Ashley crouched down and patted the man's cheek with a smirk. "Cat got your tongue?" she teased. The man stayed silent, refusing to acknowledge her. Sighing, Ashley stood, brushing off her pants as the crowd began to disperse.

"Hey! You two!" A familiar voice cut through the air, snapping Ashley and Gabriela's attention.

Ashley turned to see Natalie storming toward them. She couldn't help but chuckle. "What's up, boss?" Ashley said casually, hands on her hips.

Natalie stopped short, glaring at the gel blasters lying on the ground. "What the hell is this?"

Ashley shrugged. "You called for backup, and here we are. Thief caught." She grinned, clearly proud of herself.

Natalie smacked the back of her head. "Backup with gel blasters?! Are you out of your mind? There were passersby!"

Rubbing the back of her head, Ashley grinned sheepishly. "Relax, we were careful. We only aimed at this idiot's forehead."

Natalie groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. "What am I supposed to do with you?" She turned her sharp gaze on Gabriela. "And why is a forensic investigator playing vigilante with you, Detective Amosa?"

Gabriela raised her hands defensively. "Hey, we were just playing at the arcade when she got your call."

Ashley shrugged, already distracted as her gaze flicked past Natalie. Her face lit up when she spotted Mia, Sienna, Zoey, and Vera standing nearby.

"Oh!" Ashley called, waving enthusiastically as she jogged toward them, leaving Natalie mid-lecture.

"Wow, look at you," Ashley said, giving Mia a playful smile.

Mia flushed, caught off guard by Ashley's directness. Before she could respond, Natalie followed and smacked Ashley on the head again.

"I wasn't done—oh." Natalie froze, noticing Mia. Her demeanor shifted instantly. "Ms. Tran," she said with a polite nod.

Mia offered a small smile. "So, this is what all the commotion's about?"

Before anyone could answer, a new voice chimed in behind them. "And what's going on here?"

The group turned to see Nyx approaching, drink in hand.

Vera folded her arms, raising a brow. "Why are you here?"

Nyx hesitated, looking mildly startled at her wife's presence. "Just... taking a stroll," she said, lifting her drink like it was evidence.

Ashley and Natalie turned in unison, their expressions incredulous.

"Nyx?" they said simultaneously.

Nyx blinked, pointing at the gel blasters and then at the two women. "Wait, hold up. Why are you two together?"

Ashley quickly swatted Natalie's hand off her head. "Job-related. You know how it is," she mumbled, retreating toward Gabriela and the subdued thief.

Nyx tilted her head, eyeing Natalie with a faint smile. "Long time no see, Natalie."

Natalie's lips twitched into a small grin. "Yeah, long time."

Mia, however, wasn't about to let the moment pass. "Wait," she said, narrowing her eyes at Nyx. "You know Inspector Natalie?"

Nyx looked at her like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Uh, yeah. Why?"

Natalie tilted her head. "You know Ms. Tran?"

"Yup," Nyx replied nonchalantly. "And Ashley knows her too."

Natalie blinked, her gaze bouncing between Mia and Nyx. "Wow. Small world," she muttered before turning to Nyx. "Anyway, I've got work to do. Nice seeing you again, Nyx." With that, she strode off.

As soon as Natalie was gone, Vera's voice cut through the air, low and icy. "And who, exactly, is Natalie?"

Nyx gulped, glancing nervously at her wife. "Oh, uh... how do I put this?" She rubbed the back of her neck, her awkward laugh doing little to ease Vera's glare.

"She's just a friend. I mean, back in the day, me, Ashley, and Natalie were like a trio," Nyx explained hastily. "But Ashley and Natalie had a thing, so..." She trailed off, raising her hands as Vera's glare darkened. "I swear, she's not one of my past flings!"

Mia blinked, her thoughts spinning. Wait. Ashley and Natalie? Is Natalie the one Ashley's sister mentioned? Memories of snippets from previous conversations clicked together in her mind, leaving her inwardly screaming. What the heck?!



Ashley stood outside the door, letting out a weary sigh before knocking. Hearing a curt response, she chuckled and pushed the door open. Peeking in, she saw Natalie leaning against her desk, one leg slightly crossed and arms folded over her chest, her expression unreadable.

"Why did you call me?" Ashley asked, tilting her head as she closed the door behind her. After the chaos at the market, she, Natalie, and Gabriela had returned to the station. And now, to her annoyance, she'd been summoned by none other than Natalie Weiss.

Natalie's gaze flicked up, her lips twitching in irritation as she rubbed the bridge of her nose. "How long have we known each other, Ash?" she asked, voice sharp.

Ashley frowned, stepping closer but leaving half a meter of space between them. "Is that supposed to be a rhetorical question, Nat?" she countered.

Natalie let out a scoff. "I heard from Nyx that you know Ms. Tran."

Ashley raised a brow, her irritation flaring. Damn, Nyx and her inability to keep her mouth shut. The lie she'd spun about meeting Mia at the studio was unraveling fast. "And?" she replied coolly.

"And?" Natalie pressed, her voice hardening. "You didn't think to tell me you already knew Mia Tran before becoming her bodyguard and instructor? That you've known her for how long?"

Ashley clicked her tongue, scoffing. "What's it to you, Nat? Since when do I need to report my personal life to you?"

"You should've let me know," Natalie snapped. "I'm surprised you even know someone like her."

Ashley folded her arms, a bitter laugh escaping her lips. "Is this really about Mia? Or are you just looking for an excuse to meddle in my business? Because if it's the latter, let me remind you—you don't have that right anymore."

Natalie took a deliberate step forward, narrowing the space between them. "Don't forget, Ashley, I'm the reason you're in this position. You wouldn't be Mia Tran's bodyguard or her instructor if it weren't for me."

Ashley leaned in slightly, her tone cutting. "And I never asked for your help, Natalie. Or have you forgotten? If I hadn't stepped aside, you wouldn't even be a police investigator." She smirked, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "So, congratulations, Nat. You owe your entire career to me."

Natalie's jaw tightened, her frustration evident. "Are we really going to start this again?"

"Oh, are we?" Ashley taunted, crossing her arms. "I could list a hundred reasons why you're not cut out for that position, Nat. We both know what really happened back then. If it weren't for me stepping down, you wouldn't be here, walking these halls like you own the place." Her smirk deepened, her words cutting like glass. "Let's not forget—it was my decision to take another path, to become a private investigator and a police detective. Without that, you wouldn't stand a chance."

Natalie shook her head, her laugh bitter. "And I never asked you to give up anything for me."

"I know," Ashley said, her tone suddenly cold. "It was my choice. Because what would your parents think of their perfect daughter if the truth came out? A judge for a father, a social services official for a mother—how do you think they'd react if they knew what happened?" She tilted her head, her smirk returning. "I guess we'll never find out, right?"

Natalie couldn't contain herself. Her hand flew across Ashley's cheek, the sound of the slap echoing in the room. Ashley barely flinched, letting out a low, bitter laugh. "Wow," she murmured, her lips curling into a mocking smile. "Still as hotheaded as ever."

"You don't get to use my parents against me, Ashley," Natalie snapped. "You know how hard—"

"Stop playing the victim, Nat," Ashley cut her off, her voice sharp. "I'm done listening to your excuses. And let's not forget—you're about to marry my brother, yet you're still keeping our past a secret from him." Her laugh was hollow, bitter. "How's that for irony?"

Natalie clicked her tongue, her frustration mounting. "And you think this is all on me? How could I tell him that his sister is my ex without causing irreparable damage to both of you?"

"Exactly!" Ashley clapped her hands once, her laugh dry. "You get it. Yet here you are, hoarding secrets like it's a competition."

Natalie sighed heavily, rubbing her temples as if to push away the headache building inside her. "Are we really going to keep going like this? Loathing each other?"

Ashley let out a genuine laugh, shaking her head. "Loathe you? Oh, Nat, I don't even have the energy to hate you." Her voice softened but carried an edge of steel. "Do you think I forgot? When you stabbed me with that knife, I took the blame to protect you. It was my choice, just like not telling Azriel about us was my choice. Your relationship with him has nothing to do with me. But it's your responsibility to tell him the truth. Or are you waiting for me to air all the dirty laundry?"

She stepped back, turning to the door. Her hand rested on the knob as she spoke again. "Professionally, fine—I'll continue working under your authority. But personally? Stay out of my life. Whatever I have with Mia, whatever I choose to do, is none of your concern."

Natalie's voice broke the silence just as Ashley started to twist the knob. "I broke up with you after you took the fall because I couldn't stand watching you destroy your career for me." Her voice wavered. "As for your brother, I didn't know he was your brother when we started. Sure, you mentioned him, but I'd never even met him back then. And when I finally realized..." She let out a dry chuckle. "It was too late. I couldn't let him go. I love him, Ash."

Ashley closed her eyes, her grip tightening on the doorknob. "Then all the more reason to tell him," she said softly, her voice heavy with finality. "Azriel would understand. But that's for you to figure out, not me." With that, she twisted the knob and walked out, leaving Natalie alone in the suffocating silence.