What and why?
Ashlyn
“I heard about what happened.”
That was the first thing Marco said the moment he stepped through the door. He had come home earlier than usual, noticeably earlier and the weight in his eyes said more than his voice ever could.
I welcomed him with a hug and a soft kiss, though I didn’t rise from my seat on the sofa. Maya was asleep on the sofa beside me, her tiny breaths warm against my skin through my hand that cares for her rosy cheek. I didn’t want to move and wake her. Rere and Ana were still busy with the house chores, so I took over watching over our daughter.
“You don’t have to worry about me. I can manage,” I whispered as I gently stroked Maya’s soft hair.
Marco smiled faintly, forced but still tinged with tenderness. His hands, still cold from the outside, cupped my face with such care that I flinched for a second after he sat on my oother side, but it wasn’t the cold that stayed. It was the quiet love in his touch. The unspoken fear behind his eyes.
“I don’t know how long I can stay calm, Sweet,” he murmured. “But I’m doing everything I can not to lose it. Whatever it is that she did… I’m certain it was caught on the CCTV. We can use that for the next hearing.”
My eyes widened. That pulled me straight out of my thoughts.
“CCTV?” I repeated. “There’s the footage?”
He nodded. “I had the whole system installed before we moved in. Cameras at the front, back, and sides, no blind spots. I can’t afford to leave even the smallest gap for anyone to come near my family and hurt you again. I won't let what Ashley did happen a second time.”
I burst into tears, not out of fear, but because of the overwhelming relief that flooded me. Despite everything that had happened… despite all the pain of the past… this was the man I chose to love. And in return, he chose to love me, along with children who weren’t even mine by blood.
I pulled him closer and pressed a long kiss to his cheek. “Thank you, Marco… for everything.”
He returned my smile, then carefully lifted Maya into his arms, sitting and cradling her with the gentlest care. His eyes softened as he looked at her like she was his whole world.
“How’s our little princess doing? Did she behave for Mommy today?” he asked, pressing his lips lightly to Maya’s forehead. Her eyes fluttered open as if she could sense her father’s presence. She blinked a few times, then focused on his face, and just like that, she smiled.
That smile.
So pure. So innocent. So full of joy. As if even as a baby, she already knew she was safe in her father’s arms.
“She’s so pretty,” Marco whispered, running a fingertip along her soft cheek. “Just like Mommy… I hope you get her attitude, too, darling.”
I chuckled softly, my heart swelling at the sight of them together. Moments like this made the pain easier to bear. They reminded me that despite everything, we still had something worth holding on to. A chance at something better.
But even with Marco smiling beside me, I could still sense the storm behind his calm.
I looked at him in silence. His smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. There was something trapped there, something he couldn’t yet let go of. I didn’t need to ask. I knew.
He still hadn’t forgiven himself for what happened with Ashley, for mistaking me for my twin… for letting things spiral to a place we both never imagined. And though I knew he loved the child that came from that mistake, I also knew a part of him believed that child was the very reason our marriage almost broke apart.
But for me… it wasn’t like that anymore.
I wanted him to know that I was happy. Not because I’d forgotten but because I’d chosen to heal. We now had Asher, part of both our lives. And Maya… she brought new breath into this home. Just as his eyes sparkled when he was around our growing family, I, too, found joy every time Asher called me “Mommy.”
Starting over wasn’t easy. We endured so many nights of tears and so many mornings of doubt, asking ourselves if it was still worth it.
But here we are. Still standing. Still together.
And now, I believe we can survive anything.
My thoughts were interrupted by a sudden realization.
“She was here earlier,” I said. “Wasn’t she supposed to be with Asher? Where did she leave him?”
Marco’s face darkened slightly. His brows furrowed. “That’s what I’m going to find out,” he replied quietly. “Next time I let her take our son, I’m going to have her followed again. I had stopped using my investigator before… but now, Sandro is handling it.”
I turned to him in surprise. “Sandro?” I asked, my voice rising slightly. I had no idea they were even in contact. Why didn’t he tell me?
He paused. As if he just realized what he said. His expression shifted; he looked at me, then away, as if he were trying to take it back.
“Is there something you’re not telling me, Marco?” I asked, doing my best to keep my voice calm. But my heart was already racing.
“Sweet…” he started, but his words trailed off. We stared at each other for a few tense seconds, and I could see the conflict in his eyes. He was hiding something.
“For now… it’s better if you don’t know everything yet,” he said, breaking eye contact. “Sandro’s still investigating. We need stronger evidence.”
A chill swept over me.
“Why?” I asked. “What kind of evidence? What are you looking for?”
He exhaled deeply, rubbing a hand down his face. “It’s about Ashley. If we can prove her involvement… there’s a strong chance we’ll get full custody of Asher.”
My breath caught in my throat. My eyes widened, unsure whether it was from fear, shock, or a refusal to believe what I was hearing. His voice had dropped to a whisper like he couldn’t even bring himself to say it out loud.
“Involvement in what, Marco?” My voice trembled. “Does this… does this have something to do with me?”
He didn’t answer.
Instead, he just looked at me and in that moment, I saw the full weight of everything he was carrying.
This wasn’t just about custody. This was bigger. Deeper. More dangerous than I had imagined.
“I’ll tell you everything once we’re sure,” he finally said. “For now… just let me and Sandro handle it.”
And just like that, it felt like the air had been pulled from my lungs. A terrifying stillness settled over me. My instincts were screaming, whatever they were investigating… it had something to do with me.
The question was: what… and why?