<<. Avery. >>


    Ran races behind me and I throw a nce at him while making my way towards the bar.


    "Did you take the stairs?"


    "Nope."


    "Oh.." I let out a disappointed sound.


    "Oh?" He quirks a brow at me.


    "I thought you would run down a flight of stairs for me." I make an innocent face


    and heughs.


    "I work smart, Avery. Not Hard."


    "Isn''t it too early for drinks?" He asks as we enter the dimly lit bar.


    "Now what? Are you gonna mommy me?"


    He raises his hands in defense. "Sorry!"


    "You better be," I mutter. I am pissed. So God Damn Pissed right now. I don''t need anybody around.


    Despite being early, the pub is crowded. It''s a holiday resort, after all. People are here to have fun. Not to tend their broken hearts, after all.


    I know I shouldn''t be offended. But I want to teach M a fucking lesson. It would be great if someone can show him a mirror. Tell him how it feels to get the mixed signals. ncing around to find myself a pleasant spot, then I take a seat in front of a sexy bartender. Away from the crowd cheering on a muted screen of a football match.


    What season is it?


    "Do you want me to sit with you....or apart?" Ran asks, and I am thankful.


    "I need a little alone time."


    He nods and gestures towards a spot in a corner.


    "I will be right there." My lips quirk to realize he is interested in the match too. I shrug. It''s better than getting b with me.


    A body guard feels like a babysitter.


    I order a cocktail and send one for Ran too. A Long ind tea specifically. I nce as server makes her way


    from Mr World


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    towards him with the drink. He looks perplexed at first, thenughs when the server points at me. I raise my ss to


    toast and have a sip.


    After savoring my beverage for a while, I pull my phone out to call Lena.


    "Oh, it''s nice to finally hear from you. I get tired of talking to Jake all the time," sheins, and Iugh.


    "I have a question for you."


    "Straight to the point! Sure. Shoot," she says and I can hear the keyboard behind her. She is always working nowadays, which reminds me I should read Dom''s club contract today.


    "Do you know Noha''s background? Who else is in his family?"


    "Oh... ummm, not much... But he has a brother.... He mentioned him when I met him over the weekend."


    "Could you dig his name for me?"


    "His brother''s name?" she asks, confused. "hmmm okay... Is everything alright?"


    I shrug. "Yea.. I was curious." Despite the anger and everything, I want to know M''s full name. I wish I could ask him. But after that conversation, I am not sure where we stand. Do I even have a right to question him? But this hasn''t in my curiosity.


    Some guys try to approach me for dance, but I talk to Lena and shoo them away. After my third drink, I am feeling the buzz. I am sipping Pina cda and in a cliche''s fashion, some music starts ying in the background and I roll


    my eyes.


    I was tired of mydy... We''d been together too long...


    I snort. Typical Ethan.


    ''Like a worn out recording... Of a favorite song.....


    "I can''t believe I liked this song," I mut I mutter under my breath.


    "Well, at least the beats are catchy."


    My head jerks up and I see Ran sliding into a seat next to me. For a moment, I thought it was M. I yearn for him. He, on the other hand, barely cares about my feelings.


    ''If you like Pi?a cdas... And getting caught in the rain...''


    ''If you''re not into yoga... If you have half a brain..."


    Ran pays his bills and says, "I''ll be back in a minute. Don''t wander around."


    "Sure mommy," I reply and he chuckles and walks out of the bar.


    I frown. It appears that he will be gone for a while.


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    "Was he too bored to guard me?" I ask myself, and realize my speed is alwed and doggy Time dy frinking and pay the check


    My eyes fall at a TV screen with news shing on mute. I blick and foy jew goes dark


    "Oh God, it''s Jane!" I exim. "That sweet sweet pot


    Some people nce at me, confused, and get back to their business. I sit they prising the a fod toy gros mas right. But after that car crash, I had forgotten about looking up her nee


    "God, she is gorgeous." I say, leaning in my seat. "I will join you. Soon


    While going through the checklist, I confessed to her some points in list were scary to imagine


    "BDSM is about courage overfort," she had told me. 1 would like to try some courge


    I cannot tear my gaze from Jane. It takes me a moment to focus on the information the is reporting I sing my eyes


    in confusion.


    What the fuck?


    ''Another Drama in Collins Family! Johnson''s family''s to be bride ordered a hút on her own simer


    My mind goes numb. And I read the headlines again. Is my head making this up? Am I too drunk? There is not much in subtitles. I get up from my seat to check thetest updates on my phone. My steps falter and I realize I am a little more drunk than I can handle. I walk out of the bar anyway.


    My social media is full of notifications and questions directed at me. I frantically


    look for an artide and dick on it The piece is mind numbing.


    There was a chat between Joy and De making rounds.


    ''De: It''s not even been a day since she came back and she is making my life hell already."


    ''Joy: I won''t let that happen.''


    ''De: She said she will sleep with Ethan.''


    I frown. I never said that. Did I?


    ''Joy: Give it a few days. I will send her back to where she came from."


    ''De: I want her out of my life for good. I will send her to hell. Tonight."


    I read the article and it states, "This chat conversation happened on the same


    night when Avery Collins: at her hotel parking lot. ording to our resources, she has been attacked many times."


    attacked


    My skin goes cold and the shock of realization sobers me up.


    The report continues, ... Her car brakes failed on Saturday. Do you smell foul y? We do."


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    Chapter BO


    My heart is beating test. Did Delle deve my write a few seved She hates me, few brew coedd ste do the weeded walking los que bay with ids head down defeated


    Dad call tam mut, tears dining in my eyes. I am were Cap 1 reby o kore for condort 1 med tite pesert


    It looks at me and dige. I wish you had told me first, Avery Why did you pay the


    mater


    What?


    I was nesaulted. I could have fucking died, and you are worried with fadly im


    itis eyes widen and he snaps, "It''s not that. Where did you find throw ? how you


    wure strade something tempered to smear our nameer


    I blink. Yes. What if it''s just a rumor?


    "Dad, it wasn''t"


    It wasn''t me


    But Joy cuts me before 1 can finish the sentence. "She did this because she


    wants to sabotage our family?


    Everyone is walking into the lobby, Joy strides towards me, and a shiver passes


    my spine. She looks furious. Dad grabs her by the arm.


    I try to process what dad said. It''s


    likely just a rumor. Or... It could be true. I will never be sure unless someone investigates this case fairly. This woman, my so called step mother, may have known that


    Detta had sent a man to kidnap me. That man''s rape threat still lingers in my head asionally, I keep pushing it aside.


    Now it makes sense why Ran is here. And why M agreed to visit me. It was this


    report. He was worried about me. I turn and walk away from dad.


    "Avery, stop right there. We need to discuss this."


    I am not some 12-year-old. I ignore him and keep walking towards the lift. Either


    my father has to grow a spine or he can stay with a bunch of murderers.


    Ran paces next to me and I ask, "Where the hell were you?"


    He grunts. "A man gotta pee, woman. Give me a break"


    I stop on my track and let out a heartyughter. Honestly, my heart is wrenched


    that I want to distract myself. I want to show others I am not affected by the fact


    that nobody in my family cares about me. I don''t want them to know that I am miserable inside.


    "You fuckin whore. Why did you do this?" I turn and face De. Her face


    is smeared with tears. Great, someone is here to join my pity party. She probably read the news long ago. I haven''t even uncovered the entire news story. Who is source


    of this report?


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    And What is she crying about? That everyone knows her true colors?


    "You sent that man to attack me. Didn''t you?" I snarl at her.


    "I did not!" She grits her teeth.


    A crowd of people has formed in the lobby to watch the Collins family drama that


    my dad wanted to avoid.


    "You did this because you hate everyone in this family,” De uses me. “You


    don''t like me or Mom. You don''t even like Mary! She was always nice to you....


    and this man..." she points her finger at Ran.


    "Who the hell is he... Your side-boysister or a bull?"


    My jaw ticks and I clench my fists to stop myself from scratching her face.


    "You asked him to twist Ethan''s arm. You hate everyone. So you are trying to wreck our family."


    "It is hard to like people when they are constantly trying to kill you. You know


    what? Just have a happy life. But I will not let this go. I will file my charges at you,"


    I tell her and in a typical dumb move, De rushes towards me to


    attack.


    Ran puts himself in front of me and warns her, "Back off. Or I won''t hesitate to


    twist your arm either. I rather believe in equality," he sneers at her.


    She looks at me and says, "I didn''t do this. You framed me."


    I ignore her and walk towards the lift with Ran.


    Why do I want to believe her? Was there any honesty in her voice?


    I shake my head. It''s because I want to belong to someone. No matter how much


    they mistreat me, I still want to belong to my family. Maybe that''s why.


    Lift door closes, and a tear slips out of my eyes.


    "I cannot stay here. We should pack our bags and leave."


    A/N:


    Bull: A bull is a sexually dominant male who, for fun or financial gain, cuckolds


    and humiliates husbands while servicing their wives.