My Forced Husband Is A Billionaire

Chapter six

Ava's POV

I stood in one corner of the lavish hall where the engagement party was being held. It was in the grand ballroom of my family's mansion. I stood there, single, watching everyone mingle. Laughter and conversation filled the air, but I felt like an outsider. As always.

I took a sip of my drink, trying to pretend like I was enjoying myself, but the truth was, I didn’t belong here. Not really. I wasn’t the favored daughter, after all. That was Natalia’s title. Not many people here knew about me, as my mother had never seen the need to introduce her second child.

I glanced across the room, my eyes finding her laughing and basking in the attention her guests were showering her with.

I took a final gulp of the rich wine in my glass and carefully placed the now-empty glass on a passing waiter's tray. I had had enough. I decided to go to the garden to relax and only return when the couple would come in.

Outside, the cool breeze felt nice against my skin, and I opened my arms wide to welcome more of it.

“Having fun?” a voice said behind me, making me nearly jump in surprise.

I turned to see Liam staring at me with an amused look on his face. He was dressed very differently from how I'd always seen him in the short time I’d been home. But the dark suit, beautiful red bow tie, and his hair gelled back made him look quite attractive.

If he wasn’t my sister’s fiancé, I would have definitely gone for him.

Surprisingly, he looked like a wealthy man, and the look really did suit him. No one would actually think that he was just a simple library owner.

I didn’t realize that I had been staring until his voice snapped me out of my thoughts. “You’re looking at me like you want to eat me. Should I be scared, Ava Patel?”

I chuckled and replied softly with a small smirk, “You do look good enough to eat. And I really wouldn’t mind.”

He looked at me, unblinking, clearly not expecting me to say that. Even I was surprised by my words. I guess the wine was talking.

Seeing that I had probably left him speechless, I quickly said, “So, what are you doing out here? Shouldn’t you be at your party?”

He smiled, and that made his dimples more prominent. “I thought you could use some company out here, a beautiful lady standing all by herself.”

Oh goodness, he called me beautiful. I blushed a bright shade of red, and I guess he noticed because he chuckled and pinched my cheeks, effortlessly making me blush even more. His hand felt warm and nice on my skin, and I wanted more.

Ava, stop it. He’s your sister’s fiancé.

I laughed nervously. “I guess I’m not much for these kinds of parties.”

“Neither am I, to be honest,” he admitted, glancing around the garden. “It’s all a bit too much, right? But hey, I’m just here for Natalia.”

I smiled politely. “She’s lucky to have you. She needs someone who can handle her… fiery personality.”

Liam laughed, loud and beautiful. "Oh, trust me, I know. She’s got quite the temper when she wants to.”

“Temper?” I raised an eyebrow. “That’s putting it mildly. She used to chase me around the house with a hairbrush when we were kids, just because Dad bought me a teddy bear and bought her a doll!”

“No way!” Liam said, looking surprised. “You’re kidding.”

I understood why he was surprised. The Natalia people knew today would never admit to doing something like that.

“I wish I were,” I said, shaking my head. “She was the one who asked for a doll, but she got jealous when she saw my teddy bear. But she’s calmed down… a little. Though, you might want to invest in a helmet just in case.”

We both laughed, like best friends catching up. He was really easy to talk to. A sure green flag in a man. Natalia was lucky.

“So, what do you think?” I asked, shifting the conversation. “About the whole… Marriage thing? You really think you can handle her?”

Liam shrugged. “Well, I love her. And when you love someone, you deal with the good and the bad, right?”

“Spoken like a true optimist,” I teased.

“I try.” He winked.

I sipped my champagne, feeling a bit more at ease. “Well, I’m happy for her. It’s nice to see she’s found someone who actually cares about her, and not just… well, you know, her wealth and looks.”

Liam nodded, his expression softening. “Yeah, she’s been through a lot with money-hungry men. But I’m here now, so it doesn’t matter.”

His phone buzzed, cutting off our conversation. He glanced at the screen and a small smile tugged at his lips.

“Speak of the devil, or angel in this case,” he said, making me glad to have predicted something correctly.

“It’s Natalia. She wants me to meet her upstairs. Probably wants to make an entrance together.”

I nodded. “Of course. Go be the star couple of the night.”

Liam grinned. “Yeah, something like that. I’ll catch up with you later, Ava.”

“Bye, Liam,” I waved as he headed off, my smile lingering for a moment as I kept thinking about his beautiful face.

I stared down at my half-empty glass, wondering if I should leave now that my entertainment had left. Just as I was about to head inside, my mother appeared at my side, her sharp gaze directed at me. For a second, I thanked God that Liam had left before she came. Who knows what she would have assumed?

“Ava,” she said, her voice cold as ever. “I need you to go to the East Wing. There’s something I left in one of the bedrooms. It's in room three, wrapped in a gift box.”

I blinked, caught off guard. “What? Why can’t you—”

“Just do it,” she snapped. “It’s important, and I can’t leave the party. Don’t argue.”

Sighing, I set my glass down. “Fine, I’ll go.”

Without waiting for her response, I made my way toward the East Wing. The more I thought about it, the more irritated I became. She had once thrown away a handmade gift from me because it 'was cheap and unfashionable.' That memory still stung.

As I walked, I started feeling a bit off. My legs felt heavy, my head heavier. I shook it off, but each step made it harder to think clearly. By the time I reached the bedroom, I was exhausted. I just wanted to sleep.

I pushed the door open and smiled tiredly. The room was dimly lit, and the bed looked soft and fluffy. Perfect for sleep. Just for a minute, I told myself.

Without thinking, I collapsed onto the bed, the softness of the pillows enveloping me. My eyelids fluttered shut, and before I knew it, I was out.

***

I woke up with a start, my body aching, my head pounding. It took me a while to recognize where I was.

Oh no! I didn’t do what I was sent to do. My mother will kill me.

I looked at the desk where the gift was supposed to be, but it was empty.

That’s when it hit me: something wasn’t right. I sat up quickly, but the room spun around me. I wasn’t in the clothes I’d worn to the party. My heart raced as I looked down in horror. I was completely naked.

“What... what happened?” I whispered to myself, trying to piece it together. But everything after I came into the room was a blur.

My phone buzzed with a new message. My stomach dropped when I saw it was from Natalia.

My fingers trembled as I opened the message, my only thought:

Oh my God, what have I done?