hapter 13%
Max lay on Ashley’s bed, staring at the ceiling, waiting for dawn.
He hadn’t slept. Not even for a second. His eyes were bloodshot, his body tense with unbearable pain. The thought of losing her–of her leaving him–was enough to tear him apart.N
Late last night, he had already instructed his assistant to prepare his passport and book the first available flight to Puerto
Vendaval
Ashley couldn’t run from him. Her job was there. A few calls, a little digging–he’d find her.
Once he did, he’d explain everything. They would go back to the way they were. They had to.
But then, his phone rang
“Sit, your visa has been denied.”
Max sat up, his grip tightening around the device.N
“What?” His voice was sharp, furious. “You can’t even handle something this simple?”
There was a brief pause on the other end, his assistant treading carefully.N
“Sir, given your current status and the company’s deep ties to government projects, there are security concerns. To prevent any risk of exposing our core technology, it’s unlikely you’ll be allowed to travel abroad anytime soon.“”
The words hit like a hammer.N
Max’s jaw clenched, his hands curling into fists. She was out of reach. He ended the call and drifted out of Ashley’s room like a man who had lost his soul.
Inside the bathroom, he stared at his reflection. Bloodshot eyes. A layer of stubble darkening his jaw. Gone was the sharp, self–assured man he used to be.
He tugged at the corners of his mouth, trying to smile. His reflection barely even looked human.
His fingers curled into a fist–tight, tighter–until he slammed it into the mirror. Cracks splintered across the glass. Blood welled from his knuckles, dripping onto the sink. But pain was the least of his concerns.N
He had built his company to stand on his own, to protect the woman he loved. Now, he had become his own prison. He couldn’t leave the country. He couldn’t go to her. All he could do was wait.N
The thought alone was unbearable.N
Like a jolt of lightning, an idea struck him–Alana. Ashley was devoted to her mother. If he could convince Alana to help, to ask Ashley to come home, she would.
Holding onto that last shred of hope, Max rushed out of the room–only to freeze at the sight before him.
Moving trucks. Workers carrying out furniture and suitcases.N
His stomach twisted. Then, he spotted her—Alana, standing by the doorway, suitcase in hand.N
A terrible realization settled in his chest like a stone. “Aunt Alana, where are you going?“N
She glanced at him, eyes filled with quiet surprise. “Your father didn’t tell you?” she said casually. “I divorced him.” Max’s body stiffened, an almost imperceptible tremor running through him as he took an unsteady step back. Around him, workers moved up and down the stairs, carrying out furniture piece by piece, forcing him to confront the truth.W
How could this be happening?”
He forced a smile, though it barely held. “Aunt Alana, you’re joking… right?“N
Alana met his gaze with quiet certainty. “I’m not. Your father and I haven’t been happy for a long time. After two years of trying, we finally decided to end it.“8
“That’s just how relationships work, Max. When one person stops feeling right in them, disagreements grow and eventually, you go your separate ways.”
“I had to choose myself. Your father is too controlling and I have my own way of thinking. Staying wasn’t an option
anymore.“%
There was no regret in her voice, no sorrow on her face–only quiet resolve. She left with her head held high, free of hesitation, while Max stood frozen, watching the movers come and go in a daze.N
A heavy fatigue settled over him, numbing everything else. He stopped trying to process it.
Dragging himself to the bed, Max let his body collapse onto the mattress, his eyes closing almost instinctively.
If he had known Alana was going to leave his father, he never would have gone through with his plan–never would have pushed Ashley away, shattered her heart.
Now, Ashley wasn’t his stepsister anymore. If this had happened a month ago, he would have been overjoyed. But now, it felt like a knife cutting through the last fragile thread between them.N
12:52 AM 04
From this moment on, there was nothing left tethering them together. His grip tightened around his phone, thumb brushing over the screen, lingering on a photo of Ashley–the one he couldn’t bring himself to delete.Z
“Ash…” His voice was barely a whisper. “I won’t let go… so don’t give up on us either.“/
“There’s just a misunderstanding between us. Once it’s cleared up, we’ll go back to how we were.” The words felt empty, too fragile to hold onto.!!
His chest ached, but exhaustion weighed heavier. His eyelids, thick with fatigue, finally drifted shut. Too much had happened in too little time.”
For now, all he could do was breathe–just for a moment–before everything crashed down on him again.”
12.52 AM
Chapter 14%
