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Chapter 54: one step closer
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The Wife Swap Chapter 55: What then?
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
The Wife Swap Chapter 56: Too difficult
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
The Wife Swap Chapter 57: The reality of things
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
The Wife Swap Chapter 58: Acceptance
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
The Wife Swap Chapter 59: The cold hands of grief
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
The Wife Swap Chapter 60: Loose footing
Andreas’ POVThe weight of Ashley’s body in my arms lingered long after I let her go. Her sobs, the sound of her breaking, were still in my ears as I stood in the dimly lit hallway, watching her retreat up the stairs. For a moment, I couldn’t move. My hands, which had instinctively reached out to steady her, felt foreign, like they didn’t belong to me.I should’ve headed to my bedroom the moment we stepped into the house. That was the plan. I had no business staying after everything that had transpired, after all I could convince myself that I had no emotional tie to Ashton even though she was my wife in paper and as such shouldn’t care that she could be dead.And yet, I stayed.The moment she fell apart, something in me reacted before I could stop it. I hated how easy it was to reach out to her, how natural it felt to hold her together when she was falling apart. It wasn’t right. It wasn’t what I wanted.I pushed a hand through my hair, feeling the tension coiled tight in my chest. T
The Wife Swap Chapter 61: The unspoken weight
Ashley’s POVI don’t remember falling asleep, but when I woke up, the sheets were twisted around me like a cage. For a split second, I expected Ashton to be there, sitting at the foot of the bed like she used to when we were kids and she wanted me up to participate in activities with her. But today, there was nothing—just silence. My heart sank, hollowness spreading through me. I had thought maybe she’d come to me again, like some sign that she was still out there, still fighting. But no dream, no Ashton. Just emptiness.The morning light filtered in through the curtains, but it didn’t feel like morning. It felt like I was stuck in some eternal twilight, where time had no meaning. My phone buzzed on the nightstand. Liv’s name lit up the screen.I had forgotten I’d texted her last night, after leaving for the airport. She must be worried. The ringing continued, a shrill reminder of how I wasn’t ready for the conversation that was waiting on the other end. Liv would ask questions, questi
The Wife Swap Chapter 62: Unfinished business
Ashley’s POVThe hallway seemed to stretch on endlessly as I made my way toward the gym, my legs moving almost of their own accord. Part of me dreaded this—talking to Andreas. What were we supposed to say to each other after everything that had happened? But another part of me knew we couldn’t keep avoiding it. We had to talk about what came next, how we would face his family, how I could end this charade.When I finally reached the gym, the sound of rhythmic breathing and soft grunts hit my ears. I paused at the entrance, my fingers resting lightly on the doorframe. Through the open door, I could see Andreas.He was naked from the waist up, muscles tense as he held himself in an exercise position—probably a plank. Sweat glistened on his skin, the light from the large windows casting a golden sheen over his toned back and arms. For a moment, I just stood there, frozen.I shouldn’t be here. I shouldn’t be staring. But I couldn’t seem to tear my eyes away. The way his body moved—controll
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