AVA’S POVI kept rolling all over the bed, twisting and turning, but no matter what I did, I couldn’t stop thinking about it.Raymond’s lips on mine, that particular moment struck in my brain…The way he held my waist. The way his breath felt warm against my skin. The way my heart practically exploded in my chest.I groaned, grabbing a pillow and smacking it over my face. “Why am I like this?!”But, of course, my brain wasn’t done torturing me, another memory hit me—our first kiss back in high school.It was after he won the Olympic Cup. The whole school was cheering, cameras flashing, and before I even realized what I was doing, I had run up to him and kissed him. Right there. In front of everyone.I found myself smiling like an idiot at the memory.Then I sat up straight. “Nope. Absolutely not. Ava, wake up”I smacked my forehead. “Stop. Thinking. About. It!”But No.., my brain just kept replaying today’s kiss. The way he pulled me close. his lipsI let out a loud scream and hit my
Ava’s POV“I will get every one of you arrested!” the woman yelled again, her voice loud and angry.“Check,” Samuel said calmly.She paused, looked at her phone, and suddenly… smiled. Just like that, all the shouting was gone.Then, to my shock, she walked up to Samuel and ran her hand down his chest. “Thank you, handsome,” she said, her voice soft now.Samuel immediately pushed her hand away.I stared at her, speechless. Was this the same woman who had been screaming like a crazy person a minute ago?I sighed. I never wanted to call Samuel. I told myself I wouldn’t. But that woman refused to let me leave, and Bella’s school kept calling. I had no choice, and Raymond is even not an option, I’m sure that little witch called Vivian might still be with him.The cab driver, on the other hand, was acting like Samuel had just saved his life, thanking him over and over. I couldn’t help but admire how calm Samuel was through it all.Just as I was about to say something, my phone rang again.“
“Just make sure everything is ready before I move in,” Samuel said into the phone, his voice steady.The person on the other end - An interior designer spoke for a moment, and he nodded. “Yeah, I want it exactly how I told you. No surprises.”He ended the call and tossed his phone on the table. Leaning back into the couch, he let out a deep breath. His eyes flickered to his bag.After a pause, he reached for it, his fingers brushing over the zipper before pulling it open. He dug around for a second before his hand wrapped around an envelope.The DNA test he carried out secretly…Samuel pulled it out and stared at the paper inside. He already knew what it said. 99.9% match. Bella was Raymond’s daughter.He scoffed, shaking his head. “So all these years… and she kept this from him?”He ran a hand through his hair, he sat there for a moment, staring at nothing. His fingers twitched. His thoughts were thinking about the whole stuff Without thinking, he pulled a cigarette pack from his po
RAYMOND POV“Looking at myself in the mirror as I tie my wristwatch, I know Vivian is too emotional to play this kind of game with, but I need the good side of her.”I adjust my white shirt, leaving the top button undone, the silver necklace resting against my skin. I don’t usually care about details like this, but tonight, I need everything to be right. As I step out of the closet, I have no plans to say anything to Ava. She’s been keeping to herself lately, and that works for me most tonight. If she’s minding her business, I’ll mind mine.I reach for the door, ready to leave, when I hear soft footsteps behind me. Turning back, I see Ava standing there in oversized pajamas and big fluffy slippers, lazily eating Pringles. She looks at me, chewing slowly, then tilts her head.“Where are you going?” Her voice is casual, but the question catches me off guard.I wasn’t expecting her to ask. She doesn’t always care, so why now? I swallow, trying to come up with an answer. Lying isn’t an op
RAYMOND POVI sat in the hospital room, my leg bouncing as I stared blankly at the white walls. The needle in my arm barely registered—I didn’t even flinch when the doctor drew my blood. My mind was too far gone to care.Ava.How was she going to react when she found out Bella was in the ICU?I could already picture it—the panic in her eyes, the way she’d demand answers no one could give. Bella was everything to her. And now, she was lying in a hospital bed, fighting to stay alive.A deep sigh snapped me back to reality.“All done,” the doctor said in a flat, professional tone. He pulled the needle out and pressed a cotton swab to my arm.I barely acknowledged him.He stared at me for a beat before clicking his tongue. “Wow. No ‘thank you, doctor’? Then He sighed dramatically. “Man, tough crowd.”I looked up at him sharply, frowning. Was this guy serious? That serious Doctor just dropped street slang..He smirked, shaking his head. “Fine, fine. I gotta you now, let's pray it’s a match
AT THE OFFICE RAYMOND POVI sat in my office, barely paying attention to the papers in front of me. My mind was somewhere else, just instructed Daniel to make arrangements for the valentines date with Vivian.Daniel still stood nearby, looking like he was about to lose it.“Valentine….Really…Raymond… the ancient company… we need to focus now,” he said, his voice laced with frustration.I didn’t respond. My eyes drifted to Ava’s desk, the chair she used to sit in.“Just this last time,” I muttered under my breath.Daniel sighed, probably realizing I wasn’t listening. Without another word, he bowed slightly and walked out.As soon as the door shut, I got up and walked to Ava’s desk, running my fingers over the surface.I could still picture her sitting there, and staring at my direction secretly.I could still hear Bella’s laughter echoing in my head, dragging us into her little games. Ava pretends to be annoyed but always gives in.A small smile tugged at my lips.But Then—a suddenly
“Disappeared… this deadbeat… that’s me…God…yes….its ……me.”Raymond sat on the edge of the bed, staring at Bella as she slept. Her little face was still wet with tears, her lips moving slightly as she whispered, “Mom… I’m sorry…” over and over again.His chest tightened. She had cried herself to sleep, not even understanding all Ava words, but she’s just pained seeing her mum lash out badly.He reached out, brushing her messy curls from her forehead. She looked so small, so fragile. And yet, she held so much love for him. More than he probably deserved.His mind kept replaying Ava’s words.“Disappeared when she was forming in my stomach…”He squeezed his eyes shut. No. That couldn’t be true. If it was, then…His heart started pounding as he did the math in his head. Bella is now 9…10, left high school…….the accident night…... That meant—His eyes snapped open.It lined up. The timeline… it fit…...A sharp breath left his lips. His hands curled into fists.Could she really be his daught
AVA POVI collapsed. My legs were shaking like I had no control over them anymore.What did I just hear Samuel say?His words kept ringing in my head, over and over again.“I know Bella is Raymond’s daughter.” I thought that's the shocking words but NoHe just told me more, I mean everything..what I don’t know that happened 10 years ago.Raymond really had an accident. He lost his memory. He was transferred out of the country….Samuel just said all of that All this time, I thought he abandoned me, used and dumb me. I thought he knew and didn’t care. But he didn’t know. My chest tightened, and I felt like I couldn’t breathe, remembering how I never give him a small chance to explain.No. No, this has to be a lie.Everything I thought I knew about the past… it can’t be true. This has to be a mistake.I struggled to breathe, my heart racing so fast it hurt. I looked up at Samuel, and something inside me snapped.“Why didn’t you tell me?” My voice was sharp, my hands curling into fists.
AVA POVRaymond had just left for work. Daniel came to pick him up in that clean-ass Rolls Royce. I watched them from the window, Raymond adjusting his suit jacket like always, straight face, not even looking back. Of course, he didn’t. Why would he?The second the car drove off, I turned and walked straight to the bedroom.I locked the door behind me.Went straight to my bags, pulled it open, and brought out the recorder.My hands shook as I slipped the recorder into the playing. I sat down on the floor, cross-legged, like a kid again. Pressed play.And there it was.My father’s voice.That thick, deep voice that used to make me sit up straight even when I was about to sleep. I couldn’t even focus on the words, those last words he left for me—my mind just grabbed the sound. The tone. The way he used to sound when he’d call my name in the middle of the night just to double-check the front door was locked.I looked at the old picture I picked along with the recorder. My eyes stuck to h
AVA’S POVI wasn’t really having a sound sleep.My eyes were closed, but my mind wasn’t at rest. I kept tossing, turning, opening my eyes every few minutes. The room was quiet, but not the kind of quiet that brings peace. Just the heavy, awkward kind.Then I heard something.A weird sound.At first, I thought it was coming from outside. But then I turned a little and realized it was Raymond.I sat up straight.He was right beside me, but he wasn’t sleeping peacefully. His head kept moving from left to right, his eyebrows were drawn tight, and his lips were mumbling something I couldn’t make out. His whole body looked tense—like he was fighting something in his sleep.A nightmare.I didn’t need anyone to tell me. It was written all over his face.“Raymond?” I said softly, leaning closer.No answer. He just kept moving, sweating, like he was trapped in some dark place and couldn’t find a way out.I didn’t even think. I reached out and touched his arm gently, hoping he’d calm down.“Raym
AVA POVWe were back in the city, heading straight to the family mansion.I was at the backseat, looking at my phone. I stared at Bella’s picture for a long while. My heart tightened. That small smile on her face. I quickly locked the phone and tossed it back into my bag.No distractions. That’s the promise I made to myself.Even back at the hospital when I was treating Raymond, that thought wouldn’t stop coming—I’m the reason this boy ended up like this. If not for me, he wouldn’t have had that stupid accident. He wouldn’t have been unconscious for days.I tried to fight it. Told myself it’s not the time. Promised myself I won’t let any emotion ride me again—not guilt, not love, not even pity.Right now, my focus is on one thing—bringing Mr. Williams and that sweet madam of his down. They will pay for everything they did to me.That is the only emotion I allow in. No love. No pain. No regrets. Just revenge.Finally, we got to the mansion.Raymond stepped out of the car first. His fac
Ava’s POV“Do you really have to do it?” Sandra asked, her brows pulled together in a worried frown as she leaned against the counter, arms crossed.I had just finished explaining the plan—how I was going back to the city with Raymond, but Bella would have to stay back here in England. I could already feel the weight of Sandra’s silence even before she spoke again.“Do you really think this is going to work?” she added, her voice soft but firm. “You should consider the fact that Bella might be angry with you again. You just got her trust back, Ava.”I lowered my eyes for a second, staring at my own fingers as they fidgeted in my lap. I had already thought about that, probably more than Sandra could imagine. But I couldn’t let guilt stop me. Not now.What if… What if one day, Bella looked at me and asked why I didn’t try harder to fix things? What if, by trying to keep her close, I actually ended up hurting her more in the long run? I didn’t want her growing up like me—broken, scared,
AT ENGLANDWe’re finally in England.The moment Bella opened her eyes this morning, she asked, “Are we going to see Daddy today?”I just nodded. I didn’t have the heart to tell her how unsure I felt about it.I didn’t want her to see him like that—hooked up to machines, bandaged, pale… not the strong, playful father she remembered.But I’d promised.And I couldn’t break her heart again.So I helped her brush her hair, buttoned her jacket, and forced a smile even though my chest felt tight.Daniel met us outside the hospital. His face said everything before he even spoke.He looked like he hadn’t slept in days.We walked in silence through the white, quiet hallway. The smell of antiseptic was strong. I hated it…Bella’s small hand gripped mine tightly, and for a second, I wished she would stay that age forever. Unaware of how cruel life could be.When we reached the room, Daniel opened the door gently.Raymond was sitting up on the hospital bed.He looked… different.A white bandage wa
AT NEW YORK CITY“Ava’s POV“So, that’s it?”Miss Lilian and another teacher stood in front of me, a female police officer beside them. They had just explained how my daughter went missing.“We’re doing our best already,” the officer added.I looked at Miss Lilian. She was panting, probably scared. I placed a hand on her shoulder, then turned around. I could feel their eyes on me. Maybe they expected me to grab the teacher’s collar, scream at her to bring back my child. But no. That’s not it.Their explanation was clear. I already knew who to fight.Bella was left alone in her hotel room. The hotel’s CCTV showed her getting into a cab. The police found the driver. He dropped her off at The Diamonds Company.So, the answer to my missing child pointed to just one place.For now, I don’t really want to know why Bella goes there…*************“Mr. John William!” I shouted Raymond Father's full name as I stormed through the hallway.I turned into the living room. Then the dining area.One
Raymond’s POVThe moment I saw her, my breath caught in my throat.Three days. I had been in England for three days, watching her from a distance. Watching her leave the building in the morning and return at night. But now, standing this close, seeing her with my own eyes instead of through a screen or a window—something inside me cracked.She’s lost weight. She looks so lean.That was the first thought that ran through my mind as I stood there, staring at her. Her colour. Her makeup was smudged, her hair messy, as if she hadn’t even cared to fix it before stepping out..The elevator doors started to closing. She hesitated for just a second before turning to walk awayMy body moved before my mind could catch up. I shoved my hand between the closing doors, forcing them back open, and grabbed my phone from the floor. By the time I stepped out, she was already moving fast toward the stairs.I wasn’t about to let her go....I reached out and grabbed her wrist.She stopped.But she didn’t
The taxi driver had just put a cigarette in his mouth when he noticed Bella watching him through the rearview mirror. With a sigh, he hesitated, then pulled it back, shoving it into his pocket instead.Bella barely noticed. She leaned her head against the window, her thoughts far heavier than the smell of smoke, even though she hated it. This night was supposed to be different. She had imagined knocking on the door, seeing her father’s face, feeling the warmth of him again. But instead, she had stood outside for nearly an hour, knocking until her hands ached. No one answered. Not even the maid.The only stroke of luck she had was that the taxi driver who had dropped her off earlier was still there—his car had broken down.That gave her time to think.Her father’s company.It was her last chance.When she told the driver where she wanted to go, he immediately recognized the name. Maybe everyone in the city did. But before agreeing, he demanded double the fare, but they’re finally on th
Ava’s eyes opened slowly. Her head felt a bit heavy, and just as she looked around, She immediately blinked more than twice, trying to understand. This wasn’t her room.She sat up quickly, looking around in confusion. Then she looked down at herself—still in the same clothes from last night. Her heart started racing.She jumped out of the bed and ran out of the bedroom.That was when she saw him.Her next-door neighbor.Sitting at the dining table - shirtless, eating like nothing was wrong.“You’re awake,” he said without even looking at her.Ava’s breathing was unsteady. “Why am I here?” she asked, but she got no response. Then again, “Why am I here? Why am I here?” she raised her voice littleHe finally turned to her and let out a deep sigh.“Your daughter didn’t open the door, and I should have just let you sleep outside…..but” he said. “Maybe… you should try to remember the drama you put on last night.”He raised his hand slightly like he was about to say something even more worse