Chapter 233 A Missed Connection
Ashton nodded, "I'll block him right now."
" Are you trying to keep our marriage under wraps?" Kenny asked solemnly.
Ashton shook her head.
She had no intention of hiding her marriage.
"Good," Kenny said, taking the phone from Ashton and answering the call.
Chris's hoarse voice came through, "Ashton..."
Before Chris could continue, Kenny responded with a cold tone, "Mr. Durham , it's very late to be calling my wife and disturbing our rest."
There was a brief silence on the other end.
"Put Ashton on the phone!" Chris demanded, his voice low and seething with anger.
Kenny chuckled coolly, " My wife wants nothing more to do with the Shaws. Don't bother calling again."
"Bullshit!" Chris barked back with vehemence.
"And who's your wife? I'm warning you, keep your distance or else—"
Kenny didn't wait for Chris to finish his threat. He hung up the call and then blocked the number.
Ashton sat there, the glow that had lasted the whole evening promptly fading from her face. Kenny handed her the phone.
"Blocked," he said.
"Mhm," Ashton nodded, a bit preoccupied.
"Not a fan of me talking like that?" Kenny inquired gently, wondering if his tone was too harsh.
If Ashton weren't right there, he would've had a lot more unpleasant things to say.
"No!" she quickly shook her head and then let out a sigh. "I'm just... frustrated that this person can still get under my skin."
"It's been four years, not four days or four hours. It's normal to be affected," Kenny soothed, "But now we've got all the time in the world ahead of us, more than enough to clear the air of those four years."
Ashton gazed up at Kenny, her nose tingling with emotion. She and Fiona always had a mutual understanding, but...
Aside from Fiona, Kenny was the first person who didn't suppress her feelings.
"Don't worry, I'm not going to have an affair," Ashton promised earnestly.
Kenny couldn't help but laugh.
"I'm not worried," he reassured her. If someone tried to tempt his wife, he'd take care of the problem before they even got close. Who needed her to resist?
After escorting Ashton downstairs, Kenny added before she got out of the car, "I'll pick you up tomorrow morning to look at houses. Let me know when you wake up."
"I can drive myself!" Ashton immediately protested, not wanting to trouble Kenny.
He looked at her with a touch of helplessness, "But I want to come for you."
Her cheeks warmed, "I just think... having you shuttle back and forth is exhausting."
Kenny thought for a second, "Honey, ever wonder how my car gets in and out of this gated community so easily?"
Ashton blanked, "Why?"
He tapped her forehead lightly, "Because I live here, too."
Ashton's jaw dropped.
"Which building?" she asked, her gaze darting left and right.
"By the lake," Kenny replied.
Ashton could only stare...
Her steps were unsteady as she got out of the car. There were only three exclusive houses by the lake, and rumor had it they were snapped up before they even hit the market.
Arriving home, she found Fiona lounging in the living room, scrolling through videos.
"Why the zombie look?" Fiona glanced up at Ashton with curiosity.
Ashton floated over and took the seat opposite her with a cheeky grin. "Babe, I think I've actually snagged a real sugar daddy!"
She paused for a moment, then with mock severity corrected herself, "To be precise, a real sugar daddy has snagged me!"
Fiona set down her phone, crossed her arms, and arched an eyebrow, "Do tell, how did this big spender sweep you off your feet?"
Ashton, suddenly bashful, glanced at her. "Well, it's not a big deal... That day..."
She began weaving her tale.
Attentively, Fiona listened to the whole story, then, counting on her fingers, she summed up, "Great, you've known him less than a week—a true whirlwind wedding." Fiona clapped her hands, clearly amused.
Ashton's cheeks were flushed with a rosy tint. She hugged Fiona's arm and snuggled into her, acting coquettishly. "Don't worry, I feel like he's really dependable," Ashton assured her, "He's nothing like Chris; being with him is so easygoing and comfortable."
Kenny didn't pressure her at all.
Well, that wasn't entirely true...
The ring was a kind of pressure.
"As long as you're happy," Fiona said sincerely, "I've done some digging. Even though Kenny’s a few years younger, he’s mature for his age. He’s got a solid reputation among those who've met him, and so far, I haven't heard a bad thing."
Ashton pondered a bit. "I may not know as much about him, but I also think he's good." He'd listen to her intently. He'd ask what she wanted. He didn't stifle her emotions.
But most importantly...
He didn't seem to insist that she always play nice.
Fiona remembered how rarely she had seen such unadulterated ease in Ashton’s eyes. In the past, Ashton always seemed to bear so much restraint and burden. Though she appeared happy, the weight she carried was often immense.
"You know, I think I forgot to say something," Fiona spoke softly, "Ashton, congratulations on your marriage. Wishing you happiness always."
Somehow, Fiona's words touched a tender spot, and Ashton burst into tears, enveloping Fiona in a hug.
Fiona felt a pang of heartache for her friend, letting her cry and gently patting her back, "Mrs. Walker, you cry like this, and anyone who sees you might think you've been forced into marriage."
At that, Ashton sobbed even louder.
Once she had cried it out...
And Fiona waited for her to regain composure...
Ashton sniffled, "You and Darwin..."
Fiona lowered her gaze, her voice calm: "We've settled our differences."
Ashton contemplated before saying, "You shouldn't have lied to him, telling him you were married."
"The whole situation was so sudden... Anyhow, it's just how it turned out," Fiona shook her head dismissively, "It's all water under the bridge now."
Ashton hesitated.
Deep down, she never truly believed that Fiona and Darwin’s paths would just diverge and that would be the end of it.
"Honey, seeing Darwin this time, I feel like he's really changed a lot," Ashton said earnestly. "All these changes, they've got to be for you, right? You sure you want to let someone else reap the benefits of your hard work?"
She had invested years, slowly changing Darwin.
Was she really...
Ready to let go?
"Why couldn't it be for Lilian?" Fiona asked.
Ashton replied without hesitation, "Today, when Lilian cornered me outside the dressing room, Darwin showed up and immediately tried to shoo her away. And, the important thing is, the way he looked at her, not a trace of affection, icy as can be, colder than when he looks at me!"
Immediately after, Ashton quickly added, "Of course, he's warmer when he sees me, but that's your doing!"
"Ashton." Fiona became serious, "Darwin and I have missed our chance. When I loved him, I was just a stand-in for Lilian to him. When he loved me, it wasn't just Chicago and the life at stake between us, but also Dagmar's influence, his ambitions..."
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