"You are getting married to Ava " Alexander in a relaxed form lazed over the comfy couch in the study room with an aloof air around him casted a glance at the domineering figure of his grandfather as he said those words.His grandpa was not really a bothering type but then when he pressed on a matter it calls for attention, thou he could tolerates him but then this one time would be an exception." And why would I want to get married to Ava Grandpa?" Alexander asked.The look his grandpa threw his way got him smirking, the old man knows he was deliberately playing ignorance, and the thing is he wasn't actually." I am alive and healthy, the young lady saved me . The only possible way to show gratitude is to get you married to her" His grandfather said while adjusting on his seat."Grandpa, I already told you that I really appreciate the kind gesture of the young lady, and even before you brought up this matter, I already decided the right way to reward her , let's leave it that wa
This is hundred million dollars for saving my grandfather' s life and the arranged marriage will be put to hold in exchange " Alexander reframed his words while confirming his words to the confused Ava.Alexander accessed Ava ' s facial expression from shock, excitement to have hit a jackpot to clear confusion, he knew what was next she would do and then his work here is done......"What do you mean by I should take this hundred million dollars on the condition to cancel the arranged marriage?"Ava inquired .Ava looked down at him as he voiced out his last statement, thou tempted by the money, she also loved this particular man before her which was why she agreed to the arranged marriage when his grandfather had proposed it. Her heart beats crazily for this man and she knew deep within her how much she yearns for him, should she just confess her feelings to him? But then would he even understand her at all?This man was clearly unpredictable and any wrong move might just give her
Alexander breathed out in his car in the middle of road , he could remember how persuasive his grandfather was when he was talking about the arranged marriage, his grandfather means alot to him and he couldn't afford to make him uncomfortable. His phone rang out disrupting the silence maintained in the car, he picked it up and checked who the caller id was. The person was someone he always go to whenever he needs a break from all the heavy loads his head carries to be less burdensome. He picked up and waited for her to speak . Hello Xander, I just got to your house and saw a stranger who calls herself Ava, Linda voice sounded over the phone, her soft voice made him feel relaxed. But did she just say she was at the house? He wasn't really against it but.... Why did you go to the house without informing me? and why didn't you go over to my place instead? Alexander inquired. "What do you mean Xander? I was thinking to surprise you and didn't know you won't be around, and you rarely s
“ Xander, are you getting married? “ Linda puffy eyes, red to the brim with pain and sadness questioned Alexander. Alexander was shocked because he never expected such question from her. His neutral expression rolled in just as he adjusted himself to make her sit up on the bed. “ I am getting married Linda, this is what I can do to make my grandpa happy, Alexander explained to her. Linda broke down again in terrible sobs as she begged Alexander not to get married. “ You can't get married Alexander, what would happen to me now? We have been together for long now and if you were to get married it should be me, just please do something, I can't bear seeing you married to another woman” Her sobbing body clashed with Alexander's rigid one as he coaxed her to stop crying, he hates seeing her sad and if it was within his jurisdiction, he would have listen to her but this was out of his control now. He couldn't back down from the marriage…. Linda eyes dried up as she began to keep calm,
Linda's PlaceLinda sat on the couch in the living room as she came out of the bedroom dressed in a casual wear. Alexander urged her to sit and gave her coffee to drink . He walked towards the center table and picked up the first aid box.Alexander stiff figure attended to her bruised elbow and ankles, he was looking annoyed and reprimanded her.“ Why weren't you careful that you had to slip in the bedroom? What if something had happen and it was more severe? “ I am fine now aren't I? I was just sad about your marriage thing and didn't pay attention to what I was doing, Linda said while sounding sad.Alexander felt guilty, when he came in, he went into the room and saw her sitting down on the cold floor in the bathroom , she was looking pitiful and he was scared. He picked her up and left her in the bedroom to dress up after picking a dress for her.He didn't have the courage to keep scolding her and just attended to her wound.“ Just be more careful, I am not going anywhere okay? Al
“ Where is Ava” Grandpa Pascal strict voice sounded as he questioned Alexander. I had to drop her off , giving her a card to sort herself, a pressing issue came up and I left her hoping to join her , I am just coming back from Fair boutique and didn't see her convinced she would be here already because it late , Alexander explained frankly.You did what???? Granpa Pascal asked fuming in rage, he knew that Alexander wasn't totally into the marriage but he didn't just neglect the young lady….. did he?You left her at the Fair boutique because a pressing issue came up? Did you consider how that would make Ava feel? What pressing issue? Grandpa Pascal blunted.“ Grandpa, Linda fell in the bathroom and I had to rush to her , she suffered some bruises and by the time she slept off , that's was when I remember Ava and rushed back there thou I didn't expect her to still be waiting, Alexander replied.“ You went to Linda when you should be picking out your wedding dress with your fiancee, wha
Ava was rendered speechless because she wasn't even given the time to reply before Linda hung up on her. Her face lost it colour as she recalled what Linda said over the phone.“ Alexander was in the bathroom, she should call back later” Alexander was in the bathroom doing what when she had called his line now thrice and he hadn't stepped out of the bathroom, did he and Linda have sex in his office? Different thoughts rang in her head as she picture different scenario that could have occurred. She paced around her office, on a second thought should she just go over to his office ? Linda was there but Alexander wouldn't like the idea of her coming to the company even if he permitted Linda. With the idea crossed out, she sat back into her chair and decided to just wait and call him back.******Alexander stepped into his office commanding respect with his tensed shoulder showing exhaustion, he rubbed in-between his brows to clear some thoughts and saw the sulking figure of Linda on the
Ava dial Alexander's number for the fifth time since the failed attempt of no one picking, she discovered her line got blocked by him.He blocked her line……..Ava felt anger building inside her as she tried to convince herself he didn't do it intentionally, but then she was sure he was done in the bathroom by now and would have seen her call , he probably didn't save her line either because the question Linda had asked her of who she was ,was enough to conclude.Disappointment was an understatement of how she felt , she felt anger and jealousy, didn't Linda inform him when he came out of the bathroom that she had called him and didn't he see her call or he saw her call and still decided to block her?She felt so little and she knew that Linda would be making fun of her right now, she was clearly stating that she had a upper hand concerning Alexander but then she didn't know who she was, could she and still pretended? All this was just in her head and she was already feeling an headach
Few weeks LaterThe gala hall was alive with the sparkle of luxury, reporters mingling with socialites, all eyes on the glittering figures in the crowd. Ava stood apart, observing the spectacle with a quiet unease. This wasn’t her world. The flashing cameras, the whispers behind delicate fan-shaped hands, the ostentatious displays of wealth—it all felt so foreign to her.But Linda… Linda was in her element.The famous model entered the room like she owned it, every inch of her radiating confidence, her high-end designer dress draped perfectly over her frame. Her presence was magnetic, every movement drawing attention as cameras flashed in her direction. Linda knew how to work the room. She knew how to stay in the headlines, even when she wasn’t trying.Ava watched Linda from the edge of the crowd, her stomach twisting with a mixture of dread and curiosity. Linda was a force—impossible to ignore. But Ava didn’t need to guess what Linda was up to. She could feel it in the air, the way t
The low hum of chatter filled the luxurious lounge of the hotel as Ava entered, her heels clicking sharply against the marble floor. She scanned the room, her gaze locking onto Linda almost instantly. Seated at the center of a small group, Linda exuded confidence, her laughter ringing out like a bell as she entertained her entourage.Ava’s presence didn’t go unnoticed. The moment Linda’s sharp eyes landed on her, the laughter stopped. A flicker of surprise crossed her face, quickly masked by a cool smirk.“Well, if it isn’t Mrs. Pascal,” Linda drawled, rising gracefully from her chair. Her tone was syrupy sweet, but the underlying venom was unmistakable. “To what do I owe this unexpected pleasure?”Ava stepped forward, her chin held high. “We need to talk. Privately.”Linda’s brow arched in mock surprise. “Oh? This sounds serious. Ladies, if you’ll excuse me.” She gestured to her companions, who hesitated before reluctantly dispersing.Once they were alone, Linda’s mask of civility dr
The quiet hum of the bathroom fan was the only sound between them as Alexander emerged from the shower, his movements relaxed but purposeful. Ava, standing by the vanity with the phone still clutched tightly in her hand, barely glanced up as he wrapped a towel around his waist. Her thoughts were a chaotic storm, Linda’s cutting words replaying in her mind like a broken record.Alexander, ever observant, caught the subtle stiffness in her posture. “Everything okay?” he asked, running a hand through his damp hair.Ava forced a neutral expression, slipping his phone onto the counter. “Linda called,” she said simply, her tone clipped.His movements stilled for a fraction of a second before he picked up the phone, his brows furrowing slightly. “What did she want?”“She didn’t say,” Ava replied, crossing her arms over her chest. “Just that it was urgent.”Alexander sighed, placing the phone face down without returning the call. “I’ll deal with it later,” he said, his voice calm but dismissi
Ava was in the middle of tidying up the living room when the sound of a car pulling into the driveway caught her attention. She glanced toward the window, a flicker of surprise crossing her face as she saw Alexander's car parked ahead of schedule. He was early—far earlier than he usually was for their tense dinners. The moment felt different, charged with anticipation. But as she stood there, her heart racing for reasons she couldn’t quite explain, she quickly masked the smile that crept to her lips.It wasn’t like her to feel this way. She'd spent so much time guarding her emotions, building walls between them, but something about tonight felt different. Maybe it was the idea of finally addressing the issues that had been quietly growing between them. Maybe it was the unexpected chance for them to reconnect without the weight of their families hovering over them. Either way, she couldn’t let herself get too hopeful.A moment later, Alexander knocked softly on the door, and without wa
The morning after the storm, Ava woke with a heaviness that had settled deep into her chest. The rain had stopped, but the remnants of the night still lingered—both the storm outside and the one inside her. She lay there, staring at the ceiling, her thoughts a jumble of old emotions and new doubts.Alexander was in the next room, likely still asleep. His presence was a strange comfort, but it also made her question everything she thought she knew about herself. Hadn’t she moved on from him? Hadn’t she convinced herself that she could be happy without him?But seeing him again had opened a door she thought was sealed shut. His apology, his vulnerability—things she had never thought she would hear from him—had cracked her defenses wide open. It wasn’t just the words, though. It was the way he had looked at her. How could she ignore that?Ava sighed, sitting up. She needed space, time to think without him watching her every move. As she moved toward the bathroom, her phone buzzed on the
Ava had spent the past three years building a life she could be proud of, but tonight, she allowed herself a rare indulgence—attending a prestigious charity gala. She moved through the grand ballroom, her emerald gown a stunning contrast to her confident but distant demeanor. The event was a chance to network for her surgery center, but Ava felt uneasy, her nerves stirred by the faint sense that tonight was going to be different.She was in the middle of discussing a new medical partnership when she saw him. Alexander.Her heart skipped a beat. He stood across the room, looking sharper than she remembered. His dark suit hugged his tall frame perfectly, but it was his expression—a mix of regret and longing—that left her breathless. Ava didn’t know if she wanted to turn and leave or march up to him and demand why he was there.Before she could decide, another figure stepped into view. Linda.Ava froze. Linda, Alexander’s first love, was speaking to him, her hand brushing his arm in a wa
Two Months A Lot has happened within those space of timeIt had been three years. Three years of silence. Of searching. Of hoping. Alexander had finally found her—Ava—after all this time. But when he had first reached out, there was no joy, no warmth in her response. Only distance. She had spoken to him, but each word felt like a wall she was putting up between them.The first time he had messaged her, apologizing for everything—what he had done, what he hadn’t done, how he had failed her—she hadn’t responded. Not for days. When she finally did, it was brief.“It’s over, Alexander. We are over.”That had been the first blow. It hurt, more than he had expected, but he couldn’t stop himself. He kept reaching out. He called, he messaged, he wrote letters. Every time, he apologized, hoping for some sign that she was still the woman he knew, that there was still some chance for them.The fifth attempt, she answered with a coldness that stung.“You’ve apologized, but it’s too late. I don’t
Ava had always been strong, resilient even in the hardest moments. But after everything that had happened, she felt like she needed to step away from the chaos, to find her own way without the constant pull of Alexander’s presence.She wasn’t going to tell him. Not yet.She packed a small bag, made arrangements at the hospital to take some time off, and left without a word. Her colleagues didn’t ask where she was going. They knew she had been through a lot. But Alexander? He was the one person she couldn't bring herself to face.The days would be hers to reclaim, to breathe and to heal.Back in the city, Alexander was consumed by work, but his mind kept drifting back to Ava. She had disappeared without a trace. No calls, no messages, nothing.He had been worried at first—more than he cared to admit—but as the silence stretched on, his frustration grew. Why wouldn’t she answer him? Where had she gone?He wasn’t used to being left in the dark, not with her. She had always been so transp
Ava glanced nervously at the clock in the hospital lounge. She hadn’t expected Alexander to come so quickly after their call. Her heart raced as she replayed their brief conversation in her mind. Did she make the right choice, asking him to meet her?The sound of the door creaking open jolted her. Alexander walked in, his presence commanding the small space. He was still dressed in his tailored suit, though his tie was slightly loosened, giving him a more approachable look.Ava stood, clutching her phone. “You didn’t have to come so fast. I know you’re busy.”Alexander crossed the room in a few strides, his gaze soft but intense. “I told you I would always come when you needed me.”She looked away, unsure how to respond. His sincerity both comforted and unsettled her. “I… I just wanted to talk about everything. About us. About Linda.”His jaw tightened slightly at the mention of Linda, but he nodded. “Go ahead. I’m listening.”Ava took a deep breath. “I know there’s a lot we need to s