Ava Carter was just a regular woman navigating life in the bustling city, until one fateful night changed everything. Witnessing a deadly transaction in the shadows of a high-end nightclub thrust her into the world of Damian Moretti, the infamous mafia boss whose name alone evokes fear. Cold, calculating, and ruthless, Damian is a man with no room for weakness. But when Ava's life is placed in his hands, she becomes more than just a liability, she becomes a complication he never saw coming. Trapped in a world of danger, power, and betrayal, Ava struggles to resist the pull of the enigmatic man who holds her captive. As the tension between them ignites into a fiery attraction, both are forced to confront the truths they've buried and the enemies who will stop at nothing to tear them apart. In a city ruled by Mafias, can love survive when trust is a luxury neither can afford?
Chapter 1 A Cup of Ambition
The city never truly slept. Beneath the towering skyline of glass and steel, the world buzzed with life: cars honking, voices rising, and footsteps echoing on the cracked pavement. Somewhere among it all was Ava Carter, weaving her way through the early morning crowd with a bag slung over one shoulder and a coffee-stained apron stuffed inside.
Her destination? The Honeybrew Café.
Ava pulled open the café door, the familiar jingle of the bell announcing her arrival. The scent of freshly brewed coffee and buttery pastries greeted her like an old friend. Behind the counter, Mel: her coworker and closest confidante was already taking orders, her blond hair tied in a messy ponytail.
"You're late," Mel called over her shoulder, her tone more amused than annoyed.
Ava let out an exaggerated groan as she tossed her bag beneath the counter. "Two minutes. Don't tell me you've turned into a clock-watcher, Mel."
"Two minutes is two minutes," Mel teased. "Besides, your favorite customer is here. Table seven. You're welcome."
"Who's" Ava stopped short as her eyes landed on the table in question.
There he was. The man in the tailored suit with the perpetual frown and an aura of quiet intensity. Every morning, like clockwork, he sat in the same spot, a leather briefcase by his side, sipping his espresso as if it were the only thing keeping him tethered to reality. She didn't know his name, but she'd nicknamed him Mr. Routine.
And like every other morning, he was oblivious to her existence.
Ava sighed, grabbing a clean rag to wipe down the counter. "You know, sometimes I think I could spill an entire latte on that guy, and he'd still look through me."
"Don't take it personally," Mel said. "Some people are just robots in human skin."
"Robots who leave good tips," Ava pointed out, gesturing toward the crisp bills tucked beneath his saucer.
Mel laughed, and the sound was enough to ease the tightness in Ava's chest. Moments like these made the monotony of her days bearable.
The Honeybrew wasn't exactly where Ava had imagined herself at twenty-six. She'd once dreamed of designing jewelry, crafting delicate, one-of-a-kind pieces that told stories. But dreams didn't pay the bills, not in a city this expensive. So here she was, slinging coffee and croissants for people who probably didn't even notice her.
But she noticed them. She noticed everything.
Like the young couple in the corner, their hands brushing as they shared a pastry, their laughter filling the air. Or the man in the suit by the window, scrolling through his phone with furrowed brows, a faint shadow of worry etched on his face. The city was full of stories, and Ava couldn't help but imagine what hers might look like if she could rewrite it.
"Hey, daydreamer!" Mel's voice snapped her back to reality.
Ava blinked. "What?"
"Table three needs their order," Mel said, smirking. "Unless you plan on staring into space all day."
"Right." Ava grabbed a tray and balanced two steaming cups of coffee on it, heading toward the waiting table.
As she moved through the café, Ava couldn't shake the feeling that she was stuck in place while the world raced past her. She wanted more than this. More than coffee orders and polite smiles and dreams gathering dust in the corners of her mind.
But every time she thought about leaving, reality hit her like a cold wind. The rent wasn't going to pay itself, and neither were her student loans. For now, this was her life a small, predictable routine in a city that never stopped moving.
She dropped off the drinks at table three with a warm smile. "Enjoy."
"Thanks," the woman said, barely looking up.
Ava returned to the counter, where Mel was eyeing her with an amused expression.
"What?" Ava asked, setting the tray down.
"Nothing," Mel said, a sly grin spreading across her face. "You just looked like you were having an existential crisis over there."
"Funny." Ava rolled her eyes, but she couldn't deny the truth in Mel's words.
The rest of the morning passed in a blur of orders and small talk, and by the time her shift ended, Ava was ready to collapse. She untied her apron and stuffed it into her bag, glancing at the clock on the wall.
"Done for the day?" Mel asked, popping a piece of gum into her mouth.
"Finally," Ava said, stretching her arms above her head. "I feel like I've been on my feet for a decade."
"Well, don't get too comfortable. Tomorrow's another day."
Ava smirked. "Thanks for the reminder."
As she stepped outside, the city greeted her with its usual chaos. The streets were alive with energy, the kind that made you feel small and insignificant if you stopped to think about it for too long. Ava pulled her jacket tighter around her and started walking, the weight of the day pressing down on her shoulders.
She didn't know it yet, but her life was about to change.
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