A bad day
"Argh!! why did it suddenly have to rain damn it!!?" Ashley yelled to herself as she was standing Infront of her college gate waiting for her driver to arrive.
She had just attended her psychology class which was cancelled by the professor yesterday, but suddenly the students were told to attend a make-up class for it on short notice.
The day just couldn't get any worse Ashley thought, first she was forced to come at college on her supposedly resting day and the next thing she finds out is that it's heavily raining, and what's worse she has to wait in this weather for her driver who hasn't arrived yet. "Or maybe he has forgotten about me", "who would want to remember me anyways, I sure am bad luck" she said and smiles sadly closing her eyes and drowning in sorrow as the rain pours onto her making her completely soaked and cold from the gentle chilly breezes coming with the rain.
Maybe it was because she was having a bad day that she felt several emotions taking over and she begin sobbing silently, "why am I suffering so much?, what have I done so wrong?, why dosent anyone love me?" she was constantly repeating these negative questions in her head until she was shaken out of her loop of her negative thoughts.
"Miss!?" her driver exclaims, "I'm sorry miss I'm late, I was dropping off your little cousin to her ballet class and then there was suddenly traffic on the road and, and...", he was cut off by Ashley "ok pete!, I get it!!, can we please go already, It's already been late and I'm getting cold now".
The driver realizes he had unnecessarily ranted on, he notices Ashley completely wet from the rain and her skin being exposed from under her clothes. He immediately looks away and offers her his coat and opens the car door for her. Once she settled in the backseat, he turned on the heater for her and some slow music so that would make her feel a bit better. Peter had noticed the visible tear stains on Ashley's cheeks and he knew she would be crying, if he could be helpful in reducing her pain even a but, he would feel happy about it.
During the whole ride, Ashley was quietly leaning towards the window listening to the sound of rain pouring on the glass and looking at the raindrops striding down, the sweet Melody from the music and the warmth of the seat embraced her after a tiring day. She had a feeling that this peace may not remain for long as she knows how her so-called family would react to her arriving late at home, well we just gotta see what happens then she thinks to herself.
Peter was looking at Ashley from the back view mirror of the car, he felt his heart clench at Ashley's state, but he doesn't have the right to say anything since he is nothing more than a mere servant working for the Winston's. They both were once very close since they practically grew up together, but some incident happened causing them to be nothing more than a master and servant.
Upon arriving the Winston's state, peter tried to say something, but before he could even start Ashley had already left for the front door of her house so peter just left to park the car unable to say a word.
Ashley hesitated a bit before ringing the doorbell of her house. She took a deep breath, and pressed the button, a few moments later a women opened the door, it was a maid of the Winston's. She saw Ashley and looked at her from head to toe and placed her hand on har mouth, she appeared to be quite shocked at Ashley's current state, "My goodness miss! what happened to you!?", the maid said. "teresa, I'm fine, but can you save the questions for later I do feel a bit cold standing here since it's still raining you know" Ashley say's not feeling the mood to answer her questions. "oh dear! look at my rudeness, please come in miss, I'll bring a warm towel for you to dry yourself also a warm cup of milk would be better, and..." Teresa hesitates a bit while saying something. "I know, I'll meet them, where are they?", Ashley said already knowing what Teresa was about to say. "They are in the living room waiting for you, please be careful" Teresa said caringly, she knows what's about to happen and she wants Ashley to not be involved in yet another argument. Ashley nods at the moment but she knows if the words are more than she could handle, she'll have to say something. With this Ashley gives Teresa one last assuring look and heads towards the living room.
Upon reaching the living room, she is greeted by a cold environment as though it is winter in the middle of june. Her uncle, aunt and grandma sitting on the sofa of the living room. Everything was suffocating, and dead silent as if everybody was nothing but a corpse. Her so-called family's faces which show not an ounce of love are staring her down with absolute hatred. "Teresa told me to come to the living room, but seems to me someone just died, that's why it's not much of a living room anymore is it!" Ashley scoffed.
Her grandma sitting on the sofa with visible anger plastered on her face stands up and walks towards Ashley in a fast pace and slapped her so hard that Ashley's face turned to the side. "first, you are late! I don't know what a filthy creature like you could possibly have to do that you arrive at home so late and then you have the audacity to show this rudeness to your family as soon as you arrive!!, you seriously are shameless just like that dead mother of yours, if it hadn't been for my son, I'd toss you on the streets a long time ago, just because you are his daughter, and have the blood of the Winston's we've let you live a lavish life up until now, be grateful that you aren't in an orphanage right now" her grandma yells at her face.
haa, looks like I can't stay quiet after all, sorry teresa but if I stay quiet, this old lady will think that I have surrendered to her, hell naw!! I am the daughter of drake Winston after all, let's see if this "Grandma" of mine can handle a few of my words. Seriously, this day could not get any worse she tells herself.
Ashley looks dead straight in her grandma's eyes "Seriously, Family!!?, when the hell have you treated me like family? you guys are just freeloaders leeching off my dad's money, and you said what?? be grateful? be grateful of not being in an orphanage, old lady, I've seen many ungrateful people in my life and you gotta be one of them!, and don't you dare mention my parents with such words again, be thankful that my parents taught me to respect elders". she states.
just as her grandma was about to say something, Ashley's uncle josh stepped in, "that's enough both of you!!, mother please ignore this girl, she doesn't have an ounce of respect for elders", after calming his mother down he points towards Ashley "Go to your room, and you are grounded, don't you dare step out of your room until called for" he orders her.
"what am I three?.., and where would I possibly have to go just as my "dear grandma" said, this is my home", Ashley mocked. Her grandma was about to say something but before she could even start Ashley left the room but not before seeing her grandmas face fuming with anger which brought her nothing but complete satisfaction. She smiled and left. As she was approaching the stairs leading to the second floor where her room was located, she saw her fathers loyal secretary Jacob going towards the living room, probably to meet her uncle, before he could enter the living room, Ashley rushed towards him and took him to a corner.
Jacob was confused, but when he saw Ashley he knew what she was gonna ask. "Any news of my father!?" she asks impatiently. "unfortunately not" Jacob replies. Ashley's face drops. upon seeing this Jacob assures her "I am trying to get as much information possible, but you know how hard it is to find information secretly, we must not let anything slip and be discreet as possible, just know that I'll try my best, don't loose hope". Ashley was not totally convinced but still she had hope to find her father who had been suddenly disappeared five years ago giving her uncle a chance to take over the Winston's property. "Why has my uncle called you?" Ashley asks, "it's because of the company's shares" Jacob mentions. "looks like they're finally showing they're claws, if only my father was here we would've been able to get rid of these greedy people" Ashley says heartbrokenly. "thanks for helping anyways Jacob, your a good person " saying this Ashley was about to leave when Jacob stops her and hands her a small red box with a beautiful ribbon on the top and a rustic brown disry, Ashley looks confused as to why he would hand her something like this, until she notices her fathers name on the cover at the corner of the diary, she looks up with a bewildered expression, Jacob nods" while cleaning your dad's office, I came across these in his drawers, I thought you would need them".
Ashley takes the stuff to her room and hugs the diary knowing she has a belonging of her father which made her feel as if her father was close to her. She then opens the box and inside she sees a golden ring in a golden chain. Why would he wear a ring as a necklace she thought. while taking a closer look she notices some words carved on the gold plated ring, after closely looking at the letters, she spells out "VENICE". why would her father have a ring like that. she then shifts her attention towards the diary, as she was about to open it, she hears a knock on the door. She opens it and finds Teresa with a warm cup of milk in her hands smiling at her.