Chapter 10 Hear me out
“Ashie…”
“Ah!” I yelped, startled in the dimly lit office. “Bradley, you really need to stop sneaking up on me like that!”
He had a knack for materializing out of nowhere, and tonight was no different. My heart raced as I caught sight of the subtle white strip across his neck–no doubt a scent mask. That explained how he could move so silently.
But there was a more pressing question.
“How did you get in here?” I asked, frowning
He simply pointed toward the door as if that answered everything.
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I groaned. “I mean, how did you bypass security?” I glanced at the clock–well past midnight. “Did the guards just let you waltz in?”
“Of course, Bradley replied, shrugging nonchalantly as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.
“Oh, for the love of the Family…” I rubbed my temples, trying to stave off the headache building behind my eyes. How could I forget? Bradley was the Capo of the Martin family.
I had been buried in work for hours, lost in the details of a new shipment that had to be prepped for the next deal. When Don William announced the risky expansion into rival territory, my mind had been racing with strategies. Hours slipped away as I got lost in spreadsheets, the outside world fading
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into the background.
Then, suddenly, Bradley was there. Too close. His breath was hot against my ear.
I nearly jumped out of my skin. The moonlight framed him in a ghostly glow, his usual confident smirk replaced with something darker–almost ominous.
“What is it, Bradley?” I finally asked, doing my best to keep my voice steady despite the tightness in my chest.
“I need to talk to you, Ashley. About us,” he said, his tone even, yet laced with an intensity that caught me off guard.
At first, the urge to dismiss him was overwhelming. I wanted to roll my eyes and brush it off, but something in the way he looked at me–something unspoken in his
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gaze–stopped me. It was raw, a side of him I didn’t often see.
“What’s this really about?” I asked, despite myself, my curiosity creeping in.
His face softened for a moment, and he stepped closer, extending his hand toward me–an offer that felt both inviting and intimidating. “I promise, I won’t make this difficult. Just come with me,” he said, a strained smile trying to break through his usual intensity.
For a fleeting second, I cursed myself for feeling my pulse quicken.
“Fine,” I said, my voice steady despite the unexpected rush of emotion. “But you owe me an explanation first.”
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enupter 1 Flove you
Chapter 11 I love you
I turned to Bradley, half–expecting him to exude his usual calm confidence. Instead, a flicker of concern danced in his eyes, a rare crack in his otherwise impenetrable demeanor.
“Wow, this place is incredible” I said, trying to lighten the mood as we stood before the majestic, ancient estate. “I had no idea something this beautiful still existed so close to the chaos of the city.”
My gaze was drawn back to the weathered stones of the estate, their timeless presence casting a spell of tranquility over me. But reality snapped me back to the moment. Bradley had brought me here for a reason.
“So, what’s this all about?” I asked, the
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curiosity creeping in as the night air thickened with anticipation. “What did you want to talk about?”
He rubbed the back of his neck, an uncharacteristic gesture of uncertainty. “I wanted to apologize. For missing our anniversary. I thought I could make it special tonight… our anniversary date.”
As soon as the words left his lips, the lanterns lining the pathway flickered in the gentle breeze, casting a warm glow that surrounded us like a soft embrace. It was beautiful, but my heart felt heavy.
“Aren’t you worried Hallie will be upset when she finds out?” I asked, unable to keep the tension from creeping into my voice.
Bradley frowned, his frustration evident.
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you
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“What does Hallie have to do with this? Ashley, I’ve told you a hundred times–I see her as a sister.”
I looked away, my gaze drifting back to the sprawling garden, where shadows danced between the moonlight and the foliage. The beauty of this place was stark against the storm of emotions brewing inside me.
“Is that so?” I murmured, the sadness in my tone betraying my hurt. The longer we stayed here, the more my heart sank.
“She’s always your first priority, Bradley. Whenever she has a problem, you rush to her side without hesitation. You’d rather be there. for her than with me,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.
He opened his mouth to respond, but I pressed on. “I get it; you care about her. But
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what about us? You promised we would prioritize each other.”
His frustration deepened as he asked,
“Then what is it, Ashley? What do you want me to say?”
I shook my head, feeling the deep sense of helplessness wash over me. “It’s the fact that you keep choosing her, over and over again. What’s the point of us living together if, when it really matters, you’re not there? We see each other every day, but it feels like we’re miles apart.”
I took a shaky breath, feeling the gravity of my next words settle heavily in my chest.
“Bradley, do you even love me at all?”
His reaction was like a punch to the gut–he
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stood frozen, his eyes locked on the ground, his expression a whirlwind of emotions. The silence stretched between us, thick with unspoken truths, making the night feel heavier.
The serene beauty of our surroundings felt like a cruel joke. I had hoped this place could heal us, but it was evident that whatever had brought us here to resolve was slipping away.
“Thank you for showing me this place, I said softly, my resolve hardening. “But if you thought this could somehow make up for everything… I’m honestly insulted.”
I held his gaze, allowing the weight of my words to hang in the air, before turning away. “I head home now. Don’t bother escorting me–I’ll find a taxi. I saw some on the way in.”
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As I started to walk away, the contrast of the picturesque scene against my raw emotions felt surreal. I wanted to be his one and only, not just an afterthought he picked up when it was convenient.
It became clear to me now–he still didn’t understand the depth of his mistakes.
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