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Novel Catalog
Chapter 12: An Immoral Man
Cason had promised to give Ainsley the house, and the legal procedures were already underway. Even if he wanted to let Kaliyah’s parents stay there, he should have gotten Ainsley’s approval first. After all, this house was where she and Cason had lived before their marriage, and it held sentimental value for her.
Ainsley had long since accepted that Cason may not love her, but she still believed that he should at least treat her with respect. She wasn’t a possession or a pet to be discarded once no longer needed.
As Ainsley stood in the courtyard, watching the group chat with apparent excitement about the wedding, she couldn’t help but feel a growing resentment. Lindsay’s eyes flicked over to Ainsley, and her expression immediately soured. The others followed her gaze, and Kaitlin sneered, “How unlucky. Why is she even here?”
Kaliyah, though clearly embarrassed, stepped forward with a forced smile, “Ms. Easton, what a coincidence. What brings you here?”
Ainsley’s tone was flat as she looked around at all the people in the courtyard. “Why can’t I be here? I moved in,” she said calmly.
Lindsay’s face twisted with disbelief, her voice rising in anger. “What are you talking about? Cason divorced you, and this house belongs to our family. You can’t just show up here!”
Kaitlin, clearly unable to hold back, added with a mocking tone, “Ainsley, you’re shameless. Cason’s divorced you. Why do you keep pestering him?”
The two women didn’t realize that Cason had already given the house to Ainsley. Kaliyah, looking uncomfortable, tried to intervene. “Ms. Easton, if you don’t have anywhere else to stay, I can ask Cason to lend you another house. It’s just not appropriate for you to live here with my parents.”
Ainsley’s gaze remained steady as she replied coldly, “This is my house, so what you’re saying has nothing to do with me. Cason gave it to me.”
Lindsay and Kaitlin exchanged incredulous looks. “How could Cason give you the house?” Lindsay scoffed. “You must have gone crazy over money.”
Becky, who had been watching the exchange with a smirk, added sarcastically, “Some girls are really shameless. Even after a divorce, they still try to get money from their exes.”
Ainsley’s expression remained calm, unaffected by their cruel words. She simply called Cason, putting him on speakerphone. “Ask him yourself.”
The call was answered quickly, and Ainsley didn’t say anything. Becky, sensing an opportunity, spoke up, “Cason, this is Becky. Kaliyah’s parents and I are at your house, but your ex-wife says it’s hers and wants us to leave. I don’t think she’s telling the truth. You’ve divorced, so how could you give her the house and upset Kaliyah? I thought I should check with you.”
Cason sighed into the phone, rubbing his temples. He remembered that the house was being transferred to Ainsley and that it should now be hers. After a brief pause, he responded, “Mrs. Packer, you can continue staying in the house. I’ll speak to her about it.”
Becky, pleased, smiled, “Alright, then. We’ll leave it to you.”
Ainsley’s heart sank slightly as she heard Cason’s voice. His hesitation, his desire to spare Kaliyah and her parents from embarrassment, was clear. He didn’t know what to say to make the situation right.
After a long pause, Cason’s voice came through again, gentler this time. “Ainsley, don’t live in the house for now. Let Kaliyah’s parents stay until after the wedding. They’ll leave then.”
Ainsley’s chest tightened with sadness. She looked down at her phone before responding in an even tone, “I see. Since you’re getting married again, please finalize our divorce in the next couple of days.” She hung up the phone without waiting for a response.
Kaliyah, upon hearing the conversation, was taken aback. She hadn’t realized that Ainsley and Cason had not yet finalized their divorce.
Lindsay, not missing a beat, called the security guard of the mansion and said pointedly, “You can’t let an unknown woman in anymore. Hurry up and drive her out!”
But before anyone could act, Kaliyah intervened, stopping her mother with a soft hand. “Mom, no matter what, Ms. Easton is still Cason’s ex-wife. It’s not appropriate to drive her away. We have spare rooms in the house. If there’s no other way, we can let Ms. Easton stay.”
The security guard, eyeing Ainsley with a look of disdain, hesitated before nodding. However, Ainsley, not wanting to impose further, shook her head. “No need,” she said coolly. “I’ll leave.”
She grabbed her luggage and stepped toward the gate, but as she walked outside, the sky suddenly darkened, and rain began to pour down heavily. She looked at her phone—it had only 2% battery left. Laughing at the irony of her situation, she walked further into the rain, drenched and increasingly frustrated.
Just then, a sleek black Cayenne pulled up beside her. A man holding an umbrella stepped out, walking toward her with purposeful strides. It was Manuel. He smiled calmly as he stood under the umbrella, offering it to shield her from the downpour. “Ms. Easton, what a coincidence,” he said with a gentle smile.
For any woman in such a situation, it would have been impossible not to be moved by such a sight—a handsome man, seemingly unaffected by the weather, offering kindness amidst the storm. Yet, for Ainsley, her heart didn’t flutter. She simply gave a weary smile. “Yes. What a coincidence. Mr. Gage, could I possibly ask you for a ride?”
Manuel didn’t immediately answer her request but instead surveyed her condition for a moment. His dark eyes softened with concern. “Get in the car first,” he said quietly.
Inside the car, the warmth immediately enveloped Ainsley, easing her chill. Manuel handed her a towel and then turned to read some documents, allowing her the privacy to dry herself.
As she wiped the rain from her face, Ainsley’s mind wandered. She couldn’t help but notice how gentle and considerate Manuel was, how he seemed to exude an air of refinement and warmth. Despite only having met him a few times, his every action left a lasting impression on her.
She wondered: was he doing all of this just so she could help his sister?
Lost in thought, the car came to a stop in front of an apartment building. Manuel’s voice broke through her reverie. “It’s raining heavily outside, and you’re drenched. You should change your clothes here before heading back.”
Ainsley looked up, meeting his eyes. His gaze was so gentle and thoughtful, and she felt a fleeting flutter in her chest. She held back the impulse to decline and nodded slowly, too tired to argue.
The apartment was a warm contrast to the rain outside, filled with bright colors and soft light. Ainsley was surprised by how homey and comfortable it felt. She couldn’t believe this was Manuel’s place.
A middle-aged woman appeared at the door, greeting Manuel warmly. “Mr. Gage, you’ve come! And who is this young lady?”
“This is my friend Ainsley. She’s here to take a bath and change her clothes,” Manuel replied.
The woman, whom Manuel introduced as Dixie, quickly ushered Ainsley inside and offered her a pair of slippers. “Come in, quickly. I’ll find something for you to wear and make some soup.”
Manuel smiled at Dixie before turning back to Ainsley. “This is my sister Serina’s place. She studies at the University of Washington, and Dixie is here to look after the apartment while she’s away.”
Ainsley nodded, understanding the situation, and soon, Manuel stepped away to take a phone call. Ainsley wandered around the room, admiring the paintings on the walls. One, in particular, caught her attention—it was a painting of two girls, holding hands and smiling brightly. The soft autumn leaves seemed to dance in the background.
Her fingers lightly traced the painting’s frame when Manuel’s low voice interrupted her. “That’s my sister’s work. She painted that when she was fourteen, before she became sick.”
Ainsley turned, meeting Manuel’s gaze again. His eyes, so deep and mesmerizing, made her heart skip a beat. She hesitated before speaking. “Is the girl in the painting your sister?”
“Yes,” Manuel nodded. “She was full of life back then. But she was so young. Things changed after that.”
Ainsley’s heart tugged as she noticed a flicker of sadness in his eyes. “Then… who is the other girl?” she asked softly.
Manuel’s expression seemed to darken slightly, and for a moment, there was a shadow of something unreadable in his gaze.
