How to Hunt a Billionaire ✔️

Step 58: CRY for him

I tried to enter the room which everyone was hurrying into but Andrew grabbed my arm, pulling me back. "Let them do their job," he muttered.

"F*ck their job. What the hell is going on?" I moved away from him, my eyes flickering towards the blood on his hands. "I want the truth."

Andrew exhaled and sat down, looking worn out rather than the sarcastic d*ck he usually was. "We finally got Pierson to met us and make a deal. Ethan didn't want to go at first but he agreed. And so we went."

"And?"

His own blue eyes became glassy, staring at a scene that would stay with him forever. "Pierson pulled out a gun," his voice trembled as he spoke. "But he...he... F*ck. Why did he do it?"

As much as I wanted to feel sorry for him, my anger towards him decided to make an appearance. "So now you want to cry? After all the bullsh*t, you want to act like you actually give a f*ck about your brother?" I seethed. "You did this. Look at what you've done."

"You don't get to point fingers," he snapped back. "He left Alaska not because of me but you."

"I didn't bring a loan shark to kill him."

"Yeah, instead you handed him to the killer." He moved closer and leaned down to my ear. "If you ever think that my brother will wake up and take you back, you have another thing coming."

I tensed.

"I bet you didn't think of that. He was p*ssed, Ashley and being shot won't fix that," he jeered. I pushed him away which did nothing but bring a dark smirk to his face. "I will always be Ethan's brother so I can be forgiven. You, on the other hand, mean nothing. Your fake relationship is over. He doesn't care about you. Be a smart girl and leave."

"Fake relationship?"

Turning, I was face-to-face to Mr. Holt who had his arm around his distressed wife. Tears were on the edge of falling. This wasn't supposed to happen. "Ashley, what does he mean by fake relationship?" he repeated, seriously.

"I-I..." I tried to explain myself but words couldn't come out.

Andrew took over. "Ashley was dating Ethan so he could get the company and she could have a boyfriend."

"Is this true?" Mr. Holt's gaze landed on me.

"No! I mean, it was but I'm in lov-"

"Is it true?" he said quietly, not looking at me this time.

I paused, realizing there was nothing I could do. The hatred, dislike and distrust rolled over me, making it hard to breathe and my grip on my bag tightened. "Yes," I whispered.

"I think...it's time for you to go. This is a family only situation."

"I can explain," I said frantically.

"I don't want to hear it. Please, just go."

And I did. Snow fell from the sky as the final hour of Christmas passed by. I pulled out my phone once I was out of the hospital, hoping Diana would answer. "Hello?" she replied.

"Can you come and get me?" I murmured.

"Are you back? I thought you were coming next week."

"I'm in front of Willow's Creak Hospital."

"Ashley? Are you ok-" I hung up without letting her speak. Slumping against the building's wall, I tried to think where everything went wrong.

"Why don't you get a real girlfriend?" I asked Ethan who was shaving. The bubbles in the large bathtub concealed my body from his hazel eyes which met mine in the reflection of the mirror.

"Why would I need to?"

"I don't know. Love, maybe?"

He laughed. "To fall for someone who could hurt you? Never."

"So you're going to have a fake girlfriend forever?"

Ethan came over and cupped my cheek gently." Are you planning on leaving me?"

"I don't know," I said quietly.

"Then I'll try to make you stay," he replied before pressing his lips to mine.

"I'm so f*cking stupid," I cursed.

"Ashley!" Diana called from her car, gesturing for me to come. I hurried into the warmth and clicked in my seatbelt.

"Thanks for getting me."

"Anytime. Where do you want me to take you?"

"Can I stay at yours?"

Worry was painted all over her face. "Ash-"

"Never mind. Ethan's apartment is fine," I responded, not wanting to explain myself. I would stay there for a day then remove my things. She bit her lip, clearly wanting to get answers but could sense that I wasn't in any mood to do so.

"Where are your suitcases?"

"With my mom and dad. I'll go and visit them tomorrow."

"If you need to talk, I'm here. You know that," she reminded me and I nodded in response.

*****

I was finally home. Or what used to be. Even with the lights on, everything looked dark almost as if the apartment was mourning its owner. I left my keycard on the kitchen counter - I wouldn't need it anymore - and went into my my room.

The ring still on my finger acted as a heavy weight on my heart as I began throwing my clothes into my suitcase. Sliding it off, I put it on the bed then sighed. Tomorrow, I would put this all behind me and live normally.

B*tch, you're lying.

Well, if it was my last day in a condo, I would make the most of it. Popcorn on the table, wine in one hand and the flat screen playing Titanic, I was every girl's worst nightmare. Tears streamed down my face while I screamed at Rose.

"Don't f*cking let go!" I clutched my heart in despair. "Just move so he can f*cking sit. There's space."

My phone vibrated drawing my attention from the movie. I opened the text to see it was from Andrew.

He's stable.
~Andrew

I knew that I shouldn't reply and threw my phone on the floor then concentrated on Jack's death, unapologetically glad that it was him than Ethan.

#

hi.
Yeah.
I'm terrible.
"You're right," girl in the front yells.
SHUT IT.
Anyway, 70k! Merci.
And almost 1k followers :) merci again
I'm STILL stuck what story to write next...
XO Nyx