4

Avery Thompson 

"I had no other choice, Avery, Stanley is sick" he said in a desperate and sad tone.

What?!

Sta... Stanley is sick? Did he just say, Stanley is sick? For how long? What happened to her? She was fine before I left so, how did she end up getting sick? 

"What do you mean Stanley is sick?" I asked whilst locking gaze with him. I have no idea what I'm feeling right now. My whole body system has changed. I love Stanley a lot like my own. Yes, I wasn't the one who gave birth to her but I nurtured her. I see her as my daughter and I don't think I will be able to stand it if anything happens to her. 

"Yes, Avery. Your daughter is sick. Your favorite daughter whom you've always loved and cared so much for is on her sick bed at the moment. Ever since you had left, she was no longer herself. She kept asking after you and despite me trying to explain the situation to her, it has been hard. She stopped talking to everyone- even in her school, I get complaints every day. Months ago, she fell ill. She has been hospitalized for weeks now but she still won't stop asking about you. She kept asking after her mother" He explained and I scoffed.

"You don't expect me to believe your lies, do you? How am I supposed to be sure that you're not lying to me? What other motive do you have in mind?" I asked glaring hard at him.

"You're getting it all wrong, I'm never going to lie to you. Yes, I may truly want you back but not in this way. I will never lie to you just so I could have you back." He replied in a serious tone. 

I can't say what exactly I'm feeling deep within me right now. If he's telling the truth, Stanley must have been going through a lot of pain at the moment. I wonder what he was doing that made her health get worse. And, why isn't his precious wife not taking care of her? Why does it have to be me?- I thought, whilst looking up to his face and staring deep into those blue eyes to see if I was ever going to see any trace of lies but none. 

It looks like everything he just said is true. 

"You have to believe me, Avery. I have no reason to lie to you. I will be going back to New York soon, and in the next few days, I will be leaving. I will wait for you so we can both go back home" I heard him say like it's the simplest thing to do.

Home?- I thought, scoffing.

"And, what made you think I will be going to New York with you?" I asked, snapping at him. "I still don't know yet if what you're saying is true and even if it were to be true, there's no way I'm going to leave with you. Let's both go on our separate ways" I hissed and rolled my eyes at the same time.

I don't know what gave him that feeling that everything is now okay between us. Nothing is fine between us. I'm only being considerate right now because of Stanley. If not because of her, I would have walked out on him already. 

He's just too proud of his stupid ego. Always believing that he can get whatever he wants in just a little snap of his finger. 

I just hate him and his gut. After everything he's done to me.

"Just have this at the back of your mind, Mr. Benjamin Williams, you can never have everything as you want. Nothing will ever go your way. Just stay away from me" I hissed and turned around to leave but I felt a firm yet, warm hand hold my wrist. 

"Avery... I'm truly sorry if I hurt you-"

"Of course, you did!" I cut him off as I turned around to face him with a deadly glare on my face. "You did hurt me a million times and I'm not ready to forgive you. Just stay away from me, please. I beg of you, just leave. I don't wish to ever set my eyes on you again. I hate you, Benjamin. I really, really do hate you!"

"I know. I know I did hurt you and I'm sorry for everything but, I'm going nowhere. I'm not going to leave without my wife" he said again and my whole body boiled in anger more. 

HIS WIFE?!!

"ENOUGH! That's enough, Benjamin Williams! I am not your wife, okay? I was never your wife, to begin with. You never wanted me as your wife and you never treated me as one! All my stay with you has been nothing but HELL! You never treated me like I deserve so, just stop with this drama and leave already. Just stay away from me" I warned him.

"I'm... I'm sorry, Avery. I'm truly sorry for everything" He apologized desperately as he placed his palm on my cheeks and began to caress it but I quickly shove his hand away from my face. I truly wish I could do just that- forgive him and forget about everything he's done to me but it's not possible. I can't see myself doing that. 

"Nothing can ever work out between us. You ended things between us, don't you remember? Everything is now in the past. So, just let me be, please" 

"You're my wife! You're still my wife!" He burst out in a frustrated tone. 

"I'm not your wife! We're already divorced. You divorced me to be with your mistress! You never wanted me in the first place! How dare you show your face now to claim me as your own!" I hurriedly remind him in case he has already forgotten so fast.

I don't know what is his problem. He rejected me in the past so, why is he acting all desperate now? 

"I'm sorry but I can't do that"

"Benjamin!" 

"I'm never going to let go of you again. I will do all I can to win you back" he said with finality laced in his tone.