Chapter 193: Chapter 193: Which One Would You Choose?
Ariana Grant curled her lips and said, "Then guess, if I had said today that I wanted to invite him for a drink, would he have made me foot the bill for those millions?"
Ashley Shaw replied helplessly, "I told you, it was because I fainted at that time."
Ariana grabbed her hand and said earnestly, "People change. Just because he didn’t like you before doesn’t mean he doesn’t like you now. Or perhaps, Warren Prescott is like those little kids who bully those they like the most when they want to play with them. Maybe he used to bully you because he liked you?"
Ashley reached out and touched Ariana’s forehead.
"Are you delirious because of a wound infection and fever?"
"Nonsense! I’m perfectly healthy, why would I have a fever?"
"Why are you speaking nonsense if you don’t have a fever?"
"I’m not talking nonsense! I’m just happy for you! Having two rich and handsome guys like you all of a sudden, you’re the winner in life!"
"What two rich and handsome guys..."
Ariana counted on her fingers: "Warren Prescott is one, Cillian is another, either of them alone would be a catch."
Ashley shook her head in resignation.
"You really are out of it today, but I won’t be petty with you, the patient."
"You’re calling me petty."
Ashley laughed, "Oh? So you’re sober now?"
Ariana took a deep breath: "You, my friend, don’t realize how lucky you are! If I were you, I’d be over the moon by now."
Ashley reminded her, "Don’t get ahead of yourself, first think about whether your online boyfriend is actually unemployed. If he’s jobless, how would he be working at Spectator Live? If he truly works there, you’d better be cautious and find out why he lied and if he approached you with ulterior motives."
Ariana was taken aback, remembering the matter of the fruit tea.
But then she shook her head: "I did send him some freeze-dried fruit tea, but I don’t have anything worth scamming me for."
Ashley looked her up and down.
"You might not have money, but don’t forget, all your organs are quite healthy."
A chill ran down Ariana’s spine.
"Don’t scare me...I don’t think he’s that kind of person."
"It doesn’t matter what you think, you need to ask him clearly."
Ariana paused for a moment and then nodded solemnly: "Alright, I’ll ask him."
Ashley stood up from the couch and said, "While you’re asking, I’ll go check the inventory to see if anything needs replacing after the fall."
"Don’t bother." Ariana waved her hand and said, "I’ve decided, once I get the house, I’ll sell it for cash. I don’t want to live in that cursed place. Once we save enough, let’s buy a place together in Aethelgard, I don’t want to come back."
Ashley knew Ariana’s heart was truly broken this time.
She nodded, "Whatever decision you make, I’ll support you."
Ariana was touched as she nodded, but then remembered the earlier topic.
"You still haven’t told me, who do you choose between the two?"
Ashley’s face darkened: "I’m not choosing anyone, they’re all yours."
Then she went straight into the room.
She had just been discharged today and had been through so much, now she needed a good bath to relax and prepare for dinner at the Prescott Family.
The faucet was turned on, and the bathroom quickly filled with steam.
Through the mist, Ashley saw her hazy reflection in the mirror and her thoughts uncontrollably drifted to that day at the KTV.
She had indeed fainted back then, but before that, it seemed Warren Prescott wasn’t planning on making her pay.
But perhaps, it was because he wanted to see her flustered and broke?
[He likes you...]
[People change. Just because he didn’t like you before doesn’t mean he doesn’t like you now.]
Ariana’s words played like a spell in her mind, repeating over and over.
"Snap!"
Ashley clapped her cheeks twice, telling herself to stop thinking about it.
Ariana said many things, only one was true.
That is, people change.
Whether Warren Prescott changed or not, she didn’t know, but she certainly had.
She no longer yearned for others’ love, just wanted to protect what she had and guard her heart.
She wouldn’t let herself be trapped in the mire of a wrong marriage again.
In this life, she wouldn’t live relying on the approval of others, revolving around just Warren Prescott, losing herself as a housewife.
Her life principles still boiled down to these two.
Study well.
Stay away from Warren Prescott.
Very soon, Ashley finished her bath and came out.
During her hospital stay, she hadn’t bathed because the bathroom there was filthy, and she wasn’t well enough to clean, nor wanted to trouble Ariana.
After all, Ariana had been taking good care of her, watching over her IV at night and buying her meals three times a day.
So she held off until now to finally clean herself up.
Whether it was psychological or not, she felt much lighter.
Ashley opened the wardrobe and picked a little dress with light yellow floral prints.
After trying it on, she looked at herself in the mirror.
Even though she hadn’t turned thirty in her previous life, compared to now, it seemed like twenty or thirty years had passed.
Sure enough, staying away from Warren Prescott made her soul feel younger.
Feeling good, she even applied some foundation and lip gloss.
These cosmetics were gifts from Ms. Grant, and if she didn’t use them soon, they might expire.
After getting ready, she walked out of the bedroom and immediately saw Ariana slumped on the sofa watching TV.
It was more like zoning out than watching TV.
Because the Brain Platinum commercial wasn’t exactly engaging.
"What’s up with you?"
Ariana raised her head, initially prepared to speak, but her eyes widened when she saw Ashley’s face.
She had always known Ashley was beautiful, even more so before she used to complain about Ashley not dressing up, saying it was a waste of her looks.
Then after graduation, she got a vision correction surgery which revealed her beautiful eyes once she ditched the outdated, beauty-obscuring glasses.
But Ashley still rarely dressed up, spending thirty-one days a month with a bare face.
Yet today, she applied foundation, lip gloss, and even a swipe of mascara.
Even a light makeup was enough to make the surrounding world shine.
"Ashley, you’re really beautiful! Right now, you look like you just stepped out of a manga. If I were a man, I’d definitely marry you!"
Ashley felt a bit shy but playfully retorted, "If you were a man, I’m not sure I’d marry you. Someone who can turn a simple tomato and egg stir-fry into charcoal isn’t fit to be my husband, haha!"
"A man should work outside, it’s fine if I can make money, you can just relax at home as a housewife."
Ashley’s heart felt a subtle pang, and she said seriously, "I don’t want to be a housewife. Really, what were you doing? Just spacing out for no reason?"
With that, Ariana’s expression instantly darkened again.