All Chapters of Married to my Arrogant Sponsor : Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

The lakehouse was nothing like Ava expected. She thought it would be cold and impersonal like the mansion, only smaller. Instead, it was warm. The scent of cedar and old books clung to the walls. Thick knitted blankets were draped carelessly over worn armchairs. Mismatched mugs hung above the sink. Someone had once loved this place not for show, but for real life. For breathing and being still. Grayson didn’t say much on the drive. Ava didn’t either. The silence between them wasn’t awkward it was intentional, cautious. Like they were both waiting to see who they’d be without the noise of the outside world pressing in. When they arrived, Grayson opened her door and carried her bag inside without asking. She didn’t say thank you, and he didn’t expect her to. It was the kind of gesture that spoke louder than words. “This place used to belong to my mother,” he said as he pushed open the creaky back door. “She painted

On the fifth day, Ava found a box in the master bedroom closet. She hadn’t been searching for anything in particular. She was just putting away a sweater when her hand brushed against something hard, wedged behind a worn-out coat that smelled faintly of lavender and cedar. It was a small wooden box, the corners chipped, a faded ribbon wrapped lazily around it. The lid creaked when she opened it. Inside were letters dozens of them, bundled together in loose twine. Some were sealed, others opened and folded carefully. A few had crinkled edges, like they had been held too tightly. Others bore watermarks stains that looked suspiciously like old tears. Ava’s fingers hovered over the stack. These weren’t hers. They weren’t meant for her. But something about them called to her anyway. She unfolded the top letter. “To whoever finds this: Love doesn’t survive in cold rooms. If you’re

The night before they returned to the city, Ava couldn’t sleep.The lake outside was calm, still like it was holding its breath for what came next. The stars hung low and thick above the water, reflected like secrets on the surface. She sat by the window in Grayson’s faded hoodie, legs pulled to her chest, mind restless.She didn’t want to leave.Not because the city scared her.But because this quietness, this in between space felt like safety. Felt like her.Grayson found her there, backlit by the soft moonlight. He didn’t speak at first. Just walked over, knelt beside her, and rested his head gently against her knee.“You okay?” he whispered.Ava looked down at him. “I don’t know.”“Talk to me.”She took a deep breath, then let the silence stretch for a moment longer before breaking.“I’m afraid,” she said finally. “Not of going back. Not of the press. Or the whispers. I’ve lived with t

That night, Ava couldn’t sleep.She tried. She lay in bed with her eyes closed, heart thudding against her ribs like it wanted out. The sheets felt too hot, the air too still, and her mind too loud.The note. Elena. The bookstore.And those four words: Don’t trust him.She sat up slowly, brushing a strand of hair off her face. Her eyes adjusted to the dark. Across the room, Grayson’s side of the bed was empty. The covers still untouched.He hadn’t come to bed.The silence made her skin crawl. She slipped out from beneath the sheets, padded toward the hallway in bare feet. Her fingers trailed along the wall as she passed framed art and antique mirrors that had probably seen more secrets than anyone ever dared to speak.Downstairs, a soft light spilled from under the office door.She hesitated outside for a moment, then knocked lightly before stepping in.Grayson looked up from behind his desk, a pair of readi

Ava sat in her car for nearly an hour, the flash drive still clutched in her hand like it might burn her. The city buzzed around her people walking dogs, honking cars, couples arguing on sidewalks but none of it reached her. It was like she’d driven into a soundproof bubble, and now the only thing louder than the silence was her heartbeat.She should’ve driven home.Instead, she opened her call log.She scrolled past Grayson. Past Renée. Past numbers she didn’t recognize anymore.Then she stopped.Joe.Her thumb hovered. Then she tapped it.The line rang twice. Then:“Hello?” His voice was the same. Maybe softer. Maybe it was just memory coating everything in nostalgia.She froze. Her throat tightened.“Ava,” he said again, slower this time. “I didn’t think you’d call.”“I… wasn’t sure I would either.”Silence.Then she breathed, “I need to ask you something.”