THE BLACKWOOD CONTRACT

Ava Wellington, a bright and aspiring event planner, had always been driven to succeed. But her diligent planning and control had never prepared her for the night that would break her world into pieces.

At a respected charity gala in Manhattan, Ava’s professionalism and beauty caught the eye of Ryder Blackwood, A billionaire with a reputation for getting what he wanted. He sees Ava from a distance, her beauty is all over him, and he cannot resist. He walked up to her,

“Hello beautiful”

She replied, Good evening sir, is there anything you want me to help you with?

He replied, No, my dear. You are beautiful. Are you free tonight?

Ava: No sir.

Ryder: Two hundred thousand for a night. I promise you will have a nice night.

Ava was thinking about the money, knowing it would go a long way for her. She nodded slowly, yes sir I'm interested.

Ryder: Join me at table fifteen by 10 pm. I will be expecting you.

Ava was feeling a bit ashamed of herself, but another thought of the money made her think twice. After some minutes she joined him at the table, they hugged and exchanged greetings. As the night passed by Ava was a bit tipsy from the alcohol served.

They made their way to the car and held on to the nearest hotel. A reservation has been made by Ryder. The hotel receptionist gave them a warm welcome, handing over their room keys to Mr. Ryder. Enjoy your stay, sir. The night was full of memories, they both had fun together but Ava was only doing it for the money. After having a nice time Ryder gave her some cash, and Ava was extremely happy.

In the early hours of the morning, Ava's fears and insecurities resurfaced, and she fled the hotel room, leaving Ryder asleep. After some days she couldn't get over the memories, Ava struggled hard to shake off the memory of their night together. She remembered they didn't ask each other their name, Ava passed the blame on herself.

Later on, her business began to suffer, and her relationship with friends and family grew weakened. She felt lost and unassisted, unable to escape the gravitational pull of Ryder’s presence in her mind.

Meanwhile, Ryder was not about to let Ava vanish from his life. He began to move into her world, showing up at the events and inserting himself into her business. Ava was ripped between her desire for him and her abandoned life. As the stakes increased, Ava’s world began to unravel. She faced monetary ruin, public humiliation, and losing everything that she had labored for. And through it all, Ryder remained a constant presence.

Ava’s life began to untangle with problematic speed, her business partner betrayed her, stealing from their clients and leaving her with a mountain of debt. Her apartment was broken in, her event planning tools were stolen. To top it all off, she was involved in a bike accident leaving her with a painful injury and a bulky repair bill. As she struggled to come to terms with her new truth, Ava’s self-esteem, skepticism, and fear of disappointment consumed her. She felt like she was drenched in a sea of unhappiness, with no lifeline in the picture.

Just when she believed things couldn't get any more alarming, Ava accepted an eviction note from her landlord. She had two weeks to pay her already due rent or face homelessness. She decided to pick herself up and start her life over. Ava wrote application letters to various hotels, restaurants, clubs, schools, and organizations in search of employment, hoping for good results.

Ryder went back to the hall where he met the girl he had one night with, with the hope of getting her contact, but all efforts proved to be abortive because he did not even know her name. The search was difficult. He had to move on with his life, but the picture of her face kept coming back to his memory.

Ava got an email from one of the organizations she applied to, Blackwood Enterprises. She has been given a date for her interview, and with joy on her face, she searches for a corporate outfit for the job interview.

On a beautiful day, Ava set out for her interview with joy all over her. But something strange is wrong with her body system, she's feeling funny. Ava managed to go for the interview because her life depended on her income. The company had a shortage of staff at the moment, after the interview, Ava was told to start work immediately but she requested to resume in two days for her to prepare ahead.

A day before her resumption she found out she was pregnant, leaving her scattered. The thought of her last night with a total stranger left her mind unbalanced. Ava has decided to face her reality, will it be easy for her with her unborn child or will she get rid of the baby?

Ava was not sure if she was pregnant or not, so she decided to visit the hospital after work the next day. She was happy about her new job as a receptionist. Ava got to her Blackwood Enterprises very early and her first time at work, first impressions last forever. With happiness all over her, the manager Mr. Andrew welcomed her and showed her around. The front desk is Ava's office, she was happy to settle in and welcome guests. Other workers introduced themselves to her, They all complimented her beauty and welcomed her. Mr. Andrew told her the boss was not available, and that she must be well-behaved to avoid complaints from the boss.

At the same time, Ava was thinking about her body. She's not feeling well. Could it be pregnancy? She asked herself. No, not now. Or do I need treatment for malaria? She asked herself several questions, , a mixture of emotions on her face as she recalled the events of a few weeks ago. She caught a glimpse of some pain, exhausted all the time, a