Chapter 407: Chapter 407: Date
Ashley Shaw knew it was the "enthusiastic rookie cop" as soon as she saw the incoming call.
It was only then that she remembered Jensen Hayes had arranged a meal with her a couple of days ago, and he’d sent a message earlier in the afternoon to confirm the time.
But she’d been preoccupied with being Elder Prescott’s "playmate" to keep him entertained and prevent him from wanting to leave.
So she’d completely forgotten about it.
She felt awkward inside but her expression remained calm.
"I remember, I have a note."
With just one sentence, she managed to defuse the embarrassment of "forgetting" without technically lying.
Jensen Hayes had no idea she might forget about the dinner, so he didn’t give it much thought.
He said, "Shall we head over now? I have a car, we can drive there."
"Sure..."
Jensen Hayes had booked a table at the Black Pearl Restaurant, right across from the Aethelgard Temple.
Ashley Shaw quickly agreed and then called to Ariana Grant.
Ariana Grant looked distressed.
She’d climbed the Great Wall today until her feet got blisters; she genuinely didn’t want to move another step.
Forget the Black Pearl Restaurant, even if dining meant receiving a black pearl, she wouldn’t step more than a meter away from her bed.
Ashley Shaw noticed her friend’s reluctance and told Jensen Hayes, "My friend says she has some things to take care of and can’t make it, so it’ll just be me today..."
"Does your friend need any help with anything?"
"No, no, it’s just a small matter."
"That’s good then. Should I wait for you in the lobby?"
Since Jensen showed no signs of canceling the dinner because Ariana wasn’t coming, Ashley Shaw had no choice but to say, "Alright, I’ll be down in five minutes."
She was actually quite tired too, but she had no choice, as she’d already agreed. It’s one thing for one person to back out, but it’s not good for both.
Quickly changing into something suitable for a restaurant, Ashley put on the Chanel jacket that Ariana bought for her.
Seeing that jacket reminded her of some unhappy memories, but, after all, what did the clothes do wrong?
It was people who were at fault.
Ariana Grant apologetically said, "Sorry, Ashley, I really want to go with you, but my legs just can’t move an inch!"
It’s hard to believe, but after playing with Elder Prescott in Aethelgard for two days, indulging in food and fun, she came back four pounds lighter!
She’s now down to 140 pounds!
Eight pounds lighter than when she started losing weight!
Although it’s a major achievement, she’s truly exhausted and feels utterly drained.
"Alright, just stay and relax, I’ll have dinner with them and come back."
"OK, OK! I promise to have the bathtub ready with hot water when you return."
"Remember what you said."
Ashley Shaw didn’t delay, exchanged a few light remarks, and quickly headed out.
When she got to the lobby downstairs, she saw Jensen Hayes all suited up.
Jensen was tall with broad shoulders, perfectly suited for formal wear. The black suit made his already tall and lean figure appear even more striking.
Ashley Shaw secretly felt relieved that she’d changed clothes before coming down. Otherwise, with Jensen in formal wear and her in hiking gear with knee braces...
Standing together would have looked quite odd.
While Ashley was appraising Jensen Hayes, he was also looking at her.
She had a pair of very beautiful grape-like eyes, with thick and curling lashes. Her black pupils were like black gems, sparkling under the light, causing his heart to skip a beat.
But in just a moment, he hid all emotions, stepping forward to greet her.
"Ashley."
Ashley Shaw nodded lightly, glanced around, and not seeing Jocelyn Hayes, asked, "Where’s your sister?"
"She’s playing over by the Aethelgard Temple today, and said she’d meet us directly at the restaurant."
"Alright, shall we head out then?"
"Yes."
Jensen Hayes walked ahead, with Ashley Shaw following closely behind.
Just then, Rosalind Lynch emerged from the elevator and happened to witness the scene.
She squinted slightly, more convinced now that the two were living together.
Her hands moved faster than her brain, pulling out her phone to surreptitiously take a video.
This time she recorded a video.
The man said something, and Ashley Shaw covered her mouth, laughing lightly like a girl in love.
But in fact, Jensen Hayes was recounting one of Jocelyn Hayes’s embarrassing stories, which amused Ashley.
"So, you don’t need to be too restrained around her; she doesn’t sweat the small stuff," Jensen Hayes said.
Ashley Shaw nodded, smiling. "She seems a lot like my friend, carefree and straightforward."
"Yes. When we were young, my grandfather raised her like a boy, just like me. But as she grew up and went to high school, she’s not much of a tomboy anymore."
Ashley Shaw couldn’t help but be curious.
"With a personality like hers, how did she end up studying medicine? From what you’ve said, it seems she should have become a cop like you."
Jensen Hayes replied helplessly, "Because she heard that you have to cut your hair to join the police academy, and she refused to apply. Additionally, she thought being an ’angel in white’ would be more glamorous, so she chose that path."
Ashley Shaw was left puzzled.
Based on Jensen Hayes’s descriptions, Jocelyn Hayes shouldn’t be someone who cares about appearances, so why was she concerned about the length of her hair?
She couldn’t help but grow curious about Jocelyn Hayes.
Neither of them noticed someone secretly recording them as they chatted and laughed their way out of the hotel’s revolving door.
The car was parked in the hotel’s parking space at the entrance.
It was a very understated Toyota.
However, Ashley Shaw remembered the Prescott Family had a similar car, valued at nearly nine hundred thousand.
In fact, the price was secondary; it was the license plate that truly symbolized status.
Aethelgard’s A, along with four repeated digits. 7777.
Ashley originally thought she got along well with Jensen Hayes, but after seeing the car, she sensed the gap between them, which made her fall into silence.
Joining a wealthy family is no easy feat. Having been reborn, she understood too well that stories of princes and Cinderella only have perfect endings in fairy tales.
So when they reached the car, Ashley instinctively opened the rear door to maintain a distance between them.
But Jensen Hayes stopped her.
"Why don’t you sit in the front? I’m not very familiar with the routes in Aethelgard; you can help me navigate so I don’t get lost again."
The "again" left Ashley Shaw unable to refuse, so she had to head to the front seat and get in.
The car quickly started and merged into traffic as it left the hotel.
"Would you like me to turn on the air conditioning?" Jensen Hayes asked.
"No need, it’s fine like this."
"Alright."
After a brief silence, Jensen Hayes asked, "Are you thirsty? There’s water by the door."
"That’s okay, I’m not thirsty."
"Alright..."
Jensen Hayes responded, but couldn’t help racking his brain for the next topic.
Before leaving, Jocelyn said he was going on a date; he denied it, saying he was just introducing her to friends in the same field.
But at the moment, he was indeed feeling a bit like he was on a date.
He’d never dated anyone before, nor had he been interested, but he’d seen his friends constantly dating girls.
They used to jokingly ask if he’d never even heard a woman’s heartbeat.
Today, he hadn’t heard a woman’s heartbeat either, but he clearly heard his own.