A Debt to Repay

When I found out I was the evil ex-wife of the novel's male lead, I was grilling Ashton about when he'd be back.

He simply replied, coolly, Soon.

I stared blankly at the scrolling comments on my screen.

[Oh my God, the female side character is such a control freak. How can the male lead stand her?]

[He wouldn't have married her if she hadn't blackmailed him with that favor.]

[Exactly! Hell realize he repaid the wrong person soon, then its a full-blown chase for the wife.]

[Hahahaha, let the female side character keep messing up. Shell end up on the streets after the divorce.]

I looked down, slowly typing: "It's fine. No rush. Its okay if you don't come back."

Ashton didn't reply again.

I took his silence as agreement and turned off the living room lights.

Back in the bedroom, I prepared for sleep.

I used to be so accustomed to Ashton's presence that I couldn't sleep without him. So every night, I'd wait for him to come home, then snuggle up with him. Even when he traveled for work, I insisted he return within three days. Otherwise, I'd demand to go with him. My reputation for being jealous was well-known.

But those scrolling comments had just dropped some vital information.

First, Ashton was the male lead, and he would eventually divorce me, the 'evil ex-wife'.

Second, our family would go bankrupt, and I'd end up on the streets.

If those comments were true, it was terrifying.

I'd lived a privileged life for twenty-six years; poverty was absolutely out of the question.

But our family business had always been stable. What could possibly cause its downfall?

I couldn't wrap my head around it.

Lost in thought, I drifted off to sleep.

In a haze, I heard faint rustling sounds.

A warm chest pressed against my back.

"The dinner was important, so I couldn't leave early."

"I bought your favorite green bean cake. Don't be mad, okay?"

Having just fallen asleep only to be disturbed, I mumbled a few "Mhm, mhm"s and sank back into slumber.

The person behind me suddenly fell silent.

Then, a finger gently pried open my eyelid.

He made sure I was truly asleep.

The man behind me quietly teared up: "Didn't you say you could only sleep well with me beside you?"

The next day, I slowly woke up.

Ashton was already dressed and ready to leave.

Perhaps the appearance of those comments had scared me so much it cured my insomnia. I didn't even know when he'd come home last night.

Ashton was fastening his tie in front of the mirror. He stood tall, his face as serene as jade, but his expression was as cool as ever.

I used to think he was just cold on the outside but warm on the inside. Now, it seemed, he was probably just cold towards me.

"Breakfast is ready. Remember to eat it while its hot."

Normally, if Ashton hadn't come home early as I'd demanded, I would have given him the cold shoulder and thrown a fit. But this time, my attitude was unusually pleasant: "Got it. Be careful on your way out, and stay safe."

Ashton's body stiffened. He said, "I'm going on a business trip. My flight is tonight."

He turned, staring at me, and added, "About a week."

I felt a pang of reluctance. But thinking of those comments, I forced a smile: "Its okay, business trips are normal. Have you packed your things? If not, I can help you."

Ashton's face completely darkened. He said coldly, "No need. Its all packed."

With that, he pulled a small suitcase from the bedroom doorway.

As he was about to leave, Ashton turned back, glancing behind him.

I asked thoughtfully, "Did you forget something?"

Ashton ignored me and left.

I was a bit bewildered.

What was that sudden outburst about? My attitude was perfectly nice just now.

At that moment, the comments reappeared.

[The female side characters passive aggressiveness successfully annoyed the male lead, lol.]

[Hope their relationship breaks up quickly. I really dont want to see the male leads romance with her.]

[When will our female lead make her appearance?]

I blinked.

So, my politeness was interpreted as passive-aggressiveness by both the comments and Ashton?

After breakfast, I was still bothered by the thought of bankruptcy. So, for the first time in ages, I went to the company.

I actually had shares in the company and was officially listed as a manager. But since I wasn't really interested in real estate, I'd only shown up a few times and never returned.

I swiped my card and went straight to the CEO's office.

My brother, Julian, was engrossed in his work at his desk.

Upon seeing me, he seemed surprised: "Well, well, well, a rare visitor. What brings Manager Sterling to the office for an inspection?"

I rolled my eyes: "Can't I just drop by when I'm bored?"

My brother pushed up his slipping glasses: "What's up? Arguing with Ashton?"

"No, our relationship..." Thinking of the comments, I sheepishly added the latter half of the sentence, "is just fine."

"Oh, by the way, bro, how's the company doing lately?"

I still couldn't resist asking.

My brother shrugged: "Thriving under my leadership. Dont worry, your year-end bonus wont be small, so stop fretting."

I genuinely knew nothing about the company. I couldn't just magically reverse things like in a TV show, even with foreknowledge of the future. So I could only subtly hint: "Then be careful when developing projects or negotiating partnerships. Always prioritize stability."

"Wealth comes from stability, understand?"

My brother, annoyed by my chatter, promptly kicked me out.

"If you have nothing to do, just wander around the company. Dont bother me while Im working."

I slinked out of the CEO's office.

As I was heading to a spa appointment, I ran into a girl who was completely drenched.

She was dressed in standard office attire: a white blouse and a black skirt. But because her blouse was soaked, it clung to her, revealing her undergarments and making her look quite disheveled.

I frowned. It was a perfectly sunny day outside. Her being drenched like this clearly meant someone had thrown water on her.

What era was this? Workplace bullying was still happening. And in our company, no less.

No wonder we'd go bankrupt later; maybe this was the catalyst.

Thinking of this, I immediately took off my coat and draped it over her.

"Are you okay? You should change your clothes; you might catch a cold."

The girl looked startled and quickly shook her head: "Im fine."

"Ill just go to the restroom and dry off with paper towels, then put my jacket back on at my desk."

I disagreed: "No way, wearing wet clothes is so uncomfortable."

I suddenly remembered the company had always provided me with an office. There should be some of my clothes in the resting area.

"I have spare clothes. Come with me."

I took the girl's wrist and led her to my office.

Luckily, we were about the same size. After changing and blow-drying her hair, the girl quietly thanked me.

I reminded her: "The company has a zero-tolerance policy for workplace bullying. You can report it to HR, and theyll handle it."

I didn't plan to directly intervene; after all, standing up for oneself was important.

Just as I was about to leave, someone tugged at my coat.

"Elara, do you still remember me?"

The girl's eyes were gentle, yet her gaze was resolute, holding a sharp edge of defiance.

The face before me gradually merged with the one from my memory.

"Amelia?" I asked, a little surprised, "Youve changed so much, I barely recognized you."

Amelia had always been quiet and unnoticeable in high school. I remembered her for two reasons: we were in the same class, and her name was unusual, evoking the strength of steel. The other reason was that she consistently ranked first in our grade, even Ashton couldn't surpass her.

Amelia's lips curved into a smile: "Youre still the same, but your aura is even stronger. I didnt even dare to approach you. Thank you for helping me today."

The comments flashed onto the screen at just the right moment.

[Wow wow wow, our female lead is here!]

[Whats going on? The female lead and side character met early.]

[The female side character is so annoying. Why meddle? Amelia was clearly collecting evidence of being bullied and was about to report it and resign.]

[Exactly! Amelia reported it to no avail, then resigned and went to work at the male leads company. Then the male lead heard about her experience and stood up for her. What a satisfying plot!]

[Yeah, and the female side character could have solved it with one sentence, yet she fake-ly advised Amelia to report it.]

[I think the person above is being a bit much. Even though the female side character is annoying, she really did help the female lead this time.]

[A gentleman judges by actions, not intentions. And help is help. Why complain about not helping all the way?]

[This tells us not to casually help others, because you never know when youll be morally blackmailed.]

The comments were in a furious debate.

I felt a sudden realization.

Indeed, strong protagonists, a long-awaited reunion, a broken mirror mended. Amelia and Ashton fit the bill perfectly.

So this was the female lead the comments were talking about.

Amelia tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

"Its almost quitting time. To express my gratitude, let me treat you to dinner."

I quickly waved my hand: "It was nothing, really, no need."

"No, I insist. Its important to show gratitude. Please give me a chance to thank you."

In the end, Amelia and I had dinner together. We also exchanged contact information.

Amelia said she'd lost her old phone, so she had a new social media account.

When I got home, she kept messaging me, asking if I'd arrived and reminding me to get some rest.

After our chat, I collapsed onto my bed, letting out a long sigh.

Was the cool, distant top student from my memory actually a chatterbox? I was truly helpless against someone so naturally outgoing. I felt like all my energy had been drained.

Ashton was away on a business trip for almost a week. In the past, I would have bombarded him with calls and texts, satisfied only when he answered and replied instantly.

But this time, I decided not to bother him like before. After all, I couldn't let my relationship with Ashton get too strained.

If our family really did face bankruptcy, maybe he would extend a helping hand, considering I'd been well-behaved lately.

Actually, I wasn't always so dependent on Ashton.

Ashton first came into our lives during our freshman year of high school. His father, our family's driver, had lost the use of a leg saving my dad.

My dad arranged for the best doctors to treat Ashton's father and promised he wouldn't have to work again, his salary paid as usual. He even brought Ashton to live with us, sending him to the same prestigious school as me, ensuring he received the best education.

Initially, I was indifferent. After all, he was just a driver's son; how would he affect me?

Growing up, I was always the most pampered in our family. But after Ashton arrived, my dad's attention shifted to him.

Because of Ashton's excellent grades, my dad often told me to learn from him. Over time, I started to resent him.

I'd find ways to tease and order him around. But Ashton would just silently endure it, never complaining.

The turning point happened during the summer of our sophomore year.

I went shopping and made Ashton carry my bags.

On the way back, we were kidnapped.

It was my first time experiencing anything like that. I was terrified.

In the darkness, Ashton squeezed my hand, whispering reassuringly, "Don't be scared, I'm here."