Ashley’s POVThe car came to a screeching halt, the engine roaring to a silent hum. I glanced at Liv, her face a mask of uncertainty and worry. The giant gates of Ashton’s mansion stood ominously before us and I could see that Liv hadn’t wanted to bring me back here. Ashton and Liv were like oil and water. Liv always never hesitated to call out my sister while Ashton hated her guts and said she was jealous about not having a sister. “Are you sure about this, Ash? You know that we could just turn around and leave. Your agreement with Ashton was the weekend, it doesn’t matter if the flights changed last minute, because there’s no explanation for why she’s been radio silent since she gave that excuse” Liv whispered, her grip tightening on the steering wheel.I forced a reassuring smile, my heart pounding against my ribs. "I’m sure, Liv. Just a few more days, then I’ll be back to my normal, boring life. We can even talk about my books and the unveiling you spoke about after this is over.
Ashley’s POVI blinked, disoriented, as my consciousness slowly returned. The familiar scent of hay and horse sweat filled my nostrils, and my eyes widened as I took in the surroundings around me. I was dreaming. It had to be a dream. I was back on my late aunt’s ranch, a place I hadn’t visited in years. And there, sitting alone on a bale of hay, was a younger version of myself, my eyes swollen and red from crying.A pang of sadness pierced my heart. I remembered that day so vividly. It had been weeks after our parents' funeral, and I was still unable to hold back the tears. I had cried at the dinner table, at school, and even in my sleep. Ashton, who didn't particularly like crying, had tried her best to comfort me, but I had been inconsolable. To escape the pitying glances and forced smiles in the house, I had found solace in coming to hide away in the barn whenever I wanted to cry. The quiet solitude, the gentle sway of the horses, and the comforting scent of hay had provided muc
Ashley’s POVAs I rattled off the address to the hospital to Liv and the call ended, I stared at the ceiling, trying and failing to delude myself that all of this was just a very bad dream. The door opened and Andreas walked in, the doctor closely following behind him. "Mrs Thorne, how are you feeling today?" the doctor asked, his voice gentle with a kind smile on his face. "Your husband said you fainted from shock."I nodded, ignoring the way my spine stiffened at the sharp reminder that I was still pretending to be my missing sister, my voice a mere whisper as I responded, "He's right. I think I did."He hesitated for a moment, then continued. "If you need to talk, I'm here. Or if you'd prefer, I can get you a psychologist."I shook my head, hating the fact that tears had already begun to blur my vision again. This wasn't the time to be such a darned crybaby, Ashley. "No, it's okay. I just need to be alone for a while."The doctor nodded, his expression somber. "I understand. I'l
Ashley's POVAs soon as the door closed, Liv turned to me, her expression one of disbelief. "What the fuck?" I opened my mouth to respond, but no words came out. My throat felt constricted as if someone had tied a knot in it. Liv stared at me, her expression a mixture of confusion and frustration. "Are you seriously still trying to keep up this charade? Just come clean to Ashton's husband about everything. Tell him the truth." I shook my head, my eyes filling with tears, "I tried, Liv. I did. But I don't know where to start." Liv sighed. "You can't keep lying to him, Ashley. It's not fair to him, because if Ashton was really on that flight, her husband deserves to know.” I knew Liv was right, hell, before she entered, I’d almost decided to damn the consequences and come clean about everything, but I had so many doubts. Too many. "What if I tell him the truth about the wife swap and it turns out that Ashton never even got on the flight? What if she’s alive and well?" Liv's eyes
Ashley’s POVI glanced at Andreas through the rearview mirror, my heart pounding in my chest. His gaze was steady and unwavering, and a shiver ran down my spine. I knew he was searching for something, something he couldn't quite pinpoint. It was clear that he was trying to piece together a puzzle and as I looked away, I prayed that he didn’t figure it out just yet. Annabel, seated beside me with Andreas in the driver’s seat remained oblivious to the staring match between her brother and me. “Ashton, you don’t have to go home tonight.” She suggested, “The doctor said…”"I'm fine, really," I interjected, my voice a bit too forced. "I just need some rest, that’s all."Annabel squeezed my hand, her eyes filled with concern. "Are you sure? We can always stay at the hospital.""No, no," I replied hastily. "I want to go home."The doctor, due to my insistence had cleared me to be discharged not long after Liv left and it was just as well because the faster I left the hospital, the faster I
Ashley’s POV“Tell me what you like, Ash” A voice whispered in my ears and even though I already knew this was a dream, the last thing I was expecting was for it to feel this real. My thoughts had moved so far away from the moment that I did not realize that my legs had been separated until a warm wet tongue licked between my folds, causing me to groan and shut my legs together around the head of my tormentor. As if that could stop him. Looking down at him, our eyes met and I sucked in a breath. Andreas Thorne. My sister’s husband. Hands moved all over my body and I felt my nipples being sucked on both sides even as the tempo increased between my legs. The pleasure was almost blinding and I could feel my insides tighten as I surrendered to the ecstasy that their ministrations brought. Maybe because this was a dream, I was able to allow myself to enjoy the pleasure of being thoroughly eaten out by him because here, we were nothing more than man and woman. Such simplicities were a lu
Ashley’s POVI kept staring into the hallway several minutes after Andreas left before catching myself and remembering that I had a task at hand that day. A task that would either give me the good news that I was longing and hoping for or shatter all my delusions about the whereabouts of my sister, AshtonA black sedan was parked outside the front door as I stepped out, a driver waiting patiently behind the wheel. As I approached, he stepped out of the car, his face a mask of politeness."Mrs. Thorne," he said, his voice formal. "I'm here to drive you wherever you need to go."Despite Nora’s reminder the last time I was about to leave the house that I could call a driver if I wanted, I was still taken aback by the reality that my sister was married into a family where they could each have a personal driver "It's not necessary," I replied finally, trying to sound confident.He shook his head. "Mr. Thorne insisted. He said he didn't want you taking cabs."I raised my brows in confusion,
Andreas’s POVThere was something off about Ashton. It wasn't just a fleeting impression; it was a nagging suspicion that had been growing stronger with each passing day. It was as if a switch had been flipped during our trip to Aspen, transforming the woman I'd married into a subdued, almost unrecognizable version of herself.Before our trip, she'd been a turbulent whirlwind, her quick wit and unwavering self-centeredness a constant source of irritation and a stubborn streak, that while admirable in some ways especially when it came to how she dealt with the rest of my family, had often made her difficult to deal with. She'd been a woman of strong opinions, quick to argue and slow to compromise. But now, she seemed quieter, more subdued. She was almost too polite, too accommodating as if she were playing a role.At first, I attributed these changes to her efforts to finally try to win my family’s approval. Perhaps she was trying to be more demure and sensitive, to make a good impress