Chapter 34

Aiden.

I was annoyed.

The meeting with my clients was dragging on, filled with details and figures that were starting to blur together. I leaned back in my chair, trying to maintain my focus as one of my men, Liam, explained our latest security measures. Just as he was about to finish, there was a knock on the door. My secretary, Melissa, peeked in, looking slightly apprehensive.

"Aiden," she said, "your sister is here. She says it's urgent."

I sighed and looked at my clients. "Gentlemen, we'll have to continue this later. Thank you for your time."

I was more than happy to dismiss them because my brain was already clogged from looking at numbers and whatnot.

They nodded, gathering their things and leaving the room. Once they were gone, I motioned for Melissa to let Zoe in. My sister walked in with her usual air of confidence, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

"Aiden," she said, plopping down into the chair across from me. "You'll never guess what I saw today."

I raised an eyebrow. "What is it, Zoe?"

"I saw Ashley having lunch with a girl. They looked pretty cozy, and the girl cheered her up with a chocolate cake," she said, grinning.

I narrowed my eyes. "And why are you telling me this?"

"So that whenever you annoy Ashley, you can cheer her up with chocolate cake," Zoe replied matter-of-factly.

"There will be nothing of the sort," I said, shaking my head. "Ashley doesn't like me, Zoe. You know that."

Zoe rolled her eyes like she was tired of my antics. "Stop sulking, Aiden. We're going out."

I sighed again. "Where are we going? You know I still have meetings I need to attend,"

"For once, stop working."

"Fine, but you still didn't tell me where we are going,"

"You'll see," she said, standing up and heading towards the door. I had no choice but to follow her.

We had to take her car since she wouldn't tell me where we were going and I grumbled the whole time about her driving me till she snapped at me.

I tried to guess where she was taking me, but she refused to give any hints. After a while, we arrived at a secluded restaurant hidden away from the main roads. I recognized it immediately, it was a place exclusively for werewolves, a safe haven where we could relax without fear of exposure.

Zoe led us inside and found a cozy corner table. She waved over a waiter and placed an order for both of us before I even had a chance to look at the menu.

"Chocolate cake, really?" I asked, once the waiter had left.

"Yes, really," she replied, smirking. "You should try it. It might just work wonders."

"I doubt it," I muttered, but there was no point arguing with Zoe when she was set on something.

We sat in silence for a while, waiting for our food. I couldn't help but think about Ashley and the girl Zoe had mentioned. Who was she? And why did it bother me so much that someone else was making Ashley smile?

When the waiter brought the cake, I ate it simply because Ashley liked it. He stood beside us, waiting for us to decide on what to eat so I placed an order for the both of us.

Zoe and I often liked to share, it was a trait we grew up with as siblings. She had no qualms about eating off my good just as I had no problem eating off of hers.

She beamed once the waiter left and I looked at her, "Why did you bring me here?"

"You are not hungry?" she quipped.

I narrowed my eyes at her and she laughed, "Calm down, Aiden. I just wanted to take you to lunch. We don't have to talk if you don't want to,"

I still didn't believe her but I nodded regardless.

The waiter arrived with our food. He set a plate in front of Zoe, a dish I knew she hadn’t ordered. I saw her start to say something, but the frustration I was feeling finally had an outlet.

"What is this?" I snapped, glaring at the waiter. "She didn’t order this."

The waiter, a young guy who couldn’t have been more than twenty, looked like he’d seen a ghost. "I-I’m sorry, sir. I must have made a mistake. I’ll get the correct order right away."

"You’d better," I said, my tone making it clear there was no room for further error. The waiter practically ran off, and I felt a twinge of guilt for taking out my anger on him. I turned back to Zoe trying to soften my expression.

"Thanks," she said quietly, clearly a bit shocked by my outburst.

I shrugged again, trying to brush it off. "It’s nothing. You deserve to get what you ordered."

She studied me for a moment, her gaze penetrating. "That's the big brother I know," she said softly. "Always ready to fight for people. So why aren't you fighting for your mate?"

Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. I opened my mouth to respond, but she cut me off, her voice growing more insistent.

"You've always been the one to stand up for what’s right, Aiden. But when it comes to Ashley, you’re just... giving up?"

"It's not that simple," I muttered, for the first time since I have been in this situation, it made me sad.  "Ashley doesn't want me. She's in love with Logan."

Zoe shook her head, her expression fierce. "People can fall out of love, Aiden. Just because she's with Logan now doesn't mean she always will be."

I wanted to believe her, but the doubt was too deep. "It’s different with her. She's happy with him. I... I don't want to make her miserable."

She reached across the table, taking my hand in hers. "You deserve happiness too, Aiden. Don't let one setback stop you from fighting for what you want."

Her words were comforting, but they felt like a temporary balm on a festering wound. "I don’t know, Zoe. I don’t think I can. Not when this setback happens to be the person I want to be with,"

She squeezed my hand,  "Just think about it, okay? You’re the strongest person I know. If anyone can win her back, it's you."

I nodded, not entirely convinced but willing to say anything to get her to drop it for now. "Okay. I’ll think about it."

The waiter returned with the correct order, and we ate in relative silence. The conversation had taken a lot out of me, and I could tell Zoe was trying to give me space to process everything. There was no need for that, Ashley wanted me t stay away from her so that's what I will do.

It will hurt me but to make her happy despite hurting myself is what I will do.

After we finished, I insisted on driving her home. She didn’t argue, just got into the car and buckled up, her silence a comforting presence.

As I pulled up to her place, she turned to me, her hand on the door handle. "Just think about what I said, Aiden. You deserve happiness, too."

I forced a smile, though my mind was far from settled. "Thanks for dinner, baby sis"

She gave me a look that said she saw right through me but decided to let it go. "Anytime, big brother."

She got out of the car and waved as she walked to her door. I waited until she was safely inside before driving off, my thoughts a tangled mess.

Her words echoed in my mind as I drove through the quiet streets. Could I really fight for Ashley? Was it even worth it if she was happy with Logan?

By the time I reached my own place, I still didn’t have any answers. But Zoe had planted a seed of doubt, and it was growing, whether I wanted it to or not.

Ashley

I stepped through the front door, feeling the weight of the day pressing down on my shoulders. It had been a whirlwind from start to finish, and all I wanted was to share the news with Logan.

As I made my way to the bedroom, the sight of him already fast asleep on the bed brought a pang of disappointment. I had imagined telling him about the new job in person, seeing his face light up with pride and excitement probably giving him a chance to rectify his mistake but looks like that wasn't happening.

I lingered at the doorway for a moment, watching the gentle rise and fall of his chest as he slept. With a sigh, I decided not to wake him. Instead, I headed to the bathroom to take a much-needed bath. The warm water enveloped me, soothing my tired muscles and calming my mind. I let myself relax, trying to shake off the disappointment and focus on the excitement of the new project.

But it didn't matter how much I thought about it, I wanted him to be happy for me. To be as happy as I was the day he shared his good news. Was it bad to want support from your boyfriend?

When I finally emerged from the bathroom, wrapped in a fluffy towel, I noticed that the bed was empty. My heart skipped a beat. Where had Logan gone?

I heard the faint sound of the TV coming from the living room and followed it.

Logan was sitting on the couch, holding two glasses of wine. The soft glow of the TV cast a warm light over his face, making him look even more handsome. He looked up as I entered the room and smiled.

“There you are,” he said, standing up and handing me one of the glasses. “I’m sorry for not responding well earlier. I was in a meeting and couldn’t focus properly. But now I’m all ears.”

I took the glass, feeling the warmth of the wine seep into my fingers. “It’s okay,” I said, taking a sip. The wine was rich and full-bodied, just the way I liked it. “I understand.”

Logan’s eyes softened as he looked at me. “I’m so proud of you, Ashley. I know how much this job means to you.”

I felt a lump form in my throat. Hearing those words from him meant everything. I set my glass down and wrapped my arms around him, pulling him into a kiss. His lips were warm and familiar, and I felt the tension of the day melt away.

“Tell me everything,” he said when we finally pulled apart. He led me to the couch, and we sat down, our legs touching. “I want to hear all about the shoot and the client.”

I took a deep breath, the excitement bubbling up inside me. “Well, the shoot is scheduled for next week, and it’s with one of the biggest fashion brands in the industry. They loved my portfolio and think I have the perfect vision for their new campaign.”

Logan’s eyes widened. “That’s incredible, Ashley! I knew you could do it.”

I felt a blush creep up my cheeks. “Thanks, babe. I’m still in shock, to be honest. The client is amazing too. They’re really open to my ideas and want to collaborate closely throughout the process. We would be shooting the models one after the other, it's a dream come through,"

He nodded, his eyes shining with pride. “You’re going to do great. I have no doubt about that.”

"I am so excited. I don't think I have ever been excited about something. I am being paired with June though, she is over the roof as me."

He laughed, "I can imagine. You have both wanted this for a long time. Although, I am confused as to why you got this, from the last time you spoke to your manager, it didn't look great."

I winced, he was right about that. I thought I would get fired after I went off on him and his bitch but I was being rewarded instead.

"Me too, you should have seen the look on my face when I was called to the office. I was so convinced that I was ending there and then but he surprised me."

"If he had fired you, then that would be a major loss on his path. And then you could have sued him for bringing his side piece to sabotage your work. Damn cheats," he swore.

For some reason, the words made me uncomfortable but I kept smiling. "I think it was the sex, it changed something."

He moved closer, "you think? Maybe we can do it again till you are the only great photographer in this city,"

"You flatter me but yeah, let's keep doing it." I pushed away the nagging feeling that he wasn't the one my body wanted.

"How is June?"

I shot him a surprised look, it was unlike him to be asking after her but I smiled anyway, "She is good. I am sure by now, the whole world must have heard about the job. She was determined to keep me in the office till we were more than ready,"

He scoffed, "That's extreme,"

"Can you blame her? She wanted to surprise them but I assured her that I had already worked for one of the models before so they wouldn't be hard to work with,"

He grabbed me and brought his lips to my forehead, "I trust you, babe. Is there anything I can help with?"

We sat there for a while, talking about the details of the shoot and the ideas I had for the campaign. Logan listened intently, asking questions and offering suggestions. It felt good to share my excitement with him, to have his support and encouragement.

I don't know how long we sat there till Logan glanced at the clock and then back at me. “You should get some sleep, Ashley. You need to be well-rested for work tomorrow.”

I nodded, realizing how tired I was. The adrenaline from the day was starting to wear off, and I could feel the exhaustion setting in. “You’re right,” I said, standing up and stretching. “I should probably get to bed.”

Logan stood up as well, taking my hand and leading me to the bedroom. “I’ll be here when you wake up,” he said, kissing my forehead. “And I’ll make you a big breakfast to celebrate for being a dickhead to you today.”

I smiled, feeling a warmth spread through me. “That sounds perfect. Goodnight, baby.”

“Goodnight, Ashley,” he said, pulling me into one last hug before we climbed into bed.

As I laid there, the events of the day replayed in my mind. I felt a sense of accomplishment and pride, knowing that I had achieved something I had worked so hard for. And having Logan by my side made it all the more special since he was supportive.

And he was true to his words because the next morning, I woke up to the smell of coffee and bacon. I stretched and rolled over, finding Logan already out of bed. I smiled.

I got up and made my way to the kitchen, where Logan was busy at the stove, flipping pancakes and humming to himself.

“Good morning,” I said, wrapping my arms around him from behind.

He turned his head and smiled. “Good morning. I hope you’re hungry.”

I laughed. “Starving.”

We sat down to a delicious breakfast, and Logan made sure to keep the conversation light and positive. He always did that whenever I had a shoot or an outside job, it was like some sort of ritual.

We talked about our plans for the weekend, I told him I needed to discuss with someone today at work. He tried to get more information out of me but I was smarter than that.

After breakfast, Logan walked me to the door and gave me a kiss. “You’re going to do amazing today,” he said with his eyes filled with love.

“Thank you,” I said, “I’ll see you tonight.”

I made my way to work and without waiting for June, I dashed into Mr Thompson's office. He looked up just as I entered before pursing his lips.

His countenance had changed and I had assumed that he was regretting it already.

"What can I do for you, Ashley?"

I smiled, "I am happy about the project but I would like to know why you gave it to me."

"Why else do you think?"

I snorted, "Let's not pretend like I didn't yell at you while standing in this exact spot. I expected you to do something but you offered me a project?"

He chuckled, finding the situation somewhat funny.

"I appreciate your concern, but you don't need to worry about me. You are a valuable employee and it would be a shame to let you go because of some simple mishap,"

I frowned when he called it a mishap because that wasn't what it was, it was a full-blown scolding that he deserved.

"I asked the others what happened and they were more than happy to divulge Information. Turns out, you were saying the truth."

"That's a relief,"

"And about the project, you weren't my first choice but the company made it clear that it was either you or nothing. I wasn't about to lose a great gig because I was sore from your scolding,"

"The company asked for me?"

He nodded, ignoring the grin on my face. It was so damn nice to hear that my work spoke for me even when I wasn't there to defend it.

"I told you that you were good, that I cannot deny but make no mistake, the next time you talk to me in that manner again, you will be out of a job."