ONE YEAR WITH HIM

CHAPTER TWO

Ms. Bradshaw drove with the calm confidence of someone who knew exactly where she was going. Ava sat in the passenger seat, hands folded on her lap, trying not to explode out of excitement.

“First stop,” Ms. Bradshaw said as she pulled into a private underground entrance, “is La Maison Rouge. It’s where Mr. Knight gets all his executive staff styled.”

Ava swallowed. “Styled?”

Ms. Bradshaw gave her a quick look. “Consider this… your professional rebirth.”

The moment Ava stepped inside, everything felt unreal.

Soft golden light, cream carpets, rows of elegant dresses, tailored pantsuits, silk blouses, and impossibly sharp heels.

Stylists who moved like dancers, not retail workers.

A woman with short platinum hair approached.

“You must be the new secretary,” she said smoothly. “Mr. Knight called earlier.”

Ava blinked. “He… he called?”

Ms. Bradshaw shot her a knowing look.

“Mr. Knight makes sure everything in his company runs perfectly. Including you.”

A team of stylists guided Ava into a private fitting room.

About an hour later, Ava stepped out of the styling suite dressed in one of the outfits they had chosen for her orientation:

A fitted charcoal pencil skirt that hugged her waist

A soft white silk blouse tucked neatly in

A tailored blazer that made her posture straighter

Simple but elegant black heels

Her hair loosened into a sleek, soft wave instead of a tight bun

Light makeup—nothing heavy, just enough to highlight her eyes and cheekbones

She looked in the mirror and froze.

She looked expensive, confident,elegant and powerful.

Mrs. Bradshaw nodded approvingly.

“Good. You can walk into any boardroom in the world like that.”

Ava stared at her reflection, a soft, incredulous smile breaking through.

“I look… different.”

“You look ready,” Ms. Bradshaw corrected. “Now come:there are still more pieces to choose from.”

After the shopping trip with Mrs. Bradshaw, Ava headed straight to the hospital, still trying to hold on to the faint excitement she felt earlier. But the moment she stepped through the sliding doors, everything inside her sank.

A doctor intercepted her before she reached her mother’s room.

“Miss Ava Hayes?”

“Yes?” she replied, already tense.

He sighed. “Your mother’s bills… they need to be cleared before the end of the month.”

The words hollowed her out instantly. She swallowed hard, looking away so he wouldn’t see the anger burning in her eyes.

Of course. Just when something good was finally happening.

She nodded stiffly. “I’ll handle it.”

But as she walked toward her mom’s ward, every step felt heavy.

How could he, a man swimming in money, a man with more wealth than morals, vanish and leave them to drown?

Her father.

Her secret burden.

Her curse.

The man she couldn’t speak about without her voice cracking.

The man who had once whispered promises only to destroy her childhood in ways no one would ever fully understand.

And now he was gone ; somewhere out there with his millions, while she and her mom scraped by alone.

She pushed the thoughts away and forced a smile before entering her mother’s room.

Her mom brightened immediately. “Ava, sweetheart! You look radiant. What’s all this glow on your face?”

Ava laughed, sitting on the edge of the bed. “I… um, I got a new job.”

Her mom’s eyebrows lifted. “A new job? But darling, you were doing so well at your other one. Why the sudden change?”

Her voice dropped into worry. “Is it because of me, Ava?”

Ava squeezed her mother’s hand, shaking her head quickly. “Mom, I’m fine. I promise. Everything is going to be okay. Just focus on getting better, alright?”

Her mom exhaled in relief, still studying her daughter carefully.

Ava was her only child....her entire world,and sometimes the woman could see shadows in Ava’s eyes that she never asked about.

Ava brushed a stray strand of hair from her mom’s forehead. “Let’s not think about anything stressful tonight.”

It was Friday, and Ava knew she wouldn’t go home. She changed into the spare clothes she kept in the hospital cabinet and settled in beside her mom. They spent the evening sharing short stories, gossiping, laughing about tiny things.....anything to pretend life wasn’t crushing them.

For a few hours, Ava allowed herself to simply be a daughter again, grateful she had these moments before stepping into the unknown world of her new job on Monday.

And somewhere deep inside her…

A secret she had carried for years twisted quietly, waiting for the day it would finally be forced into the light.

By Monday, Ava had a full executive wardrobe, a new hairstyle,a professional polish she never imagined owning and a secret nervousness she tried to bury.

She rode the elevator up to the top floor, heels clicking softly.

When the doors slid open, the reception area was quiet.

Ava stepped out.

“Sebastian’s secretary, Clara, was elegant and graceful, her movements light and agile even with a hint of softness around her stomach.”

“You must be Ava,” she said kindly, touching her stomach. “I’m covering my last week before maternity leave. Come—I’ll show you everything.”

Before Ava could respond, a door opened sharply.

Sebastian stepped out.

He froze, not dramatically, not with shock, just long enough for Ava to know he noticed.

His eyes flicked over her outfit, her hair, her posture.

Quickly. Professionally.

No smile.

No compliment.

Just a small pause.

Then he spoke.

“You’re on time,” he said, voice flat. “Good.”

He turned to Clara.

“Make sure she understands my schedule perfectly. I don’t tolerate mistakes.”

“Yes, Mr. Knight,” Clara said.

As Sebastian walked past, Ava felt—just for a second—a shift.

Not attraction.

Not warmth.

But awareness.

Like he was registering her presence differently now.

He stopped mid-step.

Without turning, he said:

“Clara, bring her to the meeting in Conference Room One at eleven.”

Clara blinked.

“Sir, new staff usually start observing next week—”

“I want her beside me today,” he said.

Then he walked away.

Ava’s stomach tightened.

Clara turned to her slowly.

“You must have made an impression.”

Ava shook her head. “I didn’t do anything.”

Clara raised an eyebrow.

“Sometimes doing nothing is what gets noticed.”

Later that afternoon, Ava carried the tray containing her boss's lunch.

“Take that away. It’s cold,” he said before she could even set it down. She turned to leave, only to collide with someone.

A sharp slap burned across her cheek. Ava’s eyes widened in shock as she looked up to see Isabella, the same woman from Friday, Sebastian’s girlfriend...standing there with a smug, triumphant expression.

Instinctively, Ava glanced at Sebastian, expecting him to intervene. But instead, he spoke to his girlfriend, his voice casual, almost amused: “Oh, babe, I’m so sorry. I’ll tell Miss Bradshaw to bring a new pair of pants for you. My bad, babe.”

Ava’s stomach dropped. Devastated and humiliated, she turned wordlessly and walked back to her office, her hands trembling as she tried to steady herself. The warmth of the day had vanished, replaced by embarrassment and disbelief.