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CHAPTER 22
Huling Na-update:
2025-03-20 14:04:38
Kaugnay na kabanata
TWISTED AFFAIR CHAPTER 23
Ashley's POV “Ashley, are you okay? Uncle Michael's voice broke through the silence as I stood by his office desk. The proposal neatly laid out before him.Ever since I saw Aunty Kate yesterday, I couldn't stop thinking about the conversation I had with my father. He doesn't lie to me. He doesn't keep secrets from me. But why do I feel like he's hiding something from me this time? And then there was Aunty Kate, she coming to our house uninvited was unusual.“I'm fine, I was just tired, I guess. I barely slept last night, so I had to work on the proposal.”I looked up at him, and I noticed he didn't seem convinced. He set down the proposal and studied me carefully, his sharp eyes catching the tension in my posture. “Ashley, you are not fine. What's wrong? I know something is bothering you.” “Uncle Michael, I'm fine…Really.”“Cut the act, Ash.” He said, his tone soft but firm. “I can tell something's off. you've been distant ever since the gala. Was it because of what happened that ni
Huling Na-update : 2025-03-20TWISTED AFFAIR CHAPTER 24
Ashley's POV The mall was busy, the sound of chatter, the clicking of heels, and the excitement from shoppers filled the air, but none of it reached me. I was just there, walking alongside Jade and sophie, but my mind was elsewhere. Austin's surprise party was the last thing on my mind, despite how I tried to focus on it.We spent the afternoon picking out decorations and balloons. But I couldn't shake the heaviness in me. Every time I glanced at them, I could feel their eyes on me, I think they could sense something. It wasn't long before Jade spoke up.“Ashley, what's up with you?” she asked casually, but her eyes were sharp. “You've been super off today. That's unlike you. Is everything okay?”I forced a smile, shaking my head. “I'm fine, I'm just a little tired, you know… with everything going on.”Sophie raised an eyebrow. “Ashley, don't lie to us. You've been acting weird since you came back from paris. I noticed, but I didn't want to push you, I believe you will tell us when y
Huling Na-update : 2025-03-21TWISTED AFFAIR CHAPTER 25
Austin's POV I leaned against the kitchen counter, stirring a pot of pasta, my mind filled with thoughts of my birthday, which is coming up tomorrow. I would be surrounded with closest friends, celebrating the only way I knew: loud, wild, and filled with fun. The plan was to have a small party at my place, but after that, we were heading to the club at night. I could feel the excitement building up in my chest. It has been stressful planning everything, and I need to relieve some stress. I can't wait to let loose and have some real fun.As those thoughts of celebration crossed my mind, my phone rang. It was my parent again. They were in London on a work trip, and they had been calling me almost every day to check up on me, asking about life, my work, and everything. I know they meant well, but sometimes, it’s a bit too much. I wiped my hands on a towel, picked up the call, and left it on speaker before answering. “Hey, Mom, Dad.” I said with a cheerful voice but clearly distracte
Huling Na-update : 2025-03-21TWISTED AFFAIR CHAPTER 26
AUSTIN'S POVMy heart was racing against my chest as I got to Sophie's apartment, I was just standing there with a mind full of thoughts. My thoughts were a mix of panic and confusion. Ashley's hurt? How come? But then, as soon as I opened the door, the scene in front of me stopped me dead in tracks.“Surprise” they all yelled in unison. “Happy birthday Austin”The words echoed in my head, but they felt real. I couldn't process what was happening. The room was filled with colourful balloons, and the scent of cake and candles filled the air. There were decorations everywhere, Gifts were arranged in neat piles, each one labelled with letters of my name on it. Ashley, Jade, Sophie. They were all standing there smiling wide, sharing glances at each other, looking completely normal.Hold on.. Ashley! I looked back at her, and I froze, Ashley was right there, standing at the centre of the group. Her eyes were filled with excitement. She looked perfectly fine. No sign of injury on her bod
Huling Na-update : 2025-03-22TWISTED AFFAIR CHAPTER 27
ASHLEY'S POV The night has finally arrived, the night we all have been waiting for. It's Austin's birthday and we are about to have some fun at the club. After all the craziness at the surprise party, it actually felt good to kick back and celebrate, and what better place could we do that than the club? Sophie, Jade, and I were getting ready at my place, and the energy was high. We were all excited, looking forward to Austin's party tonight.I looked at myself in the mirror, checking out different outfits to see which one would make me look my best. My closet seems to be against me tonight because anything I choose is either too plain or too revealing. “I can't decide, guys.” I said, looking down at the pile of clothes on my bed.Sophie, who had been rummaging through my wardrobe like it was her own personal shopping mall smirked at me, pulling out a tight, backless dress that was nothing short of scandalous, “You are wearing this”I raised an eyebrow. “Really? That's what you want
Huling Na-update : 2025-03-24TWISTED AFFAIR CHAPTER 28
MICHEAL'S POV “Man, this is huge,” Jayden said, laughing as he clicked his glass against mine. “You just signed a deal worth millions of dollars, This is the kind of move that changes everything.”I grinned, leaning back in my car seat. “Yeah, it's a big one. Can't believe I pulled it off. I couldn't have done it without you, though. You convinced Mr Willaims to listen in the first place.”Jayden chuckled and waved it off. “You handled all the tough stuff. All I did was make the intro. But hey, you know you need to celebrate this tonight, right? “Of course”, I said, anticipating the night ahead. “Let's hit the club and celebrate. You deserve it, Jaden.”Jayden hesitated, his eyes flickering for a second. “Actually….I think I'm gonna pass tonight. I promised Ashley I would be home by the time she gets back from her friend's birthday party. It's Austin's birthday.”I nodded, understanding his priority. It wasn't that I didn't get it, but a part of me felt a pang of jealousy. Ashley i
Huling Na-update : 2025-03-25TWISTED AFFAIR CHAPTER 29
ASHLEY'S POV I woke up to a serious headache this morning. My head kept banging as if I'd hit it on a wall . I looked around me, and nothing looked familiar to me. This wasn’t my apartment. What happened? How the fuck did i get here? Then it hit me… Austin's party, the drinks, they all went through my mind but nothing felt real. I sat up slowly, grabbing my head, hoping the act would ease the pain in some way. My body felt heavy as if I was still trapped in that party.Suddenly the door opened slightly. I glanced up, wiping my hands over my face to get rid of the dizziness. Then I saw Uncle Michael. Wait..why is he here? He stepped inside, walking slowly towards me, I noticed he was holding a glass of water and white pill in his hand.“Here, This should help you with the headache.”I collected the water and swallowed the pill, the cool liquid wetting down my dry throat.“Uncle Michael, where am I? What happened last night? And why are you here?” “You are at my guest house. I
Huling Na-update : 2025-03-26TWISTED AFFAIR CHAPTER 30
ASHLEY'S POV The ride back home felt like the longest one of my life. My mind kept taking me back to what happened last night, everytime I tried to forget about it, it came right back at me with more force. Our conversations at the club, the laughter, the familiar faces, All those memories kept me going, distracting me from the bad memories i had about that night.Then there were the darkest memories. The guy I saw at the restroom, his filthy hands on me, the smirk on his face, the fear I felt , and the relief that washed through me when Uncle Michael barged in. He saved me, he protected me and I couldn't help but feel a sense of gratitude. But a part of me felt guilty. Was it wrong to feel so safe in his arms? Was it wrong to want and desire the very person who was once like a father to me?As the car pulled to my house. I forced myself to be focused. I couldn't afford to look weak, not in the presence of my father. Uncle Micheal had assured him that I was fine but I knew my father
Huling Na-update : 2025-03-27
Pinakabagong kabanata
TWISTED AFFAIR CHAPTER 47
MICHEAL'S POVMorning light fought its way through the blinds, a dim, gentle light on the room. Ashley leaned close to me, breathing slowly, her face peaceful for the first time in weeks. Her hair sprawled out on the pillow, her hand resting upon my chest.It should've felt right, right? But it didn't.My eyes stayed on the ceiling, unmoving. The weight in my chest wasn't going anywhere. It had been there since last night…maybe even longer. I glanced at her again. She was practically pushed up against me, and yet there was something between us that was fragile. Uncertain. As if we'd built something of glass, and I was just waiting for it to break beneath the pressure of all that we hadn't spoken.She shifted to one side, her hand moving with it, and I got the chance to slowly ease myself out from under it. My toes made contact with the cold floor. I only needed a minute to collect my wits. To catch my breath.But before I could stand, her voice, soft and sleepy, broke the silence.
TWISTED AFFAIR CHAPTER 46
ASHLEY'S POV“Show me how sorry you're.”His voice hit deeper than his touch—low, thick with everything he wasn't saying. Hurt. Want. Rage. Love.My knees were still against the floor, but as soon as he spoke them, tension within the room shifted. My hands trembled against his thighs, and I glanced up at him. My heart pounded like it was sounding a warning.I didn't speak. I didn't need to. I just moved.I mounted him slowly until I was astride his lap. His eyes never wavered. His jaw was locked, as though he was fighting not to reach out and grab me to shut me in. But he didn't have to. I was already his.I cupped his face and kissed him.Hard and desperate, no hesitation.He responded immediately. His arms wrapped around my hips, pulling me towards him as if he couldn't stand having space between us. His lips were rough on my mouth, biting, breathing in my mouth, claiming my lips with such ferocity. None of this was slow and gentle.It was raw.His tongue swept against mine, his tee
TWISTED AFFAIR CHAPTER 45
ASHLEY'S POV The door clicked shut behind them.Jess and Ryan, they were gone. But the damage…they left it behind like a mess in the middle of the room. And all I could do was stand there, frozen, holding the pieces I didn't even know had broken yet.My throat burned. But no sound came out of my mouth. My hands wouldn’t stop shaking.Micheal hadn’t moved. He was still standing in the middle of my apartment like he didn't know where he was anymore. Like this place suddenly felt foreign to him.I wanted to say something. But where do you even start when everything's been turned inside out.So I whispered the only thing I could. “I didn't lie to you.” He didn't look at me right away. His jaw clenched. His eyes still stuck on the same spot Ryan had been standing. I stepped closer, my voice barely holding together. “I should have told you about him. About what he did. About how I felt seeing him again. But I was scared. Not of him, but of you. Of losing this…of losing you.”Finally, he
TWISTED AFFAIR CHAPTER 44
MICHEAL'S POV I couldn't sit still.Not at work. Not at home.Not even with Jess hovering around like some gentle ghost who didn't belong to the room anymore. That picture burned a hole in my brain. Ashley. Standing across from a man I didn't know. Her head tilted down, her eyes guarded. His hand on her shoulder. It was sent to me from an anonymous number. No text. No explanation.Just the image.I didn't want to believe it meant anything. But the way she'd been lately…distant, jumpy, always one foot out the door– it made it too easy for my mind to go places it shouldn't. I needed answers. I couldn't breathe without them anymore.So I drove down to her place.I didn't care that it was getting late. I didn't care that she hated people showing up unannounced. I just needed to see her face. I needed to know if she'd lie to me. Right to my face. ************Her apartment building looked the same. Cold. Familiar. My heart was beating so hard in my chest as I rang the bell. There wa
TWISTED AFFAIR CHAPTER 43
JESS'S POV The quiet inside the house had been oppressive, as if it had its own weight bearing down on my chest.I folded my legs over one another at the bed frame, pulled up close, clasped my knees. My fingers picked at a thread that was loose on my sleeve and twisted, pulled it over and over again as if I pulled enough, then maybe the rest of things would come apart too.Micheal's words wouldn't stop cycling in my head."I don't think I should have loved her."I know he still loved her. Even though he didn't say it. I could see it clearly in his eyes. I could feel it in the way his voice softened when he spoke her name.Ashley.Even her name made me want to throw up.I got up and went to the window, opening the curtains a little. The street was quiet now. Quiet. Empty. The sort of quiet that I never got at home. I leaned my head against the cold glass and shut my eyes.It wasn't supposed to turn out this way.I never want to fall in love with him.At first, I just wanted to be ther
TWISTED AFFAIR CHAPTER 42
MICHEAL'S POVThe clock on the microwave blinked at 11:42AM. I'm still in the same spot. Still holding the damn phone like it held answers to all the questions swirling in my head.I should've gone after her.Jess.She walked out like she was holding herself together with tape and string, and I just stood there. I watched her go. I didn't stop her, I didn't say anything that mattered. I let her walk away with that look in her eyes, like she already knew what I was gonna say before I ever said it.Because she was right.I didn't feel the same. And I hated myself for it.She deserved better than being a second option. Hell, she deserved to be someone’s first choice, not the person in the background, picking up the pieces when everything else fell apart. But I couldn't lie to her. I never harbour such feelings for her, she's always been like a sister to me and it's best it remains that way. And then there was Ashley.God.I leaned back against the counter, thumb hovering over my scree
TWISTED AFFAIR CHAPTER 41
JESS'S POVThe minute I heard the door click shut, I knew she was gone. Ashley.I sat on the bed upstairs, wearing Micheal's hoodie. The sleeves held tightly in my hand out of anger, knuckles white. I did not wish to hear the words, couldn't quite turn my ears quite enough to pay attention to what was being spoken. But I could feel it. In their voices, tension was there. The cracks. The silence that screams.And for a second….I hoped she'd stay gone.God, what's wrong with me?I rubbed at my chest, like maybe the pressure there would ease. But it didn't. It never did around her. Not when I saw her name flash on his phone. Not when he talked about her like she was everything. Not when he looked at her like she still belonged to him.Well, she did belong to him. And I hated it.I stood up, walked towards the window. The city felt so quiet. So blind. Micheal's apartment fell still again, the sort of stillness that convinced you that all else was sound. I saw myself reflected in the glas
TWISTED AFFAIR CHAPTER 40
MICHEAL'S POV The smell of coffee drifted through my penthouse before the sun had even fully come up. I stood by the stove, flipping pancakes half awake, wearing the same sweatpants I'd crashed in. My hair was a mess, eyes still a bit swollen from sleep, but Jess always liked breakfast early. And I'd promised.The kitchen was quiet except for the soft noise of the pans and the low sound of the fridge. Jess came down a few minutes later, barefoot, wearing an old hoodie of mine she’d found in the guest room closet. She smiled when she saw me cooking.“Now this is a sight,” she said, sitting down on a stool. “Mikey in his natural habitat.”I smiled, barely. “I told you I got you.”She watched me for a second. “You didn't sleep, did you?.”I shrugged. “Did you?” “Like a baby.”When I was done, I handed her a plate and sat across from her with my own meal in hand. She dug in immediately, humming like she used to when we were kids, and Aunt Marie made cinnamon rolls on Sundays. It should
TWISTED AFFAIR CHAPTER 39
MICHEAL'S POVThe numbers on my screen blurred together. I blinked once. Twice. Still nothing. I'd been staring at the same email for fifteen minutes, maybe even more. I couldn’t even remember what it was about anymore. My fingers hovered over the keyboard like they forgot how to type. I leaned back in my chair, rubbing the back of my head. Ashley.I couldn't stop thinking about her. She'd been off lately. Not cold exactly, just…distant. Her smile didn't reach her eyes anymore. Her laugh, the one that used to hit me right in the chest, now felt forced. Too quick, like she was trying to convince herself that it was real.And ever since she ran into him, Ryan, she hadn't been the same. I hated that name. Hated that I even know it now. Could she possibly still have feelings for him? I shook off the thought as soon as it came to mind.I used to think Ashley was an open book, but now? It was like someone glued the pages shut. Each time I asked, She said she was fine. Tired, distracted, w
