AVA'S POVI sank into the passenger seat, drained, as Sally drove me home from the hospital. The car was silent, just like I needed.Sally understood I didn’t have the energy for conversation. Every now and then, she’d put her hand over mine, her quiet support saying more than words could. She had helped me with the discharge papers, and while we hadn’t said much, just having her there with ms brought some comfort.I felt heavy, weighed down by exhaustion and a painful realization about how alone I had been and felt in my marriage since Laura came into my life. It was as if I’d been living with a stranger.Sally looked over at me, her eyes warm and soft. “Ava, you know I’m here if you need anything. Just call, any time.”I managed a weak smile, though it probably looked more like a grimace. “Thanks, Sal. I'll be fine. You’ve done so much already. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”She nodded, though her eyes showed she wasn’t convinced.As we reached the gate, she pulled me in f
AVA'S POVThe shock on Jason’s face was clear as the words left my mouth, each one hitting harder than the last.It was like I’d pulled the ground out from under his feet, and he didn’t know how to steady himself from falling.He just stood there, frozen, his mouth opening and closing, as if he wanted to say something but couldn’t."Ava… you don’t mean that.” he stuttered.I crossed my arms, standing firm. “I’ve never been more serious about anything in my life.”He ran a hand through his hair, and his shoulders slumped as he took a step toward me. "Ava, please….” His voice was soft, and pleading, his eyes shone with sincerity and it almost made me falter. Almost!"No, Jason,” I said, steadying my voice even though everything inside of me felt ready to break."I can’t do this anymore. You lied to me....for what? To protect her? To protect yourself?”His eyes widened, I could sense the desperation showing in them as he stepped closer. “I never wanted to hurt you. I never wanted any o
AVA'S POVA few hours later, we were lying in bed, wrapped in the quiet of the night. I had my back to him, feeling the warmth of his body pressed against mine, and it almost felt like the old us.I let myself get lost in the familiarity of it—the feeling of being close to him again, as I tried to clear the numerous thoughts swirling in my mind about what my decision would be. Should I forgive him and give him another chance? Or should I give up on us?I was still in love with him, I admit. He was my first love and the man who took my virginity, so no matter how much he had hurt me, I just couldn’t stop loving him. But I also couldn’t tolerate being disrespected constantly because of him and Laura. But then, in the silence, I heard it—the soft buzz of his phone vibrating on the nightstand. At first, I tried to ignore it. Phones ring all the time, and it might just be a random call, not Laura. I even tried to convince myself that it wasn’t anything important and that I shouldn't
AVA'S POVI had no appetite for the breakfast he was preparing, so I walked back to the room, my footsteps slow but purposeful. The project I had been working on for months wasn’t going to finish itself—it was crucial, and it felt like the only thing in my life I could still control. I was designing dresses for Grey Empire, one of the biggest companies in the country. They dealt with a wide range of industries, and apparently, they were hosting a jewelry launch show. It was well-known that they needed a designer to create dresses for the models showcasing the jewelry. This was a big opportunity. I had to pitch my designs to them, and if I landed the project, it wouldn’t just yield significant profits to the company, it would introduce my work to the world. The thought of that kept me grounded, this was the one thing I could hold onto in a life that had become a whirlwind of betrayal, lies, and hurt. Jason had made it clear—he was going to keep running back to Laura. And th
ALEX'S POVI walked into the conference room, my gaze moving over the woman seated across from me.It was a familiar sight. Corporate companies often sent their most attractive female employees to try to win me over with charm in hopes of securing investments or partnerships. It had become routine, almost predictable.But it never worked on me. I wasn’t here for distractions or flattery. I was here for one thing—business.She was striking, of course—dark hair, confident posture, and those eyes, sharp and focused. But that was irrelevant. I wasn’t here to make friends. I was here to assess if her pitch was worth my time. When I entered, she stood to greet me, offering a smile that was friendly but not overly eager. That was good. A professional. “Mr. Grey, thank you for taking the time to meet with me,” she said, her voice calm but sure. I nodded and took a seat. “Let’s get started, Ms.…,” I glanced at the file in front of me. “Taylor, right?” “Yes, Ava Taylor,” she confirmed
AVA'S POV I sat in the conference room, absentmindedly scrolling through my emails as I waited for Alex. My mind was far from work, though—it was tangled up in thoughts of Jason, and everything that seemed to be falling apart between us. The ache in my chest was constant, but I did my best to ignore it. The door opened, and there was Alex with a slight smile. “Hope I didn’t keep you waiting too long, Ava.” I shook my head, managing a small smile back. “Not at all. Thanks for making time tonight.” “Of course,” he said, holding the door as we headed out. “It’s my pleasure.” The drive to Nino’s Bistro was peaceful. Alex kept the conversation light, mostly work-related, not pushing too much, which I was grateful for. It was nice to step away from everything, even if I knew it wouldn’t last long. When we arrived, the restaurant had the same cozy elegance I remembered. Jason and I had been here before. The dim lighting, the jazz in the background—it was like a small
AVA'S POV Finally, it was Alex who broke the intense eye contact between me and Jason “Ava, are you enjoying your meal?” he asked, looking up from his plate and glancing at me. The simplicity of his question startled me, and for a brief second, my gaze faltered. I blinked, trying to shake off the tension that had settled in my chest, but I couldn’t deny the unease that still lingered in the air. I gave a quick, forced smile. “Yes,” I answered, pushing my plate aside a little. “I’ve always had a weakness for Italian food.” Alex smiled back, his posture relaxed as he picked up his wine glass, "Good to hear,” he said, his eyes glancing down at his plate before returning to mine. Before I could gather my thoughts, the sound of footsteps drew my attention, and I looked over to see Jason approaching from across the room. My heartbeat pace kept increasing with each step he stood. “Hey,” Jason said casually as he reached our table, his eyes flicking between me and Alex.
ALEX'S POV I sat across from Laura, watching her reaction to my greeting. Silence filled the space, thick and charged. Ava’s gaze darted between Laura and me, sharp and discerning as if she could sense there was something off about the greeting. Jason, on the other hand, sat there, unaware of the growing tension between us, his expression one of confusion. Laura’s hands trembled, and I could see her struggling to keep a calm facade. Her gaze flickered from me to Jason. “Hi, Alex, same here, it’s been a while,” she muttered, acting as if everything was fine. She then sat down, fixing her eyes on the wine glass in front of her, but I wasn’t about to let her off the hook that easily. “It’s been a while since I last spoke to my brother,” I said, letting my words hang heavily in the air. Laura’s face went pale, as if drained of blood. A flash of panic crossed her face before she could mask it, and she forced a tight, uneasy smile. "Oh?” she said, her voice barely audibl
JASON'S POV I stared at the divorce papers, my chest feeling heavy. Ava wanted to end it. My mind was blank, and I couldn’t think straight. How did it get this bad? How did I let her slip away? The buzzing of my phone broke the silence, but I didn’t grab it right away. It buzzed again, snapping me out of my thoughts. I checked the screen –it was Laura. I groaned, frustrated. “What now?” I muttered before answering. “Jason, you need to come to the office right now,” Laura said. She sounded serious. “What’s wrong?” I asked sharply. “There’s an emergency. I can’t explain everything on the phone, but it’s bad. You need to get here fast,” she said. I sighed, rubbing my face. I didn’t trust her, not after all the trouble she caused at Alex's jewelry launch, but if it was important for the company, I had no choice. “Fine, I’ll be there,” I said and hung up. On the way, my thoughts kept drifting back to Ava. The divorce papers were burned into my mind but what stayed with me more w
JASON’S POV I stood there frozen in place, my blood running cold. Ava... at the hospital? Why hadn't I known? The photos on my phone stared back at me. I swiped through them, my fingers trembling. They weren't just of Alex holding her in the restaurant anymore. I came across photos that were clear as day, showing Ava outside the hospital. She looked sick and vulnerable. I stared at the pictures, my throat tightening and my chest felt like it was being twisted by a knife. How had I missed this? I hadn’t even noticed these photos when they came through earlier. All I had seen was the one of Alex holding her. That’s what made my blood boil. The sight of them together being that close had triggered something deep inside me. That’s when I stormed out to confront Alex. I had been so fixated on Alex, so consumed with jealousy and anger, that I didn’t even notice the bigger picture. Ava was in pain, and I wasn’t there for her. What kind of husband am I? I called the per
ALEX'S POV I couldn't get Ava out of my head even as I walked out of her ward, the image of her sitting on the hospital bed looking pale and fragile replayed in my head causing my heart to ache. She needed to eat, especially with how much she had thrown up earlier at the restaurant so I decided to get her something to eat at the hospital cafeteria. I stared at the takeout box in my hand, I had ordered something light – a soup and some crackers, the scent of the warm food rising faintly through the packaging. Walking up to the nurse’s station, I cleared my throat. “Excuse me, Miss," I said, holding out the box. “Can you make sure Ava Campbell gets this? I was the one who brought her here. She’s in Room 203." The nurse glanced at the box, then at me, her expression softening. “Of course. I’ll deliver it right away.” “Thank you,” I said, exhaling slowly. I had received a message from my secretary earlier informing me of Jason's presence at the company, and I wondered why h
AVA'S POV I couldn’t breathe. Every part of me froze. Laura? A murderer? It felt impossible, but the look in his eyes told me he wasn’t lying. What would he benefit from lying to me though? Nothing! I tried to swallow the lump in my throat, but it wouldn’t go away. “What do you mean? How did she…?” My voice trailed off. I couldn’t even finish the sentence. Alex’s face darkened, and he leaned in, his eyes cold. “As you know, Laura and my brother were married. She was cheating on him, and when he found out, he planned to divorce her. She knew once he did she wouldn't get the money she thought she deserved.” My chest tightened. I always knew Laura could be cruel, but this? This was something darker. I couldn’t wrap my mind around it. “Then she did something terrible,” Alex continued, his voice filled with bitterness. “She set up a car accident to kill him. She thought if he died, she’d get the insurance money. But he didn’t die. Instead, he’s in a vegetative state now.” I gasp
AVA'S POV My heart stuttered in my chest, and my mind went completely blank. I hadn’t told anyone about the pregnancy except Sally of course who found out because of the car accident I had. I opened my mouth to say something, anything, but nothing came out. I couldn’t even manage a simple response. The weight of his question hung heavy in the air, suffocating me. Alex was the last person I imagined to find out. How did he know? More importantly, he should not know about my marriage with Jason. We returned to the table together and with each step I took I could feel my heart beating faster in my chest. My hands trembled as I reached for the glass of water on the table, but my fingers wouldn’t cooperate. Everything inside me was frozen. My throat tightened, and I thought I might choke on the words I needed to say. The ones I couldn’t seem to form. "I know you are married to Jason," he continued his voice like a bomb exploding all my secrets. I blinked, my heart racing.
AVA'S POV I sat across from Alex in a fancy restaurant on the top floor of a tall building. The city stretched out below us through the large windows behind him, and soft music played in the background. But even with all the elegance, it didn’t feel cold or showy. It felt thoughtful like he really wanted the afternoon to be about me and my success. Still, the knot in my stomach wouldn’t go away. All I could think about was Jason, and the thought of him made my blood boil. He had promised me last night that no one, not even Laura, would come between us again. And yet, there she was, back at the company now as his secretary. How could he betray me again? It wasn’t just the anger I felt. It was a disappointment. A growing emptiness I didn’t know how to fill. I’d been such a fool to trust him and believe that this time he was genuine. Thank goodness I didn’t tell him about the baby. Alex’s voice broke through the fog in my mind. “Ava, you’ve been quiet. Is everything alright?”
JASON'S POV As soon as the words came out of Alex's mouth, I sensed my whole body tighten. I wanted to respond, but his smug expression and Ava’s quietness rendered me immobile. My hands tightened at my sides, the frustration simmering beneath my skin. How dare he say something like that? How dare he look at my wife like that? Ava’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts. “Alex,” she said with a soft smile, her tone casual but cutting. “Thank you for the orchids, they are my favorite flowers. It’s such a thoughtful gesture.” Her words hit me like a slap. Favorite flowers? Since when did she even care about flowers? I didn’t know. The realization twisted in my chest like a knife. I stepped forward, my jaw tightening. “Ava..." But she didn’t even look at me. She grabbed her bag and turned to Alex. “Shall we?” Alex grinned, the triumph in his eyes unmistakable. “Of course.” And in an instant, she exited the office with him, leaving me there looking foolish. The door clic
AVA'S POVThen she leaned even closer, her breath cold and mocking. “I texted Jason last night,” she whispered in my ear. “He left you poor thing alone at dinner to come to me. Just a little cry and I got the job. Isn’t it funny how easy it is?” The words hit me like a slap, sharp and painful. My throat tightened, and I couldn’t move. Laura’s smug voice echoed in my mind. It felt like a knife was being twisted in my heart as the realization dawned on me that the message Jason received wasn’t about work, but was from Laura. My heart shattered into a million pieces as I realized that, once again, Jason had chosen Laura over me. The hope I had for our marriage was broken, and it broke me. I turned to Jason, hoping for some explanation, something that could make this nightmare go away. But he just stood there, staring at the ground like avoiding my eyes would somehow fix everything. I laughed bitterly, feeling tears start to sting my eyes. Laura’s smirk only grew wider. I could
AVA'S POV Jason stood there, looking angry and disappointed. His eyes moved from Miranda’s hand on my arm to her face, and she quickly let go of me. “Jason, I was just…” “Apologize,” he said firmly, cutting her off. Miranda’s eyes went wide. “You can’t be serious.” “I said apologize,” Jason repeated, his voice cold and firm. Miranda’s voice was sharp and full of disbelief. “How can you stand up for this woman when I’m your cousin?” Jason didn’t move. He stayed strong, his voice calm. “She’s my wife,” he said, still glaring at her. “And I won’t let anyone disrespect her, not even my family.” The atmosphere was heavy with anxiety. My cheeks burned, yet Jason’s words surrounded me like a protective barrier. For the first time in quite some time, I felt secure. Miranda, hurt by his words, went quiet. Her face was red with shock and embarrassment. Jason turned back to me, his face softer as he reached for my hand. I took his hand, and he led me to the racks of dresses. H