"I'm really sorry. We didn't expect him to be right behind us when we were talking about Lily," Bella said, glancing at Ashton, whose expression remained unreadable. "So, when he asked for an explanation, we were speechless. His tone was sharp, and we worried he might attract attention, so we ended up telling him the basics he needed to know." Bella looked at Anastasia, guilt in her eyes.
Ashton rolled his eyes, crossing his arms as he muttered, "He was right. He deserved to know about Lily."
Bella quickly slapped his thigh, urging him to stop talking. Laughing awkwardly, she turned back to Anastasia. "If he demands more than he should, don't worry. Ashton will help—"
"Who says I'll help?" Ashton's eyes widened in surprise.
"I say," Bella mumbled through gritted teeth before flashing Anastasia a reassuring smile. "So don't worry, okay?"
