Page 167 of What Comes Around

That was the moment I paused.

I had come into this life ready to destroy Apple myself, piece by piece. But when I saw what Ashley had been doing, how methodical she was, how deeply her hatred ran, I put my own revenge on hold. I wanted to see what she would do next. How far she would go. What her endgame was.

I was intrigued. So I sat back and watched.

At first, it was calculated. But somewhere along the way, it stopped being just that. I started noticing things I shouldn’t have cared about. The way she tucked her hair behind her ear when she was focused. The slight crease between her brows when she was thinking.

The more I watched her, the more something in me shifted. Slowly, quietly, without my permission. I started to feel something and feelings had never been part of my plans.

And then came the explosion in my office. The moment everything snapped. The moment we crossed the line and had sex for the first time.

After that, there was no going back.

When I discovered she was a virgin, my obsession only grew. And after the second time, I already knew I wanted to keep her.

Whatever motive she had for coming into my life, I didn’t care. If she wanted money, I had it. If she wanted influence, I could give her that too. None of it mattered.

Ashley was not Apple.

And I wanted Ashley. I wanted her with me.

So I bulldozed my way into her life. I didn’t give her time to doubt or pull away. I made sure she felt my presence everywhere.

After the kidnapping attempt, everything crystallized. Apple was dangerous in this timeline too. She always would be. I put security on Ashley immediately. I wasn’t losing her.

I had my hacker find the café footage and leak it. Then I released other pieces of information that damaged Apple’s reputation. I bought up her debts and called them in all at once.

I dismantled her life piece by piece.

When Ashley became pregnant, something inside me settled. I wanted to lock her down, keep her safe, keep her mine. I wanted a family with her. A real one. Not the twisted parody I had lived through before.

Years later I finally understood why my rebirth had happened on that exact day. It was so I would see Ashley. So I would have the chance to start over. To fix everything I had done wrong.

When our daughter, Amelia Ines, was born, I stayed home more. I was present. Not because I didn’t trust Ashley. I trusted her more than anyone. But because I wanted to be a good father. I wanted to be there for every moment, every milestone, every breath.

I wouldn’t let anything slip through the cracks. I would be the best goddamn father they could ever ask for.

I would learn from my mistakes.

I would do better.

As I was building a life worth guarding, the rest of the world was busy settling old debts. The last few years made sure of it.

After their trials, Marissa and Apple were both serving life sentences.

Justice had finally caught up to them, even if it took two lifetimes for me to see it. Apple’s mask had cracked, and the world had seen the monster underneath. It didn’t bring back the years she stole from me, but it brought closure.

Ashley’s father… he hadn’t survived the collapse of his company. Two years ago, crushed by debt and shame, he took his own life.

We adopted Evan not long after. Her half‑brother. A quiet kid with too many shadows in his eyes. It took time for him to trust us, to trust me, but Amelia adored him from the start. Titan did too. Eventually Evan started smiling again. Laughing. Calling our house home.

Calling me Dad.

That one still hit me in the chest every time.

As for the others… life moved on for them too.

Payton had four kids now and lived happily with Thomas in her hometown. She came to visit Ashley once a year, the house turning loud and chaotic in the best way.