Chapter 2
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“Huh? What?” Sam looked up at her briefly, then immediately went back to his beads, grumbling,“mom, don’t talk to me now, I need to finish the gift.”
Ashley let go and stood silently. For a long while, her son didn’t look up again. With a tight–lipped expression, she turned and left the room. Maria saw her and said, “Mrs. Sterling, I called Mr. Sterling earlier. He said he had a business engagement tonight and told you to go to rest first.”
“I see.”
Ashley nodded, then thought about her son’s words. She paused for a moment before calling Chase Sterling. After a long wait, Chase finally answered, his voice icy, “I am busy, we’ll talk tomorrow.”
“Chas, who’s that at this time?”
It was Tanya Wond. Ashley gripped her phone tightly. Chase hung up the phone before she could say anything. It has been months since they last saw each other, and here she was, making effort to come to LA, yet he couldn’t even find time to finish a simple call. She had gotten used to it over the years. Cold, distant, impatient. That’s how he’s always been since marriage. In the past, she would have called again, gently asking if he could come home for a bit. But today, perhaps because she was too tired, she just didn’t have the energy to do that.
The next morning, after waking up, she thought for a while and decided to call Chase.
With the time lag of nearly 20 hours between LA and her home, today in LA was still her birthday. She came here not only to see her son and
What’s wrong? husband, but also oping that the three of them could spend this special day together to have a meal. That was her birthday wish this year.
However, Ashley: Do you have time for lunch? Let’s eat together with Sam?
Chase didn’t answer
her call. After a
long while,
he
sent
a
brief
message:
Chase: OK, send me address.
Ashley: Alright.
Then, Chase Sterling stopped responding. He seemed forget it was her birthday today. Ashley had prepared herself for this, still, she felt disappointed deep inside.
and preparing
to
walk downstairs, Dressing up “Is Sam not happy that Mrs. Sterling is coming over?”
she
heard the conversation
of her son
and Maria.
“Daddy and I have promised to go to amusement park tomorrow with Aunt Tanya. Mommy suddenly comes here. It’ll be awkward with mommy.”
“And mom is mean, she always says bad words to Aunt Tanya.”
Sterling
mom.
You can’t say
things
like that, it may
is your “Sam,
Mrs. “I know. But daddy and I like Aunt Tanya more. Why can’t Aunt Tanya be my mom?”
hurt her feelings.”
”
Ashley couldn’t make out the rest. She had raised her son alone. But he had become more attached to Chase in recent years with Chase’s Last when Chase went to LA for work, Sam insisted on going with him. She didn’t want him to leave, but she also didn’t
year, want to see him unhappy, so she gave in.
accompany.
But now…
Ashley’s face went pale, and she felt a chill all over. She stood there, frozen. She had given up all her work and flown to LA just to spend more time with her son. Now it seemed like there was no need for it. Quietly, she returned her room, and began putting the gifts she had carefully selected back into her luggage. Later, Maria called, saying she had taken Sam out to play and that Ashley could reach her if needed. She felt lost and empty. She had come all this way, but no one really needed for her. Her arrival seemed pointless. A joke. After a long while, she left the house. In this city, bot strange and familiar, she wandered aimlessly. By noon, she suddenly remembered her lunch plans with Chase.
Remembering what she’d overheard earlier, she hesitated whether to go back to pick up her son. At the same time, she received a message from
Chase.
“Lunch was canceled due to an emergency.”
