Chapter 34: 34.

Chapter 34: Ashley’s POV

“Alright,” Steve announced dramatically while pointing the barbecue tong directly at me. “Ashley’s turn.”

Oh no. Everyone immediately looked toward me. Even Marcus. I narrowed my eyes suspiciously.

“Why do I suddenly feel targeted?”

“Because you’ve been judging everyone else’s answers,” Troy replied.

“Fair.”

Steve leaned back comfortably afterward. “So,” he continued smugly, “what’s the most reckless thing Ashley Martin has ever done?”

Where do I even begin? My entire twenties felt like one long emergency decision. I opened my mouth confidently—then paused. Because suddenly my current situation flashed directly inside my head.

Pregnant. Surrogate. Actually never mind. I definitely couldn’t say that.

“That silence is suspicious,” Vanessa observed calmly.

“She’s calculating lies,” Marcus added.

Excuse me? Why does he always have a side comment in everything?

“I’m calculating which reckless decision sounds least illegal.”

Steve burst out laughing immediately. “That bad?”

“You have no idea.” Thannks, Troy!

I grabbed my drink dramatically before finally sighing. “Fine,” I muttered. “I once flew to Singapore with a guy I met three hours earlier.”

Silence. Then collectively—“What?!” Mia shouted.

I pointed aggressively. “In my defense, he was very persuasive.”

Marcus looked horrified. “You got on an international flight with a stranger?”

“He was rich.”

“That doesn’t help.”

“He owned a yacht.”

“That makes it worse,” Vanessa informed me.

Okay. Fair point. Troy looked emotionally impressed now.

“You never told us this story.”

“Because halfway through the trip I realized he was emotionally unstable.”

Steve nearly choked laughing. “HALFWAY?”

“How do you realize that halfway through an international vacation?” Mia asked in disbelief.

“He brought crystals to dinner.”

The entire group fell silent. Then Marcus muttered flatly—“Understandable.”

I immediately pointed toward him. “THANK YOU.”

“No,” Marcus continued calmly. “I understand why you attract chaos.”

Rude. Very rude.

Meanwhile Steve wiped tears from laughing too hard.

“This explains so much about your personality.”

“You people are exhausting.”

The conversation continued afterward with more teasing, more drinks, and Troy somehow starting an argument with Steve about whether rich men were naturally emotionally unavailable.

Very specific discussion honestly. But slowly—the group started thinning out.

Vanessa eventually returned to the villa first. Then Mia dragged Nadine away after too many beach photos. Troy disappeared somewhere near the grills again because apparently he made friends with resort staff.

And suddenly—it was just Marcus and me left near the bonfire. Again. Dangerous pattern.

The bonfire burned softer now.

Smaller. Quieter.

Most of the noise disappeared together with everyone else, leaving only the sound of waves nearby and the occasional crack from the firewood.

And somehow—being alone with Marcus again suddenly felt more noticeable. I stared toward the ocean while lazily drawing circles against my drink glass.

“You really flew to Singapore with a stranger?” Marcus asked suddenly.

I sighed dramatically. “You sound disappointed in me.”

“I am disappointed in you.”

I gasped. “At least pretend to respect my adventurous spirit.”

“That wasn’t adventurous,” he replied calmly. “That was irresponsible.”

“There he is,” I muttered. “Mr. Judgment.”

Marcus leaned back slightly against his chair afterward, looking unfairly relaxed beneath the firelight.

“And yet somehow you survived all those decisions.”

I smirked slightly. “Barely.”

A brief silence settled again afterward. Comfortable this time. And weirdly—I didn’t hate it. Marcus suddenly glanced toward me more carefully.

“You’ve changed though.”

I frowned slightly. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You talk about your old life differently now.”

I stayed quiet for a second. Because annoyingly—he wasn’t wrong. The old Ashley would’ve bragged about reckless stories proudly. Now? They mostly just exhausted me.

“I think pregnancy rewired my brain,” I admitted honestly. “Everything feels more serious lately.”

Marcus didn’t joke this time. Didn’t tease. He just nodded once quietly like he understood exactly what I meant. And somehow—that small understanding affected me big time. I don't get how his words suddenly affect me this way.

The ocean breeze moved softly around us while the fire reflected warm light across Marcus’s face. Dangerous lighting. He looks dangerously attractive in that.

“You know what scares me most?” I asked suddenly before thinking too hard about it.

Marcus looked toward me. “What?”

I stared into the fire instead. “That maybe I’m actually becoming responsible.”

A faint amused breath escaped him. Tiny laugh again. And yes, I am seeing it right here and now.

“I don’t think the world is ready for that.”

I smiled despite myself. “Me neither.”

Then quietly—Marcus said something that made my chest tighten unexpectedly.

“I think you were always more capable than people assumed.”

Oh. That one hit differently. Because for so long—even I stopped expecting much from myself. And somehow hearing Marcus say that… felt important. Too important.

I looked away quickly afterward. Because staying under Marcus Bryson’s attention for too long lately felt genuinely dangerous.

Especially here. Especially tonight. And I am not ready for that. That... was complicated.

The firelight softened everything about him somehow. Less cold. Less distant. And that honestly made him harder to resist arguing with.

Or looking at. Very unfortunate situation.

I cleared my throat lightly before standing from my chair.

“Well,” I announced dramatically, “before this conversation becomes emotionally meaningful, I’m leaving.”

Marcus looked up at me calmly. “You always run when things get serious.”

Excuse me? I pointed accusingly at him. “And you always say things that sound psychological.”

“That’s because you’re predictable.”

“I’m mysterious.” How many times do I have to tell him that?

“You threatened to jump out of a plane yesterday.”

“That was emotional expression.”

Marcus shook his head slightly, but there was amusement hidden somewhere in his expression again.

Tiny. Rare. Annoyingly attractive. I started walking backward carefully across the sand toward the villa.

“Goodnight, Mr. Bryson.”

“Goodnight, Ashley.”

Simple. But somehow—the way he said my name quietly beneath the sound of waves made my stomach twist again.

Pregnancy hormones needed jail time honestly. I turned quickly before he noticed my reaction and headed toward the villa entrance instead.

And unfortunately—I could still feel Marcus watching me walk away.