All Chapters of Love in Beta: Chapter 41 - Chapter 45

It was the weekend, and Ash had invited me to a birthday party hosted by one of his business associates, a prominent figure in the tech industry. He had casually mentioned it the week before, but I wasn’t expecting the level of formality involved. I had heard a lot about these high-society gatherings before—glittering events filled with executives, politicians, and other influential people. I wasn’t exactly comfortable in those circles, but I was excited to be spending the evening with Ash, who promised to keep me grounded in the chaos.“I promise, it won’t be that bad,” he assured me when I expressed my nerves earlier in the day. He had even gone so far as to pick out my outfit—an elegant navy blue gown with subtle silver embroidery that made me feel like I was stepping into a different world. Ash was already dressed in his usual impeccable style, looking every bit the CEO he was, but with a kind, warm smile that made him approachable despite the polished persona. “You look stunning

As we made our way out of the party, my heart still racing from the encounter with Victoria, I felt a sense of relief wash over me. It was over. Or so I thought. Ash’s hand was a steady comfort in mine, and we walked towards the car, the cold night air refreshing after the suffocating tension in the ballroom.“Thank you for having my back,” I murmured, looking up at him, feeling the weight of the evening slowly lift.“Always,” Ash replied, squeezing my hand gently. “I’m sorry you had to deal with her tonight.”I shrugged, trying to push away the feeling of frustration that still lingered. “I can handle her. It’s just… sometimes I wonder why she’s still in the picture. She doesn’t know when to back off.”Ash’s jaw tightened slightly, but he said nothing more as we reached the car. The driver opened the door for us, and we slid into the backseat. I leaned against Ash, taking comfort in his presence, letting myself relax as the car started moving through the quiet streets. But just as I

The day started like any other, or so I thought. Ash had promised that he’d be back by dinner—he’d been so busy lately with work that I’d barely seen him for the past few days. I’d spent most of my day doing some work of my own, trying to keep myself occupied while waiting for him to finally come home. It was supposed to be a quiet night, just the two of us, catching up and relaxing. But as the hours passed and the sun dipped below the horizon, I started getting that nagging feeling that something was wrong.I called him twice, but he didn’t answer. It was unusual for Ash to not pick up, especially when he knew we had plans. My fingers hovered over the phone, wondering if I should call again, but before I could, my phone buzzed with a message from him.Asher: Hey, sorry babe. Something came up at the office. I’m going to be late tonight. I’ll explain later, promise.Something came up. That didn’t sound like him at all. He was always clear about his schedule. If he said he was going to