LOGINOn their third wedding anniversary, Ava's life takes a heartbreaking turn when she discovers her husband's shocking betrayal: he’s been having an affair with her stepsister, Autumn. Devastated and feeling lost, Ava realizes the love she gave him was met with betrayal and deceit. Now pregnant and facing heartbreak, she decides to file for divorce. Just when she thinks she can finally move on, Jerome, her ex-husband, returns, begging for a second chance and claiming he was just a pawn in Autumn's cruel game. Will Ava take a leap of faith and give love another shot, or is it time to close the door on the past for good?
View MoreAva's Pov
I looked up to the mirror, my chest slightly heaving. The red silk dress that I had gotten just yesterday hung beautifully to my figure, the small train resting on the mahogany floors. I ran my hand slowly over my waist, my wedding ring shining in the light of the room. My eyes slowly fell on the reflection of my husband behind me. A sad smile rested on my face. He was looking away, fixing his tie. Just like I was seeing him for the first time, my heart skipped a beat, and I could feel myself going hot again. Jerome Parker, my husband, is the most perfect man ever. Three years ago, I was lucky enough to marry him, and even though he was mostly cold, I believed I could love him for both of us. A small smile lit up my eyes as I watched him adjust his tie, then look up to me. His dark blue eyes met mine in the mirror, and I couldn't bring myself to look away. I still couldn't believe that after three years, we were finally celebrating our marriage. Being married to Jerome has been rather peculiar. He was aloof, cold, and I very well knew that he wasn't in love with me. But at least, to my knowledge, he wasn't in love with any other women, so in my mind, I did win. I was still the woman he came home to, and just two weeks ago, when he had been drunk, and for the very first time ever since we got married, he shared a bed with me, I was convinced that my patience was finally paying off. That, and the fact that he has taken time out of his very busy schedule to organize a ball to celebrate our anniversary. I can't still believe it, and seeing him get ready with me... it was surreal. "Is there something on my face,Ava?" He asked with a raised eyebrow. I shook my head, electricity coursing through my spine just from the deep baritone of his voice. I turned away, speechless, and started to reach for the zipper of my dress. My hair kept getting in the way, and I let out a small groan as I tried to pull it upwards. "Wait," Jerome suddenly said behind me, and I immediately obeyed. He covered the distance to me and gently pushed my hair away, till the full strands were falling across my shoulder. I couldn't take my eyes off his cold reflection. I swallowed hard as I turned slightly. He has seen me naked only once, that night several weeks ago, and just the idea of him seeing my back did something to me. I have barely been able to think of anything beyond that night, and it still drives me absolutely crazy every time I let it. He pulled the zipper gently before stepping away. I let out a small sigh. "Thank you." He nodded, then turned away, grabbing his phone. "Don't be late." With a cold tone. My brows furrowed, and I turned to him just before he reached the door of the bedroom we were supposed to share. The matrimonial bedroom he had only slept in once in our entire three year marriage. "Late? I thought we were going together?" I mean, it made sense. We are going to the same place. We got ready together. It made sense for us to go together. Plus, it is our anniversary ball. Why would the couple of the day arrive in different cars? I was already having a bad feeling about it. He turned, his eyes cold, emotionless, like they always were. When he got married to me, when he took my first time. His eyes had always been so unemotional and no matter how hard I tried he'd never once smiled at me genuinely. “I've got a guest waiting for me and I'll be riding with my beautiful guest.. How you get there doesn't concern me.” “You can choose not to show up anyway, that's your damn problem.” My heart sank to my feet, and my stomach dropped. His words were like a two way knife which pierced my heart. Without another word, he turned away, leaving me standing there, while I wallowed in self pity. No matter how hard I tried Jerome Would never look at me with Love and affection. Sometimes, it does get hard to love a man who was so obviously not in love with me. On days like these, I wanted to walk away. But I loved him too much. Way too much. I slowly sat on the edge of the bed, tears filling my eyes rapidly. It broke something inside of me that he found me so loathsome, so unbearable that he could neither force himself to sleep beside me or even sit next to me in a car. I couldn't stop wondering why he'd hated me to this point. I knew what I was getting into by making the marriage possible but no matter how many times I experienced his cruelty I could never get used to it. I looked up to the mirror, then shook my head and blinked back the tears . He was, at least, celebrating our marriage. That has to be something, right? I nodded to myself and quickly wore my shoes, then grabbed my purse and walked to the door. I stopped and turned to the now empty room. I wasn't forgetting anything. The custom necklace I had ordered as an anniversary gift was tucked away carefully in my purse, and that was the only thing I really needed tonight. I closed the door and ran down the long spiral stairs of the Parker mansion, then made my way towards the main door. My legs almost gave way as I walked. I was just in time to see Jerome's car leaving, and I had to fight off the sadness I felt. The feeling of being unwanted always. I took a deep breath with my eyes closed as I tried to fight back the tears that had clouded my vision. I kept reminding myself that this was what I signed up for when I made him marry me. "Ma'am?" I turned to the driver, who politely ushered me to the parked car. I gave him a small smile before walking in front of him. He opened the door, and I got into the back seat, all the while, wishing that would be my husband. I would give anything in the world to have Jerome look at me with even the tiniest bit of affection. I closed my eyes as the car started, leaning back on the chair. My phone started to ring, and I looked down at the screen. It was Autumn, my older step sister. I accepted the call, then brought the phone to my ear. "I bet you are excited for tonight?" Her shriek voice almost ruined my ear buds. I forced a smile. "Sure. Are you coming?" "Trust me, Love. I'm on my way right now with a huge Surprise," she said with a chuckle. "Hurry up, lil sis. I don't want the night to start without you." Before I could reply, she ended the call. I looked down at the phone, a sudden feeling of dread settling in my stomach. Something felt wrong... and at this point, I am not sure I want to find out.JEROME'S POV.The stench of blood and fear clung to the damp walls of the underground dungeon. It was the kind of smell that crawled into your skin, the kind that whispered of suffering and death. I stood at the entrance, my eyes locked onto the scene before me.Autumn.She sat bound to a chair, trembling, her face pale as she tried to make sense of the situation. Beside her, Damian’s lifeless body slumped forward, the blood that had once coursed through his veins now pooling beneath his chair. His face was unrecognizable, swollen and mangled from the punishment I had inflicted upon him. He had begged. He screamed. And then, he had to die, not easily though.But she… she still had some begging left in her.Adrian stepped in beside me, his presence a silent promise of what was to come. He carried the black case, the one filled with the kind of tools that had the power to turn the strongest of men into nothing but whimpering shells of themselves. I could already see it in Autumn’s eyes—
AVA'S POV.Pain.It was all I could feel. It consumed every inch of me, burning and searing through my body like wildfire. My vision blurred as I tried to focus on anything, but the world around me was slipping away. The metallic scent of blood filled my nose, thick and suffocating, while the cold steel of the chair I was bound to pressed against my trembling body.I was going to die here.The realization sank into my bones like ice, chilling me to the core. Autumn stood in front of me, her beautiful face twisted with unrecognizable rage. My sister—the girl I had once loved, the one I had shared childhood secrets and stolen bedtime stories with—was unrecognizable.She wasn’t my sister anymore. She was a monster.“Sign it,” Autumn snarled, shoving the paper and pen in my face once more.I couldn’t even lift my hands to take them—not that I would have. They were bound tightly to the arms of the chair, the ropes cutting into my skin so deep that I could no longer feel my fingers. But tha
FORTY SIX.JEROME'S POV.The grand opening of the resort was supposed to be a flawless night, but my mind was nowhere near the celebration.Ava had sent me a text over an hour ago saying she’d meet me at the after-party after picking up a few things, but now… nothing. No calls, no responses to my texts.I was patient at first, but as time dragged on, unease settled in my gut like a ticking time bomb. I had handled the guests as best as I could, but the longer I waited, the more I realized something wasn’t right. Ava wasn’t the type to disappear without a word.With a firm nod to Helen and a few of my executives, I excused myself and walked out of the hall. I didn’t want to make a scene, but I wasn’t going to sit around when something clearly felt off.The moment I got into the back of the Maybach, I pulled out my phone and dialed Adrian. “Track Ava’s car. Now.”Adrian, who was already seated in the front passenger seat with his laptop, didn’t waste time asking questions. He immediatel
AVAHe picked up the pill bottle and, without another word, took his medication.When he was done, he turned back to me, his gaze steady.“I’m sorry, Ava,” he said, his voice gentle but firm.I met his eyes, searching for any sign of deception. But there was none.“I should have talked to you before the press release,” he admitted. “I put you in a difficult position, and I regret that. But I had to do it.”I sighed. “To protect me and my father’s company.”“Yes,” he nodded. “But more than that… I did it because I refuse to let anyone hurt you again.”I didn’t know what to say to that.Because despite my anger, despite the frustration, I knew he meant it.I stroked my belly absentmindedly, my mind running through all the what-ifs.What if the press found out the full truth?What if this whole thing backfired?What if—Jerome placed his hands over mine, stopping my thoughts in their tracks.“We’ll figure this out together,” he murmured.I exhaled slowly, my fingers tightening against hi


















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