Disappointment

Ashley looked again at her father, who had always been nice to her and had never hurt her!

Mark's face turned livid with anger. "Ashley, I know that you've always had a grudge against Lucia. But I never expected that you'd come up with such a vicious plan to frame her and destroy her image in my heart.

It's all my fault. I'm the one who always coddled you and let you become so devious!"

He had lost all his trust in Ashley. Covering her burning cheek, Ashley looked up to Henry, hoping that at least he would believe her.

Today, he was her groom, so he would certainly believe her.

"Henry..." Before she could finish her words, however, she was interrupted by Henry.

His gentle face was serious at the moment, and his mellow eyes had turned cold. He said in a heavy voice, "Ashley, you've really disappointed me"

He looked at Ashley ruthlessly, as if he was looking at a stranger. But when he turned to Lucia, his eyes filled with intense sympathy and pity.

Ashley was shocked by his words. Although she was angry, she couldn't help but find the situation ridiculous and suddenly laughed out loud. 

How had she become the target of public criticism today?

She had never cared much about Amelia and Lucia before. In her eyes, Amelia was a home wrecker, so naturally, she had hated the mother and daughter and everybody knew it.

Nevertheless, she had always thought that it was beneath her to set them up. But today, those two women had not only set her up, but they had also gained sympathy from Mark her father and Henry her husband to be.

At this moment, what broke Ashley's heart the most was not the scheming minds of Amelia and her pretentious sly of a daughter Lucia, but the distrust of her own father and fiance!

From the beginning, they had let their feelings cloud their judgment. They had labeled her Ashley as the troublemaker in their hearts. They had wanted evidence just to help them confirm their doubts.

Ashley had always thought that she was the real daughter of the head of the Brown family, and that she would one day become a part of the Thompson's family as Henry's wife, but now, she realized how ridiculous it all was. No one believed her or cared about her at all!

Ashley finally stopped laughing. "Henry, you've disappointed me too, "she said plainly with a snort. She picked up the scissors on the table and cut through the hem of her wedding dress.

Then, she suddenly tore up the dress and threw it on the ground.

Henry's eyes darkened. "What are you doing, Ashley?"

"This is exactly what you want, isn't it?" Ashley usually looked bright-eyed, but now, her eyes were dim and watery.

"I would never get married to a man that don't believe me lest we have an argument in the family lest our family breaks up and I would be stranded." 

She walked back to her room with heavy steps. Then, she took her suitcase and went downstairs.

"Sir, Miss Ashley wants to leave home." A maid rushed over to Mark and reported the news.

"Don't mind her!. She thinks that by trying to leave the house that would make me yeild to her whims. Impossible! leave her let her go; she would eventually come back when she sees that no one comes for her" Mark was really angry.

He thought he should teach his daughter a lesson! By trying to stop her from being pompous and arrogant 

However, Henry's eyes turned anxious. Just when he turned to chase after Ashley, Lucia let out a groan and fainted.

"What's wrong with you, Lucia? Don't scare me.... Don't scare mommy..." Amelia cried out loud.

Henry stopped and hurried back to Lucia. Mark also took Lucia into his arms anxiously. 

Mark called out to Lucia but there was no response. Amelia started crying "it was because that woman's daughter agitated my daughter, that's why she is like this" she said 

"Lucia...... Lucia....... Talk to mommy" she called out to her daughter panicking 

Ashley looked back as she reached the door. After seeing what her father and Henry were doing, she walked out of the Brown family without hesitation.

With all her luggage, she left the Brown's house never to return again 

As soon she drove out of the Brown's manison unto the highway. She packed her car in an inconspicuous corner of the road and wept her heart out.

She recounted the conversation she had with her mother on her deathbed few minutes before she died

"Mom, you can't die now........ You can't leave me alone here....... You must not make that feel that she has succeeded in removing completely from Dad's life" Ashley said in tears to her mother 

"I want to stay also but it's hard for me. The other side is calling unto me daily. But promise me you would take care of yourself and I would be watching over you from the great beyond" her mother Marbel Brown said 

"Mom........ No don't make me promise......... You can't leave me alone........ Mom please....... Try to fight back" Ashley pleaded with her mother in tears

"Ashley my beloved daughter......... Please promise" her mother said gasping for breath

"Mom..... No....... I'm not promising...... Mom please" Ashley said 

"Ashley..... Please...... Don't make it hard for me to leave" Marbel told her daughter 

As soon as she heard her mother statement. She wept bitterly. 

"Alright mom....... I promise...... But you must watch over me. It's a must" Ashley said to her mother 

"I will...... My daughter......... Ashley Laura Brown........... I love you....... Goodbye......." Marbel said as she breath her last

"Mom.... Mom......." Ashley screaming 

The memory of her mom's last moment opened up the stream of tears that she desperately has stopped again

"Mom, you've forgotten about me. You're not watching over me. Because that woman has succeeded in sending out of my father's house" Ashley said weeping 

She wipe her tears and told herself "it seems my mother has forgotten about me, and now that I've left the house. I've man up and live my life alone"

With these on her mind, she drove straight away to the Civil Affairs Bureau!