Chapter 254
Noah continued, “He got wind that you’re a pro at fixing old stuff, so he shows up with something,
thinking he could get some advice from you.”
Noah, fully clued in on Ashley’s deal with the Ramos family, knew it was up to Ashley whether she
would deal with Charlie or not.
After catching Noah’s talk on the phone, Ashley raised an eyebrow. “What’s he bringing?”
“He has got some mystery item inside a box. I couldn’t figure it out, probably some old thing he wants
your magic touch on. Are you up for a meet?”
“Nope.” Ashley turned him down flat-out.
12:
Getting Ashley’s vibe, Noah said, “Got it. I’ll tell him you’re a no-go.”
Today, thanks to Ashley, StarGavel Auctions got some serious online love together with the name, Rita
Grant. Even folks who weren’t into auctions had heard the buzz.
Lots of online folks were hoping StarGavel Auctions would spill the beans on Rita.
But StarGavel Auctions wasn’t going to spill the tea on Ashley without her
say-so.
After wrapping up the chat with Noah, Ashley checked the clock. It was pushing past seven in the
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtevening.
Strolling over to the bed, she took a peek at Valentin’s situation, a worried frown creasing her forehead.
He had been out cold for six days now.
And tomorrow would hit the one-week mark.
Zain had the chef whip up some fancy dinner, but they couldn’t really chow down.
Joseph, eyeballing the hands that handled the fake statue and replaying the toilet episode in his mind,
had his appetite plummeting even more. ‘Oh, I might need some therapy for that!’ he thought.
But to keep Zain’s spirits up, Joseph filled him in on the StarGavel
Pter 254
Auctions scene. “Grandpa, everyone online is dying to know who Rita is. Ashley’s a total boss.”
Zain, all praises, chimed in, “Ashley is indeed something.”
Ashley blushed at the compliment.
Joseph let out a soft sigh. ‘If Valentin saw how great Ashley was, he would praise her as well. Looking
back, he always has her back and cheers her up, he thought.
Joseph recalled that after Ashley had been treated like dirt by her own folks, she had not only fought
her way out of that suffocating mess, but Valentin had been with her every step of the way. Valentin had
always wanted to see her shake off the dust and shine bright like a real star.
Zain, lost in thought, mentioned, “Ashley, you used to be into calligraphy when you were little, right?”
Ashley nodded.
She then remembered that when they got their marriage certificate, Valentin had handed her a 20-
million-dollar necklace as a wedding gift.
Back then, she wanted to write a piece of calligraphy as a return gift and he suggested some fancy
words for calligraphy, like “A hundred years of happiness together”. She felt a bit awkward and didn’t
write it at the time. It had been put off and she still hadn’t penned it for him.
After a while, seeing it wasn’t exactly early, Ashley told Zain and Joseph to go back for some rest.
The big hospital room was just her and Valentin.
Ashley soaked a towel in warm water and gave him a gentle wipe-down.
After cleaning him up, she dressed him. Out of the blue, a stab of pain hi her stomach, and she winced.
She guessed that it was probably from not eating right these past days.
She rubbed her belly for a bit, and the ache eased up.
She let out a long sigh, choosing not to go to the nearby nurse’s bed to sleep. Instead, she remained
lying down beside Valentin’s bed.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmShe grabbed his sturdy hand, her teary eyes locked on his pale and knocked-out face. Without even
realizing it, she drifted off into dreamland.
08:52
Chapter 254 *****
Ashley had a dream where someone was holding her.
The embrace felt warm, like gentle spring water or the warmth of sunlight. However, the person’s face
was blurry, and she couldn’t make out who was holding her.
Ashley murmured softly, instinctively moving towards the comforting embrace.
The sensation of the hug became increasingly real.
Her eyelashes trembled, and beneath her light eyelids, her eyeballs twitched. She slowly opened her
sleepy eyes.
In the next moment, she met the deep gaze of a man.
Ashley jolted, the drowsiness instantly fading away. She fully awoke from the dream, her eyes widening
in realization.
“Val…Valentin!”