Chapter 041

~~~Ava~~~ I sat at my desk, scrolling mindlessly through my laptop, feeling utterly disconnected from my work. It had been weeks since I'd last seen Aiden, and his absence had left a void that seemed impossible to fill. He barely came to work anymore, leaving me to handle all his deals on my own. As lunchtime approached, I got up, taking a deep breath to shake off the lethargy. I headed to the cafeteria, ordered some food, and began eating, lost in thought. That's when I overheard some staff members discussing their boss's new addition - a baby. My heart skipped a beat as I choked on my food. "By boss, they mean Aiden, right?" I thought to myself, my mind racing. I turned to face them, a sheepish smile spreading across my face. "Hey..." I called out, but they gave me a cold, uninterested stare. I understood their reaction; I hadn't exactly been friendly or approachable to my coworkers. So, I tried again, this time with a hint of desperation. "Come on, girls, you don't have to be hostile with me." But they weren't having it. That's when I decided to play my trump card. "Okay, how about this? If you tell me what or whom you were talking about, I could convince Sir Aiden to give you all a raise this month." Their expressions changed, and they exchanged greedy glances. It was clear that the prospect of a raise was too enticing to resist. They spilled the beans, confirming my suspicions - Aiden was indeed the new father. Hailey, that girl, had finally given birth. A mix of emotions swirled inside me - relief, anger, and a hint of sadness. Relief that Hailey had delivered safely, anger that Aiden had moved on so quickly, and sadness that I was still stuck in this rut. I had deliberately held back, choosing not to strike while Hailey was vulnerable, carrying Aiden's child. But now that she had given birth, I saw the perfect opportunity to orchestrate her downfall. A plan began to form in my mind, fueled by my simmering anger and resentment. I would manipulate events from behind the scenes, using my puppet, Sandra, to do my bidding. Sandra's desperation to eliminate Hailey had been palpable, her eyes blazing with an intensity that surpassed even my own. I had seen the hunger in her gaze, the eagerness to destroy Hailey's relationship with Aiden. It was only a matter of time before Sandra reached out to me, eager to collaborate and bring about Hailey's demise. Her call would be music to my ears, a signal that the games were about to begin. With a sense of anticipation, I waited, knowing that the next move would be Sandra's. The wheels were in motion, and soon, Hailey's world would come crashing down. But as I processed the news, my anger began to simmer, replacing the other emotions. This was the perfect opportunity to strike, to reclaim what was rightfully mine. I felt a surge of determination coursing through my veins. It was time to take action, to fight for what I deserved. And I was ready to do whatever it took. As I sat at my desk, lost in thought, my phone buzzed, snapping me back to reality. I smiled as I saw the unknown caller, my intuition telling me exactly who it might be. I picked up the call, and my smile grew wider as I heard Sandra's voice on the other end. "Speaking of the devil," I thought to myself, feeling a sense of accomplishment. Sandra asked me to meet her at a nearby restaurant, and I quickly agreed, my curiosity piqued. I left my food behind and hurried down to the restaurant. As I arrived, I spotted Sandra sitting with a stranger, a man who caught my eye with his chiseled features. But my attention was short-lived, as my mind immediately wandered back to Aiden. "No one could ever surpass Aiden's beauty in my eyes. His chiseled features, his piercing gaze, and his captivating smile had forever etched themselves in my mind. He was the epitome of perfection, the standard against which all others would be measured. And in my eyes, no one would ever come close to matching his radiant beauty." "This Sandra girl can't seem to get enough of men, can she?" a voice in my head sneered. "Here she is, trying to get her ex-boyfriend's attention back while flirting with other men. How pathetic." I felt a surge of disdain toward Sandra, but I pushed it aside, focusing on the task at hand. I walked over to their table, a bright smile plastered on my face. "Hello, Sandra," I called out, extending my hand for a handshake. But she merely gave me a disgusted look, her eyes flashing with annoyance. I felt a sting from her rejection, but I pushed it aside, reminding myself that this was all just a game. "It's just a matter of time, Ava," I told myself. "You just have to take all this shit until all of this is over, and you'll put her right where she belongs." Sandra's gaze narrowed, her voice firm. "Ava, right?" she asked, her tone dripping with disdain. I nodded, taking a seat next to them. "Yes." Sandra introduced me to the stranger, Evans, explaining that he was our target's (Hailey) ex-husband. I raised an eyebrow, intrigued by this new development. As Evans and I exchanged handshakes, I felt a spark of electricity run through me. But it was quickly extinguished as I thought of Aiden, my mind always drifting back to him. "It would have been utterly intoxicating if Aiden was the one touching me like that. The thought sent shivers down my spine, my heart skipping a beat at the mere idea. His hands, his lips, his eyes - every part of him was forever seared into my memory, leaving me aching for his touch. If only it was Aiden, I would have melted into his caress, surrendering to the passion that would have simmered between us." Sandra's voice cut through my thoughts, her impatience evident. "Could we just get down to why we're here?" she spat, her eyes flashing with annoyance. I adjusted my seat, focusing on the task at hand. "Sure," I replied, my eyes locked on Sandra's. 'Let the game begin."