"Adrian? Aren't you being to careless in how you address your boss? Not that I care of your perceived relationship with him, I would only like to clarify one thing"
"In case Adrian has not told you, I will. You do not want to deal with my bad side" Ashleigh warned, looking directly at Tara before pushing her back.Ashleigh stormed off to her room to get ready and once she got there she sat down on the chair in front of her dresser still fuming. She had some initial suspicions when she saw a young lady assigned to care for Adrian's home but understood that it was due to her dad being the main butler.It just did not seem right that a young and pretty girl like her who was supposed to be out there living her life just chose to stay 24/7 indoors overseeing an estate but now it made sense. She was already in control of the things which Ashleigh would have to do as a wife and has by the way she addresses Adrian, she has been here for years. If there was need fo"Like both of you, I and my wife agreed to marry each other for convenience. It was a rocky start for us but at the end of the day she is my only companion whom I hold dear" he said with a bit of solemnity in his tone, and for the first time he looked somewhat lonely.Ashleigh melted on seeing the old man's plight, he seemed to regret not having her by his side. At the same time, her heart wavered, was this going to be her fate as well?"My dear, I felt your emotions earlier. I understood all you meant and I want to tell you to be strong, because there is a lot more from where that came from" he held her hand firmly, speaking with calmness.Ashleigh only nodded in understanding, thanking the man quietly as he let her hand go. He began to walk to the door slowly, the both of them watching as he left. At the door, he turned back to look at Adrian."Tell Mr. Turner to come tomorrow with the contract for signing. For the sake of your wife I have agree
Ashleigh had gotten to work safely with her friends, unaware of the two watchful eyes following her every move. Adrian's bodyguards stood out in Mrs. Smith's office. Their imposing figures, clad in black suits, one with curly hair tied back, the other bald, drew skeptical glances from Mrs. Smith as she sized them up. Fortunately, Mr. Cagliari's call came in just then. "Good morning, Adrian. You heard correctly, Aunt. I'm just settling in here in Mexico," she greeted him warmly. "I called to check on you and also to let you know about these two gentlemen in your office. They're Ashleigh's assigned Bodyguards, and I'd like them to be placed under your department." "Oh, if that's what you want, then I don't have a problem with it," Mrs. Smith replied, though her eyes remained fixed on the guards. "However, I do worry they might stand out a bit and raise some eyebrows among the other staff." "Don't worry about that, Aunt. I've taken care of everything on that end. They know how to h
The sleek black car deposited Ashleigh at the imposing wrought iron gates of Adrian's estate. Her heart hammered a nervous tattoo against her ribs. Spending the weekend at her husband's mansion, a man who seemed to control her every move – it was enough to make anyone uneasy. As the car pulled away, she took a deep breath, the crisp evening air filling her lungs. She looked at the doorway to see Tara standing with a Stoic expression. Unlike the other day, she dressed up in a flowery gown, her hair falling past her shoulders and framing her heart-shaped face. Although she looked like a typical sweetheart, her demeanour was cold. "Mrs. Ashleigh," she greeted with a curt nod. "Why are you here? It's clear you don't want to be here" "Mr. Cagliari has asked that I ensure you arrive", she said in a clipped tone, turning to enter the house. Ashleigh followed behind with embarrassment etched on her face. Tara led her to the kitchen where the meal prepared was set on the table. Today the h
A wry smile touched Ashleigh's lips. "One more thing, huh? Seems like Adrian's got a lot to tell me tonight." Settling back into the chair, she braced herself for another unexpected announcement."I've made arrangements for you to start college," he declared.Ashleigh's eyes widened in surprise, then lit up with excitement. She snatched the tablet back from its stand, her voice trembling as she spoke."Are you serious? This isn't some kind of elaborate joke, is it?"Adrian chuckled, his amusement evident. "No jokes, Ashleigh. It's true. But to get in, you'll need to take the entrance exams. That means enrolling in some tutoring classes." He relaxed back in his chair, gesturing towards something off-screen.A moment later, Mr. Turner appeared, handing him a document. Adrian placed it on his desk."Which college are you interested in?" he asked, his voice softer than usual. "Mr. Turner put together a list of options."The question acted like a key unlocking a dam within Ashleigh. She la
Excitement crackled in the air after Ashleigh hung up. Her long-held dream of attending college was finally coming true. In a month, she'll be a student! Grabbing her textbooks, she piled them on her desk and switched on the computer. Rushing to the college website, the welcome banner seemed to gleam, a symbol of her imminent arrival.Minutes flew by in a daydream of college life. Finally, snapping out of her reverie, Ashleigh decided to create a study schedule. Though work had eaten up most of her time, she was determined to catch up. Thankfully, Adrian arranged a tutor to provide focused support. With luck, she could finalize a schedule by Monday night.An hour later, the schedule complete, sleep beckoned more powerfully than dinner. The excitement was buzzing through her veins. The next morning, Ashleigh woke up with a lightness she hadn't felt since arriving. Adrian's news had been the best gift he could have given her. Dressed in a matching pastel purple
"Good morning, Mrs. Cagliari. I'm Chef Larry. I work as the head chef in the Cagliari kitchen on weekends. It's a pleasure to finally meet you." He extended his hand, and she returned the handshake briefly before pulling back."Well, I'm Ashleigh. You can call me that," she responded."I don't know about that. Will I get fired if I do?" he teased. Ashleigh's eyes widened as she began to refute his claims."Just kidding," he said with a chuckle, "no need to get yourself more riled up than you are at the moment. This time, I can say it was well deserved. Tara needed someone to bring her down a peg." His tone was appreciative, almost relieved that she threw Tara out."Hmm, seeing as you're so happy about this, I'd say you have some grudges against her," Ashleigh observed."Some would be an understatement," he huffed, pushing up his sleeves that fell down to his wrist, as he had done earlier."Well, all that scold
Larry froze, a heavy silence settling between them for a moment. He finally turned to find Ashleigh already waiting for his explanation."According to the staff roster, only the butler and cleaning crew are assigned to this floor," she mentioned, her tone laced with suspicion. "No one else is permitted access."Larry's smile faltered slightly. "Right. Actually, Tara did have me come up here once to help her with some food supplies for Mr. Cagliari," he explained, the explanation sounding a bit forced.It did seem strange to Ashleigh, but she brushed it off. With only a month of marriage under her belt, she had little knowledge of Adrian's specific dietary needs."That's fine," she dismissed, her attention returning to the movie playing on the large screen. The film was an older one, but one she'd been eager to see.By the time the credits rolled, she felt thoroughly satisfied and ready for bed. As the movie ended, the theater lights automatically flickered on, prompting her to exit.O
The first rays of dawn peeked through the window as Ashleigh was jolted awake by Mr. Atkinson at 4:00 am. Following Adrian's instructions, Mr. Atkinson ensured Ashleigh began her duties promptly. After a quick confirmation that she was awake, he excused himself, allowing her a brief thirty minutes for a shower before rejoining him.Shadowing Mr. Atkinson, like a loyal but weary companion, Ashleigh observed him inspect the work of the first and second-floor staff. He explained the roles: the first floor comprised cleaning personnel responsible for maintaining both her and Adrian's supplies, as well as cleaning the theater room and her quarters (though she witnessed them cleaning that morning due to her early start). Adrian's room and study, however, were Mr. Atkinson's sole domain.Since Ashleigh wasn't yet allowed access to these private areas, Mr. Atkinson assigned her supervisory duties in his place while he cleaned. Their tour continued downstairs, where Ashleigh was introduced to