The Billionaire's Ex

10|two people with

"Hello Ashton?" The person at the other end called out in surprise. He didn't expect Ashton to call at all.

"Jace, you still up for that drink?" Ashton asked, combing his hair with his fingers.

"Sure, sure, does Aquarium sound nice to you? It's the new club they opened last month," Jace indicated.

Ashton said, "Any place that sounds nice to you, I'll comply."

"Okay, 9pm?" Jace told him.

"9pm." Ashton replied in agreement.

---

"When will you come to see me then?" Mrs. Ryder asked as she walked around her room with her glass of juice in her hands.

"I have a lot of work to do Mom, I can't come anytime soon." Ashton said to her.

"These days everyone is too busy to have a five-minute chat with me. I remember when you were less busy and more of a pest. Now look at you, you're a grown man now."

He chuckled. "I'm never a grown man with you and you know that."

"So you do know," she smiled. He could even feel her smile.

"I do," he said, nodding. "And father?" He cleared his throat.

"I haven't seen him since last night. These days he has been so engrossed in work and he keeps to himself," she said.

"Well, have you tried telling him to at least take you out to dinner?"

"Maybe I will do that soon and trust me, with my acting, it always works." She said and they laughed. "Get to work then, sweetheart, and get ready for a family dinner one of these weekends."

"I haven't agreed!" He tried but she wasn't listening.

"No, no, no. When I'm finished with your father, I'll deal with you young man. Family comes first before anything else." She told him and he just chuckled.

"Fine, fine, I'll be there. I'm just a phone call away if you ever set up a date. Not that I want you to."

She laughed. "I will set up a date and lest I forget to come with your Fiancée. I never had a chat with her anyway."

"I will Mom, she'll be flying back in a week's time. You will make it to my opening ceremony, won't you?"

"Why not, I'll be there. You know I'll always be there, my dear."

"Yah, I know and that's why I love you," he said with all sincerity.

"I love you too, my son."

Though he couldn't see her, he felt her hesitation on the phone. She wanted to know something personal. He could already take the guess.

"Ask. What do you want to know?" He told her with a sigh.

She chuckled nervously. "Why would I want to know?"

"Mom! I'll hang up if you don't ask." He warned her and she sighed.

"Have you seen her? Have you seen Thea?"

He knew that was what was on her mind and he prepared himself for it. Only his Mom and one woman knew his state of chaos when Thea left his life, and the other woman was Aunt Maria, his best cook.

He's had her since his final year in business. She was like a second mother to him and she looked after him like her own son. He looked down and unknowingly began playing with the end of his tie.

"Yes," he said, and then silence reigned for sometime.

"And?" She pressed.

"I'm over her mother, nothing can happen anymore. Thea is nothing more than a memory." He said with a pained voice. He knew he was lying to himself, but he believed in the saying, if you continue to tell a particular lie, it could become the truth someday.

"I always hated it when you tried to convince yourself of the impossible. You still love her, Ashton, and I'm convinced," She said.

"I do not!" He blurted out.

"Are you trying to convince me or yourself?" She asked again.

"I don't need to convince you, mom, because Claire and I are getting married soon." He told her.

"Soon? When? When you are already sixty and all wrinkled out. C'mon Ashton, listen to me this time. I only suggested you use Claire as a distraction to see if you move on, but things feel worse now. You don't have to marry her and lose your happiness," She said to him, then sighed. "I just want the best for you."

"I know that, mother. I also want the best for myself and that is why I'm announcing the day of my marriage with Claire on the day of my opening ceremony."

"Ash-" he was quick to hang up. Just then a knock came on his door, startling him a little.

"Come in," he found his seat once again.

Thea shut the door slowly behind her, then turned to look at him. His eyes darted to her hands that held his piece of clothing, then back to her face.

"Sir, i-" she paused before summoning courage to look him in the eyes. "I- em, I wanted to thank you for helping me earlier. I'm sorry if I caused you any inconveniences and-"

He scoffed. "Then you wanted to see how you would pay me back?"

"Not really i-"

"I already knew you would come here to say such nonsense," he said to her. "In any case, I do have something you could do for me." He told her.

Walking to her, he stopped in front of her.

"I plan on having a welcome ceremony. I'll be inviting many investors and higher dignitaries to this party of mine," he said.

"Do you know where you came into the picture?"

He stepped closer and she was forced to take a quarter of the step he took backwards. He leaned slightly, staring back at her. Her breath hitched in her throat as she found him staring at her lips. She found his involuntarily and gulped. His lips formed a smirk when he caught the movement. Leaning back to how he formally stood, he walked around her to his safe to get a document.

"You never answered my question, Miss Kennedy."

"No sir, I don't."

"Then I overestimated you. As my secretary, you get to plan this ceremony, ensuring every one is invited and making sure nothing goes wrong."

"What?!- I mean I have never planned something like that before. I've never even planned my own birthday celebration," she said. When she noticed his silence she quietly added, "sir."

"And that is supposed to be my problem because?"

"I don't want to ruin such a big thing-"

"Are you running away from your responsibilities, Miss Kennedy? Or do you advise me to give someone else your monthly salary as well?"

"No sir," she said quietly. She needed the money badly. She took the document when he gave it to her.

"Remember, nothing must go wrong!"