“Am I interrupting something?”
We all turned. Ashton stood near the door, eyebrows raised, his expression almost amused.
“That is enough,” I said sharply. “I owe no one an explanation.”
The boy hesitated, uncertainty replacing his anger.
“For now,” I said quietly. “Go home.”
Eva smiled. “Or you could stay a little longer. I can make a very good pie.”
The boy’s face lit up. “Really?”
Shanna laughed and joined them, while I turned toward Ashton.
“If you are here to enjoy the show, congratulations,” I said. “You have seen enough.”
“Did you bring the documents?” I asked.
“Why do not you come and find out?”
Reluctantly, I followed him outside to his sleek black Porsche.
“Show off,” I muttered as I got in.
Chapter 10
The moment we stepped into the restaurant, reality felt strangely distant.
The elegant, high-end space overlooked the lake, its glass walls reflecting soft lights that shimmered across the water. It was hard to believe this place had once been a small café by the shore, where pancakes were served warm and laughter came easily. Ashton and I used to spend our Sunday mornings there, tucked into our favourite corner, pretending the world outside did not exist.
Back then, we spoke of the future as if it were something we could shape with our hands. We shared the same dreams. We wanted to travel, to see the world, to escape lives that felt too heavy for us at the time. I was trying to survive the quiet ache of a broken family, while Ashton lived beneath the shadow of his father, the town’s mayor and a powerful businessman who never let him forget that his life had already been planned.
Ashton never spoke openly about how much he resented that future, but I saw it in the way his smile faded whenever the subject arose. I understood the burden he carried, because no one knew his heart the way I did. All he ever wanted was a simple life, one free from expectations and obligations.
With me, he was free. And in that small café by the lake, we believed that freedom could last forever.
Pulled back into the present, I finally noticed how important the boy I once loved and hated had become. As we made our way through the restaurant, he was stopped several times by people eager to greet him. Some were likely business partners, others acquaintances offering polite smiles and brief conversation.
None of them acknowledged me. I recognized a few faces. Either they pretended not to know me, or they chose politeness over curiosity, unwilling to ask who the woman walking beside him might be, especially when she was not his fiancée.
Ashton did not seem to care. He continued forward, unfazed, as though their opinions carried no weight. Watching him now, I understood how effortlessly power followed him in this town.
We were led to the best table on the deck, overlooking the lake. My breath caught when I realized it was the same corner we used to sit in. I could not tell whether it was coincidence or a deliberate choice, a quiet reminder of the years we had lost. Ashton glanced at me, as if searching for a reaction. I gave him none.
“Hey, man. Good to see you,” a middle aged man said as he stopped beside our table and reached out to shake Ashton’s hand.
“Thanks, Eric, for fitting me in on such short notice,” Ashton replied.
“Not a problem at all. For you, there is always a table here. Especially after everything you have done for this town, and for making such a generous offer for this land. Without you, this restaurant would not exist. The view is incredible.”
I absorbed every word.
“No need to thank me,” Ashton said calmly. “You had the vision. I had the resources. It was a win win situation. This place is thriving because of you.”
Eric smiled, clearly impressed. “Still, you have done so much for the community. Your father would have been very proud.I am sorry he passed away before he could see what you accomplished.”
Ashton’s expression tightened, just for a second. “Do not mention it. It was a long time ago.”
