Chapter 6

I grabbed my keys and ran. I didn’t even know where, I just needed to move, to breathe, to think.

Adrian’s message replayed in my head like a threat I couldn’t mute.

“Did you like your gift?”

Was Victor the gift? Was my firing just a warm-up?

My pulse raced. Whatever this was, it wasn’t over. Not by a long shot. All i did was have a one night stand so why was my whole world shattered this way, am I the only woman in the world who has had a one-night stand in the world? Was I really that naive? Or was this the price for touching someone like Adrian Blackwell?

I sped down the street, headlights cutting through the night. My phone buzzed again. I didn’t want to look, but the thought that it would probably be sarah consumed me so I went ahead to read the message

I love the look on your face when you are troubled

My heart froze, it was from Adrain

No. No, no, no, how could he possibly know I was looking troubled? Was he watching me? Following me?

I looked into the rearview mirror and saw it, a black SUV keeping perfect distance.

My breathing quickened.

He was watching me.

He was right there.

Panic shot through my body like electricity. I pressed harder on the gas, my hands trembling on the steering wheel. My phone buzzed again with another message.

Slow down, Ava.

That was it. I couldn’t stay in the car anymore.

I swerved into a side street, parked, and jumped out. The SUV turned after me. Its headlights hit my back like a spotlight.

My chest tightened. I didn’t even think, I just ran.

I ran barefoot through the empty street, breath coming out in sharp gasps. I turned every corner like it could save me. Every sound made me flinch.

Then a familiar voice called my name.

“Ava!”

I spun around, it was Sarah, her eyes wide, holding her phone.

“What are you doing here?” she shouted, rushing over to me.

“I..I got a message from him,” I gasped, struggling to breathe. “He’s watching me! He’s following me!”

Sarah grabbed my shoulders. “Calm down, Ava! Who’s following you?”

I pointed down the street, toward the SUV that had just pulled up. The engine hummed low. The headlights dimmed.

“See? That’s them!” I whispered, terrified.

But before Sarah could reply, the car door opened and a man stepped out holding a small child.

“Excuse me, miss!” the man called out nervously. “We didn’t mean to scare you. We’re lost. Do you know how to get to Oakridge Street?”

For a full second, I couldn’t speak. My body went numb.

Sarah blinked, then slowly turned to me.

“Ava,” she said softly, “I think they just wanted directions.”

The woman in the passenger seat smiled apologetically and waved. “Sorry, we didn’t realize we were scaring you. My husband’s terrible with GPS.”

I forced out a shaky laugh, feeling my face burn. “Oh my God… I thought…” I stopped myself.

“Sorry,” I mumbled, brushing my hair out of my face. “I just had a rough day.”

Sarah gave them directions quickly, and the family drove off, waving goodbye.

As soon as the SUV disappeared around the corner, she turned to me with a look that was half concern, half exasperation.

“You thought they were Adrian’s people?”

“I thought he was watching me,” I said, my voice breaking slightly. “After everything that’s happened, I just… panicked.”

“What happened?” she asked, voice gentle.

“Victor,” I said, and the name hung between us.

“You said you were over him,” Sarah cut in, surprised and a little disappointed. “Why bring him up now?”

“He came to see me yesterday and today asking me to be his mistress. Saying I was only good in bed.” My voice went cold.

“That sick bastard,” Sarah hissed. “Where’s your car? We’re going to his house.” She grabbed my arm and started pulling me toward the street.

“Sarah, no,” I said, stopping her. “You don’t understand. Victor isn’t someone you can confront. His wife has connections with the president. You’ve seen it on the news.” Fear tightened my chest as I remembered the stories.

“What? Then what am I supposed to do? Just sit and watch him trash you?” she said, rubbing her head, torn.

“Just let it go today. I’m exhausted.” I hugged her, trying to steady my breath.

Sarah sighed and wrapped her arms around me. “You need to rest, Ava. You’ve been on edge since that night. No one will hurt you while you’re here.”

But as she hugged me, I glanced down at my phone. The message from Adrian still glowed.

Slow down, Ava.

I forced a smile, though a knot of dread stayed with me. I wanted to believe it was coincidence. I wanted to believe I was safe.

The next morning my phone rang non-stop. I picked up on the third ring.

“Ava,” a cold voice said. “Do you really think smashing my car was enough to scare me away? I’m not pressing charges simply because I love you. Next time I won’t be so merciful.” Then the line went dead.

I should have known Sarah wouldn’t sit still. She’s just so crazy most times.

She burst into the kitchen giggling a second later. “Oh Ava, you’re awake. Are you hungry?”

“Where did you go?” I asked.

“Supermarket. I swear I didn’t…” She stopped when she saw my face. “Victor called you?”

“He called me,” I said flatly.

“How dare he report you! I should have…” she began, furious.

“Sarah,” I warned, “you should be glad he didn’t press charges.”

“I don’t care. I’d rather go to jail after cutting his dick off,” she said with a ridiculous grin.

I had no idea what went on in her head, but I loved her for it.

“I’m going home,” I said after breakfast, pushing my plate away.

Sarah froze mid-bite. “Home? As in really home, or that fake ‘I’ll be back in two days’ home?”

“The real one,” I sighed. “I’ll head straight there and stay for a while.”

She pouted like a kicked puppy. “Wow. So you’re just going to abandon your emotional support friend? After everything I did for you yesterday?”

“You mean after you tried to turn Victor’s car into modern art?” I raised a brow.

“That was art with purpose!” she said, smacking my arm.

I laughed. “Sarah, I need to go. I need space, air… maybe a therapist.”

She stood up dramatically. “Fine! Leave me, traitor. Just know I’ll be forced to replace you with a cat.”

“Make sure it’s one that listens better than you,” I teased.

She gasped. “Blasphemy. You’re going to regret that.”

Before I could react, she threw herself at me and wrapped her arms around my neck. “I’ll miss you, you stubborn drama queen,” she said, squeezing me so tightly I almost choked.

“Eww, get off me, you’re gross,” I protested, laughing.

“Oh, you want gross?” she grinned wickedly, then started planting exaggerated, noisy kisses all over my face “Mwah! Mwah! Mwah!”

“Sarah! Stop! You’re disgusting!” I screamed between laughs, trying to shove her away.

“Too late,” she said triumphantly, ruffling my hair. “Now you’ll go home carrying my DNA. We’re bonded for life.”

“You’re insane,” I muttered, wiping my cheek.

“Yeah, but I’m your insane,” she said with a wink.

“Try not to kill your father when you get home,” she added as we both calmed down. “Let me have the honor of doing that first.”

“I’ll consider it,” I said, grabbing my bag.

She followed me to the door, crossing her arms. “Don’t disappear again, Ava. If I don’t hear from you in three days, I’m calling the police and saying you were kidnapped by a cult of handsome men.”

“Make sure the report includes ‘willing participants,’” I said with a smirk.

Sarah burst out laughing and pulled me into one last hug. “Go before I change my mind and lock you inside.”

“I’m going,” I laughed, waving as I climbed into my car and watched the city fade behind me away from the drama, away from the chaos, and especially away from the men who’d turned my life upside down.

“Ava!!!” my little sister screamed the moment she saw me, throwing her tiny arms around me.

“I missed you! Mum and I missed you so much!”

“I missed you both too, pumpkin,” I said, hugging her tight.

“Did you come back because of Uncle’s birthday? Mum and I were just about to leave!” she said excitedly.

I froze. Uncle Ben’s birthday. I totally forgot. I should probably be named the world’s most ungrateful niece at this point. Uncle Ben has done more for Mum, Lily, and me than my own father ever did. Since Dad refused to be a father, Uncle Ben took that role without complaint.

I can already imagine my father somewhere, flirting with another woman. Hard to believe he and Uncle Ben share the same blood.

“Don’t tell me you forgot your uncle’s birthday,” Mum said, walking into the living room.

“Hi, Mum.” I hugged her quickly. “Of course not! I came home specifically for his birthday.”

“Is that so, Ava?” Mum raised a brow, clearly not buying it.

“That’s a fact!”

“Then where’s your gift?” she asked, folding her arms.

“Aha! Mum caught you red-handed!” Lily teased, laughing.

“Fine, fine, you got me,” I admitted, raising my hands in surrender.

“You’re coming with us, whether you like it or not,” Mum said firmly.

“But Mum, I just got back from an eight-hour trip,” I whined, trying to act cute.

“Not my problem. Let’s go, and you’re driving.” She smirked.

“I knew it. I’m not your real daughter. You adopted me,” I joked.

“Are you really adopted, Ava?” Lily asked, her eyes going teary.

“Don’t put nonsense in my child’s head,” Mum said, laughing and covering Lily’s ears.

“Not fair!” I pouted.

By the time we arrived at the party, the place was alive with music, laughter, and the soft clinking of wine glasses. The scent of expensive perfume mixed with roasted lamb and champagne filled the air. Uncle Ben never did anything small, every corner shimmered with wealth and elegance.

“Use this as an opportunity to find a husband,” Mum whispered, nudging me as we stepped inside.

I shot her a glare. “Not again, Mum. Please don’t turn this into one of your matchmaking events.”

She just smirked. “Just saying, honey. You never know who you might meet.”

I rolled my eyes and turned toward the buffet table, pretending to be fascinated by the wine selection. Anything to escape her schemes.

Then I heard it,

“Ava! It’s been a while, my lovely daughter!”

The voice froze the smile on my face.

I turned, and there he was. My father.

He looked just as I remembered, expensive suit, cheap cologne, and that same fake charm that fooled everyone except us.

“This is your new mum,” he announced proudly, pulling a nervous young woman closer to his side. “Why don’t you say hi?”

My stomach churned. “New mum,” huh? He changed women the way most people changed socks.

I said nothing. I didn’t trust my voice not to shake, or explode.

“Are you really going to ignore me?” he snapped, the slur in his words impossible to miss. “I gave birth to you, you ungrateful brat!”

I almost laughed. Gave birth? As if he’d ever done a single fatherly thing in his life. The smell of whiskey hit me as he moved closer. His eyes were red, unfocused.

The young woman beside him looked uneasy, her hand trembling slightly as she clutched her purse. She was beautiful, too innocent to see what she’d gotten herself into.

I sighed. “Hey,” I said softly, reaching for her hand, “if you don’t want to end up like my mum, leave now. He doesn’t have a dime to his name. Every promise he’s made you? He’ll have to beg his brother to make good on them. Trust me. The only things he’s consistent at are drinking and destroying the people who love him.”

Gasps rippled through the crowd. I hadn’t realized people were watching.

But before I could even blink

SLAP.

The sound echoed through the room, sharp enough to silence the music.

My cheek stung. My ears rang. I stumbled backward, the world spinning

but I never hit the floor.

An arm caught me mid-fall, strong and steady, pulling me against a chest that felt like solid stone.

For a second, I couldn’t breathe. His scent clean, deep, dangerously familiar,filled my lungs. My heart stuttered.

I lifted my eyes, and the noise of the party faded into nothing.

It was him.

“Long time no see, Ava.” His voice was calm, but there was something dark underneath, something dangerous. “Didn’t think I’d be catching you off the floor the next time we met.”

His gaze shifted to my father, cold, sharp, lethal. The kind of look that made grown men step back.

I could feel the tension radiating off him like heat. His grip on my arm tightened slightly, protective but possessive, like I was something fragile he refused to let break again.

My father opened his mouth to speak, but one look from him was enough to silence the man who’d just hit me.

“Who…” my father stammered, eyes narrowing, “who the hell are you?”

The man smiled, but it wasn’t kind. It was the kind of smile that promised danger.

He leaned slightly closer to my ear, his voice low enough that only I could hear it.

“You really shouldn’t have let him touch you, Ava. Now I’ll have to deal with it.”

And just like that, I realized, the nightmare wasn’t over. It was only changing faces.