Between Love and Revenge: Return of the real Heiress!

"Tell me to stop"he whispered slowly in her ear

"I don't want you to"Ava muttered closing her eyes for a moment, letting the subtle scent wrap around her like a secret only they shared, igniting a thrill that made her heart race beneath the chaos of the night.

The journey started when she stepped out of the cab, her heels clicking against the sleek pavement of the Fontainebleau Hotel. Palm trees shimmered under golden lights, and the low sound of bass could already be heard pulsing through the night air. Her dress was different and daring, nothing like the old version of herself.Tonight, she wasn't the grieving girl with a broken past. Tonight, she was someone else.

She walked into LIV like she belonged there, letting the neon lights and smell of expensive perfume wrap around her. Bodies moved with hypnotic rhythm under the neon light and the DJ's beat made the floor feel alive.

She went to the barman to get her own shot and drank it

"One more please"

The bar man raised his eyesbrow, scanning her from head to toe,she caught his reaction and scoffed.

"What,do I look like a minor?"

He handed her another glass,she dranked it at one go and smirk before leaving for the party floor and started dancing.

Dancing to let go of the old her.

Dancing to the let go of her grief.

She was here to forget her memories.

It was her last night in a city where no one knew her name. No vengeance.No pain.No past.

Just the music and the fire in her veins

"You running from something?"a velvet-smooth voice whispered behind her.

She turned to look at the owner of the voice that sounded like melody and there in front of her is a tall guy looking dark and dangerous in a way that pulled her like gravity. His gaze met hers, steady, unreadable.A silent dare.

"Someone," she corrected.Then, with a smirk

"And you?"

He didn't answer. He just offered her his hand.

She took it as she stared back at him.

His gaze,he have this look that ignited something dangerous in her.

Ava's breath caught in her throat. For a moment, the music faded.The crowd disappeared.All that existed were those dangerous eyes, and the way they melted her with just one look.

She was already burning and he hadn't even said a word.

"You don't belong here," he said, voice low and smooth, barely audible over the music.

She smirked. "And you do?"

"I make places like this dangerous," he replied, eyes dropping to her lips.

It didn't sound like just a line but like a warning and it only made her want him more.

The beat of the music pounded around them, but her heartbeat was louder.

And then he leaned in.His lips hovered,not touching hers yet.

He gave her a second to pull away but she didn't.

He took it as go ahead and kissed her,their lips met like heat and hunger. A slow burn turned wild in seconds. His hand cradled the back of her neck, pulling her in, deepening the kiss. Her fingers curled into his shirt like she needed something to hold on to.

His lips tasted like drugs and Ava had never felt more alive.

The kiss deepened, turned hungrier, like they were both trying to forget something or remember what it was like to feel wanted.

He pulled back slightly, his forehead resting against hers. His breath was so warm.

"Tell me to stop," he whispered in his trembling voice.

Ava's eyes fluttered open, locking with his. "I don't want to."

That was all it took.

They stumbled out of the club as they found their way into the hotel elevator, kissing deeply like their life depends on it.At this point,Ava was so drunk.She was so down for what is going to happen next.

The hotel door clicked shut behind them.Ava didn't have time to think.He was already pulling her toward him again, his mouth crashing onto herslike he had been waiting for this since the moment their eyes met.

Her hands roamed up his chest, feeling the firm muscle under his shirt, while his fingers gripped her waist like he was afraid she will disappear.

He kissed her like she was his last breath.

They stumbled back, hitting the edge of the bed. Jace's hands were at the hem of her dress, with his eyes asking a silent question.She nodded.He removed her dress carefully and stare at her goddess like body

"Wow" he exclaimed softly, scanning her body.

Ava didn't look away. She wanted him to see all of her.

He pulled his shirt over his head and threw it aside.Her hands found the warm skin of his back as he leaned in again, mouth on her collarbone,trailing kisses down her neck, slowly but so erotic.

Every touch was electric.Ava didn't know when she started moaning which only turned him on the more.

They sank into the bed together, lips and limbs tangled. His hands explored her curves like he was memorizing her goddess like body hungrily.

Ava gasped as he pressed against her, every nerve on fire.

Their rhythm started from slow to faster, deeper, a breathless dance of need and emotion. Moans melted into kisses with her fingers clenched into the sheets.With their eyes locked as if they were both silently admitting something neither of them dared to say aloud.

Ava must admit this is the best sexual experience she've ever gone through with this very stranger going in and out of her and moaning softly.

When they finally collapsed beside each other,silence settled around them but being the inquisitive type,Ava decided to ask this very question that has been on her mind.

"What's your name?"

He chuckled softly after keeping quiet for minutes and cleared his throat while staring deep into her eyes.

"I'm Jace" he whispered.

Ava went silent,she felt it was unnecessary to ask him questions in the first place.

Without saying anything to his reply,she nodded her head and slept off.

The next morning

The sunlight streamed through the hotel curtains, casting a soft golden glow across the bed.

Ava stirred, her body aching in a sweet way. For a second,she forgot where she was.The silk sheets weren't hers. The air smelled faintly of his cologne and something addictive she couldn't name.She turned slowly.

The space beside her was empty.No note and no goodbye.

Just a memory burned into her skin on the way he touched her, the way he kissed her like he meant it.Like they were more than strangers.

Ava sat up, pulling the sheets around her. Her heart twisted unexpectedly. She hadn't planned to care. It was just a one-night escape. A distraction before the storm she was about to walk into.

She stood, picked up her clothes from the floor, and dressed in silence.

She reached the door, hesitated for one last look at the bed. Her lips curved in a sad smile.

"Goodbye Jace."

Then she left, heels clicking down the hallway, carrying with her only the memory of a man she never meant to meet .

Ava

"I'd like to resign," Ava said quietly, dropping a stack of files on the manager's desk.

The manager looked up at her, eyes wide with surprise. "Why? Is something wrong?"

"Not at all," Ava replied with a small, polite smile. "I'm relocating."

"Ohhh," the manager exhaled, clearly caught off guard. "It'll be so hard to replace you, you know. But... it's fine. I understand."

Ava kept her eyes on the desk, her fingers gently twisting together. She offered a faint smile but didn't say much more.

"I wish you all the best, Ava Fletcher," the manager said warmly as she stood to shake Ava's hand.

Without another word, Ava made her way back to her office. She quietly began packing her things into a cardboard box.

"You're really leaving?" Liyah, one of her coworkers, said with a chuckle. "You're the highest paid employee here, yet you're walking away?"

Ava gave her a cool glance. "Well, it's my decision, baby. And feel free to take over the role,you've been eyeing the position for a while anyway."

With that, she picked up her box and walked out of the office, not bothering to look back. That was her last day in Florida.

When she arrived at her empty apartment, she handed the keys to the rental agent, said a quiet goodbye, and stepped into the moving truck waiting outside. It was time to leave it all behind.

Her destination? New York City. A fresh start. A new chapter. And the beginning of something she had been planning for the past three years.

It was finally time to make him suffer to return every ounce of pain he caused her. Ava's lips curled into a faint smirk as she cast one final glance at the city she once called home.

Ava had not always been like this bold, cold, and filled with a quiet rage. She was raised by a kind, hardworking mother who spent most of her life working at the beachside bars in Miami. Ava never knew her father,her mother had told her he died in an accident at the engineering company he worked for,before Ava was born.

Life had been fair until everything fell apart during her junior year of college.

She remembered that day vividly.She was in her media team meeting when an unknown calling starting calling her repeatedly.She had to excuse herself to pick the call and on the other end was one of her mother's co workers,with panic in her voice. Her mother had been found in the bar's bathroom dead, lying in a pool of blood.

Ava rushed to the scene in a cab, her heart thudding in her chest. When she saw her mother's lifeless body, her world shattered. The woman who had raised her, loved her, and sacrificed everything for her was gone just like that. With no father, no siblings, no relatives,Ava was truly alone.

The funeral came and went in a blur.Afterward, she was left with nothing but memories and grief.

One afternoon,as she sorted through her mother's old clothes, planning to donate them, she came across the uniform her mom used to wear to work.She clutched it to her chest, breathing in the faint scent that still lingered. That's when she felt something stiff inside one of the pockets.

Curious, she reached in and pulled out a blood stained business card. It read "Sebastian Cross.

Her heart skipped.

"Sebastian Cross," she whispered, staring at the name with confusion and growing interest.

She turned to her computer and began searching. What she found changed everything.

Cross Empire.

New York.

Business tycoon.

Her hands trembled as she read more. The deeper she dug, the more certain she became. This man was somehow connected to her mother's death.

That night, Ava made a decision. Her life's mission shifted entirely.

She changed her college major from Psychology to Business Administration. She worked tirelessly, graduating with top honors. She took a high paying job and within six months, saved up enough money to take the next step.

Now, here she was, leaving Florida behind with only one goal in mind which is to revenge.

A new life awaited her in New York City.

A new identity.

A new Ava.

Jace

"Oh boy. If you had wasted even one more minute of my time, I swear I would have left without you and started the journey alone," Ethan yelled, clearly frustrated.

Jace finally appeared, strolling in with his signature lazy smirk. "Well, here I am. Can we get going now?"

"What?" Ethan stared at him in disbelief for a long second before shaking his head. "Unbelievable."

Then, without another word, he turned and began walking toward the car that would take them to the airport.

Jace just chuckled and followed. "What an eventful vacation. I honestly can't wait to come back," he muttered under his breath.

"I'm telling you, bro," Ethan started, already hyped again. "The girls here are crazy. I spent over three grand on some random hot chick last night. She was worth every dollar, I swear."

He paused and looked at Jace as if a sudden realization hit him.

"Wait a second. Where were you last night? I was looking everywhere for you, I even found this smoking hot girl I wanted you to meet. But you were no where to be found"

Jace smirked again. "I was busy with someone better," he said with a wink.

Ethan's eyes widened, then he burst out laughing. "You're a bad guy, you know that, right?"

"One love, brother," Jace replied with a laugh.

The two friends finally arrived at the airport and headed straight to their first-class flight.

"Welcome aboard, sir," one of the flight attendants greeted with a seductive smile, her eyes lingering on Jace.

"Thanks," Jace said coolly as he made his way to his seat.

Ethan leaned toward her with a charming smile. "Hey, beautiful," he whispered, giving her a playful wink.

She blushed slightly and turned her attention to him. "What would you like to drink, sir?" she asked sweetly.

"Give me the most expensive wine you've got," Ethan replied with a grin.

She smiled again and turned to Jace, who was already reclining in his seat, ready to sleep.

"Just water," he said without opening his eyes.

"What?" Ethan gasped, staring at him in disbelief.

"Very well, sir. Just a moment," the flight attendant said politely before bowing slightly and walking off.

Ethan continued to stare, mouth slightly open. Jace turned his head toward him, chuckling as he reached out to close Ethan's mouth with his hand.

"Close it, brother," he whispered with amusement before settling back into his seat.

"Jace, we didn't spend all that money on first class just so you could drink water," Ethan groaned.

Jace sighed. "I need sleep. Leave me alone, man," he muttered, turning to face the window.

The flight attendant soon returned. She poured Ethan's wine and handed it to him with a lingering, seductive look. As their fingers brushed, Ethan smirked.

"I'll call for you later, sweetheart," he said smoothly.

"Of course, sir," she replied with a wink before walking away.

Ethan chuckled to himself, but Jace, who had been quietly listening the whole time, smacked the back of his head.

"Dude! What the hell?" Ethan exclaimed.

"I didn't bring you here to flirt with every woman you see," Jace said, frowning. "Don't go ruining my image, man."

"Look who's talking," Ethan shot back with a laugh.

They both burst into laughter, the tension fading quickly between them.

After a few moments, Ethan leaned back. "Alright, spill. Tell me about her. Who's this mystery girl that has you acting like a lovesick teenager?"

"There's not much to say, really," Jace began, his voice softer now. "She was gorgeous. Long black hair, seductive lips, and these almond-shaped eyes that just... pulled you in. And when our skin touched... I don't know, man. It felt different."

Ethan rolled his eyes. "Okay, Shakespeare. This isn't a poem. Be real with me. It was a one night thing. She's probably already moved on to the next guy."

"She's not a prostitute, Ethan," Jace snapped, his tone turned cold. He turned his head and leaned it back against the window, clearly done with the conversation.

Ethan stared at him, slightly taken aback. In all the years he'd known Jace, since middle school, he had never seen him this affected by a girl. Not once. Girls and fun were just part of the lifestyle. Emotions was never part of the deal.

Jace and Ethan weren't just best friends, they worked together too. Ethan had been Jace's personal assistant and manager for the past few years, and their bond had only grown tighter. Business, money, travel, women were their whole world.

Love had never been in the picture.

But now Jace mood is telling a different story.

Just then, the captain's voice came over the intercom.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to New York."

As the plane began its descent, Jace stirred, eyes still heavy with sleep. Ethan nudged him.

"Wake up, lover boy. We're back in the Big Apple."

Jace stretched and blinked at the bright skyline peeking through the window. "Already?"

"Yep. Back to business, bro. No more mysterious girls or overpriced beach drinks. Just meetings, deals, and maybe a rooftop party or two," Ethan said with a grin.

Jace didn't respond. He was still thinking about her. He didn't even know her name. Just the feel of her hand in his, the softness of her voice, and the way her eyes seemed to hold something deeper like she wasn't just another pretty face out for a good time.

They exited the plane, sunglasses on, dragging minimal luggage. A sleek black car was already waiting for them.

"Welcome back sir " the chauffeur said,opening the back door and bowing his head.

"Home sweet home," Ethan said, sliding into the backseat.

As the driver pulled into traffic, Ethan scrolled through his phone, already lining up events and meetings for the week. Jace just stared out the window.

"You good, man?" Ethan asked, glancing up.

"I'm fine," Jace muttered, not taking his eyes off the city.

"You sure? You've been weird ever since we left Miami. It's not like you to catch feelings over one night."

Jace shot him a look. "I didn't say I caught feelings."

"You didn't have to. Your face says it all." Ethan chuckled. "Damn, she must've been something else."

"She was... different."

They rode in silence for a while, the city buzzing around them. Jace's phone buzzed with notifications from emails, missed calls, to reminder about a board meeting. He ignored them all.

When they finally reached his penthouse, Jace stepped out and stared up at the towering building. Back to reality. The same meetings, the same people, the same grind.

Sigh.

The elevator ride up was quiet. Ethan followed him in, then slumped onto the couch the minute they got inside.

Jace walked to the window and looked out at the skyline, deep in thought.

"What's her name?" Ethan asked casually.

"I don't know."

"You spent the night with a girl, and you didn't even ask her name?"

"I didn't plan to see her again... at first," Jace admitted.

Ethan sat up, eyes narrowing. "You're actually thinking about looking for her?"

Jace hesitated.

"Wow," Ethan said slowly. "This is serious."

"I don't know what it is. But I can't stop thinking about her."

Ethan rubbed the back of his neck. "You've got a shareholders meeting tomorrow, a product launch next week, and a billion dollar deal on the line. You don't have time to play detective over a random girl."

"Maybe I'll make time."

"You don't even know where to start."

Jace finally turned away from the window and met his friend's gaze. "She had a tattoo. A small one. On her wrist. A flower... a violet, I think."

Ethan groaned. "Great. So we're hunting down a mystery girl with a flower tattoo. Do you have any idea how many women in New York have tattoos?"

Jace cracked a smile. "Guess I better start asking around."

Ethan laughed, shaking his head. "You're hopeless."

But Jace didn't care. Something in him had shifted. Maybe he was being ridiculous, but he didn't care about logic right now. All he knew was that she was out there somewhere, and for the first time in a long while, he felt like chasing something real.

He will do that.