chapter 21

Chapter 21 - Standing My GroundAva's Pov…I threw the door open, breath still caught in my throat, and there he was. Kieran. He stood just outside, staring at me like he wasn’t sure he would see me again. As soon as our eyes locked, I stopped thinking. I didn’t even say a word. I just ran into his arms. The second I touched him, I broke down. No warning. No holding it together. Everything I had bottled up came crashing down as I clung to him like my life depended on it.He held me tight, one arm around my back and the other gently cradling the back of my head. “It’s okay,” he said quietly, trying to keep his voice calm. “You’re safe now. I’ve got you. You're safe.”He pulled back just enough to look at my face, his fingers brushing my cheeks. “Did they hurt you?” His voice dropped, more serious now. I could barely answer, my throat tight and sore from yelling earlier. I felt so happy seeing his face again, I thought I wouldn't.Before I could say anything, we both heard footsteps com

Last Updated : 2025-06-08

chapter 22

Chapter 22: The Breath BetweenAva's Pov…"How dare you speak to me like that?"Demon’s voice dropped low, but the fury in it didn’t need volume to be terrifying. He stepped forward like he intended to strike me again, but before I could blink, Kieran moved. One second he was behind me, the next he slammed his fist into Demon’s jaw with such force that his brother staggered and fell backward.I gasped, frozen.Kieran didn’t stop. He climbed on top of Demon and started punching him—fast, hard, relentless. I flinched every time his fist connected, and still, he didn’t stop. Demon’s head snapped from one side to the other with each blow. Blood sprayed across the floor."Kieran!" I stepped forward, grabbing his arm. "Kieran, stop! That’s enough!" I didn’t want to see this. Not like this.But he wasn’t hearing me. His breathing was rough, almost animal-like, his knuckles red and raw. He raised his hand again."Kieran! Please!" I pulled harder this time, planting my feet. "I’m okay. Just st

Last Updated : 2025-06-08

Chapter 23

Chapter 23: Mine to ProtectAva's Pov…I pulled away from Kieran, just enough to catch my breath and turn toward the door. My eyes locked on Richard and Lydia as they stepped further into the room like they had every right to be here. My throat tightened. I had so many questions, but the one that kept running through my head was simple—how did they even know where I was?Kieran stood up slowly, his body shifting into that protective mode I was starting to recognize. He took a few steps forward and placed himself directly between me and them. “Who are you?” he asked, his voice low and steady.Lydia burst out laughing before Richard could even open his mouth. She turned to him and said, loud enough for all of us to hear, “See? I told you she had a sugar daddy. Just didn’t expect him to be this rich.”My heart dropped. I stared at her, completely stunned. Even after everything, after how far I’d come, they were still trying to paint me as some gold-digger?I glanced at Kieran, whose jaw

Last Updated : 2025-06-11

chapter 24

Chapter 24 - Quiet Mornings and Unexpected FacesAva's Pov…I opened my eyes slowly, the light from the window creeping in through the thin curtains. I blinked a few times before realizing I wasn’t in a hospital anymore. I was back in Kieran’s room. His bed. His space. My back sank into the softness of the mattress as I pushed myself upright. The ache in my stomach reminded me of everything that had happened.Richard. Lydia. The knife. The hospital.And then Kieran.I sat there a moment, trying to breathe through the strange mix of emotions running through me. Anger. Confusion. Safety. Pain. And this quiet warmth I didn’t know what to do with.I shifted my legs off the bed and stood up slowly, holding my side as I crossed to the window. The view was still the same. Calm. Peaceful. Like nothing had happened yesterday. But I remembered all of it. The look on Richard’s face. Lydia’s insults. The sharp sting of betrayal. And through all of it, Kieran had been there.The door creaked open

Last Updated : 2025-06-12

chapter 25

Chapter 25: Just Where He BelongsAva's Pov…I took a slow sip of the coffee in front of me, not because I actually wanted it, but because I didn’t want to acknowledge the man standing a few feet away, staring at me like he had the right to. My stomach turned as his scent hit me—a mix of cheap cologne and old bitterness I knew too well. Richard.I didn’t even look up at first. I just kept sipping, eyes locked on the steam swirling off the coffee cup. I thought maybe if I stayed quiet long enough, he’d walk away. But of course not. That man never knew when to leave.He let out a low chuckle, like all this was funny. Then he walked forward and took the seat right across from me—the same seat Kieran had just stood from a moment ago to take a call. I didn’t move. Didn’t flinch. Just raised my eyes and stared right at him.“What are you doing here?” I asked, voice flat. I was tired. Tired of him showing up where he didn’t belong.He smirked. “Is that how you greet your ex-husband? Come on,

Last Updated : 2025-06-13

Chapter 26

Chapter 26: The Right TimeAva's Pov…I curled deeper into the couch, my legs tucked under me and a blanket wrapped around my waist. A soft hum of the ceiling fan mixed with the faint tick of the wall clock. The living room was still, quiet. But not for long.One more day.Just one.That was all I had left before I’d officially step into my father’s company—Blackmist—as myself. No more pretending. No more hiding. No more acting like I didn’t belong. Because I did. I had always belonged. I just hadn’t realized it until now.I leaned back and stared up at the ceiling, but the calm didn’t stay long. I felt something before I even heard him—Kieran’s quiet, deliberate steps. A second later, he appeared in my peripheral vision, holding a glass of juice. He didn’t say anything. Just handed it to me and sat down next to me, like it was the most natural thing in the world. He pulled me closer until my head rested against his shoulder.I let out a slow breath. His warmth made me feel grounded.

Last Updated : 2025-06-17