Millionaire Marriage

Shadows of the past

Chapter 17

The cramped kitchen felt even smaller as Ava, Ethan, and Lisa gathered around the table, the flickering light from a single bulb casting long shadows across their faces. The weight of their predicament hung heavily in the air, but Ava was determined not to let fear consume her.

"Alright, let's get to it," Lisa said, breaking the silence. "We need to know exactly what we're up against. Ava, can you give me a rundown of what David is involved in?"

Ava took a deep breath, trying to steady her racing heart. "David has been mixed up with some bad people for a while now. He thought he could handle it, but I guess he underestimated how deep he was in. He never told me everything, but I know he's been working with some shady characters—drug deals, money laundering, that kind of stuff."

Ethan's expression darkened. "That makes sense. If he's crossed the wrong people, they won't stop until they find him."

"And that's why we need to act fast," Lisa added, her voice firm. "We can't let them get to him first. Do you have any idea where he might be hiding?"

"I think he mentioned a friend's place on the outskirts of town," Ava replied, frustration bubbling up again. "But he never gave me the details. He wanted to protect me from getting involved."

Ethan shot Ava a sympathetic look. "He was trying to do the right thing, but it just made things worse."

"Yeah, well, it's too late for that now," Ava snapped, anger surging through her. "All that does is put him deeper into this mess."

"Can we please focus?" Lisa interjected, her tone sharp. "We can't afford to waste time arguing. Ava, do you have any way to contact him?"

"I might," Ava said, biting her lip. "I have a few of his old friends' numbers, but I don't know if they'll help me after everything that's happened. They might be scared of getting dragged into this."

Ethan leaned forward, his eyes intense. "We have to try. If we don't reach him first, he could end up in the wrong hands. You have to call them."

"Fine," Ava replied, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. "But if they blow me off, it's not my fault."

As Ava rummaged through her phone for the contact information, Lisa paced the small room, her brows furrowed in thought. "We need to set up a backup plan, too. If you do manage to reach David, we need a way to get to him without alerting the people after him."

Ava looked up, her heart pounding. "What do you suggest?"

"Here's the thing," Lisa said, pausing to gather her thoughts. "We can't go in guns blazing. If we tip them off, we'll lose the element of surprise. We need to find out where he is without raising alarms."

Ava's stomach churned. "What if we get there too late? What if he's already...?"

"Stop," Ethan said sharply, his eyes fierce. "We're not going to think like that. We're going to get him out safely. I won't let anything happen to you or him."

Ava looked at him, the determination in his voice sending warmth through her. "Okay, I'll make the calls."

She dialed the first number, her heart racing as it rang. After a few rings, a gruff voice answered. "Who is this?"

"Ava. I'm looking for David. Is he there?"

"Yeah, but he's not in the mood to talk," the voice replied, sounding skeptical.

"Please, I need to talk to him. It's urgent," she pleaded, her voice trembling slightly.

There was a pause before he finally relented. "Alright, hold on."