AVA'S POV

Mom woke me up once we got home, her voice soft. "Ava, we're here," she said, her hand on my shoulder as I blinked awake.

The car slowed to a stop in front of the house, and for a moment, I just stared at it. It looked the same but also… different.

I sighed, grabbing my bag and stepping out of the car. My mom gave me a worried look but didn’t say anything as I followed her inside. A maid appeared almost immediately, her hands clasped in front of her as she smiled politely.

“This way, Miss Ava. I’ll take you to your room,” she said.

I followed her up the stairs quietly to my room. The moment the maid left, I dropped my bag by the closet and started unpacking. I was halfway through hanging up a dress when my phone buzzed on the nightstand. Without thinking, I grabbed it and answered, “Hello?”

“Where the fuck are you?” The voice on the other end was loud, angry, and all too familiar. Canaan. My hand froze mid-air, the dress slipping from my fingers.

“I…”

He didn’t let me speak. “And what is this on our bed?” His voice was louder now, practically a shout.

I swallowed hard, my throat dry as I stared at the wall. “Divorce papers, Canaan,” I said flatly, my voice cold, well as cold as I could make it sound. It was obvious, wasn’t it? He couldn’t seriously be surprised. He didn't expect me to forgive him, right?

“What the hell is wrong with you? Do you even hear yourself right now?” he yelled. “I don’t know what’s going on in your fucked-up head, but you better come back home. Right. Now. Emma lost our child because of you, Ava. Do you hear me? Because of YOU. You better get your ass back here and apologize to her.”

Apologize? Apologize to her? My chest tightened, my own anger rising. I didn’t reply. I couldn’t. If I opened my mouth, I’d scream, and I wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction.

Instead, I hung up. My hands shook as I blocked his number and then powered off my phone, tossing it onto the bed.

I stood there for a moment, staring out the window. The sun was setting, but I couldn't appreciate the beauty of it. All I could hear was his voice.

They took everything from me. My child. My baby. A sob escaped before I could stop it, and I covered my mouth with trembling fingers.

They were going to pay. Both of them. For what they did. For all of it.

A knock at the door pulled me out of my thoughts. “Miss Ava?” a maid called softly. “Dinner is ready.”

“Be right there,” I said, my voice hoarse. I quickly put the rest of my things away, before going downstairs.

My parents were already seated once I got downstairs, my father at the head of the table and my mother beside him. They both looked up when I entered, their eyes scanning me like they were trying to figure out if I was okay.

I slid into my seat, and the moment I did, the questions started.

“What happened, Ava?” my mom asked gently.

I hesitated, my fingers curling around the edge of my napkin. This was the part I’d been avoiding but it was time they knew. “Canaan was cheating on me,” I said, my voice flat. “With my…well, my ex-best friend. Emma.”

My mom gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. My dad’s face darkened, his grip on his fork tightening. But I wasn’t done. “She was pregnant with his child,” I continued, staring down at the table. “And he… he killed our baby. After he beat me up because he believes I hurt her, making her lose their baby.”

My father shot to his feet, his face red with rage. “I’ll kill him,” he growled. “I’ll kill that son of a bitch. Where’s my gun? Liam, get my gun!” He yelled, his voice loud.

“Wait!” I shouted. This wasn’t what I wanted. I didn’t want my dad or my brother involved. They would kill him if they got their hands on him. This was my fight. “This isn’t how we’re doing this.”

My dad paused, his eyes narrowing as he looked at me. “What do you mean?”

I took a deep breath, meeting his gaze. “I’m going to destroy him,” I said, my voice calmer than I'd expected. “On my own.”

My mom gasped again. “Ava, sweetheart, you don’t have to…”

“Yes, I do,” I cut her off. “He took everything from me. Everything. And I want him to feel what that’s like. I want him to suffer.”

My dad slowly sat back down, his eyes studying me carefully. “Do you have a plan?” he asked, his voice calmer now.

I nodded. “I’ve been thinking about it all day. On the plane, in the car… I know what I have to do.”

“And what’s that?” my mom asked.

I looked at each one of them, “I’m getting married. Again.”

AVA'S POV

“I’m going to get married to Isaiah,” I said firmly. My family froze. My mom’s eyebrows shot up, and my dad leaned back in his chair, his expression unreadable. It was my brother Liam who spoke first.

“Waita minute. Isaiah Crowe? That Isaiah?” he asked.

I nodded, keeping my face calm even though my heart was pounding. “Yeah. Isaiah Crowe.”

Mom’s lips parted in surprise before a slow smile started to form. “Isaiah Crowe? Canaan’s nemesis?” she asked, her tone laced with amusement.

She was already connecting the dots, and I could tell from the glint in her eyes that she liked where this was going.

Isaiah Crowe. The man Canaan hated with a passion. It wasn’t just petty jealousy, it was full-on rivalry. Canaan had despised Isaiah ever since he’d won the “Most Handsome Man in the Country” award years ago.

Then Isaiah won “Best CEO of the Year” three times in a row. He was everything Canaan wanted to be, successful, admired, and powerful, but no matter what Canaan did, he always fell short.

I used to reassure him, telling him he was enough, but now I could see how foolish I’d been. He wasn't even capable of cleaning Isaiah's shoes.

Mom’s smile widened, and she nodded approvingly. “I think this could work. I mean I like Isaiah.”

“Hold up.” Dad’s deep voice cut through. He placed his fork down, his eyes narrowing slightly as he looked at me. “Honey, are you seriously thinking about marrying Isaiah just to get back at Canaan? Marriage isn’t a game, Ava. You just got out of one, and it nearly destroyed you. I’m not going to sit here and let you walk into another mess.”

Liam nodded in agreement, crossing his arms as he leaned back in his chair. “Yeah, I’m with Dad on this one. This sounds… I don’t know, risky. Are you sure about this?”

I glanced around the table at each one of them. I took a deep breath before speaking. “I want to do this,” I said firmly. “And it’s my decision. I mean you've always wanted me to get married to him, to form an alliance between our companies. This is a good idea. it benefits all of us.”

Dad opened his mouth to argue, but I continued speaking. “I have something he wants.”

“The Oak Villa,” my mom said suddenly, realization dawning on her face.

I nodded. “Exactly. We’ll be married for a while, and in exchange, I’ll give him the villa.”

Dad frowned, his brows furrowing deeply. “Ava, this is serious. Are you absolutely sure about this? You’re talking about getting married again.”

“I’m sure,” I said, meeting his gaze. “This is the best way to destroy Canaan. Isaiah is everything Canaan wishes he could be. This will hit him where it hurts the most. And it’s not just about revenge, it’ll benefit us too. Isaiah’s influence and resources could help our company. It’ll add more value to us, we need it.”

Dad let out a heavy sigh, rubbing a hand over his face. “Alright. If this is what you want, we’ll support you. We do need Isaiah, we've been trying to get a contract with him so it wouldn't be bad.”

“I know that. Thank you all so much.” My parents smiled at me.

We finished dinner with lighter conversation. Afterward, I went up to my room, my heart pounding with anticipation. Sitting on my bed, I pulled out my phone and dialed the number for Isaiah’s office, scheduling a meeting for tomorrow.

The next day came faster than I expected. I woke up early, my nerves buzzing. I carefully chose an outfit, a fitted black dress that hugged my figure perfectly. It was elegant but also hot with a slit up the side and an open back.

When I arrived at Isaiah’s office, my heels clicked against the floor, catching the attention of many. The receptionist gave me a polite smile and directed me to his office. My heart was pounding, but I kept my head high as I walked in.

And then I saw him.

Isaiah Crowe was even more handsome in person than in the photos. Tall, broad-shouldered, with sharp features and piercing green eyes that seemed to see right through me.

His dark hair was perfectly styled, and his tailored suit fit him perfectly. He was the kind of man who could command a room without saying a word.

“Ms. Callahan,” he said smoothly, standing as I entered. His voice was deep and calm, with just a hint of curiosity. “Please, have a seat.”

I sat down across from him, trying to ignore the way his eyes seemed to study me. “Thank you for meeting with me,” I said.

He tilted his head slightly, a small smirk playing on his lips. “You’re welcome. Though I’ll admit, I’m curious. What business does the ex-wife of Canaan Blackwell have with me?”

I tensed slightly at the mention of Canaan, but I forced myself to stay calm. “I have a proposal for you,” I said, pulling out the contract I’d prepared last night.

His smirk faded as he picked up the document, his eyes scanning the pages. Then I said it, the words that would change everything.

“I want us to get married.”

Isaiah’s head snapped up, his green eyes locking onto mine. For a moment, he didn’t say anything, just stared at me like he was trying to figure out if I was serious.

“Excuse me?” he said finally with disbelief.

“You heard me,” I said, my voice firm. “I want us to get married. It’ll be a contract marriage. Temporary. You’ll get what you want, the Oak Villa. And I’ll get what I want.”

He leaned back in his chair, a slow smile spreading across his face. “And what exactly do you want, Ms. Callahan?”

I met his gaze, my heart pounding. “I want to destroy Canaan.”