The sky darkened quickly. Lightning lit up the clouds while thunder rolled overhead. Ashley sat curled in a corner of the rooftop, unmoving.
She had feared thunderstorms since she was a child, always hiding under her blankets with earplugs in. After she got married, she would call Mason during storms. Even if he didn’t want to talk, he’d at least stay on the line.
But now, with no signal and a heart stripped of its illusions, all she could do was hug herself tightly, clinging to whatever warmth and comfort she could summon.
Inside the hospital room, Mason listened to the thunder rumbling outside and, almost by instinct, dialed Ashley’s number. All he heard was the hollow beep of a failed connection.
“Mason, who are you calling?” Georgina asked.
“Ashley. She’s always been afraid of storms,” Mason said, putting his phone away. “I tried calling, but the signal’s out.”
Jealousy flashed in Georgina’s eyes, but she kept her tone light. “Maybe she’s already asleep. When we were little, she used to hide under the covers.”
Mason nodded, not giving it much more thought.
Meanwhile, on the rooftop, Ashley was soaked through. The rain kept pouring and the wind only made it worse. Her body shivered violently from the cold.
By the time a security guard found her the next morning, she was barely conscious, too cold and weak to speak.
When she got home, Ashley found Mason and Georgina sitting at the dining table, calmly eating breakfast. The moment he saw her disheveled appearance, Mason frowned.
“We didn’t see you at all when we got back last night and now you’ve ended up like this. Where were you?”
Ashley wheeled herself directly to Georgina, grabbed the glass of milk from the table and threw it in her face.
“Ask her where I was!”
Mason rushed to Georgina, pushing Ashley aside. He anxiously wiped the milk from Georgina’s face with a handful of tissues.
“Ashley, are you insane? How would Georgina know where you went?”
Ashley let out a cold laugh. “How wouldn’t she know? She’s the one who—”
Before she could finish, Georgina interrupted. “Mason, don’t be angry with my sister. She’s been upset ever since I came back. She probably blames me for taking too much of your attention. I’ll leave now. I won’t cause any more trouble.”
She stood up to go, but Mason grabbed her arm, his expression full of panic. “You just came back. Where could you possibly go? I won’t let you leave again.”
Then he turned to Ashley, his voice cold, almost unrecognizable.
“Apologize to Georgina. Admit you were wrong.”
Even though Ashley had already braced herself for this, it still felt like being stabbed by a thousand needles.
“I’m not wrong. She’s the one who should apologize.”
Mason stepped in front of Georgina protectively.
“Georgina wasn’t feeling well yesterday. She’s only just gotten better today and you go and bully her? What did she do wrong?”
Ashley said nothing. Love, or the lack of it, made all the difference. Whether she spoke or stayed silent no longer mattered.
She turned to leave, but Mason blocked her path. “You can only leave after apologizing.”
Suddenly, Ashley’s phone rang. She answered. “Miss Patel, did you go up into the mountains? I couldn’t reach you all night. I almost flew to the Bennett Residence to look for you.”
A flicker of surprise crossed Ashley’s face.
She hadn’t expected the only person concerned about her to be a business partner she had met only once. A faint smile tugged at her lips.
“There was no signal last night. Sorry to make you worry.”
“A whole month is far too long. Someone as talented and beautiful as you is bound to be snatched away! I’ll send someone to pick you up in five days.”
Ashley’s heart was already numb toward Mason. She didn’t want to stay at the Bennett Residence any longer. She couldn’t wait to leave.
“Five days is too long. Make it three.”
The man on the line readily agreed. Ashley ended the call, satisfied.
