FAZER LOGIN“I’ve thought it through carefully.”Ava slowly swirled the wine in her glass, watching the crimson liquid circle lazily along the rim. Her gaze remained lowered, as though the answer she sought might somehow be hiding there.“You really shouldn’t acknowledge Cello.”Alexander’s expression did not change.“Reason.”She lifted her eyes at last.“You want children,” she said quietly. “There are plenty of women who can give them to you.”Her tone was calm—too calm.“We can’t be together.”Alexander leaned back slightly in his chair.“Reason.”Ava looked directly at him now. The warm lamplight reflected in her dark eyes, making them shimmer with a sincerity she rarely allowed him to see.“I’m not suitable for you,” she said softly. “And you’re not suitable for me.”Silence lingered between them for a moment.Then Alexander spoke.“I don’t accept that.”Ava exhaled slowly and turned her face aside. When she looked back at him again, a hint of frustration had crept into her voice.“Then wha
Alexander peeled another crayfish with practiced ease.This time, however, instead of placing the shrimp neatly onto Ava’s plate, he held it out toward her mouth.Ava immediately turned her face to the left.His hand followed.She turned sharply to the right.The shrimp followed again.Alexander appeared perfectly calm, holding the shrimp patiently between his fingers. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched her stubborn expression while speaking casually to Marcello.“Cello,” he said thoughtfully, “I’m sure your mum never told you that actually, she and I—”Ava’s mouth snapped open.She bit directly onto his finger.Hard.Her eyes narrowed at him in open warning.You absolute scoundrel. If you dare finish that sentence, I’ll bite it clean off.“What’s wrong?” Marcello asked curiously.Afraid Alexander might say something even more outrageous, Ava quickly released his finger and swallowed the shrimp in one swift motion.“Uncle Vanderbilt was simply saying,” she said smoothly, “that y
As the taxi approached the kindergarten, Ava spotted Marcello from a distance.The little boy stood patiently at the gate beside one of the teachers, his small backpack hanging neatly over his shoulders. The courtyard beyond them was already empty—every other child had long since been collected.Because of the unpleasant incident at the gym, Ava had arrived later than usual.“Thank you,” she said quickly to the driver as she pushed open the door.Before stepping out, she instinctively glanced left and right, scanning the street with cautious eyes. She looked for reporters, unfamiliar faces, anyone lingering too long near the school entrance.Seeing nothing suspicious, she hurried across the pavement.“Sorry I’m late,” she said warmly as she took Marcello’s small hand.The teacher smiled politely and waved them off.Ava wasted no time. She guided the little boy straight back to the taxi, settling beside him as the car pulled away toward their rented apartment.Once they were moving aga
With a casual wave of her hand, Ava stepped past the female trainee and moved forward, pressing a palm to her chest as though still catching her breath.“This time,” she said between light gasps, “I’ll choose the event.”Poppy had expected hesitation, perhaps even retreat. Instead, Ava volunteered without the slightest prompting. The surprise lasted only a moment before satisfaction curled through Poppy’s chest.“Fine,” she replied at once. “Whatever you choose.”Ava’s gaze drifted around the circle of spectators before settling on the equipment nearby.“Bench press.”Poppy nearly laughed.In her mind, Ava’s earlier success had little to do with strength. Pull-ups, after all, could be aided by a lighter frame and quick reflexes. Bench pressing, however, relied on sheer muscular power. There would be no clever tricks there.And muscular power was something Poppy prided herself on.“Very well,” she said briskly. “Let’s begin.”Naturally, she added a small calculation of her own. Ava had
Ava stood before the mirror in the locker room, tugging lightly at the collar of her sports top.Her eyes narrowed.There, just above the neckline, was the unmistakable mark of a hickey—dark, treacherous, and entirely too visible.Her expression darkened.“Unbelievable,” she muttered under her breath.With a sharp motion, she pulled the collar higher and slammed her locker shut with a decisive clang.If Alexander Vanderbilt thought she would walk about advertising his handiwork like some foolish love-struck girl, he was very much mistaken.Taking a steady breath, Ava pushed open the door of the changing room and headed upstairs to the gym on the fourth floor.The spacious room was already alive with the rhythmic sounds of treadmills, clinking weights, and quiet conversation. One of her students—a young woman attending her first class—was already waiting near the stretching mats.Ava greeted her with a warm smile.“Shall we begin?” she said cheerfully. “We’ll start with some warm-up exe
Indeed, he had changed.More than seven years had passed, and the young man who had once seemed almost awkward in bed—intense yet uncertain—had become something altogether different. Controlled. Confident. Dangerous in ways she had not expected.Alexander Vanderbilt had learned how to wield desire like a weapon.Ava drew a shallow breath and forced a mocking laugh.“Mr. Vanderbilt,” she said coolly, though her voice was a shade hoarser than she intended, “you may as well save your efforts. Tricks like that might deceive naïve little girls who’ve never seen the world.”For a moment, he did not move.Then slowly, Alexander lifted his head.One arm was braced beside her head on the mattress, supporting his weight. His face hovered above hers, close enough that she could feel the warmth of his breath. Less than ten centimetres separated them.His breathing was slightly uneven.The blue of his eyes—usually clear and sharp—had darkened, like the sea under moonlight. Deep. Unreadable.Somethi







