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
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 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?”
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 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
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
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
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 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