Starting with A Divorce novel (Ainsley and Cason)
Chapter 606

Chapter 606 Is It Worth It?

After finishing the meal, Ainsley went upstairs without even glancing at Manuel, who was staring at her eagerly.

The moment Ainsley's figure disappeared around the comer of the stairs, Manuel's face showed a hint of melancholy.

With a sigh, Matteo walked over and patted Manuel's shoulder. "Take it easy,' he said.

Manuel remained silent and began clearing the dishes, then quietly announced his departure, 'I'll get going then."

While both were men, Matteo might not have been able to feel exactly what Manuel was feeling, but he could sympathize with him.

As his gaze rested upon the empty staircase, Manuel's expression turned increasingly inscrutable.

Ainsley was jolted awake by a nightmare, and her body was drenched in sweat. She could not fall back asleep because the terrifying images from her dream lingered in her mind.

Sitting up slowly, Ainsley took some time to settle her racing heart before getting out of bed. Opening the curtains, she took a casual glance at the night view, only to freeze suddenly.

There was a man standing by his black Land Rover under the streetlight, not budging an inch. The only thing that moved was the flickering light on his fingertips, which made the already desolate atmosphere even more intense.

Ainsley felt a sharp pain in her heart. She then stretched her hand toward the window, trying to outline the figure of the man in the distance.

Suddenly, the man raised his head and locked eyes with Ainsley. Ainsley's heart froze, and she instinctively ducked behind the curtains.

Seeing her was a pleasant surprise for him, but Manuel's brow furrowed when he realized she was still awake so late.

He waited until his cigarette was almost burned out before putting it out with his foot.

Once she relaxed, Ainsley felt a twinge of embarrassment. Why did I just hide? After all, this is my home; I'm not a thief. I'm not the one who should feel guilty.

Ainsley forcefully drew the curtains shut, figuring that what she could not see could not bother her, then turned around and headed back to bed.

After shutting her eyes and forcing herself to sleep for a while, Ainsley suddenly opened her eyes again and slammed the mattress in frustration. Her thoughts were too scattered to settle down.

With a surge of anger, Ainsley got up, slipped on her shoes, and ran down the stairs. Without stopping, she rushed up to Manuel.

Meanwhile, Manuel was in the midst of lighting his cigarette when he saw Ainsley, causing him to pause and his eyes to light up with surprise.

His voice was a bit raspy, perhaps due to smoking, but it was also more alluring than before. 'Why did you come down?' Manuel asked.

With feigned indifference, Ainsley gazed at Manuel and said, "You're disrupting my sleep."

Manuel was rendered speechless after hearing Ainsley.

Although it was an obviously sarcastic comment, Manuel could not help but chuckle when he heard it.

Manuel's attractive features exuded a captivating aura in the gentle illumination of the street lamps.

Ainsley's brow slowly creased as she failed to see the humor in what she had just said. Her hand itched to touch his forehead to check if he was sick, but she resisted the temptation.

As Ainsley was lost in thought, she suddenly felt a warm breath on her face, mixed with a faint scent of smoke.

Ainsley was lost in thought when she was startled by the sudden appearance of a looming face in front of her, causing her to take a step back. However, due to the inconvenient footwear of slippers, her body leaned back while her feet remained in place, causing her to fall backward. Ainsley closed her eyes instinctively, but ended up falling into a pair of slightly chilly arms.

As he embraced Ainsley, Manuel felt a sudden rush of fulfillment fill his long-empty heart. He pulled her in closer, holding onto the delicate woman tightly.

Upon opening her eyes, Ainsley was met with Manuel's intense gaze, filled with an unmistakable tenderness. Her heart began to race uncontrollably.

"You came here because you were worried about me, didn't you, Ainsley?' Manuel noticed her confusion and promptly took advantage of the situation to help her realize her feelings.

Ainsley's rational side took over as she heard Manuel's words. She furrowed her brows and forcefully pushed his arms away, disregarding the disappointment on his face. "Stop fooling yourself. Get out of here before I report you for causing a disturbance," she said firmly.

Ainsley could not bear to see Manuel stay up all night here after all.

Manuel forced a bitter smile and nodded. "Alright, I'll leave. You should also head back; it's chilly at night."

Ignoring Manuel, Ainsley turned around and entered her house without looking back. After taking a few steps, she hid herself behind the wall and carefully listened to any movements outside, relying on the dim light.

Luckily, it was not long before she heard the sound of a car starting up and then fading away.

Manuel finally left.

After hiding behind the wall for a while, Ainsley walked out and looked at the deserted street, feeling indescribable emotions.

Returning to her room with a heavy footfall, Ainsley threw herself onto the bed and stared blankly at the ceiling.

Suddenly, there was a beep from the phone, indicating a new text message had arrived.

With some effort, Ainsley retrieved her phone and opened the message. Her eyes stung as she read it.

It was a message from an unknown number that Ainsley had not saved in her contacts, but the number was so familiar that she could recite it backwards.

The message was brief, containing only two words: [Good night.]

Ainsley remained motionless, closed her eyes again, and pondered. He must have arrived home by now.

"You're here again?" Ainsley asked as she rubbed her sore forehead, feeling restless because of her poor sleep last night.

Since Matteo was at work, she wondered what reason Manuel had to be there.

After taking out a plain cloth bag from behind, Manuel handed it to her, and Ainsley, who was a bit confused, opened it to replace an ordinary makeup box inside.

Ainsley pursed her lips and retrieved the glass cabinet. It was not until she saw the makeup box locked inside that her expression changed.

The lock was made specifically for the case and was so small and intricate that it could not be opened without a key, unless it was broken. But if they damaged the glass cabinet, there was a high possibility tha the antique inside could also be damaged.

A small golden key was offered to her by Manuel, and Ainsley could sense that he had given it a lot of consideration.

Ainsley was at a loss for words and spoke bluntly, "Is it worth spending billions just to return it to the original owner?" Matteo did tell Ainsley about the auction that was intentionally arranged.

Although the plan was to use the auction to get Ainsley out, Manuel did not care. To him, she was worth more than billions or trillions. However, when he said these words out loud, they lost their original meaning. Price was never a measure of such things.

Hence, Manuel merely smiled and uttered, "It was worth the cost."

Carrying the glass square cabinet, Manuel's words caused ripples in Ainsley's heart. She turned around uncontrollably, afraid of being caught with a vulnerable expression by Manuel. She only said, "I'll take it. Just count it as I owe you a favor, and I'll replace a chance to return it to you.'

Once she finished speaking, Ainsley headed straight upstairs.

Ainsley appeared to have a shield made of thorns all over her body that was impenetrable. If anyone came too close, they would be pricked. Manuel watched her leave, and his eyes dimmed.