“Please! Jason! Pick up the phone!” Finally, someone picked up, but it wasn’t Jason. “Didn’t Jason tell you that he has no time for you today? He’s busy. Why do you keep calling?” The voice on the other end was Laura, Jason’s ex. The realization that Jason was with her while I and his unborn child were battling for our lives after an accident was a betrayal too painful to bear. If I survive, can I ever forgive him?
ดูเพิ่มเติมAVA'S POV The office lights were already dim by the time I stepped out of the building. Everyone had left hours ago including Sally. Even the janitor wasn't around only security was. My heels echoed against the concrete floor of the garage, each step heavier than the last. It had been a long, draining day. I was mentally exhausted, and emotionally wiped out. I just wanted to get in my car, go home, shower, breathe, and try not to cry myself to sleep. I reached into my bag and clicked my key fob. The headlights blinked once. As I walked toward my car, I heard my name. “Ava.” I stopped mid-step. That familiar voice. I turned around slowly, and my eyes landed on him – Jason. He was leaning against his car which was parked just a few feet away from mine. I wondered how he got in here this late. Ben was in the driver’s seat, engine running. He gave me a small polite nod but stayed inside. Jason walked toward me slowly like I was some wild animal he didn't want to scare o
LAURA’S POVI pulled into the school parking lot with one thing on my mind — get Mason and get out. The whole day had already been a mess. My phone had been buzzing nonstop with news about Ava. The gossip was everywhere. Her face is all over the internet. Headlines dragging her down. The press was having a field day. I should’ve been celebrating — finally, the golden girl cracked. But I couldn’t even enjoy it properly. My nerves were shot because Jason had been ignoring my calls. Mason was the only reason I was here. I checked the time. He should’ve been out by now. I stepped out of the car, clutching my purse tight as I walked toward the front gate. Just as I reached into my pocket to call his teacher, something caught my eye, and I froze. I saw a familiar figure — Alex Grey. Standing tall, calm, like he owned the damn world. And my son — my son was right in front of him. Alex was crouched, stroking Mason’s head. Talking to him. Smiling. In a way that made my heartbeat pound lo
ALEX’S POVI didn’t realize how tense I was until the meeting ended. The moment I stepped out of that boardroom, I loosened my tie and took a breath like I’d been holding it in for hours. The pitch had gone fine. Better than expected, actually – but my mind had been elsewhere the entire time. Ava. I checked my phone the second I got back to my office. Still nothing. No texts, no calls. I scrolled through my recent calls. I’d tried reaching her three times between lunch and now. Not a single word back. I told myself not to worry. Maybe she was just overwhelmed – busy with PR damage control or caught in back-to-back meetings. But something didn’t feel right. It was so unlike Ava not to answer my calls – or at least call me back right away. Then I noticed a missed call from Sally. That was unusual. I tapped her name and called back. She answered immediately. “Alex.” “Hey. I’ve been trying to get a hold of Ava. Is she okay?” I asked, already feeling that familiar pit forming in my
AVA'S POV The meeting room was filled with a thick tension the moment I stepped in. Conversations died down, and all eyes turned to me. The public relations and human relations Executives. They were all here, their faces tight with concern, frustration, and something else I didn’t like – doubt. I walked straight to my seat at the head of the table, set my tablet down, and folded my hands. Sally sat beside me, flipping open her notebook, already scanning the room. I let the silence stretch before I spoke. “Talk to me.” Melissa, head of PR, adjusted her glasses, exhaling sharply. “It’s bad.” I raised an eyebrow. “I figured. Be specific.” She pushed a folder toward me. “Social media is still on fire. Every post we take down is being reposted somewhere else. News outlets keep picking up new angles. Now, some of our retailers are taking a step back. They want to see how this plays out before moving forward with us.” I flipped through the folder. Screenshots of headlines, tre
AVA'S POV As I stepped out of the building, the cold air hit my face, but it did nothing to cool the fire burning in my chest. My heels clicked against the pavement, sharp and steady, even though my entire world felt like it was tilting beneath me. I had walked out of that meeting with my head high, but now, as I reached my car, doubt started creeping in. Just as I pulled the door open, my phone buzzed in my hand. I glanced down it was a text message from Jason. I stared at his name on the screen for a long moment, my jaw tightening before I even read the message. "I know things are tough right now. I’m checking in on you. I’ll do what I can to lessen the burden." My fingers curled around the phone. He was the reason I was in this mess and now he was checking in on me? Telling me he’d lessen the burden? The audacity. Without replying, I locked my phone, tossed it onto the passenger seat, and slid behind the wheel. I didn’t need his concern. I didn’t need anything from him
AVA'S POV "I understand," I exhaled slowly. "Thank you for the update, Karen." The call ended, but I didn’t move. My phone sat in my hand, Karen’s last words ringing in my head. “Come prepared for anything.” I let out a slow breath, placing the phone on my desk. My fingers curled into fists. First, the whispers in the office. Then, canceled meetings. And now, this my contract, my reputation, everything I’d worked for dangling by a thread because of a stupid rumor about Jason. Who could have started this? What brought about the rumor? I couldn't help but feel someone was instigating all this to bring me down. But who could it be? Is it Laura? Or. Back then I could blame all my misfortune on Laura but now it was hard to know who exactly could have started the rumors because I had lots of competitors not only the Campbell Group. And Avaris Luxe was involved in other businesses including real estate, luxury branding that are thriving so I had lots of enemies and competitors
AVA'S POV The soft chime of my alarm pulled me from sleep, but the heavy weight in my chest told me I had already been awake. For a few blissful seconds, I was caught in that hazy space between dreaming and reality. And then it all came crashing back – the rumors, the headlines, my client who stood me up. I stared at the ceiling, my mind replaying every ugly word, every speculative article. Did Ava Taylor Sleep Her Way to the Top? Ava Taylor: Seducing Another Woman’s Fiancé? It was ridiculous. Infuriating. And yet, it was out there. People were talking and worse they were believing. I turned my head to the side and saw the soft rise and fall of Emma’s tiny frame beside me. Sometime during the night, she had entered my room and crawled into my bed. Her little hand was curled into a fist, her lips slightly parted in sleep. Carefully, I slid out of bed, tucking the blanket around Emma before heading to the bathroom. I turned on the shower and let the warm water wash over me,
AVA’S POV Alex didn’t say a word as he pushed open the front door, but his silence was louder than any accusation. The second we stepped inside, Rose, the housekeeper, emerged from the hallway with a warm smile. “Miss Ava, you’re home. Welcome, Mr. Alex,” she said, wiping her hands on her apron. Then her eyes fell on Emma, and her smile widened. “And how’s my little princess?” Emma giggled, letting go of Alex's hand and running toward her. “I made a new friend today! And Aunt Ava let me eat ice cream!” Rose gasped dramatically. “Ice cream? Before dinner? Oh dear, we’ll have to make sure you eat something healthy for dinner.” Emma pouted but let Rose scoop her up into her arms. I couldn't help but let out a small laugh. “I’ll take her upstairs and get her changed,” Rose said, giving me a respectful look before disappearing up the stairs with Emma. And just like that, the moment I had been trying to avoid arrived. Alex shut the door behind us. The air between us thicke
JASON’S POV The drive to Laura’s apartment felt longer than it should. My hands tightened on the steering wheel, my jaw clenched so hard it hurt. My mind kept circling back to that moment outside Ava’s house. Seeing Alex standing there like he belonged, like the man of the house dug a deep hole in my chest. It shouldn’t have bothered me. But it did. More than I wanted to admit. Mason sat in the backseat, eyes glued to his game, oblivious to the storm raging inside me. By the time I pulled up to Laura’s apartment, my patience was razor-thin. Mason didn’t wait. The second the car stopped, he was out, his little feet pounding against the pavement as he rushed inside. I took a second before following, running a hand over my face. I needed to shake this feeling off. Inside, Laura sat on the couch, curled up under a blanket with a cup of tea in her hands. The TV was on, but she wasn’t watching. She barely glanced up when Mason kicked off his shoes, his voice bubbling with excite
AVA'S POV I stared at my reflection in the mirror and was finally satisfied. After what felt like hours of frantic searching, I had finally found a dress that would perfectly complement the earrings. Yes, those earrings – the ones I discovered hidden in Jason's pocket this morning. A pair of delicate and luxurious pearl earrings adorned with diamonds It was created by my favorite designer, Kokichi Mikimoto, one of only five such earrings in the world. Jason is so thoughtful that he would secretly buy the jewelry I like and give it to me as a surprise on our wedding anniversary. Yes, I was sure he would give this gift to me tonight. I kept checking my dress and makeup in the mirror, and couldn't help imagining how stunning I would look in those earrings. My hands smoothed down the fabric of the dress, which clung to my body in a way it hadn't just a few weeks ago. I turned to the side, my eyes drawn to the slight, but unmistakable curve of my abdomen. A secret I had ...
Welcome to GoodNovel world of fiction. If you like this novel, or you are an idealist hoping to explore a perfect world, and also want to become an original novel author online to increase income, you can join our family to read or create various types of books, such as romance novel, epic reading, werewolf novel, fantasy novel, history novel and so on. If you are a reader, high quality novels can be selected here. If you are an author, you can obtain more inspiration from others to create more brilliant works, what's more, your works on our platform will catch more attention and win more admiration from readers.
ความคิดเห็น