Chapter 18: A broken promise

Ashley’s POV

I 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