Chapter 613 Vivienne Seems Like a Lunatic
When Ashley and Ethan arrived at the hospital room, they found it empty. Ashley approached a nurse, puzzled.
"Excuse me, where's the patient who was staying in this room?" she inquired.
"Oh, her? She was discharged last night. Someone helped pack her belongings. I believe she's gone abroad," the nurse explained.
Ashley's expression faltered. "Thank you," she said politely.
As she wheeled Ethan out of the hospital, her concern was evident. "Darling, Isabella was injured and went through such a traumatic experience. Didn't you give her leave? Why would she suddenly go abroad?"
Ethan raised an eyebrow. "How would I know her business? Perhaps she's career-driven and prioritizes work."
Though Ashley hadn't known Isabella long, the woman had helped her multiple times, and Ashley had come to see her as kind and principled. This abrupt departure left her feeling unsettled, with a nagging sense that something wasn't right, though she couldn't quite identify what.
Ethan secretly observed Ashley's thoughtful expression. Recognizing her intelligence would likely lead her to discover something, he quickly changed the subject.
"Are you worried about her? She's a grown woman, not a child. She can take care of herself."
"Her situation with Atticus remains unresolved. This sudden disappearance feels suspicious."
Ethan smiled resignedly. She was indeed perceptive. But he was determined to protect her from learning about Isabella's betrayal.
"Darling, you're overthinking things," he said. "It's almost time to return to work. Why don't you rest in the car? You'll need your energy for the afternoon meeting."
"I know, I know."
Ashley checked the time—only thirty minutes remained before the afternoon shift.
"Darling, after work, let's shop for Grandma's gift," she suggested.
"Good idea. What are you planning to get for her hundredth birthday?"
"I'm not sure. Any suggestions?" After a moment's reflection, Ashley remembered ruining Sandy's dress previously. "Grandma once gave me a dress that you..." Her cheeks flushed. "Yaakov mentioned I was a designer. I'd like to design a dress for her."
Ethan recalled the dress incident and smiled mischievously before asking seriously, "With just over a day left, will you have enough time?"
"I'm not sure, but I'll give it a try!"
"I believe in you. You can do it!"
Ethan enthusiastically supported her, knowing he would admire any dress Ashley created, regardless of its quality.
"Still, a dress alone seems insufficient. Let's visit the antique district tonight to find something special," she added.
"Perfect."
Their luxury car arrived, and they settled in for the ride back. Ethan pulled her close. "Rest in my arms for a bit before we arrive."
"I'd like that," Ashley murmured, closing her eyes as Ethan did the same.
Meanwhile, at the office, Vivienne had remained throughout lunch. With the building nearly empty, she carefully avoided security cameras and slipped into Ethan's office. Following her memory, she located the hidden mechanism and opened a concealed door.
Inside, she spotted a safe. "There it is!" she whispered excitedly.
She inserted a key with bated breath and heard a click, but the door wouldn't budge.
"Please enter passcode," announced an automated voice.
Vivienne stamped her foot in frustration. "Damn it! How am I supposed to know the passcode?"
Desperately, she tried Ethan's birthdate.
"Incorrect passcode. Please try again," the system responded.
She bit her fingernail anxiously. 'Could it be Ashley's birthday?' But she had no idea when that was.
Hearing footsteps, she quickly retreated from the hidden room. She peered out the window, relieved to see only a colleague passing by the office door.
She slipped out and made her way to the HR department, which was still empty. Closing the door, she rummaged through files until she found Ashley's personnel record and snapped a photo with her phone.
Just then, her phone rang—a familiar number.
Finding a secluded corner, she answered, "Why are you calling me now?"
"What's your progress?" demanded the voice.
"I found the safe and the key works, but there's a passcode I need time to crack."
"You're too slow. I can't wait. Tell me where the safe is, and I'll handle it."
"Fine. Let's meet tonight."
"The usual place."
After hanging up, Vivienne encountered a colleague on her way back.
"Ms. Mae, you're in early today," he remarked.
"Yes, as are you," she replied, wondering if he had overheard her conversation.
The colleague simply nodded politely and continued to his desk. Vivienne sighed with relief, confident no one had discovered her activities.
When Ashley arrived at the office, she walked past Vivienne's desk directly to her own office. Almost immediately, she felt hostile eyes on her. Looking up, she met Vivienne's gaze and raised an eyebrow, her expression seeming to say, "I relish seeing you envy and despise me, knowing you can't do anything about it."
Vivienne seethed at Ashley's confident demeanor.
As more colleagues arrived, Jason appeared with a stack of documents. "Everyone, please prepare for our upcoming meeting about the new product's local marketing strategy. We welcome all innovative ideas."
Vivienne approached Ashley's desk, chin held high. "Ashley, this is my chance to shine. If you're intimidated, you should step aside from the Discussion Group. I graduated from Aivalia's prestigious university—you're no match for me!"
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