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Chapter 166: Veiled intentions
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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
The Wife Swap Chapter 172: The Drive
Ashley’s POVThe sun was just beginning to filter through the curtains when I stirred awake, the soft light casting a warm glow on the room. I felt the gentle rise and fall of Liv’s breathing beside me, her arm draped protectively over my waist. The comfort of her presence was a balm against the raw anxiety I’d been carrying, and I was grateful beyond words that she stayed with me, even as a part of me battled the nagging sense that I was becoming a burden.I carefully slid out of bed, trying not to wake her, but she shook anyway, her eyes fluttering open. “Morning,” she mumbled sleepily, giving me a small smile.“Morning,” I whispered back, offering a weak smile of my own.She propped herself up on one elbow, scanning my face with that perceptive gaze of hers. “Did you sleep at all?”I shrugged, avoiding her eyes. “A little. You?”She chuckled, though there’s a tiredness in her laugh. “Enough to get by. But you look like you need a few more hours.”I opened my mouth to protest, but s
The Wife Swap Chapter 173: The weight of lies
Ashley’s POVI must have fallen asleep eventually because the next time I opened my eyes, we we were pulling up in front of the mansion. The familiar gates stood ahead, its grand pillars and immaculate gardens feeling suffocating instead of welcoming. I gripped the door handle for a moment, taking a deep breath to steady myself. It was strange, but the instant we were back, it felt like every bit of relaxation I had gotten from trying to clear my head in Vermont evaporated. The weight of everything—the lies, the confusion, the unknowns—settled back onto my shoulders, heavier than ever.Liv unbuckled her seatbelt, turned to look at me with a determined expression. “Alright, let’s get inside. We’ll take a quick look in Ashton’s room and see if we can find anything else that might give us a clue.”I caught her arm before she could fully push the door open. “Liv, wait,” I said softly. She glanced back at me, eyebrows raised. “You’ve been driving non-stop for hours. I can’t ask you to do t
The Wife Swap Chapter 174: You don’t have to pretend
Ashley’s POVAnnabelle practically yanked me into her room, a wide smile on her face as she dragged me toward the bed. It was covered in a rainbow of dresses, all laid out in neat rows like she was about to put on a fashion show. I tried to match her energy, but my mind was elsewhere. The image of that letter in Ashton’s handwriting kept flashing before my eyes. Each time I replayed those words, I felt like I was sinking deeper into quicksand.Annabelle held up a pale pink dress, turning it this way and that in front of her. “I’m thinking this one could be cute for the birthday party tomorrow,” she said, glancing at me for my opinion. “It’s soft but classy, you know?”I nodded, forcing myself to smile. “It’s lovely. Very...elegant.” The words felt mechanical, like they were coming from someone else. I watched as she held it against her body, examining herself in the mirror. It was like I was seeing her through a fog.She noticed my distant expression and frowned slightly. “You don’t t
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