HIS HIRED BRIDE

CHAPTER ~ 1☆

"A story has no beginning or end: arbitrarily one chooses that moment of experience from which to look back or from which to look ahead." ~Graham Greene.

AVA P.O.V

“Life is a gift, full of surprises and it is in our own hand how we beautify it. And that’s how I built a life full of flowers, books and friends.”

Since childhood I saw my aunt working as a florist, I knew what I wanted to be then and there.

I fell in love with all kinds of flowers and knew their names by heart and from then on my only goal was to become a landscape architect.

And I did it.

I graduated from high school with a G.P.A 4+. I cleared my entrance examination and made my dream one step ahead.

Life was going the way I wanted.

When I lost my mother and father in childhood, I thought this was the end. But my aunt soon became my home, my strength and accepted me as her own daughter. And I did everything to make her proud of me.

My future was bright but like a sad reality the dreams are meant to be broken.

“AVA...AVA......AVA....” My aunt shouted at the top of her lungs.

“Avaaaaaa.” Aunt screamed, making me jerk awake from my peaceful sleep. I groaned and rolled to the other side watching my beautiful ceiling. I always get zoned out watching it. I love gazing at the sky full of stars, because I felt this warm feeling that my parents are watching me. Because of my hectic schedules I don’t get the time to watch it anymore so I bought the sky inside my rooms. You turn your head any corner you’ll notice a star.

“Crazy huh?”

“That I’m” I mentally shrugged.

“Ava wake the hell up or I’m goanna........” She gritted her teeth and I can hear her heavy footsteps smacking the wooden staircase.

One thing you all have to know is don't make my aunt angry. Her wrath is worse than a hell fire.

A smile bloomed on my face as I remembered how I loved to mess with her.

“Ava Wil....” She banged the door open but I didn’t let her finish.

“I’m awake. You lost your energy coming upstairs aunt.” I smirked at her wrapping my curly hair in a loose bun and jumped out of the bed going straight to the washroom.

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“Good Morning to you too Sleeping Beauty.” She replied with sarcasm.

“Morning.....” I huff lying on the dining table.

She kept the breakfast plate and I scrunched my face looking at it.

“Eat it.....” She stood in front of me with a spoon in one hand, and another resting on her waist.

I hold my breath and gulp down the oats at full speed.

I hated two things in my life. First oats in my breakfast and second my habit of fainting.

Whenever I get anxiety I would faint. I got it after my parents died. I couldn’t see them lying lifeless. My heart couldn’t afford it watching them and I fainted.

“The truck has come. Go and help them out.” Aunt ordered me to go downstairs.

We lived in a two storey house. Our ground floor is our flower shop. And we stay upstairs. It is a cosy two bedroom house. It’s like heaven to us. The homely feeling gives me calmness whenever I miss my parents.

I unlocked my phone and looked at the date.

Sunday!

That means fresh flower seeds will be here.

I frowned and stood up making my way downstairs.

My dream of becoming a landscape architect has gone out of the window as I remember the dreadful day......

“Yes....Yes.....Yess.....” I screamed looking at my acceptance letter from NYU architecture college.

I jumped like a schoolgirl biting my fingers. I cannot believe this.

I ran out of my room screaming “Lily..”

“Lily...”

“Where are you Lily.....” I shouted searching for her.

“Lil.......” I yelled opening her bedroom but my world collapsed as I watched her lying on the floor with blood smeared at the corner of her mouth.

It was too much for me. My knees started to shake, making me fall on the ground. It felt like time stopped as I sat there watching her. My body started to shake as my breath came hard and fast and I knew I had little time left before I'd faint.

I crawled towards the night stand and took her cell phone dialling 911.

"What's your emergency?" The person spoke receiving the call.

"Blo.....od...." My voice shook.

"We couldn’t understand you ma'am. Can you speak clearly?" The person spoke and I started crying watching my aunt figure get blurry.

"Li....Li....Lily's Flower House, Beck street 101..." I told the person in one breath and the cell phone fell down from my hand taking me in a deep slumber.

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I opened my eyes with a heavy headache and looked around. I huff holding my head and watch the door open making me crunched my brows.

"How are you sweetie?" The nurse asked as she checked my IV.

"Why am I here?" I asked her.

"You were bought with your aunt." She replied making the hair of my nape stand up.

And like that I remember everything.

"My result."

"Aunt."

"Blood."

"Lying lifeless."

I hurriedly stood up taking the nurse by surprise.

"My....my aunt. Where is she?" I panicked.

"Is she okay? I....I...where is she? I want to see her." I told her .

"Calm down. She is alright." The nurse assured me but I shook my head with moist eyes.

"Please, I want to meet her." I begged her and she gave a soft smile.

"Come." She held my hand taking me towards my aunt's room.

The doctor was surrounding her as I watched from the window.

She was attached with machines and doctors were continuously pricking her with needles.

"Wh...what happened to her?" I whisper with a beating heart.

"The doctor will inform you sweetie, now get back to your room." The nurse replied with an uneasy smile.

"Bu....But aunt..." I told her but she cut me off. "The doctor will inform you."