Ashley heaved a deep sigh as she wrapped her arms tightly around Mia, burying her face in Mia's shoulder with a groan. Mia chuckled softly, returning the embrace just as firmly.

"I'd love to come back to Switzerland with you," Ashley murmured, her voice slightly muffled. "But I need to stay here for a bit to handle some wedding preparations." She chuckled lightly, though her grip on Mia didn't loosen.

Mia nodded, inhaling deeply, savoring the familiar scent of Ashley's perfume. "I know," she whispered. "Just promise to come back soon. And... stay safe."

Ashley pulled back slightly, her expression twisted with frustration. "Ugh, I hate this. Should I just come with you instead?" she asked, pouting like a child.

Mia laughed, shaking her head. "I thought you were the one who wanted to surprise me with the wedding plans?" she teased, tilting her head as she gazed up at Ashley. "I'll be fine. You're only staying for a few days, right? You'll be back by the premiere night?"

Ashley nodded, still sulking. "Yeah, I'll be there. But, damn it, I'm gonna miss you so much," she admitted, pulling Mia into another hug and swaying her playfully from side to side.

Mia buried her face in Ashley's chest, her laughter muffled. "Call me if you miss me," she said with a grin, cupping Ashley's face and giving her cheeks a playful squeeze.

Ashley gave a muffled reply, "Aye, aye," her voice distorted by Mia's hold. She grinned. "I'll definitely call to check on you."

Mia chuckled, poking Ashley's chest with her finger. "And you'd better not even think about looking at other women while I'm gone," she warned, narrowing her eyes at Ashley in mock suspicion.

Ashley burst into laughter. "Oh, I wouldn't dare, sugarplum," she said, her tone both playful and sincere.

"Ashley," Elena called out, standing nearby with her hands on her hips. "At this rate, Mia won't make it back to Switzerland if you keep clinging to her like that."

"Whatever, Mom," Ashley quipped, rolling her eyes. Turning back to Mia, she gently kissed her fiancée on the lips. "Take care, okay?" she said softly.

Mia smiled, shaking her head as she patted Ashley's cheek affectionately.

Ashley turned to face her mother. "Mom, please try not to bombard Mia with questions during the flight. I know it's a private plane, but at least let her get some rest."

Elena laughed heartily. "What? Do I seem that nosy to you?"

"Well... kind of," Ashley teased with a smirk, shaking her head.

Clicking her tongue, Elena stepped forward and pulled Ashley into a warm hug, rubbing her back soothingly. "Don't worry about her. I'll make sure we both get to Switzerland safe and sound," she promised. Pulling back, she looked Ashley in the eye. "And make sure you stay safe too—on your flight and while you're here, okay?"

"I will," Ashley said with a nod, her lips pressed together. "And about your request... I'll give you my answer when I get back."

Elena smiled knowingly. "Take your time, dear. Now, we'd better get going. I don't want to suffer jet lag. You know how cranky that makes me." She winked at Mia before turning back to Ashley. "Go on now, leave the plane. Stop stalling and let us leave in peace," she joked, playfully pushing Ashley toward the exit.

Ashley clicked her tongue, shaking her head but smiling nonetheless. She gave a small wave before turning around. "Bon voyage, you two! See you soon," she called as she made her way out of the plane.



The cheers from the supporters made Mia's heart flutter as she waved to the crowd, a warm smile gracing her lips. Beside her, Meier was waving just as enthusiastically, her energy matching the excitement of the fans. Bodyguards surrounded them as they walked toward the cinema, where the premiere of their movie was about to play.

The excited shrieks from the fans made Mia chuckle. She playfully blew kisses and waved again before stepping into the cinema.

"Well," Meier said with a mischievous grin as they settled into their designated seats, "I'd say this is a good sign that the movie's going to trend, don't you think?" She nudged Mia lightly.

"For sure," Mia replied, laughing softly.

"Of course it will! I mean, you publicly announced your relationship with a woman, and now you're playing a character who has a wife. It's bound to blow up." Meier shook her head with amusement. "By the way, will your girlfriend be coming tonight?"

Mia smiled, a soft sigh escaping her lips. "She definitely wants to, but I'm not sure if she'll make it. She's flying in from Samoa."

Meier nodded, leaning back in her seat. "Right, I heard you got engaged recently. Congratulations, by the way!" She leaned toward Mia with a teasing smile.

Mia flushed, her cheeks pink. "Thank you," she mumbled shyly.

Meier laughed. "Well, I guess I can't tease your little detective anymore. She might actually arrest me this time."

Mia shook her head, laughing. "You just love teasing Ashley. That's why she refuses to talk to you unless I'm around to keep her calm."

"Come on, I'm just having fun!" Meier said, throwing her hands up in mock innocence. "You know I mean no harm. I'm all about world peace." She stretched her arms dramatically, groaning. "But honestly, I'm amazed you decided to get married again after your divorce. Most people wouldn't."

Mia sighed, glancing down at her engagement ring. "Ashley's different," she said, her voice soft but sure. "I can't compare her to Zach—not just because she's a woman but because of how she loves me. She makes me feel... special, like I'm the most important person in the world. She treats me like royalty." She chuckled at the thought.

"Well, you do deserve that," Meier said warmly. "I saw how your idiot ex-husband treated you, and honestly, I still can't figure out what possessed you to marry that jerk. Couldn't you see he was trouble?" She scoffed, shaking her head. "But I'm really happy for you, Mia. You deserve this."

Mia smiled, nudging Meier gently as the theater lights dimmed and the premiere began. Her heart swelled with joy when the movie ended to thunderous applause and cheers from the audience.

As they exited the cinema, Mia pulled out her phone to check for messages. Her face lit up as she saw one from Ashley.

Hey, sugarplum, I'm on my way. Just stopped by the house to grab my bike. Can't wait to see you. I love you! :)

Mia chuckled, rereading the message. But her smile faded when she noticed there were no updates after that. Frowning, she checked the timestamp—it had been sent three hours ago. Ashley should have arrived an hour ago if she'd left from home.

"Where is she?" Mia muttered to herself, her eyes scanning the crowd. She was startled out of her thoughts by Meier patting her on the head.

"The movie's a success!" Meier said, pulling Mia into a playful side hug. "Hey, what's with the worried look?"

"It's Ashley," Mia replied, dialing Ashley's number. Her heart sank as the call failed to go through. "Her phone's off?" she murmured.

Before she could try again, her phone buzzed with an incoming call from an unfamiliar number. Hesitating for a moment, she answered.

"Hello?"

"Hi, is this Mia?" a rushed voice asked on the other end.

"Yes, this is Mia. Who's calling?" she asked, confusion coloring her tone.

"It's Aly. Remember? Ashley's sister," the voice said hurriedly. "Mia, can you... can you come to the hospital?"

Mia's heart dropped. "What? What hospital? Who's in the hospital?" she asked, her voice trembling.

Alysse's voice cracked. "It's Ashley. She had an accident. She's at BioSynthix Hospital—she's in surgery right now."

The world seemed to tilt as Mia's strength gave out. Meier caught her just in time, her expression alarmed.

"Mia, what's wrong?" Meier asked, holding her steady.

"We... we need to leave," Mia said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Ash... Ash had an accident." Her voice broke as she clutched Meier's arm, desperately pulling her away from the crowd.