Ashley froze in shock at Ethan's unexpected reaction, left completely speechless.
She couldn't see his face directly—the black mask hid everything.
But Ashley's memory never failed her. She had seen him, knew him, and was certain that the man she saw on the monitoring screen was Ethan.
There was no mistake—it was him.
Even so, Ashley couldn't understand why Ethan refused to meet her.
Her eyes lowered, then widened slightly as she noticed his left hand.
Blood dripped from the hand clenched tightly into a fist. Ashley realized something with a look of shock.
A moment later, she knew what she had to do.
Ashley stepped forward, smiling softly as she apologized.
Jill, Leon, and Leni were all surprised by Ashley's reaction.
"I'm sorry. I thought you were someone else. Forgive me," said Ashley.
Ethan smiled faintly behind his black mask. He dismissed his sword, easing the tension that filled the air.
