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

looking rather intently at the scalded area. I mumbled

his brow. Without even asking, he took my bag and fumbled through it for the ointment. He then proceeded to apply

throughout the entire process. His gaze was unfathomable. “Is Armond better at this than I

foot to foot, then

me away?” Ashton

then nodded defiantly. “Yep.

I?” Ashton challenged. His dark eyes

shrugged. “It’s up to

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

was back from sending Nora

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

chilly autumn night, and droplets pattered rhythmically onto the ground. A frosty wind blew into the

made my way over to the

of thunder, filled

I ran right into the arms of

knee and I

it for a long while. The open window was still waiting, and

the small lamp beside my bed. I turned it on, but the dim light only succeeded in casting ghoulish

droplets of water across the room. At that moment, in

baby, I’d always felt a sense of dread in the presence of rain

running wild and I began to tremble from terror. Valiantly, I tried multiple times to stand up with the support of surrounding furniture but only succeeded in knocking

loud crash, the lamp fell to the floor and shattered. Its wan

of horror wash over me. Shrinking into a corner, I thought I could hear the sound of an

that I let my guard

once more, dazed, at the window, the faint light streaming into the room took on the appearance of blood seeping steadily across the

screamed with every last bit of strength

someone cried from

All of you, go

a ball, my head stuck resolutely between

beside me. It pierced through the tumult of the nightmare. My heart clung wildly to that voice. At that moment, the rest of the world seemed to quieten down and

my head slowly. The light in the room had been switched on and the curtains neatly

be afraid,” Ashton said again,

a deep breath. Squinting slightly, I peered at the

into his arms, sobbing. “It was my baby! He’s here! He… he hates me! He hates me because I

“He doesn’t. He knows that you love him. How can he bear to hurt

back, soothing 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 just too thick. I couldn’t

nodded. He gave me another squeeze and said tenderly, “He knows, he knows. He doesn’t blame you for

ground for a while as I recovered my wits. With Ashton’s help, I tried to

me back to my bed. He then tucked me

seen spreading across the floor had been accumulated rainwater that had poured in from the window that I hadn’t managed

absently at the puddle on the floor, Ashton looked at

me. “How did you get in?” I asked curiously,

shamefaced. He then admitted, “The two balconies are connected. If you want, you

“Ashton, you trespassed

my body, then fixed on my arm. “How did you get hurt?”

bruise on my

love, never say never chapter

had already flung the blanket aside, a rapid motion that lifted up my skirt along

me with a smouldering look. Without another word, he got up and

Did he just walk out

again took up his seat beside my

light in the room, made a familiar 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

thought, I hadn’t time to react and was confronted

moment, I felt as if I’d plunged deep into his obsidian eyes. My face burned and I could feel my heart

“I’m very grateful to you for what happened tonight. I’m willing to overlook

Ashton gave a high, dry laugh. He narrowed his eyes at me, then remarked, “Scarlett, I never realized how cunning you are

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. Things will be officially over between us

refused to look at Ashton and lay back down on the bed, facing away from

a statue. After a while, when he hadn’t moved, I began to feel

To my shock, Ashton was staring straight at me. “Is it because of

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 think that these things can be overcome easily. You think I should move on and continue being with you as

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

was taken aback by his matter-of-fact tone. I hadn’t foreseen that Ashton, who was usually so domineering, would suddenly

you’d better keep your word then!” I replied hotly. As those words left my lips, however, there

…

next morning arrived bathed in a soft, sunny radiance.

up, Ashton was no longer in the bedroom. He’d evidently snuck away sometime in

to downstairs to prepare

The bed was

ruckus I’d raised in my bedroom, the rest of the house had remained singularly hushed. Armond

been with

Armond seems to have made rather rapid progress! I was delighted for them but was rather anguished over the amount of food I’d made.

me. As I exited, I noticed a black

passenger’s seat, then looked at Joseph. “Morning,

at me in bewilderment. Then he quickly

was nowhere to be seen. Handing the breakfast over to Joseph, I said, “You haven’t had

backseat.

“Mr. Fuller, you haven’t eaten

glance towards Joseph. My words sounded strange in his mouth when

passenger seat. He acknowledged me with a

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

never say

the door and was ready to alight when Ashton cleared

make a short detour to Gold Scale Estate. Why don’t you come along with us? There aren’t many cars headed in that direction, and with the one-hour-long drive, it’ll be inconvenient for you to get

looked at him

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

to size up the situation, but he

out unnecessarily. I slumped back into the seat and beamed at Joseph. “Thanks for the

politely,

and we arrived within ten minutes. We were greeted by the sight of Rachel in a white linen dress, her permed hair rippling over her

She leaned over to open the door of the passenger seat. After a couple of tugs, however, the door remained stuck fast. I looked over at

suddenly getting out of the car. Before I could react, Ashton had replaced Joseph

settled into

said rather haughtily, “Is Ms. Stovall here too? Didn’t Mr. Murphy

I’m not a very skilled driver, and the roads leading to Lavelian Village aren’t smooth. That’s why I didn’t drive today,” I informed Rachel,

in the backseat in trepidation. He looked visibly

sappily, “Mr. Fuller, have you had breakfast yet? I made pancakes this morning. Why don’t you let Mr. Campbell drive while

eaten,” Ashton replied