Chapter 94
“Go home with me, then.”
“I…”
The stairway was large, and even though we spoke softly, our voices echoed throughout the space.
I raised my head and said firmly, “I’ll stay here for the night and go back tomorrow.”
Ashton nodded. “Okay, I’ll stay with you here tonight.”
What the heck?
Looking at his determined expression, it was clear that he would probably stay here with me if I refused to go back. Left with no choice, I sighed and walked out of the stairway, snapping, “Let’s go!”
I quickly sent a message to Macy. Since I didn’t have my car keys, I got into Ashton’s car.
When I sat down in the front passenger seat, Ashton’s expression shifted from gloomy to relieved. After helping me buckle my seatbelt, he closed the door and walked to the driver’s seat.
The drive to Peakville Estate was quiet. When we arrived, Mrs. Eriksen was waiting for us at the entrance. Her anxious expression softened with relief when she saw us. “Where did you go at such a late hour?”
“I had some matters to attend to,” I replied, stepping into the living room. I noticed that dinner was still laid out on the table.
I couldn’t help but be surprised. “Have you eaten dinner?”
Mrs. Eriksen nodded. “I have. However, when Mr. Ashton came home and saw that you weren’t here, he went out to look for you without eating anything.”
Ashton entered the house after parking the car and hung his coat on the rack. He looked exhausted, his dark circles under his eyes evident. It had been a busy time for Fuller Corporation, and he’d been traveling constantly, attending meetings day and night. He often woke up at five or six in the morning for work.
“Mrs. Eriksen, the dishes might be cold by now. Could you please reheat them?” I asked. Then, I turned to Ashton and reminded him, “Eat something first. It’s bad for your stomach if you stay hungry.”
He froze for a moment, massaging his temples. After a short pause, he glanced at me and replied, “Okay.”
While Mrs. Eriksen reheated the dishes in the kitchen, I had nothing left to do, so I returned to my room to wash up. When I came out of the bathroom, I was surprised to see Ashton waiting outside.
I frowned. “We’re sleeping in separate rooms for now.”
“I won’t do anything rash,” he replied calmly, removing his shirt as he grabbed a bathrobe and entered the bathroom.
I noticed that my closet, which had only held my clothes before, now contained some of Ashton’s too. But instead of arguing about it, I decided to let it go. It wasn’t worth starting a fight over.
After drying my hair, I climbed into bed.
Half an hour later, Ashton finished his shower. He walked out casually, water droplets still clinging to his body. He wiped himself down with a towel, then flipped the blanket aside and lay down beside me.
I didn’t like the damp feeling of his body, so I wrapped the blanket around me and shifted away. But Ashton pulled me back into his arms. “Don’t keep hiding from me. We have a lifetime ahead of us. Must we always give each other the cold shoulder?”
There was a slight exasperation in his voice, a change from his usual icy tone.
“I’m not hiding from you. Your body’s wet,” I replied, my voice tinged with exhaustion.
Ashton released me, grabbed the towel from where he’d tossed it earlier, and handed it to me. “Help me wipe my body.”
“It’s dry now!” I turned over, pulling the blanket up around me, and closed my eyes, preparing to sleep.
He lay down again and hugged my waist. “You can wipe me down in the future.”
I felt a bit upset and stayed silent for a while before asking, “Ashton, are you doing this out of guilt? Are you trying to get closer to me and make up for something?”
The room fell silent. I closed my eyes, my heart aching. Can a relationship be sustained by guilt alone?
“I won’t do it again!” His deep voice came beside my ear. He kissed my shoulder gently, adding, “I’ll do better next time.”
I didn’t know how to respond, so I remained silent.
Time dragged on. With Ashton holding me, I couldn’t fall asleep. I could hear his steady breathing, which indicated he had probably fallen asleep. I carefully moved his hand from my stomach, but he grabbed my hand instead.
I frowned and said, “Ashton, I can’t sleep like this.”
“Okay,” he responded.
I was rendered speechless.
As his hand held mine, I opened my eyes and stared at him, barely inches away. I whispered softly, “Ashton, I can’t sleep if you do this.”
“You’ll get used to it,” he said, his eyes still closed but looking tired. “Be a good girl. You’ll fall asleep soon.”
Heaven knows how tormenting this was for me.
I closed my eyes, and thankfully, exhaustion eventually overcame me, and I fell asleep.
But it wasn’t a restful sleep. Early the next morning, I woke up to Ashton’s frantic breathing. When I opened my eyes, I realized he was still holding my hand…
I jolted awake. “Ashton, you…”
After a long moment, he carried me to the bathroom, placing me beside the sink. He hugged me from behind as he washed my hands. “You can sleep more later.”
I nodded. It was only six in the morning, and normally, I’d still be sleeping at this hour. After washing my hands, Ashton gently laid me back on the bed.
He kissed my forehead softly. “Sleep a little longer,” he said, then changed his clothes and left the room.