The loud ringing of Ava Carter's alarm shattered the silence of her bedroom.
She groaned, burying her face deeper into her pillow.
Five more minutes.
That was all she wanted.
"Ava!" her mother's voice echoed through the house. "It's nine! Get up!"
"I am!" she called back, even though she hadn't moved an inch.
After another minute of convincing herself to leave the warmth of her bed, Ava finally stood up. She stretched, grabbed the oversized black hoodie hanging on the chair beside her desk, and slipped it on before making her way downstairs.
The smell of freshly made pancakes filled the kitchen.
"Good morning, sleepyhead," Emily said with a warm smile as she placed a plate in front of her daughter.
"Morning."
Ava sat down and reached for the maple syrup, but something immediately caught her attention.
Her mom looked... different.
She seemed happier.
Brighter.
Almost like she was hiding the best secret in the world.
"What?" Emily asked after noticing Ava staring.
"Nothing."
Emily raised an eyebrow.
"You've been looking at me for the past minute."
Ava shrugged.
"You're smiling."
"So?"
"You never smile this much before coffee."
Emily laughed.
"Maybe today's just a good day."
"Sure..."
Ava wasn't convinced.
Over the past few months, Emily had changed.
She spent hours texting someone.
She left the house almost every evening, always saying she had "things to do."
Whenever her phone buzzed, she smiled before quickly locking the screen.
And every single time Ava asked about it...
"It's just work."
"It's nothing important."
"Don't worry about it."
The same answers.
Every time.
Emily suddenly clapped her hands together.
"Oh! I almost forgot."
Ava looked up.
"What?"
"I have a surprise for you."
"A surprise?"
Emily smiled even wider.
"I booked us a vacation."
Ava blinked.
"A vacation?"
Emily nodded.
"We're flying to New York tomorrow morning."
For a second, Ava thought she had heard wrong.
"Wait... seriously?"
"Seriously."
"No way!"
A huge smile spread across her face.
"I've always wanted to visit New York!"
"I know."
Emily reached across the table and gently squeezed her daughter's hand.
"I figured we both deserved a little break."
Ava didn't question it.
She was far too excited.
The rest of the day passed in a blur.
She packed her suitcase, made a playlist for the flight, and even searched for places she wanted to visit.
Times Square.
Central Park.
The Brooklyn Bridge.
She couldn't wait.
Later that night, after hours of scrolling through travel videos, Ava realized she was thirsty.
She quietly left her room and headed downstairs.
Just as she reached the last step...
She stopped.
Her mother was sitting alone in the living room, speaking softly on the phone.
Ava couldn't hear what she was saying.
But she had never seen Emily smile like that before.
Then, after a few more seconds, Emily whispered something that made Ava freeze.
"Goodnight... Lorenzo."
Ava frowned.
Lorenzo?
Who was Lorenzo?
Without making a sound, she slowly stepped back and returned to her room.
She climbed into bed, staring at the ceiling.
Tomorrow, they were flying to New York.
And for the first time...
That trip didn't feel like just a vacation anymore.
ŞİMDİ OKUDUĞUN
Owned by them
RomantikA vacation to New York was supposed to be a fresh start. Instead, it became the beginning of a life Ava Carter never asked for. When her mother introduces her to Lorenzo Moretti, a powerful man with dangerous secrets, Ava is forced into a world rule...
