Ava's Pov The morning sun filtered through the curtains, casting a warm glow on the room as I hurried to get ready for my first day at Richard’s company. My heart fluttered with a mix of excitement and nerves. I’d insisted on starting at the bottom, as an assistant in the fashion department, despite Richard’s many pleas that I choose something else—anything else. But I was determined to prove that I could stand on my own two feet, even if it meant enduring a few grueling days. Richard knocked softly on the door and stepped inside, dressed in one of his perfectly tailored suits. He looked every bit the powerful CEO he was, but I could see the concern etched on his face. “Are you sure about this?” he asked for what felt like the hundredth time. I glanced at him through the mirror as I finished applying my lipstick. “I’m sure,” I replied firmly. “I need to do this, Richard. I need to prove to myself that I can handle it.” He sighed and moved closer, placing his hands on my should
Ava's Pov I jolted awake, the feel of Richard’s hand gently tapping my leg pulling me from the depths of sleep. My eyes blinked open, struggling to adjust to the dim light of the living room. Richard was leaning over me, his face a mixture of concern and curiosity. “Ava,” he said softly, his voice laced with worry. “Why are you sleeping here? You should be in bed.” I groaned, my body feeling heavy and sluggish. “I must’ve dozed off... I was so tired,” I mumbled, trying to sit up. But the moment I did, a wave of nausea hit me like a freight train. My stomach churned violently, and before I could think, I clamped a hand over my mouth and bolted from the couch. Richard was right behind me as I raced to the nearest bathroom. I barely made it in time, collapsing in front of the toilet as my stomach emptied its contents with brutal force. The sound of my retching filled the small space, and tears sprang to my eyes from the intensity of it. Richard knelt beside me, his hand rubbing soot
Ava's Pov I woke up feeling a familiar queasiness gnawing at my stomach. Before I could even open my eyes fully, the sensation became too much to bear. I threw the covers off and bolted to the bathroom, barely making it in time before everything I had in me came rushing out. As I knelt by the toilet, trying to catch my breath, I heard Richard’s concerned voice behind me. “Ava, what’s going on? Wiping my mouth with the back of my hand, I glanced up at him. “I don’t know… Maybe it’s just something I ate, or… maybe it’s the stress,” I muttered, still feeling the lingering effects of nausea. Richard wasn’t buying it. His brow furrowed, and he crossed his arms, leaning against the bathroom door. “This isn’t just stress. This has been happening too often. I’m not settling for that excuse anymore. I’m booking a doctor’s appointment. We’re going today.” The firmness in his voice took me by surprise. But as much as I wanted to get checked, the thought of missing work made my stomach ch
Ava's Pov As I walked out of the hospital, I couldn’t stop thinking about how this could have happened. Pregnant. Again. My hand instinctively went to the scar from my last miscarriage. That pregnancy wasn’t really mine—I had been reborn into this body, carrying the trauma of being raped. But this child, the one growing inside me now, was different. It was mine and Richard's, conceived in love The thought made my heart ache with fear. Could I handle this? Could I protect this life? Lost in these thoughts, I barely noticed the van screeching to a halt in front of me until three masked men jumped out, surrounding me before I could react. “What do you want?” I asked, my voice trembling. They didn’t answer, only moved in closer. Panic surged through me. Before I could scream, they grabbed me, lifting me off the ground and shoving me into the van. My cries for help were cut off as they sealed my mouth with tape and tied my hands. Inside the van, I struggled against the rop
Richard’s POV The house was a wreck. Or maybe it was just me. I couldn't tell anymore. My head was spinning, my vision blurred, and the stench of whiskey hung in the air, mingling with the stale odor of neglect. Empty bottles littered the floor, remnants of countless nights spent drowning in alcohol, hoping to numb the pain that clawed at my chest. I staggered across the living room, the world tilting with every step. My legs felt like they were made of lead, each movement heavy and unsteady. I reached for the bottle on the coffee table, my hand trembling as I lifted it to my lips. The burn of the whiskey as it slid down my throat was the only thing that felt real anymore, the only thing that reminded me I was still alive. How long had it been? Weeks? Months? Time had lost all meaning. Every day bled into the next, a relentless cycle of emptiness and despair. I’d done everything—called in every favor, dug into every dark corner of the underworld I knew, even begged for help f
Ava’s POV How long had it been? Days? Weeks? Months? Time had lost all meaning in this hellish place. The darkness was absolute, a suffocating blanket that pressed in on me from all sides, erasing the edges of my reality. The only indication that time was passing at all was the faint, muffled clink of the metal tray as food was slid through the slot in the door—once a day, or at least, I thought it was once a day. Even that was uncertain. I sat in the corner of the cold, damp room, my back pressed against the rough concrete wall. My legs were pulled up to my chest, my arms wrapped around my knees as I tried to keep warm. The thin, ragged dress I wore did little to protect me from the chill that seeped through the stone floor. My hair hung in limp, dirty strands around my face, a far cry from the carefully styled locks I once took pride in. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d bathed. The smell of sweat and fear clung to me, mingling with the stale odor of the room, a smell I
Richard's POV Eight months. Eight long, torturous months since I last saw Ava. My mind barely registered the passing days anymore, each one bleeding into the next as the hope of finding her slowly slipped through my fingers. Yet here we were, on the way to a dilapidated car house, following a lead that might finally bring an end to this nightmare. The private detective we hired had finally come through, trailing Han’s every move. It turned out she had been visiting this particular place frequently, always cautious, always looking over her shoulder as if she knew someone might be watching. I felt like a fool for not thinking of it sooner, for not piecing together the clues that were now so glaringly obvious. How many times had I gone over every possible scenario in my head, only to overlook this crucial detail? The car bounced along the uneven road, the worn tires struggling against the gravel. Ava's father, a stoic man whose presence had become a strange comfort du
Ava's POV I heard the chaos outside long before I saw it—shouting, the crack of gunfire, the unmistakable sounds of a battle raging just beyond these walls. My heart pounded in my chest, the rapid thumping almost drowning out the noises. For a moment, I was frozen, unable to move, every muscle tensed with fear. But then I saw it. The door to my dark prison was ajar, left open by someone in their haste to join the fight. This was my chance. I swallowed hard, feeling the weight of my unborn child pressing against my lungs. The pregnancy was making every movement a struggle, but I couldn’t afford to hesitate. I had to move. I had to get out of here. Carefully, I slid out of the small cot I’d been confined to, my legs shaking as I stood. The building was vast, and the hallways stretched endlessly in both directions, dimly lit and ominous. I didn’t know which way led to freedom, but staying here meant certain death. I had to try. I clutched my belly with one hand, the o