Ava's POV“Goodbye, Ava...” His words resonated through the room, and I didn't look up. I couldn't see him leave.I closed my eyes, biting my lips hard and ignoring the urge to look up at him.I couldn't bear to see his face, nor his back or any part of him. But as his feet disappeared through the door and time passed, I regretted my decision. I should have looked it up. I should have stolen one last glance or begged him not to leave but I couldn't do any of that, and now he was gone.I had heard the sound of his feet as he shuffled out of the room but by the time I looked up, he was gone. My heart cramped, the pain coursed through me, and even though I didn't want to, I couldn't help it as the pain shot through my body, and my eyes filled up with tears.Tears streamed down my face like rain dropping from the sky. I couldn't stop myself as they just ran down my cheeks. My heart felt like a thousand feet had stomped on it, leaving a raw ache that pierced through my entire body.It hu
Miguel's POVThe weight of what had transpired at the hospital hung heavy on my shoulders like a suffocating shroud. It followed me everywhere, and the hours that passed after that moment were the most dreadful times of my life.It was slow, and each passing moment felt like it was eating away bits and pieces of my soul, like a predator feeding on it prey. The drive back home was horribly long as well, which was why the minute I arrived home that evening, I had been unable to do anything other than head straight to my bedroom and climb into bed.I even ignored Gracie's calls downstairs as i was heading in. I didn't mean to, but it couldn't be helped. I needed to pull myself together and gather my strength, but most of all, I needed some time alone.To say I was a mess was to clearly understate things. I was more than that, but I had to hold it in and be strong if not for anyone, for Gracie, and for the hope of the new life I had planned before all this had happened.It was all cras
Miguel's POV “What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be in Italy?” I asked him as we headed downstairs from the door i answered him from.“Mason called,” Perez mumbled, and we walked into the kitchen. “He told me what happened at the hospital.”“What?” I blurted, “Mason knows what happened at the hospital?” I questioned, watching Perez as he opened the fridge.“Of course, he does. He's Mason.”I cocked, “That explains much,” I mumbled.Perez grabbed a bottle of beer and opened it, offering me one, which I gladly took from him, ignoring the fact that it's too early to be drinking. I took a large gulp as I sat down across from him.“So if you're here, who is handing things over there?”“Niko. Not for long though, I just came to make sure you are okay after everything that had happened.”I laughed and gulped down the bottle, “I'm fine. You don't have to comfort me or anything. Mason probably overestimated everything,” I lied.“Or you're just pretending, Perez asked as he glared
Ava's POVI woke to the sound of the baby's cries piercing through the silence of the early morning. My eyes fluttered open, heavy with sleep, and I groaned softly as I pushed myself upright in bed.The sunlight filtered through the curtains, illuminating the room. My arms felt sluggish as I lifted myself out of bed, my body still heavy with exhaustion.The baby's cries grew louder, more insistent as they echoed off the walls of the room as I stumbled towards her cradle, and reached out for the source of the cries—my little angel.“Shh, shh, it's okay, baby,” I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper as I leaned over the cradle at my little troublesome princess. She sure was a crier.I gently scooped her up into my arms, cradling her close to my chest as I swayed back and forth, trying to soothe her but to no avail. Her cries grew even more persistent, rising in intensity, and I felt a pang of frustration mingled with exhaustion.“What's wrong, sweetheart?” I whispered, pressing my
Ava's POVFernando waved goodbye, and I returned the gesture, watching until the door slammed shut behind him. With a soft sigh, I turned my attention back to my baby, who lay on the changing table, kicking her tiny legs in the air.While I changed her onesie, Penelope entered the room, and her eyes lit up at the sight of the baby. “How's my grandchild doing?” She asked, coming over to the bed. I carried the baby and cradled her in my arms as soon as she was dressed. I smiled, “She's fine, just being naughty as always,” I mumbled.“Don't say naughty,” Penelope chided, “She's not naughty,” she mumbled, playfully, poking the baby with her finger, “She's very beautiful," she whispered, pressing a kiss to my baby's forehead.“Indeed, she is,” I grinned proudly, staring at my baby as well. She was definitely the most gorgeous baby I had ever seen.“Have you come up with a name for her yet?” Penelope asked as she played with her and I shook my head.“I'm still working on it,” I replied, ge
Ava's POV"It's nothing," I lied with a smile on my face.I couldn't shake off the feeling of unease that lingered after seeing Penelope's ID card. I couldn't get it off my mind and I had this nagging feeling in the pit of my stomach that something was off.“Ava?” She called when I didn't say anything, “You wanted to say something,” she added with a soft smile like everything was fine. Only it wasn't.Nothing was fine.I stared at her, trying to figure out the right way to ask her about it. A way that wouldn't sound like I was snooping around her stuff or that I distrusted her just in case she had her reasons.I mean, maybe she changed her name to stay off the radar. I could think of a few excuses as to why she might have done it, especially with the kind of life she has had but I couldn't shake off the nagging feeling in my stomach that there was something wrong still.“Ava?” She called again, this time she furrowed her brows, “Is something wrong?” She asked, rocking the baby in her
Ava's POV'It wasn't her? It wasn't her!', I screamed in my head like a psychopath before, I jumped out of my seat. This was it. Confirmation beyond reasonable doubt. Penelope wasn't the real Penelope. She was nothing but a fake.But with that realization came pain.The image on my phone screen blurred as tears welled up in my eyes, blurring my vision even further. I blinked, hoping it was just a trick of the light, but the truth remained glaringly, the woman in the photo was not her and I could no longer ignore the obvious. I had been fooled. Fernando had played me like an idiot for so long. The truth shattered me and turned me inside out. The tears streamed down my face as I sat there staring at my phone. A wave of disbelief washed over me, followed by a crushing sense of betrayal. How could this have happened right under my nose? How did I miss it? How could I have been so blind? How could I have trusted Fernando, believed in him again after all the lies he had fed me once
Ava's POV“What?” He blurted, and the shock in his voice was clear and impossible to miss.“What did you just say?” he questioned without a pause. His voice was stern, reverberating through the phone.My heart thudded with an undefined rhythm. This wasn't anything like how I would have wanted to reveal such a big truth about my child but there was nothing I could do. The situation demanded it, and it couldn't be helped.I sighed shakily, “The child is Miguel's,” I echoed, “I'm sorry.”“That's impossible,” he blurted, “Nando said—”“He lied. We both lied to Miguel.” Perez remained quiet, perhaps processing my words. “The baby is not Fernando's but Miguel's. I'm sorry I lied,” I muttered and my voice grew into a whisper.“You lied? Why? Why would you lie? I don't understand,” he gushed, “Why would you lie about something like that to Miguel!” He exclaimed, “He had every right to know and you decided to fool him, and hurt him like that. Why?”“I had to!” I defended.“Had to?” he echoed
Ava's POVIt had been a week since the Jet incident, and Mason's death.The cops had done their part with the investigation and had managed to connect the hospital explosion, and the van explosion together linking it to Lino.They had also traced some of his illegal businesses to Naples among other crimes and shut it down but since there was no one to punish that was all they could do.Angela, on the other hand, was arrested, and sentenced to ten years in prison for impersonation, fraud, and for being Fernando's accomplice which was a lot less than she deserved.Miguel and I had stuck around for the investigation, and I was pretty glad when it was finally over and done with. There was nothing more that I wanted in my life than to put the hellish past behind us and focus on the promise of the future.Whatever was in store for Miguel and me was something I was dying to see.The days after the incident at the Jet
Ava's POV Miguel was there, sleeping peacefully with Mary Grace cuddled into his side.My heart felt hurt and I wished for just one second I could turn back the hands of time —just to make myself worthy again.But all of those were just wishes.I couldn't risk another moment around them for fear of causing them more problems. It was clear that I was the secret ingredient for trouble. And for the people I loved to be safe, I had to be far from them.I scooped Mary Grace from her bed quietly not wanting to wake Miguel. I kissed her forehead, tears gathering in my eyes as I whispered. “I love you, sweetie, and I'll always be here. I'll always be watching you like a hawk but for now, mama has to go,” I pressed my lips to her head again, and again.“I'm going to miss you, darling, but don't worry you're in safe hands. Your dad will take good care of you,” I squeezed her in my arms and then finally laid her in the crib, not wanting to risk waking Miguel up by dropping her by his side as s
Ava's POV A gun rolled to the entrance of the cockpit and I only hesitated for a second before handing Mary Grace to Gracie. I knew what I had to do.I walked over to the door and picked it up as Lino stretched out his gun to Miguel. I stood behind them but none of them noticed my appearance in the room.The weapon was heavy but that didn't matter much. It was now or never, and I had to make a quick choice —a scary one but I didn't have much of a choice. I had never fired a gun in my life until this moment. But I had to do it, our lives depended on it.I focused my vision on him and the gun went off in my trembling hands.Lino's body dropped to the ground with a loud thud.If I had been just a second late he would have killed Miguel. I saved him. I saved the man I loved. Something about that numbed the guilt that came with taking a life.The gun slipped out of my hands to the ground as tears rolled down my face. Miguel's eyes met mine.I saw the worry etched on his features as I rush
Miguel's POVI raked a hand through my hair, listening to Perez fill me in about what happened at the hospital, and the men he had lost in the van explosion on their way here.Bastardo! My blood stirred.“Those were good men,” I mumbled, reeling in the loss as I ground my teeth and clenched my fist, “Lino. That scumbag,” I cursed, fuming inside.“I have everyone looking for him, and Mason. Perhaps he could lead us to him—”The sudden sound of the engine roaring to life echoed from behind us, and my head swirled to the Jet which was getting ready to take off.What the hell? I thought. Stunned.I creased a brow at the unbelievable sight before me. I could hardly believe it. I had no clue what was going on but that Jet was definitely not supposed to take off without an order from me.I couldn't understand it but Ava and my kids were in there, and that was all that mattered.Instantly, I sprinted towards the Jet, and Perez joined me as we raced to the aircraft. I grabbed the entry door be
Ava's POV“It's you. You're the traitor,” I mumbled as the realization hit me. This was why Perez couldn't tell me. It was Mason.How could this be? Even I couldn't believe it.It suddenly felt like my brain was processing in slow motion.My eyes darted to the injection in his hand, then to my daughter, and my eyes widened in shock.Panic washed over me and my hands began to tremble.“What were you trying to do to her?” I flared, clenching my fist tightly, “Were you going to hurt her—”“No, Ava—” he tried to cut me off but I didn't want to hear anything right now.“Get away from her!” I raised my voice. “Mi—” I opened my mouth to scream for Miguel but before I could make a sound Mason grabbed me quickly, pressing his palm to my lips tightly as he pushed me against the wall behind me.He sandwiched me to the wall, “Quiet,” he said, “Don’t scream, please,” he whispered against my ear, “Please,” he repeated, staring me in the eyes for over a minute.I tried to shove him off me but I fail
Ava's POVI bolted upright, my heart pounding against my chest as though it was trying to rip itself out of my body. I was anxious. No. More than that I felt unsettled and for no reason too. I just had this bad feeling in my gut that I couldn't quite shake. Something felt very wrong but I didn't know what it was.I sat up in bed, staring into the darkness with the only source of light being the moonlight spilling in through the window. The air in the room felt heavy, suffocating, as if laden with an ominous foreboding that I couldn't quite place, and the uneasiness tightened in the pit of my stomach. I suddenly felt stuffy and needed some air.I slipped out of bed and glanced over my baby’s crib to see if I had woken her. I hadn't. Mary Grace was still sound asleep.I sighed with relief and made my way to the door. I stumbled towards the door, but my heart jumped again as I heard the sudden sounds of hurried footsteps.My stomach tightened and I pushed the door open gently, peeking
Miguel's POVLino was alive? That couldn't be.I had set the place on fire. I had watched it burn. It had to be a lie. Nando was definitely lying. I glanced at him, “You're lying,” I said.“I'm not!” He yelled with desperation in his voice and words, “I swear it. Mason is involved. I can prove it. Where is he?” I hesitated and turned to one of my men, “Where is Mason?” I asked, right in front of Nando.The man shook his head, “I haven't seen him all day. None of us have,” he responded.The words echoed in my head, and Nando's voice echoed beside me, “He knows... he knows you're onto him, and he's made a run for it.”Nando’s words made sense, and my mind was starting to churn with all sorts of thoughts. There had been something off about Mason since we caught Nando— maybe even since Lino.He hadn't come down to the cell for once, and I had barely seen him. It was almost like he had been hiding away all this time, and I just never really noticed.Everything was starting to align in my
Ava’s POVIt was midday, and Gracie helped me with a napkin to wipe the breast milk that spilled down Mary Grace’s clothes while I was breastfeeding her. I wiped it, cleaned her face too, before lowering my shirt.I pulled her to my chest and cradled my precious baby in my arms as I began to hum a gentle lullaby. Miguel’s favourite one and I hoped it would one day be her favourite one too.The melody flowed from my lips like a soothing river, wrapping us in its tender embrace like a blanket and its effect was tremendous on my baby. Mary Grace fell straight to sleep with her palm clutched tightly around my finger. I noticed she loved to do that, and I loved the feel of her palm around my finger. It was warm, and it made me feel a tremendous amount of peace. I rocked her back and forth, with the rhythm of the lullaby, and Gracie grinned beside me, wrapping one hand around my arm while caressing Mary Grace with the other, although she let her be the minute she was asleep so she wouldn't
Miguel’s POVI walked out of the underground cell, making my way up to the ground floor. Perez spun around the second I entered the room, “I was just coming to see you,” he said as he slid his phone in his pocket.“I spoke with the doctor, he will be here shortly,” He reported, and I regarded him with a nod. “How’s he holding up?”“He’s still a long way from hell but I'll make sure he gets there,” I replied. Perez smiled, “He's more than earned it,” he remarked, “Care for a drink?” he gestured, raising the bottle for a second before going on to pour himself a glass.“Sure. I haven't had one in a while,” I motioned towards him, taking notice of the room. “Where's Mason?” I asked after a minute of not spotting him anywhere around the room. “I’m not sure but he should be outside,” he said, and offered me a glass of scotch. I gulped it all at once and lowered the glass to the table.“Any lead for the antidote yet?” He asked.I shook my head, “Not yet,” I paused, “But I was thinking, per