LOGINThe words stung like a slap. The people near them turned their heads, and Erick stepped in closer.
"Mrs. West, that's not fair," he said in a quiet voice.The other woman ignored him, her gaze fixed on Ashley. "You used to be such a sweet girl. But after a while, I came to see who you really were. A woman who has no idea how to stand on her own two feet without someone propping her up."A hush fell over the people around them, and Ashley found herself frozen in place, her fingers clenching the edge of her dress. Her heart beat rapidly in her chest, but her face remained calm."I don't have to defend myself to you," she said in a quiet voice. "You can think whatever you like. But I don't need your approval, or anyone's."Mrs. West snorted softly. "Of course not. That's what people say when they have no better defense."Harvey's voice rose. "Mother, stop."But s"I know," she said quietly. "However, he is currently in a hospital room and I am already in this hospital. If I walk away, I will think about it every night. I cannot ignore this."Nathan sat down next to her. "You are too kind for your own good."She smiled at him calmly. "Being kind is not being weak, Nathan. Being kind is something I choose because it feels right."Nathan let out a long, slow sigh. "I am afraid this will hurt you again.""It may," she said. "But I survived worse. I survived being shot. I survived everything Kimberly attempted to do. I can handle this conversation."Nathan put his head in his hands, and rubbed his temples. "I want to go with
Kimberly's demeanor changed. She looked both confused and angry. "You think you're strong," she said. "But you are really breaking."Ashley looked at Kimberly with a peaceful gaze. "We all break. The difference is how we stand up again."With that, Ashley turned and walked away. Her shoulder ached, but her step was steady. There was no sense of victory, only relief. It was amazing how sometimes peace felt like pure exhaustion.Later that night, Nathan came to Ashley's room. Mia let him enter the room cautiously. He immediately came to Ashley, who was sitting in the room with a cup of warm tea."Hi," he said as he stopped in front of her. "I heard you met with Kimberly."
For the first time in weeks, she didn't feel alone. The pain existed, and the fear continued to exist, but his presence filled the room with something she'd missed more than she cared to admit.They remained like that, hand in hand, while the dangers and truths of the world outside the hospital room continued to evolve. Within the confines of the room, the gap between them narrowed, piece by delicate piece.---Light from the hospital room dawned softly and slowly upon Ashley. An hour had passed since she awoke, and she lay still with her eyes half-closed listening to the muted sounds of the nurses as they moved through the corridors. The quiet offered her space to think, although the thoughts that arose were varied and frequently heavy. She glanced at her bandaged shoul
When the event concluded, Ashley stepped outside to the courtyard for some fresh air. The sun touched her face gently, yet she felt cold, despite the warmth. Ashley wrapped her arms around her body, and she took deep breaths. Ashley wanted to return to the estate and rest. She also wanted to call Mia, simply to hear a familiar voice.As Ashley removed her phone from her pocket, she heard a loud cutting sound through the air. At first, Ashley believed the sound was from construction equipment on the street. Then she heard another louder cutting sound, followed by a scream. Ashley froze for a moment. Her instincts told her to retreat towards the building, but she was too slow.A number of men burst through the gates. They were wearing black clothing that resembled no official uniform. Their actions were quick, and focused. Ashl
Mia hesitated for a moment before taking the envelope. "I will give it to her when she awakens."Nathan nodded once. "Thanks."Nathan got in his car, and looked at the house where he had been, for quite some time. He then pulled off of the estate's property, and watched as the lights from the house faded from view in his rearview mirror. His heart was heavy, the ache inside his chest growing with each passing mile. Nathan told himself he wouldn't rest until he had dug up the whole truth. If someone had taken his blood sample, Nathan would find them. If Kimberly had lied to him, Nathan would reveal every part of the lie. He had lost Ashley the first time due to fear. Nathan wasn't going to lose Ashley a second time because of silence.Back at the house, Mia stood near the
She slowly nodding, "Yes. The same paramedic whose name you asked about earlier."Jake gripped the papers tightly in his hand. "Can you scan these and send them to me?"The nurse left the room after agreeing to do so.Jake sat back in his chair, rubbing his forehead. "If this person has Nathan's blood, and someone wants to use it for testing purposes, it will definitely match. Even if Nathan had nothing to do with Kimberly."A twist formed inside of him. This meant someone had created a perfect lie.Jake whispered to himself, "But why."He decided to look into Kimberly's phone records next. He called a fri







