-The Park-
Ashley pulled away from Seth, wiping her tears she looked up at him. "I'm sorry.." she looked away.
"Don't be.." Seth ran his hand through her hair. "You have nothing to be sorry for, you did nothing wrong."
"Things were okay for once... he was being so wonderful to me." Ashley shook her head, she should of known something would go wrong, they always did.
"You don't deserve to be treated the way he treats you... don't you understand that?" Seth sighed. "Why do you let him?... are you that scared of him? I know he's a powerful man but he doesn't hold as much power as you'd think as he wants you to think."
"You don't understand Seth... there is so much more to this then you understand." Ashley sighed, shaking her head.
"Tell me then, make me understand." Seth said taking her hand. "Tell me, please."
Ashley sighed, and took a deep breath. "My father is sick okay, and my mother can't work any more, she has to be around to care for him.. he is the only thing keeping my parents afloat, he pays for my dads treatments, for the bills, everything.." Ashley sighed. "The house I spent most my child hood in, my parents dream home is owned by my husband now he tricked my parents into signing over the mortgage to him so he could pay it off... so now he has more power over not just my life but my parents lives... Richard would kick my parents out without a second thought, my father is to sick right now... he's fighting for his life the last thing he needs is to be worried about losing his home."
Seth sighed, shaking his head. "You can't live your life trying to look out for everyone else... you have to worry about yourself.. what do you think this would do to your parents knowing that this man is holding all this over your head... that he has been doing all of these things to you... controlling your every move.. tracking your every move.. hurting you." Seth sighed. "He had something to do with hurting your shoulder didn't he?"
"Seth.." Ashley sighed.
"You don't have to lie to me... I know he did." Seth shook his head.
"He lost his temper... when he saw you looking at me that night, he jumped to the wrong conclusions he thought that I knew you were outside my room, and I was putting on some kind of show." Ashley sighed. "So he lost it, I know he wasn't deliberately trying to hurt me.. when he shoved me away I tripped over the edge of the bed and hit my shoulder on the doorframe.."
"I knew it.." Seth growled.
"Seth, you don't understand... it's only getting worse for me.. after what I found out yesterday I can't leave him." Ashley sighed.
"What do you mean?... what did you find out?" Seth raised a brow.
"When I went to get a check up on my shoulder... they did some blood work because I wasn't feeling well and ... I'm pregnant." Ashley sighed. "I'm so far in over my head." Ashley sighed.
"So Richard knows?.." Seth questioned.
"No... I haven't gotten the courage to." Ashley sighed, shaking her head.
"Why?..." Seth shook his head.
"He doesn't want children, he told me they were never in the plans for us... that children don't fit in the life he wants for us." Ashley sighed shaking her head. "I don't know how it happened, I have an implant... they had to take it out so it didn't harm the baby.. it's a 1 in a million thing the doctor said."
"If Richard was so worried about not having children, why wouldn't he just have a vasectomy?" Seth shook his head.
"He felt it would make him less of a man.." Ashley sighed. "I don't know what I'm going to do, Richard is going to be so angry I got pregnant."
Seth shook his head, wrapping his arms around Ashley as he sees she is starting to cry once again. Seth holds her running his hand through her hair.
-Renee's Apartment-
Seth and Ashley, knocked on the door after everything that had happened Ashley needed a friend, and she thought of Renee. Ashley had called Renee giving her the short side of the story and of course Renee told Ashely and Seth to both come over, because Dean was already there so she knew Seth could talk to Dean about everything.
Renee opened the door, and hugged Ashley before moving to the side allowing them to enter. Shutting the door Renee turned to Ashley. "Okay... now you told me a little of what was going on, tell me everything." Renee took Ashley's arm leading her over to the couch.
Dean and Seth stood next to each other. Dean shaking his head, he couldn't believe his friend had really gone through with his plan, he never thought Seth would actually take on Richard Martin.
Ashley went on to tell Renee everything that that had happened, from the office to telling Seth everything that went on with Richard that night, before finally telling her about the pregnancy. Ashley sighed shaking her head "You see, I'm so far in over my head... I know Richard doesn't want children, but he knows how much I want children so he's going to use it against me." Ashley sighed. "He will never let me go now, he is going to use my child to keep me with him... he knows I'll never take a chance of losing my baby... and if I leave him, he will take this baby from me, and he has enough money and power to do it." Ashley sighed.
Renee shook her head. "Wow, but you can't stay with this man Ashley, not after everything he's done.. who's to say he won't hurt you while you are pregnant..." Renee shook her head. "Ashley, you are a human being not a piece of property... you should be treated with respect and Richard doesn't respect you Ashley."
Ashley sighed, shaking her head.
"She's right Ashley..." Seth sighed, walking over sitting next to Ashley on the couch. "If he gets away with it this time... who's to say he's not going to go to Zahra or some other woman when he wants something from them?"
Ashley sighed, shaking her head. "If I wasn't pregnant, it'd be so much easier." Ashley sighed. "And what about my parents, am I supposed to let them lose their house?"
"Do you think they'd be okay with what he is doing to you?.." Seth raised a brow, Ashley shaking her head looking to the ground. "You can't even lie to yourself... they would never be okay with it, you know your parents would tell you to leave him in a heartbeat."
Renee stood up, walking over to the door when their was a knock on the door. She thought it was the pizza she had ordered. Renee opened the door, much to her surprise it wasn't the pizza it was none other then Richard Martin, a very large man standing behind him, she figured it was a bodyguard. "Do you mind if I come in?" Richard raised a brow.
Renee moved to the side knowing it wouldn't be good, if she didn't allow him to come inside. Richard walked in, leaving the man outside the door. Ashley turned and looked to the door, seeing Richard's nostrils flare when he looked to see Seth was sitting next to her, his arm around her shoulder. Ashley noticed this and moved herself standing up.
"Darling... I've been worried about you." Richard said, moving to stand next to her. "I know we have a lot to talk about."
"You are right we do.." Ashley nodded, biting her lip.
"We can do that at home, in private." Richard said, glaring over at Seth.
Seth bit the inside of his cheek, he didn't want her to go home with him, he didn't want Richard to have the chance to get her alone and do god knows what to her.
Richard reached out to take her hand. "Please.." Richard said softly.
Ashley sighed, biting her lip she nodded. "I think that's for the best." Ashley said softly.
Richard breathed a sigh of relief. "That's great, let's get going my love." Richard said, he wanted to get Ashley home, and away from Seth Rollins.
"Ashley.." Seth sighed. "You can't.. especially with a b-"
Ashley turned to face Seth shaking her head cutting him off. "We need to get going." Ashley said, wanting to get out of their before Seth spilled the beans.
"That's a great idea." Richard said, putting his hand on the small of her back leading her to the door, opening it for her allowing her to walk out before him he turned and glared at Seth before walking out.
"I don't even want to think about what he's going to do to her when he gets her alone." Seth sighed, shaking his head.
-Martin Manor-
Ashley walked into the house, walking behind Richard who opened the door to the living room for her, allowing her to enter before walking in and shutting it. Richard walked over to Ashley, reaching out to caress her face. "You have no idea how sorry I am... I love you so much Ashley, I made a mistake and I swear to you I will make it up to you." Richard sighed. "It will never happen again, okay you were out of town and I know that doesn't make it any better... I love you more then you will ever know."
Ashley shook her head, wiping the few tears that had fallen from her eyes. "I can't do this Richard.." Ashley sighed. "You lied to me, I asked you when we first got together if you had ever had anything going on with her.. I knew the way she looked at me when ever we were together she had something going on with you.. but you told me nothing was going on.. nothing ever had.. and I believed you Richard." Ashley sighed.
"I didn't want it to seem as if I was sleeping with all these women who worked for me.. I didn't want you to think you were just like the rest of them, I wanted you to know you were different you were special to me." Richard sighed. "I know I was wrong, to lie to you... I'll never do it again, I'll never lie to you again.. and I swear to you I'll never... and I mean NEVER go outside our marriage again." Richard took her hand, pulling her close to him. "Please forgive me... please say you will forgive what I've done."
Ashley sighed, shaking her head. "How can I walk into your office, knowing that woman is still working for you... I don't want to walk into your work, and have to see that woman." Ashley shook her head "I know you don't consider it cheating, but I do... do you know how much this is hurting me?..."
Richard sighed. "I hate that this hurt you Ashley, I'll do whatever I have to do to prove to you I'm sorry."
"Fire her.." Ashley said. "I don't want to see her every time I come visit you."
"Consider it done... " Richard said softly.
"Okay.." Ashley nodded.
"Okay?... so you forgive me?" Richard raised a brow.
"Yes.. I forgive you." Ashley nodded.
Richard smiled, wrapping his arms around her leaning down and kissing her. "God I love you so much." Richard said, when he pulled away from the kiss.
"I love you too.." Ashley said softly.
Richard smiled slightly, running his hand through her hair. "At Renee's apartment... why was Seth there?" Richard questioned.
Ashley sighed, she didn't want to tell him about the park so she lied, he'd been doing it to her so why not let him have a little taste of his own medicine. "He wanted to talk to Dean, so he showed up there.." Ashley said softly.
Richard nodded. "Before we left, he said you can't leave with me.. especially with a-... a what?" Richard raised a brow. "What was he going to say before you cut him off?"
Damn, she was hoping he'd missed that. "It's nothing." Ashley shook her head.
"You cut him off... what was he going to say it had to be something you didn't want me to know." Richard said. "So what was it?"
Ashley sighed, biting her lip she knew he wasn't going to let up. "I went to the doctors yesterday.." Ashley started.
"Yes I know.. to check on your shoulder.." Richard nodded.
"I wasn't feeling well, and they wanted to run some blood tests." Ashley said, she took a deep breath not knowing how he was going to take the news. "They told me I was 6 weeks pregnant." Ashley said softly, biting her lip waiting to see his reaction.
Richard looked at her, his eyes wide. "You are on birth control... you have the implant."
"I know.. they had to remove it... so it didn't harm the baby." Ashley sighed, shaking her head.
"Why didn't you tell me last night?" Richard questioned, she could see the dislike on his face she knew he wasn't happy about this.
"I was scared, I know you don't want children... you said that children weren't in the plans.. and I didn't want you to be upset." Ashley sighed. "I'm sorry... I know this isn't what you wanted."
Richard nodded. "Your right, children weren't in the plans for us.. but plans change." Richard sighed. "It's not like we can't afford a child... we will do just fine with a baby."
"I can see you don't want this Richard." Ashley sighed.
"It's just a surprise... I defiantly didn't see this coming." Richard said. "But, it's okay... We will get through this... we can handle this."
Ashley nodded, biting her lip. "You aren't angry at me?" Ashley questioned.
"No... it's not your fault... obviously this baby was meant to be in our lives or it wouldn't of happened." Richard said softly. "What I'm angry about is that you told Seth Rollins before me."
Ashley shook her head. "I'm sorry... I shouldn't of told him I know." Ashley sighed. "I was just upset and I blurted it out.. you know sometimes I let my emotions get the best of me." Ashley sighed.
"True." Richard nodded. "You know he won't be around any more... if I have my way he'll be on the first flight back to Iowa."
Ashley nodded. "I know.." Ashley nodded.
"If he even thinks about coming near you again.." Richard growled, his arms that were wrapped around her tightened.
"You don't have to worry about him." Ashley said softly.
"Tell me he means nothing to you." Richard looked down at her, his eyes piercing down on her almost daring her to say otherwise!
Ashley nodded. "He.. he means nothing." Ashley said softly, knowing that was a lie no matter what she told Richard she knew Seth did mean something to her, he meant a lot but what could she do? If she told Richard the truth he'd probably kill Seth.
"Good.." Richard said, with a smile leaning in and kissing her. "Everything will be fine my love." Richard pulled her into a hug, his arms wrapped so tightly around her. "You are happy about this baby aren't you?" Richard questioned.
"Yes.. I know you don't want this baby but I've always wanted to be a mom, but you said we could never have a child, it wasn't in the plans for us.. so I just put that dream away, because you told me that was something that would never change, you'd never want children." Ashley sighed. "I just hope when the baby comes you'll at least be happy about it."
"I'm sure once it sets in, I'll get used to it... and when the baby comes I know I'll love it.. it's going to be half me and half you... the baby is going to be the best looking kid around." Richard said. "Look, I never saw myself as a father... but that is obviously going to change, because now I am going to become a father.." Richard shrugged, leaning in to kiss her.
...A while later
Ashley was walking past the front door after getting a glass of water before heading back up to the bedroom. She saw a note under the door, she looked around to make sure Richard wasn't anywhere around and picked it up. she opened it and read what it said.
Ashley,
I know you think you have to stay with him, especially now with the baby on the way but you don't I'm going to find a way to help you, I'm going to find a way to get you out of that hell you call a marriage. I know Richard is going to do his best to keep me away from you but I won't let him you mean to much to me to let him keep you away from me. I'll find a way to keep seeing you, no matter what I have to do I'm going to protect you from him, you may not see how dangerous he is but I do, he is a danger to your health even if you don't see it and now more then ever you have to realize it's not safe for you to be with him, I'm scared what he will do to you when he gets angry now, you are pregnant he could harm your baby, it may not be intentional but you could lose your baby if he hurts you now. Please keep thinking about it, if you need me you know where to find me, I'm not giving up on you Ashley. I'll do whatever I have to do to protect you, and now this baby it's a piece of you so you know I'll do whatever I have to do to protect it.
Seth
Ashley bit her lip shaking her head, good thing Richard didn't see this, he'd have a fit if he'd seen this. Ashley ripped it down the middle and went to the kitchen throwing it in the trash. A part of her was excited about the baby but then she started thinking Seth could be right, what if Richard did lose his temper again?, and what if this time he hurts her and she loses this baby this could be the only chance she has at being a mother if she's with Richard. Ashley had so much to think about, but a part of her couldn't help but be happy that Seth cared so much for her, he was willing to go up against her husband to protect her.
A/N- Surprise, she's pregnant do you think Richard will end up using the baby against her? How sweet is it of Seth to want to protect the baby? Thanks for all the reviews, I hope you are all enjoying it, I know you want her away from Richard already but give it time, I've got big things in store for this story! Don't forget to leave a review so I know what you all think of the story!