Torn Between Love and Hate

Chapter 217 Ashton Once Loved Her Too

Adrian understood her thoughts. After all, how could he not understand her after keeping her by his side for so many years?

From the moment they arrived outside the Ashton Emergency Room, Alyssa seemed to be lost in her thoughts.

He nodded. "Alright."

After they finished speaking, several people entered the ward first, leaving Alyssa outside.

Alyssa stood in place for a long time before turning around and walking back the way she had just come..

She just wanted some peace and quiet, to clear her head a bit.

Some emotions and thoughts that popped up in her mind, she knew she shouldn't have had them.

If Mom found out, how disappointed would she be?

That man is Ashton, not even worthy of being called her father.

He had done such things, so many things, that it was as if Deborah and me had died once.

She should treat him like an enemy, hating him and wishing he were dead.

Alyssa's mind raced, constantly pushing herself to stay more alert.

Somehow, without realizing it, she found herself standing outside Ashton's hospital room again.

The door was slightly ajar, and Rebecca's voice could be heard from inside. "You know very well where you stand right.

now."

This is the perfect opportunity. You've just saved Deborah's life, and now it's time to talk to her. Convince her to agree

to let Alyssa donate bone marrow to you.

Ashton, if you don't speak up now, are you really planning to just wait for death?"

Hector's aged voice sounded. "Ashton, Ms. Moxley does have a point. We don't want to hurt Alyssa and Deborah any further, but the doctor has said that with the advancements in medical technology, there isn't much risk involved in

donating bone marrow.

Before the donation, Alyssa will also undergo a thorough physical examination. If there are any conditions that make her unsuitable for donation, no one will force her to proceed."

Hector practically begged him, "For the sake of the Black family, and for the sake of this old man, please don't be so negative and seek your own demise. If something happens to you, how am I supposed to face your parents?"

This old man in his eighties, however, let the young Ashton walk ahead of him.

His deceased children could never forgive him, and he could never forgive himself either.

It took Ashton a long time to speak, and from beginning to end, there were only those few sentences.

"I've already said, Alyssa is too young and it's not suitable for her to donate. I'm not looking for trouble, but if we find

a compatible bone marrow match elsewhere, I'll cooperate with the surgery."

Rebecca turned around and headed for the door, saying, "If you won't tell her, I will. I don't believe that Deborah, who

you just saved, would have the heart to refuse at this moment."

Ashton looked at her indifferently, "Whoever wants to go, just go. As for the final bone marrow transplant surgery, no

one has the right to make the decision for me unless I sign the consent myself."

Rebecca turned around angrily and looked at him, "You!"

Hector's voice trembled, "How can you be so confused? It's been three years since all that happened! Torturing yourself like this now, what can it possibly change?" Ashton glanced to the side, looking out the window.

"I'm not making things difficult for myself; I'm telling the truth. Alyssa is too young; it's not appropriate."

As long as Deborah didn't give her approval, it was not suitable, and anyone who said otherwise would be wrong.

Ashton spoke a few words, somewhat excited.

Once again, he couldn't control the incessant coughing, which only grew worse.

Soon, doctors rushed over, and the ward began to descend into chaos.

Alyssa stood outside, dazed, as she watched the doctor hurriedly pass by her and rush into the patient's room.

She listened to the messy sounds coming from inside.

The doctor's anxious and stern voice, along with Rebecca and Hector's voices, all flooded into her ears like an overwhelming wave. Alyssa turned around somewhat sluggishly and slowly walked away from the place.

She returned to Deborah's ward, feeling a stinging pain in her eyes and an uncontrollable sense of strangeness throughout her body. Afraid that Deborah might notice something, she didn't return to the ward. Instead, she sidestepped and entered the adjacent corridor.

This building had many floors, so people used the elevator to go up and down.

The hallway was deserted and eerily quiet.

Alyssa walked in, and the heavy fire door closed behind her.

She looked down, gazing at the deep stairwell, with the stairs extending layer by layer downward.

As she continued to watch, she began to feel a bit dizzy and disoriented, her expression becoming absent-minded.

At some point, the fingers unknowingly dug deep into the palm of the hand.

She knew that some things were better left unremembered. The man's past wrongdoings were too numerous to count, and in comparison, the little bit of good he had once shown was hardly worth mentioning. Yet at this moment, one simply couldn't help but think.

The so-called father, Ashton, believed Helen's words and the paternity test report she produced when she was just over four years old.

He believed it, thinking that she wasn't his biological daughter.

Ever since then, they relentlessly tormented and hurt her and her Deborah..

But before that, he had been good to her.

Before she turned four, Ashton resented Deborah. He despised her for scheming and becoming pregnant with his

child, ultimately marrying into the Mullen family.

But he didn't hate Alyssa, nor did he hate his own daughter.

He had also secretly bought snacks, toys, and clothes for Alyssa many times without Deborah's knowledge. He would call her into the study and sneakily give them to her.

He warned her again by saying she was not allowed to tell Deborah that he bought those things.

She could only say that Jeff had a kind heart, secretly buying it for her.

Alyssa, fearing Ashton, could only follow his instructions.

So even to this day, Deborah would occasionally say that although Jeff had been with Ashton for so many years, he had always been different from Ashton.

She said Jeff was a good man who always silently helped them, especially during the hardest times for her and her daughter, Alyssa.

Alyssa still remembered the time when Ashton called her to study and provided her with food and clothing.

She timidly took the item and was about to leave when he called out to her, "What are you afraid of? Do you think I'm scary? Come here and say thank you, Dad." Alyssa picked up the item, feeling somewhat frightened, and turned around to walk back.

After dilly-dallying for quite a while, she finally walked up to him and opened her mouth to say, "Thank..."

After talking for quite a while, she still hesitated and only managed to utter a single word.

Ashton grew impatient and, in one swift motion, pulled her toward him and onto his lap.

Alyssa was almost in tears, and he said unhappily, "I'm your dad, what's wrong with giving you a hug?

Tell me what you like, and I'll buy it for you in the future. But you mustn't tell Deborah, and don't let her know that I hugged you, alright?"

At that time, Alyssa was very timid and could only keep nodding her head.

Ashton had once loved her deeply, and there were many times when he had held her in his arms, in places where

Deborah couldn't see.

But he never, in the presence of others, would lift her up high like other fathers do..

Apart from the two of them, no one else knew about this.

Everyone said that Ashton had always hated them, mother and daughter. But only Alyssa knew that it hadn't always.

been like that.

Alyssa stared at the long corridor, and before she knew it, her face was wet.

The fire exit door opened behind her, and she reacted a bit slowly. As she turned around, she saw Deborah standing right behind her.

Alyssa was startled and hastily wiped her face in a fluster.

"Mom... Mom."