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Chapter 104: Another layer
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The Wife Swap Chapter 105: The final act
Ashley’s POVThe rest of the salon visit went by in a blur. Faye’s words about Ashton’s mysterious fear kept replaying in my mind, like a warning bell I couldn’t silence. The more I thought about it, the more I wondered if I should have been paying closer attention to any clues, the fragments of Ashton’s life that I had been so quick to dismiss. The problem was that I didn’t even know enough to have anything to work with. Who was it that Ashton was so afraid of? Could it be Thomas? Or was there someone else lurking in the shadows? Could that be why she was going on that trip? When we finished up, Faye and I parted ways, but not before she gave me one more reassuring smile, as if to tell me everything would be alright. I tried to mirror her optimism, but it felt like a mask that didn’t quite fit.Adam was waiting outside the salon, his face as impassive as ever, but something about the way his eyes lingered on me for a moment too long made me wonder if he could sense my unease.I cli
The Wife Swap Chapter 106: Heightened emotions
Ashley’s POVThe arrival of the make-up artist had been a welcome distraction, giving me a brief break from the different thoughts spinning around in my mind since Faye’s unsettling revelation. My interaction with her had left me reeling—who was this person Ashton had feared so much? The truth felt like a heavy stone lodged in my chest, one I couldn’t shake loose, no matter how hard I tried. But now, with the lady here to help me prepare for the gala, I allowed myself to focus on something else, even if just for a few minutes.As I stepped out of the bathroom, my hair damp from the shower and a plush white robe wrapped around me and sat in front of the mirror, I heard a soft knock at the door. My heart skipped a beat—was this the final interruption before the evening truly began? The makeup artist, a cheerful woman with warm eyes and an air of professionalism, quickly set down her brushes.“I’ll get it,” she said, her voice light and eager to help. “You just relax.”There was something
The Wife Swap Chapter 107: No matter what happens
Ashley’s POVThere was a beat of silence, heavy and thick with everything we weren’t saying. I looked away, staring at the floor because meeting his gaze felt too much like confronting everything that was wrong between us.Andreas broke the silence first, his voice softer than before. “I just wanted to tell you…that I’ll always be there for you, no matter what happens.”I glanced up at him, startled by the vulnerability in his words. For the first time in a long time, I saw a crack in his stoic facade, a hint of the man underneath—the one who had captured my heart“Thank you,” I whispered, not trusting my voice to say more.He nodded, his expression unreadable as he stepped back, creating space between us again. “I have to head to the venue early,” he said after a moment, his voice softer than usual. “There are a few people I need to welcome. But if you’d like, I can come back and we could go together.”There was a pause, a fleeting hope that seemed to hang in the air, like he was off
The Wife Swap Chapter 108: One way or another
Andreas’s POVFriends.I would regret that word until my last breath. I had drawn the line between Ashley and me, not because I didn’t want more, but because I was terrified of what I couldn’t have. Of what I didn’t deserve. But walking away from her just now, after that moment we shared—her soft moan when I wiped the soap from her ear—had taken everything in me not to close the space between us and kiss her senseless.She didn’t even realize the sound she’d made, but I did. It lodged itself in my chest, searing beneath the surface like an open wound. It took everything to turn my back on her and not give in to the pull I felt, the need I had to just...hold her. Kiss her. Something more than this strained, distant friendship we’d agreed on.Friends. What a fucking lie.But I had bigger issues right now. Issues that made whatever tension simmered between Ashley and me feel insignificant.Clint, my driver, glanced at me through the rearview mirror. “Everything okay back there, boss?”“I
The Wife Swap Chapter 109: Host duties
Andreas’s POVEverything seemed to be going surprisingly well. Well, at least for now. It had only been an hour into the gala, and typically, I was far too much of a meticulous pessimist to think things were smooth sailing this early. But for once, the chaos hadn't yet crept in. No drama, no scandals…yet.My father, Alfred, and his wife, Margaret, had arrived first. It was typical of him, showing up on time and immediately scanning the room with that hawk-like gaze of his. He gave me a curt nod, his usual nonverbal acknowledgment, before he started surveying the crowd. Margaret, on the other hand, tried to mimic his cool demeanor, but I could see right through her.Her eyes flitted across the room with all the subtlety of a child in a candy store, especially when she caught sight of the woman I had just exchanged pleasantries with. One of the CEOs of Pinnacle Beauty, a makeup line I knew Margaret was practically a walking advertisement for.Predictably, Margaret couldn't resist. She l
The Wife Swap Chapter 110: Sweet
Andreas’s POVSweet.That word had lodged itself in my head ever since I overheard a man whisper it to his wife as they strolled past me, her giggles echoing down the hall. It irritated me. It reminded me of Ashley—of the way she had this strange hold on me, how the mere thought of her made me feel like a kid who'd just been allowed to have candy. My eyes kept flicking toward the entrance, restless anticipation bubbling beneath my skin. It was ridiculous, really. Waiting for her like this.I hated that I felt it—that ache, that need to see her again.For what felt like the hundredth time, I reminded myself that tonight was the last night. The last time Ashley would stand by my side before everything fell apart. Tomorrow, I’d have to sit my father down and confess. I’d have to tell him about Ashton. About Ashley. About the wife swap.It would destroy whatever illusion we’d managed to uphold, and after that, I had no idea what would come next. No more pretense. No more hiding behind the
The Wife Swap Chapter 111: Adam’s surprise
Andreas’s POVAdam was always late. If there was one thing I could count on, it was that he’d make a scene by showing up at the last possible minute, basking in the attention his tardiness garnered. And tonight was no different.He strolled in with his wife, Sansa, on his arm, the picture of the perfect couple. Except, it was all a lie. Anyone who knew them knew the truth—there was no love between them, just an arranged marriage stitched together by our parents to consolidate wealth and power. A hollow, loveless match.Sansa smiled warmly at me, her eyes soft and kind, the way they always were. And I smiled back, a genuine one, though it felt rare on a night like this. A part of me always felt sad for her. She didn’t deserve to be stuck with my asshole brother, trapped in a life that wasn’t hers. Besides Annabel, Sansa was the only other person in this family I didn’t mind helping if she ever needed anything. She was too good for this family.“Andreas,” she greeted, her voice soft, li
The Wife Swap Chapter 112: The stronger twin
Ashley’s POVI stared at my reflection in the mirror, barely recognizing myself beneath the layers of makeup. My face was flawless, the work of Shannon, who had spent the last hour fussing over me as if I were some kind of doll, which, surprisingly, had made me feel more at ease than I’d expected.“You look absolutely fabulous!” Faye exclaimed from where she sat, her voice bright and animated as always, as Shannon finished up her makeup. Shannon had jumped in last minute after Faye hurried over to the house, desperate because her own makeup artist was running late from another appointment.“Really, you do,” Shannon chimed in, taking a step back to admire her work. “And this dress is perfect for the gala.”I forced a small smile as I glanced down at the gown I’d chosen for tonight. It was elegant but understated, something that wouldn’t draw too much attention while still meeting the occasion’s standards. Exactly how I liked to be. Yet as perfect as it all was—my makeup, the dress, the
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