Underwater: The Silent Luna novel Chapter 171

Chapter 171

“What did you do?” Amber asked.

Ashley hesitated because the truth was ugly whichever way she turned it. But at that point she had no better strategy than honesty.

or at least a version of it shaped to protect herself. So she told Amber what happened, though she made it sound as if Cynthia had

threatened her into meeting at the diner. Not exactly a lie, not exactly the full truth either. Amber listened, then sighed.

“Why didn’t you tell anyone that she threatened you? Suppose she tried to harm you?” Amber asked.

Ashley looked down. The answer was shame. Pride. Foolishness. Fear of being scolded. But Ashley did not say any of that. Then

Amber said the part Ashley had been dreading.

“I cannot get involved in your matter. I did not match you two together. I do not get involved with Ethan’s marital issues even though I married Meadow for him; why should I get involved with your relationship?” Amber asked.

Ashley began to plead because hearing no in a calm voice was somehow worse than being shouted at. But Amber kept going.

“I cannot force my son to renege on his words. The best I can do is offer you accommodation until the birth of my grandchildren. But even with that, I would advise you to stay out of his hair. Joseph might be slow to anger, but he is just like Ethan. Once he is

done, he is done,” Amber explained.

Ashley hated hearing that. Hated the finality in it. She had hoped Amber would save her. Intervene. Push Joseph back toward her.

Instead the Luna offered only shelter and truth. And sometimes truth felt crueler than outright rejection.

Still, Ashley knew she had messed up. Even her wolf knew it. The part of her that liked pretending she was still in control could not fully hold against what was obvious now. So all that remained was survival. Stay. Wait. Find another way to get Joseph’s attention

back. Do not vanish from the house. Do not lose your place completely.

She decided then that she would become Cynthia’s adversary if she had to. That when Ethan returned, she would tell him Cynthia’s

intentions. If she could not be Joseph’s beloved, then she would at least be useful in the war against the woman threatening

everything. Maybe that would earn her something back in time.

“I will ask the staff to give you a room in the south wing, so he won’t see you,” Amber said.

Ashley did not want the south wing. It was too close to the service quarters, too far from the life she wanted, too humiliating in its

symbolism.

“It is the best I can do. If you do not like the arrangement, then you should go home to your parents and hope he cools off,” Amber

said.

That was Amber showing her the door. Ashley got up reluctantly and headed back to Joseph’s room to pack. By then she felt she had

nothing left to lose, so another desperate thought rose in her. She would wait for Joseph to come out of the bathroom and beg

properly. Strip the pride out of it. Say what she had never said honestly before. Maybe real desperation would do what manipulation

failed to.

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Chapter 171

So she waited.

When Joseph finally came out wearing nothing but shorts, he looked surprised to see her still there.

“Are you serious?” Joseph asked.

The question held disbelief and annoyance. Ashley started begging immediately.

“Please, I will never speak to Cynthia again. I swear on my wolf, Joseph. Please. I can’t live without you. I love you. I do not care

about being Luna anymore. I do not want it. I just want to be with you,” Ashley begged.

For the first time in her life, she was honest. That was the tragedy of it. No games. No angle. No performance/shaped for reward

She really did not care about the title in that moment. Not compared to losing him. But honesty had come too late, and Joseph had

already given up.

“I meant what I said,” Joseph replied.

Nothing in him moved after that. No crack. No hesitation. No softness she could pry open. Then he went to get dressed. There

would be no reconciliation between them. Because Joseph was done.

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Underwater: The Silent Luna