JASON’S POV Laura’s heels clicked loudly against the marble floor as she stormed out of my office. I could see the hurt on her face, but I felt nothing. Once, I might have cared. Once, I might have tried to explain myself, to soften my words, to make her feel better. But not anymore. I had spent years thinking about her feelings – years that had cost me everything. Even when I was married to Ava, Laura had been a shadow in my life, always there, always pushing her way in. And I had let her. I had been too weak to shut her out completely because of the debt I owed her parents, and it had destroyed my marriage. It had cost me Ava. It had cost me my child. Or at least, that’s what I had believed. I ran a hand through my hair, exhaling slowly. Ava had a daughter. The words played in my head over and over again. Laura had said it so bitterly, so smugly, as if she wanted to rip my heart out. "While you were being loyal to a woman who divorced you and left you, she was busy moving o
AVA'S POV After dropping Emma off at school, I wasted no time getting back into the car. The moment I shut the door, I let out a quiet breath, steadying myself. Today was important. My first official day running Avaris Luxe in America. I couldn’t afford to be late, not when I had spent the past three years building myself up for this moment. As the car moved through the streets, I tapped my fingers lightly against my lap. My mind was already racing with everything I had to do meetings, reports, and ensuring everything was running smoothly. But despite all that, a part of me still lingered on what had just happened at Darton School. I hadn’t expected to run into Laura there of all places. But seeing her with that little boy confirmed what I already knew she was still as manipulative as ever. Using her own son to make a statement, to remind me that she still held some power. But she was wrong. I wasn’t the same woman she had once tried to destroy, the same woman she had made
AVA'S POV Jason didn’t call again. Days had passed since Sally last informed me about his desperate attempts to reach me, but now… nothing. No messages. No calls. Just silence. I should’ve felt relieved, but instead, a part of me remained cautious. Jason wasn’t the type to back down so easily. He had tried calling me endlessly after the Avaris Luxe opening, and then suddenly, he just gave up. Unlikely. I pushed the thought aside as I scrolled through emails, making a mental note of upcoming meetings. Avaris Luxe had only been officially open in America for a short time, and already, things were moving fast. Faster than I expected. Just then, a soft knock sounded at my door. “Come in,” I called, not looking up. The door opened, and Sally walked in, a small smirk on her face as she clutched her tablet. “You’re going to love this,” she said, sliding into the chair across from me. I leaned back, arching a brow. “That depends. What is it?” She tapped a few times on her s
JASON'S POV Stacks of paperwork covered my desk, demanding my attention. Contracts, approvals, financial reports – I had barely made a dent in them, yet the day was already slipping away. My head throbbed from lack of sleep, but I forced myself to focus. Ben hadn’t gotten back to me yet concerning what I told him to look into. Even Ava has refused to speak with me. I tapped my pen against the desk, staring at the untouched papers in front of me. I found it impossible to concentrate on work. My mind kept circling back to that one question – the one that had haunted me ever since Laura spat out her bitter words. The thought had consumed me, making sleep a distant memory. I exhaled, shaking my head. "Focus Jason." I needed to focus. Just as I reached for a contract, the door to my office burst open. “Jason!” I looked up, frowning as Laura stormed in. Her blonde hair was perfectly styled as always, but her eyes were wild with panic. I clenched my jaw. “What the hell are you
AVA'S POV The moment I stepped into the school, I heard a loud, angry voice echoing down the hallway leading to the nurse's office where we were directed to go. My steps slowed as I frowned, the tone oddly familiar. It didn’t take long to recognize it. Laura. A part of me instinctively tensed, the old memories of all the pains I experienced came rushing back before I could stop them. But I forced my expression to remain unreadable as I continued walking. Besides me, Alex must have noticed the sudden tension in my body because he placed a firm yet reassuring hand on my waist. His touch was steady and gentle grounding my spiraling emotions. We reached the door, and as I stepped inside, my breath caught for a second. Laura stood in the middle of the room, hands on her hips, eyes blazing with fury – an angry lioness ready to pounce. But the moment she saw Alex and me, something shifted in her expression. Her gaze flickered between me and Emma as if she didn’t recognize the litt
AVA'S POVA tense silence filled the room after I demanded to see the CCTV footage. I didn’t miss the way Laura’s face briefly paled before she quickly masked her reaction with an indignant scoff. Her arms crossed over her chest, but the stiffness in her posture told me she wasn’t as confident as she wanted to appear. The teacher, clearly uncomfortable, shifted awkwardly before clearing her throat. “Ms. Taylor, I understand your concerns, but the school policy and privacy laws prevent parents from directly accessing surveillance footage. A formal request must be submitted and reviewed by the administration before..." “I want to speak to the school director,” I cut in firmly. The teacher hesitated, her eyes flickered toward Laura for a brief second, as if waiting for some kind of signal. That tiny reaction told me everything I needed to know. Laura had influence here. Whether through intimidation, money, or connections, she had made sure the staff were careful around her. Bef
AVA’S POV The moment the footage started playing, the room went completely silent. I watched intently as the screen flickered, showing the playground from a high angle. The camera quality was clear enough to capture every movement, every detail of what had happened. Mason and Emma stood facing each other, their small figures tense. Mason’s lips moved as he said something – something that made Emma’s tiny hands ball into fists. Then, without warning, Mason raised his hand and slapped her across the face. A sharp intake of breath sounded beside me. How could a little boy be this cruel, raising his hands against a girl? Emma stumbled back, holding her reddened cheek. Before she could react, Mason shoved her with both hands, sending her falling onto the ground. My nails dug into my palms as I watched her small body hit the pavement. The little boy said something else, his lips curling in satisfaction, before stepping closer to Emma. My stomach tightened. He wasn’t done. Mason rais
AVA’S POV Laura stood frozen, her lips pressed into a thin, stubborn line. Her nails dug deep into her palms, and she looked truly cornered. Her eyes burned with anger. She didn’t want to do this. She didn’t want to apologize. Her pride was fighting it, screaming at her to argue, to twist the situation in her favor. I could see it in the way her mouth opened, ready to protest. Her chest rose as if she was preparing to unleash a self-righteous argument, to somehow spin this situation in her favor. But before she could, I spoke, my voice calm but cutting. “Or do you only expect children to take responsibility for their actions – while adults like you refuse to?” Her breath hitched. And just like that, the balance of power shifted. Laura stiffened. Her nails dug deeper into her skin, and though she tried to mask it, I could see the slight tremble in her hands, the way her whole body vibrated with restrained fury. She wanted to lash out. I could feel it in the air bet
AVA'S POV I swallowed, unsure of how much to share. “Yeah… It’s been a lot.” His gaze never wavered. “I’m proud of you, Ava. For standing up for yourself. For building something of your own despite everything they threw at you.” Hearing those words – so simple, yet so genuine –hit me harder than I expected. I looked down at my hands resting in my lap, blinking back the sting behind my eyes. “I don’t know if I feel proud,” I confessed quietly. “It all just feels… exhausting.” “Survival usually does,” he said with a small smile. “But you built Avaris Luxe from nothing, Ava. You fought for yourself when no one else did. That’s something worth recognizing, even if you can’t see it yet.” I let out a slow breath, nodding. There was a lump in my throat I couldn’t swallow down, and a part of me hated how emotional I still got about everything. But maybe that was okay. Maybe I didn’t have to be so strong all the time. “And you?” I asked, shifting the conversation away from me bec
AVA’S POVThe next morning felt quieter than usual. It was the weekend. For once, my phone wasn’t blowing up with work emails or news alerts – just a single reminder flashing across my screen. “Visit Grandpa Campbell – 10 AM.” I stared at it for a moment longer than I should have, the guilt creeping in before I could even try to stop it. I’d promised him I’d visit a week ago when he had called me, but everything had spiraled so fast after the civil hearing that I’d lost track of time… and myself. No more excuses today. I needed to see him. I pulled myself together – simple jeans, a soft cardigan, and my hair loosely tied back. No polished version of me needed today, just… me. The Ava who used to spend hours in those gardens, who always felt at home in that house. And maybe the Ava who needed Grandpa more than she’d realized. The Campbell mansion looked exactly the same, standing tall and familiar, like time hadn’t dared touch it. But I felt different walking up to it, like
AVA’S POV His arms wrapped around me like he was anchoring me to the ground, like he knew I’d been holding too much for too long. I didn’t care that we were standing in the middle of the airport, people moving around us with rolling suitcases and curious glances. My face rested against his shoulder, and for a second… just one second… the weight I’d been carrying finally let go. It felt like peace, even in the middle of all the noise. “I missed you,” I said softly, the words catching in my throat. “I missed you more,” he murmured back. Neither of us moved. We just stayed like that, still and quiet. After everything that had happened, the familiarity of that moment was a kind of relief. Not dramatic. Not complicated. Just two people who’d been through hell and somehow found their way back to something steady. Eventually, he pulled back to look at me. His eyes scanned my face like he was making sure I was really okay. “You look good,” he said gently. “Tired, but good.” I ga
AVA’S POV Alex had texted me last night saying he was flying back today. I told him I’d pick him up from the airport and drop him home. His flight was landing in two hours, so I still had time. I went downstairs in my pajamas, hair pulled up in a messy bun. The smell of toast and eggs hit me before I even reached the kitchen. I could hear Mason and Emma chatting, their little voices echoing through the hall. “I said I’m Iron Man!” Mason shouted proudly. Emma giggled. “You’re not Iron Man. You’re Mason.” “Nope. I’m Iron Man today,” he insisted. I smiled to myself. That boy has always made the morning brighter since he started staying here. When I walked into the kitchen, they were already at the table. Rose was flipping pancakes at the stove. She looked over her shoulder and gave me a quick nod. “Good morning, ma’am,” she said. “Morning,” I replied, stretching a little. “Smells amazing in here.” Emma looked up, waving her fork. “Auntie Ava, Mason says he’s Iron Man.
AVA’S POV A FEW DAYS LATER It had been days since the criminal hearing. Days since Laura sat in court, raised her chin like a queen, and said “not guilty” like she really believed she hadn’t done anything wrong. I watched her from the second row. My hands gripped the edge of the wooden bench so tightly that my knuckles turned white. I was trying not to shake, trying not to cry, trying to keep breathing. The judge saw through her lies, though. Laura got two months. Just sixty days. Sixty days for everything she did to me and my company. It didn’t feel like enough, but at least it was something. Her past record helped. That, and all the evidence showing she planned every bit of it. But today wasn’t about jail time. Today was the civil hearing. This time, it wasn’t about guilty or not guilty. It was about what she owed me. What she took. The damage she caused. The lies she spread. The contracts we lost. The people who left me. The company I almost lost. Sally came with me again. S
AVA'S POV After I finished the toast and tea Rose brought me, I pushed the tray aside and tried to focus on work. I sat at my desk, opened my laptop, and stared at the screen for what felt like forever. I couldn’t stop thinking about Grandpa’s call. But I forced myself to type a few responses, go over one client proposal, and check in on the team chat. I was halfway through reading a file when it hit me – I hadn’t called Alex’s assistant again. I reached for my phone and dialed her number. This time, she picked up on the second ring. “Hello?” she said politely, but I could already tell from her tone – she knew it was me. “Hi, this is Ava,” I said softly. “Is Alex there? I need to speak with him.” There was a pause. I could hear voices in the background, muffled but tense. “Uh… he’s here,” she said, sounding unsure. Then I heard it – his voice, clear and low. “Who is it?” She hesitated, then answered, “It’s Miss. Ava.” A moment later, the phone changed hands. “
AVA'S POV I sat there frozen, the phone still pressed to my ear even after the call ended. Harold Campbell. I hadn’t heard that voice in years. Almost four now, I think. My heart was still pounding in my chest, like it didn’t know whether to be afraid or comforted. That deep voice brought back a wave of memories. Good ones. Soft ones. The kind that wraps around your heart like a warm scarf when the world feels cold. He used to call me “Sunshine,” and the moment I heard it again just minutes ago, I nearly cried. “Sunshine, is that really you?” he had said. And just like that, I replied, “Grandpa…” It slipped out so naturally. I didn’t even think. For a second, I was no longer the woman who’d been through hell and back – I was just Ava. The Ava who used to sit beside him in the garden, drinking sweet tea while he told me stories about the early days of Campbell Group. The Ava who always felt safe around him. “How are you, dear? I thought you’d forgotten all about me,” he
AVA'S POV The lights suddenly came on. I gasped, my heart jumping into my throat. My eyes squinted from the brightness, and for a second, everything blurred. Then I heard a voice. “Ma’am?” I blinked quickly and looked toward the hallway. A figure stepped into view – it was Rose. I let out a long, shaky breath and leaned harder against the wall, pressing a hand to my chest. “God, Rose… you scared me.” Her face was tight with concern. “I’m sorry. I thought I heard something downstairs, then I noticed your car in the driveway. I didn’t realize you were just getting home.” “Yeah,” I mumbled, still trying to calm down. “Just walked in.” Her eyes scanned my face. “You okay? You look like you’ve been through something.” “I’m fine,” I said quickly, brushing hair out of my face. “Just tired.” She studied me a second longer, not buying it. “Are you sure, ma'am?" “Yeah. I promise,” I said, forcing a small, fake smile. My voice was still shaky, but I hoped she wouldn’t push more. And
AVA'S POV And my breath caught in my throat. “Officer Mike?” His face was serious, but his eyes softened when he saw mine. “Hey,” he said, breathing hard. “You okay?” I nodded slowly, but my hands were still shaking. I couldn’t stop them, no matter how tightly I curled my fingers. He knelt beside me. “You’re bleeding. Let me see.” I held out my hands. He winced. “They pushed you hard, didn’t they?” I didn’t answer. My voice still hadn’t come back. My throat felt dry like I’d swallowed dust. My knees were throbbing, and I could feel the sting of open skin. “I chased them into the alley,” he said, opening my bag and handing me my phone. “Caught one. The other got away. But I got your stuff.” I looked down at my phone like it was a gift from heaven. My whole life was in there – messages, photos, important numbers I hadn’t written down anywhere else. “Thank you,” I whispered. He gave a small smile. “Don’t thank me yet. You still look like you’re about to pass out