Lying in bed, I shook my head and replied, “Ashton, did you notice that Cameron and Zachary’s attitude toward us recently has changed?”
Briefly stunned, he looked at me. “How so?”
“Disregarding how they treated us with contempt previously, they were never as warm and friendly until recently. In fact, they seem to be overdoing it. For the life of me, I can’t think of what their objective of doing so is. Ashton, do you think that they are in the midst of plotting something?”
He was amused. “You’re just overthinking it. Perhaps, they just hope that you can let bygones be bygones. So that everyone can coexist in harmony.”
Is that possible?
Can rivals who are at each other’s throats make peace all of a sudden?
Impossible!
Sighing, I cupped my chin in annoyance before adding, “Ashton, was there any bad blood between you and Jared?”
He looked at me intently. “You have asked me this question twice.”
Frowning, I pursed my lips and didn’t utter another word.
He gazed deeply at me, “Do you suspect Jared?”
Loss for words, I looked at him in silence. “I just want to go through all the possibilities.”
He pursed his lips. “You don’t have to concern yourself with Jared. I know what I’m doing. For now, you should just rest.”
With that, he got up and headed downstairs.
I was left stunned and didn’t know what to say.
After Jackson left with Summer, I lay down the whole day but couldn’t sleep.
Meanwhile, Ashton only returned when it was dawn. He frowned when he saw that I was still awake, “Still up?”
“I’m about to sleep.”
He grunted in acknowledgment before remarking, “You should turn off the lights and turn in.” He then walked closer and kissed me gently on the forehead.
His voice was deep. “I’m going on a trip to M Country and will be back tomorrow afternoon. Mrs. Eriksen is already here, so just let her know what you want to eat. Sleep well and don’t stay up late. Or else, I will take you to the hospital by force when I’m back.”
“What happened?” I wondered why he needed to go to M Country at such an ungodly hour.
He stroked my hair and reassured me. “It’s no big deal. I’ll only be gone for a short while.”
I frowned in response as I knew he wouldn’t have informed me on purpose if it wasn’t something major. Usually, he would just send me a text. Given that he came back just to tell me, it was likely that something serious had happened.
Grabbing onto his hand, I asked, “What happened?”
He couldn’t help but laugh as he kissed my forehead. “You seemed reluctant to let me go. Are you preparing a farewell present for me?”
“I… Ashton! You pervert!”
He laughed. “I’m your husband, so how can I be a pervert? I’m just flirting with you. You should make it up to me when I’m back.”
How can he always be so calm when talking dirty?
He stopped when he saw me blush. “Joe is waiting for me downstairs. So rest well and wait for my return.”
He grabbed his jacket and a few simple items before leaving.
When I wanted to walk him out, he pinned me on the bed. “Be good and rest!”
A short while after he went down, I heard the roar of an engine and the car driving away.
Lying on the bed, I was still feeling restless as expected. Now that Ashton was gone, it was harder for me to fall asleep.
Having struggled till daylight, I got out of bed groggily. Every step I took would make me feel dizzy.
Mrs. Eriksen was busy in the kitchen. When she saw me staggering in, she quickly came to support me.
“Letty, did you not sleep well last night? Why do your eye circles look so dark?”
Massaging my forehead, I could feel my whole body ache. Hence, I sat down and requested, “Mrs. Eriksen, please get me a glass of water.”
She quickly nodded and poured one for me. Watching me drink, she suggested, “I’ll cook some oat porridge for you. After that, you should go and get some proper rest. If it gets any worse, I’ll take you to the hospital.”
Feeling the sharp pain in my shoulders, probably from the lack of rest, I meekly nodded.
At the same time, I took out my phone and called Stacey, getting through quickly.
“Ms. Stovall, I’ll go over in an hour as I was held up by something at home.”
I had made an appointment with her the day before but delayed it as I wasn’t feeling well.
Catching my breath, I replied, “I won’t be able to make it today. Why don’t you come over to Peakville Estate?”
She hesitated before agreeing. “Sure!”
“On your way here, please drop by the hospital and get me some sleeping pills.”
“What’s wrong?”
“I can’t sleep recently.” There was no way I could continue like that.
After a brief pause, she replied, “I’ll be there in thirty minutes.”
After ending the call, Mrs. Eriksen was ready with the oat porridge. When she saw how lethargic I looked, she asked in concern, “Why don’t I take you to the hospital for a check-up?”
I shook my head. “It’s fine.” After all, it was caused by insufficient sleep. After going through many diagnostic tests, the doctor would likely ask me to get some proper rest and nothing more.
