"Huh... huh?"
It wasn’t until Warren Prescott had already left the office that everyone present reacted.
"What’s the situation?"
"I don’t know."
At the same time, Warren had already reached the elevator.
The phrase "Cillian Xavier classmate" echoed repeatedly in his mind, and his hands hanging by his sides slowly clenched into fists.
Cillian likes Ashley Shaw.
He only found out about this before graduation.
But back then, he didn’t take it to heart, thinking Cillian was just saying it casually to tease him.
However, as Cillian’s actions became more frequent, he inexplicably started to panic.
He even abandoned his first formal meeting appearance at headquarters just to go to the convenience store to take a look.
Look at what? He wasn’t sure.
But a voice told him he couldn’t just sit idly by anymore.
"Ding-dong—"
The elevator door opened, and Warren ruffled his hair, frustrated, as he went inside and pressed the button for the first floor.
As Warren was about to leave the company, Ronan Rhodes, Chairman Prescott’s chief assistant, caught up with him.
"Young master, where are you going?"
"Sorry, Uncle Rhodes, I have some personal matters to handle."
"What’s more important than today’s meeting?"
Ronan, having worked with Chairman Rhodes for many years, could be considered a senior to Warren.
That’s why he dared to ask such a question.
He knew Warren’s temper wasn’t good, so even the chairman would think carefully before speaking to him.
Warren didn’t answer, just repeated what he’d said before.
"Sorry, I have to handle my personal matters."
Ronan had no choice but to say, "If you can come back, try to return. Otherwise, I’ll have a hard time explaining to the chairman."
"Got it, Uncle Rhodes."
The driver was already waiting for him by the roadside.
Warren opened the car door and ducked into the seat.
He gave an address, and the driver, Mr. Coleman, showed a surprised expression but quickly focused on driving.
When it came to the master’s affairs, it was best not to pry.
...
In the convenience store.
The manager patiently explained, "This time I’m not lying to you; she really resigned. I tried to persuade her to come back, and she said if she returned, she’d be a... a dog."
Young people these days, each more hot-tempered than the last.
It’s easy for you to let her go; it’s not so easy to get her back.
Ashley Shaw felt a slight headache.
She wanted to return her day shift, but the other party was adamant about not accepting unsolicited help.
She didn’t want to owe anyone; what should she do?
Just then, the automatic door chimed open with a "ding-dong."
Ashley was contemplating whether to personally seek out that older sister when she heard the manager say, "You guys talk, you guys talk..."
Ashley looked up in confusion to see Warren Prescott walking in, travel-worn.
He seemed a bit anxious, his chest rising and falling rapidly with his heavy breathing.
The manager tactfully left the store.
Warren’s gaze swept around the store, as if searching for something.
Ashley watched him in puzzlement, and when he finally looked at her after scanning the area, she spoke up, "What are you looking for?"
"Cough!"
Warren cleared his throat and pretended to pick a bottle of drink from the shelf, placing it on the counter.
He was using this method to answer Ashley what he was looking for.
Ashley picked up the drink and scanned it.
"Four dollars."
Warren paid but was reluctant to leave just like that.
Torn, he said, "Actually, I came over to ask you something."
Ashley nodded, "Coincidentally, I have something to ask you too."
"Then you go first."
Ashley didn’t hold back and directly asked, "Was it you who asked the manager to change my shift?"
Warren’s deep gaze fell on Ashley’s face, then he nodded openly, "It was me."
"Why?"
"The night shift is tough and unsafe, and I don’t think Grandpa would want to see you working so hard."
Ashley shook her head, "That’s not what I’m asking. I want to know why you’re concerned about my workload."
In her second chance at life, she wasn’t naive enough to think Warren had feelings for her.
But she was too tired to invest more thought into Warren, so she simply asked directly.
Warren’s fingers tightened around the drink bottle.
His heartbeat suddenly quickened.
Just as he was about to speak, Ashley suddenly chuckled softly.
"Warren, don’t tell me you’re pitying me. I live and do things with dignity; I don’t need your pity. If you’re pitying me, kindly take it back now."
Warren furrowed his brows.
"I’m not pitying you, nor do I think working part-time is pitiful at all."
The frost on Ashley’s face thawed a little, but the confusion in her eyes deepened.
"Then why are you interfering with my part-time job?"
Are you out of your mind?
Warren, clutching the drink, loosened his grip.
He suddenly didn’t dare to meet Ashley’s bright, clear eyes.
"Why aren’t you speaking?" Ashley frowned.
Now that she’d asked, she wanted an answer.
So she wouldn’t have to guess endlessly on her own, creating unnecessary worries.
Worrying that Warren was plotting against her.
Though she didn’t know how such actions could scheme against her.
But then she saw Warren suddenly take out his phone from his pocket.
He tapped a few times on the screen, then handed the phone to her.
Ashley looked down in confusion and saw the surveillance footage by the pool from five years ago.
So... that’s how it was.
Not pity or sympathy.
It was guilt.
Ashley felt relieved.
Warren wasn’t scheming against her.
But she didn’t need his guilt either; she didn’t need any of his emotions.
"You..."
"I’m sorry."
The young man before her suddenly uttered three words she’d never heard from him before.
Her expression froze as she inhaled and said, "It’s all in the past, you don’t need to apologize, I’ve already forgotten."
"Why didn’t you explain these past five years?"
Ashley, amused, retorted, "If I explained, would you have believed me? Even if you did, what difference would it make?"
Warren heard the sarcasm in her tone.
Yes, would he have believed her if she explained?
Given his dislike for her over the past five years, in his eyes, her explanation would merely be an attempt to cover up.
And now that he’d uncovered the truth on his own, what difference did it make?
The despicable things he’d done to her over the past three years wouldn’t disappear just because he knew the truth now.
"I’m sorry..."
He didn’t know what to say; he just repeated those three words.
Ashley didn’t respond to his apology.
What he owed her was more than just this one thing.
What he owed wasn’t just to her alone.
Their child wouldn’t come back because of a simple apology.
Ashley didn’t want to continue this topic, so she simply asked, "Earlier, you said you had something to ask me? What is it?"
Warren’s eyes suddenly brightened.
He took back his phone and searched for a gaming club to show Ashley.
"What’s this?"
"This is a new part-time job I asked Grandpa to help find for you, to do some back-office work at this club. The pay is high, and you can come and go as you please; you don’t need to be there unless there’s something special. I hope you consider it. You’re doing part-time work to earn money anyway, so instead of working as a cashier here, why not choose a job that pays more? How do you feel about it?"