Second Chance: I Can See the Future

Chapter 9

At eight o'clock in the morning, outside the Crestview Tower, a beautiful woman appeared. She was dressed simply and without makeup, yet she drew admiring glances. But the slight bruises on her face made her look pitiful.

Ashley took a deep breath, trying to suppress her nervousness; after all, this wasn't her first time here. Every time she received her salary, this place was a must-visit.

Wearing the high heels she bought for her wedding, Ashley reached the floor of Anderson Finance . The receptionist already recognized Ashley. As a woman, she felt great sympathy for her and harbored disdain for Anthony.

"Hey, Ashley," the receptionist greeted her, bringing Ashley a glass of water. "Did you come because you got paid again?"

"Yeah." Ashley nodded, trying to hide her embarrassment. She prized her dignity.

Despite the hardships she faced, to her, the debts Anthony owed before their divorce were a shared responsibility; she felt duty-bound to repay them, even if her salary barely covered the interest.

"Did you get a raise?" the receptionist asked.

"No, it's the same as before. I saved a bit for living expenses; the 3,000 dollars is for debt repayment." Ashley pulled out an envelope containing cash.

"Ashley, do you really think this is necessary?" the receptionist said bitterly. "He hits you, insults you, and you still help him pay off his debts. The worst part is, there's no hope in sight, and your child is suffering too."

She added, "Your daughter is almost old enough for kindergarten, isn't she? Soon, you might not even be able to afford her tuition. You should find a good man after the divorce, Ashley. With your beauty, you can absolutely find a good one. If you make you move, you can escape this situation anytime."

Ashley shook her head and handed the envelope to the receptionist, unwilling to say more. She had heard variations of this advice a thousand times.

But she wasn't the kind of woman who only cared about money. That was why she chose Anthony back in college instead of those wealthy men.

After everything she had gone through in recent years, especially with Emily now in her life, it was unlikely she would ever look for another man.

"Fine..." The receptionist knew Ashley wouldn't listen, so she sighed and said no more.

As Ashley prepared to leave, the receptionist called out, "Wait, Ashley! Mr. Anderson asked to see you if you came by again."

"Why?" Ashley frowned. In her view, companies like Anderson Finance were not trustworthy. She couldn't find out why they wanted to see her.

"Ashley, I heard Mr. Anderson is also going through a divorce. He's rich, so if you—" the receptionist began.

"Enough!" Before the receptionist could finish, Ashley coldly interrupted, "I'll never cross the line. Whether he's going through a divorce or he was divorced, it has nothing to do with me."

The receptionist flushed, feeling both awkward and a bit angry. She had meant well but ended up being reprimanded. She thought it was a shame that Ashley didn't know how to take advantage of such a good opportunity.

The receptionist called Kevin, and soon he rushed out of the office.

"You're Anthony's wife, Ashley, right?" Kevin smiled at Ashley.

Looking at his eyes, Ashley felt a strong sense of disgust, but since he was her creditor, she couldn't show it. "Hello, Mr. Anderson," Ashley forced a smile.

"No wonder Anthony has been praising your looks in front of me. I didn't believe it at first, but now that I see you, I think he's right!" Kevin continued.

Ashley showed confusion. She had no idea when Anthony became so close to Kevin. Their differences in status couldn't possibly allow for friendship.

Recalling Anthony's behavior, Ashley's expression paled. 'That jerk... Could it be that he sold me out?' Because she wanted a divorce, Anthony was angry. She wondered if he didn't dare show his anger in front of her brother, Eric Carter.

No wonder Anthony had seemed so calm at the time and Kevin was being so polite to her; it turned out he was waiting for her, and everything was just an act!

Ashley's eyes turned bloodshot as she fought back tears, a wave of anger and frustration rising within her. She couldn't believe how low Anthony had stooped; even after their divorce, he still wouldn't leave her alone.

"Mrs. Walker, what's wrong? " Kevin looked at Ashley in confusion. He hadn't said anything to make her cry.

"Don't call me Mrs. Walker; we're divorced, and I'm no longer his wife!" Ashley suddenly exclaimed, "What conspiracy are you two plotting? How much has he borrowed from you this time? Let me tell you, no matter what you're planning, I won't agree to it! This is a society governed by law; no one can force me!"

"It's a misunderstanding!" Kevin said, sweating profusely. If Anthony found out his wife was being bullied here, his dreams of making money would be shattered.

"Ashley, there are too many people here. Come to my office, and we can talk privately. I swear, there's no conspiracy; if anyone tries to deceive you, they will be in trouble!" Kevin explained hurriedly.

This scene surprised the receptionist; she had never seen Kevin so nervous.

"I'm not going!" Ashley shook her head firmly.

Seeing more and more people gathering around, Kevin said, "Please, I'm begging you! I have some standing in the company; I don't want people to think I've done something inappropriate to you!"

Ashley stared at Kevin for a moment and, seeing that he didn't seem to be acting, finally nodded. "Fine, I can go to your office, but you can't close the door."

"Okay, okay, I'll do as you say," Kevin sighed in relief.

Once in the office, Kevin invited Ashley to sit down, and then pulled out the debt note he had prepared earlier.

It was the 820-thousand-dollar debt note from Anthony with his signature and fingerprint.

"What are you trying to do? Are you threatening me with this?" Ashley's face turned cold.

The next moment, Kevin ripped the debt note in half.

"What are you doing?" Ashley was shocked.

"From today onward, the loan relationship between Anderson Finance and Anthony no more exists; Mrs. Walker, you don't need to come here again."

Kevin paused for a moment, then smiled, "I mean, you don't have to come here to repay any money. If you want to come for a chat with me, you're always welcome."

Ashley ignored Kevin's words and stared at the shredded debt note in a daze.