Avenging Love

Chapter Forty-one

2nd last chapter!

Jennifer's POV....

I was getting ready for my new job. My time at Aaron's company had come to an end. I couldn’t handle it any longer. So, I left his company permanently. I had finally made the choice to move on for good.

As I stood by the mirror, reaching back to tie my hair, my phone suddenly buzzed on the dresser. The screen flashed with a familiar name: AJ Enterprises.

My hand paused mid-air as a slight frown creased my brow. Letting my hair fall over my shoulders, I picked up the phone and tapped on the message.

'You need to come in urgently today. There are some formalities to complete for employees who have left the company. It’s important that you come now.'

I rolled my eyes, tossing the phone back onto the table with an exasperated sigh. What could Aaron possibly want now? Memories of his endless games flooded back. He always had a way of pulling people back into his orbit. If this is another one of his cheap tricks, I thought bitterly, I won’t let him get away with it this time.

With a determined sigh, I grabbed my phone again, slipped on my coat, and marched out of the house.

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When I got to reception, the receptionist looked up and said,

"Sir’s waiting for you on the roof."

I couldn’t help but scoff, rolling my eyes. Frustration was written all over my face, and I didn’t even realize I’d skipped the elevator. My footsteps echoed loudly in the stairwell as I marched up, too worked up to care. After everything, the last thing I wanted was to see him.

I couldn’t shake the anger bubbling up inside me. I know, Olivia had twisted things, manipulated him, and he’d trusted her without a second thought, trusted her more than me. And for that, I wasn’t sure I’d ever forgive him.

Finally, I shoved open the rooftop door, and there was Alex, standing with his hands on his hips, staring out over the city like he was deep in thought. The wind whipped his hair a bit, making him look all serious and reflective.

"You called me?" I asked him, my voice laced with disbelief as I raised a brow.

"Why would I? Aaron called us."

"Why did he call you?”

"I got a message from the company saying he wanted to talk to me urgently, and that you’d be coming too. I've tried calling him, but he didn’t pick up, so I came."

My heart racing at the thought of what Aaron might be planning.

"I've got a feeling whatever it is, it can’t be good," Alex sighed.

"I don't get this man. What game does he wanna play now?" I asked.

"Let's see," Alex shrugged.

"Sure, we'll see." A familiar voice echoed behind us, laced with a chilling edge. We both turned slowly.

There stood Olivia, holding a gun. Her hand trembled slightly, yet her gaze was cold and steady, the barrel shifting between Alex and me. My breath caught, and Alex looked at me, his face etched with disbelief.

"What's going on?" I asked, my voice trembling.

Olivia’s lips curled into a smirk, her eyes glinting with a disturbing mixture of bitterness and amusement.

"Oh, nothing dear, Just wanted to play with you two a bit." She gave a mocking wink.

"Olivia, put the gun down, we can talk about this. Whatever’s happened, we can work through it." Alex said firmly, trying to sound calm, though I could hear the strain in his voice.

A hollow laugh escaped her lips, echoing through the silence.

"Talk? We’re way past that, Mr. Alex, you two took everything from me, my life, my love, my dreams. And now…" Her grip tightened on the gun, her knuckles turning white. "Now, you’re both going to pay."

Her gaze was sharp and unyielding, a coldness that seemed to cut through the tense air.

Alex slipped his phone from his pocket, moving with careful precision, then clasped both hands behind his back, eyes flicking down as he quickly typed something on the screen. The faint glow illuminated his face as he glanced over his shoulder. But Olivia’s gaze was too watchful, she didn’t miss a thing.

"Drop that phone, or I swear I’ll shoot her," she warned, her voice as steady as her aim, and the barrel of her gun pointed directly at me.

Alex’s expression faltered for a moment, a brief flash of worry crossing his face. Without hesitation, he threw the phone to the floor.

"You know what AJ Enterprises stands for?" her voice laced with venom. "It stands for Aaron and Jennifer Enterprises. Aaron wanted your name to be everywhere, forever tied to his legacy. And now…" She paused, a twisted smile spreading across her face, "this place will be your grave."

She raised the gun, her finger hovering over the trigger, ready to shoot. Suddenly, a sound echoed, stopping her dead in her tracks.

"Olivia stop!!"

As she turned, she saw Aaron standing there, with Jake by his side. While Olivia’s attention was on Aaron, Alex took a cautious step forward, hoping to snatch the gun. But she noticed instantly, stepping back and raising the weapon higher.

"Don’t!" she shouted, her voice sharp as a knife, eyes flashing with fury.

"What are you doing, Olivia? Are you out of your mind?" Aaron yelled, his face a mix of shock and anger.

"They destroyed my life," she spat, her voice trembling with rage. "I won’t spare them, no matter the cost."

Her grip on the gun tightened, her gaze fierce. "She took everything from me," she continued, her voice choked with pain. "She stole my love. Now, no one can save her from me."

"You can't get me like that!" Aaron shouted at her.

"I know I can’t get you like that," she replied, a bitter smile crossing her face. "But I can make sure she never gets you."

As she pulled the trigger, time seemed to slow. Aaron dashed forward, desperation in his eyes as he threw himself in front of me. The deafening crack of the gun echoed, and the bullet found its mark, blood gushing through the wound in his stomach.

“Aaron!” everyone shouted in unison.

I rushed to him, wrapping my arms around his body, feeling the warmth of his blood seeping through my fingers. Tears streamed down my cheeks, blurring my vision as I struggled to process what had just happened.

“Aaron, are you okay?” I choked out, my voice trembling and breaking under the weight of fear, fear of losing him.

His blood dripped steadily, and with each heartbeat, I felt my own pulse quickening. He stumbled back, his body growing heavier in my arms, and I held him tighter, refusing to let go.

"What did you do, Aaron? Didn’t you think about how I would live without you?" I cried, my heart shattering with the realization of what this could mean. The world around us faded, leaving only the two of us in that moment, trapped in a nightmare I couldn't wake up from.

Until then....

"What are your expectations for the final chapter, and what kind of ending do you hope for?"