It was Davis who, during his work-study program, borrowed money from his family and poured his heart into winning first place in the district's art performance competition, all to save up for her brother's medical treatment. Later, his talent was noticed by an entertainment company and became a star.
In those early years, every penny he earned was handed over to Ashlyn without hesitation.
He once said that her brother was also his and he would do his best to make sure he survived another day.
From the moment they became a couple, Ashlyn had made a solemn vow to herself that she would be his for the rest of their lives, to love, protect and never abandon him.
No matter how murky the waters of the entertainment industry became, Ashlyn trusted him without question. She dedicated herself fully to being his manager.
Yet, the greatest pain she endured was not the nights of drinking until she vomited or the heartbreak of losing their child. It was watching him achieve fame while maintaining the facade of being single, crafting a public image built on secrets and carrying the weight of a hidden "stain" he could never speak of.
Six months ago, Ashlyn’s younger brother became completely paralyzed. In an act of devotion, she assigned several of Davis’s assistants to help care for him.
But despite her efforts, her brother could not hold on. On the day of his cremation, Davis was nowhere to be found.
Ashlyn had also discovered in the past few days that Davis, who claimed to have stayed up late filming and had no free time, had been intimate with the woman he connected with through a friend request just the previous night.
Ever since this woman appeared half a month ago, her posts on social media had frequently overlapped with Davis's activities.
The places they met were unsettling, such as before the makeup mirror late at night on set, in the privacy of a luxury RV, or, most disturbingly, in the very "home" she and Davis shared.
ALS was incurable and the quality of life in its final stages would plummet to almost nothing.
Ashlyn could not bear the thought of remaining trapped in this suffocating house, waiting until she could no longer move any part of her body except her eyes.
She contacted her old friend, Finn Prescott, who was a medical student she met at university. She found out that he was now involved in the research of "frozen human". This experimental program had become a final refuge for many suffering from terminal illnesses who were caught between waiting for a miracle and accepting the inevitability of death.
Without hesitation, Ashlyn signed her name onto the program.
That night, she would end the pregnancy and there was still one month left before the procedure.
Regardless of whether freezing offered any chance of revival, Ashlyn had made up her mind as she simply wanted to leave the jerk.
Maria Hospital was known for its exclusive services to premium clients. Even in the dead of night, the procedure was carried out as scheduled.
Three hours later, Ashlyn awoke, her body emptied of the child she could no longer bear to carry. As part of their agreement, the hospital preserved samples of the child for her.
She signed a strict confidentiality agreement, ensuring the medical records would only show information of a routine physical examination and the removal of intestinal polyps.
By noon the following day, Davis arrived in a rush with his bloodshot eyes.
"Baby, you're not feeling well, hmm? Why didn’t you tell me to come with you? No matter how critical the filming schedule, nothing is more important than you."
Ashlyn remained silent. Seeing her unresponsive, Davis grabbed her hand and pressed it against his chest. "It’s my fault, all my fault. You said you weren’t feeling well that night and I didn’t insist on taking you to the hospital. I was wrong, baby!"
Ashlyn nodded faintly, her face still drained of color.
"Thankfully, it was just intestinal polyps. You’ll be discharged in two days. Once you’re better, I’ll take you somewhere nice."
His red-rimmed eyes and solemn demeanor gave the illusion of a man deeply heartbroken.
"Go back to the set. Don’t delay everyone else because of me." Ashlyn did not want to see him for a minute now.
"I’m not leaving. I’ll stay with you tonight. I bought you some soup. Be good and let me feed you."
He carefully scooped the soup, blowing on it to cool it down before offering it to her lips.
"Baby, take care of yourself. Once you're healthy, we’ll get our marriage certificate. After that, let’s try to get a child. I’ve already quit smoking for you," he whispered softly in her ear.
Outside the room, a group of young nurses passed by, stealing glances and whispering among themselves.
"Is that really Davis? I thought he was single. He actually has a girlfriend?"
