"In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing. The worst thing you can do is nothing."

Ashley Davis-Harris

Since day one, there had been borders around me and I was not allowed to set foot out of it even if the situation was dire. I was not allowed to be right or wrong.

"You are the eldest daughter. You bear the name of your father. You have a responsibility to your ancestors. Do not put the Davis name to shame, young lady." Grandmama had said, in the schoolroom back in her Mayfair estate.

For the first time, I had taken a decision on my own and it had me trembling in fear. This was an unknown territory. It was out of my perfectly altered lifestyle. Time stalled for me and glimpses of papa's face flashed before me. What had I been thinking?

Disappear.

Eric's betrayal had drained me emotionally and there were too much pressure on me by watching his deeds before my very own eyes. I needed a distraction. I needed a new place. I needed to get out of there. I just needed to not see his face anymore. Hence, when Neil Harris lend me his hand and promised to take me away from the pain, I had willingly accepted.

Not once had my family crossed my mind while leaving the estate with Neil and now when I started thinking clearly, I was conflicted. I was married thus saving my family from ruins but knowing papa, he wouldn't accept my choices no matter how devastated our crisis could be.

What am I suppose to do now?

My face in the mirror said it all. Wait. Fatigue showed in my face and my limbs were about to paralyse on me. Walking out with bare feet, I stopped beside the king sized bed and glanced at the main door to make sure it was closed before dropping the towel wrapped around me.

Over the dark red bed sheets, my previous clothes were laid clumsily. Since I brought nothing with me, I had to re-wear the dress. Thankfully I had enough sense to wash my underclothes before showering; not that I wore them for too long. I just needed to feel clean and fresh. After the shower, few minutes under the dryer was enough to make both lacy garments clean and dry.

I sighed, glancing at the zipper behind my dress. Back at home, Julie helped me zip the dress. It started from just above the bottom curve to the neck. There was no way I could zip it up on my own but being in an unzipped dress was better than being in underclothes only and that too, in a man's bedroom.

After sliding down the dress on me, I opened the hair towel and instantly, the whiff of something wild and dark scented the room. When I had been tired and naked in the shower box, reaching for the shampoo on the shelf, I realised my mistake of turning left and not right.

I should had realized upon entering the room that this belonged to the one and only, Neil Harris. The room was large and the walls were painted dark. The opposite wall of the main double door of the bedroom were ceiling to floor windows and I could see the city lights easily.

They were mesmerising like stars, twinkling in the night background. A long window seat with many throw pillows stood before the glass windows. Instantly, an image of myself sitting there cozily with a book and enjoying the beautiful city lights and stars outside, hovered in my head.

Stumbling back, I shook my head to remove the image and scanned the designed wall beside the windows where I was standing by. A huge bed with black tufted headboard and two black side tables were lined in front of the wall. On the wall opposite the bed, there was a red brick fireplace and above it, a rectangular shape panel was lodged onto the wall and I was guessing, it hid a wide tv. It was the only wall on the room that had a cream coloured paint.

There was an open double door on the right of the fireplace, I just walked out off. It was pretty much the size of the bedroom itself. It was the closet.

On their own, my feet padded back, over the black carpeted floor to the closet doorway. At first I thought it was the bathroom but opening the door, I realised it was the closet and that, another door in here led to the bathroom.

There was a square low seat in the middle of the room with a high table in the middle of it and two velvet foot stools littered by the seat. Three walls were fully covered with shelves, wardrobes, drawers and shoe racks. Further entering the room, a green t-shirt and gym short messily thrown over the low seat caught my eyes.

The leftover wall had two doors on each end of the wall. One was the door of the closet and the other led to the gigantic bathroom. A vanity table was stored onto the space between the two doors, with shelves and drawers on each side.

From the glass door covering the shelves, I could see there were watches, cuff links, perfumes and some other things placed carelessly. Even the suits lined up around the wardrobes were not organized. Some had already fallen off the hankers but that was not my focus. Many wardrobes were bare of anything. It was a huge closet for only one person.

Then I circled around the room and took a deep breath, realising it was a his and her closet. Meaning, for a couple. Till now, it had belonged to Neil only.

My husband.

Meaning I was the her to his. I had no clothes with me. I brought nothing with me but a shudder went down my body when the terrible thought stabbed me ruthlessly. I was really married.

Married.

Shaking off the terrified feelings, I walked out of the closet and stood before the first sidetable. I picked up the engagement and wedding ring from over it, and reluctantly put them on. Neil would probably throw a fit when I present my vacant fingers to him.

Combing my wet hairs with my fingers, I gathered them all on one shoulder and searched around for a brush. I remembered, there was one on the vanity table. I was about to walk off to the closet when I noticed a figure leaning on the open door of the room.

Neil.

I gasped and faced him completely, hiding my unzipped back from him but noticing the continuous grin on his face, I realised he had already seen it.

When he only grinned and stared with his smouldering eyes, I frowned. "Do you not know how to knock?"

He tilted his head as his eyes drifted around the room. "Why knock when it's my room?"

"I thought you said left." I muttered, quietly. Curse my jumbled mind to mess up the directions.

"Are you suggesting something, princess?" Neil asked, uncrossing his arms and straightened up, closing the door behind him before stepping forward and slowly, opening the buttons of his waist coat. "Cause you know, I'm already up for it."

My throat dried out and I lost my voice as I kept on watching into his darkened hazel eyes. The golden colour in them dominated over brown and green in his hazel eyes. They reminded me of a tiger's eyes, stalking after his defenseless prey.

He threw his waist coat on the bed, without taking his eyes off me and he advanced toward me.

When he stood directly before me, I hesitantly backed away but his long arms were quick to engulf me. They wrapped around my waist and splayed over the bare skin above the opening of the zipper.

A shiver wrecked over my body and it wasn't due to the decrease of the temperature indicating winter was approaching.

"Wh--what are you doing? Let go of me." I said, suddenly feeling out of breath.

His throat bobbed as he swallowed, his fingers rubbing over my back and his tranquil voice replied. "Your skin's so soft and smooth."

My hands over his chest, were for pushing him away but they tightened over his shirt and I squirmed, feeling the same thrilling effect he left on me.

"Le--let me go." I stuttered out, eyes downcast.

"You shouldn't be in my room. You shouldn't want to celebrate our wedding night, princess."

In shock, I snapped my head up. "I do not! It was a mistake. I was not thinking."

"Oh, you were thinking right. Very right." He nodded, suggestively and stretched his arms around me tighter, sliding his palms under my dress and skimming my sides.

I jolted forward, my hands drifting upward on his shoulder due to the decreasing gap between our chests. I stood still, feeling his defined chest flatten my breasts but moreover, feeling his firm hands over my bare skin.

"Do not." I whispered. For years, I had been planning my future with a man I thought I knew very well. To had him betray me in the worst way possible shattered me. On top of that I, myself had betrayed my family by leaving them and marrying off to someone else. Tonight was already too much and Neil, closing in on me would just drive me over the edge.

"Why not? I'm your husband, am I not?"

My body stiffened and all gibberish thoughts disappeared. "You know why you are my husband." I answered, curtly. "You forced me into this."

He shook his head and pinched my side. "Don't lie. You willingly went with me and signed on that paper."

"Ow. Move!" I yelped and slapped his bicep but he continued holding me closer. "And you gave me no choice. I had no choice!"

"There's always a choice, princess." He stated and pecked me on my mouth before turning me around. I stalled at his sudden kiss then tried to hide my back from him but he pinched my arm this time.

"Ow. Stop it already!"

Silently, his grip on my shoulders made me stand still and slowly, he started zipping me up, taking his generous time and touching my skin as he went up.

"The sun will be up by the time you are done."

Behind my neck, he gave a sharp tug on the dress. "Thank the god, for I'm zipping the dress close and not taking it off you."

I threw a hard look over my shoulder. "Are you saying you would force yourself on me?"

He lazily smirked and blew a breath under my ear, earning a shudder of my body. "I don't need to force. I never do." I pushed him away, with a glare and he stumbled back, chuckling. Shaking his head, he started unbuttoning his shirt in front of me, giving me a view of his taut upper body and gestured toward the bed with his suggestive eyes. "Are you planning to sleep here with me? I'm fine with it."

Without even replying, I walked out of his room, head held high and opened the door across from his bedroom, noting it was also a bedroom, probably a guest bedroom. Standing in the doorway, I felt the cold floor beneath me and realized, this room was not carpeted like his and that, I left my poor heels to rot beside his bed.

Behind me, I heard him shout. "I'm about to shower, princess. Join me!"

Growling, I shouted back. "Go away and die, you rake!" And smacked the door close.

If his lewd comments would not had make me jump off this penthouse soon, then the princess sure would.

*******

Grandmama might force mama to teach her daughters on every knowledge and skill a young lady should have, in her view ofcourse. But disappointedly for mama and especially grandmama, I had never been able to study the methods of this thing called cooking.

Many had tried but failed to push the skill in me when I freaked out with every pop or sizzle of hot oil. Yes, stove and I had been nemesis for years.

"Do you even know how to cook?"

It was the second morning of my stay in this bachelor pad. Yesterday, I had been alone by myself and ordered food from outside. Today, I was standing by the stove in one of the causal dresses his assistant had brought for me and Neil was sitting behind the countertop, dressed in relaxing clothing and decided to not leave me alone in this bachelor pad.

I shot daggers through my eyes and pressed my lips onto a straight line in displease. "No."

He smacked his forehead onto the granite counter and wailed out, dramatically. "I'm going to starve to death."

Throwing the black spatula beside the stove, I placed my hands on my hips and snarked. "Why did you not starve to death before you met me?"

He lifted his head and glowered. "Unfortunately for you, I have a kind housekeeper who cooks for me, though she's on vacation now but mostly, Claire's there for me. Thank god for her."

The beautiful Claire Sanders flashed before my eyes and I felt an uneasy feeling at the dreamy look on his face. Thus I could not help myself and retorted. "Then why do you not go to her and leave me alone?!"

He stared quietly before abruptly standing on his feet and snatching his phone from the counter. "You know what, I'm going to do just that."

"Good." I muttered back angrily.

With a last dirty look on me, he was about to make his dramatic exit when his phone blast up with that awful loud music.

He frowned, looking down at his phone before answering it. "Hello?"

I rolled my eyes at the next line of lyrics that just crept into my head. Steph always started singing that song whenever someone said hello and weirdly enough, Em always joined her.

Steph and Em.

How I wished I could see them. What were they doing right now? Probably having breakfast. At the thought of them around the dining table without me, my eyes started watering.

"What did you say? Steph? What's steph?"

My ears perked up and I snapped my head to Neil's direction and found him looking back at me with a neutral look.

"Oh, Stephanie." He realized, into the phone and I quickly went around the counter, stretching out my hand for the phone but he stepped away. "How did you get this number?"

There came a hurried reply from the other side of the line and Neil rubbed his chin, thoughtfully. "Hmm. That little twat is a smartass, after all."

I was severely confused but leaving my curiosity aside, I stood before him and touched his arm lightly. "Please." I uttered, helplessly. "She is my sister."

His eyes turned cold and angry as he glanced around my face. When a tear finally trailed down my cheek, he grabbed my arm with a snarl and forcefully made me sit on the sofa  before thrusting the phone at my face.

Giving him a grateful smile, I said into the phone. "Steph?"

The line was quiet and I thought, I lost my chance to talk to my family when suddenly, a sob came through the phone.

"Ashley! Oh god, Ash! Where are you? You left us. You left us here! Where are you? Please come back to us!"

I placed my palm over my mouth, smothering a sob of my own and glanced down, purposely ignoring Neil's pacing and intent eyes.

For all our life, we had not been apart from each other. We had been confined inside the four walls of the estate, but at least, we had each other. How might have they felt when I left them without saying anything? God, they would had been scared.

"Steph..." I started. "How are you? How is Emily?"

"How are you?! That's what you are asking?!" Steph asked, angrily. "Where are you, Ashley? Just tell me and I will tell pap----" She cut off whatever she was saying and an ominous silence followed after.

"Steph? What is it? What happened to papa?" I asked frantically, imagining the worst possible scenario.

Neil halted and stared down at me but my focus was all on the phone.

"That's the thing, Ashley." She said in a perplexed voice. "We do not know what happened to him."

"What do you mean? What is going on? Explain to me right now!"

Sighing, Steph elaborated. "After you left that night, Papa was so worried and angry. He was constantly on his phone, sending out guards for you but suddenly, he stopped. He stopped everything. It is like nothing happened. It is like you do not even exist. How could he stop looking for you? Why would he?"

"Wha--what?" I asked in surprise. I thought Papa would break down this building in order to get me home that night but he never came. Not even the next day and not even today. Not a single contact from him and I could not understand why either.

"Yeah. He is acting like you are not even there. Mama keeps quiet as usual but I know, she worries. I can see it in her face. She worries for you and miss you just like us, Ashley. Emily has been constantly crying for you and we kept on asking for you but yesterday, Grandmama came from England. Ashley, she is here! She told us to stay upstairs and not disturb papa anymore. What is wrong with everyone? Ashley, please come back and make everything like before. Please!" Steph concluded, with a small cry.

And I dropped my head onto my lap, confused and hurt.

"I cannot, Steph." I replied, in a pretend strong voice even though I was feeling anything but strong right now. "I can not make everything like before. Just know that, I am okay and stop worrying. Do what grandmama says right now. You have to be strong, Steph. You need to take care of Em for me. Where is she? Is she near?"

"Ashley...." She sniffed then cleared her throat. "She's in the library, crying alone. I cannot take the phone. It is the servant landline. No one would let us contact you so I stole to the servant quarters and called you from this. We miss you, Ashley."

"Oh, Steph...." I let out, my voice breaking, my heart hurting. Neil cleared his throat and I sat up, looking at his outstretched hand. So, I hurriedly added. "I miss you too, Steph. Tell Emily, I miss her. Tell mama too."

I was about to cut the call when she asked. "Do you truly love him?"

"What?"

"The man you left with. Do you love him? Was Papa against him? Was Eric papa's choice and not yours? What happened, Ashley? I am so confused."

I gazed at the man ahead of me, who was my husband now and answered to Steph. "You would not understand, Stephanie. Take care of yourself and Emily. Goodbye."

Then hanging up the phone, I threw it at its owner.

*********