Chapter five

The cool morning air hit Ava like a slap.

She stumbled out of the hotel’s front entrance, the door swinging shut behind her with a heavy finality that echoed through her chest.

And then it happened.

The breakdown.

Her legs gave way as she dropped to her knees on the quiet sidewalk, clutching her chest like her heart was trying to escape. Tears spilled down her cheeks, hot and endless, soaking the collar of her dress. Her breath came in short, shallow gasps as she let everything inside her unravel.

The betrayal.

The helplessness.

The unbearable weight of watching her sister's life slip through her fingers.

She tilted her head back and screamed.

A raw, broken sound that clawed its way from her throat.

“Why?!” she shouted to no one. “Why the hell is this happening to me?!”

Her cries echoed in the air, swallowed up by the silence of the city that never stopped moving… even when her world had come crashing down.

Eventually, she stood on shaky legs, wiping her face with trembling fingers. She didn’t care who saw her anymore. Pride was a luxury she could no longer afford.

She made her way home.

Her apartment was silent when she entered. Dim. Cold. Like it mirrored the emptiness inside her.

She didn’t bother turning on the lights. She kicked off her shoes and walked straight into the bathroom, shedding her clothes one piece at a time. She turned the shower handle until the water was ice cold, then stepped in without hesitation.

The cold hit her skin in a brutal rush.

She let it.

She stood beneath the freezing stream, motionless, arms wrapped tightly around her body, and tilted her face up into the water.

It ran down her cheeks, mingling with the tears she didn’t try to hide anymore.

Her sobs came quietly this time.

No screams.

No fury.

Just grief.

Grief for her messed-up life. Grief for her sister.

For the girl who still smiled even after losing both their parents.

For the child who trusted her to fix everything when she could barely keep herself from falling apart.

Ava leaned against the cold tile wall, her legs barely supporting her, and whispered through trembling lips, “I don’t know what to do anymore…”

But the silence gave her no answer.

Only the rush of water.

And the sound of her heart quietly breaking.

Ava couldn’t keep the tears from welling in her eyes as she left the shower. She didn’t feel any better, but the cold water had numbed her enough to gather the strength to make one last decision.

She couldn’t let her sister die. She couldn’t let the only family she had left slip away because she was too stubborn to take help. Even if it meant selling herself to a man who barely cared about anything but his ambition.

And so, she made up her mind. She was going to take Damien’s offer. She’d walk back into that hotel room, sign the contract, and let him own her if it meant saving her sister.

She wiped her face, dressing quickly in a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt. There was no point in trying to look better, feel better, or even hope for a miracle. This was her reality now.

Ava grabbed her purse and headed out the door.

The cold air nipped at her skin again, but this time, she didn’t stop. She walked quickly, her heart pounding with a mixture of dread and resolve. The hotel loomed ahead, its lights shining brightly against the night sky. Her stomach twisted as she approached the front door.

Once inside, the familiar scent of expensive cologne and fresh flowers hit her, but it did nothing to calm the storm inside her. She went straight to the front desk, trying to keep her composure.

The hotel secretary, a young woman with platinum blonde hair, looked up as Ava approached. Her eyes flickered with curiosity, but she remained professional.

“I’m here to see Mr. Valen,” Ava said, her voice tight. “I need to speak with him.”

The secretary’s polite smile faltered slightly. “I’m sorry, Miss, but Mr. Valen checked out not too long ago.”

Ava froze, her heart sinking into the pit of her stomach. “He what?”

“He checked out, yes,” the secretary repeated, her voice softer now, almost apologetic. “He left the hotel about… thirty minutes ago.”

“Where did he go?” Ava’s voice was desperate, the weight of her words crushing her chest.

The secretary shook her head. “I’m afraid I don’t know, Miss. He didn’t leave a forwarding address or any indication of where he’s headed.”

Ava's mind raced. She felt as though the ground beneath her feet was slipping away. The one person who had the power to change everything, her sister’s life, her future, had disappeared. Just like that.

“I see…” she whispered, trying to keep the tears from spilling over again. She took a shaky breath. “Thank you.”

The secretary gave a small nod, her expression sympathetic, but Ava didn’t wait. She turned and walked out of the hotel, her heart heavier than ever.

Ava walked out of the hotel like there was no life left in her. Every step felt heavier than the last, as if the weight of the world had suddenly anchored her to the ground. Her mind was a tangled mess, each thought sharper and more painful than the last. Where did she go from here? Where could she turn for help?

Her sister's condition haunted her, the doctor’s words echoing in her head, each one like a hammer blow. Two days. Just two days to come up with a sum she couldn’t possibly afford. She had no other options. No other resources. No way to make this work.

She dragged her feet down the sidewalk, not seeing anything around her. Her mind was lost in the thought of how everything had come crumbling down in a matter of days.

Her breath came in shallow bursts as she tried to steady herself, but it was no use. The pain, the fear, it was all too much. She had nothing left. No one to turn to.

Then, like a flicker of a distant memory, the thought came to her.

The bar.

It had been the only place where she had felt something close to control, though that wasn’t much, considering how things had spiraled since she entered. But it was the only lead she had left. She remembered Damien’s cold words, how he had promised to help her. She didn’t understand his motives, but she had no choice but to trust him. For Lily.

She didn’t even hesitate, her steps instinctively taking her in the direction of the familiar, dimly lit bar. The streets around her blurred as she passed by, her mind focused solely on getting there. The bar was a few blocks away, but it felt like a lifetime.

Her heart pounded in her chest as she reached the entrance. She was cold, her body still aching from the emotional exhaustion, but her resolve was hardening..

She stopped in front of the bar, staring up at the sign for a moment. The lights from the neon sign cast an eerie glow on the empty street. For a brief second, she debated walking away. But there was no turning back now. She had to do this, even if she didn't know what it would mean.

Taking a deep breath, she pushed the door open and stepped inside.