Disaster

Ashley pov

The time for dinner came quickly. I was in the middle of curling my hair when Ethan called to remind me not to be late.

Today is the day I'm going to meet with the famous Grandpa Greyson. Damn! I could feel my heart beating faster than usual.

“I can do this!” I reassured myself before walking out of the house. The weather seemed a bit cloudy, so I grabbed my umbrella before walking down the street.

Truth be told, I have no cash on me to make it there. That is why I prepared earlier than I was supposed to, so I could trek down there. Luckily for me, the address he sent was just an hour away if I'm to walk with my legs.

Walking down the street, I could see eyes lurking around me and whispers from people talking about how beautiful I look. However, just as I was about to take the next route, I got surrounded by three thugs.

“You are really pretty, do you want to spend a night with me? I will pay you five thousand dollars, what do you say?” One of the thugs with smoke in his mouth asked.

As he took a step forward to me, I flinched and tried to run but he was fast to hold me in place. “Let go of me!” I yelled at the top of my voice but he only tightened his grip around me.

I glanced at my wristwatch and saw the time was just an hour to seven o'clock. Damnit! I haven't even trekked to half a distance and these thugs are making it harder for me.

“What do you want from me?” I asked while struggling my way out of his grip but he pulled me close instead.

“Money! I want my money back!” I heard a voice behind me and it turned out to be Madame Monica. She approached me and gripped hard on my hair.

“Ashely, aren't you ashamed of yourself? You have been owing me for the past six months and whenever I called, you refused to pick up my calls. You have nothing yet, you keep living a fake life by borrowing money to buy expensive clothes to get a man's attention!” she spits on my face before letting go of my hair.

I don't know why but at that moment, I felt the ground should open up and swallow me instead of facing this humiliation. I hate myself right now. I hate myself for asking her to lend me money in the first place.

I could feel fresh tears burning my eyes as she glared hard at me. I feel disgusted with myself. Darn capitalism! Is it a crime to live a luxurious life?

“I don't have any money, so what are you going to do? Kill me? If you want to kill me, just go ahead and do so, you wench!” I uttered with clenched teeth as the tears streamed down my features.

“No, I won't kill you. I don't want to get my hand stained with your dirty blood.” Monica chuckled and turned to the thugs. “Do whatever you want with her since she refuses to pay back my money.”

As soon as she said so, the first thug held me by the hand as he dragged me along with him to a place I had no idea of. “Let me go, you asshole!” I screamed and felt a sting on my cheek.

His slap got me falling on my butt. I could taste blood in my mouth and in no time I realized that I was bleeding from his slap. Still on my butt, I crawled to where Monica stood and held her by the leg.

“Please don't do this to me, huh? You can take my dress. It costs over eight thousand dollars and my shoes too, It's very expensive. Just spare my life please.” I pleaded as I showed her the label on my dress. Her eyes glinted in excitement as I spoke and she nodded in satisfaction.

At last, she took everything except my phone. However, Monica was still nice that she gave me a wretched milk-colored gown to wear.

I couldn't go back home else, I would disappoint Ethan. And even if I did, I will have nothing fancy to wear to his grandfather's villa. My hair was in a messy bun and my face was stained with dry tears.

I wonder how I happened to live a pathetic life. I guess this is why Marcus hates me a lot and never acknowledges me as his relation.

The sound of my ringtone snapped me out of my thoughts. I looked at my phone's screen and saw Ethan's name flashing on it. I couldn't bring myself to answer it, so I declined the call instead.

I was almost there at his grandfather's villa. Even though it didn't work out as we planned, it's better to apologize in person than to say it over the phone.

After a thirty-minute walk, I finally arrived at Grayson's villa. I successfully made it inside the compound and was surprised to see that the dinner was set outside.

Ethan was at the table with two other men, one I suspected to be his grandfather and the other I had no idea of. I could see him staring at his wristwatch from afar. He must have been waiting for me.

Our eyes met soon enough and I could see him staring at me with disgust written all over his face. Not minding what I wore or how I looked, I took more steps forward. However, his sudden yell completely stopped me from moving.

“What are you wearing? What about the clothes I bought for you? Why are you looking so unkept Ashley?” he calmly asked. I could tell that he was trying his possible best not to explode.

“Something happened and I...” I tried to explain even though I was only a percent sure that it would work. I simply wanted to just give it a shot and maybe he could understand me.

“What is wrong with you?!” Ethan's scream glued my mouth shut. “Are you a fool? Didn't I tell you how important this dinner is to me? Didn't I tell you not to mess it up?”

That was it. He was really angry at me and all I could see in his eyes was hatred and disappointment. Just then the old man who was seated at the far end stood up and left without saying a word.

Ethan tried to run after his grandfather but the word from the other man stopped him from doing so.

“I am very disappointed in you Ethan and I'm sure Grandpa is way more disappointed than I am.” he stood up and also turned to leave but turned to us again. “By the way, your girlfriend is very beautiful in that rag.” a chuckle escaped from him before he finally walked away too.

“I'm sorry for everything.” I bowed my head in shame as I felt too ashamed to look at him in the face.

“Get out and don't ever appear in front of me, ever again!” Ethan calmly said before walking into the villa. His words felt like needles pricking my skin.

As soon as he left, the weather also decided to punish me. I took the route to Ryan's house as the rain poured heavily on me. I could feel my knees going weak as I hurried to walk to his house.

The rain finally stopped after I arrived at his house. I rang the doorbell and the door opened immediately, revealing Ryan in a short sweatshirt.

“Ashely?” he called surprised and held me by the shoulder. His gaze landed on my injured lip, then my bare foot, and finally my completely drenched body.

“What happened to you? Are you alright?” His questions made me cry so hard. I could say anything but only wrapped my hands around him.

Ryan didn't push me away but patted me on the hair instead as he whispered soothingly, “Stop crying, pretty girls don't cry. Everything will be alright.”