Life Moves On
Back in Ashford, the picture-perfect image of Brian and Alison was starting to crack. Brian's charm and ego couldn't mask the fact that Alison had never truly loved him.
"I don't know why you even care so much about me," Alison muttered one evening, tossing her phone onto the couch. "I never wanted… any of this."
Brian froze, hurt and anger flashing across his face. "What do you mean? I thought we were perfect together!"
Alison's eyes flashed, a hint of mischief and guilt mingled. "You were never the one I wanted, Brian. I only got involved with you to… to get back at Audrey. To make her feel the pain she caused herself to feel. I never loved you, not really."
Brian's smugness vanished, replaced with confusion and frustration. For the first time, he realized that using Audrey as a stepping stone hadn't given him the control or happiness he thought it would. And now, the very plan Alison had executed to hurt Audrey was backfiring—leaving both of them hollow.
Brian's face darkened. "So all of this… it was just to spite Audrey?"
Alison shrugged casually, as if the weight of her cruelty didn't matter. "Exactly. She needed to feel some of the pain I've felt. But… I didn't expect it to feel empty now."
For the first time, Brian felt powerless. The man who once thought he could manipulate anyone had been manipulated himself—and the hollow victory over Audrey offered no satisfaction at all
Meanwhile, in Rosewood, Audrey and Alex's friendship was blossoming. They wandered the cobblestone streets, laughing over small things: a bakery mishap, a stray dog that seemed to follow them, and the way the sunset painted the town in gold.
Audrey felt lighter than she had in months. For the first time since Ashford, she was truly enjoying herself without fear or sadness.
"You really have a way with that bookstore," Audrey said, glancing at Alex, who had insisted on showing her the town's little hidden gems.
Alex smirked. "It's just a place I like. But seeing you enjoy it… makes it better."
Audrey felt a blush rise to her cheeks. She laughed, shaking her head. "You're impossible."
"Am I?" Alex teased, nudging her shoulder playfully. "Or do you just secretly like hanging out with me?"
Audrey rolled her eyes, but a small smile lingered. Could she really trust herself to feel… something again? she wondered.
Even in these lighthearted moments, a subtle tension built between them. Each laugh, each glance, each shared secret was like a thread weaving their hearts closer together, though neither dared to name it yet.
Later, they stopped by a small café with mismatched chairs and the smell of fresh pastries. Audrey ordered a hot chocolate, and Alex a black coffee, and they sat by the window watching people pass.
"So," Alex said with a teasing grin, "how's Rosewood treating you so far? Any trouble yet?"
Audrey laughed softly. "Nothing major… except that I keep finding stray cats following me everywhere. I think one of them might be plotting to adopt me."
Alex chuckled, shaking his head. "That's your life now—being adopted by a rogue cat."
The ease of their conversation made Audrey's chest feel lighter. She realized she hadn't laughed like this in months, and it was because of him. Somehow, Alex made even ordinary moments feel special.
Evening Reflections
As Audrey walked home later, the golden streetlights casting long shadows, she thought about Ashford—the betrayal, the pain, the emptiness—and compared it to Rosewood. Here, people were kind, the air felt safe, and Alex existed, a calm, steady presence in her life.
Maybe life wasn't about forgetting the past, she thought, but about finding someone who helps you breathe again.
And maybe… just maybe, th
at someone could be him.