Chapter 399: Chapter 399: Heartbroken
Ariana Grant originally wanted to say "serves him right." Who told Warren Prescott to always bully Ashley Shaw when they were in school?
But thinking about it, Warren’s "bullying" wasn’t a crime worthy of death.
Seeing Ashley’s lost look, she couldn’t bring herself to say it.
She paused and changed her words: "Don’t worry, he’ll be fine. Remember, when he was a freshman, he won the national high school taekwondo championship. No ordinary person can match him."
Ariana’s words brought a glimmer of light to Ashley’s shadowed mood.
Yes, Warren’s skills mean no ordinary person could best him.
A mere project manager, unarmed, couldn’t possibly do anything to Warren.
Most likely, Warren caught up to the cruise, but it had already set sail, leaving him out of contact with the mainland.
One voice in her mind thought this, but another dark thought whispered—what if the other person wasn’t unarmed but had tools?
No matter how skilled Warren is, he’s still flesh and blood, how could he stand against tools?
Two voices waged war in her mind, and Ashley even blamed herself, wondering if she hadn’t spoken to him harshly yesterday, and clarified things later when they met, perhaps Warren wouldn’t have gone after the person.
The more she thought about it, the more restless she became.
Ashley suddenly understood why so many people light a cigarette when they’re troubled.
Because when you’re idle, lighting a cigarette gives you something to do.
As her mind was running wild, her phone rang.
Ashley jumped and quickly pulled out her phone, praying: Warren, please let it be Warren calling.
But life rarely goes as we wish; it wasn’t Warren but Elder Prescott.
She didn’t know if Elder Prescott was aware of this, and if he knew... how anxious would he be?
Although he always seemed to scold and beat Warren, Ashley knew that Elder Prescott’s feelings for him were no less than Claudia Jennings’s love for him.
Ashley decided to play dumb for now.
Upon answering, Ashley spoke as usual, warmly calling out, "Grandpa!"
"Do you still consider me your grandfather?"
The stern voice startled Ashley.
Before she could ask what was wrong, Elder Prescott began speaking.
This morning, he received something Ashley had sent over—a share of the "apology money" from Rosalind Lynch she promised Warren, which he refused to accept, so she mailed his share to him.
Curious as to why Ashley, who was in Westcroft, would mail it, Elder Prescott saw the bank card in the package and used a hospital check-up as a pretext to visit Ariana’s neighborhood.
Unexpectedly, the security guard informed him they’d already moved out.
People of the same age tend to talk more easily than with the younger generation, so the guard directly told him they had gone to Aethelgard.
That’s when Elder Prescott got angry.
"Couldn’t you inform me before you left? Did you think I’d stop you?! Do you still consider me your grandfather, or did I do something to upset you?"
Elder Prescott’s words weighed heavily.
Ashley’s face turned red, and her eyes followed suit.
"I’m sorry, Grandpa... I shouldn’t have left without telling you. But I really see you as my own grandfather... I’m sorry..."
Her voice inevitably carried a sob by the end.
Hearing her, Elder Prescott’s heart immediately softened with sympathy.
"Alright, alright, I wasn’t blaming you. I know you’re not hiding from me, but hiding from Warren. I know there are many misunderstandings between you... I was just sad! Not angry."
"Your sadness makes me uncomfortable. If you were just angry, I’d rather give myself a slap or two."
"Why would you hurt yourself? Doesn’t it hurt? If you want to hit, hit Warren! It’s his foolishness that drove you away, even keeping it from me."
Hearing this, Ashley knew Elder Prescott was no longer sad or upset.
But her feelings only got heavier.
Because it’s clear Elder Prescott didn’t know Warren had been "missing" for a day.
Her heart felt weighed down, making her voice dull too.
"I’m sorry, Grandpa..."
"I’ve told you, I’m not angry. Why are you apologizing?"
Ashley pursed her lips and said, "Because... there’s actually something else I’ve been keeping from you."
Elder Prescott widened his eyes on the other end, not that Ashley could see, but the sudden silence for a few seconds let her guess his expression.
Before Elder Prescott could question, Ashley apologized first.
Her attitude was exceptionally sincere, as if she’d kneel before him if they were face to face, which barely satisfied Elder Prescott.
"Speak, what’s the matter?"
"First, promise you won’t be angry or sad."
Elder Prescott was silent for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Are you going to say you didn’t apply to Aethelgard University?"
Ashley was stunned for two seconds.
"How did you know?"
Elder Prescott "hmphed" and explained the context.
After learning from the security guard that Ashley and Ariana had gone to Aethelgard, his first reaction wasn’t anger, but to call someone at Aethelgard to take care of Ashley, preferably arranging her dorm assignment before the semester started.
But when they checked, they found no record of an Ashley Shaw.
That led Elder Prescott to inquire with Ashley’s high school teacher.
The teacher told Elder Prescott that Ashley’s first and only choice was The Medical University.
The teacher had promised not to tell anyone, but an exception was made for someone like Elder Prescott.
Ashley was thoroughly ashamed.
"I’m sorry, Grandpa..."
"Don’t say sorry, my ears have grown calloused from hearing it."
"Okay, I won’t say it anymore. Whenever I want to say sorry, I’ll wish you a long life instead. How about that?"
Elder Prescott was indeed amused by her.
"Deal! The words ’I’m sorry’ can’t exist in conversations between us."
Then, changing the subject, Elder Prescott asked, "Are you with Ariana?"
"Yes, we applied to the same university. She chose nursing, and I chose clinical medicine."
"Good, it’s good to have company. By the way, I’ve notified The Medical University to arrange your dorms early. Let me know when you have time, and I’ll come help move your things in and introduce you to the professors."
Ashley instinctively wanted to decline, but on second thought, realized Lars Prescott must have deliberately kept Warren’s disappearance a secret.
If Elder Prescott came to Aethelgard, he wouldn’t think of Warren immediately or delve into where he went.
With this in mind, Ashley changed her mind and agreed.