Just as she turned her eyes towards the sofa something caught her attention. She saw a small medicine bottle tucked at the far end of the sofa.

Picking it up she googled the name of the medicine and found it was used for the treatment of PTSD.

"So last night wasn't a once in a while episode of attack. He suffers from those nightmares and panic attacks frequently. Even after so many years, he hasn't forgotten his mother's death." Lilly's heart ached for him.

Ashton King, who always looked so sure of his decisions, so strong and always in control... just one incident of his childhood left him so deeply scarred for the rest of his life. How difficult it must have been to live with something like that, she felt a pang at that.

'Would he ever tell me a little more about his past? Last night it was under the influence of alcohol that he had revealed that piece of past about his mother's death.'

But this morning they both had acted as if last night had not happened at all. As if he hadn't suffered a panic attack. But for how long were they both going to act like that. For how long were they both going to hide from this scar of the past and pretend like it wasn't there.

She had wanted him to open up to her about his fears and about the things that hurt him but would he ever do that, she wondered. People who suffer from PTSD often feel embarrassed about talking about it to anyone and the man here in question was Ashton King, a man of power, affluence and control. He would never talk about it, she was sure of it.

She had read somewhere to never force a person suffering from PTSD to accept anything that they don't want to and Ashton at this moment didn't want his condition to be known to her. So she decided that she would just wait for the right time. She would wait for the time he decides to tell her on his own.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ashton returned home after the day's long work. Recently he had come to realise that returning home early to Lilly and Samuel had become his favourite part of the day. He smiled to himself as he rang the bell and Grace opened the door.

He greeted Grace and smiled at the toddler sitting in midst of a sea of toys in the living room.

"Hey, Sam." Ashton smiled at the baby.

As the boy heard his voice he looked up at him and smiling said something in his incomprehensible language.

"I'll take that as you said 'welcome home'." Ashton laughed as he tickled the boy and raised him high up in the air. Sam squealed in happiness and joy.

"Sam." hearing his squeal Lilly came out of the kitchen and smiled at the duo playing with each other.

Ashton looked at the woman who was responsible for the recent changes in his life. The woman who little by little made changes in his life that he had now come to appreciate. He walked to her and placed a small kiss on her lips making her blush.

Oh! He loved the way she reacted to him.

''Hey! what are you doing?" she asked trying to sound admonishing.

"Getting a ''welcome home kiss" from my wife." he grinned.

"Ashton! Grace and Sam are watching," Lilly said slowly trying to make him understand.

"It's alright, my lovelies. I didn't see anything and neither did Sam." Grace winked at them as she picked up the toddler in her arms. ''Right, Sam?"

Sam laughed and clapped his hands at that.

"I'll go and freshen up now," Ashton announced as he left for his room.

_______________

After the dinner, Lilly was standing in the garden looking up at the moon which was now in its waning phase. She had never thought that there would come a time in her life when she would stand still and admire the beauty of the moon.

Was the moon always this beautiful, she wondered. Even the spots on it couldn't tarnish its beauty. Just like Ashton whose scars made him even more beautiful, she smiled at the comparison.

'Had she started falling in love with him?' Her inner voice questioned and a small smile appeared on her lips.

Yes. She was falling in love with him. Deeper and deeper. How could you not fall for the man who respected and adored you? A man who gave her rights and freedom. Maybe it was the newfound love that she now started seeing the beauty in the moon, she smiled again.

Yes. She was in love with the man who now had become her everything. She was so much in love that she wanted to shout it to the whole world that 'I am in love with Ashton King'.

Her heart somersaulted at the thought. She wanted to confess her feelings. She didn't know what his answer would be but she just wanted to say it out loud because her heart could no longer contain that happiness.

'Soon.' she decided. 'Soon, I will tell him everything.'

"What is my wife doing here all alone on this cold night?" Ashton asked as he came behind her and put his arms about her waist to provide some warmth to her thin and fragile body.

He rested his chin on the crown of her head and she leaned into him. She loved the feeling of how she could just hide in his arms and forget the world.

" Ashton."

"Lilly." she smiled as he called her name. Why was it that her name felt even more beautiful when he said it?

" I have something to say. A surprise for you."

"A surprise?" he asked.

"Yes."

"What is that?"

"I'll tell you tomorrow." she grinned.

"That's not fair." He complains as he lowered his mouth and licked slowly behind her ear.

Lilly gasped at that sudden touch and Ashton chuckled. This was his favourite game. To get a reaction out of her and to see her face flush and her heartbeat quicken.

"Ashton," she called his name as she turned in his arms and placing her arms around his neck she smiled.

She looked in those dark grey eyes she had fallen in love with.

'I am so much in love with you. So very much that I think I cannot breathe. I think I'll die if I didn't tell you this.' She said in her heart as he pulled her from her waist towards him as with the other hand he caressed her cheek.

He could see some words behind those big doe eyes.

''I wonder what is going on in your beautiful head, Mrs King. Care to tell me?"

"No, not now," she answered shaking her head.

He sighed. ''How long would I need to wait then? Or do you want me to play a guessing game?"

"Tomorrow." Lilly smiled again as she stretched on her toes and placed a sweet kiss on his lips.

" I will tell you tomorrow."

~~~~~~~~~~~

"Are you sure, Grace?"

"Yes, Lilly. Go now."

"Of course I know you can look after him but I am just a little bit worried as I have never left him alone for one whole night." Lilly worried for the hundredth time as she looked at Sam who was in Grace's arms.

"Don't worry, Lilly. He will be ok." she smiled at Lilly before turning her attention to Sam. "After all I am Samuel have become really good friends. Yes, Sam?"

"Yeaah...yayyy," Sam answered excitedly.

"If anything happens give me a call. Ok?"

"Alright. Now please stop worrying. I'll look after him. You go and enjoy some time with Ashton." Grace smiled looking at the man standing near the car waiting for his wife.

"Give some time to him too. He is your husband after all."

Lilly smiled and finally placing a kiss on toddler's chubby cheek she headed to the car.

Ashton had already asked Grace to look after Sam for the night as he was going to take Lilly out on a date. It was a secret between Ashton and Grace and a surprise for Lilly.

It was five in the evening and the sun was about to set soon. He opened the door to the passenger's seat for Lilly. Once she settled in he took to the driver's wheel and started driving.

"Where are we going?" Lilly asked as soon as he took the first turn.

"You will know it soon."

"Come on, you have been building me up about this since the morning," Lilly complain.

"And what about you? You have been talking about your surprise since the previous night."

"Are you taking revenge on me?" She pouted.

"You can think of it whatever you want but I won't tell you before we reach."

The car stopped in front of a cottage which was present in a secluded area and was surrounded by greenery and beautiful flowers. A big smile decorated her face as she looked at the cottage and then back at Aston.

It was something she had always imagined her home to be like. Peaceful, quiet and loving. Surrounded by greenery and beautiful flowers.

"This is just so beautiful." she beamed.

''You like it?" he asks excited at her reaction."

"Of course."

"Then let's get in," he announced as he placed his hand at the small of her back.

"Is this yours?"

"Of course it is. I wouldn't take my wife on a date in someone else's house."

"Wow." Lilly breathed in the fresh air as she asked again. ''Can we come here again?"

"Wherever you want to." he opened the door for her and she stepped inside.

The sweet and cosy feel of the small cottage filled her with admiration.

"You come here often?" she asked again.

"It's my secret hideout. I come here when I need a break from people and work." he said as he took her in his arms and said, "Other than you I have never brought anyone here. So keep this a secret for me."

"A secret between you and me." she nodded as he took her lips in yet another kiss.

🥰💖