Dump My Ex, Dive into Love with His Billionaire Uncle

Chapter 123: Chapter 123: What do you want me to do? Love me!

“So what if I was wrong, you never cared about me anyway.”

Bella Woods expressed her dissatisfaction with a pout, mumbling grievances. Ashton Marshall felt both heartache and amusement, unable to suppress a smile.

He gently caressed Bella Woods’ face, kissing her repeatedly, his voice tender, “It’s my fault this time, assuming you needed to handle things independently, so I didn’t show up in time. That’s my mistake. I’m sorry. Please don’t be mad at me, okay?”

“When I fought with Oliver Hughes, you didn’t show up.” Bella Woods sniffled, expressing her discontent.

Ashton Marshall smiled and kissed her cheek, “I’ll definitely show up next time. You won’t need to fight with him. I’ll take care of him for you, alright?”

Bella Woods paused, then murmured in a small, hoarse voice, “Okay.”

That one word, filled with grievance, made Ashton Marshall realize what was bothering Bella Woods all along.

“You want me to be by your side next time you have a conflict with Oliver Hughes, right?” Ashton seriously asked, looking at Bella Woods.

Bella Woods stared at him blankly for a long time before suddenly reaching out and throwing herself into Ashton’s arms, “I’m sleepy. Carry me to bed.”

“Alright.” Ashton Marshall replied, picking Bella Woods up.

He passed through the walk-in closet to put her in her pajamas before laying her down on the bed.

“I’ll go take a shower and then come back to sleep with you, okay?” Ashton Marshall said softly.

“Okay.” Bella Woods replied obediently, her clear eyes fixed on Ashton Marshall.

But Ashton Marshall couldn’t leave.

Because despite Bella Woods’ obedient reply and expression, she clung to his shirt, immobilizing him, her eyes imploring him to stay with her.

Ashton Marshall, feeling helpless, squatted down beside her to explain, “I’m just going in for a quick shower then I’ll come back to you.”

“Okay.” Bella Woods nodded in response, yet still clung onto Ashton Marshall’s shirt.

Ashton Marshall glanced down, helpless expression on his face.

As he looked back up at the adorable girl, he couldn’t help but smile.

Ultimately, Ashton Marshall decided to get into bed, holding Bella Woods through the covers, kissing her forehead, “I’ll sleep with you.”

“I still want to hear a song.” Bella Woods blinked at Ashton Marshall.

“Alright, I’ll sing for you.”

Ashton Marshall’s tone was unbelievably indulgent, and he softly hummed an English song for her.

His voice was naturally low and deep, and singing in a gentle tone added an indescribable magnetism.

And Bella Woods, who had been staring at Ashton Marshall, slowly closed her eyes under his soothing lullaby, finding a comfortable position in his arms, her breathing easing.

After Ashton Marshall finished the third song, Bella Woods’ breathing was even, as she had fallen completely asleep.

He looked down at the girl in his arms, his eyes deep.

“Idiot,” he uttered softly, “I do care about you.”

And I always will.

I just wanted to give you what you wanted.

But through Bella Woods’ drunken, grievance-filled complaint, Ashton Marshall began to deeply ponder whether his way of giving her what she wanted was really the right thing.

He hoped to allow the young girl to grow independently and handle things on her own.

To become the person she wished to be.

But it seemed that this path was fraught with many grievances.

“Tell me, Little Bella, how should I treat you?” Ashton Marshall asked softly.

Bella Woods nuzzled her face, muttering, “Love me.”

This “love me” was an instinctive response from Bella Woods, still dreaming, perhaps just an unconscious reply.

Yet these simple words left Ashton Marshall stunned for a whole night.

…

The next day.

Bella Woods awoke with the headache that accompanies a hangover.

She glanced around the slightly familiar room, a bit dazed.

As for what happened last night, Bella Woods hadn’t forgotten; she remembered it clearly, minus some details.

However, recalling everything made her head throb even more.

Especially the things said at home with Ashton Marshall, making Bella Woods wish she could find a hole to hide in.

“Not sure if he’s still here…”

Bella Woods looked around the room, not finding Ashton Marshall’s figure, though the door was closed—she wasn’t sure if Ashton Marshall was outside.

Just as Bella Woods was about to grab her phone to check the time, it rang.

Calvin Marshall was calling.

Bella Woods answered, “Sixty?”

“Little Bella, how are things on your end? Did you get home safely last night?”

Calvin Marshall, on the other end, spoke low, and Bella Woods could faintly hear the sound of him getting dressed.

“I got home. But what about you…”

“I need to tell you something,” Calvin suddenly said. “I just received news that there’s a problem today with the exchange student program at Peace City University.”

“What do you mean?” Bella Woods’ expression changed instantly.

“I saw the info in our group chat. It seems the rules for this year’s exchange student slots were changed, and a lot more opportunities were given to freshmen. But the group messages yesterday said the exchange might not happen because the biggest investor seems unwilling to continue investing, threatening to shelve the exchange student project for the next two years.”

“The largest investor is unwilling to invest?” Bella Woods didn’t understand what this meant.

“Yes, that’s what I saw in the group. They mentioned the students who signed up on the same day you were blocked by Oliver Hughes were quite unlucky, which is why I called you…”

After Calvin Marshall finished speaking, Bella Woods could still hear him cautiously closing a door and what seemed to be other voices, though she couldn’t discern them clearly.

All her thoughts focused on how the withdrawal of the investor was causing the exchange program at Peace University to collapse.

“Why isn’t the investment coming through?” Bella Woods asked.

“I don’t know. But you could directly ask my elder sister; she knows more.” Calvin Marshall replied candidly.

“Aunt Cyan?”

“Yes, the Peace University exchange program is one of the initiatives in my sister’s educational charity resource. It’s aimed at providing opportunities for outstanding students from ordinary families with average financial conditions to study abroad.

My sister has worked on this project for nearly a decade, but this is the first time there’s been a withdrawal leading to the collapse of the exchange program.”

Bella Woods didn’t respond, but she remembered how Cyan Marshall actually mentioned the study abroad matter when she drove her back last night.

The plan to go abroad, after the debacle of her engagement party with Oliver Hughes, hadn’t been mentioned to anyone else except Cyan Marshall.

So…

Bella Woods immediately shook her head, dismissing the idea that Cyan Marshall would do it intentionally.

Cyan Marshall wasn’t that kind of person.

Yet after mentioning her desire to join the exchange program, it was suddenly canceled the very next night, leaving Bella Woods clueless about the source of the issue.