Chapter 42

We’re done

Rowan

I watch as Emma excuses herself and stands up. I wouldn’t have bothered with her if it wasn’t for

the fact that she walks out minutes after Ava.

My gut was telling me to follow her. I couldn’t get over the words Ava spoke to me about Emma. It

was fucking with my head and I needed answers. Especially after how Emma has been behaving.

The excitiment she had about coming here was now gone. I bet my fucking company it’s because

we learned that the function was hosted by Ava. That Ava wasn’t a loser as she had thought.

None of the others had a problem except for her. Gabe had even asked a couple of ladies for a

fucking dance. As for Travis despite the mournful looks he gave Letty, he seemed fine being here.

Especially after Letty joined us at our table.

Slowly I stand up. I don’t say anything even when the others give me weird looks.

I walk outside to find Ava and Emma standing face to face.

They were so focused on each other that I don’t think they even noticed me.

“Do you think that just because you’re the founder of Hope foundation you’re now something?”

Emma asks Ava.

I hear as Ava sighs tiredly. “I don’t have the time or energy to deal with you, Emma so could you step

aside?”

As I watched both of them something told me that I’ve been wrong all this time. That everything I

believed has been nothing but a fucking lie.

“You’re nothing Ava. I keep telling you and nothing will change that. Having money won’t change the

fact that we all hate you Rowan especially” Emma sneers but Ava isn’t affected.

“Are you done? Because all I hear is the same bullshit you’ve been spouting since you came back she

pauses before continuing. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m done with your nonsense

She goes to bypass her but Emma grabs her hand in a not so gentle manner. I was sure that it would

leave a damn bruise. I go to move but Ava rips her arm from Emma’s

“Rowan is mine, Ava stay the fuck away from him, Don’t start thinking that you’re now his equal

+15 BONUS

I couldn’t see Emma’s face since her back was turned to me. I could see Ava’s though and she was

starting to get pissed.

She throws her hand up in the air. “How many times do I have to tell you I’m not after Rowan? What will

it take to get it through your thick skull that I’m over him? You can keep him for all I

care. I don’t fucking want him”

At her words, something uncomfortable settles inside me.

“I don’t believe you! I saw him follow you to the balcony. You ruined my relationship with him. once, I

won’t let it happen again. I’ll do everything in my power to make sure you dont succeed” Emma’s voice

was hard as she spoke.

“Is that the reason why you lied to him? Why you continue pretending you’re the victim and I’m the

villain? Did you even tell him that both times you accused me of hurting you, you’re the one that

brought drama to my house?”

My hands fist. I didn’t know that. Emma had told me that Ava is the one that sought her out and like the

fool I’m starting to believe I am, I believed her.

“It doesn’t matter. He only needed to know what I told him. Can’t you see, Ava? Rowan will always take

my side against you. He will always believe me over you because he loves me while you mean nothing

to him” she answers with pride in her voice.

I close my eyes against the truth. I wanted Ava to be wrong but she wasn’t. How many times have I

believed others over her? How many times have I punished her for something someone lied

about?

The weight of just how unfair I might have been starts to set in. I hated that there was that possibilty.

Ava snorts, making me open my eyes. “It’s sad really. That you have to stoop so low just to keep him

You say you love him yet you’re manipulating him, lying to him What kind of love is that? His love for

you may be genuine but I doubt yours is. If it were then you wouldn’t be using such dirty tricks on him”

Before Emma can say anything, Ava continues.

What do you think will happen when Rowan find out you lied to him? When he finds out the things you

said about Noah?”

+15 BONUS

My entire body freezes at the mention of my son’s name. I wanted to know what was said, because

if there is one thing I will never tolerate, it’s anyone bad mouthing Noah.

“He’ll never find out, you know why? Because he’ll believe whatever I tell him. That’s how much

he trusts me”

“A trust you’ve broken countless of times.” Ava lets out a breath. “Rowan is my least favorite

person and I would gladly push him off a cliff for what he has put me through, but he doesn’t deserve to

be blindsided by the woman he loves. The woman he has faithfully loved for years. It’s

unfair to him” 1

With that she again goes to step around Emma but she grabs her hand again.

“Let me go or I swear I’ll have my men kick you out like I did with Christine and Brenda” Ava

wams, a dangerous tone in her voice.

I step out of the shadows. It was time for Emma and I to have a little chat.

“That won’t be necessary. I promise I will deal with her”

They both turn to me. Ava gets out of Emma’s hold and leaves without giving us a second glance.

Emma is frozen. Looking like a deer caught in headlights.

“How long have you been standing there?” she asks, her voice trembling.

“Long enough to know that you’ve been lying to me” I snarl, completely pissed off. “Now I want you to

tell me the truth right now, dare lie to me Emma and I fucking swear you won’t like it”

She swallows before hesitantly nodding.

“Did Ava slap you two weeks ago?” I ask, my jaw clenched.

“Yes?”

“Why?”

She doesn’t say anything. Just stares at the ground. It’s fucking funny how she had a lot to say to Ava,

but now she was all of a sudden mute.

“Fucking answer me Emma!” I boom, startling.

She had to realize I wasn’t a boy anymore I wasn’t the same guy that would ignore her flaws because

he loved her.

+15 BONUS

“B–because…” she doesn’t finish the sentence. Her mouth clamps shut and she looks at me with tears

filling her eyes.

“I don’t like to waiting. It’s either you answer me or I go find out the truth from Ava and trust me you

don’t want that. I want to hear the truth from your fucking mouth”

I see her throat move as she swallows hard. She was now cowering, but it didnt faze me

“I–I told her to keep Noah on a leash. That I won’t let him destroy my relationship with and if I had

to I would make you ship the brat off to a boarding school just so he’s away from us” she was shaking

as the words poured out of her.

Stumbling, I try taking a steadying breath. Unable to believe what I was hearing. I believed her. I

supported her. I even went to Ava’s house and spewed all that shit because I was angry on her behalf,

when in truth she had lied to me.

The only truth she told was about the slap and even that she manipulated me in order to have her. I

now see why Ava slapped her. She was just as protective over Noah as I was.

Where the fuck did things go wrong? Emma has always been nice. She was the most kindhearted girl I

ever met. She didn’t have a mean bone in her body. That’s why everybody loved her.

The woman standing before me was the complete opposite of the girl I knew and loved. She’s

malicious, envious and bitter. Characters I would have never associated with Emma.

“We’re done” I manage to say through my clenched jaw.

“W–what?” she stammers, disbelief in her voice.

“It’s only because of the history we shared that I won’t make you pay, but no one and I mean no one

gets away with fucking with my son.” 2

“Please don’t do this, Rowan” she cries trying to grab me. “This is supposed to be our second. chance”

She throws herself at me but I gently entangle her from my body.

“Maybe and maybe not” I tell her before walking away.

I hear her crying and calling my name but I don’t turn back This time her tears don’t move me

This was the best decision for us. Not only because of what she did, but also because my head was a

fucking mess

+15 BONUS

I didn’t want to hurt her but I also knew that would be inevitable with my current mental state. I

couldn’t claim I loved her while thoughts of my ex–wife occupied my entire head. I couldn’t claim I

wanted to be with her when the thought of Ava with someone else manages to push me over the

edge. 1

I thought I didn’t have any feelings for Ava, but what if I was fucking wrong this whole time?