The Winter Bride (TSBS-2) COMPLETED

Chapter Ten

"In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing. The worst thing you can do is nothing."
- Theodore Roosevelt

Ashley Davis-Harris

Since day one, there had been borders around me and I was not allowed to set foot out of it even if the situation was dire. I was not allowed to be right or wrong.

"You are the eldest daughter. You bear the name of your father. You have a responsibility to your ancestors. Do not put the Davis name to shame, young lady." Grandmama had said, in the schoolroom back in her Mayfair estate.

For the first time, I had taken a decision on my own and it had me trembling in fear. This was an unknown territory. It was out of my perfectly altered lifestyle. Time stalled for me and glimpses of papa's face flashed before me. What had I been thinking?

Disappear.

Eric's betrayal had drained me emotionally and there were too much pressure on me by watching his deeds before my very own eyes. I needed a distraction. I needed a new place. I needed to get out of there. I just needed to not see his face anymore. Hence, when Neil Harris lend me his hand and promised to take me away from the pain, I had willingly accepted.

Not once had my family crossed my mind while leaving the estate with Neil and now when I started thinking clearly, I was conflicted. I was married thus saving my family from ruins but knowing papa, he wouldn't accept my choices no matter how devastated our crisis could be.

What am I suppose to do now?

My face in the mirror said it all. Wait. Fatigue showed in my face and my limbs were about to paralyse on me. Walking out with bare feet, I stopped beside the king sized bed and glanced at the main door to make sure it was closed before dropping the towel wrapped around me.

Over the dark red bed sheets, my previous clothes were laid clumsily. Since I brought nothing with me, I had to re-wear the dress. Thankfully I had enough sense to wash my underclothes before showering; not that I wore them for too long. I just needed to feel clean and fresh. After the shower, few minutes under the dryer was enough to make both lacy garments clean and dry.

I sighed, glancing at the zipper behind my dress. Back at home, Julie helped me zip the dress. It started from just above the bottom curve to the neck. There was no way I could zip it up on my own but being in an unzipped dress was better than being in underclothes only and that too, in a man's bedroom.

After sliding down the dress on me, I opened the hair towel and instantly, the whiff of something wild and dark scented the room. When I had been tired and naked in the shower box, reaching for the shampoo on the shelf, I realised my mistake of turning left and not right.

I should had realized upon entering the room that this belonged to the one and only, Neil Harris. The room was large and the walls were painted dark. The opposite wall of the main double door of the bedroom were ceiling to floor windows and I could see the city lights easily.

They were mesmerising like stars, twinkling in the night background. A long window seat with many throw pillows stood before the glass windows. Instantly, an image of myself sitting there cozily with a book and enjoying the beautiful city lights and stars outside, hovered in my head.

Stumbling back, I shook my head to remove the image and scanned the designed wall beside the windows where I was standing by. A huge bed with black tufted headboard and two black side tables were lined in front of the wall. On the wall opposite the bed, there was a red brick fireplace and above it, a rectangular shape panel was lodged onto the wall and I was guessing, it hid a wide tv. It was the only wall on the room that had a cream coloured paint.