Broken Memories, Intertwined Hearts

Chapter 291

Hitting the hot springs, Ethan thought that was a great idea. Just to be on the safe side, Ethan gave a ring to a doc he knew, double-checking that the activity wouldn't have any effect on a pregnant woman before deciding to tell Ines.

Ines was stoked when she heard about the weekend getaway. She told Ethan, "It would be a total snooze-fest if it's just us. We should invite more people. We're gonna be there for two days, and we can't be soaking in the hot springs the whole time. It'll be more fun if there's a crowd."

Ethan thought Ines' idea was solid, so he shot off invites to Noel and Aaron right away. Noel was always game for these kind of shindigs, especially knowing Phoebe might be there. He shot back a text pretty quick, saying he was in.

Aaron was a bit slower to respond but he also said he was in.

Seeing that Ethan had already invited them, Ines also let Phoebe and Ashley know, both of whom showed great interest. Come Saturday morning, Aaron seemed a bit taken aback when he saw Ashley in her casual outfit. This ticked Ashley off a bit, "Don't give me that look. I didn't want to explain because you might say I'm making excuses, but I didn't come here for you. I just wanted to have some fun."

Aaron just chuckled, looking at Ashley with the same adoring gaze as he always did, "I didn't say anything."

"Good." Ashley replied curtly, before declaring, "Just so we're clear, I'm over older guys. I'm going for younger guys now. Don't try to pair me up with Aaron anymore, got it?"

Ines wasn't sure if Ashley was playing or being serious. She glanced over at Aaron, whose face seemed to shift a bit, but he didn't say anything.

Ethan suddenly changed his tone, "Who is it? How old? Is he reliable?"

Ashley just rolled her eyes at Ethan, "Don't even think about snooping around. He's not in our class, but he's in our school. We're just in the dating phase now. I'll bring him to meet you when I plan to get married."

"Just make sure you're careful." Ines said.

"Got it." Ashley replied obediently.

Phoebe put an arm around her shoulder, "Good for you, you've found your target already."

"My mom always told me to find a good man early, so I can switch him out if things don't work out. Otherwise it'll be hard to find someone when I'm older." Ashley said.

Ines thought Ashley was being pretty blunt, and it seemed to sting someone else.

Since Mar County wasn't that far from A City, just a two-hour drive on the highway, they decided to drive there. Phoebe was also planning on driving herself, but she felt too tired. So she hopped in Ethan's car with Ashley.

Aaron and Noel were at a loss, but they couldn't really force them out of the car.

The three women were chatting in the back, and with Ines' voice included, Ethan didn't find it annoying.

"Ashley, you really got a boyfriend?" Ines asked curiously.

"Would I lie about that?" Ashley replied, flipping out a picture on her phone. It was a photo of the two of them, one in front of the other, looking very close. The boy was handsome, not as mature as Aaron, but definitely not lacking in the looks department. He and Ashley looked really good together.Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

"He's pretty good looking." Phoebe chimed in.

"Of course, I've always been surrounded by good-looking guys, so naturally my boyfriend can't be subpar. Otherwise I wouldn't be able to accept it." Ashley said.

Ashley flipped through more photos. There were a lot of photos of the two of them, and their relationship seemed really good. Ines was both happy for Ashley and felt a pang of regret for Aaron, because he had missed out on a girl who truly liked him.

The hotel was located in an eco-park, which was huge. When their cars entered, they were handed some brochures. They would be staying at the Serenity Lake Hotel which was a five-star comprehensive hotel integrating accommodation, conference, catering, and entertainment.

The drive had been tiring. After a meal together, they each went back to their rooms to rest, agreeing to meet up later in the evening.

The temperature here was a bit cooler than in the city, probably due to the eco-park's temperature regulation, and it wasn't as dry. Ines fell in love with the place right away.

Opening the window, a moist breeze blew in, refreshing Ines. Ethan wrapped his arms around her waist from behind, "Do you like it here?"

"It's great, not inferior to those coastal cities at all." Ines couldn't help but smile; she really liked this place. It felt like the pace of life had slowed down, without the hustle and bustle of the city.

"I think it's more like you haven't been on a vacation for a long time. Once these two kids are born, I'll make time every year to travel with you." Ethan said.

"It's not like before, I can't let go of the Galeana Group." Ines said, a bit depressed.

"Don't worry about it, I've already thought about it for you. I've started looking for a professional management team. After you go home for maternity leave, I'll have them temporarily manage it for you. If you want to be a non-executive director in the future, that's also possible." Ethan said.

"Really?" Ines looked at Ethan in surprise.

"Of course, what would you do when you give birth otherwise?" Ethan countered.

"I was planning on asking Silas to act as a proxy for a while." Ines said.

"Silas does know the company well, but he's also getting old. We can't have him working hard all the time. If we find a professional management team, you both can relax a bit." Ethan explained.

"You really have thought of everything, I've never even considered this." Ines felt warm inside. This man had everything arranged for her.