My Ex-Husband Begged Me to Take Him Back - Chapter 23

Chapter 23: A mistress?

Ava looked around the office, which was as big as Dylan’s. Soft, plush leather sofas lined one wall, flanked by tall shelves filled with neatly arranged folders and business books. The walls were adorned with large oil paintings.

Her eyes wandered to the massive mahogany desk at the center, polished to a high shine. A sleek, brand-new laptop sat on top, alongside a meticulously arranged pen stand filled with elegant pens.

Everything looked perfect: the office she had always desired for herself.

She moved toward the desk, her fingertips lightly trailing along the cool, smooth surface of the table. As she sat down in the high-backed leather chair, she couldn’t shake the creeping suspicion that had taken root in her mind.

“Why is he being so generous to me all of a sudden?” she mumbled skeptically. “Something is fishy.”

Dylan wasn’t the type to give something without expecting more in return. Ava’s instincts told her there was more going on beneath the surface.

The door flew open, slamming against the wall as Gianna stormed inside, interrupting her thoughts. Ava’s posture stiffened at the sight of Gianna, irritation flaring instantly.

“Is it your habit to barge into someone’s office without knocking?” Ava scoffed, clearly displeased. But Gianna didn’t pay attention to her sarcastic remark. Her mind was already on fire.

“What are you doing here?” Gianna blurted, storming toward the worktable.

Ava didn’t budge. “Wrong question,” she shot back, her tone cold and authoritative. “You’re standing in my office without my permission and wasting my time. Leave.”

“You!” Gianna seethed, her fists clenched at her sides, visibly trembling with rage. “How did you get here? How could you possibly be the new COO?”

“Dylan, the CEO of the company appointed me in this position,” Ava replied cooly. “Are you challenging his decision?”

Gianna’s face contorted with anger. “Ava, you are such a bitch! she spat. “You seduced Dylan to get this position, didn’t you?”

“He is my husband. I don’t need to seduce him.” Ava’s tone was calm. “It’s natural for us to be intimate.” She stood up slowly, moving toward Gianna until they were face to face, arms crossed with quiet dominance. “But a mistress like you needs to seduce him to get his favor.”

“Mistress?” Gianna snapped with indignation. “Who are you calling a mistress? You are the third wheel between me and Dylan. Despite knowing that he doesn’t like you, you shamelessly cling to him. Why don’t you just leave him?”

Ava didn’t blink, not even a flicker of emotion crossing her features. She leaned over to her slightly, her voice dropping to a murmur as she spoke. “Why don’t you ask him the same question?”

“You!”

“You know what Dylan said today,” Ava started before Gianna could say further. “He said he wouldn’t divorce me in this lifetime. That means I’ll be his wife for the rest of his life, and you will always remain in the shadows with no title. So, who is the third wheel here?”

“Humph!” Gianna sneered disdainfully. “You are living in a delusion, Ava. I am the only one he loves. He will do anything for me.”

Gianna’s lips curled into a sly, self-satisfied smile. “I’m the lead in the next big-budget movie Dylan is investing in. Compared to that, your little role as COO is insignificant. One mistake, and he’ll kick you out. And maybe even ruin your career.”

Ava’s lips twisted into a cold, condescending smile. “Observing your acting skill, I have no doubt the film will be a spectacular flop. Poor Dylan—what a waste of his investment.”

Gianna’s anger flared to the point of boiling. She raised her hand to slap her, but Ava caught her wrist. Their eyes locked fiercely, the air between them crackling with hostility. For a moment, it felt as though the entire room had darkened.

“Don’t ever mistake me for a weakling,” Ava hissed. “If you hit me once, I’ll hit you twice.” She stepped closer, her gaze full of unyielding threat. “And I know exactly what you did to me.”

Gianna’s smug expression faltered, the color draining from her face. Panic flickered in her eyes as she realized Ava might have discovered her involvement in the restaurant incident. But how? Who could have told her?

Just as she was wondering, Ava spat, “I won’t turn a blind eye to your wrongdoings like Dylan does. You’ll pay for this.”

Ava shoved Gianna back with a force that sent her stumbling across the room, her eyes wide with shock. Gianna’s fury erupted, her chest heaving with uncontrollable rage.

“You crazy, bitch!” Gianna exclaimed. “You are flying too high. I know how to clip your wings. Just wait.”

Ava, unphased, scoffed in disdain. “One free piece of advice for you—focus on improving your acting skills instead of wasting your energy on me. At least that way, Dylan’s money won’t go down the drain.”

Gianna’s entire body trembled with rage, itching for retaliation, but she held back. She didn’t want to risk Dylan catching her there. She would teach her a lesson later.

“This is not the end,” she snarled. “It’s just a beginning.” With that threat hanging in the air, she stormed out the door.

Grim settled on Ava’s face as she watched her leave. “I endured a lot, and I am not afraid anymore.” She went back to her seat and opened the laptop.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Dylan leaned back in his chair, exhaustion creeping over him after hours of relentless work. His eyes burned from staring at the screen for too long, and his stomach growled softly, reminding him he hadn’t eaten. He thought about grabbing lunch outside.

In the meantime, his gaze landed on the box Gianna had left for him earlier. He hadn’t even touched it, too preoccupied to bother. However, he didn’t show interest in reaching out and opening the box. Instead, he picked up his phone and dialed Ava’s number, intending to ask her to join him in lunch.

The moment she picked up, he wasted no time. “Come to my cabin,” he ordered.

Ava’s response was immediate, her voice clipped. “I can’t.”

Dylan scowled. “Are you refusing to follow my command?”

“It’s lunchtime, Dylan,” she shot back without missing a beat. “I have come to my father’s office to have lunch with him. If you have anything to discuss, we’ll talk later.”

Before he could respond, the line went dead.

Dylan stared at his phone in disbelief. His jaw clenched as a mixture of annoyance and surprise coursed through him. “She disconnected the call on me!” He muttered in frustration. “She is growing more daring by the day.”