Chapter 820
When There Is Nothing Left But Love
He shook his head. âYouâre not allowed to wear skirts anymore!â
Before I could react, he had draped his coat over my thighs to my chagrin.
I was also distinctly aware that everyone around us who was having breakfast glanced toward us more
often than was necessary. Do I look indecent?
I examined my dressing again, but I didnât find anything overtly inappropriate. âDo I look strange at all?â
I pleaded with Ashton.
He nodded solemnly. âYes. Youâre too beautiful, thatâs the problem.â
I was flabbergasted for a moment and burst into laughter the next. âWhere did you learn to say things
like that?â
He took a sip of water at length. âJust donât wear skirts this short again.â
âIt looks good on me,â I pouted. âWhy canât I wear it?â
âItâs too short!â Ashton said brusquely.
Nora said that Ashtonâs reaction like this was a common ailment amongst men. They would try to
restrict their wivesâ freedom to dress provocatively to the best of their ability but would enjoy looking at
skimpily dressed women out in public.
âRebecca and Rachel wear short skirts often and I think they look nice,â I said deliberately. âWhy canât I
do the same? You can ogle at others but why canât I let others ogle at me? Ashton, youâre being
unreasonable.â
âDo they have anything to do with one another?â Ashton fixed his beady eyes on me.
âYes, they do,â I said after some thought.
âDonât you think that youâve gotten fat recently?â he said critically. âYour fat thighs will be more obvious
in a short skirt.â
âI actually thought that Iâve gotten skinnier!â I protested after a shocked silence.
However, I wasnât actually sure if that was the case. âHave I really gotten fat?â I asked Ashton
suspiciously.
âA little!â he replied seriously.
Sometimes, we girls can feel very insecure about our looks. It felt even more so for me because Ashton
had never called me fat before until now. If it had merited a mention from him, perhaps there was some
truth in it.
âAlright, I wonât wear short skirts ever again,â I promised. Iâd look awful in them being as fat as he said I
was.
Ashton gave a satisfied smile.
The waiter brought over the breakfast we ordered. It was mostly what I enjoyed eating, but now that my
plumpness had been pointed out, I felt self-conscious and didnât have much of an appetite. âHere you
go,â I said as I pushed the plates toward Asthon.
After that, I helped myself to a glass of milk. âWhy arenât you eating?â Ashton asked with a frown.
âI need to start losing weight,â I said. âWith a controlled diet, I should be able to slim down with time.â
We girls prioritize our figures and petite sizes anyway. It was well worth it to be able to fit into our
favorite clothes.
Ashton wasnât pleased. âYou should be full in the morning,â he chastised. âHow are you going to lose
weight if you donât eat regularly? We can go for a walk tonight to burn off those extra calories if you
like.â
He pushed the pastries back in front of me. âFinish all of it.â
âI really donât want to!â I protested. My appetite was virtually non-existent.
âYou must!â he said sternly. âCaloric restriction is the worst way to lose weight. We can go to the gym
tonight if youâre serious about it.â
I pouted in defiance, but ultimately relented.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a figure approaching us. It was Marcus.
Ashton saw him too. âGood morning, Mr. White!â he said pleasantly.
âGood morning, Mr. Fuller!â Marcus replied with a polite smile.
Marcusâs gaze fell on me, and his smile was radiant. âGood morning, Letty! Youâre looking more
beautiful today than you ever have!â
I was stunned with flattery. Itâs in our nature to enjoy compliments.
âMr. Fuller, would you mind if I joined you?â It sounded like a request, but Marcus sat himself down and
summoned the waiter before waiting for Ashtonâs approval.
Ashton pursed his lips but did not say anything.
I noticed that Ashton had a stain on the corner of his mouth, so I leaned over and wiped it off for him. It
wasnât deliberate but I thought that it was inconvenient for his arm, so I took it upon myself.
He was taken aback by my gesture. âYouâre too old to be having food all over your face,â I teased.
Perhaps my sudden action had startled him, but he seemed to enjoy it. His eyes twinkled with mischief,
and he looked to be in a great mood.
However, I was suddenly aware that Marcus frowned at both of us and averted his eyes to our
interaction, as though he was offended that we were acting like lovers in front of him.
It would be awkward for him to voice his displeasure, so he decided against it and had his breakfast in
silence.
After breakfast, Ashton came back to the base with me under the pretense of requiring my care. The
majority of his documents and meetings were converted to a video format for his convenience,
rendering him to be able to work from the office entirely.
I had my own tasks to do but was occasionally called by him to pour him a glass of water or to send
documents as his arm was causing him issues.