Ava pov
Storming outside the house I walked towards the gate filled with rage and overwhelming sadness.
Our gateman immediately opened the gate without asking a question, his face downward while I breezed past him.
Immediately he shut the door. I leaned against the wall, breathing heavily, fresh tears flowing.
Gosh! How did I get here? How could he do this to me? I thought he loved me, thought he cared about me. I thought he cared so much to endure with me. Although I knew within me that he still saw me as the girl his grandma forced him to love, I thought he would grow to love me. We visited the hospital a few times and the doctor kept on reassuring us that everything was okay, and with time we were going to have a baby.
He not only divorced me because of my childlessness, he slept with my best friend. While I cried to Annabel every day about the humiliation I was facing from his mother she was busy fucking my husband. No wonder he kept on sending me on business trips.
No! I can sit here and keep on crying over a lost cause. Annabel is carrying his child, he would never leave her and her baby for me.
I wiped my tears and sucked in any sadness that remained within me. I stood up and called a cab.
The cab came within a few minutes and I entered after telling him my parent's address.
Within a few minutes, we had already gotten there. Coming down from the cab I stood at the hell hole I have lived in since I was a child. My parents had been cruel to me; they only started treating me right after I got married to the Lockwoods. The Lockwoods were millionaires and therefore my marriage to their son brought great fortune and wealth to my parents
I knocked on the door and waited for some time before Miranda opened the door.
“Oh the barren whore is here,” she said as she opened the door and stepped aside for me to enter, glaring at me.
I stood transfigured at the door. First I was called barren, now I am called a barren whore.
“Since when did I become a whore?” I asked myself because from all I can remember I met Derek a virgin and since my marriage with him no one had ever touched me.
Anyways what will I do? They were the only family I had. I decided to ignore my foster mother and stepped inside.
“Good day papa” I greeted and made my way to my room only to be stopped by my younger brother
“And where do you think you are going?” my younger brother.
I titled my head and sucked in my breath “I am going to my room” I replied
He chuckled for a while “Your room? Did your father build a room in this house?” He asked with a touch of sarcasm in his voice.
“Ben, what do you mean? Is this not my house again?can't I come here and be at peace with my family? Well Dad gave-
“Who the hell are you referring to as your father?” My father asked his words piercing through my skin
“But-” I began
“Well if you must know we are not your parents anymore I picked you up from the orphanage where your parents abandoned you and trained you only for you to become useless and shameless. After sleeping with different men you lost your womb and instead of telling him you tied him to your empty self” he shouted his voice filled with rage.
I stared at him, holding my tears within me. Surge of overwhelming pain rushed within my body as tears threatened to flow but I refused to cry. I refused to continue crying and being an object of mockery.
“And who told you I was sleeping with men?” I asked softly, trying as hard as I could not to break down.
“Oh, you think your secret will be kept forever. Well for you the person who gave us this information is under Derek's protection and she is currently carrying her child as you must have noticed from their engagement so if you want to lay your hands on her be ready for Derek's wrath” my mother replied her voice filled with contempt.
Immediately she told me it was Annabel who did this. I started laughing, so hard, shielding the rush of pain I was feeling. Annabel did not only say I was barren she called me a whore!
I watched as they stared at me, their eyebrows furrowed in confusion because everything that had happened today was too funny to be happening. After working my ass off for Derek's company ensuring that his companies stay on top, this was what I got. A divorce and a bad name.
There was a time when Derek had gone into huge debt. He had borrowed money to start up a new business and it had been unprofitable. The banks were on the verge of seizing his properties. I was the one who helped him. I made a deal with the bank and made sure we were able to produce twice our usual revenue to lay the debt. I am the unseen hand to his wealth and name but here I was called alone and dejected. He did not just divorce me, he got my friend pregnant.
“Since you are no longer a Lockwood, we don't find you useful. Sign this and leave” my father said and threw a document at me, it was wrapped in an envelope. I opened the document to see the content.
I stopped breathing, and my body went numb. I think I died and came back within that one minute.
FAMILY ANNULMENT DOCUMENT
OF MRS AVA LOCKWOOD
“What the hell is this father?” I asked in a low voice, as I tried to stabilise my hands that were shaking. Tears filled my eyes.I stared at him in awe and back at the paper. They were disowning me because of my divorce from Derek.
“Can you read? I want you to sign these papers and go. You are no longer part of this family. The papers will tell you the exact name you were bearing before we adopted you. That's your name from now henceforth”
“No, you can't. You can't leave me, not now when I need someone to be on my side. please” I pleaded. The tears I was holding finally dropped.
I knelt before the both of them “Father please, I have nowhere to go to. please ''I pleaded, holding his legs. Even though they had not been good parents to me since they gave birth to my younger brother they were my family. They are all I know. How do I go from here, where will I stay? How will I survive? I don't even have a penny in my account and just kept on using Derek's family account.
Eli, my elder brother walked up to me and kicked me hard. I fell flat on the ground. My senses are numb with pain.
“Now sign those papers and leave for good. We don't need you!” He shouted.
I stared at him, at my parents. For the past five years, I have been their favourite child. So all was just because I got married to Derek.
“Can I stay the night?” I asked with a low pleading voice.
“If you spend one more hour here, I will be forced to slit your throat or poison you. So just sign these papers and leave” he muttered with gritted teeth.
Chills ran down my spine at his threat, he was ready to kill me. My father was ready to kill me, he was ready to get rid of me. What was the need to beg people who wanted me dead?
Without further pleading. I signed the paper, looked at my new name
Ava pierce. I turned towards the door and left without sparing a glance at them. I boarded a cab and went to Derek's house to take my bags and sign the divorce papers. I am going to leave London and never return.
Ava POVBy the time I got to Derek's house, it was already dark. The party had ended and everyone had gone away. Derek and Annabel sat on my favourite couch watching Scandal, my favourite TV series. I remember asking Derek to watch this show with me and he told him no. According to him “He was the CEO of a company and had no time to waste on TV shows”. I always watched it alone.Derek was there sitting on my favourite couch watching my favourite movie with his arms wrapped around my best friend. They were having the life I always dreamt of.Clearing my throat, I moved their attention to me. Immediately Annabel's nostrils flared up as she stood up ready to attack me at any opportunity.“What is she doing here? What are you doing here?” She asked with a curt voice.“I came to sign the divorce letters and pick up my clothes” I replied calmly. If I was to answer her with the emotions I was feeling inside me I would end up doing worse than I imagined.“Well do that and leave” Derek orders
Ava POVI opened my eyes weakly, my eyelid still heavy. I shook my head trying to clear the grogginess. I stared at my environment for a while, white painted room. A beeping machine by the side. I tried to sit up, but my body shook with overwhelming pain.I closed my eyes back trying to remember where I was. Then the memories from earlier on came rushing in together with the tremendous pain.Derek's engagement, my family annulment, Annabel's pregnancy, the accident. The “let me die” came rushing back into my head.I was alive. It meant I did not die, the good Samaritan saved me when I pleaded with him to let me die. It seems people no longer listen to people's last wishes.Anger rushed through me as I felt my skin turn light red. This man would have just made me die.“You are awake,” a masculine voice said, disrupting me from my thoughts. He leaned by the side of the door, his hands tucked in his pocket enhancing his masculine structure. I took in his features; his tall height, broad
Ava's PovSeven Years LaterIt's been seven years since I left London to come to New York with Andrew.Seven years since Tristan was born.Five years since Andrew gifted me a multi-million dollar jewellery company named after me as my birthday gift.Four years since he confessed his feelings for me and even though I had told him I was not ready, he had promised to wait.To wait till I heal the scar Derek and Annabel left behind.These past years had been filled with love, laughter, bliss, and a few tears that flowed from time to time. Meeting Andrew was the best event in my life.He had taken both me and Tristan as his own long before he even told me he loved me. It gave me a glimpse of what it meant to be loved, to be away from toxic people.While I was at Derek's place I thought I had comfort, I mean my husband was a multi-millionaire but meeting Andrew made me realise how wealthy people can be.Andrew was a multi-billionaire, having every type of investment anyone could think of. H
Ava’s POV“I’m sorry” he replies“For someone who is trying to save his company, you sure have a lot of nerves showing up late. Some things just never change” I say to him, and give a sarcastic smile. “Be seated” I add, not giving him a chance to utter a replyI flip through the documents and read each label; financial records, profit-loss sheets, bank statements, just quite invested in watching Derek fail.“It seems like your company has very little chance of survival and putting my money into yours is going to seem futile. So why should I help you?” I ask, looking up from the documents and staring at Derek, waiting for a replyDerek exhales sharply, and I feel a tinge of satisfaction settle in my stomach “Well Ava……“Miss Ava” I interrupt“Miss Ava, I…. I have made some mistakes but this company has a solid foundation and I assure you that with some cash injection being put into my company, it would yield great fruits and can help me get back on the feet. It has a higher chance of s
Ava’s POVAndrew and I head out of the building, and the jet is already there, ready to pick us up. The engines soft hum fills the building, it makes a soothing white noise that made it easy for me to forget the distance that needed to be covered. I sit by the window, watching the clouds stretch beneath us, like a blanket of endless white and blue, Oh how I loved to admire nature. The world down below felt distant in every sense. Andrew sat across from me, flipping through a report on his tablet. His brow furrows lightly, as the project on his tablet caught his full attention.I studied Andrew for a moment, not caring if he catches me staring. His dark hair was falling over his forehead, his sharp jawline taut with concentration. There was something about the way that he could be so immersed in his work, so dedicated that I admired. I knew I liked him, but there was a part of me that had to stay cautious. I knew he cared about me, he always let me know that he did, his words and his
Ava’s POVThe sunlight streamed through the large windows, casting a warm glow across my room. I woke to the familiar sound of Tristan’s excited footsteps padding down the hallway. It was Saturday, and while I was scheduled to go into the office, I knew Tristan loved mornings like this, time spent lounging around before the day really started.I rolled over in bed and grabbed my phone. 7:45 a.m. A little earlier than I’d hoped, but Tristan never really let us sleep in on weekends. I smiled to myself as I heard his voice echo from the kitchen. “Andrew! Can we make pancakes?”His voice was muffled, but I could still hear the excitement in it. I sighed and pulled myself out of bed, slipping on a robe before heading toward the kitchen. As I neared, I could hear Andrew’s deep, easy laugh, followed by the clatter of bowls and utensils.“Alright, alright. But you’re helping,” Andrew said, his voice laced with amusement.I stepped into the kitchen to find Andrew standing at the counter, a bo
Ava’s POVI couldn’t concentrate at work with the messages still popping into my phone, I decide to call it a day and head back home, after all Andrew didn’t want me going to work.The afternoon sun hung lazily in the sky as I drove home, its warm light filtering through the car’s windows. But I barely noticed. My mind had been a whirlpool all day, pulled under by the weight of the text messages I’d received that morning. The words had played on a loop, making it impossible to focus on anything for more than a few minutes at a time."I still love you, Ava. I’ve never stopped."Whoever had sent them wasn’t just some random person. The messages had felt intimate, more personal. Too familiar. Derek? It had to be him. But if it was him, he would have brought up Annabel, wouldn’t he? But Who else would reach out like this, in such a creepy way? But why now? After all these years, why would he decide that he wanted back in my life? And why couldn’t he just say it directly, instead of hiding
Ava’s POVThe silence of the building was getting heavy, and it was in this moment I missed when the cooks and cleaners were around. I knew I would have to speak to Andrew, even if it’s concerning a different topic. I wanted to push the messages from Derek out of my mind, and I knew I couldn’t avoid Andrew forever.Just as I contemplated getting up and checking on him, I heard the creak of the door from his office. I turned my head, expecting him to walk in, but instead, he stood just outside the doorway, his body framed in the dim light of the hallway. His expression was carefully neutral, but I could see the concern in his features. It made my heart sink; I hated that I was the cause of that worry.“Ava?” he said softly, stepping into the living room. “Can we talk?”I took a deep breath, nodding even as my heart raced. “Yeah, of course.”He walked over to the couch and sat down across from me, his body angled slightly toward mine. There was an intensity in his gaze that made me bot
Writer’s POV. The months flew by in a blur of board meetings, late nights, and stolen moments of laughter with Tristan and Andrew. Ava’s life had transformed into something unrecognizable—she had gone from a struggling single mother to one of the most powerful business leaders in the world. Yet, despite her newfound success, Ava remained grounded. Each accomplishment, every milestone, was tethered to a deeper purpose: creating a stable, loving environment for her growing family and proving to herself—and the world—that she could rise above her circumstances.What surprised her most wasn’t the success or the wealth but the unyielding love she had found along the way. Andrew’s unwavering belief in her had been her anchor, a constant reminder that even amidst chaos, she was never alone.---Ava and Andrew’s WeddingThe day dawned bright and warm, sunlight streaming through the tall oak trees that lined the estate’s gardens. A soft breeze carried the scent of roses and lilies, mingling w
Ava's POV.Mrs. Pierce smiled through her tears, her gaze fixed on Tristan with a tenderness that tugged at something deep inside me.As the evening wore on, we sat around the dining table, the air still heavy with unspoken emotions. After dinner, Mrs. Pierce folded her hands on the table, her expression serious.“There’s something else I need to tell you, Ava,” she began, her voice calm but resolute.I raised an eyebrow, bracing myself for yet another revelation. “What is it now?”She glanced at Andrew and Tristan, then back at me. “I’ve kept my distance for years because I didn’t think I had the right to disrupt your life. But I’ve been following your journey, and I’ve wanted to come back sooner than this.”“Following my journey?” I repeated, narrowing my eyes.“Yes,” she said, her voice trembling slightly. “Ava, I wasn’t just trying to rebuild my life after I left you. I…well, I married someone. A man who believed in me and my dreams. Together, we built a life—a very successful one.”I fr
Ava’s POVThe weeks that followed Annabel's arrest were a whirlwind of emotions—relief, anger, and a lingering sense of unease. I couldn’t shake the feeling that she wasn’t entirely gone from our lives, even as the police assured me she would be locked away for a long time.But life had a way of throwing curveballs.One morning, as I sat by the window sipping tea, the nausea that had plagued me for days returned with a vengeance. I barely made it to the bathroom in time. Tristan, ever the observant little boy, knocked on the door.“Mommy, are you okay?” he asked, his voice tinged with worry.“I’m fine, sweetheart,” I replied, forcing a smile when I emerged. “Just a little stomach bug.”But it wasn’t a bug. Deep down, I knew. The signs were unmistakable, and a test later that evening confirmed it.I was pregnant.I stared at the test in my trembling hand, the reality sinking in. Another child. A sibling for Tristan. A symbol of everything I’d fought so hard to protect.As the news settled in,
Annabel’s POVThey all thought they’d won. Ava, Derick, even Andrew—they all got to walk away happy. But what about me? Where was my happy ending? Where was the life I’d envisioned? Derick wasn’t supposed to go back to Ava. He wasn’t supposed to turn his attention to some child. Tristan. That boy had ruined everything.I stared at the grainy photo I’d taken of Tristan at the park last week. His laugh still echoed in my mind, grating against my nerves. Derick doted on him, Ava clung to him, and even Andrew looked at him like he was some precious treasure.It wasn’t fair.If Tristan were gone, maybe things could go back to the way they were supposed to be. Derick would grieve, of course, but I could help him heal. I’d be the one he turned to. The one he leaned on.The plan had been forming in my mind for weeks. It wasn’t impulsive—I wasn’t stupid. I’d spent hours studying their routines, noting every detail. Ava’s work schedule, Derick’s visitation days, and Tristan’s after-school activ
Ava’s POVThe judge’s voice echoed through the courtroom, cutting through the tense silence like a blade.“In the best interest of the child, the court has decided on joint custody. Both parents will share equal responsibility in raising Tristan.”I sat motionless, my fingers gripping the edge of the table. I had prepared myself for this outcome, but hearing the words spoken aloud still sent a chill down my spine. Sharing Tristan with Derick wasn’t what I wanted—but the court had decided, and I had no choice but to accept it.Tristan was my whole world. The idea of someone else, even his biological father, having a say in his life felt like an intrusion. But the judge was right. Tristan deserved both parents in his life. No matter how much I resented the situation, I had to focus on what was best for my son.As the courtroom emptied, Derick approached me. He walked hesitantly, as if unsure of how close he should get. I glanced at Diane, who nodded and took Tristan by the hand, guiding
Derick’s POVThe small park bench felt impossibly narrow as I sat there, nervously gripping the edge. Tristan was perched beside me, his little legs swinging back and forth, not quite reaching the ground. His curious gaze was fixed on me, a mix of innocence and wisdom far beyond his five years.I took a deep breath, unsure how to begin. The truth was, I had no idea how to talk to a child—especially one who looked so much like me, yet felt like a stranger.“Do you like the swings?” I asked, trying to break the ice.He shrugged, clutching the juice box I’d handed him earlier. “They’re okay.”Silence fell between us again, heavy and awkward. Finally, Tristan spoke, his voice quiet but firm. “Why weren’t you there when I was born?”The question hit me like a punch to the gut. I looked at him, my throat tightening. How could I explain something I didn’t even fully understand myself?“I didn’t know about you,” I admitted. “Your mom didn’t tell me until…until she needed help.”His small brow
Annabel's POVThe glow of the city lights spilled through the floor-to-ceiling windows of my apartment, casting shadows across the sleek marble floor. I sank into the plush sofa, glass of wine in hand, as my phone buzzed with yet another update.Tristan seemed fine today. No incidents.Ava’s watcher confronted someone near the school, but they got away.Andrew stopped by Diane’s office this afternoon. He’s definitely keeping her in the loop.I smirked, setting the wine down and scrolling through the messages. It was almost laughable how predictable they all were—Ava, so desperate to appear the perfect mother; Andrew, playing knight in shining armor. And Derick, as always, trying to manage things while keeping me in the dark.Poor, naive Derick. Did he really think I didn’t know everything already? The updates he shared during our hushed conversations were a watered-down version of the truth—carefully curated to make him look like the doting father fighting for his son. But I had my ow
Ava's POV“Did you report it to the school?”“Not yet,” he admitted. “I wasn’t sure if it was anything serious or just a parent lingering, but now…”“Report it,” I said firmly. “And keep an eye out. I want to know if you see him again.”After hanging up, I texted Diane, filling her in on the new development.We need to discuss this tomorrow. I’m doubling Tristan’s security and contacting the school.Her reply came almost immediately. Agreed. This will only work in our favor if we act quickly.I stared at the phone for a moment, my chest tightening with frustration. Diane was right—this could show the court how vigilant I was and how far I’d go to protect Tristan. But deep down, I hated that I even had to do this. I hated that someone was using my son as a pawn.I called the number again my hand clenching the phone tighter. “Did you get anything? A description? A photo?”The watcher hesitated. “Not really. He wore a baseball cap, pulled low, and kept his head down. It was deliberate—li
Ava's POV.The courtroom loomed over me as I stepped out of the car with Diane at my side. Her calm demeanor was reassuring, but my nerves refused to settle. Tristan’s laughter echoed in my mind, a reminder of why I was doing this.“Ready?” Diane asked, her sharp eyes scanning my face.I nodded, clutching the folder of evidence she’d helped me prepare. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”The court had given us a month to prepare for this, and every single day had been a battle. Between balancing Tristan’s needs, meetings with Diane, and keeping myself together, I felt stretched thin. Andrew and Kim had been my rocks during this time. Andrew’s unwavering support and Kim’s relentless encouragement kept me going when I wanted to break.“You’re a good mother, Ava,” Andrew had said the night before, his voice steady. “The court will see that. No one could love Tristan the way you do.”Kim had chimed in during one of our late-night calls, her voice fierce. “You’ve got this. You’re smart, you’re str