Ava opened her eyes to meet the crystallized chandelier. Her body felt warm in the soft bed. Her brain picked immediately that she wasn’t home. Her room bed was way smaller and lacked any form of comfort. Her fingers nibbled the fur coated duvet that covered her, choosing to focus on the brief moment of bliss.

"Ah'm glad to see you’re awake, Ma'am."

The Scottish voice jolted Ava back to full consciousness, sitting up, she mumbled a few words, remembering her bleak future of marriage.

“Where…am I?”

She asked, her mind filled with the thoughts of her previous experience with the unkempt looking crippled….beast.

“One of Mr. Douglas guest house…”

The name rang a bell in her head.

“Where….Scotland?” She asked wondering if they carried her unconscious self on a plane. Her stepmother and sister wouldn’t mind, so she was sure it was a possibility.

“No…not yet….ma’am ” The advanced lady explained.

“Mr. Douglas wants you awake for that, Ma’am.”

“Ava.”

“What?”

“My name is Ava….not ma’am.” She gritted pushing the duvet off her body.

“Mrs. Jenkins…Mr. Douglas’s housekeeper .” The lady responded with a smile, Ava rolled her eyes, paying no heed to the rest things Mrs Jenkins had to say but rather focused on the dressing mirror in front of her.

The door flung open, revealing Alisa and some of the bodyguards. She was dressed in a hot red pant suit and her brown hair resting perfectly in her shoulders, unlike Ava whose hair was in a mess.

“Good to see you’re awake…we need to leave now!” Alisa instructed in a firmer voice than Ava last remembered.

“Leave to where?” Ava retorted.

“Scotland…Mr. Douglas has an important meeting to attend, we can’t be late.” She said, throwing a ring box to Ava who caught it, letting the 24 karats diamond ring blow her mind away for a second before returning to her restraint posture.

“I don’t want this….I don’t want to go anywhere with you, psychos.”

Some of the body guards quickly puffed their shoulders ready to go pick her but Alisa signaled them otherwise. She gave one of the men, the papers she was holding and advanced to Ava, placing them face to face.

“Don’t you get it? It’s either you go in peace or in pieces…I’ll advise you let us remain friends, miss Ava or should I say Mrs. Douglas?”

Alisa scoffed letting go of Ava’s face.

“That’s reminds me… In case you’re thinking of putting up an act at the airport, we not only have your family’s debt documents but a signed comment from a renowned psychiatrist.”

Alisa smiled as she signaled Mrs. Jenkins to get Ava dressed and ready for the airport. Ava stood frozen at such vile system, how desperate they were. Psychiatrist to prove she’s not in her right senses? Even as she dressed in her jeans and shirt, the well of her eyes overflowed with tears of disillusionment, wishing her father was alive.

“Ma’am, I’ll advise you keep calm, the boss hates rebellion.” Mrs Jenkins said in a soothing voice as she led Ava outside.

Ava longed to scream,”I don’t care who your boss is!”

But she remained mute, grilling her anger. If her own family could sell her, it was stupidity to expect otherwise from a stranger.

For the fear of Alisa’s threats, she maintained her composure past the custom officers at the airport, showing the wedding ring that Alisa made her wear. She stole frequent glances at Aiden on his wheelchair who maintained an indifferent expression.

They were led to a private jet where Mrs Jenkins and Ava were left as seat mates but despite Miss Jenkins attempt to get Ava to talk, she remained mute until they touched down Scotland.

Ava admired the beautiful Victorian architecture. The tall buildings and park, how orderly they were constructed.

“You’ll love it here, Ma’am” Mrs Jenkins said.

Ava struggled to keep her mouth closed as the car drove into the largest mansion she had ever seen. Thinking she had seen enough bodyguards, the Douglas mansion shut her comments with the long train of maids and other domestic staff dressed in white and blue uniforms almost like what Mrs. Jenkins wore but hers was more polished and camouflage.

The bodyguards opened the door of Ava’s SUV as she was led upstairs to her room.

Her lips curved a smile, admiring from the polished tiles to the antiques that lined from the living room to the ally. It was the largest space she had visited almost like a modern day museum. Her love for art was already getting triggered, at least a place of escape.

“This is Mr. Douglas’s chamber…. Which is also yours.”

Mrs. Jenkins said, hinting the maids to drop her bag. It was the only bag of clothes she could pack. The way the maids bowed after dropping the luggage gave Ava shrills.

“Is this…some royal family?” She muttered barely above a whisper.

“No…not really…but the Douglas….are part of the country’s royal lineage and also influential.”

“I see…” Ava mumbled, her fingers already nibbling one of the wall paintings.

“The property used to belong to Fredrick Douglas, Mr. Douglas grandfather but before his passing he willed it to Mr. Douglas seeing that this is where he grew and he regards it as delicate… we hope you treat it as such…now that you are the lady of the house.”

Mrs Jenkins said before stepping out of the room, leaving Ava to freshen up.

Ava spent her time in the shower enjoying the hot and soothing water as it caressed her skin. A luxury, Tori and Olivia deprived her. She thought she heard someone walking into the room but paid the sound no heed as she focused her attention back to her business. She stepped out of the bathroom humming and wrapping her towel when she noticed what looked like a mini vault.

Quickly, she advanced towards it, slowly opening the vault and pushing off the cobwebs, revealing a pile of dusty paintings.

“So dusty…” she muttered as she held on to one of the paintings. Utilizing her fingers as wipes, she cleaned the surface revealing the beautiful portrait of a white woman. She cleaned even harder to get a clearer view.

“Wow…” she gasped at the portrait from the handpicked stones to the sugarcoated background. The artist in her yelped in excitement.

“Aaah! Thief!” A grumpy voice announced from behind her. Ava froze in the moment, her hands fidgeting wondering who it was and why she was labeled as thief, her tongue struggled to untangle itself but before finding her words, a deafening alarm resounded, the brightest of light shine in the room as her loosely wrapped towel slid down her chest. Her eyes turned immediately to meet Aiden’s who froze equally at the sight.