Chapter 5| Paid

Mr. Walton was a short and bald man who sweated a lot and his eyes instantly glimmered with lust when he saw Ava. The first time she saw her in pictures, he knew he had to have her. He is willing to forget the money Charles and Helga owe him in exchange for Ava’s young body.

“Ah, Ava. You are even more breathtaking in person than in photos.” He reached to touch her arm.

Ava stepped back. His physical appearance she did not mind---but there’s something with Mr. Walton that repulsed her. She looked at Helga and was about to plead for mercy but the old man took her arm by force. Ava's efforts were futile. Helga only glared at her and pinched her backside to stay still.

“Come here. You are mine tonight, Ava. I am sure you will love it.” He smiled and his breath stank of cigar and bourbon Ava squirmed.

In her mind, she wished the man she was last night was the real Mr. Walton. Things would have been easier on her part.

Ava sighed painfully as the overwhelming perfume he wore assaulted her nostrils. Just being close to Mr. Walton was hard for her. She flinched and tried to distance herself.

Her very smiling stepmother saw this gesture and pushed her closer to the man. “Thank you, Mr. Walton, for the second chance you gave us. May you enjoy this night.”

He licked his lips before answering, sending shivers to Ava’s spine. “Oh, we will, won’t we, sweet Ava? If you will be nice...there might be more nights of us together. I am not hard to please---”

Ava's blood reached boiling point. “No, please! Don’t do this to me, Aunt Helga! Please!”

Helga's smile faded almost instantly after seeing her refusal, pulled her, and leaned in to whisper in her ear. “What are you doing? I thought we had a clear understanding of your family obligation, Ava? You agreed to this!”

“No, no! I don't want to! There must be another way!” She frantically cried. Manic rising in her. She thought she was okay with it, but after seeing Mr. Walton, she realized she couldn’t. Ava would rather work three jobs than be in bed with the man. “Please, listen to me! I can find another way, Dad! Dad! Help me!”

Hearing her screams, Mr. Walton’s reaction drastically changed. He pulled Ava by her waist and greedily stared at Helga. Her stepmother nodded and Mr. Walton’s men helped their boss to bring Ava to the waiting car.

She trashed and squirmed and called to her father. Some of their neighbors went outside to check what was happening at the Priestly residence but Helga shooed them back repeatedly stating that it’s a family thing and they have no business poking their noses there. One unfazed neighbor came close.

“Ava, are you okay?”

“No, I am not! Please, help me!” His concern gave Ava hope.

“Of course, she is!” Helga interrupted. “Mind your own business! She’s just acting up! Go away!”

Ava saw this as an opportunity to escape but there were two men holding her and her strength was no match for her. She closed her eyes and prayed. “Whoever is listening to me, please help me. I don’t want to do this. Mama, please...”

As if an answer to her prayer, a black car stopped in front of their gate and a very handsome with a smirk on his face got out of the car and was heading their way. Beatriz, who was standing at the main door shrieked.

“That's Matthew Lancaster! What is he doing here?”

Everyone present was clueless as to why he was there. He had three men following him. And his expression was unreadable. Helga approached him.  She could smell a powerful and rich man from miles away and for Beatriz to know the man meant he was someone influential.

“Hi, how can I help you? I’m Helga Priestly. The lady of this house.”

“I’m here for Ava Priestly.” Matthew said straight to the point. His eyes fell on her helpless situation. “What’s going on here?”

Mr. Walton chuckled. “Helga, you double-crossing sl*t. I see what you did here… you sold your stepdaughter to two different men?”

“W-what? No, Mr. Walton. Only to you.” Helga gulped. Fully aware of how messed up that must’ve sounded.

Matthew clenched his jaw upon hearing this statement. “Let her go, sir.”

“They owe me money. She’s with me. She’s mine. Get yourself another wh*re.” Mr. Walton imposed.

Ava was crying, her mind was racing she couldn’t believe what was happening to her. If her stepmother sold her again---she felt so abused and humiliated. An idea dawned on her. She’d run the moment their grasp on her wrist loosened a bit. She’d take Benny and they would run away. Anywhere was better than there.

Matthew’s lips thinned and curled into a bitter smile as he nodded to the other man. “Silas, pay whatever money Ava owed Mr. Walton.” He then turned his attention to the balding man. “You, tell your man to let go of her unless you want to do this the hard way.”

The older man grinned, “Do you know who you are talking to? Oh, boy, you’d regret this day!”

“I’m not going to ask you again,” Matthew Lancaster’s voice was dangerously calm. “Let Ava go and no one gets hurt. She’s mine.”

Ava’s jaw dropped. “What did he just say? I'm his?”

Mr. Walton shook his head in defiance. Helga knew it wasn’t going her way. So, she rushed to Beatriz’s side for safety. “Tell me who that man is, right now.”

“Mom, that’s Matthew Lancaster! You didn’t tell me you sold Ava to him! I could have taken her place! Matthew is the youngest billionaire in the country! You are so unfair!”

“Shut up, I did not sell Ava to him! This must be a miscommunication.”

It happened so fast, Matthew's men were fast, and in one swift motion, Mr. Walton’s men were on the ground and Ava was free. The old man tried to pull Ava by the hair but Matthew caught his hand just in time. Ava hid behind Matthew and then it hit her....

The familiar scent of musk and sandalwood from last night. She could not be mistaken. “You...”

“Mr. Walton, Ava does not owe you any money from now on. You may get your money at The Lancaster Group of Companies’ main office. I don’t want to see you around my future wife ever again.”

“WIFE?!” Ava, Helga and Beatriz said in unison.