Save Myself from Desperation

On the way to the auction house, Joseph sat in the driver’s seat. He glanced at Ashley in the passenger seat and asked, “Ashley, did you learn. the skills of appraising and restoring artifacts from your grandfather?”

Ashley leaned on the car window with her elbow and replied, “Yes.” As they stopped at a red light, Joseph asked, “I asked Valentin before. Is your grandfather's last name Sawyer?”

Mentioning her grandfather, Ashley inevitably reminisced about the days. she lived with her grandparents before nodding sentimentally.

Joseph sighed with longing, “I’ve got to admit, I’m a bit jealous of how close your grandparents were.” Upon hearing that Ashley's grandfather was Caleb Sawyer, Joseph was shocked.

Caleb was far from ordinary. He was a master at playing the harp and creating landscape oil paintings and was renowned for his expertise in artifact restoration. Additionally, he shared an excellent relationship with Ashley’s grandmother, Myrna.

Myrna loved dancing and was a famous dancer both domestically and internationally. In order to maintain her physique, she chose not to have children. Caleb wholeheartedly supported his wife’s decision, and they lived their entire lives without having children.

After Myrna passed away, Caleb, overwhelmed with grief, followed shortly after. The love story of supporting each other and walking through life ha hand sounded genuinely admirable. Joseph let out a few sighs, and then something struck him. “Ashley, wh didn’t you adopt your grandparents’ last name?”

Ashley adjusted her seatbelt and said, “I was adopted from an orphanage Since my early days, I've worn an emerald necklace engraved with my birthdate and the name ‘Ramos. | assumed my last name was Ramos. because of that.”Published by Nôv'elD/rama.Org.

“| see,” Joseph said as the traffic light turned green, restarting the car. He thought, ‘So, Ashley does share the last name with the Ramos family, 115

08:59

but she has already cut ties with them. Even though they share the same surname, she has no intention of maintaining any connection with them in the future..

Arecent auction had just concluded at the StarGavel Auctions. Charlie and Cara sat in the audience, showing little interest in the items. Neither of them had made any bids.

Cara raised her hand to touch the swollen corner of her mouth, wincing in pain. Seeing the bruises on her arm, a coldness flickered across her

eyes.

Glancing at Charlie beside her, she resumed her usual gentleness. “Mr. Ramos, do you still want that painting Territory by Aurora?”

Charlie nodded stubbornly. “Yes.” “Well, Ashley is Aurora. It seems, Mr. Ramos, you really like her painting,” Cara remarked.

Ahint of admiration appeared in Charlie’s eyes. “I don’t know why, but seeing that painting reminds me of the late senior Caleb Sawyer. | greatly admire him.”

“Caleb Sawyer?” Cara was surprised. Caleb was very talented. He was a master of landscape oil painting and a top-notch artifact restorer.

It was usual for someone like Charlie, a restorer himself, to admire Caleb. “Unfortunately, Ashley painted it and doesn’t want to sell it to you.”

Cara smiled, but this grin tugged at the wounds around her mouth. causing her to wince in pain. After briefly pausing to recover, she continued, “Ashley is too impulsive. Even if she doesn’t like the Ramos family, she shouldn’t have involved you.”

Charlie sighed, filled with regret.

In terms of selling Territory, Ashley was indeed unreasonable.

Even if she painted it, but he really liked it, couldn’t she loosen her stance and sell it to him?

And he still couldn’t meet Rita despite his repeated attempts. Thinking about it, Charlie became even more gloomy. 2/5

08:50

Chapter 266 ******

Ashley and Joseph arrived at the StarGavel Auctions. After walking a few steps inside the corridor, they encountered Charlie and Cara.

Seeing the swollen corner of Cara’s mouth and the bruises on her arm, Joseph couldn’t help but chuckle. He sneered, “Oh, isn’t this the gentle and kind Cara? | haven’t seen you for a few days. How did you end up with a black eye circle and a swollen face?”

In his mind, he thought, ‘If you try to harm Ashley and end up facing consequences, that’s just getting what you deserve. It’s called karma!”

Hearing Joseph's sneer, Cara had yet to speak when Charlie stepped in to defend her, his brows furrowed. “Ashley, the incident with the recording a few days ago must be a misunderstanding. Cara wouldn’t go behind your back to harm you.”

Ashley gave him a cold, disdainful glance. “Are we really that close?” With him calling her name made her feel nauseous.

Charlie’s brows furrowed even tighter, thinking, “Why does Ashley appear so prickly now? Can't she just be as obedient as she used to be?’

Cara raised her hand to cover the swollen corner of her mouth and turned to Charlie, speaking with a gentle tone. “Mr. Ramos, I'd like to explain to Ashley alone. Could you please step aside for a moment?”

Charlie looked worried. Given Ashley’s current prickly demeanor and Cara’s gentle tone, it seemed too easy for Ashley to take advantage.

Charlie cautioned Ashley with concern. “Ashley, | hope you can talk calmly with Cara and not bully her again.” Ashley’s gaze suddenly turned cold.

Unable to hold back any longer, Joseph exclaimed, “Charlie, what the he are you talking about? It’s quite rare. Even dogs these days have learned

to talk!” Charlie looked utterly perplexed that Joseph had unexpectedly called him a dog!

“Mr. Ramos.” At this point, Cara spoke, her voice soft. “Thank you for standing up for me. However, don’t worry. I'll have a good talk with Ashley.”

Charlie glanced at Cara and then at Ashley. He temporarily avoided the situation.

Cara turned her gaze towards Joseph, raised her hand to adjust her hair, and spoke with a tone so gentle it almost felt cloying. “Mr. Fox, could you please also step aside?”

Joseph was so disgusted that he almost vomited. He sneered, expressing contempt and disdain vividly, “Cara, what right do you have to ask me to step aside?”

He wasn’t going anywhere. Of course, he had to stay here to protect Ashley.

Ashley understood at a glance what Joseph was thinking. She couldn’t. help but smile and whisper a few words to him. Joseph's eyes lit up suddenly, and he became excited. “Alright, | got it!”

After saying that, he gave Cara a fierce glare before turning and leaving.

In the corridor, only Ashley and Cara remained..

“Ashley, the recording thing is really a misunderstanding. |...”

Ashley coldly interrupted, “We are alone here. You don’t need to pretend.”

“No need to pretend...” Cara repeated these four words softly, suddenly smiling strangely.

Cara raised her arm, revealing the bruises on her skin. She looked at Ashley with continued tenderness but with a hint of coldness in her tone. “Did you instruct Lester to cause trouble for me?”

Ashley was stunned, thinking, ‘Lester? Did Lester do this to Cara?’

After the recording of Cara was exposed online a few days ago, Lester and George sent her messages expressing concern. Unexpectedly, they also sought justice from Cara on her behalf.

Asurge of indescribable emotion rushed into Ashley’s heart.

She, Lester, and George didn’t have a deep and longstanding friendship, nor were they family after DNA testing. Yet, these two people silently stood by her, defending her.

Cara took a step forward, her eyes revealing an undisguised distortion.

Her voice became lower and only audible to them. “Apart from Lester and George, you also had Valentin school me, right?” Ashley was at a loss for words.

She thought, ‘So, Cara is schooled twice.’

“All these guys really spoil you. It's quite something,” Cara said, wearing a strangely unsettling smile.

“Unfortunately...” Cara’s tone suddenly changed, and she seemed to want to stab into Ashley's heart like a knife. The person you care most about in the Ramos family, Charlie, doesn’t trust you. He believes me.”

Ashley looked at her impassively. After Cara finished speaking, Ashley smiled faintly, “Aren’t you afraid I'll record your words?”