For the next few days, Hayley was busy with work. Her dad agreed to bail her out. By Wednesday, she was totally drained out when she remembered the list Sienna had asked her to buy. Henry drove her to the shopping mall, and she purchased to her heart’s content, buying a few dresses for herself as well. What if Ashton agreed to accompany Alexander? She eagerly waited to meet him. It had been almost two weeks since he left and hadn’t contacted her since. She was dying to know about his welfare.
Henry went to the parking area to dump the shopping bags while she shopped for the bridesmaid’s dress. Afterwards, she went to the washroom. She was so engrossed in her thoughts that she didn’t notice Madison walk into the washroom with a scowl on her face, her eyes glued on her target.
This was the only opportunity she would get. Having tailed Hayley for the last two weeks, it irked her immensely to see a bodyguard always with her. She wanted to get Hayley alone.
She came to a stop right in front of Hayley, who looked up cluelessly. Then realizing who it was, she tried to walk away, but Madison blocked her escape.
“Where the f*ck is Ashton? What have you done with him?” she gritted out angrily.
Hayley scoffed and tried to walk away but Madison gripped her wrist, refusing to let her go.
“Who are you? Why don’t you find out for yourself?” Hayley said, wrenching her hand free of her hold.
“Oh, don’t you know? I’m Madison Parker, his everything. Don’t get your hopes up just because he kissed you once,” gritted out Madison, fuming with anger.
Hayley snickered at the crazy woman. “If you were his everything, you would have known where he is,” she said, walking away but Madison grabbed her by the neck and shoved her against the wall. The other women shrieked with fear, eager to escape from the washroom. Hayley struggled against her hold. There was a brutal strength in the woman, which she hadn’t guessed initially. She wasn’t afraid of anyone, but Madison didn’t look normal. She was an obsessed woman who couldn’t be trusted.
“Where is Ashton, bit*h? I won’t be nice for long,” Madison hissed, on the verge of losing her composure.
“I d-don’t know. He has disappeared without informing me,” sputtered Hayley, gripping her hands to stop her from throttling her. Furious, Madison applied more pressure.
“Spill or I can kill you with my bare hands,” she hissed, her eyes red with anger.
“I don’t know,” choked out Hayley.
“Ashton is mine. If I see you with him again, I’ll send my men to kill the two of you. Don’t for once think of this as a futile threat. My dad has the power to wipe you out from the face of the earth.”
“Please, let me go,” choked out Hayley desperately, trying to push the mad woman away.
“No, I won’t. Ashton was mine. We shared everything before you came along. His kisses, his body, his heart was mine, but now he has discarded me like trash. I’m not one who forgets easily, bit*h. I will take my revenge on you. Mark my words. One phone call and you and your family will be finished.” She released her neck and stormed out of the washroom, leaving Hayley sputtering. She was petrified of the woman now. There was no doubt she was an obsessed criminal. Did Ashton really have physical intimacy with Madison?
She didn’t know what to think anymore. A woman helped her to a chair and handed her a bottle of water.
“Are you alright?” she asked her and Hayley nodded, thanking her. After five minutes, she called Henry and left the mall to go home. Throughout the time, she couldn’t drive the memories of that encounter out of her mind. What should she deduce from it? Was Ashton telling her the truth, or was Madison being honest? She packed absent-mindedly and went out to the dining room to have a quick dinner.
“The PI’s report has arrived, bro,” said Uncle Robert, and Hayley focused her attention upon him.
“What does it say?” asked her mom with curiosity.
“Hayley is right. Jason indeed murdered his first wife and fled from his hometown in France and moved to Finger Lake area here.” Everyone gaped at him in disbelief.
“He wants to marry me so that I would produce an heir for him. He won’t allow me to work. I will never marry such a man, Mom,” said Hayley. She wanted to tell them that she loved Ashton but after that encounter with Madison, she started having second thoughts about Ashton. She needed to talk to him and find out the truth from him.
“None of us will associate with Jason Lowells from now on. Mom, Carol, I don’t want you to keep entertaining the man. I will not agree to this marriage at all. This is my final decision,” said her dad sternly.
“I swear I won’t even consider this again,” promised her mom.
“How about you, Mom? Hayley will never marry Jason. I want this topic to end here.”
“Fine. I won’t bother with her marriage at all.” The topic ended there and Hayley released a such of relief.
“Dad, Mom, tomorrow I’ll be going to Preston Island for Sienna’s wedding,” she announced. Although her parents knew of her plans, she wanted to remind them again.
“Fine, but Henry will accompany you,” said her mom.
“No, he can drop me and leave. Lucas’s family will be there. I don’t need a bodyguard tailing me everywhere, please.”
“Call us when you plan to return. I’ll send Henry to get you,” said her dad.
The next day, Hayley returned from work early and left for the pier to board a private ferry to Preston Island. She could have gone on her own, but her dad was adamant and arranged a private ferry for her. Henry accompanied her and dropped her off at the pier on Preston Island, an exclusive island across the St. Lawrence River from Alexandria Bay.
A car was waiting for her to take her all the way to a beautiful and sprawling villa perched on a ridge top overlooking the beautiful St. Lawrence River. Located right across from the small village of Alexandria Bay, it was a private haven.
Hayley gasped with wonder at the villa almost hidden amidst the tall Sugar Maple, Breech, Basswood, White Oak, and Red Oak trees. The whole place was bathed in the glowing rays of the late afternoon sun, making it seem like some romantic fairyland, far away from civilization. Located inside a gated compound, the main house was a three-story structure handcrafted out of native stone. Hayley pulled her luggage along and pressed the doorbell. She could hear laughter and voices from inside. So everyone was already here. Did Alexander come too? Did Ashton accompany him? She couldn’t wait to find out. The place was so romantic that her heart yearned to spend a few days alone with Aashton here in this secluded heaven.
The door opened and the girls squealed at the sight of her with three suitcases stuffed with goodies.
“Yay, my savior is here!” said Sienna, giving her a bear hug. Lucas beamed and helped her with the luggage.
“Won’t you introduce me, Sien?” he asked with an eye roll.
“Hayley, this is Lucas!” she said breathlessly, and Hayley beamed at the famous guy.
“What have you stuffed your suitcases with?” he asked with a baffled look on his face.
“Clothes and essentials for your bride. What else?” Lucas grinned and rolled his eyes.
“He won’t understand us, Hails. These men can get married in their swimming trunks. They don’t need a thing,” said Alyssa, and they all chuckled.
“You seem to have a lot of experience it seems!” said Lucas, walking away towards the elevator with the luggage.
“None at all, Lucas. Hell, I don’t even have a boyfriend,” she admitted, and Lucas chuckled.
“That can be taken care of,” he said with a chuckle, disappearing into the elevator.
“What did he mean by that, Sien?” asked a clueless Alyssa. Sienna shrugged and escorted Hayley to introduce her to Lucas’s mom, Claudia, and granny. Later, Alyssa, Eva, and Hayley rushed outside to take a refreshing dip in the swimming pool. Hayley was a little upset to not find Alexander and Ashton here, as she had expected.
“How did you two sneak out? What will happen if Alexander finds out?” she asked Eva.
“He has left on a work trip. By the time he returns, we will already wrap up everything here. So he won’t know at all.”
Hayley smiled, but deep in her heart, she was disappointed. She wanted Alexander to return early and find them missing. She wanted him to seek Ashton’s help and arrive here.
The next day was the bridal shower party. Skylar arrived with her fiance, Christian St. James, and they were busy getting ready all morning. The men had left to enjoy themselves in their own way while they showered Sienna with gifts.
In the evening, a storm started brewing up outside, and they were all stuck indoors. Lucas’s youngest brother, Nicholas, arrived and bonded well with Christian. The girls giggled at seeing the two of them dancing with each other in the absence of partners. They started the song, ‘Marry You,’ by Bruno Mars and everyone danced.
Suddenly, Alyssa froze as she looked towards the door.
“What happened? Why aren’t you dancing?” asked Eva, following her line of vision.
Hayley too looked to see what had got their attention and froze at the sight of Alexander and Ashton walking inside the house angrily.
“Enemies! Enemies!” yelled Nicholas, making everyone look towards the two enemies walking into their territory.