One Night Stand With My Ex's Billionaire Enemy-Chapter 325 Not Ready For A Child

‘It’s me.’ Ashton’s voice reached me first. A second later, he appeared on the staircase landing. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

Yvaine was close behind him, sounding flustered. ‘I told you you can’t just barge in!’

I looked up at his familiar face. ‘What are you doing here?’

‘I’m here to take my wife home.’ He scooped me up into his arms.

I was already in my pyjamas. Embarrassed, I pushed against his chest. ‘Let me go! My friend’s right here. What do you think you’re doing?’

Ashton turned his head.

Yvaine was standing a few paces away, arms crossed. She looked at me. ‘Just say the word, Mira. I’ve got pepper spray.’

‘You’re going to let her spray me?’ Ashton asked.

‘I...’ I shook my head. ‘No.’

‘Then let’s go home.’

‘I don’t want to go home. Put me down.’

‘I’m not putting you down unless you agree to come home with me.’ Without waiting for a reply, Ashton simply carried me downstairs.

As we passed Yvaine, she caught my eye. I shook my head faintly.

She shook hers in return. ‘You’re hopeless.’

Then she called after Ashton’s retreating back, ‘If you ever hurt Mirabelle, Ashton, I’ll find her a better man who can actually appreciate her! You’re replaceable, you know!’

‘You won’t get the chance,’ Ashton replied coolly.

Downstairs, he bundled me into the passenger seat of his car, fastened my seatbelt, then rounded the bonnet and slid into the driver’s seat, starting the engine without delay.

Thank god he’d driven himself. If his chauffeur had seen me like this, I would have died of embarrassment.

I turned in the passenger seat to look at him. ‘I already told you, I’m staying with Yvaine for a few days. And barging into someone’s house this late at night doesn’t exactly leave a good impression, you know.’

I was about to say more when Ashton cut me off. ‘I don’t care what kind of impression I make on her. I only care about having my wife beside me when I go to sleep.’

‘Do you really need that?’ I asked, my voice heavy with sarcasm.

‘You are my wife,’ he said, turning his head just enough to pin me with a firm, unyielding look.

There was a time when those words would have made my heart swell with joy. Now, hearing him call me his wife just felt hollow, even painful.

I turned away to stare out the window.

‘What did Genevieve say to you today?’ Ashton asked.

‘What do you think?’ I replied flatly. ‘She told me to leave you. To divorce you.’

‘Damn her,’ he said, his voice cold. ‘And what did you say?’

‘I said I wouldn’t do it in a million years.’

‘Good.’

‘Why would I? Just to make things easier for her? I told her as long as I live and breathe, she’ll never become Mrs Laurent.’

Ashton’s voice turned dangerously low. ‘So you’re only staying out of spite?’

‘What, do YOU want a divorce? Honestly, Ashton, if you’d just—’

‘No. I will never ask for one. And don’t you dare think about it either.’ His words were final.

When we got home, I went straight for a shower, then got into bed.

Ashton slid under the covers after his own shower, and I immediately turned my back to him.

He reached out and pulled me firmly against his chest.

‘I’m tired,’ I said.

‘That’s alright. You sleep. I’ll take care of things,’ he murmured, his low voice rough near my ear.

A moment later, his lips found mine.

I stiffened, my whole body going tense as I stared wide-eyed at his handsome, frustrating face.

I could feel his body responding, and his warm hands were already beginning to roam restlessly over me.

Damn it.

I was furious.

What did he think he was doing?

Did he feel guilty? Was this his way of making it up to me?

I pushed hard against his chest. ‘It’s late. We should sleep.’

‘It’s still early,’ he countered, his eyes dark with wanting.

‘I’m tired.’ I turned away again.

Ashton let out a slow breath. ‘Then get some rest.’

He held me closer and said softly near my ear, ‘But remember—we’re husband and wife. It’s time we started a family.’

‘I’m not ready for a child,’ I said, my voice distant and cool.

He paused. ‘Alright. We can wait. It’s your call.’

Once more, he drew me against him.

I didn’t respond, just closed my eyes and lay still.

Neither of us mentioned what Genevieve had done.

The next morning, we ate breakfast in silence.

The air between us was stiff and heavy, so much so that even Carmen and Geoffrey could tell something was wrong.

When I got to the studio, I couldn’t focus. My mind kept drifting, and my chest felt tight.

I didn’t know what was wrong with me, why I felt so restless and distracted.

Was it because of Ashton?

Is this what love does? Always leaving you uneasy, always afraid of losing something you’re not even sure you have.

My phone rang.

I thought it might be Ashton, but it was Rhys.

‘Him again?’ I really didn’t want to answer, especially after the bad news his last call had brought.

But I wasn’t an ostrich. I couldn’t just bury my head in the sand.

I sighed and picked up. ‘What?’

‘Mirabelle. I assume you’ve had time to think about Ashton and Genevieve,’ Rhys began, straight to the point.

‘So? What’s it to you?’

‘Have lunch with me. There’s something else you need to hear.’ Of course. He was just the messenger, again.

‘Whatever it is, tell me now.’ I had no intention of seeing him.

‘Oh, I think you’ll want to hear this in person.’

He sounded smug, like he already knew I’d give in.

Damn him. As my ex-fiancé, Rhys still knew me too well. He knew I couldn’t just pretend some things weren’t happening.

By noon, we were once again sitting in the restaurant across the street.

When ordering, Rhys chose all my favourite dishes.

I looked at him coolly. ‘You can talk now.’