Mag-log inAva's POVWe sat outside the hospital now, getting some fresh morning air. The sun had just risen, painting the sky in soft pink and orange colors. A gentle breeze brushed against my face and moved strands of my messy hair. James had filled me in on everything. My mind felt much clearer now, but heavier at the same time, like a stone sat on my chest."You're telling me that Julian might not remember us?" I said. My voice came out small and broken. I sat on the wooden bench beside James. The bench felt cool under my thin pyjamas. I still hoped he would reassure me that the worst would not happen. My fingers twisted together in my lap. They felt cold and shaky.James nodded slowly. He looked exhausted. Dark circles sat heavy under his eyes. His shoulders slumped forward. "He was drugged with an overdose," he said. He admitted it to himself too. His hands rested on his knees, fingers tapping nervously. "They found a large dose of the same drug Victor put on you—""Oh God!" I blurted out.
James' POV (Flashback — The Night of the Gold Gala)"Oh shit!" I cursed under my breath. My heart raced like a drum in my chest as I wondered why I agreed to this crazy plan in the first place. I had always put my life on the line for my boss, but tonight felt different, and a lot more dangerous. I held the pen tight in my hand. The cool metal pressed against my sweaty palm. I had just collected it from Ava. I moved fast now, sticking to the plan. My waiter uniform felt tight around my shoulders as I pushed through the busy crowd.I got backstage. Lights flashed from the main hall. I dropped my tray of drinks on a side table with a soft clink. Glasses shook but did not fall. I fixed my nose mask quickly. The fabric felt rough against my face. I pulled it tight.I spotted the second guy managing the sounds. He sat in a small booth with headphones around his neck. I walked straight to him. My shoes made soft sounds on the floor. I dropped a thick envelope of money right in front of hi
Ava's POVI dashed to the hospital that night. My heart pounded so hard I could hear it in my ears. I called a cab with shaking fingers. The cold night air hit my face as I waited outside the house. I still wore my blue pyjamas. The soft fabric felt thin against the wind. My bare feet slipped into different shoes without socks. The cab arrived fast. I jumped in. “New Hope Medical Centre. Please hurry,” I said. My voice sounded desperate. The driver nodded and drove off. Street lights blurred past the window. My hands gripped the gold key tight. It felt warm now from my palm.I arrived at the hospital. Bright lights shone from the big building. I barged inside. The automatic doors opened with a whoosh. The smell of medicine and clean floors filled my nose. My pyjamas looked strange under the white lights but I did not care. I followed the little direction signs on the walls. Arrows pointed left and right. I turned corners fast. My shoes slapped the shiny floor. But I got lost. The hal
Ava's POVTwo days had passed. The night felt young but empty inside the big house. I still struggled to accept the fact that Julian was gone. My body moved like it belonged to someone else. Leon and Victor were out of the picture now. And there's no one was willing to help me. All my attempts to find him had ended in closed doors and cold words. I felt so alone.I stood under the hot shower. The water ran down my skin like warm tears that would not stop. Steam filled the bathroom and made the mirror foggy. I scrubbed my body slowly. The soap smelled of flowers but it brought no comfort. My hands shook as I washed my hair. “Julian,” I whispered to the water. “Where are you? Why won’t you come back to me?” The sound disappeared under the running water. I turned the tap off and stepped out. The cold air hit my wet skin and made me shiver hard. I dried myself with a soft towel. It felt rough against my tired body.I put on my full pyjamas. The trousers type with long sleeves. The soft bl
Ava's POVOne week had passed. Every single day felt heavy and slow. I had been struggling to enter the President’s mansion without a visitation pass. My legs ached from standing outside the tall gates for hours. Guards shook their heads every time. My voice grew hoarse from begging. “Please, just let me in for five minutes,” I had said again and again. My mind had not been at rest since that night at the dock. The cold wind from the sea still felt like it blew on my skin. The sound of Victor’s screams still rang in my ears. I was not going to leave no matter what.Just as I stood there again with tears drying on my cheeks, another man in a sharp suit came forward. He spoke quietly to the guards. They stepped aside. “Come with me,” he said. His voice sounded flat. I followed him inside. The cool air from the big halls touched my hot face. They put me on hold in a side room. I sat down on the chair. My body felt so weak and tired I thought I might faint. My head spun real fast. My sto
Ava's POVJust when the time felt right, I drove to the dock area. The clock on my phone glowed almost midnight. I arrived a bit earlier than planned. My hands gripped the steering wheel so tight. The night air rushed through the open window. It carried the sharp smell of salt water, fish, and old oil. My black dress stuck to my back from nervous sweat. My heart beating loud and heavy in my chest as I parked the car behind some rusty old crates. The engine ticked quietly as it cooled.There was no sign of anybody at first. Only a very few people moved near the boat area. They looked like late-night workers. One man stood by the small boat I had arranged. His cigarette glowed red in the dark. My mind stayed clouded with thoughts. I could not think straight. Tall high cube containers filled the cargo area like giant metal walls. They cast long, dark shadows under the dim yellow lights. I could not walk around freely. I stuck to the direction I knew. My heels clicked softly on the wet co
Ava’s POVI pushed the bedroom door open very quiet, but the click still sounded way louder than I wanted it to so early this morning. Leon was already half-dressed, standing there in front of the full mirror, fiddling with the last couple buttons on his white shirt. He looked all put together al
Ava's POV Leon didn't let me catch my breath fully.He reached over to the nightstand, grabbing that thick black sex rope—soft but tough, the kind that he'd always used on me to punish me.Sweat glistened on his chest, his muscles shifting under the dim light as he moved. He was breathing heavy to
Ava’s POVLeon didn’t give me a second to catch my breath.He placed his hands on me again, quick and rough, his fingers working at the thick black rope still wrapped around my ankles. The cord slid free with a soft rasp on my skin, and the sudden rush of blood all over that area made the red marks
Leon’s POVThe hotel room in New York now smelled like her—that sweet perfume all mixed up with sweat and sex, the kind of scent that hits you hard and lingers around you.We’d been going at it for hours, time was just slipping away, the bed sheets twisted everywhere like we didn’t care. Curtains s







