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Chapter 171: A friend’s embrace
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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
The Wife Swap Chapter 175: Missing him
Ashley’s POVBefore I could react, Andreas moved across the room with a swift, deliberate grace. He reached for me, his hand cradling the back of my head, and pulled me into a kiss. The shock of it sent a jolt through me, and for a second, I was too stunned to move. His lips were soft yet firm, a mix of urgency and tenderness that left me breathless. It was the kind of kiss that melted away everything around us, the kind that made me forget, if only for a moment, who I was pretending to be.Annabelle let out a dramatic whistle, clearly amused. “Alright, alright, get out of my room, you two lovebirds!” she laughed, shooing us away with a playful wave of her hand. “Go on and enjoy your little romantic moment elsewhere.”Andreas chuckled as he pulled away, his eyes locked onto mine with a warmth that sent shivers down my spine. I, on the other hand, was still trying to regain my composure, feeling my cheeks flush with a heat I couldn’t disguise.He slipped his hand into mine as we left A
The Wife Swap Chapter 176: Stay
Ashley’s POVThe steam from the bath swirled around us, a hazy veil that made me feel like we were in our own bubble, hidden from the world outside. Andreas’s touch was gentle as he helped me out of my dress, his fingers lingering on my skin. A shiver ran down my spine, a mix of anticipation and nervousness.As he helped me into the tub, I couldn’t help but steal a glance at him. He was watching me, his eyes dark and intense. A spark ignited between us, and it felt so good to see his admiration, to feel his desire permeate the space around us. I shyly gestured for him to join me, my heart pounding in my chest.He hesitated, his eyes widening with surprise. Then, with a slow, deliberate movement, he began to undress. As he shed his clothes, the tension between us grew palpable. Every muscle, every curve of his body was on display, and I couldn’t tear my eyes away.When he finally stepped into the tub, the water rippled around him, highlighting the contours of his body. I felt a surge o
The Wife Swap Chapter 177: Now and always
Ashley’s POVI hadn't realized how deeply I'd come to feel for Ashley-not until these two nights she was gone from the mansion. I'd told myself I was giving her space, that she deserved a proper night out with her best friend, but the emptiness that filled these hallways in her absence was suffocating. Every text I sent was brief, my way of respecting her time, but it became a struggle not to reach out just to hear her voice. This house, grand and polished as it was, only felt like a home when she was here. Somehow, in her warmth and laughter, I'd found something I didn't even know I was searching for: a sense of belonging, of comfort. A place I wanted to come back to. Home was a person-and it was Ashley.When she'd looked up at me tonight, a soft, vulnerable expression in her eyes, and asked me to stay with her, to join her in the tub, it was all I could do to keep my composure.As I held her hand, guiding her toward my bedroom, her fingers small and delicate in mine, my mind churned
The Wife Swap Chapter 178: The corner of my eye
Ashley's POVAs we pulled up to the hotel hall, a wave of relief washed over me. Thankfully, the birthday was not at the imposing Thorne mansion. The mansion always felt like a battleground to me—an unfamiliar, unforgiving space where I couldn’t find my place. There, I was constantly on edge, feeling like I was surrounded by too many expectations, too many watchful eyes. But here, in the neutral, well-lit hall, everything seemed different. The polished floors, the tasteful decor, the soft hum of conversation—it all felt less like a place I had to fight to fit into and more like one where I could just…exist for a moment as myself, and not an impostor, though I knew it wouldn’t last long once I had to mingle and pretend that I was my jovial outgoing sister.I exhaled slowly, forcing myself to smile as I stood beside Annabelle. She clung to my side like I was the only thing holding her together in this sea of unfamiliar faces. It was strange, how comforting it was to have her close, desp
The Wife Swap Chapter 179: Unwelcome reunion
Ashley’s POV“Ah, there you are,” Kennedy said, his voice smooth and warm. There was something about his tone that didn’t sit right with me, but I wasn’t sure why. His eyes flicked from Andreas to me, as if measuring the distance between us before he spoke again. “Nice to see you tonight, Ash.”“Kennedy,” Andreas replied, his voice tight but polite.The woman beside Kennedy took a step forward, extending her hand to Andreas with a smile that seemed a little too bright, a little too welcoming. “Andreas,” she said, her voice smooth and light. “It’s so good to see you again.”She leaned in and kissed both of his cheeks, a gesture that, despite its warmth, made me feel an uncomfortable pang in my chest. I watched as Andreas remained still, his expression unreadable, though I could sense the slight tension in his jaw. When she pulled away, she turned to me, her eyes narrowing slightly as she took me in. She smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes.“Ah, and you must be Ashton,” she said, her v
Latest chapter
The Wife Swap Chapter 179: Unwelcome reunion
The Wife Swap Chapter 178: The corner of my eye
The Wife Swap Chapter 177: Now and always
The Wife Swap Chapter 176: Stay
The Wife Swap Chapter 175: Missing him
The Wife Swap Chapter 174: You don’t have to pretend
The Wife Swap Chapter 173: The weight of lies
The Wife Swap Chapter 172: The Drive
The Wife Swap Chapter 171: A friend’s embrace
