Page 11 of Ashes of Us

“But not me staying out until three in the morning drinking?” Danica could see he was confused and didn't blame him; normally, that would be a discussion. Then his eyes widened, and he stepped back. “You're forgiving me because you've done something worse!”

“Hey!” Danica frowned at him, annoyed that he thought that.

“I didn't do anything!” She paused. “Okay, I did something, but it's not bad, like at all.

It's actually really good.” She had decided to frame it as a wonderful thing and hoped he would see it that way by the time she was done.

She wiped her hands on a rag and pointed to the chairs on either side of a small table they used for food breaks.

Jasper followed her over and sat across from her, his eyes narrowed in suspicion.

“Okay.” He folded his arms over his chest. “What did you do?”

“Well, Alexander's estate came out of probate last week, remember?” She had told him about Craig's response to his inheritance when she got home that night.

He nodded, his brow furrowing as he tried to figure out where she was going with this.

“Anyway, he left money to all his long-term employees, based on how long they worked at the hotel.” She saw his eyes spark when she said it, and he sat up straighter, leaning toward her slightly.

His sudden interest made her uncomfortable for a brief moment, she didn't know why.

She hadn't told him the amount or anything, just that there was money; his response so far was justified.

“Really?” he uncrossed his arms, smiling broadly, and she saw his whole body relax. “Well, no one has worked there longer than you. How much?”

“A thousand dollars for every year worked.” She didn't know why she told him how much everyone else had gotten, but she watched his reaction carefully.

“Fifteen grand?' He looked annoyed, but whether it was for her or about the amount, she wasn't sure. “That's it? I mean, I guess it's good he gave you something, but that's really nothing considering how much he was worth. He has a private jet for fucks sake.”

“Rose Gold, as a corporation, has a private jet,” she corrected him absently. She didn't know what to think of that reaction. It kind of sounded like he was annoyed for her and annoyed about the amount. “He didn't.”

“Well, it's not like fifteen grand will go to waste here or anything.” He shrugged after a moment. “We've got a few expensive parts we need to buy for the charger, and we can use the rest for a really nice vacation when you quit.” Danica nodded slowly, then took a deep breath.

“He didn't leave me fifteen grand.” She said, smiling brightly, like it was all part of a big wind-up.

She couldn't hide the amount from him, but it would definitely be going into a trust. The fact that he immediately came up with plans for what was essentially her money rubbed her the wrong way, especially since there was no mention of paying down debt or putting it in savings.

She leaned toward him conspiratorially. “But you have to promise me you won't say anything to anyone about this.

It can't get out to the staff at the hotel.”

His excitement was immediately back, and he leaned toward her, mimicking her posture. “You know damn well I don't talk to your co-workers,” he smirked and reached for her hand. “Come on, Babe, spill, how much?”

“Five hundred thousand,” she told him, watching as his whole body went still. He stared at her in disbelief for so long that she started to get worried.

“You're joking.” He whispered, pulling his hand away from her. “He left you half a million dollars?” Danica nodded, confused by his reaction. “Why?”

“What do you mean, why?” She furrowed her brow and watched as he slowly shoved his chair back and stood up. “Where are you going?”

“Why would he leave you so much money?” She stared at him as his face slowly started turning red.

“Goddammit, Danica!” He brought his fist down on the table so hard that she jumped and felt her heart begin to race as fear crept through her.

Why was he so mad? “I've spent years defending your relationship with him! Telling them you would never sleep with the old bastard, you saw him as a father figure -” Danica felt a wave of freezing cold wash over her as she realized he thought she had been having an affair, and that's why Alexander left her the money.

There was a ringing in her ears, and she found she was standing up without realizing she had done it.

She had never felt so angry in her life, not even when she caught her foster brother stealing her underwear from the laundry and she was told to let it go, because “boys would be boys.”

She dimly registered that Jasper was still yelling at her, but she ignored him and started to walk away.

She was almost to the door when she felt his hand around her upper arm, and he spun her back around to face him.

“Don't you walk away from me, you -” he didn't have a chance to finish that sentence because Danica's hand came up and she slapped him across the face with everything she had in her.

He was stunned into silence and just stared at her in disbelief.

“You son of a bitch.” she hissed. “How dare you accuse me of cheating on you?

How dare you fucking lay your hands on me and call me names?

You know damn well I didn't cheat on you.” She pulled her arm free of his grip and stepped back.

“He left me that much money because he saw me as his family.

There was never anything more between us, and it's absolutely disgusting that you think I would sleep with a man twice my age with sons who are older than me.” She could feel her whole body vibrating with rage and hurt, and her arm was throbbing from where he grabbed her. “Get out.”

“Danica.” Jasper's voice was now remorseful, and she saw tears welling up in his eyes, but she couldn’t bring herself to care about his regret right now.

“Don't do this, please. I'm sorry, I didn't mean it, it's just...” He swallowed and hesitantly reached for her hand.

“That's a lot of money to give a random orphan he didn't even adopt.”

Danica shook her head, pulling her hand away from him. “It was a final gift from him and Cassandra for helping them when she got sick, and after she died.” She was looking anywhere but at her husband, whom she honestly hated now.

“You didn't say that.” His voice was soft, and now she could really hear how much he regretted what he had said and done. She scoffed, wrapping her arms around herself and absently rubbing where he grabbed her.

“You didn't give me a goddamn chance, now did you?” She muttered, feeling like her heart was about to burst through her chest with how fast and hard it was beating.

She couldn't believe he grabbed her like that and that she had retaliated by slapping him.

She could see her handprint on his face and swallowed the lump in her throat.

Her marriage was probably over, she realized.

Even if she could eventually forgive him for what he said, she didn't know if they could come back from laying their hands on one another.

Turning on her heel, she left the garage before he could stop her and went into the house.

She didn't lock him out or anything, but he didn't try to follow her.

She went upstairs and started to pack her bags for New York on Monday, then she stripped the bed of his beer/sweat smelling sheets and changed them.

She heard his car start, then leave and turned off her phone, knowing he was going to his parents, and his mother would begin calling to yell at her for slapping her precious baby boy.

It was very late when she was woken up by the bed dipping and then her husband's hands around her waist, pulling her back against his chest. “I'm sorry, Danica.” He whispered, and she could hear that his voice was choked with tears.

“I'm so goddamn sorry. Please tell me we can fix this; I can't lose you.” He pressed his face into the crook of her shoulder and neck and started to cry in earnest. “I swear I don't think those things about you.

I know you wouldn't cheat. Please, Danica, don't leave me.”

Danica stayed quiet as she considered her options.

After about fifteen minutes of his crying and whispering, pleading for her to forgive him and stay together, she made up her mind.

“We need couples counselling. I'll make an appointment for when I get back from New York.” His arms tightened around her waist, and after a moment of silence, she felt him nod.

“If that's what it takes for you to stay, then yes, couples counselling.” Danica immediately felt a little better. The fact that he was willing to do it was a good sign. He generally didn't believe in therapy.

“I'm sorry I slapped you.” She mumbled as sleep overtook her again. She felt, rather than heard, his low chuckle.

“I deserved it. I forgot you were a Kung Fu queen.”