chapter 3

Her Return

Her return back to the United States of America was a shocking one. No one expected Ava Winters to return as the head of one of the biggest wine companies across Europe.

Those who knew who she was were very surprised to see her in charge, and Ava drank it all in.

James came through when she called his number. He told her about Damon's schedule.

"You can send it to the email I'll text you. And also, is Lily going to be with him?"

"She's always with him."

"Good. Then I'll be there."

"Were you not going to be there if she wasn't?"

"I would. But her presence there would only make the scene more dramatic."

James said nothing to that. It wasn't any of his business.

The house she had gotten for herself was a two-storey duplex, nothing fancy, but big enough. Ava Winters stayed there alone, letting Grace take care of Charles and Charlie back in Canada. They still had school, and she wasn't about to bring them into the limelight just yet.

After all, no one even knew she kept the pregnancy.

The first meeting that she attended was a wine-tasting ceremony. It was the primary reason for the event but Ava Winters knew that the big shots loved attending wine tasting ceremonies just so they could meet with other prospective moguls and discuss business.

She saw them before they saw her. Damon and Lily, standing hand in hand and waiting for the show to properly start.

Ava stood beside a pillar, a cup of wine in one hand and watched them carefully. Her sister had changed and she was sure it was because of Damon's influence. She glowed, but it was almost artificial.

As for Damon, five years seemed to have added to his facial look and his physique. He appeared more muscular under the jacket, and he had grown a fitting beard.

Her mind involuntarily went back to the good times they shared and she could not stop herself from thinking about the way he moved whenever he was in between her legs.

Ava turned abruptly and walked into someone. The lady didn't take it kindly with her.

"Watch where you're going!" she screamed, drawing everyone's eyes to that particular spot.

"I'm sorry," Ava mumbled. She kept her head low. She wanted to be the one surprising Damon and Lily, not the other way around.

But Damon saw her anyway.

***

He left the woman he was holding and descended the stage.

Was that her? Damon could only wonder.

"Honey?" Lily called from behind, but Damon's mind was already preoccupied.

He followed the retreating figure until he caught up with her. Then he blocked her way.

"Ava?"

She looked up at him and Damon could not believe his eyes. He put one hand over his chest as if to protect his heart from bursting out.

Ava quickly collected herself and gave him a fainted smile. "Hello, Damon."

"Ava? When did you get back?"

"Some days ago."

Damon scoffed. "What.. What are you doing here?"

"Same thing you came here for. To taste wine."

"How did you get an invite? Because this event is strictly by invitation."

"Oh, poor you. After five years, you think I'm still that poor, miserable girl you married and threw away?" He started to say something but she held up her hand. "I didn't come here to discuss with you, Damon. I have better important people to meet with and talk business."

Damon was shocked to hear that. "If you're looking for the most influential business person in this room, that would be me."

Ava gave him a sorry look and said, "Not anymore."

The rest of the ceremony was uneventful for Damon Blackwood. It felt as if he wanted to reach out and talk to Ava. He could not believe where the hell she had been for five years. He knew their marriage had ended on a very sorry note but she was the one responsible for his actions. So why the hell did it sound like she was spewing fire and brimstone?

"Is everything okay, honey?" Lily asked him. "You seem disoriented."

"I'm fine. I just need to talk to someone."

A gathering had caught his eye and he walked over. Ava was discussing with Clay Coleman and Adam Drew. The very two people he had been hoping to have a business proposal with.

"You're the head of Maron in the States?" Clay asked.

"The first actually," she replied.

"I have been hoping to meet one of the heads for a long time now but I figured the English didn't want anything to do with us."

"Oh, they were only waiting for the right opportunity. We can have that meeting right now if you want."

Clay and Adam exchanged a glance. Damon joined them and shook hands with both men.

"Gentlemen. What's the discussion?"

"The new head of Maron in the States was just allowing me to have that meeting I've always wanted to have with them," Clay said.

Damon looked at Ava. "Head of Maron?"

"I'll be heading the United States office, Damon Blackwood," Ava said, in a sultry manner. "If you didn't know that before."

"Surprise that they are your closest competitors, Damon," Clay pointed that out, as if Damon didn't already know.

"And you still want to have that meeting?"

Clay shrugged.

"Give us a minute," Damon said and ushered Ava to a private corner, one hand on her arm. "What was that about?"

"Don't you ever touch me that way, Damon," Ava warmed.

"Answer the damn question."

"What does it look like I'm doing? Getting prospective partners for my company."

"They are mine. Not yours."

"And who says they can't invest two ways?"

"I do. I came here to have a business proposal with them and you are trying to ruin it for me."

"Your schedule has nothing to do with me, Damon. And to be frank, I think they are already fed up with your company's features. Maron has a better offer for them. Now, if you don't mind, I need to leave."

Damon watched her go. If there was anything he didn't want to believe, it was the probability that he might have pushed her into getting back at him for the divorce.

The question was, how far would she go?