Chapter 5 Ava? She's Not Worth It

• "No need!" Ava spoke decisively, her face expressionless. Without waiting for Dave to respond, she walked away.
• As the sky darkened, Ava couldn't help but worry about Zeke at home and whether he had eaten dinner.
• She sent a message to Zeke. 'Mommy will be home late. Be a good boy; eat your dinner and go to bed on your own, okay?'
• Over the years, her son has been so mature and considerate, far beyond his age. He had become completely self-sufficient and capable of taking care of himself, which eased her worries.
• After texting him that there was food in the fridge and to heat it in the microwave, she received his reply. Ava felt relieved. She put her phone back in her pocket.
• "Sigh!" Dave watched as Ava walked away. He sighed helplessly and quickly followed her.
• ...
• Inside the luxurious Rolls-Royce.
• Damon answered the phone. The butler's panicked voice came from the other end. "Mr. Lindon, Mr. Aster is throwing things again. We can't calm him down!"
• "What's the reason?" Damon asked, instantly feeling worried about him.
• The butler stammered, "He says he wants his mother!"
• Mentioning Madam was taboo in the mansion ever since her tragic death.
• As soon as the butler said that, the sound of objects being shattered on the ground came from the phone.
• Damon touched his forehead in frustration when he heard his son had thrown a fit due to the same reason. Aster had been asking for his mother since he was old enough to understand, causing a major scene every three days and a minor scene every two.
• He would smash things in anger, and his temper was worse than Damon's.
• More importantly, Damon couldn't bring himself to tell Aster that his mother had died, fearing it would break his heart. Every birthday, Aster's wish was always the same. The boy wanted his mother to be with him.
• Whenever Damon saw his son's stubborn and pained eyes, his heart would melt with tenderness and fill with heartache.
• Later, he started to lie. He told Aster that his mother was working abroad and would return when the time was right.
• Aster, as a young boy, believed his father's words and eagerly awaited that day.
• Things took a drastic turn.
• That woman was alive. She lived freely, leaving their son with him.
• At the thought of this, Damon couldn't help but wish to tear Ava into pieces and feed her to the dogs.
• He just couldn't understand; not only was that woman a habitual liar, but she had also never fulfilled her responsibilities as a mother since giving birth.
• Despite never meeting her, Aster always yearned for her.
• Frustrated, he loosened his tie, and it allowed him to breathe more easily.
• He snapped, "Let him smash whatever he wants." Then he hung up the phone decisively.
• Thinking about how he had sent Ava to a nightclub, and the determined and stubborn look in Aster's eyes made his headache worse.
• Damon closed his eyes. He leaned back on the chair and massaged his temples.
• "Ben, hurry up." Damon's deep, raspy voice sounded.
• "Yes, Mr. Damon!" Ben nodded vigorously, speeding up.
• Ben had been with the family since Damon was a child. Initially, he served as Damon's grandfather's driver, then his father's.
• After Damon took over the business, he kept Ben out of respect for their long-standing relationship. After all, Ben had watched him grow up and had always been diligent, never done anything out of line.
• Ben had heard the phone call clearly. Seeing Damon so troubled made him worry.
• "Mr. Damon, may I speak freely?" Ben couldn't hold back any longer.
• "Go ahead." Damon respected him.
• "Since Madam is back and Mr. Aster misses his mother, why don't you let her care for him? Give her a chance to redeem herself," Ben suggested gently.
• "Hmph! Someone like her? She's not worth it!" Damon retorted coldly, his expression stern.
• "No matter what happens, she's still his mother. Mr. Aster is getting older, and you might not be able to hide the truth from him much longer. He could run away from the home to find her and blame you when he learns the truth," Ben warned.
• He tried his best to make the situation sound dire, knowing Damon had a soft spot for Aster.
• As expected, Damon hesitated when he heard the advice from Ben. Keeping Ava close and under his nose was better than leaving her outside unchecked.
• Moreover, Aster's temperament was cold and aloof, matching his sister's description of being cool and domineering.
• He remembered that those women who tried to get close to Aster for their gain had met miserable ends.
• Over time, Aster's notorious reputation had made people afraid to approach him.
• If he were to openly bring that woman into the house as a maid, her questionable behavior would soon shatter their son's idealized image of his mother.
• She would be tormented by Aster until she wished for death, avenging the initial abandonment!
• Hurting someone emotionally was worse than killing them; perhaps this was the best revenge.
• Ben saw Damon's furrowed brow relax in the rearview mirror. He was aware that Damon had accepted his suggestion. Ben focused on driving without further comment.
• "Ben, pass my words around." Damon ordered, "Make sure everyone who knows Ava keeps her identity as Aster's mother a secret." His voice was tinged with pleasure.
• "Yes, Mr. Damon." Ben knew this was Damon's biggest concession and agreed readily.
• ...
• Siren Club's Second Floor Private Room.
• In the luxurious private room, the lighting was dim and hazy. About a dozen men and women were lounging on the sofas, some whispering intimately, others drinking from each other's glasses, and a few singing together.
• As soon as Ava entered, the men's eyes locked on her.
• "Hugh, look at this chick. She's hot!" A man with glasses spoke up first.
• "Yeah! Her body looks great. Bet she's wild!" Another man in a suit and tie, with a sleazy look, ogled Ava from head to toe.
• A man, drinking with a sexy woman beside him, slowly raised his head. He was Mr. Hugh, whose full name was Hugh Swanson.
• Relying on his reputation as a rich kid in the city, he spent his days indulging in luxury and having fun with women.
• Hearing that a beauty had arrived, Hugh's eyes lit up as he looked towards Ava.
• Recognizing her face, he couldn't help but raise his voice. "Well, well, isn't this the former campus belle, Ava Mitchell? You used to be so innocent and untouchable, and now you're working in a nightclub! Haha!"
• "Haha!" Following Hugh's words, the other men joined in, laughing.