Chapter 432 Ferndale Gold Valley District
Atticus crouched down, head bowed in shame, unable to bear meeting Ashley's gaze. To admit such intimate dysfunction aloud—especially as a man—was devastating.
Everyone on Shell Island knew about his condition. The whispers, the jokes at his expense—they never stopped. They'd forgotten that his injury came from defending someone. No compassion, only mockery.
Compassion welled in Ashley's eyes. She knelt beside him and embraced him gently. "Atticus, I've heard medical science abroad is quite advanced. Since you're traveling overseas anyway, why not seek treatment there?"
He shook his head. "I've tried. Every specialist says it's permanent."
Ashley's heart ached for him, though words of comfort failed her.
Noticing her crouching position, Atticus quickly helped her up. "You shouldn't be kneeling like this in your condition," he said, his hands instinctively grasping hers.
The moment their hands touched, something shifted in Atticus's expression, his gaze becoming more intense. Ashley, feeling the awkwardness of their proximity, gently withdrew her hands.
An uncomfortable silence settled between them.
"What does your father do in Ferndale?" she asked, changing the subject.
"He runs a dairy farm in Gold Valley District," Atticus replied.
A knock at the door interrupted them. Ashley opened it to find several officials in uniform.
"We're documenting residents for the island's relocation," one explained. "We need to register all household members for compensation purposes."
Atticus stepped forward. "You can register me—Atticus."
The official glanced at Ashley. "And your wife? What's her name? How many in your household?"
Ashley shifted uncomfortably at being mistaken for his wife.
"Her name is..." Atticus began, but Ashley suddenly coughed, cutting him off.
Confused, Atticus excused them both and led her to the bedroom. "Why don't you want me to give them your name?"
"Remember what that woman told me?" Ashley reminded him. "She warned me to hide my identity or my husband might..." Her voice trailed off, heavy with concern.
Though she still harbored doubts about the mysterious woman's claims, caution seemed prudent, especially with her baby to consider.
"I completely forgot," Atticus said, smacking his forehead. "Let me give you a new name. Since you're on Shell Island and you're beautiful—how about Pearl White?"
"Pearl White," she repeated thoughtfully, then nodded. "That'll work."
"And should I tell them you're my wife?" he asked hesitantly.
Ashley firmly shook her head. "Are you trying to get extra relocation money?"
"Of course not," he protested. "I couldn't care less about that."
She looked at him approvingly. "Let's say I'm your cousin."
A flicker of disappointment crossed his face before he quickly composed himself. "Okay."
They returned to the officials and registered Ashley as Pearl White, Atticus's cousin.
After the officials left, Ashley turned to him. "What about my passport? How will I get to Ferndale?"
"I'll handle it. Wait here while I go make arrangements."
Two hours later, Atticus returned with a stack of documents. "Here you go, Ms. White—your new identity."
Ashley examined them carefully. The documents featured her photo but listed her as Pearl White, age 26. They looked completely authentic.
"Are these fake? Will they work at airport security?" she asked skeptically.
Atticus smiled. "I have connections. They're legitimate documents—good for flying, banking, everything."
Glancing at his watch, he added, "Ms. White, we should head to the airport."
"Atticus," she said warmly, "don't call me Ms. White anymore. We're supposed to be family now. Call me Pearl."
He nodded. "Pearl," he said.
She smiled sweetly. "Atticus."
His heart skipped a beat at her gentle tone.
They gathered their belongings and boarded a boat to the airport, just as Landon and Liam arrived on Shell Island—missing them yet again.
They showed Ashley's photo around the island.
"Have you seen this woman?" they asked.
Coco recognized her immediately. "That's the woman Atticus rescued. Who are you?"
"We're her family," Liam said excitedly. "Do you know where she is?"
"You've just missed them," Coco replied. "Atticus and she left for the airport. Their flight's probably already departed."
"Do you know where they were headed?" Landon pressed.
Coco shook her head. "No idea."
"Let's go to the airport," Liam suggested. "Maybe we can track their flight information."
At the airport, despite their connections, they found no passenger records for anyone named Ashley. They returned empty-handed but determined to continue their search.
Six years passed.
They never found her, while Ashley—now Pearl—lived on a dairy farm in Ferndale's Gold Valley District. As she milked the cows one morning, a small boy came running toward her.
"Mommy!" he called out, bouncing with energy. "My brother's being mean to me! Make him stop!"
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