72 hours of fate

Avelina’s POV The sound of laughter filled the dining room as the morning sun streamed in through the tall windows. My family had a way of turning every breakfast into a noisy celebration, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. “Marcus, stop hogging the bacon!” I swatted at my brother’s hand as he shamelessly stacked a third strip onto his plate. He grinned at me with that annoying, older-brother smirk. “Survival of the fittest, Avelina. You snooze, you lose.” I narrowed my eyes and lunged across the table for the plate, but before I could snatch it, Vanessa, my older sister, stole the last piece and popped it into her mouth. “Vanessa!” I cried. She smiled innocently, flipping her silky hair over her shoulder. “What? Beauty queens need protein too. Not my fault you were too slow.” The entire table erupted in laughter even Mother, who was usually the one scolding us for our bickering, was giggling into her teacup. Father chuckled warmly, shaking his head as though he couldn’t believe these were his children. I leaned back in my chair, arms folded in mock offense. “You’re all conspiring against me. One day, when I’m rich and famous, don’t come begging me for bacon.” “Rich and famous?” Marcus snorted. “You? The girl who almost burned the kitchen down trying to boil pasta?” “That was one time!” I shot back, though I couldn’t help but laugh too. This was us. A chaotic, loving mess of a family. And in moments like these, I felt like the luckiest girl alive. Father’s voice cut through the noise, gentle and grounding. “Alright, that’s enough, you three. Eat before the food gets cold.” I glanced at him. His smile was still there, but as his phone buzzed on the table, his expression shifted just for a moment. He picked it up, read a message, and his eyes clouded with something I couldn’t quite place. “Is everything okay, Father?” I asked softly. He looked up quickly, forcing a smile. “Yes, darling. Just some office work. Nothing to worry about.” “Hmm…” I narrowed my eyes at him. “Are you sure? You look kind of—” “Avelina,” Mother cut in gently. “Your father’s fine. Don’t pester him.” Father chuckled lightly, though it sounded forced. “Your mother’s right. Everything is perfectly fine.” I didn’t believe him, but I let it go. For now. After breakfast, I grabbed my bag and kissed Mother’s cheek. “I’m off to work. Don’t miss me too much.” “You mean the job you begged for even though you don’t need it?” Vanessa teased, sipping her coffee. I rolled my eyes. “Some of us don’t enjoy being pampered princesses all day.” Truth was, I loved working. Father’s company was thriving, and though I didn’t need to, I insisted on taking a small role in the marketing department. It wasn’t glamorous, but it gave me purpose and a chance to prove I wasn’t just “the youngest daughter.” The city buzzed with life as I walked into Romano Tower, the tallest building downtown. Everyone knew of the Romano Corporation — powerful, intimidating, untouchable. And yet, as fate would have it, I ended up bumping into the very man whose name made even the boldest businessmen tremble. Literally. I was leaving a café near the office, balancing my coffee and phone, when someone brushed past me so abruptly I stumbled. My cup slipped, splashing onto the pavement. “Watch where you’re going,” a deep, commanding voice snapped. I looked up sharply, meeting cold, piercing gray eyes. He was tall, broad-shouldered, and dressed in a suit so perfectly tailored it probably cost more than my car. His expression was sharp, impatient, like he was used to the world bowing at his feet. Excuse me? “Maybe you should watch where you’re going, mister,” I shot back, brushing coffee off my blouse. “It’s not my fault you’re blind.” His brows furrowed, his jaw tightening as though he wasn’t used to being spoken to like that. “Do you have any idea who—” “Nope. Don’t care.” I interrupted, flipping my hair and crouching to pick up my bag. “Next time, maybe apologize instead of barking at strangers.” I stood, adjusted my bag, and walked past him without a backward glance. For a moment, I felt his stare burning into my back, but I refused to give him the satisfaction of looking at him again. Whoever he was, he clearly wasn’t used to people talking back. Good. That night, dinner at home was another lively affair. Marcus was teasing me about “attacking rich men in the street,” and Vanessa was laughing so hard she nearly choked on her wine. “Oh, leave her alone,” Mother said fondly, though she was smiling too. “That’s our Avelina. Always fearless.” “Fearless,” Marcus repeated with a grin. “Or reckless.” “Both,” I admitted, winking. The warmth of the evening wrapped around me like a blanket. My family, my safe place. My happiness. But later that night, as I passed by Father’s study, I noticed the light still on. Curious, I peeked in. He was hunched over his desk, papers scattered everywhere, his face etched with worry. The moment he heard me, he quickly stuffed the documents into a drawer and forced a smile. “Avelina,” he said softly. “Why are you still awake?” “I could ask you the same thing,” I replied, stepping inside. “What are you working on?” “Just some business reports,” he said, far too quickly. “Nothing important.” I didn’t buy it. His hands were trembling slightly as he adjusted his tie. “Father…” I frowned. “You’ve been acting strange all day. Are you sure everything is fine?” He walked over and kissed my forehead. “Everything is fine, my love. Don’t worry about me.” I wanted to press further, but something in his eyes stopped me. So I nodded slowly and left. But as I closed the door behind me, I couldn’t shake the image of his pale face and trembling hands. And later that night, when the house was quiet, I heard his phone buzz again. Through the crack of the study door, I saw him answer and his expression drained of color. “How much?” he whispered into the phone. His voice was barely audible. “How much will it take to fix this?” I froze, my heart racing. Something was wrong. Terribly wrong. And I had no idea that tonight was the beginning of everything.