Chapter 52 - Amethyst Eyes 7: Frozen (1/2)

Alex was having an affair!

Ashley's face crumpled in her agony; her heart squeezed painfully in her ċhėst. She bit her lip as she recalled when Alex arrived early in the morning. If her fiancé came home smelling like alcohol that first night, early this morning, he came home smelling like something else.

Soap.

It was as if Alex took a bath before coming home from wherever he'd been the night before until three in the morning.

Could it be?

Could Alex really be with someone else last night? It's possible…

The thought of someone else with her lover sent a new wave of despair washing over her. She slowly slid on the tiled floor, feeling weak as she continued to cry silently.

”What to do?” Her worst fear seemed to have come true and two days before her wedding at that. ”What to do?” she asked again. She was at a complete loss.

Two years ago, she accepted Alex in her life with a warning to herself not to invest all her emotions knowing her lover's background and history. She told herself that as soon as Alex showed signs that he was reverting to his old ways, Ash would leave him. She didn't love him – told herself not to love him much anyway.

But it's not the case anymore.

She couldn't bear to confront him either. Ash wouldn't be able to take it if Alex told her that it was over between them.

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Alex puffed his cheeks, grinned and shook his head as soon as the call ended. His mother was getting hysterical again over some wedding details that it was totally hilarious as well as exasperating, and he was finally regretting his decision to let her take over the preparations. At first, it was okay since he was an only child and Ash's parents were absent. The two of them welcomed Mrs. Li's help.

But he didn't expect his mother to go nuts over the wedding.

Last night, he went to his parents' to calm his frantic mother down. Mrs. Li was going crazy over the event and had demanded that Alex and Ash show up to discuss the details again. This time, she wanted them to finalize the menu and seating arrangement at the presidential table again.

He, on the other hand, knew that Ash had been exhausted with office work since they had so many things to finish too before their big day and so he went alone – and glad that he did. If he took Ash with him, his fiancée would have gone insane with his mother's redundant questions and worries. God knew if she wasn't his mother and if it weren't his wedding his mother was going crazy over, Alex wouldn't have gone either.

He stayed at his parents' to humor his mother's wishes until two in the morning. By that time, he felt too stuffy and haggard that he took a shower before coming home to Ash.

But now, his mother wanted their audience again and had insisted that he brought Ash with him. They'd meet up at his parents' favorite restaurant, the usual place they met up on weekends. He just hoped that Ashley was up to it.

Walking outside the bedroom, Alex found Ash in the living room staring at the TV but it was obvious that she wasn't really paying attention to the show. With a frown, he walked towards his lover and noted her tear-stained face.

”What's wrong?” he asked which startled the other, quickly wiping her face and putting on a nervous smile.

”Nothing, just the show,” she said, though it was an obvious lie since the TV was showing some dumb cartoons and not drama.

Alex didn't press on however and changed the topic.

”Honey, do you want to go somewhere today?” he inquired and he could see Ash turning pale as she shook her head.

”Are you sure you're alright?” he asked worriedly as he sat next to her.

He pulled her close to his body as he did. As their wedding drew near, Alex could feel his fiancée seemed to be slipping farther and farther from him. The distance didn't sit well with the frustrated groom. When Ash tensed upon his touch, Alex felt pain in his heart, his insecurities coming to the surface.

Ash never said she loved him. If his lover seemed to hate his touch too then what would become of them when they get married?

”Ash…” Swallowing hard, Alex asked the question he feared to hear the answer the most. ”Don't you want me anymore? Is that why you're acting like this?”

His question elicited a gasp from her. Ash turned to him with wild eyes, her hazel orbs filling with moisture as she stared at him accusingly.