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Chapter 129: Charm and Grace
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2024-10-24 00:11:55Related chapters
The Wife Swap Chapter 130: Cat out of the bag
Ashley’s POVLiv, bless her, had stayed with me the whole afternoon. She knew I was a wreck after Alfred’s call—who wouldn’t be? He had that way of making every word feel like a trap, every silence like a loaded gun. So, to keep my mind off things, Liv had taken me to her office, dug up a pile of old notebooks, dust settling on their covers, each filled with story ideas I had long abandoned with her and promised to look through before since everything got flipped upside down.“Look at these!” she said, flipping open one with a faded cover. “These used to be your world, Ash. Let’s dive in. It’ll be good for you.”I wanted to tell her it was pointless. Those stories had been abandoned for a reason—how could I care about characters and plot twists when my own life felt like one big lie? But she insisted, and I didn’t have the heart to refuse. So, we sat there, flipping through pages and laughing over half-baked ideas. Liv’s presence was calming, and for a few hours, I almost forgot about
Last Updated : 2024-10-25The Wife Swap Chapter 131: More shock
Ashley’s POVAlfred’s smile widened, a flash of teeth that made my stomach twist. “Oh, I’ve had my suspicions for a while,” he said smoothly, as if this was all some kind of game. “Little things—mannerisms, the way you speak. Your sister has certain habits that you...lack.”I wanted to argue, to tell him he was wrong, but I knew it was pointless. Instead, I swallowed hard, trying to keep my voice steady. “Andreas didn’t tell you?”He chuckled, shaking his head. “He did. A few hours ago and if he hadn’t, I might have never figured out what I thought was so different about my daughter in law that I couldn’t seem to place.”I sat there, stunned, my mind racing. I’d been so careful—or at least, I’d thought I had been. All those little details, the things I’d tried so hard to get right, and he’d still suspected, which meant that it was only a matter of time before he figured it out with or without Andreas’ confession. I wondered what exactly Andreas had told him. Did he tell him all of it?
Last Updated : 2024-10-26The Wife Swap Chapter 132: Some kind of business deal
Ashley’s POVBefore I could even fully process what Alfred had just implied—that he wouldn’t have objected if I’d been the one Andreas brought home instead of Ashton—Andreas’s hand found mine. His touch was warm and grounding, but there was a tense urgency to it. He pulled me up from the chair, positioning himself subtly between me and Alfred, like he was forming a shield. “Father, we’ve already discussed this. I told you I’ll handle things. I have it under control,” Andreas said, his tone calm yet edged with an unspoken warning.But Alfred merely raised an eyebrow, a faint smile tugging at his lips. He looked more amused than anything, as though toying with us both. “Really, Andreas? From where I stand, it appears you’re barely holding on by a thread.”He let the words hang in the air before continuing. “I’ve had enough time to consider everything you told me this morning, and I’ve come to a decision,” he said, his gaze flicking to me, evaluating as though I were a part of his own ma
Last Updated : 2024-10-28The Wife Swap Chapter 133: A shocking discovery
Ashley’s POVI felt my legs begin to tremble, and I forced myself to stand tall, even as my heart pounded wildly in my chest. I wanted to lash out, to tell him he was a heartless monster, but there was no point. He wouldn’t hear it. All he saw was the bottom line—the damage control, the facade that needed to be maintained.“And what about me?” I asked, my voice raw with emotion. “What about what this is doing to me? To Andreas? To all of us?”Alfred’s gaze shifted, almost as if he were considering my words. But then he shrugged, a gesture so dismissive it made my blood boil. “You’ve handled it so far,” he said simply. “And if it means protecting what we’ve built, then yes, I expect you to continue. If you walk away now, everything crumbles—don’t you see that?”“No,” Andreas said, his voice shaking with fury, “what I see is a man so obsessed with control that he’s willing to sacrifice anything for the sake of a lie.”The room went deathly quiet, and I felt Andreas’s hand go rigid in mi
Last Updated : 2024-10-28The Wife Swap Chapter 134: The weight of secrets
Ashley’s POVI felt the floor drop out from under me. My vision blurred as I tried to comprehend what Andreas had just said—Ashton might still be alive. The world had turned upside down, leaving me dangling and unable to find my footing. My chest tightened, and I fought to keep my breathing steady, but the walls felt like they were closing in. Everything was suddenly too loud and too quiet, all at once.I stared at Andreas, struggling to piece together how the man I had trusted—who’d become my only stability in the chaos since I first got news of that plane crash—could have hidden something so monumental from me. “How long?” I managed to choke out, my voice barely above a whisper. “How long have you known, Andreas?”He hesitated, and the flicker of guilt that crossed his face twisted the knife deeper. “Not long,” he said, but his voice cracked, betraying him. His eyes darted away from mine for a fraction of a second, a moment that told me everything. “A few days, maybe a week—”“A wee
Last Updated : 2024-10-29The Wife Swap Chapter 135: New Terms
Ashley’s POV"Don’t you see?" Alfred pressed, leaning forward with a gleam in his eyes. His tone was almost triumphant, like he’d won some invisible battle. "If you leave now, if you let this unravel, it won’t just be you who suffers. It will be Andreas, the family, the company. Everything we’ve worked so hard to maintain will fall apart if the truth gets out now, especially without knowing if Ashton is dead or alive. Your role, Ashley, is crucial. You've done a remarkable job keeping things together, and to walk away now would be irresponsible. Reckless, even."I clenched my jaw, every muscle in my body tense as I glared at him. "So, what you’re saying," I said slowly, my voice low and controlled, "is that you want me to keep lying. Keep pretending to be my sister even though she might still be out there somewhere.""Yes," Alfred said bluntly, not even bothering to soften the blow. His eyes met mine without flinching, as if daring me to defy him. "For the sake of the family. For the
Last Updated : 2024-10-29The Wife Swap Chapter 136: The confrontation
Ashley’s POVThe car ride had been silent, the kind of silence that felt too thick to break. I stared out the window, watching the blur of city lights, my mind racing through everything that had happened in the last hour. I could feel Andreas’s eyes on me occasionally, like he was waiting for me to say something, to shout, to accuse, to do anything—but I didn’t. I was too angry, too hurt, and too tired to unravel the mess we were in.By the time we pulled up to the house, I felt like a tight coil ready to snap. I got out of the car without a word, but just before I reached the front door, I stopped. I couldn’t go inside, couldn’t pretend everything was fine until I had more answers. My hand was on the doorknob when I turned back to face him, my voice flat and cold.“What exactly did the private investigator tell you, Andreas? What made you think Ashton might still be alive?”He looked startled by my directness, as if he had expected me to wait until tomorrow, or the day after that, or
Last Updated : 2024-10-29The Wife Swap Chapter 137: A twisted game
Ashley’s POVHe nodded and pulled out his phone, scrolling through it with shaking fingers. A moment later, he held it out to me, the screen showing a grainy black-and-white image of a woman standing in the shadows outside a run-down hotel. It was hard to make out her features, but there was something unmistakably familiar about her—something that made my breath hitch in my throat. I couldn’t tell if it was really Ashton, or if it was just my mind playing tricks on me because I wanted it to be her.“That’s the only image we have,” Andreas said quietly. “The investigator’s still looking for more leads, but it’s like she vanished after this. No records, no sightings, nothing.”I stared at the screen, my emotions a tangled, aching mess. I didn’t know what to think, what to feel. I wasn’t even sure if I wanted it to be Ashton, because if it was… if it was, then everything I thought I knew was a lie, and I didn’t know if I was strong enough to handle that.I could feel the room tilting, th
Last Updated : 2024-10-29
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The Wife Swap Chapter 241: A new beginning
Ashley’s POV“Thank you,” I managed, taking the bouquet from Andreas, my fingers trembling slightly. “You… you came.”He chuckled softly, nodding. “Wouldn’t miss it. I’m proud of you, Ashley. You’re amazing. The book…it’s incredible.” He paused, and the warmth in his eyes made my heart race. “I’ve already read it, by the way,” he added, a hint of teasing in his tone. “I couldn’t put it down.”A small, awkward laugh escaped my lips, a nervous sound. “You read it?” I asked, almost incredulous. “All of it?”He nodded, his gaze unwavering. “Every word. You have a real talent, Ashley. I’m not just saying that because of…well, because of us.” He gave a small smile, almost sheepish, and I swallowed, fighting the urge to reach out and kiss him. “You’ve always had it in you. I’m just glad the world gets to know the face behind the work.”I felt a warmth in my chest, the kind that had been absent for so long. I opened my mouth to thank him and paused, wondering if he’d leave after I responded a
The Wife Swap Chapter 240: A heartfelt reunion
Ashley’s POVThe book launch venue was everything I’d hoped it would be—a cozy, intimate setting with an air of understated elegance. The soft glow of chandeliers reflected off the polished wood floors, and the tables were lined with white tablecloths, their centerpieces adorned with my favorite flowers. It was the kind of place that felt warm and welcoming, just like the people who had supported me along the way. As I stood outside for a moment, taking in the sight of it all, a nervous flutter took over my stomach. The event was finally happening. This was real. I rushed to the back entrance, slightly out of breath as I adjusted my dress. It was simple but elegant, a soft blue outfit that felt just right for the occasion. I had done everything to plan, but of course, I was running behind. The chaos of getting ready and the last-minute checks on everything had left me feeling a bit frazzled, but beneath the nerves, there was a sense of excitement I couldn’t ignore. This moment was f
The Wife Swap Chapter 239: An eventful year
Ashley’s POVA Year LaterThe air was crisp, but the sun cast a warm, golden glow over the gravesite. I sat on the bench near Ashton’s tombstone, the scent of fresh flowers mixing with the earthy smell of the cemetery. In my hands, I held a bouquet of bright flowers and a box of cookies—the kind we used to love as kids.I arranged them carefully at the base of the stone, each movement slow, deliberate. I knew Ashton wasn’t really here, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that she was still with me—somewhere, somehow. Sometimes, I liked to think she could hear me, or at least, feel my presence. So, I began speaking aloud, as if she were sitting right beside me, just like when we were younger, chatting about everything and nothing at all.“It’s been an eventful year, Ash,” I murmured, feeling the weight of the words as I spoke them. “I guess you know that already, but I still need to say it. I’ve been doing a lot of things I never thought I’d do.”I paused, looking out at the rows of grave
The Wife Swap Chapter 238: Starting again
Ashley’s POVI swallowed hard, my throat tightening. The words felt like a punch in the gut, but in a way, they were also the relief I hadn’t known I was waiting for. My sister, my twin, had always been larger than life. She had overshadowed me in everything—her beauty, her confidence, her charisma. It wasn’t always intentional. She hadn’t known the effect she had on me, the way I always felt like I was just trying to catch up, just trying to exist beside her.“I’m sorry for all the times I overshadowed you, even without meaning to. You were always the best part of me.”The words blurred as tears welled up in my eyes. I hadn’t realized until that moment how much I had needed to hear them. I had spent so much of my life feeling like an afterthought, living in the space that Ashton’s brilliance had left behind. But now, as I read those words, I allowed myself to believe them—for the first time in my life.“I hope you can forgive me for all the times I wasn’t there, for all the mess I le
The Wife Swap Chapter 237: Rediscovery
Ashley’s POVThe room was quiet, save for the hum of the heater, a soft background noise that reminded me that I was no longer at the mansion. I sat at the small desk in the corner of my now shared apartment with Liv, staring at the blank page of my journal. The pen in my hand felt foreign, like I was holding someone else’s tool, meant for someone else’s purpose.It had been weeks since I left Andreas, though it still felt like I was living in the aftermath of that decision. The pain was still there, a constant presence in the pit of my stomach, but there was something else, too—a strange, bittersweet peace. I was no longer just pretending. I wasn’t living in the shadow of Ashton’s life, her successes, her untimely death. I was just... me.I shifted in the chair, pulling my knees up to my chest as I let my gaze drift out the window. The lights of the city twinkled below, but the sky above was dark, as though it mirrored the way I still felt inside. Despite the nights I cried myself to
The Wife Swap Chapter 236: Letting Go
Andreas’s POVMoving to the bedroom, I laid on Ashley’s side, feeling the coldness of the sheets where her warmth had once been. Without her, it felt wrong, everything felt wrong. But I couldn’t change it. Not yet, at least. She had made her choice, and I had to respect that.I had to admit it, even to myself: I didn’t think I could live without her. But as much as I ached for her, chasing after her now would only drive her further away. She needed time, space to figure herself out, and I wasn’t about to make her feel cornered. I wasn’t about to be the one who trapped her. She had already sacrificed so much for me, for Ashton. If I was going to love her the way she deserved, I had to let her go.I knew that she didn’t ask me to wait. She hadn’t asked me to do anything, really, except to give her what she needed. But in my heart, I couldn’t shake the resolve that I would wait for her. Time would pass, and maybe she’d find her way back to me. Or maybe she wouldn’t. But no matter what, I
The Wife Swap Chapter 235: Deafening emptiness
Andreas’s POVThe glass of whiskey sat in front of me, untouched, and I stared at it without really seeing it, my mind preoccupied with the words Ashley had left me with, the ones that echoed in my head like an unwanted refrain. “You deserve someone who fits seamlessly into your life, not someone who makes you choose.”For the first time, I questioned everything I had built. I had spent years constructing a life that was logical, pragmatic—a life that adhered to the rules of the world I was born into. A life where love was a luxury, something I could never afford. I married Ashton, not out of love, but because it was expected of me and I had wanted someone who wouldn’t be my father’s pawn. The contract was simple, clean, and it served its purpose. I chose the company over everything else, convincing myself that reputation, power, and control were all that mattered. I never allowed myself to truly love, not because I didn’t want to, but because I couldn’t. My heart, damaged by a condit
The Wife Swap Chapter 234: A love let go
Ashley’s POVI took a deep breath and sat down beside Andreas, feeling the coolness of the leather against my skin, the space between us growing more fragile with every passing second.“I don’t know where to start,” I whispered, my voice shaking. “I love you, Andreas. I’ve loved you for so long now, even when I didn’t know how to admit it, even when I didn’t know how to let myself feel it.”He was silent, his dark eyes fixed on me, watching me with a mixture of concern and understanding. He wasn’t interrupting, waiting patiently as I tried to find the right words. His presence was warm, comforting even, but it only made this harder.“I didn’t know what I was getting into when I agreed to the swap but meeting you has been one of the most rewarding moments of my existence,” I continued, the tears that had been threatening to spill finally falling freely. “You’ve shown me love, patience, and given me the strength to face so many things, things I didn’t even realize I needed to face. You’
The Wife Swap Chapter 233: Saying goodbye
Ashley’s POVThe day of Ashton’s burial was a blur of emotions. Grief, yes—I had expected that. But there was also relief, anger, hope, and a strange sense of peace that I couldn’t quite place.The small ceremony was held in a quiet corner of the Thorne estate, under a canopy of trees that Ashton would’ve loved. The turnout was larger than I’d anticipated. It wasn’t just family, though the Thorne family was represented in some way, with Andreas and Annabelle by my side. Workers from the gallery had come too, some of them tearfully recalling stories of Ashton’s quick wit and unmatched dedication to her work. Liv had been by my side the entire time and Faye had managed to track down a few close friends, and seeing their faces filled me with gratitude.Of course, Adam and Amarinth were nowhere to be seen. I hadn’t expected them to come, nor did I want them there. Thomas was absent too, but Sansa had made an appearance. I couldn’t help but notice how much lighter she seemed, almost radian
