The Billion Dollar Break-Up!

Chapter 17

Ashton

"For the last time there IS NO marriage! I never married Violet! Now leave me alone!" snaps a very angered Ashton. He hangs up on Violet's over paid lawyer for the tenth time that day. He had enough of explaining his actions to people who did not want to believe a word he was saying.

Here he had done the right thing. He had not married her. And here he was paying for it.

He had heard an earful from his father about it.

As well as Violet's lawyer to.

"s**t" Ashton grumbles as he runs his fingers in his hair. He was trying to figure out what his next move was going to be. But he really did not know what it was going to be. He failed. His failed his father. He failed the company. He failed himself.

Why had he not gone through with the marriage?

He was scared to really ask himself why. He knew why.

He was falling in love with her. That was why.

"Well if we did not get married then I need to return this THING" he hears her say suddenly. He looks up to see Violet walk into his office. She takes off her sunglasses. Places them on top of her head. She slides the ring he had bought for her. She places it on the desk in front of him.

"You know?" he asks her.

"Of course I know. I was going to find out what I could do to annul this non marriage. But funny thing was you did not marry me after all" she chuckles.

"Are you not mad at me anymore?" he wonders.

"Oh no. I am still pissed off at you. I should be. But the thing is Mr. Maxford, the real question is why didn't you marry me? The plans were in motion. I was drunk enough to say yes. Even I have to admit it is a pretty perfect plan Mr. Maxford" remarks Violet. She sits on his desk. Looking down at him. Why did she have to be so damn beautiful?

"Why didn't I marry you? Well you were drunk. I did not want to tell our kids mommy barfed at the wedding. Not a pretty picture" he jokes as he places his feet on his desk near her and crosses his arms.

"Come, come Mr. Maxford. Do tell the real story. Why didn't you marry me in Vegas?" she demands to know. She walks over to him. Places her arms around his neck. Her fingers toying with his neck tie.

"Why? Why do you care to know? It is over with. You are free" he snaps getting defensive.

"Come on Mr. Maxford, tell the truth. For once. If you care about me at all. Maybe that is the issue at hand. You care far too much. More that you are letting on" she remarks as she kisses the side of his neck causing goosebumps to spread on his skin.

"Violet you are a free woman. Get out of here while you can" he snaps as he sits up pulling himself away from her grasp.

"So this is what it is like? When a billionaire is in love. Can't buy love can you Mr. Maxford?" she teases him playfully. She leans in and kisses his lips making him ache for more of her.

"GET OUT" he demands to her sternly stopping her from going any further. She looks startled by that. She nods.

"Fine" she sighs. She heads out the door leaving him to his thoughts.

She was right. He was in love. With her.

"Son why did you just let her walk out of here?" his father demands as he lets himself in Ashton's office.

"Can it" grumbles Ashton.

"Son you had a deal. You are losing your end of the bargain. I want to know what is going on in that head of yours" demands' his father.

"Somethings are better left unsaid father. It is done. It is over okay? I can't get Violet to marry me" Ashton tells his father.

"Can't or won't?" asks his father. "I am disappointed in you son" he says before leaving the office.

Ashton needed out of the place. He needed to clear his head. The day was nearly done with. He gathers up his things. Heads home after clocking out. He changes clothing into his running gear when he is home. He decides to take a jog. It was a nice day outside. He wanted to try to enjoy what day he had left.

It was over with the only woman who was able to steal his heart. He was not sure how he felt about it. Or about love. It scared him to think any woman could make him love her. He had to distance himself from Violet. No matter how much it hurt to. Then he could move on. Forget love. Like his father had. Love hurt you to much. It made you weak, he was not about to be weak. Ashton stops to buy a bottle of water at a vending machine as he jogged that day. He opened the water and took a drink. He noticed her again. His mother. Why was she spying on him? How long had she been in town?

"HEY! WAIT!" Ashton calls out to her. She looks up to notice he saw her spying on him. A surprised look comes over her face. He was sure it was her. She looked a lot older than the photos he had of her. But it was in fact her! He began to chase her down.

This time she was not going to get away so easily!

He began to run after his mother. Why was she watching him? Why did she not want to see him in person? Maybe she was afraid he would reject her? He had so many unanswered questions he wanted to ask her. If she would allow that! He soon spots her again around the corner! He was getting so much closer this time!

"WAIT!" he calls out to her. She looks back. She trips on a little flower stand that had flowers in pots around it. Much to his luck she falls to the floor.

"Ouch" she gasps as she holds her leg.

"Mother" he says behind her. He offers his hand to her.

"You know who I am?" she wonders.

"Sure do. Question is why are you here? What do you want?" he demands to know. He helps her up off the ground.

"I always wanted to meet you Ashton. You have grown up so much" she mutters as she looks into his eyes. A sad smile crosses her face.

"Why are you here?" he demands to know once again.

"I always come. Around your birthday. Each year. I come to see what kind of man you have become. I saved all the articles on you and your father. I was too scared to come back. I once tried. But your father had been remarried at that time. Even though it ended I could not come back" she remarks sadly.

"Do you still love him?" he asks her.

"I do. But when I was pregnant with you I was young Ashton. I was scared to be a mother. I was ready to be a wife. I was not sure if I was ready to be a mother. So at that time I did what I thought was best to do. I took off. I regret hurting your father. I never stopped loving you both. I never got remarried. Never had another child. I always come to town when your birthday is here or near so I can see how much you have changed over a year" she explains as she looks the other way.

"All those years? You never once came to see me. Do you know how badly I wanted to know my mother? You are such a coward. Because of you my father does not trust women. You hurt him so badly he cannot have a good relationship. He blames you for that" snaps an angered Ashton.

"I am sorry. I love him. I never meant to break his heart. I always wished I would have told him what was going on with me. And tried to come back to you both. But you are right. I am a coward for not trying" she agrees.

"If you care about me at all, do something for me" he demands to her.

"What is that son?" she asks. "I mean Ashton sorry if calling you son is too soon"

"IT is too soon. I want you to come to dinner with my father and I. Like a real family. I want you to tell my father what you just told me. I want you to tell him. Maybe you can still work it out. He might still love only you. But you can't be afraid to try. If you fail to do this for me never come back? Not on another birthday or for any reason. I will never try to get to know you if you let me down this time. Understand?" he demands sternly to her. She nods.

"I understand. I will do it son. I will" she agrees. He hugs her tight. Maybe his father would get the love of his life back after all. Maybe they could be a real family. Maybe love was not so bad after all...