The sun dipped low, painting the sky in shades of amber and rose. On a quiet park bench, a young woman sat, her gaze fixed on the glowing screen of her phone.
Her hair, white as freshly fallen snow, framed a face so delicate it seemed carved from porcelain. Bluish-gray eyes glistened with tears, each one sliding silently down her cheeks. She bit her lips hard, almost drawing blood, unable to look away from the recording.
Beside her, a young man's presence pressed close… not touching, but undeniably there.
Midnight-black hair fell perfectly around a face that was effortlessly handsome, his gray eyes holding a quiet intensity, the kind that could make anyone falter.
He flicked a lighter, lighting the cigarette between his lips. Smoke drifted upward as he spoke, his tone calm, almost casual.
"So… that's the trash you're supposed to marry in three days?!" His eyes flicked to her.
Evelyn's fingers tightened around her phone, her lips bleeding as she bit down hard. Blood mingled with the sting of humiliation.
The recording showed a lavish hotel room. Her fiancé, the man she was supposed to wed in three days, was entangled with another woman, completely naked, completely shameless. Their movements were intimate, careless, as if mocking her very existence.
It wasn't him that broke her. She had never loved him; their marriage was arranged, a transaction common in high society, where women like her were merely pawns for alliances or appearances.
It was the woman he cheated with, her step-sister, someone she had once called family.
The betrayal cut deeper than she could have imagined, sending waves of pain, disbelief, and a cold, helpless anger coursing through her.
Evelyn drew a shaky breath, trying to steady her racing heart. Her voice trembled as she asked, "Where… where did you get this from?!"
"You know I'm not just good at fighting," he said, his tone dripping with sarcasm, "I can handle things like this too. Harrington's youngest heir cheating on his fiancée right before the wedding… perfect headline for tomorrow, don't you think?"
He chuckled as he looked at her, but his eyes weren't smiling.
Her hands trembled, caught between anger and pain as she faced his sarcasm.
"Do you think this is funny, Ash? Do you even know how I feel right now?"
She swallowed hard, forcing herself to speak. "You don't have to worry about anyone's opinion… You can live your life freely…" Her chest heaved. "…after all, you're just an orphan."
Her eyes widened in sudden realization. She had gone too far. "I… I'm sorry—"
He cut her off with a short, bitter chuckle.
"Well… what you said isn't entirely wrong. I can live however I want. Maybe that's why I loved you like a fool."
His gaze locked onto hers, steady and piercing.
"At least tell me this, Eve… those years we spent together before your engagement was announced… Was that just a timepass for you? After all, I'm just an orphan. Even if you played with my feelings and walked away, there'd be no consequences for you, right?"
Evelyn froze, her mouth opening, but no sound came.
Asher shook his head, letting out a long puff of smoke before crushing the cigarette and tossing it into the nearby dustbin.
He straightened and began to walk away. Without turning back, he said,
"I don't know what you plan to do next, but whatever. This will be the last time we see each other. Consider that recording, my wedding gift to you."
He spared her one final glance; calm and unfeeling, as if the years they had shared were already erased. Then he turned to leave.
But before he could take a step, Evelyn's sobs broke free. She ran after him, wrapping her arms around his waist, pressing her face into his shoulder.
"Don't… don't leave me… Ash! If you… if you leave too… I… I don't know what I'll do!"
He stiffened for a moment, caught off guard by her desperate grip, but didn't pull away.
He gazed at the setting sun, his voice probing. "So… what do you plan to do now?"
Evelyn tightened her hold on him, her sobs still shaking her.
"I… I don't know," she whispered. "Even if I… show the recording to my family, nothing will change."
She lifted her head slightly, meeting his eyes.
"Maybe… my stepmother will just slap me and make sure everything about Amelia's debauchery disappears. After all, she's supposed to marry the youngest heir of the Langford family."
Her voice wavered as she continued, more to herself than to him.
"And it's useless to try publishing the recording online. The Harringtons have influence in the media, they could just erase it with a snap, maybe even trace it back to us. I really… I don't know what I'm supposed to do now."
Finally, she drew a shaky breath, calm enough to think straight, but she didn't let go of him, clinging tightly, afraid he too would leave her — just like her mother had.
"Sigh…" Asher let out a long, heavy exhale. He turned his head slightly toward her and smiled softly.
"Wanna hit the bar? Our usual place?"
Evelyn nodded, murmuring quietly,
"I'm sorry… for what I said earlier."
"Is that so?" he teased, wincing dramatically as he pressed a hand to his chest. "If you're really sorry, you should give me a kiss to heal my broken heart."
Her lips twitched. They had been holding back any intimate contact since her engagement to Francis was announced, but now, she didn't care. She leaned in, pressing a quick, gentle kiss to his cheek.
Asher smiled, turning to face her fully, and brushed his lips softly against hers, tasting the faint trace of blood mingled with her own.
He then grabbed the hat from the bench and placed it on her head, adjusting her scarf to cover part of her face.
"Cover that face of yours. You're too eye-catching to step into a shabby bar."
"Say that for yourself," she retorted, a small smile curling her lips.
He shook his head with a grin, taking her hand in his, and led her out of the park.
* * *
Las Vages, The Velvet District.
Inside a private room of the bar Thousand Sunny, Ash and Eve drowned their emotions in drink.
Ash watched the bustling nightlife outside: casinos, bars, host clubs. The district was the embodiment of entertainment itself.
"Hic… Ash… do you… remember… how you used to… behave with me at university?" Eve slurred, wobbling slightly, her words tangled with hiccups.
Ash shook his head, smiling softly. Drunk Eve was always unpredictable, a far cry from the poised young woman the world expected her to be.
He remembered the past, her laughter, the quiet moments they'd shared between classes. It had been almost four years since they met at Belmont University: the elite school where billionaires' and millionaires' children were groomed for power. Politics, gossip, and alliances were as much part of the curriculum as finance and economics.
Ash had never cared for any of it. He got in simply because, despite being an orphan, he was a millionaire. Make connections, earn a degree, maybe even get a girlfriend — that had been his plan.
But his happy days ended when Eve's engagement to Francis Harrington was announced five months ago. The Harringtons were a billionaire family he couldn't rival. The engagement was her stepmother's decree; Eve had no choice, no voice.
From then on, cracks began to form in their relationship. Eve started distancing herself, mostly due to her stepmother's threats. After all, it wouldn't be hard for them to remove him from the picture.
Even if she had chosen him, it would have been seen as a betrayal of both her family and her fiancé. After that, a peaceful life together would have been impossible.
The ultimate irony: she had been betrayed by her stepsister, Amelia, and her fiancé himself. Ash knew both well — they had also attended Belmont.
"Ash… are… you… hearing me?" Eve tipped dangerously toward the table.
Asher steadied her with ease, a wry smile tugging at his lips. "I hear you, Eve. Loud and clear."
Her arms flailed slightly as she tried to gesture, hiccupping between words. "You… always… so… calm… while I… I… hic…"
He chuckled quietly. Maybe it was this side of her he'd fallen for. He reached out and pinched her cheek, earning a soft, protesting whimper in return.
With a gentle lift, he swung her onto his back, careful not to let her topple. She clung to him like a koala, mumbling a stream of half-formed words. He carried her out, stopping briefly to pay the bill.
* * *
Asher walked through the lively night streets with Eve on his back, the city glowing with lights and laughter. He made sure her hat stayed firmly in place — it wouldn't do for anyone to recognize the Valemont family's daughter, drunk and being carried by a man.
As he strolled on, something caught his eye: a small shop tucked away in a quiet alley.
"Read Your Fortune?!" Ash murmured, reading the billboard atop the small shop.
It looked like one of those scammy places, but he chuckled. They're already a lost cause, might as well see what happens.
"Hey, Eve… how about we read our fortune? Maybe even find a way to mess up your marriage?" Ash suggested, already walking toward the shop.
"Mm… mm," Eve mumbled, half-asleep on his shoulder.
Ash pushed open the door.
Ding!
A small bell rang as they entered, the door closing softly behind them.