Ethan's POV: I wait patiently for the reply for the first few minutes, knowing that Ashley hardly takes two to three minutes to reply to my messages. Maybe she will be even quicker, now that she has received a reply after days. But when she doesn't text me back, even after ten minutes, I impulsively start to check my phone every minute. She might be busy with something, that's why she hasn't seen my text yet? I was expecting an excited reply from her side, knowing that she won't be able to refrain herself from asking me where the hell I have been, and why the fuck I behaved like a jerk… or how I have been not reachable to all this time. Because the girl I left behind is someone who can't tame her curiosity to save her life, unless and until she believes you blindly. And once you get to that zone, she doesn't shut up for a minute to give anyone even a little fragment of peace, not even to save their life! But something strange is happening this time; it has been almost hal
Ethan's POV: My heart misses a beat in panic, as I realize that the girl raised with princess treatment well into her twenties, is the same one with her infamous habit of dragging herself into critically dangerous situations, where she herself manages to risk her life– every single time, without fail. I mean, if anybody can prove me wrong in this, then I am willing to give him whatever amount they quote as their bidding amount. Because each single time that I think, what else can happen to her, which is worse than what has already happened, she proves me wrong and shows that it can indeed be worse… much, much worse than my imagination. Sometimes, she really makes me think that it would be easier for me to walk to the moon barefoot than keep her alive. I pick up the phone, put the fork down, and dial her number. She finally receives my call, seconds before it is about to disconnect, and my panic rises to the roof because I still haven't heard anything from the other side. It m
Ashley's POV:Ethan's words somehow managed to heal something inside my heart… something that wasn't broken because of him in the first place. But the heart that has indeed been broken by his actions starts to pound so heavily, as I slowly remember everything that had happened on that day.The brutal confrontation with my family, that has shattered all my remaining belief in the institution of family itself.And just when I thought that everything was going to be fine again, once I reached Ethan, because this man had started to become the answer to every question that I had… the solution to every problem in my life… the protective roof to my open land, and the solid floor to my baseless life.But that day! That day had already decided to register itself in the list of the worst days of my life. Because first, I had to flee from the girl's day out that Tiffany had planned, disappointing her a little.Then everything that my family did to me in that party, and the humiliation that I h
Ashley's POV:I have always heard that a good kiss has the power to make the girl forget the world and I have previously felt Ethan's kisses making me forget everything… even myself too.But as he presses his lips against mine, I feel it tugging at my heart. I never thought that his kiss would be able to make me forget the pain, whose sole reason was he himself.Without breaking the kiss, he reaches for me and pulls me into his lap, where he is seated on the floor. I feel the couch beneath me give way as I wrap my legs around his waist, trying to get as close to him as possible. My hands loop around his neck on instinct, and he is holding me like I might slip away if he lets go; while he continues to kiss me as if he is trying to drink me in… to fill some deep, desperate thirst. I don't know if it's just me, who is feeling scared that once this kiss is over, he is again going to disappear somewhere; or is he feeling the same? Because I don't see anything other than this fear in the
Ashley's POV:I enter the house, to find that every single thing is the same as the day I left, without knowing what was going to happen next.Suddenly, I feel a pang in my chest, and the reminder of his betrayal lifts its head once again. The numbing, electric sensation that always accompanies the memory of that day also kicks in, making a tear appear in my eye once again.How is it possible that I have been able to forget the most brutal thing my supposed family has said and done to me, and yet, I am unable to forget the feeling of betrayal that this act of Ethan has given me… even when he has already promised to tell me the reason behind it too.But I have to be strong, I have to hide my pain, my tears and my betrayal in the dark corners of my heart, from where nobody will ever be able to find out what was hidden beneath that once upon a time… not even me.“Ashley! Darling, just come and sit here. I will be bringing the food–”“Peter, I am not really hungry–”“Just accompany me, th
Ashley's POV:I’m ready, and for once, I think I look beautiful, even by my own standards. My hair is pulled up in a messy bun, with loose tendrils framing my face. My makeup is light, just enough to enhance my features, with a soft pink on my lips. I can’t help but smile as I check myself out in the mirror one last time. This dress, the way it hugs my figure and the drama of the sleeves, it’s everything I could have hoped for.Stepping out of the bedroom, I expect to find Ethan waiting, but the house is empty. The only light is coming from the dining area, so I head there, my heels clicking softly on the floor. As I approach the table, I see an envelope with Ethan’s handwriting on it. My curiosity piques as I pick it up. "Your first gift for this evening," it reads. I open it, and I quickly open the envelope, my curiosity getting the better of me.Turning it upside down, and out falls a thin, golden bracelet in the middle of my palm. It is a delicate chain, with small stars studded
Ashley's POV:I’m ready, and for once, I think I look beautiful, even by my own standards. My hair is pulled up in a messy bun, with loose tendrils framing my face. My makeup is light, just enough to enhance my features, with a soft pink on my lips. I can’t help but smile as I check myself out in the mirror one last time. This dress, the way it hugs my figure and the drama of the sleeves, it’s everything I could have hoped for.Stepping out of the bedroom, I expect to find Ethan waiting, but the house is empty. The only light is coming from the dining area, so I head there, my heels clicking softly on the floor. As I approach the table, I see an envelope with Ethan’s handwriting on it. My curiosity piques as I pick it up. "Your first gift for this evening," it reads. I open it, and I quickly open the envelope, my curiosity getting the better of me.Turning it upside down, and out falls a thin, golden bracelet in the middle of my palm. It is a delicate chain, with small stars studded
Ashley's POV:The night is still, and the deck is perfectly calm, with only the gentle sound of the waves lapping against the yacht. The breeze is gentle, just enough to tease strands of my hair across my face. It feels almost sinful to break his peaceful atmosphere.Ethan sits beside me in blissful silence. He has draped his jacket over my shoulders, and though it is big enough to go way past my hips, it is warm and smells like him; I can't stop myself from taking a few whiffs every now and then. The overhead lights cast a golden glow over everything; it is just us the two of us out here, as the staff has retreated to give us privacy. Ethan has spread his legs out in front of him, looking perfectly relaxed, while my legs are folded to one side, my head resting on his shoulder. There are half- drunken champagne flutes in our hands; the bubbles fizzing gently. Every now and then, Ethan picks up a chocolate- covered strawberry and brings it to my lips, as the dessert he had promised