"He's calling!" Mrs. Bancroft squealed, waving the phone excitedly at her husband. He stood by the counter in the kitchen with Ava, showing her one of his latest collections of shells. He had named them all Shirley, the name of his wife. Ava scrunched her face when she heard that. That was pretty weird. Why would anyone name shells after their wives? It sounded weird. She directed her attention away from William Bancroft to Shirley who skipped towards them. Before she could blink, William had left her side and The couple met each other halfway, staring at the phone as if it were a baby and they were too scared to touch it. She chuckled at the sight and turned to face William's collection of shells, blinking rapidly to hide the tears that threatened to fall. Sebastian was so fortunate to have parents. Parents who doted on him do much. She missed her parents dearly. She missed her childhood when she didn't have care in the world and all she would do was run to her father when she ha
"She's at my parent's," Sebastian announced to Asher and Kim in the reception room. Without waiting for them to talk because frankly, he was too fucking pissed to hear any bullshit, he left and walked out of the hotel. Why the hell was Ava with his parents?! Why couldn't she just take his side for once and just stick with him instead. They wouldn't even have fought yesterday if she wasn't all fucking cozy with his parents. "I hate this," he mumbled as he read the address she had texted him. He didn't want to fucking go. He didn't want to see his parents make googly eyes at each other. He didn't want to see them at all! But Ava. Fuck he had to get Ava. And then hightail his ass back to New York. He had enough of the vacation already. His body heart and sould itched to be buried in office work again where there was woman to make him feel anxious or small for his decisions. Dragging a hand down his face, he slipped into his rented vehicle and drive to the his parents home. It was a c
Nothing, Sebastian realized, his shoulders sagging in defeat. He couldn't do shit about it. She had made her choice because he had forced her too. Sighing he ran his hands through his hair and shook his head. "Let's just go back home," he mumbled. "Kim is very worried about you," That filled Ava's mouth with a bitterness she hadn't known she possesed. "Oh is she now? I thought I was a pain in her ass yesterday." "Ava please. We've spent half the entire morning looking for you. It was unfair and childish that you went off just like that withouts telling a soul where you were going!" He was right. She knew he was and completely felt like an idiot.With a hmph, she turned to face Shirley and William who had forgotten about them both and were busy muttering and whispering to each other. Sebastian moved closer to Ava then and whispered. "Imagine growing up around them like that as a child. Imagine being forgotten and tossed aside by your parents. Imagine the countless times I went hu
The ride back to New York was quiet as hell. Ava sat buried deep in her isolated seat while everyone sat away from her. They were mad at her for some reason. Okay it wasn't like she didn't know the reason they were mad at her. She just didn't want to believe that she was at fault. She sagged, sliding down the chair feeling super bummed and very guilty. What the hell was she supposed to do to please them? She had felt awful, she had searched for comfort, how was that wrong in any way? When she had walked into the hotel, Kim had screamed and pulled her into the most suffocating hug ever, happy that her sister was safe and apologizing for being a bitch the night before. But that didn't last long. Sebastian walked in an hour later and announced they were all returning to New York that evening. Whatever remorse I may have felt, vanished without a trace. Ava had been on the brunt of a severe silent treatment ever since because Kim believed it was her fault. She scoffed in anger. If anyon
That was new. Ava thought frowning her face as she pondered over Ashers words. She had never thought.. well she knew one day Kim would eventually get married and all. It just seemed too soon. Too damn soon. Hell Kimberly was barely nineteen. She was a baby. Her baby. Knowing that a man was actively seeking her hand in marriage was... Terrifying. "I know how unsettling this is-" "You don't," She cut Asher short and turned away from him. "You don't know how unsettling this is. At all." "My intentions are pure, I swear," Asher swore. Ava's reaction was far from what he had expected. Granted he hadn't expected her to leap for joy ad clap a hand on his back, gushing about how Kimberly was lucky to have someone who liked her that much or how she would be happy with him. But he also hadn't expected a total withdrawal from her. Was it because she was in a sour mood? Or did she simply not like him at all? He wasn't sure. Hell he was starting to regret approaching her at all. When she rem
140"What exactly happened?" Kim demanded as soon as they stepped into the penthouse. Ava grimaced when she did. Extremely tired, she had planned to go straight to bed and faceplant herself in it. The last thing she wanted was a conversation.This conversation. "Can we do this later?" She asked not to turn to see Kim at all. She didn't want to do anything. All she wanted was sleep. "No!" Kim said defiantly and even without looking at her, Ava knew her sister was folding her arms. They had dropped Asher off at his home and it had been all awkward for her because she didn't like how cozy he had been with Kim in the backseat while she sat in the front. She had no idea what had compelled her to sit in the front. Maybe she had hoped she would watch Sebastian drive before them. Whatever it was, Sebastian did not drive before them. He took another route entirely and that was the end of her fantasies. He would definitely call off the engagement. She could feel it. She had vexed him and no
Three days. That was how long it was that Sebastian had last contacted her. She had expected it. So she supposed she wasn't quite surprised. But that didn't mean that it didn't hurt. Because it did. "Ava, head high always. Push out your chest a little bit, not so much that it's intrusive but just enough that it calls attention!" Her instructor called out and she proceeded to follow his words. She had resumed work the day after they had arrived from Greece and had been surprised to learn Mrs Monroe was on a leave. She hadn't even been told. They simply changed her instructor to some other woman who was as picky and loud as hell. "Chest out!"Ava liked to think Mrs Gregor meant well. She was a stout woman in her fifties who had the complete opposite body that was suited for a model at least according to the modeling world. Stout, hippy and quiet.... Plum. Ava would not dare call her fat. She had called the woman beautiful and she had made Ava run up and down the studio until she w
Sebastian took one glance at his phone when it rang and decided he didn't want to do shit that day. Natasha. As if the turmoil he faced with Ava wasn't enough, his ex girlfriend seemed to think adding salt to injury was fucking wonderful. He wondered what she wanted to shrug. Whatever she wanted, had nothing to do with him. Natasha, Ava heck all women were crazy and he wanted peace of mind. As much as he could get.But you miss her. You know you do. His mind taunted and as if trying to distract himself from the obvious fact that he did, he stared hard at the document before him. Who cared if he missed Ava, there was serious shit to worry about. Like how much his parents were spending per year. Fuck it was a huge ass amount of money. He stared at the balance sheet in shock, wondering what exactly they were doing to spend that much. Ordering pizza every ten minutes? Buying a Ferrari? Buying a whole ass island? What on earth did they need a whole.island for? And the worst part of it