Chapter 8

Ashley sat down in her Nissan and continued to sob profusely, she was furious at the fact that she was reminded of her story, and she hated herself for opening up to Logan. Ashley had no idea why she could not stop when she started to speak and for that reason, she felt they still wielded a certain strength over her.

She cried for a while in her car, not minding the light makeup she had put on. After she believed she was done crying, she opened her glove box and took out her tissue, and wiped both the makeup and tears off her face. She started to think about what she would do next, all Ashley needed was to continue her healing process. But to make it easier for her she needed to speak to someone that she hadn't spoken to in a very long time.

Ashley searched for her phone in her bag, after finding it she began to scroll through her contact list until she reached the letter M, and dialed the second number that was there that read 'Momma'.

"Hello," a coarse voice from the other end answered.

"Momma, are you at home?" Ashley asked trying to hide her pain.

"Of course I am, what's up do you want to come and kidnap me?" Ashley laughed.

"Not yet, I just want to see you."

"Okay, you are welcomed anytime," Ashley could hear her mother sigh in relief from the other end of the phone.

She chuckled and said, "I am on my way, remember please don't cook."

"Alright, deary, I won't." She kicked start her ignition and drove off to where her mother lived.

The doorbell rang twice before a maid opened the door. Ashely walked into the mansion in which her mother lived, her shoe made the clicking sound of a shoe that comes in contact with the white and black ceramic tiles that could be seen all over the house.

"She is upstairs," The maid said.

"Thank you" Ashley answered. Ashley took the stairs and headed towards her mother's room, though she had never lived in the mansion, she knew everywhere in the house. Her mother had married a billionaire that Ashley detested, maybe because of her history without a father figure. Either way, she chose to be independent and leave home, she was never going to live under the person she hated roof.

"Here is my favorite daughter," her mother remarked.

"Like you have many" Ashley said sarcastically as she settled in the arms of her mother.

"You are getting lean, are you sure you don't want me to take care of you?" her mother said as she continued to look all over her daughter's body in worry.

"No, life has been hard due to work but I am getting over it."

"What happened, my love?" Her mother asked.

"A lot, but I did not want to discuss all those things today, I just want to lay in your arms today," Ashley replied as she jumped onto her mother's bed. "Is Eric at home?" Ashley asked.

"No, he went to work." Ashley already knew the answer to the question before she asked.

"Okay," Ashley lay in the comfort of her mother's presence and slept off.

She finally woke up on the legs of her mother, Ashley realized she hadn't slept this long in a while. Her mother continued to stroke her hair.

"What is wrong, my love?" Her mother asked as soon as she could see eyes of Ashley.

"Mum, I have given up on this thing called love,"

"Who hurt you so badly?"

"Who hasn't hurt me?" Ashley asked as she struggled to stand up still clinging to the heavy duvet.

"I understand your pain, sometimes it doesn't work out for everyone."

"Like you and Dad?"

"That was completely different, my love."

"Because he was a bad person?"

"No, your father wasn't a bad person"

"Then you were?" Ashley asked breaking from her mother's arm that was behind her.

"No Ashley, we were good people but bad for each other, I love how you are growing up to be an independent woman, and believe me, you will understand when the time comes." Her mother smiled.

"Okay," she said and went back into her mother's arms.

"I believe you will pass the night here because it's already past one's clock."

"I will if you have a laptop in your room, I have a report I need to submit at work tomorrow."

"Of course, I have a laptop, it's in my closet over there."

"Okay, fine but who keeps a laptop in a closet?" Ashley got up from the bed and walked towards the large closet that had many clothes, one would think it was a clothing store. It was easy to spot in the pile of clothes, she took it and walked back into the bed. She was about to start working when the maid walked in with her food. Ashley ate and started to prepare the report from the interview.