Chapter 14 – A Gentle Lie
721 Words
Ashlyn's POV
After a brief conversation with the man who felt far too perfect to be real, I finally knew his name: Ryder Blackwood.
God, even his name sounded heroic... dangerous, even. Like something pulled from an old, leather-bound novel. And he looked the part—tall, chiseled features, the kind of presence that made the air crackle.
He said I could stay with him, at his mansion, since I had no one else. My memory was blank, a hollow echo, but oddly, being near him felt... safe.
We sat quietly in his sleek black car, the interior whisper-quiet except for the occasional shuffle of paper as Ryder stepped out to finalize my hospital discharge. I watched him through the tinted glass.
There was exhaustion in his posture, in the tight set of his shoulders. But his face... sharp lines, intense blue eyes that saw too much, carried too much. Dangerously handsome, even in silence.
When he returned and slipped into the driver’s seat, his scent—leather, spice, and something darker—filled the space. I stole a glance at him. He didn’t smile, but something about the way his fingers flexed on the steering wheel made my heart skip.
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Ryder's POV
I brought her home.
To our home.
But of course, she doesn’t remember that.
The mansion looked the same as it did the day she left it… except now, it was stripped of every photograph, every memory we once shared. I made sure of that. She wouldn’t find evidence of our past—not yet. Not while her memory was fragile.
She took her medicine without protest. I watched the way she looked at me—curious, searching, like a child trying to read a map she didn’t understand.
I called Alisa.
She was the only one I trusted to play along with the story I fed Ashlyn: that I helped patients with no home. A benevolent lie. One I prayed would protect her, until she was ready to know everything.
When Alisa arrived, she understood immediately.
"I’ll help you, Ryder," she said, nodding firmly. "Whatever it takes. I’ll be her friend."
I gave her a rare smile. "Thank you. Make her feel safe. Make her laugh again."
And she did. Over the following days, Ashlyn and Alisa bonded quickly—easy smiles, quiet laughter, late-night chats over herbal tea. But I watched from a distance.
Because if I got too close… she might see through me.
And I wasn’t ready to lose her again.
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Author’s POV
Ryder orchestrated the perfect illusion—one where Ashlyn could live peacefully, far from the shadow of her shattered past. Alisa played her role flawlessly, becoming a friend, a confidante.
But then…
Alisa entered Ryder’s office one afternoon, shutting the door firmly behind her. He looked up from his papers, instantly alert.
"Ryder, I need to leave," she said.
"Trouble?"
"At my estate. I’ll handle it myself, but... I don’t know how long I’ll be gone. Take care of her, okay? She’s... she means something to me now."
Ryder nodded, eyes shadowed with something unreadable. "She’s my lifeline, Alisa. I’ll protect her with everything I’ve got."
With one final look, Alisa was gone.
Ashlyn slept soundly upstairs, her body curled beneath the soft blankets. Ryder stood at the doorway to her room for a moment, watching her, something unspoken blooming in his chest.
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Ashlyn's POV
It was midnight. The mansion was hushed, dipped in velvet darkness. But I craved something sweet.
Cotton candy ice cream.
I giggled to myself. "Shh, Ash… if anyone hears you, they’ll think you’ve lost it."
I tiptoed through the corridor, moonlight spilling across the marble floors. As I reached the staircase—
A sharp, brutal pain twisted in my lower abdomen.
I gasped, stumbling, my hand flying to my stomach.
The next second, I collapsed to the steps, curling into myself.
Another wave of pain. Hot. Blinding.
Why did I leave the bed? Why now?
And then…
Everything started to blur.
The darkness of the hallway seemed to close in, and just before my vision gave out completely, I thought I heard the echo of footsteps—fast, desperate—and the faint, panicked whisper of a voice that somehow made me feel safe.
"Ashlyn? No—no, no, no…"
To be continued...
- Writer
