Ava paced around her room, unable to sleep. glancing at the clock every few minutes. The thought of Ethan not being home yet gnawed at her, though she wasn’t sure why it bothered her so much. She tried to push the thoughts aside, telling herself he was probably fine, but it didn’t help. She was about to lie down when the sound of a car engine drifted through her open window. Rushing over, she peered outside and saw a car pulling up to the house. Her heart leaped, hoping it was Ethan. Ava quickly left her room, her footsteps light but hurried as she moved toward the stairs. She spotted Noah and Liam heading downstairs too and decided to follow them. At the front door, Mr. Collins, the elderly family driver, was helping Ethan, who was clearly drunk. Ethan could barely stand, his body slumping against the older man. "Is he… drunk?" Noah asked, his face etched with confusion. He glanced at Liam, looking for answers. "He never gets drunk. What the hell happened?" Noah and Liam rushe
Ava had been avoiding Ethan all morning. The awkwardness from the night before weighed heavily on her. Every time she thought about waking up in his bed, wrapped in his arms, her cheeks burned with embarrassment. She dressed for work quickly, hoping to slip out of the house unnoticed. But as she reached the dining room, she froze. Ethan, Noah, and Liam were all seated at the table, enjoying breakfast like it was any other day. Ava paused, debating whether she could slip away unnoticed. She took a small step backward, ready to make her escape, but Noah’s voice cut through the air, stopping her in her tracks. "How was your night, cupcake?" he asked, his tone dripping with amusement. His eyes darted to Ethan for a second before landing back on her. Ava swallowed, her back still turned to them. "It was… fine. I slept well," she muttered, feeling her face heat up again. "You meant it was niceeeee…," he teased, dragging out the word for effect, a mischievous grin spreading across hi
Ava stood at the grand entrance of the hotel, taking a deep breath as she straightened her blazer. The guests had started arriving, and she wanted everything to go perfectly. She knew that good reviews from VIPs would boost the hotel’s profile and, ultimately, its success. Beside her, Gabe stood with a warm smile, ready to assist with the check-ins, while a line of staff prepared to handle the luggage.Out of the twenty expected guests, nineteen had already arrived and been taken to their suites. Ava tried not to seem anxious, but she couldn't help glancing towards the door every now and then, hoping the final guest would arrive soon.Just when she was about to give up and return to her office, she heard laughter. Ethan walked in, accompanied by another man, who seemed to be around Ethan’s age, playfully grabbing Ethan’s shoulder, laughing at something he’d said.Ava straightened up, forcing a smile as they approached. Ethan’s presence always had a way of throwing her off balance.“We
Ava walked down the stairs, her black gown fitting her like a glove. The fabric clung to her curves in all the right places, making it seem as though the dress had been custom-made just for her. Ethan stood at the bottom of the staircase, his eyes glued to her. He didn’t try to hide it, either. His gaze moved over her body slowly, lingering on each curve as though he were trying to memorize every inch of her. Ava could feel the heat of his stare, and for a moment, it was as if they were the only two people in the world.Noah stepped out of his room at that moment and gasped dramatically, his mouth falling open. "Is that really you, cupcake?" he exclaimed, rushing toward her. "Can I take you to the gala myself?" he teased, offering his arm to help her down the last step.Ava smiled at him, but her eyes quickly darted back to Ethan. He hadn’t moved. He just kept looking at her, his expression unreadable but intense. There was something about his gaze that made her feel like she was the
Grace! Ava panicked. Grace appeared, her presence immediately unsettling. She gave Sophie a light kiss on both cheeks before turning her attention to Ava. “And who is this?” Grace asked, her eyes narrowing as they flicked over Ava, inspecting her with a thin smile. "This is Emily," Sophie replied, her voice a bit shaky. "She’s Mr. Wilson’s business partner." Ava felt paralyzed. Her breath hitched as the glass of wine in her hand trembled. Grace’s eyes felt like they could see right through her. The heat rising in her face only made her more anxious, and just when she thought she might drop the glass, a familiar hand slipped around her waist. Ethan. His touch was firm, steadying her and making the world around them disappear for a brief moment. “Mrs. Brooks,” Ethan greeted coolly, his tone professional and distant. Grace’s smile didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Mr. Wilson, Thank you for helping the company the other day,” her eyes darting between Ethan and Ava clearly unsettled.
Ava lay on her bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. The image of Ethan and Victoria together from the night before was burned into her mind. She had seen them—standing close, their bodies pressed together as they spoke in hushed tones. Victoria’s hand had been wrapped around his neck, Ava was certain they were making out when she saw them. caught her eyes from across the room. Her chest tightened at the memory, and a rush of jealousy she didn’t want to admit to herself surged through her. "Does Ethan still like her?" Ava wondered, her chest tightening at the thought. "Not that it's any of my business," she muttered aloud with a forced laugh, trying to push the unsettling feelings away. She couldn’t help it; Ethan had always been there for her—steady, reliable, always showing up when she least expected him but most needed him. So why did it hurt seeing him with Victoria? Ava sat up, running her hands through her hair. She stood and moved over to the window, pulling the curtai
Alex leaned back, flashing Ethan a mischievous grin. “Why don’t we head to your yacht? I heard you bought a new one. It’s been ages since we had fun together.”Ava’s heart raced. “Yeah, sure,” she managed, feeling nervous. “I haven’t been on one since I was a teenager.”Ethan remained quiet, his eyes fixed on the road ahead. "Ethan’s always loved the ocean, you know," Alex said, a nostalgic smile tugging at his lips. "Back when we were teens, we used to go out there all the time… until he disappeared."“Disappeared?” Ava repeated, glancing at Ethan. He didn’t respond.As they neared the marina, Alex rolled down the window, inhaling deeply. "Ah, the smell of the water. I’ve missed this."Just then, Gabe appeared with two unfamiliar faces beside him, walking up to their car as they parked. "Mr. Wilson," Gabe said, nodding toward Ethan. "I didn’t expect to see you here."Ethan’s gaze flicked to Gabe, his expression unreadable. "Mr Connor," he greeted coolly.Gabe’s eyes shifted to Ava,
Sophie leaned in close, whispering into Ava's ear. "I heard you and my husband are close at the office. Let’s keep it professional, okay?" She smiled sweetly, but her words felt sharp. Sophie then placed her hand on Ava’s shoulder, pretending to fix a wrinkle on her blouse.Ava barely heard her. She was gripping the yacht’s railing so tightly her knuckles turned white. Her fear of the water was overpowering her ability to respond, and Sophie's words barely registered.Just as Sophie stepped back, Ava thought she might have a chance to move away, but Sophie’s hand shot out, shoving her hard. Ava instinctively grabbed Sophie’s arm as she tumbled, and both of them fell into the water.Screams filled the air as the models Sophie brought along started shouting. The men came running from inside the yacht. Ethan looked in the direction of the noise and saw Ava struggling in the water, while Sophie was already swimming back toward the yacht.Without thinking, Ethan jumped into the water. He s
“Grace killed him,” Ava said, her voice trembling as she moved closer to Ethan. Ethan’s brows furrowed, his eyes fixed on her. “How sure are you?” he asked, his tone calm but probing. “Because I was there…” Ava whispered, her voice breaking. She swallowed hard, trying to hold back her emotions. “I was… I was there when she pushed him to his death,” she burst out, the tears she had been holding back spilling freely. Ethan moved toward her, pulling her into his arms. “I’m sorry you had to experience that, Princess,” he said softly, as he held her trembling form. Ava couldn’t hold it in any longer. She broke down completely, her legs giving way as she clung to Ethan. “I want her to pay,” she sobbed. “I want justice for my father. All he ever did was love her, and she killed him.” Ethan tightened his hold on her, his hand gently rubbing her back in an attempt to calm her down. He didn’t say anything at first, letting her release the pain she had bottled up for so long. When her
“Ethan… about Grace’s party,” Ava began, standing a few steps away from him. Ethan looked at her, his expression unreadable as his piercing eyes locked onto hers. He didn’t say a word, just waited. Ava took that as her cue to continue. “I know you said you didn’t want to go, but it would mean a lot if you came with me,” she said softly, keeping her voice calm while her eyes pleaded. “It’s… it’s been a long time since I’ve been to my father’s house, and I really don’t want to go alone.” Ethan’s gaze didn’t falter. After a moment, he asked, “Why do you want to go so badly, Ava?” For a brief second, she considered telling him everything. But instead, she answered, “There are things I need to do there,” she murmured. “And… I feel safer when you’re there.” Ethan’s expression softened just slightly, the corners of his lips curling into a faint smile. “No,” he said plainly, turning his back to her with that same faint smile as though the conversation was already over. Ava frow
Ava lay in bed, tossing and turning all night, her mind too restless to let her sleep. The thought of going to her father’s house for Grace’s birthday party—or skipping it altogether—kept running through her mind, refusing to settle. What if that party is my chance? she wondered, recalling that there was a CCTV camera on the balcony of her father’s home office. Maybe it had recorded something from the night that changed everything. The possibility kept her pulse racing. Finally, she glanced at the clock on her nightstand. It was already 5:00 a.m. Ethan should be awake by now, she thought. A small plan began forming in her mind. Maybe if I dress for the gym, I could catch him there and try to convince him to come with me to the party. Ava sat up, quickly slipping into her gym clothes, which hugged her body perfectly. She tiptoed to her bedroom door, peeking out cautiously to see if anyone was in the hallway. It was quiet and still, just how she wanted. Taking a deep breath, she m
Ava hesitated just outside Ethan’s home office, her hand hovering over the door. I don’t know if I should be doing this, she thought, her nerves twisting in her stomach. But finally, she took a deep breath and knocked.After a moment, she opened it and saw Ethan standing by the window, gazing out at the view with a paper in his hand. As she stepped inside, he turned to face her, his eyes following her every move.“The hotel was trying to reach you, but you weren’t picking up,” Ava said, holding up the rumpled card in her hand. “So I brought this for you.”She stepped forward to place the card on his desk, aware of his eyes still locked on hers.“What’s that?” Ethan asked, his voice low and cold, sending a chill through Ava. She forced herself to stay calm.“It’s an invitation,” she replied, trying to steady her voice. “It’s for Grace’s birthday party… she’s hosting it at my father’s house. I was hoping I’d go with you.”Ethan barely glanced at the card before turning back to the paper
Ava was just about to toss the invitation in the trash when the door burst open, causing her to pause, her hand still hovering over the bin. “Don’t you ever–” she began, turning around. But her words caught in her throat when she saw Gabe entering, a smile on his face. “Oops, sorry!” he said, slightly sheepish, “forgot to knock again. I’ll remember next time.” He grinned as he walked toward her. You won’t remember, Ava thought. You’ve never been the type to knock. Gabe noticed the invitation card in her hand and held up his own copy. “Oh, so you got the invite. I was just about to bring you one.” Ava raised an eyebrow. “Why?” she asked, not hiding her curiosity. “It’s an important event for the company,” he replied as he took a seat across from her. “Besides, Grace is the chairwoman. Everyone’s invited.” Ava held back a frown. “But you never…” she trailed off, lowering her voice. “You’ve never liked her much. Why are you so eager to go to her birthday party?” She murmured, hal
Good morning,” Ava mumbled as she stepped through the front door, hoping to make her exit quick.“Good morning, cupcake,” Noah replied, glancing up with a grin. “You look so… sexy today.”A loud, deliberate throat-clearing echoed from across the room, causing Noah to shift his gaze and quickly change the subject. “Uh… so, where are you off to this morning without even having breakfast?” he asked, motioning to the untouched food on the table.“I’m not hungry,” Ava replied, her voice slightly tense. “I’ll probably just eat at the office.” She felt Ethan’s eyes on her, but she kept her gaze firmly down, not daring to look up.“Ethan’s almost done with breakfast. Wait for him, and he’ll drive you to work,” Noah suggested casually.“No!” Ava blurted out, louder than she intended. She quickly cleared her throat. “I mean… no, Ethan doesn’t like being disturbed. Besides, I… I prefer taking a taxi.”Noah gave her a look. “Since when? You’ve never taken a taxi to work before,” he said, his brow
Ava's POV Ethan’s mouth covers mine before I can even think, his kiss fierce and overwhelming. I gasp, but my hands find their way into his hair, holding him close as the intensity of his kiss sinks into me. Every inch of my skin feels on fire, especially when his hands glide down my back, gripping me like he’s frustrated with the space between us. Suddenly, His arms encircle my waist and he lifts me, carrying me over to the kitchen counter and holding me against his chest. My heart pounds so fast it’s almost painful, and my hands are grabbing onto whatever they can, desperate for stability. His lips leave mine, trailing slowly along the corner of my mouth and down to my collarbone. The heat of his touch spreads down my neck, and when he finally reaches it, I can’t help the quiet moan that escapes my lips. It’s like he’s listening to every sound I make, and I feel him smile, taking it as encouragement to keep going. His teeth playfully nip at my neck, making me shiver and
Ava pushed open the front door, stepping into a dark, silent room. Why is it dark everywhere? she wondered, feeling the unsettling quiet around her.“Do you still like him?”,” Ethan’s voice echoed from somewhere in the darkness, low and unexpected.“Ava jumped, startled. “Oh, my—Ethan! You scared me. Why are you sitting here in the dark?”.She fumbled for the light switch. “Alexis, lights on,” she called out to the AI, and instantly, the lights brightened, and there was Ethan, sitting on the couch, staring at her, his expression unreadable.“What?” Ava asked, noticing his intense stare.“Do you still like him?” Ethan asked again, his voice now colder, sharper.“Who?” Ava asked, her brow furrowing.“Gabe. I saw the way you smiled when he touched you,” Ethan said, his gaze darkening.Ava hesitated for a moment, feeling the tension in his words. “What if I do? Gabe is not as bad as you think,” she said, narrowing her eyes. At least he’s not leading me on… or making me feel confused all
Ava's POV I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Why does the thought of Ethan kissing Victoria bother me so much? I asked myself, rubbing my temples. I’m not anything to him, am I?But then, my thoughts drifted back to the park. He kissed me too. My fingers brushed over my lips, remembering that soft peck. But it was just a quick kiss. A peck, I told myself, shaking my head. "Ugh, stop overthinking it," I mumbled, tapping my forehead lightly.Just then, a soft noise interrupted my thoughts. “Hmm…mmm…mmm.”I jumped in my chair, startled. “Ethan?!” I blurted out, wide-eyed as I saw him standing in the doorway.Oh no, it’s Ethan, I thought, my heart racing. Why is he here? I’d been avoiding him for over a week now, and suddenly, there he was.“What’s wrong, princess?” Ethan asked, a smirk playing on his lips as he walked toward my desk. “N-Nothing,” I stammered. “What are you doing here?” I asked.“I work here too,” Ethan said smoothly, pulling out a chair and sitting across from me.I