“Ashley,” Melissa panicked, “I-I just mentioned it to him in passing. I didn’t think... did he do something?”

Ashley bit her lip. “Where’s the cheque?”

Melissa fell silent.

“The cheque? You gave him too? How could you!”

Melissa didn’t respond, instead starting to sob.

Ashley felt something wet on her face. When she wiped it, she realized she had been crying without noticing.

For others, home was a warm harbor, but for her, it was a giant prison.

She was suffocating under its weight.

Every time she found a glimmer of hope, it was extinguished by a bucket of cold water.

She had had enough. Truly enough!

Ashley’s voice trembled uncontrollably. “I don’t expect you to help me, but at least, leave me a way to survive...”

“Ashley, what do you mean? What happened? Tell Mom, tell Mom! Ashley!”

Ashley hung up and turned off her phone.

...

In the early morning, Brian returned home and immediately saw Melissa kneeling before Mrs Quinn.

Brian walked over. “What’s going on?”

“You’re back?”

Mrs Quinn, seeing her son return, kicked Melissa on the shoulder. “Get out of here!”

Melissa stumbled, hitting the coffee table with a thud and then falling to the floor, looking utterly defeated. She got up, stifling her sobs, and ran away crying.

Brian sat down and poured Mrs Quinn a cup of tea.

“What else? It’s her gambler husband,” Mrs Quinn said with disdain. “Jack stole Ashley’s money, and Ashley left home in a fit of anger and hasn’t returned all night.”

Brian paused. “Hasn’t returned all night?”

“Yes,” Mrs Quinn frowned and sighed. “Ashley is grown up now. Who knows where she’s wandering? Why bother looking for her?

“Melissa has been crying since last night, saying the police won’t help and insisting I send bodyguards to find her. Huh, she’s got insane.”

As she spoke, Mrs Quinn sneered with disdain. She had never liked Ashley and her mother, and now she despised them even more.

Brian listened to Mrs Quinn’s complaints and finished his tea. “I’ve been tired these past few days. I’ll go rest first.”

Mrs Quinn nodded, giving him a teasing look. “Haven’t been home these days, were you with Olivia?”

Brian smirked. “Yeah, there should be good news soon.”

Was she pregnant?

Mrs Quinn nodded in satisfaction. “Oh, you little brat, finally doing something right.”

As he unbuttoned his sleeves, Brian slowly walked upstairs.

In his bedroom, Brian threw his jacket on the floor and called Ashley.

Her phone was off.

He thought for a moment and called another number.

“Come on, bro? You can’t work me like a mule. I’ve been doing that girl for two days straight, and I’m exhausted,” Jackson Parker complained non-stop.

Brian said, “Stop whining. Get up and find someone.”

...

Inside K&J Bar.

Ashley was slumped over a table, watching the people dancing in the club, and then , she hiccuped from the alcohol.

Her stomach burned, her throat was raw and scratchy, and her head felt like it was going to explode.

She didn’t remember when she came in or what time it was. She just kept mechanically pouring drinks down her throat.

She wished she could just die like this.

A leech of a father, a weak and useless mother.

No one cared that she was only twenty-one and had already spent almost ten years paying off debts. She even sold herself for money.

But even so, the god of suffering seemed to think it wasn’t enough.

“See that chick?”

“She came last night. Quite interested, huh?”

In a corner, a few men watched Ashley downing drink after drink, frowning.

One of the guys, with a buzz cut, instinctively reached for his waist but then remembered he wasn’t armed and pulled his hand back. “If she keeps drinking like that, it’s dangerous...”

“Come on, don’t let your protective instincts kick in just because she’s around our young lady’s age,” his brother nudged him. “Anyone would think you were in love with our young lady.”

The guy chuckled. “But did you notice? That girl is really pretty.”

“More than that. Doesn’t she look a bit like Mrs? I’ve seen pictures of her when she was younger.”

The three men kept their eyes on Ashley. The more they looked, the more she resembled their female master.

Her eyes, nose, lips... They even dared to think she looked more like the master than the young lady did.

The conversation died down as the realization hit them. Could she be the master’s illegitimate daughter?

Seeing her drinking too much, they knew she was in trouble. They stood up to approach her.

At that moment, the bar’s door was kicked open. A group of black-clad bodyguards stormed in, searching the patrons.

They quickly converged on Ashley’s table, surrounding her.

The three men exchanged looks. They could tell these bodyguards were not to be trifled with, so they discreetly melted into the crowd.

Ashley sensed something was wrong and looked up, but her vision was blurry. She shook her head, trying to clear it, but only felt dizzier.

She grabbed the paper bag on the table, unsteadily trying to stand.

After two steps, a strong arm wrapped around her waist.

Ashley looked up, and saw Brian glaring at her through her blurred vision.

She blinked, then suddenly slapped him.

“Pop!”

“Let go of me!” Her voice was hoarse, almost crying. “Go sleep with Olivia. Why are you looking for me? You beast, scum, trash, bastard!”

Brian frowned, picked her up, and slung her over his shoulder.

“Ah!”

“Let go of me! Let go!”

Ashley kicked her legs, struggling.

Her already burning stomach spasmed, and she vomited.

Brian had just taken a few steps when he felt a warm wetness on his back.

He stopped.

The bodyguards were about to take her, but Brian lifted Ashley and threw her to the ground.

The paper bag she was clutching fell, and a bunch of black cords spilled out.

Brian bent down, hooked his finger around one, and lifted it.

He raised an eyebrow.

Ashley, sniffling, saw her things being taken and reached for them. “Don’t touch, they’re mine!”

“Not coming home, but still bringing this along? You really like it?”

Tears streamed down Ashley’s face, making it hard to see. She leaned against Brian, mumbling curses.

...

Olivia slept at the hotel for another day and returned home in the evening.

Andrew saw her walking unsteadily, and clicked his tongue. “Brian is that good?”

“What are you talking about? How can you tease your own sister!” Chloe got up to support Olivia. “Are you alright?”