3

Chapter 3

Freezing her card had been William’s calculated move meant to drag Ava back to SilkGrove Estates . What he hadn’t anticipated was that the soft-spoken woman who never even raised her voice at him… would go behind his back and attempt something this bold.

Talk about being impressed by someone's transformation.

Ten million dollars - she really dared to ask for that much!

He slipped on his suit jacket, fingers tightening around the buttons as he strode out. James rushed to open the elevator.

William arrived at the bank just in time to see Ava and Lucas walking out, frustration plastered across both their faces. Clearly, they’d hit the same wall he’d built for her.

Just as they reached their car, William’s door swung open and he walked toward them, slow, controlled, furious.

“So this is the plan?” His voice was low, dangerous. “Take the money and disappear? Pretend my family doesn’t exist?”

Ava instinctively backed up until her spine pressed against the car door. The force of his presence alone felt suffocating.

His right eye twitched, a sign he was at his limit.

This woman… this woman who’d never once disobeyed him was now plotting to leave without a backward glance.

A woman with no heart must have been waiting for her chance to run.

Ava snapped back and questioned him,

"Isn't it because you froze my card?"

William’s temper flared. “Would I have frozen your card if you hadn’t run away from home? Everything you need is provided for you. What do you gain by coming out here to suffer?”

“You had no right,” Ava shot back, chin trembling with restrained anger. “Every penny in that account was earned by me. What gives you the right to touch it?”

William stared at her, truly stared. In three years, this was the first time she’d spoken to him with fire instead of fear. The Ava he knew lowered her head. Apologized. Endured.

"What money did you earn? Out of 365 days a year, you spend 300 at jewelry exhibitions."

His implication was clear: without me, you would've starved long ago.

Lucas couldn’t hold himself back anymore. “What nonsense! Our Ava is—”

“A housewife,” Ava cut in sharply. “Yes. I’m just a housewife.”

Her voice trembled, not with weakness, but with bitterness because she wasn’t a housewife.

She was an internationally renowned jewelry designer who only published work under a pseudonym. He just didn't know it.

She had never deliberately hidden it. Sometimes she designed pieces at home, but he never cared about her affairs and never looked at what she drew. In his eyes, it was just her whimsical doodling.

Three years of trying to build a marriage, of choosing family over her career, of quietly designing in the study while he dismissed her as useless.

Only now did Ava realize how delusional she had been.

A ringtone broke through the heavy silence.

It was Howard calling.

"Ava, come back for dinner with William tonight. The lobsters just arrived from overseas. I remember you love these, so I didn't let anyone touch them - saved them all for you."

"Grandpa, I..."

Ava found it so hard to distance herself from William and have some peace. She couldn't refuse Grandpa - he was someone who loved her like his own granddaughter.

William grabbed the phone. "Grandpa, we'll be back tonight."

He hung up, then shot her an impatient look. “Get in the car.”

Ava stood frozen for a few seconds before William grabbed her arm and pushed her into the car.

She had barely sat down when he tossed a beautifully crafted box onto her lap.

Ava held the thing he'd forced on her, looking at him in confusion.

"The company's flagship piece for next quarter. It'll be released at the launch event and then sold in limited quantities. Here, play with it."

Ava opened the box, and what was inside left her speechless.

Wasn't this the gemstone pendant she had designed last month? The draft was 80% complete when it mysteriously disappeared. She'd searched the entire study and couldn't find it.

How… how was this now the Morgan Group’s crown jewel?

“Who designed this?” she asked, voice tight.

William smirked, satisfied with her shock.

"Sarah designed it. She signed with the Morgan Group yesterday and became their chief designer. This necklace is her signature piece since returning to the country - it's sure to be a huge hit."

After praising Sarah, he didn't forget to put her down. "Take a look - there's quite a difference from all that messy stuff you draw."

When William talked about Sarah, his face unconsciously showed pride. He probably didn't even realize that his words were full of boasting, like he was introducing some rare treasure to others.

Ava felt her scalp tingle. Right now, only one voice echoed in her head: her work had been stolen. As for how that unfinished draft ended up in Sarah's hands, she was completely baffled.

William was a proud man who wouldn't stoop to theft, and he looked down on what she drew anyway.

And her draft had disappeared from the study at home - had it grown wings and flown to Sarah?

Ava felt sick. Literally. A rush of nausea welled up and she slapped a hand over her mouth, dry-heaving.

Thanks to William, she'd had no money for lunch, and her stomach felt like it would come up, though nothing came out.

William handed her a pack of tissues and asked in confusion, "You... this month?"

Ava froze at his question. Had her period come this month?

Her mind felt foggy - she couldn't remember when her last period was. In any case, it was a long time ago.

She felt terrible. "I'm carsick."

She dry-heaved again after speaking.

She used car sickness as an excuse to brush it off. William frowned at James. “Pull over.”

James found a temporary parking spot. The car had just stopped, and Ava hadn't recovered yet when William's phone rang.

“William… I’m really uncomfortable. Can you come? Please?”

The car was too quiet, and the sweet, coquettish voice echoed in all three people's ears, stabbing another knife into Ava's already wounded heart.

William glanced sideways at the woman who had just been vomiting ungracefully, then turned and instructed James,

"Drive. Go to JadeDragon Bay Residences."

The car that had just stopped turned back onto the main road, heading toward Jade Dragon Bay.

As the car started moving, Ava heaved violently again.

If she remembered correctly, William had a luxury apartment at Jade Dragon Bay that Howard had given them as a wedding gift, registered under both their names. It had sat empty for three years, and now he was using it to house his mistress.

How ridiculous.

Once the car was moving, Ava's vomiting got worse. Her eyes were moist, her brow furrowed, fine beads of sweat appeared on her nose - she looked pitiful.

For once, something like guilt flickered in William’s eyes. He reached over, awkwardly patting her back.

“Endure it for a while. Sarah has a heart condition. We can’t delay. Unless… you want to lean on me?”

Ava shifted away instantly, pressing against the door, refusing to touch him.

"Please, just let me out. I'm carsick and feeling really sick right now."

William’s jaw tightened. Irritated, he simply reached across, pulling her into his arms with force.

"What are you throwing a fit about? Why compete with someone who has a heart condition? That's a dangerous illness when it acts up, not just vomiting a few times."

Ava struggled hard, trying to push him away, but the difference in strength between men and women was too great - her efforts were useless.

William looked at the restless person in his arms and leaned close to her ear to ask,

"Not comfortable leaning? Or would you rather sit on my lap?"