chapter Three

Ava's POV

I sat on the bed with my hands clenched into fists, the last two weeks have been a crazy roller coaster ride for me. I could still remember what the lawyer had said to me on our first meeting

The words were very loud in my head like a bad song on repeat.

"You must marry Jaxon King within thirty days." 

I had to marry Jaxon King to have access to the fortune my grandfather had left me. 

I couldn't imagine why he had attached such a condition, was he trying to make sure the family's wealth didn't go to a stranger instead? 

Was he trying to ensure I didn't act out like my mum had apparently done and marry someone that wasn't worthy? 

I had barely made sense of the first announcement before the second one hit me like a slap.

Someone wanted me dead, first it had been the strange car following me, followed by the break-in in my apartment, then the almost "car accident." 

And now, I found myself stuck in an impossible situation, a situation where walking away seemed just as dangerous as staying.

My chest felt tight, like I couldn't breathe properly.

After loosing my parents just as the age of ten, I had been put into a child foster system. 

After getting out at eighteen when I was old enough to be on my own, ever since then, I had been struggling, fighting, trying to survive.

And just when I thought things would get better, when I thought life had finally decided to give me a break, this happens and I'm thrown right into another nightmare.

"What do I do?" I whispered to myself.

There was no one else in my tiny apartment to answer, the walls didn't care and the flickering bulb in the ceiling wouldn't give me any advice.

I was all alone, all by myself, with no one to help me. 

I let out a frustrated sigh and grabbed my phone, I considered calling someone but who could I call?

I didn't have close friends, I cut ties with most people from the orphanage home when I left and I wasn't social enough to make friends in college, I was always working to pay my bills.

I needed to think, I needed to…. my train of thoughts was interrupted by a knocking from the door. 

I froze and slowly, I got up, my heart beating loudly in my chest, pounding in my ears. I walked to the door and pressed my ear against it.

There was nothing, just silence.

Maybe it was the neighbor's cat again, I had told her to always keep her door locked and not let her cat wander around, the stupid thing was always running around.

I sighed and turned the lock but as I opened the door, my stomach dropped.

A white envelope sat on the floor, right in front of my doorstep.

I crouched down and reached for the envelope, my fingers trembling as I picked it up, there was no name, no stamp, just a plain envelope.

I wanted to tear it open immediately but I paused and looked down the long hallway, there was no one in sight.

I took a step back into my apartment and closed the door, I weighed the envelope in my hands, hesitating before ripping it open.

There was nothing inside except a single piece of paper and written on that paper was: "You should have died that day. You won't be so lucky next time."

My blood ran cold immediately, my grip on the paper loosened and it dropped to the ground. 

I took a step back, my breathing became erratic.

I ran to the door and pulled it open, scanning the hallway again, searching for someone, anyone, who might have left it but there was no one.

Just flickering lights and the distant sound of a TV playing in one of the other apartments, I slammed the door shut and locked it.

My legs felt weak as I backed up and sat on the bed, staring at the note like it would burst into flames.

Different thoughts were running through my mind, I knew the day being referred to was that day at Mr Anderson's office with the car accident that almost happened. 

And now there's this note that's saying I won't be lucky next time, that meant there's going to be a next time? 

A shiver ran down my spine at the thought of a day like that repeating itself again. 

I then began to wonder if this inheritance was worth it, it had brought nothing but fear and chaos into my life since I heard about it, but then, in that moment again, something inside me snapped.

I wasn't going to back down.

I wasn't going to run.

Whoever sent this letter, whoever was behind the attacks, whoever it was wanted me scared, they wanted me to walk away and I wasn't going to give them the satisfaction.

I picked up my phone and dialed the one person who needed to see this.

Jaxon King. 

^_^^_^^_^^_^

Jaxon barely looked at me as he slid into the booth at the quiet café we agreed to meet at.

He was dressed in his usual sharp suit, looking more like someone coming from a business deal rather than a secret meeting.

I wasted no time and reached into my bag and brought the note out, shoving the note across the table to him, "Read it."

I didn't like being around Jaxon King, I know I acted tough and confident in his presence but the truth was, he scared and intimidated me so much.

I just wasn't willing to let him see it. 

Jaxon frowned but picked the note up. His jaw tightened as he read the words, he didn't say anything at first.

Then he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a white envelope that looked similar to mine, pulling out a letter from inside the envelope too. 

My breath hitched as he handed it to me, because what was in the envelope wasn't a note, it was a photo.

I felt sick the moment my eyes landed on picture because in the picture was Edward Langston, it wasn't just an ordinary picture, it was a picture of him, dead.

His body was stiff and his face covered in bruises, who would do such a thing to an old man? 

A message was attached to the picture, just below, the message read: "He died for their sins. Marry her or suffer the same fate."

My fingers shook as I dropped the photo, flinching like it had burnt me. 

"What the hell is this?" I whispered.

Jaxon exhaled slowly, rubbing his temple, "Looks like someone really wants us to get married."

I looked at him, "Do you have any idea who could be behind this?"

Jaxon hesitated, if I wasn't looking at him, I would have missed it, I would have missed the way his green eyes darkened, but he said nothing.

I clenched her jaw, "You know something, don't you? You know who is behind all this, don't you?"

"I have suspicions but nothing concrete." That was all he said. 

"So let me get this straight, someone's threatening us and you have 'suspicions'. How does suspicions help us?" The situation was just too funny. 

Jaxon met my gaze, with a hard one of his own, "You think I like this any more than you do? I don't want to marry you Ava in case you can't tell but clearly, someone wants us to get married." His voice was cold. 

I folded my arms and leaned further into the booth, "So what do we do now?"

Jaxon didn't answer immediately, he stared at the letter again, his fingers tapping against the table and after a few minutes, he exhales and says, "We go through with it."

My eyes widened, "What?"

"You heard me, we are going to get married." He announced again, his tone leaving no room for argument. 

I couldn't believe what I was currently listening to, "So that's it? We just give in and do what they want? We just allow ourselves to become puppets?" 

I could tell Jaxon wasn't pleased by my choice of words, judging by how hard his jaw was clenched, "For now, that's what we do, until we can figure out who's behind all this."

I wanted to argue, I wanted to tell him that he was insane, that this was all a mistake and that this wouldn't work but deep down, I knew he was right, this was the only way. 

So I came to a conclusion and swallowed hard before talking, "Fine but on one condition."

Jaxon raised an eyebrow, "What condition is that?" 

"I will sign the marriage contract but don't think for one second that you get to control me."

Jaxon smirked, "I wouldn't dream of it, this marriage won't change anything between us, we are nothing but strangers and we will stay that way."

He told me and I nodded in agreement. 

"Then it's settled, we're getting married a week from now." 

I wanted to protest by how quickly this was happening but I decided against, time wasn't on our side now, everything had to be done quickly and immediately. 

By the time I got home later in the evening, I was beyond exhausted.

My head was pounding seriously and my body felt drained and no matter how much deep and calming breaths I took, there was no shaking away of the feeling that I had just made the biggest mistake of my life.

I dropped my bag and slowly massaged my temples.

This was really happening, I was going to marry Jaxon Knight and I was marrying him in a week from now and someone, somewhere, was watching, waiting for it to happen.

I sighed heavily and walked to the window, pulling back the curtain slightly and glanced outside, my stomach flipped as I did. 

Across the street, was a figure, I couldn't make the face but it was a tall, dark figure standing beneath the dim streetlight.

My breath caught in my throat and I stared at the figure harder, my heart racing as I did. I blinked once and as soon as I did, the figure was gone.

I quickly closed the curtain, my pulse hammering in my ears, I wouldn't allow myself to be scared, I won't give whoever is doing this the satisfaction of me getting scared. 

But as I told myself that, the weight of the threats pressed down on me more and deep inside, I knew, this was only just the beginning.