Chapter 415: Chapter 415: Father and Daughter Talk
Owen Sinclair, as expected, didn’t notice anything, and simply asked, "What do you want for dinner?"
"I’m good with anything, today’s on me, you can choose whatever you’d like."
"How about we go to Veridia?"
Veridia is the mall where she previously bought Chanel.
Ashley Shaw knew why Owen suggested Veridia—because it was close to the hotel she was staying at.
Thinking that Owen was indeed a thoughtful person, she deliberately showed a bit of dislike for Veridia, saying, "Let’s not go there? I’ve been there the past two days and I’m kind of tired of it. Why not pick a restaurant nearby?"
"Sure, I know a good private kitchen around here."
"Shall we go there then?"
"Alright."
Once they settled on a location, Owen personally drove over, and just as Ashley was about to open the car door, Owen jogged over and opened the passenger door for her.
This scene was captured by Rosalind Lynch, who showed a cold smile.
If Owen was going to humiliate her like this, he couldn’t blame her for dragging him down as well.
For such a renowned actor like Owen to be exposed having close ties with a "socialite", who knew how many days they’d be trending for?
However, she needed to return to the Lynch Family first to get these things done.
Rosalind wasted no time and immediately booked a flight back to Westcroft.
Meanwhile, Ashley Shaw and Owen Sinclair had already arrived at the restaurant.
Even though they had reserved a private room, on their way through the lobby, Owen was still recognized by many people, even drawing in a few aunts who were his hardcore fans.
The aunts, typical E-type people, were eager to take photos with Owen, holding up their phones.
Owen found it hard to refuse and asked Ashley to go into the private room first.
After about half an hour, Owen finally came in.
"Ashley, sorry to keep you waiting," he apologized.
"It’s fine, I used the time to look over the menu. I’ve ordered a few dishes. Uncle Owen, see if there’s anything else you’d like to add?"
She was unsure of Owen’s tastes, so she had just ordered five or six dishes based on the restaurant’s recommendations.
Owen took the menu and added a few sweet-flavored dishes.
Ashley, being a typical southerner born in Riverton, loved sweet foods, so her taste tended toward the sweet side.
She hadn’t noticed those few dishes earlier, but seeing Owen order them, she couldn’t help but show a happy expression.
"Uncle Owen, I didn’t expect our tastes to be so similar. I thought you didn’t like sweet things."
Owen, a native of Aethelgard, loved hotpot, roast duck, and other traditional Aethelgard flavors, and due to work, often needed to cut down on sugar, so he wasn’t fond of sweet and sour flavors.
But this time, he just nodded, "Yes, maybe because I’ve been in Westcroft for a couple of years, I’ve gotten used to the southern cuisine, and now I want a bit of sweetness in everything I eat."
Owen’s acting was so good that Ashley didn’t notice anything amiss and believed what Owen said.
Soon, the dishes arrived, and given Owen’s sociable nature, there was no awkwardness dining alone with him.
They even enjoyed a great conversation.
During the meal, Owen subtly mentioned his "ex".
Of course, this "ex" wasn’t his ex-wife, but his true first love.
"I’m very sure I only love her, but unfortunately, we weren’t meant to be..." Owen sighed, his eyes full of regret as he subtly watched Ashley’s reaction.
All Ashley said was, "Uncle Owen, don’t blame yourself, none of this was your fault."
Owen’s heart skipped a beat, and he instinctively blurted out, "You’re not mad at me?"
Realizing his slip, he quickly added, "I mean, if you were her, would you be mad at me?"
Ashley didn’t dwell on it, assuming Owen simply misspoke.
She didn’t answer immediately but considered for a moment and said, "If I were her, I think I would blame you."
Owen’s breath caught, as if some invisible hand was squeezing his throat.
He bowed his head in shame, "Right? Anyone would find it hard to forgive me. I was too cowardly. If I’d been braver, insisted a bit more, maybe things might have..."
"No, Uncle Owen." Ashley looked seriously at Owen and said, "If it were me, I would blame you, but not for the decision you made. Your leaving was for my safety too."
Owen looked up in surprise.
"So what do you mean by that...?"
"I mean, I would blame you for making a decision on your own, for letting go first. If I were her, once you’d explained the stakes, I definitely would’ve stood by you."
After a pause, Ashley added, "Of course, that’s my point of view. I don’t know her character, so I can’t judge too much."
Owen’s throat tightened, and he asked her, "Then if it were you, what would you do?"
He expected Ashley to say she would explain things to the girl and endure together, but she only gave a helpless smile, "If I were you, I’d probably make the same choice you did."
Telling nothing to the other person, taking it all on yourself, allowing the one you love to find their own happiness, even if they think you’re a "jerk".
Preferring your loved one to think badly of you, rather than letting them get embroiled in danger.
Because, as Owen said, the Sinclair Family parents were indeed people who meant what they said.
Owen was filled with surprise.
"I thought..."
"Earlier, I spoke from the perspective of the girl at that time, but now I’m answering from your perspective of that time," Ashley clarified.
Owen pondered and said, "I don’t need you to talk about this from either of our perspectives. Let me ask this: hypothetically, if she was already pregnant, and you were my daughter. After knowing our story, would you forgive me?"
After speaking, he realized he was being a little too eager; such a question could easily arouse Ashley’s suspicions.
But he really couldn’t help himself.
Having lost that person, he didn’t want to lose their child too.
Ashley found Owen’s hypothetical a bit far-fetched.
Nonetheless, she really didn’t think too much about it.
Her mom told her her father had died long ago, and knowing Owen was such a coincidence, she never once thought she could possibly be his daughter.
She just figured Owen was in a bad mood today, recalling old stories, and desperately wanted some psychological balance.
She said, "Before I answer this, I have to make two assumptions."
Owen suddenly felt nervous, his palms breaking into a slight sweat.
However, his expression remained calm, and he said, "Go ahead."
Ashley seriously said—
"The first assumption is that you knew of this ’daughter’s existence and of my mom’s struggles, but never came to find me. In this case, I definitely wouldn’t forgive you."
"The second assumption is that you didn’t know anything, you didn’t even know I existed. If that’s the case, I would forgive you."
"Because, in the second scenario, you didn’t do anything wrong. The blame lies with the previous generation. Even if I don’t forgive, it’s the previous generation I can’t forgive."