Chapter 371: 371

THIRD PERSON POV

When Ashley said he had something very important to tell her, Karen’s heart skipped slightly. She studied his face, trying to read him, but his expression was calm and serious at the same time.

“What is it?” she asked softly.

Ashley cleared his throat, suddenly aware of how quiet the room was.

“Can I sit?” he asked.

Although that was weird for him to ask, in his own home, but probably because it was Karen, he acted that way. He had so much respect for her and was willing to do anything to make her keep seeing him as someone she would feel so happy with.

Karen then nodded and pointed to the chair beside the bed.

“Sure.” she responded with a slight smile.

He sat down carefully, resting his hands on his knees, while Karen sat at the edge of the bed facing him. There was a brief silence, the kind that carried weight, and she patiently waited for him to speak.

“I don’t want you to think I’m rushing things,” Ashley began slowly. “That’s the last thing I want to do.” He said to her, laying down the foundation of what he had to say.

Karen tilted her head slightly. “Okay… go on.”

He then took a deep breath. “I just feel like… now that we’ve decided to be together, we shouldn’t hold back on what we truly want.” he uttered, cutting the message he intended to pass, bit by bit.

Karen frowned lightly. “What do you mean?”

Ashley met her eyes. “I mean I want us to have a big, beautiful wedding. The kind you deserve. And after that, we go on a honeymoon to another country. Somewhere peaceful. Somewhere just for us.” he spoke, letting her know his intentions and how serious he was about their coming back together.

Karen blinked, looking surprised. Out of everything that he could speak of, she didn't expect that this was what he had in mind to talk about.

Ashley continued quickly, afraid she might misunderstand.

“The kids can stay with Miss Rose and Jacqueline for a while. They love them, and I trust them. I just want us to start fresh. Properly.”

Karen exhaled slowly, then smiled.

“That’s actually…” she paused, choosing her words carefully, “really sweet.”

Ashley relaxed a little. “You don’t think it’s too much?” he asked her, feeling a little relieved that she didn't act off after he said those words and neither did she try to find an excuse that would make them stop talking for now.

She shook her head. “No. Not at all. It doesn’t feel rushed if we both want it.” She said with a slight smile.

Her smile widened. “It feels right.”

Ashley’s face lit up immediately. He stood and pulled her into his arms, hugging her tightly. Karen wrapped her arms around him too, resting her head against his chest.

“I’m so happy,” he whispered, unable to hide how good he felt about her response and the way she saw his suggestion.

“Me too,” she replied, smiling as well.

This really felt like a new relationship for them, one that gave them butterflies and they cherished it so much that they both desired more of this feeling.

They pulled back slightly, and Ashley leaned in, kissing her gently. It was soft and reassuring, filled with promise rather than urgency.

After the kiss, Ashley smiled and said, “I’ve already started preparing the visa. We’ll be leaving in a week.” he informed her.

Karen raised her brows. “A week?” she repeated, surprised that he had already made preparations.

That only showed how serious and excited he was, about something like that.

Ashley laughed lightly. “I figured you might need rest. You’ve been through a lot, and we just got back from another country.” he said, giving her the reason why he decided to push their leaving the country to next week.

Karen nodded. “That makes sense.” she uttered, agreeing to it. Then she smiled again. “Thank you for thinking of me.” She appreciated him, feeling grateful for how much love he was showing her.

“Always,” Ashley replied in an assuring tone.

~

Somewhere else, far away from that warmth, a man walked into a hotel lobby. He moved quietly, his presence unnoticed by most people around him.

The receptionist typed on her computer and then smiled politely. “Here is your key card, sir.” she  after they had made the necessary service and imputation.

He collected it without a word and walked towards the elevator. He pressed the button and waited in silence until it arrived. When the doors opened, he stepped in and selected the third floor.

Moments later, he walked down a quiet hallway and stopped in front of his room. He unlocked the door and stepped inside.

The room was dim and cool, and he nodded his head, pleased with the way the room looked.

“Perfect.” He said under his breath in a deep tone.

He removed his jacket and walked straight to the wine shelf. He selected a bottle, picked up a glass, and poured himself some wine. He took a slow sip, his posture relaxed but his eyes unreadable.

The aesthetics of the room seemed to increase the fact that he was in a good mood and he just simply stayed quiet, feeling and taking in the beauty of everything.

For what he had in mind, this seemed like the perfect place to be in, and engage in any activity he had to involve himself in.

Just then, the door opened quietly behind him. He turned to look back at who had just walked in. The only reason he didn't lock the door was because of the person he was expecting, and he seemed to have been the one who just arrived.

The man walked in and bowed respectfully.

“Welcome back, Mr. Sanchez.”

The man holding the wine glass did not turn around again after that. He only took another sip, and the person who just walked in, presented a list of names respectfully in his hands.