79. Dinner

Ashley was speechless. She was only able to stare at her mother who walked away fiercely. Even until the woman disappeared behind the majestic main door, she still looked there. It was as if the empty air had left a trace of her mother's sadism.

It was only when the silhouette of Mrs. Go re-entering the house filled her vision that she came to her senses and quickly returned to the pages of documents.

Her eyes twitched furiously as she continued the last sentence she had left. Her head lowered deeply to read it more clearly. As if to make sure all the series of letters he saw were not mere illusions.

Word by word, sentence by sentence. Ashley read, combined, and deduced the meaning of everything written there. She forced her focus to be fully devoted to understanding all the articles of the agreement without misinterpreting them.

“Miss,” Mrs. Go leaned over slightly to interrupt Ashley's focus, “I'll get a pen and your personal stamp.”

“W-wait a minute,” Ashley suddenly raised her palm to Mrs. Go.

Panic and fear were chasing her now.

She had finished reading all the contents of the document, but she went back to the first page because she wanted to make sure once again that what she understood was not wrong.

Surprise, hope, and indecision together invaded her very suddenly and it all happened at once. Making her unable to hide the subtle trembling in her hands that was clearly visible.

Mrs. Go who saw Ashley's attitude and understood very well what was going on, discouraged her from fulfilling Ashley's mother's request—just as she was escorting her into the car—who told her to get Ashley’s autograph as soon as possible.

She straightened her posture back up, then took a step further back to wait and give the girl space.

Meanwhile, Ashley, who was now panicking because she felt like she was being chased by time because Mrs. Go was waiting for her, could not manage her focus better. She kept repeating some sentences as her mind drifted and scattered everywhere. Her body seemed to blatantly reject everything she was currently facing.

“Miss,” Mrs. Go once again called out to her, "How about you read it in your room? We still have enough time for you to get some rest. I'll make you a warm drink to make you feel better."

Ashley released the frown on her forehead and simply nodded.

She saw Mrs. Go who went straight towards the kitchen.

For a moment, Ashley found it difficult to get out of the confusion that was taking over her whole being. She threw her back against the back of the sofa while exhaling as long as she could.

Releasing the various turmoil that she had inhaled unintentionally since the past few minutes.

After letting herself drift into an empty and directionless reverie, Ashley rose to her feet and headed to her room with very agitated steps. Her left hand carried the folder containing her nightmares, and her right hand tightly gripped her handbag.

Once in her room, she sat down at her old study table from school years ago, and prepared herself to reread the contents of the document.

She inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly. After gathering her composure, Ashley began to read it again from the first page to the last with great focus and caution.

Every word and sentence she reassembled more carefully than before. 

While understanding, she summarized. While summarizing, she underlined the most crucial points.

Given shares in Songgong Group—more than enough to make him a major shareholder and have voting rights in the company.

Being allowed to see her biological mother anytime she wanted—an opportunity she couldn't possibly turn down.

Years ago, when her father found out she was secretly seeing her birth mother, was when she was sent back to Auckland. It was also the reason all her activities and daily life were monitored so closely.

Then they made her this impossible offer, in return for her approval to marry a man she didn't even know.

But behind the offer that she couldn't refuse, they also put a punishment if she dared to refuse it.

The revocation of a small percentage of the shares her grandfather had given her, the termination of all her living expenses, and the removal of all medical equipment supporting her biological mother's life.

In other words, her parents had forced her to accept the marriage without any chance to refuse. Or they will destroy her life and kill her birth mother who is in a coma.

“Miss, I brought your hot tea.” Mrs. Go's voice and her knock on the door suddenly sounded.

Ashley blinked her tired eyes tightly and replied, “Yes, come in.”

Mrs. Go enter her room and placed a tray with a cup of steaming hot drink and some snacks on a small plate.

"You're going to be very tired. Make sure to eat all the snacks. It's sweet, so it should help you recharge and feel a little better."

But instead of accepting the snack, Ashley looked at her assistant who had been the only person she trusted and depended on. “Mrs. Go, are you sure you don't know about all this? My mom didn't tell you anything?” Ashley raised the folder in front of the woman and gave her a very skeptical look.

Mrs. Go was quite surprised by Ashley's words. But she was trained to always control herself not to be too reactive with all kinds of things.

"I don't know what's in there, Miss. But I do know about your arranged marriage."

Ashley immediately snorted with annoyance at the answer she heard.

“And you didn't tell me at all?” Ashley shook her head, correcting her own words just now, "You lied to me, saying you knew nothing. I lived a lot longer with you than with my own family, you could have at least given me a warning or a code if mom had forbidden you to tell me."

“I only found out the day before yesterday,” Mrs. Go paused. She herself felt bad for Ashley but had to obey her employer's order, "It's not in my power to tell you before your parents. So I truly apologize."

Ashley again grunted in frustration. She realized that she could not force Mrs. Go to become a rebel and betray her mother. Because after all, Mrs. Go worked for her mother, not for her.

"Can I give you this later? I need to make sure of a few things," Ashley nodded her head towards the folder that she had put back on the table.

Mrs. Go smiled, "Of course. You don't have to rush. Get some rest, Miss. I'll be back again before five."

“Can I at least know where I'm going and what I'm going to do then?”

Mrs. Go took a breath and exhaled softly. She seemed to think for a moment, before deciding to answer, “Dinner with your future husband.”

Ashley's shoulders instantly sagged and a groan escaped her mouth.

“I haven't even set foot here for half a day.”