Ashley rubbed her temples, glancing at Mia, who sat silently on the couch, clutching her bag tightly with a small dog inside. The room felt heavy, a stark contrast to the adrenaline-pumping moments just an hour earlier. With a sigh, Ashley moved to the coffee table in front of Mia and sat down.

"What happened back there?" she asked softly, tilting Mia's chin up to meet her eyes. Concern etched across her face. "How did that man find you? Why was he following you?"

Mia shook her head, hugging the dog closer. Her voice wavered as she finally spoke, "I... I don't know. I went home, and he was there. He kicked my dog, tried to attack me, and..." Her voice broke, her trembling hands clutching the bag more tightly.

Ashley reached out and placed a hand over Mia's, her touch firm yet comforting. "Hey, it's okay," she said gently. "You can stop if it's too much. Just breathe."

Mia gulped and nodded, taking a moment before looking at Ashley again. "I need to get my dog to a vet. He's hurt... the man kicked him." Her voice cracked as she lifted the little dog slightly, tears glistening in her eyes.

Ashley blinked, surprised by the shift in focus. "You're more worried about your dog than yourself?" She scoffed lightly but couldn't hide her smile. "Can I see him?"

Mia hesitated. "He's a bit... grumpy around strangers."

Ashley tilted her head and extended a hand toward the dog. "Let him sniff me. I'm pretty good with grumpy types."

To Mia's surprise, her dog sniffed Ashley's hand, then wagged his tail. "See?" Ashley chuckled. "He likes me. Not grumpy at all."

Carefully, Ashley lifted the dog onto her lap and ran her hands over him, checking for injuries. Ginger whimpered when she touched his thigh. "Looks like he might have a broken limb," Ashley said, frowning. "But it's best to have a professional check him out. Hang tight."

She pulled out her phone and dialed a number. As the call connected, the loudspeaker accidentally switched on. "Idiot!" a sharp voice barked from the phone.

Ashley winced, scrambling to turn off the speaker. She shot Mia an apologetic smile. "Uh, sorry about that."

"What's your problem?" Ashley said into the phone, rolling her eyes. "No, I'm not coming back to your place—are you nuts? Just swing by mine. I need you to check something... No, not me. A dog." She glanced at Mia's wide-eyed expression and mouthed, It's fine.

"What do you mean why? He got kicked, and I don't know what else might be wrong. Just come over, okay? I'll pay. Honestly, what kind of sister are you?" Ashley groaned but chuckled. "And bring food. Make it for three if you're hungry. Yeah, yeah, I'll pay. Just hurry up, you shithead."

Ending the call, Ashley turned back to Mia, who was staring at her with a mix of confusion and disbelief.

"What?" Ashley asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Was that... a vet?"

Ashley nodded. "A vet and my sister," she said with a chuckle. "She's great. Your little guy's in good hands."

Mia hesitated, biting her lip before mumbling, "Thank you."

Ashley waved it off with a scoff. "You don't look much like a celebrity right now," she teased, eyeing Mia's disheveled appearance. "Go change into something clean. I have some clothes in the spare room. They'll probably be oversized, but at least they're fresh."

When Mia hesitated, Ashley added, "Don't worry about your furball. I'll take good care of him."

Mia nodded and stood, clutching the bag to her chest before heading toward the spare room. Ashley glanced down at Ginger, gently petting him. "You've got one hell of a mom, little guy," she murmured. "But don't worry. We'll get you fixed up."

As Mia emerged from the spare room, Ashley frowned when she noticed the wound on her knee. She stood up, gently placing Ginger on the couch. With a deep sigh, she walked over to the storage cabinet and began rummaging through it until she found her first aid kit.

"I didn't see this earlier," Ashley said as she approached, concern evident in her tone. "Wait here," she instructed, her voice more businesslike as she walked back to Mia.

Mia sat beside Ginger, gently petting him. Her mind raced. Why am I here, stuck with her again? she thought, squeezing her eyes shut. I've seen this happen with Riley and Sienna, even Harriet and Zoey. Don't tell me the same thing's going to happen to me?

Her breath hitched, and she suddenly glanced at Ashley. She swallowed hard. It's not like I have an issue with same-sex relationships, she reassured herself, but... wait, I'm not even dating Ashley. Why the hell am I thinking like this?

"Hey," Ashley said, sitting on the edge of the coffee table in front of her. "You good? You look like you're lost in thought," she chuckled, lifting the first aid kit.

"Let me help you clean that wound," Ashley said, glancing at Mia's knee. "Mind if I...?" She gestured toward Mia's injury.

"I don't mind," Mia replied, her voice breathless. She sighed, trying to relax as Ashley gently cleaned the wound, dabbing it with saline solution. The sting was sharp, and Mia exhaled sharply. If this gets out, the media will hound me again.

"You'll be fine, right? I mean with these wounds and bruises..." Ashley asked, still focused on the wound. "You're a celebrity, after all."

Mia scoffed bitterly. "Am I not allowed to get a few cuts and bruises? I'm human, not a robot. Even robots get rusted."

Ashley glanced up at her, shaking her head. "I told you, you should get a personal bodyguard," she said, grabbing the antiseptic solution and gauze bandage.

"I already talked to my manager about that. You don't need to worry about me. We barely know each other, but... I really appreciate you helping," Mia said, her fingers fidgeting as she lowered her gaze.

Ashley paused, studying Mia for a moment. "Right, I should've called Nyx to let them know what happened—"

"No," Mia interrupted, shaking her head with a soft laugh. "The Pierces have their own problems. Besides, they have their own families. It's not necessary for them to know what happened."

Ashley chuckled as she carefully applied the bandage. "Are you sure you can handle everything on your own?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?" Mia asked, tilting her head. "I'm used to solving my own problems. After the divorce, it's just been me handling everything."

"Mia," Ashley called gently, standing up and leaning down to lift Mia's chin, making her meet her gaze. "You know, showing your vulnerability wouldn't hurt you. You don't have to bottle up your emotions just because you think you're all alone."

Mia gulped, biting her lower lip as she tried to avoid Ashley's eyes. "Crying won't help. Sometimes, to keep going, you have to act strong. Being weak doesn't do you any good."

Ashley chuckled softly, straightening up. "Right, it's not like I know you that well or anything," she said, her voice light. "But at least try to pull yourself together." She glanced at the door as the doorbell rang. "Do you want to hide, or are you good staying here? My sister doesn't know a celebrity's hanging out in my house."

Mia clicked her tongue, a small smile on her face. "I'm fine here. I want to know what's wrong with my little guy," she said, nodding toward Ginger, who was curled up and sleeping on the couch.

Ashley nodded in agreement. "Fair enough."