Chapter 7

Asher ordered, "Cut off the hand Carl put on Rhea, then throw him out! I never want to see him again."

A bodyguard nodded and dragged Carl away.

Carl freaked out and pleaded, "Mr. Kline, I messed up! Please, I've been loyal for years. Let it slide just this once!"

Asher stayed put on the couch, brooding with his expression overcast.

I closed the video, feeling nothing, and sat motionless on the bed.

Not long after, the door opened and Asher stepped inside. He came up behind me and wrapped his arms around me, resting his head on my shoulder.

"Babe, I'm so sorry. It was my negligence that allowed Carl to hurt you."

He sounded furious as he continued, "The second I found out he'd tried to hurt you, I wanted him dead! Don't worry. I've already punished him."

Asher took my hand and squeezed it tight. "Still, I'm glad you could protect yourself and fight him off."

He raised a hand and gently brushed my cheek. "With me, you're a sweet little kitten. With everyone else, you're a little lioness with her claws out."

I scoffed inwardly. He probably thought I'd be scared and helpless in a moment like that, crying or just sitting there waiting to be saved.

But I knew better. It was wiser to count on myself. Men, in the end, weren't reliable.

When I felt Asher start to nibble at my neck, I quietly turned my head aside and yawned. "I'm really tired. I need to rest."

He caught on immediately and pulled back, just wrapping his arms around me instead. "Alright. Go to sleep. I'll stay with you tonight."

I didn't refuse. I lay down without a word. He lay beside me, but even with his warm arms around me, I only felt cold.

We shared the same bed, but our minds were far apart.

After what happened, Asher stopped going to work and stayed home with me. He started showering me with gifts, went shopping with me, and even cooked for me.

He was perfect in every way, but I felt nothing because I knew it was just a performance to lower my guard. He could tell I wasn't happy, so he tried even harder to please me.

Eventually, I got tired of pretending. I dropped the act and became much calmer and quieter. I barely smiled anymore, and my eyes became dull whenever I looked at him.

Asher seemed oblivious and kept doing what he thought were touching gestures.

As the birthday party approached, he grew more on edge. When he realized I hadn't invited Mom and Dad, he pressed, "Babe, your parents need to be at your birthday party."

I nodded and lied, "I've already invited them."

Only then did he relax and throw himself into planning my birthday, fussing over every detail for my sake.

…

The day before the birthday party, I drank with Asher on purpose until he was drunk. He pulled me in, kissing me ceaselessly, hungry to take it further.

I pushed hard to get him off me, but he was wild and overpowering. I couldn't fight him off. With no way out, I went along with it.

Luckily, the drug kicked in right before it could go any further, and he passed out.

I'd drugged him.

I pulled out Asher's phone and started scrolling through his messages. The group chat with his friends was blowing up with notifications.

"Asher, what time are you dropping those videos of you two in bed tomorrow?"

"Send it here first. We want to see if her body is as hot as you claimed."

"Yeah, give us a preview."

My gaze grew cold, and my fingers trembled as I replied, "There will be a show tomorrow. Stay tuned!"

Then, I went looking for those videos.

Fortunately, Asher had told me where he'd saved them, so I found them within seconds. I deleted every video and wiped the system clean. Only then did I breathe easy.

When I was done, I grabbed my suitcase and walked out without looking back. The moment I stepped through the door, Asher and I were done for good.

I boarded the plane and left the town.

I watched the blue and white of the sky outside the window and took a deep breath, feeling lighter than I ever had before.