Ashley's POV

I think I'm really starting to like Tristan, in a way that makes my heart beat faster whenever I think about it. It almost makes me feel a bit unsettled. I've never felt like this for anyone. I didn't know whether it was a good thing or a bad thing.

I rushed home as soon as possible. I avoided Tristan and anything that might delay me from getting home on time.

I was still on thin ice with my mother. The last thing I needed was for her to become more suspicious.

I ate my dinner quietly, barely listening to my mom's story about her clients or my sister's when she was ranting about her classmates.

I drifted off to sleep after that, desperately trying to forget all my problems with Tristan or the recent photos of Vincent and I. My life was falling deeper into a hole. Sooner or later I'd run out of luck and everything would just explode in my face.

I just hope Tristan never sees those photos, but what were the chances when my face was in almost every tabloid in the city? It's a miracle my sister hadn't called me out on it.

But one thing was clear: I couldn't keep going like this. Things had to change.

I needed to tell Tristan the truth. Sooner or later he'd expect me to start showing and I wasn't even pregnant.

Telling him the truth was easier than it sounded considering I was constantly weak in the knee whenever I saw him. How could I look him in the eye and tell him that almost every single thing he thought of me was a lie? That our interactions were heavily influenced by every lie I had told him.

Maybe I needed to focus on the mission at hand first, get rid of Madison.

Once I was sure he was safe, I'd tell him everything and he'd be rid of all the lying and manipulative women in his life. There wasn't a guarantee that he wouldn't hate me forever but it was a risk I was willing to take.

The next morning, things at the hotel were a bit more relaxed with business as usual.

New clients were swarming in and out of the hotel. Just as Tristan had predicted, his engagement to Madison had worked. No one mentioned anything about the robbery, it was just simply passed off as a lie.

This morning, the attention was directed at me, not the positive kind.

By now most people had seen my face in the tabloid. I got the occasional looks from some of the hotel staff, most of their faces filled with curiosity.

I got a strange look from Sandra this morning. She didn't make any comments, she just smiled. If not for her recent comments I would have believed it was genuine.

I guess for her it confirmed that I wasn't sleeping with the boss.

That just makes things worse for me. I can never be associated with Tristan again, I'd never be able to show my face around here.

I felt my phone vibrate against my hip in my trouser pocket.

'We need to talk now!!'The text read. It was from Tristan.

I guess he had seen the tabloids too. I sighed as I placed the phone back in my pocket.

Despite my urge to see him, I couldn't do that right now. I already had too much attention on me right now. I couldn't be seen hurrying to his penthouse barely minutes after I had arrived. This would draw too much attention, not to mention I had no idea what to say to him.

Instead, I chose to ignore his message and returned to my job.

I started with one of the few tasks that Marcus had instructed me on yesterday. I felt several vibrations in my pocket, but I continued to ignore them.

Technically we weren't allowed to use phones while at work, company policy. So if anything, I was simply obeying his order but then again when have I ever listened?

As I finished sorting through some folders, I felt a tap on my shoulder.

"The boss asked to see you," Marcus said. He kept his eyes on the list he was running through.

I should have known this moment would come. "Now," Marcus demanded as I remained frozen on the spot.

I listened to his orders, making my way to Tristan's penthouse.

Luke opened the door. He pointed out that Tristan was in his office. He looked at me pitifully as I continued walking.

His door to his office had been left open. I observed him working behind his desk before deciding to walk in.

His head shot up as he saw me walking in.

He motioned for me to close the door which I did.

He left his seat, keeping his gaze on me the entire time.

"You wanted to see me," I said breaking the silence.

He hesitated and then paced in front of me.

He finally stopped, pointing a finger. "I thought you must have been dead. That someone had run you over with a bus or that someone had shipped you off to Dubai. Why were you ignoring my messages?" Tristan asked, crossing his arms.

I opened my mouth to speak but he cut me off. "Don't say you were late for work because I know you clocked in before eight this morning." He added.

He lifted a tabloid from his desk, turning the cover toward me. "What is this?" He finally asked.

Another front cover that I was on.

My lips formed an Oh as I tried to act dumb about the whole thing. "Old friend," I answered.

Tristan crossed his arms as he waited for an explanation, but I wasn't giving him one. I had none.

He placed the tabloid back on his desk. "Do you have any idea how many media companies have been calling me to ask about my cousin's recent girlfriend?" He asked. I could tell he was trying hard to control his temper.

"They are just making a big deal out of it. It was just a simple lunch," I replied.

"Dressed like that?" He retorted.

He had a point.

"It was an upscale restaurant. The least I could do was dress for the occasion," I answered.

He was back to trying to control his anger. I could tell he wanted to say something but he managed to restrain his words. "What do you two even talk about?" he asked instead, struggling to appear calm.

"People," I answered nervously.

"We can talk about people too." He said.

"But mostly our siblings." I cut him off. That was true.

He sighed. "I just don't want you to be around someone like him. You shouldn't even bother to entertain him." He answered.

Why was he acting so paranoid about his cousin? From what I had gathered, they were really close so why this attitude? Was he jealous?

"You know, he's going to be difficult to avoid. We just met again after a very long time. Besides, he is your cousin. I'm bound to bump into him one way or another." I answered.

"Then just ignore him, walk away as if you had never met him before in your life." He answered nonchalantly.

"But he is your cousin, he's your family," I replied.

"So?" Tristan chuckled. "I have two other cousins. He is not exactly irreplaceable." He answered.

That was dark.

"Are there any other old friends that I have to worry about?" He asked.

I shook my head no.

At least none that I was aware of. I'd make it a point to Layla that she doesn't involve me in any other plan that I wasn't fully aware of.

"In that case," Tristan began. He placed his hands on my shoulders. "We should probably get back to work. I have several tabloids to call to make sure that this story disappears," he informed.

I couldn't protest against that, I didn't want any unnecessary attention. The sooner this would go away, the better.

He smiled as he returned to his desk and typed something on his computer.

Since I was here, I might as well try and see if I could get information out of him.

What was the latest update on his relationship with Madison? How long was this going to last? In case she had seen Tristan and me, had he noticed any changes in her mood lately?

"So how are things with Madison?" I asked. I wanted to start the topic on a light note.

"Don't worry about her, she'll be out of here before you know it." He answered, his eyes still glued to his screen.

Wait. What did he mean by that? By the looks of things, I don't think Madison had any plans to go anywhere. Let alone waste an opportunity while she had one.

Was he taking her on some secret trip I didn't know about? I wouldn't be surprised if she had managed to do that.

"Is she going somewhere?" I asked.

"What's with the questions?" He asked meeting my gaze.

He was getting suspicious. I needed to back out a little bit.

"I'm just curious," I answered.

"Jealousy doesn't look good on you sweetheart," He winked back. He returned his eyes to his screen.

'Says someone who was willing to forget he had a cousin just because we had lunch together.' I wanted to fire back.

The door flew open, and Luke walked in holding an iPad. "All the cameras are set up and ready, sir," Luke said.

Tristan shot him a look. Luke's eyes suddenly widened in realization as if he had said something I wasn't supposed to hear.

What were those two up to?

The room fell silent, awkwardness growing in the room.

I guess this was my cue to leave. They clearly had something they didn't want me to hear.

I said my goodbyes before returning to my post.

Although Marcus hadn't asked, I made up a dump excuse of a bunch of things Tristan had asked me to do, just in case Marcus was starting to get suspicious.

Today, there wasn't much work for me, at least nothing strenuous. I felt a bit bored.

Hours passed, and my lunch break was fast approaching.

My phone rang in my pocket. I wasn't about to make the mistake of ignoring it again.

Layla's name appeared on my screen. I needed to change this because Tristan may see it one day and ruin our plans.

I hid in a corner to answer the call. At this stage, all our calls might as well be labelled classified.

"Hello," I whispered into the phone.

"Hi," she answered almost immediately. "I have a plan. If things turn out as planned, we can finally get Madison out of our lives," she announced.

I would like that too. The sooner that happens, the sooner my life can revert back to normal, or at least be as normal as it can be after this.

"I need someone who can enter Madison's room without arousing any suspension. We need to check her room for any evidence that we may use against her, especially regarding the robbery. I'd have someone else do it but my influence only stretches as far as the security guards." She explained.

"No, I can't," I answered.

"Please, this may be our only chance to take her out." She pleaded. That was the first.

I sighed. "Look, if she had managed to get this far, do you really think that she'd just leave behind evidence, knowing full well that a dozen hotel staff can access her room, all the people who clearly work for Tristan?" I asked.

"If she is dumb enough to think that leopard skin dresses are still fashionable, I'm sure she may have slipped up." She replied.

"This is a bad idea, so many things can go wrong," I admitted.

"You work there, you'd just say you were asked to clean up or something. Besides, you said she trusts you, we can use that to our advantage." She answered.

Except that Madison may or may not have seen Tristan and I kissing, which meant I was public enemy number one on her list, maybe just behind Layla.

"Besides, I have a few of my guys in the hotel. I'll alert you if I hear that she is back. You'll be in and out before she even notices." She continued.

She had convinced me. I wanted Madison gone more than anyone. The sooner she was gone, the sooner I could get this whole lie over and done with.

"Okay, but from now on, I want to know about every single one of your plans beforehand or else I'm walking. I'll make sure to tell Tristan the truth as well." I replied.

Layla hesitated before letting out a sigh. "Fine," she agreed. "But you have to go now, that way you have a chance to leave without getting caught." She answered.

"Fine," I answered.

Our call ended shortly after. I tucked my phone back into my pocket, making my way to Madison's suite.

Under better conditions, I'd have to talk to her about that little stunt she pulled with Vincent and me.

I knocked first on Madison's door, just to make sure that no one was in there. A minute elapsed and no one answered. I took that as an invitation, using my staff card to enter the suite.

I opened the door, being met with nothing but silence. I could hear my soft breathing.

What was I even looking for here? A burner phone? Any recordings? Perhaps a diary with all her plans clearly detailed. I'd just have to check for anything that seemed out of the ordinary.

I first checked her bedroom. That's usually where people hide things. I searched through her cupboards, underneath the bed, between the mistress and anywhere else I suspected that someone would try to hide anything. I made sure to leave everything as I found it.

After nearly twenty minutes of searching, I hadn't found anything. Either nothing was in here or she was a brilliant mastermind who didn't leave any evidence behind.

I got a text from Ivy, startling me in the silence.

'Are we still having lunch together?' It read.

Getting her into trouble was the last thing I needed. I could try to dig my way out of this but how much luck would she have? Blowing her off would be the better decision.

'I can't right now,' I texted back.

I continued my search through the rest of the house.

If anything, there was nothing remotely suspicious or even different from the way that I had seen it weeks ago. Everything was normal, too normal.

Exhausted, with my lunch break nearly over, I returned to the living room.

I sat on the couch and peered around the room, trying to find any possible hiding places.

But something felt wrong, right beneath the couch cushions. It felt a bit uneven and slightly uncomfortable with a small bump.

I'd know this because hotel guests have made the weirdest claims. We always had to double-check everything.

Could she be hiding things here? No one really expected it.

I jumped off the couch to examine it.

The seating cushions on the couch were loose and sure enough, there happened to be a phone under it along with a folder. Who else would keep these items under here unless they had something to hide?

I hurried to search through the contents of the folder, but as luck would have it, the doorknob was turning. Someone had arrived.

As much as I wanted to expose Madison, I needed to make sure that I wouldn't be seen.

I couldn't take anything because she'd know. With the recent security measures, they'd see my face clearly on the security cameras and she would know that it was me. I couldn't afford her to become suspicious.

I rushed to fix the couch to the state it was in as the noises at the door continued to get louder.

There was no way I could sneak out of the suite now. My most viable option is to hide somewhere until the coast is clear. Why hadn't Layla warned me of her arrival?

I quickly ran to a hiding spot behind a brick wall, right between the exit to the living room and the passageway to her bedroom. I didn't have time to get too far without getting caught. As long as I was brave enough to peek, I still had a full view of the living room.

How was I going to leave this place?

Sure enough, Madison walked into the suite, accompanied by a mid-fifties version of herself.

They were walking towards me. Luckily they stopped by in the living room.

Madison sighed, throwing herself on the couch.

She reached her hand underneath the cushions, fumbling for the phone. She pulled it out seconds later.

"Here mother," Madison spoke. "I need you to get rid of this. Before it gives us any problems."

I peeked, her mother accepted the phone. I backed away so they wouldn't see me.

This was bad news for me. I'd never have access to that phone now. If she wanted it to disappear, it meant she had something she wanted to hide.

I took my phone out, I placed it on silent. I didn't want to get caught because my phone was ringing. It was only then that I realized that Layla had in fact sent me a warning message. I was too caught up playing Sherlock Holmes to notice.

"How are things coming along? You know I didn't come here on vacation." Her mother spoke.

Madison sighed theatrically. "The situation couldn't be more disastrous. I thought this engagement would put some pressure on him but it's only having the opposite effect on him. Can you believe I caught that hussy I asked to spy on him kissing him in the hallway? Free for everyone to see. Can you imagine what would have happened if someone had seen them? Imagine the news getting out that he was replacing me for some low-grade slut." She said vehemently.

So she knew. Should I be thankful I was still alive?

"Just wait until I deal with her, she'll learn to stay in class." Madison continued.

I didn't want to imagine what she had in mind.

On the bright side, at least it wasn't a death threat.

Her mom laughed. "Didn't I warn you, you stupid girl? In this life, you only have yourself. Of course, the dumb girl saw an opportunity and took it. That's why you should leave most of the thinking to me. You are just as stupid as your father." She said coldly. "I'll personally think of a way to get that little problem out of the way permanently. But we have to keep our eyes on the price, we can't waste this opportunity." She continued.

At this rate, I didn't know whether to be more afraid of Madison or her mother. They were both psychopathic.

"What do you suggest, mother?" Madison asked.

"If things are that bad and he isn't paying attention to you, I have a solution that will make sure that he does exactly as you say and that he will never leave your side." Her mother paused dramatically. "Just have his baby." She said.

Like Madison, it took us both a while to comprehend her words. There was no way I had heard it wrong.

Madison laughed theatrically. "Have his child? I just told you, mother, I can't even get him to have a conversation with me. How will I ever get him to sleep with me?" Madison retorted.

"Madison, you are not a child anymore. I think you can see where I'm getting to." Her mother answered.

Madison didn't answer. She was clearly just as confused as I was.

"Do you really think that I didn't have any competition along the way? Your father was one of the biggest oil giants at the time. Although he traded it in for a construction company, he still has a lot of influence. You didn't think it was easy to snag a man like him did you?" She paused dramatically. "At the time, he had this little distraction whom he was constantly running after. He told me he was going to leave me. So one night, I called him over for a truce. I told him he couldn't refuse. Let's just say I drugged him and lied to him that I was pregnant a few weeks later." She continued.

"No way mother," Madison laughed, a hint of admiration in her voice.

"It worked. I managed to trap him and I gave him an ultimatum to forget all about that little hussy. I told him I'd kill myself and the baby if he refused. Being the kind-hearted fool that he is, he agreed. I managed to finally get pregnant, so I no longer had any use for him. I already had my insurance to his bank account." She continued. She spoke so nonchalantly, with no hint of remorse in her voice.

"Are you suggesting I do the same thing, mother?" Madison smiled.

"It works, doesn't it? Everyone knows a child is a door to any man's fortune." She answered. "All you have to do is invite him to dinner and put a dash of something in his drink. It will be enough to take him out till tomorrow, he won't remember anything. All you'll have to do is wake up next to him tomorrow. Everything will fall into place from there." She explained.

"Okay," Madison nodded. "We'll have to move quickly." She agreed.

"You should do it today. You are already losing hold of him. Grow a backbone for once and act quickly. We don't want that lousy mother of his snooping even further." She answered.

Madison left her seat with her phone. My heart raced at the thought of her catching me here.

If she was capable of all this, what else could she do to me?

But she stopped as she moved her fingers frantically on her phone. She waited anxiously biting her nails.

Minutes later, her face brightened up as she read a text. "He just agreed to come." Madison laughed. "Anyone would swear that he was an idiot. Good thing he is attractive." she continued laughing.

Her mother also joined in on the laughter.

I couldn't believe I was watching all this madness unfold.

Why did Tristan have to be so trusting? If only he was a little bit more paranoid, none of this would be happening. I wouldn't be able to fool him either.

"That's good, you have to make sure you look perfect for tonight. I'll go and get what you need from an old friend of mine. While you go to the spa or something." Her mother said.

Madison agreed.

Both of them left the couch and left the suite.

I still couldn't believe I had just watched all of that happen.

I was finally able to breathe as I walked out of my hiding spot.

I had to do something, warm him. Even if I ended up having to tell him everything.

I didn't want him to make the same mistakes again that he did with me. Except that this time things were getting far more dangerous. Madison wasn't just looking to keep her job, she wanted his fortune.

Minutes later, once I was sure that Madison wouldn't be coming back, I got out of the suite and made my way to Tristan's penthouse.

I knocked on his door in a panic, but to my surprise, no one answered. I didn't have access to his penthouse anymore.

Why wasn't he answering? He was just here a few hours ago.

I turned to my phone for a solution. I frantically searched for his number and called.

Luckily, he didn't take too long to respond.

"Hi," he answered nonchalantly.

"Tristan, where are you?" I asked in a panic.

"I'm out of the building. I went to my main office. Are you okay?" He asked.

"Yes," I answered. "There is something important I need to talk to you about."

"I'm in a meeting right now, how about we talk tomorrow?" He cut me off.

Tomorrow would be too late.

"I..."

He ended the call just like that.

Of all the days he had to do this.

How was I going to stop this? There was only one solution.

______________________________

A/N: Thank you so much for reading, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. 

To any guys reading this, not all women are this conniving.

I have a surprise chapter in Tristan's point of view up next.

Do you think that this could finally be the end of Madison?

Please share your thoughts with me and vote if you enjoyed the chapter.