Chapter 340: Chapter 340: Don’t Come to the House Anymore
Claudia Jennings struggled to speak: "Um, Ashley, in the past..."
"Aunt Jennings."
Ashley Shaw interrupted Claudia Jennings: "Thank you for taking care of me in the past. I still remember my first pair of designer shoes was given by you; they were GUCCI dad shoes, and I still wear them now. They’re very comfortable."
Claudia Jennings forced a smile, her expression relaxing a bit.
"At that time, I just thought... the red canvas shoes on your feet had been washed white, so when I was shopping, I got you a pair along the way. I’m glad you like them."
Ashley Shaw smiled and said, "Not just the shoes. When my mom brought me over from Riverton, the clothes on me were either too small or wrinkled. The next morning when I woke up, I saw a closet full of clothes, and only when I asked did I know that it was you who bought them for me."
Claudia Jennings moved her lips, her eyes slightly reddened.
She had forgotten these things, but Ashley Shaw still remembered.
Ashley Shaw was a good child. She actually always knew this, so she never let her lack for anything necessary.
But she was a proud person, unable to swallow the breath of being calculated by her mom.
She considered herself to be good to Mrs. Shaw, who though seemed like a servant, felt more like a friend.
Yet she never expected that Mrs. Shaw would use her own death to trap their family, forcing her to adopt Ashley Shaw.
From her perspective, Ashley Shaw and Mrs. Shaw were both very scheming people, so she could never really like Ashley Shaw.
But now, as the truth has come to light, it was all her misunderstanding, and she naturally felt deeply guilty.
However, her personality really was not good at saying "sorry" and such.
Claudia Jennings pressed her burning eyes and said, "If you’re not afraid of my poor taste, I’ll buy you more next time I see something suitable."
Ashley Shaw smiled and said, "That would be great. I’ve always thought your taste is very sophisticated."
The word "sophisticated" hit Claudia Jennings right in the heart.
She felt delighted inside but quickly remembered she hadn’t said "sorry" yet, and her smile faded again.
"Um... Ashley..."
Ashley Shaw interrupted Claudia Jennings again, smiling.
"Aunt Jennings, you don’t need to say it. I understand. I’ve never blamed you. I’m also someone who only remembers the good, not the bad."
Bad...
She really was quite bad.
Being cold to a girl who had lost all her family.
Sigh!
Claudia Jennings sighed in her heart and said, "When you get to Aethelgard, if there’s anything you lack, contact me at any time. By the way, you have my contact information, right?"
Ashley Shaw’s expression froze.
She actually didn’t have it.
Ashley Shaw smiled awkwardly, and Claudia Jennings looked even more embarrassed.
After all this time as a mother to her, she still didn’t have her "daughter’s" contact information.
She took out her phone and took the initiative to add Ashley Shaw on WeChat.
Just then, a servant came over, saying her mahjong players were waiting.
One of them needed to leave early, so the table was missing a player, requiring Claudia Jennings to join.
Before Claudia Jennings could speak, Ashley Shaw spoke first.
"Aunt Jennings, it’s getting late. I should get going too. Go, have fun, and I wish you lots of luck in your game."
To those about to play mahjong, luck-related words are most welcome, and Claudia Jennings walked off with a satisfied smile.
After Claudia Jennings left, the servant said to Ashley Shaw, "Miss Ashley, Mr. Prescott is waiting for you in the study on the second floor."
Ashley Shaw’s face fell.
Having just managed to appease Claudia Jennings, now Lars Prescott was looking for her.
Claudia Jennings was actually okay, even giving her a red envelope. But from Lars Prescott, there probably wouldn’t be anything good.
However, what surprised Ashley Shaw was that when she arrived in the study, Lars Prescott also handed her a red envelope.
The red envelope was thin, with a card-shaped object inside.
Ashley Shaw pushed the red envelope back.
"Uncle Prescott, thank you, I appreciate it. But I can’t accept the red envelope."
"Take it anyway."
Lars Prescott once again pressed the red envelope into her hand.
"You don’t need to feel bad; take it as it’s given. Once you’re in Aethelgard, it will surely be inconvenient to come back, so keeping some money is necessary for a girl."
Ashley Shaw keenly picked up on the phrase "surely be inconvenient to come back," and her brows furrowed immediately.
"Uncle Prescott, do you mean to say that I should never return?"
Lars Prescott’s smile did not falter, but his eyes held no warmth.
"I don’t mean that, it’s just that the mountains are high and the roads are long. Not finding the time to return is normal."
Ashley Shaw understood completely. He was suggesting she use "it’s too far and I have no time" as an excuse never to enter this house again.
Her chest felt as if a heavy stone was pressing on it, making it hard to breathe.
"Uncle Prescott..."
Ashley Shaw’s voice sounded a bit raspy.
"I swear to you, there will be nothing between me and Warren Prescott. However, I hope you will allow me to visit Grandpa Prescott. Just occasionally, I promise I won’t come often. At least... once every one or two months? Or every three months?"
Lars Prescott lit a cigarette, as if he didn’t hear Ashley Shaw’s plea, and continued, "Ashley, once you have kids, you’ll understand the pain of parents. So I hope you can understand a father’s heart."
Actually, he was quite satisfied with Ashley Shaw as a person.
She was diligent, hardworking, and had a positive outlook, along with a tenacious spirit and a good temperament.
If Ashley Shaw’s family background had been slightly better, and she wasn’t a fatherless and motherless orphan, he might have gone along with the two of them.
But the reality is as it is; Ashley Shaw is an orphan with no support.
Even if Warren Prescott were to get married tomorrow and the bride suddenly vanished from the earth, he would not let Ashley Shaw be the bride.
Not to mention the present situation?
Ashley Shaw felt cold all over her heart.
Lars Prescott continued, "If you really want to see Elder Prescott, you can arrange to meet outside; there’s no need to come to the house. I see you’re quite uncomfortable coming to the house; don’t you agree?"
Ashley Shaw’s dim eyes lit up slightly.
No matter what, he wasn’t forbidding her from seeing Grandpa Prescott forever.
Seeing him outside is still seeing him; she didn’t care about the location, as long as she could see him again, she was already very happy.
She managed to squeeze out two words: "Thank you."
Lars Prescott tugged at his lips, extinguished his cigarette, and stood up, patting her shoulder.
"Go, you’re a good child. I promise you that if you encounter something you can’t resolve, I’ll help you once. But it’s only one chance, you must remember?"
Ashley Shaw had no interest in what he was saying, vaguely murmured an "okay," and left the red envelope on the table as she walked out.
Behind her, Lars Prescott’s voice followed: "Take the red envelope."
Ashley Shaw pretended not to hear.
She wasn’t the type to refuse money, but it depended on what kind of money.
This money, she couldn’t take.
She feared that once she took it, she wouldn’t even have the chance to meet Elder Prescott outside.
To her, Elder Prescott was truly like family. Moreover, knowing when his life would end made her want to see him more while she could.
Of course, there was also a selfish reason.
That was because Elder Prescott’s heart belonged to her mom, so visiting Elder Prescott always felt like visiting her mom.
The tombstone was cold, but her mom’s heartbeat was still warm, still beating, as if she were still alive...
Therefore, she would rather see Grandpa Prescott, see... mom’s heart, over a grave.
This was one of the crucial reasons she insisted Lars Prescott allow her to see Grandpa Prescott.