Chapter 8

Aston was surprised when Carole hung the call after calling him crazy. He gazed at the name caller on the screen for five seconds before putting the phone back to his pocket. He kicked the air to release his displeasure. 

His eyebrows knitted between his nose, releasing a heavy sigh. Aston didn't know but that photo pissed him off so much. Seeing his wife with another man made his blood boil. It's not even an ordinary man but it was Royce Cox. His rival at everything. 

Royce Cox and him are not on good terms. The Cox Company always tries to steal or claim the investors who wanted to invest in them. Since Royce is an international actor and has a good public reputation, some of their business partners wanted to try their company.

This is where Aston's father will get angry because the company will slowly lose their investors. He can say that the Cox is a big hindrance to their business and Carole getting involved with Royce is a bad vision. 

Suddenly, his phone rang again. Aston's expression changed when he read the caller. He immediately answered it. 

"What now?" He asked. 

A seductive chuckle tickled his ears. Natalie sounds carefree compared to him, who looks troubled. 

"I know you called your lovely wife and I know you are having doubts right now." Natalie said,smiling at herself in front of the mirror. 

After eating at an expensive restaurant, she immediately went to the salon to pamper herself. Hearing the long silence response from Aston was enough to make her heart flutter. The man must be thinking about his wife right now, questioning why Carole was with another man. 

"Why did you do that?" Aston asked, his voice in a serious tone. 

Natalie puckered her lips, feeling pretty with the new red lipstick she bought. 

"I'm just helping you," she replied. "Don't you like what I sent you?" She asked, twitching her eyebrows. 

Natalie was expecting Aston to thank and dote to her because she found his wife spending her time with another man. Of course, Natalie is not dumb. She knew Royce Cox. Aston already mentioned that because of that international actor, investors were quite hard to get on their business. 

Though she was quite disappointed because she didn't get the expression she was expecting from Aston. 

"Do you know that the public might find this out? You know how dangerous my reputation is, Natalie." Aston said from the other line. He put the phone to his other ear. 

"Who took that photo? Are you spying on my wife?" He asked. 

Natalie almost got choked from the juice her beautician prepared for her. She took a tissue and wiped the side of her lips before putting the glass of juice on the table. Hearing Aston addressing Carole as his wife made her want to puke and laugh at the same time.

It is rare for Aston to call Carole his wife when talking to Natalie, not even when they are having sex behind Carole's back. This is not the answer she was expecting. 

Another plan lit her up. She can use that photo to blackmail Aston in case she didn't get what she wanted from him. Even though she already has everything and Aston is giving her more, the love she wanted will never be hers.

"What makes you think that?" Natalie went back to the call. "I just wanted to know what my best friend is up to. I got curious when she called me earlier. That's all." She took another sip from her juice. 

"If you are worrying about the photo spreading out, don't worry I can handle it and I am sure that it will for your eyes only," A smirk escaped her lips. 

***

Carole shut the door closed as soon as she reached the guest room. She removed her sandals and threw her bag on the bed. She couldn't believe what she heard from Aston. Her husband didn't even want to believe her. 

Aston looks like he was ready to accused Carole of having an affair anytime. She wasn't expecting it from her husband. 

She lay down on the bed and released a big sigh, looking up at the white ceiling, still sniffing her nose. Her foot got hurt when she accidentally bumped Royce earlier. Recalling that event, Carole felt embarrassed.

Royce might think that it was his fault. Partly, but not really because it was Aston who started everything. Carole wonders who took the photo and why is her husband spying on her. She wanted to ask Aston about it but the man only averts the topic back to her. 

Her phone suddenly rang. Carole was surprised by the loud sound that her phone almost fell on her face. 

"Hello?" 

She just waited for the other caller's voice since she forgot to look who it was.

"Are you crying?" 

Carole's eyes widened when she heard Natalie's voice. She sniffed her nose and sat up on her bed. She wiped her nose and tried to fix her voice to sound normal.

"I'm not," she replied. 

"Carole, I know you from the very bottom of my toe. You are crying there," Natalie said. She was already in the car, going back home when she called Carole. 

A long silence after those words. Carole couldn't deny that Natalie really knew if she was crying or not. A small smile stretched her cheeks, thinking that her best friend is always there for her. 

"Natalie, I want to ask you something." Carole replied.

Natalie nodded and hummed from the other line, ready to listen to any rants Carole wanted to ask.

"Do you think I will cheat with another man?" Carole asked. "Do I look like I will cheat and choose another man than my husband whom I married?" 

Natalie was surprised. She wasn't expecting Carole to ask her that. It should be Aston, not Carole herself who looks to cheat more. 

"Of course not!" Natalie said. "How dare you think of yourself like that?" She said it with a fake concern. 

"Did you two get into a fight? Do you want me to punch your husband in his face for you?" Natalie added. 

Hearing this, Carole giggled. She wanted to tell Natalie that it was alright, but her heart melted at that moment. She was thankful that her best friend is always there for her.