Diamonds or Love
Chapter 1 – A Woman Alone
Ava was forty-five. She worked in a finance office in New York. She looked younger than her age. She dressed well, walked with confidence, and carried herself with grace. People always noticed her. Men admired her beauty. Some tried to get close. Some even dreamed of marrying her. But Ava never let anyone come near her heart.
Five years earlier, Ava’s life had changed forever. Her husband died in a car accident. That day had cut her into pieces. She had loved him deeply. He had been her safe place. His laughter had been her comfort. His arms had been her home. But death took him away. Since that day, her world became empty.
Every night she lay awake and whispered, “Why did you leave me so soon? Why did you break our promise?” Sometimes she cried until her pillow was wet. She remembered the mornings when he made her coffee, the evenings when he held her hand. Now she only had silence. Silence at the table. Silence in the bed. Silence in her heart.
Ava told herself again and again, “I will never marry again. I cannot take this pain again. I cannot risk my heart again.” She kept her life simple. She worked hard in the office. She paid her bills. She smiled politely at others. But inside, she carried a heavy weight.
Relatives often told her, “You are young. You are beautiful. You must marry again.” Ava only gave a small smile and said nothing. Friends asked, “Don’t you feel lonely?” Ava whispered, “Lonely is better than broken again.”
But even with her strong words, loneliness was eating her inside. She came home to an empty apartment every evening. She ate dinner alone. Sometimes she sat by the window and stared at the city lights. She thought, “Everyone has someone. Why not me? Why does my heart still bleed?”
Then slowly, someone new entered her quiet life. His name was Daniel. He was forty-seven. He owned a small bookstore near her home. He was not rich. His clothes were simple. His smile was kind. His eyes carried warmth.
The first time Ava met him, she only wanted to buy a book. But Daniel looked at her and said, “You seem tired. Long day at work?” Ava was surprised. She nodded slowly. He said gently, “Books help us rest. Take this one. It will comfort you.”
Ava read the book. It did give her comfort. After that day, she went to his store again. She told herself, “I only need another book.” But in truth, she wanted to see Daniel. She wanted to hear his calm voice. She wanted to feel his care.
Daniel never pushed her. He never crossed her boundaries. He only listened. He asked about her day. He shared small stories from his shop. He made her laugh with his simple jokes. Sometimes he said softly, “Life hurts us, but love can still heal us.”
Ava often answered, “Love broke me. I am afraid to trust again.” Daniel did not argue. He just said, “You don’t have to rush. I am here.”
In his presence, Ava felt safe. She started visiting the bookstore more often. Sometimes she bought a book, sometimes she did not. She only wanted to sit there and talk. Daniel would bring her tea and say, “This is on the house. No price for peace.” Ava smiled at his kindness.
At night, when Ava lay in bed, she thought of Daniel. She thought of his smile, his words, his patience. She told herself, “He is not my husband. He cannot replace what I lost. But why does my heart feel light when he speaks? Why do I want to see him again?”
Her heart was confused. She wanted his care. She wanted his company. But she was still afraid. She whispered to herself, “If I let him in, will I lose again? Will I break again?”
Daniel sometimes looked into her eyes and said gently, “Ava, you don’t deserve to live in pain forever. Life can still give you love. Don’t close your door.” Ava turned her face away and whispered, “You don’t understand. I already lost everything once. I cannot do it again.”
Daniel did not get angry. He only said, “I will wait. I will not force you. Love is not force. Love is patience.”
Ava walked home that night with tears in her eyes. She thought about his words. She thought about his silence. She thought about his care. And for the first time in five years, she felt a small hope in her broken heart.
Still, her life was not simple. Because while Daniel was waiting outside her office world, another man was watching her closely inside the office. That man was Henry, her boss. Henry was sixty-two, rich, powerful, and divorced. And Henry had already decided that he wanted Ava.
Chapter 2 – The Rich Boss
Henry was sixty-two. He was Ava’s boss. He was rich, powerful, and respected in the business world. He had built his company from the ground. He lived in luxury, but his personal life was broken. His wife had left him years ago. His children lived far away. He was successful, but he was lonely.
Henry noticed Ava every day in the office. He watched her as she moved through the halls. He saw her calm face and her beauty. He thought to himself, “She is perfect. She can make me look strong again. She can make my empty life full.”
At an office party one evening, Henry stood with a glass in his hand. He gave a speech about strength and success. Then he looked at Ava and said in front of everyone, “Some people are not only strong at work but also strong in beauty and grace.” People clapped. Ava forced a polite smile. Inside, she felt uncomfortable. She thought, “Why is he looking at me like that? Why does he speak as if I belong to him?”
After the party, Henry called Ava. He said, “Let me take you to dinner. You deserve more than office stress. You deserve peace.” Ava refused politely. But Henry did not give up. A week later, he asked again. Finally, Ava agreed, not because she wanted to, but because she thought saying no again might cause trouble at work.
The dinner was in a high-class restaurant. Henry wore a smile and spoke with charm. He said, “Ava, you are different. You are not like other women. You carry yourself with pride. I admire that.” Ava sat silently. She nodded, but her heart was cold. She thought of Daniel, who spoke softly with care, not with power. She thought, “Henry’s words are sweet, but they do not feel real. They feel heavy.”
Still, Henry continued to show her attention. In the office, he gave her bigger projects. He called her into his cabin more often. He praised her work loudly in front of others. Slowly, people began to whisper. “Why does the boss like Ava so much? Why is she getting special attention?” The whispers grew into gossip. Ava heard them. She felt the sting.
One afternoon, a colleague said jokingly, “Ava, you must have some magic. The boss cannot stop looking at you.” Ava gave a small smile, but inside she felt ashamed. She thought, “This is not what I want. I work hard. I do not want people to think I rise because of Henry.”
Henry, however, did not stop. He started sending gifts. A silk scarf. An expensive perfume. Then one day, a set of diamond earrings. Ava tried to refuse, but Henry said, “Take it. You deserve the best. A woman like you should not live an ordinary life.”
Ava took the box home. She opened it and stared at the shining diamonds. For a moment she felt special. But then she remembered Daniel’s bookstore, his simple tea, his soft smile. She whispered, “Why do I feel more peace in a small shop than in these stones?” She closed the box and kept it away.
One evening, Daniel noticed her wearing a new scarf. He asked gently, “Where did you get this?” Ava looked down and said softly, “It was a gift.” Daniel’s face grew heavy. He said, “From him, isn’t it?” Ava stayed quiet. He sighed and whispered, “Ava, don’t let money confuse your heart. I don’t have wealth, but my love is true.”
Ava’s eyes filled with tears. She wanted to say something but could not. She felt trapped between two worlds. On one side was Daniel’s love, soft and warm. On the other was Henry’s wealth, loud and shining.
That night Ava lay in bed. She closed her eyes and thought, “What do I want? Comfort or love? Money or peace? My heart knows the answer, but my mind is afraid.”
The next morning, Henry called her again into his cabin. He said directly, “Ava, I am alone. You are alone. Let’s not waste time. Be with me. I can give you everything you need. I can give you a life others only dream of.”
Ava looked at him in silence. She said softly, “Why me?”
Henry smiled and replied, “Because you are beautiful. Because you are strong. And because with me, you will never suffer again.”
Ava walked out of his office with a storm in her heart. She wanted to scream. She wanted to cry. She whispered to herself, “He thinks beauty is enough. He thinks money can heal. But does he know what love feels like? Does he know what loss feels like?”
Her heart was restless. She felt Daniel’s love pulling her from one side, and Henry’s wealth pushing her from the other. She did not know which way to go. But she knew her life was about to change.
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