Who said it was easy to tell that story?

She scoffed as she felt like everything was a joke. The whole world was a mess, there will always be people who plot against others. While there are people who could only suck up to it.

One knee was bend and her arm was resting on it. She looks relaxed on her position but Ashton could see her clenched hands turning white from pressure.

After calming down, Jacqueline looked up.

"Are you okay? What are your plans now?"

They all looked at her, of course the others knew she wants revenge. They also knew she was planning to start up her own company. But they have no idea what was her plan as a whole.

But she remained silent with her closed eyes. They even thought she had fallen asleep.

""

Hayley who was about to call for her attention was stopped by Ashton as he shook his head.

Seeing this everyone silently waited for her. It seems that the calm look she had shown a while ago was her trying her best not to cry.

And right now, she was calming herself in order not to errupt in anger.

Yet minutes have pa.s.sed and she still didn"t move. This time Ashton asked everyone to leave them through his eyes.

After hearing the story, they knew that she must be in so much turmoil right now. They could only follow him and went out to have something to eat. Allowing Jacqueline to further calm his emotions as well.

He sat beside her on the floor.

"Was that young girl you?"

"Hmmm."

"Are they aware of everything? Your brothers?"

She answered by shaking her head.

"I see."

He didn"t ask anymore and just accompanied her in silence.

She slowly leaned her head on his shoulder.

"Just for a bit."

He didn"t speak but he can feel his shoulder becoming damp. He didn"t speak nor reach out to comfort her. He knew she didn"t need that, she just need to bring it out.

*****

"Maybe we could return now?" Blake asked after two hours as he stood up.

They have finished eating an hour ago but decided to wait longer.

"Blake, look at me," Jacqueline said as he stop him from standing.

Blake looked at him with a confused look.

"Do I look okay? My face?"

"Uhmmm well you still look beautiful and I think no one would really judge you though. You were using your sungla.s.ses after all."

"That"s not what I"m asking, what I mean is, do you think I am fine? After everything I"ve heard about my precious G.o.ddaughter?"

Even the other three started looking confusedly at him. They don"t understand where his going with this conversation.

"No, you don"t look fine."

"How about you Hayley, after all these years? How do you feel about your father?" he then looked at Hayley and asked her.

As they sat together, obviously all of them have talked about each other already.

"I"m still completely mad at him."

"This may sound insensitive but how about you Alissa? About your parents?"

"I"m still sad even though it has been years."

"You see now Blake? I am already in my 50"s but I looked like a mess after hearing what had happened to Sarah. Do you think Amber is a robot? A doll?"

Realization hit them, they finally got what Jacqueline was talking about.

"It was only two months. And she was even there to witness it. It was stupid of me a while ago to ask her if she was fine, obviously she"s not. And I pressume that Ashton understood that very well."

They fell silent. It has been two months, just a short two months but, other than today, have they seen her cry?

Alissa and Hayley saw her distressed look at her first week but they still haven"t seen her truly cry.

Devon and Blake have only seen her being goofy or being mad.

"It may be a forced engagement but I guess it is not bad to leave her in Ashton. They may be able to heal each other," Jacqueline commented as he stir his drink.

He then looked at Hayley and Alissa, "Are you serious about helping her? Are you ready to make sacrifices?"

Alissa and Hayley looked at each other before Alissa replied, "We have told her already. If it wasn"t for her we would have been dead already. We owe her our lives and we will do everything to be of help to her."

"Very well, Hayley I have seen your designs. My asessment to your designs a while ago was true. It has its own unique aura but it is still rough on the edges. I can take you as my student but you have to know I am a very strict person."

"I will give everything I"ve got. It was my dream but if this could help Amber greatly then I am more than willing to give everything I"ve got."

Jacqueline nodded in her response, he then looked at Alissa, "I can help you out in your training as a model. But we have to listen first to what she needs before I offer anything. Are you okay with that?"

"For Amber and for myself, I will always be ready for such," Alissa replied in the same determined voice as Hayley.

"Ashton texted me, he said he would be bringing Amber back first. If possible we might resume the talking tonight," Devon who had been silent spoke up.

"We shall do as he said, she needs her time to calm down. But for you two, despite knowing you longer, I will never forgive you if something happened to Amber while she was still Amber Wood."

His words were simple but his meaning was clear. Sarah was his G.o.ddaughter making Amber her grand G.o.ddaughter. So no matter how close he is to Blake"s parents, he will overlook that if ever they betray her.

"She is also under the protection of Wright empire, I will never dare," Devon replied seriously.

Blake nodded in agreement.

"Good, now you go ahead. I will return to my shop first. Let"s meet tonight if they called."

*****

Feeling that her head had become heavy, Ashton knew that she had fallen asleep. So carefully he carried her and allowed her to lie comfortably on the sofa.

He sat down on another and made a call.

"Grandfather."

"Oh, this is new. You actually called me?"

"Nathalie Price, who is she to you?"

This is the only question left that he couldn"t get a grasp of. Wright and Price barely talked with each other, other than the parties and businesses. There"s still a silent rivalry to every royals after all.

"..."

"..."

"You looked into her?"

"No, she told us her story. It seems that Jake France was her mother"s G.o.dmother."

It was silent on the other side but Ashton waited patiently.

"Nathan was someone I respect on the younger generation. He has the capability to gain something once he placed his mind unto it. He was also a good friend of your father. If I remember correctly, you once met Amber."

Ashton looked at Amber, who was still sleeping, with furrowed brows.

"Though that was way back when you were still young so you may no longer remember it."

"Why? You can just give her protection, why did you still agree to her demands?"

"Are you mad about being in a forced marriage?"

"No, I am only asking, this is not how you used to decide."

"I want to see, the little hope that Nathan left. If she could really change the royals that have been forever scheming to each other from the dark for a very very long time."

They no longer said anything after that and Ashton ended the call. He looked back at Amber while in deep thought, no one could say what he was thinking.

Later on, he sent the message to Devon and carried Amber, people of course looked at his side after coming out. Gossips were obviously there, but since he always kept a low profile and his "family" in here was not that prominent. It didn"t cause that much of a ruckus.

Carl was obviously shock to see them but he just opened the door to allow them to enter before starting the car.

Amber must have been tired emotionally that she didn"t realize everything that had happened. She was still fast asleep until they reached University A where Ashton allowed her to once again sleep on his bed.

He returned to his desk and messaged Blake and Devon to meet him there. He also gave Aldger a video call. And once everyone have gathered, "We will make our company bigger and the most prominent one."

"Maybe you could change it just as grandfather have thought. Then I shall make it possible for you to have another support on this battle."

He too had his own issues he wants to finish and Amber"s revenge actually coincide with his. So he shall support her and allow her to get what she wants.