Rebecca’s pulse raced and her grip on the door tightened. She forced herself to appear calm, despite the turbulence that inadvertently swirled within her. Ashton’s sudden appearance at her door was..... unexpected, but it wasn’t unwelcome—yet. She had spent so much of her life tangled in his orbit that moments like this felt inevitable. Still, his presence tonight, after everything, was somehow unsettling."Ashton," she repeated, her voice was steady as she stepped aside. "What brings you here at this hour?" She asked him. Not that she didn't know that of course. Ashton didn’t move immediately. His eyes, which were shadowed in the dark hallway light, flickered over her, as if he wiegeed every aspect of her existence in that moment. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he stepped inside. His movements were deliberate, slow, as though he was trying to contain something beneath the surface.Rebecca shut the door she had her back pressed against it as she watched him survey the a
Ashton sat across from Thomas in the dark corner of a secluded café, his hands were clasped together as he stared down at the wooden table. The silence between them was becoming more and more resounding, it was being weighed down by the information their spy had just relayed.“You sure about this?” Ashton asked him, his voice was barely above a whisper.Thomas leaned back in his chair, he let out a sigh and nodded. “He’s reliable. Rebecca met with Elizabeth last night, and it wasn’t just a casual chat. Something’s up, Ashton.” He said. Ashton’s heart sank. He had expected something to be off the moment the spy had mentioned the meeting. But hearing it confirmed—hearing that Rebecca had drawn Elizabeth into her web—made his chest tighten with worry. His fiancée, the one person who had always stood by him, was now tangled in Rebecca’s schemes.Shit!“What did they talk about?” Ashton asked, his was voice thick with concern.The spy who was a somewhat wiry man with sharp eyes and a cal
Ashton straightened his tie, he glanced at his reflection in the mirror. His nerves were usually always steady before lectures, but today, something felt off. There was a heaviness in the air, a strange feeling he couldn’t quite shake. He had delivered countless talks to young, eager minds—college students who looked up to him not just for his knowledge, but for his inspiring story of healing and life. Today, though, something gnawed at him.He shook off the feeling, and reminded himself that this was just another lecture. Just another room full of students that would be eager to learn. He grabbed his notes and stepped out of the small dressing room from where he made his way toward the large conference hall, where hundreds of students were already seated.Ashton entered the room, his usual confident stride slightly faltered as he noticed something strange. The students—usually buzzing with excitement or murmuring amongst themselves—were unnaturally quiet. All of them were staring a
Rebecca stepped out of the sleek black car, the hum of the city faded as she stood before the entrance to Miguel’s exclusive club, the same one she had been to with Myles but tonight, let's just say she was doing things in her own terms and by that, going with Myles was too much crowd. The neon lights flickered above the doorway, it illuminated an eerie glow on the street. Tonight was different—tonight, she had come alone.Myles had no idea about her plan, and she oh so discreetly intended to keep it that way. This was her decision, her strategy to forge a new alliance and take control of the situation. Myles could be too cautious, too predictable. But Rebecca knew that if they were going to bring down the Coopers, they needed someone ruthless, someone like Miguel.Not that she hadn't slandered him behind his back, but he mustn't know about that. She was dressed to kill, she wore a dark emerald dress that hugged her frame, it exuded power and confidence. Her heels clicked against the
Rebecca’s mind still buzzed endlessly with how intense and the discussions of her meeting she had with Miguel as the car cruised through the darkened city streets. She glanced out of the window, and watched the blurred lights as they passed, but her thoughts has already spinned ahead, she anticipated her next move. Miguel was a snake, she knew that much, but for now, he was her snake—one she could use to finally dismantle the Cooper empire alongside Ashton Pearce and claim her victory.But as much as she felt in control, there was a gnawing voice in the back of her mind. Was she truly prepared for what working with Miguel would entail? She knew that she wasn’t naive. Miguel played by his own rules, and while he may have agreed to their alliance, she knew trust was a fragile thing in their world. Still, the adrenaline that coarsed through her vein was undeniable. The rush of power, the thrill of knowing she was about to topple giants—it was almost addictive. Myles wouldn’t underst
Ashton Pearce paced back and forth in his apartment, his phone was clutched tightly in his hand as he paced. The walls felt like they were closing in on him, like they were going to suffocate him as the weight of his situation bore down on him. His career, his reputation—everything he had worked so hard for—was now on the line, and he knew exactly who was behind it. Rebecca.Why was she being this way ?Why did she had to be so cruel and evil to him?The sound of his phone dialing Rebecca’s number sent a jolt of fury through him. He'd had enough of her games. After about three rings, the line finally clicked open and her cool, composed voice greeted him.“Ashton,” Rebecca said, her tone was smooth. It was laced with a venomous sweetness that made his blood boil. “What a surprise.” She purred into the phone. “Cut the crap, Rebecca,” Ashton snapped at her, he was unable to keep the anger from his voice. “I want to see my son. Where’s Kelvin?” he demanded. Since she claimed he was h
Ashton leaned back in his chair, the leather creaking beneath him as he stared at the glowing screen of his phone. The fury that had once consumed him now simmered beneath a surface of determination. Rebecca had made her move, but he was ready to play the game on his own terms. He had to find a way to outsmart her—find a way to reclaim not just his son, but his entire life.He opened his contact list, scrolling through names until he landed on the one that stood out. A name he hadn’t thought he’d have to rely on again: Myles Jameson. They hadn’t spoken since their falling out over the rumors, but desperate times called for desperate measures.With a deep breath, he dialed Myles’ number, his heart racing as the line rang. He had no idea how Myles would react after everything that had happened, but he couldn’t let fear hold him back.The call connected, and after a few rings, Myles’ voice broke through. “Ashton? Is that you?” Myles asked. “Yeah, it’s me,” Ashton replied, trying to kee
Ashton stood under the shower, the steam enveloped him like a shroud. The water cascaded down his body and it washed away the remnants of the earlier confrontation with Rebecca, but he knew the bitterness of her words lingered in his mind like a stain that wouldn't come out. He could hear her mocking laughter echoing in the recesses of his thoughts, taunting him with the possibility of losing everything he held dear, including his son and his job.His phone buzzed incessantly on the counter, jolting him from his thoughts. Elizabeth's name flashed on the screen, and he immediately felt a feeling of urgency mixed with dread. He had kept her in the dark about the fallout with Rebecca, not wanting to drag her into the chaos. But as he turned off the water and toweled himself off, he knew he couldn't hide from her forever.After pulling on a pair of sweatpants and a loose t-shirt, he picked up the phone and answered. “Hey, Liz." He said. “Ashton,” Elizabeth’s voice came through, steady a