Chapter 3 THREE

Samantha could neither move nor talk; she was trapped with Ryder, the only person who intimidated her. She rolled her tongue in her mouth, trying to form the words, but it wasn't coming out.

"Go on, Ava, I am waiting, "He told her, still playing with her hair.

Ava!!, she screamed in her head

Why was he suddenly calling her name, the one no one knew? After her mum had married Billy, he requested to change her name from Ava to Samantha. But one thing was sure there was no way Ryder would know that name because not even her mum called her Ava.

"How? How did you,"

"Know your name was Ava or the fact that you fought with Hailey for some reason known to both of you alone?"He asked cutting her.

"The name,"

He smiled, pulled away from her, and sat on the bed, motioning for her to sit beside him, which she did.

"Let's play a game," He said looking at her.

"Game?" Samantha asked surprised. Why would the most brilliant star want to play a game with an amateur like her? Was he trying to tell her how uneducated she was? She asked herself.

"Don't worry it'll be easy, "He assured.

She looked at him one more time and nodded.

"You get to ask me three questions which I'll answer if you promise to answer mine. It's that easy,"

"Okay," She said adjusting her skirt.

"You go first,"

"How did you know my name was Ava?"

"I've always known you just didn't know," He answered without hesitation yet counting(1)

"But its not on any of my documents?"

"Yes" (2)he counted.

"And you never came to the house?"

"None that you know of," (and three)

"But," Samantha continued but was cut by Ryder.

"It's my turn now,"

"What?"She said, trying to argue, but he had out-smarted her.

"Where was your mum going on the day she was announced dead?"

"Hmmm?"

"That's what I want to know,"

Why so sudden? She pondered within herself.

"A business trip," She replied.

"That's it?"Ryder asked making faces.

"Yes, what were you expecting?"Samantha asked laughing.

For a while, Samantha forgot Ryder was beside her, and she was supposed to always feel inferior when beside him; she just laughed.

Ryder kept staring at Samantha as she laughed, and before he knew it, he was smiling widely.

Why are you smiling, dump skull? He scolded himself. But that wasn't enough because it even made him smile more. Staring at her laughing, not knowing what was at stake or risk, gave him a sudden hope.

Maybe, just maybe, if she knew nothing and just lived the life of a queen, I'll be able to keep fighting, he told himself.

"What do you think about making us official?"He asked.

The question had come so suddenly for Samantha that she choked on her saliva.

"What?"She asked still shocked.

"You heard me, Ava,"

"What does official mean?"She asked looking at him lost.

He stared at her, confused for a while, and in one swift movement, he brought her gently to his lap. He let her sit on his lap with their faces inches apart and her hands resting gently on his shoulder.

"Are you not tired of sneaking? I want to make you mine. My woman. My own. Have you never been confused about your stand in my life? It's high time," He said softly to her face.

Samantha's inside twisted with unspoken feelings; she just stared at him, trying to process it. She didn't get herself till she felt his hands wrapping around her waist.

"What would people say when they find out about us?"She asked.

Ryder let out a low chuckle. "Is that your only worry?"

"Yes," She nodded.

"Your problem isn't the fact that you don't like me it's just about others. That's a good thing, then, "He said to her, smiling.

"Is it even right?"

"It's the best decision I've ever made Ava,"

"What is?"She asked, trying to play like she didn't understand what he meant, but Ryder was smart.

"Us. My choice to make us official. It's the best,"

The smile that creeped out of the corner of her lips was what Ryder wanted to see and seeing it gave him contentment. She was finally his.

"But we shouldn't let anyone know for now," Samantha said a little worried.

"I have no problem with that. If you want to go to my next conference meeting to announce us, it's okay with me, but if you think keeping it a secret is what you want, then I have nothing to say. You're the queen, after all," He told her, playing with her hair.

QUEEN!!, Samantha screamed in her head. She had to put in lots of effort to control herself from jumping and screaming the whole house down in excitement.

"From now on, since I am officially yours, feel free to call me Mason," He told her.

"Mason?" She asked.

"Why Mason?"

"Ryder belongs to everyone but Mason belongs to just you and you alone,"

"Really!!"She said giggling. He nodded watching her blush with a smile on his face.

"Mason, "She called practicing it in her cute voice.

"Yes sunshine," He answered.

"Mason," She called again liking the pet name.

"My queen,"

"Mason,"

"My world,"

****

"My queen, My world, Sunshine." Samantha kept saying to herself with smiles all over.

"Are you sure you're okay," Lilly asked looking at her with concern.

"Am fine. You should be worried about yourself. Look, the veggies are burning," She told the girl, who quickly rushed back to what she was doing while she turned back to her dishes.

After they had their talk, Ryder had locked himself in his study, preparing some documents and files, he told her were important.

She was still lost in thoughts when her phone dinged. The contact was saved as (My Mason with plenty of heart emojis). She chuckled when she remembered how he had collected her phone to save his number.

-->I might be a little busy tonight, baby. Do you mind?

She read the message hastily and was sad that it was too short but then another came in.

-->But I can leave it if you ask me to. Just say the word.

"Oh, this is the sweetest message I've ever got," She said, laughing. She braced herself thinking thoroughly before typing.

-->Its okay if you're not chanced. Your work is also important.

She reread the message and then pressed send. Almost immediately his came in.

-->Thanks Sunshine. Make sure to let me know if you're having trouble with anyone don't go fighting like a lioness again.

She smiled after reading the message and then started typing.

-->I won't I promise.

-->Heart emojis

Samantha was all smiles as she dropped her phone, but that of Ryder was more; he even got up from his chair to do a small dance before returning to his files.