AVA POV“Who is Bella’s father?” Raymond’s question caught me off guard.I forced a small smile, trying to stay calm. “He’s dead,” I said quietly. “Not in the way you think. He’s alive, but to me… he’s as good as dead.”Raymond looked at me, waiting for more. I hesitated before adding, “He’s my first enemy, and he’ll always be my enemy. He’s the reason I never got to feel my parents’ love. The only time I saw them again was when they were dead.”Before Raymond could respond, Bella’s scream cut through the room. We ran inside to find her tossing and turning, caught in a nightmare.I hurried to her side, stroking her hair gently. “Mummy’s here, baby. Relax. It’s okay, I’m here.”Her little body slowly calmed under my touch, and she drifted back to sleep.I sat beside her for a moment, my thoughts lingering on everything I’d just said.*****TWO MONTHS AFTER“Mom, why am I changing my school all of a sudden?” Bella asked, her small voice breaking the silence in the car.I glanced at her
Ava's POVNo, Ava! I screamed internally. I sat down, covering my face with both hands. My chest rose and fell quickly; my legs bounced restlessly against the floor. I was angry, upset, frustrated – so many feelings I couldn't even name. It felt like everything was closing in on me, and I couldn't breathe.I heard Raymond try to say something, but I didn't let him finish. I raised my hand, silencing him without looking his way. I couldn't deal with him right now, not with everything racing through my mind."Marriage?" I muttered, incredulous.Without a word, I grabbed my bag and stormed out of the apartment. I didn't wait for him to explain, apologize, or make excuses. I didn't care; I just wanted to get away.I reached my car, slid into the driver's seat, and drove straight to the apartment Raymond had set up for me when this fake engagement nonsense started. My hands gripped the steering wheel tightly, but I didn't stop; I just kept going.As soon as I got inside, I didn't waste a s
RAYMOND POVI picked up Bella from her boarding school, pulling a few strings to get her out for the weekend. Ava had given her permission, and I wanted this time alone with Bella. She was nearing ten, but her smartness is something else, and it was time she knew about my relationship with her mom, even though I can’t tell her it’s fake and just for 6 months. Ava insisted on telling her about the marriage herself, but definitely not the Fake part.We spent the day hopping from restaurants to parks. She laughed easily at things, her laughter to every one of my jokes is contagious. As we sat on a bench, watching the ducks glide across the pond, I took a deep breath.“Okay Bella girl, what would you think if someone wanted to marry your mom?” I asked, trying to sound casual.She looked up, eyes wide. “I would love that!” she exclaimed. “As long as he’s not a bad guy. Maybe then Mom wouldn’t look so sad when I ask about my dad. And I could tell my friends I have a daddy now.”Her words hi
My heart skipped a beat as soon as our eyes met. I hadn’t expected this. Raymond, not aware of the tension, smiled and casually introduced us. “Ava, this is my cousin, Dr. Samuel. He’s a pediatrician.”I forced a smile, but it felt like a mask. “Nice to meet you,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady, though my pulse was racing.Dr. Samuel’s handshake was firm, and he looked at me for a longer than moment, that looks unnecessary. it made my stomach twist. Had he remembered? Did he know? Ofcourse, he will remember the drama I displayed at the hospital that day, no one might ever break that record…..“Ava, I’ve heard a lot about you,” he finally said something , his voice warm, but there was an undertone to it that I couldn’t quite place.I glanced at Mrs. William, who was watching the exchange closely. Her eyes darted between me and Dr. Samuel, and I couldn’t shake the feeling she could sense something was off. Grandma beamed with pride, happily watching her family reunite, the twi
Raymond’s POVAs I drove to Ava’s house, my mind wouldn’t stop racing. What are you going to say when you get there? a voice asked in my head. Won’t you look foolish?I gripped the wheel tighter, shaking off the thought immediately “No,” I muttered under my breath, refusing to entertain the doubt. I reached over and turned up the radio to drown out the noise in my head.But the universe wasn’t on my side tonight, I guessThe radio presenter’s first words hit me like a slap, it was too straight and direct.“You will look stupid when you keep chasing a woman who doesn’t want you.”“What…No!” I shouted, slamming my palm against the wheel. “Bullshit!” I quickly turned off the radio, my chest tightening.“She’s my first love,” I growled to no one but myself, as if the presenter could hear me.“And she will be my wife soon,….. contract wife” I added but with a low voice with zero confidence I flipped to another station, and this time, a love song played. It was almost mocking, but instea
RAYMOND POVI sat in the meeting, trying to focus, but my mind wasn’t here at all. I couldn’t stop thinking about Ava. She didn’t even bother to call. Well, she doesn’t normally call, and to be honest, I’m scared of calling her first.The manager was talking about some projections or something, but I wasn’t listening. I kept glancing at my phone like it would suddenly light up. Nothing.“Did I overreact?” I muttered, my thoughts flashing back to what happened yesterday.Then I noticed the room had gone quiet. I looked up and realized I had actually said that out loud. All the staff were staring at me. Great. Just great.I waved them off. “Just keep working, I’m fine,” I said.But it’s a lie, I wasn’t fine. I couldn’t sit there anymore. I stood up, grabbed my phone, and left without another word.The moment I got to my office, I started pacing up and down. Should I call her? Could I even do that? I tried to talk myself into it, but my chest felt heavy.I unlocked my phone and hovered o
RAYMOND POV“Do you, Raymond, take Ava to be your wedded wife?” the pastor asked.“Yes, I do,” I said without hesitation.“And do you, Ava, take Raymond as your wedded husband?”“Yes, I do,” she replied softly.Ava looked stunning, she looked incredible—her wedding gown hugged her perfectly, her hair elegantly donebut I reminded myself this was fake—a six-month deal, nothing more.The ceremony passed in a blur, the church packed with unfamiliar faces—businessmen, investors, politicians, socialites, The whole thing felt excessive, thanks to Grandma’s for making everything go this far, despite the fact I pleaded for a low key wedding At the reception, my father stood to give a speech. “As a gift to my son on his wedding day, I present him as the new owner and CEO of Diamond Stars Company!” The applause was deafening, but my eyes went straight to Desmond, my stepbrother, storming out of the hall. His mother clapping with a fake smile on her face, biting her tongues at the same timesSa
AVA POVI couldn't believe what was happening. One minute, I was chatting with Babe, showing the best way to pose for the camera and the next, Raymond was twisting his arm, his eyes blazing with anger."Raymond! Stop! You're hurting him!" I exclaimed, trying to push him away.But he didn't move. His grip on Babe's arm only tightened, his face twisted like that of demon"I was shocked. I had never seen Raymond like this before. He was always so calm and collected, but now he seemed to be on the verge of losing control.Babe was crying out in pain, and I knew I had to do something. I tried to push Raymond again, but he was too strong.Just when I thought things were going to get out of hand, Raymond suddenly released Babe's arm, his chest heaving with anger.The store fell silent, the only sound was Babe's heavy breathing and the stunned murmurs of the other customers.I turned to Babe, helping him to his feet. "Are you okay?" I asked, concern etched on my face.Babe nodded, wincing in
FLASH BACK- 10 YEARS AGO"Raymond needs to come home, William. This isn't right!" Hannah’s - Raymond mom voice echoed through the large living room, out of frustrationMr. William stood firm, arms crossed over his chest. "No, Hannah. He stays abroad until he regains his memory. I won’t risk bringing him back until then."** Hannah exhaled sharply, her hands trembling. "Keeping him away won’t help him remember. He needs to be around familiar faces, familiar places!"William’s eyes darkened. "You don’t understand what’s at stake. If word gets out that my son, the future heir, has memory issues, do you know what that would mean for us? For me?"Hannah’s heart ached at his words. "So this is about your reputation?" she whispered, shaking her head. "Not about Raymond? Not about what’s best for him?"William’s jaw tightened, refusing to answer. A heavy silence stretched between them before Hannah finally spoke again. "I won’t sit back and watch you do this to our son."**One week later,
A MONTH AFTERRAYMOND’S POVHaving a peaceful dinner, something I hadn’t experienced in a long time. The clinking of spoon and plates filled the air, and for here I am, not eating alone or staring at my step mother, there was no tension. Just these two around me, sitting together like a real family and yeah.. This are my fucking family...Bella was excitedly talking about her new school, her tiny voice animated as she shared everything that happened."And guess what, Daddy?" She grinned, rolling her eyes. "I made a new best friend today!"I smiled. "Oh yeah? What’s her name?""Eliza!" she chirped.Ava choked on her water. She coughed dramatically, her eyes widening in pure horror."Eliza?!" she repeated, almost dropping her spoon.Bella nodded proudly. "Yes! She’s so nice. She even shared her lunch with me!"Ava’s face twisted like she had just swallowed something sour. "Eliza? That name is cursed."Bella giggled, her tiny hands covering her mouth. "Mommy, you’re so dramatic!" She tea
AVA’s POVRaymond was the one laying Bella to bed after all the crying. I stood at the doorway, watching him, my heart heavy. I still couldn’t believe he went to get a DNA test. The way he had explained everything that happened ten years ago kept playing in my head. Tears filled my eyes again, even though we had cried the whole day. We were happy and sad at the same time.We both blamed ourselves. Even though I blamed myself more, Raymond still thought it was all his fault. But it was never his fault.Bella had been clinging to him the whole time. She only fell asleep after we had spent hours apologizing to each other and breaking down every side of the story. We never even realized she was behind us, listening to everything. She broke down in tears with us, but at the same time, she was more than happy to learn Raymond was her father. Every few seconds, she would look at him and blush, unable to hide her happiness.“She’s okay now,” Raymond said, pulling me from my deep thoughts.He
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.
“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
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
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
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
“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