A Love Trap

"Okay. I'll wait here for half an hour. If you both still can't reach an agreement, then I'm going to leave.

"Okay. Thank you," replied Ron.

Ron pulled Ashley aside, released her hand, and gently asked, "Now, can you tell me why you don't want to go back to the Mu family's house?"

Ashley quickly withdrew her hand once Ron let go of her. She kneaded her wrist, lowered her head to avoid looking at Ron, and spoke up, her voice indifferent. "I don't want to go back there because they don't like me. And I really don't want to invite any trouble for myself."

Ron knew that Ashley hadn't gotten along with other members of the Mu family for a long time.

But he had never seen her act like this before.

Ron rubbed Ashley's head and said softly, "Don't worry. They won't dare treat you badly now that I'm back. Are you worried that I can't protect you?"

'I won't allow anyone to bully you anymore; nor will I allow anyone to be condescending towards you. You are my beloved. I must protect you well from now on, ' thought Ron.

Ashley had severed her relationship with the Mu family. She knew that she would lose her temper and do something bad to them if she fixated on the trouble that Lena and Peggy had caused her. Ashley took a deep breath and turned to Ron to explain. "No. I know that you will protect me. But the key problem is—"

"As long as you believe in me, everything will be fine," Ron said earnestly, cutting off whatever she was about to say.

Ashley turned around and fixed her gaze on the leaves that swayed with the breeze. She said slowly and carefully, "I've severed all ties with the Mu family. So I won't go back with you."

At this, Ron looked worriedly over at her and asked, "What happened? Did they do anything bad to you? Or did they force you to do anything that you didn't want to do?"

Ron knew Peggy and Lena well. They didn't dare treat Ashley badly when he was at home because of the protection he extended. But they began making trouble for Ashley the moment he left home.

Ron suspected that they had done something to Ashley but didn't even think that Ashley could have done to Lena and Peggy.

looked at Ron in amazement. She hadn't expected Ron to ask her

why I cut off ties with the Mu

like some irrational guy who stands by his family even if they have done something wrong?' Ron thought, a little put

know you well. You wouldn't have severed your relationship with them if they hadn't done anything bad to you. You are always tolerant and never treat others heartlessly unless they

the truth is not what you think? What if it's completely different

smiled but didn't

also knew Ron well enough. If he didn't get an answer from her, he would

each other, both

tell Ron how and why she had severed her relationship with the Mu family. And she didn't tell him about the troubles

things were in the past and she didn't want to talk

about what

her silently and once she had finished, worry laced his voice as he said, "You must have lived an unhappy life in the

head. "No,"

Ellie. She had gone back only if and when she was asked to deal with something, and she'd leave as

her opinion and didn't go back to the Mu villa with Ron. Instead, she saw him off at the gates and

in the car, Ashley cupped her face with her hands and looked outside, taking in the scenery that

thought,

to the door of the Mu family's

two reasons why he hadn't told his family about his coming back. One was to surprise them, and the other was for reasons that were too personal to

to open the door. Everything was what it had been before. There

living room when

Raymond wouldn't contact Ashley once she got

voice trembled with anger.