Chapter 0280
I’m seated in the living room, going over some words and numbers. If I ever want to go back to teaching.
then I need to relearn words and numbers
Iris was sleeping in a portable crib that I dragged from upstairs. I didn’t like the idea of leaving her in her room all by herself all the time. So here we are. She was just chilling while I basically studied all over
again.
My head was still reeling from everything I’d learned yesterday about Ethan. I still can’t believe that he played me in such a cruel manner. That I hadn’t suspected a thing during the months he and I were
together.
I don’t know what pushed me into his arms in the first place. Was it because Emma came back and I wanted Rowan to see that his relationship with her didn’t affect me? Or was it because I’d been so desperate and starved of affection that I’d fallen for the first man who showed interest in me?
It frustrated me that I didn’t know what had been going on in my mind when it all happened or what drove me. Unless I get my memory back, then I’ll always wonder what motivated my actions.
My phone rings, pulling me from my thoughts.
I pick it up, but unfortunately, I can’t read the number that was flashing on the screen. So far, the only numbers that were programmed on the phone were Rowan’s, the driver’s, my bodyguards, and Noah’s
school office.
After a second of debating whether to pick it, I tap on the green answering icon.
“Hello?” I ask tentatively..
“Hey, Ava…how are you?” I don’t recognize the voice though it sounds sweet,
“Who’s this?”
A breath catches on the other side of the phone, making me feel terrible. It is obvious that I’ve managed.
to hurt their feelings.
She answers slowly “It’s your mother, Nora”
I haven’t seen her since we left the hospital. Rowan had told her and Theo to give me some time to adjust
to the idea before they could come to visit.
Everyone has confirmed that they are indeed my parents. Noah told me that I’m the one who told him was adopted by Kate and James. I then introduced him to Nora and Theo. Still, I was having a hard time
I clear my throat awkwardly. I honestly didn’t mean to hurt her feelings.
“Hey…I’m sorry, I just didn’t know whose number it was, and I didn’t recognize your voice.”
She’s quick to answer, “It’s okay, I totally understand.”
“Did Rowan give you my number?”
Again, just like yesterday, today he’d gone to work reluctantly. If it weren’t for the fact that he had an important meeting, he would have stayed. He did promise to come back home immediately after, though.
“Yes. I hope you don’t mind,” she states with hesitation.
From what I’ve seen for the few hours I was with her at the hospital, she seemed like a really sweet woman. I’d wanted Rowan to tell me about their story. How it is, I ended up as Kate and James daughter. He told me that it wasn’t his story to tell and that he would leave it to them to fill in the blanks.
I still don’t know how it is that such a sweet couple raised such a manipulative man. I mean, who does. that? Who the hell seduces and sleeps with the woman he’s hell–bent on killing? I was having a hard time
wrapping my head around that particular truth.
“I wanted to invite you to lunch,” she begins, pulling me from my thoughts. “I will be honest and direct. I miss you, Ava. You’re my daughter and it’s killing me that after months of waiting for you to wake up, I can’t even hold you because you don’t remember me
The heartbreak in her voice is clear as day. Witnessing it even through the phone moves something I can’t
honestly explain inside me.
As a mother, I feel for her. It would destroy me if any of my children ever forgot me.
“I really don’t know about that,” I tell her truthfully. “Rowan says I’m not safe since my attacker hasn’t
been caught yet.”
I still wonder why someone would want me dead. Did I maybe piss someone off so much that they
decided I deserved to die? I mostly keep to myself, so someone wanting to harm me didn’t make sense. I
mean, who would I offend when I barely have any friends?
Don’t worry about that… I’ll come pick you up” she says. “We’re Howell’s Ava. I dare anyone to come at
you
There was that name again, Rowan told me that Iris’s last name Is Howell. It sounded really familiar. Like
I’d heard it somewhere.
think about declining, but I decide otherwise. Maybe I could get more answers concerning Ethan, Sure.
“Okay then” I agree and she squeals in delight.
She tells me that they’ll be by in a few minutes before hanging up.
I hurriedly change Iris then myself. I decided to just go with a silky blouse and some trousers. It will be easier to breastfeed Iris in that as compared to a dress.
1 wait patiently as excitement starts buzzing inside me. I couldn’t stay locked up in the house, forever. It was about time I go out. What’s the worst thing that could happen?
Synopsis
Ava: Nine years ago I did something terrible. it wasn’t one of my best moments but I saw an opportunity to have the guy I’ve loved since I was a young girl and I took it. Fast forward to years later and I’m tired of living in a loveless marriage. I want to free both of us from a marriage that should never have taken place. They say if you love something…. It was time to let him go. I know he’ll never love me and that I’ll never be his choice. His heart will always belong to Her and despite my sins, I deserve to be loved. Rowan: Nine years ago, I was so in love I could barely see right. I ruined it when I made the worst mistake of my life and in the process I lost the love of my life. I knew I had to step up in my responsibility and so I did, with an unwanted wife. With the wrong woman. Now she has once again flipped my life by divorcing me. To make matters even more complicated, the love of my life is back in town. Now the only question is, who is the right woman? Is it the girl I fell head over heels in love with years ago? or is it my ex wife, the woman I never wanted but had to marry?
