Urban Romance

"The number you have called—"

Asher was tipsy, and he swayed slightly. "Why isn't it Jules' voice?"

He smacked his phone a few times and yelled, "Honey! Darling! Answer the phone, Jules!"

Zachary grabbed him to stop his drunken tirade. "Stop shouting, Asher. You've been blocked."

"Blocked? Jules loves me the most. Why would she block me?"

Asher slumped back down in his seat and shook his head as he regained some of his rationality. "I remember now. She really did block me! No! I have to explain!"

He got up again, but his footsteps were unsteady.

"Yes. You should resolve the conflict between you."

Zachary grabbed him. He could see that Asher was determined to go, and that it would seem too deliberate for him to suggest breaking up again.

"The temperature has dropped over the past two days. I heard on the weather report that it's going to rain tonight.

"She's so stubborn that she

"If you want property, I'll get someone to choose a big one for you tomorrow over at Nimbus Estate. It'll be ten times better than this one," Asher said.

Juliet's smile froze slightly. The flash of despondence was gone so quickly that Asher felt as if he had imagined it.

"It's not the same. I got this through my own efforts."

Juliet pulled him over to the door and took his hand in hers as she registered his fingerprint on the digital lock.

"From now on, this will be your home too."

His wife's eyes had shone like stars at the time, and all he could see in them was his own reflection.

"I should've complimented her. It's an amazing feat for a young woman to buy her first property through her own efforts. Why didn't I compliment her?"

There was a beep, and the door opened. His memories disappeared instantly, and the touch of metal pulled him back to reality.

Asher pushed the door ope

Asher did not contact Juliet again, but he told Jesse to keep an eye on any transactions made through his bank account.

There was nothing, not even one. The supplementary card he had given her remained untouched. 

He finally found the card in a drawer in their bedroom.

She hadn't taken it with her. What was she using for her expenses?

Asher felt frustration grow wild within him. 

That night, he went to Lancaster Club. He had been going regularly for the past few days.

A group of wealthy heirs surrounded him, and all talked at once as they gave him suggestions for his problems.

"Ash, I think you spoiled her too much."

A wealthy heir with his hair dyed an iron-gray winked at him. "I'm telling you, women can't be spoiled. The more you give in, the more demanding they become. This time, she ran away from home. What will she do next time?"

"She wants nothing from the divorce? What a joke. She's the daughter of a housekeeper. All the money she's spent over the years was Ash's money."

Asher had heard them say these things countless times. To the people around him, Juliet was just like a pretty accessory he owned.

Everyone thought that he had married her because he had been entranced by her beauty. If it really was because of her looks, he should have become sick of her after 15 years.

However, he was willing to die for her. 

He flicked his long, slender fingers and hurled his lighter at the man with the iron-gray hair. "That's my wife you're talking about. Show some respect."

Asher slumped down on the sofa, his long legs crossed over each other as he swirled a glass of whiskey. He looked dismissive and nonchalant, just like he always did, and he downed the liquor in his glass with one gulp.

"Everyone's wives kick up a fuss from time to time. You're all single, so you don't understand. However, Juliet really can't live without me. I'm sure it'll be fine after a few days."

Although he claimed not to care, he kept downing glass after glass of liquor, which made it clear that he was merely putting on an act.

Zachary sat opposite him with a slight smile on his amiable face. He occasionally topped up Asher's glass when it was empty.

He rarely interrupted, but his presence could not be dismissed. 

…

Meanwhile, Juliet's tiny apartment was so quiet that the only sound to be heard was the tapping of the keyboard.

The table was covered with materials and drafts, and there was a half-eaten piece of toast beside her.

Juliet had forgotten a lot of the jargon used in certain fields. A piece of work that would have taken her only six hours in the past had now taken her more than a day.

She had to admit that earning money gave her more energy. However, the intense toll on her brain and her irregular schedule was making her morning sickness worse.

She felt a churning in her stomach and covered her mouth quickly as she rushed into the toilet and retched over the toilet bowl.

Nothing came out, but bile rose up in her throat and burned it. Tears leaked out of her eyes and blurred her vision. 

She had become pregnant at a time when she could not afford to have anything holding her back.

The twisting of her stomach finally calmed down, and Juliet leaned against the wall and slid down onto the floor, feeling completely drained of strength. There were tiny beads of sweat on her brow. 

In an instant, a night from a year ago popped up in her mind without warning. That day, she had met an adorable child who belonged to one of the Greenes' relatives. 

When she showered that night, she had put on Asher's favorite silk spaghetti-strap nightdress and snuggled up to him nervously.

Asher had been leaning against the headboard, reading a finance paper. He was dressed only in a pair of loose pajama pants, revealing his lean, muscled upper body.

His chest muscles were defined under the lights, and his bronze skin seemed to gleam invitingly.

Juliet breathed. "Asher…"

"Yes?"

She bit her lip and mustered up all her courage. "Shall we have a baby?"

Asher finally put down his newspaper and turned to look at her.

His dark, intense eyes seemed even darker than usual under the yellow glow of the lights. They looked as if they could suck out her very soul.

It was an invasive, commanding look, and it traveled from her flushed cheeks down to her fingers, which were gripping the hem of her dress nervously. 

Juliet's heart thumped madly as he looked at her, and her cheeks felt as if they were on fire.

Asher tossed his paper aside and reached out his long arms to pull her easily into his embrace. "Do you want a baby, or do you want me?"

There was a teasing note in his voice as she felt his hot breath against her ear. It made her shiver. She felt the strength go out of her as she leaned against his shoulder.

"A-A baby."

Asher chuckled in a low voice, making his chest vibrate. "Mrs. Greene, you were the one who initiated this," he murmured bewitchingly, his lips right against her earlobe.

"If you want a baby, show me some sincerity."

His hand was large and slightly callused, and it moved upward from her waist over her silky nightdress. His touch seemed to leave her skin on fire, until it finally rested on her flat stomach.

The palm of his hand was blazing hot, even through the thin silk material. He bit her earlobe, and his breath felt very warm. "Will the baby resemble you or me? It would be best if the baby had your eyes and my nose."

Juliet blinked. "Why should the baby have your nose?"

Asher's lips touched the tip of her nose lightly and said in a teasing voice, "Well, yours is crooked."

"No, it's not!"

Juliet got on top of him to tickle him, but he overpowered her easily, and the two of them tussled playfully for the entire night.

Every single second they spent together back then had felt so sweet, and it had made her lose her ability to judge the situation.

…

"Ha." Juliet breathed out a soft, self-deprecating sigh. 

She splashed her face with cold water and looked at her pale reflection in the mirror.

"Oh, Juliet. Who would've thought that you'd end up like this?"

She went back to her desk and threw herself back into her work. She had no time to feel sorry for herself.

Freedom came at a price, and she could afford it. 

…

Two days later, Asher was alone with Zachary in a private room at Lancaster Club. The rest of his friends had all gone. 

The crystal ashtray in front of him was overflowing with cigarette stubs.

Asher pulled at his tie, revealing his defined collarbones. Alcohol had reddened the corners of his deep, intense eyes.

"Juliet has never been away from me for so long. Zachary, is she serious about getting divorced?"

Zachary's eyes darkened. "Well, that's what married life is like. She wins one day, while you win the next."

Asher picked up his phone and stared at the chat that was pinned to the top. "No. Juliet's not like other women. She's never gotten angry at me in all these years. This time, she must be serious!"

Asher shot to his feet. "I've got to go and explain things to her! No, that's too slow. I'll call her right now."

Asher dialed Juliet's phone number and pressed the call button. 

"The number you have called—"

Asher was tipsy, and he swayed slightly. "Why isn't it Jules' voice?"

He smacked his phone a few times and yelled, "Honey! Darling! Answer the phone, Jules!"

Zachary grabbed him to stop his drunken tirade. "Stop shouting, Asher. You've been blocked."

"Blocked? Jules loves me the most. Why would she block me?"

Asher slumped back down in his seat and shook his head as he regained some of his rationality. "I remember now. She really did block me! No! I have to explain!"

He got up again, but his footsteps were unsteady.

"Yes. You should resolve the conflict between you."

Zachary grabbed him. He could see that Asher was determined to go, and that it would seem too deliberate for him to suggest breaking up again.

"The temperature has dropped over the past two days. I heard on the weather report that it's going to rain tonight.

"She's so stubborn that she definitely isn't going to take good care of herself. Who's going to look after her if she gets sick

Chapter 8