Chapter 17
Ashley gripped the doorknob, her eyes suddenly burning.
She knew better than anyone how deeply Aaron cherished the business he’d built from scratch.
Had he not targeted her company.
Had he shown just a little mercy to her and Bruce…
Too many what-ifs.
They’d never have become bitter enemies locked in confrontation like this.
But he had gone too far down the road of no return.
After taking those transfer contracts, Ashley slammed the door hard.
Aaron stood at the door for half the night, smoking two packs of cigarettes.
By the time the whole night had passed, the ground outside was covered in snow.
Aaron looked haggard and said to Ashley, “There are still some things I want to return to you.”
With that, he walked straight outside and stood in the wind and snow.
Aaron was very afraid of the cold; it was said that as a child he had fallen into a river in winter.
Every winter, Ashley paid close attention to his health, buying thick warm clothes, researching the latest thermal ma- terials, brewing soups to ward off the cold…
In every way, she did her best to take good care of him.
But now, without blinking, she took Nicole to the dining room for breakfast.
By the end of the day, Aaron was covered with snow.
The butler suddenly yelled, “Aaron collapsed!”
They brought him inside, kept him warm, and gave him medicine.
Aaron’s first words upon waking were: “Don’t bother with me.”
He looked at Ashley, trying to speak to her, but his voice was too faint. Eventually, the butler relayed his words.
“When Nicole was ill, I ignored her feelings, left her at the hospital… I’ll make it up to you for the disappointment I
caused.”
He gave the butler strict orders under no circumstances to attend to him.
Even when he soon developed a high fever and fell unconscious.
Ashley didn’t even glance at him, let alone take care of him.
Ashley took the child to bathe; just after they finished, she got a video call from Bruce, who told the child a bedtime
story.
The laughter of the woman and child echoed from the room while Aaron, half-conscious, shed a tear at the corner of his eye.
This self-inflicted illness had tormented him for three full days and nights; waking on the fourth day left him dizzy
and too weak to stand.
Instinctively he looked for Ashley and the child-they were eating breakfast at the table.
All those days he’d lain on the living room sofa, mere steps away within plain sight.
He gave a self-mocking smile, gathered his strength for a shower, then went to join them.
“Is there anything… to calm you down?”
Ashley said without looking up, “What answer do you want? Something to ease your guilt? Hmm, Nicole and I are so touched. How noble of you. Satisfied?”
Each word cut like a knife, piercing his heart.
Aaron’s eyes reddened as he looked at his child.
The girl just kept her head down, eating in silence. No mockery, no concern, shutting him out completely.
After the meal, Ashley said, “I’m taking Nicole skiing.”
Aaron nodded. “Okay, we’ll go together.”
He immediately had someone pack their bags and got in the car with them.
As soon as they arrived at the ski resort, Nicole suddenly broke into a smile.
“Are you so happy to be skiing, Nicole?” Aaron quickly seized the chance to cozy up to her.
Unexpectedly, Nicole dashed straight out.
She hugged a pair of long legs.
The man in a ski suit effortlessly lifted Nicole up, the child’s giggling laughter echoing loudly in the open outdoors.
“Why is he here?” Aaron clenched his fist, asking Ashley word by word.
Ashley retorted, “Why can’t he be here? Nicole likes him, and I like him too.”
After saying that, she strode up and gave Bruce a solid hug.
When they separated, Bruce also leaned down and planted a light kiss on her cheek.
