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ASHER

ONE WEEK LATER

B illie left before sunrise this morning. Before slipping out of bed, she gave me a sweet kiss on the cheek and told me how much she already missed me. I didn’t imagine it, even though it felt unreal to be on the receiving end of her affection. My girl has always looked at me that way.

I pull fresh strawberries from the fridge for my oatmeal. As I eat, I unlock my phone, search for Billie’s name online, and scroll through the headlines until one catches my eye. I shake my head, smirking.

With all the drama that has gone down in the past few weeks, LadyLux slipped off my radar. With this post, she’s back on it.

Who the fuck are you?

The Ice Queen and Her Future King

I brace myself to read the article, claiming Billie is destined to be with Louis. Surprisingly, the article isn’t about him at all, but rather about Billie and the shitty relationships she has had over the years, focusing on Louis and Josh Lustre. I quickly read it to the end.

I don’t believe this relationship is real, but do I think Billie Calloway is in love? Yes. Absolutely.

(But also, allegedly.)

With whom? That’s the question of the hour. She’s so secretive, but I can tell Prince Louis isn’t the king of her heart. Maybe her real Prince Charming will finally step up and claim her once she’s done playing games with a royal. Until then, let me remind him what she deserves.

Billie Calloway needs a man who will claim her, who will love her for more than just being a Calloway. She needs someone strong, who will protect her and, above all, who will be honest. That woman has dealt with so many snakes and liars over the years. If she can’t be the center of your universe, move on. Strong women need strong men. I understand being careful, but love is all you need. It can conquer anything. Believe in that.

That’s all for this week, LuxBabies. I’ll see you next time as I dive headfirst into a brand-new billionaire who’s caught my eye. Don’t worry, Asher Banks … I’m still watching you. There will be a part 2. Stay tuned.

LadyLux

I scoff, rolling my eyes. The nerve. I wonder if she needs help marketing her blog.

An evil smirk crosses my lips as I search her website for her contact information. I find her email address and type a message.

Subject: Well, well, well …

You officially have my attention, Ms. LadyLux. I will find out who you are. It’s just a matter of time. I look forward to part 2.

Asher Bank s

I press Send and hear the notification that my email was sent. Your move, gossip queen.

Once I finish eating and set my empty bowl in the sink, I grab a towel to dry my hands and notice a sheet of paper folded in half with my name scribbled on the front. Leaning against the counter, I open it and scan Billie’s neat handwriting.

Asher,

Go visit her. It’s a new day, a new chance at something incredible. Change starts when you decide to do something different. Break out of the cycle.

I’m thinking about you.

Always,

B

P.S. Eden would tell you to stop being an Ash-hole. You can do this. :)

Laughter escapes me because she would. Eden always believed in tough love. She was a member of the Build a Bridge and Get Over It Club.

Below her words is a pair of red lips, and I imagine her kissing the paper with her eyes closed. I rub my finger across it, wondering if she wrote I love you in invisible ink.

Damn, I’m in love with her. So truly, madly, deeply, and insanely in love that I can barely handle it.

I take a deep breath, knowing today is one of the few times I want to hide from the world. It’s officially been five years since my sister passed away. I’ll never forget how I fell to my knees when Dyson arrived at my door in the middle of the night to tell me what happened. I’ll never forget the pain of knowing I’d never get to talk to my sister again. She was stolen from me, ripped away from my family because someone had chosen to drink and drive. It was a choice .

I will never get to hug my sister again or tell her about Billie. She’ll never see me fall in love with my person. We’ll never have that dance I promised her at her wedding, and I’ll never get to see her become a mom. No one can understand how much I miss her. Now she only lives in my heart and mind, and as each day passes, the details grow fuzzier—her voice, her laugh, her encouraging words … all distant memories.

I squeeze my eyes shut, already feeling numb. I rub my palms on my eyes, needing to pull myself together.

I told Josh I wouldn’t be at the office today, and Nick knows it’s a personal day for me. Instead of staying cooped up in my house from sunrise to sunset, I decide to venture out into the world.

Maybe Billie is right.

I pick up the pen next to the paper and write a return message on the back for her to find later.

You’re my everything, Ice Queen.

I leave the loft and stop by a flower shop to grab a bouquet of bright purple forget-me-nots. Then I hop on a train to the northern part of the city. From there, I take a car that drives me another twenty-five minutes away. Eventually, I arrive at Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, feeling a weight on my shoulders that’s almost too heavy to carry.

When I learned this was where my sister wanted to be laid to rest, I laughed. She had always loved The Legend of Sleepy Hollow , and now she’s forever a part of it.

As I walk through the gate, the path leads me toward a meadow filled with soft grass and wildflowers. I’ve only visited this place in my nightmares. The cemetery is peaceful but haunting.

I slow down as I approach my sister’s headstone. Her name sparkles in golden letters, just like on the side of the firm building. Sunshine blankets the area, and I notice fresh, bright yellow daffodils on her grave. I bend down and touch the soft petals, setting the purple flowers next to them. Eden loved spring and summer, along with colorful flowers. Every Monday, she had a fresh bouquet on her desk, even if she bought them herself.

Close by is a tree, and under it is a bench with one of her favorite quotes engraved on the back— Be the change you want to see in the world.

I sit on the bench, interlock my fingers, and close my eyes. I wander down the deep hallways of my mind, searching for the forgiveness I never gave myself. A cool breeze travels through the trees from the Hudson River and brushes against my cheeks. It grounds me in the moment, pulling me back to the present. I exhale, and it feels like Eden is surrounding me.

Since she died, I’ve become much softer. Her death broke me. It was the wake-up call that made me realize how precious time was and how it was slipping through my fingers.

“You were right about Billie,” I whisper, squeezing my eyes shut. “She is my perfect match.”

I grow more emotional as I sit in silence. Eventually, leaves rustle across the sidewalk, and I feel that familiar cool breeze brush against my skin again. When I open my eyes, the brightest blue jay I’ve ever seen is perched on the corner of my sister’s gravestone. We stare at one another for a moment, and it feels like a sign—a confirmation. I watch it fly away and wipe the tears that flood down my cheeks.

“Thanks, sis,” I say, choking up, my vision blurring.

I know exactly what I have to do. Billie deserves to know the truth before we move forward. No half-truths or lies.

Clarity sweeps over me as I turn to see my brothers, Nick and Dyson, approaching in three-piece suits, wearing serious expressions. They sit on either side of me. It’s comforting to be here with my brothers, even in silence.

Every year, they’ve visited together, and every year, I’ve declined.

“I’m sorry for hurting you,” Dyson finally says, and the breeze carries his voice away. He’s apologizing for going after someone I thought I loved.

“Don’t worry about it,” I tell him, realizing I have bigger issues to solve. “In the grand scheme of things, it doesn’t matter. Just don’t let it happen again.”

“Finally,” Nick says. “Now, can we go eat tacos? That’s what Eden would have wanted.”

I burst into laughter.

Nick sets his flowers next to mine and then talks to the grass.

“Right, Eden?” Nick asks, putting his ear close to the ground. He raises his voice. “ Right. Listen to my favorite brother, even if he’s only half .”

She used to tease him about being my father’s love child, but I think she liked him better than us. Since he lived with his mom, Nick didn’t have the chance to annoy us as much as we annoyed each other.

“Taco time,” Nick says, blowing a kiss toward Eden’s grave. “Love you, sister.”

As we walk toward the car, I know I have to tell Billie about Project Glass Slipper.

No more fucking secrets.