Chapter 56
ASHAL
My heart thumps wildly in my chest as Olivia pours herself into the one-sided kiss. Finally, my hands start to work again and I gently pull her away from me. Her lipstick is beyond smudged now and I am certain parts of it are smeared all over my lips. Tears sting my eyes but the anger swelling within me keeps it at bay.
"Please Asher, I mean every word. You know me and how I truly feel about your brother. I only settled for that arrangement because I thought you had abandoned me again."
"You thought..." I can’t even bring myself to reiterate her words. The line between myself and playing Asher are heavily blurred now by my building rage. "So, if you ever doubt my loyalty to you, you’re going to switch to Ashal as a doting wife? Is that what you’re trying to say?"
"No. No." She frantically grabs my shoulders, shaking her head from side to side. "I’m saying that I have only ever loved you, Asher Rollins. You’re the man in here." She grabs my hand and places it on her chest, just above her boobs. "Every decision I have taken that runs afoul to this truth has been for self-preservation. You know all about that, don’t you? It’s the reason I forgave you for denying me and pushing me off as your brother’s mistake. Please Asher, you know I’ve been faithful to you all this time. Don’t cast me away like this."
The tears threaten to fall now. It was all a lie? She is only with me because Asher wouldn’t take her back? I look away as a single tear rolls down my left cheek. When I deftly swipe it off, my eyes alight on Lily’s form atop the stairs. She’s staring intently at the scene unfolding in front of her.
My face hardens as we lock eyes. I rip my gaze from her pale face and turn back to a weeping Olivia.
"I can’t deal with this right now."
She grabs my wrist when I try to leave. "Don’t walk out on me again! Please, you can’t do this to me again." My anger seeps out and clouds my judgement. I wrench my wrist from her grip and glare coldly at her. I don’t care if Asher would probably not react this way but right now, I am livid and if I don’t leave now like my therapist warns, I could expose myself by hitting Olivia.
Olivia sinks to the floor and sobs as I make my way out. I clench my fists in anger while walking back to the car. How could she? I have been working so hard to win her over. I have spent the last few weeks planning dates and trying to ensure that though the country is unaware of our marriage, Olivia gets to enjoy our union. I have given her my heart, my attention, my money and literally everything there is to be given and this is how she pays me back? How could she switch to Asher’s camp under twenty minutes of conversation? Why can’t she just love me?"
I manage to drive far away from the penthouse and screech the car to a halt at the corner of the highway. My fists beat the steering wheel countless times to channel my anger to something else. I scream loudly in my car and punch the steering wheel some more. Tears run down my face and through the blur, I notice the rain pattering down on my car. I throw my head in my hands and weep.