Ava noticed the car at the last minute and jumped out of the way, just in time. She fell on the ground, groaning when her back hit the tarred road. That was definitely going to leave a scar.
"Can't you watch where you're going? You almost bashed my car!" The man got of the car and yelled, pointing at her.
Ava got up a little too quickly and staggered. She took a deep breath and closed her eues, trying to find her footing. "I'm sorry, I just really need your help."
"I don't know you and I don't care about your problems." He walked towards the driver's seat and Ava ran after him, grabbing him by his legs.
Goosebumps were running up her arm. The man after her was still after her. If this man didn't help her then she'd be dead. "Please don't leave me." She hugged his legs tight, clinging on even when he kicked her.
"Get off me. What do you think you're doing?" The man struggled to break free but she held on, her knees scraping the ground.
Kim was going to have a field day cleaning all her wounds.
"A man is after me and I don't have anywhere else to go. I managed to escape.."
He managed to free his legs and stepped aside, stepping on her fingers as he passed. "I don't want to hear your sob story. Don't touch me, you're getting sand all over me."
Ava screamed as pain shot up her arm but she made no move to check it. "You have to help me, please, please."
He ignored her and opened the door. Ava rose to her feet, wincing at the pain in her body. She crawled towards the front of the car and rested against it, tears filling her eyes. "Get away from my car, I have to get to work.."
"Please just help me get to the police station, I have to report something. You don't have to stay after that." She begged as a few tears rolled down her cheeks.
He shook his head and got inside the car, turning on the ignition. "I can't afford to be late for my meeting. You'll have to manage all by yourself." He slammed the door shut and Ava gasped.
She raised her hands and started banging the bonnet, the sound echoing throughout the area. Everywhere was so deserted with not a soul in sight.
"Are you out of your goddamned mind? Get off my car!!" He screamed opening the door.
Ava ignored him and continued hitting it until he got down from the car and stood in front of her. She let the tears fall, looking at him through clouded eyes. "I really need your help. I'm desperate. All I need is for you to take me to the police station."
"Is that it?" He asked with a sigh. "I don't have time to waste."
Ava shook her head and wiped her face sliding down the bonnet of the car. "Yes, just get me to the police station please."
"I hope I don't regret this, you can.."
Ava didn't wait for him to finish his statement before she ran towards his car. She opened the back door and got in, swooning at how good and comfortable the seats were. "It's so soft." She closed her eyes, her heart relaxing to a regular pace once again.
There was no danger anymore, she was safe.
"Do not get my chair dirty." He instructed, getting into the driver's seat.
"Let's go!" She yelled when he turned on the ignition and zoomed off.
**
"Get out." He commanded, holding the back door open and she sighed.
How were they already at the police station so soon? "Thank you so much." She gushed, pushing her disappointment aside and getting out of the car. "I'll take it from here."
He turned his back to her, closing the door and getting into the driver's seat in one swift movement. "I don't care what you do. Goodbye now."
Ava started at the building with determination in her eyes. She could do this. All she had to do was walk in there, talk to an officer and have them arrest those guys. Simple!
"Aren't you going to go inside?" She heard a voice behind her and she turned staring at him in shock.
"But you said you had to leave."
He ignored her, walking towards the building. "That's none of your business."
Ava chuckled at his attitude and ran after him, walking extra fast to meet up with his pace. "Hey." She greeted one of the men as soon as she walked in.
He walked off, ignoring her and she frowned, walking towards a man sitting behind a table. He was in his uniform and he seemed to be talking on the phone. Ava watched him put the phone down and signal her over.
She walked up to him. "Sir…" but he didn't let her finish.
"Mr Bancroft, we've been expecting you." He said making Ava frown. She turned her neck to look at who the man was addressing and saw that it was her savior.
The man held his hand out menacing to shake him but Mr Bancroft ignored it, looking around the room as if searching for something. "Where is your boss?"
Ava found herself watching from the side as the arrogant man handled everything. The officers all seemed to know him very well. She didn't care as long as he got the police to arrest those guys.
"Mr Bancroft, I already sent some of my men to find.." a short man said walking out of an office and all the officers in the room rose to their feet.
He must be their boss.
Ava watched Mr Bancroft rise to his feet and noticed how tall he looked.
"I need you and your men to handle a case for me."
The short man nodded, taking a seat after pushing one of the officersaway. He inches closer to Mr Bancroft with a smile. "How can I help you sir?"
"I need to get a new suit at home." Sebastian muttered under his breath as he walked back to his car. He was late for his meeting and now he had to go back to the house and change. "Did you say something?" Ava asked, running up to him. Sebastian ignored her, increasing his pace. He unlocked the car with its remote and opened the door of the driver's seat. He remembered that he usually kept an extra suit in his office and he sighed in relief. Ava caught him by the sleeve of his suit and he pulled his arm away. He cringed as he wiped a smudge of mud off his pants. It was ruined and it was all because of that girl. "Get away from me." He brought out his phone from his pocket and dialed his secretary's number. She picked up on the third ring sounding like she had just concluded a marathon but Sebastian barely noticed. "Have a suit ready for me before I get to the office and don't forget the materials for my meeting." "Yes sir." "Make sure the clients don't leave before I get the
Ava laughed on the other side of the line. "I told you you'll need my help." "I need a date to the annual Charity event hosted at the Flannigan hotel." He ignored her earlier comment wanting to get over the preparations so he could get back to the office. "Do you know where that is?" "No I don't." He pinched the bridge of his nose and pulled his phone away from his ear. He placed Ava on hold and dialed another number. The person picked up on the first ring. "Goodday, Mr Bancroft." "I need you to pick up someone. I'll send you the address and the lady's phone number." He didn't wait for the person's response and hung up. He took Ava's number off hold again. "I'll send a car for you at 7pm sharp, don't keep him waiting." The driver would pick Ava up and then come get him on the way. With that, he ended the call and took the rest of the stairs up to his room. ***The lobby of the Flannigan hotel was packed with people waiting to enter the well decorated hall that had been set asi
"Sebby, what's she talking about?" Natasha asked, flipping her hair. The tips hit Ava's face and she glared at her. "Tell her about me, Sebby." This woman was delusional, how could she say such a thing? All eyes settled on Sebastian for some kind of confirmation but he remained silent. Ava grinned at Natasha and inched closer towards her. "Well, that's all in the past now my darling. I'm his fiancée now." Natasha opened her mouth to say something but she noticed the women around them were already whispering under their breath. She didn't want to become the center of attraction especially if Ava would come out looking perfect. "We will continue this conversation later." "Bye now." Ava chirped, waving her hands with a smile irritating Natasha further. With one final glare shot at Ava, she walked away holding her head up high even though she was boiling and seething on the inside. "Natty! Wait for us." The women sccruied off after her and Ava shook her head. It was just like i
“Now smile for the camera my sweet,” The photographer ordered and Ava gave the best smile she could muster. Her cheeks hurt from smiling so much and frankly she was getting tired.When she had seen the ad for models needed by a food industry, she had been reluctant to accept it of course. But a part of her hoped that it would give her a boost into the world of modeling. But she hadn’t signed up for this! She glanced down at the bowl of cereal she was supposed to be eating from and her lips curled slightly in disgust. It looked a lot like some gray mashed concoction and it tasted just as bad as it looked. Even with the milk slobbering all over it.“Smile Ava!” The director yelled, suddenly jolting her out of her thoughts.“I’m sorry,” She muttered quickly, bowing her head in apology and gave a wide grin as if she was so damn happy to be holding a bowl of shitty food. Mahn, was this how her life would continue?Not if you accept his offer, her mind quipped.Ah yes.There was Sebastian Ba
“Connections,” Ava said simply, a serious look on her face. Her pretty blue eyes blinked surreptitiously at him, holding his leveled gaze.Connections? Sebastian wondered, inclining his head as he studied the profile of the woman before him. For a woman who looked so dainty despite her tall frame, she was quite bold. His eyes wandered down the rest of her body. At least the rest he could see as she sat across from him. She wore a pink cashmere sweater and a beige dress right underneath. He couldn’t see her lower half since she was sitting, but her torso was visible.And it was a very beautiful torso. “What do you mean?” He asked, clearing his throat awkwardly, forcing his eyes to look away from her heaving chest back into her clear ones. “I want to continue modeling.” She explained, the serious look on her face slowly replaced with excitement. Her eyes glazed dreamily and it seemed she stared at space when she continued speaking. “I want to make it big in modeling. It has been my dr
“Yo Kim!” A blonde guy yelled, running across the field to a girl sitting in the bleachers. Her caramel brown hair was tied into two buns on either side of her head, with little strands falling across her face. Her toffee brown eyes eyed the approaching guy warily, while her hands gripped the book in her hands tighter. “What’s up Ash?” She asked when he finally reached her. He panted heavily, doubling over as he wheezed. Kim chuckled. “For a guy who plays rugby, you sound pathetic. Quit pretending, fool.”Ash chuckled, straightening up. He towered over Kim’s short curvy stature, grinning widely. “You always get me,”“Oh please,” Kim rolled her eyes. “Don’t make this more than it seems. What do you want?”Ash’s gray eyes fell on the black book in her hands and shifted back to her face. “You?”The girl snorted and grabbed her bag off the bleachers, shoving the book into it just before Ash could reach for it. “You don’t fool me, you idiot! I know you want the book!” She yelled.“Come on
Chapter 8Ava's phone blared for the hundredth time that day. It had been ringing nonstop ever since the picture of her and Sebastian had dropped on the internet. The tabloids, papers, and news lines had all taken the bait, hook line, and sinker. And damn they worked fast. After they had shaken hands and signed the contract, Sebastian had a photographer on hand and a reporter. The rest was easy. Once the reporter got a record of them announcing their engagement publicly, and the photographer had taken a picture of them together, every media outlet in America had to have received it because then her phone couldn't stop screaming with calls. She winced as she climbed the stairs to her apartment, apprehension clawing at her belly. Kim had sounded pretty angry over the phone, calling her a traitor and demanding an explanation for it all.It was not surprising how agitated she was though. Kim had always been the restless one of the two sisters and the much more outspoken one as well. Un
"Hello,"Sebastian hadn't realized he had been holding his breath until he heard her voice. His chest relaxed and he took a deep breath before he could speak. Hilarious. He was acting like a green boy, one who was speaking to his crush in middle school and stuttering all over the place. "Are you home?" He asked, reclining on a couch in the living room.Damn, he couldn't remember asking anyone that question ever. He hadn't cared enough if they made it home or not. If Ava went missing just after he had announced their engagement to the world, that would be rather inconvenient. He had to make sure she was home safe and sound and ready to put his plan into action."Yes," she replied stoically. Ever since he had laid down his condition, it seemed an invisible barrier, one that hadn't been there before was erected between them. When he had told her not to fall in love with him, she had smiled brightly and told him it would not be a problem. And that had stung like hell!What did she mea
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