Semua Bab Ex Wife to The Billionaire, Mother to His Twins Heir: Bab 1 - Bab 10

AVA POVThe wine glass shook in my hand as I hid behind the wooden drink cart. My fancy shoes pressed into the soft rug. The pregnancy test felt hot against my palm, its plastic edges sharp on my skin. Three years. Three years of believing in fairy tales while living in hell."Marcus Moretti, seriously—when are you finally getting rid of Ava?" The voice cut through the soft jazz music coming from the other room. It was Derek, Marcus's friend from college. His voice was thick with whiskey and meanness."Did she really think someone like you would want someone like her?" This voice belonged to Jake, Marcus's best friend since they were kids. The same Jake who had tripped me in the hallway last week while Marcus just watched.My throat felt tight. The night air suddenly felt too thin, too sharp in my chest. Marcus opened his mouth, and for one crazy moment, I thought he might stand up for me. Might tell them to stop.My breath stopped. The Richard Mille watch I'd bought him for our annive

"You know what's truly delicious about all this, Ava?"Sophia's voice was silk wrapped around a knife as she circled me like a hunter who'd cornered her prey. The marble statues watched with stone eyes as my world fell apart in real time."Marcus has had me wrapped around his finger for years, but it's you he's kept on a chain. All those nights you waited up like a faithful little dog?" Her laugh was crystal-clear cruelty. "He was with me, learning what a real woman can offer."Each word hit like a punch, but I stayed standing. Barely."What did you say?" The question escaped as barely a whisper, tears streaming down my cheeks like acid."Oh, sweet naive Ava." Those designer heels clicked against marble—a countdown to my destruction. "You can't even give him a child, can you? How pathetic must that feel, knowing you're completely useless to a man like Marcus?"My hand moved without thinking to my stomach.The secret growing there. The one that changed everything."Marcus is fed up wit

The taxi ride back to our apartment felt like a bad dream. Every red light lasted forever. The driver kept looking at me in his mirror. I probably looked like a woman running from a crime scene—which, in many ways, I was.The apartment that once meant everything I wanted now looked like a tomb. The marble floors that seemed fancy before now felt cold as death under my feet. The quiet was too loud after the sounds I heard—sounds that would probably haunt me for the rest of my life, however long that might be.I stumbled to the bathroom. My body finally gave in to the shock. My stomach hurt badly, but there was nothing to throw up. When did I last eat? Marcus told me to skip lunch before Sophia's party. He said he didn't want me looking "fat" in the photos. Even my hunger was something he controlled.The truth hit me like a punch: I had been slowly disappearing for three years, piece by piece, meal by meal, choice by choice, until I became a ghost in my own life.My hands shook as I mad

The wine cellar door was locked.Marcus stood in the basement, pulling hard on the heavy door. He was getting scared. The electronic lock blinked red—it wouldn't open. His hands shook as he typed the code again and again."Sir?" A security guard came up behind him with a flashlight. "Is everything okay?""The wine cellar won't open. Why?" Marcus sounded angry. He was used to getting what he wanted."Oh, that's been closed for repairs since this morning. The building sent letters to everyone last week."The letter. Ava always read those letters while he did more important things. He never read it."Where's my wife?" Marcus asked. He sounded scared now.The guard looked worried. "I haven't seen Mrs. Moretti since she left in her blue car at 9:30. She seemed to be in a hurry."9:30. Thirty minutes ago. He had sent her to get wine from a place that was locked.Marcus felt very cold.The elevator ride back up felt like forever. Marcus felt sick. His perfect world was falling apart. Sophia

"I'm not as shameless as you, Marcus. Doing disgusting things like that fits you and Sophia... not me." I kept my voice calm and steady, which made Marcus even more angry."Ava! How dare you!"His voice cracked through the phone like thunder in the quiet French night."Did you sleep with that man? Did you moan and cry out under his body?"Marcus's dirty words made me furious, but I held back. No matter what, I couldn't let him know about my twin babies. My children shouldn't have a cruel father like I had cruel parents. I suffered my whole life, but I wanted my babies to grow up with warmth and love."We're done, Marcus. This conversation is over, so stop bothering me. Whether I choose another man or not has nothing to do with you anymore.""Just sign those divorce papers then." Marcus laughed, but there was no humor in it. I could hear him grinding his teeth in anger."You shameless woman, are you so excited for a divorce because you want my money? Do you think the money you get from