Chapter Four

Arabella.

I got to the cafe before seven thirty and without even bothering to clean up I went straight to the back store to start preparing the customer's order.

I was done a couple of hours later and my heart felt full that morning knowing I brought a smile to my customer's face. They liked it and were even willing to pay more.

I had to say no, I wasn’t like that.

I cleaned the cafe up before placing the ‘open’ sign on the door. It was past twelve now and the cafe wasn’t that filled up.

Everyone always liked a cup of coffee before starting their day but since I couldn’t attend to them and prepare the customer's order I couldn’t sell the coffee.

Arabella.

The bell of the cafe door chimes, notifying me that someone has walked in.

I lifted my head and smiled when I saw it was my best friends, Agnes and Daniel.

“What’s up bitch!” Dan exclaims loudly while walking towards me.

I was a bit glad there weren't many customers around.

Agnes slaps her forehead with her face down and sighs at his action.

I laugh at Agnes’s actions while Dan comes over and takes a seat next to me, taking my strawberry milkshake and gulping the whole thing down like the male he is.

I shook my head at his attitude.

This wasn’t the first time he was behaving this way and I wasn’t bothered by it myself.

I looked at Agnes who was leaning on the shelf,

“What’s wrong?” I asked and she let out another sigh.

Those were signs that something was bothering her and I wasn’t going to stop until I got the info from her.

She shook her head and then picked up the menu lying on the shelf, “it’s nothing,” she said and I knew that was a lie.

Dan scoffed beside me which proved me right that there was indeed something bothering her.

“Just spill the damn thing, Agnes, I mean what’s there to hide,” Dan said as he dropped the glass on the table.

I didn’t take my eyes off Agnes as she played with the menu, “you know I won’t drop this until you say something,” another sigh followed.

“I’m giving you one minute to open your mouth and tell her what’s wrong or else I’m doing the talking on your behalf,” Dan threatened and Agnes groaned.

She knew that wasn’t just a threat, he would say it.

She looked at me with pleading eyes, I sighed and nodded my head. I decided to let it be, Agnes would come around when she was ready to talk.

“Fine, I’m not going to dig in further but you promise to tell me if anything’s wrong right?” I asked and smiled when she nodded.

“I will,”

Agnes, Daniel, and I have been friends since childhood, they were a part of my family and I would do anything to be there for them.

They were my go-to, my ride-or-die, the people I could pour my heart into when the burden was just too much for me to bear. They are always around to support me through my toughest moments.

“What the hell bitch! Don’t tell me you are spacing out on me again?” Dan grumbled beside me. My cheeks burned as I stared at him apologetically.

“Sorry, what were you saying?” I asked while he looked at me for a while.

“I’m asking if your precious hubby has gotten to his senses?” He asked and I frowned at him.

Dan has never liked Ashton, even when he clearly knows that I’m in love with him.

He wouldn’t say the reason no matter how many times I tried to get it out of him.

I let out a tired sigh, “he’s coming around,” I told him even when we all knew that was a lie.

Ashton wasn’t coming around, the incident of last night and this morning could tell me that I wasn’t getting the Ashton I was once married to again and this was all because of my mother.

“To be honest, I think this is the right time for you to divorce him, Bella,” Dan says and I glared at him.

Okay, he was going overboard.

“That’s kinda harsh Dan,” Agnes said as she slapped the back of his head.

He glared at her, “What? I’m just saying this because it’s my duty as your best friend to protect you from any harm. And right now I can tell your husband is going to be the cause of that harm,” he said with a huff.

I shook my head, “everything will be fine. I think it’s just because I’m not working hard enough to make things work out,” That's the thing I know how to do best now, I like to convince myself that this was my fault and not Ashton’s. That if I didn’t come to him with that paper these things wouldn’t have been happening.

“Are you sure you aren’t working hard enough, I can tell you are being used, girl. Just look at you, you are the wife of a billionaire and yet you still do the house chores every single day like you are a maid.” I looked around and felt grateful no one was paying attention to us.

“Just let it be Dan. I’m only doing my duties as a wife and a daughter-in-law,” I told him but inside I was dying.

He should just stop talking about this, I don’t want to break down in front of them.

He stared at me without saying anything, but from the corner of my eye I noticed he wasn’t the only one looking at me that way, Agnes was also doing the same thing

“What is it guys? Spill it,” I asked, looking from Dan to Agnes and Dan again.

“When was the last time Ashton took you out on a date? When was the last time he took you away on a vacation so you could rest before slaving yourself in his house?” He asked and I couldn’t help but wonder why he was bringing this up now.

To be honest I don’t think I have an answer to that, it has been a long time since Ashton and I did any of that. The only time we are seen in public is during an occasion or an interview, apart from that Ashton hardly has any time for me.

“I can’t remember but I know it’ll be soon Dan, very soon,” I said and bit my bottom lip.

I don’t know if I was reassuring him or myself, okay maybe it’s both.

As unbelievable as it sounds, my husband, Ashton hasn’t shown much affection towards me for the past months like the first two years of our marriage. He has been acting distant from the time I made him sign that paper and I don’t know why.

“Keep telling yourself that Ella, we both know Ashton isn’t ready to do any of that,” Dan said and I have heard enough.

“I think that’s enough talk about Ashton, he loves me as much as I do too. I believe he’s just going through a hard time in his company, he will come around,” I blurted out while my friends stared at me with a doubtful look.

“Really?” They both asked at the same time.

I nod, “Yes, I have this feeling that he will. We both love each other and can’t stay away from each other so he’s going to come around soon,”

That was a freaking lie. I don’t know when he would come around.

“Do you know what I honestly think about the whole situation of Aaron not kissing you, sleeping with you, or not allowing you to touch him?” He asked and I shook my head.

Dan leaned forward and whispered the words that have been the number one reason in my mind but I’ve been pushing it back because I didn’t want to think that.

“I think he’s cheating on you,”

I think he’s cheating on you.

I think he’s cheating on you.

The words resounded in my head again and again. As much as my mind wants to believe that my heart can’t, Ashton loves me too much to do that to me.

“I don’t want to sound rude Dan but I think that’s enough,” I said while giving him the sternest look I could give.

“But…” Agnes held his hand.

“Stop it. Ashton wasn’t like this after he married her and you know this, maybe just as Bella says something is going on with him. We would only know if they talked it out,” I couldn’t help but thank her for her words.

I pushed the thought of Ashton cheating to the back of my mind where it belonged, there’s no way Ashton would cheat on me.

I noticed Agnes went silent after that, she kept on picking her fingernails something she does when she’s nervous. There’s something she isn’t telling me but I’m going to find out.

Just then my phone dinged, I brought it out from my apron and smiled when I saw it was a text from Ashton.

‘I sent my Ben to you, go with him and get a nice dress. We are going out,’

That was all the text says but nevertheless I was over the moon to get one from him. It has been a long time since Ashton texted or even called me with his private number, anything he had to say was sent to me through his company’s email.

I smiled at my friends and waved my phone, “I just got a….” Right at that moment my phone rang and my heart almost stopped beating when I saw Ashton as the caller.

Quickly without wasting time, I answered the call,

“Hello,”

“I believe you got my text right?” He asked, going straight to the point.

“Yes, I did,”

“Good, my credit card is with Ben. You can get whatever you want but please get a nice dress for tonight Ara,” he said sweetly.

“I will,”

“Great, that’s all. Take care,” he surprised me by saying the last part.

“You too Ash,” the call ended and I found myself staring at the now-blank phone with a grin.

“Who was that?” Dan asked.

“Didn’t you hear her call Ashton’s name just now?” Agnes asked with an eye roll.

I ignored their bickering as I said, “I have to leave guys, please close up for me,” I left the place quickly before they could ask anything else.

I rushed to the back of the shop, and picked my bag from my office which hadn't been in use for over five months now before rushing out again.

I waved at Dan and Agnes before sprinting out.

Luckily Ben, my husband's driver, was already waiting for me outside.

“Good day Mrs Smith,” he greeted me and I rolled my eyes.

I have tried to get him to call me by my name for a while now but all effort proved abortive. He wouldn’t call me by my name, he sees it as a form of disrespect even though I don’t feel disrespected.

“Good day Ben, know where to go right?” I asked and he nodded.

I stepped into the car in a happy mood, I can’t believe Ashton is taking me out on a date tonight. Something he hasn’t done for a while now, but I’m glad he’s coming around. The whole drama that happened this morning was long forgotten. I was ready to forgive Ashton for what he did last night.