In Love, Never Say Never

In love, never say never chapter 716

I wasn’t planning to subject myself to further awkwardness that night. I stood up and prepared to clear the table. Ashton, however, was looking at me strangely. Bemused, I asked, “Do you want to head over to the living room and rest?”

Ashton didn’t speak. He wordlessly got up and brought the dishes into the kitchen.

I took a step forward to stop him. He was a guest, after all. However, Ashton’s dark gaze halted me in my tracks. I gaped at him, unable to muster a single coherent thought.

I lowered my head and turned to the sink. Before I could turn on the tap, however, Ashton had hauled me aside. “Get over there. I’ll do it,” he said roughly.

I could only look on apprehensively as his long, elegant fingers set to work cleaning up the kitchen.

I made another move to assist him but was arrested by his menacing gaze. All I could manage was to stand by, hovering over his shoulder and fretting inwardly.

After a moment’s thought, I asked tentatively, “Why did you suddenly move all the way here? Aren’t you returning to K City already?”

Ashton tilted his head and looked at me icily. “Are you saying that you don’t want me here?”

Good Heavens! This man is impossible. I thought exasperatedly.

To Ashton, however, I shook my head vigorously. “There’s so much for you to do in K City. Haven’t you more or less settled your matters here?”

“What about that?” Ashton replied curtly. He turned back to the dishes in hand, scrubbing and rinsing them off expertly.

He seemed reluctant to talk. I made up my mind not to put myself out on Ashton’s account.

I thus kept to myself as I waited in the corner, ready with a hand towel for him to dry off when he was done. Ashton took it, then turned his attention to the fridge.

Baffled, I broke my silence. “What are you looking for?”

“Eggs,” Ashton replied, pushing aside cartons and several food items.

“What do you want eggs for?” I asked incredulously.

Ashton took out a jar of brown sugar. He turned to me serenely and asked, “Don’t you feel a slight discomfort in your stomach?”

Stunned, I nodded uncomprehendingly. “A little. What does that have anything to do with eggs?”

Ashton bit his lip, considering. Then he ordered, “Go to the room and get changed. Do you have any spare…?”

He trailed off, but any fool would have understood immediately what Ashton meant. My face immediately turned crimson with embarrassment.

Aghast, I quickly turned. There was a large stain on my pants that I had, up until that moment, been blissfully unaware of.

I’d dismissed the brief twinge of pain in my stomach earlier, never expecting my period to have arrived so suddenly without warning. It had been two months since I last had it and had long since lost track of my cycle.

Observing my flushed face and my hapless state, Ashton sighed. “Go and change. I’ll buy some tampons later.”

Without further ado, I turned and dashed for the stairs.

Before I could exit the kitchen, however, Armond and Nora’s voices drifted in, getting louder as their owners approached the living room. Armond and Nora had evidently concluded their talk.

I broke out in cold sweat and looked anxiously at Ashton for help.

Unfazed, Ashton immediately took off his jacket. Raising his voice, he commented, “It’s cold. Put this on.”

Nora and Armond appeared in front of us. At the sight of Ashton draping his jacket around my shoulders, Armond winked knowingly, teasing, “Did we come back at a bad time?”

I flashed him a smile, then quickly replied, “I’m going to the bedroom to change into something warmer.”

Fortunately, Ashton’s long frame meant that his jacket hung rather loosely on me. It provided a rather opportune cover.

I got changed as quickly as I could. In my hurry to escape from Armond and Nora, however, I realized that I’d forgotten to bring my phone with me.

I could only hover, frustrated, in the bathroom.

Suddenly, someone rapped sharply on the bedroom door. When I cracked it open, Nora pushed her way in.

She stuffed the tampon that she had been discreetly hiding into my hands. Nora batted her eyelashes at me slyly, saying, “You’ve got rather good chemistry with your husband, haven’t you?”

I bit my lip, then retreated into the bathroom to change. When I emerged, Nora was sitting on the bed in deep thought. I took a seat beside her. “What were you discussing in the rear house with Armond?”

“We were talking about life. Can you believe it?” Nora scoffed. She sounded disappointed.

Seeing her upset face, I decided not to pursue the matter and merely commented, “I had plans to move in with you, but that’s turned out to be rather unfeasible. I promised Armond that I’d be here for all three meals in the day.”

Nora nodded. “Got it.”

After a moment’s pause, she turned to me and said triumphantly, “I think Ashton moved here on purpose to further his chances with you! I really appreciate his persistence and approach to courtship.”

Speechless, I made no reply.

We sat at length in companionable silence. At last, when night had decisively descended on us, Nora got ready to leave. I followed her downstairs. Ashton and Armond were engaged in a vigorous discussion that broke off when Nora and I appeared.

Armond stood courteously. “Let me send you home, Nora,” he urged.

“It’s fine. I drove,” Nora replied briskly. Traces of unhappiness were still apparent on her face.

What on earth did they talk about?

Armond, however, paid no heed to Nora’s disagreement. He tailed her out of the living room.

I prepared to follow. Ashton, however, clutched me and smoothly stepped in my way. “What are you doing?”

Startled, I retorted, “I’m going to send Nora off, of course!”

“Armond’s already doing that,” Ashton said. He towered above me, barricading my way out.

Suddenly, a thought seemed to spring to Ashton’s mind. “Does your stomach still hurt?”

I shook my head. “I feel a lot better now, all thanks to you,” I replied meekly.

I opened my mouth, about to ask Ashton to take his leave. However, he interrupted, “It’s almost autumn. Dress warmer when you go out.”

I nodded obediently. “OK.”

Ashton maintained his tight grip on my arm. I tried to subtly wriggle out of it, but he held fast. “Where’s the ointment?”

In love, never say never chapter 717

at the scalded area. I mumbled in reply, “It’s much

brow. Without even asking, he took my bag and fumbled through it for the ointment.

gaze was

shifted my weight from foot to foot, then stammered, “It’s late,

away?” Ashton demanded, his face

breath, then nodded defiantly. “Yep. Or would you rather stay here?”

Ashton challenged. His dark eyes bore into my

“It’s up to

the villa. I did my best to ignore him and headed up to my

from sending Nora home, he’d naturally deal with

I’d completely put aside all thoughts of Ashton. It was almost ten at night, so I blow-dried my hair, read a little, and eventually drifted off

without warning. It was a chilly autumn night, and droplets pattered rhythmically onto the

to the window to shut

followed by the deafening clap of thunder, filled the room. Petrified, I bolted towards the

alarm, however, I ran right into the arms of the chaise lounge

shot through my knee and

immense. I exhaled sharply as I cradled it for a long while. The open window was still waiting, and I tried to get up to no avail. I finally sat on the

the small lamp beside my bed. I turned it on, but the dim light only succeeded in casting ghoulish shadows against the wall. The wind continued howling through the open

At that moment, in the

a sense of dread in the presence of rain and thunder. I was utterly vulnerable

from terror. Valiantly, I tried multiple times to stand up with the support of surrounding furniture but only succeeded in knocking into

the floor and shattered. Its wan

Shrinking into a corner, I thought I could hear the sound of an infant wailing above the noise of the

long noticed that I let my guard down and

into the room took on the appearance

every last bit of strength left within

someone cried from beyond the

you, go away!” I shrieked in

into a ball, my head stuck resolutely between my knees. I was

beside me. It pierced through the tumult of the nightmare. My heart clung wildly to that voice. At that moment, the

light in the room had been switched on and the curtains neatly fastened.

afraid,” Ashton said

Squinting slightly, I peered at

into his arms, sobbing. “It was my baby! He’s

He inhaled, then said hoarsely, “He doesn’t. He knows that you love him. How

me. My tears flowed freely as I lay in his arms, my heart heavy. “I’m sorry! I really did my best, but that rope was

and said tenderly, “He knows,

a while as I recovered my wits. With Ashton’s help,

carried me back to my bed. He then

pool of blood I’d seen spreading across the floor had been accumulated rainwater that had poured in from the window that I

on the floor, Ashton looked at me worriedly. “Are you

you get in?” I asked

admitted, “The two balconies are connected. If you want, you can cross over easily

look. “Ashton, you trespassed on private property!”

my body, then fixed on

there was a giant bruise on my arm

love, never say never chapter

flung the blanket aside, a rapid motion that lifted up my skirt along with it. Horrified, I snatched it back and cringed beneath it. “Ashton, you

to me with a smouldering look. Without another word, he

gaped at him. Did he just walk out on me? I thought

in his hand. He once again took up his seat beside

but irresistible picture. I realized with a start that I’d known him for close to ten years now. He remained, however, just as gorgeous as when

Deep in thought,

For a moment, I felt as if I’d plunged deep into his obsidian

My throat suddenly felt incredibly parched. “I’m very grateful to you for what happened tonight. I’m willing to overlook your trespassing incident and so won’t be

narrowed his eyes at me, then remarked, “Scarlett, I never

close enough to feel each other’s breaths on our faces. I flinched. “I wasn’t quibbling,” I argued breathlessly, my heart pounding. “I was speaking the truth. Ashton, I told you that there was nothing between us anymore. Once I’ve finished this project, we’ll go back to J City and get our divorce papers.

lay back down

still as a statue. After a while, when he hadn’t moved, I

was staring straight at me. “Is it because of the baby? Or is it because of

gripped me. I bit my lip, then said slowly, “Isn’t it obvious? You didn’t experience first-hand any of the events that I went through. They’re all a list of incidents in your mind. We lost a baby, and I still bear grudge against my parents. You don’t know how it feels! You

or a new start, I’m willing to give everything up. Until then, Scarlett, you need someone by your side to take care of you. When you’ve found that person, I’ll agree to the divorce readily and leave. I’ll let you live the

tone. I hadn’t foreseen that Ashton, who

I replied hotly. As those words left my lips,

…

the dark, stormy night, the next morning arrived bathed in a soft, sunny

the bedroom. He’d evidently snuck

it much thought, I headed to the bathroom to wash up, then went to downstairs to prepare breakfast. There was no sign of Armond for a long while,

the door of his room, then opened it. The bed was still neatly made. It had clearly remained undisturbed

the rest of the house

he been with

Nora and Armond seems to have made rather rapid progress! I was delighted for them but was rather anguished

me. As I exited, I noticed a black Maybach parked right outside the neighboring unit. It

passenger’s seat, then looked at Joseph. “Morning, Mr. Campbell. Have you eaten

bewilderment. Then he quickly

to Joseph, I said, “You haven’t had

the backseat. Tersely,

the breakfast in hand to Ashton. “Mr. Fuller, you haven’t eaten breakfast yet, have you? Mrs. Fuller made this

shot a glance towards Joseph. My words sounded strange in his mouth when spoken in his usual

then looked up and noticed me sitting in the passenger seat. He acknowledged me with a nod, then

originally intended to hitch a ride. From the curt exchange between Ashton and Joseph, however, it didn’t sound as if the car would be heading in the direction of Lavelian village. I announced hastily, “You won’t be passing by Lavelian Village, will you? I’ll be off then. See you

love, never say

to alight when Ashton cleared his throat

make a short detour to Gold Scale Estate. Why don’t you come along

looked at

to you, Mrs. Fuller. The Lavelian project just started, so we definitely plan on heading over there to take a look. Isn’t that

situation, but he seemed thoroughly focused on tucking in the breakfast delicately. I guessed that Ashton hadn’t

unnecessarily. I slumped back into the

politely, then

arrived within ten minutes. We were greeted by the sight of Rachel in a white linen dress, her permed hair rippling over her shoulders. On one hand, she toted the most fashionable luxury handbag that was available

car rolled to a stop just beside Rachel. She leaned over to open the door of the passenger seat. After a couple of tugs, however, the door remained stuck fast.

Joseph returned. He sprang into action, suddenly getting out of the car. Before I could react, Ashton had replaced Joseph in the

had settled into the passenger’s

smile faltered, her face darkening. She said rather haughtily, “Is Ms. Stovall

the roads leading to Lavelian Village aren’t smooth. That’s

trepidation. He looked visibly distressed

breakfast yet? I made pancakes this morning. Why don’t you

already eaten,”