Semua Bab Mr. CEO's Darling Shame: Bab 11 - Bab 20

AVA’S POVFour years later.Four years.That was how long it had been since I’d breathed this city’s air, since I’d seen its skyline stretching like jagged teeth against the horizon. Three years since I had left everything behind—my pain, my marriage, my shame—and poured all of myself into the only two lives that mattered now.“Mommy?”A small hand tugged at my sleeve. I looked down and met a pair of bright, curious eyes—the kind that mirrored Adrian’s so perfectly it hurt. My son, Aiden, tilted his head, his soft curls bouncing. “Are we there yet?”“Almost,” I whispered, smoothing his hair back. Beside him, his brother, Aaron, was fast asleep against my shoulder, his tiny breaths puffing against my neck. My heart softened. My boys. My miracle. The only reasons I’d been able to survive these past years.The plane began its descent, the captain’s voice a muffled echo over the speaker. I swallowed hard, clutching the boys closer as my chest tightened.Coming back was never part of the pl

AVA’S POVThe boys were more than excited to go to the mall.Their laughter bounced off the polished tiles as they darted from one shopfront to the next, tugging at my hands, pointing at every bright thing their curious eyes caught. For once, I let myself bask in their joy. Just a mother and her sons, out in the world.“Mommy, look!” Aiden pressed his nose against the glass of a display case. Rows of miniature race cars gleamed under the lights, shiny red, green, and silver. His eyes sparkled. “They’re so fast! Can we see inside?”Aaron, quieter as always, tugged on my blouse and pointed at the toy store across the atrium. “And dinosaurs,” he whispered reverently. “Big ones.”I chuckled, squeezing their hands. “Cars first, dinosaurs next. But only if you stay close.”“Promise!” Aiden puffed out his chest, as though he’d just signed a royal decree.Aaron nodded solemnly, mismatched eyes—one amber-brown, the other clear blue—glimmering in the light.We walked toward the car display, and

ADRIAN’S POVThe night air bit against my skin as I stepped out of the building, jacket slung over my arm, tie hanging loose around my neck. The city glimmered beneath me, restless and alive—everything I wasn’t.My driver opened the car door, but I waved him off. “I’ll drive myself.”He hesitated, glancing at the empty whiskey glass I’d left on my desk earlier, then nodded silently. I wasn’t in the mood for conversation.The engine purred to life, and the city lights streaked by in ribbons of gold and white as I sped down the avenue. My reflection ghosted in the rearview mirror—hard eyes, unshaven jaw, the hollow look of a man who’d built everything and lost what mattered.Mrs. A.The name had been circling my head all day like a curse. The mysterious Sinclair representative. I’d spent hours convincing myself it was no one I knew—just a coincidence, another faceless business liaison. But deep down, I knew what name my mind wanted to attach to that initial.Ava.Every time I closed my

ETHAN’S POVThe restaurant smelled of truffles and old money. My father had insisted I meet Mason Grant in person; Sinclair Global didn’t finalize multi-million-dollar partnerships over video calls.Mason was halfway through his scotch, gesturing with his glass. “You realise, Ethan, if Voss can’t deliver clean numbers this quarter, you’ll have leverage to renegotiate the entire merger clause.”I arched a brow. “You sound almost disappointed.”He laughed. “Not disappointed—curious. I’ve seen too many CEOs bluff stability until the final signature. Adrian Voss is no exception.”The name drew a bitter taste to my tongue. “He’s… complicated.”“Complicated men make convenient enemies,” Mason said lightly, setting down his drink. “So—your move?”Before I could answer, the door opened and a gust of city air swept through the room. I glanced up automatically. The hostess was leading in a woman I’d seen somewhere before—tall, immaculate, the kind of beauty that turned heads even in a room full

AVA’S POVThe ballroom shimmered in gold and candlelight as laughter spilled from every table, and the air smelled of champagne and roses.Lydia Voss—now Lydia Warren, looked breathtaking, her laughter bubbling through the air like music. I sat near the end of the long table, hands wrapped around a half-empty glass of champagne, smiling because that’s what is expected at weddings.Lydia had been my first real friend in the city, my co-worker, my sister in sleepless shifts and spilled coffee. She also happened to be Adrian’s cousin.We had once scrubbed coffee machines side by side, swapping stories and burnt-bean jokes. Seeing her twirl beneath a thousand tiny lights felt surreal.I hadn’t wanted to come tonight, but it wouldn’t have been fair if I didn’t attend. “Please, Ava. You you’re the realest friend I’ve had since I moved to the city. Don’t make me walk down that aisle without you.”So here I was, drowning quietly in nostalgia, smiling when people looked, holding my champagne s