Ashley’s POVThe drive to Vermont was long, but I didn’t mind. I welcomed the distance, the time to myself, even if Adam’s presence was a constant reminder that I wasn’t truly alone. As we neared my apartment, I finally opened my eyes, staring out at the familiar streets that felt almost foreign after everything that had happened.“Can you drop me here?” I asked, my voice still soft but a bit steadier now. Adam didn’t respond verbally, just nodded once again, his gaze flickering to me in the rearview mirror.The last thing I needed was for someone to see me getting out of a chauffeured car,l with a driver that was dressed like a bodyguard, especially in this neighborhood, where people would notice. Questions would be asked, and I wasn’t in any state to answer them.I stepped out of the car, the cool evening air brushing against my skin as I made my way down the familiar streets toward my apartment building. My steps were slow, and hesitant, as if I was trying to delay the inevitable r
Andreas’ POVI leaned against the chair as Ashley stormed out of my office, the beeping of my watch evidence of the rapid pounding in my chest. It had been several hours since Ashley confessed to me that she’d been pretending to be her twin who was my wife in paper, Ashton and even though I’d not wanted to believe it, watching her today in my office had finally fixed the missing part of the puzzle that I’d been trying to solve since I noticed something was amiss back in Aspen.How had I not even seen it?For months after we married, Ashton had tried to seduce me, to blur the lines of our marriage contract for her own personal gain. I had resisted her advances, not because I thought she was unattractive but because people like Ashton were never satisfied and mixing business with pleasure with someone like her whose loyalty was only to herself was foolery.I had thought I was going mad when I had started to find Ashton's allure impossible to ignore. But it wasn't Ashton I was attracted
Andreas’ POVI had forgotten how easy it was to deal with women. Tons wanted me, wanted to please me, and would do anything I wanted just for the opportunity to speak with me so I knew that if my father found out I’d married for convenience and was even paying at the end of it,l instead of just marrying one of the many options he’d selected for me, he would be furious. When I arrived at the rendezvous point that I’d be meeting up with Sydney, one of the women I had a casual on-and-off relationship with, I saw a familiar scene already prepared. She was standing there, naked and waiting, just like she used to. In the past, this sight would have excited me, the prospect of momentarily filling up my sexual appetites appealing. However, at that moment, there was no excitement. Instead, a strong desire to turn around and leave took over, overshadowing any remaining arousal.The scene, which was once familiar and pleasing, now felt empty. The lack of excitement and the strong desire to hur
Ashley’s POVI sat up so quickly that the world spun for a moment. My heart pounded in my chest as I processed the words I’d just heard. "Thank you," I managed to say to the airport official on the other end of the line. "I’ll be there first thing tomorrow morning."As soon as the call ended, I stared at my phone, the familiar weight of dread settling in my stomach. I had to call Liv. My fingers trembled as I dialed her number, praying she would pick up. When the voicemail beeped, I took a deep breath, trying to keep my voice steady.“Liv, it’s me. I—I've been called in to check the footage tomorrow, to see if...if Ashton was there.” The words stuck in my throat. “I’m scared, Liv. I’m so scared that...that I’m going to see her at the airport. What if—” My voice cracked, and I couldn’t hold back the tears any longer. They came in a sudden, uncontrollable rush. “What if she was there, Liv? What if—”The call cut off as I lost control, and I let the phone slip from my fingers. My chest f
Ashley's POVI stepped aside, gesturing for Andreas to enter. He gave me a long, scrutinizing look before stepping inside, his eyes sweeping the small space like he was searching for something. I watched him, my heart pounding with a mix of anger and something else—something I didn’t want to name.As he glanced around the room, I couldn’t hold back any longer. "Satisfied?" I asked, my voice cold. "If you’ve seen enough, you can go. I haven’t agreed to the contract yet, and even if I do, that doesn’t mean we’re friends. You can’t just show up to my apartment."He turned to face me, his expression unreadable, and for a moment, we stood there in silence, just staring each other down. The air between us was thick with tension, neither of us willing to back down.Then, suddenly, his phone rang, breaking the moment. Andreas’s eyes flicked away from mine as he pulled out his phone, glancing at the screen. He hesitated for a second before answering it, his voice low and curt as he spoke.I to
Ashley’s POVThe drive to the airport was tense and quiet, and I could feel every second stretch painfully between us. I had wanted to drive separately, to avoid sitting in this unbearable silence with Andreas, but it didn’t make sense. Andreas was also heading to the airport and it would’ve been stubborn and pointless to insist on going back with my driver; Adam.My phone buzzed in my lap, pulling me from the haze of my thoughts. I glanced down to see Liv’s name on the screen. "Should I call you?" she’d written. I stared at the message for a moment, my thumb hovering over the keyboard, unsure of what to say. I wanted to talk to her, needed the comfort of her voice, but I knew if I heard her, I’d lose it. I was hanging by a thread, barely holding myself together as it was, and the last thing I needed was to unravel completely, especially here, in this car, with Andreas right next to me.I let out a slow breath and typed a quick response, "Not right now, I'll call you later." I hesitat
Ashley's POVWe pulled up to the airport, the massive structure looming ahead of us, cold and unfeeling. I swallowed the lump in my throat, trying to focus on anything but the overwhelming fear clawing at my insides. Clint parked the car and Andreas got out first, his movements quick and efficient, like he was on autopilot. I followed him, my legs feeling like lead as I stepped out into the cool air. He looked over at me briefly, his expression unreadable, before walking around to join me.As we walked toward the reception area, his hand found its way to the small of my back, guiding me forward. The contact was gentle, almost reassuring, but it sent a shiver down my spine. I wasn’t sure if it was the cool blast of air conditioning from the sliding doors, the anxiety swirling inside me, or the simple fact that his hand was there.I didn’t pull away, but I didn’t lean into it either. I was too focused on the knot in my chest, tightening with every step. My eyes darted around the airport
I kept scrolling mindlessly, my finger moving on autopilot as I cycled through the endless clips. Nothing was registering anymore—just faces, bodies, the blur of people going about their lives.I was just about to accept that perhaps Ashton hadn’t come to the airport after all, then, I froze.My breath caught in my throat as I stared at the screen, my heart pounding in my ears. There she was—Ashton. Her face. Clear as day, staring directly into the camera. My body went cold, and for a second, I couldn’t move, couldn’t even blink.It was her.I wanted to scream, to cry, to reach through the screen and grab her, pull her back into my world. But my body refused to cooperate. I just stared, unblinking, as if the act of looking away would erase her from existence.She was here. She had been at the airport.Which meant...My chest tightened, squeezing so hard I thought I might suffocate. If she didn’t board the flight, maybe she was still out there somewhere. But if she did... then... the c