JASON’S POV The words hit me like a brick to the chest. Ava lost her child because of me? I couldn’t move. I couldn’t breathe. My whole body went cold, my mind blank. Ava was pregnant. She was pregnant with our child… and I didn’t know. I stood there, frozen, staring at Alex, then at Ava. My heart pounded so hard it hurt. This couldn’t be real. Maybe I was dreaming. Maybe this was some kind of twisted nightmare. But it wasn’t. I looked at Ava, waiting for her to deny it. Waiting for her to tell me Alex was lying, that this was some kind of sick joke. But she didn’t. She just sat there, her face pale, her eyes filled with so much pain that it crushed me. Her cheeks streaked with tears, her lips pressed together as if she was holding back a sob. My stomach twisted. I felt sick. “Ava…” My voice came out hoarse, barely above a whisper. “Is it true?” Ava didn’t answer right away. She just inhaled shakily, her arms tightening around herself like she was trying to hold
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
Ava's POV Liar. He said he would be back soon, but he left me waiting all night. I dragged myself to Campbell Group where I work. The company is owned by Jason’s family, and Jason is the CEO and my boss. Sally Parker, my best friend and colleague, greeted me with concern the moment I walked into my office. “Ava, are you okay? You don’t look well.” Forcing a smile, I nodded. “I’m fine, just tired.” She looked at me skeptical but decided not to press further. “Well, you’ll be pleased to hear that today they’re announcing the new design director. It has to be you, Ava. You’ve worked so hard for it. Congratulations in advance.” “Thanks, Sal. I appreciate your support.” I am somewhat calm because I knew the position would be mine. Jason had assured me and I was ready to take on the responsibilities of the design director. I noticed everyone's phone buzzing with a new notification including mine. “I know it must be the appointment notification.” Sally hurriedly checked her
AVA'S POV I couldn't believe what I had just heard, Laura's words echoed in my ears like a thunderclap. I could feel my chest growing so tight that it became difficult for me to breathe. “You left me and married him, claiming he was the love of your life, so right now I don't care if you got divorced because of me or not.” Jason retorted, his voice laced with bitterness. Every word felt like a needle piercing my heart. “I was young and confused Jason. I'm sorry for the hurt I caused you back then. I thought I loved him but I never did, it was after I married him that I realized I left gold for bronze.” She added, “Jason, it's you my heart beats for.” Laura sobbed, tears streaming down her cheeks. I was breathless, eager to know how Jason would react to the pitiful Laura in front of him, but I was also afraid that his answer would make me a complete loser in our marriage. “It's too late Laura, I'm married.” Jason declared. I watched in a daze, hoping for something. I wanted to
AVA'S POV The house was quiet as I slowly woke up, the soft hum of the morning light filtering through the curtains. I noticed the other side of the bed was empty and showed no signs of Jason coming in last night. I felt a pang of sadness within me as different wild thoughts ran through my head. The silence of the atmosphere was interrupted by a burst of laughter. I frowned, as I slipped out of bed and followed the sound, the laughter grew louder and mingled with the clinking of dishes. Pushing open the kitchen door I met a scene that stung more than a slap. Jason and Laura were standing at the counter their movement in perfect harmony like they had practiced this routine a thousand times. Laura leaned closer to Jason her hands brushing his as they worked together. Jason, who always seemed so reserved, was laughing at something Laura said. His laughter was so rich and genuine, a sound I hadn't heard often. A pang of jealousy pierced my heart. "Good morning, Ava." Laur
AVA'S POV The days that followed Laura's departure were strange. Jason became more loving and attentive towards me. He cooked for me, bought me flowers, and even took a leave of absence from work to spend quality time with me. It felt like the early days of our relationship. I felt that he was trying to compensate me for all the agony I had undergone during these past recent months. He could not have been more successful. After getting home from work, Jason changed his clothes and went to prepare dinner. And I rested on the couch and watched him busy in the kitchen. He was tall and handsome, and the sunset shone on him through the windows, creating a light halo that removed some of his coldness. He lowered his eyes slightly, and his hands with distinct bony fingers handled the ingredients skillfully. This scene gave me a feeling of peace. “What’s wrong?” He turned around and asked me in a gentle voice. “Babe, will you be able to accompany me to the hospital tomorrow
AVA'S POV I regained consciousness in a hospital bed feeling dazed and confused. The room was well-lit, and the clean scent of disinfectant overwhelmed my senses, almost suffocating me. My pulse quickened as the accident flashed back into my memory, vivid and harsh. The baby was my first concern. Fear took hold of me as I touched my belly, dreading the worst. “Hey, easy there,” came a familiar voice breaking through my racing thoughts. It was Sally sitting beside my bed. Her presence gave me a bit of comfort, but I got more anxious when I remembered I hadn't told her about my pregnancy. The weight of keeping this secret felt like a big rock was stuck in my throat. She saw the fear in my eyes and helped me lie back down on the bed, putting her hand on my arm. “Don't worry. The baby is fine," she said in a calm and reassuring voice, but I could tell she was worried too. Her words brought me relief but also made me feel guilty. I hadn't planned to reveal my pregna
AVA'S POV The nurse’s words kept echoing relentlessly in my mind, refusing to let me breathe as my body went numb in an instant. The world around me blurred, and the white, sterile walls of the hospital seemed to close in, trapping me in between. Laura is pregnant with Jason's child! It seemed like a dream to me and I could feel the heat rise inside me, as if my inside were heated to a hundred degrees Celsius. When did Jason start cheating on me? Why did he cheat? Wasn't I enough for him? Or.... was it because I didn't satisfy him sexually? These questions ran through my head causing my head to ache so badly since I had no answers to them. I wasn't very experienced at first when I and Jason started dating back in college. He was actually my first for everything. He was both my first love, my first kiss, my first sexual partner, my first....... everything. Did he cheat on me because I couldn’t satisfy his needs? No, that can’t be it. I know it isn’t. I tried my
JASON’S POV The words hit me like a brick to the chest. Ava lost her child because of me? I couldn’t move. I couldn’t breathe. My whole body went cold, my mind blank. Ava was pregnant. She was pregnant with our child… and I didn’t know. I stood there, frozen, staring at Alex, then at Ava. My heart pounded so hard it hurt. This couldn’t be real. Maybe I was dreaming. Maybe this was some kind of twisted nightmare. But it wasn’t. I looked at Ava, waiting for her to deny it. Waiting for her to tell me Alex was lying, that this was some kind of sick joke. But she didn’t. She just sat there, her face pale, her eyes filled with so much pain that it crushed me. Her cheeks streaked with tears, her lips pressed together as if she was holding back a sob. My stomach twisted. I felt sick. “Ava…” My voice came out hoarse, barely above a whisper. “Is it true?” Ava didn’t answer right away. She just inhaled shakily, her arms tightening around herself like she was trying to hold
ALEX'S POV Jason’s words made my blood boil. I had been standing there, trying to stay calm, trying to hold myself back, but the way he was blaming Ava like she was the villain in all this was too much. Laura was the one who had started this. Laura was the one who grabbed Ava first, who pushed and poked until she got the reaction she wanted. But Jason couldn’t see that. He was too blind, too caught up in whatever web of lies Laura had spun around him. And now, after everything Ava had been through, he was here, pointing fingers at her. I clenched my fists tightly my fingers digging deep into my palm. How could he not see it? How could he not realize what was happening? Laura played the victim so well. She cried she acted helpless, and Jason fell for it every time. Meanwhile, Ava...who had already lost so much was standing here, trying to hold herself together while Jason tore her down. It made me sick. It made me furious. I just couldn't stand it anymore. Jason was
JASON'S POV I stormed down the hallway, my blood boiling. I couldn’t believe what just happened. Couldn’t believe that Ava had pulled Laura into the pool with her. Laura was pregnant. Pregnant. And Ava still had the heart to do such. I shoved the guest room door open without knocking. Ava was sitting on the bed, wrapped in a towel, her wet hair sticking to her face. Alex stood near her, his arms crossed like he was ready to play hero again. Kevin had dragged Sally out the second I walked in. “What the hell is wrong with you, Ava?” My voice came out sharp, cutting through the tense air. “Laura is pregnant, and you still had to drag her into your mess?” Ava lifted her head slowly, her expression one of surprise. Then, she let out a cold laugh. “My mess?” “Yes, your mess!” I snapped. “You couldn’t just walk away, could you? You had to make a scene like you always do.” Her eyes darkened. “You weren’t there, Jason. You didn’t hear what she said to me.” “I don’t care wha
AVA'S POVThe moment my body hit the water, everything became a blur. Cold. That was the first thing I felt. The shock of it stole the breath from my lungs, and for a second, I couldn’t move. My dress became heavy, dragging me down, and my arms flailed as I fought to stay afloat. I could hear muffled shouting above me, but the water swallowed the sound, making everything feel distant. Then strong arms wrapped around me. I was being pulled upward, my head breaking the surface. I gasped, sucking in the air like I had been drowning for hours. Water dripped from my hair into my eyes, blurring my vision, but I didn’t need to see to know who had saved me. “Got you,” Alex’s voice was close, his grip firm as he pulled me toward the edge of the pool. At the same time, I heard another splash. Through my dazed state, I realized Jason had jumped in, too. But he wasn’t reaching for me. He was pulling Laura out. Of course. Alex lifted me effortlessly, guiding me to the pool’s ed
AVA'S POV My whole body froze, my fingers clenched so tight around my drink that I thought the glass might shatter. I had told myself I was prepared to see them again someday. But not tonight. Not when Kevin had promised me they wouldn’t be here. Sally noticed them at the same time I did. “What the..." she started, her voice rising in anger. She turned to me, her eyes flashing. “Ava, I swear, I will drag that woman out of here myself.” She was already moving, ready to storm toward Laura, but I caught her arm. “Sally, no,” I said, my voice low but firm. She snapped her head toward me. “Ava, don’t do this. You know I won’t let her stay here. She has no right to be here when she wasn't even invited by Kevin." I swallowed, my throat dry as sandpaper. My whole body was shaking with rage, but I tightened my grip on Sally’s arm. “You promised me,” I reminded her, my voice barely above a whisper. Sally’s jaw clenched, and for a moment, she looked like she might ignore me. B
AVA'S POV Kevin’s birthday party felt like the last place I should be. I didn’t want to go. I sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the floor, my hands gripping the fabric of my dress. My stomach twisted, a sick feeling rising inside me. The thought of being around people, smiling, pretending everything was fine it felt impossible. Because everything was not fine. I had lost my baby. And I knew who took it from me. Laura. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to push the image of her away, but I couldn’t. Her smirk, her mocking voice, the way she looked at me like she had won… it haunted me every night. She knew what she had done, and she was proud of it. I had told Sally everything. Every single thing after I came back from Jason’s house that day in tears. “She killed my baby,” I whispered, breaking down in her arms. Sally had been furious. She wanted to go after Laura, to tear her apart. But I grabbed her wrist, shaking my head. “No, Sally,” I said firmly, wiping my tears with
LAURA'S POV I watched the door slam shut behind Ava. The moment she was gone, a slow smile spread across my face. She looked completely broken when she left. She came in thinking she could just take her stupid documents and go, but no. She walked out with something heavy crushing her heart. And I was the one who put it there. I could still see her face in my mind, so pale, so shocked, like she was about to fall. Her hands were shaking, her voice was weak, and she was crying like a baby. Good. That was what she deserved. I had waited too long for this moment. I had spent too much time watching her act as if she belonged in my world like she had a right to be with Jason. She took a lot from me… she took Jason, my position at the company, the life I was supposed to live. But now? I took something from her. Something she could never get back. Her baby. And the best part? She knew I did it. She knew, but she could do nothing about it. Why? Because there was no evidence. It was
AVA’S POV I felt all the blood drain from my body and I felt like jelly as my bones weakened. The room tilted, and it felt like the ground beneath me was being ripped away. My chest tightened, and my breath caught in my throat. What was she saying? She made me lose my child to teach me a lesson? Who does that? I had left Jason for her... I had even served him divorce papers which she somehow knew of so why then did she have to kill my baby? Why...my baby? Tears stung in my eyes threatening to spill. "You…” I couldn’t finish the sentence. I couldn’t even form the words. It felt like a large lump had stuck to my throat making it impossible for me to speak. “Oh yes,” Laura continued, her voice getting colder. “I made sure that ball hit your stomach." She took a step closer, her smile widening with every word. “You should’ve known better than to get in my way.” "So that was the consequence of your action...your baby had to pay the price for you. I am kind-hearted am I not? A
AVA’S POVIt had been days since I walked out of Jason’s office. Now, I stood outside his house, staring at the door, my stomach twisting into knots. I shouldn't be here, I know. I didn’t even want to be here. I had sworn never to come back.But I had no choice.When I packed my things after finding out Jason could walk and was pretending, I was pissed and left in such a hurry that I forgot to take along some important documents – designs I had worked on for weeks.They weren’t just replaceable papers so I couldn't abandon them. I needed them. That was the only reason I was standing here, forcing myself to take a deep breath and ring the doorbell.Still, I hesitated.Going back inside felt like reopening a wound that hadn’t even started to heal. The memories of Jason, of everything we had, of everything I lost they were all waiting for me behind that door.I would have asked Sally to help me get the documents instead of coming myself but only I knew where exactly they were. I had hid