Tough Love

CHAPTER FORTY FIVE

ASHTON

"I'm sorry, what?"

I had to ask again, because surely my mother didn't just say what I thought was said. There was no way she was in this house right now.

"She called last night, she said she called Isabelle, and she didn't answer." Mum looked over at Belle, then back to me.

Fuck. I had turned her phone off. "We were busy, I switched both our phones off."

"Why?" dad asked. "What is someone needed you both."

I groaned "we needed a fucking break from all this." I needed a damn break from it.

"Ashton calm down."

"Don't drop a bomb on me and then tell me to calm down. Why is she here with you? She had a home she chose to live at or are you forgetting all the shit that's happened lately?" I reminded.

I looked over at Isabelle, and she wasn't giving off any expression, I couldn't guess how she was feeling because she looked blankly at the floor.

"Nobody has forgotten," mum began. "I just think that you need to go and talk to Jenna and hear her out. She's very sorry for what she's done and caused. She thought she was getting something else, led to believe that being with her mother would be incredible." She reached out to take my hand, but I pulled away, I stood up and paced around the room. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "Look, I think you need to remember that you have raised her, she is your daughter. She belongs at home with you."

"Where is she now?" I asked, wondering which room they had put her up in. "What happens when she wants to go back again? Or when she's sick of doing as she's told and lights up a smoke or flogs a bottle of alcohol from us?"

Dad shrugged, offering no help at all. "I think you just need to trust that things will work out. We spoke with her mother; she's agreed to sign custody over and won't be a problem anymore."

I stood there not knowing what to say. They've got it all worked out haven't they. I ran both hands through my hair and groaned. What did he mean he spoke with her? I was about to talk when I was cut off.

"No."

Everyone turned around to Isabelle, who was standing up with her hands over her stomach rubbing. Her chest rising and falling. "No, I don't think that's the best thing to do right now." Her voice firm and confident.

"Oh Isabelle-" Mum started.

Belle shook her head. "I'm sorry but before when everybody assumed Jenna was Ashton's daughter it wasn't an issue, she wasn't going anywhere because she was his daughter. Until we found out she isn't his and now this isn't a decision where I must go along with whatever." She looked at me and I noticed the tears in her eyes. "I cannot do this again. I refuse to go through all the torment and hell that kid put me through. None of you had my back, you never called her out or defended me."

She had a point. "I don't think she will be moving back in."

"You must help her; you don't turn your back on a child in need." I hadn't heard dad raise his voice in such a long time, that it was strange to hear.

"Well then you let her move in with you if you're so worried about her." I muttered under my breath.

Mum shook her head. "Ashton, she's your daughter."

Belle stood her ground and raised her brows back at him. "She isn't his daughter. She didn't even want anything to do with him not that long ago." She looked at me and walked over. "I don't want her near our son. I swear to God, I refuse to put myself or our son in an environment where she's destroying us again. Because that's what will happen."