CHAPTER 28 Ashley pulled Michael out from the bar, hailed a cab and headed home. Inside the house, Ashley took Michael in, already exhausted. "Come on, let's get you to bed," she whispered, taking him toward the bedroom. He practically fell, still laughing. "You're... you're amazing, you know that?" Ashley smiled softly, holding him steady. "You're drunk, Michael. Sit down." Michael sagged onto his side on the bed. She leaned over, tugging off his shoes. "Let's get these off first." He reached out, trying to catch her hand. "Stay with me, Ashley." "I'm here; let me help you get your suit off," she said softly, trying to take his jacket. He pulled her near. "I don't want you to leave." She reached to unbutton his shirt, trying to calm him down. "I am not going anywhere. Let me take care of you." He grasped her at her waist and tugged her closer to him. "I need you." "Michael, you are too drunk," she whispered softly, trying to talk him down. Yet, he did nothing of that. He p
CHAPTER 29After the intense sex they had, they lay in silence, Michael’s breathing heavy, and Ashley curled up against him. She rested her head on his chest, her fingers tracing circles on his skin. "Are you okay?" she asked softly as a blush crept up her cheek.He didn’t respond at first, just sighed deeply, his arm tightening around her. "Ash..." he called in a soft manner.Ashley’s heart stopped. "What?""Mm... Ash..." he mumbled again, his voice barely a whisper.Her breath caught in her throat. She lifted her head, staring at his face. "Did he just..."Her heart pounded in her chest. She couldn't believe it. she could clearly remember when Michael had called Ashton, Ash... The woman who had hurt him. That was her nickname. He had called her that nickname when he saw her in the board meeting."He thinks I’m her?" she whispered to herself, her voice trembling. Was Michael still in love with her?Or did he sleep with her thinking she was Ashton, his ex?Tears filled her eyes a
Chapter 30The bright light streaming in the window woke Michael, and he awakened with a lot of blinking. He sat up in bed, a little groggy. He looked down and noticed he was naked. "Ashley?" he called out, his voice still hoarse from his sleep.There was no response. He frowned, looking around the room. That was strange. He could have sworn Ashley was with him last night. Or was she? He couldn't really remember much.He got up from bed and quickly put on his clothes. As he buttoned his shirt, he called again, louder this time."Ashley?"Still no answer. He walked over to the bathroom, pushing the door open. Empty. The confusion grew. She wasn't in the living room either, or the small kitchen area. "Where could she be?" he muttered to himself.He started to search the house, his movements frantic with every room he checked that turned up empty."Ashley, where are you?" he shouted out with an edge of worry in his voice now.Nothing. She was gone. In a flash, his heart was running, hi
CHAPTER ONE The living room was filled with tension. The words that were spoken by Mr. Walter, her dad's creditor, gave hope to their hearts.It was as if Manna was thrown from above and Mr. Walter was an angel sent from God. As he kept on talking, Ashley moved closer to the last stairs, which were nearer to the living room, hid from their sight, and continued eavesdropping."I'm going to forget about the 10 million dollars you are owing me, and I'm even going to help your company get back on its feet." Mr. Walter said, and she could see her dad smiling."If..." He summoned his lawyer to bring out a file. "Read it out," he commanded the lawyer."Mr. Walter is going to forget about the 10 million dollars you're owing him, and he's even going to help your company get back on its feet and offer you another five million dollars if you allow your daughter to get married to Mr. Walter."Her smile grew broader and broader until it turned into a quick frown when she heard the word after the '
CHAPTER TWO "How dare you talk to me like that? Who the heck are you?" Her father's voice barked through the air as venom spat out of his mouth."Honey, you're being too harsh on her." Her mom inputted, but her father glared hard at her."Will you shut up?" Her father interrupted her mother, "You're the reason she's to this extent; just to do one simple thing that will free us from this debt, she's refusing, all because of you, you!""But honey." Her mom pleaded."Shut up! Shut the heck up before I do something I would regret." He directed his attention to Ashley: "You'll marry him, and that's final, idiot!" With that said, he left the sitting room for his room."Mom! I can't! I can't! I have other things to do with my life.""Honey, just obey your father; he's always right." Her mother said, trying to persuade her."Mom, you know he's the one that made us like this, so he should be the one to pay for his mistakes, not me. Mom, I can't; I don't think I can. Can't you try to persuade h
CHAPTER THREE By 2:35 a.m. in the morning, Ashley woke up to proceed with her plan. She stood up from her bed and walked towards her wardrobe to bring out her luggage from where she kept it. She took it and opened it to remove all the unnecessary dust. Then she began throwing in clothes that she would need for her little escape.She packed little clothes, so carrying them wouldn't be a problem. By the time she was done packing, she picked up her phone to check the time. Good, it was 3:01 a.m. She quickly changed her clothes, and soon she was ready to depart. She was ready to run away, to escape.She tiptoed out of her room towards the sitting room. She looked around to be sure that no one was awake. She was sure that no one would be awake by this time. She didn't say anything to her mother, so her mother wasn't aware of her running away; she had already made up her mind, and that was what she would do. She couldn't get married to that old man; now she preferred getting married to any
CHAPTER FOURMichael stared blankly at his room door, not realizing when tears dropped from his eyes. He cleaned his eyes and sniffed."He collapsed? When?" The next words that were spoken by his elder sister, Michelle, made his phone fall from his hands.He couldn't believe it; he really couldn't believe it. His dad was in a coma. As if just realizing the words that kept ringing in his head, he picked up his car keys from his table, left his room with a bang from the door, and ran out of his house, forgetting to lock the door.He sighted his car, which was neatly parked in his parking lot, entered, and drove out hurriedly towards the hospital with a speed that he'd never driven before.The smell that came from the hospital reminded him of memories he wished not to remember—the smell of drugs, injections, and mostly blood. It reminded him of how and where his mom died. He hated it.On reaching the room that was assigned to his dad, he sighted his sister, his only sister, seated outside
CHAPTER FIVE The agreement had been made. The contract had been signed. The wedding was over. The young couple made their way to their matrimonial home after the reception. The drive to the house was peaceful and quiet, except for the noise created as Michael rapidly typed on his iPad. He didn't utter a word, and neither did she. The drive lasted for about thirty-three minutes—the longest thirty-three minutes that Ashley could ever imagine. The couple arrived at the mansion, and the golden gate was opened by the gatekeeper. As the driver pulled in, she could see the mansion and how magnificent it looked. Then, she stepped out of the car. She made her way to the front door, amazed at the sight before her. She noticed the intricate gold molding on the pillars flanking the front door. The glittering color was the perfect accent against the beige building, adding an imperial flair to the neo-classical-style mansion. "This is... beautiful!" she gawked, utterly and shamelessly amaze
Chapter 30The bright light streaming in the window woke Michael, and he awakened with a lot of blinking. He sat up in bed, a little groggy. He looked down and noticed he was naked. "Ashley?" he called out, his voice still hoarse from his sleep.There was no response. He frowned, looking around the room. That was strange. He could have sworn Ashley was with him last night. Or was she? He couldn't really remember much.He got up from bed and quickly put on his clothes. As he buttoned his shirt, he called again, louder this time."Ashley?"Still no answer. He walked over to the bathroom, pushing the door open. Empty. The confusion grew. She wasn't in the living room either, or the small kitchen area. "Where could she be?" he muttered to himself.He started to search the house, his movements frantic with every room he checked that turned up empty."Ashley, where are you?" he shouted out with an edge of worry in his voice now.Nothing. She was gone. In a flash, his heart was running, hi
CHAPTER 29After the intense sex they had, they lay in silence, Michael’s breathing heavy, and Ashley curled up against him. She rested her head on his chest, her fingers tracing circles on his skin. "Are you okay?" she asked softly as a blush crept up her cheek.He didn’t respond at first, just sighed deeply, his arm tightening around her. "Ash..." he called in a soft manner.Ashley’s heart stopped. "What?""Mm... Ash..." he mumbled again, his voice barely a whisper.Her breath caught in her throat. She lifted her head, staring at his face. "Did he just..."Her heart pounded in her chest. She couldn't believe it. she could clearly remember when Michael had called Ashton, Ash... The woman who had hurt him. That was her nickname. He had called her that nickname when he saw her in the board meeting."He thinks I’m her?" she whispered to herself, her voice trembling. Was Michael still in love with her?Or did he sleep with her thinking she was Ashton, his ex?Tears filled her eyes a
CHAPTER 28 Ashley pulled Michael out from the bar, hailed a cab and headed home. Inside the house, Ashley took Michael in, already exhausted. "Come on, let's get you to bed," she whispered, taking him toward the bedroom. He practically fell, still laughing. "You're... you're amazing, you know that?" Ashley smiled softly, holding him steady. "You're drunk, Michael. Sit down." Michael sagged onto his side on the bed. She leaned over, tugging off his shoes. "Let's get these off first." He reached out, trying to catch her hand. "Stay with me, Ashley." "I'm here; let me help you get your suit off," she said softly, trying to take his jacket. He pulled her near. "I don't want you to leave." She reached to unbutton his shirt, trying to calm him down. "I am not going anywhere. Let me take care of you." He grasped her at her waist and tugged her closer to him. "I need you." "Michael, you are too drunk," she whispered softly, trying to talk him down. Yet, he did nothing of that. He p
CHAPTER 27Mr. Walter stood from his seat, glancing around at the board members who were already seated. He took another look at Ashton Williams and pretended as if he wasn't surprised to see the lady he had rejected for his son years ago, which had left his son heartbroken.Mitchelle and Ryan’s hearts dropped when they saw Ashton also. They took a glance at Michael and saw how uneasy he was."You may sit.""Thank you." The room was silent as Ashton Williams took her seat, which was opposite Michael.Ashley watched everything unfold and figured that this Ashton Williams was a familiar person to Michael and his family."Ash..." She heard Michael whisper a name softly as he stared at the lady, his hand fidgeting."Michael?" Ashley whispered his name."Huh?""Anything the matter?" she asked."Uh? Nothing." He replied, still looking uneasy."Alright. Since everyone is seated, I guess I can share the important information I called you all for." He paused, "Michael, stand up."Michael stood
CHAPTER 26 The exam was a success and Ashley was so happy to be going back home. She had finally written her final paper in school and was ready to be back home to her dearest husband. She packed her little belongings in the dormitory and was ready to depart after waving off her friends when her phone rang. She checked who the caller was and saw that it was Michael. She hastily picked up the call; "I'm outside," was the first word he said immediately she picked up his call. She ran outside and when she saw Michael, she ran to hug him. "I miss you!" She screamed while hugging him tightly that it seemed hard for him to breathe. "I miss you too," He finally replied after she has released him from her bone-crushing hug, "let's go home to drop your luggages, we're going out this night." "For what?" Michael laughs, "It's a surprise." "What's the surprise?" She inquired. * "Home sweet home!" Ashley exclaimed as she landed on the bed. "I'm glad you're finally home. I've missed you,"
CHAPTER 25The library was filled with serious students who were reading for the upcoming examination which was scheduled to start a week later. Ashley wasn't excluded. She was also in the library reading for her final examinations, she was determined to pass all of her courses in flying colors and would not hesitate to disengage with anyone that would cause a distraction to her studies, well except a certain someone.Married life with Michael has been so exciting, there wasn't a day she didn't smile while being with him. She could feel that her love for him was growing day by day and all she could think about was Michael all day long.She had told him that she would go back to her dormitory for the time-being until after their exams so they could both focus, cause she knew that they wouldn't achieve anything if they were together while preparing for their examinations. They would just be fooling themselves, and to save them that stress, they had to separate. A decision that was so ha
CHAPTER 24Ashley followed Michael to his room, a room that would be hers for the next one year."I know I might have said this before, but this room is so huge!" Ashley complimented."It will also be yours from now on." He replied as he carried her boxes to his huge closet. A closet that was designed to be for two. "You can now arrange your clothes here.""I will, thanks for allowing me to stay here.""I should be the one thanking you, not you. I'm so happy that you're finally here with me, nothing can separate us again." Michael said, not knowing what was coming ahead. Would he be able to stand it?* * * * *Ashton Williams was so happy as she threw her convocation cap up in the sky. She was finally through with her studies in England and was ready to go back to the United States of America. She jumped on the next available flight going to USA. She has two reasons to be happy, one was because she would finally be back together with her family which consists of her mom and her younger
CHAPTER 23"Have you heard about anything from Michael since he married?" Ryan asked his wife, Michelle who was breastfeeding their son, Dylan in the living room."I haven't, that boy is just enjoying married life." Michelle said."Are you sure? You know Michael, I just hope he isn't cheating on that poor girl. She seems nice and responsible." He said already knowing his brother-in-law's character. He knows that Michael cannot live a day without him being inside a lady's vagina."I hope so. Sometimes I just wish that the lady can change him, you know it's his last relationship that caused all this to happen in the first place.""Yeah, those dreadful days..." Ryan muttered remembering those days when Michael wasn't himself after the breakup."Yeah...""You know, sometimes I feel that we shouldn't have made him live like that after the breakup.""What could we have done, he was a grown man and if that was the best way for him to get over her, then..." Michelle murmured."Right... That yo
CHAPTER 22"What was she doing here?" Michael thought out loud. He just finished acknowledging in his heart that he missed her, and now here she was screaming his name as she ran to meet him. "Ashley!" He hollered.Ashley walked as fast as she could and hugged him. She had missed him terribly."Awwn," Philip cooed at their display of affection, "one of these days I would have my own.""Yeah, you would. I've seen you before, please who are you?" Ashley asked noticing him, "I'm Ashley!" She introduced herself as she brought out her right hand for a handshake."Yeah, yeah, I'm sorry." Michael apologized, he had forgotten to introduce them himself, he thought she already knew him. "Philip, this is my wife, Ashley, Ashley meet Philip, my closest friend.""Nice to meet you, Ashley." Philip spoke up while acknowledging her right hand for a handshake."Nice to meet you too." Said Ashley."Michael, I'd love to go, will see you later." Philip informed not wanting to be a third wheel while they w