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Chapter 163: Escape to Vermont
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The Wife Swap Chapter 164: Nostalgia
Ashley’s POVI was feeling light as I closed my suitcase and zipped it up for the hundredth time, certain that I was finally ready for the trip with Liv. When I told Andreas I was going to Vermont with her, he’d smiled in that way of his that always made my heart skip a beat. Even though I knew he was a bit disappointed that he couldn’t come along, he had supported the idea, saying it would do me good to have some time away. His exact words had been, “You need this, Ash. It’s good you have Liv. I’ll be here when you get back.”The tenderness in his voice had made me want to cancel the trip right there and stay with him, wrapped in his arms. But I knew I needed to do this. I needed to clear my head, to find some semblance of order in this chaos. We’d shared a lingering kiss before I left, and I couldn’t help but think how lucky I was, even in this mess, to know that what we had was real even though deep down, I didn’t know for how much longer.On the drive up, Liv and I slipped back in
The Wife Swap Chapter 165: Unmasking obsession
Ashley’s POVI swallowed hard, unsure where this conversation was headed. Was he talking about Ashton? I couldn’t tell, and it unnerved me. Maybe I was even reading too much into it. “I’m sorry to hear that,” I said quietly. “It’s hard when things end like that.”“Yeah, it is,” he agreed. “But I guess it’s just part of life, right? Learning to let go, even when it’s the last thing you want to do.”As Kennedy continued speaking, I could hear the undercurrent of sadness in his voice, the kind that comes from years of lingering regrets and unanswered questions. He chuckled awkwardly, but it didn’t quite mask the emotion behind his words.“You know, back then, it felt like my entire world revolved around this person,” he admitted. “It got to a point where I couldn’t move on, even after she did. I kept thinking, maybe if I just did one more thing, one more gesture…I could win her back. It was like I couldn’t let go.”His voice softened, trailing off as if he were lost in the memory. I felt
The Wife Swap Chapter 166: Veiled intentions
Ashley’s POVI shifted in my seat, looking out the window at the Vermont twilight settling over the landscape. “Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Kennedy,” I said, trying to keep my tone light. “I didn’t mean to get so deep.”He laughed again, this time softer. “It’s no problem. I guess I needed that too. It’s been a while since I’ve had a real conversation like this. You know, where you actually talk about something that matters.”I paused, feeling a twinge of guilt. Was I manipulating him by pretending this was just a casual chat? Maybe. But I needed to know, and this seemed like the only way to gauge his true intentions. “Yeah,” I agreed quietly. “It’s nice to have these talks sometimes. It reminds you that you’re not alone in all of this.”Kennedy’s voice dropped to a near whisper, and I had to strain to hear him over the crackling line. “I’m glad we could talk. I’ve missed you, Ashton. I know things have been...busy, plus you’re married now so I can see how that can be awkward bu
The Wife Swap Chapter 167: A life without fear
Ashley’s POVI felt so incredibly fortunate to have Liv by my side on this trip to Vermont. Despite all the chaos swirling in my life—stalker threats, Ashton’s mysterious disappearance, and the unsettling conversation with Kennedy—the weight on my chest had lifted a little simply because Liv was there. Her presence was the perfect antidote to the storm in my head.The minute we arrived in Vermont, I had promised myself I wouldn’t think about anything. It was my way of coping, of trying to escape, if only for a few days. Thankfully, Liv had insisted that we just go to bed after dinner. We needed to rest, she said, to recharge. It was probably a good thing, considering how much had happened in the past few days.But despite my best efforts, the constant thoughts about my stalker and Kennedy crept into my mind like unwanted guests. My bedroom, which had once felt like a sanctuary, was now just another place where my mind raced and circled. Sleep had eluded me, no matter how much I willed
The Wife Swap Chapter 168: Struggling with guilt
Ashley’s POVFinally, Liv and I ended up at the spa. I had to admit, I was looking forward to it. Liv was right. I needed it. The soft lighting and calming scents immediately put me in a slightly better mood, and for the first time all day, I let my guard down. I was wrapped in a plush robe and lying on a massage table, the quiet music soothing my jangled nerves, but even then, I couldn’t let go entirely. My mind kept drifting back to the dolls, to Kennedy’s unsettling confession, to the vague feeling that I was being watched.It was a small comfort that Liv was sitting nearby, flipping through a magazine, occasionally checking in with me to make sure I was okay. “How are you doing?” she asked softly, glancing up from her magazine as I closed my eyes.“Better,” I muttered, though I knew it was a lie. I wasn’t “better.” I was still drowning in questions with no answers, still wondering if I was doing the right thing by pretending everything was fine. The only thing that helped was that
The Wife Swap Chapter 169: A million questions
Ashley’s POVWhen we arrived back at the apartment, the familiar sights of the building felt strangely comforting. I was glad to be home, even if it was just for a brief moment before the chaos took over again. But as we stepped out of the car and made our way to the door, a voice called out to us from the hallway.“Ashley, hey!” My neighbor, Julie, stood a few feet away with a small stack of mail in her hands. Julie had always been kind enough to collect my mail for me whenever I was away.“Hey, Julie, thanks for keeping these for me!” I smiled, reaching out to take the stack from her.“No problem!” she said, her voice bright and friendly. “I think you’ve got everything, but there’s one more thing...” She shifted slightly, as though she was unsure whether to give it to me. “I didn’t give this to you the last time you were here because I’d mixed it up with my own mails from weeks ago. It didn’t have a return address, and I wasn’t sure if it was something important or not, so I didn’t
The Wife Swap Chapter 170: Reality or Delusion?
Ashley’s POVThe letter was shaking in my hands, the words blurring as my vision wavered. I could feel the tremble in my fingers, my pulse drumming in my ears, louder than the faint hum of the fridge and the quiet tick of the wall clock. It felt like the ground beneath me had shifted, leaving me unsteady, unsure of where to stand. I kept reading the same lines over and over, as if doing so would make the message clearer or, better yet, change its meaning entirely.“Come clean about the swap. Leave Andreas. Make sure you save yourself. Pretend it never happened.”I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to focus, trying to breathe through the sudden tightness in my chest. I couldn’t make sense of it. Why would Ashton send this? The date on the letter—the day of the plane crash—made no sense. It was impossible, wasn’t it? My thoughts spiraled, each one colliding with the next, leaving me more confused and disoriented. Was this another trick from the stalker? Or had Ashton somehow known something
The Wife Swap Chapter 171: A friend’s embrace
Ashley’s POVLiv pulled me into her arms, holding me tightly as I sob. Her embrace was warm and steady, and I clung to her like a lifeline, letting the tears flow freely. She rocked us gently, her hand rubbing soothing circles on my back.“Shh, it’s okay,” she whispered into my hair. “I’m here, Ash. You’re not alone. We’ll figure this out together, I promise. You don’t have to go through this by yourself.”Her words were like a balm, soothing the raw, aching parts of me. I leaned into her, letting her hold me as the tears continue to fall. The panic slowly ebbed away, replaced by a deep, bone-weary exhaustion. I was drained, emotionally spent, but Liv didn't let go. She just kept holding me, whispering words of comfort, telling me over and over that she was here, that we’d get through this.“I just want answers,” I whispered brokenly. “I just want to know what happened. Why is this happening to me? What did I do wrong?”“You didn’t do anything wrong,” Liv said firmly, pulling back to
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