By the time Ashley returned back to the office, it was already ten minutes past the lunch break time range. She approached her cubicle and took a seat.
Every other thing around her looked colorless and blurry. All that was running through her mind was the ill words that mother and daughter said to her. She was indeed trapped in that marriage with Andrew.
Her mother was her only family surviving and she didn't want to lose her just like she lost her father. Her relatives also didn't want anything to do with her after that one night things went awful in her life.
She couldn't say she regretted her decision to keep the baby. Ever since she had Keith, she knew that he would bring her immense joy and happiness in her lonely world.
And of course he did, but unfortunately, he never felt what it meant to have a father around. Andrew couldn't even pretend to be happy with her son just so that he wouldn't feel bad.
She was tired of constantly telling him to act nice to Keith so that he doesn't end up being traumatized. He has seen enough and now she could tell that he doesn't want Andrew anymore.
"Ashley!"
Ashley was forcefully pulled out of her thoughts by Brittany who suddenly appeared beside her. "The phone has been ringing"
Ashley's hands flew to her face as she wiped off the tears staining her face.
"Uh.. thanks"
She picked up the phone and raised it to her ear.
"Come in"
****
Cameron sat up the moment he saw her approaching the door. He noticed that she wasn't in the office when he passed by earlier. Just because he gave her the liberty to eat out, she decided to spend the whole year over there.
"Boss, you sent for me"
"You were gone for more than..." He paused staring at her eyes which appeared red like she had been crying for a while. He was about to ask her what was wrong but his eyes caught the large bruise on her neck.
That wasn't a hickey like he thought it was. His brows furrowed deeply.
He sprang up to his feet and started walking to her. When he got closer, he raised his hand to her chin gently and made her face the other way just to have a clearer look at her neck.
Ashley noticed this and stepped back quickly. She touched her neck for the scarf she had on earlier today. Her eyes closed when the realization hit her.
She remembered taking it off just to prove a point to Winnie and Lucy a while ago.
"Who did that to you?" He said calmly but deep down he was boiling with rage. He fisted his left hand by his side awaiting her response.
"Ah.. don't mind this boss, I'm a little clumsy. It was just an accident"
Cameron might have believed her the previous day but this time, he had doubts about her response to his question. His blue eyes pierced into hers as if judging her lie.
"An accident?"
Ashley nodded her head with a forced smile to convince him even more.
"I slipped on oil in the kitchen and the hot spatula I was holding pressed on my neck"
Only after she blurted those words was the time she realized how stupid that might have sounded. "It's a little crazy but it's true"
Cameron took a deep breath and turned away moving back to his seat. He had a feeling that she was hiding something away from him. His private investigator hadn't reached him yet concerning the information he needed about her.
"Do you own a car?"