Chapter 162

Chapter 162
Asher's POV

Evening crept in quietly, wrapping the room in a dull, heavy calm. I sat in my study, staring at nothing, my body still but my mind refusing to rest. The dim light stretched shadows across the walls, making everything feel farther away than it was. I leaned back slightly, exhaling through my nose. My chest rose and fell slowly, but it never felt like enough air.

The silence pressed in, broken only by the faint crackle of fire and distant sounds drifting in from outside. Jason’s words echoed again. Kneel. Submit. Live. The thought twisted in my gut, sharp and bitter, and my hands clenched without me realizing it.

“I should’ve stopped it,” I muttered under my breath. “I should’ve felt it sooner.”

The memory of Phina slipping away hit me again, and my jaw tightened as guilt settled deep in my chest.

A soft knock came at the door, followed by the quiet sound of it opening. I didn’t look up right away. I already knew who it was.

“You’re still in here,” Zayn said gently, stepping inside. His voice was calm, careful, like he was walking a thin line. “You haven’t moved much, have you?”

I let out a low breath and rubbed my face.

“What’s the point?” I said, my voice tired. “Thinking about it doesn’t change anything.”

Zayn didn’t answer immediately. He walked further in, his steps steady, and stopped a few feet away.

“It doesn’t,” he agreed. “But doing nothing won’t change anything either.”

I finally looked at him, my eyes heavy but sharp.

“You think I don’t know that?” I asked quietly. “I just… I don’t see the move yet.”

He nodded slowly, not pushing too hard.

“Then maybe you’re looking at it the wrong way,” he said. “You’re trying to fix everything at once instead of finding the first step.”

I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my knees. The tension in my shoulders hadn’t left, but something in his tone made me listen.

“And what first step do you see?”

Zayn held my gaze, steady and focused.

“One that doesn’t come from anger,” he said. “One that gives you control again.”

The fire crackled softly behind me, its warmth barely reaching through the cold knot in my chest. I sat there, letting his words settle, feeling the shift from chaos to something quieter.

“Alright,” I said after a moment, my voice low but clearer. “Talk to me.”

Zayn didn’t rush his words. He stepped closer, lowering his voice as if the walls themselves could listen.

“We give him what he wants,” he said, watching my reaction carefully.

I frowned, my body tensing again.

“You want me to kneel,” I said slowly, the words tasting wrong.

The fire behind me popped softly, filling the silence that followed.

“Not for real,” Zayn replied, calm and steady. “We make him believe it. You go to his territory, you bow like he asked, and you let his guard drop.”

His tone stayed even, but his eyes were sharp with intent.

I let out a quiet breath, shaking my head once.

“You’re asking me to stand in front of everyone and act like I’ve lost,” I said. My fists clenched again, the old anger stirring, but this time it didn’t take over.

Zayn didn’t flinch.

“I’m asking you to win the long game,” he said. “He wants a show. Give him one. While he’s busy enjoying it, we get close enough to end it.”

The room felt different now. The tension was still there, but it had shifted into something sharper, more focused. I could hear the low murmur of our voices, steady and controlled, cutting through the earlier chaos in my head.

“And Phina?” I asked, my voice quieter now. “What if something goes wrong before we even get to her?”

The thought tightened my chest, but I forced myself to stay in the moment.

“We plan for that,” Zayn said without hesitation. “We move fast, we stay close, and we strike before they realize what’s happening. You won’t be walking in blind.”

I leaned back slightly, staring at the floor for a second. The idea still burned, still felt like swallowing pride I had spent my whole life building. But beneath that, there was something else forming. A path.

“You really think this can work?” I asked, lifting my gaze to meet his. My voice had lost some of its weight, replaced by something steadier.

Zayn nodded once.

“It’s risky,” he admitted. “But it puts you right where you need to be. Close to Jason. Close to Phina. Close enough to finish this.”

I ran a hand through my hair, exhaling slowly. The storm in my head began to settle, replaced by a clear line of thought. Every move, every risk, every possible outcome started to take shape.

“Alright,” I said finally, my voice firm now. “We play along. We let him think he’s already won.”

The fire crackled again, louder this time, as if marking the shift. I pushed myself to my feet, the weight in my chest still there but no longer crushing me.

“Let’s end this,” I muttered, more to myself than to Zayn.

Cool night air hit my face the moment I stepped outside. The quiet felt different out here, not calm, but watchful. My senses sharpened, picking up the faint crunch of movement just beyond the doorway. I turned slightly, my eyes narrowing.

Ellie stood a short distance away, too still, her posture stiff like she had been caught mid step. The moment our eyes met, she flinched.

“Going somewhere?” I asked, my voice low and steady. I watched the way her fingers twitched at her sides, the way her breathing came just a little too fast. Something about her felt off.

She forced a weak smile, shaking her head quickly.

“No, I was just… passing by,” she said, her voice uneven. “I didn’t mean to disturb you.”

I stepped closer, closing the gap before she could move again.

“Passing by?” I repeated quietly. “Outside my study door?”

My gaze locked onto hers, searching for anything real beneath the surface.

Ellie swallowed, her eyes flickering away for a split second.

“I heard voices and got worried,” she added quickly. “I just wanted to make sure everything was okay.”

The excuse didn’t sit right. My instincts pressed harder, sharp and insistent. I reached out and grabbed her wrist before she could step back.

“Asher, what are you—” she started, her voice rising slightly.

“Stay still,” I said, firm but calm. My grip tightened just enough to stop her from pulling away. Her pulse raced beneath my fingers, fast and uneven.

Before she could react again, I brought her hand closer and let my teeth break the skin. The faint metallic taste of blood hit my tongue, sharp and familiar.

The world shifted instantly. Images slammed into my mind, fast and unforgiving. Ellie standing before Jason, her voice low as she made the deal. Phina being handed over. The betrayal laid out in clear, brutal truth.

I pulled back sharply, releasing her hand. My breathing stayed steady, but something inside me went cold. The noise of the night faded, replaced by a heavy silence pressing in around us.

Ellie stumbled back, her face pale, fear spreading across it.

“I can explain,” she said quickly, her voice shaking. “It wasn’t supposed to—”

“Don’t,” I cut in, my tone quiet but final. My eyes stayed locked on her, the weight of what I had seen settling into place. All the pieces clicked together. The timing, the lies, the way everything had unfolded. It had all been calculated.

She took another step back, panic creeping into every movement.

“Asher, please—”

“Get out,” I said, my voice low but carrying enough force to stop her cold. “Now.”