Chapter 29
After ending the call and getting ready to leave. Ashley was surprised as she stepped out of the hospital and came face to face with her father, Harvey, standing at the entrance.
Harvey sat on the stairs, puffing on a cigarette. As the smoke cleared, he got a better look at her.
Ashley recognized the familiar face that now bore the marks of time after five long years. The Garcia family appeared to have gone through rough times. Suppressing a smirk, she headed straight for the parking lot, ignoring his presence.
“Dr. Garcia, hold on a moment” Harvey called out.
Ashley hesitated, her eagerness to return to her children evident. However, the bustling crowd made it hard to disregard him completely.
“Dr. Garcia, can we have a talk?” Harvey observed her closely. While she bore a striking resemblance to his daughter, her demeanor was completely different. Ashley used to be timid and unassuming, lacking the self–assured aura the woman now exuded. Besides, this woman was a renowned doctor, which eliminated the last bit of possibility that they were the same person.
But could two people truly resemble each other so much?‘ He furrowed his brow, finding it hard to believe the woman standing before him was his daughter.
“I’m currently on break. If you need to talk to me about the patient’s condition, please return on Monday.” Her tone was distant yet courteous. Any affection she had for Harvey had vanished along with her mother long ago. Her longing for a father’s love had faded, replaced with independence. “Actually, you bear a striking resemblance to my eldest daughter. Do your parents reside here as well? Doubts lingered in Harvey’s mind. If Olivia’s suspicion about Ashley being Alice was true, Ashley’s return could spell trouble for the Garcia family,
Harvey had always viewed Ashley with disdain, considering her a disgrace. However, the woman before him, with her societal standing and capabilities, could make her parents proud of her
“Is that true? I heard about your eldest daughter passing, and that the Garcia family never really cared for her much. Ashley stated boldly, her smile concealing the sharpness of her words,
Harvey felt a pang as he processed the woman’s comment. “They were some just rumors. My apologies for troubling you. Dr. Garcia. It seems I was mistaken; you and my daughter are indeed different, Harvey responded calmly before leaving.
Watching Harvey depart, Ashley couldn’t help but feel a sense of sadness creeping over her. She knew he wouldn’t be affected by this. He had never visited her mother’s grave, not even knowing its location.
When Ashley arrived home, Chloe rushed to her, embracing her tightly “Mommy, welcome back! Someone came to the door earlier, but I didn’t answer.” Chloe wrapped herself around Ashley, clearly missing her.
Ashley’s heart fluttered. “Someone came by? Could it be someone from the Garcia family? Or perhaps Eric’s associates? she wondered. Promptly telling Chloe to play with her brother. Ashley headed to the surveillance room on the ground floor. She needed to check who had paid her an unexpected visit at such a crucial moment.
The footage revealed a mysterious man This only deepened Ashley’s suspicions,
n black, his features obscured by a hat and mask. He hesitated at the door, knocked, and swiftly departed.
