[BL] Dear Hushand, I want divorce-Chapter 52: Is he a cheater or not?

Ash’s pov ;

"So whose idea was it?" Elijah’s voice was sharp and it echoed through the room.

Ryder quickly pointed at me. "It was him!"

I gasped heavily with wide eyes. This traitor bastard.

I shook my head vigorously as Elijah fixed his eyes on me. "No, it was Ryder! He’s the one who suggested it first! He’s lying Elijah!"

Ryder raised an eyebrow, looking slightly offended. "Me? Then why did you agree?! Besides, I was just providing moral support."

"Moral support? Ryder, you practically dragged me onto the dance floor!"

He suddenly grinned sheepishly. "Oh, yeah I forgot. Well, someone had to make sure you didn’t trip over his own feet."

My glare deepened in disappointment. "Are you seriously blaming everything on me? That’s so lame of you."

"Enough both of you!" Elijah snapped. "I don’t care who started it. The point is, that both of you crossed the line. And I will not tolerate such blatant rebelliousness."

Ryder saluted playfully. "Aye, aye, captain! No more antics. We’ll be perfect angels."

I gave him a dirty look before nodding solemnly.

Elijah shot him a dirty look before sighing. "Ryder, tell Ash who exactly that woman was."

Ryder sheepishly looked away, his eyes darting around the room. "Well, you see, the thing is...um, you know how parties are...with people and all...uh, atmosphere..."

I frowned perplexedly. "I know who she was. Ryder already told me-"

Ryder suddenly yelled dramatically, "It was my sister!"

I blinked, utterly shocked at his words. He wasn’t even ready to look at me.

"Your sister? Why didn’t you tell me yesterday?"

So, he lied about her. Wow, and I just believed him like a fool when he was blabbering how Elijah looks good with her and how they both known each other for a long time.

Ryder hurriedly replied, his tone overly theatrical as he defended himself. "I wanted you to become strong! And I wanted to see how Elijah reacts when he gets jealous."

I was silent, trying to process the information. My head was spinning from all his absurdity. I don’t why he is the way he is, and how is it even possible that he’s a CEO of such a big company?

Elijah’s eyes narrowed. "Ryder, this isn’t a joke. Why didn’t you just say it was your sister?"

Ryder looked like a cornered animal, his eyes wide. "Because, I thought it would be, you know, a funny experiment!"

I shook my head, still in disbelief. "An experiment? You really are something else."

He pouted, crossing his arms. "Well, how else would we know how much Elijah cares about you? Look at him, he’s practically steaming."

I glanced at Elijah who was ready to hit Ryder. His reaction kind of made me want to laugh. The grumpy look on his face was somewhat adorable.

Elijah’s gaze shifted to me, then back to Ryder. "With a friend like you, I don’t need an enemy. You’re equal to 10 enemies alone."

Ryder threw his hands up dramatically. "Oh, come on, Elijah! Lighten up! Life’s too short to be so serious all the time. Admit it, seeing Ash with another guy made you realize how much you need him!"

Elijah sighed, rubbing his temples, and said nothing. Ryder laughed innocently and patted Elijah’s shoulder. Okay, okay, maybe I went a bit too far. But it worked, didn’t it? Look how possessive you are now."

Ignoring him and slapping his hand away Elijah looked at me with tender eyes and took my hand. I blinked at him in confusion. "Ash, the woman you saw is like a big sister to me. And she’s married. I don’t know what crazy thoughts you were having or what this moron told you but I could never see her like that. I wanted to introduce her to you if we hadn’t left in such a rush."

I was stunned. His confession was genuine and sincere, making my heart skip a beat, and his affectionate gaze made my chest feel funny. My heart fluttered with happiness hearing that, his stare making me blush.

Ryder, however, cooed dramatically. "Aww, look at you both! So cute. Did you two do the deed after leaving so hurriedly? Ash, are you feeling fine sitting?"

I turned into a tomato at his stupidity. Looking at Elijah, I noticed his cheeks were red too. He glared at Ryder, his voice stern. "Ryder shut the fuck up!"

I laughed softly at their exchange. It was comforting to know that despite everything that Elijah just saw her as an elder sister figure.

Elijah took a step closer, his thumb rubbing soothing circles on my skin. "I apologise for not telling you and making you misunderstand."

"Wow! An apology from the big boss man! How rare," Ryder exclaimed in a teasing tone.

I blushed so hard, feeling the heat creep up my neck to my cheeks. Elijah rolled his eyes and grabbed Ryder by the collar, practically throwing him out of his office. "Get out, Ryder."

"Hey, don’t abuse me," Ryder pouted and complained before the door shut in his face.

The room was now silent. Hearing Elijah’s explanation made my heart soar. Unable to contain my happiness, I impulsively hugged him, practically throwing myself in his arms but he caught me. The warmth and safety of his embrace were so addictive that I forgot everything else.

Ryder’s words from the party echoed in my mind—Elijah couldn’t cheat. But I needed to confirm it for myself.

Elijah hugged me back, his grip firm yet gentle as he chuckled. "You don’t have to act cute. I’ve already forgiven you."

I rolled my eyes and pulled back to look at him. "Who wants your forgiveness?"

He smirked and pinched my cheek making me scrunch my nose. "Then what’s the reason for the hug?"

I took a deep breath, trying to muster the courage to ask. "I wanted to meet Noah. It’s been a while since I’ve seen him, and I miss him. Can I?"

I watched as his face hardened, and I could see the reluctance in his eyes. I quickly intertwined my hand around his waist. "Noah? Why do you need to meet him?"

I pouted, using the cuteness I hoped Elijah wouldn’t be able to resist. "Please, Elijah. It’s been so long. I promise I won’t be gone for too long."

He sighed, clearly torn. "Ash..."

I leaned in closer, resting my chin on his chest, giving him my best puppy dog eyes. "Please?"

He let out a defeated sigh and finally nodded. "Fine. Since you’re being so damn cute."

I beamed, wrapping my arms around his neck and hugging him tightly. "Thank you!"

He grumbled but couldn’t hide his smile. "You’re lucky I can’t resist you when you’re like this."

"Thank you!" I laughed while sneakily planting a quick kiss on his cheek. He looked dumbfounded, which only made me laugh harder. Without another word, I dashed out of the office, leaving him stunned behind.

Once outside, I hopped into my car. Instead of heading to Noah’s, I pulled out my phone and called an old friend.

"Hey, Oliver, it’s Ash," I greeted as he picked up.

"Ash! It’s been a long time. I thought you died or something man. How’ve you been?" Oliver’s voice was warm and welcoming, bringing back memories of our past.

"I’ve been alright. Listen, I need to meet up with you. There’s something important I need your help with."

"Sure, I’m free today. You can come over whenever."

"Great, I’ll be there soon. Thanks, Oliver."

"No problem. See you soon."

I hung up, taking a deep breath. It was time to get to the bottom of those photos Samantha sent me. I needed to know if they were real or not.

As soon as I entered his small office, Oliver greeted me with a tight hug and a huge smile.

"Good to see you, little man," he said, squeezing me tightly.

"You too, Oli," I replied, smiling back at him.

I handed him my phone as I told him what he has to do. My heart pounded in my chest as I waited for him to check the photos. Oliver was a skilled graphic designer, and a perfectionist with digital images. He could spot a fake from a mile away. His reputation for precision and meticulous attention to detail was why I believed in his skills without question.

I watched him work, his eyes focused on the screen as he scrutinised every pixel. My thoughts were a turmoil of anxiety and hope. I just prayed that Oliver would find them to be fake. If they were real, it would destroy the fragile trust I was trying to rebuild with Elijah. I didn’t want that. I didn’t want to give up on him anymore.

Minutes felt like hours as Oliver continued his examination. I barely breathed, the tension nearly unbearable. Finally, he looked up at me with an unreadable expression.

"I’ve checked it," Oliver said seriously with a calm voice.

My heart stopped. "And?"

"The photos are..."