“Don’t blame me, okay? I... I’m just insecure, jealous, afraid of being abandoned or replaced.

“I don’t have a good family background or exceptional abilities. All I have is my body...

“But what if I stop being pretty? What if my body changes? Mr will be happy with Miss. James after you get married, right?”

Tears quickly welled up in Ashley’s eyes, but she stubbornly refused to blink.

With a tearful voice, she said, “My education and stage experience are the only things I can hold onto.”

Brian brushed his fingers across the corner of her eye, and a tear fell onto his fingernail. “Huh, you just want me to let you continue studying?”

Ashley sniffed and nodded slightly. “Please, Mr.”

Brian said nothing.

When Ashley didn’t hear his response, she reached out to hug his shoulders. “Ever since your blind date with Miss. James, I’ve done a lot of things wrong. I didn’t want to, but I love you.”

It was the first time Brian had heard Ashley use that word.

He cupped her chin, “Love?”

“Yes, love.” Ashley looked him straight in the eyes. “I want to stay by your side forever, Mr.”

Brian stared at her for a long moment, then laughed.

“Ashley, do you know you’re a terrible liar?”

“What?”

Brian touched the tip of her right ear, which was as red as a freshly budding cherry.

This was a subtle change that only occurred when Ashley was lying.

He played with it for a moment. “What’s going on with Vee?”

Ashley froze.

“Or maybe I shouldn’t ask it that way,” Brian said, pulling out his phone and opening the photo gallery. “Huh, nice pics.”

Ashley glanced at the screen and saw that it was photos from Huai University’s bulletin board.

As Brian scrolled through, there were pictures of her dancing at Vee, picking out clothes at a lingerie shop, meeting John, and getting into Brian’s car...

Robert had taken these photos, and they were now sliding past on Brian’s phone.

Ashley looked at Brian.

He knew everything.

But Brian didn’t stop.

He swiped his finger again, and pictures of Mark appeared.

Brian’s hand moved to Ashley’s neck. “You’ve made a new friend.”

Ashley trembled, her voice shaking, “No, he’s not my friend.”

Brian smiled slightly. “Shh, don’t deny it so quickly.”

His fingers pressed against the corner of her lips, where a bruise from a recent blow had yet to fade.

Ashley winced in pain, and Brian’s eyes darkened.

“Ashley, I hate lies.”

“I didn’t, I—”

Brian’s grip tightened. “So you wanna tell me, the rumors are not true, and you don’t know Mark?”

Ashley couldn’t say anything.

She could lie, but her lies would be easily exposed.

And Brian was no fool.

A dangerous red hue began to creep into Brian’s eyes, a hint of madness appearing.

“You lied about wanting to be with me forever.

“You’ve been seeing someone behind my back.”

“You lied about working at the store, but actually, you are dancing at Vee.”

Brian’s smile turned cruel. “And now, you came to me acting like this, but it wasn’t because you love me, was it?

“I guess, you’re just trying to get me to help you deal with the mess at Huai University, right?”

Ashley saw the obsession and madness in his eyes and felt the increasing pressure on her neck, too terrified to speak.

“Three years ago, you looked at me just like this. You said you loved me and would stay with me, so I couldn’t let Jack take you away.”

Brian’s voice was almost a whisper, his cold lips brushing against hers.

“You used that so-called love to get five million from me.

“See, this is what you call loving me.”

Ashley’s breath became shallow, her mouth opening slightly, but she couldn’t speak.

Looking into Brian’s eyes, she could even see a hint of sadness buried in his violent gaze.

Finally, Brian released his grip.

Ashley instinctively gasped for air, the rush of oxygen causing a sharp pain in her lungs.

Her mind went blank.

She had thought she was the only victim in this relationship, but why did it seem like she had hurt him when Brian spoke?

For a moment, Ashley wanted to abandon her plan, but then she steeled herself, looking at Brian, “Mr, I was wrong.”

Ashley got off the bed, and her gaze were more composed than ever before.

“Yes, I framed you. Fortunately, you saw through it.”

Brian stared at her reddened eyes.

“When we made the loan deal, I said five years, five million, one million per year.

“It’s been three years now, so I still owe you two million. I’ll leave the Quinn Family, and I’ll pay back the rest slowly.”

Ashley bowed to Brian. “Thank you for everything you’ve done for me over the years.”

With that, she turned and walked toward the door.

Brian watched her retreating figure, sneered, “You think you can leave, and that Melissa can leave too?”

Ashley froze in place.

Seeing that, Brian continued, “She schemed her way into David’s bed, trying hard for eighteen years. And now, at the last moment, her illusions will be shattered by her own daughter...You think she will leave with nothing?”

Ashley turned around. “What do you mean?”

Brian’s gaze was sharp and vicious, full of undisguised scorn. “Ashley, you really are a fool, played for twenty years.”

Ashley’s chest tightened as she looked at Brian.

He suddenly gave a faint smile. “If you think you’ll be better off after leaving the Quinn Family, just try it.”

...

Back in her room, Ashley collapsed onto her bed and fell asleep.

When she woke up, Mary was sitting by the bedside, looking worried. “Ashley, you’re awake? How are you feeling?”

As soon as Ashley blinked, tears began to fall. “Mary...”

“Oh dear, don’t cry. What’s wrong?” Mary gently patted Ashley’s back. “Did you have a nightmare? You were crying in your sleep, saying you were sorry, and I couldn’t wake you up.”

Ashley sniffled. “I’m fine. Where’s my mom?”

“She said she was going out with Mr. Quinn for a bit, but I’m not sure if they’ve left yet.”

Ashley pressed her lips together.

Mary stayed with her for a while longer before leaving.

Ashley got up, ate a little, changed her clothes, and went out.

Last night, she had tried to please Brian, hoping he would help her deal with the trouble at school and online.

After all, it was Olivia who had caused the trouble, and Ashley couldn’t handle it on her own.

But in the end, her failed.

Pushing her thoughts aside, Ashley headed to Vee.