THE CONTRACTED HEART: A BILLIONAIRE ROMANCE TALE

CHAPTER THREE: THE PROPOSAL (AVA’s POINT OF VIEW)

I was sitting in my studio when my phone rang. I checked the caller ID and saw that it was Ethan.

"Hey," I said, picking up the phone.

"Hey, Ava," Ethan replied. "I was wondering if you wanted to grab dinner tonight? I have something important I want to talk to you about."

My heart skipped a beat. I had a feeling I knew what this was about, and I wasn't sure if I was ready for it.

"Sure, dinner sounds good," I said, trying to keep my voice steady.

"Great, I'll pick you up at 7," Ethan said. "And Ava? Dress nice. It's a special occasion."

My heart sank. I knew what this was leading up to. Ethan was going to propose. I didn't know how to feel about it. On one hand, I loved him and wanted to spend the rest of my life with him. On the other hand, I wasn't sure if I was ready for marriage yet.

As the day wore on, I found myself growing more and more nervous. I wasn't sure if I was ready to take this step. But at the same time, I didn't want to lose Ethan.

At 7 o'clock sharp, Ethan arrived at my apartment. I took a deep breath and opened the door.

Ethan's eyes widened as he took in my appearance. I was wearing a beautiful red dress that hugged my curves in all the right places.

"You look amazing," he said, taking my hand and leading me to the car.

As we drove to the restaurant, I couldn't help but feel like something was off. Ethan was unusually quiet, and I could sense his nervousness.

Finally, we arrived at the restaurant, and Ethan led me to a private table in the back. He took my hand and looked deep into my eyes.

"Ava," he said, his voice shaking slightly. "I know we've only been together for a short time, but I can't imagine my life without you. I love you more than anything in this world, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?"

My heart skipped a beat. I had known this was coming, but I still wasn't sure if I was ready for it. I took a deep breath and looked into Ethan's eyes.

"Ethan, I love you too," I said, my voice trembling. "But I need some time to think about this. I'm not sure if I'm ready for marriage yet."

Ethan's face fell, and I could see the hurt in his eyes. I knew I had just shattered his dreams, but I couldn't help how I felt.

As we left the restaurant, I couldn't shake the feeling of unease. I knew I had a lot of thinking to do, but I wasn't sure if I was making the right decision.

The car ride back to my apartment was silent. Both Ethan and I were lost in our own thoughts, trying to process what had just happened. I couldn't help but feel guilty for hurting Ethan, but at the same time, I knew I needed time to figure out my feelings.

When we arrived at my apartment, Ethan walked me to the door and gave me a gentle hug.

"I'll give you some space to think about things," he said softly. "But please know that I love you, and I'll support you no matter what you decide."

I felt a lump form in my throat. I loved Ethan too, but I wasn't sure if I was ready to take this step. I nodded and gave him a small smile before closing the door.

Once inside, I kicked off my shoes and collapsed onto the couch, I knew I needed to make a decision soon, but I just didn't know what to do. Lost in thought, my phone beeped with a text message. It was from Ethan.

"Hey, I know this is a lot to think about. But if you need someone to talk to, I'm here. I love you."

I felt a wave of emotion wash over me as I read his message. I knew I was lucky to have someone like Ethan in my life. I quickly replied to the message, thanking him for his support. But as I lay in bed that night, I couldn't shake the feeling of unease. I knew I needed to make a decision soon, but I didn't know if I was ready for such a big commitment. I fell asleep deep in thought, still unsure of what to do.

My dreams were filled with visions of Ethan proposing to me. I saw myself walking down the aisle in a beautiful white dress, surrounded by friends and family. But as the dream continued, I began to feel a sense of dread wash over me. I knew that I wasn't ready for this kind of commitment. Suddenly, the dream shifted. I was standing on the edge of a cliff, the wind whipping through my hair. I could hear Ethan calling out to me, begging me to come back to him. But as I looked down, I saw a deep chasm below me. I stumbled backwards, my heart racing with fear. I knew that I needed to make a decision soon, but I didn't know if I was strong enough to do it. I felt a sense of desperation wash over me, and I cried out for help.

Suddenly, I woke up, gasping for breath. My heart was pounding in my chest, and I could feel sweat beading on my forehead. I knew that I couldn't keep avoiding this decision, but I didn't know what to do. As I lay in bed, trying to calm my racing thoughts, my phone beeped with a message. It was from Ethan.

"Ava, I can't stop thinking about you. Please, let me know what you're thinking. I need to know where we stand."

A knot formed in my stomach as I read his message. I knew that I couldn't keep stringing Ethan along, but I didn't know if I was ready to make a decision yet. I took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves. But as I reached for my phone to reply to Ethan, I noticed something strange. There was a message from an unknown number, with just two words: "I know."

My heart skipped a beat as I read the message from the unknown number. My mind raced with possibilities of who could have sent it and what they could possibly know. I felt a lump form in my throat as fear took over. I quickly tried to call the number back, but it went straight to voicemail. I knew that I needed to find out who was behind this message, but I didn't know where to start.

As I sat there, lost in thought, my phone rang. It was Ethan.

"Ava, are you okay?" he asked, his voice filled with concern.

I took a deep breath and tried to compose myself. "I don't know, Ethan," I said, my voice shaking. "I just got a message from an unknown number that says 'I know'. I don't know what to do."

Ethan's reassuring voice came through the phone. "Okay, don't panic. Let's figure this out together. Do you have any idea who it could be?"

I thought for a moment. "No, I don't. It could be anyone."

Ethan's tone turned serious. "We need to be careful. Let's meet up and talk about this in person. I'll be there in ten minutes."

I nodded, grateful for Ethan's support. As I waited for him to arrive, I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. Who could have sent that message, and what did they know?

As Ethan arrived at my doorstep, I rushed to let him in. We quickly sat down on the couch, and I explained the situation to him.

Ethan listened intently, his brow furrowed with concern. "Okay, let's try to find out who this could be," he said, taking out his phone.

We spent the next few minutes calling and texting all our mutual friends, trying to find out if anyone knew who the unknown number could be. But all our efforts proved futile, as no one seemed to know anything.

My anxiety continued to grow, and I couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching me. Ethan seemed to sense my unease and put his arm around me, trying to comfort me.

Suddenly, my phone rang. It was the unknown number again.

My heart pounded in my chest as I answered the call.

"Who are you?" I demanded, my voice trembling.

The voice on the other end was distorted and garbled. "You'll find out soon enough," it said before hanging up.

My hands shook as I hung up the phone. Ethan put a comforting arm around me, but I could barely focus on anything except the ominous words of the mysterious caller.

As we sat there in silence, the room suddenly went dark. The power had gone out.

My fear turned to panic as I realized that we were completely alone in the darkness. Suddenly, we heard a noise coming from the front door.

Someone was trying to get in.

My heart raced as I heard the noise at the front door. I looked at Ethan, who was already on his feet, ready to face whatever was on the other side.

We crept slowly towards the door, our eyes scanning the room for any signs of danger. As we reached the door, we could hear someone fumbling with the lock on the other side.

Ethan motioned for me to stand back as he prepared to open the door. His hand was on the handle, ready to turn it, when suddenly the door burst open.

In the doorway stood a tall figure, silhouetted by the moonlight. My heart pounded in my chest as I tried to make out the figure's face.

"Who are you?" I demanded, my voice trembling.

The figure didn't respond, but instead rushed towards us, brandishing a knife.

I screamed as Ethan tackled the intruder, sending them both crashing to the ground. They wrestled on the floor, the intruder's knife glinting in the darkness.

I frantically searched for something I could use as a weapon, but my eyes struggled to adjust to the darkness.

Suddenly, the power came back on, illuminating the room in a blinding light. I saw the face of the intruder for the first time.

It was someone I knew. Someone I never thought would do something like this.

It was my ex-boyfriend.

My heart pounded as I stared at my ex-boyfriend, who was now pinned to the ground by Ethan. I couldn't believe that he had broken into my home, wielding a knife with the intent to harm me.

"What were you thinking?" Ethan demanded, his voice filled with anger. "You could have seriously hurt her!" I could feel my heart racing as I watched the exchange between them.

(...Ethan’s Point of View)

Ava’s ex-boyfriend hung his head, his shoulders slumped in defeat. "I'm sorry," he muttered. "I just couldn't handle seeing her with someone else." I could see the hurt and sadness in Ava's eyes as she looked at him.

I helped Ava to her feet, and we both glared at him. She felt a mixture of anger and sadness as she realized that the person she once loved was now capable of such violence. "You need to leave," she said, her voice firm.

Her ex-boyfriend nodded, slowly getting up from the ground. As he walked towards the door, Ava couldn't help but feel a sense of relief mixed with sadness. I stayed close to her, making sure she was okay.

I walked Ava to her room, making sure she was safe before leaving for the night. As she lay in bed, she couldn't stop thinking about what had just happened. She felt violated and scared, and she knew that she couldn't let her guard down again.

Ava made a decision then and there that she would take measures to ensure her safety. She would get a restraining order against her ex-boyfriend, and she would invest in a security system for her home.

The events of the night had shaken her to her core, but she knew that she was strong enough to overcome them. She closed her eyes, determined to move forward and leave this dark chapter of her life behind.