Chapter 18 18

Chapter 18 18
Vanessa’s POV

The shock on Elliot’s and Bernice's face when I came in with Asher was satisfying. I was ready for whatever reaction they would have and I was not disappointed.

Their eyes widened the moment Asher walked in with me by his side. Their mouths dropped slightly, but neither of them said anything right away. They just stared at us and I pretended not to notice.I kept my head high smiling politely. 
Asher pulled me even closer, looping my hand around his arm like I was his heartthrob. He looked proud with his chest out and his chin up. 
He introduced me to his family and I said hello like I didn’t know who they were. Elliot blinked, but his face was anything but calm, he looked like he was fighting demons and Bernice, on the other hand, looked like she had just chewed glass.
“Oh,” Asher’s mom said warmly, standing up from her chair. “Vanessa, you’re welcome. You’re so pretty.” She said
She walked over to hug me. I smiled and hugged her back. She never really treated me bad when I was married to Elliot but she ignored my existence; this tradition of eating a meal once a month I was never welcome so I never came. 
“Thank you, Mrs. Hayes, you’re so kind” I said softly and she waved her hand. 
Asher chuckled beside me, but Bernice was staring at me like she could burn holes through my skin. She hadn’t changed at all and was still as evil as ever. 
The dinner was going pretty well until Bernice said that nonsense. “I guess underachievers always find each other,” Bernice spat as she cut into her steak with force.
My hand tightened around my fork. I could feel the heat rising in my body, the insult ringing in my ears. 
I opened my mouth, ready to give her the kind of reply she wouldn’t forget but before I could speak, Asher placed his hand on my lap under the table. His fingers squeezed gently, and he shook his head slightly at me. No, his eyes said. 
I let out a slow breath keeping myself in check, I didn’t want to say what I’d regret and blow my cover this was not the time to lose control. I was here for a reason something much bigger. 
Everyone at the table was watching us and even Alice, Bernice’s little daughter, had gone quiet and Elliot choked on his water. 
Bernice must have noticed, because she suddenly stood up and said in a loud voice, “I’ll take Alice to bed.”
She scooped her daughter into her arms. “Come, baby.”
Alice clung to her shoulder, sleepy and soft, and they both left the room but I saw the way Asher’s eyes dropped to his plate and the way his jaw tightened. That jab had hurt him.
“I’ll clear the table,” I said, getting up quickly. “I’ll help,” Elliot said at once, rising too.
“No, let me,” Mrs Hayes said gently. “You both should relax.”
But Elliot shook his head. “You should rest, Mom.”
“I’ll be upstairs,” he said and walked out and I could see the whole family stare at him.
I started stacking the plates, my hands moving quickly. Elliot helped gather the cups and followed me to the kitchen. 
“I’m sorry about Bernice,” Elliot said as we placed the plates by the sink.
I smiled. “It’s fine. I know she doesn’t like me much.”
“She doesn’t like anyone,” he muttered, almost too low to hear.
“Well, that’s comforting to hear.” I said smiling a bit.
We stood side by side at the sink, both washing up. The warm water ran over my hand and I held a plate and scrubbed while Elliot rinsed. 
Our fingers brushed and the touch sent a tiny jolt through me and I quickly withdrew my hand.
“So… you and Asher,” Elliot said suddenly. “Is it official?”
I didn’t look at him and focused on the soapy bubbles instead. “I… can’t say yet but I’m growing to like him.”
It was a lie.I wasn’t growing to like Asher. We both needed each other and that was it but my bastard ex-husband didn’t need to know that. 
I had worked under Elliot, hoping to find the documents that showed every building Hayes Holdings secretly owned but no matter how many late nights I spent at the office, I never found them.
Then Asher had found out that those files weren’t in the company building they were hidden in the study, in this house and what better time to steal them than now? With Elliot distracted in the kitchen with me, Bernice busy with Alice and Asher left alone to take it. 
I kept washing dishes, trying to seem calm, but inside, I was holding my breath, praying for Asher to find it.
“You’re quiet,” Elliot said after a while. “Just tired,” I said quickly.
He smiled. “This must be a lot for you.” I nodded. 
He handed me a washed plate to dry, but it slipped from his hand and almost fell. I caught it in time and our fingers touched again this time, he didn’t move away.
“I never thought Asher would bring someone home like this ever” Elliot said softly, eyes on mine.
I shrugged, looking away. “People surprise you sometimes but I can assure you sir it won’t affect my work.”
“Can we not talk about work here?” He said calmly and I nodded.
He stepped closer to put a bowl in the top cabinet. I reached for another dish, but he was suddenly right behind me, his chest brushed against my back lightly as he reached over me.
“Sorry,” he murmured, his voice near my ear. I turned slightly and our faces were inches apart. His breath touched my cheek. For a moment, neither of us said a word. 
He dipped his head lower, and my eyes widened. I didn’t expect him to move  like that. His face was so close now, I could see the flecks of brown in his dark eyes, the soft curve of his lips, the way his breath lightly touched my cheek.
My body froze for a second and I shifted quickly, stepping back and lowering my gaze. What was he trying to do?
Before I could say anything, the door creaked open and Asher walked in.
His eyes landed on us instantly and he paused for a second, then gave me that a questioning look. “Nessa,” he said slowly, 
Elliot moved away from me immediately and turned his back and picked up a towel, drying his hands.
"I'm leaving," Asher said, coming toward me quietly and taking my hands. I followed him quietly, my heart still beating fast.
Once we were away from the house I spoke. "Did you find it?" I asked, turning to face him.
"Yes," he said simply. He reached into his jacket and pulled out his phone. “I snapped it.”
"You didn’t take the actual file?"
He shook his head, eyes still on the road. “That’s too risky, they’ll realize it was stolen.”
I exhaled slowly, that was smart. “So you took pictures of everything?”
“Every single page,” he said, tapping on his phone screen. “Perfect,” I whispered.