hapter Thirty–Seven
Ava’s POV
The room felt strangely small and suffocating, causing my lungs to strain from forcing in the air.
I paced back and forth the length of my room, wriggling my hands, trying to keep my emotions in check. My breath came in fast, uneven gasps, and no matter how many times I told myself to calm down, the rage, the disbelief, the sheer shock refused to subside. My whole body felt overheated and trembling, my mind
spinning with questions I didn’t want answers to.
I wanted to scream.
I wanted to hit something, to rip something apart.
I wanted to march back into that damn company and demand answers.
But what good would that do? I’d seen everything with my own two eyes. I’d heard my own son call that man, the word he had no business knowing.
Dada.
I squeezed my eyes shut as a fresh wave of emotion slammed into me. Zareon was fast asleep in his crib now, his tiny hands clutching his stuffed animal. He had exhausted himself from all the crying. However, the moment we got home, he jolted awake and fought against me, wailing and thrashing in my arms like a child possessed. He wasn’t like that. He had never acted like that before, never fought me with so much wild attitude, never reached out for someone else with such raw need.
But today, he had done just that, just like he did yesterday.
Today, he had pulled at my hair, kicking and screaming, as if I were taking him away from something he
wanted.
No.
Someone he wanted rather.
Kyle.
I gritted my teeth at the thought of him, my fingers digging into my palm.
He did this. He made Zareon like this and I would never forgive him for sneaking into his life behind my back, portraying himself like a father. But since when? Had he been secretly spending time with Zareon while I worked, weaving himself into his little world without my knowledge?
How long had this been happening?
The sound of a car pulling up outside made my heart jolt. Elson.
n the
He had called me just as I was driving home for a business–related talk, but he became alert with cor- moment he heard my voice and the wails of Zareon echoing in the background. He immediately said he would stop by, and now he was here, ready to be the friend I desperately needed. Right before Zareon’s delivery, until the moment he was born, Elson had proven to be useful and a backbone when Phoenix wasn’t available. I told myself multiple times that I didn’t need anyone, but then I found myself relaxed with Elson.
C
1/4
O
<
<Chapter Thirty–Seven
+8 Points >
The door creaked open, and the moment I saw him step in, the dam inside me broke. Before I could think or stop myself, I threw myself into his arms, burying my face in his chest as the sobs I had been holding back came tumbling out, my body shaking with each silent cry.
I was tired. Tired of being strong. Tired of pretending I had it all under control. Tired of having to go back to my past over and over again with an end. Elson didn’t speak. He didn’t ask questions. He stood there, wrapping his strong arms around me, and letting my tears soak into his shirt while his hand ran up and down my back in a soothing motion.
How did this happen? How did Kyle weasel his way back into my life, into my child’s life, without my
awareness?
For so long, I had convinced myself that I had moved on, that I had built a life where he had no place, but all of that had shattered in an instant. Zareon had called him ‘Dada‘ He had recognised him and reached for him with more desperation than I had ever seen before. And, more pressingly and annoyingly, my heart had beaten so fast it felt like it was going to tear out of my chest at the sight of him.
I clenched Elson’s shirt in my fists, my body shaking with sobs and frustration while Elson’s arms tightened around me, and just like that, I found myself telling him everything.
“He changed,” I whispered, my voice broken. “Zareon changed the moment he saw him. He…he’s never acted
He didn’t want to leave him. I…I don’t know what to do.” like that before. He fought me, Els
Elson stiffened beneath me, his hand
tightening slightly on my back. I could feel the tension rolling off him
in waves, but he didn’t interrupt. He let me get it all out, let me lean against him, let me breathe and cry out all my frustrations.
Only when my sobs turned into quiet sniffs did he finally speak.
“Stop going.”
I blinked, my head still resting against his shoulder. “What?”
“Stop going to that company,” he said again, his voice controlled but tight with something sharp and firm.” It’s not safe for you or Zareon anymore.”
I lifted my head, frowning. “Elson, I can’t….”
He cupped my chin, tilting my face toward him. His eyes were dark, unblinking, and serious. “Ava, think about it.” He said in a low voice, his thumb brushing against my cheek, wiping away the lingering tears before finally speaking again. “You chose this company because no one knew you there. Because it was safer than running your own business and dealing with clients who might recognise you and might question the existence and resemblance of your son to your ex.” I gulped at that.. “But after today? After that scene you and Kyle caused? People are going to start talking. Someone’s going to dig.”
I swallowed hard.
He was right.
I had chosen to work with this company closely because I had wanted to avoid unnecessary attention that would surely come from my company, because, well, my company had been thriving too fast these past months. If I keep meeting clients, huge clients that have suddenly been seeing my company’s potential, then someone will recognise me. It’s only a matter of time before the past catches up, before Zareon gets dragged into it, because, well, people don’t forget.
ด
x+
+x
2/4
O
<Chapter Thirty–Seven
+ Points
And yes, that scene with Kyle would surely do the uprooting, digging that past out because people were present at work during the time of the drama between Kyle and me, and they had been watching. They had been curious and whispering.
“You don’t even know how Kyle got there.” Elson continued, his fingers lingering on my face. “If he was at the masquerade as well, if he was at the daycare today, then this isn’t his first time. That means he has an influence in that company. That means….”
“That means he’s been close to me this whole time,” I finished in a whisper, realisation washing over me like
cold water.
I had suspected it before, after everything that happened, but hearing it spoken aloud made it all the more real. Kyle had been nearby, not only waiting and watching but also acting on it.
Elson nodded stiffly, his hands finally dropping to his side. “Exactly. So you need to stop going. You don’t need to put yourself through this. I’ll go myself if we need to work closely with them. We’ll figure something out, at least till we know how deep this runs, because this, what happened today, shows he has power there.”
My stomach twisted.
Kyle had power there. That much was certain. Because how else would he get access to the daycare when he wasn’t even working there, because I know all the staff there by heart and he wasn’t included.
But how much power? And for how long?
Was it just a coincidence that I ended up at this company? Or had he orchestrated this whole thing? Christ! What am I even saying? It’s as clear as day that everything was orchestrated from the beginning. If their offer of a daycare after my suggestion to bring in my toddler wasn’t proof enough, then seeing Kyle there, along with my son playing so hard as if they had been long–time friends, sealed the deal.
However,
I pulled away from Elson, shaking my head. “No. I can’t just walk away. Not yet.”
“Ava…”
“I have to know,” I interrupted, my voice firm as I met his gaze. “I have to know how long he’s been near us, how long he has been sneaking into Zareon’s life. If he’s been in the background this whole time…” I exhaled sharply, gripping the edge of the dress for mental support. “Then what else has he done that I don’t know about? I need to know what his plan is.”
A fresh wave of anger surged within me, burning away the fear at the thought of it. I clenched my fists, swallowing all the emotions that threatened to consume me because, at this moment, being overly emotional wouldn’t work. I need to be smart about this.
Elson’s jaw clenched. “And what if the answers aren’t what you want to hear?”
I inhaled sharply.
They wouldn’t be. I already knew that.
But at this point, I had no choice but to find out.
Elson must have seen the determination on my face because he exhaled, rubbing a hand down his face.” You’re too damn stubborn.”
3/4
|||
о
<Chapter Thirty–Seven
+8 Points >
I let out a shaky chuckle, wiping my tear–stained cheeks, even though they had already dried on their own. You should be used to it by now.”
He muttered something under his breath before reaching out and tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear. His voice was softer when he spoke again. “Just… be careful, Ava. Please.”
I nodded. “I will.”
But deep down, I knew the careful part was already too late.
Kyle had already entered our lives.
But now, I had to find out just how deep he had gotten, and I swear he would hate himself when I did.
Or at least, that’s what I wanted to believe.
”
But my heart wouldn’t stop pounding at the memory of his presence. At the memory of Zareon reaching for him, desperate, as if Kyle had always been a part of his little world. As if Kyle had been everything he wanted. And that scared me more than anything else.
6
Comments
Watch Ads (0/20) >
H
Vote
