Emma

Everything fades into the background as I spot my father approaching us. His usually stoic face is contorted with anger, and I can't help but tense up. Despite the years of estrangement, I know him well enough to sense when a storm is brewing.

"Asher," he says, ignoring me. "I've heard a lot about you recently."

"James." Asher nods politely, but I can see the tension in his jaw. He's not fond of my father, and it's no secret that the feeling is mutual. After the heartache of losing his own father, Asher didn't hold back in letting my father know how he felt about him trying to set me up with Max. Needless to say, that encounter didn't end well.

My father's piercing gaze finally shifts to me, and I brace myself for the tirade that's about to come up. "Emma," he begins, his tone dripping with condescension, "I see you've chosen to throw yourself into another reckless endeavor."

I take a deep breath, struggling to maintain my composure. "This isn't the time or place for this conversation."

He lets out a humorless chuckle, his eyes hard on me. "How dare you get engaged without talking to me first?"

My patience wears thin, and I meet his gaze squarely. "I'm simply living on my terms."

My father's nostrils flare and his face reddens. "You've always been headstrong and foolish, just like your mother. And look where that got her."

I refuse to let his words wound me. My mother's memory is sacred, and I won't let him tarnish it further. "You have no right to bring her into this."

He leans in closer, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "I think you're forgetting our agreement, Emma."

His words hang in the air, a chilling reminder of the pact we made years ago. It's a secret I've kept buried deep within me; a promise I never wanted to acknowledge. But now, he is using it against me.

Oh God, how could I have been so naive to think that he would just let me move on with my life? I should have known better. In my father's mind, it's all about him. He doesn't give a damn that I'm marrying Asher. He only cares about how it's going to affect him.

Asher arches an eyebrow, sensing the tension and the unspoken history between my father and me. I shoot him a subtle warning glance, silently begging him not to dig any deeper.

Swallowing hard, I lock eyes with my father. "I don't know what you're talking about."

A sinister smile curls on my father's lips as he steps closer. "You know exactly what I'm talking about, Emma. The time has come for you to fulfill your end of our deal."

My heart sinks, and a wave of shame washes over me. He's referring to a dark chapter in my life, one I've desperately tried to forget. It was born out of desperation, a lifeline I clung to when I had nowhere else to turn.

A couple of years after Asher left, I got entangled in an abusive relationship with Zach, a guy I met at a party I attended with my father. He was so charming and romantic at first that I couldn't have imagined the monster he hid behind his handsome face.

The fear and shame of being trapped with someone like him made it nearly impossible to seek help. But then, my brother came to visit one day and witnessed firsthand how cruel Zach could be.

He fought tooth and nail to rescue me, but when the police hit a dead end, he turned to our father, hoping to leverage his wealth and influence to ensure that my ex could never harm me again.

Our father readily provided the help I needed, but it obviously came with one condition—a condition that he would someday call in his favor.

And it appears that the time to repay my debt has finally arrived.

My knees go weak, and I grab Asher's arms for support. He looks genuinely concerned as he pulls me closer to him, but I subtly shake my head, silently asking him not to push for more details.

"Father," I finally manage to say, my voice trembling, "we can discuss this later. In private, please."

His smile widens, sending a chill down my spine. "Oh, we will, Emma. We most certainly will."

As my father walks away, a heavy silence falls between Asher and me. While he might not grasp the full extent of the secrets and deals tethering me to my family, he obviously senses that there's more to the story than I'm willing to share.

Swallowing my pride, I keep my eyes on my father's retreating figure. This isn't over. Whether I like it or not, I know I'll have to find a way to settle my debt with him.

"Asher," I whisper, my voice shaky with the need to get away from here; to distance myself from my father. "Is it okay if we leave now, please?"

Without missing a beat, he nods and I lean on him for support as we make our exit.

Soon, the gala fades into the distance, but my father's words continue to weigh on me.

*****

Once we arrive at my place, Asher helps me inside, his hand gently gripping mine. He knows I'm shaken by my father's unexpected appearance, and I can see a million questions in his eyes. But as I head toward my room, relief washes over me when he stays quiet.

"I'm sorry we had to leave so soon," I murmur.

"Is there something I can do?" he says from the threshold of my room.

"I just..." My voice catches in my throat, and I close my eyes, trying not to cry.

"It's okay..." He rushes to my side. "Why don't you change into something more comfortable and head to bed?"

Nodding, I go to the chest of drawers by my bed. In a sweet and gentlemanly gesture, Asher turns around, giving me the privacy to change. My fingers fumble with the clasp of my dress as I peel it off, and a few minutes later, I hastily change into a soft, oversized T-shirt and a pair of comfortable lounge pants.

When I'm ready, I clear my throat, subtly signaling to Asher that he can turn back around.

As his eyes meet mine, a mix of heartbreak and longing lingers in his gaze, reminding me of simpler times when we were just kids trying to find our way into the world.

"Are you feeling any better?" He takes a step closer, his gaze locked onto mine.

His genuine concern warms my heart, and I muster a small smile. "Yes, much better, thanks."

"Good." He nods, reaching out to tuck a loose strand of hair behind my ear. His touch sends a shiver down my spine, and I can't help but lean into him, craving the comfort and stability he freely offers. Because, despite all the challenges in our past, there's an unmistakable connection between us that's just hard to ignore.

"Ash...." I swallow hard, my voice barely above a whisper. "Can you stay with me for a while? I don't want to be alone right now."

Without hesitation, he slips off his shoes and sheds his tuxedo jacket. My heart is racing as I sink into bed, my gaze fixed on him—unable to look away. In the dim light of my room, he looks so impossibly handsome; I need to remind myself of the ground rules we established just a few days ago.

In an instant, he settles onto the bed beside me, his presence a comforting anchor. There's no time for awkwardness as he smoothly wraps his arm around me, pulling me close. A faint smile plays on my lips when he skillfully repositions us, allowing me to rest my head against his chest.

The minutes tick by, and I close my eyes, savoring the warmth of his embrace. His heartbeat remains steady and soothing, a comforting reminder I'm not alone. I knew I'd have to confront my father at some point, but his unexpected appearance at the gala caught me off guard.

After my mom passed away when I was eighteen, it felt like my whole world had fallen apart. I had never felt so lonely and disconnected. Around the same time, my brother and José decided to move in together, which added another layer of grief for my brother, as my father didn't expect or support their relationship. Meanwhile, I felt like they had each other while I was left alone, stuck with my father.

It was Asher and his adventurous spirit that helped me break free from the emotional shell I had built around myself. Every weekend, like clockwork, he would show up at my place with a list of things for us to do. From movie nights to exploring the hidden spots in the city, we truly bonded during one of the hardest moments of my life.

However, my father's watchful eyes were always on us. He had mapped out a specific path for both Aiden and me to follow, and he made sure we never strayed from it. Not out of love and care, though. In his head, the world existed to serve him, and Aiden and I were expected to cater to his every whim.

To say my brother and I have been fighting this oppressive dynamic for as long as we can remember is definitely an understatement.

Now, as I lay here in Asher's arms, of all people, I keep reminding myself of how far I've come. As much as my mind tries to play tricks on me, telling me I'm going to lose this fight, I know I'm much stronger now.

Yearning for a distraction, something to divert my thoughts, I tilt my face up to look at Asher. His eyes are closed and one of his hands is tucked around his head. His fingers are tracing soothing patterns along my arm, his touch igniting a slow burn within me. He smells so good, like a refreshing hint of citrus and something that's just him. I've missed this. This sense of being grounded that his presence always gave me.

"Ash, can I ask you something?" I swallow past the lump in my throat.

"Sure," he says, pulling away slightly so he's looking into my eyes.

"It's not really a question. It's just..." I let out a soft chuckle, wondering if I should really bring the past up. We're about to get married, but there's so much we never really got a chance to discuss.

"What?" he says, his voice low.

"I feel like even though life has moved on for us in a way, we never really had this... closure, you know?"

Letting out a long sigh, I feel his hand squeezing my waist. "You really wanna do this? To open the door of the past?"

"After Frank, I promised myself I wouldn't get involved with anyone for a while," I whisper, feeling his muscles tense up. "I had this whole idea that I would just focus on myself and the shelter for a while, but then you came back and rocked my world with this marriage deal."

"Can I ask why you guys broke up?" he whispers.

"We were in different stages of our life."

"What does that mean?"

Sighing, I let out a humorless chuckle. "He wanted us to move in together."

"Oh..." He clears his throat. "And you didn't want that?"

Closing my eyes, I wish I was not this broken inside. Frank is a great guy, but my relationship with Zack, the abusive bastard I dated right after Asher left, destroyed something inside me. And as much as I've tried, I still have a long road ahead of me. "I'm not really ready for a relationship," I whisper, my eyes closing as shame and regret wash over me.

"Em..." Asher makes a move to look into my eyes, but I bury my face in his chest. "If it's too much for you, we can cancel our deal."

"No," I hush to say. "I can't throw the chance to get that kind of money away."

"Are you sure? We have ways to help the shelter—"

"No, this money will change my life." I cut him off.

"I can't have you regret this, Em." He sighs, and I prop my head on my hand to look at him.

"You know what I think?" I hold his gaze. "We can be friends again, you know? But for that, I think we should get the closure we never had."

"Friends?" he says as if he's never heard the word before.

"We were friends once." I let out an involuntary chuckle.

"But then I saw you naked." He scoffs, turning his attention to the ceiling.

"Come on... I deal with my fair share of therapists every day. Talking things out is always the best way to solve things.

"You really wanna open that door to the past, huh?"

"Should we get a bottle of wine for some liquid courage?" I joke, and he sighs, pulling me even closer to him.

"Nah. I'm fine as we are now."

_____

A/N: How do you think this talk will go? 

Also, what's up with Emma's father?

Thank you so much for your support! It means the world!

XOXO

Celeste