Chapter 492: Know What To Do With The Bomb
Ring... ring...
Ashley pressed the phone to her ear, leaning against the sink as she waited for the call to connect. After three rings, Liza finally answered.
"Ashley, dear?" Liza’s gentle voice came through the line. "Is everything okay?"
Ashley pursed her lips and nodded, even though Liza couldn’t see her. "Yes, Auntie. I’m okay. I just wanted to check on you."
Liza chuckled lightly. "Well, I just buried an empty casket, and now Julio and I are flying back to your Uncle Tom. We should be there later tonight."
A brief silence followed before she added, "Ashley, I haven’t seen you since the night of the funeral service. Are you sure everything is okay?"
Ashley lowered her head. "Yeah," she whispered. "Some things came up, and I couldn’t put them off any longer. I’m sorry."
"Dear, why are you apologizing?" Liza sighed. "You and Lucian have already been such a big help. Without the two of you, I don’t think I could’ve done any of this alone."
Her voice softened as she recalled everything Ashley had done for them.
"It isn’t your fault," she continued. "And it isn’t Lucian’s. If there’s anyone to blame, it’s the person who did this to your uncle."
Once again, silence filled the line.
"That’s not what I’m apologizing for, Auntie," Ashley whispered.
Liza fell quiet.
"What I’m sorry for is... what my father did to you and Uncle Tom."
Liza’s breath hitched. "Ashley."
"You didn’t deserve any of it, and I’m sorry I never knew," she continued. "I should’ve known. I should’ve been able to tell you that my father was the same man who... put both of you through so much pain."
Ashley bit her trembling lip, holding back the other apology threatening to spill from her mouth.
She was sorry for shamelessly wishing that she had been born as Liza and Tommy’s daughter.
But Lucian hadn’t received the results yet. Until then, she couldn’t allow herself to believe it fully. She could only hope.
"Ashley, that isn’t yours to apologize for," Liza said firmly. "None of it is your fault. Whatever problems your father had with us were between the adults. They had nothing to do with you."
"Dear, listen to me, okay?" she continued, stressing every word. "I know your Uncle Tom doesn’t blame you. Everything we shared with you, we shared because we wanted to. It wouldn’t matter if you were a Di Carpio or even Satan’s daughter."
"You are you, dear," Liza said, her voice softening once more. "Being a Di Carpio doesn’t change that."
Ashley’s eyes softened as her grip on the phone trembled.
How nice, she thought.
How nice would it have been if Liza truly were her mother—if Liza and Tommy were truly the people she could call her parents?
"So, don’t apologize for that, hmm?" Liza urged. "Say it. Tell me you won’t apologize for something that isn’t your fault."
Ashley exhaled and smiled. "Okay."
"Good." Liza released a relieved breath. "Thank you."
"No, thank you," Ashley whispered. "I don’t think I’ve ever told you this, but... tagging along with Lucian that day and meeting you was probably the best decision I’ve ever made."
"Oh, dear."
When Ashley first woke up in her second life, she hadn’t had a solid plan. All she knew was that she had to stop running because there was no point in it. She would never succeed—would never improve her chances of survival—unless she chose blood.
Back then, she had only wanted to prevent the ambush that would injure Lucian, kill Red, and leave several other Dominion members wounded.
Her entire plan had been to get Lucian away from the hotel where the ambush would take place, even if she had to throw a massive tantrum and earn another wave of hatred from everyone.
After all, Lucian only listened to her when she threw a tantrum.
Who would’ve thought that tagging along and bringing Lucian to a safe place she remembered from her previous life would open the door to Tommy and Liza?
And then Liza had opened another door for Ashley—a path toward a business she could finally call her own.
Looking back, that one decision had led her from one door to another.
It hadn’t made her perfect, but behind every door was either a lesson she could learn or an opportunity to become better than she had been the day before.
She was still living in Dominion.
She was still Marshal’s daughter.
Her past still followed her wherever she went.
And she was still far from perfect.
But her life was more bearable than it had ever been before.
A small but genuine smile curved her lips.
"So, thank you," she repeated sincerely. "For everything, Auntie."
Liza’s voice softened, but only for a moment. "Ashley, why are you suddenly thanking me like this? Where are you?"
"I’m only saying the things I should’ve said a long time ago." Ashley let out a light chuckle. "I’m fine, Auntie. I just... thought you deserved to hear them."
She cleared her throat before the lump in it could rise again.
"Anyway, I’m going to rest," she said. "Nolan and Primo are still at the hospital. They’ll let me know once you arrive."
"Ashley."
"Bye, Auntie—"
"Ashley," Liza called again, more firmly this time. "Tell me you’re all right before you hang up. And promise me you’re not about to do anything stupid."
Ashley drew a deep breath and smiled. "I’m... relieved," she answered honestly. "And I think I’m currently at the smartest stage of my life."
A soft chuckle escaped her.
"Don’t worry about me, Auntie. As I said, I only wanted to tell you these things because I might regret it if I didn’t."
Liza hesitated. "Are you sure?"
"Yes," Ashley nodded. "I’m sure."
"You swear?"
"Yes," Ashley answered without hesitation. "I swear."
Liza remained silent for a moment before finally letting the matter go.
"Okay, then. I’ll talk to you soon?"
"Mhm."
With that, Ashley ended the call.
She placed her phone on the sink counter and released a heavy breath, tilting her head back. She remained like that for a moment, thinking, until a small smile crept across her face.
After taking one more deep breath, she pushed herself away from the sink and walked toward the door.
The moment she stepped out, she spotted Lucian standing near the balcony doors.
His brows furrowed as he watched her approach.
Without saying a word, Ashley wrapped her arms around his neck, rose onto her toes, and captured his lips in a deep, passionate kiss.
Lucian froze in surprise. His hands instinctively settled on her hips before he reluctantly pulled away.
The first word that left his lips was a breathless, "What happened?"
Ashley smiled as she gazed into his eyes.
"I think I know what to do with the bomb."