Chapter 4. For Love

DYLAN

Here we are, standing outside the gate of the infamous Ridley House, with my wife talking to a security guard with a walkie-talkie about why he should let us in. And we’d been here for almost ten minutes.

“I’m sorry, Miss Ashlene. I wasn’t given any instruction about your arrival by Mr. Seth. His exile of you is what I remember,” the man with a mustache like Hitler’s firmly said.

Ashlene sighed and looked at me. “Are you going to help me with this or you’ll just stand there like an idiot?”

“Do you want me to try and convince him?”

She shrugged. I stepped closer.

“Good day, sir. If I may say, I think you’re having the wrong idea here. Ashlene, my wife, has already talked with her father on the phone. They agreed to welcome us back here.”

Still, the man looked unconvinced.

“I’m his daughter. By all right, I know you’re working for my family… I’m sure once Dad comes home and sees me in the living room, he won’t say anything about it. As he said, he and I talked on the phone,” Ashlene still tried.

“I’m sorry, Miss. I really can’t. I am given strict orders never to let anyone in the house when Mr. Seth or Mr. Anton isn’t here. Even if it’s you.”

Ashlene sighed, finally beaten. Think, Dylan, think.

“Maybe you should call your father?” I suggested.

“You’re right.”

One thing I knew about Seth Ridley was that he didn’t want to be disturbed when he was working, no matter who you were. Yet, given our miserable situation standing here in front of their gate with our car parked at the side of the road with all our belongings, the suggestion sounded just about right. I was also hoping this time, he’d miss his daughter enough that he’d make an exception. Just this time. If that wasn’t too much to ask the mighty man.

Ashlene put the call on speaker. It rang… after some moments, he picked up. Wow.

“Ash darling,” he greeted.

“Dad? Hi. I am really sorry for disturbing you but there’s a situation here in the house. I… As we agreed yesterday, Dylan and I are already here, but we cannot go past security. Apparently, I’m still an exile to them.”

There was a pause on the other line.

“Oh, sorry about that. It kind of slipped my mind. I haven’t told the security on my way to work this morning. Can you give the phone to Andrew?”

So the security man’s name was Andrew.

“It’s okay, Dad. You’re on speaker.”

“Great… Andrew, are you there?”

Ashlene jogged nearer so that the man who prohibited our entrance could hear clearly. Andrew looked smitten upon hearing his boss’s voice.

“Yes, sir. I can hear you.”

“Open the gates. They’re now living in the house.”

“Yes, sir. I apologize for the misunderstanding.”

“You don’t have to. That’s my daughter. She doesn’t need to call me for entrance at her own house. On that note, pack your bags, Andrew. You’re fired.”

The man quickly grabbed Ashlene’s phone and apologized repeatedly to his boss, trying to keep his job. I, on the other hand, was surprised. It was that easy for him to fire someone over a tiny mistake? Ashlene had a poker face. Used to it, maybe.

The man’s begging was all in vain, and he gave us one last glare before he opened the gate. I murmured my thanks, and we went back to the car. As soon as we drove past him, I glanced at the rearview mirror and saw him close the gate.

“How long has that man been working here?” I asked Ashlene as the image of the man in the rearview mirror slowly disappeared from view.

“How could I know? I was away for a while… But in this house, Dad’s words are law. Once he said the words, it was like the fall of the hammer. There’s no going back.”

I gulped. I see.

I had a lot of follow-up questions but saved them for later. We reached the front of the house and I bet Seth called those in charge of the household of our arrival after he fired Andrew as a row of people welcomed us with a smile. They were wearing the same clothes: white and royal blue. It took me a moment to recognize that they were employees of the Ridleys; their number doubled compared to the last time we were here.

“We’re finally here, love,” I said when I turned and saw Ashlene with cloudy eyes.

“Please take care of the bags, Dylan.”

“Sure. Do you need anything else?”

She was lost for words as we stopped, and a man came to get our keys to the car.

“Let me handle it, sir,” he said and I let him in charge, shrugging to Ashlene.

Everyone greeted us warmly. Especially their returning princess. We entered the house and were escorted by Angeline, one of her handmaidens, to Ashlene’s room. It was the same room she had since she was a child, only modified according to her dynamic taste.

“Your father didn’t let anyone enter nor use your room, Miss. He knew you’d come back one day,” Angeline said. What was that supposed to mean?

“Well, he’s right. Only that now, there’s only one parent to welcome my arrival.”

Angeline’s smile faded. I patted my wife’s back.

“Right… I’m sorry, Miss. Everyone in the house is still not used to Mrs. Klaire’s absence.”

We reached the room, and Angeline gave us a key. But Ashlene didn’t want the conversation to finish just yet. I could only listen.

“How is Dad coping up, anyway? Anton?”

Angeline sighed. “Mr. Seth is… Well, your dad’s acting tough, but there was this moment when I caught him sobbing in their room. He’s miserable, Miss. Only trying to hide it. Mr. Anton as well.”

Ashlene nodded. After some more catching up about the house and the people living in it, Ashlene finally opened the door to our new room. As Angeline said, the room was well-kept. The queen-sized bed was tucked in with multiple pillows and a fresh sheet. I looked around and couldn’t help but compare this one room with the size of our apartment back in Baguio. Which was too small. This room was even bigger than the entire apartment.

Another reminder of the life she left for me. Now she was back.