Semua Bab The Wife Swap: Bab 161 - Bab 170

Ashley’s POVI paced back and forth in Ashton’s bedroom, the phone pressed tightly against my ear as Liv’s breathing filled the line. I could hear the shock in her silence as I recounted everything that had happened at the gallery—the slashed painting, the dolls, the vandalism, the taunting message. I paused for a moment, giving her a chance to process it all. I knew it was a lot; it was overwhelming for me too, and I had been right there, staring at the destruction with my own eyes.“You’re telling me someone went to Ashton’s gallery and did all that?” Liv finally said, her voice a mix of disbelief and horror. “And you think it’s related to the messages you’ve been getting?”I took a deep breath, trying to keep my voice steady. “I don’t know, Liv. It’s too much of a coincidence, don’t you think? The messages, the vandalism, the memories tied to those dolls—it feels like someone’s trying to get inside my head. But…” I trailed off, glancing toward the kitchen where Andreas was busying

Ashley’s POVI was feeling light as I closed my suitcase and zipped it up for the hundredth time, certain that I was finally ready for the trip with Liv. When I told Andreas I was going to Vermont with her, he’d smiled in that way of his that always made my heart skip a beat. Even though I knew he was a bit disappointed that he couldn’t come along, he had supported the idea, saying it would do me good to have some time away. His exact words had been, “You need this, Ash. It’s good you have Liv. I’ll be here when you get back.”The tenderness in his voice had made me want to cancel the trip right there and stay with him, wrapped in his arms. But I knew I needed to do this. I needed to clear my head, to find some semblance of order in this chaos. We’d shared a lingering kiss before I left, and I couldn’t help but think how lucky I was, even in this mess, to know that what we had was real even though deep down, I didn’t know for how much longer.On the drive up, Liv and I slipped back in

Ashley’s POVI shifted in my seat, looking out the window at the Vermont twilight settling over the landscape. “Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Kennedy,” I said, trying to keep my tone light. “I didn’t mean to get so deep.”He laughed again, this time softer. “It’s no problem. I guess I needed that too. It’s been a while since I’ve had a real conversation like this. You know, where you actually talk about something that matters.”I paused, feeling a twinge of guilt. Was I manipulating him by pretending this was just a casual chat? Maybe. But I needed to know, and this seemed like the only way to gauge his true intentions. “Yeah,” I agreed quietly. “It’s nice to have these talks sometimes. It reminds you that you’re not alone in all of this.”Kennedy’s voice dropped to a near whisper, and I had to strain to hear him over the crackling line. “I’m glad we could talk. I’ve missed you, Ashton. I know things have been...busy, plus you’re married now so I can see how that can be awkward bu

Ashley’s POVFinally, Liv and I ended up at the spa. I had to admit, I was looking forward to it. Liv was right. I needed it. The soft lighting and calming scents immediately put me in a slightly better mood, and for the first time all day, I let my guard down. I was wrapped in a plush robe and lying on a massage table, the quiet music soothing my jangled nerves, but even then, I couldn’t let go entirely. My mind kept drifting back to the dolls, to Kennedy’s unsettling confession, to the vague feeling that I was being watched.It was a small comfort that Liv was sitting nearby, flipping through a magazine, occasionally checking in with me to make sure I was okay. “How are you doing?” she asked softly, glancing up from her magazine as I closed my eyes.“Better,” I muttered, though I knew it was a lie. I wasn’t “better.” I was still drowning in questions with no answers, still wondering if I was doing the right thing by pretending everything was fine. The only thing that helped was that

Ashley’s POVThe letter was shaking in my hands, the words blurring as my vision wavered. I could feel the tremble in my fingers, my pulse drumming in my ears, louder than the faint hum of the fridge and the quiet tick of the wall clock. It felt like the ground beneath me had shifted, leaving me unsteady, unsure of where to stand. I kept reading the same lines over and over, as if doing so would make the message clearer or, better yet, change its meaning entirely.“Come clean about the swap. Leave Andreas. Make sure you save yourself. Pretend it never happened.”I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to focus, trying to breathe through the sudden tightness in my chest. I couldn’t make sense of it. Why would Ashton send this? The date on the letter—the day of the plane crash—made no sense. It was impossible, wasn’t it? My thoughts spiraled, each one colliding with the next, leaving me more confused and disoriented. Was this another trick from the stalker? Or had Ashton somehow known something