Chapter 3: The Woman Behind the Name
1971 Words
Ava barely slept.
Every time she closed her eyes, she heard the woman's voice again.
We've known about you for much longer than Ethan thinks.
The words wouldn't leave her alone.
By six in the morning, she had already packed the last of her belongings.
Her apartment looked strangely empty.
The walls that had once held photographs were bare. The small kitchen table was covered with boxes. Her mother's favorite chair stood alone in the corner.
Ava picked up the photograph she'd been holding the night before and carefully placed it inside her bag.
She couldn't leave it behind.
Not that.
Never that.
Her phone buzzed.
A message from Ethan.
Car will arrive at 8:00. Be ready.
Ava stared at the screen.
She typed a response.
I'm not sure I've agreed yet.
Three dots appeared almost immediately.
Then:
You have until midnight. You haven't reached midnight.
Ava frowned.
Typical Ethan.
Cold. Direct. Impossible to read.
She typed:
Your grandmother called me.
This time, there was no immediate response.
Ava waited.
Thirty seconds.
A minute.
Then:
What did she say?
Ava hesitated.
She finally replied:
She wants to meet me.
The response came quickly.
Don't meet her.
Ava's eyebrows lifted.
She typed:
Why?
No answer.
She called him.
He picked up after the second ring.
“What did she tell you?”
Ava sat on the edge of the bed.
“She said she's known about me longer than you think.”
Silence.
“Ethan?”
“I'll handle it.”
“That's not an answer.”
“It doesn't need to be.”
Ava's frustration grew.
“You can't expect me to sign a contract involving your family while keeping me in the dark.”
“I can explain everything.”
“When?”
“Soon.”
“That's what people say when they don't want to explain something.”
Another silence.
Then Ethan spoke.
“Do not meet my grandmother.”
“Why?”
“Because she doesn't make offers.”
Ava frowned.
“What does that mean?”
“She makes demands.”
The line went quiet.
Ava heard his breathing.
Then he added quietly,
“And she always gets what she wants.”
The call ended.
Ava stared at her phone.
That was supposed to reassure her?
It didn't.
At exactly eight o'clock, a black car stopped outside her building.
Ava looked through the window.
A driver stepped out.
She grabbed her bag.
Before leaving, she looked around the apartment one last time.
“I'll come back,” she whispered.
She wasn't sure if she believed herself.
---
The car took her across the city.
Ava watched buildings disappear behind them.
Eventually, they entered one of the wealthiest parts of the city.
Huge houses stood behind iron gates.
Tall trees lined the roads.
Security cameras watched every entrance.
Ava looked out the window.
“Where are we going?”
The driver remained professional.
“Blackwood residence.”
Ava's stomach tightened.
“I thought I was going to Ethan's property.”
“You are.”
She looked ahead.
The gates opened.
Ava's eyes widened.
The Blackwood residence wasn't a house.
It was a mansion.
Stone walls.
Massive windows.
Perfect gardens.
Security personnel positioned around the entrance.
The car stopped.
A man opened the door.
“Ms. Carter.”
Ava stepped out.
She suddenly felt underdressed.
She had chosen a simple cream blouse and dark trousers.
Everyone around her seemed to belong to another world.
The doors opened before she reached them.
A woman in her fifties stood waiting.
She was elegant, composed, and intimidating.
Her silver hair was pulled neatly behind her head.
Her eyes were sharp.
Very sharp.
Ava immediately knew who she was.
“Mrs. Blackwood.”
The woman studied her.
“So you're Ava.”
“Yes.”
“You're younger than I expected.”
Ava didn't know how to respond.
“I've heard a lot about you.”
The woman's expression didn't change.
“I doubt that.”
She turned.
“Come.”
Ava followed her inside.
The mansion was even more impressive.
Paintings covered the walls.
Crystal lights hung from the ceiling.
Every piece of furniture looked expensive enough to buy Ava's entire apartment building.
The woman led her into a large sitting room.
“Sit.”
Ava sat.
The woman remained standing.
“You know why you're here.”
“Ethan made me an offer.”
“I know.”
“And you don't approve?”
The woman smiled faintly.
“I haven't decided.”
Ava frowned.
“You haven't decided?”
“Whether you're suitable.”
“Suitable for what?”
The woman walked toward a window.
“For my grandson.”
Ava's chest tightened.
“I'm not actually his fiancée.”
“Not yet.”
Ava stared at her.
The woman turned around.
“Do you know why Ethan chose you?”
“He said I don't look at him like everyone else.”
“That is part of it.”
“What is the other part?”
The woman didn't answer.
Instead, she walked to a cabinet and removed an old photograph.
She handed it to Ava.
Ava looked at it.
It showed a younger Ethan standing beside a woman.
The woman looked familiar.
Very familiar.
Ava stared at the photograph.
“Who is she?”
The older woman watched her carefully.
“Ethan's mother.”
Ava's eyes returned to the picture.
There was something about the woman's face.
Something that reminded Ava of her own mother.
She shook the thought away.
“Why are you showing me this?”
“Because your mother knew her.”
Ava froze.
“What?”
The room seemed to become silent.
“My mother?”
“Yes.”
Ava slowly lowered the photograph.
“How?”
The woman walked toward her.
“Your mother worked for the Blackwood family twenty-three years ago.”
Ava's heart began pounding.
“That can't be right.”
“You never knew?”
“No.”
“Your mother never told you?”
“No.”
The woman studied her reaction.
Then she said,
“She left suddenly.”
“Why?”
The woman's expression hardened.
“That is the question Ethan has been trying to answer for years.”
Ava's mouth went dry.
“Why would my mother have anything to do with Ethan's family?”
“That is what we need to find out.”
Ava stood.
“You knew my mother?”
“Yes.”
“Then why didn't anyone tell me?”
“Because some secrets are buried for a reason.”
Ava stared at her.
“What secret?”
The woman stepped closer.
“Your mother didn't simply leave the Blackwood family.”
She lowered her voice.
“She took something with her.”
Ava felt a chill.
“What?”
“I don't know.”
“Then how can you accuse her?”
“I didn't say she stole anything.”
“Then what did she take?”
The woman looked toward the door.
“Something that belonged to this family.”
Before Ava could ask another question, the door opened.
Ethan walked in.
His expression changed the moment he saw the photograph in Ava's hand.
“Grandmother.”
The woman looked at him.
“You came.”
“I told you not to contact her.”
“And I told you that I don't take orders from you.”
Ethan's gaze moved to Ava.
“What did she tell you?”
Ava looked between them.
“You knew about my mother.”
Ethan went still.
“What?”
“Your grandmother said my mother worked for your family.”
He looked at his grandmother.
“You promised me you wouldn't tell her.”
“I promised nothing.”
Ethan's jaw tightened.
Ava stepped forward.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because I didn't know everything.”
“But you knew something.”
“Yes.”
“How much?”
Ethan looked away.
“Enough to know that your mother wasn't the person you think she was.”
Ava felt as though she'd been slapped.
“Don't talk about my mother like that.”
“I didn't say she was bad.”
“You implied it.”
“I said there are things about her past you don't know.”
Ava's eyes filled with tears.
“Then tell me.”
Ethan didn't answer.
“Tell me!”
His expression softened.
“Not here.”
“Why not?”
“Because you're not ready.”
Ava laughed bitterly.
“You don't get to decide what I'm ready for.”
The older woman watched them silently.
Then she spoke.
“Perhaps she should know.”
Ethan turned.
“No.”
“She has a right.”
“You don't understand what's at stake.”
“I understand perfectly.”
Ava looked at Ethan.
“What is at stake?”
Neither answered.
Then the mansion's security alarm suddenly sounded.
A loud tone echoed through the building.
Everyone froze.
A security guard rushed into the room.
“Sir.”
Ethan turned.
“What happened?”
“We have a breach.”
“Where?”
“The west entrance.”
Ethan's expression changed instantly.
“Lock down the property.”
The guard nodded and hurried away.
Ava's heart raced.
“What is happening?”
Ethan grabbed her arm.
“We're leaving.”
“Wait—”
“Now.”
He pulled her toward the door.
Ava looked back at his grandmother.
The older woman wasn't frightened.
She was staring at Ava.
And strangely, she looked almost relieved.
As Ethan led Ava down the corridor, she heard the woman call after them.
“Ava!”
Ava turned.
The older woman stood in the doorway.
Her voice was calm.
Almost too calm.
“Ask your mother about the blue box.”
Ava stopped.
“What blue box?”
But the woman had already turned away.
Ethan's grip tightened around Ava's arm.
“Don't listen to her.”
Ava stared at him.
“What blue box?”
“Nothing.”
“You're lying.”
“I said it's nothing.”
They reached the entrance.
Security personnel rushed through the halls.
Ethan opened the car door.
Ava refused to get inside.
“You're going to tell me the truth.”
“Ava—”
“My mother knew your family.”
“Yes.”
“She disappeared.”
“Yes.”
“She took something.”
“I don't know.”
“And your grandmother told me to ask about a blue box.”
Ethan's face went pale.
For the first time since Ava had met him, the billionaire looked genuinely shaken.
Ava noticed.
“What is it?”
Ethan stared at her.
Then his phone rang.
He answered.
His expression changed as he listened.
“Say that again.”
A pause.
“Where?”
He looked at Ava.
Then toward the mansion.
The call ended.
“What happened?” Ava asked.
Ethan didn't answer.
He opened the car door again.
“We need to go.”
“Ethan.”
He looked at her.
“The blue box,” Ava whispered.
His silence was enough.
He knew exactly what it was.
And whatever was inside it was important enough to frighten a man who seemed afraid of nothing.
Finally, Ethan spoke.
“The box was found this morning.”
Ava's heart stopped.
“Where?”
Ethan's eyes darkened.
“In your mother's old apartment.”
Ava couldn't breathe.
“My mother's apartment was destroyed years ago.”
“I know.”
“Then how—”
Ethan looked at her.
“The box wasn't destroyed.”
Ava stepped closer.
“What's inside?”
Ethan hesitated.
Then he said the words that changed everything.
“Your mother's last letter.”
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