HOW IT ALL STARTED. THE first time Aiden met Danny, they were both eight years old. It was at a park, in the middle of a playground, on one of those giant metal swing sets. Aiden was sitting on the lowest swing, his legs dangling and his knees scraping the wood chips beneath. Danny was standing nearby, watching him. He walked over, not saying a word, and simply sat down on the swing next to Aiden. They didn't speak for a while; they just swung together in silence. And when they got talking, Aiden knew they would be best friends forever. As they grew older, Aiden and Danny remained close friends. They shared everything: their dreams, their secrets, and their fears. They supported each other through thick and thin, and their friendship only grew stronger. When Aiden's father, who was a philanthropist, died, he left his entire fortune to Aiden, with the stipulation that he use it to make a difference in the world. Danny, on the other hand, joined the army after high school. He excel
ASHLEY rushed out of her room in her nightwear as she heard the doorbell ring. The only person she was expecting was Thomas, he had promised to help collect her belongings from Aiden's mansion, but when she opened the door, her face fell at the sight of her guest, he wasn't Thomas, but Aiden.He looked so handsome and irresistible that it took Ashley's breath away. She breathed. "Aiden..." He wanted to hug her and feel her warmth but the cold demeanor she possessed told him better. He lamely gestured to the box, and bags which his driver placed beside the entrance of apartment. "I brought your belongings.""You shouldn't have bothered, Thomas was going to bring them for me."Aiden took a step closer, his face a mix of regret and determination. "So you won't invite me in?""Aiden... you're not welcomed here." "Okay, let me help you put the bags inside."No, I can do it."He reached out to touch her cheek, but she flinched away. "Ashley I know your mad, but you have to let me explain.
Ashley blurted out of nowhere. "Thomas wants me back?""What?" Aiden eyes widened in shock. "You can't possibly be considering him, or are you?"I don't know." She said her voice barely above a whisper."Do you still love him?She didn't answer."If you want to figure out whatever it is you feel for Thomas, I won't stop you, but I won't let you go either. And if he still has a tiny piece of your heart with him, then I will do everything within my power to win it, and own it." Aiden held her hands and raised her to a standing position, positioning her between his legs while he sat on the couch. Her busts were directly in his face. "Promise me you won't sleep with him."Ashley looked down at him. "You don't have a problem with me hanging out with another man, so long as I don't have sex with him?"Aiden stood from the chair and towered over her. He nodded and pressed a kiss on her temple. "Pinky swear?" He pulled out his pinky finger.Ashley arched her brow in confusion. "Men don't pink
When an unstoppable force meets an immovable object, what happen? Does the unstoppable force stop, or does the immovable object move?ASHLEY glanced at herself in the mirror for the umpteenth time, adjusting her red dress in the process. The dress clung to her curves, accentuating her figure in just the right ways. She felt like a million bucks, even if she knew that wasn't exactly true. Her date was supposed to arrive in a few minutes, and she couldn't help but feel a mix of nervousness and anticipation in the pit of her stomach.She heard the door bell ring, and her heart skipped a beat. It was him, she could feel it. Ashley took a deep breath, smoothed down her dress one last time, and walked over to the door. As she opened it, there he was, tall, handsome, and dressed impeccably in a black tuxedo, with a red rose on it's label matching the color of her dress. Thomas' eyes widened as he took in her appearance, and he couldn't help but smile."I would say you look beautiful, but yo
Thomas and Ashley, hand in hand, walked down the street, the music of the club fading into the distance. Thomas brushed his thumb against the tiny pendants of her bracelet and raised her hands to his eye to have a clearer view of the bracelet. "This is beautiful."Ashley waited for him to say something more. She had told him the story of the bracelet too many times, that she loved it because her aunt Kathy gifted it to her, but Thomas said nothing. Maybe he had forgotten.He shifted his arms and wrapped them tightly around Ashley's waist as they continued to walk. He stopped to kiss her cheek, and then asked her something that made her pause. "Where do you see yourself in the next five years?" he inquired, his voice low and husky.In five years time, I hope to be settled down. She looked up at Thomas, he was already married, he kept saying how he would divorce his wife and be with her if she accepted him, but was there any truth in it...Can Thomas suffer the Veighblack's wrath for her
AS they sipped their wine, the conversation flowed effortlessly. Aiden, with his quick wit and charming smile, kept everyone at the table entertained. Ashley found herself lost in his captivating gaze, feeling a warmth spread through her chest. She couldn't help but notice the way he would occasionally glance her way, a soft smile playing at the corners of his lips."So," Britney finally dropped her phone on the table and turned to Ashley, her amber eyes sparkling with excitement. "Tell me about yourself."Ashley let out a sigh. "There's nothing to tell." But before the count of three, she was already babbling non-stop about her life. They moved effortlessly from one topic to another flowing with the discussion. When their decision became so feminized, Aiden had to excuse himself, as much as he loved women anatomy, he couldn't possibly sit down and listen to his sister and his girlfriend talk about it. He politely excused himself and they laughed at him."Aiden is so wonderful." Ashle
ASHLEY laid on her bed, her fingers flying across the screen of her phone as she texted with Aiden. Her room was a mess of tangled sheets and discarded clothes, but she hardly noticed. The only thing that mattered was the conversation unfolding before her. Aiden had just sent her a hilarious video of a cat trying to climb a tree, and she burst out laughing, shaking her head. But then he had sent another message, one that brought her back to reality. "Oh right," she muttered to herself, "I forgot about that." Her phone buzzed with a notification and she scrolled up, she realized it was a text from Thomas. 'How is my favorite person doing?' Her fingers rested on the keyboard thinking of a reply when another message dropped. It was a dance tutorial video, he captioned it. 'I stumbled on this video, and you crossed my mind.' She smiled and considered his act as being so loving. "Thank you professor." She typed and hit send. She scrolled back to Aiden's chat and replied to his text, a
AIDEN took his turn in the bathroom bathing under a freezing cold water, he was already hard and he knew he couldn't take her in the state she was, it would be taking advantage of her, she was sad and vulnerable and in pain. The last thing se needed was a standing cock, he knows he will suffer the ache tomorrow but preserving Ashley was more important. He had no change of clothes, he had given their wet dirty clothes to the room service to laundry for tomorrow's return to the city, and Aiden didn't pack an extra bag. He joined her under the covers in his naked form. Ashley immediately rolled to him, and ran her hands from her chest down to the pole between his legs, she paused and raised her eyes to meet his, they was a mischievous smile on her face. She toyed with it for a while, pinching and rolling in her hands. Aiden clenched his fists to the side, he was restraining himself from dragging her hair and bending her over. Ashley looked her eyes with his as she rolled from him and
Ashley's heels clicked against the gleaming marble floor of the private airport terminal, echoing through the vast, empty space. She looked around anxiously, her eyes scanning the sleek lines of the chrome and glass walls, hoping to catch a glimpse of Aiden's unmistakable silhouette. The sound of engines roared in the distance, muffled by the thick panes of soundproof glass that separated the opulent lobby from the tarmac. Her heart raced, a frantic drumbeat in her chest that grew louder with every passing second. The clock above the bustling departures board ticked away, reminding her of the dwindling time she had left. Aiden's flight was due to take off any minute, and she had to find him. She had to apologize. Her thoughts were a tumultuous storm of regret and fear, a toxic brew that threatened to spill over at any moment. The weight of her actions bore down on her, a heavy burden that she hadn't realized she'd been carrying until it was almost too late. Her eyes darted around t
"YES, I did it." He attempted to touch her, but Ashley stood up and screamed. "Don't touch me!" The force of her anger scared him, and he retreated back immediately. "I can explain.""Explain what?" Her chest rose and fell in quick successions."My plan was never to hurt you.""But you did." Ashley chuckled. "You sent men to kidnap, torture and rob me, as if that wasn't enough, you still accused Aiden.""There weren't supposed to hurt you."Ashley shook her head. "Do you want to know what is so disgusting? It's the fact that you imputed your guilt on Metaphor."Thomas took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a moment before continuing. "Metaphor is actually guilty."Ashley shook her head again. "Why are you so confused?""The men who kidnapped you, they are members of the Metaphor." He paused. "I'm sorry. I was too jealous when you and Aiden were together. I--I had to find traitors amongst Metaphor and pay them enough to just make you disappear for a while." He desperately tried to
"ASHLEY, you're not going to believe this," Nichole announced breathlessly, her eyes wide with annoyance. She and Genevieve bursted into the room, their footsteps echoing off the walls.Ashley looked up from her wineglass, curiosity piqued. "What's going on?" she asked, setting the wine bottle in place. The light from the pendant lamp above her cast a warm glow on her face, illuminating the puzzled expression.Nichole's features hardened as she handed over a thick envelope to Ashley. "It's the report from the detective," she said, her voice dropping to a serious tone. "They've found out who was behind your kidnapping and robbery."Ashley's hand trembled as she took the envelope. The weight of it felt like a brick in her grasp. She stared at the unassuming paper, unable to process the words. "What does it say?" she managed to ask, her voice a mere whisper.Genevieve sat down beside her on the couch, her own expression somber. "Thomas," she said simply. "It was Thomas. He's the one behi
THE next few days in Ashley's house was a hide and seek game between Ashley and her mom. Ashley did everything in her power to ignore Mira, and Mira sensing it, intentionally ignored her, but she still prepared breakfast, ste the alarm clock so loud so that it would wake Ashley on time to be early to work. Mira never brought up the topic of a fresh start again, but her presence and conducts were literally begging for a fresh start. Her presence was like a taunting nightmare, which caused Ashley to leave the house very early in the morning, her herself as worked up as possible and return home very late. They never had to cross paths for a conversation lasting more than 15 seconds. Mira's presence and constant effort was slowly weakening hee resolve. She needed to know her mother's side of the story. She needed someone to hug...she needed a friend but more importantly, she needed her mom. Ashley returned on Wednesday with a changed mind, but she was welcomed by the greatest surprise
ASHLEY stirred, her eyes slowly opening to the soft glow of the morning sun filtering through her blinds. She took a deep breath, inhaling the tantalizing aroma of pancakes and coffee wafting from the kitchen. The smells filled her room with a comfort she hadn't felt in a long time. Her stomach grumbled, reminding her that she had barely eaten the night before, consumed by the shock of her mother's unexpected return.Her mother's voice, filled with an awkward nervousness, called out from the hallway. "Ashley, sweetie, I made breakfast. It's ready for you."Ashley sat up in bed, her body stiff from a restless night. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and glanced at the digital clock on her nightstand. It was almost 9 AM, later than she usually woke up. Her mind raced with the events of the previous evening: the doorbell ringing, the awkward meeting at the parking lot. Her mother had been gone for 22 years, and now she was here, trying to slip back into her life as if nothing had happen
HER final destination for the day was Blue Skype modelling. The moment she pushed the glass door and entered inside the building...the models, the talent managers, and other employees all stared at her, and she knew something bad was about to happen to her. She asked herself, what's the worst that could happen?Mr Shaw stood in the gathering of some important shareholders and signalled her to come over. She nervously reached them in just a few steps. Mr Shaw gave her an envelope. Was she being dismissed? Her first reaction was to turn around and leave, but mr Shaw stopped her, and all the eyes in the building were literally begging her to open the envelope. She opened it and retrieved a white letter, before her brain could process what she saw. The crowd cheered, clapped and choruserd congratulations.She will be going to Paris to feature in the international fashion magazine, that was the biggest job ever yet. The entire building was full of cheers and clapping, how did they know?"A
THE last person Thomas expected to see after a stressful night at the Met met gala was his wife, Maris laying on his bed. He absently entered his room, threw his tuxedo to one corner while he undid his tie. Thomas stopped dead in his track when he saw Maris, his eyes widened in shock. "Maris?" He managed to ask."Hi Thomas. Where have you been?" She laid on her right side and stared at him."What are you doing here?" He hesitated. "Chole, she's still out there, what if she find you?"She slowly stood from the bed. "Oh relax husband. My daddy has taken care of chole, she will never have to bother us ever again." She traced a light touch down his chest.Thomas was still not convinced. "It's not safe here.""Hmmm...is there something you're hiding from me?""What?" Thomas laughed nervously and pulled her closer to him. "There's nothing I'm hiding from you.""Good." She placed her hands on his chin and tilted his head to the side, she kissed him. They stumbled backwards and fell on the be
JUST as she thought she had found a safe haven, she collided with a man dressed in an eccentric outfit that matched the avant-garde theme of the gala. She stumbled back, her hand shooting out to steady herself. "I'm so sorry," she said, her eyes flicking up to meet his. To her horror, it was Thomas, his handsome face etched with confusion. "Ashley?" he questioned, his voice a mix of surprise and concern. Her mind raced as she tried to formulate an excuse. "Oh, Thomas, what a... pleasant surprise," she said, trying to sound as casual as possible. "I was just looking for the restroom, and I seem to have gotten a bit turned around." He tilted his head, his eyes searching hers. "You okay?" Ashley's pulse hammered in her ears. "Yes, yes, just a bit overwhelmed by the grandeur, you know?" Thomas nodded, his gaze lingering on her for a moment too long. "I can see why," he said, his voice low and comforting. "Would you like me to walk you there?" Her heart skipped a beat. "No, no, th
"WOULD you like a drink?" Thomas asked, mistaking her nervousness for thirst. "I'll grab us some champagne.""No, no, I'm fine," she replied a little too quickly. "Just...just give me a moment to admire this piece." She gestured to a mannequin dressed in an outlandish outfit that looked like it belonged on an alien runway.Thomas nodded, his eyes lingering on her before he stepped away. Ashley took a deep breath, willing her heart to calm down. She had to find a way to get to Aiden without Thomas finding out. The room was crowded, but she spotted a narrow corridor leading to the next exhibit. It was her chance."Thomas, I think I'll just step out for a moment to...uh, to check my makeup," she said, her voice shaky.Thomas nodded, engrossed in a nearby conversation. "Take your time, darling. I'll be right here."With a silent prayer to the fashion gods, Ashley slipped away. She stepped into the corridor, her heels clicking against the floor as she moved swiftly. The walls were lined w