Early the next morning, Ashley woke up early.

As soon as she stepped out, she saw someone standing guard at the staircase entrance, and all the maids were gathered on the first floor.

Ashley asked around and learned that since Mr. Quinn got injured, Mrs Quinn had sealed off the second floor. Except for her and the butler, no other maids were allowed upstairs.

Ashley checked her phone and saw that Brian still hadn’t replied to her messages. But it was time to go to school, she grabbed a carton of milk and left the house.

At the front door, she couldn’t help but look back.

The doors and windows on the second floor were tightly closed, with blackout curtains drawn.

“Ashley?”

Ashley turned around to see Brian’s friend, Isabella approaching with a medical kit.

She hurried over, “Doctor Turner? Are you here to see Mr. Quinn?”

Isabella was one of the few people who knew about Brian and Ashley’s relationship.

She reassuringly patted Ashley, “Don’t worry, I’m here. Just go to school now.”

Ashley was startled by the comforting tone, feeling that Isabella might have misunderstood something.

But Isabella entered the Quinn Family home without giving Ashley a chance to ask further questions.

...

All morning, Ashley’s attention was scattered. During a class break, she took her phone to the restroom and sent a message to Melissa, asking about the situation at home.

Melissa, delighted that her daughter was willing to talk to her, eagerly sent back detailed updates about everything at home.

“Mrs Quinn isn’t allowing the maids upstairs; only the butler is taking care of things in the room. I’m not sure what happened.

“I just sneaked up to the second-floor hallway and heard Mrs Quinn crying about something related to a whip. The smell of blood was strong.”

A whip?

Was Brian’s injury caused by a whip?

Ashley was about to call for more details when the restroom started to fill up with people, forcing her to stop.

“Have you heard? Robert seems to have submitted an application to go abroad.”

“What? Isn’t he in the senior orchestra? He can’t leave until graduation.”

“I don’t know. I saw him getting an application form at the registrar’s office this morning.”registrar’s office

“I heard a bit about it. Apparently, Robert offended someone recently and was forced to choose between dropping out or going abroad.”

“No way, who has that much power?”

Ashley was surprised.

Robert was leaving early?

Although the senior orchestra wasn’t as prestigious as the dance troupe, it was still well-known domestically. Robert leaving now would ruin his future.

“I heard Robert has been drinking a lot lately. Many people have seen him at bars. Seems like he’s heartbroken over something.”

“How do you know it’s a heartbreak? There’s no news about him dating anyone.”

“I heard he was quite interested in a dance student from our grade, someone named ‘Ashley’.”

“‘Ashley’? Could it be that girl? I can’t remember her name!”

Seeing that they were about to discuss her, Ashley pressed the flush button. The sound startled the girls outside, who quickly stopped talking, washed their hands, and left.

Ashley didn’t check Melissa’s messages anymore and returned to her classroom.

...

At noon, Ashley went to the hospital for her final laser surgery. Once the scar treatment was confirmed complete, she breathed a sigh of relief.

After leaving the hospital, she headed to Vee to take some towels from her locker home for washing.

But upon entering the changing room, she saw Robert sitting on the bench opposite.

It had been a long time since they last met, and he looked noticeably more haggard. The once charming and elegant man now appeared gaunt and had a hint of obsession in his eyes.

Unprepared, Ashley met his gaze. “...Robert?”

Having just heard about him in the morning, she hadn’t expected to see him in the afternoon.

“How... have you been lately?”

Robert was surprised to see Ashley but quickly regained his composure. His once clear and bright eyes had become clouded, and he looked at Ashley with a sharp, scrutinizing gaze, then sneered.

“Huai University’s pure campus belle, huh,” Robert’s voice was light and mocking, “Ashley, you are really a bitch!”

Ashley frowned.

Robert stood up, pulled a stack of photos from his bag, and threw them at Ashley, letting them scatter around her. “Is this why you wouldn’t accept me?!”

Ashley looked down.

The photos showed her pole dancing, being intimate with Brian, shopping for lingerie at Free, and drinking at bars...

Ashley quickly raised her head. “You had someone follow me?”

No wonder she had felt like she was being followed recently; it was Robert?

Robert sneered, grabbed a whip hanging on Ashley’s locker, and swung it through the air.

The sound of it slicing through the air brushed past Ashley’s ears.

Ashley clenched her fists tightly, her eyes gradually filling with anger.

Robert approached, lifting Ashley’s chin with the whip handle, his gaze contemptuous and blatant. “Name your price.”

Price?

What price?

Ashley suppressed her anger and grabbed the whip. “Robert, you’re mistaken. I’m not—”

“What?” Robert retracted the whip and swept the tasseled end across Ashley’s chest. “Going to play hard to get again?”

The whip brushed Ashley’s skin, leaving a pink trail.

Robert’s Adam’s apple bobbed.

After pursuing her for two years without even holding her hand, he felt cheated.

His desire surged, and he tossed the whip aside, unbuttoning his shirt with one hand. “Tell me, how much do you want.”

Robert, usually a refined gentleman, wasn’t very muscular. Though tall, he was slim and slender.

As he unbuttoned his shirt, his thin chest was exposed.

Ashley took a deep breath, pushing him away with all her strength. “Robert, I told you, I’m not!”

Robert staggered back a step, his eyes burning with even more madness.

Ashley’s resistance infuriated him, and his eyes turned a deep red.

He ripped open his shirt and started unbuckling his belt. “What, not for a night? How about a month?”

Robert pulled out his belt and advanced on Ashley. “Come on, let me try first. If I’m satisfied, a year is fine too!”

With that, he lowered his head, aiming to bite Ashley’s pink lips.

Ashley held her breath. Just as Robert got close, she slapped him hard across the face—

“Pop!”

Robert’s face turned to the side from the force.

Ashley gritted her teeth. “Robert, don’t make me despise you!”

Robert remained in that position for a moment.

After a few seconds, he spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva and laughed.

“Despise me?” Robert’s eyes were crazed as he looked at Ashley. “Ashley, who do you think you are?”