It's giving runaway wives and we're here for it!

Chapter 2 These two have been doing this shit since forever. Every fight's just them throwing their whole messy history at each other. Sure enough, hearing him say that made Kennedy jump up instantly: "How is stuff from when we were kids anything like what you did?" "You said it yourself-we were KIDS! That was just messing around!" Caden's eye twitched. He crossed his arms, staring at her with zero expression. "Yeah. Messing around." "Remember fourth grade? You pulled my chair out while I was standing up to answer some question. I ate shit, cracked my head on the desk behind me.

Got a concussion." "Then in eighth grade, you tied my shoelaces together while I was passed out. I face-planted, broke my arm, spent forever in the fucking hospital." "But sure, that was all just 'messing around,' right? So yeah, we've known each other forever and I've slapped you ONCE. I think I've been pretty damn nice, don't you?" This back-and-forth is basically their daily thing. Watching them, I couldn't help feeling kinda jealous honestly. Kennedy got shut down hard. After huffing a few times, her whole face went ice cold.

"Doesn't matter what excuse you make-you still hit me because of another bitch." "Caden, I'm gonna remember this shit forever." "Even if I can't leave today, we're getting divorced. That's happening." Anyone who knows her knows that when she's yelling and fighting, she's fine. But when she goes quiet like this, doesn't even have energy to fight back-that's when you know she's really done. Caden finally realized how bad this was. Knew he couldn't sweet-talk his way out right now, so he got all serious. He sighed, then suddenly turned to look at me. "Hey, stop watching like it's a damn show.

You're the one who should be thinking about what you did today." "Sure, Kennedy and I got our problems we gotta work through. But my brother's been nothing but good to you these three years. Gave you everything, all the money and respect." "You really shouldn't have gone along with Kennedy's crazy shit today." Kennedy sniffled, couldn't help asking: "Yeah babe, I've been wanting to ask-why'd you wanna bail with me anyway?" "Asher's always treated you good, right?

Never embarrassed you in public, gives you whatever you want, isn't a dick like this one over here..." She shot Caden the nastiest glare and huffed: "I HAVE to get out!" I froze up, then let out this bitter laugh as I looked down. Right. Treated me good. Everyone can see it clear as day. Even Kennedy-who's dense as fuck-can tell. All Asher ever gave me was respect. That's it. I used to think that for someone cold like him, respect and playing nice were all he could manage. But after Bianca showed up, I figured it out-he CAN love someone. He's just never gonna love me. Me and Asher?

We're not like Kennedy and Caden with their whole childhood sweethearts thing. We're just a straight-up business deal. A marriage merger. At first, I figured he was just cold because he'd been running the Harrington empire forever. You know, all serious and professional and shit. Plus we had zero feelings for each other-just a contract marriage. Made sense he'd be distant. But three years later, I kept thinking... isn't he taking this "cold and distant" thing way too fucking far?

We're supposed to be married, but besides his mom dragging us back for family dinners and our boring-ass "good morning, good night" routine, we barely talk. Whenever I tried being nice or showing I gave a damn, all I'd get was: "I don't do clingy girls." "Don't bother with extra shit." If his mom wasn't constantly breathing down our necks about grandkids, he'd touch me maybe five times a month. Max. And even when he did? Dude just got it done like he was checking off some chore his mom gave him, then immediately got up to shower. No cuddling. No sweet talk. Nothing.

I never felt an ounce of actual feelings from him. If Kennedy wasn't living in the same house keeping me company, the loneliness probably would've driven me batshit crazy by now. I knew he wasn't gonna change for me, so I just forced myself to deal with his ice-king personality. Accept the coldness. Until Bianca came back. The day Asher got her call, I really looked at him-like REALLY looked. Missing her. Excited. Pissed off. Stubborn as hell. First time in forever I saw that frozen face of his show that many feelings all at once. That's when it hit me-I'd been dead wrong about everything.

The day Bianca flew back to the States happened to be my birthday. I'd been begging him for days-literally DAYS-and finally got him to agree to do normal couple shit with me. You know, hit up some shops, catch a movie, grab a fancy dinner. But the second he got that call, he didn't even glance my way again. Before storming out, he just threw over his shoulder: "Work emergency. I'll take you out later." Because he promised, I sat there like an idiot with my makeup done perfect, waiting forever. I knew one thing about Asher-if he said he'd do something, he'd do it. He never broke promises.

But I sat there, watching the sun go down and the moon come up, my heart sinking lower and lower. Three in the morning, staring at all my rejected calls on my phone, I dialed one more time. Figured this was his last shot. One more "call rejected" and I'm done. For real done. But this time? It actually went through. I froze, all my feelings rushing up at once, couldn't figure out what to even say. Before I could get a word out, I heard it-heavy breathing on the other end. Hot. Intense.

Then his voice, all low and rough, laughing a little: "Kiss me." (0) (0) Cedella Cedella is a passionate storyteller known for her bold romantic and spicy novels that keep readers hooked from the very first chapter. With a flair for crafting emotionally intense plots and unforgettable characters, she blends love, desire, and drama into every story she writes. Cedella's storytelling style is immersive and addictive-perfect for fans of heated romances and heart-pounding twists.