Chapter 145: Meeting Ashton

Ashley’s POV

I looked down at our hands, still clasped together on the table, his warmth grounding me. The weight of what he’d just shared settled between us, and I found myself at a loss for words. It was as if I was seeing a part of him he’d hidden from the world—a part he’d let me glimpse, if only for this moment.

“Thank you,” I murmured, my thumb brushing over his. “For trusting me with this.” I could feel his gaze on me, searching, as though he were gauging my reaction, waiting to see if I’d recoil from the truth. But how could I? Knowing only made him seem more…human. Real. And despite everything, I couldn’t deny the growing protectiveness unfurling in me—a feeling I hadn’t expected, but couldn’t ignore.

“What about the watch?” I blurted out, curiosity winning over my hesitation. “What’s it for?”

Andreas’s gaze flickered to the watch on his wrist, a sleek, modern piece that seemed to pulse with a life of its own. “It monitors my pulse,” he said, his voice steady but his eyes bet