120. Another Bickering

Ashley sat before the vanity, bathed in the soft glow of the lamp, slowly wiping away the remnants of her makeup. Each stroke of the cotton pad was heavy, deliberate—as if she were trying to erase the memory of everything that had happened tonight. Her eyes were distant, her mouth pressed into a thin line, her shoulders stiff with unspoken tension.

Josh appeared in the doorway a moment later, his footsteps light against the hardwood floor. He stood there in silence at first, taking in the sight of her—the woman he loved, unraveling in quiet exhaustion.

He stepped closer. "Ash," he said gently. "I’m serious, what’s going on? Why did you send me a message like that? You know I’ve been trying to reach you."

Ashley didn’t look at him. Her gaze stayed fixed on her reflection in the mirror. "I told you. My battery died."

"Still," Josh persisted, pulling out the chair beside her. "Your message... It was very strange. 'Please track my location, in case something happens'? What was that about?"

Ashley’s hand slowed its movement, but she still didn’t meet his eyes. "It’s nothing."

Josh frowned. "Nothing? After a message like that? Don’t treat me like I’m a fool. Something clearly happened. You came home looking like you’d seen a ghost. And it’s almost midnight. You just started this job. What the hell happened tonight?"

Ashley finally turned toward him, her expression hardening. "And if something did happen, would you even care, Josh? Or would you just add it to your list of things I’ve done wrong?"

Josh looked stunned for a moment. He leaned back slightly, studying her. "Of course I care. That’s exactly why I’m asking. Especially after you said... What was it? 'Good thing it wasn’t me who ended up dead'? What the hell, Ashley. Do you realize how that sounded?"

Ashley dropped the cotton pad and rubbed her hands over her face. She could feel the heat rising in her chest, the sting of tears she didn’t want to shed. She inhaled sharply, held the breath for a second too long, then released it in a sigh. "Fine. You want to know what happened? I’ll tell you."

She stood up and crossed her arms over her chest as she leaned against the edge of the vanity. Her voice was low, but steady as she spoke. She told him about the office—how she stayed late alone, how something kept making noises in the dark, the feeling of being watched, the sound of falling objects from nowhere. She described how fear gripped her so tightly she could hardly breathe. And then, the taxi—the driver who looked like trouble from the moment she stepped in, the wrong route, the way he kept watching her through the mirror, how her phone died right after she sent Josh the message.

Josh listened, his face darkening with every word that Ashley said. His face was tight with anger. His jaw clenched so hard it looked like it might crack.

“That bastard Mark,” he muttered, voice sharp like glass. “Who the hell does he think he is, making you stay that late on your first day? He’s not your boss—he’s a manipulative prick who doesn’t know how to respect boundaries.”

Ashley flinched, her back still turned to him. She was brushing her hair, slow strokes that betrayed her attempt at calm. “He didn’t make me stay. I stayed because I wanted to finish the work.”

Josh scoffed. “Oh, come on, Ashley. Don’t defend him. This is exactly what I warned you about. And now look—you came home in a panic, barely holding it together. But sure, let’s pretend this is all fine.”

Ashley turned, eyes narrowing. “So now it’s my fault?”

Josh’s voice rose. “I didn’t say that—but I did tell you not to take this job.” He said under his breath. “You know you could’ve been hurt. You could’ve been taken or—oh God, Ashley.” 

He suddenly paced back and forth. Looking very frustrated and upset. "This is exactly why I didn’t want you working there. I told you something about Mark that never sat right with me. But you ignored me. Who makes someone work overtime on their first day? That’s not mentorship, that’s exploitation. Or worse."

Josh took a deep breath and then snorted harshly, trying to control his anger to that point. “Just quit. Pay the penalty, I don’t care. I’ll cover it. Just get the hell away from that office. From that bastard.”

Ashley stepped forward, fury simmering in her voice. “Don't curse him like that. And no, you can’t control me. I needed this job, Josh. I can’t do nothing like a useless person. I wanted to build something on my own.”

Josh’s eyes flashed. “I’m trying to keep you safe! God, Ashley, do you even hear yourself? You’re defending a man who made you work overtime alone on your first day so you have to go through such a horrible journey in a shady taxi ride. You're new to this town. You don't know anything about this town!.”

“You’re not listening,” Ashley said coldly. “You never do when your ego gets in the way. You hate Mark not because of what he did—but because I chose something you didn’t approve of.”

Josh's breath caught, as if her words had physically hit him. “That’s not true.”

“Isn’t it?” She challenged him. “You care more about being right than about how I felt tonight.”

Silence stretched between them, thick and sharp.

Josh said again, this time in a softer voice. “You know working overtime on your first day of work is really not normal, right? Especially since you're doing it all by yourself. You should have refused—if you really said you two were friends and he wasn't a jerk.

Ashley’s posture softened just a little, but her voice still held its edge. “I just wanted to make a good impression. That’s what people do when they care about their jobs. Especially when I’m still a new employee."

Josh turned on her. "It's good if you want to be a good employee. But a good boss won't make his new employee do what Mark did to you. Are you sure you really know this guy? For all you know, he could be—"

"Don’t twist this around and make it about Mark,” she snapped. “You’re mad because I didn’t do what you wanted. And most importantly, I know Mark very well—much better than you might imagine.”

"I’m mad because I cared for you!" Josh’s voice cracked. "God, you think I like saying no to you? That I enjoy being the bad guy? I told you, Ashley, you only have me in this city. If something happened to you tonight, what would I have done? Waited all night wondering if you were lying in some ditch while your battery was dead and your taxi driver was God-knows-what? If something bad really happens to you, what should I tell your parents? My parents? They will all kill me for real."

The room fell silent for a long moment. Ashley stared at him, her breath shaky. "Don’t you think I know that? Don’t you think I felt that tonight, every second I was in that car?" Ashley exhaled deeply. “But now, all you care about is what our parents are going to do to you. See. You don't really care about me. You only worry about yourself.”

Josh exhaled sharply and rubbed his hand through his hair. He realized that he had just said something wrong and immediately regretted it. His anger began to dissolve, leaving only concern and guilt in its place. He walked back to her, more slowly this time. He reached out, resting his hands on her shoulders.

"I’m sorry," he said, voice low. "I shouldn’t have said that or yelled at you. I didn't mean that way. And I'm really worried about you. I just... When you sent that message, I felt confused and restless. But I had no way to help. I've tried to contact you but your phone is unreachable. I hated having the thought of something bad happening to you."

Ashley looked away, but this time, she didn’t flinch when his hand moved to hers.

"Promise me," Josh said, "If you ever have to stay late again—especially if something feels off—you’ll call me. I’ll come get you. I don’t care what time it is. Just don’t go through that alone again."

Ashley hesitated, then nodded slowly. "Okay."

Josh pulled her into a hug, wrapping his arms tightly around her as if he could shield her from the memory of the night. He could felt her body relax just a little in his arms. The tension slowly draining away with the rhythm of their heartbeat, passing in silence.