The CEO That Won My Heart

Asher’s P.o.v I sat brushing through my thick, long auburn curls after my photoshoot when my manager, Evelynn, walked into the dressing room. I immediately braced myself, preparing for the worst—just in case she was in a bad mood from the shoot or dealing with demands from the higher-ups. Evey was an incredible manager; she always landed me amazing jobs. But when she was upset about how a shoot went or simply having a rough day, she made sure everyone knew it. To my surprise, she lit up with a smile. “Excellent photoshoot today, Ash! Really, the prints look fantastic. You’ll have a copy on your desk tomorrow morning. Keep it up,” she said, her hand already on the door, ready to leave. “Thanks, Evey, I will.” I set my brush down with a sigh. I was exhausted and just wanted to see my fiancé, Andrew. “Is Andy still here?” I asked before she could leave the room. “Uh, yeah. In his office, I believe.” She answered briefly before stepping out. Evey was always direct—never wasting time with small talk, especially when she was irritated. I quickly gathered my things: my folder of stills and my large purse. Within two minutes, I was ready to head up to Andy’s office. More than anything, I wanted to see what he was in the mood for when it came to dinner tonight. Though, honestly, I was just hoping I wouldn’t run into Bella on the way up. She had once been someone I considered a friend, but ever since she found out we were both in the running for the Top Model Award, she had turned cruel. This award is only given once every three years to the best male and female model. Making it into the Top 10 was already a huge honor. I left my dressing room and took the stairs instead of the elevator—knowing that if I ran into Bella, she’d have something snide to say. But when I reached the top floor, something felt off. Ella—Andrew’s secretary—was gone. She usually stayed another hour, at least. That was… strange. And Andrew’s door? It was fully closed. My stomach twisted. He never shut his door all the way unless he was in an important meeting, but I knew he wouldn’t have one this late. Something is wrong. Dread filled my stomach as I stepped forward. I reached for the door handle,my hand shaking uncontrollably, before trying it. It was unlocked. I walked inside— And immediately wished I hadn’t. The moment I saw them, my world crumbled. Isabella was perched on the edge of Andrew’s desk, her skirt hitched up, her legs spread—completely bare underneath. And Andrew? He was between her legs. I froze. No… Instantly, I knew what was happening. I felt like a fool. How long? How long has he been doing this to me? They scrambled apart—Andrew looking guilty as he hurriedly adjusted his pants, while Bella smirked. Smug. She was happy with this. She slid off his desk like she hadn’t just shattered my world. She looked ugly like that. Why had I ever trusted her? Why did I ever think she was my friend? My stomach twisted with disgust. Had this been her plan all along? To hurt me and sabotage my chances at winning the "Top Model Award"? Andrew ran a hand through his dark hair, looking everywhere but at me. “Asher… s**t. This wasn’t how you were supposed to find out.” Find out? A dry laugh broke from my lips. “Find out? Find out?!” The audacity. “Andrew, do you not see anything wrong with what you just said?! Do you not see anything wrong with this at all?!” My voice cracked, anger and betrayal boiling over. “How long has this been going on? How was I supposed to ‘find out’?” His jaw tensed. “Three months…” he muttered. I sucked in a sharp breath. Three months? A month before he had proposed to me. Before I had found the ring. “Three months? Three?! So before you even proposed to me? Why did you propose if you were sleeping around with someone else?” I demanded, my voice shaking. His head snapped up. And just like that—his guilt was gone. Replaced with anger. His brown eyes darkened, teeth gritting, breathing uneven. He was trying to stay calm. Then, in the coldest voice, he said, “Asher, can you wake up already? You haven’t figured it out yet? That ring was never for you. You finding it was purely chance. It was for Bella. It’s always been Bella.” My heart shattered. Those words dropped my world—like glass hitting the ground. I gasped. No… My breath stopped. The man I loved—the man I thought loved me— He wanted her. Not me. Without thinking, I slid the ring off my finger. It felt heavy. Wrong. I held it out to him. “You should have just been honest, Andrew.” My voice was low, controlled. I would’ve been more understanding that way. I wouldn’t have been mad. Hurt? Yes. But mad? Not a chance. Dishonesty is unspeakably ugly to me. Take the ring. I don’t want something that was never meant for me.” Then I turned to Bella, tears stinging my eyes. “As for you? One day, he’s going to start lying to you, too.” My voice dripped with venom. Bella scoffed, her dark blue eyes narrowing and smirking. “Oh, come on, Asher. Just because Andy wants me instead of you doesn’t mean you have to act so childishly.” I let out a bitter laugh. “Childish? Bella, I thought you were my friend.” I shook my head. “Yet, here you are—sleeping with the man you knew I was engaged to. The man I thought loved me.” I turned back to Andrew. “I’ll get my things from the apartment. Don’t worry, I’ll be gone before you get home.” Then I walked out. They would not break me. I would not let them dull my spark. I would give this Top Model Award everything I had. Not for Andrew, not for the company he inherited, but for myself. Nobody would define my worth but me. As I reached the elevator, I wiped my tears carefully, not wanting to smudge my makeup. The doors slid shut behind me, enclosing me in silence. I let out a long, shaky breath. This was a blow—a huge one—but I wouldn’t let anyone see me crumble. What they did was horrible, but I would move past it. I had lost both of my parents when I was seven. My older brother, Thomas, left for boarding school soon after we were adopted. My adoptive parents passed away three years ago. I had no one. Except Harper. She was my best friend—but more than that, she was family. I knew she would let me stay with her and wouldn't want me in the apartment with Andrew as much as I didn't want to be there. She would help me stand tall and keep pushing for this award. She would help me come up with ways to keep the judges attention on me. I straightened my posture as the elevator chimed. Stepping out into the lobby, I kept my chin high, walking straight out to my car. By the time I reached the apartment, I was already packing my things. I left everything he had bought me behind. Three trips. That was all it took to erase myself from his life. And just like that, I was free.