Avery's POV
I watch as the car drives away into the distance, and I sigh in relief. I turn to walk back into my apartment when I am engulfed in a hug. I am initially frightened, but I am calm as soon as that familiar scent reaches my nose. I smile, and I hug him back."Where exactly have you been?" He asks as soon as he breaks the hug."Awww,were you so worried about me?" I tease,my voice dripping with mischief."Of course I was. I mean—"I interrupt him. "Alright, Jake. I am fine. I just visited some new clients who were interested in my designs. Sorry for how I had you worried."I feel bad about lying to Jake, who has been nothing but a good friend to me, but I have no choice. Without being told,I know I have to be confidential about the entire situation with Ethan and the contract.If Jake feels I am hiding anything,he doesn't show it and gives me a bright smile. "Alright,red. I will be going now. Take care of yourself."I smile as I hear his nickname for me; he calls me red because of my hair color. I wave goodbye as he climbs his motorcycle and speeds into the distance. I check the time on my phone, and my eyes widen. It's already 7:00 p.m.—two hours before I resume work for today.Sprinting back into my one-room apartment,I take a quick bath and change into a jean and white top before squeezing my work uniform and wig into my bag. My red hair always attracted attention in the club, so I started wearing a brunette wig while working to avoid the unnecessary attention. I check my appearance in the mirror, and it's perfect. I guess I am ready for tonight.**The loud blast of music welcomes my ears as I step inside the club. I have been working at Palmers for three years now, but I still am not used to the deafening blast. I squeeze through the sea of dancing bodies, gyrating with so much gusto. I see my coworker, Brenda, wave at me. That's a first. We barely talk except for work."Good evening! Let's go inside the changing room." She shouts over the loud music as soon as I reach her."Why didn't you just use the back door?" She questions as soon as we enter the changing room, which is quiet—a contrast to the outside."Uhm, I actually prefer using the front entrance," I reply, carefully choosing my words. The back entrance was always filled with all sorts of crazy stuff, like horny couples and drunk customers. I could do without the drama, honestly speaking.I start to take off my clothes to change into my work uniform, and Brenda whistles, "Girl,you are hot. No wonder the boss had you transferred to the VIP section."I am in the middle of taking off my trousers when I process her words. "What?"Why was my whole day filled with surprises?Brenda looks at me as if I have grown two horns. "You didn't know? Candy discovered she was pregnant yesterday for some billionaire who frequents the VIP section and ran from the city. It's been chaotic, and the boss needs an immediate replacement for her—he actually called you this morning." Brenda explains, and I am too stunned to react. Candy was a hot redhead who worked in the VIP section, and rumors have it that she is popular among VIP customers because of her red hair and beauty. I am probably going to replace her because I have the same red hair as her.A sigh escapes my lips. I didn't want to work in the VIP section for fear of running into people from my past, but I guess my opinion wasn't even needed in the first place and I still need this job to survive."You don't have to be worried; your salary is twice as much, and you get nice tips too. You are lucky." Brenda smiles, handing me a paper bag, which I am just noticing she has been holding since I saw her. I should get a grip on myself."It is your uniform for the VIP section; you should be fast." She says, showing me her phone, which is vibrating and has Boss displayed on the screen.I am introduced to my new coworkers in the VIP section by my boss, Mr. Marcini, the club manager. Most of them stare at me wide-eyed before they are dismissed. I don't blame them; even I was shocked when I saw myself in the mirror.My new uniform is a knee-length pink glimmery gown that hugs my curves, and its neck is cut low with thin straps. My red hair was curled, and my makeup was done by Brenda.In one word,I looked ravishing."You are so sexy." I hear a male voice speak behind me. I turn, and my jaw drops at the sight before me. A tall guy with curly brown hair and green eyes is smiling at me with his hands stretched for a handshake. Only one word comes to mind: hot. I feel my cheeks heat, and I am thankful for the red lighting, which helps conceal my blush. "Thank you." I reply, accepting his handshake."Brandy,Brandy Lorenzo, That's my name." He introduces himself,a smirk on his lips as he notices my reaction."Uhm, I am Avery." I reply before taking my hands from his grip. He wants to say something, but someone interrupts."Avery,go serve the people in private room one." It is my new coworker. I think her name is Mandy, and I don't miss the hostile look she passes me as she hands me the small paper containing the orders."I will see you later, Ave." Brandy gives me a wink, and I nod wordlessly before walking away to serve the orders.My heart beats erratically as I am handed my first tray of drinks to serve in the VIP section. I climb the stairs and look for private room 1, which I immediately see on the first turn to the right.The men guarding the door push it open when they see me. I smile politely at them before going inside, and the loud laughter echoing across the walls of the dimly lit room greets my ears.A loud whistle from someone almost causes quietness in the room, and I feel my legs weaken from the harsh glares the ladies sitting besides the men pass me. I muster courage and wordlessly walk to the center, where the table is placed to pour the drinks. Everyone in the room is clearly drunk except for a man who is smoking alone on the other end of the room. I can't see his face, but I feel his chilling gaze on my back, and I oddly feel a sense of familiarity. My heart thuds again, and I pour the drinks faster. Thankfully,I am soon done and about to walk away when I hear a voice—a familiar deep voice speaking."Are you not going to fill my glass?"I turn wide-eyed, and the questions fly out of my mouth before I can stop myself. "Mr. Ethan? What are you doing here?"What sort of luck is this?Ethan's POVI had been restless since I left Avery after I gave her my conditions. I went home and was told my grandmother had taken the twins to her mansion for the night.I would have loved to spend some time with them, but it is fine. Nana loves them so much, and it is understandable.My phone vibrates. It is a text from my friend, Anthonio,inviting me to the club. I prefer to bury my head in some work that needs my attention since my insomnia would persist, but I can use the distraction to clear my thoughts or even seek some pleasure tonight.***The private room is filled with loud laughter from my friends and their companions for the night. I am the only one seated on the other end smoking because I don't find any of the ladies present interesting, and I am beyond irritated because I know why.The door to the private room opens, and I hear someone whistle. I raise my head, and I feel numb from the soul-blinding lust that travels through me as my eyes settle on the reason for my constant thoughts.Avery is dressed in a tight dress that ends above her knees and outlines her sexy curves. I catch a fair amount of cleavage peeking from underneath the dress, and I control myself from wrapping a coat around her to cover her. I find myself thinking about how soft her red hair will feel in my palms. She has that much effect on me, and I wonder if the self-control I have built over the years is gone.Thankfully,all my friends are so engrossed in their drunken discussions that they do not gawk at her.She fills their glasses and is already on her way outside when I stop her. Nice try, kitten, but no one escapes me."Are you not going to fill my glass?" I find myself saying, and a burst of satisfaction fills me as I see the shock spread on her face when she turns around. Yeah, kitten, have you missed me already?"Mr Ethan? What are you doing here?""Are you asking me what I am doing in my own club?" I ask,amazed at how I never knew she worked for me. Yeah, I had her investigated, lust or not. I needed to know why a woman who willingly agreed to be a surrogate is stalking my kids, but I don't find anything suspicious from her end except uncovering the annoymous source updating her about the twins. That's not a problem. Marcus was slacking, and I have to remind him to behave one of these days."I am sorry, sir." She gasps an apology, quickly bending to fill my glass, and my thoughts wander off as my eyes rake her entire body.I am a man of my words, and I have never made spontaneous decisions except when they involve this woman. Fuck,this is bad, but you never live until you risk your life, and I am willing to take this risk—a sweet risk."Let's do it tonight." I breathe, stubbing my cigarette on the ashtray.The earlier I got this woman out of my head,the better for my sanity."W..what do you mean?" She stutters inaudibly, but my sharp ear catches her words.I gesture for her to come closer,a smirk on my lips as I notice the frightened expression on her face, before I whisper into her ears. "I want to fuck you tonight."I want you screaming my name tonight,baby.Avery's POV I sigh for the umpteenth time as I am unable to find a single idea for my jewelry design idea. A hobby that I have now developed into a skill over the past few years. My pencil hovers above the blank page of my drawing book, where all my ideas reside. My mind is unable to focus on the task at hand because my thoughts are occupied by a certain blue-eyed man. I finally drop the pencil and pick up my phone, opening the search bar at the top of the screen. I am at a loss for what to type because I only know him by his first name. My fingers tap rapidly on the phone's keyboard. 'Ethan Billionaire' appears on the search bar, and I tap the search icon. My eyes widen as I skim through the various articles that appear. There are many things I learn about him at once, and I feel as if I have been struck by lightning. I can't seem to wrap my head around the fact that I was a surrogate for the wealthiest person in the country, Ethan Lorenzo. He is the owner of Kings Enterprise,
Avery's POVIt took a lot of personal conviction for me to come here. My feet come to a halt as the snobbish woman who is escorting me to the executive suite stops in front of an elevator labeled private. She presses for the top floor, which I am sure is where the executive suite is located, and we step inside the elevator,the woman before me.I almost roll my eyes when I see the king's emblem—a crown with an eagle on top—on the gold-plated walls of the elevator. Awkward silence ensues in the elevator, and I am more than grateful when the elevator door opens. I step outside the elevator into the brightly lit hallway, and I am amazed at the quietness."This floor is only used by the Lorenzo family; please remain in the suite till the chairman arrives." The woman whose name remains unknown to me instructs, handing me the key card, which I immediately take from her.I nod in understanding. "Thank you."She doesn't reply and walks away arrogantly,her heels clacking on the marble floor. Sh
Avery's POVI am trying to catch my breath when Ethan's words register in my brain, and I sit up immediately,all my tiredness gone. "What did you just say?""I said, Let's get married." He repeats, and I feel my eyes sting. Have I just been used by this man? I easily agreed to the idea of sleeping with him in exchange for meeting my sons, and now he is talking about marriage!He chuckles on noticing the look of despair on my face."Don't overthink it, kitten. I am not saying we should get married because I have fallen in love after fucking you. I plan on letting you meet them as their mother—"He pauses midsentence before cursing loudly and running his hands through his hair. "We are getting married on paper for the kids sake. You know all that happy family thingy?" Pointing to the both of us,he continues. "We are doing it."I take a deep breath before facing him. "This is too much,marri—"He laughs mockingly. "You want to get married for love and all that fairy tale thingy?"I shake my
Avery's POV"Our Mummy?" The boys ask in unison, and I can't help the small smile that stretches on my lips when I see the look of surprise on their faces.Lucas runs towards me, hugging me—or rather, my waist. "You really are my mummy?" I hear him ask, and I nod my head, unable to say a single word as I stare into his eyes that shine with tears, which makes my heart ache, and I unconsciously pat his dark hair."I am your mummy.." My words trail off as I catch a small figure hugging Ethan's legs quietly; it seems brandy left already. I almost forgot my other angel, Carlos. Ethan gives me a look, and I immediately understand that Carlos wasn't easy to coax..I feel my chest squeeze in pain but I force a smile and call."Carlos?"Carlos, however, shakes his head and looks at the other side. I feel my chest tighten immediately from Carlos's action. I feel a tug on my hands, and I look down to see Lucas pulling me towards the father-and-son duo who were standing together.I crouch down to
I can't help the gasp of surprise that escapes me as the car drives into the magnificent view of Ethan's mansion, undoubtedly my new home. The mansion is located in Kingsland Estate,the most expensive in the entire country—home to superstars, government officials, and the like. One of Father's dreams was to be able to afford a mansion in this place.Located in the heart of a huge expanse of land, Ethan's mansion has a wide area of beautiful tree plants planted on either side of the road leading to the mansion. I can see the beautiful view of a lake in the distance.The car comes to a stop in front of the mansion, and the door on my side is opened by a guard. As soon as I step outside,a maid dressed in a black and white uniform comes forward in an attempt to take my clutch and the file where our marriage certificate is placed—Ethan had made me hold it till we arrived here like some sort of trophy after we were given the certificate.I decline politely with a wave of my hands. "No need.
Avery's POVMy eyes slowly flutter open as I feel small hands rub on my face."Shh, Mummy is opening her eye—oh!" My sons both scramble out of bed as soon as they notice I am about to open my eyes.I slowly sit up, and I notice the boys already seated on their reading table. My lips twitch in amusement. They were sure a handful. I look outside the window, and I notice the sun is already up. How long did I sleep for?"Good morning, mummy!" They both greet me as soon as they notice I am walking in their direction,their eyes innocent."Good morning, you naughty boys!" I say the last part, playfully flicking their foreheads. They giggle and cover their foreheads protectively.I notice they have already changed into fresh clothes, which means they have taken a bath. My eyes fall on the children's clock on the table, and I almost scream from surprise. I slept till eleven in the morning!"Have you eaten your breakfast?" I ask, turning to face them."Yes. We wanted to wake you up, but Daddy s
"Dinner is ready; everyone come to the dining area."I am thankful for Nana's announcement, which disrupts the little moment I have with Ethan. I turn my gaze away from him in time to see Nana walking towards us,a wide smile on her face as her gaze falls on our intertwined arms. "I should have really prepared a banquet to let the whole country know my grandson is married!"My eyes widen at her words. I was barely making it through dinner, not to mention a banquet! I force a smile on my lips. "This is enough,Nana."Nana laughs when she hears my words before her gaze falls on Guilia, who is standing quietly in the corner. "Guilia?"She forces a smile on her lips. "Yes Nana.""Please come join me at the dining table; these two will be coming behind us."A flash of annoyance appears in her eyes, but a sickeningly sweet smile spreads on her lips. "Yes Nana!"I almost gag at how fake she is. She holds Nana's arm, and they both walk away towards the dining area, with Guilia trying to form a
Third person POVEthan couldn't help the frown that stretched on his face as he noticed Avery's restlessness. They had both gone to the twins' room to read a bedtime story for them, but she couldn't even sit still for two minutes before she hugged the boys goodnight and called a maid to show her their bedroom for the night.There she laid on the bed,already changed into a sleeping robe,breathing harshly. The moonlight that filtered into the room cast a warm glow on the woman,her red hair scattered on her face. Deciding against the need to switch on the bedroom light and adjusting his vision to the level of brightness the moonlight could provide,he strode towards the woman, and his eyes were constricted when he noticed some hair sticking to her face from sweat.He felt a tinge of panic flash through him. "Kitten? Are you okay?" He asked,unable to hide the worry in his voice.She didn't answer him, making the man place his head on her forehead to check her temperature. The low moan that
Avery's POV *Five years later*“No Ethan. It's already morning, let's get dressed.” I said, stifling a moan as I felt his hot tongue trail my skin.“Kitten, are you sure?” He rasped, his voice heavy with desire.It was hard to refuse, but we had to be up and doing. Today was going to be a long, eventful day.“I am very sure, honey.” I took a look at his grumpy expression and giggled. “We will have all the time later in the evening. Get dressed.” I instructed, my tone leaving no room for argument. He grumbles before climbing down the bed to pick up his joggers that we had discarded on the floor last night as we gave into our passion. I try so hard not to stare as he wears his joggers, but who am I kidding? Even after all these years, Ethan is still as breathtaking as ever, and it feels like he grows hotter as he ages.“I can feel your eyes on me, kitten.” He turned to face me with a smirk. “Let's just have a qui—”The door pushed open at that instant, and a beautiful, angelic voice fo
Avery's POV **Three months later**“The baby cannot stop kicking, and most of the time I am tempted to check for the gender, but I want to do that with you, honey. The boys won a math competition, and every time I think about it, I can't stop being proud of them because they did an incredible performance.” A smile formed on my lips, and I gave his hand a gentle squeeze. “I am glad they didn't take after me; I hate math and can't stand it. I think our baby is going to be good in math too. And oh, speaking of babies, did I mention that Estella and Anita had given birth on the same day?”That was a month ago. I guess I must have mentioned it over and over again, but it didn't stop me. I have read that patients in coma could hear what was going on around them, so I didn't mind repeating some stories just to keep him from being lonely.A lot has happened in three months. Emilia had committed suicide two days after my visit that day to the detention center. Nana didn't bother to show any f
Avery’s POVThe cold salt water pushes into my lungs and eyes, but I swim harder, searching in the dark sea water for him.Ethan.Just as I desperately call for him in my heart, a stream of bright white light appears, and I see him slowly sinking into the depths. No! I swim faster, kicking my legs desperately and pushing my arms forward just in time to catch his hand.“Ethan!” My eyes snap open at once, and I realize it was a dream. My memories slowly returned to me, and a mixture of fear and anxiety welled up in me—the sound of gunshots echoing in my mind. I must have fainted.“Avery, please calm down.”“Try to take a deep breath.”“Call the doctor.”But I can't see anyone. I want to see Ethan. “Ethan. Where is he?” I yelled hysterically, trying to get down, and I felt two people pull me back. My vision slowly focused, and the worried faces of everyone in the ward were what I first noticed. Camilla and Anita still had their firm hold on my shoulders while Nana and Estella stood watc
Avery's POVMy eyes opened with a start, and a stream of light entered my vision. The horrid smell of gasoline filled my nose at once. I take in the sight of the small spaced room with iron plated walls and a small window that let in light. A small stair with about ten steps that led up to an iron door was on my left and another door,three steps away,stayed to my right. Unlike before when I had felt fear,I am filled with determination to leave this place. I had to,not just for myself but for my baby too.My hands are tied to an iron pole behind me, and a frustrated groan left me as I struggled to loosen the rope. I place my feet firmly on the floor and use my body weight to drag the chair forward, attempting to loosen the rope from my hand. Big beads of sweat rolled down my face, and a wave of tiredness started to grow in me, but I didn't give up.I am still struggling to loosen the rope when the door on my right is pushed open, Jake's voice following. “Don't worry about that, Red. Yo
Ethan's POVI couldn't find the courage to come outside the car. Immediately I left Avery in the house, I had ordered my men to find that ‘woman's’ location and report in less than an hour. The location was sent to me in ten minutes, and presently, I stared at the simple bungalow building located in the city’s developing area.Estella's annoyed sigh brings me out of my thoughts. “I still don't understand why you dragged me out here with you. I should be picking the right dress for the evening’s dinner.”“Estella.” I call, my voice low.She was still not listening as she continued to complain. “Or do you want to buy the houses around here? I really don't have too much knowledge about this t—”“She is here.” I interrupted, this time my voice firm and audible. “She has been in the city and met my wife to setup that dinner.”I don't need to clarify who this'she’ is because we both know. We had both gone through that phase together and somehow always knew when one of us meant to talk about
Avery's POV “Make sure to enjoy your weekend at Nana's place.” I instructed as I escorted the boys to the car that was waiting to take them to school.A small pout appears on Carlos face.“But I want to stay with you and baby.”“Yeah, mummy, I want to read a storybook to baby.” Lucas adds,I understand them. Just yesterday evening, we told them about the exciting news of the baby, and this morning, I am sending them to spend the weekend at Nana's. But I can't help it.Today is the day for the dinner meeting I set up for Camilla to meet Ethan and Estella. I am not sure of how Ethan might react when he returns from dinner later in the evening, so I am sending the boys to spend the weekend at Nana’s in case things don't go as planned.I bend down to their height and ruffle their hair. “You are going to spend the whole time with the baby when you are back.” They don't look convinced, and I quickly add. “Your daddy and I might move back to our old house after this.”Wide smiles appeared on
Avery's POV“Daddy, when can we see the new baby?” Lucas asks, and I can hear the excitement in his voice.It's the evening of the same day we visited Marcella in the hospital, and we had just finished having dinner. The boys and their father sat on the rug as they solved the several puzzle pieces in front of them, while I sat on an armchair knitting a beanie. I don't know, but visiting Marcella today sparked a new feeling of excitement in me, and I couldn't wait to see my baby.Ethan chuckles. “Are you that excited to meet him?”“Yes.” Carlos answered. “We would have a new friend.”I pause in my movements and look up to meet Ethan's gaze. He gives me a small nod, and I smile at him. There was no use delaying the news of the pregnancy to the boys. Warmth floods my chest at the realization that we could communicate with our eyes. It felt so natural and intimate.He returns my smile before turning his attention to the boys. “Boys,” he calls, and they both look up at him. Ethan continued
Avery's POV I hesitantly take a step forward when I enter Marcella's VIP maternity ward. I hadn't expected Nana and Estella to be here with Marcella. The cot where her baby boy is supposed to be lying is vacant, which meant he was taken away to check his vitals.The saying that blood is thicker than water might not have had any profound meaning to me until now. Even though they didn't know that they were related, they still found a way to be around her, and while we drove here, Ethan couldn't stop pondering why he felt so excited more than he should.Now that I look closely, Marcella’s hair, which was previously dyed brown and short, is now long and a rich shade of black, and her blue eyes are the same as those of Estella and Ethan!I suddenly feel a wave of guilt about hiding the truth from them, even though it's Camilla’s place to come clean.Warm arms pull me into an embrace, bringing me out of my thoughts, and I look down to see Nana hugging me.“My dear child, how have you been?
Ethan's POV“The kids.” I repeat, and a smirk forms on my lips when I see her dazed look.“What?”“The kids, sweetheart.”“Oh! Gosh,did I…” She trails off, and her cheeks turn red at once. I smirk and rub a thumb across her soft lips.“It's okay. I don't think they heard.”“Bu—”I gesture for her to keep quiet. The kitchen turns quiet, and we can now clearly hear the boys voices from the living room.“See? I gave them enough questions to keep them busy.” I grin, and relief washes across her features. “Then let's get this done and continue later, huh?”Avery winks. “You have to be fast, though. I can't wait, honey.”*I watched in horror as my mother tore my paintings apart into pieces as she screamed, her voice piercing through the quietness of the evening.“How many times have I told you to stop painting?” She thundered, making me recoil in shock. My nine year-old mind couldn't fathom the reason for her behavior.“Mum! Why are you behaving like this?” My older sister, Estella, yelled