Chapter 1
Ava's hands trembled as she stared at the text message on her phone. "We need to talk," it read. The sender's name made her stomach twist with anxiety: Ryder.
Her ex-husband. The man who had abandoned her without warning, leaving her shattered and heartbroken.
Ava had thought she'd moved on, that she'd healed from the wounds Ryder had inflicted. But the sight of his name on her screen brought it all flooding back.
She tried to ignore the message, to tell herself she was stronger than Ryder's manipulation. But the next message arrived, and the one after that, each one more insistent and menacing.
And then, the final blow: "If you don't meet me, I'll make sure your mother is kicked out of my hospital. She'll never get the treatment she needs."
Ava's heart sank. Ryder's family owned the hospital, and he had the power to make good on his threat. Her mother's life was in his hands, and Ava knew she had no choice but to comply
Ava replied back to Ryder, "where should we meet?"
"At my office" he replied almost immediately.
She hurriedly left the hospital to Ryder's company, in search of him.
Minutes later, she arrived. She was led to Ryder's office by James, his assistant.
She took a deep breath and knocked on his door, and then she heard his deep baritone voice, "come in"
She advanced towards the office,
"You wanted to talk" she began
"Yes" he replied curtly
"What is it about?" She asked, sounding cold and distant
Ryder noticed the indifference in her tone and couldn't help but feel a pang of pain in his heart.
"Let's get back together"he said boldly
Ava laughed sarcastically, "you want us to get back together?"
"As you heard"
"That's never happening, even in a thousand years" she replied coldly
"You know you have no say in this right?" Said Ryder as he smirked and stood up, walking towards her with slow, steady steps.
"What do you mean?" Asked Ava confused
"I'm telling you to marry me not asking you to marry. So that simply means I'm informing you that we'll get married, not needing your approval, whether you like it or not" said Ryder possessively
"What! You know that's against the law" said Ava in a panick stricken manner because she knows what Ryder is capable of.
"Since when do I need the law to decide my life? If you make this difficult for me, I'll have no other choice but to kick your mother out of my hospital and make sure she never gets admitted into another hospital in this town.
"Ryder ,you-"
"Consider what I've said, I'll want a quick response by tomorrow. You can leave"
Ava left his office. As she walked across the road, she couldn't help but be lost in thoughts. He abandoned her and suddenly what's her back. She have faced lots of emotional blackmail and now..... Oh God, she isn't ready for one again.
