Ashley rubbed her temples as she slumped into her chair, letting out a dry chuckle. Shaking her head, she grabbed the invitation on her desk and crumpled it with a sharp hiss of irritation. Without hesitation, she dialed a number she knew by heart. The call barely rang before the line connected.

"What's the meaning of this?" Ashley snapped, skipping any pleasantries. "Azriel, you know you can't do this."

Azriel's voice came through, laced with mock amusement. "Why can't I, Ash? You're my sister—you should be at my wedding. Besides, it's been ages since you showed up at the family house."

"I told you, I don't want to attend your damn wedding," Ashley growled through gritted teeth. "What part of that don't you understand?"

Azriel laughed dryly. "What's your problem? Ever since I got engaged to Natalie—no, even before that, since I started dating her—you've been acting like this. Like you hate both of us."

Of course, I do! She's my ex! Ashley bit back the truth, forcing herself to stay composed. "I just don't feel like going, Az. And I don't care if you're my older brother—it's only by a year, anyway."

"Come on, Ash, just this once," Azriel pleaded, his tone softening. "Do it for me."

Ashley shook her head and let out a bitter laugh. "I said no, and I mean it. Respect my decision, Azriel."

"But—"

"No buts," she cut him off firmly. "I'll send my congratulations, but I won't be there. End of story."

"You're impossible right now," Azriel muttered, a mix of frustration and amusement in his voice.

"Then don't deal with me," Ashley shot back before hanging up. She leaned her head against the chair's headrest, letting out a weary sigh as her phone rang again. Without checking the caller ID, she answered.

"Azriel, I told you I don't—"

"I'm not Azriel, weird detective," Mia's familiar voice chimed, cutting her off. "And don't yell at me over the phone."

Ashley froze, her face heating up. She quickly glanced at the screen and slapped her forehead. "Oh, crap," she groaned. "Sorry, Mia."

Mia chuckled. "Grumpy already, huh? It's not even noon."

"What do you want?" Ashley asked, sighing deeply.

"I have a mall show tomorrow," Mia said. "Thought maybe you could come... as my bodyguard?" She let out a small, nervous laugh.

Ashley scoffed, the tension leaving her shoulders. "That's literally my job, Mia. You don't have to ask—just let me know." She glanced at the clock. "What time?"

"Eleven in the morning. I'll send you the details," Mia replied. "Actually, Maya already emailed them, but I'm guessing you haven't checked."

"Oops," Ashley muttered, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "Sorry about that. I'll pick you up tomorrow."

"You better," Mia teased. "And don't be late."

Ashley rolled her eyes, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Yeah, yeah. I hear you, little superstar."

Mia paused. "Oh, and one more thing."

"What now?" Ashley asked.

"Don't be so grumpy all the time. You'll give yourself wrinkles," Mia said with a laugh before hanging up.

Ashley stared at her phone, a grin sneaking onto her face despite herself. "This girl," she muttered, shaking her head as she chuckled softly.

Ashley paused, blinking as she opened the back door. Before she could step aside, Mia stood in front of the passenger seat, arms crossed over her chest, a smug look on her face.

"What are you doing?" Ashley asked, closing the back door with a frown.

Mia tilted her head, her lips curling into a teasing smile. "Why would I sit in the back seat? You're my bodyguard, not my personal driver. At least treat me like your passenger princess," she said, laughing softly.

Ashley rolled her eyes and let out a long sigh. "Fine," she muttered, stepping over to the passenger side. Opening the door with exaggerated formality, she gestured grandly. "Here you go, milady."

Mia slid into the seat, laughing. "Wow, nice roleplay," she teased, shaking her head as Ashley shut the door.

Sliding into the driver's seat, Ashley glanced at her. "So," she began, buckling her seatbelt. "Excited for your mall show?"

Mia shrugged. "Not really," she said with a dry chuckle. "All I know is fans and media will go into a frenzy over questions about my divorce."

"You know you don't have to answer any of those, right?" Ashley said as she started the engine, her tone casual. "You're making it harder on yourself when there are better options."

Mia turned to her, eyebrows raised. "Oh? Tell me about these better options, then."

Ashley glanced at her briefly, smirking. "Ignore everyone's opinions. Negative or positive, they're just that—opinions. You'll still wake up tomorrow and go on with your life. And if it's about publicity, use it. Every celebrity builds their career with a mix of both good and bad attention."

Mia bit her lip, a small smile tugging at the corners. "You sound surprisingly intimidating when you talk like that," she remarked, looking out the window.

Ashley shrugged, shifting gears. "Just stating the facts. Anyway, good luck with the show. I'm sure it'll go smoothly."

Mia looked at her thoughtfully. "What if it doesn't?" she asked softly.

Ashley clicked her tongue and gave her a firm look. "Then I'll be right there to protect you. That's my job, after all—your personal bodyguard."

Mia chuckled. "Yeah... my personal bodyguard."

Pulling into the underground parking lot, Ashley heaved a sigh and glanced at Mia. "Maya said she'd meet you here, right?"

"Ash," Mia called, her tone unusually soft.

Ashley turned to her, frowning slightly. "What's with that smile?"

Mia's grin widened. "Do you mind coming inside? Like, as part of the audience?"

Ashley raised a brow. "Why would I?"

"I don't know," Mia said, chuckling nervously. "Maybe your presence calms me down or something."

Ashley scoffed, shaking her head. "You really know how to talk your way around things, don't you?"

"Please!" Mia clasped her hands together, pouting dramatically. "Pretty please?"

Ashley leaned back, momentarily caught off guard. Her heart skipped a beat. "I..." She bit her lip, avoiding Mia's puppy-dog eyes. "I guess... I'm fine with that."

God, why does she have to look so cute? Wait—cute? No! No! Get a grip, Ashley!

Mia's smile lit up her face. "Great! You're the best!" she cheered, throwing her arms around Ashley in a quick, happy hug.

Ashley froze, her body stiff as she awkwardly patted Mia's back. "Y-yeah," she mumbled, her cheeks burning.

Mia pulled back, still beaming. "I owe you big time, Ash!"

Ashley swallowed hard, rubbing her temple. "D-don't hug me like that," she muttered, her voice barely audible.

Mia blinked, tilting her head in confusion. "Why not?"

Ashley groaned, looking away. "Because if you keep doing that... I might not be able to keep my walls up," she admitted, her voice barely a whisper. "And I don't like it—because you're straight."