This story begins with a sixteen-year-old girl named Ashley, who was living with her mother. Her father left her mother and her a long time ago; she was only two years old then, so she doesn’t remember him well. He was never a part of her growing up - the only thing keeping him in her life was the birthday letters he sent to her. She never asked for more, never tried to contact him. But one day that changed. Her mother was very sick for a few months. The doctors said it was lung cancer in its terminal stage. There was no cure, only a little more time they could spend together. On Tuesday afternoon, Ashley’s phone rang in the middle of a class. She left the classroom and answered the phone.
“Hello?”, she said.
“Good afternoon Miss Ashley. I’m very sorry to inform you… your mother has passed away…”, the nurse from the hospital said.
“No…No! That can’t be…The doctor said she has a week left at least…”, she burst into tears.
“I’m sorry Miss… please, come to sign the papers tomorrow.”
*Beep* Ashley hung up, tears streaming down her cheeks.
She went back to her class, gathered her things and explained the situation to the teacher. Her teacher let her go home to sort things out.
She didn’t have a choice but to contact her father when she got home.
After 8 pm she sent him a message to which he responded immediately.
-Ashely, don’t worry I will pay for the funeral. Gather your things and I will pick you up tomorrow after you are done with the paperwork at the hospital. -
She was stunned by his response, but she listened and packed her things shedding a tear for every little thing she collected.
The next day.
“Good morning Miss Ashley; right this way.”, said the nurse leading Ashley into the office.
“Thank you.”
She was looking at the papers, reading them. She sighed then signed, got her phone out of her pocket and texted her father.
He came a few minutes later in this big black jeep with tinted windows. She was confused but got into the car. They drove for about an hour and half. When she saw where they were heading, she was even more confused.
“You live up that hill in the big mansion?”, she asked.
“Yes, and so do you now.” he answered.
She was stunned by that information but didn’t say a word. When they arrived, there was a butler waiting.
“You must be Miss Ashley?”, the butler said.
“Yes, that’s me and what is your name?”
“My name is Henry, Miss.”
“Alright.”
“Let me help you with those bags, Miss.”
“Thank you Hen.”
He gathered her bags and showed her to her room. Her room was painted in her favorite color and had furniture in the exact style she loved. She didn’t know how her father knew her so much because of the lack of contact with him, but she ignored it.
She started unpacking her things when there was a knock on the door.
“Come in!”, she said.
“Hello, Miss! My name is Ava; I will be your personal maid.”
“Hem, okay Ava; my name is Ashley… nice to meet you. Did you need something?”
“Yes Miss, your father wants to see if you would like to have dinner with him tonight. He is thinking a restaurant you might like?”
“Sure, I will join him. And about the restaurant he can choose I don’t have a favorite one.”
“Alright Miss, be ready at 7 pm and wear something nice – there are a few options in your closet. Your father picked them himself.”
“Alright.”, she closes the door.
Ashley walked over to the big walk-in closet to see what her father had bought. There was a beautiful long lilac dress, a shorter black one and a red matching set of a skirt and a corset top. She was stunned by the options. She didn’t know which one to choose because they were all so stunning. But at the end she choose the mid-length black dress.
“This should be the safest option ha-ha.”, she said to herself.
She did her make-up and put up her long hair in a high ponytail.
They got in the car. The driver drove to this small restaurant. When she read the name, she was stunned. Its name was Angel’s place. The same name as her mother’s.
“We are here, Mister Russo.”
“Thank you, Marco.”
They got out of the car and went inside. They got a seat by the window on the top floor. The view was beautiful.
“So, Ash, how are you kiddo?”
“I’m okay thank you for asking.”
“Of course I’m your father, I should ask you that.”
“Mhm, can I ask you something?”
“Of course.”
“Why did you leave me and mum?”
“Well, you see I loved your mother, and you of course, but I… I didn’t want to put you in danger.”
“What danger?”
“Oh Ash, your mother never told you to put the letters under a black light? I’m a well-known man kiddo. And I worked with many dangerous people.”
“What do you mean?”
He grabs a pen from his pocket and writes on the napkin. *I’m the boss of the biggest cartel in the state. * He passes it to her and continues talking.
“When you were little, I had an old rival who was also in love with your mother. He wanted to kill me because of how jealous he was. I didn’t want to risk him hurting you too. So I packed my stuff and left because I knew he would want to get revenge on me.”
“Oh my God I can’t believe… That was why you sent that black light lamp one year!? …and all these years I thought you were just a dead old beat dad who left his wife for another woman.”
“Oh no kiddo. Never, I loved your mother. I still do even if she’s not here. That’s why I named this place after her.”
“THIS IS YOUR RESTAURANT?”
“Of course it is”
“Oh my god.”
They continued talking and Ashley was now at ease that se knew the truth. Her mind was blown away by her dad’s stories of her mother and him. The way he talked about her mother, the spark in his eyes – it was obvious that he loved her.
“How did you know my favorite color and style?”
“Your mother sent me a list in a letter a few days before she passed. I guess she knew her life was about to stop…”
Ashley looked at him. They both had tears in their eyes. She got up from the chair and hugged her dad tight, both sheading a tear at the same time. He hugged her right back, being careful not to squeeze her too tight.
A few months passed of them living together. Ashley never felt happier and safer. She continued to go to school, she never let her grades drop low and whenever she needed help her dad was there to help. They started getting along like they had never been separated. They watched movies, baked; he even taught her martial arts.
One day there was a knock on the door. Henry and Ashley both got to the door. Henry opened the door.
“Yes?”, Henry asked.
“Hello. I’m Leonel, I need to speak to Mister Russo.
It’s urgent.”
“Right. Come in.”
Ashley looked at him. He was familiar to her, but she couldn’t remember from where. ‘Those eyes...’, she thought, ‘they are so familiar…’
“You can’t come in.”, Ashley said.
The guy looked at her. Their eyes locked.
“ASH?!”, Leonel said.
“LEO?!”
“Oh my god, Ash! What are you doing here?”
“I live here. I’m Mister Russo’s daughter.”
Mister Russo came down the stairs because of all the noise.
“Oh Leonel, I see you met my daughter.”
“Actually Sir, I have known her since elementary school.”
“Good to know.”
Leonel and Mister Russo went upstairs to talk about the urgent situation.
“What do you mean she is still alive?”, Mister Russo asked.
“That’s right Sir your wife is still alive. The nurse was paid by the Marino family.”
“You’re telling me my beautiful Angel is in that bastard’s filthy hands now.”
“Yes, Sir.”
“Gather our best people. We are going to get her.
NOW.”
“Yes, Sir. Right away, Sir.”
Ashley heard the yelling and ran up the stairs to see what happened. She saw her dad sitting in his chair massaging his temples.
“Is everything alright?”
“Kiddo…Sit down…”
She sat on the chair opposite of his.
“Yes?”
“Remember the rival I told you about a few months ago. The one that was in love with your mother?”
“Yes? What about him?”
“Kiddo, your mom is still alive. He took her.”
“No…”
“I’m sorry kiddo; I will gather my best people and I swear we will get her back.”
“May I come too, dad?”
“Ashley it’s too dangerous…”
“The only reason why I want to go is because I did my research. I can help you.”
“If you say so, kiddo.”
She got dressed in this tight long red dress and drove with two bodyguards to Marino’s mansion.
She walked straight in without knocking. The confidence on her face shocked the team that was watching the cameras from the outside.
“Mister Marino.”, she said reaching out her hand.
“Ahh, Miss Ash. I was expecting you.” – he shook her hand.
“You know I know that you took her.”
“Yes, I’m aware of that. And what are you going to do about it?”
“Well do you know my background?”
“What background? You are a student. You haven’t even graduated yet.”
“Well, I guess you didn’t do proper research. I’m Miss Red.”
“No…You can’t be the one that saved my grandpa’s business.”
“Yes, I am! Now, please, give my mother back… or do you want me to call your family and tell them what you are doing and how you are messing up their family name!?.”
“No, no, please…
GUARDS! BRING HER!”
Two guards brought out Ashley’s mother. She looked okay, thank goodness.
“Thank you! We will be leaving now...”
She took her mother by the hand and they left. Everyone outside was stunned.
“Kiddo, you are Miss Red? The most secretive hacker and cartel operator in the world?”
“Of course I am! It runs my blood.”, she winks at her father.
They got back home and they all agreed not to let anything like that happen again. And they all kept the promise. Ashley continued school and graduated with honors. Her and Leonel started dating eventually. Leonel found a legal job. Ashley’s mom got better thanks to the best doctors Mister Russo could find. After a few years, Ashley and Leonel got married and had two beautiful children named Theodor and Lily. Mister Russo retired from his position in the cartel and they all lived happily ever after.
The end.