" Now let me go ", Ashley said.
" Are you sure that's what you want ? ", Rafael asked with a seductive voice.
" Wh...at ?! ", she replied, confused.
" Do you really want me to let you go ? ", he asked again.
" Yeah... I mean yeah I want you to let me go ", Ashley stuttered.
" Alright then. I have something to take care of and then I'll get you home ", Rafael said, moving away from Ashley.
" Ok, no problem ", she told him and then they left the room.
Rafael returned to the conference room and Ashley went in the kitchen in hope to find the lady who let her go the other day.
" May I help you dear ? ", Gerta said behind her.
" Uh... Yes. Actually I'm looking for madam ", Ashley replied.
" Yes, here I am.What can I do for you ? ", Gerta stated.
" I just wanted to thank you for helping me to escape from here the other day ", Ashley told her.
" Oh ! Don't mention it dear ", Gerta replied.
" Ashley . My name is Ashley ", she stated.
" Yes, I know dear and my name is Gerta by the way ", Gerta said, smiling.
" Are you Rafael's mother ?", Ashley asked.
" No, I'm not his mother '', Gerta replied.
" Then can I know what is the nature of your relationship with Rafael ? ", Ashley asked curiously.
" Let's say that I'm someone who watches over him when he lost both of his parents ", Gerta replied.
" Oh ! Sorry I didn't want to make you sad ", Ashley told her.
" It's alright dear. I heard that you've slapped Rafael in front of his men ", Gerta simply replied.
" Yeah... He ordered one of his men to keep an eye on me and to follow me everywhere. He has no right to do that, I was so angry that I didn't control myself anymore and I slapped him ", Ashley said.
" I would have liked to see that myself ", Gerta said and then laughed.
in the meantime at the conference room
Rafael's men were all laughing about what happened earlier but then everyone was quiet when Rafael entered the conference room.
" Rafael, are you alright ? ", Carlos asked, a little bit nervous.
" Yes, I'm fine Carlos. So where were we ? ", Rafael asked.
" Well, Diego here just said that thanks to our mole in the police we may have a witness who heard something about the attack at the nightclub ", Carlos told him.
" Okay, find me this witness, I want to question him myself ", Rafael stated
" We have another problem ", Carlos stated.
" What problem ?", Rafael said.
" The cops . They are starting to take an interest in our activities after this attack according to our mole ", Carlos replied.
" Well, we'll take care of that as we always do when the moment has come but for now they have nothing on me yet. Will that be all ? ", Rafael said.
" Sì, that's all Capo ", Carlos replied.
" Then you may all leave ", Rafael said.
" Raf, you don't want to talk about what happened earlier, do you ?", Carlos asked.
" Nope, I don't want to ", Rafael told him.
" Alright then ", Carlos simply replied and then left.
Back at the kitchen
" Do you want to see some pictures of Rafael when he was a child ? ", Gerta asked.
" Yes, I would love that ", Ashley replied, very excited.
They were still looking at the pictures of Rafael Child when he entered the kitchen suddenly.
" Finally, I found you. I've been searching for you everywhere. Can we leave now ?", Rafael said but Gerta and Ashley were still laughing while looking at Rafael's pictures.
" And there it's when he lost his first tooth ", Gerta said.
" Aww!! He was so cute there ", Ashley exclaimed.
" What are you doing ?", Rafael asked and then he realized that they were looking at his pictures. He then rushed to take the album photo from Gerta's hands.
" Hey !! Give that back ", Ashley shouted.
" No way ! Now let's go, I'll take you home ", Rafael told her.
" Give the album photo back first ", Ashley said.
" No !! You have seen enough like that ", Rafael stated.
" Give that back ", Ashley said while trying to take the album off from Rafael's hands who was holding the album in the air but she ended up pin Rafael against the kitchen counter and with her hands on his torso. Ashley then moved away quickly from him as Rafael was smirking.
" We should go now. Thank you for all Gerta. See you next time ", Ashley said.
" You're welcome dear. You can come to see me here whenever you want ", Gerta replied.
Ashley nodded and smiled at Gerta and then left the kitchen and so did Rafael too.
On their way to Ashley's apartment, nobody said a word, a deafening silence reigned in the car until they arrived at Ashley's place.
" Uhm... Thanks for the ride ", Ashley said when they finally arrived in front of her place.
" You're welcome ", Rafael replied.
" Ok... I'll go now. See you next time ", Ashley told him.
" Sure. See you next time ", Rafael said.
Ashley waited a little bit to get out of Rafael's car and when finally she was about to get out, Rafael said : " Uhm... Ashley ?! "
" Yes ", she replied quickly.
" Maybe ... you ... would like ... to go for ... dinner with tomorrow night if you have nothing planned for tomorrow night of course ? ", Rafael asked nervously. It was the first time that he was so nervous to ask a girl to go out with him as he was afraid that Ashley could say no.
" Yeah, I would like to ", Ashley replied, smiling.
" Alright ! I'll pick you up at 7 pm , is that good for you ? ", Rafael stated.
" Yes, it's good for me ", Ashley said.
" See you tomorrow then ", Rafael told her.
" Yeah, see you tomorrow ", Ashley finally replied and then got out of Rafael's car.
" Who was that ? '' asked Kamila when Ashley barely entered her apartment .
" Kami ?! What are you doing here ? ", Ashley said, surprised.
" I just wanted to make sure that you arrived at your place safely so I decided to call you but you didn't pick up the phone. Then I decided to come see if everything was alright but you weren't at home nor at the restaurant. So where were you and who was in the car ? ", Kamila stated.
" That's very kind of you to worry about me but I'm fine and the person in the car was a... friend ", Ashley replied.
" It was a boy ? ", Kamila asked curiously.
" Is that really important ? ", Ashley said.
" Of course it is ", Kamila told her.
" Ok then yes it was a boy. Why are you so curious about with whom I was ? ", Ashley stated.
" I'm just asking. And that boy is just a friend or more than a friend ? ", Kamila asked curiously again.
" Actually he is just a friend. I met him at a cafe a few days ago ", Ashley said.
" Ash, you know I only want what is best for you. So, I think you should give a chance to Brad and not hang out with a stranger that you met in a cafe and that you barely know ", Kamila said.
" Ok I see what you mean but you know as well too that I don't have romantic feelings towards Brad. He is only a friend to me. And don't worry about the other guy, I know what I'm doing ", Ashley replied.
" Alright ", Kamila said.