Chapter 8: Chapter 8

Ashton's Point of View for Chapter 4, 5, and 6

Adrian Moretti, I knew what kind of man he was. Since he was a teenager, he had been known as a trouble maker. His family was very dangerous, even though since childhood he only lived with his grandfather.

I sat at my office table, glancing at my watch. Still no news brought by my informant. Since Adrian's sudden presence among Mabel's family and me, I believed there was one thing that Adrian was after. But what? A man like himself couldn't have appeared all of a sudden if it didn't bring any profit for him and of course, his family.

My phone screen popped up a notification, I thought it was from one of my men, but it turned out that Rainy sent me a message.

From the first time I saw Rainy, I had to admit that she was different from most women. But she wasn't Mabel. There were a lot of similarities between the two, but recently I had noticed one thing. That they're clearly different.

Rainy had a crush on me, and Mabel didn't. Falling in love one-sided was very painful. That's why I dated many women, looking for the love that I couldn't get. But no matter how hard I tried, Mabel didn't just walk away from my mind. It's always about her.

The message from Rainy only contained a question about what I was doing. I smirked when I remembered that I got a party invitation tonight. I could take her, considering Mabel didn't like parties.

I didn't want to go to that party to be honest, but my informant said that Adrian was also invited to the party. So isn't this an opportunity to observe him secretly?

I sat back down and put down my phone after that. I sighed tiredly as I remembered my last conversation with Mabel. She really wanted me to be with Rainy. Doesn't she understand that all I want all these years is her?

I smiled at the childhood photo of me and Mabel. We're two years apart in age, so we understand each other while exchanging stories. Mabel is twenty-three, and I am twenty-five.

I left my office, headed for the living room. No matter how much treasure my father passed down to me, I always felt alone. Living in a mansion, alone, and only accompanied by servants and bodyguards really emptied my heart.

My father was forced to serve his sentence in prison, after a car accident three years ago that killed a woman. The accident was completely unintentional, but the woman's boyfriend demanded a lot. Even my father's company was almost closed, luckily the name of my father's company was no longer in his name, but mine.

I had intended to be responsible to the woman's family as well as her boyfriend, but the case was suddenly closed after my father was imprisoned.

"Sir," One of my informants came back and approached me. "There's the latest news about Adrian Moretti,"

I smirked, pleased to hear that. "Tell me,"

"Adrian proposed to Miss Mabel on the night of her father's engagement party. And her father agreed to this,"

I fell silent. What the hell? Is it Mabel that Adrian is after?

"But so far, there's no news regarding the decision that Miss Mabel made."

"You may go now," I headed for the kitchen and got a glass of water. Mabel's father agreed? Do they secretly have business ties?

I wouldn't let Mabel marry that bastard. The thought of Mabel being hurt by a man like Adrian already made me clench my fists tightly.

But Mabel didn't tell me about this. Why? My heart felt torn. I massaged my temples as I was weighed down with deep thoughts. I couldn't help, but took it serious when things got to Mabel.

Right then and there, I felt the need to check on Mabel. I came out of my mansion, intending to see her. But the Ferrari that parked in front of her mansion, raised a brand new questions for me.

My hands clenched as I saw Adrian leave the mansion and got into the car. Did he go to see Mabel?

I had anger issues since I was a kid. I couldn't control myself when my heart got hurt, or I started to get anxious over something. And now I was really bothered about Adrian. This time I managed to hold back my anger by continuously inhaling and exhaling.

But then I didn't understand why I got so mad at Mabel. I assumed there might be another reason she didn't want to tell me about Adrian's marriage proposal. As far as I knew her, she's full of surprises. And I could never really ignore her. I knew I hurt her by acting like she wasn't around me and Rainy in the car, but in doing so, I just wanted to make her realize that something was on my mind and it had something to do with her.

Watching Mabel came to the party with Adrian really pissed me off. Plus, I knew how she hated parties. Then how could she be willing to go with Adrian? Does this mean she has accepted Adrian's marriage proposal? I needed to talk to her as soon as possible.

That night Mabel appeared very confident entering the party crowd. I couldn't take my eyes off her. When she wore that navy blue dress, I instantly made it my favorite color. Her smile pierced my heart completely. She really gave me no mercy. All I knew was she purposely killed me by not being able to be with her throughout the party.

Mabel was the only woman that caught my eye. She was so gorgeous under the fancy party lights, and desire ran my blood. My eyes kept following where her figure was headed, and I was displeased by the fact that Adrian was holding her hand.

"Ashton," Rainy whined, because all along I'd just nodded at what she said to me. I didn't listen at all.

"Yeah, Rainy."

"Yeah, what?" Rainy took my arm in hers. "I said, don't be mad at Adrian, you know he's my future brother-in-law."

I finally turned to Rainy. "What do you mean?" Pretending not to know was the best way.

Rainy then explained from the beginning. I could feel she was deliberately explaining everything to me in detail. Did she have any other purpose by explaining this all to me? But at least, because of her, I knew that Mabel had rejected Adrian's marriage proposal.

"Wait here, I'll bring you a drink." I walked over to the drinks counter. My eyes scanned the room, and couldn't find Mabel anywhere. Where did she go with Adrian?

If Rainy hadn't been waiting for me, I might had been looking for Mabel. I took two glasses of white rum.

"Mr. Valley?" A man approached me. I didn't pay much attention to him until he held me back for two of my drinks. "Ashton Valley, son of a criminal?"

I still didn't look at him. I stood still in my place.

"I was right," he continued. "How's your father? Enjoying his old age in prison?"

The stranger started to chuckle. He tapped me on the shoulder, and I was still trying to control my unstable emotions.

"I believe the rumors are true that your father had prepared everything to kill that woman. Maybe because your father knew that woman was somebody's weakness?"

His tone began to rise, until it began to grab the attention of everyone in the room. Several security guards tried to pull him out, but I held them back. I wanted to hear what that man thought of my father more.

"Like father, like son." He laughed. "Are you going to kill your woman too? Hmmm, but which one? You have a lot of women,"

All eyes were completely on us. I tried to hold back, for the sake of my reputation and that of my family.

"A woman named Mabel?"

My temper that had subsided began to flare up again. I clenched my fists into a perfect fist.

"Is she good in bed?"

Right after that question was asked, all I saw was red. I mercilessly threw my first fist to his face. The gasps and screams of women threw the party into chaos. But I kept punching him in the face. It was for insulting my father, and also for lowering Mabel's self-respect. I couldn't hear any sound, or anyone trying to stop me. As far as I knew, I was not satisfied beating the guy yet.

Until the soft voice of a woman who was so familiar to my ears managed to push me back to reality.

"Ashton, Please stop!"

Mabel? She's here! My heart was at ease when I finally found her. Without thinking, I grabbed her wrist. I was afraid Mabel was in danger. So all I could think about was saving her by having her by my side. Adrian could also see who really deserved to be with Mabel.

I didn't listen to what questions Mabel was asking me. My brain was still struggling to process what just happened.

I didn't know where to take Mabel, because I just wanted to take her with me, away from party that she didn't enjoy and I didn't feel comfortable with either.

I drove my car with a blank mind, but I could drive well. I slapped into reality when I realized my car stopped right in front of the ice cream parlor.

We ordered the same ice cream as every day. Me with strawberry ice cream, and Mabel with her favorite chocolate ice cream.

"Are you with Adrian now?" I asked cautiously.

"No," I knew, when Mabel said no, she really meant it. But this time, I couldn't believe her answer right away.

"Rainy told me," I forced a chuckle. "At first I didn't want to believe what she said, but after seeing you today with him, I guess I have no other choice but to believe."

"Adrian proposed to me, okay? Just like that, and that doesn't mean I have anything to do with him."

That's what I was waiting for Mabel to say. I wanted to hear it from her lips. "When?" I sounded surprised, but I wasn't at all.

"My dad's engagement party night," Mabel replied, not really feeling this topic of conversation important. She then licked her ice cream deliciously, almost making me lose control. "And I found no points to accept his marriage proposal,"

"Yeah, you must be out of your mind if you take the offer. He's the heir to the Moretti family,"

I didn't mean to intimidate Mabel, actually I was annoyed with her father who so easily let his daughter marry the heir of the Moretti family.

"I won't marry him,"

I was surprised by Mabel's sudden statement. Although I also didn't know what would happen in the future, but at least her statement managed to relax me for now.

At least I knew Mabel didn't have the slightest interest in Adrian. Should I make her promise me?

"Promise me?"

"I don't have to make any promises, I won't marry him." Mabel was firm in her words.

Adrian's suit? I only realized it while observing Mabel. Even though this time Adrian wasn't here to piss me off, he still pissed me off in another way, with his suit!

I pulled the suit, but Mabel pulled back. "What are you doing, Ash? I'm cold!"

I didn't listen to her, I still insisted on keeping Adrian's suit away from Mabel's body.

"What are you doing?"

"I don't like seeing you in his suit," I answered honestly. I didn't understand why I felt so possessive of Mabel, even though in her eyes, I was just her best friend.

I thought Mabel would be annoyed at my behavior, but instead she laughed and devoured her ice cream. "That's no big deal,"

I wanted to comment that it was a big deal for me, but seeing Mabel's mouth filled with ice cream that she was having a hard time swallowing it, made me laugh too.

But then I gently told her that it was a big deal for me. Mabel just didn't understand how important she was to me. She didn't understand how I wanted her just for me. I didn't want to see her with anyone else. I knew I was selfish, but what could I do? No matter how much I gave her lots of attention, and other mixed signals, she still didn't get it. I was just a best friend to her. No more than that.