"Elaine, do you really want to lose Ashton again? Staying with him like this—it's reckless. You're putting yourself in danger," Miles warned, pulling out his classic scare tactic.

"How am I not taking action? Besides, let's not pretend we both don’t know—he’s been faking it, refusing to admit he’s Ashton," I shot back, matching his energy.

Miles’s face twisted, clearly not a fan of my pushback. "I don't want anything to happen to you. If it does, I ...