Chapter Seventeen
Ava’s POV
I woke to the repetitive beeping of a heart monitor, the sterile scent of antiseptic filling my nostrils, making me scrunch them up. The ceiling above me was white; too white, and the lights were too bright, forcing me to squint as I tried to gather my thoughts. My body felt sluggish, my limbs weighed down as if the air around me had turned heavy.
Confusion settled in first, why was I in this lifeless place again? How did I get here?
The last thing I remembered was the rain, its cold fingers clawing at my skin, dragging me into the road of unconsciousness. My body had been shutting down, exhaustion gripping me so tightly I could barely breathe. Then, darkness. No memory of who had found me or brought me here.
hand instinctively went to my stomach, pressing on it as if the touch alone could reassure me that my baby was still there.
I turned my head slowly, wincing as a dull ache spread through the sides of my forehead. A nurse stood at the far end of the room, flipping through a chart. Noticing my movement, she smiled kindly and stepped closer, shutting the file.
“You’re awake,” she said softly, her gaze flicking to where my hand rested protectively over my stomach. “How are you and the little one feeling?”
My heart tickled with relief. Good, my baby is still here.
I parted my lips to speak, but my throat was dry. The nurse quickly poured a glass of water and handed it to me. I took small sips before croaking out, “How long have I been here?”
“A few hours. Someone found you unconscious and brought you in. Your body was extremely fatigued, and your blood pressure was dangerously low.” Her expression softened. “It’s a good thing they got you here in time.”
My fingers tightened around the cup. PTSD. It had been years since I last experienced it, but last night, standing under the cold downpour, the fear returned with a force.
But why? I had come to terms with my mother’s death…. hadn’t I?
She had collapsed on a stormy night, her body too weak to fight for survival after our life crumbled. She had been too tired to keep going. And I, her only daughter, had watched from the doorway, too scared to approach as she took her last breath.
I could still see it. Her lips parted slightly as she drew in one last breath.
It had been terrifying and had traumatized me for years, but somehow, I had learned to overcome it. I had forced myself to believe stormy nights meant she was with me, that I wasn’t alone. But last night, it had felt different
It wasn’t just fear of dying.
t was fear of history repeating itself. I had feared I would meet the same fate as my mom the moment I felt my body shutting down, which eventually led me to lose copsciousness.
| K
III O <
Chapter Seventeen
A shiver ran through me despite the warmth of the hospital room.
I can’t stay here. The walls felt too constricting, the memories too overwhelming.
I needed to leave.
Swinging my legs off the bed, I yanked the IV from my hand and stood, ignoring the nurse’s protests. “I have
to go,” I muttered, already reaching for my surprisingly dry coat
“Miss, you should wait for the doctor to clear you. Your body…”
“I’m fine.” My voice was sharper than I intended, but I needed to leave. Now. Before I get drowned in my thoughts. The hospital walls and the smell weren’t helping at all.
The nurse sighed but didn’t stop me as I walked out of the hospital doors into the brisk morning air.
Phoenix was pacing outside our apartment when I arrived. Her dark curls were a mess, her face tight with frustration. The moment her grey eyes landed on me, relief flashed across her features for a second, before anger took its place.
“Are you kidding me?” She stormed toward me, stopping just inches away, her face flushed with rage. “Do you have any idea how worried I was? I was about to report you missing!”
I didn’t answer. I simply stood there, allowing Phoenix’s anger to wash over me like cleansing water. Because
I deserved it.
“I called you over and over! I checked everywhere. Then I find out you didn’t even have your damn phone with you! I was losing my mind searching the whole neighborhood for you. No one had seen you. I even went to your clinic, nothing! I understood you needed space, Ava, but what the hell were you thinking?!”
I lowered my gaze, guilt twisting deep in my gut. “… I don’t know. I just…” My voice cracked, and I swallowed hard. “I was tired,”
Phoenix’s expression softened, but her voice remained firm. “Tired? That’s your excuse? Ava, you scared me. You scared the hell out of me. I was about to report you missing for f**k sake.”
Guilt clawed at me. I had put her through many unnecessary worries. Sometimes I feared she might regret sticking with me, even though I knew she wouldn’t.
I met her gaze. “I know. I’m sorry.”
She exhaled heavily, rubbing a hand over her face. Her eyes softened when they met mine again. “Are you okay? Like, really okay?”
I hesitated. Was I okay?
Physically, I would recover. But mentally? Emotionally? I wasn’t so sure.
Phoenix’s sharp gaze landed on my hand. She reached for it before I could react, her fingers brushing over the plaster covering the IV mark.
“You were at the hospital?” Her voice turned urgent. “Where? What happened?” Her eyes scanned me for hidden injuries, then suddenly froze. Her gaze darted from my face… to my stomach.
My stomach tensed up.
Her lips parted slightly. “You didn’t…” She met my gaze again.
<
IN
© Chabter Seventeeis
My brows furrowed, confusion clear on my face. She was giving me a look that made me feel both confused and anxious. Did she know something I didn’t? It wasn’t like I was hiding anything from her, but still…you
never know.
Her gaze slowly moved from my face to my stomach, then back to my face again. It was then that I realized
what she meant.
“What?!” I gasped, my hands flying to my stomach. “No! Of course not! I would never do something like that!”
Phoenix exhaled sharply, pressing a hand to her chest. “Thank God!”
I scoffed. “How could you even think that? I made it clear I want this baby.”
“You can’t blame me for allowing the thought. Why were you at the hospital?” She folded her arms.
I hesitated. The memory of collapsing on the street resurfaced, bringing a fresh wave of unease. I exhaled, pushing the feeling away. “I passed out on the road. Someone took me to the hospital,”
Phoenix’s eyes widened. “Oh my God, Ava” she gasped, “I’m so sorry,” pulling me into a hug.
For a moment, I let myself sink into her warmth. But deep down, I knew comfort wouldn’t be enough anymore.
As if sensing the turmoil going on in my head, Phoenix pulled back, keeping her hands on mine.
a
“Ava, you can’t keep doing this,” she murmured. “You can’t keep letting Kyle’s existence tear you apart.”
Her words struck like a realization.
She was right.
Even after everything, Kyle still had a hold on me. His choices dictated my emotions. His life controlled mine.
But why shouldn’t it?
We had been together for years, even before we got married five years ago. My life revolved around him, so much so that I struggled to find my own path after the separation. It was clear he had moved on. He had everything: his son, his family, his business. He had discarded me and never looked back. Meanwhile, I was barely holding on, barely surviving.
Something inside me snapped. A realization and determination pulsed with energy through my veins: I couldn’t keep living like this, not anymore. If I decide to keep this child, I need to let go of my past and embrace the future; for both my and my child’s sakes. If Kyle can do it, then so can I
Lifting my chin, I straightened my shoulders. “Let’s get a building.”
Phoenix blinked. “Pardon?”
for
“A building,” I repeated. “I need to start my own business, and the house, nor your shop, will do it.”
She studied me for a moment, her face swiping from confusion to realization, and then a slow smile spread across her lips. “You’re serious.”
“Tam.”
Phoenix grinned. “Good. Because I’ve been waiting for you to say that.”
I exhaled, a small sense of relief washing over me. For the first time in a long time, I wasn’t thinking about Kyle
opter Sevent
I was thinking about the future because I refused to let Kyle’s decisions ruin my life any longer.
I want to take control. I want to create something of my own for myself and my child.
14
Comments
Watch videos get points (0/10) >
Vote
Chapter Eighteen
