Chapter 25

A sharp look crossed Asher's face. "Who else did you expect?"

Arabella pulled out her phone. She meant to send a message to Joshua, but when she opened her messages, Asher's name appeared at the top because she had just received a text from him.Without realizing it, she sent her location to Asher instead.

"At the Lambert family's house."

That brief message was all she had managed to send, yet it was enough to send Asher hurrying straight to her side.

A glance at her arm made Asher's brow tighten.

"You're hurt." He took her wrist in his hand,quickly spotting the wounds. Without a moment's delay, he instructed Dominick, "Head for the hospital."

As soon as the car moved, Arabella's hand relaxed, and the broken photo pieces slipped into view. Tears welled up in her eyes.

Noticing both the fragments and the tears in her eyes, Asher pressed his lips into a thin line and kept quiet.

Several silent seconds passed before he finally spoke, his voice low and steady. "What do you want to happen to the Lambert family after everything they've done?"

Arabella held the photo pieces close, tears running down her face.

Seeing her like this stirred something in Asher,a feeling he didn't quite understand.

He stretched out his hand. "Give it here. You'll have more pictures someday."

With her eyes still glistening, Arabella looked at the photo fragments. A few seconds later, she let them fall into Asher's palm.

At the hospital, a doctor took care of Arabella's arm and wrapped the wound in clean bandages.

A few instructions were given to Asher."You must be her boyfriend. That cut is deep.Make sure she keeps it dry for now, or it could get infected."

His lips pressed together, Asher gave a quiet nod.

He stayed by Arabella's side as they walked to Daisy's room.

Dominick followed close behind, nervous and unsure what to do.

He wondered why Asher didn't try to comfort Arabella. Maybe he just wasn't good at saying the right words.

Suddenly, Asher stopped walking and turned to give Dominick some instructions.

Dominick listened closely, eyes going wide with shock. He wanted to speak up, but when he caught Asher's cold, determined look, he quickly turned and walked away.

Quietly, Arabella sat by Daisy's hospital bed and watched over her. The longer she stayed there,the lighter her mood became.

Time slipped by as Arabella kept her vigil. Out of nowhere, someone handed her a letter.

Curiosity flickered across her face as she accepted the envelope and glanced at Asher. He remarked flatly, "Go ahead and open it."

Arabella slid the photograph out of the envelope.

In the picture, two young men stood side by side.Right away, Arabella recognized her father on the left. The other man looked so much like Asher that she realized he had to be his father.Both

wore military uniforms.

Age had yellowed the edges of the old photo, but it was still in beautiful shape.

Arabella traced her father's image, eyes full of longing and bittersweet memories.

Asher spoke up. "That's for you."

A flash of surprise crossed Arabella's face as the meaning behind his gesture dawned on her.

Did Asher give this to her because he knew how sad she was about the photo of Daisy and herself being lost? Was this his quiet way of offering comfort?

But one look at the well-preserved photo told her it meant a lot to him.

Soft light filled the room as Arabella looked at Asher. A gentle warmth spread through her heart."Thank you. I really appreciate it, but this must matter a lot to you too. I shouldn't take it."

A frown appeared on Asher's face.

Arabella added, "My sister will recover, and we'll have new pictures together. But this one is unique -there won't ever be another like it."

Carefully, Arabella returned the photo, her voice

full of gratitude. "Thank you, truly."

Without arguing, Asher tucked the photo away.He switched topics. "What's your plan for the Lambert family?"

A steely look came into Arabella's eyes. "They're going to pay for letting Joyce run wild. I've already made my move against Mrs. Lambert."

A change of topic followed as Asher asked, "Have you thought about moving somewhere safer? I've arranged a place for you."

He sent her the property address and continued,"Your sister will be able to rest much easier there."

Arabella glanced at the address and realized it was the most exclusive neighborhood in Griridge.

A few quiet moments passed as she weighed her options.

Maybe a new setting would be good for Daisy.Besides,with the Lambert family clearly coming after her now, staying at the hospital no longer felt safe.

She gave a grateful nod. "Thank you. What about you?"

Asher answered her simply. "This place is for you

and your sister. I'll only show up if it's really needed."

A small smile appeared on Arabella's face. "|understand. Thank you for everything."

Over time, Arabella found that Asher's character was better than she first thought. Building a friendship with the Gordon family seemed like it could give her and Daisy a brighter future.

Soon,they moved Daisy into the villa.

Everything about the new home exceeded Arabella's hope. One of the bedrooms had even been turned into a full hospital suite, and the presence of household staff made it clear just how much effort Asher put into making sure they were comfortable.

A middle-aged man dressed smartly stepped forward and nodded politely. "Miss Stanley, I'm your butler. Please let me know if you need anything at all."

"All right." With just one look, Arabella could sense that this butler was not just any servant but also someone trained to handle himself in a fight.

Asher spoke in his usual cooI tone. "If you ever need extra security, the butler can arrange it."

Arabella paused for a beat, thinking things over."Thank you. It's late, and I doubt you've had dinner yet. Would you like to stay and eat with me before heading out?"

She didn't want to seem ungrateful, not after all Asher had done for her.

A brief nod came from Asher. "All right."

The butler interjected, "I'll ask the chef to start cooking."

Arabella responded, "No, I'll take care of it myself."

A crease formed on Asher's brow. "But your arm is still injured."

Authority seemed to come naturally to him, even in small moments like this.