Asher’s POV
“Hello, Asher,” a sultry voice purrs, belonging to a woman who has a splitting image of Nadine, but you could tell that she isn’t Nadine with all the amount of makeup plastered on her face.
My face falls as I think about the heartless act she committed – abandoning my daughter on the doorstep without even bothering to check on her, and not honoring her dying wish.
“What the fuck do you want here, you wicked, godforsaken woman?” I spit out, my words laced with venom.
“You have no empathy for the child you brought into this world. How could you be so cruel and heartless?” I demand, my voice rising in indignation.
“Touche, that hurt, Asher, I only sent you the evidence of your reckless night with me. Oh, you didn’t think it would have consequences, did you? When you were fucking me hard and promising me all your love and money?”
She speaks without batting an eyelid, devoid of remorse.
I turn to Logan, but he has a passive look on his face, clearly unprepared to intervene in the matter.
What kind of despicable woman takes pleasure in causing me pain?
Her words are like a knife twisting in my gut, and I can feel my anger reaching a boiling point.
“You’re enjoying this, aren’t you? You’re reveling in the fact that you’ve caused me pain. What kind of person does that?”
She shrugs, her expression unrepentant. “I’m just showing you the consequences of your actions, Asher. You should have thought of that before you promised me the world.”
I take a step forward, my fists clenched. “You’re not even sorry, are you? You’re not sorry for what you’ve done to me, to Livia.”
Logan finally intervenes, placing a hand on my arm. “Asher, don’t. She’s not worth it.”
Then, she turns her gaze on Logan, and I swiftly follow her gaze. I can see the tension in Logan’s body, his jaw clenched and ready to snap if she utters one more provocative word.
His eyes narrow, and he takes a step closer to her, his dominant stance making her shiver, though she quickly masks her fear.
“I heard you’re married to someone who has a striking resemblance to me,” she says.
Logan’s face contorted with anger, his eyes flashing with a warning. He’s ready to pounce, his body language screaming that he won’t tolerate any more of her games.
Logan’s towering presence commands attention, his intimidating stance making her take a step back. Yet, her eyes remain fixed on his face, locked in a fierce stare-down.
I watch as he unleashes his anger.
“I walk into my own home and find you here, and I didn’t make a fuss because of your connection to Asher,” he says, his voice low and even.
“But then you dare to open that mouth of yours and ask about my marriage? Let me make one thing clear: I don’t care who you are or what you do, but I won’t tolerate your disrespect. Watch your mouth and don’t dare spit your rubbish in my presence. Do I make myself clear?”
With that, Logan turns and strides towards the grand staircase, his footsteps echoing through the room.
But then, he stops and turns back to face us, his eyes blazing, and I can sense that this confrontation is far from over.
Logan’s eyes narrow as he asks, “You’re Isabelle Haines, aren’t you?” The pieces finally fall into place, and he connects the dots to Nadine.
With a swift movement, he rushes down the stairs, his anger boiling over.
He’s right in front of her in an instant, his hand grasping her neck.
Isabelle is taken aback by Logan’s sudden movement, her eyes wide with surprise. She didn’t expect the situation to escalate like this.
Logan holds her up, her legs dangling in mid-air, her hands clutching his wrist.
“Why did you send that picture? You pathetic excuse for a mother?” Logan seethes with anger, his face inches from hers.
I try to intervene, to rescue Isabelle from Logan’s grip, but one glare from him stops me in my tracks. I retreat.
“I… I didn’t send any picture of me and Asher to you,” Isabelle stammers, her words muffled by Logan’s tight grip on her neck.
Logan’s anger radiates from every pore, his face red with rage. “Stop lying, woman!” he thunders, his voice making me fear he might lose control.
I can’t bear the sight of him hurting her, so I step in, not caring about the consequences.
“Logan, please let her go! You’re going to hurt her!” I beg, trying to reason with him.
But Logan refuses to back down.
“No, I won’t let her go until she tells me why she sent that picture to my phone,” he growls, his eyes blazing with fury.
“It cost me my wife and son. I want answers.”
Isabelle’s face is turning blue. I try to pry Logan’s fingers off her neck, but he’s too strong. I’m starting to get desperate.
“Logan, stop! You’re going to kill her!” I shout, trying to shock him out of his rage.
“Why?” he demands, his voice low and menacing. “Why did you send that picture?”
“I didn’t do anything,” Isabelle repeats, her voice shaking. This time, Logan’s gaze pierces deep into her eyes, searching for any sign of deception.
“I didn’t do it, I swear on Livia’s grave,” she says, her eyes cast down, as if daring to invoke the name of my daughter.
As soon as she mentions Livia’s name, Logan releases his grip on her neck, and she slumps to the floor, gasping for air.
But for me, hearing her use Livia’s name like that is like a match to gasoline. I’m livid.
“You’ve never been a part of her life. How dare you use my daughter’s name to swear an oath when you never wanted anything to do with her?”
My outburst catches Logan off guard. I’m usually the level-headed one, but Isabelle’s audacity has unleashed fury in me.
I take a step closer to her, my heart racing with anger.
“You have no right to use Livia’s name,” I say, my voice trembling with rage.
“Let this be the last time I ever hear you call my daughter’s name,” I warn, my voice low and menacing. “Understood?”
But instead of defiance, Isabelle breaks down, sobbing uncontrollably. “I’m sorry, Asher… if only you knew how much I wanted to be in our girl’s life,” she wails.
I laugh, a cold, mirthless sound. “Sorry? Do you think sorry will cut it? Logan, can you believe this? She thinks an apology will erase everything she’s done.”
But tears stream down my face as I confront the pain she’s caused.
“You don’t just waltz back in here after abandoning us, after ignoring my pleas for you to see Livia when it was her last wish… and then you say sorry? Like it will magically make everything okay?”
Isabelle cries the more, her body shaking with uncontrollable grief.
“I know. Sorry, I can’t erase the pain I’ve caused you and Lyvia,” she wails.
“It haunts me every day, knowing I’ve missed every milestone, every moment of my daughter’s life.”
“You have no idea how painful it was to give up my daughter, to know that I was forced to abandon her because of my involvement with dangerous people. They threatened to use Lydia’s life as a ransom for my mistakes.”
Isabelle’s voice breaks as she continues, “I’m sorry, Asher. I love my daughter to death, but it breaks my heart that I never got to hold her again. That night, I dropped her at your doorstep was the night they planned to kill her. I had to bring her to you, knowing she’d be safe, but it meant giving up my chance to be her mother.”