"You’re gorgeous." Elena froze. The words were spoken so softly, so reverently, that they sent a strange warmth through her chest. She searched Asher’s face, trying to find any trace of teasing, but there was none. His golden eyes were filled with something raw, something so genuine that it almost scared her. “No, I’m not,” she whispered, her voice barely above a breath. Asher’s expression darkened, his fingers tracing a slow, deliberate path from her cheek to her jaw. “Don’t say that.” His tone was firm, but not angry—just certain. Elena swallowed hard. “It’s the truth.” “No.” Asher shook his head, his thumb brushing against her lips. “It’s what they made you believe.” Her throat tightened. She knew who he was talking about. Connor. Nathan. Emerson. Harris. All the names, all the faces that had haunted her for so long. They had stripped her of everything—her innocence, her dignity, her worth. And yet, here Asher was, looking at her like she was priceless.
Last Updated : 2025-03-24 Read more