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
A knock on the door pulled Ava from her sleep. She stirred under the covers, trying to ignore the sound. But then the door creaked open, and she heard Ethan’s familiar voice.“Still sleeping?” he asked as he stepped into the room."It’s Sunday, Ethan," Ava muttered, turning her head to the other side, pulling the blanket over her shoulder, her face half-buried in her pillow."Exactly why you should get up now," Ethan replied with a knowing smile.Ava groaned, rolling over just enough to peek at him. “Get up for what?” she asked, her voice still thick with sleep."Get dressed and meet me in the gym," Ethan said, already heading toward the door.Ava slumped back into the bed. "“I’ll exercise later… after I’ve had more sleep.” she mumbled, attempting to go back to sleep.Ethan paused, turning toward her with a mischievous look. "You’re not skipping this one, princess. Or do you want me to come carry you out of bed?" He took a playful step toward her.Ava shot up instantly, wide awake now
They stood there in silence, Ethan holding Ava close as her sobs finally slowed. He didn’t say anything, just gently stroked her back while she cried. When her tears subsided, Ava sniffled and pulled back slightly, wiping her face with the back of her hand, embarrassed.“I never thought Sophie would… do something like that. We were friends,” Ava said, her voice shaky, still trying to make sense of everything.“Shh… it’s okay,” Ethan whispered, his voice calm and reassuring. “I’m here now.” His hand rested on her shoulder.Ava nodded, her breathing still uneven, but she was calming down. Her eyes were red from crying, and she felt embarrassed for breaking down in front of him. She glanced up at Ethan, unsure of what to say next.“Thanks,” she whispered, barely loud enough to be heard. She quickly bend her head, hoping to hide her flushed cheeks.“It’s nothing, princess,” Ethan said with a soft smile, brushing a stray strand of hair from her face and tucking it behind her ear. His teas
Ava stepped out of her room and headed toward the dining area. She found Alex at the table, eagerly shoving food into his mouth. “Where’s Ethan?” she asked, glancing around.“I’m here,” a voice called from behind her. Ava turned to see Ethan, freshly dressed in a crisp shirt and jeans, looking effortlessly handsome as always.“You’re not the one going on a date. Why are you dressed like that?” Alex teased, pausing his meal to shoot Ethan a playful look.“I promised to take you around town ,” Ethan replied with a smirk. “But since you’ve got something special planned, I thought I’d tag along.”“Can’t I take Ava out alone for once?” Alex asked, putting on his best puppy-dog face. “Just me and her?”“No,” Ethan said simply, moving to sit at the table.“Where exactly are we going, Alex?” Ethan asked.“Somewhere special,” Alex said with a laugh as he made his way to the front door.After a short drive, they arrived at a park. Ethan raised an eyebrow in disbelief. “This is your ‘special p
Ethan’s mother walked in, her smile lighting up the room. “Ethan!” she exclaimed, rushing toward him with open arms. “I’ve missed you so much, baby!” She placed a quick peck on his lips, her affection warm and open.Ethan’s face flushed slightly as he shifted awkwardly. “Mom…” he muttered, clearly embarrassed.“Oh, hush, Ethan,” she waved off his protests. Then her eyes lit up as she turned toward Alex. “Alex! I didn’t even know you were back in town! Look at you, still as handsome as ever.”But when her gaze shifted to Ava, she paused, her smile widening even more. “And is that… Ava?”“No!” Both Ethan and Ava shouted at once, a bit too loudly.Ethan quickly composed himself, clearing his throat. “I mean… no, Mom. This is Emily, my business partner.”Ethan’s mother raised an eyebrow, looking between the two of them suspiciously. “Emily, huh?” She glanced at Ava again, noticing the resemblance. “Why does she look so much like Ava?”Ava quickly jumped in, nodding. “I’m Ava’s cousin. W
Ava walked into the kitchen, and her eyes widened in surprise. Victoria was standing there, cooking. She was wearing one of Ethan’s long white shirts, which looked like a dress on her.“How did she get that shirt?” Ava wondered. “What…t—” Ava started, her voice caught in her throat, but Victoria was quicker.“I know it’s your plan to drive me out of Ethan’s life, but it’s not going to happen!” Victoria’s voice was sharp, her eyes narrowing as she pointed a wooden spoon in Ava’s direction.Victoria continued, “You don’t question me in my house. What are you to Ethan, huh? Why are you living under his protection like some charity case?” She smirked, stirring the pot on the stove .“By the way. If you must know, I’m making dinner for my Ethan, who has always loved my cooking.”“We were almost married, you know. Ethan never stopped loving me, and I never stopped loving him.”Ava couldn’t hold it back anymore. She folded her arms, leaning against the kitchen counter, a smirk tugging at
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
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
“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