Chapter three

Ava woke up with a splitting headache. She slowly opened her eyes and looked around. The moment she realized where she was, she gasped.

She was lying in a refuse dump.

The stench hit her almost instantly. Torn garbage bags, rotten food, and discarded waste surrounded her. Not far away, her handbag and phone had been carelessly thrown onto the ground.

Ava slowly picked herself up, ignoring the throbbing pain in her head. She grabbed her handbag and phone before dusting off her once beautiful dress, now stained with dirt and filth.

The memories of what had happened came rushing back.

She remembered collapsing in john’s penthouse after everything he had said to her, but never in her wildest imagination had she thought John would have her dumped in a refuse heap like she was nothing more than trash.

Ava shook her head as tears streamed uncontrollably down her cheeks.

Dragging her heavy steps, she made her way onto the busy street with no destination in mind. Her feet ached from wearing heels all day, and the dress she had admired only this morning had become nothing more than a painful reminder of everything she had lost.

She stopped and searched through her handbag.

Inside was the black card her father had given her. A bitter smile crossed her face. She didn’t even have to try it. She already knew it had been frozen along with every other Richmond asset.

After checking the rest of her bag, Ava found only a few dollar bills. That was all she had left.

With nowhere to go and no one to turn to, she continued walking aimlessly through the streets. She didn’t know how long she had been walking before a luxurious hotel came into view.

Her gaze drifted to the elegant bar inside. A faint, bitter smile appeared on her lips. At least there… She could drink.

Maybe if she drank enough, the pain would finally stop.

Without another thought, Ava walked into the hotel bar and found a quiet corner of the bar and ordered the strongest drink they had. One glass turned into two, then three, and before long, she had lost count. She wasn’t drinking because she enjoyed the taste. She was drinking because every time she closed her eyes, she saw John’s mocking smile and heard his cruel words echoing in her head.

“Without your father’s money, you’re nothing.”

Ava laughed bitterly to herself before downing another glass in one gulp.

Not far away, an elderly man had been watching her from the moment she walked into the bar. He watched as she drank one glass after another, completely alone.

A slow smile crept across his lips.

He beckoned the bartender over and quietly ordered another round of drinks for Ava.

The bartender nodded before carrying the drink over to her.

“Miss, this is from the gentleman over there.”

Ava slowly turned in the direction he pointed. Her vision had already become blurry from the alcohol. Even if she could see the man clearly, she doubted she would have cared.

Without saying a word, she picked up the glass and continued drinking.

The man’s smile gradually disappeared. He had expected at least a smile… or a thank you.

Instead, she had treated him as though he didn’t exist. His expression darkened.

As a man of his status, he was used to women eagerly accepting his attention. They practically threw themselves at him. Never had a woman dismissed him so completely.

His pride took a hit. Rather than walking away, her indifference only fueled his interest. He picked up his own drink and made his way toward her.

“Hello, beautiful,” he greeted with a smile but Ava didn’t even lift her head. She simply reached for another glass.

Having his ego bruised for the second time, the man’s eyes turned cold.

He casually glanced around the bar. The bartender was busy serving other customers, and no one seemed to be paying attention to them.

Slowly, he slipped a tiny vial from the inside pocket of his suit. Shielding the movement with his body, he poured the colorless liquid into Ava’s drink before quietly slipping the empty vial back into his pocket.

Completely unaware, Ava picked up the glass and emptied it in one gulp.

Slowly, Ava began to feel even dizzier than before. The room spun around her, and the voices inside the bar became distant and muffled.

She gripped the edge of the table and tried to stand, but her legs gave way beneath her.

Just as she was about to fall, a pair of hands caught her.

“Easy there, beautiful,” the elderly man said with a gentle smile that made Ava feel uneasy.

“I… I’m fine…” Ava mumbled weakly, trying to pull away.

“You’ve had too much to drink,” the man replied. “Let me help you upstairs so you can rest.”

Ava wanted to refuse and push him away. But her body no longer obeyed her. Her eyelids felt heavy, her limbs weak, and her thoughts were becoming increasingly muddled.

Helpless, she allowed herself to be supported as the man led her out of the bar and into the hotel.

Inside one of the guest rooms, he carefully laid her on the bed.

The moment her body touched the mattress, a strange wave of heat surged through her. Her breathing became uneven, and she instinctively tugged at the neckline of her dress desperate for relief.

The man’s eyes gleamed with excitement.

He slowly removed his jacket before unbuttoning his shirt.

“You’ll enjoy this,” he muttered with a grin.

He climbed onto the bed and leaned over Ava, lowering his face toward hers.

Ava turned her head away with the little strength she had left, refusing to let his lips touch hers.

The man frowned. His patience quickly ran out and he reached for the zipper of her dress.

Panic surged through Ava but her body felt unbearably heavy, she knew exactly what was about to happen.

Summoning every ounce of strength she had left, Ava planted both hands against his chest and shoved him with all her might.

Caught completely off guard, the elderly man lost his balance.

“Ah!”

He tumbled off the bed and crashed onto the floor with a loud thud.

“You little bitch!” he roared, clutching his back.

Using the few seconds she had gained, she stumbled off the bed and ran out of the room.

“Catch her!” the old man shouted furiously at his men who entered after Ava left. “Find her! She can’t have gone far!”

His bodyguards immediately scattered through the corridors.

Barely able to think, Ava staggered through the hotel hallway. Every step felt heavier than the last. She pressed the elevator button repeatedly before stumbling inside the moment the doors opened.

When the elevator stopped, she rushed out onto another floor, the hallway was quiet.

Then she heard hurried footsteps behind her. The bodyguards had found her. Ava looked toward the emergency exit, but two men were already moving to block it.

Her heart pounded wildly. She had nowhere left to run. Without another thought, she grabbed the handle of the nearest hotel room. To her surprise…It wasn’t locked.

She slipped inside and quietly shut the door behind her. She leaned against it, breathing heavily. Her chest rose and fell as she struggled to steady her breathing.

For a brief second, she thought she had escaped.

Then a deep, chilling voice shattered the silence.

“Who are you?”

A shiver ran down Ava’s spine. She slowly turned around.

Sitting on the sofa not far away was a man dressed in a black bathrobe. One leg was crossed over the other as he lazily held a lit cigarette between his fingers. Wisps of smoke curled through the dimly lit room, partially hiding his sharp, handsome features.

The loosely tied robe exposed part of his broad chest, while his cold, unreadable eyes remained fixed on her.

Everything about him radiated danger. Ava instinctively took a step back.

“I… I’m sorry…” she stammered. “I… I came into the wrong room.”

She reached for the doorknob, intending to leave, but the moment she took another step, a wave of dizziness crashed over her and the unbearable heat inside her body flared again, making it difficult to breathe.