Three

I barely slept all night. Whenever I closed my eyes, I saw Ava. I opened my eyes, and I thought of Ava. I play on my phone to distract me, and I search up Ava. It was an endless, sleepless cycle, until my alarm clock had rung early in the morning, waking me for yet another dull work day.

I expect a visit from my mother, I wouldn't be surprised if she is already there waiting for me. I kept checking my phone the entire drive to my office, thankful for a personal driver to chauffer me around, waiting to receive any message from Lucas. I hoped Ava would reach out to me, but I knew there was no way for her to contact me, unless she really did her research, through something told me she isn't interested.

Yet.

I don't know what is making her push me away so much, if it has been the distance in years, or a decision she made a long time ago, when she found out she was pregnant.

My mind swirled with so many questions; why didn't she tell me? Was that the reason she up and left? Couldn't she have at least called on a disposable phone, and let me know I had a daughter? Was that not something the father, the other half of the creation, should know, or have the option to be a part of the child's life?

I hate thinking about it, because instead of making me sad and motivating me to get her back, it made me angry. To this day, it's extremely hard to be mad at Ava for any reason, but when it comes to the subject of having raised our daughter, and keeping the secret from me for so long, I felt myself more emotionally sensitive and vulnerable than I have been, since the day she left without a trace.

Like she had never existed.

I had no physical memory of her, just whatever was in my head, and what I was able to hold onto throughout the years; which is pretty much everything about her. Every single minute of every day we had spent together, I remember it all. Like it was yesterday.

My office door in view, I try to clear my mind and get in business mode, before I smile at my assistant and pick up my mail and calls for the day. I quickly turn around before she can say anything else, and walk into my office.

I am not surprised to see my mother, sitting pretty on my sofa, wearing her usual white, silk gloves and designer hand bag. She smile tightly at me, and I already know what she is going to say.

I left Amber alone at the fair, and she knows it.

I want to humor her anyway, and maybe find out just how she found out herself.

"What are you doing here, mother? We don't have an appointment today, and I have a rather full schedule," I say and toss my coat onto the chair opposite of her, and taking a seat behind my desk, as far away from her as possible.

"I think you know exactly why I am here, so start talking," she says, her tone sharp and eyes narrowed into slits. If I was a child, I would think that the very pits of hell were about to swallow me live from the ground I stood on. Now, that look has no effect on me, and I am able to keep a perfect poker face.

"I honestly have no idea why you would be here, I have nothing to talk about with you, like usual." I try and keep my usual dry, sarcastic humor with her, but she keeps her eyes narrowed on mine, not budging the slightest. "Can you please just tell me what you're going on about, so I can get on with my day?" I ask, and she finally cracks and rolls her eyes.

"I know that you ditched Amber at the fair, and I want to know where you went, and who you were with?" she asks.

"What are you talking about? If you are implying I was anything short of a gentleman that night, I suggest you give her father a call. We had a great chat last night, and he says his daughter has nothing but great things to say about our time together, that I had kept her entertained and happy throughout the night. I'm sure he can vouch for me." I turn and flip open my laptop to try and signal to her that I am done with this conversation, but she doesn't move from the couch.

"Oh, please, I know all about the fake story she fed her father. I'm not sure why she would do that, but I have a very wild guess. Either way, I know what really happened and how furious she was after you told her to wait alone, then never came back. I know you were with someone. Who was it?" she continues to press.

"Like I said, mother, I had a great night and so did Amber. I'm not sure why you're the only one who isn't happy, when you're the one who pushed for this so much," I say and raise a brow at her. She huffs, but has been rendered speechless.

"This isn't over, Ashton. You are hiding something, and I am going to find out what. You are not going to ruin this for me, for our family." She turns on her heel and storms out of my office, slamming the door dramatically behind her. I briefly see the surprise on my assistant's face when she sees my mother, before I'm staring at the dark wood door.

I let out a frustrated breath and dig for my phone in my pocket. I almost jump when I see I have a text from Lucas, telling me to message him back my office address. I quickly respond and tell my assistant that he is coming, and to just let him through the door as soon as he arrives, no clearance needed.

When he arrives, I rush him into my office and demand to know everything he has dug up.

"Alright, I wasn't able to find a whole lot, because it turns out that car isn't hers, it's a company car. It's licensed under the name Sinful Temptations, and I tried to look up the name, but I'll spare you the details of my search. Anyway, it didn't give me her name or address, if she is maybe using a fake name."

"So, you're saying we have nothing?" I grumble.

Lucas shakes his head. "Patience, my friend. Just for you, I called a friend who is a whiz when it comes to finding missing persons and asked for a favor. I gave him Ava's name and rough description based on what you told me, and all the information I was able to find on her parents and their companies." He reaches into his pocket and tosses a few folded papers at me.

I reach over eagerly and snatch the papers, earning a small chuckle from Lucas. I scan the papers with wide eyes, and feel my heart speed up with every word. His friend was able to find the address of the company her car was registered too, and her parents address now. There is a chance she is still living at home, especially with a daughter. Her parents would want both of them close, in case another kidnapping happened.

"What are you going to do with that?" Lucas asks.

"I'm going to whatever this place is to see if she works there, and if she doesn't, I'm not leaving until someone tells me where she is," I say, and I can hear the raw determination in my tone, and feel it in my chest as I spoke the words.

Lucas nods his head slowly and shrugs. "Well, you have my number if you need my assistance again," he says and stands to leave. He stops just before he gets to the door. "But don't wait too long to need my help again, I missed this." He smiles softly at me, and I get a small flashback of all the memories we share as kids.

"I as well, I'll see you soon, Lucas." I wave him good-bye and he takes his leave.

I slowly watch the clock tick by. If I didn't run a multimillion-dollar company, I would've rushed over to the address the moment Lucas had left, but I already skipped one day, I can't skip another. I do have meetings to attend, associates to meet with and deals to settle.

When my day is finally over, I don't even bother to pack up my things and grab my coat to run out. I tell my assistant she is good to leave and make sure she has a stable ride home, before I call my driver over and give him the address of what I hope is Ava's store.

I'm a little surprised when we start to drive towards Manhattan, when the address Lucas had given me for her parents was back in New York City. Though it isn't that far, for some reason my hopes sunk a little as we continued to drive further in. We stop outside what looks like a cake shop, and my driver and I share a confused look, before I get out.

I look up at the sign above the store. It reads Sinful Temptations in dark brown, written in an oval wood sign, with a lighter shade of brown background. It is the exact name of the company Lucas had given me, but it doesn't look like the idea of what I had, when he hinted at his search results of the name on google.

I cautiously open the door and it chimes as it hits small bell above the corner. I take two steps in, before someone calls out.

"I'll be with you in a minute!"

I recognize her sweet voice instantly, and a smile stretches across my face. I take a few seconds to look around the store, and I'm amazed at the eccentric cake designs and structures. I wonder if Ava is the one who created them, or if she is just a worker here. When she was younger, she was an artist, as much as she was a nerd for books and comics. I can see her creating beautiful designs, such as these cakes.

I stop and turn when I hear light footsteps approach the counter behind me, and like the first time I saw her again, my heart stops and my legs melt. She has a sweet smile on her face before she even sees me, but it drops the moment her eyes meet mine, and I miss it immediately.

Her green eyes widen and her lips part. Something in me stirs, and I have to remind myself where I am.

"How did you find me?" she asks quietly. Before I can even open my mouth, she scoffs and rolls her eyes. "Why am I even asking that, if you're still the same Ashton you were three years ago, you probably already know everything about me."

"You're not exactly wrong, but not entirely right. I only know about this place, and I don't even know if you work here or own the place," I say and take a small step towards her. I'm relieved when she doesn't step back, but does cross her arm and shift her eyes away from mine.

"How did you find out about this place?"

"Your license plate on the car, it's registered to here. I just looked up the address." That isn't a lie, I wasn't exactly the person who looked it up, though.

I take another step towards her.

"What are you doing here?" she asks.

"Isn't it obvious?" I take another step towards her. I am now a step away from the counter she is trapped behind. I lean over and place my hands on the glass display of cupcakes. Ava bites her lip and tries to take a step back, but is stopped by the counter behind her.

"Ashton, it's been three years–"

"And I'm still fucking crazy about you," I cut her off, not wanting to hear what she is going to say. "I've been looking for you since the day you disappeared."

She opens her mouth to say something, but quickly closes it, her lips trembling slightly.

"I know she's mine," I say suddenly.

"W-what are you talking about?" she mutters, and moves to the side a little. The movement does not go unnoticed by me, and I tense to ready myself to jump over the counter in case she tries to run again.

"Emily, I know she is my daughter."

Ava starts to shake her head. "I can't do this right now, I can't talk about this," she mumbles and turns to run into the back. I leap over the counter without a second thought and trap her, putting my arms on either side of the counters beside us. She gasps and jumps back.

"I'm not letting you run away again, Ava. There is nowhere you can go, where I can't find you."

"I-what–" she stutters, her eyes glossing over. I reach out to her just as she crumbles to the ground in tears. I catch her arm and hug her to my chest, instantly loving the feeling of her in my arms again, inhaling her scent and memorizing the curves of her back and neck as I bury my face in her hair.

She continues to cry into my chest, her small body trembling as her hands clutches my jacket. I try and hush her, running a soothing hand through her hair to calm her down.

"Everything is okay now, my sweet Ava. I'm here, and I'm never letting you go."