Tom's POVDespite overtaking almost every car we encountered on the road, it took us quite a while to reach our destination, and fortunately, Ava's phone had been left on.The police responded quickly, but they couldn't catch up with us on the road. However, they eventually caught up with us as we ventured deeper into the woods where Elise had taken Ava.I was impressed by their quick response time and proceeded to provide a more detailed explanation of what had happened.Then we stumbled upon Denis' car, and we knew that he had also made his way here and that they were somewhere nearby.I stopped to double-check the map once again but didn't even notice Ava was so close to me until I heard her scream. We turned, and to my horror, I saw Denis walking towards her menacingly, brandishing a knife.I didn't waste a second and began to run, but before I could get far, a bullet whizzed past me, lodging itself in Denis' arm courtesy of one of the police officers.Ava turned to me, and the e
Tom's POVI noticed the expression on Ava's face and knew that she was thinking of the problems that were waiting for her. I knew I had saved her company from bankruptcy, but I wasn't sure if I would be able to stop her stepmother and brother from bullying her.The only solace I had was knowing that she was a resilient woman and things didn't easily affect her.We didn't have to wait for long before Henry arrived in his car. With a smile, he stepped out of his car and caught sight of me, and I couldn't help smiling in return.I had actually missed having him around.We approached him, and he unlocked the car doors."Welcome home, Mr. and Mrs. Lockwood," he greeted with a grin, and I gave him a friendly pat on the back.As he drove, he kept staring at me through the rearview mirror, and it was obvious that he had numerous questions on his mind.Questions I wouldn't answer, so I could see the amusing expression he always wore when he was desperate to know something.After dropping us o
Ava's POVI groaned in pain, desperately trying to pry his hands off my neck.But his grip tightened, and a malicious glint filled his eyes as he clenched his teeth."You're so annoying, you know? I really just want to squeeze the life out of you and hide you where no one else can find you! You are just so damn infuriating!" He said with blazing eyes, and with his last words, he pushed me away, and I fell to the floor with a loud thud.It was obvious that he had made a sincere effort to take his hands off my neck. He would have loved to kill me, but he knew he couldn't.I smirked and slowly sat up, placing my hands behind me to support my weight."So, does that actually help at all? Does it make me any less annoying?" I inquired, then rose to my feet, brushing off my clothes."You little piece of trash," he spat at me, and I could almost hear the sound of his boiling rage."Back then, there was nothing you could do to me, but you still tried. Presently, there's still nothing you can d
Tom's POVI noticed that she had obviously tried to make herself look pretty because her hair was neatly tucked behind her ears, and that was unusual for her.She was sitting cross-legged, and her posture seemed somewhat rigid. I entered the room and settled down beside her, taking off my jacket."What were you watching?" I asked as I tossed the jacket onto the other sofa."I wasn't watching anything," she said in a rushed tone, her eyes glued to the jacket I had just thrown."Come on, I heard the noise," I said as I leaned over her to grab the remote control that was right by her side. Then, I added, "And the remote control is right next to you. So, what were you watching?" I asked again as I turned on the television."Well, just a new reality show that invites young CEOs like me to star in their show," she said with a shrug."Why are CEOs participating in a reality show? I highly doubt they have the time for it. Can any CEO actually spare the time to appear on such a program?" I inq
Ethan's POV"You should stay here," my mum said as I stood up to exit the room."I should?" I asked, coming to a halt. I turned towards her, only to find her gaze fixed on Harriet, who was seated in front of her.Quietly, I returned to my seat and took a seat."So, Harriet, what are your thoughts on the reality show?" she asked, taking a sip of her tea.Harriet paused, wearing a pensive expression."Actually, I am very interested. It's a much-needed break from my hectic schedule, but the only drawback is Ava," she said, pouting lazily as she glanced at me."I know, right? It's such an eyesore," I nodded, stretching my legs out in front of me. She nodded in agreement."I don't think she should have been invited. Just because she became quite popular after marrying a wealthy man doesn't mean she should be given special treatment," she remarked, prompting a chuckle from my mother as she placed her tea on the glass table."Really? Is that what you think?" she asked, genuinely interested i
Ava's POVI found myself unable to look away from the photo for some unknown reason; it just captivated my thoughts. The photo was unsettling, and what made it more unsettling was the heart sketched to the side.I had no idea who had drawn it, but a sick feeling crept over me, telling me it was Tom. Various thoughts raced through my mind, making me question why I even cared about such trivial matters.Why was she so pretty?Was she as pretty as I am? Or was she prettier than me?Who was she to Tom? A friend or a lover?It then occurred to me that Tom, of course, had been in a relationship before. However, it left me wondering about what he was like.I couldn't fathom him being with other girls. Was he committed to them? Did he genuinely love them?"Ava," he suddenly called out, causing me to jump. I hastily stuffed the pictures into the drawer.I glanced over at him and noticed he had a tray with a bottle of wine and two glasses."I was… I'm sorry I was just…I…I didn't mean to invade
Ava's POVThe slap caused a burning, stinging sensation on my face, and it was evident that everyone was too shocked to do or say anything.Harriet quickly realized her mistake and immediately tried to look pitiful.Stanley took a step forward and was about to reprimand Harriet so they'd probably edit the scene later, but I intervened by flashing him a smile and warning him with my eyes.I wasn't going to allow her to slap me and get away with a meaningless apology."You! You… you stepped on me! You're always bullying me. Why? Why do bullies like you always think you can get away with everything?" She asked, her voice trembling.Would that be Harriet's reaction if she were a victim at school? I had my doubts, but all I could do was smile."Oops, my bad. It's okay, it's okay. Everyone, we can go on," I said, and everyone looked at me with surprise before finding their seats.Since Harriet was the first to turn the show into a war zone, I didn't mind following in her footsteps.She sat
Ava's POVI felt a surge of anger as I realized that Ethan had used dirty means to get the total design of SkyHigh.There was just no way a design could be the same word for word. There was definitely something dirty about it.I clenched my fists and tried to take in deep breaths to control my anger, but it wasn't working."Ma'am, what should we do about our video for SkyHigh?" Camilla asked, her eyebrows furrowing with concern."You know what?" I smiled, tapping my feet hard on the ground. "Upload it.""Ma'am? Upload it? That's... that's going to be seen as plagiarism. They could potentially sue us!" She exclaimed, her face filled with horror."Then what should we do? Should we abandon the project? Should we discard SkyHigh just because my brother stole our ideas!?" I asked, my voice filled with anger, causing her to cower away from me."Damnit!" I exclaimed, filled with frustration, as I anxiously paced around the office. "How in the world did he pull this off!? You know what? Condu
Tom's POVThe idea of getting married had always been daunting to me because it represented a lifelong commitment.It was not something I could easily walk away from, but the way she asked me about it gave me a sense of excitement. It made me feel like there was a lot to expect from her. After all, ever since our relationship began, we had been able to overcome many obstacles and challenges, which had only brought us closer than contract marriage partners typically would be."Alright, that's it. Well, since you guys need to come to a better and more sincere decision, I'll be on my way," Melody announced. She gave Ava a deep hug and left the restaurant.After staring at Melody for a long while, Ava's gaze returned to meet mine."I don't know about you, but I want to spend a lifetime with you. I can't imagine being with anyone else now. I don't want us to see where this goes, I want us to take us where it goes. And Chris won't have power over us anymore, because this time, we'll go thr
Tom's POVAva and I exchanged a fearful glance as terror gripped us.Had Chris heard or seen us approaching, or was he angry because I hadn't shown any fear when he talked about detaining Melody?Ava swallowed and took the first step. After three more steps, she broke into a run and smashed through the window. It was quite impressive how forceful she was. How on earth could a woman break through a window?I followed in her footsteps and saw a trail of blood coming from the hall.My eyes widened and immediately I tried to stop Ava from running headfirst into whatever was waiting for us, but she was too fast.As soon as she reached the end of the hall, she let out a scream and instinctively placed her hand on her chest before bolting into the living room.I followed her and found Chris on the floor, blood pouring from his leg.Melody still had her gun pointed at him, but Ava hugged her tightly as if she had been raised from the dead.Tears streamed down Melody's cheeks, but her grip on
Ava's POVChris had abducted Melody, there was no other way to put it, but I still clung to Tom because he was at his most vulnerable at that moment and wasn't ready to deal with anything else.As his tears continued to fall, I felt conflicted.I was afraid for Melody's safety in the hands of the reckless Chris, and afraid that if I interrupted this moment with Tom, I might never experience anything like it again.I held him closer, and for a moment he remained still. He rested in my embrace, perhaps reflecting on the painful memories he had been made to endure.We were there for about half an hour, and the entire time was filled with a sick feeling of worry for me.Finally, he pulled away from me and stood up."Wine for us? I believe we have no secrets now," he remarked, and I nodded with a faint smile. "Is something bothering you?" He asked, sitting down again."Are you feeling better now?" I asked, gently touching his tear-streaked face."I never thought I could cry, but you seem t
Ava's POV"Are you telling the truth? Will you really tell me everything, no matter what happens?" I asked.He was silent for a while but eventually spoke. "I will tell you everything, no matter what happens. I promise you, Ava.""Is that Tommy?" Dora suddenly asked, bursting into a high cackle."Oh, um, Tom. She's here. Dora is here," I said uncomfortably as she began to approach me."What?! Dora?? Where? Where are you, Ava?""We are in the parking lot," I replied immediately. "She told me she wants coffee, cigarettes, and her brother.""Take her to the closest coffee shop and get her whatever she wants. I'll be there soon," he told me before I ended the call."You want coffee right?" I asked her, my voice a bit shaky."I thought you weren't going to give me any," she raised a brow at me."I've changed my mind. Tom said to give you whatever you want.""Oh, my sweet Tommy. I always knew he still had feelings for me.""But what exactly happened between you two?" I quipped."He tried to
Tom's POVThe nurse explained to me how they had gone to Dora's room to offer her treatment, but found out that she wasn't there.They had tried calling Chris, but he was wanted so his phone was turned off. Then they had called me, but I had also been unreachable.When I had gone to visit her some days ago, I was asked to provide all of my contact numbers, so I included my office number as well and it turned out to be the only way for them to reach me now."Are there any CCTV cameras?" I inquired, and the nurse let out a sigh."The last time she was seen, she walked into the staff toilet and never came out. When it was checked again, it was discovered that she had stolen the clothes of a nurse and left her unconscious. At the time, no one suspected her, so she was able to run out," she explained, her voice trembling slightly."So?" I asked."We think she might go to visit any of her relatives. Maybe you or her brother," she finished, and I licked my lips."It's fine. If she comes to s
Ava's POVI was about to open my room door, but then I remembered that Chris had made me lock it from the inside. I realized that I would probably have to find another room to sleep in. I quickly went into the room next to mine and slammed the door in anger. Then I flopped down on the bed, staring up at the ceiling.It was so frustrating that he didn't feel ready to tell me anything about Dora. He wasn't prepared to narrate the whole thing to me, leaving me in the dark.The fact that I had trusted and loved him blindly brought tears to my eyes.How could you tell someone you loved them and still refuse to let them know all there was to you?I hated secrets. I hated liars, and I hated deceivers!!With that thought, I found myself drifting off to sleep.The night I had had indeed been an eventful one, full of fear and anxiety.*************The next morning, I woke up at dawn, took a shower, looked through the wardrobe for clothes set aside for unexpected guests, and chose an outfit.
Ava's POVI was dumbstruck; I mean completely speechless."Wait, isn't that Tom's wife? The new girl he loves?" She started to shout. "Ha, she's not as pretty as we thought." She then paused and looked around. "Hey guys, why were we scared? Obviously, it's because we didn't expect a stranger. I can't believe he ended up saving her after all. If it weren't for us, she would have lost her fingers. Why did you even tell him the location? You should have just let her hands rot. She doesn't need them."The way she spoke to herself was unnerving. Suddenly, she began to laugh like a maniac, and I found myself breathing faster out of fear of what she might do."Does Tom think he'll lead a good life after ending mine? No!! I'll make him miserable too. I'll make him share my hospital room and laugh with me, too!" she promised as she ran her hands over her bed.I stumbled back a few steps.."He… he made you like this?" I asked in a shaky voice.In a fit of bubbling rage, she angrily demanded, "A
Ava's POVI gasped, and my phone slipped from my grasp."Raise them. Those hands," he said slowly, and my hands shot up to the ceiling immediately. "Good. Now, any little, stupid sound that I don't approve of, and I'll blast your head," he threatened softly, causing my eyes to close tightly.He was dressed entirely in black, with a black cap covering his head.He then moved closer to me; even with my eyes closed, I could feel his presence growing stronger.My limbs trembled, and it seemed like I would collapse any moment. "You need to lock the door," he whispered into my ear, his voice dangerously close, as he pressed the gun against the back of my neck.My legs sprang into action instantly, a little too fast."I'm not trying to run away. I'm not," I assured him in a wavering voice as I proceeded to lock my door.With the tip of the gun in his hands, he forcefully pushed me to the bed while he leaned against the nightstand, carefully observing me."You must think you've won. Everythi
Tom's POVMr. Roger looked nervous as he had finally confessed their greed, and as he met my expressionless eyes, it seemed he understood the gravity of what he had done."That's why they were so adamant," he explained, his eyes darting from Henry to me. "I actually wanted to pull out, but I had already used the money for my wife's surgery, and there wasn't really any way of getting it back." He moistened his lips nervously as he spoke."So are you saying that he successfully bribed the entire board too?" Henry asked.Mr. Roger shook his head. "No. A few persons rejected the money because they wanted to stick with Mrs. Lockwood. And I really wanted to, but I …""I can imagine the others saying exactly what you're saying - making excuses. But excuses don't cover up what you've done. Mrs. Lockwood will be the one to decide whether or not to expose you," I announced, noticing fear crossing his eyes."I… I know what I did was wrong…," he stuttered, avoiding my gaze.**************Ava wen