My Absence Teaches Better Than My Love

I heard footsteps and bolted before I even thought about it.

When I got back to my room, everything inside me collapsed. Those words cut slowly, first scraping through my thoughts and then tearing into my chest like a dull knife.

Asher's words wouldn't stop echoing in my head.

"No. I only approached her to get revenge and destroy her family's company."

I didn't want to believe it, but I'd heard every word.

I felt cold under the weight of that brutal truth. My love for him had shattered. I tried to keep my head, but my chest tightened like a vise until I struggled to breathe.

Still, I refused to cry out. I pressed my hand over my mouth, yet a broken sob escaped between my fingers. Then, I collapsed onto the floor and cried in silence to drain out every bit of pain.

I never thought our meeting had been planned as payback. Even Asher's love turned out to be something he had calculated.

Back then, I went against my parents' wishes and applied to study abroad as an exchange student.

After graduation, I stayed overseas for work. Because I wanted my freedom, I stopped going home and started living on my own terms.

That was until I met Asher abroad, the man everyone said was the son of Mom and Dad's sworn enemy.

Rumor had it that the Searles and the Klines once combined their funds and went into business together.

When the market shifted, my parents pulled their investment, which sent Kline Group into a downward spiral. Asher's mother later died under the strain.

In the years that followed, Searle Group and Kline Group fought for every deal until the rivalry turned openly hostile.

I knew exactly who Asher was. But he had saved me more than once, so I let go of my misgivings.

The first time, I was swarmed by a gang of female thugs and beaten bloody. He showed up like a savior, drove them off, picked me up, and rushed me to the hospital.

The second time, I was hunted down by hardened criminals. Asher fought them barehanded, pulled me clear of their knives, then walked away battered and bleeding.

The third time was when a male coworker slipped a drug into my drink. Just before everything went sideways, Asher burst in, took the guy down hard, pulled me out, and handed me something to counter the drug.

That was how I fell for Asher.

People tried to warn me off. They said we were doomed because of the bad blood between the Searles and the Klines.

But I didn't listen. I still wanted him.

Even though Asher kept turning me down and staying distant, I went after him with everything I had for three years. On his birthday, I made myself the gift and teased him every way I knew how.

Afterward, he held me close with a soft smile. "You little temptress. I'm about to lose my mind over you."

I smiled in satisfaction and traced circles over his chest. "You can't help wanting me, because you're into me."

Asher's smile widened. "Fair point. How about a few more rounds?"

He lowered his head, kissed me, then we slipped right back into the heat of it. From that day on, we were officially together.

I had always believed our feelings were real. I even looked forward to the day Asher would meet Mom and Dad so we could finally end the feud between our families.

Only now did I realize everything had been a lie. It hurt, but I forced myself to stay clearheaded. I decided to walk away from him for good.

Before leaving, I decided to leave Asher a gift. After the way he crushed my feelings, there was no way I was letting it go. Nothing made my blood boil like a lie.

My grief had already burned into anger, and I formed a plan to return the favor.

Soon after I regained my composure, the door opened from the hall, and Asher walked in. "Babe, you're up."

I paused, then put my sweet smile back on. "Yeah. I missed you so much that I couldn't sleep."

Asher wrapped his arms around me from behind, his breath warm against my neck. "By the way, your birthday's in two weeks. I'm throwing you a party, and I'm going to propose there."

I stared at him, stunned. "You're proposing?"

He nodded and brushed my cheek. "We've been together a long time. It's time to make it official."