Masked in fine print✨

✨swing

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Sasha walked into the dining room, a bright smile on her face. She was a stunning woman, with long blonde hair and piercing green eyes. But Julian's expression turned icy as she approached him.

"Hey, baby," she cooed, reaching out to touch his arm.

Julian recoiled, his eyes flashing with anger. "What are you doing here, Sasha?" he growled, his voice cold and detached.

Sasha pouted, her lips curling into a sulky smile. "I just wanted to see you, Julian. I've missed you so much."

Julian's gaze was unyielding. "I told you to stay away from me, Sasha. I meant it.

Sasha's eyes narrowed, her voice taking on a whiny tone. "But why, Julian? I thought we had something special. You can't just dismiss me like that."

Julian's tone was glacial. "We had nothing special, Sasha. And even if we did, it's over now. Leave my house."

Sasha's face turned red with anger, but she tried to keep her tone sweet. "Fine, Julian. But can't we just talk about this? Can't we work things out?"

Julian's response was curt. "No, Sasha. We can't. Now leave".

Sasha's eyes flashed with anger, but she knew better than to push Julian further. With a huff, she turned and stormed out of the room, leaving Julian to his dinner and his seething anger.

As soon as Sasha stormed out of the room, Julian picked up his phone and dialed a number. His voice was firm and authoritative "I want you to add Sasha to the list of persona non grata. She is not to be allowed anywhere near my house or property again. If she shows up, she is to be removed immediately. Do you understand?"

The voice on the other end of the line was crisp and professional. "Yes, sir. Understood. Sasha will be added to the list effective immediately."

Julian's expression was unyielding. "Good. See that it's done".

He hung up the phone, his eyes still flashing with anger. He immediately got up and made for his room. Maria, who had been watching the exchange from the sidelines, nodded in approval. She had seen the way Sasha had been throwing herself at Julian, and she was glad he was finally taking steps to protect himself.

✨Next morning,Ashley’s pov*

Ashley's alarm blared to life, jolting her awake. She groggily sat up, rubbing her temples. A headache was already brewing, courtesy of the late night she had spent worrying about her future. "Great, just great," she muttered to herself, swinging her legs over the side of the bed. "A headache. Just what I needed. A bad omen for the day ahead."

She trudged to the bathroom, her grumpy mood evident in her slow, heavy steps. As she splashed water on her face, she continued her internal monologue. "Ugh, I hate the 9-to-5 life. I hate waking up early, I hate the commute, I hate the monotony of it all." She shook her head, water droplets flying everywhere.

As she began to get ready, her thoughts turned to the day ahead. "What will today bring? Another dull meeting? Another pointless project?" She sighed, her mind already feeling drained.

But as she slipped on the beautiful gown she had put together, her mood lifted slightly. The dress hugged her curves in all the right places, and the intricate design made her feel like a work of art. She barely needed to touch up her face, her natural beauty shining through. She packed her hair into a ponytail, the simplicity of the look accentuating her features.

For a moment, she forgot about her headache and her worries, lost in the admiration of her reflection. Maybe today wouldn't be so bad after all. Maybe something good would come out of it. But as she headed out the door, her doubts crept back in, lingering like a shadow in the back of her mind.

Ashley locked her front door and stepped out into the bright morning sunlight. As she walked down the path, she exchanged a friendly greeting with her neighbor, Sam, who was watering his garden. He couldn't help but admire her stunning dress and confident stride.

Ashley continued on her way, her ride arriving just two minutes later. She slid into the sleek car, greeting the driver with a smile. "Good morning! Thanks for the ride."

The driver nodded and hit the gas, zooming off into the morning traffic. But just five minutes into the drive, the car began to make strange noises - sputtering and coughing like an old engine. The driver apologized profusely as the car jerked to a stop at intervals, before finally giving up the ghost and breaking down completely.

Ashley let out a frustrated sigh, slapping her hand on the seat. "Seriously?! I'm already running late!" She glared out the window, her mind racing with the consequences of being tardy on a crucial day like today.

The driver hastily apologized again, jumping out to pop the hood and investigate the issue. Ashley remained seated, drumming her fingers impatiently on the armrest, her anxiety growing by the second. This was not how she had envisioned her day starting out...✨