"How is your wife doing, Sir?" The words were out of her mouth before she realised.

"You don't need to be so formal, Lilly. You are my daughter-in- law."

"Really? Does that mean Ashton is your son?"

"What kind of question is that, Lilly?" the old man frowned.

"Have you ever considered or treated him as your son?" Now that she had started she couldn't seem to stop. The anger she felt was finally coming to surface.

" I..." the old man couldn't find the words to say.

"See. Even you know it." Lilly continued with a bitter smile. "Years ago you blamed a 5 year old child for his mother's death. You moved on with your life and married a new woman but what about the child you left behind?" Her words caught Arthur off guard and she could see that in his eyes.

"Do you know how many times he woke up in the middle of night looking for his mother? Do you know the pain of being torn from the only sibling you have? Have you ever been accused of something you weren't guilty of?"

Lilly looked at the slightly bowed head of the old man as she continued, "You moved on happily with your life while my husband is still stuck in that phase of life. Your ignorance and accusations still haunt him. From the past 24 years he has been suffering from frequent nightmares and panic attacks."

The last two words got Arthur's attention and he looked up at Lilly.

"Yes, Mr Arthur. Ashton is suffering from PTSD and you are the reason."

She got up as she placed the money for their drinks and walking up to his side she looked Arthur in his eyes.

"You might be a good businessman, Sir but trust me you are a terrible father. You never deserved Ashton." She took Samuel from the old man as she gave him one last look.

"I doubt if you were ever a good husband to you first wife."

With that she walked out of the cafe with Sam in her arms. Finally she had said the words she had wanted to from a long time.

~~~~~

The clock struck 12 and Ashton was still not home. He was answering neither her calls nor the text. His secretary said he had left the office at 7 p.m. but Ashton was still not home.

Grace and Sam went to sleep while Lilly still waited for her husband at the dinner table. She was growing anxious with every passing second.

As she heard the door bell ring and rushed to open the door

"Ashton." Relief flushed through her at the sight of her husband standing in front of her.

"I was so worried and you-" Lilly hadn't even completed her sentence and Ashton walked past her.

"What happened to him?" she frowned as she closed the door and followed him to their room.

As she entered the room she found Ashton sitting on the floor with his head slightly bent. She quickly closed the door behind her and crouched in front of him. He smelled of alcohol, Lilly noticed.

"Ashton." she cooed softly. "What happened?"

He looked up in her eyes and she could see his eyes were slightly red and swollen.

"Hug me, Lilly." his voice was almost a whisper but it still reached her ears.

Getting on her knees she wrapped her arms about his shoulders trying to embrace his big form and somehow take his pain away. He circled his arms about her and pulled her on his thighs, closer to him as he hid his face in her neck. She threaded her fingers gently through his hair as she asked, "What happened, Ashton?"

He didn't answer but his short breaths and racing heartbeats made her frown. Pulling away she cupped his face gently. "Ashton?"

He shook his head. It was like he wanted to speak but the words were not leaving his mouth.

"It's alright. Take a deep breath." she tried to calm him as she held both his hands in her smaller ones and placed a kiss on each of his knuckles. "I'm here with you." she hugged him again as she reassured. " I will always be by your side."

" I... didn't.." his words came out broken and Lilly frowned.

" I didn't..." He repeated again.

"What is it, Ashton?" pulling away she looked at him again.

Finally he looked into her eyes as he said, " I didn't kill my mom." The words finally left his mouth.

Lilly was at a loss for a second. Not sure how to react but then she smiled and hugged even tighter than before.

" I know, love. I know."

That night Ashton sobbed. He cried. He cried for the loss of his mother, for those hateful words thrown at him and the traumatic nights. He cried till he knew no more tears were left in his eyes while Lilly sat there silently hugging him, holding his pieces together.

Later she came to know that her words on Arthur worked quite magically and he had apologized to Ashton. He had no idea that Ashton had been suffering from PTSD. He had confessed to Ashton that he had cheated on his mother while she was pregnant with Sebastien. He felt guilty later but before he could repent she had left the world.

At that time to save himself from that guilt he blamed the little Ashton who had done nothing. He apologized for his ignorance of him and becoming the cause of his pain.

Apology didn't mean his wrongdoings will be forgiven, Lilly thought to herself as she threaded her fingers through Ashton's hair and smiled at his sleeping figure.

She was just glad that Ashton was finally freed from the weight he was carrying. So it weren't Elsie's words that were the cause of his despair but his own father's accusations that abused the little boy emotionally.

Someone has said rightly, the only person who can hurt you the most in this world is the one you trust and love, she acknowledged silently.

She lied on the bed beside him and covered them both with the duvet. Placing a gentle kiss on his forehead she smiled and whispered, "I love you, Ashton."