The Unpredicted Ascendance Of Ashton Pearce

UNVEILING THE TRUTH

The drive from Ashton's penthouse apartment down to the villa where old grandpa Knowles lived was a shorter distance than he had predicted it to be. 

Ashton got down from the taxi and paid the driver with both cash and a kind smile. 

As he strode down to the entrance, he was surprised to see Rebecca's mother, Diana, pacing about at the entrance. Her eyes sparked as she saw him, and she hurried to him with her high heels, calling attention as she walked towards him. 

The knee-length black dress she had on moved upward, revealing her thighs as she walked. The look on her face wasn't that of someone who was pleased. 

Ashton stood with a plain expression on his face. His clothes were as simple as they had always been; he tucked his hand into the pocket of his jacket and held his head high. 

"Listen to me," Diana started with a deadly scowl. "I don't know why my father wants to see you, but you better compose yourself in there. Don't go talking like a retarded fool about things you shouldn't even talk about in the first place." 

Ashton let out a soft chuckle. "If you're that scared about me blurting out something you won't like, then why aren't you sending me back instead?" 

Diana's eyes widened with shock. "What?" She hadn't expected Ashton to talk to her in such a manner, let alone look so calm in front of her. What audacity!

Ashton paid no more attention to her as he continued his walk into the villa. He felt no need to be kind or even respectful towards anyone from the Knowles family since he and their daughter were already divorced. 

Diana almost blew up from the anger that rose inside of her. 

Ashton was a little surprised at the first thing he saw. Old Grandpa Knowles was standing in the middle of the room with an apron hugging his waist while several delicacies floated into the room. 

"Hey grandpa," Ashton managed to say with a smile. "What's going on? Why is there so much food?" A confused look played on his face as he asked. 

The old man, Benjamin Knowles, lit up as his eyes landed on Ashton. "Ash, my dear boy! You made it, and you're just in time." He walked towards him and placed a hand around his shoulder. "Come with me; you'll find out soon enough." 

Benjamin led Ashton to the seats he had reserved for both of them, and the duo sat down. Soon enough, they were both engrossed in the conversation they were having. 

Every single word she couldn't hear drove Diana out of her mind; she couldn't help the curiosity that flooded her body as she wondered what he might be talking about. 

The door was pushed open, and Rebecca strode into the room. Her heels echoed in the room as she walked in and headed straight towards Ashton. 

Benjamin was the one who worked a marriage between her and Ashton, and she couldn't bring herself to tell the old man yet about their divorce. 

He seemed to value it more than gold!

Standing right in front of Ashton, her eyes burned with a hint of curiosity. "Where were you this afternoon?" 

Ashton arched a brow as he relaxed into his seat. "I don't see any reason for me to tell you my whereabouts, or don't you feel the same way too?" 

The curiosity was washed away by anger. "Fine then! Don't tell me, like I even care the slightest bit." She spat out angrily. 

Ashton ignored her attitude and turned towards Benjamin. "What was so important, grandpa?" 

A smile played on the old man's face as he acknowledged their presence. "I met with an old friend today; he is with the army. Apparently his daughter works at city hall, and when I spoke to her about you, my dear boy, she agreed to give you a job." 

"No!" Diana barked almost immediately, taking the old man by surprise. She cleared her throat and continued. "I mean, have you considered giving the job to Theron? Don't you think that if he works there, it would be a better avenue for your own granddaughter's company?" 

A frown sat on Benjamin's face as he spat. "Theron? Where is he right now? Everyone was called, weren't they? How come he isn't here?! Does he even care about making a living? All he does is squander money like a fool." 

Diana scoffed. She tried to argue but found no words. Every single accusation was true about her son. 

The door suddenly flew open, and they all jumped in their seats. Theron barged in like a ruthless goon, and the scowl on his face deepened as his eyes landed on Ashton. 

"You fucking asshole! How dare you show your dirty face here? I will teach you a lesson!" He growled as he started toward Ashton. 

Will you stop this nonsense at once?" Benjamin barked in a commanding tone, and Theron had no choice but to obey. 

The old man let out a sigh as he let his eyes roll skyward. "You don't even have any respect for me anymore! You barged into my own and now act like a ruthless thug! You're going to beat up your own brother-in-law? Where are your manners?!?!" He growled angrily. 

Theron scoffed a laugh. "Sorry, Gramps, but I'm not the one you should be angry at here. I met Ashton at a hotel earlier today; I saw him with a bitch! He was about to lodge with her, and when I threatened to tell him, he beat me up! My stomach still hurts!" He spat out angrily. 

Gasps erupted in the room as all eyes fell on Ashton. 

Ashton rose to his feet. "I told you before, and I'll say it again. Mind the words you say, or I'll make you regret it." 

"Can you all hear that? He's threatening me again right in front of you all!" Theron bellowed. 

"Silence Theron!" Rebecca hushed her brother. She turned towards Ashton, her eyes glistening with pain and anger. "How could you be so shameful, Ashton? You're already sleeping with another woman?!" She flared. 

Ashton shook his head with disappointed laughter. He had at least expected her to have an iota of trust in him, but she didn't even ask him for the truth. "You're really going to believe his words?"

"Don't you dare try to dodge the question!" She scowled at him. 

"Fine, I was at a hotel with a woman."

Rebecca scoffed as she turned away, with an expression on her face that said, 'unbelievable!' As her hands rested on her hips, "I'm so disgusted right now that I can't even look at you!"

"You are a disgrace! Yet you even have the courage to walk into the walls of this prestigious home like you have done nothing wrong!" Diana barked at him. 

Ashton arched a brow, ignoring Diana's words, and he continued. "Really? You are disgusted? Then, how do you want me to feel? At least I'm innocent, unlike you, who has been seeing that jerk face Myles since we were married." A hint of anger glistened in his eyes. 

"There is nothing between Myles and me!" She growled as she looked back at him. 

"Enough!" Benjamin exclaimed. 

He didn't know exactly, but he knew something was not right between the two of them, and the thing he feared most was seeing their marriage fall apart. 

"You two just have to take deep breaths. Every married couple has problems sometimes; they fight a lot out of differences, but at the end, they always come back to settle. 

"No marriage can ever be perfect, and only a fool will think that his will be. You both just have to learn to adapt to the spirit of forgiveness. Forgive each other and live on happily like none of this ever happened." His tone was sweet and gentle as he spoke to both of them. 

"I'm afraid it's too late for all of that marriage pep talk, grandpa." Rebecca said it in a calm tone.

A confused look played on Benjamin's face, but he spoke no words and waited for her to continue. 

"Ashton and I are already divorced." Her gaze fell to the ground as the words left her mouth. It was almost as if she was still regretting leaving him in the first place, but her ignorance was getting the better of her. 

At the moment, she didn't even want to feel or think that way. She knew she had already divorced him and they were no longer a couple, but why would he already have another woman he was sleeping with so fast?

Definitely, he had been cheating on her during their three years of marriage, and all she felt at the moment was betrayal, hurt, and anger. 

It was all she wanted to feel as well. 

Benjamin was taken aback by her words; they pricked his heart like thousands of sharp needles as he stumbled backwards, almost collapsing to the floor. 

"Grandpa!" Rebecca called out with a concerned look on her face. 

Before she could reach out to hold him, Ashton was already holding the old man and helping him to his chair. 

At least he still had a little respect for her grandfather, she thought to herself. 

The man looked up at Ashton with sadness in his eyes, "my dear boy... Tell me... Is it... True?" He muttered to him.

Ashton nodded his head as his expression gloomed up. His heart tore just looking at how much their divorce affected the old man.