Asher’s POVDinner with my father was exactly what I expected: bland, formal, and devoid of anything remotely personal. We sat across from each other in the dim, overly polished dining room, the kind of place where the weight of expectation hung heavier than the chandelier overhead. Save for the tip of the head and a murmured response when we got here, we had not said a word to each other.With my father, I had learned to reduce the weight of my expectation since I was a little boy. My father was never one to show emotions, and no matter how I tried all these years, I could never get him to act like he cared.Once I received the message from him asking me to dinner, I knew it was for serious business. Unlike my mother, who made the effort to dine casually with us even though it was forced, my father never did. I arrived earlier than usual, and to my utter disappointment, he was already seated, waiting for me. Whether he was annoyed or not, his expression didn’t show it. When the waite
Ivy’s POVIt was a whole two hours of poking, prodding, hair-pulling, and all the other things the beauty team had done to get me glammed up and ready. Of course, I was no stranger to fancy gatherings like this, but something about this one had me wound up. Maybe it was because it was my first official event since Asher and I got married, and the media would be swarming over us.We had to look the part - a young, happily married couple filled with so much love for each other. Our task was harder now that we weren’t on speaking terms. I exhaled deeply as I stared at the dress laid out for me on the bed. I slipped it on with the help of one of the assistants.I didn’t have to try on several dresses; Asher had already picked out one for me. It was a black fitted halter neck dress that clung tightly to my slender figure. The dress had tiny silver embellishments scattered about it that made it sparkle as I moved. I stopped to wonder what was going through his mind when he picked out the dr
Ivy’s POVWhen I saw Asher from across the hall, all of my fears, worries, and anger seemed to drift away quickly too. All of it that I had walked into that hall with dissipated into thin air.It was like seeing him made everything good again. I wasn’t angry at him anymore. I didn’t worry that we wouldn’t pass off as a good couple, nothing. He looked dapper in that black tuxedo, and it was hard to explain, but he pulled it off in a way no one else in the room could.He didn’t look like any of the other uptight, snobbish men prancing around. He was more laid back, his slightly overgrown hair fell over his face, those smiley honey brown eyes boring into me, and even in the distance, I could feel the desire swirling in their depths. Goosebumps spread all over my skin.And like a scene from a corny romance movie, we crossed the lengths toward each other, and I was almost close when he stopped in his tracks and looked past me. The desire in his eyes replaced by a stronger emotion, anger.I
Ivy’s POVAsher reluctantly let go of me before he marched off. I turned to Marcus, annoyed. “I don’t know what history is there between you two, but I don’t want to be caught up in it.”I made to walk away, but Marcus grabbed my hand and pulled me back. “I’m sorry, Ivy. It was not my intention; I’m sorry,” he apologized, his eyes growing softer.I was quite taken aback; I didn’t expect an apology. “I...”“It’s just, Asher and I have had a strained relationship for the longest time.” He scratched his brow. “I think he cares for you, and I just feel like you’re the only hope I have to get through to my brother. I...”I glanced at Marcus. It was hard to tell if he was being sincere.“I feel like with you, there’s a chance for us to work things out. This is why I want to be friends with you. I feel like we can get through to him. I...” He took my hand in his. “I’m sorry that it seems like I’m putting you into a corner; I would never do that intentionally.”I glanced at Asher. He was look
Ivy’s POVAsher not-so-subtly dragged me out of the hall; he didn’t bother to answer any of the questions Luca was throwing at him. I swallowed nervously, barely able to breathe with his long strides, my mind going wild with different scenarios.He turned sharply into a hallway and frantically punched the keys into an elevator, pulling me in as soon as the doors opened.The doors pinged, and the elevator shut. He pulled me close and captured my lips in a frenzied kiss. He slipped his hand around my neck, and the other hand went around my waist. I melted like jelly into his arms, giving in to his kiss. I had dropped every last bit of restraint I had on the dance floor. Here we were alone, away from all the prying eyes.I wrapped my hands around his neck, deepening the kiss. He let out a pleasured groan at the back of his throat, reverberating in his chest, sending tingles down to the tips of my toes. I leaned in closer until I was pressed up against him, my nipples hardened nerve buds.
IvyI was halfway through my hair and makeup when Marsha rushed in, wide-eyed and breathless. All eyes in the room turned toward her.“What is it, Marsha?” I asked in a panicky voice. The look on her face made me even more worried, and my mind raced in different directions.“We have a little situation downstairs,” Marsha said, glancing at the women behind me.I turned to them, “Give me a moment, please,” I whispered.I walked up to Marsha, and she took my hand, leading me out the door.“What is going on, Marsha?” I asked as soon as we were out of earshot.“It’s Max. He’s at the reception, and he’s attracting attention.”I halted. “What do you mean he’s attracting attention?”Marsha gave me a look but didn’t say anything. Instead, she pulled my hand and led me toward the reception area. We peeked together.I didn’t know what I was expecting to see, but it was definitely not Max carrying a huge balloon bouquet in one hand and a flower in the other. I exhaled and pulled away, not wanting
Asher’s POVMy thumb hovered over the screen, stuck on the same image I had seen dozens of times today. Ivy, looking as beautiful as ever, with Max handing her a massive bouquet of roses and balloons. The post was blowing up, and I couldn’t stop scrolling. More pictures. More comments. Most people were speculating that the gifts were from me.I tried to push the tightness in my chest away. Ivy wasn’t mine in any real sense. This marriage was just a contract. A convenient arrangement for both of us. It was impulsive, at least for her. I told myself it wasn’t serious. After all, I had explicitly told her I didn’t need fidelity, nor should she expect it from me.It was a lie I told with a straight face. And now I had to deal with this. Just the thought was maddening, and now seeing actual pictures of them together, her smiling at him, made my stomach churn.The door clicked open, and Ivy walked in, her heels clicking sharply on the polished floor, cutting through the quiet. She stopped f
Asher’s POVI let her go after that. I watched as she ascended the stairs, stealing glances at me and blushing profusely. I couldn’t go after her; I didn't trust myself to keep my hands off her if I followed her up to her bedroom. I wouldn’t hold back, so I stayed at the foot of the stairs, my cock straining in my pants.I peeked at my watch, it was a little past 9 pm. I downed the contents of my glass; I couldn’t stay in the house knowing she was up there. I tried to imagine what she was up to, picturing her naked in the bath, which did nothing to help me. The mansion didn’t feel big enough to protect her from me. If I stayed any longer, I wouldn’t be able to stop myself from charging into her room.I rang for the housekeeper. A tall, fat lady with black hair tied back appeared at the doorway. “My wife needs h—” I paused. “My wife,” I repeated, savoring the words. It made me feel so good on the inside. I looked to see the housekeeper still staring at me expectantly.“My wife needs he
Asher’s POVThe loud beat of the bass shook the walls as I stepped into the dimly lit club. I spotted Luca almost instantly, sitting in a booth near the back, drink in hand. His easy grin faltered the moment his eyes landed on me.“Asher?” he called out, his voice a mixture of surprise and suspicion. “What the hell are you doing here?”I slid into the booth across from him without waiting for an invitation. “Could ask you the same thing,” I said coolly.He chuckled, though it lacked his usual charm. “I wasn’t expecting you to show up. We haven’t exactly been on great terms.” He passed me a glass and poured whisky for me.“Yeah, about that,” I said, picking up the drink he slid my way. “I figured it’s time we talk.”“Talk?” Luca echoed, leaning back in his seat. “This should be good.”“Since when?” I asked, cutting straight to the point.Luca raised an eyebrow. “Since when, what?”“You know what I’m talking about. Janine,” I answered. “When did you and my sister…” I trailed off. “Well,
Ivy’s POVMy head spun and my stomach churned. The words Max had just let slip hung in the air like a poisonous cloud, suffocating me. Taylor drugged Asher. Framed him. Slept with Max. It wasn’t Asher.It was never him. The anger I had carried for so long, the hatred I had aimed squarely at my husband, evaporated in an instant, replaced by a heavy, crushing guilt that made my chest ache. He had tried to tell me. He had tried to explain. And I didn’t listen.My mind reeled, jumping back to that moment, the moment where we had resolved our issues. The time he had bound me to the bed. When he finally loosened the restraints, I was breathless, ready to lash out.But something stopped me. Maybe it was the look in his eyes, raw and pleading. Or the way his hands trembled as he undid the last cuff.“I’m sorry, flower,” he had murmured, his voice breaking. “For the stupid stunt I tried to pull earlier. I promise you I’d never have gone on with it. I don’t like her. I don’t like anyone. I don’
Max’s POVI couldn’t stop grinning. My jaw hurt, but I didn’t care. Ivy called me out of the blue for a date. Well, maybe not a date-date, but still. She said to meet her at her downtown apartment.That had to mean something, right? It was her private apartment away from Asher. I was elated, to say the least.I had been racking my head trying to come up with a plan to meet up with her, to fix things on my own. Now, she had invited me over?My head buzzed with questions as I walked into her beautifully decorated living room. What was she thinking? What was going through her mind?Was this her way of making peace? Or was this just… closure?I didn’t care. I was here, and she wanted to talk to me.The table was already set, candles flickering in the dim light, soft music playing in the background. It was intimate. More intimate than I’d dared to hope.I took a seat, glancing around, trying to steady the stupid grin that threatened to split my face in two.Then she walked in.My breath hi
Max’s POVTaylor’s apartment was suffocating; the tension was thick between us as I paced back and forth. She stood by the window, arms crossed, staring out of it. My blood boiled.“Are you going to say something?” I barked, spinning on my heel to face her.She didn’t flinch. Taylor was a fortress, as usual. “What do you want me to say, Max?” she asked in a bored tone.“I want you to tell me what the hell you’re planning with Ivy and Asher!” My voice echoed off the walls. “Because so far, all you’ve done is destroy any chance I had with Ivy! You were supposed to help me win her over, not drive her away!”Taylor turned slowly, her face a mask of calm that only made me angrier. “And whose fault is that, Max? You think I’m the one who ruined it? Maybe look in the mirror for once! Look at yourself, would you even want yourself?”I stepped closer, my fists clenched. “Don’t you dare put this on me. You were the one with all the big plans, and now all you’ve done is poison her against me. I
Ivy’s POVBlondie was the girl he had plastered all over his social media, the same one he had brought to dinner. He went out to get her, and they returned not long after.“Hello,” she said, glancing at me and giving a small wave.I shot her a glare and hissed, “Stay away from me.”Her gaze dropped, avoiding mine. She was beautiful; I couldn’t deny that. I could see why he would want her. I shook my head and shut my eyes. “Stop this madness, Asher!”“It shouldn’t matter to you, right?” he said with a raised brow. “So, sit still, flower.”My heart hammered in my chest as he sat back down, and she dropped to her knees in front of him.A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips, making him look unbearably handsome. “Oh, heading straight to business,” he murmured, caressing her cheek as she scooted closer, positioning herself between his legs.She began working on the zipper of his pants.I blinked rapidly, my voice shaking. “Asher…”“What is it, Ivy?” he asked, his eyes dark with mis
Ivy’s POV“Asher, stop!” I hissed, tugging against his grip as he pulled me down the hallway. His hand was firm around my wrist, his stride fast.He didn’t even look back at me. “Not a chance.”“You’re overreacting!” I said, trying again to wrench free, but his hold was unyielding.“I’m not overreacting,” he said through clenched teeth. “You don’t see what I see, Ivy.”I stumbled as he stopped abruptly at the door to our bedroom, his free hand twisting the knob. Before I could say another word, he pushed the door open and dragged me inside.“Asher, let me go!” I said, my voice sharp, but he ignored me, releasing me only to shut the door behind us with a loud click.I spun to face him, my chest heaving. “What the hell was that back there? You punched him!”“Damn right I did,” he snapped, his brown eyes blazing. “He deserved it. He was looking at you like…” He trailed off, his jaw tightening. “Like you were a piece of steak he wanted to devour!”“He’s my photographer, Asher!” I shot bac
Dexter’s POVThe makeshift studio in the Sterling mansion was every photographer’s dream. Under the bright lights, I hardly noticed anything but Ivy.She stood in the center, her bikini and shawl combo clinging to her perfect figure like it was designed to torment me, because it was. Despite the perfect air conditioning, I was hot and sweating. I kept stealing glances at her.She was radiant, her blonde hair cascading down her shoulders like liquid gold, her blue eyes catching the light in a way that made my heart race.I couldn’t take my eyes off her, and I didn’t want to. She was everything I wanted, everything I needed. I just needed her to see it as I did.“You’re doing great,” I said, my voice low and smooth as I adjusted the camera.She laughed softly, sipping her cocktail between shots. “Thank you, Dex. You’re making this easy.”Her smile lit up the room, and I couldn’t help but stare. God, she was beautiful. She didn’t just look like a goddess, she was one. And for some reason
Ivy’s POVThe conversation around the room was muted to me as I stood near the corner, playing my part as the perfect wife.Asher was by my side, a perfect smile plastered on his face, while my parents laughed loudly and gestured animatedly with their hands.Across the room, Asher’s parents stood like statues, barely speaking. Their awkwardness next to each other was a sharp contrast to my parents’ lovey-dovey act.Marcus leaned against the wall with his companion, a beautiful brunette, murmuring something that made the girl smile widely, while Luca and Janine sat close, their heads together in quiet conversation.Everyone seemed to be in their own bubble, and I couldn’t help but feel like a stranger at my own birthday celebration. It was a small gathering of only close family members, yet I felt like an outsider, as though I didn’t belong.Asher leaned toward me, his voice low. “Are you okay?” His hand brushed my lower back, but I stepped slightly away, pretending to adjust the hem o
Asher’s POVThe elevator doors opened, and I wore a deep frown on my face as I stepped out into the office. My work had suffered in the past few weeks I hadn’t shown up here.It was like Ivy had taken my will to live the moment she stopped speaking to me. Waking up felt like a chore, and coming to the office was well…Stacy, my assistant, was on me before I’d made it five steps. “Good morning, Mr. Sterling. Your first meeting is scheduled for ten—”“Cancel it,” I interrupted, not breaking my stride.She hesitated, trotting to keep up with my brisk pace. “Uh, alright. But you also have—”“Cancel everything,” I snapped. “I’ll be in my office all day. No interruptions.” I knew there was no need to be mean to her, but I couldn’t help it. I was deeply irritated.Her voice wavered slightly, but she recovered quickly. “Understood. I’ll reschedule the rest, and I’ll let—”“And send coffee to my office,” I added, cutting her off again.“It’s already on the way,” she said hurriedly, her heels c