Part 4: A Face from the Past

Silence. The figure who just came out of that room made Avery’s breath catch in her throat, and the world seemed to slow to a crawl.

The man was shirtless. He wore only a pair of gray joggers slung low on his hips. His abs were on full display for her to see.

Avery stood frozen, her eyes involuntarily locked on the sight before her. This was Ashton Knight the man whose photograph she just admired a moment ago.

A hot blush crept up her neck and flooded her cheeks. She was suddenly aware of her messy appearance and bare face. She felt like a shipwreck survivor standing before a god.

“Ashton…” Avery whispered, her voice barely a breath, lost in her dry throat.

The man looked up, and his hazel eyes widened in genuine shock. His gaze swept over her, a flicker of disbelief crossing his features. “Avery? What… what are you doing here?” His eyes then blinked repeatedly as if he was hallucinating.

She felt his gaze like a physical touch, and she instinctively hugged herself, pulling the thick fabric of the nightgown closer as if it were a shield. “I… I’m here because I missed Sarah.”

“Oh, alright.” Ashton replied shortly. He seemed to notice his state of undress for the first time, quickly grabbing a t-shirt that was slung over his shoulder and pulling it on. “I didn’t know she was having a guest. Are you alright? You look… a bit pale.”

“I’m fine, thanks,” Avery answered quickly, perhaps too quickly. Her heart was hammering against her ribs. “Just surprised to see you. I thought you were still in London.”

“Well, I actually wanted to surprise Sarah. Turned out I’m the one who got the surprise here,” Ashton said, his eyes still studying her with a sharp, probing intensity that made her feel transparent. Just then, the maid Avery had spoken to earlier appeared from the direction of the kitchen.

“Ma’am, your breakfast is ready. Oh! Mr. Ashton, welcome back!” the maid greeted politely. “Shall I prepare breakfast for you too, Sir?”

“Yes, please. Just black coffee,” Ashton replied, his gaze finally softening as it returned to Avery. He seemed to sense her discomfort. “You wanted to eat, didn’t you? Come on.”

He didn’t wait for an answer, simply turning and heading towards the dining room. It was a silent invitation. Avery followed him into the spacious room, the silence between them thick with unspoken questions.

The atmosphere at the grand mahogany table was even more awkward. Ashton sat at the head, like a king in his castle, while Avery chose a seat as far away as possible, feeling small and out of place.

“So… you came here last night?” Ashton asked, his voice calm as he broke the heavy silence.

“Y-yes. Last night. Very late,” Avery answered, focusing on the glass of milk in front of her.

“In the middle of that storm? Did Sarah pick you up?” Ashton pressed gently, his tone laced with an unmistakable concern.

“Yes, Sarah and her driver.”

“Something important must have happened for you to be out in weather like that,” Ashton observed softly. It wasn't a question, but a conclusion. He looked at her directly, and she felt pinned by his gaze. “Are you in some kind of trouble, Avery?”

Avery flinched, looking down at her hands. “It’s just… a family matter. It’s nothing serious.” She knew the lie was flimsy even as it left her lips.

“A family matter that has you seeking refuge at your best friend's house in the dead of night instead of being in your own home with your husband?” Ashton countered, his voice sharp but devoid of judgment. He was simply stating a fact.

Before Avery could say a response, the tension was shattered by the sound of a baby’s cry, faint but clear, coming through the dining room’s opened door. Avery’s entire body went rigid. The fork she was holding clattered against her plate, the sound echoing loudly in the tense silence.

“Adelia…”

“Adelia?” Ashton repeated the name, his eyebrows arching in confusion. “Who is that?”                                                                                                                            

Avery stopped. There was no point in hiding it. Turning slowly, she met his gaze, her own eyes filled with a mixture of defiance and sorrow. “She’s… my daughter. I thought you already knew …”

The sentences hung in the air between them. Ashton’s face was a mask of stillness. “Your daughter?” he asked, his voice carefully neutral. “With… Reed, right? Uh, sorry. Stupid question.”

Avery could only manage a small, heartbreaking nod, feeling as if her heart were being squeezed in a vise. She watched his expression harden, the last traces of warmth vanishing. He looked away, his gaze falling to his phone as it began to vibrate insistently on the table. A news notification flashed across the screen.

Ashton’s demeanor shifted in an instant. The calm, questioning man was gone, replaced by someone cold and furious. His jaw tightened so hard a muscle pulsed in his cheek.

“That bastard,” Ashton hissed, the words a low, venomous growl.

“W-what is it, Ashton?” Avery asked, her voice trembling as she sensed the new danger. “What’s wrong?”

Ashton didn’t look at her. He just slid the phone across the polished surface of the table. “This is more than just ‘family matters,’ isn’t it, Avery? It seems your husband has his own twisted definition of ‘solving problems.’”

Her hand shook as she picked up the device. The headline screamed at her: “Reed Corp CEO, Oliver Reed, Files for Divorce. Wife Allegedly Suffering from Postpartum Psychological Distress and Has Ran Away from Home.”

“No…” Avery choked out, her legs giving way. She gripped the edge of the table to keep herself from collapsing. “This isn’t true. It’s all a lie! He’s the one who kicked me out!”

She trembled while trying to stand steadily. The article was a public execution, painting her as an unstable, unfit mother.

“He’s destroying me,” she whispered and began to sob. “He wants everyone to think I’m insane…”

At that moment, Sarah burst into the dining room, a bright smile on her face. “Morning! I smell coffee and… Oh my god! ASHTON! When did you get home?!”

Her joyful shout died in her throat as she took in the scene. Her brother stood rigid with fury, and her best friend was sobbing.

“What is happening here?!” Sarah demanded, rushing to Avery’s side. “Ashton, what did you do to her?!”

“It wasn’t me, Sarah,” Ashton said, his voice dangerously cold, his eyes still locked on Avery. “This was her husband’s doing.”

Sarah snatched the phone, her eyes flying across the screen. Her face went from pale to crimson with rage. “I am going to kill that son of a bitch! Oli-fucking-ver!”

Ashton ignored his sister’s furious vow. He moved to stand directly in front of Avery, forcing her to look up at him through her tears.

“Listen to me, Avery. Look at me,” he commanded, his tone firm yet strangely calming. “This is a media war, and he just fired the first shot. He’s trying to paint you as unstable so he can win in court, probably to get full custody of your daughter.”

Avery shook her head, overwhelmed. “No, no. Oliver doesn’t want Adelia. The Reed doesn’t want a daughter in their house. Oliver just wants to destroy me! I don’t know what to do…”

Ashton glanced at his sister. Avery was in the state of shock. She could not think clearly at the moment. He had to do something.

“Sarah, take Avery upstairs. Get her and the baby settled in the master guest suite. Don’t let anyone disturb them.”

Then, his intense gaze returned to Avery, his eyes blazing with a protective fire she hadn’t seen in years.

“I will handle this, Avery. Don’t you worry,” he vowed, his voice a low, resolute promise. “I’m going to make Oliver Reed regret that he ever messed with Knight’s dear friend.”

***