AVA’S POV I felt all the blood drain from my body and I felt like jelly as my bones weakened. The room tilted, and it felt like the ground beneath me was being ripped away. My chest tightened, and my breath caught in my throat. What was she saying? She made me lose my child to teach me a lesson? Who does that? I had left Jason for her... I had even served him divorce papers which she somehow knew of so why then did she have to kill my baby? Why...my baby? Tears stung in my eyes threatening to spill. "You…” I couldn’t finish the sentence. I couldn’t even form the words. It felt like a large lump had stuck to my throat making it impossible for me to speak. “Oh yes,” Laura continued, her voice getting colder. “I made sure that ball hit your stomach." She took a step closer, her smile widening with every word. “You should’ve known better than to get in my way.” "So that was the consequence of your action...your baby had to pay the price for you. I am kind-hearted am I not? A
LAURA'S POV I watched the door slam shut behind Ava. The moment she was gone, a slow smile spread across my face. She looked completely broken when she left. She came in thinking she could just take her stupid documents and go, but no. She walked out with something heavy crushing her heart. And I was the one who put it there. I could still see her face in my mind, so pale, so shocked, like she was about to fall. Her hands were shaking, her voice was weak, and she was crying like a baby. Good. That was what she deserved. I had waited too long for this moment. I had spent too much time watching her act as if she belonged in my world like she had a right to be with Jason. She took a lot from me… she took Jason, my position at the company, the life I was supposed to live. But now? I took something from her. Something she could never get back. Her baby. And the best part? She knew I did it. She knew, but she could do nothing about it. Why? Because there was no evidence. It was
AVA'S POV Kevin’s birthday party felt like the last place I should be. I didn’t want to go. I sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the floor, my hands gripping the fabric of my dress. My stomach twisted, a sick feeling rising inside me. The thought of being around people, smiling, pretending everything was fine it felt impossible. Because everything was not fine. I had lost my baby. And I knew who took it from me. Laura. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to push the image of her away, but I couldn’t. Her smirk, her mocking voice, the way she looked at me like she had won… it haunted me every night. She knew what she had done, and she was proud of it. I had told Sally everything. Every single thing after I came back from Jason’s house that day in tears. “She killed my baby,” I whispered, breaking down in her arms. Sally had been furious. She wanted to go after Laura, to tear her apart. But I grabbed her wrist, shaking my head. “No, Sally,” I said firmly, wiping my tears with
AVA'S POV My whole body froze, my fingers clenched so tight around my drink that I thought the glass might shatter. I had told myself I was prepared to see them again someday. But not tonight. Not when Kevin had promised me they wouldn’t be here. Sally noticed them at the same time I did. “What the..." she started, her voice rising in anger. She turned to me, her eyes flashing. “Ava, I swear, I will drag that woman out of here myself.” She was already moving, ready to storm toward Laura, but I caught her arm. “Sally, no,” I said, my voice low but firm. She snapped her head toward me. “Ava, don’t do this. You know I won’t let her stay here. She has no right to be here when she wasn't even invited by Kevin." I swallowed, my throat dry as sandpaper. My whole body was shaking with rage, but I tightened my grip on Sally’s arm. “You promised me,” I reminded her, my voice barely above a whisper. Sally’s jaw clenched, and for a moment, she looked like she might ignore me. B
AVA'S POVThe moment my body hit the water, everything became a blur. Cold. That was the first thing I felt. The shock of it stole the breath from my lungs, and for a second, I couldn’t move. My dress became heavy, dragging me down, and my arms flailed as I fought to stay afloat. I could hear muffled shouting above me, but the water swallowed the sound, making everything feel distant. Then strong arms wrapped around me. I was being pulled upward, my head breaking the surface. I gasped, sucking in the air like I had been drowning for hours. Water dripped from my hair into my eyes, blurring my vision, but I didn’t need to see to know who had saved me. “Got you,” Alex’s voice was close, his grip firm as he pulled me toward the edge of the pool. At the same time, I heard another splash. Through my dazed state, I realized Jason had jumped in, too. But he wasn’t reaching for me. He was pulling Laura out. Of course. Alex lifted me effortlessly, guiding me to the pool’s ed
JASON'S POV I stormed down the hallway, my blood boiling. I couldn’t believe what just happened. Couldn’t believe that Ava had pulled Laura into the pool with her. Laura was pregnant. Pregnant. And Ava still had the heart to do such. I shoved the guest room door open without knocking. Ava was sitting on the bed, wrapped in a towel, her wet hair sticking to her face. Alex stood near her, his arms crossed like he was ready to play hero again. Kevin had dragged Sally out the second I walked in. “What the hell is wrong with you, Ava?” My voice came out sharp, cutting through the tense air. “Laura is pregnant, and you still had to drag her into your mess?” Ava lifted her head slowly, her expression one of surprise. Then, she let out a cold laugh. “My mess?” “Yes, your mess!” I snapped. “You couldn’t just walk away, could you? You had to make a scene like you always do.” Her eyes darkened. “You weren’t there, Jason. You didn’t hear what she said to me.” “I don’t care wha
ALEX'S POV Jason’s words made my blood boil. I had been standing there, trying to stay calm, trying to hold myself back, but the way he was blaming Ava like she was the villain in all this was too much. Laura was the one who had started this. Laura was the one who grabbed Ava first, who pushed and annoyed her until she got the reaction she wanted. But Jason couldn’t see that. He was too blind, too caught up in whatever web of lies Laura had spun around him. And now, after everything Ava had been through, he was here, pointing fingers at her. I clenched my fists tightly my fingers digging deep into my palm. How could he not see it? How could he not realize what was happening? Laura played the victim so well. She cried she acted helpless, and Jason fell for it every time. Meanwhile, Ava...who had already lost so much even her unborn child was standing here, trying to hold herself together while Jason tore her down. It made me sick. It made me furious. I just couldn't st
AVA'S POV The silence after my words felt like a knife cutting through the air. Jason just stood there, frozen, his eyes widened in shock. For the first time since he entered the room, he had nothing to say. No anger. No accusations. Just silence. I should have felt satisfied. I should have felt victorious after finally throwing the truth in his face. But all I felt was pain. My hands were shaking. My heart was pounding. My entire body felt like it was on fire. I had held this in for months. I had swallowed my grief, my anger, my suffering. I had let Jason treat me like I was nothing while he ran to Laura every time she called. I clenched my fists, trying to keep myself together, but the tears came anyway. It was hot, angry, and unstoppable. “You want to know what kind of woman I am, Jason?” My voice cracked as I stepped closer, my whole body trembling. “I’m the kind of woman who cries alone at night, holding my stomach, praying for our baby to be okay.” “The kind of woman wh
JASON'S POV Stacks of paperwork covered my desk, demanding my attention. Contracts, approvals, financial reports – I had barely made a dent in them, yet the day was already slipping away. My head throbbed from lack of sleep, but I forced myself to focus. Ben hadn’t gotten back to me yet concerning what I told him to look into. Even Ava has refused to speak with me. I tapped my pen against the desk, staring at the untouched papers in front of me. I found it impossible to concentrate on work. My mind kept circling back to that one question – the one that had haunted me ever since Laura spat out her bitter words. The thought had consumed me, making sleep a distant memory. I exhaled, shaking my head. "Focus Jason." I needed to focus. Just as I reached for a contract, the door to my office burst open. “Jason!” I looked up, frowning as Laura stormed in. Her blonde hair was perfectly styled as always, but her eyes were wild with panic. I clenched my jaw. “What the hell are yo
AVA'S POV Jason didn’t call again. Days had passed since Sally last informed me about his desperate attempts to reach me, but now… nothing. No messages. No calls. Just silence. I should’ve felt relieved, but instead, a part of me remained cautious. Jason wasn’t the type to back down so easily. He had tried calling me endlessly after the Avaris Luxe opening, and then suddenly, he just gave up. Unlikely. I pushed the thought aside as I scrolled through emails, making a mental note of upcoming meetings. Avaris Luxe had only been officially open in America for a short time, and already, things were moving fast. Faster than I expected. Just then, a soft knock sounded at my door. “Come in,” I called, not looking up. The door opened, and Sally walked in, a small smirk on her face as she clutched her tablet. “You’re going to love this,” she said, sliding into the chair across from me. I leaned back, arching a brow. “That depends. What is it?” She tapped a few times on her s
AVA'S POV After dropping Emma off at school, I wasted no time getting back into the car. The moment I shut the door, I let out a quiet breath, steadying myself. Today was important. My first official day running Avaris Luxe in America. I couldn’t afford to be late, not when I had spent the past three years building myself up for this moment. As the car moved through the streets, I tapped my fingers lightly against my lap. My mind was already racing with everything I had to do meetings, reports, and ensuring everything was running smoothly. But despite all that, a part of me still lingered on what had just happened at Darton School.I hadn’t expected to run into Laura there of all places. But seeing her with that little boy confirmed what I already knew she was still as manipulative as ever. Using her own son to make a statement, to remind me that she still held some power. But she was wrong. I wasn’t the same woman she had once tried to destroy, the same woman she had made lose h
JASON’S POV Laura’s heels clicked loudly against the marble floor as she stormed out of my office. I could see the hurt on her face, but I felt nothing. Once, I might have cared. Once, I might have tried to explain myself, to soften my words, to make her feel better. But not anymore. I had spent years thinking about her feelings – years that had cost me everything. Even when I was married to Ava, Laura had been a shadow in my life, always there, always pushing her way in. And I had let her. I had been too weak to shut her out completely because of the debt I owed her parents, and it had destroyed my marriage. It had cost me Ava. It had cost me my child. Or at least, that’s what I had believed. I ran a hand through my hair, exhaling slowly. Ava had a daughter. The words played in my head over and over again. Laura had said it so bitterly, so smugly, as if she wanted to rip my heart out. "While you were being loyal to a woman who divorced you and left you, she was busy moving
LAURA’S POV The moment I saw her, my blood boiled. Ava. Even her name left a bitter taste in my mouth. Standing there in her perfectly fitted dress, looking calm and collected, as if she hadn’t just humiliated Jason and me in front of the entire city. As if she hadn’t made a spectacle out of us, dragging Jason out like some common criminal while the media had a field day. It had been two days, but the shame still burned inside me. Every news outlet, every social media post – everyone was talking about it. I couldn’t step into a boutique without hearing whispers. Even at the charity luncheon I attended yesterday, some women were still giggling about it, hiding their smirks behind their champagne glasses. But here Ava was, acting like nothing happened. I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palm. I wanted to yell at her, slap her hard to wipe that calm expression off her face, but I wouldn’t embarrass myself in front of all these people. Parents were everywhere, dr
AVA'S POV The morning sun filtered through the curtains, casting a soft glow across the room. Today was a big day. Not just for Emma, but for me too. I returned to America not as an employee, but as the CEO of Avaris Luxe. The power in that title sent a quiet thrill through me. The past three years have transformed me into someone stronger, someone who no longer waited for things to happen but made them happen. But before all that, there was something more important Emma. Her excited giggles filled the room as she bounced on the bed, already wide awake. “Aunt Ava, wake up! It’s my first day of school!” I smiled as I sat up, running my hand through her soft curls. Her big, bright eyes were filled with excitement, her small feet kicking under the covers. “I know, sweetheart,” I said, playfully tugging her nose. “Let’s get you ready, okay?” She nodded eagerly and jumped off the bed, running to the wardrobe. Watching her reminded me of how much had changed. Three years ago, I
JASON'S POV My world stopped, I couldn't breathe as my eyes locked on the woman on the stage. Ava was here. Three years. Three damn years, and now she was standing right in front of me. Not as the woman I once held in my arms, not as the love I lost, but as her. The CEO of Avaris Luxe. The woman who had just taken the entire room’s breath away. I didn’t even hear half of what she said in her speech. My ears were ringing, my head spinning. All I could do was stare at her at the way she carried herself, at the cold confidence in her eyes. I swallowed hard, my grip tightened on my glass. My heart was pounding so loudly that I was sure Laura could hear it. My whole body was focused on the woman standing before me. The applause erupted as she finished her speech, and I barely registered the sound. My vision was locked on her as Alex Grey stepped forward. He smiled at her. He reached out and she took his hand. A muscle ticked in my jaw. Alex leaned in, whispering something in her
LAURA'S POV The atmosphere shifted the moment the lights dimmed. A hush fell over the grand hall, conversations dying as if the entire room had taken a collective breath in anticipation. “Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the CEO of Avaris Luxe.” The announcer’s voice echoed through the vast space, commanding attention. I straightened, my grip tightening around Jason’s arm as my heart pounded with excitement. Finally. The mysterious owner of Avaris Luxe was stepping into the light. The entire world had speculated about the person behind the brand rumors whispered of a secretive, powerful figure, someone untouchable, someone who controlled an empire with nothing but vision and ruthless ambition. I lifted my chin, my posture poised as my eyes locked onto the stage. All around me, I could hear the hushed murmurs, the quiet gasps of anticipation. The spotlight flickered. A poised, confident figure stepped onto the stage. And the air in my lungs vanished. My fingers, still
LAURA’S POV The day had finally arrived. The Avaris Luxe grand opening – the most exclusive event of the year. A night of luxury, power, and influence. I had spent days preparing for this. The moment I would step onto that red carpet beside Jason, the cameras would capture us, and the world would finally see what I had always known – I was Jason Campbell’s future wife. I stood in front of my full-length mirror, adjusting the neckline of my dress. The deep emerald silk draped over my body like liquid, hugging every curve in the most flattering way. It was bold but refined, the kind of dress that demanded attention. Under the lights, the fabric shimmered, exuding power and confidence. Exactly what I wanted. Jason’s suit matched my dress, a detail I had carefully planned. I had picked out everything – his cufflinks, his tie, even the exact shade of fabric. When the designer sent it over, I had fully expected Jason to refuse, to toss it aside as he did with everything I tried to