Chapter 91
Mrs. Eriksen smiled gently, then relented, “Alright then. You can eat when you feel hungry later. By the way, Mr. Ashton had a swing built in the courtyard and planted a lot of flowers. Would you like to take a look?”
I understood she was trying to lift my spirits, but I wasn’t in the mood. I squeezed her arm and gave her a soft smile. “I’m fine, Mrs. Eriksen. I think I’ll go rest in my room. You should take a break too.”
After entering my bedroom, I began rifling through my closet, tossing out clothes and folding them before placing them in a suitcase.
Ashton came in just then, and when he saw what I was doing, his eyes darkened. “Why are you packing?”
I kept my head down and continued folding my clothes. “I’m going to stay at Glenwood Apartments for a while.”
He grabbed my wrist, his eyes full of anger. “Scarlett, what are you doing?”
My heart ached, but I didn’t let it show. In the past, I might have thrown the question back at him in despair, but now, I merely looked at him calmly. “Ashton, I’m not trying to do anything. I just don’t want that night to happen again.”
I yanked my wrist free from his grasp and resumed packing. “We can’t keep making the same mistakes. We both know arguing won’t solve anything. And I know you don’t love me, so I’ll try to forget the past.”
“What do you mean, forget the past?” he scoffed. “Scarlett, what do you want to forget? Me?”
His agitation caught me off guard, and I sighed. “Stop being so caught up in it. I’ll raise my baby well. I won’t interfere with you and Rebecca.”
“Scarlett!” He grabbed my hands again, his expression turning cold and his voice laced with hostility. “How many times do I have to tell you? There’s nothing between Rebecca and me! Are you leaving because you’ve already made plans with someone else?”
I frowned, unwilling to engage further. “Ashton, do you really think you’ve done nothing wrong?”
His face darkened. “Do you want me to admit I’m wrong?”
I was at a loss for words. He refused to let me pack, so I stood up and walked out of the bedroom without my belongings.
Suddenly, he grabbed me from behind, slamming the door shut. With a stern expression, he warned, “I won’t stop you from leaving whenever you want, but it’ll only happen after you give birth to your child. Before then, you must stay here.”
I almost laughed in disbelief. “Ashton, are you concerned about my child, or about your reputation? If you really cared, why would I have nearly lost the baby several times because of you? This is ridiculous!”
His conflicted expression deepened, and I couldn’t help but smile bitterly. “What are you trying to accomplish by forcing me to stay here? Do you want me to sit in this familiar house every day and wallow in misery, reminding myself of how you’ll ruin me?”
His expression grew darker, as if my words had struck a nerve. He stepped closer and asked coldly, “Am I really such a despicable man to you?”
I scoffed, “Aren’t you?”
Ashton’s face twisted with frustration. “So, this is the extent of your love for me?”
I no longer wanted to argue. It didn’t matter how much I loved him anymore. I looked at him calmly and said, “I will make my love disappear slowly. Don’t worry, I won’t cause any more trouble for you.”
He scoffed and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him.
After everything that had happened, I’d learned how to stay calm in the face of chaos. As I continued packing, Mrs. Eriksen rushed into the room. She grabbed my hand, her eyes pleading. “Letty, you can’t leave! Mr. Ashton may have a bad temper, but you can see his sincerity. You’re young—you can’t make rash decisions. You’ll regret it later.”
I felt a pang of frustration as I saw her desperation. “Mrs. Eriksen, I’m not leaving far away. I just don’t want to stay here.”
She shook her head, gripping my arm tightly. When she saw my resolve, her face crumpled, and tears welled up in her eyes.
Helpless, I ran my fingers over my forehead, unsure of what to do. Eventually, after more persuasion, I reluctantly agreed to stay. However, I moved to a room on the top floor, next to a small rooftop garden, rather than staying in the master bedroom.
By now, I was three months pregnant, and my belly was becoming more noticeable. Since I couldn’t move around much, I spent my days traveling between the office and the villa.
Fortunately, the work at HiTech was light. I only had to go into the office to check on market reports and statistics.
I heard Ashton had gone on a business trip, but I didn’t give it much thought. Our lives were parallel but separate now. It didn’t matter where he went—I had my own responsibilities to focus on.
One Friday evening, Macy called, asking if I wanted to go shopping for baby supplies. Since my due date was only a few months away, I agreed.
At the same time, Stacey placed a stack of documents on my desk. “Ms. Stovall, the Fuller Corporation’s audit is almost complete. We can wrap it up in a few days. This is the report for Harrison Credit’s audit; you can take a look. I’ll bring you the one for AC Credit tomorrow.”