The Billion Dollar Girl

(Chapter 28)

ῼ Ash Castillo ῼ

How did things turn out like this? Watching my date from across the room, flirting with both my sworn enemy and my best friend? This had to be the worst thing to ever happen. I glared moodily over at them. Will said something, and Ella laughed. I wanted to rip my heart out my chest, just so I would have something to throw at them.

“Ash, honey? Are you staring at that bitch, Ella? God, isn’t she, like totally desperate? I can’t believe she’s whoring around with the most eligible bachelors in this room – apart from you, of course. Isn’t she totally unbelievable?”

I looked down at the girl I could be married to right now, and I thanked God that I’d met Ella.

“Yes, Lucy,” I said, smiling. “Ella is unbelievable.”

She didn’t seem to read the threat in my tone, but giggled instead, turning pink. I sighed. My malice was completely wasted. But now Lucy had started this conversation, all the other girls were joining in.

“It’s not like she hasn’t got a guy already,” a nameless, faceless girl quipped. She looked at me like she knew me. I stared back at her blankly. “But she’s over there, flirting with Will like a slut.”

“All the guys are making a huge deal about her, and she’s not even pretty,” Jennifer said, examining her blood-red nails. “Everyone says she sleeps with any guy who’s got influence or cash. Isn’t that how she got into Charlotte Private in the first place? I mean, how did she afford it all?”

“You think she’s a call girl?”

My fist clenched.

“That’s what rumor says. She’s already married to the sons of one of the richest men in the country – so why doesn’t she go for another? James’s family is almost as rich as Ash’s.”

“So she’s going to sleep with him?”

“She might’ve already.”

“God, what a bitch.”

Ella looked up. As soon as she saw me, the laughter died from her green eyes. Her expression became resolute. She hated me for everything I’d done to her. Did I blame her? No. I was a terrible person. I was a player who’d countless broken hearts, and this was my punishment. The one person I cared about, the one person I truly wanted, wouldn’t want me back. There was no changing that. The only thing I could do was desperately cling onto her and never let go.

***

Ͼ Ella Castillo Ͽ

Will coughed and I broke away from Ash’s stare. I turned back to James and Will, who’d both so kindly decided to talk to me. It was clear I was a complete social reject here, so I was really grateful that they were actually noticing me instead of ignoring me like everyone else.

“Are you having issues with Ash again?” Will asked, his eyes staring intensely into mine.

“Oh…I…” I squirmed, uncomfortable. James was here, and he was Ash’s friend. I didn’t want to say anything bad.

“It’s fine,” James reassured, flashing an easy smile. “I won’t say anything to Ash.”

“Well…” I still didn’t want to say anything, but I had to now. They were both staring at me. “He’s a really bad cook…?”

Will gave me a knowing look, while James just looked confused, yet awed.

“You got Ash to cook for you? Ash doesn’t even get me water from the water cooler.”

“Yes, well…” I had no idea how to respond to that.

“You know what you should do…” Will said, pulling out his phone to check the time. “You should get him to go to a cookery class.”