Page 26 of Don’t Fall for the Billionaire
Chapter Twenty-Six
Ashton
Dominic pulled up in front of the dance studio. Climbing out, I walked inside and looked around.
“Mr. Cross, it’s lovely to see you.” Ms. Gerber walked over, smiling. “I’m so happy you stopped in. I can’t thank you enough for your generous donation to the dance school. Your donation will greatly help right now.”
Instantly, my brows furrowed. “Donation?”
“Yes. For letting Charlotte and Eloise use one of the rooms to practice their dance routine for the school talent show.”
I had no idea what she was talking about, but I played along.
“Ah, yes. It’s been a long day. I apologize. Well, Eloise loves it here, and it’s my pleasure to help when I can.”
“You are too kind.” She placed her hand on my arm.
“Hi, Dad.” Eloise and Charlotte walked out of one of the rooms.
“Hi, sweetheart.” I hugged her. “Are you ready to go see Gigi and Raphael?”
“Yeah. I’m starving.”
I grabbed her dance bag and the three of us headed out the door.
“Is there something you have to tell me?” I asked Charlotte.
“I don’t think so?” She blinked.
“Not about a generous donation to the dance school?”
“Oh, right.” She bit her bottom lip in the way I found so incredibly sexy. “Listen, Ashton. Eloise and I need a big space to practice if we’re going to win.”
“What’s wrong with the townhouse? It’s over 8,000 square feet.”
“But it’s furnished. We need empty. So, I told Magdelena that, for allowing us to use her dance studio for practice whenever we want, you’d donate to the studio. She gave me a key?” She held up the key and grinned.
“How much?”
“A hundred thousand dollars, Dad,” Eloise said.
“WHAT!” I glared at Charlotte.
“You can afford it, big guy.” She reached over and patted my arm.
“Don’t you want us to win, Dad?” Eloise pouted.
“Of course, I do. But?—”
“No buts, Dad. You have to pay to play. You know that,” she said.
I inhaled a sharp breath and looked out the window.
I hadn’t seen my mother in person in over a year, and it would be good to see her. We stepped inside the restaurant and were led immediately to the table where my mother and Raphael were already sitting.
“There’s my baby!” She smiled, stood up, and held out her arms to Eloise.
“Gigi!”
“It’s so good to see you, my precious angel. Look at how much you’ve grown. Hello, sweetheart.” My mother hugged me after I shook Raphael’s hand.
“Hi, Mom. I’d like you to meet Charlotte, Eloise’s nanny. Charlotte, my mother, Sydney, and her husband Raphael.”
“You are so beautiful.” My mother hugged her.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Charlotte said.
We were sitting around the table, talking, and sipping our drinks after a fantastic meal when Robert, the manager, and a friend of mine walked over.
“I thought that was you, Ashton.” He smiled.
“Robert, it’s good to see you.” I shook his hand.
“Eloise, sweetheart. How are you?”
“Good.” She smiled.
“How would you like to take a tour of the kitchen and see the chefs in action?” he asked her.
“I’d love to! Can I, Dad?”
“Sure. Go ahead. Thanks, Robert.”
“I’ll return her soon.” He grinned.
I felt Charlotte kick me from under the table. Furrowing my brows, I looked at her, and she nodded to the right of me. Looking over, I saw my father and Margo being led to a table. Suddenly, my stomach twisted, and I felt a wave of nausea.
“Oh my God! Ashton?” I heard a squeaky voice cut through the air like a blade.
“Shit,” I mumbled.
“Well, well. Look who decided to crawl out of the shadows. An actual demon,” my father said as he and Margo walked over. “Sydney.” He nodded.
“Look at that, Raphael. The devil himself graced us with his presence. Couldn’t resist making a scene, Cameron. Could you?”
“Mom,” I said, my body stiffening.
My father smirked. “Funny, coming from the woman who made a career out of playing the victim. Still spitting your venom, I see.”
“Victim?” My mother’s voice rose. “You cheated on me for half our marriage. And now I see you’re parading around with a girl young enough to be your daughter. Disgusting, old man.”
“Excuse me?” Margo tilted her head.
“Don’t.” My mother pointed a finger at her. “You don’t get to speak when you’re just his midlife crisis in a cocktail dress.”
My pulse was pounding in my ears. I swallowed hard and glanced at Charlotte, who sat there with a twisted face. She didn’t have to endure this.
“Pathetic as always,” my father shot back. “Still bitter, still jealous, still?—”
“Enough!” My commanding voice cracked. “This ends now. You will not do this here. Not with my daughter, who is most likely on her way back to the table. And certainly not in the middle of the restaurant. Dad, go to your table and enjoy your dinner. We’re finished here and leaving.”
Just as my father and Margo turned to walk away, Margo stopped and looked at my mother.
“I’m not his midlife crisis. I’m the mother of his child, you old bag!”
My mother’s jaw dropped as I pinched the bridge of my nose.
“Hope you enjoy raising the spawn of Satan,” she loudly voiced.
My parents may have divorced years ago, but their war with each other wasn’t finished, and still, to this day, carved scars into me.
As soon as Robert brought Eloise back to the table, I paid the bill, and we left. As we stood out on the sidewalk, saying goodbye, my mother asked if she could take Eloise for the weekend.
“The fall bake-off/fundraiser is at the school on Saturday,” I said. “Charlotte is entering one of her pies, and she’s selling them. So, I’m not sure this weekend will work.”
“I can go with Gigi after the school fundraiser, Dad,” Eloise looked up at me.
“Excellent. Then it’s settled. We’ll join you at the fundraiser and then take Eloise until Sunday night.” My mother smiled.
“Okay.” I nodded.
She hugged me before we parted ways. “I love Charlotte. You did right by hiring her. We’ll talk more about her later.” She winked and climbed into the back of their car.
The minute we arrived home, I said good night to Eloise, and Charlotte took her upstairs to get ready for bed. Pouring a scotch, I took it out to the terrace and sat down. The air was crisp, but not cold enough to cool my overheated body.
“There you are,” Charlotte said, stepping onto the terrace with a glass of wine in her hand. “What a night.”
“You shouldn’t have had to witness that. I’m sorry.”
“You have nothing to apologize for. Your parents are the ones who should be apologizing.”
“Huh.” I chuckled. “That’ll never happen. They don’t give two fucks who is in the crosshairs of their words. How humiliating.”
“I will admit. I love your mom.” She smiled. “She’s feisty.”
“She’s a lunatic, along with my father.”
“And it was always like that?” she asked.
“Ever since I could remember.” I tipped the glass to my lips. “Is Eloise all tucked in?”
“Yeah. Her eyes closed the second her head hit the pillow.
“What about her surgery? Did you schedule it yet?” I asked.
“No. I will, though. We’ll have to schedule it for after the talent show, if that’s okay.”
“When is it again?” I finished my drink.
“Three weeks.”
“Okay. Call in the morning to schedule it. I don’t want her to be unable to eat Thanksgiving dinner because her throat is too sore.”
“Got it. Okay. I guess I’m heading to bed.” She stood and stared at me. “Unless you have plans for us tonight? If you know what I mean.” A smirk crossed her beautiful lips.
“Not tonight, Charlotte. It’s been a long day, and I’m beat.”
“Okay. Just checking. Good night, Ashton.”
“Good night, Charlotte.” I stared out into the city.
Tonight served as a reminder of how dangerous a relationship can be for me. My parents’ act of war on each other in the middle of a restaurant was a reminder of everything I didn’t want in my life.