AVA POV
“Who is Bella’s father?” Raymond’s question caught me off guard.
I forced a small smile, trying to stay calm. “He’s dead,” I said quietly. “Not in the way you think. He’s alive, but to me… he’s as good as dead.”
Raymond looked at me, waiting for more. I hesitated before adding, “He’s my first enemy, and he’ll always be my enemy. He’s the reason I never got to feel my parents’ love. The only time I saw them again was when they were dead.”
Before Raymond could respond, Bella’s scream cut through the room. We ran inside to find her tossing and turning, caught in a nightmare.
I hurried to her side, stroking her hair gently. “Mummy’s here, baby. Relax. It’s okay, I’m here.”
Her little body slowly calmed under my touch, and she drifted back to sleep.
I sat beside her for a moment, my thoughts lingering on everything I’d just said.
*****
TWO MONTHS AFTER
“Mom, why am I changing my school all of a sudden?” Bella asked, her small voice breaking the silence in the car.
I glanced at her through the rearview mirror, keeping my face calm. “Don’t you like it? I thought you always wanted music.”
“Of course, I’m excited about my new school,” she said, her voice lifting for a moment. Then she added softly, “But… it’s a boarding school. I’m going to miss you, Mom.”
Her words pierced through me, and I swallowed the guilt rising in my chest. I reached over and touched her hand. “You’ll do great, Bella. And I’ll come see you every chance I get. This is your dream, remember?”
She nodded, but her lips trembled slightly as she looked out the window.
I knew she was scared of the change, but I also knew this was for the best. Keeping her in the city, with Raymond constantly hovering around, wasn’t something I could handle anymore. Sending her to boarding school was my only option to put distance between us—between her and him, and between him and me.
Ever since Granny passed, Raymond had been pushing himself into our lives, acting like he belonged here. It wasn’t just the way he insisted on getting her things every time or calling to check on her as if we were family—it was the way he looked at me. Like he thought there could be something more.
Even when I got myself a car, he made it a point to ask if I needed help paying for it—despite already handling part of the money on the contract deal.
I thought of the contract often as well, frustrated at how long it was dragging. What was holding his father back from finalizing it? The sooner Raymond got his inheritance, the sooner I could be free of him.
But until then, I needed space. Space for Bella and me to breathe without Raymond’s unnecessary familiarity suffocating me.
The car pulled up to Bella’s new school, The school is a dream come true. My daughter going to a standard school is my joy. Her face lit up as she spotted a banner near the entrance. “Mom, look! They have music lessons here!”
I smiled, even though my chest tightened. “I know. That’s why I chose this place for you.”
Bella’s excitement helped ease the ache a little, but as I hugged her goodbye, her words struck me again. “I’m going to miss you, Mommy.”
“I’m going to miss you too, Bella. So much,” I whispered, holding her tight.
Watching her walk toward the building, her small frame carrying her violin case, one of the teachers held her hand to guard her….
“I love you baby” I whispered
*****
As I drove back from Bella’s new school, my mind wandered. Maybe I could stop somewhere and pick up a new skincare product. I deserved a little self-care after the week I’d had. Just as I was picturing myself browsing through shelves of fancy creams and serums, my phone rang.
I glanced at the screen. Mr. Daniel.
I groaned inwardly, already bracing myself for whatever this was about. Reluctantly, I answered. “Hello?”
“Ava,” Mr. Daniel’s voice was brisk, straight to the point. “Are you with Raymond?”
I frowned. “No, I’m not. Why would I be?” I snapped, more annoyed than I probably should’ve been. “It’s not like we have some fake engagement event today.”
Ignoring my tone, he continued, “Raymond is very sick. You should check on him.”
Before I could even process what he’d said, the line went dead.
I stared at my phone, stunned. “What? Why should I check on him?”
I gripped the steering wheel, staring at the road ahead. The call from Mr. Daniel replayed in my mind.
The call left me irritated. Why would I check on Raymond? He’s a grown man. If he’s sick, he can take care of himself. I shook my head, muttering to myself, but my hands betrayed me as they turned the wheel toward his house.
When I arrived, the first thing I noticed was a sleek, unfamiliar car parked outside. Its shiny black exterior screamed luxury, making me hesitate. Who else is here?
I debated turning back but sighed, stepping out of the car. Might as well get this over with.
I opened the door and walked in, and I never expected the people I met or the scene before me.
Raymond stood near the couch, pulling on a polo shirt. His face immediately caught my attention. His left cheek was a little swollen, as if someone had beaten him up or something.
Before I could say anything, Grandma’s voice cut through the room.
“There you are!” she exclaimed. “Come, come, come! We were just talking about you.”
She patted the seat beside her, motioning for me to sit.
I hesitated for a second, my eyes still on Raymond. His father sat carefully in an armchair, watching me with that same unreadable expression he always wore.
Greeted him briefly and I moved closer to Grandma, her voice grew playful. “Ah, you’re looking at him, too. I don’t know how you’re coping with this He-goat standing there!” she said, waving a hand toward Raymond.
A small smile tugged at my lips despite myself. “What happened?” I asked.
Before Raymond could answer, he muttered quickly, “It’s nothing.” He looked away, avoiding my gaze.
Grandma wasn’t about to let it slide. “It can never be nothing, my darling,” she said, shaking her head. “Let me tell you….”
Raymond shot her a warning look, but she ignored him completely and turned to me. “He got himself drunk, as usual. Then, some random, jobless high school students saw him and tried to take a picture of him—probably to make him go viral. But this stubborn boy caught sight of them, got angry, and tried to fight them.” She paused for dramatic effect. “Guess what? Instead of him beating them, they ended up beating him up!”
I couldn’t help it. A laugh escaped me before I could stop myself. The image of Raymond, standing in the middle of a fight with high school kids and losing, was too ridiculous to hold back.
“Stop laughing!” Raymond snapped, his face turning red—not just from the swelling, but from embarrassment. “That’s not what happened!”
“Oh, really?” Grandma raised a brow, clearly unimpressed. “Then tell us, what exactly happened?”
Raymond glared at her, clearly stuck between telling his version of the story and saving what was left of his pride. I pressed my lips together, trying not to laugh again, but it was hopeless.
“Go ahead, Raymond,” I said, my voice teasing. “I’m curious.”
He mumbled something under his breath and stormed toward the kitchen, clearly done with the conversation.
Grandma chuckled, shaking her head. “HE-goat,” she muttered again.
I couldn’t stop the laughter bubbling in my chest as I looked back at her.
**********
I never had a plan to cook today, but somehow Grandma made that happen. Even when Raymond’s father kept trying to leave for his office, she insisted that, I make some food and we all eat together. She said something about it being good practice for a young lady, and honestly, I didn’t even bother arguing. Of course, she won.
Now, here we were, sitting at the dining table, patiently eating our food—or at least trying to. But Grandma, being Grandma, wouldn’t sit quietly.
She leaned back in her chair, tapping her fingers on the table with a mischievous grin. “You know,” she began, glancing at Raymond, “I think I’ve come up with a new song that fits what happened yesterday.”
Raymond groaned, his fork pausing midair. “Grandma, please don’t—”
But she was already humming. “Let’s see…***The mighty Raymond took on some kids, but instead of a win, he got a few hits!”***
I almost choked on my food, covering my mouth to stifle a laugh.
“Grandma, enough already,” Raymond muttered, glaring at her.
“Oh no, I’m just getting started!” she said, beaming. “Honestly, who gets beaten up by high schoolers? If I were you, I’d stay out of sight for a month. You’ve probably gone viral by now!”
I couldn’t hold it in anymore. A giggle slipped out, and when Raymond turned his glare to me, it only made me laugh harder.
Grandma waved a hand in the air, clearly enjoying herself. “Maybe next time, you’ll think twice before picking fights while drunk.”
“Grandma, I wasn’t picking a fight!” Raymond snapped, his face turning red—not just from embarrassment but also from the swollen cheek that still bore yesterday’s marks.
“Enough,….you too mother” Raymond’s father said, his tone calm but firm. The table fell quiet, and I took the opportunity to take a sip of water, hoping the silence would last.
It didn’t.
“You know what I think?” his father said suddenly, breaking the quiet. “You two should get married.”
The words landed like a bombshell.
Raymond, who had been reaching for his glass of water, spat it out, coughing violently. I wasn’t much better—I froze mid-bite, my fork slipping from my hand as I stared at his father in disbelief.
“What?!” Raymond and I shouted at the same time.
His father’s face remained impassive as he set his glass down. “You heard me. Marriage. Maybe it’ll settle you down, Raymond, and keep you from getting into situations like yesterday.”
Raymond blinked, clearly struggling to process what he’d just heard. “That’s insane. I’m not getting married.”
“Oh, I think it’s a lovely idea,” Grandma chimed in, a delighted smile spreading across her face. “Imagine—grandchildren! I’d finally have something fun to do again.”
I gaped at her. “Wait—what—”
“Mother,” Raymond groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose.
But his father wasn’t finished. He looked at Raymond, his tone cold and matter-of-fact. “Of course, it’s up to you. But if you’re not ready for marriage, Desmond will continue running the company until you prove otherwise.”
Raymond’s entire demeanor shifted. His jaw tightened, and his hands clenched into fists on the table.
I know he hate hearing that name -Desmond, For a moment, I thought he’d explode. Instead, he let out a sharp breath and said, “Fine. We’ll get married.”
I nearly fell out of my chair. “Excuse me?”
