“Go home with me, then.”
“I…”
The stairway was very spacious. Even though we spoke very softly, our voices echoed through the place.
I raised my head and stated firmly, “I’ll stay here for the night and go back tomorrow!”
He nodded. “Okay, I’ll stay with you here tonight.”
What the heck?
Looking at how determined he was, he would probably stay here if I refused to go back.
Left with no choice, I walked out of the stairway and snapped, “Let’s go!”
I then went downstairs and sent a message to Macy. As I did not bring my car keys, I got into Ashton’s car.
A relieved expression crossed Ashton’s initially gloomy face when he saw me sit on the front passenger seat. After helping me buckle my seatbelt, he closed the door and walked over to the driver’s seat.
When we arrived at Peakville Estate, Mrs. Eriksen was waiting at the entrance for us. The anxious expression on her face was replaced by relief when she saw us. “Where did you go at such a late timing?”
“I had some matters to attend to.” Stepping into the living room, I saw that dinner was still laid out on the table.
I could not help but be stunned. Gazing at Mrs. Eriksen, I asked, “Have you eaten dinner?”
She nodded. “I have. However, when Mr. Ashton came home and saw that you’re not here, he went to look for you without eating anything.”
Ashton entered the house after parking the car and hung his coat on the rack. As it was dark earlier, I did not manage to catch a clear glimpse of his face. He looked extremely exhausted, with dark circles under his eyes.
As it was a busy period for Fuller Corporation, he had been going on business trips and attending meetings round the clock. In fact, he had to wake up at five or six in the morning to work.
“Mrs. Eriksen, the dishes might be cold by now. Please help us heat them up again.” Then, I walked towards Ashton and reminded him, “Eat something first. It’s bad for your stomach if you remain hungry.”
He froze as he massaged his temples. Then, he glanced at me and replied, “Okay!”
Mrs. Eriksen was in the midst of heating up the dishes in the kitchen. As there was nothing left for me to do, I returned to my room and washed up. When I left the bathroom, I saw Ashton outside.
I could not help but frown. “We’re sleeping in separate rooms for this period of time.”
“I won’t do anything rash,” replied Ashton as he took his shirt off. He grabbed a bathrobe and entered the bathroom.
Initially, there were only my clothes in the closet. Now, Ashton’s clothes were also in it.
Forget it. If I continue harping on it, we’ll end up arguing. That’s meaningless, anyway.
After drying my hair, I got into bed.
Half an hour later, Ashton finished bathing. He casually walked out, with water droplets still dripping down his body. After wiping himself down casually with a towel, he flipped the blanket aside and lay down.
I did not like the moist feeling of his body. Wrapping the blanket around me, I shifted away to the side. However, Ashton pulled me back into his arms. “Don’t keep hiding from me. We’ve got a lifetime ahead of us. Must we always give each other the cold shoulder?”
Instead of his usual frosty tone, there was a hint of exasperation when he spoke.
“I’m not trying to hide from you. Your body’s wet!” I replied, feeling a little tired.
Ashton released me. He grabbed the towel, which he had casually tossed aside earlier, and passed it to me. “Help me wipe my body.”
“It’s dry now!” I turned around, pulled the blanket over myself, and prepared to sleep.
He lay down again and hugged my waist. “You can wipe me down in the future.”
Feeling a bit upset, I remained silent for a while. “Ashton, are you doing this out of guilt?” Is he trying to get closer to me and compensate me because he feels guilty?
The room was filled with dead silence. I closed my eyes while my heart ached. Can a relationship even be sustained through guilt alone?
“I won’t do it anymore!” His deep voice sounded beside my ear. Kissing my shoulder gently, he assured me, “I’ll do a better job next time!”
I remained silent, not knowing how to reply.
Time ticked by slowly. With him hugging me, I could not fall asleep. I could hear his steady breathing beside me, which indicated that he had probably fallen asleep.
I turned around and moved his hand away from my stomach. However, he grabbed my hand instead. I frowned and said, “Ashton, I can’t fall asleep like this.”
“Okay,” he replied.
I was rendered speechless.
As he was grabbing my hand, I could not help but open my eyes and stare at him, who was barely inches away from me. I whispered softly, “Ashton, I can’t sleep if you do this.”
“You can sleep once you get used to it,” replied Ashton. He opened his eyes, revealing a look of exhaustion. “Be a good girl. You’ll fall asleep shortly.”
Only heaven knows how tormenting this is to me.
I closed my eyes slowly. Luckily, I could not stand the tiredness anymore and fell asleep.
It was not a restful sleep that night. I was woken up by Ashton early in the morning. When I opened my eyes in a daze, I could hear his frantic breathing…
Only then did I realize that he was holding my hand and…
I was immediately jolted awake. “Ashton, you…”
After a long while, he carried me to the bathroom. He placed me beside the sink and hugged me from behind. As he washed my hands, he said hoarsely, “You can continue sleeping later.”
I nodded. It was only six in the morning, and I would usually still be sleeping at this time. After washing my hands, Ashton laid me on the bed again.
Then, he planted a gentle kiss on my forehead. “Sleep for a while longer!” Then, he changed his clothes and left the room.
