Chapter 23

Ava’s POV

After landing, another Limo appeared with Aleksander’s burly muscled men following behind us the whole time.

Instead of heading for Aleksander’s Mansion as I thought we were, my eyes widened as we headed into some unfamiliar rich celebrity neighborhood instead.

Men stood by the gate holding guns and as soon as they saw Aleksander, they opened the gate while murmuring “Boss.”

“Welcome to my humble home,” Aleksander spoke, “Humble home my ass,” I could not help but think while staring at the giant mansion.

Unlike Damien’s home. Aleksander’s one was a typical Mafia King home. Men with guns everywhere and tight security.

I stayed silent following behind him.

“Did you acquire what I told you?” he then asked one of his men.

“Yes, we did boss. Very easily too. The package is a bit ruffled up but alive.” My eyes widened as I wondered what the hell they were talking about.

“Good, you did well, Brutus,” Aleksander replied with a proud smirk to the scary scarred man. Then he motioned for me to follow him in his giant house.

We headed downstairs for the basement. If not for him being Damien’s brother I don't think I would have been this calm. I knew Aleksander would not hurt me. And I was carrying his future niece or nephew too.

My eyes then widened as he opened the door to what looked like a torture room and there she was.

Annabelle with her golden hair tied up to a chair and looking ruffled up as Brutus had said. Her hair was everywhere with her makeup all over the place from crying to herself.

I gave Aleksander an are you crazy stare!

“She is pregnant with your brother's child and you have her like this??” I quickly said berating him, “Pregnant my foot, unlike you she is a fake. I know my brother; he would never cheat or betray you and especially with someone like her.” Aleksander replied, taking out an expensive cigar from his pocket to light it up.

“What do you mean,” I asked, wanting clarification.

“You, you are going to tell the truth, nothing but the whole truth regarding Damien. If you even try to lie, you do not want to know what I will do to you.” Aleksander threatened while staring at a now shaking Annabell.

He took off the mouth gag and motioned for her to speak.

“I never slept with Damien. That day at the party, my agent called me to come act as his date to make you jealous,” My eyes widened as she told me this.

“But I also fell for him in that short moment even if it was all acting. And I could not fathom why he could want a nobody like you. Rejecting me, a famous actress for you.” Annabell continued, “So, I researched and found out more about Damien. I found out about their father, how Damien really looked up to the man and was an obedient son.”

“I called up some paparazzi and had the story blow up that I was pregnant with his grandson. I called him and I knew it had worked as he told me about now being Damien’s fiance. For he is an old-fashioned man who follows traditions and does not want any grandchild of his born out of wedlock.”

“I hoped this would be enough to make Damien obey his father and choose to be with me,” Annabell finished without a single look of regret on her botox face!

I could not believe this!!!

“Are you even pregnant???” I asked, furiously wanting to slap the shit out of her for all the trouble and pain she had caused me but could not if she was pregnant.

“Actually no,” she replied, And Without hesitation, I quickly rushed and slapped her. The sound of my hand hitting her cheek sounding in the room.

“Thanks to you I hurt the one I love,” I shouted, thinking of how I had treated Innocent Damien and broken his heart. I should have let him talk when he had asked for the chance too. Right now, I was feeling so horrible, thinking of all the hurtful words I had said to him.

“I have heard it all too, Thanks, son.” I turned in shock to see an older version of both Aleksander and Damien enter. I recognized him from the company website picture and quickly knew that it was their father, Mr. Payne Snr.

“You, you lied and played me like a fool. Now my own young son hates me and has not been speaking to me.”

“Your father's company I am going to have it trampled to bankruptcy all because of you.”

“And from now on you are now a nobody in Hollywood. No Director will hire you and I am going to have all the big magazines publish scandalous things about you. Consider your whole life, reputation, and career ruined for daring to mess with a Payne.”

My eyes widened as Mr. Payne Snr unleashed his wrath on Annabell.

As she heard all this, her face quickly changed to a desperate and teary one.

“I will go and make all the calls,” Aleksander said with a smirk, turning around and leaving the room to go proudly ruin Annabell’s life.

“No no, please no,” Annabell was now shouting and begging. Mr. Payne quickly motioned for one of the men to tape her mouth again. For he did not want to hear her annoying voice anymore.

“Take her and throw her outside,” he then said to them and she was dragged out, kicking and resisting wanting to stay and beg for herself.

“And you.” My eyes also widened as Mr. Payne Snr turned to me.

I was now already wondering what kind of punishment he was going to give me too.

He really was a scary powerful man.

I was now wishing Aleksander had not left me alone,

“I had no idea about you being in my son's life, if I had known that he was now already in love, I would never have brought Annabell nor fell for her lies. I was getting restless because of my sons not wanting to settle down and give me grandkids.”

“So, will you please forgive this foolish old man and allow me to be part of my grandchild's life,”

I was shocked as he apologized instead.

“Sure,” I replied nervously not knowing what else more to say.

“Thank you. And forgive more for wanting to ask more of you but it's about Damien. Would you be willing to have a second chance with my son? For right now he is drowning in misery and not letting anyone nearby. I need my happy and collected Damien back,” he continued, now looking like a worried father. I was awed by how much he seemed to care for them.

No wonder Damien had continued dedicating his company to him.

“I really want to go and fix things with him, that is if he will still want me back,” I replied now worried too that maybe he would no longer want me back.

“Good, come I will have one of the pilots fly you to where he is.” After saying that Mr. Payne Snr led me up to the sky roof of the mansion. Where unsurprisingly there was a helipad and a personal helicopter. They really were rich beyond imagination.

“Go get him,” I turned around as Aleksander finally came back and was giving me one of his teasing playful smiles.

“Oh, and Ava let my son know that even if he rejects you. You are both still getting married as soon as possible. For no Payne grandchild of mine will be born out of wedlock.” My eyes quickly widened as Mr. Payne said that with a serious look once I was in the helicopter.

I could see he was dead serious and meant it. I was not even going to put it past this old man, kidnapping both me and Damien and having some Priest perform a quick ceremony by force. I now knew where Aleksander got his crazy Mafia ways from, it was from his father! Seems the apple didn't fall far from the tree.

The helicopter quickly took off before I could reply. As we flew, I did not bother looking at the view. My mind was lost in thoughts as I wondered what I was going to say to Damien. I decided groveling was the best. And also texted my mom and Susan to not worry that I was safe.

“We are going to get your daddy back little one, wish me luck,” I whispered while staring down at the bump on my stomach.