Chapter 543: Past Time

June was someone Ashley had almost forgotten existed.

She hadn’t heard from him in a long time, and the last time they saw each other, a lot had happened.

On the night of Tommy’s attack, she heard that June and Isabella had gotten into a minor accident. That was why Marshal rushed into the country just to check on the scratches his beloved daughter had suffered.

All the while triggering the incident himself that nearly took Tommy’s life.

Still, seeing June in the middle of everything happening now, Ashley couldn’t help but wonder what the man wanted.

"That guy..." Red narrowed his eyes at the bench where Ashley and June sat.

Ashley considered June a friend from her past. So, whatever reason the man had for suddenly appearing before her, she was willing to lend him an ear.

Hence, here they were in a park near their office.

"That person is really the madam’s friend?" Khan stood beside Red at a distance, his gaze shifting between Ashley and June.

Red cast him a side-eye. "That’s what she said."

"But that’s not what I’m asking." Khan turned his head toward him. "What do you think of him?"

"What I think doesn’t matter."

"It does if you’re the madam’s right hand," Khan returned knowingly, arching a brow when Red stared at him.

Red clicked his tongue and ruffled his hair before setting his eyes on the two people seated on the bench.

"What do I think?" he hummed, shoving one hand into his pocket. "I don’t like the guy. From the first time I saw him... there was just something off about him, you know?"

Red paused, narrowing his eyes as his gaze settled on June’s back.

"He always knew that helping her escape back then would only make things worse for her, but he kept encouraging it anyway. Or rather, he never even bothered thinking of a better way."

As someone who had been tasked with looking after Ashley and dragging her back every time she escaped, Red had seen more than most.

Of course, back then, he hadn’t liked the fact that Ashley was stubborn and reckless. He and his crew were basically babysitting someone who was supposed to be an adult.

But in hindsight, Ashley had every reason to want to leave.

At the same time, June hadn’t exactly been helping her.

"Maybe it wasn’t intentional. Maybe he was just shit at planning." Red shrugged. "But even a child would know that if the first three attempts failed and you genuinely wanted to help someone, you’d change your approach. You’d come up with something better."

He looked at Khan knowingly. "But that wasn’t what happened."

Khan rocked his head, understanding Red’s impression of the man.

"But if he’s the madam’s friend..." he trailed off, looking toward Ashley and June. "I’d like to trust that there’s a reason she considers him one."

Red snorted.

"Everyone around her in the past was either exploiting her or taking advantage of what she wanted. And it’s not like she didn’t know." His expression hardened slightly. "If anything, she... always looked the other way."

Red and his crew knew that better than anyone.

When things had finally gotten better between Ashley and the crew, one of the first things she had done was stop looking away.

It was her first real step toward confronting one of her worst habits—tolerating people she knew weren’t good for her simply because some part of her wanted to believe otherwise.

"Maybe. Maybe not." Khan nodded, his eyes returning to the bench. "But you trust her now, don’t you?"

Red rocked his head, humming. "More than the word yes could explain."

*

*

*

Meanwhile, Ashley and June sat in complete silence in the middle of the park.

He occupied one end of the bench while she sat on the other, leaving an arm’s length of space between them.

Neither had spoken for several minutes.

They simply watched joggers pass by and families spending their afternoon together.

June drew a deep breath and glanced at her.

Ashley didn’t return the look. She continued staring ahead.

"I heard about what happened," he finally said, breaking the silence between them. "I’m sorry for your loss."

Ashley arched a brow and glanced at him. Her lips parted, but no words came out.

Of course.

June didn’t know who had taken Marshal down.

As far as he probably knew, the Di Carpio family had fallen and Ashley was the only one who had somehow "survived."

June smacked his lips and drew another deep breath. He stared ahead once more, a forced smile plastered across his face.

"I can’t believe it," he continued under his breath. "It really happened."

Ashley studied him from the corner of her eye.

June was someone she had once considered a friend simply because he had been kinder to her than most.

But at the end of the day, she knew his actions had always revolved around Isabella.

He had always had his eyes on her.

It took Ashley a while to understand that what she and June had shared had never really been friendship.

June’s kindness toward her had simply been another way of gaining Isabella’s favor.

Not that Ashley considered him a bad person.

It just meant whatever they had between them was never real.

"I wish you well, June," Ashley remarked, studying his side profile.

She waited until he finally looked at her before a small smile appeared on her face.

"I mean that. Isabella was someone you saw a future with, and I’m sorry."

With that, Ashley straightened and was about to stand when June said something she hadn’t expected.

"I never saw my future with Isabella."

Ashley stopped. "Huh?"

Her brows furrowed as she looked at him again.

This time, she noticed the blankness in his expression. Only then did she realize that June hadn’t shown much emotion since the beginning.

If anything, he had been strangely quiet.

Ashley had assumed he was grieving.

But now, as they held each other’s gaze, she realized she might have been wrong.

June sighed and leaned back against the bench, breaking eye contact with her.

"Isabella..." he started, his voice almost thoughtful. "Isabella is very cute, you know."

He paused.

"She’s gorgeous. Hot. And..." The corners of his lips curled up. "Very stupid."

Ashley stared at him.

June’s smile widened just a little.

"Dealing with her was a good pastime."