Chapter 192 - The New Passport

She was almost at the elevator when she meets Tiny with her doc.u.ments. Tiny quickly handed it to her so she could see what was inside the envelope. Excitedly, Ashley opened the envelope and checked it one by one as they waited for the elevator to arrive.

Her face was glowing with happiness as she scans through each doc.u.ment. Suddenly, the glowing complexion becomes much brighter when she saw her new passport and what was written inside.

[Last name: Jones

Middle name: G

First name: Ashley]

The name is no longer [Ashley P. Gusman]. It's still a Philippines passport, except the name had changed. Unlike two months ago, when she arrived in Japan.

"Brother Tiny, look at this." She pulled it out of the envelope and showed it to him. While pointing to her name as she presents him with a smile as bright as the sun.

When Tiny read it, no reaction... He looked at Ashley, confused while scratching his head. "Ma'am, is there anything wrong with it? Aren't your name spelled, right?" Tiny wondered as he wasn't sure what she was asking her to look at?

"Brother Tiny, didn't you read it?" Said Ashley while her lips puckered up.

"Which one?" He asked once again, unsure of what exactly her lady boss was trying to show him. He began rubbing the back of his neck while trying to figure out what Ashley wanted him to see.

She was about to explain to him what she wanted him to see when the elevator door opened. *Ding!* She quickly put everything back inside the envelope before handing it back to him.

"Here! Keep it safe; I'm not sure I should take it with me to COO Hanada's office. You never know who might accidentally see what's inside if I accidentally forget it." She quickly entered the elevator and pushed the number to the floor of Koji's office.

===

When she arrived at Koji's office, he was not in. Only his secretary was there and busy talking to someone on the phone. She waved at her as she passed by before going straight inside Koji's office to wait for him. 

Koji was called by his father to talk regarding Ashley. President Hanada strongly believes that Koji and Ashley have a secret relationship. He couldn't wait to go home and talk to him. He must know so that they can plan well how to use her for their purpose.

However, President Hanada was greatly disappointed to learn that Koji and Ashley had no relationship besides employee-employer relationsh.i.p.s. They are not even considered friends.

"Tell me the truth, because you know that the Director of THJ Memorial called me and indicated that I'm going to be Grandfather soon. So what did that mean?" President Hanada's eyes widened as he asked his son.

"Dad, are you forgetting that I just recently met Miss Gusman, and it was the same time as you. Remember?!" He was quick to remind his father in case he had forgotten. Suddenly, his eyes widened when he realized what his father had said.

"But, dad! I have nothing to do in that department. Maybe he's talking about Kai. How in the world am I going to get any woman pregnant when I don't even have a girlfriend." Koji insists on his father. 

President Hanada thought about what his eldest son was saying, and he's justified. As far as he could remember, Koji had done nothing but study, and once he graduated, he spent all his time working.

Not once, he heard any rumor of him courting anyone or a girlfriend for that matter. 'Could it be that he's gay? Nah!' The older man thought as he looked at his son seriously.

" Alright! If you need to go back to your cave, go ahead! I'm not stopping you! I still have a lot of doc.u.ments to read and sign anyway. I was merely curious about your relationship with that girl."

President Hanada dismissed Koji just like that and went to a mini bar in his office and poured a glass of bourbon and gulp it in one shot.

Koji's eyes widened as he shook his head before gladly walking out of the President's office.

"I surely don't understand how Grandmother can trust you in your position. You are nothing but a drunkard, womanizer, and most of all ...A Gambler! If this company were left in your hands, it would have been bankrupt a long time ago." He mumbles irritably as he walks back to his office.

===

When he arrived in his office, he saw that Ashley was busy checking email. The face that was sullen a while ago suddenly brightened when he set eyes on Ashley. She was engrossed in what she was doing that her face was almost touching the screen of the computer.

He couldn't help himself, "your face is too close to the computer; it might make your eyes go bad." He banters to ease the eerie sounds inside his office.

Ashley was stunned for a moment when she heard Koji's voice. She swiftly stood up, bowed slightly, with a smile on her lips. She remembers what Grandmother Hanada thought her about paying respect. "Good afternoon, sir Hanada! I trust you had a good lunch?" She thought he was out having lunch.

"Hi! How was your lunch?" He instead asked in a friendly manner. He was stunned by her response.

"I couldn't eat because my father called. Then I had to report to sir Jones." She told a white lie to cover the fact that she was busy with the legal department about her visa.

When Koji heard what she said, he quickly turned to face. "I haven't eaten lunch yet. If you like, since our next appointment is at President Sanches's restaurant. Why don't we go early so we can eat first." Koji invited as he smiled warmly.

'I beg you, Ashley, please! don't decline. Please !!!!' Koji thought as his face was grave while he waits for her reply.

She was going to decline at first, but her stomach interrupted her and growl. She only had a few bites of the food Tiny prepared. She thought it should be enough to last her until dinner; she was wrong. She forgot that she's eating for two already and the baby wanted to eat.

"Sure! Why not, as you heard, my stomach was telling me to accept. Hahaha!." Ashley said as she turned off the computer.

"Yes!" Koji mumbles to himself before quickly turning away so she wouldn't notice that the genuine smile that was on his face a while ago is now a wide grin. He couldn't wait to get ready, he was like a lovestruck teenager going on his first date. 

Unknown to him that this would be the first and also the last time. Ashley would soon be joining her husband in America...