For the first time, Ashton Miller felt something he could not control.
Regret.
But it came far too late. Bailey had already made the decision to end their pregnancy, and there was no one left to blame—no one but himself.
As if that realization were not enough, another blow followed almost immediately.
Just moments ago, Eva had called with news he had not expected to hear so soon.
Marie had passed away.
The words still echoed in his head. It was a shock, even though he had been preparing for it. She was supposed to have a few more weeks. Time, however, had decided otherwise.
The moment he ended the call, the plan moved forward. A lawyer had already been assigned, exactly as Marie had requested, to act on her behalf and execute her will. Everything was in motion now. All that remained was to locate Bailey and pass the information to the legal team.
That would be the next phase.
A knock sounded on the door—the one he had been waiting for.
The door opened, and Lynda walked in, her glowing smile filling the room as it always did. She moved with effortless grace, the kind polished by years of practice—years spent learning how to belong among the elite. She was, after all, the future Mrs. Ashton Miller.
He leaned back in his leather chair, watching her approach. Confident. Poised. Beautiful. And still, somehow, unreadable.
“I’m so happy you’re back in town,” she said warmly. “I hope everything went well with your business trip?”
She leaned closer and pressed a light kiss to his cheek.
“Everything is in order.”
“That’s good to hear.” Her smile widened. “Now you can finally focus on us.”
He raised an eyebrow, feigning confusion, though he knew exactly what she meant. Before he had left on his so-called urgent business trip, they had left a conversation unfinished—one where she had suggested moving into the next chapter of their lives.
What began as a one-year arrangement—a fake engagement to stabilize his reputation as a family man—had become something far more convincing than he ever intended. To society, toinvestors, to the public eye, they were already the perfect couple. And now, expectations were demanding more.
“Please, Ashton,” Lynda said softly, hope threading through her voice. “Give us a chance to explore this for real. I can be a good wife to you. We can be partners—not just in life, but in business too. We were apart once, yet fate brought us back together. I may not offer love… but I can offer respect in a marriage.”
Her sincerity was unmistakable. He did not want to crush it too quickly.
“You’re right, Lynda,” he said after a pause. “We’ve been through a lot, and you’ve proven that you’re always there for me.”
Her eyes widened. “Oh my gosh… does that mean you want us to be real?”
She practically bounced in place.
“If that’s what you want,” he replied evenly, “then I’ll go along with it.”
“Truly, Ashton?” she gasped. “Does that mean I can announce the wedding?”
“Whenever you want,” he said. “Make it happen. Don’t worry about the venue or the date—I’ll take care of that.”
He smiled, though even he knew it didn’t quite reach his eyes.
Lynda was radiant with happiness. She leaned in and kissed him—longer this time. He stiffened in surprise but allowed it. If this was the price of believability, he would pay it.
Her hand slid around his neck as she looked at him adoringly.
“Thank you for making me so happy,” she whispered. “For giving us a chance. Let’s go celebrate.”
