Anyway, once I travel back him I will be doing the rest of my replies and asks. But also, I am going to drop something starter calls for most of my muses, including Olivia and Elliot, I am ready to write them once more.

📸 NEW | Rosamund Pike for ‘The Wheel Of Time’ Season 3 fan screening and Q&A on February 22, 2025 in London.

[p. February 23, 2025]

Rosamund Pike

It pained her to notice how badly Lews was actually treating her, it hadn't always been like this. He had been a thoughtful, smart, loving partner at the start. Then she started her own career and helped him with his. As he gained more power, he began to put her down, wanting her to stay small for him. Be the perfect housewife and arm piece. Mierin wouldn't stay small for no one, and she thought he understood that, but more and more, she saw that this was not the truth. And now she started to think more and more that he was having an affair. Still, she loved him; she couldn't let go of what they had been.

Now, though, she had this beautiful woman before her. One that seemed brilliant in her own way. She took the flute and took a large sip of the champagne. Mierin wanted to get drunk to numb the feelings she was feeling inside of her. The most prominent ones are pain and rage. "Yes, let's talk Ashe. I'm all ears for what you are going to propose to me." She had been wanting a new job, and the one she currently had was nearing completion of the research. In a month or two, she would be free to start something new. Something Lews didn't have his filthy claws in. Maybe it was time to start living for herself. So she smiled at the blonde, "Take me away from here."

Men and their need to control every aspect of a woman's life. Ashe had learned from a very young age to not allow any man to bring her pain and misfortune. For as much criticism as there was to be had about her parents, they were always a team. Her mother never allowed her father to rob her of her autonomy, and her father always gave her mother the space she deserved. Only once has she ever felt attached to someone, once she let her guard down, and it did not end well. Cassidy and her had had a bad falling out, and her rage had been the driving force for her whole business model. No, it was never romantic; he had been her partner and best friend, but even friendships can shape you in ways unimaginable. Seeing the treatment Lews gave Mierin had only served to solidify her resolve to enlist the other women to her side. Never underestimate the power of a scorned woman, one so intelligent at that.

( “I find her as intimidating as a basket of kittens.” )

Sugar Motta heard the remark as she hastily rounded the corner after the first introduction between herself and this new heroine. She had shown up as only Sugar Motta could; passionate and peppy, appearing in a sprightly pressed purple that contrasted against Ashe and her dauntless edges and angles. For first appearances and impressions, the Motta heiress held it in her head that all went well.

But then that comment, and all respect for the other woman was wiped clean.

( “I find her as intimidating as a basket of kittens.” )

It stayed stuck in the back of her mind - milling around. Loitering longer than it should. Rarely did Sugar let something so small stay with the stinger still in. And while Charlie and Sugar was something of silly business partners, they only rubbed shoulders every couple weeks. So it took another month or two before Ashe appeared in front of her again, and Sugar countered the unrecollected comment -

📸 NEW | Rosamund Pike for the Dior Welcome Dinner on May 26, 2025 in Rome, Italy.

Mierin had been bored out of her mind. Of course, she had to come as Lew's long-term girlfriend. Everyone kept asking when they would get married, and she thought that was a great question. Sometimes she thought he didn't want to get married to her; he had been eyeing someone else lately. She saw it in his eyes, the way he looked when he spoke about this woman who worked in his office. Still, she helped him, hoping he would see how much she had done and was still doing for him. How much of herself she was burying for him.

He had told her about the Caledonia family, how the family had been dealing in arms, making them and selling them to the government. How he didn't trust the young heiress to the business. She had been ready to leave, had told him she wanted to go, and he said he only needed to talk to this Elizabeth before they were ready. As her blue eyes met the woman's, she was enraptured by her.

When the woman spoke to her about knowing her from a lecture. And how they had tried to hire her, a brow rose, looking at Lews in question. She hadn't known about this. Had no idea they had been trying to hire her. She did not like him making decisions for her without consulting her. "Oh, when was this?" She questioned, her English accent very obvious, before Lews was called away. She tried to grab his hand for a bit, but he all but ignored her. She sighed, looking at him longingly as he left. "Yes, he can be quite rude at times." She responded while she still watched him go, before she turned around again, gaze trained on the woman before her. "It's nice to meet you, Ashe."

She kept her head held high, confidence oozing off of her. She was very confident about herself; the only thing she wasn't feeling that confident about lately was her relationship with Lews. "Please tell me more about you seeing me before, and your parents trying to hire me? I never heard anything about this. If I had, I would at least have talked with them about it."

Oh, he was one of those men who would always try to minimize the women in his life. Who would not allow them to have a voice of their own and make choices for them that would not exactly benefit her. Ashe made that mental note, disgusted at the thought of someone like that in her own life. It is why she had taken ownership of every aspect of herself. Hadn't allowed her father dictate what path in life she should take. Though, she did take the lessons he /TRIED/ to instill in her, morphed them into profit of her own. In this end that was all Ashe has every been interested in, gain.

"I am used to dealing with manlike that." The replies comes instant her southern accent ever present, lips curling into a smirk. "But in this end he's just a men, I pay no mind to him." A nod, before she's turning, following the path Lews had taken ensuring that he was distracted enough for Ashe to have a conversation with the woman. Sure of that, she turned, ease in her stare but not to be confused with kindness. "Likewise, dear." A laugh. When a waiter passed by with flutes of champagne she stopped him, taking two and passing one to Mierin herself.

"Why don't we go somewhere quiet? If am to talk to you about I would rather have your undivided attention." Taking a sip of her drink she winked.

"Might as well get my sells pitch going. Is not every day one get a second chance to try and hire someone of your caliber, sweetheart."