Billionaire's Bride

Fantasies

Janette rose from her chair and, with a sudden burst of emotion, wrapped her arms tightly around Asher. She couldn’t contain her joy, discovering that he had admired her for so long. It melted away any doubts she had about their relationship. The revelation that Asher had married her because of an undeniable connection brought her comfort. Still, the weight of the truth she withheld gnawed at her conscience. She feared what would happen if Asher ever found out about Robert Stark's manipulation. If Asher tried to confront Stark, he would only find himself and her family in grave danger. Janette could not bear the thought.

Asher chuckled softly. "You're squeezing me a little too tight, love. I can barely breathe."

Realizing her grip was tighter than she meant it to be, she quickly released him, but before she could fully pull away, Asher grabbed her gently and pulled her onto his lap. His arms wrapped around her waist, and with a tender gesture, he tucked a strand of her red-brown hair behind her ear, his eyes locking with hers.

“I never thought I’d ever get to hold you like this,” he said softly, his voice filled with disbelief. “Sometimes I still wonder if it’s all a dream or if this is actually my reality.”

His words warmed her heart, and without hesitation, Janette leaned forward and kissed him softly on the cheek. In response, Asher cupped her face in his hands and kissed her lips. The moment was sweet and comforting, until he broke the silence with a question.

“There’s one more thing I’ve been meaning to ask,” he murmured.

Janette froze. A heavy sigh escaped her lips as dread washed over her. She silently prayed he wouldn’t bring up her past. But, as Asher always did, he hit the nerve she hoped he wouldn’t touch.

“It’s about Anastasia Hamilton,” he said casually.

“You’ve ruined everything,” she muttered bitterly, pulling away from him and crossing her arms. But Asher wasn’t having it. He pulled her back into his arms, positioning her exactly where she had been.

“I know she’s your best friend. She came to my office today.”

Janette’s heart sank. Suddenly, everything clicked into place—why Asher was so persistent about her past tonight, why this romantic dinner felt too perfect. It wasn’t out of love or care, but because Anastasia had probably revealed things to him. This dinner had been a setup, a way to get her to confess. The warmth she had felt moments ago turned to coldness, and she found herself disgusted in his arms.

“Let me go,” she demanded, her voice barely above a whisper. She tried to break free from his grip, but Asher’s face shifted to concern, not understanding what had triggered her sudden change.

“What’s going on, Janette?”

“I thought you’d changed,” she said, her voice trembling with anger and sadness. “But you’re the same arrogant billionaire I married.”

She managed to pry herself from his grip and stood up, tears welling in her eyes. “Don’t ever touch me again,” she said firmly, wiping her tears with the back of her hand. Asher stood there, stunned and speechless, unsure how the evening had gone so wrong so fast.

“What did I say?” he asked softly, almost to himself, searching for any clue as to what he had done wrong.

“You didn’t marry me because you love me,” she spat. “You didn’t even ask about me before this marriage. You want to know about my past now? You should have done your research before you dragged me into this marriage.”

Asher frowned, guilt creeping over him. He knew she was right—he hadn’t considered her feelings when they married. He hadn’t asked what she wanted, only what was convenient for him.

Janette’s anger flared again. “You made all these preparations just to find out if what Anastasia said was true, didn’t you? To make sure I’m not plotting something against you?”

“No!” Asher protested, but Janette wasn’t finished.

“I sleep next to you every night knowing you had a mistress!” Her voice cracked, and a sob broke free from her chest, her pain too overwhelming to contain.

Asher's heart clenched at her words, seeing her so hurt. He realized just how deeply his past mistakes had scarred her. He regretted every moment he’d ever let her down.

“Janette, please stop crying,” he said, his voice filled with genuine remorse. He moved closer to her, but she backed away.

“I made these preparations because I’m drawn to you, not because I wanted to interrogate you.” He defended himself, but deep down, he knew that part of him had wanted answers. However, seeing her now, none of that mattered anymore.

Her sobs softened, and she stared at the floor, too drained to keep fighting. Asher stepped toward her, wiping the tears from her face, despite her initial resistance.

“You're too fragile right now,” he whispered, his voice laced with regret.

She finally looked up at him, her voice barely audible. “What did Anastasia say about me?” she asked.

Asher let out a small laugh. “You overthink everything. Your friend was crying and begging me to let her see you.”

Janette blinked in disbelief. Anastasia Hamilton never apologized for anything, let alone cried for someone else. She looked at Asher as if trying to gauge whether he was telling the truth.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, surprising even herself.

“For what, sweetheart?” Asher asked, taken aback. “I’m the one who should apologize, not you.”

“I’m sorry for ruining your plans,” she said, her voice breaking again as fresh tears rolled down her cheeks. “You worked so hard on all this, and I ruined it.”

Asher’s heart ached seeing her like this. Without a word, he pulled her into his arms, holding her as tightly as he could, vowing to protect her from whatever haunted her.

“It’s just... I have a lot to lose,” she said softly, her voice muffled against his chest. “I can’t tell you everything yet, but I promise that when the time is right, I’ll tell you everything.”

He held her until her tears finally subsided. Asher sighed deeply, realizing she had fallen asleep in his arms. Carefully, he scooped her up and carried her to their room, gently laying her down on the bed. He brushed a few stray tears from her cheeks and kissed her temple, promising himself that he would be her shield from the darkness surrounding them.

Watching her sleep, Asher felt a wave of guilt wash over him. He knew he couldn’t wait for Janette to tell him everything—he needed to act. His mission now was clear: he would find out the truth, protect Janette, and bring Robert Stark to justice. Not just for the suffering he endured as a child, but for the torment Stark had inflicted on his wife, the one person who had become his only weakness.