Chapter Twenty–four
Ava’s POV
A few hours later, the door slammed open with such force that the walls seemed to
shake.
“Get out,” a voice growled.
My eyes snapped open, my heart pounding in my chest from the sudden disruption. Disoriented, I blinked against the harsh hospital lighting, my body sluggish as I pushed myself upright. For a split second, my brow twisted in confusion, thinking the words were directed at me. But then, my gaze landed on Aiden, who stood just inside the doorway, his chest rising and falling heavily, his eyes burning with fury.
And he wasn’t looking at me.
“I said get out!” His voice was louder this time, snapping me fully into reality.
What the hell is wrong with him?
I followed his glare to the other person I didn’t know was in the room.
Elson. He was leaning against the large window, arms crossed over his chest, an unimpressed and challenging expression on his face as he stared right back at Aiden.
“Are you speaking to me?” Elson asked, his tone falsely calm, because even I could
hear the anger underneath.
Aiden’s jaw ticked, his hands balling into fists at his sides. “I won’t repeat myself.”
Elson let out a dry chuckle and pushed off the wall, walking forward with an air of
confidence. I had seen Elson in different shades of confidence, but this was different,
more predator–like.
“And what exactly do you think is going to happen if you do?” His tone was mocking,
his eyes flashing with something dangerous I hadn’t seen in him, not even once. “In case you haven’t noticed, Aiden, this isn’t your turf, and Ava isn’t your responsibility.”
Oh, this is about me?
My stomach did a little bit of a rotation as I watched the two men size each other up
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Chapter Twenty–four
+8 Points >
like territorial predators. The air in the room was thick, electric, so much that I feared a single touch might set off a spark. I couldn’t understand why they seemed to dislike each other. If I didn’t know them both, I would have been convinced they had an unfinished fight from long ago. And looking at them now, I knew one wrong move and they would tear into each other.
“Elson,” I whispered, my voice barely audible, but it was enough to break their silent battle of egoism.
Both men turned to me instantly, and the moment their eyes landed on me, the fury in their demeanor was replaced with concern.
“Please.” My voice cracked. I didn’t have the energy for this, not now. Aiden was like a
spoiled brat who would throw a tantrum if he didn’t get what he wanted. I just needed
to set a few things straight with him first.
Elson’s brows furrowed as he studied me, and for a moment, I saw a flash of disbelief
and hurt cross his face. He took a step back, his fists clenching before he exhaled
sharply.
“You’re asking me to leave?” he asked, his voice low, controlled, but there was no
mistaking the hurt and disbelief in it.
I swallowed, hating how much this felt like a betrayal. “Just for a moment.”
His jaw tightened. “I can’t believe this,” He shook his head before giving Aiden one last glare and storming out, slamming the door behind him. The silence that followed
was suffocating.
Then, Aiden turned to me, his eyes sharp and his expression filled with an anger I
couldn’t understand.
“Did he know?”
I blinked. “What?”
His eyes narrowed. “Did Kyle know?”
I stiffened at the name, my pulse spiking.
“Know what?” I asked, keeping my voice as neutral as possible,
His nostrils flared as he took a step closer. “Don’t play dumb, Ava. Does Kyle know
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<Chapter Twenty–four
you’re pregnant? That you’re sick? Does he know about your condition?”
+8 Points >
Every muscle in my body locked. My back stiffened, and my heart raced with both
anger and the urge to escape this conversation. I should have disagreed when he offered to take me to the hospital. I should have been more careful, knowing how nosy and manipulative Aiden was. However, what I don’t understand is why he was angry. I folded my arms and met his gaze with my own hardened glare.
“Why should Kyle be aware of anything that concerns me?” I tried to make my voice
calm even though my heart was hammering against my ribs. “We’re divorced, in case
you need a reminder.”
Aiden scoffed, shaking his head. “You think that changes anything?” He took another step forward, eyes burning into mine. “You’re carrying his child while your health is deteriorating, and you think that’s not his business? Is he even aware you only have
one kidney?”
The sharp intake of breath I took was involuntary. My chest tightened with a mix of
panic and anger as my hands clenched the bed sheet. He knew too much. How? Did
he ask the doctor for my personal details? I wouldn’t be surprised if he had pressured
the doctor into compromising his professionalism just to gather information about
- me. This is bad. I should have predicted this sooner.
“That is none of your damn business either,” I snapped, hiding my fear with anger. ”
Kyle doesn’t need to know, and neither do you.”
His jaw ticked. “Ava…”
“I mean it, Aiden,” I cut him off, my voice sharper now. “I appreciate the concern, but I
need you to stay out of my business. You and I agreed to keep things strictly
professional, and I want to keep it that way.”
“You’re making a mistake, Ava“, he said, voice quieter but no less intense and
annoying.
I exhaled through my nose, my patience wearing thin. “No, Aiden. The only mistake
here is you meddling in my life.”
His gaze searched mine for a second, and then he exhaled sharply, running a hand
through his dark brown hair.
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“I was just…worried about you,” he finally muttered, almost like he didn’t want to admit it.
For the second time, I was caught off guard by that same statement.
Aiden? Worry about me? That almost made me laugh. Almost.
+ Points
But I couldn’t because of the way he was looking at me. His gaze was intense, so serious that it made it impossible to. Impossible to understand or gauge whatever he was planning behind that mask.
I looked away, clenching my fist in anger. “You shouldn’t be. No one asked you to, so please stay out of my business.”
He let out a sharp breath, his hands running through his already messy hair. “You’re impossible.”
“And you’re overstepping,” I countered, my voice laced with irritation. “I mean it, Aiden. Don’t use my situation to get to Kyle.”
His
gaze snapped to mine so fast he should have felt dizzy. His expression turned stormy, his body tensing. “Is that… what you think this is about?”
I held his gaze. “Yes, Aiden. What else would it be? See, I don’t trust you. Because
that is who you are. You thrive on making others uncomfortable for your own
amusement. But I won’t let you use my child to play whatever game you have in mind.
”
His entire frame tensed, his eyes flashing with something I couldn’t quite place.
Insulted? Yes, he looked insulted. But I couldn’t care less. I was just being honest.
The muscles in his jaw flexed, and for a brief second, I saw something raw that looked more like hurt flicker across his expression. Then, just as quickly, it was gone.
“That is who I am?” he repeated, almost as if tasting the words. Then, he let out a low
chuckle, but there was no amusement in it.
Without another word, he turned and strode out of the room, slamming the door
behind him.
I took a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. My body remained tense, my heart still racing from the adrenaline of our argument. My legs felt weak, and I realized only
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then that I had stood up at some point during our exchange. With a shuddering
exhale, I slumped back onto the hospital bed, my hands trembling slightly as they
clenched into fists.
Fear twisted deep in my gut, and I know just why.
+B Points
I couldn’t imagine how drastically my life would change if Aiden chose to bring Kyle
back into it. For Aiden, it might seem like an exciting challenge, but for me, it would
be just the opposite.
Tears burned behind my eyelids, but I forced them back.
I wouldn’t cry, not for this, not for him, or for how dramatic my life was. There’s a saying that goes, “Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.” This means that
when someone poses a threat or knows too much, it’s often wise to keep them
nearby to monitor their actions instead of pushing them away. That is exactly what I
plan to do with Kyle: I will keep him close.
But as my heart continued to race in the aftermath, I wasn’t sure if I was convincing myself anymore.
