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
Ava stared, her jaw wide open in shock as she took in the scene before her. The door to Sebastian's office was wide open and right in the center of it all was her fiancee- fake fiancee- but her fiancee nonetheless getting his face sucked off by a particular blonde woman she had slowly come.to hate..Natasha. Natasha was in Sebastian's arms. The corners of her eyes burned and she blinked rapidly to rein in the tears. She failed however. They slid down her cheeks in big fat droplets as she took in the scene. "Sebastian" she whimpered, totally damaged by the sight. When she had walked out of the studio, she had locked herself up in the toilet feeling incredibly tense at what she had just done. She had stood up to Natasha and despite the fear that pulsed in her veins. It had felt good. Really good. And she had the slightest, just the tiniest inkling to do the same to Sebastian. To confront him. He couldn't avoid her forever- well he could try but she had a breaking point and she was
The club was too loud. The thumping music made it quite difficult to do anything but move your body and go crazy. On a regular day, this would not be Ava's kind of scene. But this wasn't a regular day. It was a horrifying one. She had seen Sebastian kiss another woman; a woman she had come to despise; and the scene seemed stuck in her head. She was unable to forget it. It replayed over and over like a movie.She was dressed in a spaghetti strapped black dress that, according to her sister, clung to her curves and made her look like a goddess. Ava didn't believe that one bit. If she looked like a goddess, why would Sebastian kiss another woman? He would have eyes for her only. He would be hers only. Her eyes flitted around, trying to make sense of what exactly was going on in the club. She had been to a club perhaps only five times in her entire life. She just couldn't see the appeal. But now she did. The noise, the dancing, sweaty bodies gyrating against each other, these were peop
One month laterThe wedding had been a splendid affair and from the start, Ava was practically forbidden from lifting a finger for herself by Kim, Renee, Violet, and the flock of servants at her disposal due to how heavy she had become and she resorted to staying put unless she risked the ire of the women helping her dress up. Sebastian had planned a proposal with the rest of their friends leaving her in the dark. It was unexpected and it felt real and different this time around, they had come through so many difficulties and they both knew it was the right time to make it all real this time around.At the stroke of midnight on her wedding, Ava was standing at the entrance of the hall already adorned with palatial decorations with cascading floral arrangements hanging from every side of the grand room, sparkling white chandeliers hung high above with delicate draperies completing the settings designed to evoke an atmosphere filled with love and warmth. A group of violinists was posit
It’s been two months since Sebastian was released from the hospital and Ava moved into the mansion with him. The penthouse held too many hurtful memories and she wasn’t eager to go back there and be plagued by nightmares during her sleep. Jake’s trial hadn’t taken a lot of time either, there was a ton of insurmountable evidence against him and the jury didn’t take much liking to him either, or the judge. In reality, no one was going to take the side of a journalist with murderous intentions over New York’s most desirable couple. Their return to the spotlight had been a field day in the media world especially as articles and gossip about their breakup had been going on for a while now, their appearance together had all but quietened every rumor going on about them. Ava was becoming used to being pregnant and after a few weeks of tedious work down at the agency, she had gone on maternity leave that would run well into a few months after she gave birth.One of her favorite parts of be
Damian looked back and forth between Ava and Sebastian and it was pretty obvious that they had eyes for just each other right now, everything else faded into the background. He didn’t need any further clue, his time here was up.“I believe it’s best I give you both some space to talk things through.” Damian cleared his throat, gave Sebastian a nod, and patted Ava’s shoulders as he walked past her. “Do you think they’re going to be fine?” Violet asked Damian as soon as he got to the door. Sebastian spared them a glance over his shoulder before returning his gaze to Violet. “I can’t possibly say for sure but if what I noticed between them was true then we’ve got nothing to worry about.As soon as Ava heard the door shut behind her, she walked towards the bed, maintaining a friendly distance as she pulled out a chair and sat on it. Sebastian didn’t know how to start tackling their issues so he decided to make small talk first, it always worked for him and he was hoping that it wouldn
Ava made her way outside the building and towards the parking lot, it was lonely, just how she wanted it to be. She didn’t want any disturbance or interference from anyone. All Ava had wanted was for Sebastian to wake up from his coma. She spent days at his bedside, urging him to come back to her and he eventually did but she ran. There was no telling why she ran and she didn’t even have any logical explanation as to why she did it, the only thing she could say is that she was scared shitless and that was all she could say. She would eventually have to go back and talk to him afterward but she didn’t know if she could bring herself to do it. “Hey, sis.” Ava looked up to see Kim walking towards her flanked on either side by Renee and Violet, they all wore worried expressions on their faces and she could tell from their hesitation that they didn’t know if they should come any closer or maintain a healthy distance. “How did you guys find me?” Ava asked, her eyes were fixed to the g
“I’m only trying to look out for you,” Kim sighed. “I’m tired of seeing you crying after a couple of months where you think you’re in love and your troubles are behind you. It hurts me as much as it hurts you, Ava.” “I know,” Ava smiled sadly. Kim was right, she’d always been eager to jump right back into it without putting provisions in place in case her assumed fairytale moment didn’t come to pass. But things were different this time around, she had been through a lot and as a result, she’d been forced to put herself first for now before anyone else and if anything was going to happen, she would be the last person to instigate anything. She’d done enough and it wasn’t going to work, she wasn’t going to invest her time lifting a finger. She’s done enough already. “Things aren’t going to be the way it once was. I promise you that.”“Tell me you’re sure you know what you’re doing?” Kim nibbled on her lower lip. “I can’t promise you I know what I’m doing, Kim. But my heart is in the
“You really should stop feeling this way and making us feel like we’re strangers as well,” Kim frowned. “We’re here because we love and care about you, that’s the truth. You’re part of our lives so I don’t see how you keep interfering in what you’re a major part of. You’ve got to accept that so you’d stop feeling like you owe us something because you don’t.”Ava sighed. “Okay, you’re right and I’m sorry for feeling this way. It’s unusual to see a lot of people wanting to help me at the same time and that’s why I reacted that way,” “It’s okay, we don’t hold it against you. We know your past and how you’re still getting used to a couple of good gestures. Kim suffers from the same problem as well.” Violet assured her. “So, you mentioned that Sebastian woke up a while ago?” Kim asked, eager to steer the conversation away from their childhood. She wasn’t prepared to visit memories that she had worked so hard to repress. “Yes, he did. He wasn’t a hundred percent conscious and the doctors
Ava walked back into the hospital room as soon as the doctor mentioned it was okay for her to return. She walked back into the room to see Sebastian soundly asleep. “Is everything alright, doctor?” Ava sounded worried. “Did he go to sleep on his own or did he pass out?”“We gave him a sedative to keep him under for a couple of hours until he regains his full strength, he should feel much after he wakes up this time around and that’s what we’re hoping for. When that happens, we can then begin the final stage of his recovery process.” Ava nodded. “Thank you, doctor. We’re so grateful for the help you’ve rendered.”“It’s my pleasure to help. I’ve known Sebastian since we were both boys and my father has been the Bancroft’s family doctor for decades. He’s like family to me as well.” “Do I need to call you guys once he wakes up?” Ava asked, her eyes fixed on Sebastian. “You don’t need to, we’d be counting down the hours ourselves and carrying out checkups before midnight. You’ve got no
It’s been a week since the ugly incident and Sebastian hadn’t woken up yet. Ava was struggling to pull it together but she knew she didn’t have any other option, she couldn’t afford to break down right now not when she had to look after herself and the baby as well given the fact that the pregnancy was entering into its crucial phase.The doctor urged her to give him time and be patient till he decided to come around. His vitals were good and his condition was improving, he was going to wake up any moment from now, the doctor would always say giving her a warm smile in return. The conviction in his voice always seemed to calm Ava’s nerves so she waited calmly until Sebastian decided to come around.She was in his hospital room, sitting on a chair next to the hospital bed, her knees were pulled up under her chin with her face buried between a historical romance novel by Nora Roberts. Reading helped her calm down and forget her worries and she’d been doing a lot of it during the past f
“Life isn’t meant to be fair to everyone,” Damian offered Ava a soft smile. “It’s just the way life is and we’ve got to make the best out of what we’re given.”“Sebastian doesn’t deserve this,” Ava grumbled.“No one does but shit happens.” Damian shuffled his feet as he struggled to find a comfortable situation. “Do you think he’s going to come out of this? Be honest with me. I could use that right now if you don’t mind.”“Sebastian’s tough as nails. He’s one of the most stubborn men I’ve ever met and if there’s anyone I know who’s going to come out of this, it’s Sebastian.”“Thank you, Damian.” Ava rubbed her arms, trying to calm her nerves. “You’re welcome. If there’s anything you need, please, do not hesitate to inform me.”“I’m good. Besides, I have a lot of people doting on me already and you have work to do.” “If you say so but I’m still here if you need anything.”“I should’ve done this a long time ago but I want to thank you for talking to Sebastian and managing to convince