The Billion Dollar Girl

(Chapter 35)

ῼ Ash Castillo ῼ

“What?”

This wasn’t happening.

Another wave of dizziness hit me and I had to lean heavily against the wall for a few seconds before I could stand again.

“I’m not lying,” James repeated grimly. “Will is here, with Ella. And they’re plotting Ella’s divorce.”

Again, the dizziness.

“What the hell did you do this time, Ash? You’re an idiot, you know that? A big idiot.”

“How is it my fault?” I gasped. “It’s Ella’s fault! How could she! How could she do this to me?”

“Stop whining, asswipe,” James snapped. “You didn’t tell her how you feel, did you?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I snapped back, indignant.

“Oh grow up, Ash. You’re freaking eighteen. I think you can gather your balls long enough to tell your wife how you feel about her!”

I was stunned. James had never talked to me like this before.

“You claim you’re a huge playboy, a guy who knows girls better than himself,” he ranted. “Yet when it actually matters, when it actually counts, you can’t find it in yourself to open up that damn stone heart of yours and tell Ella how you feel?”

“Well, what’s the point now?” I mumbled, depressed. “She wants to leave me.”

“Actually, that’s not the worst of it,” James said, grimly. “You should’ve heard what they were saying.”

“What can be worse than divorce?” I said miserably.

“Maybe marrying Will?”

I froze.

“Ash? Have you finally fallen silent? Good. That means you can listen to me. This is what you do. One, tell her any secrets you’ve been keeping from her. Two, get rid of your dumbass attitude and treat Ella the way she’s meant to be treated. I know you say you don’t ‘chase skirt’, but you’re going to do whatever it takes to woo her. Three, you’re going to finally tell her how you feel. I recommend making it stupid and romantic because chicks like that. Are we clear?”

“Crystal.”

I hung up. I sat there for a few moments, before the anger rose up inside me. I threw the phone at the mirror. There was a smashing sound as the huge mirror shattered and tiny shards of glass flew to the floor. My phone lay in smithereens.

Will. I am going to kill you.

***

Ͼ Ella Castillo Ͽ

“So what do you want me to do?” I asked him.

“First of all, get me that contract,” Will said, stirring his coffee. “I’d like my lawyers to look over it and make sure there are no loopholes or anything. If not, then we’ll have to negotiate with him to try and get him to nullify the contract. You will most likely have to return the money, as well as paying a fine. I’ll cover it, of course. Then my lawyers can write another contract for us that we can both sign once we’re married.”

I bit my lip. It was all happening so fast, I could barely get my head around it.

“Then…what do I do as I wait?”

“Just carry on as normal. If you act any differently, Ash could get suspicious and might prepare a defense. It would be easier if he had the shortest time possible to prepare for the court case.”