Chapter 2 THE MYSTERIOUS HUSBAND

Ashley's mind was reeling as she tried to process the events of the previous night. She had no memory of getting married, and yet, here she was, wearing a wedding dress and staring at a stranger who claimed to be her husband. Ryan, the stranger, was watching her with a mixture of concern and amusement. "Hey, are you okay?" he asked, taking a step closer to her. "You look a little shell-shocked." Ashley took a deep breath and tried to compose herself. "I'm fine," she said, trying to sound calm. "I just need to figure out what happened last night." Ryan nodded sympathetically.

"I think we both need to figure that out," he said. "Why don't we start with the basics? My name is Ryan Thompson, and I'm a... um... a businessman." Ashley raised an eyebrow. "A businessman?" she repeated. "What kind of business are you in?" Ryan hesitated for a moment before answering. "I'm in the tech industry," he said. "I own a small startup that specializes in... uh... software development." Ashley's eyes narrowed. "Software development?" she repeated. "That sounds very vague." Ryan chuckled. "I guess I'm not very good at this whole 'being a husband' thing," he said. "I'll try to do better. Can I get you a cup of coffee or something?" Ashley shook her head. "No, I'm fine," she said. "But thank you for offering." Ryan nodded and sat down next to her on the bed. "So, Ashley," he said. "Tell me about yourself. What do you do for a living?" Ashley hesitated for a moment before answering. "I'm a marketing manager for a small firm," she said. "I've been working there for about three years now." Ryan's eyes lit up with interest. "That's really cool," he said. "I've always been fascinated by marketing. Maybe you can teach me a thing or two sometime." Ashley smiled, despite herself. There was something charming about Ryan's awkwardness, and she found herself feeling more at ease around him. As they continued to talk, Ashley started to feel a sense of unease. There was something about Ryan that didn't quite add up. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but she had a feeling that he was hiding something from her. Determined to get to the bottom of things, Ashley decided to do some digging. She started by asking Ryan more questions about himself, trying to get a better sense of who he was and what he was hiding. But no matter how hard she tried, Ashley couldn't seem to get a straight answer out of Ryan. He was charming and evasive, always seeming to dance around the truth. As the morning wore on, Ashley's frustration grew. She was determined to uncover the truth about Ryan and their mysterious marriage, but it seemed like he was determined to keep her in the dark. Just as Ashley was starting to feel like she was getting nowhere, Ryan's phone rang. He answered it, listening for a moment before responding. "I'll be right there," he said, standing up. "I have to go, Ashley. But I'll be back soon, I promise." Ashley watched as Ryan grabbed his keys and headed out the door. She was left sitting alone in her apartment, feeling more confused and frustrated than ever. But as she sat there, something caught her eye. It was a small piece of paper on the nightstand, with a note scrawled on it in handwriting she didn't recognize. The note read: "Meet me at the coffee shop at 2pm. Come alone." Ashley's heart skipped a beat as she read the note. Who had written it, and what did they want with her? Determined to get to the bottom of things, Ashley decided to do some investigating. She started by trying to find out more about Ryan and his mysterious past. But as she delved deeper into the mystery, Ashley realized that she was in over her head. She was dealing with forces she didn't fully understand, and she was starting to feel like she was in grave danger. As the day wore on, Ashley's anxiety grew. She was trapped in a mysterious marriage with