A Night With The Ceo

CHAPTER-ONE

After a week-long business trip, Ava Bennett was filled with excitement as she neared home. She had been thinking about Andrew the entire time, imagining the look of surprise on his face when she walked through the door. Yes, she didn't mention to him that she will be returning to town that day. She even bought a bouquet of fresh lilies, his favorite flowers, to mark the occasion. As the cab pulled up to their house, she noticed Andrew’s car parked askew in the driveway, as if he had hurried home. She thought nothing of it and quietly opened the door, planning to surprise him.

The house was unusually silent. The kind of silence that made her skin prickle with unease. As she walked down the hallway, she heard faint voices coming from the bedroom. Her heart started to race, not out of suspicion but anticipation. She couldn’t wait to see him, to tell him about her trip, and to spend the evening wrapped in his arms.

But as she pushed open the bedroom door, the sight that greeted her stopped her cold.On the floor, just beside the bed, a pair of Andrew's boxers lay crumpled, hastily discarded. Next to it, a delicate piece of Lily's lingerie was strewn carelessly. The air was heavy with the unmistakable scent of sweat and intimacy. Among the discarded clothing, she noticed the used condoms on the floor. There, on their bed, was Andrew tangled in the sheets with her half sister, Lily. The bouquet of lilies slipped from her fingers, scattering petals across the floor. The intimate scene before her felt like a twisted nightmare. Andrew’s eyes widened in shock, and Lily gasped, quickly pulling the covers over herself.

“Ava, it’s not what it looks like,” Andrew stammered, scrambling to get out of bed.

Ava stood frozen, her mind struggling to process the betrayal. Her own sister and her husband—the two people she trusted most—had stabbed her in the back. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she felt as if she couldn’t breathe.

“How could you?” Ava’s voice trembled with a mix of anger and heartbreak. “How could you both do this to me?”

Lily looked away, unable to meet her sister’s eyes. Andrew, still trying to cover himself, reached out to Ava, but she recoiled from his touch as if it burned.

“Ava, please, let me explain,” he pleaded.

“There’s nothing to explain,” she replied, her voice cold and distant. “I trusted you both, and you betrayed me.”

Seconds after, the two looked at each other and burst into heavy laughter. Ava stood motionless and didn't understand what was going on right in front of her. At first she thought it was all a dream, sort of.

“What were you thinking, we would cry and seek mercy at your feet?” Lily spoke shamelessly.

“No she expected that we'll regret our actions or I'd rather say true love. Look Ava, I only came into your life because I believe you were hardworking and you could help me grow my family business and to sum it up, I've always wanted to get married to Lily here but I had to obey my dad who was a friend to your late dad. But truth be told,I had my plan properly arranged with Lily. Accept this fate. We are tired of hiding our relationship and having secret affairs.” Andrew said, staring at Lily all lovingly.

Ava felt betrayed and ashamed of them both. She felt she had been deceived by the people she loved the most. Just when she gave 50 percent of her father's business and shares to Lily and 25 to James, leaving just 25 to herself. She really cares about her family and has always wanted the best for them. Ava least expected this from them, most especially Lily.

Ava stood there staring at her husband and her younger sister. Tears made its way from her eyes. She bit her lower lips to avoid it running down her cheeks so she doesn't seem like a loser in front of these demons, but the level of pain she felt was too much. She immediately broke down.

Without another word, Ava turned and walked out of the room, the walls closing in on her. She stumbled down the stairs, her vision blurred by tears. The house, once filled with love and memories, now felt like a prison. She had to get out, to escape the pain threatening to consume her.

Ava grabbed her suitcase, still packed from her trip, and headed for the door. She needed to leave before the weight of her emotions crushed her completely. As she stepped outside, the cool evening air hit her face, mixing with the salty taste of her tears. She hailed a cab and gave the driver the address of a nearby hotel.

The ride was a blur of neon lights and muffled city sounds. Ava’s thoughts spiraled, replaying the scene over and over in her mind. How long has this been going on? How could she have been so blind? Questions without answers tortured her as she struggled to make sense of the betrayal.

At the hotel, Ava checked in with a mechanical detachment. Once inside her room, she collapsed onto the bed, her body wracked with sobs. The tears flowed freely now, a torrent of grief and anger. She felt utterly alone, abandoned by the two people she thought would always stand by her.

Hours passed, and Ava’s sobs eventually subsided into a numb silence. She stared at the ceiling, her mind exhausted from the emotional onslaught. As dawn approached, she knew she had to make a decision. Staying in the city, surrounded by memories of Andrew and Lily, was unbearable. She needed to escape, to find a place where she could heal and rebuild her shattered life.

Ava reached for her phone and booked a flight to Paris. The city of light and art had always been a dream of hers, a place where she could lose herself and perhaps find a way to piece together her broken heart. With a one-way ticket in hand, she felt a glimmer of hope amid the darkness.

The following morning, Ava packed her belongings and left the hotel. She arrived at the airport with a heavy heart, but also a determination to start anew. As the plane took off, she looked out the window at the city below, vowing to leave the past behind.

Little did she know, the journey ahead would be filled with challenges and unexpected encounters in the city of Paris. But for now, Ava allowed herself to grieve, to let go of the life she once knew, and to embrace the uncertain path before her.