Game of Love and Deception: The Billionaire's Ex Wife
Chapter 59: Do you like me?

Chapter 59: Do you like me?

Flashback – Five days to Ashley’s 16th birthday.

Lorenzo held Ashley’s hand, helping her sneak out of her room through the window. Together, they ran out of the compound, laughing—knowing her aunty would think she was still inside her room.

With her sixteenth birthday just days away, Lorenzo had planned a pre-birthday outing. But knowing Charlotte, she’d rather run ten streets naked than allow such a thing. She forbade Ashley from having friends or socializing, and Ashley still didn’t understand why.

Still, she and Lorenzo had been secretly seeing each other for some months now.

At first, Ashley had thought Charlotte was simply trying to protect her from the world’s cruelty—until the day she seized her phone and started bringing home some of her manwhores, advising Ashley to mingle with them. That was when she realized Charlotte was just a pathetic psychopath.

They arrived at the spot where Lorenzo had parked his mom’s truck. He mentioned borrowing it for their outing, a gesture Ashley found incredibly sweet.

Just like her, Lorenzo’s biological parents were dead, but he had an adopted mother and sister now—lucky him. Ashley hadn’t met them yet, but she hoped to someday. Maybe when Lorenzo finally popped the question and asked her to be his girlfriend. The thought made her cheeks flush.

She’d been desperately dropping subtle hints—asking if he thought she was beautiful, complimenting him often, hoping he’d catch on and ask her already. Yet, he kept treating her like his little sister.

Ugh!

Did she need to hawk herself first before he finally caught the clue that she wanted to be more than that?

Like a gentleman, Lorenzo held the door for her, and she slipped into the passenger seat. She waited as he rounded the vehicle and slid into the driver’s seat, then leaned over to help fasten her seatbelt.

The closeness made Ashley’s heart flutter.

"Ready?" Lorenzo asked when he was done.

Ashley nodded excitedly, smiling. He turned the key in the ignition, the engine roaring to life. He flashed her a cute grin before they sped off.

A few minutes down the road, he opened the sunroof, turned on the sound system, and began playing Shakira’s Try Everything. Ashley sprang up to her seat, poking her head and hands through the sunroof, spreading them in the air like wings as she sang along.

"Careful, sunshine," Lorenzo warned.

"I am! I love this song way too much—I wouldn’t mind singing it into my grave!" Ashley replied, beaming.

"I won’t be the driver that’ll help you achieve that," Lorenzo replied, making her chuckle.

They soon arrived at a game center.

"Would you like to play bowling?" Lorenzo asked.

Ashley turned to him, pouting. "I don’t know how to play that one."

"Uh-okay. Fine, I’ll teach you. But you’ll have to pay me," he said with a serious expression.

"What? You know I don’t have any money," Ashley protested with a frown.

He pinched her nose with a grin. "I was kidding. You know I’ll gladly help the poor anytime. Now, let’s go inside."

Ashley glared at him, but he tickled her sides, making her roll with laughter.

"You’re such a bully," she spat once Lorenzo freed her. But he stuck out his tongue in response, making her shake her head. He was lucky she loved him too much to smother him with a pillow next time he fell asleep.

They made their way to the bowling section. After buying tokens, Lorenzo asked Ashley to watch him play first before trying it herself. She agreed, taking a seat behind him and clapping each time his ball knocked down the pins.

Finally, he paused and turned to her. "Your turn!"

"Oh—okay."

She walked over to meet him, and he positioned her in front of him, handing her the orange ball. It felt slightly heavy in her grasp.

Ashley giggled as Lorenzo guided her hands, showing her how to hold the ball. His fingers wrapped gently around hers, sending delicious tingles through her body.

"Like this, right?" she asked, tilting her head, eyes meeting his focused ones.

"Perfect," Lorenzo murmured, adjusting her grip. His warm breath tickled her skin, making her insides flutter. She almost wanted to close her eyes and lean into him. For a split second, the world quieted—no pins, no voices, just his hands on hers and her heart beating too loud in her chest.

"Now, keep your eyes on the pins and don’t throw too fast. Let gravity do the work," Lorenzo’s voice jolted her back to reality.

Ashley took a deep breath to help her focus, then positioned herself forward and launched the ball down the lane. Her heart raced as she watched it roll, knocking down six pins.

"Yes!" they both exclaimed, high-fiving excitedly.

"You’re a natural," Lorenzo praised.

Ashley beamed, smiling like she’d just won a jackpot.

"I never knew I was so good. I should organize a masterclass," she joked, and Lorenzo laughed loudly. The sound was like the sweetest music to her ears. She swore she could listen to it all day.

She felt so alive around him—she always did.

After bowling, Lorenzo suggested they join an icebreaker session with the other gamers.

"Sounds fun!" Ashley agreed, excitement bubbling up. This was one of the best birthday outings she’d ever had. It made her miss her parents—especially her dad. He always took her out before the big day.

They walked into the game room, where a brown-haired host greeted them.

"Welcome to Icebreaker! We’ve got a mix of gamers—from pros to newbies. Are we ready?!"

Everyone answered in unison, "Yes!"

The host explained the rules: each player would introduce themselves, share their favorite game, and answer a quirky question before they proceed to start the main game.

Lorenzo gave Ashley an encouraging look before mentally preparing himself.

The host pointed at Ashley, urging her to go first. She smiled shyly before speaking.

"Hi, I’m Ashley. My favorite game is... um... Mario Kart?" she said, feeling a bit silly. The group chuckled, and she glanced at Lorenzo, who was grinning.

"And if you could switch lives with any game character for a day, who would it be?" the host asked, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

Ashley paused for a moment before grinning mischievously. "Princess Peach. I’d rescue Mario for once."

That earned another round of laughter. Then it was Lorenzo’s turn.

"I’m Lorenzo. Favorite game: The Legend of Zelda."

The host nodded approvingly. "And if you could create a new game genre, what would it be?"

He thought for a second, brow furrowed. "A mix of action-adventure and puzzle-solving, with a hint of mystery."

That sparked a lively conversation among the group as they began exchanging ideas. Ashley listened with interest, grinning from ear to ear.

As the icebreaker continued, Ashley found herself genuinely laughing and connecting with the other gamers. It had been a long time since she’d felt so light and free. Every now and then, her gaze would drift to Lorenzo, and each time, her smile deepened.

After the session ended, they stepped outside with two bowls of ice cream and a cupcake they’d gotten from inside. Ashley spotted a swing nearby and excitedly suggested they sit there to enjoy their snacks.

"I didn’t know you liked Mario Kart," Lorenzo said as he helped her into one of the swings.

A small smile crept onto her face, memories of her father washing over her.

"I do. I used to play with my dad when he was alive."

"I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to..."

"It’s okay," Ashley said before he could land the sentence. She hated pity—especially from him.

As Lorenzo leaned slightly closer, Ashley impulsively pressed a kiss to his cheek, smiling.

"Thank you for bringing me here. I’m really having a good time."

Lorenzo blushed, and she couldn’t resist teasing him before blurting out a question that had been lingering in her mind.

"Do you like me?"

Lorenzo furrowed his brows, clearly puzzled. "You’re my friend. Why would I not like you?"

Ashley internally groaned. Gosh, is he really that clueless? I meant like me like me, dummy. But instead of clarifying, she covered it up with a quick grin.

"Just wanted to see you react like that," she said, trying to sound playful.

"What’s with the reaction?"

"It’s cute," Ashley replied with a smirk. "Really cute," she added and kissed his cheek again, earning a playful glare from him in response.