My high school time travel

ASHLEY P.O.V I sat in the dimly lit sitting room, surrounded by the opulent decor of our penthouse apartment, waiting for Alex to return from another long day at the office. The clock struck 11 pm, casting a golden glow on the marble floor. I had prepared his favorite dinner hoping it would be a peace offering, a chance for us to reconnect over a romantic candlelit dinner. Our marriage had been strained lately, and I couldn't help but feel like I was losing him to his business empire. As I heard the sound of footsteps approaching, my heart skipped a beat. The door swung open, and Alex walked in, flanked by his entourage of bodyguards and assistants, their faces a blur of exhaustion and dedication. I stood up, expecting a warm smile or a gentle greeting, but he barely acknowledged my presence, his eyes fixed on his phone. "Hey, babe, how was your day at work?" I asked, trying to sound cheerful, my voice husky from the silence. "Quite hectic," he replied, his deep voice dismissive, as he headed towards the master bedroom, his tailored suit rustling with each step.I followed him, feeling like a shadow in his life, my Louboutin heels clicking on the marble floor. "I made your favorite dinner, and I conditioned the shower just the way you like it - hot and steamy," I said, trying to get his attention, my voice laced with a hint of seduction. "I already ate dinner," he said, his voice detached, as he began to undress and step into the shower, the sound of the water enveloping him like a shroud. I stood there, feeling like I'd been punched in the gut, the scent of his cologne lingering in the air. All my efforts, down the drain. Again. As I cleaned up the dinner I had made with such hope and love, I couldn't help but feel a deep sadness. This was our third wedding anniversary, and it felt like just another day, another disappointment. ALEXANDER'S P.O.V I was buried in work, trying to meet the impossible deadlines of my business, when my phone buzzed with a message from my sister. "Happy wedding anniversary, bro." I checked the date - April 13th. Today was my anniversary. I felt a pang of guilt, knowing Ashley had probably gone out of her way to make it special. But I wasn't one for celebrations, and she knew that. I'd make it up to her tomorrow, I thought, pushing the feeling aside and focusing on my work, the city skyline twinkling like diamonds outside my office window. THE NEXT DAY Ashley P.O.V The light from the windows was almost blinding as I woke up. I sat on the bed and noticed Alex's absence. I wasn’t even aware of when he got to bed last night or when he left this morning. I checked the time and it was 10 AM. I placed my hand on my forehead in regret and embarrassment; Alex had gone to work without me making breakfast. "Well, I'm sure he’ll get himself something," I thought to myself as I stood up from the bed and headed to the shower. After I was done, I headed downstairs to have breakfast when I noticed something strange in the living room. The pink gifts and balloons stood out in a house filled with dull colors. I rushed over and saw balloons, a cake, and a rather expensive bracelet. I pulled out the card from the bouquet of flowers, and it read, "Happy anniversary, babe. You make my world. I love you so much. PS: Sorry for sending this late." I felt so loved, and the butterflies in my stomach began fluttering. I felt bad for judging Alex and thinking he had become cold towards me. This gave me hope for our love and marriage. I began giggling as I opened the presents one by one. Then I paused and thought to myself, "What do I do to make today special?" The answer came to me, and I rushed to the kitchen to prepare a meal. The maid, Lucy, came in just in time, and I asked her to help. She too was surprised by the gifts, and I didn’t hesitate to blush and tell her they were from my husband. Lucy and I made a very nice breakfast. Then I rushed to the bedroom to pick a dress. What was normally a straightforward task became complicated as I wanted something super nice. I tried on a few outfits, discarding each one in frustration. Finally, I found a beautiful floral dress that Alex always complimented. I got dressed, looked in the mirror, and put on the final touch: the bracelet Alex had gotten me. I quickly headed downstairs, carried the packaged meals, gave instructions to Lucy, and headed out. As we drove to Alex’s office, I couldn’t wait to see him. It seemed my driver was driving too slow. "Make it fast, Drew," I said, and he increased the speed. We arrived at the front of the building, and the bodyguards assigned to me immediately surrounded and followed me. I wanted to come alone, but I knew it wasn’t possible. After dealing with the paparazzi outside and the numerous eyes and greetings from workers inside, I finally reached Alex’s office. He wasn’t present; he was in a meeting. I told his secretary to let him be. I could wait. As she left the office, leaving only me inside, I decided to take a walk in the plush room. I went to the window, and the view was breathtaking. It felt like I could touch the sky. I was lost in thought when someone opened the door. I turned, and it was Alex. "Hey, babe," I said as I rushed to him and gave him a hug. The bodyguards immediately closed the door behind us. "Uhm, what brings you here?" he asked. "You didn’t have breakfast, and I thought I should bring you some," I said, smiling. "And by the way, I love it," I added, showing him the bracelet on my hand. "Yeah, the bracelet looks good on you," he said as he headed to his seat. "Come on, you should have something to eat," I said, pulling him from his seat to the sitting area in his office. His eyes were fixed on me as I unpacked the meal and served him just a little, knowing he wasn’t a heavy eater. We both ate, and he listened to my tale. After we were done, he went some distance to receive a call and then came back to tell me he had work to do. He gave me a peck and then left the office. I felt so great as I packed up and headed out of the office, my bodyguard following behind. I noticed the secretary wasn’t at her desk. From a distance, I saw Alex with his bodyguards and some of his top workers downstairs. I couldn’t see what exactly was going on. We took the elevator, and then I hurried down. I got to the floor where Alex was, and he was speaking to a lady. She seemed familiar, but I couldn’t place where exactly I had seen her. I was sure her and Alex had a business deal going on, so I decided to introduce myself. "Hi, I’m Mrs. Ashley Gonzalez," I said, hooking my arm with Alex. I could see the shock in everyone’s eyes. They weren’t expecting me to come out of the blue. There was an eerie silence, and then Alex introduced me properly. The lady was quite classy, and I could see her eyes trailing to my bracelet. Her dress was chic, and her posture exuded confidence. I felt a pang of insecurity but pushed it aside. After our introduction, Alex walked me to my car, and I went to my business, feeling a mix of emotions but mostly hopeful for the future. As I pushed the glass door of my art gallery, I felt a wave of relaxation wash over me; I was finally in my space. The morning had been a whirlwind of emotions, and stepping into my gallery felt like coming home. Before I arrived, I waited in the car for a moment, letting my driver, Drew, ensure there were no paparazzi lurking around. Once he gave me the all-clear, I stepped out, adjusting my sunglasses and smoothing my dress. “Welcome, ma’am,” Sarah said, holding some files in her hand as I entered. “I told you not to stress yourself, Sarah,” I said, rushing to collect the files from her hands. “But it's just papers, ma’am,” she said, giggling. Sarah had been my secretary ever since I officially started my art gallery. We had some pretty nice history together; she got married a few months after I did and was now expecting a baby. Her round belly was a constant reminder of how fast time flies. “I’ve told you to take some months off work,” I said, walking to my office, my heels clicking on the polished floor. “Well, sitting at home doing nothing won’t be good for me and the baby, don’t you think?” she said, pouting her lips as I sat down in my chair. I chuckled, shaking my head. “Well, I certainly don’t want you or the baby stressed, or your husband concerned,” I said and then put a call through to another worker. My business was doing well, and I just had a small team which Sarah oversees. Since the circle was small, I had a pretty nice relationship with my workers. “That’s a pretty expensive bracelet you have there, ma’am,” Sarah said, admiring my hand. “Oh, really?” I said, blushing. “Do you have any idea how much it is?” she asked. “Of course, ma’am. It’s $65,000. It’s really expensive. Mr. Alex must be really generous to let you have it,” she said, still admiring it. “Ooh, no, he bought this for me,” I said, giggling. “Ooh, I thought he allowed you to have it because this is the male design of the bracelet,” she said, smiling. The male design, I thought to myself. “Or maybe the store didn’t have the female design. Anyways, it’s really beautiful, ma’am,” she said and left the office. I took a long look at the bracelet, feeling a bit uneasy. After a long day, it was time for me to go home. I packed up and left the office. The evening was quite pleasant; at least today wasn’t like every other day. As I looked through the window while being driven home, I reminisced about the time I had spent with my husband. But then my conversation with Sarah came to my mind. After pondering on it for a few minutes, I decided to shake it off. We pulled into the driveway of my house, and the sound of the tech door unlocking echoed in the quiet evening. I stepped inside and felt the cool air conditioning hit my face. The familiar hum of the security system greeted me as I walked through the foyer. I was finally home. I got to the sitting room and pulled off my heels. Lucy was still around and came to help with my shoes and bags. “Welcome home, ma’am,” she said. I returned it with a smile. She told me what she had arranged and done, the groceries she got, and all, while I sat at the table quite tired, not even paying full attention to what she was saying. “So, ma’am, what would you do with the cake?” she said in a higher tone, bringing me fully back to reality. I paused and thought about what she had said. “What do you mean? I’ll eat the cake, of course,” I said. “Sorry, ma’am, but don’t you still have the chocolate allergy?” she said. I looked at the cake that was on the dining table while she looked at me, expecting an answer. After an eerie silence, I told her I’d take care of it, and she packed her things and called it a day. I grabbed my phone immediately after Lucy was gone and searched for the bracelet online. Indeed, there was a male and female version, and the price was the same. I grabbed the gift bag and searched for the store where the gifts were bought. To my surprise, the store had both female and male versions. I looked at the cake one more time. Alex knew I had a chocolate allergy. Or did he forget? I thought. Or was this gift not meant for me? The questions swirled in my mind, leaving me feeling confused and uneasy. Hours later, Alex was back from work, late as usual. I didn’t bother draining myself waiting for him all night. After the noise downstairs, I heard his footsteps, then he entered the bedroom. The door creaked slightly as he pushed it open, the sound signaling the end of another long day. His shoes made soft thuds against the hardwood floor as he approached. He walked up to me, gave me a casual kiss on the cheek, and began undressing. His tie landed on the chair, followed by his jacket, which he tossed carelessly. The faint scent of his cologne lingered in the air, mixed with the smell of the city. “How was your day, babe?” I asked, trying to gauge his mood, hoping for some connection. “Quite hectic,” he said, his voice heavy with exhaustion. He rubbed his temples as if trying to erase the stress of the day. “Thank you, babe, for the handbag you got me. I really loved it,” I said, hoping for a genuine reaction. I watched his face closely, looking for any sign of recognition. “You’re welcome, babe,” he said, heading to the shower. The water started running, and steam began to fill the room. His silhouette moved behind the frosted glass, a blur of tired movements. And there I had my answer. There wasn’t a handbag in the present. Alex didn’t get me those gifts. My heart sank, the realization hitting me like a cold wave. I kept tossing and turning, unable to sleep while Alex was sleeping soundly beside me. His soft snoring was a stark contrast to the turmoil in my mind. The clock ticked slowly, each minute feeling like an hour. My thoughts raced, trying to make sense of everything. Perhaps he was busy and sent his secretary to get the gifts? The idea irritated me even more—the presents I cherished weren’t even picked by him. I headed downstairs to the dining table; it was 11 PM. The house was eerily quiet, the only sound being the ticking of the kitchen clock. An idea immediately came to my mind. I quietly called the store, careful not to wake Alex. Luckily, the customer service was available. “Hello, sorry I'm calling late, but I’m calling concerning some presents that came to me earlier today. I think they were delivered to the wrong address,” I said, my voice trembling slightly. My hands shook as I held the phone. “Ma’am, please, what’s the number beneath the box?” the lady replied, her voice calm and professional. “It’s 3579,” I said after checking, my breath hitching in anticipation. “Ma’am, I don’t think it’s the wrong address. It’s 32 Kingline, parcel delivered to Mr. Alex Gonzalez by Miss Sophia,” she said. I was dumbfounded, my grip tightening on the phone. The name echoed in my mind, bringing back memories of the woman I saw earlier. “Are you still there, miss?” she asked after a moment of eerie silence. “Uhm, thank you so much. Yeah, it was delivered to the right place. Bye,” I said and hung up the phone. I grabbed the dining stool and sat down, feeling too weak to stand. My legs felt like jelly, and my heart pounded in my chest. The room seemed to spin around me, the weight of the revelation pressing down. “Miss Sophia,” I thought to myself. “Don’t tell me the lady I saw him talking to today sent this gift,” I said aloud, my eyes widening in shock. The realization hit me like a ton of bricks, and I felt the world around me crumble. I looked around the dark dining room, the shadows seeming to close in. The clock ticked on, indifferent to my pain. I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself, but the questions kept swirling in my mind, relentless and unforgiving.