285 I Idolize You

"Well at the very least she had improved in whatever it is that she was doing," Jackson sighed as he watch Ashley doing her job in a small restaurant.

"Why do you say that?"

"In the beginning she had break quite a lot of glass and plates. She was lucky the owner was a kind woman. Her knife was all over the place as well, she can't chop the ingredients evenly and if that were to be seen by the restaurants she first entered. Then she would have been fire," he replied.

"How many times was she fired?"

"Around five? Up to that point she never truly thought about the advice given to her of the chef from the three star restaurant she first wanted to enter. After being fired for the fifth time, she finally internalized what it meant and decided to start from the bottom."

"..."

"Though I admit that she was born from an Empire but I guess she was really caged almost all of her life, caged by her riches and power. She barely realized that people only compliments the taste of what she cooked."

"..."

"But if she really want to pursue a career in the culinary world, not just the taste but even the way it looks must be considered. When ingredients are cut, there is still a difference in taste when cut evenly or not."

"..."

"Though I think what she needed to learn the most is how to open up to her family. She had a loving one and in this world where power was being fought over by so many people, there was a bare minimum to such kind of family."

"..."

"She should really treasure that and just stop being a brat- WAAHHH"

Jackson who had been speaking to the person beside him freaked out upon looking to that person.

He was just talking to himself then someone whom he didn't realize was there, asked him questions that he subconsciously started talking like that person was a friend.

Yet upon seeing him, he wished he didn't look at all.

Of all people to hear him talk badly about Ashley, why must it be this person?

"I understand why Amber tasked you to watch over Ashley, you really are observant and was truly doing your job properly. But I am wondering if her identity wouldn't be revealed by the way you talk without knowing who you are talking to."

Jackson could only swallow hard, he has no retort. No retort at all, this man is a very scary person.

He had been following the news of this man and he knew that when this person gets mad then all hell will get lose. And Jackson has no desire of being under that kind of situation.

He can fight okay, he can be on par on some body guards but that doesn't mean he was very strong already. He can tell just by one look that this person has the strength only a few could contend. But it was a year and a half or so since the incident of him going against another Empire.

Why does it feel like he was far stronger as if it has already been ten years since then?

"I can't show up in front of her or that brat would runaway again."

"I- I see," was all Jackson could say.

'How long? How long has he been here? If he was an assassin then I would be dead even without realizing it.'

Jackson once again swallowed hard, this time no longer of shock or fear towards this person but instead of fear for his life and how careless he was.

"I'm sorry," he blurted out after a while.

He was careless not just for himself but for Ashley as well. He spoke what was on his mind to a person he didn't know and that placed her in danger as well.

Though if it is not this person whom he is facing, he wouldn't apologize. He only apologized because it was this person's younger sister whom he placed in danger.

But his apology was sincere.

Ashton looked down at the young man who had his head bowed.

"Raise your head, you are not her body guard. You were tasked to watch over her so even if you ended up blurting something that would place her in danger, you are not entirely at fault for you never vowed to protect her with your life."

Ashton never spoke this long to strangers. He merely speak a word reply or he would answer curtly.

This was the first time he met Jackson but Amber have told him how diligent this young one was in watching over his sister even using his connections to teach her about things.

Ashley was a stranger to Jackson just as Jackson was stranger to him. But Jackson still did his best on the task at hand so what right does Ashton have to get mad at him for that carelessness?

Amber didn't know or may know just didn't bother but Ashton still sent people, trusted people who was beside him longer, to protect Ashley.

No, she must have known. But she also knew that she has no power to protect her with that was going on around her.

Amber from the get go, never hired bodyguards or people to protect her. She had been relying on herself all this time. Though Ashton would send people to protect her from afar due to this.

It's not that she believes in herself too much but because she was already tired of watching her bodyguards die in front of her.

How many was it? How many have died by protecting her for the ten years that she and her family were running away?

At the same time, her current name is Amber Wood and Amber Wood was a nobody in this world.

So a body guard is currently not needed.

"I..."

Ashton's thought stoped when he heard Jackson speak up once again.

"I am your fan," was what came next.

Ashton's brows instantly furrowed.

"I mean, I idolize you. Just as I idolize sister Amber, you two are making a difference on your own ways. I just want to say that," Jackson's face turned red.

Ashton's brows raised, he didn't expect to hear such words when he came here.

"I have heard that you too have been doing your best to help out Amber. I, thank you for that," was all he could say in return.

Then silence enveloped the two of them as they looked back at where Ashley was working.

"Please do watch over her, she is a brat but I'll entrust her to you," was his words before saying goodbye.

Jackson watched the back of the man until it disappears.

'I couldn't tell him that I idolize him for throwing everything away for your friend. That he was willing to go at any length in order to get back at those who killed his friend. I don't think it was appropriate at all,' was what he thought.

Though this was an eventful day for him, to actually speak face to face with your idol, just what more could he ask for?

"Well, I guess you should be thankful that your brother is my idol. If not I would have turned around already," he once again spoke up looking back at Ashley.

He saw her speaking happily with their customer, the same group of three men that came almost every other day for about a whole month now.

They must have their work near this place for them to have their lunch in this location.

She looks happy and the guys looks friendly.

He shrugged and looked back on his phone where he was watching some cooking shows. Since he couldn't really train right now, what he can do is watch cooking shows and reading things about ingredients.

He would from time to time open a word app in his phone and type some things, such as certain ingredients for a dish. Or certain ingredients that could be exchanged with another.

This lasted for half a day until Ashley was over with her duty.

He started walking as she started walking back home.

At least that's what he thought but instead of turning to the right she actually walked straight.

Jackson who had been following her for a while now furrowed his brows. This is the first time she didn't return straight home after her duty.

He shrugged and just followed her, in time to see her ride a car, looking closely, it was the same people whom she had become friendly with for the past month. There are ladies in it already as well.

Jackson who was 16 just like her already have an idea of where they might be going upon seeing the driver in a closer look.

He knew that man, the same man from the restaurant but he didn't care looking closely until now and her going with them means bad news.

He scratched his head in agitation as he kept his phone and run to his motorcycle that was near the restaurant she had been working on.

'How come we are of the same age when she is this stupid?' he thought as he took a different road to where they were going.