Ava's heart pounded as she stepped into the conference room, coming face to face with the man she had hidden from for the past seven years. She watched as he looked up at her, his glare softening, his eyes full of unreadable emotions.

"Welcome, Miss Daisy," Alex said, offering her a handshake. She took it, her hand trembling slightly.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," she said, forcing a smile onto her face. Alex gestured around the table.

"This is Mr. Luciano, the CEO of the company," Alex said, introducing Luciano to Ava. "And this is the board of directors."

Ava nodded, taking in the faces around the table. She recognized some of them from her research on the company, and they all seemed friendly enough.

"It's a pleasure to meet all of you," Ava said again.

Alex gestured for them to take a seat at the table.

Alex cleared his throat and started speaking. "Miss Daisy has a lot of experience in the fashion industry, and she will be a valuable asset to our team. She has an eye for detail and a passion for creating beautiful designs. I'm excited to see what she can bring to the table."

Luciano's gaze lingered on Ava, his expression impossible to read. Ava shifted nervously, coughing to break the eye contact. Derek patted her on the back, causing Luciano's fist to clench.

Derek smirked, breaking the tension. "Shall we get started?" he asked, looking at Ava expectantly.

Alex nodded. "Go ahead, Miss Daisy. The board is all yours."

Ava took a deep breath to steady her nerves, and began to speak. She outlined her proposal, discussing the benefits it could bring to the company. She could feel Luciano's gaze burning into her, his eyes following her every movement.

The presentation went on for what seemed like an eternity, but finally it was over.

"That was excellent, Miss Addams," one of the board members said, breaking the silence. The others nodded in agreement, and a few even clapped.

"You may all leave now," Luciano said, his voice low and harsh. The other board members filed out of the room, without a word. They knew better than to defile his order.

Ava felt a shiver of fear as her eyes met Luciano's. She began gathering her things, wanting to get out of the room as quickly as possible.

"Alex, wait for me in my office," Luciano said, his eyes still fixed on Ava.

She hurriedly packed her things, her hands shaking. When she looked up, Luciano was right in front of her. She gasped, having no idea how he had moved so quickly.

"Mr. Luciano," Derek started to say, but Luciano cut him off.

He pulled out a gun out of nowhere, aiming it at Derek's head. Ava gasped, her heart racing.

"Tell him to leave," Luciano ordered, his voice icy cold.

"Derek, please go," Ava said, her voice shaking.

“But dais…..”

"For my sake." She cut him off, forcing a smile, hoping it would hide her fear.

Luciano's fist clenched as he watched Ava beg another man.

Derek glared at Luciano, his expression full of anger and contempt. He turned and left the room, the door slamming behind him.

Luciano lowered his gun, his eyes never leaving Ava's. A range of emotions played across his face, from anger to sadness to relief.

"Ava." he called, his voice trembling with emotion. His wolf was howling inside him, its joy at the sight of their mate almost overwhelming.

Ava’s mouth went dry and her words caught in her throat. She struggled to find her voice.

“Lu-Lu… Lucian.”. She manage to choke out.

She stared at him with her heart pounding in her chest. He still looked the same as he always had. He was even more handsome then she remembered. Tall and broad-shouldered, with a frame that was both muscular and lithe.

His dark hair was shiny and neatly coiffed, and his green-black eyes were mesmerising. From a distance, they looked almost black, but up close they were flecked with tiny gold flecks that seemed to shimmer in the light. They were beautiful. His eyes were the first thing she fell for.

Lucian stepped closer, placing a hand on her waist and pulling her close. She could feel his breath on her face, his lips only inches from hers.

The heat of his body radiated against hers, and his breath was warm on her face. His lips were so close to hers that she could feel the soft brush of his breath against her mouth. Her heart was pounding in her chest.

“Mr Lucian.”. She called, her hands pressing against his chest, trying to push him back a little.

“Ava.”. He called in a low but warning voice.

There was something in his voice that made her shiver, a note of authority that made her knees weak. She found herself unable to look away from his eyes, her heart pounding in her chest.

She bit her bottom lip nervously, not even realising what she was doing.

Lucian’s eyes immediately flashed with desire and want.

“Lucian, please let me go”. She pleaded.

“Why? Why should I let you go?”.

“So you can leave me again? Like you did seven years ago? Or is it because your new man is waiting outside for you?”.

Ava stared at him in shock.

“Answer me Ava.”. He yelled, tighten his grip on her.

A painful whispered escape her lips.

“Lucian you’re hurting me”. She cried.

“I’m hurting you? Do you have any idea how I almost lost my mind when I couldn’t find you beside me? Do you know how much pain I went through? Do you know how much I have missed you, long for you? Only to find out you’re safe and healthy but in someone else’s arm, reeking of his scent” His voice low and dangerous.

“Did you ever loved me Ava?”. His voice was low but filled with pain.

Ava's eyes flashed with anger, her jaw clenched tight.

How could he question her love for him

Before she could speak, another voice cut through them.

“GET. YOUR. HANDS. OFF. MY MOTHER.”

"Get your hands off my mother" a voice growled from behind them.

Luciano froze, a shiver running down his spine at the sound of the voice. The voice was low and raspy, like it belonged to a wild animal.

He turned around slowly, letting go of Ava as his eyes locked onto the small figure that stood in front of him.

"Mother?" he repeated, his voice hoarse. He looked from the boy to Ava.

"Nathan" Ava called, rushing forward to embrace her son. "What are you doing here?" she asked, her voice trembling.

"Nathan?" Luciano called again, his voice a little louder this time.

Ava's heart skipped a beat, and she placed a hand on her son's shoulder, pulling him protectively behind her. She stood in front of him, facing Lucian.

"Mr. Luciano," Ava said, her voice shaking but firm. "I would like to leave now." She said, her eyes fixed on Luciano.

Luciano's gaze flickered between Ava and the boy, his expression unreadable.

Finally, he nodded slowly. "Very well," he said, his voice cool and detached.

Ava looked at him curiously, the Lucian she knows won’t just let things go like that.

She grabbed her son's hand and hurried out the door, her heart pounding fast in her chest.

As they left the room, she glanced back over her shoulder, catching a glimpse of Luciano's face. He was watching them go, his expression unreadable. She shivered, a chill running down her spine. Something told her that this was far from over.

Luciano reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. He dialled a number and it was answered after the first ring.

"Daisy Addams," he said into the phone, his voice calm and dangerous.

Luciano didn't need to explain anything further. Drake knew exactly what to do.

"Now that I've found you," Luciano said, his voice low and dangerous, "I'm not going to let you go so easily."

"I want to see how fast you can run now, my little rose ."

********************************

Ava climbed into the car, her hands shaking as she buckled Nathan into his seat. "Let's go." she said, her voice trembling with emotion.

She held her sim closely, her arms wrapped protectively around him.

The driver, Jeff, started the engine and they pulled away from the curb.

Derek followed their car from behind frustratedly. His Lamborghini was designed for only two people.

"I won't let you take her from me this time, Luciano." he snarled, his voice low and menacing. "She's mine now, and you can't have her back." He murmured to himself.

He packed in front of Ava’s house, entering the house as he called after her.

“Daisy, daisy wait up.”.

“Why derek?? why did you call Nathan?”. Ava yelled.

“Mother….”

“You better stay out of this”. She warned.

“Daisy I didn’t tell Nathan to come, you weren’t picking his call and he called me. I have no choice but to tell him what was going on”. Derek explained.

“You shouldn’t have and you know why Derek”. Ava cried.

“Daisy”. He tries to touch her.

“Step away uncle derek. Do not touch my mother”. Nathan stood in front of her protectively.

Derek clenched his fist together angrily. Nathan was no different from his father.

“I want to be alone, you can leave now derek.”.

“Daisy…”

“Please”. She plead.

Derek stared at her, taking a deep breath to calm himself down.

He move close to hug her but Nathan blocked him.

“I said step away uncle derek.”. He growl angrily.

Derek glared hard at him before storming off angrily.

Ava signed and walked inside with Nathan trailing behind her.

Her seven years of hiding from him just got ruin in one day. Why didn’t she even think of it? How could she not know AL JEWELRY means Ava Luciano jewelry.

Now she herself walked into his den.

“Mother.”. Nathan called.

“Not now Nathan, I need to rest.”. She shut him up and walked to her room.

Nathan clenched his teeth angrily, how dare that man put his mother in bad mood.

******************************

LUCIANO

"She's Ava.” Derek said from the other end of the line. Luciano couldn't help but smile.

"I know," he said, his voice low and amused. "Send me all the information you have on her. I want to know everything”.

"Luciano, the only thing you need to know is that she has a seven-year-old son named Nathan.”

"Tell me everything you know about him," Luciano demanded.

"He's seven years old, and he owns 30% of his mother's company," Derek replied. "He's also a top-ranked hacker, one of the best in Paris.”. He added

Luciano was silent for a moment, trying to process what he'd just heard.

“And he’s seven??”. Lucian repeated surprisely.

“Yes”.

"If Ava's company is one of the top five, how did you not notice her or her son's existence until now? You're telling me a seven-year-old boy outsmarted you?”. Luciano asked.

Drake said nothing.

Luciano let out a dry, humourless chuckle.

"Send me everything you have on them," he said. "Everything without missing a single detail." Without waiting for Drake's response, he hung up the phone.

“Nathan”. Lucian called repeatedly.

“We wanted to give our child that name Ava, but you gave my child’s name to someone else’s son.”.

“Daisy Addams”. Lucian called chuckling.

“And who gave you the right to call my mother’s name?”. Nathan said, stepping into his office.

Lucian cocked his head to the side studying Nathan with interest. A smirk found its way to his face.

“You sure do have some courage young man. I must say I’m impressed.” He let out a low chuckle.

“Why won’t I? After all, I'm my mother’s son.”. Nathan responded, settling into the seat across Lucian.

Lucian could hardly believe he was just a seven years old boy. The way he carried himself was like an eighteen year old. And his body does look like that of eighteen.

“Aren’t you scared? Walking into the lion’s den all by yourself?”. Lucian said, trying to create fear in him.

Nathan smirk.

“The only thing I fear is my mother’s anger. After that I fear no man, not even you, Mr Luciano..” He responded confidently.

“So yeah, you may be intimidating, but I ain't shakin' in my boots. To be frank, I’m quite impressed by you. No man as ever made my mother sad before, not to the extent of her not talking to me and you just broke that record. I gotta give you props for being the first man to get under my mother's skin like that. I’m very impressed.”. Nathan smirk, using the same tone Lucian used on him.

"What can I say? I love breaking records.". Lucian said, trying not to sound surprised at the words coming out of a seven years old boy.

If he was a wolf then he won't be surprised because werewolf are naturally more smarter than human, most especially a lycan.

But this little guy is a human. Lucian couldn't smell any wolf scent on him. Nor is he a vampire.

"Why are you here?". Lucian said, getting all serious.

"I have a deal for you".

“Nathan.”. Ava called out to her son.

“Nathan. This isn’t the time to play hide and seek. Come out now.”. She yelled.

“Nathan.”. She started panicking. When she noticed he wasn’t in the house.

With trembling hands she picked up her phone.

“Derek, I can't find Nathan.”. She cried into the phone .

“Calm down daisy. I’m sure he’s somewhere in the house.”. He assured her.

“He’s not here, I have looked around, he's not in his room.”. She cried.

“Lucian...” She suddenly whispered.

“Could he have gone to Lucian’s office?”. She asked, scaredly.

“No daisy, Nathan won’t do that he barely even knows Luciano.”.

“No Derek, I know Nathan once he gets curious about something he won’t rest until he gets to the button of it. Do something please. I don’t want my son meeting Lucian.” Ava cried out.

“Daisy calm down, just breath I will be there in few minutes. Ok?”. Derek asked.

“Ok.”. She whispered back before hanging up.

She quickly grab her bag and was about to walk out of the door when Nathan walked inside.

“Nathan, where were you? Huh?”. She asked with concern written all over her face.

“Mom I’m fine you don’t have to worry.”. He responded, holding his mother’s hand.

“Where did you go?”. She asked.

Nathan avoided her gaze, stepping aside.

“Mom I just went to check something out.” He lied unable to look at her.

“Nathan.”. She called warning him.

“Don’t you dare lie to me.”. She yelled, pulling him back.

“I’m not lying mother.”

“Look at me in the eyes.”. She ordered.

Nathan raised his head up, looking at his mother lovely.

“Mother, you know your eyes are my weakness and I can’t look at them and lie. But please mother. I do not wish to tell you where I was. Please don’t ask me.” He pleaded.

Ava stared at her son in shock. She stepped back in fear. Her son was becoming exactly like his father, this was the reason why she didn’t stay with him. She doesn’t want her son to turn out like his father.

Even though she knew Lucian was not a bad person, he was ruthless. His No is alway No and Nathan is taking that step now. For the first time in seven years, he had hid something from her.

“Mother.”. He tried to touch her.

“No, don’t call me your mother. If you really consider me your mother then you will tell me where you went.”. She said, hoping he would open up.

Nathan took two steps back from his mother, leaving her in total shock.

“You still won’t tell me?”. She gasped in shock.

“Mother, I have always respected your decisions. I only ask you for one thing, mother. Can’t you at least listen to me for once? I didn’t say I won’t tell you later on but for now I don’t want to. And I hope you won’t ask me until I am ready to tell you..” He said.

Without waiting for his mother’s response, he walked towards his room. Shutting the door behind him.

Ava stood there in shock. Just one day, and her son has changed so much after seeing Lucian for one day.

“Daisy,gentle ,gentle.” Derek hurriedly grabbed her as she was about to fall.

“It’s just one day and he’s already behaving like his father derek. Nathan never hid anything from me but today he almost lied to me.” She cried.

“I don’t want my son to live like Lucian. I don’t want him to. I don’t want him in Lucian’s world.” She added crying.

Derek hugged her, bringing her closer to his chest.

“He won’t,I’m here. As long as you don’t go back to Lucian. Nathan won’t be like him.”

“That’s just the problem derek.”. Ava whispered, breaking off from his hug.

“Lucian has been looking for me for seven years now. Now that he saw me, he won’t let me go that easily. And if he finds out Nathan is his son. Not only will he come for me but Nathan too and he will make sure I never leave him again”.

“And I can’t live without my son derek.”. She sobbed.

“Calm down daisy.”. He whispered, handling her water.

Her phone beeped insistently, its ringtone cutting through the silence.

“Hello.”. She whispered into the phone.

“Ava.”. A feminist voice came out from the other side of the call.

“Maya..”. Ava called sobbing.

“What the fuck happened Ava?.”

“Lucian, he saw me maya.”.

“Dont you fucking cry, I’m coming over right now.”. She yelled before hanging up the call.

“Is maya coming over?.” Derek asked.

Ava nodded, cleaning her tears.

Derek clenched his fist together, he dislikes maya a lot.

He despised how she incessantly pushed Ava towards reuniting with Luciano.

“Ava, Ava.”. Maya called, immediately she got in.

“Maya.”. Ava hurriedly ran to hug her, hugging her tightly.

“Lucian, he saw us, he knows about Nathan now.”.

“I don’t see a problem with that.”.

“Maya…”. Derek wanted to speak.

“Please I’m talking to my best friend and I’d appreciate it if nobody interrupts us.”. Maya shunned him.

Same way Derek didn’t like her, she didn’t give a shit about him either, her apathy towards him as palpable as his disdain for her.

“Ava, Luciano is the father of your child, and he has every right to know about his son. I think it’s high time you go back to him.”

“She won’t go back to that bastard.”. Derek yelled.

“Why?.” Maya demanded, peeling away from Ava as she advanced towards Derek with haughty strides, her steps exuding confidence.

“Why won’t she? He is Nathan’s father and her husband.”.

“She will have to go back to him eventually.”.

“She won’t go back..”

“Why?”. She demanded again.

“Is it because you are in love with her and can’t stand her going back to Lucian?”.

*********************************

Lucian smiled happily as he rolled around on his chair. Recoiling the little guy's words.

“I have a deal for you.”. He said confidently.

Lucian raised an eyebrow with a sly grin.

A playful smirk crossed Lucian's lips. "A deal, huh? Now, what could a seven year old have to offer me?" he challenged, curious to hear the boy's response.

“I know I’m seven, y’all don’t have to remind me and I’d be eight soon.”. Nathan rolled his eyes.

Nathan's eyes twinkled mischievously as he met Lucian's gaze. "I have the key to something you want", he said cryptically, "something you desire above all else."

Lucian gazed into the boy's eyes, struck by their uncanny resemblance to Ava's. But where Ava's eyes radiated warmth and life, Nathan's seemed cold and empty, like the eyes of a young man who had seen too much.

Lucian's tone was flat and emotionless as he said, "So, what's the deal, boy?"

Nathan's lips curled into a predatory smile. "Finally, you're speaking like a man. I like that."

Lucian busted out laughing in his seat. As the chat with Ava’s son flashed through his mind. If her son behaves like this then, he would mind adopting him when he gets Ava backs.

Lucian couldn’t help but chuckle as he thought of derek. He would love to see what Derek would do.

And to think Ava actually left him for Derek?? to top it all Derek was actually behaving like he’s a business man..

It was just absurd..

“My little rose, let's see how fast you can run.”.

*********************************

**THE NEXT MORNING**

“You did what?”. Ava screamed.

“I signed the deal with Mr Lucian.”. Nathan said once again.

“Did I ask you to? Did you get my permission nath?.”. She yelled at him.

“Mother, I also have the right to make decisions in your company. I own 30% of it, don’t forget mom.”.

Ava scoffed.

“I would not be working with Lucian, I’m calling off the deal the moment I get to the office.” Ava yelled before storming off.

Nathan smirk, for some reason he likes Lucian…. For his mother.

Ava angrily drove to the office, smashing her bag on her seat. She ran her hand through her hair frustratedly.

Perhaps the saying was right. Blood was thicker than water. Even though Nathan had never for once met or seen Lucian before yesterday. They clinked so fast and Nathan even signed a deal with him.

He doesn’t even like Derek who has been with her for seven years. He would shake in anger when Derek came close to her but he just signed a deal with Lucian like it was nothing.

She called her secretary to bring her tea as she was in no mood to work right now. Lucian wouldn’t let get cut off the deal not when he’s so obsessed with her.

He would definitely punish her for the last seven years, but why does the thought of getting punished by him send pleasure down her spine.

“Oh God, I am so messed up.”. She whispered.