“I know,” I said quietly, meeting his eyes at last. “It was time for us to talk too… do you not think?”
And hour later…
Look at us. Two perfectly civilized adults, sitting across from each other without yelling. A miracle, really. Never mind the fact that I was glaring holes through his face and clutching my arms across my chest like a shield. We were in a local diner, the one he had insisted on after we finally made it down the hill.
At last, Ashton sighed, worn down by the silent battle stretched between us. He slid the document across the table, this time slowly and carefully. He was probably afraid I might spiral again.
“Read the agreement, Bailey,” he said. “And do not make assumptions until you understand what is written there.”
No. I was not touching the damn thing.
“Not until you explain what you meant the other day,” I said. “What plan were you talking about?”
“Chase confessed everything,” he said quietly. “He conspired with my late father. They worked together to break us apart.”
“Of course it was your father,” I said bitterly. “He hated me that much. But even then, I understood. He thought he was protecting you.”
“Do not justify him, Bailey.” His voice hardened. “He was a vile man who believed power and money gave him the right to control other people’s lives. Including his own son.”
I almost laughed. We truly had been shaped by our fathers. One too controlling. One too weak. I kept the thought to myself.
“What happened when you found out the truth?” I asked.
“I was destroyed,” he admitted. “I thought the baby you were carrying was mine and that you chose to end the pregnancy. I was not angry. I blamed myself. I chose not to believe you, and I let others brand you a cheater. I mourned our child, Bailey. And in that grief, I realized the only thing left for me to do was beg for your forgiveness.”
He swallowed before continuing.
“Before I looked for Chase, I went to see Marie. She wanted me to find the truth. You know how she held grudges like no one else. Even when you were gone, she defended you from every ugly word this town threw at you. She hated me with a passion.”
A faint, sad smile crossed his face.
“But she still believed there was hope for us… and all I had to do was fight for it.”
My breath caught. I pictured Marie fragile and pale in a hospital bed, clinging to her final moments. Ashton had been there. He had gotten to see her one last time.
Where was I?
How could I have left her? How could I have disappeared like that?
Tears spilled freely, and I did not stop them. She deserved every one of them.
Ashton went quiet, giving me the space I needed. His hands were clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white.
“Go on,” I whispered.
“She wanted me to fix what was broken so she could forgive me,” he said softly. “She wanted me to bring you back. She believed you needed closure. We agreed on that. She told me she was leaving you the bakery and that I needed to handle the rest.”
He paused.
“When she passed away a few days later, I put everything into motion. I hired a lawyer on her behalf and made sure there was no possible way for you to contest her will. Her legacy was meant for you, no matter what.”
“So it was always your plan,” I said slowly. “To make sure I kept the bakery. Tell me something, Ashton. Did Eva know about this?”
“She agreed because it was Marie’s wish,” he answered. “And believe me when I say she was not particularly fond of me either.”
“Then why all the hostility?” I asked. “Why push me to leave town?”
“I needed it to be believable,” he said. “I know you, Bailey. When you are pushed, you fight back. I did not want you to give up and run away again.”
