Chapter 1 THE MORNING AFTER

Ashley woke up to the sound of her alarm blaring in her ear. She groggily reached over to turn it off, but as she sat up in bed, she realized that something was off. At first, she couldn't quite put her finger on it. But as she looked around her room, she noticed that things were slightly out of place. Her clothes were scattered all over the floor, and her shoes were missing. Ashley's mind was foggy, and she couldn't remember what had happened the night before. She vaguely recalled going out with her friends to celebrate her birthday, but everything after that was a blur.

As she swung her legs over the side of the bed, Ashley's foot knocked against something hard. She looked down to see a small, elegant box on the floor. Curious, Ashley picked up the box and opened it. Inside, she found a beautiful gold wedding band. Ashley's heart skipped a beat as she stared at the ring in shock. Where had it come from? And why was it in her room? Suddenly, Ashley heard a noise coming from the bathroom. She turned to see a tall, handsome man walking out of the bathroom, towel-drying his hair. Ashley's eyes widened in shock as she stared at the stranger. Who was he? And why was he in her apartment? "Good morning," the man said, smiling at Ashley. "I'm Ryan. Your husband." Ashley's jaw dropped as she stared at Ryan in shock. Husband? What was he talking about? "I think there's been some kind of mistake," Ashley said, trying to process what was happening. Ryan chuckled and walked over to Ashley. "I don't think so," he said, taking her hand in his. "We got married last night. Don't you remember?" Ashley's mind was reeling as she tried to remember what had happened the night before. But everything was still a blur. "I...I don't know," Ashley stammered. Ryan's expression turned serious, and he sat down next to Ashley on the bed. "Don't worry," he said. "We'll figure everything out. Together." As Ryan put his arm around Ashley, she felt a strange sense of comfort and security. But she was still confused and disoriented. What had happened the night before? And how had she ended up married to a stranger? As Ashley looked into Ryan's eyes, she knew that she had to find out the truth. And she was determined to do just that. But as she stood up to start her investigation, Ashley realized that she was still wearing her wedding dress from the night before. And that's when it hit her - the full weight of what had happened. Ashley was married. To a stranger. And she had no idea how it had happened. As Ashley's mind reeled with questions and doubts, she knew that she had to take action. She had to find out the truth about her marriage, and about the man who was now her husband. And so, with a sense of determination and trepidation, Ashley set out on a journey to uncover the truth about her unexpected marriage. But as she delved deeper into the mystery, Ashley began to realize that nothing was as it seemed. And that the truth about her marriage was far more complicated than she could have ever imagined.