BOUND TO THE RUTHLESS CEO

CHAPTER 1 Time to let go ANA MORGAN Ana had never felt so small in her life. She grew up in a modest village on the outskirts of the city, where the roads were dusty and uneven, and every house seemed to lean into the other as if sharing secrets. The air there was never down. It carried the sounds of children laughing, women arguing over market prices, and radios playing old songs that never seemed to fade. Ana’s home stood at the very end of a narrow path. It was a small house with a rusted roof and cracked walls, but to her, it was everything. She lived there with her mother. Her father had died when she was too young to remember his face clearly. All she had were stories, stories her mother told one night when the power went out and the darkness surrounded them. “He was a good man,” her mother would say softly. “Strong, kind, just like you.” Ana never knew if that was true. But she held onto those words like something sacred. Life was not easy. Her mother worked tirelessly as a seamstress, taking in clothes from neighbors and spending long hours bent over an old sewing machine that groaned with every stitch. Her fingers were always pricked with needles, her eyes often tired most of the time but she never complained. Ana learned early what it meant to survive. At just ten years old, she was already helping fetch water, cooking simple meals, running errands, and sometimes assisting her mother with sewing. But despite the hardship, there was love. So much love that her mother never let her feel poor. “You may not have everything,” she would say, brushing Ana’s hair gently at night, “but you have a good heart. And that is worth more than anything in this world.” Ana believed her. She grew up kind. She would share her food even when she barely had enough. She would help strangers without expecting anything in return. And she always smiled even on days when her stomach ached from hunger. School was her escape. It wasn’t fancy, just a small building with broken desks and overcrowded classrooms but Ana loved it. She loved learning and reading. She loved the idea that maybe, just maybe, her life could be different someday. When Ana turned sixteen, everything changed. Her mother fell ill. At first, it was just fatigue, occasional coughing, and a slight fever. But slowly, it grew worse. Days turned into weeks and weeks into months, soon, her mother could no longer work. The house that once felt warm with love began to feel heavy with worry, money ran out quickly, food became scarce and for the first time, Ana felt scared. “I’ll take care of us,” she said one night, her voice trembling but determined. Her mother shook her head weakly. “You’re still a child” “I’m not,” Ana insisted softly. “Not anymore.” Ana began taking any job she could find, cleaning, day jobs, helping in small food stalls. The work was exhausting, and the pay was little, but she didn’t complain. Every coin she earned went toward medicine and food. Every day became a battle, but she kept going. ×××××× Ana didn’t remember when the crying started. Maybe it was when the doctor shook his head in silence or when the neighbors slowly filed out of the house, their whispered condolences fading into the evening air or maybe it was the moment she realized the room felt empty. Her mother was gone. After five years of battling she gave up and left her all by herself. The small house, that once filled with warmth and soft laughter, now felt hollow, like something had been ripped out of its center. The sewing machine sat untouched in the corner. The pot on the stove had gone cold. Even the air felt heavier and harder to breathe. Ana sat on the floor beside the bed, her fingers tightly wrapped around the edge of the mattress where her mother had taken her last breath. “Mom” she whispered weakly, as if saying it enough times might bring her back, but nothing happened. Her chest tightened painfully, and a fresh wave of tears slipped down her cheeks. She reached blindly for her phone, her hands shaking as she scrolled through her contacts. There was only one person she could call. Ivy, her best friend. The only one who truly knew her. The phone rang once, before she picked it up. “Ana?” Ivy’s voice came through. “Why are you calling this late? Is everything okay?” Ana tried to speak but her voice broke. “Ivy” she choked, her breath hitching. “She’s gone.” There was a heavy, stunned silence. “What do you mean, gone?” Ivy asked slowly, her tone shifting with fear. “My mom.” Ana whispered, barely able to form the words. “She, she died.” The line went completely quiet. And then— “Oh my God, Ana..” Ivy breathed, her voice trembling now. “No… no, I’m so sorry…” Ana broke down completely. The tears came harder, faster, uncontrollable. “I don’t know what to do,” she cried. “I don’t have anyone anymore.” “You have me,” Ivy said firmly, though her own voice cracked with emotion. “Do you hear me? You’re not alone.” Ana tried to steady her breathing, but the pain in her chest wouldn’t ease. “It’s so empty here,” she whispered. “Everything reminds me of her…” Ivy sighed softly, as if thinking carefully. “Ana… listen to me,” she said gently. “You can’t stay there.” Ana frowned slightly, wiping her tears. “What do you mean?” “I mean, you need a fresh start,” Ivy continued. “There’s nothing left for you there anymore. Come to the city.” Ana hesitated. “The city?” she repeated softly. “Yes,” Ivy said quickly. “There are so many opportunities here, jobs, better pay, better life. You’re hardworking, you’ll do well, I know it.” Ana looked around the small room. The cracked walls, worn-out furniture all of it suddenly felt too heavy to carry. “But, I’ve never lived there before,” she said quietly. “What if I can’t handle it?” “You can,” Ivy insisted. “And I’ll help you. You won’t be alone, I promise.” Ana swallowed hard. A fresh start, the words lingered in her mind, it was a good idea, she needed it, and it's time for her to find something well to do. “I’ll come,” she said finally, her voice quiet. “I’ll come to the city.” “That’s my girl,” Ivy said softly. “We’ll figure everything out together.” Ana nodded, even though Ivy couldn’t see her. As the call ended, she looked around one last time. This place had been her whole world. But now, It was time to let go.