A Love Trap
Chapter 103 Ashley's Refusal

embarrassed and shook his head helplessly. He then turned to go upstairs.

Seeing Ashley didn't respond, Andrew knew she was still mad at him. Quietly, he approached her and caressed her forehead. However, Ashley still didn't take a single look back at him; instead, she fixed her eyes on her phone. Her face looked indifferent. Andrew felt a little "Miss Mu, is Mr. Lu home?" Claire poked her head out from the kitchen and asked. She heard the sound of footsteps on the stairs.

Ashley replied, "Yes, he's home."

"Great! I'm almost finished with cooking. You should go and tell him that the dinner will be ready soon," Claire said cheerfully.

Ashley just said yes to Claire, but she still was lying on the sofa, her lips pursed.

Several minutes later, Claire carried the first dish out of the kitchen and walked past Ashley. She was surprised to see Ashley still lying on the sofa. So she stopped and reminded her again.

Ashley didn't want to show her displeasure towards Andrew in front of Claire, so she sat up with a giggle and then rushed upstairs. As soon as she got upstairs, she immediately slowed down, and her expression changed. She couldn't forgive Andrew so quickly and so easily, so she had to look tough and indifferent in front of him.

Almost begrudgingly, Ashley knocked on the door and said coldly, "Andrew, dinner is ready." Hearing no answer from the inside, she began to open the door as she repeated again, "Dinner - "

Before she could even finish her words, Ashley's face became red as she looked into the room. She immediately turned around and almost let out a scream. With an exasperated tone, she asked, "Andrew, what are you doing?"

Andrew looked back at her with a smile. Noticing that Ashley was embarrassed, he became amused. He took his time to put on his pants, and then he replied joyfully, "Don't you see? I am changing my clothes."

Ashley didn't turn to look back. She complained, "Can't you do that in the bathroom?"

"Does it matter? Is there any difference between those two?" Andrew suddenly felt wronged.

"Fine, come down to have dinner once you get it done!" Ashley said. She just wanted to leave as soon as possible.

Unexpectedly, she felt a grasp on her arm. Andrew reached out his hand to stop Ashley, and then he quickly took her by her wrist. He said with a big smile, "I am finished. Let's go now!"

With a reluctant look, Ashley started to shake his hand off of her. However, the more she tried, the tighter Andrew held her.

"Stop it! You are hurting me!" Ashley glared at him.

Finally, Andrew loosened his grasp. At once, Ashley pulled her hand back. A red stripe showed up on Ashley's wrist. Andrew suddenly felt sorry.

Since he took a shower just now, the light smell of the lotion remained on his body and it was now filling the air.

He donned a grey indoor suit, and he looked more handsome and taller than he really was.

"Well, Mr. Lu, Miss Mu. Here you come! The dinner -" Claire greeted with a big smile when she saw Ashley and Andrew finally came down.

But when she wanted to say more, Andrew interrupted, "What did you call her?"

Andrew's look turned chilly. His gaze made Claire's legs turn to jelly.

Helpless and trembling, Claire shifted her eyes towards Ashley to search for help. By holding Andrew's arm, Ashley tried her best to stop him from torturing Claire using his chilly gaze. Quickly explaining, Ashley said, "Calm down, Andrew, I asked her to call me that. I don't like being called Mrs. Lu. That sounds too old to me."

She was afraid that Andrew might snap at Claire.

To her surprise, Andrew calmed down and diverted his gaze after Ashley explained it to him. He rustled Ashley's hair and said, with a happy smile, "Good! As long as you are pleased with it, I will be pleased, too."

Looking at Andrew, Ashley thought to herself, 'Why does he always like to get his hands on my head lately?'

After dinner, they went outside for a walk, as a way to help digestion.

At dusk, it was not hot at all outside. The breeze was soft and cool. Both felt comfortable and were in a good mood now.

The fragrance of the flowers around filled the air.

Ashley was so enchanted by what was around her. Standing still, she slowly closed her eyes.

Andrew quietly followed behind her, trying not to break her peace.

At such a wonderful time, it was a great opportunity for a man to propose to the woman he loved.

Finally, he stood closely behind Ashley. He buried his nose into her hair, and asked, "What kind of wedding do you want?"

Coming back to her senses, Ashley was surprised. She couldn't believe what she had heard. She turned to look Andrew in the eye.

With her eyes wide open, she said, "What? What did you say?

Wedding?"

In fact, Ashley never wished for a wedding ceremony, even if they were husband and wife to each other lawfully for they had already got the marriage license.

However, Andrew had thought about this ever since they went to the marriage registration office that day.

Supposing that Ashley's surprise was out of over-happiness, he thought Ashley agreed, but he was still in disbelief when he looked into her eyes.

Since he wanted to discuss more about the wedding plan, he continued, "Which kind of wedding do you prefer, eastern or western style? Do you like it to be held by the sea or somewhere else?"

Eagerly, he awaited Ashley's answer. He had been planning about what it would look like if he decided to hold a wedding ceremony.

To him, Ashley had occupied a very important part in his heart that he wanted to let the whole world know that he would marry her, and that he would take her as his only wife!

Still, he wouldn't think about carrying a wedding out only by himself. He valued and wanted his wife's opinion as well.

"Well, as far as I am concerned, it's really not necessary to have a wedding ceremony," Ashley started. "I mean, we've already got our marriage certificate, haven't we? A wedding ceremony is just a formality..." As she stated her opinions, Andrew's chilly gaze made her unable to speak in a calm and rational way. As her courage was broken down, her voice became lower and lower, until she couldn't even clearly hear what she was talking about.

Also, she kept her eyes on the ground to avoid Andrew's glare.

Actually, she felt guilty. It seemed that she had let down Andrew just now, the man who cared for her so dearly and cared for her more than any man did.

Yes, she proposed to him. But when Andrew suggested a wedding ceremony to her, all she did was refuse it with all her heart.

With a wry smile, Andrew kept gazing at her. Inside his mind, though, a wave of anger was boiling. At that moment, he was almost about to lose his mind at the sight of her silence. 'I am holding this wedding not for myself, but also for your own good!

Wedding is such an important thing that no women would refuse it. How could you not even care, even claim it is just for formality?

Do you still not forget him? Do you still love that man, even more than me?'

Jealousy suddenly crossed his mind and occupied his chest.

"Not necessary?" Andrew asked, emotionless, his dark cold eyes still fixed on Ashley.

"No - well. I mean yes." Ashley was stressed and didn't know how to pick her words and speak her mind correctly. With Andrew glaring down at her, she felt her scalp burning.

"You'd better make yourself clear!" Andrew said, pressing her. He was not giving her a moment to breathe.

Ashley felt at a loss, so she stepped back in an attempt to get rid of Andrew's spell. She had to lighten the tension, otherwise, it would be impossible for her to talk back and explain herself well.

However, a wall behind her blocked her way backward. To make it worse, Andrew didn't stop approaching her. At last, she stopped withdrawing. She picked herself up and looked Andrew directly in his eyes, and demanded, "Andrew Lu, listen to me!"

Taken aback, he held his feet. He observed the slightest anxiety on Ashley's face that betrayed her. Then he suddenly sped up to finally approach her. With his breath on Ashley's face, she couldn't help but tremble.

"What did you say?" Andrew asked, as if he was ready for a fight.

Ashley failed to hold her ground. She was trapped in his aggression again. "Andrew Lu..." she stammered.

Andrew watched Ashley's quivering lips and panicked eyes. Acting on instinct, he held his face very close to hers that his lips almost touched hers. The lady was too scared to move.

All she could do now was to close her eyes in despair.

"Wrong!" The low but heavy voice echoed in her ears.

She tried hard to open her eyes slightly. The sight of Andrew's stern face made her heart beat faster. Her hands reached for the hem of her dress, and it comforted her a little.

Then she thought to herself, 'I don't think I called him wrong. Am I too nervous? Why he said that? Is Andrew Lu not his real name? Does he have another one?'

Suddenly, something hit her, so she gathered herself up and said again, "Andrew?"

"Yes."

Finally, she felt at ease. Then she asked, "Can you just take a step back and leave me some space to breathe? I feel breathless right now."

"I refuse." Andrew pulled her closer and held her waist tightly.

His hands held her so tight that she couldn't make herself a little more comfortable. She was really struggling to move her body.

"Why don't you want a wedding ceremony?" he asked.

His face still looked cold and emotionless. His eyes looked as dark as black holes, as if they would swallow Ashley in an instant. They made Ashley tremble again.

"Because I... I... I don't think I deserve this. If the wedding ceremony is going to be held, it will draw a lot of people's attention on me. I am a nobody. Anyone would think that I married you to get your money, not because I love you truly. That would not only be bad for your company, but also affect our private life. That's why I'm refusing..."0000000☐☐☐☐☐☐☐