Read Novel Full Chapter 1036 Service
Chapter 1036: Chapter 1036 Service
Ashley’s mind went completely blank, swallowed by a tide of grief that she could neither resist nor understand.
She couldn’t think. She couldn’t speak.
She could only cry, the tears spilling freely as if her body itself were trying to purge the unbearable weight pressing down on her chest.
She didn’t even notice Ross stepping closer at first. His arms wrapped around her, firm yet gentle, steadying her shaking body.
It wasn’t a romantic hug, nor one born of desire—it was something far more essential, far more human: a hug meant solely to offer comfort, to hold a grieving woman who had lost her anchor in the world.
Lyric wasn’t truly gone, of course—Ross was Lyric, in a way that no one else could ever know.
The truth he carried was one that could never be revealed, a shadow locked in his heart, heavy but he did not regret it also.
To speak it aloud would shatter everything.
And yet, in this moment, holding Ashley as she broke, he felt the unbearable tug of wanting to tell her everything, to ease her suffering.
"No... nooooo..." The sound tore from Ashley’s throat, raw and broken, echoing in the quiet room.
Her hands clutched at Ross’s shoulders as though gripping him could keep her tethered to reality.
When she realized she was in his arms, she didn’t resist.
She surrendered fully, letting the raw, uncontrollable waves of sorrow wash over her.
Her sobs grew louder, sharper, each one wracking her body as if trying to expel the grief that had lodged itself in her chest.
Minutes stretched into an indeterminate haze. She didn’t know how long she cried, how long she clung to Ross, or even how long the room had existed in this suspended state of pain.
Time had no meaning here—only the sensation of loss, and the strange, fragile solace of being held.
Her throat burned from screaming, raw and hoarse, her voice disappearing entirely as if stolen by the weight of her grief.
Her eyes were swollen, reddened from crying, and tears continued to flow unchecked, carving endless trails down her cheeks.
And yet, in the midst of it all, there was a strange clarity—she was alive, she was here, and someone she barely even knew was holding her.
Still, that small comfort became the fragile thread keeping her tethered to the world.
Ross remained still, silent, letting her emotions pour out without interference.
He knew there was nothing he could say to undo her pain, nothing he could do to ease it in a meaningful way.
The world had turned on her in an instant, tearing away her sense of security and dragging her into despair, and words alone could not heal the wound.
As Ashley’s sobs gradually softened into quieter, tremulous shudders, Ross felt the weight of both their secrets pressing against him.
He could feel the pulse of her grief, the raw vulnerability in her trembling form.
A part of him ached to tell her the truth, to remove the mask of tragedy, to whisper that Lyric was still alive in a way no one could understand.
But it certainly wasn’t possible and the secret could never see the light of day.
Slowly, her body relaxed, just slightly, into the embrace.
Even as her tears continued to flow, there was a faint recognition of safety, a fragile acknowledgment that someone cared enough to shoulder her pain with her.
In that quiet, unspoken connection, a bond formed—not born of romance, nor of lust, but of trust, shared suffering, and the mutual understanding that some truths were too heavy to carry alone.
Ashley finally lifted her head slightly, her swollen eyes meeting Ross’s.
They were red, glassy, and raw, but there was a flicker of something more—grief tempered by the smallest spark of hope.
Ross did not speak.
He simply held her, letting her cry, letting her mourn, letting her pour herself into him until the storm inside her subsided, at least enough for her to breathe again.
"Tell me, Ross... how did you know my husband?" Ashley asked once she had calmed down considerably.
Her fingers nervously twisted the edge of her robe as she pulled herself out of his embrace and looked at him, searching his face for answers.
Ross let out a heavy sigh and slowly walked to sit on the edge of the bed, his posture calm but heavy with the weight of untold truths.
He paused for a moment, gathering his thoughts, before beginning to weave his lies.
"I met Lyric a long time ago," Ross said, his voice steady, yet carrying a quiet undertone of admiration.
"He wasn’t just... ordinary. Even back then, he had a sense of justice that went beyond what most people understand. He cared, fiercely. He never gave up on anyone, no matter how hopeless the situation seemed. That... that’s why he caught my attention."
Ashley listened intently, her tears long dried but her eyes still glistening with a mix of curiosity and sorrow.
She could feel the gravity of his words, the weight of a life she had never known her husband lived.
"I run... ran," Ross corrected himself, a faint shadow of emotion passing over his face, "a covert agency. Most of the world doesn’t know we exist. We combat criminals the law often cannot touch—the ones who slip through every crack, leaving destruction behind. Lyric... he became involved because he believed in justice, in taking action when the world failed to protect the innocent. He knew the risks, yet he never hesitated."
Ross leaned back slightly, his eyes unfocused for a moment, lost in the memory.
"I guided him when necessary, protected him in ways he didn’t even realize. Not everyone can handle the kind of threats he faced. Most would crumble. But Lyric... he had a strength, a determination that few could match. And yet... he remained kind, gentle, human. Even after facing horrors most would never survive, he never lost himself. Never lost the part of him that loved you, Ashley."