Chapter 56

Ashton

The spotlight focused on me. I could not help but wonder around my surroundings, as I looked in front of me I saw many people, dressed in a beautiful fabric. I could not recognize the people in front of me because they were all wearing masks.

"Where am I?" I asked but I could not get an answer, people started laughing in front of me until suddenly someone raised their hand and shouted but I could not hear it, I could not see the people in front of me.

"What the fuck is happening here? Where am I?" I scream and start to get nervous and confused. Instead of answering, the people in front of me just laughed again. Louder and louder, when I could no longer bear it I covered my ears with my bare hands. I can still hear their laughter, very loud it's making me annoying for fuck's sake.

"What the fuck? Stop laughing." I almost cried. I do not know where I am, why did I suddenly come here? Who brought me here? I don't know but when I open my eyes I am suddenly standing in this spot with the spotlight blinding me.

I looked at each person in front of me again as I remembered Zie. Where is Zie?

Moments later a man suddenly walked towards the front, he slowly removed his mask and I heaved a sigh of relief when I saw Zie's handsome face. He is here, he is here to save me, to rescue me.

"Zie?" I call his name loudly to get his attention, Zie smiled sarcastically at me and suddenly turned his back on me. He started walking again, but not towards me but away from me instead. Surprised, I called his name, I wanted to follow Zie but I felt like I had stepped on glue because no matter how hard I tried to step my foot I still could not move my foot.

"Zie!" I called him loudly. Tears began to trickle down my eyes.

"Zie!" I called him again until I could no longer see his figure.

"Zie."

"Zie!"

I was so sweaty when I got up from the bed while chasing my breath.

"Hey! What's wrong baby? Why are you calling my name?" Zie asked who seemed to wake up because I was calling his name. He was looking at me worriedly and concerned.

My body was exhausted remembering my dream, I could do nothing but hug Zie and cry on his broad shoulder.

"Don't leave me, Zie. Please, don't leave me." I begged him, his hand caressing my back.

"I'm not gonna leave you, baby. Are you having nightmares again about the incident on the beach?" He asked worriedly so I immediately shook my head.

"N-No," I responded and hugged him even tighter. I could not help but remember my dream that Zie was walking away from me. I don't want to let go of Zie's hug because maybe by the time I let go of his body he will suddenly disappear next to me.

"Why are you calling my name then? Did you dream of me?" He asked and I gulped contemplating if I should tell him the truth or not. I don't know if I will tell him my dream, what if Zie will leave me I told him the truth? I shook my head, no,  I know he will not leave me, Zie will not leave me.

"Just don't leave me, Zie," I begged as I slowly punched his chest.

"Okay baby, I'm not leaving you, never. Stop overthinking already, it's not good for you baby." His response made me smile, my body calmed down a bit when I heard his voice.

Zie and I just hugged for about ten minutes and no one spoke, we just felt each other's embrace, only the beating of our hearts could be heard around.

"It's already five in the morning, baby. How about we grab some doughnuts and coffee on the nearby Dunkin Donuts shop?" He asked and I immediately nodded in agreement.

"Yeah! That sounds good, daddy." I replied and slowly pulled my hands from his waist. We didn't get dressed anymore, I was only wearing a shirt and a short while Zie was wearing only a white shirt and black pajamas. Zie took the key to his car while I took out a pair of jackets and lend the other pair to Zie.

After exiting the penthouse we immediately took the elevator down to the parking lot. Moments later Zie and I were making our way to the nearest Dunkin Donut shop.

"Okay, just wait here and I'll buy the doughnuts and the coffee," Zie said when we arrived at the nearest shop.

"Ha? Aren't we going to eat and drink inside?" I asked in confusion as I hugged myself as the cold air entered inside the car when Zie open the door.

"Nope." He replied slightly smiling and closed the door, he immediately walked into the shop. After a few minutes, Zie was back with two coffees and a box of doughnuts.

"So, we'll gonna drink the coffee and eat the doughnuts inside your car?" I said in still in confusion, I have no problem eating inside the car but I just wonder why we will eat here if we can eat inside the shop, it's more convenient to eat inside the shop.

"Nope. I knew a perfect place where it was nice to eat and drink coffee." He smiled in response and turned on the car engine. I didn't ask any more questions and let him drive and take me to the place he was talking about.

It was about six o'clock when we arrived at the place Zie was talking about, thank god that the coffee was still hot. When we got out of the car the surroundings were pretty bright, I rolled my eyes and looked for landmarks to find out where we were.

"Green Meadows." I was slightly surprised to see the landmark standing not far from where we were.

"Let's go." He said and carried the box of doughnuts and the coffees as he started to walk. I immediately ran to keep up with him.

I couldn't help but marvel as I looked around at the foggy surroundings but what caught my attention was the vast expanse of green grass, it looked like a vast golf course.

"It's so peaceful here, so nice," I said inevitably, Zie just smiled at me and suddenly stopped walking. He sat down on the grass and laid the boxes of donuts and coffee on the ground. I sat down next to him and took a cup of coffee and slowly sipped it.

As we drank our coffee I could not help but look in Zie's direction, he was looking so far away as if he was deep in thought while drinking his coffee. In the past few days, it seems like something has changed to Zie, he has become even sweeter to me, I also notice that he wants to go to quiet places, a place where we can spend our time together without any people seeing what we are doing. And I'm loving this, I love going to a serene place with Zie next to me. It makes my time worthwhile.

"I do care about you, Ash." Zie suddenly broke the silence that enveloped us, I frowned at the words he uttered. Why is he telling me these words suddenly? It seems like he is bidding his goodbyes which makes me anxious. I hope he is just being extra sweet today.

"I know. Thank you for taking care of me, I also care about you and I hope you know it, daddy." I replied while still staring intently at his handsome face. I want to memorize every detail of his handsome face.

A few minutes of silence passed, while I was drinking coffee Zie suddenly picked up his phone, I just stared intently at his every move.

"Let's take a picture, baby." Zie suddenly said and tapped on his phone until I saw that the camera is flashing on the screen of his cellphone. I was just staring at him for a few minutes, I just came back to my senses when his phone flashed one after another, he was taking a picture.

"I'm not ready yet," I complained and lightly punched his shoulder. He laughed and stared at the photo he took.

"This is a good shot. I love these photos." He said laughing, I immediately snatched the phone he was holding and looked at the photos.

I couldn't help but smile while looking at the photos, Zie was right, he took a very well done shots even though I was not facing the camera.

"See? You're looking at me like a starstruck puppy. I thought you're used to my gorgeous face already since we've been together for more than a month." He said jokingly but his face looks like he is suppressing his laughter. I just raised an eyebrow at him.

"Nah! The shots are ugly and the angles are bad. I deleted your photos because what if these photos spread on tabloids and social media? I don't want to be on news with the headline about the CEO having a sugar baby." I lied exaggerating every word I said, Zie looked at me in horror and quickly picked up his phone. He breathed a sigh of relief to see that the photos were still there. He doesn't even comment about what I just said.

"Fuck! I thought you did it, I almost die in horror, I love these pictures. I love how you're looking at me like I'm your lord or I'm some kind of king you respect. I love the adoration in your eyes while you're looking at me." He said laughing and put the phone back in his pocket. I was sitting there frozen, I don't know if he's just playing with my feelings but I felt a tingling sensation upon hearing what he said. I gulped and shook my head. I'm thinking that Zie might have feelings for me but I don't want to raise my hope in a whole new level, I don't want to fall harder and crying in pain if what I think is proven wrong. I'm scared.

"Do you think I deleted the photos?" I asked trying to change the conversation.

"Yeah! This is just our first photo together and maybe this will be the last one so I will be hurt if you deleted it for real." He reply seriously which caused me to stopped from sipping my coffee, I couldn't help but frown at what he said.

"Why do you mean that this might be our last photo? We can always take a picture anytime and anywhere." I said as a matter of fact. He was about to answer when I stopped him by covering his lip with my index finger.

"Wait, don't tell me you have a serious illness and you are dying but then you're letting me know it subtly?" I joked but when I saw the sudden change in his expression I swallowed my saliva, the smile disappeared from my lips.

"Don't tell me ..."

"Okay, I won't tell you." He replied with a serious face, I lightly punched him in his arm.

"Is it true?" I asked nervously.

"Stop playing with my feelings daddy, that's not a good joke," I said as I was intently looking at his gorgeous face to read his expression, I want to know if he's just playing with me.

"Tsk. Don't be paranoid, baby. I just don't like taking pictures that's why I said this might be our last picture." He responded and suddenly messed up my hair. What he said was true though, I mean why do we need to take a picture together if we're living together in his penthouse. Remembering my phone gallery, I think I don't have a single picture of Zie, the photos inside my gallery were all a selfie of a naked body.

"Okay, if you say so." I laughed and removed his hand that was messing my hair.

We spent about an hour just talking with each other while drinking coffee and eating doughnuts. When we already were done eating the doughnuts and drinking our coffee we decided to go back to the penthouse. On our way to the penthouse, I can't help but smile remembering Zie's sweet gesture these past few days.