Chapter 437 The Father-in-law and Daughter-in-law Unexpectedly Meet
Ashley had no idea that the children had met Ethan today, much less that Ethan's actions had inadvertently helped his own biological son.
It was already 8:30 a.m. when Ashley drove up to the elderly woman's house. Delivering milk this late was definitely behind schedule.
She carried the basket of milk bottles to the front door and rang the doorbell. After waiting for some time with no response, she rang again and called out, "Hello? Is anyone home? I'm from Muse Fresh Dairy Company with your milk delivery."
Still no answer. Ashley dialed the customer's number and heard a phone ringing inside, but nobody picked up. Concerned, she peered through the window. What she saw made her heart sink—an elderly woman lying unconscious on the floor. She began frantically tapping on the window.
"Ma'am! Can you hear me?" Ashley called out anxiously.
After a moment, the woman on the floor weakly raised her hand. "Help me..." she managed to say in a barely audible voice.
Ashley desperately looked around the house and found a slightly open window. She climbed through it and was immediately struck by the strong smell of gas. Covering her nose and mouth, she rushed to the kitchen where she found a burnt pot on a still-lit stove. She quickly turned off the gas and threw open all the windows and doors.
After searching through the house, Ashley found a medical kit with a small oxygen tank. The elderly woman's color improved significantly after breathing the oxygen for a few minutes.
"Are you feeling better, ma'am?" Ashley asked gently.
The woman appeared to be in her nineties, with silvery hair and a face lined with wrinkles, yet there was something inherently warm about her countenance.
"I'm much better now, dear," the elderly woman replied. "Thank you. If you hadn't helped me, I wouldn't have made it to my 100th birthday party."
Ashley looked at her in surprise. "You're ninety-nine years old?"
The woman nodded. "Yes, in a few months I'll be a centenarian."
Ashley smiled warmly. "You must have done many good deeds in your life to be blessed with such longevity. I'm here delivering your milk, but do you live alone at your age?"
The woman shook her head. "My son and daughter-in-law visit occasionally."
"We should really notify your family about what happened," Ashley suggested.
"You're right. I'm too exhausted to do it myself—would you mind calling my son for me?"
Ashley took the woman's phone and dialed her son's number. After a moment, someone answered with a cool "Hello."
"Hello," Ashley responded. "Are you Sandy's son? She's just suffered from carbon monoxide poisoning. She's stable now, but given her age, I think you should come look after her."
There was a shocked pause. "What? Could you possibly stay with her until I finish what I'm working on? I'll be there as soon as I can."
"Of course," Ashley agreed.
After ending the call, she helped Sandy to the sofa. "Would you like me to warm up some milk for you?"
Sandy nodded gratefully.
Moments later, Ashley returned with a steaming cup of milk. Sandy gazed at her with grandmotherly affection.
"Miss, this is actually the first time we've formally met, but I've seen you before. You were delivering milk next door when the lady of the house gave you a hard time. I saw how you stood your ground with such dignity, and I thought you were absolutely marvelous. That's when I called your company and requested you specifically as my delivery person."
Ashley suddenly remembered the incident. The woman next door had grown suspicious of the way her husband looked at Ashley during her deliveries and had confronted her rudely. Having done nothing wrong, Ashley had defended herself firmly.
"I'm sorry you had to witness that," Ashley said, slightly embarrassed.
"Don't be! It was quite the show," Sandy chuckled. "You were magnificent—just as impressive as my grandson."
Ashley smiled politely but didn't comment.
"Would you like to see some family photos while we wait?" Sandy offered.
Ashley nodded, and Sandy enthusiastically brought out an album, treating Ashley like an old friend rather than a stranger.
"This is my son when he was young. Handsome, wasn't he?"
Ashley glanced at the photo, feeling an odd sense of familiarity she couldn't quite place. She nodded politely.
"How old is your son now?" she asked.
"In his sixties," Sandy replied.
"Shouldn't he be retired by now? Why is he still working?" Ashley asked, surprised.
Just then, they heard a car pulling up outside, followed by hurried footsteps.
"Mom! Are you all right?" a concerned voice called out as someone rushed into the house.
Garrett burst in, looking worried, but froze when he saw Ashley sitting beside his mother. His jaw dropped, rendering him momentarily speechless.
Ashley studied him, feeling a sense of recognition. After a moment of consideration, she gasped, "You're... King Garrett!"
Good heavens—Sandy was actually King Garrett's mother!
Ashley quickly stood and performed a formal Ferndale curtsy.
Garrett recovered from his shock and stared intently at Ashley. "Ashley?" he asked in disbelief.
Ashley's eyes widened. How did he know her name? Had they met before?
Feeling suddenly anxious about her identity being discovered after years in hiding, she instinctively replied, "Your Majesty, I'm Pearl."
Garrett continued to stare at her in astonishment.
Pearl? But her face, her voice, her mannerisms—they were identical to Ashley's. How could she not be Ashley?
"Are you Ashley or Pearl?" he demanded, his voice thick with emotion. "Don't you recognize me? I'm Ethan's father! You didn't die—why didn't you come find us?"
Ashley's mouth fell open in surprise. At the mention of "Ethan," her eyes flickered momentarily as she recalled Ava's words. Her heart filled with fear, anxiety, and a complex mix of other emotions.
After an internal struggle, she finally replied, "Your Majesty, I'm Pearl. Did... did we know each other before?"
Garrett stared at her in bewilderment.
"Garrett, do you know Ms. White?" Sandy asked, surprised.
Coming to his senses, Garrett looked at Ashley and suppressed his doubts. "I apologize. I mistook you for someone else. You just look remarkably similar."
Whether she was Ashley or Pearl, he was determined to discover the truth.
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