Business was booming tonight for Louisa’s Otter Bar. The place was crowded with people who had come to see Ashlyn and the band. Tonight’s profits would probably amount to the next week combined.
As soon as Aiken and Gordon stepped foot inside Otter Bar, their eyes were drawn to the drummer onstage.
Ashlyn was a star. Although she was only wearing a white sweater and a pair of black jeans, the spotlight was on her. She swung the drumsticks gracefully, nodding to the rhythm with swagger.
The newly opened bar was brimming with people. Although Aiken couldn’t even find a place to sit down, the music was so electrifying the he didn’t mind. The second he came in and heard the band playing, he felt like he never wanted to leave.
It wasn’t the first time Gordon had seen Ashlyn onstage. The night they played at ONE, he felt shocked and somewhat ridiculous when he first saw her playing the drums. Seeing her onstage a second time, his feelings were much more complicated than the first.
Aiken went crazy. He pumped his fists to the deafening music, which only made Gordon want to leave. However, he was shuttled closer to the stage by the raving crowd.
Seeing Ashlyn up close made him stop in his tracks. He looked at the woman behind the drums, her white sweater complimenting her delicate skin perfectly. She looked like a queen onstage, controlling the mood of the crowd at will. Her raised eyebrows were full of confidence and pride.
For some inexplicable reason, Gordon felt that this side to Ashlyn was extremely alluring.
But the second he realized this, Gordon’s expression darkened.
He was sensible enough to know that he and Ashlyn had nothing to do with each other now.
Now that they had divorced, whoever Ashlyn had become was none of his business.
They were like strangers now!
During the half-time intermission, Aiken was still running on adrenaline. When he turned around, he was surprised to see that Gordon was still around. “You stayed? I thought you had left already. Did you see that? Ashlyn is awesome! Do you regret divorcing her?”
Gordon cracked a sarcastic smile. “Why would I regret it?”
Aiken pursed his lips and then said, “Oh, right. I forgot you’re not into women like her. You like pure and innocent girl like Arabella.”
Gordon hadn’t heard this name in a long time. Frowning, he asked, “Who said that I liked Arabella?”
“Isn’t that what everyone thinks?” Aiken asked.
Gordon’s frown tightened. “I don’t like her.”
Aiken’s eyes went wide in disbelief. “Then why the hell did you divorce Ashlyn?”
Although Aiken didn’t like Ashlyn before, his attitude towards her changed greatly as of late. Now, he thought that Ashlyn deserved to be Gordon’s wife.
This question made Gordon even unhappier. “Because she wanted a divorce.”
Aiken clicked his tongue. “Smart girl.”
His sharp tongue irritated Gordon.
What did he even mean by that? Was he trying to say that Ashlyn’s marriage to him was a big mistake?
But before he could respond, the intermission ended and the band started to play another song.
Aiken went to order a glass of champagne when he caught a glimpse of someone familiar. He hurried back to Gordon and asked breathlessly, “Gordon, look at the man with the bouquet near the stage. Is that Devin Stanley?”
Before Gordon could answer, Aiken answered his own question. “It’s him! What the heck is he doing with a bouquet? Is he trying to woo some girl?”
Gordon didn’t care about these trivial things. He wanted to leave this damned place as soon as possible.
But just as he turned around to leave, someone in the crowd suddenly shrieked excitedly. “Oh, my God! Is that the drummer’s boyfriend? He gave her roses! How romantic!”
Aiken’s jaw dropped.
“Shit! Devin has a crush on Ashlyn!
Gordon frowned and turned his head. Sure enough, Devin was onstage, handing the bouquet of roses to Ashlyn.
The drums stopped abruptly, and the exciting music instantly lost its soul.
Ashlyn wasn’t expecting that someone would give her flowers, let alone that Devin would be the one giving her the flowers.
When the big bouquet was handed to her, Ashlyn was forced to stop playing to take the flowers. “Uhm, thank you.”
Devin smiled charmingly. “You’re most welcome. I got you these flowers because I thought they’d match your beauty, but I was wrong. You’re way more beautiful. Anyway, please continue. I won’t bother you anymore.”
After saying that, he turned around and walked off the stage. The stunned audience suddenly burst into hysterics.
It was like a scene straight out of a romantic movie!
Ashlyn watched Devin leave and felt conflicted. With a shrug, she put the flowers down beside her, picked up the drum sticks, and proceeded to play.
A few minutes later, the song ended, which marked the end of tonight’s performance.
Ashlyn gathered the bouquet in her arms and carefully walked down from the stage. Devin came over and asked, “Miss Ramos, would you like to have a midnight snack with me?”
Devin was a well-known playboy. Ashlyn didn’t know why he suddenly had a crush on her.
With a faint smile, she handed the flowers back to him. “I’m sorry, Devin. I’m allergic to pollen.”
Devin clicked his tongue in disappointment. “Oh, my bad.”
He threw the bouquet away and added, “I won’t make the same mistake again.”
Ashlyn glanced at him indifferently. “I don’t really eat midnight snacks either.”
“Then how about I drive you home?”
Devin sure was thick-skinned.
Before Ashlyn could refuse him yet again, Jessie suddenly nudged her and whispered, “I think you should go with him. Aiken and Gordon are here.”
Ashlyn knew what she meant. Jessie wanted Gordon to know that there were many other men chasing after Ashlyn.
Ashlyn looked in the direction Jessie was pointing. As expected, in the booth not far away, Gordon and Aiken were nursing glasses of wine.
Ashlyn snorted. “Thanks for the offer, Devin, but I drove here.”
She didn’t have a single drop of alcohol tonight, so she didn’t need anyone to take her home.
After saying that, Ashlyn excused herself and went to say goodbye to Louisa.
Devin didn’t pester Ashlyn any longer. Jessie caught up to Ashlyn and asked in confusion, “Why didn’t you use Devin to annoy Gordon? They have bad blood, you know. Now Devin’s into you. It doesn’t matter if you don’t want to date him. You can put up an act to piss Gordon off.”
Ashlyn sipped some juice and said flatly. “No need. He’s dead to me now.”
With Gordon dead to her, why would she have to go out of her way to piss him off?
Hearing that, Jessie was stunned for a while. Then she broke into a wide grin and punched Ashlyn’s arm lightly. “You’re so cool!”
Vernon also laughed. “Gosh. Ashlyn is ruthless.”
Jessie agreed.
Fred also smiled and said, “Ruthless? This is the Ashlyn we’ve always known.”
With a smile, Ashlyn walked up to Louisa and said goodbye. “We’re heading out.”
In exchange for over an hour of performing, Louisa gave each of them a membership card. “Thank you so much.”
Ashlyn took the card and chuckled. “Can I get free stuff at the bar with this card?”
Louisa smiled and rolled her eyes. “50% off.”
Hearing this, Jessie pouted and bonked Louisa on the head. “Capitalist!”
Ashlyn waved and said, “Okay, I’m off. See you!”
Just then, Aiken and Gordon came out of the bar.
When Aiken saw Ashlyn, he waved at her excitedly. “Hey, Ashlyn!”
Ashlyn glanced at him indifferently, “Aiken, what a coincidence! We keep running into each other like this.”
Then, without waiting for a response, she got in her car.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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