Chapter 189: Chapter 189
ASHTON
"What?" Signaling with my hand, I hush Gris while he’s reading my schedule for the day and rise to move over to my glass window. Demi isn’t making much sense right now. "What do you mean you’re not coming for the sit-down? This is news to me."
"I’m sorry but I don’t think I want to be there."
"And that’s totally ok but why do I feel like you weren’t going to tell me this if I didn’t ask?" She expels a deep breath and keeps mute. "Demi, what’s wrong? Please talk to me."
"Nothing’s wrong."
"Don’t give me that." I signal Gris to give me some space and he does. I wait till the door clicks shut. "I KNOW SOMETHING’S WRONG. You’ve been acting strange. You won’t open up to me. You’ve been avoiding my place and when I try to get close to you, you’re never down for it." I run a finger over my twitchy eyebrow. "Look, if I did something wrong, just tell me. Was I rough with you the last time? Tell me what I’ve done wrong so I can apologize. I don’t like us like this."
"You did absolutely nothing wrong, Ashton. I’ll tell you if you did. I’ve just...I just need us to take things slow."
"Why all of a sudden? That’s the part I don’t get." She only inhales and exhales. Something’s definitely bothering her but she won’t tell me. My mind doubles back. "What happened between you and Ashley?"
"W-What?" Nervousness cloaks her voice like a blanket.
"At the hospital? What did he say to you? You’ve felt withdrawn ever since that conversation. Talk to me Demi or I’ll have to go ask him myself which might end up blowing the lid off this relationship in front of his eyes. So, are you going to tell me what he said or not?"
"That won’t be necessary." She replies firmly. "He already knows about us."
This time, my lips are clamped shut in stunned silence. However, I recover quickly. "Good. Saves me from starting the hard conversation."
But I know I’ll still have to talk things out with my brother. If he already found out, I’m tempted to know how. I’m also curious to know how that makes him feel and why he hasn’t brought it up to my face till now. It’s typical of Ashley to pick a fight over something like this. If he isn’t, that’s a bigger cause for concern and I’ll need to know why he is holding back.
"Is that it? Was he mean to you because of our relationship? Is that why you’re having cold feet?"
"I’m not having cold feet. You just have a lot going on and I think our relationship can wait."
"That’s not how relationships work, Demi. You don’t put them aside when the going gets tough. You work through stuff together, as a team. But you already know this so the fact that you’re asking me to shelf this relationship due to my family drama only goes to prove my point further; you’re getting cold feet."
"That’s not it..."
"Then what is it? You’re still holding back. Why?"
"I can’t tell you yet until I am certain you won’t get mad or that you won’t look at me differently."
My jaw clenches. What could this be about?
"I promise I’ll clarify everything in due time. I just need some time. I need you trust me and understand."
Resigned, I shrug my shoulders. "Fine. Let’s have it your way then. I’ll wait until you’re ready to discuss it. Till then, please don’t be a stranger."
"I won’t."
After the call, the burden on my chest doubles in weight. It’s never a good sign when Demi is being cryptic. Whatever she’s holding back can’t be good or easy if she’s literally avoiding me, if she won’t even confide in me. I try not to think too much about it as I carry on with my day.
Thirty minutes later, a message pops up on my computer.
[The article is ready for publication, sir. Do I go ahead and publish it on the blog?]
***
I hover my finger over the screen, contemplating if this is the best time to do this? Demi will certainly not be okay with it if she had found out about my plans earlier. This will stir up a lot of feelings. It takes me a few seconds to make up my mind before I reply to the message.
Just then, Gris phones my office to inform me of an unexpected visitor requesting my audience. When I see her name, I don’t know why she’d come here.
"Let her in."
Minutes later, she enters, striding purposefully towards my desk.
"He’s not in his office and I can’t reach him on phone." Madeline sinks into the visitor’s chair looking tired and frustrated. "He’s not taking my calls either. He’s been avoiding me ever since my sister slit her wrist. I just want him to talk to me."
Her pain is raw and very familiar to mine.
"It’s okay. I’ll get him on phone."
"I already tried. You must know where else he’ll be if not at his company. I was hoping you could take me to him."
"Listen, he probably got spooked seeing your sister in that state. You know how he used to be. It might have been traumatic for him to be reminded viscerally of the state he used to put her in. Let’s give him some time to process his feelings. I’m sure it has nothing to do with you. You aren’t the only one he’s shutting out. He hasn’t taken our calls either, just sent texts saying he’s fine and that he needs a bit of space to think. I believe it’s best to let him be for now."
She clearly struggles to accept the truth of my words.
"It’s just...his eyes, they appeared hurt and lost when he left. I wish he’d talk to me."
"He will...eventually. Now, go home, Maddi. Your sister needs you. You are the only one that can get to the bottom of her attempted suicide since Ashal is MIA. My parents are very worried and very disappointed in Olivia. I’d appreciate it if you can find out why your sister put her life and that of her baby at risk like that when everyone thought she was happy."
Maddi nods, rising to her feet. "Thank you." Quietly, she leaves. I whip out my phone and call Ashal.
"Maddi just left my office. Is there a reason you’re ignoring her? What exactly is going on? Where are you? Pick up your damn phone and call me back as soon as you get this. It’s too early to shut everyone out especially since you just got back to us." I hope he deigns to listen to my voicemail and gives me a call soon.
The thought of Demi crosses my mind as I resume wondering why she’s acting the way she is and what Ashley could possibly have said to scare her. Did he threaten her? Or even worse, did he convince her not to follow her heart? I know how prone she is to feeling guilty about everything. What if he got it into her head that dating me was going to be stigmatic and unwelcomed? What if Demi was led to believe that giving up on us was the best way to protect my family from more public drama? I wouldn’t put it past Ashley.
Then another likely thought crosses my mind and suddenly, Demi’s behavior starts to make sense. I grab my keys and head out.
***
I expected to find Ashley neck deep in work at his office. I even expected to find it uncharacteristically messy with a bunch of ankle-high fabric carpeting the floor. What I didn’t expect was to find it spick and span. I certainly didn’t expect his new creative assistant to be half-naked straddling him in his chair. While she flushes with embarrassment and shrugs her skirt back in place, Ashley remains cool and collected while buttoning up his shirt.
The lust in his eyes quickly fade to annoyance at my interruption. His assistant scurries off with her head hanging low and her tail between her legs, reeking of her boss’ cologne.
"Really? You couldn’t even be bothered to lock the door?"
Ashley tugs his pants in place and wipes his lips. "I guess my secretary has to find a new job." He strolls to a shelf and uncorks a bottle of wine, then drinks it without bothering with a glass. A deep frown creases my forehead. Are we back to this? Is he really letting himself go again?
"Ashley, I’m here to talk."
"I’ve got nothing to say to you."
"Oh, I’m sure you have plenty." I take a few steps towards him. "I’ll make it easier for you by asking why you visited my house without pre-informing me?" I can’t believe I missed it. He had called me earlier that day just to make sure I had already left my hours. Within minutes after I leave, my camera picks him entering my house dressed like me.
He had the guts to watch Demi in the shower. If the steam hadn’t engulfed her, he would literally have made out her nakedness in the shower.
He smirks at me knowingly. "Why? I never needed your permission to show up at your place. Why now?"
Oh, he wants to play it this way? Fine.
"You know exactly why. Cut the crap, Ashley. You had no right to impersonate me knowing fully well that Demi was at my place. Yes, we’re together now and the only reason we haven’t brought it up in the family is because the timing doesn’t work."
"The timing?" He chortles. "That’s a lousy excuse if I ever heard one." He drinks from the bottle again.
"You were never going to be okay with it even if I told you beforehand." I’m trying my best to be reasonable and calm but he’s not making it easy. "I’ll only apologize for the way you found out, however that is. I’m sorry but I won’t apologize for my feelings or my decision to be with her. You’re divorced and you often said it yourself that you had no problems with her moving on."
The glass shatters on the ground with a loud bang.
"FUCK YOU, ASHTON." He cusses at me. "That’s right, FUCK YOU AND DEMI. You two absolutely deserve each other."
I take deep, calming breaths. I know he’s not drunk or as hurt as he’s projecting. I am trying to be understanding here. It must sting to see me and Demi together knowing fully well that I was one of the major reasons why they didn’t work out. Ashley isn’t in a good place right now and his emotional wound might have been reopened when he learnt the bitter truth of my relationship with Demi.
However, there’s a limit to him being a prick about it, and I’m not going to let this foolery continue beyond that point.
Peering down, I find that the white wine splashed my clothes a bit before seeping onto the floor.
"I’m only going to say this once; don’t you ever dare impersonate me again or go close to Demi while doing so. You’re not going to get away with it."
"So, you’re here to warn me?"
"I certainly didn’t come to have a threesome."
Our fierce eyes lock. The tension in the room is palpable.
"You’re such a hypocrite, Ash." He continues. "You’ve been fucking her for what, one week and you charge in here like a bull warning me to steer clear of her. I WAS MARRIED TO HER FOR MONTHS AND YOU COULDN’T KEEP YOUR LUSTFUL EYES OFF HER NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES I WARNED OR BEGGED YOU. You should be ashamed of yourself for coming to me with this nonsense." He swipes at his wet lips. "I’m not interested in your woman. Manipulative bitches are not my taste." He chuckles when I grit my teeth and remains unfazed by my clenched fists. "I already had her and frankly, the pussy wasn’t even that good."
He topples over his chair from the impact of my punch in his face. Still, all he does is laugh with his bloody, broken lip. I can’t believe he’s deliberately trying to antagonize me.
"Don’t you dare speak of her like that, you hear me?" Amidst my rage, I try to rein in the urge to pummel blows in his face given the triggering smirk he continues to give me. "You think this is the way? Bleeding all over others and attempting to drag down into the pit of misery you’re wallowing in just because you are yet to get your happy ending? GROW UP, ASHLEY! We’re not kids anymore. We can actually control our impulses to a large extent now or afford the help required in extreme cases. Being an asshole won’t help you avoid the consequences of your actions any longer."
"You’re one to talk."
"YES, I AM THE BIGGEST JERK AND ASSHOLE THERE IS BUT AT LEAST I AM NOT IN DENIAL!" I stifle the urge to smash something as I go around the room. "You think I never thought about shutting everyone out when I was drowning in my pain? Sure, it seems easy in the moment but how many people will suffer long term if you take that easy route and give in to the pain? I thought less about myself and more about the people I cared about. You think it was easy living with the woman my heart yearned for and accepting the fact that she was my brother’s wife? It wasn’t but I endured and God knows, I never longed for your divorce." I expect him to roll his eyes at me and he does. "I know exactly how you’re feeling right now. I’ve been there. You know I have for the longest time. If you feel like you’re going under again, maybe you should get help, like Ashal did. I certainly would if I ever felt that way again."
He wipes his bloody mouth once more and picks himself up from the floor.
"You’re lucky I’m tipsy or you’d be flat on your back the second you tried to hit me."
"I’m sorry, man." I apologize, stifling a smile over his comment. I didn’t try to hit him; I certainly landed that punch. Furthermore, the only other quad that can go head-to-head with me in combat would be Asher under certain circumstances. Ashley shoves my hand away and moves to grab some cotton wool from his First Aid kit in his drawer.
While he fixes himself up, my phone buzzes in my pocket with a notification.
A new post from Billion-Err.