When Chloe and I arrived, the campus was
packed. I spotted Ashton’s name on the
program.
He was scheduled to perform seventh.
<
After the sixth act, I made an excuse and left.
As I hurried out, I heard someone call my
name.
I didn’t turn back.
My phone buzzed. A text from our old college advisor.
El, why did you leave so suddenly? I called you several times. Your boyfriend is
performing next. Aren’t you staying?
Sorry, Professor, something came up. And I’m single.
L
I shook my head.
I’d been so obvious in college that even our
advisor knew about me and Ashton.
I didn’t know she was with him now.
He’d seen my text.
In the dim light of the auditorium, his expression was unreadable.
I went back to my office. I’d left my purse there.
I found a draft proposal for a new
partnership.
く
With Ashton’s company.
I called my boss, confirmed it, and resigned
on the spot.
“I’m quitting, effective immediately.”
“El, this is so sudden! I was going to have
you liaise with them on this project.”
“Thanks, but no thanks. I can’t work with that company.”
I wrote my resignation letter and left.
Back at my apartment building, the hallway
light was on.
<
I lived in a two–unit building. The other
apartment was vacant. The hallway light was
almost never on.
As I walked down the hall, I saw Ashton.
He was standing in the stairwell, smoking.
He must have been there a while. The floor
was littered with cigarette butts. –
Luckily, he hadn’t seen me.
I quickly pressed the elevator button.
Ashton turned as the doors began to close.
<
I heard him yell.
“El! Is that you? You’re in the elevator, aren’t you?”
As the elevator descended, I pressed every button.
It was a jerk move, but effective.
Since Ashton was waiting at my apartment, I booked a room at a nearby hotel.
As I climbed the stairs to my room, Ashton burst through the lobby doors.
He was sweating, breathless, face flushed.
Join the bookshelf
<
“Did someone just check in here? A woman
named El?”
“Answer me! Answer me!”
The copyright of this content belongs to
“realnovel“.
Chapter 2
5
LO
Ashton’s yelling made me freeze.
I hoped the receptionist wouldn’t tell him I
was here.
Thankfully, she held her ground.
<
“I’m sorry, sir, but I can’t give out guest
information.”
Ashton, usually so composed, lost it.
“I don’t care about guest information! She’s
my wife! I have a right to know if she’s here!”
Wife?
What a joke.
He’d never even said he loved me.
“Sir, you can call her. If she’s staying here,
she can give you her room number, and I can confirm it for you.”
<
Ashton went silent.
He’d blocked himself. How could he call me?
I slipped upstairs to my room.
Chloe called, ecstatic.
“What did you do to him? He’s losing it! He
