Chapter Twenty
Ava’s POV
I wasn’t expecting to see him.
The moment I walked into the large, modern boardroom, my steps faltered just slightly. It was brief enough that only someone paying close attention would notice, but my entire body tensed. Sitting at the head of the table, dressed impeccably in a dark charcoal suit, a familiar arch brow, was Alden Sinclair
My breath caught in my throat.
It had been years. Years since I had last seen him, years since I had even thought about him. Aiden had never been my friend, if anything, he had been Kyle’s competitor, his shadow, always lurking, always finding ways to challenge him, to beat him, to prove that he was better. Back then, he had used me as a tool in his twisted game, trying to get under Kyle’s skin, though he never made any vulgar moves. His obsession wasn’t with me, it was with winning–winning Kyle, and no one understood why it was this way, because Kyle didn’t feel the same way. Perhaps it was because Kyle posed as a difficult challenge for him.
ut to
However, I had never expected to see him again, not like this, as the owner of the company I was about pitch my business service to.
Elson didn’t seem to notice my hesitation. He strode confidently toward the table the moment I stepped aside, his laptop in hand, completely oblivious to the tension coiling in my stomach. I forced myself to follow his lead, keeping my expression neutral as Aiden’s sharp gaze locked onto me, his eyes briefly flickering to my stomach then back to my face. It wasn’t only Aiden’s stare. All eyes were on meno, rather, on my protruding stomach. It was like it was their first time seeing a pregnant woman attend a crucial meeting like this one. Well, there is a first time for everything so they will get over it with time.
“You’re late,” Aiden said smoothly the moment my butt hit my seat. His eyes fixated on me, his lips curled into
a smirk.
I met his stare, my expression neutral and my tone kept professional, “I sincerely apologize for the delay” I apologized the second time.
Aiden didn’t say anything. He simply sat there, watching me with that signature smirk of his, the same one! remembered from years ago. His gaze was unsettling, sharp, like he was mentally dissecting every detail in my body. He didn’t look surprised by my cold demeanor. If anything, he seemed amused, and it sent a feeling of irritation down my spine.
The meeting started without further delay. Elson led the presentation, detailing our strategies for branding and expanding their product’s reach. Our team had spent weeks preparing for this pitch, knowing how crucial it was for our company’s growth. But I found it hard to focus. The weight of Aiden’s undeviating and annoying stare made my skin crawl. It was impossible to shake it off despite my best efforts to ignore it. My fingers curled slightly over the edge of my notepad, my brows furrowed.
People would notice if he continued to stare plainly like that. Must he make it that obvious?
Elson’s voice carried through the room, confident and fluent as he answered the team’s questions with ease. But just as he was explaining a campaign proposal, Aiden suddenly raised a hand, rudely cutting him off
mid–sentence.
1/4
Chapter Twenty
“Why don’t Ava continue instead?”
The room went silent.
I stiffened as all eyes turned to me. Aiden’s lips curled into a slight smile, his eyebrow arched in challenge. Aiden is the perfect definition of people who don’t change. He finds joy in challenging people, watching them squirm, and being uncomfortable. But I wouldn’t let him win
My fingers curled slightly on my lap, and I could feel Elson’s questioning gaze flick between us, trying to gauge the situation. He turned to me. “Do you know him?” His voice, although low, held curiosity, maybe even
a little suspicion.
Instead of answering him, I kept my eyes on Alden, watching him closely. His smirk hadn’t faded. I was right get it. I about him knowing exactly what he was doing. However, if he was expecting hesitation, he would straightened my shoulders, nodded slightly, and smoothly picked up where Elson had left off. My voice was steady, my pitch controlled with professionalism, and I focused on the task at hand, refusing to falter even when his stare remained on me throughout my speech.
By the time the meeting ended, the deal was sealed.
I wasn’t sure if it was because he saw the potential benefit of our service or because Aiden had already made up his mind before we walked through the door. Either way, the contract was ours. Yet, I couldn’t tell if I was relieved or suspicious of this. I couldn’t even decide whether to end the deal here, and now myself or continue
with it.
As we gathered our materials and prepared to leave, Aiden’s voice cut through the air once more.
“Ava, stay for a moment.”
I tensed, my hand freezing on the notebook I was about to slide into my bag. I had hope he wouldn’t talk to me, not to talk of asking me to stay, Elson probably noticed my discomfort, because he didn’t move, instead he hovered protectively beside me. But Aiden turned to him, his tone cold and sharp.
“I asked for Ava to stay, not you.”
Elson’s jaw clenched, his fingers tightening around his laptop bag. But he didn’t argue, instead he gave me a questioning look, silently asking if I was okay. I nodded slightly, and though he didn’t seem happy about it, he turned and left the boardroom, shooting
Aiden one last glare before closing the door behind him.
Now it was just the two of us.
Aiden leaned back against the table, crossing his arms as he studied me. “You look good,” he said lightly, his famous smirk back. “I almost didn’t recognize you when you walked in,”
I met his gaze warily. “I can’t say the same.”
He chuckled. “Fair enough.”
Silence stretched between
- us. My nerves were on high alert, watching for any hidden motives. Alden wasn’t the type to reach out without a reason, and the fact that our small company had been chosen for this project despite the competition made me He must have known.
As if sensing my suspicion, he smirked. “Relax, Ava. I didn’t, plan this, if that’s what you’re thinking
ווו
Chapter Twenty
I didn’t believe him.
He pushed off from the table, but maintained his position with his arms folded across his chest, his eyes never leaving mine. 1 was surprised and almost didn’t believe it was you. It’s been years, hasn’t it? The last time I heard anything about you, you had just married Kyle.” He tilted his head. “Then, of course, I heard you got divorced.”
The word “divorced” struck my heart like a lightning bolt, and my face burned with shame. I curled my fingers around the strap of my bag, as if that would push back the shame and anger, and then I forced a smile “Yes”
Aiden’s eyes lingered on my face, then dropped slightly to my belly before returning to my face, his brow arched. “And you’re pregnant.”
My posture stiffened instantly. “Yes.”
It wasn’t just a statement. It was a question disguised in a statement. And the question wasn’t new. I’d heard it plenty of times before, watch people give me the same arched brow look when they see me and not with a husband, and while it had once hurt, I had learned to brush it off. But with Aiden, it felt different I felt
stomach. hyper–aware, on guard. My arms instinctively wrapped around the under of my
Aiden chuckled softly, sensing the shift in my mood. “Relax, Ava. I don’t care about that.” He waved a hand dismissively. “I was just surprised to see you, that’s all.”
I didn’t believe him. Not for a second.
Before I could respond, his phone rang, cutting through the awkwardness. He sighed, pulling the phone out of his side pocket. He held up a finger, silently telling me to wait as he turned away to take the call, murmuring something in a low voice. I exhaled quietly, taking the moment to compose myself. Seeing Aiden again like this was just too sudden and spells trouble. He was unpredictable, and that was what made him dangerous. His presence alone can disrupt the quiet life I was building.
He turned again back, then flashed me a small smile, “I’d love to catch up, but I have something important to take care of first,” he said. “But we’ll talk later.”
I nodded and forced a polite smile, though deep down I was grateful for the abrupt end of the meeting. “Of
course.
He held my gaze for a moment longer, then finally stepped back. “Good seeing you, Ava.”
I nodded, murmuring a brief farewell before stepping out of the boardroom, my back stiff with tension and awareness. Elson was waiting for me just outside the door, his arms crossed, expression tight with concern.
Aiden bid me goodbye, walking off without a glance my or Elson’s way, leaving me standing there with unease swimming in my chest.
Elson glanced at me, frowning slightly. “Are you okay?”
I took a deep breath, finally noticing the exhaustion seeping into my bones. “Yeah. Let’s go.”
But as we walked away, I couldn’t shake the feeling that seeing Aiden again was anything but a coincidence.
Something about this didn’t sit right with me. Nothing about Aiden feels right.
O
