His Secret Obsession
Chapter 71

(Emery)

I can't lie..hearing Asher call me his wifey almost made me choke and die. That's how much it surprised me..it only took until now to finally absorb his words exactly.

I was rolling out some dough for the cherry tarts I was making as the biggest grin kept appearing on my face. How can this guy continue to blow my freaking mind every damn day? Seriously! It's like his goal is to give me a heart attack at this point or something...

swear.

I looked up at the clock and saw it was now 2:45 p.m. My dad would be here any minute to pick me up as I quickly set the cut-out starts on a tray to let Mrs. Kingston finish them up after I leave.

Suddenly I heard the door chime and thought it was probably my dad coming to get me so I quickly took off my apron and grabbed my bag. Just as I walked out to the front, I immediately froze in my tracks, seeing Mrs. Kingston talking to a young woman. Not just any young woman...I had met this one before, and I would never forget her face for as long as I live.

Natalie..Asher's model ex. My stomach dropped..the words she spoke before echoed through my mind as my eyes began scanning her perfectly sculpted body and gorgeous face. She was wearing a mini skirt with a pink crop top that showed her tan midriff where her belly button ring was on full display.

Why was she here of all places?! What was she even doing in town? I thought she lived in California or something..I swallowed hard, ready to turn on my heel and retreat with my tail tucked between my legs as the phone began to ring.

"Oh Emery, can you handle this young lady? That might be the call I have been waiting for." Mrs. Kingston asked, making me freeze in place as I tried to nod my head tightly.

Crap..I didn't want to go anywhere near this girl..

Mrs. Kingston walked past me and I slowly made my way to the counter.

"Hello, do you remember me?" Natalie asked curiously, making my eyes snap up in surprise as I cleared my throat and tried to speak.

"Uhh..yeah..how are you doing?" I replied awkwardly..refusing to bring Asher up. From what I remember Asher said this girl was giving him a hard time when he wanted to break up with her. Is that why she is here? Did she know that we were dating?

"Oh great. Just visiting my boyfriend..I wanted to buy him something sweet." She smiled, making my brow furrow as I tried my hardest to stay professional. Maybe she met another guy out here..thank god..hopefully she is over Asher now. "Of course, what does he like?" I asked with fake confidence as I tried to hide my shaking hands.

"Hmm, let me think." She hummed while tapping her finger to her chin before checking the display case.

"Oh, I know..Asher loves strawberries...can I get three of those tarts?" She said like it was nothing..but me on the other hand..my eyes practically popped out of my head as I swear I did a double take..did she seriously just say, Asher?

Okay..I don't want to seem stupid and naive right now..but the first that popped into my head..I mean seriously..brace yourselves, people.. The first thing I thought was, oh, maybe she met another guy named Asher. That's how damn shocked I was. There was no way in hell she was talking about my Asher..no damn way.

"Asher?" I managed to stumble out..still surprised his name came out of her mouth.

"Yeah, my boyfriend, Asher McNeal." She responded, her voice rude and full of arrogance.

"You're lying." I blurted, my hands clenching into fists as I stared at this girl.

There was seriously no way unless Asher was the biggest con artist in the whole damn world.

"Why would I be lying? How dare you..Why would I lie about who my boyfriend is?" She retorted, her hands crossing in front of her chest as she c*cked her hip and narrowed her eyes at me.

"Because you were obsessed with him and wouldn't leave him alone." I said cooly, knowing she was indeed lying..there was no damn way.

"Whatever, who are you to say I am lying..you are nobody but a groupie wishing she could have Asher." She spat, making me burst out in laughter..a groupie..me a groupie?! Not to toot my own horn..but Asher literally kissed my feet three hours ago..he practically worshipped my body as he made sweet love to me and I'm a damn groupie..who does this girl think she is?

She must obviously know Asher and I are in a relationship..this must be her last-ditch effort to get him back.

"Okay fine, let's call him then and put an end to this." I said firmly, tired of this girl and her lies.

Her eyes immediately widened as she whipped out her phone, making me look at her curiously as I crossed my arms in front of my chest now. Waiting for her to prove me wrong..which I knew wasn't going to happen. Asher wouldn't do that to me..no way in hell. "Well, how do you explain this then?" She asked, flipping the phone around as she showed me a picture of her on Asher's lap. He was shirtless and his hands were resting on her butt. Seeing him with another girl..that hurt..it hurt bad. Especially after everything we went through..but then I looked closer. I saw his face and eyes..he wasn't smiling and his eyes looked dull.

"That's an old picture." I called her out, making her fumble with the phone again as she began sliding through all of the intimate times they shared.

Seeing him with another girl crushed me...but I knew it was from before..because that light in his eyes wasn't there..that spark he has now is gone. He looks unhappy and emotionless in every damn picture and honestly by the end of it..I started feeling bad for Natalie..because the the same way Asher looks at me..she was looking at him in those photos. She did love him, she did want him and it seemed like she cared about him. But he never looked at her like that once..well at least in those photos he didn't. Who knows if he ever did in real life..but I feel like I know the answer to that.

I reached my hand out, resting it on her arm as I saw the desperation that filled her.

"Hey, it's okay..I'm sorry that it didn't work out between you two..honestly..." I began, watching as she began to protest but noticed she stopped as soon as I shook my head no.

"I get it... on paper you two are perfect..Hell..I admit you look even better than we do together..but Natalie..he isn't the one for you..and honestly..you deserve someone who looks at you the same way you looked at him. You are a beautiful girl..stunning..but that isn't what it's all about. You need to replace someone who makes you laugh..someone who loves you even without all that makeup or designer clothes. Someone who would take care of you when you are sick or just having a shitty day. Did Asher ever do that for you?" I asked, knowing Asher was a good guy but I doubt he really cared for Natalie..at least not in the way he does for me now..which I feel bad for even thinking..but it's true.

Natalie shook her head, no, a single tear trickling down her perfect cheek as she sniffled and put her phone down.

"I tried so hard to make him love me..and yet that day in the car..the way he looked at you..I knew at that moment it was over." She admitted before hanging her head down.

She knew when she saw it in the car? I didn't even know then..I was completely oblivious to all of it.

"I'm sorry you had to witness that..it must have been hard." I apologized, my voice kind and full of meaning.

"Fuck..I wanted to hate you so bad." She groaned, making me blink my eyes in surprise.

"But I can see it..as hard as that is to admit." She muttered, making me actually smile for the first time since she walked in here.

"Thanks..I think." I laughed, making her chuckle as well before wiping her eyes and nose.

"What are you going to tell your boyfriend then? You obviously love Asher..so why string the other guy along?" She said before flipping her hair behind her shoulder.

"What other guy?" I asked, thoroughly confused as I tried to understand what she even meant. What other guy should she even mean?

"Brandon, your boyfriend." She informed me like I had lost my mind or something.

I still didn't know what the hell she was talking about..I don't even know a Brandon.

"Tall guy, blonde hair, dimples..your boyfriend?! He is a bit creepy though...no offense." She mumbled the last part before crossing her arms in front of her chest and smiling awkwardly. Ethan..oh god..Ethan told her that he was my boyfriend?

I began to feel claustrophobic, the air growing thick as the realization of just how obsessed this guy really was began to hit me.

"Hey, are you okay? You don't look so good." Natalie spoke softly, her words sounding far away as I tried to take deep breaths. What the hell was happening to me?

"Yeah..I just..I'm sorry..I have to go." I gasped, needing fresh air immediately..I think I was having a panic attack or something.

I clumsily rushed from behind the counter, needing to replace my dad as quickly as possible as I stumbled outside.

I never went through something like this in my life..it felt like my chest was squeezing tight as my vision blurred and my head spun.

I went to where he usually picked me up..my feet felt heavy and sluggish as I stepped forward and instantly bumped into someone almost making me fall onto my b**t. "Careful Angel, we don't want you getting hurt now." A deep male voice said..making my blood run cold.

Shit..I was in trouble now.