Chapter 1

Chapter One - 

Natalie Pov: 

My phone started ringing before I could take a single sip. I looked at it in pure disgust. It was an unknown number and I wasn’t in the mood to even guess who it was. 

I stared at the screen, debating whether to ignore it. 

The phone rang again. And again.

With a sigh, I answered.

“Hello?”

I froze in place when I heard a voice I hadn’t heard in years call my name. 

“Natalie.”

My stomach dropped.

It was Jason.

For a second, I couldn’t breathe.

“What do you want?”

A short laugh crackled through the speaker. “Nice to hear your voice too.”

I gripped the edge of the counter.

“What do you want?” I repeated with a low, shaky voice. 

His tone hardened immediately. “I need to talk to you.”

“No, you don’t.”

“Natalie—”

“Listen, if you’re calling to make amends then you picked the wrong time.” 

“I don’t want to make amends.” 

Something in me snapped hearing that. I wasn’t sitting around waiting for him to reach out again, but I expected everything else except that if we ever spoke again. It made me angrier than it should’ve. 

“Are you serious?! It’s been five years Jason. Five! And you just call me on a random Tuesday to tell me this?” 

“Mommy?” A soft voice echoed from behind me. I turned around to see Ava standing with her oversized nightgown and favorite stuffed animal in hand. Just seeing her softened me instantly. 

“Natalie, I'm sorry, okay?” 

I almost forgot he was still on the call.

“Give me a few minutes okay?” I smiled at her and turned back around.

“Why did you call me Jason?” 

He hesitated. “I just need some money…as a loan.” 

My mouth slowly widened as he spoke. 

“After all these years Jason. I don’t even know why I still have faith in you.” 

He let out a deep breath, like he dreaded asking me for help. 

“Are you giving me the money or not?” 

“No.”

“C’mon Nat, I’ll pay you back I swear, it’s just—”

“I don’t care! Okay? I didn’t care for five years and I definitely won’t now. Do not dare to call this number ever again, understood?” 

I didn’t give him a second to reply. I ended the call instantly. 

I took a deep, shaky breath. I felt my eyes water, but I couldn’t even afford to cry. 

Whatever problem he’d created for himself wasn’t mine. I had enough already.

The stack of envelopes on my kitchen counter seemed to grow every time I looked at it. Electric bills, rent, water, Ava’s school. Even a past-due notice I hadn’t opened yet.

I stood there with a calculator in one hand and my phone in the other, trying to make numbers that didn’t want to work easier. 

But as much as I tried to ignore it, I couldn’t. That phone call completely ruined my mood. Memories I had buried deep inside me were just rushing out. Images of Jason’s betrayal came clearly in my head, arguments with Vanessa I tried so hard to forget felt like it happened just yesterday. 

“Mommy? Can I come now?” Ava crept up behind me again. 

I relaxed again and picked her up, hugging her so tight I almost forgot all the pain I endured before she came into my life. 

“Are you sad?” 

The question caught me off guard. I dropped her on the counter and took a good look at her. 

“Of course not.” 

She tilted her head.

“You make that face when you’re sad.”

I laughed softly and kissed the top of her head. “I’m okay.”

It wasn’t entirely true, but how could I explain to a five year old that I felt like my whole world was collapsing? 

She was already too smart for her age, I didn’t want to create any burden for her. 

Still, she reached for my hand.

“Are you sure?”

I squeezed her fingers.

“I’m sure.”

Her little face relaxed.

“Okay.” Then she grinned.

“ I have to go to work soon so you’ll have to stay with aunt Mia, okay?”

“Okay.” 

“What do you want for breakfast?”

“Pancakes!” 

“Sure? You had pancakes yesterday.”

She nodded with a wide smile.

“Okay then.” 

I turned around for a second before my phone started ringing again. 

I thought it was Jason and was ready to answer just to cuss the hell out of him, but thankfully, it was just Mia.

I let out a sigh of relief. 

“Hey Mia, are you on your way?”

“Uhm, no.”

“What? I thought you had an off day.”

“I did, but I got called in last minute, I’m sorry.” 

I sighed, “It’s okay, I understand. Any news on the job offer?”

“Actually, I have amazing news. Didn’t you get an email?” 

“I don’t think so. I haven’t checked.” 

“Well, check.” 

“Just tell me what it is.” 

“You got the job Nat.” I could hear her squeal in excitement over the phone. 

I was in so much shock I didn’t even know how to react. 

“You need to drop Ava at the daycare and get here now. You have to see the CEO today.” 

“What? Are you serious?!”

“Yesss, get over here now, I have to go.”

“Oh my God, okay okay.” 

She ended the call before I could thank her. 

I picked Ava up and ran to the room to get her changed. 

“Are we going to the daycare?” She asked in such a low tone that I was ready to risk taking her to work with me.

“Yes baby, but it’s just for today okay? We won’t go back after this.” 

She nodded and looked away. I could tell she was sad but I had no one else to watch her, and this was an opportunity I couldn’t pass on.

I frantically read through my unopened mails, but I couldn’t find anything. 

I was about to panic before a notification came in. 

“King’s Corporation would like to offer you the position.”

I smiled, almost crying from relief. 

“Oh my God.” 

My eyes burned as I stared at the email. 

I had a job. A real job. 

Maybe things were finally changing. Maybe Ava and I were finally getting some type of peace. I looked at her with my hand covering my mouth, a single tear dropping from my eyes. 

My phone buzzed again. 

Another text from the same unknown number. I stared at the screen for a moment before tapping the message open. 

“

You’re making a mistake.” 

I rolled my eyes at it, ready to block him. But another text came in. 

My blood ran cold as I read it. 

“I know about Ava.” 

He wasn’t supposed to know that.