Chapter 40: Chapter 40: Ashley Shaw Is Yours
Warren Prescott finished speaking and left, not giving Cillian Xavier any chance to talk.
Cillian Xavier originally wanted to catch up with him, but hesitated for a moment and returned to the party.
As he pushed the door open and entered, Rosalind Lynch came forward with a worried expression and asked, "Archie, where’s Warren?"
Cillian Xavier gave Rosalind Lynch a deep look.
The beautiful, proud little girl in his memory had somehow grown thorns that could sting.
He smiled lightly and said, "He’s gone."
"Gone? Didn’t he just arrive?"
The smile in Cillian Xavier’s eyes deepened.
"Why he left, isn’t it something you know best?"
Rosalind Lynch’s back stiffened, and just as she was about to speak, Cillian Xavier spoke again, "Rosy, I hope this is the last time you do such a thing."
"Archie, I don’t understand what you mean."
"You don’t understand, then let me make it clear. Your Archie may seem easygoing, but he’s not that easy to deal with. If you don’t believe me, you can try."
Rosalind Lynch’s expression turned cold.
"Archie, do you like Ashley Shaw?"
Cillian Xavier said nothing.
Rosalind Lynch didn’t seem anxious anymore.
Now that everything was laid out, quite a few things were avoided.
"If you like her, you can make a deal with me. Warren belongs to me, Ashley Shaw to you, how about it?"
After speaking, she took a kraft paper bag from her purse and stuffed it into Cillian Xavier’s hand.
On the other side.
In the underground parking lot.
Ashley Shaw was waiting for the assistant store manager to come down, while vigorously rubbing her forehead to prevent a bump from forming tomorrow.
As she was enduring the pain, a bag of ice appeared in front of her eyes.
Ashley Shaw looked up and saw Warren Prescott’s appealingly handsome face.
"Using this ice will feel better."
Ashley Shaw was a bit bewildered.
She couldn’t quite understand Warren Prescott.
His sudden change of attitude left her somewhat at a loss.
But thinking that he had learned the truth about the pool incident back then, she understood what Warren Prescott was doing.
He never liked owing others favors.
But what he owed her couldn’t be repaid, and she no longer needed him to repay it.
"No..."
However, just as she was about to refuse, Warren Prescott had already put down the ice bag and turned to leave.
Giving her no chance to refuse at all.
This person... Why does he do such things?
The harm he caused her isn’t something that can be erased with a simple apology or a gift of ice.
What he should do most is to be a stranger to her.
But her feelings about Warren Prescott’s dislike for her didn’t stem from resistance or escape; no one has ever stipulated that someone must like another.
She truly cared about whether, in either past or present life, Warren Prescott would consider the things he believed she did wrong and find them odd.
If only he questioned her about what happened, they wouldn’t be in their current situation.
Back then, she replaced Rosalind Lynch at the wedding. He directly assumed that she had actively proposed to be the bride and accused her of doing it out of her own selfish desires.
But he never asked even once.
Not once.
In this life, he mistakenly saw the surveillance, but does his later compensation mean anything?
What he’s compensating for isn’t her, but to reduce his own guilt.
A surge of pain welled up in Ashley Shaw’s heart, but it was quickly suppressed.
No, Ashley Shaw, don’t ever generate any emotions for him again.
In this lifetime, never get entangled with this person again.
...
An hour later.
Ashley Shaw unlocked the password lock of Ariana Grant’s home and, upon pushing the door open, saw Ariana Grant cooking.
"Ariana?"
Ashley Shaw paused, then went over with pleasant surprise.
"Why are you back? Why didn’t you let me know in advance?"
Ariana Grant was just bringing out a plate of freshly cooked scrambled eggs with tomatoes from the kitchen, surprised to hear her voice.
"Eh? Aren’t you off work at five? Had I known you were coming, I would’ve cooked a few more dishes. Now there’s only two, so we’ll have to make do."
Ashley Shaw glanced at another dish of braised pork on the table and stepped into the kitchen to help with the table settings.
"You didn’t call me either to say you were returning."
"I did, but I couldn’t get through."
Ashley Shaw took out her phone to find it had auto shut-off from being drained of power.
She shrugged apologetically, saying, "It’s out of battery, that’s why I didn’t answer."
Plugging in the phone for charging, she deliberately avoided the topic of why she came back early, but Ariana Grant keenly noticed the bump on her forehead.
"Hold on, why are you injured?"
"I accidentally fell."
"Tell the truth."
Under Ariana Grant’s questioning, Ashley Shaw had to lay bare today’s happenings at the Lynch Group.
"Ms. Grant... that’s my boss. She saw me injured and sent me home, granting me a day off to rest."
Ariana Grant clenched her fists in anger.
"That Rosalind Lynch, really bullying, huh?! Does having money mean you can do whatever you want?"
Ashley Shaw remained calm, "It’s just my suspicion, there’s no substantial evidence."
"What’s suspicion, this was premeditated! And Warren Prescott too; no matter what, aren’t you counted as his sister? With this happening, did he not even speak a word for you?"
"He probably couldn’t guess."
"Anyone with half an eye could see it, okay? I think he’s just blind on purpose, deliberately pretending not to know. And even before, always misunderstanding you, thinking everything that happened was your fault. You’re better off not liking him now, otherwise, your life would be a mess!"
Ashley Shaw smiled without responding.
Regardless of whether Warren Prescott truly didn’t understand or was intentionally biased, moving forward, Ms. Grant wouldn’t send her for Lynch Group’s orders anymore.
Plus, she was certain that she no longer liked Warren Prescott and was continually working to move on and look ahead, rendering discussing these matters pointless.
If it wasn’t for Ariana Grant’s insistence on asking, she wouldn’t have even brought it up.
"Alright, let’s not talk about it anymore. Let me taste your cooking."
Ashley Shaw picked up a piece of scrambled egg, tangy with a hint of sweetness, the egg slick and tender, with an implicit beer flavor—almost identical to restaurant dishes.
"Your skills have improved."
Ariana Grant, delighted by the praise, flashed a proud grin.
"Of course! I listened to you, stopped eating junk, and spent time in the countryside researching recipes."
Ashley Shaw nodded with satisfaction, "Good girl."
So now, Ariana shouldn’t be sick anymore?
She couldn’t bear the thought of losing a friend again.
After finishing dinner, Ashley Shaw asked about the important issue.
"How’s the situation with your parents?"
"Both sides have been persuaded! They each thought I’d side with them, now the legal process is in motion, and it should go to trial soon."
"Alright, I’ll take you to meet my lawyer friend tomorrow, so you two can discuss in detail."
"Aren’t you working tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow’s my day off."
"OK! Then after meeting the lawyer, let’s have a nice meal!"
"Something light."
"I know, mum!"
Both laughed, enjoying their meal, unaware of a business car parked in the rain downstairs.