70 Like I Am The Outsider

"Say, Ashton's family didn't want to tell me. But is there a way for you to tell me sir, who designed this girlish ring?"

The four of them including Carl, decided to eat in one of the rest stop between City A and City B.

Gideon will be leaving again tonight. Since they are already enroute, he decided to just arrive there earlier.

He had the chance to sleep at the airplane so the one day gap was fine for him.

He glanced at Ashton before looking back at Amber, "Sir is too distant, just call me grandpa."

Amber's lips twitched, 'Sir we are not that close either. Grandpa is a bit too..."

Amber did not reply but Gideon looked at her expectantly.

"But our connection is just a paper engagement," Amber tried to reason out, full of respects.

In reality she still has some reserve towards Gideon. He was Gideon Wright, the current master of the royal family.

But it seems that living in a low profile within their respective countries, run in the blood.

No one seemed to realize who this old gentleman was. People would just pass by and all.

'Well even my father and mother were not well known in the other countries not under the Price Empire. So I thought that was low profile enough. Who would have thought that these people are even more low profiled.'

Gideon's face turned glum upon hearing her response.

"T- Then, G- Grandfather, I'll call you grandfather," Amber said hastily upon seeing his look.

Ashton could only roll his eyes upon seeing how shameless his grandfather is.

"Okay," Gideon beamed after hearing her say grandfather.

From the moment he spoke to her on the phone and the way she had explained all her plans clearly, he already took a liking to this young lady.

If she and Ashton work out then she would officially be his grand daughter-in-law. If they don't, well he'll just ask her to keep calling him that way.

Amber on the other hand felt the word that came from her mouth unfamiliar.

When she was young, her grandfather was so cold that she didn't want to interact with him at all.

Her great grandfather was the ruler in their place and he watch everyone with mocking eyes, so basically a young girl with quite matured understanding, didn't bother getting close to that person.

She shook her head and look back up, "So? Who designed this ring then?"

Gideon once again glanced at Ashton, Ashton's ears turned red.

Seeing this reactions, Amber with a raised brow slowly looked towards Ashton.

Gideon and Carl sat opposite her and Ashton, so she had to look to her side in order to see his reaction.

And the first thing that she saw was his red ears as he turned his head outside the window.

"No way," she blurted as she look back at Gideon.

She bit her lips in order to stop herself from laughing, but it didn't help at all for she started laughing so hard.

She didn't expect this person to actually design such a girlish ring.

"I... I mean how?... Why?"

She was able to ask in between her laughs.

Gideon cleared his throat, "It was a childhood design. But since his innocence created it. His parents and I decided to use it as his engagament ring design."

Ashton was taken a back when he took the ring back then, he didn't know the design and his mother just pushed him to get it.

He almost threw it away when he opened it. Why would his parents use that stupid design of his?

"Could it be that you once had the dream of jewelry designing?" Amber asked after getting control of herself.

Ashton didn't reply nor looked back at any of them.

"But, this was a precious design. The innocence of the children is a very precious one. Why give it to me? We may have been engaged but it was because of an improper way."

She had no idea how to phrase her words as she asked this.

The other three were stunned by her question.

"I did laugh. But this ring, I find it special."

She raised her left hand and looked at the ring.

It may have the crown design with five points. But the band and the line connecting the five points were designed like a vine interweaving each other.

"The stones and the interweaving parts were all designed to show strong bond and eterninty. Everything was pointing at being together. The over all design and consideration was quite amazing."

"Adding to that, the crown could be considered at the point of view of a child, a crown befitting his queen."

Amber once again looked up, "That is why, I don't think, now understanding that this was a child's design, I don't think this suits me at all."

The ring was from the purity of a child. Her, who demanded an engagement for revenge, felt that she was not worthy of it.

Gideon fell silent, he didn't expect that she had thought even such things.

When they decided to use it as his engagement ring, it was just because Ashton himself have created it.

Ashton was already looking at Amber. If he remember correctly back when he designed it, he had those thoughts as well.

The way the ring was in a round shape and the interweaving parts would return where it started.

Creating multiple infinity designs, the way the stones were chosen. He created it with the purity and innocence of a child.

He didn't expect for her to grasp that kind of feeling upon knowing how and when it was made.

"This is awkward," Amber then commented upon seeing the three of them once again looking at her.

She just buried herself in her food and tried to ignore the three of them.

Gideon chuckled, 'I think that the ring really fits you. You who was able to grasp its importance and meaning. There's no one else.'

He didn't voice it out and decided to just eat. Carl who was just a bystander, shrugged it off.

Ashton suddenly remembered of how Madison reacted when she saw it.

That time it was just a drawing, not yet created as a ring. She smiled and found it cute.

~"It's sooooo cute. You created this when you were young? No wonder it has a bit of childishness in it. A cute crown indeed."~

At that time, Ashton who was a thirteen year old child, just found her reaction normal. Just like how others have seen it.

He didn't know back then but he actually didn't throw any of his drawings back when he was a child. That was why he was able to show it to her.

He was ticked off when Amber started laughing. Madison instantly praised it back then, but this girl started laughing upon knowing he was the one who designed it.

But when she got serious and thought of it as something she don't deserve, he was curious.

And when she explained its importance, he was astonished.

But whatever he thought regarding this, he kept it to himself as he too ate his own food.

Since it was still early, they have decided to rest for a while in a hotel at City B.

Amber, bought clothes at the nearest shopping mall and took a long warm bath.

She felt refreshed after crying so much a while ago. And seeing as it was still three hours before they would depart to the airport.

She decided to take a nap, she haven't sleep since last night after all.

*****

"Take care of her now Ashton. She is a one in a million person. She didn't allow her darkness to be a separate part of herself instead, she accepted everything. Her own flaws and her own weaknesses."

"She used all this to strengthen her strengths and make sure that everything wouldn't go to her head and make her over confident."

"The only thing she has a problem now was the fact that her parents didn't die that long yet and she had been protected until now in exchange of many more lives."

"This burden will be too much for her, try not to hurt her more."

Gideon sighed after saying all these, he really feel bad for her.

"I have learned my lesson grandfather. I'll make sure to watch over her in the next five months," Ashton replied sincerely.

*****

"Just give me a call once my grandson bullies you again. I will fly back and hit him for you," Gideon smiled at Amber as they bid goodbye.

"I understand, grandfather," in order not to prolong their conversation, Amber decided to just accept his offer.

"Very well, take care here. If you feel lonely in the future just give us a call, we will chat with you for as long as you like."

"As for you, remember what you said. I have eyes everywhere," he then looked at Ashton and warned him.

'Why do I feel like I am the outsider?' Ashton couldn't help but think, before he nodded to his grandfather.