Hi guys,
I noticed I made a mistake in naming. There are two Ava in this book. To avoid confusion, I’m changing the Ava that disrupt Leonard engagement to Ivy. I hope you continue reading as I update daily. I promise you guys a daily update, with more intriguing chapters to come. Thanks for reading, and please, don’t forget to VOTE, COMMENT, and SHARE to your friends. Love Rukky.“Mom, Jane rushed into her mother's waiting arms. “Oh, my darling.” Evelyn hugged her daughter affectionately. “I’ve missed you, mom.” Jane's soft voice sounded. Evelyn chuckled. “In a week, you will be a married woman. Your husband's house would be yours, you have to get used to it. “Alright, mum.” She mumbled. “Where are Dad and Desmond? Jane gazed into the dining hall, and, seeing her brother and father were nowhere to be seen, I thought you invited me for a family dinner.” “They will be back soon. Your dad called me just now, he said there is a traffic jam.” Work has been hectic for some days now, they are always coming back late. Sometimes, Desmond won’t come back at all. Evelyn complained. “That reminds me, Mum, I need your help in persuading Dad to let me work at his company. I’ve been idle enough.” Jane complained. Evelyn's expression turned thoughtful. “Ah, Jane, I've been thinking about that too. Your father would be delighted to have you on board, but you know how he
As Jane walked out, she was greeted by Leonard's warm smile and piercing eyes. He looked dashing in his tailored suit, his hair perfectly styled. “Hey, beautiful,” he said, offering his arm. Jane's heart skipped a beat, looking at the dashing man in front of her, feeling a rush of excitement. “I didn't expect you to pick me up,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper as she walked into his embrace. Leonard chuckled. “I wanted to surprise you. Besides, I missed you.” Jane's cheeks flushed as he led her to his car. As they drove away, Evelyn watched from the window, a smile on her face. “Please keep her happy, Leonard,” she whispered to herself. The drive was filled with easy conversation, Leonard asking about her day and Jane sharing stories about her family dinner. When they arrived at their home, Leonard hugged her waist as they walked in. “Welcome sir, welcome ma’am.” The butler greeted them as they nodded towards him, walking into the elevator. Thirty minut
The phone rang, piercing the serene atmosphere. Leonard sighed, reluctantly releasing Jane from his embrace. “I'll get it,” he said, walking to the nightstand, and picking up his phone. Jane watched as he answered, his expression changing from relaxed to formal. She walked back to the bed, and lay down, covering herself with the blanket, as she stared at her man's gracious figure in his pajamas. “Mother,” he said, his tone respectful, watching as Jane lay down on the bed. Jane's curiosity piqued. Seeing her curiosity, he walked to the bed, climbed in, and drew her into his embrace, making her rest her head on his chest. “Hello, dear,” Leonard's mother's voice chimed through the phone. “I hope I'm not interrupting anything.” “No, Mother. What's up?” Leonard replied, caressing Jane’s silky brown hair. “I was thinking, Jane should meet with the wedding planner tomorrow. We need to finalize the wedding details,” she said. Jane's heart skipped a beat. The wedding. “Of cour
Ivy’s presence sparked unease in Jane's chest. She hadn't expected to encounter her here. “Jane, you are finally here.” Lisa hugged Jane affectionately. “I miss you.” Jane hugged her back. “I miss you too dear.” They giggled as they released each other. Ivy's face burned with their intimacy. She had known Lisa since they were kids. She knew Lisa didn’t like associating with too many people. As the heiress of the Banks family, Lisa was a spoiled brat. She had made sure Lisa didn’t associate with the girls in their social circles. Her relationship with Jane puzzled her. She promised herself to destroy this relationship. “Aunt, you are here.” She greeted Catherine. “Don’t be angry I came uninvited, I was bored at home, and when Lisa told me she wanted to go shopping with you, I decided to come with her, to kill boredom.” She hugged Catherine's arm, acting coquettish. “No Ivy, why would I be angry? You are also like a daughter to me. I watch you grow. I would love having you shop w
The room fell silent. All eyes turned to Ivy. Catherine's face darkened. “Ivy, is this true?” Though Catherine knew Ivy didn’t like Jane due to her connection with Leonard, the man she loved, she didn’t expect her to stoop this low, just to make them hate Jane. Ivy's face reddened, her eyes flashing with defiance. “Of course not, Aunty! This is ridiculous. The salesperson must be mistaken,” Ivy spat, her voice dripping with venom. The salesperson was shocked at Ivy's shamelessness. “But you told me… “Shut up.” Ivy glared at her, making the small girl shaken. “And even if it were true, which it's not, you'd still defend Jane, wouldn't you? You're blind to her manipulations,” Ivy snarled at Catherine, her gaze shifting to Jane. “You think you've won, but this isn't over. You'll pay for stealing Leonard from me.” “Ivy!” Lisa angrily shouted her name. “Just shut up already. Aren’t you ashamed of yourself? My brother has made it clear several times that he doesn’t and would nev
“That’s all for today's schedule sir.” Rachel looked up from the tab in her hand and handed some documents to Leonard. Leonard took the documents from Rachel, scanning them briefly before nodding. “Thank you, Rachel. You've been invaluable today.” Rachel smiled, gathering her belongings. “It's my pleasure, sir. Shall I schedule the meeting with the Lockwood representatives for tomorrow?” Leonard nodded. “Yes, please do. And make sure to include Desmond in the meeting. I want his input on the merger.” Rachel's eyes flickered with curiosity, but she remained professional. “Consider it done, sir.” As Rachel exited the office, Leonard's gaze drifted to the photo on his desk. Jane, with her bright smile and sparkling eyes, was his rock. He couldn't wait to see her after work. Just then, his phone buzzed. Eric's name flashed on the screen. “Hey, Len! I've got some intel on Ivy and Gavin, your cousin. Eric said, his voice low and serious. Leonard rests his back on his executi
Leonard's arms enveloped Jane, holding her close as he inhaled the sweet scent of her skin, now freshly cleansed from her bath. The stress of the day melted away, replaced by a sense of calm and comfort. “Are you okay?” Leonard's voice was laced with concern. Jane was surprised by the urgency in his voice. After understanding he might have been filled in on what happened today, she felt touched by his care and concern for her. Jane's surprise turned to warmth as she wrapped her arms around him. She chuckled as she said, “I’m in front of you breathing fine, of course, I’m okay. Leonard's beating heart calmed down seeing she could still joke after everything. “At least she is fine.” He reassured himself. Leonard's grip tightened, his face buried in her hair. Her fragrance, a subtle blend of vanilla and sweetness, soothed his frazzled nerves. As Leonard held her close, Jane felt his tension ease, his chest rising and falling with deeper breaths. His relief was palpable, and she
Leonard immediately stopped, his eyes locking onto hers, filled with concern. “What's wrong?” Jane's cheeks flushed. “I...I'm not ready for this.” Leonard nodded, his expression understanding. “It's okay, Jane. We don't have to rush. Whether we do it now or later, that doesn’t change you are mine.” He chuckled, making Jane who was feeling guilty relax a bit. He gently pulled the towel back over her body, covering her. Jane's hands remained wrapped around his neck, securing his gaze from roaming about her body as her fingers traced the curve of his jaw. “I'm sorry,” she whispered. Leonard's smile was soft. “No apologies needed, Jane. We'll take it slow.” He leaned in, his lips brushing against her forehead in a gentle kiss. “We'll take the step whenever you are ready,” he whispered. Jane's tension eased, replaced by gratitude. She felt safe with Leonard and trusted him. “Thank you,” she whispered. Leonard's eyes crinkled at the corners as he smiled. “For what?” “For unde
Teddy groans in pain as Leonard continues hitting him. He wanted to push him away and retaliate, but Leonard didn’t give him the chance.Jane rushed out of the car immediately after she got back her strength. She circled the car and ran towards Leonard. Although she enjoyed how Leonard was teaching Teddy a lesson, she couldn’t stand and watch Leonard kill someone.“Leonard, that’s enough!” Jane yelled at the top of her voice, but it seems like Leonard didn’t hear her at all. He continued his assault on Teddy, whose face was already swollen, with blood trickling down the corner of his mouth.As Jane saw that Leonard wasn’t ready to listen to her, she stepped forward and held his fist which was raised in the air to punch Teddy. “Leonard, that’s okay. You can’t continue hitting him like that.” Jane shook her head at Leonard when she realised that she had his attention. Leonard shut his eyes, trying to control the anger that was still brewing inside of him.“Are you feeling sorry for him
On the highway.“Hmm,” Jane squinted her eyes as she moaned in pain due to how uncomfortable she was feeling. She didn’t know where she was as her brain was yet to register what’s going on.“Dear ex-wife, you are awake.” Teddy voices out behind the wheels immediately he hears Jane’s painful moan. It was then it dawned on Jane that she had been kidnapped. She didn’t know what happened to her earlier that made her lose consciousness. She also noticed that she was in a moving car. She was resting her back on the car backrest with her hands tied behind her.The first thing she did was to check her surroundings. She noticed the car was going downtown, almost making its way out of Manhattan.“Teddy, where the hell are you taking me?” Jane said calmly, not wanting to give her abductor the impression of being scared. She prayed in her mind that someone should have notice her disappearance by now. She regretted why she didn’t call Leonard earlier and inform him about Teddy, who mysteriously b
Lily was the first to notice Jane’s disappearance. The moment she walk out of the company, her gaze subconsciously went to the parking lot, where she saw Jane’s waterproof laptop bag she had helped her pack earlier, lying on the floor without Jane’s presence.She looked around, but she couldn’t find Jane. Her mind went abuzz, dreading the worst thing that might have happened to her boss. “Mrs. Bank? Jane! Where are you?” Lily's voice echoed all over the parking lot, but there was no sign of Jane. It was like she had disappeared from the surface of the earth. Just when she was about to pull out her phone to inform Leonard what just happened, James pulled over in front of her.“Where is Mrs. Bank? Is she still inside?” James asked as he walked up to Lily, whose body was shaking with dread. “I don’t know where she is. She was waiting for you as always. I just went inside to get something, but I couldn't find her. I only saw this bag laying on the floor. I think she might have been kid
“Jane, are you alright?” Lily asked immediately after she closed Jane’s office door behind them. She had felt how Jane’s mood had fluctuated the moment the new business partner was introduced. Jane had left the conference room immediately after the meeting ended.Jane walked to her desk in a daze. How she had made it back to her office, she can’t say. She was still in shock after seeing that person. According to her brother, he would become a partner with their company, not only that, Jane would also be attending any of their business dealings.“Jane?” Lily had never seen Jane so lost before. She had called her name thrice after she sat down, but it seems like Jane was in her own world. She didn’t seem to hear her.“What’s wrong with you, Jane? Are you sure you are okay?” Lily was worried about her boss. She felt helpless for not being able to know what was wrong with Jane. With all Lily’s questions, Jane didn’t seem to hear her.“I think I would have to call Mr. Bank and tell me wha
A month later.“Jane, it’s almost time for the annual meeting.” Lily, who was carrying some files in her arms, walked into Jane’s office, closing the door behind her.Jane raised her head up from her laptop for a brief second to glance at Lily, before continuing what she was doing. She saw that she still had almost twenty minutes before the meeting started.“I’m almost done with balancing this account. Let me round up, and we are good to go.” Jane’s fingers ran across the keyboard of her laptop with a fast pace, which was almost invisible to the eyes.Lily walked forward and dropped the files in her arms on Jane’s table, watching her boss with admiration. Jane could feel lily’s hot gaze on her body without even raising her head.“Did you have something to say?” Jane didn’t stop what she was doing as she questioned Lily. For the past few weeks she had been working with Lily, she found her to be a sweet girl. It was almost like the shaky and timid girl she met the first day she resumed
As Jane stepped out of the elevator with Lily trailing behind her, someone called onto her.“Jane!” Hurried footsteps sounded behind her. As she turned around, she was greeted with the smiling face of her brother, Desmond.“Hey brother, how are you?” Jane greeted Desmond, who was studying her. Jane signaled for Lily to leave. She was only there to direct her to the conference room since it was her first time being here.“I’m good, Jane. I don’t need to ask how you are doing. It seems like my brother-in-law took very good care of you during your honeymoon. Look at how your skin is glowing.” Desmond teased, making Jane blush.“Desmond, stop teasing me. Are you also going for the meeting.” Desmond nodded. “Let’s go, or else we will be late.” Jane said with concern. She doesn’t want to be late for her first meeting.“Alright. Let’s go.” Desmond led the way, while Jane followed behind him. A minute later, they were standing in front of a room that had the tag ‘CONFERENCE ROOM’ boldly writt
“Have we met before?” That was the question Jane asked the moment she saw her assistant's face clearly.Lily finally had the courage to look into Jane’s eyes. Shaking her head, she denied ever meeting Jane before. “No, Mrs. Bank, we have never met before.”Jane threw her thought to the back of her mind, not dwelling on whether she had met her assistant before or not. “What’s the matter with you? Is someone bullying you in the office? Or did I look scary?” Jane asked, not understanding why her assistant wouldn’t even look at her in the face.“No…, no Mrs Bank, no one is bullying me.” Lily stammered as she waved her hands. Looking at the way Lily immediately denied her claims, Jane figured out that her guest might be right. Jane doesn’t know why she felt the urge to protect her assistant. Maybe it was because she saw her past self in her.“Come here.” Jane commanded. Lily rushed forward and stood in front of Jane’s desk. “You don’t need to hide anything from me. You and I will be workin
Two weeks later.A flashy red car pulled in front of the Lockwood Cooperation. The back seat door was immediately opened after the driver rushed forward.“We are here, Mrs. Bank.” James informed Jane the moment he opened the car.A pair of legs clad in black heels stepped out of the car, before Jane’s full body stood tall outside the car, her green eyes covered with her dark sunglasses. Jane was putting on a white pants trouser, with a powdered blue blouse. Her black bag which was one of the gifts Leonard had showered her with during their honeymoon, complimented her heels and sunglasses.“Wow, who is that woman? Is she one of the representatives of the Smith’s Group? She is so beautiful.”“I think she looks familiar. Is she some known celebrity?”As the employees of the Lockwood corporation were making their way inside the building, they couldn’t help stopping for a few seconds to admire Jane, while some of them felt like she looked familiar. With the uproar Jane and Leonard's weddin
Leonard woke up to the bright sunlight seeping through the floor to ceiling window into the room. He squinted his eyes slightly before his vision finally got used to the brightness.Turning to his side, he was greeted by the sight of Jane, who was snuggled on his chest. Her soft breath tickled his naked chest. Her lips were slightly opened as her chest rose and fell to the rhythm of her breathing.Leonard took in Jane’s beautiful features like he couldn’t get enough of her. “Good morning, sunshine!” Leonard whispered into her ear, before moving closer to her as he placed an adoring kiss on her forehead.“Good morning, Hubby. How was your night?” Jane's eyes flew open the moment Leonard's lips left her forehead. She gave him a small smile as her big green eyes stared at him lovingly.Leonard's lips curled up as he returned her smile, before his hand wrapped freely on her waist, drawing her closer to himself. Jane’s eyes were smiling as she watched Leonard, whose head immediately bent