Determined to make things right, Sebastian wrapped a towel around his waist and reached for his phone once again. This time, he dialed Ava's number without hesitation. He was ready to put his pride aside, to apologize, and to express the truth that had been echoing in his heart: he wanted her, not just for her body, Okay perhaps it was just for that. Or perhaps she meant so much more. One thing was sure. He needed her.As the phone rang, his heart raced, hoping against hope that she would answer. He knew that the road to reconciliation wouldn't be easy, but he was willing to take the leap, to fight for what he believed in. For Ava, he was ready to face his fears and embrace vulnerability, hoping that she would give him a chance to prove that he was capable of more than he had once believed.As the phone continued to ring, Ava glanced at the screen, recognizing Sebastian's name flashing across it. A mix of emotions surged within her—confusion, longing, and a tinge of anger. Part of he
Mrs. Monroe's disappointment softened further as she looked at Ava, understanding the complexities that often accompanied the modeling world. She had witnessed many aspiring models lose themselves in the pursuit of success, compromising their own well-being and happiness. She didn't want the same fate for Ava."My dear, I know this industry can be challenging," Mrs. Monroe said, her voice laced with compassion. "But never forget that you are more than just a model. You are a remarkable young woman with dreams and desires that extend far beyond the runway. Your happiness and fulfillment should always be a priority."Ava nodded, absorbing Mrs. Monroe's words. She knew that she couldn't allow her personal struggles and heartache to overshadow her professional aspirations. She needed to find a way to compartmentalize her emotions and focus on her career, even if it meant suppressing her feelings for Sebastian."I will, Mrs. Monroe," Ava promised, determination glimmering in her eyes. "I w
Sebastian stormed into his office, his frustration simmering beneath the surface. The failed attempts to reach Ava had left him with a sour mood, and he found himself taking it out on his unsuspecting employees.As he entered the bustling workspace, his eyes scanned the room, searching for any signs of incompetence or mistakes that he could seize upon. His sharp gaze fell on Emily, one of his assistants, who was engrossed in her work. Without a moment's hesitation, Sebastian strode over to her desk."Emily, is this how you prioritize tasks? It's unacceptable!" he barked, his voice laced with irritation. His words hung heavy in the air, causing heads to turn in their direction.Emily looked up, startled by his sudden outburst. Her eyes widened, and her face paled. "I-I'm sorry, Mr. Thompson. I didn't realize—"Sebastian cut her off, his tone biting. "You should have realized. I expect better from my team. Fix this immediately and be more attentive in the future."He turned on his heel,
Sebastian walked into the dimly lit bar, his mind clouded with frustration and regret. He needed a temporary escape from the whirlwind of emotions that had consumed him since his conversation with Ava. Taking a seat at the bar, he signaled the bartender and ordered a whiskey.The amber liquid was poured into a glass, its rich aroma filling the air as Sebastian contemplated the events that had unfolded. He took a sip, savoring the burn as it traveled down his throat, momentarily dulling his senses.He couldn't help but replay their interactions in his mind, dissecting every word, every gesture. The realization of his own mistakes weighed heavily upon him, the consequences of his fear and commitment issues becoming more apparent with each passing moment.Sebastian had always been adept at compartmentalizing his emotions, locking them away behind a carefully crafted façade. But with Ava, it had been different. She had broken through his defenses, exposing vulnerabilities he had long supp
“What is your bitch doing in my company Sebastian?” Natasha asked in a cold, arid tone that told him she was either pissed or drunk. He would go pissed.Sebastian's eyes flickered with a mix of surprise and annoyance at Natasha's directness. He had hoped to avoid discussing Ava with his ex-girlfriend, but it seemed that Natasha had other plans."Now, Natasha, you know Ava and I have nothing more than a professional arrangement," Sebastian replied, attempting to downplay the situation. “Yeah right,”Sebastian sighed, his frustration mounting. He hadn't anticipated this confrontation with Natasha, especially not about his personal life. "Natasha, it's not as simple as you think. Ava and I have an arrangement, a pretend relationship for the sake of certain circumstances. It's not something I planned or expected to happen."Natasha crossed her arms, her eyes narrowing. "Oh, spare me the excuses. You always have a way of justifying your actions, don't you? I can't believe I ever fell for
Sebastian couldn't help but chuckle as Damian returned to his side, his laughter infectious. "Ah, Damian, my friend. It seems we're both caught up in our own tangled webs, doesn't it?"Damian grinned and raised an eyebrow. "Well, at least you have a surplus of drama. Me? I'm just enjoying the single life, no complications or heartaches."Sebastian playfully nudged Damian's shoulder. "Oh, the single life, huh? Don't you ever get tired of the endless nights alone?"Damian shrugged nonchalantly. "Not really. I'm living it up, enjoying the freedom while I can. No commitments, no expectations."Sebastian's smirk turned mischievous. "But isn't there a part of you that longs for something more? A connection, a partner to share your life with?"Damian's playful facade wavered for a moment, a flicker of longing in his eyes. "Maybe someday. But for now, I'm content with the simplicity of my life."Sebastian's gaze softened as he looked at his friend. "Well, Damian, I envy your carefree spirit s
Ava's shoulders sagged as she stepped into the living room and caught sight of Kim. The atmosphere was heavy with tension, and it was clear that her sister was still harboring hurt feelings from their earlier encounter. Kim's silence spoke volumes, a palpable wall between them.Ava took a hesitant step forward, her heart heavy with regret for her outburst that morning. She had allowed her frustration and pain to spill over, unknowingly hurting the one person she loved and cared for the most. But now, faced with Kim's silent reproach, she realized the gravity of her actions."Kim," Ava's voice quivered with remorse, "I'm so sorry for what I said earlier. I didn't mean it. I was just... upset and lashed out without thinking."Kim remained seated on the couch, her gaze fixed on the floor. Her silence was a cold barrier, shutting Ava out, and it weighed heavily on her. Ava longed to bridge the gap between them, to mend the fractures in their bond."I understand if you're still angry," Ava
Sebastian's heart races as he quietly enters Ava's room, his footsteps barely making a sound on the plush carpet. The moonlight spills through the curtains, casting a soft glow on Ava's face as she lies awake in bed. Startled by his presence, her eyes widen with surprise, but a flicker of pleasure crosses her features.Ava's voice quivers slightly as she speaks, "Sebastian, what are you doing here?"He takes a step closer, his gaze filled with an intensity she can't ignore. "I couldn't stay away, Ava. I needed to see you, be near you."She feels a mix of emotions swirling within her — curiosity, vulnerability, and a lingering desire. "But what about everything we said, Sebastian? The way things ended between us?"He sighs, his voice filled with regret. "I made a mistake, Ava. I let my fear and insecurities cloud my judgment. I didn't want to admit it then, but I'm starting to realize that I can't imagine my life without you."Ava's heart skips a beat, torn between caution and the unde
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