Chapter 5 – A Dangerous Offer

Ava's Pov

I was halfway to my room, shivering, with my hair matted to my face. I was shivering but it was nothing compared to the way my body felt like it was suddenly on fire.

I could not bring myself to stop thinking about my father-in-law….and sexually too.

“Are you still sulking?” Claire asked when I was hallways down the staircase. She was tapping her manicured nails against her phone screen.

And of course, the little boy was with her, with his curly hair, and chubby cheeks. He clung to her skirt while sucking on a lollipop, I wished I could hate him, but he did nothing wrong.

I held the banister tighter. “You should be getting ready to leave.”

Claire looked up from her phone and cocked her head to the side. “Yes, but I just wanted to check on my dear sister. Can't have the poor invalid locked away in this…” she took a disappointed look around the house. “Mausoleum.”

I took the last few steps slowly,still shivering but I forced the words out. “Just leave. Don't you think you've done enough damage?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Ethan and I have every right to be here.” She crouched, smoothing the boy’s hair. “Isn’t that right, sweetheart? Daddy says Aunt Ava is staying with the scary old man upstairs.”

Daddy…that word never failed to cut through my heart everytime. That was supposed to be Ethan and I's kid.

Claire stood again. “Ava, don’t you think this charade has gone on long enough? You were asleep for five years. Ethan moved on and I moved on. You need to… accept it.”

“Accept that you stole my life?” I sneered.

“I saved Ethan,” she snapped, throwing her hair behind her. “He was miserable, Ava, after you left him in limbo. I healed him and I gave him a family.”

 My fingernails dug into my palms. “Yeah, he needed healing barely a year after, right?”

Her eyes flashed with anger before turning into fake sympathy. “Look at you. You're as skinny as a ghost. Mom and dad are dead, the house was sold, I made sure of it. Ethan pities you, you know. You're nothing but a charity case.”

 My knees weakened, but I refused to let her see me crumble. “Fuck off, Clara.”

“Or what? You’ll collapse again?” She laughed softly. “Face it, Ava, you’re an embarrassment. You don’t belong here and quite honestly, I wished you'd died.”

“Is that so?” Someone asked, but it wasn't me.

I turned around at Damian's voice. He took one step after another as he came down the stairs. His eyes was fixed on Claire.

Claire stiffened. “Mr. Blackwell, I was only—”

 “Insulting a weak woman under my roof, that's something I frown upon.” he cut her off with a wave of his hand.

Claire swallowed, her bravado slipping. “I didn’t mean—”

“You meant every word,” he finished for her. His hand brushed lightly at my elbow, and I hated how that simple touch made my heart skip a beat.

Claire’s son tugged at her hand, whispering, “Mommy, let’s go.”

She straightened, and said to me. “This isn’t over, Ava.”

“It already is.” Damian answered on my behalf.

A small smile crossed my lips as my sister huffed, held her son's hand and left in a rush.

 My hands shook, and I pulled away from Damian’s touch. “I didn’t need your help.”

“Yes,” he said calmly, “you did.”

 “Don’t talk to me like I’m helpless.”

“You faint at the thought of walking too far,” he said bluntly. “Your body is still recovering, and honestly, Your sister doesn't deserve to treat you this way.”

His eyes were boring a hole into me. “And you think reminding me of it helps?” I asked, turning away. I hated feeling pitied.

“No. I was only trying to help.” 

I turned away, hugging my arms. “I don’t want your pity.” He moved closer, and I was reminded again of his dick pressed against my ass in the pool earlier. What the hell was wrong with me?

 “Good. Because I don’t pity you.” he said stepping even closer.

I blinked, caught off guard. “I'll sign the divorce papers. I've been thinking about it.” 

The older man arched an eyebrow, but I could see a hint of a smile. “What changed your mind?”

“I want to be free. After signing the divorce papers, I'll leave this estate. I want to start over…thankfully, I graduated summa cum laude and I can still use my certificate.”

Damian shook his head slowly. “You see sweetheart, I cannot let you do that.”

“Huh? Why?” I asked taking a step up the staircase and away from him. Being so close to him scrambled my senses.

“If the press catches even a whisper of this, before the divorce has been full settled, the scandal won’t just be theirs. It will touch my company too. Ethan committed bigamy, that shit can't go away like that.” He threw his hands in the air. “So you see, that, Ava, is why you’re here, and why you’ll stay.”

“So I’m just… a liability you need to control?” my lower lip quivered.

He tilted his head, eyes dragging over me in a way that made me press my legs togther. “You’re more than that.”

I shivered, hating that my pulse betrayed me. “Stop looking at me like that.”

“Like what?”

“Like…” I faltered, shaking my head. “Forget it.”

 “Look, Ava, If you want to survive this, you need more than my protection, and you need power. The kind Ethan can’t challenge and Claire can’t sneer at.”

“What are you saying?” I can't lie, I was interested.

His eyes locked on mine. “I’m suggesting a partnership.”

“Partnership why?”

“Ethan will make sure you leave with nothing. I know the bastard, and that'll leave you in the dirt. I can't have you running around the streets of NewYork. So I'm suggesting a partnership.”

“You want to control me? What do I get in return? My whole life has—” I started to say but he waved me off.

“You get revenge on your ex for the way he's treated you, I make sure my company is free from scandal. We can easily spin this if you marry me, and the hospital will be willing to cooperate with us on this, but if you don't, and this gets to the press, we're screwed and Ethan goes to jail.”

I choked on air. “You want me to pretend to engaged to you?”

“Yes. Look, it ends the gossip, and it forces Ethan to keep his distance. It makes Claire irrelevant and no one will dare call you weak if they think you’re with me.”

I stared. “You’re insane.”

“Maybe,” he allowed, stepping closer. “But it’s the only way to win, and I think you want to win, Ava.”

My throat tightened and I swallowed. “And if I say no?”