Love Me Again

Chapter 24 -Trying to justify things

A/N: Sorry about the late update. Been unwell (>.<)

Chapter 24 - Trying to justify things

Even if she had said that, she was still surprised when he honestly admitted it. Even everyone else in the room was shocked by his declaration.

"What do you want?" Ashton carefully asked, now that his sweet dream was crushed by reality.

Sean slowly smiled. "Miss Ashley Summer."

"Are you out of your fucking mind?" That was the most honest evaluation Ashley had of Sean. "Are you so angry with me that you want to mess with my family?"

"I was angry," Sean admitted. "But not anymore; not when I thought that I had hurt you so much you would do that."

In this room, only Ashley and Sean understood what his words meant.

Ashley took a harsh breath. "Apologies, but that can't be done. I can't accept your condition, so we won't ask for your help. Please leave."

Mrs. Summer clearly wanted to protest, unsure whether it was for the funds or for her daughter's love life.

"If you will excuse both of us, please? I suppose we need to have a private discussion," Sean said for those in the room while his eyes remained on Ashley.

Advin hustled everyone out, leaving Sean and Ashley alone in her office. Rina thoughtfully closed the door.

"There's nothing to discuss between us unless you change your condition," Ashley said.

But Sean did not grab the rolling ball and switched to another lane.

He looked around the office, which was much smaller than his but gave off a more inviting feeling between the two. "You have your own office. Advin told me you are running the business, letting him fully concentrate on cooking."

Ashley wondered how much her father and Sean had talked. But knowing that they had kept in touch all these years, she should not be surprised. "Not really. I just handle the paperwork and bills."

"Impressive."

Just from a single word of praise, she could feel her whole body grow warm.

Four years ago, she was just a replaceable clerk in a small company. It was only after the divorce did she start helping out with the family restaurant's accounts and paperwork, leaving her father and brother more time to work in the kitchen. Mrs. Summer was not a highly educated person and had always been in charge of the cashier and chatting with the customers to strengthen their favorability.

Last year, they finally hired Rina to be Ashley's assistant. Without Rina, Ashley did not think she would have enough rest. She had never thought a small-sized restaurant would have this much paperwork to do, but that would mostly be due to the fact she did not have much knowledge and experience in running a restaurant and had to learn as she worked.

"We don't need your help." Ashley moved the idle talk back to the main topic. "Thank you, but we still have other options."

"There is still a chance that the bank will not approve of the loan."

"You are wishing for that really hard, aren't you?" Ashley said sarcastically.

"Just accept my help, Ashley. I can help you."

"Damn it, Sean. Why are we talking about this again? Don't you understand we are already over from our last conversation?"

"I want to know what you have done with the two million," Sean said, totally aware of how she had gone still at the mention of it. "I know you, Ashley. You would never take that money without a valid reason, even if you wanted to retaliate against me."

She shrugged. "I took it because it's money. Who would say no to it?"

"You."

"Then you don't know me well enough."

"Ashley, look at me."

Startled, she realized she had looked away from him, pinning her eyes on the window that was facing their restaurant's street. She reluctantly looked back at him, swiftly trying to remove any trace of emotion from her face.

"Tell me right to my face that you took the money without a good reason."

Ashley gritted her teeth and cursed him silently. She would never be able to do that, as her eyes often betrayed her when she lied. Sean often told her he loved her eyes that always told him what she was thinking.

"Why would you want to know what I did with the money?" She crossed her arms. "Are you trying to justify things for me even when the truth is far from it?"

Why was he so desperate to forgive her?

"I'm sure that you did not use the money for the business. No trips to fancy places either, and no grand house or car."

"Are you spying on me?" She asked with a guarded expression.

Sean did not deny or admit it. "You needed the money urgently. Debts or bills?"

It was a great struggle to keep her face blank as he tried to read her expression. Sean seemed to have underestimated her improvement at pulling a decent poker face.

With a sneer on her face, Ashley taunted, "Are you that desperate for a woman that you will go back to your old one?"

Sean was not offended or taking her words seriously. "No matter. I will find out about it sooner or later."

Ashley shivered and knew he meant every word he had said. He was too stubborn. "Don't do something that wastes your time."

Sean shook his head, not commenting about it. "I want you to know that I never wanted to divorce you."

"But you did," she said softly. "Your father told me you would. And you did." "What else did he say?" Sean asked with clenched fists.

"He told me that you're already engaged to the mother of your son back in your hometown, wherever it is. That you were never serious with me." Ashley sneered and then imitated his father's tone, "If he's serious about you, why would he sleep with another woman and even have her give him a child?"

"You don't honestly believe that, do you?" Sean asked her in disbelief.

"Sean Donovan, with you refusing to discuss things with me and even going as far as avoiding me, did I ever have a reason not to believe it? Frequent working trips? Late working hours?" Ashley reminded him.

Sean closed his eyes for a moment before opening them with a blaze lit in them. "Signing the divorce papers was the dumbest thing I've ever done. Not even for a kid-"

"Goodness! Sean, that is your son! A child needs a father! Not one day per week visitations! And do you honestly think I would continue being your wife after knowing it? Do you want me to be a stepmother to your son from a woman you cheated on me with?!"

If Sean had really chosen her back then, she would have been happy. But now, after years of thinking about the matter from different angles, she just thought that the child was the innocent one in this matter.

"That boy-"

Mrs. Summer's sudden, loud voice interrupted what Sean was about to say. While her office was not soundproof, it could filter out most sounds well. Mrs. Summer must have spoken rather loudly, and from the tone of it, she was angry.

Did Gio come over to their restaurant to agitate her parents?

Worried, Ashley quickly opened the door and saw her father working hard to calm down his wife, who was glaring at Kyle. Ashton was using his body to hide Kyle from view, but the latter was half a head taller than him.

"What's going on?" Sean asked.

Mr. and Mrs. Summer were too upset to answer, and so was Ashton. That left Rina and Kyle.

Rina slowly tiptoed to Ashley and quickly reported. "They are angry that Ashton is dating that man."

"What?" Ashley gaped in shock.

Hearing that, Sean looked at Kyle strangely.