Stuck At Default

PLEASE DON'T LEAVE

''What did you just say?''

I really hoped I heard him wrong.

''My dad was the reason why I broke up with you.'' He all but shouted.

''Oh wow. How adorable. He asked you to breakup with your girlfriend and you happily complied. And as far as I remember, it didn't seem like he had a problem with me''

''You never were the problem, it was always me.''

''I knew you never saw eye to eye with your father, but never in my wildest dreams did I imagine you would accuse him of your faults. Pathetic Ashton.''

''I never saw eye to eye with my father? You could never be more wrong, Mia. He loathed me, absolutely hated me. For reasons beyond my control. And you think I'm wrongly accusing him?''

I saw the man from earlier standing protectively  at the entrance of the room. Ashton took a look at him and then waved him away.

''Oh yes. I'm sure he must have hated you. That is why you are the one who inherited his company instead of your brother. Am I right?'' I was almost shouting now, and it was very unlike me.

''You couldn't have been more wrong, Mia. Emil was the one who inherited this whole company and everything beyond it. That man did not leave a single penny for me, wrote everything to Emil in his will.'' His voice changed.

''And your mom?''

''Nothing. I was prepared to take mom back to London with me. At least, before Emil took his final decision.''

''London? What would you have done in London? You barely know that city.''

''No Mia. I know the city very well. After high school, I spent four years in London. Got my degree in law. My uncle is there in the city too. We wouldn't have been alone.''

''You spent four years in London? I never knew that.''

''How would you? We broke up.''

It caught my breath. There was a hint of sadness, of regret in his voice. How could I have known he was in London? We did not stay in touch after the breakup.

''A week before me and mom were scheduled to fly for London, Emil called me and told me that he had transferred the company and 20 percent of the total property in my name. And that, he was liquidating everything else and moving to Los Angeles.''

''Why are you sharing all these with me?'' I couldn't help asking him that.

''I want you to know that my father isn't the man you thought him to be. But he wasn't always like that. Everything changed after I turned 14.''

''What changed?''

''Let's not talk about it.''

There he was again avoiding my question. But this time I was going to get my answers.

''Damn it Ash. Why don't you just tell me the truth. How bad can it be?''

Exactly at that moment, the doorbell rang. A couple of minutes later, that same man escorted Roland and Blaine  to the sitting room. I think the tension between me and Ash was very obvious because Roland asked.

''Hey guys. Is everything alright?''

Coming here was a mistake. It was a huge mistake. Blaine was an idiot for dragging me here, and then leaving me alone with him. I should have known better. He was not worth it.

''I think I should get going.'' I said, pointedly to Blaine.

''You just got here.....''

''I hope you recover soon Ashton.'' I cut him off.