Ashton's Secret

CHAPTER 17.

All through the minute they have been seated there, Fiona was trying really hard to grab Ashton's attention but the poor man seem to be lost in thought. He was barely listening to a word Fiona was saying. His fingers brush over his lips every second and Fiona could guess what he was thinking about and it annoyed her.

Fiona could recall the look on Ashton's face when he stared at Isla. It looks like he would give her the world if she ask for it. Fiona despises the fact that Isla could get so lucky when she obviously do not deserve it. Much less, Isla does not even like Ashton. Fiona could already picture the heartbreak Ashton would go through when he realizes that Isla would never love him.

It was the same heartbreak Lucas and the others suffered. Fiona did not want Ashton to suffer as they did, so she made up her mind in that moment. "Lord Ashton," she called and once again Ashton was drawn out of his dazed thinking.

"Yes?"

"You asked me once the reason for Isla's dislike towards me and I am ready to tell you". For the first time since they got to this tea shop, it was the only thing that seems to interest Ashton. Fiona hated that he was only now paying attention to her at the mention of Isla. "Before I got engaged to Lord Lucas, he was planning to get married to Isla." Fiona watched as the look of shock slowly took over Ashton's expression. Seems like he really did not know.

"Lucas parents wanted him to get married to me, but Lucas was helplessly in love with Isla, he could not fathom being with another woman. He fought tooth and nails to be with her and I respected that so I stayed away. But then, Isla did the unthinkable," Fiona paused and took a deep breath "she cheated on Lord Lucas, with a woman"

"A woman?" Ashton was shocked. Not only was Isla once engaged to that beast, she cheated on him with a woman? A woman! That changes a lot for Ashton.

"Yes Lord Ashton, she cheated on Lord Lucas with a woman. If it had been a man it would have been understandable, but a woman was a blow to Lord Lucas pride, it was taboo. Lucas found out and broke off the engagement and then he agreed to marry me"

Ashton was finding it hard to process all this. Isla cheated on her ex fiancée who is Lucas with a woman. Isla likes women. "But how does that explain Isla's hatred towards you? It is not your fault" Ashton asked curiously.

"Isla was bitter about the fact that Lucas dumped her before she did. She denied every accusation about the cheating even though she knew she had already been caught and there was no way out for her, so she blamed me. Even before now, Isla had always been jealous of me. Lord Lucas was just the icing on the cake, she needed a reason to hate me and she got one after Lord Lucas chose me" Fiona lowered her head sadly "she blamed me for manipulating him and stealing him away from her. She had no idea that I was getting married to him against my will. She has always been selfish, ignorant, cruel and inconsiderate. She is not a good person Lord Ashton, do not be deceived"

Ashton did not believe it, she could not believe it. Isla is not like that. There must be some kind of misunderstanding somewhere. "What about the woman?" she asked "the woman who Isla cheated with"

Fiona's eyes filled up with tears, "she is dead"

Ashton's heart stopped "she is dead?"

Fiona nodded sadly, "her name was Joana and we were really good friends before she died. I knew about their relationship and I warned her about Isla but she would not listen. She was madly in love with Isla and completely disregarded the fact that loving another woman was taboo and it lead her to her death."

"B_but what happened to her? How did she die?"

"After Isla publicly denied any relationship between them and even claimed that Joana was the one who constantly threw herself at Isla, Joana could not bear the shame and betrayal and so she took her own life. It was already too late when her sister found her hanging from the ceiling"