My Forced Husband Is A Billionaire

Chapter 16

Ava's POV

I sat in my usual corner at Liam’s library, the comforting scents of old books and polished wood wrapping around me like a familiar embrace. It had been a week since I left my job at Winston & Co., and a week since Jeremy had tried to—

I shivered, the memory making my whole body tense.

I had sworn I would never return to that place, no matter how desperate things became. It wasn't worth it.

With a sigh, I opened my laptop, its glow casting my face in a pale light. I had sent applications to several companies, but the silence from each and every one was making me lose all hope. Something kept telling me that Jeremy was behind this. Spreading lies, sabotaging my reputation, and defending his name.

He's lucky I didn't sue his ugly scrawny ass.

“What are you working on so intensely?” Liam’s voice suddenly cut me off from my thoughts, drawing me back to the present.

He plopped into the chair opposite me, his usual beautiful grin lighting up the atmosphere. My face flushed instantly, my pulse spiking as he leaned closer, trying to peek at my laptop screen.

“Just job applications,” I said, trying to sound casual. “Still waiting to hear back from a few places.”

He raised an eyebrow, his gaze softening. “Not easy, is it?”

“No,” I admitted, crossing my arms over the laptop. “Feels like no one wants to hire me. Like I’m just some troublemaker.” I paused, my voice dropping lower. “I’m sure Jeremy’s spreading stories about me.”

Liam shrugged, leaning forward and resting his chin on his hand. “Who cares what they think? That place doesn’t define you. You’re stronger than all of them combined. Trust me, you’ll find something better.”

I gave him a small smile. “I hope so.”

For a moment, his expression grew more intense, his eyes holding mine with an intensity that made my stomach flutter.

“So, tell me—what are your dreams, Ava? What do you really want to do?”

I hesitated. No one had ever really asked me that before, or cared enough to hear the answer. “I had a plan,” I started slowly. “I wanted to make a name for myself. To show my mom and sister that I could be successful on my own, without their control. But after everything Jeremy did... it all just fell apart. Now, I feel lost.”

Liam’s gaze softened. He reached over and brushed a loose strand of hair away from my face, making me gulp. “You’re not lost, Ava. You’re just finding your way. The road isn’t clear right now, but it will be. You’re stronger than you know, and I know you’ll find your place.”

His words made me smile, warmth filling my chest. No one had ever taken such an interest in my dreams before. I hesitated for a moment and then decided to open up a little more.

“If I could work anywhere,” I said, my voice softening, “I’d love to work for Blackwell Industries. I don’t want to stay there forever, but just for a while. They’re the biggest, and everything they stand for is what I aspire to. They’re ethical, innovative, and they genuinely care about people. It’d be a dream to work for them.”

He watched me, his lips curling into a smile. “You admire them a lot, huh?”

I nodded, my eyes lighting up. “Absolutely. To create an empire that’s about more than just profit—that’s about people and community—that’s what I dream of. And the Blackwells... they’re so humble, even with everything they’ve accomplished. It’s inspiring.”

Liam raised his eyebrows, impressed. “You’ve really thought this through, haven’t you?”

I gave a sheepish smile. “I guess I have. It’s just... they’re everything I wish I could be.”

He nodded, his gaze unwavering. “You will get there. You just need to keep your eyes forward. You’ve got too much potential to let anything hold you back.”

“Yeah, but with Jeremy’s influence still out there, it feels impossible. What if I’m just not good enough?”

Liam’s eyes flashed, and his voice turned firm. “Ava, you are more than enough. Don’t let that jerk make you doubt yourself. Every obstacle is just a stepping stone, remember that.”

I opened my mouth to argue, but he cut me off. “You married a stranger, someone from a completely different world, and you didn’t break. If anything, it shows how strong you are. You’re a gem, Ava.”

I blushed at his words, unable to help the smile spreading across my face. His support, his kindness—everything about him felt almost too good to be true.

We kept chatting, the tension slowly dissolving into lighthearted stories and shared laughter. Moments like this reminded me that despite everything, there was still joy to be found.

“Okay, that’s enough job hunting,” Liam declared, getting up with a mischievous glint in his eyes. “We need a break. How about a challenge? Let’s see who can finish reading a book faster.”

I laughed, my competitive streak flaring. “Really? You want to lose that badly?”

He grinned. “Careful there baby. We’ll each pick a book and see who gets done first.”

His words blurred in my mind, my focus stuck on one thing. Baby. He’d called me that so casually. The way it slipped off his tongue made my insides twist in the best way.

A sharp flick to my forehead pulled me out of my thoughts. “Ow, what was that for?” I protested, looking up at Liam.

“You were miles away. If you’re going to zone out, I might as well declare myself the winner right now.”

I glared playfully. “You wish. Let’s talk about rewards then.”

He arched an eyebrow, smirking. “Okay, if you win, you get a beautiful surprise. I’ll show you later. If I win, I get a kiss on the cheek... three times a day.”

My eyes widened, my heart skipping a beat. I found myself caught between two tempting options—winning or losing on purpose for those kisses. It was possibly the most delightful “punishment” I’d ever been given.

“Deal,” I grinned, shaking his hand.

We wandered through the aisles, the quiet rustle of pages and muffled footsteps the only sounds around us.

Later, we returned to our table, laughter spilling out as we shared jokes and ridiculous stories. It was moments like these that made me feel like maybe, just maybe, I could be okay again.

But just as we were about to leave, Liam’s phone buzzed. He glanced at it, his smile fading. “Sorry, Ava, I need to take this—it’s important.”

“Go ahead. I’ll wait here,” I said, leaning back in my chair.

He came back a few minutes later, his expression apologetic. “I have to go,” he said. “Something urgent came up. Let me drive you home?”

I nodded, trying to hide my disappointment. “Sure.”

When we reached my apartment, Liam leaned closer before I could leave. “Ava, remember—you’re stronger than you realize. You’ll be fine.”

I nodded, my heart a mix of gratitude and longing. “Thanks, Liam. For everything.”

He smiled, and for a moment, his gaze lingered on me before he finally pulled away. I stepped out of the car, giving him a final wave as he drove off.

As I approached the front door, something caught my eye—an envelope sticking out of the mailbox, my name written across it in neat handwriting. I glanced around, but the street was empty.

I tore the envelope open, my heart pounding as I pulled out the letter. For a second, the words blurred, but then they came into focus.

My breath caught in my throat.

How could this be possible?