“Really? That’s not like him.”
“I know. It’s this fucking trial and that bitch Ashlyn. I need to go and pay her a visit tomorrow and you’re coming with me. Remember; don’t say a word to Henry or anyone else.”
“Okay, I’ll see you tomorrow for the fitting.”
“Thanks, Peyton,” I said as I hung up.
Turning off all the lights, I walked upstairs and checked on Julia before heading to the bedroom. Stepping into the shower, I couldn’t stop thinking about what Connor said to me, and it made me angry. The hot water streaming down my body felt good as I shampooed my hair. I didn’t want to wake up Connor, so I didn’t stay in the shower very long. As I stepped out, I was startled by him going to the bathroom.
“Jesus, Connor, you scared me.”
“Sorry. I just had to take a piss.”
I wrapped the towel around me and as I went to step into the bedroom, Connor grabbed my arm and pulled me into him.
“I’m sorry, baby. I’m sorry about tonight, and I’m sorry for what I said.”
“I know you are, Connor. You’re under a lot of pressure.”
“It’s no excuse, Ellery,” he said as he kissed me. “Please let me make love to you.”
I smiled at his drunken words, and I nodded my head as he removed the towel from me, picked me up, and carried me to our bed.
***
“So what are you going to say to her when you see her?”
“I don’t know. I tried a million conversations in my head,” I replied as we drove to the jail where Ashlyn was.
“What did you tell Connor you were doing today?” Peyton asked.
“I told him that you and I were going for another fitting and then going to do some cake tasting.”
I hated lying to him and it was killing me inside. But I didn’t have a choice. I needed to try and save my family and, most importantly, my husband. I parked the Range Rover and walked the distance from the parking lot to the building. The clerk sitting behind the glass window asked me the name of the prisoner I was visiting. Once I gave him Ashlyn’s name, he typed in the computer and then gave me a strange look.
“I’m sorry, ma’am, but she was released from this facility a couple of weeks ago. She’s currently under house confinement.”
My skin started to get prickly, and suddenly, I didn’t feel well. The thought of that bitch out of jail made me sick to my stomach. As I looked at Peyton, her eyes widened.
“How the fuck did that bitch manage to get out of here?!” Peyton snapped.
“She must have one hell of a lawyer, because according to my records, she was granted bail.”
“Thank you,” I said to the clerk as I grabbed Peyton’s arms and hurried out of the building.
We walked back to the Range Rover, and all I thought about was if Connor knew this. But I knew there was no way he did because he would’ve told me. My husband would’ve told me something as crucial as that.
“Do you think Connor knew about this?” Peyton asked, as if she read my mind.
“No. There’s no way Connor knew.”
We climbed into the vehicle, and I put my forehead on the steering wheel.
“Now what, Elle?”
“Now, we go to Ashlyn’s apartment.”
I heard Peyton gasp when I said that. I didn’t care if it was wrong or not. I was going to see her one way or the other.
“Do you even know where she lives?”
“Of course I do. Remember, Connor was the one who bought her the damn apartment.”
We drove an hour back to the city and headed straight to Ashlyn’s apartment. I was furious that she was out on bail, and I couldn’t wrap my head around it.
“FUCK!” I screamed. “How the hell did she get out on bail? I yelled as we pulled into a parking space.”
“Calm down, Ellery.”
As Peyton and I took the elevator up to the floor that her apartment was on, my body was shaking with anger. The fact that she could burn down a building, admit it, then change her plea, and get out on bail was too much for me to handle. We stood in front of her door, and I gently knocked. A few seconds later, the door opened and Ashlyn stood there. Her eyes grew wide as she stared at me.
“What the fuck are you doing here?”
“I want to talk to you,” I replied.
“Get the hell out of here!” she exclaimed as she tried to shut the door.
“Oh, no, you don’t,” Peyton said as she threw her body against the door to stop it from shutting.
The two of them struggled while Ashlyn tried to shut the door and Peyton tried to keep it open.
“Please, Ashlyn. I just want to talk to you,” I pleaded.
Peyton managed to push the door all the way open and knock Ashlyn back a few steps. We walked inside and Peyton shut the door.
“You better make it quick or I’m calling the police,” she said.
My pulse was racing, and my skin was on fire as I stood in front of the woman who was ruining my family.
“Why, Ashlyn? Just tell me why you want to ruin my family.”
As she looked at me, her eyes grew even darker. “You ruined my life.”