47. Josh's Suspicion (2)

After Josh finished reading it and convinced himself to have understood the entire meaning of the sentences written there, he closed the folder with a very long exhale of relief. He felt like he had just succeeded in assembling a puzzle that he had never thought of before that might have a hidden meaning.

Not only that, Josh finally found the way out that he had been looking for so hard.

A sense of disbelief and a truly great pleasant surprise entered him like a miracle that he did not expect.

There were several articles of agreement written and legally authorized in the document. It stated that the parties involved were Ashley and her father. An important point that Josh found quite eye-opening was a statement stating that Ashley was not allowed to sue Josh for divorce. If she did, then all the benefits she received and the shares she owned would be canceled.

It was apparently related to a statement that Josh had also signed privately before marriage. Which actually made him wonder about it at first, but gradually overlooked by him. In the agreement that Ashley's father had made to him, Josh was promised that he would receive a percentage of Songgong's shares as long as he was in a marriage bond with Ashley. And the shares would be automatically transferred to him when his first child was born.

Josh laughed when he realized Ashley's father's strategy. He really had no idea if that old man was too meticulous or cunning.

Either way, after learning about that fact, Josh was much calmer. Because he knew one of the most important things, that Ashley would definitely not be able to divorce him. That girl had no power to control Josh’s decisions, including using his relationship with Sharon as a threat. What Ashley had done before turned out to be nothing more than a false bluff.

Josh then celebrated by enjoying a glass of champagne while listening to jazz music in the living room. He planned to keep waiting for Ashley and greet her with full victory.

He enjoyed his celebration of satisfaction long enough for the sound of the door opening to be clearly heard. Josh was well prepared for whatever that girl might say or do to him. Whatever it was, it would surely feel like nonsense.

But as he walked, at the end of the corridor where the main door of the apartment was, he saw the girl he'd been waiting for just leaning against the door and not immediately moving inside. Josh looked at her for a few moments, and so did Ashley—she also noticed Josh from a distance looking at her. But Ashley looked away.

Until Ashley felt the pain in her legs lessen a little, she slowly started to walk by creeping and holding on to the wall.

Josh, who saw Ashley's strange behavior, walked over. And that's when he realized Ashley's true condition. The arrogance that initially filled him melted away instantly and was replaced by shock.

“What happened to you?”

Ashley completely ignored Josh's question. She just let out a short sigh as she kept trying to walk with the intention of getting to her room so she can rest very soon.

“You left without a word, then came home covered in wounds like this—what exactly did you do?” Josh narrowed his eyes as he moved to the side of Ashley's healthy body near the wall, intending to help the girl walk.

But Ashley rejected him. She pushed away Josh's hand that was touching her. While Josh didn't just stop right there. He tightened his grip on Ashley's hand and forced her to hold on to him.

“I just want to help you. Can't you just obey and accept nicely?” his voice sounded firm.

Ashley, who was already too physically and mentally exhausted, chose to stop fighting the man and hold on to the part of his T-shirt on his back. She also no longer pushed Josh's hands away when the man wrapped his arms around her waist with the intention of supporting her weight. All Ashley had to do now was try to get back on her feet as quickly as possible to get to her room.

After long minutes and a lot of effort, Ashley was finally able to sit on her soft bed with relief. 

The pain coming from her wounds was no joke. The sensation tormented her until it traveled to her head. It made her feel a little dizzy. Now, she had to quickly clean herself up and take some medicine. But with almost no energy left like this, Ashley wondered if she should postpone cleaning up, and just take the medicine and rest.

While thinking, Ashley glanced at Josh who was still standing in front of her with a gaze that swept over the wounds on her hands and feet. An idea popped into her head. If Ashley slept here dirty and full of wounds like this, Josh would have no reason to sleep here again like what he did last night. Ashley didn't feel like she could bear to sleeping in the living room again with her body battered like this.

“What happened to you?” Josh asked again with a really curious look in his eyes.

“I fell,” Ashley answered briefly.

Josh frowned, “How come? You're an adult, not a child. Then how did you get home in the first place—when you have difficulty walking like that?”

“Is it only kids who can fall down?” Ashley snapped. She was really annoyed and disgusted by Josh's presence around her. “Can you please leave? I need to rest.”

“There must be a reason for the fall, right? There's a chronology. So, how did you fall and get this much injury?” Josh continued to press Ashley.

Ashley sighed again, feeling really too tired to just explain what had happened to her. So she just answered with a short summary, “Dodged a car.”

“You had an accident?” Josh's eyes reflexively rounded. “The car hit you?”

“No, it didn't. I fell by myself.”

“Did the driver's help you? You gave the driver's contact?”

Ashley gave Josh a look that portrayed exhaustion and thinning patience. “I was at fault, not the driver. And, yes, the guy helped me. He even drove me home. Are you done? Now can you let me rest? I'm really tired and in pain.” 

Not wanting to take Josh's rambling any further, Ashley started to open the plastic bag containing her medicines. She took out a packet that already contained a few pills for her to take that night.

Josh, who saw Ashley taking out the medicines, took the initiative to go to the kitchen. “Wait a minute. You can't just swallow them. I'll get you some water.”

As Josh disappeared from the room, Ashley mumbled and then snorted. “I used to take medicine without water. You just don’t know my capability, ck.”

But even so, she still waited until Josh returned to bring her a glass of water to drink along with the pills.

Ashley swallowed them all and then adjusted herself to lie down comfortably.

At that time, Josh was still standing beside her while looking at her. That made Ashley say again in annoyance, “Why are you still here? Get out.”

Josh, with his default face that was as calm as water and unpalpable in depth replied with a flat voice that was no less calm. “I'll wait for you so you can sleep peacefully.”

“No need! Just please get out of here!” Ashley finally snapped with mounting annoyance.

But Josh ignored her. He moved to turn on the bed lamp on the nightstand and turned off the room lights. After that he walked over to close the door and went to lay himself down on the sofa by the window.

“Sleep tight,” Josh murmured, ”Night. Ash.”