Tough Love

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE

ISABELLE

What the fuck!

That was all that was running through my mind right now.

When I answered the door, she said she was a client of Ashton's and needed to talk to him about the house plan her and her husband had. I knew that was a lie, I could tell who she was just by the way she looked so familiar. How she looked so much alike to her someone else in our home.

I was drawn to the sight of Jenna with her arms tightly wrapped around her mother's body, how could she do this to her father, how could she be so damn well stupid and just throw everything he spent his life making and giving her right in his face.

She didn't care, she didn't give two tosses that she was hurting him, hurting her own father to a point of almost looking as if he was about to break down and cry. I wanted to move and wrap my arms around him and kiss him, try to make him feel better but I couldn't move my feet.

They were instantly glued to the floor, and I just couldn't move.

Ashton was looking so broken, staring at the woman he thought had disappeared and his daughter clinging to her like she was an angel, that she was someone who could help her.

"Go to your room now please, Jenna" Ashton's voice had us all cringing and me feeling unfrozen.

"No" she shouted back loudly "I want my mum."

"Get in the fucking bedroom now before I kick your fucking ass from here to the damn fucking moon Jenna." he stepped closer as his breathing became incredibly heavy and his fists were clenched tight as he shook with rage. What has she gone and done.

"Ashton don't talk to her that way" the woman bit back.

"Don't tell me what to do in my own fucking home" he snapped back.

"Parker" I called out not taking my eyes off the event that was playing out in front of me.

Parker had run out of the kitchen and his whole face paled as he realised who was standing next to me, his eyes wide and mouth hung open. He closed it quite quickly.

"Liz take Jenna to her room and keep her in there until I come up please." Ashton didn't take him eyes off Kelly as my mum grabbed Jenna by the arm, Jenna didn't struggle as mum took her away, leaving the four of us standing in the dining room.

I looked at the woman and felt a pain in my chest.

This was her mum, Jenna looked exactly like her and Ashton had always told me she was a drug addict but the woman close to me was beautiful, she had rings on her wedding finger so she must be married, she was dressed like a business woman, she was perfect.

"Thought you were dead?" Ashton hissed as soon as mum was out of view.

"I was in a bad place and couldn't raise a child, it was for the best Ashton, you should be thanking me for that" she spoke back him.

"Best for who? I was fucking 17 years old and then I was told I had a fucking daughter what kind of sick person does that" His voice laced with anger, rage consuming him.

"Come off it Ashton it serves you right for taking advantage of me, I was so high I could barely move and you came onto me, took me into the bedroom and gave me a drink then told me you'd make me feel good, that's how I lost my virginity, being held down and fucked like a blow up doll" she yelled back at him, I could feel my own heart thumping loudly.

I felt sick. What the hell is she talking about.

"Come off it, don't lie you to me." he sneered back, "you were the worst ten seconds of my life and trust me."

My eyes looked away; I didn't need to know the details of what happened.

I tried not to let what he was saying hurt but hearing him talking about sleeping with her kind of stung.

Kelly shook her head laughing. Then her eyes narrowed in. "Care to tell me why I had my daughter track me down because her father had her kept in a locked room, what else have you been doing to her to have her crying constantly?"

"Bullshit." Parker scoffed "It took you thirteen years to show up, you're a sick dog for faking a death and palming a kid off to someone just because you didn't want to look after her."

"I did it because my parents forced me too, I was pregnant and a drug addict, they sent me to rehab and I overcome it, I can give her a better life now and she wants to live with me and my husband, she had three sisters she can meet." Wow, does she really think this would make everything better.

"So, some poor guy knocked you up, does he know about her, about your past?" Parker asked with another scoff.

"Richard knows all about my past, he helped me get through it and yes, he knows about Jenna and wants her to move with us. She is old enough to choose."

"You're not taking my daughter anywhere." Ashton narrowed his eyes back at her and stepped closer until Parker pulled him back.

"I will be, she wants to live with me so she can." she placed her hands on her hips and glared back at him.

Enough was enough, she needed to leave. "Like you could get custody of her," I laughed loudly, "you think that just because you're better, that you can raise a child, you abandoned her and waited until she found you to come here."

She let out a laugh and turned to me, her eyes running down over my stomach "So you're the woman who's been playing mum to my daughter, thinking that you could actually be a mother, she hates you and I don't blame her, from what I've heard you was quite the dirty whore and still look like one."

"What the fuck," Parker shook his head "I think you better leave."

"Good idea, you don't get to walk into our house and speak to anyone like this let alone her." Ashton began to walk towards her, "You need to leave."

But she kept going "I see he knocked you up too, did he force you into that as well or is it even his, I bet you and Parker had some fun when you lived together a while ago, I see the way Parker watches you, how you two get along, just how close are you two?" she spat and gave me a dirty look.

This woman was in my house, accusing me of all sorts of crap. Telling me I had banged Parker when I hadn't and calling me a whore. Who does she think she is.

I went to move but stopped when I heard my name, "Isabelle.." I heard Ashtons low tone.

I turned to face him and gave my own dirty glare "Get her out of here." He stopped moving and looked a little stunned, "I'm about to kick her ass if she doesn't get out of my house in the next five seconds" I muttered.

"If you weren't pregnant, I would kick your scrawny ass" she muttered rolling her eyes.

Ash was just standing there, looking like a lost boy in a big world with nowhere to go. Why wasn't he moving. Why isn't he doing anything.

I see the smirk appear over Kelly's face and I knew this is what she wanted, she wanted to put doubts in his head, fill him with all his insecurities and get to him.

Moving forwards, I said again "it's time you left."

She rolled her eyes. "I'll be back, I've got a very good lawyer" she spat.

"Get a bloody lawyer, I'm sure someone would love to hand over a child that had a mother take off and lie for years, so go ahead because you won't get your hands on our daughter" I gritted through my teeth.

"We'll see about that," she turned around and started to walk away but stopped and looked over her shoulder with a smug smile. "Oh Ashton, I thought I would mention that you weren't the only fuck I had that night, Parker was ten minutes after you so he might be Jenna's actual father, they both kind of look more alike with the blonde hair don't you think?" she smirked and I slammed the door in her face, turning back around to see Ashton.

She was crazy. Shaking my head I laughed, "She's just trying to rattle you, don't listen to her."

"Sure about that?" Was Ashtons only response as my soon to be husband who was looking at Parker

with a look that said your fucking dead mate.