A SECOND CHANCE AT FOREVER Chapter 12: CHAPTER TWELVE

ASHLEY

Today marks three weeks since I returned to New York, and to be honest, I’m starting to feel restless. 

I won’t be heading to the hospital today. Violet doesn’t go on Saturdays, and she’d called earlier to let me know that she didn’t need me to come over to her house. She said Ryan would be staying with her today. That’s a relief, I guess. She doesn’t like me fussing over her when Ryan’s around.

I tried to distract myself, diving into whatever I could find. First, I had a chat with Mochi, my cat who’s somehow become my silent therapist. He just stares at me with those big, wide eyes, as if she knows exactly what’s going through my head.

Then I tried reading one of Violet’s books. Wasted Days, it’s called. Her first novel after she graduated from university. It's a beautiful mess of emotions, her words like raw, uncut diamonds. I’ve read it more times than I can count. There’s a part of me that admires her ability to express everything she’s feeling, something I’ve never been able to do. Since then, she’s written three more books, but Wasted Days has always been my favorite. Even so, reading it again didn't help much—it didn’t do anything to fight the sense of boredom creeping in.

My eyes flicked to the invitation on my desk, the one I’d received two days ago. A reunion party from my university days. A bunch of people I hadn't seen in years. The thought of going hadn’t been appealing at all. It felt like just another reminder of the life I once had before all this. But as the minutes ticked by and the boredom crept in, I couldn’t help but rethink it.

Fuck it.

I tossed the book aside and stood up from my bed, already regretting the thought of going. But as I glanced at the clock, I knew I needed something to fill the space. I needed a change of scenery, even if just for a few hours. 

After a few moments of staring at the invitation, my mind racing with thoughts of what I was even doing, I shook it off. Just go, Ashley. What’s the worst that could happen? I didn’t want to spend another night alone, caught in my own head, wondering about things I couldn’t control.

I walked to my closet and pulled out a sleek red dress. It was bold, fitted, hugging my curves in all the right places—sexy, confident, a little daring. Exactly what I needed to feel like myself again. After slipping it on, I checked my reflection in the mirror, adding a swipe of red lipstick for the perfect finishing touch.

Perfect.

A slow smirk tugged at my lips as I grabbed my purse. Time to have some fun.

\---

The party was already in full swing by the time I arrived. Music pulsed through the walls, vibrating in my chest as I stepped inside. The air was thick with laughter, the clinking of glasses, and the low murmur of conversations blending into the upbeat tempo of the music.

I scanned the room for a familiar face but came up empty. A strange feeling of awkwardness settled over me. I should've texted a few people first, I realized. Now, I was just standing there, alone, contemplating if turning around and heading home was the better choice.

"Ashley?"

A voice called from behind me. I turned, facing a tall blonde with a bright smile. Something about her seemed familiar, but I couldn’t quite place her.

“I thought it was you!” she beamed. Seeing my confusion, she laughed. “Oh, come on, you don’t recognize me?”

I tilted my head, trying to piece it together.

“We always sat together in… that course at university.”

And then it clicked.

“Claire! Oh my God, it’s been years!”

I hadn’t seen her since graduation, and the fact that she recognized me in this sea of people brought an unexpected wave of relief.

“Yeah, it’s me,” she grinned. “You look amazing!”

“So do you,” I replied, genuinely happy to see her.

“I’m here with some of our old friends. You should come join us!” She gestured toward a small group of people across the room.

For a moment, I hesitated. But then I reminded myself—I was here to let loose. To have fun.

Screw it.

“Alright, let’s go.”

As Claire and I weaved through the crowd, my nerves eased slightly. Maybe coming here wasn’t such a bad idea after all.

The group was gathered around a sleek, high-top table, laughing and chatting like no time had passed since university. As we approached, a few heads turned, and suddenly, I was bombarded with excited voices.

"Ashley? No freaking way!"

I barely had time to react before someone pulled me into a tight hug. When I stepped back, I recognized the familiar face of Oliver, one of the loudest and most energetic people in our class back in the day.

"Look at you!" he said, giving me a once-over with an impressed grin. "Still as stunning as ever. What’s it been, five years?"

"Six," I corrected with a chuckle. "And I see you haven’t changed at all, Oliver"

"Of course not. Perfection doesn’t need change," he said, winking dramatically.

"Oh God, please tell me you’ve matured at least a little," another voice chimed in, teasing. I turned to see Vanessa, one of the smartest—and sassiest—people in our group. She had always been the voice of reason, rolling her eyes at Oliver’s antics.

"Vanessa," I said, pulling her into a hug. "You look amazing!"

"Flattery will get you everywhere," she quipped. "And seriously, what have you been up to? Last I heard, you moved back to Germany"

"Yeah, I came back just a few weeks ago. I had an Emergency” I explained.

"Wait, wait," another familiar voice cut in. This time, it was Jason, his arms crossed as he gave me a playful smirk. "You mean to tell me Ashley actually decided to return to the chaos of this reunion"

"Surprised?" I teased.

"A little. You always swore you'd never clme to any reunion"

"Yeah, well," I shrugged, taking a sip of my drink. "Life happens."

"Life happens," Oliver  mocked, shaking his head. "That’s such a vague answer. Spill the details, Ash. Are you married? Dating? Secretly a billionaire?"

I laughed. "None of the above. Just… taking things one day at a time."

"Ugh, boring answer," Vanessa teased. "Fine, we’ll let you off the hook—for now. But seriously, it’s so good to see you. We were just talking about the old days."

"Oh, no," I groaned playfully. "That sounds dangerous."

"Only if you count embarrassing stories dangerous," Claire said with a mischievous grin.

"Oh, absolutely," I deadpanned. "Especially if Oliver is involved."

"Hey!" Oliver protested, but the rest of us burst into laughter.

Claire handed me a drink, and I hesitated for only a second before taking it.

What did I say about tonight? Letting loose and having fun.

I took a deep sip, the warmth spreading through my chest. The energy around me was infectious, and before I knew it, Claire and the others were dragging me onto the dance floor.

Laughter. Music. The rush of adrenaline as I swayed to the rhythm.

The night had been going perfectly—music thrumming through my veins, laughter spilling from my lips as I danced, letting go for once. I twirled, my dress hugging my curves just right, my mind light from the cocktails and the warmth of good company.

But then—

A hand.

Unwanted.

Sliding over my waist, fingers pressing against my skin through the thin fabric of my dress. A low voice murmured something in my ear, something that made my stomach turn.

My laughter died instantly as I turned to see a strange man

I jerked forward, trying to put space between us, but he followed, his touch lingering. My pulse spiked with panic.

"Hey, back off!" I snapped, shoving at his arm.

He only grinned, his hold unwavering. "Relax, sweetheart," he said smoothly, his breath reeking of alcohol. "We're just having a little fun."

My stomach twisted. My skin crawled. I tried to push him away again, but he was stronger, standing too close, making it impossible to escape.

And then—

His hand was ripped away.

I barely had time to process what was happening. I stared up to see.. “Kyle?”

He stood beside me, his expression carved from stone, his grip like a vice around the man’s wrist. His eyes—dark, stormy—held a deadly calm that sent a shiver down my spine.

“Touch her again,” Kyle murmured, his voice low and razor-sharp, “and this will be the last day you use this hand.”