Chapter Three:

(Australia, 11pm)

Stirring, Thea held up the beautiful silver necklace that was her favorite. What she never chose to sell even though it was very expensive.

The shape of the moon adorned with diamond stared back at her.

"You are the moon and I am the sun, do you remember?" Ash said.

She was his moon. Was! She was pretty sure he hated her now. He was disgusted with her. She was sure that he wanted nothing to do with her now after that day. But everything was her fault.

Everything happened so much like a nightmare. If she had accepted that the child was his, then he would know that she went as far as working at a club to raise money for her mother's drugs. But she didn't want to take the risk.

Constantly, her mother reminded her that she didn't make the best decision that evening. She should have told Ashton the truth. But she was so concerned about what people thought about her. That she was only in a relationship with him because of his money.

She did infact say to the family that the child wasn't in fact his. She let Claire buy her off so easily. If she didn't, her mother would have been long gone. She couldn't have been selfish. So selfish as to let mother die and carry on living a fairytale fantasy.

Fantasy!

Ash and Thea, were never meant to be. Things should have worked out for them if they were in fact good together, that was what Thea thought but no, things were quite the opposite.

"Tell everyone the truth Thea, tell them that Ashton isn't the owner of your baby," Claire said.

"Tell them!" Thea stared right into Ashton eyes. Tears that she never expected gathered in them. His fists were clenched in anger.

"Ashton...." Thea swallowed. "Is not the owner of this baby I'm carrying. This baby is not his own, it belongs to someone else."

"I knew it!" Claire blurted out but Thea didn't care. Her eyes were only pleading with the ones that held her heart. It was pleading to see through her act, but it didn't. Ashton walked out of the sitting room in anger and just then, she felt her heart crush.

Was that it? Was that how it ended? Tears slipped from her eyes knowing that she broke him. He would never forgive her. She should never have done this in the first place. She started after him but a grip pulled her back and she turned.

"What are you planning to do? Say something else that will break his heart over again? Do you even know what you have done Thea? You made the man that loves you a fool before every body," Thea shook her had frantically.

"I think you need to leave Thea." Mrs Ryder told her.

"I can't mom, I need to see Ash,"

"You can't see him again starting from now, now get out Thea!"

"Ash!" She screamed his name sobbing furiously. "Ash please you need to listen to me!"

"Thea-"

"Ash please. I'm begging you, let me explain!"

"She needs to leave," Mr Ryder said before moving up the stairs, watching as they dragged Thea out of the house.

---

"Answer me Ashton, do you doubt that this is your child? Your flesh and blood, you doubt that it is yours?" Thea blurted out, holding his hands as tears began to build in her eyes.

She was still on her wedding gown. Thea had fainted the morning of her marriage. Everybody had panicked. Ashton literally ran to be with her but they didn't expect what the heard.

She was with a child!

"Do you doubt me Ash? I swear it's yours i-"

Thea tried not to fall when her hands left his and landed on her dress with am unexpected force.

"Of course I do! I doubt it!" He snapped in anger, tears swelling in his eyes. He watched her expression turn pale immediately.

"I haven't been with anybody but you Ash, you know me. I won't do such a thing to you. I love you."

"Maybe I don't know you after all. You were seen at a bar with a man four days ago Thea. I also heard that you have a thing for clubs now Thea so how can I believe you? How do you want me to believe that you are indeed carrying my baby?!" He blurted out and she sobbed out.

"You have to believe me, it's yours." Thea sobbed.

"It's not mine Thea, stop lying to me!" Thea couldn't stop her tears.

"Ash," she tried but he wasn't having it.

Ashton wiped the memory away. Taking one last glance at Claire who was still fast asleep, he stood from the bed and dressed up.

Claire finally forgave him for yesterday and that was all that mattered. He didn't want to get a call from his mother lecturing him about not knowing how to treat a real lady.

He went back to his room to have a shower. When he was done, he walked out of his bathroom with a towel hanging loose on his waist. Ashton stood before his dressing mirror. Next month, he was supposed to return to Australia to be with his family again. He had to round up things here for good so he wouldn't have to come back here for business purposes.

---

Claire pecked his lips when she came down for dinner and he forced a smile on his face in reply.

"Slept well?" She rolled her eyes at him before propping down on a seat.

"Very, how about you?" He smirked.

"Probably better, I'm going to finish up early today so we can go out." He told her.

"Go out? Like on a date?" She asked and he smirked.

"Yes, like on a date," she smiled in reply.

"I'll be ready then," she told him before beginning to eat.

---

(Australia, 9am)

"So, any past experiences?" The manager asked Thea. Thea cleared her throat, preparing to give an answer that she was probably sure would ruin the whole interview that had been going probably well for her.

"No sir, no past experiences. I just majored in business administration in the university but I never got an opportunity to work in an office," she replied.

After so many thoughts, Thea finally found the assumed answer to her problem. There was no need trying shitty restaurant and malls that already heard news about her and was not willing to employ her. She decided to try what she majored in. She wasn't sure why the idea didn't come sooner but now it did, she was grateful.

"Ok, Miss Kennedy, you can leave. Be prepared."

Her eyes widened. Does he mean...?

"Yes, you got the job. Be here first thing tomorrow morning and I'll be sure not to fire you early. I hate tardiness Miss Kennedy."

"Oh my God sir, thank you sir. I'm so grateful." The man nodded.

When Thea walked herself out through the door, she couldn't help but give out a heavy breath before bursting out in giggles.

She got a job!

For fuck sake, she got the job!

The young man just watched her till the door shut and she was out of view. He tilted his head and relaxed on his chair. He glanced at the file in front of him before shutting it and standing up. He had a meeting with someone very important and he didn't want to be late.

---

"Mom!!!" Thea yelled when she slammed the door behind her. Her smile which was rare was so much pronounced as she stepped into the house. Her eyes search everywhere for her mother but she was no where in sight.

"Mother?" Her brows slowly scrunched. Walking further into the apartment, she found the hand of her mother laying behind the cushion.

"Mom!" She screamed.

Hours after hours, she waited. Seated on the hospital bed, she patiently waited for her mother to wake. She vividly remembered what the doctor told her.

Her mother hadn't been taking her medication, her mother was actually skipping her medication and her condition had began to worsen. Her heart almost stopped working when she lost consciousness. If Thea hadn't reached on time, she would have probably been dead.

The words rang in her ears in echoes. She fought with everything she had for her mother to survive. She lost a lot of things. It wouldn't be fair to her if she lost her mother then, it would shatter her into pieces.

---

(London, 11:45pm)

"Yes sir? You sent for me." A dark headed man said and Ashton raised his head from the file that he held.

"Samuel, I need you to get me something for a headache," Ashton said.

Presently, he was in the little office he created in his home. It was the only place Claire wouldn't dare to enter without his permission. Whenever he needed space from her, he recedes there, with Samuel alone, as he confidant.

The man bowed slightly in respect. "Yes sir," he said before leaving.

Minutes later, he was back with a drug which Ashton gladly took with the glass of water given to him.

"Thank you Samuel, you can leave now." Samuel bowed in respect before leaving, shutting the door behind him.

Walking to the window in his bedroom, he stared out into space. Unconsciously, his hands began to fiddle with the necklace he wore. He traced the half sun with his finger tip as he thought.

Today, dinner went well with Claire unlike last time. But just when they reach home, she brought up something that flashed back memories.

Marriage,

How can he get married when his heart hasn't been given back to him yet? Thea Kennedy as she calls herself. He gave Thea Kennedy his heart and refused to take it back when he walked away from her.

Why can't he stop thinking about her? How was she faring? What was she doing? Is she dating other guys? Is she in love with someone else? Has she forgotten about him?

"I'm madly in love with you Thea, I give you my heart, please don't give it back to me, I beg of you." His breath fanned her face. His heart thumped against his chest in rhythmic movements.

"I madly in love with you too Ash. I can't imagine life without you...."

"Ash..." She swallowed. "Is not the father of my child. It belongs to someone else,"

A contracting memory set in and his eyes flashed anger on more time. He ripped the necklace off his neck, throwing it anywhere. He was surprised to hear the shattering of glass. He turned to face the shattered mirror and saw it half destroyed. The reflection staring back at him were in pieces, never complete. He hated been weak but Thea made him like this. How was he going to get over her?

His phone rang, bringing him out of his trance and he picked it out after catching his breath.

"Mother," he said. And again, what he heard was enough to drive him mad.

"Freya is dead?!"