125 But They Stayed

As the coffee maker do it's job, Amber opened the faucet and splashed water on her face.

Ashton gave her a chance to cry, he knows her too well. She didn't give any sign and just bowed down to control her emotions but he knew.

She was sniffing as she kept washing her face, making sure that she was not getting her clothes wet at the same time.

When she was finally able to once again control her emotions, she finally closed the faucet and just in time a towel was handed over to her.

She stiffened at first but took it afterwards.

"Let me see your face," Ashton said.

To which she looked up at him after wiping the water off her face.

He sighed, her eyes were completely red and her nose as well. If she goes out now, those who didn't know will surely wonder.

It was a good thing that he told her to make coffee, that was already a good excuse.

"I know what you're thinking, I will do just that as well."

He nodded before placing a hand on top of her head, "You will surely get everything back."

Amber just smiled at the tender touch, she couldn't answer that sentence, it was not a question but she could also retort.

Yet she chose not to, his words sounds so comforting that she didn't want to say something against it.

When they brought out the coffee, the guys eyes were in her.

"Waterworks," she shrugged.

They all look at the coffee before nodding in understanding.

Timothy, Xander, Harvey, Brian and Mathew all thought that Ashton was helping her overcome Carl's death. That it seems that his death was too much of a shock for her despite being the one getting back to those who took his life.

Blake, Devon and Aldger knew the real reason, she cried because of the food.

"Anyway, why is it that all of you are already done eating?" she said upon seeing that all of them have their spoons down.

Trying to lighten up the mood for it seems that everyone was also affected by her red eyes.

'Just how long was I crying?' she thought.

"Quite long, now eat," Ashton answered beside her.

She puffed her cheeks for he once again read what she was thinking, before she indeed started eating, the food was truly delicious.

"You guys can really understand what the other was thinking can't you?" Harvey who saw this, commented.

"That is no longer important, why in the first place did you all come here, at this time," Ashton brushed it off and asked instead.

"We went through circles, indeed Brian why did you make us come here?" Timothy asked, he ended up cooking because of that.

Brian clapped his hands, he pointed at Amber who was still busy eating, to which Ashton slapped his hand away.

"Don't you know that it is rude to point at people," he reprimanded.

"Isn't that why we should have visited you? To know where and why?" Mathew replied.

"You're no fun, you know that? Anyway, I am currently working at SNN," he replied, doing his best to slowly say each word of the last sentence.

"Oh," Blake and the other two said at the same time.

"WHAT!!" but the others reactions were different.

For the entire night since their arrival these three had always have different reaction to everything they were talking about.

Amber suddenly started coughing when they shouted. Ashton gave her water before looking at them murderously.

"Dare shout one more time and I will kick you out of this house," he warned.

"We're sorry Amber," they raised their hands and apologized.

Amber waved her hand as a sign that it was fine before she continued eating.

But to be more precised the ones who shouted were Harvey, Mathew and Xander.

Timothy had the shock look but was more curious to the reaction of the other three.

"You three don't seem shock," he said, looking at them.

"Oh, well, uhmmm, I think you'll understand in a bit, once Brian explains," Devon replied.

"You guys are no fun at all, it's all because you already know," Brian complained.

"Know what?" Harvey asked.

"Well it was already a shock for you that I am currently working at SNN, but you'll be more shock to know the real brain behind SNN," he said with a mysterious smile.

"Is it Amber?" Timothy asked.

"WHAT!!"

Amber almost spit out the coffee this time but Ashton was fast enough to cover her mouth with a napkin. Stopping her from making a mess.

If his eyes were murderous a while ago, this time it was already deadly. And he didn't even blink while looking at them, at the same time patting Amber's back.

"No seriously we really are sorry, I guess we need to go on a different place while talking about this," Xander once again raised his hand.

He knew too well, since among them who kept being shock, he was the only one of the same age as Ashton, he knew that he will have it worst.

"No, clean this up first before you continue this talk," Ashton said monotonously.

Before he helped Amber up to the bathroom, for some of the coffee actually went up to her nose.

"You have to explain later how you come up with that answer," Brian almost pouted as he said to Timothy.

The ones who fixed the table were Harvey, Mathew and Xander.

Despite being young masters, this group were actually responsible enough to know the simplest of the household chores.

Especially Xander and Timothy who would play house with Amber, literally acting like they were not of rich birth but instead of humble birth.

Something both Nathan and Sarah were proud of.

When everything was finally truly settled down.

"How did you know? The surprise is no longer there," Brian commented while looking at Timothy.

"You made it too obvious," Timothy replied.

"You brought us here when we were talking about your new work, then while speaking about it you were pointing at Amber, Blake and the others weren't shock to know that you work at SNN. Isn't that too much of a hint?" he explained.

Xander and the other two nodded in understanding, it was indeed true.

"Well I suppose that was indeed a spoiler," he sulked, he wants to see all of them having a shock look but Blake and the others knew, now Timothy was smart enough to put two and two together.

"Wow, so SNN's true brain was you? Really? How did you do it?" Mathew who was finally able to absorb the information asked her.

"That would be a bit of a difficult question," Amber replied honestly.

How did she do it?

Hard work?

Intelligence?

Right timing?

Being insistent?

Miracle?

Time?

Luck?

What was it that truly allowed her to create all of this?

In reality, it was unknown.

Sometimes no matter how hardworking and intelligent you are, if you are not lucky enough then the timing wouldn't be right and you wouldn't receive the success you wish you had.

Other times, even if your lazy when it was at the right time and your luck... maybe has piled up, then you will surely succeed.

There are times as well, with only hard work and perseverance no matter how many times you fail, no matter how unlucky you are, and if you have the length of time needed, then you can also succeed.

"I suppose that is indeed true," Mathew after thinking for a bit, nodded his head in agreement to her.

"But..."

Amber started, to which everyone had their attention to her.

"All I know when I started it, was that this is what I wanted. Time? Hard work? Intelligence? Luck? Money? Place? I didn't care what I must give, all I know is that I want to make a change in the current course of my life."

"Anyone can insult me for suddenly starting such a difficult company, or they can criticize me for my insistence, or at worst they can go ahead and try to pull me down as I slowly climb up, I don't care, I will face them with everything that I've got just to get what I want."

"And most of all, it is because I love most of what I am doing," she finished.

Her words somehow struck the strings in their heart.

No one knows if it was all of them or most of them but indeed some of them gave out a low sigh.

"You really are something else," Timothy commented as he looked at her directly in the eyes.

How long have he and Xander stayed within the Price Empire, despite knowing that they were just being used?

They could have left for all they care, they didn't need the money or the fame of being a part of the royal.

But they stayed.

This is something Amber has been thinking all this time, she can tell the moment she saw them that they really are not fond of the Price Empire.

But they stayed.

Why?