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
Ashley’s POVI turned back to the official, her face tight with a mixture of professionalism and pity. I hated it. I hated that look, that way people start to treat you like you’re broken before you even are. Her lips were moving, but I only caught fragments of the words.“We don’t want to give you false hope,” she said, her voice cautious, careful, the way people speak when they’re afraid you might shatter at any moment. “But we will be conducting a manifest review. We’ll need a DNA sample from you to compare with the remains of the crash, to see if we can confirm that she did take the flight.”Remains. The word hit me like a slap. I blinked, my body numb, my brain scrambling to keep up. It was like she was speaking through water, the sound distorted, far away. She kept talking, saying something about procedures, but I couldn’t hear her anymore. The walls of the room were closing in, the air too thick, my chest too tight.“I need to use the restroom,” I blurted out, the words tumblin
Ashley’s POVAs we pulled into the driveway, the familiar outline of the house loomed ahead, its shadow stretching long across the fading light. The car engine shut off, and the silence that followed felt like a weight pressing down on my chest. I swallowed, trying to push it down, but the lump in my throat stayed stubbornly lodged.I didn't want to be alone tonight.But asking Andreas to stay with me until I fell asleep was not an option. Infact it felt like stepping too far into dangerous territory. He wasn’t my comfort. He was Ashton’s husband, even if it had been an arrangement. I couldn’t forget his reaction when he discovered the truth about the swap, his words stinging like knives and cutting deep.Yet now, in this moment, the idea of walking into upstairs—into Ashton’s room, her space after having t try to come to terms with the revelation that she might be dead—made the ground beneath me feel unstable.The air inside the car was thick with tension, but neither of us spoke. I