Chapter 16

Ashley’s POV

I lay in bed, wide awake, staring at the ceiling as the hours ticked by. My mind was a storm, churning with thoughts and fears. The wedding was set for tonight. And there was no escape.

Marrying a man as ruthless as Steven felt like plunging into darkness. The kind of darkness you don’t come back from. I hadn’t told anyone—not even Mabel, my best friend. Keeping it all hidden felt like carrying a weight too heavy to bear.

The door creaked open, and Mabel’s face appeared in the dim light.

"Still awake?" she asked, slipping inside without waiting for an answer.

I nodded, shifting to sit up. "Yeah... seems sleep doesn’t want to visit me tonight."

She sighed, moving to sit beside me. “I get it. Tonight’s... a lot to handle, Ash.” Her voice softened. "I still don’t understand why you’re doing this. But I’m here. I trust you."

Her words pierced through the fear, leaving a bittersweet ache. I wanted to tell her everything, but I couldn’t. Not now. Maybe not ever.

“Thank you, M