In Love, Never Say Never (Ashton Fuller and Scarlett Stovall) novel Chapter 717

Ashton was looking rather intently at the scalded area. I mumbled in reply, “It’s much better! I’m fine!”

Ashton furrowed his brow. Without even asking, he took my bag and fumbled through it for the ointment. He then proceeded to apply it.

Ashton looked at me throughout the entire process. His gaze was unfathomable. “Is Armond better at this than I am?” he questioned.

Uncomfortable, I shifted my weight from foot to foot, then stammered, “It’s late, you…”

“Are you chasing me away?” Ashton demanded, his face growing murderous.

I took a deep breath, then nodded defiantly. “Yep. Or would you rather stay here?” I asked sarcastically.

“Can’t I?” Ashton challenged. His dark eyes bore into my soul.

Dumbfounded, I shrugged. “It’s up to you.”

Ashton thus remained in the villa. I did my best to ignore him and headed up to my own bedroom.

When Armond was back from sending Nora home, he’d naturally deal with Ashton.

After my shower, I’d completely put aside all thoughts of Ashton. It was almost ten at night, so I blow-dried my hair, read a little, and eventually drifted off to sleep.

The rain came without warning. It was a chilly autumn night, and droplets pattered rhythmically onto the ground. A frosty wind blew into the bedroom, and I woke up with a shiver.

I made my way over to the window to shut it.

Suddenly, a burst of lightning, followed by the deafening clap of thunder, filled the room. Petrified, I bolted towards the window.

In my alarm, however, I ran right into the arms of the chaise lounge beside the bed.

A sharp pain shot through my knee and I crumpled to the floor.

The pain was immense. I exhaled sharply as I cradled it for a long while. The open window was still waiting, and I tried to get up to no avail. I finally sat on the floor, defeated.

The only thing within reach was the small lamp beside my bed. I turned it on, but the dim light only succeeded in casting ghoulish shadows against the wall. The wind continued howling through the open window. A chill ran down my spine.

The curtains were flying, spraying droplets of water across the room. At that moment, in the middle of the storm, the villa seemed to be a most forlorn, desolate place.

Ever since that traumatic incident with my baby, I’d always felt a sense of dread in the presence of rain and thunder. I was utterly vulnerable at the moment, incapacitated as I was with the elements blowing right at me.

I started to panic. My imagination was running wild and I began to tremble from terror. Valiantly, I tried multiple times to stand up with the support of surrounding furniture but only succeeded in knocking into others.

With a loud crash, the lamp fell to the floor and shattered. Its wan light instantly went out, leaving the room smothered in darkness.

I felt a wave of horror wash over me. Shrinking into a corner, I thought I could hear the sound of an infant wailing above the noise of the storm.