Chapter 157: Chapter 157: You’re Here, Where Can I Go?
Bella Woods was still in a state of shock when Ashton Marshall had already stepped inside, holding her hand with one hand and casually closing the door with the other.
He led her to the bathroom.
It wasn’t until the low hum of the hairdryer started that Bella slightly ca to her senses.
“Why… are you here?” Bella asked softly, her voice almost drowned out by the hairdryer’s low hum.
She thought that Ashton wouldn’t hear her, so she figured she’d pretend she hadn’t asked.
But without even glancing at her, Ashton replied indifferently, “Can’t I co?”
“I-I didn’t an that, I just…” Bella wanted to explain but found she didn’t even know how to.
She really didn’t know Ashton would co.
To be precise, after Ashton left without looking back at the highway rest stop, Bella thought the two of them were done.
She thought she wouldn’t see him before going abroad.
“What are you trying to say?” Ashton asked, as his long fingers weaved through her soft hair, which was gradually drying and becoming smooth and shiny under the warm air.
Bella licked her dry lips, feeling a bit nervous.
She thought for a long ti, but didn’t know what to say, and just habitually fell silent.
In the entire bathroom, only the low hum of the hairdryer echoed repeatedly.
She just sneaked glances at the mirror. Ashton’s clothes were a bit disheveled, his face flushed from alcohol, and his usually sharp eyes, often with a hint of playfulness, now held a drunken haze.
Bella wasn’t sure if it was her imagination or sothing else, but it seed like Ashton was having trouble standing steadily.
But she didn’t dare to look too openly; as soon as Ashton’s gaze wavered, Bella quickly withdrew her glance, her eyes lowered like a docile ceramic doll, allowing Ashton to do as he pleased.
“Say what you want to say. If you don’t know how to say it, just speak your mind; you can always make so sense of it.”
Ashton turned off the hairdryer, touched Bella’s hair to ensure it was all dry, and then held Bella’s hand to lead her out of the bathroom.
When they reached the door, Bella didn’t move.
Ashton turned around, “Hmm?”
Bella mustered up her courage, stepped forward, and threw herself into Ashton’s arms, burying her face in his chest and wrapping her arms tightly around his waist.
Ashton instinctively raised his arms to hug back, but left them hanging in the air, not landing on Bella.
“What are you doing? I told you to say what’s on your mind, not to hug ,” Ashton said with a tone of helplessness.
“I don’t know what to say,” Bella’s voice ca out muffled, “I thought you wouldn’t co for .”
“Why?” Ashton placed his hands on Bella’s shoulders, pulled her away from him, and bent down to look into her eyes, “Why would you think that, hmm?”
Bella again found herself with nothing to say.
She’s always been like this, though now she would sotis argue, but Ashton is different.
He had witnessed all her embarrassnts and inarticulate monts, her struggles to express herself.
In front of him, she always seed to revert to the timid, love-craving Bella she once was.
Ashton, however, showed no impatience in the face of Bella’s silence.
He took her hand and led her to the sofa in the living room, covered her with a blanket, and sat beside her.
“Why did you think I wouldn’t co for you?” Ashton asked again, “Take your ti to think, take your ti to answer. You can say it when it cos to you, no need to worry if it’s expressed accurately, and certainly don’t worry about saying harsh words that might make leave.
I’m drunk, the driver dropped off and left, so I can’t leave tonight.”
When Bella looked up, her eyes t Ashton’s.
In his gaze, there was no impatience or other emotions—only calmness and patience, as if they were just having an ordinary conversation and he was waiting for her to share her thoughts.
Encouraged, Bella mustered her courage, “On the highway, you left so decisively. I thought you must feel that everything I’ve done has disappointed you, so you didn’t want to see anymore and left, and that you wouldn’t co to find in the future.”
In the end, she still felt a bit wronged.
“At the highway rest stop, I was quite angry and not in a good mood. I was afraid that if I couldn’t control myself at that ti and had an argunt with you on the highway, it would be dangerous. So I arranged for soone to send you back ahead of ti.”
Ashton gently patted her head, explaining her dissatisfaction, “Tonight’s drinking was also because I was in a bad mood. Coming to find you was because…”
“Because of what?” Bella interrupted, her voice light but eager for an answer.
Ashton simply turned and lay his head on Bella’s lap, looking up at her, “I first checked Cascade Court and knew you didn’t go there, so I figured you’d be back here, so I ca to find you.”
He played with the ends of her hair, “Since you’re here, if I don’t co to find you, where else would I go?”
“I thought…”
“I’m just unhappy, mad at you, but it doesn’t an I don’t want to be with you.” Ashton cupped Bella’s face and wiped away the tears at the corners of her eyes.
When he saw Bella’s lip quiver, he quickly sat up, “Oh dear, this, this…”
Bella began to cry, burying her face in Ashton’s chest.
“You left without a word, and I panicked; I thought you didn’t want anymore.” Bella was extrely wronged and cried uncontrollably.
Ashton held her in his arms, kissing her cheeks to comfort her, “It’s my fault. Next ti, I’ll tell you before I leave, okay?”
“Are you still going to be mad?” Bella tugged on Ashton’s collar, feeling even more aggrieved.
Ashton hurriedly explained, “I won’t be mad, won’t get angry anymore, okay?”
She let out a muffled and aggrieved ‘mm,’ hiding in Ashton’s arms, wiping her tears on his shirt.
In the end, she concluded, “It slls like alcohol, so stinky.”
“Taking my shirt as a towel and then complaining about the sll,” Ashton said helplessly.
But this didn’t stop Bella from wiping her tears, “Then you should take a shower.”
“Will you join ?” Ashton asked, looking intently at Bella.
Bella imdiately knew what that gaze ant and pushed Ashton away, jumping off the sofa and running back to her room, closing the door behind her in the process.
Ashton let out a chuckle, shaking his head repeatedly, “Childish.”
Just as Ashton was about to stand up, the closed door was opened again, Bella sheepishly fiddled with her clothing as she stepped out.
She kept her head down, feeling awkward.
Ashton understood instantly what this ant, he laughed and walked over to her, wrapped his arms around her waist, and carried her to the bathroom.
“I just washed my hair, don’t overdo it…”
“I’ll dry your hair for you later, be good.”
“Ashton, I’ve changed my mind, I want to go to sleep.”
“Be good, don’t talk.”
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