I discreetly wiped the tears from the corners of my eyes and forced myself to speak in a lighthearted tone, “You don’t need to worry about me. With all the money you gave me, I could raise ten kids!”
Ashton chuckled at my words. “Is that money enough to buy the kids á father?”
I froze for a moment, then replied softly, “A person can live without a father. I did when I was a child.”
Ashton’s tone turned stern. “Piper Stevens!”
He only called me by my full name when he was angry.
I pushed him away. “Ashton, you should leave. I can take care of myself just fine.”
He shot back, “You can’t even tie your own shoelaces.”
I insisted stubbornly, “I’ll hire a nanny to help me.”
He dismissed my idea with a scoff. “Nannies don’t tie shoelaces for you.”
Frustrated, I puffed up my cheeks. “I’ll pay her extra! Ten times more!”
Ashton ruffled my hair gently. “Be good and listen to me. I’ll finish up everything in Regensburg and come here to stay with you.”
His sincerity startled me, and I widened my eyes. “What about Mallory?”
At the mention of her, his mood dimmed. “Her condition is unpredictable. I’ve hired both a psychologist and a psychiatrist to help her.”
I frowned. “Is it really that bad?”
Ashton seemed unwilling to dwell on the topic. He extended his hand like an eager child asking for candy. “Can I feel the baby?”
My heart softened, and I guided his hand to rest on my round belly.
Ashton’s expression grew tender as he felt the baby’s movements beneath his palm. His eyes glimmered with a rare smile. It had been so long since I had seen him this happy.
That night, Ashton stayed over at my place. Space was limited, so I set him up on the couch.
When I got up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom, I saw him curled up awkwardly on the small couch, sleeping fitfully.
I sighed softly. For someone his size, it had to be
