â**Chapter 20**â
Ace
"Are you that helpless? You'll try to steal from me? And who do you think you are?" As I sat on my chair, Kit tried to help Luke but I gave him a death glare making him step back.
"Brother- Please, just let him return it, Luke, I know you didn't mean it, apologize to Ace." Kit tried to convince him but he just smirked through his swollen face.
"Do you think I'll let you? You took Madison from me, now even Kit? What kind of food are you feeding them?" Luke touched his face after my guards beat him.
"Sarcasm isn't the word you need now, you should try to apologize, kneel and apologize." I simply said, making him drop his smile.
"Brother please-"
"Kit, Get out." I cut him off because he's just making me more pissed. First Dad asked my help for him, and now Kit? What kind of man he is that he's letting others ask to help him.
Kit didn't say anything and just reluctantly left the room.
"Now, either you kneel down to me or leave this fucking room, leave Kit alone, leave Dad alone and don't ever come back."
"Madison- You don't love her, why don't you just let her go."
"Who said I don't love her? That's the biggest lie that's ever been said to you."
"Then will you still love her after knowing that she got pregnant by another man?" He was full of confidence like he just said something I should be scared of, but instead, I wanted to laugh.
"Did she? That's a shame... on you. Whatever happened to her is not your business to take care of." In the first place, I don't need to explain it to him.
"Well, that's bad... Do you even know what Victoria will do if she finds out that her lovely daughter-in-law is pregnant with another man's baby?"
"Did you tell her?" If he did then it'll be bad. I hadn't told her the truth as Madison just got back home 4 days ago.
"What if I tell you that I did... I even added some lies." Smirk didn't leave his face as he tried to get up. "If I were you, I would go running to her right now, so you can say goodbye to her baby or else you'll miss the chance to see her again."
? Something in me got unsettled as he said those words. Is he planning something? Grabbing my phone from my table, I immediately dialed Madison.
"If something happens to her and our baby, I swear, I wouldn't think twice before killing you." I got up from my seat and walked to the door, stopping next to my men. "Lock him up."
****
"Madison?!" I shouted in the house as soon as I got in the villa. "Madi?!"
"Hey, hey why are you shouting?" She asked as she met me halfway to the living room.
"Did Victoria go here?" I held her shoulder making her look at me confused.
"No, why would she go here? Wait- Can you please calm down first?" She said softly as she held my hands. "Tell me what's happening."
I took a deep breath before embracing her. "Don't go anywhere, okay?"
"Tell me what's going on."
"Nothing, just don't go out okay? Don't let anyone in, can you promise me that?"
"I can but... Ace you're making me nervous, what's going on?"
"Nothing, don't worry. Just do what I said." I pressed a kiss on her forehead and led her to the couch. As we sat down, I noticed that she's having her lunch.
"Have you already had your lunch?" She asked as she mute the tv.
"Not yet, did you cook this?"
"Yeah, wait here, I'll get you-"
"I can do it, just sit here." I got up from the couch and made my way to the kitchen. As I get back on the couch, I take off my blazer and roll my sleeves up.
"Don't you have work?"
"I do, I just wanted to see you." That's true though.
"You want to see me so bad that you even come home? It's not even your lunch yet."
"Can't I? I'm the boss. I can come and go whenever I want."
Smile appeared on her lips as she continued to eat.
"Btw, have you already seen the thief? I heard you already caught him."
"Yeah, I asked them to lock him up."
She just nodded before continuing to eat.
"Aren't you going to ask who it is?" I said as I looked at her.
"I know if you want to tell then you will, still, I don't want to butt in your business."
Understanding as always.
"It's your Great Ex." I said with a chuckle.
The spoon stops just in front of her mouth as she looks at me. And not so long, she shrugged like it was nothing and continued to eat.
"What do you plan for your birthday tomorrow?"
"Should we go out?" She brought her feet up on the couch and put her plate down. With her hands on her tummy, she added "or we can just order something to eat."
"I'll take you out then." I looked at my phone when I heard a notification. As I look into it. It was a message from Lisa, Good afternoon Mr Ashford, Sorry to disturb you but Mr Sanchez just arrived for your meeting. He said he'll be going back to Thailand in two hours. That's why he needs to attend it now. Are you going to attend it or should I reschedule it next week?
"Work?" She asked as she looked at my phone.
"Yeah, I kinda need to go now, I'll just come early, I promise." I took my plate from the table and put it on the sink even though I'm not finished yet.
Mr Sanchez is an important partner, we can't afford to lose him for this project.
As step back into the living room, she's just watching the tv while eating her salad.
"I'll go now." I stole a soft kiss on her lips making her look at me with her blushed face. It's cute how she blushed even though we already kissed a hundred times. We even had sex, though we don't remember it.
Madison
As I finished my lunch, I washed the dirty plates and went to the laundry room to wash our clothes.
He said the housekeeper won't be able to go and clean here because she left for the province. He's been the one who's doing all of this when I'm not here, it just made me think why did he not call another housekeeper.
I'm not complaining though, I'm not really comfortable when a stranger is walking around the house.
I pressed the wash in the machine and walked back to the living room. While waiting for it, I took his laptop and skyped Hazel.
We just talked yesterday and she said whenever I feel lonely, I could just call her. She's the best.
After one ring, she immediately answered.
"How's my nephew doing?" She exclaimed excitedly, making me smile.
"He's good, though he's gaining a little weight." I said while caressing my tummy. That's true, he's kinda heavy, and I still have 4 months to carry him. But I know it'll be worth it the moment I hold him in my arms.
"Should I buy you a wheelchair?" She asked jokingly, making me chuckle.
"It's not necessary Haz. Btw, when are you going back here? As far as I know, your graduation was yesterday."
"Yeah, it was. Maybe next week. Then let's go buy you some maternity dress."
"Yeah, sure, let's do that."
"Have you already talked to Ace about your flight to London next month?"
Oh, I totally forgot. Since Liam is staying here for only a week, I was planning to come with him back to London but only for one week. Ace might as well come with me if he's free, I'm just planning to visit my college professor. If Ace was going to agree, then I'll have him as my tutor. He was the best law professor in Lindsay Brint University.
But now, I need to tell Ace about it.
"Not yet, thanks for reminding me of that, my good friend. I'll tell him later."
She lets out a chuckle and it looks like she's looking at someone behind the camera, but then I heard a belt buckling sound making me smirk.
She looks at me knowingly before hiding her face in her hands to hide her embarrassment.
"Sleepless night? It's already afternoon but I think you just woke up." I asked, making her blush even more.
"Stop it... It's nothing."
"Don't hide him from me, who is it?" I admit, I do sound like a mother there.
"Aish, wait here." She gets up from her bed and after a moment comes back with her man on her side. "Here, meet my mom, Madison." She said jokingly, making me and the guy smile.
I look at his face only to find him handsome, he looks like a literal japanese but like the ones in anime, I know it because I used to watch Death Note.
"Hello, I'm Madison. Her best friend."
"I'm Hanade, but they're calling me Hade." Oh, he knows how to speak English.
"He's a professor." Hazel added to make it clear how he knows English for my confusion, but it just made me widen my eyes. Thought immediately came to me and she noticed it. I know she did as she smiled awkwardly. "He needs to go now, bye bye." She immediately sent the man out of the door as I heard the door slam, and a wet kiss before it. As she sat back in the camera, I let out a laugh.
"What the actual fuck? You're banging your professor?" I asked, making her chuckle.
"He's not my professor anymore, okay? Let me explain."
"Go ahead." I smirk at her, making me chuckle.
"He used to be my professor and he really did confess to me, but we didn't get into a relationship when I'm his student. He waited for me to graduate okay? No malicious thoughts okay?"
Seems believable. "Fair enough. Still, I can't seem to take a Professor and Students relationship in your school. Does your Dad know?"
"Yeah he does, they're best friends."
"Wtf again? How old is Hade?"
"Hey pregnant woman, calm your ass down okay? He's not that old."
"Hazel, how old is he?" With my stern voice she chuckled.
"Ughh, 35, okay?"
My jaw dropped as I looked at her. "You're making fun of me because I'm married to Ace and we have a 5 years age gap but you're banging your professor with a 9 years age gap? You're crazy."
"It's not about age."
Letting out a soft sigh, I smiled at her. "Whatever, But if that old man tried to hurt you, I swear I'll fly there in Japan and beat his ass."
"Wow, chill there pregnant lady. I'll tell him that."
Chuckling at her, I looked up to the front door when I heard someone knocking.
"Wait a second." I get up from the couch and walk to the door. As I looked through the peephole, it was just our guard to the front gate.
Opening the door, I smiled at him which he also gave back. "Good afternoon Mrs Ashford. I got an order for you, It says it's from Mr Ashford." He said while handing me the box of cupcakes.
'How sweet of him.'
"Thank you, Mister." I took it from him and opened it to look at the cupcakes. "Wait for me here." I smiled at him and went to the kitchen, I grabbed a box container and put 2 cupcakes in it. As I went back and gave it to him, he thanked me and decided to go back to the front gate.
Walking back to the couch, I showed her the box which made the both of us smile.
"Did Ace really change or just with you?" She asked while wearing her tee.
"Doesn't matter, at least he's good to me... Waahhh it looks so cute." I took one of the cupcakes with strawberry and edible glitter on top. "It does look good."
"Oops, I need to hang up now Madi- I'm receiving a call from Dad."
"Oh, yeah sure, my laundry just also finished." I said when I heard the washing machine ticked.
As she ended the call, I dropped the box on the table and walked to the laundry room. Grabbing all of our clothes, I put it in the dryer and set the timer.
I walked back to the living room and took my phone from the couch beside me. Sending a picture of the cupcake to Ace, Thank you for this, I was just about to tell you earlier that I'm craving for cupcakes. <3
I clicked the send button and admired the cupcake for the last time before biting into it.
"Ughhh~ it's so sweet, so yummy." I groaned to myself and took another bite.
The strawberry flavor is melting in my mouth. I love it.
As I finished the strawberry one, I took another cupcake with cherry on top.
"Wahhhh, how can this be so good?" I moaned and let my head fall back. I love it... but I'm thirsty.
I put the cupcake down in the box and lick the icing off my fingers. Deciding to go to the kitchen to take a glass of water. I stand on the counter and pour some water in my glass.
Just as I was about to drink it, I felt something in my chest, coming up to my throat.
I held my chest with my other hand still on the counter.
"I-I c-ant-" I gasp for air when I suddenly can't breathe. My eyes got teary when blood suddenly came out of my mouth. "A-ce-"
I can't take it anymore... My body is giving up... I can't breathe... I'm gasping for air...
THUD!!!
I fell on the ground with my hand in my air. My head is starting to ache... Tears keep falling from my eyes...
'What's happening?'
'My baby?'
Before I could even think, my eyes fell shut as well as my breathing...
Ace
I was in the middle of meeting when Lisa barged in the room making all of us look at her panicking face.
"Lisa-"
"Mr Ashford, T-the guard in your villa called." Because of the panic in her voice, I don't feel good about it. I look at her hands only to find it gripping her phone, she's on call...
Don't fucking tell me...
"What happened?" My voice darkened as she trembled. I got up from my seat and walked to her. I snatched her phone from her but all I can hear is an ambulance siren.
"M-Mrs Ashford- They rushed her to the hospital."
I feel like my world stopped when I heard it.
Victoria... If something happens to my wife and my son, I'll kill you...