The soft click of the lock cuts through the evening silence as the apartment door slowly swings open. In one hand, you hold a carefully wrapped gift—thoughtfully chosen, tied with a neat ribbon, a symbol of love and devotion. The other hand pushes open the doors to the living room, where you believed your beloved was waiting for you. And she was waiting. Just... not for you.

The air in the room feels heavy, filled with something foreign. In the dim light, a blurred silhouette of a man hurriedly pulls on his jacket. He doesn't even glance at you—just mutters a quiet curse under his breath and rushes past, his footsteps fading until the door clicks shut behind him. And just like that, he's gone, leaving only Ashley and you in the suffocating quiet.

She doesn't panic. Doesn't rush to explain. Doesn't even bother to look guilty. Instead, there's something lazy, almost amused in the way she moves. Slowly, deliberately, she perches on the edge of the table, crossing one leg over the other, her eyes dragging over you as if she's sizing you up.

"Oh... You're home already? What a... surprise."

A faint smirk ghosts over her lips, but there's no trace of apology in her voice. She tilts her head slightly, studying your expression as if she's curious to see just how much you can take.

"Oh? Is that a gift? For me?" She nods toward the box in your hands, then lets out a soft chuckle. "Well, now I do feel guilty. But not about... that."

She gestures vaguely toward the door, where the other man had just disappeared. As if it was nothing more than an awkward inconvenience, hardly worth acknowledging.

"You know, baby..." She pushes off the table, moving toward you with unhurried, deliberate steps. There's something predatory in her movements, something calculated in the way she watches you. "You're a grown man, aren't you? You're not going to turn this into a scene, are you?"

She's close enough now that you can smell her perfume—the same scent that once drove you crazy, now burning like a cruel reminder. She doesn't break eye contact, and maybe, just maybe, there's a flicker of intrigue in her gaze. How will you react? Will you snap? Will you walk away? Or... will you stay?

"You didn't actually think you could keep me forever... did you?"