13: Getting Back At Her In–Laws.
At Asher’s house I dropped the folder on the counter and sank into the couch, trying to push the thoughts away. But the moment. I did, my phone buzzed incessantly, a string of notifications lighting up the
screen.
Frowning, I picked it up and swiped it open. The messages were from an unknown number.
At first, I thought it might be spam, but as I read the texts, my stomach dropped.
“Ashley, are you pregnant?”
“Elena told me she saw you at the hospital.
“Is it true? Am I going to be a father?”
“No… Did you fuck up? Is that baby even mine or that bastard‘ s?”
“If it’s mine, why didn’t you tell me?”
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I stared at the screen, my heart pounding in my chest. Instantly I got pissed off. He dared to ask that? After everything? Why did I not tell him? Did he want to listen? Did he want that news?
“Ashley, answer me.”
“You owe me an explanation.”
The texts came pouring in.
An explanation? I chuckled, “I owe you nothing, Ace.” Without giving any other concern, I blocked the number without replying at all.
He was right. The baby wasn’t his. This was my baby. Only mine.
I tossed the phone onto the couch and buried my face in my hands, trying to regulate my breathing.
Ace was getting on my nerves. At the same time it was amusing. How could he question me like that? How could he still think he had any right to demand answers
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13: Getting Back At Her In–Laws.
from me?
I pushed it aside. I didn’t have the energy to deal with this, I would keep ignoring, I should even get to change my contact so he won’t be able to reach me.
xxxx
“Thank you, ma‘ again.”
am and patronize us
It was evening and I had gone out to get some groceries but instead I ran into the last person I had expected to run into.
“Ashley?”
I turned and felt my stomach drop. It was Ace s mother, followed closely by Dove, his sister. Both of them were dressed exquisitely.
I stopped in my tracks and turned to faced them, I could feel their eyes scanning me from head to toe.
“Where have you been?” Ace‘ s mother said sharply, crossing her arms. “You
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- Getting Back At Her In Laws.
didn’t come to the mansion, and now, it’s unclean. Don’t you know your
responsibilities?”
Dove chimed in, her tone just as biting.
“You‘ re so ungrateful. Do you think you can just ignore us?”
I couldn’t help it. A dry, humorless laught escaped me. “I’m not your servant.”
“YOU!”
Both their faces twisted in shock, but before they could retort, I added, “And don’t worry, I’ve sent Ace the divorce. papers. Maybe you can remind him to sign them. It’ll save us all some time.”
“Divorce? You? You‘ re the one who doesn’t deserve Ace!”
Dove jabbed a finger in my direction, sneering. “Do you know how many women would kill to be in your position? Ace married you, and you still made a mess of things. Say, are you having an affair?”
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My blood boiled, but I forced myself to stay calm.
These two had never treated me with an ounce of respect, always seeing me as someone beneath them, someone to be ordered around. I had swallowed their insults for years because of Ace. Once I wished that they’d finally accept me. But he didn’t matter anymore. None of them did.
“Look, this daughter–in–law of mine, is such a whore. And, so unfilial!”
Others started gathering at the ruckus.
A thought struck me, and before I could second–guess it I decided to pull it off.
I let out a loud, fake sob, crouching down onto my knees and rubbing at my eyes dramatically.
“Please,” I wailed, my voice shaking with fake despair. “I don‘ t want to go back! Just let me go! I’ve had enough. I can’t take it anymore! I don’t want to go back, please…
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13: Getting Back At Her In–Laws.
Gasps rippled through the crowd that had started gathering around us. I could hear murmurs and whispers spreading like wildfire.
“Did you hear that?”
“She must’ve been mistreated.”
“Look, she’s so thin… And, those two seemed so foul earlier…”
“Poor thing.”
Ace‘ s mother and Dove turned bright red as the whispers grew louder. They looked around, clearly realizing they had become the villains in everyone’s eyes.
“Stop this nonsense!” his mother hissed under her breath, but I didn’t stop.
“Please,” I begged, rubbing my face for good measure. “I just want a divorce. I‘ 11 leave you all alone. I don‘ t want anything! Not even a penny, I promise. I just want to be free of all of this.”
Finally, unable to take the public
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13: Getting Back At Her In–Laws.
humiliation, they spun on their heels and stormed away, their heads held high but their steps quick and flustered.
As soon as they were out of sight, I stood up, dusting off my jeans. My cheeks burned with embarrassment, but I felt a strange sense of satisfaction.
“Well, that was a show,” a familiar voice sounded from behind me.
I turned to see Asher leaning against his car, arms crossed, an amused smirk on his face.
“Good acting,” he said with a chuckle.
I rolled my eyes, mortified. “You could‘ ve warned me you were watching.”
He shrugged, the smirk never leaving hist face. “And miss that performance? No way.”
I kept dusting myself still embarrassed by his words but at the same time I felt
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13: Getting Back At Her In–Laws.
satisfied after a long time. It felt as if they got what they deserved.
