Ava's pov
I slowly opened my eyes to find myself in a hospital bed. I tried to remember what happened and how I got here. "You are awake," a man said with a smile as he walked in. I stared at him, he was gorgeous. He was tall, well built, dark hair, full pink lips and handsome face. I wondered if he was the doctor. "Who are you?" I asked politely and he chuckled as he walked closer to me. "My name is Alex, I saved you three days ago on the streets," he replied and my eyes widened. " Three days ago? I have been out for three days?" I asked in disbelief, my heart racing and he nodded. Sweat formed on my forehead as I panicked about the bills. I had no money on me, how was I going to pay the bills? "The bills has been sorted out, you don't have to worry about a thing," he assured me, as if he just read my mind. "Thank you so much," I said, my voice shaking and he smiled. I have to worry. I have no money and no home. "It's fine and you must not go through any stress because of your baby," he urged gently and i raised a curious brow. "What baby?" I questioned with confusion etched on my face. His eyes widened. "Don't you know?" He asked, his voice soft and i shook my head. I sat up feeling hot all of a sudden. I better not be pregnant for that monster. "You are three weeks pregnant," he announced, and I felt like I had been hit by tons of bricks. "No, I couldn't be pregnant. I can't..." I stammered as tears stung my eyes. I couldn't be pregnant with Julian's child. I remembered that night three weeks ago when Julian came home drunk. We had sex but it was quick. I never thought it could lead to a pregnancy. Tears streamed down my face as i thought about my situation. "What's wrong? You should be happy not sad," Alex asked, his voice full of concern. I couldn't go back to Julian. He wouldn't believe me anyway. I had no money to take care of myself and the child. "There's nothing to be happy about," I whispered, shaking my head as i wiped my tears. "You can tell me what's wrong. I can help you," he offered and i took in a deep breath. "My husband divorced me because I couldn't give him a child. I caught him in bed with another woman and she is carrying his baby. I have nothing, Alex. No money, no home... I'm all alone," I explained. "I'm so sorry about that. Why would he do such thing to a beautiful woman like you?" Alex growled, his face darkening. "I don't know what to do about the child. I'm not financially capable to take care of a baby," I groaned, Alex touched my hand. "I will help you. I will take responsibility for you and your unborn child," he promised, and I laughed bitterly. My laughter died down when I saw the seriousness on his face. "Why? Why do you want to help me? You barely know me," I asked him. "I need a wife. You can be my wife, a contract marriage thing," he proposed. Another marriage? I shook my head. "I don't think i want to get married again. Julian has put me through enough trauma," I disagreed. "Did you just say Julian? Julian, the mafia leader?" He asked and I nodded. "That son of a bitch," he muttered and I raised a curious brow. "You know him?" I asked and he nodded, his hands balled into fists. "Julian is a fucking monster and I will see the end of him soon," he nodded, his jaw clenched. "He is strong, Alex. He is the leader of all the mafia lords in America," I pointed out. "I'm also the leader of all the mafia lords in Mexico," he revealed and I opened my mouth in shock. I felt a spark of hope ignite within me. Julian would know him and maybe i can get back at him by accepting his rival's proposal. "I accept the marriage contract, Alex. I want him to know that I can live without him," I said with a smile spreading across my face. "You are not weak. Don't let any man pull you down," he encouraged, smiling back. "My name is Ava," I introduced myself, feeling a sense of determination wash over me. "I came here for a business meeting, Ava. I will be going back to Mexico tonight," he informed me, standing up. "I will go with you," I decided, making up my mind. I needed a change of environment and I would make sure Julian doesn't know about my unborn child. "I will go see the doctor now," he said with a smile before walking out of the room. I closed my eyes feeling happy about the new development. I would have a roof to my head and money to survive. "I will come back here bigger and stronger, Julian," I promised myself. "Let's go now, Ava," Alex said as he pushed the door open. He helped me out of the hospital bed. My legs trembled, he supported me by wrapping his arms round my waist as we walked out. "What did you know about me?" He asked as he drove away from the hospital. "Only that you are a mafia leader from Mexico and Julian's rival," I replied. "That's a good start but let me tell you more. I'm not only mafia leader, i'm a business man and i'm Julian's nemesis," he said with a chuckle. "Nemesis? That's a strong word," I raised an eyebrow. "Julian and I have a complicated history. I'm looking forward to making him pay for what he has done," he said. "Is that why you asked me to marry you?" I asked and he shook his head. "I asked you to marry me before I knew Julian was your ex husband, Ava," he corrected, I nodded in agreement. "Let's build something new. Let's make him pay for betraying you, Ava," he said as his gaze locked into mine. "I'm in, let's make him pay for what he has done," I nodded in agreement with a smile on my face.Five years later Ava's pov "Mommy! I want to go play in the park," my son, Aiden exclaimed, his big brown eyes pleading with me. "Mommy is busy now, sweetie. Go meet your nanny she will take you," I said as i gave him a gentle kiss on his forehead. "I want you or daddy to take me," he whined, crossing his arms and i sighed. "Aiden, we will take you to the park on Saturday okay? Just go meet your nanny," I assured him. "Promise?" He asked and I nodded. He didn't seem satisfied and I rolled my eyes. "Promise," I replied and he ran off. Kids can be so difficult and Aiden was stubborn like his father. Alex, my husband, approached me and gave me a warm kiss. "Hey babe," Alex said. I shivered at the feeling of his lips on mine. "I thought you were asleep," I said smiling up at him and he groaned. "Aiden's voice woke me up," he replied chuckling. "He is so stubborn," I complained, rolling my eyes. Alex smirked and wrapped his arms round my waist. "I want mor
Ava's pov "I can't let you go there alone, Ava," Alex said, his voice laced with concern when I told him I was going to find that gold. "Alex, I'm not a kid. I'm capable of taking care of myself," I said firmly and he paced around the room. "What if Julian sees you at the mafia's party huh?" He asked, his brow furrowed with worry. "He doesn't attend parties like that. Stop stressing," I said, trying to assure him. "I don't feel good about this. We should go together. I will drop everything and come with you," he insisted. "You can't do that, Alex. You have important meetings to attend. Just calm down and let me handle this," I said. "Are you sure about this? You should be the one panicking and not even me," he muttered, shaking his head. "I have nothing to worry about. Max will be with me and we are leaving tomorrow," I informed him, his eyes widened in surprise. "Why tomorrow? The party isn't until next week!" he exclaimed. "We need to gather information about
Ava's pov I walked towards a hallway, pretending i was looking for the restroom. Most of the doors were locked, one particular door was opened. "We have to check this room," I whispered to Max and he agreed. "Stay outside and signal me if anyone is coming," I ordered. I removed my heels and tiptoed into the room. There was only a dim light reflecting off a box which was on the table. I walked towards it and saw the gold inside. I sighed in relief and grabbed the box. Suddenly, I felt a hand choking my neck. I screamed loudly for Max to hear, but I got no response from him. "This room is soundproof," the person whispered into my ear. The voice sounded familiar, and I hoped it wasn't Julian. He released the pressure on my neck, and I hit him between his legs. The box was still in my hands, i didn't bother to check the person. He groaned and i quickly walked towards the door to open. The box fell from my hands when I felt the cold metal on my head. "Turn around wi
Ava's pov "Your wife?" Julain said with a mocking laugh, his eyes fixed on me with a mixture of amusement and desire. "Yes, my wife," Alex spat, his voice cold. "And I don't want to see you anywhere near her," he added. "You don't deserve to breath the same air as me, Alex. I will leave, but you know where to find me, baby girl," Julian said to me, his gaze never leaving mine. I felt a shiver run down my spine as he turned and walked away. I watched him leave, my heart racing and gasped as Alex grabbed my hand rougly. "So if I hadn't show up, you would have had sex with him, huh?" He growled, his eyes darkened in anger. "No," I managed to say, but he pushed me into the room, his hands still gripping my shoulders. "You are lying, Ava, and I hate lies," he muttered, his breath hot into my ear. I knew something bad was going to happen. Alex was a jealous maniac and he couldn't bear the thought of seeing me with someone else. "Strip!" He yelled in a d
Ava's pov "Tell Max to go with you to his house. I will join you there," Alex said and I raised a curious brow. "Do you know where he lives?" I asked him and he chuckled. "I have my ways, baby. Go and keep him busy, I will show when you need help just like I did now," he replied. I kept the gun at the edge of my sweatpants, the familiar weight brought me comfort. I covered my hair with my hoodie cap. Upon opening the door, I met with Max. "The gold is fake," I informed him and his eyes widened with shock. "What do we do? Do you know where he lives, ma'am?" He asked and i nodded. "Are you fully armed? Things could get messy," I questioned, my eyes scanning his attire. "Give me five minutes, and i will meet you in the car," he said, rushing into his room. I sighed, my stomach twisting in knots. The silence was oppressive, and I couldn't shake off the feeling of unease. I didn't know what to expect at Julian's house. Was he married to the woman I caught him with? Did he
Ava's pov "Daddy! Who is she?" Julian's child asked, her voice innocent and curious. Julian lifted her up, his eyes locking on to mine for a brief moment before he replied. "She is daddy's friend, a close friend that you will be seeing often." Max and i exchanged glances, both of us wondering what Julian meant by that. "Go upstairs and meet your nanny, daddy needs private time," he said to his child, his voice gentle. "Bye miss," the girl waved me bye and ran upstairs. Julian walked towards me, his gaze intense and piercing. "My pretty girl," he whispered, his voice low and husky. I rolled my eyes, feeling a surge of annoyance. "Don't call me that," I spat. He placed his hand on his chest, feigning hurt. "That's harsh," he muttered. "Listen, I'm here to get my gold from you, not to have small talk," I said in a firm voice. Julian chuckled and sat on the couch, crossing his legs. "You can have a seat," he offered and we sat across him, the tension palable. "I bough
Julian's povPleasure and excitement coursed through my veins as i watched Ava drive away, a smile spreading across my face. I had to restrain myself from jumping into the car and taking her right there.Her face had haunted me for years, and I regretted divorcing her. Sophia, Diamond's mother and i had issues before she gave birth to my daughter. I discovered she was a two faced spy, sent to manipulate me, and i let my desire for a male heir cloud my judgement. "Lucas! Clear of this mess!" I yelled at my right-hand man. My compound was filled with blood and bodies of the men working under me. Ava's bodyguard was strong to have taken down this men. She was more mature and sexy now, but it infuriated me that she was married to my long time rival, Alex. I would stop at nothing to make her mine again and treat her right this time.I walked upstairs to check on Diamond. Her face lit up when she saw me, and she ran towards me. "Hi daddy," she said with a smile, and my heart swelled with
Ava's pov "How can you agree to this?" I asked in disbelief. Alex sighed, "Baby, we need to get this gold from him. Let's do his bidding," he replied. "Alex, what is really going on? You were jealous yesterday for seeing us together, now you want me to spend a night with Julian," I said. "Nothing is wrong, babe. You can handle this, just get the gold and i will deal with Julian later. I love you," he kissed me, and left the room with his bag. I sat on the bed, shaking my head, my mind racing with thoughts. Was i ready to do this because of the gold? What if Julian wanted sex? Grabbing my phone, i searched for him on I*******m and sent him a DM asking where we would meet for the night. My black dress stopping midway my thighs, my hair in a messy bun and makeup on my face to make my features pop. I felt confident, like I could take on the world. I took in a deep breath, looking at myself for the last time before leaving the room for the hotel. ***** "Have a good night ma'am,"
Alex's povI stood behind Ava with my arms crossed over my chest as I listened to her conversation with Jessica. The only thing I heard that made me happy was the information I heard about Gabriel. "Babe, is that Gabriel?" I asked Ava when she dropped the call. Her eyes widened in shock, and she shook her head. "It's not Gabriel, babe. I don't even have Gabriel's number, I was just having a conversation with Jessica," Ava replied, chuckling nervously. I sighed, moving closer to her. "You don't have to lie to me, babe. I overheard all your conversation with Jessica.""Ugh, this is what I was trying to avoid. Now, that you heard our conversation. What are you going to do?" She raised a curious brow. "You don't have to worry about that. Time is far spent, I have to take the kids to school. Prepare Daniel so we can return him to his mother," I replied. Ava nodded reluctantly, and I kissed her forehead. "Dad! We are ready to go!" Aiden's voice made me pull away from her. The kids loo
Ava's pov"Aunt Ava, I need milk for the pancakes not fruit juice," Daniel complained, rolling his eyes.I sighed, Daniel has been acting strange lately. Most of the time, he yells at me and refuses to play with Aiden. "You should talk to Aunt Ava in a nice way, Daniel. Don't talk to elderly people like that," Aiden corrected with a soft smile. Diamond nodded. "Yes, you need to respect her. She is more like our mom, and I don't like the way you talk to her.""She is not my own mother! My mom will know what I drink with my pancakes. I don't like it here, let me go home!" Daniel yelled. "Enought little boy! Watch the way you talk else I will punish you," Alex warned, his voice stern and scary. I held his hand under the table as we exchanged gazes. "I'm sorry, I just miss my mom. I want to go back home," Daniel broke down into tears.Everywhere became quiet and tense. I wasn't even angry at the little boy. He really missed his mother, and he has every right too. I rubbed Daniel's sh
Julian's povEverywhere was dark and quiet. I had been here for days, and I badly want to leave. "Somebody let me out of here!" I screamed loudly. The echo of my voice was the only thing I got back. "Fuck, how do I leave this place? I just want to go back to my normal life for goodness sake," I complained. Sitting on the floor, I realized I hadn't eaten for days yet I wasn't hungry. Why was that happening? Why haven't I seen anyone here too?Closing my eyes, I allowed sleep to consume me. After thirty minutes into my sleep, I began to have dreams about what happened to me. All flashbacks about everything that happened. Alex shot both me and Ava, damn! Is she still alive? What about the kids? Are they still alive too? My heart thumped heavily in my chest that I quickly opened my eyes. "I'm here to kill you, Julian. Do you think I will let you go just like that?" Alex asked, grabbing my neck. "Let me go, Alex! Don't fucking touch me!" I yelled as I tried to push his hands off me, b
Kim's pov"Who called you?" Mirabel, my sister asked, raising a curious brow after I dropped my phone. "It's Ava, a lady that lives with Gabriel 's wife. She and Julian are in some kind of relationship I don't understand," I replied with a shrug. "Do you think they know each other before? Julian lost his memory right?" She asked further. I nodded. "I don't know anything about that. All I know is she is the reason why Julian doesn't want to give me his heart.""That's crazy, why is she calling you and how did she get your number?"Sighing, I took a sip from the orange juice on the table. "Too many questions, Mirabel. Just let me think please. I'm so worried about Daniel.""I'm sorry for disturbing you. Kain will be back soon, and maybe we will finally have an answer," She muttered, giving me a sad smile which I returned. "Thank you, I will talk to you tomorrow. I need to go to bed, and check up on Julian," I informed her. "Okay, make sure you sleep well," She blew a kiss which I c
Alex's povI almost screamed when I heard Julian was still alive. I wondered if he was really the Julian but no doubts I knew he was the one. My mind was troubled as I climbed the stairs. It was funny how Max didn't tell me that someone was shot and the person was Julian.Grabbing a drink when I got into my office, I poured into a glass cup while I called Max. "Hello boss," he answered immediately. "Where the fuck are you, Max?" I demanded angrily. Max sighed. "I'm in the compound with the guard at the gate. Is there any problem?""Meet me in my office in the next twenty minutes," I ordered, ending the call. I threw my phone on my bed, groaning loudly. All I could think of was what Ava said. Julian was alive, and he has met Ava. What if they both planned this? I mean for Ava to be here. What if they want to kill me too?The door opened, and it pulled me out of my thoughts. "You sent for me, boss," Max said with a slight bow. "Have your seat, Max," I pointed to the chair in front
Ava's povAlex had a shocked expression on his face. "Julian? What the fuck do you mean by Julian?" He demanded loudly. My heart skipped a beat, his reaction to julian's name gave me chill feelings. Did he know Julian from anywhere?"Yes, Julian. Do you know any Julian because I don't seem to understand you anymore?" I said, challenging him with my eyebrows. He sighed as he rubbed his forehead. "I don't know any Julian. I'm just surprised that Max shot someone without telling me, that's all.""Listen Alex, I don't feel safe here with you. Max wouldn't have shot him if you guys don't use your gun on people. That guy almost died, tsk I don't even know if he is still alive. It's not fair to do that to people," I said, fear evident in my voice. He walked towards me, holding my hands and looked straight into my eyes. "You are safe with me, Ava. I will never hurt you, trust me."I felt calm a little bit. "But, what about Julian and Daniel? You should return Daniel back to his mother and
Kim's povMy hands trembled as I stared at Julian, whose head was rested on my laps. His rugged features, once commanding and powerful, now seemed vulnerable. Tracing his eyebrows, I couldn't help but feel the spark and connection that had drawn me to him ten years ago. I was in love with him already. Memories flooded my mind. He was the first man I ever had sex with, and I had given him my heart. However I was heartbroken when he said it was just a one night thing the next day. I found him three months ago unconscious with a gun wound, I knew it was his greatest rival who was responsible, Alex. Julian didn't remember me when he woke up which made me so happy. I had been searching for the perfect plan to crawl back into his life, and claim him as mine alone. He used to be the mafia leader in America, and I was surprised when Alex took over his position. I started making my findings, and research. I got to know through his house help that Alex held him hostage. Thank goodness, Ga
Alex's povI drove back home with a smile on my face. My plan worked, my doctor gave me a drug which I put in Ava's drink . She fainted, and didn't talk about remembering any past when she woke up.She even agreed to come stay with us permanently as my kids full time nanny. I was more than happy to have her back to myself. "Daddy, welcome back," Aiden said, giving me a hug when I stepped into the house."Welcome home, daddy," Diamond said, my lips curved into a smile at the feeling of her calling me dad. I handed Aiden the chocolates, and sweets I bought for them. "You are the best," Diamond smiled, snatching the bag from Aiden. "Hey! Give it to me!" Aiden yelled. I shook my head, laughing at their childishness and bickering. "Ava is finally coming to stay with us. How do you guys feel?" I asked, and they both turned to me. "I'm so excited to have my mom back. Daddy, when can we tell her the truth?" Aiden replied with a pout. "Yeah, she deserves to know the truth," Diamond added
Ava's pov"What the hell is happening here?" I demanded when I saw Julian on the floor with Kim crying beside him. My heart raced at the thought of what could be wrong. The wound looked like a gunshot, and fear gripped me. "Jessica, what's happening? Somebody talk to me!!" I yelled loudly. Jessica sighed as she walked towards the door where Julian laid lifeless. "You should be asking her that question. She just showed up at my door with him," Jessica said, her voice shaky. I turned to Kim who was gasping heavily as she grabbed Julian's body. "What happened to him? Say something and stop crying," I said softly. Kim wiped her tears, clearing her throat before speaking. "A man sh.. showed up in our ho.. house. He to.. took Daniel away. He took my son and shot Julian."My eyes widened. "Did you take him to the hospital? He should be in the hospital," I asked. "I removed the bullet myself. There will be questioning in the hospital and I could get arrested," She replied. Jessica and