I woke up somewhat dazed, I had not been able to rest much at night. With everything that had happened to me the day before in the meeting and with how tired I was about the late night and the hangover, anyone would think that I would fall like a block, however, I could not stop dreaming about those intense blue eyes.That man had affected me! Just thinking that from now on, I’d be working alongside Alex made me nervous.But for the moment, I had to put that aside. That day, although I barely believed it myself, my priority was my unfaithful ex-boyfriend, Mike.I had to convince him to pretend we were still together for a few days, and then announce a public breakup. It wouldn’t be easy to explain the reasons behind this lie, but I had to try.I drove to work, knowing my grandfather would already be in his office. He was someone who always left home early to work.I arrived at the company, and as I walked in, I found my friends in what seemed like a meeting, right at the center of the
Efficiently, I began by leaving some reports and summaries on Alex's desk, explaining what each one was about for him to review, then sat down at my own desk.As I picked up the phone, ready to call the front desk to ask if Mike had arrived, Alex stood up from his seat, grabbed the reports and the chair, and settled next to me, behind my desk."What are you doing?" I asked, completely astonished."You need to guide me, and if I have any doubts, it's easier this way," he murmured, not looking at me as he arranged the papers on the table.I turned around, trying to concentrate, trying to ignore him, trying to make sense of what he meant.It was hard for his presence to go unnoticed, especially considering his size, his broad and muscular back, his masculine scent... I shut my eyes tightly. "Ava! Don't listen to him! Ignore it, erase it, forget it. Don't even think about falling in love again, you promised yourself!" I scolded myself mentally.But ignoring Alex was nearly impossible. Ins
The alarm went off, calling me for the start of a new day, I didn't want to get up, for what? That day Mike would uncover the whole truth, would he be able to withstand the humiliation? What was the point?I sighed heavily.What was he going to do? Hide? The best thing was to get this over with, face the shame, and take responsibility. Mike was right, after all. It was my fault this whole mess had started.Reluctantly, I stood up when I heard a knock on my door.“Ava? Are you awake yet?” It was my grandfather.“Yes, is something wrong?” I opened the door to my room.“Sorry to bother you so early, but Alex called me. He insisted that you need to come early today. He explained that he had a setback yesterday and wants to get a head start on work.”“Ah, well, I…”“Could you hurry? You know I like to be early.”“Hey... Sure, sure.”I went to get ready, confused by Alex's attitude. But I didn't even feel like questioning, refuting, or contradicting, at the wrong pace, the best thing was to
Mike kept shouting to be let in, the receptionist, Samanta, who was scared, insisted that he should wait for authorization, those were the orders he had received, the security guards were busy trying to contain the press at the entrance of the company and the workers watched the whole scene, dismayed. How is it that all this has gotten out of control to such an extent?Alex took me by the arm, he was making our way through the people, I could swear that he was blowing smoke from his nose, he was furious.For a moment, Mike turned and watched us push through the crowd. His expression seemed to light up, as if the prey he had longed for had finally arrived. Without hesitation, he pointed at me in front of everyone."YOU! THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!" he roared loudly."What...? What...?" I stammered, trembling, my voice a soft moan as I clutched Alex's jacket."YES! DON'T PLAY INNOCENT! ALL OF THIS IS YOUR FAULT, YOUR FAT, FOOLISH, MANIPULATIVE WOMAN! YOU COULDN'T STAND THE FACT THAT I COULD
Alex was very serious and focused as he drove. We had been on the road for a while since leaving the company, and we remained silent, which gave me a moment to reflect on everything that had happened.Everything had gone better than I expected, but there were still some things I couldn't shake off, and I knew I had to take advantage of the fact that Alex and I were alone to clarify them."Alex..." I caught his attention, and although he responded, he didn’t look at me. "Listen, I know you probably meant well by clearing everything up with the press, and I really appreciate it, but I think you shouldn’t have said I broke up with Mike a few days ago...""Why?" he interrupted, frowning."Because when my grandfather finds out, he’ll be mad at me for not telling him, and...""Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered.""What? What do you mean?" I asked, moving slightly closer to him, as much as my seatbelt allowed."I’ll just tell Mr. Golf that I had to improvise to spare you the public humiliatio
The next day, I went to work as usual. Although I could feel the stares and the murmurs behind me, I refused to let them affect me. I walked through the office with my head held high, full of dignity, as if nothing had happened.When it came to work with Alex, it was hard to concentrate and ignore him, but I did my best, despite all his advances.At the end of the day, as I was gathering my things, ready to go for a run since Alex had already left the office, he walked in with a smile full of mischief and an unsettling aura.I froze, nervous, standing by the desk as I watched the hunter approach me slowly."I think you came today with the intention of motivating me even more, didn’t you, Ava?" he murmured in his deep, seductive voice."Hey?""Yesterday, I told you that it was motivating when a woman made things difficult, right?" he clarified, his smile widening.Did he mean that by ignoring him, I was encouraging him to conquer me? No! That was exactly the opposite of what I wanted!
Ava relates:I arrived at my office and at least Alex was not there, that was a relief, because I felt terrible, although I tried to hide on the way from the company dining room, as soon as I closed the door of the office, I could not take it anymore and I burst into tears.Cecil was very cruel, but he was right. It was totally illogical for Alex to have feelings for me.That night at the bar, perhaps it was planned from the beginning knowing that I was the granddaughter of Chester Golf. And if there was a possibility that it was a chance meeting, surely Alex was with me as a challenge, a bet, or a test, what do I know?I fell apart on my desk, praying that Alex wouldn't show up at any moment.*Alex relates:I was incredibly frustrated. Why would anyone think I was in love with Ava, or even attracted to her? It wasn’t just Ava who didn’t believe it, but also her friends. What was so strange about it? I was a man, and she was a woman, wasn’t I?I walked into the office, knowing Ava wo
Ava relates:I was sitting across from a lawyer, listening intently as he read through the document, while Alex sat next to me.My grandfather had told me he wanted to discuss certain clauses, but no matter how much I insisted, there were several I couldn't change.In short, Alex Grand and I were getting married, and during our marriage, we would co-manage G&G, with 50% authority each, as Co-CEOs—or something like that.The grounds for divorce were the same as any other marriage: infidelity, voluntary abandonment, excesses, cruelty, and serious harm that would make living together impossible.What I couldn't make my grandfather change was the condition that I had to remain married for at least three years unless a divorce arose. Three years seemed like an abuse. It was far too long. And I also had to father an heir.Flashback:"A baby?!" I shouted in confusion."Yes, Ava. I want at least one great-grandchild from you," he said seriously."But how can you ask me for something like that
Ava relates:"Excuse me..." That really irritated me. I mean, how bold could this woman be to ask for my husband's details after all the times I’ve seen her clingy behavior toward him? She might be my personal idol, but when it came to Alex, no one was getting close to him. "What are you after?" I growled."What?" She seemed to notice my sudden change in mood."I mean..." I took a deep breath, trying to control myself. "Since we started this process, I couldn't help but notice the... 'preference' you have for my husband." I explained seriously. "And I can’t help but wonder, what exactly are you trying to do with him?""I'm not trying to do anything, Mrs. Grand. It's just that, both in life and in business, it's easier to get along with gentlemen than with ladies. We women tend to let our emotions and feelings interfere, just like you’re doing now. Men are clearer and more straightforward... Or did Mr. Grand ever suggest that I make any advances?" She responded, somewhat annoyed, under
Ava relates:"I agree, but only with one condition," Alex murmured, a playful glint in his eyes, as he slid the hand that had been caressing my cheek down my arm."Which one?" I asked, feeling a tingle on my skin from his touch."That… even when we’re angry, we can’t let the fun, and the marital affection slip away… It’s terrible to go to bed angry," he said seriously."Huh?" I thought, perplexed, Where does he come up with these things at a time like this?"I think it’s a good option," he said, sounding thoughtful. "If you’re angry with me, that same night, you have to spank me right away, that way you release your anger and I can relax..." he said nonchalantly, shrugging."Ha, ha, ha," I burst out laughing. I couldn’t keep up with my husband’s fantasies. "And what happens if it’s you who’s angry?""We can try it too," he raised an eyebrow mischievously. "We don’t know if you might end up liking the spanking as well, and I promise to be very careful.""Oh!"I felt myself turning red
Ava relates:I was terrified. The small pinpricks in my stomach were becoming more frequent, and with each passing moment, more and more people crowded around me.At first, like at any other event, I greeted everyone warmly, smiling as I accepted their congratulations and being polite. But I was starting to feel overwhelmed. I turned, searching for Alex's support. I knew that if anyone could get me out of there, it was him.But Alex had nowhere to be found.I didn’t know when he had left. I looked around at all the facts surrounding me, but he wasn’t there—neither close nor far.My breathing grew more rapid, my nerves intensifying. I felt like I needed some fresh air.“Excuse me…” I tried to make my way through the crowd, searching for my lifeline, my savior: my husband.I walked a bit, but every so often, people would stop me from continuing with their compliments. I tried to apologize each time, making my way through the stand, still hoping to find Alex.I never saw him. He didn’t a
Alex relates:With Ava’s pregnancy more advanced than we expected the concerns she tried to brush up on were my top priority.And I think the most stressful part of it all was trying to prevent her from getting stressed—if that makes sense. Especially considering how stubborn my wife could be.But I promised to help and support her through this process, so every day I pushed myself harder at work to free her from commitments, avoid pressure, and make her pregnancy easier.The more I tried, though, the more tense and angry she seemed.The fashion show was just days away, and all we needed to do was fine-tune the details. But Ava insisted on handling everything, and well, that led to arguments.As the days passed, Ava became moodier. She seemed like a ticking time bomb ready to explode. Still, her bad attitude wasn’t going to change my mind, she needed to focus on the baby, take care of herself during her pregnancy, and work had to be secondary.I know I had told her she could keep work
Ava relates:Alex was happy, there was no doubt about it, and although at first, I didn’t want to be pregnant, I could feel his excitement was contagious, spreading all the way to my heart. I started smiling at the news of my pregnancy.Was I scared? Without a doubt, I was filled with panic, but Alex’s words and support gave me a shift in perspective, and I began to see my pregnancy in a different light.A small hope blossomed inside me.Alex wanted to go to the doctor the next day; he was clearly eager, but I had to insist that I already had an appointment scheduled for a few days later. Since we were both swamped with work, he had no choice but to hold off.The following day, we went to work as usual, and even though Alex wanted to shout the news of the new family member to the world, I had to convince him that it was best to wait until a doctor confirmed it.He didn’t want to understand that home pregnancy tests could be inaccurate, but he eventually agreed, though he almost let it
Alex reports:Ava stood there, lost in thought, her head bowed. Slowly, she moved her hand to her stomach."So, Ava!" I shouted, my voice filled with anger. "Tell me the truth! You don’t want to have a child with me?!" I raised my voice, causing her to flinch."Do I want it?" she whispered, not looking at me. "I don’t know yet, I wouldn’t know how to tell you.""After three years together and having our twins, you still don’t know? At this point... You can’t even find the courage to tell me?" I saw the pain in her eyes, and I felt my blood boil with rage. I didn’t want to say anything more, so I stormed out of the bathroom and went straight to our closet, grabbed the first t-shirt I could find, threw on a sweater, put on some sneakers, and started getting dressed."What are you doing? Where are you going?" she asked, barely able to process what was happening as I quickly put on my clothes."I need to take a drive," I grunted, brushing past her to leave.I drove aimlessly, not really k
Ava relates:I had been feeling a bit unwell lately, but it was mostly after taking my reliable birth control, which had been causing me nausea. I thought maybe the brand of the pill wasn’t sitting well with me, so I should switch it. I silently hoped that was the case and that it wasn’t something else.Given the situation, which was starting to irritate me, I decided to pay a quick visit to my doctor.However, when I arrived at the office, I found out that my doctor was unavailable due to a personal emergency, and they wouldn’t let me see another doctor. The receptionist, rather snobby, informed me that I needed to make an appointment with the same doctor who had been treating me.A bit annoyed, I scheduled the appointment, which was for a couple of days later. It was frustrating. I left the office grumbling and drove back home.However, a bad feeling lingered. I felt like there was something more to my nausea than just the pills, and I couldn’t wait another day to find out.So, on m
Ava relates:We left for the company very early, of course, Alex accompanied me.That day was very important for me and for G&G, as a prominent designer and investor had submitted a proposal to launch her new clothing line with our company, thanks to the great success of our recent collections.It was a fantastic opportunity. If we could secure that project, we would have half the work done for the next season, and our company would gain more prestige in the fashion world, positioning itself as one of the leading companies in the industry.Now that I held the position of CEO, I couldn’t let this gift from life slip away, not when I wanted to prove to my grandfather and to everyone how capable I was of running the company.Alex supported me, of course, and accompanied me every step of the way. However, now he held the position of Vice President.Finally, my grandfather had passed the company on to me, and this entire headquarters was in my name. Even though Alex had many commitments wi
Ava relates:I was exhausted and had finally managed to get the twins to sleep. After leaving them in their room, I sat down to finish reviewing all the documents I had pending from the company.As soon as I finished the work I had brought home, I took a shower and climbed into bed, planning to rest for a few minutes since I still had one important task left to do.There was one mission I had to complete later, at a specific hour, after Alex had gone to bed.So, I just lay down, feeling the relief of taking a few minutes to relax in bed. A moment later, Alex walked into the room.He saw me settling in and winked at me with a mischievous smile before practically running to the bathroom.Alex had also brought some work home and had been in his office, checking, and signing papers—not only for the company we ran together, G&G, but also for the many other businesses he owned.Although Alex was supposed to have had a busy day at work as well, with the mischievous look he gave me, he didn’t