Ashton’s POV
I woke up with a tight knot in my chest. Sleep had barely touched me. The memory of Moana
still burned in my mind, her soft voice, the way she clung to me, the warmth of her body pressed
against mine. I shook my head, trying to push it away. There was no time for weakness.
My father’s call came not long after breakfast. I could hear the tension in his voice before he
even started speaking.
“Ashton, get in here. Now.
”
I ran down the stairs, my heart racing. Something was off. My father was never this urgent
unless trouble was brewing.
I stepped into his study, and the moment I did, I understood. His face was tight, his jaw
clenched. The phone in his hand looked like it had burned him.
“They are pressing me, Ashton,
” he said without preamble.
“Nadine’s father cal
