Chapter 6 _

Ashley fell on her knees breathing heavily. She tried to stop herself from screaming. Keith stood up from the couch and rushed to his mother on the ground. The spot on her neck where the belt had met turned deep red.

"Get the hell back Keith!" Andrew snapped at the kid and to his amazement, Keith rushed to him and bit him hard on his hand.

"You're a bad man!"

Annoyed at what the kid did, Andrew raised the belt ready to hit Keith but it was held back by Ashley. She stared at him straight in the eye.

"Just because I let you hit me doesn't necessarily mean that I'm weak to retaliate. But if you dare try to lay a finger on my son, you'll regret it!"

Andrew was taken back, he tried to pull the belt out of her grip but she held onto it like her life depended on it.

"How dare you?!"

His voice rumbled alongside the thunder. The weather was gradually changing and soon it began to pour down heavily.

Seeing that she wasn't ready to back down, he grabbed Keith and began leading him to the door knowing fully well that she would come after him to save her kid.

"Mummy"

Ashley rushed out to pull her son out of the rain and when she turned back, the door was locked on them. She pounded the door hard with both of her fist.

"Andrew! Open this door! It's freezing cold out here!"

All her pleas and knocks fell on deaf ears since he wasn't coming to open it up. She pulled Keith to herself wrapping her arm around him so he can get a little warmth.

Ashley patiently waited for the rain to go down before she picked her freezing son into her arms and began walking away into the night with only one destination in mind.

****

Ashley stared at her son who was now in New clothes even though it was ten times bigger than his normal size. He was sound asleep on the bed and a warm comforter draped over his small frame.

She closed the door behind her and came down to join her friend whom she found pacing around the living room.

"Sharon"

Sharon stopped on her tracks and turned around to face Ashley who was now dressed in a fresh snd dry clothes.

"Come over here"

Ashley followed the latter to the kitchen and took a seat. Immediately, Sharon slid a hot cup of tea towards her. Nudging her lips to it for her to pick it.

"Thank you" Ashley whispered gently after taking a sip out of the mug.

"This has to stop right now Ashley. You've endured enough of this torture in the name of marriage!"

Ashley inhaled sharply with a little smile on her lips. This smile only made Sharon even more upset. Ashley's reason might be valid enough but this constant humiliation and maltreatment has to stop.

"If I leave Keith would have nobody to call Dad. And Andrew will withdraw his funds from treating my mum. I handle most of the expenses at home and I have barely enough to save"

Ashley's mother had a stroke after her husband tragically lost his life to an accident and his mistress and daughter took over his wealth and properties leaving Ashley and her mother nothing to feed on.

Currently her mother was in coma and the only thing keeping her alive was Andrew's funds. His closest friend was the owner of the hospital and that made it so much easier.

She was forced to marry Andrew because he showed interest in her despite knowing that she had a son. Later on she found out that everything was arranged by that evil mother and daughter to keep her away.

"Then move in here with Keith. This house is always opened for you" Sharon offered which Ashley politely declined.

"I'd love to Sharon. But do you think that he's gonna sit back and watch it happen? Andrew is a demon!"

"I know he is. And I'm gonna pay him a visit someday. Go on and have a rest, and also take a day off from your boss"

Ashley's hand went to her temple. Tomorrow was an important day. The clients were coming over to the company to sign the deal.

"Ahh..I have to be at the company tomorrow. My boss needs me there"

Sharon arched a brow but chose not to convince her anymore.

"I heard you the Black's appointed a new CEO. I also heard that he's hot and very single"

Ashley rolled her eyes. He's hot, true. But no one truly knows if he was single or not. Her boss was a good person no doubt and sometimes, she felt that he always paid a little more attention to her than normal which was weird unless he had a thing for her.

"Yeah. Go get him then"

"If I had the chance like you, I'd do so with a snap of my fingers" Sharon replied.

"Arghh I hate you! Goodnight!"

Sharon chuckled as she watched Ashley walking to the stairs and once the latter was out of sight, her smile suddenly turned into a deep frown.

She picked up her phone and her purse before leaving the house.

****

Meanwhile at the Black's Villa..

As he had expected, they had invited a lady over for dinner and this particular one wasn't a stranger to the family. She was in fact one of Cameron's childhood friend.

She just graduated, and although she was from a wealthy home, she still wanted to work for her own money.

"Cam, why don't you hire her as your assistant? She's very good. I read her-

"I already have an assistant" Cameron said dryly cutting his grandfather off before he could complete his sentence.

Ashley might be weird at times but she's good. He didn't see her as one of those employees who gazed at him trying to be noticed. He noticed that she feels uncomfortable by his side sometimes and finds ways to leave from his side.

"Well change your assistant and hire Abby" Elder Black protested. If eventually a marriage happens between the two, it could strengthen the bond between the two families.

"Dad, make him understand"

Natalie arched a brow. So her son didn't change the assistant who worked for her husband? That was strange.

And the way he protested against it like he had another hidden agenda.

"Well Abby can take other posts in the company if there are any left. It's not a big deal" she said slicing her steak.

Her husband spared her a glance which she took to her advantage. She arched a brow and tilted her head a little. On getting the gesture his wife was trying to pass to him, Nathan nodded his head to his dad.

"Yes father. Just let it be, you know how hard it took before we convinced Cameron to come back home and take over the family business"

All these while, Abby sat there with a small smile on her lips as she watched them banter amongst themselves. Cameron never once glanced at her after the first greetings they said to each other.

She suddenly made a wish in her heart to be a part of the Black's in the nearest future. And her wish will come true.

She took a bite of the steak on her fork and munched on it softly.