She Took The House The Car And My Heart

Chapter 81

Chapter 81 Ashley Has Been Deceiving You

Gerard barely lingered in the company. With a few swift delegations to the secretarial team, he was out the door.

Weekends were supposed to be for relaxation, but for Gerard, a Sunday was just another day in his relentless

schedule.

Kristian, on the other hand, settled into his desk shortly after Gerard's departure.

The office was quieter than usual, a gentle hum of silence filling the space typically buzzing with activity. Like

Gerard, Kristian found little difference between weekdays and weekends.

His focus was unyielding as he sifted through documents, his phone's persistent vibration a mere background

nuisance until he reached a stopping point. With a nonchalant glance, he finally attended to the insistent device.

The moment he saw the message, a chill ran through him.

The screen displayed several photos of Ashley caught in tender embraces with another man. The accompanying

text hit like a cold blade. "Ashley has been deceiving you.’

The message's neutral tone made it hard to discern whether it was sent by a man or a woman. Kristian, his

curiosity piqued and a knot of anxiety in his stomach, immediately dialed the mysterious number to unearth the

origins of these unsettling photos and to understand the implications behind them.

He examined each photo with meticulous attention, confirming to himself they were genuine, untouched by

digital manipulation.

Upon making the call, he was met with the cold, impersonal announcement from a mechanical female voice

declaring the number was invalid.

A crease formed between his eyebrows as he pondered this dead end, his mind racing back to a similar scenario

that had been the talk of the town not long ago.

Driven by a sudden urge, Kristian snatched his phone and jacket from the back of his chair and stormed out of

the office, determined to confront Ashley directly at her place.

Meanwhile, Ashley was in the midst of a tense conversation, her face a mask of fear, her voice quivering with

nervous energy "lI never thought he'd side with Liam Shaw over me. You can't hold this against me," she

stammered into the phone, her words dripping with worry and regret.

The voice on the other end rebuked her sharply. "You know well the repercussions of jeopardizing my plans."

Ashley's grip on her phone tightened, her entire body shaking as tears streamed down her face, fear manifesting

more palpably than ever before.

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Chapter 81 Ashley Has Been Deceiving You

She opened her mouth to plead her case when a sudden, insistent knock at the door interrupted her.

The sound reverberated, persistent and ominous.

For reasons she couldn't fathom, her heart hammered against her chest, threatening to burst.

"I have to hang up. Someone's at the door."

"Make sure you don't reveal the truth about your illness."

"Okay..." Her voice trailed off as the call disconnected. Swiftly, she erased the call history and dabbed at her

eyes with a tissue.

She then took a deep, steadying breath to calm her nerves before she approached the door.

Only a select few knew of her current hideaway-her friend, Kristian, and Gerard. Regardless of the visitor, it was

crucial that her secret remained just that—a secret. As she opened the door, Kristian's tall, daunting silhouette

filled the entryway,

The sight of him sent a jolt of tension through Ashley, her body stiffening involuntarily. Despite her anxiety, she

managed a smile, masking her nerves with feigned surprise and warmth. "What a surprise! What brings you here

at this hour?"

"I need to talk to you," Kristian stated, his voice a low murmur, his lips barely parting as he clutched a stack of

urgent-looking documents.

"Please, cin." She stepped aside. "Can | get you something to drink? Maybe scoffee or tea?"

No, thanks." The flat refusal cquickly. Kristian's gaze was unreadable, his eyes a calm, piercing slate as he

remarked, "Let's talk first."

A ripple of unease washed over Ashley. Her guilty conscience fluttered like a trapped bird, her eyes darting away

from his steady gaze.

Kristian, observing her discomfort, sensed something was amiss. Under normal circumstances, he might have

chalked it up to health concerns, perhaps a troubling doctor's visit.

Ever since she lied about Freya and Liam having an affair, his trust in her had never been the same.

Ashley's voice wavered, betraying her anxiety. "What-What would you like to discuss?"

Kristian chose to give her the benefit of the doubt. "Is there something you're not telling me?"

Ashley's hand tightened around the glass of water before her, her face a mask of innocence and confusion. "Why

would you ask that out of the blue? Has something happened?"

"Nothing in particular," Kristian replied evenly, his deep voice betraying no emotion. "It's just that Freya has

been deceivingso frequently of late. I'm beginning to fear that my life is entangled in lies."

At his words, Ashley's tension melted away, and she exhaled a deep breath of relief. Her shoulders eased, and

she flashed him a gentle, comforting smile. "Don't worry. Even if the whole world deceives you, I'll always be

truthful with you."

"Really?"

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"Don't you believe me?"

"It's not that | believe you." His demeanor remained guarded, his thoughts impenetrable. "I just needed to be

sure."

"I have never lied to you," Ashley asserted with a calm conviction, masking the deceit in her heart. "And | never

will,"

Kristian simply grunted in acknowledgment.

The room fell eerily silent, the weight of unsaid words hanging thickly in the air.

Ashley had settled into a quiet ease, her gaze clear and inquisitive as she peered across at him. "Anything else?"

she ventured softly.

Kristian's response was crisp, each word measured. "Once | finalize my divorce with Freya, | intend to marry

you." His tone was dispassionately businesslike as he continued, "Before we move forward, | need to know- have

you been with anyone else during our two-year separation?"

Ashley's composure shattered instantly. "What?" she stammered, her voice laced with disbelief.

She couldn't fathom why he was probing into her past now; he had never seemed interested before.

Kristian, thumbing his phone with deliberate motions, didn't miss a beat. "If you have," he stated evenly. "I owe

that man my thanks for looking after you during my absence."

"No." Ashley replied, her heart thundering like a runaway train. Her voice dropped to a murmur, her expression

dimming like a cloud passing over sunlight. "Since we broke up, I've remained alone. With my lliness looming

over me, | couldn't possibly entertain the thought of accepting someone else's affections." She knew the impact

her words would have on him, likely stirring a potent mix of guilt and regret within him. This was her play: if he

felt remorseful enough, perhaps he could see past her previous transgressions. Unfazed, Kristian unlocked his

phone, pulled up a message with attached photos, and slid the device across the table towards her. "Then

explain these. Who is it?" he demanded, watching her closely.

Confusion etched her features initially, but as she glimpsed the photos, her complexion drained to a ghostly

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pallor.

The phone slipped from her trembling hands, clattering loudly against the tabletop.

Her expression was a portrait of panic and uncertainty, her lips parting slightly as if to speak, yet no words

escaped.

Confusion and fear intermingled in her wide, desperate eyes. How the hell could this happen? How did these

photos find their way onto Kristian's phone? Kristian's voice, cool and collected, cut through the tense silence.

"What exactly is your connection to him?" He offered her a moment to clarify, his demeanor suggesting that he

was prepared to listen-if her explanation was convincing enough.

"1. 1. Ashley stuttered, her fingers nervously catching her bottom lip, her thoughts

a tangled mess. With a shaky breath, she said, "I don't know him."

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Kristian's gaze turned cold, his detached words pressing down like a weight. "Is that so?"

"Kristian, please, you have to believe me," Ashley pleaded, her mind racing to forge a believable excuse. She

couldn't afford to falter or foster any doubt. "I honestly don't know him. It had to be Freya who tampered with

these pictures. She's trying to tear us apart."

In that instant, she decided to shift the blto Freya.

Given Kristian's growing disdain for Freya, coupled with Freya's past deceptions, Ashley banked on this

redirection. "It must have been her scheme," she insisted with a newfound resolve.

"Ashley," Kristian called out, his voice now a blend of warning and formality as he placed the incriminating

documents on the table. "You know I have no tolerance for lies or deceit."

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