Bang! A loud noise came from outside. I hastily locked the bathroom door and curled into myself. I knew that if Ashton wanted to come in, there was no stopping him.
Sure enough, it didn’t take long before he slammed open the door from outside. In a harsh voice, he growled, “What the hell are you doing, Scarlett?”
He was standing just beyond the bathroom door now.
I held the door down, not wanting to hear his voice at all. “I don’t wanna see you, Ashton. Please, please stay away from me!”
I felt disgusted beyond comprehension. If I didn’t hear those sounds, perhaps I could’ve lied to myself even after knowing what happened. But now, it was impossible for me to unhear them. No matter how many times I told myself not to picture him lying naked in bed with Rebecca, I just couldn’t. Everything was playing in my mind on repeat.
“Scarlett, open the door. Whatever it is, we can talk it out!” His icy voice could probably freeze anything that came to close.
I shook my head, still feeling uncomfortable in both my heart and stomach. “There’s nothing to talk about between us. Please just stay away from me!”
“Scarlett!” He said through gritted teeth outside the door, “Don’t test my patience! Okay?”
On the verge of breaking down, I screamed at the door, “I told you to stay away from me! Stay away! Didn’t you hear me?”
Bang! A huge impact shook the door on its hinges and I took a few steps back in fright.
After only three times, the bathroom door burst open and his towering figure cannoned in. With pitch-dark eyes, he stared at my cowering form beside the bathtub.
“Scarlett, you…” When he saw my quaking body and the resentment in my gaze as I looked at him, his anger subsided slightly.
After a long time, he walked to my side and crouched down, slowly extending his fingers toward me.
Afraid that he’d touch me and repulsed by his proximity, I instinctively shouted, “Don’t touch me!”
His outstretched hand froze midway and his chilly aura diffused into the air around us. “Tell me what happened.”
“Ashton, let’s get a divorce! Please. Let’s just get a divorce. I don’t want anything. Just sign the papers!” My voice cracked.
Ashton’s already sullen expression became impossibly darker. His frosty eyes were fixated on me as he muttered, “Do you know what you’re saying, Scarlett?”
“Yes!” Of course I did. For two years, I endured all the hurt inflicted on me, but love couldn’t be forced. No amount of warmth and kindness could replace love!
He grabbed me hard, then hauled me out of the bathroom and placed me on the bed. He wrapped a towel around me before squatting in front of me. With both hands tightly holding my shoulders, he looked up at me and spoke softly. “What exactly happened?”
He was calm. Even when I had an angry outburst, he still managed to remain calm.
I shook my head vigorously as my eyes reddened, croaking out, “Ashton, do you love me?” I didn’t know why I asked this question, but there was no turning back now.
He stiffened for a split second and frowned while looking at me with an intense gaze. “Love isn’t a word you just throw around, Scarlett!”
But you said it to Rebecca. My heart clenched in my chest, and I almost screamed out the words.
“Then what is it?” I lost control of my tears and choked out, “Ashton, you don’t love me, do you?
“Scarlett!” His low voice sounded strained. “Tell me what happened, okay? Why are you suddenly asking for a divorce?”
“I don’t love you. I really don’t!” My eyes were red-rimmed and the pain in my heart had spread to every part of my body. “I don’t love you as much as I thought. I’m still young and there are countless opportunities for me to find someone I truly love, so let’s get a divorce and set each other free, okay?”
From the moment I met Ashton, I never thought that there would come a day where I’d beg to leave him.
I thought that as long as I worked hard enough and offered him my heart, body and soul, one day, he would come to appreciate me and perhaps even love me.
Unfortunately, I forgot that there were too many uncertainties in life. In this world, many things could be yours as long as you worked hard, but love was an exception.
It was already a blessing from God if two people found love in each other, because most people could only dream of getting that!
The temperature in the bedroom seemed to drop sharply, chilling me to the bone. Even so, I bowed my head and averted my gaze.
After a long time, he drew in a breath and said in a commanding tone, “Rest well. We’ll talk after you’ve calmed down!”
He stood and left the bedroom right after saying that short and concise sentence.
That night, Ashton left the villa while I stayed up all night.
Even so, we had to move on or else the world would leave us behind.
After a sleepless night, I arrived at the company bone-tired. When Stacey noticed my pale complexion, she asked in concern, “Ms. Stovall, did you stay up all night to read the documents? Company audits aren’t that difficult, so don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Your body has just recovered so you still need to take care of yourself!”
