Chapter 42 42.
Chapter 42 42.
Chapter 42: Ashley's POV
The exact moment I climbed into the driver's seat of my car, my phone vibrated aggressively against my palm.
A message from Simone.
Simone: I'm at the manor.
I blinked. Then, I rubbed my eyes and read the words a second time, just to make sure the Manila heat wasn't making me hallucinate.
Me: You're back in Manila?
Simone: Obviously.
Me: Since when?
Simone: Since this morning.
I frowned, staring at the screen. The woman had a habit of simply leavinga nand appearing whenever she felt like it, entirely unannounced.
Before I could type out a reply, another couple of text bubbles popped up.
Simone: I'm staying for a couple of days.
Simone: I don't have treatment scheduled this week.
Simone: And Nash has something important that requires his presence elsewhere.
Reading those words, the tension in my shoulders slowly melted away, replaced by a soft, familiar ache in my chest.
Over the past few weeks, Switzerland had practically become Simone's second home. White sterile rooms. Endless consultations. New treatments, clinical trials, and heavy medications. Her entire life-and Nash's-revolved around her condition, a constant battle against time.
So, now opportunity opened up for her to leave the Swiss clinics and come back home to the Philippines, she took it without hesitation.
And honestly? I was so incredibly glad she did. I missed her terribly. Every single day.
Me: You could've told me earlier.
Simone: Where's the fun in that?
Me: I'm on my way.
Simone: Good.
A split second later, one final message popped onto my dashboard screen.
Simone: I want details about Amanpulo.
I immediately groaned, my smile twisting into a frown. I let out a long, dramatic sigh before tossing my phone onto the empty passenger seat and shifting the car into gear.
When I arrived at the Orwell Manor, the massive gates swung open almost immediately, welcoming me into the familiar, sprawling estate.
Standing right by the grand entrance, looking elegant despite the paleness that always lingered from her illness, was Simone Orwell herself.
"Welcome back, Simone."
A genuine smile broke across my face as I killed the engine and stepped out of the car. "It's good to be back."
She pulled me into a brief, warm hug before quickly ushering me inside, away from the humid Manila heat.
Over a beautifully arranged tray of afternoon tea in the conservatory, she eagerly asked me about the vacation she had so generously sponsored for us.
"I had fun," I admitted, wrapping my hands around the warm porcelain cup. "Seriously, Simone, thank you. Nadine, Mia, and Troy were incredibly grateful, too. They haven't stopped raving about it."
Simone smiled warmly, her eyes crinkling at the corners. "I'm just glad you all enjoyed yourselves. You deserved a break."
She then tilted her head, taking a sip of her tea. "And how were the Laurent siblings?"
"Vanessa and Steve?" I let out a breathless laugh, shaking my head. "They're great. Annoying sometimes, but a lot of fun. They spent a good chunk of the trip mercilessly teasing us."
"That sounds exactly like them," Simone chuckled softly.
Then came the exact question I should have seen coming from a mile away.
"And Marcus?"
I groaned dramatically, slumping back against the plush cushions of my chair. "Oh, don't even get me started on him."
One of Simone's perfect eyebrows rose in silent curiosity. "That bad?"
"He's completely impossible," I complained, the words tumbling out of me. "Everything becomes a full-blown argument with that man. I say one thing, he says the exact opposite. I insult his robotic nature, he insults me right back. I don't think we can go a full ten minutes without aggressively disagreeing about something."
I shook my head in mock exasperation. "Honestly, I don't understand how his employees tolerate him on a daily basis."
For some reason, Simone didn't laugh.
Instead, the warmth in her eyes receded, replaced by an expression that was suddenly, entirely unreadable.
I frowned, setting my cup down with a soft click. "What?"
She carefully lowered her teacup to its saucer, her gaze suddenly becoming very focused. "Ashley... how exactly were the two of you during this trip?"
I blinked, thrown off by the sudden shift in her tone. "What do you mean?"
"You spent a considerable amount of time alone together, didn't you?"
"Oh." Realization dawned on me, and my cheeks instantly flared with heat. I vigorously waved both of my hands in the air. "No. No, no, no. Absolutely not."
Simone remained entirely silent, just watching my panicked reaction.
"There is zero romance happening between Marcus and me," I insisted, my voice rising a pitch. "We literally argue all the time."
"Sometimes," Simone countered smoothly, her voice laced with quiet wisdom, "that is exactly how these things begin."
I nearly choked on my own saliva. "What?!"
Simone just gave me a long, knowing look.
I stared at her for a beat, processing the absolute absurdity of her implication, before bursting into a loud, genuine laugh. "Trust me. Marcus and I are not a thing. The universe would collapse in on itself first."
I gave a carefree dismissal, entirely blissfully unaware of the heavy, lingering concern hidden right behind my sister's eyes.
"It's just that... I knew Marcus's mother. I knew her well enough to understand just how incredibly complicated things could get in the Bryson dynasty. The woman of that family had spent decades fiercely protecting her son and their untouchable reputation. If Marcus ever became genuinely serious about someone, it would inevitably drag them into a storm of high-society scrutiny—attracting attention from powerful people who had no business involving themselves."
And Ashley... Ashley had already been through enough chaos in her life. The absolute last thing Simone wanted was for her sister to be dragged into another ruthless elite battlefield.
Deciding it was high time to change the subject, I leaned back in my chair and shot her a playful smirk. "Actually, now that you're finally back in Manila, I can officially announce my retirement."
Simone looked deeply amused. "Retirement?"
"From being the temporary Orwell representative in Marcus's ridiculously massive corporate empire." I pointed a finger at myself dramatically. "Do you have any idea how stressful that was for me?"
"You handled the position beautifully."
"That is entirely not the point!" I groaned, throwing my hands up. "Every single board meeting felt like an absolute battlefield."
"Because of Marcus?"
"Mostly because of Marcus."
That finally earned a genuine, bright laugh from Simone.
I crossed my arms, trying to look stern. "I'm serious. Now that you're home, you can take over the reins again. I can finally rest. Sleep peacefully. Live normally like a regular pregnant human being."
Simone smiled softly into her tea, the amber liquid swirling against the porcelain. "Ashley."
"Hm?"
"Unfortunately... I don't think Marcus is going to let you disappear from his life that easily."
I immediately frowned, a sudden chill running down my spine.