Ashley
She took a deep breath before entering the building. The same place where Michael used to work. The memories of Michael felt like a burning arrow piercing through her heart. However, she promptly shoved her past away to the farthest and darkest corner of her mind and focused on what was before her.She was grateful to Daniel for rescuing her from her intoxicated marriage but still, she couldn’t bring herself to meet him at his place. The thought of seeing him alone at his place frightened her. The memories of him coming on her were still intact in her head. And that is why she was intent on meeting him at his office.“I want to meet Mr. Daniel Smith,” she told the receptionist who gave her a puzzled look after checking out her attire that looked far from formal. “Do you have an appointment?” she asked in her soft tone, quickly overcoming her confusion.Ashley’s eyebrow joined together. “UmmNINE MONTHS LATERAshleyThe sun had been just up and was still unfurling its wings when her alarm went off. Ashley groggily shot her hand out of the duvet and pressed the stop button. She rubbed the lingering sleep off her eyes and pulled herself into a sitting position. A new day had started. Ashley was a morning person who liked drinking coffee while basking in the soft warmth of the sun in the early hours of the morning. She stretched to shake lethargy off her body and stood up. She was all set to start her day.Her lips tugged into a smile when her orbs caught sun rays dancing on her window. She pulled the drapes and unlocked the window to let the warm beams filter in.After finishing her morning ritual she headed towards the kitchen to make herself a cup of coffee. It had become a routine now. Her morning began with a cup of coffee and some time spent alone lounging in the backyard. After finishing her coffee she would
DanielThe opening of the door diverted his attention from the cooking video he had been watching on his phone to Steve who strode in the room with a voctorious smile. He handed him a file.“Dawsons have agreed to the conditions,” he remarked while flopping into the chair across from him.“Good. Finalize the deal then,” Daniel locked his phone and flipped through the file.Steve hummed.For a minute both of them said nothing. Daniel looked up through his eyelashes and found Steve staring at him.“Out with it, Steve,” he huffed while leafing through the pages.Steve straightened himself “The accountant told me that you have been taking extra interest in the upkeep of a particular orphanage at Springdales for the last nine months,” he stated suspiciously.Daniel ignored his curious gaze and inwardly groaned at the accountant who out of all people chose Steve to talk to abou
DANIELDo you know what is the worst feeling out there? It is regret! Because It never leaves you. It surreptitiously but effectively keeps hollowing you out from the inside destructing your confidence and belief in the process. It doesn't feel like a sudden sharp stab but feels as if someone is slashing your heart piece by piece. You know what is the worse thing about it? you can't point fingers at others for feeling like this because Regret breeds from your own actions. It leaves you vulnerable and helpless. And what makes it even more dangerous is the fact that there is no salvation from it. No way out. IT STAYS FOREVER. Forever at your service to crumple your soul like a piece of paper.Regret was among many emotions he got struck by when Daniel peeped in through the glass window. The sight of her lying almost lifeless on the bed was too heart-shredding to bear. He whipped his face to the side and stepped away. The sharp pain searing his inside inten
AshleyHow could she have forgotten those eyes. Those enigmatic green eyes, that held the power of drawing her in and scaring her away at the same time. A mystery that she itched to unravel but was too afraid to get close to. Something in her was always tempted to measure the depth of these oceans but was also afraid of drowning in them. Regardless of the time passed, these distinctive orbs still haunted her dream and invaded her thoughts. So many times they had flashed before her unannounced. So many times she had found herself comparing other people's green orbs with his. How could she have forgotten those gems?The world had stopped spinning as her eyes focused on his green ones. What unnerved her, even more, was that those intimidating orbs were trained on her. She didn't need to hear his voice or see his face to confirm. She knew it was him. Daniel Smith. With the realization came some questions. What is he doing here? What is she doing here?
DANIELHis heart clenched painfully when an achromic drop of tear trickled from her misty eyes. His eyes followed the tear trailing down her cheek and leaping off her jawline. She sounded so confused and scared. She didn't even need to tell what she must have gone through as her injuries explained the ordeal just fine. But what about the psychological pain?"Do you know who was he?" he asked trying not to sound pushy."No. He broke into my house in the early morning. I struggled to get away from him but he whisked out a gun and said someone has paid him to get me," she reminisced. Pain crossed her feature.Daniel pulled his brow together in confusion."Did he tell you who was the person who paid him?" he asked in his interrogative tone."No," she simply stated while locking her gaze with the bedsheet.He already knew what she told him. There was someone after her. Maybe Michael as he has been set free. But why did he pay so
ASHLEYHer groggy eyes snapped open to be met byaboundless ocean of darkness. Confused, she whipped her head around to catch a single shred of light but in vain. There wasn't a single ounce of light penetrating through the pitch-black surrounding that had engulfed her. Trepidation seeped into her veins sending her heart racing. She tried to get up from the chair she was sitting in. However, her movements got restricted causing a realization to strike her like lightning. She has been tied down with the chair. A skin-chaffing rope snaking around her waist and wrists. Her eyes widened in shock and her mind turned numb. As if on autopilot, her body began thrashing violently to get free from the bound.Sweat broke across her forehead and tears rolled down her cheek as she heard the sound of footsteps coming closer. "You really thought you can escape me," a menacing voice reached her causing hair to spike on the back of her n
AshleyHow did it happen? She couldn't help but ask herself this question every time Daniel came in front of her. She was perplexed. Utterly confused by her own feelings. She still couldn't understand why she isn't afraid of him as she used to be nine months ago? Why she wasn't finding his cold eyes and intimidating aura as terrifying as she used to find all those months ago.People say time changes everything. So, had the time changed her feelings? Her opinion about him? If yes, then why the mere mention of Michael's name still manages to strike terror in her heart? Why the time seemed to have no effect on her fear for him? Why was she still afraid of Michael but not Daniel? They both were driven by their mal intentions. They both harmed her. Harmed her?....No, Michael harmed her but Daniel.....he tried to harm her but he didn't. In fact, he went to great lengths to ensure her safety. If it weren't for him, she still would have been burning in
AshleyThe days followed by the "note incident" flew by in peace. No further threats were received. But that didn't mean she was not afraid anymore. The threatening words of the note were etched painfully in her memory that kept repeating themselves again and again in her head. Daniel didn't tell her much and his guarded expression revealed nothing, but she knew better. Ashley was suspicious that Michael was not alone in it. There was someone aiding him.She wanted to ask Daniel but she hadn't seen much of him since that day. Like a true workaholic, Daniel was always out of the house coming back only late at the night to leave again early the next morning. One silver lining was that Ashley had recovered to a great extent. She was able to walk on her own now. However, running was still out of question.That night she asked Dayna not to prepare her dinner as she wanted to make it by herself. It had been days since she had made something and her hands were itching to coo
Daniel gave her a heart-melting smile while approaching his chair that she returned with her own.He sat down and fixed his eyes on her. He liked watching her. Every movement of her. Her every expression. He was a goner and he knew that.Ashley felt uncomfortable under his scrutiny but she didn't object. Whereas a part of her wanted him to take his eyes off her the other part liked the way he was looking at her. Passionately.She sat next to him after serving him his plate. The smile was still pasted on Daniel's lips. He wasn't looking like his usual self that is stiff and untouched. He looked adorable and so cute."You can start," Ashley spoke to break his gaze on her. He blinked and lowered his gaze to his plate."It looks delicious," he beamed at her before picking up his spoon and scarfing down the food.That's it. That expression was what she was talking about. Him beaming like a child at the sight of his favorite food. That was her reward that she cherished m
Daniel flipped the sign to close as soon as the last customer walked out of the cafe. He sneaked into the kitchen where his wife and the owner o the bakery was working. There was no one on the premises except for the two. Daniel had already given earlier leave to the other staff members.His heart suffused with immense love when he saw her drowned in her work. He stalked over to her with quiet steps and wrapped his arms around her waist. He grunted and rested his chin on her shoulder while smooching the length of her neck, causing a radiating smile to chase across her lips."May I ask you what you doing, Mr. Smith?" she closed her eyes and tilted her head to allow him more access"Loving my wife. You gotta problem with that, Mrs. Smith?" he mumbled between kisses.The temperature dropped drastically in the room when his hand started stroking the sides of her body. His movement became urgent so did his kisses."Someone will see," she arched her back and close
FOURTEEN MONTHS LATERAshley's POVA lot of things have changed in the last fourteen months. I have my own bakery shop now which, by the way, is doing great. I also bought a house for my Mom.But if you ask me whether I have changed or not then I would say no. I haven't changed. He didn't want me to change but, yeah, I have surely become a better version of myself just like he wanted me to. I am still the same old Ashley but with a lot more confidence, faith in myself, and a new perspective on life. I am not afraid of my past anymore. I have learned to own my past and embrace it as an experience. An experience that taught me, toughened me up, and most importantly gave me a chance to meet him. Yup, I am all about him now.You know, Initially, I was mad at him for sending me away. But as time ticked by, I realized he was right. He was always right. I needed to spend some time with myself. I needed to discover my true self and then work on my shortcomings. I needed
Daniel cradled her face. His thumb wiping her tears away. "Baby..I want you to give yourself some time. You are..."Ashley grabbed his lapel and pulled him down. "No...I only need you. Please...Daniel..please....Don't do this to me. Don't push me away. I know you are mad at me... I....I am sorry, Daniel. Beat me if you want to..slap me..hit me (she takes his hands and starts slapping herself but Daniel retracts immediately) Ashley cupped his pain-etched face. "But please, baby, don't..don't push me away..I love you, Daniel..," she pleaded and attached her lips with his. She kissed him passionately, hoping that would change his mind. Tears streamed down her eyes.Daniel pulled away and rested his forehead against hers as his eyes too started to water down, "I love you too. So much that it hurts, Ashley" he squeezes his eyes shut but then opens them again and meets her desperate gaze."And I am not pushing you away, angel...I can never push you away...Do you understand?
Ashley glanced over to the goon with pleading eyes. She couldn't believe this was happening. The goon strapped her to the bed and stormed out of the room.Mr. Watson placed the gun on the table and went to lock the door once again."You are a brat, Ashley. You shouldn't have done that. You shouldn't have hit me. Your master," he spits menacingly while taking threatening steps towards her. Ashley cowered away in fear. Squeezing herself into the headrest. Her dress rode up her thigh, exposing her panty. But she didn't pay no mind to it.Mr. Watson tangled his fingers into her hair and pulled at them with full force. Ashley shrieked in pain but there was no one who could listen to her."Scream bitch. Scream louder. No one is going to hear you. Not tonight not ever," his palm smacked hard against her cheek, leaving the imprint of his palm.Her head spun by the impact as her face fell down to one side. He pulled her hair with more force making her head tilt up. T
"You are sick," she stated, realizing that the old man was indeed a psycho. Horror and understanding were written all over her face.Mr. Watson chuckled as if she has cracked some joke. He walked behind her and tightly clutched at the edge of her chair."Guess what. This sick man is going to decide your fate," he whispered in her ears. The back of his hand caressing her wet cheek. Her heart was thudding frighteningly against her chest.Ashley jerked away from his touch. " You can't do this to me. I am like your daughter," she bit out.Mr. Watson laughed at her words and paced across the room. His footsteps sounding off the walls. Blake was sitting like a statue in her chair. listening to everything, seeing everything but too helpless to do anything."Daughter? You are my slave, Ashley. My personal slave," the maliciousness in his voice rattled the strings of her heart. He resembled a maniac. A lunatic. How couldn't she see his true self?"But don't worr
Her eyes flickered onto the woman sitting in the wheelchair, catching a lone tear trailing down her cheek. Blake was listening to their conversation."My mother died in a car accident," she affirmed without blinking away from Blakely. Her eyes scanned her for any similarity but except their eye color, there was nothing common between them."Is that what they told you? No wonder. Well, it's a half-truth sweetheart. Your parents did meet a car accident but Blakely survived and your pathetic father died," he said casually.Anger fired up through her veins as she jolted the ropes that were restraining her."Don't you dare talk about my parents like this," she warned him in a cold tone."No?" he questioned mockingly. And then started laughing."Ohh Blake you've got a lovely daughter," Mr. Watson spoke to Blake gently caressing her cheek.Ashley had no idea how to react. But she didn't like the way he was treating Blake." Why am I here?" she gritte
She was hovering on the edge of unconsciousness when approaching firm footsteps caught her attention. Her ears perked up at the sound of the opening of the door and the footsteps became louder."Oh...There you are.......Sugar" a manly voice greeted her, causing her breath to hitch. A chill coursed through her body as the hair on her nape pricked up in response. His voice resonated: a freezing wind in a cold night. So unfriendly and so threatening. She had heard this voice. She knew it in her guts. But where? Her chain of thoughts was severed when he heard him approaching her. Step by step. Ashley whimpered in fear as a drop of warm tear trickled down her cheek.Her body grew stiff when she felt his finger pad wiping her tear.And then he tsked."Poor Ashley. Life has always played hide and seek with you. Isn't it?" he mocked her. And then she felt him going behind her back."Wanna know who I am?" he whispered in her ear from behind. Ashley breathed in his cologne and
Daniel spent the whole night at his office. Drowned in the darkness and shrouded with an eerie silence. This is strange, how one starts to see things more clearly in the dark. He saw it too. He saw how one truth turned his life upside down. He knew he was doing wrong when he signed those papers. Even though it was the right thing to do. He was hurt but not angry. The man still hadn't forgiven himself for that, then how could he expect Ashley to forgive him. But still, he couldn't help himself but feel hurt by Ashley's words. This must have been really tough for her.He knew Ashley had trust issues after what she went through with Michael. Her ex-husband, who pretended to love her until he got his fill of her body. It must have been really challenging for her to start trusting Daniel. But despite it all, she had started to trust him and the man had given her all the reasons.He didn't blame Ashley for how she reacted. It was natural for her to go frenzy after learning that