Gregory Simpson had just walked into his mansion with his assistant holding his suitcase. He walked through the hallways as he angrily scanned around the house for her and soon, he was barging into the living room yelling,
"Ashley!! Ashley!!! Ashley, where are you?!!"
Ashley Simpson, his daughter did not answer back and so he moved to the next room to find her. He had searched half the entire mansion made of eighteen rooms and yet, he could not find Ashley.
"Where is Ashley?" He asked in fury as he saw the nanny he had hired to take care of Ashley since she was a child.
"Where is she?!!!!" He yelled. The nanny had no idea where the young miss could have gone so she simply shook her head and bowed her head to answer Gregory Simpson.
With frustration, Gregory Simpson sent his assistant away and marched to his room. He opened the door to his room as he got in and locked it. He was too angry at that moment and needed to relax.
He pulled off his gray jacket and blue jeans and tossed them on the bed. He needed to be free and calm. The stress and frustration of the day were getting to him.
He soon pulled off his shirt and underwear and grabbed a robe.
He walked to his shower. He needed to be calm and a cold shower would do the trick for him. Gregory stepped into the shower. The cold water on his skin worked and now, he felt a little better than before.
He dried himself up with his towel and sat on his bed, staring at the television screen.
He was cool and calm until his phone rang. Gregory Simpson stared at his cell phone which displayed the name of the caller. It was George Chulley again. For heaven's sake…
He picked up the call as he heard George Chulley speak,
"I hope we have a deal, Mr. Simpson. I would not want to waste mine or my father's time"
Gregory sighed as he answered back. He agreed to the deal. George chuckled over the phone as he said,
"Good. In that case, I might burn the case file and send the expected amount to your company's account. It was nice doing business with you, Future Father in law"
George Chulley hung up the phone.
Things were getting really bad for Gregory Simpson and his daughter Ashley Simpson was his only way out. He hoped she would understand. He took in deep breaths and went to sleep.
****
The next day, Ashley was seated in the dining having her breakfast when she heard her father, Gregory Simpson coming downstairs. She quickly got up to greet him.
"Hello, Dad, Good morning. I heard you were looking for me yesterday. I ran over to Joyce's place to return a book I borrowed and when I came back, I heard the news. Is everything alright?" She asked as she watched him take his seat at the dining table.
Gregory watched her for a few seconds before speaking. He told her he wanted her to follow him when they were done eating. He had something important to tell her. It was about work and he needed her help.
"Is something wrong at work?" She asked.
"No. Just come with me after breakfast. I have something to share with you." Ashley nodded as she sat back in her seat and continued her breakfast. Her father dug into the food too, and both of them were silent as they ate.
Breakfast was over when Ashley reminded her father that it was time to go. Gregory Simpson nodded and led his daughter to the car. They entered and soon arrived at his office.
As they got into the building, Ashley and her father were both greeted by employees in the building. Ashley saw the smile on her father's face as she watched him respond to every person who greeted him. She loved the way her father looked bubbly and joyful as they walked through the hallways and into the elevator.
In a matter of minutes, she and her father were now in his office. The glass stand on his desk read 'GREGORY SIMPSON, CEO OF SIMPSON ENTERPRISES' as he sat behind his desk in his office. He looked at her from his chair and asked her to have a seat.
"Dad, is everything alright?" Ashley asked as she sank into her chair. The reason her father must have been looking for her had now popped up in her head.
"Ashley, do you like this company?" Her father asked.
"Yes Dad, I do. It is our company after all" She answered back. Her nerdy glasses hung from her nose like a picture in a museum.
Her father leaned in her direction as he spoke softly to her.
"Ashley, my precious daughter. All this is going to be going away in the next two days if you do not help me" her father said, his gaze focused on her.
"What?!! Why?" She asked, "what can I do to help?"
"I need you to marry someone I would pick for you. Someone who can help me savor this company"
"WHAT!" She shouted at the top of her voice. Ashley was not going to have it.
"Ashley, I have taken care of you all your life. This is the least thing you can do to repay me. Do it for me please" her father begged. He had left his chair and was now on his knees in front of Ashley, begging.
"No!" Ashely got up from her chair as she distanced herself from her father." No, Dad! I will not. How can you ask me to do that??!! It's my life we are talking about!!"
"Please". Gregory continued to beg.
"No!!! I will not do it!!" She said as she walked over to the door, opened it, ran out, and slammed the door in her father's face.
Her father screamed behind her, "Ashley, please!!!! If you don't do this, our company will go bankrupt!!" He fell to the ground and started to cry.
Some would say Mr. Gregory Simpson was a weak man to cry but he knew what was going to happen if Ashley did not agree to marry George.
*
Ashley Simpson had gotten back to her father's mansion. She angrily ran in, up the staircase and barged into her room, and threw her bag on the floor. She jumped on her bed and started to cry. Why was her father asking her to marry a man she did not know?
All for what?? The Simpsons Enterprise?!!!
Was it more important than her life? Did her father not care about her or her feelings??!
A few minutes on the bed and Ashley stopped crying. She wiped her eyes and sat up straight. She was going to do it. She was going to do it since her father had asked her to.
All her life, she had wanted to please him and if marrying a man she did not know was going to be the way to please her father and have him praise her at least once, she would do it.
She got up from her bed and picked up her bag from the floor. She reached inside and grabbed her phone.
She scrolled to her father's name and dialed it.
"Hello Dad, Yes... I am fine... I am back home. Yes! I will do it. I will marry George Chulley" she said as she hung up her phone and turned to her bed.
"My life is officially ruined" she muttered as she lay to sleep. Ashley had never really felt like she owned her life and now it was more evident.
The five-star hotel in New York City was full of celebrities. Tonight was the night. It was the day before Christmas Eve. It was the engagement party of George Chulley and Ashley Simpson. The Oil Magnet's son and the daughter of Gregory Simpson. The CEO of Simpsons Enterprise. "Dad…Dad... Which room is it?" Ashley said as she tried to steady her balance to understand what she was seeing. The engagement party had not even started yet, and Ashley was already drunk. She could barely stand on her two feet and now, she was looking to leave. "It's room 957." Her father was directing her to her soon-to-be husband, George Chulley's hotel room. Her father's voice sounded faint over the phone, it was almost as if she could not hear him speak to her. "Dad…I am doing this for you. You know that right?" She staggered.." I am doing this because you asked me to and I want to please you...Are you going to give me many gifts for doing this?" Ashley Simpson asked, her feet, failing her. "I will
The light smell of wine rushed into his nose, carrying the sweet fragrance of a girl. The beautiful man who looked like a Roman god was truly stunned by her. This woman! Who was she and where did she come from?! Ashley, who was drunk at that point, only felt she was hugging someone to whom she was getting married as she could smell the clean and refreshing scent of the shower gel on his body. "I'm very uncomfortable..."Ashley rubbed his body with her face comfortably, as if feeling his coldness. She felt much more comfortable while she did it. George Chulley was much more comfortable to be with than she imagined. His body felt amazing and smelt good. His structure from her blurry vision looked good, maybe marrying him was not a bad idea at all. She closed her eyes as she smiled happily. It was time. Ashley was ready to give herself to George Chulley on their engagement night, as expected. Seeing him this up close made things easy for her. She had never seen George Chulley a
Ashley thought for a while. She hopes the plan works out. She remembered he gave her thirty minutes to get to Wayne's enterprise. She sighs. "I think I have to try this out, if it doesn't work then I will know what else to do" She arranged herself, grabbed her bag, and left the room. She moved towards the elevator, pressed the green button, and watched as it made way for her to enter. Ashley could remember passing through it last night, but the alcohol she took caused the havoc she is about to face. Finally, the elevator took her to the last floor. Ashley made her way out. She notices the environment and the way people stare at her. "Oh! I can see the news is all over the place. It was all my fault, but I will fix up the mess" Ashley quickly stopped a cab and gave him the direction she was going. Luckily for her, the little change in her bag could pay the bill. Ashley arrived at the venue. She saw Wayne's Enterprise boldly written on top of the building. She made her way in
"I think we need to see your father first and explain to him. The only reason I am doing this is because you are too young to be going through this stress" "Thank you so much" "So, where do you think he should be? Home or office?" Ashley thought for a while. "I think we should just check the office" "Okay" Alex arranged his table and called his secretary. "Take care of the office for now. I need to attend to something important" "Yes sir" "Let's move" She stood up and followed him immediately. They got outside and a car quickly stopped in front of them. Alex opened the door for her to enter. Ashley directed the driver to her father's company. When they got there, everyone was somehow busy. She asked one of the workers if her dad was around. She gave Ashley a look that indicated she was worthless. Ashley never cared about how she made her feel. Alex noticed the lady too. Ashley could see how irritated he felt but he couldn't say anything because he was trying to respect
When Alex got home, he met Monalisa watching her favorite series. He hopes she doesn't start her usual nagging. "Alex, where have you been? You didn't come home last night and now look at the time you are returning" "Babe, I am not in the mood for all these. You should have just welcomed me first. I had a busy day and I would like to shower and rest" He left her and went into his room to take care of himself. Monalisa stood still in shock that he couldn't give her an answer. Alex finished taking his bath. He picked up his phone to call Ashley to know if she was fine, but Monalisa walked into the room. "Your food is ready" "Oh! Thanks, I will be there soon" Monalisa looked at him and walked out of the room without closing the door. Alex didn't mind, he called Ashley and she sounded very fine over the phone. Alex went over to the dining table and Monalisa joined him. She dished out the food for him and also her own. They ate in silence. Monalisa was not comfortable, the
"Sir, please calm down" "Don't tell me to calm down. I brought in a lady here yesterday, and now you can't give an account of her whereabouts?" They were scared because they knew who Alex was, if care wasn't taken he will close down the hotel or write a petition against the workers. "I need an answer now," He said hitting his hand on their desk. Alex couldn't imagine leaving not seeing Ashley, he was ready to forget about work for that day but must find Ashley. "Sir, we discovered she checked out and submitted her keys to my colleague who was on the night shift" Alex didn't know what else to say. His mind was clouded. Where does he go from there? "I will like to see the room to be sure no one is in there" The receptionist took the keys to the room and went towards the room, she opened it for Alex to go in and check. "This is the room. The bed is well arranged meaning she left here truly" Alex searched for her in the toilet and wardrobe. He didn't see any trace of h
Alex tried to wake her up but she was not responding. "Monalisa! Lisa! Babe wake up" There was no response from her. He carried her immediately and rushed to his car. He didn't close the door, he didn't even remove his clothes. Alex drove speedily to the hospital. When they got there, He kept shouting that it was an emergency. Monalisa was rushed to the theater while Alex waited for them. He was tensed. "Hope she hasn't given up?" Alex never knew she drinks and smokes. It was his first time seeing her in that mess. His main concern was for her to be alive. Alex knew quite alright that she had lost the pregnancy. "Why would she drink alcohol when she knew she was pregnant? Was she normal at all? What kind of a wise woman would think of doing such a thing?" Alex was very bittered. She couldn't wait for him to return before celebrating. This shows that her friends come first before him. "How could she announce it to her friends before telling me? Was I, not the one who w
"Wow, she is the one calling" He picked it up but it was a male voice. He looked at the phone again to be sure that it was her number but it was not her number. He quickly ended the call. "Alex, what's the problem?" "I thought she was the one calling, I just saw it was another person that called. I feel disappointed" "Look man, you are really going crazy and need to rest your head. This girl has taken over your thoughts" "I just want to hear her say she is fine wherever she is. Life has not been fair to her at all" "How did you know?" "She told me about her life experiences. She grew up without a mother and her father never cared about her. She struggled and went to school. She is a graduate at nineteen years and well-coordinated" "Alex, the way you are vouching for her makes it seem like you just want her to be yours and nothing more. There must be something you saw in her that made you think so deeply about her" "Uhmm, I saw a real woman in her. She is well-mannered