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
Sebastian woke up with the soft morning light filtering through the curtains, casting a gentle glow over the room. His eyes slowly adjusted to the brightness, and as he turned his gaze to the woman beside him, his heart skipped a beat.Ava lay peacefully, her features softened by sleep, her delicate eyelashes brushing against her cheeks. He couldn't help but admire the simplicity of her beauty—the way her tousled hair cascaded over the pillow, framing her face like a halo, and the faint blush that adorned her cheeks.There was something captivating about Ava, something that went beyond her physical appearance. It was her essence, her genuine spirit that drew him in. In that quiet moment, as he observed her, he couldn't help but feel a deep sense of gratitude that she was in his life.He marveled at how effortlessly she embraced simplicity, how she radiated an inner beauty that transcended any external adornments. It was a rare quality in a world filled with superficiality and pretense
Kim groggily rubbed her eyes as she stumbled out of her bedroom, seeking solace in a glass of water. The early morning light filtered through the windows, casting a soft glow on the familiar surroundings. But as she entered the kitchen, a sight greeted her that sent her heart racing.A shirtless man, with his back turned to her, was rummaging through the cupboard. Panic surged through Kim's veins as her mind leaped to the worst-case scenario—a burglar invading their home. Instinctively, she grabbed a nearby napkin, clutching it tightly in her hand.Without a second thought, Kim lunged forward, her heart pounding in her chest, and began swatting at the intruder with the napkin, delivering a series of quick, frantic hits. "Get out! Get out!" she yelled, her voice laced with a mixture of fear and determination.The man let out a startled cry, his hands instinctively covering his face to protect himself from the unexpected assault. "Stop! Stop!" he pleaded, desperately trying to shield hi
Ava woke up to a warm bed and a dent beside her that showed Sebastian was gone. Her brows shifted into a frown as she rubbed her fingers across the bedsheet, basking in his warmth. Oh it had been a most delightful experience, being with him the night before. Frankly, She had been willing to move on with her life, be the perfect pretend fiancée he wanted and ignore the feelings that rose within her like hot piping lava.But good lord, she doubted she would have lasted with a decision like that. She had grown attached. “Idiot,” She whispered to herself, closing her eyes. She was a total fool. She had known it would be easy to fall for Sebastian, to catch feelings. She was just that kind of person. And yet she had allowed him to touch her. Oh he did more than touch, Her mind taunted and her face burned. Right from when they had shared that first kiss, she had known that her heart was in danger as much as her body was. Her cheeks heated up as reminisced on how he had been with her the n
Sebastian tossed the file on the desk and directed a glare to the head of accounts department. For some weird reasons the account did not seem to tally. Perhaps it was the result of a tiny flaw and on a good day, Sebastian would have simply offered a correction and patted the older man goodbye. Well today was a bad day. A very bad day for him. He felt like shit and in turn had the insane urge to make the man before him feel like shit also. "Mr Dawson, How long have you worked for me?" Mr Dawson, a slightly balding older man shifted on his foot, his beady black eyes shifting around warily. Whenever the boss asked that question, it always meant shit was coming. Dawson had seen men, his superiors get fired and it always started with that phrase. He immediately snatched the file off the desk, eager to find where the flaw in his work was and rectify it- or offer an excuse, whichever helped him out of this mess. "I asked a question," Sebastian dead panned, fixing the man with a glare
Sebastian nuzzled his face deeper into her welcoming softness, growling as her scent assaulted him. Fuck, she was growing on him. Big time. His trousers tightened uncomfortably and like a man addicted to her scent and more, he breathed her in. Who cared if she was a gold digger? He had enough money in the whole damned world to take care of her gold digging needs. He could satisfy her. As long as she remained true to him, he would. Ava moaned when Sebastian's as around her waist tightened, crushing her breasts against his face even more. She had gone for the photo shoot and had snuck out to have lunch with him. Perhaps it was a foolish move. Sacrificing her job for a man who had walked out on her Ater the amazing might they had spent together. But Good lord, she had missed him. She ached and hungered with a desperate need for him. "Seb," she whispered.Arching her back, she pushed against him even further. Taking that as an invitation, Sebastian reached for her mounds, unwrapping hi
Sebastian watched his fiancee yank the dress she wore over her head. Her blue eyes, held his boldly, twinkling and reflecting the passion that he was sure was in his gaze as well. His body trembled and he gripped the ends of the table, driving his gaze down her sweet body.Endless sea of golden skin that his tongue wanted to taste. Her breasts, encased in a rather tiny bra that seemed to cover just her nipple, heaved and winked at him. There was a patch of curls that disappeared into the panties she wore and he swore he could see the outlines of her nether lips, swollen and thick against her panties. "Like this?" She asked, tossing the dress to the ground. "Fuck yes," he hissed, reaching for her bra. In a quick snap, he had her beauties spilling out, mauve tipped nipples pointing up at him begging to be sucked. "Ava, fuck me, you have no idea how beautiful you look right now," Ava's body warmed up at his words. He looked beautiful too in her opinion. She loved the way his hair was
Ava stood on the set of the photo shoot, a sense of excitement mingling with nervousness. The bright lights illuminated the room, casting a warm glow over everything. She was clad in a robe, awaiting her turn to step in front of the camera.Natasha, her stunning ex-rival-turned-colleague, stood nearby, also preparing for the shoot. The air between them crackled with a subtle tension, remnants of their complicated history. Ava could feel Natasha's eyes on her, her gaze scrutinizing every movement, every detail.As the time came for Ava to disrobe, she felt a mix of vulnerability and confidence. She slipped off her robe, revealing her delicate underwear and the canvas of her smooth skin. But her confidence wavered when she caught Natasha's gaze fixed upon her chest.Ava's heart skipped a beat as Natasha's eyes widened, her attention captured by the faint marks of love scattered across her skin. Hickeys, remnants of passionate moments shared with Sebastian, adorned her chest, telling a s
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