Chapter 54
With a bright smile, Mrs. Eriksen busied herself with tidying up the villa. I glanced at Ashton, looking for any hints as to why she was here.
He remained silent, simply gesturing for me to sit and eat.
“Ashton, did you ask Mrs. Eriksen to come over?” I asked, unable to contain my curiosity.
He swallowed his food before responding calmly, “Yes. It’s better if she stays here to take care of you.”
He had a point, but my mind was still preoccupied with Macy. Stirring my soup absentmindedly, I hesitated before saying, “Ashton, Macy is still detained at the police station. Could you—”
“Finish your meal first,” he interrupted before I could complete my sentence.
I clenched my jaw in frustration. Morning sickness had been hitting me hard lately, making it difficult to keep food down. After only a few bites, my appetite had already vanished.
Setting my fork down, I decided to wait in the living room for him to finish his meal so we could talk properly. However, before I could leave the dining table, he suddenly smacked the surface and commanded, “Finish your food!”
I frowned. “I can’t.”
His gaze darkened. “Eat the eggs, and then we’ll talk.”
That sounded like a deal, so I reluctantly sat back down.
Unfortunately, I underestimated his persistence. The moment I forced down the fried eggs, Ashton placed a slice of cake and a glass of milk in front of me. “Eat these too.”
I gawked at him. “I’m not a pig!”
Unfazed, he merely stated, “It’s nutritious.”
The frustration boiled over. “I’m full, Ashton! If I eat any more, it’ll just come right back up!”
He leaned back leisurely, his expression unreadable. “Then we’ll deal with that when it happens.”
I could hardly believe my ears. “You are such a jackass!” I shot him a glare before begrudgingly shoving the cake into my mouth, washing it down with the milk.
He smirked, clearly satisfied with himself. “I thought you already knew that.”
Forget it. I needed his help more than I needed to win this argument.
Taking a deep breath, I shifted back to the real issue at hand. “As I was saying, Macy has been in police custody for an entire day. Could you—”
“And you’re worried about her?” he asked nonchalantly, sipping the tea Mrs. Eriksen had brought him.
Obviously!
I was growing increasingly frustrated. Ashton didn’t seem the least bit concerned. Instead, he lounged on the couch as if he were on vacation. I checked the time—it was already past one in the afternoon, and he still hadn’t made any move to help.
Fine. If he wasn’t going to do anything, I would handle it myself.
I headed upstairs to grab my handbag, ready to go to the police station. However, just as I reached the door, Ashton’s voice stopped me in my tracks. “Where are you going?”
“To the police station.”
He studied me for a moment before walking past me and getting into the driver’s seat of my car. “Get in.”
I complied, still unsure of his intentions. Yet, as we drove, I quickly realized we were heading in the direction of his office—not the police station.
“Ashton, what are you—”
“I’ll take care of Macy. You’re going to stay at the office and not cause any trouble, alright?” His tone was patronizing, as if he were speaking to a child.
I pursed my lips. Given that he was the one driving, I had little choice in the matter.
By the time we arrived at Fuller Corporation, Ashton pulled up at the entrance and motioned for me to get out before driving off.
Just as I stepped into the lobby, I bumped into someone I had no patience for—Joe Quinn.
Not in the mood for small talk, I attempted to walk past him, but his voice stopped me. “It’s already past noon. Out for a meeting?”
I sighed, pressing the elevator button. “Mr. Quinn, unless you’ve suddenly transferred to HR, I suggest you mind your own business.”
He scoffed. “I heard your dear friend is still locked up. And here you are, strolling in like nothing’s wrong. You’re colder than I thought.”
I had already been through enough nonsense this morning, and his snide remark was the final straw. “Have you been Rebecca’s lapdog for so long that you’ve forgotten how to talk like a decent human being? Your loyalty to her is truly commendable, Joe, but I can’t help but wonder—are you devoted because she keeps you on a tight leash, or because she throws you a treat every now and then?”
His expression darkened, but I wasn’t finished. A thought crossed my mind, and I smirked. “Oh, and here’s something interesting—you do realize that although Hour Bar is under Rebecca’s name, all her assets essentially came from Ashton, right? As his legal spouse, I could easily have a lawyer reclaim them if I wanted.”
Joe’s face twisted in anger, but I simply turned away, stepping into the elevator with an air of indifference.
Let him stew over that for a while.