Page 105 of Ruthless Heir

“Are you okay?” she asks, looking uneasy.

“I’m fine.”

Moments later, Asher and Alexis emerge from the office laughing.

He doesn't see me watching.

They look good together. Their names even go together:Asher and Alexis.

Asher must really like her. He’s a man who’s booked out for weeks on end but he’s dropped everything just like that to hang out with her.

I watch them head toward the elevator and I wonder if this will be what it will feel like in a few months’ time when he picks her to be his wife.

They’ll get married. And I'll be at their wedding watching them take their vows.

Then that will be it.

I’ll lose him forever.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Harper

I drive up the long winding driveway toward Asher’s house, cursing the pain brewing in my head. It feels like the start of a mega migraine. I haven’t had one of those in months. They always seem to come about when I’m too stressed and anxious. And when I haven’t had much sleep.

I can’t say I’m surprised to have a headache. I actually expected it. I just didn’t want it sneaking up on me tonight.

Asher and I are attending Luna’s annual wine auction. We’ll be at the Astoria again, which I always love. What I don’t love is the idea of socializing when I just want to roll into bed.

I had an excessively long day which saw me at NYU from nine o’clock this morning. It’s after seven now.

Today was orientation day for the transfer students. Classes start in exactly one month. There were three hundred students starting their senior year. Twenty of whom were in my music program.

Although it was nice to be on campus and immersed back in college life, the day was intense. Especially for me who’s been out of the game since last year, if I’m being honest.

There was the shit with Nick, the court case, then the aftermath with Vito. I feel like I’ve been on a roller coaster to hell, suffering through loop after loop and big drops. The worst thing is I don’t know when it’s going to stop.

Admittedly, being away from Asher and Le Blanche Global today was good for me. Asher is going to be in Hong Kong on a business trip with his father from tomorrow. So that will be another welcome break where I don’t have to be jealous of him and Alexis. I just have to get through tonight.

At least I know Alexis won’t be at the event. She’s supposed to be off on her exotic trip to the Maldives.Good for her.

What still irritates the hell out of me is that she and Asher were away for over two hours yesterday. That put me in a bad mood all day and I know poor Layla must have felt like she was caught in the middle.

I don’t want anyone to feel like that. After all, this is my battle and my agreement to be Asher’s fake girlfriend was the way I chose to pay the debt I owe him. I agreed knowing full well that I was signing my sanity away to something that was likely to screw with my head.

The garage door rises and the automatic lights snap on, chasing away the darkness. I drive in and get out, wincing at the sharp pang that pulses behind my eyes.

Damn it. I should have stopped at the drugstore. I thought I had some painkillers in my purse but I must have used them some time ago.

When I get inside the house I can tell that all the staff have already left and Asher isn’t here.

The house gives off that blanket of silence that suggests it’s been empty for a few hours. Asher should be home soon, though. We’re leaving at eight.

By the time I reach the kitchen the pain has doubled. I grab a glass of ice-cold water and down it before I head to the main bathroom to search for some aspirin.

It’s just my luck that there’s none in there.

I think for a moment on where I saw some and it comes to me. It was inside Asher’s office. A place I haven’t been since that night we made ourmistake.

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