Chapter 1 - I'm inlove with you

[Elena]

My breath hitched as the front door opened.

I jerked up from the chair like I’d been caught doing something I wasn’t supposed to. And maybe I was.

My stomach churned violently.

Asher stepped inside. The soft thud of the door closing behind him echoed across the room, and just as his eyes landed on me, he stopped dead in his tracks.

The briefcase in his hand slipped.

His eyes widened. His gaze dragged down my body, slowly, like his brain was struggling to catch up with what he was seeing.

He took a step forward.

And then another.

"Vienna," he breathed, his voice barely above a whisper.

That wasn’t my name.

But I didn’t say a word.

I knew what I’d done.

I had dressed just like her to get his attention. I curled my hair the way she did. Sprayed the floral perfume she always used, until it clung to my skin like second nature.

Even now, as the recognition flickered in Asher's eyes, it stung that it was working. That he wasn’t seeing me but her.

And still…

Still, my heart fluttered at the way he was staring.

I swallowed hard and blinked, grounding myself.

"Happy birthday," I said softly—my voice almost cracking.

But before I could say anything else, he closed the gap between us.

His hand found my waist.

And in a blink, I was pulled flat against his chest.

His hand rose, cupping my jaw, tilting my face up.

And then in seconds, his mouth crashed into mine.

I gasped, too stunned to move. His lips were warm, desperate, tasting of exhaustion and something I couldn’t name. The kind of kiss that said he missed her. Not me. Her.

Still, I didn’t pull away.

I let him kiss me.

Because I needed to know what it felt like, to be wanted by him, even if only for a second.

His grip on me tightened, the kiss deepening like he needed it, like he needed her. My fingers trembled as they hovered in the air, unsure of where to land.

My eyes stung with tears but before I could snap them shut, the ringtone of his phone pierced through the air.

He jerked back like he'd been burned. His eyes widened as he stared back at me.

Without another word, he pulled his phone from his pocket and looked at the screen, his brows furrowing together.

"Yeah?" he answered, his voice still breathless.

I stood frozen, heart racing, the taste of him still on my lips. My fingers clutched the edge of my dress, trying to ground myself.

He turned slightly, facing away from me.

There was a long pause.

Then his voice lowered. "I’ll call you back," he said tightly, and ended the call.

He didn’t move for a second. Just stood there, his shoulders tense, phone still gripped in his hand.

Then he ran a hand through his hair, fingers dragging roughly across his scalp like he was trying to scrub the moment away.

I swallowed hard.

Trying to ease the suffocating tension, I took a shaky breath and forced a tiny smile.

"Happy birthday," I said again, desperate to fill the silence with anything.

He let out a long, low breath. "Thanks," he murmured, still not looking at me.

"You should sit," I said softly.

He turned and looked up slowly, his gaze flickering over the candles, the food, the table I’d tried too hard to perfect. Then his eyes landed on me again, softening for a fleeting second.

He gave a stiff nod, walked over, and pulled out the chair across from mine.

I waited until he sat before sinking into my seat.

He reached for the wine, poured himself a glass, and took a long, slow sip.

The silence was thick, almost unbearable.

Then he looked up.

"Elena…" His voice was soft as he called.

He leaned back in his seat, exhaling deeply.

"The kiss...I'm sorry. I didn’t mean to... I mean... for a second, I thought it was her."

I knew what he meant. I had purposely made myself look too much like her.

Still, I gave a small nod, pretending not to understand.

He glanced down at his glass again, swirling the wine.

"There’s something I’ve been meaning for us to talk about," he said after a beat.

The knot in my stomach tightened.

He took a shaky breath and continued. "I’ve been thinking about everything," he mumbled. "It's been two years. And Vienna hasn’t come back. No sign."

His jaw clenched as he looked away.

"I know it was selfish of me to ask you to marry me. To drag you into this. But I think it’s time we let go."

I froze.

He didn’t look at me as he kept talking. "I’ll get the papers ready. Tomorrow. And I’ll double what I promised you."

I blinked. My chest felt hollow. My throat burned.

"I know I said this would last for a few months, but we dragged it out. Hoping she’d return. But maybe she’s moved on. Maybe she doesn’t want me anymore. Either way… I can’t keep doing this. To you or me."

I swallowed hard. "We don’t have to end it just yet."

He looked at me.

"Maybe we could wait a little longer," I said quietly. "Who knows? Our parents might get to her someday and tell her about us. About the marriage. Maybe then… maybe she’ll come back."

"Elena…"

I shook my head immediately. "What if I don’t want to go? What if I want to stay?"

His brows pulled together, confused.

"What if I want you to keep using me?"

He stared at me like I’d grown another head.

"I mean…" I paused, heart slamming. "I just don’t think we should give up. Not yet."

His voice was quieter now. "You don’t have to do this for me. You’ve done enough."

"Asher, I know but we can...," He cut me off before I could finish.

"Elena, I appreciate you so much. But I can't keep holding you back from living your life all because you want your sister Vienna to be back to me."

"I’m not doing this for her to come back," the words slipped out immediately.

His brows creased as he stared back at me. "What do you mean?"

I looked him straight in the eye, my lips quivering.

I should tell him...it was now or never.

"Asher... I'm... I'm in love with you."

The words slipped out so quietly, I almost wondered if he heard them.

But he did. I knew it from the way his entire body went still.

I sucked in a breath.

"I didn’t marry you just to help you," I whispered, trembling. "I married you because I’ve wanted you for so long, Asher. Because… I’ve been in love with you."

He didn’t speak. Not a word. Just stared at me, expression unreadable.

My fingers gripped the edge of the table behind me. My nails dug into the polished wood, and then I let go. I stood up and took a shaky step forward.

"You don’t have to say anything," I murmured. "Just… just let me..."

I reached for the zipper at the side of my dress and pulled it down slowly. God I had no idea what I was doing.

But I want this man. I want him so badly that it hurts

"Elena." His voice was tight now. "What are you doing?"

He stood up immediately, taking a step back.

"I need you to see me." My voice cracked, but I kept going. The fabric slipped off my shoulders and dropped to the floor. I stood there, in lace, the color of crushed wine. The kind I once imagined wearing if he ever looked at me the way he looked at her.

"Elena, stop." He backed up slightly. "You’re not thinking straight. This isn’t you."

"Yes, it is," I whispered, taking another step closer. "It's been two years Asher. Is it not time you get Vienna off your mind?" I mumbled, my voice quivering. "I'm here and I want you. I'll love you more than she ever did."

"What the hell are you even talking about?" He snapped, averting his eyes from my body.

I took another step, my fingers trembling, chest rising and falling too fast. "Take her off your mind and look at me, Asher. I love you, I want you, I...,"

"Elena, stop this..." he snapped, his jaw clenching hard.

I opened my mouth to say something but the ringtone of his phone suddenly pierced through the air again.

He glanced back at me, cursing under his breath as he quickly walked toward the table, grabbing his phone.

I watched him, heart slamming in my chest, arms suddenly wrapping around myself.

His hand gripped the phone, and he answered.

"Yes," his voice came out low.

Then I watched as his face immediately changed.

"What?" he said, sharper now.

I took a deep breath, my lips sinking into my teeth.

My brow creased as his eyes suddenly widened.

"You saw who?" Asher asked whoever he was on the phone with.

"You mean you saw Vienna? She's back?" Asher asked on the phone again and my entire body went still.