Chapter 1: The Pressure

Ava's POV

"Have you thought any more about that partnership opportunity, Ava?" my father asked, leaning forward with that familiar glint in his eye. 

"I—" 

Before I could respond, Ethan, my fiancé, interjected. "Ava's been busy, Dad. You know how demanding her job is." He shot me a knowing look, as if he understood the pressure I was under—when, in reality, he was often the source of it.

"Busy? Or avoiding the responsibilities that come with our family's expectations?" My father's voice dropped, sharp and accusatory.

"Dad, I'm a defense lawyer. It's not like I can just—"

"Your priorities should be clearer," he interrupted, his tone hardening. "You've had opportunities to elevate your career, but you seem content to linger in the shadows."

My mother chimed in, her voice soothing yet insistent. "Ava, sweetie, maybe consider joining us at the firm? You'd have so much more stability—"

"Stability," I echoed, feeling the heat rise to my cheeks. "Is that what this is about? You want me to sacrifice my dreams for your version of stability?"

Ethan placed his hand over mine, squeezing gently. "Ava, your parents just want what's best for you. They're concerned."

"Concerned or controlling?" I snapped, the words slipping out before I could rein them in. Silence fell over the table, everyone staring at me in shock.

"Don't speak to your mother that way," my father warned, his voice low and dangerous. 

"Or what? You'll cut me off? Disown me?" The bitterness in my voice surprised even me, but I couldn't help it. I felt suffocated, trapped in a life that wasn't mine.

"I'm just saying that family has expectations—" Ethan began, but I shook my head.

"Family? This is not family. This is a prison."

The tension in the room crackled, and I could see my mother's lips quivering, her disappointment palpable. I pushed back my chair, the scraping sound loud in the heavy silence. 

"I need some air," I muttered, storming out of the dining room, the eyes of my family boring into my back.

Once outside, the cool night air hit my face, and I inhaled deeply, trying to quell the whirlwind of emotions swirling inside me. The moon hung low in the sky, casting silver light over the garden. 

"Why can't they just let me live?" I whispered to myself, pacing the stone path. I felt like a marionette, strings pulled tight by a puppeteer who didn't care for my desires.

As I walked, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I fished it out, my heart racing at the unknown number flashing on the screen. A pang of instinct warned me this call could change everything. 

With a deep breath, I answered. "Hello?"

"Ava Thompson?" The voice on the other end was rough, tinged with an accent I couldn't quite place.

"Yes, who is this?" I gripped the phone tighter, feeling a knot form in my stomach.

"Listen closely. I'm calling because you're needed for a case."

"A case?" Confusion mingled with adrenaline. "Who are you?"

"I'm someone who knows your work. We have a client with a problem—a serious problem. He needs your skills."

"I'm a defense lawyer. I don't take just any case," I replied, attempting to regain control of the conversation.

"This isn't just any case. It's tied to Gabriel Pierce's organization."

The name struck me like a lightning bolt, sending shockwaves through my body. Gabriel Pierce—the name alone was enough to send shivers down the spine of anyone in the city. He was the kind of man whispered about in dark corners, the cold and ruthless leader of the Pierce mafia family.

"What do you mean tied to Gabriel Pierce?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

"There's a low-level criminal we need you to defend. If you refuse, I can't guarantee your safety—or your career."

My heart raced. "Why would I want to get involved with someone like him? I'm not interested in mafia business."

"Because whether you like it or not, you already are. You need to understand, Ava—Gabriel has eyes everywhere. You have a choice to make. Help us, or walk away and risk everything."

"Why should I trust you?" 

"Trust isn't a luxury you can afford right now. Think it over. But make your decision quickly." The line went dead before I could respond, leaving me standing alone in the moonlight, my mind racing with possibilities and consequences.

What the hell just happened? My chest tightened as I considered the implications. I was already caught in a web of expectations, suffocated by my family and fiancé. And now, this? The mafia? 

A sudden sound startled me—a rustling from the bushes nearby. I turned sharply, scanning the darkened garden. My heart hammered in my chest. 

"Is someone there?" I called out, my voice trembling slightly.

No response.

I took a cautious step back toward the house, the weight of the call hanging heavily in the air. Just then, I spotted a figure emerging from the shadows—tall, imposing, and dangerously handsome.

"Gabriel?" I breathed, recognizing him instantly. The stories were true; he exuded a commanding presence that sent shivers down my spine.

"What are you doing here?" I demanded, anger and fear battling inside me. 

He stepped closer, his eyes dark and intense. "You've gotten yourself into something you don't fully understand, Ava. I'm here to make sure you stay safe."

"Safe?" I scoffed, taking a step back. "You're the last person I want to see right now."

"Maybe so, but you don't get to choose your circumstances." 

His voice was smooth, almost seductive, and I could feel the pull of his presence like a magnet. "I don't need your help," I insisted, though a part of me felt the truth in his words.

"Then why are you shaking?" he challenged, his gaze piercing through me. 

"I—" 

The air thickened with tension, and I felt like I was teetering on the edge of a precipice. Suddenly, the gravity of my situation pressed down on me. Gabriel Pierce was standing right in front of me, and my life was about to change forever.

Before I could utter another word, his phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out, glancing at the screen, his expression darkening.

"Trouble," he muttered, his tone shifting from seductive to serious in an instant. "I'll be in touch, Ava. You need to decide quickly which side you're on."

With that, he turned and strode away, disappearing into the night like a phantom. 

I stood frozen, my heart racing, my mind spinning. The weight of the call, the confrontation, and the implications all crashed over me in waves. 

I was trapped between two worlds—one that suffocated me and another that promised danger and excitement. And somehow, I was tied to both. 

As I turned back toward the house, I realized that I had a decision to make, and it wouldn't be easy. 

Just as I reached the door, my phone buzzed again. A text from Ethan read: "Where are you? We need to talk. Now." 

My pulse quickened. Little did he know, I was already in deeper than I ever expected.