• F I F T E E N •

Natalia woke up due to constant ringing of the door bell. She pulled the covers up to her head but the bell was still ringing. After debating with herself for quite few minutes she climbed out of the bed muttering thousand curses to the person standing on the door. She opened the door and found a man in office suit.

"Hello ma'am I'm Cedric. Ashton sir's P.A. if I have disturbed your sleep please forgive but don't tell sir about it he will fire me..." he said in a one breath. His forehead ceased in fear and stress.

"Ok..." Natalia stretched the word ok and heard Cedric breathe, the guy didn't even knew he was holding his breath. He was sweating from head to toe. His legs shaking and hands shivering. She let him inside the house and bought water for him. He looked at her in astonishment with wide eyes and open mouth.

"are you ok..??" she asked hesitantly looking at his condition anybody could figure out of the man was completely in fear of something.

"Your Natalia Hayes right??" He asked still in utter shock

Cedric never even thought Natalia will be this kind and generous. From what he had known Ashton he was cruel and ruthless and he eventually assumed Natalia to be same but what he saw now, he couldn't believe his own eyes nor own ears. Maybe Cedric should stop assuming now cause there is hope is Ashton's life. A hope of better future. A better Ashton.

The door bell bought Cedric out of his trance. He accepted the glass of water with a small smile and drank it in a go. Natalia opened the door just to find the man who loves her like no one does. She smiled at him and his heart fluttered. His heart should get used to this smiling cause the days have far gone when Natalia used to look at him with hatered and disgust. Time have changed so is Natalia and his life.

"Were you sleeping..??" he asked looking at her outfit anybody could figure out. She was in her pajama and t-shirt. For a minute Ashton just wanted to kiss her, for him she looked adorable.

But listening to the question the water in Cedric's throat just stuck over there. He gulped down the water and waited for Ashton to barged on him but what he heard just gave him another attack.

"No!! I had woken up long back.." she said with a cheerful smile while Ashton narrowed his eyes

"Your not good at lying Natalia Hayes.." he said folding his arms around his chest with all his arrogance

"Stop being a jerk Ashton..." she wined and he smiled inwardly

"Go get ready..." he said coming inside, closing the door behind him.

Natalia nodded her head and walked inside her room leaving an angry Ashton and a fearful Cedric behind. Ashton flared his nostrils in anger and open his mouth to shout but Natalia's command just made him helpless and gave Cedric another heart attack.

"Ashton dare not say a word to Cedric or else I won't talk to you.." Natalia shouted going upstairs. Since the time she has known she is Ashton's weakness the feeling of mattering in someone's else has entered her heart. It made her happy and content to know she meant something to someone. She giggled and ran upstairs thinking how she can bend the heartless billionaire in a split second.

Cedric stood there lifeless in front of Ashton. He was waiting for an outburst from Ashton but what he heard and after that what Ashton did just gave him an attack. He was thinking of going to a doctor and undergo brain checkup and ear check including his eyes as well.

He couldn't believe Ashton just agreed to what Natalia said and on top of all Natalia shouted on Ashton commanded him and he just agreed. No fights. No Arguments. Tables have turned so are the cards. The king who never even bowed down to anyone was bending in front of a women. His Queen. After watching the scenario it would be an understatement to say Ashton didn't love Natalia.

Natalia came downstairs wearing a blue one piece with a silver belt on her waist and black pencil heel sandals.

Ashton waited for her on the dining table. He had ordered i.e Cedric ordered breakfast from the nearby cafe. There were lot of things needed to be discussed with Natalia about marriage, media and Nicholas death. He wanted to make things clear and easy for her. He wanted to give her a life she deserved and wished. He had planned everything ahead of time but there was a hope of ray at the darkest corner of his heart. Hope of she loving him even if it's just for few minutes. That would be enough for him to live his whole life and die peacefully. But That wish was just a hope which she crushes daily by letting him know she would never love him.

He heard the sound of heels, the sound got clear the more Natalia came towards the dining area. She smiled at him and sat across the table. Her eyes roamed around the house but she couldn't find Cedric

"Where's Cedric??" she asked while he passed her scrambled eggs and bacon

"He's gone office.." he said and she nodded at him.

It wasn't that awkward like she thought, sitting in front of him and having breakfast. She felt like two normal mature people sitting together who came under some discussions, agreements and conclusions.

"It doesn't feel awkward.." she said shrugging her shoulders

"I didn't understand.." he asked her, amused with her sudden comment

"Life took a drastic change in last three days. Two days ago I was going to sold in an auction but it didn't happen instead you bought me.. I mean you saved me. One day we both stayed in Seoul hotel room, Yesterday I met March and your complete family and today I'm sitting in front of you having breakfast with you like nothing happened in last three days and ya not to forget I got to know Nicholas no more..." she whispered the last three words with sadness in her voice and pain in her heart.

"You mean to stay two ago, you used to hate me but we are on different terms now.."

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to hurt you.."

"but eventually you do...." she kept num not meeting his eyes. She knew she does it and she has done it lot many times and since a long time ".....Hey!! but that's not your fault, it's just the fault in my stars.." he shrugged his shoulder and made a failed attempt to laugh. His heart inside caged in his ribs begged him to stop this torcher and love someone else but the questions mind asks heart can never answer it.

'You forget her, He will forget her' mind whispered to heart while the heart just cried cause the pain was unbearable

"I can't forget her... She is the reason I beat..." heart cried in pain

"then bear the torcher...' mind said with teary eyes

"Ashton you read John Green's books??" she asked in excitement and he just smiled on her behavior. It was very easy to change the topic and divert her mind

"Nope but Nick does..." he said making a bad face

"I know he does..." she laughed

"He made me watch that movie against my will.." he complained and ate his breakfast while she laughed and ate her breakfast.

Ashton and Natalia stepped inside the elevator. Ashton pressed 'G' and entwine their hands. She didn't protested but she wasn't happy either "You and Me Natalia we are going to play pretend in front of Media like a couple till New Year's means for five days including today. Then we will get engaged on New Year's Eve and Marry within the first week of January..." Ashton explained to her plan for the next two weeks.

The elevator stopped at the ground floor and the floor flung open. They both walked out hand in hand making the girls swoon in jealousy while the guyss orged at Natalia. More over half of the people were shocked to find a women at his apartment. There were flings in Ashton's life and countess womens but he never bought anyone home.

She was the first....

There were a series of car outside the building. Two black cars and a limo in the middle. The bodyguard opened the door for Natalia. She looked at Ashton and he nodded his head. Natalia climbed inside the car and beside her sat Ashton. He was taking her somewhere, a place where is heart ache the most. And hers will too ache. But in this whole god damn world someone can feel his pain then it's Natalia.

He was unsure if she will agree to something he's gonna say next. Still gathering up the courage he asked "...we need to play pretend you know..." he hesitated to say a little more. The fear of she leaving him had settled in his heart reason before saying anything he thinks twice.

"Ya... You wanna say something else.." and there goes the shot. He was trying to know how come she knows when he's hesitating, when he wants to say something more. He was trying to figure out how??

"Natalia....." he took a deep breath before throwing the bomb on her head "....don't get me wrong...." she looked confused with his sudden behavior ".....I have no intention of it but we need to play pretend...." he scratched the back of his neck in nervousness.

"Ashton stop playing around the bush..." Natalia was terrified with his behavior.

"Alright.... We need to pretend to be in a relationship so we need to fake like lovers, act like lovers and do things lovers do..." he said in a go but she clearly couldn't understand what he was trying to say. She shook her head in no and he felt like banging his head somewhere

"Natalia we need to do stuff other couples do... Not those major ones but a little minor ones..." he said and diverted his eyes outside of the car. He didn't wanted a rejection from her. Yet another one

"is it important...." she asked not meeting his eyes. Again the feeling made her way inside her heart. She felt like cheating her former dead lover. She felt like she cheated Nicholas and their love.

"I need to introduce you to the world as my girl..." he said while a small smile tugged at his lips. And his heart was at ease at least just for the sake of comprise he will be able to call her his.

A/N: Hello Lovies!!! Hope you all doing fine cause I'm not.. The updates are getting longer so please Vote Comment and Share and let me know your reviews...