The Billionaire's Ex

18|undeniably attracted

"Okay, at least If you can't tell me you will tell him and resolve everything, once and for all. That is if you still care about him."

"Of course I still care about him. I'll start from the Genesis, if he will have me."

He said, "Okay, follow me."

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"We went to where he used to live Mr. Ryder but he was nowhere to be seen. His neighbors said he moved out 2months ago and they didn't know where he was living now." Mr. Peterson said to him.

"We will find him Mr. Peterson. It is confirming that he is the last person that met with Miss Freya that night. The manager made a copy of the recordings that night. It showed him Mr. Peterson, it was Zachary I saw and he led her away from the restaurant, I'm sure of it."

"I will have a look at the recordings one after the other and see what I can find from there."

"Good. That'll be all," he said to Mr. Peterson and that ended their meeting of the day.

Changing from his work clothes, he put on a short sleeves button up shirt and khaki shorts. He failed to button up leaving his chest bare. Shutting the door of his room behind him, he walked away from his room.

The smell of his favorite pastry hit his nose immediately and his steps slowly came to a halt. He started his strides again, stealthily waiting to catch the culprit.

Finally, he entered into the kitchen, fully catching the scent of his favorite strawberry cupcakes. Forgetting the delicious smell of pastries, he was more focused on the lady that stood behind the counter. Few steps into the kitchen, he stopped.

"What are you doing here?" Thea yelped allowing the cutlery knife she held fall to the floor. She stared at him in shock. She quickly picked the knife from the floor and kept it on the kitchen counter.

"Hey," her cool voice called to him. "I em...I made your favorite, strawberry cupcakes." When he didn't reply, she added. "You used to like it so much,"

"What are you really doing here Thea?" He shoved his hands into his pocket.

"Honestly," she sighed in defeat. "I don't know where to start." Silence reigned for some time but then he spoke up.

"Then you should leave." He turned his back to her wanting to leave.

"Ash....I mean Mr. Ryder," he turned to stare at her. "I..em I wanted to talk to you about what happened earlier." She said. He turned back to stare at her.

"I'm really sorry for not telling you about my mother."

She hesitated but it was for the best, she thought. She couldn't keep on assuming. "To be frank with you, the reason was because I didn't want to burden you with my problems."

He took interest in what she was saying suddenly. Walking closer to the counter where she stood.

"Don't get me wrong It's not that I didn't want to tell you, I desperately wanted to but when after your father accused me of wanting to marry you for your wealth, I was afraid you would think that i-"

"You knew that I would do anything for you." He accused.

"I know, I know." She said, a bit rushed. "But that was my problem, I knew you would do everything in your power to make sure she was alright. But I didn't want you to carry the burden...my own burden."

Suddenly he was angry. "You know what your problem is?" He said when she was done talking.

"You're selfish. So selfish that you never thought about how I would feel about it all." He let out a bit sharper than expected.

"You made me a promise do you remember? That whatever seem complicated between us, we will talk about it. It's disheartening that you couldn't even keep one of your promises."

"I kept all of them,"

"You say something yet you did the opposite!" He snapped.

"No Ash! I did keep your promises. I kept all of them. What happened on our wedding day was-"

"You were pregnant Thea!" He blurted out. "You were with another man's child. How would you have expected me to handle it? You expect me to just have you in my arms again the minute you come begging back, because I forgive easily?" He retorted with pain laced in his voice.

"It was your child Ash."

"Spare me the lies!" He blurted out.

"But it isn't Ashton, the child was yours, It was!" She retorted.

"You expect me to just believe you?"

"No, I don't expect you to at all because of how that day turned out-"

"Get ou-"

"-because I lied that day!" She interrupted loudly. This was the important part of the story he needed to hear. He frowned in confusion.

"I lied so I could save my mother's life without you knowing about it. I didn't want to be at a club just for fun, I worked there Ashton because I heard girls who worked there get high tips one or two ways."

"So you preferred to sell your body for money?" Disgust was laced in his tone.

"No, no no, that isn't it. I worked at the bar but then they all came at me every single time so I left with the little money I made. For goodness sake, I wouldn't think of selling my body for money." She swallowed to gain courage for the important part.

"But then," she continued. "Claire found out and assumed I did what you just accused me of. If I had to defend my name then I would have to-"

"Tell me that your mother was sick," he completed then scoffed painfully. "Congratulations then Thea, for a good work well done." He said before turning away from her, back to where he came from.

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