Chapter 217

Chapter 217

-Grayson’s POV-

The air around us felt thick, charged with something I couldn’t quite put into words. My pulse quickened. The shock that came with seeing her after everything that had happened–everything that had gone wrong–flooded my system, paralyzing me for a brief moment.

Her eyes, those swirling eyes, locked onto mine, and I saw the million guards she had put up between us.

Like she knew I was coming. And had been preparing to face me

But I was the one who didn’t know how to face her.

For the longest moment, I couldn’t speak. The words wouldn’t come. My mouth was dry, my brain malfunctioning, short- circuiting under the weight of seeing her again. Awake. Staring at me.

Then, instinctively, my eyes went to her stomach.

Just like Elaine’s at three months. Even though we knew the truth now, hers was no different. But I didn’t know anything about pregnancy. Still hadn’t decided what I was going to say about it because my head wasn’t agreeing with me.

I opened my mouth to form words, but she beat me to it in a neutral tone, “I was going outside to get air. Please excuse me.”

I didn’t move.

She shimmied past me, brushing my shoulder, and I turned, watching her walk away.

I finally found my voice, “Ava…”

But she didn’t stop walking. She didn’t even hesitate.

I stood there, frozen, my body refusing to move even though every instinct in me screamed to go after her. My fingers clenched into fists at my sides as I swallowed against the tightness in my throat.

This was wrong. This silence between us. This distance.

I forced myself to snap out of it, my legs moving before I had fully processed what I was doing. I followed her outside, my eyes scanning the garden until I found her.

She was standing by Ricardo’s fountain, staring at the water. A mother duck swam in slow circles, her ducklings trailing behind her in perfect formation.

A mother and her children.

Something in my chest twisted at the sight, at the way Ava was watching them so intently, her arms wrapped around herself like she was holding herself together.

I took a step forward, and I felt it–the rift between us.

Tangible. Heavy. Unforgiving.

sorry.” I spoke finally

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Chapter 917

was the only thing I could think to say because, for the first time in my life. I didn’t know what

kept staring at the fountain, as

my throat. “He planted the messages.”

Nothing.

even the slightest reaction.

a long moment, I thought she

at me, she finally

“What do you want

I stiffened.

her gaze flickering to me, but it was

all those horrible things? Playing you from the start? Betraying you

she had been angry, I could have dealt

she had screamed at me, cursed me,

But this?

resigned

was worse than rage.

was her giving

tighten, but I said

I could hear the soft ripples of water as the ducklings swam closer to their mother. I swallowed. My voice felt foreign when I finally spoke again, “I

her head toward me so fast it startled me.

her eyes–her eyes–burned with

nothing you can say to fix all the horrible, horrible things you

voice trembled slightly, but she took a steadying breath, forcing it back

keep herself from breaking. Then she exhaled, shaking her head slightly before continuing. “I told you I didn’t do it. But you wouldn’t listen to me. You would just believe me for a fraction of a second before letting doubt creep back in. If after everything, you still couldn’t trust me enough to know that I would never betray you like that,

pounded in

Tue, Feb 18 • D

Chapter 917

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more to herself han to me, “Maybe there

to speak,

a soft, humorless laugh, shaking her head again.

the start,”

“Ava.”

the need to bridge this chasm

I froze mid–step, the rejection hitting the harder than any

her head, her eyes glistening in the dim garden lights. The reflection of the water danced in her eyes, making the unshed

pain that came with them–no right to expect anything else from her after what

wasn’t anger in

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