Chapter 18
It wasn’t until Ashton heard that familiar voice that he finally snapped back to his senses. Thanks to the trauma from the previous near–death experience, he found himself drenched in cold sweat.
Terror was unmistakable on his visibly pale face.
However, Claire didn’t notice his strange expression. She simply assumed he was still mad at her.
Thus, she began her monologue “I know I was wrong, Ash. I’ve made sure every part of our wedding is in accordance, and I’ve also bought the suit you like.
“When we return, we can get started on the ceremony-”
Clenching his jaw, Ashton gathered his strength and pushed Claire away. Then, he delivered a harsh slap across her face.
“I thought I’d made myself clear, Claire. We broke up. What else do you think you’ll gain by pulling another crazy stunt?”
He couldn’t understand her thought process. She had married Curtis, yet came to him saying she wanted to walk down the aisle with him. Was she trying to two- time both of them?
At that thought, Ashton only felt more disgusted by her. He retreated a step with a cold expression.
The iciness in his gaze was all too piercing for Claire. With a strained voice, she begged, “Let’s not break up over this, Ash. I was blind enough to let Curtis harm you. I realize my mistake now
“I’ve driven him out, so would you please come home with me?”
Ashton’s brows were knitted with contempt as he refuted, “So, you realize your mistake, yet you had the audacity to show up here.
“Seriously, what makes you think I’ll happily come home with you after everything you’ve put me through? Just because of your little ‘sorry?‘”
Ashton had always been the gentlest soul around Claire. Hearing the clear disdain in his words made her feel a wave of inexplicable aggrievement.
“You can’t be this cold to me, Ash. I was tricked by him, too! All I ever wanted was to help him. Believe me–I’ve never done anything that crossed the line.
“Everything was a fabrication he used to lie to you. I swear I’ve never-”
Indeed, Claire innocently believed the reason Ashton refused to forgive her was because he had suspected she had cheated on him. She couldn’t wait to prove her
innocence.
“All you wanted was to help him?” Ashton scoffed.
He continued, “Have you told so many lies that you’ve brainwashed yourself into believing them?”
He recounted, “The marriage certificate, wedding photos, moving him into our home, spending the night taking care of him… How did none of that cross the line? You don’t have to screw someone for it to count as cheating, by the way.”
Ashton’s tone was eerily calm, like he was chatting with a friend, but it didn’t take away the crushing weight from each of his words as they weighed down on Claire.
“Can you swear to yourself that you’ve never done any of those things out of your selfish needs? Can you swear that you’ve never had any feelings for him?”
She broke their eye contact amid those two questions out of sheer panic. Her lips parted, but not a single word in defense was spoken.
Every one of Ashton’s words had hit her heart like a wrecking ball. She had to admit that she had almost given in when Curtis first kissed her.
If she hadn’t seen Ashton standing in the living room from her peripheral view, she would’ve actually slept with Curtis that night.
Still, to her, her reactions were nothing more than normal arousal. That was it–it was a perfectly normal human experience.
Any woman in this world would’ve reacted the same way if they were in the same circumstances as her. Besides, she didn’t give in to her urges, did she?
At that thought, Claire regained her composure. “I admit I wasn’t entirely innocent throughout all this, but I can assure you that you’re the only one I’ve ever loved.
“Give me another chance. We’ll start over, okay?”
She reached out, intending to pull Ashton to her side. But to her surprise, another arm appeared and blocked her movement.
“What are you trying to do to him?” Giselle questioned, standing before Ashton with a stern face.
Perhaps because they were both women, Claire easily saw through Giselle’s feelings toward Ashton. Her eyes blazed with fury.
“This is between me and my boyfriend. Who do you think you are to barge in? Back off!”
However, Giselle, unflinching, coldly refuted, “From what I understand, Ashton is single now. Who are you, then?”
That statement was salt to the wound. Claire knew Ashton’s personality well; he would only share his private matters with his close ones.
Suppressing her rage, she cocked her head at him and asked, “What’s your relationship with her? You’ve only been here for a few days, and you’ve found another woman. How could you do this to me?”
However, Ashton countered her with a question that stunned her. “And who’s asking this? Curtis‘ wife?”
Claire’s face paled immediately. She knew, right then, that if she didn’t resolve that matter, Ashton would never forgive her.
Thus, she cast one last reluctant glance at Giselle and said, “Wait for me, Ash. I’ll proceed with the divorce with Curtis and come back for you….”
With that, she gritted her teeth and left.
