Chapter 16

Ava

“I missed you mommy, why didn’t you call me?” Noah asks me, sadness in his voice.

I wanted more than anything to hold him in my arms. Just to reassure myself that I was still with him. That I wasn’t going to leave him motherless.

“I’m sorry my love, I lost my phone and I had to borrow your dad’s”

“Can we do a video call? I want to see you” he demands.

I know he senses that something is wrong but I can’t let him see me lying in a hospital bed. He will worry and want to come home. Given that I am now a supposed target, I couldn’t risk whoever is after me going after him.

I still couldn’t believe that there was a chance I was a main target. That someone wanted me dead.

“Not right now baby, they don’t allow video calls where I am” I lie.

“That’s a st* pid rule! Who makes such st* pid rules?” He screams through the phone.

I know that he is frustrated so I was going to let this slide.

“Noah…

“I just want to see you mommy, can’t dad make them leave you alone? He can make them give you permission, I know he can” he was close to tears and it was breaking my heart.

I look at Rowan and he is grinning like a fool. Noah knows how his father operates. He also knows that one word from Rowan Woods, and everyone bows down.

“Not this time… how about I call you tomorrow and we can skype?”

“You promise?”

“I promise”

I was getting discharged today so that would give me enough time to prepare for the call tomorrow

“Okay mommy, talk to you tomorrow. I love you”

“Bye baby. Love you too”

“Grandma wants to talk…”

I hang up the phone before he can finish that sentence, I know it’s wrong but I just don’t want to Rowan stares at me, one of his eyebrow raised A look I can’t explain passes across his face. I’ve asked him to leave so many times but he won’t budge. I even asked the nurse to throw him out and he threatened to have the entire hospital shut down.

My unwanted guest is here every day now. Being around him this much is suffocating me especially after that day when I woke up to find Emma and Travis in my room. Travis left the room a couple minutes later to get something to eat. The moment he did Emma was on me like a ravenous vulture.

Three days ago

“Your little trick won’t work Ava” Emma sneers the moment Travis leaves the room.

“What the hell are you talking about?”

I was in no mood to deal with whatever was going on with her. She seemed hell bent on something and I wasn’t well enough for whatever shit she wanted to stir up.

“This little accident of yours, I’m sure you planned it to get Rowan’s attention, but I’m telling you, I won’t allow you to get close to him”

I laugh The vibration shooting pain to my injured ribs.

“Let me get this straight? You believe I planned for my car to be blown up so that I could end up in hospital in order to get Rowan’s attention?”

Man was she delusional. And everyone thought that I wasn’t the brightest in the family, they

should hear their perfect Emma and the bullshit she was spilling.

“Of course…I mean why would anyone want to kill you? What would they gain? Rowan doesn’t love you so he wouldn’t care one bit if you lived or died and we also don’t care much about you. You’re insignificant so you death would mean nothing to us” she looks at me with scorn.

I have never wanted to hit anyone like I wanted to hit her right now.

“So you came here to insult me is that it, Emma? Beat the dog while it’s still down, that’s you plan?”

Why the hell was she even here? Who let her in, I wanted her gone. I didn’t want her near me, who knows what she’ll do once I’m a sleep.

“I’m not doing anything, just saying things like they are. I hope that gang doesn’t kill you first, I mean, I want you to watch as I take everything away from you just like you did me, including your son. He will soon be calling me mom”

How the hell were we even related? I know what I did to her was wrong but damn haven’t I been

“You’re a nasty bitch Emma, but know one thing, Noah will never see you as his mother. don’t you remember how he ignored you at the airport. You’re nothing to him and you will be nothing even

if you and Rowan married”

Her face scrunches up. Anger taking’over the triumphant look she had seconds ago.

“That’s fine…at least it’s my name Rowan is screaming at night, I will make sure he pumps me so full of his cum that I get pregnant and when I do he will soon forget about you and that brat. I will make sure the only children he acknowledges are mine, after all we both know he has never loved you, every time he was touching you he was probably imagining me, how many times has he called my name while you two were in bed?” 1

I ignore the rest of what she says even though it hurts. My main concern being Noah. I see red when he calls Noah a brat. Taking the flower vase near me, I lunge it at her head. With a scream she ducks and the vase hits the wall just as Travis enters the room.

“Are you crazy?!” Emma screams.

“Both of you, get out of my room now!” I scream back.

Then nurse enters looking at us hysterically.

“Ava, what’s wrong?” Travis asks gently but I don’t want his gentleness.

I can’t help remember all those times he treated me like trash. All those times made me feel like scum instead of his sister. All those times he rubbed his love for Emma in my face while treating me like I was nothing.

“Why don’t you ask you F***ing sister” I glare at him and Emma before turning to the nurse.

Please make them leave, I don’t want them here”

My head was pounding and my heart monitor was speeding up.

The nurse turns to face them. “I’m going to ask you to leave, your presence is clearly affecting her and she shouldn’t be under any stress.”

“She’s my sister, you can’t kick me out of her room!” Travis growls,

– I scoff at that. Since when has he ever considered me his sister?

“I’ll call the security if you don’t leave” the nurse says between clenched teeth. All traces of being nice completely gone. 1

“Ava, please” he begs, but I don’t have it in me.

They have taken everything I gave them and kept throwing it back at my face. I had nothing else to give I was empty where my love for them once stood.

“Just leave Travis, and make sure you and your sister stay away from me”

With that I turn to my side, close my eyes and block them out. It takes a lot of back and forth between the nurse and Travis but they soon leave and I’m left in peace. That is until Ethan comes and makes me laugh for the first time since everything happened.

“What did you say? Rowan voice pulls me back to the present.

“I asked if you’re ready to leave” he repeats

I stare at him for a while wondering if Emma was right Would Rowan really abandon Noah? I wanted to believe that he wouldn’t but I’m not sure. Emma was and is important to Rowan Really important I just don’t know if her importance weighed more than Noah’s

“What are you doing here, Rowan?” I ask instead of the question I really wanted to ask

“What do you mean? he frowns

“We both know that I’m your least favorite person, so what are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be with Emma at home enjoying your reunion?” I ask bitterly, Emma’s word still playing in my head

He sighs “You’re looking for a fight and I’m not going to give it to you. let’s just get you discharged and get you home”

“I don’t need help from a man who hates my F***ing guts! Just leave, Rowan, we both know you would rather be somewhere else”

“Really? You don’t need my help? Who are you going to call to help you check out? You literary have no F***ing friends, Ava”

“Ethan Ethan can take me home” It’s true I had no friends, but Ethan would come it I asked him for help

Rowan face shuts down and becomes hard as granite. His hands fists and his jaw locks.

“Over my dead F***ing b*dy” he growls “You have two choices. Ava, it’s either I take you home of you spend a few more days here at the hospital Either way, that bastard isn’t taking you home”

Cerignisly, Howan, what is wrong with you? You couldn’t wait to get rid of me and now you’re stuck to me like a bad rash the last thing I want is problems with Emina because of you I just want to live peacefully”

He needed to leave me the hell alone I don’t want to be accused of trying to use my unfortunate Circumstances to seduce him

“Speaking of which, what happened between you and Emma on the day of your attack and when

“I’m sure she has already filled you in” with lies, I add to myself.

“I would like to hear you side of the events”

I get out of the bed slowly and walk towards the bathroom. “There’s no need, we both know you wouldn’t believe me. Like always you will take her side”

“Ava…” I shut the door before he can finish.

I slowly dress up. I’m out of breath by the time I am done and so tired I can barely see straight.

Getting out, I use the wall for support. Rowan tries to help but I shake off his hand. I walk towards the wheel chair the nurse left and sit down on it. The doctor had been by to leave instructions so all that was left was to check out.

I pick my duffel bag and place it on my lap.

“Can we get going, that way we don’t have to be around each other longer than necessary.” I tell him, already feeling sleepy.

He sighs but doesn’t say anything. He wheels me out of the room and towards the reception.

Everything from there happens in a blur. I was so tired I could barely keep my eyes open and finally they drop closed.

When I wake up, it’s to find myself in Rowan’s arms being carried up a familiar staircase.

“What are you doing?” I ask groggily.

“Taking you to bed, you fell asleep before we could get to my car”

The warmth or his b*dy, and the deep baritone of his voice makes me snuggle closer. He chuckles when but I don’t care. He smelled great and he was so warm. My eyes close and I’m soon lost.

Feeling like I’m floating.

I feel him placing me down on something warm. Then he joins me. Turning, I place my head on his chest while his arms curl gently around my waist as he brings me closer.

As I completely give in to sleep, I can’t help but think about how beautiful and right this felt. In this dream, Rowan doesn’t push me away. In this dream, I’m in his arms like I’ve always wanted to be