I was startled when the door immediately jerked open and Ava rushed inside, almost knocking Clark to the side.I glanced up at her when she looked me over, touching my forehead, my arms, my lower abdomen."Ava, you didn't tell me that you've resumed the work of a nurse." My tone was subdued and I stared at her calmly."I was so worried when I got a phone call from your husband, telling me to immediately come over. I was so worried that something bad had happened to you." Her face was creased with concern and interest.I sighed out and momentarily shut my eyes, to wave off the slight dizziness that took over me. I had just finished eating a few minutes ago. Thankfully, the food remained in my stomach. "I'm fine, Ava. It was just an allergy. I had too much to drink last night, so I got sick. It's surprising that the doctor said I had an allergy. What did Alexander call it again path...err..." I tilted my head to the side a little, trying to remember the name he called."Pathology Immun
My heart skipped a beat as Ava and I both turned to each other, our eyes widened in shock. Was that really a gunshot? In this peaceful mansion?Without saying a word, we both stood up and scanned the surrounding area, trying to pinpoint the source of the sound. The once serene garden now felt unsettling, the birds chirping had ceased and an eerie silence hung in the air.I felt a surge of fear grip my heart as my mind raced with a million possibilities. Was someone hurt? Was there danger nearby? My thoughts were interrupted by Ava’s voice, filled with concern.“Did you hear that?” she whispered, her eyes searching mine for answers.I nodded, unable to find my voice. Together, we cautiously made our way towards the front of the house, following the direction of the noise. The adrenaline pumping through my veins made each step feel heavier than the last.As we reached the edge of the garden, we noticed about seven guards gathered near the main entrance, their voices hushed and tense. My
ALEXANDERI couldn't tear my eyes away from the scene before me. I stood outside the door, looking in through the slightly opened door. I watched as Ivory whispered soothing words to Ava, stroking her hair and offering a shoulder to cry on.I didn't want to go in and disrupt this vulnerable and delicate moment for them, in as much as I want to walk in and gather Ivory in my arms, and inhale her scent to calm down my raging insides.I took a step back. Then two. Three. I turned and left. "This is the file report you asked me to bring for you, boss," Jackson said, the instant I walked into the large living room. I took the brown paper from him, and gave him a curt nod. With that, he disappeared."Ava's father is dead," I pointed out to Clark, who was sitting on one of the large sofas, with a drink in his hand. I approached him and sat beside him."Yeah." His reply was simple and short as he took another sip from his glass."Did you look into the incident that happened outside. I heard
IVORYAs I listened to the words coming out of Alexander's mouth, my heart skipped a beat. His grandfather was coming over, and we had to pretend to be in love. It felt like a punch in the gut, a sudden wave of panic washing over me. He even has a grandfather?And pretending to be in love? It sounded like something straight out of a cheesy rom-com, not my idea of a relaxing evening. But I couldn't exactly say no, could I? It was his family, after all. It's been a week since my allergy incident. A full week of less drama, less Alexander and less mafia antics. It's been peaceful so far, but I don't think this peace is going to last long. Obviously. Ava's father was buried four days ago at the cemetery. Ava as expected, is still grieving his death. I try as much as I can to always check up on her and cheer her out of her grief."But, why are you just telling me this today?""It was impromptu. I was also told today that he is visiting. He wants to see you...to see my wife." My eyes imme
I watched silently as five SUVs' drove in, approaching the main entrance. The cars stopped in front of us, and immediately the doors flew open, men dressed in black suits and black shades alighted the first car, and rushed to the second car.I heaved out when Mr Marco walked out with Samantha, his wife. She smiled and engulfed me in a hug the moment she came to where we stood."Hope my son hasn't been giving you any tough time?" She asked softly and I shook my head negatively. "He better not." I laughed and gave her a peck on the cheek.Mr Marco simply nodded at me and I offered him a small smile in return.My nervousness returned when the men in black suit surrounded the third car. The door of the car opened and a tall figure came out of the car. It was a man, I couldn't see him properly because he was surrounded by bodyguards, making it hard to see him properly. The man looked around before making his way to where I stood with Alexander and his parents.I gulped down forcefully as I
"So, tell me, how did you two meet?" Grandfather asked, a knowing smile appearing on his face. I glanced over at Alexander, unsure of what lie he was going to come up with. But before he could respond, I blurted out, "We met at a cafe downtown." At the same time, Alexander said, "We met at the bar near my office." We both looked at each other in surprise, realizing that our stories didn't match up. Grandfather raised an eyebrow, amused by our confusion. "Which is it then?" he asked, a playful glint in his eyes. I felt my cheeks flush with embarrassment, knowing that he had caught us in our little charade. But instead of faltering, I decided to play along. "Well, we met at the cafe first, but we really got to know each other at the bar," I said with a wink, hoping to smooth over the situation. Grandfather chuckled, nodding in approval. "Ah, young love. It's a beautiful thing." I let out a sigh of relief, grateful that he seemed to be buying our story. I took a sip of my juice and
Today makes it exactly five months since I got into a contract marriage with Alexander. So far so good, things has been moving well, not between I and Alexander though. It was just as if the little relationship and communication I had with him has plummeted. We no longer talk to each other, infact, Alexander is barely seen at home, and when he comes back, it's either he ignores me or he avoids me. At first, I felt bad, but slowly grew into it.Yep, we are complete strangers to each other after all.Other than the unprogressive relationship I have with Alexander, every other thing has been moving well and normal. He still sends me my weekly allowance, but still I have told him times without number that I want to work. He'd always brush it aside or tell me that he is rich enough to take care of me. Yeah, just like the arrogant nutjob he is.Ava's bakery has been booming, and well she's over the death of her father, not completely though. Every other day, I'm stuck in this mansion, becau
ALEXANDER She's beautiful. She's breathtaking. She's gorgeous. She'll be my ruin. She'll be my undoing. She has the power to take my very mundanity with her arcane. She can't be mine, but at the same time, I want her to be all mine. I want to possess every fibre of her being. I want to feel her warm body against mine. I want to be the only one that makes her hazel eyes sparkle and light up with excitement. I want her. I need her. I want her all for myself.Hah! I sound so pathetic and possessive! Ivory is like a wrecking ball that zoomed into my life and set it on fire. She's complete perfection, my only direction. It's been five months since I contractually married her, five months since my miracle happened. Every waking of each fucking day reminds me of how close, and how soon it will be for our agreement to come to an end. I can't let that happen. I'd go to the ruins of hell or probably the end of the earth, if that means I'll keep her by my side. My relationship with her hasn't
FIVE MONTHS LATER I clutched Alexander's hand, my nails digging deep into his skin as a contraction ripped through my body like a wave crashing on the shore. "It's time," I panted, my eyes locked onto his, my voice barely above a whisper. Alexander's face was etched with concern, but he smiled reassuringly, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "We're almost there, my love. Just a few more minutes." He stroked my hair, his touch gentle and soothing. But I knew it was more than that. The pain was intensifying, like a fire burning brighter with each passing moment. I could feel the baby's head crowning, the pressure building. Suddenly, Theresa burst into the room, her face set with urgency. "It's time to go! We need to get her to the hospital, now!" she exclaimed, her voice firm but laced with worry. The next few minutes were a blur as Alexander scooped me up and rushed me to the car, Clark and Mr. Sebastian following close behind, their faces set with concern. Samantha and Mr. Marco b
As the black SUV came to a stop in front of Alexander's mansion, I felt a mix of emotions swirling inside me. Alexander got down and rounded the car to open the door for me, his eyes locked onto mine with a warm smile. I took his hand, and he helped me out of the car, his touch sending shivers down my spine.As I stepped out, I saw Theresa standing outside the patio with Mr. Sebastian, her tears-filled eyes fixed on me with a mixture of happiness and sadness. Samantha stood by the side with Mr. Marco, her eyes sparkling with excitement. Alexander's grandfather, stood with them, his eyes piercing as he gazed at me with a small smile on his lips.Alexander's hand tightened around mine as he led me towards them. Theresa immediately rushed towards me and engulfed me in a tight hug. Sobs racking through her body. My own eyes immediately clouded with tears as I hugged her back, feeling a deep sense of connection and love. I could feel her heart racing with excitement, her breath coming in s
IVORY'S POV It's been two days since I saw Ezekiel at the diner. And surprisingly, I haven't seen anything unusual. I had thought that they would've stormed here already, and I've been holding on to that small hope that Ezekiel was considerate enough not to tell Alexander my location. I've been living in this small, shabby apartment for months now, trying to lay low and avoid detection. It's been a lonely existence, but a necessary one. I've missed Alexander, missed him more than I thought possible. I never stopped loving him, but I couldn't go back to him, not to his world. It was too dangerous, too suffocating. As I looked around my apartment, I felt a pang of sadness. It was small and empty, except for the bed, a table, and a few other sparse furnishings. Joe had given it to me, and I was grateful for his kindness. At least I had a roof over my head, a place to call my own. But it was a far cry from the life I had left behind. I missed the luxury, the comfort, the sense of secur
ALEXANDER'S POVI sat in my dimly lit study, gazing out the window, surrounded by the shadows of my own despair. It had been four months since Ivory left, and I was no closer to finding her. Every lead, every hint, every rumor had turned out to be a dead end. I was starting to lose my grip on reality, my mind consumed by thoughts of her, of where she might be, of whether she was safe.I couldn't eat, couldn't sleep. I couldn't focus on anything except finding her. My business was suffering, my relationships were suffering, my very sanity was suffering. And yet, I couldn't stop. I couldn't rest until I found her.Because I loved her. I loved her more than life itself. I loved her more than I ever thought possible. She was my everything, my reason for being. And without her, I was nothing.And then, the news had come. She was pregnant. My baby was growing inside her, and I wasn't there to see it, to feel it, to be a part of it. The thought was almost too much to bear.I remembered the d
FOUR MONTHS LATER...I stood at the edge of the small town, my eyes fixed on the horizon. I had been on the move for months, never staying in one place for too long. I had to keep running, had to keep hiding. I couldn't let them find me.I had been living off the grid, using cash and fake IDs to survive. I had cut my hair short and dyed it brown, trying to blend in with the crowd. I had lost weight, my eyes sunken from lack of sleep.But despite the hardships, I felt free. I felt alive.I thought back to the night I escaped, the rain pounding against my face as I ran. I had never felt so alive, so exhilarated.I had made my way to Ravenwood, a small, quaint town nestled in the heart of Oregon, where I had managed to find a work as a waitress at a local diner. I kept to myself, never making friends or connections. I couldn't afford to get close to anyone.But as the months passed, I started to feel a sense of belonging. I started to feel like I could finally start over.I walked into t
As I watched Alexander leave my room, I roughly brushed away the tears that were streaming down my face, my hands shaking with anger and hurt. Damn him for reducing me to this state, for making me feel so vulnerable and weak. Damn him for making me love him so deeply, so completely, only to shatter my heart into a million pieces. Damn my body for always reacting to every of his touch. And, damn my heart for still loving him after his lies and betrayal. I slowly walked to the door and slammed it shut, hardly. But, just as I was about to turn, another knock sounded on the door. Angrily I opened it, ready to bark at Alexander for not wanting to leave me alone. "What part of get out don't you under..." My words hung in my throat, when my eyes met with Theresa's. Her face was glistening with tears, her eyes swollen and puffy. A look of hurt, guilt and sadness was etched on her beautiful face. My heart almost almost melted at her pitiful sight and I wanted nothing more than to go int
Laughter echoed in my mind, a cold, mirthless sound. I felt like a pawn in a game I didn't understand, used by everyone around me. My legs trembled beneath me as I reached the top of the stairs, my hand grasping for the door handle to my room.I flung the door open and stumbled inside, slamming it shut behind me. I leaned against the door, my heart racing, my mind spinning. I felt like I was trapped in a nightmare, with no escape.I slid down the door, my legs giving out beneath me. I buried my face in my hands, tears streaming down my face. I felt so alone, so lost. My hands wrapped around my stomach protectively, as if to protect the life growing inside me from the unknown danger surrounding me. A soft knock on the door broke the silence. "Angel, please let me in," Alexander's voice whispered through the door.I shook my head, even though he couldn't see me. "Go away," I whispered back.The knocking stopped, but I knew he wouldn't give up. He would keep trying to reach me, to expla
IVORY'S POVI stood frozen at the foot of the stairs, my eyes fixed on the scene before me as five pairs of eyes locked onto me, their gazes piercing and intense. Alexander's words hung in the air, a confession of secrets and lies that threatened to upend my entire world. My mind reeled, struggling to process the words he had just dropped, as if trying to solve a puzzle with missing pieces.My head spun, a dizzying sensation washing over me like a wave, leaving me breathless and disoriented. I felt like I'd been punched in the gut, the wind knocked out of me, leaving me gasping for air. My legs trembled beneath me, and I reached out for the stair railings, grasping for support as the room seemed to tilt around me.Alexander immediately took a step towards me, his eyes filled with concern, but I stopped him with a raised finger, my hand shaking with a mix of anger and fear. I shook my head at him, a silent warning to stay back, to give me space to process the chaos that was erupting in
ALEXANDER'S POVI paced back and forth in my dimly lit study, my mind consumed by the events of the past few days. If only I had arrived sooner, maybe Ava would still be alive. Maybe Ivory wouldn't be lying on a bed, her heart broken and her spirit shattered.Three days ago, our mission to rescue Ivory and Ava from the clutches of Russo and his brother had gone catastrophically wrong. We were racing against time to reach the docks where they were being held hostage, but fate had other plans. Russo's men ambushed us, and we found ourselves entangled in a fierce battle that seemed to have no end. Wave after wave of his henchmen attacked us, each one more relentless than the last. We fought valiantly, but the sheer number of opponents slowed us down, and precious minutes ticked by.As the fight dragged on for over two hours, my anxiety grew. Every second counted, and I knew that Ivory and Ava were running out of time. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, we emerged victorious, bu