Chapter 047

~~~Ava~~~ I hastened my pace as I walked back home, my senses on high alert, fearful of being followed again. My mind wandered back to the enigmatic stranger I had encountered. My words echoed in my mind, "It's fine, you can give me your digits, I'll give you a call when I need you." I gazed at the luxurious business card still clutched in my hand, a symbol of the stranger's mystique. Something about him didn't add up, but I chose to focus on the potential benefits of our encounter. With this new connection, I felt a sense of empowerment, a upper hand that I was determined to leverage. As I climbed the stairs to my apartment, exhaustion etched on my face, I couldn't wait to unwind. I pushed open the door to find Lydia fast asleep, sprawled across the bed like a tired elephant, occupying the entire space. I shed my clothes and headed to the bathroom, letting the warm shower water soothe my skin. As I stood there, my mind began to wander, a jumble of thoughts swirling in my head. Before long, I finished my shower, wrapped myself in a towel, and returned to the bedroom. I slipped into comfortable lingerie, gently nudged Lydia to her side of the bed, and succumbed to fatigue, falling into a deep sleep. I woke up to a startling sensation between my thighs. As I gently opened my eyes, squinting against the scorching sunlight, I was met with a shocking sight: Lydia's face buried between my legs. My body jerked upright in shock, and I yelled, "Lydia?! What do you think you're doing?" I tightened my lingerie, my heart racing with discomfort. Lydia's lust-filled eyes locked onto mine as she sneered, "You thought you could just run off like that without fulfilling your sort of the bargain?" Her voice dripped with malice. I tried to defend myself, but Lydia pinned me to the wall, her face inches from mine. Just as she leaned in for a kiss, the door burst open. The stranger from yesterday strode in, his tall, imposing frame commanding attention. He swiftly pulled me out of Lydia's grip and shot her a deadly glare. His menacing expression made my heart skip a beat. "Who the hell is this, Ava?" Lydia spat, wincing in pain from the fall. A sly smile spread across my face as I felt a surge of power. "This...this is one of my father's investments, laid down for me," I said, rubbing the stranger's back. I shot Lydia a withering glance. Lydia's eyes widened in shock. "What?!" she exclaimed. I bent down to her level, my voice dripping with venom. "Get over it, Lydia. You know I hate repeating myself." I raised her chin, forcing her to meet my gaze. "Guess what, Lydia? The tables just turned." With a smirk, I continued, "Due to recent changes, there will be a breach in our initial contract." Lydia's face contorted in anger. "You can't do that, Ava!" she retorted. I fired back, my voice stern, "Oh, of course, I can, darling. And I will." Lydia's defiance faltered, and she remained silent. I yelled, "do you understand?!" My eyes blazed with fury. Finally, Lydia whispered, "Yes, yes, I understand." I sneered, "Good. Now, you'll work according to my rules. You'll get me the information I need, and you'll report to me daily. No more sleeping with me for information." I spat at her, my disdain evident. Lydia's eyes flashed with defiance, but I cut her off. "Oh, darling, you know you can't fight back right now. This big guy here would have to take care of you, and I'm sure you know what I mean by that." I raised an eyebrow, my threat implicit. I took a deliberate step closer, my voice dropping to a menacing tone. "And trust me, I wouldn't hesitate to give him the order." My eyes locked onto Lydia's, making sure she grasped the severity of my threat. The air seemed to thicken, heavy with tension. Lydia's eyes darted to Axel, then back to me, her pupils constricting with fear. "Understood?" I repeated, my tone firm, leaving no room for misinterpretation. Lydia's nerves calmed, and she nodded submissively. "Yes, yes, I understand." I smiled, satisfied. "Now that's more like it. Now, get your stuff and get out of my house!" I ordered, my voice firm. Lydia scrambled to gather her belongings, eager to escape. As she reached the window, I called out, "And oh, Lydia?" She turned, hesitant. "Take the stairs," I said, a smirk still plastered on my face. Lydia's eyes narrowed, but she reluctantly headed down the stairs. I watched her leave, feeling empowered and triumphant. The stranger, Axel, spoke up, "I always knew you took after your dad." I turned to him, taking in his chiseled features and deep brown eyes. A spark of curiosity ignited within me. "But no one could still beat Aiden's beauty in my eyes," a voice whispered in my head. I smiled, intrigued by Axel's towering height and rugged charm. "Didn't I tell you I was going to call you if I needed you?" I teased. Axel shrugged. "Well, with what just played out, it looked like you really needed me. Besides, I let you out of my sight once, I'm not doing that again." I folded my arms, studying him. "Well, you're not totally wrong." Axel's stern expression softened, and he introduced himself, "Axel, I'm Axel, but your dad always called me Axe." I purred, "Hmm, Axe? That's nice." My flirty gaze locked onto his, and I thought to myself, "You'll definitely need to axe some monsters out of my life." I flashed Axel a sly smile. "So, Axe, are you ready for your first assignment?" Time ticked by, and night began to fall, signaling the impending execution of our plans. I dialed Evans' and Sandra's numbers, but Sandra's call went unanswered. Evans and I converged at the designated meeting spot, a nearby hotel, before heading out. However, Sandra's absence was glaring. Evans' anger boiled over, and he smashed a vase on the floor. "I knew she was going to stand us up!" he yelled. I shot him a sarcastic glance. "Well, I knew I couldn't trust you two." Evans' expression turned grave. "No, if there's anyone you can't trust, it's her. She was making plans to remove you from the picture after you served her purpose." My eyes widened in shock, but I quickly masked my emotions. Being the daughter of a mafia lord had taught me to trust no one, hence I knew something like this was going to happen, especially from someone like Sandra. As the minutes ticked by, Sandra's absence became increasingly conspicuous. I found myself alone with Evans in the hotel room, the bed looming before us. A mischievous thought crept into my mind: "I wonder what he tastes like." A sly voice whispered, "It would be so fun, getting intimate with Hailey's ex-husband. Let's see what she was missing out on." With that tantalizing thought, I sauntered up to Evans, pulled him in, and pressed my lips to his. He didn't hesitate to respond, and our passion ignited. We savaged each other's bodies, collapsing onto the bed in a frenzy of desire.