Chapter 7 Hypocrisy

"Well, you've seen me. You can go," said Ashley as she looked resentfully at the hypocrite, Lena. Thinking about what they had done to her. She couldn't be bothered trying to hide her true feelings.

"Ashley, I have come here to visit you. How can you say that to me?" said Lena in a soft voice.

"Who knows what your true intentions are?" answered Ashley coldly.

"Of course I'm here to visit my dear sister," said Lena with a hint of menace in her voice. Then she paused a moment and looked at Ellie.

"Well, since I'm already here. I would also like to say that 'someone' shouldn't call Raymond every time she is in trouble. Raymond is very busy running the Luo Group. He doesn't have time to deal with meaningless tasks. Please don't come to him anymore."

When Lena had finished, she walked out before Ashley and Ellie could say anything to her.

But she didn't hide the pride and triumph in her eyes.

She could tell that she had annoyed them and that gave her a sense of satisfaction.

"Ellie, I'm sorry,"

Ashley knew that Ellie disliked Raymond since then. But she still called him today and Lena had found out. Ellie must be feeling very upset now.

"Silly girl, don't say anything about being sorry. Just go to sleep and I'll keep an eye out for you," said Ellie as she gently touched her head.

"All right," Ashley yawned.

She found that she was very tired and lethargic due to being sick. As soon as Ashley lay down, she had fallen asleep.

Ashley felt a presence in her room and slowly opened her sleepy eyes.

Once her eyes had adjusted to the dim light, she could see who was standing there. She calmly looked at him but didn't say anything.

The man who had been standing in Ashley's room while she was sleeping, was Raymond. Just two days ago, he had become engaged to Lena.

He seemed thinner and not as handsome and elegant as before. His white suit was rumpled and his eyes were slightly bloodshot with dark bags under them.

There was a hint of decadence in the disheveled man that stood before her.

He stared at her.

Ashley gazed out of the window at the bright sunny day. The sun was so strong outside that she could feel the heat that radiated through the window pane.

Ashley's mind went back to the time when they had met for the first time. It was at school, Raymond was her senior.

They met at a community activity that the school had organized. He was always courteous to everyone and always wore a bright and happy smile on his face. Rarely would you see Raymond lose his temper. He eventually took her under his wing and became like a big brother to her.

Even Raymond didn't know why he felt the need to protect and look out for her. He was very kind to her during those school years. He even knew better than she did, what her preferences were to things like hobbies and what her likes and dislikes were. He could read her like a book.

Perhaps she was also drawn to him because of his tenderness towards her. Because, no one had ever shown her any kindness, from when she was a child. They eventually became a couple and they were right for each other.

They would talk on the phone, at least once a day, for hours on end. About nothing in particular. It seemed enough, just to hear each other's voices.

After Raymond had graduated, he took over the family company. That was when Ashley had discovered that he was the son of the Luo family.

When Ashley found out that he was from that family, she was alarmed. She suddenly became self-conscious and felt that she didn't deserve him. Ashley was out of her depths and didn't want to be involved in the struggle with the rich and powerful. So she decided it was best to break up with him. Of course, Raymond didn't accept it, nor agree with her reasoning behind the breakup.

Eventually, Raymond compromised and managed to persuade Ashley. He promised her that things wouldn't change between them.

Ashley did care deeply for him and didn't want to give up such a good man. So she agreed to stay with him.

Raymond's mother wasn't at all happy that they were together and asked Ashley to leave her son. However, when Ashley refused to, Raymond's mother began to harass her. She made regular visits to her, only to torment her with threats and insults. She told her that she was unworthy of her son.

But how could Ashley do what his mother asked of her at that time, when she cared so much about him? Ashley didn't want to burden Raymond with what his mother was doing to her, so she didn't even tell him about it.

Until one day, when she saw Raymond was with Lena. She then realized, just what a fool she had been.

Now they were engaged and Raymond's mother was finally content because she liked Lena

...

"Fizz!" Ashley sat up and pulled the covers aside. She kneaded her temples as her headache was getting worse and waited a moment for the searing pain to pass. She then reached for her cellphone and slowly got off the bed to go and look for Ellie.

She didn't care that Raymond was there. He could stand and stare as much as he wanted. It made no difference to her.

"Ash..." murmured Raymond. Ashley was about to leave the ward, but Raymond grabbed her hand and held it hard.

Ashley looked up at him and said, "Let go of my hand!"

"No, Ash. I miss you so much. Please, don't leave me." He pulled her into his arms and held her tightly against his chest.

When Raymond didn't see Ashley and Ellie at the company, he was beside himself.

He thought that they had left the company altogether.

He was insane with worry. But when he asked the manager where Ashley was, he was greatly relieved to find that

she had not left the company. Instead, she became ill and asked for a few days leave.

But when Raymond heard that Ashley was sick, his heart was broken and he began to worry again. Today, he didn't even go to the company, he needed to know how Ashley was and to go and see her.

So he found her at the hospital and felt great relief when he saw her.

"Let go of me!" Ashley scolded. Struggling against him. The familiar embrace overwhelmed her, but she couldn't free herself from him as she had been weakened by her fever and he was such a big man.

When Ellie had returned to the ward. She saw Ashley struggling in Raymond's embrace.

She had only been gone for a short while to organize the discharge papers.

Ellie rushed in and pushed Raymond away and pulled Ashley aside, checking to see if she was all right.

Raymond was caught off guard when he was pushed by Ellie that he nearly lost his balance and fell to the ground.

"Ash, are you all right?" Ellie asked, looking at her anxiously.