Chapter 167: Chapter 167: Ignore Her, Yet Ask Her to Keep Talking
Inside the car.
From the mont Bella Woods sat in the car, she felt a continuous nervous tension.
The car had been on the road for a while, but neither she nor Ashton Marshall said a word. She sneaked several glances at Ashton, trying to gauge his mood through his expression.
Alas, Ashton was always inscrutable, and no matter how much she scrutinized him, she couldn’t read his mind. She could only rely on her intuition, which told her he was displeased.
She braced her hand and quietly slid closer to him, narrowing the distance between their seats.
Despite her efforts to subtly inch closer, he just moved to the other side, maintaining a gap between them.
It was as if a galaxy separated them.
Bella had no choice but to tug gently at Ashton’s arm, plaintively calling, “Uncle.”
Ashton glanced down at her but said nothing.
“Are you mad at ?”
“That’s a joke. How could I be mad at the future heiress of the Hughes Family?” Ashton replied indifferently.
Bella pouted, “You’re clearly angry. Otherwise, you wouldn’t say that.”
Ashton remained silent.
“They said that back then, if I hadn’t agreed, it would have embarrassed Aunt Cyan and Uncle Hughes,” Bella explained, seizing the opportunity to lean against Ashton’s arm.
She continued to explain, “You know, ever since I set foot in Peace City, Aunt Cyan has taken care of more than my own family has. She’s like a mother to , and I really don’t want any rift between us or to see her upset.”
Bella’s voice was small, filled with grievance as she explained, and these words were indeed sincere.
She felt aggrieved and frustrated—aggrieved that when no one cared for or loved her and she was shunned, Aunt Cyan had single-handedly supported her. If it weren’t for Cyan Marshall’s care, along with Oliver Hughes’s help, Bella shuddered to think how she would have managed these past few years.
Frustrated that her relationship with Ashton felt like a ticking ti bomb.
As long as it didn’t blow up, fine, but when it did, it was catastrophic.
“Indeed, just like a mother. It’s perfect to beco her daughter later,” Ashton said emotionlessly, pulling Bella’s hand away.
He looked out the window.
From the mont he got in the car, he hadn’t even given Bella a glance.
At that mont, Bella looked at Ashton’s cold profile, her eyes turning red with heartache.
She opened her mouth to continue explaining, but realized it was useless. He wouldn’t buy it.
So Bella had no choice but to lower her head in resignation.
No more words were exchanged in the car.
The man who had been looking out the window caught a glimpse of Bella, who looked like a child who had done sothing wrong, through the corner of his eye, and then turned his gaze back.
The car arrived at their new ho community.
Bella knew that with Ashton’s deanor, he definitely wouldn’t co inside with her, so she didn’t even try to persuade him. Instead, she silently pushed open the car door, got out, and walked toward the community on her own.
But as she walked, tears she’d held back in the car suddenly began to fall.
She wasn’t willing to part with Ashton, and with his current attitude, she was shortly leaving for abroad and likely wouldn’t get a proper chance to say goodbye.
The more Bella thought about it, the more heartbroken she felt, and her tears fell more fiercely.
And just as Bella entered the elevator to go upstairs, a figure stepped in behind her, standing at the back.
At first, Bella was bewildered, staring blankly at the elevator doors, but when she suddenly turned around, she saw the man who had seed so indifferent stand there, still as cold as before.
He cast her an equally cold glance.
“You didn’t leave?” Bella asked in surprise.
“Where would I go?” Ashton retorted.
“I thought, thought you…”
The opening of the elevator door interrupted Bella’s words.
Ashton clasped Bella’s wrist and led her to their new apartnt, unlocking the door and stepping inside.
He pulled Bella inside, then swiftly pinned her against the door.
With a ‘bang’, the door closed, and Ashton’s kiss followed. At first, Bella was stunned, but as she ca to her senses, her body instinctively responded to Ashton even before her mind did.
Salty tears slid from Bella’s eyes, dripping onto their tightly sealed lips, ultimately lingering in their mouths.
Ashton released her slightly, pinching her face, “Why are you crying?”
“I’m aggrieved,” Bella said pathetically. “I explained everything to you, but you still ignored .”
“Do you feel aggrieved just because I ignored you?” Ashton scoffed.
Bella nodded gloomily, “I get upset, I feel sad, my heart aches. I don’t want you to ignore , nor do I want you to leave , or be cold to …”
Her words were swallowed by Ashton’s kiss.
It was much gentler than the previous kiss, tender and soothing.
As if to say: I understand, I’m comforting you now.
Bella was so easy to appease, and a gentle kiss like this instantly dispelled all her grievances.
She wrapped her arms around Ashton’s neck, and with a small hop, her whole body leaped onto him, her legs tightly entwining his waist, burying her face in his neck.
Ashton lightly patted her, “Still aggrieved?”
Bella rose from his embrace, cupping Ashton’s face, and kissed him, “From now on, if you’re unhappy, don’t ignore , okay?”
“No,” Ashton replied without hesitation.
“Why not?” Bella didn’t understand.
“I ignore you because I need to adjust my own emotions. If I don’t adjust and face your explanation with emotions involved, I’ll just end up doubting you or saying harsher words.”
Ashton explained, and Bella listened attentively, though still felt sowhat aggrieved, she nodded, “I understand.”
“What do you understand?” Ashton raised an eyebrow, his gaze suddenly deepening.
“I understand that next ti you’re upset, I won’t talk, I’ll just stay by your side.”
“That won’t work,” Ashton firmly opposed, “If you don’t talk, I’ll get even angrier. Not adjusting my emotions properly will only prolong the cold war between us.”
“Then you ignoring and yet wanting to speak isn’t that sheer audacity?” Bella expressed her strong dissatisfaction.
Ashton raised an eyebrow, absolutely shaless, “Yes, it’s audacity, so what?”
“I…”
Not caring that Bella was left speechless, Ashton carried her into the bedroom.
When Bella was pressed onto the bed, she quickly ca back to her senses, “I haven’t showered yet.”
“Perfect, let’s shower together.”
Ashton simply picked her up and carried her into the bathroom.
Bella squird, “I ant I haven’t showered, not this…”
“You haven’t showered, I haven’t showered, and there’s only one bathroom in the bedroom. Showering together saves ti, any problem with that?”
With such strong logic from Ashton, Bella was at a loss for words.
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