The Prince's Fiancée | ✔

Chapter 24

Chapter 24 is dedicated to sephweng and MaisieKinyua and sj1906

Thank you for your support ❤
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“Hold it right there,” Ashton said, catching me after I tried to dash downstairs after the meeting. He picked me up bridal style, sweeping me off my feet. CaVaughn ignored his antics and continued going down the stairs. That traitor. 

“Put me down!” I ordered.

He smirked, turning around to carry me upstairs, but bumped into Kevin who arched an eyebrow. He had become even more overprotective ever since the whole break-up fiasco.

"Put her down."

“I’m not going to do anything… probably.”

“Put her down.”

“She’s my soulmate.”

“She’s my best friend.”

“I feel so loved,” I cooed.

Kevin chuckled at that. “Yes you are. Yell if he tries anything.”

I nodded dutifully and Ashton rolled his eyes. “My room’s soundproof.”

“If it’s Liz, then I’ll hear her no matter what.”

Ashton narrowed his eyes at him and Kevin seemed to warn him again before walking off.

Ashton carried me up to him room, despite my protests. He laid me on the bed and placed a soft kiss on my lips.

“I’m sick, remember?” I laughed and he pretended to gag.

“I’ve wanted to do that for so long,” he murmured, running his fingers along my cheek. His eyes were full of emotion. “I love you.”

I wrinkled my nose at him. “I think you’re saying that a little too casually now.”

“But I do. It feels right saying it,” he sighed. “You don’t feel the same way, do you?”

I frowned. “I don’t know. I just think it’s too soon for me. Logically, I’m-”

“There you go again with logic,” he chuckled. “It’s okay. Whenever you’re ready.”

I smiled up at him. It felt so good to be like this again.

“I love you more than he does though,” he added quietly.

“More than who?”

“…Kevin.”

I stifled a laugh. “You get jealous so easily. I love Kevin too.”

He frowned. “You say it so easily for him.”

“Because it’s different from what I feel for you,” I giggled. “I love Mel and Callie too.”

He sighed. “I have so many to compete with.”

“I’m glad you know,” I joked. “But really, they’re my best friends. You guys are in different categories. Just like how I’m in a different category from your mom and Brooke and CaVaughn. Even your dad.”

He snorted at the last part. “He’s in a category of his own all right.”

I pulled him closer. “You’re the only one I want to be with right now.”

He grinned, kissing me again, more deeply this time.

“I’m still sick.”

“Since you’re so sick, then you don’t mind sitting out the mission, do you?” he asked carefully.

I tried to sit up, but he rolled off of me and pinned me down so that we were lying side by side.

“I’m not changing my mind, Ash.”

“Please?”

I shook my head.

“Not even for those disgusting gummy bears you like so much?”

“One, they’re not disgusting, and two, I don’t like them. I love them.”

“I have to compete with candy too?” he groaned and I laughed at his pretended agony.

“Don't worry, I’ll be with CaVaughn and Jun. I’ll be fine.”

“I don’t know what I would do if something were to happen to you.”

“Hopefully not drugs,” I said, suddenly remembering that I had a whole scolding in store for him being the reason why Hailey ended up making such dramatic assumptions about me and CaVaughn.

“Ugh,” he groaned, covering his face with his hands. “Don’t remind me.”

“You nearly gave me a heart attack. I was so worried! I thought it was my fault.”

His eyes softened at that. “It was not your fault. I was just… I just didn’t know what to do. I felt lost and the pain and the guilt were too much. I just wanted to escape from all of it.”

“Guilt?”

His long lashes lowered as he remembered what had driven him to the point of substance abuse. “Just… what happened to you and Jackson. Then there’s Jun… Armani… Micah.”

“You still blame yourself for what happened to Armani?”

His face was pained and I could see that he really was feeling weighed down by what had happened.

“Ash, it was not your fault,” I told him. “You did what you should have done.”

“I should have done more. If I had just double checked-”

“Shh,” I whispered, hugging him. He buried his face in my neck, feeling intense remorse.

“Armani’s in a better place,” I whispered. “And Micah’s right where he needs to be. He’s still here. So you can still make a difference in his life. Your father’s mistakes are not yours, nor do they define who you are.”

“But Jun-”

“Appreciates what you did for him. He just felt bad because he thought he was the only reason why you were having such a hard time. Jackson… he chose to do what he did.”

“Cav’s taking it the hardest,” he sighed. “In a way, he knew Jackson was suffering. He just didn’t expect this to happen.”

“We’ll bring him back,” I muttered.

“I still hurt you.” He frowned.

“Turn that frown upside down.” I smiled. “I'm fine now. Really. Everything was hard for a while, but I'm so happy we can be like this again. Forgiving you was easier than I expected.”

“I don’t deserve it. But I’m glad.”

I grinned at him.

“So about the mission…”

“I’m not sitting it out,” I laughed.
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Hey lovelies! Thanks for reading!

Ashton still blames himself for Armani's death. Do you think he is at fault?

Also, I'm genuinely curious. Who do you all dislike more— the king or Hailey?

Leave a comment and a vote❤
See you in the next chapter!