• T W E N T Y - T W O •

"A Cop!!" she said with a jaw dropped expression

Ashton nodded his head and tried to speak but before he could say anything Xavier spoke "There are lot of questions left unanswered in this story"

"What kind of questions??" she said and looked at Ashton but he just smiled and that smile was enough to soothe her inner turmoil. Her face showed relief that he was there nothing was going to happen to her. And her expressions were building hopes for him.

Hopes for a different and better future..!!

"Nicholas Wittgenstein!!" Xavier said the name loud enough for her to hear. Her eyes went wide enough to say the name bought flashbacks of her past.

Lisa came up with the order but as soon as she saw Ashton her feet started to shake and hands started to tremble in fear. Natalia composed herself and looked towards an horrified Lisa and a sudden laugh escaped her lips.

The laugh that filled his heart with pure joy and happiness. His heart was at ease, the women he loved was happy what's more he could have asked for. The satisfaction was visible on his face by the way he saw her. The smaller part, the outer part of him was satisfied, delighted: but the bigger part was craving for her, the demon inside him was not satisfied he needed something else but then Ashton David Cross was man of words.

He told all the devils and demons inside him that he is forbidden to touch her, even the thought is forbidden but then who can control thoughts. He was happy at least she is by his side as his wife.

"Ashton...." she called out his name. He looked at her while raising an eye brow cause she pointed out to a girl standing near her

"Who's that girl??" he asked completely unaware of the situation nor remembering the girl.

"You don't remember her??" she asked while he shrugged his shoulders and nodded a no

Lisa sighed in relief and served Natalia her order. She looked at the mens for their order removing a pen and note pad from her pocket

"Cappuccino.." Xavier said and she noted down. Lisa gulped her saliva and looked at Ashton "espresso" he said and she noted the order. As soon as she finished writing it she practically ran away from there

"Wasn't she strange??" Ashton asked furring his eyebrows in confusion while Natalia just laughed her ass out

"What's so funny??" Xavier asked as he too was confused with the behavior

Natalia took deep breaths preventing herself from laughing more, she calmed herself down and said "She is Lisa..!! Few years back in this same coffee shop she had by mistake dropped coffee on Ashton and in anger Ashton was going to run bulldozer on this coffee shop"

"I remember!!! Nicholas coming to me and asking not to do so cause he lost his heart in the coffee shop" Ashton said as he recalled that day but at the end the last few words were heart breaking.

So this is how they met, he thought In a coffee shop...

"Ashton and his anger can never change" Xavier sensed the tension in the air and tried to cheer up

"Ya...." Natalia said and smiled at him. she didn't knew at this moment what to do. Console Ashton or console herself. It was complicated for her. Things were complicated, life was complicated. All she knew was Xavier is a cop and there is something going on.

"Let's do the work we are here for" Ashton suggested gulping all his torn and unheard feelings. He didn't wanted to know how his wife and best friend met. worse how they fell in love?? Even he loved the damn women. His heart can't bear anything anymore. There is always a limit to take any pain, his heart would burst out listening to their love tale.

If their tale was incomplete even his was the same.

"What work??" she asked Ashton hoping to get an answer but he let Xavier say it

"One and half years ago, I mean almost two years ago Nicholas died" Xavier said and Natalia sucked a breath in pain. Her face went pale while her eyes were clouded with tears

"Why are you telling me this?? I know it" she said trying hard not to cry

"I know you were his girlfriend a.k.a P.A" as the words left Xavier's mouth Natalia gasped and looked at Ashton while all he did was nodded his head. His face void of any expression or emotion

"How do you know??"

"I'm a cop, lady" she nodded her head and let him continue "His death his still a mystery and Ashton has hired me to solve the problem and find the culprit"

"Why are you telling me all this??" she asked in confusion. Why will all this concern her. She didn't wanted to dig old buried memories

"You were the last person he met" Xavier said and removed some photos from his pocket

"Your trying to say I killed him" she asked him. She felt offended with the question. What's has all this do with her??

"You might be the reason" Xavier said in a rigid tone while all his friendliness was gone out of the window.

Natalia couldn't believe on what Xavier said. How can she be the reason behind her lover's death. She looked at Ashton for help but he was in his own dream land. Ashton didn't even hear a single thing of what were they speaking. The mention of Nicholas brings back the guilt. He didn't knew was it good or bad. He was in his own delima. But Natalia's mind was thinking something else.At that moment Natalia thought she was all alone. She looked at Ashton for some help to stop Xavier for the wrong accusations but all she got was silence.

Ashton wasn't even looking at her, as if he as well thought she was the reason behind his best friend's death. She felt deceived by the man she married. Her throat went dry, she made a steady position and looked at Xavier "What are you trying to say??"

"I want to know what exactly happened between you two and do you know these people" Xavier asked pushing the pictures in front of her

She looked down at the pictures while her for forehead ceased in confusion "These are Nicholas's business associates"

"All??"

"Not all... Some are his golf partners while some are rivals"

"Golf partners???"

"Nicholas loved Golf and on every Sunday afternoon he used to go to Cape Kidnappers golf course and there he met them. Mr Chang and Mr Huges were his best mates over there"

"and..." he couldn't say further as Lisa approached them with the coffees. Lisa served the coffee to the mens and ran away. Ashton sipped his coffee while plugging earplugs which hurted Natalia but she didn't even dare to show it on her face.

"what about these rivals???" Xavier asked taking a sip of his own cappuccino

"Nicholas had issues with Mr McCarthy as he thought they were into some shady business and they even wanted him to sell one of his property or else they'll snatch it by hook or by crook" Xavier noted all the vital information in his mind and started to study the case.

Natalia had her sandwich looking at Ashton just to get a glimpse of him as assurance for he is there for her but all she got was hush.

"Natalia what about other rivals??"

"Mr Nigbad was behind Nicholas to not have the tender of north New Zealand but Nicholas was very much determined to have it all for him and other were pretty jealous of his success while some were due to companies cause Nicholas had over taken lot of companies due to his smart business ethics and giving employment to needed"

"Hmm...." Xavier was in his own thoughts drinking his coffee while Natalia was completely staring at Ashton for some answer's, for a little glimpse. She kept her eyes on him.

Ashton scrolled down his emails reading the proposals, the deals, the contracts with loud music drumming in his ears. He couldn't even hear a single word of what they talked. He got his espresso, he devoured himself in it. After sometime he felt constant gaze on him. He avoided his instinct for a few minutes but then he felt someone staring at him.

He held his head up and his eyes landed on the eyes keenly staring at him with tears clouded in it. He felt like his heart just dropped down when he saw her crying.

For what reason?? Did Xavier ask something wrong?? Is she missing Nicholas?? Did he do something wrong??

Before he could react she tore her gaze away, wiped the tears, took her purse and straight away walked out of the coffee shop without single glance back at him.

It just broke his heart while the hope building few minutes ago was now crushed....!!!!

A/N: Sssoooorrryyyy!!! Will update now regularly I can't promise though but will try.. There is a little bit of change of cast. Sean O'pry won't be Xavier Wilson it will be kim soo hyun..

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