CHAPTER ONE

Avery's POV

“I'm sorry Avery," I barely spared my husband… sorry, ex-husband a glance as I brushed past him as I pulled the last language I had out of the apartment we had shared for the past few years as a married couple.

I tuned out his endless ranting and almost laughed mocking at myself as I stepped into the elevator, still ignoring him. I don't know why he was still following and begging me, right after serving me a very messy divorce.

I almost couldn't believe that he had cheated on me until I saw his assistant’s baby bump. She had strutted into my apartment flaunting it to me as she detailed how long their affair had been going on and how stupid and ignorant I had been. She had even paid news outlets to publish their affair.

The elevator dinged and I dragged my luggage bag with me as I walked out of the elevator. Immediately I stepped out, I felt his clammy hands grab my arm and I had to push down the urge to vomit. I wonder how I used to love his hands on me.

“Let go of me," I said coldly, as I wretched my arm away from his slippery grip.

“I swear I'm sorry, I didn't mean to.. It just happened and I couldn't stop it, you know how much I cherish relationships. I would never do this to you when I'm in my right mind, I just want to apologise to you, you know how I feel about illegitimate children. I had no choice,” Theo, my ex-husband, said, looking at me with hopeful eyes. What does he want me to say?

“Sigh… If that's all you have to say about having an affair with your assistant and ruining my reputation then you should let me go, you've been saying the same thing, repeating and rephrasing it, like a broken sound track Theo. I have a flight to catch in half an hour and you know that I can't miss it,” I said, finally saying a word to him.

He was legit pushing all the blame to Pamelia when it was his sperm that fertilised her egg *cue the eye roll*. We both knew that it was over between us, there's no freaking way I'm having anything to do with him, and I couldn't miss my flight for this unproductive conversation that we were having.

“I…”

The ringing of his phone interrupted him and I saw Pamelia, his assistant’s name flash on his phone. The panicked expression he couldn't control, made my heart clench slightly. Don't get me wrong, I don't have any feelings for Theo anymore, but seeing him panicking for a woman that he knew for less than a year hurt a little more than it should.

Seeing him distracted, I quickly grabbed my luggage bag and walked out of the building, heading to where the cab I ordered earlier was parked. I stuffed the luggage bag in the back and climbed into the back seat of the cab and told the cab man to go.

I looked out the window one last time and I seem to like torturing myself, because all I saw, as I looked at the building I had lived in for the last few years, was Theo holding an heavily pregnant Pamelia, in a supportive stance as he led her to his car that was parked on the sidewalks.

We arrived at the airport about thirty minutes later and I boarded a flight back home to North Carolina. Upon arrival, I saw about eight of my father's bodyguards already stationed at the pick up point and I recognized some of them.

“This way Miss Morrison,” Owen, my father's head of bodyguards, gestured towards the luxurious town car that was attracting the attention of the people passing by. Trust my father to want to be the center of attention wherever he goes.

I nodded and followed him, not really having any choice. I watched the buildings and skyscrapers as we drove down to the outskirts of the city, where my father's mansion stood proudly.

Upon reaching the mansion, I was escorted to my wing which was literally like another apartment on its own. As soon as I stepped into my wing with my things, I heard the lock click and I knew immediately that I was locked inside.

I let out a sigh and decided to unpack my things and take a bath. It took me a while to unpack my things and to arrange them in the order I wanted them to be, took a long bath right after and fell asleep at some point.

I was locked in my wing for about three days and I was starting to get irritable, being unable to access the Internet or to leave my room for more than 48 hours was starting to take a toll on me more than I expected. I should already be used to this but I guess taking a break all in the name of getting married has affected me more than I expected.

Just when I thought that I couldn't take it anymore, I heard a knock on my door and knowing that they wouldn't knock on my door with me being locked in, I immediately got up to open the door.

Upon opening the door, I saw Owen standing in front of my room with his usual solemn expression. I raised my brows at him and before I could ask what was going on he informed me that my father was around and wanted me to get dressed and to meet him in the dining room.

I quickly took a shower and put on a light blue summer dress, pulled my hair up in a ponytail and went to meet him in the dinning.

“Father," I said immediately as I stepped into the dining room. He was sitting at the head of the table like a King and he was eating.

He barely spared me a glance, as he ate his food. I had to remain silent and watch him finish his food, clean his hand and wash his mouth before he replied to me.

“Welcome back," He started, eyeing me with an almost disgusted expression that made me shrink my neck back slightly, “I had warned you about getting married to that fool, but you insisted that you were in love with him. To regain your freedom back, you'd have to obey every single one of my orders, is that copied?”

"Yes sir," I replied, knowing what was in stock for me if I didn't obey his order.

“I'm glad to inform you that you're getting married once again, but this time to the man I choose," He said, grinning slightly with an evil glint sparkling in his eyes.

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