Chapter 4
The drive to Hudson Valley felt like traveling backward through time, each mile taking me further from the woman who'd walked off that stage tonight. James navigated the winding roads with practiced ease, the headlights cutting through darkness that seemed to swallow everything beyond the car's reach.
Ryker's voice still echoed in my head—that gentle, loving tone that hadn't wavered once during our brief conversation. No anger about the live stream. No mention of Serena or the baby. Just that calm invitation home, as if 2.3 million people hadn't just watched his world implode on social media.
That's what scared me most. Not rage—rage would have been normal. This eerie composure suggested something far more dangerous.
The Ashford estate emerged from the darkness like something out of a Gothic novel, all stone towers and leaded glass windows. I'd always loved this place—the way morning light filtered through ancient oaks, how the library smelled of leather and old wood. Now, approaching it in the dead of night, it looked more like a fortress than a home.
James pulled up to the circular drive, gravel crunching under the tires. "Should I wait, Mrs. Ashford?"
I stared up at the master bedroom windows, where warm light glowed behind heavy curtains. "No. Thank you, James. For everything."
His eyes met mine in the rearview mirror, and I saw something that looked like pity. "Take care of yourself, ma'am."
The front door opened before I could reach for the handle. Mrs. Chen, our housekeeper for the past two years, stood framed in the doorway. Her usually warm smile was strained, and she couldn't quite meet my eyes.
"Mrs. Ashford," she said softly. "He's waiting for you upstairs."
I nodded, stepping into the familiar foyer. The grandfather clock in the corner chimed midnight, its deep tones reverberating through the silence. As I climbed the curved staircase, my heels muffled by the Persian runner, I noticed other staff members disappearing into doorways, their movements quick and furtive.
They knew. Whatever was happening, the entire household staff knew.
The master bedroom door was slightly ajar, spilling golden light into the hallway. I paused with my hand on the brass handle, the USB drive still pressed against my ribs like a secret heartbeat.
Ryker stood by the tall windows overlooking the gardens, his back to me. He'd changed from whatever he'd worn during the live stream into dark slacks and a white dress shirt, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. His dark hair was slightly mussed, and his shoulders carried a weariness I hadn't seen in years.
He looked like the man I'd fallen in love with—vulnerable, human, beautiful in his imperfection.
Which made what I had to do so much harder.
"You came," he said without turning around. His voice held relief and something else I couldn't identify.
"You asked me to."
He turned then, and I saw the exhaustion etched in the lines around his eyes. But beneath it was something calculating, controlled. He moved toward me with that predatory grace that had once made my knees weak, his hand reaching for my face.
I stepped back.
The motion was small, instinctive, but it stopped him cold. His hand dropped to his side, and for a moment, something flickered across his features—surprise, maybe, or hurt.
"Willow—"
"Don't." The word came out sharper than I'd intended. "Just... don't."
We stood there in the lamplight, three feet of space between us that might as well have been an ocean. The silence stretched until it became unbearable.
"The live stream was an accident," he said finally, his voice carefully measured. "Serena's... emotional right now. Pregnancy hormones. She didn't think about the consequences."
I stared at him, waiting for more. An apology. An explanation. Something that acknowledged the magnitude of what had happened.
Instead, he continued in that same controlled tone. "She's not important, Willow. What happened tonight—it doesn't change anything between us."
"She's carrying your child."
"That situation will be handled." The words were delivered with the same casual authority he used to discuss business deals. "What matters now is damage control. The press is having a field day, and we need to present a united front."
My stomach turned. "Damage control?"
"A joint statement. Photos of us together, reconciled. The narrative needs to be that we're stronger than ever." He moved to his dresser, pulling out a manila folder. "I've already had PR draft something. We'll release it tomorrow morning, along with images of us here at the estate."
I watched him spread papers across the mahogany surface, his movements efficient and businesslike. He was planning our reconciliation like a corporate merger.
"You want me to pretend none of this happened."
"I want you to remember who you are." He looked up, his dark eyes intense. "You're Luna of the most powerful pack in the Northeast. You don't run from problems—you solve them."
The familiar authority in his voice almost worked. Almost. For three years, I'd responded to that tone like a trained animal, eager to please, desperate to be worthy of his world.
But something had shifted tonight. The woman who'd walked off that stage wasn't the same one who'd married him.
"Of course," I said quietly, letting my shoulders relax in apparent surrender. "You're right. I overreacted."
Relief flooded his features, and he moved toward me again. This time, I didn't step back. His hands cupped my face, thumb stroking across my cheekbone with familiar tenderness.
"That's my girl," he murmured, pressing his forehead against mine. "I knew you'd understand. We're a team, Willow. We always have been."
I nodded, letting him believe he'd won. "I should shower. It's been a long night."
"Good idea. I'll be in the study for a while, making some calls." He kissed my forehead, the gesture so achingly familiar it almost broke my resolve. "We'll get through this, baby. Trust me."
After he left, I waited until his footsteps faded down the hallway before moving to his laptop on the bedside table. My hands shook as I reached for the USB drive, its weight both insignificant and enormous.
My phone buzzed against the nightstand.
A text from 'S': *Don't open it. It's not what you think. Meet me. —Sterling.*
Sterling. The name hit me like electricity. I hadn't heard it in four years, hadn't let myself think about what might have been if I'd made different choices.
The sound of running water from the en-suite bathroom suddenly stopped.
Footsteps approached the bedroom door.
"Who are you texting, Willow?" Ryker's voice drifted through the wood, casual but with an edge that made my blood run cold.
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