Ashley's POV:Although we returned to the city that very day, I still didn't get the chance to meet Tiffany… it has been almost two weeks since I last saw her, and I know she would be feeling as uneasy as I am. But there is nothing I can do about it right now… because today is already the day when we have to head to the party.I know, I know that whatever I am going to say to her, about not why I couldn't meet her, is going to sound like an excuse– but it really isn't!In fact, I feel slightly bad for the naive Ashley who thought that coming back was an occasion to celebrate, because ever since we have come back to the city, my schedule has been even more packed. After our return, not only have I had to prepare for the upcoming meeting while also meeting the small shareholders to convince them to sell their shares to me, but also to rehearse the lines Ethan has handed me as a script for the party.I really don't understand this man, or what does he really want from me! Sometimes, he
Ethan's POV:I feel nauseated seeing Ashley already making herself familiar with men twice her age, without any hesitation.Two minutes! It has been two minutes since I left her alone at this party, and she is ready to do the same things Emily would have done… how can they be so similar, yet so different… and at the same time, they are perfectly each other's mirror image when it comes to mannerisms and choices.I feel like it's going to take me ages to figure this girl out, even though I already used to think that I knew Emily… but she ended up giving me the biggest surprise and betrayal at the end anyway! I am still amazed, even after seeing it with my own eyes, how she is busy luring people with her beauty and charms! I can't believe Ashley could also go this low, without caring for any ethical or moral compass… Ashley might pretend to be naive when it comes to business, but when it comes to grabbing attention and sympathy, it looks like she has learnt it from the best of the bes
Ashley's POV:He opens the door, and throws me inside like I'm some piece of furniture that he didn't even want in the first place… but because of some reason, he can't deny the utility and get rid of it.I stumble into the room and grab the first thing I can to support myself; because my head is spinning in circles. I'm standing, leaning against the back of a couch, still trying to process what has happened in the span of an hour… or even the last few minutes? After so many days, I was finally feeling like I wasn't an oddity, like I didn't only want to remain stuck in the past where I felt safe and cherished, but like I also had something to look forward to. I had finally found someone, after what felt like an eternity, who was ready to hear my voice and was interested in my business ideas, without asking for any favors… I had finally found someone who knew my parents and appreciated their hard work, unlike everyone around me who had seemed to have forgotten them and their contrib
#Trigger Warning: Mention of or*l, v*gin*l and an*l intercourse. I find myself battling with the question of self respect and dignity when he comes dangerously close to me, making me flinch. But to my surprise, he places a kiss on my collarbone next. “Why do girls like you always need to have backups around you… why is there no one in this whole world, who is good enough for you… why can't you be loyal to anyone you ever meet?” “But not anymore… not anymore, sweetheart! Because if you haven't learnt how to be loyal to anyone… Then let me teach who you belong to for the next three months, and why you should not forget this.” He says this as a final warning of sorts, before he starts hurting me in every way possible; both physically and mentally… Meanwhile, confusion and fear start to tangle in my mind. What is he doing to me? The accusation in Ethan's eyes was something I can't comprehend. "Don't try to act innocent! I know girls like you are anything but innocent…” Hi
Ashley's POV:I wake up to find an empty bed, a sore body and broken soul with me.I feel my eyes burning with tears that refuse to be shed, when I'm bombarded by the memories of last night.Last night for me, was what people could compare with being worse than rotting in the hellfire… Ethan's actions and his words have done a great job in breaking my body and soul from the core, perfectly.I look around, trying to find any trace of any human presence there… but there is nothing, apart from my torn dress that I had stripped off myself last night.The silence in the room seems to be taunting me, screaming the reality of how I myself have ruined my life completely… by handing over all the power to someone who knows how to destroy his opponents by shattering them into a million pieces.I get off the bed, and slowly start to gather whatever is left behind; a few tears and the garment that is clearly not able to save me from the burning disgust inside my heart.Ethan… he was really mad at
Ashley's POV:I settle into the cab, barely aware of my surroundings. "Just go straight from Melrose Avenue, then take the first right off 125 and Hayden Park.”I mumble the directions absentmindedly, not even bothering to check if the driver understands. But he doesn't acknowledge my words either, and when I finally look up, I catch him staring at the marks on my arms through the rearview mirrror. His gaze lingers for a moment too long, and I quickly avert my gaze, rubbing my palms along my arms as if I can erase the evidence of what happened… but all I can do for now is distract myself. Turning to the window, I try to focus on the changing scenery outside as the neighborhoods blur together, a mix of old and new, rundown and pristine. I lean my head against the cool glass; the cab ride will be an hour long at the very least, and maybe I'll get a chance to rest on the way?But there is no trace of sleep or rest in my eyes or my destiny, because every time I close my eyes, I feel t
Ashley's POV:The last two days have passed in the blink of an eye, and I did nothing at all in these two days since I returned from Tiffany's home.Has there been a sense of fear and anxiety lurking in my heart, that I'm going to get a call from Ethan at any moment now, summoning me to come and satisfy his needs, his desires and sell my soul in return for the huge favor he is doing to me? Yes, I have barely been able to sleep… not to mention the number of times I wake up gasping and terrified that I have missed a call from him and now, I'll have to pay dearly for it. But have I missed him…? Hell yes! The most painful experience of my entire life is that no matter what happened and what Ethan has done to me, I still can't hate him… forget that, I'm not even able to stop myself from missing him! Although, one thing was certain in my mind: I don't want that night to be repeated, not at any cost… but I also know that it isn't in my hands anymore, because I have signed away the right
Ashley's POV:For a moment, I try to struggle against his grip. I know I am not this weak that I can't fight back; I can at least struggle to free myself from his grip…Or so I thought. But judging by his bloodshot red eyes and the anger that is being reflected in them, lurking somewhere in his mind– all this is telling me otherwise. He is ready to kill me… he wants to kill me. At any cost, and by any means!Until now, I have been under the impression that everyone is putting up this fight against me, simply because I am claiming my rights on the business.But it is at this moment that I'm beginning to realize something else: it's not about the business, it was never about the business… it is just that he never liked me. They have never liked me, or accepted me, from the start. He has never considered me as a part of the family; and till this moment, everything was just a show to try and deceive me into thinking that they care for me as a family… They desperately wanted to pull t