Alethea
On the screen, Asher’s face is unreadable. He stands there, staring off into the distance, his expression is cold and detached. It’s like he would rather be anywhere else than surrounded by the swarm of reporters desperate to catch a glimpse of him, eager to ask questions about murder.
I’m grateful the TV is muted. The last thing I want is for Declan to hear any of this or to start having doubts about his father.
But I don’t need sound to understand what’s happening.
The headline flashes across the screen:
ASHER KNIGHT ACCUSED OF KILLING MAYA.
My breath catches in my throat.
The report reads that Maya was found dead at an undisclosed location, and the last person she had contact with was Asher.
The evidence against him is his cufflink, the one with his signature initials A. K., which was found at the scene.
“Oh my goodness… this isn’t good.” The words slip from my mouth before I can stop them.
“Mummy? What did Daddy do?”
I freeze. I had forgotten Declan was right next to me.
I glance down at him, relieved that he can’t read the headline.
I force a soft smile. Stay calm. “Daddy is fine, baby. Those people around him see him as very important, and they just want to hear him talk.”
It all comes out in a rush, and I pray he doesn’t ask more questions.
“Come on, it’s time for your nap,” I say, gently guiding him toward his room. I can’t let him stay and see more of this.
“Okay, Mum… but I want to see Daddy. I miss him.”
My heart clenches. I squeeze his little hand, torn between protecting him and the truth I can’t explain.
I hesitate, then whisper, “I’m sure Daddy misses you too. He’ll be here before you know it.”
Declan’s eyes light up. “He’ll come here?” he asks eagerly.
I nod. I don’t know for sure, but I believe that Asher will find a way out of this mess.
“Okay!” Declan says cheerfully. “Then I’ll go have my nap!”
“That’s my boy,” I say, leading him into his room.
Once he’s settled, I linger for a moment, watching his peaceful face.
I never thought I’d be here, tucking him into bed, after the terror of believing he was gone forever. The fear of losing him is still vivid in my mind, but I push it down.
Slowly, I release his hand and slip out of the room, making my way back to the living room.
But there was no more news about Asher. The channel had already moved on to another story.
“I need details,” I mumble, grabbing my phone and frantically searching the internet for any updates on Asher.
To my surprise, there’s nothing.
“Oh my goodness… what’s happening?” Panic surges through me as I rush to the backyard, where I last saw Selena.
She’s with someone one of her patients who needs guidance. I don’t care. My heart is pounding too hard to wait patiently.
While I stand there, waiting for her visitor to leave, I try searching again, hoping maybe I typed the wrong keywords. But still nothing.
When I finally look up, Selena is done with her patient. I didn’t waste a second.
“Mum! What happened? Asher was arrested for murder!”
She freezes, staring at me for a long moment. Her emotions are written all over her face. Slowly, she places a hand on her chest, like she’s trying to steady herself.
I step closer. “Mum, are you okay?” I ask, with concern.
She exhales shakily. “Oh, Ally, you’re going to give me a heart attack.”
I frown, confused. Why would I give her a heart attack?
“Mum, you’re scaring me,” I whisper, stepping even closer.
But then she throws her arms around me.
My eyes widened. I don’t understand this sudden burst of emotion.
She holds me tight, then pulls back just enough to cup my face in her hands. Her eyes shine with something I can’t quite place happiness, love… relief?
“You called me ‘Mum,'” she whispers. “Not just once, but three times. At first, I thought it was a mistake, but now… Ally, I know it’s real. You called me ‘Mum.'”
She says it all in one breath, smiling so widely that it nearly makes my heart ache.
I blink, realization dawning on me. I have called her ‘Mum’ before… but not like this.
A soft smile tugs at my lips. “I’m sorry I waited this long, Mum.”
Her expression softens, her thumb brushing my cheek. “You silly girl.”
But my mind is still racing. I can’t let myself get distracted.
“Forget about me, Mum. What’s going on with Asher? What’s all this news about his arrest?”
Selena sighs softly, with a troubled expression. “I’m so sorry to be the bearer of bad news, Ally, but this doesn’t look good. He’s accused of murder, and if he’s found guilty… this could be a bad omen.”
I let out a shaky breath. “Tell me about it, Mum,” I mumble, sinking into the chair the other visitor had just left.
I glance up at her, searching her face. “Do you think Asher is innocent?” My voice is quiet, unsure. “Because honestly, I don’t know what to believe anymore. He hit me, Mum. On my head. I passed out in that abandoned building.”
The words tumble out all at once as I relive the moment. The shock. The pain. The betrayal.
I turn back to Selena, expecting reassurance, but instead, I see something else: doubt.
My chest tightens. She doesn’t believe him.
Selena has always been Asher’s biggest supporter, no matter how much I’ve tried to blame him for everything, no matter how long I kept Declan away from him. But now? Now she looks like she believes the media.
And yet, deep down, something doesn’t sit right with me.
There has to be foul play.
Maya…
She has to be behind this. Somehow, some way.
“But she’s dead,” Xena finally speaks, her voice breaking the silence in my mind.
And that’s where everything gets confusing.
I press my fingers against my temples, trying to make sense of it all. “Exactly, Xena. Maya is dead. So how the hell could she have set this up?”
Selena watches me closely, her face unreadable. “Ally, I know this is hard, but sometimes the truth is simpler than we want to believe. The evidence against Asher is strong. His cufflink was found at the scene. He was the last person seen with her. Maybe-” she hesitates like she doesn’t want to finish the thought.
But I already know what she’s thinking.
“Maybe he did it.”
I shake my head, standing abruptly. “No. That doesn’t make sense. Asher had no reason to kill Maya.”
Selena arches a brow. “Are you sure about that? After everything she’s done? The lies, the manipulation? You told me yourself that Maya was working against him. What if she pushed him too far?”
Her words sting because, in another world, I could see it happening. But not this Asher.
Not my Asher.
I swallow hard. “If Asher wanted her dead, there are a hundred ways he could’ve done it without leaving evidence. Without getting caught. This feels… planned. Staged.”
Selena exhales and rubs her temples. “Ally, even if that’s true, proving it won’t be easy. The media is already running with the story. If he doesn’t have a solid alibi, this could destroy him.”
My heart clenches at the thought. Asher behind bars. With no one to fight for him.
‘He hit you,’ a dark voice in my head reminds me. ‘He left you unconscious.’
But another softer voice whispers, ‘What if there was a reason? What if you’re missing something?’
The question circles in my mind. How did they know Asher was the last person to see Maya alive? And more importantly, how did his cufflink end up at the crime scene?
I squeeze my eyes shut, forcing myself to think back.
What was Asher wearing that night?
And then it hits me.
I gasp, my body tense as the memory rushes back. My heart pounds so hard it feels like it might burst out of my chest.
“Oh my goddess,” I whisper, fear gripping me.
Selena is by my side in an instant, her hands firm on my shoulders. “Ally, what is it? What’s wrong?”