Chapter 16 - Terminate

Ace

Currently, we were in Liliana's room. By we, I meant me, Ava, Liliana, and that asshole.

No one else in my family knew the truth with exactly to whom Ava was getting married. Once they got to know that she was getting married, all of their expressions had been downed with cold water. They didn't even bother to find out more about the groom, except his name being Simon something. This was also the reason they didn't come to Ava's wedding. Ava had been disheartened back then, but she had understood all of the excuses everyone had given. However, thank goodness for my family being so disinterested in the entire affair. Otherwise, they would have figured out the truth behind Simon.

I crossed my arms against my chest and leaned on the wall in one corner of Liliana's room. Ava was sitting on the bed next to Liliana while that asshole was sitting on the couch.

"Okay, so before I start telling the full story, Ava, I am sorry," Liliana apologized to Ava, who gave her a curt nod in return. "Simon and I have been dating for about two years."

"Then, why was he about to marry Ava?" I couldn't help but ask, my tone coming out more aggressive than intended.

"Have some patience, dude," Simon said with a smirk.

I clenched my fists, and my eyes turned to Ava, who shook her head at me, indicating me to control myself from beating the fuck out of that guy. But God, I wish Ava just understood that anyone who hurt her was already my worst enemy. And now, that worst enemy was dating my sister—out of all the goddamn women in the world.

"It's actually embarrassing," Liliana murmured, lowering her head in shame. "Simon and I had a huge argument a few months ago, then we stopped talking for a while. When I decided to get back with him, he told me that his dad was forcing him to marry someone. I never asked him whom he was marrying and decided to end our relationship forever. I convinced myself to move on from him. Because that's what I thought would be the best choice for everyone involved."

"Then, what happened?" asked Ava.

Liliana sucked in a deep breath and continued, "On the wedding day, I... found out that..." She took a quick peek at my reaction before lowering her head once again. "I found out that I was pregnant. I didn't have the courage to tell anyone about it yet."

I gaped at her in disbelief. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. What the heck? Pregnant with who? Simon's child? How dare that motherfucker knock up my sister? But wait, the woman that came on the wedding day was not—

"Plus, it was too late to inform Simon. So to stop the wedding, I sent an actual pregnant friend of mine to inform the bride that she was pregnant. I swear, Ava, I didn't know you were the bride, otherwise, I would have informed you earlier instead of throwing that last moment bomb."

Again, what the heck?

I was about to walk towards Simon to fucking smash a vase or something on his head because that fucker didn't even deserve to be breathing the same air as Ava and Liliana, but Ava stepped beside me all of a sudden. She snaked an arm over mine and smiled, as if knowing that I was going to kill him.

"It's okay, Lily," Ava said. "Whatever happens, happens for the best."

Liliana finally raised her head and grinned. "I know, right? You and Ace got married that day after realizing the love you guys have for each other. But seriously, Ace, how could you not have proposed to her sooner than Simon?"

"You know him, Lily. He tends to overthink big decisions," Ava lied smoothly.

Ava just kept smiling as I looked at her in surprise. How could she stay so calm in these situations? And how could she always know when to stop me and what to say, just at the right time? Sometimes, I wonder what my life would've been without her.

I mean, we were best friends, after all, and she was important to me. I married her only for her request, nothing else.

"I am grateful to the person who kidnapped me at the last moment, to be honest," Simon spoke up. "If I wasn't kidnapped, maybe I would have married Ava. But I love Lily, and now that I am going to be a dad, it makes my happiness double."

I didn't know why, but I wasn't getting a good vibe from Simon. I never did when he was dating Ava as well. He always felt like he was bad news, but he was saying he loved Liliana, who was carrying his child too. I guess I have to tolerate him just for Liliana's happiness.

"By the way, since everything is clear now," Ava started, "Congratulations, Lily! I am so happy for you." She pulled Liliana into a hug, letting go of my hand.

After pulling away from the hug, Liliana approached me shyly. "I didn't disappoint the whole family, Ace, did I?"

I couldn't help but smile as I pulled her into a hug as well. "Of course not, sis. You could never disappoint us. Pride and affection is all we will ever feel for you." Liliana got teary-eyed and hugged me tighter. "Congratulations, sis. We are all going to love your child." Even if the child had Simon's blood, it didn't matter. I would still love him or her all the same. After all, it would be my first nephew or niece.

"Thank you!" Liliana chirped.

"Hey, is no one going to congratulate the father?" Simon chimed in.

"Oh, Simon, you just can't handle being out of the spotlight, can you?" Liliana chuckled as she pulled away from our hug.

"I don't mind sharing it with you, babe. But your brother and sister-in-law seem to have completely forgotten—" Ava cut Simon short so that he could no further try to poison Liliana's head.

No, Ace, you can't just automatically assume the worst of him. He's the father of your sister's child, I told myself internally so that I wouldn't just go and kick him in the guts.

"Congratulations, Simon," she said with her signature fake smile, then looked towards me, hinting me to say it as well.

"Congrats," I muttered begrudgingly.

"Thank you," Simon replied with a big smile that got on my nerves.

"Oh, by the way, Simon will stay here till my delivery. We have decided to get married after our baby is born. I will tell Mom and Aunt Luna about it tomorrow," Liliana informed.

"Okay," was all I could say. Liliana was happy, and nothing else mattered to me; not even that annoying motherfucker staying here. "Goodnight," with that, I walked out of the room, grabbing Ava's hand.

She stayed quiet till we went into our bedroom.

"It was all so weird, but all went well, which is good, I guess," Ava said and sat on the edge of our bed.

I just hummed in response and grabbed a file from my nightstand. I opened it and sat down on the couch. She took the television remote and started surfing through Netflix.

"You still don't trust him, Ace, do you?"

"I don't. But I will try just for Lily. However, it's best if you still maintain a safe distance from him."

"I will, don't worry," she assured and turned her head to look at me pointedly. "Also, you should learn to stay calm. You have so much money, then why did you never take anger management classes all this time? Or, maybe your mom enrolled you, but you never attended the classes."

I chuckled. "You guessed the answer, so why even bother asking me?"

She gasped. "You were actually enrolled in anger management classes?" I gave a curt nod, and she further asked, "Why didn't I know about it?"

"Because I never attended it," I replied curtly.

"For real, Ace?" she asked in disbelief.

"For real, Ava," I mimicked to which she narrowed her eyes at me.

"I can't believe you never told me about it. We have been together for a long time now, and still, I was clueless about it."

I arched an eyebrow in amusement. "You do realize the way you said we were together sounded wrong, don't you?"

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Just do your work and let me watch the series in peace. Or, maybe I will watch a movie. Never mind, I will stick to Peppa Pig."

I laughed at her words. Even when we used to chat or talk over the phone, she would always tell me that she was confused about what to watch on Netflix because there were apparently too many choices. In the end, she would just watch the familiar, which was Peppa Pig.

She was amazing and so peculiar. And I liked her. I liked her so much, way more than a friend.

I loved the way she could figure out how to amend the design of a dress made by one of the best designers in the world but for the life of her couldn't pick out a series to watch. I loved talking to her. I loved watching her with my own eyes, rather than through the lenses of the camera. I loved that she was so stubborn and smart and just... so perfect.

I didn't want to keep feeling this way, but since our wedding and that kiss, they were just growing stronger. And now, I think I was losing control.

Before we got married, I controlled the unusual feelings I felt for her because I thought there was no future. But now, I won't stop it. Because she was my wife, and our futures were now interlinked for the rest of our lives. Therefore, I had every right to like her.

###

Ava was fast asleep next to me.

I closed my file, and as I was about to turn off the lights, I received a call. Thank God, my phone was on silent mode, otherwise, it would've woken Ava up.

It was my assistant, Veron Justice.

I got up from the bed and walked to one corner. When I received the call, the first thing Veron said was, "Sir, mission accomplished. I kidnapped the businessman Marco Leonard, who was competing with your company. What do you want me to do with him? Shall I do the same we did with the previous businessmen we kidnapped?"

I smirked and ordered, "Yes. Finish him off."