The Billionaire's Ex

29|But together

"Claire, what in the name of God are they talking about?" Ashton said trying to keep his voice calm.

"You heard it, we are getting ready Married at least that is what we decided back in London isn't it?" Claire shrugged.

"Mother, she's lying. We never planned such a thing!"

"Why are you saying that Ashton? You told me that we would get married by the end of the month!" Claire retorted.

"Why the fuck are you lying to them?! You know why I won't get married to you and I won't do it no matter which game you play and how to play it." He blurted out.

Claire quickly went to his mother, grabbing her by the arm firmly, tears forming in her eyes. "Mother, tell him...tell him not to treat me like this, I'm going to be his wife." Ashton pinched the bridge of his nose in annoyance. She should not be doing this.

No, not now.

"Mother, don't believe a words she says. Claire and I, will not be getting married."

"Why not?" His father interrupted and Ashton turned to glare at his father instead. "It's because you haven't stopped sleeping with that whore of a woman, isn't it?"

Ashton raised his index fingers in warning at his father. "I told you," he gritted out. "Not to call her that! She's not a whore."

"You will get married to Claire Ashton, whether you like it or not!" Mr Ryder said to his son before walking upstairs.

Ashton couldn't meet his mother's stare. He just glared at where his father just walked pass. This was not fair to him. He can't marry Claire, he can't marry her.

With one more glare at Claire, he left.

The more she persisted, the more he was reminded of how much he hated her, with every fibre in his being. He will hate anyone that tried to take him away from Thea.

---

"I'll do everything to tear them apart," Claire told Jace as Jace wore an expression of amusement.

She always had things to her advantage. Starting from the day she caught Thea at the club, they were always one step ahead of Ashton. She knew what made him so vulnerable and weak.

Their pathetic bond,

"It seems like you already have it under control. You get Ashton and I on the other hand get the money. He won't even know what coming for him." Jace said to her.

She walked to him, hands went around his neck and he welcomed her touch.

"Then, what will happen to us?" She asked.

"When the time comes, we'll know how to play then. We just have to get them at our mercy." He told her, taking her hair away from her shoulder, baring her neck to him. "Then I'll have you all to myself." He kissed her right where her neck met her shoulder.

---

"You shouldn't have come?"

"I had to," Ashton said. "I got a call from Samson, a man who I didn't even know until recently. Do you know what he told me? That you have been drinking a lot, too much actually."

Zachary twirled his cup slightly never once looking at Ashton. "I'm okay," Zachary said to him before gulping the remaining content of his cup. When he placed the glass of the table, Ashton turned another cup away from the table and poured himself a drink.

"Then, let's drink together. I had a bad day too," Zachary looked at him finally then filled his cup again.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Zachary asked, after sometime.

"Yes." Ashton said. "I like someone but I'm been forced to marry someone else that I don't love." Ashton took in all the contents of his cup in one gulp.

"That's shit," Zachary complimented and Ashton nodded refilling his cup. "What are you going to do about it?"

"I can't marry Claire," Ashton said. "Even though it's not for love. Thea will never forgive me."

"You know Thea," Zachary said and Ashton looked at him.

"Yes. She's the woman I love. I wouldn't change her for the world. Was that how Freya was to you?"

He answered quietly after a while. "Yes,"

"You miss her."

"Very," Zachary said before taking a sip of his alcohol. "She was the first woman that I felt everything for. The feeling was too much to handle. I tried staying away from her, I left the country wanting to be away from her because of how I felt. She knows the kind of boy I am. I mean every girl in our circle does but she still wanted me. I thought if icould have just a fling or two, I would be content, I mean but no," Zachary said.

"And you were afraid of it." Ashton completed for him and Zachary stared at Ashton in reply. Ashton raised his cup making a toast silently to him before gulping another content of his cup.

"I want to forget but I can't. I keep on regretting why I left her that night. It's all my fault."

"You'll be saying that if she was really dead," his immediately raised his head to look at Ashton who was busy drinking down his third glass.

"Did you say something?" Zachary asked sitting upright.

"You don't believe it? She's alive." Ashton said.

"You don't make jokes like that!" Zachary blurted out in anger, his hands hitting the table loudly as he rose from the chair.

The remaining persons in the bar turned to look at them. Ashton sighed muttering something about regretting saying anything.

"Sit down for a moment!" He hissed at Zach who looked around before doing so.

"Freya is alive but still recovering. She hasn't woken up yet so, I let her play dead to everyone. I didn't want people to know about it."

"So why are you telling me this?"

"Because you are in pain when you shouldn't. You are ruining your life over nothing so I felt if it's one other person to know, it's you."

"Thank you, how...is that...my goodness-" Zach didn't know what to say.

"You have to continue the act though if you want to see her again. I need to find out who killed her and why."

Zachary said, "I understand Ashton. I won't say a word, I swear on my life."

"That's good." Ashton relaxed on his chair looking around in boredom. His attention darted to the VIP section of the building. Furrowing his brows in confusion, he watched as a familiar face walked out of the VIP section pulling a woman along with him.

What was his father doing here?

"Hey, wait up for me, I'll be back soon." Ashton hurriedly after his father aiming to see the face of the woman who his father had pulled along and what he was up to afterwards.