A Love Trap

She was afraid that Andrew would act exactly like those detestable men.

Even so, Ashley tried to keep those thoughts to herself.

She didn't expect to blurt out everything out of excitement.

Was this a side-effect of pregnancy?

Ashley rubbed her temples helplessly.

Andrew looked at Ashley, whose face showed a mixture of annoyance and embarrassment. Her round eyes adamantly avoided meeting his and were fixed on something else. She did not know it, but she looked awfully cute to Andrew.

"Is there anything else you want to say?" he asked in a gentle voice.

"No, I'm done. Well, it's late. I'm going to bed."

Ashley finally managed to pull herself away from Andrew's embrace.

As she walked away, she heard Andrew chuckling behind her.

She buried herself in the quilt.

It was so embarrassing.

Andrew pulled the quilt away from Ashley and said, "Don't cover yourself like that. It's not good for your health. Believe me."

His words were uttered in a soft voice, which made it sound like he was coaxing a child.

Ashley blushed.

She thought to herself,

'I am no longer a child. Why are you talking to me that way?'

Not wanting to give in, she also pulled on the quilt as if playing tug of war with Andrew.

"Ash, you'll suffocate."

Ashley threw away the covers and exposed her face, looking a little flushed.

Her lips had become rosy, probably because she had been biting them out of embarrassment.

With those lips looking sweet and plump like ripe cherries, it made Andrew want to kiss her.

Andrew's eyes darkened.

He murmured her name.

His face drew closer and closer to Ashley's.

Ashley covered her mouth with her hand. After being with Andrew for such a long time, she already knew what he wanted to do by just looking at him.

She had just poked her head out of the quilt, but suddenly went back into hiding.

A muffled voice came from the quilt. "Well, I'm going to sleep now. Don't disturb me."

Andrew couldn't help it. His lips curved into a smile.

How could his Ash be so cute?

"But Ash, you have wrapped yourself with the whole quilt. What should I use, then?"

just silently moved aside and spread half of the quilt

amused laugh burst

quilt, Ashley felt frustrated and

Andrew was still laughing.

Ashley was at that moment, Andrew refrained from

under the quilt, Ashley heard a rustling sound and knew that Andrew had gone to the bathroom to wash up. Slowly, she slid the quilt down

it was very uncomfortable under the

over Andrew's words, and a

did intend to make her

there were a lot mothers whose husbands abandoned them in favor of their children, there were still certain notable

lost in thought that she did not notice Andrew coming back from the

of her exposed head, Andrew released a bark of

willing to

a heavy weight. Ashley looked up

Her eyes widened.

voice, "Are you going to bury your head in

said that I buried my head

"That's good."

mortification at being caught increased ten-fold. She lay down, closed her eyes, and tried

Ashley could not sleep on her back. Because of this, Ashley had been sleeping on her side ever since the bump

at first, but

"Let's sleep then,"

he turned off

beside her, he

of tobacco wafting from Andrew, Ashley eventually

was really boring to

Andrew made Ashley swear on her life that

was afraid that something untoward might

did not want to risk

now understood why Chloe had called her up and

painfully and extremely boring to

the kids had returned from school that Ashley's day would begin to look

on with her children. The three of them would lock themselves in their bedroom as soon as they arrived. Ashley would knock at their door sometimes, but they would just tell her that

mystified

like expiring from

Fabio, Richard and Dany gathered together in a serious discussion. From time to time, they had to

of them never quarreled. Instead, they brought their heads together and tried to decide on which option

the cake?" asked

that they would deliver it

"That's good."

and asked Dany and Richard to come closer. No one knew

were only for their

a secret. We will give Mommy a surprise then," Richard

"Got it."

"Okay,"

and Dany chirped in reply at

enough to have more pocket

of their money had been given to them as lucky money

money Fabio and Richard had saved. Instead, she gave them a

them to save money well for

know what marriage meant, so he kept asking his mother

him books that he had found that could help Fabio look up the meaning of the word. At last,

to find out how much money the three children had in

to find Mommy

secret discussions after school involved planning a grand surprise for their mother. They were so engrossed in their brainstorming sessions that they had even ignored Ashley at

had finally decided on an idea, they went to find their