Nine

For the next two days, I continue to visit Ava, but try better to keep a low profile. I know my mother is still having me followed. I saw the same black car that had been following me the night I had dinner at her place, sitting outside my house, just a few rows down, the very next morning.

I had been foolish that day, letting myself be seen outside, with both Emily and Ava. It's going to be a little harder now to convince my mother that I've had a change of heart.

None the less, I call her to come see me for lunch, to discuss business matters. I can already tell she is skeptical, but agrees anyway. I make sure the restaurant on the main floor prepares one of her favorite lunch dishes, and has a table reserved and ready for us when we arrive. I know how much my mother despises having to wait, and much rather prefers being waited on.

She has her usual pompous air around her when she finally stalks through the front doors. I greet her with a polite kiss on the cheek, taking her back a bit, before leading her towards the restaurant, describing the place as we're seated. My mother gives a somewhat approving look of the place, before she is further surprised when they place her food down in front of her.

"Well, you've really out done yourself, Ashton. Does this mean you're ready to apologize?" she says, narrowing her eyes and smirking at me. I try and control my rage, giving her a tight smile.

"Yes, mother. I took what you said into much consideration, and have had a change of heart towards the marriage situation."

She lifts an eyebrow at me, but gestures for me to continue.

"I would like to go forth with this plan, if you can agree to some of my terms as well." This is where it gets difficult.

My mother frowns, but seems to give it serious thought.

"What are you proposing?" she finally asks. I think about my next words carefully.

"I want you to stop having me followed, I am giving you my word today that I will sign the contract, and do as you say. With that said, I still want the freedom to at least see Emily, once or twice a week. I want to still be in her life, even if I can no longer be with Ava."

My mother hums. "Funny you say that, since I was given interesting photos and information a couple days ago." I already know she is talking about my night with Ava.

"I am aware, that is another reason why I asked to speak with you," I say calmly.

"Oh?" she says.

"That night, what your man saw, was me saying good-bye to Ava and spending one last night with her. As you also saw, I went straight home that night. I wanted to tell her everything, before I disappeared. After I explained everything, she said she wanted nothing to do with me, but I pleaded with her to still let me see Emily, and she agreed." It was a lot easier to lie to her than I thought. The words seem to pour out of my mouth like word vomit.

She gives me a long, skeptical look, one eyebrow quirked.

"You really told her everything? Or did you give her a stretched truth?"

I give her a hard look. "I told her everything, about the arranged marriage, and what it is for. I told her that I'm going through with it, for the sake of my father's company, though that much is a lie to me, it's the truth in reality. I am only doing this, so you can save my father's company."

"Well, I do say I am impressed. How did she handle that bit of news?" My mother smirks.

"I'd rather not discuss it," I mutter. My mother frowns but shrugs her shoulders, letting the conversation drop.

"If that's the case, I'll have my lawyer draw up a new contract, and drop it off at your office tomorrow morning. Ciao, darling," she says and gives me a curt kiss on the cheek, before swaying out the door. She always tried to appear so much younger than she is, but she isn't fooling anyone.

Once she is gone, I call Amber and tell her to meet me at my office, so we can discuss further details of a solid plan, and I can find out just how much more she needs to save. Hell, if it isn't that much, I might just pay it myself, and be done with this once and for all. I'd rather face the storm sooner than later, and start living my perfect life, waiting for me at the end of this catastrophe.

Just a little longer.

***

Amber arrives at my office an hour later, a curious look on her face.

"My father notified me that a new contract is being drawn up by your mother's lawyer," she says when she enters. "What's that all about? I thought we already signed one."

"You will find out rather quickly that my mother isn't only cruel, she's devious. She forged my signature, and gave me a fake one to sign, thinking I would go through with this plan from the beginning. She didn't fool me, but now that I have agreed to the arranged marriage, she is making a new one for me to sign properly, and therefore you have to re-sign," I explain hastily.

Amber stares at me with her mouth hung open, at a loss for words.

"Anyway, that isn't why I asked you to come here," I say, and walk over to make two cups of tea. We take a seat on the sofa and she stares at me, waiting for me to explain. "I have convinced my mother I am on-board with this arranged marriage, but I don't want to be for long. We need to make sure we're on the same page to make this work, and I want to know how much farther you are from your goal."

She looks down and frowns, thinking about it.

"I'm not great at math so my numbers may be a bit off, and I don't exactly have a required goal, just a set goal that I think is enough to get me there, and help me thrive until I can at least make a stand, or find a good paying job. I haven't thought as far as that, there's only so much research I can do at this point."

"Have you looked at places to live, job opportunities in the city you're moving too?" I ask her, and my hope falls when she gives me a slightly confused look. She hasn't thought this far at all, thinking all it takes is a bunch of cash and a dream. That's what you start with.

We spend the next couple hours discussing further details, and coming up with a plan, before I'm due for a meeting. Amber leaves, both of us feeling a lot more confident about this situation than before, but I realize I still didn't find out how far along finance wise she is, and if there's a chance I can get this over with by next week.

After my meeting, I return to my office to tie up a few things, before I call it a night. While I'm finishing up, I finally let my thoughts wander to images of Ava and Emily. I avoided thinking about them all day, not wanting to distract myself from work and my current goal with Amber.

Now, all I want to do is think about them. I look at me phone, and see I received a message from Ava a few hours ago, and I eagerly call her.

"Hey, there you are," she answers in her sweet, enchanting voice.

"Sorry, busy day at the office, I just looked at my phone. I hope you slept well." I can feel her smiling on the other end.

"I actually wanted to thank you for last night," she says.

"What for?"

She pauses. "For putting Emily to bed for me…and for not trying to push anything. I understand how hard it is for you to keep your distance like this, and I just wanted to say thank you for keeping your word." She stops, but I feel there is something more she wants to say.

"Is that all?" I prompt her. I hear her take a deep breath through the phone.

"Well, I was wondering, if you're free tonight," she pauses again, and my heart beats loudly in anticipation. "I was wondering, if you would like to come over, and maybe spend the night this time?"

My heart explodes with joy, and my mind instantly whirls with images of spending the entire night with Ava and Emily again, but this time; I get to fall asleep with Ava in my arms, and wake up to her beauty in the morning.

"I would love too; I'll be right over."

One of my biggest wishes; and it is about to come true.