Chapter 45

Ashley spent a long time in the bathroom emoting. When she was done from crying, she let out a sigh of relief for being able to cry it all out.  She then splashed cold water before washing her face thoroughly and fixed herself before going out.  She looked at herself in the mirror, making sure there are no traces of her crying a while ago.

Once she was sure that nothing was visible, she took a deep breath and let out a sigh of relief.  She's now ready to see what is in her future or what is on her path as she prepares to walk out the bathroom door, smiling.

However, she abruptly stopped at the bathroom door when she noticed that Tanaga was gone, and the lounge was clean as if nothing had happened. Ashley didn't know what to do.  She was contemplating if she should go out and look for Tanaga, or stay inside the lounge and wait for him to come back?

The latter won, after contemplating for a while, she eventually decided to go out and look for her husband.  Ashley found Tanaga on a yacht deck, talking to the butler.  When they saw her coming, the two of them suddenly stopped the conversation, and the butler quickly bid them goodbye, after greeting Ashley.

"Good morning, ma'am!" He said with a slight bow of respect while trying to stay still.

"Good morning to you too!" Ashley replied while she was smiling but seemed surprised and curious as to why they were so secretive.

"All right, sir, ma'am ... I'm going to go ahead and leave you two alone.  I need to head back, for there is still much to do inside.  He was quick enough to dodge and depart in case Ashley ask a question and become suspicious. He was afraid that Ashley might ask what they were talking about.

No sooner than the butler left, the surroundings suddenly become quite eerie.  The only sound that one could hear was the wave from the ocean splashing at the side of the yacht.  It seems like they were in a mortuary for it's quiet and peaceful — both of them were trying to analyze each other for they do not know what to say.

Ashley got impatient and decided to speak first.  The only problem was she did not know how she should address Tanaga. Hence, her voice was shallow and weak as she spoke. " Tanaga, If you don't mind, I have a question that I wanted to ask?"

Tanaga, who was looking at the sea, gave his full attention to Ashley and listened to whatever she wanted to ask or say. "Go ahead! What's your question? "

Ashley's face brightened when she saw Tanaga was smiling sweetly as he responded to her.  It gave her the courage to speak up.  " It was like this... It's about our relationship.  I know that our marriage is not real and that we have a contract ... Anyway, I only want to tell you that I'm not looking for a real relationship. So don't worry that someday ... you know! "

Tanaga's eyebrows rose sharply at Ashley's words. He doesn't like it when someone was thinking ahead of him.  However, he was even more upset when he heard what Ashley had just said.  She had no intention whatsoever to follow through their relationship.

Even though he has no intention to follow through either,  she has no right to tell him right in front of his face and remind him that she was only contracted to give him a child ...  

Hence a sudden change of wind and as if the sky became dark.  A tsunami was about to landfall right there and then.  Tanaga's big ego was knocked down; his self-esteem was no longer restrained because of his pride and blew up...

"Don't worry, not once had I ever thought that this relationship was anything but a contractual agreement between two a.d.u.l.ts.  When the time comes that you conceive and once your given birth to my son... That's the day that our contract will end.  Not a day longer, do you understand that!"   Tanaga snarled at her, he then turned around and left without a goodbye.

Leaving Ashley dumbfounded and shocked at what had just happened.  She couldn't help but wonder... 

' What was that all about? Why did he get mad at me?  He could have just told me nicely without biting my head off.  Does that mean.., - he was upset because I had reminded him that this was only a contract and didn't take it to heart?  Does it mean he was starting to fall for me? Hmmm? ' Ashley asked herself as she walked into the yacht to follow Tanaga ...