Chapter 13
Ashton pursed his lips, his face solemn as he said, “I’m sorry. I misunderstood you back then and even… scolded you without knowing the truth…”
The longer he spoke, the quieter he sounded. His face had even started heating up.
Little did he know that Giselle’s next words would stun him entirely.
“Now that you know, will you give me a chance to pursue you?”
The intensity in her gaze made Ashton’s heart skip a beat, He hadn’t expected she would still have feelings for him after all these years.
Well, it shouldn’t be that surprising. He had dated Claire for six years, yet she still hadn’t given up on Curtis all this time.
Still, he didn’t want to jump into a new relationship after just ending one.
After a momentary pause, he confessed, “I’m sorry. I’m not ready for a new relationship right now.”
Giselle didn’t flinch as she said, “Back then, after you turned me down, I wanted to explain everything. But then, you blocked me, and something came up at home.
“By the time I had everything sorted out, I heard you had a girlfriend. So, in the end, I could only choose to let go and wish you well.”
She continued, “But, Ashton… I never stopped thinking about you, not once in these six years. Would you consider giving me a chance?”
Back in Rosevale, Claire hadn’t had a good night’s sleep since Ashton blocked her number. She searched every possible place he might be, but to no avail.
Refusing to live in an apartment without Ashton and accept the reality of his departure, she booked a room at a hotel in an attempt to avoid everything.
Despite that, she struggled with insomnia. The only way she could drift to sleep was by relying on alcohol.
One day, Claire carried a shopping bag full of alcohol to her hotel room like she always did. She had just stepped through the door when a call from a friend came in.
“Claire, the suit you ordered two weeks ago was delivered to your home today.”
Only then did Claire remember the trip she had taken to the tailor with Ashton two weeks ago. Back then, she had just found out about Curtis‘ situation, and all of her attention had been on him.
She had left in such a rush that she didn’t take a proper look at Ashton in his groom’s suit.
A wave of bitterness and regret surged in her chest. She didn’t regret helping Curtis; she only regretted neglecting Ashton.
If only she had paid more attention to him, perhaps he wouldn’t have left so decisively. Unfortunately, the past was the past.
Claire answered hoarsely, “Oh, okay. You’d have to wait at the door for me, though. I’ll be back soon.”
As she spoke, she turned toward the elevator.
“You don’t have to do that. Your husband’s at home. He signed for it.”
A chill ran down Claire’s spine, and the liquor bottle hit the floor with a loud crash.
“W–Who did you say signed for it?”
Her friend was startled by her sudden rise in volume. She laughed and joked, “What’s the matter? Your husband did, of course! Who else could it be? Your secret
lover?”
Claire eagerly ended the call right then and dashed into the street to hail a cab.
During the car ride home, her heart thumped as hard as a marching drum. Truthfully, she was ecstatic. Only one thing occupied her mind at that moment – Ashton had returned; he had forgiven her!
Surely, he wouldn’t have walked away from their six–year relationship and the life they were about to begin as newlyweds, especially when she hadn’t done anything that could be considered textbook cheating.
Ashton had probably gotten over the matter!
Now that he had returned, and Curtis‘ ordeal had come to an end, the wedding ceremony ought to carry on. From now on, they would never leave each other’s side
again.
Claire’s heart settled into peace as she thought of that.
The cab sped all the way to the apartment complex, and she couldn’t even wait for the elevator as she bolted up eight flights of stairs.
The moment she got the door open, she rushed in without hesitation.
When she saw the tall figure in a suit standing in the living room, she couldn’t hold back the longing that had been building up inside her.
She walked up to him quickly and wrapped her arms around his waist. “You’re finally back. I know I was wrong. I’ll make it up to you, I swear. Just… don’t leave me again, okay?”
By the end, her voice was shaking, and tears started falling without her even realizing it.
