CHAPTER 1

Ava's POV

My breath came in short, desperate gasps as I sprinted down the sidewalk, dodging pedestrians and ignoring the burning in my legs. I couldn't be late. Not today. Not when I had promised David that I would be there.

"Please, please, please—just let me make it," I whispered under my breath, pushing myself harder.

I still couldn’t believe how late I was. I had no idea how time had slipped away from me, but now wasn’t the time to think about that. Right now, all that mattered was getting to David’s school before the game started. The last thing I wanted was for him to look into the stands and not see me there. He’d be disappointed. Or worse—he’d think I didn’t care. And I couldn’t let that happen.

The school field finally came into view, and relief flooded through me. The sound of cheers and whistles filled the air, and I prayed I hadn’t missed it. My heart pounded, not just from the running but from the fear that I was too late.

As I reached the gates, I spotted the teams already lined up on the field. My stomach twisted. Was it starting? Or had it already begun? Scanning the bleachers, I frantically searched for a spot, my eyes landing on the one person who mattered most—David.

There he was, standing tall in his jersey, looking around as if searching for someone. My chest clenched. He was looking for me.

I waved my arms and shouted, "David! I'm here!"

He turned, and for a second, I held my breath. Then, his face broke into the biggest smile, and just like that, the worry melted away.

I made it.

I wasn’t going to let him down today like I always did.

I found a seat close to the front and settled in, catching my breath. The game started, and I cheered as David ran across the field with determination, his small but confident figure weaving through the other players. Pride swelled in my chest. He was giving it his all.

A buzzing sound from my phone pulled me back to reality. I hesitated before pulling it out. The moment I saw the name on the screen, a shiver ran down my spine. Nathan. My ex-boyfriend. The one who refused to accept that we were over.

My stomach twisted as I debated whether to answer. Not here. Not now.

I shoved the phone back into my bag, refusing to let it ruin this moment. David needed me here, focused and cheering for him. Nathan would have to wait.

David scored a goal, and I jumped up, clapping and yelling his name. His eyes found mine in the crowd, and he beamed. He was happy. And that was all that mattered.

But deep down, I knew I couldn’t ignore Nathan forever. He always had a way of creeping back into my life, no matter how much I tried to push him away.

As the game continued, my phone buzzed again. I clenched my jaw. Nathan never knew when to stop. This was his pattern—relentless calls, texts, and uninvited appearances. It was exhausting.

I exhaled sharply and forced myself to focus on David. I would deal with Nathan later. Right now, my little brother needs me.

The game ended with David’s team winning, and he ran toward me, grinning ear to ear. “Did you see that?” he asked excitedly.

“I saw everything! You were amazing,” I said, ruffling his hair.

David laughed and grabbed my hand. “Let’s go get ice cream to celebrate! You promised.”

I nodded, pushing aside my worries. “Of course. Let’s go.”

As we walked toward the exit, I stole one last glance at my phone. One missed call. One unread message.

Nathan: I'm in front of your house.

A chill ran down my spine. I tightened my grip on David’s hand and forced a smile. I wasn’t going to let Nathan ruin today. Not when David was looking up at me with so much happiness.

We sat across from each other at the small ice cream parlor, David happily devouring his chocolate sundae while I absently stirred my own. My mind, however, was nowhere near the sweetness of the moment.

Nathan.

His message replayed in my head over and over. What was he doing at my house? Was he waiting for me? Was he going to cause another scene? My stomach twisted at the thought. The last time he had shown up uninvited, it had ended badly. A fight. Yelling. And worst of all, David had gotten hurt.

I clenched my spoon tighter, my knuckles turning white. I couldn't let that happen again. I had promised myself I would protect my little brother no matter what. That was why I was working so hard—why I was trying to save up enough money to get David into a good boarding school. Somewhere safe. Somewhere Nathan couldn't reach him.

“Ava, are you okay?” David’s voice pulled me from my thoughts.

I forced a smile and nodded. “Of course. Just thinking.”

David frowned, his spoon hovering near his mouth. “Thinking about work again?”

“Something like that,” I said, not wanting to worry him. “How’s the ice cream?”

He grinned. “Really good! But yours is melting.”

I glanced down at my untouched cup, realizing the ice cream had turned into a soupy mess. “Guess I was too slow,” I said with a chuckle, trying to lighten the mood.

David gave me a curious look but didn’t press further. He was smart—too smart. But I didn’t want him to know how much I was struggling, how much I was afraid.

Nathan wasn’t going to stop. I knew that. And if I didn’t find a way to get David out of this situation soon, I was terrified of what might happen next.

As we neared Molly’s house, David frowned. “I thought we were stopping by the house first?”

I swallowed hard and shook my head. “I’m going straight to work, David.”

It wasn’t the truth. The real reason was that I knew Nathan was waiting for me, and I didn’t want David anywhere near him. The last time Nathan had lost his temper, my little brother had been caught in the crossfire. I wouldn’t risk that again.

After dropping him off at my friend's house, I took a deep breath and headed toward home. My pulse quickened as I turned the corner, and sure enough, there he was.

Nathan sat in his expensive car, parked right in front of my building like he owned the place. I willed myself to ignore him, my fingers tightening around my bag as I walked straight toward my door.

But before I could reach it, I heard the sharp slam of a car door.

“Ava!” Nathan’s voice rang out, sharp and demanding. “Are you seriously going to ignore me?”

I froze for half a second before forcing myself to keep walking. My heart pounded, but I wouldn’t let him see my fear.

“Ava!” he called again, this time louder. “We need to talk.”

I reached my door, but before I could unlock it, I felt his presence behind me. I inhaled deeply and turned around slowly, meeting his intense gaze.

I had to face him. Because deep down, I knew that ignoring him would only make things worse.

“What do you want, Nathan? It’s over between us.”

His jaw tightened. “It’s not over until I say it is.” He stepped closer. “If you’re mad because I cheated, I admit I did. But whose fault was it? Yours. I begged you for months to spend the night with me, but you kept going on about marriage first, like who even does that in this era? It’s not like you’re a virgin.”

I turned away, disgusted, and reached for my keys, but his hand suddenly gripped my wrist—hard.

“I’m still talking, and you’re walking away?” he barked.

Frustration surged through me, and I snapped. “Let go of me, Nathan. Let this be the first and last time you put your hands on me. Just because you’re rich doesn’t mean—”

His slap came out of nowhere, the force making me stagger and fall onto the steps.

“Fucking bitch. Always getting on my nerves,” he muttered before turning away. “I’ll come back.”

I stayed there for a moment, the sting spreading across my cheek. Then, slowly, I pushed myself up and went inside.

Locking the door behind me, I exhaled shakily.

Just as I was heading into my bedroom, the knocking on my door made me tense. My breath hitched, my mind screaming that Nathan had come back.

I rushed to the kitchen, grabbed a saucepan, and filled it with water. My hands trembled, but I steadied myself, gripping the handle tightly. Enough was enough. I was done being afraid.

Placing the saucepan on my thigh, I yanked the door open and threw the water—

Only to freeze in horror.

Two men in black suits stood there, their faces unreadable. They didn’t move, barely blinking as water dripped down their expensive clothes. My stomach twisted. These weren’t just any men. They looked like thugs.

Then, as if on cue, they stepped aside, revealing a third man—a towering figure with sharp eyes and a smile that sent a chill down my spine.

“Ava Carter,” he said, his voice smooth yet dangerous. “I have a job for you. And if you accept, I can get rid of that asshole ruining your life—and your brother’s.”