“Ashlyn, how about we give him a ride? After all, he is an acquaintance.” Devin still sounded cool, watching as the cigarette smoke puffed out of Gordon’s nostrils.
Ashlyn leaned forward and narrowed her eyes at Gordon’s broken car. Her lips curved into a mischievous smile. “What does it have to do with me?”
More than a month ago, Ashlyn’s car had broken down, and Gordon and Aiken had happened to pass by. Aiken had offered Ashlyn a ride, but Gordon had told Aiken to drive on, saying that her situation had nothing to do with him.
He believed that since they were divorced, their problems shouldn’t matter to each other.
She had said that their divorce had turned them into strangers. Why should he care about a stranger?
Gordon had been satisfied seeing Ashlyn shivering in the cold wind at that time. He had glared at her through the rearview mirror with a smirk, taking delight in her misfortune.
Hearing the same words from Ashlyn, Gordon could imagine how she must have felt that day. The chills from the wind ate into his skin, and he shivered uncontrollably.
Gordon’s hand trembled and he struggled to hold his cigarette firmly. He looked Ashlyn in the eye.
Ashlyn looked away and said to Devin, “Let’s go grab something to eat. I’m hungry.”
Devin recalled what had happened to her that night. He now understood why she wanted to come back to see how Gordon suffered.
It seemed that his future girlfriend was quite vindictive. But he loved the way she was. She wasn’t a pushover, and this was a good thing.
Devin looked back at Gordon and said, “I’m sorry I won’t be able to give you a ride. I can’t disobey the wish of my future girlfriend. Bye!”
Slowly, the car drove off.
The sight of Gordon from the rearview mirror gave Ashlyn an instant feeling of satisfaction.
As the car sped on, memories of the past flooded Ashlyn’s mind.
Gordon watched the car until he could see it no more. He had mixed feelings. The cigarette in his mouth had lost its taste.
He knew they did it on purpose. But such realization didn’t make him feel any better.
Standing there, Gordon felt frustrated.
When Lowell arrived, he saw Gordon standing by the car, smoking.
Thinking that Gordon was becoming impatient, Lowell quickly pulled over, got out, and hurried over, saying, “Mr. Jones, I’ve called the tow truck. It should be here soon.”
Gordon looked up at the sound of Lowell’s voice, stubbed out the cigarette in his hand, and said, “Give me your car keys.”
Lowell didn’t dare say anything and silently handed him the keys.
Gordon got into Lowell’s car, his expression icy, and before long, he drove away.
Lowell remained standing by the side of the road and watched as the car retreated. Gordon was being inexplicably weird today.
He knew a thing or two about Gordon, having worked for him for so many years. One frown from Gordon could tell Lowell what he was feeling.
But tonight was different. Lowell could clearly tell that Gordon was angry, but there was something unspeakable in it.
Lowell couldn’t guess what his boss was thinking, so he decided to not dwell on it.
The traffic lights turned red and Devin’s car came to a slow halt.
Ashlyn was in a good mood as she turned to look up at Devin. She thought he was pleasant company tonight.
“Do you think I’m narrow-minded?” she asked him.
It was a small thing, but it had remained in her mind.
“Yes,” Devin said, turning and looking back at her, a faint smile on his lips.
Ashlyn frowned and made to say something, but Devin added, “But also very cute.”
“Cute?”
This was the first time that Ashlyn had heard someone use the words “narrow-minded” and “cute” in the same sentence.
“Yes,” Devin answered seriously, but his eyes were smiling.
Ashlyn couldn’t stand his stare. She pursed her lips and turned away. “Devin, you really are a playboy, full of sweet words.”
“Ashlyn,” Devin called out abruptly. His voice was serious, devoid of banter.
“Yes?” Ashlyn answered. She stopped smiling at the seriousness in his tone.
“Do you mind that I have many ex-girlfriends?”
He was careful about the words he was using.
Ashlyn’s eyebrows shot up as she said, “No.”
One would only be possessive of the person they loved.
Ashlyn had no romantic feelings for Devin, and she was just moved by what he had done for her. She didn’t mind if he had many ex-girlfriends.
In her marriage with Gordon, the only thing Ashlyn had learned was to be rational. She knew Devin was a playboy, and falling in love with a playboy would hurt her in the end.
Her words seemed to dim the light in Devin’s beautiful eyes. “If I were not the kind of person that people made me out to be, would you fall in love with me?”
“There’s no if in the world,” Ashlyn said before pointing at the traffic lights. “We should go now.”
Devin looked at her for a second longer and started the car again.
Ashlyn pursed her lips. She didn’t know if it was her illusion, but Devin seemed to be implying something when he looked at her just now.
But she was right. There was no if in the world.
Ashlyn was tired after all the things that had happened tonight. She didn’t say anything, and neither did Devin. Silence ensued in the car.
As they were passing through downtown, Devin asked, “Do you want to eat something?”
Ashlyn looked momentarily at him and said, “No. Maybe next time.”
All she wanted to do right now was go home, take a hot shower, and get some good sleep.
It was already 11 p.m. when the car stopped before her apartment building.
Ashlyn unfastened her seat belt and got out of the car. She said to Devin, “Thank you for driving me home tonight.”
At her words, Devin stopped what he was doing and placed a hand on the steering wheel, tapping thoughtfully on it. He looked at her through the half-open window and asked, “When will be the next time?”
Ashlyn was about to turn around and enter her apartment building, but she paused at his question. When she realized what he meant, she smiled and said, “It depends on when I’ll run into you again.”
She waved her hand as she turned around and walked into the building.
The elevator was empty at this time.
Ashlyn looked at herself in the elevator wall, her mind replaying the events of the night.
The elevator doors opened. Ashlyn came back to her senses and walked out.
Her apartment was at the end of the corridor. But as soon as she walked out, she saw Gordon standing beside the windows.
This was a rare visit.
Ashlyn sneered as she walked over to him.
“Were you waiting for me?” she asked, smiling, but her eyes glinted coldly.
Ashlyn had never, not even fleetingly, looked at him like this before. Her eyes always lit up when she looked at him.
But things had changed after their divorce.
Now, she seemed to view him as just another stranger or an enemy.
Gordon couldn’t tell what he felt. All he understood was that something seemed to be pressing down on him, making it difficult for him to breathe. He had never felt like this before and this irritated him to no end.
“What do you want, Ashlyn?” he asked.
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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