank you for your help.¡± Joseph was stunned when he saw this. ¡®What does she mean? Do | look like a third wheel? ¡®And what is Ashley doing with her hands touching Valentin¡¯s? ¡®Could someone tell me what happened to Valentin and Ashley this morning?¡¯ Joseph thought. After Ashley finished her words, she turned around and saw Joseph. ¡°Why haven''t you left yet?¡± Joseph thought, ¡®What? My heart is broken! | feel really sad!¡± Joseph pretended to wipe his tears. ¡°Hey, | am still here. How can you guys ignore me?¡± Ashley looked innocent. ¡°I didn¡¯t. I¡¯m looking at you right now.¡± Valentin nodded, indicating that Ashley was right. ¡®Come on, bros before hoes! Joseph thought. Joseph took a deep breath and determined to let them know his role, so he pointed to the footage on the screen. ¡°Valentin, Ashley, shall we post the video online and blow Cara''s cover? She always acts gently and 08:38 talented to the public. So hrious!¡± At this moment, Ashley received a call from Laura. ¡°Hi, Laura,¡± she answered. ¡°Ashley, do you and Cara have a problem?¡± Laura asked straight to the point. Ashley was surprised. ¡°Laura, how did you know it?¡± Laura was even more surprised. ¡°What? You guys do have a problem? What¡¯s the matter?¡± Ashley said calmly, ¡°I just found out that Cara put someone up to frame me.¡± She used to treat Cara as an ordinary person. They weren''t close, but she didn¡¯t estrange her. Now she knew that Cara was rted to the toilet thing, who was secretly. behind the scenes. Laura¡¯s tone immediately became serious on the other end of the phone. ¡°Cara framed you behind your back? Did you get hurt? | thought Cara was gentle and kind, but it seemed | was wrong. Ashley, there are rumors about you and Cara online. You should check it first.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Ashley replied. ¡°By the way, | called you before, and you said you were taking care of your family in the hospital. How is it going? Has your family gotten better?¡± ¡°Thanks, Laura. He is much better now. Then Ashley said a few words to Laura and hung up the phone. Joseph had already turned on his phone to surf the Inte. After seeing the trending topic, he felt speechless. ¡°What the hell!¡± Ashley looked at his phone and unexpectedly saw the hashtag: ¡°Ashley was acting like a diva to Cara¡±, which soon became the top ten trending topic on the list. ¡®What the hell? Am | acting like a diva? Ashley thought. Ashley was speechless and clicked on the topic. The first tweet was posted 08:58 by a person who imed to be a witness. Everyone, I¡¯ve been paying attention to Ashley and Cara¡¯s news recently because they look simr. I''ve found out a lot of things about them!] [Guys, do you know it? Ashley has always been hostile to Cara!] Thest time when they were on a show, Cara greeted Ashley and Bryce in the lounge, but Ashley ignored Cara. Bryce also said to Cara that he wasn¡¯t close to Cara. Weren''t they bullying Cara?] Plus, at the Skyward Art Exhibitionst time, Cara kept looking at Ashley and wanted to talk to Ashley, but Ashley didn¡¯t even nce at Cara. That''s too arrogant!] (Ashley is not a soft-hearted person, which can be seen from her cheap shots at the Ramos family. But Cara is gentle and kind and has a good temper. | don¡¯t know how much bullying Cara has to suffer in private!] This ount had hundreds of thousands of followers. Moreover, Ashley was famous, and many people were paying attention to her affairs. In addition, Cara was in the limelight recently. As well as their simr faces. So, the tweet quickly attractedizens¡¯ attention as it was posted. (Ashley was acting like a diva to Cara? Is it for real?] Don¡¯t just say it. We need evidence.] no at | went to the Skyward Art Exhibitionst time. Cara did keep looking Ashley and seemed to want to chat up Ashley, but Ashley was probably busy, so she ignored Cara.] I''m a fan of Cara. Cara has always been gentle and good-tempered. If she¡¯s at odds with others, it must be others¡¯ fault.] | only know that Cara is so kind. As for Ashley, | don¡¯t want to talk about her.] Please don¡¯t put Ashley and Cara together. Not everyone is qualified to compaN?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. with Cara.] Chapter 262 Many fans of Cara were hostile to Ashley becauseizens thought Cara was not as beautiful as Ashley whenever they appeared at the same time, and also because Cara was humiliated by Ashley¡¯s identity as the master. Aurora of thendscape oil painting at the Skyward Art Exhibition. After the tweet spilled the tea, many fans of Caramented and mocked Ashley. Netizens didn¡¯t take it seriously. After all, the person who posted the tweet didn¡¯t have any evidence to prove Ashley was acting like a diva. Less than half an hourter, someone spilled the tea. [My sister is a makeup artist and often works for celebrities. | heard from my sister that Ashley is targeting Cara in private!] Afterward, another one added: [Oh my! My college ssmate is a photographer for a show, and he also told me that Ashley bullied Cara in private!] Netizensmented again after such tweets were posted. [So many people say that. Where there¡¯s smoke, there¡¯s fire.] [So Ashley really bullied Cara?] [Oh, my poor Cara! Cara is so kind. How could she suffer this? Ashley, stay away from Cara!] [Damn it. It makes me heartbroken. Cara is such an elegant princess. How helpless and ufortable she was when Ashley bullied her!] [If you dare to bully Cara again, | swear you will die in a car ident tomorrow! @Ashley Ramos] Manyizens discussed this matter, and the topic with the hashtag ¡°Ashley was acting like a diva to Cara¡± soon became one of the top ten trending topics. After Joseph read all the tweets, he said with a wry smile, ¡°Cara must benefit the most in this matter. The trending topic must be rted to Cara! ¡°Ashley, Cara is deliberately damaging your public image and leadingizens to scold you. Butizens still think Cara is kind. They are all deceived by her!¡± 08:58 ¡®What a dirty trick to useizens¡¯ sense of justice to bully others online!¡± Joseph thought. Joseph even began to suspect whether Cara put someone online up to a shipper of Cara and Valentin before. Ashley was browsing thements on the Inte and suddenly. received a reminder of Cara¡¯s response on Twitter. [Guys, sorry to disturb you. The rumors online about Ashley bullying me are all false. | like Ashley and want to be friends with her. | hope the rumors will not mislead everyone.] As soon as her response was posted, it immediately attracted the attention ofizens. [What a generous and appropriate response! Cara is gentle as always, never hurting anyone.] [Generally speaking. Cara is the victim of the rumor. She should have gained people¡¯s sympathy but posted her response quickly and did not take advantage of it. She¡¯s a really good person!]Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. This is not the first time Cara said she likes Ashley in public. It seems that she really wants to make friends with Ashley.] [Why didn¡¯t Ashley respond? Comparing the two, Cara is more well-mannered than Ashley. What a pity. | still think Valentin and Cara are a perfect match. Why is Mr. Kingsley so indifferent to Cara? He should get close to Cara.] The fans of Cara were even moved to tears. She¡¯s a real princess! | love Cara! I¡¯m wondering whether she respo willingly or was forced to do it. If she was forced, | would be heartbr for her.] | think she was forced. Cara has just debuted and can¡¯t afford to offen Ashley. What else can she do?] l''m so angry! Stop being gentle, Cara¡¯s fans. Let¡¯s protect Cara together!] If you dare to bully Cara again, | swear your family will die with you! @Ashley Ramos] Bitch, stay away from Cara! | will curse you to death every day from now on! @Ashley Ramos] 05:58 These fans¡¯ments were outrageous.. More and moreizens saw Cara¡¯s response. The topics with hashtags: ¡°Well-mannered Cara¡±, ¡°Gentle princess Cara¡±, and ¡°Cara is a good person¡± soon hit the trending topic list. Joseph was so angry that he wanted to smash his phone. ¡°Cara is so phony! Well-mannered and gentle? Ugh!¡± ¡®| have never seen such a shameless person like her!¡¯ he thought. Ashley stared at Cara¡¯s response, raised her eyebrows, and thought, ¡®She want to be my friend? How could Cara say such words against her will?¡± Joseph couldn''t let it go. ¡°Ashley, post the conversation between Cara and Mike online. Let everybody know that Cara doesn¡¯t want to be friends with you and is not a good person. Clearly, she wants to harm you!¡± ¡°Wait.¡± Joseph realized, ¡°if you post the conversation, would it make Cara alert? Valentin, then will it be difficult for us to investigate her?¡± Valentin looked at the insultingments about Ashley on the Inte and mocked, ¡°So what?¡± Joseph was startled and then realized. Yes. Even if Cara will be more alert, so what? Valentin has a group of people to do the investigation. It¡¯s easy for him to get Cara¡¯s information.¡± Joseph urged excitedly, ¡°Ashley, hurry up! Post it!¡± Ashley nced at Valentin and saw his sullen face. He tapped on theptop''s keyboard and blocked several ounts that insulted her. In fact, Ashley didn¡¯t read and care about thements that scolded her. But she didn¡¯t expect Valentin to mind them so much and not be able to bear them. ¡°Well. Let''s do this.¡± Ashley edited the conversation between Cara and Mike into an audio and posted it on Twitter. Soon,izens immediately gathered online to see Ashley''s response. The fans of Cara also flooded into thement area. 08:58 [What? Ashley also posted a response. Does she imitate Cara?] Now you realize and learn from Cara? Ashley, listen. If you bully Cara again, you will have a tragic ending!] [Hold on! Ashley posted an audio. Click on it first.] Netizens immediately yed the audio. Awoman¡¯s voice came out. ¡°Mike, | asked you to teach Ashley a lesson...¡± Once hearing the voice, someizens immediately realized. ¡®Why is this voice so familiar? | think I¡¯ve heard it before. Wait, | remembered! Is she Cara?¡± Chapter 263 Netizens were shocked when they heard Cara¡¯s voice. ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯ they thought. However, what was even more unbelievable was the following content of the conversation. Netizens thought, ¡®Cara asked someone to teach Ashley a lesson and lock her in the toilet. Is that true?¡± ¡°Did Ashley know it was you?¡±Content held by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°She didn¡¯t. Don¡¯t worry, Cara. | destroyed all the surveince cameras in the restaurant in advance. Even if Ashley pulled the footage, she wouldn''t be able to find me, let alone you.¡± ¡°Well, be careful. Although Ashley has been in the hospital recently, don¡¯t let others know and blow my cover.¡± This recorded conversation instantly ignitedizens¡¯ emotions as if fireworks bloomed. Damn! Did | mishear that? Is this Cara¡¯s voice?] It¡¯s she, definitely! | justpared Cara¡¯s voice in the former shows to it. They are exactly the same!] Listen carefully. The man named Mike even called her Cara. The woman must be Cara! | bet!] Lock Ashley in the toilet and teach her a lesson? Is this an intentio injury? He may break thew.] Didn¡¯t Cara say that she likes Ashley very much and wants to make friends with Ashley? How can she want to hurt Ashley? Is she so pho It¡¯s just a fake public image! Act to be gentle and kind in public, but secretly ying dirty tricks. | didn¡¯t expect Cara to be such kind of person!] Smiling and stabbing in the back. It¡¯s so scary!] | thought it was Ashley who bullied Cara. As a result, it was the opposite.] Netizens all knew it was Cara¡¯s voice in the audio. 08-581 Cara¡¯s fans also knew it was their idol¡¯s voice. They had cursed Ashley viciously before, but now they were all stunned like idiots. Ther The fans thought, ¡®How could kind and considerate Cara secretly ask a gangster to teach Ashley a lesson? ¡®She also used dirty tricks and carefully told the gangster not to expose her. ¡®With such a big contrast, is she still the gentle princess we like? No, this is not true!¡¯ However, the conversation recording was there. Cara¡¯s fans couldn¡¯t even brainwash themselves. Netizens had searched Cara¡¯s ount andmented Cara¡¯s tweet to ask. her for response. [Cara, you said you like Ashley and want to be friends with her, but you stabbed Ashley behind her back. How shameless you are!] [Cara, you said Ashley has been in the hospital recently. What does it mean? Was Ashley hurt because of you? Don¡¯t be silent and give us an exnation!] [You didn¡¯t want others to know the truth. It seems that you also know it is disgraceful. Are you afraid of being exposed and showing your true colors?] In the apartment, Cara was wearing a soft silk nightgown, poured herself a ss of red wine leisurely, and took a sip in a good mood. She asked someone to spill the tea online about Ashley bullying After readingizens¡¯pliments, Cara didn¡¯t react too much. heard them too many times such as gentle, kind, talented, and good-tempered. Cara smiled as she sawizens hurling abuse at Ashley online. It was more interesting than hearingpliments. She was happy for a while, then saw Ashley¡¯s response on Twitter. CLara mucked inwardly, Ashley, what can you respond?¡± SlShe clicked on Ashley¡¯s response on Twitter and found out it was an 08:58 Chapter 203 audio. Cara yed it, ¡°Mike, | asked you to teach Ashley a lesson...¡± Cara¡¯s expression suddenly changed before the audio ended. The red wine in the ss spilled out, and the contented expression disappeared instantly. ¡°This is...my voice! It¡¯s the conversation between Mike and L. ¡®Did Ashley find out Mike? Has she found out more information about me?¡¯ Cara thought. The thing was suddenly exposed. After seeing the questions and scoldings fromizens, there was no longer a gentle smile on Cara¡¯s face. Until the phone rang. It was from Charlie. Cara closed her eyes tightly, tried her best to control her emotions, restrained herself to vent her anger, steadily put down the ss, and answered the call. Charlie¡¯s incredible voice came from the other end of the phone. ¡°Cara, how could you do that to Ashley?¡± He was shocked because of the big contrast of Cara¡¯s image, not because of Ashley being bullied. Cara took deep breaths and said firmly, ¡°Mr. Ramos, | didn¡¯t do it. There must be something wrong.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Charlie asked. ¡°Yes, | will rify it immediately. Mr. Ramos, trust me, please.¡± Charlie hesitated and fell silent, and he did not speak for a long time. Is something wrong? I''ve known Cara before. She was really a good person. She didn¡¯t look like the person who can do such things he thought. Charlie was silent for a long time, then said hesitantly, ¡°rify it.¡± Cara hung up the phone, sneered, and thought, ¡®Charlie is still useful to me. So as long as Charlie still believes in me, whether others believe in me doesn¡¯t matter.¡± 08.581 Chapter 263 Cara tapped on her phone and posted a tweet. [I¡¯m sorry. | really like Ashley and wanted to be friends with her. | have no idea about this audio. Maybe someone deliberately imitated me as a prank... I¡¯m sorry for the impact of this matter.] Theizens finally waited for Cara¡¯s response. But after reading the response, they suddenly became angry. [Do you think we are idiots? This excuse is toome!] [Cara is a liar! | was a waiter in that restaurant. Ashley went to our restaurant that day and was indeed locked in the toilet by someone. Our restaurant¡¯s surveince camera suddenly broke down that day. These things all happened and arepletely consistent with the content in the recording! How could it be that someone imitated Cara as a prank? If you don¡¯t believe me, you cane to our restaurant and ask the waiter!] [Damn it. Cara, how could you still lie with such valid evidence? | thought you were gentle and kind. | was blind. I¡¯m no longer your fan!] Then Charlie suddenly retweeted Cara¡¯s post with the text. [Calm down, everyone. Cara has always been so kind. | believe there is something wrong.] Seeing Charlie¡¯s statement,izens were stunned for a while and then became irritated. ¡°What the hell are you talking about?¡¯ they thought. [Ashley is the victim. Instead of speaking for Ashley, how could you speak for Cara?] [No wonder Charlie and Cara are friends. Birds of a feather!] [Charlie, | used to respect you because you were a restoration expert of cultural relics, but now | don¡¯t! People from the Ramos family are all the same bad. Have you ever abused Ashley before?] [You didn¡¯t show up when Ashley was scolded, but now you showed up. Are you Cara¡¯s brother?] [Charlie, Cara, go to hell, you two!] Chapter 264 Chapter 264 Netizens did not buy Cara¡¯s response. Resorting to such despicable and unscrupulous means to secretly harm Ashley, coupled with lying and refusing to admit it, sharply contrasted with Cara¡¯s previously portrayed image of a gentle and kinddy. Overnight, Cara¡¯s positive image crumbled entirely. Even Charlie, who spoke up for Cara, faced intense resistance fromizens. Those who had held Charlie in high regard due to his role as a cultural relic restorer were growing impatient. Hashtags, including ¡°Cara Ward lies exposed,¡± ¡°Cara Ward¡¯s positive image crumbled,¡± and ¡°Charlie Ramos and Cara Ward get lost,¡± quickly tended amongizens. In the hospital room, Joseph sat on a chair, constantly checking the updates about the situation on his phone. Seeing Charlie defending Cara, he sneered, ¡°The Ramos bunch is just a real piece of work! | can¡¯t stand Charlie! Ashley, you...¡± Joseph looked at Ashley with a touch of sadness. During the two years with the Ramos family, he didn¡¯t know what kind of life she had led. Ashley showed no emotional response to Charlie defending Cara. ¡°Defend all he wants. It won''tst for long.¡± Upon hearing this, Joseph¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Ashley, what are you up to? Are you nning something? Take me along!¡± Ashley raised her eyes slightly. ¡°It¡¯s a secret for now.¡± Joseph became even more curious. He looked at Valentin on the side and suddenly remembered something. He whispered, ¡°Valentin, | have something to ask you. Can youe outside the ward with me?¡± Valentin¡¯s said, ¡°Askes had been fixed on Ashley. Without looking at Joseph, he it here.¡± Joseph was speechless and thought, ¡®Bro, can¡¯t you at least nce at me?¡¯ Joseph, looking pitiful, cast a nce at Ashley. Feeling awkward about asking it in front of her, he pleaded, ¡°Valentin, just take a little of your time, please!¡± Seeing him like this, Ashley became even more suspicious. She casually crossed her arms and said, ¡°Go outside the ward? You''re obviously trying to dodge me. What do you want to ask him behind my back?¡± Joseph immediately shook his head. ¡°No, no! I¡¯m not trying to dodge you on purpose. It¡¯s just a tiny thing, honestly.¡± Ashley wasn¡¯t one to be pushy or intrusive, nodding in agreement. ¡°Alright, go ahead and chat outside.¡± Valentin had no intention of avoiding Ashley. There was nothing he couldn''t share with her. However, judging by Joseph¡¯s expression, he had a pretty good idea of what Joseph wanted to ask. Valentin raised an eyebrow slightly, stood up, and walked out of the ward. Joseph hurriedly followed. In the corridor, the two stood by the window, where two pots of nts were ced on the sill. Unable to contain his excitement, Joseph asked in a low voice, ¡°Valentin, what¡¯s going on between you and Ashley? | sense a change in her attitude towards you.¡± Valentin¡¯s gaze fell on one of the potted nts. Hearing Joseph''s question, he looked at him with an understanding tone. ¡°I figured you''d bring this up.¡± ¡°You really understand me, Valentin!¡± Joseph raised his eyebrows and smiled meaningfully, ¡°So, what¡¯s happening between you and Ashley? You seem unusually cheerful today! Hold on a second. Let me take a guess first!¡± Valentin¡¯s eyebrows rose slightly, but he didn¡¯t deny it. Touching his chin, Joseph, eyes rolling, suddenly excitedly eximed, ¡°Valentin, you confessed to Ashley before. At that time, she said she would think about it. So today, with your good mood and Ashley being especially close to you, she must have epted your confession! Am | right? Am | right?¡± Joseph was so excited and asked twice if he was right. If there were 08:59 flowers on his head, they would have blossomed vibrantly by now. ¡°Valentin, spill it! Is my guess right? It must be right, isn¡¯t it?¡± Under Joseph''s eager gaze, Valentin finally nodded. Joseph almost jumped joyfully, excitedly circling around him until Valentin felt dizzy. Only when Valentin grabbed him did he stop. ¡°That¡¯s fantastic, Valentin! You two are finally a real couple! From now on, she¡¯s officially part of the family.¡± Valentin¡¯s expression softened, and he thought, ¡®Yeah. Finally. In the ward, Ashley sat on a chair, replying to greetings on her phone from people like Miranda and Bryce. Everyone had messaged her upon hearing that Cara wanted to harm her.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. It took almost twenty minutes before she saw Valentin and Joseph return from outside. Ashley didn¡¯t know what kind of question Joseph had asked, but he was excited, dancing and prancing around Valentin. ¡°Easy there. Valentin is delicate now.¡± Ashley instinctively cautioned. Both Valentin and Joseph were stunned upon hearing the word ¡°delicate.¡± Joseph almostughed, not expecting Valentin to have a day associated with delicacy. He stifled hisughter, holding back to the point of nearly causing internal injury. Ashley realized what she had said and quickly blinked, changin subject. ¡°What were you two talking about outside just now?¡± Joseph yed along. ¡°Nothing much, just casual chit-chat.¡± But Valentin beckoned to her. ¡°Come over and support me a bit.¡± Upon hearing this, Ashley tossed her phone aside and rushed over to assist him. ¡°Where does it hurt?¡± Joseph also got nervous. Valentin was supported by her. ¡°Just a bit tired.¡± Ashley asked, ¡°Is it because you stood outside for too long?¡± 8.50 Chapter 264 He raised an eyebrow and said casually, ¡°Yeah, after all, I''m delicate now.¡± Both Ashley and Joseph were speechless. Although he was delicate now, after a few days, Valentin had recovered to the point where he could be discharged. However, he still experienced asional headaches every day. After the doctors¡¯ diagnosis, they decided to prescribe targeted medication for some time. Ashley felt a bit anxious, hoping to cure his headaches quickly. After all, headaches were undeniably distressing. Returning to Kingsley Vi, Zain would visit Valentin almost every day, reassured to see his condition gradually improving. In the afternoon, Ashley sat on the sofa by the window in the stu study. examining the headache medicine that Valentin needed to take. She nced at him asionally as he worked at the desk. ¡°It''s time to take your medicine,¡± Ashley reminded him.. Just as she finished speaking, Ashley¡¯s phone suddenly rang. It was Noah from the auction house. ¡°Ms. Ramos, Charlie is at the auction house again, saying he wants to see Rita!¡± Chapter 265 was well aware of the intricacies between Ashley and the Ramos family, and Charlie happened to be a member of the Ramos family. Moreover, when Cara attempted to harm Ashley, Charlie inexplicably took Cara¡¯s side. This greatly irked Noah, casting a shadow on his opinion of Charlie. ¡°Ms. Ramos, Charlie has been to the auction house before, iming to be here out of curiosity, wanting to meet the famous Rita Grant. He came again today, and he came with Cara.¡± Ashley¡¯s eyes flickered slightly. ¡°With Cara?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Noah gloated. ¡°Cara appears to have taken quite a beating, almost as if she faced some form of retaliation.¡± ¡°Retaliation?¡± ¡°Yes, her mouth is swollen, and there are bruises on the exposed skin of her arms.¡± Noah felt quite satisfied, speaking rapidly like a machine gun. ¡°Ms. Ramos, Cara sneakily had someone trap you in the restroom, iming she aimed to school you. Fortunately, you were vignt and kicked open the toilet door, or the consequences would have been unimaginable. Now, it¡¯s time for Cara to face the music. That¡¯s karma catching up with her deeds!¡± After listening to Noah¡¯s words, Ashley raised her eyes slightly and looked towards Valentin, who was working behind the desk. On the phone, Noah continued, ¡°We''re having a little auction this afternoon, and Charlie and Cara are there, not just for the auction, | mainly to meet Rita. Ms. Ramos, would you like to meet Charlie?¡± Ashley asked, ¡°What time does the auction end?¡± ¡°Probably around five in the afternoon,¡± Noah replied. Ashley tapped her knee, her tone casual. ¡°I''ll make a trip there before five.¡± Noah was surprised by her response. Ashley agreed to meet Charlie as Rita? Or was she simplying to the auction house? Regardless, Noah was pleased that Ashley coulde to the auction house. After all, Ashley was someone even the national museum director held in high regard. Calling Ashley a significant patron of the StarGavel Auctions. wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration. After hanging up Noah''s call, Ashley organized the headache medicine for Valentin, stood up, and walked to the desk. She said mischievously, ¡°Take a break from your work. Your girlfriend is in a generous mood and has decided to personally bring you your medicine.¡± Valentin raised an eyebrow at her words, leaned back in his chair, and unbuttoned a shirt button, saying, ¡°Girlfriend?¡± After a pause, he smiled casually. ¡°That¡¯s okay, but how is my girlfriend going to help me to take my medicine?¡± Ashley stretched out her hands, saying, ¡°With my hands, of course.¡± Valentin nonchntly responded, seeming somewhat regretful. Sensing his regret, Ashley blinked innocently. ¡°What else should | use if not my hands? Should | use my feet?¡± Valentin didn¡¯t respond.Content held by N?velDrama.Org. Ashley realized and widened her eyes. ¡°You don¡¯t expect me to feed you with my mouth, do you? Don¡¯t even think about it!¡± That would be so cringe-worthy! Valentin chuckled, his chest vibrating slightly with a sexyughter that was difficult to resist. ¡°Okay, forget it.¡± He casually gazed at her. The straightforward and sexy look in his eyes was so hot that Ashley¡¯s heart skipped a beat, feeling an unexpected warmth spreading throughout her body. Ufortably, she reached up and touched her earlobe. Ashley poured a ss of water and pushed it toward him along with the medicine, saying, ¡°Just take your medicine. Stop looking at me.¡± However, Valentin looked at her for a while longer before picking up the water ss and taking the medicine. ¡°Are you going to the auction house this afternoon?¡± he asked. ¡°You have been listening to my phone call just now?¡± Ashley finally seized the opportunity to tease him, ¡°You''re not serious about your work, 2/4 08:59 Chapter 265 Valentin.¡± Valentin¡¯s eyes filled with a yful smile. Pulling her hand, he sat her down in hisp. His voice was casually deep. ¡°I''ll go with you. ¡°No need. You have your own business to attend to.¡± Ashley sat in his embrace, finding afortable position. ¡°Have you finished the piled-up work? Are you tired?¡± He had umted a lot of work during his one-weeka. ¡°Just wrapped it up,¡± Valentin said, massaging his temples. Ashley became nervous. She could tell he had another headache. She reached out quickly and gently massaged his temples. ¡°Does it hurt too much? Do you need painkillers?¡± Ashley was getting anxious and wondered when this lingering headache would subside. With the soft touch of her fingers on his temples, Valentin caught a whiff of the subtle fragrance lingering on her and gradually felt some relief from the throbbing pain. Hisplexion turned slightly pale, and he casually said, ¡°I feel like you are my painkiller.¡± Ashley didn¡¯t respond butmented inwardly, ¡®Cracking jokes even in a situation like this.¡± After Ashley had massaged for a while, Valentin, concerned that she might get tired and her hands might ache, gently pulled her hand d saying, ¡°I¡¯m much better now. No pain anymore.¡± Ashley questioned skeptically, ¡°Really?¡± With both hands around her waist, Valentin kissed her red lips. His vo was low and alluring. ¡°A kiss and the pain is gone.¡± Ashley blinked her eyes, eyshes fluttering. Suddenly taking the initiative, she leaned forward and kissed him. ¡°Let me kiss you again to make you even better!¡± she dered. Valentin chuckled lowly, his sexy Adam''s apple rolling gently, disying obvious delight. 08.39 Joseph rate to King for dinge mit sumillenally caught Adhire bewing 5 oh inted or Joseph came to Kingsley Vi for dinner and coincidentally caught Ashley heading to the auction house. Excitedly, he raised his hand. ¡°I want toe along!¡± At first, Ashley was reluctant to have him join, but Joseph insisted on tagging along. She had no alternative but to bring him to the auction. house. Chapter 266 On the way to the auction house, Joseph sat in the driver¡¯s seat. He nced at Ashley in the passenger seat and asked, ¡°Ashley, did you learn. the skills of appraising and restoring artifacts from your grandfather?¡± Ashley leaned on the car window with her elbow and replied, ¡°Yes.¡± As they stopped at a red light, Joseph asked, ¡°I asked Valentin before. Is your grandfather''sst name Sawyer?¡± Mentioning her grandfather, Ashley inevitably reminisced about the days. she lived with her grandparents before nodding sentimentally. Joseph sighed with longing, ¡°I¡¯ve got to admit, I¡¯m a bit jealous of how close your grandparents were.¡± Upon hearing that Ashley''s grandfather was Caleb Sawyer, Joseph was shocked. Caleb was far from ordinary. He was a master at ying the harp and creatingndscape oil paintings and was renowned for his expertise in artifact restoration. Additionally, he shared an excellent rtionship with Ashley¡¯s grandmother, Myrna. Myrna loved dancing and was a famous dancer both domestically and internationally. In order to maintain her physique, she chose not to have children. Caleb wholeheartedly supported his wife¡¯s decision, and they lived their entire lives without having children. After Myrna passed away, Caleb, overwhelmed with grief, followed shortly after. The love story of supporting each other and walking through life ha hand sounded genuinely admirable. Joseph let out a few sighs, and then something struck him. ¡°Ashley, wh didn¡¯t you adopt your grandparents¡¯st name?¡± Ashley adjusted her seatbelt and said, ¡°I was adopted from an orphanage Since my early days, I''ve worn an emerald ne engraved with my birthdate and the name ¡®Ramos. | assumed myst name was Ramos. because of that.¡± ¡°| see,¡± Joseph said as the traffic light turned green, restarting the car. He thought, ¡®So, Ashley does share thest name with the Ramos family, 115 08:59 but she has already cut ties with them. Even though they share the same surname, she has no intention of maintaining any connection with them in the future.. Arecent auction had just concluded at the StarGavel Auctions. Charlie and Cara sat in the audience, showing little interest in the items. Neither of them had made any bids. Cara raised her hand to touch the swollen corner of her mouth, wincing in pain. Seeing the bruises on her arm, a coldness flickered across her eyes. ncing at Charlie beside her, she resumed her usual gentleness. ¡°Mr. Ramos, do you still want that painting Territory by Aurora?¡± Charlie nodded stubbornly. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Well, Ashley is Aurora. It seems, Mr. Ramos, you really like her painting,¡± Cara remarked. Ahint of admiration appeared in Charlie¡¯s eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but seeing that painting reminds me of thete senior Caleb Sawyer. | greatly admire him.¡± ¡°Caleb Sawyer?¡± Cara was surprised. Caleb was very talented. He was a master ofndscape oil painting and a top-notch artifact restorer. It was usual for someone like Charlie, a restorer himself, to admire Caleb. ¡°Unfortunately, Ashley painted it and doesn¡¯t want to sell it to you.¡± Cara smiled, but this grin tugged at the wounds around her mouth. causing her to wince in pain. After briefly pausing to recover, she continued, ¡°Ashley is too impulsive. Even if she doesn¡¯t like the Ramos family, she shouldn¡¯t have involved you.¡± Charlie sighed, filled with regret. In terms of selling Territory, Ashley was indeed unreasonable. Even if she painted it, but he really liked it, couldn¡¯t she loosen her stance and sell it to him? And he still couldn¡¯t meet Rita despite his repeated attempts. Thinking about it, Charlie became even more gloomy. 2/5 08:50 Chapter 266 ****** Ashley and Joseph arrived at the StarGavel Auctions. After walking a few steps inside the corridor, they encountered Charlie and Cara. Seeing the swollen corner of Cara¡¯s mouth and the bruises on her arm, Joseph couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. He sneered, ¡°Oh, isn¡¯t this the gentle and kind Cara? | haven¡¯t seen you for a few days. How did you end up with a ck eye circle and a swollen face?¡± In his mind, he thought, ¡®If you try to harm Ashley and end up facing consequences, that¡¯s just getting what you deserve. It¡¯s called karma!¡± Hearing Joseph''s sneer, Cara had yet to speak when Charlie stepped in to defend her, his brows furrowed. ¡°Ashley, the incident with the recording a few days ago must be a misunderstanding. Cara wouldn¡¯t go behind your back to harm you.¡± Ashley gave him a cold, disdainful nce. ¡°Are we really that close?¡± With him calling her name made her feel nauseous. Charlie¡¯s brows furrowed even tighter, thinking, ¡°Why does Ashley appear so prickly now? Can''t she just be as obedient as she used to be?¡¯ Cara raised her hand to cover the swollen corner of her mouth and turned to Charlie, speaking with a gentle tone. ¡°Mr. Ramos, I''d like to exin to Ashley alone. Could you please step aside for a moment?¡± Charlie looked worried. Given Ashley¡¯s current prickly demeanor and Cara¡¯s gentle tone, it seemed too easy for Ashley to take advantage. Charlie cautioned Ashley with concern. ¡°Ashley, | hope you can talk calmly with Cara and not bully her again.¡± Ashley¡¯s gaze suddenly turned cold. Unable to hold back any longer, Joseph eximed, ¡°Charlie, what the he are you talking about? It¡¯s quite rare. Even dogs these days have learned to talk!¡± Charlie looked utterly perplexed that Joseph had unexpectedly called him a dog! ¡°Mr. Ramos.¡± At this point, Cara spoke, her voice soft. ¡°Thank you for standing up for me. However, don¡¯t worry. I''ll have a good talk with Ashley.¡± Charlie nced at Cara and then at Ashley. He temporarily avoided the situation. Cara turned her gaze towards Joseph, raised her hand to adjust her hair, and spoke with a tone so gentle it almost felt cloying. ¡°Mr. Fox, could you please also step aside?¡± Joseph was so disgusted that he almost vomited. He sneered, expressing contempt and disdain vividly, ¡°Cara, what right do you have to ask me to step aside?¡± He wasn¡¯t going anywhere. Of course, he had to stay here to protect Ashley. Ashley understood at a nce what Joseph was thinking. She couldn¡¯t. help but smile and whisper a few words to him. Joseph''s eyes lit up suddenly, and he became excited. ¡°Alright, | got it!¡± After saying that, he gave Cara a fierce re before turning and leaving. In the corridor, only Ashley and Cara remained.. ¡°Ashley, the recording thing is really a misunderstanding. |...¡± Ashley coldly interrupted, ¡°We are alone here. You don¡¯t need to pretend.¡± ¡°No need to pretend...¡± Cara repeated these four words softly, suddenly smiling strangely. Cara raised her arm, revealing the bruises on her skin. She looked at Ashley with continued tenderness but with a hint of coldness in her tone. ¡°Did you instruct Lester to cause trouble for me?¡± Ashley was stunned, thinking, ¡®Lester? Did Lester do this to Cara?¡¯ After the recording of Cara was exposed online a few days ago, Lester and George sent her messages expressing concern. Unexpectedly, they also sought justice from Cara on her behalf.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Asurge of indescribable emotion rushed into Ashley¡¯s heart. She, Lester, and George didn¡¯t have a deep and longstanding friendship, nor were they family after DNA testing. Yet, these two people silently stood by her, defending her. Cara took a step forward, her eyes revealing an undisguised distortion. Her voice became lower and only audible to them. ¡°Apart from Lester and George, you also had Valentin school me, right?¡± Ashley was at a loss for words. She thought, ¡®So, Cara is schooled twice.¡¯ ¡°All these guys really spoil you. It''s quite something,¡± Cara said, wearing a strangely unsettling smile. ¡°Unfortunately...¡± Cara¡¯s tone suddenly changed, and she seemed to want to stab into Ashley''s heart like a knife. The person you care most about in the Ramos family, Charlie, doesn¡¯t trust you. He believes me.¡± Ashley looked at her impassively. After Cara finished speaking, Ashley smiled faintly, ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid I''ll record your words?¡± Chapter 267 The recording device? Cara was stunned and immediately frowned. Then, Ashley sneered with sarcasm in her smile. ¡°You misunderstood me, Cara. | didn¡¯t care about Charlie¡¯s trust or his opinion of me. Whoever he trusts has nothing to do with me. She used to long for family affection from the Ramos family, and she also wanted to gain her family¡¯s trust. But she didn¡¯t care about it at all.. Hence, Charlie¡¯s trust meant nothing to her, and it couldn¡¯t cause any emotional fluctuations in her. Cara tried to distress her with it, but she failed. Hearing Ashley''s words, Cara bit her lips suddenly. She thought she could break Ashley¡¯s psychological defense line and make her upset about Charlie''s indifference. But she guessed Ashley didn¡¯t record her words with the recording device, and Ashley just bluffed her. Ashley read Cara¡¯s mind and raised her eyebrows faintly. ¡°I didn¡¯t record. it with a recorder.¡± Cara remained calm and breathed a sigh of relief secretly. However, no sooner had Cara felt relieved than Ashley teasingly ad ¡°But | had Joseph take Charlie here, and they were hiding around th corner in the hallway.¡± When she finished speaking, Cara suddenly clenched her fists. ¡°How d you?¡± Ashley enjoyed Cara¡¯s stiff expression with great interest. ¡°I don¡¯t care about Charlie¡¯s trust in me, but it would be fun if | blew your cover in front of him. I¡¯m looking forward to his reaction after hearing your words.¡± As Ashley finished speaking, Joseph couldn¡¯t wait to push Charlie out of the corner of the corridor and said with joy, ¡°You finally got caught!¡± He thought Cara deserved it. Ashley had predicted it and had him hide in the hallway corner with to eavesdrop. Ch Charlie looked at Cara with disbelief. Cara didn¡¯t hanging b ¡°Pect Ashley to n it. She froze, clenched her hands hanging by her sides into fists, and almost had the nails embedded in her palm hard. She called Ashley¡¯s name secretly. Ashley looked at the furious Cara and said indifferently, ¡°Cara, | don¡¯t know you, and have nothing to do with you but you asked someone to lock me in the toilet, trying to teach me a lesson. What a pity! | hold a grudge.¡± Since Cara pretended to be innocent, Ashley must expose her. After Ashley finished speaking, she left here with Joseph. Looking at Ashley¡¯s leaving figure, Cara gritted her teeth in anger. Valentin, Lester, and George told her a lesson just now. Her anger blinded her, and she didn¡¯t notice someone eavesdropping around the corner. Now Charlie had heard her words all. ¡°Cara, you,¡± Charlie looked at Cara nkly and added, ¡°why did you ju say that?¡± Cara just showed off his trust in her to Ashley, which made Charlie fee strange. This was not the gentle Cara he had known before. Moreover, Cara¡¯s swagger proved the recording, which was posted online a few days ago, was genuine. Cara couldn''t utter words for a moment, and she tried to force a gentle smile. ¡°How much did you just hear, Mr. Ramos?¡± Charlie¡¯s perception of Cara was overturned, and he waspletely distraught. ¡°Except for the words you whispered when you walked up to Ashley, | heard the whole.¡± 08:59 F Cara quickly recalled and found Charlie hadn''t heard the words about Valentin. Cara bit her lips hard, with regret in her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Ramos. | shouldn¡¯t have said that to Ashley, and | shouldn''t have put your trust in us on it. But | have no idea about the exposed recording online. Someone mimicked my voice to frame me, and Ashley even posted the recording online.¡± Cara raised her arm, showing the bruises on her skin. ¡°I got retaliated for the recording. | was put in the bathroom and got beaten twice. | couldn¡¯t bear it and was forced to confront Ashley. ¡°| hope you can understand my feelings, Mr. Ramos.¡± After Cara finished speaking, Charlie still looked at her in despair. After a while, he lowered his head and looked at the bruises on her arms. But he wondered if he could trust Cara. Joseph walked next to Ashley with great excitement.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°You actually caught Cara¡¯s disguise off guard with no effort, Ashley. Will Charlie still trust Cara?¡± Ashley didn¡¯t care about it. ¡°It¡¯s none of my business.¡± Joseph raised his eyebrows arrogantly. ¡°That¡¯s right! He doesn¡¯t deserve our attention. We''d better cut off all ties with anyone in the Ramos family. ¡°But you don¡¯t know Cara and have nothing against her. Why did she target you? She is out of her mind.¡± Ashley felt confused, too. Joseph suddenly thought of something, raised his index finger, and shook it from side to side. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Valentin will definitely find out soon.¡± At Valentin¡¯s mention, Ashley¡¯s expression softened for a moment. At this time, Noah from StarGavel Auctions came over and said, ¡°I kept busy just now and couldn''t entertain you. I¡¯m so sorry, Ms. Ramos and Mr. Fox.¡± ¡°We''ve been here so many times that we¡¯re familiar with the 08:59 Chapter 267 surroundings, so you¡¯d better leave us alone,¡± Joseph smiled, ¡°You''ve been busy all the time today. Did you sell any merchandise?¡± Noah grinned and ttered Joseph. ¡°Many lots went for a lot today. But there was a valuable piece of porcin that had been smashed, which could be treated as a family heirloom. What a pity! ¡°We purchased the porcin from the seller at a high price and glued the broken piece together. But the crack destroyed the overall perfection of the porcin, and we couldn¡¯t put it up for auction.¡± Hearing this, Joseph felt distressed, too. ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do about it. Porcin is inherently fragile.¡± Ashley smiled, ¡°Is there a crack after gluing it on?¡± Noah replied with pity, ¡°That''s right. The crack is quite conspicuous.¡± Ashley thought for a while and said, ¡°Have someone polish the cracked area and apply some lead to it. But you need to control the amount of lead. Finally, after polishing with wax once more, the cracks can be perfectly covered, and the original shape of the porcin can be restored.¡± Hearing this, Noah was stunned, and then he was pleasantly surprised. ¡°Really, Ms. Ramos?¡± ¡°Did you tell the truth, Ms. Ramos?¡± In addition to Noah, another mature voice sounded from behind. Ashley turned around and found Paul from the National Museum. After Ashley helped catch the peddlerst time, Paul personally cam StarGavel Auctions to thank Ashley, and Rita¡¯s name became popr Paul stepped forward excitedly. ¡°Is the porcin repair technique you j mentioned genuine, Ms. Ramos?¡± Chapter 268 Ashley nodded. ¡°Yep.¡± Joseph couldn¡¯t help but be wary and feared Paul would issue a job invitation to Ashley. Paul invited Ashley to work at the National Museumst time, so he mighte for the same purpose this time. Ashley replied in the affirmative, which made Paul visibly excited. ¡°I came to watch the auction today. | stayed here for a while after the auction. As | intended to leave, | heard about your porcin repair techniques, which greatly benefited me. ¡°We have a lot of broken ancient porcin in the National Museum. Cultural relic restorers are trying their best to repair it, but it is still difficult to restore it. Could you please show me the repair techniques you just mentioned?¡± Ashley was willing to do it, smiled lightly, and said, ¡°Okay.¡± Joseph looked at Noah on the side and suggested. ¡°Well, I''ll repair the porcin you just mentioned. Where is it?¡± ¡°It''s in the backyard. This way, please.¡± Noah hurriedly led the way. They followed Noah and walked into a clean and quaintly decorated warehouse in the backyard. There were several cultural relic appraisers and several cultural relic maintenance and restoration personnel in the warehouse, who were all staff specially hired by StarGavel Auctions. ¡°Make way, please,¡± Noah shouted loudly. They all felt surprised when they noticed Ashley, Joseph, and Paul behind Noah. They were all experts in this field. Noah put on gloves made of special materials and then picked up the porcin on the table. ¡°Here it is, Ms. Ramos. A crack stuck after being broken, which is very conspicuous.¡± Joseph stretched out his head and looked over. He found the crack 1/5 indeed conspicuous, and it was easy to tell it had fallen before. Paul was very familiar with this situation. More than three hundred thousand porcin sets were preserved in the National Museum. After thousands of years, some were still intact, but some had been damaged by war. The staff needed to repair the broken porcin to disy and protect the value of cultural relics. Ashley put on her gloves and took the porcin from Noah¡¯s hand. She looked at it carefully for a while and said, ¡°Take the pieces apart and glue them again with a mixture of egg white:¡± Hearing this, Noah immediately had someone to make preparations. Ashley glued the pieces together with the concocted mixture, then carefully sanded the cracks with a brush and applied a coat of lead. Paul watched Ashley¡¯s repair process intently. After applying the lead, Ashley checked it several times under different lights and then applied some rust on it. Finally, she applied ayer of wax to the crack. ¡°Well, the cracks are perfectly covered that way.¡± Ashley put the porcin under the light. Paul immediately looked over eagerly, showing great surprise in his eyes. ¡°What an amazing skill it is, Ms. Ramos! It can restore the original appearance of porcin as much as possible.¡± Joseph widened his mouth in shock. He didn¡¯t expect the porcin to be restored so perfectly. In an instant, the value of the cultural relic was reflected. He felt honored to be part of Ashley¡¯s family. Faced with Paul¡¯s admiration, Ashley smiled modestly and then looked at Noah aside. ¡°If you will auction the porcin, tell the buyer in advance that it has been broken before.¡± Noah nodded repeatedly. ¡°We''ll make it. Honesty is the best policy. The StarGavel Auctions adheres to professional ethics¡± Paul stared at the porcin several times. He felt so excited that he even Chapter 268 walked back and forth in the room. Suddenly, he stopped before Ashley and asked, ¡°Do you really not consider working at the National Museum with the top appreciation and restoration, Ms. Ramos?¡± Ashley blinked and replied, ¡°Sorry, | hadn¡¯t nned it right now.¡± Paul felt sorry but still insisted, ¡°In addition to porcin restoration, will you restore ancient paintings, Ms. Ramos?¡± Ashley nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Great!¡± Paul¡¯s face flushed with excitement, and he added, ¡°Hanson Murray from Yaloria will visit our country next week. He likes thendscape oil painting very much. We will disy an ancientndscape oil painting at the state banquet. However, the painting got damaged during the war, and it is difficult for us to repair it. Many restorers couldn¡¯t make it. May | invite you to participate in the restoration of the painting, Ms. Ramos?¡± Hearing Paul¡¯s words, Joseph was dumbfounded. He didn¡¯t expect Hanson from Yaloria to visit here. Paul''s words echoed in his ears. He knew the painting would be difficult to restore. The restoration of this ancient painting was difficult, and so was the state dinner. If anything went wrong, Ashley couldn''t afford the consequences. Moreover, the state dinner would be held next week, leaving almost no time for Ashley. Ashley pondered for a moment and then asked, ¡°Did many restorers fail?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Paul looked gloomy and hesitated for a while before saying, ¡°I have heard about you and Charlie. Charlie is also a top cultural relic restorer and has been invited to participate in the restoration of this ancient painting. But he didn¡¯t know how to restore it yet.¡± Joseph sneered and had already guessed Charlie¡¯s predicament. ¡°Are you willing to participate in the restoration of this ancient painting, Ms. Ramos?¡± Paul looked directly at Ashley and looked forward to her reply. Joseph looked at Ashley nervously. It was none of his business, but he still felt nervous about Ashley. 08:59 Noah aside, and the other appraisers all looked at Ashley. If Ashley could fulfill Paul¡¯s request, she would get a valuable national. honor. It was an unprecedented honor for her. Everyone present held their breath in unison, not daring to make a sound. In silence, Ashley calmly took off the gloves on her hands. She showed a charming smile and replied, ¡°I¡¯m willing to participate in the restoration of this ancient painting, Mr. Walker.¡± She preferred to take on challenges. Hearing her reply, Joseph almost fainted from fright. He didn¡¯t understand why Ashley agreed to such a difficult request. But he thought Ashley''s reply was in ordance with expectations for not reason. Ashley agreed with it, which made Paul overjoyful. He couldn¡¯t suppress his pleasure, walked aside, and called the one in charge of the ancient. painting restoration team. ¡°Hello, this is Paul. | have invited a professional to participate in the restoration of the ancient painting. It¡¯s Rita, whom you have been asking me about the other day. There are a lot of restorers who want to meet Rita in person. I¡¯ll take her there tomorrow morning.¡± After hanging up the phone, Paul walked up to Ashley and said, ¡°Ms. Ramos, I''ll take you to check the ancient painting tomorrow morning Many restorers who participated in the restoration want to meet Rita. Ashley nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± Joseph immediately raised his hand and asked, ¡°Can | go with you, Ashley?¡± Paul smiled heartily and said, ¡°Sure!¡± The next morning, restorations got there early. They gathered in a spacious and bright room, with several tables put together in the middle, on which a damaged ancient painting was. 08:30 discreetly ced. More than a dozen top cultural relic restorers stayed in the room, and they nced in the direction of the door from time to time. ¡°When will Ritae? Mr. Walker said she woulde this morning, right?¡± ¡°Yep, it''s this morning. | can finally meet Rita in person.¡± ¡°Rita is said to be a young girl. She can identify the authenticity of cultural relics and repair them at such a young age. How awesome she is!¡± Charlie, who sat next to them, felt extremely nervous as he heard others¡¯ discussion. He went to StarGavel Auctions several times to meet Rita but was rejected. He didn¡¯t expect Rita to be invited to participate in the restoration. He could finally meet Rita in person. Chapter 269 Chapter 269 Around ten in the morning, Ashley and Joseph followed Paul to the National Museum. Paul pointed to the crowd before and exined, ¡°Over there is the visitor''s entrance to the museum, which is visited by many tourists every day. We''ll go in through the special channel here. It''ll take about ten minutes to get to the restoration team¡¯s office.¡± Joseph was extremely surprised for a while. This special channel is not allowed to be used by ordinary people. In other words, only senior officers could go through it. Paul had led them through the special channel for the fake of Ashley. Joseph was happy to bask in Ashley¡¯s reflected glory. Joseph stared at Ashley with admiring eyes and decided to ride her coattails from now on. Just when they almost reached the restoration team, Paul suddenly received a call with an anxious expression, as if something had happened. Paul hung up the phone and hurriedly said to Ashley, ¡°Ms. Ramos, something happened at the museum. | have to go over there and deal. with it right away. I¡¯m really sorry. The house in front is the studio of the ancient painting restoration team. Please rest in with Mr. Fox first, and I''ll be back soon.¡± Ashley understood the urgency of what had happened at the museu and immediately nodded. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Take your time, please.¡± Paul left in a hurry to deal with urgent matters, leaving some instructions. Ashley and Joseph walked to the restoration team¡¯s studio. It was a spacious and bright room with a dozen restorers gathered in it, but it seemed not crowded. Ashley looked around and unexpectedly found Charlie in the crowd. Before Ashley met Charlie, Charlie caught glimpses at Ashley of the door and wondered why Ashley showed up there, even followed by Joseph. Ashley was indeed the master ofndscape oil painting, Aurora. But she 08:59 had no idea about cultural relic restoration and was no help at all. ¡°Ashley!¡± Simon in the crowd noticed Ashley¡¯s figure at this moment and immediately greeted her with surprise. ¡°Ashley!¡± Ashley was also surprised and greeted. ¡°Mr. Hunt.¡± She didn¡¯t expect to meet Simon here. Simon held the Skyward Art Exhibition some time ago and invited Ashley to attend. At that time, everyone learned about Aurora¡¯s real identity as Ashley. At the exhibition, Simon said he and Ashley''s grandfather had been friends for many years. The others didn¡¯t feel surprised at Ashley and Simon¡¯s close rtionship, and they were just confused at Ashley¡¯s presence here. Simon wore a suit, walked over energetically, and asked with a smile, ¡°Why are you here, Ashley?¡± Ashley answered truthfully, ¡°Mr. Walker took me here.¡± Hearing Ashley''s words, Charlie¡¯s eyes widened instantly in shock. He wondered if Paul personally took Ashley here. He had a bold guess in mind. Simon stroked his gray beard andughed heartily. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Paul to invite you here, Ashley. But Paul invited me over, too. As a painter, | have no idea about restoration, let alone help.¡± His description amused the others present. Arestorer wearing sses said, ¡°How modest you are, Mr. Hunt! Yo have such a deep understanding of ancient paintings and have held many exhibitions. Perhaps you can give us some valuable advice on restoration.¡± Simon joked with them for a while, then took Ashley to the side and whispered, ¡°I heard about you and Charlie. Don¡¯t worry. I''ll back you up here. He won''t dare to bully you with me around.¡± Ashley was touched and grinned. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Hunt.¡± Joseph took the chance to interrupt, ¡°Count me in! I''ll back you up here, either.¡± Valentin had asked him to take good care of Ashley. 08:59 At this time, Charlie looked at Ashley not far away and suddenly realized that Ashley had been invited over as Aurora. He guessed Paul should invite her in for some advice. Otherwise, Paul wouldn¡¯t have brought her here. She had no idea about cultural relic restoration and could only provide some irrelevant suggestions. Paul said he would bring Rita over, and Charlie wondered when they would arrive. On the other hand, Simon led Ashley to the table, pointed to the damaged ancient painting, and said, ¡°What Paul wants to restore is this famous painting, Auburn Symphony, but the painting has been passed down for more than a thousand years, and it has suffered serious damage after wars.¡± Hence, the painting was difficult to restore. Joseph lowered his head, looked over, and found it ridiculous. ¡°Damn it! Is there mold on it? Are there stains? Why are there still two holes in here?¡± In his opinion, the painting had lost its value. Ashley recognized the Auburn Symphony and widened her eyes in shock. This was a painting that his grandfather longed for during his lifetime. He had always wanted to view the original painting, but he couldn¡¯t find it anywhere. She finally witnessed the original Auburn Symphony today, but her grandfather had passed away, and he could never enjoy it anymore. Joseph asked in a low voice uneasily, ¡°Can this painting be restored, Ashley? | have no idea about it, but | can tell how seriously damaged it The restoration was too difficult toplete.Content held by N?velDrama.Org. Moreover, Hanson from Yaloria would visit Zyrrinthia next week, and the painting needed to be disyed at the state dinner, leaving no room for any slippage. Ashley still felt sorry for her grandfather''s pity. She stared at the damaged painting on the table and didn¡¯t hear Joseph¡¯s question. Ashley¡¯s silence left Joseph uneasy. He suddenly realized the restoration wouldn''t go well. Ashley was good at restoring cultural relics, but she didn¡¯t respond, indicating that the restoration would be difficult. At this moment, Simon frowned and said unhappily, ¡°Why is she here?¡± Joseph looked up curiously and found Caraing. It turned out that Charlie had just gone out and picked up Cara. Joseph was extremely speechless and rolled his eyes at Charlie. Charlie heard Cara when he hid around the corner in the hallway, but he still hung out with her, which meant he deserved to be set up by her. Ashley came back to her senses and met Cara, but she always stayed . calm, without any emotions in her eyes. The other restorers in the room all learned Cara¡¯s character from the online recording, so they didn¡¯t take Cara seriously. ¡°What is Cara doing here?¡± ¡°This is the restoration studio. Why did you bring someone else here?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! Everything in the room is important, and she can¡¯t enter it without permission.¡± Hearing others¡¯ sarcastic remarks, Cara still kept a gentle smile and said gently, ¡°I came to Mr. Ramos today because | found a way to repair this ancient painting.¡± Chapter 270 Hearing Cara¡¯s words, everyone widened their eyes in surprise. ¡°What? Have you figured out a way to restore the painting?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Cara showed a gentle smile. Charlie spoke slowly. ¡°Cara had read a lot of rted books and finally found a way to restore this painting. She made a point of telling us, hoping to offer support.¡± Everyone looked at each other after hearing this and didn¡¯t know what to do. The painting was so damaged that no one could repair it. Moreover, the state dinner was just days away, and they all felt anxious. Cara finally figured out a way now, and they wanted to try it. One of the experienced restorers stood up and asked, ¡°Can you exin your method, Ms. Ward?¡± Cara smiled slightly and talked eloquently, ¡°We first clean the stains on the painting by conventional methods and then rinse it with 140 degrees Fahrenheit of hot water to remove the stains on the surface.¡± Cara then stated a lot of professional terms. Hearing her words, the restorers got excited, and they even cheered up and asked, ¡°This method sounds feasible. What''s your opinion?¡± ¡°We can try it. It sounds like a viable solution.¡± Joseph witnessed these restorers gathered around Cara and couldn''t | but sneer. He found them too fickle. But they had no other choice. The painting was too difficult to restore i the limited time. Hence, they were eager to learn Cara¡¯s solution. Joseph was confused and asked Ashley next to him, ¡°Can ancient paintings be washed in hot water at 140 degrees Fahrenheit, Ashley?¡± Ashley nodded. ¡°Sure. The pigments used in ancient painting are generally divided into mineral and nt pigments. The mineral pigments can spread for a long time and will not be dissolved by water, which is different from modern ink. In addition, water is used in the paper-making process, so ancient paintings can withstand washing.¡± 09:00 Simon stroked his beard in agreement. ¡°Ashley is right.¡± Joseph benefited a lot from their conversation this time. After a while, the restorers had heard Cara¡¯s methods and formted a restoration n. Charlie concluded. ¡°This is currently the best restoration n. As long as wwe do it carefully and make no mistakes, this painting can be restored to the greatest extent possible.¡± Another restorer urged excitedly, ¡°Then let¡¯s get started! We can¡¯t dy aany longer within a limited time.¡± ¡°Wait a minute.¡± A restorer with sses raised his hand to stop them. We''ve been discussing this for a long time. Why don¡¯t we bring Ashley, SSimon; and Joseph along?¡± Chharlie immediately frowned, ¡°They have no idea about restoration.¡± Aside only knew how to paint and learned nothing about restoration. Hdenpresence would only cause trouble for them. ¡°Wetly you''re right.¡± The restorer with sses ignored Ashley and added, ¡°In oodder to ensure the restore goes smoothly, we need to get the most professional restorer to do it. What''s your opinion?¡± Manyyrestorers wanted to restore a famous ancient painting, and they treated itna na professional achievement. In order to ensure that the painting could be sessfully restored within a limited tine,hey could only select the most professional one t operate to navidchany idents. The restorers doodle at each other. ¡°Charlie is the most profession anorig is. ¡°We''ll leave it to you Charlic. We''ll all stand by and offer help anyti We need to ret the painting restored as soon as possible.¡± Charlie thoughdoonmoontent. Ide didn¡¯t brag about it, but he was the most professional. ¡°Well I''ll handletario repponded Cara said considerately harp you. Mr. Ramos. That way, we can save a lot of time. Moreover weave restored paintings together before, and we worked well together: 09:00 Charlie considered it for a while and finally nodded. After all, Cara had shown great ability in the restoration. ¡°Okay.¡± Atrace of imperceptible pride filled Cara¡¯s eyes. If she could sessfully restore this painting and disy it at the state banquet this time, she would obtain national honors. By then, her reputation would be reversed with ease. She couldn''t lose to Ashley. Instead, Ashley would lose everything in the end. Cara nced at Ashley provocatively but found Ashley hadpletely ignored her. Ashley¡¯s disregard made Cara suddenly grit her teeth hard. At this time, Joseph kept answering Ashley with questions. She couldn¡¯t stand the noise and only wanted to get out of there. At this moment, Henry Anderson walked into the room. He wore a military uniform and looked imposing with stern eyes. Ayoung guard apanied Henry. The restorers in the room all stood up respectfully when they noticed Henrying. ¡°There you are, Mr. Anderson.¡± Henry walked into the room neatly and said loudly, ¡°I¡¯m here to monitor the progress of the restoration. The state banquet is coming up, and we''re running out of time.¡± ¡°We have already formted a restoration n, Mr. Anderson.¡± Hearing this, Henry felt relieved. ¡°Then you go ahead. I''ll take a look here.¡± With Henry here, everyone couldn''t help but feel trembling. After preparing the tools needed, Charlie began to restore the ancient painting while Cara worked on it. He doused the painting with hot water and then sucked up the water with a towel. Finally, many stains were removed from the surface, and the painting seemed more charming. Henry was surprised. ¡°How effective it is!¡± 09:00) Arestorer next to him smiled and said, ¡°Charlie is the most experienced restorer here.¡± Henry nodded appreciatively.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. After cleaning the painting with hot water, Charlie carefully uncovered the paper covering of the painting. Joseph, not far away, witnessed this scene and looked dumbfounded. He asked softly, ¡°Is there more than oneyer?¡± Ashley couldn''t help but smile and said, ¡°When a painting is framed, there are manyyers. But eachyer is so thin that the average person can¡¯t tell it apart.¡± As Ashley said, the painting had threeyers in total. The most superficialyer was the paper on which the artist painted, and thisyer retained all the ink of the artist, which was particrly important.¡± Joseph sighed, ¡°Well, Charlie is going through aplicated process right now. Can he make it?¡± Ashley smiled slightly, ¡°This step must be handled with care. Otherwise, the painting will be damaged.¡± The paper of ancient paintings was so thin that if it was damaged, it was impossible to restore it. At this time, Charlie held tweezers in his hand and carefully peeled off the covering paper on the right side of the painting while Cara peeled off the left side. As a result, Charlie looked up and found Cara¡¯s face turned pale. He couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°What''s wrong?¡± Cara shook her head but tightly covered the painting under her hand. ¡°No worries.¡± Charlie thought nothing of it and went on with his work. After all, his step at this moment was detailed, and he couldn''t be distracted. Time passed by, and Henry looked around curiously. After taking a few steps, he suddenly stopped and frowned tightly, ¡°What''s wrong with it?¡± Hearing this, everyone looked over immediately. 09:00 They found the painting had extra damage The painting titially had two damaged holes. But in addition to them. another damaged crack appeared Chapter 271 After the group of restorers found it, their expressions changed, and they all fell into fright. ¡°What''s going on? Why is there a sudden crack? Did they puncture the paper when they lifted it with tweezers?¡± ¡°Certainly! There is no other possibility.¡± ¡°Damn it! In that case, the painting will be more difficult to restore.¡± Charlie¡¯s expression changed, either. He looked at Cara aside in horror. ¡°How dare you, Cara?¡± He definitely didn¡¯t poke the painting with tweezers just now, so Cara must have done it. He wondered why she was so careless. But before Charlie finished speaking, Cara asked in confusion, ¡°Do you know what''s going on, Mr. Ramos? Why is there suddenly a crack?¡± Charlie was stunned for a moment and couldn''t understand Cara¡¯s words. ¡°Did you identally pierce the paper with tweezers just now, Mr. Ramos?¡± Cara asked innocently. Charlie waspletely stunned. He ensured he didn¡¯t do it. Only he and Cara restored this painting. If he didn¡¯t make a mistake, Cara should be held ountable. Cara had already damaged the painting, so her face suddenly turned pale in panic. But Cara passed the buck to him innocently. She would have him take the me. How despicable and shameless Cara was! Charlie finally realized Cara¡¯s despicable character. Charlie suddenly thought about the exposed recordings online. It turned out Cara indeed wanted to have someone teach Ashley a lesson, and it was not a misunderstanding at all. 16 09:06 The others found Charlie still remained silent. They thought he had acquiesced and couldn''t help butin. ¡°As an experienced restorer, how could you make such a mistake, Charlie?¡± ¡°You even damaged the painting instead of restoring it.¡± ¡°The damage got more serious. What should we do now?¡± Henry always looked dignified, and his anger made him more solemn. At this moment, he stared at Charlie with stern eyes. ¡°How dare you? This painting will be disyed for Hanson at a state banquet. Now that it has been destroyed, we''ll definitely be laughed at by foreigners.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Anderson. There may be a way to remedy it,¡± a tall restorer kindly advised. 15 ¡°What else can we do?¡± Another restorer was anxious. ¡°This painting already difficult to restore, and the crack adds a great deal of difficulty.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. How can we remedy it? It''spletely hopeless!¡± ¡°| do know one who may have a way to remedy it, who is proficient at restoring ancient paintings.¡± ¡°Who? Who can remedy it? Go straight to the point.¡± ¡°Cut to the chase. We''ll invite him over right away. Maybe we can still make up for it with his help.¡± ¡°But it doesn¡¯t work. He is dead, and we can¡¯t get his advice.¡± ¡°What? Dead? | remember it! Are you talking about Caleb? Caleb is indeed a famous restorer of cultural relics, but he has passed away.¡± ¡°What a pity! If only Caleb was still alive.¡± Hearing the discussion and the familiar name Caleb, Simon felt. distressed and couldn¡¯t help but sigh, ¡°How | wish your grandpa were still alive, Ashley.¡± Ashley lowered her head. She missed Caleb and Myrna, too. Joseph had learned the deep rtionship between Ashley and her grandparents, so her lonely look made him feel sorry. 2/6 09:06 When the noisy restorers heard Simon¡¯s words, they all widened their eyes with disbelief. ¡°What did you just say. Mr. Hunt? Is Caleb Ashley¡¯s grandfather?¡± ¡°Really? Didn''t you lie to us. Mr. Hunt?¡± Simon frowned, dissatisfied, ¡°Why did | lie to you? Ashley is indeed Caleb¡¯s granddaughter, and they have a close rtionship.¡± After Simon finished speaking, everyone present kept their mouths open in shock. They wouldn¡¯t dare associate Caleb with Ashley. Caleb''s expertise in the field of ancient painting restoration was so high that everyone in the industry admired him, and the restorers present treated him as a goal. They didn¡¯t expect Ashley to be Caleb¡¯s granddaughter. Her background was even more shocking than that of a wealthy family in modern society. Ashley had never shown off his identity before. They learned about it for the first time today, and they found Ashley always kept a low profile. Caleb and Simon were good friends, and Caleb didn¡¯t keep it a secret from Simon. At the Skyward Art Exhibition, Simon said that he and Ashley¡¯s grandfather were friends. But no one expected Caleb to be Ashley¡¯s grandfather. If the Ramos family¡¯s members learned about Ashley¡¯s identity, they would regret cutting Ashley off. At this moment, Charlie¡¯s mind was in a mess. Cara actually put all the me on him, leaving him to take the responsibility and suffer from others¡¯ints and usations. He had done nothing wrong, but he had to be med after the painting was destroyed. He realized Cara¡¯s gentleness and kindness were just disguises. Ashley once told him the truth, but he didn¡¯t believe it. He found himself a fool. Charlie closed his eyes in regret and trembled uncontrobly. Just as he 36 09:00 apter 27] ume back to his senses from regret, he heard others discussing that shicy was Caleb¡¯s granddaughter. harlie suddenly fell into shock and couldn''t believe it Jas Ashley the granddaughter of Calch: emaily realized that Caleb had adopted Ashley when she was neleless. sciey never mentioned it before, nor did she show it oftioista a member hele kanos family, this was the first time he had heard ofor it. wonder the would think of Caleb when he viewed Territoorg drawn by guesses Ashley must have learnedndscape oil painting Caleb. teenly, a young restorer asked excitedly. ¡°Ashley, since you are dee nddaughters of Caleb, has he ever taught you how to restore cudumaral est This painting is seriously damaged now. If you know how tota orean carpovou help us?¡± at''s rizi Ascbdier restorer cheered up, and he instantly stared am ley with hope in his eyes. Ashicy, as the granddaughter of Calch.io know how to restore ancient paintings?¡± a¡¯s expression skiddenly tuned gloomy. ley turned on torboe Caleb¡¯s granddaughter, but Ashley never tioned it before.. thought she was beterehdan Ashley, but her background was ich for Ashley¡¯s. a stared in Ashley¡¯s directicianshe had never heard Ashley talk a restoration of cultural dicsand she guessed Ashley had no idea ut it.Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. a thought Ashley was tooputere to learn any of Caleb''s skills. his time, Henry walked up to bibtey and couldn''t help but gently ask in person, ¡°Can you restore ancient paintings: Have you learned in your grandfather?! he eyes of expectation. Ashley not sightly! | learned it from my ndfather.¡± Hearing this. Henry grinned with great joy. He wanted to continue asking, but then Paul came back. There you are. Mr. Anderson,¡± Paul¡¯said in surprise. ¡°I came to check the restoration of the painting, but there has been a situation. The painting has now been damaged again.¡± Henry''s tone stiffened when it came to the painting Hearing the ident. Paul was shocked and turned to look at Charlie. ¡°How dare you? Why are you so careless?¡± Charlie clenched his hands into lists and gritted his teeth in anger. ¡°I didn¡¯t do it. Mr. Walker. It was Cara¡¯s mistake that damaged the painting.¡± After he finished speaking, the scene was in an uproar. Cara had already implied that Charlie had broken the painting. Charlie exined word for word, ¡°Cara damaged the painting, Mr. Walker. She knew the importance of this painting and could not afford the consequences of the damage, so she shifted the responsibility to me. She wanted to have me take the me.¡± Cara opened her eyes wide in surprise and distress. ¡°What are you talking about, Mr. Ramos? How could you frame me?¡± Charlie stared at her with sarcasm in her eyes. He had never expected her to be so hypocritical. Paul nced at Cara, then at Charlic, and said in a deep voice, ¡°W don¡¯t argue anymore. Everything in this room is very important, cultural relics are of high value, so the room is equipped with surveince cameras. We''ll find out who the culprit is when we che security footage.¡± When Cara heard this, her face instantly turned pale. She didn¡¯t know there was surveince for her first time here. After hearing Paul''s solution, the others in the room stopped worrying about this issue. Anyway, they would find out who the culprit was when they checked the security footageter But Henry was concerned about another matter at this time. He looked at Ashley with affable eyes. ¡°Did you just admit that you can restore cultural. relics?¡± Chapter 271 Ashley nodded. , Joseph tittered and found Henry¡¯s tone extremely gentle. Paul couldn¡¯t helpughing when he noticed the question. ¡°What are you talking about, Mr. Anderson? Ms. Ramos indeed can restore cultural relics.¡± Arestorer next to him couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°You said you would bring Rita here today, Mr. Walker. Why are you the only one here? Where is Rita?¡± Paul spread his hands helplessly. ¡°Rita hase in a long time ago. She arrived before me.¡± The others fell into shock. Did Ritae before Paul? They had a bold guess in their mind. Chapter 272 When they heard from Paul that Rita had been here a long time ago, they all immediately turned around excitedly and looked around. ¡°Isn¡¯t Rita Cara? | heard Cara is a young girl, and Cara happens to be good at restoring cultural relics.¡± ¡°How is it possible? Cara can only help Charlie with her skills. How could she be Rita?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Cara doesn¡¯t deserve to bepared to Rita.¡± Hearing the remarks, Cara almost lost her temper, but she could only try her best to maintain a gentle and generous image before others as if nothing had happened. Charlie on the side suddenly thought of something. He suddenly turned his head to look at Ashley in shock. His eyes widened to the extreme, full of disbelief. He ensured Cara was not Rita. In that case, only one had left. As if to confirm his guess, Paul corrected them dissatisfied. ¡°Stop guessing it. Rita has nothing to do with Cara. They have nothing to do with each other.¡± After speaking, Paul walked up to Ashley and introduced her lou with honor. ¡°Ashley is Rita, and many of you want to meet her. It¡¯s an honor National Museum to invite her to participate in the restoration of ancient painting.¡± Ashley smiled brightly, ¡°You tter me. It is a rare opportunity to participate in the restoration of such a famous ancient painting.¡± Paul waved his hands repeatedly. ¡°I didn¡¯t tter you. You can identify cultural relics and restore them. Many of us are looking forward to meeting you.¡± Ashley turned out to be Rita. Charlie couldn¡¯t ept the reality. 144 Chapter Wh Charlie swayed and almost stumbled. He stared in Ashley¡¯s direction His lips trembled with shortness of breath and he didn¡¯t want to believe the fact. However, Paul¡¯s praise of Ashley and his personal verification showed Ashley was Rita, whom he longed for but never met. How could it be possible? His favorite Aurora painting. Territory, was painted by Ashley. Rita, whom he had always wanted to meet, was also Ashley. Ashley hated the members of the Ramos family so much that she refused to sell Territory to him and even refused to meet him. At this moment, Cara was stunned and confused, and her expression froze all of a sudden. Could Ashley restore cultural relics? Could Ashley be Rita, who became popr some time ago? She lost to Ashley again this time. She got beat by Ashley again. Cara was expressionless but stared at Ashley with resentment, revealing for the first time her hidden ferocity and viciousness. The other restorers in the room all gathered around Ashley enthusiastically. ¡°It turns out you are Rita, Ms. Ramos. Mr. Walker told us about your porcin repairing techniques yesterday. How amazing it is!¡± ¡°Actually, we should involve you in our restoration n. As a result, the painting was not restored, but destroyed.¡± ¡°Tintended to invite Ms. Ramos, but Charlie said she had no idea about. restoration and treated her as a troublemaker.¡± ¡°Can''t Rita restore cultural relics? By contrast, Charlie i is inferior to Rita.¡±Content held by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Well, the painting Charlie and Cara damaged has to be repaired by Ms. Ramos. But the damage to the painting is so serious. Can it be repaired?¡± Hearing this, Charlie lowered his head in shame. He arrogantly believed Ashley couldn¡¯t restore cultural relics and event looked down on Ashley. But the reality hit him hard. Henry walked up to Ashley with admiration in his eyes. ¡°Ashley, you''re Caleb¡¯s granddaughter, and also Rita, who helped the police catch the culprit for reselling a bronze statue some time ago. You made a great contributionst time.¡± Ashley smiled politely, ¡°You tter me.¡± Her graceful and calm image made Henry admire her more. He hurriedly pulled Ashley to the damaged ancient painting and asked, ¡°Take a look at it. This ancient painting is seriously damaged. Can it be restored?¡± After Henry finished speaking, the other restorers in the room couldn''t help but hold their breath and concentrate. It was definitely impossible for them to restore this ancient painting. They could only ce their hope on Ashley, but they wondered if Ashley could make it. Paul sighed heavily and frowned, ¡°I dare not hide it from you, Mr. Anderson. Destroying ancient paintings due to improper operation during the restoration of ancient paintings is a serious act and may cause irreparable consequences.¡± Henry put his hands behind his back and nced at Charlie and Cara with stern eyes. Cara felt frightened and subconsciously clenched her clothes with her fingers. Charlie didn¡¯t even dare to utter a word now. Ashley stared carefully at the damaged areas of the ancient painting. Paul saw the scene and couldn¡¯t help but request. ¡°Mr. Anderson, Ms. Ramos¡¯ skills in repairing cultural relics are superb, but this painting is seriously damaged. If it cannot be repaired, | hope you don¡¯t me her.¡± Henry snorted loudly, ¡°I don¡¯t have to me her. I''ll only hold those responsible ountable.¡± As a soldier, Henry looked tough. When he got furious, no one could bear his anger with equanimity. Charlie was terrified and didn¡¯t dare to respond. Cara feared to take such serious consequences, which was why she shifted the responsibility to him. If he had trusted Ashley and cut off contact with Cara that day when he overheard the truth at the corner of the corridor, none of this would have happened today. Charlie felt extremely regretful. He stared at Ashley nervously, wondering if she could restore this ancient painting with confidence. He knew all the restorers here, and none of them were capable of restoring the painting. Ashley had be his only hope now. Joseph could read Charlie''s mind through his expression and sneered disdainfully, ¡°You have no responsibility. When you get into trouble, your estranged sister is here to make it up for you. How ridiculous it is!¡± Charlie¡¯s face blushed for a moment, and he was ashamed, daring not to meet others¡¯ eyes. Ashley had severed ties with the Ramos family a long time ago and had nothing to do with them. He actually hoped Ashley would resolve the mess for him.. Moreover, when he witnessed Ashley being abused and humiliated by the Ramos family before, he ignored it and never helped Ashley once. Even if Ashley turned around and left here indifferently now, he deserved it. Chapter 273 Ashley carefully examined the damaged painting and then looked up. Henry anxiously asked, ¡°How is it? Can it still be salvaged?¡± Paul, Charlie, and the other restorers in the room all looked at Ashley with nervous anticipation. They prayed silently, ¡®She can do it!¡± If it couldn¡¯t be restored even with Rita, Caleb''s granddaughter¡¯s help, this painting would be ruined! It would be a huge loss for the world of artifacts. Ashley looked at the damaged Auburn Symphony. It was a painting that Caleb had loved during his lifetime, and it was also going to be showcased at the state banquet next week. Both personally and professionally, it held great significance. Ashley looked up at Henry and said, ¡°The restoration process will be a bit tricky and time-consuming.¡± Upon hearing this, a look of unrestrained delight appeared on Henry''s dignified face. ¡°So you can restore this painting, right?¡± Ashley nodded slightly. Paul, relieved to receive Ashley''s confirmation, finally rxed his t posture. ¡°The damage to this painting is severe, so it will definitel time. We are already grateful that you are willing to help restore The other restorers were overjoyed. ¡°Ms. Ramos, it''s no problem if takes time. We''ll wait here patiently, and we can also learn from you techniques!¡± ¡°Yes, Ms. Ramos, if you need any assistance, just let us know!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, we are ready to help anytime!¡± Ashley smiled, ¡°Alright, | understand.¡± Charlie looked at Ashley, lost in thought. He heard that she was willing to restore the painting and felt like crying. But he never arrogantly thought that Ashley did for him. ED) Because Ashley didn¡¯t even spare him a nce, maybe in Ashley¡¯s eyes, he was nothing more than a stranger. As an art restorer, he couldn¡¯t bear to see the artwork being destroyed under his care. It was the most painful torment to endure. Now that Ashley could save this painting from imminent destruction, he was filled with excitement. ¡®Ashley...¡¯ Charlie silently repeated her name in his heart, savoring each syble. He had never truly paid attention to Ashley before, but at this moment, his gaze uncontrobly followed her every move. The art restorers in the room, including Henry and Paul, were all eagerly anticipating how Ashley would restore the painting. Cara, on the other hand, stood alone in the corner, ignored by everyone. Charlie and Cara had just uncovered the backing paper of the painting. Ashley picked up the tweezers and continued to peel off the secondyer of paper. The onlookers held their breath, not making a sound. Those who understood art restoration knew that removing the secondyer of paper was much more difficult than removing the backing paper. One wrong move could easily damage the painting! To their surprise, Ashley''s technique was extremely skillful. From start to finish, there was not a single mistake. She delicately peeled off the paper, showcasing her expertise. The staff members admired her and whispered in awe. ¡°If only we had asked Ashley to repair this painting from the beginning and not let Charlie and Cara touch it. It wouldn¡¯t have been so badly damaged.¡± ¡°Yeah, if we had asked Ms. Ramos to restore it from the start, maybe it would have already been fixed.¡± ¡°It''s toote to say anything now. Fortunately, Ashley knows how to repair it!¡± Charlie felt a mix of anger and embarrassment as he listened to these criticalments. He stared at Ashley without blinking. 2/5 Cara gritted her teeth, feeling ridiculed and disdained by so many people. Never before had she been so disregarded. Restoring artwork requires intense concentration, and Ashley didn¡¯t have the energy to pay attention to her surroundings. She focused on observing the damaged areas on the paper. Luckily, the damage was confined to the nk spaces of the painting, so no additional color was needed, only repairs. It was best to use paper simr to the original artwork to repair these damaged areas, ensuring wless restoration. Generally, museums have a collection of papers from different eras, so finding an old paper from the same period was not difficult. Ashley first cleaned up the debris from the damaged area and then used a sharp knife to gently scrape a 0.05-inch slope along the edge of the hole. This process required patience and meticulousness. She then applied a pre-mixed paste to the edges before gently applying the repair paper. Henry watched Ashley perform the procedure. Her movements were calm, serene, and effortlessly skillful. Henry admired her even more and wondered if Ashley had ever been in a romantic rtionship. If she hadn¡¯t, he thought of introducing his friend¡¯s grandson to her. He thought they were a perfect match. Two of the damaged holes were sessfully repaired. But the most important task was fixing the crack, which nobody knew whether Char or Cara caused. Seeing this crack, everyone couldn¡¯t help but feel frustrated. ¡°Who could have caused this? They don¡¯t even dare to admit it, avoiding responsibility!¡± ¡°| have a feeling it might be Charlie.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Mr. Walker said we''ll check the surveinceter, and the culprit won¡¯t escape!¡± Ashley switched to a different tool and began a series ofplex operations. Joseph had been beside her all this time, astonished by Ashley¡¯s expertise. Each step she took surprised him, opening his eyes to new possibilities. By the time the painting was almost fully restored, Joseph finally understood why Ashley had said it would take time. She had been working since ten in the morning, and now it waspletely dark outside! Ashley stood up, feeling soreness in her shoulders. ¡°It''s done. The restoration isplete.¡± She let out a sigh of relief. The restorers all watched Ashley¡¯s every move. As they heard her say it was restored, they immediately crowded around to see the painting. ¡°Ms. Ramos, you''re amazing! You managed to restore a severely damaged. painting and did it perfectly!¡± ¡°This should be exactly how the Auburn Symphony looked like in its era. We are seeing the same painting as the ancients.¡± ¡°Ms. Ramos, I''ve learned so much from you today. Will you consider taking me as your apprentice?¡± Paul looked at the restored painting with joy on his face. He thought, ¡°Thank goodness we invited Ashley. Otherwise, this painting would have truly been ruined, and | would have been held ountable by my superiors. Now that the painting is restored, we can sessfully showcase it at the state banquet next week.¡¯ To everyone¡¯s surprise, Henry saluted Ashley and loudly thanked h ¡°Thank you very much!¡± Ashley quickly replied, ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡±Content held by N?velDrama.Org. Joseph was stunned witnessing this scene. Henry, a person of high s and advanced age, actually saluted Ashley, which showed how genui grateful he was! Cara saw this scene and felt both astonished and resentful. If she had been the one to restore the painting, she would be receiving all this honor. Charlie, who was left on the sidelines, watched as Ashley was praised and appreciated by everyone. He nervously hoped for her to look at him even for a moment. But Ashley never once nced at him. 475 Chapter 273 ¡°Let''s settle down, everyone, please calm down!¡± Paul pped his hands, speaking in a serious tone. ¡°With Ms. Ramos¡¯ help, this painting has finally been restored, and we are truly grateful to her. ¡°But regarding whether Charlie or Cara caused the initial damage to the painting, we will now check the surveince!¡± Chapter 274 Chapter 274 As soon as Cara heard they would check the surveince, she panicked. If the surveince footage revealed that she was the one who damaged the painting... Cara bit her lip. Several times during Ashley¡¯s restoration process, she had thought about leaving. But if she left, it would only prove her guilt. Besides, even if she wanted to leave, the others wouldn¡¯t agree. Paul had already instructed his staff to retrieve the surveince footage. Cara anxiously twisted her hands together, took a deep breath, and put on a gentle smile. ¡°Mr. Walker, I¡¯m feeling a bit unwell and would like to go to the restroom. I''ll be right back.¡± Charlie interrupted before Paul could respond, ¡°No! You can¡¯t leave!¡± Cara was taken aback by his shout and looked at him innocently. ¡°Mr. Ramos, do you suspect that | want to escape? How could I? I''m not that kind of person. I¡¯ve been in this room from morning till evening, and my stomach is genuinely not feeling well.¡± Charlie''s gaze was wary and cold. ¡°Cara, do you think | still believe your sweet words? We''re about to check the surveince, and you can¡¯t leave without permission!¡± Joseph felt the tension rising and immediately pulled Ashley back. ¡°Let¡¯s step away and watch the drama. The conflict between the viins is really exciting! Hey, there¡¯s no use in just arguing, why not fight each other! Fight!¡± Ashley looked at him speechlessly. Simon had been standing next to Ashley the entire time, sighing with remorse on his face. ¡°Ashley, | invited Cara to the previous Skyward Art Exhibition and never expected that she would...¡± Simon had only recently seen the recording online, which exposed Cara¡¯s intentions to harm Ashley! If he had known all this beforehand, he would never have invited Cara! Ashley quickly reassured him, ¡°Mr. Hunt, | only found out about Cara¡¯s true nature recently. And | knew she wanted to harm me recently, too. Chapter 274 So, please don¡¯t me yourself!¡± Simon looked at Ashley with tender affection, his eyes shimmering with tears. He thought, Ashley is understanding and makes people feel for her.¡¯ When he turned to look at Cara, Simon regarded her as nothing more. than trash. He had decided to have no further association with her. Meanwhile, Cara continued arguing with Charlie. Charlie refused to let her go to the restroom under any circumstances. ¡°No, you can¡¯t leave this ce!¡± Cara held her stomach, appearing very ufortable. ¡°Mr. Ramos, I¡¯m really feeling unwell. I''lle back right after using the restroom.¡± Charlie no longer believed Cara. His lips trembled in anger. ¡°You haven''t mentioned feeling unwell the entire afternoon, and now all of a sudden? How strange!¡± The onlooking restorers were astonished, their eyes wide open. ¡°It''s rare to see Charlie so angry. He¡¯s always calm andposed!¡± ¡°But | don¡¯t think Cara is pretending. She really looks ufortable. Maybe she genuinely needs to go to the restroom. It wouldn¡¯t hurt to let her go!¡± ¡°Seeing them like this, | can¡¯t tell who actually damaged the painting.¡± ¡°Charlie is acting unusually today, unlike before. | guess it¡¯s highly likely that he¡¯s the one who damaged it.¡± Opinions varied among the observers. Henry finally said sternly, ¡°Stop arguing! The surveince footage will be retrieved soon, and nobody is allowed to leave this ce!¡± It was clear that checking the surveince was the most important task at hand. Cara was not allowed to leave until they finished watching the footage. Upon hearing Henry¡¯s words, Cara stopped struggling and began to panic. She thought, ¡®It¡¯s over. ¡®What am | going to do now?¡± Not long after, the staff retrieved the surveince footage. Everyone immediately gathered around theputer screen to watch. The footage showed clear images of the room, capturing Charlie and Cara¡¯s first attempt at restoring the painting. They first used 60-degree hot water to clean the painting, then used tweezers to remove the backing paper. hen, the surveince footage clearly captured Cara using the tweezers. to puncture the painting identally! Paul, filled with anger, looked at this scene, his eyes on the verge of bursting. ¡°Cara, it was you! You damaged the painting!¡± Cara¡¯s face turned pale, and she desperately tried to defend herself. ¡°Was it really me? | didn¡¯t know. | wasn¡¯t paying attention. I''m not good at restoring artifacts, and | didn¡¯t even realize that | damaged the painting. | genuinely didn¡¯t know. | didn¡¯t do it on purpose.¡± Charlie¡¯s lips trembled with anger. ¡°Cara, you''re still lying and trying to defend yourself! You knew all along that you damaged the painting!¡± ¡°| didn¡¯t, | truly didn¡¯t know. If | had known, | would never push away the me.¡± Cara spoke with genuine sentiment, looking on the verge of tears. However, in the next second, the surveince footage showed Cara¡¯s change inplexion after she punctured the painting. She immediately reached out and covered the damaged area! ¡°Oh my god! She knew! She knew everything! She knew she caused trouble and intentionally covered it up!¡± A young restorer eximed in shock, and his eyes wide open. But that wasn''t the end. The surveince footage continued. After Cara covered the damaged area with her hand, Charlie sensed something was wrong and asked her what happened. But she chose to keep it hidden and said it was nothing. When Henry discovered the punctured painting, Cara pretended to be innocent and asked Charlie, ¡°Mr. Ramos, do you know what happened? Did you identally puncture the painting with the tweezers?¡± Because of this, at the time, everyone believed that Charlie was the one who damaged the painting and med him, Chapter 274 Never would they have imagined that the truth waspletely different! ¡°Oh my god, it was Cara who damaged it! And she pretended not to know, and even tried to shift the me onto Charlie! This... | can¡¯t find words to describe it. It¡¯s utterly mind-blowing! She¡¯s just despicable, pretending to be gentle and innocent but actually harming others!¡± ¡°| can¡¯t believe how cunning she is! Damaging the painting herself and then using someone else, it''s just... I¡¯m lost for words. She''s the worst kind of person!¡± ¡°She even pretended to be so innocent, and | fell for it!¡±N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. ¡°| can¡¯t believe it! Cara, when you said you wanted to go to the bathroom. earlier, you were just pretending to be ufortable! You''re such an actress!¡± ¡°Think about that recording that was leaked online recently. Cara was secretly trying to harm Ashley. This incident just shows that she¡¯s not a good person! She pretends to be gentle and innocent, but actually hurts others. It¡¯s disgusting!¡± ¡°| used to feel a little sorry for Charlie being framed and set up. But now, thinking back, it¡¯s karma for Charlie! When the recording was exposed online, he didn¡¯t believe Ashley and instead believed Cara, saying there must have been a misunderstanding. Now, he¡¯s being falsely used himself! He deserves it!¡± Chapter 275 Chapter 275 ¡°Ashley has such a brother. That¡¯s miserable enough!¡± Don¡¯t forget, Charlie insisted on fixing this painting with Cara. In the end, it was Ashley who saved the day! In my opinion, Ashley should cut off all ties with the Ramos family and stay as far away from them as possible!¡± With such clear surveince evidence presented. Cara could no longer argue her way out of it. The mockery and insults from everyone felt like needles piercing into. Cara¡¯s body, draining the color from her face as she awkwardly retreated. She couldn¡¯t escape from being crucified by shame, no matter how hard. she tried to hide. While these people were berating her, they were also praising Ashley. Why? Why!!! Ashley!!! Why don¡¯t you die now!¡¯ she thought. Cara looked at Ashley with eyes full of darkness and grim resentment. She had been raised by Tyler since childhood, learning so many skills just to defeat Ashley, but in the end... At that moment, Charlie, amidst the ridicule and sarcasm, approached. Ashley step by step. He looked nervous and anxious, staring at her pleadingly. ¡°Ashley, | have something to say to you.¡± Ashley felt repulsed upon seeing him and turned to walk. away. Charlie panicked and instinctively reached out to stop her, looking at desperately with his eyes. ¡°Ashley, | wrongly used you. When | saw the leaked recording online didn¡¯t believe you. Andter, when | overheard Cara¡¯s words in the hallway, | still didn¡¯t believe you. ¡°If | had believed you the first two times, | wouldn''t have been framed by Cara today, and | wouldn¡¯t have finally seen Cara¡¯s true nature till now. ¡°And this painting, thanks to you, we were able to salvage it. If you hadn¡¯t been here, it would have been truly destroyed.¡± If such a precious and rare artifact perished because of him, he would never be able to forgive himself. Chapter 275 Charlie closed his eyes in remorse. When he opened them again, there was a tear in the corner. ¡°Ashley, I¡¯m truly sorry. | shouldn¡¯t have doubted you.¡± Joseph nced at Ashley¡¯s expression. Seeing her impatience, he immediately interrupted Charlie, ¡°What''s the point of apologizing now? Can your apologies erase the harm you caused her before? And the fact that Ashley helped repair the painting had nothing to do with you!¡± Charlie felt extremely embarrassed by Joseph¡¯s words. He couldn¡¯t refute them because Joseph was speaking the truth. Joseph narrowed his eyes, his expression filled with disdain and arrogance. ¡°Charlie, the truth was right in front of you the first two times, but you didn¡¯t believe it. It wasn¡¯t until today when you were framed by Cara that you finally understood what it felt like. You didn¡¯t know how it felt until the knife was plunged into your own heart, did you?! ¡°If it weren''t for you being framed by Cara today, you would still choose. to believe Cara and not trust Ashley in the future, wouldn''t you?¡± Joseph''s words were like a thunderbolt, squeezing Charlie¡¯s heart. His neck felt as if it were being tightly grasped by a hand, making it difficult. to breathe. He wanted to say no, that it wouldn¡¯t be like that. But did he have the right to deny it? Even he himself didn¡¯t know how he would treat Ashley in the future if he hadn¡¯t been ndered by Cara today. Charlie¡¯s mind was in chaos. He looked at Ashley in panic, wanting to exin. He reached out to grab her sleeve. ¡°Ashley, |...¡± Ashley remained expressionless, casually flicking Charlie¡¯s hand away as if discarding trash. Her voice was as cold as the unforgiving pr ice as she slowly spoke. ¡°Charlie, | have long cut off all ties with the Ramos family, including you. In the future, don¡¯t look for me and don¡¯t bother me.¡± Charlie¡¯s breath hitched, and his outstretched hand froze in mid-air. He stared at Ashley in a daze and opened his mouth to say something, but his throat felt constricted, unable to produce any sound. Ashley, his sister, was no longer willing to acknowledge him as her brother. Henry watched it, feeling sorry for Ashley. But he thought that Charlie deserved it. He hadn''t paid much attention to what happened online and didn¡¯t know about Ashley''s previous experiences. Seeing her resolute and decisive. attitude, he found himself increasingly admiring her. He didn¡¯t know if Ashley had a boyfriend. If she didn¡¯t, he must introduce his friend¡¯s grandson to her. They would make a perfect couple, both in looks and abilities! At that moment, Joseph¡¯s phone rang. He took it out and saw that it was Valentin calling. Joseph quickly walked to the side and answered with a cheerful tone, ¡°Hello, what''s up?¡± But Valentin¡¯s first question was about Ashley. ¡°I just called Ashley. Why is her phone turned off?¡± Joseph scratched his head. ¡°It¡¯s probably out of battery.¡± Valentin asked, ¡°Why hasn¡¯t shee back? It¡¯s sote.¡± Upon hearing this, Joseph became excited. ¡°Because it was really difficult to repair this painting. It wasn¡¯t untilte in the evening! Valentin, you have no idea how amazing it was today. | witnessed so many incredible things!¡± Valentin interrupted coldly, ¡°I asked about Ashley.¡± Joseph wanted to say, ¡°Now that you have a wife, you no longer care about me.¡± Reluctantly, Joseph reported, ¡°Ashley is doing well. I''ve been by her side the whole time! No one dares to bully her, so you can rest assured!¡± After saying that, Joseph angrily hung up the phone. He knew Valentin and Ashley were deeply in love, but couldn''t they at least not make it so obvious? At the very least, they should also show some concern for him. The damaged painting was sessfully repaired by Ashley. Henry became even more fond of her, his face filled with delight. But when he turned to look at Charlie and Cara not far away, his brows furrowed with 09:07 Chapter 275 seriousness. Cara was the one who destroyed the painting. Not only did she not repent, but she also lied and ndered others. Additionally, in the previously leaked recording incident, she secretly tried to harm Ashley and had potentiallymitted illegal acts. She was said to be a celebrity, but how could someone like her be an idol? Henry snorted disapprovingly, then looked at everyone and advised. carefully, ¡°What happened today must be kept confidential. It will be made public after the state banquet next week.¡± Everyone understood, as this involved matters of the country and could not be taken lightly. Over the next days, observantizens discovered that all of Cara¡¯s previous advertisements had been taken down, and even her guest appearances in TV dramas had been deleted. They spected. ¡°What happened? Was Cara cklisted?¡± Netizens tried to gather information, but no one knew anything and couldn''t find any news. In the blink of an eye, it was the day of the state banquet. Yaloria¡¯s president, Hanson Murray, was visiting Zyrrinthia, and he admired the captivating painting Auburn Symphony at the state banquet. Since Ashley had restored the painting, as a precaution, both Ashley and Paul from the National Museum were invited to be present. It was arranged in the VIP lounge next to the banquet hall, so they could promptly handle any unforeseen circumstances. Ashley sat on the couch, quietly taking in her surroundings. Whether it was inside the lounge or in the corridors outside, there were soldiers stationed every two steps, creating a solemn atmosphere. After the state banquet, Henry approached with a joyful smile, walking briskly. ¡°Ashley, the state banquet ended sessfully! Mr. Murray loved. the painting. | showed him the photos of the painting when it was damaged, as well as the restored version. He found it truly remarkable and wishes to meet you, the highly skilled restorer!¡± Ashley was surprised in her heart. ¡®Yaloria¡¯s president wants to meet me? And he praised my exceptional skills?¡± Paul was ecstatic, his voice louder. ¡°Ms. Ramos, even the president wants 09:07 to meet you! This is a rare opportunity!¡± Ashley¡¯s restoration abilities must be extraordinary to gain the favor of a president. Ashley calmly stood up and followed Henry to the adjacent banquet hall. The banquet hall was spacious and bright, with few people in sight. But there were definitely many bodyguards and security personnel hidden in the shadows, protecting the area. As Ashley entered, she saw a dignified, middle-aged man. Hanson was surprised for a moment when he saw Ashley enter, and in not very fluent Zyrrinthiannguage, he said. ¡°Are you...¡± The secretary-general quickly intervened to exin, ¡°Mr. Murray, this is Ashley Ramos, the restorer of the painting Auburn Symphony.¡± Hanson smiled pleasantly. ¡°I know her. She¡¯s Attelia, the chief designer of Glory Youveile! My wife loves her designs! | never expected Attelia to be such a top-notch restorer as well!¡± Ashley raised an eyebrow slightly, thinking, ¡®So it¡¯s because of this that Hanson looks so surprised.¡± Henry was amazed. ¡°Ashley, you¡¯re incredible at such a young age!¡± Ashley and Hanson conversed freely. Henry had initially thought that in such a significant asion, facing a national president, Ashley would be reserved and nervous, perhaps even fearful. To everyone¡¯s surprise, Ashley showed no signs of timidity or hesitation. From beginning to end, she remained calm and composed. Her demeanor was graceful, elegant, and effortless. This kind of temperament emanated naturally from within her. Henry knew that hecked the boldness and courage like Ashley at her age. In addition to his admiration, Henry now had even more respect for Ashley. They conversed veryfortably. Hanson remembered how much his wife loved the gowns designed by Ashley and how much he himself admired the restored paintings by her. As a result, he enthusiastically invited Ashley to take a photo together. 09:07 Ashley dly agreed. After taking the photo, Hanson warmly shook hands with Ashley. After leaving the banquet hall, Ashley and Henry returned to the VIP lounge together. Henry praised, ¡°Ashley, you have achieved so much at such a young age. I¡¯m truly humbled!¡± Unfortunately, his grandson already had a girlfriend. Otherwise, he would have asked his grandson to pursue Ashley! Vere ¡°Oh, Ashley, when you talking to Mr. Murray just now, there was someone discreetly filming. Those shots should be featured on tonight¡¯s national news!¡± Ashley blinked, unable to believe that she would be on the news. And it would be the national news. She wanted to let Valentin know to make sure he watched her on television. In the evening, Hanson¡¯s visit to Zyrrinthia and his appreciation of the painting Auburn Symphony set off a frenzy on social media.Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Among the numerous online posts, one blogger leaked information. [The painting Auburn Symphony was originally in a very dpidated state and was sessfully disyed at the state banquet after restoration. And it is said that the person who restored this painting is Cara!] Netizens were shocked and flooded thements section with inquiries. [Is what you¡¯re saying true? Was it really Cara who restored it? Is she that amazing?] Chapter 276 izen posted aparison of the Auburn Symphony ancient painting before and after its restoration, showcasing how it looked when it was damaged and how it appeared after the repair. Theparison revealed that the restored painting was stunningly beautiful. (Wow, it looks fantastic! The original painting was so severely damaged it even had two holes, and they managed to restore it this well. That¡¯s incredibly impressive!] l¡¯''m amazed. Did Cara really restore this? That¡¯s incredible!] | just checked Cara¡¯s Twitter. Although she hasn¡¯t updated in the past few days, she posted about a book on artifact restoration a few days ago, saying she was researching to restore a severely damaged ancient painting. Could it be this Auburn Symphony?] It¡¯s very likely! No wonder the marketing ounts leaked that Cara restored the ancient painting Auburn Symphony. It all makes sense now!] (Wow, Cara has really made a significant contribution to our country with this restoration!] Ugh, | was really put off by Cara a few days ago because of the scandal that tarnished her reputation, but...she really is talented, not just in painting but also in artifact restoration] (All | can say is that talent is one thing, and character is another. We should judge them separately.] Cara¡¯s reputation took a major hit after a leaked recording suggested she had plotted against Ashley. This revtion led to widespread criticism amongizens and a significant drop in Cara¡¯s fanbase. Despite this, a small but loyal group of fans continued to firmly believe in her innocence. Seeing thements from otherizens, these die-hard fans quickly jumped in and defended Cara. [What do you mean ¡°judge them separately¡±? Cara has already exined that the recording was someone imitating her voice. She never intended to harm Ashley!] 1/5 09:07 Chapter 276 [I''m so heartbroken. That despicable Ashley released a fake recording, causing the whole inte to misunderstand Cara! Thankfully, Cara proved herself by restoring the ancient painting and contributing to the nation, reiming her ce at the top through her own abilities!] [Wah... There is indeed a rainbow after the storm. Cara has finally risen. from her darkest moment! Her future is looking bright with sess and acim!] Just when Cara¡¯s fans thought they could hold their heads high and the adoration and favor ofizens would await Cara again, suddenly, a Twitter celeb with a million followers tweeted. [Holy crap, what did | just. see on the news?! Is this Ashley? Why is she in the news? And she¡¯s meeting and shaking hands with the President of Yaloria?!] Since this Twitter user had a million followers, a flood ofments. instantly came in after he tweeted a post. [Ashley is on the news? What news?] The Twitter user replied: [It¡¯s the national channel news, the one that airs every evening at seven! | was watching the news with my grandma just now, and suddenly | saw Ashley on TV!] Netizens were shocked and couldn''t believe that Ashley was on the national channel news. As the news spread,izens immediately turned on their televisions. They didn¡¯t even need to change the channel since it was a national broadcast. And there they, indeed, saw Ashley on the screen. In the news, Ashley was seen talking confidently and gracefully with the President of Yaloria, who seemed to regard her with great admiration and warmth. They were also seen admiring the ancient painting Auburn Symphony together. Ascrolling text at the bottom reads. [Our country¡¯s renowned artifact restorer, Ashley Ramos, has restored the thousand-year-old damaged painting Auburn Symphony, earning favor from the President of Yaloria...] This scene was shockingly unexpected, like a bomb dropped into water, creating an immediate huge sensation, The hashtag ¡°Ashley on National Channel News¡± quickly topped the trending searches, followed by a zing surge in discussions. 09-07 Following that, hashtags like ¡°Ashley restores thousand-year-old Auburn Symphony¡± and ¡°Ashley¡¯s cordial interaction with the President of Yaloria¡± and simr topics also rapidly climbed the trending searches, sparking heated discussions amongizens. Seeing all those hashtags, Cara¡¯s small group of die-hard fans were instantly and utterly bewildered. [What''s going on? Wasn¡¯t it Cara who restored the ancient painting? Howe it¡¯s Ashley in the news?] [Did Ashley take credit for Cara¡¯s work? I¡¯ve never heard of Ashley being skilled in artifact restoration!] [Yeah, that¡¯s right. I¡¯ve never heard of that either. Ashley doesn¡¯t know the first thing about restoring paintings! That wretched must have stolen the credit from Cara!!] [Ah, this is infuriating! Cara did the work, but Ashley took all the credit and glory! Ashley, you deserve the worst!] [Hey, | just remembered Cara and Charlie are close, and he¡¯s an artifact restorer. Let''s ask him! Charlie will surely stand up for Cara and get her justice!] Feeling it uneptable, Cara¡¯s fans bombarded Charlie¡¯s Twitter with questions. [Mr. Ramos, it was Cara who restored the Auburn Symphony, right? Ashley stole Cara¡¯s credit. You must stand up for Cara!] The otherizens were baffled by thesements flooding in from Cara¡¯s fans, leaving them utterly perplexed. One of them wondered, ¡°Stealing credit? I¡¯ve never heard of Ashley de restoration. But stealing credit... Is that even possible?¡± Surprisingly, Charlie quickly responded to Cara¡¯s fans: [The ancient painting was restored by Ashley, and it has nothing to do with Cara! Cara is the one who damaged the painting!] This response left theizens in shock. One of them thought in disbelief, ¡®Holy cow, has Charlie changed sides? Why is he speaking up for Ashley and not defending Cara anymore? And why is he addressing Ashley so familiarly? Has he lost his mind?!¡¯Content held by N?velDrama.Org. As everyone was puzzling over this, Charlie posted a surveince video, stating: [With the permission of Mr. Walker from the National Museum, 09:07 now the surveince video of restoration day of the painting is made public. Please watch it for yourselves!] Netizens then eagerly clicked on the surveince video. Once they did, they saw Ashley, Charlie, Cara, and many other artifact restorers in the room showing on their screen. Then, they saw Charlie and Cara starting to restore the ancient painting. Cara¡¯s fans were instantly ignited, bombarding the post withments. [See! The painting was indeed restored by Cara! She did it with her own hands! This video proves it!] [Ashley, you stole someone¡¯s credit, I''ll kill you!!] [Thank you, Mr. Ramos, for speaking up for Cara! Ashley,e out and apologize! Apologize to Cara!!] Cara¡¯s fans were livid and were hurling insults left and right. But the next second, they saw in the surveince video that Cara, with a pair of tweezers, made a careless move and punctured the painting. Cara¡¯s fans were instantly stunned and fell silent. One of her fans wondered, ¡®She...punctured it? What¡¯s going on?¡¯ The otherizens immediately felt pained after seeing the ancient painting was damaged.. [Damn, how stupid can you be, Cara?! If you can¡¯t do it, don¡¯t try to fix it And Charlie, he¡¯s also a dimwit! Going along with Cara to restore it, only to make things worse!] Cara¡¯s fans then defended. [Why are you so angry? Cara just identally poked a hole. The painting was fixed afterward, right? It must have been Cara who fixed it!] However, the following part of the surveince video showed not only Cara poking a hole in the ancient painting but also maliciously lying and shifting all the me onto Charlie. Chapter 277 Chapter 277 Upon seeing the video, Cara¡¯s fans were instantly proven wrong and were utterly dumbfounded. One of them wondered in disbelief, ¡®Is the person in the surveince video, who''s a ridiculous liar ying innocent and framing others, really the gentle, kind, and talented Cara we know? How could she be so...shameless?¡¯ The otherizens were astounded by what they saw. [Cara is really not a good person! I¡¯ve never seen someone so fake! Disgusting!!] [Ha, this is hrious. Just a moment ago, Cara¡¯s fans were fiercely defending her, and the next second, they¡¯re left utterly embarrassed!] [I''m disgusted. Why would anyone still support such a terrible person? Fans, wake up and unfollow her! Cara should be banned from the entertainment industry!] [Serve Charlie right to get framed by Cara! A ssic case of backstabbers turning on each other!] Whileizens were passionately criticizing in thements, they were also anxious about how the ancient painting was restored after being damaged by Cara for the second time. Asizens continued watching the video, they grew increasingly shocked, their mouths agape in disbelief. One of them pondered, ¡®What? Ashley is the renowned Caleb¡¯s granddaughter and is also the recently famous Rita? And Ashley single-handedly saved the day by restoring the damaged ancient painting?¡± After watching the entire surveince video, theizens were boiling over with excitement, like a powder keg ready to explode. [Rita? Ashley is Rita Grant?? Holy cow, Ashley, you are... Ah! I¡¯m losing my mind!] [So, it was Ashley who restored the painting! It wasn¡¯t about stealing credit at all, but rather cleaning up the mess and salvaging the painting damaged by Cara!] 1/6 Chapter 277 [The one who made a significant contribution to the nation is Ashley! Cara doesn¡¯t evene close to Ashley''s level!] [No wonder Ashley was featured on the national news. With her artifact restoration skills, she¡¯s a national treasure-level master. The president of Yaloria was right, Ashley is indeed a master restorer!] Amidst all the buzz, the national news channel''s official Twitter ount posted a tweet, sharing a photo of Ashley restoring the ancient painting. Furthermore, they publicly praised Ashley, wholeheartedlymending her for taking charge and sessfully restoring the twice-damaged painting and awarded her an honorary medal. [Wow, that medal looks so cool! | want one!] [Keep dreaming. That medal is specially awarded by the nation to those who make exceptional contributions, representing a national-level honor. It¡¯s extremely rare, and this is the first one awarded this year, and it belongs to Ashley.] [Ashley deserves it!!] Whileizens were enthusiastically discussing Ashley''s honor, some discovered that the president of Yaloria had registered a Twitter ount, and the first person he followed was Ashley. Initially,izens thought it was a fake ount, but they were utterly stunned upon realizing the ount was officially verified. The president of Yaloria¡¯s first tweet was also about Ashley. [I really like. the painting Auburn Symphony restored by Ms. Ramos. My wife has always been a fan of Attelia and the gowns she designed. I¡¯m very happy to have met you and taken a photo with you today.] The tweet was apanied by a photo of Ashley and the president of Yaloria. Upon seeing the post,izens were so surprised that they were speechless for quite a while beforeing back to their senses. [Holy... Holy cow! Did the president of Yaloria create a Twitter ount just for Ashley?!] [And Attelia! The First Lady loves Attelia and the gowns she designed!] [Wow, | can¡¯t believe | share the same taste with the First Lady! How thrilling is that?!] [You guys have to see the way the president of Yaloria looks at Ashley. He seems so fond of her!] [Now I¡¯m even more convinced that Ashley is my long-lost wife! Ashley, my love, I¡¯ming for you!] now, [Guys, now I¡¯m curious. If the Ramos family members are online they must be seeing all this news, right? Do you guys think they are now regretting that they have cut ties with Ashley?] At this moment, hashtags like ¡°Ashley Ramos is Rita Grant,¡± ¡°Ashley Ramos restored the painting damaged by Cara Ward,¡± ¡°Ashley Ramos receives national honor,¡± and ¡°The president of Yaloria follows Ashley Ramos¡± were rapidly gaining traction on various social media apps, trending one after another. Almost all discussions and news thatizens were seeing and talking about were rted to Ashley. Naturally, while praising Ashley, they didn¡¯t forget to condemn Charlie and Cara. Amidst this widespread public opinion, Charlie publicly issued a statement of repentance, admitting his numerous past mistakes. He confessed that while at Ramos Vi, he saw Ashley being bullied and mistreated by the Ramos family but he remained indifferent and silently connived it. Charlie acknowledged repeatedly choosing to believe Cara over Ashley, hurting Ashley in the process and ultimately suffering the consequences himself. Charlie even expressed a wish to apologize to Ashley. Netizens had only one thing to say to this, ¡°Why only now? Your bted remorse is worth less than nothing!¡± Someizens were also wondering. [With such a big scandal today, why hasn¡¯t Carae out to stir the pot? Is she done pretending to be innocent and gentle?] Then, an industry insider, who was quietly observing the spectacle, couldn¡¯t resistmenting: [You guys might not know this, but Cara has been cklisted! All her ads were pulled a few days ago, and her cameo. in a TV drama was also deleted. She¡¯s beenpletely banned from the industry! Cara is finished and won''t be making aeback!] DE Upon reading thatment, almost allizens felt that Cara being. cklisted was well-deserved. Theizens soon celebrated with glee. [She deserves it! | don¡¯t want to see Cara¡¯s face at all now!] [Remember how Cara¡¯s delusional die-hard fans said she had finally risen from her darkest moment? It seems like she has. managed to find an even darker ce now. Hrious!] [I''m d | had the good judgment to support Ashley early on. Looks like | have chosen the right person to follow.] Meanwhile, all the thick curtains were drawn over at Cara¡¯s apartment. She sat at the table, looking at the tablet with envy as she read the online content about the admirationizens had for Ashley and the criticism. -directed at herself. Cara couldn''t hold back any longer. Her facade of gentlenesspletely shattered, and she then pushed everything off the table with a swipe of her hand. With a series of crashing sounds, the items shattered all over the floor. Cara stood up and went on a rampage, smashing everything in the room that she couldy her hands on, hysterically venting her frustration, her face even distorting unsightly in her rage. Amidst the chaos, her phone rang. It was Tyler calling. As soon as she answered, he started scolding her, ¡°Cara! How could you be so useless!¡±N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. He pondered angrily, ¡®Her image ispletely ruined now! She¡¯s b a universally despised figure, beyond redemption! My n for Cara to pretend to be the heiress of the Pliskin family and reconcile with them wasn¡¯t sessful. Neither was her defeating Ashley.¡¯ With that thought, Tyler shouted over the phone, ¡°Cara, you''ve disappointed me so much!¡± ¡°Mr. Morgan...¡± Cara looked up at the blinding light on the ceiling, her eyes stinging from the brightness, feeling as if they were being corroded by sulfuric acid. Tyler then continued his furious tirade. Ever since the recording was Chapter 277 exposed, he knew Ashley must have started investigating Cara. He felt like his secrets were about to be exposed... Tyler had been constantly on edgetely, gued by an ominous. premonition. Then, over in a private room at a high-end hotel in the city center. Henry and Paul had invited Ashley to dinner to thank her for ensuring the ancient painting was sessfully disyed at the state banquet. Ashley had just sat down when her phone buzzed with a message from Joseph. [Ashley, you¡¯re a sensation right now! The whole Inte is talking about you!] She was rendered speechless after reading it. Before Ashley could even reply to Joseph, messages from other friends bombarded her phone. Miranda texted: [Ah, Ashley! So you are Rita! You have sessfully restored the ancient painting. That¡¯s incredible! How lucky am | to have such an aplished friend like you!!] Then Ashley clicked on Bryce¡¯s message that read: [You¡¯re pretty famous now, not bad. But not as famous as me though.] Lester also had messaged: [Ashley, seeing the president of Yaloria says his wife loves Attelia¡¯s designed gowns reminded me that my mother is also a big fan of Attelia, a loyal supporter of yours, and of course, so am |, your loyal fan.] Afterward, Ashley saw another message, and it was from George: [Ashley, you''re truly amazing. | will always be happy for your achievements.] Unknown Number 1 sent: [Ashley, it¡¯s me, Jeremy! | saw you on the news just now! And your photo with the president of Yaloria! You''re so impressive. | feel like I¡¯m holding you back as your brother!] Unknown Number 2 texted: [Ashley, Matthew here! I just saw Charlie¡¯s public apology online. Don¡¯t bother with him. Charlie is not sincerely remorseful, but | truly am. I¡¯m watching the news with such joy, Ashley. Don¡¯t | look like the saying ¡°grinning from ear to ear¡±?] A picture of him smiling was attached to the message. 5/6 09:07 Chapter 277 Ashley also found another text sent by a third unknown number: [Ashley, has Cara done anything else to hurt you? Don¡¯t worry, I''ll confront her every time | see her. By the way, Ashley, this is my new number. Please don¡¯t block me again, okay? With love, Ryan.] Upon seeing all the messages, the corner of Ashley''s mouth twitched, and she decisively blocked thest three unknown numbers. Just as she was about to put her phone down, she received a call from Jaden. Ashley then rubbed her temples and wearily answered the call. Jaden¡¯s excited voice came through the phone, eximing, ¡°It¡¯s crazy. The Inte is all about you right now! | just went to the supermarket, and even strangers were talking about you!¡± Ashley¡¯s ears were nearly numb from hearing simrments, and she was about to hang up. ¡°Is there anything else you called for besides telling me this?¡± Jaden raised an eyebrow. ¡°Of course, there is! | have important news! You weren¡¯t thinking of hanging up on me, were you?¡± Caught in the act, Ashley silently stopped the action of hanging up and cleared her throat. ¡°What''s the important news?¡± ¡°It''s about Jessica!¡± Jaden chuckled, ¡°Great news! After some maneuvering and testing the waters, Jessica has dropped her guard and decided to sell the Ramos Group shares to the Zenith Group! This time, the Ramos. family...is in for a show!¡± Chapter 278 Chapter 278 Ashley was somewhat surprised upon hearing Jaden. She hadn''t expected Jessica to take the bait so quickly. Previously, when Ashley had heard that Jessica was nning to sell the Ramos Group¡¯s shares secretly, Ashley arranged for Jaden to have someone from the Zenith Group approach Jessica for a deal. Ashley had thought the negotiation would take some time, but she hadn¡¯t expected progress so soon. Ashley pondered, ¡®It seems Jessica is very eager to sell the Ramos Group''s shares secretly. | bet she wants to cash in the Ramos family¡¯s funds for herself and then run off with the money. Evan and Bertha definitely don¡¯t know about this. If they find out that Jessica intends to embezzle the Ramos family¡¯s assets, that would indeed be quite a spectacle.¡¯ After a moment of thought, Ashley asked Jaden on the phone, ¡°When will she sign the share transfer agreement? Jaden replied, ¡°It¡¯s the end of the month now, right? We''ve scheduled the formal signing on the 10th of next month. | had the general manager of the Zenith Group approach Jessica, and right now, she doesn¡¯t even suspect a thing. She has no idea that I''m the boss behind the Zenith Group and even less that you¡¯re the major shareholder. Just wait until the day of the contract signing on the 10th. She will get what¡¯sing to her! ¡°By the way, should we bring Evan and Bertha along on the day of the contract signing? Let these two old fools see what their darling da has done. Just thinking about them getting furious makes me feel satisfied! Wait, you won''t go soft on them, would you?¡± Ashley felt as if she was being insulted and retorted in a ¡°Are you questioning me?¡± tone, saying, ¡°Do you think | would?¡± Jaden quickly responded, ¡°Of course not! I''d like to think | know you w enough! Let¡¯s n more over these next few days!¡± ¡°Alright, sounds good,¡± she agreed. After ending the call, Ashley was about to put her phone back in her pocket when she received messages from Laura and Miranda. Laura sent: [Ashley, | just saw the news and was shocked. Did you restore the ancient painting? And you''re Rita?!] Ashley replied sweetly: [I was asked to keep it a secret when the painting was just restored, so | couldn''t tell you right away.] Laura was ecstatic as if she had just won a huge lottery jackpot. However, she was also somewhat baffled. She was thrilled because Ashley was now incredibly popr, even attracting attention from foreign president, which was an unprecedented feat. And Laura was baffled because she felt like her role as Ashley¡¯s agent was. bing redundant since Ashley seemed to handle everything herself. Laura thought, ¡®Compared to Bryce, Ashley is just so easy to manage, and | don¡¯t even need to worry about anything for her. Well, | guess getting paid for doing nothing is something others can only dream of. | might as well consider this an early retirement! After responding to Laura, Ashley clicked open Miranda¡¯s message: [Ashley, Ryan just came to me saying he wants me to pass something on to you. | didn¡¯t agree. | think | should ask your opinion first.] Ashley frowned, thinking irritably, ¡®What the hell is wrong with Ryan?¡± Since she was currently having dinner with Henry and Paul in a private dining room at the hotel, she felt that it wasn¡¯t appropriate to be glued to her phone. Therefore, Ashley didn¡¯t dwell on it much and briefly replied. to Miranda: [You don¡¯t need to bother with Ryan. Are you free tonight? I''d like toe see you.] Miranda immediately responded: [Yes, I¡¯m free. Come over, Ashle haven''t seen each other for a while. I''ll be waiting.] Ashley put down her phone and chatted briefly with Henry and Pa Paul, eager to recruit talent, persistently asked, ¡°Ms. Ramos, are you s you won''t consider working at the National Museum? We can offer the best sry and benefits!¡± In short, he was willing to spend big to recruit her. After all, who would want to miss out on such a top-notch artifact restoration master? yo Ashley apologetically responded, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Walker, | really don¡¯t have such ns right now.¡± 2/5 09:07 She had a lot on her te at the moment, like the matter of Jessica secretly selling the Ramos Group¡¯s shares. Jessica had already taken the bait, and it wouldn¡¯t be long before the Ramos family would fall apart. Paul sighed repeatedly with regret, looking as if he had aged several years in an instant. Ashley thought for a moment and then suggested. ¡°How about this, Mr. Walker? If you ever have artifacts that are particrly challenging to restore, I¡¯m always willing to help.¡± ¡°Really, Ms. Ramos?¡± Paul¡¯s eyes lit up with excitement. ¡°We would be more than grateful for your help! Let''s agree on that, then!¡± Henry chuckled and pointed at Paul. ¡°Look at how happy you are!¡± Then, Henry cleared his throat and asked, ¡°Ashley, are you dating anyone right now?¡± Ashley was puzzled and left speechless. ¡®Why is he suddenly asking this?¡¯ she wondered. Henry smiled warmly, ¡°Ashley, if you¡¯re not seeing anyone, my friend¡¯s grandson is around your age. You guys could meet up and see if you both can hit it off. He¡¯s a very fine young man, tall and handsome!¡± Ashley was left speechless again, thinking, ¡®Ah, so that¡¯s what this is about...¡± Ashley calmly stated with clear eyes, ¡°Mr. Anderson, I¡¯m actually married already. | just haven''t made my marital status public due to personal reasons.¡± Henry and Paul were both stunned and wondered, ¡®What? She¡¯s married already? How sudden is this?¡± Just then, as if luck would have it, Ashley¡¯s phone rang, and it was Valentin calling. ¡°Excuse me, | need to go take this call, Ashley said as she stood up. Once outside the private room, Ashley answered the phone and asked with a yful tone, ¡°Hey darling, were you just watching me on TV?¡± Valentin¡¯s light, seductive chuckle came through the phone, and then he replied with his deep, maic voice, ¡°Of course, | was watching my darling the whole time. | didn¡¯t even blink once.¡± 09.07N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Ashley rolled her eyes yfully, thinking, ¡®As if. You and your bluffing.¡± Valentin¡¯s voice was rxed as he asked, ¡°When will you be done? I¡¯lle pick you up.¡± Ashley checked the time, noting it was nearly eight in the evening, and said, ¡°I¡¯m going to see Miranda first, then I''ll head home. I''ll call you when I¡¯m done there, and you cane pick me up then.¡± ¡°By the way.¡± Ashley tapped her fingers against the corridor wall, teasing, ¡°I was having dinner with Mr. Anderson and Mr. Walker today, and Mr. Anderson asked if | was dating anyone. He wanted to set me up with someone.¡± Valentin frowned and wondered irritably, ¡®Why are there always people eyeing my wife?¡¯ ¡°| just told him that I¡¯m already married!¡± Ashley replied and pondered whether to make her marriage with Valentin public to avoid such situations in the future, as she found it rather troublesome. After a brief chat, Ashley hung up and returned to the private dining room. Henry hadn¡¯t recovered from his shock yet and looked at Ashley in disbelief. ¡°Ashley, are you really married?¡± Ashley nodded firmly. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s true.¡± Henry''s eyebrows knitted together, his protective instincts surfacing. ¡°Who is the guy? Is he good enough for you? What does he do for a living? He isn¡¯t depending on you for support, is he?¡± Ashley blinked and couldn¡¯t help but amusedly imagine, ¡®Supporting Valentin, huh? Actually, that is possible and wouldn''t be too bad. He¡¯s quite a looker. | wouldn¡¯t mind at all, honestly. Just as Henry was about to ask more, as he was concerned that Ashley might be in a rtionship that wasn¡¯t genuine, his phone rang. Seeing the caller ID, Henry¡¯s grim expression softened, and he got up to answer the call with a kind demeanor. Paul couldn¡¯t help but find it strange. Henry was usually a very stern person, and it was rare to see him so gentle with anyone, Paul then wondered who was on the other end of the call. 09:070 Chapter 278 Henry walked to the entrance of the private dining room and answered the call with a friendly tone, ¡°Hey, Valentin...¡± Chapter 279 Chapter 279 Ashley was instantly puzzled. She wondered, ¡®I just told Valentin about Mr. Anderson trying to set me up just seconds ago, and now Valentin is calling Mr. Anderson? Does Valentin really have to act out this fast?¡± Overhearing the name Valentin, Paul was initially surprised and then understood why Henry was so amodating. After all, it was Valentin. With the Kingsley family¡¯s immense influence and Valentin being the current head of the family, it was natural for them to be wary and hope for a mutually beneficial rtionship with him. Moreover, Henry also seemed to have connections with Zain. Soon after, Henry returned from the call, looking at Ashley with a mix of surprise and delight. ¡°So, you¡¯re married to...¡± His voice trailed off as he thought, ¡®So Ashley is married to Valentin.¡± Ashley quickly understood that Valentin must have mentioned something to Henry over the phone. Henry sat down, chuckling, ¡°I know Valentin too. | had no idea about your rtionship with him. I¡¯ve made a fool of myself. Since you''re already married, | won¡¯t set you up with any blind dates!¡± He pondered, ¡®Well,pared to my friend¡¯s grandson, Valentin and Ashley are a much better match! | was worried about who theg guy was and if he could have been a good match for Ashley, but now there¡¯s not need. Valentin and Ashley do seem well suited for each other!¡¯ Ashley breathed a sigh of relief, happy to have resolved the matchmaking matter. After the dinner, Ashley bid farewell to Henry and Paul and went to see Miranda. Miranda was eagerly waiting for Ashley¡¯s arrival. Her eyes sparkled as soon as she opened the door and saw Ashley. ¡°Look who we have here if it isn¡¯t the sensational Rita who¡¯s all over the Inte! Oh,e here and give me a hug!¡± 09:07 Ashley, amused by Miranda¡¯s exaggerated description, hugged her. Once they sat down on the sofa, Ashley asked, ¡°You mentioned in your text that Ryan was looking for you to pass something on to me?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Miranda replied as she poured two sses of juice, ¡°he wanted me to give you something that looks like car keys. Seems like he wants to gift a car, but | didn¡¯t agree to it without your consent.¡± you a ¡°Miranda, if he bothers you again about anything rted to me, just ignore him.¡± ¡°| figured you wouldn¡¯t like him much ¡°Is he still bothering you?¡± Ashley curiously asked. ¡°Yeah, he is still,¡± Miranda sighed as she clung onto Ashley''s arm, her face scrunched up in annoyance. ¡°But | don¡¯t want to deal with him.¡± Miranda had liked Ryan when he was disguised as Bradley, but her feelings became extremelyplicated ever since she learned he was Ryan and that he was one of the Ramos family members. She couldn''t ichelp but think that no one in the Ramos family was good. Although Ryan now had realized his mistake and was desperately seeking Ashley''s forgiveness, Miranda couldn''t return to her previous feelings for Ryan and was also unable to treat Ryan the same way she did when he Vasas Bradley. siny Miranda had her own stance, Ashley didn¡¯t press further and just upapported her friend¡¯s decision. Then then chatted warmly about other things for a while. Vite they were enjoying their conversation, Ashley received Va nesagage asking when she wanted toe home so he could pick Ashley pouted, inwardly grumbling about how he had disrupted h firi-ralie ik sessions. She could ki acatially get home herself without troubling Valentin. But after consiuidering it. Ashley realized that her rtionship with Valentin was a different now. They were now dating, and having her husband cornene go pick her up was also a way to strengthen their bond. Besides, even be before they were together, when Ashley atc. Valentin wonddhibconsideratelye to pick her up. Was busy and out 09:07 ped a message and sent in tot vote Valentin along with the g him toe over now. now. with Miranda for a while. Aleshury stood up to say goodbye. ssed her concern, asking. is it. Sisen safe to take a cab home this ¡°Valentin ising to pick me une up atly eximed with a bright smile, Mr. Mr. Kingsley is really t deny this. Valentin indeed treated her exceptionally well, e virtues of a good and caring partier...er. apanied Ashley downstairs, s ched the ground floor, they unexpectedly run into kyan, looking for Ashley. shiey. Ryan immediately sprinted toward her, neus eyes excitement in the night. Ashley!¡± furrowed in disgust. id Soon, so sternly r anding Kaded was equally annoyed, snapped. ¡°Why are you here neat again?¡± in a set of car keys from his pocket and offered them tem to ck car Care saying. ¡°Ashley, this is a high-performance rancing ksenbled! As a racer, you''ll definitely like it! | want to give give reythe keys to you!¡± suthsathusiasm but was unfortunately met with Ashley¡¯shley¡¯s azal gaze. ent, and it, and his excitement cooled off. His hand and he keyseridys and hesitated before speaking timidly. fv. ¡°If sat!¡± he forget torrer it. By the way. Mom and Dad called me juste just id they wthey wanted to meet you and asked if | knew new rewster thenthinking that even if Evan and Bertha raha would dependepewd on whether she was willing to meetge ind ensation a yes. ¡®t think we dandon know that they just want to see so popr and inpid apressive now! risked and 09-0 09 08 musezibuted, but he didn¡¯t defend Evan and and got into the car. Then, worth worth defending. y side Valew Valentin would be arriving soon, so ¡°| shouldshould get going now.¡± reful or on your way!¡± began walkinwalking toward the nearby llow Asluey bite, but she nced back sternly Don¡¯t follow fidow me.¡± ntage while he wasn¡¯t a kiss on Valentin¡¯s. action, wondering, een bewitched by his cover his eyes though arkling with ly, ¡®It¡¯s all your fault for le, watching Ashley walley walk away. After Miranda told Ryan, Ryan who was stili standing thering 10c.ig me. her in anguish.guish. n¡¯s presence, turned brise brish and headed to the intersection and sawd sa ck car iled, and she jogged toward reward it. Joseph''s head popped out from from the m here came to pick you up toolroosare you tched slightly. ¡°Howe you''re here here?¡± low. get in! He is in the back seal death le ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if s eyes instantly he looked at her. yed. ¡°What are you not ¡®husband.¡± et adorable demeanor. :ction. dredigen left. Event been after Ashley. keonger look at he ardhan, he wasn¡¯t sure w and saw Valentin¡¯s handsome and he and fluttered, feeling a tingling sensation sation altersection just in time to s hly. Ah, truly a sight for sore eyes.¡¯c eyes gher staring at him, Valentin asked and he car. aley? Is it her friend?¡± andshe got in. Ryan ran over, low, he saw who was inside... ed, strong hand and got into the other. Then, seat and taking advantage while while be wasn¡¯t ed over and nted a kiss on Vaicon Valentin¡¯s ly stunned by her own action, woud, qndering. e that? | must have been bewitched by bed by his Joseph pretended to cover his eyes thougs though bart. od mood, his eyes sparkling with with 1. grumbling inwardly. ¡®It¡¯s all your faulfort for he front seat, saying. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter ifat if d. it¡¯s totally legal!¡± or Ashley, Valentin¡¯s eyes instantly ensely passionate as he looked at her. sbd massed and annoyed. ¡°What are you hould be ¡®boyfriend, not ¡®husband.¡± bysed by her berce yet adorable demeanor.nor obed writer with affection. here beere he had been left. Eventually, nd cluse chased after Ashley. ated to talk to take a longer look at her. ide towardownd him, he wasn¡¯t sure when he ed the interseciters qution just in time to see kup Ashley? In it her friber friend?¡±N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. ly after she gotlin. an. kwan ran over red window, he saw whawho was inside... Chapter 280 Joseph was gleefully enjoying the affectionate disy between Valentin and Ashley in the back seat when suddenly, a dark figure unexpectedly appeared outside the car window. ¡°Damn!¡± Joseph cursed under his breath. He was startled, his body jolting in shock. For a moment, he thought it was a ghost in the dead of night. Gathering his courage to take a closer look, he realized it was none other than Ryan, the fool. ¡°What''s wrong with you?¡± Already not fond of the Ramos family, Joseph was nearly scared out of his wits by Ryan and couldn''t help butsh out irritably. ¡°Are you out of your mind, scaring people like a ghost in the middle of the night?¡± Joseph irritably wondered, ¡®Where did this idiote from? Has he been following Ashley all this time?¡¯ At that moment, Ryan was too shocked to pay attention to Joseph¡¯s insults. His eyes were fixed on Ashley in the back seat and the man beside her. Ryan thought, ¡®Is that...Valentin?¡¯ He initially doubted his eyes, but after a double-take, he was sure it was Valentin, the CEO of the Kingsley Group. Ryan wondered, ¡®Why is he sitting with Ashley? They seem quite familiar with each other.¡¯ Ryan felt as if his world had crumbled, stunned as he looked through the car window at Ashley and Valentin. The question about their rtionship lingered unspoken in Ryan¡¯s mind. Struggling to find words, Ryan stammered, ¡°Ashley... I... you...¡± However, before he could say more, he was immediately met with Valentin¡¯s icy and hostile gaze, which felt as cold as a harsh winter wind, chilling him to the tile Ryan shivered with fear, feeling a chill run down his spine as he instinctively stepped back. He could clearly sense Valentin¡¯s undisguised anger and contempt, 09-08 evidently protective of Ashley. Realizing Valentin was defending Ashley left Ryan even more stunned. He stumbled over his words, saying: the Can can you get out of e car a and listen to me for a minute? | promise it won''t take long! | won¡¯t take much of your time!¡± However, Ashley¡¯s gaze was indifferent, not even sparing him a nce. She simply told Joseph in the driver¡¯s seat, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Joseph had been waiting for Ashley¡¯smand. He disdainfully nced at Ryan. ¡°Move!¡± After saying that, Joseph immediately started the car. Ryan didn¡¯t receive a single nce from Ashley, his eyes filling with a sense of loss. Suddenly remembering that he, Jeremy, and Matthew had spected that Joseph was always sticking close to Ashley, possibly harboring ill intentions, he shouted a warning, ¡°Ashley, beware of Joseph! He¡¯s up to no good! Don¡¯t fall prey to him!¡± Hearing this, Joseph, who had just driven off, nearly lost his grip on the steering wheel. He cursed aloud in anger, wishing he could turn the car around and run Ryan over. Ashley had also heard Ryan shout, and her eyelids twitched violently, feeling utterly livid. She thought angrily, ¡®Ryan really has some nerve toe up with nonsense!¡¯ Joseph hurriedly exined, his voice tinged with urgency, ¡°Valent not true! | didn¡¯t do anything! Don¡¯t believe Ryan¡¯s nonsense!¡± Valentin fell silent and looked straight back at him without respondi Joseph nced at Ashley through the rearview mirror, his face a pictu of distress. ¡°Ashley, you have to believe me!¡± ¡°It''s okay, don¡¯t worry, no one believes a word Ryan says!¡± Ashley reassured him, turning to Valentin and wrapping her arm around his. ¡°You definitely don¡¯t believe it, right?¡± Valentin remained silent and didn¡¯t respond. He thought sarcastically, ¡®If | believed it, I''d be a fool.¡¯ Joseph continued to nce anxiously at Valentin through the rearview mirror, thinking, ¡®You have to believe me, Valentin!¡¯ Valentin, showing signs of frustration, rubbed his forehead resignedly. ¡°Of course, | believe you. Just focus on driving.¡± Hearing Valentin¡¯s words, Joseph finally rxed. ¡®Fucking hell Ryan, are you trying to sabotage me? Just you wait!¡¯ Joseph thought angrily. At that moment, Ryan stood bewildered on the roadside, reying the scene of seeing Ashley and Valentin together in the back seat of the car. Ryan was sure that their rtionship must be more than ordinary. He remembered the Skyward Art Exhibition a while back, where Valentin went specifically for Ashley, expressing his fondness for her and Aurora. There was also the charity dinner where Valentin had spent 10 million. dors to buy Ashley''s bracelet. Ryan¡¯s mind then raced to a shocking possibility, and he was blown away with goggling. He thought, ¡®Could it be... Could it be that Valentin is also interested in Ashley?! Besides Joseph, Valentin also tries something inappropriate with Ashley!¡± As Ryan arrived at this terrifying conclusion, his eyes nearly popped out of their sockets in shock, and he then shakily pulled out his phone to call. Jeremy. ¡°Jeremy!¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Jeremy asked impatiently. Ryan blurted out, ¡°Jeremy, | just saw Ashley and Valentin...¡± As soon as Jeremy heard Ashley¡¯s name, he immediately perked up, focusing entirely on that, and asked eagerly, ¡°You saw Ashley just now?¡± ¡°Yes, | did,¡± Ryan replied with a hint of bragging. Jeremy jumped up from the couch, gripping his phone tightly. ¡°How did you see Ashley? Where? Didn''t we agree to apologize to her together? You went behind my back?! How cunning of you!¡± Ryan replied, ¡°No, it was just a coincidence. | went to see Miranda and bumped into Ashley at Miranda¡¯s ce.¡± Jeremy was consumed with jealousy and anger, wondering why such luck 09:08 ame his way. tter take me along next time yvonneste see Miranda!¡± he ded. torted, ¡°Why would | take you whericoligo to see the girl | like?¡± was momentarily speechless and thougbucht. Well, that¡¯s true. in his hand through his hair. his face adedited with worry. ¡°Let¡¯s not ow. | have something important to styy. just saw Ashley and i together, and they seemed quite closesc entin?¡± Jeremy almost thought he was bean methings. ¡°Are you about the Valentin i know or someone with are the same name? rse. it¡¯s the one you know! The CEO of the nongsley Group!¡± Ryan ciously, ¡°I suspect he¡¯s interested in Ashley asas uying to get der. possibly with ill intentions!¡± then rell into a contemtive silence. 1. If it were the old days before | hade to 100 can senses, givalentin was interested in Ashley. | would have done are at vibing Ramos fanuly¡¯s benefit, even forcing Ashley into Valentnsins bed. Ashley is the most important person to me, my deadwarezoved nos course. | have to consider her well-being. What does vesevalentin totitolhat? But Valentin, a man of immense power, is not retrc trifled with. If he has taken a liking to Ashley, is its it a nore lonke for her? Could Ashley be harmed?¡± arityhnelly get to see our sister now...¡± Jeremy said, feelingling isedessuboledador the first time, unable to even meet his owinsisteist in replied pied equally distressed. ere.¡± Jeremyarty instructed. ¡°Charlie and Matthew are here withi to disc wha what to do.¡± brised. Chalic in the is there too?¡± 1. ¡°Yeah, Chablic.harist has stopped restoring artifacts. He just sits sits less, and keepd badusecalling Ashley. Too bad she had blocked his his n the gloatingobervesServes him right. We warned him not to t ey, but he always sidert wuded with Cara. Even after knowing Cara¡¯s as dso intentions against Altey. Charlie still blindly supports Cara. He deserves it!¡± After venting his fissatations. Ryan hung up and headed to Jeremy''s ce. Back at Kingsley Vil Josepha chatted with Valentin and Ashley in the living room for a while be gore he grew restless and stood up, taking his car keys and preparing to head cut. ¡°My dear Valentin and Ashleyoou two should get some rest. I¡¯m off to enjoy the nightlife! Joseph aanpenriced The corner of Ashley''s lips then switched slightly. ¡°It¡¯s sote. Aren¡¯t you going to rest?¡± josephi twirled the car keys on his inner and smiled charmingly, ¡°Come on. What time is it now? The nigatiile is just getting started.¡± Ashley was at a loss for words. With a snap of his fingers and a wave orisis hand. Joseph dered, ¡°I¡¯m of then!¡± After he left. Ashley turned to look at Valentin who was lounging on the sofa. Valentin slightly raised his eyebrows and ddossavedisisi tie, speaking in a fxed tone. ¡°Why are you looking at me like chhath have never had nightlife before we were married, and certainlyinoonamw.¡± Ashley was speechless after hearing him.. secocould tell that Valentin¡¯s mention of ¡°nightlife haddan immoper motacion.Content held by N?velDrama.Org. Vaitinin sighed in a seemingly innocent manner. ¡°You don¡¯t likenne, | ioli ny fault.¡± blck waras speechless again, thinking irritably. Why does thisiscound so ampujatavive? shley suddenly bem over, gazing at Valentin, who was sitting on the fa. She said si slightly, tugged at his tie, and with a subtle hint of rtation she said ¡®ve heard that marital nightlife...can be quite e teresting. Do you want to give it a try? Upon hearing that, Valentin¡¯s eyes instantly turned intense. Chapter 281 Chapter 281 After his shower, Valentin emerged from the bathroom to find Ashley sitting on the edge of the bed, engrossed in her phone. Throughout his shower. Valentin¡¯s thoughts had uncontrobly lingered. on what she had said about marital nightlife. Noticing himing out of the bathroom, Ashley turned off her phone and ced it on the bedside table. Then, she patted the bed invitingly. and surprisingly said, ¡°Come here, lie down.¡± Valentin raised his eyebrows in confusion. After a moment''s hesitation, he walked over. Seeing him just standing by the bed, Ashley sat up straight and knelt on the mattress, reaching out to pull his hand. ¡°Lie down. Aren''t you going to sleep?¡± After a couple of nces at her, Valentin obedientlyy down. Ashley pulled the nket over him, tucking it around him gently. ¡°Alright, lie down and sleep well. Good night!¡± Valentin was baffled, thinking, ¡®She asked me to lie down just to tell me to sleep?¡± ¡°Ashley Ramos!¡± He called out her full name, a rarity for him. Ashley quickly burrowed under the covers and snuggled into his arms. She lifted her head to kiss his chin, moving upward until she reached his lips. As her warm, soft kiss enveloped him, Valentin instinctively wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer into his embrace. Ashley then pinned Valentin beneath her, gazing down at him with puffed cheeks, and said in a serious tone, ¡°Don¡¯t move. I''ll take the lead!¡± Valentin was taken aback and then chuckled lightly.N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Due to Ashley¡¯s cuddling actions, his shirt cor had opened, revealing an enticing view of his corbone. The lines were sexy and distinct, and with his chuckle, his Adam¡¯s apple bobbed, making him seem both. desirable and alluring. Chapter 251 Ashley¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She licked her lips and leaned down to kiss him again. yfully exploring his body. The teasing, somewhat inexperienced nature of her actions was like a cute, affectionate kitten rubbing against his chest. leaving him tingling with delight. It made him feel itchy. Valentin¡¯s gaze darkened with desire, his eyes filled with desire, but he leisurely supported Ashley¡¯s waist. indulging her yful antics. Suddenly, Ashley felt like she was beginning to enjoy the act of kissing. When she went to remove Valentin¡¯s clothes, her hands were trembling. Stumbling and fumbling halfway through undressing, Ashley suddenly paused. nervously cleared her throat. then cleared it again. She gazed at him with glistened eyes and asked. ¡°Um. are you nervous?¡± Valentin nced at his half-undressed state and raised an eyebrow. ¡°Hmm?¡± Ashley¡¯s eyes trembled as she said with a gentle and considerate tone. ¡°Forget it. Seeing how nervous you are. I''ll sleep with you another time!¡± After issuing her bold statement. she prepared to roll off him, but Valentin caught her wrist. Valentin¡¯s voice was light and teasing. ¡°I¡¯m not nervous.¡± Ashley fell silent. blinked, and then yfully snuggled back into his embrace, wrapping her arms and legs around him and nuzzling her head against his chest in an adorable manner. You must be really nervous. I¡¯m sure of it!¡± It was simply irresistible. Valentin¡¯s body tensed up for a moment, and he hugged Ashley tightly. unable to resist her charms. He chuckled softly, ¡°Alright. I''m really nervous.¡± Satisfied, Ashley hummed proudly and kissed him again, stubbornly asserting. ¡°I knew you were nervous. I''ll let you off for tonight.¡± However, Valentin didn¡¯t let go, holding her tightly, his voice husky with barely contained desire. ¡°Darling... Ashley¡¯s heart then skipped a beat, and her fingers curled up as she looked at him with glistening eyes. Chapter 281 Valentin¡¯s eyes still held lingering passion as he kissed her again and again, his hoarse voice seductively murmuring, ¡°You''re going to be the death of me...¡± Chapter 282 The next afternoon. Ashley received a call from Laura and went to the Royal Entertainment. Just as she arrived in front of the building, Evan. Bertha, and Jessica suddenly rushed over and blocked her way. Ashley furrowed her brows, unable to hide her disgust.N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. ¡°Ashley.¡± Jessica spoke first, her voice soft and pitiful. ¡°Ashley, it¡¯s been so long since our parents have seen you. We specially came to yourpany and have been waiting for you since morning.¡± ¡°Ash...¡± Bertha rarely called her so affectionately, sounding a little ufortable. ¡°Ashley, we¡¯re all family. All the problems can be resolved. Don¡¯t be angry. Come back to the Ramos family, alright?¡± Evan, umonly gentle, said, ¡°Come back. Let¡¯s leave the past behind us, and let''s not hold grudges anymore.¡± Ashley looked at these three fake people with cold eyes. ¡°I know your scheme. If you still have any dignity, disappear from my sight now.¡± ¡°Ashley, don¡¯t say that. Our parents would be heartbroken.¡± Jessica¡¯s eyes shimmered with tears. ¡°It was my fault before. | apologize to you. Please don¡¯t hold it against them.¡± Ashley sneered, ¡°I misspoke earlier. You have no clue what dignity means.¡± ¡°Ashley!¡± Evan¡¯s tone turned harsh again. ¡°I came here to apologize in person and ask you toe home. What else do you want?¡± Ashleyughed mockingly. ¡°You could only pretend to be a good father for a few seconds. You''re more ustomed to being a viin, right?¡± ¡°You wretched woman, how dare you speak to your father like that!¡± Bertha grew agitated. Evan''s face flushed with anger, but he remembered the purpose of his visit today and restrained himself from exploding. ¡°Ashley, no matter what, we are your biological parents. We took you back to the Ramos family and gave you a home for two years. We haven¡¯t treated you unfairly. It was you who chose to cut ties with us. We didn¡¯t do anything wrong to you. ¡°The Ramos family is facing difficulties now. You are popr and versatile. As a daughter, it¡¯s your duty to help us! You really have no regard for the family? Are you just going to coldly watch the Ramos family go bankrupt?¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t do anything wrong to you. Ashley found his words amusing, and she genuinelyughed. She provocatively looked at Evan. ¡°If you want to save the Ramos family, then die, and I''ll help.¡± Evan widened his eyes in shock. His authority was challenged, and he swore angrily, ¡°You bitch! How can you say such things to me? | am your father!¡± Ashley¡¯s smile disappeared, and her gaze turned icy cold. ¡°Evan, don¡¯t be so conceited. Since the moment we severed ties, | have had no rtions with you, especially not with an ipetent and irresponsible father like you.¡± After saying that, Ashley called over one of the security guards patrolling the entrance of thepany. The security guard recognized Ashley as thepany¡¯s star and knew that she had been going out a lottely, so he maintained a respectful attitude. ¡°Ms. Ramos!¡± Ashley pointed at the three of them without any expression on her face. ¡°Get them out and make sure they nevere near the company again. They¡¯re too ugly, and it affects thepany¡¯s image.¡± The security guard, aware of the ongoing situation between Ashley and the Ramos family, almost burst intoughter upon hearing Ashley¡¯sment about their ugliness. ¡°Alright, Ms. Ramos, | understand!¡± Bertha was breathless with anger. ¡°Ashley, you''ve gone too far.¡± Evan wanted to reprimand Ashley again. But before he could, the security guard had already taken action, ruthlessly expelling them to keep them away from the company¡¯s premises and avoid tarnishing thepany¡¯s image. With tranquility finally restored around Ashley, she turned around and walked into thepany building to find Laura. Chapter 283 Chapter 283 Bertha had no strong opinions, so she blindly followed Evan''s suggestion. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s use Miranda to threaten Ashley.¡± Evan said resentfully, ¡°That wretched woman doesn¡¯t know gratitude. We are her biological parents, and we reached out to her for help but were kicked out by her without any care about family ties! If even Miranda can intimidate her, it shows that we¡¯re worse than Miranda to her!¡± Jessica quickly intervened, speaking gently. ¡°Dad, please don¡¯t be angry. You still have me. I''ll always be with you and Mom, just like if you were my own parents.¡± Evan, feeling less angry, realized. ¡°Jessica, you truly are my good daughter. | haven''t raised you in vain all these years!¡± Bertha looked at Jessica with a moved and gratified expression. She genuinely believed that Jessica was sensible and filial, much better than Ashley. When they found Ashley, they thought she was a great treasure for the Ramos family. That was one of the crucial reasons why they agreed to bring Ashley back to the Ramos family. But after that, they thought Ashley was useless. Now, they realized that Ashley¡¯s abilities were so valuable to the Ramos family. But it was a pity that she was cold-blooded and selfish, not considering her own rtives! As for the n to kidnap Miranda, Evan already had a n in mind. Ashley walked into Laura¡¯s office and discussed work matters with her. After the previous experience of restoring paintings, Ashley¡¯s fame, influence, and appeal had grown, surpassing that of most celebrities. The director of the national television station wanted to invite Ashley to shoot a public service announcement, hoping to leverage her influence and appeal to promote cultural heritage protection. ¡°I''m interested in this! Count me in.¡± Ashley immediately agreed. Such a public service announcement. Chapter 283 wouldn''t be difficult to film, and it could be done in less than a day. Once they finished discussing work matters, Laura asked, concerned, ¡°I heard that Evan and Bertha intercepted you outside the company again?¡± Ashley felt annoyed at the thought. ¡°I already told the security not to let Evan near thepany anymore.¡± Laura nodded. ¡°Alright, I''ll also remind the security to enhance their protection.¡± While they were talking, Bryce impatiently walked in, saying to someone behind him, ¡°Can you stop following me?¡± Asweet and melodious voice followed, ¡°After what we did, don¡¯t you n to take responsibility for me?¡± As soon as Ashley heard this, her interest was piqued. She couldn''t resist the desire to eavesdrop on others¡¯ secrets. She turned her curious gaze towards them. The woman walking behind Bryce was tall, beautiful, and dressed in a silk gown, which entuated her graceful figure. Ashley recognized her at once. It was Brittany. Bryce¡¯s face turned embarrassed as he noticed Ashley''s curious gaze upon entering Laura¡¯s office. Ashley¡¯s curiosity was too apparent. Bryce turned around abruptly, pushing Brittany as he walked out, saying, ¡°I¡¯m warning you, Brittany. We have no rtionship, and I¡¯m not interested in you. | let it pass that you vomited all over me when you were drunk. Don¡¯t spread rumors.¡± As they walked further away, their conversation became fainter. Ashley felt disappointed that she couldn¡¯t continue watching the drama unfold. Laura shook her head helplessly. Ashley¡¯s phone chimed, receiving a message from Joseph. [Ashley, when. are youing back? | want to introduce you to someone!) Ashley wondered, ¡®Who is he going to introduce to me? She nced around, stood up, and said, ¡°Laura, if there¡¯s nothing else, I''ll head c now.¡± ¡°Alright, take care on your way home.¡± Ashley returned to Kingsley Vi. As soon as she walked into the living room, she saw Valentin and Joseph sitting on the couch. Sitting next to Joseph was a fresh-looking girl in a green dress. She had long hair, a gentle appearance, elegant manners, and an exceptional temperament. Moreover, this girl¡¯s facial features resembled Joseph¡¯s to some extent. In the first second Ashley returned, Valentin noticed her and walked to her. Joseph also saw Ashley and immediately stood up with excitement. ¡°Ashley, you¡¯re finally back! Let me introduce you, this is my sister ire. She just returned from abroad today!¡± Ashley had already guessed that this was Joseph¡¯s sister and Valentin¡¯s cousin. She politely greeted. ¡°Hello, ire.¡± ire smiled warmly, like a gentle breeze in early summer. ¡°Hello, Ashley. My grandfather and Joseph have mentioned you so much, and now | finally get to meet you!¡± As soon as Ashley returned, Valentin took her bag and apanied her to sit on the couch. ire had never seen Valentin be so thoughtful to anyone else. She knew they were in deep love. They sat down. ire smiled brightly, ¡°Joseph told me that you took careN?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. of Valentin when he was hospitalized recently. You lost a lot of weight. It must have been really hard.¡± Just by listening, Ashley knew it was Joseph¡¯s exaggeration. Ashley coughed lightly. ¡°I didn¡¯t lose weight. It¡¯s not that dramatic.¡± Joseph defended himself. ¡°Tm not exaggerating. You really lost a lot of weight! Ask Valentin if you don¡¯t believe me!¡± Valentin, feeling a sense of self-me, said, ¡°You did lose a lot of weig She hadn''t gained it back till now. But when she was in his arms, Valentin felt it was just as good. Ashley gently pushed him, telling him not to overthink. Seeing their intimate gestures, ire asked with a smile. ¡°When are you two going to have the wedding? Even though | was abroad before, there were still many socialites who asked me about Valentin. | told them that Valentin had already been married, but they didn¡¯t believe me. | guess they¡¯ll only believe it when you make it public. Valentin¡¯s voice was low and mellow. ¡°The wedding depends on Ashley¡¯s opinion. | can do it anytime.¡± He sounded eager. Ashley thought, ¡®Alright then, | need to find a suitable time to publicly announce our marriage and have the wedding. Joseph suddenly joked, ¡°Are there any girls asking about me?¡± ¡°You?¡± ire looked him up and down. ¡°You better not harm any good girls.¡± Joseph was speechless. He thought, ¡®How am | harming girls? It seems like my own sister is more straightforward with her words.¡± Joseph snorted and asked, ¡°Do you have a boyfriend then?¡± Upon hearing this, ire extended her hand and tried to hit him.. Joseph was prepared and agilely jumped up to dodge, saying, ¡°So you want to hit me again! Luckily, | saw iting!¡± ire didn¡¯t manage to hit him and turned to look at Ashley. She summed up years of experience with Joseph. ¡°Bullying him should be done early because you won''t be able to when he grows up.¡± Joseph felt hurt once again. He had no status in this family at all. Chapter 283 Ashleyughed uncontrobly. Valentin had originally poured a ss of water for Ashley, but seeing herughing like this, he was concerned that she might choke if she drank it. In the evening, ire and Joseph had dinner together at the vi. And then, they yfully went home. More urately, Joseph was being bullied unterally. Chapter 284 Ashley sat in the living room and curiously asked Valentin. ¡°Did they y like this when they were kids?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Valentin said as he noticed her loosely tied hair. He skillfully untied the hairband and tied it back for her. He had perfected this skill of tying her hair when they were kids. Ashley stood still obediently, remembering that it was better to tease Joseph when he was little, and couldn¡¯t help butugh. Sympathetically, she said, ¡°Poor Joseph!¡± ¡°Is that all you heard?¡± Valentin nced at his work and nodded with satisfactio Then he gently touched her carlobe with his finger. Ashley pulled him to sit on the sofa and said, ¡°I heard everything ire said! She asked when we''re going to have the wedding and mentioned. that many girls are inquiring about your romantic state.¡± Valentin raised an eyebrow. Ashley assured him seriously, ¡°But don¡¯t worry, | won''t be jealous without reason.¡± After a moment, he asked, ¡°Why?¡± Ashley exined earnestly, ¡°With your wealth and looks, it¡¯s only normal for girls to like you. It would be strange if no one liked you, right?¡± After a pause, he asked intentionally, ¡°If that¡¯s what you think, then were you with me back then because you felt guilty after the chandelier incident?¡± Ashley didn¡¯t understand why he was thinking about that again. She blinked and pounced on him, apologizing, ¡°I would like to revise my answer to your previous question! Actually, | am jealous, very jealous. Don¡¯t overthink it!¡± However, Valentin nced at her, his tone calm and sexy. ¡°Your wordsck any credibility.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Ashley blinked her sincere and watery eyes. She remembered a line from a drama she had watched before and decided to confess to Valentin, just like the male lead did in the drama. ¡°Darling, you have to believe me. One day, | will take you on a hot air balloon ride 100 thousand feet above the ground, facing the sky and the sea, and dering to the whole world that you are mine!¡± Valentin asked, ¡°Are you tired? Do you want to sleep?¡± Ashley asked discontentedly, ¡°I just confessed to you. Why are you reacting like this?¡± He chuckled lightly and rubbed her head, his voice slow and sexy. ¡°Well then, I''ll wait for the day Ashley takes me up 100 thousand feet high.¡± Ashley felt that his tone was a bit dismissive when he said those words. ¡°Never mind, let¡¯s kiss first!¡± Ashley¡¯s eyes curved into a crescent moon as she leaned in and kissed him deeply. Valentin stroked her hair, his thoughtsplicated. He felt that Ashley had no possessiveness towards him at all. Two dayster, Ashley went to shoot a public service short film about cultural relics. As expected, the filming went smoothly and waspleted within half a day. Ashley knew Miranda was filming nearby at the film studio, so she decided to go and see her. She bought drinks and desserts for all the crew members and other actors on set. ¡°Ashley!¡± Miranda, dressed in a costume from a period drama, ran over excitedly. ¡°Slow down, don¡¯t trip over your costume,¡± Ashley quickly reminded her. Miranda¡¯s dress was a bit long, making it easy for her to trip. Miranda ran up to Ashley, sweat forming on her forehead. ¡°It¡¯s a bit hot today, and I¡¯m wearing heavy clothing, so | sweat easily. But fortunately, | can finish filming tonight and then wrap up.¡± Ashley handed her a drink. ¡°Have some coffee first.¡± They found a ce with a breeze and sat down. It wasn¡¯t long before theyN?velDrama.Org owns ? this. felt someone sneaking nces at them. Ashley looked over cautiously and recognized Ryan among the crowd, dressed as a pregnant woman with a big belly. Miranda was drinking her beverage and almost sprayed it out when she saw Ryan. She stared at him in disbelief and said, ¡°Are you here as an extra?¡± Ryan, realizing he had been discovered, grabbed the pale-faced Charlie next to him and approached Ashley, his fake belly protruding. He cautiously called out, ¡°Ashley.¡± Charlie was ying a corpse. He had makeup on, with pale skin and purple lips, eagerly watching Ashley. Ashley found their appearance quite strange. After watching for a while and feeling ufortable, she turned her face away. Charlie felt dejected by her reaction and tightly clenched the hand. hanging by his side. It seemed that Ashley still didn¡¯t like him. Miranda helplessly asked, ¡°Why did youe here?¡± Ryan touched his fake belly and exined seriously, ¡°We came for an extras audition yesterday.¡± They had met Ashley outside Miranda¡¯s housest time. They thought if Ashley came to see Miranda, they would have another chance to see her. So they auditioned as extras for Miranda¡¯s production. But Jeremy was too foolish and couldn¡¯t even pass the audition for extras. And Matthew, who used to be a famous singer, also tried. But the director didn¡¯t want him at all. Only he and Charlie made it through the audition, and unexpectedly, they ran into Ashley the next day. It was worth acting like a pregnant woman and a corpse. Ashley didn¡¯t want to look at the two strangely dressed individuals, so she pulled Miranda to another side. Looking at Ryan¡¯s pregnant belly, Miranda was both surprised and amused. She couldn''t find the right words to describe their appearances. After resting for half an hour, Miranda had to continue filming. Ashley didn¡¯t want to dy her. They made a deal to have a meal together when they had time. Then Ashley prepared to leave the set. Charlie, ying the dead body, was lying motionless on the ground. Seeing Ashley about to leave, in his anxiety, he sat up and tried to chase after her. The director immediately shouted, ¡°Don¡¯t move, you¡¯re a dead body! You''ve been dead for three days!¡± ¡°I came back to life!¡± Charlie eximed without expression and resolutely chased after Ashley. The director could only watch him leave. Ryan, with his fake belly, also wanted to chase after Ashley. Ashley heard the sound behind her and turned around, giving them a cold and intimidating look. Ryan was startled and abruptly stopped in his tracks. It felt like needles were pricking his heart, making him feel uneasy. When would Ashley finally forgive him? He just wanted to see her a little more. Why was it so difficult? And less than five minutester, Ryan and Charlie were both fired by the director. Miranda finished filmingte, and it was already past 11 p.m. when they wrapped. After bidding farewell to the director and crew members, Miranda''s agent drove her back to her residence. She didn¡¯t want to dy the agent, so she decided to go upstairs by herself. After the agent left, Miranda turned around to go upstairs but noticed a few menacing and unfamiliar men standing not far away. Chapter 285 Miranda was startled. In the middle of the night, several tough-looking strange men with tattoos and gold chains lingered outside the apartment building. Each one looked fierce and formidable, clearly not someone to be trifled with. Fearful of attracting unnecessary trouble, Miranda didn¡¯t linger. She just wanted to hurry upstairs and get home. Strangely, the security personnel on duty at the apartment building were nowhere to be found today. The entire first-floor lobby was eerily quiet. As Miranda took a few steps inside, she heard footsteps behind her. Unsure if those unfamiliar men were following her, her scalp tingled with fear. Her heart raced, and without looking back, she sprinted toward the direction of the elevator. However, before reaching the elevator, a robust arm grabbed her shoulder from behind, and immediately, her mouth and nose were covered with a damp cloth. Miranda couldn¡¯t struggle in time and lost consciousness. ¡°Another headache?¡± Ashley reached out to massage Valentin¡¯s temples at Kingsley Vi. Feeling uneasy, she wondered when his lingering headaches would finally subside. Medication didn¡¯t seem to be very effective. ¡°Don''t worry, it¡¯s much better now,¡± Valentin reassured her, unwilling to let her feel anxious. ¡°Don''t lie to me. Let me take a look.¡± Ashley carefully examined hisplexion, sensing that he was still ufortable. She wished she could endure those headaches on his behalf. Gently massaging his temples for a while and seeing a slight improvement in his expression, Ashley guessed the headache had eased a bit. She was slightly relieved. But an uneasy feeling lingered. 15 Soon after. Ashley¡¯s phone rang. Checking it, she saw an unfamiliar number calling. Her brows furrowed instantly. Ashley had developed a conditioned response to unfamiliar numbers, associating them with annoyance. She swore never to answer such calls again if it was another issue with the Ramos family. With a sense of irritation, Ashley answered the phone. Atense and nervous male voice came through. ¡°Ashley, your friend Miranda is in trouble!¡± Ashley was surprised. Frankie? It was his voice. The long-missing Frankie was calling. What was going on? ¡°You''re saying Miranda is in trouble?¡± Ashley¡¯s gaze instantly turned sharp, choosing to believe there was a problem rather than dismissing it. to ¡°Ashley, please don¡¯t hang up on me!¡± Frankie, who hadn¡¯t spoken t Ashley in a long time, afraid of being rejected, nervously said, ¡°Ashley, I¡¯m not lying to you. My disappearance before was intentional. | didn¡¯t go missing. I''ve been hiding in the shadows, observing my family¡¯s situation, trying to figure out some things. ¡°In the past few days, I¡¯ve noticed something about my father...¡± Frankie hesitated at this point, quickly changing his wording. ¡°These days, I¡¯ve observed that Evan is acting strangely. He¡¯s been secretly contacting several wanted fugitives, seemingly up to something. | didn¡¯t understand at first, but today, | found out that Evan had those fugitives sneak into your friend Miranda¡¯s residence, and they took her away. Ashley, believe me, I¡¯m not lying to you!¡± In these past few days, Frankie had been lurking in the shadows, secretly keeping an eye on the Ramos family and racking his brains on how to beg for Ashley¡¯s forgiveness. Sometimes, unable to resist the urge, overwhelmed by his longing for Ashley, he would use an unfamiliar number to call her. Even if the call went through, he didn¡¯t dare to speak. It was as if he were arat hiding in the shadows, afraid of being exposed, only daring to listen. to Ashley¡¯s voice secretly, and that was enough. Initially, the fact that Miranda was taken away had nothing to do with him, and he didn¡¯t care about her. Chapter 285 But upon second thought, Miranda was Ashley¡¯s friend. If something happened to her, Ashley would be upset. So, when the call was connected this time, Frankie didn¡¯t remain silent. Instead, he took the initiative to speak and exined the situation. However, he was once the scoundrel brother who had wanted to ser Ashley to prison. She despised him so much. Would she believe his words again? In his less than half a second of nervous anticipation, Frankie heard Ashley¡¯s sharp and angry voice. ¡°Where have those people taken Miranda?¡± When Ashley asked this question, anger surged in her eyes. The desire to deal with Evan intensified within her. Hearing Ashley believe him and actively inquire, Frankie¡¯s heart trembled. He couldn''t tell if it was excitement or another emotion, and tears inexplicably welled up in his eyes. Ashley believed him. Wiping away his tears, he felt ashamed of his ipetence. ¡°I... don¡¯t know where they took Miranda, but Ashley, don¡¯t worry, I''ll find out as soon as possible. I''ll inform you immediately if there¡¯s any news!¡± Ashley couldn''t afford to dy. After hanging up the phone, she immediately called Miranda. The call couldn¡¯t get through. It seemed something had indeed happened to her. Putting on her coat, she decided to go directly to Ramos Vi to confront Evan. Valentin was nearby when she answered the call and overheard some of the conversation. ¡°Miranda is missing?¡± ¡°She¡¯s been taken by people sent by Evan. I¡¯m going to confront him and demand her release.¡± Ashley''s face turned terrifyingly cold, filled with suppressed anger. She thought, ¡®Evan, if you¡¯ve got a bone to pick, take it up with me. Bringing Miranda into this is just going too far! ¡°I''ming with you.¡± Valentin decided without hesitation. ¡°But what about your headache?¡± ¡°It''s fine.¡± Ashley thought for a moment. Now was not the time to insist on going alone. The top priority was finding Miranda. ording to Frankie, those who took her were wanted fugitives. If anything happened to her..... ¡°Okay,e with me.¡± Ashley pinched her fingers, trying to stay calm. She analyzed. ¡°Let¡¯s head straight to Ramos Vi to face Evan. But I¡¯m concerned he might try something tricky. Have a few people check around Miranda¡¯s ce and see if any surveince cameras have caught anything. Just in case there are any clues left behind.¡± With both tasks carried out concurrently, the efficiency would be higher. ¡°Alright. | understand.¡± Valentin instructed through a phone call while holding Ashley¡¯s hand. He noticed that she appeared calm on the surface, but her palms were cold. She was genuinely worried about Miranda. Soon, the head of the Kingsley family¡¯s security team, rk Newton, one of Valentin¡¯s trusted confidants, gathered with a dozen tall and robust subordinates. These subordinates were all elites. Some of them followed Valentin¡¯s orders and went to check around Miranda''s residence for any surveince clues. The rest apanied Ashley and Valentin to Ramos. Vi. In the night, several ck cars swiftly raced along the road. After driving for a while, Ashley, seated in the back of the leading car, looked at rk, who was in the driver''s seat, with a furrowed brow. ¡°Pull over by the roadside.¡± rk was puzzled, not understanding what was happening. However, this was Ashley, meaning she was his boss¡¯ wife. rk immediately nced in the rearview mirror at Valentin, who was sitting next to Ashley, seeking confirmation from him. Valentin nodded slightly. rk internally expressed that he had expected this. Valentin had no boundaries when it came to Ashley and would listen to her in everything.N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. rk promptly pulled over to the side of the road obediently. Ashley got out of the back seat and directly opened the driver¡¯s door, saying, ¡°You''re too slow. Sit on the side. I''ll drive¡±: Chapter 285 rk was again confused but immediately realized that Ashley was none other than the famous racing legend Ava. No wonder she found him slow! Chapter 286 rk had just settled into his seat when he witnessed Ashley in the driver¡¯s seat grip the steering wheel and hit the gas. The car shot fo like an arrow released from its bow, catching him entirely off guard rk jolted in his seat, instinctively reaching for the overhead handle the speedometer rapidly ascended. His heart pounded in his chest. It was like being in the midst of an intense street race. The other cars following were left behind instantly, illustrating the incredible speed. rk clung tightly to the car handrail, trying to turn his head back to nce at Valentin. To his surprise, Valentin was admiring Ashley¡¯s driving skills with a look that practically screamed, ¡°My wife is amazing!¡± Valentin didn¡¯t say much because he knew Ashley was worried about Miranda. Since she wanted to reach Ramos Vi quickly, he naturally supported her. The initially more than 40-minute journey waspressed to less than half, reaching Ramos Vi at the fastest speed possible. rk was genuinely amazed, thinking. She is indeed a racing genius. Sitting in the car of a racing legend in my lifetime, how awesome is that! ¡®Compared to Ms. Ramos, my driving speed is like child¡¯s y!¡± As soon as the car stopped, Ashley got out of the driver¡¯s seat without stopping. At this moment, Valentin¡¯s phone rang, a report call from his subordinates. They were the ones who went to investigate for clues near Miranda¡¯s apartment. Valentin answered the call on speaker, and Ashley anxiously listened. The subordinate reported, ¡°Mr. Kingsley, we haven''t reached Miranda¡¯s residence yet, but a few of our guys were already in the area for another task. I¡¯ve instructed them to investigate immediately. The preliminary findings show that the surveince was maliciously damaged. Miranda¡¯s phone was shattered on the ground, making it impossible to trace her. In addition, we found a small electronic device on the ground. We''re not sure if it¡¯s a clue.¡± Chapter 286 Valentin said in a low voice. ¡°Bring it over immediately. The address is Winston Street, No. 34.¡± ¡°Okay, Mr. Kingsley.¡± After the subordinate finished speaking, he was stunned for a moment. Winston Street, No. 34... Isn¡¯t that the locati Ramos Vi? How did Mr. Kingsley manage to get there so swiftly? After hanging up the phone, Ashley thought for a moment and said, ¡°Valentin, you wait here for the item to be delivered. See if it can reveal any clues. I''ll go inside to find Evan. If you discover any leads,e in immediately.¡± This way, both sides could investigate simultaneously, making the process more efficient. Moreover, Evan didn¡¯t know yet that she was aware of Miranda¡¯s kidnapping. If she went in now, she might catch him. off guard. Although Valentin was worried about Ashley going in alone, seeing her determined expression, he let rk apany her inside. As the head of the security team, rk had excellent skills and could protect her. Ashley had no objection. At the entrance of Ramos Vi, the security guards took a few seconds to collect their thoughts when they saw Ashleying over. Of course, they recognized that this was Ashley Ramos. But hadn¡¯t she cut ties with the family already? Why was she suddenly back in the middle of the night? Moreover, Ashley flourished after she left, while the Ramos family faced continuous setbacks. The current Ashley was no longer someone the Ramos family could aspire to match. The security guard dared not take matters into his own hands, nor did he dare to chase her away. He immediately ran to inform Evan. Worried about Miranda, Ashley had long lost her patience. She was not concerned about formalities and went straight in. Ashley hadn¡¯t anticipated that stepping into Ramos Vi again would be under these circumstances. At such ate hour, Evan and Jessica were still awake. Bertha, who had. returned from the hospital, joined them in the living room. Evan had been staring at his phone, having just received the news about the escaped criminals sessfully kidnapping Miranda as nned. As he was about to proceed with the next step, the security guard suddenly ran in, saying Ashley had arrived. Evan was surprised. ¡°Why did she suddenly here?¡± Bertha pondered momentarily and smiled, ¡°Could it be that the stubborn girl has had a change of heart? After we went to Royal Entertainment to find her that day, she thought it through and decided to help us, so she came back?¡± Upon hearing this, Evan, somewhat pleased, said, ¡°At least this troublemaker has some conscience.¡± Jessica was quiet and didn¡¯t speak. She thought, ¡®Ashley, that wicked woman, has she truly had a change of heart and was willing to help the Ramos family?¡¯ Evan looked at the security guard beside him, adopting a condescending tone. ¡°Let her in...¡± Before he finished the words, Ashley had already entered the room, apanied by a nearly 7-foot-tall, strong man. Evan was dissatisfied that Ashley didn¡¯t regard him highly, but now the family needed her, so he had to suppress his discontent. ¡°You''ve got some conscience toe back. Who¡¯s the one following you?¡± rk, a muscr man, stood silently next to Ashley. He only followed her orders and did not intend to bother Evan. Ashley had already run out of patience and got straight to the point. ¡°Where is Miranda?¡± Evan was surprised by her inquiry about Miranda. Bertha¡¯s eyes shed with panic. They had just had Miranda kidnapped, and Ashley already knew about it? So quickly? Jessica was equally surprised and wondered how Ashley found out. Evan concealed his inner confusion, feigning ignorance. ¡°What Miranda? What are you talking about?¡± Ashley suddenly stepped closer, staring sharply at him, her voice like icy daggers. ¡°Tell me! Where is Miranda right now?¡± Chapter 286 Evan instinctively stepped back, unexpectedly overwhelmed by Ashley¡¯s momentum. Despite feeling a chill down his spine, he sensed that retreating would damage his dignity. Frustrated and desperate, he blustered. ¡°What are you talking about? Miranda? | don¡¯t know her at Ashley repeated his words in her mind and sneered. She really hated that others were getting into trouble because of her. She walked to a nearby table and picked up a long, thick ruler. This was the thing the Ramos family used to discipline her in the past. Seeing Ashley pick up the ruler, Evan recalled the days of disciplining her and revelled again in his role as the head of the family. He sneered, ¡°What''s this, now you know it wasn¡¯t smart to talk back to me and try to punish yourself with that ruler? You rebellious, ungrateful daughter! You¡¯ve got some nerve challenging your own father! Well, let''s stick to the good old tradition. Give yourself a good whack with that ruler! Ten times!¡± Hearing this, rk was shocked. ¡®Good old tradition? What kind of life did Ms. Ramos have in this house?¡¯ Bertha was unfazed, believing that a good child could only be raised under strict discipline. No beating, no sess. After Evan¡¯s arrogant scolding, he waited for Ashley to hit herself. However, the next instant, Ashley walked up to Evan with the ruler. She suddenly raised the ruler high and struck ruthlessly at him. Asharp crack echoed as the ruler hit Evan, creating a horrifying sound. ¡°Ah!¡± The living room was filled with Evan¡¯s horrendous screams. Bertha and Jessica were stunned and immediately rushed over. ¡°You beast! You ungrateful child! How dare you hit your own father!¡± Bertha yelled in a sharp voice, rushing forward to strike Ashley. Ashley promptly threw her out. ¡°Get lost!¡± Bertha staggered and fell to the ground. In pain with bloodshot eyes, Evan seethed with anger, breathing heavily as he clenched his teeth. ¡°Ashley! You, you...¡± Before he could finish speaking, there was another loud snap! Ashley used the ruler to hit his mouth this time. Evan''s face instantly swelled up, blood oozing from the corner of his mouth. One of his front teeth had been knocked out, and he spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva.Content held by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Ashley!¡± Jessica rushed forward in fear and grabbed Ashley. Pretending to be respectful and gentle, she softly advised, ¡°Ashley, even if you¡¯re angry, you shouldn''ty hands on Dad. There must be a misunderstanding... Ah!¡± Once again, there was a loud snap! Ashley swung the ruler backhandedly, striking Jessica across her body. She remained indifferent as she said, ¡°One more word, and I''ll hit you up as well.¡± Jessica screamed in pain, tears instantly welling up. In e past, she used to be the one wielding the ruler against that despicable woman, Ashley. Now, the tables had turned. Chapter 287 Furious and indignant, Jessica burst into tears as she rushed over toin to Evan, ¡°Dad, look at Ashley...¡± But before she could finish her words, Ashley swung the ruler again. Another hit on Jessica. ¡°Ah!¡± Jessica cried out in pain, covering the area that was just struck, her eyes filled with horror as she looked at Ashley. She recalled Ashley¡¯s earlier words. ¡°One more word, and I''ll hit you up as well.¡± This wasn¡¯t an empty threat. Ashley was genuinely willing to hit her! ¡°Ashley, you...¡± Jessica had barely uttered two words when she saw Ashley raise the ruler again. She was instantly terrified, screamed in fear, and raised her hands to cover her head, no longer daring to make a sound. Bertha got up from the floor and ran over to protect Jessica, ring at Ashley. She was about to reprimand her, but when she met Ashley''s icy and stern gaze, she was scared into silence. Bertha thought, ¡®This troublemaker, this ingrate. She has crossed the line! ¡®It''s like she is bent on turning this family upside down.¡± Themotion in the living room attracted the servants of Ramos Vi. However, the Ramos family had fallen on hard times, and many servants had been dismissed. Only a few elderly ones remained. Seeing the situation, rk casually blocked the way to the living room entrance. A burly man close to seven feet tall stood there, exuding a strong sense of oppression. The frightened servants dared not approach and only peeked their heads in, assuming some family matter was going on. Inside the living room, Bertha sheltered Jessica and cowered timidly on the side, ring at Ashley but not daring to voice her anger. Seeing them like this, Evan felt deeply distressed. However, with his own face throbbing in pain, blood seeping from his battered mouth, and a missing front tooth, he red at Ashley with eyes almost popping out. ¡°You... All of this just for the sake of Miranda...¡± 15 He stopped, then thought to himself. This scoundrel actually struck us all for the sake of Miranda. Who does she think she is,ying hands on us? She¡¯s the one who should be taking the hits!¡± Evan clenched his teeth. If Ashley valued her friend Miranda so much. he could use that against her more effectively. ¡°Where¡¯s Miranda? Tell me now.¡± Ashley stared at Evan with an icy gaze, suddenly noticing him discreetly concealing his phone in his pocket. Her eyes narrowed, and she approached, reaching for Evan''s phone. Evan tried to avoid her. Ashley swung the ruler again, and Evan screamed in pain, covering his swollen face with both hands. Taking advantage of the moment, Ashley took his phone. Two unread messages were disyed. Ashley clicked on it. The first one was a video. She clicked y immediately. The next moment, as she saw the content, Ashley was shocked. The video showed a scene in what seemed to be a dpidated old warehouse. Miranda was tied up, cowering in a corner with fear. Her hair was disheveled, and her eyes were filled with terror and panic. At this moment, a man with a fierce look, covered in tattoos on his arms. and chest, walked over. He held a steel pipe and was about to strike Miranda. Miranda was so frightened that she closed her eyes and screamed. Ultimately, the steel pipe stopped a few inches above her head. Seeing Miranda scared and shaking, the tattooed man burst intoughter as if he enjoyed scaring her for his own entertainment. The video ended at this point.Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Ashley¡¯s heart tightened instantly, and she almost crushed the phone. The second message was a text. [Mr. Ramos, we''ve taken her to the agreed-upon location. When will you be here?] Seeing this message. Ashley raised her head sharply to look at Evan, thinking. And he imed Miranda¡¯s situation had nothing to do with him?¡¯ The cold, death-like silence in her eyes carried a sense of anger. Evan was frightened by Ashley¡¯s terrifying gaze, shivering. In an attempt. to save face, he straightened his neck and bellowed. ¡°If you want Miranda to stay safe, just agree to a few conditions of mine.¡± Ashley sneered at his words. Using Evan¡¯s phone, she imitated his tone. and replied to the kidnappers: [Miranda is still valuable. Don¡¯t harm her. I''ll be there shortly.] At least this would ensure Miranda¡¯s safety for the time being. The kidnappers replied: [Mr. Ramos, ourmission. ..] Ashley continued to respond: [Not a penny less. I''ll give it all to you.] After sending the message, Ashley scrolled up, finding no valuable chat records. The previous text message from the kidnappers mentioned bringing Miranda to the agreed-upon ce. It was clear that Evan had already negotiated with these kidnappers privately. Ashley was anxious, her gaze piercing towards Evan. Thinking he had the upper hand, Evanughed triumphantly. ¡°Told you. If you agree to my conditions, I''ll release Miranda unharmed.¡± Evan retrieved a contract from the nearby drawer. ¡°Ashley, if you don¡¯t want Miranda to get hurt, you better sign this agreement today.¡± Ashley quickly scanned the document and found it detailed a lot of astonishing things, such as publicly dering reconciliation with the Ramos family, moving back in with them, working at the Ramos Group, portraying to the world that they were a harmonious family, and aiding the family¡¯s reputation recovery. In addition, all her future earnings would be handed over to Evan. Furthermore, the matter concerning Miranda today was to be kept confidential, with no disclosure or reporting to the authorities. As Ashley read through the agreement, Jessica and Bertha on the side had visible excitement on their faces. Even if Ashley was reluctant, she would undoubtedly have signed this agreement under the threat to Miranda¡¯s safety. Chapter 257 By then, the Ramos family could have made aeback with Ashley''s assistance. After reading the agreement, Ashley expressionlessly tossed it back into Evan¡¯s arms. Evan immediately frowned. ¡°What''s this attitude of yours? Ashley, don¡¯t think you''re at a loss. | am your father, and the Ramos family has provided you for two years. Repaying us is only right and proper.¡± After Evan finished speaking, he mmed the agreement onto the table, scolding coldly, ¡°Sign it now. And about earlier, you used a ruler to hit me and even struck Jessica. This is outrageous! You dared toy hands on your own father! You must apologize to us.¡± ¡°Apologize?¡± Ashley suddenly chuckled, slightly lifting hershes, revealing a momentary glint in her eyes. She set down the ruler. Seeing her put down the ruler, Evan, with smugness on his face, pointed at the agreement on the table. ¡°You''re finally being sensible. Once you sign it, I''ll have them release Miranda.¡± However, Ashley abruptly approached Evan the next instant, seized his hair, and forcefully pressed his head down. She then smashed his head onto the ss coffee table. Aloud crash! The ss shattered, and blood spilled out. Evan''s forehead was hit, now red and swollen, with blood gushing out. In an instant, the living room echoed with Evan''s agonizing screams. He fell to his knees in pain. ¡°Evan!¡± Bertha rushed over in anguish, witnessing Evan¡¯s face contorted in pain, gasping for breath, foaming at the mouth, and unable to utter a word. Witnessing this scene, the servants outside the living room were left dumbfounded. Ashley, who had been mistreated in this household, had seemingly reversed the roles? Should they intervene? However, with rk blocking the way, the elderly servants dared not approach without permission. At this moment, the security guard at the door stumbled over, witnessing the chaotic scene in the living room. It took him a few seconds to remembe, his duty. ¡°Mr. Ramos, Mr. Kingsley...Mr. Kingsley has arrived!¡± Evan was in extreme agony but disregarded the pain at the mention of ¡°Mr. Kingsley.¡± He asked, ¡°Which Mr. Kingsley?¡± The security guard swallowed nervously, reporting, ¡°It¡¯s Mr. Valentin Kingsley! Mr. Kingsley has arrived!¡± ible speed. rk clung tightly to the car handrail, trying to turn his head back to nce at Valentin. To his surprise, Valentin was admiring Ashley¡¯s driving skills with a look that practically screamed, ¡°My wife is amazing!¡± Valentin didn¡¯t say much because he knew Ashley was worried about Miranda. Since she wanted to reach Ramos Vi quickly, he naturally supported her. The initially more than 40-minute journey waspressed to less than half, reaching Ramos Vi at the fastest speed possible. rk was genuinely amazed, thinking. She is indeed a racing genius. Sitting in the car of a racing legend in my lifetime, how awesome is that! ¡®Compared to Ms. Ramos, my driving speed is like child¡¯s y!¡± As soon as the car stopped, Ashley got out of the driver¡¯s seat without stopping. At this moment, Valentin¡¯s phone rang, a report call from his subordinates. They were the ones who went to investigate for clues near Miranda¡¯s apartment. Valentin answered the call on speaker, and Ashley anxiously listened. The subordinate reported, ¡°Mr. Kingsley, we haven''t reached Miranda¡¯s residence yet, but a few of our guys were already in the area for another task. I¡¯ve instructed them to investigate immediately. The preliminary findings show that the surveince was maliciously damaged. Miranda¡¯s phone was shattered on the ground, making it impossible to trace her. In addition, we found a small electronic device on the ground. We''re not sure if it¡¯s a clue.¡± Chapter 286 Valentin said in a low voice. ¡°Bring it over immediately. The address is Winston Street, No. 34.¡± ¡°Okay, Mr. Kingsley.¡± After the subordinate finished speaking, he was stunned for a moment. Winston Street, No. 34... Isn¡¯t that the locati Ramos Vi? How did Mr. Kingsley manage to get there so swiftly? After hanging up the phone, Ashley thought for a moment and said, ¡°Valentin, you wait here for the item to be delivered. See if it can reveal any clues. I''ll go inside to find Evan. If you discover any leads,e in immediately.¡± This way, both sides could investigate simultaneously, making the process more efficient. Moreover, Evan didn¡¯t know yet that she was aware of Miranda¡¯s kidnapping. If she went in now, she might catch him. off guard. Although Valentin was worried about Ashley going in alone, seeing her determined expression, he let rk apany her inside. As the head of the security team, rk had excellent skills and could protect her. Ashley had no objection. At the entrance of Ramos Vi, the security guards took a few seconds to collect their thoughts when they saw Ashleying over. Of course, they recognized that this was Ashley Ramos. But hadn¡¯t she cut ties with the family already? Why was she suddenly back in the middle of the night? Moreover, Ashley flourished after she left, while the Ramos family faced continuous setbacks. The current Ashley was no longer someone the Ramos family could aspire to match. The security guard dared not take matters into his own hands, nor did he dare to chase her away. He immediately ran to inform Evan. Worried about Miranda, Ashley had long lost her patience. She was not concerned about formalities and went straight in. Ashley hadn''t anticipated that stepping into Ramos Vi again would be under these circumstances. At such ate hour, Evan and Jessica were still awake. Bertha, who had. returned from the hospital, joined them in the living room. Evan had been staring at his phone, having just received the news about the escaped criminals sessfully kidnapping Miranda as nned. As he was about to proceed with the next step, the security guard suddenly ran in, saying Ashley had arrived. Evan was surprised. ¡°Why did she suddenly here?¡± Bertha pondered momentarily and smiled, ¡°Could it be that the stubborn girl has had a change of heart? After we went to Royal Entertainment to find her that day, she thought it through and decided to help us, so she came back?¡± Upon hearing this, Evan, somewhat pleased, said, ¡°At least this troublemaker has some conscience.¡± Jessica was quiet and didn¡¯t speak. She thought, ¡®Ashley, that wicked woman, has she truly had a change of heart and was willing to help the Ramos family?¡¯ Evan looked at the security guard beside him, adopting a condescending tone. ¡°Let her in...¡± Before he finished the words, Ashley had already entered the room, apanied by a nearly 7-foot-tall, strong man. Evan was dissatisfied that Ashley didn¡¯t regard him highly, but now the family needed her, so he had to suppress his discontent. ¡°You''ve got some conscience toe back. Who¡¯s the one following you?¡± rk, a muscr man, stood silently next to Ashley. He only followed her orders and did not intend to bother Evan. Ashley had already run out of patience and got straight to the point. ¡°Where is Miranda?¡± Evan was surprised by her inquiry about Miranda. Bertha¡¯s eyes shed with panic. They had just had Miranda kidnapped, and Ashley already knew about it? So quickly? Jessica was equally surprised and wondered how Ashley found out. Evan concealed his inner confusion, feigning ignorance. ¡°What Miranda? What are you talking about?¡± Ashley suddenly stepped closer, staring sharply at him, her voice like icy daggers. ¡°Tell me! Where is Miranda right now?¡± Chapter 286 Evan instinctively stepped back, unexpectedly overwhelmed by Ashley¡¯s momentum. Despite feeling a chill down his spine, he sensed that retreating would damage his dignity. Frustrated and desperate, he blustered. ¡°What are you talking about? Miranda? | don¡¯t know her at Ashley repeated his words in her mind and sneered. She really hated that others were getting into trouble because of her. She walked to a nearby table and picked up a long, thick ruler. This was the thing the Ramos family used to discipline her in the past. Seeing Ashley pick up the ruler, Evan recalled the days of disciplining her and revelled again in his role as the head of the family. He sneered, ¡°What''s this, now you know it wasn¡¯t smart to talk back to me and try to punish yourself with that ruler? You rebellious, ungrateful daughter! You¡¯ve got some nerve challenging your own father! Well, let''s stick to the good old tradition. Give yourself a good whack with that ruler! Ten times!¡± Hearing this, rk was shocked. ¡®Good old tradition? What kind of life did Ms. Ramos have in this house?¡¯ Bertha was unfazed, believing that a good child could only be raised under strict discipline. No beating, no sess. After Evan¡¯s arrogant scolding, he waited for Ashley to hit herself. However, the next instant, Ashley walked up to Evan with the ruler. She suddenly raised the ruler high and struck ruthlessly at him. Asharp crack echoed as the ruler hit Evan, creating a horrifying sound. ¡°Ah!¡± The living room was filled with Evan¡¯s horrendous screams. Bertha and Jessica were stunned and immediately rushed over. ¡°You beast! You ungrateful child! How dare you hit your own father!¡± Bertha yelled in a sharp voice, rushing forward to strike Ashley. Ashley promptly threw her out. ¡°Get lost!¡± Bertha staggered and fell to the ground. In pain with bloodshot eyes, Evan seethed with anger, breathing heavily as he clenched his teeth. ¡°Ashley! You, you...¡± Before he could finish speaking, there was another loud snap! Ashley used the ruler to hit his mouth this time. Evan''s face instantly swelled up, blood oozing from the corner of his mouth. One of his front teeth had been knocked out, and he spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva. ¡°Ashley!¡± Jessica rushed forward in fear and grabbed Ashley. Pretending to be respectful and gentle, she softly advised, ¡°Ashley, even if you¡¯re angry, you shouldn''ty hands on Dad. There must be a misunderstanding... Ah!¡± Once again, there was a loud snap! Ashley swung the ruler backhandedly, striking Jessica across her body. She remained indifferent as she said, ¡°One more word, and I''ll hit you up as well.¡± Jessica screamed in pain, tears instantly welling up. In e past, she used to be the one wielding the ruler against that despicable woman, Ashley. Now, the tables had turned. Chapter 288 Evan''s face was swollen, and he lost a front tooth from a beating by Ashley with a ruler. His forehead was red, swollen, and bleeding. However, when he heard Valentin¡¯s name, he quickly forgot the pain and got up excitedly from the ground. He thought, ¡®Why is Mr. Kingsley here in the dead of night? Maybe.... ¡®Is he here to discuss business cooperation with the Ramos family?¡± Even Jessica had a look of unconceble ecstasy in her eyes. Valentin was such a high-ranking and unattainable man. How could he personallye to Ramos Vi? Bertha immediately brought a towel, wiping off the blood flowing from Evan¡¯s face. The weather was terrible tonight, with thunder striking at some point and lightning shing in the dark sky. In the darkness, Valentin walked with a cold face, followed by several stern-faced bodyguards in uniform. Asudden lightning bolt lit the night sky like a sword cutting through the darkness. It also revealed Valentin¡¯s handsome yet somber face, as if covered in a thin frost, emanating a chilling and fierce vibe from within. Evan''s heart pounded. Even though he was old, facing a figure like Valentin, he couldn¡¯t help but feel uneasy, rushing to greet him in a fluster. Bertha was so nervous that she froze on the spot. Jessica unconsciously clenched her dress. Her eyes, filled with undisguised joy, were seemingly glued to Valentin, staring at him without blinking.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. ¡°Mr. Kingsley, why did you visit sote?¡± Evan hurriedly weed him in a fluster, speaking carefully, afraid of disrespecting the distinguished guest. However, Valentin didn¡¯t even look at him. His gaze swept through the messy and bloody living room. When Valentin saw the fresh blood on Ashley¡¯s hands, a chill instantly filled his eyes. Chapter 288 Ashley exined, ¡°It¡¯s not mine. It¡¯s Evan¡¯s.¡± Upon hearing this, Valentin¡¯s icy demeanor gradually melted. rk was very discerning. He quickly ran over and handed disinfectant wipes to Valentin. Valentin took them, walked to Ashley, lifted her hand, and carefully wiped away the dirt and blood stains. Seeing this scene, Evan, Bertha, and Jessica widened their eyes in disbelief. What was going on? How could Valentin and Ashley be so intimate? Jessica stared at Valentin and Ashley, clenching her fists, nails almost piercing her palms. She thought, ¡®Before this, Valentin acquired Ashley¡¯s personal bracelet at the charity banquet. And at the recent Skyward Art Exhibition, he specifically went to see Ashley. ¡®These two... Valentin is definitely more than just a fan of Ashley or merely someone who appreciates her! ¡®Is he... Is he... The moment Jessica thought about Valentin possibly having feelings for Ashley, even a romantic interest, she became fiercely jealous, angrily clenching her teeth. ¡®How can this be? How can Valentin like this scoundrel, Ashley! ¡®No, wait! A man of Valentin¡¯s status could never be interested in Ashley. He is most likely just attracted to her beauty and wants to have some fun with her.¡¯ At this moment, Evan also realized that Valentin came specifically for Ashley, not for a coboration with the Ramos family. He had once hoped to gain Valentin¡¯s investment through his appreciation for Ashley. However, Ashley refused to cooperate with him. Such an ungrateful daughter! 10.501 With a sh of inspiration, Jessica went to Evan and whispered a few words to him. Upon hearing it, Evan was overjoyed, nodding excitedly. He looked at Ashley and said, ¡°Ashley, | never imagined Mr. Kingsley woulde to Ramos Vi in person to find you and express such concern. It appears Mr. Kingsley holds you in high regard.¡± Again, Evan picked up the agreement, saying, ¡°Ashley, if you sign this agreement and persuade Mr. Kingsley to form a marriage alliance with the Ramos family, | will release Miranda immediately.¡± Upon hearing this, Bertha was first surprised, then overjoyed. Given Valentin¡¯s admiration for Ashley, if she could convince him to agree to a marriage alliance, it would solidify a powerful and enduring connection for the Ramos family. After a pause, Evan added, ¡°I¡¯m talking about Mr. Kingsley and Jessica tying the knot.¡± The moment the words fell, the bodyguards behind rk and Valentin all showed a look of disbelief. They thought, ¡®Damn, I¡¯ve never seen anyone bold enough to threaten Mr. Kingsley. Today''s the first! ¡®Evan not only dares to threaten Mr. Kingsley but also desires him to marry Jessica? Is he in a hurry to die?¡± At this time, after hearing the words about marriage, Jessica blushed and nced at Valentin shyly. However, she soon realized Valentin didn¡¯t spare her a nce,pletely overlooking her. Jessica fiercely bit her lip, her face turning quite unpleasant. Evan was about to speak, but the next moment, he was silenced by Valentin¡¯s intimidating gaze. Valentin¡¯s gaze towards Evan was disdainful as if looking down upon a presumptuous and insignificant ant. His voice carried a chilling tone as he said, ¡°Are you insulting me?¡± Evan was instantly terrified, almost wetting his pants. With a swollen face forcing a smile, he quickly exined, ¡°Mr. Kingsley, you must be joking. How would | dare...dare to insult you? I...1 was just...¡± Upon hearing the word ¡°insulting.¡± Jessica¡¯s face turned even more unpleasant. She thought, ¡®Is marrying me a kind of insult? Am | that unbearable?¡¯ Bertha was also frightened, fearing to anger Valentin. She quickly tried to plead on Evan¡¯s behalf. However, Valentin no longer wanted to deal with these annoying people. He gestured to his bodyguards behind him. The bodyguards immediately approached and, with lightning speed. directly captured Evan, Bertha, and Jessica. ¡°Mr. Kingsley, what do you mean by this?¡± Evan was utterly dumbfounded. Valentin ignored him, only looked at Ashley, and whispered, ¡°The electronic device found near Miranda¡¯s house can only determine the approximate location. I¡¯ve already had it searched, and we''ll soon find the exact location.¡± Ashley raised Evan''s phone. ¡°This has the messages sent by the kidnappers. | remember that we can locate them based on the messages they sent, right?¡± Valentin nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Good, then let¡¯s go now.¡± Ashley turned to look at rk. ¡°Bring Evan with us.¡± Bertha and Jessica were left at Ramos Vi, guarded by several bodyguards to prevent them from escaping. After all, this incident could not be easily dismissed. After tracking the kidnapper¡¯s phone location through the base station, Ashley once again drove, rushing to the site at breakneck speed. Chapter 289 In a dpidated warehouse in the suburbs, Miranda¡¯s hands and feet were tied up, cowering in fear in a corner. She palely looked at the menacing fugitives in front of her. Her already taut nerves tightened up to the breaking-point. Aman named Noe with a chest full of tattoos brandished a steel pipe, swinging it towards Miranda periodically. Each swing halted inches away from her, deliberately attempting to instill fear. Witnessing her terrified screams and shivers, Noeughed maliciously, enjoying this cruel game of intimidation. Beside him, a bald man named Cyclone, who was wearing a gold chain, impatiently checked the time, cursing, ¡°Damn it, what''s taking Ramos so long? Why isn¡¯t he here yet?¡± ¡°Hold on, Cyclone. He might be on his way.¡± Noe waved the steel pipe, veins popping on his arm. ¡°This time, we¡¯re going to make a big score.¡± ¡®Ramos?¡¯ Miranda caught onto this crucial piece of information, instantly associating it with the Ramos family. Why was she suddenly kidnapped, and how was it rted to the Ramos family? And what about Ashley? Knowing that Miranda had heard it, Noe smiled ferociously and roughly lifted her chin with a steel pipe. ¡°You''re friends with Ashley, aren¡¯t you?¡± Her chin stinging from the rough contact, and she was forced to raise her head to look at him, not daring to say a word.N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. ¡°Speak! Are you mute?¡± Noe scowled and berated her harshly. ¡°Don¡¯t think denying it will get you anywhere. It¡¯s all on Ashley. If you weren''t buddies with her, we wouldn''t even be bothering with you.¡± Miranda trembled at the shout but still mustered the strength to weakly inquire, ¡°What. ..what does this have to do with Ashley?¡± Suddenly, Noe smirked, maliciously provoking. ¡°Someone wants trouble for Ashley, and guess what? You happen to be friends with her. So, we brought you here. It¡¯s all because of Ashley that you¡¯re in this mess.¡± ¡°No.¡± Miranda¡¯s face was pale with fear, but her eyes disyed determination. ¡°You say that ¡®someone wants trouble for Ashley, and it must be the Ramos family. How can Ashley be med? She is a victim, too. The ones at fault are clearly the Ramos. You are the criminals. If it weren¡¯t for the shamelessness of the Ramos, | wouldn¡¯t have been captured, and none of this would have happened.¡± Noe was immediately irritated and pped Miranda. ¡°You damn whore! Go on, you fucking keep talking! You have such a good mouth!¡± Miranda¡¯s head turned to the side due to the force, a red mark appearing on her cheek, but her eyes remained steadfast, ring at these despicable. criminals.. Noe sneered, his obscene gaze lingering on Miranda. ¡°Heard you''re a celebrity? What if | tear your clothes, film it, and post it online for everyone to see? How about that?¡± He then burst outughing. Terrified, Miranda shrank back, her face even paler than before, thinking, These heartless beasts!! ¡°Enough! Stop wasting time on this girl!¡± Cyclone spoke up. Cyclone, the leader of this group, scolded irritably, ¡°Miranda still has some value. Cut out the scare tactics. As for Ramos, if he even thinks about shortchanging us by a penny, I''ll make sure he doesn¡¯t see the light of another day.¡± These were wanted fugitives who had evaded the police countless times. and dared not be too ostentatious. They basically regard earningmissions as a way to make money. Noe¡¯s vulgar gaze lingered incessantly on Miranda, licking his lips with a lecherous expression. ¡°Cyclone, | gotta say, this celebrity is quite enticing. It¡¯s been ages since | had fun with such a lively girl. Let¡¯s make the most of this opportunity, us brothers, and enjoy ourselves tonight!¡± Miranda had never heard such crude and explicit words before. She instantly recoiled in terror, trembling with cold sweat on her palms. Cyclone nced at Miranda, disdainfully snorted at her terrified appearance, then turned to Noe. ¡°Don¡¯t you fucking think about this nonsense. Ramos mentioned in the text that Miranda is still worth something. Do not harm her.¡± Noe recalled Evan¡¯s instructions, his expression immediately turning unpleasant. He spat on the ground, muttering. ¡°That old guy really is a piece of work, fussing over every detail¡± Chapter 289 Reluctantly, he nced at Miranda for a few more moments and ultimately stormed off in frustration. However, after a short while, Noe couldn''t resist the temptation and returned to stand before Miranda. Ascivious smile yed on his face. ¡°I¡¯m just having some fun, not trying to take her life. It doesn¡¯t count as harming her, right, bros?¡± As soon as he said this, the other three fugitives in the warehouse burst into lewdughter. The more Noe watched Miranda tremble, the more he got worked up. ¡°I wasn¡¯t even keen on this from the start, and | didn¡¯t want to hassle you because of that old guy¡¯s orders. But you just had to get under my skin with your words! Well, now I¡¯m dead set on not letting you off the hook!¡± Miranda stared in horror, trembling as she tried to retreat backward, but there was a wall behind her, and she couldn''t hide at all. She shouldn''t have provoked him earlier. This was a bunch of heartless thugs! Noe continued to smirk lecherously, and his desires were evident as he reached out to Miranda. ¡°Cyclone, if you¡¯re not going to do anything, I''ll take my turn.¡± The three other fugitives beside them eagerly rubbed their hands. together in excitement. ¡°Hey, after you''re done, let the rest of us have some fun too!¡± Cyclone furrowed his brow, choosing to remain silent. Though he held the title of leader, the rest of the group was a rowdy bunch, constantly on the verge of rebellion. Tonight, he opted to appease them by using this. girl, securing their loyalty, a deal that didn¡¯t seem too bad. Seeing Cyclone no longer objecting, Noe became even bolder. He reached out and touched the neckline of Miranda¡¯s clothes. ¡°Get away! Don¡¯t touch me! Just leave!¡± Miranda¡¯s tears welled up instantly, and in her frantic fear, she shouted, but with her hands and feet bound, there was no way for her to escape. ¡°What''s all this yelling for? Soon, you won''t be able to utter a word!¡± With a rip, Noe tore Miranda¡¯s sleeve and attempted to gag her with that. Miranda struggled weakly, and her tear-filled eyes were wide open. Chapter 289 Her thoughts were consumed by desperate pleas, ¡®Get away. ¡®Don''t touch me. ¡°This is so disgusting. Don¡¯t touch me. No!¡± At this moment, a loud crash echoed! The warehouse door was kicked open from the outside. Backlit, a thin yet powerful figure stood there. Noe had just torn Miranda¡¯s sleeve, hadn¡¯t yet silenced her, and was interrupted by this sudden turn of events. He abruptly stopped and turned his head to look outside. Because Noe had discussed using Miranda to threaten Ashley with Evan, he recognized her immediately. The person who kicked the door was Ashley! Chapter 290 Ashley came with a handsome, dignified man and Evan, whose face was bruised, and a dozen big, tough guys who looked like bodyguards. Cyclone guessed that Evan¡¯s n seeded when he saw them appear together, so heined impatiently, ¡°Mr. Ramos, did your n work? Why did you bring so many people here?¡± However, as his words came out, Cyclone realized something was wrong and thought, ¡®Why did Evan¡¯s face swell? Did someone beat him? ¡®And the handsome and dignified man, | think I¡¯ve seen his face on the world¡¯s richest list. He is...Valentin Kingsley from the Kingsley family in Zyrrinthia! Those bodyguard guys... ¡°Fuck you, Evan, what the hell are you going to do?¡± Cyclone immediately became alert. At this moment, Ashley was looking around and searching for Miranda once the door was kicked open. Her gaze looked fierce when she saw Noe bully Miranda. Ashley had never felt so furious, and she ran towards Miranda immediately. The other gangsters in the warehouse saw this and intended to rush forward to stop Ashley. Before one of the gangsters could rush to Ashley, Ashley suddenly lifted her right leg and kicked him with great speed and force. He thumped on the ground and hit the back of his head. The blood flowed out. He was so painful that he kept rolling on the ground and wailing. The bodyguards brought over by Valentin were stunned for a moment when they saw Ashley¡¯s powerful kick. Then, they immediately rushed. forward and captured the gangsters with their top fighting skills. Only Noe was still standing next to Miranda. His legs were trembling with fear when he saw other gangsters being caught. Ashley was in a rage, stepping the blood on the ground and slowly walking to Miranda. She leaned over to pick up the steel pipe on the ground, then hit Noe directly with a thump. Noe suddenly screamed when the steel pipe hit him.Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Astrong smell of blood was then filled in the air. In just one stroke, Noe was bleeding. However, it was not over yet. Ashley looked at Noe with no emotion, he was already dead. ¡°Did you touch her with this hand?¡± ¡°No...no...1 didn¡¯t touch her!¡± Noe¡¯s eyes widened in horror. He wanted to turn around and run away. Ashley¡¯s eyes were fixed on him like the gaze of death. She suddenly raised the steel pipe and smashed it towards Noe¡¯s arm again. ¡°How dare you run away!¡± Suddenly, the entire warehouse echoed his pathetic wails. Ashley hit him repeatedly. With screams in agony and the strong smell of blood, the entire warehouse was in chaos. Noe¡¯s other gangsters were all shocked when they saw this horrific scene. Even fugitives like them started to feel frightened of such a bloody scene,/ but Ashley... It seemed that she wouldn''t spare Noe at all! They all felt lucky in their hearts for not touching Miranda just now. Otherwise...they would be the ones getting hurt now. The bodyguards brought over by Valentin looked at Ashley, who was expressionless, seeking justice for Miranda, and resolutely not letting Noe go. They suddenly thought Ashley was too strong and could protect Valentin well in the future. Valentin frowned slightly because he was concerned about Ashley¡¯s hand, not because he was worried about Ashley hitting others. Valentin walked over, pressed the strength of Ashley¡¯s wrist, and looked at her. ¡°Ashley...¡± Ashley calmed down when she heard Valentin¡¯s sexy voice. She closed her eyes, suppressed the anger, and nced coldly at Noe, who looked more dead than alive. Then she threw the steel pipe away with a thump. She squatted down in front of Miranda, immediately untied the rope that bound Miranda¡¯s hands and feet, and wrapped her messy clothes. Before Ashley could speak, Miranda fell into her arms and hugged her. 10:50 ¡°Ashley, | knew you woulde to rescue me!¡± Miranda wept and said in a heartbroken sob. ¡°Miranda...¡± Ashley hugged her with trembling arms and said in self-me, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry... Miranda kept sobbing, shook her head hard, and said with red eyes, ¡°Ashley, it¡¯s not your fault. The Ramos family and these despicable gangsters did this! Call the police now!¡± Ashley gently wiped her tears away. ¡°Don''t be afraid. I¡¯ve already called the police.¡± Not long after, the police siren gradually came outside from far to near. The gangsters¡¯ expressions suddenly changed when they heard the sound. They thought, ¡®Damn it! ¡®Didn''t Evan say that it was foolproof to threaten Ashley with Miranda? Now, the police areing!¡± These gangsters immediately struggled to escape. They all had big cases. If they were arrested, just a few years of imprisonment was far from enough. However, those bodyguards were all strong, so the gangsters could not break away at all. When Evan heard the police siren, he suddenly panicked and roared with a bruised face, ¡°Ashley! Who did the policee for?¡± Ashley looked indifferent and said with no emotion, ¡°Guess it.¡± Evan immediately knew the subtext of her words. He was angry and frightened with a fast heartbeat. He shouted, ¡°I am your biological father! How dare you call the police to arrest me! You...¡± Evan''s chest heaved violently with a pale face and bloodshot eyes. ¡°Damn it, you bastard! How could | have a daughter like you? You will be ashamed of it!¡± Evan''s harsh curses echoed in the empty warehouse. Valentin¡¯s face became stern. The anger hidden in his eyes made people surrounding him feel stressed and dare not look him in the eye. Chapter 290 Evan suddenly stopped the curse. He felt he couldn¡¯t breathe, and the judgment from hell came toward him. Valentin tilted his head and winked at rk. rk received Valentin¡¯s signal, strode up to Evan, kicked him to the ground, picked up the brick on the ground, and pped Evan''s mouth with it. ¡°You dare to say it again?¡± Evan screamed in agony after hitting by the brick. His other front tooth was also knocked out, and his mouth was bleeding. He looked in the direction of Valentin in horror. Evan thought, Valentin... How could he do this to me for Ashley? | just scolded Ashley a few words, but Valentin asked someone to retaliate against me like this! At this moment, several police cars parked outside the warehouse. The police immediately rushed in, arrested the gangsters, and preserved the witnesses and evidence at the scene. Ashley thought of Bertha and Jessica who were still at Ramos Vi, so she told the police to arrest them. Then, those gangsters were taken to the police station under escort by some police officers, and the remaining officers headed to Ramos Vi with Ashley. Chapter 291 In the living room at Ramos Vi, Bertha and Jessica hugged each other tremblingly, looking at the bodyguards left by Valentin with fear. They were guarded by these bodyguards. They could not move around, make phone calls, or even leave the living room. Jessica was anxious and jealous, and her mind was filled with images of Ashley and Valentin leaving Ramos Vi together. She thought. Bitch Ashley... What is the rtionship between her and Valentin? How could Valentin treat her so well?¡± Suddenly. Frankie and Ryan came angrily from outside, followed by Jeremy, Matthew, and Charlie. Bertha stood up after seeing Frankie, who disappeared for many days. ¡°Frankie? You''re back! Where have you been during this time?¡± Bertha wanted to run to see her eldest son, but the bodyguard beside her red at her. Bertha was suddenly too frightened to move. Before Frankie could speak. Ryan rushed to Jessica with a fierce expression, grabbed her cor, and lifted her. ¡°Tell me, did you drive a wedge between us? Did youe up with the idea to kidnap Miranda?¡¯ H Ryan had sharp features and looked even more fierce when he got angry. Jessica had difficulty breathing as Ryan grabbed her cor and was too frightened to speak clearly. ¡°No... Ryan, | didn¡¯t...¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t? Who else could it be? Jessica, don¡¯t think | will be deceived by you again. You are a vicious woman! It must be your idea to kidnap Miranda!¡± Ryan was furious. He couldn¡¯t suppress his anger and pped Jessica when he thought Miranda might have suffered something. Ryan didn¡¯t hold back his strength in this p. He was also a strong racing driver. So, with a thump, Jessica was directly pped onto the ground. Her mouth was bleeding, her ears were buzzing, and she couldn''t hear any sound. ¡°Jessica!¡± Bertha cried and rushed over, hugged Jessica, looked at Ryan, and med, ¡°How could you do this to Jessica?¡± ¡°Mom, stop protecting this ingrate! If Frankie hadn''t told me, | still 18 08-650 wouldn''t have known that Miranda was missing! How...how could such things?¡± you do Bertha was stunned. ¡®No wonder Ashley knew about Miranda¡¯s thing so early and came to Ramos Vi to make trouble. It was Frankie who told her. ¡®But how did Frankie know? There is only one possibility. Frankie had not disappeared. He was secretly keeping an eye on the Ramos family!¡¯ she thought. ¡°Frankie, you...¡± Bertha looked distressed and thought, ¡®Frankie is my son, but he wasn¡¯t on my side and reported the news to Ashley first. Did it make sense?¡¯ Jeremy looked at Bertha sitting on the ground and protecting Jessica, and he persuaded her helplessly. ¡°Mom, don¡¯t be stubborn!¡± ¡°Mom, wake up!¡± Matthew red at Jessica, wishing he could kick her to death. Charlie wanted to reach out and pull the embarrassed Bertha up, but he didn¡¯t stretch out after seeing her still defending Jessica. Bertha was in a daze, and her hair was messy. But she still stubbornly protected Jessica andined inwardly, They are all my biological sons. ¡®How are they so alienated from me? ¡®Could it be that | was wrong?¡± Bertha saw Ryan still wanted to hit Jessica, so she immediately held Jessica in her arms. ¡°Ashley has already taken your father to find Miranda! Why are you still ming Jessica? Do you want to hit Jessica to death?¡± Ryan¡¯s eyes were red, and he said with hatred, ¡°The gangsters you arranged are wanted fugitives. They can do anything illegal... Listen, if Ashley and Miranda suffer an ident, | will stab Jessica to death even if | may go to jail and cost my life!¡± After Ryan finished his words, he reached out, picked up the fruit knife on the table beside him, and aimed at Jessica. Jessica¡¯s ears were buzzing from Ryan¡¯s p just now. As soon as she 08:15 17 recovered a little, she heard Ryan¡¯s words and was so frightened that she screamed and hid in Bertha¡¯s arms. ¡°Mom, save me!¡± Bertha knew Ryan very well. He had a tough character since he was a child and put words into deeds. Now, he said he wanted to stab Jessica. He might really do it. Bertha¡¯s face turned pale, and her voice trembled. ¡°Ryan! Put the knife down! Frankie, Charlie, help me stop Ryan!¡± Frankie and Charlie looked at each other and did not respond tacitly. ¡®Stop Ryan? ¡°We all want to stab Jessica and go to jail with Ryan together!¡¯ Frankie and Charlie thought. Jeremy and Matthew would not stop Ryan either. At this tense moment, a police siren sounded. Then, the door of Ramos Vi opened, and a group of police officers rushed in. Ryan turned around and saw Ashley, Valentin, Miranda, and Evaning in along with the police. Evan had already been handcuffed. Ryan saw Ashley and Valentin sitting in the back seat of a car a few days. ago. At that time, he spected that Valentin was dating Ashley and wanted to do something to Ashley. But now, Ryan had no time to think about that when he saw Ashley and Valentin showing up together. He was only concerned about whether Ashley would be in danger or get hurt by the wanted fugitives when she rescued Miranda. Seeing Ashley and Mirandaing back together, Ryan¡¯s heartbeat fast. He ran over with nervousness. ¡°Ashley! Miranda! Did... did you get hurt?¡± Ryan looked at Ashley and Miranda carefully from head to toe. He didn¡¯t see any wounds on their bodies, so he felt relieved a little. The other sons of the Ramos family also ran over with worry. Ashley was surprised when she saw the five brothers appearing together and Bertha and Jessica sitting on the floor in the living room. Without a word, she walked to the living room and took out the agreement that Evan had threatened her with. 3/5 08:45 Chapter 291Content held by N?velDrama.Org. Ashley handed over the agreement and Evan¡¯s phone to the police. ¡°This is Evan¡¯s phone. It has the conversation between him and the kidnapper, which can prove that he hired them to kidnap Miranda. Also, this agreement contains various threatening conditions. He threatened me not to speak out or to call the police.¡± Until Jeremy heard this, he knew there was such a disgusting agreement. He looked at Evan with pain, who was being escorted by the police. ¡°Dad, you...¡± Evan shouted without giving up, ¡°When did youe back, Frankie? You came back just in time! Jeremy, Frankie, you are all here. Think of a solution for me!¡± The police officer interrupted seriously. ¡°A solution? The evidence is valid of your crime. Don¡¯t even think about escaping!¡± Evan¡¯s hands were cuffed, and he red at Ashley. ¡°You bastard...¡± As soon as he cursed, he remembered Valentin¡¯s retaliation in the warehouse. He immediately swallowed his words and roared uncontrobly, ¡°Ashley, why are you so ruthless? Do you really want to send your biological father to prison?¡± Ashley said indifferently, ¡°Of course. It¡¯s not only you but also Bertha and Jessica.¡± Bertha was already panicked when she saw the policeing. Now, after hearing Ashley¡¯s words, she was even frightened. Her legs went weak, and she couldn''t stand up several times. Jessica¡¯s face turned pale, and she was terrified. ¡®No! | don¡¯t want to go to jail! I''m still young. | can¡¯t ept this!¡¯ she thought. ¡°Ashley, how could you do this? They are your biological parents!¡± Jessica burst into tears. ¡°Frankie, Charlie, there must be something wrong today! Please help Mom and Dad!¡± ¡®Help me!¡¯ She didn¡¯t speak it. ¡°Something wrong? Jessica, aren¡¯t you ashamed of yourself?¡± Jeremy said coldly, ¡°Dad and Mom need to pay the price for committing a crime. They dare to kidnap Miranda to threaten Ashley now. Won''t they kidnap Chapter 292 After Matthew heard what Jeremy said, sweats broke out on his back. ¡®What if we spare our parents this time, and they will not be regretful and n to kidnap Ashley next time? ¡®Ashley was lucky and didn¡¯t get hurt this time, but what about the next time? ¡®If Ashley is kidnapped and gets hurt next time, we will not have a chance. to regret it, Matthew thought. Ashley nced at Jeremy silently after hearing his words.Content held by N?velDrama.Org. Two police officers strode forward, pulled Bertha and Jessica up from the ground, and cuffed them with cold silver handcuffs with a click. Evan''s eyes widened in anger as he saw the three of them being handcuffed. He felt angry and regretful. Ashley! It¡¯s all her fault!¡¯ he thought. ¡°Wait a minute!¡± Evan suddenly shouted, ¡°Bertha and | came up with the idea of kidnapping. It has nothing to do with Jessica. Don''t arrest her!¡± Ryan¡¯s face darkened. ¡°How is it possible? | know you guys. You would never have such an idea. The idea of kidnapping must havee from Jessica!¡± Matthew also added, ¡°Dad, why are you still protecting Jessica? Jessica even made you go to jail!¡± Evan scolded, ¡°Shut up! | said it had nothing to do with Jessica! Bertha, what do you think?¡± Bertha was in a daze. She became even more confused when she heard Evan¡¯s question. She thought, ¡®I don¡¯t want to go to jail either. Why did Evan only find an excuse for Jessica but not me? ¡®However, it would be good if Jessica could escape from punishment. ¡®In any case, | have raised Jessica for many years and already regard Jessica as my biological daughter¡¯ Bertha nodded nkly. ¡°Yes, this matter has nothing to do with Jessica. Jessica does not know it at all...¡± 1/3 08:45 Jessica was joyful when she heard it but still pretended to be sad. ¡°Mom, Dad, | really don¡¯t know...¡± Evan followed suit. ¡°Yes, this matter indeed has nothing to do with Jessica. Don¡¯t arrest the wrong person. He thought, ¡®As long as Jessica won''t be arrested, she can get Bertha and me out of prison. Jessica is so sensible and considerate. | believed she would try her best to get Bertha and me out of prison!¡± Ashley looked at this scene with an expressionless face and mocked. inwardly, ¡®Evan and Bertha want to keep Jessica innocent even if they have to go to jail themselves. | didn¡¯t expect them to do this for Jessica. Want to protect Jessica? Don¡¯t even think about it. | have many ways to make Evan confess that Jessica was also involved.¡¯ Evan and Bertha insisted that Jessica didn¡¯t know anything about the kidnap, so the police could only take Evan and Bertha away for investigation and interrogate the kidnappers together. Jessica dodged a bullet. Ryan looked at her in rage. Ashley thought of something, and she took a few steps away, took out her phone to call Jaden, and asked in a low voice, ¡°Jessica wants to secretly sell the shares of the Ramos Group to the Zenith Group. When will she sign the contract?¡± Jaden was woken up at midnight and said listlessly. ¡°Oh my. You called me and woke me up just to ask this thing?¡± Ashley replied, ¡°Tell me.¡± Jaden said, ¡°Five dayster. What¡¯s wrong?¡± Ashley responded, ¡°Ask the people of the Zenith Group to inform Jessica. that the contract will be signed tomorrow, and as an apology, you can offer her a higher price to buy her shares of the Ramos Group.¡± Jaden wondered, ¡°Why are you so hurry? You can¡¯t wait for even five days?¡± Ashley¡¯s delicate face was expressionless. ¡°Yes, | can¡¯t wait to handle Jessica.¡± Chapter 293 Chapter 293 After she finished speaking with Jaden, Ashley hung up the phone. Valentin came over. It was past three o¡¯clock in the morning, and it was a little cold at midnight. He touched her hand, which felt cold. Frowning, he took off his ck suit jacket and put it on her shoulders. The smell and warmth of his suit jacket soothed her. The moment she felt his warm clothes on her shoulders. Ashley blinked and said, ¡°Thanks, but I¡¯m not cold.¡± He replied, holding her hand, ¡°But your hand feels cold.¡± ¡°Fine...¡± she muttered. Without saying anything, Ashley pulled Valentin¡¯s suit jacket up a little bit and walked toward Miranda. She was worried about Miranda. If Ashley hadn''te to her rescue in time, Miranda would¡¯ve been taken chastity in the warehouse by Noe and traumatized for life. Ashley wouldn¡¯t let Jessica, the culprit, get away with it. She swore in her mind with rage in her eyes, thinking, Jessica has to pay. I''ll make her sorry for what she had done to Miranda. At this moment, Ryan looked into Miranda¡¯s tear-streaked face, standing in front of her. His hatred for Jessica grew. ¡°Damn it. Jessica is the one who should be sent to prison, that evil woman!¡± Filled with mixed feelings, Miranda stared at Ashley, her eyes reddened. Back in the warehouse, she got a feeling that Ashley woulde to save her, and she herself didn¡¯t know why. As expected, Ashley dide to her rescue. She still remembered how touched and relieved she felt when Ashley kicked open the gate of the warehouse Ashley, like a superwoman, stepped from lights and shadows. Her presence immediately drove Miranda¡¯s panic and worries away. Ryan kept speaking ill of Jessica. However, Jessica wasn¡¯t listening to him. Instead, she fixed her eyes on TA 0845 Ashley and Valentin not far away. Except for Ryan, the whole Ramos family looked at Ashley and Valentin with dumbfounded expressions. The Ramos family heard from Ryan that Valentin was pursuing Ashley, but most of them didn¡¯t believe it. When they saw Valentin put his suit jacket on Ashley¡¯s shoulders with tenderness in his eyes, they were thunderstruck. Given that the Ramos family wasn¡¯t a big family, they could hardly have a chance to meet such a public figure like Valentin in person, let alone see him together with Ashley at their own house. After all, Valentin was a living legend to them who could only be seen in financial magazines or interviews. Valentin looked domineering, his gestures full of grace, pride, and dignity. Thus, though Valentin was at Ramos Vi as a guest, the Ramos. family felt that he was the true host. They felt too restrained to speak to Ashley. ¡°Jeremy, what kind of rtionship do you think Ashley and Valentin have?¡± Matthew murmured with a look of disbelief. ¡°How do | know?¡± Jeremy was as confused as him. Jessica¡¯s pale face twisted with hatred and jealousy while she stared at Ashley. She cursed inwardly, ¡®Why? Why can she always get whatever shet wants so easily? ¡®Even her stupid conservation work for artifacts earned her a good name. ¡®She should''ve rotted somewhere after she got kicked out and despised by the Ramos family. | didn¡¯t expect her to turn the tables and make the whole family spin around her. ¡®How did she manage to seduce such a big cheese like Valentin? ¡®She has a career, family, and men... Why can she have everything? ¡®No! This isn¡¯t the way it¡¯s supposed to be.¡± Jessica staggered back with a twisted and nasty grin on her face. She thought, Valentin has never publicly announced that he¡¯s in a romantic rtionship with a woman. ¡®So what if he¡¯s seeing Ashley? | bet he doesn¡¯t want a serious rtionship 08:45 with that bitch.¡¯ Thinking of this, Jessica calmed down with a look of confidence. She believed that as long as Evan and Bertha were in jail, it was only a matter of time before she took over the Ramos family. However, she was worried that without Evan and Bertha, Frankie and the rest of the Ramos family would give her a hard time. Therefore, she had to sell her shares in the Ramos Group and everything the Ramos family owned as soon as possible before she left. She had contacted the Zenith Group and agreed to sign over thepany in five days. She wondered if the Zenith Group could move the meeting up. As for Evan and Bertha... They helped get Jessica off because they believed she could save them. However, Jessica had no intention of saving them. She thought, ¡°They can rot in there, for all | care. ¡®So what if they¡¯re going to spend their lives in jail? It''s of no concern to me.¡¯ As the victim of the kidnapping, Miranda had to give a statement at the police station. Because Ashley was involved in this, she was asked to be there, too. Valentin went with Ashley. When they arrived at the police station, Evan, Bertha, and the kidnapp were still being interrogated. Because the evidence against them was strong, t there was no denying that they would face a life behind bars. After Ashley gave her statement and was about to leave, a police officer stopped her and said, ¡°Please wait. Your parents demand to speak to you. Do you want to see them?¡± She thought for a moment and replied with a nod, ¡°Okay.¡± Then she told Valentin and Miranda to wait for her outside... Ashley followed the police officer into the next room, where Evan and Bertha were sitting at the long table with handcuffs. 3/1Content held by N?velDrama.Org. She sat across from them with a mocking smile, enjoying watching them in a struggle. Evan tried to hide the handcuffs on his hands but failed. He snapped. ¡°Ashley, you''ve gone too far. It doesn¡¯t have to be this way.¡± Bertha echoed, ¡°Ashley, please drop the case against us. We can talk. Evan and | don¡¯t want to end up in jail.¡± Ashley leaned back in her chair and cast them a disdainful look. ¡°There¡¯s nothing left to say. Actually, | can¡¯t wait to see you two in jail.¡± ¡°You!¡± Evan was so furious that he wanted to p her. However, he was in handcuffs and couldn¡¯t move. He assailed angrily, ¡°What''s your rtionship with Valentin? Does he love you? If so, we''ll be his family one day. He doesn¡¯t want anyone to talk behind his back that his family is in jail, does he? You just need a little word with him, he¡¯ll get us out of here immediately!¡± Ashley looked cold, saying, ¡°Are you crazy, Evan? Why would | do that?¡± Bertha cried her eyes out while begging, ¡°I gave birth to you and took you back to the Ramos family. Without me, how could you live in Ramos -Vi for two years? Is this how you return the favor?¡± ¡°Don''t tter yourself.¡± Ashley stood up and looked at them with a sneer. ¡°You kidnapped my friend to ckmail me. Is that the favor you¡¯re talking about? ¡°I''m not gonna help you out of jail. Don¡¯t ever think about it! You''ll go to jail for the rest of your life.¡± After saying that, she turned around and left decisively. Evan mmed the table angrily, thinking, ¡®l shouldn¡¯t have counted her, but | have nothing to worry about. Jessica has been so sweet and considerate. | believe she''ll try her best to get us out of here!¡¯ Chapter 294 Ashley left the police station, the sun hade up. Considering Valentin and Ashley''s identity, the police chief walked them out in person. The Ramos brothers had been waiting outside the police station. When Ryan finally saw hering out, he immediately ran over. However, the moment he saw Valentin next to her, he halted out of fear. If Valentin and Ashley got married, Ryan would be Valentin¡¯s family. Generally speaking, he shouldn¡¯t have been afraid of Valentin. However, Valentin seemed to be a difficult person to get close to. Ryan didn¡¯t dare to approach him. Even so, he was so worried about Ashley and Miranda that he fought his cowardice and ran toward them. He braced himself with gritted teeth and asked, ¡°Ashley, is everything okay? Do you know what the police are going to do with them?¡± She answered in a steely tone, ¡°They''ll be held ountable.¡± Ryan got the hint that she wasn¡¯t going to help Evan and Bertha out. He didn¡¯t want Ashley to misunderstand him, so he waved his hand and exined quickly, ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong. | know Dad and Mom have gone. too far this time. Because of them, Miranda almost got hurt.¡± Though he was worried about Evan and Bertha, he was so mad at them for their unforgivable behaviors. Ryan swore that he wouldn''t put in a good word for them. ¡°Miranda, are you...feeling better?¡± he asked carefully. ¡°Yes!¡± Miranda nodded. She had pulled herself together after she knew the kidnappers were under arrest. Ryan had been worried that Miranda was traumatized. Therefore, when he learned that she was fine, he felt relieved. After Miranda left with Ashley and Valentin, Jeremy immediately ran over and forced Ryan to repeat the conversation he had had with Ashley. After telling his brothers everything, Ryan mocked with a smirk on his 1/6 08:151 face, ¡°None of you dare to ask Ashley. A bunch of cowards.¡± Jeremy threw a punch and retorted, ¡°You want a piece of me?¡± Ryan got punched in the face. ¡°Enough. Stop messing around. Let¡¯s get serious for a minute.¡± Matthew asked hesitantly. ¡°So... Dad and Mom are going to jail. Are we going to sit and do nothing?¡± Rubbing his swollen cheek, Ryan replied with a stern expression, ¡°I feel bad seeing Dad and Mon in jail, but there¡¯s not much we can do. They''re too stubborn. What if they keep making mistakes after they get out of there?¡± Jeremy echoed with a frown, ¡°Ryan''s right. We can¡¯t let them harm Ashley again.¡± Charlie nodded in agreement. Frankie thought a lot more than his brothers. Even if they wanted to get Evan and Bertha out of jail, Ashley and Valentin would do whatever they could to stop them. The Ramos family couldn¡¯t afford to go against them. Valentin and Ashley drove Miranda home. Ashley was still worried about her, so she turned to Valentin and said, ¡°I want to stay with Miranda for a, while you can go back first.¡± Nodding slightly, he agreed. Then he ordered rk and several bodyguards to guard downstairs to protect them. Instead of driving away immediately, he ordered takeout. Ashley had been busy all day and didn¡¯t sleep a winkst night. It dawned on Valentin that she hadn¡¯t eaten anything yet. After Ashley and Miranda reached home, she asked Miranda to take a shower, which could wash her exhaustion away after a long day.Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. ¡°I''m just about to take a shower.¡± Miranda got herself a change of clothes. and continued, ¡°Make yourself at home, Ashley.¡± After saying that, she entered the bathroom with a change of clothes in her arms. While Miranda was in the shower, Ashley got a message. Valentin texted: 08:45 T [Open the door.] Stunned for a moment, she got up and ran to open the door. When she saw Valentin outside the door, she asked in a daze, blinking, ¡°What are you doing here? | thought you had left.¡± He showed her the takeout in his hand and replied, ¡°I think you might be hungry, so | bought you breakfast.¡± Ashley took the takeout over and took a look. Those were all her favorite foods. They looked delicious, but they seemed too much for her and Miranda. She put breakfast down on the dining table and ran back to the door. Looking into Valentin¡¯s charming face, she suddenly sighed, ¡°Actually, I¡¯m torn.¡± He pulled her closer and asked softly, ¡°What''s the matter?¡± Ashley pressed her lips and lowered her eyes, saying, ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about it since Miranda got kidnapped. If it weren''t for me, Evan wouldn''t have used her to ckmail me, and she wouldn''t have gone through all this. Maybe | shouldn¡¯t have been so close to her. No. | shouldn¡¯t have made friends so that no one will get hurt because of me.¡± As soon as she finished speaking, Valentin leaned closer and looked intensely into her eyes. ¡°Ashley, look at me.¡± She blinked and did as he said. She could see herself in his deep eyes. The way he looked at her made her feel that she was deeply loved by him. Holding her shoulders with both hands, Valentin said firmly and gently, ¡°Ashley, you have nothing to do with it. It was the Ramos family who should be med. They should pay for their greed and selfishness.¡± He looked into her clear eyes and continued in a convincing and reassuring voice, ¡°Ashley, you did nothing wrong. You don¡¯t have to beat yourself up because of their mistakes. Do you hear me?¡± Her eyes reddened. Ashley threw herself into his arms. Valentin wrapped his arm around her and kissed her on the forehead lovingly. ¡°Trust me, Ashley. You have no idea how great you are. Don¡¯t 08-45 you ever doubt yourself, okay?¡± She put her arms around his waist and pressed her head against his warm chest, hearing the thumping of his chest. Unexpectedly, his heartbeat eased Ashley¡¯s mind. Her guilt and worries vanished. Valentin could always make her feel better when she was feeling low. After a while, Ashley let go of him, looked unblinkingly into his face, and said. ¡°Thank you. And you''re a great man.¡± He lowered his eyes and smiled softly, with some kind of sexiness. After saying that, she rubbed her burning lobe out of shyness. Then she pushed him out and said, ¡°You didn¡¯t sleep at allst night. Go back and have a rest. He reached out his hand and rubbed her head affectionately. ¡°Call me if you need me.¡± ¡°Okay, | will.¡± ¡°Remember your breakfast¡± ¡°Alright, stop nagging me.¡± Valentin pretended to sulk. He raised his eyebrows in a teasing way and joked, ¡°I can¡¯t believe you drove me away as soon as you had no use for me. What a heartless woman.¡± Ashley blinked and exined in a sweet voice, ¡°That¡¯s not true. On the contrary, | want to stick with you. Come on, give me a hug!¡± Then she pressed herself into him and then let go, saying, ¡°Alright, you really should go back for a good rest. Get home safe. I''ll call youter.¡± Ashley took breakfast out on the dining table. Miranda came out of the bathroom and saw the table filled with food. Her eyes widened in shock. ¡°Ashley, did you go out and buy us breakfast?¡± The next second, she continued instantly, ¡°I see! It was Mr. Kingsley. Am | right?¡± Ashley smiled and motioned for her toe over. ¡°Come and eat.¡± 4/6 Miranda ran over while eximing excitedly. ¡°My goodness. Am | dreaming? Tm going to have the breakfast Mr. Kingsley bought. I''m going to brag about it?¡± Ashley was speechless. She thought Miranda was making a big deal out of it. Valemin brought them a lot of food. Ashley and Miranda were full. After breakfast, Ashley took out her phone, checked the time, and asked, You didn¡¯t sleepst night. Do you want to catch up on sleep?¡± Miranda vawned and looked at her with sleepy eyes, replying, ¡°Good idea. Are you sleepy. Ashley? Why don¡¯t we catch up on sleep together?¡± Sure Though Ashley didn¡¯t feel like sleeping, she wanted to spend more time with her. They shared the same bed. Miranda turned around and got closer to her. Ashley, you smell good. Can | cuddle up with you?¡± ¡°Of course. Ashley held her to sleep while speaking softly. Miranda was so sleepy that she fell asleep very soon. Ashley stroked Miranda¡¯s hair slightly. Looking at Miranda, who was in a sound sleep, she believed Miranda had gotten over what happened yesterday. However, she was still afraid that Miranda would have nightmares. Therefore, she stayed awake, making sure Miranda was fine. If Miranda woke up screaming because of nightmares, Ashley could soothe her in time. Later, Ashley¡¯s phone buzzed. She got a message. Jaden sent: [Are you sure you want to sign the share transfer contract with Jessica today?] Ashley tried not to wake Miranda up and typed quietly. [Yes.] Jaden asked: What if she disagrees?] Ashley replied: [I¡¯m sure she''ll agree.] Without Evan and Bertha¡¯s help, Jessica was convinced that the Ramos. family would make things difficult for her. Therefore, she would sell the property of the Ramos family and run away as soon as possible. Chapter 294 Jaden said: [That makes so much sense. Okay, |¡¯ll have someone notify her.] At Ramos Vi, Jessica paced back and forth in her room uneasily, wondering how to bring up her demand with the Zenith Group that she wanted to sign the contract ahead of the appointed time. Suddenly, she received a call from Isab Copley, the manager of the Zenith Group. Jessica was stunned. The headquarters of the Zenith Group was in Takydo. Isab was the manager of the branchpany in Zyrrinthia. Jessica answered the call and said incredulously, ¡°Hello, Ms. Copley?¡± Aclear voice sounded. ¡°Hello, Ms. Ramos. I¡¯m sorry to tell you that we want to sign the share transfer contract ahead of the appointed time. The management of the headquarters suddenly came to the Zyrrinthia branch for inspection. | wonder if we can advance the signing to today?¡± Jessica was happy when she heard this. This was what she was expecting. However, she asked in a steady voice, trying not to notice a trace of joy in her voice, ¡°Today?¡± Isab replied, ¡°Yes, Ms. Ramos. Now that we both have agreed on the price of the share transfer, we just want to sign the contract in advance. You have nothing to lose, right? Even so, we feel sorry for the inconvenience, we n to offer you 10% more of the agreed price.¡± Hearing this, Jessica¡¯s face lit up in excitement. She restrained her smile and said in a calm voice, ¡°Well... Actually, I¡¯m not ina hurry, but you sound like it¡¯s something urgent. | guess | can do you a favor.¡± She thought, ¡®As long as | sell the share, I¡¯ll immediately get out of Zyrrinthia.¡¯ Chapter 295 Jessica thought for a while and continued, ¡°Ms. Copley, you just said that the management of the headquarters wille for inspection. | wonder if | have a chance to meet the president of the Zenith Group.¡± The president of the Zenith Group was a person full of secrets. Few people had seen him. If she could meet him while signing the contract today, she might build a rtionship with him. The more connections she had, the better. ¡°I''m sorry. Ms. Ramos. I¡¯m merely a manager. It¡¯s out of my hands.¡± Isab declined her request and continued, ¡°But | can report to my boss. and give you a reply as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Jessica hung up the phone, waiting for Isab¡¯s reply nervously.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. The Zenith Group was an influential listed investmentpany worldwide, with its headquarters in Takydo and branches all over the world. Even the Kingsley Group and the Fox Group in Zyrrinthia used to work with the Zenith Group. The president of the Zenith Group remained a mystery, and so was the biggest shareholder of the Zenith Group. It was said that the Zenith Group had a financial crisis before and almost went bankrupt. With the timely investment and a proper development n from this shareholder, the Zenith Group wed back from its revenue losses. Suffice it to say, that this mysterious shareholder was the real boss of the Zenith Group. Jessica knew she wasn¡¯t qualified to meet the real boss of the Zenith Group. She would be very grateful if she could speak to the president of the headquarters of the Zenith Group. When she was waiting for Isab¡¯s call anxiously, she was startled by a sudden great sound. Her bedroom door was kicked open from the outside. Frankie, Jeremy, and Matthew stormed in. ¡°Brothers... Their angry faces frightened her. 08:15 T Jessica showed them her puppy-dog eyes as she used to. However, the three of them didn¡¯t buy it anymore. ¡°Jessica!¡± Jeremy said in a stern tone, ¡°From today on, you''re not allowed to leave Ramos Vi and even your bedroom.¡± ¡°What? Why?¡± Her eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°Jeremy, you... ¡°Shut up.¡± Jeremy red at her with wariness and contempt in his eyes. ¡°You¡¯re not going to harm Ashley. Not on my watch!¡± ¡°|... didn¡¯t do anything to harm Ashley. And | know nothing about Miranda¡¯s kidnapping. How would | know the kidnappers used her to threaten Ashley? | have nothing to do with it...¡± Her eyes turned red, filled with tears. ¡°You have to trust me, Jeremy, Matthew.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Matthew walked up to her and gently smoothed her messy hair. Jessica smirked secretly when she saw Matthew¡¯s gentle expression. Whining, she pushed her luck and continued, ¡°Matthew, | swear I¡¯m unaware of the kidnapping. And | never want to hurt Ashley. I...¡± Before she finished speaking, Matthew changed his expression. He pulled her hair rudely with a sullen face. She screamed, and her face twisted in pain. ¡°It hurts! Matthew...¡± Matthew stared at her with steely eyes and suddenly smiled, ¡°Jessica, am | a fool or what? Because of you, | had been so mean to Ashley. From now on, you have to go through what Ashley suffered.¡± |...¡± She looked at Matthew in horror, and her face turned pale. Since he knew Ashley was Ash, Matthew had treated Jessica badly and had been moody. One minute, he smiled at Jessica, the next, he red at her. Among five brothers, Matthew was the one Jessica feared the most. ¡°Matthew, I...I¡¯m also your sister.¡± ¡°Sister?¡± He wouldn''t let go of Jessica¡¯s hair, indifferently watching her sob. ¡°Jessica, you make me sick. I¡¯m telling you. Ashley is my only sister.¡± Jessica felt humiliated. She bit her lower lip with hatred, thinking, ¡®I make him sick? Ashley is so fantastic, and I¡¯m a zero. Is that what he means?¡± 08:15 T At that point, Jeremy cut in. ¡°Jessica, since Frankie came back, you don¡¯t have to go to thepany anymore. He''ll take charge of the Ramos. Group again.¡± Frankie narrowed his deep eyes and replied, ¡°I''ll run thepany for the time being. And | n to let Ashley take over the company.¡± Jeremy and Matthew agreed on his decision. The Ramos family tried to make it up to Ashley by giving her the best. Jessica was so shocked by Frankie''s words that she stopped pretending to cry. She wondered, ¡®What did he say? Is Frankie going to let Ashley take charge of the Ramos Group? ¡®| didn¡¯t expect a man who values money the most would want to give away thepany he cherishes without asking for anything in return. ¡®How''s this possible? ¡®No! Everything about the Ramos family is mine! ¡®Are they nuts? How can they only care about that bitch?¡± Though she was overwhelmed with resentment and jealousy, Jessica was d that she was going to sell the share in the Ramos Group to the Zenith Group today. After that, she could have everything about the Ramos family. you She begged with a fake, innocent look, ¡°Frankie, I¡¯ve been assisting Dad in managing thepany during your absence. I¡¯m fine with that if want to take charge of thepany again, but a formal handover takes time. | have to go to thepany in person today.¡± Jessica had to go out today. As long as she signed the contract with the Zenith Group, no one in the Ramos family would dare to go against her. Frankie and Jeremy exchanged looks and nodded in agreement. ¡°Don¡¯t try anything funny. We won''t forgive you if you dare to harm Ashley again.¡± She nodded repeatedly and answered, ¡°I also want to make it up to Ashley. | never want to harm her.¡± As soon as the three of them left, Jessica immediately locked the door. Given that she had been helping Evan manage thepany, Evan gave her a lot of shares in the Ramos Group. At the same time, she stole the official seal of thepany and secretly signed more than a dozen property transfer contracts. She had transferred arge sum of money to her offshore bank ount. After she sold the share to the Zenith Group, the Ramos Group would be a shellpany. Jessica thought, ¡®I¡¯m going to take everything away from the Ramos. family. ¡®Ashley will get nothing. ¡®As for Evan and Bertha, | don¡¯t give a damn about whether they will spend their lives in jail. Before long, Isab called and said, ¡°Ms. Ramos, | had reported to my boss, and he agreed to meet you at 2 p.m. and sign the contract with you. in person.¡± ¡°Okay, I''ll be there on time.¡± Jessica¡¯s heart was pounding with excitement. She was happy that things went as smoothly as she nned. At Miranda¡¯s apartment, Ashley looked at Miranda, who was sleeping soundly and breathing evenly in her arms. She didn¡¯t seem like she was having nightmares, which made Ashley feel relieved. Fortunately, Miranda wasn¡¯t traumatized because of Noe. Otherwise, Ashley would never forgive herself. Suddenly, she got a message from Jaden. [Good news. Jessica agreed to sign the contract at 2 p.m. We''ll see her together.] [She must be blown away if she knows you''re the real boss of the Zenith Group.] Ashley was lost in thoughts. She didn¡¯t want Evan and Bertha to miss the good show. They had been waiting for Jessica to get them out of prison. If they learned Jessica did nothing but leave them behind, and even plotted to run away with all the property of the Ramos family, they must be pissed. At that time, Evan wouldn''t forgive Jessica for betraying him. Ashley 4/5 08:46 T 995 believed that he would testify against her and told the police that Jessica. was involved in the kidnapping. Chapter 296 Chapter 296 Miranda woke up in Ashley¡¯s arms and immediately caught sight of Ashley¡¯s tender, affectionate gaze. Miranda¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and she quickly asked, ¡°Ashley, have you been awake this whole time?¡± ¡°No, | just woke up,¡± Ashley replied. Ashley tucked the nket around Miranda, not revealing that she had stayed awake all night, watching over Miranda for fear she might have nightmares. Miranda yawned and snuggled closer into Ashley¡¯s embrace affectionately. She felt incredibly well-rested, enveloped in Ashley¡¯s subtle fragrance, which was like snow-covered roses or a breeze over a lake, soothing all her unease and inner turmoil. And moreover... ¡°Ashley,¡± Miranda said while caressing Ashley''s arm, clearly intrigued, ¡°your skin is so nice! It¡¯s incredibly smooth and soft. It feels amazing to ¡ª touch!¡± Ashley was speechless at Miranda¡¯sment. Miranda, unable to stop touching Ashley¡¯s arm, suddenly asked with full curiosity, ¡°When you were with Mr. Kingsley, did he particrly like to touch and feel you?¡± Ashley fell silent, pondering, ¡®Perhaps he did, a little... Almost as ifpelled by an unseen force, Ashley touched her arm. pondering to herself, ¡®l don¡¯t feel anything special about it...¡± Miranda, who was equally clueless, followed along and touched her own. arm,menting, ¡°Huh, it doesn¡¯t feel like much when | touch myself. | guess I¡¯ll just keep touching yours then.¡± The two spent a yful andughing time in bed until it was almost noon. Ashley got up, freshened up, and then had lunch with Miranda. With a meeting nned with Jessica at two o¡¯clock, Ashley told Miranda to rest well and left for her own house. She also had left a bodyguard to watch over Miranda¡¯s apartment, thinking it was necessary to protect Miranda¡¯s safety, at least until Jessical was dealt with. Upon returning to Kingsley Vi, Valentin noticed the redness in Ashley¡¯s eyes and frowned with concern, ¡°Didn¡¯t you rest?¡± Ashley nced at him and opened her arms for a hug, seekingfort in her own haven. ¡°What about you? Did you rest? Come on, give me a hug and energize me!¡± Just as she embraced him, barely sinking into the moment, Joseph barged in. ¡°Holy smokes, what''s going on, Valentin?! Did you guys juste from the police station?¡± he eximed. Following behind Joseph, ire also asked with concern, ¡°Ashley, what happened?¡± Ashley reluctantly let go of Valentin and shared the entire ordeal of Evan kidnapping Miranda the previous night, intending to use her as leverage. Joseph cursed furiously, ¡°Damn, Evan is really a monster toe up with such a sinister n! And to think he ims Jessica didn¡¯t know anything. ¡°I¡¯m sure she¡¯s very much involved!¡± ire sighed inwardly, ¡®Ashley really has it tough with such a family. She grew up with her grandparents. Seeing other kids living with their parents, she must have yearned for her own. When her grandparents passed away, and Ashley agreed to move back to Ramos Vi, she probably hoped to fulfill that childhood dream of parental love. But the Ramos family... Joseph was fuming with righteous anger as he looked at Ashley. ¡°Ashley, you absolutely must not let Jessica off the hook that easily!¡± Ashley¡¯s eyes shed with determination. ¡°Of course, | will get back at her this afternoon.¡± ¡°This afternoon?¡± Joseph''s eyes lit up at the mention. ¡°What do you n to do this afternoon? Take me with you!¡± Joseph might not be interested in other matters, but when it came to dealing with the Ramos family, he was the most enthusiastic and eager. Valentin nced at Ashley and then turned to Joseph. ¡°Don¡¯t ask too. much right now. Ashley hasn''t slept a wink sincest night. Let her rest a 08:46 T bit first.¡± Upon hearing this, Joseph couldn''t help but exim, ¡°Ashley, even though you''re tough as nails, you still need to rest!¡± Ashley was puzzled, wondering, ¡°Tough as nails?¡± ire¡¯s eyelids twitched, and she smacked Joseph on the back of his head, saying, ¡°Will you ever learn to speak properly?! Ashley, go get some rest. You still have a busy afternoon ahead. You need to be at your best.¡± Looking pitifully with his hand on the back of his head, Joseph wondered, ¡®What did | say wrong? Ever since I¡¯ve known Ashley, she has always been full of energy and lively!¡± Although Joseph was curious and eager to join Ashley in dealing with Jessica, he restrained himself from pestering her with questions, not wanting to disturb her rest. Once Ashley returned to her room, she quickly showered andyfortably on her bed. Valentin sat beside her, massaging her body to relieve the soreness. to sleep. I''ll wake you upter.¡± ¡°Go ¡°| don¡¯t want to sleep now,¡± Ashley said, shaking her head and batting her glistened eyes at him. She then suddenly called him endearingly, ¡°My dear Valentin?¡±N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. He raised his eyebrows and replied with a husky and seductive voice, ¡°What¡¯s up, my dear Ashley?¡± Ashley smiled sweetly and suddenly asked, ¡°Do you like touching m Valentin was momentarily taken aback by her question, his eyebrows subtly raising, and he smirked. ¡°What do you think?¡± Ashley boldly stretched out her arms. ¡°If you like touching me, I¡¯ll let touch then!¡± Valentin¡¯s gaze then instantly turned intense. y Ashley pulled him to lie down beside her. ¡°Stop massaging. Justy here with me.¡± She even ced his hand on her waist after saying that. Ashley turned to face him, admiring his stunningly handsome face. She 08:46 1 couldn''t resist touching his Adam''s apple and then his corbone. ¡°You''re also quite nice to touch.¡± Valentin was slightly surprised at her actions and fell silent. After a short while of touching, Ashley checked the time and saw it was almost one o''clock. Valentin¡¯s fingers gentlybed through her soft hair as he whispered, ¡°Shall | apany you this afternoon?¡± After thinking for a moment, Ashley nodded. ¡°Sure! Why not?¡± Chapter 297 Chapter 297 After getting up from bed and getting dressed, Ashley and Valentin went downstairs together. She was surprised to find Joseph still waiting in the living room, sitting on the carpet with a serious expression, busily assembling a Lego set. Upon seeing Ashley and Valentining down, Joseph stood up enthusiastically and proudly showed off his creation. ¡°Valentin, Ashley, look at the husky | built! Isn''t it cute?¡± Ashley¡¯s eyes shone brightly as she eximed, ¡°Wow, it¡¯s so cute, just like you!¡± Joseph was instantly puzzled by herment. He then turned andined to Valentin in a whiny tone, ¡°Valentin, did you hear what Ashley just said?¡± With a slight lift of his eyebrows, Valentin agreed, ¡°I heard it. | think Ashley is right.¡± Joseph was stunned, thinking irritably, ¡®Oh, here we go with the sweet nothings!¡± Ashley couldn''t stopughing and, holding Valentin¡¯s hand, looked at Joseph in the living room, asking, ¡°Why are you alone here? Where''s ire?¡± ¡°She went home. | was just bored waiting for you guys!¡± Joseph responded while holding the Lego Husky and asked with intrigue, ¡°Ashley, what are you going to do with Jessica this afternoon? Can |e along? Please?¡± Ashley nced at Joseph and questioned, ¡°Why should | take you with me?¡± Joseph dramatically insisted, ¡°I don¡¯t care, | want to go with you! If you don¡¯t take me, I''ll let my son bite you!¡± Ashley raised an eyebrow in confusion. ¡°Your son?¡± Joseph then proudly held up his Lego Husky and barked. ¡°Woof woof woof!¡± Ashley was rendered speechless, thinking, ¡®Alright, for the sake of his ¡®son, 08:46 | guess I''ll take him along! While they were talking, Ashley¡¯s phone suddenly rang. It was Jaden. calling. Once she answered, she immediately heard Jaden excitedly shouting, ¡°Don¡¯t forget about this afternoon¡¯s big event. We have to take down Jessica!¡± Ashley¡¯s mouth twitched slightly as she responded, ¡°How could | forget? I¡¯m heading there now.¡± This afternoon, they had nned to meet with Jessica at the Zenith Group¡¯s branch in Zyrrinthia to sign the contract for the transfer of the Ramos family¡¯s shares. They had also notified the police to bring Evan and Bertha to witness. Jessica¡¯s true colors. Ashley then somewhat skeptically asked Jaden, ¡°Hold on. Why are you so excited?¡± ¡°How can | not be excited? I¡¯ve been so fed up with that idiot Jessica for ages now!¡± Jaden ranted nonstop. ¡°Ever since she stole your fashion designs, I¡¯ve had it with her! Seriously, I¡¯ve never seen someone so shameless, cunning, and despicable before!¡± Ashley raised her eyebrows knowingly and replied, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll be there soon. Gotta hang up now.¡± ¡°Hurry up, I¡¯m already at the branch office waiting for you!¡± Jaden urged. Meanwhile, Evan and Bertha, who were still handcuffed, were taken by undercover police officers from the police station to the Zenith Group branch. As the two of them sat in the car¡¯s back seat, they were puzzled and wondering, ¡®What''s happening? Where are they taking us?¡± Evan''s eyes suddenly lit up with wild joy as he thought, ¡®Could it be Jessica is pulling some strings to get Bertha and me out of jail? That''s why these undercover cops are taking us away from the station? It¡¯s very possible! How good and sensible Jessica is, to have such a daughter is indeed my luck!¡± ¡ê5) Chapter 297 ***** Meanwhile, at the Zenith Group¡¯s branch in Zyrrinthia, a low-key luxurious ck car slowly pulled up to thepany¡¯s entrance. Then, the back car door opened, revealing a woman¡¯s lean and straight legs stepping out. Following the gaze upward, the woman''s breathtakingly beautiful face was revealed. It was Ashley. The branch¡¯s general manager, Isab, along with a group of employees, had been waiting outside thepany. Upon seeing Ashley get out of the car, Isab approached her with the utmost respect. After all, Ashley was the major behind-the-scenes shareholder of the Zenith Group. Her presencemanded great respect. ¡°Ms. Ramos, you''ve arrived!¡± Isab greeted respectfully but caught sight of the car door opening again. A tall, muscr man with an air of nobility stepped out, his movements rxed yet confident. He adjusted his cufflinks with a casual grace, exuding a presence of unattainable divinity. Upon recognizing the man¡¯s exceptionally handsome and almost otherworldly face, Isab¡¯s eyes widened in shock. She thought in disbelief, ¡®Val...Valentin? The CEO of the Kingsley Group? What''s he doing here, and with Ms. Ramos, no less?¡± While Isab was still surprised, Ashley casually asked, ¡°Has Jaden arrived yet?¡± Regaining herposure, Isab promptly replied, ¡°Mr. Walter has arrived and is waiting in the conference room.¡± Just as Isab finished speaking, the driver¡¯s side door opened, and Joseph, wearing a shy pink shirt, stepped out of the car with a dashing charm. He yfully grumbled, ¡°Ie all this way, and that guy Jaden doesn¡¯t even bother toe out and greet me?¡± Isab was utterly bewildered but quicklyposed herself and respectfully ushered Ashley and the others inside. Once they arrived at the conference room, Isab opened the door and led Ashley in. Inside, Jaden was busy checking the projection equipment when he suddenly looked up to see Ashley entering, followed by her arranged 3/5 08-46 spouse and Joseph in his mboyant pink outfit. Jaden couldn¡¯t help but wonder why Joseph was here too. Ashley quickly interjected to prevent any bickering between the two men, ¡°No fighting, both of you. Sit quietly.¡± Joseph and Jaden were both instantly rendered speechless. Ashley then turned to Isab, asking, ¡°Is Jessica about to arrive?¡± Isab responded, ¡°Yes, she should be here shortly, ording to the scheduled time.¡± After pondering for a moment, Ashley, realizing that Evan and Bertha were also about to arrive, instructed Isab to carry on with her work. Once Isab left and closed the door behind her, Ashley led Valentin to a nearby sofa, considerately asking, ¡°Are you tired? Got a headache? Come, sit down and rest.¡± Valentin nced at her briefly. Ashley, with an expression that says, ¡°look how much | spoil you,¡± urged, ¡°What are you waiting for? Sit down!¡± Valentin was at a loss for words. Joseph, who was on the side watching this, almostughed out loud, thinking, ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why have the roles been reversed? Ashley is treating Valentin as if she¡¯s the boyfriend and he¡¯s the girlfriend?¡¯ Ashley then led Valentin to sit down with her. She had nned to si quietly for a while, pondering over the matters involving Jessica and Evan. However, as Ashley gazed at Valentin¡¯s stunningly handsome f she couldn¡¯t resist teasingly touching his face. She then yfully mumbled to herself while giggling. ¡°Oh my, who does this handsome man belong to? He¡¯s so good-looking. Oh, he¡¯s mine.¡± Valentin was even more puzzled and simply responded with a questioning look.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Jaden, unable to stand it anymore,ined with a face full of disapproval, ¡°Enough with the lovey-dovey stuff!¡± Ashley raised an eyebrow in his direction and retorted, ¡°Mind your own business! You¡¯re just jealous!¡± 475 084 Joseph, with a look of resignation, seemed to be used to being ¡°emotionally abused¡± by their disy of affection.. With a hint of irritation, he thought, ¡®Well, at least I¡¯m not the only one suffering from their romance today!¡± Chapter 298 Chapter 298 Jaden immediately looked at Valentin, hoping he would assert his authority and keep Ashley in check. But to his surprise, Valentin just looked at Ashley indulgently, not minding being teased and having his face touched in public at all! Jaden was astounded and turned to Ashley. ¡°This conference room door isn¡¯t locked, and anyone passing by can see inside. If they see your husband being teased like this, it¡¯s his reputation on the line.¡± Hearing this, Ashley nced at the conference room door and quickly pulled back her hand from Valentin. She thought, ¡®Regardless, | should be mindful of his public image when we''re outside.¡± Valentin¡¯s eyebrows rose ever so slightly as he said indulgently, ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s not embarrassing.¡± Delighted by his response, Ashley''s eyes lit up, and her hand yfully reached out to him again. Jaden was instantly at a loss for words. Seeing Valentin¡¯s ¡°I don¡¯t mind being embarrassed in public as long as my wife is happy¡± demeanor, Jaden almost choked in frustration, irritably thinking, ¡®Ashley is really spoiled rotten by Valentin!¡± Looking all too familiar with the situation, Joseph leaned back with his legsfortably crossed as if he were only missing some popcorn to enjoy the drama fully. He thought amusingly, ¡®Ah, it feels good not to be the only one suffering from their romance!¡¯ Unable to stand it any longer, Jaden shook off his goosebumps and nced at his watch. ¡°I have something else to do, I''ll step out for a moment and be right back! You two cut down on the lovey-dovey act. It¡¯s not friendly to us single folks!¡± Ashley frowned slightly but didn¡¯t respond. Joseph, with a mischievous glint in his eye, also stood up, saying, ¡°Valentin, Ashley, I''ll step out for a bit too. Don¡¯t mind me, please continue with the lovey-dovey act!¡± 08-46 Ashley was speechless, wondering what was going on with them. Watching the two leave one after the other, Ashley¡¯s clear eyes narrowed slightly. ¡°They''re not going out to fight, are they?¡± Valentin reassured her, ¡°No, they won''t.¡± Ashley thought it over and agreed, pondering, Adults wouldn¡¯t resort to fighting, right?¡± She decided to stop worrying about them and sat in the chair, bored, swinging her legs yfully. Suddenly, a beautiful little beaded flower from her shoe fell off with a snap as she swung her legs. The shoes were from an old brand Ashley loved, and most of her footwear was from that brand. The beaded flower wasn¡¯t glued on but attached with a hidden sp, which she identally dislodged while swinging her legs. ¡°Oh no, my little beaded flower!¡± Ashley stood up and was about to retrieve it. Valentin was already ahead of her. He bent down and picked up the fallen bead flower from the ground. Without any hesitation, Valentin crouched in front of her and said, ¡°You just sit there, I''ll fix this for you. It was evident that Valentin didn¡¯t want Ashley to exert even the slightest. effort for such a trivial task as bending down to pick something up. He was willing to do it for her. Ashley¡¯s bright eyes blinked, and she obediently sat down. The next moment, she felt Valentin¡¯s warm palm gently holding her heel. Her heart then skipped a beat. The thought of Valentin crouching in front of her to fix her shoe made Ashley feel somewhat embarrassed. Ashley swallowed nervously and murmured, ¡°Maybe | should do it myself. It feels odd having you put on my shoe, it¡¯s embarrassing.¡± Upon hearing this, Valentin looked up at her. Valentin was dressed neatly in a crisp white shirt, his features were striking, and when he nced at her, there was a mischievous glint at the 2/5 Chapter 298 As these thoughts raced through his mind, Evan suddenly sneered and. continued to ponder, ¡°Of course, | knew it. Valentin just appreciates Ashley and has a slight favor for her! How could he really fall for Ashley?¡± However, what shocked Bertha even more was a realization. In the past, during private gatherings ofdies from prominent families, they often spected and discussed about men like Valentin. They assumed that someone with his aloof and distant demeanor, who seemed indifferent to women, would maintain a strictly formal and proper rtionship even if he were involved with a woman. She had never imagined Valentin, a man of such power and status, could say something to a woman like, ¡°You are my wife. What''s wrong with helping you with your shoes?¡± Bertha mused, ¡°Helping you with your shoes... Such humbling words... | wouldn¡¯t believe these words coulde from Valentin¡¯s mouth if | hadn¡¯t heard them myself! It shows he truly adores that woman, treating herpletely differently than others, doting on her to the extreme. Who could Valentin¡¯s wife be? Is she an heiress from a prominent family?¡± Meanwhile, Evan regretfully thought, | had hoped Valentin¡¯s favor for Ashley could persuade him to agree to a marriage alliance with Jessica. Now it turns out he¡¯s already married! In the end, it¡¯s all because of that useless Ashley!¡± Even though Evan and Bertha were dying to know which heiress managed to capture Valentin¡¯s heart, they knew better than to barge in uninvited, as Valentin was not someone to be trifled with.. Just then, Joseph and Jaden returned. Upon seeing Evan and Bertha, Joseph immediately frowned and said. sarcastically, ¡°Great, here we are again with these two disgusting creatures!¡± Evan''s face stiffened with embarrassment, but he still tried to appease Joseph with a forced smile, apologizing, ¡°Mr. Fox, sorry, so sorry, we''ll get out of your way.¡± Joseph, having no patience for anyone from the Ramos family, didn¡¯t bother with pleasantries and ignored them while pushing open the conference room door.Content held by N?velDrama.Org. 08:46 Chapter 298 Seizing the opportunity, Evan and Bertha curiously peered into the room, wondering who the woman Valentin so adored could be. The next moment, they saw the usually so dignified and unapproachable Valentin humbly crouching before a woman, holding her right heel in one hand and fixing a beaded flower on her shoe with the other. His demeanor was tender and devoted, treating the woman before him as if she were the most precious and important person in the world. As for the woman, she just sat there quietly, with the sunlight streaming through the massive floor-to-ceiling windows, casting its gentle rays upon her exceedingly beautiful face. The soft light highlighted her exquisite and radiant profile. Her delicate skin exhibited a translucent and smooth texture. Her lips were a bright red, glistening with moisture, and her features were wlessly perfect. As they recognized the woman¡¯s face, both Evan and Bertha¡¯s minds exploded as if a bomb had gone off, and they stood utterly petrified. It took them several long seconds to recover from their disbelief, thinking, That... That is...¡¯ Chapter 299 Chapter 299 Both Evan and Bertha thought in shock, ¡®Ashley? How... How is this possible?! Why would fate y such a cruel joke on us!¡± Evan refused to believe it. He then scanned the whole conference room, looking for any other woman, wondering if Valentin was addressing someone else as his wife. But after a thorough look, he realized that Ashley was the only woman in the spacious conference room. It then dawned on Evan that Valentin was indeed referring to Ashley. ¡°How... How can this be? Have we mistaken? Yes, we must have heard it wrong!¡± Bertha stood there dumbfounded, wide-eyed, and speechless, her face a mix of bewilderment andplexity, even doubting if she and Evan had misheard outside the conference room. However, the next moment, they heard Joseph casually ask Valentin, ¡°Valentin, were these two eavesdropping on your conversation with your wife just now?¡± Evan pondered, ¡®Wife? Everyone knows about Joseph and Valentin¡¯s rtionship, including me of course. The person Joseph calls Valentin¡¯s wife must be a woman with an extremely formal rtionship with Valentin. Before we came in, there were only Ashley and Valentin in this conference room. Joseph just said we were eavesdropping on Valentin¡¯s conversation with his wife, right? So, Joseph was referring to Ashley!!! Evan''s vision instantly darkened, and he almost fainted right then and there, feeling as if he was losing his mind. He thought in shock, ¡®Ashley and Valentin are married? When did they get married? How could I, as her father, not know about such a big event? Amidst his chaotic thoughts, Evan suddenly remembered and pondered, ¡°The day Ashley cut ties with the Ramos family and left Ramos Vi, it was the Kingsley family¡¯s car that came to pick her up. | even suspected that Ashley had any connection with the Kingsley family back then. Now, it seems it¡¯s not just a connection with the Kingsley family but a direct rtionship with the current head of the Kingsley family, Valentin! No wonder Valentin¡¯s attitude toward Ashley was so extraordinary,pletely different from when he was with others... No wonder when Miranda was kidnappedst night, Valentin personally came to Ramos Vi for Ashley. And when | suggested a marriage alliance betweenN?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. 4/4 08:16 Jessica and Valentin, he coldly retorted, saying | had insulted him.¡¯ Evan''s heart instantly sank to the bottom, his back drenched in cold sweat. He could never have imagined that his own daughter, whom he had always disliked and disregarded, had such a close rtionship with Valentin, whom he had always wanted to connect with. Evan was devastated that the two were already married. Evan mused. ¡®I even had foolishly and ridiculously suggested that Valentin marry Jessicast night... If | had suggested Valentin marry Ashley instead, maybe Valentin would have had a better impression of me. | really had bet on the wrong horse! It is so obvious to me now. How could Valentin ever be interested in Jessica?¡± Evan now regretted his actions so much that he wanted to p himself. On the other hand, upon seeing Evan and Bertha enter, Ashley wasn¡¯t surprised as she had already known that they would be coming and would arrive anytime soon. However, she hadn''t expected they would discover her rtionship with Valentin. Nevertheless, Ashley felt that it didn¡¯t matter if they knew. Valentin had just finished fastening the bead on Ashley''s shoe and stood up gracefully. Even with so many people present, Ashley remained his priority. Seeing Valentin¡¯s tender and protective demeanor toward Ashley, Evan¡¯s, demeanor instantly shifted, and he hurriedly approached them with an overly ingratiating smile, saying, ¡°Ashley, marriage is such a significant event. Why didn¡¯t you tell us sooner that you are marrying Mr. Kingsley? Mr. Kingsley, you needn¡¯t have trouble yourself with such a trivial matter as fixing a shoe, Just let her do it herself!¡± Once Evan had said this, he turned to Ashley, adding, ¡°And you, youngdy, getting Mr. Kingsley to do this for you, aren¡¯t you a bit too spoiled. and ignorant?¡± Upon hearing that, Valentin instantly frowned as he looked coldly at Evan. ¡°Who are you toment?¡± Startled by Valentin¡¯s chilly response, Evan quickly stopped his babbling. Evan¡¯s attempt at ttery had backfired, leaving him visibly embarrassed as his face alternated between flushes of red and pale, visibly mortified. Joseph was utterly speechless and even felt like spitting on Evan''s face. Joseph grumbled inwardly, ¡®What does he mean ¡®why trouble yourself? Valentin obviously enjoys pampering and spoiling Ashley. More importantly, Valentin hates it when the Ramos family belittles Ashley! Evan hit a nerve by indirectly demeaning Ashley, and it''s no surprise that Valentin reacted angrily as his wife was insulted.¡± Evan wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and forced a smile, replying, ¡°Mr. Kingsley, you misunderstood. | wasn¡¯t criticizing Ashley. | was just worried. Given the Ramos family¡¯s situation, you are way out of her league. That¡¯s why | didn¡¯t want you to spoil her too much!¡± Valentin¡¯s expression darkened even further after hearing this. ¡°Ashley has already severed ties with the Ramos family. What does her being with me have to do with you guys?¡± Evan''s expression instantly stiffened, yet he stammered and hesitated, not daring to retort. Valentin then took Ashley¡¯s hand, his gaze softening as he dered, ¡°If anyone is marrying up, it¡¯s me. I¡¯m the lucky one to be with Ashley.¡± Evan was utterly dumbfounded, thinking, ¡°What did | just hear? Valentin saying he¡¯s the lucky one for marrying Ashley?!¡± Joseph and Jaden, on the other hand, were not surprised at all. They didn¡¯t find such a statement from Valentin unexpected. Meanwhile, Ashley, on the side, blinked innocently. At that moment, Bertha was so shocked that her brain seemed to malfunction. She stood there with her mouth agape, frozen in disbelief, her face disying aically stunned expression. She pondered, ¡®It¡¯s incredible that Valentin, with his high social standing, would willingly say such things. But on second thought, considering Ashley¡¯s achievements and honors since leaving the Ramos family, she truly is impressive. Comparing family backgrounds, Ashley¡¯s grandfather, Caleb, held a status not inferior to the Kingsley family. The only thing holding Ashley back was indeed the Ramos family.... Bertha became conflicted as she reflected on the situation. She had always favored Jessica, treating her as her own daughter while ignoring 08:46 Chapter 299. Ashley¡¯s many admirable qualities. It used to be Bertha who disregarded Ashley, but now the tables had turned, and it was the Ramos family who was dragging Ashley down. After hearing Valentin¡¯s words, Evan was utterly shocked. He pondered, ¡°Valentin truly cherishes Ashley to the utmost. Well, that¡¯s a good thing. Since Valentin treasures Ashley so much, as her father, | will ride on her coattails. The same goes for the Ramos family. Even the issue of Bertha and me facing jail time, Valentin could easily resolve with just a word!¡± Realizing the potential advantages, Evan quickly put on a ttering smile. and turned to Ashley. ¡°Ashley, it¡¯s such a big event of you marrying Mr. Kingsley. How could you not even inform your dear old father, me?¡± Chapter 300 Chapter 300 ¡®Father?¡¯ Ashley repeated in her mind. She immediately felt disgusted after hearing that term. ¡°Are you really that stupid? | have already told you clear enough. What do | have to do with the Ramos family now? And what do | have to do with you?¡± Jaden, suppressing his disgust, interjected quickly, ¡°The Ramos family is just trying to cozy up to you because they see that you''re doing well, especially with Valentin!¡± Despite the tant sarcasm, Evan still shamelessly tried to appease her with a smile, saying, ¡°Ashley is my biological daughter. | was blind to her worth before and treated her poorly, but now | just want to make it up to her...¡± Trying to curry favor, Evan looked toward Ashley and shook the silver handcuffs on his wrists. ¡°But now, your mom and | are in jail. Even if | want to make amends, | can¡¯t. How about this, Ashley? Drop the charges, let us out of jail, and | promise we¡¯ll make it up to you over time.¡± Ashley raised her eyebrows slightly, her beautiful eyes brimming with irony. ¡°Evan, what a wishful dream you''re having. I¡¯ve said it before, as long as I¡¯m alive, you won''t be getting out of prison!¡± Evan was instantly infuriated, unable to maintain his facade of ttery any longer. He was about to erupt in anger, but seeing Valentin nearby, he begrudgingly held it back. Evan thought angrily, ¡®Why is my own daughter determined to fight me until we''re both destroyed? Luckily, we still have Jessica. She''ll sur find a way to get me out of jail. With the unbreakable blood ties betw me and Ashley, and her marriage to Valentin, the Ramos family will be her maternal family, and we might even benefit from the Kingsley family¡¯s influence.¡± Just then, Isab knocked and entered the conference room, looking respectfully toward Ashley and Jaden. ¡°Ms. Ramos, Mr. Walter, Jessica has arrived.¡± Upon hearing this, Jaden¡¯s eyes flickered with long-awaited excitement, thinking the real drama was finally about to begin. Ashley instructed Isab calmly, ¡°Go ahead and sign the contract with Jessica as we agreed.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Isab nodded, efficiently exiting the room. Evan and Bertha exchanged nces, both seeing confusion and uncertainty in each other¡¯s eyes, wondering, ¡®Is Jessica really here at the Zenith Group¡¯s branch in Zyrrinthia? Signing a contract? What kind of contract?¡¯ Evan was puzzled, but he believed that Jessica, his most thoughtful and caring daughter, was quietly working out a strategy, trying to establish connections and hire topwyers for their defense. With that thought, he secretly gave Bertha a reassuring look. Bertha nodded, musing, ¡®I¡¯ve always been so good to Jessica, and she¡¯s so dutiful and caring. Now that Evan and | are in jail, she must be heartbroken and crying her eyes out. Meanwhile, Ashley picked up a small remote control from the conference table, pointed it at the projection equipment in front, and pressed a button. Immediately after, therge, clear projection screen began to livestream. the room next door. ¡°What is...¡± Bertha was taken aback. Before she could finish her question, she saw the door of the next room opening on the screen, with Isab and Jessica walking in. Seeing Jessica on the screen, Evan excitedly called out her name. ¡°It¡¯s Jessica!¡± ng and However, contrary to their expectation that Jessica would be crying disheveled due to worry, the Jessica on the screen was dressed in at vibrant, beautiful pink dress, her makeup impable, and was even smiling radiantly. Evan and Bertha looked at each other, feeling vaguely uneasy, thinking, ¡°Why doesn¡¯t Jessica seem worried about us at all? When we were at Ramos Vi, she would cry over the slightest injury we suffered. Now that we''re in jail, why does she seem so happy?¡¯ Bertha instinctively made excuses for Jessica, guessing. ¡°Maybe Jessica is just putting on a brave face.¡± Upon hearing that, Ashley nced at them calmly. Jaden couldn''t believe it and mockingly pondered, ¡®Bertha and Evan 300 really are experts in denial. It seems they won''t ept reality until they¡¯repletely out of options.¡± Joseph couldn¡¯t help butugh out loud. ¡°Putting on a brave face? Ha, what a way to put it!¡± Evan''s face instantly flushed red with anger as he looked at Ashley. ¡°Why are you making us secretly watch Jessica in the next room? Does she know we are here? Can we go and see her?¡± Before Ashley could respond, Joseph coldly scolded, ¡°You better just stay put and wait. You''ll see her soon enough!¡± Evan was unsure of what Ashley was nning, but not daring to oppose her, he reluctantly stayed in the room. Valentin led Ashley to a chair nearby and sat her down, looking as if he was worried his wife would get tired. Meanwhile, the live feed from the next room continued on therge screen. The footage then showed Isab and Jessica walking into the room and sitting face to face at a long table. Soon after, a female assistant brought in two cups of coffee and left the room after cing them on the table. Isab gently sipped her coffee, then ced a paper contract on the table and said in a formal tone, ¡°Ms. Ramos, this is the stock transfer agreement for the Ramos Group that we prepared earlier. Do you need to review it again?¡± Evan''s brows furrowed at this sight, wondering, ¡®A stock transfer agreement for the Ramos Group? What does this mean? Is Jessica nning to sell the shares of the Ramos Group?! And it was prepared beforehand? Does this mean Jessica had already contacted the Zenith Group to sell the shares, and that¡¯s why the contract was drafted in advance? No, it can¡¯t be! Jessica was helping out at thepanytely and was doing financial work tirelessly. To help her establish herself in thepany, | even gave her a substantial amount of shares. She swore to help revive the Ramos family. With her hardworking nature, how could she possibly be selling thepany¡¯s shares?¡¯ Evan didn¡¯t realize his back had stiffened, and his fists were clenched tightly as his eyes remained fixed on Jessica in the footage, watching her 08.461 every move. In the live-feed footage, Jessica took the contract from Isab and started to review it carefully. Isab continued, ¡°Ms. Ramos, we originally agreed to sign the stock transfer agreement on the 10th, but we moved it to today due to special circumstances. As an apology, we have increased the price by 10%. ¡°If you''ve reviewed the contract and find no issues, you can sign your name. This will indicate that you have sold your shares in the Ramos Group, and we will transfer the money to your ount as agreed.¡± Jessica smiled, put down the contract, and picked up a pen, preparing to sign. ¡°Of course, | trust you, Ms. Copley.¡± Seeing this, Evan could no longer hold back. His forehead veins bulged as he turned and tried to run out, intending to rush to the next room to find Jessica. Jaden quickly reached out to block Evan and said sternly, ¡°Stay where you are! Don¡¯t move!¡±Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Bertha also realized something was amiss, looking bewilderedly at Evan, asking, ¡°Evan, what is this about? Is Jessica... Is she really going to sell thepany¡¯s shares?¡± Chapter 301 Chapter 301 Evan''s face instantly turned stern. ¡°She¡¯s about to sign the contract, what else could it be but selling shares!¡± He thought anxiously. What¡¯s more terrifying is that Jessica is selling the shares behind our backs while Bertha and | are in prison. What is she nning to do? Is she trying to take the money and run? Does she not care about her parents in jail at all?¡± Bertha, in disbelief and mentally dazed, shook her head repeatedly. ¡°No, Jessica wouldn''t do this, she just wouldn¡¯t. Maybe... Maybe she¡¯s selling. the shares to raise money to save us!¡± Hearing Bertha¡¯s words. Evan looked at her skeptically. Bertha, desperately trying to find excuses for her, spoke incoherently. ¡°Think about it. Evan. Both of us are in prison. If Jessica wants to get us out, she needs to make connections and hirewyers, all of which cost a lot of money! Where else could Jessica get the money but by selling the shares?¡± Evan''s anger started to wane upon hearing this reasoning. ¡°Is that so...¡± After all, he couldn¡¯t bear to believe that Jessica would abandon him, her father. ¡°It must be true! Jessica is definitely raising money for us!¡± Bertha kept convincing herself, feeling that she had always cherished Jessica more than her own daughter, and Jessica must surely be grateful and dutiful to her. Evan''s expression softened considerably as his unconditional favoritism toward Jessica made him easily agree with Bertha¡¯s words. He pondered firmly, That''s right, Jessica must be selling the shares to raise money to save me!¡± Hearing their conversation, Joseph was utterly astonished at their level of stupidity. ¡°Damn! I¡¯ve seen dumb, but never this dumb! They''re both stupid and wicked!¡± Jaden scoffed, ¡°Hah, just let them wait and see!¡± Evan was still making unreasonable arguments, saying, ¡°Jessica is my daughter, of course, | trust her!¡± 09:19 Ashley nced at him indifferently, wondering where his trust in Jessica came from. Then, she took out her phone and sent a text to Isab. On the big screen at that moment, Jessica was about to sign the contract. when she suddenly paused and asked Isab, ¡°Ms. Copley, you mentioned on the phone that your head office executive was visiting the Zyrrinthia branch and would take time to meet me?¡± Jessica was still keen on meeting the head of the Zenith Group, hoping to seize the opportunity during the contract signing to establish a strong connection, killing two birds with one stone. Isab smiled, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ms. Ramos. Our boss will be here soon, and you''ll meet our boss shortly.¡± As Isab spoke, she checked the message from Ashley on her phone, then looked up at Jessica and asked as instructed, ¡°Ms. Ramos, | heard about the trouble your family is in. Your parents are imprisoned, aren¡¯t they?¡± Jessica sighed and pretended to look sad. ¡°Ms. Copley, you might not be aware, but my parents did something wrong. Oh, how could they be so foolish tomit a crime? Being in prison is the price they have to pay.¡± Upon seeing this, Evan frowned deeply once again. Bertha also began to doubt, thinking, ¡®How can Jessica say that? What does she mean by prison being the price we deserve? It was Jessica who first came up with the idea of kidnapping Miranda to threaten Ashley! She was the mastermind!¡± Then, in the live-feed footage, Isab continued as instructed by Ashley, ¡°Ms. Ramos, when we were discussing the purchase of the Ram Group¡¯s shares, your parents hadn¡¯t been arrested yet. Now, wit negative news, it will surely affect the stock price and market val Ramos Group...¡± Jessica became anxious upon hearing that. ¡°Ms. Copley, are you suggesting to lower the price at thest minute?¡± Isab smiled faintly, ¡°Of course not. We at the Zenith Group are abpany and stand by our word.¡± Jessica breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that the Zenith Group really w wealthy and reliable. ¡°But.¡± Isab¡¯s tone changed. ¡°Ms. Ramos, you''re selling the Ramos 09:19 Group¡¯s shares without your parents¡¯ knowledge. What if they find out? Won¡¯t theye to us causing trouble?¡± At that moment, Jessica was eager to sell the shares. She couldn''t stand being part of the Ramos family anymore, especially with the disdainful treatment from Frankie and the other brothers. Upon hearing Isab¡¯s question, Jessica quickly assured her, ¡°Ms. Copley, don¡¯t worry, my parents won¡¯t have the chance to bother you! Theymitted crimes and will be locked up for several years at least! Or perhaps....they might never get out!¡± Evan then shakily repeated her words in his mind, ¡®Several years in prison? Or perhaps....never getting out?¡± Hearing Jessica¡¯s words, Evan could no longer deceive himself. He mmed his fist on the table and roared furiously, ¡°Jessica!!¡± Fuming, he eximed inwardly, ¡®How dare you, Jessica?! She¡¯s not selling shares to raise money! She¡¯s just draining the Ramos family¡¯s funds, bleeding us dry, taking the money to enjoy her life! She even wants me to rot in jail for years, or even forever! How dare shel!!! Bertha was dazed, nearly stumbling and falling, her face ashen. ¡°Jessica... How could she say such things? She doesn¡¯t want to save us but wants us locked up forever...¡± She thought anxiously, ¡®Is this the sensible, dutiful, caring, and sweet daughter | knew? Was her kindness and obedience all an act? | may not be Jessica¡¯s birth mother, but I¡¯ve never mistreated her, treating her even better than my own daughter! | even was willing to go to prison myself rather than betray Jessica, insisting that Miranda¡¯s kidnapping had nothing to do with her. And now...it turns out I¡¯ve raised an ungrateful wretch!¡¯ Bertha then clutched her chest in sorrow, struggling to breathe. Evan was in no better state than Bertha, his eyes nearly bursting with. rage as he watched Jessica on the big screen gleefully discussing the sale of shares with Isab. He cursed through gritted teeth, ¡°Wretch! Bastard! So this is how she shows her filial piety to me!¡± After saying this, he wanted to rush out and confront Jessica. Jaden again stepped in to stop him and mockingly said, ¡°Oh, she¡¯s showing you filial piety by getting you into jail. How nice of her! Why are 3S} 09.191 -201 you evenining? Where do you think you''re going? Stay put and don¡¯t move!¡± After speaking, Jaden gave Ashley a look.Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Ashley nodded slightly, stood up, and went to the next room with Jaden. In the next room, Jessica eagerly asked, ¡°Ms. Copley, why hasn¡¯t your boss arrived yet?¡± Isab smiled, ¡°Just a moment, Ms. Ramos. Our boss will be here shortly.¡± Jessica looked toward the door, full of anticipation, wondering about the mysterious boss of the Zenith Group, their gender, appearance, and age. However, regardless of who they were, she was determined to connect with them today. While Jessica waited anxiously, the doorknob suddenly turned, signaling someone was about to enter. Jessica took a deep breath to calm her excitement, standing up respectfully to greet the boss of the Zenith Group. As the door opened, an assistant with her head slightly lowered and gestured respectfully, saying, ¡°Boss, please.¡± After the assistant opened the door and nervously stood to the side, two figures then walked into the room, one after the other. Jessica¡¯s fingers unconsciously tightened around her dress, looking excitedly toward the neers. However, the next moment, upon recognizing the neers, Jessica¡¯s expression stiffened in shock, looking as if she had seen a ghost. She thought in disbelief, ¡®Ash... Ashley?! What is she doing here! And Jaden... What¡¯s going on? Could it be... Aterrifying thought then instantly crossed Jessica¡¯s mind. She quickly turned to Isab, swallowing hard in fear, and asked incredulously, ¡°Ms. Copley, your boss...is Ashley?¡± Isab shook her head. ¡°No.¡± Upon hearing this, Jessica breathed a sigh of relief, thinking, ¡®Oh, it''s not her. Thank goodness. | almost got scared by that despicable Ashley!¡± 09:19 Chapter 301 But before she could fully rx, she heard Isab respectfully introduce, ¡°Ms. Ramos is the behind-the-scenes major shareholder of the Zenith Group.¡± Jessica was stunned, her eyes widening in horror. She identally knocked over the coffee on the table, which shattered on the floor. Hot coffee spilled everywhere, even sshed onto her leg, but she was only too stunned to react. She thought in shock, ¡°What did Isab just say? Ashley is...the behind-the-scenes major shareholder of the Zenith Group? The one who invested in the Zenith Group when it was on the brink of bankruptcy and single-handedly saved thepany with her guidance and funds?!!! Chapter 302 Chapter 302 Jessica was so shocked that she stumbled backward and mumbled, ¡°It¡¯s impossible! It¡¯s impossible!¡± Isab looked at Jessica¡¯s surprised expression and continued to introduce, ¡°Ashley is the majority shareholder of the Zenith Group, and. Jaden is the boss of it. They are the ones you want to meet, Jessica.¡± Jessica waspletely confused at this time. She gritted her teeth in shock and couldn''t ept Ashley''s real identity. Meanwhile, Evan and Bertha, in the next room, were just as surprised as Jessica. What? They didn¡¯t expect Ashley to be the majority shareholder of the Zenith Group. The Zenith Group, which was headquartered in Takydo and had branches all over the world, had extremely strong financial resources. The Ramos Group could be no match for the Zenith Group. As a shareholder in the Zenith Group, Ashley had huge assets, and if she could help the Ramos Group, it would definitely make aeback. At this thought, Evan was very regretful. If he had learned the truth earlier and treated Ashley well from the beginning, the Ramos family wouldn¡¯t be in this position today. Bertha stared at Ashley¡¯s figure on the screen. She didn¡¯t consider the Ramos family anymore, but Ashley instead. How outstanding she was! But in order to get her parents¡¯ affection, she was willing topromise herself and deal with the members of the Ramos family. Berthapared Jessica to Ashley and then closed her eyes in regret. Tears fell from her eyes, and she felt great remorse. How could she refuse Ashley and doted on Jessica? In the next room, Isab hurriedly pulled out the chairs for Ashley and Jaden and made them take seats. Ashley sat down calmly and looked at Jessica, who looked funny, with 09-191 great interest. Jaden had vented his spleen. He felt that Jessica deserved all this. Jessica had just recovered from the shock and had to ept reality. She red at Ashley in anger. ¡°How dare you fool me, Ashley?¡± As a shareholder of the Zenith Group, Ashley must have known that she had sold her shares to the Zenith Group. Compared to Jessica¡¯s mess and panic, Ashley sat still elegantly, leaning back and tapping her knees leisurely with her fingers. ¡°What if | fool you, Jessica?¡± ¡°How dare you?¡± Jessica¡¯s chest heaved violently, and she was out of breath in anger. She then suddenly reached out and intended to hit Ashley. However, as soon as she raised her hand, Isab immediately guarded before Ashley. The assistant guarding the door came over to protect Ashley. Isab said coldly, ¡°Don¡¯t behave imperiously here, Jessica.¡± Jessica immediately fell into silence. She was now in a branch of the Zenith Group. In other words, Ashley ran everything here, and she couldn¡¯t get any benefit. Ashley owned the entire Zenith Group, while Jessica had to calcte the Ramos Group''s assets before bankruptcy. The stark contrast made Jessica furious and jealous, and her face even distorted in anger. The share transfer contract had not been signed yet. Since the Zeni Group¡¯s boss was Ashley, Jessica wondered if she could sign the cont While Jessica was lost in thought, Ashley picked up the contract casu Jessica valued the contract so much, but Ashley didn¡¯t take it seriously all. ¡°Did you n to secretly transfer the shares of the Ramos Group and give up the imprisoned Evan and Bertha?¡± Ashley shook the contract. ¡°Why bother asking?¡± Jessica revealed her true nature to Ashley. Ashley stared at Jessica and smiled speciously, ¡°Evan dotes on you and treats you as his own daughter. He would go to jail to protect you. Did you intend to leave him alone?¡± 09:19Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Jessica sneered, ¡°He loves me, so he deserves to go to jail for me. | indeed act obediently around Evan, but he prefers me just the way | am. You are his own daughter, but he loves me and detests you. Do you envy me?¡± Jessica looked arrogantly. She just wanted to upy Ashley¡¯s position in the Ramos family and her family¡¯s affection and luxurious life. ¡°Envy?¡± Ashley tapped her delicate fingertips on the table and asked with a sneer, ¡°As far as | know, Bertha has just been discharged from the hospital and hasn¡¯tpletely recovered. She must be in worse health. now in the prison.¡± Jessica¡¯s eyes were full of disdain, and she said indifferently, ¡°Her condition has nothing to do with me. I¡¯m tired of putting up with her in the ward. She should express her gratitude toward me. Moreover, Bertha deserves to be in poor health condition, and it¡¯s none of my business if she dies in prison.¡± Ashley raised her head and looked at her with a smile as if teasing her on purpose. ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid Evan and Bertha will hear you?¡± Jessica looked confident and arrogant, without fear. ¡°How can they hear me when they¡¯re in jail? If you tell them, they won''t believe you, and they only trust me.¡± After Jessica finished speaking, the door was suddenly violently knocked open from the outside. Jessica was displeased to be disturbed. Subconsciously, she looked up and found Evan and Bertha rushing in angrily. ¡°Dad, Mom, you, I...¡± Jessica was stunned for a moment. Sweat broke out on her back, and her heart even skipped a beat with trembling hands and feet. Weren''t they in jail? How did they end up. here? Chapter 303 Evan rushed to Jessica angrily. Although his hands were cuffed, he still pped her hard. ¡°How dare you? You bitch!¡± Jessica screamed in pain. Her cheeks instantly swelled up, and blood spilled from the corners of her mouth Jessica wondered if they had heard her words just now. Bertha rushed over and tore Jessica¡¯s hair. In addition to her anger, she felt tremendous disappointment and hatred. Jessica actually said Bertha¡¯s death was none of her business. How could she utter such terrible words? Bertha felt extremely frightened. She didn¡¯t expect Jessica to be so cruel. But she would never admit Jessica as her daughter. # ¡°Mom, | didn¡¯t mean it just now. Ashley guided me on purpose,¡± Jessica hurriedly exined, ming all the faults on Ashley. ¡°Shut up! How dare you still lie?¡± Bertha¡¯s lips trembled with anger, and she exposed Jessica on the spot. ¡°Don¡¯t fool us anymore. We''ve noticed your every move since you walked into the room. How dare you secretly sell the shares of the Ramos Group? Moreover, you even want us to go to. jail forever.¡±Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Jessica¡¯s heart suddenly skipped a beat, and she even forgot to breathe out of fear. They actually heard everything. Evan and Bertha even knew about her share sale. Jessica suspected surveince and cameras in this room. Jessica immediately looked around, and indeed found a precise shooting instrument in the corner. She had no idea about Ashley¡¯s real identity in the Zenith Group, so she was not alert at all. She never expected everything would be recorded from the moment she entered this room. Jessica clenched her hands suddenly, looked at Ashley with hatred, and shouted hysterically, ¡°Ashley! It¡¯s you! You arranged it!¡± 1/4 09.19 Jessica secretly cursed Ashley. ¡°PIL kill you!¡± Jessica roared and wanted to rush towards Ashley, but Bertha stopped her without hesitation, and Evan pped her in the face. They scuffled and the scene turned chaotic. Valentin walked over with a frown, took Ashley¡¯s hand and pulled her away, subconsciously protecting her before. Joseph stood aside and stared at them, hoping they would fight harder. Jaden watched them with great interest. Jessica¡¯s hair was unkempt, her cheeks were swollen, and her clothes were covered in smudges. She looked difiture, unable to bear it anymore, and pushed the weak Bertha away. Bertha fell to the ground with a thud. She was stunned for a moment and then felt distressed. She tried to help Jessica by using Ashley of pushing her before. But she had been pushed over by Jessica, whom she had always defended and favored. How ironic! Jessica didn¡¯t even support her. She just ignored Bertha and shouted in anger, ¡°Evan and Bertha, how dare you hit me? Haven''t you done anything wrong? ¡°| grew up since childhood in the Ramos family. Why did you bring Ashley home? Why could she take the fortune that belongs to me?¡± Bertha couldn''t believe it and even thought she heard it wrong. ¡°What are you talking about? The fortune in the Ramos family never belongs to you. We adopted you from the orphanage, and we provide a wealthy life for you. Your fortune should be Ashley¡¯s, always! You greedy bastard!¡± ¡°Adopted?¡± Jessica, no longer disguised, sneered venomously, ¡°Drop the act. You lost your own daughter, so you put your thoughts on me to make it up.¡± ¡°But you still lived a superior life, and we have never wronged you!¡± Bertha retorted angrily. 2/4 09:19 ¡°In that case, why do you still want to take Ashley back? Everything in the Ramos family should be mine! Why would she fight me?¡± ¡°How dare you?¡± Bertha was so stunned that she almost couldn''t refute after hearing her words. She red at Jessica angrily and added, ¡°When Ashley came home, she always kept humble and never fought with you. Instead, you''ve been bullying her all the time.¡± ¡°Well, she behaved cowardice at that time.¡± Jessica raised her hand to wipe the blood from the corner of her mouth, looking crazy. Bertha looked at Jessica and found her strange as if she had never known her before. Bertha suspected it was the real her. Bertha suddenly made up her mind, got up from the ground, gritted her teeth, and said, ¡°You nned Miranda¡¯s kidnapping before, and | will turn you in to the police.¡± Hearing this, Jessica panicked instantly, and she no longer behaved arrogantly and domineeringly. She didn¡¯t want to go to jail. Evan, who had been silent all this time, suddenly spoke calmly. ¡°Forget it, Bertha. We adopted Jessica from the orphanage just to put our thoughts on her. We leave her out of the kidnapping case, and we repay her for being here for us instead of Ashley.¡± Hearing this, Bertha asked in confusion, ¡°What are you talking about. Evan? We gave Jessica the best of material life, and we owe her noth She is ungrateful, and has set Ashley up so many times. We can''t le go.¡± ¡°You said it in the heat of the moment, Bertha. Calm down, please.¡± ¡°Calm down? How could | calm down? You''d trade our time in jail for Jessica¡¯s innocence?¡± Bertha asked with tearful eyes. Evan couldn''t utter a word to refute it. Joseph, on the side, was dumbfounded. He had never heard such a request before. ¡°Damn it! Knowing who Jessica is, Evan still protected he How stupid he is!¡± Jaden couldn''t read Evan''s mind either. 09:19 He even hit Jessica in anger just now, but he felt distressed again now. Ashley frowned slightly. ording to Evan¡¯s character, he would definitely not protect Jessica after learning what Jessica had done before. Bertha gritted her teeth and looked at Evan. ¡°I don¡¯t care your mind. Anyway, | will definitely give up Jessica as the mastermind. She came up. with the idea to kidnap Miranda before, and she set it all up.¡± ¡°Bertha, you...¡± Before Evan finished speaking, there was a sudden knock on the door. The assistant knocked on the door and came in. When he noticed the mess in the room, he remained normal and reported to Isab calmly, ¡°Frankie from the Ramos Group came over and wanted to confront Jessica in person.¡± Did he want to confront Jessica? Hearing this. Isab turned to look at Ashley, asking for her opinion. Ashley thought for a moment and nodded slightly. ¡°Let him in.¡± After a while, Frankie, Charlie, Jeremy, Ryan, and Matthew all came. When they found Ashley and Valentin in the room, they were stunned for a moment, and then they all felt surprised. Chapter 304 Chapter 304 Jeremy and Matthew gathered around excitedly at once. ¡°Why are you here, Ashley?¡± They found Valentin together with Ashley again and suspected their rtionship. When Ryan noticed the embarrassed Jessica aside, he immediately reached out to protect Ashley. ¡°Had Jessica bullied you, Ashley?¡± Ashley found his reaction radical. Charlie stared at Ashley for several seconds before he noticed Evan and Bertha. He was slightly startled and called out. ¡°Mom and Dad?¡± ¡°Frankie, you guys...¡± Evan felt dissatisfied with their ignorance and asked aloud, ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°Do Frankie stared at Ashley with excitement. When he heard Evan¡¯s question, he suddenly turned indifferent and looked at Jessica coldly you want to secretly sell the shares of the Ramos Group, Jessica? In the past month, you have stolen the official seal and transferredpany property to your overseas private ount many times.¡± Evan frowned again. Jessica secretly sold thepany¡¯s shares, but she even secretly transferred thepany¡¯s property. He didn¡¯t realize she had started transferring the property a month ago. Frankie threw a stack of bill evidence before Jessica and added, ¡°I found the ount breach atpany today, and | looked into it, finding out that you were up to something. Actually, you took a financial position i thepany in order to secretly transfer assets, right?¡± Bertha thought she had revealed Jessica¡¯s real nature, but she was still frightened at this moment. She eximed, ¡°How dare you, Jessica? | thought you helped at thepany, but | didn¡¯t expect you to transfer the assets a month ago.¡± Ryan looked stern and said, ¡°I showed all the evidence here. You can¡¯t deny it anymore, Jessica.¡± Jessica looked at the pile of bill evidence. She had obviously destroyed it and wondered how Frankie found it out. 1/2 09:19 But she had already transferred these properties. Jessica suddenly burst intoughter of revenge. ¡°Well, | started nning to transfer the property a month ago. | can¡¯t believe you lost to Ashley. The family is already down, and | don¡¯t want to stay any longer.¡± Bertha looked at Evan angrily. ¡°Are you still protecting her until now?¡± Jessica hadpletely lost her humanity. She took everything in the Ramos family as her own. But when the Ramos family fell, she had to fight for all the property of it. She was too selfish, only for her own consideration. However, Evan remained silent and didn¡¯t reply. ¡°Protecting Jessica?¡± Jeremy lost his temper and added, ¡°Dad, why are you still protecting Jessica?¡± ¡°She doesn¡¯t deserve your preference.¡± Matthew also got angry. In the chaos, Frankie hesitated for a while and finally took out a photo. from his arms and said quietly, ¡°I found this photo in the drawer of Dad¡¯s office today. Take a look.¡± Charlie and Ryan immediately looked down and found a couple standing together in this photo. They held hands and smiled at the camera, looking close.Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Charlie recognized it at a nce. The man in the photo was Evan in his youth. The young woman in the photo actually looked somewhat simr to Jessica. Moreover, their mouths were particrly simr. Could it be Jessica¡¯s mother? Chapter 305 Chapter 305 Ashley was slightly surprised for a moment when she saw the photo. In the photo, Evan and the woman behaved intimately. In addition, the lower right corner of the old photo was marked with the date of the shooting, when Bertha was pregnant with Ashley. Jeremy also noticed the date of the photo and felt extremely shocked. ¡°Dad, who is this woman in the photo? Why does she look simr to Jessica? Mom just got pregnant with Ashley, and how can you be out there messing around? What is your rtionship?¡± Charlie, Ryan, and Matthew all looked serious. Other rich people always kept lovers and illegitimate children, but Evan never had one. Hence, they thought Evan and Bertha had a concordant rtionship. But the photo Frankie found today suddenly upended their previous knowledge and gave them a shock of the truth. Jessica looked at the one who looked like her in the photo, raised her hand to touch her face in a daze, and then turned to stare at Evan in shock. Could it be she was not an orphan from the orphanage? Bertha couldn''t take a hit and almost went crazy, feeling a chaotic buzzing and dull pain in her head. She nced nkly at the woman in the photo, then at Jessica. She suddenly screamed in pain, threw the photo at Evan¡¯s face, and eximed, ¡°Make it clear today, Evan. What is your rtionship?¡± The edge of the photo seemed sharp, and when it came at Evan, it nea cut his eyeball. Evan felt horrible and hurriedly argued. ¡°I have nothing to do with the woman in the photo.¡± Bertha couldn''t believe his words. ¡°How dare still lie to me? How can you hold hands if you¡¯re not rted? She looks like Jessica. Is she Jessica¡¯s mother? You cheated on me when | got pregnant with Ashley!¡± As Bertha spoke, miserable tears flowed down, and she almost fell down out of distress. Matthew hurriedly stretched out his hand to support her. 115 09:19 viri teatsfore on me while on her checks, and she felt extremely distressed.ed. bile got pregnant. Are you afraid to admit it nowow today. Is fearits Jesura your illegitimate daughter? You lied to mee in an orphanage so | could help you raise her on agan ciphat ars had van econ at terved her? aised Evan¡¯s illegittimare daughter Matthew red at Esaranya angrily and treated him with no It turned out jessica is yours your legitimate daughter. | finally No wonder you favored vored Jessica and treated Ashley harshly.¡± van stared at Evan with satt resentment. and even lost his temperat per a dais tone. Stop it! Jessica is not e daughter. I¡¯m not rted cobee to her away from Matthew¡¯s suppon uue. threw herself at Evan with Bow dare you refuse to id thumped him hysterically. Tow lied to me for so long, and | lieto (viperi ve i raise Jessica for so you treat me like that? How rouda you you be to me. Evan?¡± scratched Evan''s face, and he groaned to in pam. ¡°Charlie. up and stop your mother! She went crazy crazy! Pull her away remy stood still, trying to restrain themselves selves o keep their et alone stop Bertha. at the embarrassing Evan and suddenlyughctasghed strangely aily Evan¡¯s daughter. Even if she was an illegitigitimate f the Ramos family should belong to her. Moreove cover, she cation topete with Ashley. MithePublished by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Dad''s at Ashley on the side and advised on purpose. ¡°We''re We''re We share the same father. Our parents are fighting roing now. p them?¡± ides and couldn¡¯t stand Jessica¡¯s unt look. He found foued it on jess almashamed. met toitench her a lesson. 09:19 Just when Joseph couldn''t bear it anymore. Ashley narrowed her eyes slightly and suddenly sneered. Then, she raised herilynak kicked Jessica hard. Tessin ell down with a thud. She happened wolfall next to Evan and Bertha, who fell into affight. Ashley lessurdly retracted her leg and sheered. ¡°You just stopped them.¡± After the fall, Jessica felt severe pain all over her body, and lieridewas about to break. She cursed Ashley. Jessica wanedo get up from the ground, but as soon as she moved. Bertha kicked her back. In the past Bertha would have felt distressed to help Jessica up when stis fell down. But Bertha only devened jessica now. She stared at Jessica, couldn''t control her temper, and kicked her hard. ¡°You bitch! How dare you bully Ashley again ¡°Aargh!¡± Jessica shouted in pain, Dad, please help me!¡± Hearing her shouts. Berta bename even more furious and kicked Jessica harder. Jessica¡¯s painful wails filled the whole o Evan couldn''t help her and even sweated in anxiety. Ashley looked expressionlessly an Ewan who was caught by Bertha had bloodstains on his face. She abominated him before and four more repulsive now. How could she be rted to this sumig In this chaotic moment, Frankie stepped forward and grabbed the furious Bertha. ¡°Mom, calm down first Jesssion is indeed not Dad''s illegitimate daughter.¡± Bertha was stunned when she heard this. Frankie exined seriously, ¡°I want you to vent your anger out on jessica so | didn¡¯t exin it to you before.¡± Charlie, Jeremy, Ryan, and Matthew were all stunned! They had never found Frankie so scheming before. JJessica couldn''t refute it for a while. She found herself being fooled. BBartha red at Evan, pointed to the one who looked like Jessica in the ppboro, and asked Frankie, ¡°What''s going on, Frankie? Evan must have a rationship with this woman. FFrankie frowned, sighed, and nodded. They do have an unusual rtionship. | found this photo in the drawer oof Evan''s office and noticed the date on the photo. At that time, you had just gotten pregnant with Ashley, but he cheated on you secretly. ¡°| sensed the abnonnal and searched the entire office, but didn¡¯t find anwhining valuable. Hence, | went home and searched the bedroom and Evan¡¯s saddy but still found nothing. ¡°Pinality found a safe in Evan¡¯s study, which is locked. | called a profession hione over and opened the safe, finding a letter and some photosinth As Frankic spoble Evans stayed wronged all the time. But when he heard. that Frankic haddoound and broken the safe and pulled out the letter and photos in the panicked. How could you touch my stuff, Frankie?¡± Evan hurriedlyusished over reaching out to grab the letter and photos in Frankie¡¯s handl Seeing this scene. Riana and Matthew immediately stopped Evan. Frankie held the letter and photos in his hand with an extremelyplicated expression. Moony you better not read this letter and photos. Evan did cheation you and he had a rtionship with the woman in the photo. Bertha¡¯s eyes swelled from crying with misery. ¡°At this point, what e can¡¯t ept? Give me the letter. Frankie.¡± Frankie hesitated for a moment andddyvised again, ¡°Mom, you¡¯d bette forget about it.¡± ¡°Stop it! Stop showing it to Bertha Evansshouted as the veins in his nec burst. ¡°Hide it from Bertha!¡±: Aher speaking, he struggled with all his step trying to grab the letter 09:19 and photos in Frankie¡¯s hand. Ryan and Matthew almost couldn''t hold him down. Seeing this, Charlie and Jeremy immediately ran over and held down the rampaging Evan together. Joseph was shocked by the scene. He wondered why Evan was sensitive. to the letter and those photos. Joseph thought for a while and excitedly asked Ashley and Valentin in a low voice, ¡°Is it something filthy? Or is it something rted to that woman?¡± Ashley didn¡¯t reply, only holding Valentin¡¯s hand next to her. Immediately, Valentin wrapped her palm around his as if to soothe her feelings. Bertha witnessed Evan trying to stop her and made up her mind. ¡°Give me the letter, Frankie.¡± Frankie sighed and finally handed over the letter and photos. Chapter 306 Bertha took the letter and unfolded it with trembling fingers. The handwriting on the letter was delicate, and she could tell it was written by a woman. [Evan, I¡¯ve thought about it clearly. | still love Brandon more, but | love you, too. | really want the three of us to be together forever. You told me that you wanted to divorce Bertha or fake a car ident to kill Bertha and then marry me. But I¡¯m sorry. | can¡¯t leave Brandon.] At this point, Bertha clenched the letter paper tightly with her fingers, and she looked extremely indignant. How dare Evan divorce her or fake a car ident to kill her? It never urred to her that Evan once tried to kill her. Bertha was curious about Brandon¡¯s identity. The woman in the photo chose Brandon over Evan. The next paragraph in the letter took Bertha from feeling angry to disgusted. [Evan, I¡¯m pregnant. I¡¯m not sure who the father is. | calcted the time, and it was when the three of us stayed together overnight. That night, you, Brandon, and | had a wonderful night together. I¡¯ll never forget that day. | really hope the three of us can be together forever. Later, | took a paternity test and found out Brandon was the child¡¯s father. But I¡¯m not capable of raising her. Can you please help me raise her up? | named her Jessica.] Bertha was angry and disgusted when she read it, and her hands holding the letter even trembled. In addition to this letter, there were several photos. Bertha endured nausea and nced at the photos, but almost vomited in disgust. In the photo, it turned out to be their sexual scene. They were naked, lying on a bed, adulterous. Bertha couldn''t bear it any longer. She felt acid reflux in her stomach, retched, and vomited it out. She had never seen anything disgusting before. When Jeremy, Ryan, and others read the letter and those photos, they were all stunned by the filthy and despicable scenes. They understood why Frankie hid it a secret from Bertha. They wondered why Evan went too far. He actually cheated on Bertha in such a lewd way. Moreover, he even kept such dirty photos in a safe.Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Evan couldn¡¯t take it that his secret had been exposed before his family. The image he had been building for so many years copsed. He felt dizzy and feared meeting others¡¯ eyes. After a long while, Evan ran over, covered in sweat. His face turned pale, and he tried to snatch the photos back. ¡°Get out! Get away from me!¡± Bertha ran away, scolded him heartily, and wanted to tear up these dirty letters and photos. ¡°Stop it! Don¡¯t tear it up!¡± Evan frantically wanted to keep the letter and photos. ¡°This is thest thing she left for me!¡± At his word, Bertha suddenly froze and then let out a sharp and painful cry, ¡°How dare you, Evan?¡± He was still deeply in love with that woman. The woman left him these dirty photos, so he locked them in a safe and kept them. He waspletely out of his mind. Frankie was curious about why Evan had left these photos behind, but now that he heard Evan¡¯s exnation, he found it ridiculous. Charlie looked at Evan as if treating him as a lunatic. He found Evan never took Bertha seriously. Ever since Evan tried to fake a car ident to kill Bertha, Evan had no feelings for Bertha anymore. Moreover, Jessica and Ashley were about the same age, which meant Evan cheated on Bertha when she got pregnant. During that chaotic night, that woman was pregnant with Brandon¡¯s child. At this time, Jessica stared at those dirty photos, feeling in a trance. The 09:20 slutty woman in the photos was her mother, and Brandon was her father. She couldn''t believe it. Jessica grabbed her hair with both hands, with pain and reluctance on her face. She didn¡¯t want to ept such a dirty life. She would rather it be Ashley. She thought of Evan all of a sudden. The dirty Evan was Ashley''s biological father. Jessica suddenlyughed crazily. ¡°Ashley, the despicable and indulgent Evan is your biological father.¡± Valentin immediately lost his temper, and he looked extremely gloomy. He guarded Ashley and tilted his head to gesture to Joseph. Joseph had just tried to teach Jessica a lesson, but now he got Valentin¡¯s instructions, directly punched Jessica, and kicked her several times. After Jessica suffered, she didn¡¯t dare to fight back but could only yell in anger. Just as she intended to shout, Bertha suddenly rushed over and grabbed Bertha by the cor as if to fight her. ¡°How dare you bully Ashley again?¡± Bertha secretly felt distressed, and tears flowed down. Even if Jessica was not rted to Evan, she was also Evan¡¯s cheating partner¡¯s child. She treated Ashley badly before but instead carefully raised the n child. She raised Jessica for so many years and even sacrificed everything her. When she prepared new clothes for Jessica, Ashley lived a hard life i orphanage. When she took Jessica to the amusement park for a birth cake, Ashley suffered in an orphanage. Bertha was on the verge of copse. She cried hard and almost out of breath, tearing Jessica¡¯s hair to vent her anger, wanting to get back all sh had wronged Ashley. Jessica¡¯s face was covered in bruises and a mess. 09:20 Evan ran over to protect Jessica. Bertha hit Evan together. ¡°Screw you! Kick your ass! How dare you fake a car ident to kill me? Damn you! Kick Evan.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be bananas, Bertha,¡± Evan shouted. Jeremy and Matthew immediately rushed over and held down Evan. ¡°Have you out of your mind?¡± Evan struggled out but couldn¡¯t get away, so he could only take her wrath. Bertha vented her anger at Evan. After a while, she caught sight of Ashley, who looked indifferent. She paused for a moment, fearing Ashley would see her madness. Bertha stopped hurriedly and fixed her hair, trying to leave a decent impression on Ashley. But halfway through, she couldn¡¯t stop crying. The tears blurred her vision. She ran towards Ashley with sobs, wanting to hug her and touch her. But when Bertha noticed Ashley''s calm expression, she felt distressed. Ashley¡¯s disregard for her made her feel more lonely than ever. She wanted to touch Ashley¡¯s hand, but she didn¡¯t dare to reach out her trembling hands. There was no affection in the way Ashley looked at her, only indifferent. pity. Bertha couldn''t stand still, unable to support herself. She cops ground at Ashley¡¯s feet, crying with tears on her face. ¡°Ashley, I''m I''m sorry.¡± Bertha thought, ¡®I had never doted on you once. ¡®| want to love you right now, but | have already made mistakes that be undone. Matthew watched the scene with tears in his eyes. He couldn''t bear it a looked away. Bertha slumped on the ground, full of regret, but there was one more thing she could do for Ashley. Chapter 307 Bertha wiped away her tears, stood up resolutely, and looked at Jessica with cold and hateful eyes. ¡°You set up Miranda¡¯s abduction. You''re not getting away with it, and I''ll expose you as the mastermind to the police.¡± Hearing this, Jessica grabbed her messy hair and got panicked. She didn¡¯t want to go to jail. She med everything on Ashley. Bertha betrayed her for Ashley. Jessica suffered a series of blows today. She thought she could secretly sell her shares to the Zenith Group and run away with the money. But she didn¡¯t expect Ashley to be the mysterious shareholder of the Zenith Group. Moreover, Ashley installed sophisticated video equipment in this room in advance to reveal her true identity to Evan and Bertha. Now that she had discovered her filthy life experience, Jessica¡¯s mind was already on the verge of copse, and she looked at Ashley with resentment. She wouldn''t let Ashley go. Absolutely not. Jessica noticed Valentin, next to Ashley, seemed to have figured out a way to deal with Ashley andined in a hurry, ¡°Mr. Kingsley, | understand you appreciate Ashley. Maybe you want to pursue Ashley out of favor, but Ashley doesn¡¯t deserve it. She has already been a mistress of others.¡± Hearing her words, Joseph was speechless. He found Jessica ridiculous. Ashley fell into silence. She had no idea about it. Valentin ignored Jessica¡¯s words, and he wouldn¡¯t allow anyone to drive a wedge between them. With Ashley¡¯s financial strength, she could only afford to keep young, handsome guys. At this thought, Valentin got jealous. 1144 09 20 Jessica tried her best to prove her words and even raised her hands and swore. ¡°I dare not lie to you, Mr. Kingsley. Jeremy, Matthew, and | went to a club and bumped into Ashley being held intimately in the arms of a guy. She even entered the lounge with that guy.¡± Only VIP guests were allowed into the lounge, and Jessica couldn''t get in, so she had someone find out for her. In the end, the one ran out in a panic and didn¡¯t tell her the identity of the gu guy. Whatever the identity of the guy, Ashley must have her own sugar daddy. Jeremy and Matthew looked at each other and searched their memories. They went to the club together with Jessica, met Ashley in the club, and had a shootingpetition with her. Matthew felt distressed when he thought of it. He always bragged about his shooting skills, and he had bet Ashley a match. If Ashley won, he would allow Ashley to return to Ramos Vi. Instead, he would disown Ashley forever. Finally, Ashley was skilled at shooting. She was able to control her score and lost to Matthew on purpose. He even lost Ashley''s favor this time. At this thought, Matthew got angry. He suddenly recalled Jessica¡¯s words. and realized Ashley was hugged by a guy in the lounge. Matthew and the others looked at each other and read the same idea from their eyes. How excellent Ashley was! It was normal for others to go after her. Ashley deserved to be their family. If Valentin misunderstood Ashley and changed his attitude toward instead of appreciating Ashley, Valentin¡¯s superficiality would be sh off. Speaking of the club, Joseph immediately thought of that day. That day, Ashley and Matthew had a shooting match. But the guy holding Ashley in his arms that day was Valentin.Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. How dare Jessica use this to sow discord? Ashley raised her eyebrows and nced at Jessica, ¡°Did you see someone hugging me?¡± 2/4 09.20 Jessica became wary. ¡°Are you afraid to admit it?¡± Ashley grinned nonchntly. ¡°Nope, the guy indeed hugged me.¡± Hearing this, Jessica felt ecstatic and turned to look at Valentin excitedly. ¡°Mr. Kingsley, you heard it. Ashley admitted it herself. She doesn¡¯t deserve your admiration for her messy personal life.¡± Jessica thought, ¡®You''ll definitely lose Valentin¡¯s trust, Ashley. ¡®If Valentin learns you have a sugar daddy, he would stop admiring you or pursuing you and instead would stay away from you. ¡®Even if I¡¯m exposed by Bertha and put in jail, | won¡¯t let you go.¡¯ Hearing Ashley''s admit in person, Matthew and the others still stayed calm. They found it normal for Ashley to date others. Valentin had appeared together with Ashley frequently recently. Did he try to pursue Ashley? If Valentin looked down on Ashley because of Jessica¡¯s nonsense, they would teach Valentin a lesson even if they risked their lives. They must protect their own sister. Jessica looked at Valentin eagerly and said righteously, ¡°Mr. Kingsley, | learn you admire Ashley very much. You went to Ramos Vist night to be with Ashley after Miranda was kidnapped, and you showed up here with Ashley today. | wonder if you''re after her. At that point, Jessica was extremely jealous. She didn¡¯t expect Vain, who had high status, to fall in love with Ashley. But he would change his mind soon. Jessica changed the subject and implied, ¡°Ashley just admitted th was hugged intimately by a guy. Her personal life was very messy Kingsley, | just hope you won''t be deceived by her appearance.¡± Jessica spoke sincerely as if she did it for Valentin¡¯s good. However, Valentin nced at her condescendingly the next moment. He seemed to treat her as the rotting garbage. Then, Valentin¡¯s low voice sounded, resounding in the room. ¡°I was the guy who hugged Ashley that day. Do you have any objections?¡± 09.20 After he finished speaking, Jessica fell into silence. Matthew and the others were shocked. They couldn¡¯t believe it. Was the guy holding Ashley¡¯s arms Valentin? Did theye into contact so early? Jessica couldn¡¯t ept the reality. She bit the tip of her tongue and struggled to ask, ¡°Did you defend Ashley on purpose, Mr. Kingsley? Don¡¯t be deceived by Ashley!¡± Joseph was speechless. He found Jessica stupid. Ashley looked at Jessica with contempt. Valentin had no impatience left and looked gloomy. He took Ashley¡¯s hand and said, ¡°If my wife is willing to lie to me, then | will be delighted to be lied to.¡± Seeing Valentin holding Ashley''s hand, Jessica froze in ce. Hearing Valentin¡¯s words, her eyes widened in horror. Wife? At this time, Matthew and the others were all stunned. What had happened? Did Valentin want to take advantage of Ashley? 4l4 Chapter 308 Joseph looked at Jessica, who was utterly shocked and overwhelmed and couldn¡¯t help but feel incredibly satisfied. Just moments ago, Jessica had tried to nder Ashley in front of Valentin. But now, she was speechless! If you were to look for the person who trusted and protected Ashley the most in this world, Valentin would be second to none. At this moment, the five Ramos brothers were just as astonished as Jessica, looking like thunder had struck them from the sky, standing there frozen like statues. ¡®What is going on?¡± ¡®Ashley and Valentin... ¡®Are they dating now? ¡®When did this happen?¡¯ With his sharp eyes, Jeremy noticed that Bertha wasn¡¯t surprised at all, as if she knew something. He asked anxiously, ¡°Mom, do you know about Ashley...¡± Bertha, without blinking, stared at Ashley. Her look was filled with more love and regret than ever before, and her voice choked up as she said, ¡°I just found out, too, that Ashley and Mr. Kingsley are already married.¡± She could see that Valentin had deep feelings for Ashley. He would surely take good care of Ashley and treat her well for a lifeti If that was the case, she could be at ease. The five Ramos brothers were dumbfounded again. ¡®Married? ¡®Not only dating but already married?¡± Hearing Bertha¡¯s words, Jessica¡¯s face turned pale as paper instantly. Her body stiffened like a puppet with its strings cut, Bertha¡¯s words echoing in her ears. Married... Ashley and Valentin were already married.... 4/4 09.20 They were husband and wife... Legitimate husband and wife... Watching Valentin affectionately holding Ashley''s hand, his protective stance around her, and seeing Ashley treasured by him, the couple looked like a match made in heaven. Jessica frowned. She bit her jaw tightly, her nails almost piercing her palms, unable to hide the fierce and. crazed jealousy welling up inside her. She thought, ¡®Why... ¡®Why is my life ruined while Ashley stands at the pinnacle... ¡®| hate this! ¡®I can¡¯t ept it! ¡®Right, | still have Bertha!¡± Jessica suddenly changed from her confident demeanor and fell to her knees in front of Bertha, crying with red eyes. ¡°Mom, | don¡¯t want to go to jail. Please don¡¯t tell on me. Even if I¡¯m not your biological daughter, | grew up by your side. Don¡¯t you have any love for me at all? Mom...¡± Jessica cried uncontrobly, but Bertha didn¡¯t even nce at her. Her eyes filled with reluctance as she looked at Ashley. She wished she could spend more time with Ashley, but she realized her mistakes toote... Thankfully, Valentin was there to take care of Ashley. So she felt relieved about going to jail... Bertha reported Jessica to the police. The idea to kidnap Miranda threaten Ashley was Jessica¡¯s. As the mastermind, Jessica was natura taken by the police for investigation. In this case, Jessica was the main culprit. Evan had contacted the criminals and directed them throughout the kidnapping of Miranda, leaving clear evidence of his crime. Bertha, as an aplice, had a less role in the crime. The Ramos brothers discussed and concluded that Bertha had realized her mistakes and would no longer harm Ashley. Bertha was greatly 21 shocked to learn of Evan¡¯s affair, affecting both her mental and physical health. Considering Bertha¡¯s role as an aplice, the Ramos brothers wanted to hire awyer to reduce her sentence. But Bertha refused. Frankic initially didn¡¯t understand. Wouldn''t it be good to spend less time in jail? Why refused? But then he realized that Bertha was punishing herself for all the wrongs she had done to Ashley in the past and wanted to pay the price for her mistakes. A few dayster, the police reported the kidnapping case online. Theizens were shocked. [Wow, how cruel to kidnap someone! Aren¡¯t they afraid of the consequences? I¡¯m d Ashley and Miranda are safe.] [How could Jessica be so evil? And Evan, daring tomit a crime, deserves to be in jail for a long time!] [Ashley is unlucky to have such a family.] [But then again, Ashley is also part of the Ramos family. Since they are so bad, doesn¡¯t it mean she might be too?] [What are you thinking? The Ramos family being bad is their pre Ashley didn¡¯t grow up with them. She¡¯s different!] [Gics can be inherited, so it¡¯s hard to say!] Apart from the shock about the kidnapping, some people also disc Ashley¡¯s rtionship with the Ramos family, worried that Ashley m inherit their evil nature. Joseph saw thesements and almost smashed his phone in anger.Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. These people were talking nonsense! ¡®With a father like Evan, Ashley already has enough problems! ¡®| can¡¯t wait to announce Valentin and Ashley¡¯s marriage to the public now, just to shut these people up!¡± 3/1 09.20 In Kingsley Vi, inside the bedroom, Ashley was lying on her bed, flipping through a photo album while talking on the phone with Miranda. She didn¡¯t notice thements online. Valentin saw Ashley lying on the bed in a strappy dress when he walked in. Her legs were bent upward as she asionally spoke to Miranda on the phone. Valentin overheard part of the conversation about the Ramos family. He looked down, remembering a birthday long ago when he heard Ashley make a wish to find her birth parents someday. And eventually, she did find them. But then, with Evan and Bertha.... She lost her family again. Valentin¡¯s eyes were deep and thoughtful as he watched Ashley lying on the bed. Suddenly, he walked over to the desk, gently opened a drawer, and found a small, exquisite square box inside. This delicate box seemed to have been there for a very long time. He opened the lid gently, revealing a unique ring inside... Chapter 309 Ashley was lying on the bed, chatting casually with Miranda. After finishing the call, she looked up and saw Valentin standing by the drawer, seemingly searching for something. Since he was facing away, Ashley could only see his back and couldn¡¯t make out what he was looking for, so she casually asked, ¡°What are you looking for?¡± The maids always kept the spacious bedroom clean, so Ashley didn¡¯t have to tidy the room herself. Though not familiar with the stuff in the room, Ashley quickly rose from the bed and said cheerfully, ¡°Let me help you find it!¡± Valentin lightly tapped a gift box twice with his finger, pondered for a few seconds, then closed the lid and pushed the drawer back. He turned. around to face Ashley with a smile and asked nonchntly, ¡°Ashley, do you have any ns for the next few days?¡± Ashley shook her head. ¡°No, why? Do you have any ns?¡±N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. She had just gotten up from the bed, wearing a slip dress. One of the straps had slipped down, revealing her fair and delicate shoulder, captivating without her realizing it. Valentin swallowed hard, frowning as he walked over. His fingers hooked onto her thin strap as if it could easily be torn off, stripping the dress away. He restrained the desire within him and gently pulled her strap back up His fingers touched her warm and fair skin, causing his throat to tighter and his deep voice to be husky. ¡°I''ll take you somewhere tomorrow ¡°Where is it?¡± Ashley asked, her eyes wide with curiosity as she blinked. Valentin was charmed by her cute appearance and couldn''t help but lean down to kiss her. He kissed her soft lips tenderly and passionately. ¡°A ce you liked when you were little.¡± Ashley thought for a moment, not sure what he was nning, but she didn¡¯t have the mind to think more about it. As he leaned in to kiss her, she instinctively raised her hands to embrace him. Valentin gently kissed her, one soft touch after another. His warm kisses 09-20 trailed down her neck, leaving a mark on her milky, smooth shoulders. Ashley¡¯s body suddenly tingled all over, trembling slightly. She hugged arm tighter without realizing it, and her eyes filled with ayer of his mist. The air was thick with ambiguity, and the rising temperature brought a blush to both of their cheeks. Suddenly, the abrupt ring of a cell phone echoed in the room. Ashley, pulled from the burning desire, regained a bit of her senses. ¡°Wait, my phone is ringing!¡± Valentin frowned in annoyance, clearly disturbed by the interruption. He buried his forehead in the crook of her neck, breathing softly, almost inaudibly. Listening to his irresistibly sexy voice, Ashley¡¯s ears turned red and hot. She felt unexpectedly thirsty and licked her lips. ¡°I''ll go see who''s Calling...¡± Valentin hugged her tightly once more before letting her go to answer the phone. Ashley¡¯s phone was on the bed. Picking it up, she saw it was a call from Laura. Having seen a report about a kidnapping online, Laura called out of concern. Learning that Ashley was fine and that Evan and Jessica had been dealt with, she finally felt relieved. They chatted for a bit and then hung up. Ashley sat down on the bed and gestured to Valentin toe over. Just she was about to speak, her phone rang again. It was a call from Lester. Ashley slid to answer the screen. ¡°Ashley, | just saw the police report about Evan.¡± Lester¡¯s worried voice came through the phone, asking urgently, ¡°Are you alright? Did he hurt you?¡± Valentin sat down on the bed, and Ashley, nestled in his arms, heard the concern in Lester¡¯s voice and quickly reassured him, ¡°No, he didn¡¯t hurt 09:20 me, and he¡¯s been caught. Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good!¡± Lester sighed in relief, surprised that Evan and Jessica, such fools, would resort to a sinister act like kidnapping. Lester, like a worried mother, asked several more questions. Learning that Ashley hadn¡¯t been threatened by Evan and hadn''t suffered any harm, he finally felt a weight lifted from his heart. Finally, Lester asked nervously, ¡°Ashley, have you been busytely?¡± Ashley replied, ¡°Not busy, why?¡± Lester said, ¡°Even though we¡¯ve done two DNA tests and found you''re unrted to the Pliskin family, my parents really like you. They''ve been following your news online and are worried about you after hearing about the kidnapping. They''d really like to meet you. Do you have time? My parents want to visit Zyrrinthia to see you.¡± Ashley was astonished. ¡°Your parents want to meet me?¡± Valentin, overhearing this, was also slightly surprised. ¡°Yeah,¡± Lesterughed and said, ¡°they''re worried you might not want to see them, or it might be inconvenient, so they asked me to check with you first. If you don¡¯t want to, it¡¯s okay¡± ¡°No, | don¡¯t mind at all.¡± Ashley thought for a moment. Meeting Lester¡¯s parents was no big deal. ¡°When should we meet?¡± ¡°If you agree, they''ll visit Zyrrinthia in three days.¡± Hearing her agreement, Lester couldn''t hide the excitement in his voice. ¡°Okay, then let¡¯s meet in three days!¡± Ashley agreed cheerfully. The next second, she heard George¡¯s voice, trying to sound gentle o phone. ¡°Ashley, thank you for agreeing to meet my parents.¡± Ashley was startled. ¡°George?¡± Lester, sounding helpless, said, ¡°George insisted | put the phone on speaker. He wanted to hear your voice, too!¡± Ashley was a bit surprised. Before she could speak, she heard George¡¯s cold voice threatening Lester over the phone. ¡°You talk too much. Shut up.¡± 3/4 09:20 hear Lester immediately exposed him andined, ¡°Ashley, did you that? That gentle voice he used talking to you was all an act! His real self is cold and heartless. He¡¯s good at pretending!¡± George frowned. He was angry about Lester ruining his image in front of Ashley. He felt like punching Lester again! Ashley was speechless at the end of the phone. After hanging up, Valentin asked thoughtfully, ¡°The Pliskin family¡¯s parents want to meet you?¡± Ashley nodded. ¡°They said in three days. It¡¯s just a meeting. They''ve been searching for their lost daughter since she was little. | understand how parents feel.¡± Valentin asked, ¡°Should |e with you?¡± ¡°Let''s see. Where are you taking me tomorrow, anyway?¡± Ashley asked, burning with curiosity. Valentin smiled slowly, ¡°Want to know?¡± Ashley nodded eagerly. ¡°Very much!¡± He chuckled, teasing her, ¡°Then keep guessing. You''ll find out tomorrow.¡± Ashley¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. She yfully bit his hand in frustration and asked, ¡°Do we have aputer keyboard at home?¡± Valentin was puzzled. There were a few seconds of silence. His eyebrows raised slightly, and he asked meaningfully, ¡°Do you want me to kneel on theputer keyboard?¡± Chapter 310 ¡°Do you want me to kneel on theputer keyboard?¡± Ashley huffed proudly, acting like a spoiled child. ¡°Can''t I?¡± Valentin looked at her and couldn''t help but smile, ¡°You¡¯re bing more and more like my wife.¡± Ashley was speechless. ¡°Even controlling something like kneeling on aputer keyboard.¡± Hearing this, Ashley grabbed his hand and bit it in frustration, asking angrily, ¡°So, will you kneel or not?¡± Valentin first looked at the hand that she had bitten, then at his knees, imagining the scene of kneeling on the keyboard. He laughed helplessly. ¡°Do you really want me to kneel?¡± Ashley pouted. ¡°Yeah! Will you or won''t you?¡± Valentin¡¯s eyes twinkled with a smile, his gaze filled with indulgence and adoration. ¡°I''ll kneel. How could | not, when you ask?¡± At that moment, Ashley¡¯s ears turned bright red. Her heart pounded rapidly, and she blinked. ¡°Why are you so obedient!¡± He raised an eyebrow. ¡°Does that make you like me a bit more?¡± Ashley nodded quickly. ¡°Yes!¡± Valentin¡¯s lips curved into a sexy, carefree smile. ¡°Then how about a little reward for me?¡± Areward? Ashley blinked in confusion. Realizing what he meant, her ears turned even redder, and she leaned in to kiss him on the cheek. Valentin, rewarded, stood up, ready to call the butler to ask if there was aputer keyboard at home. Ashley¡¯s eyes widened, and she quickly grabbed his hand, stopping him. ¡°I was just kidding! | didn¡¯t want you to kneel!¡± Valentin turned back to look at her. 1144 09.201 Ashley pulled him back. ¡± | was just teasing you! Besides, | have to go out soon. | made ns with Miranda on the phone earlier to have lunch with her.¡± Valentin frowned slightly, then suddenly called her by her full name. ¡°Ashley Ramos.¡± Ashley was startled. ¡°What''s up?¡± Suddenly calling her full name made it seem like she was in trouble. Valentin looked at her with a yful yet somewhat jealous tone. ¡°Have you noticed you''re nicer to Miranda than to me?¡± Ashley was puzzled. Valentin¡¯s expression was half-smiling, looking slightly dangerous. ¡°You''re going out with her instead of staying home with me?¡± Ashley said, ¡°Don¡¯t be jealous for no reason.¡± He watched her without saying a word. Ashley threw herself into his arms, rubbing her little head against his chest yfully, and then looked up at him with bright, sparkling eyes. ¡°How can you think that | treat Miranda better than you?¡± Unable to resist her charm, Valentin managed to hold back from embracing her and remained silent. m the nicest to you! If I¡¯m not good enough for you, I''ll be even better in the future!¡± Ashley leaned her forehead against Valentin¡¯s chest, gently bumping it. ¡°Honey!¡± At this, Valentin couldn¡¯t resist and wrapped his arms around her waist. Ashley smiled happily, her lively and beautiful eyes curving into crescents, looking sweet as she kissed his chin. ¡°Then, I¡¯m going out to have dinner with Miranda!¡± Valentin was speechless. After all that, Ashley still wanted to go out with another woman instead of staying home with him. Was he not attractive to her? Valentin¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, his voice deep and slow. ¡°Do you think 09:20 a kiss from you will stop me from being jealous?¡± Ashley, not indulging him, got up from his embrace. ¡°Then, | won''t coax you.¡± Valentin was puzzled.Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Ashley¡¯s eyes twinkled with a mischievous smile like a sly yet adorable fox teasingly looking at him. Valentin was silent for a few seconds, then suddenlyughed. But thatugh seemed somehow dangerous. Ashley¡¯s heart tightened, and she instinctively turned to run. The next second, everything spun around her, and Valentin suddenly lifted her up, eximing in surprise, ¡°What are you doing?¡± There was a hint of suggestion in Valentin¡¯s eyes. ¡°Asking for a different kind of reward.¡± A different reward? Twenty minutester, Ashley was finally released, sitting in front of the vanity mirror, looking at the noticeable hickeys on her neck, her eyes filled with shyness and annoyance. Her clothes hid the marks on her body, but the ones on her neck were not. How could she go out like this? She pouted, trying to cover the mark on her neck with makeup, grumbling with flushed ears. ¡°You''re so annoying!¡± Valentin leanedzily against the vanity. His eyes half-closed as he watched her cover the hickeys, the lingering passion still evident in his eyes, exuding azy charm. ¡°You''re so cute.¡± Ashley¡¯s heart skipped a beat as she red at him. ¡°Don¡¯t try to confuse me with your sweet words!¡± He chuckled softly, his Adam''s apple bobbing, and gently brushed a stray hair behind her car, then touched her soft earlobe. ¡°It''s not sweet talk. I¡¯m telling the truth.¡± Ashley said, ¡°Stop flirting with me.¡± Valentin raised an eyebrow. ¡°What did you say?¡± 09:20 Ashley huffed and didn¡¯t answer, getting up to change clothes. ¡°I¡¯m going out now!¡± When they arrived at the agreed ce, Ashley and Miranda found a restaurant to have lunch together. The news about their previous kidnapping had been reported. Setting aside howizensmented, their fans were worried about their safety. Ashley and Miranda took a selfie together and posted it on Twitter to reassure their fans. Not long after the tweet, Ashley received a text message from Lester. [Ashley, | just saw your photo on Twitter. Are you having lunch at Herculy Restaurant?] Ashley replied: [Yes, I¡¯m with Miranda.] Lester texted back: [I¡¯m nearby. Can |e over and meet you?] Ashley responded: [What a coincidence! Sure,e on over!] After arranging to meet with Lester, Ashley chatted with Miranda for a while and then went to the restroom. When she came out of the restroom and was walking back to the private dining room, she unexpectedly bumped into someone in the hallway. Chapter 311 Ashley slightly raised her eyebrows when she saw Cara approaching. This was their first encounter since thest incident where Cara¡¯s reputation was ruined due to a scandal involving the restoration of artifacts. Cara froze in her steps upon seeing Ashley. A sinister look in her eyes. reced her usual gentleness. Standing beside Cara was a middle-aged man named Stanley Knowles with arge belly. He eagerly said, ¡°Ms. Ward, this project is going well. We''re in talks with the Pliskin Group for a partnership, and we¡¯re just one step away from sealing the deal! I''ve been trying to contact Lester from the Pliskin family these past few days, but unfortunately, he¡¯s too busy...¡± Stanley paused when he saw Cara stop abruptly and noticed Ashley not far away. His eyes lit up upon seeing Ashley. He knew of her but had only seen her on TV. Seeing her in person was much more impressive than on television. However, remembering Ashley¡¯s hostile rtionship with Cara, Stanley hid his admiration and put on a stern face. Ashley overheard Stanley¡¯sments about discussing a partnership with the Pliskin Group and wanting to meet Lester in person. Noticing Cara¡¯s irritated expression, Stanley stepped forward with a mocking tone. ¡°Isn¡¯t this the famous Ashley Ramos? Quite popr these days, huh?¡± A few restaurant patrons stopped to watch the unfolding dispute. One girl, recognizing Ashley, excitedly started recording with her phone. She was apparently a fan of Ashley. Stanley scoffed disdainfully, ¡°Popr indeed, but what a shame. She even got her parents put in jail. Not surprising for a Ramos family member. They''re all bad!¡± Before Ashley could respond, the girl recording with her phone interjected, ¡°What are you talking about? Evan and Jessica were trying to kidnap Miranda, and Ashley just called the police to stop them!¡± 4/4 09:07 Chapter 311 Stanley mocked, ¡°So you''re saying Evan is heartless and no good. Then Ashley must be the same, right? Have you heard the saying ¡®like father, like son?¡± The girl was speechless, her face turning red with anger, unable to out-argue Stanley. Ever since the news of Evan and Jessica going to jail broke, rumors online suggested that Ashley, having the Ramos family genes, might be just as bad as them. Ashley¡¯s fans were furious at thesements, believing that Ashley, who didn¡¯t grow up in the Ramos family, hadn¡¯t been corrupted by them. Cara, observing this, couldn¡¯t hide a hint of smug satisfaction in her eyes. Her downfall and exit from the entertainment industry didn¡¯t matter to her as much now. After all, Ashley wasn¡¯t faring much better. As long as Ashley had any connection to the Ramos family, she could never be innocent! At that moment, Ashley looked at the fan who had defended her and felt warm in her heart. She gave the girl a reassuring nce, then turned to face Stanley, who looked smug and raised her eyebrows slightly. ¡°Mr. Knowles, it seems your parents weren¡¯t much better. Otherwise, how could they have raised. a joke like you?¡± Stanley frowned instantly, ¡°Ashley! What nonsense are you talking about!¡± Ashley smiled slightly, and her eyes filled with mockery. ¡°Like father, like son, right? Didn¡¯t you just say that yourself? Have you forgotten already?¡± ¡°You!¡± Stanley was taken aback by Ashley¡¯s sharp tongue and was left speechless. The girl beside them was so excited she almost jumped up. That''s our Ashley! Make sure to embarrass this big-bellied old man!¡¯ Humiliated in front of everyone, Stanley angrily retorted, ¡°Ashley, everyone knows about the mess the Ramos family has made! Don¡¯t think you¡¯re innocent. You and Evan are family, so you¡¯re no different from the Ramos family!¡± 09:07 At those words, Ashley suddenly frowned, ¡°Say that again!¡± For some reason, Stanley felt intimidated by Ashley¡¯s gaze and shivered without knowing why.Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Then, he thought he was a grown man in his fifties or sixties. So, why should he be afraid of a young girl? Stanley puffed out his chest, ready to continue his rant, when he suddenly saw a tall, handsome man walking around the corner of the hallway. Lester? Stanley¡¯s face lit up with excitement. He had been negotiating a deal with the Pliskin family and was close to finalizing it. He had always wanted to talk to Lester in person but couldn''t get an appointment because Lester was too busy. He hadn¡¯t expected to run into him here! Excited, Stanley ran over with his big belly, shouting at Ashley as he passed, ¡°Get out of the way! Don¡¯t block the path!¡± Reaching Lester, Stanley smiled apologetically and took out a business card from his pocket. ¡°Mr. Pliskin, what a coincidence to meet you here! I¡¯m Stanley Knowles, currently finalizing a deal with the Pliskin Group. I¡¯ve been wanting to meet you, but you¡¯ve been too busy. Today...¡± Not interested in Stanley¡¯s rambling, Lester focused his eyes on Ashley not far away. As he approached, he seemed to have heard Stanley telling Ashley to get out of the way. Lester narrowed his eyes dangerously with a half-smile that looked eerily unsettling. ¡°Stanley, who were you just insulting?¡± Hearing Lester speak to him directly, Stanley was pleasantly surprised. It was the first time! It seemed his attempt to strike up a conversation had worked! Eager to build a rtionship with Lester, Stanley quickly pointed at Ashley. ¡°I was talking about her! Mr. Pliskin, | don¡¯t know if you''ve heard about the Ramos family, but with rtives and parents like that, Ashley must be no good either! Just now, she was... Stanley was speaking when he suddenly stopped, feeling a chilling cold 09:07 creep up his back as if it could freeze his blood. Something seemed off about Lester¡¯s gaze. ¡°Stanley,¡± Lester said with a smile, but his gaze was sharp, ¡°do you have a death wish?¡± A death wish? Stanley¡¯s eyes widened in fear. ¡°Mr. Pliskin, what do you mean by that...¡± Before he could finish, Lester had already started walking towards Ashley. Approaching Ashley, the hostility in Lester¡¯s eyes softened a bit, and he asked gently, ¡°Ashley did he bully you just now?¡± Ashley looked over at Stanley. Stanley stood there with his mouth wide open, lookingpletely stunned. Ashley? Why was Lester addressing Ashley so affectionately? And he seemed so concerned about her, as if worried she might be bullied. Chapter 312 Even Stanley, who wasn¡¯t the sharpest tool in the shed, realized something was off. Was Lester¡¯s anger and fierceness towards him because he had been rude to Ashley? He thought, ¡®What''s the rtionship between Lester and Ashley? ¡®Why is he so protective of her? ¡®Oh no! My deal with the Pliskin Group is about to be finalized. | can¡¯t let it fall apart because of Ashley!¡± In a panic, Stanley rushed over, gasping for air. ¡°Ms. Ramos, it¡¯s a misunderstanding! | spoke without thinking and caused a little friction. between us. | didn¡¯t mean to insult you!¡± Ashley smiled, ¡°Oh? A misunderstanding?¡± Stanley regretted his words deeply. Surrounded by so many people, he couldn''t even try to deny it and had to swallow his pride. ¡°Ms. Ramos, | didn¡¯t recognize your importance. | apologize for offending you. Please don¡¯t take it to heart! Mr. Pliskin, | didn¡¯t know about your rtionship with Ms. Ramos. | sincerely apologize and hope it won¡¯t affect our deal!¡± This deal was worth billions of dors. Billions of dors were just a drop in the bucket for the Pliskin Group, but for Stanley, it was significant. He couldn¡¯t afford to lose this deal. Then, Lesterughed, but his eyes showed endless ferocity. ¡°Your small deal isn¡¯t worth a hair on Ashley''s head. Let it be affected.¡± Stanley was stunned, his eyes wide with surprise. ¡®Billions of dors not worth a hair on Ashley¡¯s head? ¡®Lester dismissed the deal so casually. Just for Ashley?¡± His face filled with disbelief and fear. Stanley swallowed hard and pressed on. ¡°Mr. Pliskin, | was rude to Ashley, but I¡¯ve apologized. Are you ending our deal just for her?¡± Stanley meant to say, ¡®Don¡¯t be so hasty! ¡®That¡¯s a deal worth billions of dors. How could it be less important 09:07 than one woman!¡± But Lester remained protective as if it were the most natural thing. ¡°Yes, for Ashley.¡± Stanley¡¯s eyes widened even more, curious and regretful. ¡®What¡¯s the rtionship between Ashley and Lester? Why is she so important to him? ¡°This deal worth billions of dors... Stanley, anxious and knowing he couldn¡¯t persuade Lester, turned to Ashley and pped himself. ¡°Ms. Ramos, it was all my fault! I''m the bad one here! | know you¡¯re a generous person. Please forgive me!¡±Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Watching Stanley p himself, Ashley blinked and smiled elegantly, ¡°I actually liked your defiant attitude carlier.¡± Stanley was stunned, almost in tears, and pped himself again. ¡°Ms. Ramos, I¡¯m really sorry! I¡¯m the bad one! Please, could you talk to Mr. Pliskin...¡± Ashley didn¡¯t bother with him anymore. Cara, standing nearby, pressed her lips tightly together, her lips turning white from the pressure. She thought to herself, ¡®Lester still doesn¡¯t know Ashley is his sister. Why is he so protective of her? ¡®Could it be because of some kind of family bond? ¡®But with Mr. Morgan around, there¡¯s no way Ashley and the Pliskin family¡¯s DNA test will ever show they¡¯re rted!¡± Agirl who was a fan of Ashley felt relieved seeing Stanley change his attitude towards Ashleypletely. She became curious about Lester. ¡°Who is this handsome guy? He seems influential. Is he Ashley¡¯s friend?¡± This fan had been recording Ashley with her phone and captured the scene, which she then casually uploaded online. With Ashley being very popr online at the moment, the video quickly got hundreds of thousands of views. Thement section was bustling. [Wow, this guy is so handsome! He¡¯s my type! Can someone find out everything about him in three minutes?] 09:07 [Wait, isn¡¯t that Lester from the Pliskin Group, one of the top four conglomerates? What''s his rtionship with Ashley? He seems very protective of her!] [How many influential people does Ashley know?] [Am | the only one who thinks Stanley is right? Like father, like son. Ashley can¡¯t be that great with a father like Evan, right?] [Ashley didn¡¯t grow up in the Ramos family, so she¡¯s not like them!] [From Evan to Jessica in the Ramos family, including their sons, is there even one good person among them? Can Ashley be an exception? | don¡¯t believe it.] The female fan who uploaded the video to share her encounter with Ashley was angered by these messyments and deleted the video. But thements had already sparked spection, and the topic became even hotter, eventually trending online. At Kingsley Vi, in the study, Joseph, filled with righteous indignation, handed his phone to Valentin and said, ¡°Valentin, look at thesements! It¡¯s infuriating! They don¡¯t understand Ashley at all. How can they judge her just because of the Ramos family?¡± Seeing the spectivements about Ashley, Valentin¡¯s eyes shed coldly. He called Tom on his phone and ordered him to handle the online public opinion immediately. Once Valentin took action, his methods were strong, direct, and highly efficient. He had the trending topic removed and thements deleted. In no time, almost all the negativements online were gone. Theizens who were stillmenting felt confused. They didn¡¯t know what had happened. Suddenly, they felt that wealthy and influential people were pulling the strings behind the scenes. Shortly after, the official Twitter ount of the Kingsley Group, along with Twitter¡¯s official customer service, simultaneously posted an announcement, roughly saying: [Wee the Kingsley Group CEO Valentin Kingsley to Twitter] 09:07 As soon as this message was announced,izens got excited. [Wait! Am | seeing this right? Valentin is on Twitter now! Wasn¡¯t he into this stuff?] [Why did he suddenly join Twitter? I¡¯m going to follow him! Valentin, here |e!] [Valentin¡¯s Twitter is gaining followers so quickly!] Valentin was famous, especially with that exceptionally handsome face. He became more popr than male celebrities in the entertainment. industry, and within moments, his followers reached millions. When everyone was curious about why Valentin suddenly joined Twitter, someizens who were good observers noticed that Valentin¡¯s following count had changed from 0 to 1. Netizens expressed that without even looking, he must be following the official Twitter ount of the Kingsley Group! But when they checked, they realized that he was following Ashley! And he was only following Ashley, not even the official Kingsley Group ount! However, it didn¡¯t end there. Later,izens saw Valentin¡¯s first Twitter post, which had only one word. [Ashley.] And below that was a picture of Ashley. Netizens were all shocked. (What¡¯s going on? Why is everything rted to Ashley?] He¡¯s only following Ashley, and his first Twitter post is about Ashley. This is definitely tant favoritism!] | know, right? Mr. Kingsley has always admired Ashley. Remember the Skyward Art Exhibition dedicated to her? Today, he suddenly joined Twitter to support Ashley against the online spections!] | think you''re right!] [Oh my, is this Valentin¡¯s first time doing something like this?] Mr. Kingsley, do you like Ashley? My sixth sense tells me you do!] Don¡¯t be silly. He just appreciates her. There¡¯s no way he likes Ashley...] 4/6 09:07 Just whenizens were having intense discussions, suddenly, prominent figures from the worlds of cultural heritage, racing, design, musicposition, and dance, those big shots who rarely appeared on the Inte, started tweeting one after another, expressing their support for Ashley. They believed thatizens¡¯ spections, such as ¡°like father, like daughter,¡± were far- fetched, and Ashley differed from the Ramos family. Netizens were shocked once again. Top-notch individuals from these circles, who rarely showed up on Twitter, were now all voicing their support for Ashley. It was a grand show of support. The five Ramos brothers also issued a statement not long after. They subtly implied that Ashley was excellent and that the Ramos family couldn¡¯t keep up with her. Once again,izens were astonished. This point was urate. The Ramos family didn¡¯t measure up. Because of Ashley¡¯s powerful influence andwork, various circles. suddenly became active. Of course, the most active was Valentin¡¯s Twitter. Some people called him handsome, and others asked if he liked Ashley. Without exception,izens didn¡¯t receive any responses. This further confirmed that this unattainable and aloof big shot joined Twitter and followed Ashley just to support her. In Kingsley Vi¡¯s study, Joseph looked at the situation online and came up with a conclusion. Valentin was ruthless. He remembered Valentin had previously created a Twitter ount for Ashley called ¡°Ariml¡±. Now, he had gone to great lengths to create a legitimate ount for Ashley. Ashley invited Lester to the private booth, and Miranda politely stood up. After some small talk, the three of them sat down. Ashley¡¯s phone made a ¡°ding¡± sound, receiving a news notification. Seeing what was happening online, Ashley felt very confused. 09:07 She had only been offline for a while, and everything online had turned upside down. After understanding the situation, Ashley¡¯s eyes lit up slightly, and at charming smile appeared as she specifically unfollowed Valentin on Twitter. After the three finished their meal, they chatted for a while. Ashley talked to Lester about meeting the Pliskin family¡¯s parents in three days. It was almost time, so the three of them got up and left the restaurant. Before parting ways, Miranda held Ashley¡¯s hand. ¡°Ashley, are you free tomorrow? Let¡¯s go out together. | found a great coffee shop!¡± ¡°Sure, tomorrow...¡± Ashley nodded but stopped halfway. She had already promised Valentin to go somewhere with him tomorrow. If she agreed to Miranda now, Valentin would get jealous again. Ashley quickly said, ¡°I have something tomorrow. How about another day?¡± Miranda nodded. ¡°Sure!¡± After saying goodbye to Lester and Miranda, Ashley returned to K Vi and headed to the study to find Valentin. Chapter 313 Chapter 313 Ashley pushed open the door to the study and walked in. Joseph saw hering back and waved his hand in greeting. ¡°Ashley, you¡¯re back? Didn¡¯t you go to have lunch with Miranda? Why are you back so early?¡± But Ashley didn¡¯t even look at him. She headed straight for Valentin behind the desk. Single and ignored, Joseph was puzzled. Then, he saw Ashley walk over and immediately throw herself into Valentin¡¯s arms, saying, ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but | couldn¡¯t stop thinking about you while having lunch outside. So, | came back to see you as soon as | finished eating.¡± Valentin nced at her leisurely. In his mind, he thought, ¡®Now she says this. ¡°When | was jealous this morning, you wouldn¡¯t even console me with a single word. Ashley hugged Valentin and kissed him on the cheek. ¡°I saw what was happening online and knew you''re the best for me!¡± Caught off guard by their disy of affection, Joseph tried to make his presence felt. ¡°Ashley, I¡¯m still here!¡± Finally, Ashley spared him a nce, blinking in confusion. ¡°Why haven''t you left yet?¡± Joseph was speechless. He frowned. But he was determined to be an unshakable third wheel! However, ire arrived before he could establish himself as the third. wheel. ire had seen the online gossip and was worried about how Ashley might feel, so she came to check on her. After arriving and seeing that Ashley was in good spirits, along with Valentin being protective of her, ire felt somewhat relieved. 09.07 The four of them sat down on the living room sofa. ire furrowed her brows slightly and sighed, ¡°Those people are really rude. How can they judge Ashley based on what Evan did?¡± ¡°ire, you don¡¯t know, some people are just foolish!¡± Joseph was visibly frustrated. ¡°Not only do they talk about Evan, but they also bring up all the shady things the Ramos family did in the past. Ashley is clearly a victim, and now they¡¯re associating her with the Ramos family, saying that the apple doesn¡¯t fall far from the tree. It¡¯s so unfair to Ashley!¡± ire felt the same way and tried to console Ashley. ¡°Ashley, don¡¯t let those people¡¯s opinions affect you. | think they¡¯re just mindlessly talking.¡± Awarm feeling washed over Ashley, and she smiled, ¡°I know, ire.¡± In her veins flowed the blood of the Ramos family.Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Evan was her biological father. It was what she despised the most and couldn''t change. People might gossip and doubt her, but she couldn¡¯t change the fact that Evan was her father, and she didn¡¯t care about the opinions of those who didn¡¯t matter. Ever since Ashley cut ties with the Ramos family, she decided never to look back. The Ramos family was no longer her family. She just wanted to walk her path and live her own life. Suddenly, Valentin¡¯s warm and reassuring hand reached out and held hers. Ashley was taken aback, turning to meet Valentin¡¯s deep eyes, filled with tender affection. Her heart skipped a beat as she painted a charming andzy smile on her face, radiant and captivating. She tightly held his hand. In Ramos Vi¡¯s living room, Jeremy remembered the online situation from earlier and looked annoyed. ¡°It¡¯s all our fault that Ashley is burdened, making people think she¡¯s not good.¡± Matthew was furious, and he kicked the sofa. ¡°We''re the ones who messed up. What does it have to do with Ashley? If anyone should be med, it¡¯s us!¡± Ryan sat on the sofa, looking at his phone with a furrowed brow. ¡°You kicked me, go away.¡± Matthew not only didn¡¯t leave but kicked again. Ryan didn¡¯t engage with him, rapidly scrolling through his social media. apps. Finally, he rxed his brows. ¡°I noticed that most negativements about Ashley online have been deleted. Was it Valentin¡¯s doing?¡± Charlie nodded thoughtfully. ¡°It should be him.¡± Who else could protect Ashley so boldly and decisively other than Valentin? Jeremy scratched his head, unsure if he should be happy or worried. ¡°It seems like Valentin is really good to Ashley, but the five of us can¡¯tpare to Valentin alone and...¡± It was frustrating. They were supposed to be Ashley''s brothers but couldn¡¯t protect her. They felt utterly useless! Charlie patted his shoulder and turned to look at Frankie, who had been silent. He couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Frankie, what are you thinking?¡± Frankie wearily pinched his nose and said, ¡°I¡¯m thinking that since Ashley came back to the Ramos family, she thought she found her family, but it seems like we, her family, can only bring her misfortune...¡± As soon as he said this, the brothers in the living room fell into silence. Upon reflection, Ashley had endured hardship sinceing to the Ramos family, suffering countless trials, and hadn¡¯t had a happy day. Jeremy felt full of regret and self-me, sounding sad. ¡°I don¡¯t know if Ashley will forgive us. Now that Evan and Jessica are both in jail, | don¡¯t know if Ashley will want toe home for a few days...¡± Ryan nced at him. ¡°Jeremy, not to bring you down, but Ashley probably won¡¯t agree toe back.¡± Jeremy¡¯s tone was sincere. ¡°Whether Ashley wants toe back, this will always be her home!¡± 09:07 Frankie nodded and asked. ¡°Today, when Ashley met Stanley, Lester helped her. Why is Lester so nice to Ashley?¡± Matthew felt bitter. ¡°I noticed, too. Lester acts like he¡¯s Ashley¡¯s brother. What¡¯s wrong with him? Doesn¡¯t he know we''re Ashley¡¯s biological brothers!¡± Jeremy also felt jealous. Why wasn¡¯t he the one protecting Ashley back then? He now regretted it. Lester returned to his hotel room. As soon as he entered the suite, he saw George sitting on the sofa in the living area, his long fingers typing rapidly on the keyboard. ¡°George, what are you busy with?¡± Lester casually asked. George lifted his head from theptop, his expression cold and his lips. thin. He spoke with a calm tone. ¡°I saw what happened between Ashley and Stanley online. You did well.¡± Lester raised an eyebrow, a hint of a smile on his lips. ¡°It¡¯s rare for praise me.¡± you to However, George¡¯s following words took a different turn. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you call and tell me at the time? | could have rushed over in time.¡± Lester sighed, ¡°George, calling you would have taken too long.¡± Besides, this was a rare opportunity for Lester to stand up for Ashley. He wouldn''t give it to George unless he lost his mind. George was unbeatable in business, but he seemed a bit hesitant when it came to Ashley. He wanted to leave a good impression on Ashley, which seemed challenging.. ¡°George, what are you busy with?¡± Lester asked again, seeing George¡¯s eyes glued to theputer. George replied, ¡°Dad and Mom are meeting Ashley in three days, and they¡¯ve prepared a lot of gifts for the meeting. I¡¯ve arranged for a private jet to fly them over.¡± Lester knew his parents well, and when George said a lot of gifts, he 4/5 09:07 meant it. Even though Lester¡¯s parents had only seen photos of Ashley, they liked her from their hearts... Chapter 314 Night fell. Ashley finished showering andy on the bed. She nced at the blurry figure of Valentin in the bathroom, wondering where he would. take her tomorrow. Suddenly, her phone made a sound, indicating she had received a message. She picked it up and saw that it was from Andrew. [Baby, your birthday ising soon.] Ashley frowned, ignored the message, and turned off her phone. But the screen lit up again as he quickly sent another message. [Although you''ve fallen for the new man and heartlessly forgotten my birthday, | still remember yours very clearly.] Ashley thought, ¡®What nonsense is he talking about? And why am | used of being heartless?¡± [Baby, do f your lou want a birthday gift that will be unforgettable for the rest Upon seeing this message, Ashley was startled. Unforgettable for the rest of her life? And there was a mischievous emoji at the end. Knowing Andrew¡¯s personality, he must be nning something. Ashley quickly replied: [I don¡¯t want your birthday gift! Don¡¯t mess with me!] Andrew texted: [Baby, you finally replied.] Grinding her teeth, Ashley angrily replied: [Andrew, | told you | don¡¯t want your gift! | don¡¯t want anything!] Andrew said: [Maybe you''ll like it?] Ashley firmly refused. [Impossible!!!] There was no way she would like his gift! Andrew texted: [Then give it a try.]Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. 09:08 Ashley was speechless. She threw her phone onto the bed and didn¡¯t want to deal with him. anymore. After a while, Valentin went out, holding a white towel to dry his hair. Seeing her lying on the bed looking upset, he couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°What''s wrong?¡± Not wanting to hide anything from him, Ashley immediately got up from the bed. Her hair was slightly messy from being rubbed against it. ¡°I hope you won¡¯t get mad at what I¡¯m about to say.¡± Valentin paused in drying his hair. It seemed like it wasn¡¯t good news. He raised an eyebrow slightly, put the towel aside, and walked to the edge of the bed. He leaned over, supporting himself with hands on either side of her body, and looked at her closely. ¡°Go ahead, tell me.¡± Having just showered, his body emitted a clean and refreshing scent. Ashley enjoyed his scent first and poked him, saying, ¡°First, promise me that you won''t get angry.¡± He couldn''t help but smile and lightly scraped her nose with his index finger. ¡°Okay, baby, | promise not to get angry. Is that alright?¡± Ashley heaved a sigh of relief. She took her own phone and show the chat history with Andrew. She kept a close watch on his facial expression. After he finished reading, Ashley immediately said, ¡°You said wouldn¡¯t get angry!¡± you While looking at the chat history, Valentin¡¯s expression became serious. He calmly put down the phone. When he looked back at Ashley, his serious expression softened, and his eyes showed deep affection. ¡°Ashley, I¡¯m d you chose to tell me this.¡± She could have withheld this information from him, keeping it a secret. But now that she opened up and told him concealment, how could he possibly be angry? ¡°Without any As for the fact that Andrew liked her and wanted to send her a birthday 24 09:08 gift, that was a matter between him and Andrew to resolve. Ashley blinked her eyes and sweetly reached out to hug him. ¡°I knew you are the best!¡± After speaking it out, she felt a sense of relief and lightness in her heart. As for Andrew''s so-called unforgettable birthday gift, she definitely wouldn''t ept it. Valentin held Ashley in his arms and gently rubbed her soft hair. However, a hint of hatred appeared in his eyes when he thought of Andrew. The next morning, after Ashley finished breakfast, she circled around Valentin. Curiosity overwhelmed her. ¡°Where are you taking me today? It¡¯s already time. Can you please tell me?¡± Valentin¡¯s right hand was in his pocket, and he touched the small box, his gaze bing deep. Arare nervousness appeared on his usually calm face. square Chapter 315 Ashley could sense his nervousness, and she was both surprised and. suspicious. ¡°Why do | feel like there¡¯s something off about you?¡± Valentin calmly touched the ring box in his pocket and smiled, ¡°Really?¡± Ashley nodded and then shook her head. ¡°You seem normal now.¡± As they were talking, Joseph walked in wearing a pink shirt, yfully twirling a car key with his index finger. There was a big smile on his face. ¡°Good morning, my dear Valentin and Ashley!¡± Ashley was ustomed to his enthusiasm and turned to look at him. ¡°Why did youe so early?¡± Joseph yfully winked his left eye. ¡°Of course, because | missed you guys.¡± Ashley didn¡¯t believe him. ¡°Tell me the truth.¡± ¡°Smart as always. It¡¯s because | have something to discuss with Valentin!¡± Joseph walked up to Valentin, shing a bright smile. ¡°Valentin, are you busy today? Can you do me a favor?¡± ¡°Yes and no.¡± Valentin refused without hesitation. Joseph immediately pretended to cry. ¡°I haven¡¯t even said what it is yet, and you¡¯re rejecting me outright!¡± But Joseph didn¡¯t mind. It wasn¡¯t an urgent matter for him. Curiously, he asked, ¡°Valentin, what are you busy with?¡± Valentin casually replied, ¡°Taking Ashley out to y.¡± Joseph thought, ¡®Busy taking Ashley out to y?? ¡®Great, his wife is always more important than his cousin.¡± Joseph''s heart, which had already been battered, was full of wounds. Joseph tearfully looked at Ashley. ¡°Ashley, don¡¯t you think Valentin prioritizes romance over friendship?¡± Ashley sincerely shook her head. ¡°No.¡± Josephined, ¡°Why am | so persistent in asking this question?¡± 15 09:03 Joseph took a deep breath. Since they hurt him, he decided to join them. in thepensation of fun. ¡°Where are you guys going? Take me with you! I¡¯m an expert in entertainment and I''ll provide my services for free!¡± Ashley thought for a moment. Joseph Had money and time, and he was indeed knowledgeable about having fun, so she considered bringing him. along. Valentin saw through her thoughts. Before she could speak, he calmly refused. ¡°No need.¡± It was clear that he wanted to have alone time with Ashley. Ashley blinked, and a puzzled light flickered in her clear eyes. ¡®Where exactly is he taking me?¡± Since Valentin already said no to Joseph, she wouldn''t go against his wishes. She coughed lightly, looked at Joseph, and patted his head. ¡°Good boy, I¡¯ll take you next time.¡± Joseph, who was rejected by both of them, stood there in a daze.N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. He had wanted to join them and make up for his wounded heart, but his n ended before it even began. However, Joseph was curious about what Valentin was nning to do with Ashley. It seemed like it was something important. ¡°Well, | won¡¯t disturb you guys then. Have fun!¡± Joseph took out his phone with excitement. ¡°But before | leave, let me show you somethi amazing!¡± Ashley looked over with interest. On Joseph¡¯s phone screen was a tweet. It was posted by an unknown user and read: [Come and enjoy together! | stayed upte to draw this pornographic image!] Below the text was an explicit drawing Ahandsome man pinned a woman in a satin nightgown on the bed. His left hand held the woman¡¯s wrists above her head, while his right hand held her chin. His thumb traced the woman¡¯s rosy and moist lip, leaving a suggestive mark. The straps of the woman''s nightgown were torn. The man appeared to be well-dressed, but his shirt cor was casually open. 09:08 His white shirt was soaked in water, making it transparent to see his abs. The drawing was filled with sexual imagination, hinting at strong. making the viewer blush and their hearts race. desire, After looking at it, Ashley nodded approvingly. She recognized the artist''s skill. The drawing was well done. But the faces of the male and female characters in the drawing seemed familiar. Suddenly, Ashley had a strong intuition. Then she saw it,beled in the bottom right corner. [Valentin & Ashley.] Ashley couldn''t believe her eyes. ¡°What is this?!¡± Thement section of that tweet was filled with excitedments fromizens. I''m so excited about this!] [Valentin better makes a move on her and not just stare!] [They are the perfect couple!!] Seeing Ashley¡¯s bewildered expression, Joseph couldn''t help butugh. ¡°Yesterday, Valentin opened a Twitter ount just to follow you. H tweet was also about you. It shocked the Inte. Sincest night number ofizens have be fans of you two, creating art an writing stories about you! There¡¯re all sorts of creative works!¡± Ashley didn¡¯t know what to say for a moment. Valentin was intrigued. He raised an eyebrow and leaned over to see the screen of Joseph¡¯s phone. Ashley¡¯s body jolted, and she immediately pushed Joseph¡¯s phone away. Valentin couldn¡¯t see those pornographic drawings. Ashley awkwardly exined, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just some random drawings by netizens.¡± Josephughed so hard that he almost suffocated. He said meaningfully, ¡°Just some random drawings? That''s really random.¡± Ashley ignored Joseph and held onto Valentin¡¯s arm. ¡°You wanted to take me out, right? It¡¯s gettingte, let''s go!¡± 09:08 Valentin casually nced at Joseph¡¯s phone and then at Ashley¡¯s pretending-to-be serious expression. With a nonchnt smile, he said, ¡°Sure, let¡¯s go.¡± Perhaps because she had just seen that picture, Ashley blushed when she heard Valentin¡¯s casual and sexyughter. It felt like a faint electric current was spreading inch by inch along her nerves, tickling her. To her surprise, they would need to take a private ne for this trip. Near noon, the nended on a private ind. Ashley got off the ne and looked at the scenery in front of her, which was extremely beautiful. The azure sea, the golden sandy beach, theyers of waves crashing onto the shore, forming white foam, the moist and salty sea breeze in the air. all refreshing the spirit. The weather was great today, and the sea¡¯s surface sparkled under the sun like scattered sparkling diamonds. What amazed Ashley the most was a magnificent building that stood on the ind, resembling a castle. Behind the castle, there was an enchanting forest and an endless sea of flowers, as beautiful as an oil painting. ¡°This ce...¡± Ashley looked at Valentin beside her in awe. When they were still close friends in their childhood, she used to st Valentin and y together every day. She once asked him out of curi if there was a castle on the sea. Her imagination was rich, so she drew a picture of the sea, the ind, the beautiful castle, the enchanted forest, and the sea of flowers. She put all the beautiful scenery together without considering whether it made sense or not. Now, Valentin had brought her to the sea castle that she had fantasized about as a child. Chapter 316 The scene in front of her was almost identical to the painting she drew when she was a child. It felt like a grand and solemn witness to her years of love with Valentin. She wondered, ¡®Did Valentin buy this private ind and build this magnificent and peculiar castle?¡± Ashley¡¯s heart was racing, but her breath gradually dissipated in the wind. Her love for Valentin was like fragmented light on the surface of the sea, gently swaying with the water waves, never fading away. She couldn''t help but remember the day Valentin confessed to her. He took her to Begian to see the snow and told her he liked her in a snow-covered cottage by the firece. Just because she had made a childhood promise with him to enjoy the snow in Begian together when they grew up, he developed a snow vige resort there. And now, because of her whimsical idea, he had built this grand and peculiar castle on the sea. Ashley was deeply moved, unable to hold back anymore. She hugged Valentin tightly, grabbing onto his clothes as if she were about to cry. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have done this... Valentin raised an eyebrow, pretending not to understand. ¡°Are you ming me?¡± Ashley immediately shook her head. ¡°Of course not!¡± He smiled, caressing her soft hair, his deep voice filled with tenderness. ¡°I want to give you everything you like.¡± His Ashley deserved the most beautiful things in this world. In that instant, as his words fell, Ashley''s grip on Valentin¡¯s arm tightened suddenly. She slowly raised her head, her long eyshes slightly moist as if tears were going to fall. Sheposed herself and mischievously asked. ¡°If | wanted a divorce, would you give it to me?¡± The wannagsphere shattered in an instant. Hetagiated dickingly. Ashley, you dare to think about that?¡± Ashley blitikeda teasing him, ¡°Just like you said, you''ll give me whatever | ike. Valentin sisret diih¨¦r rittently, gritting his teeth. Suddenly, he rted padd held hercheck, sternly questioning. ¡°You said we have to speed dont third and tenth wedding anniversaries ogether.¡± Okay! | did. Ashley answered with a smile, no longer teasing him. Tve ilways remembered She stared at Valentin withdrinking, dropping the yful act. ¡°There¡¯s something | really want to delirit now! Valentin asked. ¡°What is t | really, really want to kiss you visit ww. Without waiting for Valentin¡¯s consent theouse on her tiptoes and kissed his slightly cool lips. After a long time. Ashley finally let go by Valentin. Clear stars shimd in her bright eyes. She suddenly realized. | finally understand whyou kept it a secr didn¡¯t reveal where we were going yesterias caring this view with own eyes was truly surprising! Valentin, you¡¯re amazing!¡± Valentin touched the ring box that had been friisip pocket all along, not revealing his further ns. He lowered his gaze and dichtickled softly. Since Lam so amazing, can Ashley like ne morat arbie nodded. ¡®I¡¯m starting to like you more and d Elec couldn''t help but like him because he was so good actreating surprises. ecause they wereing here today. Valentin had ananguid for the astheebe cleaned advance, and the servants and cheis had been Chapars in The lunch table was filled with delicious seafood, and Ashley indulged herself. After finishing her meal, she couldn''t wait and applied some sunscreen before running to the beach. Valentin followed closely. Ashley took off her shoes and stepped barefoot on the fine sand. The waves asionally washed over her, and the cool and comfortable blue sea water seemed to rx her pores.. The sea breeze lifted her flowing skirt, and on her way here, Ashley had randomly picked a flower and tucked it behind her car, then turned to ask Valentin, ¡°Does it look good?¡± Valentin raised an eyebrow and asked, ¡°Are you referring to yourself or the flower?¡± Ashley replied, ¡°Both!¡± Valentin looked at her and smiled, ¡°You are more beautiful than the flower.¡± After listening. Ashley reached out and pulled him towards her. She raised her head to kiss his lips andined in a vexed tone, ¡°Why do you always seduce me?¡± After the kiss, Ashley took out her phone and took a photo of th them. Valentin looked really handsome, and the picture turned out perfect with a casual snap. Ashley stared at the photo for a few seconds and set it as her wallpaper. Then she and Valentin took a walk on the beach. As they walked along the shore, Ashley got tired before they even reached halfway and didn¡¯t want to go any further. Valentin walked up to her, stood with his back to her, and bent down, saying, ¡°Get on, I''ll carry you.¡± Because of this bending motion, Valentin¡¯s back revealed smooth and captivating lines, and his sexy waistline could be seen under his white sshirt. 09:08 Chapter 316 Unable to resist, Ashley reached out and touched it, then lightly poked it with her index finger. ¡°Aren¡¯t you tired?¡± Valentinughed softly with azy tone, and his words were filled with implied meaning. ¡°Do you have any misconceptions about my stamina?¡± Letting out a humph. Ashley leaned over his back. Valentin lifted her up steadily and walked forward step by step.Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Ashley was like a kitten, nuzzling her head against the back of his neck and softly calling his name. ¡°Valentin.¡± ¡°What''s wrong?¡± ¡°Valentin?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m here.¡± Ashley called again. ¡°Honey?¡± Heughed and imitated her. ¡°Honey?¡± Ashley smiled, and her beautiful eyes curved like crescent moons. ¡°Nothing, | just wanted to call you.¡± Since Caleb and Myrna passed away, she had no family left in this world. But at this moment, she felt an unprecedented sense of contentment, as if the missing part of her soul had been filled. Dinner was still sumptuous. The evening sea view became even more peculiar and beautiful. The light of dusk spilled over the sea, enveloping it in a romantic glow from the setting sun. Ashley ate a lot of garlic-vored scallops. After eating for a while, Ashley noticed Valentin hardly ate his food. She couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°What''s wrong? Not hungry?¡± Valentin shook his head slightly. ¡°No.¡± Ashley looked at him. ¡°Then what¡¯s wrong? You barely ate your food.¡± With one hand, he unbuttoned his shirt and said, ¡°Do you want anything else to eat? I''ll have the chef prepare it.¡± Ashley shook her head. ¡°Not at the moment. By the way, we¡¯re going to 09:08 Chapter 3in stay here for the night and return tomorrow, right? But | feel like the scenery here is really beautiful, and it would be nice to stay here for a while.¡± Valentin agreed. ¡°If you like it, we can stay here for as long as you want.¡± This was a private ind, and he nned to transfer it to Ashley''s name so she could stay for however long she liked.. ¡°No, we still have to go back tomorrow. | have an appointment to meet Lester¡¯s parents. It will be in two days. You''lle with me, right?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± He had intended to apany her. After dinner, Ashley brushed her teeth and wandered through the castle. The lights were on, and the decoration was stylish. Ashley wandered excitedly into the living room. By chance, she saw through the huge floor-to-ceiling window that a bright moon had risen over the sea, covering the surface with a silver shimmer, breathtakingly beautiful. This scene shocked her. The feeling of seeing the moon by the sea was truly different. ¡°Let''s go out and see!¡± Ashley asked Valentin eagerly. Valentin naturally agreed. He nodded and walked with her to the seaside. The wind was gentle, the moon was radiant, and everything was incredibly beautiful. Ashley held Valentin¡¯s hand, interlocking their fingers. As the evening breeze brushed past their ears, Valentin¡¯s low and maic voice sounded in the moonlit surroundings. ¡°Ashley, there¡¯s something | want to tell you.¡± Ashley was startled and turned to look at him, asking, ¡°What is it?¡± No wonder he didn¡¯t eat much during dinner, it turned out he had something to say to her. Valentin held Ashley¡¯s hand. His already otherworldly appearance became even more stunning in the moonlight. ¡°I''ll take you somewhere 09.08 first. Let¡¯s go over there.¡± Ashley nodded and obediently followed him. But deep down, she couldn''t help but guess. ¡®What does he want to tell me? ¡®Is it something serious? ¡®Something that affected his appetite during dinner. Chapter 317 Ashley walked hand in hand with Valentin, as they moved forward. Even though it was nighttime, the moonlight was exceptionally bright tonight, illuminating everything around them clearly. Ashley couldn''t help but wonder what Valentin wanted to tell her. She suddenly remembered that something had seemed off about him since they had left this morning. She thought, ¡®Did he start preparing for this in the morning? ¡®Valentin is always adept at handling things. If he spent the whole day preparing for it, then it must have been something serious and challenging. ¡®What could have happened? No, if it were something serious, Valentin wouldn¡¯t have kept me here ying all day and telling me just now. ¡®Maybe something unexpected urred, and Valentin didn¡¯t want me to worry and affect my enjoyment. He made sure | had a fun day before telling me!¡¯ As Ashley considered all this, her eyes widened suddenly, and she became nervous, entertaining several negative thoughts. She even recalled scenes from the TV dramas, like idents, amn cancer. Sheforted herself, saying, ¡°It''s okay! ¡°Even if something does happen, | will help him solve it together!¡± Lost in her thoughts, Ashley didn¡¯t notice Valentin stopping in front of her. She bumped her forehead against his back, and a slight sourness instantly spread across her nose. Valentin furrowed his brow and quickly reached out to gently rub it. ¡°Did it hurt?¡± he asked. Shaking her head, Ashley replied, ¡°No, why did you stop?¡± Before she could finish her words, Ashley saw the sight before her and was left speechless in astonishment. 4/4 09:08 Valentin had brought her to a sea of roses, thousands of them, swaying and blooming beautifully. Not far away were the rocky beaches, and the sound of waves crashing against the rocks could be heard. In the moonlight, rose petals floated and drifted onto the sea like wild. roses blooming on the water¡¯s surface. There were even fireflies dancing in the flower sea, like little fairies. carrying bright greennterns resembling countless stars in the night sky. Ashley couldn''t help but extend her finger and gently caress the delicate rose petals. Fireflies flew towards her, and she felt as if she were immersed in a starry river. ¡°Howe there are fireflies here?¡± Ashley eximed with joy and surprise. Typically, fireflies weren''t found by the seaside. Before she could finish asking, she immediately understood that it must have been prepared by Valentin. Ashley smiled happily, her beauty shining brighter than the moonlight. ¡°| remember the first time we saw fireflies when we were kids!¡± she said. Back then, she lived with Caleb and Myrna in the countryside, and Zain sent Valentin to stay temporarily at Caleb¡¯s house. She yed with Valentin every day. On summer nights, she took him along to see fireflies, saying that they wouldn''t be able to see them once they left this ce. Time passed, and now as grown-ups, they were witnessing fireflies together once again. Valentin also recalled those childhood scenes. ¡°Do you remember our first meeting?¡± he asked. ¡°Of course, | remember!¡± Ashley¡¯s eyes curved, her smile radiant. ¡°Back then, you never spoke. A kid wanted to bully you, and I helped scare him. away!¡± And now, she realized that Valentin didn¡¯t speak back then because of the upheaval in his family. He helplessly watched his parents pass away right in front of him. For a young boy, such an experience surely had an impact on his emotions. Ashley held Valentin¡¯s hand and swayed it gently, her watery eyes looking 2/4 09:081 at him as if making a promise. ¡°I will always protect you from now on!¡± Hearing this, Valentin let out a low, sexy chuckle. His mood was uplifted. ¡°Come on, say it again. | want to record it on my phone so that you can¡¯t take it backter.¡± ¡°You''re so cunning!¡± Ashley eximed, ¡°Rest assured, | will keep my word!¡± Suddenly, a fireflynded on her shoulder. Ashley eagerly looked at it and carefully touched it with her finger before it flew away, flickering.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Valentin watched this scene unfold, his love for Ashley growing even deeper. When Ashley turned around, she met Valentin¡¯s gaze filled with unabashed love. Her heartbeat skipped a beat, caught off guard by the intensity. In the gentle scent of roses, Valentin spoke with sincerity. ¡°| lost my parents when | was young. | helplessly watched them pass away. I¡¯m grateful that | met you back then.¡± She was like a beautiful, lively, and confident sun, unexpectedly bursting into his gloomy and deste world. Since then, he possessed the most beautiful and unique rose in the world. His rose had left him before, but eventually, he found her again and embraced her once more. As Valentin suddenly mentioned these things, Ashley was stunned, her fingertips trembling slightly. She opened her mouth to speak but couldn''t produce any sound. Valentin lowered his head. Moonlight cascaded upon him, highlighting his wless facial features. The line from his brow to his jaw was more enchanting than the night itself. ¡°| remember the birthday wish you made when you were young,¡± he said. ¡°You wished to find one day, to find your family, but...¡± your 1 The Ramos family shattered all her hopes for family love. Since Caleb and Myrna¡¯s passing, she had no family left in this world. ¡°Ashley,¡± Valentin said affectionately, gazing deep into her eyes, ¡°you just 09:08 said you would always protect me, and it made me really happy.¡± He held her hand, intertwining their fingers. The two kids stumbled and grew up together, relying on and redeeming each other. ¡°| constantly think about treating you well, now and in the future. | want to take care of you and protect you in the name of a lover and a family member.¡± As Ashley heard these words, her mind went nk. The shattered cracks. in her soul felt filled with love. She tightened her grip on his hand. ¡°You made me wanna cry!¡± Tears welled up in her eyes. In the next m | moment, Valentin took a step back and knelt in front of her. Finally, he presented the box that he had been carrying all day. It was an elegant ck velvet box. He gently opened the lid. Inside quietly sat a one-of-a-kind ring. Watching this scene, Ashley instinctively widened her eyes. Emotions. were now surging like a turbulent sea under her seemingly calm look. She felt as if her feet were nailed to the ground, unable to move, holding her breath as she stared at Valentin before her. In this castle built for her on the sea. In this unbelievably beautiful sea of roses. Valentin, who was more handsome and noble than anyone else, held at ring and knelt for her. Chapter 318 Chapter 318 Ashley¡¯s eyes welled up with tears, her eyshes trembling uncontrobly, her throat choked up, and she was unable to speak. Valentin looked at her tenderly, and chuckled softly, ¡°This ring, | prepared it on the day we got married, but | couldn¡¯t bring myself to put it on you. Just marrying me made you suffer, and if | were to put a wedding ring on you, | worried that you would be even more eager to Ideave me.¡± AAshley immediately shook her head but stopped halfway. At that time, she did want to leave him. Ahinyer of watery mist formed in her eyes, dampening her eyshes. Under the moonlight, Valentin knelt on one knee in front of her, gazing mopan her, his deep and steady voice slowly resounding. Ahbough we are already married, | don¡¯t want to overlook this step of proposing. | don¡¯t want it to make you feel iplete.¡± Histoone was sincere. He treated her as the most important person in his lifedt was as if he wanted to sacrifice everything he could do and present itito diesen Patasing zoor a ponent. Valentin¡¯s voice became low and solemn, with upretedented devotion. ¡°Ashleyat loves you. | have liked you for a very long time. ¡°| have always longed to spend the rest of my life with you as a lover, as family and walk together to the end of time.¡± Aher hearing Vallenna¡¯s words, tears finally streamed down. ¡°You started preparing for the proposal since this morning, no, since yesterday when you said you woulddtakene out to y?¡±Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. He nodded lightly, bookkin zut her seriously, filled with affectionate warmth. ¡°Would you bbelinguo wear this pre-prepared ring?¡± Ashley¡¯s eyes and now were bbothered, tears hanging on her cheeks. Upon hearing Valentin¡¯s question, she immediately nodded. ¡°I¡¯m, of course!¡± Valentin held her handdaria auricus and focused expression, slowly 09:08 cing the ring on her ring finger. After putting on the ring, he didn¡¯t immediately let go of her hand. Moonlight shimmered like water, and the sea of roses swayed gently in the night breeze. He knelt in front of her, lowered his head and gently kissed the back of her hand. Ashley pulled Valentin up, happily admiring the ring on her hand. Suddenly, she remembered something and opened her eyes wide in panic. ¡°Oh no, you should have warned me in advance. | had garlic scallops for dinner tonight! There¡¯s garlic breath in my mouth!¡± Although she had brushed her teeth after eating, she was worried that the smell was still lingering on her. Ashley quickly lowered her head and sniffed herself, trying to smell if there was any garlic odor. No girl wanted to have a strong garlic breath when being proposed to. Valentin found her actions adorable, chuckled softly, and affectionately pulled her into his embrace. ¡°There¡¯s no garlic smell. You smell Ashley nced at him skeptically and said, ¡°Then kiss me.¡± In response, Valentin gave her a passionate and fiery kiss. great.¡± After returning to the room, Ashley stared at the ring on her hand for a while, then quickly took a shower in the bathroom. Otherwise, she couldn''t help but feel the garlic odor. Aftering out of the shower, with the fragrant scent of shower gel on her, she snuggled into Valentin¡¯s arms affectionately. They chatted for a while when suddenly Valentin¡¯s phone rang. He didn¡¯t need to avoid Ashley. So he picked up the phone and answered 1. Ashley sat next to him, not intentionally trying to listen. He listened attentively to the call and suddenly furrowed his eyebrows slightly, but after a moment, he rxed. After hanging up the phone, Valentin put down his phone and brought Ashley to hisp. 09:08 Chapter 318 He held her waist with one hand and gently pinched her earlobe with the other. ¡°Ashley, have you ever thought that you might have a blood rtionship with the Pliskin family?¡± Chapter 319 Chapter 319 Do | have a blood rtionship with the Pliskin family? Ashley was momentarily surprised and asked, ¡°Why do you say that? Lester talked about this with me before. He said | resembled his long-lost sister, but we did two DNA tests, both of which showed no blood rtion. ¡°And the second DNA test was done in secrecy, only Lester, George, and | knew about it. We kept it a secret from others to prevent any tampering. But even after the results came out, it still showed that there is no connection.¡± Pausing for a moment, she said angrily. ¡°Although | hate the Ramos family and Evan, | can¡¯t deny it. The three paternity tests with the Ramos family all showed that | am Evan¡¯s biological daughter. So many people say that she inherited Evan¡¯s ugliness and wickedness, iming that the apple didn¡¯t fall far from the tree. Valentin even forcefully deleted suchments from the Inte yesterday. Presumably, in real life, this matter had be gossip discussed over dinner. Fortunately, she didn¡¯t care about the judgment of others and found thesements very subjective. Her mood wasn¡¯t affected by them. Thinking of thosements criticizing Ashley, a glint of hostility shed in Valentin¡¯s eyes. Seeing his angry expression, Ashley knew he was worried about her and quickly said, ¡°Anyway, thosements have been deleted, and Evan is already in prison. He won''t bother me anymore, and | won''t have to see his disgusting face ever again! ¡°When | was young, | fantasized about finding my own family because | envied other kids who had parents. Now that I''ve grown up, my mindset has changed. After going through everything, I¡¯m not so obsessed anymore, and...¡± Ashley leaned closer to him, smiling with her eyes narrowed. She said yfully, ¡°Now | have you, and you treat me so well. | feel like my life is finally on the right track.¡± She had left those unfortunate encounters with the Ramos family behind. Those memories would no longer drag her back into the swamp. 4/4 09:08 Valentin leaned in, his forehead touching hers. He wanted to give her constant tenderness and care. He chuckled softly, ¡°Am | really that good to you?¡± ¡°Of course you are!¡± ¡°But | feel like it¡¯s not enough. ¡°Valentin kissed her forehead with an extremely cherished demeanor. He wanted to be even better for her, to heal all her past misfortunes. Ashley¡¯s heart raced. Though they were seemingly ordinary words, they stirred a deep excitement within her. She looked at Valentin with unwavering eyes and teasingly said, ¡°Well then, since you''re so good to me, | won''t bully you anymore.¡± Valentin raised an eyebrow. ¡°You bully me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ashley yfully counted her crimes. ¡°I used to argue with you, but from now on, | won¡¯t argue anymore. | used to boss you around when we were kids, but I''ll do it less now. If you have anyints about me, just let me know!¡± Valentin smirked. ¡°Actually, | quite like it when you boss me around.¡± Ashley was taken aback and blinked. ¡°Are you into being a masochist?¡± ¡°A-S-H-L-E-Y...¡± He called her name with a dominant and dangerous tone. Ashley flinched and quickly changed her statement. She kissed his chin forcefully and coquettishly said, ¡°I was just joking! Of course, | know what you meant. I¡¯m not that silly!¡± After saying that, she leaned in for another kiss. While they were kissing, Ashley received a call from Miranda. She got up to answer the call. It wasn¡¯t anything urgent, just some casual chat between friends.Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Valentin watched her talking andughing with Miranda, then nced at his own phone. He had asked Ashley if she had ever considered having a blood rtion with the Pliskin family because he had discovered some information about Cara. 09:08 Cara managed to keep a low profile and remained cautious after her downfall, never having any suspicious contact with anyone. He had his subordinates use special means to expand the investigation, and they discovered Cara¡¯s past. The investigation showed that all the people who had contact with Cara were normal. But after several repeated investigations andparisons, it was revealed that Cara asionally contacted a middle-aged man. Their rtionship didn¡¯t seem close and could easily be overlooked. However, this middle-aged man had connections to the Pliskin family. He was Tyler. Valentin looked at Ashley sitting on the edge of the bed, talking on the phone with Miranda. Pausing for a moment, he got up and walked to the balcony. He leaned against the pir and dialed Lester¡¯s number. Lester answered quickly on the other end. Looking at the unfamiliar number disyed on the screen, Lester remained calm andposed. ¡°Hello.¡± ¡°It''s me, Valentin.¡± Valentin stood on the balcony, looking at the moon shining over the sea in the night, his expression calm and devoid of any emotions. ¡°Valentin? How did you get my number?¡± Lester narrowed his eyes. Although he had a good rtionship with Ashley and had some cooperation with him. His rtionship with Valentin was quite ordinary, with no particr connection. ¡°|s it difficult to get your phone number?¡± Valentin responded to Lester¡¯s earlier question. Lester replied, ¡°Okay.¡± Valentin, indeed, was capable of anything. Lester smiled maliciously, ¡°Do you believe that | will advise Ashley to ignore you?¡± Valentin turned around and nced at Ashley, who was lying on the bed. He didn¡¯t know what she had said to Miranda on the phone, but a radiant smile graced her beautiful face. Looking at her bright smile, Valentin¡¯s gaze softened, and he causally 09:08 replied to Lester¡¯s scheme, ¡°Do you think you are able to sow discord?¡± Lester remainedposed. ¡°I only know that I¡¯m quite good at storytelling.¡± Lester felt rather good winning this round. He asked in a good mood, ¡°It¡¯s quitete, Mr. Kingsley. There must be something important. Tell me.¡± He wasn¡¯t naive enough to think that Valentin was just trying to connect with him on friendly terms. Valentin did have something to discuss. He withdrew his gaze away from Ashley. Leaning against the balcony pir in a carefree manner, he held his phone in one hand and ced the other in his pocket. The night breeze ruffled his hair and shirt, revealing his exquisite and handsome features. Regarding Ashley, Valentin didn¡¯t beat around the bush and directly stated his purpose, ¡°Tyler is your people, right?¡± He used a derative tone rather than a questioning one. ¡°Tyler...¡± Lester was always sharp. He immediately realized what Valentin was hinting at. Since Valentin wouldn''t call for no reason, if he mentioned Tyler, then... Lester turned serious, and his tone became solemn. ¡°Tyler is my far doctor. What''s wrong with him?¡± Valentin said, ¡°He¡¯s suspicious.¡± Chapter 320 Valentin briefly told his investigation about Tyler to Lester and hung up. the phone. ¡°The truth of the rtionship between Ashley and the Pliskin family will come out soon. Just in case, I''d better not tell her until they get the exact results.¡¯ Valentin thought. Valentin turned back to the bedroom and found Ashley still chatting andughing on the phone with Miranda. It¡¯s been so long. Do they really have so much words to talk about?¡¯ he thought. Valentin frowned slightly, nced at Ashley on the bed, and turned to take a shower in the bathroom. He took off his clothes, revealing his well-shaped abdominal muscles and waist. He looked ripped and sexy. The water washed down his body, and the mist blurred the bathroom... After the shower, Valentin came out in a bathrobe. His hair was notpletely dried by the hairdryer and hung down on his forehead, which looked more charming. He looked at Ashley on the bed. ¡®Well, still on the phone, he though Valentin squinted his eyes slightly and walked over. But Ashley was so engrossed in chatting with Miranda that she didn¡¯t notice his approach. Valentin bent down and patted Ashley on the head with the cor of his bathrobe loosened slightly. ¡®What?¡¯ Ashley wondered and raised her head. The moment she raised her head, she saw Valentin¡¯s open bathrobe cor, showing his attractive. muscle. Valentin pointed to her phone. Ashley thought he had something urgent, so she hung up hastily and then stretched out to touch his sexy corbone. ¡°What''s wrong?¡± Valentin nced at her hand and pped her hand away with an expressionless face. Ashley¡¯s eyes instantly widened in disbelief.N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. ¡®He didn¡¯t want me to touch him? Really?¡¯ she thought. ¡°Why did you p my hand away?¡± Ashley looked at his restrained expression with disbelief. ¡°You''ve been chatting with Miranda for so long. But you don¡¯t have so many words chatting with me,¡± Valentinined in a peaceful tone. Why does he sound like a jealous woman? Ashley thought. Ashley cleared her throat and blinked in a puzzle. ¡°Are you jealous? Valentin didn¡¯t hide his feelings. He stood by the bed and looked down at her. ¡°Yes, | am.¡± Ashley burst outughing and said, ¡°It¡¯s Miranda, honey.¡± He still looked at her with no expression and didn¡¯t say a word. Ashley saw his face and thought maybe he was really unhappy. Valentin had long eyshes. When he lowered his eyes and stood under the warm light, his eyshes would cast a small area of shadow under his eyes. The way he lowered his eyes would always make Ashley¡¯s heart beat fa She moved her hand and couldn¡¯t help but want to touch him, so she said perfunctorily, ¡°Okay, you¡¯re jealous. What can | do to make you fe better?¡± Valentin replied, ¡°Entertain me.¡± Ashley blinked her eyes twice, then opened her arms and hugged him. ¡°That¡¯s easy! | can do anything for you. Come over, let me hold you in my arms!¡± When Joseph came to Kingsley Vi the next day, he saw Ashley treating. Valentin gently. He had never seen her like this before. Joseph was curious. ¡°What happened?¡± Ashley poured a ss of water for Valentin and replied to Joseph, ¡°Valentin is throwing a tantrum. I¡¯m entertaining him.¡± 2/6 09:08 Joseph was confused and thought, ¡®What? Throwing a tantrum?¡± Joseph swallowed in astonishment and looked at Valentin in disbelief. ¡®Oh my. I never saw Valentin like this. Do people be like this in a rtionship?¡¯ he thought. Valentin nced at him casually. Joseph immediately shut up and thought, ¡®Fine. Husband-wife things. | understand.¡± Joseph poured himself a ss of water. He didn¡¯t dare to let Valentin pour for him or let Ashley do it. ¡®Valentin may beat me if he saw it, he thought. Just after pouring the water, he caught a glimpse of the ring on Ashley¡¯s finger and immediately eximed, ¡°Ashley, the ring!¡± Ashley nced at her hand and knew that he had seen the ring. She smiled, ¡°Valentin put it on me yesterday.¡± Joseph''s eyes widened in surprise and thought, ¡®Holy shit. Proposed? ¡®No wonder Valentin didn¡¯t let me hang out with them yesterday. It turned out that he was nning a proposal! ¡®Fortunately, | didn¡¯t follow them yesterday and didn¡¯t ruin Valentin¡¯s big thing! ¡®But Valentin and Ashley already received their license, so why did he propose?¡¯ Joseph figured it out in a sh with his clever mind. ¡®Oh my, Valentin treats Ashley so well. He didn¡¯t want to miss each necessary step of getting married. Joseph was over the moon. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s so great! I¡¯m more excited than I¡¯m getting married myself! Wait, who am | getting married with?¡± He suddenly became sad. Ashley wanted to stay with Valentin longer but received a call from Paul of the National Museum. He told her that a damaged historical site had been discovered in Samniss City, and professionals were conducting protective excavations. There were some bronze statues and ancient scrolls at this historical site. He would like to ask Ashley to help them identify the characters. 3/0 09:08 However, time passed by. They were likely to destroy the precious relics if they touched them by hand. So, he wanted to ask Ashley for advice. Ashley talked with Paul for a while. She couldn¡¯t give any suggestions without seeing the specific relics personally, so she nned to go there. Fortunately, Samniss City was not too far away. She could go there and return by ne at night without dying her meeting with Brian and Karen tomorrow. Ashley told Valentin about her schedule. Valentin was worried about her being alone, so he stood up and said. ¡°Ill go with you.¡± Ashley smiled and said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to. I''ll be back tonight.¡± Seeing Valentin¡¯s concerned face. Joseph raised his hand and suggested. Valentin, | can go with Ashley. My friends lived in Samniss City. | can go and meet them.¡± Valentin pondered for a moment and agreed. Then Ashley and Joseph took a ne to Samniss City together. Brian and Karen arrived at Kilos City of Zyrrinthia in the afternoon. George and Lester took their parents to the hotel. They reserved a presidential suite on the top floor. Although Brian was no longer young, he looked dignified. It could tell his dominance in the business world when he was young from his appearance. Karen looked ageless, with smooth skin and no wrinkles. Although she came from a wealthy family, she was not bossy but elegant and friendly. ¡°Lester, since Ashley agreed to meet us, | can¡¯t sleep well because of nervousness and excitement. Do | look haggard now?¡± Karen looked at herself in the mirror and asked Lester worriedly. She didn¡¯t ask George because George always put on a cold face. He wouldn¡¯t reply to anything useful if she asked him this kind of question. Lester smiled, ¡°Mom, you didn¡¯t look haggard at all. You are as beautiful as before!¡± 09:09 Brian shook his head and sighed. ¡°I''ve told you not to be nervous, but you still can¡¯t even sleep well.¡± Karen immediately broke the story. ¡°I just can¡¯t sleep well. But you are so nervous that you can¡¯t even eat!¡± Brian didn¡¯t reply. Lester and George looked at each other and realized their parents valued the meeting with Ashley. Karen was down as she spoke. ¡°About the former DNA identification. | thought Ashley was our missing daughter, but unfortunately, Mr. Morgan gave a bad result. | really feel close to Ashley...¡± gave us Lester squinted his eyes. Valentin called himst night and said there was something wrong with Tyler. He had already told George about it. In fact, Tyler¡¯s background must have been investigated so he could be the private doctor of the Pliskin family and worked for many years. At least he was clean on the surface. But the former two DNA identifications with Ashley were all done by Tyler... It was easy to verify whether Tyler was secretly causing trouble. They came up with the idea of asking another doctor to have another DNA identification with Ashley. So they could know the truth. This was all discussed with Georgest night. George nced at Lester and gave him a signal to speak. Lester nodded and said, ¡°Mom, Dad, | know you like Ashley very much. George and | also like her and hope she is our sister. But the result given by Mr. Morgan... The previous two results showed that Ashley had nothing to do with the Pliskin family. Karen thought of the results and was full of regret. ¡°Although | have only seen Ashley in photos, | always feel | have an indescribable closeness with her. It¡¯s a pity that we are not rted by blood.¡± Brian also had the same feelings. ¡°Maybe this is our fate.¡± George suggested. ¡°Mom, Dad, we can have another DNA identification when we meet Ashley tomorrow.¡± 09:09 Karen¡¯s eyes filled with surprise when she heard it. ¡°Again?¡± Chapter 321 Ashley slightly raised her eyebrows when she saw Cara approaching. This was their first encounter since thest incident where Cara¡¯s reputation was ruined due to a scandal involving the restoration of artifacts. Cara froze in her steps upon seeing Ashley. A sinister look in her eyes reced her usual gentleness. Standing beside Cara was a middle-aged man named Stanley Knowles with arge belly. He eagerly said, ¡°Ms. Ward, this project is going well. We''re in talks with the Pliskin Group for a partnership, and we¡¯re just one step away from sealing the deal! I''ve been trying to contact Lester from the Pliskin family these past few days, but unfortunately, he¡¯s too busy...¡± Stanley paused when he saw Cara stop abruptly and noticed Ashley not far away. His eyes lit up upon seeing Ashley. He knew of her but had only seen her on TV. Seeing her in person was much more impressive than on television. However, remembering Ashley''s hostile rtionship with Cara, Stanley hid his admiration and put on a stern face. Ashley overheard Stanley¡¯sments about discussing a partnership with the Pliskin Group and wanting to meet Lester in person. Noticing Cara¡¯s irritated expression, Stanley stepped forward with a mocking tone. ¡°Isn¡¯t this the famous Ashley Ramos? Quite popr these days, huh?¡± A few restaurant patrons stopped to watch the unfolding dispute. One girl, recognizing Ashley, excitedly started recording with her phone. She was apparently a fan of Ashley. Stanley scoffed disdainfully, ¡°Popr indeed, but what a shame. She even got her parents put in jail. Not surprising fora Ramos family member. They''re all bad!¡± Before Ashley could respond, the girl recording with her phone interjected, ¡°What are you talking about? Evan and Jessica were trying to kidnap Miranda, and Ashley just called the police to stop them!¡± 1/5 12:59 Chapter 311 Stanley mocked, ¡°So you''re saying Evan is heartless and no good. Then Ashley must be the same, right? Have you heard the saying ¡®like father, like son¡¯?¡± The girl was speechless, her face turning red with anger, unable to out-argue Stanley. Ever since the news of Evan and Jessica going to jail broke, rumors online suggested that Ashley, having the Ramos family genes, might be just as bad as them. Ashley¡¯s fans were furious at thesements, believing that Ashley, who didn¡¯t grow up in the Ramos family, hadn¡¯t been corrupted by them. Cara, observing this, couldn¡¯t hide a hint of smug satisfaction in her eyes. Her downfall and exit from the entertainment industry didn¡¯t matter to her as much now. After all, Ashley wasn¡¯t faring much better. As long as Ashley had any connection to the Ramos family, she could never be innocent! At that moment, Ashley looked at the fan who had defended her and felt warm in her heart. She gave the girl a reassuring nce, then turned to face Stanley, who looked smug and raised her eyebrows slightly. ¡°Mr. Knowles, it seems your parents weren¡¯t¡¯much better. Otherwise, how could they have raised a joke like you?¡± Stanley frowned instantly, ¡°Ashley! What nonsense are you talking about!¡± Ashley smiled slightly, and her eyes filled with mockery. ¡°Like father, like son, right? Didn¡¯t you just say that yourself? Have you forgotten already?¡± ¡°You!¡± Stanley was taken aback by Ashley¡¯s sharp tongue and was left speechless. The girl beside them was so excited she almost jumped up. ¡°That''s our Ashley! Make sure to embarrass this big-bellied old man!¡± Humiliated in front of everyone, Stanley angrily retorted, ¡°Ashley, everyone knows about the mess the Ramos family has made! Don¡¯t think you''re innocent. You and Evan are family, so you¡¯re no different from the Ramos family!¡± 19.501 At those words, Ashley suddenly frowned, ¡°Say that again!¡± For some reason, Stanley felt intimidated by Ashley¡¯s gaze and shivered without knowing why. Then, he thought he was a grown man in his fifties or sixties. So, why should he be afraid of a young girl? Stanley puffed out his chest, ready to continue his rant, when he suddenly saw a tall, handsome man walking around the corner of the hallway. Lester? Stanley¡¯s face lit up with excitement. He had been negotiating a deal with the Pliskin family and was close to finalizing it. He had always wanted to talk to Lester in person but couldn''t get an appointment because Lester was too busy. He hadn¡¯t expected to run into him here!Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Excited, Stanley ran over with his big belly, shouting at Ashley as he passed, ¡°Get out of the way! Don¡¯t block the path!¡± Reaching Lester, Stanley smiled apologetically and took out a business card from his pocket. ¡°Mr. Pliskin, what a coincidence to meet you here! I¡¯m Stanley Knowles, currently finalizing a deal with the Pliskin Group. I¡¯ve been wanting to meet you, but you¡¯ve been too busy. Today...¡± Not interested in Stanley¡¯s rambling, Lester focused his eyes on Ashley not far away. As he approached, he seemed to have heard Stanley telling Ashley to get out of the way. Lester narrowed his eyes dangerously with a half-smile that looked eerily unsettling. ¡°Stanley, who were you just insulting?¡± Hearing Lester speak to him directly, Stanley was pleasantly surprised. It was the first time! It seemed his attempt to strike up a conversation had worked! Eager to build a rtionship with Lester, Stanley quickly pointed at Ashley. ¡°I was talking about her! Mr. Pliskin, | don¡¯t know if you''ve heard about the Ramos family, but with rtives and parents like that, Ashley must be no good either! Just now, she was... Stanley was speaking when he suddenly stopped, feeling a chilling cold 12:59 creep up his back as if it could freeze his blood. Something seemed off about Lester¡¯s gaze. ¡°Stanley,¡± Lester said with a smile, but his gaze was sharp, ¡°do you have a death wish?¡± A death wish? Stanley¡¯s eyes widened in fear. ¡°Mr. Pliskin, what do you mean by that...¡± Before he could finish, Lester had already started walking towards Ashley. Approaching Ashley, the hostility in Lester¡¯s eyes softened a bit, and he asked gently, ¡°Ashley, did he bully you just now?¡± Ashley looked over at Stanley. Stanley stood there with his mouth wide open, lookingpletely stunned. Ashley? Why was Lester addressing Ashley so affectionately? And he seemed so concerned about her, as if worried she might be bullied Chapter 322 Even Stanley, who wasn¡¯t the sharpest tool in the shed, realized something was off. Was Lester¡¯s anger and fierceness towards him because he had been rude to Ashley? He thought, ¡®What''s the rtionship between Lester and Ashley? ¡®Why is he so protective of her? ¡®Oh no! My deal with the Pliskin Group is about to be finalized. | can¡¯t let it fall apart because of Ashley!¡± In a panic, Stanley rushed over, gasping for air. ¡°Ms. Ramos, it¡¯s a misunderstanding! | spoke without thinking and caused a little friction between us. | didn¡¯t mean to insult you!¡± Ashley smiled, ¡°Oh? A misunderstanding?¡± Stanley regretted his words deeply. Surrounded by so many people, he couldn''t even try to deny it and had to swallow his pride. ¡°Ms. Ramos, | didn¡¯t recognize your importance. | apologize for offending you. Please don¡¯t take it to heart! Mr. Pliskin, | didn¡¯t know about your rtionship with Ms. Ramos. | sincerely apologize and hope it won¡¯t affect our deal!¡± This deal was worth billions of dors. Billions of dors were just a drop in the bucket for the Pliskin Group, but for Stanley, it was significant. He couldn¡¯t afford to lose this deal. Then, Lesterughed, but his eyes showed endless ferocity. ¡°Your small deal isn¡¯t worth a hair on Ashley''s head. Let it be affected.¡± Stanley was stunned, his eyes wide with surprise. ¡®Billions of dors not worth a hair on Ashley¡¯s head? ¡®Lester dismissed the deal so casually. ¡®Just for Ashley?¡¯ His face filled with disbelief and fear. Stanley swallowed hard and press on. ¡°Mr. Pliskin, | was rude to Ashley, but I¡¯ve apologized. Are you ending our deal just for her?¡± Stanley meant to say, ¡®Don¡¯t be so hasty! ¡®That¡¯s a deal worth billions of dors. How could it be less importantPublished by N?v''elD/rama.Org. 12:59 than one woman!¡± But Lester remained protective as if it were the most natural thing. ¡°Yes, for Ashley.¡± Stanley¡¯s eyes widened even more, curious and regretful. ¡®What¡¯s the rtionship between Ashley and Lester? Why is she so important to him? ¡°This deal worth billions of dors...¡¯ Stanley, anxious and knowing he couldn¡¯t persuade Lester, turned to Ashley and pped himself. ¡°Ms. Ramos, it was all my fault! I''m the bad one here! | know you¡¯re a generous person. Please forgive me!¡± Watching Stanley p himself, Ashley blinked and smiled elegantly, ¡°I actually liked your defiant attitude earlier.¡± Stanley was stunned, almost in tears, and pped himself again. ¡°Ms. Ramos, I¡¯m really sorry! I¡¯m the bad one! Please, could you talk to Mr. Pliskin...¡± Ashley didn¡¯t bother with him anymore. Cara, standing nearby, pressed her lips tightly together, her lips turning white from the pressure. She thought to herself, ¡®Lester still doesn¡¯t know Ashley is his sister. Why is he so protective of her? ¡®Could it be because of some kind of family bond? ¡®But with Mr. Morgan around, there¡¯s no way Ashley and the Pliskin family¡¯s DNA test will ever show they¡¯re rted!¡¯ Agirl who was a fan of Ashley felt relieved seeing Stanley change his attitude towards Ashleypletely. She became curious about Lester. ¡®Who is this handsome guy? He seems influential. Is he Ashley¡¯s friend?¡¯ This fan had been recording Ashley with her phone and captured the scene, which she then casually uploaded online. With Ashley being very popr online at the moment, the video quickly got hundreds of thousands of views. Thement section was bustling. [Wow, this guy is so handsome! He¡¯s my type! Can someone find out everything about him in three minutes?] 27 12:59 [Wait, isn¡¯t that Lester from the Pliskin Group, one of the top four conglomerates? What''s his rtionship with Ashley? He seems very protective of her!] [How many influential people does Ashley know?] [Am | the only one who thinks Stanley is right? Like father, like son. Ashley can¡¯t be that great with a father like Evan, right?] [Ashley didn¡¯t grow up in the Ramos family, so she¡¯s not like them!] [From Evan to Jessica in the Ramos family, including their sons, is there even one good person among them? Can Ashley be an exception? | don¡¯t believe it.] The female fan who uploaded the video to share her encounter with Ashley was angered by these messyments and deleted the video. But thements had already sparked spection, and the topic became even hotter, eventually trending online. At Kingsley Vi, in the study, Joseph, filled with righteous indignation, handed his phone to Valentin and said, ¡°Valentin, look at thesements! It¡¯s infuriating! They don¡¯t understand Ashley at all. How can they judge her just because of the Ramos family?¡± Seeing the spectivements about Ashley, Valentin¡¯s eyes shed coldly. He called Tom on his phone and ordered him to handle the online public opinion immediately. Once Valentin took action, his methods were strong, direct, and highly efficient. He had the trending topic removed and thements deleted. In n time, almost all the negativements online were gone. Theizens who were stillmenting felt confused. They didn¡¯t know what had happened. Suddenly, they felt that wealthy and influential people were pulling the strings behind the scenes. Shortly after, the official Twitter ount of the Kingsley Group, along with Twitter¡¯s official customer service, simultaneously posted an announcement, roughly saying: [Wee the Kingsley Group CEO Valentin Kingsley to Twitter] 12:59 As soon as this message was announced,izens got excited. [Wait! Am | seeing this right? Valentin is on Twitter now! Wasn¡¯t he into this stuff?] [Why did he suddenly join Twitter? I¡¯m going to follow him! Valentin, here |e!] [Valentin¡¯s Twitter is gaining followers so quickly!] Valentin was famous, especially with that exceptionally handsome face. He became more popr than male celebrities in the entertainment industry, and within moments, his followers reached millions. When everyone was curious about why Valentin suddenly joined Twitter, someizens who were good observers noticed that Valentin¡¯s following count had changed from 0 to 1. Netizens expressed that without even looking, he must be following the official Twitter ount of the Kingsley Group! But when they checked, they realized that he was following Ashley! And he was only following Ashley, not even the official Kingsley Group ount! However, it didn¡¯t end there. Later,izens saw Valentin¡¯s first Twitter post, which had only one word. [Ashley.] And below that was a picture of Ashley. Netizens were all shocked. (What¡¯s going on? Why is everything rted to Ashley?] He¡¯s only following Ashley, and his first Twitter post is about Ashl This is definitely tant favoritism!] | know, right? Mr. Kingsley has always admired Ashley. Remember Skyward Art Exhibition dedicated to her? Today, he suddenly joined Twitter to support Ashley against the online spections!] | think you''re right!] [Oh my, is this Valentin¡¯s first time doing something like this?] Mr. Kingsley, do you like Ashley? My sixth sense tells me you do!] Don¡¯t be silly. He just appreciates her. There¡¯s no way he likes Ashley...] 12:59 Just whenizens were having intense discussions, suddenly, prominent figures from the worlds of cultural heritage, racing, design, musicposition, and dance, those big shots who rarely appeared on the Inte, started tweeting one after another, expressing their support for Ashley. They believed thatizens¡¯ spections, such as ¡°like father, like daughter,¡± were far-fetched, and Ashley differed from the Ramos family. Netizens were shocked once again. Top-notch individuals from these circles, who rarely showed up on Twitter, were now all voicing their support for Ashley. It was a grand show of support. The five Ramos brothers also issued a statement not long after. They subtly implied that Ashley was excellent and that the Ramos family couldn¡¯t keep up with her. Once again,izens were astonished. This point was urate. The Ramos family didn¡¯t measure up. Because of Ashley¡¯s powerful influence andwork, various circles suddenly became active. Of course, the most active was Valentin¡¯s Twitter. Some people called him handsome, and others asked if he liked Ashley. Without exception,izens didn¡¯t receive any responses. This further confirmed that this unattainable and aloof big shot joined Twitter and followed Ashley just to support her. In Kingsley Vi¡¯s study, Joseph looked at the situation online and up with a conclusion. Valentin was ruthless. He remembered Valentin had previously created a Twitter ount f Ashley called ¡°Ariml¡±. Now, he had gone to great lengths to create a legitimate ount for Ashley. Ashley invited Lester to the private booth, and Miranda politely stood u After some small talk, the three of them sat down. Ashley¡¯s phone made a ¡°ding¡± sound, receiving a news notification. Seeing what was happening online, Ashley felt very confused. 12:59 She had only been offline for a while, and everything online had turned upside down. After understanding the situation, Ashley¡¯s eyes lit up slightly, and a charming smile appeared as she specifically unfollowed Valentin on Twitter. After the three finished their meal, they chatted for a while. Ashley talked to Lester about meeting the Pliskin family¡¯s parents in three days. It was almost time, so the three of them got up and left the restaurant. Before parting ways, Miranda held Ashley¡¯s hand. ¡°Ashley, are you free tomorrow? Let¡¯s go out together. | found a great coffee shop!¡± ¡°Sure, tomorrow...¡± Ashley nodded but stopped halfway. She had already promised Valentin to go somewhere with him tomorrow. If she agreed to Miranda now, Valentin would get jealous again. Ashley quickly said, ¡°I have something tomorrow. How about another day?¡± Miranda nodded. ¡°Sure!¡± After saying goodbye to Lester and Miranda, Ashley returned to Kingsley Vi and headed to the study to find Valentin. Chapter 323 Chapter 313 Ashley pushed open the door to the study and walked in. Joseph saw hering back and waved his hand in greeting. ¡°Ashley, you¡¯re back? Didn¡¯t you go to have lunch with Miranda? Why are you back so early?¡± But Ashley didn¡¯t even look at him. She headed straight for Valentin behind the desk. Single and ignored, Joseph was puzzled. Then, he saw Ashley walk over and immediately throw herself into Valentin¡¯s arms, saying, ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but | couldn¡¯t stop thinking about you while having lunch outside. So, | came back to see you as soon as | finished eating.¡± Valentin nced at her leisurely. In his mind, he thought, ¡®Now she says this. ¡®When | was jealous this morning, you wouldn¡¯t even console me with a single word.¡¯ Ashley hugged Valentin and kissed him on the cheek. ¡°I saw what was happening online and knew you''re the best for me!¡± Caught off guard by their disy of affection, Joseph tried to make his presence felt. ¡°Ashley, I¡¯m still here!¡± Finally, Ashley spared him a nce, blinking in confusion. ¡°Why haven''t you left yet?¡± Joseph was speechless. He frowned. But he was determined to be an unshakable third wheel! However, ire arrived before he could establish himself as the third wheel. ire had seen the online gossip and was worried about how Ashley might feel, so she came to check on her. After arriving and seeing that Ashley was in good spirits, along with Valentin being protective of her, ire felt somewhat relieved. 12:59 The four of them sat down on the living room sofa. ire furrowed her brows slightly and sighed, ¡°Those people are really rude. How can they judge Ashley based on what Evan did?¡± ¡°ire, you don¡¯t know, some people are just foolish!¡± Joseph was visibly frustrated. ¡°Not only do they talk about Evan, but they also bring up all the shady things the Ramos family did in the past. Ashley is clearly a victim, and now they¡¯re associating her with the Ramos family, saying that the apple doesn¡¯t fall far from the tree. It¡¯s so unfair to Ashley!¡± ire felt the same way and tried to console Ashley. ¡°Ashley, don¡¯t let those people¡¯s opinions affect you. | think they¡¯re just mindlessly talking.¡± Awarm feeling washed over Ashley, and she smiled, ¡°I know, ire.¡± In her veins flowed the blood of the Ramos family. Evan was her biological father. It was what she despised the most and couldn''t change. People might gossip and doubt her, but she couldn¡¯t change the fact that Evan was her father, and she didn¡¯t care about the opinions of those who didn¡¯t matter. Ever since Ashley cut ties with the Ramos family, she decided never to look back. The Ramos family was no longer her family. She just wanted to walk her path and live her own life. Suddenly, Valentin¡¯s warm and reassuring hand reached out and held hers. Ashley was taken aback, turning to meet Valentin¡¯s deep eyes, filled with tender affection. Her heart skipped a beat as she painted a charming andzy smile on her face, radiant and captivating. She tightly held his hand. In Ramos Vi¡¯s living room, Jeremy remembered the online situation from earlier and looked annoyed. ¡°It¡¯s all our fault that Ashley is burdened, making people think she¡¯s not good.¡± Matthew was furious, and he kicked the sofa. ¡°We''re the ones who messed up. What does it have to do with Ashley? If anyone should be 12:59 med, it¡¯s us!¡± Ryan sat on the sofa, looking at his phone with a furrowed brow. ¡°You kicked me, go away.¡± Matthew not only didn¡¯t leave but kicked again. Ryan didn¡¯t engage with him, rapidly scrolling through his social media. apps. Finally, he rxed his brows. ¡°I noticed that most negativements about Ashley online have been deleted. Was it Valentin¡¯s doing?¡± Charlie nodded thoughtfully. ¡°It should be him.¡± Who else could protect Ashley so boldly and decisively other than Valentin? Jeremy scratched his head, unsure if he should be happy or worried. ¡°It seems like Valentin is really good to Ashley, but the five of us can¡¯tpare to Valentin alone and...¡± It was frustrating. They were supposed to be Ashley''s brothers but couldn¡¯t protect her. They felt utterly useless! Charlie patted his shoulder and turned to look at Frankie, who had been silent. He couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Frankie, what are you thinking?¡± Frankie wearily pinched his nose and said, ¡°I¡¯m thinking that since Ashley came back to the Ramos family, she thought she found her family, but it seems like we, her family, can only bring her misfortune...¡± As soon as he said this, the brothers in the living room fell into silence. Upon reflection, Ashley had endured hardship sinceing to the Ramos family, suffering countless trials, and hadn¡¯t had a happy day. Jeremy felt full of regret and self-me, sounding sad. ¡°I don¡¯t know if Ashley will forgive us. Now that Evan and Jessica are both in jail, | don¡¯t know if Ashley will want toe home for a few days...¡± Ryan nced at him. ¡°Jeremy, not to bring you down, but Ashley probably won¡¯t agree toe back.¡± Jeremy¡¯s tone was sincere. ¡°Whether Ashley wants toe back, this will always be her home!¡± 4/6 12:59 Chapter 313 Frankie nodded and asked, ¡°Today, when Ashley met Stanley, Lester helped her. Why is Lester so nice to Ashley?¡± Matthew felt bitter. ¡°I noticed, too. Lester acts like he¡¯s Ashley¡¯s brother. What¡¯s wrong with him? Doesn¡¯t he know we''re Ashley¡¯s biological brothers!¡± Jeremy also felt jealous. Why wasn¡¯t he the one protecting Ashley back then? He now regretted it. Lester returned to his hotel room. As soon as he entered the suite, he saw George sitting on the sofa in the living area, his long fingers typing rapidly on the keyboard. ¡°George, what are you busy with?¡± Lester casually asked. George lifted his head from theptop, his expression cold and his lips thin. He spoke with a calm tone. ¡°I saw what happened between Ashley and Stanley online. You did well.¡± Lester raised an eyebrow, a hint of a smile on his lips. ¡°It¡¯s rare for you to praise me.¡± However, George¡¯s following words took a different turn. ¡°Why didn¡¯t call and tell me at the time? | could have rushed over in time.¡± 4 Lester sighed, ¡°George, calling you would have taken too long.¡± you Besides, this was a rare opportunity for Lester to stand up for Ashley. He wouldn''t give it to George unless he lost his mind. George was unbeatable in business, but he seemed a bit hesitant wh came to Ashley.N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. He wanted to leave a good impression on Ashley, which seemed challenging... ¡°George, what are you busy with?¡± Lester asked again, seeing George¡¯s eyes glued to theputer. George replied, ¡°Dad and Mom are meeting Ashley in three days, and they''ve prepared a lot of gifts for the meeting. I¡¯ve arranged for a private jet to fly them over.¡± Lester knew his parents well, and when George said a lot of gifts, he 5/6 12:59 Even though Lever¡¯s parents had been photos of Ashley they Bed hey from de Chapter 324 Night fell. Ashley finished showering andy on the bed. She nced at the blurry figure of Valentin in the bathroom, wondering where he would take her tomorrow. Suddenly, her phone made a sound, indicating she had received a message. She picked it up and saw that it was from Andrew. [Baby, your birthday ising soon.] Ashley frowned, ignored the message, and turned off her phone. But the screen lit up again as he quickly sent another message. [Although you''ve fallen for the new man and heartlessly forgotten my birthday, | still remember yours very clearly.] Ashley thought, ¡®What nonsense is he talking about? And why am | used of being heartless?¡¯ [Baby, do you want a birthday gift that will be unforgettable for the rest of your life?] Upon seeing this message, Ashley was startled. Unforgettable for the rest of her life? And there was a mischievous emoji at the end. Knowing Andrew¡¯s personality, he must be nning something. Ashley quickly replied: [I don¡¯t want your birthday gift! Don¡¯t mess wi me!] Andrew texted: [Baby, you finally replied.] Grinding her teeth, Ashley angrily replied: [Andrew, | told you | don¡¯t want your gift! | don¡¯t want anything!] Andrew said: [Maybe you''ll like it?] Ashley firmly refused. [Impossible!!!] There was no way she would like his gift! Andrew texted: [Then give it a try.] 13:00 Ashley was speechless. She threw her phone onto the bed and didn¡¯t want to deal with him anymore. After a while, Valentin went out, holding a white towel to dry his hair. Seeing her lying on the bed looking upset, he couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°What''s wrong?¡± Not wanting to hide anything from him, Ashley immediately got up from the bed. Her hair was slightly messy from being rubbed against it. ¡°I hope you won''t get mad at what I¡¯m about to say.¡± Valentin paused in drying his hair. It seemed like it wasn¡¯t good news. He raised an eyebrow slightly, put the towel aside, and walked to the edge of the bed. He leaned over, supporting himself with hands on either side of her body, and looked at her closely. ¡°Go ahead, tell me.¡± Having just showered, his body emitted a clean and refreshing scent. Ashley enjoyed his scent first and poked him, saying, ¡°First, promise me that you won''t get angry.¡± He couldn''t help but smile and lightly scraped her nose with his index finger. ¡°Okay, baby, | promise not to get angry. Is that alright?¡± Ashley heaved a sigh of relief. She took her own phone and showed him the chat history with Andrew. She kept a close watch on his facial expression. After he finished reading, Ashley immediately said, ¡°You said you wouldn''t get angry!¡± While looking at the chat history, Valentin¡¯s expression became serious. He calmly put down the phone. When he looked back at Ashley, his serious expression softened, and his eyes showed deep affection. ¡°Ashley, I¡¯m d you chose to tell me this.¡± She could have withheld this information from him, keeping it a secret. But now that she opened up and told him everything, without any concealment, how could he possibly be angry? As for the fact that Andrew liked her and wanted to send her a birthday 13:00 gift, that was a matter between him and Andrew to resolve. Ashley blinked her eyes and sweetly reached out to hug him. ¡°I knew you are the best!¡± After speaking it out, she felt a sense of relief and lightness in her heart. As for Andrew''s so-called unforgettable birthday gift, she definitely wouldn''t ept it. Valentin held Ashley in his arms and gently rubbed her soft hair. However, a hint of hatred appeared in his eyes when he thought of Andrew. The next morning, after Ashley finished breakfast, she circled around Valentin. Curiosity overwhelmed her. ¡°Where are you taking me today? It¡¯s already time. Can you please tell me?¡± Valentin¡¯s right hand was in his pocket, and he touched the small square box, his gaze bing deep.N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Arare nervousness appeared on his usually calm face. Chapter 325 Ashley could sense his nervousness, and she was both surprised and suspicious. ¡°Why do | feel like there¡¯s something off about you?¡± Valentin calmly touched the ring box in his pocket and smiled, ¡°Really?¡± Ashley nodded and then shook her head. ¡°You seem normal now.¡± As they were talking, Joseph walked in wearing a pink shirt, yfully twirling a car key with his index finger. There was a big smile on his face. ¡°Good morning, my dear Valentin and Ashley!¡± Ashley was ustomed to his enthusiasm and turned to look at him. ¡°Why did youe so early?¡± Joseph yfully winked his left eye. ¡°Of course, because | missed you guys.¡± Ashley didn¡¯t believe him. ¡°Tell me the truth.¡± ¡°Smart as always. It¡¯s because | have something to discuss with Valentin!¡± Joseph walked up to Valentin, shing a bright smile. ¡°Valentin, are you busy today? Can you do me a favor?¡± ¡°Yes and no.¡± Valentin refused without hesitation. Joseph immediately pretended to cry. | haven''t even said what it is yet, and you''re rejecting me outright!¡± But Joseph didn¡¯t mind. It wasn¡¯t an urgent matter for him. Curiously, he asked, ¡°Valentin, what are you busy with?¡± Valentin casually replied, ¡°Taking Ashley out to y.¡± Joseph thought, ¡®Busy taking Ashley out to y?? ¡®Great, his wife is always more important than his cousin.¡¯ Joseph''s heart, which had already been battered, was full of wounds. Joseph tearfully looked at Ashley. ¡°Ashley, don¡¯t you think Valentin prioritizes romance over friendship?¡± Ashley sincerely shook her head. ¡°No.¡± Josephined, ¡°Why am | so persistent in asking this question?¡± 13:00 Joseph took a deep breath. Since they hurt him, he decided to join them in thepensation of fun. ¡°Where are you guys going? Take me with you! I¡¯m an expert in entertainment and I''ll provide my services for free!¡± Ashley thought for a moment. Joseph had money and time, and he was indeed knowledgeable about having fun, so she considered bringing him along. Valentin saw through her thoughts. Before she could speak, he calmly refused. ¡°No need.¡± It was clear that he wanted to have alone time with Ashley. Ashley blinked, and a puzzled light flickered in her clear eyes. ¡®Where exactly is he taking me?¡¯ Since Valentin already said no to Joseph, she wouldn''t go against his wishes. She coughed lightly, looked at Joseph, and patted his head. ¡°Good boy, I¡¯ll take you next time.¡± Joseph, who was rejected by both of them, stood there in a daze. He had wanted to join them and make up for his wounded heart, but his n ended before it even began. However, Joseph was curious about what Valentin was nning to do with Ashley. It seemed like it was something important. ¡°Well, | won¡¯t disturb you guys then. Have fun!¡± Joseph took out his phone with excitement. ¡°But before | leave, let me show you something amazing!¡± Ashley looked over with interest. On Joseph¡¯s phone screen was a tweet. It was posted by an unknown user and read: [Come and enjoy together! | stayed upte to draw this pornographic image!] Below the text was an explicit drawing, Ahandsome man pinned a woman in a satin nightgown on the bed. His left hand held the woman¡¯s wrists above her head, while his right hand held her chin. His thumb traced the woman¡¯s rosy and moist lip, leaving a suggestive mark. The straps of the woman''s nightgown were torn. The man appeared to be well-dressed, but his shirt cor was casually open. 13:00 His white shirt was soaked in water, making it transparent to see his abs. The drawing was filled with sexual imagination, hinting at strong desire, making the viewer blush and their hearts race. After looking at it, Ashley nodded approvingly. She recognized the artist''s skill. The drawing was well done. But the faces of the male and female characters in the drawing seemed familiar. Suddenly, Ashley had a strong intuition. Then she saw it,beled in the bottom right corner. [Valentin & Ashley.] Ashley couldn''t believe her eyes. ¡°What is this?!¡± Thement section of that tweet was filled with excitedments fromizens. [I''m so excited about this!] [Valentin better makes a move on her and not just stare!] [They are the perfect couple!!] Seeing Ashley¡¯s bewildered expression, Joseph couldn''t help butugh. ¡°Yesterday, Valentin opened a Twitter ount just to follow you. His first tweet was also about you. It shocked the Inte. Sincest night, arge number ofizens have be fans of you two, creating art and writing stories about you! There¡¯re all sorts of creative works!¡± Ashley didn¡¯t know what to say for a moment. Valentin was intrigued. He raised an eyebrow and leaned over to see the screen of Joseph¡¯s phone. Ashley¡¯s body jolted, and she immediately pushed Joseph¡¯s phone away. Valentin couldn¡¯t see those pornographic drawings. Ashley awkwardly exined, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just some random drawings by netizens.¡± Josephughed so hard that he almost suffocated. He said meaningfully, ¡°Just some random drawings? That''s really random.¡± Ashley ignored Joseph and held onto Valentin¡¯s arm. ¡°You wanted to take me out, right? It¡¯s gettingte, let''s go!¡± 13:00 Valentin casually nced at Joseph¡¯s phone and then at Ashley¡¯s pretending-to-be-serious expression. With a nonchnt smile, he said, ¡°Sure, let¡¯s go.¡±Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Perhaps because she had just seen that picture, Ashley blushed when she heard Valentin¡¯s casual and sexyughter. It felt like a faint electric current was spreading inch by inch along her nerves, tickling her. To her surprise, they would need to take a private ne for this trip. Near noon, the nended on a private ind. Ashley got off the ne and looked at the scenery in front of her, which was extremely beautiful. The azure sea, the golden sandy beach, theyers of waves crashing onto the shore, forming white foam, the moist and salty sea breeze in the air, all refreshing the spirit. The weather was great today, and the sea¡¯s surface sparkled under the sun like scattered sparkling diamonds. What amazed Ashley the most was a magnificent building that stood on the ind, resembling a castle. Behind the castle, there was an enchanting forest and an endless sea of flowers, as beautiful as an oil painting. ¡°This ce...¡± Ashley looked at Valentin beside her in awe. When they were still close friends in their childhood, she used to stick to Valentin and y together every day. She once asked him out of curiosity if there was a castle on the sea. Her imagination was rich, so she drew a picture of the sea, the ind, the beautiful castle, the enchanted forest, and the sea of flowers. She put all the beautiful scenery together without considering whether it made sense or not. Now, Valentin had brought her to the sea castle that she had fantasized about as a child. Chapter 326 Valentin cast an icy, disdainful look at Cara. His voice was frozen solid. ¡°Did you send someone to abduct Ashley?¡± On the side, Tom and rk shivered involuntarily. Valentin¡¯s disgust towards Cara had reached its peak. If it weren¡¯t for Ashley, he might never have allowed Cara to speak in front of him. Cara felt her heart race as she looked at him. It was her first time being so close to him and the first time he looked at her so formally. Finally, her figure could appear in his sight. Cara pinched her fingertips, feigning confusion as she asked, ¡°Mr. Kingsley, | didn¡¯t understand your words just now. Are you saying something happened to Ashley?¡± ¡®Ashley?¡¯ Tom wore a puzzled expression. He couldn¡¯t fathom how Cara could address her so affectionately. Considering that Cara¡¯s attempt to lock Ashley in the restroom had been exposed, how could she audaciously address her first name in such an affectionate way? After Cara¡¯s feigned inquiry, she met Valentin¡¯s indifferent and disdainful gaze. Her chest tightened, and a suffocating sensation surged. ¡°Mr. Kingsley, understand your fondness for Ashley, but considering the recent happenings in the Ramos family, there¡¯s a growing sentiment that Ash may not be asmendable as some believe...¡± Cara paused momentarily, her gentle voice continuing, ¡°Though I have no right to say anything, Mr. Kingsley, | feel that Ashley... isn¡¯t worthy of your admiration.¡± Upon hearing this, rk and the other bodyguards inside the room were speechless. Valentin¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change, but everyone could sense a colder vibe surrounding him. Valentin stared at Cara, the chill and mockery in his eyes resembling 09:091 someone looking at an ignorant fool. ¡°Who granted you the boldness to pass judgment on her in my presence?¡± Cara¡¯s face turned pale instantly, her nails digging into her palms, thinking, ¡®Is Ashley really that great?¡¯ Cara was still restrained by the bodyguards and couldn¡¯t break free. ¡°Mr. Kingsley, you...¡± Valentin furrowed his brows, a sign of his patience running thin. Seeing this, rk immediately signaled his subordinates. The two bodyguards holding Cara acted so quickly that their actions were almost imperceptible. There was a sharp snap, the distinct sound of bones breaking, and Cara let out a piercing scream in response to the sudden pain. Cold sweat soaked her back instantly and color drained from her face. She copsed to the ground in agony, clutching her broken ribs. Crimson blood seeped from the corner of her mouth, and her eyes were filled with terror as Cara gazed at Valentin before her. She thought, ¡®How could he... How could he do this to me!¡¯ rk wore a disdainful expression, thinking, ¡°Think you can harm Ms. Ramos and get away with it? This is just the beginning. Harsher lessons are still on the horizon. Turning to his subordinates, rk ordered, ¡°Search the ce!¡± In no time, they found an old phone in a drawer. After unlocking it Cara¡¯s fingerprint, they discovered records ofmunication with t kidnappers. Not only did Cara arrange Ashley''s abduction, but she also tried to prevent Ashley from meeting Brian and Karen. Valentin¡¯s gaze turned even colder, ayer of icy hostility evident in b h expression. His eyes, devoid of warmth, fell upon Cara on the ground Cara¡¯s breath caught, and Valentin¡¯s gaze made her feel condemned. Achilling sensation that could freeze blood emanated from her back, and fear mingled with regret. Perhaps she shouldn¡¯t have abducted Ashley today.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. But how did Valentin know that Ashley¡¯s disappearance was rted to 2/5 09:09 Chapter 326 her? Could it be... He had been monitoring her all along? Valentin ordered rk in a cold voice, ¡°Keep an eye on her.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± rk responded respectfully. He thought, ¡®Previously, it was just to keep tabs on Cara discreetly, but now Mr. Kingsley has requested to openly watch her. It seems he¡¯s gearing up to handle Cara more thoroughly. After giving the order, Valentin left indifferently without looking back. Tom immediately followed suit. Cara sat on the ground, clutching her aching ribs. Her reddened eyes. followed Valentin¡¯s retreating figure. Suddenly, she gasped urgently and said, ¡°Valentin, do you really not remember me? Three years ago at the banquet, | saw you...¡± Tom was taken aback by her words. There had been an online photo showing Valentin and Cara at a foreign banquet. Cara was gazing at Valentin from a distance, but Valentin seemed utterly oblivious to her. This chance encounter lingered in Cara¡¯s heart all this time. However, regarding this question from Cara, Valentin didn¡¯t even pause. his steps, let alone turn around. He didn¡¯t bother hiding his disregard and aversion. He didn¡¯t even want to hear her voice or say a word to her. The helicopter was ready, and Valentin, with his entourage, rushed to Samniss City. Joseph was extremely anxious. With no surveince, there were no clues, and he had no idea where Ashley had been taken. Paul was also anxious, hoping nothing untoward happened. Amid their urgency, the sound of rotor des suddenly roared overhead. Joseph lifted his head and saw several helicopters hovering in the sky, blocking the moonlight and casting an even darker shadow over the night. These helicopters descended to the ground in a formidable manner as if intending to conquer everything in their path. The surrounding trees swayed wildly as the strong wind tossed their branches in chaotic motion. The helicopternded, and a well-trained group of elite personnel descended. Joseph immediately recognized them. They were all elite bodyguards from the Kingsley family. Among thoseing down from the helicopter was Valentin himself. Seeing Valentin was here, Joseph was dumbfounded. How had Valentin arrived in Samniss City so quickly after a phone call? Tall and imposing, Valentin stood before the helicopters, emanating an inherent intimidation and presence that made all the surrounding subordinates willingly submit to him. Joseph felt like he had suddenly spotted his lifeline and no longer felt nervous. Without hesitation, he dashed over. ¡°Valentin, how did you get here so quickly?¡± As soon as he asked, he knew he had uttered nonsense. When it came to Ashley, Valentin¡¯s efficiency was only natural! Seeing Valentin holding an old phone, Joseph couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°What''s this?¡± Tom, standing nearby, hurriedly exined, ¡°This time, the circumstances. involving Ms. Ramos are connected to Cara.¡± Joseph couldn¡¯t hold back a curse, ¡°Damn, this Cara just won''t give up until she is consigned to her grave.¡± The phone containedmunication records between Cara and the kidnappers, making it easy to find where they had taken Ashley. Valentin led his team to rush over, but upon reaching the dpidated house, they found a scene of chaos with the kidnappers lying on the ground, the scent of blood filling the air. Seeing the blood on the ground, Valentin was stunned. He searched through the room but found no trace of Ashley. ¡°If Ashley isn¡¯t around, perhaps she has already escaped?¡± Joseph spected, hoping for the best. Valentin stood there in silence, suddenly looking up at the night sky. Chapter 327 In a bedroom with cool tones, Ashley, who had been in a deep slumber.y on the bed. Her eyes were closed, and her luscious hair scattered on the pristine pillow. Beside the bed, a small nightmp cast a warm, mellow light on Ashley''s delicate sleeping face, highlighting her wless and smooth skin. The window was slightly ajar, allowing the gentle night breeze to waft in, causing the ethereal white curtains to sway gracefully After an unknown amount of time. Ashley¡¯s long and dense eyshes trembled, and her eyeballs moved slightly beneath her eyelids. Waking up from hera, Ashley opened her eyes with confusion. At her blurry vision gradually focused, she looked at the unfamiliar ceiling above and recalled the events before she fainted Ashley becamepletely awake and realized she was lying in the middle of a soft,fortable,rge bed She saw that jerk Andrew, sitting cross-legged beside her, was uncharacteristically engrossed in studying her hand? Ashley abruptly sat up, but halfway through, the pain from her side made her he back down Frowning she said, ¡°Andrew, are you out of your mund Sat beside her in the middle of the night, studying her hand with a magnifying ss Would normal people have done such things? Andrew raised his eyes and nced asher ¡°You are awake Astley looked at the magnifying ss in his hand with caution. ¡°What on earth are you doing? Andrew tossed the magnitying ss aside and cast a disdaindul look at her fund or more precisely at the ring on her hand. ¡°What''s this junk you te wearing Astley was spesstiless. So, he was using a magnifying ss sturdy her ring Ashley gratted her teeth. You ignorans fool. This is a ring. A wedding ring¡¯ Chapter 327 Andrew narrowed his eyes, nced at the ring on her hand, then at her face. Suddenly, he leaned over, opened a nearby drawer, pulled out the entire drawer, and lifted it before Ashley. Seeing the contents of the drawer, Ashley''s mouth twitched. It was actually a box full of various diamonds, sparkling blindingly. Andrew tilted his head slightly, his voice low and husky. ¡°Here. Choose the one you like, or | can turn them all into rings for you.¡± Ashley asked, ¡°Are you out of your mind?¡± Suddenly, Andrew smirked. ¡°Darling, your discrimination hurts me.¡± Ashley couldn''t be bothered with him.N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. He sighed theatrically, ¡°Forget it. Being a third wheel is tough on its own.¡± Ashley¡¯s eyelid twitched, unable to bear it any longer. ¡°Get lost!¡± ¡°Ah, my dear, your insults are as pleasant as always.¡± Ashley was speechless again. Ignoring the pain on her waist, she struggled to sit up, checked the time on the clock, which had just passed midnight, and realized she hadn¡¯t been unconscious for long. Her waist was bandaged. Heart pounding, she asked, ¡°Who tended to my injury?¡± Andrew half-smiled and said, ¡°It was me. | undressed you to tend to your wound and even tied a bow for you.¡± Ashley looked closely at her bandage and found there was indeed a She almost fainted from anger, and her voice filled with suppressed irritation. ¡°How could you...¡± Watching her act so disdainfully, Andrew¡¯s amusement suddenly vanished, and his beautiful eyes turned serious. ¡°Do you really find n repulsive?¡± Ashley gave him a look that said, ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± After observing her for a while, Andrew spoke in a normal tone. ¡°I¡¯m jus teasing you. Ady doctor handled it. Come on, | did save you. Can''t yo show a bit of gratitude? Such an unappreciative girl.¡± Ashley widened her eyes. ¡°What do you mean by saving me? | had 09:09 Chapter 327 already dealt with those four kidnappers. If you hadn¡¯t knocked me out, | would have gone home by now. You''re the one who slowed me down.¡± ugh escaped from his throat as if he found it amusing. Ashley tugged her lips and suddenly remembered. ¡°By the way, you mentioned earlier about doing a DNA test for me?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± He nodded calmly. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Ashley puzzled. ¡°Whose DNA am | getting tested against?¡± Chapter 328 Chapter 328 Andrew grabbed a handful of diamonds from the drawer and said in a leisurely tone, ¡°Your birthday is just around the corner.¡± Ashley was puzzled. ¡°What does my birthday have to do with DNA testing?¡± Andrew yed with the diamonds in his hand, finding them rather uninteresting. He clicked his tongue and threw them back into the drawer without a trace of pity. Getting closer to Ashley was way more enjoyable for him. Like a wild beast fixated on its prey, Andrew approached Ashley with a hint of seduction. ¡°I promised to give my precious one an unforgettable and deeply engraved birthday gift.¡± Ashley recoiled as if shocked and quickly distanced herself from him. She squinted and provocatively said, ¡°Deeply engraved? Sure, | love watching people break big stones with their chests. If the notorious king of the underworld personally demonstrate this for me, | guarantee it will be unforgettable.¡± Andrew was caught off guard by her answer. But then he nonchntly smiled, his eyes mischievous, ¡°You like that, huh? Alright, I''ll learn it tomorrow. I''ll break them for you on your birthday.¡± Ashley retorted, ¡°Back off. I''ve already told you | don¡¯t want your birthday gift.¡± ¡°Don''t brush it off so quick. | promise you''ll love it.¡± Ashley twitched at the corner of her mouth, thinking, ¡®Love it? How could | possibly love your birthday gift?¡¯ However, a sly glint appeared in her eyes. ¡°Speaking of birthday gifts, is it rted to DNA testing? Alright, spill it. Who am | getting tested with?¡± With a sly smile, Andrew curled a strand of her loose hair around his finger. ¡°See? Now you''re interested.¡± Ashley gl red at him and pulled her hair back. ¡°Are you going to tell me or not? Who am | getting tested with?¡± 1/5 09:56 ¡°Of course, it¡¯s with...¡± Andrew said in a light tone, ¡°the Pliskin family.¡± But this seemingly light tone shocked Ashley. ¡°The Pliskin family? I¡¯m getting a DNA test with them? Do you think I¡¯m rted to them in any way?¡± As Ashley spoke, she suddenly remembered Valentin¡¯s question after proposing. ¡°Ashley, have you ever considered that you might have some connection with the Pliskin family?¡± Recalling Valentin¡¯s question, Ashley¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°Valentin asked me the same thing before. He thought | might be rted to the Pliskin family. If he asked that, he must have found something. Wow, my husband is truly amazing!¡± Andrew was speechless. His face remained in the shadows in the dimly lit room, but his voice carried a dangerous edge. ¡°Darling, it was me telling you of getting the DNA test done with the Pliskin family. And you''re praising Valentin?¡± She even called Valentin her husband. She really knew how to infuriate him. Ashley snorted, ignoring his ominous tone, eager to return to Valentin. Now Joseph must know she was missing, and he would definitely inform Valentin immediately. She needed to return quickly to avoid causing worry. Ashley lifted the nket and got out of bed. However, as she stepp down, she identally pulled at the wound on her side, causing gasp in pain. Andrew¡¯s brows furrowed, and his expression turned grim. ¡°Ashley, the life you want? When we were together, did | ever let you get hur Ashley sternly corrected. ¡°Andrew, please watch your words. I¡¯ve never been with you.¡± Andrew sneered. He clicked on all the lights in the room and pressed Ashley to sit on the edge of the bed. He bent down to look at the wound on her waist and opened up the bandage deliberately tied into a bow. Fortunately, the bandage showed no bloodstains, indicating that the 2/5 09:56 wound had not ruptured. Ashley felt a headache just looking at that bow, thinking it must have been tied by that jerk, Andrew, with his twisted sense of humor. Ashley impatiently undid it. Andrew didn¡¯t stop her, watching her with iprehension. ¡°Are you really so blind that you can¡¯t like anyone other than Valentin?¡± Ashley couldn''t help but wish she could throw a punch at him. ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯s blind. Can¡¯t you speak properly? And what¡¯s with your questions, as if you understand what it means to like someone.¡± ¡°How do | not understand?¡± Andrew bent down to look at her, the light casting a nting shadow over his high-bridged nose. His eyes carried a disturbing hint of obsession and possessiveness. ¡°Darling, it''s you my body and soul are drawn to. | only desire closeness and connection with you. As for others, be they men or women, they don¡¯t even cross my mind. ¡°My entire being is dedicated to you. Isn¡¯t that love? Can Valentin match that?¡± After hearing this, Ashley was so astonished she almost couldn''t catch her breath, her eyes wide open in disbelief. Ashley knew this rascal always acted wildly, with unpredictable and abnormal thinking, but she didn¡¯t expect him to speak such straightforward and bold words. How could he sport such a stunning face and casually deliver such b and explicit remarks without a hint of change in expression? Ashley took a deep breath and responded to hisst statement only, ¡°Valentin can certainly do that.¡± ¡°Oh? Is that so?¡± Andrew raised an eyebrow with a smirk that carried an unknown meaning. He stood straight, picked up a few photos from the nearby table, and tossed them into Ashley''sp. Ashley thought it was something significant. She lowered her head to take a look and then wore an expression that said, ¡°Is this all?¡± 3/5 09:56 Chapter 328 ¡°Aren''t these just pictures from the banquet where Valentin and Cara are being captured together? It was all over the Inte before, and | knew about it. And how did you get these photos? Are you secretly investigating him behind his back?¡± Ashley examined the photos, all from that banquet, with Cara looking admiringly at Valentin through the crowd. But Valentin never noticed Cara even once. He had no idea someone was watching him.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Ashley threw the photos back to Andrew, saying, ¡°So what? It¡¯s just a few pictures.¡± Her indifferent reaction made Andrew slightly surprised. He teased, ¡°Seems like you don¡¯t care much about Valentin. Not bad.¡± Ashley retorted, ¡°What do you know?¡± Her mouth twitched. ¡°There''s nothing unusual about other women fancying Valentin. It would be weird if | were the only one. Do you think everyone¡¯s like you, where nobody dares to like...you...¡± Ashley, realizing she had spoken too quickly and said the wrong thing, immediately halted herself at this point. Andrew raised an eyebrow, maintaining his amused smile. ¡°Continue. Nobody dares to what?¡± Ashley pretended to be dead and remained silent. Andrew was still smiling. His eyes were deep, but there was a sense darkness. He said, ¡°Yeah, unlike me, no one dared to like me since child. Even my own parents wished | were dead.¡± Ashley nced at him, realizing she had misspoken. His childhood experiences were so dark and miserable. She shouldn''t have brough 1. Ashley wanted to apologize to him. However, the next moment, she heard Andrew yfully sighing, ¡°Evan and Bertha aren''t fond of you either. Darling, we¡¯re truly made for each other.¡± Ashley was speechless, thinking if he was crazy. Her guilt vanished instantly, but she still advised in a t tone, ¡°Well, it¡¯s 4/5 09:56 not that nobody''s liked you. There were plenty of women who liked. you before. It¡¯s just that you looked down on them, not appreciating their beauty.¡± He replied nonchntly, ¡°I don¡¯t care about them.¡± Ashley was at a loss for words and thought, ¡®And he wonders why no one likes him. Andrew lowered his eyelids, ncing at the photos of Valentin. Then, he looked back at Ashley, his voice low and maic. ¡°Ashley, are you going to abandon me too?¡± ab Chapter 329 Ashley blinked, her delicate eyshes fluttering lightly. ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as abandoning. We were friends, to begin with.¡± Andrew seemed to chuckle upon hearing this. He stared at Ashley relentlessly, his gaze forceful and filled with aggression. ¡°Ashley, who wants to be friends with you?¡± He had no intention of being just her friend. Ashley was taken aback, almost exploding in anger. She said sternly, ¡°Andrew, let me make it clear to you. | don¡¯t like you, not now, not ever.¡± He sneered, disdain in his voice, ¡°What''s there to like about Valentin?¡± Ashley blurted out, ¡°Everything of him is worth liking.¡± The darkness in Andrew''s eyes deepened. Unfazed, Ashley looked directly at him. ¡°Valentin and | grew up together. No one gets me like he does, and no one treats me better than him. When | was at my lowest point after leaving the Ramos family, Valentin showed up and weed me into his world. He always puts me in the most important ce in his heart, all the time. Why wouldn''t | like him?¡± The room suddenly fell silent as Ashley¡¯s words fell, quiet enough their faint breaths. Andrew¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, with a half-smiling expression. ¡°I like I''ll have to continue being the third wheel.¡± ¡°You what?¡¯ Ashley was infuriated. Why wouldn¡¯t he get this through? ncing around, she grabbed a nearby pillow and threw it at him. ear Andrew quickly caught it, his gaze shifting to the wound on her waist. ¡°Can¡¯t you catch a break even when you¡¯re hurt? If your wound break and start bleeding, just wait and see how | deal with you.¡± Ashley was speechless. There was no way she could like him. 1/3 09-56 Andrew put the pillow down, curled his lips, and uttered slowly in a low tone, ¡°Why the anger? Once you''re all patched up, go ahead and hurl anything you like my way.¡± Ashley ignored him. He asked, ¡°Do you remember the first time we met?¡±Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Ashley nced at him, a stern tone in her voice. ¡°I¡¯ve long forgotten.¡± His expression suddenly turned dark. After a while, he chuckled lowly, a familiar understanding evident, ¡°Baby, you''re lying.¡± Not feeling embarrassed by being exposed, Ashley pretended nothing had happened. She stood up and said, ¡°I need to get back quickly.¡± Andrew nodded without any objection. He picked up his phone, his beautiful fingers radiating a luster under the cold light. Ashley felt something strange but was eager to return home and walked toward the door. Just as she took a couple of steps, she noticed Andrew following her. ¡°Why are you following me?¡± Ashley was puzzled. ¡°Darling, you''re injured. | need to take care of you personally.¡± Ashley retorted, ¡°Who asked you to be so attentive? Are you that free?¡± He replied, ¡°I can¡¯t help it. | just can¡¯t let go of you...and your injury.¡± ¡°| don¡¯t need you to take care of me.¡± Ashley rejected him with disdain Andrew tilted his head slightly, hisughter evil yet mischievous. ¡°Do know where you are? Do you know how to get back?¡± Ashley didn¡¯t answer that, and then she became serious. ¡°By the way, you mentioned doing a DNA test for me and the Pliskin family. In fact, I''ve arranged to meet with Mr. and Mrs. Pliskin tomorrow.¡± Andrew said, ¡°I know.¡± ¡°You even know about this?¡± Ashley was surprised. At this moment, an immediate knocking on the door was heard, indicating some emergency. Due to the respect and fear for Andrew, the person outside dared not barge in. 2/3 Chapter 329 Andrew instructed the person toe in, and only then did he enter. Ashley recognized him as one of Andrew¡¯s trusted subordinates, Colby Jan. She was pretty familiar with him, and their rtionship was good. Colby nced at Ashley, then with a look of facing a formidable enemy, he turned to Andrew and said, ¡°Mr. Banks, Valentin is here!¡± Chapter 330 Andrew turned his head and nced at the night outside the window. Upon hearing the report that Valentin had arrived, there was no trace of nervousness or panic in him. A peculiar excitement surged in his eyes, seemingly relishing the thrill of this face- to-face confrontation. But as he turned around, he saw the softness and happiness in Ashley¡¯s eyes. Andrew narrowed his eyes, showing a hint of danger. ¡°You''re so happy just because you heard he¡¯s here?¡± Ashley rolled her eyes at him and said matter-of-factly, ¡°My husband is here. Of course, I¡¯m thrilled!¡± Andrew was speechless, thinking she deliberately used that term to annoy him again. Standing beside them, Colby heard Ashley¡¯s words and was instantly dumbfounded. ¡®Husband? Is Ashley really married?¡¯ He thought that with the good rtionship between Ashley and Andrew, she would eventually agree to his pursuit. How did she end up with someone else so quickly, and they were already married? Colby cautiously looked at Andrew and sighed in his heart. Even though Andrew''s way of pursuing people was unusual and not popr with girls, he finally found someone he liked. It was unfortunate that Andrew ended up as the third wheel. Who would believe it if Colby said it out loud? While Colby was sighing, he saw Andrew''s expressionless nce direction, and he immediately stood upright. Colby just wanted to use his rich experience in flirting with girls to Andrew how to pursue a woman more conventionally. ¡°Has the DNA test been done?¡± Andrew asked. Colby solemnly replied, ¡°It''ll take about an hour, and the results will be out.¡± Ashley was surprised and turned to Andrew. ¡°You already arranged the DNA test between the Pliskin family and me?¡± 1/6Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. 09:57 Andrew said, ¡°I promised you a DNA test, and | keep my promises.¡± Ashley asked, ¡°How did you do it? Did you take my blood?¡± Andrew cast a nce slowly at the wound on her waist. ¡°Since you''re injured, why waste the blood?¡± Ashley was speechless, thinking, ¡®Well, he¡¯s quite resourceful! Colby, on the side, became anxious. He thought, ¡®Mr. Banks, how can you answer like that? You just wanted to help Ashley investigate her background, which could have created a positive impression.¡± Ashley frowned and looked at Andrew in confusion. ¡°You used my blood for a DNA test with the Pliskin family. But how did you obtain the blood. sample from them?¡± Andrew smiled slightly, ¡°Darling, have you forgotten the rtionship between me and the Pliskin family?¡± Ashley blinked, her heart skipping a beat. Suddenly, she remembered that Andrew was supposed to be the fianc¨¦ of the missing daughter of the Pliskin family. At this moment, outside the vi, the heavily armed elite team brought by Valentin surrounded the entire estate. Valentin gazed toward the vi, his eyes as cold as an icy pond, dressed in a ck coat as if draped in the cold, silent darkness of the night. Joseph nced at Valentin¡¯s cold and calm expression, so scared that he didn¡¯t even dare to breathe out loud. Joseph never expected Ashley to be taken away by Andrew and to a vi on the outskirts of Samniss City. Fortunately, Valentin quickly found out and rushed over. But why did Andrew have a residence here? Joseph wondered what was happening to Ashley now. sted fur He was in a state of urgency and suddenly heard somemotion in front. Joseph immediately looked up, only to see the vi¡¯s gate open. A 09:57 group of people with weapons rushed out, confronting their group. rushed out, confronting their Then, he saw Ashley walking out with a tall man with a stunning appearance. Joseph cautiously scrutinized the situation and was caught off guard when his gaze met the man¡¯s half-smiling eyes. Those eyes were gorgeous, which should be charming and affectionate, but they added a touch of entricity and gloominess to that man¡¯s face. Joseph had never seen Andrew''s appearance, but somehow, he was certain that the man before him was the pursuer Andrew that Ashley mentioned. Seeing Andrew for the first time, especially the inexplicable dark vibe emanating from him, the first thought that popped into Joseph''s mind was that this man was not easy to mess with. As Valentin¡¯s diehard supporter, Joseph coldly snorted in his heart, ¡®With Valentin in the picture, dealing with Andrew, no matter how challenging Andrew may be, should be a cakewalkpared to Valentin. Ashley is sure toe back unscathed!¡± When Ashley came out, Valentin immediately looked over with concern, finally spotting the one he missed so much. With just one nce, Valentin noticed something was off at her waist, seemingly wrapped in bandages. He thought, ¡®Is she injured?¡± Valentin was angry, the coldness between his eyebrows felt almost palpable, sending a chilling shudder through those who witnessed it. On the side, Joseph almost instantly sensed Valentin¡¯s breath turning heavy. He shivered inexplicably, thinking, ¡®What''s going on? ¡®Did something happen to Ashley? Is she injured? Why didn¡¯t | notice?¡¯ Seeing Valentin not far away, Ashley¡¯s eyes suddenly lit up, and she couldn''t wait to rush toward him with her feet flying. But just as she took a step, Andrew grabbed her wrist. Seeing her so eager to run towards Valentin, Andrew''s eyes turned dark, angrily questioning, ¡°Ashley, where was he when you were injured just now? He only shows up after your wound is bandaged. Is such a man worthy of your affection?¡± 3/6 09:57 Chapter 330 Andrew¡¯s words triggered an eruption of fury in Valentin, as if the ice beneath his eyes had shattered, unleashing an unprecedented chill. He wasn¡¯t concerned about thetter part of his words. ¡°Is such a man worthy of your affection?¡± What mattered was whether Ashley was really injured. He thought, ¡®In the waist? How severe is it?¡± Joseph was utterly stunned. ¡°My gosh. Valentin, did you sense something was wrong just now? You actually noticed that Ashley was injured at first. nce.¡± To what extent did oper subtle signs at a nce? to be concerned about Ashley to notice such. Inparison, Joseph felt useless. He didn¡¯t notice anything at all. Ashley, who overheard Joseph¡¯s words from a distance, felt her heart melting. Even for a minor injury, Valentin could sense it. She almost vwanted to run over and hug him immediately. Watching Ashley¡¯s closeness and longing for Valentin, Andrew¡¯s eyes grew even more gloomy. AsAthley shook off his hand and said with disdain, ¡°Who was the one who mkotected me our while | was injured? It was you! Isn''t that too much?¡± Hototada re he talk bad about others. Morossover Valentin, who was far away in Kilos City, rushed to Sa Bitva osoon as he heard about her situation in the fastest time. Antirowechcholted on Ashley''s words. Te nanowried his eyes and stared at Ashley. ¡°If | didn¡¯t knock your would you willinglye with me?¡± Ashley gedecher lips and retorted to him with his own words, ¡°Yo now that d¡¯atmotoriilling to go with you. Goodbye then.¡± With that, shelioma wawards Valentin without looking back. Goodbye!¡¯ Andreye was as amused and stared fixedly at her retreating igure. ¡°Baby, Ullite you tomorrow.¡± See you tomorrow Ashley paused for a moment. What did he mean? 09:57 However, Ashley didn¡¯t overthink it and didn¡¯t look back. Her focus was entirely on the man who was slowly approaching her not far away. The moment Valentin heard about Ashley''s injury, he ignored Andrew¡¯s armed men and walked straight towards her. Joseph was so nervous that his palms were sweating. After all, Andrew''s men were all armed, and the muzzles were all pointed. in their direction. A little carelessness and bullets could be fired. But as soon as Valentin heard about Ashley''s injury, he couldn¡¯t wait any longer. Facing countless gun barrels, he walked towards Ashley without hesitation. Watching Valentin approach her, Ashley''s eyes welled up, and she opened her arms, tightly embracing him. She knew that no matter when, even if she stood still, he would unhesitatingly step forward to reach her. Valentin and his entourage took Ashley away, and the vast vi returned to tranquility. Only that remarkably handsome man stood quietly in front of the vi, his affectionate and obstinate eyes gazing in the direction Ashley had left. Colby cautiously nced at Andrew''s expression, not daring to speak fo a moment. In truth, given Andrew''s personality, if he genuinely wanted to keep Ashley, there would be countless ways to make her stay. However, he didn¡¯t forcefully retain her this time. Colby received a phone call, stepped away briefly, and returned holding document, respectfully handing it to Andrew. ¡°Mr. Banks, the DNA test results for Ms. Ramos and the Pliskin family are out.¡± Chapter 331 Colby handed Andrew the report respectfully. Andrew took it and saw the findings on it. His look changed for a split second, so fast it was almost impossible to catch. And in a sh, it returned to calm. Colby observed Andrew¡¯s demeanor and found it too meaningful to tell if Ashley was rted to the Pliskin family. Of course, Colby didn¡¯t dare ask without permission. Andrew put the report away. Without turning back to the vi, he just stood there motionless in the night in silence. Acool wind blew by, and the moon was dimmed. There was silence all around. Colby shivered inexplicably, not daring to say anything as his expression grew more serious. He thought, ¡®Look at the look on Mr. Banks¡¯ face, standing silent for a long time. Is there something wrong with this report? Or is there something tricky and serious?¡± He''d never seen Andrew like this before. Just as Colby was getting nervous, Andrew, who had been silent in the cool night, finally spoke up. Colby¡¯s spine tensed at once, and his expression was grave as he looked toward Andrew. As a result, in the next instant, he heard Andrew ask in a puzzled tone, ¡°Colby, am | ugly?¡± Colby was confused. He had just been very nervous, thinking something was wrong with the report or something serious had happened, but he hadn¡¯t expected to hear that question after waiting so long. Of course, Colby didn¡¯t darein or feel resentful. Frozen for two seconds, Colby asked with a highlyplex expression, ¡°What makes you think that?¡± 115 09.571 pter 331 Without exaggeration, Andrew¡¯s face was handsome and extremely attractive to women, sometimes making even Colby, a man, feel a faster heartbeat when he looked at it. His face had nothing to do with being ugly. Colby looked at Andrew, wondering why he was suddenly asking such a question that didn¡¯t match his appearance, but basically guessed that it had something to do with Ashley. Andrew sighed softly as he looked into the darkness and said again, ¡°Prepare me a huge rock.¡± Colby was confused again. He didn¡¯t understand why Andrew would suddenly want a huge rock when they had just been discussing whether he was ugly. Colby couldn¡¯t keep up with Andrew¡¯s thoughts and was so dumbfounded that he even suspected he¡¯d misheard. ¡°Sorry, Mr. Banks, a huge rock?¡± Andrew nced at him faintly. ¡°Is there a problem?¡± ¡°No!¡± Colby immediately shook his head, not daring to have a problem. ¡°Oh, and the electric welding stuff. Prepare that, too.¡± ¡°Electric welding?¡± Colby was confused again. ¡°| want to impress her.¡± Andrew wanted to get back at Ashley for liking Valentin. Colby looked dumbfounded and incredulous for several seconds before nodding stiffly and responding slowly. He thought, ¡®Is this a new way to pursue someone? Honestly, | feel like this is much less likely to seed in pursuing Ashley...Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Colby coughed lightly and reported seriously, ¡°Mr. Banks, I¡¯ve figured out that Ashley was kidnapped this time by someone Cara found.¡± No sooner had he finished speaking than the carelessness in Andrew''s brow was steeply covered by gloom. Thinking about the injury on Ashley¡¯s waist, Andrew became very serious, and a gloomy violence filled his eyes. ¡°Cara...¡± Colby knew Cara was doomed as soon as he saw the look of Andrew. 09:57 ] Valentin was concerned about Ashley¡¯s injuriesendid didnot take her back Kilos City overnight. There was a hotel in Sanniss City owned by the Einistry Group. Velem took Ashley there and asked for to get a detector VIT. the bed¡¯s pemhouse suite. Ashley sat on a couch a hiddlector sesertiv camined the wound on her waist. | feunt ooked solemn at Ashley, his eyes not blinking to a moment. dtin was instantly angry at the sight of Ashley¡¯s blessing goods, ida sincer annosphere of great darkness and severity rotet from his 0715 inley¡¯s everest¡¯s uttered, and she grabbed his sleeve and dock it it m 1. DuctwOR dentin toobra anh her and didn¡¯t say anything. inking. Ashley mobbed his sleeve again reassuringly and shook it in he really thought it was a minor injury that would heal in a few waysys id didn¡¯t realize her wordd be so worried. seph stood by hit cepidation, still in shock. e kept thinking of the same inmont of the vi just now, where dentin was deantiv waking towards Ashley against the countless Inshots... that time, Joseph haddisted to the men on his side to shooti on as the opposite sidefirehl e even thought that if the oppooticiside fred, he¡¯d rather take a bu id rush to protect Valentinanddaleteimmediately. uckily, Andrew¡¯s men didar doo awhining rash. seph tensed a little at the thoughtonAndrew, thinking that the elusiven was indeed a suitor of no onima vsatusdor Ashley. fter bandaging Ashley¡¯s wounds, the dogcon looked nervously aside at alentin and said cautiously. ¡°The woontigo vs. Runos¡¯ waist was eated promptly with the best medicin.addithe bandaging/was superb. he is no longer in any serious condition Miggianinedication changes, she''ll recover soon.¡± After listening to that, Joseph said, ¡°Andrew kinda did a good job...¡± With that, he nced worriedly at Valentin¡¯s face, wondering if Valentin would be jealous. Valentin¡¯s eyes were profound, and hisplexion had no discernible difference. After listening to the doctor¡¯s precautions, Valentin asked Tom to send the doctor out of the room. Ashley showed how much she missed Valentin as soon as the doctor left. Still sitting on the couch, she reached her arms towards Valentin. ¡°Come on. Hug me.¡± Valentin instantly tensed a bit when he saw her do this. ¡°Will this stretch. the wound?¡± Honestly, it somewhat stretched the wound and hurt a little bit. But Ashley still stretched her arms towards Valentin and puffed out her cheeks. ¡°But | want to hug you.¡± Joseph, the bachelor, covered his eyes in time but still saw it. He thought, ¡®Forget it. I''ve long been used to them being like this.¡± Valentin sat directly on the couch and took Ashley onto hisp so that she wouldn''t stretch out her arms and legs when she refused to be quiet for even a moment when she was hurt. Ashley nestled in Valentin¡¯s arms. She was instantlyfortable when she finally got to hold Valentin, who she had missed, and the wound didn¡¯t hurt. Feeling inexplicably redundant here, Joseph coughed twice helplessly and asked, ¡°Ashley, what the hell happened?¡± Ashley briefly told the story of her kidnapping. Joseph was shocked to hear that. ¡°Damn it. Did those kidnappers really have guns? Luckily, you¡¯re smart and skillful, or else...¡± Or else, she would have gotten more than just a sneak attack from a dagger at her waist... Valentin¡¯s arms around Ashley tightened instantly as he finished listening. 09:57 Ashley soothingly patted Valentin¡¯s hand, not wanting him to worry too much. Joseph took a cell phone from his pocket and handed it to Ashley. ¡°Here¡¯s your cell phone. | picked it up for you. So you know from those kidnappers that it was Cara who got someone to kidnap you. That''s right. Valentin also found out that it was Cara who was behind it!¡± Ashley looked at Valentin. ¡°Did you find out?¡± Valentin answered, ¡°Yes. Now Cara is being watched.¡± She could never run away. Ashley¡¯s eyes became slightly serious. She suddenly remembered something and asked Valentin, ¡°You asked me earlier, ¡®Did it ever ur to you that you might be rted to the Pliskin family?¡¯ Did you find out something? Am | really rted to the Pliskin family?¡± Chapter 332 Valentin held her, being careful to avoid her wounds. ¡°Do you remember the first two DNA tests with the Pliskin family?¡± Ashley nodded. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s been done twice, and both showed no blood rtionship.¡± Valentin asked again, ¡°Do you remember the doctor who did your tests?¡± Ashley thought for a moment and replied, ¡°It¡¯s a doctor with the surname. Morgan. He seems to work with the Pliskin family regrly and is their personal physician. Speaking of which, George and Lester were careful to use their personal physician for whichever test they did. Wait a minute...¡± With that, Ashley was suddenly struck by an astonishing thought. ¡°You suddenly mentioned the doctor who did the tests. Could it be that you¡¯re trying to say there¡¯s something wrong with this doctor?¡± Joseph was stunned. ¡°Damn it. Really? Doesn¡¯t he work for the Pliskin family as a doctor?¡± Valentin said in a low and calm voice, ¡°The doctor¡¯s name is Tyler. Cara has asional contact with him. They don¡¯t seem to have much contact. on the surface, but it¡¯s suspicious.¡± Joseph, who was now spiteful towards Cara, immediately cursed at his words, ¡°If he can be rted to Cara, and he happens to be the doctor of the Pliskin family, | think there must be something wrong!¡± Valentin said, ¡°I¡¯ve told Lester to watch out for Tyler.¡± Joseph suddenly thought of something and pped his hands excitedly, looking at Ashley with widened eyes. ¡°Since there¡¯s something wrong with Tyler, isn¡¯t there something wrong with the DNA tests he did on you and the Pliskin family thest two times? It¡¯s even possible that he may have intentionally faked it! If Tyler intentionally faked the first two DNA tests, Ashley, could you be rted to the Pliskin family?¡± Ashley¡¯s heart pounded and beat extra hard as she heard the words. She thought, ¡®The DNA tests were faked?¡¯ All sorts ofplex and mixed emotions surged through her mind. 4/4 09:570 Ashley seemed to be deep at the bottom of the ocean, wrapped in seawater, with her ears ringing and buzzing. Eventually, she could only shake her head in bewilderment and murmur, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Valentin, however, clearly felt her grip on his hand tightened unexpectedly. Valentin took her hand in his own with tenderpassion in his eyes. and gently rubbed his fingers over the back of Ashley''s hand. ¡°Ashley, Lester already knows there¡¯s something wrong with Tyler. When you meet with his parents tomorrow, he should want to do another DNA test.¡± Ashley looked up at him in a daze. Her heart was beating extremely fast for some reason, and she thought, ¡®So, the Ramos family and I... It was almost the first time Valentin had seen her in such bewilderment. He held her hand with one and lifted the other to caress her brow. ¡°I''ll apany you tomorrow. I''ll be right beside you.¡± Ashley pressed her lips together, her heart clenching uncontrobly for a moment. Under the white light, her lips were watery and rosy, and her pretty eyes were full of emotion. Looking into Valentin¡¯s eyes, which were overflowing with love, she suddenly calmed down and gently nodded. Watching such a warm scene, Joseph inexplicably felt surrounded b love. But he was genuinely curious and nervous about whether Ashley and Pliskin family were rted or not. After a while, Joseph couldn''t help but ask, ¡°Ashley, what did Andrew want by taking you away? Is he trying to court you? Don¡¯t fall for him!¡± Ashley was helpless just thinking about it. ¡°Of course, | don¡¯t like him.¡± Joseph asked again, ¡°So, do you like Valentin?¡± Ashley didn¡¯t hesitate. ¡°Of course, | like him!¡± Joseph gave Valentin a reassuring look that meant it was okay. ¡®Valentin, 09:57 she only liked you.¡¯ Valentin was speechless. Joseph thought for a while and then asked, ¡°Ashley, why do you like Valentin? Is it because he¡¯s so nice to you? Or is it because he¡¯s been secretly in love with you?¡± Hearing the question, Valentin looked towards Ashley as well. ncing at the injury on Ashley''s waist, he frowned slightly, ming himself for not caring for her. Seeing him frown, Ashley guessed at once what he was thinking. She didn¡¯t want him to me himself at all. With a twinkle in her eye, she flirtatiously touched Valentin¡¯s face, not sounding very serious. ¡°Valentin is good everywhere, and on top of that, he¡¯s so good-looking. Of course, | like him!¡± Valentin fell silent. Joseph was confused. He thought, ¡®Looking good is the most important thing? Well, it turns out that Ashley values good looks...¡¯ After all, Ashley had disappeared from the archaeological site, and Paul had been too worried to sleep. He was relieved to learn that Ashley had been found and talked to Ashley on the phone for quite a while. After they hung up, it was after three o¡¯clock in the morning. Ashley rested for a while and then returned to Kilos City with Valentin and Joseph. Looking at these strong and serious men guarding her in the apartm Cara bit her lower lip tightly, and her face was as pale as her lips. She thought, ¡®When did Valentin start monitoring me? And how long he been monitoring me?¡± Cara had been careful and hadn''t been in contact with Tylertely, so she figured Valentin hadn¡¯t found out about Tyler yet. Thinking this way, Cara slightly rxed and gained some confidence. She felt that as long as Tyler was still working for the Pliskin family, Ashley would never be able to identify herself with them. Chapter 333 Chapter 333 Once they returned to Kilos City, the night was fading, and dawn was approaching. In the living room of Kingsley Vi, Joseph remained mentally on high alert, even though he hadn¡¯t slept all night. He didn¡¯t feel sleepy at all at the moment, and he looked up to see that Valentin hadn¡¯t taken his hands. off Ashley the whole way back from Samniss City. He thought, ¡®Valentin is so good to Ashley.¡¯ Not only was Joseph not sleepy, but he was getting more and more energized by the affection between the two. However, he still asked uneasily, ¡°Valentin, what time is Ashley scheduled to meet with the Pliskin family? Is she okay with the injury she¡¯s got? Should we push the meeting back a bit?¡± Valentin looked at Ashley. ¡°Do you want to push it back?¡± With his personal thoughts, he wanted to push it back a bit so Ashley could get better first. No matter how easy she made it sound, her injury was from a dagger, after all. And a fierce kidnapper was certainly powerful. But given his understanding of Ashley, she certainly didn¡¯t want to push it back. So, on the way back, he didn¡¯t even take the liberty of helping her push the meeting backward. Sure enough, Ashley quickly shook her head and said simply, ¡°It''s fine. There¡¯s no need to push it back. Let''s just meet at the agreed upon time.¡± Joseph nodded. ¡°Okay. Valentin¡¯s with you anyway, and he''ll be sure to take good care of you. What time are you meeting with the Pliskin family?¡± Ashley answered, ¡°Ten o¡¯clock in the morning.¡± Joseph nced at the clock over four hours away from ten o¡¯clock and excitedly said, ¡°Let mee with you then!¡± He wasn''t so close to the Pliskin family but was curious as to whether Ashley was rted to them or not. Ashley saw right through him, and the corner of her mouth twitched. 09:57 Chapter 333. ¡°Whatever. You can follow if you want.¡± Joseph was instantly moved and said, ¡°Wow, Ashley, you¡¯re so good to me. I¡¯m so lucky to be friends with you.¡± When he finished, he looked at Valentin. ¡°Valentin, what a great husband you''ve had!¡± Then he thought he was wrong and always reversed the gender between Valentin and Ashley! But Valentin didn¡¯t correct it in any way, nodding calmly. ¡°Uh-huh.¡± Ashley was speechless. Joseph nearlyughed so hard that his stomach hurt and thought, ¡®How badly does Valentin want to be tied to Ashley? He¡¯d dly ept it even if | said Ashley was his husband!¡± It was more than four hours before ten o¡¯clock. Considering Ashley¡¯s injury, Joseph left first, letting Ashley rest for a while. Back in the bedroom, Ashley looked at Valentin, who had been caring for her. Although he hadn¡¯t said anything, she could guess what he was thinking by looking at his solemn demeanor. Ashley moved over and kissed Valentin on the lips. ¡°You''re not allowed to think nonsense or me yourself. Don¡¯t think that you didn¡¯t take care of me or that you let me get hurt or anything like that. I¡¯m telling you, the most important thing for you to do right now is kiss me and hug me. Nothing else is to be thought of!¡± Valentin looked down at her with emotions hidden in his eyes. id she Ashley¡¯s eyes rolled, suddenly cried out in a very contrive exaggerated manner. ¡°Ouch... My wound suddenly hurts...¡± Valentin looked instantly nervous even though her acting was so ba down for a moment. I¡¯ll call the doctor right away.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to call a doctor. | have a way to stop the pain!¡± Ashley smiled wryly and brought her face to his. ¡°My way is for you to kiss me and | won¡¯t hurt.¡±Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Valentin was lost for words. Ashley urged with her face turned sideways, ¡°Come on, kiss me. I¡¯m going to get mad if you don¡¯t!¡± 09:57 Chapter 333 Valentin could tell she was hurt and still trying to find ways to ease his self-me, not to let him be harsh on himself. Valentin¡¯s chest had been hollowed out from the moment he¡¯d learned of Ashley''s injury, filling it with a cold, howling wind. Now, looking at Ashley¡¯s yful behavior, the empty part of his chest seemed to be gradually filled with warm spring sunshine. Valentin¡¯s eyshes lowered gently, and a soft, reverent kiss fell on her face in a most cherished manner. Ashley seeded in receiving a kiss and smiled like a victorious little fox, her eyes curving up. She looked bright and lively, extraordinarily attractive. Finally coaxing Valentin into a good mood, Ashley was just about to say something when she was suddenly embraced in Valentin¡¯s arms, followed closely by a lingering kiss on her lips. Blinking, Ashley was stunned for only a second before responding by lifting her arms and hugging Valentin... After a long time, Ashley was held onto Valentin¡¯sp. She found afortable position against his arms, calming her errant breathing, and pressed her lips, feeling like they were a little swollen. She picked up the small mirror on the nightstand and took a look. Sure enough, her lips were a bright red and moist, like sakura jelly. Putting the mirror back, Ashley looked up to kiss Valentin¡¯s chi d said, ¡°Let¡¯s not tell Lester about my injury until we meet during the It wouldn¡¯t worry them this way. And not many people knew about her kidnapping this time. So want to spread it around yet. Chapter 334 Ever watchful for Ashley¡¯s wound to tear and bleed again, Valentin nodded at her words. ¡°All right.¡± The two had just been talking for a while when Valentin¡¯s cell phone Tang. He answered the phone. Ashley was suspicious for a split second, thinking, ¡®Calling sote at night, it looks like it¡¯s something important.¡¯ She got up from Valentin¡¯s arms, intending to wait for him to finish his call before asking. As she was thinking about it, she received a message on her cell phone. Andrew sent: [The DNA testing result is in.] Ashley was excited and thought, ¡°The result of my DNA test with the Pliskin family?¡¯ She replied: [Take a picture and send it to me?] Andrew said: [Baby, agree to my pursuit, and I''ll show you.] Ashley was stunned. She thought, ¡°This asshole trying to take advantage of it?¡± Ashley was so angry that she typed quite a bit harder. [I''ll repeat it. married with a license. I¡¯m the one with a husband now]. Andrew lifted his eyelidszily and tapped the words slowly. [Oh, y so mean.] Ashley was speechless. She thought, ¡®Oh? | wasn¡¯t mean enough for him.¡¯ Ashley didn¡¯t want to talk to him. She thought she would know the test results when she met with the Pliskin family and did it again tomorrow. Ashley sat on the side of the bed and looked up into Valentin¡¯s deep eyes. He hadn''t finished his call and was still listening to his men on the other end of the line report something, but he kept looking at her.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. IM 09:57 Alittle touched, Ashley pulled him down on the bed with her before taking off her shoes and sitting in his arms. When he hung up, Ashley asked curiously, ¡°Calling sote, something important?¡± Valentin took her by the shoulders. ¡°I was about to tell you. We found out about Cara¡¯s rtionship with Tyler.¡± Ashley raised her interest. ¡°What''s the rtionship between them? | remember there was a rumor online earlier that Cara grew up in an orphanage.¡± Valentin shook his head slightly. ¡°She wasn¡¯t raised in an orphanage, but Tyler raised her from a young age.¡± Ashley was taken aback. ¡°Are they a father and daughter?¡± Valentin replied, ¡°No.¡± Ashley looked slightly puzzled and thought, ¡®Even if they aren¡¯t father and daughter, Tyler raised Cara from a very young age, and he¡¯s almost like a family to Cara. | didn¡¯t realize they had such a rtionship... But why would Cara and Tyler target me?¡± Ashley didn¡¯t interact with Cara and Tyler and didn¡¯t know either of them. Time passed by, and the rays of the morning sun shone through the window. Valentin carefully looked at Ashley''s face and saw that she looked okay but hadn¡¯t slept all night and her eyes were bloodshot. ¡°Do you want to take a nap? Or eat something?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not actually sleepy.¡± Ashley rubbed her stomach and blinked. ¡°Let¡¯s eat breakfast first.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Valentin didn¡¯t even bother to let her walk, picking her up straight away and carrying her to the dining room. The breakfast was hearty, and the table was full of Ashley''s favorite foods. Joseph came over just in time to see the table full of breakfast and sat down with no ceremony at all. 09:57 ¡°What a coincidence! I¡¯ve been thinking about Ashley¡¯s meeting with the Pliskin family and immediately came back after getting home. Just in time, | get to have another free meal.¡± Ashley had nothing to say. She had long since gotten used to him being like this. After breakfast, Ashley went to wash up. Then she went to the cloakroom to change her clothes. A zipper was on the back of her dress, and Ashley stood in front of the dressing mirror, just about to backhand it up. Valentin then walked over. ¡°Let me do it.¡± He was obviously concerned that her movements would stretch her wound. Ashley couldn''t help but smile. Looking at herself and Valentin in the mirror, she suddenly said, ¡°I realized... She paused here. Valentin lowered his eyes tosh the zipper of her dress. ¡°What?¡± Ashley smiled, ¡°I realized I¡¯m really liking you more and more.¡± Valentin paused in his movements all at once. Two secondster, his eyebrows rose imperceptibly, pleasure filling eyes. ¡°How much do you like me?¡± The dress was zipped up. Ashley turned and kissed Valentin lightly on the lips. ¡°I like you so n that | want to kiss you every day.¡± It was time for Ashley and Valentin to head to the meeting ce they agreed on with the Pliskin family. Of course, Joseph couldn¡¯t wait and followed along... Chapter 335 Herculy Restaurant, one of the most famous restaurants in Kilos City, a property of the Kingsley Group, was built right next to the river, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the entire river and the cruise ships traveling on the river. In the third-floor box, the Pliskin family had arrived before ten o''clock in the morning. The closer it got to the appointment, the more nervous Karen became, smoothing her hair every now and then. She straightened her cor again and looked at Brian anxiously. Help me. Is there something wrong with me like this?¡± Brian would never palter with Karen, no matter the big or small issues. After scrutinizing her carefully, he raised his hand to straighten Karen¡¯s cor and smiled, ¡°No problem. Ashley will definitely like you when she sees you.¡± Karen felt relieved after hearing this. She didn¡¯t know yet if Ashley was her real daughter who had been lost as a child, but just seeing Ashley''s face in a picture made her love Ashley. Even if Ashley wasn¡¯t her real daughter, she hoped she could leave a good impression on Ashley at this meeting. So fromst night to now, Karen was so nervous and excited that she didn¡¯t even sleep well. Brian took her hand and reassured her, ¡°Take it easy and rx He implied that he was pretty calm. Karen nced at him. ¡°You say that like you¡¯re not nervous. Who was the one who stayed up all night with mest night and couldn¡¯t sleep?¡± Brian fell silent. Looking at his two sons beside him, Brian found George was fine. His expression was indifferent, as usual. But Lester held back augh, and Brian looked at him and thought he was annoying. So Brian, who had been poked in public and didn¡¯t dare say anything to his wife, turned his head and threw his anger at Lester. ¡°Lester, what are 115Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. you still sitting here for? Go see if Ashley''s here yet.¡± Lester was speechless. He thought, ¡°Yes, that¡¯s how low my familial status is at home.¡± Lester got up and headed out of the box. The apanying bodyguards and assistants were all standing guard outside the box, along with Tyler, the personal physician of the Pliskin family. Tyler looked calm and thought, ¡®If nothing unexpected, Cara has gotten someone to tie Ashley up. So, Ashley couldn¡¯te to today¡¯s meeting anyway. Smiling triumphantly, Tyler thought, Ashley wants to im kinship with the Pliskin family? No way! Seeing Lestere out of the box, Tyler hurriedly put away his smile and stepped forward to ask, ¡°Mr. Pliskin, it''s almost ten o''clock. Ms. Ramos still hasn¡¯t arrived. Is she noting?¡± Lester was tall, a head taller than Tyler. He looked down at Tyler nonchntly. ¡°How do you know Ashley isn¡¯ting?¡± Tyler raised a hand to hold his sses and said politely, as usual, ¡°I just saw that it was almost time for the appointment, and Ms. Ramos still hadn¡¯te over, so | guessed that she might be dyed by something.¡± Lester looked at him and smiled, ¡°It¡¯s not even ten o''clock. Why are you in a hurry?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°By the way, Mr. Morgan, please do another DNA test on Ashley and the Pliskin family today.¡± Tyler was slightly taken aback at his words. ¡°Do another one?¡± Lester asked back, ¡°Isn¡¯t it okay?¡± Tyler feigned confusion and said, ¡°You''ve already done two DNA tests. with Ms. Ramos that showed no blood rtionship, which means she¡¯s not your sister or the daughter that the Pliskin family is looking for. Why do you need to do it again?¡± Lester had a lot of emotions welling up in his eyes as he watched Tyler, 09:57 looking so devoted to thinking of the Pliskin family. He thought, ¡®If Valentin didn¡¯t remind me, | really wouldn¡¯t have seen. what was wrong with Tyler. Lester smiled meaningfully and sighed deliberately, ¡°Mr. Morgan, even though we¡¯ve already had two identifications with Ashley, my parents just love Ashley so much and always felt a connection to her. They want Ashley to be their daughter so much that they want to take the opportunity of this meeting to do another DNA test.¡± Tyler''s fists clenched slightly after hearing that. But Lester¡¯s words made sense. He couldn¡¯t argue with it and just. responded, ¡°Okay, | got it, Mr. Pliskin.¡± Lester nced meaningfully at him without another word and turned back to the box. Once Lester left, Tyler turned serious. But he wasn¡¯t worried because he believed Ashley couldn¡¯t attend today¡¯s meeting anyway. He hadn''t contacted Cara since thest time Cara had been disgraced so as not to be implicated because many people were watching Cara and trying to investigate her. Not to mention Ashley and Valentin, even Lester and George might be secretly investigating Cara. This time, Tyler informed Cara about the meeting between the Pliskin family and Ashley through a hidden way, like expressing, and asked Cara to find someone to kidnap Ashley and stop Ashley from meeting with the Pliskin family. ording to the n, Tyler believed Ashley was now kidnapped and could nevere over to meet with the Pliskin family. Tyler thought, ¡®So don¡¯t even think about making a DNA test this time.¡± Thinking so, Tyler gradually eased up. He nced at the time in a good mood. It wasn¡¯t long until ten o¡¯clock. He thought, ¡®Heh, Ashley¡¯s not here yet... Just then, Lester¡¯s assistant came stomping up the stairs. ¡°Quick, tell Mr. Lester Pliskin that Ms. Ramos ising! Shees with Mr. Kingsley. They¡¯re already downstairs.¡± 09:57 on instantly turned terrible.rrible. hley¡¯s here? How is this possible: Cara didn¡¯t make it? don got worse. His eyes were bloodshopustion with anger, and hat the hell is wrong with Carn: How canoes she let me over again? out his cell phone, Tyler wanted to call alto ara to ask for elieved doubts urred to him that if he called, it would espole pose his h Cara. George and Lester came striding our of the bombdx. and this phone away upon seeing them ice Ashley is already here, it means that Cara has hoca been ng our the kidnapping. I¡¯d better not call dara themashen, so yself. in the lobby of the first floor of the Herculy Restaurant rant. tong been waiting at the door with a group of people cople. ratasine property of the Kingsley Group. Now that that mooper in person. they dared not show any ck. oustics ck car pulled up to the door. uncer side of the car immediately and respectfully Hopefopen the doors. goung one of the car, the manager smiled. ¡°Mr. Kingsley. lev. lease coaste inside!¡± Iked into dient die just-floor lobby when they saw ning down frown from the upstairs box along with Tyler le ich attention cotone Tyler before, so she nced at him in ckly withdrew here her gaze. the saw Ashley. Thley ten scanned back and forth over CVET he looked normas mais it nothing unexpected had thought, Cara isso al no stupid. She can¡¯t even kidnap 7. Things aren''t as bad as pad neohey could be. 09:57 Seeing Ashley look no different when she saw him earlier, Tyler believed. he hadn¡¯t been exposed despite the failed kidnapping. He thought, ¡°That means Ashley and Valentin still don¡¯t have any about me. Then | can continue to fake the DNA test today... Chapter 336 Ashley didn¡¯t spare Tyler much attention, her gaze instead falling on Lester and George, her eyes shimmering beautifully. ¡°Have you been here long?¡± ¡°Not really, we just arrived not long ago,¡± Lester replied, his eyes twinkling with amusement. He thought, ¡®Well, actually, we have been here for quite a while. But it can¡¯t be helped. Mom and Dad were so eager to meet Ashley. Still, better not to mention it and stress her.¡¯ Spotting Valentin and Joseph beside her, Lester raised an eyebrow yfully. ¡°Oh, there¡¯s my little Joseph, still love to stick around others, huh?¡± Joseph''s expression instantly darkened. ¡°Stop calling me little, will you?!¡± He pondered irritably, ¡®I¡¯m clearly all grown up!¡¯ George looked at Lester calmly. ¡°Alright, Mom and Dad are waiting.¡± ¡°Ashley, let''s go. They''re upstairs in the private dining room. My parents have been looking forward to meeting you,¡± Lester said, skillfully squeezing George out of the way and happily taking the spot next to Ashley. Lester then affectionately led her upstairs, not even bothering about Valentin. George, having been pushed aside, was immediately speechless. Valentin, who was left behind, was also speechless.N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Joseph, watching Ashley and Lester chatting as they walked away, scratched his head in confusion and grabbed Valentin to follow them upstairs. ¡°Valentin,e on, I''ll go up with you!¡± Valentin nced at Joseph. Joseph pursed his lips a little. ¡°I know you only want to be with your wife, but she doesn¡¯t even care about you right now.¡± Valentin narrowed his eyes slightly but didn¡¯t respond. After teasing Valentin, Joseph turned to George, sarcastically saying, ¡°She doesn¡¯t care about you right now either.¡± George frowned a little but also didn¡¯t respond. Lester suddenly felt two icy stares drilling into his back as he walked upstairs. He turned around and saw Valentin and George with not-so-pleased expressions. Lester was a bit taken aback, wondering, ¡®What''s the matter? Trying to get close to Ashley is a matter of wits, isn¡¯t it fair?¡¯ However, faced with the cold res from George and Valentin, Lester couldn¡¯t help but feel a shiver run down his spine. Joseph chuckled smugly, thinking, ¡®Serves you right Lester! Call me little again, | dare you!¡± Upon reaching the third floor, Lester led Ashley around the corridor, grinning. ¡°My parents were so excited. The moment they heard you arrived, they wanted toe down to meet you.¡± Ashley quickly shook her head. ¡°No, no need.¡± She felt that it wasn¡¯t quite appropriate for the elders toe downstairs to meet her personally. Lester smiled, ¡°I convinced them to wait. | was afraid their enthusiasm might make you feel ufortable.¡± Ashley just smiled faintly and pondered, ¡®Too much enthusiasm, huh?¡¯ The next second, as they entered the private room, Ashley experienced the overwhelming warmth Lester had mentioned. ¡°Ashley, we''ve been looking forward to meeting you, we finally get to see...¡± Upon seeing the door open, Karen immediately stood up and walked forward, but after clearly seeing Ashley¡¯s face, she slightly trembled, and the word ¡°you¡± stuck in her throat. Karen mused, ¡®This girl... Her features resemble mine so much... Seeing her in person feels even more simr than in photos!¡¯ Her heart clenched, and her eyes nearly bored into Ashley. Karen felt an inexplicable sense of closeness and wanted to hold Ashley¡¯s hand but hesitated, fearing it might be too forward. Karen''s trembling hand reached halfway, not daring to grasp. Not just Karen, even Brian was initially taken aback after seeing Ashley in person, and then a glint sparkled in his eyes. He thought, ¡®She looks very simr to Karen... Could Ashley possibly be our daughter who went missing when she was young?¡± Ashley then observed Karen as she walked over. Karen was dressed elegantly and exuding a dignified charm, her wrist adorned with a diamond bracelet. Her well-maintained appearance made it hard to guess her actual age, and she radiated a graceful and affable presence. Ashley immediately recognized her as Lester and George¡¯s mother, Karen. Beside her, the gentleman with a refined demeanor and a hint of sharpness in his eyes was Lester and George''s father, Brian. Seeing Karen¡¯s hesitation to shake her hand, as if afraid of being rejected, Ashley inexplicably felt a sense of inexplicable compassion. Without even stopping to think, Ashley instinctively reached out and held Karen¡¯s hand, greeting her warmly. ¡°Hello, Mrs. Pliskin!¡± As Karen felt her hand that was suspended in mid-air suddenly enveloped in a soft warmth, it moved her nearly to tears. She eagerly held Ashley''s hand, her face beaming with joy. ¡°Ashley, please sit down! This is our first meeting, so we¡¯ve prepared some gifts for you. | hope you like them.¡± After Karen finished speaking, the assistants and bodyguards entered one after the other, each holding an exquisite gift box. Ashley was startled by the sight of so many gifts, wondering, ¡®Isn¡¯t this a bit too much?¡¯ The lids of the boxes were open, revealing an array of luxury items like jewelry, watches, clothing, car keys, property deeds for a vi, and even ownership certificates for a private ind. Ashley immediately turned to Lester beside her and conveyed with her eyes. ¡®This is too extravagant. How can | possibly ept them?¡¯ Just then, George, Valentin, and Joseph also had arrived. Seeing the seemingly endless array of astonishing gifts, Joseph was utterly stunned, thinking, ¡®Isn¡¯t this the kind of treatment you''d expect for one¡¯s own daughter?¡¯ Lester smiled, ¡°I told my mom to keep it simple, yet she still thought these wasn¡¯t enough... Ashley, my parents really like you. They weren¡¯t sure what gift you''d like, so they prepared a bit of everything. Just ept them.¡± George added, ¡°If it''s too much hassle, we can have them delivered directly to your home.¡± Ashley fell silent for a while before responding, ¡°Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Pliskin. I''ll ept them.¡± ¡°Aha! That''s good! | would have been heartbroken if you wouldn''t,¡± Karen eximed with a joyful smile, affectionately pulling Ashley to sit down. Brian wasn¡¯t as expressive as Karen, but the happiness in his eyes and warmth toward Ashley was unmistakable and impossible to hide. Since they already knew Valentin would being, Karen and Brian weren''t too surprised. After a few words of pleasantries, everyone took their seats. The assistants and bodyguards left the room, and Tyler stayed outside the private room. Meanwhile, Valentin sat next to Ashley inside the private dining room. Karen looked at the two and finally asked the question she had been curious about, ¡°Ashley, you and Mr. Kingsley...¡± Ashley pressed her lips together, took Valentin¡¯s hand, and dered, ¡°Valentin and | are already married, but we haven''t made it public yet, so it¡¯s not known outside.¡± Karen thought in shock, ¡®Married? Ashley is already married?¡± Karen and Brian exchanged nces, and both looked equally astounded. Then, Karen red at Lester. Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated for All Books Updates... Lester smiled unapologetically, having waited to see this moment unfold. ¡°Ashley, was it Valentin who pursued you?¡± Karen asked fondly, suddenly addressing Valentin with more intimacy. She then thought, ¡®Come to think of it, Valentin and Ashley are indeed quite a match.¡¯ Ashley was surprised. ¡°Why do you ask that?¡± Karen smiled, ¡°I¡¯m experienced, and after seeing some news about you and Valentin online, | pretty much figured out a bit of it myself!¡± Ashley turned to Valentin and smiled. Valentin raised an eyebrow slightly, thinking Karen, indeed, had guessed it right. It was he who pursued Ashley. ¡°For years, Brian and | have been searching for our little girl, but unfortunately, we¡¯ve never been able to find her... ¡°Ashley, | know we''ve done two paternity tests with you before, and both showing no blood rtion, but | always feel a closeness to you... I''d like to do another test today if you¡¯re willing...¡± Ashley, so familiar with her own face, couldn''t help but notice the resemnce between herself and Karen. Moreover, Valentin had also discovered some issues with Tyler. Looking sincerely at Karen and Brian, Ashley nodded earnestly. ¡°I¡¯m willing. Let''s do another test.¡± Upon hearing this, Karen¡¯s eyes immediately lit up, and her hand trembled as she grasped Ashley''s. ¡°Ashley, thank you, | really appreciate this...¡± Ashley quickly reassured her, ¡°You don¡¯t need to thank me for this.¡± Brian, equally overjoyed, suggested. ¡°Let¡¯s not do a blood test this time. We can use hair instead.¡± They, too, felt reluctant to draw Ashley¡¯s blood repeatedly for the paternity tests. Karen immediately plucked a few strands of her hair and said, ¡°Use mine.¡± Not wanting to be outdone, Brian also pulled out a few of his own hairs. ¡°And mine, mine should be used too!¡± Lester was even tempted to pull out a few of his own hairs to join in the test. Since they weren''t drawing blood, Ashley also plucked a few strands of her hair. After Lester and George exchanged a knowing nce, they then acted ordingly with their earlier n. They stood up, collected the hair samples, and carefully ced each into separate transparent small bags. After leaving the private dining room, Lester handed the hair samples to Tyler, saying, ¡°Mr. Morgan, please conduct another test for us.¡± Tyler, who had been waiting outside the room, took the samples and replied, ¡°Of course, Mr. Lester Pliskin.¡± As he lowered his head, a sinister glint shed across his eyes. Tyler pondered, ¡®This time, the DNA test between Ashley and the Pliskin family will also show no blood rtion!¡± Tyler then lifted his head and spoke professionally. ¡°Mr. Lester Pliskin, would you and Mr. George Pliskin like to observe the testing process?¡± Lester smiled, ¡°No need, Mr. Morgan. We''ve worked with you for many years and trust youpletely.¡± Tyler smiled, exchanged a few more words, and then turned to leave. As soon as Tyler left, Lester¡¯s smile instantly faded. He pulled out his phone and made a call, summoning another doctor. This was a top-notch doctor they had contacted in advance. Lester handed the remaining hair samples to this doctor, asking for a separate DNA test to be conducted. Chapter 337 There was a hospital near the Herculy Restaurant. Since Lester had previously arranged for the DNA test to be done there, the director politely greeted Tyler when he arrived and then courteously ushered him in. After all, the Pliskin family was one of the top four financial conglomerates. They couldn''t afford to offend them. Before the test, Tyler made a trip to the restroom. Uponing out of the restroom, he encountered a doctor in the hallway. The doctor, dressed in a white coat, was on the phone, talking about how a recent family issue had cost a lot of money to resolve, leaving him in debt and without a penny to spare. Tyler overheard that but didn¡¯t pay much attention until he caught a glimpse of hair samples in the doctor''s hand. Each of these hair samples was carefully ced in individual transparent small bags. Tyler thought, ¡®Those bags... They look very familiar!¡¯ His eyes widened in shock as he wondered, ¡®Aren''t these the same as the hair samples Lester gave me? Could it be...that Lester had asked another doctor to do the DNA test for Ashley?¡¯ As the doctor was about to pass by, Tyler quickly intercepted him and noticed the doctor¡¯s name tag that read ¡°Gary Baldwin.¡± ¡°Dr. Baldwin.¡± Tyler greeted politely with a smile and continued, ¡°The hair samples you¡¯re holding, they¡¯re for a paternity test, right?¡± Gary gave Tyler a strange look. ¡°Why do you ask?¡± Tyler replied politely with a smile, ¡°You''re holding hair samples, and as fellow doctors, of course | can tell they¡¯re probably for a paternity test.¡± With that, Gary chuckled naively, ¡°You have guessed it right. They¡¯re indeed for a paternity test.¡± However, Gary¡¯s right hand, tucked in his coat pocket, was holding a recording pen. The pen was in recording mode, secretly capturing their entire conversation. After hearing Gary¡¯s response, Tyler¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and he promptly asked, ¡°Dr. Baldwin, is this paternity test for...the Pliskin family?¡± Gary looked wary as if hesitating to respond. Seeing his reaction, Tylerughed heartily. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Dr. Baldwin! I¡¯m not prying. I¡¯m here at this hospital today because the Pliskin family asked me to conduct a paternity test for them. | just saw you with the hair samples that looked like mine and was curious, that¡¯s all!¡± Gary seemed convinced and still smiling naively, ¡°Mr. Morgan, since you''re the Pliskin family¡¯s personal doctor, | won''t hide it from you. These hair samples were given to me by Mr. Pliskin for a paternity test. He wants to see if Ashley is the lost heiress of the Pliskin family.¡± Tyler¡¯s heart sank upon hearing this, thinking, ¡®This is bad. Lester is having another doctor do the test and didn¡¯t inform me. He clearly suspects me. But why? | haven''t slipped up. Luckily, | had identally stumbled upon this... | can still salvage this!¡¯ In a sh of thought, Tyler stepped closer to Gary, lowering his voice as he said, ¡°Dr. Baldwin, | overheard your phone call just now about being short on cash and in debt...¡± With a stern look, Gary frowned, ¡°Mr. Morgan, what are you implying?!¡± ¡°Dr. Baldwin, don¡¯t rush to conclusions! | just heard you¡¯re in need of money. We''re both doctors, so we''re practically colleagues. | just want to help you out!¡± ¡°Help me out? How do you n to help me, Mr. Morgan? Lend me money?¡± Tyler¡¯s face broke into a friendly smile, replying, ¡°Not a loan, but a gift.¡± Gary looked at Tyler skeptically. ¡°We don¡¯t know each other, and this is our first meeting. Why would you be so generous as to give me money for free?¡± Tyler continued smiling, ¡°You''re right, that¡¯s why | need a small favor from you, Dr. Baldwin.¡± Gary asked, ¡°What kind of favor?¡± Tyler said, ¡°All you need to do is alter the DNA test result Lester asked you to do, make it report as has no blood rtion.¡± ¡°What...¡± Gary seemed troubled, but his hand hidden in the coat pocket secretly clenched the recording pen, ensuring the recording was crystal clear. ¡°Dr. Baldwin, you just need to change a test result with a flick of your finger. That¡¯s not too hard, right?¡± Tyler paused and then enticingly added, ¡°Once it¡¯s done, I''ll give you 600 thousand dors. Is that enough to solve your problem?¡±Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. ¡°Six hundred thousand dors...¡± Gary was still hesitating. ¡°Yes, | will transfer the 600 thousand dors directly to your ount. Rest assured, | will not break my promise,¡± Tyler said with a sinister smile. ¡°Just a small tweak in the test results, and you will get 600 thousand dors. Sounds like a good deal, doesn¡¯t it?¡± After a moment''s hesitation, Gary then decided to go all in for the money. ¡°Alright, | agree! So, Mr. Morgan, what result do you want me to change it to?¡± Tyler narrowed his eyes determinedly. ¡°Change it to...Ashley and the Pliskin family have no blood rtion!¡± Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated for All Books Updates... Tyler scoffed, ¡°You just need to do as | say!¡± Gary chuckled naively, appearing quite simple-minded, ¡°We all know the Pliskin couple had lost a daughter, it¡¯s no secret. The Pliskin family has been searching for their heiress for years. But | heard the girl¡¯s disappearance was suspicious, not like a child just wandered off, more like it was orchestrated...¡± Tyler then frowned at Gary. Gary had a fascinated expression as if he were deeply engrossed in high-society gossip. ¡°Mr. Morgan, how did you know Ashley is the heiress of the Pliskin family? Or is it that you know something about some inside story of the Pliskin family heiress¡¯s disappearance?¡± Tyler¡¯s expression instantly turned grim. ¡°Why are you asking so many questions?¡± ¡°Just curious.¡± Gary chuckled and asked more eagerly, ¡°Mr. Morgan, even the Pliskin family themselves doesn¡¯t know Ashley is their lost heiress, but you do... You must know some inside information, right? Tell me, how did the Pliskin family¡¯s heiress get lost?¡± ¡°How could | possibly know!¡± Tyler responded with a disinterested expression. Tyler was rendered speechless. As Gary spoke, he suddenly gasped in shock. ¡°Mr. Morgan, you didn¡¯t tamper with the results back then, did you?¡± Tyler¡¯s eyes flickered, and he red at him impatiently. ¡°Why are you asking so many questions! Just change the test results as | instructed, and once it¡¯s done, I''ll give you 600 thousand dors. Understand?!¡± Gary chuckled slyly while hiding the recording pen in his pocket, ¡°Okay, Mr. Morgan, I''ll do as you say and change the test result to show no blood rtion between Ashley and the Pliskin family.¡± Tyler then nced around, confirming that no one was nearby and that there were no surveince cameras in the corridor. He reminded Gary again, ¡°Remember, do exactly as I¡¯ve instructed.¡± With that thought, Tyler smirked smugly and repeated his instructions to Gary again. ¡°Remember, do as | say, and you''ll get 600 thousand dors once it¡¯s done. I¡¯m leaving now.¡± As soon as Tyler left, Gary immediately took out his phone and called Lester. Gary excitedly said, ¡°Mr. Pliskin, | have just tricked Tyler into talking and recorded everything with the recording pen. I''ll send the recording to you right away!¡± Chapter 338 Meanwhile, outside the private dining room on the third floor of Herculy Restaurant, Lester took the recording pen and pressed the y button. From the recording pen came a crackling electrical sound, followed by the conversation between Tyler and Gary. Upon hearing the part about Ashley and the Pliskin family having a blood rtion, Lester¡¯s body stiffened, thinking, ¡®Ashley and the Pliskin family...¡± Just then, Valentin and George came out of the room. ¡°George, where¡¯s Ashley?¡± Lester immediately asked, his voice filled with eager excitement. ¡°She''s inside, talking with Mom and Dad,¡± George replied, his usually indifferent expression softening slightly. Although they had expected their parents to like Ashley, they hadn¡¯t anticipated just how much. Their parents practically had clung to her hand, seemingly reluctant to let go. And then there was Joseph, whose smooth talking kept their parents constantlyughing. Valentin¡¯s deep eyes shifted to the recorder in Lester¡¯s hand. ¡°What did you find out?¡± Lester then looked around. After seeing only their bodyguards nearby and no suspicious outsiders around, he excitedly yed the recording again. ¡°Listen, Tyler is trying to bribe Gary to secretly change the test results. The truth is, Ashley and the Pliskin family are blood- rted! She really is our sister!¡± George had always been reserved, but at this very moment, he could distinctly feel his heart pounding heavily, giving him the sense of reiming a valuable treasure he thought was gone forever. He murmured, ¡°Ashley really is our sister...¡± ¡°Yes! This time it¡¯s confirmed!¡± Lester eximed excitedly. He then yed the recording again while holding it close to his ear to hear every detail and smiling happily. After listening, he reyed it again. In just a short while, Lester had yed it dozens of times. Valentin was at a loss for words and thought, ¡®Although Lester¡¯s behavior is a bit overly enthusiastic, this is undoubtedly great news. Ashley¡¯s parents aren¡¯t Evan and Bertha. Ashley has no rtion to the Ramos family. Her real family is the Pliskin family...¡± Lester¡¯s fingers trembled slightly as he held the recording pen. His emotions overwhelmed him like turbulent waters. But upon recalling Tyler¡¯s words in the recording, Lester¡¯s eyes suddenly turned cold. Lester then turned to look at Valentin. Although he disapproved of Ashley¡¯s early marriage to him, he sincerely acknowledged, saying, ¡°Your move was brilliant, and it was able to confirm Ashley¡¯s connection to the Pliskin family in advance. ¡°And, furthermore, someone tampered with the DNA test between Ashley and the Ramos family, and it¡¯s highly likely that the one behind it is Tyler.¡± Lester wondered, ¡®How did Tyler know about Ashley''s connection to the Pliskin family so early? And why did he tamper with the DNA test, preventing Ashley from returning to the Pliskin family? Tyler even intentionally manipted the DNA test between Ashley and the Ramos family. Back when the heiress of our Pliskin family went missing, we already felt suspicious... Could it be rted to Tyler?¡± At that moment, George looked expressionlessly at Valentin, thinking, ¡®Although Valentin¡¯s move confirmed Ashley as my sister, it also confirmed that my sister, an innocent girl, was taken away by Valentin...¡¯ George then closed his eyes, forcing himself to look away from Valentin, or else his irritation would only grow. Valentin was puzzled by George¡¯s reaction. Lester nced at the private dining room and then at George. ¡°George, should we tell Mom and Dad now that Ashley is our sister, or wait until the DNA test resultse out?¡± George replied, ¡°Let¡¯s wait for the test results.¡± He pondered, ¡®Tyler thinks he has bought Gary, but it was just a trap for Tyler. Once Gary¡¯s test results are out, they will be more credible, and it will be more convincing for Mom, Dad, and Ashley.¡¯ ¡°Alright, we''ll wait for Gary''s test results before telling Ashley and Mom and Dad,¡± Lester said, putting away the recording pen and opening the private dining room door. Once he opened the door, he was greeted by a room filled withughter and cheerful voices. Joseph was charming Karen with his stories, his face beaming with pride as he recounted. ¡°You have no idea how impressive Ashley was back then! She had made Ryan beg for mercy on the racetrack in front of everyone!¡± Karen, holding Ashley¡¯s hand, was both delighted and concerned. ¡°Ashley is indeed impressive, but isn¡¯t car racing very dangerous?¡± Ashley smiled sweetly, ¡°It¡¯s a bit dangerous, but it¡¯s okay.¡± Karen was somewhat reassured and said affectionately, ¡°I really love the clothes you design. I¡¯m even a VIP member of Glory Youveile! This dress I¡¯m wearing right now is one of your designs!¡± Ashley, of course, had instantly recognized the dress and had heard about it from Lester before. She smiled, ¡°That dress looks very elegant on you. Do you have any specific style you like? | can design it exclusively for you.¡± Karen beamed with joy, growing fonder of Ashley. She mused, ¡®If only Ashley were really my daughter...¡¯ Lester entered the room and looked around, asking, ¡°Why is everyone standing? Are you all going out?¡± Brian, who had been watching Ashley with a gentle gaze, lost some of that warmth when he turned to Lester. Lester took a deep breath and sighed inwardly, ¡®Oh my ever-decreasing family rank...¡± Brian and Karen had arrived in Kilos City yesterday, knowing they were meeting Ashley at Herculy Restaurant, and hade early to explore. Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated for All Books Updates... Lester nodded. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go check it out.¡± The cruise ship was already docked, waiting for its distinguished guests toe aboard. As everyone was about to board the yacht, Jeremy and Ryan, who happened to be nearby, spotted Ashley in the crowd and rushed over excitedly. ¡°Ashley!¡± Jeremy¡¯s excitement was palpable, like someone who had finally found an oasis after wandering in a desert for days, his face flushed with exhration. He thought excitedly, ¡®I finally got to see Ashley again! It¡¯s been so hard just to get a glimpse of her!¡¯ Ryan was visibly thrilled. Having learned about Ashley¡¯s and Valentin¡¯s rtionship, Ryan and Jeremy weren¡¯t surprised to see Valentin by Ashley¡¯s side. However, seeing Lester and George beside Ashley, Ryan¡¯s brows furrowed in confusion. Ryan wondered, ¡®Why is Ashley with the Pliskin family? | remember seeing her at the hospital doing a DNA test with them...¡¯ ¡°Ashley...¡± Ryan stepped forward, attempting to squeeze his way in between Lester and Ashley. But Ashley stepped back, clearly indicating she didn¡¯t want to be too close to Ryan. Ryan¡¯s bright eyes dimmed instantly, and his head hung low, looking utterly dejected. Karen and Brian had seen the news online about the Ramos family¡¯s previous mistreatment and abuse of Ashley. Therefore, when they saw Jeremy and Ryan approaching Ashley, they immediately stood by Ashley protectively. Jeremy cautiously began to ask, ¡°Ashley, you and them...¡±Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. But before he could finish asking, Ashley interrupted coldly, ¡°It¡¯s none of your business.¡± Jeremy¡¯s heart instantly sank, and he went silent. Without paying them any more attention, Ashley boarded the yacht with the Pliskin family. Jeremy and Ryan instinctively followed but were stopped by the staff. ¡°This is a private yacht. Unauthorized persons are not allowed on board!¡± Watching Ashley walk away, Jeremy grew increasingly anxious. ¡°What does the Pliskin family want to do with Ashley? Will they bully her?¡± Ryan¡¯s expression tensed up. ¡°Ashley is our sister. We have to protect her!¡± Jeremy replied helplessly, ¡°But we can¡¯t even get on the yacht...¡± He pondered, ¡®Why are we so useless?!¡¯ Lester, who was walking ahead, overheard Jeremy and Ryan¡¯s conversation and smirked sarcastically, thinking, ¡®Sister?¡¯ Lester turned back and instructed the staff, ¡°Let theme.¡± He wanted Jeremy and Ryan to see for themselves who Ashley¡¯s real family was. Chapter 339 Jeremy and Ryan were a little confused. The staff had just stopped them from boarding, but suddenly they had permission. They wondered what Lester wanted to do. Ryan thought about it for a while and made up his mind. He was determined not to miss the chance to meet Ashley. Ryan advised, ¡°Jeremy, if he wants us on the cruise, then we''ll make it. After all, he is no match for us. ¡°Moreover, we need to get on the cruise and find Ashley.¡± Jeremy nodded. ¡°Here we go!¡± But they always found Lester difficult to deal with, who looked scheming. Finally, they called Frankie to avoid any idents. Jeremy took out his mobile phone and dialed Frankie¡¯s number. ¡°Ryan and | met Ashley at Herculy Restaurant, Frankie. Do you want toe over?¡± Frankie replied without hesitation, ¡°I''ll be there right away.¡± Jeremy sneered, ¡°We tell you every time we run into Ashley, but when you and Charlie met Ashley in Samniss City, you even kept it a secret from us.¡± Frankie couldn¡¯t exin it. He and Charlie indeed met Ashley yesterday at Samniss City, but they didn¡¯t even talk to Ashley at all, whopletely ignored them. Moreover, they heard something had happened to Ashleyst night. He and Charlie hurriedly asked Paul, but Paul kept it secret from them and told them nothing. He and Charlie were worried and only returned to Kilos City from Samniss City this morning. He now got a phone call from Jeremy, learning they ran into Ashley at Herculy Restaurant, and he was finally relieved. Frankie hung up the phone, asking Charlie and Matthew to get together with him. Matthew heard he could meet Ashley and hurriedly got prepared. On the cruise, Lester heard Jeremy calling Frankie, but he didn¡¯t stop him.Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. He hoped anyone from the Ramos family would be here. The results of the paternity test hadn¡¯t yet been sent, so the cruise didn¡¯t move forward but quietly docked on the wide river. In the evening, the night view would be even more beautiful. But it was sunny today with sunshine and breeze, making others refreshing. Comfortable tables and chairs were set up on the deck. Karen and Brian had the servants serve a variety of exquisite snacks and drinks. They learned about Ashley''s preferences in advance and prepared all the vors she preferred. Ashley noticed those delicate snacks, was slightly surprised, and then felt warm in her heart. She didn¡¯t expect Karen and Brian to take the informal meeting seriously, and they even learned about her preferences in advance. She couldn''t help but think of the first dinner back at Ramos Vi. Matthew insulted her, refused to share the meal with her, and even kicked her out of the table. But everyone in the Ramos family ignored her, and no one spoke for her. ¡°Come sit next to me, Ashley.¡± Karen pulled Ashley to take her seat affectionately as if she had endless topics to chat with. Brian listened to them talking and exchanged words from time to time. Although he didn¡¯t talk much, he heard them carefully. Brian checked the time on the watch. It would take a while for the paternity results toe out. He wondered if Ashley was their daughter. Karen chatted with Ashley. She handed her snacks and invited her to taste it. Ashley had finished them all. After all, she couldn¡¯t live up to Karen¡¯s wishes. Moreover, the snacks were prepared ording to her favorite vors, and she loved them all. Karen kept smiling all the time. As a senior, she enjoyed watching the younger generation having meals, which made her feel satisfied. As she had snacks, she suddenly thought of Valentin, who had disappeared. She even forgot Valentin when she had her snacks. Ashley immediately searched around and found Valentin standing at the bow of the cruise ship, leaning on the guardrail to make a phone call, looking extremely dignified. After hearing the response from the other end of the phone, Valentin looked a little gloomy. Even though he was on the phone, he still paid attention to Ashley''s direction, and when he met Ashley''s eyes, the gloom in his eyes dissipated, leaving only endless tenderness. Ashley secretly made a funny face at Valentin. Then, she continued to have snacks with her head down and chatted with Brian and Karen. Joseph stood next to Valentin, noticed the change in his sights, and realized Ashley had met Valentin¡¯s eyes. No one but Ashley could make Valentin change. Valentin heard the report from the subordinate on the phone but only stared at Ashley. He found the way Ashley had snacks lovely, and he wanted to pinch her cheeks. After a while, the subordinate finished reporting. Valentin snorted, raised his eyebrows, and ordered, ¡°Bring Cara here.¡± After speaking, he hung up the phone. Ashley was chatting with Brian and Karen when she looked up and met Lester and George. She found their gazes toward her grew kinder for no reason. She wondered what had happened. Karen took the chance and asked, ¡°Have the paternity resultse out, George?¡± George replied, ¡°It¡¯s still half an hour away.¡± Brian nodded. ¡°Then we''ll wait for it.¡± Karen felt anxious and added, ¡°Why is it taking so long?¡± She hurriedly wondered if Ashley was rted to them. She only spent a few hours with Ashley, but she grew to be keen on her. Even if they were not rted, Karen would treat Ashley as her family. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mom. Half an hour passed quickly.¡± Lester persuaded with a smile. Karen nced at Lester and said, ¡°I fear Ashley would get bored waiting here. Well, are you bored, Ashley? I''ll have George and Lester show you the talent.¡± Ashley choked on her words. Talent? Both George and Lester fell into silence. They didn¡¯t expect Karen to have them perform their talent. Lester nced at George. George looked calm and said nothing but took a step back to leave the chance to Lester. Lester was speechless. He couldn''t believe George left him alone.Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated for All Books Updates... When Frankie, Charlie, and Matthew came over, they happened to witness Ashley and the Pliskins enjoying themselves. ¡°You are finally here, Frankie!¡± Jeremy was always in anxiety. Ever since they boarded the cruise ship, he and Ryan had witnessed Ashley enjoy herself with the Pliskins from a distance. They wanted to find Ashley but feared to disturb her good mood. ¡°What''s going on? Who are they? Why are they so close to Ashley?¡± Matthew did not recognize Brian and Karen for a while. ¡°They are George and Lester¡¯s parents,¡± Ryan frowned, wishing he could rece Brian and Karen to get close to Ashley. Frankie looked solemn and inexplicably panicked, wondering, ¡®Why did Ashley meet Brian and Karen?¡± Charlie couldn¡¯t calm down and asked with doubt, ¡°Aren''t Brian and Karen in Takydo? Did theye to Zyrrinthia specifically to meet Ashley?¡± Matthew couldn¡¯t bear it anymore. ¡°How dare they? Ashley is our family. Why would they test her paternity?¡± Frankie remained silent, but he looked more nervous, and he stared straight in the direction of Ashley and the Pliskins. He found Ashley and the Pliskins got along well, and Ashley showed a bright smile that he had never met before. They chatted and joked together like a happy family. Matthew immediately clenched his fists, feeling jealous and envious. They had never been rxed and intimate with Ashley. ¡°Frankie.¡± Ryan felt distressed. He wanted to get along with Ashley like this, but he had no chance. ¡°How could the Pliskins do a paternity test with Ashley?¡± Chapter 340 Seeing Ashley getting along with the Pliskins, Frankie thought for a while and couldn¡¯t help but walk over. Charlie, Jeremy, and the others immediately followed. They couldn¡¯t allow the Pliskins to take Ashley away, no matter what had happened.Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. When Karen and Brian noticed Frankie and the others, they immediately became wary and protected Ashley from being bullied again. Valentin and Joseph came over, either. Ashley originally intended to amuse Valentin, but when she turned around and noticed Frankie approaching, the smile in her eyes dissipated, and she looked indifferent and alienated. She changed her attitude toward the Pliskins just now. Matthew noticed her expression and felt distressed. Their arrogance had alienated them from Ashley. Frankie could tell the Pliskins had an intense hostility towards them. George, in particr, stared at them with hatred in his eyes as if he wanted to teach them a lesson the next moment. Lester didn¡¯t show any sternness in his eyes, but he looked extraordinarily scheming, which left others suffocated. Frankie swallowed subconsciously, stopped several steps away from Ashley, looked at Lester, and spoke. ¡°Mr. Lester Pliskin, | heard from Ryan that you once did a paternity test with Ashley at the hospital, so you''re definitely not rted, right?¡± Frankie said firmly. After a pause, he continued, ¡°You''ve been looking for your lost daughter, and Ashley was popr for her abilities. It¡¯s normal that you wanted to take paternity test with her. But what a pity! Ashley is our sister, and has nothing to do with you.¡± Hearing Frankie¡¯s words, Ashley fell into the gloom. She could understand Frankie''s certainty. She had done three previous paternity tests with the Ramos family, all proving they had been rted. As expected, Frankie added, ¡°Ashley had done three previous paternity tests with us, all proving we had been rted. Ashley belongs to the Ramos family.¡± Jeremy felt resentful and echoed, ¡°Anyway, Ashley is our sister. Don¡¯t try to take her away.¡± Hearing this, Lester sneered coldly, with sarcasm in his eyes, ¡°Your sister? Then how did you treat her? You bullied her, abused her, and wanted to put her in jail. Is what what she get for being your sister? In that case, she is better off as a stranger for you.¡± Jeremy choked on his anger, blushed in awkward, and couldn''t utter a word to refute. They had done a lot of wrong things and hurt Ashley too many times. Hearing Lester¡¯s words, Frankie froze in ce. He suddenly felt a great sense of remorse and couldn''t refute it. Matthew gritted his teeth and shouted loudly, ¡°We admit our mistakes before, and we''ll make up for it. In the future, we''ll give everything Ashley wants.¡± The sarcasm in Lester¡¯s eyes deepened, and he sneered, ¡°To make up for it? What can you provide to make up for her? Money? Fame? But Ashley has more than you.¡± Matthew got furious, but he could do nothing with it. Lester was right. They couldn¡¯t make it up for Ashley and would just make it harder for her. Evan and others in the Ramos family had done a lot of wrong things, implicating Ashley and affecting her reputation. Hearing this, Brian and Karen felt distressed. They found anyone from the Ramos family could only cause Ashley harm. They indeed hoped the excellent Ashley would be their daughter. But Brian and Karen learned from Frankie that Ashley had done three paternity tests with them, proving they¡¯d been rted. They wondered how could it be possible. Karen and Brian looked at each other, feeling depressed. They hoped Ashley would have a rtionship with the Pliskin family. ¡°Ashley.¡± Charlie looked at Ashley with apologetic eyes. ¡°| know you don¡¯t like the Ramos family and us. But no matter what, we¡¯re a blood-rted family. ¡°We''ll never give you any more trouble. We''ll do our best to deal withments that affect you online.¡± Hearing this, Joseph couldn¡¯t help but sneer. Even if they wanted to help, Ashley didn¡¯t need it anymore. Valentin finally expressed his support for Ashley online to calm public opinion. Hearing Charlie¡¯s words, Ashley¡¯s expression grew colder, and so did her voice. ¡°Charlie, the paternity test | did with the Pliskins did prove that we¡¯re not rted. Today¡¯s test may have the same result. ¡°But even if | have nothing to do with the Pliskins, | am not your sister. You and | have long been no longer a family.¡± Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated for All Books Updates... Hearing Ashley''s voice, Frankie felt extremely distressed, and he even trembled with pain. Ashley¡¯s hatred for them had never diminished. They had nothing to do to make up for what they did to Ashley. Hearing this, Frankie and the others immediately became nervous. Lester¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change at all. The phone in his pocket vibrated, and he received a text message from Gary, telling him he had gotten the results of the test. Lester smiled slightly and said to the assistant, ¡°Have Tyler here.¡± The assistant immediately went over to deliver the order. After a while, Tyler boarded the cruise ship with the appraisal report and walked over. On the scene, Valentin, George, and Lester always remained calm at this moment. Brian and Karen looked at each other and nervously held each other¡¯s hands. Tyler could get in the way. Hence, they had another doctor fulfill the text besides Tyler, and they all looked forward to the results. Joseph''s palms were sweating, and he couldn¡¯t help but ask in a low voice, ¡°Do you have anything to do with the Pliskin family, Ashley?¡± Ashley replied, ¡°I have no idea about it.¡± Soon, Tyler came over with the appraisal report. Ryan frowned and almost lost his temper. ¡°What should we do, Frankie?¡± Tyler walked directly to Lester and handed over the appraisal report with both hands. ¡°Here are the appraisal results.¡± Lester didn¡¯t reach out to take it but said leisurely, ¡°No hurry.¡± Tyler looked puzzled. Lester stared at him yfully and added, ¡°We have to wait for another doctor here.¡± Chapter 341 Tyler knew the other doctor Lester mentioned was Gary. But Gary had been bribed by Tyler. At this thought, Tyler showed a confident sneer. Lester actually wanted to get the real results from Gary. Tyler found Lester¡¯s mind ridiculous. But Tyler still pretended to be confused at the moment and asked, ¡°What do you mean by it, Mr. Lester Pliskin?¡± Lester saw through his disguise with interest in his eyes. ¡°Since the doctor hasn¡¯t arrived yet, show everyone your appraisal report first, Mr. Morgan.¡± Hearing his words, Frankie and the others all looked toward Tyler. Tyler handed the appraisal report to Lester. ¡°Please review it in person, Mr. Lester Pliskin.¡± Lester didn¡¯t bother to reach out and take it. ¡°I''ll have you read it.¡± Tyler nced at Lester, then at George, Brian, and Karen. Finally, he nced over Ashley and Valentin with mixed eyes. Tyler then unfolded the appraisal report and read it. ¡°After identification, the DNA of the test specimen didn¡¯t match, and there was no blood rtionship between Ashley and Karen. Karen is not Ashley¡¯s biological mother. ¡°Ms. Ramos has no rtionship with the Pliskin family, Mr. Lester Pliskin.¡± Hearing the results, Jeremy and Matthew immediately shouted excitedly, ¡°No rtionship! Did you hear that? The paternity test showed that Ashley has nothing to do with the Pliskin family.¡± Frankie looked predictable. He had already learned Ashley came from the Ramos family and was their sister. In that case, the Pliskins couldn¡¯t take Ashley away. After Tyler read the appraisal results, he found Karen still holding Ashley¡¯s hand, and Brian showed his intention to get close to Ashley. Tyler sneered secretly and found their behavior ridiculous. He pretended to persuade with regret but actually secretly reminded, ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Pliskin, | can sense your favor toward Ms. Ramos, but it¡¯s a pity that Ms. Ramos has nothing to do with the Pliskin family.¡± Karen nced at him and said with dissatisfaction, ¡°Really?¡± Tyler shook his head with regret and sighed, ¡°Including today, | have done a total of three paternity tests on Ms. Ramos, and all of them showed she has no rtionship with the Pliskin family.¡± Karen wanted to refute it, but Brian stopped her and signaled her with his eyes not to waste time with Tyler. They had already expected Tyler¡¯s results, so they got prepared to ept any oue. They anxiously awaited the results of another doctor¡¯s results. Karen felt uneasy when she understood Brian¡¯s hint. She wondered what the other doctor¡¯s results would be. They wouldn¡¯t know if Ashley was rted to them until another doctor got the results. Ashley¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change all the time. She sensed Tyler¡¯s gaze but still stayed calm and looked towards him unhurriedly. But Tyler¡¯s back suddenly stiffened. Tyler met Ashley''s eyes and couldn''t help but feel afraid. Her gaze paralyzed him and made him tremble uncontrobly. Tyler gritted his teeth, and when he thought of Gary, who had been bribed by him, he forced himself to calm down and soon returned to his confident appearance. Ashley meant nothing to him, and it was ridiculous for him to be scared of her. He had everything under control now. Ashley and Karen¡¯s paternity test would always be false with him around. Tyler snorted disdainfully. When he turned to look at George and Lester, he hid the arrogance and conceit in his eyes. Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated for All Books Updates... George stayed silent, looked towards the boarding area indifferently, and caught a glimpse of a doctor boarding the cruise ship. It was Gary. Lester noticed Gary''s figure and smiled, ¡°Then we''ll check Mr. Baldwin¡¯s results.¡± Hearing this, Frankie and the others were shocked. In addition to Tyler, the Pliskins even had another doctor for evaluation. How cautious! Jeremy snorted indifferently and murmured, ¡°You''re just spinning your wheels. Ashley has nothing to do with the Pliskin family.¡± Matthew echoed in a low voice, ¡°No matter how many tests you take, Ashley is still our sister.¡± Gary hurriedly came over, holding two appraisal reports in his hand. One report identified the rtionship between Ashley and Karen, and the other identified the rtionship between Ashley and Brian. Tyler looked at Lester in distress. ¡°Mr. Lester Pliskin, | didn¡¯t expect you to misdoubt me and go to another doctor.¡± Lester smiled, ¡°I just try to make the results more convincing, Mr. Morgan.¡± After speaking, Tyler turned to look at Gary aside and gave him a stern look. Gary smiled honestly and nodded heavily to express his understanding. Seeing this situation, Tyler was quite pleased. At that moment, Brian and Karen were really nervous. Karen unconsciously pinched the back of Brian¡¯s hand with her nails. Brian didn¡¯t even feel the pain for a while, concentrating on Gary¡¯s identification results. Ashley looked at Gary and pinched her fingers unconsciously. Frankie and the others ensured Ashley¡¯s identity, but as they awaited the results, they still remained nervous. George couldn¡¯t help but stretch his head and look over. Karen couldn''t help but ask, ¡°Lester, George, how is it? What¡¯s the result?¡± Brian urged, ¡°No matter what the result is, don¡¯t hide it from us. Hurry up!¡± Joseph was anxious and nervous. He almost rushed over and grabbed the appraisal report. ¡°Hurry up!¡± Lester stared at the result for a while to ensure he had read it correctly. Then, he raised his head and looked at Ashley next to him. When he met Ashley¡¯s clear eyes, he chuckled and showed a joyful smile sincerely. Lester stared at the report for a long time without a word. Tyler noticed his silence, got confident, and his tone even became arrogant. ¡°Mr. Lester Pliskin, I¡¯m sure Mr. Baldwin''s report is definitely the same as mine.¡± But Lester looked at him with disdain the next moment, raised the report in his hand, and spoke loudly word by word. ¡°This report ispletely opposite to yours, Tyler.Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. ¡°After identification, my mother and Ashley meet the gic requirements. They are biological mother and daughter.¡± Chapter 342 As the words fell, Tyler was struck like lightning. His eyes widened in disbelief. ¡®How is this possible? ¡®A mother and daughter reunited? How could it be? ¡®| repeatedly instructed Gary to falsify the test results! ¡®This useless crap!¡¯ Tyler was angry and red at Gary with boiling anger. But Gary continued to smile innocently at him.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Tyler suddenly froze, realizing something. A look of fear crawled up in his eyes, and his back was instantly drenched in cold sweat. ¡®Ive been tricked... ¡®I''ve been fooled by Gary!¡¯ After hearing Lester¡¯s words, Karen got so excited that she nearly stumbled and fell. ¡°Lester, are you telling the truth? Ashley and | are rted by blood?¡± Lester handed over the DNA test report with a smile. ¡°Mom, see it for yourself.¡± Karen tremblingly took the report, her heart pounding like a drum. She felt a mix of anticipation and fear, afraid that Lester might be pranking her and it might be a false hope. Brian had already taken another copy of the DNA test report from Gary¡¯s hand. The test results showed that Brian was confirmed as Ashley''s biological father ording to the DNA test. After reading his report, Brian immediately turned to look at his wife¡¯s, which simrly stated ording to the DNA test, Karen was confirmed as Ashley¡¯s biological mother. Ashley was their daughter. She was their daughter! Karen looked at the word ¡°mother¡±, her nose tingled, and tears streamed down uncontrobly, carrying endless longing. ¡°Ashley... Ashley... ¡°My daughter... Mom has finally found you... | finally found you...¡± When Lester revealed the test results, a thunderous explosion echoed in Ashley¡¯s ears, like a dazzling white light bursting open, leaving her mind nk. Matching gic conditions... A mother and daughter by blood... Only at this moment, as warm and affectionate arms suddenly embraced her, did Ashley gradually regain her senses. Her delicate eyshes blinked slowly. Embracing her was her biological mother... Next to her were her biological father and brothers... Her family was not the Ramos family... But the Pliskin family... Karen saw Ashley standing there, utterly stunned, with no reaction. She gently let go of Ashley, her eyes filled with nervousness and panic. ¡°Ashley, do you...not ept us...¡± Karen''s voice choked up, and she felt overwhelming guilt. ¡°It¡¯s our fault we couldn''t find you for so many years, and you had to endure so much outside...¡± Everyone started crying. Tears welled up in Karen¡¯s eyes and gently fell onto Ashley¡¯s hand. Ashley¡¯s fingertips trembled as if her heart and fingers were connected. She heard Karen¡¯s choked-up voice and immediately shook her head. How could she me them... She was just momentarily shocked, finding it hard to believe... Looking at Karen¡¯s tear-stained face and seeing the strong sense of guilt and care in her eyes, it was a mother¡¯s love that she had never experienced before. It was the intense longing of a mother for her child that Ashley had never had before. Ashley¡¯s soul trembled. She slowly raised her hand and hugged Karen back. Valentin silently watched this scene. Ashley had finally touched the parental affection she had longed for since childhood... Joseph kept flipping through the two DNA test reports. His mouth stretched into a crazy grin. Ashley had finally found her real family, and she no longer had to suffer because of the Ramos family! And at this moment, the five Ramos brothers finally regained theirposure from the shock. How could Ashley be... ¡°It''s impossible! How could Ashley be the Pliskin family¡¯s daughter?¡± Matthew couldn''t bear to lose his sister. ¡°The second DNA test report must be wrong! It¡¯s definitely wrong!¡± Tyler, after hearing Matthew''s words, had an idea. ¡°Mr. Matthew Ramos, these two DNA test reports are different. There must be a mistake in one of them.¡± Lester smirked. ¡°Are you suggesting that Gary¡¯s report is wrong?¡± Tyler said, ¡°I can guarantee that mine is correct!¡± Since the attempt to bribe Gary had failed, Tyler decided to go all out to overturn Gary¡¯s DNA test results! Jeremy immediately said, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s clear that Gary''s report is the one with issues! Ashley is undoubtedly our sister!¡± Lester gave Jeremy a cold look, thinking, ¡®This idiot doesn¡¯t even realize he¡¯s being used by Tyler.¡¯ ¡°Tyler, since you keep insisting that Gary¡¯s report is wrong, let''s listen to this recording.¡± Lester spoke, taking out a recording device without wasting any more words. Tyler felt a pang of anxiety. ¡®Arecording? ¡®What recording?¡¯ Following that, Lester pressed the y button on the recording device. ¡°Mr. Baldwin, all you need to do is move your finger and change the evaluation result. After it¡¯s done, I''ll give you 600 thousand dors. Sounds like a good deal, right?¡± ¡°Well, Mr. Morgan, what do you want me to change the evaluation result to?¡± ¡°Just change it to ¡®Ashley and the Pliskin family have no blood rtion!¡¯.¡± The content in the recording pen was none other than Tyler¡¯s attempt to buy Gary with 600 thousand dors! Lester squinted his eyes, his gaze coldly fixed on Tyler, an overwhelming sense of pressure filling the air. ¡°Tell me, who¡¯s the one causing problems here?¡± Tyler was scared, trembling all over, and the color drained from his face as he staggered backward. ¡®How could there be a recording? ¡®Gary must have made this detailed recording! ¡®Gary intentionally set me up! ¡®No,ing up with such a well-nned and unexpected move isn¡¯t something Gary could do! ¡®| wouldn¡¯t be surprised if Lester is behind this n, and maybe even Valentin! ¡®I''m in big trouble... ¡®Now I¡¯mpletely exposed...¡¯ Tyler anxiously swallowed his saliva, struggling desperately, and turned to run outside. Acold gleam shed in George¡¯s eyes, and he raised his hand to signal two bodyguards beside him, who immediately rushed forward and forcefully held Tyler down. With a thud, Tyler was forced to kneel on the ground. Lester walked step by step towards him, lifted his right foot, and directly stepped on Tyler¡¯s hand, which was propped up on the ground. ¡°You also tampered with the first two DNA tests with Ashley. If it weren''t for you, we would have recognized Ashley long ago!¡± Lester finished speaking and ruthlessly crushed his hand underfoot. ¡°Ah!¡± Tyler¡¯s finger bones were on the verge of breaking, and the pain made him grit his teeth and struggle instinctively. But the bodyguards held him firmly. ¡°Behave yourself!¡± Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated for All Books Updates... ¡°Yeah, our Ramos family also did tests with Ashley,¡± Charlie said, looking puzzled. Ashley looked confused. What was going on with the Ramos family¡¯s DNA tests? Just then, Tom approached with Cara being guarded by bodyguards. Tom approached Valentin and respectfully said, ¡°Mr. Kingsley, Cara has been brought here.¡± Tyler, upon seeing Cara, was once again shocked. ¡®When was Cara captured? ¡®Was she captured when the attempt to kidnap Ashley failedst night?¡¯ Upon seeing Tyler kneeling on the ground, Cara blinked in slight surprise and immediately looked toward Ashley. Right away, Cara saw Ashley, Karen, and Brian in an affectionate pose. ¡®Did they finally find out that she¡¯s rted to the Pliskin family...¡± Cara stared intensely at Ashley with hatred in her eyes. Tom handed some information to Valentin. ¡°Mr. Kingsley, this is all the information we''ve gathered about Cara and Tyler.¡± Upon hearing this, Ashley leaned in to take a look. Tyler¡¯s immediate reaction was to deny. ¡°I don¡¯t know Cara!¡± Even though Ashley¡¯s DNA test exposed his deception, his rtionship with Cara remained a well-kept secret and couldn''t be uncovered. However, the next moment, Valentin looked down at him as if he were a struggling ant and threw several photos before him. ¡°These are evidence of your connection with Cara and proof of Cara¡¯s stic surgery.¡± stic surgery? As soon as they heard this, everyone turned to look at Cara. Cara had been under watch fromst night until now, with a paleplexion and a disheveled appearance. When she heard the words ¡°stic surgery¡±e out of Valentin¡¯s mouth, her whole body shuddered. She thought, ¡®How did Valentin find out about my stic surgery? ¡®How will he look at me... ¡®How much else did he discover...¡± Ashley¡¯s eyes narrowed as she quickly understood. Lester also reacted quickly, his eyes squinting. ¡°We never suspected Tyler before. It was him who tampered with Ashley¡¯s DNA test results twice, preventing us from recognizing Ashley. ¡°Cara intentionally had stic surgery to look like Ashley. We suspected Cara might be our lost daughter from the Pliskin family because of the resemnce between their eyebrows and eyes. Karen was horrified after hearing this. Not only did Tyler stop them from recognizing their biological daughter, but he also wanted to rece her with a fake daughter! Karen thought about it and quickly hugged Ashley. She wanted to hold her precious daughter close. Ashley was momentarily surprised and didn¡¯t adapt at first. After a few seconds, she slowly rxed and leaned on Karen. Ashley blinked her eyshes gently, resembling the wings of a butterfly as they broke free from a cocoon and bloomed like a flower in the sunlight... Brian protected his wife and daughter, looking at Tyler with a sharp gaze. ¡°Tyler, we''ve been good to you all these years. How can you repay us like this? What''s the deal with you and Cara? And what¡¯s your connection with Cara?¡± Valentin took another set of documents from Tom, speaking in a slow voice. ¡°Cara¡¯s background...¡± As he finished speaking, his sharp gaze turned to Frankie... Chapter 343 Frankie felt a sudden jolt in his heart. ¡®W-Why is he looking at me? ¡®| have nothing to do with Cara! ¡®Cara used to be so mean to Ashley. | couldn¡¯t stand her!¡± However, Valentin¡¯s gaze wasn¡¯t just on Frankie. His eyes, as cold as a frozen stream, swept across the other members of the Ramos family. Jeremy and the others tensed up, and their backs stiffened.N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. If it were anyone else looking at them, they wouldn''t be this silent and scared. But now, it was Valentin. How could they not be afraid? Valentin usually wouldn¡¯t even spare them a nce, but now he was actively looking at them... Moreover, just a moment ago, he was talking about Cara¡¯s background, and now he was looking at them, the Ramos family... Frankie and the others exchanged puzzled nces, not understanding what this meant. Suddenly, Matthew frowned, ¡°Charlie, have you been secretly contacting Cara again? ¡°So, is that why Cara is connected to the Ramos family?¡± Charlie immediately shook his head, his voice more urgent than usual. ¡°I haven''t!¡± He used to be naive and considered Cara a friend, but after everything that happened, he saw Cara¡¯s true colors. There was no way he would contact her again. Meanwhile, Cara, who was standing nearby, was slightly surprised when Valentin looked at the Ramos family. She didn¡¯t expect him to make a mistake like this... How could she possibly be connected to the Ramos family? She had no interest in the filthy mess that was the Ramos family. Valentin had definitely made a mistake in this matter. From the looks of it, Valentin hadn¡¯t found out much about her either. Cara breathed a sigh of relief. Matthew¡¯s tense expression eased slightly when Charlie said he hadn¡¯t been in contact with Cara. He knew Charlie well. Charlie wouldn''t lie. But why did Valentin look at them, the Ramos family, when talking about Cara? Just as Valentin took the information from Tom¡¯s hand, Ashley''s eyes nced in their direction. Valentin naturally didn¡¯t avoid her. He even adjusted the materials to make it easier for her to see. When Ashley saw the content on the materials, a hint of surprise crossed her eyes. Then, she raised her eyebrows curiously, her expression bing more intriguing. Frankie noticed something was wrong with her expression and quickly exined, ¡°Ashley, we have no connection with Cara! She used to be so against you and even hurt you. How could we be linked to someone who harmed our own sister?¡± Upon hearing this, Ashley¡¯s eyshes fluttered slightly. Her eyes scanned the five Ramos brothers with an expressionless gaze. Following that, Ashley''s voice resonated slowly in everyone¡¯s ears. ¡°Cara is your sister.¡± At that moment, everything suddenly became quiet around them. The air seemed to freeze, and even their breaths were held, plunging them into a deathly silence. ¡®What! ¡®Carais...¡¯ Frankie¡¯s pupils dted, his eyes widened abruptly, and his face disyed an expression of disbelief and fear as if he had heard something unimaginable. ¡®Carais... ¡®How can this be!¡¯ The other brothers of the Ramos family were equally shocked, their mouths gaping in amazement, but it seemed like their throats were constricted, preventing them from making any sound. ¡®Cara...sister... ¡®Sister...Cara...¡¯ ¡°Impossible!¡± After several tens of seconds, Ryan finally regained consciousness from the shock. His expression turned into a mixture of anger and disdain as if he had been insulted. He gritted his teeth and said, ¡°Someone like her can¡¯t be our sister! The Ramos family has no connection with Cara, absolutely none!¡¯ Matthew looked disgusted. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of Cara before, and her appearance doesn¡¯t match ours! And those things she did in the past...ugh! We don¡¯t have a sister like that!¡± Upon hearing their words, Cara frowned, and her already pale face became even more unpleasant. ¡®What do Ryan and Matthew mean by this? It¡¯s ridiculous. ¡®Since when did the Ramos family have the right to despise me?¡± Cara¡¯s eyes showed a trace of resentment as she looked at Ashley, and a sinister, eerie smile crept onto her lips. ¡°Ashley, are you joking? This joke is not funny at all.¡± Ashley looked at her disinterestedly, unable to understand what was happening in Cara¡¯s mind and why she kept calling her ¡°Ashley¡± repeatedly. ¡°Kidding?¡± Ashley¡¯s lips curled slightly, and her clear eyes fixed on Cara. Compared to Cara, who had a resentful look and was forcing a smile, Ashley appeared genuinely indifferent. It was as if Cara wasn¡¯t worth her attention. Feeling belittled, Cara clenched her teeth suddenly, and her forced smile turned into frustration. ¡°I know my background. | have no connection to the Ramos family!¡± Ashley nced at the documents in her hand, raising an eyebrow. ¡°These two DNA tests know more about it than you.¡± DNA tests? Standing next to Ashley, Lester immediately leaned in to take a look. Surprisingly, these were paternity tests for Cara and Evan! In addition, there was another one for Cara and Bertha! All of them showed a biological rtionship! This meant that Cara was Evan and Bertha¡¯s biological child! Moreover, the tests were done earlier today! No wonder Valentin suddenly had Cara brought here... Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated for All Books Updates... Conveniently, Evan and Bertha were in prison, and Cara had been under his surveince all along, so obtaining samples from the three of them was straightforward. As soon as the test reports came out, Tom brought Cara over. The five Ramos brothers rushed over upon hearing about the DNA tests. Their expressions froze when they saw the rows of results indicating a biological rtionship. How could this be... Suddenly, they were told that Ashley was not their sister but rather the lost daughter of the Pliskin family. And now, finding out that the annoying Cara had a biological rtionship with Evan and Bertha... They could not believe that the evil Cara was their sister. It couldn¡¯t be true. It just couldn''t be! Ashley, who had risked her life to save him when he was kidnapped, the one who had saved his life, how could she not be his sister... ¡°Mr. Morgan, didn¡¯t you say my biological parents were dead a long time ago?¡± Tyler''s eyes flickered, and he felt a sudden sense of unease. When Valentin mentioned Cara¡¯s background and looked toward the Ramos family, Tyler started to feel uneasy inside. But he held onto a glimmer of hope, thinking Valentin couldn''t possibly discover everything. But to his surprise, even the DNA test report was done! Valentin could actually dig up events from so many years ago. His influence was truly not to be underestimated... Facing Cara¡¯s questioning gaze, Tyler became even more nervous and couldn''t speak clearly. ¡°Cara, you...you...¡± ¡°What''s wrong with me?¡± Cara seemed mentally stunned, and her eerie gaze fixed on him. ¡°Mr. Morgan, you told me before that my biological parents had died a long time ago and were killed by Brian and Karen. You asked me to seek revenge and deal with their daughter, Ashley...¡± So, she worked hard to learn painting, artifact restoration, and any skills she could. She wanted to defeat Ashley, to have her underfoot. She even underwent cosmetic surgery to make herself look like Ashley, hoping to rece her as the Pliskin family heiress and seize their wealth. But today, she was told that all of it was a lie. She had lived her entire life in deception. Her biological parents weren''t dead. They were the despicable Evan and Bertha... So what was the point of everything she had done? Cara stumbled towards Tyler, and a suddenly mad and twisted smile appeared on her pale face. ¡°Mr. Morgan, what''s the story behind this DNA test? Didn¡¯t you say my biological parents died a long time ago, killed by Brian and Karen? Who are Evan and Bertha? Tell me, please...tell me...¡± Seeing Caraugh so sinisterly, Tyler retreated in fear. Hearing Cara¡¯s words, Brian and Karen looked at each other in confusion. ¡®What is she saying? Why can¡¯t we understand?¡± Brian¡¯s sharp gaze turned to Tyler, his voice cold. ¡°Tyler, we have never done such a thing, and we had no idea who Cara¡¯s parents were before. ¡°You repeatedly obstructed us from recognizing Ashley and even tried to insert Cara into the Pliskin family. We''ve never mistreated you, so why did you do all this?¡± Chapter 344 ¡°Why did you do this?¡± Tyler murmured softly, then suddenly, he sneered coldly, his eyes fixed on Brian, filled with a sense of recklessness after being exposed. ¡°You should know why | did this, my dear big brother!¡± Dear big brother? Hearing this, others were all surprised. Tyler and Brian were brothers? George and Lester had the strongest reactions, looking at Brian in disbelief. ¡°Dad, this...¡± ¡®Grandpa had only one child. Where did this younger brothere from?¡¯ Brian furrowed his brow, looking at Tyler in disbelief. ¡°Is it you?¡± ¡°My dear brother, you finally recognized me...¡± Tyler¡¯s eyes were filled with emotions of revenge, his voice hoarse as he shouted, ¡°I''m the illegitimate child, living in the slums with my mom while you live in the wealthy Pliskin family. We have the same father. Why such a big difference?¡± ¡®Illegitimate child? ¡®My mom?¡¯ Hearing this im, Lester was confused. ¡®Dad and Tyler have the same father but different mothers? ¡®No, Grandpa and Grandma were always very loving. How could there be another woman, and that woman gave birth to Tyler?¡¯ Brian took a deep breath, his face showing a hint of sternness. ¡°Tyler, why didn¡¯t youe back openly and change your name and identity instead?¡± Initially, Tyler was hired as the Pliskin family¡¯s private doctor because of his excellent medical skills. At that time, his identity was unknown, which shows how cautious and secretive he was. Come back openly? Tyler scoffed, ¡°I came back to reim everything that rightfully belongs to me, and the Pliskin family should have been mine from the start!¡± As Brian listened to his arrogant words, suddenly, everything became clear. No wonder Tyler was trying to prevent them from recognizing Ashley and, at the same time, having Cara undergo facial surgery to make her look like Ashley. He was nning to tamper with the DNA test results, inserting Cara into the Pliskin family and then gradually taking over the entire Pliskin family! Ashley had just been born when Tyler became the Pliskin family¡¯s private doctor. Brian had always had a lingering suspicion that many mysteries surrounded his daughter¡¯s disappearance... Now, witnessing Tyler¡¯s true nature, Brian frowned, ¡°Is it possible that you were involved in Ashley¡¯s disappearance all those years ago?¡± Tylerughed heartily as if he were enjoying the satisfaction of revenge. ¡°Does it feel good losing your beloved daughter and unable to find her for so many years?¡± This statement was an undeniable admission! Tyler caused Ashley¡¯s disappearance all those years ago! Karen was instantly furious, her face turning pale, and she hugged Ashley tightly, her heart aching. Her daughter should have grown up with her parents and brother from a young age, enjoying all life¡¯s beauty and prosperity. She should have had a carefree life... But because of one wicked person, at such a tender age when she couldn¡¯t even speak or walk, she had experienced hardship and adversity... Feeling Karen¡¯s trembling body, Ashley quicklyforted her by patting her back. She never expected Tyler to cause her disappearance from childhood. The anger in Brian¡¯s heart could no longer be contained. ¡°Tyler, you could havee to me if you wanted revenge. Taking advantage of a child who hasn¡¯t even grown up, what kind of person does that make you?¡± ¡°Come to you? Do you think I¡¯m a fool?¡± Tyler roared angrily, his ordinary-looking face filled with hatred and annoyance. Of course, he wanted to deal with Brian directly, but Brian had grown up in the Pliskin family, receiving the best education and upbringing, while he was an illegitimate child from the slums. How could he possiblypete with Brian easily? If Tyler were to take revenge, he would start with the weakest target! The newborn daughter was definitely within his grasp! Brian recalled that his negligence had led to his daughter¡¯s disappearance, and no matter how hard he searched, he couldn''t find her. Every night, he lived in fear, wondering if his daughter was still alive or if stray dogs had bitten her body. However, regardless of whether she was alive or dead, the search had to continue. This lifelong pain and despair, along with self-me, haunted Brian day and night. It was a form of revenge as long as Brian wasn¡¯t happy. Tyler would be delighted as long as Brian was miserable! Tyler secretly took the Pliskin family¡¯s daughter to Zyrrinthia. At first, he nned to use her for experiments on the human body butter decided it would be easier just to get rid of her.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. He left this baby by the roadside at night when there were no cameras to watch. He wanted her to disappear without a trace, using the cruelest method possible, which was being attacked and eaten by wild dogs. Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated for All Books Updates... Tylerter learned that this small emerald ne belonged to the Ramos family¡¯s lost daughter, but it ended up with Ashley by pure chance. By another twist of fate, Tyler also found the lost daughter of the Ramos family and named her Cara. He raised her from a young age, using her as a pawn to rece the Pliskin family¡¯s youngdy. Everything was going ording to n, even when the Ramos family found Ashley, and they conducted three DNA tests. Tyler secretly manipted the results to make Ashley believe she was part of the Ramos family. Later on, Cara caught the Pliskin family¡¯s attention with her striking resemnce. Unfortunately, during the DNA test, Lester tricked them! They discovered that Cara had no blood rtion to the Pliskin family. Tyler was filled with rage when he recalled this, and as he watched Ashley sessfully reunite with the Pliskin family, his anger and hatred burned like wildfire. Brian closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and tremblingly said, ¡°Hasn¡¯t your mother ever told you that you¡¯re not my father¡¯s son?¡± Tyler was stunned and shouted angrily, ¡°What are you saying?¡± Lester, who had been holding his breath, felt some relief. He thought about it and remembered that although his grandparents had passed away, he had the impression that they had always been deeply in love. How could his grandfather have had an illegitimate child with someone else? Chapter 345 ¡°Brian, stop lying to me!¡± Tyler panicked for a second, his hands trembling, his eyes bloodshot, and sneered in self-delusion, ¡°Heh, you just make up lies like that because you don¡¯t want to recognize me as a member of the Pliskin family and don¡¯t want to give me the family fortune!¡± Brian shook his head helplessly, looking at him with a hopeless look. ¡°There are sealed files in the family for something like this. If you don¡¯t believe me, I¡¯ll show you.¡± ¡°| don¡¯t want to see that shit. As head of the Pliskin family, it¡¯s easy for you to fake it!¡± Tyler roared out of control as a distressed animal cornered on the edge of a cliff. For hisst ounce of survival, he walked toward Brian as he said, ¡°Don¡¯t you think | don¡¯t realize that you just don¡¯t want to give me my rightful share of the family fortune!¡± Looking at Tyler, with the deranged look that kept mentioning the family fortune, Brian looked stern and was just about to speak. A bright light shed before his eyes, and he saw a sharp, slender scalpel in Tyler¡¯s hand. Tyler reached out with his arm, and the tip of the scalpel came to Brian in front of his neck. ¡°Tyler! Put it down!¡± Brian was startled, his tone harsher than ever. This incident happened too suddenly. Ashley''s breath steeply froze for a split second, and her eyes became cold. ¡°Tyler...¡± Valentin became instantly serious and immediately gestured to the bodyguard next to him without a trace. The surrounding bodyguards were all standing by. They were astonished that they didn¡¯t defend against Tyler and let him do what he did. So they feel that even receiving a fine was not enough to make up for their mistake this time! George, Lester, and Karen, who were beside them, tensed up instantly with a very nervous look. They didn¡¯t expect Tyler to try to fight to the death...Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Only Cara wandered there like a ghost, watching the scene in front of her with a smile that grew weirder and weirder, finding the scene wonderful. She thought, ¡®No one who cheated and used me will have a good ending! They''d better fight to the death!¡¯ ¡°No one is allowed to move!¡± Tyler was a doctor and was very familiar with the scalpel. cing the sharp de across Brian¡¯s neck, he threatened in a stern voice, ¡°Anyone who dares to move, |¡¯ll kill him immediately!¡± The worry in Karen¡¯s eyes almost overflowed. She clenched her palms, her nails piercing the flesh of her palms. ¡°Tyler, don¡¯t you just want the family fortune? Put the scalpel down!¡± Instead, Tyler yelled, ¡°Get me a car immediately! Now!¡± He wasn¡¯t stupid and knew that the bodyguards would immediately pounce on him desperately once he put the scalpel down. All Tyler wanted to do now was get out of here unharmed and just run away! Just then, a calm and vaguely threatening voice suddenly came from afar. ¡°What kind of car do you want?¡± Ashley¡¯s ears twitched, thinking the voice sounded familiar... Looking over, Ashley happened to see Andrewing this way. Andrew, dressed as always in his ck shirt, followed only by Colby, walked this way with a gloomy look. His trademark eyes lingered on Ashley for a second, then looked to Tyler¡¯s hand holding the scalpel. Ashley frowned slightly, suddenly remembering thatst night Andrew had told her he¡¯d see her tomorrow... Valentin narrowed his eyes slightly, his handsome face looking calm with barely discernible emotions. Andrew hadn¡¯t been in a good mood since he boarded the cruise ship a few moments ago. The river was so deep that it reminded him of his childhood experience of being grabbed by the head and pressed into a swimming pool on the verge of suffocation. Now, seeing Tyler threaten Brian with a scalpel put Andrew in an even worse mood. Everyone in the Pliskin family knew Andrew, but there was no time to say hello right now. ¡°Did you hear that? Get the car ready!¡± Tyler roared again, ¡°Don¡¯t anybody try any tricks!¡± Ashley narrowed her eyes slightly, thinking, ¡®Karen and | are the only two closer to Brian right now...¡± Valentin kept watching Ashley''s demeanor and realized what she was trying to do almost in a sh, tensing instantly. Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated for All Books Updates... Frozen for a moment, Tyler had no time to react before his wrist was tightly grabbed by a strong hand. Tyler felt the pain and subconsciously tried to struggle. Then, the next instant, a girl¡¯s palm mped down on his wrist, lifted it outward with force, and then twisted it with such vigor that it resounded with the sound of bones wringing. At that moment, the scalpel in Tyler¡¯s hand fell to the ground with a crisp sound. It all happened in the blink of an eye, so fast that the people around them didn¡¯t react at all! It wasn¡¯t until then that Tyler could tell that the person who had grabbed his wrist with such force that he couldn¡¯t even break free as a man was Ashley! Lester was stunned for a moment. He thought, ¡®Ashley is so fast and powerfull!¡¯ ¡°Capture Tyler!¡± Valentin could see what Ashley was trying to do and immediately ordered the bodyguards to grab Tyler in a deep voice while he rushed over to protect Ashley. Tyler¡¯s scalpel was knocked out of his hand, and he gritted his teeth in anger. He thought it was all Ashley¡¯s fault for ruining it for him! It was near the guardrail of the cruise ship, with the wide river below. ¡°Ashley!¡± Karen cried out in panic as Tyler dragged Ashley into the river with him. ¡°Ashley!¡± Brian rushed over immediately. But at this moment, two diving sounds were heard almost simultaneously. The water sshed, and Valentin and Andrew jumped into the river! Valentin was furious and swam toward Ashley as fast as he could. He was paying attention to Ashley all the time today and knew the injury on her waist wasn¡¯t healed yet. Valentin thought, ¡®What if Tyler has another scalpel...¡¯ With bloodshot eyes, Valentin¡¯s white shirt was soaked by the river water, and his handsome face was as cold as ice. He thought, ¡®If Ashley gets even a bit hurt...¡± After getting rid of his parents¡¯ control, no one dared to push his head into the swimming pool, and he forced himself to learn to swim. But the shadow never went away. Whenever Andrew was soaked in water, he still felt scared and panicked. But now, he didn¡¯t care about the psychological shadow. Seeing Ashley fall into the water, Andrew jumped down without thinking. He just knew Ashley was the most important. Chapter 346 Valentin swam towards Ashley quickly. But Tyler, who had jumped into the water, pulled Ashley to swim in the distance. Valentin was very worried. He knew that Ashley could swim, but being held tightly by Tyler and still in the water, it was hard for her to swim. The river was clear, but it was also cold. Valentin couldn''t care about how cold the water was in a rush. Suddenly, a faint strand of red blood floated in the clear water. It was like blood dripping in water and being swooshed away. Valentin suddenly narrowed his eyes, thinking, ¡®Is Ashley injured?¡¯ He became more serious and swam faster towards Ashley. He was obviously immersed in the cold water but was so anxious that it seemed like he was burning with mes. Finally, he was about to catch up with Ashley and Tyler and could see her state more clearly. Suddenly, Valentin stopped. He saw that Ashley in the water was pressing Tyler¡¯s head and beating it violently. The river around the two was almost red with blood. And all that blood came from Tyler. Valentin also vaguely heard that Ashley was cursing in anger while explosively punching Tyler, ¡°How dare you pull me to jump together? Do you still want me to die with you? I''ll let you enjoy yourself in the water now! Pain? Take the pain!¡± The movement of her punching was sorge that the water sshed all over the ce and even onto Valentin¡¯s head, who was not far away. It could be seen how strong Ashley was and how hard she hit. Valentin, who was sshed with water, fell silent. Andrew, who had followed closely after him, fell silent as well. Ashley was really pissed off. She didn¡¯t expect Tyler to be desperate enough to drag her along and jump off the cruise ship. After jumping off, he still tugged her tightly to swim further away. Luckily, Ashley could swim to stay out of Tyler¡¯s control in the water. Otherwise, wouldn¡¯t she be drowned by him? Ashley was angry and frantically beat Tyler. Tyler was hurt a lot, wailing and iling about. Ashley grabbed him with one hand. Suddenly, her arm hurt violently, as if it had been stabbed by something sharp. Ashley frowned and looked around to see if something was in the water. She thought, ¡®Or is it Tyler?¡¯ Watching around, Ashley turned to see Valentin and Andrew, who swam over. Behind them were Lester, who had also jumped into the water, and a group of bodyguards, and George, who had driven his yacht over to meet her. Because the cruise ship was so high above the water, it was difficult to climb it with bare hands, and a yacht had to be driven over to pick them up. When Ashley was pulled into the water by Tyler, Lester and George quickly moved separately under the anxiety. Lester took his bodyguards and jumped directly into the water to find Ashley as fast as possible while George prepared the yacht. The bodyguards were well-trained and immediately tackled Tyler after they swam over at speed. With the situation under control, Valentin¡¯s worries receded slightly, and he stared carefully at Ashley. ¡°Are you hurt?¡± Ashley said sadly, ¡°I¡¯m bleeding...¡± Valentin suddenly tensed. ¡°Where?¡± The surrounding bodyguards also tensed up at the words. Ashley was the Pliskin family¡¯s real daughter. It was a dereliction of duty on their part that she was injured on the very first day of identifying her family! Under Valentin¡¯s nervous gaze, Ashley raised her right index finger. There was a small wound on it that was so tiny that it couldn¡¯t be seen without paying attention, and it was oozing out beads of blood. ¡°Look! My hand!¡± The surrounding bodyguards fell silent. They were about to die of fright, thinking it was a veryrge wound. Valentin, however, turned to look at Tyler with a gloomy face. Tyler shuddered in fear, thinking, ¡®This kind of wound that will heal immediately is also called an injury? What¡¯s more, what does her injury have to do with me?¡¯ Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated for All Books Updates... Valentin said, ¡°That''s also because of you.¡± Tyler was just furious when he heard that. Lester, who had swum over, heard Ashley say she was bleeding and almost died of worry, only slightly relieved to see the tiny wound on her upturned index finger. But he was still angry and felt it was all because of Tyler. Ashley held up her injured index finger as she talked to Valentin. She turned to see Andrew next to her, who hadn''t said a word, and frowned, ¡°Why are you in the water?¡± Andrew¡¯s eyes grew deep as he watched her in this total dependence on Valentin, but he smiled, ¡°I¡¯m practicing my swimming, can''t |?¡± Ashley didn¡¯t say anything. At that moment, George came by in his yacht to pick them up. ¡°Ashley,e up here!¡± After getting on the yacht, Ashley looked over and realized that Jeremy and Matthew, who could swim, had also jumped off and were still soaking in the water, staring worriedly at her the whole time. Ashley didn¡¯t look at them too long and quickly looked away. Getting back on the cruise ship, Karen and Brian ran over with worry in their eyes. Karen put the washcloth over Ashley¡¯s shoulder, her voice shaking. ¡°Ashley, are you hurt? Are you ufortable anywhere?¡± Ashley shook her head quickly. ¡°No, I¡¯m fine.¡± Brian was both worried and ming himself. When Tyler threatened him with a scalpel earlier, it was Ashley who saved him, so she was hated by Tyler and dragged into the water. Brian¡¯s eyes were sharp as he watched Tyler pull out of the water, thinking he would never let Tyler go. He thought, ¡®And Cara... She won''t be able to escape either.¡¯ Karen was heartbroken to see Ashley soaked and immediately took her to get changed. Holding a white towel, Colby saw Andrewing out of the water and immediately went over to him in concern. ¡°Mr. Banks.¡± Andrew shook his head with little expression. His clothes were soaked, trailing long trails of water across the deck. He closed his eyes, his eyshes fluttering slightly, and his stunning face was so pale that it was nearly translucent. Colby knew Andrew had just jumped into the water in his anxiety without thinking. Now, although he came out of the water unharmed, the shadow of his childhood still haunted him and had a psychological effect on him.Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. A few momentster, Andrew opened his eyes, his breathing calmed considerably, and looked toward Ashley. She had changed into dry clothes and was talking with Valentin... Andrew narrowed his eyes slightly, but his expression didn¡¯t change much. Colby, however, was keenly aware that he was not in a good mood right now. On the other side, Valentin stared at Ashley uneasily. ¡°Did your wound on your waist crack?¡± Ashley blinked. ¡°Actually, it cracked a little. Just a little!¡± She had just moved so much in the water that she could have easily cracked the wound. Ashley still wanted to speak, but she suddenly trembled. ¡°Are you cold?¡± Valentin immediately held her hand. Ashley also thought she had caught a cold, but the next moment, she felt dizzy and almost fell. She shook her head and said, ¡°I feel a little dizzy...¡± Chapter 347 Valentin hurriedly held her up, his eyes filled with worry. ¡°A little dizzy? I''ll call a doctor right away!¡± Ashley reached up to rub her temples. ¡°I¡¯m better now, | probably got a bit of a cold from falling in the water earlier... Tsk, | can get a cold even from falling in the water when I''m so strong.¡± Valentin was speechless. Joseph was sweating with anxiety and ran over with a towel. ¡°Ashley, how are you feeling? Wipe your hair quickly. Valentin, you too!¡± When Tyler dragged Ashley into the water earlier, Joseph was so anxious that he took off his jacket and tried to jump in. But George stopped him and told him to pick them up on the cruise ship and keep an eye on Cara. He thought, ¡®Luckily, Valentin managed to get Ashley out.¡¯ Reassured, Joseph nced toward Cara as he handed the towel to Valentin and Ashley to wipe their hair. At this point, Cara sat paralyzed on the deck, seemingly crying andughing as if she were insane. Jeremy and Matthew, who jumped into the river, also came up from the water. The two were wet and nced at Cara, sitting paralyzed on the deck, and Ashley, who was not far away from Valentin. Their moods had never been more suffocated and heavy. They felt that God had yed a huge joke on them. Ashley suddenly became unrted to them and not their sister. Instead, their real sister became Cara...Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Frankie, Charlie, and Ryan strode over and eagerly asked, ¡°How¡¯s Ashley?¡± Jeremy waved his hand. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It didn¡¯t take long for Matthew and | to jump in before Valentin and the man in the ck shirt swam over to Ashley. And Ashley¡¯s awesome. Tyler couldn''t control her.¡± Frankie and the other two breathed a long sigh of relief. Matthew was so upset that he sat directly on the deck in disgrace, the ends of his hair dripping downward and his eyes scarlet. ¡°Frankie, Ashley just looked at me and Jeremy in the water and didn¡¯t say a word to us...¡± Frankie became upset as well and stayed silent for several seconds before saying, ¡°Ashley still refuses to forgive us.¡± Ryan felt upset at his words and looked even more annoyed when he nced at Cara, who was not far away. ¡°How can Cara be our sister? Is this true?¡± Jeremy was equally resistant, but... ¡°Valentin just took out a DNA test report...¡± Charlie nced toward Cara, his calm face bing gloomy. He thought, ¡®Is it because of the so-called blood rtionship that | could get along with Cara as if she were a friend when | didn¡¯t see through her true nature before?¡¯ But after seeing through Cara¡¯s true nature, Charlie never wanted to be in contact with Cara for one more second. But now he suddenly learned that Cara was his sister, which shocked him. All five of the Ramos family were silent, with a heavy, depressed expression, as if they''d lost their parents. Cara could see that none of the Ramos family wanted to recognize her as a sister. But she didn¡¯t want to recognize them either. She thought, ¡®Do | like them? Every one of them is stupid. | dislike them even more!¡¯ Cara only liked one person from the beginning... Cara pressed against the deck so hard that her bones turned white and looked over toward Valentin ghostly. She stared obsessively at Valentin¡¯s handsome profile as if looking up at an unattainable god. She felt that only such a man was worthy of her... Cara¡¯s eyes grew steeply grim with resigned cynicism when she nced at Ashley in Valentin¡¯s arms. None of the skills she¡¯d learned as a child could match Ashley¡¯s... Even more ridiculous... Cara raised a hand to stroke her brow. Tyler tricked her into making herself look like Ashley. How ridiculous! Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated for All Books Updates... She thought, ¡®Tyler...¡¯ Cara suddenly got up and beat Tyler with a bloodied face. ¡°Cara, what are you doing?¡± Tyler didn¡¯t have time to dodge and cursed in anger. Cara had blood all over her face and was so mad that she cried andughed. ¡°You¡¯re the one who lied to me and ruined me... It''s all because of you!¡± Seeing this, Brian seriously and immediately asked his bodyguards to drag these two away. Tyler had made enough mistakes to put him in jail for the rest of his life. Valentin saw this and raised an eyebrow at Joseph. Joseph understood instantly. Tyler and Cara had done so much to hurt Ashley that imprisonment was just toofortable for them! Tyler caused Ashley to suffer so much from being separated from her parents as a child and almost being bitten to death by a wild dog. He just dragged Ashley into the water and didn¡¯t remorse it. Cara hired someone to kidnap Ashleyst night to prevent her from meeting with the Pliskin family, causing Ashley to be stabbed in the waist with a dagger. Every single one of these things had to be experienced personally by Tyler and Cara. Joseph took Tom with him and headed toward where Tyler and Cara had been taken. They nned to do a lynching today... Seeing Joseph leave, Ashley asked curiously, ¡°What''s he going to do? Why does he even have Tom with him?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Valentin¡¯s tone was calm, and his movements were gentle as he rubbed her hair. He couldn''t care less about justice now but just wanted to get justice for his girl. Not far away, Andrew nced at the injured spot on Ashley¡¯s waist and said coldly to Colby beside him, ¡°Take good care of Cara and Tyler.¡± ¡°Take good care¡± was clearly not literal care. Colby responded, having long gotten used to it. Whoever hurt Ashley deserved better? Tyler and Cara were tied up with ropes by bodyguards and escorted off the cruise ship. Suddenly, Tyler nced back towards Ashley, the emotion in his eyes a bit eerie. Ashley sensed carefully that there was nothing physically wrong with her. She just jumped into the water, the equivalent of swimming. Her grandparents had well nourished her body since she was a child, and they sometimes gave her extremely precious supplements to drink. But Ashley nodded anyway, seeing the worry in Karen and Brian¡¯s eyes. ¡°Then let the doctor check it out.¡± Chapter 348 They went to the room on the cruise. Ashley sat by the bed while two doctors examined her body. One of the doctors specialized in alternative medicine. They used their different ways to make sure Ashley was fine. Karen, Brian, George, Lester, and Valentin all stayed by her side. Ashley felt indescribably warmth in her heart from those closest people¡¯s caring. She raised her eyes and saw Andrew standing by the door. He leaned against the door frame quietly, looking at her with arms across his chest. Ashley didn¡¯t know when he stood there and how long he had been looking at her. His hair was still wet, with water drops rolling down from the tips of his hair. His skin was smooth and bright. He looked wless. He was manly and freewheeling, but now, he stood there alone, with loneliness in his eyes... Noticing Ashley looking towards him, Andrew was startled, then tilted his head slightly and smiled. Then Ashley saw something in his eyes as if to tease her, ¡°I know you''re peeking at me, baby.¡± Ashley rolled her eyes at him and withdrew her gaze. ¡®| shouldn''t look at him!¡¯ she thought. However, Ashley felt a little upset. ¡®He shouldn¡¯t have jumped into the water...¡¯ she thought. After the two doctors examined Ashley''s body, they asked Ashley for some more details, and Ashley answered them all truthfully. Karen sat worriedly by the bed and held Ashley¡¯s hand tightly. Ashleyforted her. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Karen''s eyes were full of sorrow. ¡°Ashley, it is the first day we have you back, but the ident happened. You fell into the water. | have to me myself...¡± It suddenly urred to her that Ashley hadn¡¯t called her ¡°Mom¡¯¡± yet. ¡®Is she not willing to? ¡®Although | really want to hear it, | should be patient. We should treat Ashley more well in the future so that Ashley can ept us as soon as possible,¡¯ Karen thought. Just as Karen was lost in thoughts, she felt something soft. Ashley also held her hand. Ashley said gently, ¡°Don¡¯t me yourself, Mom. I¡¯m fine, really.¡± Karen''s voice trembled with emotion, and tears welled up in her eyes. ¡°Ashley, what...did you say?¡± Ashley smiled with deep feelings in her eyes. ¡°Mom.¡± Karen burst into tears because of that wording from Ashley. She quickly raised her hand to wipe her tears and smile with satisfaction. Brian came over excitedly, eyes filled with anticipation. ¡°Ashley...¡± Ashley looked over and smiled, ¡°Dad.¡± Lester couldn''t wait toe over. But he was pushed away by George mercilessly as he came to Ashley.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Ashley looked at them and grinned with delight. ¡°You two are so cute.¡± Lester was joyful when he saw Ashley¡¯s happy face. But he was annoyed with George about pushing him away from Ashley. He thought, ¡®I must be the closest person to Ashley because we spent a lot of time staying together recently. ¡®But | have to put more effort into solidifying my status in Ashley¡¯s heart from now on!¡¯ Lester and George were definitely brothers by blood because George was also thinking about how to continue to get closer to Ashley. Valentin, on the side, looked at Ashley being surrounded by her loving family. A feeling of warmth appeared in his heart. He thought, ¡®She finally found her real family. ¡®Maybe it was a littlete, but those childhood birthday wishes she made finally came true...¡± Valentin¡¯s eyes were deep on Ashley, who was surrounded by love. Suddenly, he turned his head and looked at Andrew, who was leaning against the door frame at the door. Andrew looked at Ashley idly, with a look of happiness that she had found her real family and a hint of subtle envy... He sensed Valentin¡¯s gaze, smiled, and looked him in his eyes fearlessly. The gaze of them met in the air as if invisible sparks collided. Valentin didn¡¯t withdraw his gaze until the two doctors started to talk about Ashley¡¯s physical condition. Then he looked towards the doctors. Andrewzily clicked his tongue and also looked towards the doctor. The older alternative medicine doctor said, ¡°We examined Ms. Ramos¡¯ body. She is in good health, and no difort was found. You guys can be rxed.¡± Karen and Brian breathed a sigh of relief when they heard this. Valentin pondered and asked calmly, ¡°She suddenly felt dizzy just now. Why?¡± ¡°Dizzy?¡± The doctor heard it and checked again in confusion. Andrew frowned slightly when he heard it. He thought, ¡®Ashley had never suffered from dizziness before.¡¯ Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated for All Books Updates... Lester thought it was a feasible suggestion. Anyway, It was not troublesome to check every day. If Ashley did feel ufortable, they could know it in time. After the doctors left, Karen sat by the bed and held Ashley¡¯s hand. ¡°Ashley, you must tell me immediately if you feel ufortable.¡± Ashley nodded. ¡°I will.¡± Karen was ted because George¡¯s proposal really spoke to her heart. ¡°George, I¡¯m also thinking about it. We need to do it soon and not put it off. Maybe in these two days.¡± Of course, she wanted the world to know she had a perfect daughter like Ashley! The pride on Karen¡¯s face was beyond words. Ashley was not averse to the family reunion banquet. She thought it was necessary to exin her rtionship with the Pliskin family and the Ramos family to the public. Andrew smiled and nced meaningfully at Ashley. ¡°You don¡¯t have to say that, Mrs. Pliskin. Ashley and | have known each other before.¡± Karen was surprised when she heard this. ¡®Have they known each other before? ¡®No wonder Andrew jumped into the water to save Ashley. ording to his character, if they first meet, how could Andrew do this?¡¯ With this thought, Karen suddenly remembered that the elders of the Pliskin family and the Banks family had arranged marriages for their offspring before. But the marriage was shelved after the Pliskin family¡¯s daughter was missing since childhood. If the arrangement was still valid, Andrew should be Ashley¡¯s fianc¨¦ now... Thinking of this history, the Pliskin family suddenly fell silent in embarrassment. Lester also knew about the arrangement. It was settled in his grandfather¡¯s generation, but now, Ashley was already married to Valentin. So, the marriage arrangement between Ashley and Andrew... Ashley sensed the silence and thought of her fianc¨¦, whom she hadn''t seen before. She immediately held Valentin¡¯s hand. ¡®I only have one husband,¡¯ she thought. Ashley cleared her throat and said quickly, ¡°Mom, Dad, | want Valentin to attend the family reunion banquet with me. | also want my marriage in the open.¡± Chapter 349 Everyone in the room looked at Ashley after she finished her words. Valentin was slightly astonished for a moment. He lowered his eyes and looked at Ashley with no change in his expression, but his eyes showed obvious pleasure. Ashley blinked her eyes. ¡°Are you willing to make our marriage public at the family reunion banquet?¡± Valentin replied, ¡°Of course, it¡¯s up to you.¡± Ashley raised her chin and said in a little bossy and doting tone. ¡°Get prepared then.¡± She nned to let the whole world know Valentin was her husband. Valentin raised his eyebrows slightly when he heard her words. ¡°Sure.¡± On the side, Lester and George were all confused. They thought, ¡®Why does Valentin put that overjoyed face as if Ashley never recognized that they are husband and wife? ¡®Although we will fully support Ashley whatever she wants to do, we still feel a little sad about Ashley marrying Valentin without our knowledge.¡¯Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. After Ashley finished the conversation with Valentin, she turned to look at Karen and Brian. ¡°Mom, Dad, | want to announce our marriage at the family reunion banquet. Is that okay?¡± Karen smiled happily and nodded immediately. ¡°Ashley, you can do whatever you want. We will always support you.¡± Karen and Brian didn¡¯t want to oppose Ashley''s opinion. They just wanted to stand behind Ashley, support her in all her decisions, and let her be free to do whatever she wanted. Moreover, everyone knew that Valentin took good care of Ashley, and Ashley also liked him very much, so they had no reason to object to Ashley¡¯s idea. ¡®As for the engagement of marriage between Ashley and Andrew... ¡®After Ashley was missing when she was little, the engagement was temporarily put on hold. Unexpectedly, they could have the chance to meet, and Andrew seemed to have feelings for Ashley. ¡®If Ashley had not been missing back then, maybe Ashley and Andrew would have had a good ending. ¡®It''s a pity that time has passed and Ashley is already married and has the one she loves. ¡°So Andrew and Ashley don¡¯t have the fate to be together...¡¯ Karen thought. Andrew, who was standing by the door, had been staring at Ashley ever since just now. Ashley stared back without hiding. Andrew¡¯s gaze met Ashley''s bright eyes and smiled, but his sea-like eyes were full of endless and boundless loneliness. He thought, ¡®Since childhood, no matter when, | was the one who had been abandoned...¡¯ Valentin held Ashley¡¯s hand and turned his body slightly casually. The loneliness in Andrew''s eyes shed away. He squinted and looked at Valentin, who was holding Ashley¡¯s hand. Valentin¡¯s deep gaze met his eyes, and they looked at each other silently. They didn¡¯t say a word, but an invisible confrontation existed. Lester looked at them with great interest. As long as Ashley was not harmed, he was happy to watch the show. Lester raised his eyebrows, wanting to say something to break the silence. Suddenly, Andrew¡¯s phone rang. Andrew slowly withdrew his gaze after his phone rang several times. Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated for All Books Updates... Ashley was surprised and thought, ¡®What happened?¡± However, Valentin was calm and poured Ashley a ss of water leisurely as if he had expected it. Lester and George made eye contact. Obviously, Valentin had done something secretly to make Andrew away from Ashley... ¡®What a jealous man!¡¯ they thought. Chapter 350 The Pliskin family had several properties in Kilos City. Although regrly cleaned, they had been vacant for years, and the furniture needed an upgrade. So when Brian and Karen first arrived here, they checked into a hotel. Now that the cleaning was done, the vi had a brand-new look and was ready for upancy. Karen and Brian came to Kilos City intending to stay for two months. Even though they didn¡¯t know then that Ashley was their daughter, they genuinely liked her and wanted to spend more time with her. To their surprise, Ashley was the daughter they had been searching for all these years, giving them even more reason to stay in the capital for a while. Initially, Karen and Brian nned to bring their daughter back to their home in Takydo once found, living together as aplete family. However, the situation becameplicated as Ashley was already married to Valentin and preferred living in Kilos City. It wouldn''t be appropriate to insist on taking her back to Pliskin residence in Takydo. Karen and Brian contemted and decided to settle in here. They were reluctant to be separated from their daughter, and since it was inconvenient for her to go to Takydo, they chose to establish their residence in the city where their daughter was staying. As for the focus of theirpany¡¯s development, they nned to shift it to the domestic market gradually. Everyone gathered for dinner at Herculy Restaurant. During the meal, Karen and Brian asked many questions about Ashley¡¯s past to learn more about their daughter¡¯s life before. Ashley answered all their questions earnestly. George and Lester were so engrossed in listening, eager to participate in their sister''s childhood and growth, but circumstances prevented them from doing so. The most regrettable part was the interference of Tyler, who had kept their sister away from them for so long. Upon hearing about her daughter''s experience in the orphanage, Karen¡¯s eyes welled up with tears. Ashley quickly wiped away her mother¡¯s tears and said, ¡°Actually, | didn¡¯t stay in the orphanage for long. | waster adopted by Grandpa and Grandma and lived with them.¡± Brian had learned online that Ashley¡¯s grandparents were the famous Caleb and Myrna, to whom he felt grateful. Unfortunately, they had already passed away. Karen also knew about their kindness to Ashley, and the bitterness in her heart eased a bit. Looking at Valentin sitting next to Ashley, Karen continued to ask, ¡°Ashley, is that when you and Valentin met?¡± Ashley smiled and nodded. ¡®I lived in the countryside with my grandparents then. His grandfather brought him over, and we got to know each other slowly.¡± Recalling the past, Valentin¡¯s cold expression softened. ¡°I grew up with Ashley. She helped me a lot.¡± Turning to look at him, Ashley whispered, ¡°And also bullied you a lot.¡± Valentin¡¯s eyebrows raised slightly, and a hint of a smile appeared in his eyes. Seeing the affectionate and sweet interaction between the two, Karen couldn¡¯t help but feel emotional. ¡®Isn¡¯t this just a ssic case of childhood sweethearts? No wonder they get along so well now.¡¯ Listening to some anecdotes about their childhood, Karen found Valentin more and more pleasing. Not only was he good- looking, but he also treated Ashley well. What a likable young man. The smile on Karen¡¯s lips couldn¡¯t be suppressed. She ordered more exquisite dishes for Ashley and Valentin. However, Brian, George, and Lester on the side didn¡¯t think the same way. The father and sons all wore stern expressions, finding Valentin more and more displeasing. They thought, ¡®What''s happening? ¡®Has he somehow charmed both women in our family at once? What on earth is going on?¡¯ The three of them exchanged nces and instantly formed an alliance, standing on the same front against Valentin. When Karen turned around and saw Lester¡¯s displeased face, she expressed dissatisfaction. ¡°Why the long face? So unsightly. Just look at Valentin. He¡¯s such a fine young man.¡± Lester was speechless. After scolding Lester, Karen turned to Valentin and reverted to her previous smiling appearance. The speed of her emotional change was incredible. Lester was left speechless again, contemting whether he or Valentin was her son. He knew that after finding their sister, his family status would drop from fourth to fifth, meaning he would be thest.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. But it was okay. Lester would do so for his sister¡¯s sake. He was willing to be the best brother to his sister. But now, why did his family status have to be lower than Valentin¡¯s? Didn''t this mean he was not as good as him? Lester was so angry that he almost broke the spoon in his hand. He found Valentin more and more intolerable. Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated for All Books Updates... Learning about his unfortunate childhood and losing his parents at a young age, she couldn¡¯t help treating him like a son. So, Karen chatted happily with Ashley and Valentin, creating a warm and lively atmosphere. On the other side, the Pliskin family trio wore stern faces and became increasingly resentful. Today was the first day of their official acknowledgment of their rtionship. Ashley would naturally stay with her parents. Besides, several of the Pliskin family¡¯s properties in Kilos City had already been cleaned and were ready for upancy. Although Valentin was reluctant to part with his wife, he understood the situation. He escorted Ashley to Pliskin Vi on Halway Street and only left when the evening sky darkened. Standing at the door, Ashley bid him farewell. ¡°Drive carefully on your way back to Kingsley Vi.¡± Valentin nodded and seemed to have something on his mind. ¡°What''s wrong?¡± Ashley couldn¡¯t help but ask. Valentin wanted to say something, raised his eyebrows, but fell silent again. ¡°You can tell me.¡± Ashley held his hand and swayed it from side to side. ¡°No worries, it¡¯s just you and me here. If there¡¯s anything on your mind, just say it.¡± Valentin gazed at her, and after a few moments of silence, he finally spoke. ¡°I feel like your two brothers don¡¯t seem to like me.¡± Ashley was surprised. This was the first time she heard him say something like this, and it felt a bit strange. Ashley was speechless, thinking, ¡®Why does it sound so dramatic?¡¯ Valentin continued, ¡°Ashley, will you be on my side? Forget it. | don¡¯t want to make you ufortable or put you in a difficult position.¡± Ashley¡¯s mouth twitched involuntarily. ¡°Stop with the drama and talk to me properly.¡± Valentin chuckled softly, his Adam''s apple rolling gently as his low and sensualughter echoed. He extended his arms, saying, ¡°Come on, make my baby happy. Give me a hug?¡± Ashley blinked her eyes and threw herself into his arms, resting her chin on his chest. She looked at him. ¡°Don¡¯t wanna say goodbye, huh?¡± ¡°Yeah, | don¡¯t want to be separated from you.¡± He smiled, ¡°One more kiss?¡± Ashley boldly gave him two more kisses. ¡°Buy one, and get one free.¡± After some affectionate moments, Ashley finally pushed him into the car. She watched as he drove away before turning back and heading home. Brian, Karen, George, and Lester were all waiting in the living room. Seeing Ashley return, they didn¡¯t ask her why she spent so much time outside with Valentin. Instead, they chatted about past experiences as if there were endless topics to discuss. For the first time, they felt that this family was finally whole. Ashley felt at ease, naturally experiencing a sense of closeness. The care from her parents and brothers fulfilled the family warmth she had longed for over the years. Chapter 351 Ashley¡¯s bedroom was on the second floor, and everything was already prepared. ¡°Ashley, if you want anything, just tell us.¡± Karen was afraid of making her daughter feel wronged. ¡°We got everything covered.¡± Ashley smiled, ¡°| know, Mom.¡± Karen affectionately touched Ashley''s hair. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte, Ashley. You should get some rest.¡± ¡°Mom, you too. Good night,¡± Ashley replied. Karen felt an indescribable satisfaction when she listened to her daughter¡¯s concern and good night wishes. After showering and changing into pajamas, Ashley nned to send Valentin a good night¡¯s message. When she opened WhatsApp, she found several messages in the group chat with Miranda and Bryce. Miranda texted: [Oh my, what''s going on? Bryce, did you get into a fight?] [And it happened during a variety show recording? Behind the scenes?] [The one you fought with is Nick. He¡¯s a top-tier hot male star!] Bryce replied: [Top-tier? He¡¯s nothing! I¡¯m the real top-tier super idol!] Miranda texted: [Is celebrity status the point now? The point is you got into a fight with him! It¡¯s all trending!] Bryce replied: [It''s him | fought, so what? It¡¯s just Nick. It¡¯s no big deal.] Miranda asked: [By the way, why did you fight with Nick?] Bryce replied: [I can fight him whenever | want.]Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Ashley was speechless, thinking, ¡®Bryce is as wild as ever.¡¯ Ashley checked Twitter and indeed found it trending. The hashtag was prominently disyed as the top trending topic was ¡°Bryce Sinir and Nick Nadal Backstage Fight.¡± Bryce, despite his arrogance, wasn¡¯t wrong. He was indeed a top-tier idol with explosive poprity. Therefore, when news of a fight surfaced, it immediately became a hot topic. Ashley clicked to see the details of the incident. Usually, backstage fights wouldn''t be exposed. However, the show¡¯s production team wanted to create a surprise and had a cameraman sneakily open the door to the resting room, wanting to see what the guests were up to. This was amon practice in variety shows. Coincidentally, when the door was pushed open, they caught the scene of Bryce and Nick fighting. Moreover, the cameraman¡¯s footage was broadcast live, with no time for editing. The fight scene was instantly posted online. What was meant to be a surprise turned into a shock. Bryce and Nick¡¯s fight had been trending for a whole night. In the WhatsApp group, Bryce texted: [The trend is wrong. What do they mean by a fight? Clearly, it was me giving Nick a one- sided beatdown!] Miranda asked: [Why did you two suddenly start fighting?]Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated for All Books Updates... Ashley also typed: [How did this fight happen suddenly?] Excited, Miranda said: [Ashley, you¡¯re here!] Bryce replied: [Oh, the busy bee is online.] After greeting Miranda, Ashley asked Bryce again: [Why on earth did you get into a fight?] Miranda typed: [Yeah, there must be a reason. | don¡¯t think Bryce is the type to fight for no reason!] But Bryce didn¡¯t reply to the messages, seemingly unwilling to disclose the reason for the fight. Ashley was curious, thinking, ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯ Miranda asked several times, but Bryce didn¡¯t exin. Fifteen minutester, Miranda sent an excited message: [I found out why you fought!] Bryce replied: [You what?] [How did you find out?] Bryce didn¡¯t know how to react to that. Ashley asked: [Miranda, what''s the reason?] Miranda angrily added: [Bryce, you did well! If | were there, I¡¯d give Nick a beating, too!] Ashley was slightly stunned. She didn¡¯t expect this was the reason for the fight. Bryce fought with Nick to help her. Chapter 352 Bryce sent: [Ashley, | was not helping you. | just dislike Nick talking bad about you behind your back.] Miranda said: [You¡¯re such a hypocrite. Just keep talking tough.] Ashley replied helplessly: [Fine, | know you were not helping me. But | just want to say thanks to you, will you ept it?] Bryce still acted stubbornly. [Since you insist!] Ashley was speechless. Miranda said: [Ashley, don¡¯t care about what Nick says. He¡¯s just a clueless fool. Don¡¯t let it bother you!] Ashley replied: [| know.] However, the fight between Bryce and Nick had a significant impact. Both of them were celebrities, and Bryce was a popr superstar. When news about the fight broke out, it triggered a huge media frenzy. Bryce¡¯s fans fiercely defended him. They believed there was a reason behind the fight and hoped the production team would exin the details. Netizens gathered to watch the video promptly. (Wow, I¡¯ve watched this fight video three times. Bryce is really powerful. Nick is so weak. He didn¡¯t stand a chance against Bryce.] (Why did they fight? Both of them are popr stars, this isn¡¯t good for their image, right?] Regardless of the reason, Bryce shouldn¡¯t have hit him so hard. Nick¡¯s nose was almost broken.] Nick¡¯s fans were furious and vowed to seek justice for their idol. I¡¯m so angry. | feel so bad for Nick! He¡¯s been humble and polite for so many years. Bryce must have started the fight first!] Bryce, you still haven¡¯t apologized for hitting Nick? Having more famous fans doesn¡¯t mean you can bully others! Apologize to Nick''] Nick¡¯s fans, let¡¯s unite! Make Bryce, that stupid jerk, apologize!] | can¡¯t take it anymore! Is the production team dead? Nick got attacked on your show. Can¡¯t youe out and make a statement or say something?] Everyone, look here, @Lew is the director of the show. Let¡¯s go insult him! Force the production team to make a statement and apologize!] @Lew, make a statement! Get Bryce to publicly apologize!!] @Lew, make a statement! Get Bryce to publicly apologize!!] Nick¡¯s fans flooded thements section, even changing their Twitter profile pictures to indicate that Bryce should apologize. Ashley recognized Lew as a well-known director in the industry who had directed many popr variety shows. She had previously participated in one of Lew¡¯s shows. She thought for a moment and decided to call Lew. ¡°Hello, Ashley?¡± Lew¡¯s voice sounded tired. ¡°Funny enough, | was just thinking about contacting you, and then | received your call!¡± Ashley was slightly surprised. ¡°You wanted to talk to me?¡± Lew sighed, unable to sleep from worry. ¡°Ashley, have you seen the online rumors about Bryce and Nick fighting? It all started because Nick mentioned you and the Ramos family backstage and said some inappropriate words. Bryce got angry, and that¡¯s when the fight broke out. ¡°Now Nick¡¯s fans are bombarding my Twitter, demanding an exnation. Our production team is under a lot of pressure. ¡°We want to disclose the reason for the fight to silence those fans, but it involves you and the Ramos family. | don¡¯t know if you agree to make it public?¡± Lew had been working in the entertainment industry for many years and knew how to handle people. Recently, when Evan and Jessica went to jail, manyizens questioned Ashley¡¯s character. It was Valentin, the CEO of the Kingsley Group, who registered a Twitter ount specifically to publicly support Ashley and calm down the negativements. Valentin had a noble identity and wouldn''t do such things for someone unrted to him. Lew was smart and could tell that Valentin and Ashley had a special rtionship. Of course, he also understood that Valentin didn¡¯t want Ashley to be affected by negativements. If they were to disclose the reason for the fight, it would definitely lead to various discussions about Ashley and the Ramos family amongizens. So Lew was in a dilemma about whether or not to make the fight¡¯s reason public. After hearing Lew¡¯s words, Ashley was somewhat surprised. ¡°It¡¯s a coincidence, Lew. | called you because | hope you publicly disclose the true reason for the fight.¡± Lew was taken aback. ¡°Ashley, it involves you, aren¡¯t you concerned? Once it¡¯s made public online, theizens won''t focus on Bryce and Nick¡¯s fight anymore. They''ll start discussing you and the Ramos family, saying you inherited Evan¡¯s bad character.¡± Ashley replied, ¡°It¡¯s okay, Lew. Please make the true reason public.¡± Meanwhile, Laura, his manager, was extremely troubled after seeing the situation online. She went straight to Bryce¡¯s apartment. ¡°Bryce, look at this! The situation online is chaotic, and the impact is extremely negative.¡± Laura had a serious expression. ¡°Tell me, why did you fight with Nick?¡± Bryce sat on the couch, and legs crossed. His expression seemed to say, ¡°I hit him because | wanted to.¡± But he refused to reveal the reason. Laura didn¡¯t know what to say. ¡°You...¡± She really had no way to deal with him. Bryce was known for being rebellious, but Laura understood him. He wasn¡¯t a bad person. He wouldn''t just hit someone for no reason. So, how did they end up fighting each other? Laura was browsing thements online when she suddenly saw Ashley¡¯s Twitter post. [@Nick, next time, say whatever you have to say in front of me instead of talking behind my back. @Bryce, thank you. Hitting Nick did dirty your hands.] Laura was astonished. She thought, ¡®Why did Ashley publicly confront Nick? ¡®What happened?¡± Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated for All Books Updates... Laura looked at Bryce and helplessly thought, ¡®The fight was already a big deal. why is he making it worse? ¡®Managing these two stars is bing more and more difficult for me. ¡®Is it still possible to take back their Twitter ounts now?¡¯ As expected,izens were shocked when they saw Ashley¡¯s Twitter. [What does this mean? Ashley openly supports Bryce? Seems like there¡¯s some hidden story behind this fight.] [She even said hitting Nick would dirty Bryce¡¯s hands?] [Everyone knows that Ashley and Bryce have a good rtionship. They teamed up to bully Nick. They¡¯re being arrogant and shameless!] [Ashley, what do you mean? Don¡¯t think Nick is an easy target!] [I can¡¯t believe it. Nick¡¯s fans should unite. He only has us now! We must demand justice for him! Ashley, don¡¯t think you can escape. You should apologize, too!] Just as Nick¡¯s fans were condemning Ashley, Lew finally issued a statement on behalf of the production team, revealing the details of the fight between Bryce and Nick.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. It was a video without visuals, and when yed, only the voices of the stars in the backstage lounge could be heard. First, a female celebrity casually said, ¡°I heard that Lew wanted to invite Ashley to participate in the recording of this show, but Ashley was too busy and couldn¡¯t make it.¡± Then, Nick disdainfully said, ¡°Ashley? Why he invited her?¡± The female celebrity¡¯s tone was full of admiration. ¡°Ashley is amazing, you know? The shows she participated in before had impressive ratings!¡± Nick sneered, ¡°Ashley is talented, but she¡¯s part of the Ramos family. Evan and Jessica¡¯s wrongdoings have been exposed online. And what about her brothers? Are any of them decent? Will Ashley be an exception?¡± The female celebrity argued, ¡°But Ashley only returned to the Ramos family after growing up. She spent only two years there and cut off ties with them. She¡¯s different from the Ramos family people.¡± Nick scoffed, ¡°Different? Do you know what gics are? It¡¯s hereditary! With a family like the Ramos family, the children they raise aren¡¯t good people. Ashley surely isn¡¯t an exception! Think about...¡± Just as Nick was speaking, an angry voice suddenly sounded next to him. ¡°Nick, you¡¯re too loud. Shut up.¡± Netizens immediately recognized that it was Bryce¡¯s voice! Nick, unwilling to back down, sarcastically retorted, ¡°Bryce, where did | go wrong? Everyone knows about the wrongdoings of the Ramos family. Ashley is also part of the Ramos family. She...¡± ¡°Nick, | told you to shut up, are you deaf?¡± Bryce warned loudly. Before Nick could finish his words, Bryce¡¯s fist came crashing down. They started fighting, or more urately, Bryce tormenting Nick. After watching this video,izens finally understood the reason for the fight. Damn, so Bryce fought to defend Ashley! No wonder Ashley suddenly posted on Twitter, telling Nick not to badmouth her behind her back but to say it to her face.] By the way, Ashley and Bryce really have a good rtionship!) (Of course, Bryce really likes Ash. Ashley is Ash after all. She even wrote a song specifically for him! And when Bryce¡¯s horse went out of control and almost caused an ident, Ashley saved him!] ¡®To be honest, Nick deserved it. Bryce warned him to shut up, but he kept insulting Ashley.] Nick¡¯s fans, are you still there? Have you given up fighting for him?] Nick¡¯s fans were taken aback by the unexpected reason for the fight. After a moment of bewilderment, they forcefullymented with their own arguments. Even if Nick said the wrong words, Bryce shouldn''t have hit him so hard!] Besides, Nick didn¡¯t say anything wrong. Ashley does have Evan''s genes. She¡¯s not a good one!] Exactly!] Just then, Nick posted a Twitter and stubbornly refused to apologize. Chapter 353 After Nick posted the Tweet, his fans continued to support him. [Oh my goodness, Nick is so brave! He just spoke the truth. Ashley is definitely Evan¡¯s biological daughter. Why should he be beaten up for telling the truth?] It¡¯s our fault as fans, we couldn¡¯t protect you!] The focus shifted from Bryce and Nick fighting to the rtionship between Ashley and the Ramos family. Although Nick was talking bad behind her back, and his words were offensive, he seems to be right.] (Ashley and the Ramos family... Even though they have cut off ties, blood rtions can never be severed. She will always be Evan and Bertha¡¯s daughter.] | think you guys are overthinking it. Ashley wasn¡¯t raised by Evan since childhood, so she definitely won''t be influenced by him! | think Ashley is great. | really like her!] (Are you sure Ashley won''t be influenced by Evan¡¯s genes? Look at everyone in the Ramos family. Is there a single good person? Why should Ashley be an exception?] The discussion that had been quelled by Valentin resurfaced, andizens were in a frenzy. At this time, an authoritative figure announced that one of the four major conglomerates, the Pliskin family, had found their long- lost daughter. They were going to hold a celebration banquet to announce her identity to the world in a few days. This news immediately caused a sensation on the Inte. The Pliskin family? Is it the incredibly wealthy, powerful, and prestigious Pliskin family?] (Who else could it be?] [Oh my god, the princess of the Pliskin family has been found? Who is she?] They said they will reveal it at the banquet! | really want to go, but ordinary people definitely won''t qualify!] | always fantasized that one day, my wealthy parents woulde and tell me that | am the daughter of the Pliskin family. But now, my princess dream is shattered.] Do they still need a daughter? I¡¯m the first to sign up!] (Ashley was brought back to the Ramos family after being lost for many years. The same goes for the Pliskin family¡¯s daughter. But Ashley¡¯s parents are Evan and Bertha, while the Pliskin family¡¯s daughter''s parents are Brian and Karen. It¡¯s like heaven and earth. The Pliskin family¡¯s princess is the real winner in life.] Ashley read thements and saw thatizens had started discussing her rtionship with the Ramos family instead of focusing on Bryce and Nick¡¯s fight. She let out a sigh of relief. She didn¡¯t want to influence Bryce because of herself. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Ashley got up to answer it. Karen and Brian were standing outside, with George and Lester behind them. Seeing the worried expressions on their faces, she knew they had seen what was happening online. Ashley quickly tried to reassure them, ¡°Mom, Dad, you don¡¯t need to worry about thosements online. It¡¯s nothing. | will make a statement at the banquet, rifying that | have no rtionship with the Ramos family. ¡°Oh, George, | want to invite my friends to the banquet.¡± George quickly understood and asked, ¡°Bryce and Miranda?¡± Ashley nodded. ¡°Yes, and Nick, too.¡± Lester raised an eyebrow. It seemed like Ashley had a n. He also thought that Nick deserved a lesson for looking down on and insulting Ashley. The next morning, Ashley woke up and washed up. Just as she finished, she suddenly felt dizzy and nearly fell, so she quickly grabbed onto the nearby dressing table. She felt strange, ¡®why am | suddenly getting dizzy again?¡¯ When the doctor came to examine her, Ashley honestly told them about her dizziness. Karen and Brian heard this and became extremely nervous. ¡°After falling into the water yesterday, Ashley had dizziness. Why is she dizzy again today?¡± The doctor didn¡¯t dare to be negligent and carefully examined her but found no abnormalities. George, worried, called for more doctors, all of them being the most famous and experienced doctors in Kilos City. But even after they examined Ashley, they still couldn¡¯t find anything wrong. ¡®What''s going on?¡¯ Lester pondered. Since the doctors couldn¡¯t find what was wrong with Ashley, Lester could only have the doctors check Ashley¡¯s condition every day. If anything happened, it could be detected in time. After the announcement of the banquet, they began preparing invitations and other matters. Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated for All Books Updates... The top wealthy families and aristocrats in Kilos City were also on the invitation list. In addition, Lester arranged for invitations to be sent to Bryce, Miranda, and Nick. They chatted in a group chat. Miranda was both surprised and excited: [Oh my god, | actually received an invitation from the Pliskin family! They invited me to the banquet!!] Bryce said: [I received one, too.] Bryce replied: [Maybe they invited some celebrities.]Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Sometimes, high-end asions would invite some popr celebrities to warm up. Miranda was confused. [But am | famous enough to receive the Pliskin family¡¯s invitation?] Bryce was speechless. Nick excitedly showed off his invitation on Twitter and posted a tweet. [It feels like a dreame true. | am honored to receive an invitation from the Pliskin family. It¡¯s a rare privilege for me! Thaaaaankfs!] Nick¡¯s fans were extremely proud, celebrating and boasting about it immediately. Netizens swarmed to see. [Oh my god, being able to receive an invitation from the Pliskin family is so awesome!] Thanks to Nick, an ordinary person like me has opened my eyes. The Pliskin family¡¯s invitation looks so noble and elegant! Only top nobles from various countries would be invited, right?] Nick received an invitation. It seems like the Pliskin family admires him?] (Of course. Nick is so amazing. Who wouldn''t admire him? Having such an idol is an honor for us fans!] (Just a few days ago, Ashley joined forces with Bryce to bully Nick, but now they know they were wrong. Nick¡¯s status surpassed theirs a long time ago!] Don¡¯t mention Ashley and Bryce, those two unlucky ones! Nick was invited by the Pliskin family, but they can¡¯t have this honor.] Exactly, Ashley and Bryce couldn¡¯t even go if they wanted to! The Pliskin family would only find them distasteful!] The news that Nick was invited by the Pliskin family spread quickly on the Inte. Nick¡¯s fans were ecstatic, unting it everywhere. And in the process, they also belittled Ashley and Bryce. Their momentum was. extraordinary. Taking advantage of these few days, Karen and Brian specially visited Valentin¡¯s grandfather. After all, they now had a closer rtionship. Zain heard the news that Ashley had found her real family and genuinely felt happy for her. He had never liked the people from the Ramos family. Ashley finally found her peace and happiness. Zain enthusiastically expressed that he would personally attend the banquet. Speaking of the banquet, Zain started to worry. Valentin and Ashley¡¯s wedding still hadn¡¯t been held. When would they be able to have their wedding? Time flew by, and the day of the banquet arrived. Chapter 354 The banquet took ce at the Pliskin family¡¯s estate, and after days of preparation, the entire venue exuded a luxurious style. The main venue of the banquet was the openwn in the backyard.Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. The servants, dressed in uniform, were busy with their respective tasks, some preparing fine wines and delicacies and others working on exquisite desserts. The venue was adored with flowers, making it exceptionally beautiful. Next to the venue, there was a band ying melodic and elegant music. Nearby, there were facilities such as a ss conservatory, an outdoor swimming pool, and a private golf course. It was hard to believe that this was a private residence. At the entrance of the estate, luxury cars arrived one after another. Because the Pliskin family was going to announce their daughter¡¯s identity to the outside world, many authoritative media journalists were invited to the banquet. Even the journalists who were ustomed to various luxurious banquets couldn''t help but be amazed by the scene in front of them. They eximed at how extravagant it was. All these showed how the Pliskin family valued the princess. Some journalists couldn¡¯t help but livestream the event, and the Pliskin family¡¯s bodyguards did not prevent them from doing so. They knew that today was the day to introduce Ashley to the world. As soon as the live stream started, eagerizens who wanted to see the true appearance of the Pliskin family¡¯s daughter immediately flooded into the live chat. [Oh my god. It¡¯s so dreamy and beautiful!) | heard that this is one of the properties the Pliskin family previously purchased in Kilos City, and it¡¯s rarely inhabited. They managed to decorate it like this in just a few days. Their financial power is truly remarkable, worthy of being one of the top four conglomerates.] [Oh my goodness, this banquet is definitely attended only by extraordinary individuals. Only families with power and influence, like the Pliskin family, can achieve this!] After seeing this, | can only feel that the Pliskin family truly values this princess and gives her the best of everything!] | remember when the Ramos family found Ashley, they never held a banquet. Comparing the two, Ashley is really pitiful.] How can the Ramos familypare to the Pliskin family? Are they even worthy of being the Pliskin family¡¯s servants? So it¡¯s normal for Ashley to receive such treatment!] ?''m getting more and more curious about what she looks like.] The journalists aimed their cameras at the entrance of the estate, capturing countless limited-edition luxury cars arriving. The guests were all high-society gentlemen anddies. There were even ancient aristocratic families that had been established for centuries, as well as the princesses and nobledies of the Yaloria royal family. Netizens stared at the live stream without blinking, afraid of missing out on any big shots. After all, opportunities like this to broaden their horizons were rare. But when the journalists captured Nick getting out of his car,izens were taken aback and felt that the standard of the banquet had been lowered. It was like seeing a collection of priceless jewelry and suddenlying across an old item from a flea market. However, Nick¡¯s fans were ecstatic and flooded the chat. [Oh, oh, Nick is so handsome!] Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated for All Books Updates... [Only fans of Ashley and Bryce would say that! Their idols can¡¯t even get an invitation, so of course, they¡¯re jealous of us!] [Feeling jealous is the only thing they can do now. Even if they''re jealous, their idols can¡¯t attend the Pliskin family¡¯s banquet!] [I dare say that Nick is better than Ashley and Bryce!] Nick¡¯s fans were arrogant and praised Nick while belittling Ashley and Bryce. When Nick got out of his car, his face showed visible nervousness and excitement. He thought to himself, ¡®The Pliskin family deserves its name. ¡®Although | don¡¯t know why | received an invitation from them, since they invited me, they must have seen my strengths. ¡®After today, | will be closer to the Pliskin family. And with their favor, sess will be within easy reach.¡¯ Nick felt excited and walked towards the estate under the guidance of a waiter. Just then, a low-key ck car pulled up. When Nick saw Bryce and Miranda at the venue, he was stunned. ¡®Why are they here? ¡®Judging by their attire, are they also here for the banquet?¡¯ As soon as this thought came to mind, Nick immediately shook his head. ¡®It''s impossible. Bryce couldn''t possibly receive an invitation from the Pliskin family. ¡®If he did, why would he be so calm and not unt it on Twitter in advance? ¡®The day | received the invitation, | was so excited that my fingers trembled, and | immediately showed off online.¡¯ Chapter 355 Bryce, wearing a visibly annoyed expression, shot back. ¡°Why do you care?¡± Miranda didn¡¯t warm up to Nick either, especially since he had badmouthed Ashley behind her back, which bothered her upon seeing him. Nick grinned and chimed in with an air of generosity, ¡°Bryce, | won¡¯t bother you about thest time you smacked me. | just wanted to give you a heads-up. Today is the Pliskin family¡¯s big homing party. Even if you¡¯re all dressed up, no invite means no entry.¡± Following Nick¡¯s words, as if unveiling a royal approval, he delicately produced the invitation to the recognition event from his pocket, showing it off proudly. Both Bryce and Miranda were speechless. ¡®He acts just like a fool,¡¯ they thought. In the live stream, Nick¡¯s fans had just finished bashing Miranda and Bryce, iming that the two had no business attending the recognition g. In the next moment, Bryce and Miranda stepped out of the car together, leaving everyone utterly stunned. Upon catching wind of Nick and Bryce¡¯s chat, Nick¡¯s fans began echoing Nick¡¯s sentiments. [Oh, Nick is such a good man. Even reminding Bryce and all.] [Well, Bryce came just to peep at Nick¡¯s invite. Probably here for a quick pic at the entrance to grab some attention.] [Oh, you hit the nail on the head.] As Nick, Bryce, and Miranda chatted, a waiter approached, asking, ¡°What can | do for you?¡± Nick grinned. ¡°Not much. | am just talking with these two who didn¡¯t snag invites.¡± ¡®They have no invites?¡¯ The waiter was puzzled but then seriously corrected. ¡°Sorry, you''re mistaken. These VIPs are personally invited by Ms. Pliskin. Why worry about just invites?¡± With that, Nick¡¯s smile froze. ¡®What? Ms. Pliskin personally invites them?¡¯ he wondered. At that moment, a butler-like guy in a tailcoat strolled over, smiling and gesturing to Bryce and Miranda. ¡°Follow me, please. I''ll guide you in.¡± As he witnessed this, Nick¡¯s expression became even more tense. ¡®The Pliskin family¡¯s butler is personally guiding Bryce and Miranda? Earlier, those rich guys and gals were led in by regr waiters. ¡®Now, Bryce and Miranda are escorted by the head butler? And the butler looks as regal as theye...¡¯ Nick thought. The livestream fell into an odd silence. Nick¡¯s fans had been dissing Bryce for days, and Bryce¡¯s fans were furious. Now, seeing this scene, Bryce¡¯s fans straightened up and burst intoughter. (Who said Bryce isn¡¯t fit for the Pliskin family¡¯s recognition bash? Check this out!] Highlight that Ms. Pliskin personally invited him.] That''s right. Nick parading the invite, then the waiter says, ¡°Bryce was personally invited by Ms. Pliskin.¡± Who cares about an invitation? He¡¯s so embarrassed, isn¡¯t he?] Realizing what was going on, onlookers online were also amazed. Damn, Ms. Pliskin personally invited Bryce and Miranda. And her butler is personally guiding them. The treatment, the grandeur... they''re definitely top-tier guests.] (Wow, does Bryce and Miranda befriend Ms. Pliskin?] | don¡¯t know if they know Ms. Pliskin, but their status is certainly more prestigious than Nick¡¯s.] Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated for All Books Updates... Nick¡¯s fans were utterly confused, their eyes fixed on the livestream. ¡®Would Ashley be also invited? No, that couldn¡¯t be...¡¯ they thought. [I can¡¯t believe even a brawler like Bryce got an invite. Is Ms. Pliskin deceived?] [No way, I think Ms. Pliskin has a good eye for people. Inviting Miranda but not Ashley clearly shows she doesn¡¯t fancy Ashley much.] [So, when Nick said Ashley inherited Evan¡¯s personality, he isn¡¯t wrong. Ms. Pliskin¡¯s views align with Nick.] Nick¡¯s fans once again directed their criticism towards Ashley. Other viewers in the livestream felt puzzled.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. In terms of poprity, there was no star more famous than Ashley. ¡®Why invite Bryce and Miranda but not Ashley?¡¯ they wondered. All the guests for the recognition banquet had already entered. The journalists¡¯ cameras shifted from the mansion¡¯s entrance to its interior. Nick¡¯s fans searched for Nick¡¯s figure in the livestream while simultaneously bashing Ashley in the barrage. However, in the next second, something unbelievable happened. Standing next to a cluster of flowers, chatting with Bryce and Miranda was a woman. That was Ashley. ¡®How could that be?¡¯ Nick¡¯s fans thought and were left dumbfounded. ¡®When did she go in?¡¯ they wondered. They had been specifically watching the entrance of the guests from start to finish and hadn''t seen Ashley enter through the door Chapter 356 The folks tuning into the livestream were just as shaken. (What? Ashley? When¡¯d she slip in? | totally missed it!] (Ashley got the invite to the Pliskin family shindig too?] For sure! How else would she be here?] So weird. | eyeballed all the guestsing in, but no sign of Ashley using the main entrance. Did she sneak in some other way?] That could be!] (Am | the lone ranger here, zeroing in on Ashley''s killer looks? She¡¯s killing it today! That red dress is fire. Absolute stunner.] Miranda looked stunning in that Glory Youveile cocktail dress, the one Attelia personally designed. Their friendship is the real deal.] Nick¡¯s fans, who were giving the Pliskin family a hard time for not inviting Ashley, were straight-up bbergasted when Ashley showed up at the bash. Thement section went mute. ¡®No way! How did the Pliskin family pull Ashley into the recognition fiesta? Don¡¯t they know about Ashley¡¯s mixed rep? Why? Why would they invite her? They could have invited any other celeb,¡¯ they thought. At the banquet, Miranda looked at Ashley in amazement. ¡°Ashley, you''re a vision today! | mean, you''re always a knockout, but today¡¯s on another level.¡± Miranda¡¯s tone was a riot, and Ashley couldn¡¯t help but beam. Her cherry-red lips were slightly curved, outshining the vivid flowers nearby. Today, Ashley rocked this one-of-a-kind red gown, looking like a living masterpiece, with healthy skin and brown locks cascading down her back, highlighting her waist. Normally, such a vibrant red would be a challenge to pull off, but on Ashley, it didn¡¯t overshadow her drop-dead gorgeous face. It only highlighted her elegance and charm, making her even more irresistible. This unapologetically beautiful image could easily outshine everything around her, leaving everybody in awe. ¡°Bryce, what do you think? Isn¡¯t Ashley looking exceptionally beautiful today?¡± Miranda couldn¡¯t contain her praise and had to involve Bryce in the conversation. Bryce, the usual sparring partner with Ashley, couldn¡¯t muster anything nasty about her looks. But, puzzled, Bryce asked Ashley, ¡°Did the Pliskin family send you an invite to the recognition bash?¡± Miranda, super chill, threw in. ¡°The Pliskin family even invited us. Ashley scoring an invite is no biggie, and hey, Lester and Ashley are tight.¡± Earlier, Lester even suspected Ashley was his sister, running a DNA test. Sadly, it showed that she had no family ties with him. Miranda didn¡¯t expect that the family would find their real youngest daughter so soon. On the flip side, Nick, from the moment the waiter ushered him into the mansion, was gobsmacked by the decor. Tilting his head back for a gawk, he suddenly clocked Ashley not far off. Nick¡¯s eyebrows knitted. ¡®Ashley''s here too? Why? She got an invitation to the recognition fiesta? When did she roll in?¡¯ he wondered. Watching Ashley and Bryce doing a tag team, Nick felt a surge of annoyance. He had just thrown a bit of shade at Ashley, and Bryce responded with fists. People like Ashley and Bryce, who were all wild and untamed in Nick¡¯s eyes, got the golden ticket to the recognition gig. Nick couldn¡¯t wrap his head around what the Pliskin family was thinking. ¡®Aren''t they worried about bringing down the party¡¯s vibe?¡¯ he wondered. Actually, Nick had been on cloud nine these past few days, clueless about why the Pliskin family sent him an invite. With his standing, he wasn¡¯t in the loop with George or Lester. ¡®Maybe Ms. Pliskin personally sent me an invite? Maybe she is my fan or even has a little crush on me. Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated for All Books Updates... The more Nick mulled it over, the more it seemed possible to him. Taking in the scene, Nick was eagerly awaiting her grand entrance. Pliskin Manor was living up to its hype, seriously out of this world. He was even pondering if, post-marriage, he and she might be calling this ce home. Pulling out his phone, Nick sauntered over to the nearby ss greenhouse, grabbing a few selfies. He had heard that the flowers here cost more than 400 thousand dors per pot. After wrapping up his spontaneous photo session by the greenhouse, Nick moved on to the private horse stable, switching up the angles to capture the moments in a fresh light. In the live stream, viewers were scratching their heads. (What¡¯s he up to? This isn¡¯t some tourist spot. Why the selfies?] (Well, not trying to diss Nick, but this seems a bit tooid-back, and not very ssy] He¡¯s like a fish out of water in this upscale setup...) [Check out Ashley, Bryce, and Miranda. They have elegant vibes. No rookie vibes there.] (Cut the criticism! Nick is just soaking in the luxe scenery. It¡¯s totally normal to snap pics in such a fancy ce. Nick¡¯s just a down-to-earth guy, enjoying himself without overthinking it.] That''s right. | am watching you. All those diss Nick won''t get off the hook.] The barrage ofments from Nick¡¯s fans and viewers sparked a lively debate. Meanwhile, Nick, wrapping up his photoshoot at the private horse stable, suddenly caught sight of Princess Elena from Yaloria, getting a hand from a servant as she strolled by. Nick felt a burst of joy and rushed over, greeting her with excitement. ¡°Hey there!¡± The crowd was filled with high-society big shots, and Princess Elena, who usually graced national-level events, making a cameo at a private bash was a rare sight.Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. The Pliskin family¡¯s ability to draw such a distinguished royal figure from overseas underscored their substantial power and influence. Nick saw this as a golden chance to build some high-profile connections during the event. ¡°Nice to meet you, Princess Elena!¡± He greeted with genuine enthusiasm. If not for the Pliskin family¡¯s gathering, he wouldn¡¯t have had a shot at mingling with such a loyal figure. He wondered if Princess Elena would be up for a photo with him. However, in response to Nick¡¯s enthusiastic greeting, Princess Elena gave a polite yet distant nod. Maybe it was a nod for the sake of the Pliskin family. She kept strolling without ncing his way. Nick wasn¡¯t bothered. After all, she was Princess Elena. He had just had a chat with royalty. Looking ahead to the times when he¡¯d be married to the daughter of the Pliskin family, Nick figured he would have even more chances to rub elbows with such big shots. With a warm expression, Nick continued watching Princess Elena. But in the next beat, his enthusiasm hit a snag. The Princess, who had brushed him off earlier, was now making a beeline for Ashley. Chapter 357 Princess Elena strolled right up to Ashley, her face lighting up with a brilliant smile, and her eyes sparkling with an impressive radiance. ¡°Hey there, Ashley, how¡¯s it going?¡± It was pretty obvious that Princess Elena wasn¡¯t all that smooth in speaking Zyrrinthia¡¯snguage, but she still politely chatted with Ashley in hernguage. Miranda and Bryce exchanged a surprised look, struggling to believe that the royally majestic Princess was actively chatting up Ashley. Ashley, not knowing Princess Elena, took a moment, then shed a gracious smile and responded, ¡°Hey.¡± Princess Elena gazed at Ashley with admiration, her tone filled with excitement. ¡°I really dig the clothes you design! Ever since | found out you''re Attelia, I''ve been wanting to meet you. Unfortunately, you turned me down, but today¡¯s the day.¡± Ashley blinked, suddenly recalling that Jaden had mentioned a royal princess wanting to meet her after her Attelia identity was revealed. At that time, she was swamped and couldn''t agree. The princess turned out to be Princess Elena. ¡°I''m thrilled that you like my designs.¡± Ashley extended her hand for a hug, and they lightly touched their cheeks. Princess Elena''s smile became even more radiant as she looked at Ashley with admiration. ¡°Dear, you look beautiful today! Did you design this red dress yourself?¡± Princess Elena asked because she spotted the Glory Youveile brand on the dress, but this particr design wasn¡¯t seen in the market, leading her to think Attelia designed it for herself. Ashley grinned. ¡°Yep, it¡¯s mytest design.¡± When attending formal events, Ashley usually opted for outfits designed by herself.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Princess Elena, genuinely impressed, eximed, ¡°It¡¯s truly beautiful! Only you can rock this outfit so well! Can | grab a photo with you?¡± ¡°Absolutely.¡± Ashley raised an eyebrow. Princess Elena¡¯s attendant, standing nearby with a camera, seemed ready for this moment. It seemed that the desire for a photo with Ashley wasn¡¯t a spur-of-the-moment decision but something Princess Elena had been hoping for. In the livestream, viewers werepletely shocked. [Hold on... Princess Elena is a fan of Ashley.] [Seriously, the elegant Princess Elena is acting like a fangirl in front of Ashley. Her gaze toward Ashley is filled with admiration.] [Remember, Princess Elena rarely takes photos, and when she does, it¡¯s usually for major national news. Now, she¡¯s actively asking for a photo with Ashley...] [Wow, Ashley must be the first person to get such high praise from the princess!] [I''m honored too. Ashley is genuinely impressive and dazzling.] Not too far away, Nick watched this scene with a puzzled expression. Princess Elena, who had been indifferent to him, was now warmly enthusiastic toward Ashley. It was hard for Nick to ept that the princess was enthusiastic toward Ashley, someone Nick considered beneath him. Feeling extremely unsettled, Nick couldn¡¯t hold back and walked over. Ignoring the curious onlookers, he abruptly cut in. ¡°Princess Elena, didn¡¯t expect you to be such a big fan of Ashley, but there¡¯s a lot about Ashley¡¯s private life that you probably don¡¯t know.¡± When Princess Elena had approached Ashley earlier, the surrounding socialites and heirs had turned their attention this way. Now, upon hearing Nick¡¯s words, everyone involuntarily froze. Facing a person other than Ashley, Princess Elena¡¯s expression noticeably cooled. ¡°| don¡¯t know?¡± With a malicious look at Ashley, Nick turned back to Princess Elena. ¡°Ashley''s family affairs have caused quite a sensation recently. Her father went to jail, and her brothers were involved in numerous scandals. As for Ashley...¡± Nick didn¡¯t finish his words, but the implication was clear. Bryce and Miranda, witnessing this, immediately grew cold. They were well aware that Nick, trying to use the Ramos family to criticize Ashley and insinuate that she inherited their despicable genes, was shameless and beyond belief. Nevertheless, when Nick¡¯s words reached Princess Elena¡¯s ears, she fixed him with a frigid and impassive gaze. ¡°lve heard about these matters before. But, how is it rted to her? ¡°Moreover, | remember a saying from your country, something like ¡®Heroes don¡¯t question origins.¡± With those words, Nick stood there, his mouth hanging open in a somewhatical attempt toe up with a response, but he found none. For a brief moment, the intense chatter in the live chat was strangely hushed, only to explode into a frenzy shortly after. [Heroes don¡¯t question origins. That''s profound!] [Exactly! Nick belittles Ashley every day, iming she¡¯s from the Ramos family. Even if she is, she¡¯s bringing honor to the country and outshining him in every way.] Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated for All Books Updates... Princess Elena''s concisement left Nick at a loss for words. He hadn¡¯t anticipated such a staunch defense from her. The scrutinizing nces from the surrounding socialites and heirs flushed Nick¡¯s face with embarrassment, and he shot a resentful look at Ashley. This remark prompted the socialites and heiresses around to instinctively evaluate their own dresses before examining Ashley¡¯s attire. Now, with Ashley adorned in a striking and mboyant red dress, effortlessly overshadowing the daughter of the Pliskin family, she seemed to already steal the spotlight excessively, bing the center of attention. But the daughter of the Pliskin family should have been the center. In response to Nick¡¯s im, Ashley''s eyes twinkled with a hint of a smile as she gazed at him. Nick, thinking he had exposed Ashley''s misstep, chuckled arrogantly, ¡°Dressing so boldly, are you trying to embarrass her?¡± Feeling satisfied with himself, Nick believed that the daughter of the Pliskin family likely harbored a secret crush on him. By openly defending her, he assumed it might even increase her fondness for him. Just then, a cold voice behind him delivered a subtle yet cautionary tone that reverberated in everyone¡¯s ears. ¡°Oh? Is that so?¡± Everyone turned to see the elegant and dignified Karen, d in a dress, holding onto Brian¡¯s arm. Beside her were the handsome and extraordinary Lester and George, forming a striking family portrait. The one who spoke was Lester. Approaching Ashley, Lester assumed the protective stance of defending Ashley. He looked down at Nick condescendingly, his tone saturated with sarcasm. ¡°Are you trying to pick a fight by saying my sister dresses in a high-profile way?¡± ¡®Your sister dresses in a high-profile way?¡± Hearing Lester¡¯s cutting retort, Nick¡¯s scalp tingled. He had only attempted to find fault with Ashley, using her of dressing too high-profile. Now, Lester was suggesting that Nick was targeting his sister. ¡®What?¡¯ Nick thought. With a shocked expression, Nick¡¯s eyes widened, and he involuntarily clenched his fists. A chill crept up his spine uncontrobly. The viewers in the livestream were all surprised as well. ¡®Sister? Lester¡¯s sister? Doesn¡¯t this mean that Ashley is Ms. Pliskin?¡¯ they thought. Chapter 358 ¡®Wait, isn¡¯t Ashley from the Ramos family? How did she get involved with the Pliskin family?¡¯izens wondered. The livestream was in an uproar at Lester¡¯s words.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. [Did | mishear that? Lester said Ashley was his sister?] [You didn¡¯t. | also heard that!] [What''s going on? The Pliskin family¡¯s long-lost daughter is Ashley? So today¡¯s family reunion banquet is for Ashley?] [Hold on a sec. Isn¡¯t Ashley the daughter of the Ramos family? And now the Pliskin family? Oh my, I¡¯mpletely confused...] Not onlyizens were astonished. Even the reporter filming the scene was stunned with his hands holding the camera and trembling as if he were a Parkinsonian patient. Netizens immediatelymented: [Please don¡¯t tremble, cameraman! | know you¡¯re shocked and excited. Hold your camera steady, please!] The reporter filming the scene controlled his hand with effort, wiped the sweat on his forehead, and thought, ¡®Everyone will be shocked by such big news, okay?¡¯ The female socialites who attended the banquet covered their mouths in surprise and nced at Ashley and Lester repeatedly. ¡°Lester, are you serious? Ms. Ramos is your sister?¡± These socialites used to be restrained and value their public image. So they just watched silently and did not say anything when Nick picked on Ashley. Now they were too astonished to maintain elegance, and all eximed in disbelief, ¡°Lester''s sister... In other words, is Ashley the daughter of the Pliskin family who has been looking for for many years?¡± ¡°My goodness, that¡¯s incredible!¡± ¡°Look, Ashley looks quite simr to Mrs. Pliskin, just like mothers and daughters!¡± Everyone present was stunned by this unexpected news. Nick stood there nkly with a pale face, looking at Ashley dumbfounded. ¡®The Pliskin family¡¯s daughter... It can¡¯t be true!¡¯ he thought. At this moment, Brian, as the host, gave Nick a piercing nce, which made Nick tremble in fear. Karen held Ashley¡¯s hand affectionately with her eyes full of love, making everyone feel touched. She initially decided to show up with Ashley and announce Ashley was her daughter to the public. But Bryce and Miranda came over, and Ashley had to receive her friends. So Ashley went to the banquetwn in advance. Unexpectedly, Nick picked on her. Karen nced at Nick displeasedly and then looked at her husband. Brian nodded slightly and then announced in public. ¡°Everyone, at today¡¯s family reunion banquet, we would like to announce that Ashley is the biological daughter of our family. She has been lost for many years since she was a child. And now we finally found her!¡± Brian dered Ashley¡¯s identity as his biological daughter. Everyone present knew the truth clearly with Brian¡¯s straightforward words, Karen¡¯s affection for Ashley, and George and Lester¡¯s behaviors toward Ashley. ¡°Did you hear that? Mr. Pliskin personally confirmed that Ashley is his biological daughter!¡± ¡°So, they held this banquet for Ashley? She is the one that everyone wanted to meet?¡± Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated for All Books Updates... ¡°It''s so funny that Nick deliberately picked on Ashley, judged her dazzling outfit, and said she would steal Ms. Pliskin¡¯s limelight to embarrass Ms. Pliskin. It turns out that Ashley is Ms. Pliskin!¡± ¡°He¡¯s not an A-list star. It¡¯s probably his first time attending such a banquet. He¡¯s not experienced.¡± Nick blushed in embarrassment when he heard people¡¯s contemptuousments. He thought, ¡®I never expected that Ashley was the daughter of the Pliskin family. ¡®So, do | look like a fool just now? ¡®With such a perfect face and elegance, no one could steal her limelight. ¡®Plus, | thought Ms. Pliskin invited me to the banquet because she has feelings for me. ¡®I''ve even fantasized about marrying Ms. Pliskin and living in Pliskin Manor, even if | have to live with her parents. ¡®But now, Ashley turns out to be Ms. Pliskin... ¡®| publicly humiliated her online for inheriting Evan¡¯s gene a few days ago... ¡®Wait, could it be that she was attracted by my bold behavior and thought | was different, so she invited me to the banquet?¡¯ At this moment, Miranda and Bryce were standing by. Their eyes widened in astonishment, and they were lost for words when they heard Brian personally say that Ashley was his daughter. After a long while, Miranda came to her senses and grabbed Ashley¡¯s hand in surprise. ¡°Ashley...that¡¯s so great!¡± She thought, ¡®The Pliskin family is Ashley''s real family. ¡®They are not as cold-blooded as the Ramos family. They will treat Ashley well and love her as a family. ¡®Ashley finally has a family!¡¯ Bryce looked at Ashley and gave a heartyugh. ¡°Congrattions, you have found your real family.¡± Ashley felt warmth in her heart when she heard their words. They were happy for her to find a real family, not for her to have the wealth and power of the Pliskin family. ¡°Thank you.¡± Ashley felt emotional, tears in her eyes, and her heart was brimming with happiness. Nick had to admit that he indeed attracted Ashley''s attention by having a fight with Bryce and humiliating her online a few days ago. However, Ashley invited him to the family reunion banquet not because he was different but to deliberately embarrass him. He had initially thought that Ashley had a crush on him. Chapter 359 Obviously, Nick used Ashley of coveting the Pliskin family¡¯s property and pretending to be their daughter. In the livestream,izens became suspicious after hearing Nick¡¯s insinuations. [First of all, | don¡¯t think Ashley would pretend to be the daughter of the Pliskin family. I¡¯m just curious. Isn¡¯t Ashley the lost daughter of the Ramos family? Why does she have a rtionship with the Pliskin family now?] [I remember that Ashley had a DNA identification with the Ramos family, so she should be their daughter. But...] [What''s going on?] [It can¡¯t be that Ashley really passes herself off as the daughter of the Pliskin family, right?] George was a little angry at Nick¡¯s words. ¡°Are you suspecting Ashley?¡± George always had a cold face. At this moment, no one dared to make a sound after he got irritated.Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Nick swallowed in fright and stammered, ¡°No...no, | just...¡± Before Nick could finish his words, George stopped him with a piercing look. ¡®Itis a waste of time to listen to the exnation of people who bully my sister,¡¯ George thought. Then, Nick shut his mouth in fear. The socialites next to them exchanged nces with each other. They could tell that the Pliskin family seemed to protect Ashley to the extreme... George turned to look at his father. Brian nodded slightly. ¡°Bring out the DNA identification result.¡± Karen and Ashley stood arm in arm. Ashley patted the back of her mother¡¯s handfortingly. She had already expected this situation. If she wanted to disassociate herself from the Ramos family, the DNA identification result must be made public. Soon, George and Lester took out the DNA identification report and showed it to everyone. Lester smiled, ¡°This is my sister and my parents¡¯ DNA identification report. It concluded that Ashley is rted to our Pliskin family by blood. Ashley is the daughter of our family! ¡°As for the DNA identification of Ashley and the Ramos family, it was secretly manipted by a person named Tyler Morgan. He wanted to prevent our reunion. Here is a recording. Please listen to it.¡± Immediately, Lester took out a voice recorder and yed the recording of Tyler and Gary in public. ¡°Dr. Baldwin, you just need to change the identification result, and I will give you 600 thousand dors. Isn¡¯t it a good deal?¡± ¡°Mr. Morgan, what result do you want me to have?¡± ¡°Just conclude that...Ashley is unrted to the Pliskin family by blood.¡± The scene was in an uproar after hearing the recording. People thought, ¡®Bribe the doctor to change the identification result? ¡®Conclude that Ashley is unrted to the Pliskin family by blood? ¡®So, in fact, Ashley is rted to the Pliskin family by blood!¡¯ Amidst the noise, Lester¡¯s gaze swept over the people with no emotion. People immediately calmed down and kept quiet. Lester still smiled but said coldly, ¡°I''ve investigated and have sufficient evidence that Tyler secretly changed the results to prevent Ashley from our reunion. He was also behind the previous DNA identification result of Ashley and the Ramos family. ¡°So, | am here today to tell everyone that Ashley has no blood rtionship with the Ramos family! She is my sister, the daughter of our Pliskin family!¡± After a pause, Lester raised his eyebrows slightly and continued, ¡°As for the daughter of the Ramos family, you guys are familiar with her. That is Cara Ward. ¡°She deliberately had stic surgery based on Ashley¡¯s appearance in an attempt to rece Ashley and be our Pliskin family¡¯s daughter. However, the fact is that Cara is the daughter of the Ramos family.¡± ¡®What? Cara? ¡®The one who looks gentle and kind but is actually vicious and has a broken public image? ¡®She is the daughter of the Ramos family?¡¯ In the livestream,izens were stunned by the revtions andmented continuously. [Holy shit! Someone tampered with the DNA identification result of Ashley and the Ramos family!] [Oh my, prevent Ashley and the Pliskin family from reunion! What a malicious plot!]Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated for All Books Updates... [What? Cara is the daughter of the Ramos family? And deliberately did stic surgery based on Ashley''s appearance? Rece Ashley and be the Pliskin family''s daughter? I¡¯m so shocked!] [Holy shit, Cara really behaves like the Ramos family...] [I''m freaking out. Fortunately, they saw through her scheme. Ashley is back to her family.] Once the DNA identification report was released, it was confirmed that Ashley was the daughter of the Pliskin family. The socialites came forward one after another and smiled, congratting Brian and Karen on finding their beloved daughter and reuniting their family. Nick stood there nkly, like an out-of-ce outsider. He was so embarrassed that he wanted to find a ce to hide. He thought, ¡®I shamelessly humiliated Ashley for inheriting Evan¡¯s genes. ¡®And | never expected that she has nothing to do with the Ramos family. ¡®Ashley belongs to the Pliskin family and is the only daughter of the Pliskin family. ¡®She is so powerful and has a high status that she can destroy me handily. ¡®Many people don¡¯t even dare to dream of having such a background.¡¯ George sneered inwardly when he heard this, ¡®Don¡¯t mind? How dare he say that.¡¯ Ashley didn¡¯t even want to nce at someone like Nick, so she didn¡¯t bother to pay attention to him and tilted her head to signal to the bodyguards on the side. The bodyguards immediately stepped forward and dragged Nick out. [LOL. He deserves it! Shame on him!] [How confident Nick is to suggest that after scolding Ashley! What a joke!] [The fans of Nick said that Ashley was not qualified to attend the family reunion banquet. But she turns out to be the daughter of the Pliskin family. What do you guys think now?] Nick¡¯s fans werepletely silent this time. They saw their idol being thrown out embarrassingly in public and didn¡¯t know what to say to defend him. When they saw Ashley finally found her family and was protected by George and Lester, they deeply felt sad. They thought, ¡®Ashley, we owe so much to her... ¡®We also want to be a considerate brother and a family member who protects and loves her. ¡®But... It''s toote...¡¯ Not long after, several low-key but luxurious ck cars slowly parked over. Frankie turned around and saw Valentin supporting Zain get out of the car, followed by ire and Joseph. Frankie was confused and thought, ¡®Why does Valentine here? And how does hee with such a calm face? ¡®There are so many people at the banquet, including media reporters. The banquet is on a livestream with super high poprity, and manyizens are watching. ¡®Isn''t he afraid of... ¡®Could it be...that he wants to announce his marriage with Ashley to the public?¡¯ Chapter 360 In the meantime, the things announced at the family reunion banquet instantly became the top five trending topics on the hashtag list: ¡°Ashley is the long-lost daughter of the Pliskin family¡±, ¡°The DNA identification of Ashley and the Pliskin family¡¯, ¡°Ashley is not rted to the Ramos family by blood¡±, ¡°Cara is the daughter of the Ramos family¡±, and ¡°Nick was thrown out by the security guard¡±. The Inte was in an uproar. The topics discussed at this moment were all inseparable from Ashley, no matter on which website. ¡°Like father, like son.¡± Thoseizens who believed this proverb and thought Ashley must inherit Evan¡¯s adverse genes shut their mouths and never dared to gossip again after the DNA identification report. Cara¡¯s public image had already copsed, and now she was revealed that she had undergone stic surgery in an attempt to pass Ashley off as the daughter of the Pliskin family. Netizens once again severely criticized her. As for Nick, he posted a tweet to apologize to Ashley, saying that he was short-sighted and should not have spoken ill of Ashley behind her back, should not have been prejudiced against Ashley, and should not have fought with Bryce, etc. However, although he admitted his mistake soon,izens didn¡¯t buy it. As a male star, he was thrown out of a banquet by security guards in public. He was humiliated and became theughingstock of the public. More and moreizens were flocking to the livestream. The number of viewers directly broke the record of the livestream website. [Please point the camera at Ashley. | want to see her face! My beautiful princess!] [Ashley is mine!] The cameraman didn¡¯t get close to Ashley to film, but he focused the camera on Ashley. At this time, socialites and celebrities surrounded Ashley and talked with her. They already knew Ashley and had heard many stories about her before they knew that Ashley was a member of the Pliskin family. When someone mentioned racing, a handsome man in a white suit looked at Ashley gracefully and said, ¡°I was also in the audience watching yourpetition with Ryanst time. It was exciting!¡± Ashley smiled politely, ¡°Thanks.¡± The man smiled gently, ¡°I often watch racingpetitions. When | saw your cornering skills, | felt like you were The Racing Legend Ava. Later, it turned out that you are Ava.¡± Ashley raised her eyebrows slightly. He knew racing so well and was talkative about it. It seemed that he really liked racing. The man was named Liam Turner. He looked at Ashley gently. ¡°I usually go to the club to y racing with my friends, but I¡¯m definitely far behind you.¡± A friend of Liam next to him. He smiled and said, ¡°Come on. Don¡¯t be so humble, Liam. I¡¯ve seen you racing before. You¡¯re good at racing.¡± Liam smiled, looking at Ashley, ¡°Would you mind me having your number? | want to ask you some questions about racing.¡± Liam''s friend immediately became excited and teased, ¡°Ashley, Liam is a big fan of you! He adores The Racing Legend Ava. He finally mustered up the courage to ask your number.¡± Ashley didn¡¯t reply. Liam''s friend continued and tried to pair Liam off with Ashley. ¡°I knew it, Liam. You do not merely adore Ava. I¡¯ve caught you searching Ashley online before!¡± Ashley looked at Liam in surprise when she heard the words. Liam did not deny it. He did have a good impression of Ashley and would pay attention to Ashley in private. But Ashley was a member of the Ramos. family at that time. It was realistic that with his background, his family hoped he could have a well-matched girlfriend and didn¡¯t allow him to date the Ramos family¡¯s daughter. Now that he knew Ashley was the Pliskin family¡¯s daughter. The Pliskin family¡¯s background was much better than his family¡¯s. So, if he proposed to date Ashley, his family would not object. So he came to Ashley to ask for her number and didn¡¯t mind telling Ashley that he wanted to date her. Netizens keptmenting when they saw this scene on the livestream. [Obviously, that guy has feelings for Ashley! He didn¡¯t deny what his friend said!] [Liam Turner, a dignified man also from a wealthy family with a good background. He can barely match the Pliskin family.] [Liam is handsome. They look matched standing together!] [No, they¡¯re not. Don¡¯t be with him, Ashley, please.] Liam took out his phone, looking at Ashley with a polite smile on the open-airwn. ¡°May | have your number?¡± Liam''s friend smiled meaningfully and even wanted to help him. Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated for All Books Updates... As soon as Ashley finished, the entire scene suddenly fell silent. In an instant, people could hear their breaths Liam''s friend was stunned and looked at Ashley with his jaw dropped. ¡°You, you just said...husband?¡± ¡®Did | mishear it?¡¯ he thought. Ashley raised her hand, and a magnificent wedding ring was on her finger. ¡°Yes, my husband and | are married.¡± Seeing that,izens were instantly out of mind on the livestream. MARRIED? Seriously?] It¡¯s...not gonna happen!) Married? Ashley is married? With whom? | don¡¯t believe it!] But Ashley is really wearing a ring on her ring finger! Obviously!] I''m going crazy! | don¡¯t believe it. How could she get married to someone else?] (Who is that man? Who? Let''s fight!] I''m so sad now. | just became a shipper of Valentin and Ashley yesterday. But today, Ashley told everyone she was married.] So do I. I''m also a shipper of Valentin and Ashley! But why did Ashley get married suddenly? | thought they were a perfect match.] [You guys are shippers of Ashley and Valentin? Come on. They won''t be together!] Fine, | already know that.] It¡¯s my first time being a shipper, but now my dream¡¯s broken. Ashley, how can you marry someone else? Is Valentin not good enough?]Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. By the way, who¡¯s Ashley¡¯s husband? Is he handsome? How old is he? He must be handsome than Liam!] Chapter 361 The smile on Liam¡¯s face suddenly froze after hearing Ashley''s words. He had seen the ring on Ashley¡¯s finger before but thought it was just for fun. He didn¡¯t expect it to be a wedding ring... ¡®She is so young... ¡®Could it be that Ashley deliberately said she was married to reject me?¡¯ he thought. Then, Liam looked at Ashley and probed. ¡°Ms. Pliskin, you said you¡¯re married. May | know his name?¡± He wanted to see if she could give him a name. People nearby looked at Ashley curiously and wanted to know who she was marrying.¡¯ Was he from a wealthy family in Kilos City? Or just an ordinary person?¡¯ they wondered. At this moment, an exmation came from not far away. ¡°It¡¯s the Kingsley family!¡± ¡°Look, it¡¯s Valentin! And Zain! He actually came, too!¡± ¡°Who is that girl in the blue dress? The one next to Mr. Fox.¡± ¡°That¡¯s ire Fox, the daughter of the Fox family, Joseph''s sister! She has been abroad and just came back recently!¡± With the exmations, people turned their heads and looked toward the direction of the Kingsley family. They saw Zain walking over with a smile. He was probably in a good mood. Although he had gray hair, he still looked vigorous. Of course, the one with the most eye-catching was Valentin. Valentin was wearing a well-tailored ck suit with broad shoulders and long legs. Even the sunlight seemed to favor him. He walked over through the shadow on the ground, showing his handsome face, a straight nose, and sexy lips. The line from brow bone to jawline was perfect without a single w... He looked like a charactering from the myth with a unique shape and high morals. He was dignified and elegant, which made people can¡¯t take their eyes away from him. The socialites present all looked at him with amazement, and the admiration in their eyes could not be hidden. However, as soon as he came over, he looked at Ashley in the crowd as if she was the only one in the world... Karen, Brian, George, and Lester came over to wee the Kingsley family as they wereing. After all, Zain was an elder. After greeting Brian and Karen, Zain took Ashley''s hand affectionately and smiled, ¡°You''re so beautiful today, Ashley!¡± Ashley smiled, ¡°Thank you, Grandpa.¡± ire was wearing a pretty blue dress. She smiled gently and reached out to hug Ashley. ¡°Ashley, congrattions on finding your real family.¡± Ashley smiled sweetly, ¡°Thank you, ire.¡± Joseph looked around, smiling meaningfully, nced at Valentin, and then looked at Ashley, raising his eyebrows. ¡°Ashley, | just heard that someone wanted to date you?¡± At this time, theizens were overwhelmed on the livestream since Valentin came over. (Valentin is here! He¡¯s so handsome! I¡¯m lost in his charm!] Frankly, | want to getid with him!] Look, are Zain and Ashley so close? As soon as he arrived, he was chatting with Ashley, and ire was also very close to Ashley.] [You''ve forgotten that Ashley and Joseph have a good rtionship. It is probably for Joseph¡¯s sake that they are close to Ashley] [Oh my, Valentin is staring at Ashley! This is called love! | believe he likes Ashley, but it¡¯s a pity that Ashley is already married.] (Ashley, who are you married to? Why don¡¯t you consider Valentin to be your husband?] (Wait a minute. Did Joseph already know that Liam wanted to date Ashley?] Ashley helplessly rubbed her forehead after hearing Joseph¡¯s question. Liam took a step forward and wanted to say something. Suddenly, he noticed a chilling gaze was on him. Liam was tense and turned his head. He saw Valentin looking at him, which made him tremble in fear. ¡®What...what¡¯s wrong?¡¯ he thought. Noticing this, Ashley blinked with bright eyes, hurriedly held Valentin¡¯s hand, raised her head, kissed him gently, and then looked at Liam. ¡°Didn''t you just ask me who | married? ¡°Now | told you, this is my husband,¡± Ashley said. After the words finished, everyone present was stunned. They thought, ¡®Valentin Kingsley? Ashley¡¯s husband? ¡®And they kissed in public just now?¡¯ [Holy shit! What¡¯s going on? Am | hallucinating?) [Ashley...kissed Valentin? And called him husband?] [Fuck. | was so shocked that | dropped my phone on the floor!] [Look, Valentin is also wearing a ring on his hand! His ring and Ashley''s are a pair!] [I saw it too! It¡¯s a wedding ring! Definitely!] [Holy crap... So Ashley is really married? And her husband is Valentin Kingsley, the rich, powerful, and handsome president of the Kingsley Group?] Just after Ashley introduced Valentin, Liam was stunned in ce. He thought, ¡®Ashley...is Valentin¡¯s wife?¡¯ All socialites at the scene were dumbfounded, with disbelief on their faces. They thought, ¡®That handsome and dignified man...is married? ¡®And he already has a wife. No... ¡®We can¡¯t ept this!¡¯ However, what was even more astonishing was that just after Ashley kissed Valentin, his cold eyes seemed to melt with warmth, and a tender smile suddenly appeared. Obviously, he was satisfied with Ashley¡¯s behavior. Valentin¡¯s gaze at Ashley was full of affection and happiness, and his voice was sexy and gentle. ¡°Thank you, honey, for letting our marriage in public.¡± Everyone on the scene was shocked. ¡®Honey... Marriage in public...¡¯ They proved their marriage to everyone! Judging by what he said, Valentin might have been looking forward to announcing their marriage and was eager for Ashley to recognize their rtionship. No matter how upset those socialites were, they had to admit and bless that Ashley and Valentin were a perfect match in appearance and background. Netizens also went crazy on the livestream. (Valentin and Ashley are real couples!] How lucky | am to see the beautiful picture! Who said that Ashley and Valentin couldn''t be together? Come over and see them!] How did they be together? It seems to be a hidden marriage.] Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated for All Books Updates... [And Zain and ire were affectionate to Ashley because they are family!] Does it mean that Ashley and Valentin have been together for a long time?] (Oh no! | don¡¯t want Ashley to be with another man. Why did she get married?) ¡®They are a well-matched couple. It¡¯s none of your business. They also don¡¯t need to listen to you.]Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Ashley was already famous. Moreover, her real identity as the long-lost daughter of the Pliskin family was revealed at today¡¯s family reunion banquet. Immediately afterward, Ashley announced to the public that she was married to Valentin, the powerful and unattainable president of the Kingsley Group. Their names were enough to attract attention separately, let alone putting them together. The effect caused was like a nuclear bombing. This thrilling family reunion banquet finally ended. The guests left with unfulfilled feelings. After the guests left, only the Pliskin family and the Kingsley family were left on the openwn. Zain was chatting with Brian and Karen. George was talking to ire and Joseph. As for Lester... Lester was a little envious when he saw Ashley and Valentin holding hands and leaning together. He thought, ¡®Why do you treat him so well, Ashley? ¡®What if he makes unreasonable demands? | really want to teach her how to discipline men in the future.¡¯ Ashley didn¡¯t notice Lester''s expression and was entirely focused on Valentin. Holding Valentin¡¯s hand, she was so joyful that her eyes smiled into crescent moons. She was about to tell Valentin that she already let the world know they were husband and wife. Suddenly, she felt dizzy, her body went limp, and she almost fell. ¡°Ashley!¡± Valentin quickly supported her. Everyone else heard the sound and looked over. Karen''s face was full of worry. ¡°What''s wrong, Ashley? Are you dizzy again?¡± ¡°It''s okay, Mom. | was a little dizzy, but I¡¯m much better now...¡± Ashley reached out and rubbed her temples. She often felt dizzy these days, but the doctor couldn¡¯t find anything wrong with the everyday exam. Every time she felt dizzy in the past few days, she just needed to rx for a while and would feel better. Ashley smiled and was about tofort Valentin when she saw his worried face. But her vision went dark, and a wave of dizziness hit her. She suddenly fell into Valentin¡¯s arms, closed her eyes heavily, and lost consciousness... Chapter 362 Chapter 362 In the VIP ward at the hospital, Ashleyy quietly on the bed, motionless with her eyes closed, and she fell into aa. The most experienced doctors in the hospital were concentrating on examining her body. Karen stood in the corridor outside the ward, looking into the ward through the ss door. She was anxious and about to cry. ¡°Ashley, please be okay... Brian held his wife¡¯s shouldersfortingly, but the worry in his eyes lingered. George and Lester looked solemn. Ashley had been experiencing dizziness from time to time in the past few days, but the cause couldn''t be found at all. There was no abnormality in Ashley, so doctors could not find any symptoms even if they tried to treat the disease. The stranger the phenomenon was, the more worried they became. They called in some of the most famous doctors in the world, but they still couldn¡¯t find any abnormality in Ashley.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. As aresult, she felt dizzy again and passed out directly today. ¡°What exactly is going on... they thought. Zain also came to the hospital. He nced at the unconscious Ash the ward and then at Valentin, who had been silent since just now. worry on his face became more intense. ire persuaded him. ¡°Grandpa, don¡¯t worry. These are the top and professional doctors in Kilos City. Ashley will be fine.¡± After sending Ashley to the hospital, the Pliskin family and the Kingsle family summoned the most professional doctors in Kilos City for a join consultation. Joseph frowned tightly and couldn''t sit still at all. He nced at Ashley in the ward and then at Valentin, standing outside the ward, full of worry. After an unknown amount of time, the door to the ward finally opened. Valentin immediately walked over with a gloomy face but saw Ashley still Tra 161-60 lying unconscious on the bed. ¡°Doctor, when will my daughter wake up?¡± Karen asked anxiously. The leading doctor said hesitantly, ¡°We have just carefully examined Ms. Ramos¡¯ body and found no abnormalities. All her body indicators are normal, but she fell into aa...¡± Lester¡¯s face suddenly became stern when he heard the words. ¡°There it is again, he thought. Joseph was puzzled. ¡°Since the body indicators are normal, how could she still fall into aa? Is there something omitted and not examined?¡± Several doctors looked at each other and shook their heads. ¡°We just conducted aprehensive examination on Ms. Ramos.¡± The implication was that nothing was missed. However, the patient''s body had no abnormality, but she still fell into aa. This situation was indeed rare and hard. There was no expression on Valentin¡¯s face. He looked calm but suppressed his anger and tried to restrain the evil deep in his heart. ¡®Dizziness... Coma... ¡°That day, she was dragged into the water by Tyler... He recalled Valentin suddenly squinted in anger and turned to look at Geor Lester. ¡°Take care of Ashley.¡± Then, he strode out of the ward angrily. Lester was slightly startled and thought, ¡®Is it rted to... Tyler?¡¯ Zain quickly said, ¡°Joseph, follow him and see if he needs help!¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Joseph looked back at Ashley, who was unconscious on the be and quickly chased after Valentin. While Valentin walked out of the ward, he saw Andrew walking towards him in the corridor. Andrew seemed toe in a rush, and his face was extremely gloomy. | was rare that he was not hostile when facing Valentin. He asked eagerly, ¡°Is she in aa?¡± Chapter 363 Joseph had just rushed out of the ward when he saw that Andrew had unexpectedly arrived, too, inquiring about Ashley¡¯s unconscious state. Oddly enough, the details of Ashley''s condition hadn¡¯t been disclosed to the outside world, so how did Andrew find out? Valentin¡¯s brows furrowed lightly, and his expression devoid of emotion as he stared at Andrew. Of course, Valentin knew that Andrew had been discreetly keeping tabs on Ashley, so the moment she was admitted to the hospital, he got the news promptly. ¡°Speak, what happened to her?¡± Andrew asked again, boldly walking towards the ward. He then looked through the ss window and saw Ashley lying quietly on the hospital bed,pletely unconscious. A sinister expression crept over his face. ncing back at Valentin with a dark look, he demanded, ¡°What''s going on?¡± Valentin¡¯s deep gaze briefly met his, and surprisingly, he didn¡¯t conceal anything and said. ¡°It¡¯s Tyler.¡± Leaving behind these cold words, Valentin walked towards the ele Andrew¡¯s brows furrowed, silently repeating Tyler¡¯s name. He then followed suit. Joseph was momentarily stunned, thinking, ¡®What¡¯s going on? Andre was Valentin¡¯s romantic rival. How could these two get along? Colby waited outside the hospital. Seeing Andrewing out, he hurriedly approached. ¡°Mr. Banks, how is Ashley?¡± Just as Colby finished asking, he was astonished to see Andrew was actuallying out together with Valentin. Even more surprising was that Andrew showed no hostility towards his romantic rival. He thought, ¡®What the... He was irritated by Valentin before entering the hospital. Watching this peaceful scene, Colby¡¯s mouth hung open in amazement, 13 11.101 looking at Joseph behind them with a bewildered expression. Joseph was just as bewildered, thinking. What are you looking at me for? | have no idea about anything!¡± ¡°Keep staring, and your eyes will be fed to the dogs,¡± Andrew¡¯s grim voice echoed overhead. Colby immediately averted his gaze, not daring to sneak another nce. Ever since they exposed Tyler¡¯s true identity on the cruise ship and captured him, they temporarily detained him, nning to hand him over to the authorities after the family recognition banquet. Now, in a dim and damp warehouse, Tyler sat semi-conscious on the floor, with disheveled hair, exposed skin bruised and battered, and his clothes soaked with dried, dark-red bloodstains. Clearly, he had been severely beaten. With a whoosh, the warehouse door was pushed open by a bodyguard. ¡°Mr. Kingsley, Tyler is locked up here.¡± As the door opened, the ring sunlight poured in. Tyler squinted, adapting to the sudden light, and then saw Valentin striding over with a cold and indifferent expression, apanied by Andrew. Seeing them, Tyler unexpectedly let out a coarse, hoarse, and eerie Shakingly, he stood up from the ground. ¡°You finally came...¡± Joseph''s expression changed at his words, thinking, ¡®Is Tyler anticipat our visit? ¡®Could it be that he knew in advance that Ashley would be in trouble?¡¯ Valentin approached Tyler, his eyes as cold as an icy abyss, and his voice carried a freezing and intimidating tone. ¡°What have you done to her?¡± Tyler, seemingly without fear, grinned strangely. ¡°Valentin, is this the way to ask someone a question?¡± ncing at the dried bloodstains on his clothes and the dim, damp warehouse, Tyler looked at Valentin and issued in a threatening tone. ¡°If you want Ashley unharmed, release me from this hellhole and hand over all the assets of the Pliskin family to me!¡±Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. 23 09:19 Colby widened his eyes upon hearing this, thinking, ¡®He is actually eyeing the Pliskin family¡¯s assets?¡± Tyler looked at Valentin, and his smile became even more self-assured. ¡°This is the most equal exchange condition. Are you, by any chance, reluctant?¡± Suddenly, a lowugh echoed in the dim and quiet room. Tyler turned towards the source of theughter, where Andrew stood. ¡°Why are youughing?¡± Tyler furrowed his brows. ¡°I''mughing...¡± Andrew tilted his head, locking eyes with Tyler. He walked towards him step by step. ¡°Because how dare a toad have such wishful thinking?¡± With that, Andrew arrived in front of Tyler. Upon hearing Andrew insulted him as a toad, Tyler¡¯s face twisted in frustration. He was about tounch into a tirade. In the next instant, his scalp suddenly tingled, and a hand tightly gripped his hair. Then, with a bang! With a smile, Andrew held Tyler¡¯s hair with one hand and mmed his head against the wall behind him. In an instant, Tyler¡¯s head bled profusely. Chapter 364 Chapter 364 The room was suddenly filled with Tyler''s horrendous screams. Tyler trembled in pain, his whole body convulsing. Rapid, heavy gasps escaped his throat. With each breath, the pain pulsated in his temples, blood streaming down from his forehead. His vision turned blurry. Terrified, he looked at Andrew, who was holding his head. Tyler¡¯s voice was hoarse, yet he suppressed the fear and threatened, ¡°You... If you don¡¯t want anything to happen to Ashley, release me immediately!¡± Upon hearing this, Andrew raised his lips and smiled mockingly, ¡°Think you can threaten me, Tyler? How many lives do you believe you''ve got to y that card?¡± Andrew narrowed his eyes, a bloodthirsty air emanating from him. grabbed Without warning, he themer¡¯s head again and smashed it into the iron-nailed wall beside them. Abang echoed as Tyler¡¯s face collided with the wall. ¡°Ah!¡± Tyler screamed once more, teeth falling out, blood sttering. His. right eye was pierced by the iron nail on the wall. His body, like a limp mass of bloody flesh, slid weakly to the ground. The entire room was filled with Tyler¡¯s pitiful and hoarse wails. Blood and cold sweat flowed into his eyes. Tylery on the ground struggling to lift his head. His vision was so blurred that he couldn¡¯t anything except the sinister and bloodthirsty smile on Andrew¡¯s lips a demon from hell. He thought, ¡®This man...a demon. He is a demon!¡± Extreme fear and horror surged through Tyler. Ludicrously, he looked towards Valentin, hoping he could save him. However, the next moment, Tyler¡¯s absurd notion shattered instantly. The coldness in Valentin¡¯s eyes was even more ruthless than Andrew¡¯s. The chilling gaze seemed ready to tear Tyler apart, especially when Valentin heard him use Ashley as a threat. Tyler was frightened and trembled all over. Gasping for breath, he desperately clung to hisst lifeline. ¡°You... If | die, Ashley will never wake up!¡± 09 19 Chapter 364 At this moment, Joseph watched the bloody scene in astonishment, utterly unprepared for Andrew to almost kill Tyler without hesitation. This guy is really... Joseph was horrified, swallowed hard, then furrowed his brows slightly. Even in this state, with Tyler being this brutalized, he was still trying to use Ashley as leverage. It seemed he wouldn''t easily relent. What should they do? What Joseph could think of, Valentin had already considered. His expression was unusually dark in the dim and damp room. Suddenly, Valentin turned to Andrew, his tone devoid of emotion. ¡°Let''s cooperate.¡± With these words, an eerie silence fell over the room. Joseph and Colby, the subordinates brought by Valentin, and those on Andrew¡¯s side all fell into shocked silence, doubting if they had misheard, their faces expressing disbelief. Andrew narrowed his eyes slightly and snorted, ¡°My dear Mr. Kingsley, did | hear you correctly?¡± Facing this strange address, Valentin remained expressionless, his gaze fixed on Andrew. ¡°This is urgent. Let¡¯s split up. One group searches Tyler¡¯s residence, and the other stays here to interrogate him.¡± Andrew nonchntly sneered, ¡°You¡¯remanding me now?¡± Valentin¡¯s brain worked like a precise machine. Recalling the info about Tyler he had investigated before, he coldly spoke. ¡°There¡¯s with Tyler¡¯s residence. | need to go with a team to check. You stay and interrogate him.¡± Upon hearing this, Colby widened his eyes, thinking, ¡®This isn¡¯t justmanding. Valentin had already assigned tasks to Mr. Banks! ¡®Mr. Banks had long been fed up with his romantic rival, Valentin. Ho could he possibly listen to him?¡± Carefully ncing at Andrew, Colby saw his face looking extremely unpleasant. He immediately tensed up, signaling his team discreetly, preparing for Andrew''s orders to send his team to search Tyler¡¯s residence. However, the next moment, he witnessed Andrew gritting his teeth and reluctantly saying, ¡°Listen to him!¡± 2/5 09.19Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. ¡°What?¡± Colby was momentarily bewildered and shocked, and two secondster, he nodded with a dazed expression. ¡°Understood.¡± He thought, ¡®What¡¯s going on? How could Mr. Banks listen to Valentin¡¯s words?¡± After Valentin finished speaking, there were no more unnecessary words. He turned and walked out of the room withplete trust in Andrew. Joseph hurriedly followed with a face full of astonishment and wondered why Valentin trusted Andrew so much. After contemting, he realized it was probably because Andrew stood. on the same side as Valentin regarding Ashley¡¯s safety. After Joseph ran out of the room, he could still faintly hear Andrew¡¯s cruel, bloodthirsty voice, permeated with a sickening obsession with violence, echoing in the blood-scent-filled air. ¡°Tyler, do you want me to dismantle these 206 bones on your body one by one for you to see...¡± Tyler¡¯s residence was a standalone two-story building located in the suburbs. He had been living here since the second DNA test for Ashley. Valentin ordered his subordinates to search. He also called in sever investigations and forensic experts. Eventually, they discovered a hidden room on the first floor next t study. Upon opening it, they were greeted by a cold, white space fil with various medical instruments. On a central tabley a collection surgical knives, resembling a miniature medical laboratory. ¡°This is unbelievable. What does Tyler want to do?¡± Joseph eximed shock. Despite the revtion, Valentin¡¯s expression remained unchanged. Tyle was already skilled in medicine, and previous investigations had revealed that when he had stolen Ashley from the Pliskin family, he had even contemted using little Ashley for human experimentation. This indicated that he had long been secretly researching something. Valentin nced around briefly. The hidden room was well-ventted, and the fact that Tyler could enter and exit at any time indicated its safety. 09.20 Chapter 364 Valentin took out his phone and made a call. Twenty minutester, several senior medical research institute professors. hurriedly arrived, bringing specialized equipment with them. After all, it was an invitation personally extended by Valentin, and they naturally did not dare to neglect it. The lead professor, a white-bearded man named Richard Auriant, showed a hint of surprise upon seeing the small medical laboratory. However, after a thorough inspection, he shook his head andmented, ¡°This ce merely contains some medical equipment. There are no drugs worth making a fuss about.¡± Furrowing his brows, Valentin responded, ¡°Mr. Auriant, please take another look.¡± Responding to Valentin¡¯s request, Richard carefully examined the area again, shaking his head and saying, ¡°Still nothing... Wait a moment! Here. There is residual yellow powder here!¡± Other professors immediately gathered to observe. Naturally, the group refrained from touching it directly with their bare hands, opting to professionally iste and store the substance. It would require research and analysis to determine its exact nature. At this moment, Valentin¡¯s phone rang, and an unknown numb disyed. Without hesitation, Valentin slid the screen to answer. The low, gravelly voice of Andrew came through. ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± ¡°| know,¡± Valentin replied. Andrew clicked his tongue, expressing his annoyance, Valentin co predict everything about him like he understood him well. After a pause, he said, ¡°Tyler confessed.¡± Valentin tightened his grip on the phone. ¡°What did he say?¡± as Andrew responded, ¡°On the day he dragged Ashley into the river, whil she was unaware, he used a specially crafted micro- needle to pierce he arm. The needle contained a dangerous drug he had collected and developed.¡± Valentin¡¯s eyes darkened. The yellow powder residue they had found 09:20 moments ago was likely the dangerous drug Tyler had been researching. Suppressing his anger, Valentin¡¯s voice turned cold. ¡°Give Tyler a temporary reprieve.¡± Andrew sounded displeased. ¡°Are youmanding me again?¡± After a two-second silence, Valentin nced at the phone screen and deliberately responded with a nonchnt ¡°Hmm¡± before ending the call. Andrew was speechless, thinking, ¡®He dared to respond with a Hmm? ¡®Damn it, he dared to do that?¡± Watching Andrew¡¯s irritated expression, Colby swallowed hard. No doubt, Valentin, his romantic rival, was the cause of it. Chapter 365 After they went back to the hospital, Richard led a team to investigate the yellow powder. As professionals, encountering such a substance excited them. Inside the ward, seeing Valentin return, Karen and Brian eagerly asked, ¡°Valentin, how is it?¡± Zain also approached with concern, asking, ¡°Is Ashley¡¯s situation rted to Tyler?¡± Valentin¡¯s tone was cold. ¡°Yes. Andrew just interrogated him. Tyler took advantage of the drowning incident and used a specially crafted micro-needle to puncture Ashley¡¯s arm. The needle contained a dangerous drug he privately developed...¡± After a pause, he continued, ¡°Richard has already led a team to study those yellow drugs, and results will be avable soon.¡±Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Karen¡¯s face was filled with sorrow as if she had aged ten years in an instant. ¡°Andrew is here too? But Ashley...¡± Watching her daughter in aa on the hospital bed, Karen was consumed by profound anxiety. George pondered for a moment, his voice unusually deep. ¡°Does Tyler have more to say?¡± His meticulous thoughts seemed to have guessed something. Valentin paused, nodding slightly. ¡°Tyler uses Ashley¡¯s safety in exch for the Pliskin family¡¯s assets.¡± Upon hearing this, Brian was furious and scolded loudly, ¡°How dare h take advantage of Ashley? If he¡¯s got the guts, he should come for me instead!¡± Lester looked at the unconscious Ashley on the hospital bed without saying a word, his eyes deep and serious. If his sister couldn¡¯t wake up, not to mention Tyler wanting the Pliskin family¡¯s assets, even if he wanted his life... After Andrew arrived at the hospital, he didn¡¯t enter the ward but waited outside the corridor. Colby silently apanied him, wisely refraining from too much speech. Now, Tyler was clinging to life with barely a breath left. However, he refused to reveal how to wake Ashley up. Did this mean that only by surrendering the Pliskin family¡¯s assets could she be revived? Agloomy and depressive atmosphere pervaded the entire ward. Finally, in the evening, Richard walked over, a bit fatigued but still vignt. He looked at Valentin and said, ¡°I coborated with dozens of senior professors and conducted professional analysis using specialized instruments. The yellow substance does indeed contain dangerousponents. Even a small dose can cause extremely hazardous reactions. If the human bodyes into contact and absorbs it, dizziness will ur, followed by aa. Thenes persistent high fever until organ failure, and eventually, death.¡± Upon hearing the word ¡°death,¡± Karen¡¯s face turned pale instantly, stumbling back several steps. Lester immediately supported his mother. Brian asked anxiously, ¡°Richard, is there any medicine to control this condition?¡± Richard sighed and shook his head slightly. ¡°The medication to control the condition requires long-term experimental research. It''s not something that can be developed overnight. But Ms. Ramos is alre aa, and time is very tight. | am afraid there will be no time to for the drug to be developed, and Ms. Ramos may...¡± Karen''s heart tightened, and tears welled up in her eyes. Holding he daughter¡¯s hand tightly, she felt a sudden stabbing pain. Panicking, s said, ¡°It¡¯s so hot. Ashley has started to have a fever.¡± Valentin¡¯s eyes darkened suddenly. Holding Ashley¡¯s delicate wrist, he could clearly feel her elevated body temperature. George immediately called the doctor. Whether it was physical cooling or intravenous treatment, they had to bring down her high fever. However, after three hours, there was still no improvement. Just as Richard mentioned, it started with a continuous high fever. Next would be organ failure, no recovery, and eventual death. Andrew, who had been waiting outside the ward, saw this scene. The emotions in his eyes were more profound than the night outside. Suddenly, he turned and walked away. Colby was stunned and wondered where Andrew was going. Without much thought, Colby quickly followed. Inside the ward, Karen held Ashley¡¯s hand tightly with one hand and gently touched her quiet, lifeless brows with the other. Her heart ached. The words Richard said kept lingering in her ears. ¡°Dizziness, followed by aa, thenes persistent high fever until organ failure, and eventually, death.¡± Karen''s eyes turned red, her throat felt blocked, and tears silently flowed from the corners of her eyes. She cried to herself. ¡®Ashley... My daughter... Why must you endure so much suffering from the very beginning? It¡¯s been a challenging journey for me to find you. Why must we face this hardship once again? ¡®If only you hadn¡¯t been lost initially... If you had grown up by my side from the start... It¡¯s all my fault. | failed to take care of you. | owe you an apology.¡¯ Karen wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes, took a deep breath, and suddenly turned to look at Brian. Her voice was resolute. ¡°I Tyler wants the Pliskin family¡¯s assets, give it to him! | just want my daughter to be safe!¡± Lester had been waiting eagerly and immediately said, ¡°I have no objections.¡± George remained silent, but his attitude was clear, supporting his mother¡¯s decision. Joseph and ire watched this scene, unable to stay indifferent. The influence and wealth of the Pliskin family were something many aspired to but found unattainable. By trading it to Tyler, what they relinquished was not just vast wealth but also the authority that had ced them above the masses. To descend from the clouds to the mud, all for a daughter they had only recently reunited with, how many people could reach such a point? Now, for Ashley, they were willing to give up everything. Chapter 365 Brian embraced Karen¡¯s shoulders, his eyes determined. ¡°I''ll go find Tyler and talk to him personally. We will definitely get our daughter back.¡± Zain, witnessing this, felt both worried and relieved. He was worried because Ashley was in danger, and it was uncertain when she would wake up. And he was relieved because Ashley finally found her family, her parents and brother, who would wholeheartedly care for her. This was the real family. Brian patted his wife¡¯s shoulder and turned to leave the ward. George quickly followed. ¡°Father, I''ll go with you.¡± Brian nodded and then looked at Lester, speaking with concern. ¡°Take care of your mother and sister.¡± Lester nodded, his gaze determined. Valentin watched this scene and pressed his lips slightly. When Brian and George left the ward, Zain suddenly stood up from his chair, making a loud noise as it scraped back. ¡°Grandpa, are you alright?¡± Joseph quickly asked. Brian turned instinctively, looking at Zain. ¡°Mr. Zain Kingsley, what''s wrong?¡± Zain stood up, a glint of excitement in his eyes, then furrowed his brow and remained silent. Valentin asked in a deep voice, ¡°Grandpa?¡± After hesitating for several seconds, Zain spoke. ¡°I just remembered a man. Perhaps he has a way to save Ashley, but...¡± ¡°But what is it, Grandpa? Please, tell us quickly!¡± Joseph couldn''t wait as soon as he heard there was a way to save Ashley. Full of hope, Brian and Karen looked at Zain. George and Lester also became nervous. Zain sighed heavily, finally saying, ¡°The man I¡¯m talking about is Leonard Ferguson.¡± 09-20 ¡°Leonard Ferguson...¡± ire said in doubt, ¡°He¡¯s a renowned doctor with great skill. He could rival even death himself, but he passed away several years ago.¡± Zain waved his hand. ¡°That¡¯s because he didn¡¯t want to see patients anymore. He released news that he had died, but he is still alive. His medical skills are unmatched. Maybe he has a way to cure Ashley, but he has retired and is stubborn. I¡¯m afraid he won''t help out easily.¡± Joseph twisted his eyebrows and wondered how this could be. Valentin, who had been silent since just now, suddenly said, ¡°I will invite him, no matter what.¡± Brian was taken aback, looking at him emotionally. ¡°Valentin...¡± Valentin looked at Ashley lying on the hospital bed, his hand touching her slightly fevered cheek. His voice was softer than the gentle breeze. ¡°Ashley is my wife. I¡¯m willing to do anything for her.¡± After saying that, he turned and left the ward. Watching Valentin leave, Lester sighed softly. Before, he always felt that Valentin had abducted his sister. Now, he seemed to understand why Ashley liked him so much. Chapter 366 Zain knew Leonard¡¯s address and gave it to Valentin. Valentin, apanied by his men, went there following the address. It was a house with a yard, situated near the countryside. The yard gate was a wooden fence, left unlocked and wide open. The yard was adorned with numerous flowers. Despite being nighttime, the blossoms emitted a different kind of fragrance under the cool moonlight. Walking through the yard to the front of the house, they saw warm yellow light shining through the windows. It seemed like he had gone to bed yet. However, just as Valentin approached the door, a familiar voice came from inside before he could knock. ¡°Old man, are you coming or not?¡± He recognized the voice was Andrew''s Valentin narrowed his eyes slightly, thinking, ¡®Why is he here? ¡®Is he here, too, looking for Leonard? Is he calling Leonard old man?¡± After Andrew asked that question, a robust elderly voice followed. ¡°Not going! I''ve said a hundred times I¡¯m not going!¡± Valentin nced at his men behind him, signaling them to be quiet, then knocked on the door. Aknocking sound echoed. The robust elderly voice sounded again. ¡°Come in! So many guests tonight.¡± Following the words, Valentin pushed open the door. The scene before him made him unusually stunned. The room was illuminated by orange light, and there was a round table. With white hair but spirited, Leonard sat on a chair next to the table. Meanwhile, Andrew sat casually on the table, his right leg hanging down and a silver pistol in his hand, pointing directly at Leonard''s head. Andrew casually nced when he heard the door open. Spotting Valentin approaching, he showed no surprise and returned his gaze to Leonard. 60 pter 366 ¡°Old man, I¡¯m asking you again. Are you going or not?¡± Leonard, unafraid of the gun on his head, grunted heavily. ¡°I am not going! I¡¯ve said it a hundred times. | dislike this rude way. It doesn¡¯t matter how many times you ask.¡± Upon hearing this, Valentin immediately gestured to his men to stay in the yard and hide the ropes they had. He had initially prepared for the worst. If Leonard refused to help despite everything, they would have to take him forcibly. Now, hearing Leonard¡¯s refusal due to his dislike for impoliteness, Valentin fell silent for a moment and spoke in a cold tone. ¡°Mr. Ferguson, it¡¯ste, and bothering you is regrettable. But there¡¯s an urgent patient who needs your medical attention.¡± Upon hearing this, Leonard immediately cast a disapproving nce at Andrew,ining, ¡°Look at him, so courteous. Not like you.¡± Andrew was speechless, thinking, ¡®Courteous? Valentin, you cunning rascal! Don¡¯t think | haven¡¯t spotted your gang lurking outside in the yard. However, Leonard looked at Valentin with a distant attitude. ¡°I¡¯m getting on in years, and my energy isn¡¯t what it used to be. I¡¯ve retired from treating patients. Please leave.¡± Valentin frowned slightly, confirming what his grandfather had said. Leonard was stubborn and wouldn''t easilye out to help. Watching Leonard refuse to yield, Andrew remarked, ¡°Old man, you owe me a favor. Now, | need you to treat an illness and save a life. Can¡¯t you do that? What happened to your word?¡± Leonard became agitated. ¡°I¡¯m a man of my word. | promised you a favor, and I''ll stick to it. But treating an illness is out of the question. I¡¯ve retired and made it clear | won¡¯t be practicing medicine anymore. Give me a different condition.¡± Andrew refused. ¡°I¡¯m not changing it.¡± Leonard was angry and said, ¡°You... Aren''t you making it difficult for me?¡± Andrew sneered, ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m making it difficult for you.¡± Leonard couldn¡¯t find words to respond, but he did not dare to confront 019-53 Andrew either. He reached for a water ss on the side and took several gulps of water. Valentin understood now. Andrew and Leonard knew each other. Also, Leonard owed Andrew a favor. However, even Andrew using this favor to force Leonard to treat an illness didn¡¯t work.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Valentin¡¯s gaze swept around the room, noticing several rare oil paintings. hanging on the wall. Apparently, Leonard loved oil paintings. Stepping forward, Valentin said, ¡°Mr. Ferguson, you seem to like Duncan Bernstein¡¯s paintings.¡± Leonard''s eyes lit up at the mention of Duncan, pointing to a painting on the wall. ¡°Yes, | like him. I¡¯ve collected many of his works.¡± Valentin spoke calmly. ¡°I just checked. You don¡¯t have his Maple Leaves here. If you like it, | can give it to you as a gift.¡± Leonard was surprised. ¡°You have Maple Leaves?¡± Valentin nodded. Leonard straightened his beard, half-believing. ¡°You want to give it to me? What¡¯s the condition? Don¡¯t tell me you want me to treat an illness. again.¡± Valentin said, ¡°Yes, there¡¯s a critical patient. If you attend to her, | will give you Maple Leaves, and if you fancy other paintings, consider them all yours.¡± Leonard was taken aback, thinking it was such a big offer. If those words were from someone else, he wouldn''t believe it. But with Valentin, he knew better. It wasn¡¯t just talk. He could make it happen. The painting Maple Leaves was something he truly liked, but going out to treat an illness... Leonard was conflicted. After a few minutes, he shook his head with a pained expression. ¡°No, | said | won''t treat patients anymore. | won''t go back on my word.¡± When Valentin heard this, his eyes suddenly darkened. Andrew¡¯s face had already be extremely unpleasant. ¡°Old man, you want us to do this the hard way?¡± Leonard nced at the gun pointed at his head. ¡°You¡¯ve already given me the hard way.¡± Andrew sneered, ¡°Then why aren¡¯t you going to treat the illness?¡± Leonard replied, ¡°I¡¯ve said | won''t treat patients anymore. How can | go back on my word?¡± Valentin closed his eyes for a moment, and when he opened it again, the urgent and icy tone returned to a deliberately suppressed calm. ¡°Mr. Ferguson, my wife¡¯s life is in danger. | hope you can take a look. No matter what your conditions are, | can meet them.¡± Leonard¡¯s expression suddenly changed upon hearing this. ¡°What did you just say?¡± Valentin repeated. ¡°No matter what your conditions are, | can meet them.¡± Leonard became anxious, abruptly rising from his chair. ¡°I¡¯m asking about the words before that. Your wife¡¯s life is in danger? Your wife... Isn¡¯t she Ashley?¡± Valentin affirmed. ¡°Yes.¡± even Andrew heard the ¡°yes,¡± his face turning more unpleasant. Leonard was anxious and said, ¡°What happened to her? What illness doe she have? The patient you want me to treat is Ashley?¡± After saying this, he looked at Andrew. ¡°The one you want me to treat is Ashley as well?¡± Valentin and Andrew exchanged nces and nodded simultaneously. Leonard suddenly understood, patting his thigh. ¡°You should say it sooner! If it¡¯s Ashley, | don¡¯t need anything. I''ll go treat her right away! What¡¯s happening? How is her life at risk?¡± Andrew narrowed his eyes slightly. ¡°Old man, your attitude...¡± Leonard stiffened his neck. ¡°What''s wrong with my attitude? I¡¯m a huge fan of Ashley, Aurora Easel, | love her art! | even follow her news online.¡± 1/5 09:53 Chapter 366 As he spoke, he pulled out an old phone from his pocket. The font on the screen was huge, and he had been following a lot of news about Ashley online. Leonard even paid attention to the family recognition banquet today. No wonder he knew that Ashley was Valentin¡¯s wife. Both Valentin and Andrew were at a loss for words. They didn¡¯t expect that he was a fan of Ashley. After all the efforts to persuade him, offering all kinds of benefits, nothing worked as effectively as the name ¡°Ashley.¡± They should have mentioned Ashley¡¯s name earlier. Upon hearing that Ashley was ill, Leonard didn¡¯t need further encouragement from Valentin and Andrew. He hastily rushed out, even faster than them. Chapter 367 Valentin, Andrew, and Leonard arrived at the hospital. Everyone waiting in the ward learned that Leonard was willing to treat Ashley, and their agonizing hearts finally found relief. They could somewhat ease their worries. Joseph saw Andrew, who came with Valentin and was no longer surprised. There was no time for many questions. Now, the most crucial thing was to wake Ashley up. As Leonard entered the ward, he saw Ashley lying unconscious on the bed. His expression immediately became serious, almost more distressed than if he were sick himself. He rushed to the bedside almost without lifting his feet off the ground. Karen was startled, thinking, ¡®This old medical sage, why does he seem so...unstable?¡¯ Valentin exined in a low voice, ¡°Mr. Ferguson really likes Ashley¡¯s paintings and was worried after hearing about hera.¡± Karen finally understood, thinking, ¡®So that is the reason.¡± Leonard hurried to the bedside. After a quick examination, he felt that Ashley''s body temperature was abnormally high. ¡°Mr. Ferguson, this is the analysis report of the ingredients of the yellow powder.¡± Valentin handed the analyzed report of the drug ingredients to Leonard. Leonard took it and looked. Upon seeing the ingredients in the drug, hi face turned unsightly. He turned to Valentin and Andrew angrily, saying, ¡°While we were heading here, you filled me in on the entire situation with this doctor, Tyler, who seems hell-bent on using Ashley¡¯s life as a bargaining chip for control over the Pliskin family¡¯s assets. It¡¯s clear to me now that Tyler isn¡¯t just eyeing the wealth but also plotting to jeopardize her life! ¡°This kind ofa to death is very peculiar and rare. As far as | know, there are not even three people in the world who can cure this disease, and two of them have already passed away. How could Tyler possibly cure it? He¡¯s deliberately deceiving you! Besides wanting to take over the Pliskin family¡¯s wealth, he never intended to cure Ashley! He is so despicable!¡± 09:53 The more Leonard spoke, the angrier he became, his beard blowing up. Brian and Karen were shocked when they heard this. ¡°How...could this be?¡± They thought Tyler only wanted to use Ashley¡¯s safety as a trade, but the reality was even more severe. Not only did he want to seize the Pliskin family¡¯s assets, but he also wanted to kill Ashley. He drugged her but could not cure her. Brian was infuriated, and his chest ached. The Pliskin family hadn¡¯t done anything wrong to Tyler, yet he stubbornly engaged in these despicable and cunning activities due to his unteral misunderstanding. Andrew¡¯s eyes darkened. It made sense now. After questioning Tyler for a long time, he left him on hisst breath, and Tyler still refused to reveal how to wake Ashley up. Andrew thought Tyler was holding back, trying to use her safety as leverage for the family¡¯s wealth. But in reality, Tyler couldn¡¯t wake her up. There were only a few people in this world who could treat this strangea, and two of them had already passed away. Valentin¡¯s expression was dark and indistinguishable. His eyes seemed to have frost. ¡°Mr. Ferguson, do you have a way to cure it?¡± Leonard didn¡¯t boast but said, ¡°Let''s start by bringing down her fever.¡± Now, Ashley¡¯s body temperature has exceeded 104 degrees Fahrenheit. If the high fever continued, it would cause significant damage to her body. He couldn''t let Ashley be delirious. In an emergency, Leonard opted for a more conventional approach and decided to administer intravenous therapy. He carefully selected the appropriate medication and inserted a specialized needle to facilitate the controlled delivery of the prescribed treatment. The upants of the hospital room instinctively hushed, creating a collective silence so as not to disturb Leonard during the delicate process. 09:53 of administering the treatment. Karen and Brian saw a few drops of blood dripping from their daughter¡¯s fingertips, their faces filled with deep concern. George and Lester stayed by the side all along. Zain, staying at the hospital well into midnight, now sat in a corner chair with ire and Joseph by his side due to his old age. His face disyed concern as he observed the situation at the bedside. He wondered if Leonard could cure Ashley. Time passed slowly. After Leonard finished the treatment, he wiped the sweat from his forehead. He checked again and breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°The temperature has dropped slightly, but don¡¯t let your guard down. The worst thing is if she has a fever again. Continue the cold compress and physical cooling.¡± Upon hearing this, Karen¡¯s anxious eyes sparkled with a glimmer of hope. She hurriedly measured Ashley¡¯s temperature and was almost moved to tears. ¡°Brian, Ashley is really starting to cool down!¡± Eagerly anticipating the news of a temperature drop, Brian couldn¡¯t contain his e as he heard those magic words. His hands trembled with joy. ¡°Fantastic! Many thanks, Dr. Ferguson.¡± Leonard waved his hand. ¡°This is just the first step. We''ll have to keep a close eye and monitor her progress.¡± George and Lester quickly fetched wet towels for Ashley¡¯s coldpre For the next few hours, Valentin stayed up all night, measuring Ashley¡¯s temperature from time to time. Although she was still feverish and hadn returned to normal body temperature, it was an improvementpared to the previous high fever. Six hourster, Leonard repeated the treatment. At this moment, it was already bright outside, and sunlight streamed into. the room through the window. The light slowly moved across the floor, and time passed, minute by minute. Karen sat by the bedside, tirelessly using a towel to cool Ashley. Finally, there was a noticeable decrease in her body temperature, returning to the normal range. Karen felt a tingle at her nose, her eyes moistened, and she looked at. Leonard with gratitude. ¡°Mr. Ferguson, Ashley¡¯s temperature has finally returned to normal! Does this mean she¡¯s out of danger? When will she wake up?¡±Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Leonardbed his beard, still not daring to rx. ¡°Observe for another day to see if there¡¯s a recurrence of fever. If there¡¯s no fever, I''ll proceed with further treatment for her.¡± Karen nodded repeatedly, and Brian expressed many grateful words to Leonard. Leonard wouldn''t have lingered by their side if it were an ordinary patient. But the current situation was extraordinary, and watching Ashley remain unconscious, Leonard was genuinely worried. After all, she was the Aurora he admired. He didn¡¯t dare to be negligent and personally stayed in the ward, fearing any unexpected conditions so that he could diagnosed promptly. Zain, being old, couldn¡¯t endure staying at the hospital. Valentin signaled ire and Joseph to apany him back and rest. Zain didn¡¯t want to leave. But under Brian¡¯s persuasion, he stood up and, before leaving, repeatedly instructed, ¡°If there¡¯s any change in Ashley, b sure to inform me immediately.¡± ¡°| know, Grandpa.¡± Valentin escorted Zain out of the hospital. When he returned, he saw Andrew standing by the window in the corridor. His brows furrowed, and he walked into the ward without saying a word. Leonard came out of the ward and saw Andrew standing by the corridor. He walked over with suspicion, looked him up and down, then understandingly stroked his beard. ¡°I see.¡± Andrew, with lowered eyelids, responded indifferently, ¡°What did you see?¡± With a solemn tone, Leonard remarked, ¡°You came to me out of the bluest night, seeking assistance in treating her illness. Now, you''ve quietly 09:53 1 kept watch at the hospital all night, disying such genuine concern... It appears you also have a soft spot for our Ashley.¡± Andrew, hearing this, raised an eyebrow and nonchntly cast him a nce. ¡°Your Ashley?¡± He intentionally emphasized that ¡°your.¡± Leonard recalled the livestream of the recognition banquet, where Ashley publicly dered her marriage to Valentin. Today, Valentin¡¯s concern and care for Ashley made him sigh, ¡°She¡¯s not your Ashley anyway. s!¡± Andrew was speechless. If Leonard wasn¡¯t old, Andrew would have kicked him. ¡°Enough with the chatter! Get on with the treatment!¡± Despite Leonard being older, he still harbored some fear of Andrew. He could only vent his frustrations in his mind, ¡®This is the ssic case of getting angry to cover embarrassment Chapter 368 In the ward, Brian saw that Valentin was tired from a long day and kindly suggested. ¡°Valentin, you should rest for a bit.¡± But Valentin was focused entirely on Ashley, his heart tense with worry. He couldn''t think about resting. ¡°It''s okay, I¡¯m not tired,¡± Valentin replied. Brian thought about persuading him further but then realized that Valentin, so worried about Ashley, wouldn¡¯t want to rest. He felt the same way. He couldn''t bear to leave the ward and be away from his daughter. So Brian stopped insisting. He turned to pour a ss of water for Karen and soothingly put his arm around her shoulders. Lester looked especially down today. Gazing at Ashley lying in aa on the hospital bed, looking lifeless, his handsome face was filled with despair and guilt. ¡®Did the Pliskin family bring this trouble to Ashley? ¡®If it weren''t for the Pliskin family, would Tyler have taken revenge on her? ¡®Even though she¡¯s usually so strong, standing up for others, turning tides. in difficult times, at the end of the day, she¡¯s still just a young girl. She shouldn''t have to suffer like this...¡± George, who had just checked Ashley¡¯s temperature and was relieved. find it hadn¡¯t risen, noticed Lester¡¯s gloomy look. His usually cold face softened slightly as he understood his brother¡¯s. feelings. George patted Lester on the shoulder and led him out of the ward. ¡°What''s wrong, George?¡± Lester asked in a hoarse voice in the hallway. George, known for his stern expression, rarely showed his emotions. Compared to him, Lester, usually smiling, now looked gloomy and repressed. George was silent for a few seconds, his gaze distant as if he was. reminiscing. His expression turned unusually tender. 09.33 Chapter 368 ¡°| still remember when Ashley was just a baby. She was so tiny that a small toy could make her giggle. She would look up with her big eyes and reach out her little hands for a hug. I¡¯ve never seen such a cute child. | thought then that my little sister was the cutest baby in the world...¡± George recalled, picturing Ashley as a delicate and cute doll. Lester was stunned, not expecting George to talk about Ashley¡¯s childhood and say so much suddenly. Lester didn¡¯t remember much about Ashley¡¯s childhood, unlike George.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°Unfortunately...¡± George¡¯s expression suddenly turned cold. ¡°Ashley was only with us for a few months before Tyler secretly took her away, forcing her to leave us when she was so little...¡± After a brief pause, George continued seriously, ¡°Lester, Ashley is our sister, the treasure of the Pliskin family. She suffered a lot growing up away from us. We must find her and make up for the lost time, giving her a better life. ¡°Now, seeing her in aa because of Tyler, it¡¯s not what we wanted. But instead of feeling guilty, what we should do is make those who hurt Ashley pay and ensure that no one can ever hurt her again. Understand?¡± No one can ever hurt Ashley again... As these words were spoken, Lester¡¯s mind shook violently. Filled with guilt and despair, his heart suddenly surged with tumultuous waves. Yes, his most important task was to protect and safeguard Ashley... To ensure that no one could ever harm her again... By nightfall, after a day of observation, Ashley¡¯s fever had subsided, and the initial danger had passed. Her condition was temporarily stable. Leonard carefully examined her and found that, as he had guessed, all of Ashley''s physical indicators were normal. However, she remained unconscious with no sign of waking up. Logically, if her body was normal, she shouldn¡¯t be unconscious. This was the strange aspect of her illness. ¡°Mr. Ferguson, what do you think we should do?¡± Karen asked, full of worry. 09:53 Chapter 368 After pondering for a moment, Leonard, recognizing that modern medicine would be of little use since her physical indicators were normal, prescribed a traditional medicine form. He then said, ¡°Starting today, | will perform acupuncture on Ashley daily,bined with these medicines. In about seven days, we should see some results.¡± Brian couldn''t help but ask, ¡°See some results in seven days? Mr. Ferguson, are you saying Ashley could be cured in seven days?¡± Leonard didn¡¯t jump to conclusions, simply stating, ¡°Let¡¯s start with today¡¯s acupuncture. I''ll stay here for the next few days so | can be immediately aware of any changes in Ashley.¡± Brian and Karen exchanged nces, unable to discern whether this was good or bad news. Valentin¡¯s eyes were clouded with turmoil. His rigid back, as if his soul had been extracted, remained fixated on the unconscious Ashley on the hospital bed, not moving an inch for a long time... Throughout these seven days, Valentin had stayed by Ashley¡¯s bedside without leaving. During the day, Joseph and ire would bring Zain to see Ashley. Joseph visibly noticed that Valentin had lost weight, understanding that these days of Ashley¡¯s unconsciousness had stretched Valentin to his limits despite him not saying much. Even Andrew came to the hospital every day to see Ashley. However, mostly stayed outside the ward, alone, his gaze solemnly fixed on the sleeping Ashley. Today was thest acupuncture session. As Leonard administered the needles, everyone held their breath, waiting beside him, wondering wha the oue Leonard spoke of would be.... Chapter 369 Thest acupuncture session just ended. After Leonard finished applying the needles, his expression turned more serious.Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Karen''s heart skipped a beat. She hurried to the bedside and saw Ashley still lying there, unconscious. Tears instantly stung her eyes as she touched her daughter¡¯s cheek with trembling fingers. Valentin asked in a strained voice, ¡°Mr. Ferguson, how is Ashley doing now? When will she wake up?¡± Hearing this, Karen and everyone else in the ward looked anxiously towards Leonard. Leonard sighed and slowly said, ¡°Over these seven days, I¡¯ve been giving Ashley acupuncture daily. If things were going well, she should have woken up today. But now, she¡¯s still unconscious, and the situation is a bit troublesome...¡± Karen felt dizzy upon hearing this, nearly copsing. Brian quickly steadied her. Karen, with a pale face and tears in her eyes, thought, ¡®If things were going well, she would have woken up by now. So this is what they meant. by deciding in seven days. And now, it¡¯s troublesome... George and Lester looked even more upset. In the tense atmosphere, Valentin seemed surrounded by cold darknes He turned mechanically to Leonard, his voice hoarse to the point of breaking. ¡°What''s the next step in her treatment?¡± Leonard sighed softly, ¡°ording to the method my master taught me, for this strange illness, if she hasn¡¯t woken up in the first seven days, we can only proceed slowly. Instead of daily acupuncture, we can do it only twice a week now, along with medication.¡± Lester quickly asked, ¡°So, when can she wake up?¡± Leonard replied, ¡°Maybe in ten days to half a month, maybe two to three months, or even longer. We can¡¯t be sure right now. We have to wait and 11 09:53 Chapter 369. see how her body responds.¡± Lester¡¯s breath hitched, and he clenched his fists. Did this mean Ashley might wake up soon, or it might take a very long time? Joseph, standing nearby, turned pale at this news, his heart sinking. ¡®Ashley.... ¡®She can''t... ¡®She¡¯s always been so healthy, and she has to wake up in ten days or half a month!! In the silent ward, Valentin¡¯s expressionless face showed no emotion. It took a while before he mechanically moved towards the bedside. The girl who, just a few days ago, was joking and kissing him affectionately, so bright and lively, nowy motionless on the hospital bed, eerily still as if devoid of life... His eyshes trembled slightly as he stiffly sat down beside the bed, gently holding the girl¡¯s pale and delicate hand. He knew she couldn¡¯t feel it, but his actions were still cautious as if handling the world¡¯s most precious treasure... Watching this scene, Lester¡¯s expression darkened, and he suddenly turned and walked out of the ward. George almost immediately understood what he was supposed to do. He nced back at Ashley, who was lying on the hospital bed, clenched b fist, and followed Lester out of the ward. In a dim, damp storeroom, the air was thick with a strong, stinging sm of blood. Tyler, covered in blood and barely alive,y on the floor. His arms and Tyler, covered in blood and barely legs were twisted at unnatural angles, clearly broken. Deep wounds on his body exposed his bones, and broken bones were gruesomely visible. He was hanging on by a thread. When Lester and George entered, they saw Tyler looking like a dead rat. Anail pierced Tyler¡¯s right eye. Seeing the neers with his left eye, he became agitated and started breathing heavily and hoarsely. Then, with a strange and harshugh, Tyler said, ¡°What a surprise! The 09:53 Chapter 369 esteemed sons of the Pliskin family havee to see me. It must be because that girl Ashley is in trouble. | told you, if you want Ashley to wake up, give me the entire Pliskin family!¡± Lester¡¯s eyes were cold with hatred, wishing he could send this monster straight to hell. Leonard had said before that Tyler couldn¡¯t cure Ashley¡¯s illness and was only using it to threaten them for the Pliskin family¡¯s fortune. But now, Ashley still hadn¡¯t woken up. Could Tyler really wake her up? They had to find out. If Tyler could cure Ashley, then why not give him the Pliskin family? George, experienced in the business world, knew how to negotiate. He knew Tyler wouldn¡¯t tell the truth if asked directly. After a moment''s thought, George spoke coldly and indifferently. ¡°Tyler, you¡¯re wrong. Ashley¡¯s illness is already cured, and she¡¯s awake.¡± Tyler was startled and then sneered, ¡°Trying to fool me? No one can cure Ashley¡¯s illness!¡± ¡°It was Leonard who cured her,¡± George said. Leonard? A flicker of panic crossed Tyler¡¯s eyes, but heughed arrogantly. ¡°Leonard could cure her, but he died years ago. How could he treat Ashley? You''re too naive to try to trick me with this!¡± George, standing tall, looked down at him. ¡°You''re wrong again. Leonard just didn¡¯t want to treat people, so he spread the news that he had died.¡± George then showed Tyler a video on his phone of Leonard giving Ashley acupuncture, saying emotionlessly, ¡°This is Leonard treating Ashley.¡± Seeing Leonard alive in the video, Tyler¡¯s eyes widened in shock, and he nearly growled, ¡°So, Leonard has already cured Ashley?¡± What could he use to threaten Brian and take over the entire Pliskin family now? 09.53 ¡°Tyler, you have no leverage left.¡± George looked at him like he was a dying ant, pressing him with every word. ¡°Leonard himself said that with your medical skills, you couldn''t possibly cure Ashley. You just wanted to use this as a threat to take over the Pliskin family. We know all about your ns. Now, what else do you have to say?¡± With every word George said, Tyler''s face grew more and more scared. Since Leonard cured Ashley, Tyler no longer had any leverage over Brian and couldn¡¯t get control of the Pliskin family. More importantly, without that leverage, Tyler wondered if he could even keep his life safe... Did George and Lestere today to deal with him? Tyler¡¯s forehead veins bulged, his eyes bloodshot, and he cursed. furiously, ¡°That old man Leonard! He ruined everything for me! So what if | couldn¡¯t cure Ashley? I''ve wanted her dead for a long time! Including all of you! Everyone in the Pliskin family deserves to die!¡± Tyler wasn¡¯t stupid. After using Ashley¡¯s illness to get to the Pliskin family, why would he treat Ashley and let her wake up? That was a joke. He wanted to destroy them all, to take revenge on everyone in the Pliskin family! So, from the start, he never intended actually to wake Ashley up. He wanted her to stay unconscious forever! Hearing Tyler admit he couldn''t cure Ashley, Lester¡¯s face turned dark and grim, his gaze sharp as a de. ¡°Tyler, this time, you truly have no leverage left...¡± Tyler¡¯s life wasn¡¯t worth anything, even if he died a thousand times! Chapter 370 out of the dim and bloody storage room, looking very upset. George nced at the sunset on the horizon. Only Leonard could heal Ashley now. But when exactly would Ashley wake up... The treatment that followed required acupuncture only twice a week. However, Leonard couldn¡¯t stop worrying about Ashley and visited daily. to check on her. After his visits, Leonard would report everything back to Andrew without any changes. Karen and Brian constantly stayed in the ward. Their brows furrowed. with worry every day as they watched Ashley lying unconscious. Joseph and ire brought Zain every day, hoping to see Ashley wake up soon. That afternoon, after taking Zain home, Joseph returned to the ward. Valentin had been steadfastly guarding the ward these days. Ashley being unconscious was already hard for him. Seeing Valentin bing more silent and thinner made it even harder. Moreover, he was counting the days. It had been another ten days. Leonard had said that under the best circumstances, with slow and gradual treatment, Ashley might wake up in ten days to half a month now, Ashley stilly there quietly, showing no signs of waking up. Joseph agitated, ran his fingers through his hair, wishing he could be th one lying there unconscious instead of Ashley. Suddenly, the phone on the table beside him pinged. Picking it up, Joseph saw it was Ashley¡¯s phone, which had been kept charged these days. It was a message from Miranda. [Ashley, you haven''t been answering my calls or texts for a few days. Are you avoiding me? Please don¡¯t! Please don¡¯t ignore me!] Joseph sighed. Considering Ashley''s fame and influence, her unconscious state hadn¡¯t been revealed to the public. 115 Chapter 370 If it were known, it would definitely cause a stir. There might even be unscrupulous paparazzi trying to find out which hospital Ashley was in to sneak in and take pictures. And, not wanting to worry Miranda, they hadn''t told her the truth either. Miranda just sent this message because she probably felt left out and sad. Joseph was hesitating about what to do. Should he make an excuse like he did a few days ago and briefly reply to Miranda? Suddenly, Ashley¡¯s phone rang. Miranda was calling again. Joseph didn¡¯t know what to do and looked at Valentin, who was standing by the hospital bed. ¡°Valentin, Miranda is calling again. And Jaden, Bryce, and other friends have been texting her these past few days. Should we just turn off her phone?¡± But if they turned off the phone and couldn''t be reached, her friends. might think something was really wrong. Valentin thought for a moment, his voice a bit hoarse. ¡°Give me the phone.¡± Joseph quickly handed him the phone. Valentin slid the screen and answered the call. ¡°Ashley! You finally answered my call!¡± Miranda was thrilled on the other end. Valentin was silent for a moment before speaking. ¡°Ashley is in the hospital.¡± Miranda immediately recognized Valentin¡¯s voice and opened her eye. wide in surprise. ¡°Mr. Kingsley? What did you just say? Ashley is in the hospital? Is she sick?¡± Valentin replied, ¡°Yes.¡± Miranda was anxious. ¡°Is it serious? What''s wrong with her? Which hospital? I¡¯lle to see her!¡± Valentin gave her the hospital¡¯s address. Joseph was surprised. Did he tell Miranda directly? Thinking about it, Ashley and Miranda were close. Hearing that AshleyContent property of N?velDra/ma.Org. 09:54 was sick, Miranda was so worried. Telling her seemed fine. Twenty minutester, Joseph went to the hospital entrance and brought Miranda into the ward. As Miranda walked into the ward and saw Ashley lying on the hospital. bed, seemingly asleep, she quietly stepped closer and whispered, ¡°What happened to Ashley?¡± Joseph pressed his lips and told her about how Tyler had caused Ashley to fall into aa. Miranda was stunned. She had thought Ashley was just sleeping, but she was actually in aa. And she had been in aa for seventeen days. Looking at Ashley lying still with her eyes closed, Miranda felt a surge of sadness. She had thought Ashley was ignoring her these days, not knowing that such a serious thing had happened. Tyler was terrible! He was like a filthy rat in a sewer! Miranda was both angry and upset, choking up as she asked, ¡°When will Ashley wake up?¡± Joseph nced at Valentin¡¯s expression and said slowly, ¡°The doctors aren¡¯t sure. Maybe she''ll wake up in ten days or half a month, maybe one or two months. Miranda, keep Ashley¡¯sa a secret for now, okay?¡± Miranda wiped her tears and nodded immediately. ¡°I understand.¡± She stayed in the ward until the evening before leaving reluctantly. When Miranda returned to her apartment building, she unexpectedly into Ryan. ¡°Miranda!¡± Ryan rushed over as soon as he saw her. ¡°Where have you been? Why are you back sote?¡± As he finished asking, he noticed Miranda¡¯s red eyes, looking like she had been crying. Ryan¡¯s expression tightened. ¡°Why are you crying? Did someone bully you? Who? I''ll beat them up!¡± Miranda wiped her tears again. ¡°No one bullied me. Why are you here? | told you before, stoping to see me.¡± 09:54 Hearing this, Ryan felt like his heart was being cut with a knife. He had. been blind to Ashley¡¯s goodness and had also missed his chance with Miranda. Now he knew his mistake and wanted to make amends, but... Ryan looked dejected. ¡°Miranda, | know you don¡¯t want to see me, but I¡¯m really worried. | haven''t seen Ashley these days, nor have | seen any news about her online. You''re close to her. How is she doing? Can you tell me?¡± Miranda, reminded of Ashley lying unconscious in the ward, felt a pang in her heart and took a deep breath. ¡°Ashley is not part of the Ramos family, not your sister. Stop bothering her and making her angry.¡± Ryan became anxious. ¡°I know Ashley isn¡¯t our sister, but we¡¯ve done so many wrong things to her in the past. We want to make it up to her, to have a chance to be good to her!¡± ¡°She doesn¡¯t care.¡± Miranda left those words behind, nced at Ryan, and ran into the apartment building. Ryan stood in the deste night, engulfed in endless regret and loneliness. Several days passed, and there was still no sign of Ashley waking up. In a vi in the suburbs, Colby walked into the living room and saw Andrew sitting on the sofa with a gloomy face, absentmindedly wip silver handgun. His gaze was fixed on a vase nearby, obviously lost. thought. However, as soon as Colby stepped into the living room, Andrew sen someone approaching and instantly became alert, a vignce honed from years in dangerous environments. ¡°Where have you been?¡± Andrew asked casually. Colby, with drooping eyes, answered truthfully, ¡°Ashley hasn¡¯t woken up for so long. | heard people say that praying for peace at Skylight Church in the suburbs is very effective. Many people have prayed there. | went to pray for Ashley...¡± Andrew snorted lightly, ¡°You believe in that?¡± Colby nced at Andrew. That''s right, Andrew is the least likely to 09:31 believe in such things. ¡®With his ruthless and bloody methods, if he revered the Divine, he would have put down his weapons and be a good person long ago Colby was really out of options. He felt uneasy with Ashley not waking up... The next morning, Colby went to the living room to ask if Andrew wanted to visit Ashley in the hospital that day, but he couldn¡¯t find him anywhere. ¡®Where has he gone?¡¯ At the Skylight Church in the suburbs, the ce was bustling with people. Andrew walked up the stone steps, quietly stepping into the church. Send Gift Chapter 371 Andrew stepped into Skylight Church, and the sound of the choir kepting from the distance. There was an old, towering tree not far away, with a pew underneath it, bustling with people. It was a beautiful day, with bright sunshine flooding thend. Andrew¡¯s eyes grew distant as he looked at the tree, remembering the first time he met Ashley. It was also a beautiful day... ¡°Andrew, I¡¯m your elder!¡± In avishly decorated, dimly lit room in a foreign country, Wison Halt, a middle-aged man, was pointed at his head by countless guns, looking angrily and fearfully at Andrew on the sofa, who was giving the orders. Andrew smiled and looked at him condescendingly, ¡°Oh, elder... Wison, do you need a reminder from me, a junior, about what you did ten days. ago?¡± Wison¡¯s expression instantly became terrified and horrified at the mention of ten days ago. Ten days ago, he leaked information about Andrew. He thought, ¡®How could Andrew know when | did it so stealthily?!¡± ¡°Wison, you should know that | hate betrayers the most.¡± Andrew stood up from the sofa, his charming eyes containing a meaningful smile in the darkness. ¡°I remember today is your fiftieth birthday. Of course 1, the junior, should send a gift.¡± After saying that, Andrew waved his hand towards one of his men. Colby immediately brought up the gift. Wison looked over to see that it was a silver dagger and a ss of wine next to it. He thought, ¡®What does this mean?¡¯ 10:23 Before Wison could react, Andrew grabbed the dagger and came to him. In a sh, Wison¡¯s cries in pain resounded throughout the room. His ear was cut off! Wison was convulsing in pain, bleeding. The next moment, however, he saw that the ear he had been cut off had been dropped into the wine. ss! Bright red blood spread through the golden liquor. Andrew smiled sinisterly, ¡°I''ll toast your fiftieth birthday with this drink.¡± Wison widened his eyes in horror and looked at Andrew in front of him in trembling. His eyes were so wide that they seemed to crack open as if he were looking at a demon in hell. The ss of wine that soaked his ear... Wison, shivering with fear and weak in the hands and feet, got up and tried to run. However, the henchmen on the side had already pressed him down, picking up the ss and pouring it into his mouth... ¡°lll send Wison off on hisst ride with this drink, too.¡± Andrew¡¯s calm tone was like a pronouncement. When he finished, he turned and walked to the window, the smell of blood and screams ringing out in the room behind him. The sun was shining outside the window, and it was bloody dark inside.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Andrew had long been used to this and stood at the window in boredom. He saw a youngdy in a white dress being pestered by a group of bums on the street. From a short distance, he could see the girl had an excessively pretty face. In the bright sunlight, her skin was so delicate that it glowed, so wonderful that it didn¡¯t fit in with this exotic street. Being surrounded by five dirty, smelly bums was her unfortunate cmity. It didn¡¯t arouse Andrew¡¯s sympathy. He stood in the shadow of the second-floor window, watching the scene with equanimity. However, the next moment, things developed beyond his expectations. 10:23 The seemingly pretty and tender girl easily knocked down those bums. Seemingly noticing Andrew''s gaze, the girl suddenly raised her head and looked his way. The sun was shining brightly, and the wind blew through the treetops, blowing the hem of her white skirt. The girl stood in the sunshine and looked towards him in the shadow. Andrew was slightly stunned. There were the bloody screams of darkness. behind him, and in front of him was the girl in the sunlight, wonderful and pure.... The group of bums that had been fought off gathered a group of aplices and surrounded the girl once again. Andrew knew he wasn¡¯t a good person and had no kindness. But only at that moment, only to her, he felt protective. He showed up and took her away from the filthy, stinking bums. This time, the two did not interact. Andrew only knew her name was Ashley. Later, on one asion, Andrew got a gunshot wound in the abdomen and happened to be saved by her. Ashley lifted his ck shirt and looked at the bloody gunshot wound on his abdomen and the other wounds beside it. Her eyes widened in surprise. ¡°Why do you have so many wounds?¡± Andrew looked at her and smiled, ¡°You scared?¡± Ashley didn¡¯t say anything, feeling that there were scars that went deep, like they had been left over the years from when he was a child. She thought, ¡®Since he was a child... Did he often get hurt so badly as a child?¡¯ In the warm light, Ashley lifted her delicate face to look up at him, her pretty eyes curving slightly. ¡°Why don¡¯t | help you get rid of those scars?¡± Andrew¡¯s eyshes trembled slightly, but he said nothing. Those old scars were deliberately left on his body by his parents, who beat him regrly, signaling that he was a shitty bastard who shouldn''t have been born. 3/5 10.23 Chapter 371 Since then, the two grew to know each other well. Andrew had always been wary of others, but he couldn¡¯t grow wary of Ashley, dissecting his dark, rotting past for her to see. Ashley knew about his childhood and firmly told him, ¡°Andrew, your birth is nota sin.¡± She told him once again, ¡°Let me help you get rid of the scar.¡± Andrew didn¡¯t know if she was talking about the scars on his body or the scars on his heart. But whatever it was, a bright moon rose in his dark life. He seemed to have his own moon. The moonlight seemed to shine on him. But, it just seemed like... There was always another person in her heart... Thinking of the past, Andrew quietly walked to the tree. He thought about how Ashley, always bright and free, was now lying unconscious in a hospital bed. He walked over to the tree and wrote Ashley''s name in his Bible, ready to pray for her. The godfather next to him said, ¡°You can also write your name, and both will be blessed.¡± Andrew picked up a pen and was ready to write his name next to Ashley¡¯s. Before he started writing, he paused. He remembered what Ashley had once told him. ¡°Andrew, your birth is not a sin... ¡°Andrew, let me help you get rid of the scar...¡± Not knowing how long he paused, eventually, he put down the pen and wrote Ashley¡¯s name alone. He closed his Bible and thought, ¡®How can | deserve the light when | am in darkness... 10:23 The sound of choirs not far away kepting, and Andrew turned to the nave of the church. With crowdsing and going, Andrew stepped into the nave with them. There were many silent prayers. Andrew sat down and began to pray silently as well. He was caught in the darkness of his life and was hated by his parents, having been born with sin. Andrew struggled to survive with wounds all over his body and crawled out of the abyss step by step, with bones under his feet and his hands. covered in blood. He never honored the Divine, didn¡¯t believe in mercy, didn¡¯t fear killing, and wasn¡¯t afraid of retribution. But at the moment, he was praying devoutly. Andrew was not asking for himself but only for the Divine to save his beloved. He thought, ¡®I would pay for it with my whole life... Chapter 372 At the hospital, Joseph softly sighed as he walked into the VIP ward and saw a thick pile of medical books and specialized information sitting on the table. Ashley¡¯s disease was very weird and rare. There was not much information about it, and it was hard to find. But no matter how secretive the information was, Valentin found all of it, as well as those books rted to acupuncture. These days, Valentin didn¡¯t sleep, reading all these obscure medical books. to find out if there was any way to relieve Ashley¡¯s condition. Now, Valentin had be an expert on the subject. Every time Leonard gave Ashley.acupuncture, he would talk to Valentin about whether a different acupuncture point would be more effective. Karen tucked in Ashley, who was passed out in the hospital bed, and hurriedly asked when she saw Josephing over, ¡°Joseph, is Valentin back yet?¡± Joseph reassured her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Valentin will definitely get that doctor here!¡± This morning, Leonard rmended another very qualified doctor who was extremely good at traditional medicine, by the name of Bard Dale. They wanted to bring him in to see if they could work together to discuss a way to get Ashley to wake up as soon as possible. Valentin didn¡¯t dy a second after hearing that and went straight to invite Bard. In the living room, Bard sat on the sofa and surveyed Valentin across. the table, saying, ¡°Doctors are healers with benevolent hearts. Anyonees to me for healing, I¡¯m sure I''ll help. But you''vee to me with the wrong person.¡± Valentin said calmly, ¡°Leonard rmended me.¡± ¡°It has nothing to do with Leonard.¡± Bard grunted heavily and said, ¡°I don¡¯t like your grandfather, very much.¡± Valentin was stunned and thought, ¡®My grandfather?¡± 10:23 He exined in a hoarse voice, ¡°It¡¯s not my grandfather who needs to be cured, but my wife, Ashley.¡± Bard was astonished for a moment at his words. ¡°Ashley? | know her. She¡¯s sick? Even Leonard couldn¡¯t handle it? But...¡± Bard rubbed his chin. ¡°I think it¡¯s you who should be treated the most right now. Your face is as pale as paper and your eyes are bloodshot. How long since you''ve rested? Let me speak frankly, if you die suddenly in my house, don¡¯t me me.¡± Hearing this, Valentin said calmly, ¡°| know my own body well.¡± Bard red in displeasure. ¡°Bullshit! Are you a doctor or am | a doctor?¡± Valentin, too anxious about Ashley¡¯s condition to worry about his own, continued, ¡°If my grandfather has ever done anything to displease you, | will bring you to him so that you can talk about it. | hope you ou can help. check on my wife¡¯s condition.¡± Bard grunted again. ¡°You''re better than your grandfather... Forget it. Since you put it that way, let me ask you something.¡± Valentin looked at him. Bard picked up the coffee cup on the table and actually felt a bit nervous. He cleared his throat twice before asking, ¡°Did you ever hear your grandmother talk about me when she was once alive?¡± Valentin was a bit stunned at that. He thought, ¡°The question Bard asked... He likes my grandma? No wonder he dislikes my grandpa so much.¡¯ Valentin shook his head and answered truthfully, ¡°No.¡± Bard didn¡¯t believe it. ¡°Really?¡± Valentin said, ¡°I never heard Grandma talk about you.¡± Once Bard heard that, he was instantly so sad that he didn¡¯t even want to drink his coffee. He put his coffee cup heavily on the table. ¡°Just leave! Ashley is your wife, so she¡¯s rted to your grandfather. | can¡¯t treat her disease!¡± Valentin turned serious and stared at him with no expression. 2/6 10:23 apter 372 His patience had run out. Bard was still immersed in his words that ¡°I never heard Grandma talk about you¡±. He was so sad that he immediately recalled Valentin¡¯s grandfather when he turned to see Valentin¡¯s indifferent face. The anger he was holding in his heart swished up, and without thinking, he said. rudely and absurdly, ¡°If you want me to help cure your wife, beg me, and I''ll go.¡± Valentin grew instantly grim and narrowed his eyes. nna Bard regretted it when he finished speaking. He could never calm down whenever something rted to Valentin¡¯s grandmother came up, and he couldn¡¯t change after all these years. Bard wanted to take back the rude remark he had just made. But on second thought, he thought Valentin, a man of his high status, wouldn¡¯t beg for it and that it might be a good way to dissuade him. He wanted Valentin to shrink back from difficulties. Bard waved his hand directly. ¡°All right. Just leave now!¡± Valentin¡¯s eyshes lowered slightly, and he got up from the sofa with little emotion. ¡°Okay.¡± Seeing him get up, Bard picked up the newspaper on the table and read it, ready to see off his visitor. In the next moment, he saw Valentin, who was a man of great power d dignity, walk up to him and prepare to bend over to beg him. Startled, Bard rushed to stop him, widening his eyes in shock. ¡°Ar trying to get back at me? How can | possibly stand your begging?¡± Although he was the elder, Valentin and the Kingsley family were of h status. He couldn''t let Valentin beg him. Bard was both shocked and puzzled. ¡°Did the Kingsley family go bankrupt? Or are you falling from grace? How can you beg me like this? You''d really do everything for Ashley!¡± Valentin thought, ¡®Everything? Is that everything?¡± Dropping his eyes, Valentin said faintly, ¡°I just want her to wake up. soon...¡± 10.231 Other than that, he didn¡¯t care about anything else. Looking at Valentin¡¯s lifeless look, Bard wanted to say something but couldn¡¯t, and his chest felt like it was stuffed with cotton. He was once like that when he confronted Valentin¡¯s grandmother... ¡°Fine!¡± Bard took a deep breath and said helplessly, ¡°Tell me what¡¯s wrong with her first.¡± Valentin told the story of Ashley¡¯sa. Bard looked grave. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s such a rare disease... Leonard¡¯s approach was right...¡± After a pause, Bard looked at Valentin with some suspicion. ¡°Ashley is still inaa. In her condition, she may suddenly wake up one day, or she may not wake up for two or three years... ¡°To put it bluntly, you¡¯re able to devote yourself to her right now because it hasn¡¯t been long since she was in aa. But if it were longer, would you still have the patience? Won''t you think she¡¯s a burden? Won''t you wish that she would die quickly so that you can be relieved?¡± Bard knew his words were harsh. But it was the reality, and he¡¯d seen a lot of it. Many children couldn''t stick it out when facing their biological parents, who had been sick in bed for a long time, not to mention a couple who had been married very long. Valentin¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change much even when Bard was him away and making excessive demands. However, at this moment, hearing Bard¡¯s words just now, Valentin expression instantly became as cold as ice, as if Ashley had been denigrated, and his eyes looked at Bard as if they were wrapped in th snow and wind of a freezing ce. Bard shuddered at the shock. After a long time, Valentin closed his eyes and gently rubbed the wedding ring on his ring finger. He unconsciously stopped being angry when he thought of Ashley¡¯s smile when she¡¯d said yes to his proposal. He stroked the ring on his ring finger and said only a few words in a hoarse voice, like an oath, ¡°She is not just anyone. She is my wife, the 46 10-93 only love of my life, and the one | am willing to be faithful to for the rest of my life.¡± It was like Ashley was more important than his life... Bard¡¯s heart trembled, and he reached up and patted himself on the mouth. ¡°You like her that much? Well. | was the one who spoke too harshly! Now let''s go to the hospital and find Leonard to see if we can figure out how to get her to wake up soon!¡±Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. When they arrived at the hospital, Bard checked on Ashley¡¯s condition. with Leonard and looked over the acupuncture points that Leonard had. given Ashley. It was already an extremely stable treatment. But it was unknown when Ashley would wake. How to get her to wake up as soon as possible... 1. Bard racked his brain, wanting to bring out all the medical knowledge he¡¯d learned in the past. Suddenly, he nced at a thick pile of medical information on the table next to him and was astonished, thinking, ¡®Could Valentin have read everything rted to this disease for Ashley?¡± Sure enough, Valentin understood Bard and Leonard¡¯s discussion perfectly and could even make a brief remark from time to time. Bard couldn''t help but sigh and think, ¡®The Kingsley family is so Valentin¡¯s grandfather and Valentin are both devoted...¡± At that moment, Joseph brought over some food. ¡°Valentin, why do you eat something first?¡± Valentin didn¡¯t even eat lunch before he ran off to invite Bard. Valentin was listening to Bard and Leonard¡¯s discussion and said without looking, ¡°Put it there first.¡± Joseph was instantly angry and thought, ¡®Valentin said that again, and he¡¯s using this trick to coax me again. | don¡¯t see him eating anything even they get cold. Valentin doesn¡¯t even sleep much these days, let alone. eat!¡¯ Getting angry, Joseph dragged Valentin toward the table. ¡°No way. | have to watch you eat!¡± 5/6 10:23 Between dragging, Valentin got dizzy and fell backward powerlessly. ¡°Valentin...¡± Joseph was startled and rushed to support him. ¡°Don¡¯t you scare me!¡± Bard and Leonard rushed to look over at the sound. Seeing the fainting Valentin, Bard said with knowing, ¡°See. | said it just now. He¡¯s the one who should see the doctor the most right now. His body has already reached its limit, and it''s good that he doesn¡¯t die suddenly. See, he did faint, didn¡¯t he?¡± Joseph was furious and thought, ¡®Die suddenly? Why does he talk so mean?!¡¯ Send Gift Comment Chapter 373 ¡°Bard, will you please hold your tongue?¡± Leonard knew Bard was snarky, so he interrupted him helplessly, hurriedly stepped forward to support Valentin to lie on the next bed, and checked his body. George and Lester walked into the ward from outside. When they saw Valentin pass out, they became nervous. ¡°What''s wrong with Valentin?¡± Brian and Karen, who were behind, also worried about Valentin. Joseph''s face was full of sorrow. He didn¡¯t want to say anything, so he shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal. Maybe Valentin is too tired.¡±Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Leonard checked Valentin¡¯s body, frowned tightly, and looked at Joseph aside. ¡°He hasn¡¯t had a good rest these days, has he?¡± Joseph looked dazed. ¡°He...¡± ¡®Ashley has been in aa, and Valentin was preupied. His mind was burdened heavily. How can he get a good rest?¡¯ he thought. Leonard shook his head. ¡°Even if he is worried about Ashley, he should take care of himself. His heart couldn¡¯t bear the tiredness, so he fainted. It¡¯s a severe pain. How can he endure it like nothing serious?¡± Lester was shocked when he heard Valentin had severe pain... Brian and Karen stepped forward in panic. ¡°Valentin...¡± Joseph raised his hand to wipe his brimmed tears. Since Ashley fell into aa, Valentin had been contacting all the famous doctors at home and abroad every day. However, this disease so rare that some doctors had never heard of it. Valentin didn¡¯t give u and was busy looking through all the medical references about this disease. Just now, Leonard rmended Bard, so he went to visit Bard without even having a meal... to stay Valentin was busy day and night. He didn¡¯t want Brian and Karen to upte at such an old age, so he kept vigil in the ward. The doctor said. that Ashley¡¯s body needed to be wiped every day in case she would cause rashes on the skin from lying on the bed for a long time. So Valentin followed the doctor¡¯s instructions to carefully wipe Ashley¡¯s body with a warm towel every night and talked to her gently. He made a physical overdraft every day, couldn¡¯t fall asleep, and had no 115 appetite. With such no rest, he fainted. Previously, after Valentin woke up from being hit on the head by a chandelier to save Ashley, he had a headache sequ. He would recover soon, but now Joseph always saw him reaching out to rub his temples. Probably, Valentin had the headache frequently again. Although Bard had a sharp tongue, he felt envious when looking at Valentin. He envied Valentin for being steadfast in love and willing to sacrifice everything for his lover, even his life. Leonard sighed but hurriedly had an IV for Valentin. Joseph took the chance to tell Valentin¡¯s headache to Leonard. Leonard stroked his beard and said thoughtfully, ¡°It turns out he still has a headache sequ... | will prescribe some medicine for him. He will be fine. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Joseph was delighted. ¡°Thank you so much!¡± It didn¡¯t take long for Valentin to wake up. Even fainting could not let him sleep well. He sat up from the bed and saw the infusion on the back of his hand in a pale face. George sighed and advised, ¡°You should take a rest first. Dr. Ferguson and Dr. Dale are discussing the treatment for Ashley to help her wake up soon.¡± Valentin turned his head and looked over. Bard saw he was awake, then coughed lightly and said, ¡°Leonard discussed trying to prick two more acupoints when giving Ashley acupuncture.¡± Leonard added, ¡°The previous treatment was a safe method. Now, we w carefully prick two more acupoints. It will not have any side effects on Ashley. So don¡¯t worry.¡± Valentin asked in a hoarse voice, ¡°What acupoints?¡± Leonard told him about the treatment in detail. Valentin read a lot of books about Ashley¡¯s disease and acupuncture these days, so he knew where these two acupoints were and what effect they would have after pricking. He thought it might be of some help to Ashley''s disease, so he nodded. Bard was astonished again. ¡®Had he really read all those obscure medical books?¡¯ he wondered. Bard discussed the treatment with Leonard for a while. After finalizing the decision, Bard went back first. Valentin just finished the infusion, and he pulled out the needle himself and got up to see Bard off. Bard waved his hands hurriedly. ¡°Get some rest now. You don¡¯t have to see me off. | said those snarky words to you just now.¡± Valentin replied, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± ¡®As long as you can cure Ashley''s illness, no matter how you treat me, | will be grateful,¡¯ he thought. Bard sighed and walked out of the ward. In the corridor, ire supported Zain, walking over. When he saw Barding out of the ward, Zain frowned, ¡°Why are you here?¡± Bard snorted, ¡°I¡¯m here to treat Ashley.¡± Zain said, ¡°With your poor medical skills, how can you treat disease?¡± Bard suddenly became anxious. ¡°What did you say? You can¡¯t insult my profession! I¡¯m proud of my medical skills!¡± These two elders quarreled in the corridor. Joseph was confused when he saw them. ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯ Valentin rubbed his forehead and said nothing. Finally, Bard stared at Zain for a while, shut his mouth, and walked away with his hands clenching behind. In the evening, Valentin stayed in the ward to keep vigil. Karen thought of his fainting during the day and tried to persuade him to take a rest. But her persuasion was fruitless. She had to tell him to take rest before leaving the ward. As the door of the ward closed, only Valentin was left. The space became quiet and a bit deserted. 3/5 Chapter 373 Looking at Ashley lying on the bed, lifeless. Valentin was lonelier than the night outside the window. His pale fingertips gently touched Ashley¡¯s delicate face. Even though he knew she couldn¡¯t feel it, he still treated her gently and carefully in case not to hurt her. He carefully soaked the towel with warm water, wiped her body, and talked to her gently about the past things. He recalled the midsummer when he was a child. The little girl in at beautiful dress burst into his deste world brightly, calling his name with her smiling eyes. He recalled the day after they reunited, they went to the City Hall to get the license... He recalled that when she responded to his love, she said firmly to him, ¡°Valentin, | will try my best to love you in the future, as you love me, and | will also try my best to be good to you, as you do to me...¡± He recalled that night in the sea of roses, she agreed to his proposal with tears in her eyes... He recalled the family reunion banquet a few days ago, she kissed him in front of the public and introduced him to everyone. He sat down on the chair next to the bed, looked at Ashley¡¯s peaceful sleeping face, and caressed her eyes with his fingertips. Slowly, he h her soft hand and lowered his head to kiss the back of her hand. That posture was full of lonely dependence. His forehead was gently pressed against the back of Ashley¡¯s hand, a he did not leave her for a long time. Until...a drop of tear fell on Ashley''s hand... Valentin, who was invincible during the day, was now filled with deste depressed, and fragile feelings in his heart... AIS Chapter 374 Chapter 374 Miranda wanted to go to the hospital to see Ashley today. As soon as she walked downstairs to the apartment, she saw Ryan, who had been waiting outside for hours, and several other brothers of the Ramos family Miranda frowned, and she almost guessed what they were here for The five Ramos family brothers legs were almost numb when they stood up. Finally, they saw Miranda and ran over in a hurry. ¡°Miranda!¡± Ryan was the first to speak, and said in an urgent tone. T didn¡¯t mean to wait downstairs in your house. | really can¡¯t help it We haven''t heard about Ashley for almost two months Recently, we heard rumors that Valentin oftenes in and out at the hospital Did.did something happen to Ashley?¡± Frankie looked solemn Ms Longman, we can¡¯t contact Ashley, and we can¡¯t ask her in person. You and Ashley are friends. Do you have Ashley¡¯s news Miranda felt heavy in her heart Ashley had been in aa for almost two months and still hadn¡¯t woken up Joseph said before that Ashley¡¯sa could not be disclosed to the public Miranda took two deep breaths and said with a normal expression, Ashley has already back to her real Family She is not your sister. Sin she severed ties with the Ramos family, she does not want to get invol with you anymore. If you really understand it, stop pestering her Jeremy was filled with guilt. ¡°We just want to make up for her. There s really no news from Ashley for a long time. | feel uneasy¡± Matthew couldn¡¯t hold it back and asked hurriedly, ¡°Miranda, have you bern in contact with Ashley recently: Tell us so that we can be rellevam Charlic promised. ¡°M). Longinan, don¡¯t worry. We won¡¯t harni kahley Burada passed by tally shook her head. Ashley o kayde Jeremy asked, ¡°The why there about her online for so long Miranda wanted to go to the hospital to see Ashley today. As soon as she walked downstairs to the apartment, she saw Ryan, who had been waiting outside for hours, and several other brothers of the Ramos family. Miranda frowned, and she almost guessed what they were here for. The five Ramos family brothers¡¯ legs were almost numb when they stood up. Finally, they saw Miranda and ran over in a hurry.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. ¡°Miranda!¡± Ryan was the first to speak, and said in an urgent tone, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to wait downstairs in your house. | really can¡¯t help it. We haven''t heard about Ashley for almost two months. Recently, we heard rumors that Valentin oftenes in and out at the hospital. Did...did something happen to Ashley?¡± Frankie looked solemn. ¡°Ms. Longman, we can¡¯t contact Ashley, and we can¡¯t ask her in person. You and Ashley are friends. Do you have Ashley¡¯s news?¡± Miranda felt heavy in her heart. Ashley had been in aa for almost two months and still hadn¡¯t woken up. Joseph said before that Ashley¡¯sa could not be disclosed to the public. Miranda took two deep breaths and said with a normal expression, ¡°Ashley has already back to her real family. She is not your sister. Sin she severed ties with the Ramos family, she does not want to get invol with you anymore. If you really understand it, stop pestering her.¡± Jeremy was filled with guilt. ¡°We just want to make up for her. There is really no news from Ashley for a long time. | feel uneasy.¡± Matthew couldn¡¯t hold it back and asked hurriedly, ¡°Miranda, have you been in contact with Ashley recently? Tell us so that we can be relieved!¡± Charlie promised, ¡°Ms. Longman, don¡¯t worry. We won¡¯t harm Ashley anymore.¡± Miranda pressed her lips hesitantly but finally shook her head. ¡°Ashley is fine.¡± Jeremy asked, ¡°Then why is there no news about her online for so long?¡± 10.21 Miranda made up an excuse. ¡°Ashley has just been back to her family. They naturally hope to make up for the lost time in the past and don¡¯t want outsiders to disturb them.¡± Jeremy was heartbroken when she heard that Ashley had her real family. Thinking about the picture when Ashley stayed with George and Lester, he felt like her sister had been robbed. But at the same time, he was relieved. ¡°Ashley is fine, then we can rest assured. Ryan asked with concern, ¡°Miranda, where are you going?¡± Miranda couldn¡¯t say she was going to the hospital, so she just mentioned a ce casually, and finally warned, ¡°Don¡¯t wait downstairs in my house anymore.¡± After finishing speaking, she nced at Ryan, turned around, and walked away. Looking at Miranda¡¯s retreating figure, Frankie patted Ryan¡¯s shoulder and said, ¡°Although Miranda still doesn¡¯t want to see you now, at least we know that Ashley is fine.¡± Jeremy was suspicious. ¡°Then why does Valentine in and out of the hospital so often?¡± Frankie guessed. ¡°Maybe his family members are sick, or maybe he is sick.¡± Hearing this, Matthew pondered and thought of Ashley. ¡°Valentin is sic Ashley likes him so much. If he gets sick, shouldn''t Ashley be worried?¡± Charlie said, ¡°The medical skills are advanced now. Ashley is now with the Pliskin family. They will take good care of her.¡± Speaking of it, Jeremy felt ufortable. ¡°Ashley is rted to the Pliskin family by blood, which really gives them an advantage. | always feel that Ashley should be our sister.¡± Frankie fell silent, feeling helpless and frustrated. The results of the DNA identification were there. Even if they thought about it, they couldn''t change the fact that Ashley was not rted to them by blood. Miranda bought a bunch of flowers for visiting patients and went to the 10:24 Chapter 374 hospital. Putting the flowers in the vase next to the bed, she saw Ashley was still ous. Her mood was more depressed than before. After staying in the hospital until the afternoon, Miranda said goodbye to Brian and Karen, got up, and left. In the ward, Karen tucked her daughter in the bed and turned to look at Lester. ¡°Lester, call Valentin and ask if Zain is better now.¡± This morning, Zain suddenly felt unwell. Fortunately, a family doctor was at hand to take care of him. As Zain¡¯s grandson, Valentin had to go back to Kingsley Manor. So he was not in the ward now. ¡°Okay, I''ll call him now.¡± Lester took out his phone and called Valentin. But Valentin was probably busy and couldn¡¯t answer the call in time. Lester thought for a moment and dialed Joseph¡¯s number. When it was about to automatically hang up, the call was answered. Joseph''s anxious voice came from the receiver. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why did you call me suddenly? Did something happen to Ashley?¡± ¡°No, how is your grandpa? Is he fine now?¡± ¡°Nothing serious. The family doctor is always be his side. The situatio almost stable now.¡± Joseph sighed, ¡°My grandpa is old and he is worri about Ashley these days. In addition, the weather is getting cold. So he caught a cold and suddenly felt ufortable. Luckily, it wasn¡¯t seriou He¡¯s fine now.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine. Tell Valentin to take care of his grandpa. Ashley has us here.¡± ¡°It''s okay. My grandpa is much better. He has been urging Valentin to go. back to the hospital. Besides, my sister and | are taking care of my grandpa. Valentin will go back to the hospital in the evening.¡± After saying a few words, the phone hung up. Lester ryed the conversation to Karen. Karen sighed with a sad face, ¡°Ashley is not healed yet, and Zain fell ill again. Fortunately, it¡¯s nothing serious. Elderly people can¡¯t stand the trouble the most.¡± Lester cheered up and advised, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t worry. Joseph said that Zain has Bst recovered.¡± poured a ss of water and brought it to Karen. ¡°You have to keep your spirits up. We are still waiting for Ashley to wake up.¡± Karen took the water ss and put it aside. She pointed at Brian¡¯s hair and said, ¡°Look at you. You already have gray hairs.¡± George had long seen the gray hair on his father¡¯s head. He turned to look at Ashley, unconscious on the bed, and couldn¡¯t help but hold her hand. Today was the day for acupuncture, and Leonard came to the ward. Recently, ording to the treatment discussed with Bard, he needed to prick two more acupoints. After acupuncture, Leonard wiped the sweat from his forehead and called Brian and Karen aside. ¡°What''s wrong, Dr. Ferguson?¡± Karen asked hurriedly. Leonard said, ¡°Recently, | have been pricking two more acupoints every time. It seems that there is no improvement. If it still doesn¡¯t work, | may have to change the treatment...¡± Karen became nervous when she heard it and held her husband¡¯s hand tightly. Brian also frowned. Agloomy and depressing atmosphere enveloped... Ashley seemed to have had a nightmare. She dreamed about being immersed in dark, cold water. She was surrounded by cold and biting water. Her body was soaked in the water. She could open her eyes but could only see the dull water. There seemed to be some force pulling her deeper into the whirlpool, wanting her to die. She struggled to swim upward, but her whole body was weak. She couldn''t exert any strength. She seemed to be dizzy due to lack of oxygen, and her whole body was limp. In the endless dark waters, she seemed to hear a gentle voice slowlying from above. It seemed that someone was calling her name, full of affectionate longing. But across the water, the voice couldn''t be heard clearly. It was hazy and passed to her ears with the flow of water. She wanted to get closer to that gentle and lingering voice and tried her best to swim towards it. She was swimming upstream inch by inch with difficulty. Finally, she suddenly broke through the water. The force that wanted to pull her down suddenly dissipated, and the dizziness gradually disappeared. The tip of her nose was filled with fresh air, which seemed to have a faint smell of disinfectant. She couldn''t tell where she was now. She was lying on the hospital bed, her thick and slender eyshes trembled slightly, her eyelids were so heavy that they seemed to be stuck together, and her eyes rolled several times under her eyelids. Finally, with great difficulty, she slowly opened her eyes. What she saw was a blur of pure white, and she couldn¡¯t see anything clearly. Her hearing gradually recovered first, and she seemed to hear someone talking around her. ¡°| said before that Ashley has been in aa for so long. Lying can motionless easily cause muscle atrophy. In addition to cleaning and wiping her body every day, also pays attention to massaging her limbs and torso. The massage time should not be less than an hour.¡± ¡°Don''t worry, Dr. Ferguson. We have massages every day! Valentin does it all by himself. He massages continuously for more than an hour without taking a break. He¡¯s so tired, but he doesn¡¯t stop.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine. Why is Zain not in the ward today?¡± 5/6 Chapter 374 ¡°Zain suddenly felt unwell today. He went back to Kingsley Manor first. Fortunately, he has no serious problems. It is probably because he was too worried about Ashley. In addition, he caught a cold. So his body¡¯s resistance dropped...¡± The voice of speaking reached her ears intermittently. Ashley wanted to turn her head and look at the speaker but found that her body was still limp and she couldn''t exert any strength. It seemed that it was very difficult to even move. Gradually, her vision became focused and she was finally able to see clearly. Overhead was a pure white ceiling. The sun was setting outside the window. The afterglow of the sun dyed the entire sky red, magnificent and beautiful. The light of the sun poured in through the window, spreading out a soft orange light in front of her eyes. It was so beautiful that she wanted to reach out and touch it. She opened her mouth and wanted to speak, but no sound came out. Suddenly, a bang came. The water ss shattered on the ground, making a loud noise. ¡°A...Ashley! You finally woke up!¡± Lester¡¯s voice echoed in the ward wit joy. ¡°Dad, Mom, George,e here! Ashley is awake!¡± 10-9 Chapter 375 Having witnessed Ashley, who had lying unconscious on the hospital bed for two months, Lester momentarily thought he was experiencing an illusion when she finally opened her eyes. It wasn¡¯t until he saw her eyes move that he realized it was real. Ashley had truly awakened! His sister had finally awakened! Overwhelmed with emotion, Lester¡¯s eyes became warm, and he lost control to the point of dropping the water ss in his hand with a crisp sound. He had never been so notposed. Hastily, he called loudly for his parents and George. Meanwhile, Brian, Karen, and George were listening to Leonard exin some precautions. When they heard Lester¡¯s exmation that ¡°Ashley has awakened,¡± there was a moment of hesitation, as if they couldn¡¯t believe it. Then, in a flurry, they rushed to the bedside. ¡°Ashley...¡± Karen ran over in a fluster, seeing her daughter finally awake. Her nose tingled, and tears seemed to burst like a dam, uncontrobl streaming down her face. ¡°Ashley, is this not a dream? You''re finally awake.¡± Karen rushed forward to embrace Ashley but hesitated, fearing she mig hurt her with rash movements. It was as if she was handling a precious, fragile porcin doll, desiring to touch but afraid to do so. ¡°Ashley, can you hear me talking? How do you feel now? Any difort?¡± Brian¡¯s voice trembled as he asked several questions in session, his eyes turning slightly red. George and Lester stood on the other side of the hospital bed, and their eyes fixed on Ashley. They didn¡¯t want to miss any subtle changes in her expression. 10 215 ¡°Ashley, do you feel ufortable? Do you want to drink water?¡± ¡°Ashley, I¡¯m George. Can you hear me?¡± Excitedly walking over, Leonard saw Ashley awake and couldn¡¯t contain his joy. His little idol had finally woken up. If she hadn''t, he would have gone with her. Ashley slowly moved her eyes, looking at the circle of people by the bed. Finally, her gaze fell on Karen¡¯s face. Seeing Karen continuously shedding tears, Ashley opened her mouth. Her throat felt dry and tight like she hadn¡¯t spoken for a long time. She could only produce a weak sound. Moving her throat and attempting a couple of times, Ashley managed to squeeze out a hoarse tone. ¡°Mom... Don¡¯t cry...¡± She wanted to raise her hand to wipe away Karen''s tears, but her arm felt stiff as if it weren¡¯t hers. It took a lot of effort to lift it halfway. Seeing this, Karen quickly grabbed her daughter¡¯s hand, gently and cautiously helping her sit at the bedside. Ashley realized she was in a hospital room only when she looked around and saw the white ceiling she noticed when she first opened her eyes.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. ¡°Ashley, how are you? Do you feel any ufortable?¡± Lester poured a ss of water and brought it to Ashley¡¯s lips. ¡°Do you want to drink so water?¡± Ashley was indeed thirsty, so she drank the water slowly, taking small sips. Lester held the cup steadily, patiently, as if afraid to spill a drop on his sister. Finally relieved of her thirst, Ashley shook her head slowly, indicating she didn¡¯t need more. Her dry, pale lips now had glistening water droplets, making her appear less parched. Brian quickly spoke up. ¡°Dr. Ferguson, please help Ashley with at check-up. Let''s see how she is holding up.¡± Leonard hurriedly stepped forward. ¡°Alright, let me take a look.¡± A breeze drifted in from the window. George walked over attentively and 10:21 closed the window slightly, concerned that Ashley had just awakened and she was still weak, hoping to avoid her catching a cold. While Leonard was conducting her check-up, Ashley''s thoughts gradually returned. She recalled the family recognition banquet held earlier, and after it concluded, she had a dizzy spell while talking with Valentin. Without any warning, she fainted, utterly unaware of what had happened. Was she only waking up now? What time was it? Ashley¡¯s voice remained hoarse, but she spoke more smoothly now. ¡°Mom, how long was | unconscious?¡± Tears glistened in Karen''s eyes. ¡°Two months, Ashley. You¡¯ve been unconscious for almost two months.¡± ¡°Two months...¡± Ashley was startled. So much time had passed. Then, she thought of Valentin. When she woke up, she seemed to have overheard Karen and the doctor named Leonard talking. They mentioned that Valentin diligently massaged her every day without interruption. Where was he now? She wanted to see him, really wanted to. Just as Ashley was about to ask, Leonard had just finished his examination. He breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Great! You''re finally up. For now, everyth looks good. But, given Ashley¡¯s been out for quite a while, she might f weak and find it challenging to move around. She''ll bounce back soon orter with gradual exercise and adaptations.¡± Brian and Karen were relieved to hear this. ¡°Dr. Ferguson, thank you!¡± Lester expressed his gratitude repeatedly. The smile that had been absent for so many days finally returned to his face. George¡¯s usually indifferent expression showed a rare gentleness. He carefully picked up a pillow and ced it behind Ashley, afraid she might identally knock into something.. Ashley found it a bit amusing. After all, she wasn¡¯t a porcin doll. However, she was indeed weak now, and being cared for so meticulously 10.24 by her parents and brothers was something she had never experienced with the Ramos family. It was something she had only dared to dream of. Looking at her daughter¡¯s pale face, Karen couldn''t help but feel distressed. During these two months of unconsciousness, Ashley relied on intravenous nutrition. She had lost weight and looked much thinner, including her chin. But the most important thing was that Ashley had finally awakened. They would take it slow and help her recover gradually in the coming days. As Ashley sat leaning on the bedside, she tried moving her fingers. Although her movements weren''t as agile, the stiffness had eased a lot. Looking up at Brian and Karen beside the bed, she noticed a strand of ring white hair on Brian¡¯s head. She was stunned. ¡°Dad, your hair...¡± Ashley remembered clearly that he didn¡¯t have white hair before she fell unconscious. It had only been two months. Howe... Brian chuckled dismissively, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Ashley. Just a few white hairs. I''ll dye them back when | get home.¡± Ashley felt a sourness in her nose. How could it be just a few? But she could tell that her father didn¡¯t want her to worry, so she nodded and didn¡¯t say more. ¡°Mom, where¡¯s Valentin?¡± Ashley looked towards Karen by the bed ar asked. Upon hearing this, Karen took out her phone and replied, ¡°Look at m was so happy to see you awake that | forgot. I''ll call Valentin right away and tell him the good news! ¡°Ashley, Valentin has been taking care of you in the ward these days when you were in aa. But his grandfather suddenly fell ill this morning, so he returned to Kingsley Manor.¡± Ashley was shocked when she heard this. ¡°Grandpa is sick? Is it serious?¡± Karen said, ¡°They''re saying it¡¯s nothing serious. Don¡¯t stress about it for now. I''ll give them the good news about you waking up. Perhaps just hearing that will do wonders for your grandpa¡¯s health.¡± Ashley nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± 1021 Karen pressed the phone, about to make the call. Ashley¡¯s heart tightened slightly, and a sudden palpitation passed through her as if there was a telepathic connection. She suddenly raised her head and looked toward the ward''s entrance. The sunlight streamed through the window, casting a golden glow on the door and the floor. The door was hastily pushed open. Send Gift Chapter 376 Valentin pushed the door to the ward and saw Ashley sitting on the bed, finally awake. At that moment, it felt like his heart had stopped. Time seemed to freeze, and everything around them came to a standstill. The sound of the wind, the birds outside the window, and even the dancing leaves were all frozen in mid-air. All he could see were her clear, watery eyes. After a brief silence, his heart began to race intensely, as if all the blood in his body was flowing backward. His grip on the door handle tightened, and his knuckles turned white with the effort. Ashley leaned against the bed, blinking as she watched him enter. Just a moment ago, she had an inexplicable and intense premonition that Valentin wasing. After the door was pushed open, the person who entered was indeed him. The entire room fell into a profound silence. Even Karen, Brian, and others involuntarily quieted down. Valentin¡¯s deep and profound gaze was fixed on Ashley, whom he had longed for, reluctant to share even a fraction of it with others. Finally, he walked over, his steps carrying a rare sense of panic. Although only a few seconds had passed, it felt like an eternity before he stood in front of Ashley. Valentin¡¯s eyes were deep and intense, seemingly calm on the surface but roiling underneath with overwhelming love and longing. He couldn¡¯t restrain himself any longer and bent down to embrace her as if holding his entire world. ¡°Ashley.¡± His girl... His life...had finallye back. Just as Ashley was about to speak, she felt a slight trembling in the arm that held her and a warm, moist sensation near her neck. Ashley¡¯s heart tightened, flooded with a dense and poignant sorrow. Just as she was about to hug him back tightly, offering him reassurance 10:46 andfort, Valentin suddenly let her go. Ashley was puzzled. ¡°Did | hurt you?¡± Valentin looked at her nervously, his voice trembling slightly. ¡°No,¡± Ashley replied. She thought, I¡¯m not a porcin doll, and | haven¡¯t hugged you back yet.¡± Valentin, afraid of hurting her, was cautious in his movements as if even a slight touch might cause her pain. It was the first time in his life that he didn¡¯t know where to ce his hands. Ashley was speechless. Her eye twitched, and despite her lingering weakness, she took a deep breath, mustering newfound strength to forcefully wrap her arms around Valentin as if making a forceful assertion. ¡°Didn''t | tell you, I¡¯m not in pain. Let me hug you for a while.¡± Karen felt relieved when she saw this scene, thinking her daughter had the spirit Karen had years ago. Afterward, she subtly signaled to the others in the ward, urging everyone to quietly leave and create space for the young couple to have a private conversation. They exited the room with light footsteps, gently closing the door behind. them. Lester¡¯s expression was strange. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± George couldn¡¯t help asking. Lester said, ¡°I used to believe Valentin had charmed our adorable little. sister, but just now, in the room, when she hugged him so. passionately, | suddenly thought, maybe it¡¯s our little sister who has won Valentin over for herself.¡± ¡°You''re overthinking,¡± George replied. Karen didn¡¯t care about the conversation between the two brothers. She went to the side and called Joseph to inform him that Ashley had awakened. 2/6 10:46 Chapter 376 ¡°Joseph, Ashley has woken up, just woke up... Yes, she really woke up. | didn¡¯t lie to you... Let your grandpa and sister know about Ashley waking up. Hey, calm down, don¡¯t shout so loud. You''re going to deafen me.¡± Karen moved the phone away from her ear. After more than two minutes, the noisy sounds from the other end of the phone finally subsided. Ashley still held onto Valentin¡¯s hand as if asserting dominance, not letting go. Her gaze seemed to be stuck to him. Her eyes were wet, and tenderness reflected in them. She tugged at her lips and said, ¡°Why do you look more exhausted than | do?¡± ¡°How could |?¡± Valentin didn¡¯t borate on the two months of hardship. Hearing her somewhat hoarse voice, one of his hands held by her, he had to use the other to pour a ss of water. Just as Ashley was about to reach for the water, Valentin lifted the ss, avoiding her catch. He looked at her raised hand and said, ¡°Keep holding it.¡± Ashley blinked, and her two small hands obediently returned, tightly gripping his hand. Valentin raised the ss to her lips, feeding her water while asking cautiously, ¡°How long have you been awake? Have they examined you again?¡± After finishing the water, Ashley nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve been checked. Dr. Ferguson examined me and said everything else is fine apart from being a bit weak.¡± Valentin was relieved upon hearing this. Suddenly, Ashley remembered something. ¡°By the way, how is Grandpa? My mom told me he¡¯s sick, and that¡¯s why you came back to Kingsley Manor.¡± Valentin ced the ss back on the table, his fingertips brushing her disheveled hair. ¡°Nothing serious. The doctor said a couple of days of intravenous therapy, and he should recover.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good. But wait, weren¡¯t you taking care of Grandpa at Kingsley Manor? Why did you suddenlye here?¡± 3/6 10:46 Ashley remembered that just a moment ago, Karen hadn''t even called him to let him know she had woken up, yet he suddenly appeared. Valentin looked at Ashley, her lips glistening with the water she had just drunk, and couldn¡¯t resist leaning in for a kiss. His warm palm held her soft waist. He withdrew slightly until her pale lips gradually turned into a full and vivid red. With lowered eyshes, Valentin looked at her from an incredibly close distance, his warm breath gently brushing against her. He said, ¡°My heart suddenly raced a bit, and | couldn''t help bute back immediately.¡± Ashley repeated his words in her mind. ¡®Suddenly heart racing... Couldn¡¯t help bute back immediately.¡± These were seemingly ordinary words, but Ashley felt her heart racing along with them. Unable to resist, she hugged him again. ¡°Is this what they call having a telepathic connection? Oh, let me hug you a bit longer.¡± Ashley felt it when she hugged him just now. He had be thinner. Plus, his weary, paleplexion. She couldn''t imagine what he had been through in these two months and how agonizingly he had endured it. Ashley¡¯s eyshes quivered subtly. She sniffed and tightened her embrace, aiming to genuinely feel his presence and hold him closer. In the quiet ward, the gentle sunlight poured in. The two embraced each other in silence. The scene was unbelievably beautiful. Valentin was concerned that she had just woken up and couldn''t be too tired. He softly asked, ¡°Do you want to rest for a while?¡± Ashley immediately shook her head. ¡°No! I¡¯ve been lying here for so long. Now I¡¯m tired just looking at the bed. My body feels rusty. Dr. Ferguson said | need to exercise a bit to recover sooner. | want to get out of bed and walk.¡± Valentin immediately indulged her, helping her get out of bed. Unfortunately, Ashley''s current physical condition was deplorable, and her legs could hardly support her. In the end, she looked at Valentin with 10:46 pitiful expression. ¡°Get me a wheelchair. I¡¯d rather sit in a wheelchair than lie on the bed.¡± Seeing her pitiful look, his heart couldn''t help but ache. Valentin quickly had a wheelchair brought over. Ashley sat in the wheelchair, looking around curiously. This was the first time she had ever been seated in a wheelchair. The first time she met. Lester, he was in a wheelchair. She didn¡¯t expect to follow in his footsteps. so soon. Valentin shook his head helplessly. Ashley asked Valentin to push her from behind, wanting to see the scenery outside. Before they could leave the room, Andrew came over. Upon seeing Ashley in the wheelchair, Andrew¡¯s face instantly darkened. as he looked at Leonard on the side. ¡°Is this the result of your treatment for her?¡±This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. He thought, ¡®She is crippled now!¡¯ Leonard was unjustly used. ¡°No, no, wait! Let me exin. Ashley has just woken up, and her body isn¡¯t fully adjusted yet. Give her a few days of exercise, and she''ll be back to normal. | swear!¡± Ashley blinked. ¡°I¡¯m not crippled, why are you getting angry for no reason?¡± Andrew was left speechless. He was simply worried that Ashley might be unable to move around as freely as before, and she would surely suffer. After saying that, Ashley suddenly noticed the pocket watch on Andrew¡¯s shirt. She thought, ¡®A pocket watch? Why is he wearing such a thing?¡± She had never seen him wear them before. Aperson like him wearing a pocket watch was a bit off. Realizing that Ashley''s attention was fixed on Andrew, Valentin suddenly coughed lightly as if suppressing a cough and not wanting others to hear it. Being so close, Ashley naturally heard it -Umed to look at him. 10:46 ¡°What''s wrong? Valentin raised his hand, pressing against his heart. Suddenly feeling a bit ufortable¡± Ashley¡¯s attention immediately shifted back to Valentin upon hearing this. She nervously looked at him. Where does it hurt? Why are you ufortable? Let Dr. Ferguson take a look¡± On the side. Andrew was at a loss for words, thinking. This scheming bastard. Chapter 377 When Ashley heard Valentin say he felt ufortable, he immediately asked Leonard Ferguson to show him. Valentin didn¡¯t seem to want to go to such trouble and shook his head, ¡°No need to look, it¡¯s nothing serious.¡± Ashley was anxious, ¡°I heard you coughing just now, and you said it was okay!¡± Valentin didn¡¯t speak anymore, with a pretending to be strong expression, ¡°I tried not to let you know but | identally coughed and you heard me.¡± Ashley suddenly felt very distressed, ¡°Dr. Ferguson, please help him. quickly!¡± Really, | still have to hide my illness from her!Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Why are you so sensible? Leonard Ferguson scratched his head in confusion, walked over to check Valentin, and said doubtfully: ¡°| have already mentioned your heart difort before. Did it suddenly hurt again today? The most important thing about this kind of problem is to ensure that you rest and not stay upte. As for the seque of you headache, | will give it to you. Prescribe Chinese medicine and adjust slowly...¡± When Ashley heard that she not only had heart problems, but also. suffered from headaches, she felt even more distressed. It turns into a beautiful flower soon! When Colby Jan came over, he saw his master standing at the door of the ward, looking at Valentin in the ward with a speechless expression. Colby suddenly said:? No, doesn¡¯t the master like Ashley? Why are you staring at Valentin? Colby looked strangely towards the ward. Leonard Ferguson was checking Valentin¡¯s body. Ashley was watching from a wheelchair, the 10:46 worry on his face was visible. Suddenly | understood why the expression on the master¡¯s face was so hard to exin. Probably because Ashley cared so much about Valentin right after she woke up, the master became jealous again. It seems that the master is getting annoyed with Valentin, his love rival again. But thank God, Ashley finally woke up! He would rather see his master being annoyed by Valentin every day. | don¡¯t want to see Ashley unconscious again during this period, and the master looks like a walking zombie every day.... Andrew, who was annoyed by Valentin every day after being prayed by his subordinates, ¡°...¡± Valentin didn¡¯t care about Leonard Ferguson¡¯s instructions. He was more concerned about, ¡°Ashley was given a strangea drug by Tyler Morgan. It took her so long to wake up. Will there be any seque?¡± When Andrew heard this question, he no longer cared about Valentin¡¯s. green coffee intentions, and immediately looked at Leonard Ferguson. Leonard Ferguson waved his hand and assured with great confidence, ¡°No, | checked little Ashley when she just woke up. Her body is in good. condition and there are no seque. As for the stiffness of the limbs and difficulty in moving, it will gradually fade away after a few days of adaptation.¡± Recover.¡± After hearing this, Andrew waspletely relieved and looked at Ashley in the wheelchair. As a result, Ashley only stared at Valentin... Forget it, this heartless little thing is finally safe. Ashley looked at Valentin and said in surprise, ¡°Tyler Morgan? Are you rted to him?¡± Even though it has passed, Valentin still looks cold when he thinks of what Tyler Morgan did, ¡°That day he dragged you into the water and pricked your arm with a micro-needle, which was coated with dangerous drugs.¡± 10:46 Even if the dose is small, as long as it is absorbed by the human body, it can cause extremely dangerous reactions. Ashley suddenly realized, ¡°No wonder | felt like my arm was stabbed by something when | was in the water that day. The feeling was not obvious at the time, so | didn¡¯t take it to heart. It turned out to be his fault!¡± Valentin. ¡°Tyler Morgan wants to trade your safety for the Pliskin family. After your parents and brother found out, they were willing to trade the Pliskin family for your safety. However, Tyler Morgan did not have the ability to cure your disease. He Just to steal the Pliskin family property.¡± It is not difficult to imagine that if the Pliskin family is given to Tyler Morgan, given Tyler Morgan''s personality, he will definitely not give up after getting the Pliskin family, and he will definitely kill the Pliskin family Ashley naturally thought of this and was so angry that she wanted to cut Tyler Morgan into pieces. Moreover, she was very touched that her parents and brother could give up such a huge amount of property and power for her, and that they could do this for her daughter who had only recognized her for a few days... Ashley narrowed her eyes slightly and said angrily. ¡°Where is Tyler Morgan now?¡± Valentin, ¡°He was locked up by the bodyguards and he still had hisst breath. | gave him this breath just to wait for you to wake up and let you deal with it yourself.¡± Leonard Ferguson was filled with emotion after hearing so much, ¡°I remember that little Ashley was forced to be separated from the Pliskin family for so many years. It was all caused by Tyler Morgan. People like him have done all kinds of evil things, and they can¡¯t even get a single person.¡± The 20-year-old Ashley was stolen from the Pliskin family, andter forged multiple paternity tests. Now he poisoned Ashley, threatened to ckmail the Pliskin family, andmitted various crimes rted to Cara. If given to the police, it would be enough to impose a death sentence.¡± Valentin didn¡¯t look at Leonard Ferguson, his dark and quiet eyes only. looked at Ashley. Tyler Morgan did so many horrible things to Ashley and the Pliskin 10:16 family. Ashley could never retaliate in kind. Anyway, with him here, even if Ashley wants to use the bloodiest and most illegal means to solve the problem, he can keep her safe and sound. Ashley said calmly, ¡°Then let Tyler Morgan receive the punishment he deserves.¡± Valentin, ¡°Okay.¡± Andrew looked at her, the corners of his lips twitching slightly. He liked her vengeful look. Ashley looked at Leonard Ferguson carefully and searched around in her mind. She didn¡¯t know the old doctor, but he seemed to be very kind to her. Moreover, he also called her...little friend Ashley... What is this name? Seeing Ashley looking at him, Leonard Ferguson hurriedly cleared his throat, became serious, and even showed a hint of the nervousness of an elderly fan meeting his young idol. The tone also became serious, ¡°Hello, | am Leonard Ferguson. | really like your paintings under the pen name Aurora Easel!¡± As he said that, Leonard Ferguson took out his special mobile phone for the elderly. The fonts on the screen were very, very large. He raised the phone screen in front of Ashley, ¡°Look, | also follow you on LiveMe. Every LiveMe you send, | If you repost andment, please like it!¡± Ashley was surprised that he was actually her elderly fan... Ashley looked down and saw that everyment Leonard Ferguson made to her was: Hello, Ashley, | want to get your attention... Everyment says this! Ashley, ¡°...¡± Leonard Ferguson is very sorry and disappointed, ¡°But it¡¯s a pity that you have too many LiveMements and you have never seen me.¡± Ashley didn¡¯t know what to say for a moment, so she paused and said, 4/6 10:46 ¡°... Thank you for your love, and I¡¯m very grateful that you treated me.¡± Leonard Ferguson heard his little idol say thank you to him, and his beard trembled with excitement, ¡°That''s right! | learned that little Ashley was sick, how could | sit idly by and ignore it! Besides, Andrew and | are old friends, and you are his secret crush.¡± Andrew heard the old man suddenly talking about him, and his peach blossom eyes narrowed dangerously, ¡°What nonsense are you talking about?¡± Leonard Ferguson wisely shut his mouth. s, | am getting angry again. Furthermore, it¡¯s not a secret that he likes little friend Ashley, so why he doesn¡¯t let her know about it? | really don¡¯t understand his behavior. Andrew raised his legs, walked to Ashley¡¯s wheelchair, curled his lips and said, ¡°You have been in aa for two months, and your birthday has passed. Do you still want to see the big stone in your chest?¡± Chest broken? What is this? Ashley was stunned for a moment before she remembered that Andrew had said that he wanted to give her a birthday gift before, and she had. deliberately said it in a way that would break her heart. How could he still remember such a weird thing? The corner of Ashley''s mouth twitched, ¡°Who wants to see you crushing rocks? | won''t.¡± Valentin on the side saw this, his eyes darkened slightly, and his chest was broken... Something happened between Ashley and Andrew that he didn¡¯t know about... At this moment, Andrew slowly looked towards Valentin and raised his eyebrows deliberately. It was like retaliating for his scheming green coffee just now. Valentin, ¡°...¡± Chapter 378 Andrew turned to look back at Ashley and clicked his tongue, ¡°Since the birthday has been missed, forget it, that''s all.¡± Ashley, ¡°..¡± Colby at the door suddenly sweated profusely, Master, what are you talking about? How can | catch a girl like this? Seeing Ashley grinding her teeth angrily, like a kitten about to explode, Andrew¡¯s peach-blossom eyes slightly raised, and he smiled jokingly, ¡°Anyway, you have returned to the Pliskin family, and that previous birthday is not your real birthday. ¡± Ashley almost forgot that when she was sent to the orphanage, the emerald ne she was wearing belonged to the youngest daughter of the Ramos family. Then, the birth date engraved on the emerald ne is the birthday of the Ramos family¡¯s youngest daughter, which is also Cara¡¯s birthday. Not her real birthday. ¡°Do you want to know your real birthday right away?¡± Andrew suddenly asked meaningfully. ¡°You know?¡± Ashley was surprised. Andrew lowered his eyes and gently rubbed the pocket watch on his left wrist with his slender white fingers. A few secondster, the corners of his lips curled up slightly, seemingly smiling, but his eyes looked a little lonely, ¡°Of course | know the birthday of my former fianc¨¦e.¡± Hearing the word fianc¨¦e, Valentin¡¯s brows were filled with frost, and he looked at Andrew with a cold warning in his eyes. At this moment, an extremely excited howl came from outside the door- ¡°Little Ashley!! You finally woke up!!!¡± Joseph was so excited that tears filled his eyes. He ran over with tears in 10:46 his eyes. When he saw Ashley sitting in a wheelchair, his eyes widened in horror, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your legs!!¡± Ashley quicklyforted her, ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay, I¡¯m notme! It¡¯s just that | don¡¯t have the strength to walk now, so | use a wheelchair.¡± Joseph patted his chest in fear, ¡°I was scared to death. | thought something was wrong with your legs!¡± As soon as | came over, | saw little Ashley sitting in a wheelchair, which was really scary. In addition to Joseph, ire Fox and the old man, as well as the Fox Family parents came. When Ashley was in aa, the Fox Family parents visited her many times. ¡ª Now seeing Ashley wake up, their faces were filled with surprise. ¡°Ashley, you''re finally awake, so great!¡± ire Fox came over, bent down and hugged Ashley. ¡°Sister ire, I¡¯m fine now, don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Has the doctor checked it? What should | say?¡± ¡°The doctor said there is nothing wrong, and he will almost fully recover in a few days.¡± Ashley answered truthfully. With the support of Ralph Maggie Fox, Zain walked over tremblingly: Ashley has suffered so much, and finally woke up! Grandpa, this old man also regained his energy!¡± When Ashley saw the old man, she hurriedly asked with concern, ¡°Grandpa, why are you here? How is your illness?¡± Joseph looked helpless, ¡°Sister-inw, you don¡¯t know. As soon as | heard. you woke up, my grandfather¡¯s illness was completely cured. He jumped out of bed so excitedly that he almost fell off the bed and broke his leg. Really, | even said goodbye to him. So excited!¡± The old man subconsciously wanted to hit Joseph with the crutch in his hand. When he raised his hand, he realized that he didn¡¯t bring a crutch today. He grunted loudly, ¡°I¡¯m not that useless. How can | break my leg? I¡¯m anxious to see him.¡± It¡¯s just Ashley!¡± Joseph raised his hands and surrendered, ¡°Okay, okay, | understand, | 10:46 Chapter 378 understand!¡± At this time, Miranda hurried over sweating profusely. She just received a call from Joseph saying that Ashley was awake. She put down her work and rushed to the hospital immediately. Seeing Ashley who finally opened her eyes and was chatting andughing with everyone, Miranda¡¯s eyes instantly became moist and her eyes filled with tears, ¡°Ashley...¡± Miranda ran over and hugged Ashley full of longing. Ashley patted her shoulder soothingly; ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay, it¡¯s all over...¡± Miranda choked with sobs and nodded, but her tears kept flowing. She was happy and touched... People from the Pliskin family also walked in, and the huge ward became lively. Andrew stood at the outermost edge, looking at Ashley who was in the center of the crowd, separated from him by many people. His pair of heart-stoppingly beautiful peach blossom eyes seemed to be covered with a thinyer of fog, with a faint tinge that made it difficult to see. Understand emotions. The sun had already set outside the window, and the sky became dim. He turned his head and nced at the dark night outside the window, if that was where he should belong.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Andrew looked at the girl who was as bright as the sun in the center of the crowd again. After looking at her quietly for a few seconds, he turned around and walked out of the ward silently. Leonard Ferguson saw him going out and hurriedly followed him. in the corridor. Leonard Ferguson twirled his beard and said, ¡°I promised to do. something for you before. You came to me to treat little Ashley that day. However, little Ashley is my idol, and | am willing to treat her for you. So | owe you one more thing.¡± Andrew nced at him, ¡°Okay, | have something for you to do now.¡± Leonard Ferguson became serious when he heard this. 10:46 D With Andrew¡¯s status, the things he does must be extraordinary. For example, when treating little friend Ashley, she had a weird sleeping. condition that few people in the world could cure, so she came to him. So, what Andrew is talking about now must be equally difficult as this. The next second, Andrew quietly said, ¡°Customize a nutritious recipe for her so that she can recover as soon as possible.¡± Leonard Ferguson was nervous and was stunned when he heard this. What? Nutritious recipes? Just a nutritious recipe? Leonard Ferguson thought he heard wrongly, and when his hand shook, two strands of his beard came off. ¡°Wait a minute, did | hear you correctly? You asked me to make a nutritious recipe for little Ashley?¡± ¡°Yes, you heard that right.¡± ...¡± Leonard Ferguson had a look of bewilderment and disbelief on his face and almost copsed, ¡°You can just find a nutritionist to do this kind of thing! | promise to help you do something, no matter how difficult it is, | will do it., for such an important opportunity, you will let me, a famous miracle doctor, customize a small nutritious recipe for little Ashley?¡± Don¡¯t waste money! Why do you feel so stupid! Andrew looked at her with a dull look and said in an extremely casual tone, ¡°Yes, it is a nutritional recipe.¡± Leonard Ferguson, ¡°...¡± After Andrew finished speaking, he turned around and left, regardless of how much psychological damage Leonard Ferguson suffered. Colby on the side quickly followed. Leonard Ferguson, who stayed where he was, never thought that he was so famous as a miracle doctor who was begged on his knees for medical 4/5 10:46 Chapter 378 advice by others, that he would actually take over the job of a nutritionist. and be reduced to making nutritious recipes for people... In line with the principle of loving what you do, Leonard Ferguson¡¯s nutritional recipes are also excellent. Looking at such a nutritious recipe, Leonard Ferguson was almost moved to tears. Why is he so dedicated? After crying, Leonard Ferguson suddenly wanted to take the exam for a nutritionist certificate. Maybe he was also a genius in this area. Two dayster. Although Ashley''s body has notpletely recovered, it has improved a lot and she can now walk slowly. However, she became addicted to using the wheelchair and found it very fun. Lester saw that Ashley was able to move around but still use a wheelchair. He felt inexplicably friendly. She was really... worthy of being his sister! This afternoon, Ashley was watching Valentin peel an apple for her when her phone suddenly dinged. Received message from Bryce: [What''s wrong? What happened to you? Did you have a falling out wit Valentin? Are you divorced?] Ashley, ¡°?¡± Chapter 379 Ashley sent a message back to Bryce: [Don¡¯t talk nonsense, Valentin and | are fine. ] Bryce flicked over two links. Ashley was confused and clicked on the first link. This is a video. In the video, a handsome boy aged 18 or 19 is being interviewed by a female reporter. The female reporter asked, ¡°Galvin Jellison, you are the first ce in this photographypetition. | heard that you are not yet 19 years old. It¡¯s really like the waves behind the Yangtze River push the waves ahead!¡± Galvin smiled shyly, ¡°I am very lucky to win this time. In fact, many seniors are better than me.¡± The female reporter was full of praise, ¡°Galvin is so humble! | heard that you like Ashley very much?¡± Hearing this question, Galvin looked directly at the camera, as if he was locking someone through the camera. Ashley was startled when she met Galvin¡¯s eyes. Next, | heard Galvin in the video reply, ¡°Yes, | like Ashley very much.¡± The female reporter smiled and said, ¡°Then do you know about her marriage? Two months ago, the Pliskin family held a recognition banquet and announced to the outside world that Ashley was the eldest daughter of the Pliskin family. At the same time, Ashley was also made public at the recognition banquet. Said that she is married to Valentin, the president of the Kingsley Group.¡± Galvin, ¡°I only paid attention to her getting married to the Pliskin family. | didn¡¯t pay attention to her marriage.¡± The female reporter was stunned for a moment, then she smoothed things over with high emotional intelligence, ¡°Maybe Galvin was too busy and didn¡¯t pay attention for the moment. Since Galvin likes Ashley so much, he can send his blessings to her here!¡± Galvin has a handsome appearance, like a young man who is 115 10:46 D inexperienced in the world. He curved his lips and smiled, ¡°Blessings? But | think she got married too early, which is not a good thing.¡± The video ends here. Ashley, ¡°...¡± Why isn¡¯t this a good thing? It''s a good thing that she and Valentin are getting married! Of course, Ashley didn¡¯t care about such words either. They went in one ear and out the other. The way Galvin looked at the camera just now seemed a bit strange. Moreover, this Galvin seemed familiar to her, as if she had seen it somewhere... Who did he look like... Ashley clicked on the second link. This is a LiveMe for discussing gossip, and several photos were posted, showing a blonde, blue-eyed, beautiful foreign woman. Ashley recognized it, the woman in the photo was named Monia Balorant. The Pliskin family is one of the four top financial groups, as is the Balorant family. And Monia is the eldestdy of the Balorant family. Monia visited Zyrrinthiast month. Because of her beautiful appearan and proud nobledy temperament, she attracted many fans on the Inte. There was a wealthy young man from Kilos City who openly expressed his desire to pursue Monia, but Monia mercilessly rejected him in public. This madeizens appreciate her arrogantdy style even more. Later, some melon-eatingizens who were not too concerned about the excitement listed all the handsome guys in the entertainment industry to decide what kind of man Monia would like. Ashley also became interested in gossip and went to check out the selection results. Then, there was silence. 10.46 First ce in the selection: Valentin. Second ce in the selection: George. Third ce in the selection: Lester. Ashley scratched her head in confusion and continued to read gossip on the Inte. | found that someizens actually edited the double video of Valentin and Monia based on the selection results, and edited the two people on the same screen. And the video has already had more than one million views. Ashley looked at it curiously. Valentin and Monia, who have never crossed paths, looked at each other affectionately in the video. Finally, the words Valentin said to her at the marriage recognition banquet, ¡°Thank you madam for giving me a title,¡± were also cut into the video. In the video, this sentence became what Valentin said to Monia. Ashley, ¡°...¡± Could it be that with such a high number of views, the editing level is really great. In thement area below the video,izens debated heatedly. [Help, I¡¯ve yed it on loop thirty times! It makes me feel like a deer bumping into each other! So sweet, so sweet!] [Especially thest sentence, ¡°Thank you, madam, for giving me a title.¡± It''s so affectionate! ] [??? No, are you serious? Valentin is married to Ashley. Isn¡¯t this a suitable haircut?] [Hahahaha, just cutting it for fun, don¡¯t take it seriously! Why are you so incapable of taking a joke?] [... Here we go again, | am a fan of Ashley and Valentin, and | was really speechless when | saw this video! As soon as we were speechless, you said 3/5 10:46 Chapter 379 we couldn''t take the joke, but we were really convinced. They were already married, so how could anyone have such a haircut like yours?]Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. [What happened to the marriage? Marriage can lead to divorce! Let me. tell you, Ashley and Valentin haven¡¯t seen each other since thest recognition party, so maybe something has gone wrong!] It¡¯s true, Ashley hasn¡¯t shown up for two months, and there¡¯s no other news. It¡¯s very strange. ] No, | feel Ashley is quite affectionate towards her wife. ] (Wait a minute, when you say Ashley¡¯s wife... you mean Valentin, right?] [Yes what¡¯s the matter? is it not OK? Ashley and the Pliskin family recognized each other. In ancient times, it was equivalent to the exiled prince being brought back to the pce. As soon as he returned to the pce, he took the princess with him to announce it to the world. Isn¡¯t this affectionate?] (What a ridiculous metaphor...] After Ashley read it, she felt it was outrageous. She looked up at Valentin... Her princess virtuously finished peeling the apples and was about to cut them into small pieces and put them on the fruit te. ¡°No need to cut it, I''ll just eat it.¡± Ashley stretched out her hand toward him and found that his beautiful fingers peeling the fruit was also a pleasing sight. Valentin handed over the apple. Ashley took a bite and stared straight at Valentin with her ck and white eyes. ¡°What''s wrong?¡± He raised his eyebrows slightly. Ashley swallowed the pulp in her mouth, endured it, but still couldn¡¯t hold it back, and asked tentatively, ¡°I call you wife, do you dare to agree?¡± Valentin, ¡°?¡± Ashleyughed dryly, ¡°Haha, | was joking.¡± It was all thements on the Inte that led her astray. No wonder Bryce sent a message asking her if she and Valentin had broken up. Netizens were just specting. Let''s find some time to exin to the outside world that she and Valentin are fine. Two dayster, Ashley¡¯s body slowly recovered and she no longer needed. to be hospitalized, and she went through the discharge procedures. Ashley did not return to the Kingsley Vi, but returned to the Pliskin. family estate to live with her parents and brother. Valentin sent her there, and was kept by Karen Pliskin and Brian Pliskin to have dinner with her. After dinner, when Valentin was about to leave, Karen Pliskin saw howte it was and asked him to stay at home for one night. In the eyes of Karen Pliskin, Valentin and Ashley were originally husband and wife, and it was only reasonable for them to live together. Valentin couldn''t refuse, so he stayed. In fact, Ashley had only woken up a few days ago, and he was unwilling to separate from his wife. In the bedroom. Ashley looked at Valentin and felt that his parents admired him very much, especially his mother, who almost regarded Valentin as a son. That¡¯s okay, Valentin¡¯s parents died when he was young. He had very little parental affection. Now, it can be regarded as having bted parental love... After taking a shower and lying on the bed, Ashley received a call from Miranda. Chapter 380 Chapter 380 ¡°Hey, Miranda.¡± ¡°Ashley, are you asleep? Did | disturb you?¡± ¡°No, | just took a shower and haven''t gone to bed yet.¡± Ashley sat up from the bed, her long ck hair falling down, covering her fair and beautiful face, which was so beautiful. Miranda on the other end of the phone asked caringly, ¡°How is your health? Are you recovering slowly?¡± ¡°Well, it''s much better.¡± After Ashley said that, she heard the bathroom door open. Valentin came out after taking a shower and was wiping hist hair with a white towel. Miranda said, ¡°Ashley, | have something to ask you for help. | will be recording a variety show in a few days, called ¡°My Friends¡±. | will record it at my home. | just invite my friends over and chat casually. There won''t be any physical activity, so I¡¯d like to invite you and Bryce over, is that okay?¡± ¡°Me and Bryce?¡± Ashley thought for a while and agreed, ¡°Sure!¡± She just took this opportunity to exin toizens that her rtionship with Valentin is on good terms and has not broken down at all. ¡°That¡¯s great! I¡¯ve already asked Bryce, and he agreed. Thene to my house together!¡± Miranda said excitedly. ¡°Okay, tell me the time.¡± ¡°Yeah, I''ll send it to youter!¡± you can After hanging up the phone, Ashley received the time sent by Miranda and told Valentin about it. Valentin looked worried, ¡°Are you feeling well?¡± Ashley blinked, ¡°No physical activity, just sitting and chatting.¡± If she was very tired, Miranda would definitely not invite her. Valentin thought for a moment and said, ¡°I''ll send you there. I''ll be waiting next to you while you record. I''ll pick you up when the recording is finished.¡± 4/4 10:46 D Ashley puffed up her cheeks and opened her hands to hug him, ¡°That''s so hard for our brother Valentin.¡± Valentin raised his eyebrows slightly, raised his legs and walked over, bent down to look at her, and a low chuckle escaped from his throat, ¡°You have worked so hard, kiss me.¡± Ashley¡¯s eyes rolled up, and she immediately leaned over and gave her a big kiss. Ashley was thinking quietly, not only did she want to kiss him, but she also wanted to sleep with him. However, his small body is still a bit weak. The previous time she said she wanted to have a night out as a couple, she gave up in the end and failed to do so. It has been more than a year since she got the certificate and she has yet to have a night out as a couple... In a blink of an eye, the day of the variety show recording Miranda¡¯s apartment.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. g came. In the living room, the director of the program set up the camera and said to Miranda: ¡°Miranda, we have set up the camera now. It is only after one in the afternoon, and the program will not start recording until three o¡¯cloc We wille back when the time is right.¡± Miranda looked at the camera and said, ¡°Director, the camera is not of right now.¡± The director smiled and said, ¡°No, we won''t start until the official recording.¡± Miranda nodded, ¡°Okay, thene back at three o¡¯clock!¡± However, in the livestream room of the show at this time,izens who were watching the showughed wildly when they saw this scene. [Don¡¯t be too funny. Didn¡¯t the director notice that the camera was already on?] [So, recording has started now? Don¡¯t the guests know?] [Hahahaha exciting! By the way, which friends did Miranda invite? If the 10:46 guests did something, wouldn''t it all be exposed at once? ] Just then, Miranda¡¯s doorbell rang. She went to open the door and Bryce came. Bryce is dressed very fashionably, with a strand of silver hair in front of his forehead, looking as wild as ever. ncing at the camera, Bryce asked, ¡°Have you started filming?¡± Miranda, ¡°No, we started shooting at three o''clock.¡± Bryce nced around, ¡°Ashley isn¡¯t here yet?¡± Miranda, ¡°Ashley ising soon. | called her before. You sit down first!¡± P''m going, Ashley!! She hasn¡¯t shown up for two months, is she finally going to show up today?!] How are Ashley and Valentin doing? There are rumors that Valentin has been in and out of the hospital a lot recently and has not seen Ashley by his side. Is his rtionship really broken?] | suddenly remembered that Monia also went to the hospital one night, the same hospital where Valentin went. Could it be that she was going to visit Valentin? ] [Ah ah ah, I¡¯m going to watch that video of Valentin and Monia again! sweet to me!] While the barrage was discussing frantically, Miranda¡¯s doorbell rang again. Miranda went over to open the door, curved her lips and said with a smile, ¡°Ashley, Mr. Kingsley, you are here,e in quickly!¡± (What? Mr. Kingsley?) (Valentin is here too?] Did youe with Ashley? ] Chapter 381 Chapter 381 After Miranda opened the door, the two people outside came in. Netizens in the livestream finally saw that Ashley, who had not been for two months, finally appeared in front of the public lens today. aseen The temperature has been cooling down a bit in the past two days. Ashley wore an off-white long windbreaker with a silk dress underneath. Her long ck wavy hair was scattered around her shoulders like seaweed. The woman''s skin is snow-moist and delicate, her red lips are delicate and bright, and her delicate facial features are like roses in the snow, stunning and eye-catching to the extreme. Even though she hasn¡¯t appeared in person for two months, once she appears on camera, her breathtakingly beautiful face can easily steal everyone¡¯s attention. However, Ashley, who appeared again after two months, seems to be a little thinner than before. The man standing next to Ashley was wearing the same style of ck trench coat as hers, with a spotless white shirt underneath. He had broad shoulders and long legs. He was indescribably handsome and noble, and every inch of his body exuded a sense of ascetic sophistication.. The livestream room was originally full of viewers watching variety shows, and the number of people was not veryrge. Now as soon as they heard that Ashley and Valentin had appeared, moreizens rushed in, and the poprity of the livestream skyrocketed. Especially the Bluelove CP fans of Ashley and Valentin. Since thest recognition party, we can finally see the two of them appearing again. [Woo woo woo, we finally saw our Ashley. She looks even prettier after not seeing her for two months! Just seems to have lost a little weight. ] [Wow, these two people are wearing the same style of windbreaker, couple outfits!] [Open your eyes and see, these two big guys are the real beauty and the real match! Other unrted parties please leave!] [Wait a minute, Ashley was just recording a variety show, and Valentin 10:471 sent her here in person? You¡¯re so squeamish, right??] After Ashley entered the door, she hugged Miranda and then greeted Bryce in the living room. Seeing the camera set up, Ashley blinked in surprise, turned to Miranda. and asked, ¡°The camera hasn''t started filming yet, has it?¡± Miranda waved her hand, ¡°No, the director said that the filming will not officially start until three o¡¯clock in the afternoon.¡± Ashley nced at the time. It was three o¡¯clock in the afternoon, which was still early. She looked at Valentin with a crooked smile, ¡°Then let¡¯s sit for a while. When the filming starts, you can go and rest next to it.¡± After speaking, he exined to Miranda and Bryce, ¡°He just came with me, he won''t appear on camera.¡± At this time,izensughed wildly on the barrage. [Hahahahaha,ugh to death, Mr. Kingsley has appeared on camera, we all saw it!] [I just entered the livestream room, what¡¯s going on? Don¡¯t the guests know that the cameras have started filming?] [Hahahaha, yes, none of them knew. It¡¯s okay now. Mr. Kingsley just apanied Ashley to record the variety show, but he also appeare the scene! ] [Wow, | want to see how they get along in private-] Netizens can see that Bryce, who has always been unruly, is obviously little reserved and reserved when facing Valentin. This is not a character breakdown, after all, how can anyone not be cautious when facing a man of Valentin¡¯s status? Everyone sat down on the sofa in the living room. Miranda hurriedly asked, ¡°Ashley, Mr. Kingsley, what would you like to drink? A drink or coffee?¡± Ashley caught a glimpse of the Coke in front of Bryce. It looked like it was refrigerated. There was ayer of water droplets on the wall of the cup. It must taste very cool. She immediately raised her hand with bright eyes, ¡°I want an iced Coke too!¡± 2/6 Chapter 381 As soon as she finished speaking, Valentin, who was sitting next to her, calmly pressed down her raised hand and said to Miranda, ¡°Just two cups. of coffee.¡± Miranda was stunned for a moment and soon understood. The weather has cooled down in the past two days, and Ashley has just been discharged from the hospital. Her body has not fully recovered and is still a little weak. For the sake of her health, Mr. Kingsley naturally does not want her to drink such a cold drink. Miranda smiled and brought two cups of coffee over. Ashley didn¡¯t drink as much as she wanted. She puffed up her cheeks in dissatisfaction and looked at Valentin to argue, ¡°You know, when the weather is cold, in winter, eating ice cream is the most enjoyable. Drinking a drink It¡¯s the same thing.¡± The man raised his eyebrows slightly, unmoved, ¡°Then you can¡¯t drink it now.¡± Ashley, ¡°...¡± snort. Ashley held up her hot cup of coffee and looked up at Bryce. She was surprised for a moment and almost squirted out the coffee in her mou | didn¡¯t look carefully just now, but now | look carefully and realize... ¡°Bryce, why have you turned so dark!¡± As soon as he heard the word ¡°ck¡±, Bryce¡¯s face suddenly turned darker, ¡°ck, what¡¯s ck! I¡¯ve been filming in the desert for two months. | just came back. I''ll be back in a few days for nothing!¡± He has been filming away from home for the past two months and only asionally uses his mobile phone to contact Ashley. | just came back from filming the set two days ago. | saw the news on the Inte about Ashley and Valentin¡¯s rtionship breakup. | couldn¡¯t believe it and sent Ashley a message to ask. Now it seems that Ashley and Valentin have a good rtionship. As for why Ashley hasn''t appeared online for two months, he is also a little confused. It¡¯s probably because something serious has happened... 10:47 1 But the most important thing now is not to call him evil! His fragile little heart cannot hear the word ck! ¡°Ashley, you can say that I¡¯m not obviously white, but you can¡¯t say that I¡¯m ck, understand!¡± Ashley, ¡°...¡± Mirandaughed so hard that her stomach ached, so she ran to the room and brought arge bag of snacks over. Ashley didn¡¯t drink iced Coke, so she could quench her thirst with some snacks. Not long after eating, Valentin held her hand down and said, ¡°This is too spicy and salty. You can¡¯t eat too much.¡± Ashley hadn¡¯t had enough of it yet, but she was being supervised here and there. Her lips curled up, not to mention she looked pitiful. Valentin looked at her aggrieved kitten look, couldn¡¯t help but raise his hand and pinched her cheek, ¡°You can eat whatever you want when you feel better.¡± He said and handed the water ss over, ¡°Are you thirsty? Drink some water.¡± It was indeed salty, and Ashley was really thirsty. She nced at him a groan, picked up the water ss and drank. Netizens in the livestream room were eye-opening when they saw thi [Damn, no, it''s not, the management is so strict, you are not allowed to eat more snacks, and you were not allowed to drink ice c just now...] [If my boyfriend controls me like this, | will definitely be annoyed. What''s wrong with me eating some snacks? What happened if | drank a bottle of iced Coke? What¡¯s bothering you? Really, Valentin has too much. control, he is so controlling. ..] [Hiss, these two people actually get along like this in private? ] [But Valentin also saidter, ¡°You can eat whatever you want after you feel better.¡± What does that mean? ] Bryce looked at the way Ashley and Valentin got along and felt a little strange, and asked suspiciously, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you respond to the Inte 4/6 10:471 Chapter 381 thing?¡± Ashley put down her coffee cup, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Bryce raised his chin, ¡°Netizens specte that your rtionship has broken down.¡± Ashley, ¡°Oh, this isn¡¯t a big deal. I¡¯m going to make a direct statement on the showter.¡± Valentin frowned, ¡°The rtionship is broken?¡± In the past two months, he has been worried about Ashley¡¯s condition and has not taken time to pay attention to things on the Inte. Seeing that he didn¡¯t know yet, Bryce immediately took out his phone, pulled out the video of Valentin and Monia edited by a netizen, and handed it to Valentin for him to watch. On the barrage at this time,izens were stunned. [Holy shit, | never thought that this video would be so lucky that it would be seen by Valentin himself!] [So, he still doesn¡¯t know about the rumors on the Inte?] [Oh my god, look at Mr. Kingsley¡¯s face! Only halfway through the video his face looked so cold and scary!] After the video finished ying, Valentin heard the words he said to Ashley, ¡°Thank you, madam, for giving me a title,¡± being edited to another woman. The displeasure in his eyes could not be overstated. Netizens who thought Valentin and Monia were very sweet in the video ere so frightened that they didn¡¯t even dare to speak out when they saw the man¡¯s face. were Later,izens in the livestream saw that Valentin took out his mobile phone, pressed the screen a few times, as if to senda message, and then turned off the phone screen. [what''s the situation? What did Valentin do?] [I don¡¯t know, | think | sent a message!] [Damn, | always feel that Mr. Kingsley at this moment exudes the aura of a powerful boss...]Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. 10:17 However, when he saw that video, he didn¡¯t do anything except look unhappy. Why didn¡¯t hee out to defend Ashley? ] maintain? He was so strict with Ashley just now, and he didn¡¯t let her eat more snacks or drink ice c. Did he really respect Ashley and treat her as his wife?] Just when this barrage was posted, aizen suddenly discovered the clue. Holy shit, shit! Go and see it! The double video between Valentin and Monia was deleted! Delete the entirework!!] ? ? 2? Don¡¯t make trouble, | just brushed it again. ] (You can try brushing it again for me now. ] Help, | took a look and it¡¯s really gone! Can¡¯t find it anywhere on the inte! ] [Oh my god, that message from Valentin just now actually meant that this video was deleted from the entire inte? Damn it, delete it when you say it, this, this, this... really a boss! Who can ordinary people do it? ] [Ah ah ah, also, go check it out, Valentin¡¯s LiveMe ount that has not been used since registration has posted a new LiveMe! ] Chapter 382 Netizens immediately ran to LiveMe and saw that Valentin¡¯s LiveMe ount, which he had not used since registering and only followed Ashley, posted a new piece of content:This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. [There was no rtionship breakdown. | had a crush on her for many years. | only liked her from beginning to end. @Ashley] Seeing this LiveMe, a tant show of love that does not hide or cover up,izens who eat melons were all sprayed with dog food, and at the same time they also caught the key information. [Have been secretly in love for many years?? [What do you mean, Valentin and Ashley have known each other for a long time?] [And you have been secretly in love with her?] When the marriage was announced before,izens were specting how the two met and how they got married. Now it seems that they have known each other for a long time. At this time, the most likedment in thement area: Since we have been secretly in love for many years, | calcted the time forward... Oh my God, the two of them couldn¡¯t have grown up togeth couldn¡¯t they be childhood sweethearts? What''s going on is better! At this moment, Ashley¡¯s earlobes felt slightly warm when she saw the LiveMe sent by Valentin, but she didn¡¯t hesitate. She turned to look at Valentin, the ends of her bright eyes were slightly raised, and her eyes shone with a smart light. She looked cunning and cute, ¡°I knew you loved me terribly.¡± Valentin nced at her. Love is miserable... This statement... Well, it sounds a bit weird, but it¡¯s not wrong. So, he nodded. Miranda stood aside and covered her face, blushing and wanting to 10:47 D Chapter 382. scream. It''s so exciting to take CP at close range on site! Bryce picked up the drink on the table and took a sip silently to avoid choking on the dog food. Ashley originally nned to dere that their rtionship had not broken down when recording the showter, but since Valentin said it in advance, it would save her the trouble. Ashley thought for a moment and said to Valentin, ¡°You can add another sentence to ask everyone not to involve other women.¡± The two-person video between him and Monia was edited byizens. and has nothing to do with Monia. It is estimated that Monia was also. involved unknowingly. Then,izens in the livestream discovered that Valentin followed Ashley¡¯s instructions very obediently and posted the sentence his wife requested in thements, word for word. Hahahahahaha why are you so obedient! ] [When Ashley said, ¡°I knew you loved me so much¡¯, that confident and smart little look was so cute! ] Because she knows that Valentin will absolutely favor her and put he first in his heart, she can say this with great security and confidence. ] Uuuuuuuuuuah, it¡¯s so sweet, let me forget it, this is tant preference The CP | drank was the sweetest! ] So someizens, please stop spreading rumors that their rtionship has broken down. Valentin has had a crush on Ashley for many years, and finally being with Ashley is what he wanted. How could it break up so easily? ] [Then why was Valentin so strict with Ashley just now? They are not allowed to do this or that, and it feels frustrating to watch. ] Bryce also didn¡¯t expect that one second he showed the two-person video to Valentin, and the next second it was deleted from the entire Inte. He was so clean and self-sufficient that he didn¡¯t want to get involved with other women at all. It seemed that he and Ashley were in a good rtionship. 275 10:471 Chapter 382 He hadn¡¯t shown up for two months before, and there were rumors that Valentin was often in and out of the hospital. What happened? Miranda washed some fruits and brought them over, ¡°Ashley, there are no mangoes here, you can eat them without worry.¡± Ashley was very moved, ¡°Miranda, you are so kind. You still remember that | am allergic to mangoes.¡± When Valentin heard the words ¡°You''re so kind¡±, he gave Ashley a meaningful look, as if he was jealous: | remember it too. Ashley, ¡°...¡± really don¡¯t understand why he is jealous of Miranda? And this wasn¡¯t the first time he was jealous of Miranda. He had been jealous when he saw her getting close to Miranda before. Ashley was still willing to coax this little bit of jealousy. She peeled a small orange specially, peeled it cleanly, and peeled off the white strands on it. She handed it to the man with a smile and said, ¡°Here, peel it just for you.¡±, unlike others, you have to peel an orange yourself.¡± Bryce was peeling oranges by himself, ¡°...¡± Why do you feel like you were scolded for being confused? He was like a single dog walking on the road, who suddenly got kicke Even the oranges taste sour with the taste of dog food. Netizens on the barrage wereughing like crazy: [Why do | feel like Ashley and Bryce are always bickering, hahahaha] Miranda said she was used to this and looked at Ashley worriedly, ¡°Ashley, how are you recovering now? Do you feel tired after being out for so long?¡± Ashley waved her hand, ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m almost healed. I''ll be fully recovered in a few days.¡± Miranda was relieved, fearing that today¡¯s recording of the variety show would consume too much of her energy. Bryce looked at Ashley confused after hearing this, ¡°What recovery? What recovery? What''s wrong with you?¡± 3/5 10:17 Ashley said briefly, ¡°Something happened some time ago and | was hospitalized in aa.¡± Bryce¡¯s eyes widened with shock on his face, ¡°Coma? Hospitalized?¡± Can this be called a trivial matter?! Valentin exined in a calm voice, ¡°Ashley had something happen to her two months ago and fell into aa. The situation was unstable at the didn¡¯t disclose it.¡± time and she didn¡¯t want her friends to worry, so she unstable at the Miranda still has lingering fears when she thinks back to it. She kept calling Ashley, but Ashley never answered the phone. Finally, she was told that Ashley was in aa and was hospitalized. Bryce has been filming out of town for the past two months, so he hasn''t revealed much. At this time, Bryce was dumbfounded. He stood up from the sofa in a sh. An idea shed in his mind, and he suddenly understood everything. No wonder Ashley didn¡¯t show up for two months.... ¡°So you were in aa for two months and just woke up not long ago?!¡± ¡°| calcted, it¡¯s been about five or six days since | woke up.¡± Ashley counted on her fingers, but she couldn''t figure it out anymore. Bryce swallowed in disbelief and looked at Ashley as if he were looking a fragile porcin doll. ¡°So how is your health now? You were in acon for two months, not three days and two days! You fell into aa so quickly. You ran out and messed around? Can your body bear it?¡± Ashley had a dark look on her face, ¡°What did | do? | didn¡¯t do any strenuous exercise, and I¡¯m recovering very well now!¡± Bryce still looked in disbelief and asked very curiously, ¡°What does it feel like to be unconscious for so long? Tell me in detail.¡± ..and talk about it in detail. Ashley smiled slightly, ¡°If | knock you out now, can¡¯t you experience it for yourself?¡± Bryce, ¡°...¡± Don''t! Bryce quickly changed the topic and asked suspiciously, ¡°How did you 10:47) fall into aa? What''s wrong with you in such a strong body?¡± Chapter 383 Chapter 383 Ashley, ¡°Do you remember Tyler Morgan?¡± Bryce, ¡°Remember, as a doctor, at the previous recognition party, your second brother said that Tyler Morgan forged your paternity test to prevent you from recognizing the Pliskin family.¡± Ashley¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, and her voice was a bit colder, ¡°He was the one who caused me to be in aa for two months.¡± | almost couldn''t wake up. Bryce had just finished digesting the shocking news that Ashley had been in aa for two months, and he was shocked again when he heard that Tyler Morgan was the one responsible, ¡°Fuck, this old guy is really not a human being! Did he want to harm you? He definitely wanted to harm you. !!¡± Ashley waved her hand, ¡°Forget it, let¡¯s not talk about him anymore. Anyway, thea is over, and | don¡¯t want to say more to the outside world.¡± Bryce is her friend, so it¡¯s okay to tell him. But to the outside world, she didn¡¯t want this matter to be known to everyone. However, since theizens in the livestream heard that Ashley was unconscious, the barrage went crazy, and the scrolling speed was so fast that they could hardly see the content clearly. [Oh my God, you were in aa for two months? So serious!] [No wonder | haven¡¯t shown up for two months...this...such a serious thing happened to Ashley. ..] [As soon as Ashley appeared in the camera, | felt like she had lost weight. Oh my god, she has suffered so much!] [Fuck, that Tyler Morgan is really a born bad guy! Ashley is really unlucky and has been harmed by him for the rest of her life! | was separated from the Pliskin family by Tyler Morgan when I was a child. When | grew up, Tyler Morgan forged a paternity test. | couldn''t recognize the Pliskin family. After finally recognizing my rtives, | was forced into aa for two months by Tyler Morgan. ..] 115 10:47 [This kind of person should go to the eighteenth level of hell!] [Ah, | understand! There were rumors before that Mr. Kingsley had been in and out of the hospital in the past two months, and it turned out to be to take care of Ashley!] [No wonder Valentin didn¡¯t let Ashley have spicy and salty snacks just now and said, ¡°Eat whatever you want when you recover.¡± He was thinking about her body. ] [If you think about it, you will know that after two months ofa, she was unable to eat normally and could only rely on infusions to supplement nutrients. Her body must be weak and there was a lot of internal depletion, so | temporarily took care of her and paid special attention to her diet...] Ashley was chatting with Bryce and Miranda when her phone suddenly rang. Caller ID: Lester. After the call was connected, Ashley was stunned as soon as she heard a word from Lester on the other end, her eyes widened suddenly, filled with astonishment. As if in slow motion, she stiffly raised her head and looked in the direction of the camera. Netizens in the livestream room understood instantly when they saw expression of disbelief on her face. [Hahahaha, she found out, she finally found out that the camera was filming!] [Hahahahaha, | couldn¡¯t stopughing. After discovering the truth, baby Ashley vividly performed what pupil earthquake is! ] [Who called just now? | didn¡¯t see clearly. It seemed like Lester?] [It''s him, it¡¯s him! Oops, | want to watch it for a while longer!] Bryce saw that Ashley¡¯s expression was wrong and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Whose phone call made you look like this?¡± Valentin looked at her, ¡°Ashley?¡± Miranda was about to speak when the doorbell rang, so she got up and went to open the door. 10:47 As soon as the door opened, the director rushed in, sweating on his forehead and apologetic, ¡°Sorry, sorry! | don¡¯t know what happened just. now, the camera turned on! Mr. Kingsley, I¡¯m so sorry! And all the guests, I¡¯m really sorry I¡¯m sorry!¡± Bryce¡¯s pupils were shaking, ¡°?!!¡± Miranda¡¯s pupils were shaking, ¡°?!!¡± Valentin, ¡°...¡± Bryce was going crazy, ¡°What did you say? The camera was always on? How much was recorded?¡± He didn¡¯t do anything outrageous and damaging to his image just now, right? The director was so anxious that he was sweating profusely. He couldn¡¯t afford to offend Ashley and Valentin not only because of their status, but also because of Bryce¡¯s fame and background. Seeing how anxious Bryce was, Ashley cleared her throat and said, ¡°It¡¯s being recorded right now.¡± Bryce immediately calmed down, At this time, the barrage was full of hahaha. The director quickly walked over and turned off the camera. Netizens immediately cried out, ¡°Don¡¯t shut it down, we will continue watch!¡± But it''s almost three o''clock, and it¡¯s time to start the official recording oContent property of N?velDra/ma.Org. the show. ¡°Galvin,e in!¡± The director waved to the cameraman outside the door, and immediately, a handsome-looking boy of eighteen or neen came in. Ashley heard this familiar name and looked over subconsciously. Sure enough, it was Galvin. When | watched the video before, | felt that Galvin looked a bit familiar, as if | had seen him somewhere. Now that I see a real person, that familiar feeling is even stronger... 10:47 The director wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and introduced with a smile, ¡°This is the new cameraman for our show. Although he is young, he is the first ce in this year¡¯s photographypetition. Not only is he great at photography, but he is also very good at videography! That''s right. Ashley, he is still your little fanboy!¡± As soon as Galvin entered the door, he looked at Ashley with his bright ck eyes, curved his lips and smiled, extremely delicate: ¡°Hello, sister! After hearing about your deeds, | like you very much, and | finally have the honor to meet you today!¡± Ashley smiled politely back, ¡°Thank you.¡± Valentin nced at Galvin calmly. Regarding his appearance, he felt vaguely familiar... ¡°Mr. Kingsley,¡± the director came over respectfully and asked aloud, ¡°The malfunction just now allowed you to appear in the camera. The next recording...¡± Valentin looked calm, ¡°You record yours.¡± The implication is that he still doesn¡¯t appear on camera. Ashley looked around and the camera could only capture the living room, so she asked Valentin to rest on the wicker chair on the balcony for a while. Moreover, the balcony is enclosed, so even if the temperature is low today, it will not be frozen. Soon, the program officially started recording. Netizens in the livestream room never left. When they saw the livestream reopening, they quickly scanned the circle and found that Valentin was. not in the video. There was a sudden cry. [Where is Valentin? | want to see Mr. Kingsley appear!] [I want to see that man! | want to see the handsome guy!] [rm not afraid of choking, Ashley and Mr. Kingsley¡¯s dog food can be thrown at me as much as you want!] Unfortunately,izens¡¯ calls went unanswered. 10:471 The staff of the program team had equipment and could see the real-time barrage, so they selected a few questions fromizens and asked the guests to answer them. When it was Ashley''s turn, there were all kinds of questions on the barrage. Barrage 1: Ashley baby! Please turn over my sign! Have you and Mr. Kingsley known each other since childhood? Are you childhood sweethearts? Ashley¡¯s eyes were raised slightly, and a smile appeared on her eyebrows, ¡°Yes, we met when we were young. We are childhood sweethearts.¡± Barrage 2: Ashley, how is your health now? Let Mr. Kingsley take good care of you! Ashley, ¡°Let him take care of me...it''s okay, | can take care of myself too.¡± Barrage 3: Ashley, have you seen someizens saying that Valentin is your wife? Do you mind this title? When Ashley saw this question, she quietly nced at Valentin on the balcony. The cat replied in a sly voice, ¡°Ahem, | don¡¯t mind.¡± balcony. Valentin, who was sitting on the wicker chair, kept looking at Ashley the living room. When he saw her sneaky look, he raised his eyebro casually. What did he do to himself? He looked at Galvin behind the camera, thinking slightly. Valentin took out his mobile phone, sent a message to his assistant Ton and gave some instructions... Chapter 384 This variety show is an indoor variety show. It mainly involves guests sitting together to chat and do some interviews. The recording process went very smoothly and waspleted at around 5 p.m. Of course, because Ashley finally made a public appearance after two months, the poprity in the livestream room remains high, and there are countless hot searches. Bryce finished recording the show without any danger, but when he saw it online, he almost became angry to death. Among the series of hot searches for Ashley and Valentin, there was also a hot search for #Bryce went ck, andizens were all joining in the fun. Bryce, ¡°...¡± Heartbreaking, really heartbreaking. He didn¡¯t be darker, he just smiled and his teeth became whiter! As soon as Ashley finished recording the show, Valentin stood up and walked over. However, before Ashley could say a word to him, Galvin ran over next to him. Galvin held the camera, looked at Ashley with sincere eyes, and asked a little nervously, ¡°Sister, | really like you. | finally met you today. Can | ta a photo with you?¡± Ashley nced at the camera in his hand and raised her lips slightly, ¡°Okay. Also, you don¡¯t have to call me sister, just call me by my name.¡± Galvin pursed his lips and seemed unwilling to change his title. He wanted to continue calling her sister Ashley. After a stalemate for a few seconds, Galvin seemed to give in temporarily, ¡°Then... let me call you sister Ashley! | really like you and regard you as my sister and my role model!¡± Ashley smiled politely, ¡°Thank you, you are very good at photography, and there is something worth learning from me.¡± Galvin smiled shyly when he was praised. His fair cheeks were slightly 10:47 red, and he looked like he was shy. Then he stood side by side with Ashley and asked the staff next to him to help take pictures. Valentin¡¯s deep gaze passed over Galvin without any trace, with a deep dark light hidden in his eyes. After taking the group photo, Galvin said several more words before. leaving. As soon as Galvin left, Ashley couldn¡¯t hold back anymore and jumped like a quirky little rabbit, diving into Valentin¡¯s arms. Valentin hurriedly reached out to catch her and chuckled, ¡°Slow down, are you tired after being busy for so long?¡± Ashley shook her head quickly, her eyes bright, ¡°I¡¯m not tired!¡± Valentin, ¡°Go home now?¡± Ashley nced at the time and saw that it was almost evening and it was time to go home, so she nodded. Then said goodbye to Miranda and Bryce. Valentin saw the wind blowing outside on the balcony just now. He raised his hand to help Ashley close the cor of her dress, buttoned the windbreaker and tied the belt, and then took her outside. Ashley muttered in a low voice, ¡°You take such good care of me, it sec like | can¡¯t even take care of myself.¡± She stretched out her hand and stood there, and there was nothing left do. Valentin, ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense.¡± What kind of life can¡¯t be taken care of by oneself? Now he couldn¡¯t listen to any bad jokes about her body. Ashley, ¡°...¡± Galvin looked at the back of Ashley Valentin leaving hand in hand. It wasn¡¯t until the two figures disappeared from sight that he looked back and looked at the photo with Ashley in the camera. His bright ck eyes were full of elusive meaning. 2/6 Chapter 384 Walk out of the apartment building. Ashley rolled her eyes and asked suspiciously, ¡°Have you ever thought that Galvin looks a bit like someone? Why does he feel familiar to me?¡± Valentin nodded, ¡°Yes.¡± When Ashley heard this, her eyes brightened, ¡°Wow, we are so in tune. with each other! It seems that it is not my imagination. Galvin does look a bit like someone, but | can¡¯t think of it at the moment...¡± Seeing her racking her brains and scrunching up her little face in thought. was inexplicably cute. Valentin couldn''t help but stretched out his hand and pinched the soft flesh of her cheek, ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much, I¡¯ve asked Tom to check.¡± ¡°By the way,¡± Valentin suddenly narrowed his eyes slightly and asked in a calcted manner, ¡°You just answered the question from the audience. during the livestream and said that you can take care of yourself.¡± Ashley, ¡°?¡± what is this? It took him two seconds to realize that he was talking about the second question. Netizens asked her: Ashley, how is your health now? Let Mr. Kingsley take good care of you! Her answer was: She can take care of herself too. Ashley blinked her eyes, raised her little head and looked at him, holding back her smile, ¡°Why, | don¡¯t want you to work too hard, okay?¡± He raised his eyebrows slightly, ¡°Who said taking care of you is hard?¡± Ashley puffed up her cheeks and rolled her eyes, ¡°Okay, | don¡¯t want to walk now. It¡¯s still a dozen steps from here to the parking ce, so just carry me on your back!¡± As soon as he finished speaking, the five brothers Frankie and Jeremy ran over with a huff and aah. ¡°Ashley!¡± 10:47 n Ashley frowned slightly when she heard Frankie''s voice. As soon as the five Frankie guys came over, they looked at Ashley up down. They just heard on the show that Ashley had been in aa for two months, and they came over immediately. and ¡°Ashley, you''ve lost a lot of weight...¡± Matthew felt heartbroken. They had thought that something might have happened to Ashley if she hadn¡¯t shown up for two months. Unexpectedly, something really happened. Charlie stepped forward, his brows full of anxiety and worry, ¡°Ashley, how is your recovery now? You...¡± However, that''s it. Ashley held Valentin¡¯s hand and left without saying a single unnecessary word, expressionless. Ryan wanted to catch up with him. Jeremy stretched out his hand to stop him. ¡°Jeremy, what are you doing?¡± Ryan looked at him in disbelief, furious, ¡°Why are you stopping me? My sister is going to go far away!¡± Jeremy took a deep breath and said in a low tone, ¡°Ashley is not in health right now, so let¡¯s not chase her and cause trouble for her. As s soon as these words came out, the mes all over Ryan¡¯s body w instantly extinguished by a basin of cold water. His shoulders slumped limply. Is it true that, as Miranda said, Ashley doesn¡¯t want to see them again, s not pestering or disturbing is thest thing they can do for Ashley... However, they had done so many things that were sorry for Ashley in the past, how could they think of ways to make it up to her? How could | not find a way to ask for her forgiveness? In the next few days, with the medication prescribed by Leonard Ferguson, Ashley''s body basically recoveredpletely. 10:47 The Pliskin family has finally settled their worries. Of course, they still take great care of Ashley¡¯s health. This afternoon. the Pliskin family manor, in the living room. As soon as Lester came back from outside, he saw Valentin sitting on the sofa, talking to his sister about something. Lester took off his coat, handed it to the servant beside him, and walked up to Valentin, ¡°Why here again?¡± are..This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. I run here every day, more often than | go back to my own home. ¡°You might as well just stay here.¡± Lester¡¯s tone was deliberately sarcastic. Valentin nodded, ¡°Okay.¡± Lester, ¡°2???¡± He¡¯s pretty good at climbing up the pole? Ashley hurriedly said, ¡°Brother, what are you doing?¡± When he looked at Ashley, Lester immediately changed his expression, faster than a Sichuan Opera expression. He smiled so handsomely and said, ¡°It¡¯s okay, sister, are you busy these days?¡± Ashley shook her head confusedly, ¡°You¡¯re not busy, what¡¯s wrong Lester, ¡°The second brother has something to do with you.¡± Hearing this, Ashley nced at Valentin subconsciously, wondering Lester wanted from her. Lester¡¯s eyelids twitched and he sighed earnestly, ¡°Sister, | have something to do with you. Look at what he is doing. Why did you be so strict with your wife so quickly?¡± Valentin, ¡°722¡± wife? Tube? strict? Ashley, ¡°...¡± What a mouth her brother has! Seeing Valentin¡¯s face darken, Ashley quickly changed the subject, ¡°No, | 5/6 10:171 didn¡¯t look at him just now! Second brother, what do you want from me?¡± Chapter 385 Seeing Valentin¡¯s face darken, Ashley quickly changed the subject, ¡°No, | didn¡¯t look at him just now! Second brother, what do you want from me?¡± Lester stopped teasing Valentin and said seriously, ¡°If you have nothing. to do these days, | will take you to learn about our family¡¯s property. Many of the family properties will be inherited by you.¡± Ashley was stunned. Lester raised his lips and chuckled, then flicked her forehead with his finger, ¡°Don¡¯t be too tired. Of course, with your parents and brother here, you won''t be tired.¡± Ashley raised her hand and rubbed her forehead, then whispered. Because the Pliskin family wants to shift its development focus to China, Brian Pliskin, Karen Pliskin and George have returned to the Takydo headquarters these days to adjust and shift the focus of many important- projects of thepany group, and they are very busy. Lester stayed in Kilos City, China, and held remote meetings with his parents Frankie. He gradually shifted the resource projects of Takydo headquarters to domesticpanies. From now on, the development focus of the Pliskin family will be in China. Of course, the Pliskin family¡¯s branches around the world still operate the same business model as before. Lester took Ashley to the study room, turned on the projection equipment, and disyed important contents and reports from various. industries and branches of the Pliskin family on the projector.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Ashley sat below, listening obediently like a primary school student. As aresult, Lester spent two days talking about half of the Pliskin family¡¯s property. Ashley was tired of listening. At first, she sat upright in front of the desk, but then her back became more and more bent, and she was almost lying on the desk. Lester looked at her sleepy look and raised his eyebrows, ¡°The weather is nice today, will my second brother take you out to y?¡± Ashley sat upright suddenly, her eyes shining brightly, ¡°Okay, okay!¡± 115 10-17 m Lester couldn¡¯t helpughing and waved to her, ¡°Come here.¡± Ashley, ¡°What?¡± Lester, ¡°Let me take a good look at why my sister is so cute.¡± Since Ashley returned to the Pliskin family, she has been praised every day by her parents and brother. They either praise her for her beauty and cuteness or praise her for her ability to do everything. If | was often suppressed and belittled in the Ramos family, and | gradually became self-doubting and felt that | was not good, then that was not good either. Now in the Pliskin family, | am encouraged every day and treated sincerely. Ashley is now ustomed to thesepliments and doesn¡¯t feel shy. She can even reply with confidence and shamelessness, ¡°Second brother is also very handsome! So does such handsome second brother want to take such a cute sister like you out to y?¡± Not to mention how happy Lester was when his sisterplimented him on how handsome he is, he didn¡¯t forget to ask, ¡°Have you everplimented Frankie?¡± Ashley shook her head, ¡°No, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Frankie and his parents have been back to Takydo headquarters these days and are not at home. Lester was even happier when he heard this answer. My sister only praised him, not Frankie. Great, he¡¯s already way ahead of Frankie! When he went to the Takydo headquarters a few days ago, Frankie was reluctant to go and wanted to stay at home with his sister. In the end, it was rock-paper-scissors. He won three out of five games. He beat Frankie. by one hand and happily got the chance to stay at home with his sister. Qualifications. Before Frankie got on the ne, his expression was so ugly that he wanted to beat him up. Lester suddenly thought of something, curled his lips, and pulled Ashley over, ¡°Sister,e on, praise the second brother again. The second 10:47 brother will record it with his mobile phone and send it to Frankie so he can listen to it!¡± Ashley, ¡°...1 don¡¯t.¡± Lester is good at coaxing, like the big bad wolf coaxing Little Red Riding Hood. ¡°Do you want to see Frankie¡¯s iceberg face change? Do you?¡± Ashley was a little excited and blinked. ¡°I want to see it.¡± Lester encouraged her to do bad things together, ¡°Then you should praise the second brother again, more praise! The second brother will record it all!¡± George, who was far away in Takydo, received a video from Lester of his sister praising him, and his whole body was like, | can¡¯t stay here for another day in Takydo! If he doesn¡¯t go home, his good sister will be led astray by that person sooner orter! Lester said that he would take Ashley out to y, so he would not break his promise. Besides, the weather is very good today, so it is suitable for going out. The two went out on a private ne, and in the afternoon, the ne.nded on an ind. This ind was developed in the early years and is now a very famous. tourist attraction. It is built like a city by the sea and has complete entertainment facilities. People from all over the worlde here every year. Coming off the private ne, the sun is shining brightly here. Lester put on a sun hat with flowers on Ashley, ¡°Ashley, when your parents met you for the first time, they prepared some gifts for Do you remember?¡± you. Ashley touched the flowers on her sunhat coquettishly and smiled with crooked eyebrows, ¡°Remember!¡± Lester liked his sister''s confident and beautiful appearance the most, and said with a smile, ¡°In the previous meeting gift, your parents gave you a private ind. The tourist ind you came to today is also our family¡¯s 10:47 Chapter 385 property, and it has been assigned to your name., now, this ind is also yours.¡± Ashley was startled when she heard this, ¡°Why are you giving it all to me?¡± Lesterzily checked his pockets with one hand and held his sister¡¯s shoulders with the other, ¡°What¡¯s going on here? You don¡¯t know how much your parents and brother want to make it up to you.¡± Ashley pursed her lips, ¡°Actually, it doesn¡¯t matter whether youpensate or not... The most important thing now is, brother, you pressed my hair and it hurts a little.¡± ah? Lester was startled and took a quick look. Good guy, he put his arm around his sister¡¯s shoulders, and his arms pressed into her hair. Lester quickly raised his hand, ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt, it doesn¡¯t hurt! Ouch, my hair is messed up, let me fix it for you!¡± As a result, my hands became very clumsy and my hair became more. and more messy. Although Ashley couldn¡¯t see it, she felt it, ¡°Did you mess up my hair more?¡± Lester felt guilty and said harshly, ¡°In other words, is the second broth so stupid?¡± Ashley took out the mirror from the small bag she carried as a crossbod and prepared to take a look. As a result, as soon as he took out the mirror, before he could look at it, Lester smiled and ran away two steps away. Ashley didn¡¯t need to look in the mirror to understand. She took off the sunhat on her head and threw it at Lester, ¡°You really messed it up for me!¡± Lester reached out and took the sunhat in his hand with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s all the second brother¡¯s fault. The second brother will apologize to you!¡± Ashley touched her messed up hair, she was also amused, and burst into.ughter. 4/5 and uradall heim Eunulia wale habis Dus specially Fromht mmmm te ramm Chapter 386 Lester nodded towards Peter. Then, apanied by Peter, Lester took Ashley around the ind. The entire ind is built like a city with everything. Many touristse here to visit. At Manager Peter¡¯s rmendation, Ashley and Lester first went to the restaurant to eat special food, then went to the theater on the ind to see the audience. The audience was full of people, and then went to a nearby bowling alley to y for a while... g of After a final round of shopping, Ashley had a general understanding the flow of people and business conditions on the ind. Peter said respecifully, ¡°Miss, Second Young Master, | have sorted out the ind¡¯s operating conditions and financial statements. They are in the office building next to them. You can check them at any time!¡± Ashley had been looking at the Pliskin family¡¯s property for two days. When she heard that she needed to read the statements again, her head hurt and she looked at Lesterzily. ¡°Second brother, you go and see it, | won¡¯t go! Just tell me the profitster!¡± Lester couldn¡¯t help butugh, ¡°Have | be an errand boy for you?¡± Ashley raised her eyes, ¡°Then are you going?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Lester made a funny bow and said in a funny tone, ¡°Boss. Ashley asked me to go, do | dare not to go? Okay, | will go and see it now, and then report the results to the boss!¡± The boss''s shout made Ashleyugh. She raised her red lips slightly and said brightly and wantonly, ¡°I just walked around the ind and | have a rough estimate of the profit situation. Go and take a look and see if the estimate is the same as mine.¡± When Lester heard this, the amused look on his face was immediately reced by shock. Even Peter on the side opened his mouth in shock. 09:09 No way? Just after having a basic understanding, the eldestdy already has a rough estimate of the ind¡¯s profitability? How can this be! Of course Lester believes in his sister''s abilities. She is one of the founders of Glory Youveile and the mysterious major shareholder behind the Zenith Group. Once the Zenith Group was on the verge of bankruptcy, it was Ashley who single-handedly saved the Zenith Group. Outstanding ability in business. However, just by walking around the ind, you already have a rough estimate of the profit situation? This is too fantasy! | can¡¯t believe that he is my sister¡¯s biggest fan! Lester¡¯s eyes shed with excitement and dazzling light, and he said in an excited tone, ¡°I¡¯m going to take a look right now! You can y around casually and ask the bodyguard to follow you. I''ll be back soon!¡± Ashley waved her little hand, ¡°Go ahead!¡± Lester left two strong elite bodyguards behind, and then went to the office building next door with Peter. Ashley looked around boredly and saw the shooting range next to her. Her eyes suddenly lit up and she ran over like a gust of wind. The two big bodyguards were stunned and immediately followed. Don¡¯t dare to lose sight of this! There were not many people at the shooting range, so Ashley found a quiet ce, stood in front of the shooting range, and picked up the shooting gun next to him, but it was boring to y by himself. His eves a turned around and he looked at the two bodyguards, ¡°Can you two shoot? How are your skills?¡± One of the bodyguards, named Nathan Newton, nodded honestly, ¡°Yes.¡± Ashley immediately waved her hand, ¡°Then let¡¯spete. I¡¯m so bored 2/5 09:09 by myself!¡± Nathan Newton quickly shook his head, ¡°Miss, I¡¯m just a bodyguard, how dare |pete with you.¡± Ashley didn¡¯t like being such a mother-inw, so she directly pulled Nathan Newton over and put the pistol into his hand, ¡°Come on, shoot. me and let me see.¡± Nathan Newton did not dare to disobey, raised his hand, aimed at the target in front of him, and fired a shot. There is an electronic screen next to it, showing the score: 9.2 rings. Ashley showed appreciation, ¡°Not bad!¡± The 9.2 ring is pretty good. Nathan Newton was a big man with muscles, and when he heard the eldestdy''spliment, his earlobes turned slightly red. two-meter-tall strong man shyly handed the gun back to Ashley, with anticipation hidden in his eyes, wanting to see how Ashley¡¯s shooting skills were. ¡°Miss,e here.¡± Ashley picked up the gun and was not modest, ¡°My shooting skills are also very good!¡± Nathan Newton rubbed the back of his head and smiled honestly after hearing this. Ashley raised the gun and was about to shoot out, when a strange and sinister ridicule suddenly came from not far away, ¡°Tsk, 2... In this shooting range, such a score is worse than even a stupid pig!¡± Ashley frowned and turned to look. It turned out to be... Monia and her group. Monia was wearing a blue haute couture dress, with her chin slightly raised, her neck long and slender, and her whole body exuding the air of a proud aristocraticdy. Monia was followed by several men and women who treated her very badly. 09:09 The person who was so angry just now was a foreign man, standing next. to Monia, looking at Ashley, his tone was unabashedly sarcastic: ¡°Is this the eldestdy that the Pliskin family has found? Oh, God, the Pliskin family announced to the world so solemnly that they have found the little princess who was lost since childhood. | thought that little princess was very capable. Now It seems that he is worse than a stupid. pig!¡± The foreign man spoke arrogantly and looked at Monia beside him, ¡°Monia, do you think so?¡± Monia looked arrogant and nced at Ashley in an almost charitable manner. ¡°Olive, you are the shooting champion of the championship. She shot a 9.2 ring, so naturally she can¡¯t get into your eyes.¡± The foreign man¡¯s name was Olive. Hearing this, heughed loudly, ¡°Dear Monia, you are still as straightforward as before!¡± Ashley¡¯s eyes sharpened, and there was a cold sneer on her brows. It seems that these people thought that this 9.2 ring was made by her. No matter who typed it, it was rude to make such rude teasing. Nathan Newton stood aside with his fists clenched and his face extremely ugly. Of course he knows Monia, the eldest daughter of the Balorant family.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. The Pliskin family and the Balorant family are both one of the four major consortiums. In business, the two families have been competing for many years. In recent years, the Pliskin family has developed better and better, and has be the first of the four major consortiums. The Balorant family where Monia belongs has always been at odds with the Pliskin family. They are always paying attention to the movements of the Pliskin family. They also know that the Pliskin family has found the eldest daughter they lost since childhood. Now that Ashley is here, Monia is most likelying here to cause trouble. | want to give Ashley, who has just returned to the Pliskin family, a kick in the butt... 09.09 Obviously, Monia represents the Balorant family and Ashley represents the Pliskin family. Monia did this because she wanted to embarrass the Pliskin family... Naturally, Nathan Newton couldn''t let his eldest daughter be bullied, so he clenched his fists angrily and wanted to rush forward. The next second, Ashley stretched out her hand to stop him. ¡°Miss...¡± Nathan Newton was confused. Ashley asked him to step back and looked at Monia across from her with indifferent eyes, ¡°You and yourpanions are so rude, please apologize to us immediately.¡± Chapter 387 When Monia heard this, her pupils suddenly shrank. Asking her, the eldestdy of the Balorant family, to apologize? She hadn''t looked at Ashley in the eyes just now, and she really looked down on her. Monia looked at Ashley carefully with her arrogant eyes and snorted. disdainfully. Judging from her appearance and temperament, she was exactly the same as someone from the Pliskin family. Moreover, she is the woman Valentin loves deeply... Monia raised her chin and said contemptuously, ¡°You just said you wanted me to apologize?¡± The Pliskin family and the Balorant family are bitter enemies. Will she apologize to the Pliskin family? What are you dreaming about?! does she Olive sneered, ¡°This woman is really pathetic! Others call her the little princess of the Pliskin family. In front of the Balorant family, really think she is an omnipotent princess?¡± Olive looked at Monia and suddenly smiled evilly, ¡°Monia, you just said. that seeing the Pliskin family here is really an eyesore. How about | help you drive her out?¡± Monia shrugged, ¡°Then I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡± After Olive finished speaking, she looked at Ashley opposite and said angrily, ¡°Hey, this little princess of the Pliskin family, | said you are no good at shooting as a stupid pig. Since you are so angry, how about apetition with me? If | win If | kill you, get out of Monia¡¯s sight and g out of this ind!¡± When Nathan Newton heard this, the veins in his arms suddenly bulged, ¡°Olive, don¡¯t bully others too much!¡± Naturally, Nathan Newton is no stranger to Ashley''s deeds. He heard that the eldestdy is very powerful. She knows everything about racing and restoration of cultural relics. However, | haven''t heard of the eldestdy being able to shoot... Now that Monia and Olive are making such a request, they are deliberately making things difficult for their eldestdy! Another bodyguard next to him also protected Ashley. Ashley took a step forward and looked at Olive with light eyes, ¡°Then... what if you lose?¡± Olive was startled. The woman opposite her had a light look in her eyes, as if she didn¡¯t even pay attention to him. This feeling of being slighted made Olive furious, ¡°You want me to lose? You think too highly of yourself! Okay, you should tell me what you want!¡± Ashley spoke slowly, ¡°If oou lose, you and Monia should apologize immediately and get off the ind.¡± When Monia heard this, her expression immediately changed, but she soon felt relieved. Olive was the shooting champion of the World Championships, how could she lose? Even if Olive loses, she can still spend money to buy the ind and be its owner. When the timees, she will tell Ashley to get out and the Pliskin family to get out. Isn¡¯t that just a matter of words? Oliveughed loudly as she was confident of winning, ¡°This little princess of the Pliskin family, | agree to your bet! Remember, you asked for this!¡± The group of men and women behind Moniaughed happily. ¡°The eldestdy of the Pliskin family is really stupid. How could Olive lose? She is so self-righteous!¡± ¡°Olive is the shooting champion of the World Championships, which is the highest level of shootingpetition. No one in the world can shoot better than him!¡± ¡°Tsk, this eldestdy has just returned to the Pliskin family and has made such a big mistake. She will be aughing stock in the future. How can she let the Pliskin family take her out?¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine. Monia has always regarded the Pliskin family as her sworn enemy. This time she gave the eldest daughter of the Pliskin family a kick. Monia must be very happy!¡± 09.09 When Nathan Newton heard Ashley agreeing topete, his eyes were full of worry, ¡°Miss, you... Ashley nced at him and raised her eyebrows slightly, ¡°Don¡¯t believe me?¡± Nathan Newton immediately shook his head, ¡°No!¡±This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. How dare he not believe the eldestdy, but...Olive¡¯s shooting skills are really good... He didn¡¯t even pay attention to the 9.2 he scored just now... While the two were talking, Olive stepped forward confidently and looked at Ashley, ¡°ording to the rules, each person takes three shots. Whoever gets the higher score wins! I''ll go first!¡± After Olive finished speaking, without waiting for Ashley to respond, she arrogantly walked to the track aside and picked up the pistol on the side. ¡°Olive, don¡¯t let me down.¡± Monia walked over. ¡°Don¡¯t worry!¡± Olive held the gun and closed her eyes. When she opened her eyes again, she looked calm. Nathan Newton could tell right away that this Olive had a lot of experience inpetition and seemed arrogant, but on the shooting range, she was very cautious. Olive raised her hand and aimed at the target in front of her. She was very patient and aimed for a long time. He carries Monia¡¯s honor on his shoulders. Olive took a deep breath, then another. Then, he carefully pressed the trigger, and the bullet fired with a bang. The result on the electronic screen showed: 10 rings. When Monia saw this, a satisfied smile appeared on her face. Nathan Newton was even more worried. This Olive¡¯s level was indeed extraordinary. She scored 10 rings in one shot. Next, Olive aimed at the target ahead again. 09:09 This time, he was calmer, more patient, and took longer to aim. The people around him didn¡¯t make any noise, for fear of disturbing. him. Nathan Newton and the other bodyguard were equally nervous. Only Ashley waszily leaning to the side, shaking the gun in his hand. He had been aiming for a long time, could he still shoot? | don¡¯t know how much time passed, but when Ashley yawned. Finally, with a bang, Olive fired the second shot. The result on the electronic screen showed: 10 rings. The smile on Monia¡¯s face became even more satisfied. Then, Olive took careful aim again and fired the third shot. The result on the electronic screen showed: 10 rings. Monia was pleasantly surprised, ¡°Olive, you are so amazing!¡± The group of men and women next to them cheered non-stop: ¡°Oh my God, every shot is 10 rings! Olive, you are worthy of being a shooting champion!¡± ¡°Three 10 rings...that¡¯s the highest score! Does this mean that Olive will definitely win?¡± ¡°Monia, you won this bet! You won the Pliskin familydy!¡± Monia raised her head arrogantly, looked at Ashley aside, and said proudly, ¡°I won this bet, and now | ask you, the Pliskin family, to get off this ind!¡± Nathan Newton and the other bodyguard looked at each other, never expecting that Olive would be so powerful. Every shot was 10 rings, and he won the game directly. Oliveughed arrogantly, ¡°Little princess of the Pliskin family, don¡¯t cry when you lose! ording to the bet, get out of Monia¡¯s sight!¡± Nathan Newton was so angry that his eyes were bloodshot, ¡°Olive, please show me some respect!¡± 09:09 Olive snorted coldly, ¡°Respect? What a joke, why should | respect someone who lost to me!¡± ¡°Ha...¡± Ashley suddenly lowered her eyes and chuckled. She raised her eyes and looked over with dark eyes. Her voice was as clear as knocking on ice, ¡°Who said | lost to you?¡± Olive was stunned and shouted, ¡°I have three 10-rings? How can you still beat me?¡± What are you daydreaming about? Olive still wanted to talk, but Ashley didn¡¯t even bother to talk nonsense. She directly raised the gun in her hand, barely even aiming at the target, and without even looking at it, she fired three ¡°bang¡±, ¡°bang¡± and ¡°bang¡± gun. Subsequently, the results were disyed on the electronic screen: 10 rings! 10 rings! 10 rings! Chapter 388 Seeing the three ten rings in unison, everyone at the scene, especially Monia and Olive, were all dumbfounded and stood there with their mouths wide open. Ten... ten rings? All ten rings? Moreover, she shoots every shot so fast? are you crazy! Nathan Newton was shocked, and then he was so excited that he almost burst into tears, ¡°Miss... ten rings, all ten rings! Every shot is ten rings!¡± Ashley hooked the gun with her slender white index finger and slowly turned it twice. Her red lips were slightly raised, and the corners of her eyes and brows were full of wanton brightness, ¡°I just told you, I¡¯m a very good shooter!¡± |...¡± Nathan Newton stammered, rubbing his hands so excited that he didn¡¯t know what to say. Seeing the beauty and wantonness flowing between the woman¡¯s brows and eyes, Nathan Newton''s heart was beating wildly, and he murmured for a long time before he finally managed to say, ¡°Miss, you are so amazing!¡± Monia wants to show off to the eldestdy and the Pliskin family. Unexpectedly, the eldestdy defeated an entire army! He was so impressed! Monia¡¯s face turned green and white at this time, and she no longer had the arrogance andcency she had before. She looked at Ashley with a cold snort, ¡°You''re lucky, you got a tie with Olive!¡± Nathan Newton immediately stood up, full of confidence, ¡°What a tie! Olive took so long to aim those three shots just now, it took so long, our eldestdy didn¡¯t even have a second to fire three shots in a row, each time The guns all have ten rings, so it¡¯s clear who is high and who is low, who loses and who wins!¡± After Nathan Newton finished speaking, Olive¡¯s face turned red and she 09:101 wanted to refute, but she didn¡¯t have the nerve to speak. The obvious facts are before our eyes. Everyone saw Ashley''s three shots. with their own eyes. They almost didn¡¯t need to aim. Each shot hit the target quickly and urately. It was simply more powerful than a professional sniper. He just used the title of little princess to mock her for not being able to do anything. Unexpectedly, her shooting skills...are so superb... Howe I''ve never heard of it before? Moreover, Ashley''s marksmanship doesn¡¯t look like she¡¯s just shooting. Maybe she can y with real guns with ease... The group of men and women surrounding Monia, seeing that Olive remained silent and did not refute, eximed in disbelief: ¡°So...Olive lost this game?¡± ¡°The three shots Ashley fired just now, both in terms of technique and technique, are indeed higher than Olive¡¯s level...¡± ¡°Just now she almost didn¡¯t even aim, and she hit ten rings in a row... This is incredible!¡± ¡°That...doesn''t it mean that Monia lost...¡± ut everyone i As soon as these words came shut up and looked at Monia cautiously. Who doesn¡¯t know that Monia regards the Pliskin family as her mortal enemy, and now that she lost a bet to the eldest daughter of the Pliskin family, she must be so angry that her lungs are about to explode.. Everyone immediately shut their mouths and did not dare to touch. Monia¡¯s bad luck. Monia¡¯s face was livid, she clenched her teeth tightly, and stared at Ashley with eyes that wanted to burn her to pieces. This woman...this woman! With the support of his eldest daughter, Nathan Newton spoke with a clear mind, ¡°As agreed just now, Monia, please apologize to us and get off 09:10 this ind!¡± Olive heard this and looked at Monia worriedly. She is such a proud woman, wouldn¡¯t it be more ufortable for her to apologize to her arch-enemy the Pliskin family than to kill her... Monia closed her eyes tightly. The Balorant family has been paying attention to the movements of the Pliskin family. She knew that this ind used to be the property of the Pliskin family, but there were rumors a few days ago that the ind had been transferred by the Pliskin family. As for who it was transferred to, it has not yet been investigated. She went to the ind today with the intention of buying the ind. Thinking of this, Monia took a deep breath, regained her arrogant expression, and looked at Ashley with disdain. ¡°Get out of this ind? | tell you, | will buy this ind from its owner today and be the new owner of this tourist ind... What, you want its owner to get out?¡± After the words fell, Olive was extremely surprised. Immediately, Oliveughed. As expected of Monia, she would never give up to the Pliskin family easily. For Monia, buying an ind is nothing. ¡°Monia, you are worthy of being a member of the Balorant family and have great business acumen!¡± Olive praised without hesitation. Monia raised her hand to smooth her hair and regained her elegance a arrogance, ¡®It¡¯s just an ind. For me, it¡¯s still affordable.¡± Monia¡¯s group of followers, you and | praised each other. It just so happens that Monia buys this ind without having to apologize to Ashley or get out of the ind. Kill two birds with one stone! Nathan Newton on the side almost choked on his heard this. Did he hear it correctly? own own saliva when he 09:10N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. The ind was transferred to Ashley''s name by the Pliskin family and is now the personal property of the eldestdy. Monia actually wants to buy it out of the blue? The corners of Nathan Newton¡¯s mouth were twitching, with an expression on his face that said, ¡°You''re fucking kidding me.¡± ¡°That bodyguard, what¡¯s your expression!¡± Monia looked at Nathan Newton dissatisfied. How dare a mere bodyguard show such an expression to her? Nathan Newton sneered coldly, and then turned to look at Ashley. He was only following the orders of the eldestdy. Ashley raised her eyebrows and asked, ¡°Monia, do you want to buy this ind?¡± Monia narrowed her eyes and saw Ashley asking her, thinking that she was frightened by her decision. She raised her chin with satisfaction and said, ¡°Yes, | will buy this ind from the owner of this ind. No matter how much money | have, | can afford it! As the new owner of this ind, | don¡¯t wee you, so get out!¡± When Ashley heard this, the corners of her bright red lips curved slightly, and her eyes were piercing, ¡°I¡¯m really sorry.¡± Monia frowned, sorry? Monia¡¯s expression turned cold, ¡°What do you mean?¡± Ashley had snow-white skin and picturesque eyebrows. He looked at with a smile, ¡°I am the holder of this ind.¡± The words fell. Monia:??? Olive:!!! The men and women surrounding Monia:!!! The owner of this ind...is Ashley herself! how sol!! Ashley is the owner of this ind, so no matter how much money she spends, she will definitely not sell it to Monia!! 09.10 Monia seemed to have been knocked off the head with a blow, the blood drained from her face, and she kept retreating with a pale face, as if a big joke had been yed, the Pliskin family actually transferred the ind to Ashley... | gave an ind to my newly found daughter! It seems that the Pliskin family really loves this daughter...very much... Ashley slowly suppressed her smile and said in a calm tone, ¡°Apologise, get out.¡± Olive turned to look at Monia, seeing her pale and embarrassed face, she knew very well that with Monia¡¯s arrogance, she would not allow herself to bow to the Pliskin family members under any circumstances. Suddenly, Olive took a step forward, looked at Ashley, and gritted her teeth and said, ¡°I was rude just now. | bumped into you. | apologize to you here. I¡¯m sorry!¡± After speaking, he bowed. Then he pulled the embarrassed Monia and ran outside quickly. Nathan Newton was shocked and his eyes widened, ¡°This is so shameless... She is the eldest daughter of the Balorant family, she is far behind the eldest daughter of our Pliskin family!¡± When she heard the word ¡°shameless¡±, Monia¡¯s back stiffened and her steps stopped. Without looking back, she could notice the look in Ashley''s eyes towa her, like thousands of thorns pricking her back, making her so embarrassed that she couldn''t breathe But how could she easily admit her mistake to the Pliskin family? Monia stood there, sticky cold sweat oozing out from her palms, feeling ashamed and angry. Finally, she clenched her fists, raised her legs and ran away in embarrassment. There was a hint of sarcasm on Ashley¡¯s lips. It would be even more embarrassing to run away in public... over The group of men and women who had been fawning Monia since just now were looking at Monia and Olive¡¯s embarrassed figures escaping. Everyone looked at me and | looked at you, with colorful expressions on 09.10 their faces. Monia actually...ran away like that? This this... You know, Monia¡¯s image to the outside world has always been that of a proud nobledy. If word spread about this today, and she couldn''t afford to lose the bet and ran away in embarrassment, wouldn¡¯t she be theughing stock of everyone in the upper ss? After a moment, everyone looked at Ashley aside with surprised expressions. This youngdy just found by the Pliskin family is really amazing... Only a few days after returning, he helped the Pliskin family establish their prestige, and even gave a blow to their rival Balorant family... Ashley ignored these people¡¯s looks, raised the gun in her hand, and continued to y shooting with Nathan Newton calmly. After a few shots, suddenly, a boy with a handsome face ran over excitedly. ¡°Sister! What a coincidence, you are here too!¡± When Ashley heard this, she looked over and saw that it was Galvin. What a coincidence that he is here too? Ashley frowned slightly, confused, ¡°Why did you call me sister again?¡± Chapter 389 Chapter 389 ¡°Why did you call me sister again?¡± you so Hearing Ashley''s words, Galvin scratched his head shyly, ¡°I like much, and | have always regarded you as a sister in my heart... Then I''d better call you Sister Ashley. Sister Ashley, do you want toe and y here too?¡± ¡± Ashley nodded, saw the camera in his hand, and asked clearly, ¡°Are you here to take pictures?¡± Galvin has a fair and delicate face and bright ck eyes, ¡°The scenery on this ind is very good. | just took a lot of photos. Sister Ashley, do you want to take a look!¡± When Ashley heard this, she lowered her eyes and looked over. | have to say that Galvin¡¯s photography skills are really professional. Whether it isposition or light and shadow, he has a very good grasp of it. Ashley looked at Galvin¡¯s appearance calmly, wondering, where had she seen him before? Why do | always feel that he looks a little familiar... Nathan Newton on the side answered the phone, then stepped forward and whispered to Ashley, ¡°Miss, the second young master is back.¡± Ashley nodded and said to Galvin, ¡°I have something else to do, so I''ll leave first.¡± Galvin¡¯s eyes seemed to be reluctant, and his lips pursed, ¡°I will stay on the ind tonight and leave tomorrow, | thought | could meet Sister Ashley and chat for a while... Since Sister Ashley has something else to do, see youter!¡± Ashley was slightly surprised. Galvin liked her so much? Of course, she could tell that it was the fans¡¯ kind of love. After saying goodbye to Galvin, Ashley walked outside the shooting range. After walking a few steps, she saw Lester and Peter coming over. 09.10) Chapter 389Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. ¡°Second brother!¡± Ashley started waving from a distance, like a child waiting for her parents. to pick her up, with a bright smile. Lester walked over quickly, ¡°Why did youe to the shooting range to y?¡± Ashley did not answer, but the old god asked, ¡°Tell me first. You just went to see the report. What is the approximate profit for this month? Wait a minute! | will give you a number first!¡± After Ashley finished speaking, she obediently reported a series of numbers. Lester didn¡¯t react at all when he heard the first number, but then, as Ashley read out the second and third numbers, Lester slowly opened his eyes wide. Until the end, Ashley finished speaking a whole series of numbers. Of course, Ashley was talking about an approximate valuation, with the first three numbers followed by six zeros. The expression on Lester¡¯s face can¡¯t be described as incredible. His eyes were full of shock and wonder, ¡°Sister, you...you...¡± Peter, who was standing aside, had his eyes bulging out at this moment. and was roaring crazily in his heart. Damn it! Damn it! The figures mentioned by the eldestdy are almost the same as the fi figures in the report! This is unbelievable!!! Simply not human! But God!!! Lester was so excited that he hugged Ashley. On the left side of his face. he wrote, ¡°My sister is so amazing! The best in the world!¡± and on the right side of his face, he wrote, ¡°Such an amazing girl is my sister! | am so awesome!¡± To say narcissism is also narcissism. ¡°Ahem...Second brother, calm down...| can¡¯t breathe...¡± 09:10 Ashley was so strangled that she almost had difficulty breathing. Lester quickly let go of her: ¡°It''s okay, it¡¯s okay! Sister, your brain is really amazing! When my second brother was your age, he was far behind you! Ashley, with your ability, you can inherit the Pliskin family¡¯s property, and Frankie joining forces. to manage thepany will definitely bring the Pliskin family to the next level!¡± Lester kept boasting proudly, wishing the whole world could know how awesome his sister was. Ashley couldn''tugh or cry when she heard this. Of course she heard that the second brother didn¡¯t want to manage thepany, but wanted to be a free and hands-off shopkeeper. ¡°By the way, why did youe to the shooting range? Did something happen?¡± Lester asked with meticulous care. Nathan Newton stepped forward and reported dutifully, ¡°Second Young Master, Monia and Olive came here just now, trying to find trouble with the eldestdy and embarrass the eldestdy.¡± Lester¡¯s expression suddenly darkened. ¡°Monia? She bullied you?¡± ¡°Well, don¡¯t worry, second brother, I¡¯m not bullied that easily...¡± Ashley blinked and pointed in the direction of the surveince camera next to her, ¡°There is surveince over there, you''ll know after just one look.¡± Lester turned his head and looked at Peter, ¡°Bring up the surveinc video.¡± Peter did not dare to be careless and responded quickly, ¡°Yes!¡± | walked around the ind for a long time this afternoon, and it¡¯s gettinte now. Lester and Ashley decided to stay on the ind for one night and go bac. tomorrow. The two went to a restaurant to have dinner. Lester was sitting across from Ashley when his phone suddenly dinged and he received a message from Valentin: [Where will you stay at night?] 09 10 Lester nced at Ashley opposite him and typed a reply suspiciously: [Why do you ask?] Valentin: [I''ll go find you. ] Lester: [??? Ashley knew you wereing?] Valentin: [I don¡¯t know. j Valentin: [Give her a surprise. ] Lester, ¡°...¡± Hahaha. Lester¡¯s teeth hurt when he saw it, and his typing hand became harder: [Come here, it¡¯s a surprise, is it necessary? I''ll bore you to death. ] Valentin on the other end quickly replied with one sentence: [You don¡¯t have a girlfriend, so it¡¯s normal to not understand. ] Lester, ¡°2???¡± Call him a bachelor? very good. Lester smiled sinisterly and typed angrily: [If you don¡¯t want me to turn a deaf ear to Ashley and sow your rtionship, | will retract my previous sentence (smile)] Valentin, ¡°...¡± Seeing that Lester kept lowering his hair to send messages, Ashley swallowed the food in his mouth and asked, ¡°Whose message is this Thinking of the surprise Valentin said, Lester endured the sourness o teeth and reluctantly cooperated with him. He put down his phone an said, ¡°No one, rubbish advertisement. By the way, sister, the names on your ID have been changed. The surname is Pliskin and Ashley.¡± Ashley nodded. Now that I know my true life experience, | naturally have to change my surname on my certificate. Lester sighed, ¡°The name your parents used to name you was ¡®Eliana Pliskin¡¯, and your nickname was Ellis.¡± 09:10 ¡°It''s a shame that Tyler Morgan stole you away, causing you to end up in an orphanage. Fortunately, you were adopted by your grandparents later.¡± ¡°| guess they saw the emerald ne on your body. My grandparents. thought your surname was Ramos, so they gave you the name Ashley.¡± ¡°My grandparents have raised you for so many years. | am really grateful to you...¡± It can be said that the grandparents had an unrequited nurturing kindness for Ashley and gave her a second life. So after much deliberation, when changing Ashley''s name, they kept the name ¡°Ashley¡± given by the elders and only changed it. surname. Therefore, the name on Ashley''s ID and to the outside world is now disyed as ¡°Ashley¡±. Ashley softly recited the words ¡°Eliana Pliskin¡± in her mind. This is the name her parents gave her when she was born. It was her original real name. It''s a pity that fate took advantage of peopleter. Without her grandparents, she would not be alive, so she is very willing to keep the name ¡°Ashley¡± given by her grandparents. Ashley¡¯s nose was sore and she missed her grandparents again. STRA She finally found her real family. If her grandparents knew about would definitely be happy for her... Chapter 390 After dinner, Ashley and Lester went to the hotel where they were staying. Two suites were opened on the top floor.. Several cleaning staff in the corridor saw the two of them and greeted them respectfully, ¡°Ms. Pliskin! Mr. Pliskin!¡± Ashley smiled politely. Lester also nodded slightly. After Ashley and Lester went back to their rooms, the staff members were still looking with unsatisfied eyes: ¡°Wow, Ms. Pliskin is so beautiful! She has such a good temperament!¡± ¡°Did you hear what Peter said? This ind was transferred to Ms. Pliskin¡¯s name by the Pliskin family and is now Ms. Pliskin¡¯s private property!¡± ¡°Oh my god, this is really the pampering of thousands of people! | can¡¯t even envy you!¡± Ashley returned to the room and sat on the sofa to rest for a while. She was staying on the ind tonight and couldn¡¯t go back to Kilos City, so she had to send a message to Valentin. As for today¡¯s shooting range surveince video, Peter has already pu it out and sent a copy to her mobile phone. Ashley clicked on the chat box with Valentin and typed: [Good evening your little cutie is online!] After waiting for a while, there was no reply. Ashley posted two more. [Dear brother Valentin? ] [husband?] After waiting for a while, there was still no reply from Valentin. He was probably busy. 09.101 Ashley first exited the chat box with Valentin, clicked on the surveince. video sent by Peter and watched it again. The surveince video captured the whole process of Monia and Olive finding trouble.. This Monia is quite protective of her family... The ind is surrounded by sea and you can take a private jet andnd. on the ind¡¯s tarmac. You can also take a cruise ship to and from the sea. At this time, a private cruise ship was driving slowly on the sea. In the luxurious room of the cruise ship, there were constant crackling sounds, coffee cups and porcin tes fell to the ground, leaving a mess. Monia was wearing a haute couture dress. She was arrogant and domineering. As if venting her anger, she grabbed a porcin te worth several 20,000 dors on the table and threw it to the ground with a bang. She is the eldest daughter of the Balorant family. From her birth to now, she has been glittering with gold and being admired and fawned over wherever she goes. She has never been so embarrassed as she is today! Olive stood beside her, her eyebrows twisted into knots, ¡°Monia, don¡¯ angry.¡± Bang. Monia smashed a gold coffee cup again: ¡°Olive, how could | not be angry! No one has ever dared to do this to me since | was a child! Everyone was trying to support me! Only Ashley asked me to apologize and get off the ind! She didn¡¯t think so what!¡± Olive avoided the flying pieces of porcin and said helplessly: ¡°| didn¡¯t expect that the Pliskin family would transfer the ind to their little daughter who had just found it not long ago, and it would be. her private property...the Pliskin family really values this daughter...¡± Mentioning the Pliskin family, Monia¡¯s eyes burned with anger. 09:10 Over the years, the Pliskin family has been developing better and better, and has long surpassed the Balorant family. But the Balorant family is declining... Monia put her hands on the table, her fingers gripping the tablecloth tightly. As the daughter of the Balorant family, she shoulders the responsibility and mission of overthrowing the Pliskin family and revitalizing the Balorant family. However, the person who embarrassed her today was the little daughter that the Pliskin family had just found.. Monia pursed her red lips tightly and almost gritted her silver teeth, ¡°Today''s shame must not be spread to anyone!¡± Otherwise, where would she put her face! Olive naturally understands that Monia has been pampered since she was a child. She must not be able to swallow such a big loss today, and she doesn¡¯t want to spread the word and lose the face of Noble A Jin. Olive worried, ¡°There are surveince cameras at the shooting range. The bet this afternoon must have been captured by the surveince cameras. If that Ashley releases the surveince video...¡± When Monia heard this, her eyes widened in horror, ¡°No! The video must not be published!¡± Olive, But the video is not in our hands, it¡¯s in the hands of the Pliskin family...¡±This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Just then, Olive¡¯s cell phone rang, and he had to answer the phone first. Monia has a pretty face with an extremely ugly expression. If the bet this afternoon was made public, wouldn¡¯t everyone know that she couldn¡¯t afford to lose the bet, kept her word, and ran away in despair? When the timees, not only will she be embarrassed, but the Balorant family will also be humiliated... Can''t! 09:10 She absolutely won''t allow it! After a while, Olive answered the phone and came back excitedly, ¡°Monia, | have a way to help you!¡± Monia was startled, ¡°Help me?¡± Olive said quickly, ¡°Before Ashley releases the surveince video of the shooting range, | can help you to ruin Ashley¡¯s reputation first!¡± Monia was delighted when she heard this, ¡°What do you mean?¡± Olive¡¯s face glowed with excitement: ¡°| just received a call from a friend who is on the ind now and said that Ashley is staying in a hotel on the ind tonight. My friend also saw a photographer named Galvin who likes Ashley very much.¡± ¡°Monia, we can get that Galvin design into Ashley¡¯s room, and then ask reporters to go over and film it, and photograph Ashley and a man alone. in the same room. This will be enough to ruin Ashley¡¯s reputation!¡± Monia frowned, ¡°What¡¯s your bad idea! Ashley is the eldest daughter of the Pliskin family. She is rich and powerful. What does it mean to y with a few men? How can it be so easy to ruin her reputation?¡± Olive said anxiously, ¡°Monia, don¡¯t forget, Ashley is not single! She is married, she is a married woman! Sharing a room with a man at night is cheating!¡± After Olive mentioned this, Monia suddenly realized. | almost forgot, that woman is already married. There is no way, that woman announced her marriage too suddenly. Most people announce their rtionship first and then their marriage. But that woman was better. She immediately announced her marriage the powerful Zyrrinthia the Kingsley family¡¯s Valentin. ¡°| forgot...¡± Monia¡¯s eyes flickered slightly as she thought of Valentin. She had heard of this man¡¯s name a long time ago. He was a peerless man. Monia asked cautiously, ¡°Olive, is your method feasible?¡± ¡°Absolutely doable! | will let my friend do everything!¡± Olive sneered, ¡°The Pliskin family¡¯s newly found little daughter will definitely be ruined by a scandal like cheating, as well as the Pliskin family¡¯s reputation and 09.101 Chapter 390 reputation. It will also be damaged!¡± Monia heard the words and looked forward to it. She smiled proudly and said, ¡°I''m looking forward to it if | can hit the Pliskin family.¡± At the same time, Monia was also curious. On her and had an affair with If Valentin knew that his wife was cheating another man, would he still love her so much? Chapter 391 Chapter 391 After Galvin had dinner, he took his camera to take pictures of the bustling night scenes of various scenic spots on the ind. The night sky here is very clear, and you can see the brilliant Milky Way when you look up. The Grand Theater located in the center of the ind is even more lively in the evening, the performances are very exciting, and there are many tourists whoe here to see it. Galvin took photos all the way. Seeing that it was gettingte, he bought a drink to quench his thirst, and then prepared to go back to the hotel to rest. Before | had walked a few steps, a boy dressed like a waiter ran over and said. ¡°Sir, you are the photographer Galvin!¡± Galvin was stunned for a moment and nodded, ¡°I am.¡± The boy handed over the card in his hand and said with a smile, ¡°I was asked by the eldestdy of the Pliskin family to run an errand for her. Ms. Pliskin said that she has something to ask you. Please go to the address on the card.¡± Galvin was thoughtful after hearing this, isn¡¯t the eldestdy of the Pliskin family Ashley? Ashley took the initiative to find him? But how do you find someone to send a message to? By the way, he doesn¡¯t have Ashley''s contact information yet, so he has find someone to send the message? Galvin took the card, smiled and nodded, ¡°Thank you, | understand.¡± The boy waved his hand boldly, ¡°Don¡¯t be so polite, Ms. Pliskin gave me a generous errand fee!¡± As a result, the boy waved his hand too much and identally knocked over the drink in Galvin¡¯s hand. He panicked and said, ¡°I''m sorry! Did the drink spill on you? I¡¯m so sorry! Let me buy you another drink!¡± Galvin frowned slightly, ¡°No need.¡± 09:10 However, the boy had already run to the nearby beverage shop and bought another drink. There were not many people in the drink shop, and not long after, the boy came out with a new drink. Passionately stuffing it into Galvin¡¯s hand, he apologized profusely, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. | didn¡¯t mean to spill your drink. | bought you a new one. | hope you don¡¯t mind!¡± Galvin had no choice but to take the drink. The boy said a few more words of apology and watched Galvin drink the drink before leaving. When he reached the corner of the street, the boy looked back at Galvin, a grin shed in his eyes, then leaned against the wall casually, took out his cell phone and sent a text message to Olive: [Olive, | did as you asked. | put something in Galvin¡¯s drink and asked him to find the eldestdy of the Pliskin family. Remember to transfer the money to my ount] After receiving the text message, Olive smiled proudly and looked up at Monia. ¡°Monia, the matter is settled.¡± After Monia heard this, the shame and anger of losing the bet at the shooting range finally eased a bit, and she looked at the bright red nails on her hands in a good mood: ¡°Remember to find someone to take secret photos. | want everyone in t outside world to know about the scandal of the cheating of the eldest daughter of the Pliskin family.¡± Olive smiled sinisterly, ¡°Of course, Monia, don¡¯t worry. From now on, the Pliskin family will be nothing. The Balorant family is the most noble and powerful.¡± Monia raised her chin proudly, ¡°Of course!¡± She will cause the Pliskin family to decline further and further. It will also make the Balorant family better and better. 09-10 Galvin looked at the address on the card, which was a hotel room number. The name of th hotel. hotel is not unfamiliar to Galvin, he also lives in this It''s just that his room is on the 8th floor, and Ashley¡¯s room is on the top. floor. Galvin put the card back into his pocket and returned to the hotel quickly. Fifteen minutester. Galvin returned to the hotel and took the elevator to the top floor. With a ding, the elevator door opened Galvin stepped out of the elevator, but his legs suddenly felt weak. He hurriedly held on to the wall beside him. Strangely, he felt like he had a fever. His body felt inexplicably hot and he was extremely thirsty... Galvin patted his cheeks with both hands, but his consciousness gradually became chaotic, and the blood in his body seemed to be rushing around... in the room. Ashleyyfortably on the sofa and finally received a reply from Valentin. She typed and asked: [You haven''t replied to my message ju now. Are you very busy at work today?] At this moment, Valentin walked into the hotel through the night with long, slender steps, and replied calmly: [Well, I''m a bit busy. ] Lester, who came here specifically to pick up Valentin, had a sour expression on his face. Oh, everyone is here, we are about to meet, and we are still acting here. In the penthouse suite. Ashley nestled on the sofa and warned distressedly: [Then please take rest and don¡¯t be too busy. ] [By the way, how is your headache going now? Have you gotten better after taking Dr. Ferguson¡¯s traditional Chinese medicine Valentin: [Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s much better. ] Ashley: [Really? Don¡¯t hide it from me on purpose just to prevent me from worrying. ] Valentin: [Really, | didn¡¯t hide it from you. ] Ashley breathed a sigh of relief, Valentin was finally feeling better. | have to send a banner to Leonard Ferguson when | look back. He has a wonderful rejuvenation! Praise him to death! Later, Ashley asked cheerfully: [The scenery on the ind here is particrly beautiful, | will take you to yter-] [I walked around all day today and saw many men bringing their wives to y together¡ª] Valentin: [?] Ashley: [Hey, | want to take you to y too~~] Valentin: [??] Ashley: [What? Aren¡¯t you happy? ] Next Valentin sent a voice message. Ashley opened the phone suspiciously, and a man¡¯s gentle chuckle car from the receiver. Then, a deep voice sounded, with a weak electric current, extremely sexy and sultry, ¡°How could | not be happy? I¡¯m waiting for you to take me out to y. Ashley¡¯s ears were half numb when she heard it, and she raised her han to touch her ears. Then, | couldn¡¯t help but click on the audio and listened again. After all, when | heard his voice, | suddenly wanted to see him. As a result, Ashley sent a video call, but the person refused. Ashley, ¡°???¡± Refuse? Absolutely? Already? 09:10 Chapter 391 Valentin: [Baby, it¡¯s not convenient right now. ] Ashley puffed up her cheeks depressedly, okay, it seems she is still busy. [Are you still busy? Pay attention to rest, okay? If you are busy, | will not disturb you for now, ande back to apany me when you are done! ] Ashley had just finished sending the message when the doorbell rang. Who? thiste. Ashley put down her phone, straightened her clothes, and walked over doubtfully. The door opened, and it was Galvin standing outside. He was holding on to the doorframe with one hand, his fair face flushed unnaturally, and something seemed wrong in his eyes and demeanor. ¡°Galvin? Why are you here?¡± Ashley looked at him. ¡°Sister, you...¡± Galvin swallowed, his thirst became more and more obvious, his arms pressed tightly against the door frame, veins popped out faintly, ¡°What do you want from me?¡± Ashley couldn''t help frowning when she heard this, ¡°I¡¯m not looking for you.¡± ¡°Then...¡± Galvin wanted to take out the card from his pocket, but he did take it out for a long time. He pursed his lips tightly and looked at Ash in front of him with dark eyes, ¡°Sister, you... you...¡± He spoke intermittently, and Ashley could not understand clearly. All could hear was that he kept calling her sister. After two seconds of silence, Ashley tentatively asked, ¡°Why do you kee calling me sister?¡± She has said twice and three times that there is no need to call her sister. But every time we meet, Galvin is always stubborn about this title. Speaking of which, thest person who often called her sister was Jessica. After listening to Ashley¡¯s question, Galvin pursed his dry lips and held the door frame tightly with one hand, his veins bulging as if he was enduring something, ¡°Sister, |...¡± 09:10:N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Ashley¡¯s eyes flickered, ¡°Galvin, are you feeling unwell?¡± Galvin nodded slowly, released his grip on the door frame, and pulled off his cor hard. He was very hot and thirsty. He stared at Ashley in front of him with dark and thick eyes, and took a step forward unsteadily... At this moment, the elevator in the corridor dinged and opened the door. Immediately afterwards, footsteps sounded in the quiet corridor. Ashley¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, and her first reaction was to push Galvin out of the room. As a result, Galvin lost his footing and staggered and fell towards her. Ashley ducked aside keenly. The footsteps in the corridor were getting closer. Ashley nced over from the corner of her eye. As a result, the next second he saw the person clearly, his expression suddenly froze. How could it be... Chapter 392 Ashley was stunned when she saw the personing. She never expected that the people walking out of the elevator were her second brother... and Valentin... No, why is Valentin here? She said she was busy just now, why did she suddenly appear in front of her? The key is that it waste at night, and Galvin appeared at the door of her room with a strange look on his face. He almost fell on her just now... Ahhhhhh it¡¯s finished! What a terrible scene! ¡°Husband, listen to my exnation!¡± Ashley blurted out in desperation.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Valentin¡¯s eyes twitched, and he nced sternly at Galvin, who looked strange, and then looked at Ashley, whose eyes were wide with shock. He came over quietly to give Ashley a surprise. Fortunately now, Ashley gave him a surprise. Of course, Valentin¡¯s first reaction was to stride over and pull his wife. away from Galvin. But as soon as he took a step forward, Ashley rushed over to him like a gust of wind and plunged her head into his arms. She raised her little head pitifully, and two small angry mes ignited in her eyes, ¡°Someon must be trying to do something. Me! It must be!¡± The moment the girl¡¯s warm and fragrant body rushed towards her, Valentin instinctively raised his arms and hugged her, comforting him, ¡°I can see it, what¡¯s wrong with him?¡± This ¡°him¡± is obviously Galvin. Lester, who was standing next to him, narrowed his eyes slightly and stood sideways in front of Ashley to prevent Galvin from getting close to her. ¡°Ashley, why did this Galvine to you suddenly?¡± At this time, Galvin was sweating on his forehead, his eyes were red, his vision became blurred, his body was leaning tightly against the door 09-101 frame, he opened his mouth to speak, but he was breathing heavily. Ashley quickly reviewed the situation and said, ¡°Galvin just rang the doorbell. When | opened the door, he seemed to be feeling unwell at that time. He said | was the one who found him, but | didn¡¯t, so there must be something wrong!¡± Lester¡¯s lips curled up when he heard this, but his smile was filled with a bit of chilling coldness. He stretched out his long arm and easily pulled Galvin over with one hand. During the pull, a card fell out of Galvin¡¯s jacket pocket. It has Ashley¡¯s hotel room number written on it. Ashley¡¯s eyes turned slightly, and she immediately figured out that someone had given her address to Galvin, and also lied to Galvin that she wanted to see him for something... There was a gloomy and ruthless look in Lester¡¯s eyes, ¡°I will take this Galvin away first.¡± After speaking, he nced at Valentin, and finally looked at Ashley, with an intriguing smile on his lips: ¡°Sister, Valentin... No, Valentin said he wanted to give you a surprise, so he came here quietly. Now, just take your time and surprise.¡± After Lester finished speaking, he took Galvin and left first, and called Manager Yang. Seeing her second brother walking into the elevator, Ashley blinked. What did her brother just say? V...? Did she hear it correctly? Oops, | must have heard it wrong, how could her brother say that! Ashley turned to look at Valentin. Then | saw Valentin¡¯s cold and cloudy face... Great, it seems she heard it right. Ashley rolled her eyes quickly and changed the subject abruptly, ¡°Look at me, why are you lat me, look at me! My second brother is g keeping looking at him!¡± 09:10 Chapter 392 Valentin, In the stairs at this time. The two paparazzi climbed up all the way hard, and were so tired that they were panting. One of the thin guys asked in a low voice, ¡°Hyatt, did the eldestdy of the Pliskin family really cheat on her? We worked so hard to climb up, so we can¡¯t take any pictures.¡± !¡± The man named Hyatt cursed in a low voice, ¡°You are stupid, Olive specially revealed the information to us, indicating that this.Olive true! If the eldest daughter of the Pliskin family is photographed cheating, it will definitely be very sensational! The eldest daughter of the Pliskin family is very popr now, There are people who want to film every move, and we must capture the first-hand revtions!¡± The thin man¡¯s eyes gleamed, ¡°Hyatt, you have experience, | will listen to you!¡± Hyatt cheered, ¡°Whether we can be famous in the paparazzi world and be the number one paparazzi depends on today! Hiss, lower your voice, listen... there seems to be a sound in the corridor...¡± The two hid in the stairwell, eavesdropped, and immediately turned on the camera. | heard a clear and beautiful female voiceing from the corridor, ¡°So you came to me quietly sote at night to give me a surprise?¡± Then came a man¡¯s voice, ¡°Are you surprised?¡± The woman said strangely, ¡°Well... I¡¯m more surprised than happy. It w all your fault just now. | saw you appear suddenly and | was almost. startled by you!¡± The man seemed to chuckle, ¡°Besides being frightened?¡± The woman sounded very happy, and her voice was clear and sweet, ¡°Besides being frightened, there is also...| like you more and more!¡± When the two paparazzi hiding in the stairwell heard this, their eyes suddenly lit up with excitement. They recognized this woman¡¯s voice. She was the eldestdy of the Pliskin family! So, a man came to see Ms. Pliskinte at night just to give her a surprise... 09:10 Moreover, Ms. Pliskin also bluntly said that she likes you more and more... Obviously, Ms. Pliskin has an unusual rtionship with this man! There is definitely something fishy! The two paparazzi looked at each other and immediately rushed into the corridor with the camera. How long will it take if they don¡¯t take pictures now? The first-hand revtion of the cheating of the eldest daughter of the Pliskin family is here! The next moment, Ran Ge just rushed into the corridor. The excited smiles on the two paparazzi¡¯s faces instantly froze. The woman standing in the corridor talking was the eldest daughter of the Pliskin family, but the man whom Ms. Pliskin said she liked more and more... Isn''t this Valentin! Isn''t he Ms. Pliskin¡¯s real husband? What about the cheating partner? What about the mistress? Ashley was talking to Valentin when suddenly two paparazzi rushed oy from the stairwell holding cameras to take pictures. Valentin¡¯s face immediately turned cold, he protected Ashley and asked the two reporters coldly, ¡°What are you filming?¡± The reporter named Hyatt was the first to react. Faced with Valentin¡¯s aura, he was so frightened that he shivered. It took him a while to recover, and he shook his head violently, ¡°No, no! Nothing was taken!¡± Ashley nced at the cameras in their hands and thought of Galvin who was wrong just now. She figured it out almost immediately. The corners of her red lips raised slightly, ¡°Someone asked you to film my scandal, right? Who asked you to come??¡± Hyatt didn¡¯t dare to reveal it and shook his head, ¡°No! No one asked us toe! We just wanted to secretly take photos of Ms. Pliskin, who has been in the limelight recently!¡± 4/5 09.101 Chapter 392 Ashley¡¯s smile never diminished, and even her voice was light and airy, ¡°Okay, since you won''t say anything, do you think you can leave here tonight?¡± Hyatt was stunned, then thought that this ind belonged to Ashley, this was Ashley¡¯s territory, and his hands suddenly started to tremble. Valentin had already taken out his cell phone with a frosty expression, ready to call the security guard. Hyatt¡¯s heart skipped a beat, his teeth trembled twice, and he immediately made up his mind, ¡°Olive gave us the clue! She said that Ms. Pliskin was... cheating, let us film it and expose it!¡± Olive... There was a hint of sarcasm in Ashley¡¯s eyes. Since it was with Olive, it must be rted to Monia... Looking at the two paparazzi in front of her, Ashley smiled slightly, ¡°Isn¡¯t it a pity that the scandal of my cheating was not photographed?¡± The two paparazzi shook their heads quickly, how dare you! Ashley raised her eyebrows faintly, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, I''ll tell you something...¡± The surveince video of Monia and Olive at the shooting range today is also very exciting. She has been framed on her head, and she will not be timid and bear down... Chapter 393 Chapter 393 ruise ship sailing slowly on the sea. Luxurious room with bright lights. Monia sat on a stool, holding an exquisite and noble coffee cup, taking a few sips with her red lips, and nced at Olive beside her, ¡°How¡¯s it going? Did you catch Ashley cheating?¡± ¡°Don''t worry, Monia, the paparazzi will definitely take a photo!¡± ¡°I''ve been waiting for so long, how can you reassure me?¡± Monia put down her coffee cup and said impatiently, ¡°It¡¯s already past midnight, if we wait any longer, it will be dawn!¡± ¡°Don''t worry.¡± Olive advised, ¡°Think about it, that Galvin has been led to Ashley, and something was added to his drink, and the two of them were alone in the same room having sex... Hum, | have already given him The paparazzi revealed the clues. As long as those two paparazzi are not stupid pigs, they will definitely not let such a big news go.¡± Monia¡¯s pretty face tightened, ¡°It¡¯s best this is the case!¡± Olive was full of confidence, ¡°Monia, just rx!¡± Monia lowered her eyes and looked at her bright red nails, and said in a arrogant tone, ¡°Since you said so, I¡¯m just waiting to see the good show.¡± The Pliskin family cannot be superior to the Balorant family. And she will never allow Ashley to override her, Monia! Half an hour passed. During this period, Olive had been checking the news on her mobile phone to see if the paparazzi had revealed the cheating scandal of the eldest daughter of the Pliskin family. It is not difficult to imagine that the identity of the eldest daughter of the Pliskin family is too high-profile. Once such a scandal is exposed, it will definitely cause a sensation on the entire Inte and cause everyone to discuss it. Olive was brushing and brushing, then suddenly paused and shouted in surprise, ¡°Monia,e and see! The paparazzi report is out!¡± 115 09:11 After hearing this, Monia immediately looked over expectantly. On the Inte, the paparazzi first posted a dark video, which seemed to have been filmed hiding in the stairwell. The sound of a man and a woman talking could be vaguely heard in the corridor. A beautiful and sweet female voice said slowly¡ª ¡°So you came to me quietly sote at night to give me a surprise?¡± ¡°Besides being frightened, there is also... like you more and more!¡± Monia naturally identified who the female voice was. She was surprised at first, and then smiled disdainfully: ¡°| heard it. It was Ashley''s voice. She actually had an affair with Galvin and could say such secretive words as | like you more and more!¡±Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Olive was also shocked, and then burst intoughter, ¡°We are really connected to Kilos City to help us! Originally, | just wanted to use Galvin to frame Ms. Pliskin for cheating, but | didn¡¯t expect that the rtionship, between these two people is really extraordinary!¡± To be able to say ¡°I like you more and more¡± must be a very ambiguous. rtionship! Monia twitched the corner of her mouth and smiled sarcastically, ¡°We have helped her make this rtionship public to the world. She should thank us and no longer have to hide it Olive was extremely excited, ¡°Monia, if Ashley¡¯s cheating scandal bre out, the reputation of the Pliskin family must have been affected as Monia was in a good mood after hearing this, and raised her hand to slowly smooth her hair. Jose The humiliation suffered at the shooting range this afternoon was final avenged. Ashley, Ashley, let''s see how you continue to act arrogant in front of me. Not long after the Pliskin family¡¯s youngest daughter was found, she was exposed to a cheating scandal. It¡¯s very pleasant to think about it. | don¡¯t know what Valentin¡¯s reaction will be when he sees this video and hears Ashley¡¯s cheating words... Monia watched the video happily, and soon the two paparazzi rushed out 275 09:11 of the stairwell with cameras in hand. Monia waited for the paparazzi to take a picture of Ashley and the male mistress¡¯s face. As a result, the next moment, when she saw the man appearing in the camera and his handsome face, Monia suddenly froze while stroking her hair. Immediately afterwards, the fingers suddenly tightened tightly. That man... is Valentin... The man who was talking love to Ashley in the corridor was Valentin.... He is her real husband... ¡°What''s going on!¡± Monia pped the table, scratched her long nails. across the table, making a harsh sound, and red at Olive angrily. What kind of cheating is this! Olive was even more at a loss, ¡°Strange, why is it Valentin...Galvin?¡± Because the paparazzi was hiding in the stairwell to take secret photos at first, the sounds in the corridor were not clear, so Monia didn¡¯t recognize Valentin¡¯s voice just now. | thought it was Ashley having an affair with a male mistress, but | didn¡¯t expect... What a joy! When | met Ashley at the shooting range this afternoon, Valentin was with Ashley. He came all the way from Kilos City in the evening just to surprise Ashley? Really deep love... Monia clenched her fists, her sharp nails almost piercing her flesh. She took a deep breath and said dissatisfied, ¡°Olive, this is the show you let me watch!¡± Olive didn¡¯t dare to express her anger. She couldn¡¯t understand it at all. Where is Galvin? Monia stood up suddenly with a tense look on her face, okay, she underestimated Ashley and let Ashley escape today. B/S 09411 Chapter 393) Fortunately, the surveince video of the afternoon shooting range bet has not been exposed yet. Let her think about how to get Ashley to post the video.... Monia was thinking when she suddenly heard Olive¡¯s panicked voice, ¡°Monia, something happened! Something happened!¡± Monia frowned impatiently, ¡°What''s the matter, are you so flustered?¡± Olive picked up the phone and raised it in front of her, ¡°Look!¡± Monia lowered her eyes and looked over. On the screen of the mobile phone was a new video posted by the paparazzi, with the title: Ashley and Monia¡¯s shooting range bet, who loses and who wins? The eldestdy of the Balorant family is really surprising! When she saw the words ¡°shooting range¡±, Monia¡¯s scalp felt numb and a chill ran down her back. don¡¯t want....... 1. Don¡¯t be what she thinks... Her dignity and pride cannot bear such a blow.... don¡¯t want....... However, as the video yed, Monia¡¯s face turned pale, her body wen limp, and she slumped down on the stool. This video, which was published by the entire Inte, is a scene of he making a bet with Ashley. After losing the bet, she couldn''t afford to los kept her promise, and ran away in despair! The number of views of the video is growing at a terrifying speed! After all...how many people saw it! Chapter 394 In less than half an hour, Monia¡¯s bet at the shooting range that she couldn''t afford to lose was exposed and became public knowledge. Those upper-ss socialites and celebrities were dumbfounded after watching the surveince video of the shooting range. You know, Monia always acts like a nobledy, thinking she is superior to others. Wherever she goes, her nostrils are shining with golden light, and she looks down on everyone. Now it seems that it is nothing more than that! What kind of aristocraticdy is this when she refuses to admit her loss. and shamelessly runs away on the spor? Aplete scoundrel! There are alsoizens on the Inte, especially Zyrrinthia¡¯sizens, whose views have been refreshed. During this period, Monia visited Zyrrinthia in a very high-profile manner. Because of her superior family background and status as a nobledy, she gained the attention of manyizens. Especially a few days ago, someone specially edited the video of Monia and Valentin. Manyizens said it was very sweet, and they even liked Monia and Valentin¡¯s CP, thinking that the two were a perfect match. As a result, everyone was shocked when | saw the revtions on the Inte today. Let me go, why is Monia like this? Ashley was enjoying shooting there and she deliberately ran over to look for trouble, and then she lost and acted like a rogue?] Really shameless! He refused to apologize after losing and wanted to buy the entire ind to kick Ashley out. How shameless!] Hahahaha Ashley''s words ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, | am the owner of this ind¡± shouldn¡¯t be too domineering! So cool! Monia is so angry, hahaha!] ?''m convinced, | fell in love with Monia a few days ago because of the two-person video between Monia and Valentin. | feel like she and Valentin are a perfect match... Damn, I¡¯m blind sometimes too!] By the way, Ashley¡¯s shooting level is so high. That Olive is a world champion, and she can¡¯t even win under Ashley!] 09:11 Chapter 391 [Woooc0000, I¡¯m awesome! He didn¡¯t even need to aim, he fired three shots in a row, each shot had ten rings, so handsome! Inparison, Ashley is really awesome, Monia and Olive are really shameless! ] On the cruise ship at this time. Bang! Monia was so angry that she threw her phone to the ground, and the screen suddenly fell into pieces. ¡°Monia!¡± Olive was shocked. Monia was so angry that her chest heaved violently, and the anger in her eyes was burning. Thinking of the ridicule and contempt for her from the outside world, she still felt uneasy and overturned the entire table with a bang. Olive was hit on her foot and her face turned pale in pain. She was also afraid of Monia¡¯s face and did not dare to scream. He held his feet and jumped up and down on one leg. Monia stood in the mess,pletely losing her elegance and nobility just now, and her whole body was shaking with anger. She, the dignified eldest daughter of the Balorant family, has now be aughing stock in the eyes of others! How could she ept this! At dawn, the cruise ship docked. Monia had just gotten off the cruise ship and before she could stand s a group of reporters swarmed from all directions, asking her sharp questions one by one. ¡°Monia, you made trouble for Ms. Pliskin at the shooting range. In the end, you lost the bet and ran away. | hope you can respond to this matter! Why did you run away at that time?¡± ¡°Monia, since you lost the bet, will you now give Ms. Pliskin a bted ¡®sorry¡¯?¡± ¡°Monia, why did you deliberately find trouble shooting range: you Some people think that youth Ms. Pliskin at the shooting range? have brought shame to the 09.14 Chapter 394 family. What do you think about this?¡±This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. ¡°Monia, some people say that Ashley¡¯s victory over you also means that the Pliskin family is better than the Balorant family. Do you agree?¡± Listening to these sharp questions, Monia¡¯s face turned ugly and colder than the sea water in the morning. The worst thing happened. As expected, the Balorant family was involved and the family was humiliated... Some people think that she is not as good as Ashley, and the Balorant family is not as good as the Pliskin family... What a joke! Faced with the reporters¡¯ pursuit, Monia said nothing with a sullen face, and quickly left the ce under Olive¡¯s cover. As soon as she returned to her residence, Monia received a call from her parents, who scolded her for bringing shame to the family. Monia held the phone tightly, being scolded so much that she couldn''t refute a single word. Ashley... It was all Ashley¡¯s fault! She won''t make it easy for her!! Chapter 395 Chapter 395 ¡°Olive, | will never let her go!¡± ¡°Monia, | know, but...¡± ¡°No buts!¡± Monia interrupted him, her eyes full of anger that needed to be vented, ¡°You need to think of a way for me now, how to treat Ashley!¡± She couldn''t swallow this breath! She wanted Ashley to know that provoking her would not end well! Olive thought for a while, gritted her teeth and said, ¡°Monia, | thought of it! You can...¡± While the two were talking, suddenly, the police knocked on the door and entered. Monia was shocked, the police... This is just a temporary residence for her. Why did the policee? Monia and Olive exchanged nces, then stepped forward and asked the leading police officer, ¡°Mr. police officers, you...¡± As soon as she asked this question, Monia narrowed her eyes and suddenly stopped talking, staring in the direction of the door. | saw Ashleying in behind several police officers. Beside Ashley, there were Valentin, Lester, Galvin, and a man dressed a waiter. Seeing Ashley appear here leisurely as if ying, Monia¡¯s eyes instantly filled with anger, but was soon reced by panic. How could this woman...e here with the police... At this time, Olive was so frightened that she broke into a cold sweat. when she saw the man dressed like a waiter. The leader of the police said in a formal manner, ¡°Olive, someone reported that you colluded with your friend Mark, drugged Galvin¡¯s drink, and tricked Galvin into the hotel room of the eldestdy of the Pliskin family, in order to frame Ms. Pliskin for cheating. Do you plead guilty?¡± 175 09:111 Hearing this, Monia suddenly bit her lower lip. It''s over, this matter has been exposed... Olive was in panic and denied it, ¡°Mr. Police, what is Galvin? What cheating? | don¡¯t understand at all, and | don¡¯t know what you are talking. about?¡± Galvin grabbed the man next to him who was dressed like a waiter, pushed him in front of Olive, and asked coldly, ¡°You don¡¯t know this. Mark either?¡± Olive refused to admit it, ¡°I don¡¯t know who this is!¡± Galvin looked at the quibbling Olive, and the stern edge in his eyes. disappeared for a moment. When he turned to look at Ashley, he seemed to be shy even when he was angry, and said softly: ¡°Sister Ashley, | met this man named Mark on the streetst night. He gave me a card and said that if you have anything to do with me, ask me to meet you at the address on the card. The address on the card is where you are at the hotel. The door number.¡± ¡°Also, this Mark deliberately knocked over my drink, bought me a new one, and secretly added something to the drink. When | came to find you, | suddenly became very ufortable.¡±N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. After Galvin finished speaking, he looked at the policeman aside and said, ¡°Mr. policeman, this is what happened yesterday. This Mark was ordered by Olive to do these things to me.¡± Of course, he and Mark just met by chance on the streetst night. He didn¡¯t be suspicious at that time, so he didn¡¯t pay attention to whe Mark went. It was Valentin and Lester who discovered something was wrongst night and sent people to search Mark out on the ind overnight. Listening to these usations, Olive¡¯s palms broke out in a cold sweat, and she said guiltily, ¡°What are you talking about? | don¡¯t even know Mark!¡± Lester on the side suddenly smiled and said calmly, ¡°Mark still has a text message sent to you on his phone. Do you want to take it out and show it to you?¡± The police had searched Mark¡¯s body and took out his mobile phone. 2/5 09-111 Sure enough, there was a text message on it: [Olive, | did as you asked. | put something in Galvin¡¯s drink and asked him to find the eldestdy of the Pliskin family. Remember to transfer the money to my ount] When Olive saw the text message being pulled out, she became visibly panicked, but quickly calmed down. He is not a stupid pig. After receiving Mark¡¯s text messagest night, he had already deleted all the text messages and Mark¡¯s contact information. just in case. Immediately, Olive looked innocent and shrugged, ¡°Sorry, Mr. Police, | don¡¯t know what this text message means. | have never received such a text message. Is someone trying to frame me? If you don¡¯t believe it, you can check it. There is no such information on my mobile phone.¡± The policeman was confused for a moment after hearing this. But Mark immediately understood that this Olive wanted to pick herself off and put the me entirely on him! Mark couldn¡¯t help but yell, ¡°Olive, | fucked your grandpa! You obviously asked me to do these things, but now you say you don¡¯t know!¡± Olive continued to pretend to be innocent, with a confused look on her face, ¡°Sir, | really don¡¯t know you. Have you been deceived?¡± Mark was so angry that he gritted his teeth and wanted to rush forward and punch him. The policeman next to him immediately held Mark down, ¡°Calm dow Where do you think this ce allows you to beat people at will?!¡± Monia on the side felt relieved after seeing this. Olive had some brains. and didn¡¯t leave any clues. Monia raised her hand to smooth her hair and gave Ashley a confident and proud look. Even if you knew it was Olive and | who wanted to harm you, so what? What can you do to us without evidence? Seeing Monia¡¯s triumphant expression, the corners of Ashley''s bright red lips slightly raised, and her delicate eyebrows revealed a mocking expression, ¡°It¡¯s true that | won¡¯t shed tears until | see the coffin.¡± 09:11 After the words fell, the proud look on Monia¡¯s face suddenly froze. What does this... mean? Olive looked at Ashley warily. Ashley raised her eyes, looked at Valentin aside, and blinked, ¡°Give me the thing.¡± Immediately, Valentin handed Ashley a piece of paper information and a USB sh drive. Ashley took a step forward and looked at Olive calmly, ¡°Are you sure you and Mark don¡¯t know each other?¡± Olive looked at the paper information and USB sh drive in her hand, not knowing what they were. Feeling guilty, she stammered, ¡°Of course! | don¡¯t know him!¡± When Mark heard this, he was so angry that he wanted to pump his fist again. Two police officers worked together to hold him down. Ashley nced at Mark, then looked at Olive with a sarcastic look, and raised the paper information in her hand: ¡°What a coincidence. This is the transfer record between you and Mark, and the transfer time was not long after Mark sent you a text message yesterday.¡± ¡°You said you didn¡¯t have that text message on your phone, so you deleted it pretty quickly. But unfortunately, all your previous contacts with Mark were retrieved, and they''re all on this USB drive.¡± After Ashley finished speaking, she handed the transfer record and the USB sh drive to the police, ¡°In this USB sh drive, there are also two paparazzi¡¯s personal statements. It was Olive who asked the paparazzi to secretly photograph me in order to capture the scandal of my cheating.¡± This transfer record, as well as Olive and Mark¡¯s previous contacts, were all found out by Valentin. Chapter 396 Chapter 396 The leading police officer looked at it carefully, then raised his head and looked at Olive seriously: ¡°Olive, this transfer record is enough to expose all the lies you just told! You bribed Mark, put something in Galvin¡¯s drink, and then contacted the paparazzi, hoping to take advantage of the opportunity to take pictures of Ms. Pliskin¡¯s false scandal. The evidence is conclusive. Do you admit guilt or not!¡± ¡°|...¡± Olive faltered, so anxious that cold sweat dripped down her forehead. Monia looked at this scene and suddenly clenched her back mrs, with a gloomy look in her eyes. This Ashley... Actually found so much evidence... Monia nced at Olive who was hesitating and closed her eyes. After opening her eyes again, she scolded with disappointment, ¡°Olive, how could you do such a thing? Even if | lost the bet at the shooting range yesterday Ms. Pliskin, you shouldn¡¯t do anything to frame her innocence just to help me vent my anger!¡± Olive was stunned when she heard this. Monia this is... Pretending not to know anything? Olive clenched her fists, looked at Monia with red eyes, and said in a rough voice, ¡°Monia, you...¡± Monia shook her head in confusion and said meaningfully, ¡°Olive, although my Balorant family¡¯s financial resources can protect you, you have done something wrong and you should be punished.¡± Olive didn¡¯t understand anything after hearing this. Monia is hinting to him that if he doesn¡¯t implicate Monia, then with Monia¡¯s financial resources and power she can help him clear his name, and even if he is sentenced to jail, he can be rescued... Olive gritted her teeth, and finally looked at the policeman aside and confessed: 10:00 Chapter 396 ¡°Mr. Police. | admit that | did something wrong. | was confused for a moment, and in order to avenge Monia, | made this false usation against Ms. Pliskin without telling Monia!¡± Ashley looked at this scene with clear eyes. | had long expected that Monia would keep herself clean and pretend that she didn¡¯t know anything. However, Monia wants to help Olive clear her name and rely on the power of the Balorant family to get Olive out of prison? Oh, with the Pliskin family here, she couldn¡¯t even think about it.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. The evidence was conclusive, and the police took Olive and Mark away. Before leaving, Ashley looked back at Monia, with an intriguing smile on her lips... Monia trembled all over, what does this smile mean? Until the room returned to silence and Monia was the only one left, Monia still stood there in a daze, her mind filled with Ashley''s intriguing smile before she left. Thinking of Olive being taken away by the police, Monia was so angry that her chest hurt. She grabbed the coffee cup on the table and threw it on the ground. The coffee water in the cup sshed out and dripped onto her legs, but Monia didn¡¯t care at all. In just one night, it seemed like the sky had changed. Not only was the incident at the shooting range exposed, it made her theughing stock of the outside world. Olive¡¯s crimes were also revealed, causing Olive to be taken away by the police. Ashley...it''s all Ashley¡¯s fault! She will definitely make her pay back double! However, two dayster, Monia received a call from her father. As soon as the call was connected, his father scolded him vehemently, ¡°Monia, please apologize to the little daughter that the Pliskin family has 10:00 found!¡± Monia was stunned, ¡°Father, what are you talking about...¡± ¡°Monia, why are you going against Ms. Pliskin? | was personally responsible for a project at the group headquarters. After half a year of negotiation, the contract was about to be signed. As a result, before the contract was signed, it was snatched away by the Pliskin family at a high. price! Over the years, all the The development of the Pliskin family has surpassed that of our Balorant family, but they have never openly quarreled with each other, but now the Pliskin family... It¡¯s all because of you that you offended the Pliskin family¡¯s newly found little daughter!¡± Monia bit her lower lip tightly until her lips turned white. After a while, she said, ¡°Father, it¡¯s just a project. You don¡¯t have to care so much.¡± The Balorant family is not papery, just a little worse than the Pliskin family. What''s more, the Balorant family has so many years of foundation, how can it be defeated so easily? ¡°Don¡¯t worry about anything!¡± the father on the other end of the phone scolded angrily, ¡°Monia, in addition to the Pliskin family, there is also the Kingsley family! Three of our branches in Asia have been acquired by the Kingsley Group! The Kingsley Group is obviously in Deliberately targeting us!¡± ¡°What?¡± Monia¡¯s face turned pale, the Kingsley Group... Definitely Valentin. It must be Valentin who targets the Balorant family like this for Ashley... The father on the other end of the phone had a headache and sighed, ¡°Monia, my daughter, how many times has your father scolded you since you were a child? In the past, no matter how willful you were, | never took care of you, but now, the Pliskin family has We have enough headaches, herees the Kingsley family again... Monia, please apologize to Ms. Pliskin quickly, do you understand?¡± Chapter 397 Monia¡¯s fingers unconsciously exerted force, almost crushing the phone, and said to her father on the other end of the phone: ¡°Father, | can¡¯t...| can¡¯t apologize to Ashley. | have never...¡± ¡°Monia!¡± Her father interrupted her and said seriously: ¡°Don''t just focus on a moment of grudge. The Pliskin family just got their precious daughter back, how could they be willing to let her suffer?¡± ¡°If you continue to be so willful and target Ms. Pliskin like this, the Pliskin family will definitely be determined to deal with our Balorant family!¡± ¡°What''s even more troublesome is that in addition to the Pliskin family, there is also the powerful Kingsley family! At that time, what do you want. the family to do? Let the family bepletely destroyed!¡±. When Monia heard this, she clenched her phone tightly with her fingers again and argued stubbornly: ¡°Father, of course | understand what you are saying, but | don¡¯t think | did anything wrong.¡± ¡°The Pliskin family and our Balorant family have always beenpetitors. When | saw them getting their little daughter back, of course | wanted to give her a blow. Unfortunately...it was me who was embarrassed in the end...¡± Monia¡¯s voice was choked with sobs, and she started to cry out of grievance: ¡°Father, you have never made me suffer any injustice since | can remember... This time, do you have the heart to let your daughter bow to others, be bullied by others, and be theughing stock of everyone outside?¡± ¡°Monia...¡± The father¡¯s voice on the other end of the phone softened, and he felt heartbroken after hearing this. Monia¡¯s eyes gradually became serious, ¡°Father, | went to Zyrrinthia a few days ago not just for fun, but also to survey the market and let the Balorant family¡¯spany enter the Zyrrinthia market.¡± ¡°Monia, you...¡± The father was surprised and happy. This was a daughter he had raised with his own hands. She always cared about her family. 1/4 10.00 ¡°Father, don¡¯t worry, | know the responsibility | shoulder. Please trust me this time. | will definitely restore the Balorant family to its former glory, and | will never let the family be destroyed!¡± The father on the other end of the phone let out a long sigh, and finally said gloomily, ¡°Monia, even if you don¡¯t bow your head to Ms. Pliskin and admit your mistake this time, don¡¯t provoke her again in the future. She is not someone you can afford.¡± Understand?¡± Monia pretended to be obedient and hummed. It seems that her father still feels sorry for her after all and no longer forces her to admit her mistakes and apologize to Ashley. Huh, the Pliskin family and the Kingsley family want to destroy the Balorant family? What a joke! Even if the Balorant family is now in decline, how could a lean camel be bigger than a horse, so how could it be destroyed so easily! Monia¡¯s eyes suddenly hardened. The one who was destroyed could only be Ashley, the Pliskin family! The beautiful ind. Valentin held two pink ice creams and looked at the small vendor shooting balloons not far away. To be precise, he looked at Ashley who was surrounded by a group of children. He just went to buy some ice cream. When he came back, he saw his wife being surrounded by a group of children admiringly and praising her... At this time, Ashley was holding a shooting toy gun and blew up all the rows of balloons without missing a beat. ording to the boss¡¯s rules, you can win a plush doll by popping a certain number of balloons. So Ashley has already won many cute little bears and monkeys, and the group of five and six-year-old children looked at her with admiration. ¡°Wow, this beautiful sister is so amazing!¡± ¡°Every shot hit! | won a lot of dolls!¡± 2/4 Ashley was very happy when she heard thesepliments, and she generously distributed the dolls to these children. The group of children immediately admired Ashley even more, and kept praising Ashley sweetly. A foreign man with a handsome face came over and wanted to strike up a conversation with Ashley. As a result, before the words of conversation were uttered, he saw a man walking not far away with a pink ice cream in his hand but a frosty face. He was immediately frightened into silence and did not dare to chat with her anymore. When Ashley saw the maning back, she ran back with a smile, ¡°You''re back! This is for you! This is the doll | won just for you!¡± Valentin lowered his eyes and saw a dog¡¯s head wrapped in green. vegetable leaves... He took a look at the dolls in the children¡¯s hands. They were all much cuter than this one. That''s how unlovable he is. Ashley blinked her eyes, ¡°You don¡¯t like it, don¡¯t you? | won this ¡®Rice Dog¡¯ specially for you! No other children have it, only you, a grown-up, have it!¡± Valentin, ¡°...¡±Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. After Ashley finished speaking, she pushed the ¡®veggie dog¡¯ into her older friend¡¯s arms, took the ice cream from his hand, and when she was about to eat it, her cell phone rang. It was a message from Galvin. Ever since Galvin was defrauded with a card and druggedst time, Ashley left his contact information with him to avoid being deceived again. Although she added her contact information, Ashley still remains wary of Galvin. She clicked on the message sent by Galvin, and after reading it, she raised her eyebrows slightly. Chapter 398 Valentin was holding the not-so-cute vegetable dog given by his wife. When he saw Ashley staring at the phone, he couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°What''s wrong?¡± There was a hint of interest in Ashley¡¯s eyes, and she raised the phone. screen in front of him, ¡°Look, there¡¯s a message from Galvin.¡± Valentin lowered his eyes and looked over, Galvin sent two. Article 1: Sister, I¡¯m sorry, the drink | drank that night was spiked with something. If it offended you, I¡¯m really sorry! I''ll treat you to dinnerter and apologize to you! Article 2: Although | was not very conscious at the time, | still remember some situations. If you ask me why | keep calling you sister... | will tell you the reason when we have dinner! Valentin calmed down and looked at Ashley, ¡°Do you want to agree to eat with him?¡± ¡°Go ahead and listen to what he has to say.¡± After Ashley finished speaking, she looked at his face and blinked in surprise, ¡°Your expression... are you jealous that | agreed to eat with Galvin, or are you worried that something is wrong with Galvin? hurt me?¡± Valentin, ¡°Both.¡± Ashley couldn''t help butugh, ¡°This is not easy, you go with me! How should | say, | originally nned to take your family members with m When Valentin heard the word family, his eyebrows raised happily. He couldn''t help but lower his head and lean in to kiss her. ¡°Hey, | still have ice cream in my hand, stop rubbing it on you!¡± Ashley was anxious and moved the hand holding the ice cream to the side. ¡°It''s okay.¡± He said in a low voice and ced a gentle kiss on her lips. Ashley looked at him with clear ck and white eyes, but she was honest, ¡°What, I¡¯m not worried about rubbing on you and staining your clothes. What I¡¯m worried about is that after rubbing on you, | won''t be able to eat.¡± Valentin, ¡°...¡± 10:00 Valentin was suddenly angry andughed. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s it -¡± he protracted his tone, looking at her with a half-smile in his dark eyes. Ashley blinked and said nothing, quietly taking a step back. He turned around and wanted to run. As a result, before she could run away, the man caught her and kissed her with an ambiguous breath on her lips again. Different from the light kiss just now, this kisssted for an extra long time. It was obvious that he was deliberately calcting her answer just now. In the end, Ashley¡¯s lips were swollen from being kissed, and she red at him angrily while eating ice cream to reduce the swelling. The man said calmly, ¡°You think of me like this, do you want to try kissing me again?¡± Ashley gave him a fierce look and walked away. Break up with him for five minutes! Valentin curled his lips and chuckled, followed slowly, looking at her back indulgently. She was fierce when she was shy and ring, but she was extremely delicate when kissed, and soon became red and swollen. But he liked her fierce yet delicate appearance. Ashley said she would break up with Valentin for five minutes, but within three minutes, she ran back, held his hand with one hand, and pointed to the horizon with the other, ¡°Look! Doesn''t it look good?¡± The ind is surrounded by the sea, with blue water and the distant sky forming a line. At this time, the sun was gradually setting in the west, and the orange-red sunset dyed the sea into a different color, which was gorgeous and eye-catching. Ashley seemed to have discovered something surprising and wanted to share it with those close to her immediately. 10.00 Pointing to the man with bright eyes. Ashley looked at the sea, and Valentin tilted his head to look at her. He fell in love with the girl¡¯s bright eyes and smile. ¡°Good-looking.¡± His voice was sexy and low, revealing casual obsession. Ashley thought he was saying that the sea was beautiful, and said excitedly, ¡°Yeah, right! When | sent you a message before, | told you that the scenery on this ind is particrly beautiful!¡± She had seen many people bring their wives and lovers to y. She finally brought Valentin to y today hehe- At night, Ashley found the best viewing position and took Valentin to look at the stars. Then stay one night on the ind and return to Kilos City tomorrow. The second brother has gone back early. Moreover, my parents and Frankie will alsoe back from abroad tomorrow, so the family can reunite. Coming out of the bathroom after taking a shower, Ashley saw Valentin. sitting by the bed, reading her physical examination report. Although her body has almost recovered, Valentin does not dare to take lightly. Basically, she will have the most senior doctor check her body every three to five days. Ashleybed her blow-dried hair, then walked over and asked, ¡°How¡¯s it going? There¡¯s nothing wrong with it. | feel like I¡¯m fine.¡± Valentin put down the physical examination report and pulled her into his arms, ¡°Except for not doing too much strenuous exercise, there is nothing wrong with her.¡± Ashley sat on hisp and found afortable position, ¡°Look, | feel like I¡¯mpletely healed!¡± Ashley said, her eyes moved around quickly, and she suddenly leaned over and kissed the man, pursed her lips and said shyly, ¡°I''m feeling better.¡± Valentin, ¡°Huh?¡± 10:00 mN?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Ashley moved her buttocks, moved closer to his arms, and continued to hint, ¡°I¡¯m feeling better...you...¡± Chapter 399 Chapter 399 Upon hearing her hint, Valentin¡¯s expression was obviously startled for a moment. There didn¡¯t seem to be much reaction, but through the warm light on the bedside, you could see that his pupils shrank extremely slightly. Seeing that he remained silent, Ashley thought he didn¡¯t understand. She swallowed nervously and looked at him with a pair of wet eyes. The water in her eyes trembled slightly: ¡°| said, my body has recovered. Do you...do you want to have a couple¡¯s nigh out?¡± The implicit became explicit. It''s so straightforward and bold, but it¡¯s inexplicably heartwarming. Valentin¡¯s eyes instantly turned dark, like a dark whirlpool that caused people to indulge. Ashley moved closer to his arms, her long and curly eyshes trembling slightly. Although she brought it up on her own initiative, it was her first time. doing this kind of thing and she was inexperienced, so her heartbeat inevitably elerated a bit. Her little hands tightly grasped the white shirt at the man¡¯s waist. She picked out the ambiguous and charming folds of the snow-white smooth fabric. Ashley¡¯s pupils trembled, and she didn¡¯t speak any more, but directly took action. She suddenly raised her chin, and kissed Valentin with her delicate red. lips. Like petals being blown down to the water. Touch gently. When she wanted to pull away and end the kiss. Suddenly, the man¡¯s warm palm grabbed the back of her head without any exnation, and deepened the kiss forcefully and violently. 10:00 At that moment, Ashley¡¯s fingers clenching the white shirt at the man¡¯s waist suddenly tightened, and the weak sobs in her throat were blocked. The man¡¯s kiss was turbulent and hot, revealing an aggressiveness that could no longer bear to break through the cage.. Ashley was forced to lift her chin, and her slender, snow-white neck drew out its graceful lines. The air in the chest was gradually robbed. Her breathing was erratic, her fine eyshes could not help but tremble, a slight rose-colored blush appeared at the end of her eyes, and her beautiful eyes were covered with a thinyer of water. The water gradually spread and wetted her eyshes...... But suddenly, Valentin forced himself to stop. The big palm firmly sped the girl¡¯s slender waist, and the blue veins on the back of the cold white hand swelled slightly, revealing a sexy and abstinent restraint. Ashley blinked nkly, why did she stop? As soon as she blinked, a teardrop slipped from the corner of her eye along the snow-moist and delicate skin. The ends of her eyes were covered with a rouge-colored thin red, which was full of amorous feelings. However, the eyes she looked at the man were full of innocent confusion. Pure and lustful. It has to be seductive. Valentin¡¯s eyes became a little darker again, and he leaned forwa kissed the tears from the corners of her eyes.Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. The lingering kiss moved from the side of the face to the red lips gl with water. The man¡¯s hot breath blew against her ears, and his deep maic voice showed obvious hoarseness, ¡°When you areplete healed, um ?¡± Ashley for a moment:??? Her whole body:??? No, you can tolerate this, right? 10.00 Ashley¡¯s eyelids twitched fiercely, and her wet eyes stared at him angrily. She suddenly raised her hand and pushed Valentin down on the bed behind her, then spread her legs and straddled the man¡¯s waist, looking at him from above, grinding her teeth in embarrassment, ¡°It¡¯s not you who sleeps with me, it''s me who sleeps with you! It¡¯s not like you stop when you say you want to, or sleep when you say you want to!¡± The man raised his eyebrows imperceptibly when he heard this, his Adam¡¯s s apple rolled slightly, and a seductive chuckle escaped from his throat, causing his chest to vibrate slightly. Ashley looked at him angrily, ¡°Why are youughing!¡± Although it sounds nice tough, now is not the time tough! Valentin stoppedughing immediately, raised his eyes to look at her, andzily held her waist with one hand, ¡°Okay, stop laughing.¡± Ashley, ¡°? Are you so obedient now?¡± Send Gift Comment Chapter 400 Chapter 400 Ashley still maintained her position of straddling the man¡¯s waist, curling her lips in dissatisfaction. He just stopped kissing her in the middle of the kiss and said that he would wait until she waspletely recovered before continuing. But she is now in good health and has no hidden seque. Although the inspection report said that strenuous exercise is not allowed vet. But a couple¡¯s night out isn¡¯t a particrly strenuous exercise... right?Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. She is not a delicate porcin doll that will break when touched. But he looked like he was treating her with caution. ¡°Why are you more careful about my body than me?¡± She muttered angrily. Valentin was pushed down on the bed behind him by Ashley just now, and now he slowly sat up. He held the girl in his arms affectionately, stretched out his hand to rub her head, and said with endless affection in his dark eyebrows, ¡°I can¡¯t go through youra again.¡± Ashley was startled when she heard this, and her breath froze. That''s how it tums out... During the two months she was ina, she couldn¡¯t imagine how he suffered in pain night after night... She still remembers that when she first woke up, she saw that he had lost so much weight and was even more haggard than a sick person like her. Probably those two months were really painful and torturous for him. So | want to be on the safe side now, | want to wait until she ispletely recovered and make sure there are no hidden seque... Ashley was so moved that her eyes welled up with tears, and she identally said what was in her heart. ¡°So you are so worried about me and have thought so much about me. | thought you were not good just HOW.¡± 10:00 Chapter 400 Valentin, ¡°???¡± The air suddenly became quiet. The atmosphere suddenly became dangerous. Ashley immediately covered her mouth, but it was toote. Looking at the man¡¯s cloudy face, Ashley¡¯s heart skipped a beat, her eyshes fluttered, and she immediately wanted to escape from his arms. But as soon as he stood up, he was pushed back by the man. Valentin¡¯s well-jointed fingers sped her slender wrist, and a little force left an ambiguous red mark on her fair skin. His low voice was full of danger, ¡°No, okay?¡± Ashley threw herself into his arms, rubbing her little head against his chest, moaning and coquettishly, ¡°You heard wrong! | didn¡¯t say that! | said I¡¯m going to knock you out with a kiss tonight!¡± You''ll faint from the kiss!¡± Valentin looked half-smiling, and his tone was more dangerous, ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Ashley raised her head and kissed him. After a series of kisses, she threw Valentin down on the bed, lying on him and kissing him non-stop. Then he unbuttoned him and said, ¡°I''ll help you undress and go to bed!¡± When | took off my clothes, | saw how good he was. My eyes widened with fright. | retracted my hand tremblingly, blinked, and abruptly changed the subject, ¡°I suddenly have a question to ask you.¡± How could Valentin not see that she wanted to change the subject, but he couldn¡¯t bear to reject her and said, ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡± Ashley¡¯s eyes were as bright as ck grapes, ¡°Let¡¯s go see the sunrise. tomorrow morning! Do you want to go see it?¡± He raised his eyebrows leisurely, ¡°Is that the problem?¡± Ashley was talking nonsense with a sullen face, ¡°This is not a small problem! It depends on whether to get up early tomorrow! As the saying goes, the day¡¯s n begins in the morning, and morning is the beginning of the day... Well...¡° Ashley was talking nonsense when she was suddenly gagged. 2/3 10:00 The man lowered his eyshes and kissed her, holding her lips in his mouth again and again, indulging in the way she kissed, which was indescribably sexy. He sped one hand behind her head without refusal, and gently rubbed the delicate skin of her waist with the other hand. His hoarse voice made people feel soft, ¡°Baby, you''d better kiss me unconscious first.¡± Ashley¡¯s whole face turned red... As for the sunrise the next day, of course | didn¡¯t see it. Because Ashley couldn''t kiss him until he fainted the night before, so he didn¡¯t go to bed until veryte. Naturally, he couldn¡¯t get out of bed the next day... Chapter 401 Return to Kilos City. the Pliskin family estate. Brian Pliskin, Karen Pliskin and George, all returned from abroad. Looking at Lester sitting on the sofa, George¡¯s already cold expression became even colder. He just hasn¡¯t been at home recently, and this little bitch has led his sister to bad things. Lester epted Frankie''s judgment without any scruples. He was not afraid at all. Now in this family, his sister is the closest to him! Frankie is just jealous of him! The two brothers were fighting silently when Ashley and Valentin came back from outside. Lester immediately got up from the sofa, but as soon as he took a step towards his sister, a devil''s w stretched out from behind, grabbed the back of his destiny¡¯s neck, and pushed him aside mercilessly. After pushing his brother expressionlessly, George turned his face and greeted his sister gently, ¡°Ashley is back. Did you have fun on the ind?¡± ¡°Happy!¡± Ashley rushed over and hugged George, ¡°Long time no see Frankie!¡± George was so ttered that he hugged his sister back. Lester standing aside.... Oh, just a hug. It''s okay, my sister is still the closest to him! After the hug, George picked up a car key from the coffee table next to him and handed it to Ashley, ¡°I know you like Koenigsegg¡¯s sports cars. This is thetest model from Koenigsegg. | bought it all over the world. The first one has been shipped back to China and is now at home. You can drive it and try it out to see if you like it.¡± Ashley¡¯s eyes lit up, it was indeed a brand she liked very much! 4/4 10.00 5 And it¡¯s a new model, the first in the world... ¡°Frankie, you...¡± ¡°Ashley, Frankie has been in Takydo recently. He just came home from outside today. Of course he has to bring you a gift.¡± After a pause, George pointed and said, ¡°It¡¯s not like someone who has been staying in China. and doesn¡¯t know anything. Buy it for you.¡± Lester:??? This move is too insidious!. George put the car keys into Ashley''s hand. Ashley took it and smiled from the bottom of her heart, ¡°Thank you Frankie, | really like this gift!¡± Asmile appeared on George¡¯s cold face. As long as his sister was happy, he was content. ¡°It would be best if Ashley likes it. Frankie will buy you something else next time.¡± Lester narrowed his eyes, feeling an inexplicable sense of crisis. He pulled Ashley over and whispered, ¡°Sister, don¡¯t forget, we are on the same side. My second brother can give you ten times as much as these sports cars! Don¡¯t be fooled by Frankie!¡± Ashley¡¯s mouth twitched slightly, why did she start fighting? Karen Pliskin stepped forward, pped her second son''s hand away, and said dissatisfied, ¡°What are you talking about? Ashley is not a sandbag. What should | do if you hurt her?¡± Ashley hurriedly said, ¡°It''s okay, Mom, it doesn¡¯t hurt at all! My second brother is ying tricks on me!¡± She has long been ustomed to the way she gets along with her second brother by talking,ughing and ying around. Brian Pliskin nced at Lester dissatisfied, and then looked at his youngest daughter. His expression changed instantly, and he couldn¡¯t be more warm, ¡°Ashley,e here, your parents also brought you a gift, just for you, not your second brother. It¡¯s not like he doesn¡¯t have long hands, so he can buy whatever he wants.¡± 10:00 Chapter 401 Lester, Great, this is his current family status. Karen Pliskin took out a set of dazzling and breathtaking jewelry from the side. It was made of top-quality jewelry and diamonds. It was very gorgeous and stunning. Ashley recognized it at a nce. This was the most stunning set of works designed by Karman, the world¡¯s top jewelry designer. The Chinese name is ¡°Roselle¡±.All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. ¡°Mom and Dad, didn¡¯t Karman say he would collect this set of ¡®Roselle¡¯ jewelry for himself and not sell it to outsiders?¡± Why do you want to give it to her now that you have bought it? Karen Pliskin said with a smile, ¡°We met Karman at Takydo and thought that this ¡®Roselle¡¯ set would suit you very well, so we tried to ask Karman if he could sell it. Karman refused to sell it at first, butter we told him that he was buying it as a gift. Yours, | said on the spot that | would give it to you for free!¡± ¡°Karman said that he likes you very much and wants toe to Zyrrinthia to visit you recently!¡± Ashley was stunned, giving it away for free? Admire her so much? Karen Pliskin was pleasantly surprised, ¡°One more thing, our Pliskin family has always been interested in acquiring Karman¡¯s jewelry brand, but Karman has never agreed because the Balorant family also extended an olive branch to him, so he has been hesitant... now Knowing that you are the youngest daughter of the Pliskin family, Karman has relented for your sake and is very willing to cooperate with us!¡± Ashley blinked in surprise that there was such a thing. Lester smiled and said, ¡°Sister, it''s true, you don¡¯t need to go abroad, you can just use your name to discuss cooperation.¡± George¡¯s eyes were filled with pride and pride. His sister is really outstanding. Ashley curved her lips and smiled, ¡°It just so happens that | also like Karman¡¯s jewelry design. If hees to Zyrrinthia recently, | can meet 10:00 Chapter 401 him.¡± The next day, it was the time Ashley and Galvin agreed to have dinner. She and Valentin went to the appointed restaurant together. Let''s hear why Galvin keeps calling her sister so stubbornly. Chapter 402 Chapter 402 Restaurant, private room. Galvin has already arrived, sitting at the dining table, lowering his head and texting on his mobile phone. His delicate and fair face is cold, showing aposure that belies his age. Hearing the box door open, Galvin looked up. Seeing Ashley walking in, Galvin smiled shyly, like an innocent young man who didn¡¯t understand the world. His eyes were full of sincerity and he stood up and said hello, ¡°Sister Ashley!¡± After saying that, when he saw Valentin following Ashley, Galvin was stunned for two seconds and was a little surprised, ¡°Mr. Kingsley, are you here too? Please sit down!¡± Valentin nodded slightly, looking dignified and indifferent. The three of them took their seats. Galvin sat opposite Valentin and Ashley, looking at Ashley full of apology and shame, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sister! I¡¯m really sorry for what happened that night!¡± ¡°| wasn¡¯t conscious at the time, so | don¡¯t know if | offended. you... But that was not my intention. | have always respected you in my heart! had been conscious, | would never have done anything offensive to Ashley curled her lower lip and said in a normal tone: ¡°You didn¡¯t do anything that night. What¡¯s more, the essential reason that you were deceived and something was added to the drink you dra so you don¡¯t need to apologize to me again and again.¡± Even if Valentin and his second brother hadn''t suddenly appeared that night, the unconscious Galvin wouldn¡¯t have had the chance to get close to her. Furthermore, Olive, who nned all this, has also been imprisoned. Hearing Ashley say this, Galvin still looked very guilty in his eyes. Ashley didn¡¯t dwell too much on what happened that night. She was even more curious, ¡°Galvin, why do you keep calling me sister? 17 10.007 You sent me a text message before and said you would tell me the reason during dinner today. Tell me now?¡± Upon hearing this, Galvin picked up the coffee cup at hand and took a few sips. Whether he was hesitant or nervous, he spoke after a few seconds: ¡°Because... you really look like my sister, so | can¡¯t help but call you that...¡± Ashley raised her eyes slightly, did not respond, and continued to wait for him to continue. Galvin rubbed the coffee cup in his hand with his thumb, his delicate and fair face full of nostalgia: ¡°My parents divorced, my sister went to live with my father, and my mother took me away from that home. At first, | lost contact with my sister. It was many yearster that | got news about my sister again, and | was also silently paying attention to my sister¡¯s situation in that home. Life couldn''t be better...¡± ¡°But it''s a pity that my father reorganized his family and had a daughter. That daughter was very powerful and could do everything. My sister waspletely iparable to her. In the end, my sister was framed by that daughter and went to jail...¡± After hearing this, Ashley¡¯s eyes were sharp for a moment, but they soon returned to calm. Galvin didn¡¯t catch the change in Ashley¡¯s expression and took a lo Valentin sitting next to Ashley. Valentin¡¯s expression remained unchanged from beginning to end. poured Ashley a ss of water in a leisurely manner and warned carefully, ¡°It¡¯s a bit hot.¡± Ashley smiled warmly, ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Then he looked at Galvin and motioned for him to continue. Galvin lowered his eyshes to cover the emotions in his eyes, took a drink of water to moisten his throat, and continued: ¡°My sister is still in prison. My mother wants to rescue her, but we have no power and it is difficult to rescue her...¡±All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. ¡°Sister Ashley, | first saw your various deeds in the news and thought you 10.001 were very powerful. Moreover, you made me feel a lot like my sister.¡± ¡°So, | like you very much and have always regarded you as my sister in you my Every time | see you, | can¡¯t help but blurt out and call sister...¡± Ashley looked at Galvin opposite, who lowered his head to speak. She couldn''t see his eyes, but could only see his ck hair. Ashley looked unpredictable and said in a very calm tone, ¡°So that¡¯s it. You and your sister have a really good rtionship.¡± Galvin nodded lightly, as if he was sad when talking about his sister being in jail. Valentin¡¯s face remained calm, but the look he looked at Galvin revealed observation and scrutiny, with clear sarcasm overflowing from the depths of his eyes. After dinner. Ashley and Valentin got up and left. Galvin¡¯s eyes were full of reluctance, and he still wanted to chat with the two of them, mainly with Ashley, for a while longer. But without a valid reason, Galvin had to wave goodbye, ¡°Goodbye, sister!¡± Ashley¡¯s lips curved slightly, ¡°Goodbye¡± Valentin nced at Galvin with distant eyes, and left the box with Ashle in his arms. Get in the car. Ashley was sitting in the passenger seat, touching her chin and wondering, ¡°Do you think what Galvin just said is true or false? | think it¡¯s about half and half.¡± Valentin¡¯s knuckled hands held the steering wheel and he said ¡°hmm¡±. when he heard this. Ashley bent her eyes and smiled, ¡°We really have a good connection!¡± It has to be said that she has never been able to eliminate her vignce towards Galvin, and she always bes vignt unconsciously. 10-01 Especially when Galvin talked about his sister being in jail. This reminded Ashley of someone inexplicably... There is a red light ahead. Valentin stopped the car and reached out to rub her head, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, a lot of clues have been found about Galvin.¡± Ashley grabbed the man¡¯s hand with bright eyes, kissed the back of his hand, and praised sweetly, ¡°The baby is amazing!¡± Valentin raised his eyebrows, ¡°What did you call me?¡± Ashley said confidently, ¡°Baby, what''s wrong? You can call me that, but | can¡¯t call you that?¡± He chuckled, ¡°Of course.¡± Ashley was then satisfied and snorted proudly. Suddenly, a sly smile shed in her eyes, and she said deliberately in a pretentious manner: ¡°| not only call you baby, | can also call you darling, my darling, my brother, my annoying goblin, my charming little viin, my irritating little baby,....... ¡± The previous names of Valentin sounded quite pleasant to my ears, but when | heard the second one, my face darkened. The annoying big goblin... the charming little viin... the irritating little. baby... What is all this mess? At noon that day, Ashley and Valentin went to the Kingsley Manor to visit their grandfather. After arriving at the Kingsley Manor, | found that ire Fox was also there. ¡°Ashley, how is your health now?¡± ire Fox held Ashley¡¯s hand, looked at herplexion, and asked worriedly. ¡°It''s okay, Sister ire, I¡¯m fine now, there¡¯s no problem!¡± 47 ¡°That¡¯s good, just be well!¡± ire Fox felt relieved and repeatedly told Valentin to take good care of Ashley. As the three of them were talking, a resentful wailing sound came from behind¡ª ¡°Aw! My dear brother and sister-inw, long time no see!¡± As soon as Ashley heard that, she knew it was Joseph, the bastard. When she looked back, the corner of her mouth twitched, ¡°You...why are you crying? Why are you crying?¡± Joseph ran over with tears in his eyes, Little Ashley, you must make the decision for me! My sister just scolded me! She even threatened me to stop my bank card!¡± Ashley was curious, ¡°Why did Sister ire scold you?¡± Joseph wailed, ¡°I just asked her when she would find me a brother-inw. What¡¯s going on? Is this too much? Not too much!¡± Ashley turned to look at ire Fox. This is nothing to criticize. ire Fox revealed her brother with an expressionless face, ¡°He peeled the onion himself and made me cry. He didn¡¯t make me cry enough. He even raised the onion in front of me to make me cry.¡± Ashley, ¡°... You are young and very sick. Joseph was stunned for a moment, then realized that Ashley was about himself, and immediately yelled, ¡°No, | can¡¯t cry by myself have to cry with me too!¡± After saying that, he took out a round big onion from behind his b Ashley¡¯s eyes twitched. Joseph wanted to put the onion over to smoke Ashley, but when he sa his brother¡¯s face, he immediately retracted his hand in fear. He wanted to smoke ire Fox, but when he saw ire Fox¡¯s expression of beating her brother, he was so scared that he retracted his hand. Yes, none of the three people in the living room he dared to smoke. Joseph, who was crying alone because of the onions, felt deste in his 5/7 10:01 heart. He felt so lonely. Come and enjoy it with him! On the dinner table. Ever since he learned that Ashley had woken up, the old man¡¯s health has improved a lot, and now he is back to his former self. He feels even morefortable when he sees his juniors surrounding him, enjoying family. happiness. The old man specially ordered the kitchen to cook a lot of Ashley''s favorite dishes. He raised his hand to give Ashley a piece of ribs and asked worriedly: ¡°Ashley, when did you and Valentin hold the wedding?¡± ¡°Grandpa wanted you to hold a wedding when you first obtained the certificatest year, but you refused and said you''d have to wait. Now that it¡¯s been so long, it''s time to pick a good day to hold the wedding, right?¡± When the old man said this, ire Fox and Joseph also looked at Ashley expectantly. Ashley blinked and looked at Valentin beside her. Seeing the man¡¯s dark eyes looking at her, her heartbeat suddenly elerated. Ashley¡¯s rosy lips curved, and her picturesque eyebrows revealed a sweet smile, ¡°Then do it as soon as possible and pick a good time, what do you think?¡± Listening to the girl''s willingness, satisfaction and throbbing in Valentin heart welled up like spring water. He looked at his wife with deep and quiet eyes, and his voice was low an maic, ¡°Okay, | will make preparations.¡± Joseph was simply happier than he was getting married, ¡°Oh, I¡¯m finally looking forward to my brother and little Ashley''s wedding!¡± ire Fox''s eyes were full of smiles, ¡°Joseph and | will help youter.¡± The old man was even more ted, ¡°Okay, okay! Grandpa has been looking forward to this day!¡± Ashley¡¯s little hand quietly held Valentin¡¯s hand under the dining table, and her bright and pretty face had a smile. When she first received the divorce certificate, she had no expectations for the wedding. She subconsciously felt that she would part ways with 10:01 Valentin when the divorce agreement expired. But | never thought that the two of them had gone through so many things together and gone through so many ups and downs. Now, she is happily looking forward to the wedding day... Looking forward to the wedding with the man next to me... T/T Chapter 403 Recently, the top international jewelry designer Karman came to Zyrrinthia to visit Ashley. George and Lester apanied their sister to meet Karman. In a low-key and luxurious box. Karman is in his fifties, has an elegant appearance, and his hair is meticulouslybed back. With just a quick nce, you can see that he is dressed very tastefully. Seeing Ashley walking into the box, Karman hurriedly greeted her. An old man treated a young man with extremely warm attitude, ¡°Hello, Ms. Pliskin! | made a special trip to Zyrrinthia to visit you this time. | hope | didn¡¯t intrude on you!¡±N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Ashley shook hands with him politely, ¡°Of course not. I¡¯m honored to be appreciated by you.¡± Karman was very happy when he heard this, and then greeted George and Lester. After everyone took their seats. Karman looked at Ashley and asked expectantly, ¡°Why haven''t | seen you wearing that ¡®Roselle¡¯ set? | really want to see you wearing ¡®Roselle!¡± Ashley smiled and said, ¡°That set of jewelry is very stunning and unique, suitable for wearing at a dinner party.¡± She dressed more casually today and didn¡¯t wear any jewelry. Karman felt a little regretful when he heard this and sighed ¡°| see you are wearing ¡®Roselle¡¯ because the design inspiration of this ¡®Roselle¡¯es from the dress named Windy¡¯ that Attelia designed four years ago.¡± ¡°It can be said that Attelia is my muse! muse... The weight of these four words is too heavy... Ashley was shocked. 115 It turns out that this is how ¡®Roselle¡¯ was designed. The inspirationes from her, from the dress she designed before. Karman continued, ¡°When the ¡®Roselle¡¯ set of jewelry was designed, | felt that no one could match its beauty, so | refused to sell it.¡± ¡°Even the eldestdy of the Balorant family, Monia, repeatedly offered high prices to buy it, but | didn¡¯t agree!¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t untilter that | found out that Ashley was the talented designer Attelia, the one who designed the ¡®Windy¡¯ dress. So your parents came to me a few days ago and wanted to buy a ¡®Roselle. | heard that they bought it for you. | was so surprised on the spot. | decided to give it to you as a gift!¡± Ashley was very touched, ¡°Thank you very much, but this is too expensive. If it is a gift...¡± Before he finished speaking, Karman started to persuade him, his eyes full of excitement and admiration: ¡°Please don¡¯t refuse. To be honest, | like Attelia very much. | have always wanted to meet Attelia and my muse. However, Attelia is very mysterious and refuses to show up. Today | finally met her!¡± Ashley smiled knowingly, ¡°I also like your jewelry design!¡± Lester, who was sitting next to him, felt his heart surge when he hear He smiled and said, ¡°It turns out that Mr. Karman and Ashley have st connection.¡± Karman said with a hearty smile, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that the little daught the Pliskin family has been looking for for many years is Ashley! Over the years, the Pliskin family and the Balorant family have wanted to cooperate with me, but | have been hesitant. Now | know that Ashley is the Pliskin family. Miss, then | will definitely choose to cooperate with the Pliskin family!¡± In fact, the Balorant family has not achieved great results in the jewelry industry, so they really want to cooperate with Karman, the world¡¯s top jewelry design master, and the conditions offered are extremely generous. Inparison, the conditions offered by the Pliskin family are not that favorable. 10:011 pter 403 Because the Pliskin family has its own jewelry brand, it also takes the path of high-end luxury goods. So inparison, the Balorant family needs Karman more. Now, for the sake of Ashley, Karman didn¡¯t even hesitate and directly chose to cooperate with the Pliskin family. Lester and George looked at each other. Their sister is so beautiful, talented and capable. The Pliskin family is truly blessed to have such a little daughter in three lifetimes. Karman looked at Ashley eagerly, ¡°Ashley, | will hold a jewelry dinner in Zyrrinthia during this period, and | would like to invite you to wear ¡®Roselle! Are you willing to ept the invitation?¡± The old man¡¯s eyes were full of eagerness and longing, and he wanted to witness with his own eyes how his muse wore ¡®Roselle Ashley couldn''t bear to refuse and immediately nodded, ¡°Okay, | will attend the jewelry dinner as promised Karman was very excited, ¡°Thank you Ashley! I¡¯m looking forward to it!¡± Kilos City, a five-star hotel in the city center. In a luxurious suite. Monia looked at the business n in her hand and rubbed her forehead tiredly. Suddenly, the assistant knocked on the door and came in. ¡°What''s wrong?¡± Monia asked. ¡°Miss, | just received news that Karman, the master of jewelry design, hase to Zyrrinthia Kilos City.¡± the assistant replied. As soon as Monia heard Karman¡¯s name, the fatigue in her eyes was instantly driven away. Karman is not a Zyrrinthian, so why did he suddenlye to Kilos City? Monia¡¯s face was full of doubts, and she suddenly thought that she had been appearing in Zyrrinthia Kilos City in a very high- profile manner recently. Did Karman...e to find her? Karman decided to cooperate with Balorant family? 10:01 Monia looked at the business n in her hand, and the more she thought about it, the more possible it became! Otherwise, | really can¡¯t figure out why Karman, a foreigner, woulde to Zyrrinthia. The assistant next to him said, ¡°Miss, | also got news that there will be a jewelry dinner recently, and Karman may attend.¡± Monia put down the project and couldn''t hide her excitement, ¡°Find a time to meet with Karman. Karman will most likely agree to cooperate with us! As for this jewelry dinner... | will also attend!¡± Monia¡¯s heart fluttered when she thought of Karman¡¯s ¡®Roselle! She really wanted to wear ¡®Roselle¡¯ to attend the dinner and reach a cooperation with Karman... Monia opened the project project at hand, with a look of determination in her eyes. Now that the Pliskin family has shifted its development focus to Zyrrinthia, the Balorant family naturally cannot fall behind. In this project, Monia has signed a contract with the wealthy Copley family of Kilos City, injected capital into the Copley family, and reached a cooperation. This is the first step for Balorant family to enter the Zyrrinthia mark Monia opened another n, and when she saw the content above, th corner of her mouth curled up proudly. As we all know, some small countries cannot do without the support plutocratic forces. For example, the Pliskin family is one of the four top financial groups i the world. Many high-level officials or royal families have the the Pliskin family. support of The Balorant family is no exception. Business power has also enveloped some countries, such as the neighboring countries E andA. On behalf of the Balorant family, Monia has secretly reached an agreement with the presidents of the chambers ofmerce in country E and country A. A weekter, the two countries will simultaneously announce sanctions to suppress the Pliskin Group consortium. 10:01 This is no ordinary fight in a shopping mall. Faced with national-level sanctions and suppression, and sanctions imposed by two countries at the same time, the stock price of the Pliskin Group consortium will inevitably be severely hit. It may even copse and lead to destruction. Monia picked up the red wine ss on the side with her slender fingers and took a sip with great pleasure. The Pliskin family wants to destroy the Balorant family for Ashley? It''s a pity that she, Monia, is here. In the end, only Ashley and the Pliskin family will be destroyed! By the way, there¡¯s Karman.... The Balorant family has not made great achievements in the jewelry industry. It will be of great benefit to cooperate with top jewelry design master Karman. By the way, how could Karman, a foreigner,e to Zyrrinthia Kilos City for no reason? Came here to find her? Apart from this, Monia really can¡¯t think of any other possibility. 10:01 Chapter 404 After thinking for a few seconds, Monia looked at the assistant on the side and ordered, ¡°Find a suitable time and make an appointment with Karman. | want to discuss cooperation with him.¡± The assistant responded, ¡°Yes.¡± This evening. Monia and Karman met in the private room of the coffee shop. The two sat facing each other. Monia was wearing a high-end dress and smoothed her blond hair with her hands. She was full of aristocratic arrogance and asked confidently, ¡°Mr. Karman, why did you appear in Zyrrinthia recently? Are you here... to find me?¡± Karman was stunned for a moment, his expression full of confusion. How could this Monia think so? But Karman also knew that Monia had always acted like a nobledy and was used to being arrogant, so she didn¡¯t say much. He only said slowly, ¡°I heard that Miss Monia has reached a cooperation with the Kilos City Copley family. She is really capable and does her be in the mall. Congrattions.¡± Listening to thesepliments, Monia looked more and more confiden ¡°It¡¯s just a Copley family, it''s nothing.¡± After all,pared to the Copley family, the one she wanted to cooperate with the most was the famous Kingsley Group. If we board the Kingsley Group ship, the Balorant family will soar as quickly as possible. But with Valentin¡¯s rtionship with Ashley, he would only suppress the acquisition of Balorant for Ashley¡¯s sake. How could he be willing to cooperate? Monia held a breath in her chest and negotiated in a stiff tone: ¡°Cooperating with the Copley family is nothing. If we can cooperate with 1/5 Mr. Karman, it will be a good thing.¡± ¡°Mr. Karman, our Balorant family has offered you generous terms, but you have never agreed to cooperate with us. Don¡¯t you want to cooperate with the Pliskin family?¡± ¡°I''d like to remind you that it¡¯s better to look more clearly, so as not to stumble in time.¡± When Karman heard this, his old sharp eyes narrowed slightly, and he asked alertly. ¡°Monia, what do you mean?¡± Monia smiled slightly and said nothing, but there was a glint in her Because this week is thest glorious moment for the Pliskin family. Wait until a weekter, the Pliskin family¡¯s stock price will inevitably plummet. The entire Pliskin family... will also irreversibly decline and be destroyed... eyes. Monia stirred the coffee with a silver spoon gracefully and asked with interest, ¡°Mr. Karman, do you really not agree to sell your ¡®Roselle¡¯ jewelry to me? | am willing to pay ten times the price.¡± Karman shrugged apologetically, ¡°Monia, ¡®Roselle¡¯ is the work | have put the most effort into. If you can¡¯t wear it, | can¡¯t sell it to you. Moreove have given ¡®Roselle¡¯ to someone for free.¡± 103 Monia was shocked when she heard this and frowned, ¡°Gift it to son for free? Who?¡± She would rather pay ten times the price, but Karman would not sell Now you are giving it to someone for free? Who could be so favored by Karman? Who could possibly be worthy of ¡®Roselle¡¯? Thinking of that person, Karman¡¯s eyes were filled with admiration, and he smiled and shook his head: ¡°Sorry, | can¡¯t reveal it yet. So Monia, | will hold a jewelry dinner in the near future and invite you to attend.¡± He decided, at a star-studded jewelry dinner. 10:01 Not only did he want his muse Ashley to attend the dinner wearing ¡®Roselle¡¯. At the same time, he also announced that he agreed to cooperate with the Pliskin family. In this way, Monia will never pester him again.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Monia, who was opposite, was stunned for a moment when she heard Karman invited her to attend the jewelry dinner, and then she was pleasantly surprised. Very good! Karman even took the initiative to invite her to attend the dinner. It can be seen that he is very likely to agree to cooperate with the Balorant family! Immediately, Monia responded confidently, ¡°Okay, | will attend as promised!¡± The only pity is that she originally wanted to wear ¡®Roselle¡¯ to cooperate with Karman. Now ¡®Roselle¡¯ was given to someone for free by Karman. | really don¡¯t know who it was given to. Who could possibly be worthy of ¡®Roselle¡¯? However, it is a happy event to reach a cooperation with Karman Karman is the world¡¯s top jewelry designer. The jewelry he designs not only purchased by many celebrities, but also worn by many do and foreign actresses when they walk on the red carpet. Therefore, after the news of holding a jewelry dinner came out, many reporters andizens paid attention. Especially when the list of guests attending the dinner came out,izen became even more excited. Not only will there be many rich and famousdies like A Jin, but also some group presidents and business elites who rarely show up, as well as many popr celebrities will also attend, gathering almost half of the big boss circle. 10:011 It can be seen that the scale of this jewelry dinner is huge. When Monia saw Ashley on the guest list, she couldn¡¯t help but narrowed her eyes. Why did that woman also attend the jewelry dinner? Did Karman take the initiative to invite her? wrong. | didn¡¯t hear that Karman had any interaction with that woman. They didn¡¯t even know each other, so there was no reason for Karman to take the initiative to invite her. It seems that Ashley attended the jewelry dinner on behalf of the Pliskin family and wanted to take the opportunity to negotiate a cooperation with Karman. Not long after the Pliskin family¡¯s youngest daughter was found, she negotiated a long-awaited cooperation for the Pliskin family. If word spread, she will definitely receive great praise. It''s a pity that Monia sneered and snatched the cooperation with Karman. Monia hummed happily and posted a LiveMe update on Zyrrinthia¡¯s social tform. Because Monia has always been very high-profile, and her Live registration was also highly publicized, so her LiveMe post was immediately seen by manyizens. [?? Monia? Didn¡¯t she lose to Ashley in a bet at the shooting rang run away in disgrace? Who wants to watch the rogue LiveMe? Do watch it! ] [Wait a minute, she is also invited to the jewelry dinner!] Some interestedizens looked over and saw the content of Monia¡¯s LiveMe: [I''m very happy that Mr. Karman has taken the initiative to invite me to attend tomorrow¡¯s jewelry dinner. | will be wearing Karman¡¯s painstakin work ¡®Star and Moon¡¯) Manyizens who paid attention to jewelry became excited instantly. You know, ¡®Star and Moon¡¯ is Karman¡¯s second most valuable jewelry 10:01 Chapter 404 design, second only to ¡®Roselle¡¯ in terms of stunningness and price. Help, Star and Moon is super beautiful, and the price is super expensive! There is no replica, there is only one set in the world! Monia is actually the owner of Star and Moon?] Damn, she is indeed a nobledy. She can buy whatever jewelry she wants. | am so envious. ] ¡®To be honest, Master Karman has been unwilling to sell ¡®Roselle. Now that Monia appears wearing the second star and moon, who else can hold her limelight?] Speaking of which, Ashley is also attending the jewelry dinner tomorrow. What jewelry is she wearing?] | don¡¯t know, Ashley is very low-key recently and doesn¡¯t speak online, but no matter what she wears, it can¡¯tpare to Monia¡¯s Star and Moon. There is no way, Ashley cannot have ¡®Roselle, how can she bepared to Star and Moon who is ranked second? ] | heard that the Balorant family has always wanted to cooperate with Karman. Monia probably attended the jewelry dinner this time to discuss cooperation. Monia also reached a cooperation with the Copley family of Kilos City before. She is really very capable in business, a females!] Many people have forgotten about Monia¡¯s past gambling and d the shooting range, and once again praise her as a nobledy. There was even a hot search, #Monia has be the envy of m girls# Under the heated discussion amongizens, the day of the jewelr dinner quickly arrived. tat Chapter 405 Chapter 405 The entire dinner venue was decorated with stars and full of atmosphere. The red carpet at the entrance to the venue was already crowded with reporters on both sides, and behind it was arge group of fans holding lighted signs to cheer. The first to enter were several popr female celebrities, wearing luxurious evening gowns and dazzling jewelry, and walked onto the red carpet under the guidance of the staff. Reporters on both sides of the red carpet held up their cameras and clicked the shutter quickly, shes shing continuously. As celebrities step onto the red carpet one after another. The fans¡¯ shouts were almost deafening. ¡°Look, look, Miranda is here! Miranda is so beautiful tonight!¡± ¡°Hahaha, Miranda is wearing Glory Youveile¡¯s dress again! She really likes Attelia! By the way, Miranda is here, but Ashley hasn''t appeared yet?¡± ¡°The order of appearance should be arranged by the organizer, right?¡± ¡°Wow, that ne Leah is wearing is so beautiful! Sapphire, so luxurious!¡± ¡°It''s a pity. That set of sapphire jewelry is too expensive, and Leah can¡¯t bear it.¡± As the stars walked down the red carpet, some rich and famousdies A Jin came next, but many reporters and audiences were waiting for Monia¡¯s appearance. Some reporters who were ustomed to big scenes couldn''t help scratching their heads and discussing in a low voice. ¡°Generally speaking, the higher the status, theter the appearance. Based on the status of the nobledy Monia, she will probably appear in the finale!¡± ¡°I''m so curious, | really want to see what Monia looks like wearing the stars and moon.¡± ¡°Star and Moon is the most expensive set of jewelry at this jewelry 10:01 dinner. Who doesn''t look forward to it? Who doesn¡¯t want to see it?¡± ¡°By the way, what jewelry does Ashley wear? Why is no one discussing it?¡± ¡°No one is talking about it, it¡¯s probably just ordinary jewelry! Think about it, ¡®Roselle is not for sale, Star and Moon was worn by Monia again, tonight, Ashley is destined to be crushed by Monia!¡± Amid everyone''s discussion, a ck car stopped at the end of the red carpet. The reporters immediately raised their cameras to take pictures. The car door opened, and Monia, wearing a starry dress, got out of the back seat. The color of the dress is dark blue, like the night sky when the sun has just set. The dress is dotted with tiny diamonds, which reflect the bright light as you move. Monia¡¯s thick blond hair is spread down, and her star-shaped earlobes have a few thin tassels hanging around her ears. She wears a diamond ne on her slender neck. At the position of her corbone, the diamond moon echoes the stars., very bright. Monia still has a certain degree of confidence in her appearance. She walked on the red carpet, smiled and waved, showing off her beauty under the spotlight. Everyone around couldn¡¯t help but praise him. ¡°So beautiful! As expected of the jewelry designed by Master Karman, so beautiful!¡± ¡°Monia perfectly interprets the style of this set of stars and moon!¡± ¡°| suddenly felt that ¡®Roselle¡¯ should be sold to Monia and let her try it o She must be worthy of ¡®Roselle¡¯!¡± ¡°Agree! Master Karman, let Monia wear ¡®Roselle, she and ¡®Roselle¡¯ will definitely match!¡± Monia herself is an aristocraticdy, and she is very familiar with asions like the red carpet, and she walked down the red carpet with ease. As soon as he got off the red carpet, a group of reporters rushed over to interview him. 10:01 ¡°Monia, | heard that you are attending the jewelry dinner tonight. Actually, you want to discuss cooperation with Master Karman?¡± ¡°Monia, you previously reached a cooperation with the Copley family on behalf of the Balorant family. Is this true?¡± Monia stood there with a noble posture, looking at the camera and talking: ¡°Yes, Balorant family has signed a contract with Copley family and reached cooperation. Zyrrinthia is a huge market. | hope to take this opportunity to create new value in Zyrrinthia.¡± ¡°There is also tonight¡¯s jewelry dinner. Indeed, our Balorant family has always wanted to cooperate with Karman, but the Pliskin family also wants to cooperate with Karman, and | am here tonight just to cooperate with Karman, to cooperate with the Pliskin familypete.¡± Next, the reporter asked a few more questions. At this time, after listening to Monia¡¯s answer, the eyes of the audience were full of admiration. ¡°It''s amazing, so heroic!¡± ¡°As expected of a nobledy raised since childhood, she is beautiful and has strong business skills. She is really different from the kind of per who recognizes her halfway. No wonder so many people liked her before!¡±All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. ¡°Although Monia was cheating on her bets before, she has been ver quiet recently and hasn¡¯t acted like a monster. She probably knows t she was wrong, and she can correct her mistakes after she realizes th That¡¯s good!¡± Listening to thepliments from everyone around her, Monia¡¯s vani was greatly satisfied. This is what she should look like as the eldestdy of the Balorant family Wherever she goes, she shines brightly and is superior to others, and is always ttered by others. Monia raised her chin proudly, with a proud look in her eyes, and raised her hand to touch the tassel earrings. This set of ¡®Star and Moon¡¯ jewelry made her very satisfied tonight. Monia picked up her skirt and prepared to walk into the banquet hall. Karman should already be in the hall at this time. At this moment, a burst of exmation suddenly came from the crowd behind him. ¡°Ah, it seems Ashley is here!¡± 10:011 Chapter 406 nam Hearing someone in the crowd shouting Ashley¡¯s name, Monia stopped and looked back. Ashley, of course she¡¯s interested. She wanted to see what jewelry Ashley would wear to attend the jewelry dinner tonight. It''s a pity that no matter what Ashley wears, it can¡¯t outweigh the ¡®stars and moons¡¯ she wears. With such a good opportunity, of course she wanted to see with her own eyes how Ashley was defeated by her. So Monia was not in a hurry to enter the banquet hall, and waited there in a rather proud mood. But when | looked up, it was not Ashley who appeared at the end of the red carpet, but Karman. Karman was dressed very grandly tonight, wearing a retro British suit and a simple and valuable pocket watch on his chest. His gray hair was meticulouslybed back, looking gentlemanly and elegant. Seeing Karman¡¯s figure, the surrounding reporters immediately took pictures. ¡°It''s Master Karman! Is he going to walk on the red carpet too?¡± ¡°It stands to reason that no. This jewelry dinner was hosted by Karman. | thought he was already in the banquet hall.¡± ¡°Speaking of which, Monia just now was personally invited by Master Karman to attend today¡¯s dinner. It seems that Master Karman values. Monia very much!¡± The reporters¡¯ cameras kept filming Karman. Anyone who knows the fashion industry knows that Karman¡¯s status in the jewelry design world is very high and no one can shake it. Stars or movie stars from any country are proud to take photos with Karman. It can be seen that Karman¡¯s status in the fashion industry is very high. How high. reporter wondered, ¡°It¡¯s strange, Master Karman doesn¡¯t seem to be 09:10 walking on the red carpet, but like he¡¯s waiting for someone... Hey, who are you waiting for? Are there any distinguished guests that Master Karman needs to wait for in person?¡± Just when everyone was confused, a low-key and luxurious ck car slowly parked over. Then, everyone saw Karman, the top design master who had an extremely high status and was admired by countless wealthy and golden stars and movie queens, walking towards the ck car with a smile on his face. Probably people are in high spirits during happy events. Although Karman is old, he is in high spirits. Walking to the car enthusiastically, Karman opened the door for the people inside with a smile on his face as if he had been waiting for it for a long time. Seeing this scene, everyone at the scene was stunned and dumbfounded. I go! Who is in the car? Master Karman, who is so famous, can stand by the red carpet waiting like a waiter, and go and pull the car door in person! What kind of distinguished guest is this? Even Monia, who was waiting to watch the show, was used to the luxurious dinners held by the upper ss, and could not help but open her mouth in surprise at this moment. Who can make Karman do this.... All the reporters at the scene raised their cameras and pointed them at the people who were about to get off the car, and even held their breath nervously. After the car door was opened by Karman, first a slender hand as white ast ze stretched out from the car and gently ced it on Karman¡¯s palm. Immediately afterwards, a crystal high-heeled shoe studded with diamonds stepped out of the car. The ankle was white and boney, and above it was a fair and slender calf that could attract everyone¡¯s attention... 2/5 09:101 Chapter 406 When the woman bent down and got out of the car, she wore a light and elegant white gauze dress that was filled with fairy spirit, instantly stunning everyone¡¯s attention. The material of this dress is very special. The outeryer is covered with ayer of fine quality gauze, which is as smooth as flowing clouds and as ethereal as soft smoke. The swaying skirt of the gauze is embroidered with ancient and fairy-like patterns using silver thread. As the woman moves, those fairy-like patterns appear and disappear, like light clouds enveloping the moon; floating and erratic, like the flowing wind returning to the snow... The strapless design of the dress exposed the woman¡¯s fair and slender neck, and immediately afterwards, the woman¡¯s stunning face broke into everyone¡¯s sight. It''s...Ashley!!! All the reporters at the scene and the fans crowded on both sides of the red carpet suddenly became eerily quiet, staring nkly at the unparalleled woman at the end of the red carpet who was more dazzling than the stars. The whole ce was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. It took more than thirty seconds for some experienced reporters to wake up from their dreams and be the first to recover from their surprise. ¡°A...Ashley! Oh my god, so beautiful!¡± ¡°It''s ¡®Windy¡¯! Ashley¡¯s dress is ¡®Windy¡¯ that she designed herself! So fairy and beautiful! The goddess has arrived!¡± ¡°So, the distinguished guest who asked Master Karman to wait in person. and open the door himself...is Ashley?!¡± ¡°It''s crazy. Karman is so enthusiastic about Ashley... When he looked at Ashley, his smile never went away, and his face was full of smiles...¡± ¡°Nima, just now | thought that Karman personally invited Monia to attend the dinner and valued Monia very much. Now it seems that that was nothing but treating Ashley seriously! He waited in person and took the initiative to open the car door. He was simply treating her like a queen. Come on, no one will believe this terrifying noble treatment!¡± 09:10 ¡°Wait a minute, wait a minute, look at what Ashley is wearing around her neck!¡± Suddenly someone in the crowd shouted, and everyone¡¯s eyes immediately turned to Ashley¡¯s neck. The next second, when they saw the jewelry Ashley was wearing, there was a gasp of air. | saw Ashley¡¯s slender neck as white asjade, wearing a diamond ne with an extremely unique shape. This diamond ne does not have that precious and cumbersome feeling. Instead, it has a unique and fairy-like beauty. The shape of the main diamond seems to be like a striking figure, or a flying fairy from heaven. Not only the ne, but also a bracelet from the same series on Ashley¡¯s wrist, dotted with 27 clear and bright blue diamonds. There is only one piece of this set of jewelry in the world, and it is so stunning that it can capture your heart at a nce. However, Ashley¡¯s appearance today was so stunning that no one at the scene could catch this set of jewelry for the first time. Just taking a nce at it, someone immediately recognized it, it was ¡®Roselle¡¯! The set of jewelry Ashley is wearing is Master Karman¡¯s ¡®Roselle¡¯! ¡°Damn it! It¡¯s really Roselle! Didn¡¯t Master Karman say he won¡¯t sell it? Why is he wearing it on Ashley?¡± ¡°But | have to say, ¡®Roselle¡¯ goes well with Ashley! Ashley is already beautiful, and today she is wearing a ¡®Windy¡¯ dress, which really matches this ¡®Roselle¡¯!¡± ¡°This level ofpatibility is like... ¡®Roselle¡¯ was born to belong to Ashley!¡± ¡°Just now | thought | could let Monia try wearing ¡®Roselle¡¯, and it felt like it would match well. But now that | see Ashley, | know that this is the best match! ¡®Roselle¡¯ was born for Ashley!¡±This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. The reporters frantically held up their cameras to capture Ashley¡¯s every move with enthusiasm, and the praises came one after another. 475 09:10 Chapter 406 At this moment, Monia, who was not far away, was holding her dress tightly with both hands, her eyes fixed on Ashley on the red carpet, and she used all her strength to suppress the anger in her heart. Roselle... That woman was wearing Roselle... Karman said that he gave Roselle to someone for free, but it was actually given to Ashley... Not only did he give it away for free, he also enthusiastically acted as a waiter and personally opened the car door for Ashley... How is this possible! She should be the one to enjoy such noble treatment! Monia¡¯s hands held out the folds of her expensive dress, but the anger in her chest still hadn¡¯t been vented. | originally wanted to watch Ashley beingpared with her. Unexpectedly, the one beingpared was herself! Chapter 407 When Ashley was walking on the red carpet, Karman was waiting for her with a smile on his face, his eyes full of admiration and praise for Ashley. As soon as Ashley walked down the red carpet, all the reporters rushed over to interview her. Reporter, ¡°Ashley, you made a stunning appearance today wearing the ¡®Windy¡¯ designed by yourself and the ¡®Roselle¡¯ by Master Karman. You are really beautiful!¡± Ashley smiled generously, ¡°Thank you¡± Reporter, ¡°Do you have anything to say about Master Karman personally opening the car door for you?¡± Ashley¡¯s eyebrows were lively and charming, ¡°I¡¯m honored, and I¡¯m very grateful to Mr. Karman for his appreciation.¡± Karman on the side smiled and said, ¡°It is an honor for me to invite Ashley to attend tonight''s jewelry dinner. Moreover, it is my fantasy to stand next to the star-studded red carpet and open the car door for my muse. It¡¯s a long-awaited scene, I¡¯m very happy to do it!¡± These words are a blockbuster! The reporters looked at each other. It turned out that Ashley was also invited to the dinner by Karman. What''s even more incredible is that Master Karman has actually been rehearsing in his mind for a long time and has long wanted to treat Ashley with such dignity! And, the muse... What does this mean? Areporter couldn¡¯t help but asked, ¡°Master Karman, your ¡®Roselle¡¯ series. of jewelry has never been sold to the public. Why did you agree to sell it to Ashley now?¡± Karman shook his head and corrected ¡°It is not sold to Ashley, but | am willing to give it to her for free. | want to witness her wearing ¡®Roselle¡¯ with my own eyes.¡± 115 09:101 These words even stirred up the A-level waves with one stone. The reporters¡¯ eyes widened in shock, with bewildered expressions on their faces, ¡°Master Karman, are you saying that you gave ¡®Roselle¡¯ to Ashley for free?¡± Karman smiled and nodded, ¡°Yes.¡± Reporters:!!! crazy! Completely crazy! You know, how manydies from wealthy families want to buy ¡®Roselle¡¯ at a high price, but they are all turned away by Karman! Even Monia, the eldestdy of the Balorant family, one of the four major financial groups, has offered high prices many times, but was still rejected mercilessly by Karman! Now, it¡¯s given to Ashley for free! How can this not be shocking! The reporter swallowed in shock and asked in disbelief, ¡°Master Karman, as far as | know, this set of ¡®Roselle¡¯ is the only one in the world and sells for well over 20 million dors. Why did you choose to give it to Ashley for free??¡± Karman smiled enigmatically, ¡°Everyone, the dinner has begun. Please move to the banquet hall. Of course, | will answer your questionster.¡± After all, Karman¡¯s status is very high, so even if reporters are curious, they have to suppress it first. Karman looked at Ashley with a smile and extended his hand to invite, ¡°Ashley,e this way, | will take you to the banquet hall.¡± Ashley smiled, ¡°Okay.¡± Seeing Karman¡¯s attitude towards Ashley, showing appreciation and respect in every aspect, the reporters at the scene were filled with emotion. Generally speaking, the higher the status, theter the time to walk on the red carpet, otherwise why would there be the term ¡°final appearance¡±. Now that Ashley is thest one to walk on the red carpet, it means that ording to Karman¡¯s arrangement, she is the most distinguished guest 09:10 ¡ª Chapter 407This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. at this banquet. Thinking of the series of extraordinary treatment Karman gave Ashley just now, maybe this jewelry dinner was held just for Ashley. | just saw Monia wearing the ¡®Star and Moon¡¯ on the stage, and | swore that Ashley would be beaten by Monia today. Now that we know it, who can steal Ashley¡¯s limelight? The person who can surpass Ashley in appearance and temperament is probably not born yet. All the reporters followed him to the banquet hall. In the banquet hall, guests gathered in fragrant clothes and hair. ¡°Ashley!¡± As soon as Miranda saw Ashleying, she ran over with a smile on her face, ¡°You are so beautiful today! ¡®Roselle¡¯ goes well with you!¡± There was arge screen in the banquet hall, and what happened on the red carpet outside was broadcast in real time. So everyone in the banquet hall already knew that Karman gave ¡®Roselle¡¯ to Ashley for free. | was shocked and very curious at the same time. Why did Master Karman give ¡®Roselle to Ashley for free? ¡°Thank you.¡± Ashley hugged Miranda, her smile as charming as a bright flower, ¡°You look beautiful today too.¡± Miranda smiled shyly and pulled Ashley to talk. Before she even said a few words, people came over to say hello to Ashley from time to time. There are not only male and female stars in the entertainment industry, but also powerful movie kings and movie queens, as well as A Jin, the son of a wealthy family in Kilos City, and presidents and managers of various grouppanies. Some people want to strike up a conversation with Ashley the Pliskin because of her status as the eldest daughter of the Pliskin family. 3/5 09:10 Chapter 407 More people admire Ashley¡¯s ability. Sometimes someone asks her about racing, and sometimes someone asks her about composing. It¡¯s like a fan seeing their idol, their eyes filled with admiration. Within a few minutes, Ashley was surrounded by arge group of people, all of whom were prominent figures from various circles of upper ss society. The reporters in the venue were filled with emotion when they saw this scene. With Ashley¡¯s terrifying status and connections, as soon as she walked into the banquet hall, most of the people in the banquet hall gathered. around her to say hello. Not far away, Monia picked up a ss of champagne from the dinner. te in the hands of the passing waiter, but her eyes were fixed on Ashley who was surrounded by the crowd. She watched her being osted by the crowd and took a big sip of the champagne in the ss. Monia was holding her breath since just now. In all the banquets she had attended in the past, she was the one who shone the most and attracted the most attention. She was the focus of the crowd. However, tonight, the focus waspletely stolen by that woman. Sure enough, the Pliskin family is indeed the mortal enemy of the Balorant family. As long as the Pliskin family is around, she feels like an eyesore! Suddenly, someone greeted her from behind. ¡°Miss Monia.¡± When Monia heard this, she thought someone wasing to strike up a conversation with her. She raised her chest and raised her head noblely, and turned around to look back as if she was giving a gift. When he saw the personing, he frowned in disappointment. It''s actually Max Copley. The first step for Balorant family to enter the Zyrrinthia market is to reach a cooperation with Copley family of Kilos City. 475 09:10 And this Max Copley is the young master of the Copley family. But the Copley family can only be regarded as second-rate among the wealthy families in Kilos City. Watching the second-rate Max Copley greeting her, and then looking at the group of respectable people next to Ashley, the annoyance in Monia¡¯s eyes became even more obvious. ¡°Monia, you look beautiful tonight.¡± Max Copley held a ss of champagne and spoke to Monia politely. After all, Monia had just reached a cooperation with the Copley family, so he naturally had to be polite. ¡°| hope our two families can cooperate happily in the future.¡± Max Copley raised his ss to Monia. Monia clinked sses with him in low spirits, her eyes already looking at Karman in the distance. She figured out a way to suppress Ashley! Monia could tell that Ashley was not just attending the jewelry dinner tonight. It must be to promote the cooperation between the Pliskin family and the jewelry design master Karman. As long as she draws Karman over and makes Karman agree to cooperate with the Balorant family, then the Pliskin family¡¯s cooperation with Karman will fail. Wouldn''t it be a blow to Ashley and the Pliskin family? Monia had a proud smile on her lips, turned around and walked towards Karman. Chapter 408 Chapter 408 ¡°Mr. Karman.¡± Monia walked up to Karman with champagne in her hand, and a smile that she was sure to win broke out on her face: ¡°We at Balorant Family are very much looking forward to cooperating with you. We have extended an olive branch to you many times over the years. However, you have been hesitant. Maybe the conditions we offered are not enough.¡± ¡°Okay, today, on behalf of the Balorant family, based on our original negotiations, | will inject an additional US$1 billion in capital to you. What do you think?¡± Monia has always been high-profile and spoke in a loud voice. As soon as she said these words, many guests around her heard her and were dumbfounded in surprise. Damn it, an additional billion dors! One billion! Dors! Such a big deal!! When she was interviewed by reporters on the red carpet before, Monia stated that she attended the jewelry dinner tonight just because she wanted to discuss cooperation with Karman. Now it seems that she really tried her best. The noisy banquet hall suddenly became a little quieter, and some people looked at Ashley who was not far away. No one here knows that the Pliskin family also wants to cooperate with Karman. Now Ashley and Monia are both here, representing the Pliskin family and Balorant family respectively. In the end, who Karman is willing to choose to cooperate with, and who will win between the Pliskin family and the Balorant family, probably depends on who is more powerful, Ashley or Monia. In the corner, there were several wealthy young men whispering: ¡°Tsk, one billion US dors, this Monia is really generous. It seems that 119 09:10 she is determined to cooperate with Master Karman!¡± ¡°You can add another billion dors at will by making your own decisions, which shows that this money is a piece of cake for the Balorant family!¡± ¡°From this point of view, the Pliskin family, as the leader of the four major consortiums, must easily have one billion US dors. If there ispetition, wouldn''t Ashley provide two billion US dors?¡± ¡°No, no, no, Ashley is a little daughter who has just been found by the Pliskin family. How can she be such a big boss for the Pliskin family?¡± ¡°| think so. Ashley is in trouble today! How can she be so courageous? There is no way she canpare with Monia!¡± Many people¡¯s eyes were on Karman, wondering if he would be so tempted by Monia¡¯s $1 billion and even decide to cooperate with the Balorant family on the sp spot. However, when Karman heard Monia¡¯s words, he felt calm. He was about to go find Ashley, but as soon as he turned around, he was blocked by Monia, who came to him again to discuss cooperation. It was really annoying. Karman rubbed his forehead tiredly, and said coldly ¡°Wait a minute¡± to Monia¡¯s one billion dors, and then turned around to find Ashley with great enthusiasm. Guests around:??? Monia was so angry that her face was blue, what happened to this Karman? He''s not satisfied even with a billion dors? And ran to find that Ashley. Ashley grew up living in the countryside. Has she ever seen such money as one billion US dors? Can you offer him such bold terms? Monia chased after him unwillingly. Walking up to Ashley and Karman, Monia spoke again: ¡°Mr. Karman, you don¡¯t seem to have heard my conditions clearly. | am. willing to inject an additional US$ billion in capital for you. | hope you 09:10 can agree to cooperate with the Balorant family.¡± After Monia finished speaking, she looked at Ashley with arrogant eyes and pretended to be generous: ¡°Ms. Pliskin, | know that the Pliskin family also wants to cooperate with Mr. Karman. Let''s not beat around the bush andpete directly. You might as well tell us that you are willing to represent the Pliskin family to Mr. Karman. What kind of generous conditions are you offering?¡± Ashley nced at her with indifferent eyes, and her tone was casual as usual, ¡°The Pliskin family has not added anyone, it''s the same as before.¡± Monia¡¯s expression overflowed with disdain when she heard this. What a fool. Thepetition is so fierce that we are not even willing to raise additional funds! The faces of the young gentlemen in the corner all showed such expressions: ¡°Look, I¡¯m just saying Ashley doesn¡¯t have that much courage. She¡¯s not qualified to make decisions on behalf of the Pliskin family!¡± ¡°You still have the final say. | guess Ashley has been frightened by Monia¡¯s one billion dors! She has never heard of such a huge amount of money before, right?¡± ¡°| bet that Karman will definitely choose to cooperate with Monia in the end! He is not stupid, he will definitely choose the one with more money!¡± ¡°s, the Pliskin family lost like this! Ashley is beautiful, but she can¡¯t bear the responsibility of the eldest daughter of the Pliskin family. In terms of shopping ability, she is really not as good as Monia!¡± While everyone was whispering, Monia looked at Karman with increased confidence. ¡°Mr. Karman, now you should know who is the partner you should choose most, right?¡± Karman first nced at Ashley, then at Monia, and nodded slowly, ¡°Of course | know, | know it myself.¡± 3/9 09:10 When Monia heard this, she felt even more confident about winning. She added an additional billion dors, but Ashley said nothing. Comparing the two, any fool knows which one to choose! Now in Karman¡¯s heart, he is definitely leaning towards her! Monia took a sip of champagne proudly, looked at Ashley like a charity, and raised her chin: ¡°Ms. Pliskin, | would like to remind you that negotiations in the mall have always been about you and me. Are you really not considering adding additional conditions to Mr. Karman?¡± Ashley looked at her slowly and raised her eyebrows faintly, ¡°I won¡¯t consider it.¡± Hearing this answer, the contempt and disdain in Monia¡¯s eyes clearly overflowed. What a brainless idiot, he didn¡¯t know how to seize the opportunity given to her. Fortunately, y, she had been wary of Ashley before and treated her as a strong rival, but she didn¡¯t expect that she could snatch the cooperation from Karman so easily. That¡¯s good, it saves her the effort. The other guests in the banquet hall couldn¡¯t help but whisper to each other when they saw this scene, and their voices became anxious. ¡°| really can¡¯t stand it anymore. What''s going on with Ashley! Monia kindly reminded her, but she¡¯s still stuck in her ways! She deserves to lose this cooperation!¡± ¡°You just have beauty, no brains, and you know nothing about negotiation!¡± The most important thing for these wealthy families in Kilos City is the cultivation of their offspring. Only when their offspring are well nurtured can the family¡¯s foundation be prosperous and will not decline. Now seeing theparison between Ashley and Monia, those people were filled with emotion. ¡°| have learned a lot. After all, Monia is an aristocraticdy who has 09:10 received elite education since she was a child. Ashley, who found her halfway, is iparable! Monia knows how to fight for the interests of the family and is enterprising. She is really a sassy and strong woman.¡± ¡°A person like Ashley can¡¯t bring much benefit to the family, and she might even destroy the Pliskin family in the future!¡± ¡°Actually, Karman is willing to give ¡®Roselle¡¯ to Ashley for free, which shows that he likes Ashley very much. It was quite possible to cooperate with the Pliskin family, but it turns out that Ashley has no vision and just doesn¡¯t invest more. Even the gods can¡¯t save the fool. !¡± ¡°| guess Karman must have admired Ashley so much because of the Pliskin family. If Ashley was not from the Pliskin family, Karman would never even look at her!¡± ¡°Tsk, if the Pliskin family loses this cooperation, all the responsibility lies with Ashley, the daughter they found halfway!¡± Listening to these whispered remarks, the smug look on Monia¡¯s face became more and more obvious. The jewelry dinner tonight was worth it. She finally stepped on Ashley¡¯s feet! This is the most rxing thing! Thest time she made a bet at the shooting range, she had been holding back a bad breath in her heart, and today she finally let go of her bad breath! Monia was filled with vanity as she listened to everyone¡¯s ttery andpliments. Karman on the side suddenly turned cold and said, ¡°Please be quiet!¡± Although he said ¡°please¡±, his voice was obviously filled with anger. Everyone in the banquet hall rarely saw Karman getting angry in public. They immediately fell silent and were surprised. Why did Karman suddenly get angry? For whom are you angry? In the silence, Karman looked at Ashley nervously, wondering if she heard the chatter and whether she was angry. 5/9 09:101 It turned out that Ashley looked calm and arrogant throughout the whole process. The woman is wearing the fairy-like ¡®Windy¡¯ and the stunning ¡®Roselle. It was as if she was born to be a god in the clouds, and the dust and mud on the ground could not even touch the corners of her clothes. Karman was shocked, and his admiration for Ashley grew to a higher level. Immediately he said to everyone in the banquet hall, ¡°Whether to cooperate with the Pliskin family or the Balorant family, | have already made a decision in my heart! | also want to take advantage of today¡¯s jewelry dinner to announce it in public!¡± Hearing this, everyone pricked up their ears nervously. Monia, on the other hand, looked leisurely and proud, and spoke confidently, ¡°In that case, Mr. Karman, please make the announcement.¡± After saying that, he secretly gave Ashley a provocative look. She added another billion dors, but Ashley was so petty that she refused to add anything. It''s obvious who Karman will choose in the end. Monia¡¯s eyes were slightly fierce. The Balorant family and the Pliskin family have beenpeting for so many years, and today, the winner was finally decided in her hands! This also means that in this contest, she suppressed Ashley! The Balorant family suppressed the Pliskin family! Ashley, on the other hand, remained calm and didn¡¯t say much from beginning to end. Just when everyone was curious, Karman finally spoke, and his voice came to everyone¡¯s ears clearly: ¡°Today, please give me a testimony. | have already decided to cooperate with the Pliskin family! In the future, | will work hand in hand with the Pliskin family to achieve win-win cooperation and create more possibilities for jewelry and fashion!¡± As Karman¡¯s powerful words fell, the entire banquet hall suddenly fell 6/9 09:10 into silence. was Monia feeling proud and ready to hug Karman to celebrate the cooperation. After hearing Karman¡¯s deration, the expression on his face suddenly froze and became extremely funny for a moment, as he looked at Karman and Ashley in disbelief. What...what! Karman chose to cooperate with the Pliskin family! what happened! One of the young men around him stared in confusion, his voice rising in surprise, ¡°Mr. Karman, you just said you were cooperating with the Pliskin family? You...you said it right? Why is that!¡± Everyone else looked at Karman in disbelief. Obviously the conditions are better when opened by Monia! Karman looked at Ashley beside him with a smile and said, ¡°Everyone was very curious just now as to why | gave ¡®Roselle¡¯ to Ashley for free.¡± ¡°Now | can tell you why. The design inspiration of ¡®Roselle¡¯es from Attelia¡¯s ¡®Windy¡¯ dress.¡± ¡°Without Attelia, there would be no ¡®Roselle¡¯ today.¡± ¡°Even though Attelia had not yet appeared in public at that time, her design, her ¡®Windy, inspired me a lot and inspired my peak inspiratio ¡®Roselle¡¯, which is loved by the world, was born. .¡± ¡°It is no exaggeration to say that Attelia is my muse!¡± When the reporters at the scene heard this, they finally understood! No wonder in the interview just now, Karman said that he had been fantasizing in his mind for a long time, standing by the red carpet and opening the car door for his muse. It turned out to be this! Facing everyone¡¯s shocked looks, Karman continued, ¡°Today¡¯s jewelry dinner, | asked Ashley to attend wearing ¡®Roselle¡¯ because | wanted to see with my own eyes what ¡®Roselle¡¯ looked like on her body.¡± Areporter in the crowd suddenly realized, ¡°No wonder ¡®Roselle¡¯ and 09:10 Ashley are so matched. It¡¯s like they were born for Ashley! That¡¯s it!¡±Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. ¡°So, Ashley specially wore a ¡®Windy¡¯ dress because she wanted to make Master Karman¡¯s dreame true!¡± Karman nodded and looked at Ashley with gratitude, ¡°Ashley, thank you.¡± Ashley smiled, ¡°You are too polite.¡± Karman smiled and continued to say to everyone: ¡°Over the years, the Pliskin family and the Balorant family have wanted to cooperate with me. Although Monia¡¯s offer is very generous, | think you can understand me.¡± ¡°After | found out that Attelia was Ashley, the lost eldest daughter of the Pliskin-family, | had only one thought in my mind. No matter how good the conditions Monia gave me, | just wanted to cooperate with the Pliskin family. Yes, it was because Ashley was here the Pliskin family!¡± Everyone was even more shocked when they heard this than before. what the hell! Ashley¡¯s position in Karman¡¯s heart is so important! For Ashley, | don¡¯t even care about a billion dors! ¡°Ashamed, ashamed. | just thought that Master Karman admired Ashley so much because of the Pliskin family¡¯s face. Now | know that it¡¯s quite the opposite! Karman looked at the Pliskin family differently because of Ashley''s face. Songkou cooperates with the Pliskin family!¡± ¡°So, the Pliskin family has been talking about a cooperation that has not. been concluded for many years, and now it is easily done because of Ashley?!¡± ¡°To have such an amazing little daughter, the Pliskin family was really lucky in theirst life!¡± ¡°Who just said that Ashley can¡¯t bring benefits to the Pliskin family and will ruin the family business? Is it a p in the face?¡± ¡°No wonder Ashley was so calm throughout the whole process and didn¡¯t add any additional conditions once... The co-author has already negotiated a cooperation! Moniapletely lost this time!¡± ¡°In fact, in the long run, it will definitely be more beneficial for Karman 8/9 09:10 to cooperate with the Pliskin family. The Balorant family has declined. The Pliskin family is now the leader of the four major consortiums. It will only develop better and better in the future, leaving Balorant further and further away...¡± At this time, Monia clenched her back mrs angrily as she listened to these harsh words. The eyes looking at Ashley were full of furious resentment. | really didn¡¯t expect that she and Karman still have this kind of rtionship. So Karman came to Zyrrinthia Kilos City specifically to visit Ashley? Fortunately, she still thought smugly that Karman was here to find her! Monia¡¯s narcissism was exposed, and the anger in her heart almost turned into a fierce me, burning Ashley to the bone. Hello Ashley... Just wait for me... There are still three days. In three days, Country E and Country A will jointly impose sanctions to suppress the Pliskin family. Just cherish thesest three days of being the little princess of the Pliskin family! Chapter 409 Chapter 409 Karman had originally decided to announce a cooperation with the Pliskin family at today¡¯s jewelry dinner. Now that the results are finally announced, Monia and the Balorant family will no longer pester him to talk about cooperation, and things can finally be quiet. Karman didn¡¯t have time to pay attention to Monia, who was looking ugly at the side. He looked at Ashley with a smile on his face and shook hands with her excitedly. ¡°Ashley, it¡¯s a pleasure to work with the Pliskin family!¡± Ashley smiled, ¡°The Pliskin family too!¡± Seeing everyone in the banquet hall looking this way, Ashley paused and spoke slowly, her brows and eyes filled with a cheerful and heroic -attitude: m honored to be favored by Mr. Karman, and | am also happy that the Pliskin family can cooperate with Mr. Karman.¡± ¡°Over the years, the scale of the jewelry industry has expanded rapidly, and the consumer circle has expanded year by year, with a year-on-year growth of 16.3%. It has be arge market. The Pliskin family is very lucky to cooperate with Karman, the top international jewelry design master. We will continue to expand in the future. Strengthen the innovation and design of core products and upy arger market share...¡± Ashley briefly talked about the future cooperation nning and development route, and finally said, ¡°As Mr. Karman just said, we will cooperate with each other for a win-win situation, establish a solid business rtionship, and create unlimited possibilities for jewelry to be fashion!¡± When Ashley spoke, Karman standing next to him nodded repeatedly, his eyes full of surprise and appreciation. Ashley is indeed his muse. Not only does she have outstanding abilities in fashion design, she is also able to understand the market ably in business operations. Her development ns are also extremely sophisticated and hit the mark. She is much better than the presidents of many listedpanies. ! 09:10 | had vaguely heard a rumor before that Ashley was the major shareholder behind the Zenith Group. Karman couldn''t confirm the truth at first,, but now with Ashley¡¯s excellent business ability, Karman is sure that this rumor is definitely true! After hearing Ashley¡¯s concise and to the point speech, everyone else in the banquet hall had an even better impression of her. ¡°Let me go, Ashley¡¯s business ability is so strong... She must have run apany before! And she ran a bigpany! Otherwise, she wouldn''t be so experienced! What a female boss!¡±N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. ¡°| dare say that even if Karman doesn¡¯t appreciate Ashley at first, he will eventually choose to cooperate with the Pliskin family! Ashley¡¯s business acumen is much better than Monia!¡± ¡°Well, | just said that Ashley only has beauty and no brains... Bah, | am superficial!¡± ¡°The Pliskin family is really amazing, and every one of their children is up to par! George and Lester are already outstanding enough, and now they have found an even more outstanding daughter. Their future development will definitely reach a higher level. It won¡¯t take long. Firmly secure the position at the head of the four major financial groups!¡± ¡°The Balorant family used to regard the Pliskin family as apetitor, but I¡¯m afraid they won¡¯t even be able to touch the soles of the Pliskin family¡¯s feet in the future!¡± ¡°It shows the importance of future generations. There is still a gap between Monia and Ashley...¡± At this moment, Monia looked at Ashley who was talking calmly, her face was livid, and she was even more ugly than before. During the negotiation just now, Ashley never provided additional funds. She thought Ashley was petty andughed at Ashley as a fool who didn¡¯t understand anything. | never expected that Ashley, a woman, could be sofortable in the mall. Now she is the stupid one! 09:10 Especially when she heard people around her say that the Balorant family would be stepped on by the Pliskin family in the future, the wine eyes ss in Monia¡¯s hand was almost crushed. She stared at Ashley with full of anger, wishing to burn holes in her body. Three days... three days left...... Ashley and the Pliskin family go to hell together! The reporters in the banquet hall heard that Karman chose to cooperate with the Pliskin family for Ashley¡¯s sake, and immediately reported the news. When the dinner just started, Ashley walked into the banquet hall, and most of the people in the banquet hall went to say hello to her. Now after this scene, not only half of the banquet hall, but almost the entire banquet hall had gathered around her. Many second-generation rich men and women from wealthy families handed over their business cards with smiles on their faces, hoping to have business cooperation with Ashley and the Pliskin family... This powerful influence... A perfect female boss! However, those wealthy young men were very discerning. When they saw Ashley¡¯s cold expression, they quickly dispersed and did not dare to crowd around Ashley and cause trouble for her. Miranda, a good friend, was originally standing next to Ashley, but in the end she was pushed to the outer circle by the crowd. Those who couldn¡¯t squeeze in front of Ashley actually went to talk to Miranda, and their attitude towards Miranda improved, hoping that they could save the country and make Ashley look at them differently. Miranda waspletely confused. Why do you feel like you are being led by a boss to the sky? Thanks to Ashley, she actually has someone to curry favor with! I never dared to think about it before! 09:10 After the crowd dispersed, Miranda finally had a chance to talk to Ashley. ¡°Ouch, | was almost squeezed to death just now. Congrattions, Ashley, the Pliskin family and Master Karman have reached a cooperation!¡± ¡°Miranda, were you squeezed just now?¡± ¡°No!¡± Miranda pped her chest boldly. She was about to say that | quickly avoided it, but the tube top dress she was wearing today made her bend down in shyness after the p. Ashley couldn''t help butugh. Mirandaughed herself. The two chatted for a while, and suddenly, Ashley looked towards the corner-not far away. ¡°What''s wrong Ashley, what are you looking at?¡± Miranda asked suspiciously, turning to look over. After seeing the person in the corner, her face was full of gossip, ¡°Wow, it¡¯s Brittany Walsh! The girl who liked Bryce before! Bryce didn¡¯te to the jewelry dinner today, should | send him a message and gossip?¡± Ashley¡¯s eyes lit up. Who doesn¡¯t love gossip? But as they looked at it, the two of them realized something was wrong. Miranda frowned, ¡°What is the man next to Brittany Walsh doing? How did he get involved? Is he trying to take advantage of Brittany Walsh?¡± Ashley¡¯s expression turned cold and she took a closer look. Brittany Walsh¡¯s face was very disgusted and she was very resistant to the man¡¯s approach, but the man still pestered her and wanted to reach out and touch Brittany Walsh¡¯s face. Ashley immediately raised her legs and walked over. She hated girls being bullied by scum the most. In a dark corner. The man smiled evilly and nced up and down at Brittany Walsh with his frivolous and greasy eyes. ¡°Brittany Walsh, our two families are already discussing marriage. You and | will be husband and wife sooner orter, and we will sleep in the 09:10 same bed sooner orter. What¡¯s wrong with touching you now?¡± Brittany Walsh looked cold, ¡°The marriage is not a foregone conclusion yet. | have nothing to do with you now. Touch me? Sorry, | think you are dirty!¡± When the man was scolded, he actually smiled yfully, ¡°How would you know that I¡¯m dirty if you don¡¯t try? | used to hang out among flowers, but from now on you will be the only one-¡± Brittany Walsh felt sick to her stomach. If a man like this lies to a woman, whoever believes him will be stupid. The man had a smile on his face and stared at Brittany Walsh¡¯s exposed white skin with frivolous eyes. He swallowed greedily and reached out to touch it. Brittany Walsh felt sick and turned around to hide. But the man was already prepared. He raised his left hand, grasped both her wrists, and touched her shoulder with his right hand. ¡°Get out!¡± Brittany Walsh yelled in anger and struggled hard, but she was not as strong as the man and couldn''t break free at all. And this is a corner, the lights are dim no one notices what''s going on here. ¡°Why go away?¡± The man smiled greasyly, his face full of lust, ¡°Even if someonees, you are my fianc¨¦e, who can care about anything?¡± The man smiled seductively and raised his hand to touch Brittany Walsh¡¯s face. Brittany Walsh was shaking with anger and her eyes were red. The next moment, the man¡¯s hand was only centimeters away from Brittany Walsh¡¯s face. Suddenly, his wrist was grasped by a thin and powerful hand! Can¡¯t go any further! Chapter 410 The man was startled, and his first reaction was to struggle out, but after shaking his wrist twice, he couldn¡¯t get away at all. He looked up and saw that the person holding his wrist... was actually Ashley! She is a woman...how can she be so powerful! The man struggled twice more, but was still motionless, and his wrist was so painful from being clenched, he stumbled and said: ¡°M...Ms. Pliskin, what are you doing?¡± Men dare not disrespect Ashley¡¯s identity. Ashley¡¯s eyes were sharp as she looked at his hand that was holding Brittany Walsh and motioned for him to let go. The man said forcefully, ¡°Ms. Pliskin, this is a matter between me and my fianc¨¦e, so | won''t bother you, right?¡± Ashley¡¯s eyes shed, and she suddenly exerted force on her hands. The man¡¯s face suddenly turned pale in pain, and his wrist held by Ashley was so painful that his bones almost cracked. ¡°M...Ms. Pliskin!¡± The man immediately gave in and grinned in pain, ¡°I''ll let go! I''ll let her go now!!¡± After speaking, he didn¡¯t dare to waste a second, and quickly released the hand that was holding Brittany Walsh. Brittany Walsh was free, but a man grabbed her wrist, leaving a dazzling red mark. Miranda quickly pulled Brittany Walsh away from the man. The man did not dare to offend Ashley, so he begged for mercy in a glib tone, ¡°Ms. Pliskin, | know | was wrong. Can you let me go? | will never dare to harass Brittany Walsh again!¡± Ashley looked at him, ¡°Remember what you said.¡± It wasn¡¯t until the man was in pain that cold sweat broke out on his 1/6 09:10 forehead, and Ashley slowly let go of his hand. The man nced at Brittany Walsh, then looked at Ashley tremblingly, covered his nearly broken wrist, didn¡¯t dare to say a word, and ran away in a mess. Ashley turned to look at Brittany Walsh, whose eyes were red, and asked softly, ¡°Are you okay?¡± Brittany Walsh looked at her nkly, her pupils trembling violently. When she was helpless and panicked just now, Ashley suddenly appeared and helped her... Brittany Walsh¡¯s eyshes soaked in tears gently blinked, and she choked with sobs and said, ¡°Thank you.¡± Ashley hated to see such a girl cry. He raised his hand to wipe her tears, ¡°It''s okay, you¡¯re wee.¡±All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Miranda cursed angrily, ¡°That man is so shameless! | just heard him say... fianc¨¦e... what¡¯s going on?¡± | remember that Brittany Walsh liked Bryce very much and has been pursuing Bryce. Why did she be a fianc¨¦e again? Brittany Walsh took a deep breath and recovered a lot. She said with a depressed expression, ¡°Our two families have the idea of marriage. They are still in discussions and have not been finalized.¡± ¡°Marriage?¡± Miranda was shocked. Brittany Walsh nodded and nced at the wealthy young men and socialite A Jin in the banquet hall, ¡°Many of the people in the banquet hall are not able to freely choose their own marriage. For the benefit of the family, marriage has be a cooperation. Only those whose parents love them enough, or family children who are strong enough to despise everything, can freely choose their own marriage.¡± Brittany Walsh said, looking towards Ashley. For example, the Pliskin family and the Kingsley family are extremely powerful. Coupled with the love and favor of their parents, their children can choose to be with the people they like without any resistance. There are indeed many marriages in wealthy circles, and Miranda also 2/6 09.101 understands it, but... ¡°Don''t you like Bryce?¡± Miranda asked. Brittany Walsh¡¯s eyes darkened, she was silent for a few seconds, and then she smiled helplessly. She was pretty, and her smile revealed a charming and charming style. It''s just that it''s more bitter. ¡°He doesn¡¯t like me.¡± Brittany Walsh whispered five words. There are only five short words, but they are the greatest helplessness. She has been chasing after Bryce, pursuing him passionately, but she can¡¯t resist him. Bryce doesn¡¯t like her. Ashley pursed her lips. She had met Brittany Walsh several times before. In the past, Brittany Walsh was charming and beautiful, passionate and bold, and could fearlessly express her love for Bryce in public. Now Brittany Walsh seems to have had her living soul taken away, and is surrounded by loneliness and sadness... Miranda also felt sad. Brittany Walsh wouldn''t obey her parents¡¯ arrangements and marry a man she didn¡¯t like, right? Suddenly, Ashley asked softly, ¡°Does Bryce know about your marriage?¡± Brittany Walsh shook her head, ¡°I didn¡¯t tell him.¡± After saying that, Brittany Walsh raised her hand and patted her cheel gently. Her demeanor had recovered a lot, and her red lips were slight curved, ¡°Thank you very much just now. | liked you very much before, and | like you even more now.¡± Although she was not familiar with Ashley before, Bryce recognized Ashley as a friend. She can deduce that Ashley must be very good. Ashley smiled sweetly, ¡°I like you too.¡± The three chatted for a while, and they got along very well. They left each other¡¯s contact information and made friends. Miranda and Brittany Walsh went to the bathroom, and Ashley stayed there waiting for them. 09.1 After waiting for a while, a handsome young man came over. Ashley recognized him. He was a male star in the entertainment industry. His was Ashford Casey. He started out as a model. He hads S figure and was fairly popr. However, he was iparable to the popr top stars and was considered a third-tier star. Just as Ashford Casey walked towards Ashley, several male celebrities not far away looked shocked. This Ashford Casey really went to hook up with Ms. Pliskin! Hidden rules, being taken care of, sleeping with someone in a position of superiority, this kind of thing ismon in the entertainment industry, regardless of male or female stars. Ashley is the eldest daughter of the Pliskin family. She is rich, powerful, and beautiful. Many male stars in the industry who want to get ahead and be popr want to take shortcuts. If Ashley can be kept by Ashley, with Ashley''s power, she can give her a few movies. The filming will make you famous faster. However, Ashley is married, and her marriage partner is Valentin, the president of the Kingsley Group. Therefore, even if some male celebrities want to climb into Ashley¡¯s bed and be kept by Ashley, they don¡¯t have the guts to seduce them. But Ashford Casey, if he dares to hook up tonight, he can¡¯t really seed, right? This way. Ashford Casey greeted in a gentle tone, ¡°Ms. Pliskin, why are you here- alone?¡± ¡°Waiting for someone.¡± Ashley¡¯s attitude was distant. Asmile appeared on Ashford Casey¡¯s handsome face, ¡°Ms. Pliskin, | heard that the Pliskin family has recently invested in several film projects. and wants to develop into the film and television industry?¡± Ashley did know that this was the case The Pliskin family¡¯s previous development focus was in Takydo, and it did not have much involvement in the domestic film and television industry. Now its development focus has shifted to China. The film and 09:11 television industry is very profitable, so it will naturally set up a film and television branch. Ashford Casey said with a smile, ¡°I have been in the entertainment industry for five years and know a lot of insider information. If Ms. Pliskin wants to know anything, | can tell you everything | know.¡± After Ashford Casey finished speaking he reached out and pulled off his cor pretending to be casual. Today he wore a deep-V suit jacket with no shirt underneath, which was vacuum. When he pulled it off, his chest muscles were loomingly exposed. Ashley suddenly said, ¡°!!!¡± Ashford Casey is a male model. He is handsome and has a good figure. He took a step forward, pulled the cor looser, exposing more of his chest muscles, as if to seduce him, looked at Ashley affectionately, and his voice became a subwoofer, ¡°If | could make friends with Ms. Pliskin .... That would be better.¡± Ashley, ¡°...¡± What the hell! This kind of making friends is definitely not serious friends! Ashford Casey knew that the left side of his face was the most handsome, so he turned his face slightly to face Ashley, and unbuttoned a suit jacket button pretending to be casual. In an instant, the abdominal muscles were also exposed. | have to say that he is a male model and his muscles are very well developed. Ashley suddenly turned her head away, as if saying three words: It¡¯s eye-catching! Is she so easily seduced?. Ashley was speechless, ¡°Button it up!¡± After saying that, he waited for a long time, but no movement was seen from Ashford Casey. 195/6 09.11 Ashley looked at his face suspiciously. But Ashford Casey was staring in the direction behind her, his eyes widening in fear, as if he had seen something that made him awe and fear. Ashley frowned strangely. Suddenly, | realized that the banquet hall, which was originally filled with the noise of guests interacting, suddenly became quiet, so quiet that there was no sound. What¡¯s wrong? Ashley became alert and was about to turn around. He heard footsteps behind him,ing from far to near. Then, her shoulders were hugged by the man¡¯s sharp-jointed hands, and the next moment, she was pulled into a cool and clean embrace. Ashley looked stunned, and her first reaction was to struggle, who is it? Chapter 411 At this moment, Ashley was being held by the man behind her by the shoulders, and she subconsciously wanted to throw her over her shoulder. However, Ashley only stayed in the man¡¯s arms for less than a second before she could tell the difference immediately. This clean and good-smelling embrace is so familiar to her that she hugs it every day! Even if she doesn¡¯t look back, she wont admit her mistake! It must be her Valentin! Ashley was pleasantly surprised, why did hee suddenly? Just after the wedding, my heart skipped a beat. It''s finished, it¡¯s finished! Why is it that Valentin catches me every time this happens? Last time, Galvin¡¯s drink was spiked and he knocked on her hotel room door while feeling dizzy. Valentin caught him on the spot. Today Ashford Casey took off his clothes and exposed his abs to seduce her, and was caught by Valentin on the spot. what''s up!! So, Ashley fell over her shoulder and quickly turned around to look at the man. She blinked her watery eyes and said in a sweet voice, ¡°Husband, why are you here? | knew it was you when you hugged me just- now. Yes! | was just missing you, and you came just in time!¡± Valentin, ¡°...¡± Valentin¡¯s frosty face broke instantly. Well, the jealousy and sourness in his heart, It was extinguished by the words ¡°husband¡± and ¡°miss you¡±. Everyone in the banquet hall had been silent since Valentin appeared. They didn¡¯t dare to speak loudly and only dared to look at him quietly. Then everyone saw Ashley¡¯s sweet look coaxing Valentin, and they were coax 115 09:11 Chapte instantly confused. Damn, just now she was wearing ¡®Roselle¡¯ on the red carpet and pped Monia in the face in the banquet hall. She was still looking like a noble and cool queen. Howe she turned into a soft and cute sweet girl in the blink of an eye? Especially the man who just wanted to bully Brittany Walsh but was driven away by Ashley. At this moment, the corner of his mouth twitched violently. He nced at Ashley¡¯s cute and cute little cat appearance, and then looked at his wrist that was almost crushed by Ashley just now. The corner of his mouth twitched. Even more powerful. This woman turns out to be a strict husband! He is obviously so tough in front of outsiders! In front of Valentin... She doesn¡¯t usually coax Valentin into a circle like this! Valentin has never been willing to hurt his wife, not to mention that it was another wild man who wanted to hook up with Ashley, so of course it was someone else who was wrong. So, Ashford Casey, who was trembling with fear, suddenly discovered that Valentin was touching Ashley''s hair gently and comfortingly one second, and then turned his head to look at him the next second, his eyes as cold as a deep pool. of ice. Ashford Casey¡¯s back instantly tensed up, and his hands trembled with fear. He quickly buttoned up his coat in an orderly manner, not darin make any poses anymore. Not to mention exposing her chest and abdominal muscles, she wanted to cover her neck with her hands. He wants to hook up with Ashley, but he just wants to secretly have sex and let Ashley give him resources to make him famous. He doesn¡¯t want Valentin to know about it. After all, Valentin can¡¯t be offended. As a result, after hooking up, Ashley¡¯s real husband came. Ashford Casey was so frightened that he dared not speak out, and stammered: ¡°Mr. Kingsley! | am a big fan of Ms. Pliskin! | finally met her today. | was 09:11 so excited. | just wanted to Ashley was speechless. causal talk? Why do we need to take off our clothes to talk about? Seeing how tightly wrapped Ashford Casey was at this time, it was finally not so eye-catching. But the eye-popping scene just now still lingers. | quickly took a look at Valentin¡¯s handsome face and washed her eyes! Of course, Ashley didn¡¯t want to be the talk of everyone in public, so she looked at Ashford Casey coldly, ¡°You''re not leaving yet? You still want to stand here and be an eyesore?¡± When Ashford Casey heard this, he immediately ran away as if he had been granted amnesty. The male celebrities in the corner who were staring at Ashford Casey wereughing so hard that their stomachs hurt: ¡°Pfft, hahahaha, it¡¯s so funny! You''re so seductive, | guess even taking off your clothes won¡¯t help!¡± ¡°| have to say, the rtionship between Ashley and Mr. Kingsley is really good. They are married and have strict control over each other, for fear that Mr. Kingsley will be jealous.¡± ¡°Since Ashley likes Mr. Kingsley so much...some people say that | look a bit simr to Mr. Kingsley. | am a low-end version of Mr. Kingsley. If | hang out in front of Ashley, will it attract her attention?¡± ¡°No, you still want to hook up with Ashley? Look at Valentin¡¯s face. If a wild man seduces his wife and poaches him, he will just let it go? It¡¯s because Ashley coaxed him so he didn¡¯t get angry on the spot! What do you think? If you¡¯re looking for death, just go ahead and hook up!¡± The few male celebrities who were eager to try out were so frightened that they gave up their thoughts when they saw Valentin¡¯s frosty face.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Strictly speaking, this is the first time Ashley and Valentin have attended such a crowded banquet together after their public marriage. Therefore, many people in the banquet hall were quietly looking at the 3/5 09:11 two of them. Although Valentin had previously posted a statement on LiveMe, saying that he had been secretly in love with Ashley for many years, the announcement of their marriage was so sudden, and there had never been any news about their rtionship before. Everyone is curious, how did these two people know each other? When did you start getting married in secret? Ashley ignored those scrutinizing nces and pulled Valentin to a cluster of flowers. Looking at the man¡¯s still indifferent expression, she blinked her eyes, ¡°Is our brother Valentin still jealous? Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m so easy.¡± Are you being seduced by sex? My concentration can cure me!¡± After Ashley finished speaking, her eyes rolled. If a few fragrant and soft girls came to seduce her, she might be soft-hearted and might take the bait. Man, that¡¯s impossible. When Valentin saw her expression, he guessed what she was thinking, and his face darkened instantly. Ashley immediately changed her tune ¡°No, no! Girls don¡¯t take the bait either!¡± Valentin raised his hand and pinched his eyebrows. If the marriage hadn¡¯t been announced, I¡¯m afraid there would have been more wealthy young men surrounding her with the intention of getting married to the Pliskin family. Now that the marriage is public, it¡¯s still not safe. There are still people who covet his wife. Ashley tilted her head and looked at him, took a step forward, hugged Valentin¡¯s arm and shook it, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, | like you the most, okay! | only love you! Don¡¯t think too much about it.¡± When Valentin heard this, he raised his eyebrows slightly and asked slowly, ¡°Do you remember thest time | watched TV with you?¡± Ashley nodded, ¡°Remember!¡± Valentin, ¡°This is how the man on TV coaxed his wife before he cheated on her.¡± 4/5 09:11 Chapter 411 Ashley, ¡°???¡± What? Ashley thought back to thest time she took Valentin to watch a bloody TV series with her. Before the scumbag man in the TV series cheated on her, he often told his wife, don¡¯t think too much, | only love you and no one else. Ashley¡¯s eyelids twitched and she quickly exined, ¡°I¡¯m different, wife! | didn¡¯t lie to you! | told the truth!¡± Valentin, ¡°...¡± Ashley realized what name she was calling, and immediately covered her mouth, curled her eyes and smiled, ¡°Husband! Hehe!¡± Looking at her cute look, Valentin couldn''t helpughing, and shook his head helplessly, with indulgence written all over his eyes and eyebrows. Ashley felt much morefortable when she saw him smiling, and was about to ask why he suddenly came to the jewelry dinner. Suddenly, | discovered that Max Copley, the young man from the Copley family who had reached a cooperation with Monia, walked over calmly and nodded respectfully to Valentin, as if to say hello. When Ashley saw this, she felt a little doubt in her heart. Didn¡¯t Max Copley reach a cooperation with Monia? Why do you greet Valentin so respectfully again? Could it be that... Max Copley was sent there by Valentin?! Chapter 412 Ashley looked around. She and Valentin were standing next to a cluster of flowers. The flowers were used to decorate the banquet hall. They were beautiful and lush. Although many people in the banquet hall were quietly looking this way, when Max Copley nodded and greeted Valentin just now, he was not seen by other people in the banquet hall due to the cover of the flowers. Obviously, Max Copley deliberately used flowers to cover up. In addition to preventing being seen by other people in the banquet hall, what | want to prevent even more... is being seen by Monia! When Ashley thought about it, she became more and more sure of her suspicion. Was it Valentin who nned the cooperation between the Copley family and Monia?! Due to therge number of people in the banquet hall, Max Copley quietly said hello and left without leaving a trace.Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Ashley took Valentin¡¯s arm and looked around cautiously. There was no one else around, so she asked in a low voice, ¡°What''s going on? Did you send Max Copley to Monia?¡± Valentin nodded and said, ¡°Just in case Monia deliberately made trouble a few days ago and was obviously hostile to Ashley. The Balorant family was also very hostile to the Pliskin family, so he naturally had to be fully prepared. No matter what, he couldn''t let Ashley get any more harm. Ashley was pleasantly surprised when she heard this, it was really him who nned it! She was wondering how the Copley family could reach a cooperation with Monia. Monia had someone put something in Galvin¡¯s drink in an attempt to frame her cheating scandal. Since then, the Pliskin family has beenpletely at odds with the Balorant family, and has been dealing with the Balorant family, the Kingsley Group, and Joined in and annexed three branches of Balorant in just two days. Such an obvious signal of hostility is to say to the outside world: The 115 09:11 Balorant family has offended the Pliskin family and the Kill The result was good for Monia. Having just offended the Pliskin family and the Kingsley family, Monia came to Kilos City to seek cooperation and wanted to enter the Zyrrinthia market. You know, Zyrrinthia has always been the territory of the Kingsley family. Monia came to Kilos City to seek cooperation, wasn¡¯t she asking for trouble? Those wealthy families in Kilos City knew that the Kingsley family was dealing with the Balorant family, how could they dare to disobey the Kingsley family? How dare you go against the Kingsley family? Only if you lose your eyesight can you have the courage to cooperate with Monia. So when she heard that the Copley family and Monia had reached a cooperation, Ashley felt a little strange. She thought that the Copley family had chosen to side with the Balorant family and became supporters of the Balorant family. | just found out today that it was Valentin who was behind the n, allowing the Copley family to pretend to cooperate with Monia and secretly keep an eye on what bad tricks Monia was secretly nning. ht eyes... Ashley blinked in surprise and looked at Valentin with a long while, she choked out a sentence, ¡°Hey, you are such a annoying goblin!¡± Valentin, ¡°?¡± Ashley, ¡°Hey, |pliment you on how smart you are.¡± Valentin, ¡°??¡± Bingxue is smart? Valentin pressed his eyebrows. This kind of offbeatpliment is really... full of Ashley style... While the two were talking, Karman came over with a smile on his face and said, ¡°Hello, Mr. Kingsley! You are very wee! Let us shine!¡± Karman¡¯s attitude is very enthusiastic. Firstly, knowing that Valentin is Ashley¡¯s husband, he is somewhat close to Valentin for Ashley¡¯s sake. 2/5 09:11 Secondly, Valentin himself is very famous and does not ddl all. Valentin naturally knew that Karman was Ashley¡¯s friend, so his attitude was a little more gentle, ¡°Mr. Karman, you are so polite. Congrattions. on theplete sess of the dinner. The smile on Karman¡¯s face never faded, and he looked at Ashley, ¡°Ashley, | was really shocked when | heard the news that you announced your marriage to Mr. Kingsley at the wedding reception.¡± It was really caught off guard. Karman asked curiously, ¡°How long have you been married? Is it convenient to disclose it?¡± Asmile appeared on Ashley¡¯s lips when she heard this, and she turned her head to nce at Valentin, her eyes full of tender love. She took the man¡¯s hand, held it with him, looked at Karman and said, ¡°There is nothing to disclose. We have been married for almost two years.¡± Karman opened his eyes wide in surprise, ¡°Two years? It¡¯s been so long? So you have always had a secret marriage before?¡± Ashley nodded, ¡°Yes.¡± Karman¡¯s eyes suddenly became strange. He looked around Ashley and Valentin and frowned slightly: ¡°Ashley, | counted the time. Before, Mr. Kingsley didn¡¯t know you were the eldest daughter of the Pliskin family, so he kept secretly marrying you and letting you hide. Now that he knows you are the eldest daughter of the Pliskin family, he chose to make it public. Marriage...how could he treat you like this? Did he look down on your life experience before?¡± He wasining about Ashley both inside and outside his words. Valentin, ¡°...¡± Ashley was dumbfounded and quickly exined, ¡°No! You are wrong! | didn¡¯t let him have an open marriage before, | let him have a secret marriage!¡± Karman was stunned and dumbfounded, ¡°Really?¡± Ashley, ¡°Of course it¡¯s true!¡± 09:11 More real than real gold! When ites to hiding, it¡¯s also Valentin who is hiding. He has never had a status. Karman med the wrong person, scratched his head in embarrassment, every wrinkle on his face showed embarrassment, and laughed dryly, ¡°Haha, it turns out | misunderstood Mr. Kingsley!¡± Valentin, ¡°...It doesn¡¯t matter, you are also thinking about Ashley.¡± If you misunderstand him, just misunderstand him. Anyway, it¡¯s for Ashley''s benefit. In fact, he has long been eager to make his marriage public, dere his sovereignty, and let everyone know that Ashley is his wife. The three chatted for a while, and Karman went to do other things in the banquet hall and left first. Ashley turned to look at Valentin and sighed in a fake tone, ¡°How pitiful, our brother Valentin has been misunderstood.¡± Valentin raised his eyebrows, ¡°Then you coax me?¡± Ashley rolled her eyes and nced around. Seeing that no one was paying attention, she quickly kissed him on the cheek, then smiled with her eyebrows creasing, ¡°Okay!¡± He raised his eyebrows higher, ¡°Just a kiss?¡± Ashley, ¡°?? Don¡¯t push yourself too far! After saying that, he scratched his waist. The man chuckled, with azy and careless smile appearing in his eyes. He didn¡¯t say anything, just looked at her with a smile, like a seductive monster. Ashley was instantly dazzled by male lust, who could resist this? She quickly kissed his other cheek, her eyes bright, ¡°Okay, two kisses!¡± The man curled his lips, raised his hand and rubbed her head, his eyes full of affection. Meanwhile, on the other side of the party. Monia looked at Ashley and Valentin not far away, and when she saw 4/5 09:11 Ashley secretly kissing Valentin, her eyes narrowed in confusion. They seem to have a good rtionship, why? Don''t rich people all y their own games? Monia thought of her parents. When she was a child, she saw her father having sex with his mistress. Her mother also had her own male partner. They all yed their own roles and just abided by the agreement. They were not exposed to shame the family and did not y out. Just an illegitimate child. Aren''t all rich people like this? But why do Ashley and Valentin look so in love? Maybe it¡¯s just that they were newly married and still in the honeymoon period. Monia sneered and took a sip of champagne. They can¡¯t be in love for long. In three days, the Pliskin family will begin to copse, and Ashley will lose her superior family background, lose everything, and fall from the clouds to the mud. By then, will Ashley still be as proud as she is now? She really couldn''t wait to see this scene. Chapter 413 Chapter 413 The jewelry dinner is over. Ashley asked Valentin to wait for her while she went to say goodbye to Brittany Walsh. Ashley was worried that the man would take the opportunity to harass Brittany Walsh again, so she felt relieved after watching Brittany Walsh get into the car and leave.¡± Miranda held up her phone and walked up to Ashley, ¡°Ashley, look at the camera!¡± Ashley thought she was going to take a group photo, so she looked up and saw that the livestream was on, and all theizens on the barrage were using her name. Ashley blinked in confusion. Miranda exined in a low voice, ¡°Today¡¯s jewelry dinner has been reported online.¡± So nowizens know that Ashley walked the red carpet with ¡®Roselle¡¯, and it was Karman who personally acted as a waiter and held Ashley''s car door. In the banquet hall, Karman announced that he had chosen to cooperate with the Pliskin family for Ashley¡¯s sake. These things caused a stir on the Inte.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Soizens wanted to experience the impact of Ashley''s beauty up close, but Ashley has been too low-key recently and hasn''t even posted much on LiveMe. Netizens knew that Miranda and Ashley had a good rtionship, so they went to MirandaLiveMe and asked Miranda to help open a livestream. As soon as Ashley appeared in the livestream footage, theizens went crazy and the barrage flew up. [Ah ah ah so beautiful! The God of Beauty has arrived!] [I''m so crazy about licking the screen!] [Aww, ¡®Roselle¡¯ is so stunning, and matches Ashley well! And ¡®Windy¡¯, so fairy and beautiful! Ashley, you heart arsonist, you set fire to my heart again!] 09:11 When Ashley saw these earthy barrages, she was immediately amused, ¡°Good evening everyone-¡± Seeing Ashley smiling,izens fell for it again, and thements became even more enthusiastic. Suddenly, sharp-eyedizens discovered a surprise. [Wait a moment! Is the maning from behind Valentin?] [I saw it too! It¡¯s Mr. Kingsley! So handsome, so handsome, finally meeting Mr. Kingsley again!] [Help, his legs are so long, I¡¯m so greedy!] Valentin came over to find Ashley. He walked over and found that livestream was turned on on his phone. He raised his eyebrows in surprise and exited the shooting range. Netizens immediately cried out. [How to avoid it? Don¡¯t go! ] [Pleasee back! | just took a look! After finally seeing Mr. Kingsley alive for once, why did he disappear from the camera?] [Don¡¯t cry, Valentin has always kept a low profile and rarely appears in public. ] When Ashley saw the barrage, she felt helpless and funny. What does it mean to finally see a ¡®live Valentin? What does this sound like? Ashley turned her head and nced at Valentin next to her. Knowing that he rarely appeared in public, she did not forcefully pull him over, but only reached out to hold his hand. Netizens on the barrage were already anxious. [I don¡¯t care, Ashley, call your husband out and let me eat your dog food! Let me tell you, | am not someone to be trifled with. If you don¡¯t listen to me, don¡¯t me me for kneeling down and begging you!] Ashley, ¡°...¡± Miranda couldn''t help butugh. She looked at Ashley holding Mr. Kingsley¡¯s hand outside the screen and burped silently. 9/6 09:11 ] So lonely- Only she can eat this dog food- Since the barrage was scrolling too fast, Ashley couldn¡¯t see clearly. She could only see one by one and answered several netizens¡¯ questions¡ª ¡°Well, yes, the jewelry dinner just ended.¡± ¡°| haven''t posted a LiveMe recently? I¡¯ve been too busytely and haven''t taken care of it, so I''ll post er.¡± ¡°Miss me? Thank you everyone for your likes.¡± ¡°Your body has recovered, don¡¯t worry, really, thank you fans for your concern, | love you too!¡± As soon as Ashley said ¡°I love you too¡± she felt the palm of the hand held by Valentin being lightly scratched by him. Ashley¡¯s palms felt itchy, she turned her head and looked over, and quickly mouthed silently, ¡°I love you the most!¡± Really, this can also upset the jealousy As a result,izens in the livestream room became agitated when they saw her turning her head and looking to the side. [What is baby Ashley looking at? Are you watching Mr. Kingsley?] [Hahahaha, definitely! Otherwise, my livestream will eat shit!] [Sisters, just now Ashley not only looked to the side, but also moved her lips, as if she said a few words. Can anyone see what she said?] [I see it! She said ¡°I love you most¡±, absolutely! | definitely read that right! [Holy shit, shit, ¡°I love you the most¡¯, it¡¯s killing me! Ashley, please, let your husbande out, | want to see you acting like shit!] Ashley, ¡°...¡± No, she didn¡¯t make a sound, she just said it with her mouth. Can you tell what she was saying? Seeing the barrage constantly flooding the screen, crying for support and asking for Valentin to appear on the scene, Ashley couldn¡¯tugh or cry, ¡°Okay, okay, stop making trouble, why don¡¯t you guys take a rest after it¡¯s sote?¡± 09:11 [What time is it? If the King of Hell doesn¡¯t sleep, | won''t sleep! Ashley, let Mr. Kingsley appear! ] [How can | sleep if | can¡¯t see you guys kissing?] [My bed can be empty, but your bed must have level 8 vibration!] Ashley¡¯s eyes twitched, she was getting more and more outrageous as she spoke. If | keep talking, the livestream room will turn yellow! Ashley immediately stopped, ¡°Okay, it¡¯s gettingte, everyone should go to bed early.¡± Netizens are all saying no. Ashley said good night to everyone and turned off the livestream. Netizens were crying, today is another day without seeing Mr. Kingsley. But when | think of Ashley¡¯s words ¡°I love you the most¡± just now, Mr. Kingsley didn¡¯t even appear in the scene, and he was able to eat dog food. What kind of beautiful love is this that can kill people? Ashley turned off the livestream, returned the phone to Miranda, and then chatted with Miranda for a few words before saying goodbye to each other and going home. Before getting in the car, Ashley remembered her promise toizens to send her a LiveMe, so she pulled Valentin over and took a selfie with him Then | sent the group photo to LiveMe. This is the first time she has posted something rted to Valentin on a social tform. After an open marriage, there is no need to hide it. Bluelove CP fans instantly took over thement area. [The first public photo of Ashley and Mr. Kingsley, of course it must be saved!] [Good match, good match! | can be single, but my partner must be in a good rtionship forever!] [Ashley will post more in the future, please feel free to spread the dog food-] 09:11 Under normal circumstances, even if reporters and paparazzi take photos of Valentin, they would not dare to post them online without permission. Now that Ashley has taken the initiative to, post it,izens are crying, hoping that Ashley will post more in the future. It didn¡¯t take long forizens to discover that Valentin had forwarded Ashley¡¯s LiveMe. The melon-eatingizen immediately touched it. Although Valentin is not a celebrity, his LiveMe has grown to tens of thousands of fans. Since registering LiveMe, he has only posted three LiveMes in total, all rted to Ashley, and there is only one person in his follow list, and that is Ashley. In thement area, someizens discovered that Joseph was causing trouble below. [@Joseph: Brother, follow me! I¡¯m here!] There is also the official Live Me of the Kingsley Group, which is also pitifully begging for attention. [@the Kingsley Group official Weibo: Today is also a day to ask for the attention of Boss-] Netizens discovered that Valentin ignored him. Suddenly there was a hahaha: Mr. Kingsley only wants to pay attention to his wife, everyone else, go away, go away! At this moment, Joseph, who was watching this scene with his mobile phone, had a confused look on his face. It''s another day where sex is more important than younger brother! The fragile little heart was broken into dumpling fillings again! Chapter 414 Chapter 414 Ashley and Valentin did not go back to the Kingsley Vi, but to the Pliskin family manor. Then he called George Lester to the study and talked about Max Copley and some of the information Max Copley had obtained from Monia.All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. It wasn¡¯t until half an hourter that everyone came out of the study. Ashley nced at the time and took Valentin¡¯s hand, ¡°It¡¯s veryte. Don¡¯t drive back to the Kingsley Vi. Stay here for the night.¡± Valentin was getting what he wanted, so he nodded calmly, ¡°Okay.¡± Lester looked at George with a sore face, ¡°Frankie, don¡¯t you say something?¡± George nced at Valentin. He didn¡¯t know why, but when he looked at his brother-inw, he always felt like his cabbage was being taken away. However, he and Lester together were not as important as Valentin¡¯s position in his sister¡¯s heart. So, George was silent for two seconds, and then spoke in a dignified manner, ¡°It¡¯s reallyte, it¡¯s good to stay overnight, Ashley, although your second brother doesn¡¯t agree, Frankie agrees.¡± The implication is: The second brother is not good to you, but Frankie is good to you. Who let this Ergouzi lead my sister to bad things before? When Ashley heard this, she looked at Lester and opened her eyes slightly, ¡°Second brother, you don¡¯t agree?¡± Lester, What a good Frankie he is. Every minute and every second, | was thinking about how to steal his dearest position in my sister¡¯s heart. Lester quickly raised his lips and smiled, ¡°No Ashley, second brother agrees. Second brother will support you in whatever you do. Second brother supports you even more than Frankie!¡± Very good, two brothers throwing dirty water at each other topete 09:11 with each other. Ashley blinked her eyes and smiled sweetly, ¡°It¡¯s gettingte then, good night, Frankie!¡± After speaking, he quietly touched Valentin with his elbow and asked him to call someone. s, | really want Frankie¡¯s second brother to have a good rtionship with Valentin! Valentin was nudged by Ashley with his elbow, his eyebrows rose imperceptibly, and his thin lips curled upzily, ¡°Brother Frankie, good night.¡± That moment. George, ¡°...¡± Lester, ¡°..¡± Good night, don¡¯t even think about sleeping tonight! Return to the bedroom. Ashley hugged Valentin and kissed him on the face, ¡°So obedient!¡± He chuckled, ¡°Of course | listen to you!¡± Ashley blinked, let go of him, took a step back, put her little hands behind her back, and said slyly, ¡°Then | ask you to go back to the Kingsley Vi now, 1. do you listen?¡± Valentin pulled her back, his voice soft and seductive, ¡°Honey, it¡¯s veryte.¡± Ashley, ¡°It''ste, so what?¡± Valentin, ¡°I''d better help you take a bath and go to bed.¡± Ashley, ¡°...go away!¡± After taking a shower and lying on the bed, Ashley suddenly remembered Brittany Walsh, picked up her phone, and sent a message to the three-person group with Miranda Bryce. Ashley: [Miranda, are you asleep? ] Miranda: [No, | just finished washing up! By the way, do you want to 2/6 09:11 Chapter 414 bring Brittany. Walsh into the group?] Ashley: [Let¡¯s first ask her if she agrees] Miranda: [Okay!] Ashley: [Brittany Walsh was bullied by that man at the dinner party today, | hope it didn¡¯t affect her. ] Miranda: [Fortunately, you taught that man a lesson. That man should not dare to pester Brittany Walsh anymore. ] Suddenly, Bryce bubbled up: [Who bullied Brittany Walsh? ] Seeing Bryce¡¯s message, Ashley raised her eyebrows slightly, typed a few words and sent it: [A young man named Li. ] Mirandained angrily: [She looks average and is very flirtatious! ] Ashley: [That''s right. ] Ashley: [We talked with Brittany Walsh, and she talked about the ] marriage arranged for her by her family. Bryce, do you know about this? After saying that, | waited for a while, but didn¡¯t get Bryce¡¯s reply. Ashley looked confused, where is the person? Miranda pressed: [Bryce, where are you? Did you know about Brittany Walsh¡¯s marriage?] After a while, Bryce finally replied: [Just got it. ] Miranda: [Then, what are your ns? Bryce: [No ns, it has nothing to do with me. ] Miranda: [???] Miranda: [Huh? nothing dealing with you? So were you still concerned about Brittany Walsh being bullied just now?] Bryce: [Just ask. ] Miranda: [...] Since then, Bryce has not spoken in the group. Ashley looked at the phone screen for a while and didn¡¯t say anything 3/6 09:11 Chapter 414 more. Anyway, she told Bryce what happened. The rest was up to him to decide what he wanted to do. Two more days passed. Hotel, reception area of Mr. Murray¡¯s suite. Monia was sitting on the sofa, with a dozen elite men and women in suits and ties standing opposite her. These were all professionals she had transferred from thepany headquarters. After Country E and Country A issued statements sanctioning the Pliskin family, the Pliskin family will inevitably fight back. However, with these elites in charge, they will make all preparations in advance. Even if the Pliskin family fights back, they can withstand it. Monia once again looked over the project in handpletely, and everything was nned perfectly. Monia looked up at the assistant beside her and asked, ¡°What''s going on with the Pliskin family in the past two days?¡± She asked her assistant to keep an eye on the Pliskin family secretly and report anything unusual to her immediately. The assistant replied, ¡°No, the Pliskin family has been the same as before. in the past two days. It still shifts its development focus to the country and makes a lot of donations to charity in the country.¡± Monia was not surprised when she heard this. Manyrgepanies make charitable donations to demonstrate social responsibility and to gain a good reputation. ¡°Is there anything else strange?¡± Monia asked. ¡°No.¡± The assistant answered truthfully. Monia sneered, the Pliskin family was nothing more than that. Until now, | have been so stupid and ignorant that | didn¡¯t realize anything. Monia continued to ask, ¡°Where''s Valentin?¡± 09:11 The assistant said, ¡°There is nothing unusual. He has been apanying Ashley for the past two days and oftenes in and out of the Pliskin family manor.¡± Monia¡¯s eyes were slightly fierce, which was fine, nothing unusual. Ashley, your good days areing to an end soon... Monia couldn¡¯t help but feel excited. She picked up the red wine next to her and took a sip. In fact, the Balorant family has indeed declined in recent years. Monia once thought of making money through some hidden and less formal ways, such as the arms business. But the three hidden lines for transporting arms are all monopolized by that man, the man-named Banks. That is a demon king who makes everyone on the road fearful... That man was too dangerous and cruel, and Monia didn¡¯t want to deal with him unless she had to. Fortunately, the Pliskin family will soon be destroyed and will never threaten the Balorant family again. The Balorant family will also develop better and better. Monia nced at the time, a sh of madness and excitement shed in her eyes. The destruction of the Pliskin family is about to begin... The next morning, a piece of financial news that shocked everyone swept through all major online tforms like a storm. The Pliskin Group consortium was suppressed by joint sanctions from country E and country A. Once the news broke, it caused great turmoil... Chapter 415 Chapter 415 At 10 a.m. domestic time, two videos were reposted from abroad to domestic websites. Clicking on the video showed that the presidents of the national chambers ofmerce of country E and country A were holding national-level press conferences at the same time. First, he gave a lot of high-sounding reasons, and finally, he announced to people from all walks of life that he would sanction and suppress the Pliskin Group consortium. As soon as the news broke, it was like dropping a bomb into the deep sea, instantly erupting into a raging wave and sweeping the top trending searches on various online tforms. The news is overwhelming about the suppression of the Pliskin family. Netizens were stunned when they saw this formation. Damn it, what''s going on? Someizens who didn¡¯t know much about this initially thought that someone had edited a false video and deliberately spread rumors. [?? Damn, what breaking news? Do you dare to spread such rumors? Not afraid of going to jail?] [Did you buy this hot search? how much did you spend? The Pliskin family is the leader of the four top financial groups. How can it be possible that they are suppressed just because they say they are suppressing them? Stop spreading rumors, okay? ] However, not long after, relevant professional people came forward and said that the news was true. The presidents of the chambers ofmerce in country E and country A simultaneously announced a joint suppression of the Pliskin Group consortium. At this moment, the Inte exploded. [What the hell? Why suppress the Pliskin family? Enough support??] [No, | read news reports that the development focus of the Pliskin Group is now domestic. What is the point of suppressing countries E and A?] [Think about it, the Pliskin Group is involved in many industries, such as 115 09:11 the ruby jewelry industry. 70% of ruby raw materials are developed from country E. The suppression of country E means that raw materials are directly cut off! So how will the Pliskin family run a ruby jewelry business in the future?] [There are more serious ones! | took a closer look just now. Country E and country A have focused on suppressing eleven industries of the Pliskin family! For example, ruby jewelry, electronic technology, cross-border logistics and trade, etc., all eleven industries have been suppressed! Things are really serious!] After being poprized by professionals, manyizens realized the seriousness of the matter. Fuck, are you serious? In addition, Ashley is very popr, and Ashley is from the Pliskin family. It is rted to the safety of the Pliskin family. Netizens who like Ashley suddenly became anxious. Damn, these two countries are crazy! What are you doing to suppress the Pliskin family?] Didn¡¯t you hear, the presidents of the chambers ofmerce in countries E and A finally said that they will support the Balorant family¡¯s industry more in the future! ] So, is the Balorant family behind this??] Damn, his father is so insidious! ] It''s hard to say what¡¯s going on in the shopping mall. Ifpetition breaks out, it¡¯s very likely that everything will go bankrupt! ] (What about the Pliskin family? Can you survive the two national-level suppressions? Ashley has just returned to the Pliskin family not long ago, is she going to be in despair?] Some people discovered that the share price of the Pliskin Group consortium had fluctuated and began to fall. That means things have really gotten bad. Ashley¡¯s fans, as well as Ashley and Valentin¡¯s Bluelove CP fans, although they don¡¯t know much about stocks, saw the stock price drop and became panicked. 09:12 Don¡¯t let anything happen to Ashley and the Pliskin familyA! Some professionals who are continuing to wait and see are rtively calm at the moment. [I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything to worry about. The Pliskin family is not just a piece of paper. How could such arge family fortune be ruined at the drop of a hat? Although this situation is sudden, the Pliskin family has been developing and standing for so many years, so it should be able to react quickly. It is estimated that it is already discussing how to deal with it. ] [And don¡¯t forget, there is the Kingsley family! Ashley and Valentin are husband and wife. They are both top wealthy families. If something happens to the Pliskin family, the Kingsley Group will definitely not stand idly by!] With this said, fans feel relieved a little. Yes, there is also Valentin! With the size of the Pliskin family and the Kingsley family, two top aristocratic families joining forces, who can beat them?! In the afternoon, financial news broke out. The presidents of chambers ofmerce in five countries, including Takydo¡¯s country D and country S, simultaneously issued statements announcing sanctions on the Balorant family. Ashley¡¯s fans immediately cheered up after seeing this news. [I''ming! Finally there is movement!] [The Pliskin family finally fights back! | knew | wouldn¡¯t just sit there and wait for death!]N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. [The Pliskin family¡¯s previous development focus was in Takydo. Most of the economies of these five countries are supported by the Pliskin family¡¯s industries. Even the top leaders of the country have the support of the Pliskin family, so the Pliskin family can easily We can reach an agreement with these countries and counter-sanction the Balorant family! ] [So if this economic war continues, who will be the winner in the end?] [It''s hard to say... | really can¡¯t tell now...] 09:12 Although it is still unclear who will be the winner in the end, fans can rx a little and take countermeasures, which is better than sitting still and waiting for death. Fans were not even in the mood to have lunch because they were worried about Ashley and the Pliskin family, but now they finally have some appetite. As a result, before the meal was finished, the situation became worse again. Some professional financial professionals have discovered the key points: It¡¯s over, | just discovered that the sanctions imposed by the five Takydo countries on Balorant have no effect. They have not even affected the stock price, and even the stock price continues to rise... | searched carefully just now, and the important industries of the Balorant family have quietly exited long ago. Markets in those five countries! ] [You are saying that Balorant had already guessed that the Pliskin family would counterattack like this, so he made arrangements in advance to withdraw important industries from the markets of those five countries. Therefore, the sanctions imposed by these five countries did not have any impact on Balorant. Big impact?] Yes, the Balorant family hasid out the n in advance. It seems that this time they are determined topletely defeat the Pliskin family.] (What the hell? Have youid out the n in advance? Have you long wanted to target the Pliskin family? What a sinister trick!] Now is the information age, and the shopping mall gaming war betwe the Pliskin family and the Balorant family has be heated and has attracted great attention. The game between two giant chaebols involves the economic situation seven countries including country E and country A, and may even threaten to cause economic turmoil. After a few anxious days, Balorant Family¡¯s stock price continued to rise; The Pliskin Group''s stock price fell, and its market value has been wiped. out by an unknown number of billions. Ashley¡¯s fans were so anxious that their mouths were bubbling with anxiety, and their hearts were getting more and more panicked. 09:121 315) Don''t fall again. what happened? Why is there no movement from Ashley? There are also those professionals who continue to wait and see. They originally thought that the Pliskin family was capable of fighting back, but after watching it in the past few days, they feel increasingly unsure and can no longer remain calm. If the current situation continues, it won¡¯t be long before the Balorant family overthrows the Pliskin family. Is the Pliskin family so vulnerable... The structure of the four major financial groups seems to be changing... Chapter 416 Chapter 416 The sitting area of Mr. Murray¡¯s suite. There are open ns one after another on the table, and colorful strand diagrams are disyed on severalputer screens. Monia shook the red wine ss in her hand, feeling morefortable. than ever before. She looked at the dozen elite men and women in suits and ties in front of her and said with a smile, ¡°You have worked hard these days and withstood the Pliskin family¡¯s counterattack. Afterwards, | will not Be stingy with bonuses for everyone.¡± Although the Balorant family has also suffered losses in the past few days, this is verymon in shopping malls. Compared to the loss of the Pliskin family, it is nothing worth mentioning. ¡°In the following time, please continue to keep an eye on the situation. This game with the Pliskin family is not over yet.¡± Monia¡¯s eyes were fierce. ¡°This time, we mustpletely defeat the Pliskin family and let them turn over again.¡± | can¡¯t survive!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The subordinates responded in unison. The assistant stepped forward and looked at Monia, ¡°Miss, manyizens criticized us, saying that we nned the event in advance, had impure intentions, and were too sinister.¡± Monia sneered disdainfully, ¡°What do they know? They are just a bunch of ignorant fools. You have to know that the winner takes all. As long as we win the Pliskin family, as long as we be the final winner, by then, these people will not dare to If they continue to criticize us, they will tter us and ignore them.¡± The assistant nodded and handed the phone over, ¡°Miss, this is the head of the family¡¯s phone number.¡± Monia raised her hand to take it, cleared her throat, and shouted to the middle-aged man on the other end of the phone, ¡°Father.¡± ¡°Monia, you did a great job this time and caused a huge setback for the Pliskin family!¡± the middle-aged man praised without hesitation. 08:57 Over the years, the Balorant family has always lost inpetition with the Pliskin family. This is the first time the Pliskin family has suffered. How could he, as a father, not be pleased that his daughter is so powerful? However, the middle-aged man was still cautious, ¡°Monia, don¡¯t take it lightly. Based on my understanding of the Pliskin family, they may fight back at any time.¡± Monia, ¡°Father, don¡¯t worry, | will pay attention. | have to ask you to sit at thepany headquarters these days. We will always keep in touch.¡± This time, she was meticulously prepared, leaving no chance for the Pliskin family to fight back. What awaits the Pliskin family is destruction! After hanging up the phone, Monia drank the red wine in her ss. After analyzing the current situation, Monia turned to look at Max Copley on the side and asked, ¡°How is the matter you were asked to do?¡± Max Copley¡¯s face was calm, ¡°Miss Monia, it¡¯s done. | have hired the most valued talent of the Pliskin family.¡± Monia heard this with a proud smile on her lips, ¡°You are capable of doing things, you did not let me down and you did not make me regret cooperating with your Copley family.¡± Max Copley raised the corners of his lips, ¡°It will be good if | can satisfy Miss Monia. When | win the Pliskin family this time, | hope Miss Monia will not treat our Copley family badly for today¡¯s sake.¡± ¡°That¡¯s natural.¡± Monia crossed her arms and promised in a good mood, ¡°After we win the Pliskin family this time, the Balorant family will be the first of the four major consortiums. You, the Copley family, are our partners, so naturally we won''t Not treated well.¡± Max Copley smiled, ¡°Then | will wait for that day toe.¡± Three dayster, Monia held a press conference and announced to the outside world that a talent named Finn Irvine was wee to join the Balorant family. 08:57 Netizens are always paying attention to the economic war between the Pliskin family and the Balorant family So | watched this press conference immediately. As for Finn Irvine, sharp-eyedizens recognized him immediately. (Wait a minute, didn¡¯t Finn Irvine work in the Pliskin Group before? It is said that he is still an important talent. Howe you are coborating with Monia?] How obvious, Monia poached important talents from the Pliskin family! Damn, you really do everything you can!] It is normal for people to go to higher ces. It shows that the conditions offered by Monia are very good, so Finn Irvine is willing to change jobs. This also reflects that the situation of the Pliskin family is getting worse and worse. Important talents have left and they are unwilling to return. Things are really getting worse in the Pliskin family. ] Have you heard that several branches of the Pliskin family in country E have been closed. ..] Damn, is it so serious? Is the Pliskin family really going to lose? ] Family members, to be honest, | have bought Balorant Family''s stock and it has been going up. The situation is really good!] Ashley¡¯s fans were almost anxious to death when they saw this, but they couldn¡¯t refute it. The Pliskin family has been at a disadvantage these days, and its stock price has been falling. There is no sign of aeback. Is it really going to be crushed? Some Bluelove CP fans could no longer bear it and left messages on ValentinLiveMe. [Mr. Kingsley, the Pliskin family is in critical moment now,e to the rescue quickly!] [Mr. Kingsley, how is Ashley feeling now? Have you been affected? Take good care of your wife! ] [Mr. Kingsley, Ashley hasn¡¯t shown up for several days. | don¡¯t believe she would let others bully her... Or is it that even Ashley is helpless to dealThis content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. 08:57 with the Pliskin family¡¯s crisis this time?] Just as fans were leaving messages, a paparazzi suddenly posted a video. | clicked it and saw that it was actually rted to Ashley Valentin. In the video, a ck car was parked on the side of the road, and Ashley and Valentin were standing next to the car. Because it was secretly filmed, | couldn¡¯t hear what the two said, but judging from their body movements, it seemed like there was an argument. Then, Valentin got back in the car and drove away, leaving Ashley standing alone on the roadside. Fans were shocked when they saw this scene. Evenizens opened their eyes in disbelief. Holy shit, what¡¯s going on? Aren¡¯t Valentin and Ashley always in love? Looking at the video, it looks like the two of them had an argument? ] Has the recent incident with the Pliskin family affected their rtionship:] It¡¯s not surprising. Husband and wife are birds of the same forest, and they fly apart when disaster strikes. Now that the Pliskin family is in such a critical situation. it''s understandable that Valentin chooses to be alone, right?] 22? Fly as far as you can! Go upstairs, this is just a candid video, maybe it¡¯s the angle, our rtionship at Bluelove is going well! [that is! Get out of here all those who are guessing!] (Why are the fans so stubborn? It looks like there was an argument in the video. They might be getting divorced soon!] Tsk, the Pliskin family is really in trouble right now. Thepany¡¯s stock price has been falling, and Ashley and Valentin are having rtionship problems again. Who can save the Pliskin family now? | think the Pliskin family is really going to be completely defeated by the Balorant family this time! ] Bluelove CP fans were so angry that they picked up the keyboard and started arguing with these sarcastic people. At this time, Monia saw the video on the Inte and sneered 45 08:37 sarcastically in her heart. She said that Ashley and Valentin would not be in love for long. And the situation with the Pliskin family is getting worse. Ashley, your good times are over! At this moment, Ashley, who had not appeared in public since the beginning of the shopping mall game between the Pliskin family and Balorant, suddenly posted a LiveMe leisurely. [@Ashley: The rtionship is going well, | just grabbed him and gave him a kiss-] In addition to this line of text, there is also a photo with Valentin below. Bluelove CP fans were instantly moved to tears. (UuuuuuuuuuuuuU Ashley! Finally, you have shown up! | knew there would be no problem with your rtionship with Mr. Kingsley! How is the Pliskin family doing now? Come out and save the day, Ashley! Only you can save it!] Chapter 417 netizens saw Ashley finally appearing, they immediately flooded her LiveMe. | thought that now that the Pliskin family was in crisis, Ashley would be very haggard. At first nce, why does she seem to be fine? And he leisurely posted a photo with Valentin? Netizens were confused. [Sister, | can¡¯t help but call you sister. Your attitude is too good, right? Something happened to the Pliskin family! ] [Strange, why did the paparazzi just show you and Valentin arguing in the video?] Ashley nced at thement area and only replied to the second comment: [Whenever the paparazzi releases theplete video, you will find that my second brother is standing next to me. Valentin drove me here. After sending me to the ce, he drove back by himself, but he was reluctant to leave. | forced him to Push him into the car, that¡¯s it-] Netizens, ¡°I!!!¡± Oh, this is the truth! Paparazzi know how to make blind cuts! In the video, Valentin abandoned Ashley on the side of the road and drove away alone. He looked scumbag and heartless, but in fact, he was just driving his wife here! In the video, Ashley and Valentin¡¯s body movements looked like they were having an argument. In fact, Valentin was reluctant to leave, and it was Ashley who pushed him into the car! Wait, you don¡¯t want to leave? Pushed into the car? President Fu, who is aloof and reserved in front of outsiders and avoids strangers, turns out to be so clingy to his wife behind his back... So you are such a Valentin! Just pamper her! 118 08:57 ] Netizens knew that the rtionship between the two was not affected, 2 once and they again focused on the financial war between the Pliskin family and the Balorant family. [Ashley, how is the Pliskin family doing now? Why aren¡¯t you in a hurry? [And that Finn Irvine, he seems to be an important talent of the pharmaceuticalpany under the Pliskin Group consortium, and was poached by Monia. Why did the Pliskin family not take any countermeasures? ] [Also, the stock price of the Pliskin family has been falling, and | feel like it is almost unbearable! It¡¯s really dangerous!] Thement area is full of questions fromizens. As aresult, after asking a lot of questions, Ashley didn¡¯t reply a word. Netizens immediately said, ¡°???¡± Co-author: You went to LiveMe specifically to rify the rtionship issues between you and your husband? Nothing about the Pliskin family has been revealed. Based onizens¡¯ understanding of Ashley, she is not someone who just sits back and lets herself be ughtered, but this time, for the first time, she didn¡¯t respond at all. Or, the situation of the Pliskin family is not optimistic, and even Ashley cannot solve it... at the same time. Monia looked at the situation on the Inte, feeling extremely happy about her misfortune. Ashley, Ashley, to rify the rtionship issue, you pretend to be very leisurely. Why do you dare not even fart whenizens ask about the Pliskin family? The pride in Monia¡¯s eyes almost overflowed. 08:57 She just likes to see Ashley behave with her tail between her legs! Not only today, but also in the future, Ashley and the Pliskin family will never raise their heads! Monia¡¯s eyes turned cold, this was not enough, she also wanted to give the Pliskin family the final blow! Turning to look at Max Copley, he asked, ¡°Where''s Finn Irvine?¡± Max Copley said, ¡°Just outside.¡± Monia, ¡°Tell him toe in.¡± She poached Finn Irvine from the Pliskin family not just to prove that the Pliskin family had declined to the point where it could no longer retain talent. More importantly, Finn Irvine is also an aplished drug developer himself. That afternoon, Monia issued a solemn statement to the outside world¡ª Balorant family and Finn Irvine have developed a specific drug that can cure asthma and will invest 30 billion in production and marketing. People from all walks of life were shocked when they saw this statement. ure for asthma? real or fake! As we all know, with the current medical level, asthma can only be relieved but cannot be cured. Many people with asthma suffer from it. And now, the Balorant family and Finn Irvine have developed a specific medicine that can cure asthma, which is definitely a sensation in the entire medicalmunity! This is good news for all patients! If it is produced and put on the market, it will definitely be rewarded tens of thousands of times! Sharp-eyedizens discovered the situation: [Finn Irvine? Talent poached by Monia from the Pliskin family? Let me go, if Finn Irvine hadn¡¯t been poached wouldn¡¯t this special medicine to 08:57 Chapter 417. cure asthma belong to the Pliskin family?] [I have to say that Monia is very business-minded due to intrigues in the shopping mall and she has probably been eyeing Finn Irvine for a long time! Well now, the special medicine is exclusively monopolized by Balorant, and it will be Balorant¡¯s cash cow from now on! ] [Hiss, Monia is really taking every step... | think the Pliskin family is really hopeless this time, and there is no chance of a comeback! Maybe it will be acquired by Balorant in the end andpletely destroyed!] In these days of marketpetition, the stock price of Balorant Family has been rising. Now that the news about the specific drug has been announced, the stock price has risen again. Someizens opened a poll, who do you think will win in the end, the Pliskin family or the Balorant family. Only fans of Ashley and Valentin voted for the Pliskin family. All otherizens voted for Balorant without exception. When the final voting results came out, more than 90% of people. believed that the final winner was Balorant, and that the Pliskin family, after experiencing this suppression, would be irrevocably defeated... At this moment, the Pliskin family estate. Ashley saw the report about the special medicine, her red lips raised slightly, and a trace of sarcasm shed in her beautiful eyes. It''s time to... close the... For this special medicine, Monia held a grand press conference in the conference hall on the first floor of the hotel. The press conference was crowded with people. Hundreds of media reporters arrived at the scene and surrounded the entire press conference. After all, thepetition between the Pliskin family and Balorant has be intense, involving the economic situation of several countries. Now there is a sensational medicine that can cure asthma. How can we not pay attention to it? 4/8 08:57 pter 417 Monia stood on the stage and used a projector to introduce the specific drug on the big screen, ¡°After the efforts of scientific researchers and countless experiments, this drug...¡± When Monia was introduced, Max Copley, Finn Irvine, and Monia¡¯s assistant stood aside. After Monia¡¯s introduction, the reporters in the audience asked questions, ¡°Monia, you said before that investment and production of this special medicine have begun?¡± Monia, ¡°Yes, our Balorant family also has a pharmaceuticalpany and has invested 30 billion for production andunch.¡± Another reporter asked, ¡°Monia, this shopping mall game with the Pliskin family was initiated by your Balorant family. Do you dare to admit it?¡± Monia snorted softly, ¡°We and the Pliskin family arepetitors. The shopping mall is like a battlefield, and thepetition is life and death.¡± Upon hearing this answer, all the reporters looked at each other. Life and death... It seems that Monia is determined to take advantage of this time to defeat the Pliskin family so that the Pliskin family will never stand up again. Areporter in the back row rushed to ask, ¡°Monia, this business game is going on now, do you think the Pliskin family is still capable of fighting back?¡± Monia looked over with disdain, with clear disdain in her eyes, ¡°On this issue, | can only say that the Pliskin family has already been defeated by me.¡± The implication is that the Pliskin family has lost and has no ability to fight back. The moment Monia finished speaking Suddenly, the door of the conference hall was pushed open from the outside. The reporters turned around and saw the hotel manager and deputy manager, one on the left and the other on the right, pushing open the door of the conference hall. Then they stood on both sides of the door and said respectfully to the people outside, ¡°You two, pleasee in!¡± 08:57 The reporters looked confused. who? Such a big battle? Ask the hotel manager and deputy manager to open the door themselves? Monia looked over doubtfully. The next moment | saw Ashley walking in with a dashing appearance, wearing a white suit, ck hair and red lips. Next to Ashley is Lester, the second young master of the Pliskin family. Monia was stunned, why are they here? e scene became ere! Compared to Monia¡¯s suspicion, the reporters at excited. People from the Pliskin family and Balorant family were all here! Especially Ashley, who has never responded directly to the situation of the Pliskin family, now finally got the chance to ask in person! The group of reporters couldn¡¯t hold themselves back for a long time, and they all surrounded them with cheers: ¡°Ashley, aizen asked you about the situation of the Pliskin family before, but you didn¡¯t answer a word. Is the situation of the Pliskin family irreversible?¡± ¡°Lester, are you so indifferent in the face of the Balorant family¡¯s suppression? Howe you don¡¯t even have the strength to counterattack?¡± ¡°Lester, the Pliskin family¡¯s stock price has been falling, and Finn Irvine has also been poached by Monia. Has the Pliskin family completely lost this business game?¡± ¡°Ashley, just now Monia said that you, the Pliskin family, have be her losers. What do you think of this?¡± These difficult questions were thrown one after another, and Lester did not hesitate to protect Ashley. Ashley felt warm in her heart, but she still stepped forward and stood up, 08:571 facing her second brother side by side. Hearing the reporter¡¯sst question, Ashley¡¯s eyes slightly raised, with a touch of sarcasm, ¡°He is defeated?¡± The reporter immediately said, ¡°Monia said it!¡± Monia raised her chin, her expression as arrogant as ever, ¡°I¡¯m just stating a fact, Ashley, there¡¯s no shame in being defeated by my subordinates.¡± When the surrounding reporters heard this, they were all shocked. This Monia really dares to say it! However, this is indeed the case. The Pliskin family has been suppressed these days and has no power to back up, isn¡¯t it because they lost to the Balorant family? Ashley didn¡¯t look irritated at all, and asked in a light tone, ¡°The truth?¡± ¡°Isn''t it?¡± Monia nced at Finn Irvine next to her. This was a talent she poached from the Pliskin family. He also brought her a special medicine to cure asthma, which helped the Balorant family¡¯s stock price rise. It must be that now Ashley and the The Pliskin family was so angry that they vomited blood. But there¡¯s no point in being angry anymore, Finn Irvine is already hers. look of pride appeared on Monia¡¯s face, ¡°Ms. Pliskin, you have just returned to the Pliskin family not long ago, and you may not have experienced the intrigues in the shopping mall. The fact now is that the market value of the Pliskin family has evaporated a lot, and you no longer have the ability topete with Balorant. Family fights!¡± Ashley lowered her eyes and smiled, as if she had heard some joke, and said slowly, ¡°In this case, | will let you see clearly what is the truth.¡± When Monia heard this, the smile on her face suddenly froze.Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. What does Ashley mean? What does she want to do! When the reporters nearby heard Ashley¡¯s words, they all became suspicious. What''s going on? Only Lester stood next to Ashley, with an enigmatic smile on his lips. 08:57 Ashley turned slightly sideways and said to the people behind her, ¡°Pleasee in.¡± The reporters were shocked when they heard this. Is there anyone else outside? He immediately turned his head and looked over. After seeing the person clearly, his eyes widened instantly. Police...police! Why the police?! Chapter 418 Chapter 418 In an instant, everyone in the hall held their breath involuntarily. Monia¡¯s face turned ugly, her fingers clenched the hem of her skirt tightly, and her voice was cold and hard, ¡°Ashley, what do you mean!¡± Ashley looked at Monia calmly and said quietly, ¡°When this special. medicine that can cure asthma was first developed, the Pliskin family had already applied for a patent.¡± Monia was stunned, what? Registered a patent? Registering a patent means that the ownership of this specific medicine. belongs exclusively to the Pliskin family... Ashley stared at her with eyes like ice des, and her tone suddenly turned cold, ¡°Monia, you have invested heavily in production without authorization and are suspected of giarism and infringement. We haveunched awsuit against you!¡± When the reporters around him heard this, they all opened their mouths, stunned by this development. ¡°Patent... | went there, and it involves patents... It turns out that the Pliskin family has registered a patent a long time ago...¡± ¡°If there is a patent, then the ownership of this special medicine belongs to the Pliskin family from beginning to end!¡± ¡°Is giarism and infringement like Monia¡¯s kind illegal? | just reported news about a patent infringement some time ago. The largepany infringed and was fined 500 million by the court!¡± Monia¡¯s face turned pale, and she gritted her teeth and said, ¡°Ashley, you just lied to me by saying that you have a patent without any evidence?!¡± She couldn''t believe it was such a coincidence! The surrounding reporters were like sunflowers, turning their heads to look at Ashley and Lester. Yes, you can¡¯t just talk empty talk, you have to have evidence. Ashley nced at Monia nonchntly, then looked at Lester beside her, 11:10 ¡°Second brother, give me the stuff.¡± Hearing this, Lester handed over the thing in his hand. Ashley took it and disyed it in front of everyone. ¡°Ah! It¡¯s a patent certificate!¡± A tall reporter in the crowd shouted, ¡°Look, it says on it, it¡¯s a patent certificate for a special medicine!¡± ¡°There is also a patent number and application date on it! The most important ingredient in this medicine. When Monia introduced the special medicine just now, she also mentioned qingminsu, which is exactly the same!¡± ¡°So, Monia has indeed constituted an infringement... not only will it face fines and liability, but the 30 billion previously invested may also be wasted, hiss...¡± Looking at the unsightly-patent certificate, Monia was furious. | never expected that Ashley would have a patent certificate as a backup n! She thought everything would be fine after poaching Finn Irvine, but it turned out...Ashley was waiting for her here! wrong. The specific medicine has been patented a long time ago, how could Finn Irvine not know about it? He¡¯s part of the R&D team and he definitely knows. However, Finn Irvine never mentioned the patent to her. Could it be... Monia¡¯s breath froze, and she turned to look at Finn Irvine in disbelief, only to see Finn Irvine standing there with a calm expression from beginning to end, looking at Lester and Ashley respectfully. Monia suddenly gritted her teeth. Finn Irvine is pretending to be ttering! He didn¡¯t betray the Pliskin family! He pretended to be poached by her just to set a trap for her! Monia was angry and angry. She was so cautious, but she still fell into their trap and fell into their trap! Losing money is not the most important thing. The most important thing is that the Balorant family is used of giarism and infringement, which will definitely affect the stock price! There is also a special medicine, which is back in the hands of the Pliskin family. It is the only medicine that can cure asthma. It can be imagined how much benefit it will bring to the Pliskin family... Ashley looked at her calmly, ¡°Now, do you see the facts clearly?¡± Monia¡¯s face became even more ugly. Ashley was blocking her with what she just said! The press conference was reported online, instantly causing a huge public outcry. Because the Pliskin family owns a patent for specific medicines, not long after, the stock price of the Pliskin family, which had been falling, unexpectedly stopped falling and began to rebound and rise! The share price of Balorant family is showing a downward trend! [Holy shit, it¡¯s gone up! The Pliskin family¡¯s stock price has really gone up!] [It''s only increased a little. Compared with Balorant, it still doesn¡¯t have much advantage.] [Hey, why do | think Monia fell into a trap? Finn Irvine must have been arranged by Ashley!] [This is called treating others with their own medicine! Could it be that Monia was only allowed to make ns in advance from the beginning and take the initiative to target the Pliskin family, but Ashley was not allowed to set a trap for Monia to fall for?] (Hahahaha, in Monia¡¯s words, this is called intrigue in the shopping mall! 1 Until the stock market closed in the afternoon, the Pliskin Group¡¯s share price was still rising. the following few days. The official LiveMe of the national channel suddenly released a LiveMe, which basically said: Ashley, Lester, and the R&D team of special medicines attended a state banquet together, met with high-level national officials, and transferred the patent rights of special medicines to the country free of charge, aiming to help more patients. At the same time, the Ministry of Commerce decided to vigorously support the development of the Pliskin Group consortium to create more value. As soon as this LiveMe was posted, it was like a spark flying into the weeds, crackling and exploding instantly. Shit, did | read that correctly? Transfer the patent rights to the state for free! Nopensation!] [Oh my God, this is a good thing that benefits the country and the people! ] Suddenly there is a feeling that ¡°a great chivalrous person serves the country and the people¡±!] (Ashley was praised by the country before when she was asked to repair a damaged ancient painting in a critical situation. This time she was praised by the country again. | admire her so much!] Family members, don¡¯t ignore the important point at the end, the country will vigorously support the Pliskin Group consortium! Strong support! What does this mean? The Pliskin family will have the support of the state in the future!] Fuck, that¡¯s awesome!] The Pliskin Group consortium has shifted its development focus to China, which has greatly stimted the economy and increased employment. It is a mutually beneficial situation, and the Ministry of Commerce has been very supportive. Now that there is strong support from the state, there is an extrayer of protection. This also caused the stock price of the Pliskin family to skyrocket in a short period of time, and the previously evaporated market value also rose back! However, this is not over yet! Chapter 418 In the next few days, the Kingsley Group held a press conference to announce an in-depth cooperation with the Pliskin Group consortium! For example, in 16 industries such as electronic technology, new energy industry, hotel business, etc., the two sides have launched project cooperation, with the total amount of cooperation reaching several hundred million! It''s equivalent topleting deep binding! Such many cooperation projects cannot be achieved overnight. They have obviously been discussed and decided for a long time! In the past, there was strong support from the country, andter there was in-depth cooperation from the Kingsley Group. There is only one signal sent out. That is, The Pliskin family will not fail, it will only get better and better! The stock price of the Pliskin Group consortium went up to the daily limit! In contrast, Balorant¡¯s share price continues to fall. Just in the evening, news broke on the Inte that an explosion and fire urred in the Balorant family¡¯s overseas warehouse, killing 23 workers. However, because they did not want to make the matter a big deal, they directly spent money to suppress the news. There is also the Balorant family¡¯s overseas factories. Because the materials are not up to standard, the wastewater discharged pollutes the water source, causing all the surrounding residents to get sick. They are also suppressed by spending a lot of money. As soon as these news broke out,izens became furious. [Damn, it¡¯s a waste of human life! ]N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. [What a ck heart! Don¡¯t care about other people¡¯s lives for money! How many lives is that!] Is this a noble? Is this Balorant? Use other people¡¯s lives to nourish you? hehe! J | have been holding back for a few days, but our orphanage has received a donation from the Pliskin Group It is said that because of Ashley¡¯s experience of living outside as a child the skin family began to pay attention to the charity of the orphanage. Now, The children in our orphanage can live better because of the Pliskin family¡¯s donations. Inparison, Balorant really can¡¯t] Chapter 419 Chapter 419 The sitting area of Mr. Murray¡¯s suite. Monia saw the negative news on the Inte and red at her assistant angrily, ¡°Why are you still standing there? Delete these negative news quickly!¡± The assistant timidly whispered. ¡°These negative news are spread too widely. If they are forcibly deleted, it is likely to arouse the rebellious. psychology ofizens, leading to even more harsh criticism...¡± Bang! Monia smashed the wine bottle on the table, and the bright red wine. sshed out and flowed all over the floor. Monia looked ferocious and was no longer in the mood to drink red wine. The assistant shrank her shoulders in fear and looked at Monia timidly, not daring to say anything for fear of causing trouble for her. Now that the Pliskin family has state support and the Kingsley family has in-depth cooperation, the Balorant family alone cannot shake the slightest bit... Monia closed her eyes hard, and when she opened them suddenly, her eyeballs were filled with red bloodshot eyes. She turned to look at the elite men and women in suits and ties, and ordered in a cold tone, ¡°When the stock market opens tomorrow moming, we must increase the stock price!¡± The group of elite men and women looked at each other, how could this be done so easily? In addition to the bad impact of these negative news on Balorant, there must be many professional traders on Wall Street operating the Pliskin family. How can the stock price rise so easily? Monia looked at them coldly, ¡°Why don¡¯t you say anything?¡± The group of elite men and women were so frightened that they immediately responded, ¡°Yes, Miss!¡± 1/6 11:10 The stock market opened the next day Under the operation of this group of elite at theen and women, Balorant¡¯s stock price showed an upward trend at the beginning. However, after a while, it continued to fall uncontrobly. The Pliskin Group building at this time. In the spacious and bright office, colorful strand diagrams are disyed on theputer screen. These elites sitting in front of theputer are all top traders from Wall Street. They are staring at theputer screen attentively. George was wearing a ck suit and had a cold face. He was sitting in front of theputer, tapping his fingers, and tens of thousands of dors wereing in and out every second. Ashley sat next to her, looking at the strand diagram on theputer screen, her eyebrows slightly raised, and she suddenly said, ¡°Frankie, pause for a moment.¡± When George heard this, he immediately stopped moving without any doubt. He has the greatest trust in his sister. Ashley stared at theputer screen and said in a clear voice, ¡°Pause for a moment.¡± Ten secondster, a trader from the side ran over, ¡°Young Master, Miss, look, Balorant seems to have stopped temporarily!¡± George¡¯s tone was calm, with a hint of pride, ¡°Ashley just said it.¡± The trader was startled when he heard this. The eldestdy actually... knew it ten seconds before him! This overall view and superb prediction ability are much better than that of a professional trader like him! After a while, the trader reported, ¡°Miss, Balorant is continuing again! What about our side, do you want to continue?¡± Ashley, ¡°10 thousand dor stock, sell it.¡± Listening to the woman''s decisive tone, the trader immediately. surrendered and did as she was told. 11:16N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. As expected, it didn¡¯t take long for Balorant¡¯s stock price to hit the limit! Previously, the Pliskin family¡¯s stock price decline had been controlled with reasonable range, but now Balorant¡¯s decline is uncontroble! The situation ispletely reversed! Initially, the Pliskin family¡¯s stock price fell and Balorant¡¯s stock price Tose. Now the Pliskin family is rising, and Balorant is plummeting all the way to the limit! When the stock market opened the next day, within a short while, Balorant¡¯s stock price fell to the limit again. Ashley tapped her delicate white fingertips twice on the table, then turned to look at George, ¡°Frankie, you can start acquiring their branches.¡± George nodded slightly, as he thought. Once it reaches the stage of acquisition, it means that Balorant has been beaten without any backhand power, and there is no possibility of aeback. Lester, who was standing aside, couldn''t help but raise his eyebrows as he looked at Frankie and his sister who were in perfect harmony. He has said before that with the abilities of his sister and Frankie, the future development of the Pliskin family will be immeasurable if they join forces. Next to them, Brian Pliskin and Karen Pliskin looked at Ashley with deep- admiration and love in their eyes. How could they be so virtuous as to give birth to such a powerful daughter? It seems that as long as she is around, feel at ease and can solve any difficult problem... On the Inte, Bluelove CP fans who had been worried for so long finally put their hearts back in their stomachs and celebrated with gongs. and drums. 11:16 [finally! Finally won! | knew | could do it! ] [Ah ah ah, | am Ashley! Jedi counterattack!] [Remember the previous vote, who voted for the final winner, manyizens voted for Balorant, hum, now | know who lost and who won, | firmly believe that Ashley is the winner!] [It¡¯s so thrilling, really, every step is so thrilling, | haven¡¯t slept at all these days. ] [Hahahaha who is not? Don¡¯t get involved with Monia in the future. Look at how the market value of your family has shrunk. In the future, there will be no four major consortiums, only three major consortiums! The Balorant family is not worthy! Got kicked out!) Hotel suite. Bang! Monia picked up the ss on the table and smashed it on the ground as if to vent her anger. The floor was a mess with broken ss everywhere. Monia is still angry, her eyes are full of ferocious anger and resentment, she lost, Balorant actually lost... Still in such a tragic way... Twenty branches have been acquired by the Pliskin family... The cell phone suddenly rang. Looking at ¡°Father¡± on the caller ID, Monia bit her lip shamelessly and finally answered the call. ¡°Father......¡± ¡°Monia, you... ugh! Apologize to Ms. Pliskin quickly! Don¡¯t mess with her again! If this continues, ourpany will go bankrupt sooner orter, and will bepletely acquired by the Pliskin family sooner orter!¡± ¡°Father, |...¡± Monia bit her lip and asked her to bow her head and admit her mistake to Ashley, but she couldn''t do it. Now she just wants to cut that woman into pieces! 4/6 11:16 ¡°Monia! We and the Pliskin family could have been at peace with each. other, but it was you who had to target them! Now that the situation has developed like this, do you want to watch the Balorant family die like this!¡± ¡°Father...¡± Monia¡¯s voice was stuck in her throat, sore and swollen. Could it be that she could only save Balorant¡¯s crisis by bowing her head and apologizing to Ashley and begging Ashley to show her kindness? How could she do it! But now Balorant is in a critical situation, the capital chain is about to break, and it is in urgent need ofrge sums of money... An idea shed in her mind, and Monia suddenly thought of the hidden and informal way to make money that she had thought of before, the arms business... However, if you want to do arms business, you must go through that man... If you contact the man named Banks... That man was too mysterious. She had never seen him in person and didn¡¯t know what he looked like. But she knew that he was dangerous, qunning and not easy to mess with. She had asked a private detective to inquire about that man before, but he was so mysterious that she couldn¡¯t find out anything. | only found the contact information of his subordinate Colby. Monia hung up her father¡¯s phone and walked around the room hesitantly. Finally, she took out her cell phone and dialed Colby¡¯s number... Suburban vi. After answering the phone, Colby looked at the man on the sofa and reported in a low voice, ¡°Master, Monia from the Balorant family, | would like to request a meeting with you.¡± Hearing the word Monia, the man¡¯s eyes froze, and his peach blossom eyes overflowed with a ck smoke-like anger. 5/6 11.16 After a moment, the man raised his lips with an unclear smile, ¡°Okay, let here.¡± Colby was stunned when he heard this. The master actually agreed to Monia¡¯s request for an audience? Although Colby felt strange, he still followed his master¡¯s instructions and informed Monia. Hotel suite. When Monia received the message and saw the man agreeing to meet, she was stunned for a moment, disbelief shed across her face, and then she was overjoyed. didn¡¯t expect to meet that man so smoothly. There has been a lot of turmoil between the Balorant family and the Pliskin family recently. That man must know about it, and naturally he also knows about Balorant¡¯s current miserable situation. Knowing her request to meet, the man should have guessed that she wanted to make money through the arms business, yet she agreed to meet so simply... Isn''t it...this man also dislikes the Pliskin family and wants to help her and Balorant! Chapter 420 Chapter 420 Monia received a meeting location from Colby. | originally thought that the man was elusive and would be in Takydo or somewhere else, but the meeting ce showed that the man was in Kilos City at the moment. Monia was surprised for a moment, but it was convenient to meet. Monia packed up and prepared to go to the meeting ce. | checked online before leaving. The Inte is full of news about the shopping mall game between the Pliskin family and the Balorant family News headlines are even more varied. The Pliskin family fought back with overwhelming force, annexing at least half of the Balorant family¡¯s property; Why did Balorant take the lead in provoking, but was defeated miserably in the end, and was reduced to a beaten dog? The market value of the Balorant family has shrunk greatly. Regardless of financial resources or strength, they have been kicked out of the four major consortiums; What else is there to say about Monia falling from heaven and transforming from a nobledy into a ¡°kneeling¡±dy. Will she have to nod and bow when she sees Ashley in the future. .. Bang! Monia was so angry that she threw her phone away. When had she ever been so embarrassed! In the past, | was fawned over and fawned over wherever | went, but now | am theughing stock of everyone! It''s all Ashley! It was all because of that bitch Ashley! Monia stared at the phone on the ground with fierce eyes, the anger in her eyes made her want to poke a hole in the phone, and her face had 11:16 Thinking of her meeting with the manter, Monia forced herself to down. cal | bent down to pick up the phone from the ground. The screen was shattered, like a spider web, but it was still usable. The overwhelming news was also mixed with negative news about Balorant killing workers in the past, andizens continued to condemn ¡®b Monia only nced at it and turned off her phone angrily. If it wasn¡¯t just a few lowly poor people who died, what''s there to criticize? Even if Balorant declines, she can still save it! After taking a look at the meeting location sent by Colby, Monia rushed there immediately. Ashley...she will definitely make Ashley die... Ashley spent a day in thepany building of the Pliskin Group consortium. Before getting off work, her parents gave her an important task and asked Valentin to have dinner with her. Ashley told brother Frankie and prepared to go find Valentin. ¡°Okay.¡± Lester nodded and put his arm around her shoulders. ¡°My sister has been working in thepany these days. She has been working hard. My second brother will cook for you today.¡± When Ashley heard this, she quickly refused, ¡°A, absolutely no! You really don¡¯t have to!¡± As for her second brother, his cooking skills are worse than hers. Maybe after eating the meal cooked by my second brother tonight, | will have to go to the hospital for an infusion tomorrow. George on the side saw Lester holding Ashley¡¯s shoulders like a boneless body and pulled him away, ¡°You don¡¯t know how heavy you are?¡± After speaking, he looked at Ashley and said, ¡°Ashley, do you want to 11:16 drive there yourself to see Valentin, or do you want the driver to take you there?¡± Ashley waved her hand, ¡°Don¡¯t bother me, | can just drive there by myself! Brother Frankie, I¡¯m leaving first!¡± Wait until Ashley leaves. Lester thought about it for a few seconds, then turned to look at George, ¡°Frankie, is my cooking so bad? My sister just refused.¡± George only said one sentence, ¡°Don¡¯t insult the word ¡®unptable¡±.¡±All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Lester, ¡°...¡± As for that? Lester smiled sinisterly, ¡°Okay, I''ll finally cook next time. Since you two dislike it, I''ll cook it for Valentin to eat. George was silent for a few seconds and nodded, ¡°Okay.¡± As a result, the two happily reached an agreement to deceive people. Ashley drove to the Kingsley Group¡¯s corporate building. She didn¡¯t tell Valentin that she wasing, she wanted to surprise him. However, she had asked Valentin in advance and knew that he was in the office now and had no meetings or anything, so she would not disturb him. As soon as they walked into thepany building, thedies at the front desk were surprised at first when they saw Ashley coming, and then they were overjoyed and greeted her enthusiastically. ¡°Ms. Pliskin!¡± ¡°Bossdy!¡± ¡°Madam boss, are you here to see Mr. Kingsley?¡± The oval-faced front desk girl was smart, and she immediately guessed Ashley¡¯s purpose. This was Ashley¡¯s first timeing to Valentin¡¯spany, and she didn¡¯t expect the employees to be so enthusiastic. Their attitude towards her 11171 was not just nice, but extremely nice. ¡°Boss Boss, pleasee this way! The elevator is over here!¡± The oval-faced girl professionally led Ashley to the executive elevator. Ashley took a casual look at thepany¡¯s decoration. As a result, during the few steps she took, the employees she met greeted her warmly and politely, and looked at her as if she were the God of Wealth. Although Ashley was a little strange, she smiled and greeted everyone. The group of employees suddenly had a better attitude toward Ashley. Nonsense, since Mr. Kingsley and Ms. Pliskin made their marriage public, all employees have been given several sry increases, all thanks to the bossdy! What is he if he is not the God of Wealth? Moreover, this is the bossdy¡¯s first timeing to thepany, so of course she has to leave a good impression on her! Tom, who happened to be passing by, saw Ashley¡¯s figure. His first reaction was that he was dazzled. Why did this ancestor come without saying a word? Does Mr. Kingsley know? Tom thought for a moment, Mr. Kingsley must not know. If he knew, he would definitelye down to pick up Ashley. Tom, still holding a pile of contracts in his hand, trotted up to Ashley, ¡°You are here to see Mr. Kingsley, right? Mr. Kingsley is in the office now!¡± Ashley quickly said, ¡°I know, you don¡¯t need to tell him yet.¡± Tom understood instantly. Hey, what a little fun between husband and wife! He understands! Tom led Ashley to the top floor in the elevator. The employees in the lobby on the first floor were still stretching their heads to look in. ¡°Oh my god, Ms. Pliskin is so beautiful! She has such a good temperament!¡± 11:17 ¡°As a woman, my heart moves when | see it!¡± ¡°Isn''t this the bossdy''s first time in thepany? It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen the bossdy in person. She really matches Mr. Kingsley!¡± ¡°And the bossdy is so awesome! She beat that Balorant family to a pulp! I¡¯m going to fall in love with the bossdy!¡± ¡°Wait a minute, why are you just a man joining in the fun? Falling in love with the bossdy? Aren¡¯t you afraid that Mr. Kingsley will hear you!¡± Tom led Ashley to the president''s office, raised his hand and knocked on the door. ¡°Enter.¡± The man¡¯s low-alcohol maic voice came from inside. Tom opened the door and let Ashley in, but he stayed outside very discerningly. the decoration a Ashley walked in and looked around. The office was spacious and bright, was very stylish, and the huge floor-to-ceiling windows. provided an unobstructed view of the outside scenery. The man is sitting behind arge desk working with his head down. Ashley walked over, deliberately silent ¡°Where¡¯s the contract?¡± Valentin thought it was Tom and asked without looking up. Ashley smiled secretly but still said nothing. Valentin held the pen with his slender white fingers and signed the contract he was reading. He didn¡¯t wait for a reply and frowned slightly. What happened to Tom today? Chapter 421 Chapter 421 The next moment, a hand as white as jade stretched out and hooked his chin teasingly with its slender index finger. ¡°There is no contract, but my wife has one. Do you want it?¡± Valentin was startled for a moment, and then, in his dark eyes, which were as cold as springs and cold moons, ripples appeared, spreading out in circles ofzy andzy smiles. He raised his hand and held the girl¡¯s hand that was holding his chin, ¡°Why are you here? Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± 195 Ashley bent over and blinked for praise, ¡°I want to give you a surprise! Are you happy to see me? Are you?¡± He chuckled, ¡°Yes.¡± Ashley was satisfied,ughed sillyly, and touched his face teasingly, ¡°By the way, my parents said they want you to have dinner together tonight! You finish your work first, and we''ll go back togetherter!¡± After Ashley finished speaking, she ran to the floor-to-ceiling window next to her. Just now | wanted to stand here and look at the scenery outside. Valentin looked at the girl¡¯s agile back, like a lively and yful little fox. He couldn¡¯t help but curled his lips, lowered his head and signed the remaining documents. Ashley enjoyed the scenery for a while and received a lot of messages on her phone. When the Pliskin family¡¯s stock price fell a few days ago, Miranda, Brittany Walsh, Bryce, Jaden, Laura, and other friends all sent messages of concern for her. Now that the Pliskin family has taken control of the situation and defeated the Balorant family, friends have also sent congrattory messages. Ashley replied one by one. 11:171 After replying to the message, Valentin was also busy with his work. The two were about to go home, and by chance, Joseph came. ¡°Brother!¡± Joseph called as soon as he came in, but when he saw Ashley was there, his eyes suddenly lit up, ¡°Oh! Little Ashley! You are here too! Why are you here, looking for your husband? By the way, take advantage of the opportunity. Today, | have this opportunity to tell you something | really want to tell you!¡± In thest half of the sentence, Joseph said it very seriously. This made Ashley confused, ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Joseph walked up to Ashley and patted her shoulder with a serious face, ¡°Sister-inw, | really admire you more and more! You are my role model!¡± Regarding the shopping mall game between the Pliskin family and the Balorant family, he naturally followed it all the time and asked his brother for information from time to time. It was not until the Pliskin family won in the end that he was so nervous that his little heart was beating wildly before he put it back in his stomach. Seeing Joseph¡¯s serious look, the corner of Ashley¡¯s mouth twitched, ¡°I still prefer the way you used to be funny.¡± When Joseph heard this, he raised his hands to cover his chest, feeling hurt by two thousand dors! How can he be ridiculous? He is obviously very handsome and serious! Joseph looked at his brother with tears in his eyes, ¡°Brother, my sister-inw said this to me, you have to make the decision for me!¡± Valentin, ¡°Your sister-inw is right.¡± Joseph, ¡°..Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. | wasn¡¯t surprised at all when I heard the answer from this guy who values sex over sex. After suffering 20,000 points of damage in just a short while, Joseph held his injured chest pitifully, ¡°Okay brother, the old man asked me toe over and ask you to have dinner with little Ashley. My sister is already at the old man¡¯s house now.¡± Ashley blinked when she heard this, what a coincidence. 11.177 That''s fine, let''s have dinner together as a family. Ashley was about to call her parents and Frankie¡¯s second brother, but just as she took out her cell phone, the ring rang. Pickup a call. The next second, when she saw who was calling, Ashley¡¯s temple jumped suddenly. Chapter 422 Valentin was standing next to Ashley, and naturally saw the caller ID on the screen of her mobile phone, and his pupils shrank slightly. Joseph also saw it and suddenly became alert. Caller ID: Bastard named Banks. No need to guess, this must be Andrew! Joseph was so worried that he looked at little Ashley and then at his brother, only to find that his brother looked calm on the outside and there was nothing wrong with his mood. Ashley looked at the caller ID with a headache. She didn¡¯t know why Andrew contacted her suddenly. Ashley looked up at Valentin, and when she looked up, she found that he had been looking at her, and she quickly said, ¡°It¡¯s probably some messy thing! It¡¯s okay, | won¡¯t answer it!¡± After saying that, | wanted to hang up. Valentin raised his eyebrows slightly and said in a slow tone, ¡°Am | such a jealous person? Take it.¡± Ashley, ¡°...¡± You are so awesome! Joseph almost choked on his own saliva when he heard his brother''s words. Ahem, brother, you seem to have a unclear understanding of yourself! But if you take a closer look, you can see that his brother is full of aura of a royal aura... Valentin had already stretched out his hand, his skinny white fingertips touched the screen, and personally helped Ashley answer the phone. Ashley was stunned for a moment, and when she saw the call was connected, she quickly raised the phone and put it to her ear. ¡°Tsk, why did it take you so long to answer the phone?¡± A man¡¯s dissatisfied voice came from the receiver. Ashley choked with him, ¡°How long has it been? It¡¯s only been a while, 115 41:17 okay! Why are you calling me?¡± ¡°| can¡¯te to you if | have nothing to do?¡± ¡°...lf you''re okay, I''ll hang up!¡± The man clicked his tongue, ¡°You are really heartless.¡± Ashley, ¡°...¡± She has no conscience! However, after hearing what Andrew said, Ashley looked serious, ¡°Is it true?¡± Monia is going to find Andrew? The man on the other end of the phone had a hoarse voice and azy tone, ¡°Fake, | lied to you.¡± After hearing what he said, Ashley believed it. After thinking for a moment, she said, ¡°Okay, then I¡¯ll go over to find youter.¡± Valentin, who was standing aside, didn¡¯t hear what Andrew said on the phone, but when he heard Ashley say to find him, his eyes narrowed dangerously. Ashley hung up the phone, saw Valentin¡¯s expression, and immediately took the opportunity to use, ¡°You just said you are not a jealous person!¡± Valentin, ¡°...¡± Ashley was amused, grabbed his hand and shook it, ¡°Of course, you are my husband, youe with me!¡± With just one sentence, Valentin was instantlyforted. Joseph''s face was full of surprise, ¡°Oh my god, little Ashley is so good at smoothing hair!¡±N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. His brother was really manipted by little Ashley! Ashley finished smoothing Valentin¡¯s hair and looked at his face. Hey, he looks so good. After admiring the man¡¯s beauty, he turned to look at Joseph, ¡°Tell grandpa that we won''t go back to eat today. I''ll follow you.¡± Brother has something to do, let¡¯s have dinner together tomorrow!¡± Joseph was originally worried about what little Ashley was going to do, 11:127 but thinking about it, his brother was going with little Ashley. With his brother here, little Ashley would be fine! Then he nodded, ¡°Okay, let me tell grandpa!¡± Ashley called her parents, said the same thing, and then took Valentin out. Monia arrived at the meeting ce. This is a hot spring vi halfway up the mountain. It only epts dignitaries and not ordinary guests. The confidentiality and service are very good. | don¡¯t know why that man chose to meet here. Maybe...it¡¯s the importance he attaches to her... Monia thought about it and was very satisfied with the man¡¯s attitude towards her. After walking into the vi, | found that there were no guests inside, only staff. What happened? At this moment, a thin man came over, looked at Monia coldly, and said angrily, ¡°Follow me.¡± Monia recognized it. This was Colby, the man¡¯s subordinate. After Colby finished speaking, he turned and walked forward. He didn¡¯t wait for Monia, and he didn¡¯t care whether Monia could keep 1. Monia immediately frowned and raised her heels, feeling very dissatisfied. Why was this Colby so cold to her? Shouldn''t she be treated as a distinguished guest? She is the person his master wants to see! After twisting and turning, Monia walked into the area of the vi that was not open to the public. Monia asked warily, ¡°Where are you going to take me?¡± Colby didn¡¯t look back, ¡°If you don¡¯t want toe, you can go back now.¡± 41:17 ¡°You!¡± Monia was so angry that she pointed her hand at his back, her face turned livid. She used to be supported wherever she went. And now, this Colby dared to talk to her like this. If he wasn¡¯t just a subordinate, who was he? It''s just shameful that she urgently needs to make money and see that man. Monia had to endure it. If she could reach a cooperation with that man, then she won be that man¡¯s guest. At that time, she would definitely punish Colby. After walking for a while, Monia finally followed Colby into a very spacious living room with a lot of space. It was gettingte now, the living room was brightly lit, and a bright moon could be seen in the sky through the floor-to-ceiling windows. ¡°Here we are.¡± Colby still said angrily. Monia frowned and looked around. There was no one in the living room. ¡°Where is your master?¡± Monia looked at Colby and asked. However, Colby stood there, as if he didn¡¯t hear anything, and didn¡¯t give any answer. Monia looked again to make sure there was no one in the living room. What does it mean? Monia calmed down and stood there waiting patiently. However, time passed by minute by minute. After waiting for nearly half an hour, no one came out to see her. This kind of neglect made Monia feel humiliated. She looked at Colby again and asked arrogantly, ¡°Where is your master?¡± Colby still had no answer. Monia walked up to him arrogantly, her face full of anger, ¡°Let me ask you, you...¡± 11.127 Halfway through her words, Monia suddenly stopped talking. Someone came down the spiral staircase on the second floor. Monia looked up. The moment she saw the man¡¯s appearance, she was stunned. The anger on her face disappeared without a trace, and she stared in the direction of the man without blinking. This is... She had never seen the man¡¯s true face before, but she had only heard of his name and knew that he was cruel, bloodthirsty, ruthless, dangerous. and treacherous. Many people were frightened and looked up in awe. Even the people on the road were frightened and trembling just by mentioning his name. In her guess, she thought the man looked ferocious, with a green face and fangs, or even a big, thick man. However, at this moment, when she saw the man¡¯s true face, Monial forgot to blink fora moment and stood there stunned, her eyes filled with surprise and amazement. On the spiral staircase, the man was wearing a ck shirt. He unbuttoned two buttons at will, revealing a faint cold white corbone. His legs were slender. As he stepped down the stairs step by step, he actually had such a stunning face.... And... those pair of peach blossom eyes that are so beautiful and heart-pounding... Chapter 423 The most contrasting thing is that the man has such a stunning face, but there is a bloodthirsty and sinister aura oozing from his bones... Danger...... But also charming... What''s even more contrasting is that on his wrist, he actually wears a series of...pocket watches.... Monia had never met Andrew before, but she felt extremely sure at this moment. The man in front of me is definitely Andrew. The eerie and unpredictable aura about him is not something ordinary people can have... Monia stared nkly at the man, as if an electric current ran through her body, her heartbeat quickened, and her little deer bumped wildly. Seeing the maning down the stairs, Monia hurriedly straightened her hair and straightened her skirt, trying to show the most perfect. image. When he spoke, his voice was soft and soft, ¡°Seeing is better than hearing. Hello, | am Monia Balorant. | am very happy that you can agree to my request to meet.¡± Colby next to him almost got goosebumps when he heard Monia¡¯s artificial voice! Just now he looked arrogant and arrogant, but now he¡¯s being polite again? His face changes so quickly! However, facing Monia¡¯s gentle greeting, the man ignored her. Even when he heard her voice, a trace of terrifying murderous intent suddenly poured out of his eyes. Monia was startled, and was frightened into silence by this terrible sense of oppression. What...what¡¯s going on? 118 11:17 She had never met Andrew before, nor had she ever messed with him, so he had no reason to be hostile to her. No wonder so many people are afraid of him, he is indeed elusive and dangerous... Maybe she had vited a taboo just now and shouldn¡¯t have spoken without permission. She should have waited for him to ask... However, the man walked to the sofa and sat down as if there was no one else around. He tilted his forehead and looked at the time on the antique clock with half interest, paying no attention to her at all. Being so ignored by the man, Monia was so ashamed and angry that she bit her lower lip. However, he still couldn¡¯t help but look towards the man. This was the first time she met a man who could make her heart beat so much. en are u She has always had a high vision and believes that few of her. George and Lester are her equal in family life, but the Pliskin family and the Balorant family are mortal enemies. She once set her sights on Valentin, a man who was unparalleled in both appearance and ability, and whose family background was even more prominent. However, it turned out that he was married to Ashley and was very much in love with her. Now that she met the man in front of her, she experienced such a violent heartbeat for the first time, and her heartbeat was so fast. Even though she knew this man was dangerous. However, the more difficult it is to control, the more she wants to conquer... Monia stared directly at the man, seeing that he kept looking at the time, and couldn''t help but wonder in her heart, he seemed to be waiting for someone. Who are you waiting for? Who is qualified to make him wait? She had been standing dryly in the living room for half an hour, and this man didn¡¯t even show up. Now he finally showed up, but he has been 978 11:17 Who are you waiting for? Monia narrowed her eyes reluctantly, looked at the man on the sofa, smiled and said: ¡°Won''t you invite me to sit down? Of course, you can agree to meet me. You should know the purpose of mying here. Now the Balorant family is in crisis. The capital chain is about to break and they are in urgent need of a lot of money. If you are lucky enough to follow me, would be great if you cooperate. When Balorant makes aeback, | will let the Pliskin family...¡± As soon as Monia finished saying the words ¡°the Pliskin family¡±, the man¡¯s cold eyes suddenly looked towards her. Monia became inexplicably nervous and swallowed hard. He took the initiative to look at her... Are you interested in what she said... Definitely is! Monia¡¯s heart was beating fast. Seeing that he was interested in the Pliskin family, Monia continued to talk about the Pliskin family: It ¡°The Pliskin family and our Balorant family have always been sworn enemies. You must also know about this shopping mall game. We originally had the advantage, but the Pliskin family used tricks. It was all a trick yed by Ashley! She is scheming, cunning, and has very bad intentions!¡± Thinking of Balorant¡¯s current miserable situation, Monia gritted her teeth more and more as she spoke. The man sitting on the sofa slowly rubbed the pocket watch on his wrist with his cold white fingers. When he heard Monia say that Ashley was scheming and had very bad intentions, the man¡¯s lips suddenly revealed an enigmatic smile, ¡°Oh, so bad.¡± Monia was stunned when she heard the man¡¯s deep and hoarse voice, and then her heart beat faster. He was finally... willing to pay attention to her... 41:17 It seems that he really dislikes the Pliskin family and wants to help her! Want to help Balorant! Monia was very excited and wanted to scold Ashley a few more words. Suddenly, Colby on the side said, ¡°Master, we are here.¡± The man said calmly, ¡°Bring it here.¡± Monia was surprised, who ising? Is he the one he wants to wait for? Monia looked towards the door of the living room curiously, and the next moment, her eyes suddenly widened. | saw a group of vicious men in ck walking in with a blond. middle-aged man escorted. The blond middle-aged man was surprisingly her father! Monia¡¯s heart tightened. Her father was obviously abroad. How did Andrew bring him here? Andrew what does this mean? ¡°Father!¡± Monia hurried over. ¡°Monia!¡± The middle-aged man saw Monia and asked in surprise, ¡°Why are you here? That person on the sofa is...¡± The middle-aged man looked at the man on the sofa. In the huge living room, everyone was standing. Only the man was sitting leisurely on the sofa, and the subordinates were respectful to the man. There was no doubt that that man was here. leader. Monia introduced in a low voice, ¡°Father, this is Andrew.¡± The middle-aged man had naturally heard of Andrew¡¯s name, and his expression suddenly changed. Monia immediately exined, ¡°Father, don¡¯t be nervous. | came to see Andrew today because | want to cooperate with him in the arms business. Now Balorant is in crisis and urgently needs funds. Only by preparing enough funds can we make aeback and bring the Pliskin family back to life.¡± Down!¡± And Ashley... 11:17 She will definitely let her die badly! The middle-aged man became anxious and rebuked in a low voice, ¡°Monia, that¡¯s Andrew!! The entire Takydo underground force is controlled by him!! That man is not easy to mess with! He is so dangerous, how do you know he is willing to help us?¡± Monia smiled slightly, ¡°Father, | just talked with him. He seems to be very unfavorable to the Pliskin family. We have a good chance of reaching a cooperation!¡± The middle-aged man looked suspicious. If he was willing to cooperate, how could that man capture him? Suddenly, the middle-aged man¡¯s cell phone rang and he received a video. Click y. Monia lowered her head and looked over. The scene in the video turned out to be her mother, being held to the head with a gun by two men in ck, crying so hard.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Monia¡¯s pupils shrank, what does this video mean? Mother was kidnapped? However, immediately after, the middle-aged man received another video on his cell phone. Monia looked over again. The scene in the video was of her fourth uncle who was far away in Yaloria. Two men in ck were also pointing a gun at his head. The fourth uncle¡¯s mouth was full of blood, as if he had his tongue cut out alive because he struggled and resisted! Immediately afterwards, | received a dozen more videos. Without exception, they are all members of the Balorant family living in other ces. They are all kidnapped by those men in ck, and their lives are hanging by a thread! After watching these videos, the middle-aged man suddenly panicked, ¡°This... these... your mother... and other members of the Balorant family, they are clearly protected by bodyguards, how could they still...¡± Why are they all being hijacked and controlled? 11:170 20 Monia¡¯s face was so pale that there was no trace of blood. She just saw an S symbol on the men in ck in the video... S...Andrew... Andrew sent someone to do it! In a short period of time, he used thunderous means to control Balorant¡¯s tribesmen in various countries. Such a cruel and bloody style, such a huge power... At this moment, another video was received on the phone! After clicking it, | saw a helicopter hovering in the sky with a foreign man hanging upside down by a rope. Monia-recognized it at a nce. The one hanging upside down was Olive! Olive had previously spiked Galvin¡¯s drink in an attempt to frame Ashley for cheating on Galvin, but was eventually exposed and jailed. Now, Andrew actually has the ability to get Olive out of prison... In the video, the helicopter was hovering over the forest. As the helicopter flew, Olive, who was hung upside down in the air, mmed into the branches with ws and ws! Olive was cut by a branch, her flesh and blood were bloody, and blood flowed all over her body! However, the helicopter was holding Olive, tirelessly, and crashed into those thick branches again and again! Like cruel torture, Olive was knocked into a bloody man in just a few strokes! Finally, the helicopter lifted Olive and crashed into a mountain.... Monia didn¡¯t dare to watch anymore, urned off the video with trembling fingers, and looked at the man sittingzily on the sofa with a pale face in fear. Andrew... This man...the king of the entire Takydo underground force... His methods... 11171 No wonder those people on the road are so afraid of him and afraid of him... But why did he kidnap the rest of the Balorant family? And why should. Olive be taught a lesson? The Balorant family never messed with him, and neither did Olive... Achill ran down Monia¡¯s spine, and she looked at the man with fear, but she couldn¡¯t help but be fascinated by his dangerous mystery. Monia pursed her pale lips and asked in a trembling voice, ¡°You asked people to arrest my father, and the Balorant n members were also controlled... What do you mean...?¡± Isn''t he going help Balorant? to The man sat expressionlessly on the sofa, his cold, thin fingertips gently rubbing the pocket watch on his wrist, ¡°What did you say about Ashley just now?¡± Monia was stunned for a moment, why did he ask Ashley... At this moment, Andrew''s phone vibrated and received a message. The moment he saw the message, the man raised his eyebrows with interest, and there was a hint of joy in his peach blossom eyes. He raised his head and said to Colby, ¡°She¡¯s here, go and pick her up.¡± Colby lowered his head in response, turned around and walked out of the living room. Monia¡¯s eyebrows suddenly knitted together. He¡¯s here, who is he? Is this the person Andrew has been waiting for? When Andrew read the message just now, the change in his expression and the joy in his eyes showed that that person held an extraordinary position in his heart... Monia felt sour and gritted her teeth, she wanted to take a look. Who is the person who is qualified to make Andrew wait for so long! Within a short while, Colby came back Monia turned her head to look at the first moment, but the next moment she saw the person led by Colby, her pupils were dted in shock. 11-17 Immediately, her scalp went numb, and her hands hanging by her sides clenched tightly. It turned out to be... Chapter 424 Walking next to Ashley, there was Valentin... Sor Could it be that the person Andrew has been waiting so patiently for is... Ashley?? No. impossible! The person Andrew is waiting for should be Valentin. How could Ashley be rted to Andrew?! Andrew is the man she likes! Monia¡¯s father, when he saw Ashley and Valentining in, recognized them at a nce, and his expression became extremely solemn. The Balorant family had just lost to the Pliskin family, and he did not expect to see the Pliskin family here. Before he could react, Monia had already walked up to Ashley and almost gritted her teeth and said, ¡°Ms. Pliskin, what a coincidence, we meet again.¡± Compared to Monia¡¯s re, Ashley was calm andposed, curling her lips and smiling, ¡°What a coincidence? Just one word made Monia¡¯s heart sink. Monia¡¯s eyes were fixed on Ashley. She urgently wanted to know whether Ashley and Andrew were rted. She wants to cooperate with Andrew and make money from the arms business to deal with the Pliskin family. However, if Ashley and Andrew have an extraordinary rtionship, then if she seeks cooperation with Andrew, wouldn¡¯t she bemitting suicide? After a pause, Monia asked tentatively, ¡°Ms. Pliskin, did youe with Mr. Kingsley? Do you and Mr. Banks... also know each other?¡± Ashley naturally heard the temptation in Monia¡¯s words, turned to look at Valentin¡¯s face, not wanting to make him jealous, and answered Monia¡¯s question casually, ¡°I¡¯m not familiar with Andrew, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± 178 11:170 When Monia heard this, she immediately felt relieved. It doesn¡¯t matter... It seems that the person Andrew has been waiting for is not Ashley... She was overly worried. With Andrew¡¯s status, how could Ashley be qualified to make him wait? However, at this moment, the man on the sofa stood up slowly, and his hoarse voice sounded dangerous, ¡°Ashley, aren¡¯t you familiar?¡± Ashley¡¯s eyelids twitched and she retorted harshly, ¡°I! wasn¡¯t very familiar with him at first.¡± Andrew, ¡°...¡± This heartless little white-eyed wolf. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m not familiar with it.¡± Andrew said in a protracted tone, trying not to smile, but his peach eyes were overflowing with danger.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. He walked towards Ashley step by step, ¡°I used to take every bite, but now | don¡¯t know how to talk. You''re really good at it, Ashley.¡± Ashley¡¯s eyes suddenly widened and she was speechless, ¡°I¡¯ve never called/ you that!¡± Andrew raised his lips, ¡°Oh, did | call you that, baby?¡± Ashley, ¡°...¡± It¡¯s your uncle''s! Hearing this Andrew¡¯s iconic and favorite name, Valentin¡¯s eyes suddenly darkened. He held Ashley¡¯s hand and looked at Andrew with cold eyes, full of warning, ¡°Andrew.¡± Two cold and biting words fell. Ashley quickly squeezed Valentin¡¯s handfortingly and stared at Andrew speechlessly, ¡°How many times have | told you, don¡¯t scream!¡± Andrew nced at the hands held by the two of them, wondering how to add to the obstruction, and sneered, ¡°It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t agree to my pursuit, but you won''t let me call you baby?¡± Valentin¡¯s eyes darkened when he heard this, and he protected Ashley, schemingly blocking Andrew¡¯s sight of Ashley. Andrew, ¡°... 11:17 Valentin lowered his eyes and nced at the time, as if he was waiting for something... At this moment, Monia¡¯s fingers were clenched tightly together, and the pain of nails digging into her flesh could not eliminate the shock and jealousy in her heart. The way Ashley and Andrew talked, there was nothing familiar about it... It''s obviously extremely familiar! There is also the phrase ¡°If you don¡¯t agree to my pursuit, forget it.¡± What does this mean? Not only did he affectionately call Ashley baby, but he also pursued her, but he didn¡¯t catch up with her? How is this possible! She doesn¡¯t ept it! This is the man she likes! But he only has Ashley in his heart, and he pursues Ashley wholeheartedly, even if Ashley refuses to look back at him... In an instant, Monia¡¯s chest felt like a thick sponge was blocking her chest. She was so suffocated that she could hardly breathe, and her heart felt like a needle pricking her heart. No wonder....... No wonder Andrew sent people to arrest his father and also kidnapped other members of Balorant¡¯s tribe, because Balorant is Ashley¡¯s opponent and he wants to protect Ashley... No wonder Andrew got Olive out of prison and punished him so cruelly. and bloodyly, because Olive once wanted to frame Ashley, and he wanted to avenge Ashley... And today, Andrew agreed to her request to meet, probably because of Ashley... Everything he did was for that woman... But he didn¡¯t tell Ashley anything, he just paid silently behind the scenes, was he willing to do so.... 3/8 11:173 The sourness and jealousy in Monia¡¯s heart kept rising, why wasn¡¯t she... the woman Andrew liked, why wasn¡¯t she! Ashley... She really wanted her to die! On the side, Monia¡¯s father did not expect that Ashley and Andrew would be so familiar. Just then, his cell phone rang again. Someone called. The caller ID showed that he was the manager of thepany headquarters. Monia¡¯s heart suddenly rose in her throat and she was panicked. Could it be that Andrew did something else? Thinking of the abducted tribesmen, Monia¡¯s father answered the phone tremblingly. As soon as the call was connected, the person on the other end of the phone shouted in panic, ¡°Chairman! It¡¯s not good! Things are getting worse! W can¡¯t stand it anymore!¡± ¡°What''s the meaning!¡± ¡°Chairman, a few days ago, the Kingsley Group began to acquire shares of ourpany, and we did not resist. In the past two days, the shares. of some shareholders have also been acquired by the Kingsley Group... the Kingsley Group has already Be the shareholder with the highest shareholding!¡± When Monia heard this, she swayed and almost fell to the ground. What? The Kingsley Group holds the highest number of shares. Doesn¡¯t that mean it bes thergest shareholder? Doesn''t the control of thepany lie with the Kingsley Group?! Valentin must have had someone do it! It must be Valentin who made the Kingsley Group...acquire Balorant¡¯s head office! 41:17 Monia¡¯s mind went nk, she staggered and almost fainted. | thought Balorant could withstand a crisis for a while, but unexpectedly, Valentin acted so resolutely that he acquired the entire head office of Balorant in just a few days... So now... what''s left of Balorant? The person on the other end of the phone continued, ¡°Chairman, after the Kingsley Group became thergest shareholder, he asked other shareholders to vote in favor and transferred the shares...¡± ¡°To whom?¡± Monia asked immediately before her father could speak. The most important thing now is to quickly find a way to regain control of thepany! The manager on the other end of the phone said tremblingly, ¡°Transfer...to...¡± Monia scolded, ¡°What are you talking about? Tell me quickly!¡± ¡°Transferred to Ashley! the Pliskin family!!¡± The person on the other end of the phone shouted in despair. After hearing the word Ashley, Monia¡¯s legs went weak, and she finally copsed on the ground without any image, her expression in a daze. It''s over... Transferred to Ashley... Now...thergest shareholder of the parentpany is the Pliskin family... In the blink of an eye, she went from a nobledy to a bereaved dog... Previously, the Kingsley Group announced an in-depth cooperation with the Pliskin family, with a total investment amount of several hundred million. At that time, she thought that this was the limit of the Kingsley Group, and there would no longer be any excess funds to threaten Balorant. Unexpectedly, these hundreds of millions are just the tip of the iceberg. | am afraid that the true strength of the Kingsley Group is beyond anyone¡¯s estimation... 11:17 Monia¡¯s father¡¯s face is not much better than Monia¡¯s. Did the family business that has been passed down for hundreds of years just be lost in his hands... damn it! She had already told Monia not to mess with Ashley. Ashley was not someone she could afford, but she refused to listen! The call was so loud that Ashley naturally heard it and looked at Valentin in surprise. At this time, Valentin¡¯s cold eyes turned away from his watch, and the time was about the same as he estimated. Ashley was surprised and blinked her ck and white eyes, ¡°You have been nning this for a long time?¡± She hadn''t even heard him say this! Valentin raised his hand and rubbed the girl¡¯s head, and said in an affectionate tone, ¡°Consider it a gift to you.¡± Ashley¡¯s eyes were so moved that she didn¡¯t even know what to say. Ouch! Valentin is so good too! Andrew looked at Ashley¡¯s moved eyes, but he didn¡¯t like it. ¡°I¡¯m moved by this little thing. Ashley, can you be sessful?¡± Colby, ¡°...¡± Master, if you talk like this, you will never be able to catch up with Ashley! Ashley was so angry that she wanted to bite him, ¡°You care about me!¡± Andrew, ¡°... Tsk, so fierce but cute. Valentin suddenly stretched out his hand in front of Ashley, and even if he bit him, he could only bite him. Ashley was moved to tears again, she knew that Valentin was the best! At this moment, Monia, who was paralyzed on the ground, had never been so embarrassed. Her hair was messy, and she looked at Ashley with gloomy eyes, and then looked at Valentin and Andrew. These two men... One is the master of a business empire.... 41:17 One is the king of underground forces... They all love Ashley so desperately and devote themselves to her... With these two men, what does Ashley want and not get? Monia was furious. Why did the man she fell in love with Ashley so much? Why! The jealousy in Monia¡¯s heart burned her so ferociously that she lost her mind and frantically wanted to drag Ashley to be buried with her. Andrew...this crazy and unpredictable man... Is he so willing to watch the woman he loves having sex with another man? ¡°Andrew...¡± Monia suddenly stood up unsteadily, her vocal cords seemed to be torn apart, and she was hoarse. She looked at Andrew with strange obsession: ¡°You like Ashley, right... Why don¡¯t you snatch her back... These are all your men. As long as you get rid of that man, Ashley will be yours forever...¡± After the words fell, Colby suddenly tensed up. Damn it, what is this woman talking about? Ashley¡¯s eyes sharpened, looking at Monia like a sharp de, and she had already stretched out her hand to subconsciously protect Valentin. This Monia actually wants to fight to the death and instigate Andrew... If Andrew really goes crazy... In an instant, the entire hall fell silent, and all the subordinates around him looked up at Andrew in awe. No matter what their master ordered, they would obey absolutely. The air suddenly became tense. Only the client, Andrew, lookedzy. He looked at Ashley calmly and smiled with his peach-shaped eyes, ¡°Baby, what do you think of her proposal?¡± Chapter 425 -¡°Baby, what do you think of her proposal?¡± ¡°Not so good!¡± Ashley said angrily, and at the same time, her body was already in front of Valentin. If Andrew really followed Monia¡¯s instigation and wanted to hurt Valentin, she would never let him seed. Valentin, as the person who was threatened, was calm and rxed from beginning to end. Looking at Ashley who was protecting him, he looked like ¡°it feels so good to be protected by my wife and eat my wife¡¯s food.¡± However, he didn¡¯t want Ashley to worry after all, so he pulled Ashley back to him and said in a calm tone, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Andrew doesn''t dare.¡± How could Ashley feel relieved? She whispered anxiously, ¡°If he gets really crazy and has no regard for the consequences! Maybe even | would dare to chop him!¡± Ashley said this very quietly, but Andrew stood next to her and heard everything word for word. He was very dissatisfied, ¡°Ashley, it makes me very sad to say that. When have | ever been willing to hurt you?¡± No matter how crazy he went, he was never willing to hurt her at all. Ashley, ¡°...Then don¡¯t listen to Monia¡¯s instigation!¡± Andrew raised his eyebrows evilly, ¡°Guess whether | will listen or not.¡± Ashley, ¡°... | guess your uncle guesses! Valentin nced at Andrew expressionlessly. Even though he was trapped in Andrew¡¯s territory at this moment, even though he was surrounded by Andrew''s men, he was still calm, with a kind of intimidation and scorn inherent in a superior person. Andrew looked at him with interest, ¡°You just said...| don¡¯t dare?¡± Valentin also looked directly at him, ¡°What, you dare?¡± The two people¡¯s eyes met in the air, as if two electric currents collided, creating invisible sparks in an instant. Andrew¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, and his eyes suddenly turned cold. 11:18 Colby¡¯s heart tightened when he saw this, and he hurriedly tried to persuade him, ¡°Master!¡± Valentin can¡¯t move! What''s more, now is not the time topete with Valentin, A must not act on impulse! Although Valentin is the only one here, although this is their territory, and although there are many of them, Valentin is huge and it is not appropriate to conflict with him, otherwise, both parties will suffer! Colby looked at Monia aside and was so angry that he wanted to kick her! It''s all this stupid woman¡¯s instigation! Monia looked at the scene of Valentin and Andrewpeting, a twisted ferocity shed in her eyes, and she quietly looked around, thinking quickly in her mind, whether it was possible to take this opportunity to kidnap Ashley... Use Ashley''s life to threaten Valentin and Andrew to let her go.... Just when Monia looked at Ashley quietly, Suddenly, Valentin looked towards Monia with his cold, frosty eyes, like the cold wind in hell, full of icy cold warning. Monia was frightened, and her teeth chattered because of the man¡¯s look. The next moment, Monia felt pain in her abdomen and was kicked out! It fell to the ground with a thud, and blood overflowed from the corner of its mouth! Andrew slowly retracted his leg and looked at Monia who was kicked to the ground, ¡°Do you think... I''m stupid?¡± ¡°Stupid enough to listen to your instigation easily?¡± Moniay on the ground as if she had a broken bone, coughing heartbreakingly, her face turned pale, and the pain felt like her internal organs had been disced. Valentin and Andrew are obviously still at odds... How could he discover her intentions. 11:181 Why did everyone suddenly look towards her with a tacit understanding... Colby on the side looked surprised. It turned out that his master and Valentin had already reached a tacit understanding. They seemed to be tit for tat, but in fact they were secretly wary of Monia! Looking at Monia who was kicked to the ground with several broken ribs, Colby had a look of surprise on his face. Sure enough, in the eyes of the master only Ashley is a woman, and everything else is not. At this time, Ashley looked confused, ¡°..¡± When did the two of them reach a tacit understanding! She didn¡¯t even notice it! She is the only one who is worried here! Ashley was almost frustrated to death. No one told her that she was going to have a tantrum! As soon as Monia was kicked to the ground, the surrounding men had already turned their guns, and the ck muzzles were pointed at Monia and her father Daisen Talbot. Daisen Talbot was so frightened that he trembled all over. He immediately looked at Ashley and said tremblingly: ¡°M...Ms. Pliskin! Please let us live! We shouldn¡¯t have provoked you again and again! We shouldn''t have provoked the Pliskin family! We will never appear in front of you in the future, and we will never set foot in Zyrrinthia again. One step, please be merciful and let us live! Monia, why don¡¯t you apologize to Ms. Pliskin quickly!¡± As the current head of the Balorant family, Daisen Talbot is not an idiot. He has long seen that everything Valentin and Andrew do is for Ashley, and Ashley herself is not that easy to deal with at all. Here, Ashley has the final say. They can only ask Ashley, maybe there is a way to survive. Daisen Talbot was pointed at a gun, looked at Monia with fear and anger, and said sadly: ¡°l asked you to apologize to Ms. Pliskin a long time ago and not to mess with the Pliskin family, but you refused to listen! You insisted on finding trouble with Ms. Pliskin! Now it¡¯s fine, thepany has been acquired, and the safety of the people is also... you Why don¡¯t you apologize to Ms. Pliskin quickly and ask Ms. Pliskin to forgive you!¡± Monia copsed on the ground, holding her hands on the ground. After listening to her father¡¯s words, her nails suddenly clenched hard on the ground. She stiffly and slowly raised her head, looking up at Ashley in front of her. Ashley stood in front of her, as bright and unparalleled as a queen in the clouds. And she herself fell into the quagmire, like a desperate dog... Monia closed her eyes in despair, pursed her lips until they turned white, and spoke in a hoarse voice, ¡°Ms. Pliskin, I¡¯m sorry... | shouldn¡¯t have troubled you again and again... | shouldn¡¯t have provoked you, it¡¯s my fault....please forgive me...¡±: Monia spoke every word with difficulty, as if every word she spoke took all her energy. Ashley¡¯s zed eyes looked down at her, ¡°The bet at the shooting range failed, and you owe me the apology. Today | have heard it.¡±All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Monia¡¯s back stiffened, humiliation and embarrassment hit her heart again, and her whole body felt like it was being roasted on a fire. She has always been arrogant and refused to bow her head and apologize to Ashley. She thought she could defeat Ashley, but she lost miserably. Today, she bowed her head in front of Ashley and admitted her mistake... In the past few days, the acquisition of Balorant¡¯s head office has caused a sensation on the entire Inte. Netizens were like crocodiles in a melon field, jumping up and down and eating melons crazily. After eating, | discovered that Monia posted a LiveMe. When | clicked on it, it was a public apology to Ashley! Netizens were shocked again. Holy shit, the arrogant Monia lowered her head and apologized?] Balor has been acquired, how can she be considered a nobledy?] Help, witness history! Balorant, a century-old noble, fell and died! From now on, the four major financial groups will be three major financial groups!] Speaking of which, the Copley family who previously coborated with Balorant, will be in trouble in the future?] Hiss, I¡¯m just wondering. | heard that the Kingsley Group has invested in many projects of the Copley family... | can only say that we can¡¯t. understand the fight between the gods among the big guys...] The acquisition of Balorant¡¯s head office has been a hot topic on the Inte. the Pliskin family estate. Ashley was resting on the balcony when she received a message from Galvin. I''m so busy these days that | almost forgot about Galvin... Chapter 426 Ashley clicked on the message sent by Galvin: [Sister, | saw the news. Balorant head office was acquired by the Pliskin family! So happy for you! ] Ashley replied with two words: [Thank you. ]. Soon, Galvin sent another message: [I know my sister is busy these days, so | didn¡¯t bother you without permission. If you have some free timeter, | would like to invite you to have dinner with me. | wonder if your sister has time? ] Ashley was sitting on the wicker chair on the balcony basking in the sun. After reading the news about Galvin, she tapped her index finger on the armrest of the wicker chair twice. After thinking for a moment, she typed a reply: [Okay, I''ll arrange the time. ] Galvin: [Great! I''ll wait for my sister to arrange the time! ] After that, Ashley didn¡¯t reply. Who is this Galvin...? After exiting the chat page with Galvin, Ashley looked online and found. that the acquisition of Balorant Corporation was already on the hot search list. And Monia, after posting a public apology on LiveMe, she disappeared from public view. No one saw her again, and no one knew where she went. There is also the matter of the Copley family, which has also aroused. discussion amongizens. The Copley family and Balorant had previously reached a cooperation, and they thought that with the fall of Balorant, the situation of the Copley family would be difficult. Unexpectedly, the Kingsley Group invested in many projects of the Copley family, helping the Copley family develop better. Some professionals have vaguely glimpsed the truth and spected that 09:01 the Copley family was probably sent by Valentin when they first cooperated with Balorant. This reversal shockedizens. F*ck... so unexpected... Mr. Kingsley is so awesome! ] (Also, the acquisition of Balorant by the Pliskin family is also rted to Mr. Kingsley!] (Ouch! | already admired this omnipotent boss, but now | admire him even more! It is said that the four major consortiums have be three major consortiums. In fact, among the three major consortiums, only the Pliskin family stands out, and the remaining two consortia have begun to decline very early. ] Indeed, before Balorant fell, those two consortiums had already declined. Mainly due to thepetition between Balorant and the Pliskin family. Now that Balorant has been acquired, the Pliskin family has be stronger, and those two consortiums are even worse. Well, it is not an exaggeration to say that the Pliskin family is the richest man. ] By the way, Monia apologized publicly, did Ashley see it? ] | must have seen it! | guess Monia not only apologized publicly to the wholework, but also apologized to Ashley in person. She should have done this long ago!] When Ashley saw this, she remembered the day Monia apologized to her. That day Monia was ying tricks on her and tried to instigate Andrew to attack Valentin. Naturally, Andrew was not instigated. But at the end of the day, Andrew asked her a question, ¡°If | really attack Valentin and kill him, what will you do?¡± Ashley replied without thinking, ¡°No way.¡± That¡¯s Valentin, how can it be solved so easily? After a pause, Ashley¡¯s expression became serious and she looked at Andrew seriously, ¡°If you really hurt him, | will never let you go.¡± Andrew raised his eyebrows, ¡°Why don¡¯t you let me go? Are you going to kill me?¡± Ashley looked at him, ¡°What do you think?¡± 09.01 He actually smiled after hearing this, and his enchanting peach blossom eyes revealed a hint of amusement, ¡°If | die, can | take you with me to die too?¡± Ashley, ¡°...¡± Here we go again, I¡¯ve heard him say such crazy things before. However, this time, when Ashley was speechless, she heard Andrew say again, ¡°But when ites to this time, | can¡¯t let it go, so Ashley, you''d better live well.¡± Ashley was startled and frowned slightly. It''s so strange, what does it mean to be at such a time? Which time? Is it time for him to die? He had never said anything like this before. The conversation between the two that day stopped here. Recalling the situation that day, Ashley felt a little weird and a little uneasy. After puckering her bright red lips and struggling for a moment, Ashley felt relieved. She picked up her phone and called Colby, deciding to quietly inquire about the information. As soon as the call was ced, it was picked up almost instantly. Colby was so excited that he was visibly happy, ¡°Ashley!!! You''re looking for me! You finally took the initiative to contact me again!!!¡± Ashley was almost deafened, so she quickly spoke and lowered her voice, ¡°Don¡¯t make any noise! Keep your voice down!¡± Colby looked confused when he heard this. He raised his hand and scratched his head, ¡°Ashley, why do you sound... guilty of doing this?¡± Ashley, ¡°...¡± However, Colby still lowered his voice and acted guilty with her, ¡°Ashley, what do you want from me?¡± Ashley asked cautiously, ¡°Colby, is your master near you?¡± 09:01 Colby, ¡°No, the master is busy!¡± Ashley, ¡°That¡¯s good, | want to ask you something about him.¡± When Colby heard this, he was so scared that his little heart was trembling, ¡°Ashley, are you asking me to be a spy? No, no, | will never betray my master! Apart from this, Ashley, are you asking me to do anything else? | will do everything you want!¡± But loyalty can be unswerving. Ashley¡¯s face was full of ck lines, ¡°Who asked you to betray him! | just asked a few questions! Don¡¯t think so much!¡± Colby immediately felt relieved and asked doubifully, ¡°Then Ashley, why don¡¯t you just ask the master yourself? He will definitely tell you everything.¡± Ashley, ¡°Just some small questions, just ask you.¡± Colby heard this and simply agreed, ¡°Okay! Then ask Ashley!¡± Ashley immediately took advantage of the situation and asked, ¡°How is your master doingtely? Is he okay? Is he injured again?¡± After she got to know Andrew, she would asionally see the guy injured, mostly with gunshot wounds. However, there are very few people who can hurt him, and the end will not be much better. Colby replied, ¡°No, not injured.¡± Ashley, ¡°Really?¡± Colby, ¡°Really, if the master is injured, | will definitely know about it.¡± Ashley felt relieved a little, rolled her eyes, and continued to ask, ¡°Has he been sick recently?¡± As aresult, after Ashley asked, Colby didn¡¯t speak for a long time. Ashley¡¯s expression changed and she asked again, ¡°Are you sick? Is it serious? Could it be that... you have some kind of cancer??? Can''t be cured?¡± As soon as he finished saying this, he heard a lowughing from the receiver, and then the man said ¡°tsk¡±, ¡°Baby, is this how you''re looking 09:011 forward to me?¡± Ashley¡¯s scalp went numb, ¡°!!!¡± No wonder Colby was silent just now. It turned out that Andrew had taken away the phone! The man on the other end of the phone saidzily, ¡°Cancer, Ashley, you really dare to think about it... It''s a pity that I, who is suffering from this disease, won''t die for the time being.¡± Ashley, ¡°...¡± After epting it, no one can say that they are a disaster! Also, what does it mean to be temporarily unable to die? This guy is really unpredictable and difficult to deal with.All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Ashley hung up the phone. Next time, she should find a chance to find Colby alone and ask him about it. Chapter 427 Ashley was sitting on the wicker chair on the balcony basking in the sun. When she was about to get up, Lester came over and pulled her up excitedly, ¡°Ashley,e on, | just cooked two dishes myself,e and try them!¡± Ashley¡¯s eyelids twitched and the corners of her mouth twitched, ¡°No need, second brother, really no need!¡± She doesn¡¯t want to end up in the hospital! Lester sighed sincerely, ¡°Sister, my dearest sister, second brother promises that this time | will make it strictly ording to the recipe and it will taste very good. | believe second brother!¡± Ashley blinked, ¡°Second brother, do you believe what you say? Do you dare to say it with your conscience in mind?¡± Lester touched his conscience and smiled slightly, ¡°Believe it.¡± Ashley, ¡°...¡± Just at this moment, George came over. Ashley asked for help pitifully, ¡°Frankie, save me! The second brother wants me to eat his cooking again!¡± George¡¯s cold eyes immediately looked towards Lester, ¡°Don¡¯t ruin. Ashley¡¯s mood with your poor cooking skills.¡± Lester, ¡°...¡± Ashley swooped over and hid behind Frankie, only sticking out her little head to look at Lester, ¡°Second brother, let me tell you, great Valentin is at cooking, especially my favorite dishes. He Very well done! If you want to delve into cooking, | will ask him to teach youter!¡± When he mentioned Valentin, Lester remembered something and raised a teasing smile on his lips, ¡°When heester, let him eat these two dishes.¡± Ashley, ¡°???¡± ¡°No!¡± Ashley immediately jumped out to protect her, how could she do this to Valentin! 1/15 09:01 Last time, | said | wanted to invite Valentin over to have dinner with me, but we were dyed because of Monia¡¯s affairs. We happened to have nothing to do today, so we had dinner together as a family in the evening. Zain and ire FoxJoseph also came. With Joseph, a funny chatterbox, the atmosphere in the restaurant is always lively. Ashley always protects Valentin and prevents her second brother from bullying him. Until the end of dinner and everyone moved from the dining room to the living room, Lester didn¡¯t trick Valentin. In the end, Lester had no choice but to turn his attention to Joseph. Looking at Joseph walking towards the living room, he smiled and waved, ¡°Joe,e here and try these two dishes.¡± As soon as Joseph heard the name ¡°Joe¡±, the corners of his eyes twitched. But, there is something delicious! He graciously didn¡¯t care about the title and ran over. Looking at the two dishes on the table that didn¡¯t look that outstanding, Joseph looked curious, ¡°Did you cook this?¡± Lester¡¯s expression was inscrutable, ¡°I rarely cook for people, you try it.¡± At this time, Ashley, Valentin, and George stood watching silently. Ashley¡¯s eyes were bright and full of anticipation. After listening to Lester''s words, Joseph''s face was filled with clear innocence, ¡°You rarely cook, so these two dishes...you didn¡¯t cook them specially for me, right?¡± Lester nodded without guilt and said with a smile, ¡°Yes, Joe, try it.¡± Joseph was almost moved to tears. He happily picked up the chopsticks and said chatteringly while picking up the vegetables, ¡°My brother can also cook! He learned how to cook just for little Ashley! Let me try your food.¡±...... vomit!¡± Joseph only took one bite and burst out! 09.017 ¡°This rice of yours... yue! It looks okay, but it tastes... yue! It tastes worse than shit! yue!¡± Joseph said while yue! This was so unptable that he almost doubted his life! Ashley couldn''t hold it back anymore and burst outughing. Joseph¡¯s expression was so funny that her stomach ached from laughing and she almost squatted on the ground. Valentin hugged her directly and let Ashley lie in his arms. George¡¯s usually cold face also showed a smile. Joseph finally came to his senses. The three people who had just been standing there silently had obviously known about it for a long time and were just waiting to see him eat! Okay, no one reminded him out loud, which hurts his heart! No more love! What was even more heartbreaking was that his sister ire Fox came over and smiled even more happily when she saw his. appearance. Joseph, ¡°...¡± Oh wow, why did he suddenly be the bottom of the food chain! Ashleyy in Valentin¡¯s arms, raised her little head to look at him, and whispered, ¡°My second brother originally wanted to trick you, but fortunately | have been protecting you, so he didn¡¯t seed! | didn¡¯t let you suffer these two dishes from him. The poison!¡± Valentin raised his eyebrows slightly, lowered his head slightly, and ced a soft kiss on the girl¡¯s eyebrow ¡°Thank you, Granny Leo. Ashley¡¯s earlobes turned red, she nced around, and while Joseph was having a fuss with her second brother, she quickly stood up on her heels. and kissed him on the lips. After dinner, while chatting in the living room, the old man talked to Brian Pliskin and Karen Pliskin about their wedding. Ashley and Valentin have already chosen the venue for the wedding. It will be held on the ind where Valentin proposed and is being decorated. 3/5 09:01 As for the wedding dress, Ashley originally wanted to design one herself. However, Valentin has read a lot of books on fashion design these days, and has also taught himself knowledge in this area. He wants to personally design a wedding dress for her that is unique to her. Ashley would be lying if she said she wasn¡¯t impressed. Besides, she believed in Valentin¡¯s aesthetics, so she gave up the idea of designing her own wedding dress. She didn¡¯t have to worry about anything and could just wait for the wedding day. Everyone chatted until the evening. Zain was too old to stay upte, so he reluctantly ended the family dinner and returned to the Kingsley Manor. Joseph ire Fox naturally returned home. Valentin had some work to do, so he returned to the Kingsley Vi first. Ashley chatted with her parents and second brother Frankie for a while, and when she was about to wash up and go to bed, she received a call from Brittany Walsh. She had been in a car ident. As soon as Ashley heard this, she immediately contacted Miranda, and the two went to the hospital together. When she arrived at the ward, Brittany Walsh had a slight scratch on her arm and was wrapped in gauze. There was no other injury. Fortunately, the car ident was not serious. But the man lying on the hospital bed, his legs and arms covered with gauze, was still inaa and looked quite serious. Miranda was surprised when she saw it, ¡°Isn¡¯t this the young man named Li who harassed you at the jewelry dinner that day?¡± It seems to be called Riley Serrano. Brittany Walsh nodded, her voice hard, ¡°It¡¯s him, our parents have decided to get married.¡± Miranda¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°Agreed to the marriage?!¡± Brittany Walsh hummed lowly, with dark emotions in her eyes.All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Ashley nced at Riley Serrano who was unconscious on the hospital bed, and then looked at Brittany Walsh, ¡°Why was Riley Serrano also in a car ident? It seems like you are more serious than that?¡± 09:01 Brittany Walsh sighed and said, ¡°He saved me. We were standing on the side of the road. When the out-of-control car hit me, he pushed me away immediately, so | only had a little scratch. He | was hit by a car and seriously injured... Ashley was surprised for a moment when she heard this. Seeing that Brittany Walsh¡¯s lips were a little dry, she unscrewed a bottle of water and handed it to her, ¡°Did Riley Serrano save you?¡± Brittany Walsh took the water bottle and nodded, ¡°He said that he wanted to pursue me seriously. He also said that since the two families have decided to get married, he will treat me as his fianc¨¦e.¡± After hearing this, Ashley and Miranda looked at each other, and both saw surprise in the other''s eyes. Did this Riley Serrano really fall in love with Brittany Walsh after that jewelry dinner? The romantic young man who used to wander around the flowers, meets the woman he likes, and the prodigal son turns back? However, this matter of marriage... It was night now and the temperature was a little low. Seeing that Brittany Walsh was wearing thin clothes, Ashley walked over and closed the window. After closing the window and returning, Ashley was startled when she saw people passing by the door of the ward. It was an older, middle-aged woman, and that woman¡¯s appearance... Why does it look so simr... Chapter 428 Why does that middle-aged woman look so much like... Jessica¡¯s biological mother?! Ashley¡¯s eyes shed, and she quickly chased towards the door of the ward. wal When she learned about Jessica¡¯s true life experience, she saw a photo of Evan and the middle-aged woman, plus the confusing triangle rtionship between Evan, the middle-aged woman, and another man. Ashley was very impressed by this, so she remembered it. The appearance of a middle-aged woman. When they reached the door of the ward, the middle-aged woman had already entered the elevator, and Ashley only saw her back. Is she Jessica''s biological mother? | gave Jessica to Evan to raise before, why is she back now? Ashley¡¯s mind shed, and she suddenly thought, Galvin...is he rted to this middle-aged woman? ¡°Ashley, what are you looking at?¡± Miranda came over and asked. ¡°It''s nothing.¡± Ashley looked away and raised her eyebrows slightly. Galvin¡¯s matter was bing more and more interesting. After returning to the ward, after chatting with Brittany Walsh for a while, Riley Serrano woke up in the hospital bed. As soon as Riley Serrano woke up, he turned his head and looked around. He saw the scratch on Brittany Walsh¡¯s arm and asked hurriedly, ¡°Brittany, how are you? Is the injury serious?¡± Brittany Walsh heard the name ¡®Brittany¡¯ and frowned in disgust, with a distant attitude, ¡°It¡¯s not serious.¡± Riley Serrano breathed a sigh of relief after hearing this. As a result, before he could finish breathing, he caught a glimpse of Ashley in the ward, and his eyes widened in horror. Originally, Riley Serrano was hit and had a fracture and was lying on the bed unable to move. But when he saw Ashley, he almost jumped out of bed in fright, ¡°Little... aunt! Why are you here! | am very honest now! 09:01 Ever since the jewelry dinner that day | will never bully Brittany Walsh again!¡± Ashley, ¡°...you must be honest.¡± Miranda looked confused. This Riley Serrano, it seems that he was frightened by Ashley that day, and he was scared to death when he saw Ashley. That''s fine, let''s see if he dares to bully Brittany Walsh again in the future. Riley Serrano was so frightened that he looked at Ashley with fearful eyes. If it wasn¡¯t for the fracture and the inability to move, he would have shrunk his body, for fear that this little aunt would beat him again. After watching for a long time, Riley Serrano put her heart back in her stomach when she saw that this aunt was just staying in the ward and had no intention of beating herself. She was probably here to visit Brittany Walsh. Thinking of Brittany Walsh, Riley Serrano looked at the scratch on her arm worriedly, ¡°Fortunately, the injury is not serious, Brittany, just be fine. Don¡¯t tell my parents about the car ident in advance, so as not to nag them again.¡± Brittany Walsh hummed coldly. Obviously | don¡¯t want to have too muchmunication with Riley Serrano. Ashley doesn¡¯t like Riley Serrano either. Although he has changed, the harassment he did in the past was just wrong. Miranda looked at Riley Serrano with a shocked look on her face. Oh my god, the dandy boy who used to be so frivolous, frivolous, and romantic. has now changed his gender. He even looks a lot more refreshed. However, Miranda felt that Riley Serrano was too romantic and carefree in the past, and was not worthy of Brittany Walsh, and she did not like him. Miranda had an idea, took out her phone, and secretly sent a message to a circle of friends that was only visible to Bryce, telling her about Brittany Walsh¡¯s car ident and the hospital and ward number. Ashley saw her little movement, her eyes slightly raised, but she didn¡¯t 2/6 09:01 say anything. Riley Serrano knew that Brittany Walsh didn¡¯t want to see him, so he wisely didn¡¯t say much, and he didn¡¯t take credit for being injured while protecting Brittany Walsh. He justy there silently without saying a word. Ashley and Miranda and Brittany Walsh chatted casually for a while. Suddenly, the door of the ward was pushed open from the outside. Bryce walked in in a hurry, followed by his assistant, ¡°Brother Bryce, slow down! There are people in the hospital, don¡¯t be photographed!¡± Seeing Bryceing over, Brittany Walsh was stunned for a few seconds before she slowly stood up from the chair. Bryce looked her up and down, ¡°Were you in a car ident?¡± Bryce¡¯s assistant has carefully closed the ward door to avoid being photographed. Seeing Bryce rushing over in a hurry, Ashley and Miranda looked at each other and said nothing in a tacit understanding. They started gossiping with bright eyes... Riley Serrano, who was lying on the hospital bed, saw Bryceing over, and the rm in her head immediately sounded. Of course he knew Bryce, the man Brittany Walsh liked. The number one love rival! Riley Serrano sat up from the bed all of a sudden, feeling so sad. Why is he here? Level 1 alert! At this time, Brittany Walsh¡¯s expression was full of surprise. She didn¡¯t expect Bryce toe over. After a while, she shook her head in confusion, ¡°It¡¯s not serious, why are you here?¡± Bryce didn¡¯t answer the question. He nced at Riley Serrano on the hospital bed with a wild look on his face, ¡°Is this the scumbag who harassed you at the jewelry dinner?¡±N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Riley Serrano suddenly blushed with embarrassment, but his attitude was still correct, ¡°Yes, | used to be a scum, not a man. | did something wrong. | will also apologize to Brittany and make it up to her.¡± 09:01 Bryce sneered when he heard the name ¡°Brittany¡±. With a hint of contempt. Not to be outdone, Riley Serrano said, ¡°Our two families have decided to get married. From now on, Brittany will be my fianc¨¦e, and | will treat her well.¡± fianc¨¦e...... Bryce¡¯s expression turned cold for a moment. He turned to look at Brittany Walsh, his eyes full of rebelliousness, ¡°Are you willing to get married? Are you willing to be manipted by your family? Are you willing to marry such a person?¡± After a pause, Bryce asked again, ¡°Brittany Walsh, do you like him?¡± When Brittany Walsh heard this, her pupils trembled. The person who was more nervous than Brittany Walsh was Riley Serrano on the hospital bed. His eyes were fixed on Brittany Walsh, wondering how she would answer this question? Does she... like herself? Riley Serrano¡¯s fingers unconsciously tightened on the sheets, and her heart was beating anxiously. In fact, he knew the answer. How could Brittany Walsh like someone lik him... He used to be a bohemian and unrestrained dandy, ridiculously romantic, drunken and extravagant, so passionate that no woman could enter his heart, and he thought he was ying games in the world. Being from a wealthy family in Kilos City, he naturally knows about Brittany Walsh, and also knows that Brittany Walsh expresses her love for Bryce so enthusiastically. Sometimes he will silently pay attention to Brittany Walsh and find it strange why she can like her so consistently. one person? He thinks Brittany Walsh is stupid and isn¡¯t it good to have fun in the moment? However, whenever Brittany Walsh talks about liking Bryce, her eyes light up. When he looked at Brittany Walsh like that, he would always be burned 09:01 by the light in her eyes. He, a dandy who ys with the world, hates marriage the most, but when he heard that it was a marriage with the Jiang family, he didn¡¯t object. | don¡¯t know why, but he drank too much that day at the jewelry dinner, and he ran to approach Brittany Walsh with a lustful look. He used to disdain forcing women, and everyone just yed consensually. But the more Brittany Walsh struggled that night, the more he became He wanted topete with her, and he acted extremely lustful and frivolous, as if he wanted to deliberately tarnish her pure and pure heart that loved Bryce... At this moment, Riley Serrano looked at Brittany Walsh nervously, wanting to hear her answer. Bryce also looked at Brittany Walsh motionless. Ashley and Miranda remained silent in agreement. The ward was quiet. After an unknown amount of time, Brittany Walsh finally spoke and shook her head slightly, ¡°I don¡¯t like it.¡± Hearing this, Riley Serrano¡¯s fingers gripping the sheets suddenly tightened, and veins bulged on the back of his hands. He lowered his head and curled his lips in loneliness. He should have guessed the expected answer. Bryce looked at Riley Serrano. Riley Serrano raised his head and smiled nonchntly, ¡°I know Brittany doesn¡¯t like me, but marriage is decided by two families, and rtionships need to be cultivated. | said that | will only treat Brittany well in the future., it can definitely be done. Brittany liked someone blindly before, but never got a response. Maybe she will change her taste and like me in the future? I¡¯m not bad looking, right?¡± Bryce squinted his eyes, and of course he knew who Riley Serrano was referring to when Brittany Walsh used to be blind and liked someone. This Riley Serrano is really a stalker. At this time, Bryce¡¯s little assistant beside him said weakly, ¡°Brother Bryce, we are going to shoot amercial out of town tomorrow. The 09:01 tickets for tonight are about to take off. We have to go to the airport. quickly.¡± Brittany Walsh pursed her lips, no longer pestering Bryce as before, but said, ¡°You should leave quickly, work is important.¡± Chapter 429 Bryce¡¯s eyes shed, and he looked at her deeply for a while, then turned and walked out of the ward. The assistant quickly followed him out. Brittany Walsh raised her hand and touched the bandaged area on her arm, her face looking pale. Riley Serrano ignored that he was more seriously injured and asked quickly, ¡°Brittany, your wound hurts? I''ll call the doctor over!¡± Brittany Walsh said calmly, ¡°No.¡± Ashley and Miranda looked at each other. Miranda looked disgusted that Bryce actually left like this, but there was nothing they could do about it. He had work and had to go to the airport right away... Just as he was thinking about it, suddenly, the door of the ward was pushed open again. Bryce strode back with a strand of silver hair fluttering in front of his forehead, and said to the assistant behind him, ¡°Let¡¯s negotiate tomorrow¡¯smercial shooting. It can be postponed by one day. Liquidated damages andpensation are easy to negotiate.¡± The assistant looked bitter and said, ¡°Okay, Brother Bryce.¡± Brittany Walsh opened her eyes slightly, with disbelief on her face, ¡°You...¡± Riley Serrano was also confused, why is this man back again! Bryce nced at Riley Serrano on the bed and sneered, ¡°As Brittany Walsh¡¯s friend, in case someone harasses her again, | will stay here for one night.¡± Riley Serrano, ¡°...1 told you, what happened that day was my fault, and | will never do that to Brittany again!¡± Bryce, ¡°Who believes it?¡± Riley Serrano was so angry that he wanted to curse. He looked up at Brittany Walsh, only to find that her eyes were almost fixed on Bryce, and her heart was even more sour. 09:02 What does Brittany like about him? Bryce just said ¡°as a friend of Brittany Walsh¡±, which clearly meant that he regarded her as a friend, not as a person he liked. Riley Serrano gritted his teeth, it didn¡¯t matter, he endured it! He and Brittany Walsh are already married, and Brittany Walsh is his fianc¨¦e. He still has time to be eligible to pursue Brittany Walsh! Ashley cleared her throat and finally said, ¡°Ahem...¡± Miranda also said, ¡°Ahem...¡±Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Bryce¡¯s eyes twitched, he looked at Ashley, and said angrily, ¡°What are you coughing about? Don¡¯t make any gossip in your eyes! I¡¯m just worried that he will harass Brittany Walsh again!¡± Ashley, ¡°...¡± Miranda, ¡°...¡± Since Bryce was here, Ashley and Miranda stayed in the ward for a while and then left first. Before leaving, he also saw Riley Serrano being jealous of Bryce. He said pitifully that his leg was broken and he wanted to eat an apple and wanted Brittany Walsh to peel one for him. Ashley and Miranda had already left the ward, so they didn¡¯t know whether Brittany Walsh had cut him or not. A few dayster, Ashley found time to call Colby and quietly asked him out. Cafe, in the private room. Colby looked at Ashley opposite and asked in surprise, ¡°Ashley, you just said on the phone that you would only let mee out by myself and not tell the master?¡± Ashley nodded quickly, ¡°Yes, don¡¯t tell him.¡± Colby scratched his head in confusion, ¡°Why?¡± And he felt that if Ashley made an appointment with his master, he would definitely be very happy. 2/5 09.02 Ashley coughed lightly and just want to ask you some small things, so | don¡¯t want to rm him. Actually, it¡¯s still the same question asst time. How is that guy Andrew doingtely? Nothing happened, right?¡± Colby shook his head, ¡°No.¡± Ashley asked worriedly, ¡°Is he sick?¡± Colby continued to shake his head, ¡°No, the master is in good health.¡± Ashley, ¡°Think about it seriously, has there been anything wrong with him recently?¡± Colby thought about it carefully and carefully, then suddenly remembered something and frowned slightly, ¡°Master is a little different from usual during this period. He seems to be dealing with something, and even | don¡¯t know it.¡± Ashley touched her chin. Colby could be said to be Andrew''s right-hand man. Even Colby didn¡¯t know about it. How could it be so private? Colby was anxious, ¡°Ashley, nothing will happen!¡± Ashley took the silver spoon and stirred the coffee. After thinking for a moment, she said, ¡°You should pay close attention during this period to see if there is anything wrong. Remember, don¡¯t tell your master that | have looked for him.¡± you.¡± Colby was concerned about his master¡¯s safety and also trusted Ashley, so he nodded, ¡°I know Ashley!¡± Later, Ashley talked to him about other things, and then said goodbye to Colby. This coffee is Ashley¡¯s treat. After Colby left, Ashley was about to check out when her phone received a message from Valentin: [Not at home?] Ashley¡¯s picturesque eyebrows were instantly stained with a smile, and she replied briskly: [You came to my house to find me? | have something to do when |e out, so I¡¯ll be back soon!] Valentin: [Where are you? I''ll pick you up. ] Ashley: [No need to bother- | drove out and will be back soon-] 09:02 Valentin: [Okay, be careful Ashley [I know, | know, our brother Valentin is not old yet, so he is so verbose. ] Valentin: [?] Ashley: [No, no, not verbose at all! Just kidding you! Our brother Valentin is obviously handsome and unrestrained. The jade tree is unparalleled in the world. The fish and the wild goose are beautiful and the moon is noble. You has both talent and appearance! ] Seeing this list ofpliments, Valentin was very pleased. but, Valentin: [Beautiful face?] Ashley pretended to be stupid: [Hey! ] Valentin: [When youe back, you will suffer.] Ashley¡¯s heart trembled, why did she feel that these words had color?? Ashley stood up to pay the bill, walked out of the cafe, and just got into the car when she received a call from Miranda. ¡°Hey, Miranda.¡± ¡°Ashley...¡± Miranda¡¯s angry voice came over, ¡°I¡¯m so angry, so angry! Something happened to me that made me very angry today, and | have to find someone to scold me with!¡± Ashley didn¡¯t know whether tough or cry, ¡°What''s the matter?¡± Miranda, ¡°My agent negotiated a perfume endorsement deal with me, and | was about to sign the contract. But an artist director from ourpany came over and signed my perfume endorsement deal with another celebrity. He didn¡¯t even give me a reason. Stealing my endorsement, | suspect that the new artist director is targeting me!¡± Ashley, ¡°The new artist director?¡± Miranda, ¡°Yes, she is in her forties, a very shrewd-looking woman named Abby ke! She must be targeting me on purpose!¡± Ashley thought for a moment and asked, ¡°Miranda, do you have any photos of her? Send them to me.¡± 09:02 315) Bullying her friend, who? Miranda happened to have a photo of her, and after hanging up the phone, she sent it to Ashley. Ashley clicked to check it out. The woman in the photo was outstanding in appearance and dressed very delicately. Even though she was old, she had no wrinkles and exuded a mature and charming charm. Seeing the woman¡¯s true nature, Ashleyughed sarcastically. She was right when she was in the hospital that day, it was Jessica¡¯s biological mother who was back. The woman in the photo, Abby ke, is Jessica''s biological mother! Are you going back to work and living normally? Or want to rescue Jessica from prison? If it¡¯s thetter, don¡¯t even think about it. Ashley¡¯s phone dinged and she received a message. She clicked on it and saw that it was from Galvin. Chapter 430 The message sent by Galvin is: [Sister, are you sick? Still feeling unwell? Why did you go to the hospital?] Ashley was slightly surprised: [Hospital?] Galvin: [A reporter took a photo of you and Miranda going to the hospital and posted it online. ] Ashley immediately looked online. It turned out that he was visiting Brittany Walsh in the hospital two days ago, and was photographed by a reporter and posted online. Ashley felt helpless and replied to Galvin: [No, | went to the hospital to visit my friend. ] Galvin sent another message: [As long as you are not sick! Sister, take care of yourself!] Ashley looked at Galvin¡¯s message, her eyes lingered on the title ¡°sister¡±, and her mind sank slightly. Galvin...is rted to Abby ke? Ashley looked at the photo of Abby ke sent by Miranda again. The middle-aged woman in the photo is mature, charming and smart. She is indeed Jessica¡¯s biological mother, especially her mouth, which looks exactly like Jessica¡¯s. Abby ke is now the artist director of Miranda¡¯s agency. She wants to steal Miranda¡¯s perfume endorsement and sign it with other stars.. Ashley tapped her delicate white fingers twice on the steering wheel, suddenly raised a smile on her lips, and sent a message to Miranda: [Don¡¯t worry about endorsements, I¡¯m here for you. ] After receiving the message, Miranda opened her eyes slightly, feeling ttered for a while. She suddenly felt like a little female star in an idol drama being protected by a boss. Who could not be moved by this! After Ashley sent the message to Miranda, she checked online again. Fans were very worried when they saw the photo of her entering the hospital that the reporter broke. 09:02 Ashley posted? visiting a friend in the hospital to reassure fans. Then | couldn''t wait to drive home. Valentin is still waiting for her at home- As soon as | got home and walked into the living room, | saw my second brother holding a te of small ck cakes and looking at Valentin with a threatening look on his face, ¡°I just let you take a bite of the cake. | don¡¯t mean to kill you. You Why is such a chaste warrior unwilling to obey even to the death? You run here all day long, and | haven¡¯t told you yet. If you still want toe over in the future, just eat all this te of cakes for me today!¡± Ashley¡¯s eyelids twitched, a drop of cold sweat fell from her forehead, and she immediately stepped forward, ¡°Second brother, don¡¯t bully him!¡± He also said that after eating them all... he wanted to kill Valentin! I''m really helpless. Why hasn''t the second brother given up trying to trick. Valentin? Does he have an idea of how unptable the food he makes is? When Lester saw Ashleying back, he raised his hands to prove his innocence, ¡°Sister, | didn¡¯t bully him, | just wanted him to taste the cal made.¡± Ashley, ¡°...Isn¡¯t this called bullying?¡± If you eat this cake, it will be as powerful as a biological weapon! Lester looked at his sister¡¯s protective look and had no choice but to turn- to Valentin and narrowed his eyes, ¡°Tell yourself, did | bully you?¡± Valentin pulled Ashley who was protecting him in front of him, ¡°Ashley, the second brother didn¡¯t bully me. He just wanted me to eat the cake. When he saw that | didn¡¯t eat it, he just scolded me a few times. It¡¯s okay with me.¡± When Ashley heard this, she felt heartbroken and looked at her second brother angrily, ¡°You''re still scolding him?!¡± Lester at this time, Haha, this dead green coffee! 09:02 This Valentin! Ashley nced at the cake held in the second brother¡¯s hand, coughed lightly and said quietly, ¡°Second brother, please give the cake to Frankie to eat, maybe he will like it! If Valentin doesn¡¯t like sweets, don¡¯t give it to him. He did it, really!¡± After saying that, he took Valentin and ran back to his room. Lester looked at the cake in his hand and imagined the scene. If he served it to Frankie, Frankie would probably beat him to a wheelchair... s, the world is so big, why doesn¡¯t anyone appreciate his cooking skills?Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Forget it, let''s save it for Joe to eatter. Chapter 431 Chapter 431 Go back to your room. sofa and said defensively, ¡°My Ashley pulled Valentin to sit down on the sofa and said defensively, ¡°My second brother has been trying to trick you into eating his foodtely. Don¡¯t be fooled!¡± Valentin chuckled, nodded, and then asked, ¡°Where have you been?¡± Ashley blinked, took the initiative to sit in the man¡¯s arms, and looked at him with bright, clear eyes, ¡°If | tell you, don¡¯t be jealous.¡± Valentin, ¡°?¡± It seems that it is not a good thing for him... There was a glint in Valentin¡¯s eyes, and he hugged Ashley into his arms, wrapping his arms around the girl¡¯s soft waist, ¡°Tell me about it.¡± Ashley spoke in her mind first, and then said without any concealment, ¡°I made an appointment with Colby today to ask him to pay attention to Andrew¡¯s recent situation.¡± Ashley said while paying attention to his face. Hearing Andrew¡¯s name, Valentin suddenly fell silent, staring at her wi his dark eyes. Ashley was afraid that he would think too much, so she exined quickly, ¡°Because | feel that something is wrong with Andrew recently, so | asked Colby to pay attention to it. It¡¯s best if nothing happens. If something happens, | can know it in advance! And | didn¡¯t want to hide this matter in the first ce.¡± I¡¯m here to tell you when | get back today!¡± Valentin¡¯s expression softened slightly when he heard the second part of the sentence. She didn¡¯t want to hide it from him. She was so honest with him, which made the gloom in his heart dissipate a little. He looked at her with deep pool-like eyes and lowered his voice, ¡°Are you so concerned about Andrew?¡± Ashley naturally heard the jealousy in his words. She hugged the man¡¯s waist with both hands and puffed up her cheeks, ¡°No way! | just want to see if there is anything wrong with Andrew recently. | don¡¯t have any other unnecessary thoughts!¡± 09:02 Valentin lowered his eys known each other before, and it is normal for you to care about him. Unlike me, | have been separated from you for so long.¡± Ashley blinked, then blinked again. Why do | seem to smell the green coffee again? Ashley grabbed his cor, raised her head and kissed him hard on the lips, then rubbed her little head on his chest like a baby, ¡°I care about who | like the most, don¡¯t you know! | just like You are the only one! | only love you! What¡¯s wrong with being separated for so long? | still only have you in my heart and | only like you! Quick, let me kiss you!¡± Valentin held her waist with both hands, worried that she would bend over and fall out of his arms. Ashley didn¡¯t care so much, she raised her head and kissed him. In less than three seconds, Valentin couldn¡¯t help but change his position, and his hand on the girl¡¯s waist tightened... Ashley kissed her for a long time before she could get enough of it. Her lips turned bright red. She looked at the man in front of her with watery eyes and touched his face teasingly. ¡°Hey, why is our brother Valentin so good-looking? You only rely on your beauty. Sex can tie me down!¡± Valentin, ¡°...¡± Ashley touched her teasingly for a while, then kissed her teasingly for a while, then suddenly remembered something, ¡°By the way, there¡¯s one more thing!¡± Valentin had just listened to her exining about Andrew, and now he heard her say another thing. His narrow eyes narrowed slightly, ¡°Who are you caring about again?¡±Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Ashley died unjustly, ¡°No way! It¡¯s Miranda¡¯s business!¡± Valentin, ¡°...You care about Miranda again.¡± Ashley, ¡°If you get jealous again, I''ll kiss you to death immediately!¡± Valentin immediately moved closer so that she could kiss him. Ashley, ¡°...¡± ¡°I''ll kiss you until you¡¯re stunnedter! Ashley took out her phone, 09:02 opened Abby does this woman look familiar?¡± Valentin lowered his eyes and looked over. The next moment, his eyes. darkened slightly, ¡°Jessica¡¯s biological mother.¡± Derative mood, not a question. Ashley curled her lips and smiled, ¡°You also recognized her. Her name is Abby ke. She recently returned to Kilos City and is now the artist director of Miranda Agency.¡± Valentin pondered for a moment, and then said, ¡°I''ll let someone keep an eye on her.¡± Just because Abby ke is Jessica¡¯s biological mother, we can¡¯t let down our guard against her. Ashley nodded and sent someone to keep an eye on her. There was also the matter of Miranda being taken away from her perfume endorsement. She already had a solution in mind. Of course, if a good sister was bullied, she couldn¡¯t just sit idly by. Chapter 432 Chapter 432 Miranda Agency, conference room. Miranda is sitting on the left, opposite Abby ke, Ca Hardin, another female artist in thepany, and Ca Hardin¡¯s manager. ¡°Miranda,¡± Abby ke was dressed like a business white-cor worker, with her arms folded across her chest, showing a bit of arrogance, ¡°The perfume endorsement of the EE brand is not suitable for you. | have already given this endorsement to Ca and will wait for a suitable endorsement in the future. I¡¯ll make it up to you.¡±. Ca Hardin was very excited, ¡°Thank you Ms. ke!¡± Ca Hardin''s agent quickly ttered her, ¡°Thank you, Ms. ke, for your consideration of our Ca! We, Ca, will definitely shoot this perfume endorsement ad! If there is anything Ms. ke needs in the future, such as a guest appearance on the set, or For variety show shootings, call us Ca, we are always on call!¡± You can Miranda looked at the ttering faces of these two people and was so disgusted that she almost vomited out herst night meal. She looked at Abby ke angrily: ¡°Ms. ke, | was originally scheduled to be the perfume endorser of the EE brand. Now you say that | am not suitable and gave it to Ca Hardin. What is wrong with me?¡± Abby ke leaned back on the chair and said with a smile, ¡°EE is a brand that has always been high-end. Miranda, your temperamentcks a sense of high-end, so naturally it doesn¡¯t match this brand.¡± When Miranda heard this, she was so angry that she almost mmed the table and stood up. This Abby ke is belittling her temperament both inside and outside her words. But how high-end is the EE brand? In the perfume industry, EE is only a second-rate brand. | really don¡¯t understand how she offended Abby ke, and even wanted to take away the endorsement of such a small brand from her. Ca Hardin''s agent is very knowledgeable and ttering, ¡°As expected of 1/6 09:02 Ms. ke, you are so considerate! Let me tell you, Miranda, you also pay attention to improving your temperament, otherwise the opportunity wille. You can¡¯t catch me in front of you! Fortunately, our Ca has a high-ss temperament and is naturally suitable for the EE brand! The most important thing is that Ms. ke has a sharp vision, so that we Ca can have the opportunity to cooperate with EE! Ca, please give Ms. ke pour the water!¡± The agent gave Ca Hardin a very slick wink. Ca Hardin quickly poured a ss of water and brought it to Abby ke respectfully, ¡°Ms. ke, drink the water! Please take care of me in the future!¡± Abby ke nced at Miranda, then looked at Ca Hardin, picked up the water ss, took a sip, and said with a smile, ¡°Ca, you have a good foundation and a better temperament than Miranda. You will definitely be popr in the future.¡± Ca Hardin was so excited that she didn¡¯t know what to do and was extremely happy, ¡°Thank you Ms. ke for your appreciation! | will definitely continue to work hard in the future!¡± Listening to Abby ke¡¯s ridicule and belittling in front of everyone, Miranda clenched her fingers in anger However, she was too stupid to refute, and her eyes turned red with grievance. Abby ke seemed to have noticed Miranda¡¯s feelings just now, and shrugged pretending to be sorry, ¡°Miranda, | am the artist director, | have my own set of standards for looking at people, and | don¡¯t beat around the bush, | just say what | have to say. you wouldn¡¯t mind, would you?¡± Miranda¡¯s chest heaved violently with anger, and she became more and more certain that this Abby ke was deliberately targeting her. However, she had never offended Abby ke. Why did Abby ke target her so much? Abby ke reached out to open the contract on the table and gestured to Ca Hardin and her agent, ¡°This is the endorsement contract for EE perfume. You can take a look at the endorsement terms. If there are no problems, you can sign it.¡± ¡°Okay Ms. ke! Let''s sign it now!¡± The agent took out the pen he carried 09:02 with him from his pocket and handed it to Ca Hardin excitedly, ¡°Ca, sign it quickly!¡± It stands to reason that Ca¡¯s poprity is not as high as Miranda¡¯s, so Ca cannot be endorsed by EE. Unexpectedly, after what Ms. ke did, this endorsement fell directly to Ca. This is like pie in the sky and a big bargain. How can you not be excited? Ca Hardin took the pen, briefly looked at the endorsement contract, turned to thest page, and signed her name. ¡°Okay, Ms. ke, signed!¡± Ca Hardin faced Abby ke with a ttering smile on her face. ¡°Congrattions Ca, you will be the spokesperson of EE from now on.¡± Abby ke smiled and shook hands with Ca Hardin. ¡°Ms. ke, this is all because of you!¡± Ca Hardin¡¯s spokesperson kept talking and ttered her again. Miranda looked at the endorsement that was originally hers and was snatched away by Abby ke. She was so angry that her chest ached. She felt aggrieved and powerless. Tears welled up in her eyes and her eyes became even redder. Abby ke stood up from her seat and looked at Miranda opposite, he posture was arrogant, like giving alms, ¡°I said | will compensate you for other endorsements in the future, such as the TCD perfume brand we a negotiating. This is a very high-end brand. If we negotiate,, | will give this endorsement to you.¡± When Ca Hardin heard this, she became anxious. TCD is a much higher-end brand than EE. Why did Ms. ke give TCD¡¯s endorsement to Miranda? No longer targeting her? The manager touched Ca Hardin¡¯s arm, reassured her, andughed, ¡°Ms. ke is really good at joking. Miranda¡¯s temperament is so rustic that she can¡¯t even match EE, so how can she be worthy of TCD?¡± Abby ke spread her hands helplessly and looked at Miranda, as if she was deliberately teasing, ¡°There¡¯s nothing you can do about it. You are too stupid to be worthy of TCD.¡± 09:02 Miranda couldn''t bear it anymore and stood up suddenly, her lips trembling with anger, ¡°Ms. ke, don¡¯t bully others too much!¡± The left sentence is too vulgar, and the right sentence is not worthy of it. Isn¡¯t it just to ridicule her? Abby ke was waiting for Miranda to get angry so that he could grab her pigtails, and immediately picked up the air, ¡°Miranda, pay attention to your attitude towards me! | am your artist director, is this how you talk to your superiors?! Also, Why did | go too far to deceive others? Your temperament is too rustic and you are not worthy of TCD. | am just telling the truth!¡± At this moment, there was a loud ¡°bang¡± sound, and the door of the conference room was suddenly pushed open from the outside. Aclear and pleasant sound, like the sound of knocking jade on ice, slowly came- ¡°Oh? Who said Miranda is not worthy of TCD?¡± Hearing this beautiful female voice, several people in the conference room subconsciously turned their heads and looked over. | saw Ashley standing at the door of the conference room. Her delicate and bright face was bathed in the nting sunlight, and she was breathtakingly beautiful. Seeing the personing, the look of helplessness and defeat on Miranda¡¯s face suddenly disappeared, and a light of hope burst out from her eyes, ¡°Ashley...¡± Ca Hardin and her agent naturally recognized Ashley and were stunned for a moment. The moment Abby ke saw Ashley, she suddenly clenched her back. mrs, and her eyes filled with an angry haze. Ashley finally meet you... Ca Hardin''s agent was the first toe to his senses and knew that Ashley and Miranda were good friends. Now that Ashley suddenly appeared here, could it be that... she was here to grab EE¡¯s endorsement. for Miranda? Al6 09:02 The agent knew that he could not afford to offend Ashley, so he smiled politely: Pliskin, you are a distinguished guest. You suddenly came to ourpany today, which really makes us proud! However, this is ourpany¡¯s conference room, so please move to the VIP lounge area!¡± After saying that, he immediately winked at the assistant outside. The assistant said tremblingly, ¡°Ms. Pliskin said she was here to discuss cooperation, so...¡± Abby ke also came back to her senses at this time, and took over the conversation calmly, ¡°Since we are here to discuss cooperation, please invite Ms. Pliskin to take a seat.¡± were not s Ashley looked at her leisurely. Her eyebrows and eyes to Jessica¡¯s, but the position of her mouth was very simr to Jessica¡¯s. Ashley walked over to sit next to Miranda. At this time, Miranda discovered that there were two rows of imposing ck bodyguards in suits and leather shoes standing in the corridor outside. They were obviously the bodyguards of the Pliskin family. This posture, this row of faces... Why does it suddenly feel like a big boss ising to support me? Miranda looked at Ashley''s profile and suddenly felt at ease just by he side. Abby ke¡¯s eyes were fixed on Ashley, and the expression on her face was a bit aggressive, ¡°Ms. Pliskin, what kind of cooperation are you here to discuss?¡± Ashley looked at the EE perfume endorsement contract on the table. Abby ke smiled proudly, ¡°This is EE¡¯s endorsement contract. It was originally given to Miranda, but her temperament is too earthy and not worthy of EE, so now it has to be given to Ca Hardin.¡± Abby ke said, covering her mouth and pretending to be regretful, ¡°Miranda is Ms. Pliskin¡¯s friend. | hope Ms. Pliskin doesn¡¯t mind if | say Miranda like this.¡± Ashley¡¯s eyes turned cold, and there was a hint of mockery in the corner of her red mouth. She looked around the conference room. Finally, her 09:02 Chapter 432 theAll content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. eyes fell on Abby ke, deliberately showing ignorance and innocence, ¡°Strange, | looked around, and the most tacky person in this room is, most shameless person seems to be Abby ke, Ms. ke.¡± Abby ke¡¯s expression suddenly changed. Ashley seemed to be frightened, imitating Abby ke''s action just now, covering her mouth, ¡°Ms. ke, | am young and outspoken. | hope you don¡¯t mind what | say.¡± After speaking, he looked at Miranda and sighed, ¡°Miranda, you are so kind-hearted. Look at Ms. ke. She looks like that and doesn¡¯t think she is stupid. She even uses others backhandedly. If we were as shameless as her, alright.¡± Miranda couldn''t hold it back anymore and burst outughing. The pent-up feeling he felt when he was ridiculed by Abby ke suddenly came out at this moment, and he took revenge. Abby ke¡¯s face at this time could not be described as ugly. She took a few deep breaths and then gritted her teeth and said, ¡°Ms. Pliskin, if you are here to be sarcastic, please forgive us for not being able to entertain you. If you are here to discuss cooperation for Miranda, ...¡± Abby ke nced at the EE endorsement contract on the table, regained some confidence, and curled her lips, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, | have alread decided to sign it to Ca Hardin for EE¡¯s endorsement.¡± Chapter 433 Ashley looked at Abby ke calmly, the ends of her eyes raised slightly, ¡°Who said | was here to talk about EE? Abby ke frowned, ¡°What do you mean?¡± Ashley smiled slightly, as charming as a bright flower, ¡°The brand EE is not worthy of my Miranda.¡± Abby ke¡¯s face froze when she heard this. She had just finished saying that Miranda had a rustic temperament and was not worthy of EE. Now Ashley said that EE was not worthy of Miranda, clearly intending to go against her. Ca Hardin and her agent were stunned when they heard this. In the silence, Ashley turned to look at Miranda, her eyes full of admiration and protection, her red lips slightly hooked, ¡°Since we want to endorse perfume, let¡¯s endorse high-end luxury brands, such as TCD. Do you like it?¡± Miranda was stunned, her eyes widened slightly, and her face was full of disbelief, ¡°I...1... Ashley raised her hand and helped her put a strand of hair on her temples behind her ears, ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, there are other brands. Whichever brand you like, we will endorse that brand.¡± Miranda¡¯s heart beat wildly for a moment, and she almost couldn''t help but scream. Do you like the TCD brand? If you don''t like it, there are other brands... Whichever brand you like, we will endorse that brand... Ouch! This aura of a bossy CEO ising to my face! These high-end luxury brands suddenly became cabbage in the wet market, she could pick whatever she wanted... She couldn''t even dream about it before! Seeing Miranda standing still, Ashley couldn¡¯t help but chuckle, ¡°Which one do you like? How about TCD? | took a look and found that this is the 09:02 most high-end brand among perfumes.¡± Miranda recovered from her shock and nodded quickly, ttered, ¡°I like it!¡± them all! Ashley chuckled, ¡°Okay, then TCD.¡± Miranda¡¯s heart beat like thunder. Wow, I¡¯m so excited! She is so doting on Su, she is really going to fall in love with Ashley! At this time, Ca Hardin and her agent opened their mouths and were stunned. For a high-end brand like TCD, many A-list celebrities couldn¡¯t ask for it after being in the movies. Now Ashley gave it to Miranda with just one sentence... Who wouldn''t be envious after seeing this... Abby ke clenched her fists, with a sinister look on her face, and sneered, ¡°Ms. Pliskin, I¡¯m also talking about cooperation with TCD, but TCD is a very difficult brand to talk about. We haven''t reached an agreement yet. Just give it to Miranda. Can you give it to Miranda? Stop joking here, okay?¡± The implication is that Ashley is pretending to be fat. Ashley was toozy to talk nonsense and directly raised her hands and pped her hands lightly in the air. Then, the door of the conference room opened, and several elites in suits and ties walked in. Ca Hardin''s agent immediately recognized the man in the lead as the brand director of TCD! The name is Gordon Jobe! Abby ke also recognized Gordon Jobe. In order to negotiate an endorsement deal with TCD, she personally visited Gordon Jobe, but he turned out to be indifferent and closed the door. But now, Gordon Jobe walked up to Ashley without looking back and greeted Ashley with a very respectful attitude, ¡°Ms. Pliskin.¡± 2/6 09:02 Ashley nodded slightly. Then, Gordon Jobe looked at Miranda next to him, ¡°Ms. Miranda, we sincerely invite you to be the brand spokesperson of TCD perfume. What do you think? This is an endorsement contract. If you are willing, you can sign it on the spot.¡± Ca Hardin and her agent were stunned for a moment as they watched this scene. That TCD, which is so arrogant that it doesn¡¯t even look down on top-tier celebrities, now takes the initiative to invite Miranda to be its spokesperson? However, Ca Hardin quickly figured it out. Ashley is the eldest daughter of the Pliskin family, so it is normal for TCD to treat her with respect. Furthermore, TCD obviously hired Miranda as a spokesperson for Ashley¡¯s sake. Abby ke stood up suddenly, ¡°Mr. Jobe, do you want to invite Miranda to be your spokesperson?¡± Gordon Jobe looked over calmly, ¡°Ms. ke, do you have any objections?¡± Abby ke frowned, ¡°With Miranda¡¯s reputation and status, how can be worthy of your brand? Miranda¡¯s temperament also doesn¡¯t match your brand.¡± Gordon Jobe straightened his expression and said clearly, ¡°Ms. ke, yo have missed it. Ms. Miranda¡¯s high-end temperament is very consistent with the positioning of our brand. It is wonderful to invite Ms. Miranda to be our spokesperson.¡± Our pleasure.¡± After hearing this, Abby ke was so angry that her face turned green. One second she said Miranda had a rustic temperament, and the next second Gordon Jobe said Miranda had a high-ss temperament. Was he deliberately pping her in the face? Also, what is in line with the brand positioning and what is an honor to have Miranda endorsed, it is obviously all for Ashley''s sake! Gordon Jobe turned to Miranda and smiled politely, ¡°Ms. Miranda, are you willing to be the spokesperson of our TCD?¡± 3/6 09:02 Miranda was still confused at this time and looked at Ashley at a loss.Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Ashley nodded slightly at her. Miranda suddenly felt confident. She nced at the furious Abby ke and smiled at Gordon Jobe, ¡°Mr. Jobe, thank you for the invitation. Happy cooperation!¡± Subsequently, the two parties signed a contract on the spot. Gordon Jobe picked up one of the contracts and said politely, ¡°Ms. Miranda, from now on, you will be our spokesperson for TCD. Happy cooperation.¡± After saying that, he nodded respectfully to Ashley. At this moment, Ca Hardin and her agent are extremely envious. thought I was appreciated by Abby ke and snatched the EE endorsement away from Miranda. Unexpectedly, Ashley immediately gave Miranda a top-end perfume endorsement, instantly eclipsing EE. No matter how angry Abby ke is, TCD¡¯s endorsement has been given to Miranda by Ashley, but fortunately, EE¡¯s endorsement is still there. However, the next moment, Ashley looked at Abby ke and said quietly, ¡°Ms. ke, the EE endorsement was negotiated by Miranda manager for Miranda. It belonged to Miranda from the beginning. A you, as the artist director, abused your power. If Miranda¡¯s endorseme is taken away and given to other artists, aren¡¯t you afraid that EE will terminate the cooperation?¡± Abby ke smiled confidently and said, ¡°Il don¡¯t have to worry about it, Ms. Pliskin. | will personally interview the person in charge of EE. Ca Hardin is more suitable for EE than Miranda. | believe EE¡¯s spokesperson. will have no objections.¡± Ashley raised her eyebrows and said only two words, ¡°Really?¡± When Abby ke heard Ashley¡¯s words, her heart skipped a beat and she couldn¡¯t help but feel anxious. Could it be that Ashley had done something behind her back? At this time, Ashley had already led Miranda, Gordon Jobe and others out of the conference room. Abby ke frowned. She must have been worrying too much. What could Ashley do? She is the most... Suddenly, the cell phone rang. The caller ID showed that the person in charge of EE¡¯s brand department was calling. Abby ke¡¯s heart tightened and she had no choice but to answer the call, ¡°Hello...¡± ¡°Ms. ke!¡± The person on the other end of the phone interrupted her with a bad tone, ¡°Our EE spokesperson was previously talking about Miranda, but why was she temporarily reced by Ca Hardin? You must give us an exnation for this matter!¡± Abby ke immediately exined, ¡°Ca Hardin is more suitable for EE than Miranda. You will know after seeing it. Moreover, Ca Hardin is not as popr as Miranda. Changing the spokesperson to Ca Hardin can also save you a lot of endorsement fees...¡± The person on the other end of the phone interrupted again, ¡°Ms. ke, this kind ofpetition for endorsements is very common in the entertainment industry, but our favorite candidate is Miranda! Not Ca Hardin! Besides, the Pliskin Group consortium is ours A very important. investor, Ms. Pliskin, has already called me. If you breach the contract, don¡¯t me us for terminating the cooperation at any time!¡± After saying that, he hung up the phone without mercy. Abby ke listened to the beeping sound on the phone and held the phone hard with her fingers, almost crushing it.. Sure enough, Ashley did something behind the scenes! Ca Hardin''s agent on the side asked nervously, ¡°Ms. ke, what¡¯s going on? Ca¡¯s EE endorsement...is gone?¡± Ca Hardin was so anxious that she almost cried, ¡°Ms. ke...¡± | finally got Miranda¡¯s endorsement and even signed the contract. Why was it gone all of a sudden? Abby ke¡¯s face was extremely ugly. She turned her head and looked in the direction of the conference room door, and could see the leaving figures of Ashley and Miranda. 09:02 This Ashley is really not that easy to deal with... But, she will make Ashley pay the price... Jessica...whatever Ashley did to you in the past, mom will double up to help you get it back. If Ashley puts you in jail, mommy will put her in jail too! Abby ke looked hard, walked aside, and dialed a number on her mobile phone, ¡°Hey, son...how is things going...¡± Chapter 434 After walking out of Miranda¡¯s agency, Ashley took Miranda to a nearby coffee shop. In the box. Miranda¡¯s eyes were bright with joy: ¡°Ashley, thanks to you today! | was about to be pissed off by that Abby ke, but as soon as you came over, you just helped me out! It was so relieving! There is also TCD¡¯s luxury perfume endorsement, which | never dreamed of before. Dare to think!¡± Miranda looked at Ashley excitedly, ¡°I can¡¯t help it anymore, | really want to call you my sponsor dad now!¡± Ashley was amused by her and couldn¡¯t help but curl her lips, ¡°I''d like to help you vent your anger.¡± However, she really wanted to praise Miranda. Miranda¡¯s excitement hadn¡¯t subsided yet. She happily talked a lot to Ashley. As she was talking, she suddenly remembered something and frowned in confusion: ¡°It''s strange. Abby ke just came over recently and became the artist director of ourpany. | have no rtionship with her. Why is she targeting me like this?¡± If he just wants to steal her endorsement, it¡¯s quitemon. There are too many such things in the entertainment industry. However, Abby ke not only wanted to steal her endorsement, but also ridiculed and belittled her in public, as if he wanted to step on her deliberately. Ashley narrowed her eyes slightly, a sharp edge shed across her eyes, and said, ¡°Abby ke is Jessica¡¯s biological mother.¡± Miranda just picked up the coffee and took a sip. When she heard the words, she almost spit it out. She panicked and picked up a tissue to cover her mouth, ¡°Ahem! Jessica... biological mother?¡± Ashley nodded, ¡°Yes, biological mother. Jessica was born to Abby ke and a man named Brandon, and Evan also had a confusing rtionship with Abby ke. After Abby ke gave birth to Jessica, she gave Jessica 115 09:021 to Evan to raise. Miranda¡¯s face was filled with bewilderment. This triangle rtionship was too confusing. After being stunned for a few seconds, Miranda suddenly figured it out, ¡°No wonder Abby ke is targeting me like this. When Jessica asked someone to kidnap me, she also wanted to threaten you. Because of the kidnapping, Jessica was put in jail. | was the witness who testified against Jessica., so, Abby ke has a grudge against me?¡± Ashley looked apologetic, ¡°Maybe you and | are too close, which has implicated you.¡± Miranda immediately shook her head and said seriously: ¡°Ashley, don¡¯t say that. Jessica deserves to be in jail. She has done so many wrong things and wants to harm you every day. She should have received the punishment she deserves! ¡°If Abby ke resents us because of this, instead of thinking about how to teach Jessica and get her back on the right path, then her thoughts are not very good. She and Jessica are really like biological mother and daughter...¡± ¡°By the way, does anyone else know that Abby ke is Jessica¡¯s biological mother?¡± Ashley shook her head, ¡°Except for the Ramos family, no one else kno about it. It has not been exposed to the outside world for the time bein When Jessica¡¯s life experience was revealed, no outsiders were present, so it was notpletely exposed. Only the Ramos family knew about it. Miranda couldn''t help but guess, ¡°In addition to Jessica, does Abby ke have other children?¡± Ashley, ¡°It''s under investigation. If there is any, it will be found out soon.¡± Miranda calcted in her mind that based on Abby ke¡¯s age, if she had other children, they shouldn''t be too old, and they would definitely not be older than Jessica anyway.Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Ashley pursed her lips, looked at Miranda with soft eyes, and spoke softly: ¡°Miranda, what I¡¯m worried about now is that Abby ke is the artist 09:02 director of yourpany. If she targets you like this, she might even try to bully you in the future...¡± ¡°However, | came up with a solution that has the best of both worlds.¡± ¡°The Pliskin family has recently established two film and television. branches, one of which is called Starlight Entertainment Film and Television Media. Miranda, you can change jobs and sign with Starlight Entertainment. With me protecting you, Abby ke will never be able to bully you again.¡± Miranda was so moved when she heard this, she didn¡¯t expect Ashley to even consider this for her. Almost everything is considered for her sake. Miranda immediately wanted to nod in agreement. However, before nodding, Miranda remembered something and said hesitantly, ¡°But my contract with our agency will not expire for another three years. If | terminate the contract early, | will have to pay thepany arge amount of liquidated damages.¡± Ashley¡¯s bright eyes rose, ¡°Liquidated damages? How much?¡± Miranda looked troubled, ¡°If the contract we signed was terminated early, all the mess would be added up, and we might have to pay nearly 10 yuan in liquidated damages.¡± Ten thousand is really not a small amount. Abby ke dared to embarrass her so unabashedly, probably because she knew that she didn¡¯t dare to terminate the contract and leave gracefully. Miranda was just thinking about how much money she had in the card and how to get a few more millions, when she saw Ashley raise an eyebrow and saidzily, ¡°Ten thousand, I''ll pay for you.¡± Miranda instantly, ¡°!!!¡± It''s finished, it''s finished! My heart is excited again! Who can bear this! Can De getting After all, Miranda was still thin-skinned and felt that she was not ge rewarded for her efforts, ¡°But Ashley, wouldn¡¯t this be bad?¡± 3/5 09:02 Ashley chuckled, ¡°Be good, | want to lure you here, so it¡¯s only natural that | pay liquidated damages for you. Miranda nodded obediently. If the sponsor¡¯s father wants her to be good, then she will be good! In case the night was long and the dream was too much, the next morning, Ashley took severalwyers to Miranda¡¯s agency to discuss the termination of the contract with Miranda. Looking at those elitewyers in suits and ties who were full of aura, Miranda pulled Ashley and asked in confusion, ¡°Ashley, why are there so manywyers?¡± Ashley, ¡°Professional people do professional things to prevent any hidden uses in the contract. Let thesewyers read it carefully and terminate the contractpletely. This will save Abby ke from doing anything secretly or threatening you with these hidden uses in the future..¡± Miranda suddenly realized that Ashley was more considerate. However, after taking a look at the leadingwyer, Miranda felt that she had seen it on TV and asked in a low voice, ¡°Ashley, that lawyer, why does he look like Hughie Kessler?¡± Ashley nodded, ¡°Yes, that¡¯s him.¡± When Miranda heard this, she swallowed in shock, ¡®Is it really Hughie? He... why is he here? That¡¯s Hughie Kessler, the number one gold medalwyer in the country! It is said that thewsuits he fought were all between bigpanies and bigpanies. Thepetition betweenpanies is worth tens of billions, and now you want to file a small terminationwsuit against me?¡± It''s too overqualified! Ashley patted the back of her handfortingly, ¡°This is more secure.¡± Miranda was ttered, and without asking, she got Ashley¡¯s favor again. Ashley, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the breakup will be smooth.¡± Miranda, ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m not afraid as long as you''re here!¡± Next, Miranda witnessed Hughie¡¯s professional ability to hit the point directly in just a few words. 4/5 09:03 At first, when Abby ke learned that Miranda had terminated her. contract, she didn¡¯t want to let her go easily. She even asked for a sky-high liquidated damages. Hughie and his legal team fought back methodically, sentence by sentence, and based on the terms of the contract, used the agency of not fulfilling the treatment promised to Miranda and instead taking away her endorsement. After a negotiation, not only was Miranda sessfully terminated the contract, but the liquidated damages were also kept to a minimum. ¡°Ms. Pliskin, negotiationspleted.¡± Hughie Kessler looked respectfully at Ashley sitting aside. Ashley stood up, dusted her sleeves, nced at Abby ke expressionlessly, and left with Miranda. Looking at Ashley¡¯s leaving back, angry mes rose in Abby ke¡¯s eyes. Jessica¡¯s imprisonment was inseparable from Miranda¡¯s testimony. Originally, she wanted to teach Miranda a lesson and vent her anger for Jessica. Unexpectedly, Ashley was so vignt and took Miranda away in just one day! And Ashley...is the culprit behind Jessica¡¯s imprisonment... She must let Ashley also taste the feeling of going to jail! Chapter 435 Chapter 435 Next, Ashley took Miranda to Starlight Entertainment and arranged for her to have the most senior gold agent. With Miranda¡¯s qualifications, it should have be a hit. After arranging Miranda¡¯s affairs, Ashley put down a major issue on her mind. In this way, Abby ke would no longer have the opportunity to bully anyone around her. A few more days passed. Ashley and Miranda visited Brittany Walsh in the hospital together. In fact, during the car ident, Brittany Walsh was well protected by Riley Serrano and only suffered a scratch on her arm. After these days of recovery, the injury has basically recovered. Riley Serrano, on the other hand, was hit and fractured. He was just able to get out of bed, but he was still unable to walk and needed a wheelchair. After Ashley stayed in the ward for a while, she actually saw Bryceing over. As soon as she saw Bryce, Riley Serrano immediately became vignt and looked at her number one love rival, ¡°Why are you here again? | | never seen any celebrity as idle as you You run to the hospital every t days. Are you so confused that you don¡¯t even have to take pictures of t paparazzi? is you?¡± Bryce himself has a rebellious character. Hearing this, he nced at Riley Serrano with a smile on his face, ¡°What¡¯s the matter, you don¡¯t want to see me? Well, I''lle here every day from now on.¡± When Riley Serrano heard this, he was so angry that he almost vomited. blood. He just wanted to stand up from the wheelchair and sign with Bryce. It happened that the nurse came over to check the ward. When she saw this, she hurriedly advised, ¡°That patient, what are you doing! You still have fractures, don¡¯t move!¡± Riley Serrano¡¯s provocation failed in the middle, and he sat back down in frustration as soon as his buttocks rose less than one centimeter from the wheelchair. 09:03 Chapter 435. Miranda couldn¡¯t help butugh. Ashley shook her head helplessly and nced at Brittany Walsh aside. Isaw Brittany Walsh drinking water quietly, not much to the dispute between Bryce and Riley Serrano. Ashley¡¯s eyes rolled slightly, and she found an opportunity for the two of them to chat alone, and asked Brittany Walsh in a low voice, ¡°Brittany, what do you think?¡± Brittany Walsh held the coffee cup with her white hands, mist rising from the cup. She lowered her eyes and spoke in a very soft voice: ¡°| don¡¯t like Riley Serrano. | will try my best to persuade my parents to cancel the marriage between our two families, but I¡¯m afraid my parents won''t agree...¡± ¡°As for Bryce, | pursued him for so long before, but he didn¡¯t even like me. Now | understand that if | don¡¯t like it, | don¡¯t like it. You can¡¯t force feelings.¡± ¡°Thinking about it, maybe Bryce faces me just like | face Riley Serrano. | finally understand how upset he was when I pestered him before...¡± Brittany Walsh has been thinking a lot these days. When Riley Serrano said that he wanted to pursue her and treat her as his fianc¨¦e, she couldn''t avoid it and just wanted to cancel the marriage with Riley Serrano. Then she used to pursue Bryce so passionately and high-profile, and Bryce must have been so troubled and irritable when facing her. Therefore, she has decided not to pester Bryce in the future. As for the marriage with Riley Serrano, it would be best to cancel it. If it cannot be canceled, then we can only take it one step at a time. Ashley looked at the girl who was caught in an emotional whirlpool and sighed softly in her heart. Others cannot interfere with matters like feelings... In the afternoon, Ashley and Miranda left the ward. Ashley sends Miranda home. As soon as they walked downstairs to Miranda''s apartment, the two were chatting andughing when suddenly, two ck figures came out from 09:03 the side. Miranda was startled, thinking she was being robbed, but when she looked closely, she saw it was Ryan and Jeremy. The smile on Ashley¡¯s face disappeared instantly, and her expression became cold. ¡°Ashley, we didn¡¯t mean to disturb you! We have toe to you for something important!¡± Jeremy hurriedly exined with a solemn expression. Ryan nodded quickly, ¡°Yes, Ashley, we have something serious to ask you, so don¡¯t send us away yet!¡± They knew that Ashley didn¡¯t want to see them again, and they allowed. them to miss Ashley very much and wanted to make up for the wrong they had done to Ashley before, but they had been patient and did not go to Ashley again because they didn¡¯t want to annoy her. But now, there is something very important, and | must see Ashley. After squatting under Miranda¡¯s apartment building for two days, | finally, saw her again. In fact, these days, they have been paying attention to the affairs of the Pliskin family. They know that Ashley is living well in the Pliskin famil While they are happy for Ashley, they can¡¯t help but regret that they di not treat her well in the Ramos family... After listening to what the two of them said, Miranda nced at Ashley. first, and then looked at Ryan suspiciously, ¡°You have something important to see Ashley? Really or not? Isn¡¯t this an excuse you deliberately made up to meet Ashley?¡± Ryan was very wronged, ¡°Miranda, it¡¯s not an excuse, it¡¯s really business!¡± Ashley frowned slightly. Jeremy looked at Ashley with earnest eyes and said directly without beating around the bush: ¡°Ashley, Frankie and | went to the prison two days ago to visit my mother...to visit Bertha, and we met someone on the way, a woman! That woman went to the prison to visit Evan and Jessica!¡± ¡°We thought the woman looked familiar at first, but then the more we 09:03 thought about it, the more things seemed wrong. Frankie''s brain was good, and finally we remembered that the woman was Jessica¡¯s biological mother! She has returned to Kilos City!¡± Ashley, ¡°...¡± So that¡¯s what happened. Seeing Ashley didn¡¯t speak, Ryan thought she didn¡¯t believe it, so he swore anxiously, ¡°It¡¯s true Ashley, we didn¡¯t lie to you! We really saw Jessica¡¯s biological mothering back!¡± Miranda spread her hands and said, ¡°We have met that woman, her name is Abby ke.¡± Ryan was shocked when he heard this, ¡°Have you met her? When? Did she do anything bad or bully you?¡± Jeremy was worried, ¡°Ashley, Jessica is still in jail. If Abby kees back to Kilos City at this time, will she want to cause trouble for you? So after meeting Abby ke, we couldn¡¯t wait toe over and tip you off. You must be vignt. she.¡± After hearing what these two people said, Miranda¡¯s heart felt slightly touched. It seems that the five brothers of the Ramos family really know that they are wrong, and they want to make up for Ashley wholeheartedly and want to be good to Ashley... Ashley¡¯s tone was lukewarm, ¡°I know.¡± Jeremy was slightly relieved after hearing this. Ashley has always been very smart. He should have been wary of Abby ke when he first saw her. ¡°And these things.¡± Jeremy took out a file bag from his arms and said, ¡°These are the things that Evan locked in the safe before.¡± There''s that letter from Abby ke to Evan. There are alsorge-scale chaotic photos of Abby ke and Evan and Brandon. Jeremy said, ¡°These things can prove the mother-daughter rtionship between Abby ke and Jessica, as well as the chaotic photos of Abby ke, Evan and Brandon. Ashley, take these things. If Abby ke dares to bully you or cause trouble for you,, these photos can ruin Abby ke¡¯s reputation! Use these things if you can, and don¡¯t use them if you Al6 09.031 Chapter 435 don¡¯t. Holding them is also a kind of protection!¡±N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Jeremy was afraid that Ashley would dislike her and refused to ask for these things, so he stuffed them directly into Ashley¡¯s arms, and then without giving Ashley a chance to refuse, he took Ryan and ran away without looking back. Seeing the two people suddenly appearing and running away, Miranda said, ¡°...¡± Ashley held her forehead as she had a headache. Miranda nced at the contents of the portfolio curiously. Not only are there those eye-catching chaotic photos of the three of us, but also that letter, saying that the three of us hada wonderful night, and | hope that the three of us can be together forever... Miranda is going blind! the other side. Jeremy and Ryan ran all the way to the corner before they both stopped. Frankie, Charlie and Matthew, who had been waiting in the corner, hurriedly asked, ¡°How is it going? Have you told Ashley?¡± Jeremy nodded, panting from exhaustion after running all this way, and said with unsteady breath, ¡°I made it clear to Ashley just now and made her wary, and Ashley has already met Abby ke in advance.¡± Charlie frowned slightly, ¡°Did you meet him in advance?¡± Jeremy nodded, ¡°Yes.¡± Frankie continued to ask, ¡°Did you give those letters and photos to Ashley?¡± Ryan, ¡°Yes, Jeremy and | were afraid that Ashley wouldn¡¯t want it, so we just stuffed it into her arms and ran back. Anyway, if Abby ke dares to bully Ashley for Jessica, she will definitely not let her go!¡± Matthew quietly poked out half of his head and secretly looked at Ashley in the distance, his eyes full of longing and sadness, ¡°If | weren''t worried about annoying Ashley, | would have wanted to go out and meet Ashley just now and say a few words to her...¡± Frankie and Charlie also poked their heads half out, and could only 09:03 secretly look at Ashley sadly. Ryan became proud and showed off, ¡°Are you envious? | said several words to Ashley today.¡± Matthew nced at him angrily and poked at his scar, ¡°Fourth brother, Miranda still refuses to forgive you.¡± When Ryan heard this, his proud me was extinguished. Matthew hummed and smiled, finally feelingfortable. Jeremy patted Ryan on the shoulder and persuaded him calmly, ¡°It¡¯s okay. If Miranda keeps refusing to forgive you, you might as well find someone else to like you. It won''t be a big deal.¡± Ryan¡¯s expression turned serious, ¡°I¡¯ve always liked her in my life.¡± Jeremy was originally joking, but when he heard Ryan¡¯s serious answer, he felt a sense of surprise in his heart. After a while, he sighed softly and said nothing more. Chapter 436 After sending Miranda home, Ashley returned to the Kingsley Vi. Valentin is in the study. Ashley knocked on the door and went in. Valentin stood up from behind the desk, saw the portfolio in her hand, and asked casually, ¡°What did you get?¡± Ashley put the portfolio on the desk, rushed over and hugged him to recharge her batteries, and then told her about Jeremy and Ryan giving her the portfolio. After hearing this, Valentin raised his eyebrows slightly indifferently. ¡°What''s wrong?¡± Ashley saw that he was silent, ¡°Why don¡¯t you speak?¡± Valentin leaned over, opened the desk drawer, took out a file bag from the drawer, and handed it to Ashley. Ashley took it curiously, opened it, and saw those messy photos of Abby ke. In addition to the photos, there is also a USB sh drive. Ashley blinked in surprise, ¡°Where did you get these things?¡± Valentin said in an understatement, ¡°Just in case, | have been investigating Abby ke in the past two days. She has kept these photos in herputer. | printed a copy for you.¡± Valentin picked up the USB sh drive and said, ¡°There are also some things about Abby ke in this USB sh drive. You can take a look.¡± Ashley¡¯s eyes lit up and her eyshes fluttered, ¡°Wow, have you found out all this? Our brother Valentin is so awesome! He is a master hacker!¡± Ashley¡¯s mouth was so sweet, she rushed over and gave her a big kiss. Valentin enjoyed the kiss, and a sultryugh escaped from her throat. Hezily supported her waist, ¡°I really hope you don¡¯t have to worry about anything, and you can always be responsible and happy.¡± Ashley was so excited that she looked at him with a smile, ¡°No, I¡¯m still willing to worry about things rted to you!¡± Valentin raised his eyebrows, couldn¡¯t help but leaned forward and kissed her. The afterglow of the setting sun spilled in through the windowttice, and the two of them were bathed in the golden sunset light. The scene was so beautiful that it seemed beyond the ordinary... Ashley put away the portfolio, turned around and saw the things on the desk, and her eyes lit up. The wedding dress had almost been designed. It was so beautiful and stunning! ¡°There¡¯s only onest part left.¡± Valentin raised his hand and rubbed her head. ¡°When the design isplete, will you take a good look at it?¡± Ashley nodded, ¡°Okay!¡± After the overall design ispleted, we invite the world¡¯s top craftsmen to make it purely by hand. After the production is completed, it is almost time for the wedding, and everything is just right~ Ashley had nothing to do in the past two days, so she set aside a day to go out on a date with Valentin. The two went to an exclusive club owned by the Pliskin Group. It was supposed to be a fun ce to y with Valentin, but as soon as Ashley entered, she started having fun, horse riding and archery, and finally asked Valentin to y with her. In the racecourse. As soon as the two people got off the horse, they saw a group of people walking towards them not far away. The staff held up the camera as if they were filming. If you look closely, there were also the director and several stars, as if they were filming a livestream variety show. The club manager trotted over, ¡°Ms. Pliskin, Mr. Kingsley, this is a livestream variety show that was filmed at the club venue today. It is also a variety show invested and produced by the Pliskin Group!Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated for All Books Updates... Ashley understood in her heart that the Pliskin family had just opened two film and television branches and were entering the domestic entertainment market and investing in variety shows. This was normal. Since this livestream variety show is invested by the Pliskin family, it is normal for it to be filmed at a club owned by the Pliskin Group. Ashley nned to stand by with Valentin to see how this variety show was and whether it was worth the investment. As luck would have it, the cameraman¡¯s lens had captured the two of them. The audience in the livestream room was watching the variety show in a daze, cursing while watching, feeling that this variety show was too boring. As a result, he was cursing, the camera shed, he was suddenly stunned, and then the pot exploded.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. [Ah ah ah who did | see! ] [Ashley and Mr. Kingsley! Is it Ashley and Mr. Kingsley! ] [Ah ah ah it¡¯s really Ashley! And Mr. Kingsley! Finally saw Mr. Kingsley in the livestream! Why are these two big guys here? ? ] The audience who were still cursing and cursing a second ago immediately changed their tune and no longer felt bored at all... Chapter 437 The cameraman of the program identally caught Ashley and Valentin in the camera, and | felt a panic in my heart. You know, this variety show is invested by the Pliskin family. In other words, Ashley and Valentin are the financiers of this variety show. | don¡¯t know if these two are willing to appear on the scene. If he didn¡¯t want to, he would put the sponsor¡¯s father in the camera. Isn¡¯t this confrontational? The cameraman shook his hands, quickly moved away from the camera, and pointed the camera at the other guests. This was great. The audience in the livestream room was instantly dissatisfied and started making a scene. [? ? ? What are you doing? Why is the lens off? The cameraman snaps the chicken legs! Kick it hard! ] [I''m convinced, this variety show is boring as hell. Not many people watched the livestream. Just now, Ashley and Mr. Kingsley¡¯s poprity skyrocketed as soon as they appeared on the scene. Now you¡¯re ignoring the poprity and you¡¯re going to move the camera away? | [Who wants to watch your crappy variety show! Turn the camera on Ashley and Mr. Kingsley! These two are the password for ratings, do you understand? ! ] The cameraman was so upset that he couldn¡¯t make the decision, so he had to look at the director pitifully. The director is also in a dilemma, wondering if these two big guys are willing to appear on the scene. The director nced at the livestream room worriedly. The two big guys just appeared for a moment, and the number of viewers soared by tens of thousands. And new audiences continue toe in. The barrage has gone crazy. [I just quit the variety show halfway through. When | heard that Ashley and Mr. Kingsley were appearing, | came back immediately! Where are they? ] [I am new here! | heard Ashley and Valentin are here, why don¡¯t they see anyone? ] There are countless such barrages, which shows that these two big guys have really brought extremely terrifying poprity. Originally this variety show was dull and not many people watched it. But now because of Ashley and Valentin, the number of viewers has been rising rapidly and is about to exceed one million. The director scratched his bald head in confusion, he really couldn''t let go of this poprity. So he gestured to the cameraman and asked him to secretly take pictures first, and he went over to greet the two big guys. The cameraman received the instruction and immediately refocused the camera on Ashley and Valentin. Netizens saw the two again and were finally satisfied and added the cameraman¡¯s chicken legs back. Unfortunately, the distance was too far, andizens couldn¡¯t hear Ashley and Valentin talking, and could only see the director running towards the two bosses. The director ran up to the two of them and greeted them with a smile on his face. ¡°Ms. Pliskin! Mr. Kingsley!¡± Ashley smiled, ¡°Director, you continue to shoot, we will watch from the side.¡± The director coughed slightly and scratched his head in embarrassment, ¡°Ms. Pliskin, I¡¯m so sorry! The cameraman identally captured the two of you in the camera just now. The audience in the livestream room likes you very much! They are looking over here now!¡± Ashley, ¡°?¡± Valentin, ¡°...¡± There is arge screen on site to provide real-time feedback on the situation in the livestream room, and you can also see the comments posted byizens. Ashley turned to look over. The barrage is simplywless: [My old swan! The cutest height difference between these two makes them perfect for kissing! Please kiss where you are! ] [To be honest, | want to see them enter the bridal chamber. Mr. Kingsley, seven times a night is enough, right? ] [Hehehe~ | might keep Ashley out of bed for three days~] [It''s over, Ashley is watching the barrage, sisters, don¡¯t be horny yet! Be serious! ] [Be serious, be serious! Good morning, Ashley! Good morning Mr. Kingsley! ] [Hello Ashley! Hello, Mr. Ashley! ] Ashley, ¡°...¡± There¡¯s no point in pretending to be serious anymore! I''ve seen those lewd words you sent! Who keeps anyone from getting out of bed for three days? It¡¯s not like she kept Valentin from getting out of bed for three days! Ashley, turned to look at Valentin.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Valentin obviously also saw the lewd words on the barrage. He didn¡¯t say anything, he just raised his eyebrows casually. The barrage was filled with screams of marmots. [Ah ah ah, he raised his eyebrows, he raised his eyebrows! He knows what it means! Woooong! Mr. Kingsley, don¡¯t be soft- hearted, rush seven times in one night! ] Ashley, ¡°...¡± That¡¯s enough... What to rush for... During this process, the cameraman came closer with the camera, andizens could finally hear the voices of Ashley and Valentin talking. Six guests from the variety show also came over to say hello to Ashley and Valentin. ¡°Ms. Pliskin, Mr. Kingsley, hello!¡± ¡°Sister Ashley! Mr. Kingsley!¡± Ashley responded with a smile, and then discovered that the person standing at the back was actually Galvin. It turns out that Galvin is also one of the guests participating in the variety show. ¡°Sister, long time no see.¡± Galvin looked at Ashley and greeted him in a brisk tone. For some reason, Ashley thought of Abby ke when she saw Galvin. She smiled meaningfully, ¡°Long time no see.¡±Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated for All Books Updates... After Ashley finished speaking, she took a closer look. The guests invited by the program team were very interesting, including celebrities, sports athletes, and photographers. No wonder Galvin is there too. The director looked at the rising number of viewers during the livestream, smiled from ear to ear, and invited very warmly: ¡°Ms. Pliskin, Mr. Kingsley, the audience in the livestream room likes you very much. Our guests are going to y a small game later. Do you want to participate casually?¡± The barrage responded immediately: Yes, yes, yes! Ashley didn¡¯t agree immediately. She nced at Valentin first and knew that he didn¡¯t like to appear in the spotlight, so she had to ask him what he meant first. Valentin¡¯s thin lips curled up slightly, ¡°You decide, | will listen to you.¡± When Ashley heard what he said, she didn¡¯t worry about anything anymore. In addition, the fans were enthusiastic about the request and she was out to have fun today, so she nodded to the director. The director¡¯s face suddenly turned red with excitement, great, we have the password for the ratings! At this time, Bluelove CP burst into tears during the livestream. [I''m dead, I¡¯m dead! ¡°You decide, I''ll listen to you.¡± If you want to be so pampered, I''ll kill you! ] [Ashley did not immediately agree to the director, but first worried about Mr. Kingsley and went in both directions! ] [Woooooh, this is my magical CP! Switch between porn and pure love at will! ] Chapter 438 Because of the appearance of Ashley and Valentin, the number of viewers in the livestream continued to soar. More and moreizens came after hearing the news. The director took advantage of the poprity brought by the two big guys and quickly announced the mini-game. ¡°Dear guests, we have prepared hidden clues nearby in advance. The clues are divided into reward clues and punishment clues! Now, please group the guests into pairs. Everyone will search nearby. If you find the reward clue, you can get the corresponding reward. ! If you find the punishment clue, you will get the punishment!¡± Alively male star raised his hand and asked, ¡°Director, what are the punishments?¡± The director smiled mysteriously, ¡°Keep it secret!¡± Ashley, ¡°...¡± Why is there still punishment? She doesn¡¯t care, what if Valentin is punished?All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Forget it, she and Valentin were forced toe here by the director, so they could just have fun. The director pped his hands and smiled with a sly look on his face, ¡°Dear guests, you can form your own groups and find the people you like to form a team!¡± After the rules were exined, the six guests from the program team found each other as teammates. They didn¡¯t dare to go to Ashley or Valentin to form a team. After all, anyone with a discerning eye could see that they were husband and wife, so how could they have the nerve to separate them. Galvin ran up to Ashley, apparently wanting to team up with Ashley. However, seeing Valentin next to Ashley, Galvin¡¯s words were a little stuck and he hesitated, ¡°Sister, do you... want to team up with Mr. Kingsley?¡± Ashley nodded without thinking, ¡°Of course.¡± Galvin looked a little disappointed, nodded in frustration, and said with a forced smile, ¡°This little game doesn¡¯tst long, and it doesn¡¯t consume physical energy. | hope my sister has fun.¡± Ashley, ¡°Thank you.¡± After Galvin finished speaking, he ran to find other guests to form a team. Valentin looked at Galvin¡¯s back, his deep eyes shing with a dark and cold light. Netizens in the livestream room were a little confused when they saw this scene. [Galvin won the photographypetition before. In an interview, he said that he liked Ashley very much. It turned out that he liked Ashley so much that he kept calling Ashley sister. ] [But I¡¯m sorry, Galvin, please go away, no one can separate us Bluelove CP! ] [Hahaha, that¡¯s right, we young lovers must form a team together! ] Ashley and Valentin are on the same team. The other six guests in the program group were divided into three teams. Several guests have already started looking for clues nearby. There is a horse farm and an archery range nearby. The grass is green and the scenery is beautiful. Ashley was worried about finding clues to punishment, so she told Valentin bluntly, ¡°We focus on participation, so just walk around and bask in the sun.¡± Valentin nodded, ¡°Okay.¡± Ashley curved her lips and smiled, slyly and brightly, ¡°I¡¯m mainly afraid of punishing you and letting you do it in front of so many viewers, which will cause you to lose face.¡± Valentin raised his eyebrows slightly when he heard this, ¡°Then do | want to thank you for thinking about me so much?¡± Ashley raised her chin proudly, ¡°Of course!¡± Valentin chuckled and hooked her hand, ¡°Come here.¡± Ashley approached suspiciously, ¡°What are you doing?¡± Netizens looked at it curiously, wondering what Valentin was going to do. Then the next second she saw that the man leaned slightly towards Ashley''s ear and said something unknown. Ashley¡¯s earlobes instantly turned red and she raised her head angrily. However, she raised her head too much and her cheek brushed against the man¡¯s. lip. Moment of barrage: Ahhhhh! ! ! Ashley¡¯s ck and white eyes widened instantly. Valentin couldn''t help but curl his lips, and a loose and sexyugh escaped from his throat, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? | promised to thank you, why do you still reward me?¡± Ashley, ¡°...¡± | hit him and returned it! The barrage has gone crazy. [Fuck, fuck, it''s so sweet, I''ll forget it! ] [Oh my god, Valentin, this is how you usually take advantage of your wife! It turns out that this is how you y in private! ] [Speaking of what Mr. Kingsley said in Ashley''s ear just now, Ashley¡¯s ears turned red! ] [Cameraman, can you please get closer and take the picture! Is there anything |, the distinguished VIP, cannot say? ] The cameraman wiped the sweat from his forehead. He also wanted to get closer and take pictures, but he didn¡¯t dare. The other guests were running around, looking for clues quickly. Ashley, on the other hand, pulled Valentin and walked slowly. In contrast, the scene seemed to be moving at a high speed on one side, while the years were quiet on the other. Thoseizens who used toin that the variety show was boring now don¡¯t find Ashley boring at all, and they all watch it with gusto. He even said that we could all watch a hundred episodes of these two just sitting and chatting! | can¡¯t help it, I¡¯m just so doting. Walking to the archery range, Ashley saw a sign from the program team, which said: As long as you get a score of 9 or above in archery, you can get hidden clues. Several guests were already holding bows and arrows, standing in front of the target and shooting. The shooting results are varied, ranging from six to seven rings. A female star named Greta Franco saw Ashley and Valentining over and asked enthusiastically, ¡°Sister Ashley, | have seen your shooting video before and won the shooting championship Olive, can you do archery?¡± Ashley smiled, ¡°Yes.¡± Greta Franco cheered, ¡°That''s great, sister Ashley,e and shoot an arrow! If you shoot more than 9 rings, you will get the clue! We are too stupid, no one can shoot 9 rings!¡± Greta Franco said, running over and pulling Ashley over lively. Ashley couldn''t refuse the kindness, so she had no choice but to take the bow and arrow, draw the bowstring, aim at the target in front of her and shoot. With a whoosh, the arrow hit the red heart. 10 rings. Greta Franco jumped up with excitement and looked at Ashley with admiration, ¡°10 rings! The first arrow hit the 10 rings! Sister Ashley is so amazing!¡± A female star named Pauline Rios was standing next to her. When she saw this, she ran over and looked at Ashley with eyes wide open, ¡°Ashley, why do you shoot so urately? | always miss the target. Can you teach me?¡± Facing such a polite request from a girl, how could Ashley have the heart to refuse? She smiled brightly and said, ¡°Okay, I''ll teach you.¡± Pauline Rios immediately put on the archery posture and asked for advice, ¡°Ashley, look at my posture. The arrows | shot can¡¯t fly to the target.¡± Ashley put down the bow and arrow in her hand, walked behind Pauline Rios, stretched out her hand from behind, and gently helped her adjust her posture, ¡°Put your left hand a little further over here...¡± After Ashley¡¯s step-by-step guidance, Pauline Rios¡¯ next arrow shot a six-ring score, which was much better than the previous 0- ring result. Greta Franco also ran over, ¡°Sister Ashley, please teach me too!¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ashley epted everyone who came and asked Greta Franco to pose for archery. She still stood behind her and taught her step by step. From the back, it looks like Ashley hugging Greta Franco. Valentin stood aside and was ignored, ¡°..."Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated for All Books Updates... Watching Ashley teaching this girl now and then that girl, and smiling so happily, why do | get the feeling that she is romantic, happy and carefree? Theizens whomented on the barrage almostughed out loud. [Ashley, look back at your husband! He was so ignored by you that his face almost turned ck! ] [Hahahaha, he¡¯s jealous, he¡¯s jealous! ] [It''s okay Mr. Kingsley, you are the queen, they are just concubines, hahahaha! ] However, Ashley didn¡¯t even look back. After teaching Pauline Rios, she then taught Greta Franco. The smile on her face never faded when she faced these two cute, beautiful, fragrant and soft girls. Valentin, ¡°...¡± Just wait for her. Finally, after an unknown amount of time, Greta Franco and Pauline Rios finally felt Valentin¡¯s resentment, and then reluctantly ran away from Ashley. Ashley just shot a 9-ring and got a hidden clue. As a result, the staff took it over and took a look, and it turned out to be...a punishment clue... It''s over, I''m really afraid of what will happen... Chapter 439 Ashley shot 9 rings to get the hidden clues. The staff next to her handed Ashley a small card ording to the director''s instructions. Ashley originally thought that this was the first clue she found, so it should be a reward anyway. | took it confidently, but when | opened it, | saw two big words ¡°punishment¡± written inside. Ashley¡¯s face instantly wrinkled. He returned the card to the staff member with a bleak look on his face, ¡°This is the card you dropped. Take it and don¡¯t drop it again.¡± staff member:? Netizens on the barrage wereughing to death: What kind of cool operation is this, hahahaha? After Ashley said that, she turned around and ran away. The staff chased her and forced the card to her. You can¡¯t escape even if you want to. Ashley was also convinced. Why are you so unlucky that the first clue you find is punishment? Moreover, there is only the word ¡°punishment¡± on the card, and | don¡¯t know exactly how to punish him. Ashley turned to look at Valentin who was not far away, ran back and handed the punishment card to the man, ¡°Look.¡± Valentin, who had been left out for a long time, just nced at the card briefly, then raised his eyelids and looked at Ashley with a half-smiling look on his face, ¡°Did you have fun doing archery just now?¡± Ashley blinked in confusion, wondering why he suddenly asked this. Ashley nodded her little head honestly and her voice was clear, ¡°Happy!¡± Valentin, ¡°...¡± [Hahahahahaha, why is baby Ashley so cute! Let me hug you and give you a kiss! ] [Do you dare to kiss the man upstairs? Aren¡¯t you afraid that Mr. Kingsley¡¯s jealousy will be overturned again? ] [Hahahahaha, are Greta Franco and Pauline Rios trembling now?] At this moment, Greta Franco and Pauline Rios were hugging each other tremblingly. | had never heard of Mr. Kingsley being so jealous. However, | really wanted to spend more time with Ashley. When | was teaching archery just now, So gentle and patient! Next, Ashley and Valentin stopped looking for clues. One punishment was enough. Netizens are curious about what the punishment will be. After all the hidden clues nearby were found, several guests gathered together again. The director asked with a smile, ¡°Dear guests, has anyone found the reward clue?¡± Three guests who found the reward clues raised their hands. The director nodded and continued to ask with a smile, ¡°Then who found the punishment clue?¡± Amale star raised his hand reluctantly, ¡°Director, me.¡± Galvin was silent for a few seconds and raised his hand, ¡°Me too.¡± Before Ashley could raise her hand, the director couldn''t wait to look at her, smiling expectantly, ¡°Ms. Pliskin, Mr. Kingsley, what you found is also punishment, right?¡± Ashley, ¡°...¡± Judging by the director¡¯s expectant look, he knew he must have given her a punishment clue on purpose! The director touched his nose innocently. He didn¡¯t want to arrange punishment for the two bosses, but the audience loved to see this. Didn''t you notice? The poprity value in the livestream room has exceeded 100 million. The director cleared his throat and immediately announced, ¡°Okay, let¡¯s reveal the punishment content now!¡± The one that was made public first was that of the male celebrity. His punishment was to call thest contact in the call history and say | miss you. This kind of punishment is verymon in games, but for celebrities, it can be a little difficult because scandals and gossip may identally break out. Netizens in the livestream room became interested. The male star nervously opened hismunication records and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that thetest contact was a male. After the call was connected, | turned on the speakerphone as required and said, ¡°I miss you.¡± The friend on the other end of the phone had goosebumps, ¡°Damn it, why are you so annoying all of a sudden? Tell you, | only treat you as a buddy, | don¡¯t have any other ideas!¡± Netizens burst intoughter. After the phone call, the male star¡¯s punishment waspleted without any danger. Ashley watched the entire process, quietly pulled Valentin¡¯s sleeve, and whispered, ¡°If this is the punishment, it''s not that difficult.¡± Valentin lowered his eyes to look at her, and also lowered his voice, ¡°Who is the first person in yourmunication record?¡± Ashley raised her eyes and snorted, ¡°It¡¯s definitely not you.¡± Valentin, ¡°?¡± Ashley couldn''t helpughing, ¡°It¡¯s you who is teasing you, or who else is it?¡± The CP fans who had been staring at the two of them scratched their heads and ears anxiously. [What are these two people whispering about? Let me listen too. I¡¯m not an outsider (crying pitifully)] [Is there anyone who understands lip reading? Can you trante it for me? ] [Don¡¯t just whisper, you should kiss each other. Let me see how you kiss (crying pitifully)] Next, the content of Galvin¡¯s punishment will be revealed. The director showed the card with the punishment content to the camera, and it said: Please hold it in your hand. Netizens were confused for a while. [What''s the meaning? Hold it in your hand? it? ] [Small animal? ] [Is it a small animal or an inanimate object? ] At this moment, the staff next to him brought up a table. There was a square transparent ss cab on the table, and inside the ss cab was a bunch of crawling snakes that were intertwined! Several celebrities who were afraid of snakes at the scene felt their scalps numb and jumped three meters away in fear. Netizens in the livestream also got chills. [Holy shit, it¡¯s a snake! There are still so many! ] [Oh my god, | am most afraid of snakes. When | see them rolling and squirming in the ss cab, | feel scratched all over. . . ] [Don¡¯t you want Galvin to hold these snakes in his hands? ? ] When the director saw these snakes, he said he was not afraid. He took a few steps back honestly and coughed twice, ¡°Dear viewers, the snakes prepared by our program team are non-venomous. Please rest assured! Galvin, For your punishment, you only need to grab a snake from inside, just one, hold it in your hand and it will be done!¡± However, at this time, Galvin¡¯s face turned pale, ayer of cold sweat broke out on his forehead, his lips trembled slightly, and he was obviously very afraid of snakes.Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated for All Books Updates... The director looked around and saw that several other guests looked extremely frightened. Only Ashley and Valentin did not lose theirposure and looked as usual. The director felt warm in his heart. He was worthy of being a financial sponsor, and he could control the situation! The director quickly walked over and asked, ¡°Ms. Pliskin, are you afraid of snakes?¡± Ashley shook her head, ¡°Not afraid.¡± The director looked at Valentin again, ¡°Mr. Kingsley, what about you?¡± Valentin, ¡°Same as her.¡± The director was filled with admiration after hearing this, ¡°Most people are afraid of snakes. The twopanies have a tacit understanding in this regard and are very courageous!¡± Valentin recalled the times when Ashley fought for him, stood up for him, and teased him with snakes when he was a child. He curled his lips and said, ¡°She has been very courageous since she was a child.¡±Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. When the director heard this, he immediately seized the opportunity and asked, ¡°I have been very courageous since | was a child... Some time ago, someizens spected that the two of them have known each other since childhood and are childhood sweethearts. Is this true?¡± Chapter 440 Ashley was surprised for a moment and couldn¡¯t helpughing, ¡°Netizens are so awesome, they have already guessed this.¡± CP fans were so excited when they heard Ashley admit it personally. [Did you hear that? They are really childhood sweethearts! We''ve known each other since we were kids! Before the marriage was made public, it was not revealed at all! ] [The director would like to help and ask, when did the two of them get together? Did they secretly fall in love from school to wedding dress while they were in school? ] [When did you get married and get the certificate? Tell me quickly to satisfy my curiosity! ] On the big screen at the scene, all thements posted byizens were yed in real time. The director really asked these questions one after another. After all, these two big guys are the password for ratings. Ashley¡¯s mouth twitched, ¡°Director, the punishment session is still going on.¡± The directorughed dryly and rubbed the back of his head awkwardly, ¡°Haha, | almost forgot about this!¡± Ashley, ¡°...¡± Galvin next to him was not in a good condition at the moment. His face was pale and he seemed to be very afraid of snakes. He did not want to carry out this punishment at all and even wanted to dy the time until the end of the variety show. The director couldn¡¯t bear to embarrass the guests too much, and besides, it wouldn¡¯t be easy to handle if something happened. The director said amodatingly, ¡°Let''s do this Galvin, if you are really afraid of snakes, you can ask someone for help, okay?¡± Netizens on the barrage responded immediately. [People who are afraid of snakes really can¡¯t ovee it. Find someone to help! ] [By the way, doesn¡¯t Galvin like Ashley very much? You can ask Ashley for help. She will definitely help her fans! ] Galvin pursed his lips, his eyshes kept trembling, and he looked around. Several other guests were very scared. Galvin gritted his teeth and tried to reach out towards the ss cab, but his hand stayed on top of the ss cab. He tried several times and could not move his hand no matter what. That fear of snakes is not so easy to ovee. Cold sweat broke out on his forehead again. Galvin turned his head stiffly and had to look in Ashley¡¯s direction. His voice was trembling, ¡°Sister, you...can you help me...¡± As soon as Galvin¡¯s request came out, the director and other guests at the scene looked at Ashley. Ashley raised her eyebrows slightly, and she actually saw begging in Galvin¡¯s eyes. Galvin was begging her. This is the first time | have seen Galvin look like this. Ashley thought for a moment, raised the corners of her rosy mouth slightly, gave a meaningful smile, and walked over. However, as soon as she took a step, Valentin grabbed her wrist. Ashley turned back and asked with her eyes: What''s wrong? Valentin nced at Galvin expressionlessly, then returned his gaze to Ashley, ¡°I''ll do it.¡± The moment the words fell, the scene suddenly became quiet. Wha...what? Valentining? ! Three secondster, Greta Franco and Pauline Rios, who were standing aside, both covered their mouths and almost screamed, Oh my God! Mr. Kingsley actually...! Even though Ashley is not afraid of snakes, Mr. Kingsley is not willing to get her hands dirty at all! Do you want to be so pampered? [Oh my God, | really didn¡¯t expect Mr. Kingsley toe forward! ] [Aman of Valentin¡¯s status is not suitable for weird things like catching snakes, but he can do anything for Ashley without hesitation... Wow, he really loves her so much! ] [It''s really eye-opening. Valentin is really different in front of Ashley than in front of others. He is really willing to do anything in front of Ashley... This is his only preference. ..] Galvin looked at Valentin with astonishment. Valentin walked to the table, with a tall and tall figure. His knuckled hands reached into the ss cab, and ording to the punishment requirements, he grabbed a snake and tilted his head to look at the director aside. The director stared and was so shocked that he nodded violently, ¡°It¡¯s done, it¡¯s done! It''s done!¡± Valentin put the snake back in the ss case. The staff on the side immediately handed over disinfectant wipes for wiping hands. Valentin took it, lowered his eyshes, and wiped his white and slender fingers slowly, as if he had juste out of a luxurious dinner venue, with a jade-like figure, a handsome face, and an indescribable calmness and dignity. The director swallowed slowly and felt strongly that the dignified and extraordinary temperament surrounding the man made the entire variety show scene feel high-ss. | even feel that his presence here is a sign of condescension, and asking him to do such a weird task as catching snakes is even more sacrilegious... The barrage was filled with wild howls. [Help! It feels like what Mr. Kingsley is catching is not a snake, but a dragon! This is the aura! ] [No, it''s clearly my heart that¡¯s been captured! So handsome! So handsome! My new husband! | really want to use my legs to measure his waist! ] [..-Attention upstairs, this is Ashley¡¯s husband. ] Galvin¡¯s pale face softened a bit, and he walked up to Valentin, with dark and indistinguishable emotions hidden in his eyes, ¡°Mr. Kingsley, thank you for your help.¡± Valentin calmly smoothed his cufflinks without looking at him. He only looked in the direction of Ashley and said in a low voice, ¡°She is the one you should thank.¡± The meaning is obvious, everything he does is for Ashley''s sake. Greta Franco and Pauline Rios on the side hugged each other excitedly, ahhh, why is Mr. Kingsley so cool! Never forget Ashley! | originally nned to have more contact with Ashley even at the risk of Mr. Kingsley bing jealous, but now | am not willing to disturb these two people at all! Ashley kept looking at Valentin, and when she saw himing back, she smiled and took the man¡¯s hand. Who says house flowers are not as fragrant as wild flowers? Her Valentin is the most fragrant!Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated for All Books Updates... After Galvin¡¯s punishment waspleted, the director then began to announce the punishments of Ashley and Valentin. This time the director did not read it out, but handed the card with the punishment content to Valentin with both hands. Netizens:? ? ? what''s the situation? I''ve been waiting for so long just to know what the punishment is, why don¡¯t you read it out?All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. When Valentin saw the punishment content on the card, he frowned slightly, with a hint of helplessness between his brows, and turned to look at Ashley. This madeizens even more curious. [What is the punishment? Can Mr. Kingsley be helpless? ] [Is it too much? Probably not, the director is not that bold. ] Ashley stretched her head and looked over curiously. The next second, she saw the punishment content on the card, and her eyelids jumped sharply. Netizens can¡¯t wait and are itching to wait. [Director, don¡¯t be tempted, read it out quickly! Don¡¯t make me p you! ] It was not untilizens urged him repeatedly that the director said with a smile, ¡°Actually, the punishment for Mr. Kingsley and Ms. Pliskin is very simple and easy toplete!¡± After all, these two are the fathers of the sponsors, so they dare not offend them. The director cleared his throat and continued, ¡°That is, please Mr. Kingsley show your abdominal muscles to everyone, and this punishment will bepleted!¡± After the words fell, the barrage was quiet for three seconds, and then it started to boil with enthusiasm. [Abs? Director, you are so brave! ] [Hahahahaha,ugh to death, no wonder Valentin is so helpless! ] [Hiss... Showing your abdominal muscles... it depends on Ashley¡¯s consent, right? ] [Ashley, do you agree with your husband showing his abdominal muscles? Agree? Agree? ] Chapter 441 Before Ashley could speak, Valentin returned the card with the punishment content to the director, and nced at him with emotionless eyes. The director was so frightened that he originally wanted to coax him, but now he didn¡¯t even dare to say anything. Seeing the man¡¯s clear refusal, Danmuughed even more. [Hahahaha, this is male virtue! ] [Tsk, tsk, director, don¡¯t seek death. Do you really think Valentin is willing to appear in your variety show because he has a good temper? He just did it for his wife¡¯s sake. ] [Yes, Mr. Kingsley said that my abs are only for my wife to see~~] Ashley saw thest line of the barrage and blinked with watery eyes. What was that? Valentin¡¯s abs. She not only looked at them, she also touched them every day... Let him show it in front of the camera...well, let''s not do it. She didn¡¯t want him to be seen by so many people yet. The director was quite discerning and quickly smoothed things over, ¡°The punishment of Galvin just now was done with the help of Mr. Kingsley. In fact, Mr. Kingsley has already punished him once, so this punishment can be offset, so there is no need to do it! Audience friends, this is the end of our game at the archery range, and we will set off to the next venueter!¡± After the director finished speaking, he looked at Ashley and Valentin with eager eyes, ¡°Ms. Pliskin, Mr. Kingsley, we also have a very interesting game next, are you two interested in participating?¡± Netizens were reluctant to leave the two of them, and frantically refreshed their screens, ¡°Join, join, join!¡± Ashley raised her brows slightly, curved her lips and smiled, ¡°I can¡¯t be the director, but | wish you a smooth filming.¡± She and Valentin originally came to the club to y, and happened to be filming a variety show, and were invited to participate in a small game. Now that they have finished participating in the small game, how can they continue to the next game. Netizens were heartbroken when they heard Ashley¡¯s rejection. [No, Ashley! I¡¯m not sweet enough yet, let me see more of you! ] [Ashley, | have liked you for a long time. In our rtionship, show me how you and Mr. Kingsley kiss. Isn¡¯t it too much? ] [Ashley, | have a friend who is terminally ill. Before he died, he expressed that he wanted to see you and Valentin kiss on the spot. ] Ashley looked at these barrages, ¡°...¡± Friendse out of nowhere, right? Strange, why do you like watching kissing? What are the hobbies of these fans? Don''t understand. Ashley pretended not to notice these lewd requests, waved goodbye to everyone, and signaled the cameraman to move the camera away. The most heartbroken person at this time was the director. He lost his viewing password and the number of viewers during the livestream dropped again... Before Galvin left with the program team, he looked back in Ashley¡¯s direction, the emotion in his eyes was unclear... Greta Franco and Pauline Rios came to say hello to Ashley before leaving and thanked Ashley for teaching them archery. Ashley smiled and said goodbye to the two girls gently. Agroup of people from the program team left, and the atmosphere finally returned to calm. Ashley turned her head and saw Valentin¡¯s deep eyes staring at her, and couldn''t help but ask, ¡°What are you doing? What¡¯s wrong?¡± The man shook his head and said nothing. Ashley blinked her eyes, then suddenly took a step forward, stretched out her delicate white index finger, poked his abdominal muscles through his shirt, and said slyly and arrogantly, ¡°You can only show me here, you know?¡± Valentin looked stunned for a moment when he heard this. Ashley was dissatisfied, her fair cheeks slightly bulging, ¡°What''s your reaction? Why don¡¯t you say anything? Who else are you nning to show in the future?¡± The next moment, the man responded to her by suddenly pulling her into his arms, and a low-alcoholic chuckle sounded softly above her head, making people¡¯s hearts feel hot, ¡°Of course I¡¯m only here to show you.¡± Ashley curled her lips and muttered softly, ¡°Then why were you stunned after | asked you just now?¡± The man lowered his head and ced a gentle kiss on the top of her hair, ¡°You rarely make demands on me.¡± Ashley heard this strangely and raised her head to look at him, ¡°Isn¡¯t it good that | ask less of you?¡± Valentin, ¡°Not good.¡± In the past, he always felt that Ashley was not possessive of him. Today | finally realized it, even if it was just a little bit... But, he loved the way she was possessive of him. Ashley¡¯s eyes turned around in a circle, and they curved into crescent moons, and she deliberately made trouble, ¡°Okay, | will ask more of you in the future! First, you can¡¯t be jealous anymore! Second, | will let you go east, You can¡¯t go west. | asked you to eat, but you can¡¯t drink water! Thirdly, about your green coffee... Well, | quite like your green coffee. There is no need to change this! As for the other things, | will wait until | think of it. Replenish!¡± The man smiledzily and raised his hand to rub her head, ¡°No need to add anything else. Except for the first one, everything else is fine.¡± Ashley, ¡°...¡± Okay, you still have to eat vinegar. Ashley suddenly sighed, ¡°Hey, | suddenly want to hug you!¡± Valentin raised his eyebrows and opened his arms happily. Ashley chuckled, ¡°I¡¯m talking about the princess hug.¡± Valentin, ¡°?¡± Ashley looked him up and down, ¡°I should be able to pick you up princess.¡± Valentin, ¡°??¡± Ashley was eager to try, ¡°Do you want to try it?¡± Valentin, ¡°??2¡± Ashley geared up, ¡°Come on, give it a try, just...¡± Before she could say anything, the man¡¯s broad palm sped behind her head without rejection, followed by an ambiguous and lingering kiss, blocking out all the rest of her words... In an instant, Ashley¡¯s lips and teeth were filled with the man¡¯s fresh and delicious breath... During this time, the Pliskin family invested in arge-scale period drama. This drama is full of big names, the male and female protagonists are all powerful and popr actors, and there are also many veteran actors participating in the drama, so it has great potential to be a hit. Ashley got Miranda the opportunity to audition for the second female lead, and asked Miranda to audition. The director and screenwriter were very satisfied and sessfully won the role of the second female lead. Bryce also has a guest role in the show. After the crew started filming, Ashley went to visit the two from time to time. This morning, Ashley visited the crew again and prepared various desserts and drinks for the crew. ¡°Thank you Ashley!¡± ¡°Wow, my favorite dessert! Thank you, Sister Ashley!¡± Everyone on the crew politely thanked Ashley, and the director also ran to Ashley to show his courtesy. After all, the Pliskin family is thergest investor.Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated for All Books Updates... Ashley said a few words to the director and let him go about his business. ¡°Ashley, sit down!¡± Miranda drank her drink and waved to Ashley. Bryce wore a white costume from the y, fanned himself with a fan, and said to Ashley, ¡°Look over there, to your right.¡± Ashley looked up and saw that it was Abby ke. Mirandained in a low voice, ¡°Ashley, do you remember Ca Hardin? It was Abby ke who stole my perfume endorsementst time and gave my perfume endorsement to Ca Hardin. In the past two days, Ca Hardin also passed the audition and joined the crew. She yed a small supporting role and didn¡¯t have many roles, but Abby ke came to the set every day to apany Ca Hardin, which was quite strange.¡± Bryce has heard Miranda talk about the rtionship between Abby ke and Jessica, and spected, ¡°The biggest investor in this show is the Pliskin family. Abby ke knows that Ashley will oftene to visit the set, so she stays with Ca Hardin on the set every day, just to wait. Want to meet Ashley?¡± Miranda was startled and quickly asked, ¡°Is she trying to cause trouble?¡± Ashley said calmly, ¡°If she does something bad, she will be with Jessica every day soon.¡± Bryce raised his eyebrows, ¡°Go to jail and be together every day, right?¡± the other side. Abby ke was sitting on a chair in the rest area, listening to Ca Hardin¡¯s words, but her eyes were staring at Ashley not far away, her eyes gradually bing sinister. Jessica...Mom will be able to help you right away...Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Today, Ashley will be ruined... Chapter 442 Abby ke turned to look at Ca Hardin with gloomy eyes, ¡°Do you remember everything | just told you?¡± Ca Hardin nodded timidly, ¡°Remember.¡± After a pause, she asked worriedly, ¡°But Ms. ke, are there any risks in this?¡±All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Abby ke sneered, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, there won''t be any risks. As long as you do what | teach you, it will not only ruin Ashley''s reputation, but also make you famous. You will have endless scenes in the future. You can¡¯t take it.¡± After all the advertising and endless money, don¡¯t you want to be popr?¡± Ca Hardin was very excited after hearing this, her eyes full of desire for fame and fortune, ¡°I! want to!¡± Of course she wants to be popr and be famous! Abby ke was very satisfied with her answer and nced at Ashley in the distance. Then, her eyes returned to Ca Hardin and warned her carefully, ¡°Then just do as | teach you, got it?¡± Ca Hardin gritted her teeth and said with determination, ¡°Ms. ke, | understand, | will do everything you say!¡± At this moment, Ca Hardin¡¯s assistant ran over, ¡°Sister Ca, your fans areing to visit the ss. Do you want them to come over? They have prepared gifts for you!¡± Ca Hardin agreed after hearing ¡°gift¡±, ¡°Prepared a gift? Okay, let theme over.¡± After a while, the group of fans, led by the assistant, came over excitedly and nervously. When these fans saw their idol, their eyes were full of sincere love and happiness, and even their words were trembling: ¡°Ca, | have liked you for a long time. | have liked you since you first debuted. You are really beautifull!¡± ¡°Sister Ca, | heard that this crew is very good. You can audition to join this crew, which proves that your acting skills are really good! | hope that after you finish filming this drama, it will be a hit and more people will like you!¡± Ca Hardin had the right smile on her face and her voice was gentle and kind, ¡°Thank you everyone for your love. | will work hard to film well and be a good actor.¡± Fans were excited, ¡°Sister, don¡¯t be so polite, we will always support you and apany you!¡± ¡°Sister Ca, this is the letter | wrote to youte at night. | hope you can ept it!¡± One of the fans handed over the envelope anxiously. Ca Hardin raised her hand and took it, with tears in her eyes, ¡°Thank you for liking me so much, but don¡¯t stay upte again in the future.¡± Seeing this, other fans rushed to send gifts in their hands, ¡°Ca, this is the gift | prepared for you. | hope you will be a star!¡± ¡°Ca, I¡¯m still a student. This is a gift I''ve saved up for a long time to buy for you. Please ept it!¡± ¡°Sister Ca, | also prepared a gift for you!¡± Ca Hardin epted these gifts and bowed to thank her fans, her eyes filled with emotion, ¡°Thank you everyone for your love. | hope you will always support me. | will definitely be a down-to-earth and good actor and produce good works to repay everyone. Some emotional fans burst into tears when they heard these words from their idol. Their idols are really gentle and kind. The fans said many words of support and love before leaving the set under the leadership of the assistant. As soon as the fans left, the smile on Ca Hardin''s face disappeared instantly. She was not even touched at all. She threw the fan letter aside in disgust without even reading it. Who wants such useless things? Might as well give a gift. However, a few fans gave them gifts. Ca Hardin opened the package and when she saw the contents inside, her brows suddenly wrinkled in disgust, ¡°How dare you give away something worth two A yuan? Who wants such rags? Really? , can¡¯t you give me something valuable in the future?¡± After Ca Hardin opened it, she only took one look at it and threw it aside in disgust. The letters sent by fans were also thrown into the trash can. Just after throwing it away, Ca Hardin was frightened when she remembered that Abby ke was still there, ¡°Ms. ke, I...1 didn¡¯t mean to throw it away on purpose, | just...¡± Abby ke raised a smile on her lips, ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous, | won''t say anything. Your behavior makes me feel that you do have the potential to be popr and know what image you should show to your fans.¡± ¡°Celebrities, to arge extent, sell an image.¡± ¡°No matter what your true image is in private, as long as you are smart enough and know how to show a good image to fans and gain their love, then fans will naturally fight for you.¡± ¡°In this regard, you are very smart and have the potential to be a big hit.¡± Ca Hardin was overjoyed when she heard this, ¡°Thank you Ms. ke for your appreciation!¡± Abby ke smiled, nced at Ashley in the distance from the corner of her eye, and warned Ca Hardin again, ¡°Do you remember everything | told you before?¡± Ca Hardin nodded, ¡°Remember!¡± Abby ke, ¡°Okay, I¡¯m going to have a casual chat with the director now. You take this opportunity to go find Ashley and tell her that you went to find her secretly while | was away. Go ahead.¡± Oh, Ashley...you won''t be around for long...Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated for All Books Updates... After Abby ke finished speaking, she raised her legs and walked towards the director of the crew. Ca Hardin followed Abby ke¡¯s instructions and ran to find Ashley. This way. Ashley was talking to MirandaBryce. The three of them were chatting casually when they suddenly saw Ca Hardin running over. Ca Hardin ran up to Ashley panting, her eyes full of panic and caution, ¡°M...Ms. Pliskin, sorry to bother you! Do you have time now? | have something to say to you.¡± Miranda immediately became wary, ¡°Ca Hardin, what can you say? Weren''t you with Abby ke just now?¡± Ca Hardin held the hem of her skirt with her fingers, looked cautious, and spoke timidly: ¡°| took advantage of Ms. ke to chat with the director, so | dared to sneak over to find Ms. Pliskin.¡± ¡°Ms. Pliskin, I¡¯m really sorry for snatching the endorsement of Miranda perfumest time! I¡¯m just a small star, with a low voice and a lot of control. Ms. ke wants to give me the endorsement, and | really don¡¯t have the ability to refuse her... I¡¯m really sorry about the perfume endorsementst time!¡± Miranda was shocked when she heard what she said. This Ca Hardin actually came to apologize secretly? Bryce clicked his tongue and said nothing. Ashley looked at Ca Hardin with interest, ¡°Is this what you''re talking about?¡± Ca Hardin raised her face that was about to cry, her eyes were red, and she said tremblingly: ¡°Ms. Pliskin, | know you are Miranda¡¯s friend. | almost stole Miranda¡¯s endorsementst time, so | offended you... But, | really didn¡¯t mean it. | was forced by Ms. ke...¡± ¡°Ms. Pliskin, | came to you secretly now. In addition to apologizing to you, there is another thing | hope you won''t do to anger me and kick me out of the crew because of the endorsement matter...¡± ¡°The biggest investor in this y is the Pliskin family. Even the director respects you very much and listens to your words... Although | only y a small supporting role in the y, this role was obtained through my hard work in the audition. | really like this character. | hope you won¡¯t hold a grudge against me and kick me out of the crew...¡± Chapter 443 After listening so much, Ashley finally heard the key point and raised her eyebrows faintly, ¡°ording to what you said, | will let the director kick you out of the crew because | hate you and rely on the Pliskin family being thergest investor?¡± Ca Hardin shook her head quickly, ¡°Sorry Ms. Pliskin, that¡¯s not what | meant!¡± Ca Hardin was anxious and touched the drink on the table next to her with her arm. With a crash, the drink cup fell to the ground, and the juice sshed all over Ashley¡¯s skirt. Ca Hardin actually knelt down with a plop and raised her hand to wipe the area on Ashley''s skirt where the drink had sshed. Ashley frowned and subconsciously took a step back, surprised by Ca Hardin¡¯s behavior. Miranda and Bryce looked at each other and were also startled by Ca Hardin¡¯s action. Why do you say kneel down? However, Ca Hardin insisted on kneeling in front of Ashley. She tugged on the hem of Ashley''s skirt in a panic and wiped the area where the drink had sshed on it with her hands. She choked and said, ¡°Ms. Pliskin, I¡¯m sorry! | didn¡¯t mean to spill the drink on you.¡± , I''ll clean it up for you right now!¡± Ashley backed away in disgust, ¡°Get up.¡± But Ca Hardin insisted on kneeling there, with a crying sound in her voice, and tears hanging on her eyshes, not to mention how pitiful she was. ¡°Ms. Pliskin, I¡¯m just a little star. | haven¡¯t seen much of the world. | can¡¯t speak or do anything. And | really didn¡¯t spill this drink on you on purpose. If | offended you, | sincerely apologize to you.¡± You apologize!¡± ¡°But | really like this character in the y. | didn¡¯t eat or drink every day, and | worked hard to memorize my lines. | almost fainted from exhaustion, and then | got this role through the audition... Please don¡¯t kick me out of the crew...¡± As Ca Hardin spoke, she actually raised her hand and pped herself hard, ¡°Ms. Pliskin, | hope you will not remember the viin¡¯s fault, forgive me this time, and really don¡¯t kick me out of the crew...¡± Ca Hardin pped her face down, her cheeks suddenly became swollen, her eyes were red, and she cried so hard that her cor came loose due to the kneeling movement, almost exposing her beauty. Ashley frowned and directly pulled Ca Hardin up. Ca Hardin folded her cor and kept sobbing, ¡°Thank you Ms. Pliskin, you are really kind...1 apologize to you again, | am really sorry!¡± Ca Hardin bowed and apologized several times. She had a few scenes to shoot and was about to start putting on makeup before she turned around and left. Miranda patted her chest and was frightened, ¡°Why is she like this? She is kneeling and crying.¡± Ashley¡¯s mind changed slightly, a hint of mockery appeared in her eyebrows, and she asked sarcastically, ¡°Is Ca Hardin ying a minor supporting role?¡± Miranda nodded, ¡°Yes.¡± Ashley, ¡°You entered the group through audition?¡± Miranda, ¡°I said that the assistant director was very satisfied with her during the audition and let her y the role. Just now, Ca Hardin said she didn¡¯t eat or drink. She tried hard to memorize her lines and almost fainted from exhaustion... Well, | don¡¯t know if she was lying. ¡° Ashley¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, ¡°Just check it out and you''ll find out.¡± Ca Hardin returned to her resting ce, and after a while, Abby ke came back. ¡°Ms. ke, | did everything you asked.¡± Ca Hardin whispered excitedly. ¡°Okay, you did a good job. Next, just wait and be famous.¡± Abby ke had a sinister smile in her eyes. The scene where Ca Hardin knelt down just now was filmed by someone. Ashley, just wait until your reputation is ruined! That night, Ca Hardin posted a LiveMe online: [Why is there so much injustice in this circle...so sad...] As soon as this LiveMe was posted, fans of Ca Hardin were heartbroken: (What¡¯s wrong with sister? what happens? ] (What injustice? Is the entertainment industry unfair? Sister, are you okay? When | went to see you on the set today, weren¡¯t you still filming well? ] Sister, don¡¯t be sad, we are here! We''ll support you forever! ] ¡®Yes, Ca, fans will always support you! ] Did something happen to my sister? Don¡¯t scare us! ] Although Ca Hardin is not very popr, she is still a star. Especially when she publicly posted such a LiveMe, she quickly attracted the attention of manyizens. It stands to reason that Ca Hardin is filming a big-budget costume drama, which is likely to be a hit when it is aired in the future. Even if Ca Hardin only ys a supporting role, she will get the meat and potatoes. But now she has posted a LiveMe like this, saying that there are many injustices in the industry. ,What¡¯s going on here? After hearing the news,izens couldn''t help but start discussing it. Did you get bullied on the set? ] No way, the male and female protagonists of this costume drama are both popr actors, and there are many veteran actors and actresses with good reputations. Who has no time to bully her as a minor supporting actor? | think it¡¯s 80% hype! ] Fans of Ca Hardin jumped in to rebut. [Go away, don¡¯t just talk nonsense with a big mouth! We, Ca, are a down-to-earth and good actress, and we don¡¯t bother to use hype! ] That''s right, | just went to the set today to give Ca a gift. She is very gentle and kind! Don¡¯t nder her with the word ¡°hype¡±! ] | feel so sad, our sister must have been bullied! ] Just when the public opinion was getting louder, a marketing ount came out and broke the news: Oh my God, | just received news that Ca Hardin was indeed bullied on the set, so she sent out such a LiveMe. It¡¯s so pitiful, s! As soon as this news came out, fans of Ca Hardin felt even more distressed. [Who bullied our sister? Can you please tell the truth and let us seek justice for our sister? ] [I also visited Ca on the set today and sent her a letter that | wrote after staying upte. Ca was very moved to ept it and asked me not to stay upte... Isn¡¯t it human to even bully such a good Ca! ] [Blogger, please reveal who bullied our sister! ] The marketing ount replied to Ca Hardin''s fans: | don¡¯t dare to disclose it, that person is rich and powerful, and he might just block my ount! s, Ca is also pitiful. How can a young actor have the ability to resist? She can only endure this tone silently! Seeing this reply, Ca Hardin¡¯s fans were once again ignited. Is it great to be rich and powerful? Why do we, Ca, have to endure this silently? ! ] I''m so angry, so angry, who is it? ]N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. @Ca Hardin, sister, don¡¯t be afraid, protect your own safety first, we will always support you! ] Even some melon-eatingizens felt sympathy and began to feel sorry for Ca Hardin.Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated for All Books Updates... The worst thing is to see honest people being bullied. Can rich and powerful people bewless? ] No wonder Ca Hardin posted that LiveMe, saying that there are so many injustices in the industry...it seems like she was really bullied...] (s, passers-by will feel pity for you. ] More and moreizens are paying attention to this matter, and the topic #Ca Hardin suffered injustice# quickly became a hot search topic. At this moment, Ca Hardin sent another LiveMe: ¡®Thank you for your concern. I¡¯m fine. Really. | hope you won''t pay attention to this matter anymore. It has passed. ] After watching the LiveMe, fans were so distressed that they burst into tears. | can¡¯t stand it anymore. How can it be okay? Sister, are you pretending to be strong? ] Don¡¯t say that, Ca, it¡¯s all us fans who are useless and can¡¯t protect you...] I''m so angry, my sister haspromised, why don¡¯t we fans help her seek justice? Who bullied Ca? Get out of here! ! ] [Ca Hardin came out to post a LiveMe at this time to calm the situation. She didn¡¯t want to make the matter a big deal. | feel that she is really a very good actor, and | feel sorry for myself.] Passers-by can¡¯t stand it +1, | feel sorry for Ca Hardin! ] Just when the anger of Ca Hardin fans reached its peak and the affection ofizens reached its peak, a LiveMe ount iming to be an insider posted a photo. When | clicked on the photo, | saw that it was Ca Hardin crying so hard that she knelt pitifully in front of Ashley! Chapter 444 As soon as this photo was released, it immediately aroused great public response. [my God! what happened? Why is Ca Hardin kneeling in front of Ashley? ] [Ca Hardin is crying in the photo, kneeling there, it looks so miserable...] [Damn it, this is all right! The marketing ount just broke the news that the person who bullied Ca Hardin is too rich and powerful to offend. Isn''t Ashley very rich and powerful? Now another photo has emerged, Ca Hardin kneeling in front of Ashley, my God, it¡¯s all right! ] [Also, thergest investor in this show is the Pliskin family! If Ashley wanted to bully Ca Hardin, it would be easy! ] Ashley¡¯s fans were still feeling sorry for Ca Hardin''s injustice, but now they are heartbroken. Why is Ashley suddenly involved in them? No need to feel distressed! Her fans couldn''t sit still for a moment. [What the hell? What does it have to do with us Ashley? Maybe this is just a misced photo! ] [One thing to say, | am not a fan of Ashley, but to be fair, Ashley does not seem to be such a domineering person. Is there any misunderstanding in this? ] [I also think it¡¯s a misunderstanding. Ashley doesn¡¯t look like the kind of person who bullies others. ] Someizens did not immediately believe this explosive photo and came out to speak for Ashley. After all, they watched Ashley walking all the way and thought she was not the kind of unreasonable person.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Just when everyone was having different opinions, aizen jumped out: [I can¡¯t stand it anymore. Ca Hardin is so miserable. My conscience won''t allow me to be silent anymore! | am an extra on the set. Today, when the set was casually filming and ying with my mobile phone, | took a video like this. Please watch it for yourself! After reading this, you will know the truth of the matter! ] This person who calls himself an extra uploaded a video of less than 60 seconds on LiveMe. Netizens immediately clicked out of curiosity. As soon as the video was opened, Ca Hardin was crying and kneeling in front of Ashley. She was so humble that she wiped the ce on Ashley''s skirt that was sshed by the drink with her hands, and cried while wiping: ¡°Ms. Pliskin, I¡¯m sorry! | didn¡¯t mean to spill the drink on you. I''ll clean it up right now!¡± ¡°Ms. Pliskin, I¡¯m just a little star. | haven¡¯t seen much of the world. | can¡¯t speak or do anything. And | really didn¡¯t spill this drink on you on purpose. If | offended you, | sincerely apologize to you.¡± You apologize!¡± ¡°But | really like this character in the y. | didn¡¯t eat or drink every day, and | worked hard to memorize my lines. | almost fainted from exhaustion, and then | got this role through the audition... Please don¡¯t kick me out of the crew...¡± When Ca Hardin said this, in order to beg for forgiveness, she pped herself hard. Her cheeks suddenly became red and swollen, and her face was full of tears. Her clothes became messy, humble and embarrassed. The video ends here. Netizens were shocked. Holy shit, Ca Hardin really knelt down for Ashley...] (What¡¯s the meaning? Ca Hardin just identally spilled her drink on Ashley¡¯s skirt, and Ashley is going to kick her out of the set? ? ] Nima, this is too bullying! Ca Hardin cried so miserably, she not only knelt down, but also pped herself, so humble! ] Everyone calm down first! This video is so short, has it been edited? ] Upstairs, you are the sailor invited by Ashley, right? How did you edit it? Ca Hardin cried and knelt in front of Ashley, begging her not to kick her out of the set. Did it really happen? If it didn¡¯t happen, how could it be edited out of thin air? ] | was speaking for Ashley just now. It was really a p in the face. | didn¡¯t expect her to be so bully in private. This is bullying! ] No wonder Ca Hardin posted a LiveMe saying she had suffered injustice. Oh my God, the entertainment industry is too dark! (Crying. Ca Hardin refused to eat or drink. She tried hard to memorize her lines and almost fainted from exhaustion before she got this role. She was about to be kicked out of the set by Ashley just because she spilled a drink on her clothes. Is it fair? ] Ca Hardin''s fans were so distressed that they took screenshots topare¡ª¡ª On one side was Ca Hardin, who was crying and kneeling down, her eyes red, pitifully and humbly begging for mercy; On the other hand, Ashley watched expressionlessly, and did not stop Ca Hardin from kneeling down. She simply had the bitterness, viciousness, bullying andwlessness etched on her forehead. As soon as thisparison came out, someizens who had nothing to do with them couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and got angry. Ashley, what are you doing? How were you bullied in the Ramos family? Now that you are rich and powerful, you start bullying others, right? It¡¯s a shame | liked you so much before! | bother! ] Let me ask you, what did Ca Hardin do wrong? She just wants to act well and y the role she likes, what¡¯s wrong with her! ] (A good, hard-working and dedicated actor is bullied like this, what¡¯s the best way to do it! No wonder movies and TV shows nowadays are getting worse and worse, all because bad people are in power! ] (Wait a minute, | think | see Bryce and Miranda are also there? Let me go, you three are bullying Ca Hardin? Do you want to be shameless? This is humiliating! It''s so disgusting to treat a girl like this! ] Bryce and Miranda, you two are Ashley¡¯sckeys! ] [Ashleye out and apologize to Ca Hardin! ] (Ashley,e out and apologize! ] Public opinion online instantly became one-sided, involving Bryce and Miranda. All of a sudden, everyone was condemning Ashley and asking her to apologize for bullying Ca Hardin. Meanwhile, the apartment building where Abby ke lives. Abby ke looked at the situation online, with a pleasant smile on her lips, and looked at a boy wearing sses next to her, ¡°You did a great job by posting the video online. | will transfer the money to your ount.¡± The boy wearing sses is the whistleblower who ims to be an extra. In fact, this bespectacled man is indeed an extra on the set. Abby ke has been staying on the set these days. It is not easy to bribe an extra. As long as you give money, you can make this bespectacled man kneel down to Ashley when Ca Hardin kneels down. Secretly took the video. Now, the video has been edited and uploaded online, sessfully making Ashley the target of public criticism. Abby ke warned the man with sses in a cold voice, ¡°Remember, you¡¯re going to bite me to death. What¡¯s uploaded to the Inte is the original video. You saw Ashley bullying Ca Hardin with your own eyes. Don¡¯t say anything else. I''ll give you all the money.¡± Deposited into your ount.¡±Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated for All Books Updates... The man with sses nodded obsequiously and bowed, ¡°Thank you, Abby, | know all about it!¡± After the man with sses left, Ca Hardin asked worriedly, ¡°Ms. ke, is there any risk in this?¡± Abby ke smiled confidently, ¡°There is no surveince at the scene. Ashley has no way to prove her innocence. What risks are there? Look,izens are helping you seek justice now, and manyizens are following you. Your fans have increased It¡¯s over 1,000, and you''re going to be popr.¡± Ca Hardin looked at her rapidly growing number of fans and her heart was beating wildly with excitement, ¡°Thank you Ms. ke!¡± Abby ke narrowed her eyes, ¡°Next, you have to do onest thing...¡± This time, Ashley will be nailed to deathpletely! Let her never turn over! However, as soon as the bespectacled man walked out of Abby ke¡¯s apartment building, he was held down by two bodyguards in ck. ¡°Who are you? What are you doing!¡± The man with sses shouted in fright. The two bodyguards in ck were so cold and silent that they escorted the man with sses to a luxurious ck car parked on the roadside. The car window slowly lowered, revealing Ashley¡¯s half-smiling face... Chapter 445 Netizens¡¯ condemnation of Ashley has intensified. Ashley quickly apologized to Ca Hardin# Ca Hardin is a dedicated and good actor# These simr topics have all be hot searches, and more and moreizens are paying attention to Ca Hardin. The condemnation of Ashley has be increasingly fierce. Just in the early morning of that day, another news broke on the Inte. Ca Hardin couldn¡¯t bear this unfair bullying, and she couldn¡¯t think about it anymore andmitted suicide! Fortunately, he was discovered in time and was immediately sent to the hospital. As soon as this news came out, the entirework was instantly shocked! What? suicide? Ca Hardin''s fans want to kill Ashley. [Sister, why are you so hard to think about! The evil people are still living shamelessly, why should we die! ] [How is Ca doing now? Is it okay to be taken to the hospital? The staff around her must take good care of her! Tell your sister that we are always here and we will always support her! ] [Ashley, why don¡¯t youe out and apologize! Do you have to drive Ca Hardin to death? ] [It''s so scary. If something happens to Ca Hardin, Ashley will be the murderer! Executioner! If you have money, can you not take other people¡¯s lives as your own? ] [Ashley, stop being a fucking pears! Get out of here and apologize to Ca Hardin! Give the public an exnation! ] Ca Hardin''s suicide attempt aroused the anger of more and moreizens. A life was almost lost, all because of Ashley¡¯s bullying! More and moreizens areing out to denounce Ashley. Some people think that they are blind. How could they think Ashley was worth liking before. Although it is early in the morning, the voices criticizing Ashley have not stopped. Reporters immediately rushed to the hospital. This continued until the morning. When they heard that Ca Hardin had woken up, the reporters rushed into the ward and started filming Ca Hardin in the hospital bed. Abby ke, who was guarding the hospital bed, sighed and faced the camera and said, ¡°Hello everyone, | am Abby ke, the artist director of Ca¡¯s agency. | found out that Ca couldn¡¯t think about itst night and immediately sent her to the hospital. Fortunately, she was rescued in time. , now Ca is finally out of danger.¡± Areporter immediately asked, ¡°Ms. ke, you sent Ca Hardin to the hospital?¡± Abby ke nodded, ¡°Yes,st night | learned that Ca Hardin knelt down to Ashley in tears and begged Ashley not to kick her out of the set. As the artist director of thepany, | went to visit Ca.¡± ¡°When | walked into the room, | found Ca lying unconscious in the bathtub in the bathroom. Her wrist was cut, and blood flowed all over the floor, dyeing the water in the bathtub red...¡± ¡°The situation at that time was so shocking. | immediately called the emergency number and sent Ca to the hospital. s, Ca is a very good girl. | didn¡¯t expect that she would be so upset. She is a victim and the one being bullied. No. It should be so miserable...¡± The reporter was filled with indignation. The camera focused on Ca Hardin¡¯s wrist wrapped in thick gauze, andmented, ¡°Ca, as reporters, we will report the matter truthfully!¡± Abby ke spoke with righteousness on her face, ¡°Thank you everyone. Ca is a very hard-working and dedicated actor. Even if it is just to audition for a small supporting role, she works hard, does not eat or drink, tries hard to memorize her lines, and almost faints from exhaustion. If it is because of Spilling a drink on Ashley''s clothes and being kicked out of the set by Ashley, then this industry is too deformed...¡± ¡°A serious and good actor like Ca shouldn''t be let down. | know | can¡¯t afford to offend the Pliskin family or Ashley, but | will protect Ca! Seek justice for Ca!¡± The reporters posted the interview video intact online. After listening to Abby ke¡¯s story,izens felt more distressed for Ca Hardin. Fortunately! Ca Hardin is thankfully okay! The blood dyed the water in the bathtub red...it sounds terrible! ] Look at Ca Hardin¡¯s wrist, which is wrapped with a thickyer of gauze. How badly injured it is... Silly girl, why can¡¯t you think about it so hard...] Fuck you, Ashley, you murderer and executioner! You will go to hell sooner orter! ] (Ashley, you bitch, you will die immediately! He was hit by a car when he went out! ] It¡¯s really unfair. Ca Hardin works so hard but is bullied like this. The entertainment industry iscking such good actors! ] [Ca Hardin, | support you! You must survive this time! | will watch every drama you perform in the future and maintain your original intention as an actor! ] Damn it, | just said that there haven¡¯t been any good dramas in recent years. It turns out that all the good actors have been squeezed out! ] Haha, the Pliskin family said they wanted to enter the entertainment industry market. Is this how they entered the market? Make the entertainment industry stink! ] | heard that thergest investor in this show is the Pliskin family. Let''s boycott this show and let them lose money and make no money! ] This director surnamed Abby is very righteous, not afraid of power, and is not afraid of the Pliskin family. He said he wants to seek justice for Ca Hardin. We can follow Ms. ke! ] Everyone follow Ms. ke! Protect Ca Hardin! Boycott Ashley! Boycott the Pliskin family! ] For a time, Abby ke became the embodiment of justice. In addition to Ca Hardin¡¯s fans, manyizens also regarded Abby ke as the leader and boycotted Ashley. It even triggered thinking about the film and television industry, why the entertainment industry is bing more and more chaotic now, and good actors like Ca Hardin should be treated fairly. This incident suddenly became a topic of discussion among the people. In the hospital ward.Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated for All Books Updates... Since the reporter left, Ca Hardin has taken off the gauze wrapped around her wrist. The skin is intact and not even broken. How can she look like shemitted suicide by cutting her wrists? Abby ke said coldly, ¡°Wrap your gauze to prevent being photographed!¡± Ca Hardin sat on the hospital bed and reluctantly wrapped the gauze around her wrist. She smiled smugly and said, ¡°Ms. ke, theseizens are really helpless. It''s so easy to take advantage of them! Now more and moreizens are paying attention. Me, | have almost 20,000 fans! Thoseizens also said that they will protect me, and they will watch whatever drama | perform in the future!¡± She is really getting more and more popr! Abby ke smiled proudly, ¡°There are also calls from some advertisers who want to invite you to be a spokesperson. | have been slowly making arrangements for you.¡± Ca Hardin''s eyes lit up with excitement, ¡°Thank you Ms. ke!¡± Looking at theizens on the Inte who support her andment on her, Ca Hardin is so excited that she has never been so popr! This is the hottest day since her debut! Abby ke looked at the attacks and denunciations of Ashley from the outside world, with a sh of revengeful excitement in her eyes. Jessica, did you see that? Mom gave you a bad breath... Next, mom will think of another way to send Ashley to jail! However, that night, Ashley, who had notmented on the matter, finally sent a LiveMe.All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Netizens thought Ashley finally stopped shrinking and was willing to admit her mistake and apologize to Ca Hardin under pressure. As a result, when | clicked on LiveMe, Ashley not only failed to apologize, but also openly dered war on Ca Hardin! | saw the content of Ashley¡¯s LiveMe: [A good hard-working and dedicated actor? Ca Hardin, you said you got this role through hard work auditioning. Why, didn¡¯t you get it through the back door? ] As soon as this LiveMe came out,izens were stunned. what''s the situation? Go through the back door? ? But Ca Hardin kept saying that she got this role through an audition after working hard to memorize her lines and almost fainting from exhaustion! Chapter 446 Ca Hardin¡¯s fans saw Ashley¡¯s LiveMe and immediately rushed to thement area. They wanted to tear Ashley into pieces, and even directly called Ashley a murderer. [Murderer, you only used the back door! Ca fought hard for this role, so please stop ndering her! ] [Haha, Ashley, you finally stopped shrinking your head. Unfortunately, Ca, a good and dedicated actor, is not something you can nder! ] [Ashley, you are so disgusting! Ca Hardin just escaped from the danger ofmitting suicide, and you poured dirty water on her. Do you still have the heart? ] [Fuck, I can¡¯t help it anymore! I¡¯m going to kill this scumbag Ashley! He didn¡¯t apologize to Ca and even used Ca of using the back door. How could there be such a shameless person in this world! Go to hell quickly, bitch! ] Ca Hardin¡¯s fans are so angry that they want to peel off Ashley¡¯s skin and draw Ashley¡¯s blood, and they can scold her as harshly as they want. Ashley¡¯s fans naturally defend Ashley. But in addition to Ca Hardin¡¯s fans, there are manyizens who sympathize with Ca Hardin because of her suicide attempt. They think Ashley is throwing dirty water on Ca Hardin and ndering Ca Hardin through the back door, so they joined the denunciation army to denounce Ashley. As a result, Ashley¡¯s LiveMement area was filled with unsightly usations and insults at first nce. Some extremeizens even photoshopped Ashley¡¯s photos into ck and white. In this chaotic and malicious time, Ashley calmly issued a statement: [In response to this matter, a press conference will be held at 10 o¡¯clock tomorrow morning, and Abby keCa Hardin will also be invited to attend. ] Ca Hardin¡¯s fans sneered after seeing this statement. [Haha, if you don¡¯t apologize quickly, what kind of press conference did you hold? Are you trying to dy time? ] [You also invited Ca to attend with you. Do you want to use your power to threaten her? Or do you want to force her tomit suicide again? With our fans here, you can¡¯t even try! ] [Murderer Ashley, you are not satisfied with using this photo as your posthumous photo! ] ¡­ After Ashley finished her statement, she calmly put down the phone. Next to her, Miranda, looking at thements online, was so angry that her hands were shaking, ¡°These people have gone too far. This is Inte violence!¡± How could you curse so harshly! There are more than 100,000ments, all of which are insulting and even photoshopped! Ashleyughed, ¡°Don¡¯t look at it now. The more harshly these people scold them now, the harder they will cry tomorrow.¡± Miranda looked at it and found that some of the abusive ounts were suddenly banned. She had a sh of idea and guessed that Mr. Kingsley was protecting Ashley. Miranda sighed. This was the first time Ashley had encountered such arge-scale online violence, and she was very angry, ¡°It¡¯s all Abby ke and Ca Hardin! That Ca Hardin really knows how to lie to her fans. Her fans will believe whatever she says. She Her fans really believed her when she said that she worked hard to audition for the role! Fortunately, Ashley, you found out, she just entered the crew through the back door!¡± Yesterday on the set, Ca Hardin cried and knelt down to Ashley, saying that she worked hard to audition and get the role without eating or drinking. At that time, Ashley felt something was wrong and secretly checked Ca Hardin, and actually found out that she entered the set through the back door. And the way of using the back door is very exciting¡­ The more Miranda thought about it, the angrier she became. In order to frame Ashley, Abby ke really had no limit and used all kinds of destructive tricks. First, Ca Hardin was asked to kneel and cry in front of Ashley, and then she bribed the extras on the crew to secretly record the video, and then cut out the cause and effect, leaving only the scene of Ca Hardin crying and kneeling, which was exposed on the Inte to make the public misunderstand. Ashley bullies Ca Hardin. Fortunately, as soon as the edited video was posted online, Ashley found the exact location of the extra by querying the IP address and captured the extra. Unexpectedly, Ca Hardin and Abby ke would fake suicide again. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. When she heard the news of suicide at first, Ashley was shocked. She thought that Abby ke and Ca Hardin were so willing to frame her, and would rather lose $800 to themselves thanmit suicide. As a result, they sent someone to the hospital for a check-up. I learned that Ca Hardin didn¡¯t even have a scratch on her skin, she was just putting on a show to win the pity ofizens. At this time, the male extra with sses has been under surveince since he was brought here by Ashley outside Abby ke¡¯s apartment buildingst night. The bespectacled man looked sad and asked tremblingly, ¡°M¡­Ms. Pliskin, Abby ke sent me a message just now. She asked me if the unedited full version of the video has been deleted. Do I¡­ should I reply to her?¡± Ashley nced at him lightly, ¡°Just reply to her, yes, the full version of the video has been deleted.¡± The man with sses swallowed his saliva in shock. After being caught by Ashleyst night, the full version of the video on his phone had been searched by the aunt and had not been deleted at all. However, the man with sses now dared not to listen to Ashley¡¯s words. With trembling fingers, he followed Ashley¡¯s instructions and replied to Abby ke word for word. There was a cold irony in Ashley¡¯s eyes. At tomorrow¡¯s press conference, she would give Abby ke and Ca Hardin a big gift¡­ ¡­ Meanwhile, in the hospital ward. Abby ke received the reply from the man in sses and smiled proudly. The full version of the video has been deleted and the crew did not monitor it. How could Ashley prove her innocence? At tomorrow¡¯s press conference, Ashley is dead! Ca Hardin was sitting on the hospital bed, her wrists wrapped in thick gauze were drinking water and peeling apples, and she looked injured at all. Looking at what AshleyLiveMe said about ¡°going through the back door¡±, Ca Hardin sneered in her heart, Ashley, you are being attacked byizens, do you also want to drag me into the water? Oh, go ahead and dream! Looking at the overwhelming abuse on Ashley¡¯s LiveMe, and then looking at the warm encouragement on her own LiveMe, Ca Hardin¡¯s heart beat wildly with excitement. She never thought that one day she would be more popr than Ashley! Abby ke saw the yearning for fame and fortune in Ca Hardin¡¯s eyes, and smiled seductively, ¡°This is just the beginning, as long as you listen to me, you will be more and more popr until you be Zyrrinthia¡¯s number one female star. In the entertainment industry, that¡¯s it. The more hype, the more popr it bes.¡± When Ca Hardin heard ¡°Zyrrinthia¡¯s number one female star¡±, her face glowed with excitement, ¡°Thank you Ms. ke for your support! So, are we going to the press conference tomorrow?¡± Abby ke, ¡°Of course we have to go. If we don¡¯t go, we will look guilty. Remember to dress a little haggard tomorrow to win everyone¡¯s sympathy.¡±Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated for All Books Updates¡­ Abby ke looked hard. She would see with her own eyes tomorrow how Ashley¡¯s reputation was ruined and nailed to the pir of shame of a murderer! Looking at the overwhelming insults on AshleyLiveMe, Abby ke smiled sinisterly, spent money to buy arge number of trolls, and scolded her even more harshly¡­ ¡­ The time soon came the next morning. ¡°Ca Hardin knelt down and begged Ashley not to kick her out of the set¡±, ¡°Ashley bullied Ca Hardin¡± and ¡°Ca Hardin attempted suicide¡±. These incidents were so big that they causedizens to boycott the Pliskin family on the set, and also caused It sparked a national discussion on the film and television industry. Before ten o¡¯clock, the conference site was already surrounded by media of all sizes. In addition to media reporters, many fans of Ca Hardin also came to the scene, shouting hoarsely, ¡°Ashley, how did you bully Ca Hardin and make Ca Hardin kneel in front of you? How did you kneel to Ca Hardin today?¡± Hardin apologizes!¡± These fans also pulled a banner with the words ¡°Ashley the murderer! Kneel down and apologize to Ca Hardin!¡± and vowed to seek justice for their idol. At about 9:30, Abby ke and Ca Hardin, who were wearing hospital gowns, arrived. Chapter 447 saw Ca Hardin¡¯s face was pale, as if she had lost too much blood, and she was haggard. Her left wrist was wrapped with thick white gauze, and she was still wearing a hospital gown. She was so weak that she had difficulty moving. She was helped out of the car by Abby ke. Up and down. Seeing Ca Hardin looking so haggard, fans¡¯ eyes instantly turned red. The reporters at the press conference swarmed around and talked in all directions: ¡°Ca, how are you doing? Why do you look weaker than yesterday?¡± ¡°Hey, Ca just escaped from the danger ofmitting suicide yesterday. She is here to attend the press conference today. Can she not be haggard?¡± ¡­ Amid the inquiries, Ca Hardin spoke angrily, ¡°Thank you for your concern. I¡¯m much better now, nothing serious.¡± Abby ke had a worried look on her face and advised with disapproval, ¡°Ca, don¡¯t be brave! The wound on your wrist is so deep and it bleeds so much, it won¡¯t be able to heal in a short while!¡± As soon as he said this, everyone around him became more sympathetic andpassionate. Those fans of Ca Hardin once again chanted ¡°Ashley the murderer! Apologize to Ca Hardin!¡± One of the emotional reporters couldn¡¯t help but have red eyes, ¡°Ca, you have suffered so many injustices, and you still insist oning to the press conference today. You are really brave!¡± Ca Hardin bit her pale lower lip, raised her eyes and looked at the camera, weak yet tough, ¡°Actually, I also want to take this opportunity today to express my attitude.¡± ¡°The day before yesterday, I couldn¡¯t think about it because of my cowardice, and I almostmitted suicide and lost my life. But now, I see so many people supporting me, I regained my determination and courage, and decided to fight against the injustice in the entertainment industry and people like Ashley who bully others. Fight to the end! I also hope everyone can firmly support me!¡± As soon as the words fell, the fans around him immediately shouted. ¡°Support Ca!¡± ¡°We are always here, always with you!¡± All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. reporter standing outside stretched out his microphone and asked loudly, ¡°Ca Hardin, did you see the LiveMe that Ashley sent yesterday! She said you got the role through the back door!¡± Ca Hardin frowned and retorted seriously, ¡°I don¡¯t know why Ashley ndered me so much. I obviously had to memorize the lines hard and almost fainted from exhaustion for that role. I finally passed the audition of assistant director Coen Franklin. I am very grateful to Coen Director Franklin.¡± ¡°I cherish this role very much, but when I identally spilled a drink on Ashley on the set, she wanted to kick me out of the set. I had to cry and kneel down to beg her¡­¡± ¡°At that time, I really had no choice but to let her take control. But now, with everyone¡¯s support, I want to fight against this bullying behavior to the end, and prevent people like Ashley from ruining the atmosphere of the entertainment industry. Give the entertainment industry a purend! Let Zyrrinthia¡¯s film and television industry get better and better!¡± Ca Hardin¡¯s righteous words received admiration from many people present. Especially fans of Ca Hardin were moved to tears. ¡°I cried. Sister Ca is really a down-to-earth, hard-working and good actress!¡± ¡°There is a shortage of actors like this in the entertainment industry. I will always support Ca Hardin!¡± ¡°I really hate that such a good person was bullied by Ashley!¡± Listening to thesepliments, Abby ke nced at Ca Hardin with satisfaction. Yes, she is really good at managing her own image and coaxing fans into running around. Abby ke looked at the reporter in front of her, ¡°Please give me a break. Ca lost too much blood and is still very weak. She doesn¡¯t have the energy to say much. I¡¯ll help her rest first.¡± Every word of Abby ke has a purpose. This sentence reminds everyone of Ca Hardin¡¯s suicide attempt. As much as they pity Ca Hardin, they hate Ashley. Some reporters couldn¡¯t help butin in a low voice, ¡°This press conference is organized by Ashley, why can¡¯t she show up yet? How can she act like a big name at this time?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true, it¡¯s not even ten o¡¯clock yet! But I guess, Ashley probably put on makeup on purpose to make herself look haggard, so as to arouse everyone¡¯s sympathy, and then she suffered a misfortune and suffered a cyberbullying!¡± ¡°Oh, Ca Hardin was driven tomit suicide, what can she do if she gets scolded a few times!¡± With every word these people said to each other, they wished they could drown Ashley to death with just a drop of spittle. At this moment, the staff at the press conference seemed to have received some prompt from the inte, and they all ran towards the entrance of the venue. It seemed like someone important wasing. The reporters turned around curiously, and it turned out to be Ashley! Ashley was seen wearing a dashing ck suit, with red lips, fair skin, and a tall figure. Her stunning face was as stunning as ever, and her aura was calm and capable as she strode into the press conference. Next to Ashley were Miranda and Bryce, as well as the chief director of the crew and several assistant directors. One of the assistant directors is Coen Franklin, whom Ca Hardin just mentioned. The reporter who just now swore that Ashley would pretend to be haggard was instantly pped in the face and silenced in embarrassment. After the other reporters reacted, they immediately gathered around to interview, ¡°Ashley, Miranda and Bryce, why are you here too? And these directors behind you, why are you bringing them here?¡± Ashley¡¯s voice was clear and unabashed, ¡°The online scolding has affected Miranda and Bryce, as well as the crew. Someizens have begun to boycott the show, so I brought the director here to exin it to everyone.¡± The reporters suddenly realized that this was the case and immediately asked: ¡°Ashley, you bullied Ca Hardin on the set and forced her to kneel to you, causing her to almost commit suicide. Will you apologize to her today?¡± ¡°Bryce and Miranda, you two watched Ashley bully Ca Hardin with your own eyes, are you Ashley¡¯s aplice!¡± ¡°Ashley, you said on LiveMe yesterday that Ca Hardin entered the crew through the back door. Are you throwing dirty water on Ca Hardin?!¡± ¡­ Before the press conference was announced, sharp questions were directed at Ashley one after another. Bryce and Miranda¡¯s faces turned serious. The staff nearby stepped forward and tried to stop the reporter. Ashley raised her hand to signal the staff to leave. She nced at Abby ke and Ca Hardin not far away. Her red lips outlined an intriguing smile. She answered the reporter¡¯sst question first, ¡°Spoil Ca Hardin.¡± water?¡±Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated for All Books Updates¡­ Abby keCa Hardin was always paying attention to Ashley. After hearing what Ashley said, Ca Hardin took a step forward and said righteously, ¡°Ms. Pliskin, I promise in the name of an actor that I did not use the back door. That role was auditioned for by me. Come on, the assistant director Coen Franklin asked me to audition. I don¡¯t know why you want to nder me like this and want to bully others!¡± Ashley only said one sentence before she was used of bullying. She was leisurely looking at Ca Hardin¡¯s usible gesture, as if she heard some joke, ¡°You just said¡­guaranteed in the name of an actor?¡± Ca Hardin, ¡°Of course! I have always taken acting very seriously. Even if it is just a supporting role, I will work hard to audition for it. So, please Ms. Pliskin please don¡¯t throw the fictitious dirty water on my head like taking a back door!¡± Ashley raised her eyebrows imperceptibly, and was toozy to waste any more words. She just said lightly, ¡°Then I would like to ask you to take a look at something.¡± Watch something? what? Everyone present was curious. Chapter 448 Ashley nodded to Bryce. Bryce nodded slightly, took a USB sh drive from Ashley, walked all the way to the stage, inserted the USB sh drive into theputer, and seemed to y a recording on the big screen. Ca Hardin¡¯s fans at the scene looked at Ashley angrily. ¡°Ha, I want to see how this murderer wants to nder our sister!¡± ¡°Ca is a down-to-earth and good actress. She is not someone who can be ndered with just a few dirty words!¡± ¡°I remember that day when I went to visit the crew. Ca epted our gifts with a smile and bowed to thank her. She is such a gentle and sincere, such a good girl, but Ashley bullied her like this. Damn it!¡± Ca Hardin sneered in her heart. At this time, Ashley still wants to be mysterious. It¡¯s really sad. At this moment, Bryce on the stage adjusted the equipment and clicked to y the recording. In an instant, a violent, chaotic and dissolute conversation resounded throughout the entire venue! ¡°Well¡­ Mr. Franklin, don¡¯t worry¡­ Your wife is not here today, we still have a lot of time¡­ You have to feed people today¡­¡± ¡°You little devil, you can seduce me!¡± The reporters in the audience were pricking up their ears to listen to the recording. They never expected that they would suddenly hear such an indescribable conversation. Their jaws dropped in shock and their mouths were opened wide enough to hold an egg. Holy shit! what¡¯s the situation! Ca Hardin¡¯s fans opened their eyes wide with disbelief on their faces. Then he cursed disgustingly, ¡°Ashley, are you crazy! Put such a thing in public!¡± ¡°How shameless! What on earth does she want to do? It¡¯s not enough to throw dirty water on Ca, she also wants to disgust everyone!¡± ¡°She¡¯s crazy! Why are you ying this kind of recording!¡± Just when everyone was shocked and confused, Ca Hardin, who had been sneering just now and not taking it seriously, suddenly tensed up her back when she heard the recording, her scalp exploded, and her eyes were so wide open that she couldn¡¯t believe it. Looking at the stage. This familiar voice¡­ These familiar conversations¡­ Ca Hardin felt as if she had fallen into an ice cer for a moment, a chill rose from the soles of her feet. She deliberately pretended to look pale and haggard because of her makeup. At this moment, she was really pale and all her blood had faded. don¡¯t want! Ca Hardin¡¯s eyes were full of panic, and she couldn¡¯t care anymore. She even forgot that she was pretending to be weak and ran towards the stage as fast as flying. Stop ying it! Ca Hardin wanted to run up to the stage and force the recording to be turned off. Everyone looked at Ca Hardin¡¯s abnormal behavior with shock and surprise. What happened to her? Why such a big reaction all of a sudden? Weren¡¯t you so weak just now that you couldn¡¯t walk? Do you need Abby ke¡¯s support? However, Ca Hardin just ran up the steps. In the recording being yed, a name suddenly appeared¡­ ¡°Ca, my little darling, my little fairy¡­as long as you serve me well, I am just a supporting role, and I, the assistant director, can satisfy you with anything!¡± In an instant, like a cannonball dropped without warning, the entire venue exploded. ¡°Fuck! Did I hear that right? Ca? Did you mention Ca Hardin¡¯s name?!¡± ¡°It seems¡­ that man also calls himself assistant director¡­¡± ¡°Wait a minute! Do you remember the recording at the beginning? The woman called the man Mr. Franklin! Mr. Franklin¡­ couldn¡¯t be¡­ Coen Franklin! The assistant director of the crew!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! The female voice at the beginning just said, ¡®Your wife is not here today¡¯. Well, Coen Franklin is also married and has a wife, so that¡¯s right!¡± ¡°Let me go! Coen Franklin and Ca Hardin? The assistant director of the crew and a young star who wants to use unspoken rules to get a role? What on earth is going on!¡± The moment the name ¡®Ca¡¯ was called out, Ca Hardin, who ran up the steps, felt as if she had been sentenced to death. She stopped there stiffly, her scalp was numb, her body was shaking, and she was about to lose her bnce. Bryce nced at Ca Hardin, who was breathing rapidly and her lips were trembling, and was wary of her running over to turn off the recording. Amid everyone¡¯s surprise and spection, the recording continued to y¡ª¡ª Female voice, ¡°Mr. Franklin, I want the second female lead, is that okay¡­ I really don¡¯t want to y a supporting role anymore¡­¡± Male voice, ¡°Ca, I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s a bit difficult to y the second female lead¡­ The second female lead has already been auditioned by Miranda. The chief director and screenwriter are very satisfied and have already chosen her!¡± Female voice, ¡°I don¡¯t care, I don¡¯t care~ I just want the second female lead! You are the assistant director, why don¡¯t you rece Miranda and give me the second female lead! I will definitely serve you well today~ better than your wife I also want to make you feelfortable~¡± Male voice, ¡°Good Ca, my sweetheart, my sweetheart¡­Miranda is protected by Ashley. What will happen if she takes away her second female lead? Besides, the biggest investor in this show is the Pliskin family.¡± , How dare I offend Ashley!¡± Female voice, ¡°Coen Franklin, you¡¯re still the assistant director. I¡¯ve been sleeping with you for so long, and you can only bear to give me a supporting role¡­¡± After everyone heard this, they finally confirmed that the male voice in the recording was Coen Franklin! The assistant director of the crew! Moreover, Miranda¡¯s name also appeared in the recording. Miranda ys the second female lead in the crew, so everything matches up! The indescribable couple in the recording are actually Coen Franklin, the assistant director of the crew, and Ca Hardin! All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. It¡¯s just¡­ didn¡¯t Ca Hardin say that she got the role after hard work in the audition? Howe¡­ she relies on sleeping with her¡­ And¡­why does Ca Hardin still want to steal Miranda¡¯s second female lead? The recording continues to y¡ª¡ª Male voice, ¡°Hey¡­ you little goblin¡­ I really can¡¯t give the second female lead to you. In fact, the supporting role is also very good. This drama will definitely be a hit, and you will also be popr in the future. Do you understand?¡± Female voice, ¡°Then¡­even if I am a supporting role, I want to be the most lovable in the role! You can make changes to my lines during filming, so they don¡¯t have to be too difficult to memorize¡­¡± Male voice, ¡°Okay, okay, I will listen to you,e on, give me a kiss, I will give you everything, give it to you!¡± The recording ends here.Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated for All Books Updates¡­ Everyone at the scene suddenly turned their attention to Ca Hardin, who wanted to run on stage to turn off the recording, and Coen Franklin, the assistant director next to Ashley. No wonder Ashley brought the director of the crew to the press conference today! Because she has long known about the secret rtionship between Coen Franklin and Ca Hardin! Ashley¡¯s eyes moved, her dark eyes looked at Ca Hardin¡¯s stiff back, and she spoke slowly, ¡°Now I¡¯ll ask you again, am I ndering you and throwing dirty water on you when I said you went through the back door?¡± As Ashley¡¯s questioning voice fell, the reporters at the scene seemed to be waking up from a dream, and surrounded Ca Hardin in an airtight manner. ¡°Ca Hardin, the woman in this explosive recording is you!¡± ¡°Ca Hardin, what is your rtionship with Coen Franklin? Does Coen Franklin¡¯s wife know that you have such a close rtionship with Coen Franklin? Are you a mistress?¡± ¡°Ca Hardin, you keep saying that you didn¡¯t eat or drink, worked hard to memorize your lines, and almost fainted from exhaustion, so you got the supporting role through the audition. Howe you got it through unspoken rules like sleeping with her?¡± ¡°Ca Hardin, you just said righteously that you take acting seriously. Fans also think that you are a good, dedicated and hard-working actor. Unexpectedly, the truth is exactly the opposite! Do you need to give your fans an exnation?¡± Chapter 449 At this time, Ca Hardin¡¯s fans, who were scolding Ashley one second ago, were all dumbfounded this second. what happened? Isn¡¯t their sister a good, serious and dedicated actress? Howe you got the role by relying on unspoken rules to sleep with you? Became a mistress? At this time, Ca Hardin was surrounded by reporters and could not move. Those sharp questions were like sharp knives, piercing her sharply. Ca Hardin seemed to have lost her voice. She opened her mouth several times before making a sound. She pinched her palms to pretend to be calm and tried her best to argue, ¡°It¡¯s not true. This recording is not true! The woman in it is not me. I don¡¯t know anything about this recording.¡± It¡¯s fake!¡± Forgery? All the reporters looked at each other, is it true? Coen Franklin, another person involved in the recording, was surrounded by many reporters, who were interviewing him like machine guns about the hidden rules of his cheating. Coen Franklin¡¯s back was almost soaked with cold sweat. Hearing Ca Hardin¡¯s words, his face turned red and helpless. Cursed, ¡°Stop making excuses! Ms. Pliskin has found out everything!¡± Otherwise, he would obediently follow Ashley to the press conference? It¡¯s not because he was manipted by Ashley! When the reporters heard this, they were speechless as to what they didn¡¯t understand. ¡°Holy shit, Coen Franklin admitted it, and Ca Hardin still wants to lie and quibble!¡± ¡°If the recording is forged and false, then when Ca Hardin heard the recording just now, why did she rush to the stage so anxiously and want to turn off the recording? It¡¯s not because the woman in the recording is her!¡± ¡°Yeah, I almost forgot about this! Oh my god, this Ca Hardin is such a tough talker!¡± ¡°She also knows it¡¯s embarrassing, of course she doesn¡¯t dare to admit it!¡± ¡°And that Coen Franklin is not a good thing either!¡± ¡°Damn it, what a big turn of the year! Ca Hardin used to be so usible, saying not to bring down the culture of the entertainment industry and to restore the entertainment industry to a purend, but now it¡¯s better, she is shouting ¡°Catch the thief¡±! She got the role by relying on the unspoken rules! ¡° ¡°You obviously got a role through the back door. How can you have the nerve to deceive fans and deceive the public, saying that you got it through an audition without eating or drinking, memorizing lines, and almost fainting from exhaustion? You really know how to put gold on your own face! What a shameless person!¡± ¡°Fortunately, Miranda is covered by Ashley, otherwise Ca Hardin would not be ying a supporting role now, but would be the second female lead!¡± At this time, Ca Hardin, listening to these sharp and harsh words, as well as everyone¡¯s contemptuous and mocking eyes on her, the blood in her body seemed to be frozen, and she was about to fall to the ground at any time. how so? She was enjoying the admiration of everyone just now, but how could she be a despised street rat in the blink of an eye¡­ Ashley¡­ It was Ashley who dug out her deepest secrets! Ca Hardin¡¯s group of fans all stared nkly at Ca Hardin, who had be the target of public criticism, with faces full of confusion and disbelief. A good actor who is hardworking and dedicated is fake¡­ The unspoken rule is that sleeping with you is the real thing¡­ The idol I have liked for several years¡­ turned out to be an illusion¡­ No, it¡¯s impossible! One of the fans shook her head repeatedly, refusing to believe the scene in front of her. She went to visit Ca on the set just the day before yesterday. She was still a student and used the money she had saved for a long time to buy a gift for her sister. Her sister was very moved and epted it. So How could someone so gentle and kind do something unspoken¡­ Not far away, Abby ke frowned, her eyes full of hatred. This Ca Hardin is such a useless thing! Such private recordings can also be found by Ashley. This time, Ashley was not killed, but her image copsed! Abby ke gritted her teeth. She couldn¡¯t let go of such an opportunity to ruin Ashley¡¯s reputation¡­ Abby ke¡¯s eyes were like cold snakes in the darkness, staring closely at the morous Ashley in the crowd. Suddenly, Abby ke took a step forward and spoke angrily: ¡°Ms. Pliskin, even if this recording is true, even if Ca Hardin and Coen Franklin have an ulterior rtionship, then you can bully Ca Hardin on the set, make her cry and kneel to you, and force her to suicide?¡± As soon as Abby ke¡¯s voice sounded, everyone temporarily stopped ming Ca Hardin and turned to look at Abby ke. Well, yes, even if Ca Hardin is not clean, but Ashley forcing her to death is a bit too much, right? Ca Hardin¡¯s heart trembled when she heard the word ¡°suicide¡± in Abby ke¡¯s words, and she weakly pretended to be haggard again. At least, this would reduce other people¡¯s usations against her. ¡°Suicide¡­¡± Ashley looked at the simr faces of Abby ke and Jessica, her red lips raised slightly, ¡°You mean, I was the one who forced Ca Hardin tomit suicide?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it?¡± Abby ke pressed forward step by step, aggressively. ¡°It was because of your bullying that Ca Hardin couldn¡¯t bear it. She chose the decisive method of cutting her wrists. She was unconscious for a night before being rescued. It was so serious that she almost lost one of her arms. Damn it! Ms. Pliskin, do you still want to shirk your responsibility?¡± Compared to Abby ke¡¯s aggressive attitude, Ashley¡¯s attitude was calm and rxed, ¡°It¡¯s okay if you want me to be responsible. I just need to look at Ca Hardin¡¯s wounds.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, the reporters around him were surprised and confused. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. ¡°Look at the wound? Look at the wound where Ca Hardin cut her wrist?¡± ¡°Ah, there¡¯s no need for that! What if the wound is so deep that it scares people?¡± ¡°And it took a lot of effort to stop the bleeding and stop opening the wound!¡± At this time, the fan who still believed in Ca Hardin stood up angrily and used, ¡°Ashley! Our sister Camitted suicide by cutting her wrists. Your request to see her wounds is tantamount to uncovering her scars! You are so disrespectful!¡± ¡° He is indeed a murderer! No respect at all! Ashley nced at the little fan, raised her eyes slightly, and did not argue with the little fan. She only looked at Ca Hardin, ¡°What? You don¡¯t dare to let me see it?¡± Ca Hardin¡¯s left wrist was wrapped with thick gauze. After hearing this, she looked at Ashley warily and pursed her lips tightly. If she said she didn¡¯t dare, wouldn¡¯t it make her feel guilty? Damn it, why did Ashley suddenly want to look at her wounds! Ashley tilted her head and motioned to the staff next to her. The staff picked up the inte and called the doctor waiting in the next room. When the reporters saw the doctoring over, they felt a little relieved. The doctor was here and could treat Ca Hardin¡¯s wound at any time if it opened. The doctor looked very charitable and looked at Ca Hardin kindly, ¡°Madam, please don¡¯t worry, I will be very careful not to let your wound open when removing the gauze.¡± Ca Hardin¡¯s heart skipped a beat, she was full of uneasiness, and her face turned red with anxiety, ¡°My wrist hurts, and I don¡¯t want you to see it!¡± The doctor smiled cheerfully, stroked his beard, and said confidently, ¡°Madam, I took a quick look at your two wrists. Your left wrist is wrapped with gauze, but it doesn¡¯t look like it¡¯s injured. Moves as freely as the right hand.¡± After hearing what the doctor said, everyone at the scene was stunned. Doesn¡¯t it look like he¡¯s injured? How can this be! Abby ke said before that Ca Hardin cut her wrists and bled so much that the water in the bathtub was dyed red! You can imagine how deep the wound is! A reporter couldn¡¯t help it anymore and took the initiative to persuade, ¡°Ca Hardin, there is a doctor here anyway, just take off the gauze and take a look!¡± Another reporter also advised, ¡°Yes, Ca Hardin, the doctor said you don¡¯t look like you were injured¡­this¡­how is this possible?¡± Ca Hardin was so anxious that her palms were sweating. Damn it, Ashley was even prepared for a doctor! After what the doctor said, some reporters had already be suspicious. If she continued to refuse blindly, I¡¯m afraid it would only make more people think there was something fishy. Ca Hardin was forced to the edge of the cliff, with no way out. She nced at Abby ke quietly, and with a sudden heart, she stretched out her left hand and asked the doctor to remove the gauze. Everyone around looked at it attentively. The gauze was untiedyer byyer, and finally, Ca Hardin¡¯s left wrist was exposed, with a reddish- brown mark on it. ¡°There are scars!¡± A tall reporter pointed at the reddish-brown marks and said, ¡°It¡¯s reddish-brown, and it looks very ferocious!¡± ¡°Tsk, I must have cut it very deeply at that time, ugh¡­¡± Ca Hardin¡¯s fans on the side saw the red marks on Ca Hardin¡¯s wrists, and tears of distress filled their eyes. How painful it was for her sister to cut her wrists¡­ It was all Ca who was killed by that murderer Ashley!Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated for All Books Updates¡­ At this time, Miranda and Bryce, who had been standing next to Ashley, looked at each other in surprise, what¡¯s going on? Why does Ca Hardin have red marks on her wrists? Miranda quietly pulled Ashley¡¯s sleeve, ¡°Ashley, this¡­¡± Ashley patted the back of her handfortingly, then raised her legs and walked towards Ca Hardin. Ca Hardin retracted her wrist, with a suspicious and angry expression on her face, ¡°You have all seen it now, what else is there to say? Can I make up something like suicide? I really can¡¯t stand Ashley¡¯s I can¡¯t bear to think about bullying¡­¡± Ca Hardin was talking, and Ashley walked up to her. ¡°Ashley, what else do you want to do?¡± Ca Hardin looked at her warily. Ashley didn¡¯t waste any time. She directly grabbed Ca Hardin¡¯s wrist and rubbed her thumb hard on the reddish-brown mark on her wrist. The reddish-brown traces actually smudged out! Ashley wiped it hard again. This time, the original skin of the wrist was directly exposed! When the reporter next to him saw this scene, he couldn¡¯t help but eximed, ¡°Let me go, what¡¯s going on? How can the wound be wiped away? Could it be¡­¡± ¡°Is it made up by makeup?!¡± Another reporter answered with an eye-opening expression, ¡°I knew that scar makeup would be worn when filming TV series, but I didn¡¯t expect that Ca Hardin¡¯s cut wrist injury was also made up by makeup. of!¡± ¡°Ca Hardin, are you hurt?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to ask, you must not be injured! Look, after wiping away the red traces of makeup, the skin underneath is intact! Not even a scratch!¡± ¡°Ca Hardin, you didn¡¯t kill yourself?!¡± Chapter 450 Ca Hardin¡¯s suicide scars on her wrist were actually melted! This reversal was so shocking that even though the reporters were well-informed, they could no longer calm down at this moment and rushed to ask: ¡°Ca Hardin, you didn¡¯tmit suicide at all, why did you put on makeup to fake your injuries?!¡± ¡°Ca Hardin, you were taken to the hospital for rescue the day before yesterday, and you were unconscious for a night before you were out of danger. Is this all a lie? And when you came to the press conference today, your face was haggard and pale, and you said it was because of blood loss, is this all a lie? !¡± ¡°Ca Hardin, are you putting on a show by pretending tomit suicide? Are you trying to gain sympathy and pity from the public?¡± ¡°Because of your fake suicide, Ashley wasbeled a murderer. Netizens also helped you denounce Ashley. But now, there are no self-inflicted scars on your wrist at all. Ca Hardin, please give the public an exnation!¡± In addition to Ca Hardin, reporters have not forgotten Abby ke. The microphone is almost in Abby ke¡¯s mouth: ¡°Ms. ke, you said before that you found out that Ca Hardinmitted suicide and immediately called the emergency call and sent Ca Hardin to the hospital. Now the facts have proven that Ca Hardin¡¯s suicide waspletely false. Therefore, you have been fabricating it from beginning to end. Facts, right!¡± ¡°Abby ke, did you join forces with Ca Hardin to lie, use the suicide incident to guide public opinion, and useizens to attack Ashley!¡± Because this matter was so popr and everyone was talking about it, a live stream was also held for this press conference. Netizens online at this moment were shocked when they saw this. [What the hell? Was the suicide faked? ? ] [Didn¡¯t you see, even the wounds are fake! Just to deceive everyone, to stand on themanding heights of public opinion! ] [Holy shit! Then why do you say it was Ashley who forced her to death? Why do you say Ashley is a murderer! ] [That Abby ke also said that she saw Ca Hardin bleeding so much that the water in the bathtub was dyed red. How can she make it up! ] [You are so insane, you even dare to make up such a thing! Talking about Ashley forcing Ca Hardin to death, I think they both want to force Ashley to death! ] The press conference at this time. Ca Hardin hunched her shoulders timidly, and was speechless by the reporters¡¯ bullets and questions. She never expected that Ashley would expose her suicide. This was her biggest reliance. She thought she could win the sympathy of the public bymitting suicide. But now, it¡¯s over, everything is over¡­ She has even imagined howizens will criticize her after her fake suicide is exposed. Will the previous insults about Ashley be returned to her tenfold¡­Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Then how can she stay in the entertainment industry in the future¡­ Ca Hardin¡¯s eyes were full of panic, her whole body was shaking like chaff, and she was so panicked that cold sweat broke out on her back. She hurriedly turned to look at Abby ke, wanting to ask for help from Abby ke. However, Abby ke was surrounded by reporters at this time, and her situation was not much better than hers. Listening to the reporters questioning ¡°jointly lying, fabricating, and ndering Ashley¡±, Abby ke looked extremely ugly and stared at Ashley beside her with gloomy eyes. She came to the press conference proudly today because she wanted to see Ashley¡¯s reputation ruined, but she didn¡¯t expect that this dead girl turned the whole army into a general. When did the suicide be apparent? Damn it, she underestimated Ashley! Abby ke clenched her hands tightly, so hard that she almost broke her palms into pieces. She could barely keep herself from losing herposure under the siege of reporters. She took a deep breath and gritted her teeth and said, ¡°Everyone, please calm down!¡± The reporters were stunned when they heard this and almost spit out their saliva. calm? She still has the nerve to tell others to calm down! However, at this time, Abby ke can still say such things without changing her face. Could it be that there is something going on inside? Abby ke raised her chin and said sternly, ¡°Everyone, Ashley bullied Ca Hardin on the set, forcing Ca Hardin to kneel down while crying, and even pped herself. I really can¡¯t stand it anymore, and I want to seek justice for Ca Hardin. It is really a helpless move to use the suicide incident to attract public attention. I just see injustice on the road and hope¡­¡± Before Abby ke could finish speaking, a reporter couldn¡¯t help but choked, ¡°What! Even if it is to help the bullied people get justice, you can¡¯t spread rumors!¡± The reporter next to him looked suspicious, ¡°What happened to Ashley bullying Ca Hardin on the set?¡± Abby ke nced at Ashley across from her, and rebuked her heartbrokenly, ¡°The fact of that day is that Ca Hardin identally spilled her drink on Ashley, and Ashley bullied her and forced Ca Hardin to kneel down and beg for mercy! Ca Hardin is ourpany after all. Artist, I naturally want to seek justice for her!¡± Hearing this, Ashley nced at her slowly, and a smile with unknown meaning suddenly appeared on her lips, ¡°Abby ke, you said you were trying to help Ca Hardin get justice?¡± Abby ke narrowed her eyes slightly, ¡°Of course!¡± Oh, theplete video of the bullying incident has beenpletely deleted. Ashley has absolutely no way to prove her innocence. Aren¡¯t you just letting her control it? Just when Abby ke felt confident, Ashley suddenlyughed, her eyebrows full of contemptuous ridicule, ¡°Okay, then I will give you justice.¡± Abby ke frowned, what do you mean? What is this Ashley trying to do? Ashley tilted her head to signal Bryce beside her. Bryce walked onto the stage again and yed a video from the USB sh drive on the big screen. Everyone at the scene immediately looked towards the big screen. Abby ke sneered inwardly with disdain. She had just finished ying the recording of Ca Hardin sleeping with her, and now there is another video. There are so many tricks. It¡¯s a pity that no matter how many tricks you try, it¡¯s just a desperate struggle. Abby ke narrowed her eyes. As long as she killed Ashley¡¯s bullying, Ashley would not be able to be clean. Ashley¡¯s image and reputation would also be¡­Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated for All Books Updates¡­ Just then, the video yed. Seeing the picture on the big screen, Abby ke¡¯s expression suddenly changed. How could this be¡­ Everyone at the scene looked at the big screen and saw that in the video screen, Ashley and Bryce Miranda were chatting andughing in the rest area of the crew. Ca Hardin suddenly ran over and said sadly: ¡°Ms. Pliskin, I know you are Miranda¡¯s friend. I almost stole Miranda¡¯s endorsementst time, so I offended you¡­¡± ¡°I hope you won¡¯t make me angry because of the endorsement matter and kick me out of the crew¡­¡± When the reporters saw this, they looked at each other in shock and doubt. What¡¯s going on? Why is Ca Hardin trying to steal Miranda¡¯s endorsement? The video continues to y. In desperation, Ca Hardin knocked over the drink on the table and spilled it on Ashley¡¯s skirt. Ca Hardin knelt down with a plop. Ashley was obviously surprised by her behavior and subconsciously took a step back. Even Bryce and Miranda were shocked. Ashley said to Ca Hardin on the ground, ¡°Get up.¡± But Ca Hardin insisted on kneeling there, wiping Ashley¡¯s skirt with her hands, and crying miserably. The next scene is the less than 60-second video that was exposed on the Inte. Ca Hardin knelt in front of Ashley, crying until her eyes were red: ¡°Ms. Pliskin, I am just a little star and have never seen much of the world. This drink was really not spilled on you on purpose. If I have offended you, I sincerely apologize to you!¡± ¡°But I really like this character in the y. I didn¡¯t eat or drink every day. I almost fainted from exhaustion before I passed the audition¡­ Please don¡¯t kick me out of the crew¡­¡± Ca Hardin cried until her eyes were red and she kept kneeling there and refused to get up. Ashley couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and took the initiative to pull Ca Hardin up! Chapter 451 After watching the full version of the video, all the reporters at the scene were dumbfounded and shocked. ¡°Why¡­this video¡­is different from what we saw online?¡± ¡°Do you even need to ask? It¡¯s so obvious. One is edited! The other is theplete version with causes and consequences!¡± ¡°So, now this is theplete version? This is the truth of the matter!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Ashley didn¡¯t force Ca Hardin to kneel down because a drink was spilled on her clothes. Ashley didn¡¯t say anything. Ca Hardin kneeled down on purpose!¡± ¡°And when Ca Hardin knelt down, Ashley was obviously surprised. At first he told her to get up, but Ca Hardin didn¡¯t listen. In the end, Ashley couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and took the initiative to pull her up!¡± ¡°So Ashley is using her power to bully others. She was very kind to drag Ca Hardin along! Ca Hardin, on the other hand, directed and acted in the whole process! She also lied and said that she got the role through an audition, but she actually slept with her!¡± ¡°Bryce and Miranda weren¡¯t helping Ashley. They didn¡¯t help Ashley bully Ca Hardin, and they were frightened by Ca Hardin¡¯s sudden. kneeling!¡± ¡°So, Ashley was misunderstood from the beginning to the end. She didn¡¯ use her power to bully others at all. It¡¯s such an injustice¡­¡± In the midst of the shocked noise, Ashley looked at Abby ke, whose face was pale, and her dark eyes slightly raised, ¡°Abby ke, is this the justice you want to seek?¡± There was a bang in Abby ke¡¯s head, the color on her face faded, and there was an obvious trace of panic in her eyes. howe¡­¡­ The extras clearly told her that the full version of the video had been deleted! Why was Ashley found him anyway? Abby ke gritted her teeth and forced to hide the fear in her eyes. Her 09:28 expression showed a hint of hurt and anger after being deceived. She turned to look at Ca Hardin aside. ¡°Ca, you told me that Ashley bullied you on the set, so I decided to help you seek justice. But why is the truth of the matter inconsistent with what you said? Ms. Pliskin didn¡¯t bully you at all. How could you Can you lie to me?¡± Ca Hardin was stunned and opened her eyes wide, ¡°Ms. ke, you¡­¡± Abby ke¡¯s face was full of disapproval, ¡°Ca, it¡¯s hard for me to see you as a little star. I didn¡¯t expect you to lie to me and say that Ms. Pliskin. was bullying you. I¡¯ve just seen injustice and want to help you seek justice.¡±,well!¡± When the surrounding reporters heard this, they were all surprised, ¡°Abby ke, you mean to say that you were deceived by Ca Hardin and don¡¯t know the specific truth?¡± Abby ke nodded, ¡°Yes, I wanted to help Ca Hardin because she is an artist in thepany. I never expected that she hid the truth and deliberately lied to me.¡± Ca Hardin couldn¡¯t bear it anymore when she heard this, and roared angrily, ¡°Abby ke! You¡¯re talking nonsense!! It was you who asked me to find Ashley, and you who made me kneel down on purpose! I listened to you all the time! But now you¡­ ¡°Ca,¡± Abby ke interrupted, with an innocent look on her face, ¡°Yo affair was exposed, why do you put the me on me? s, you can get role by relying on unspoken rules, which shows that your own thoughts are not correct. I still I was soft-hearted and believed your lies¡­¡± Bryce and Miranda enjoyed Abby ke and Ca Hardin¡¯s dog-eat-dog fight, but when they heard Abby ke pretending to be innocent, they were so disgusted that they almost vomited out their overnight meal. Why are there such shameless people? I really can¡¯t cry without seeing the coffin! Ashley chuckled, not bothering to listen to Abby ke¡¯s quibbles, and directly motioned to the staff on the side, ¡°Bring that person over.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The staff immediatelyplied. When the reporters heard this, they stretched their necks and looked 09:28 over curiously, who? who? Abby ke frowned, this Ashley wanted to y another trick. However, the next moment, when Abby ke saw the person brought over by the staff, her pupils shrank suddenly, and cold sweat suddenly broke out on her palms. It turned out to be¡­ It¡¯s that extra act! How did he get found by Ashley! The extra performer wearing sses was brought over, and he nced at Ashley fearfully. After getting the aunts signal, he looked at Abby ke in front of him, and said as if he was pouring beans from a bamboo tube, ¡°Abby ke asked me to do it. Yes! It was Abby ke who asked me to secretly record the video, edit it and post it online to nder Ashley!¡± The bespectacled man was too nervous and kept talking with a hammer and a stick. The reporters didn¡¯t hear the point at all, but they were keenly aware that there was a big melon! The reporter who was nearest asked quickly, ¡°What secret camera? What did Abby ke ask you to do?¡± The man with sses swallowed, and because of nervousness and fear, he stammered, ¡°I¡­I am an extra on the crew. Abby ke found me and gave me a sum of money to secretly film Ca Hardin¡¯s love for Ashley The kneeling video, and then¡­ Then Abby ke asked me to edit out cause and effect, and post the edited video online to throw dirty water Ashley, ndering Ashley for bullying others, and bullying Ca Hard on the set¡­¡± Reporters:!!! It¡¯s Abby ke again! All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Everyone turned to look at Abby ke. Abby ke could no longer maintain a decent posture and said in panic, ¡°You lied! I don¡¯t know you at all! I don¡¯t know who you are!¡± The man with sses couldn¡¯t tell her, so he had to turn his head and look at Ashley beside him. Ashley chuckled, ¡°Abby ke, who is the one who lied? Don¡¯t forget, the record of you bribed this extra and transferred money to him is still 09.28 Chapter 451 there.¡± As Ashley finished speaking, Bryce, who was standing on the stage, had already disyed the electronic screenshot of the transfer record on the big screen. On the transfer screenshot, the remittance ount number is Abby ke¡¯s name! Now, everything is clear! The reporters present looked at Abby ke with contempt and speechlessness. ¡°Bah! I¡¯m still lying now, how shameless!¡± ¡°The suicide incident was exposed just now, and Abby ke lied that it was to attract public attention and help Ca Hardin seek justice; now the full version of the video has been exposed, and Abby ke lied again that she knew nothing and was deceived by Ca Hardin. However, The fact is that Abby ke was behind all of this! She arranged for Ca Hardin to kneel down on purpose, she bribed the extras to shoot the video, and she asked the extras to post the edited video online! She is the mastermind !¡± ¡°Also, maybe Ca Hardin faked her suicide and she benefited from it! This step by step is so deliberate, it¡¯s really scary to think about it. If Ashley didn¡¯t have evidence, she would be killed by Abby ke!¡± ¡°No way! Allizens were deceived by her at first and thought Abby ke was the embodiment of justice. Little did they expect that she was the instigator!¡± ¡°Ashley is also unlucky. She has been exposed so badly on the Inte in the past two days. Even the ck and white photo of her body was posted. It scares me to look at it¡­ Why does this Abby ke hate Ashley so much?¡± ¡°And Ca Hardin, these two are like a nest of snakes and rats! Otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t be able to get along!¡± Chapter 452 Ashley¡¯s wave after wave of truth revtions opened the eyes of the reporters at the scene, and also completely tore apart the true colors of Abby ke and Ca Hardin, nailing them to the pir of shame. The entire press conference became noisy, and everyone criticized Abby ke and Ca Hardin. Abby ke endured the spitting and contemptuous ridicule of those people, her heart ached with anger, and she stared at Ashley with eyes that wanted to eat her alive. Unexpectedly, stealing the chicken will end up losing the rice. Ashley was not ruined, but her reputation was ruined! Now everyone can point at her nose and spit! Compared to Abby ke and Ca Hardin, who were attacked by everyone, Ashley was still bright and capable, looking at everyone with her stunning face, she just raised her hand to signal, and the noisy press conference immediately became calm down. Ashley looked at the reporter¡¯s camera and said, ¡°Ca Hardin relied on her improper rtionship with Coen Franklin to get the role. From today on, the crew will immediately remove Coen Franklin from his position as assistant director and stop filming Ca Hardin. We will find another suitable one.¡± The actress re-shoots.¡± Netizens watching the livestream saw this and responded one after another. [Well done! Get out of the set of this scumbag and bad director! Don¡¯t ruin a good show!] [There is also Ca Hardin, who says she is dedicated and conscientious, but in fact she only pursues evil ways. People like this should not insult the word ¡°good actor¡±!] [Tsk, Ca Hardin really knows how to market her own image. How many fans have been deceived by her? How shameful! ] At the press conference, Ca Hardin¡¯s fans were all dumbfounded at this moment. He stared nkly at Ca Hardin, who was despised by thousands of 09.98 people in the middle of the crowd. She wanted to step forward to defend her, but she didn¡¯t know how. Ashley looked at these sincere fans who were deceived and let down. She sighed and shook her head, and then asked the staff to put two photos on the big screen. One is Ca Hardin looking at the gifts from fans with disgust on her face. A photo of Ca Hardin throwing fan letters into the trash. Seeing these two photos, those fans widened their eyes in disbelief and were heartbroken. how could this be¡­¡­. They were looking forward to giving gifts to their idols with great joy, but they were treated like garbage¡­ The gift I had saved up for a long time to buy was so rejected¡­ The letter I wrote after staying upte was thrown into the trash can¡­ One of the fans couldn¡¯t bear it any longer. He was heartbroken and sad, but also angry and sad. He looked at Ca Hardin with red eyes, ¡°When you epted the gift, you pretended to be so touched and said it so nicely. As soon as we left, you You show such a face! If you don¡¯t like it, don¡¯t ept it! Do you know that Priya is still a student, and she bought that gift after saving her food money for a long time! But you¡­you¡­¡± Hearing this fan¡¯s usation, the surrounding reporters sighed. These fans like their idols and regard them as motivation andfort, but they never expected to be deceived so miserably. Some celebrities can serve as role models and have a good influence on their fans. Some celebrities appear to be one thing but do another thing behind the scenes, using false appearances to deceive their fans. The girl named Priya has already shed tears. She expressed her sincerity to all the wrong reasons. The idol she loves so much and the idol she protects so much is so unbearable¡­ Ashley looked at Priya, and for some reason, she remembered the past in the Ramos family, where her sincerity was not rewarded. She couldn¡¯t 09:28 help but walk over, patted Priya¡¯s shoulderfortingly, and said softly, ¡°More important than idols. Yes, love yourself well.¡± love yourself¡­¡­ Priya¡¯s heart was shaken, and she raised her red eyes to look at the woman in front of her, her eyes full of touching¡­ Netizens watched the press conference and their faces were swollen after learning the truth. I scolded Ashley so harshly yesterday, and now I regret it so much. I was blinded by two rotten people in a nest of snakes and rats, and guided the public opinion, turning it into an invisible murderous knife. This kind of being deceived and used, as well as the guilt caused by misunderstanding Ashley, made netizens¡¯ anger reach the highest point. They rushed to Ca HardinLiveMe and sprayed Abby ke and Ca Hardin bloody in various ways. [Abby ke, you are nothing! Ashley provoked you? Do you really want to harm her?] [Ca Hardin, get out of the entertainment industry! Give the entertainment industry a purend! ] [You two hold hands and roll together Get away!] Someizens also dug out several of Ca Hardin¡¯s endorsements and rushed to the brand¡¯s LiveMe to leave messages. [Come out quickly, why are such rubbish spokespersons still here? Terminate the contract immediately! ] [Come out and terminate the contract hurry up!] Within a short time, the number ofments exceeded 20,000. Those brands have issued statements one after another, announcing that they will stop cooperating with Ca Hardin and no longer allow Ca Hardin to endorse. This kind of endorsement stopped due to the star¡¯s own stain means that Ca Hardin needs to pay a large amount of liquidated damages. Someizens also went to Ca Hardin¡¯s agency LiveMe to post 09:28 hapter This bacsh of public opinion is extremely powerful. Just as yesterday¡¯s criticism of Ashley was so fierce, now the criticism of Abby ke and Ca Hardin is so fierce. It is ten times more serious. The agency couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and quickly issued a statement, removing Abby ke from her position as artist director. At the same time, she terminated her contract with Ca Hardin, announcing that Ca Hardin was no longer an artist of thepany. After what happened to Ca Hardin, she will no longer film any scenes and will directly quit the entertainment industry. This also became the hottest day in her life, the day she was criticized the most. Seeing g such a huge public bacsh, the extreme keyboard warriors who posted the ck and white photos of Ashley P yesterday deleted the abusivements and deleted the ck and white photos of P. They acted as if nothing had happened and continued to curse other people. At this moment, the Kingsley Group¡¯s official Weibo issued a statement, no matter how many, those who maliciously insulted Ashley, one by one, evidence has been collected, all will be taken through legal channels, and there will be no settlement. Ashley¡¯s fans, as well as Bluelove CP fans, finally breathed a sigh of relief. [Did you see it? Absolutely! No! and! untie! ] [Think it will be fine if you delete it after cursing? And those with photo of P photos, don¡¯t think you can¡¯t be dealt with! ] [Haha, what our two bosses need most is money, and what we need most iswyers! Report them to me one by one! ] [Mr. Kingsley said: Whatw does not punish everyone? All I know is that no one who has scolded my wife can even think of running away!] After the press conference. In the lounge. Miranda breathed a sigh of relief when she saw what happened to Abby ke and Ca Hardin. The same goes for Bryce. 66-60 However, Miranda asked in confusion, ¡°Ashley, Abby ke has ndered you for so many things, why didn¡¯t you call the police and arrest her?¡± Bryce pondered, ¡°Also, the fact that Abby ke is Jessica¡¯s biological mother has not been exposed to the outside world.¡± Miranda nodded repeatedly, ¡°Yes! If I tell everyone that Abby ke is Jessica¡¯s biological mother, then if Abby ke dares to do evil again in the future, no one will believe her!¡± Ashley raised her eyebrows, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, use Abby ke to lure someone out first.¡± Miranda, ¡°Who is it?¡± Ashley, ¡°Galvin.¡± Miranda was stunned for a moment, then she was surprised and suspicious, ¡°Isn¡¯t Galvin that photographer who said he likes you very much? Isn¡¯t he rted to Abby ke?¡± B All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Chapter 453 ¡°Isn¡¯t Galvin that photographer who said he likes you very much and he has a rtionship with Abby ke?¡± Ashley nodded, ¡°No surprise, there should be.¡± Miranda was shocked. Bryce on the side was also shocked. Galvin and Abby ke are actually rted. Abby ke is Jessica¡¯s biological mother, so Galvin is¡­? While the three of them were talking, Ashley¡¯s cell phone rang. It was Brittany Walsh calling. Seeing the words ¡°Brittany Walsh¡± on the caller ID, Miranda rolled her eyes and deliberately spoke in an exaggerated ent so that Bryce could hear, ¡°Wow, it¡¯s Jiang Yan calling. -¡± Bryce, ¡°¡­¡± Ashley burst intoughter, her shoulders shaking withughter, and quickly answered the phone. Brittany Walsh¡¯s happy voice came from the receiver, ¡°Ashley, I watched the entire livestream of the press conference! You have finally been cleared of your grievances. That¡¯s great. Congrattions!¡± Ashley smiled knowingly, ¡°Thank you! Brittany Walsh, ¡°Manyizens know that they wrongly med you, so they went to your LiveMe to apologize to you!¡± Ashley nced at Bryce next to her, and her tone was teasing, ¡°Yesterday, someizens misunderstood Miranda and Bryce. Now they have been cleared of suspicion. Netizens will no longer attack them.¡± Bryce¡¯s expression tightened when he heard Ashley mention his name, and he looked over threateningly, signaling her to stop talking nonsense. Brittany Walsh on the other end of the phone said ¡°Yeah¡± as usual and said, ¡°It¡¯s best if everyone is okay.¡± Ashley was about to continue talking when she suddenly heard Riley Serrano¡¯s voiceing from the receiver, ¡°Brittany, who are you calling?¡± Ashley was startled and asked in surprise, ¡°Riley Serrano is with you?¡± 09:29 Hearing the words ¡°Riley Serrano¡±, Bryce frowned inadvertently. However, Miranda repeated it deliberately, ¡°What? Riley Serrano is next to Brittany? Why is he with Brittany again, don¡¯t you think so, Bryce?¡± Bryce, ¡°¡­¡± Immediately afterwards, Riley Serrano¡¯s cynical voice came from the receiver, ¡°So I¡¯m on the phone with Ms. Pliskin.¡± Then I heard Riley Serrano shouting into the phone, ¡°Sister-inw, I just watched the livestream of your press conference. Congrattions on rifying and restoring your reputation. Congrattions!¡± The corner of Ashley¡¯s mouth twitched. This Riley Serrano kept calling her sister-inw. Because Riley Serrano shouted loudly, Miranda also heard it and asked over there, ¡°Riley Serrano, have you been by Brittany¡¯s side? Did you watch the press conference livestream together?¡± Riley Serrano answered very confidently, ¡°Yes, Brittany is my fianc¨¦e. It¡¯s normal for me toe here to find her.¡± Brittany Walsh¡¯s cold voice sounded, ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense.¡± Riley Serrano raised his hands and surrendered obediently, ¡°Okay, okay, I won¡¯t talk nonsense, I will listen to you.¡± Brittany Walsh, ¡°¡­¡± Ashley listened on the phone with great interest, as if listening to a radio drama. She chatted with Brittany Walsh for a few more words, and then hung up the phone. Bryce stood up and said, ¡°The press conference is over. I¡¯m leaving now. If you need anything,e to me.¡± Ashley nodded, ¡°Okay.¡± After Bryce left, Miranda took Ashley¡¯s arm and whispered quietly, ¡°Ashley, tell me, did Bryce go to find Brittany?¡± Ashley raised her eyes slightly, ¡°Who knows.¡± The gossip soul in Miranda¡¯s body was burning brightly, and her eyes were shining, ¡°I guess 80% yes!¡± 09:29 Ashley smiled and reached out to tap her forehead, then smiled helplessly and shook her head. Seeing that it was gettingte, Ashley said goodbye to Miranda and returned to the Pliskin family manor. in the living room. Brian Pliskin, Karen Pliskin and his wife, George Lester, Valentin, and Joseph ire Fox are all there. Seeing Ashleying back, Lester held down Frankie and was the first to get up and rush to Ashley. George, ¡°¡­¡± Huh. Lester rushed to Ashley and said disapprovingly, ¡°For today¡¯s press conference, if you don¡¯t let Valentin go with you, why don¡¯t you let your second brother go with you?¡± Valentin on the side, ¡°¡­¡± What do you mean by just not letting him go? Why did he just let it go? Joseph crossed his legs and looked at Lester with schadenfreude. Hum, you have offended two people in just a short while, so I will take advantage of you! Who makes Lester always bring out some messy dark dishes these days and force him to eat them. He doesn¡¯t expect Lester to be well at all now! Karen Pliskin stepped forward and pulled Lester away, ¡°Okay, it¡¯s a good thing that Ashley has cleared her grievances. Stop talking here. It¡¯s almost noon. Let¡¯s eat together today.¡± Brian Pliskin came over and said very entrically, ¡°Ashley, ignore your second brother. Your parents asked the kitchen to prepare your favorite dish. Let¡¯s go have lunch first.¡± George also came over and said, ¡°Ashley, let¡¯s go to the restaurant.¡± Lester, ¡°..¡± Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Well, he is really the lowest status person in this family¡­ The bullying incident in the past two days has caused a lot of noise. 09-29 Today, a press conference was held topletely rify the truth. Ashley received many concerns from friends on her mobile phone and. responded to them all heartily. Taking advantage of the nice weather today, we brought Zain and Joseph¡¯s parents over and we all had a meal together. When the meal was almost finished, ire Fox received a text message. After reading the text message, she frowned slightly. When she raised her head again, her expression had returned to normal. She told everyone that her friend was looking for her in an emergency and had to leave first. Maggie Fox smiled kindly, ¡°Since it¡¯s urgent, you go ahead and call your parents if you need anything.¡± ire Fox nodded, said goodbye to everyone, and then left. As soon as I left the Pliskin family estate, I saw a ck car parked on the side of the road. Probably after seeing her figure, the car honked its horn. ire Fox walked over with her legs up. As the car window was lowered, the man¡¯s handsome profile was revealed. He was lighting a cigarette with his head lowered. His silver-gray shirt had two buttons unbuttoned at the cor, exuding unruly and unruly style. ¡°Get in the car.¡± The man finished lighting his cigarette and said to C Fox who was standing beside the car without raising his head. ire Fox opened the back seat door and wanted to get into the back seat. The manughed, but there was no hint ofughter, and his voice. lowered, ¡°Co-pilot.¡± ire Fox frowned and continued to open the back seat door. The two were in an invisible stalemate for a few seconds. The man did not look back or say a word. His long and bony arms werezily resting on the car window, half giving in. It doesn¡¯t mean anything either. ire Fox took a deep breath, mmed the back seat door, went around and opened the passenger door. 09.29 As soon as he got into the car, the man turned his head and looked at her, raising the corner of his lips, ¡°Are you unhappy?¡± ire Fox seemed to want to ignore it and said nothing. This time the man no longer forced her to speak forcefully. He leaned forward slowly and his warm breath gradually came closer. Want to kiss her. ire Fox backed away in disgust, looking at the cigarette at his fingertips. The man chuckled and put out the cigarette, ¡°Okay, if you don¡¯t smoke, then you kiss me.¡± ire Fox frowned deeper and pushed the car door to get out of the car. The car door was locked and couldn¡¯t be pushed open at all. The man grabbed her wrist, his smile faded a bit, and with a sudden force, he pulled the woman closer, ¡°Be good, it¡¯s not like I haven¡¯t kissed you before¡­¡± After lunch, Ashley chatted with the old man for a while, and then, together with Valentin, sent the old man back to the Kingsley Manor. On the way back, Valentin drove and nced at Ashley sitting in the passenger seat from time to time. Seeing that he kept looking at her, Ashley smiled and said, ¡°Are you stil thinking about the press conference? Hey, this is such a big deal, and it¡¯s not a big storm. Why do you need to apany me? I can handle it myself. !¡± There was a red light ahead, and Valentin stopped the car. Ashley quickly leaned over, kissed him hard on the face, and then said, ¡°By the way, I¡¯ll make an appointment with Colby in a few days to ask him if he noticed anything wrong with Andrew. I¡¯ll report it to you in advance!¡± After speaking, he kissed the man on the face again, blinked at him, and said, ¡°Look, I always remember to report to you in advance, so be more obedient and considerate!¡± 09:29 Valentin, ¡°¡­¡±. It¡¯s good that he¡¯s not jealous, and she wants him to praise her for her thoughtfulness. Valentin nced at her sideways and finally said, ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s very considerate.¡± Well, how could he bear to say harsh words to her. Ashley smiled and kissed him hard on the face. This morning, Ashley made an appointment with Colby to meet at the coffee shop. In the box. Ashley looked at Colby across from him and asked suspiciously, ¡°How about it? Have you noticed anything wrong with your master these days? He¡¯s not sick or injured, right?¡± After all, it was an acquaintance. If Andrew really suffered a life-threatening injury or suffered from an incurable disease, she would be able to help him a little bit. Chapter 454 Colby looked at Ashley opposite him and pursed his lips as he hesitated to speak, but it onlysted for two seconds. Colby raised his hand and scratched the back of his head, with a cheerful smile on his face. ¡°No, Ashley. I have been keeping an eye on you secretly during this. period, and I didn¡¯t find anything wrong with the master.¡± Ashley asked worriedly, ¡°Really?¡± Colby said affirmatively, ¡°Really! I have been guarding my master almost every step these days. I can be sure that he did not suffer any external injuries! As for the illness, I did not find any difort in his body, did not see him and If you contact the doctor, you must be in good health!¡± and I Ashley rolled her eyes slightly and asked suspiciously, ¡°Thest time we met at the coffee shop, you said that Andrew seemed to be dealing with something, and even you didn¡¯t know! Colby, ¡°Well, this is a matter on Takydo¡¯s side. The master asked Takydo¡¯s subordinates to handle it, so I don¡¯t know much about it. I¡¯ve been in Kilos City recently.¡± Ashley thought thoughtfully, ¡°So that¡¯s it.¡± After a pause, she asked again, ¡°So Andrew is not injured or sick, right?¡± Colby nodded, ¡°No, don¡¯t worry! Ashley, if you are worried, you can ask the master in person!¡± Ashley waved her hand, ¡°No need.¡± Since Colby has been paying attention for so long and hasn¡¯t noticed anything unusual about Andrew, it seems that she is overly worried. I guess Andrew¡¯s inexplicable crazyments before were just to tease her again. Ashley breathed a long sigh of relief, ¡°Okay, then I¡¯m relieved! By the way, Colby, you must not tell your master about my meeting with you.¡± Colby gave him a knowing look, ¡°I know Ashley!¡± Ashley chatted with Colby for a while, then got up and left. After Ashley left, the smile on Colby¡¯s face slowly dissipated, and a trace 09:29 of worry appeared on his brows. He took out his mobile phone and dialed the man¡¯s number, ¡°Master, I have told Ashley as you asked.¡± The man on the other end of the phone said ¡°hmm¡± and hung up phone. Colby frowned and his expression was solemn¡­ the After Ashley and Colby separated, they returned to the Pliskin family. As soon as he walked into the living room, he heard Joseph¡¯s brutal howling like a pig, ¡°Ouch! Little Ashley, you are finally back! Save me!¡± Ashley took a look and saw that apart from the servants, there were only her second brother and Joseph in the living room, and asked in confusion, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Joseph ran over quickly, hid behind Ashley, and said quickly, ¡°I came here with my brother, but there was an emergency at my brother¡¯s Ashley, ¡°¡­¡± Lester narrowed his eyes and looked at Joseph with a threatening smile, ¡°Joe, what did you say? I¡¯ll give you a chance to describe it again.¡± Joseph hid behind Ashley and looked at Lester tremblingly and the dark te in Lester¡¯s hand, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll change it! I¡¯ll change it! How am I qualified to eat your god-level cooking that¡¯sparable to that of a chef! I Not worthy! Please don¡¯t let me taint your food!¡± After Joseph finished speaking, he looked at Ashley, winked and whispered, ¡°Little Ashley, save me! Take care of your second brother!¡± After hearing this, Ashley turned around and looked at Joseph with a ¡°poor kid¡± expression on her face. She raised her hand and patted his shoulder, ¡°You just said that your brother went to thepany, right? I went to find your brother beforehand. You are having fun here.¡± After saying that, Ashley walked away. Joseph immediately looked distressed and wailed heartbreakingly, ¡°Little 09:29 Ashley! How could you leave me alone!¡± Lester walked over with a smile, ¡°Joe, I quite like you. You muste here more often in the future.¡± Joseph, ¡°¡­¡± Devil!! Ashley sent a message to Valentin in advance: [Are you busy? Are you busy? Dear brother Valentin! ] If he was in a meeting, it would be inconvenient for her to go and find. him. The other side responded quickly: [I¡¯m not busy. Are you done talking to Colby?] Ashley: [Yes, I must have been worrying too much and didn¡¯t find anything wrong with Andrew, so I¡¯ll leave it alone! I have nothing to do. now, so I¡¯ll go find you at thepany-] Valentin: [Don¡¯t bother sister Ashley to run away, I¡¯ll be back soon. ] Ashley rolled her eyes and smiled, typing briskly to reply: [Then I¡¯m going back to the Kingsley Vi, you can just go hometer!] Mainly, she doesn¡¯t want to go back and take care of her second brother and Joseph¡¯s affairs now. s, poor little Joseph¡­ Meanwhile, the Kingsley Group, conference room. All the senior executives looked at the CEO who suddenly picked up his mobile phone to reply to the message during the meeting. They were all stunned for a moment. It couldn¡¯t be something urgent that would make Mr. Kingsley reply to the message regardless of the meeting, right? However, the next moment, when I saw thezy and leisurely expression on the man¡¯s face, I instantly understood that it was not an urgent matter, it must be a message from thendy! Ashley returned to the Kingsley Vi, rested for a while in the bedroom, and logged into LiveMe on her mobile phone. 09:29 Her LiveMe was filled with abuse before, but now after rification, the abuse in thements has disappeared and turned into a collective apology fromizens. Ca Hardin was criticized and forced to quit the entertainment industry, and Abby ke¡¯s reputation waspletely ruined. Compared with the apology fromizens, her fans believed in her from beginning to end and kept leaving warm or funnyments in her Ashley thought about it and nned to hold a livestream to chat with fans. As a result, as soon as the livestream started, not only fans, but also arge number ofizens poured into the livestream room. Ashley was a little shocked. The broadcast had just started, why were there so many people? The barrage told her the answer: [I have been paying attention to your updates every moment these past two days. I knew as soon as you started broadcasting and came right away! Ashley, I¡¯m sorry, I misunderstood you before!] [Never again! From today on, I will be your biggest fan!] Seeing these barrages, Ashley¡¯s cherry red lips raised slightly and sheughed softly. Her appearance was alluring and bright, and this gentle smile was like red rose blooming under the warm winter sun, bright, warm, and radiant. Netizens in the livestream room instantly felt the beauty attack. [Ah ah ah so beautiful! The God of Beauty has arrived! ] [I will turn 1800 degrees on the spot and kneel on one knee with flowers in my mouth to propose to you! Wife, you are so beautiful!] [??? Attention upstairs, Mr. Kingsley saw you calling Ashley my wife, I would not have a good life without you!] Ashley was amused by these earthy love words, and casually answered some questions on the barrage and chatted with everyone. 09:29 ¡°Lunch? You haven¡¯t eaten yet. You¡¯re not hungry yet.¡± ¡°Be my fan? OK, wee.¡± ¡°Your barrages are moving too fast, I can¡¯t even see them clearly.¡± There were so many bulletsing so fast that Ashley almost put her face in front of the phone screen before she could barely make out a few of them. Netizens saw her so close to the camera and it was another beauty attack. [Woooong! Good skin! You can¡¯t even see the ws so close to the camera!] [And it¡¯s so white. I really want to touch it. It must feel really good! ] [I am so envious of Mr. Kingsley, he can touch our Ashley every day¡­] Ashley was trying hard to read everyone¡¯s questions on the barrage, but as she looked at them, how could she be envious of Valentin? At this moment, the bedroom door was pushed open from the outside. Valentin walked over with slender steps. As soon as he came in, he saw. Ashley¡¯s eyes almost close to the phone screen. He couldn¡¯t help but curled his lips, ¡°What are you doing?¡± Ashley raised her head when she heard the sound. Just when she was about to speak, she caught a glimpse of what he was holding in his ar and her eyes lit up, ¡°What do you have in your hand?¡± During the livestream at this time,izens could not see who Ashley talking to, but they recognized it by hearing the voice. [!!! Is it Mr. Kingsley? Was that Mr. Kingsley¡¯s voice just now?!] [Definitely is! Absolutely! Take two more steps this way and let me see Mr. Kingsley¡¯s handsome face!] [Wait a minute, does Mr. Kingsley know that Ashley is in the livestream? Hahaha??] Chapter 455 Ashley was sitting on the stool in front of the dressing table. When she saw what Valentin was holding, she curiously wanted to get up and walk over. However, before she could stand up, Valentin walked over considerately. As a result,izens in the livestream finally saw the man appear in the camera. [Oh, Mr. Kingsley is still as handsome as ever! I¡¯m obsessed with his face! ] [What is Valentin holding? In addition to arge bouquet of beautiful roses, there is also a paper box. There seems to be something in the paper box?] [ah! Looks like a furry little animal!] Valentin walked up to Ashley and handed over the bouquet of roses first, ¡°I bought them from the flower shop on the way back.¡± Ashley took it casually, as if she had long been ustomed to it, ¡°You often give me flowers, and I¡¯m almost out of surprises. Let me see what¡¯s in your box first!¡± Valentin, ¡°¡­¡± My wife actually disliked me for sending flowers too frequently. As Ashley was talking, she seemed to hear the meow of a cute little kitter and her twinkling eyes suddenly shone with surprise, ¡°Is it a kitten! I think I heard a meow!¡± Valentin chuckled and ced the box on the dressing table in front of Ashley. Ashley looked down and saw a fluffy white kitten in the box. The coat was clean and beautiful, the eyes were round, and the small pads on the nose and paws were pink. It was so cute that her heart melted. ¡°so cute!¡± Ashley tentatively touched it with her finger. The kitten didn¡¯t run around or scratch anyone. 1/G 09:29 I couldn¡¯t wait to reach out and touch it. It was soft and warm, and I couldn¡¯t put it down. Ashley looked up at Valentin, who was standing by the dressing table, and was pleasantly surprised, ¡°We adopted a stray kitten when we were young, do you remember? It was also white!¡± Seeing that she liked it so much, Valentin raised the corners of his lips. and reached out to rub her head, ¡°Of course I remember. This one was also adopted. He sent it to the pet hospital for a checkup a few days ago and just got it back today.¡± Ashley smiled with crooked eyebrows. He always remembered every thing that belonged to the two of them very clearly. Ashley carefully picked up the kitten from the box. Valentin touched the kitten¡¯s ears with his slender and clean fingers, and said in azy voice, ¡°This cat has a somewhat cold personality, maybe¡­¡± Before she finished speaking, she saw the little kitten lying affectionately in Ashley¡¯s arms, rubbing her head against Ashley¡¯s chin again and again, meowing twice from time to time, and purringfortably in her throat, showing that she was enjoying Ashley very much. The hug looks very clingy. Ashley fell in love immediately and couldn¡¯t put it down and petted the little kitten, ¡°Why is his personality so cold? He¡¯s so clingy!¡± Valentin, ¡°?¡± Valentin stoppedughing for a moment, reached over and pinched the back of the kitten¡¯s neck. The little milk cat turned its head and grinned at him. However, the next second, the little kitten turned around and meowed at Ashley coquettishly, with a very cute and milky voice. Valentin, ¡°¡­¡± Netizens in the livestream room almost diedughing when they saw this. [Hahahaha, this kitten has two faces! ] [When facing Ashley, this cat meows so cutely and milkily. When facing Mr. Kingsley, he grins and grins. ] 09:29 [Ashley said just now that they adopted stray cats together when they were children? Now Mr. Kingsley has adopted a little white stray cat. Wow, he remembers everything!] Valentin originally picked up this little milk cat because he wanted to make Ashley happy. As a result, now I see the little kitten nestling affectionately in Ashley¡¯s arms, upying Ashley¡¯s arms, and Ashley has a cat, so she doesn¡¯t care about him at all, and wholeheartedly coaxes the cat in her arms. It¡¯s such a big cat, not even a superfluous one He didn¡¯t even look at him. Valentin, Ashley touched the kitten and racked her brains and whispered, ¡°What¡¯s a suitable name for it¡­¡± I thought about it for a long time and didn¡¯te up with it. Valentin said calmly, ¡°Think about the name slowly. The servant has prepared cat food and a cat bed. Let¡¯s send it downstairs first.¡± Ashley put her forehead against the kitten¡¯s and rubbed the kitten¡¯s head affectionately, ¡°Is our baby hungry? Can I hold him for a while longer?¡± Valentin¡¯s eyes deepened, and his expression became a little more profound. Netizens in the livestream roomughed so hard that their faces turned sore when they saw this scene. [Is he jealous? Isn¡¯t it?] [Hahahaha, look at that expression, definitely! ] [Ashley, look up and stop coaxing the kitten. Your husband is jealous again!] [Hahahaha, I¡¯mughing so crazy. Mr. Kingsley used to be jealous of men, then he was jealous of women, and now he¡¯s jealous across species, hahahaha!] However, the kitten meowed coquettishly at Ashley even more vigorously, and its voice was cuter, sweeter and more subdued than before, as if it was demonstrating to Valentin. Valentin narrowed his eyes, stretched out his hand to pinch the back of the kitten¡¯s neck, and picked it up from Ashley¡¯s arms, ¡°Feed it something 09:29 to eat first.¡± Of course, Ashley was unwilling to starve the kitten, so she nodded. Valentin finally grabbed his wife¡¯s attention and said, ¡°Your birthday ising soon.¡± Ashley was stunned for a moment before realizing that he was talking about the actual birthday of her birth in the Pliskin family. The time is almost up. Ashley was about to speak when she saw Valentin holding the kitten, and her eyes suddenly lit up, ¡°Don¡¯t move yet, I¡¯ll take a picture of you first!¡± The picture of a handsome and noble man holding a fluffy white kitten is so beautiful! Ashley reached for her phone, but when she looked at the screen, she remembered that she was still in livestream¡­ ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Valentin couldn¡¯t help but ask when he saw her standing there. ¡°Then what¡­¡± Ashley cleared her throat and said, ¡°I just forgot, I¡¯m still in the livestream.¡± Valentin raised his eyebrows and lowered his eyes to look at the phone. [finally! She finally remembered hahaha! ] [Ah ah Mr. Kingsley is looking at the camera! So handsome! So handsome!] [Excuse me, Mr. Kingsley, you are jealous of a cat. Do you think you are. too jealous?] When Ashley saw thest question, she blinked, ¡°There¡¯s no way you¡¯re jealous of a cat, it¡¯s nothing!¡± The barrage said: I don¡¯t believe it at all! Valentin raised his eyebrows imperceptibly but said nothing. Netizens took the opportunity to ask a few more questions. [AshleyAshley! How long have you been married to Mr. Kingsley?] Ashley thought for a moment and realized that this was no secret. She 09:29 said openly, ¡°It¡¯s been almost two years since I got the certificate.¡± [Wow! Then when are you going to have a baby? ] Ashley, ¡°?¡± Giving birth to a baby has been so long ago that I have never even thought about it. Besides, if you haven¡¯t even had a night out as a couple, where can you give birth to a baby? Valentin nced at Ashley with deep eyes and touched the little kitten in his arms. The kitten meowed ¡°meow¡± very cooperatively. Ashley, ¡°?¡± [Ashley, Mr. Kingsley just said that your birthday ising soon! Happy birthday to you in advance! Will there be a birthday party then?] All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Ashley smiled sweetly, ¡°Thank you everyone for your blessings. The birthday party has not been decided yet. We will look backter.¡± After chatting with fans for a while, Ashley turned off the livestream. He carried the cat and walked downstairs. The servant had already. prepared cat food and other things. As soon as I put the kitten over, the little guy started eating it with big mouthfuls. Ashley was so cute that she looked at it with relish for a while, then turned to look at Valentin who was sitting on the sofa. Her eyes moved around quickly, and she moved over and took the initiative to sit in the man¡¯s arms, ¡°Husband?¡± Valentin raised his eyebrows in surprise, his handszily supporting her waist, ¡°Tell me, what¡¯s the matter.¡± Ashley immediately exploded, ¡°What do you mean! I took the initiative. to call you husband just because I have something to do with you? I can¡¯t call you husband when I have nothing to do?¡± Chapter 456 Valentin looked at her lively little face, and a sultry chuckle escaped from his throat, ¡°Of course, you can call her what you want.¡± Ashley snorted, ¡°That¡¯s pretty much it! Valentin looked at her cute look, his cold eyes sparkling with smiles. He couldn¡¯t help but lower his head and ced a gentle kiss on her eyebrows, ¡°How do you want to spend your birthday?¡± Ashley thought for a while and said, ¡°It depends on what my parents arrange.¡± Valentin, ¡°Okay.¡± Ashley put her ear against his heart, listening to his steady and powerful heartbeat, and suddenly said on a whim, ¡°I suddenly want to learn to excavate!¡± Valentin, ¡°?¡± Ashley raised her head to look at him, her ck and white eyes blinking, ¡°Husband, do you support me?¡± Valentin raised her hand and stroked a strand of hair on her temples to her ear, ¡°I support you, even if you drive a tractor.¡± Ashley, ¡°??¡± He said very seriously, ¡°Go and buy a few cars now so that you can drive them and practice your skills?¡± Ashley, ¡°???¡± There is no need to be so supportive. Ashley herself was amused, and sheughed so hard in the man¡¯s arms that her shoulders were shaking, ¡°When I learn how to do it, I¡¯ll take you for a ride, okay!¡± After Ashley asked, she didn¡¯t get a reply for a long time. She got up from the man¡¯s arms angrily, ¡°I knew you disliked my tractor!¡± Valentinughed out loud, ¡°Little ancestor, how dare I dislike you?¡± Ashley, ¡°Then I just said I learned how to drive a tractor and took you for 10:37 a ride, but you didn¡¯t even answer me! He raised his eyebrows slightly, ¡°I was just thinking about where I would sit if you drive the tractor.¡± Ashley blinked, blinked again, and patted her thigh, ¡°This is not easy, you sit on myp!¡± Valentin, ¡°?¡± Ashley, ¡°Come on, try it now!¡± After saying that, she wanted to get up from his arms, but as soon as she moved, she was pushed back by Valentin. Then, the man kissed her with a punitive tone without any exnation. I need to cheer up my husband! However, after the kiss, Ashley looked at him with watery eyes, ¡°What should I do? I like you kissing me more and more!¡± Valentin was coaxed with just one sentence¡­. Ashley¡¯s birthday wasing soon. Karen Pliskin and Brian Pliskin thought that this would be Ashley¡¯s first real birthday of her own, so they nned to hold a birthday party early Ashley originally wanted to just go through it casually, but t seeing her parents and brothers preparing for her in such a grand way, the feeling of being taken seriously warmed her heart. Fortunately, I haven¡¯t seen some friends for a long time, such as Jaden. and others, so I can take advantage of this birthday party to invite them to attend and get together among friends. News of the birthday party spread, and many people were looking forward to it. Ashley would celebrate her birthday as the eldest daughter of the Pliskin family for the first time. What a grand asion the birthday party would be. Ashley¡¯s fans are also beating gongs and drums to celebrate Ashley¡¯s birthday. Everything is full of joy and grandeur. This afternoon, in the living room of the Kingsley Vi. Ashley took Valentin to feed the cat together. 10:37 She looked at the man next to her, raised her bright eyes, and asked thoughtfully, ¡°Dear ssmate Valentin, have you been thinking about what birthday gift you want to give me to your wife these days?¡± The corners of Valentin¡¯s lips curled up, ¡°My wife is so smart, she has guessed all this.¡± Ashley, ¡°Hey, actually you don¡¯t have to think too hard, I like whatever you give me! Just don¡¯t give me a tractor!¡± Valentin raised his eyebrows and deliberately teased her, ¡°What a coincidence, I was nning to give away the tractor.¡± Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Ashley¡¯s eyes suddenly widened, she stretched out her hand to twist his waist, and said angrily, ¡°Why are you so annoying!¡± Valentin chuckled and didn¡¯t hide. Ashley snorted, her fair cheeks bulging slightly, and said angrily, ¡°Actually, you don¡¯t need to prepare any gifts, and I don¡¯tck anything.¡± Even if she was left to think about it, she couldn¡¯t think of what she wanted for her birthday. What a conundrum. There was still a pleasant smile between the man¡¯s brows and eyes, and he teased herzily, ¡°We Ashley are so considerate, but we have to give it away, and we can¡¯t miss a birthday gift!¡± What others have, his Ashley must also have. What¡¯s more, this is her first real birthday. Ashley¡¯s eyes slightly raised when she heard this, and she reached out to touch the cor of his shirt teasingly, deftly unbuttoned a button, and gently rubbed the man¡¯s cold white and delicate corbone with her fingertips, ¡°You just said that I am considerate? I Not only am I considerate, I¡¯m also considerate of people¡¯s clothes.¡± Valentin¡¯s eyes darkened instantly as she touched him around. Ashley suddenly thought of something, her eyes trembled slightly, she leaned over and whispered, ¡°Really, you don¡¯t need to prepare any gifts, I don¡¯tck anything, just give yourself to me-¡± As soon as the words fell, a dark lust suddenly appeared in Valentin¡¯s eyes. ww 10.37 D His throat rolled, and he leaned forward to kiss her. Ashley smiled and hid aside. The kitten is still here, it¡¯s not appropriate for young cats!¡± The man¡¯s dark eyes stared at her for a moment. When he heard her say ¡°Young cats are not suitable¡±. his knuckled hands reached directly to the side, pressed the kitten¡¯s head to cover the kitten¡¯s sight, and kissed Ashley again with his hot breath. passed¡­ Ashley blinked in confusion, is this okay? Until her lips hurt and she was bitten by a man like a punishment, she no longer had the energy to think about anything else¡­ Even after feeding the cat. Ashley¡¯s mouth was still red and swollen the color of water, and the ends of her eyes were stained with redness. Her wet eyes red at the culprit angrily. Valentin, the culprit, raised his eyebrows slightly, ¡°Are you angry? Then I¡¯ll kiss you back.¡± Ashley, ¡­ Ha. After ying with the kitten for a while. Ashley was about to have dinner with Valentin when her phone received a message from Galvin. [Sister, I wish you a happy birthday in advance! ] Ashley replied politely: [Thank you. ] A momentter, Galvin sent another message. After Ashley finished reading, she raised her eyebrows and raised the phone screen to Valentin, ¡°Look.¡± Valentin lowered his eyes and looked. I saw the message sent by Galvin: [Sister, my birthday is just a few days after yours. Maybe this is fate¡­ I heard that you are going to hold a birthday party. Can I attend?] Valentin¡¯s eyes darkened and his voice lowered, ¡°Abby ke and Galvin have been in frequent contact these days.¡± He has been sending people to keep an eye on Abby ke and Galvin 45 Chapter 456 secretly. Therefore, their movements are clearly known. The corners of Ashley¡¯s red lips rose slightly, ¡°That¡¯s just right, let¡¯s take this opportunity to settle the matter at once.¡± Ashley replied to Galvin: [Yes, wee to the birthday party. ] So let¡¯s take advantage of this birthday party to deal with Abby ke and Galvin at once, and these things should be put to an end. Chapter 457 In a blink of an eye, it¡¯s Ashley¡¯s birthday. Ashley¡¯s fans have long boughtrge-screen broadcasts inndmark squares in various cities, looping video clips about Ashley, and organized grand drone performances, etc., to send birthday wishes to Ashley in a lively manner.. In addition to fans, almost half of the celebrities in the entertainment industry also sent LiveMe to wish Ashley a happy birthday. Netizens who eat melons are stunned to see it. Most of the entertainment industry is involved. What is the concept? Even if you look at them one by one, the mobile phone screen is almost filled with sparks, and you haven¡¯t even seen the end of the list. Whether these celebrities really like Ashley or they want to curry favor with Ashley and the Pliskin family, it is enough to see that Ashley¡¯s birthday has a huge impact. In addition to popr celebrities, people from other walks of life, such as ssical dance master Megan, harp master Eddy Moore, and top tycoons in various circles ofposition, design, and racing, also rushed to release LiveMe to congratte Ashley on her birthday. Seeing that one after another respected national treasure-level masters who rarely go online are now coming out specifically for Ashley,izens are joining in the fun, checking this big guy¡¯s LiveMe for a while, and then checking that big guy¡¯s LiveMe for a while., almost more excited than celebrating my own birthday. However, this is not over yet. Yaloria Mr. Murray, who is very fond of Ashley because of her restoration of ancient paintings and opened LiveMe specifically for Ashley, and Princess Elena of the Yavelyn royal family who attended the Pliskin family¡¯s wedding banquet, also sessively posted messages on Chinese social tforms to wish Ashley a happy birthday.. Whenizens saw these two, they were so shocked that their eyes nearly popped out. This grand asion¡­ is so amazing!! At this moment, in Abby ke¡¯s apartment. 10:38 AAbby ke looked at the unprecedented spectacle on the Inte, her eyes filled with anger and unwillingness. Her biological daughter Jessica is in a cold prison. As the eldest daughter ofof the Pliskin family, Ashley is sought after by so many people¡­ Hblow could she endure this! Abby ke smashed the water ss in her hand with a bang, the anger in hdrer eyes turned into twisted sinisterness, and her upper and lower teeth leichhebtogether. Jessicacaosoon¡­¡­ Scipomoiommy will let Ashley go to jail to stay with you! When Gaivio came over, he saw the broken ss shards on the ground and firenewed slightly, ¡°Why are you angry again?¡± When Abbot ke saw Galvining over, the ferocity in her eyes. dissipated a huialel she stood up and asked, ¡°Are you going to attend. Ashley¡¯s birthday party now? Galvin¡¯s fain inca coblonger looked as gentle and harmless as before, and his expressioioioiieke indifferent. ¡°It¡¯s almost time.¡± Abby ke suddeidylyseered Okay, then we will do as we agreed yesterday.y. Ashley, you¡¯re deachtbunday. This grand birthday party will also be your burial ground! Abby ke walked to the safefearby opened the safe withbination, and carefully toolobout asnihil package of items inside. This is a small transparent hag containing light blic powdered This was an illegal drug she gotdrorothblck market. Zyrrinthiaw stiptes that no onecahihild this dangerous drug containing toxins, otherwise it willlida minjajoillegal crime. Last ume, Ca Hardin wanted to use Cayiydinidit to use Ashley o being a bully and a bully on the set, which hammed Ashley¡¯s reputation. Unexpectedly, Ashley used evidence to prove berciriinuocence. Afterst time, Ashley must have been very wary of her. This time, if I want to send Ashley to jail, I can only do it one at a time! Abby ke handed the illegal drugs to Galvin, raised her hand to stroke his hair, and cautiously warned him softly, ¡°Galvin, just do what we said. yesterday and hide this package at Ashley¡¯s house¡­ be careful. Don¡¯t caught, don¡¯t involve yourself, you know?¡± Galvin narrowed his eyes, ¡°I know.¡± get Ashley¡¯s birthday party was held at the Pliskin family manor. Attending the banquet were popr celebrities from the Pliskin Group entertainmentpany, as well as socialite A Jin and wealthy young men from Kilos City¡¯s wealthy circles. The most important thing is that of course Ashley invited her friends to the scene, such as Jaden, whom she hasn¡¯t seen for a long time, as well as Bryce, Miranda, Brittany Walsh, etc. Unexpectedly, that guy Riley Serrano also came with Brittany Walsh. Bryce nced at Riley Serrano, looking a little impatient. When Jaden came over, he started arguing with Joseph as soon as he saw him. ire Fox looked at the boy arguing with her younger brother and found it very interesting, with a smile on her pretty face. In the cloakroom on the third floor. Ashley changed into her dress and was wondering which set of jewelry to wear when she suddenly caught a glimpse of an exquisite sapphire blue square box next to the dressing table. Ashley walked over and opened the lid of the box, and her eyes suddenly lit up. Inside is a set of very beautiful diamond jewelry. And it¡¯s jewelry designed by master Violet Knight! When she and Valentin first obtained their marriage certificate, Valentin took her to an auction and bought a ne for 100 million and gave it 10:381 to her. That 20 million dor ne was designed by Violet Knight. She likes the works designed by Violet Knight. This set of jewelry was also designed by Violet Knight. It is very expensive. There is no replica version and there is only one set in the world. Ashley didn¡¯t have to guess, it must have been given to her by Valentin! ¡°Like it?¡± The man¡¯s deep maic voice sounded in the room. He walked over, naturally hugged the woman¡¯s soft waist, bowed his head and kissed her lips, ¡°Happy birthday.¡± Ashley¡¯s delicate and picturesque eyebrows smiled brightly, ¡°Of course I like it!¡± Originally she couldn¡¯t think of any gift she wanted, but she didn¡¯t expect Valentin to be delivered to her heart. ¡°As long as you like it.¡± The man¡¯s voice was soft and seductive, and he kissed her lovingly again. Ashley¡¯s bright, watery eyes blinked, looking at the handsome and dignified man in front of her, she suddenly raised her eyebrows strangely, ¡°Well, from what I see, you seem to have other gifts besides this set of jewelry. give me?¡± Valentin heard this and chuckled softly. Ashley puffed up her cheeks and said in a sweet voice, ¡°I¡¯m not asking you for a gift. I know you, so I have this particrly strong premonitio The man leaned forward and nuzzled hers gently with the tip of his nos The low and hoarse voice that escaped from his throat was as sultry as it could be, ¡°Honey, we really understand each other¡­¡± All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Ashley curved her red lips and smiled, ¡°So there are really gifts? What, give it to me, let me see it.¡± Valentin raised his hand and pinched her soft and white earlobe, ¡°I will give it to you after the birthday party.¡± When he said this, Ashley became really curious. What kind of gift was 10:38 pter 457 it? It was so mysterious. ¡°Shall I put it on for you?¡± Valentin picked up the beautiful and bright diamond ne from the jewelry box. There were earrings, bracelets and rings next to it, which was aplete set of matching jewelry. ¡°Not only the ne, but also the earrings and rings, I want you to put them on. I¡¯m toozy to move.¡± Ashleymanded people confidently, and she felt like a goldendy who could wear clothes, put food in her hands and open her mouth. Valentin¡¯s lips curved into a smile, naturally he was happy to be manipted by her. After helping her put it on one by one looking at the beautiful girl in front of him, he couldn¡¯t help but lowered his head and kissed her again, interlocking with her fingers¡­ Chapter 458 By the time Ashley and Valentin came out of the room, it was already ten minutester. Just then George and Lester came over. ¡°Happy birthday, sister!¡± Lester raised his lips and smiled, ¡°Do you like the birthday gift my second brother gave you? If you don¡¯t like it, I¡¯ll change it.¡± Ashley¡¯s mouth twitched slightly, feeling helpless. Of course, her parents and Frankie¡¯s second brother gave her birthday gifts. Frankie gave her a racing car and a harp, one of the top ten famous pianos, and a jade sculpture of a little fox that he carved by himself, which was particrly cute and lifelike. This was good, Lester wanted topare Frankie to her, so he sent her a private jet and an imperial green jade bracelet. If this wasn¡¯t enough, he simply and rudely gave her a ck card¡­ ¡°Ashley,¡± George came over, ¡°ignore him, your second brother is crazy.¡± Ashley nodded, her voice sweet and well-behaved, ¡°Thank you Frankie for the gift, especially the jade carving of the little fox, I really like it!¡± Lester, ¡°¡­¡± injured. Ashley turned to look at Lester, curled her eyes and smiled sweetly, ¡°I also really like the gift from my second brother!¡± Lester, ¡°!!!¡± Resurrected again! Not hurt at all! Looking at the two brotherspeting for favor, Valentin raised his eyebrows slightly and suddenly sighed, ¡°The gift given by the second brother Frankie is so good, it even outshines mine.¡± Ashley quickly retorted, ¡°No way! It¡¯s not possible! You haven¡¯t finished giving out your gifts yet! And, no matter what you give me, I really like it!¡± 10.397 Well, two ¡°special¡± ones! e and Lester, ¡°¡­¡± This dead green coffee! The two brothers looked at each other and decided to put off the internal fighting and join forces first to drive Valentin, the green coffee, from the most important position in Ashley¡¯s heart! The banquet hall on the first floor. The clothes are fragrant, the flowers are blooming, peoplee and go, and it is very lively. Waiters in tuxedos are always around. The dazzling and gorgeous diamond chandelier hangs from the high ceiling. It is evening at this time, and the soft sunlight pours in through the huge floor-to-ceiling windows. The diamond chandelier is shining, and the light and shadow are swaying, making the entire banquet hall beautiful. Like a dream. In the lively atmosphere, everyone was chatting, and suddenly someone shouted in surprise, ¡°Ms. Pliskin is here!¡± Everyone turned around when they heard the sound. On the spiral staircase, today¡¯s birthday boy finally appeared. Valentin held Ashley¡¯s right hand affectionately, and the two walked down the stairs paved with velvet carpets step by step. The man was tall and tall, wearing a well-tailored ck suit and a whit shirt buttoned to the top of his cor. His handsome face was wless, and his movements were full of elegance, calmness, and innate dignity. The man¡¯s peripheral vision was always paying attention to his wife: beside him, and the corners of his eyes and brows were full of affection. Ashley wore aplicated and gorgeous embroidered dress with a wide and gorgeous hem. The tube top design revealed her slender white neck, and she wore a dazzling diamond ne on it. The woman¡¯s skin is as white as jade and can be broken by blows, her red lips are delicate, her gleaming eyes seem to be filled with spring water, and her long, fluffy curly hair is scattered around her shoulders. She is so beautiful that she can¡¯t be compared¡­ Seeing this stunning scene, the lively banquet hall suddenly became quiet. Everyone held their breath and stared nkly at the two people on the stairs. Even though they have met Ashley countless times, even though they already know the rtionship between Ashley and Valentin, at this moment, everyone can¡¯t help but repeat in their hearts: These two¡­ really match each other! Especially the looks and temperament, they are simply a match made in heaven! It¡¯s not an exaggeration to say they are a perfect couple! Just at this time, the huge diamond chandelier lit up, the light was bright and gorgeous. In the luxurious banquet hall, Ashley and Valentin were dressed in costumes and came down the spiral staircase, looking elegant and noble. At a nce, it looks like a stunning oil painting. Some people even couldn¡¯t help but take out their mobile phones to take pictures of the scene of the painting of the same name.. ¡°Ms. Pliskin, happy birthday!¡± I don¡¯t know who congratted him first, but others came to their sense from this beautiful scene and rushed to congratte him. ¡°Happy birthday, Ms. Pliskin!¡± ¡°Sister Ashley, happy birthday!¡± ¡°Mr. Kingsley and Ms. Pliskin are truly a match made in heaven! I wish you a happy marriage!¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s a perfect match! I was stunned just now, hahaha¡­ Mr. Kingsley seems to be in a good mood today!¡± Anyone who is not blind can see that Valentin usually looks like he is refusing to let strangers in when facing outsiders, but now in front of his wife, he has a gentle smile on his brows, making him look easy to approach. A lot. 10 38 Of course, this is all because of Ashley, Everyone is like a mirror, of course they understand. Listening to everyone¡¯s congrattions, Ashley smiled gracefully and thanked her. ¡°Ashley! You look so beautiful today! Happy birthday!¡± Miranda, Brittany Walsh, and ire Fox came over. ¡°Thank you.¡± Ashley said a few words to the three of them. When she saw Jaden and Joseph who were still bickering at the side, her temples jumped suddenly. These two people are bound to fight each other whenever they meet. Jaden¡¯s mixed-race facial features were deep and three-dimensional. He walked over with one hand in his pocket and an uninhibited smile in his blue eyes, ¡°Happy birthday to our little birthday boy.¡± ¡°Happy birthday, sister-inw!¡± Joseph chased after her not to be outdone. ¡°Can you two calm down for a while?¡± Ashley was really helpless. ¡°It¡¯s none of my business.¡± Jaden looked innocent, ¡°He insisted on arguing with me.¡± ¡°Who made the quarrel with you?¡± Joseph fumed, ¡°You were the one pestering me, okay?¡± Ashley, ¡°¡­¡± OK, it¡¯s starting again. ire Fox couldn¡¯t help butugh. Bryce and Riley Serrano also came over. Ashley held her forehead with a headache and reluctantly interrupted Jaden and Joseph, ¡°Okay, okay, let¡¯s calm down for a while.¡± Jaden looked at her and sighed with relief, ¡°That¡¯s right, the Pliskin family is like a real family now. They don¡¯t treat you badly at all. You can tell by looking at your energy. It¡¯s better than before in the Ramos family.¡± Life is much better.¡± ¡°That¡¯s natural.¡± Lester walked over with a slight smile on his lips, ¡°Ashley is the sister we finally got back. If we don¡¯t treat her well, who will we treat well?¡± Jaden nodded in agreement, this is what a real family should think. While everyone was chatting, a waiter came over to announce that Galvin was here. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Upon hearing this, Valentin narrowed his narrow eyes slightly and gently squeezed the back of Ashley¡¯s hand. Ashley whispered, ¡°I know, you have told me, don¡¯t worry.¡± Valentin has been sending people to keep an eye on Abby ke and Galvin these days, so he naturally knows that they have frequent contact and want to cause trouble. Galvin walked over under the guidance of the waiter, his delicate and fair face full of smiles, ¡°Happy birthday, sister!¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Ashley¡¯s face curled up as usual. ¡°This is the birthday gift I prepared for you. I wish you sess every year.¡± Galvin sent the exquisite square gift box in his hand. After the gift box was opened, there was a women¡¯s watch inside. ¡°I hope my sister won¡¯t dislike it.¡± Galvin said, his earlobes were slightly red, and he looked very afraid of being disliked by Ashley. Ashley smiled slightly and raised her hand to take it, ¡°Of course not, thank you very much for the gift.¡± Seeing that Ashley didn¡¯t dislike it, Galvin breathed a sigh of relief, his clear eyes filled with joy, ¡°You¡¯re wee! As long as sister likes it!¡± Ashley chatted with him casually for a few words and said calmly, ¡°I ha to entertain other guests, so you can y casually first.¡± Galvin nodded repeatedly, ¡°Okay, sister, go ahead and do your work firs Ashley picked up a ss of champagne from the passing waiter¡¯s tray, nodded to Galvin, turned and walked away. Galvin looked around and saw that there were several lounges next to the banquet hall for guests to rest at any time. Guests would asionallye in and out. Seeing the lounges without waiters guarding them, Galvin touched the package of illegal drugs in his pocket, and a chill shed through his eyes. About half an hourter. Galvin walked to the corner of the banquet hall, took out his mobile phone and dialed Abby ke¡¯s number. After getting through, he lowered his voice and said, ¡°It¡¯s done.¡± Abby ke was pleasantly surprised when she heard this, and immediately asked nervously, ¡°Have you been seen by others?¡± Galvin was always paying attention to see if anyone was approaching, his expression was cold and inconsistent with the past, ¡°No.¡± Abby ke asked again, ¡°You¡¯re sure the surveince didn¡¯t capture you, right?¡± Galvin, ¡°Sure.¡± Abby ke was overjoyed, ¡°Okay! I¡¯ll call the police immediately and be there immediately!¡± Ashley, let¡¯s see how you can escape this time! 10:39 Chapter 459 By the time Ashley and Valentin came out of the room, it was already ten minutester. Just then George and Lester came over. ¡°Happy birthday, sister!¡± Lester raised his lips and smiled, ¡°Do you like the birthday gift my second brother gave you? If you don¡¯t like it, I¡¯ll change it.¡± Ashley¡¯s mouth twitched slightly, feeling helpless. Of course, her parents and Frankie¡¯s second brother gave her birthday gifts. Frankie gave her a racing car and a harp, one of the top ten famous pianos, and a jade sculpture of a little fox that he carved by himself, which was particrly cute and lifelike. This was good, Lester wanted topare Frankie to her, so he sent her a private jet and an imperial green jade bracelet. If this wasn¡¯t enough, he simply and rudely gave her a ck card¡­ ¡°Ashley,¡± George came over, ¡°ignore him, your second brother is crazy.¡± Ashley nodded, her voice sweet and well-behaved, ¡°Thank you Frankie for the gift, especially the jade carving of the little fox, I really like it!¡± Lester, ¡°¡­¡± injured. Ashley turned to look at Lester, curled her eyes and smiled sweetly, ¡°I also really like the gift from my second brother!¡± Lester, ¡°!!!¡± Resurrected again! Not hurt at all! Looking at the two brotherspeting for favor, Valentin raised his eyebrows slightly and suddenly sighed, ¡°The gift given by the second brother Frankie is so good, it even outshines mine.¡± Ashley quickly retorted, ¡°No way! It¡¯s not possible! You haven¡¯t finished giving out your gifts yet! And, no matter what you give me, I really like it!¡± 10.397 Well, two ¡°special¡± ones! e and Lester, ¡°¡­¡± This dead green coffee! The two brothers looked at each other and decided to put off the internal fighting and join forces first to drive Valentin, the green coffee, from the most important position in Ashley¡¯s heart! The banquet hall on the first floor. The clothes are fragrant, the flowers are blooming, peoplee and go, and it is very lively. Waiters in tuxedos are always around. The dazzling and gorgeous diamond chandelier hangs from the high ceiling. It is evening at this time, and the soft sunlight pours in through the huge floor-to-ceiling windows. The diamond chandelier is shining, and the light and shadow are swaying, making the entire banquet hall beautiful. Like a dream. In the lively atmosphere, everyone was chatting, and suddenly someone shouted in surprise, ¡°Ms. Pliskin is here!¡± Everyone turned around when they heard the sound. On the spiral staircase, today¡¯s birthday boy finally appeared. Valentin held Ashley¡¯s right hand affectionately, and the two walked down the stairs paved with velvet carpets step by step. The man was tall and tall, wearing a well-tailored ck suit and a whit shirt buttoned to the top of his cor. His handsome face was wless, and his movements were full of elegance, calmness, and innate dignity. The man¡¯s peripheral vision was always paying attention to his wife: beside him, and the corners of his eyes and brows were full of affection. Ashley wore aplicated and gorgeous embroidered dress with a wide and gorgeous hem. The tube top design revealed her slender white neck, and she wore a dazzling diamond ne on it. The woman¡¯s skin is as white as jade and can be broken by blows, her red lips are delicate, her gleaming eyes seem to be filled with spring water, and her long, fluffy curly hair is scattered around her shoulders. She is so beautiful that she can¡¯t be compared¡­ Seeing this stunning scene, the lively banquet hall suddenly became quiet. Everyone held their breath and stared nkly at the two people on the stairs. Even though they have met Ashley countless times, even though they already know the rtionship between Ashley and Valentin, at this moment, everyone can¡¯t help but repeat in their hearts: These two¡­ really match each other! Especially the looks and temperament, they are simply a match made in heaven! It¡¯s not an exaggeration to say they are a perfect couple! Just at this time, the huge diamond chandelier lit up, the light was bright and gorgeous. In the luxurious banquet hall, Ashley and Valentin were dressed in costumes and came down the spiral staircase, looking elegant and noble. At a nce, it looks like a stunning oil painting. Some people even couldn¡¯t help but take out their mobile phones to take pictures of the scene of the painting of the same name.. ¡°Ms. Pliskin, happy birthday!¡± I don¡¯t know who congratted him first, but others came to their sense from this beautiful scene and rushed to congratte him. ¡°Happy birthday, Ms. Pliskin!¡± ¡°Sister Ashley, happy birthday!¡± ¡°Mr. Kingsley and Ms. Pliskin are truly a match made in heaven! I wish you a happy marriage!¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s a perfect match! I was stunned just now, hahaha¡­ Mr. Kingsley seems to be in a good mood today!¡± Anyone who is not blind can see that Valentin usually looks like he is refusing to let strangers in when facing outsiders, but now in front of his wife, he has a gentle smile on his brows, making him look easy to approach. A lot. 10 38 Of course, this is all because of Ashley, Everyone is like a mirror, of course they understand. Listening to everyone¡¯s congrattions, Ashley smiled gracefully and thanked her. ¡°Ashley! You look so beautiful today! Happy birthday!¡± Miranda, Brittany Walsh, and ire Fox came over. ¡°Thank you.¡± Ashley said a few words to the three of them. When she saw Jaden and Joseph who were still bickering at the side, her temples jumped suddenly. These two people are bound to fight each other whenever they meet. Jaden¡¯s mixed-race facial features were deep and three-dimensional. He walked over with one hand in his pocket and an uninhibited smile in his blue eyes, ¡°Happy birthday to our little birthday boy.¡± ¡°Happy birthday, sister-inw!¡± Joseph chased after her not to be outdone. ¡°Can you two calm down for a while?¡± Ashley was really helpless. ¡°It¡¯s none of my business.¡± Jaden looked innocent, ¡°He insisted on arguing with me.¡± ¡°Who made the quarrel with you?¡± Joseph fumed, ¡°You were the one pestering me, okay?¡± Ashley, ¡°¡­¡± OK, it¡¯s starting again. ire Fox couldn¡¯t help butugh. Bryce and Riley Serrano also came over. Ashley held her forehead with a headache and reluctantly interrupted Jaden and Joseph, ¡°Okay, okay, let¡¯s calm down for a while.¡± Jaden looked at her and sighed with relief, ¡°That¡¯s right, the Pliskin family is like a real family now. They don¡¯t treat you badly at all. You can tell by looking at your energy. It¡¯s better than before in the Ramos family.¡± Life is much better.¡± ¡°That¡¯s natural.¡± Lester walked over with a slight smile on his lips, ¡°Ashley is the sister we finally got back. If we don¡¯t treat her well, who will we treat well?¡± Jaden nodded in agreement, this is what a real family should think. While everyone was chatting, a waiter came over to announce that Galvin was here. Upon hearing this, Valentin narrowed his narrow eyes slightly and gently squeezed the back of Ashley¡¯s hand. Ashley whispered, ¡°I know, you have told me, don¡¯t worry.¡± Valentin has been sending people to keep an eye on Abby ke and Galvin these days, so he naturally knows that they have frequent contact and want to cause trouble. Galvin walked over under the guidance of the waiter, his delicate and fair face full of smiles, ¡°Happy birthday, sister!¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Ashley¡¯s face curled up as usual. ¡°This is the birthday gift I prepared for you. I wish you sess every year.¡± Galvin sent the exquisite square gift box in his hand. After the gift box was opened, there was a women¡¯s watch inside. ¡°I hope my sister won¡¯t dislike it.¡± Galvin said, his earlobes were slightly red, and he looked very afraid of being disliked by Ashley. Ashley smiled slightly and raised her hand to take it, ¡°Of course not, thank you very much for the gift.¡± Seeing that Ashley didn¡¯t dislike it, Galvin breathed a sigh of relief, his clear eyes filled with joy, ¡°You¡¯re wee! As long as sister likes it!¡± Ashley chatted with him casually for a few words and said calmly, ¡°I ha to entertain other guests, so you can y casually first.¡± Galvin nodded repeatedly, ¡°Okay, sister, go ahead and do your work firs Ashley picked up a ss of champagne from the passing waiter¡¯s tray, nodded to Galvin, turned and walked away. Galvin looked around and saw that there were several lounges next to the banquet hall for guests to rest at any time. Guests would asionallye in and out. Seeing the lounges without waiters guarding them, Galvin touched the package of illegal drugs in his pocket, and a chill shed through his eyes. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. About half an hourter. Galvin walked to the corner of the banquet hall, took out his mobile phone and dialed Abby ke¡¯s number. After getting through, he lowered his voice and said, ¡°It¡¯s done.¡± Abby ke was pleasantly surprised when she heard this, and immediately asked nervously, ¡°Have you been seen by others?¡± Galvin was always paying attention to see if anyone was approaching, his expression was cold and inconsistent with the past, ¡°No.¡± Abby ke asked again, ¡°You¡¯re sure the surveince didn¡¯t capture you, right?¡± Galvin, ¡°Sure.¡± Abby ke was overjoyed, ¡°Okay! I¡¯ll call the police immediately and be there immediately!¡± Ashley, let¡¯s see how you can escape this time! 10:39 Chapter 460 time, everyone in the banquet hall also had the mentality of quickly letting the police search. Joseph was devoted to protecting Ashley and was about to speak angrily, but at this moment, Ashley on the side stretched out her hand to stop him. When Joseph saw it was Ashley, he immediately became obedient and quieted down. Ashley took a step forward, nced at Abby ke with a sharp look, then looked at the leading police officer, smiled slightly and said, ¡°Since you have received a report, you are also acting ording to the rules. Please search.¡± The police thought that due to the power of the Pliskin family, they would encounter obstacles and difficulties. Unexpectedly, they were relieved to hear Ashley¡¯s general answer, ¡°Ms. Pliskin is really courageous!¡± Abby ke sneered in her heart when she saw this. Until now, Ashley is still pretending to be calm. Ha, I hope you can be so calm when you are imprisoned! Several police officers immediatelyunched a search. Abby ke stole a nce at Galvin in the corner. Galvin indicated with his eyes that the package was hidden in the storage room next to the guest lounge. He originally wanted to hide in the guest lounge secretly, but there were peopleing in and out of the lounge at any time, so he couldn¡¯t hide. the things in there unnoticed. Furthermore, even if she hid the items in the guest lounge and was foundter, Ashley could still evade it by saying that other guests had brought the items from abroad, and the crime could not be pinned on her. If you want topletely me Ashley, you must hide the things in a ce where outsiders cannot enter and only the Pliskin family can enter! By chance, he saw a small storage room next to the lounge. The door was unlocked, so he sneaked in and ced the package of illegal drugs in the 10:38 storage room¡­ As the to searched, the guests in the banquet hall craned their necks Ashley stood aside calmly. Valentin was with her from beginning to end. Brian Pliskin, Karen Pliskin and George Lester also firmly protect Ashley. The police searched every lounge from the huge banquet hall to the guest lounge, but no illegal drugs were found. The guests gradually began to wonder, was Abby ke deliberately framed again this time?N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Until finally, one of the policemen walked into the small storage next to him and suddenly shouted, ¡°Here!¡± room The other policemen heard the sound and rushed over immediately. Sure enough, they found a package of light blue powder in a transparent bag in the corner of the bookcase! The police did not touch it directly with their hands, but used tools to take out the bag of illegal drugs. Everyone in the banquet hall suddenly becamemotion. They were so frightened that they stayed far away, but they couldn¡¯t help but watch curiously. ¡°Oh my God, there really is one! I found it after searching!¡± ¡°Look, it¡¯s that light blue powder! It¡¯s hidden in the storage room!¡± ¡°How dare you hide such illegal drugs: You are so brave, it is simplywless! This is illegal and you will go to jail!¡± When Joseph saw the package of illegal drugs, his heart skipped a beat. Sure enough, he guessed it right. Abby ke had reallyid out the n in advance, just to trick little Ashley! Joseph frowned and looked at Abby ke in front of him, ¡°Did you secretly put it in in advance?¡± Abby ke crossed her arms arrogantly. Thinking that the evidence was conclusive and Ashley was about to go to jail, she felt extremelyfortable. She sneered, ¡°I just came here with Mr. Police, how could I 10 381 secretly release it in advance? Besides, this packagees from It was found in the storage room. Only the Pliskin family can enter the storage and outsiders cannot enter. Isn¡¯t it obvious who put this package of illegal drugs there?¡± room, Joseph frowned even more when he heard this. This Abby ke is really prepared. Abby ke turned to look at the policeman on the side, ¡°Mr. Police, illegal drugs were found from the Pliskin family. Will the relevant personnel be punished byw?¡± The leading police officer nced at Ashley and nodded slowly, ¡°ording to thew, he will be sentenced.¡± The smile on Abby ke¡¯s face could no longer be hidden, and she looked at Ashley with a triumphant face. ¡°Ms. Pliskin, I feel so sorry for you. You are so young, so beautiful and outstanding, yet you do such illegal and criminal things¡­¡± As Abby ke was speaking, she was suddenly frightened into silence by Valentin¡¯s cold eyes. The daunting cold pressure came overwhelmingly, like the howling wind and snow in an extremely cold ce, and Abby ke seemed to be in a state of shock. His neck was instantly restrained, and it became difficult to breathe. He was so frightened that he couldn¡¯t say a word. Ashley shook Valentin¡¯s hand reassuringly and took a step forward calmly, ¡°Mr. Police, are you sure this package is blue salt toxin? Could it be something else that looks simr?¡± Hearing Ashley¡¯s words, Joseph immediately responded, ¡°Yes, maybe the just look simr!¡± Miranda and others also defended Ashley. The other guests in the banquet hall looked at each other in confusion. ¡°Well, that¡¯s true. This bag of light blue powder looks a lot like blue salt toxin, but I can¡¯t be sure if it is.¡± ¡°Won¡¯t you know if you test it? Blue salt toxin is easy to detect. Use special test strips to detect it, and you can get the result in a few minutes!¡± ¡°Mr. policeman, you should be carrying test strips, right?¡± 10.38 The leading police officer nodded in response, ¡°After we received the report, we brought special test strips. After all, the crime of illegal drugs is ery serious and we cannot easily draw conclusions.¡± very A police officer next to him immediately took o on the spot. a test strip and tested it Abby ke sneered and was about to speak when she remembered Valentin¡¯s frightening look just now and was so frightened that she shut her mouth and could only mock in her heart. Death is imminent, and Ashley still wants to quibble! This package of illegal drugs is absolutely real! When the police used test strips to test, all the guests around them watched intently. With this testing method, if a red line appears on the test paper, it means that the package of illegal drugs is genuine. If no red lines appear on the test paper after testing, it means that the package of illegal drugs is fake. This detection method is very fast and highly urate, and the results can be obtained in a few minutes. Everyone stared without blinking and saw that after the police used the test paper to test, a red line slowly appeared on the white test paper. Seeing this scene, the crowd suddenly becamemotion and retreated in panic. ¡°It¡¯s true! This is an illegal drug containing toxins!¡± ¡°Oh my god, how could Ms. Pliskin hide such a poisonous thing! It¡¯s so scary!¡± ¡°Now that the evidence is conclusive, he will definitely go to jail! How long will the sentence be?¡± Seeing the results of the test paper, Abby ke was like a arrogant rooster, raising her chin high, not to mention how gloating she was, ¡°Ms. Pliskin, what else do you have to say now?¡± The corners of Ashley¡¯s rosy lips raised slightly, and she asked clearly word for word, ¡°Are you sure this package contains illegal drugs that contain toxins?¡± 10:381 Abby ke¡¯s face was full of pride, ¡°The test results are here, do you still want to deny them?¡± Ashley raised her eyebrows slowly and asked again, ¡°Thew stiptes that anyone who illegally possesses prohibited drugs is a major crime, right?¡± Abby ke narrowed her eyes and sneered, ¡°Of course!¡± Ashley, even if you dy and change the subject, you still won¡¯t be able to escape the fate of going to jail! However, immediately after, Ashley chuckled, and her youthful eyes suddenly turned cold, ¡°Okay, since the evidence is conclusive, the person whomitted the crime and should go to jail is Galvin!¡± As soon as the three words ¡°Galvin¡± came out, the entire scene suddenly became silent, and you could hear a pin drop. Galvin, who had been standing in the corner silently watching all this, suddenly heard his name being spoken from Ashley¡¯s mouth. He was caught off guard and froze there. The pride and arrogance on Abby ke¡¯s face also froze. Why did this Ashley suddenly mention Galvin? Abby ke gritted her teeth, as if Ashley¡¯s remarks were unreasonable, and sneered and criticized, ¡°Ashley, are you crazy! You are the one who hides illegal drugs, what does it have to do with Galvin!¡± Compared to Abby ke who was furious, Ashley looked at her calmly and dropped a bombshell, ¡°Because¡­ the person who hid this package the storage room is Galvin.¡± Chapter 461 the storage room was ¡°Because¡­the person who hid this package in the Galvin.¡± As Ashley finished speaking, Galvin suddenly clenched his hands and his back became stiff. Why did Ashley suddenly say that he put illegal drugs in the storage room? Could it be that Ashley discovered something? impossible. He did it so secretly that Ashley would never find out. The other guests in the banquet hall were also shocked when they heard Ashley¡¯s words. Why did he suddenly involve another person? ¡°Galvin¡­isn¡¯t this the photographer who likes Ashley very much? I remember there was a variety show before, and Galvin asked Ashley for help, asking her to help him catch snakes.¡± ¡°I remember it too! But just now Ashley said that Galvin put this bag of illegal drugs in the storage room.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on? Galvin wants to frame Ashley?¡± ¡°Where¡¯s Galvin? Where is he? Come and ask, we¡¯ll find out!¡± Everyone immediately turned around and looked around. In the end, it was discovered that Galvin had been standing at the outermost edge of the crowd. If Ashley hadn¡¯t mentioned him, he wouldn¡¯t have been aware of his presence at all. In an instant, everyone¡¯s eyes turned to Galvin. Facing so many probing eyes, Galvin quietly clenched his fists, but with a confused look on his face. He walked up to Ashley and asked in confusion, ¡°Sister, what were you talking about just now? What did I do?¡± Can¡¯t understand?¡± Ashley looked at him calmly, ¡°Don¡¯t you understand?¡± Galvin looked innocent, as if he had suffered a huge injustice, ¡°Sister, I really don¡¯t know what happened to this bag of illegal drugs, and I don¡¯t 10:38 know why you suddenly mentioned me.¡± Galvin is certain that when he put this bag of items into the storage room, there was no surveince in the storage room. To be on the safe side, he carefully wore gloves and left no fingerprints. Therefore, it is absolutely impossible for Ashley to find out that he did it! Abby ke nced at Galvin. After receiving Galvin¡¯s confirming look, Abby ke showed a confident smile on her face and said coldly: ¡°Ashley, the police personally found this package of illegal drugs from the storage room of the Pliskin family. Now in full view of the public, you still want to frame it for others? Do you think Galvin has no background and want to bully him?¡± Ashley nced at her after hearing this, ¡°Abby ke, you are so protective of Galvin. It seems that you two know each other. What is your rtionship with him?¡± Abby ke suddenly choked and said angrily, ¡°Ashley, don¡¯t change the subject here! You hid this package privately, and now you framed it for Galvin. I just can¡¯t stand it! What¡¯s more, you are talking nonsense. Once you say it, do others have to believe you? Well, since you said it was Galvin who put it in the storage room, then you should provide evidence!¡± Abby ke can guarantee that Ashley will never be able to produce any evidence. She was just changing the subject to dy time! Abby ke couldn¡¯t wait to see Ashley go to jail. She turned to look at policeman on the side, ¡°Mr. Policeman, this bag of illegal drugs was found from the Pliskin family¡¯s storage room. I hope you will enforce thw impartially!¡± Several police officers looked in Ashley¡¯s direction. At this moment, Ashley¡¯s cold eyes passed over the impatient Abby ke and the innocent-looking Galvin one by one. Suddenly, a smile appeared on her red lips, ¡°Okay, since you want evidence, then I will give it to you. evidence.¡± After Ashley finished speaking, she turned her head and looked at Valentin beside her, her eyes softening, ¡°Honey, turn up the surveince Chager 40 camera. Hearing the word ¡°monitoring. Abby ke and Galvin¡¯s backs suddenly tensed up, and their scalps buzzed and became numb. monitor? Is there monitoring? Abby ke quickly thought about it. Galvin told her just now that it was definitely not caught on the surveince camera, but now that Ashley said so, he must be deliberately deceiving them and bluffing. They couldn¡¯t mess up their position first. Abby ke finally calmed down and said provocatively. Since there is surveince, don¡¯t just say it with your mouth. Do you dare to tune it out and show it to everyone?¡± Ashley nced at her with a half-smile, and said to the guests. ¡®Don¡¯t worry, everyone, there are no surveince cameras in the banquet hall and guest lounge, so everyone will not be photographed.¡± Abby ke sneered in her heart. Sure enough, she called Ashley¡¯s bluff. But the next second. Ashley followed up and said. ¡°As for the corridor of the guest lounge and the storage room, we have ced ultra-miniature surveince. You will know who put this bag of illegal drugs in after just looking at the surveince.¡± As Ashley finished speaking word by word. Abby ke¡¯s vision went dark, her mind became dizzy, and she almost fell to the ground. The corridors and storage rooms¡­.are monitored: What about¡­.Galvin? Abby ke immediately turned to look at Galvin, and saw that the innocence and confusion on Galvin¡¯s facepletely disappeared, and his delicate face turned pale. impossible! Absolutely impossible! When he entered the storage room, he checked it carefully several times. There was no surveince! Ashley said just now¡­the ultra-micro surveince¡­could it be¡­he didn¡¯t notice¡­ At this moment, Valentin had someone bring up the surveince system. There was a big screen in the banquet hall. After some fiddling, the surveince video was yed directly on the big screen. The first thing to y is the surveince screen in the corridor¨C There were several guest lounges on the left and right sides of the corridor. Guests walked in and out chatting andughing. Suddenly, Galvin¡¯s figure appeared in the corridor. Galvin didn¡¯t seem to be taking a he was scouting the rest, but rather lik guest lounge. Watching guestsing in and out at any time, Galvin always stood in the corridor and did not go in.. At this time, Galvin discovered the storage room nearby. The door of the storage room was closed, but the lock above was not locked. I saw Galvin looking around, and when no one was paying attention to him, he reached out to push open the door of the storage room, slipped in, and quickly closed the door¡­ The surveince screen of the corridor ends here. Everyone at the scene was dumbfounded and shocked. ¡°Let me go, it¡¯s really Galvin who entered the storage room!¡± ¡°But, I didn¡¯t see the bag of illegal drugs in Galvin¡¯s hand?¡± ¡°Did you go in the wrong way and identally go in?¡± Just when someone was confused, the surveince footage from the storage room was disyed on the big screen. Everyone immediately looked at the bookcase in the storage room. It was on this bookcase that the police found the package of illegal drugs. However, the surveince video at this time showed that there was no package of illegal drugs on the bookcase. The door of the storage room was pushed open. After Galvin sneaked in, he checked around several times, as if to see if there was any surveince camera. Of course, he did not find the inconspicuous ultra-miniature surveince camera on the wall. 10:39 1 After confirming that there was no surveince, Galvin took out a bag of things from his pocket. It was a small transparent bag, and what was inside was surprisingly light blue powder! Blue salt toxin! Galvin carefully wore gloves without leaving his fingerprints, and then ced the package of illegal drugs on the abandoned bookcase! Afterwards, Galvin quickly left the storage room. The next time the door of the storage room was opened again, the police came in to search and found the bag of light blue powder on the bookcase! During this period, no one else entered or left the storage room except Galvin and the police! Were Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. As the surveince video finished ying, everyone at the scene stood there with their eyes wide open and their faces dumbfounded. They incredibly stunned for dozens of seconds before they recovered from their surprise. ¡°Fuck¡­fuck! It was really Galvin who put it in!¡± ¡°The surveince video clearly shows that before Galvin slipped into the storage room, there was no package of illegal drugs on the bookcase at all! It was Galvin who personally put the package of illegal drugs on the bookcase after he entered the store! His own hand!¡± ¡°So, it wasn¡¯t Ashley¡¯s secret possession? Galvin put it in to frame Ashley on purpose?¡± ¡°Otherwise! The surveince cameras have been brought out and the evidence is in front of us!¡± ¡°Damn, it¡¯s scary. Our country has cracked down on such illegal drugs so hard. Even children know that it is illegal to buy and hide such illegal drugs. Yet Galvin used such a vicious method to frame Ashley. He is obviously Ben I want to put Ashley in jail! I want to ruin Ashley for the rest of her life! What a despicable method!¡± ¡°Fortunately, there is surveince! Just now Ashley said that Galvin put it in. Galvin was still pretending to be innocent and unaware. He really knows how to act!¡± say he likes Ashley? W ¡°It¡¯s strange. Didn¡¯t Galvin say he likes Ashley? Why would he still do 10:39 ch nderous things?¡± Who knows, whether he really likes Ashley or pretends billike Ashley, day¡¯siframe-up is definitely true!¡± Chapter 462 As the surveince video ended, Galvin¡¯s face turned extremely pale. All the disguises on his handsome face were shattered, and he gritted hist teeth in annoyance. Damn it! He had carefully checked it so many times, but he didn¡¯t see the imperceptible ultra-miniature surveince camera on the wall! But, how could Ashley think of using such ultra-miniature surveince? Could it be that¡­she had already noticed what he was going to do? Are you guarding against him?!! Abby ke¡¯s face was paler than Galvin¡¯s. There was no trace of blood on her face. The pride and confidence she had just nowpletely disappeared, and her eyes were filled with fear and panic. That bitch Ashley actually has surveince! This means¡­what Galvin did was exposed¡­ What should I do if I am exposed in front of so many people¡­ The police are right next to you¡­what should I do¡­ Ashley looked at the two of them lightly, and then spoke slowly, with a hint of ridicule in her tone, ¡°Are you satisfied with this evidence?¡± Since Valentin has been sending people to secretly keep an eye on Abl ke and Galvin, it was discovered that the two of them had frequent contact, and naturally it was also discovered that Abby ke had obtained this illegal drug from the ck market. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Coupled with the fact that Galvin offered to attend her birthday party, Ashley naturally raised her vignce to the highest level and installed imperceptible ultra-micro surveince in many ces in her home. Just to prevent Abby ke and Galvin from using illegal drugs to frame her. After all, this illegal drug charge is too serious to be taken lightly. Now is the time, monitoringes in handy. Although Ashley was on guard against Galvin in the past, Galvin didn¡¯t use any tricks and she didn¡¯t bother to care. But now, Galvin and Abby ke have joined forces to use such despicable methods, so don¡¯t me her for using his tricks to retaliate. At this moment, Abby ke was listening to Ashley¡¯s question. Are you satisfied with this evidence? Such tant ridicule suddenly made her blood pressure rise with anger. Joseph, on the other hand, couldn¡¯t help but feel angry. Hey, you guys also want to frame little Ashley? Now you know how awesome little Ashley is! Joseph immediately struck while the iron was hot and looked at the leading policeman, ¡°Mr. Policeman, it is now clear that this package of illegal drugs was deliberately framed by Galvin. The person who The surveince is here, and the evidence couldn¡¯t be clearer. The policeman nodded and handled the matter impartially, ¡°Yes, Galvin not only concealed and carried illegal drugs, but also intended to frame others. He is guilty of an additional crime.¡± When Abby ke heard this, she panicked and argued, ¡°Mr. Police! Although Galvin entered the storage room, he just put a bag of ordinary light blue powder! It¡¯s not that kind of illegal drug!¡± Ashley slowly raised her eyebrows, ¡°Abby ke, the police just tested it in front of everyone. This package is illegal drugs. You won¡¯t forget it so quickly, right?¡± Abby ke was shocked when she heard this, and then she reacted. be cheated! Ashley had known for a long time that this was a real illegal drug, but she deliberately proposed to use test strips to test it, just to block all her escape routes! Now I can¡¯t even say it¡¯s a lie! From now on, she has fallen into Ashley¡¯s trap! How can I excuse Galvin now? Ashley turned to look at the policeman on the side and said politely, ¡°Mr. 10:39 Policeman, the surveince evidence shows that this be was deliberately framed by Galvin. Please seek justice.¡± of illegal drugs Police, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ms. Pliskin, we will ensure the safety of citizens and will not let go of any bad guy!¡± Then, several police officers behind took out handcuffs and walked towards Galvin. Abby ke was startled and anxious, and rushed to protect Galvin in a panic, ¡°No, no!¡± The policeman frowned slightly, ¡°Ms. ke, please don¡¯t obstruct official duties. Galvin is suspected of multiple crimes and we must arrest him.¡± The other guests in the banquet hall were full of confusion when they saw this scene. ¡°What the hell? What is Abby ke doing? Protecting Galvin like this?¡± ¡°Are you crazy? Why are people like Galvin protecting him? If they use such vicious methods to frame Ms. Pliskin, they should be arrested and punished! Give Ms. Pliskin justice!¡± ¡°By the way, Abby ke was still quibbling just now, saying that this packet of light blue powder was an ordinary thing and not a real illegal drug. It was also to excuse Galvin!¡± ¡°Do these two people know each other? Otherwise, why would you be so protective of him?¡± While everyone was confused and confused, only Ashley and Valentin looked at this scene calmly, without any surprise on their expressions if they had expected Abby ke to do this. The policeman looked at Abby ke, who was still blocking Galvin, an sternly warned, ¡°Ms. ke, you are obstructing official duties and provoking justice!¡± Seeing that the police insisted on taking Galvin away, Abby ke gritted her teeth and suddenly gave up on herself and said, ¡°This matter has nothing to do with Galvin! I asked him to do this! It was me!¡± As soon as the words fell, the scene was in an uproar. Everyone was stunned. Damn it? 376 10:39 what¡¯s the situation? Did Abby ke ask Galvin to do it?! A second-generation rich man in the crowd eximed in disbelief, ¡°No way! In order to excuse Galvin, Abby ke would rather take the me herself?!¡± Abby ke retorted with a bloodless face, ¡°I¡¯m not excusing myself, I asked Galvin to do this! I instigated him! It has nothing to do with Galvin!¡± When the police heard this, their expression became more serious, ¡°Abby ke, you instructed Galvin to frame Ms. Pliskin with illegal drugs, and then reported Ms. Pliskin for possession of illegal drugs?¡± Abby ke nced at Ashley angrily, her eyshes kept trembling, she closed her eyes and admitted with a gloomy face, ¡°It¡¯s me! I did it all!¡± Naturally, the police would not listen to everything she said, and interrogated her vigntly, ¡°This matter is so risky, and there is a possibility of going to jail at any time. You asked Galvin to do this, and Galvin agreed?¡± Abby ke gritted her teeth and remained silent. At this time, Ashley on the side said silently, ¡°Because they are mother and son.¡± One stone stirred up waves on the A level. The other people in the banquet hall felt as if they were struck by lightning for a moment, and were so surprised that their Tianling C was about to be split. ¡°Wha¡­what? Mother and son?!¡± ¡°Fuck, that makes sense! For such an illegal thing, Galvin would rather risk going to jail to listen to Abby ke. It turns out they are mother an son!¡± ¡°Nah, this mother and son are amazing! They did everything they could to frame Ashley!¡± ¡°Wait a minute, Abby ke tried her best to frame Ashley, but Galvin said he liked Ashley very much at the beginning and called her sister in the variety show. What¡¯s going on?¡± 10:39 ¡°How obvious, just to get close to Ashley on purpose! For example, today¡¯s birthday party, if Galvin and Ashley didn¡¯t know each other, he wouldn¡¯t be qualified to attend! This Galvin doesn¡¯t know how to be grateful, and secretly uses illegal drugs to frame Ashley. It¡¯s so profound. Scheming!¡± ¡°Also in the previous variety show, Galvin was afraid of snakes and asked Ashley for help. How embarrassing!¡± Abby ke listened to Ashley reveal her rtionship with Galvin, and looked at Ashley in shock, ¡°You¡­how did you know?¡± Galvin was even more surprised. When was he exposed? Ashley nced at Galvin¡¯s handsome appearance, and finally looked at Abby ke, ¡°Your son looks a lot like his father.¡± When Ashley saw Galvin for the first time, she felt that his appearance looked familiar. And Valentin also thinks Galvin looks familiar. But neither of them immediately remembered. Later, she met Abby ke, and Ashley recognized her immediately. Abby ke was Jessica¡¯s biological mother, and there were several confusing photos of Abby ke, Evan, and a man named Brandon. Abby ke and Brandon are Jessica¡¯s biological parents. Abby ke¡¯s mouth is very simr to Jessica¡¯s. And that Brandon looks somewhat simr to Galvin! Because those photos of the three of them were too eye-catching, Ashl only nced at them briefly and didn¡¯t know much about Brandon. So when she first met Galvin, she just felt that Galvin looked familiar and did not immediately think of the simrity between him and Brandon. Obviously, Galvin is the son of Abby ke and Brandon! He¡¯s Jessica¡¯s biological brother! After Ashley knew this, she understood. No wonder Galvin insisted on calling her sister, and even told her that his sister was framed and imprisoned. Gee, everything is metaphorical. After learning about the mother-son rtionship between Abby ke and Galvin, everyone in the banquet hall became even more confused. ¡°Nah, this mother and son teamed up to frame Ashley!¡± ¡°It¡¯s so strange. Why does Abby ke do this kind of thing two or three times? She framed Ashley for bullying before on the set, and today she framed Ashley for hiding prohibited items. The charges are getting bigger each time. This is the rhythm of Ashley¡¯s death!¡± ¡°Ashley has no grievances against her, why would she frame Ashley like this?¡± Chapter 463 Faced with everyone¡¯s doubts, Abby ke stared at Ashley with vicious eyes, and even wanted to hold her back until she died, ¡°Why did I frame Ashley? It wasn¡¯t because Ashley killed me first! It was she who ruined my family!¡± When everyone heard this, they were immediately shocked. Family ruined? Ashley ruined Abby ke¡¯s family?? real or fake? This is not nonsense! Joseph had never seen such a shameless person, and he almost wanted to spit on Abby ke¡¯s face, ¡°Abby ke! You¡¯re on the verge of death, and you¡¯re still biting people with such shamelessness! You¡¯re so desperate!¡± Abby ke sneered fearlessly, ¡°Oh, she knows what good things Ashley has done! If she hadn¡¯t harmed my biological daughter first, why should I take revenge on her!¡± Anyway, no one knows that her daughter is Jessica. No one except Evan knew that she and Jessica were mother and daughter. She can throw dirty water on Ashley as much as she likes! Abby ke looked at the people around her, looking for sympathy with a sad face, ¡°If Ashley hadn¡¯t harmed my daughter first, how could I take revenge on her? My daughter was harmed so miserably by Ashley. As long as I can get justice for my daughter, I will For my mother, I am willing to do anything! Even if it costs me one life for another, I am willing!¡± When other people in the banquet hall heard this, some of them were more sentimental and felt sympathy and looked at Ashley suspiciously. what happened? Who is Abby ke¡¯s biological daughter? Did Ashley really kill Abby ke¡¯s daughter? At this moment, Ashley looked at Abby ke with her zed eyes, a look that looked down at an ant. Ashley chuckled, ¡°When you say I ruined. 10:391 your family, do you mean I sent your biological daughter to prison?¡± Hearing Ashley¡¯s words, everyone present was even more surprised. Damn it! This is really happening! Ashley sent Abby ke¡¯s biological daughter to jail?! Ashley ignored everyone¡¯s surprised looks, her eyes only looked at Abby ke, and her voice was clear: ¡°Abby ke, your biological daughter hired a kidnapper to kidnap my friend. Shemitted the crime first and was sent to prison. She deserves it.¡± ¡°Also, if you want to rescue your biological daughter from prison, I tell you, it will be impossible in this life.¡± Thinking of Miranda¡¯s experience, it is absolutely impossible for Ashley to take advantage of Jessica. When Abby ke heard ¡°Crime first¡±, her face twitched violently, as if she had been stabbed in the foot. She stared at Ashley with resentful eyes, and the anger in her chest had burned away her sanity, ¡°Don¡¯t you stay here. Make excuses! Ashley, you are the one who harmed my daughter!!¡± And Galvin, who was behind Abby ke, after hearing Ashley¡¯s words, his cold face cracked like ice that had been chipped. He pursed his lips tightly and stared at Ashley with dark eyes. At this time, Miranda couldn¡¯t bear it anymore and stood up angrily, ¡°Abby ke, your daughter asked someone to kidnap me and wanted take the opportunity to threaten Ashley. Going to jail is the price she should pay! Stop ndering me! What are you talking about? It was. Ashley who harmed you, and it was obviously your daughter who tried to harm Ashley over and over again!¡± Everyone in the banquet hall was looking confused, but when they heard. Miranda¡¯s words, they suddenly had an idea. ¡°Huh? Why does it sound familiar?¡± All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°The friend Ashley mentioned who was kidnapped just now, is she referring to Miranda?¡± 10:39 ¡°Miranda was kidnapped¡­ Ah, I remembered! Miranda was indeed kidnapped! It seemed to best year! It was Jessica who did it! Jessica and Evan conspired together to bribe the kidnappers to kidnap Miranda, and also wanted to threaten Ashley!¡± ¡°Oh my God! So, is the biological daughter Abby ke talks about¡­¡± When everyone thought of this, their eyes widened and they looked at Abby ke in disbelief. No¡­it can¡¯t be! Abby ke panicked when she heard Jessica¡¯s name being mentioned, and then quickly calmed down. She rarely returned to Kilos City with much fanfare, and no one would know about her rtionship with Jessica. Even if these people guess that Jessica is her biological daughter, as long as she refuses to admit it, there is nothing they can do to her. As long as she insists that Ashley harmed her biological daughter, as long as she pours dirty water on Ashley, then Ashley will have a reputation of being a harm to others and will be talked about anytime and anywhere. Awesome, can Ashley, the eldestdy of the Pliskin family, still sit securely? Abby ke thought of this, and a trace of revenge shed in her eyes. Jessica¡­ This is thest breath mom can take for you¡­ However, at this moment. Ashley¡¯s cold, snow-like eyes swept over Abby ke and Galvin one by one, and then she tilted her head and motioned to the servant on the side to get a file bag. After getting the file bag, Ashley opened it directly and revealed all the letters inside and the chaotic photos of the three of them. ¡°You are all very curious as to why Abby ke is targeting me like this. In fact, the reason is very simple. Abby ke is Jessica¡¯s biological mother!¡± ¡°Here is a letter and some photos that can prove the rtionship between Abby ke and Jessica!¡± As soon as these words came out, it was like a spark flying into a barrel of 10:39 explosives and detonating instantly. ¡°Holy crap¡­Jessica! It really has something to do with Jessica!!¡± ¡°Let me see what¡¯s in the file bag!¡± Immediately, someone stretched out his head curiously and looked at the thing in Ashley¡¯s hand. When I saw those photos, I screamed in agony. ¡°Fuck, fuck! My eyes!!¡± And that letter, written by Abby ke herself: [Mohiro, I¡¯m pregnant. I didn¡¯t know whether the baby was yours or Brandon¡¯s at first. I calcted the time and it was the time when the three of us were together¡­ But I can¡¯t raise it. Maohiro, can you Help me raise her. I named her Jessica¡­] ¡°What an eyesore! My three views will be shattered!¡± A young man in white clothes wanted to spray disinfectant on his eyes after reading the letter and photos. ¡°This letter is so outrageous, I really can¡¯t believe it, but there is a photo next to it. The three people in the photo are obviously Abby ke and Evan, and there is another man¡­ Damn, I can¡¯t believe it!¡± ¡°I¡¯m convinced, Evan and Abby ke still have this kind of rtionship? But, Jessica is the child of Abby ke and Brandon? In the end, she was given to Evan to raise? Gosh, your circle is so chaotic, I can¡¯t even figure it out!¡± ¡°Wait a minute, Evan is already married to Bertha at this time, so Evan¡¯s rtionship with Abby ke¡­ is cheating! Abby ke is still a mistress!¡± ¡°Tsk, tsk, tsk, it turns out that Abby ke is Jessica¡¯s biological mother. No wonder she targets Ashley like this, but Jessica deserves everything! Abby ke is also a person who can¡¯t tell the difference between right and wrong!¡± ¡°Jessica has done too many bad things in the past. She deserves to go to jail! Abby ke still wants revenge? She should take revenge and atone for her sins from Ashley!¡± ¡°Oh, when ites to Jessica, I don¡¯t believe a word Abby ke says! It seems that Abby ke and Jessica are the same!¡± 475 10:39 Just now, Abby ke used her status as a mother to do misfortune to gain sympathy. Some guests felt pity for her. But when they found out that the daughter Abby ke mentioned was Jessica, their pity suddenly disappeared without a trace. The bad things Jessica did in the past have been known to everyone for a long time, right? Chapter 464 At this time, Abby ke¡¯s whole body tensed up when she saw the letter and photos that Ashley took out, her scalp exploded, all the blood in her body flowed backwards, and her face turned pale and extremely embarrassed. these things¡­¡­. How would it appear here! After she gave these things to Evan, didn¡¯t Evan destroy them? How could Ashley get it? The disdainful voices and pointing eyes of the people around her made Abby ke feel like she had a ray of light on her back and her chest was suffocating. It felt like the dirtiest secret was being exposed in public, and it felt like she was being tied to a prison car and paraded through the streets, her face was so shameless. Lost everything. ¡°Ashley! I¡¯ll kill you! I¡¯ll kill you!!¡± Abby ke screamed hoarsely, staring at Ashley with crimson eyes, as if she was crazy, and rushed towards Ashley with a ferocious face like a ghost. Valentin¡¯s eyes darkened and he immediately protected Ashley behind him. The policeman next to him reacted and quickly grabbed and restrained Abby ke. Severe reprimand, ¡°Be honest! You still want to kill someone under the nose of the police!¡± Ashley looked at Abby ke who was showing her teeth and ws. without any surprise, and her voice was like a stream inte autumn, ¡°Now, are you still saying that it was me who harmed your daughter?¡± Abby ke was captured by the police, her eyes full of hatred stared at Ashley, her throat was ragged with rapid breathing, and the hatred in her eyes was twisted and crazy. Galvin on the side didn¡¯t realize it until now, and only then took his eyes away from the chaotic photos. It was the first time he knew about his parents and this kind of past¡­ Galvin looked at Abby ke¡¯s crazy back with stiff eyes. After a while, his eyshes trembled. The emotions in his eyes seemed to be sucked by a ck hole, and they were extremely dark and deep¡­ The police learned about the rtionship between Abby ke and Jessica, and basically understood Abby ke¡¯s motive formitting the crime. Not only did he secretly purchase illegal drugs from the ck market, he also wanted to use this to frame Ashley. Although Abby ke was the mastermind, the frame-up process waspleted by Galvin. Therefore, in addition to Abby ke, Galvin was also taken away by the police. Before leaving, Galvin looked back at Ashley, and there seemed to be something he wanted to say to Ashley in his dark and gloomy eyes. Ashley didn¡¯t go over and didn¡¯t want to hear it. They were not originally from the same group. When the police took Abby ke and Galvin away, the incident finally ended without incident. The guests in the banquet hall looked at Ashley and said regretfully: ¡°Today is Ms. Pliskin¡¯s birthday. It should have been a happy day, but I didn¡¯t expect that Jessica¡¯s biological mother would do something like this, which almost caused Ms. Pliskin to be imprisoned¡­ s, Ms. Pliskin also fell down. Bad luck!¡± ¡°Fortunately, Ms. Pliskin and Mr. Kingsley were very vignt and installed surveince cameras throughout the house in advance and found out the truth!¡± ¡°Now Abby ke and Galvin have been taken away by the police. ording to thew, they will definitely be punished as they should be. They will no longer be able to cause trouble to Ms. Pliskin in the future. Ms. Pliskin will definitely have all the hardships in the future!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, after today, everything will go well for Ms. Pliskin and she. will shine brilliantly! She and Mr. Kingsley are also sweet!¡± A few clever people said a lot of auspicious and pleasant words on the spot, and brought the storm to a close in a few words. 10:39 Other guests followed suit and sent blessings with smiles and smiles. Brian Pliskin Karen Pliskin looked at her daughter, and her heart was filled with emotion. No one hopes more than they do that their daughter¡¯s future life will go well and that flowers will bloom. This is especially true for George and Lester. Valentin looked at the beautiful little wife beside him, every look in his eyes told of deep affection, and every breath was filled with hot love. Loving her has long been integrated into the flesh and blood and has be instinctive. When I was young, the secret love that could not see the light of day spread wantonly in the silent ce. Until, his girl finally looked back at him. From then on, the forbearing love hidden in the dark night finally saw the light of day. Ashley listened to the guests¡¯ blessings, noticed the eyes of the man next to her, and turned her head to look at him. When she met Valentin¡¯s affectionate eyes, Ashley was slightly startled, and soon she held his hand with deep understanding. The corners of her cherry-red lips curved into a happy arc, and her beautiful eyes were full of bright and sweet smiles¡­. After the banquet, the guests left one after another. Miranda and Brittany Walsh pulled Ashley aside. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Ashley asked funny. Miranda¡¯s eyes were filled with anticipation, and she asked in a low voice, ¡°Ashley, you told us before that you and Mr. Kingsley are getting married. soon. When will it be?¡± Oh, so that¡¯s what happened. Today I havepletely settled the matter between Abby ke and Galvin, and there is nothing to worry about anymore. 10:39 Ashley was carefree and counted the days in her mind. She smiled strangely and said, ¡°It¡¯s almost here. It won¡¯t be long.¡± Miranda immediately raised her hand, ¡°I will definitely be the bridesmaid!¡± Brittany Walsh quickly followed, ¡°Me too!¡± Ashley didn¡¯t know whether tough or cry, ¡°I know, I remember it all.¡± While the three of them were talking, Riley Serrano came over and said hello from a distance, ¡°Brittany, what are you talking about? It¡¯s veryte. When I go backter, shall I take you home?¡± Walking up to the three of them, Riley Serrano greeted Ashley obediently, ¡°Sister-inw, I didn¡¯t bother you.¡± Ashley, ¡°¡­¡± Miranda nced at Bryce, who was not far away, and felt extremely worried. Why was Bryce not as proactive as Riley Serrano? But outsiders can¡¯t interfere too much in matters like rtionships. I really can¡¯t tell who will end up with whom. After Brittany Walsh left, Miranda chatted with Ashley for a while and then said goodbye and went home.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Joseph was so funny and talkative that he kept nagging his brother and little Ashley. In the end, ire Fox got annoyed and took Joseph home. Besides, she and Joseph still have to help with Ashley and Valentin¡¯s wedding, so there will be plenty of time to talk. Jaden went back to the ce where he stayed when he came to Kilos City but before he left, he refused to calm down and had another argument with Joseph. After sending these friends off, Ashley¡¯s phone vibrated and received three messages. Sent by the bastard named Banks: [Happy birthday. ] [Thest person to wish you a happy birthday again. ] ¤À¤¤ [And your bad aesthetic, chest crushing boulder has been practiced,e 10:39 to me when you want to see it_] Ashley, Can you speak? What is broken aesthetics! don¡¯t know what Andrew thinks. Since they met, every year on her birthday, he has always been the last person to wish her a happy birthday. There is also a big stone in the chest¡­ She just said it casually at that time, why does he still remember it? Who wants to see him? Ashley put the phone back after reading the text message, walked up to Valentin, looked at him with clear eyes, tilted her head and asked, ¡°You said before that you still have a birthday gift, give it to me after the birthday party is over, you can give it now Alright!¡± She had been curious all night! The man chuckled, raised his hand and rubbed her head, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Ashley was startled. Walk? The gift isn¡¯t here? Somewhere else? What kind of gift is it? Chapter 465 Since she was about to go out, Ashley changed out of herplicated and gorgeous dress into something she usually wears. Then he ran to tell Lester that he wanted to go out with Valentin. Lester smiled meaningfully, ¡°Go ahead, go ahead.¡± Ashley, ¡°?¡± What are you doing? Did the second brother know about the birthday gift Valentin gave her in advance? The strange thing is that Ashley thought she was going to take a long trip by car, but she heard Valentin say, ¡°It¡¯s only a few minutes¡¯ walk away. Do you want to take a walk?¡± Ashley blinked in surprise, it would only take a few minutes to walk, so it was close to home. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s take a walk!¡± It just so happens that the moonlight is beautiful tonight. The silver moonlight shines on the ground, like a thinyer of hazy white gauze, making people want to walk under the moonlight. Although the weather is not cold now, the nights are slightly cooler. Valentin took off his suit jacket naturally and put it on Ashley¡¯s shoulder The man¡¯s warm body temperature and clean and pleasant scent still. remained on the coat. As soon as it was draped over his shoulders, Ashley¡¯s body shivered inexplicably when her cool skin touched the warm body temperature. Being tightly wrapped by the man¡¯s body temperature and breath, Ashley¡¯s heart trembled. The delicate and sensitive skin on her shoulders seemed to be caressed slowly and gently by the man¡¯s hands, causing an unbearable numbness to rise from her tailbone. Ashley¡¯s earlobes felt hot, and she raised her hands in panic to tighten the coat on her shoulders. Really, I have kissed you so many times. 10:39 Now she was just wearing a coat, but it made her feel confused. ¡°Is it cold? I¡¯ll get you some more clothes.¡± Valentin frowned slightly when he saw her picking up her clothes. Ashley was rarely shy and whispered, ¡­it¡¯s not because you seduced me.¡± Valentin, ¡°?¡± Ashley held his hand, stood on tiptoes and kissed him on the lips, ¡°Look, if you stand still, I can be seduced by you. I want to kiss you at every turn.¡± The man was startled for a moment, then chuckled suddenly, his eyes and brows filled with undisciplined pleasure, ¡°Then it seems I will have to seduce you every day from now on.¡± Ashley, ¡°¡­¡± She said, he is a big troublesome goblin! The two of them walked forward slowly, holding hands, as if taking a walk. There are no cars on the street at night. The orange street lights shine on the green leaves, forming a strange and beautiful color. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Ashley looked up at the bright moon in the sky, suddenly remembered a question, and turned her head to look at the man beside her, ¡°I suddenly have a question to ask you.¡± Valentin, ¡°Huh?¡± Ashley took two quick steps forward, then turned back to face him, walking backwards while looking at him curiously. ¡°If you hadn¡¯t liked me since you were a child, would you have agreed to it when grandpa asked you to perform a baby kiss with me and get the certificate from me?¡± Valentin said almost without hesitation, ¡°No.¡± Ashley paused and curled her lips unhappily, ¡°You answered too quickly.¡± But think about it, with his character, if he doesn¡¯t like a woman, can he be forced to get married and get a certificate even if he has a baby kiss? 10:39 Valentin raised his eyebrows and looked at her with his dark and deep eyes, with a faint smile in his eyes. mean I don¡¯t dislike you.¡± ¡°Even if it happens again, I will definitely fall in love with you from a long time ago.¡± The man¡¯s low and sexy voice slowly sounded in the night wind. Ashley¡¯s heart skipped a beat. That soft heartbeat feeling surged up like a tide. It¡¯s like the spring breeze blowing, and the peach blossoms on Attelia¡¯s thousands of trees are in full bloom. The unhappiness in Ashley¡¯s heart disappeared in an instant. She couldn¡¯t help but curl up the corners of her lips, her eyes were clear and sparkling, and she opened her mouth with love words, ¡°I really like you too!¡± Valentin was obviously very impressed by these words, but he deliberately asked, ¡°Really?¡± ¡°certainly!¡± ¡°How much do you like it?¡± ¡°I really like it!¡± Ashley said like a three-year-old child, using her hands to make a big heart sign above her head. The man was satisfied, and the corners of his lips curled up slightly. Ashley saw him smiling andughed too. After recalling what he ju said, her little face was full of arrogance and boasting, ¡°Hey, you rea love me so much.¡± Valentin raised his eyebrows when he heard this,ughed sullenly, an nodded indulgently, ¡°Yes, love is miserable.¡± Even her arrogant and arrogant little look made him miserable. Ashley became even happier, looking at him with a smile while walking backwards. As a result, there was a pebble on the road. She didn¡¯t see it and stepped on it. She was unsteady and almost fell down. Valentin¡¯s expression changed, and he quickly reached out and grabbed. 10:39 her. Ashley jumped into his arms and hugged the man¡¯s slim waist tightly with both hands. When she raised her head to look at him, her face was filled with a sly and sessful smile, ¡°Hey, I¡¯m kidding you! Did you step on a stone at the beginning?¡± Stand firm, but how can you trip over such a small stone? You call it care and chaos!¡± Seeing her naughty look, Valentin shook his head helplessly and said, ¡°You go ahead and make trouble,¡± but his expression was clearly enjoying 1. Ashley raised her eyes and said, ¡°Aren¡¯t you used to me being naughty?¡± Valentin raised his eyebrows, looking half-smiling, ¡°You still me me?¡± After he finished speaking, he lightly scratched the soft flesh of her waist like a punishment. Ashley was the most ticklish here, so she smiled and huddled in his arms, ¡°It¡¯s no use if you tickle me, I just me you¡­ Okay, ok, I was wrong, but I still me you¡­¡± Valentin rubbed her head pamperingly and said in azy voice, ¡°Okay, me me.¡± Ashley proudly held her chest up and raised her head confidently. Look, she just said she was right, and Valentin even admitted that he med himself¨C Ashley finished her pride and nced at him quietly. I was wondering what gift Valentin had prepared, and I was also thinking about another thing. A very important thing. Today is her birthday. It is such a suitable and rare day. It would be to miss it. 1. She decided that she must take advantage of today¡¯s opportunity. Sleep with him!! 10 39 After walking for about ten minutes, Valentin held Ashley¡¯s hand and said, ¡°We¡¯re here.¡±, is manor in front of her? Ashley looked over curiously. Isn¡¯t this a luxurious manor in front of her? It was right next to the Pliskin family manor. When did you have neighbors? Howe she didn¡¯t notice. When the security guard at the door saw the two people approaching, they all stood respectfully and consciously, as if to greet the owner of the manor. The manor¡¯s wrought iron gate slowly opened to both sides. Ashley looked at Valentin confused. Valentin took the girl¡¯s hand and entered. The castle-like main building in the manor stood on thewn, brightly lit, and warm lights scattered through the windows. Looking up, the entire manor has an elegant scenery, and the night view is extremely beautiful. There are boats parked on the artificialke in the distance, the bright moon in the sky is reflected on the water, and the water waves are gently swaying. The most eye-catching thing is that there are endless roses nted in the flowerbed in front of you. The petals blooming inyers are covered with crystal dew, and they are delicate and beautiful. The faint floral fragrance slowly floats in the night wind. Seeing this scene, Ashley¡¯s eyes were full of amazement. She nced Valentin and ran towards the rose bush happily. The evening breeze blew up her skirt. The girl¡¯s skin was glowing whi and her eyes were smiling, like a carefree princess in the Rose Manor. ¡°so beautiful!¡± Ashley stretched out her delicate white fingers and gently touched the delicate rose petals. The round dewdrops rolled down cutely. Valentin walked over and looked at the girl¡¯s bright and delicate profile in the moonlight. His voice was indescribably tender and tender, ¡°We will live here from now on, okay?¡± 50 10:39 Ashley was ying mindlessly. When she heard the man¡¯s words, she suddenly stopped and turned her head to look at him nkly. The heart suddenly beats very fast. The man¡¯s eyes were deep and quiet, and he always looked at her with deep affection. ¡°I know that you have been looking forward to finding your family one day since you were a child.¡± ¡°Although this day came veryte, I am very happy that my Ashley finally got her wish and found her parents and brother¡­¡± ¡°You hope to spend more time with your parents, and they also hope to be with you all the time, so as to make up for the lost time of so many years.¡± So after getting married to the Pliskin family, Ashley lived in the Pliskin family at first. Finally, she found her biological parents and wanted to make up for the missing family ties. However, for him, Ashley would run back to the Kingsley Vi for two days from time to time.. Just running back and forth between the Pliskin family and the Kingsley Vi. How could he bear to see her like this. Valentin lowered his eyshes slightly, took the girl¡¯s hand, lowered his head and pressed a kiss on the back of her delicate white hand. When he raised his eyes to look at her, his focused and soft eyes seemed to be devoted to the love of his life. ¡°Ashley, we will live here from now on, right next to the Pliskin family, okay?¡± 6-6 B 10:39 Chapter 466 Ashley looked at him nkly, her heart was extremely soft. For some reason, the tip of her nose felt sour, and warm tears suddenly flowed out. Valentin was stunned and quickly raised his hand to wipe it off for her, ¡°Why are you still crying?¡± Ashley couldn¡¯t bear it anymore and threw herself into the man¡¯s arms, her tears identally touching his white shirt. She raised her red eyes and looked at him, ¡°If you don¡¯t want me to run around, what will you do when you go to thepany in the future? This ce is far away from yourpany.¡± He chuckled softly after hearing this, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± He never thought it was a problem. He only hopes that his Ashley gets the best. Valentin led Ashley to the side and walked along the rose path to the wall of the manor. There is a small fence-style wooden door with vines and branches wrapped around it, which is particrly beautiful. Valentin pushed open the wooden gate of the fence, ¡°Look.¡± Ashley poked her head and looked over, then opened her eyes wide. Isn¡¯t this the Pliskin family? Why are you still getting through? As soon as the wooden door is opened, you will go directly to the Pliskin. family? No wonder Lester seemed to know about Valentin¡¯s birthday gift just now. It turns out they had already gotten through it! Valentin led her over, stepped through the wooden door, and went directly to the Pliskin family. ¡°This is much more convenient. You don¡¯t have to drive back and forth between the Pliskin family and the Kingsley Vi.¡± nose was Ashley¡¯s eyes were hot and the tip of her slightly red, ¡°You moved out of the Kingsley Vi because of me¡­Why are you always 10.19- amodating me¡­¡± The man gently stroked her delicate eyebrows, and his voice was indescribably low-key and sexy. ¡°Ashley, this is not amodation. I am willing to do these things for you.¡± ¡°What¡¯s more, I also want to be by your side every day.¡± Perhaps, love is often feltcking. Always wondering if I¡¯m not good enough for her. I always want to be nicer to her and bring the best things in the world to her. Ashley¡¯s chest felt warm and her heart was bulging. She clearly had a lot to say, but she didn¡¯t know what to say She suddenly raised her arms and climbed onto the man¡¯s neck, kissing him with such eagerness and confusion. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. The love that cannot be expressed in any words and is wrapped in a passionate love is hidden in this rose-vored kiss¡­ The moonlight is bright, the roses are in full bloom, and the evening breeze is gentle. Ashley¡¯s heart has never been so peaceful. Family and loved ones are all by my side. Nothing could be moreplete. She received the most wonderful birthday gift¡­ After closing the small wooden door wrapped with vine branches, Ashley took Valentin back to the Rose Manor and looked around curiously, ¡°Why are there so many roses nted?¡± After asking the question and not waiting for Valentin to answer, Ashley suddenly realized and said, ¡°I know! Because you are Valentin!¡± Valentin, ¡°?¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± He couldn¡¯t believe what he heard. ¡°Hey, I¡¯mplimenting you!¡± Ashley held his hand coquettishly. Valentin, ¡°¡­¡± There was no point in holding hands, he no longer believed her words. Ashley quickly came over for a kiss, and then coquettishly asked, ¡°When did you start renovating this manor? Why didn¡¯t I know at all?¡± Valentin nced at her slowly. Silent. Ashley was very polite and immediately shouted, ¡°Husband? Husband, husband?¡± Only then was the man satisfied, and he didn¡¯t care about what happened to Valentin just now for the time being. Well, just don¡¯t worry about it for now! He replied, ¡°After you wake up from aa.¡± Ashley thought about it carefully and realized that this ce was right next to the Pliskin family. She was so busy during this period that she didn¡¯t even notice. This shows how well Valentin kept it a secret in order to surprise her. By the way, there is one big thing yet to bepleted. Tonight, I must sleep with him! Ashley pulled her Valentin and walked through the rose path, admiring the night view and walking towards the main building. The living room was brightly lit. As she stepped onto the steps and walked into the living room, she suddenly heard the sound of a kitten meowing, followed immediately by a small white milk cat nuzzling softly at her feet. Ashley was pleasantly surprised, ¡°I brought the kitten here too!¡± After saying that, he let go of Valentin¡¯s hand and took the kitten into his arms affectionately. Valentin, ¡°¡­¡± Suddenly I regretted bringing the cat here. L Some of the servants from the Kingsley Vi were also transferred over. Gavyn from the Kingsley Vi is also assigned here. Gavyn walked over from outside with a kind and charitable face, ¡°Sir, Madam, we are all ready.¡± Valentin nodded slightly. Ashley looked at him suspiciously, ¡°What are you ready for?¡± Valentin, ¡°Birthday cake.¡± Ashley blinked confusedly, ¡°Didn¡¯t you cut the cake at the birthday party just now?¡± It¡¯s still a big cake with severalyers high. Valentin, ¡°That¡¯s different.¡± The cake at the birthday party was mainly for viewing. This cake was made by him himself. Gavyn brought the cake and ced it on the dining table. Valentin took Ashley and walked over, ¡°Last time for my birthday, you made me a cake with your own hands. This time, I made one for you with my own hands.¡± After pausing for two seconds, he saidzily, ¡°Although, the cake that sister Ashley made for me tastes a bit hard to swallow.¡± Ashley was immediately furious, ¡°You clearly said before that the taste was very unique! Now you changed your mind and said it tastes terrible, right?¡± The man chuckled casually, ¡°I won¡¯t change my words. Next time it¡¯s my birthday, Ashley will make me a cake, okay?¡± Ashley snorted softly, ¡°As long as you¡¯re not afraid of going to the hospital!¡± I have to say that her cooking skills are really iparable to Valentin¡¯s. Just look at the cake on the table. Made by Valentin¡¯s hands, it is so beautiful that it makes people move their index fingers. Made by her hands, haha. Valentin pays special attention to the time. It has not passed 24 o¡¯clock yet, and today¡¯s birthday is not over yet. ¡°Make a wish.¡± He thoughtfully lit the candles on the birthday cake, then picked up the remote control and turned off the lights in the living room. The warm yellow candlelight reflected the girl¡¯s pretty face. Ashley has not celebrated her birthday since she returned to the Ramos family. At this moment, she seemed to have regained the fun of her childhood and closed her eyes in excitement. Valentin stood nearby and looked at her for a moment, as if he had returned to the scene of celebrating her birthday when he was a child. Time goes by, so many years have passed without realizing it. He will be by her side every birthday in the future¡­ After Ashley made her wish, she opened her eyes and immediately bent over and blew out the candles. Then he looked at Valentin with a smile, ¡°Do you want to know what wish I made!¡± Valentin raised his eyebrows, ¡°What wish?¡± Ashley wanted to say it, but held back, ¡°What if it doesn¡¯t work, the gods don¡¯t bless me, and my wish doesn¡¯te true?¡± Valentin thought for a moment after hearing this, and his tone waszy but serious: ¡°If the gods can¡¯t make it happen, then I¡¯ll help you make it happen.¡± Ashley blinked her eyes, then blinked again, her heart racing, ¡°You seduced me again!¡± Valentin, ¡°¡­?¡± After eating the cake, Ashley went to the bedroom on the second floor. The cloakroom is filled with clothes purchased in her size, as well as several pieces of pajamas she likes and often wears, which she also brought from the Kingsley Vi. Hey, why is her Valentin so considerate? Ashley came out of the bathroom after taking a shower. Thinking of what she had to doter, she felt inexplicably nervous. Walking up to Valentin, she swallowed her throat and said softly, ¡°Here is¡­ Halfway through, he paused sheepishly. Contraceptive stuff¡­ Valentin sat on the sofa and stood up after hearing this, ¡°What are you missing?¡± Ashley raised her hand and touched her neck unnaturally, and shook her head, ¡°I don¡¯t need anything. You can go take a shower first.¡± He raised his eyebrows slightly in surprise, ¡°Whatever you want, I¡¯ll have someone buy it immediately.¡± Ashley pushed him to the bathroom and said, ¡°No, you are so well prepared. If there is anything missing, go take a shower! I want to hold you to sleepter!¡± Hearing the second half of her sentence, a chuckle escaped the man¡¯s throat and he let her push him into the bathroom. Ashley closed the bathroom door with her backhand and blinked, um, a contraceptive thing¡­ It¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t have it. Anyway, she and Valentin have both received their certificates for two years, so¡­ let it take its course. Listening to the gurgling sound of water in the bathroom, Ashley¡¯s earlobes felt slightly warm. She went to the dressing room and changed into a silk suspender nightgown, then climbed into bed and got into the soft quilt. After an unknown amount of time, the sound of water in the bathroom stopped. After a while, the bathroom door opened. The man came out, wearing a snow-white bathrobe, the belt was tied casually, and the loose cor revealed a sexy and pretty corbone. He held a white towel in his hand and wiped his semi-wet hair. I caught a glimpse of Ashley lying on the bed, with only her head exposed and her eyes moving around. Intrigued by her cute appearance, he curled his lips with interest, ¡°Are you sleepy?¡± Ashley originally wanted to wait for him to lift the quilt, but when she saw that his hair was half wet, she became anxious and lifted the quilt and got up, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you blow dry your hair? Don¡¯t give me another headache.¡± ¡°fine. As soon as Valentin said a word, he saw the pajamas on her body and suddenly stopped wiping her hair. The woman only wore a ck silk suspender nightgown, which made her skin even more moist and delicate, as if a gentle pinch could leave ambiguous red marks that made people dream. The thin sling hangs on the snow-white jade shoulders, and it seems that it can be broken by pulling hard. It is the kind that can best arouse a man¡¯s desire for destruction and plunder. Under the soft skirt, there are two eye-catching white legs¡­ After just one nce, Valentin¡¯s eyes darkened instantly. Ashley didn¡¯t care so much at the moment. She walked over anxiously and took the towel in his hand, ¡°I¡¯ll wipe it for you.¡± After saying that, he pushed him to sit down on the bed. Ashley stood in front of the man, speaking fiercely, but gently wiping his hair, ¡°Be careful, don¡¯t get another headache, you know.¡± With such a close distance, Valentin is surrounded by the soft and sweet fragrance of women, which seems to be an addictive poppy. His throat rolled, and his voice was slightly hoarse, ¡°Yeah.¡± Ashley nced at him in surprise, bent down slightly, and said amusedly, ¡°Why are you so good all of a sudden? As she bent down, the thin sling on the left side slipped down, and the spring light suddenly leaked out, and it was so white that it was eye-catching. Valentin¡¯s pupils shrank violently for a moment, and his eyes were darker than the night outside the window. This often happens when wearing a suspender nightgown, so Ashley pulled it back casually. After pulling it off, I regretted it again. Why are you pulling it? After drying her hair, Ashley thought for a while, then sat on the man¡¯sp stickyly, stretched out her finger and poked his chest gently, ¡°Go to. sleep.¡± The man looked at her with dark and moist eyes. After a long while, he suddenly reached out and wrapped his arms around her white waist. With a kind of forbearing restraint, he buried his forehead in the girl¡¯s neck and rubbed it gently. Ashley actually sensed that he was acting coquettishly. Lying on the bed and turning off the lights. Ashley arched to the side, directly into the man¡¯s arms, and her warm orchid breath gently brushed against his neck, ¡°You hold me to sleep.¡± Valentin¡¯s throat tightened, he raised his hand to sp the back of her head, and kissed her irresistibly. From the girl¡¯s eyebrows to the tip of her nose, from her lips to her neck the lingering kiss moved downward inch by inch, with an emotional meaning, as if it was grinding on a person¡¯s nerves inch by inch. Ashley¡¯s fingertips curled up unconsciously, and she just wanted to hold him tighter. The tingling feeling made her spine tremble slightly. The kiss stayed on the corbone, and the man stopped forcibly. His big palms sped her soft waist hard, and veins appeared on the back of his hands. With restrained desire, his breath was hot, and his voice was obviously hoarse, ¡°I¡¯m holding you, Go to sleep.¡± Ashley, ¡°¡­ She knew it! As long as she didn¡¯t say she was willing, he would rather endure it and not move her at all! Ashley took a deep breath and suddenly turned over, pressing the man underneath her. The moonlight spilled in through the window, coating it with ayer of bright white light. Ashley¡¯s eyes flickered, looking at the man¡¯s handsome and charming face, and his forbearing red eyes. She grabbed the man¡¯s hand, ced it on her heart, and said bluntly and boldly, ¡°I still want you to Keep kissing me.¡± At that moment, Valentin¡¯s breathing stopped, and his eyes suddenly became deep and hot. Ashley lowered her head and bit his lip, ¡°Last time you said you would wait until I ampletely healed¡­ I ampletely healed now.¡± o She paused for two seconds, and her lips stopped on his lips. When she spoke, her delicate and bright red lips gently rubbed against his, her voice was soft and charming, ¡°If you don¡¯t want¡­ help me take off this shirt.¡± Nightgown?¡± As soon as the words fell, the man suddenly grabbed her slender wrist forcefully. A red mark was pinched out on the delicate white skin. He raised his head to kiss her, turbulently and hotly, like a wild animal locking its prey tightly, the desire deep in his heart breaking through th shackles, with an urgency and demand that could no longer be restrained. Suddenly, his eyebrows frowned tightly, and his voice was hoarse and sexy, ¡°There is no¡­¡±¡± Ashley knew what he wanted to say and kissed him gently and reassuringly. She looked at him with wet eyes, her reddish eyes filled with spring, her red lips came to his ear, and her voice was very soft and seductive, ¡°¡­It¡¯s okay, we let nature take its course.¡± The next moment, the man turned over and pinned her down. The thin shoulder strap was finally torn off. Ashley looked at the man on her body with confused eyes. That man, who was more handsome and noble than anyone else, with such high vision that he could not see anything, was addicted to her at this moment, falling for her, holding her waist without letting her escape, that kind of strength and possessiveness that radiated from his bones., there is a fatal sexyness. Ashley couldn¡¯t help but put her hands on his neck and kissed him deeply¡­ Chapter 467 Ashley didn¡¯t know when she fell asleep¡­ It seems like everything is controlled by men¡­ Follow him up and down¡­ When Ashley woke up again, her whole body was sore. Before she regained consciousness, she felt her cheeks itching, as if someone was kissing her, gently kissing her from cheek to lips. Ashley was so tired that she couldn¡¯t open her eyelids, and mumbled in a soft voice, ¡°No more¡­ You just said it was thest time¡­¡± The kiss on the face paused slightly. Immediately, the man¡¯s low, hoarse chuckle sounded in his ears. Ashley¡¯s curled eyshes trembled and she weakly opened her eyelids. The bright light stimted her to close her eyes slightly, and a thinyer of water appeared in her eyes. The thin white gauze curtains could not block the bright sun outside. Ashley was stunned for a few seconds. Only then did I realize that it was already noon when I woke up. Valentin half-supported his forehead,zily looking at her dazed look, and gently ced one hand on her naked waist. Ashley¡¯s consciousness finally came to her senses, and her ears turned red when she remembered the sweet and soft words she just said for thest time. The scene fromst night shed before my eyes uncontrobly. Her face was hot, and she pulled up the quilt in shame, covered her head and continued to pretend to sleep. The man couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. The little ostrich only covered its head, its soft arms were exposed outside the fluffy quilt, and its millu Chapter 467 red marks. Charming and ambiguous. Valentin¡¯s eyes darkened, and he leaned over and kissed her gently on her snowy shoulder. He reached out with his long arms and took the girl into his arms. His long and bony fingers gently massaged her soft waist, ¡°Does it still hurt?¡± The husky and sexy voice clearly showed satisfaction. It¡¯s both soothing and lustful, and it sounds so sultry. Ashley red at him angrily. He said he was staring, but he was limp and without any strength. The wet red eyes werepletely seductive without even realizing 1 His voice was still pitifully hoarse, so he said harshly, ¡°What hurts is that you are pretty much the same.¡± Valentin raised his eyebrows, raised his voice slightly, and saidzily, ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m going to die from you.¡± Ashley suddenly said, ¡°???¡± Who is tormenting whom? Who was tossing her aroundst night? Ashley raised her head angrily, biting the man¡¯s sexy Adam¡¯s apple with her teeth. After hearing his low smile begging for mercy, she hummed softly and let him go. ¡°Since the massage feels sofortable to you, I¡¯ll reward you by giving me a little more massage!¡± She has no clothes on now, but she is fresh and clean. I vaguely remember that at the end ofst night, Valentin carried her drowsily to the bathroom to take a shower. Her whole body was sore and she didn¡¯t want to move a finger. Valentin held her in the bath, dried her body and then held her out again. She fell asleep as soon as she touched the pillow. ¡°What time is it now?¡± Ashley leaned into the man¡¯s arms, like a delicate and soft kitten nestled in his arms. ¡°It¡¯s noon, are you hungry?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not hungry, I want to lie down for a while.¡± Ashley mumbled and arched into his arms again. don¡¯t know why, but now I really want to hold him, with my body tightly attached to him. Valentin paused in his massage movements, feeling the warm and fragrant nephrite in his arms, especially the smooth, satiny milky white skin of the girl, which made his heart feel warm. Once something begins, it seems difficult to restrain it. His Adam¡¯s apple rolled up and down, he closed his eyes forcefully, and controlled the hand massaging her waist not to go further than half an inch. Ashley was holding the manfortably as a pillow, preparing to sleep for a while. Suddenly he noticed something and his eyes opened suddenly. She nced down and felt that he was in danger now. She stepped back silently, ¡°No more hugs, please stay away from me now.¡± Valentinughed helplessly and pulled her back, ¡°I won¡¯t trouble you. Besides, am I such a beast?¡± Ashley blinked innocently, ¡°Yes.¡± Valentin, ¡°?¡± Ashley, ¡°You were very¡­¡±st night The next moment, the man turned over and kissed her. His extremely beautiful thin lips kissed her delicate lips again and again. It¡¯s more about pity than emotion. Because he was concerned about her body, the man made no other transgressive move except kissing her. Ashley felt veryfortable being kissed, her eyes narrowed in pleasure, and she hugged him softly¡­ The two were affectionate for a while, and then Valentin got up from the bed. Ashley sat up and wrapped the white quilt around her chest. When she looked up, she caught a glimpse of the man¡¯s back, which had several ambiguous scratches on it. Ashley opened her eyes wide in surprise. He nced down at his hands. He looked up at the scratches on his back. He nced down at his hands again. Valentin picked up the spotless white shirt on the side and put it on elegantly, fastening the buttons one by one with cold, white and bony fingers. When he turned around, he saw Ashley sitting on the bed, staring at her hands, looking cute and unbelievable. He raised his eyebrows imperceptibly and said in a joking tone, ¡°Are you going to kill me?¡± Ashley, ¡°¡­¡± Enough! The man bent down, put his hands on the edge of the bed, and looked at her very close, ¡°I¡¯ll get you dressed, get up and have something to eat?¡± Ashley was indeed a little hungry and nodded, ¡°I don¡¯t want to eat wha the chef cooks, I want to eat what you cook!¡± He chuckled, raised his hand and rubbed her head, ¡°Okay.¡± After getting dressed and washing up, Ashley sat in front of the dressing mirror and looked at the conspicuous marks on her neck. Her eyelids twitched and she used some concealer to cover it up so that it didn¡¯t look so obvious. Had a meal. Ashley was sitting on the sofa ying with the kitten. She noticed that the man next to her had been looking at her and asked strangely, ¡°You are not going to thepany today?¡± Although it¡¯s already afternoon. He tilted his forehead, raised his eyebrows slightly, and said half-seriously, ¡°I wanted to go, but I won¡¯t go now.¡± Ashley was even more curious, ¡°Why?¡± He saidzily, ¡°After being tossed by you all night, how can I still have the energy to go to the company?¡± Ashley, ¡°¡­¡± Ashley, ¡°!!!¡± A small fire ignited in her beautiful eyes, and she rushed towards him in anger. She raised her delicate white hands to pinch his neck, ¡°Keep talking Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. nonsense!¡± This dog man! When she rushed towards him, Valentin naturally raised his hand and took her into his arms. A pleasant smile spread across his brows, and he took the initiative to raise his chin so that she could pinch it. The most vulnerable neck was pinched angrily by the woman, but he leaned forward and kissed her, his dark eyes lingering and caressing, and his thin lips pursed a smile, ¡°I¡¯m teasing you.¡± How could he want to go to thepany? I just want to be at home with my wife. Ashley snorted softly, her watery eyes were charming and cute, and she said harshly, ¡°It¡¯s not like you¡¯re teasing me. You are already a delicate and frail Valentin. I¡¯m really worried that I tired you out last night.¡± Valentin, ¡°?¡± Her soft white fingers caressed the side of the man¡¯s face ambiguously, and said provocatively, ¡°You can work harder next time.¡± Valentin¡¯s eyes narrowed dangerously. good very good. It seems he didn¡¯t work hard enoughst night. Ashley¡¯s heart was agitated, and she was frightened by the man¡¯s dangerous eyes, and suddenly regretted saying those provocative words. She said she was brave and fearless, but in fact her body was extremely achy. He quickly got up from his arms. As a result, within two days, Ashley paid a heavy price for her provocative words¡­ That night, Ashley took Valentin and walked directly through the small wooden door to the Pliskin family to have dinner with her parents and brother. We talked about the wedding at the dinner table. The preparations are almostplete Most of the preparations are made by Valentin, and Ashley is toozy to worry about it. She just wants to be a beautiful bride. Chapter 468 A few dayster, Ashley and Valentin went to the Kingsley Manor to visit grandpa. Joseph and ire Fox happened to be there too. Several juniors had lunch with the old man. After dinner, while everyone was chatting in the flower hall, ire Fox received a phone call. Her delicate eyebrows frowned slightly, and then she told everyone that her friend wanted to see her for something and had to leave first. The old man gave a few kind words, then smiled and asked his granddaughter to go about her own business first. Joseph scratched his head strangely. During this time, he always felt that his sister seemed to have something on her mind. But with the Fox Family and the Kingsley family, what troubles can¡¯t be solved? Ashley saw that he looked wrong and asked in a low voice, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Joseph leaned over and whispered his guess. Ashley¡¯s expression condensed slightly, ¡°You should ask Sister ire privately first to see if she is willing to tell.¡± If you really encounter something annoying, everyone can help solve Joseph sighed, ¡°This is the only way.¡± In the afternoon, several old friends of the old man came to visit. A group of old people had been friends for decades. They were all cheerf and asked about Ashley and Valentin¡¯s marriage. The old man is in high spirits during happy events, and his body is muc stronger than before. He always tells everyone that the wedding will be held soon. This made Ashley feel a little embarrassed. After returning from the Kingsley Manor, Joseph went to visit his brothe and little Ashley¡¯s new home, and happily had a 1: in the living room. Ashley sat on the sofa, lowering her head and fiddling with her phone. Valentin came over, sat down next to her, and pinched the back of her neck with his knuckled fingers, ¡°I¡¯m going on a business trip to a branch abroad in the next few days. It will take abwo weeks.¡± Ashley looked down at her phone, ¡°Two weeks, a long time, I will miss you.¡± What he said was quite touching, and his eyes never left the phone. Not distracted at all. Valentin¡¯s eyebrows skipped a beat, ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Ashley became excited, ¡°Gossip! A little star¡¯s house copsed!¡± This sentence is obviously more distracting. Valentin, ¡°¡­look up at your husband first.¡± He was not as attractive to her as gossip. Ashley still looked at the phone without raising her head, ¡°What are you doing?¡± Valentin looked at her like a heartless scumbag, suddenly sighed, and said quietly, ¡°Sure enough, I won¡¯t cherish her when I fall asleep.¡± Ashley, ¡°???¡± Ashley looked stunned. He suddenly raised his head to look at him. Then he grabbed the pillow next to him and threw it into his arms. The man caught it casually, with a casual and sexy tone in his voice, ¡°Are you finally willing to look at your husband?¡± Ashley, ¡°..¡± This guy is real! Valentin held her in his arms, and gently yed with her white and soft earlobes with his slender fingers, ¡°Hold me for a while.¡± Ashley rubbed her chest against his. ¡°Theard it just a were going on a business trip to a branch abroad for two weeks. I will be at home waiting for you to come back!¡± The man lowered his head and kissed her on the lips¡­ Ashley originally thought that it was only two weeks and it would pass quickly. It was not like they had never been apart for such a long time before. As a result, Valentin had only been abroad for a few days, and she began to miss him. By the seventh day, I couldn¡¯t think of him anymore. Although we have video calls every day, it still feels different from seeing a real person. Ashley thought for a while and dialed Tom¡¯s phone number. This time Valentin went to a foreign branch, and Tom, as his assistant, was always by his side. After Ashley made the call, she asked Tom for the specific address, and decided to go quietly to give Valentin a surprise, and asked Tom not to tell Valentin. Tom agreed wholeheartedly and listened very much to the bossdy¡¯s words. After all, Mr. Kingsley has been in a low-pressure and resentful state these past few days. He wishes he could work overtime to finish the work in advance and return home overnight. Now that thendyes quietly, Mr. Kingsley will definitely be pleasantly surprised. Yaloria Manditus. It happened to be afternoon when Ashley¡¯s nended. After picking up Ashley, Tom took her directly to the branch. ¡°Ms. Pliskin, this is Mr. Kingsley¡¯s office. Mr. Kingsley is still in a meeting and it will end soon. How many minutes will you wait here?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ashley looked around. It was spacious and bright. She picked up the brochure on her desk and flipped through it Tom quickly brought a cup of coffee over. Ashley sat on the sofa, thinking that Valentin would ish the meeting soon, so she took her mobile phone and sent him a harassing message: [Dear brother Valentin, I went out to y, so I won¡¯t video chat with you tonight-] The other side replied: [Where to go to y? ] Ashley, deliberately teasing him: [In the bar, I also met a very handsome waiter-] there: [???] Meanwhile, in the conference room next door. The director of the operations department was reporting on his work when he suddenly noticed that after reading the messages on his mobile phone, the man sitting in the front seat suddenly became gloomy and his eyebrows were filled with anger. The operations director was so frightened that his heart trembled and asked, what happened? Who messed with Mr. Kingsley? The man¡¯s eyes were fixed on the screen of his mobile phone. Bar? Handsome waiter? Very handsome? Okay, he¡¯s only been away for a week and he can¡¯t stand her anymore. Valentin raised his hand to tug on his tie irritably, and suddenly stood u The huge conference room suddenly fell silent. The operations director¡¯s brain was so frightened that he was short-circuited. ¡°Are you done?¡± There was no emotion in Valentin¡¯s voice, but it was obvious that the man was filled with a stormy aura. The operations director stammered, ¡°Not yet.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give you thirty seconds to give you a brief summary.¡± The man¡¯s voice was cold. As he spoke, he picked up his cell phone, sent a message to Tom, and immediately transferred a private jet to return home The operations director is stupid. Three¡­thirty seconds? How brief this is! Tom who received the message was also dumbfounded. Why did Mr. Kingsley suddenly need to transfer a private jet back to China? Still looking like you are rushing to catch the traitor?? In the end, the operations director racked his brains and lost a lot of brain cells, and reluctantly ended the report in three sentences. ¡°Meeting dismissed.¡± The man dropped these two cold words and strode out of the conference room. All the senior officials looked at each other, why did Mr. Kingsley leave in such a hurry? And look at Mr. Kingsley¡¯s face¡­ Who is this brave enough to offend Mr. Kingsley? You want to die! At this moment. Ashley, who wanted to tease Valentin some more, suddenly heard the sound of the door opening in the conference room next door, as if the meeting had suddenly ended. My heart skipped a beat. No way. She just sent a text message to tease him, wouldn¡¯t it cause such a big reaction?All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. It¡¯s over, it¡¯s over, Ashley stood up in a hurry, and ran out to find Valentin without thinking about the surprise. At this time, Valentin had just walked out of the conference room. The marketing manager led a blond foreign woman over. ¡°Mr. Kingsley, this is Miss Belisy who had an on The blond woman smiled, ¡°Mr. Kingsley, nice to meet you! We reached a cooperation with your companyst year, and you came to Manditus recently. I think I muste and visit you, so as not to be disrespectful!¡± After the blonde woman finished speaking, she looked at Valentin with undisguised admiration. The man¡¯s true appearance is more handsome and noble than the photos on the Inte, especially the aura around him, the aura of a superior person, which has a fatal attraction. However, the man seemed to be in a bad mood, his expression was frighteningly cold, and his eyebrows seemed to be covered with ayer of frost and snow. However, it is this kind of coldness in the rejection that can arouse women¡¯s admiration and conquest. Even if you are married, it will make people excited. The blonde woman raised her hand to smooth her hair and was about to continue talking. At this moment, the door to the president¡¯s office suddenly opened, and a bright and mboyant figure walked out quickly. The marketing manager frowned. Mr. Kingsley was not in the office. There was someone in the president¡¯s office. Who led him in? Why are you so incapable of doing things? At this moment, Valentin could only think about Ashley and some handsome waiter, and looked over with an unkind expression. Chapter 469 The next moment, when he saw the person clearly, Valentin¡¯s pupils suddenly shrank, and his expression was startled for a moment. It seemed too unexpected., The body suddenly froze there. The blonde woman kept looking at Valentin, and when she saw his expression changed slightly, she turned to look over. Immediately afterwards, he saw a stunningly beautiful woman standing not far away. She was wearing a bright red dress, her skin was white and eye-catching, and her charming eyes were slightly upturned, like a delicate and beautiful rose. The blonde woman recognized her immediately, she was the eldest daughter of the Pliskin family! Also¡­Valentin¡¯s married wife¡­ The blond woman immediately looked towards Valentin, and saw that the man¡¯s expression, which was still cold a second ago, dissipated in an instant like a spring breeze, and turned into a touch of tenderness. He strode towards Ashley, his steps even a little messy because of his anxiety. The marketing manager on the side opened his eyes in shock. This¡­is this still their dignified and calm Mr. Kingsley? Damn it, even if the earth was going to explode and thepany was going to copse, Mr. Kingsley wouldn¡¯t be so anxious! The marketing manager turned around and recognized him at a nce, it was Ashley. No wonder! It turns out that the boss¡¯s wife is here! Valentin walked up to Ashley, hugged her hard, then let go slightly, looking at her with deep eyes, ¡°When did youe?¡± Ashley nced at the marketing manager and the blonde woman next to her, and cleared her throat, ¡°You go to work first.¡± Valentin looked back at the marketing manager. The marketing manager immediately understood, walked up to the blonde woman, and said very professionally, ¡°Ms. Belisy, let¡¯s go to the reception room here to discuss the follow-up matters of this cooperation.¡± The blond woman looked at Valentin who waspletely different from the previous one, with an expression full of astonishment. Why was Valentin, who just walked toward Ashley so anxiously without caring about his image, so different from the rumors? And he listened to whatever Ashley said. She told him to do his work first, so he was very obedient and immediately signaled the marketing manager to take her away¡­ It seems that there are rumors that Valentin and Ashley are very affectionate, and they are all true¡­ Valentin pulled Ashley into the president¡¯s office. As soon as the door closed, he immediately pressed her against the door panel, lowered his head and kissed her hard. The longing that I haven¡¯t seen for a week seems to be melted into this turbulent and hot kiss. for a long time, Valentin had just relieved his greed. He stepped away slightly and looked at the girl with his eyes full of dark desire. He gently stroked her moist red lips with his thumb and asked in a slightly hoarse voice, ¡°When did youe?¡± Ashley smiled with her eyebrows creasing, ¡°I just came here not long ag I asked Tom not to tell you, just to give you a surprise! How about it? Surprise or not!¡± Valentin touched the side of his face with the tip of his tongue, his expression a bit deep and dangerous. Oh, yes, surprise, joy, ah. Just then, there was a knock on the door. Valentin pulled Ashley up and helped her straighten her hair that was a little messy during the kiss before letting people outsidee in. Tom knocked on the door and came in. He looked at the man respectfully and asked for instructions, ¡°Mr. Kingsley, will the private ne to return home be transferred immediately?¡± Ashley was shocked when she heard this and looked at him in surprise, ¡°You want to return to China immediately?¡± Valentin lowered his eyes to look at her, with an expression that was half-smiling, inexplicably dangerous. Ashley couldn¡¯t help but shudder. What, what¡¯s going on? What¡¯s going on? Arrive at Valentin¡¯s hotel. Ashley followed him into the room. This was Mr. Murray¡¯s suite. The living area and bedroom were separated. Entering the bedroom inside, the man took off his suit jacket and turned to ask her, ¡°Are you tired? Are you hungry?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not tired!¡± Ashley shook her head, then touched her stomach, ¡°I¡¯m just a little hungry.¡± Valentin immediately ordered room service to deliver dinner, which was all local specialties. However, Ashley felt full without eating much and put down her chopsticks. ¡°Have you eaten?¡± Valentin sat opposite and looked at her. ¡°Yeah.¡± Ashley nodded her head, very well-behaved. ¡°Then let¡¯s start settling the scores.¡± He said slowly and even poured her a ss of water in a gentle and thoughtful manner. Ashley¡¯s scalp was numb, her ck and white eyes widened, and her face was full of innocence, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. The man stood up slowly, and pulled the tie off with his sharp-jointed fingers, feeling fresh all over his body. He looked down at her, hiszy tone seemed to remind him, ¡°Handsome little waiter?¡± Ashley¡¯s scalp felt numb again, and she avoided the topic guiltily, ¡°No, listen to me, baby! Think about it, I will send you a message first to tell you that I can¡¯t video chat with you tonight, then you will be very disappointed, and then If I suddenly appear in front of you in person, will it suddenly be a double surprise?¡± Valentin raised one corner of his lips, half-smiling, ¡°A double surprise?¡± Ashley nodded heavily, her big moist eyes like ck grapes showing sincerity and sincerity, ¡°Yes, yes! Were you particrly surprised when you saw me just now? I¡¯m thinking about you too!¡± He drawled slowly and casually, ¡°Oh, think about it for me.¡± Ashley stood up weakly, ready to run away at any moment, ¡°That¡¯s right! I also worked hard and had good intentions, okay?¡± The man turned his head, unbuttoned two shirt cor buttons with one hand, and asked while walking towards her, ¡°So, what¡¯s going on with that very handsome little waiter?¡± Special emphasis was ced on the four words ¡°very handsome¡±. Ashley blinked, turned around and wanted to run away. Before he could even take two steps, he was intercepted by an arm and dragged backwards into the man¡¯s arms. Ashley¡¯s back was pressed tightly against the man¡¯s warm chest, her heart contracted slightly for a moment, and her earlobes felt tingling with heat Immediately afterwards, Ashley was thrown on the bed. The bed was so soft that Ashleyy down and didn¡¯t even want to mov Valentin stood beside the bed, looking at her steadily with dark eyes ful of lust, and unbuttoned another shirt with his slender white fingers. Ashley looked at his suspenseful and lustful look, her throat felt inexplicably dry, and her watery eyes trembled, ¡°What, what I said abou the handsome little waiter was just to tease you! I won¡¯t do it again!¡± I¡¯m kidding you!¡± The man slowly leaned down and stroked her hair gently, showing the ultimate indulgence, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? You can open it.¡± ¡°You can make any joke you want.¡± ¡°Just let me¡­kiss you a few more times.¡± What he was talking about was kissing more often, but Ashley read a different meaning from his dark and thick eyes. The look in his eyes now is very simr to the dangerous look in her eyes. when she provoked him to work harderst time¡­ Ashley¡¯s heart skipped a beat, her cheeks were red and hot, she blinked her eyes, turned around and wanted to crawl to the other side of the bed, but was dragged back by the man without any refusal. He got on the bed, spread his legs and knelt at her waist, confining her under hin The man caressed the side of her face with one hand, leaned down to kiss her, and his hot and erotic breath fell on her lips. He grabbed her right hand with his other hand, slowly took her hand, and reached towards her waist elegantly. Expensive belt. A ¡°click¡± sound, like a metal buckle, sounded in the ambiguous space. Ashley¡¯s heart trembled hard, her eyes were filled with a little water, and the ends of her eyes were stained with a rose-colored blush. Just like that, the man grabbed her hand and untied his belt bit by bit¡­ Chapter 470 The belt was undone, and Ashley had no hindrance in touching the man. His fingertips seemed to have been electrocuted, and he shivered so hard that his palms became hot. The ends of her eyes were wet and red, and she looked at him softly, ¡°I¡­I haven¡¯t taken a shower yet¡­¡± The man held her hand to prevent her from flinching, and his hot and sexy breath brushed against her ears, ¡°I¡¯ll carry you to wash¡­¡± Early next morning. Clothes were intertwined and scattered all over the floor. Ashley sat up from the bed holding the quilt, her fluffy curly hair scattered on her shoulders, and her milky-white skin was covered with ambiguous marks. The ends of his eyes were moist and red, and he had obviously cried. His whole body looked like he had been bullied. She looked at the man sitting by the bed, her clear and beautiful eyes full of usations, ¡°You bullied me!¡± Valentin sat on the edge of the bed, holding a ss of water and feeding it to her mouth. Hearing this, he raised his eyebrows, ¡°Why did I bully you?¡± Ashley red at him angrily, but he still had the nerve to ask! He went too farst night. He didn¡¯t let her close her eyes and let her watch with her own eyes how he kissed her whole body bit by bit. When he kissed into her body, it felt like he was kissing into the depths of her soul. She burst into tears. He finally went to the bathroom to clean up, thinking he could rest and sleep, but in the bathroom he¡­ Ashley looked at him in embarrassment, her red lips glistening with water, and she warned fiercely, ¡°Starting from today, you are not allowed to touch me for a month.¡± ¡°From today on, abstain from sex.¡± Valentin¡¯s expression suddenly froze. What month? What abstinence? What kind of terrible word is this? He hurriedly leaned over and kissed her, using the most lingering kissing method, ¡°Honey, don¡¯t say that¡­¡± Ashley felt sofortable being kissed that she almost wanted to be seduced by him again. Fortunately, she woke up in time and insisted on the bottom line with great difficulty, ¡°Don¡¯t seduce me. It¡¯s useless for you to act coquettishly.¡± Valentin, ¡°¡­¡± Ashley was still very tired andy back down again. Only his head was exposed outside the quilt, and he blinked his eyes and said crisply, ¡°Dear brother Valentin, you don¡¯t have to have breakfast with me, I want to catch up on some sleep- Just go about your work with peace of mind, just pretend I didn¡¯te to see you- Valentin, ¡°¡­¡± branch. Tom looked at the low-pressure man and felt strange. what happened? Isn¡¯t thendy here? Why is Mr. Kingsley still looking so gloomy and in a bad mood? He¡¯s so bad that even the dog passing by has to be kicked¡­ In the hotel. Ashley slept until noon before waking up. My body is still sore. nightgown and put it on,ining about it, Valentin came back and asked the hotel service to bring lunch. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Lunch was ced on the table in the outer living room. Valentin took off his suit jacket and walked into the bedroom. He saw Ashley washing up. He walked over and hugged her tenderly from behind, ¡°I¡¯ll help you wash up.¡± Ashley had already seen him in the mirror, ¡°It¡¯s not like I can¡¯t take care of myself.¡± The man lowered his eyes and smiled softly, ¡°I am happy to serve you.¡± Ashley¡¯s heart felt warm, she nced at him in the mirror, and then she pampered herself and enjoyed his service. Had lunch. Ashley thought of several famous scenic spots here, her eyes brightened, and she said to him excitedly, ¡°After you finish your work,e and y with me here for a few days!¡± Valentin hugged her into his arms and kissed her tender cheek, ¡°Okay.¡± Ashley made a serious face, ¡°We agreed to abstain from sex for a month, so don¡¯t do anything.¡± Valentin raised his eyebrows slightly, ¡°Baby, I only moved my mouth ju now.¡± Ashley, ¡°¡­¡± He¡¯s actually cheating! In the afternoon, Valentin was worried that Ashley would be bored alon in the hotel, so he said, ¡°I will take you to thepany with me, and you can y whatever you want in the office.¡± It just so happened that he could see her whenever he looked up. Ashley thought for a while and realized that it was really boring to be Ashley thought for a while an alone in the hotel, so she went to thepany with him. I ended up regretting it after going. Because this is an overseas branch, Valentin usually doesn¡¯te here often except for inspections. Therefore, thepany¡¯s employees only know from the news that Mr. Boss and the eldest daughter of the Pliskin family are married. So, when Ashley entered thepany, the employees seemed to be working seriously, but in fact, their curious eyes could hardly be hidden. It didn¡¯t feel better until we got into the elevator. When we got to the top floor, when we came out of the elevator, the employees on the top floor were also looking at us. Finally, he entered Valentin¡¯s office and waspletely cut off from everyone¡¯s sight. Tom came over to report to Valentin about the arrangements for this afternoon. Tom looked at the timetable on his mobile phone and spoke clearly one intensive arrangement after another, ¡°The high-level meeting will begin at 2:30, the final M&A n will be decided at 3:10, and at 3:25¡­¡± Ashley stood nearby and listened for a while, feeling that her husband. was so busy that he still had the energy to torment her tonight. As she listened, Ashley caught a glimpse of the chat messages popping up at the top of the screen of Tom¡¯s phone, which looked likements in apany group. However, how did the chats between those employees involve her? After Tom finished his report, Ashley asked him if he was apany group. Tom nodded and quickly pulled out thepany list, ¡°Ms. Pliskin, this the employee list of the branch here. Do you want to see it?¡± Ashley nced. I only saw in the chat group: Wow, did you see it? Our president¡¯s wife is so beautiful! Mr. Kingsley and I just walked past us, and the air smelled delicious!] [Who has photos? Who has photos? I didn¡¯t see them!] [Who dares to secretly take photos of this! But I seem to see hickeys on Ms. Pliskin¡¯s neck, hehehe¨C] Ashley saw thest one at a nce, and her face turned red. Immediately waved to Tom, ¡°Don¡¯t read it, don¡¯t read it, you go to work first!¡± After Tom left, Ashley quickly took out a small mirror and took a look. Damn it, there are really hickeys! When I went out, the concealer I applied fell off and the hickey was exposed! Ashley turned her head angrily and nced at Valentin behind the desk with a look that looked at a bad guy. It was all his fault! Valentin, ¡°?¡± There was a pause. The man¡¯s eyes were slightly dark, and he waved to Ashley, ¡°Come here.¡± ¡°What?¡± Ashley said as she walked over. As soon as she walked up to the man, she was pulled into his arms, sitting on hisp unexpectedly, and her delicate cherry red lips were kissed. Ashley was so kissed that her breath became unstable. She opened her watery eyes andined, ¡°You move your hands, feet and mouth casually again!¡± The man¡¯s voice was hoarse, ¡°Who told you to look at me like that?¡± Ashley looked confused. She was ring at him just now because of the hickey! stare! You¡¯re not teasing him! Ashley moved her buttocks, found afortable position in the man¡¯s arms, and then said calmly, ¡°I have decided that one month of abstinence will be invalidated.¡± Upon hearing this, Valentin¡¯s eyes darkened instantly. Ashley, ¡°Because one month is not enough, we have to add two months.¡± Valentin moment, ¡°?¡± Ashley looked at his almost copsed expression and almostughed out loud. The ends of her bright eyes were raised slightly, with a proud expression on her face. She snorted arrogantly, ¡°This is what will happen. if you move your hands, feet and mouth casually¡­.¡± Before she finished speaking, she felt the man¡¯s arm tighten around her waist. Facing the man¡¯s dark eyes with a hint of danger, Ashley felt excited and quickly raised her hand to straighten his cor, ¡°This is an office. Someone knocks on the door andes in at any time. Don¡¯t think about that, and you¡¯ll return itter.¡± We have a meeting, go and do your work first, be good and be good-¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Tom knocked on the door lightly, indicating that a high-level meeting was about to begin. Valentin kissed the girl in his arms hard, and then reluctantly let go of her. The next day, Ashley did not follow Valentin to thepany. I stayed in the hotel alone. I received a message from Tom on my mobile phone: [Ms. Pliskin, many employees asked me just now why you didn¡¯te to thepany today. They all really want to see you. Ashley, ¡°¡­¡± In the evening, Valentin came back. Ashley ran over and threw herself into his arms, looking at him with bright eyes, ¡°You¡¯re back!¡± Valentin took his little wife into his arms and rubbed her head distressedly, ¡°Are you bored? Can I arrange for a few people to go out with you?¡± Of course, in addition to the bodyguards who protect her safety, he will definitely arrange girls to apany her. In fact, he still couldn¡¯t help but feel jealous when he thought that Ashley especially liked those sweet- smelling and soft girls. Ashley shook her head quickly, ¡°It¡¯s not boring! I¡¯m a living person with a mobile phone, Inte, TV and snacks, how could I be bored? And more importantly, I want you to y with me! Wait until you¡¯re done y well with me!¡± Valentin¡¯s heart palpitated, and he kissed her forehead with love, ¡°Okay.¡± Just at this time, the hotel¡¯s service staff came over with a dining cart to deliver dinner, fruits and snacks. The waiter was a girl. As soon as she saw Ashley, she greeted her familiarly, with a slight blush on her face, ¡°Sister Ashley, this is your special dinner!¡± As soon as Valentin heard ¡°Sister Ashley¡±, he keenly felt that something was wrong. Ashley walked over, curled her lips and chuckled, ¡°Thank you, Tara.¡± Valentin, ¡°?¡± Does she even know that the waiter¡¯s name? He¡¯s been here for a week and hasn¡¯t paid attention to it. Chapter 471 Tara looked at Ashley shyly, ¡°Sister Ashley, I know you can¡¯t eat mangoes, so I specially picked out the mangoes and added a few more servings of other fruits! These fruits are very safe.,delicious!¡± The fruits on the dining car could not be eaten by eight people, let alone two people. And it was specially arranged in the shape of a heart. Valentin looked at the love, Ashley nced at the heart-shaped fruit, raised her eyebrows slightly, and suddenly chuckled as if she was impressed by the cuteness, ¡°Thank you, Tara, for your hard work, and your feet. Remember to have a good rest tonight.¡± When Tara saw her smiling, his cheeks immediately turned redder. After talking to Ashley for a few more words, he left shyly. Looking at the closed door, Valentin¡¯s face turned dark, and his voice. almost leaked out from between his teeth, ¡°Ashley!¡± When Ashley was called by her full name, her heart skipped a beat, ¡°What are you doing?¡± It looked like she was in trouble. ¡°I¡¯m so good today, I didn¡¯t cause any trouble-¡± Valentin¡¯s dark eyes stared at her. good?Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. He had only been away for a day, and yet she flirted with a girl like this, making him blush whenever he saw her! I also got some heart-shaped fruit specially for her! He has long seen that Ashley has a very cold attitude towards boys, but is very affectionate towards girls! Ashley jumped over and hugged Valentin, rubbing her little head against his chest coquettishly, with an innocent look on her face, ¡°Honey, I reall didn¡¯t do anything! I did something good and good today!¡± Valentin¡¯s face improved slightly after being rubbed by her, ¡°A good person and good deeds?¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡± Ashley blinked her clear and clear eyes, very well-behaved, ¡°Tara came here to deliver lunch at noon today, and almost tripped! I had to be quick-sighted and help her quickly! Otherwise, she would have sprained her foot!¡± Valentin narrowed his eyes slightly, ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Ashley¡¯s eyes rolled around, as if she was thinking about what to say next. Valentin saw through her at a nce and lowered his voice, ¡°Say.¡± Ashley immediately hugged his waist, kissed him stickyly, and then said, ¡°Although Tara didn¡¯t sprain her ankle, it still hurt. Of course, I quickly asked her to sit down and rest for a while! I even helped her look at it. Looking at my feet, luckily no bones were broken, but it still hurts! Tara couldn¡¯t stand firm when she bent up, and then she identally¡­ identally sat on myp¡­¡± After Valentin heard this, his temples jumped suddenly. Ashley hurriedly said, ¡°But he got up very quickly! He didn¡¯t sit down for a few minutes! He got up really quickly!¡± Valentin¡¯s temples jumped again. A few more minutes¡­ She refused to apany him to thepany, but here she was, letting another woman sit on her lap!? Ashley looked at the man¡¯s jealous expression, sat down on the sofa in the back, and patted her leg, ¡°Baby, if you are jealous, you can sit there too! From now on, you will be the only one to sit!¡± Valentin, ¡°¡­¡± Ashley stood up and walked over, smiled sweetly and took the man¡¯s hand, shaking it coquettishly, ¡°Of course I love you the most, everyone else is just ying along, okay?¡± Valentin almostughed angrily, ¡°Is it just a joke?¡± Ashley immediately changed her tune ¡°No, no! It¡¯s not just a joke! I love you the most and only you! I love you so much that I want to kiss you. every day!¡± After Ashley finished speaking, she immediately leaned over and gave her a big kiss. Valentin¡¯s vinegar smell was barely half gone. Ashley blinked and kissed again, ¡°I really love you the most! Look, you¡¯ve only been on a business trip for a week and I can¡¯t help but want to see you ande here to find you!¡± Now, half of Valentin¡¯s vinegar smell has disappeared. He raised his hand helplessly and pressed his eyebrows. She was eaten to death. There¡¯s absolutely nothing you can do against her. Ashley rolled her eyes and smiled sweetly, ¡°Hey, hey, I¡¯m hungry, go eat quickly! Hurry up!¡± Valentin is also hungry, but not in the same way as Ashley. Thinking of that month of abstinence, he looked at her back with deep eyes¡­ On the third day, Ashley still did not follow Valentin to thepany. slept in until the morning, but as soon as I woke up, I received a message from Valentin: [See Tara again? ] Ashley had a dark look on her face: [No! I didn¡¯t do anything today!] Really, why are you still jealous? Valentin: [Breakfast has been sent, remember to eat it.] Ashley: [I know, I know- It¡¯s another day to love you-] After chatting with him for a while, Ashley went online, chatted on the phone with her parents and brother for more than half an hour, and th got up to wash up and eat. But Valentin seemed to be very busy today and came back a littlete. I didn¡¯te back until nearly ten o¡¯clock in the evening. As soon as Ashley saw himing back, she rushed over and hugged him, ¡°Why are you so busy? It makes me feel bad!¡± Valentin couldn¡¯t help but curl his lips, with soft and affectionate eyes, ¡°I¡¯ll take you out to y tomorrow.¡± Ashley was startled and surprised, ¡°Going out to y tomorrow? Have you finished your work in advance? It¡¯s less than two weeks!¡± The man raised his hand and rubbed her head, ¡°It¡¯s been dealt with in advance.¡± Before Ashley came to him, he had been working overtime in order to go. back as soon as possible. The same has been true for these three days. He was unwilling to let Ashley stay bored in the hotel alone, and wanted to go out with her as soon as possible. It also saves her from provoking Tara today and others tomorrow. Ashley was more distressed than happy, ¡°Are you tired from being like this?¡± Hearing this, Valentin raised his eyebrows almost invisibly, and replied half-seriously, ¡°I¡¯m a little tired.¡± When Ashley heard this, she felt even more distressed. She quickly pushed him to the sofa and sat down, ¡°Then take a rest! Do you want to drink some water? I¡¯ll get you a ss of water! Are you hungry?¡± Valentin pulled her and didn¡¯t let her pour the water. He looked at her with dark eyes and a meaningful word rolled out of his throat, ¡°Hung Ashley, ¡°Then I¡¯ll order dinner!¡± Valentin still pulled her, and gently rubbed the delicate skin of her w with his slightly calloused thumb, ¡°Honey, if you reward me, I won¡¯t hungry anymore.¡± Ashley didn¡¯t understand at first. was stunned for several seconds before I understood these meaningful words. Suddenly the corner of his mouth twitched slightly, ¡°You are so busy, how can you still have the energy to think about that kind of thing!¡± ¡°And we agreed to abstain from sex for a month, but it¡¯s only been less than three days!¡± Valentin looked at her for a while, and seeing that she refused to let go no matter what, he said slowly, ¡°That¡¯s it, then I¡¯ll take a shower first.¡± He slowly stood up and looked at her with lowered eyshes. His low and sexy voice seemed to have a little hook, making people¡¯s hearts itch, ¡°Do you want to take a shower together, wife?¡± Ashley blushed immediately. The images of the first few times I took a shower with him could not be suppressed in my mind. His face became even redder. ¡°I¡¯ve already washed it, go and wash it yourself!¡± The man looked at her andughed softly, ¡°Okay.¡± Ashley saw that he was so easy to talk to, and felt that he was still very obedient, so he should have given up on that idea. Watching him go to take a shower, Ashley had nothing to do. After ying with her phone for a while, she lifted the quilt andy down on the bed. Not long after, the bathroom door opened. Ashley stretched her head and took a look, feeling relieved when she saw that he had dried his hair. Get ready to sleep beautifully with your eyes closed. After a while, the mattress next to her softened a little, and Ashley knew without opening her eyes that Valentin had gone to bed. The clean and good-smelling breath of the man floated over, and then she was pulled into the man¡¯s warm embrace. Ashley was used to being held in his arms to sleep, so she didn¡¯t bother open her eyes. Until the man¡¯s thin, cool lips kissed hers, moving all the way down to kiss her corbone. Ashley had to open her eyes, ¡°What are you doing?¡± The man pressed down on her and looked at her with lowered eyes, his eyshes clearly visible, ¡°Can¡¯t you kiss me?¡± Ashley actually heard a hint of grievance and pity in his tone. Also, in order to go out with her as soon as possible, he worked overtime. and finished the work in advance. Ashley couldn¡¯t bear it, she pursed her red lips, her eyes were pure and charming, ¡°Okay.¡± The man kissed the tip of her nose, and then kissed her lips bit by bit, kissing her sweet lower lip like petals, lingering and kissing her, which was more abrasive than ever before. Ashley felt sofortable being kissed that her head felt dizzy and her thick, curled eyshes were trembling In a daze, the clothes around her waist seemed to be lifted, and the man¡¯s slightly calloused thumb caressed the delicate and fair skin on her waist. Ashley¡¯s eyshes trembled, and she opened her eyes in confusion, ¡°You¡­¡± The man looked at her with dark eyes, thick and affectionate, like an intoxicating whirlpool. His sexy Adam¡¯s apple rolled slightly, and a hoarse and maic voice escaped from his throat, making people¡¯s ears tingle, ¡°Isn¡¯t it okay to touch it¡­¡± Ashley¡¯s heart felt hot, her throat felt dry, and she couldn¡¯t help but swallow her throat, especially his deep eyes, which were so affectionate that they could drown people, and so hot and sexy that it was hard to resist. Ashley¡¯s fingertips curled up slightly, her eyshes flickered, her brain seemed to be steaming with heat, she was dizzy andcked oxygen, and lost her ability to think, ¡°But¡­ it¡¯s okay¡­¡± Until his clothes were stripped off and his body was like a shelled egg, Ashley¡¯s mind was still dizzy, completely driven by him¡­ Chapter 472 The next morning. The sky is bright. Ashley woke up from her sleep and stared at the ceiling in confusion. Until the messy hair on the temples was brushed away by the man, the events ofst night were like a movie rey, with scenes ying in his mind. Ashley¡¯s eyes widened and she gritted her teeth. She endured the soreness of her body, rolled over and pushed Valentin under her, ring at him fiercely. ¡°Valentin!¡± The man¡¯s knuckled fingers pressed on her waist, and he raised his eyebrows casually, ¡°Here you are.¡± Hearing his tone, Ashley became even more angry, her clear eyes filled with shame and annoyance, ¡°What good thing did you do yesterday!¡± He raised his eyebrows even higher, as if he didn¡¯t understand, and asked slowly, ¡°What¡¯s the good thing?¡± Ashley grinded her teeth, bit his chin, then raised her head and continued, ¡°We agreed to abstain from sex for a month, what were you doing yesterday!¡± When she bit her chin, Valentin raised his chin slightly in cooperation andughed softly, his voice low and seductive, ¡°Honey, I asked you in advance, and you said yes, so I continued.¡± Just like this, Ashley became even more angry, ¡°I was seduced by you!!!¡± This male vixen!!! She couldn¡¯t hold it back so easily! Once you are seduced by him, everything is up to him! Valentin put a hand on the girl¡¯s waist, looked at her withzy and smiling eyes, and kissed the corner of her lipsfortingly, ¡°Don¡¯t be angry, or should I say¡­wasn¡¯tst night notfortable enough?¡± Ashley¡¯s cheeks felt hot, and her white skin turned pink from head to to In order to maintain her momentum, she put on a serious face and asked, not to be outdone, ¡°What about you? Are youfortable?¡± The man raised his eyebrows but said nothing. Although he didn¡¯t say anything, Ashley could tell from his satisfied look that he felt sofortable! Ashley was so embarrassed that she almost shrank into a ball! ¡°Aren¡¯t you tired?¡± Valentin saw that she was holding her arms up and pressing down on him, looking like she was looking for him to settle a score with her. He couldn¡¯t help but raise his hand and squeeze her soft arm. Of course Ashley was tired, her arms softened, and shey on top of him. Valentin hugged the girl¡¯s soft waist and kissed her white and delicate cheek. As soon as they kissed him, Ashley raised her eyes and nced at him, and said generously to let him go this time, ¡°Okay, I¡¯m not an unreasonable person. Forget what happenedst night, let¡¯s start over again from today on.¡± Abstinence for a month.¡± Valentin, ¡°?¡± Before she could speak again, Valentin turned over and pressed her down, ¡°Baby, you are still in the mood to think about this, it seems you are not tired enough.¡± ¡°In this case, let¡¯s¡­¡± Ashley¡¯s eyes widened and she covered her chest with her hands, ¡°No! I just woke up and I haven¡¯t eaten anything yet. I¡¯m already hungry!¡± Valentin is easy to talk to, ¡°Then finish eating before continuing.¡± Ashley, ¡°¡­Why are you so annoying!¡± Even though she said she was disgusting, she was still served by him, so we went to the bathroom to take a shower, then put on one of his white shirts, and then she was served by him to eat. After eating and drinking, Ashley sat on the sofa, nestled in the man¡¯s arms, and squeezed his hand, ¡°You still want to go out with me today.¡± Valentin intertwined his fingers with hers, ¡°I remember.¡± Ashley, ¡°Then let¡¯s go back after we¡¯ve had enough fun here!¡± Valentin, ¡°It¡¯s all up to you.¡± Ashley had a sudden thought, ¡°And my feet, I want to put on nail polish!¡± He chuckled, ¡°I¡¯ll help you.¡± Ashley did as she said, immediately brought the nail polish over, then sat down on the sofa, grabbed a bag of snacks to eat, and stretched her feet into hisp. The white and tender little feet swayed, and she did not forget to remind, ¡°Don¡¯t smear it out, don¡¯t rub it on my toes.¡± Valentin held the girl¡¯s slender white ankles and spoke in a natural tone, with the corners of his lips slightly hooked, ¡°You know, I¡¯ve applied it on you so many times since you were a kid, missy.¡± Ashley took a bite of the potato chips and said, ¡°I¡¯ll leave it to you from now on!¡± He gently yed with the girl¡¯s pearly toes, his movements gentle, ¡°I¡¯m honored.¡± Ashley was so happy that she leaned over and gave him a big kiss. After applying it. Ashley raised her calf and looked around. It looked pretty good. She was only wearing a man¡¯s white shirt, which looked loose on her body and covered her thighs. When she raised her legs, her snow-white skin was looming. Valentin¡¯s eyes darkened instantly. After Ashley admired the nail polish on her feet happily, she looked up and saw the man¡¯s dark eyes. rm bells rang in her mind. She pushed forward with her foot and kicked the man¡¯s abdomen to warn him. The man¡¯s hot palm sped her delicate ankle. Ashley¡¯s whole body trembled suddenly. Immediately afterwards, the foot that was stepping on the man¡¯s abdomen was held by the man¡¯s ankle and moved to his waist¡­ After ying here for a few days, Ashley had a great time and happily returned to China with Valentin. I also brought many souvenirs to my family and friends. As soon as she returned to Rose Manor, Ashley picked up the little kitten and rubbed it hard. The little kitten has been well fed by the servant these days and has grown up a lot. Ashley sent a message to Joseph and asked about sister ire. Joseph called back directly, ¡°Little Ashley, I asked my sister in a subtle way if she had anything bothering her recently, and she said no. Oh, I don¡¯t even know if she has anything!¡± Ashley frowned slightly. Since Sister ire said this, it seemed that she didn¡¯t want to tell anyone else yet. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Ashleyforted, ¡°Just pay more attention to Sister ire. If anything happens to Sister ire, we can help at any time.¡± ¡°Okay, little Ashley! Wow, oh, oh, it¡¯s great to have you as my sister-inw! My brother is really lucky to marry you!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, with me as your wife, of course your brother will be fine!¡± Ashley proudly raised her chin and boasted shamelessly. Valentin, who was sitting on the sofa, heard her words and a sultry chuckle escaped from his throat. The corners of his eyes and brows wer filled with joy. Yes, having her is the best thing in his life. The wedding dress designed by Valentin himself was hand-sewn by 99 c the world¡¯s top craftsmen for a hundred days before it was finallypleted. Ashley and Valentin go over the finished product together to see if there are any changes that need to be made. These craftsmen are all skilled craftsmen who specialize in making wedding dresses, so there are many types of wedding dresses in the studio. Ashley nced over and found that these wedding dresses were very beautiful, with a sense of holiness of lilies. However, when the wedding dress designed by Valentin wasunched, Ashley was caught at first nce and could no longer see any other wedding dress. When she first saw the design draft, she knew the wedding dress was beautiful and stunning. But when I saw the finished product, I was so beautiful that I was speechless. The holy color of White, exquisite hand embroidery, scattered and decorated with bright and beautiful jewelry and diamonds, light as smoke tulle, skirt like elegant blooming flowers¡­ It is simply incredibly beautiful¡­ Ashley¡¯s eyes were filled with unconceble amazement, and she forgot to breathe. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. With just one look, she fell in love with him for eternity. The size ispletely customized to her body shape. It is a unique wedding dress that belongs to her in this world. even Ashley held Valentin¡¯s hand and turned to look at the man next to her. Her eyes were full of joy and she praised without hesitation, ¡°So. beautiful, I like it so much!¡± The man¡¯s deep eyes were like ripples on the water¡¯s surface, revealing few smiles, ¡°Being liked by you is its greatest mission.¡± Ashley¡¯s eyes were hot, her heart felt so soft, and she slowly squeezed man¡¯s hand¡­ Finally, time slowly arrived on the day of Ashley and Valentin¡¯s wedding Chapter 473 The wedding was held on the ind where Valentin proposed to Ashley. The weather was beautiful today, the sun was shining, the breeze was gentle, and the waves were gentlypping on the beach. The entire ind is decorated dreamily and romantically. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Invited guests arrived one after another, and it was very lively. Jaden took one look at it and marveled, ¡°This is so romantic. It makes me want to get married.¡± The corner of Joseph¡¯s mouth twitched when he heard this, ¡°Are you getting married? Don¡¯t harm other girls, okay? And why are you talking nonsense?¡± Joseph raised his eyebrows in a sullen voice, ¡°Of course this ind is extraordinary. I will help you decorate it., can¡¯t it be beautiful!¡± Jaden nced at him speechlessly, ¡°You helped decorate it? My dear, this is obviously your brother¡¯s thought. Looking at the church, you can tell at a nce that it was specially designed by your brother.¡± Joseph, ¡°What do you know! I strictly listen to my brother¡¯s words and strictly follow his instructions to help decorate! My brother asked me to put one more flower, but I will never put two! I won¡¯t mess around at all! You know Shit!¡± Seeing that the two were about to quarrel again, Bryce on the side said with a headache on his face, ¡°Stop it, can you two calm down for a while?¡± The noise makes people¡¯s heads hurt. Bryce regrets it very much. Why can¡¯t he think of staying with these two people? Bryce looked at the spectacr and unique sea castle not far away and asked suspiciously, ¡°Why is the shape of that castle so unique?¡± Joseph finally caught someone eating dog food with him, and immediately said excitedly, ¡°This is the castle that my sister-inw painted on the painting when she was a child! When she was a child, little Ashley asked my brother if there was a castle on the sea, and then my brother remembered it in his heart. This sea castle was built ording to little Ashley¡¯s drawings! It fulfilled little Ashley¡¯s childhood dream! And i was here that my brother proposed to little Ashley!¡± Bryce, ¡°¡­¡± Hup- Such fierce dog food! Jaden even looked like he was stuffed with dog food. How to put it, there is only one feeling, Ashley, the child foster husband, really puts her first in his heart at all times. At this time, George and Lester came over. Lester waved to Joseph, ¡°Joe,e here quickly and help me.¡± Joseph immediately ran over obediently. Today is the big day for his brother and little Ashley. Of course, he is always avable and does whatever is asked of him. Today¡¯s wedding ceremony was held in the church. The guests present were all rich and distinguished, such as Megan, the dance master who had always wanted to ept Ashley as a student, Leonard Ferguson, the miracle doctor who treated Ashley when she was in aa, and Karman, the top jewelry designer., and harp master Eddy Moore also came happily. Of course he had to witness the senior sister¡¯s wedding. In the dressing room at this time. Ashley is wearing a wedding dress designed by Valentin himself, sitting in front of the dressing mirror and putting on a veil. Miranda, ire Fox, Brittany Walsh, Laura and others are all helping. ¡°Okay, put on these earrings too¡­Ashley, you are so beautiful today!¡± Miranda looked at Ashley in her wedding dress and her eyes almost wen straight. When Ashley heard this, she curved her lips and smiled, which was even more beautiful and heart- warming. Brittany Walsh nodded, her eyes full of admiration, ¡°Really, I have never seen such a beautiful wedding dress. It suits you so well! Only this wedding dress can match you!¡± Ashley looked at the white wedding dress on her body, her eyebrows were picturesque, and she was full of happiness. At this time, Valentin strode in, wearing a well-tailored ck suit. He ha a jade-like figure, noble temperament, and azy smile on his eyes and eyebrows. ire Fox smiled and joked, ¡°I really don¡¯t want to let your wife leave from under your nose for a while.¡± The man curled his lips, and it was obvious to the naked eye that he was in a particrly good mood today. He walked up to Ashley, stared at the girl with his dark eyes, and said in a soft voice, ¡°Are you tired?¡± I got up very early today to get ready and didn¡¯t get much rest. Ashley shook her head quickly, staring at the man with her beautiful eyes, her eyes bright, she leaned over and whispered, ¡°Husband is so handsome today-¡± The man lowered his eyes and chuckled. That look with lowered eyes and a chuckle is indescribably sexy. Ashley¡¯s heart felt hot when she saw it, her expression was full of joy, and she whispered again, ¡°I finally got you to marry me, how can I be tired-¡± When Valentin heard this, he raised his eyebrows imperceptibly. Will he marry him? Seeing the girl¡¯s energetic expression, he raised his hand and gently pinched her earlobe, smiled indulgently and nodded, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll marry you.¡± The weather is beautiful, in the ssical sacred church. As the sacred wedding march ys, the wedding officially begins. In a peaceful and festive atmosphere, the guests sat on the seats below, all looking at the newlyweds with blessings. Valentin stood on the ceremony stage, dressed in a ck suit, looking indescribably handsome and noble. The man looked at the other end of the red carpet with deep and affectionate eyes. At the other end of the red carpet, apanied by the sacred wedding march, Ashley, wearing a holy snow-white wedding dress walked slowly towards Valentin, apanied by her father. The long wedding dress swayed on the red carpet, and she held a beautiful bouquet in her hand. Her delicate and bright face was hidden. under the hazy veil, and she was breathtakingly beautiful¡­ Joseph in his seat was even more excited than he was about to get married, ¡°Oh, I have finally waited for this day! Grandpa, look, look, look!¡± Zain smiled from ear to ear. ire Fox curled her lips, ¡°Yeah, I finally waited until the day of Valentin and Ashley¡¯s wedding.¡± At this time, at the entrance of the church, a man in a ck shirt and a pocket watch walked in and asked the men beside him in a low voice, ¡°Have you given all the gifts?¡± Colby nodded quickly, ¡°Master, all the wedding gifts prepared for Ashley have been sent. They are all in ordance with your instructions. They are all the most expensive ones.¡± It was so valuable that it gave away most of the master¡¯s worth. The man gave a low ¡°hmm¡± and walked into the church. The next moment, he suddenly stopped. Those heart-stoppingly beautiful peach blossom eyes looked directly at the girl in the church wearing a white wedding dress. Andrew¡¯s heart tightened quietly, and his gloomy eyes were fixed on the girl. After a long time, his eyshes blinked slowly and lightly. He vaguely remembered the day he first met Ashley. The girl was wearing a white dress, her skin was so white that it glowed, and she was so beautiful and clean that she was desirable. She stood in the sun and looked towards him in the darkness¡­. He remembered that look, that girl in a white dress, to this day¡­ At this moment, the girl was wearing a white wedding dress and walking towards another man step by step¡­ Chapter 474 During the melodious wedding march, Ashley, apanied by her father and witnessed by the priest, slowly walked up to Valentin. ¡°Valentin, you have to take good care of Ashley in the future.¡± Brian Pliskin spoke softly, and upon listening carefully, his voice had a slight tremor. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Valentin looked serious. When he looked at Ashley, he solemnly extended his hand to the girl. Through a hazy white veil, Ashley met the man¡¯s tender and affectionate eyes, her heart skipped a beat, and her eyes felt inexplicably warm. The beautiful boy who grew up with her and upied her entire young life; The man who epted her into his world when she was most painful and helpless after breaking off the rtionship with the Ramos family; The man who got down on one knee and proposed to her in a sea of roses; The man who stood on the line between life and death when she was unconscious and never left her in front of her hospital bed was standing in front of her at this moment, wearing a wedding dress, looking at her with endless love in his eyes¡­ Ashley¡¯s long and thin eyshes trembled slightly. She slowly stretched out her hand, as if she was facing someone more important than her own life, and there was no need to leave any way o Putting her hand on the man¡¯s palm was a lifetime commitment¡­ Valentin held the girl¡¯s outstretched hand firmly, his eyes never leaving her for a moment. He lost his parents when he was a child. He watched his parents die with his own eyes and was helpless. He hated himself and closed himself off until¡­he met a little girl wearing a floral skirt¡­ The little girl broke into his life like a lively and cute little sun, and from then on became the salvation of his life¡­ Now, he¡¯s grasping at his salvation¡­ Next, the two walked up to the priest to take the oath. ¡°Groom, are you willing to marry Miss Ashley? From now on, in good times and bad, rich or poor, in health or sickness, you are willing to love her, respect her, and be loyal to her until the end of your life?¡± Valentin looked at his beautiful wife in front of him, his expression more solemn and profound than ever, ¡°I do.¡± ¡°Bride, are you willing to marry Mr. Valentin? From now on, in good times and bad, rich or poor, in health or sickness, you are willing to love. him, respect him, and be loyal to him until the end of your life?¡± The corners of Ashley¡¯s mouth curved slightly, and a touch of moisture shed across the corners of her eyes, ¡°I do.¡± The sound of the two swearing an oath resounded throughout the church. There was warm and endless apuse in the seats, and everyone sent their blessings to the newlyweds. Zain, who was sitting in the front row, couldn¡¯t help but raise his hand to wipe the tears from his eyes. These two children lost their parents when they were young, stumbled along the way, grew up together, relied on each other, apanied each other, and now they are finally able to be together happily. After he goes to heavn, he can give an exnation to Valentin¡¯s parents and Ashley¡¯s grandparents¡­ Brian Pliskin and Karen Pliskin couldn¡¯t help but get wet in their eyes. They all saw Valentin¡¯s love for Ashley They regretted all the time that it took them so many years to find their biological daughter. Fortunately, Valentin was with her before¡­ Lester leaned slightly, approached George, and whispered, ¡°Frankie, our sister is married, you should be worried.¡± George nced at him expressionlessly, ¡°Believe it or not, your parents urged you first.¡± Lester, ¡°¡­¡± Why! After the vows are taken, it¡¯s time to exchana After the ceremony waspleted, the priest smiled kindly and said, ¡°Groom, you can kiss your bride now.¡± As soon as the words fell, warm cheers suddenly erupted from the seats. in the audience. There was a smile in Valentin¡¯s eyes, and he lifted up his wife¡¯s veil with his well-jointed fingers, lowered his head and kissed her bright red lips¡­ The people in the seats burst into apuse, cheering and sending blessings. Miranda was so moved that her eyes welled up with tears, ¡°Oh, oh, oh, oh, I want to film this scene!¡± Brittany Walsh said with emotion, ¡°It¡¯s really good toplete the marriage ceremony with the person you like.¡± Riley Serrano, who was sticking next to her, immediately asked in a low voice, ¡°Brittany, when are we going to get married? Of course, I respect you! You can do it anytime you want!¡± Brittany Walsh suddenly fell silent, her pupils trembled, and she didn¡¯t speak for a long time. When she raised her head, she was caught off guard and met Bryce¡¯s eyes not far away¡­ At this time the entrance to the church. Colby looked at the apuse and blessings of the guests and the lively atmosphere. He swallowed carefully and turned to look at the man beside him. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Andrew stood motionless in the shadows, watching the girl wearing a white wedding dress and another man standing in front of the priest, watching her kissing the other man in front of everyone¡¯s witness, and watching the smile and happiness between the girl¡¯s eyebrows¡­. After dozens of seconds, Andrew looked back. Then, he slowly raised his hands, pped, and sent blessings. Colby was stunned for a moment, and his eyes suddenly widened. Not long after, the man quietly turned around and left the church. Colby nced at the his legs to follow, and asked nkly, ¡°Master, where are we going?¡± The man looked up at the bright sunshine above his head. I remembered the day I first met Ashley. The sunshine today is as beautiful as the day they first met. But now, she is no longer around him. In the quiet air, a man¡¯s muffled cough suddenly sounded. Colby¡¯s expression changed, and his expression suddenly became tense, ¡°Master, your body¡­¡± The man shook his head slightly, and his eyes were slightly sore from the sunlight. He looked back and said, ¡°Go to Marenti Apartment.¡± Colby was startled when he heard this, Marenti Apartment¡­ This is the apartment where the master and Ashley lived together when they met abroad¡­ After Ashley left, the master didn¡¯t let anyone touch the contents. The furniture and furnishings in the apartment are still exactly the same as before Ashley left. Now, the master said to go to Marenti Apartment¡­ Colby looked at the man¡¯s lonely back and felt in a trance. he looks like¡­¡­ Buried myself in¡­ During the short time I had Ashley¡­ Chapter 475 When Ashley threw the bouquet, a group of girls were excited and looking forward to it. Amidst cheers, the bouquet fell into Brittany Walsh¡¯s arms. Miranda almost jumped up with excitement, ¡°Brittany! You will definitely have good luck and happiness in the future!¡± Brittany Walsh smiled happily, ¡°Wow, I also got Ashley¡¯s good luck.¡± Bryce, who was not far away, looked at this scene with an imperceptible softness on his unruly eyebrows. The next second, when he saw Riley Serrano clinging to Brittany Walsh¡¯s side, the softness between Bryce¡¯s brows was instantly reced by impatience. Why is this guy Riley Serrano such a loser? ire Fox was smiling and talking to Ashley Valentin, but she identally spilled wine on her skirt, so she had to go to the bathroom next to her to wipe it off. After wiping down anding out of the bathroom, ire Fox lowered her head and fiddled with her skirt while walking forward, and identally bumped into someone. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ire Fox apologized quickly. The next moment, a man¡¯s lowughter sounded above his head. When ire Fox heard thisughter, her heartstrings suddenly tightened. Then, the man raised his cold, thin right hand to help her, ¡°Is your skirt wet?¡± ire Fox frowned slightly and subconsciously took a step back, ¡°No need to help me.¡± Seeing her retreating action, the man narrowed his eyes slightly, and a slight sneer escaped from his lips, ¡°I¡¯ve kissed you, and done all the most intimate things, and now you want to avoid suspicion with me?¡± ire Fox¡¯s fingertips trembled, she looked up at the unruly man in front of her, and her tone became indifferent, ¡°I don¡¯t want my family to know about my rtionship with you After saying that, ire Fox raised her legs and walked away with a cold expression. Joseph happened toe over and ran to ire Fox, ¡°Sister, I¡¯m looking for you! Who were you talking to just now?¡± ire Fox, ¡°No words, you saw it wrong.¡± Joseph nced back suspiciously. He clearly saw his sister talking to the man just now. The guests invited to the wedding today are all rich or noble, so Joseph naturally knows that man, who is also one of the top wealthy families in Kilos City, but he has never heard of him having any interaction with his sister. ire Fox went to Ashley Valentin¡¯s side. Joseph touched his chin and looked over there from time to time. He always felt that something was wrong with that man and his sister. ¡°Joe, what are you looking at?¡± Lester came over and asked with an intriguing smile. ¡°Where are you Frankie?¡± Joseph asked rhetorically without answering. Lester, ¡°What are you looking for Frankie for?¡± Joseph raised his lips and sneered, ¡°If you call me little brother again, I¡¯ll let Frankie beat you up!¡± As soon as he finished speaking, George came over, with cold eyes and thin lips, his face was as cold as ever, ¡°I don¡¯t care about him about this kind of thing, there¡¯s no point in asking me.¡± Joseph, ¡°¡­¡± It hurts my heart! Jaden heard the movement here and felt a bit gloating, ¡°My dear, I¡¯m being bullied again!¡± Joseph was immediately hurt two thousand dors, with a bitter look on his face, and ran towards Ashley and Valentin with a cry, ¡°Brother! Sister-inw! Save me¡­ Someone is bullying me, your cutest brother!¡± At the same time, Ashley and Valentin¡¯s wedding caused a huge sensatio on the Inte It upied the first ce in the hot search lists on multiple tforms, and was followed by a red-to- purple ¡°explosion¡±. Bluelove CP fans cried with joy. Looking at the wedding photos that were circted, they were so sweet that they were crazy about candy, and at the same time they were moved to tears. [Wow, wow, so touching, Ashley is so beautiful in the wedding dress, Mr. Kingsley is so handsome in the groom¡¯s suit, I¡¯m crying!] [Ashley and Mr. Kingsley will be happy forever!] [I wish Ashley and Mr. Kingsley, Bluelove, happiness forever in the future! ] In addition to Bluelove CP fans, there are many melon-eatingizens who also spontaneously left comments in thement area saying ¡°Bluelove, be happy forever¡± in thement area. Millions of comments were all words of blessing, and an unprecedented consensus was reached. At a nce The past was very spectacr¡­ After the wedding was over, Joseph breathed a sigh of relief. The big event for his brother and sister-in- law was finallypleted sessfully! As for the bridal chamber, they all abandoned it. Joseph, Lester and others sent Valentin directly to the bridal chamber. in the room. When Ashley saw Valentining back, she immediately stretched out her hands towards him. At the end of the day, her body as strong as an ox felt tired, and she urgently needed to hug Valentin to recharge her batteries. The man strode over, hugged the girl into his arms, bowed his head and kissed her gently on the forehead, ¡°Are you tired?¡± Ashley nuzzled into his arms dependently and murmured softly, ¡°I¡¯m a little tired, but very happy!¡± She raised her bright eyes and looked at him, ¡°I finally got you to marry me!¡± Valentin couldn¡¯t help but curl his lips, hugged her and sat down on the bedside, and said in a hoarse low-pitched voice with a smile. ¡°Then Ashley will treat me well in the future! Ashley said in a serious tone, ¡°Of course, I am not someone who always gives up!¡± As a result, within three seconds of getting serious, I couldn¡¯t help but touch the man¡¯s face teasingly, smiling and saying, ¡°Just because your face is so good-looking, I¡¯m not willing to treat you badly!¡± Hey, why does her Valentin look so good-looking? Valentin held her troubled little hand and raised his eyebrows slightly, ¡°So you like me so superficially.¡± Ashley immediately retorted, ¡°No way! How superficial is this? And it¡¯s not just your face, but also your person, from top to bottom, inside and out, I like every part of it!¡± Valentin was originally teasing her, but when he heard her words, a pleasant chuckle escaped his throat. With affectionate eyes and brows, he called her in a low and hoarse voice, ¡°Wife.¡± Ashley chuckled and said, ¡°Your wife is here- The man lowered his eyshes, covered her with his beautifully shaped thin lips, and kissed her softly. Although Valentin didn¡¯t speak, Ashley¡¯s heart felt hot, and she could clearly feel his passionate love¡­ Ashley was held in the man¡¯s arms. Thinking of the uing. honeymoon, her sparkling eyes were filled with anticipation, ¡°When we were young, we said we would travel to many ces together, and now it¡¯s finallye true, although it¡¯s a bitte.¡± When she was little, she made a promise with Valentin that when they grew up, they would go to Begian to see the snow together. When she grew up, Valentin confessed his love to her there. There are many other ces that they agreed to travel together when they were young, but they were included in this honeymoon itinerary before they came to fruition. Valentin took the girl¡¯s hand and intertwined her fingers tenderly, ¡°It¡¯s no toote. I will always apany you from now on to all the ces we agreed on.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s not toote.¡± Ashley looked at him with a bright smile and delicate eyebrows, ¡°As long as you are here, it is never toote.¡± Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Valentin¡¯s heart moved and he couldn¡¯t help but leaned forward to kiss her. That gentle and pious gesture seemed to be treating the most precious treasure in the world. The bright smile in her eyes was what his heart wanted all his life. -End of text- The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!