A son

Ashley's POV

The weight of my past pressed down on me like an unyielding storm. Memories flooded my mind—each one heavier than the last, threatening to drown me in its cruel embrace, but I refused to break. I refused to shatter, no matter how much my pain tried to consume me.

Two years of marriage to Edward had left me feeling empty, a mere shadow of the woman I once was, barely able to recognize who I was anymore. And now, here I was, dragging the few belongings I had left out of the mansion I had purchased with my own money. 

A sick joke. That's what this was. It felt like a cruel nightmare, but this was my reality. 

The servants gossiped behind, their eyes gleaming with curiosity and malice. I ignored their stares and held my head high, determined not to give them the satisfaction they craved. Samantha wasn't going to see me crumble. At the grand entrance, I turned for one last look. From the staircase, they watched with triumphant smiles—my sister, wrapped in a silk robe, leaned into my husband... No, my ex-husband and they were both basking in a sense of victory as if my downfall was their entertainment. A bitter laugh escaped my lips. It was over. 

I stepped onto the street, pulling my luggage behind me. The humiliation weighed down on me like a heavy blanket, but worse was the indifference of those around me. Not even the car I had bought was given to me. No one offered help; no one showed an ounce of pity, their glances laced with scorn. The passing nobles glanced at me with disdain, as though I had been the one to betray. As though my husband sleeping with my sister was something I should be ashamed of.

But I already knew why. They weren't on my side; they were on his. They stood with him. The soon-to-be governor of Blackmount County, a title I helped him achieve. He wouldn't be where he was without my dedication, my late nights, and my sacrificed dreams. I had built his connections, drafted his proposals, and placed him in the right rooms with the right people.

And now? I was merely a stain he wiped away from his life. The anguish of betrayal clutched at my throat, relentless and suffocating. But I swallowed it down. I wouldn't break here. Not in front of them. 

I kept moving. 

When I reached the main highway, my legs ached, my throat was dry, and my vision blurred from exhaustion. It felt like an eternity before I managed to hail a cab. The driver barely spared me a glance.

When I arrived at my destination, I hesitated. The familiar white walls of the gated building I had walked out of happily like a mocking laugh before me—the same walls I once passed with pride, dreaming of a future I believed was mine. Now, they stood like a cruel reminder of just how far I had fallen. I pushed through the gates, ignoring the stares. As I entered, a voice cutting and sharp broke the silence. 

"Stop there." My body stiffened. She walked out gracefully, her lips curled into sneers, and by her side stood my father... silent, obedient, and loyal to her every command. 

"Where do you think you're going, young lady?" I raised an eyebrow, bewildered by the absurdity of her question. I glanced around, but I was alone. command.

"I'm home, Mom." The words came out softer than I intended, almost like a plea. holding on to the hope that this could still be my home, but her expression hardened, and her manicured finger pointed at me as if I were trash. "You don't belong here. The Coyle family will have nothing to do with an unfilial daughter. A disgrace to her husband and society." 

Disgrace? I let out a hollow laugh. "Samantha slept with my husband. They betrayed me, yet you want to throw me out?" I turned to my father, desperation clawing in my chest. He had to defend me, say something, and stop this, but like always, he stood there, silent and still, his gaze fixed on my mother as if awaiting her approval.

"It was hers to begin with," she said coldly. "Why can't she take it back?" A chill swept through me. 

Hers? My marriage, my life, my husband. A sickening realization struck me

This wasn't about me; they didn't just dwell on what happened, because to them they thought I never deserved it in the first place. I took a shaky breath. "I'm the one who has been betrayed. I'm in pain, and yet you." My voice broke, but I forced myself to continue.

"You look at me like I'm the one who's ruined this family. Like I've failed you." My mother's expression remained unreadable. Then she uttered the words that shattered whatever was left of my heart.

"You should have been a son."

The ground beneath me felt unsteady. This was my second betrayal. The second chance to break me. I turned to my father one last time. "Dad…" My voice was barely above a whisper. His response was immediate and cold."You brought this upon yourself." The final blow. It felt as if the walls of my past were closing in on me, suffocating me and reminding me that I had never been wanted here. I swallowed my pain, the rage, and the unbearable ache in my chest. They had made their choice, and now I would make mine. 

I lifted my head, forcing myself to look at them one last time. Their faces were unreadable, but there was no sign of regret, no hesitation, only the glamour of victory. 

A bitter smile played on my lips. "So be it." I turned away. The gates slammed shut behind me with a finality that sent a chill down my spine. I had no home. No family. No love left to hold on to. And then, all of a sudden, pain. A sharp pain pierced my skull. My vision blurred, my body swayed, and the world around me dissolved into total darkness before I could take another step.