Chapter 102

Ethan’s Point of View-

Ava leaving was one of the worst things to happen in my life. The day I went to work extra early, I came home to an empty house.

Ava and I hadn’t been talking, but I was always hyper-aware of where she was in the house, what she was doing, whether she was taking care of herself, and everything in between. I couldn’t talk to her, I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t know if she still loved me, or if she ever truly did as Andrew’s daughter.

After all the horrible things I said about Andrew, she must believe me to hate her too. Though, I never did. I was just having a hard time facing the fact that I knew hardly anything about Ava, and she was apparently capable of hiding such a huge secret from me.

When I came home from work, I was mentally preparing myself to finally have a conversation with Ava about what we were going to do moving forward. I wanted to make a plan, to know if she was going to continue seeing Andrew or not.

I wanted her to pick sides.

The house was empty on my arrival, though. I couldn’t smell her, couldn’t feel her energy. She was gone.

I went to our shared bedroom, and there I saw it. The necklace I bought her months ago that belonged to my mother, and an official looking document.

Divorce papers.

I went to look for Ava. The first place I looked was the hospital where her mom was staying, but the nurses told me that Ava checked her mother out hours ago. I checked the bakery, the children’s home, and any other place that I knew had sentimental value to her.

She was hiding from me, and I couldn’t blame her.

I went back home, dejected and lost. I’m not proud to say it, but I leaned heavily on Sarah during that time. She helped me through Ava’s disappearance.

For a week, Sarah and I went to every event together. Every promotional opportunity, Sarah was my guest.

The media even started to speculate that we were having an affair.

Part of me hoped that rumor would be enough to get Ava out of hiding. I wished that she would be too jealous of Sarah to stay hidden, and that she would come crawling back to me and cast Sarah away.

I missed Ava with every fiber of my being.

After that week went by, I started looking for Ava in the usual spots again. She couldn’t stay away from them for long, she always found her way back to at least one.

I did find Ava at the children’s home. She was standing in the lobby with Andrew and a frightened little girl.

I approached them carefully.

Andrew saw me and stepped aside, watching me cautiously.

“Ava,” I began, “Please don’t leave me.”

Ava looked stunned once she heard my voice. Her face paled and I watched as she swallowed thickly.

“Ethan?” She blinked, “What do you want?”

Her voice hardened and she crossed her arms over her chest. So she definitely saw the news stories speculating about Sarah and I.

The jealousy looked good on her.

Ava’s Point of View-

Ethan walked in right after Andrew asked me to move in with him. I didn’t even get the chance to answer before Ethan was begging me to come back with him.

Andrew stepped aside as we talked, watching us closely. I was hyper aware of his eyes calculating my every move, scrutinizing my face and body language.

After learning what I had about Andrew, there was no way I’d be able to sit by quietly and just go back to being Ethan’s Luna. I needed to figure this out for myself - save these kids myself. I needed Andrew’s trust, and to earn that I would have to break Ethan’s heart.

Even if it also broke mine.

“Ethan,” I gave Andrew a sideways glance, “I can’t go back with you.”

“Why?” Ethan pleaded, “What happened that made you leave me?”

I furrowed my brow and cocked my head to the side. As if he didn’t know? He acted as though he didn’t ignore me for a week and immediately replaced me with Sarah in the public’s eye. I loved Ethan more than anything in the world, but at the moment he was not free of fault.

“You can go back to Sarah,” I said a little more coldly than I meant to. “Sign the papers and be with her if that’s what makes you happy.”

Ethan blinked at me, tears lined his bottom lashes. I don’t know if I’d ever seen him cry before.

“If that’s what you want, Ava,” He murmured, not taking his eyes off mine, “If that’s what would make you happy, then that’s what I’ll do.”

I took a deep breath, still mainly focusing on Andrew watching us. I wished so badly I could tell Ethan everything, but it would only jeopardize Andrew’s trust in me.

“It is what I want.” I bit out, barely able to get the words out of my mouth. I didn’t want this, but it’s what I needed to do.

“Okay then,” Ethan finalized and walked out of the children’s home and to his car in the parking lot. My feet ached to chase after him. My arms longed to wrap themselves around him.

I missed him so much seeing him and not touching him hurt my soul.

Once Ethan was off the property, Andrew came closer to me again. Michaela cowered behind my legs, and I shooed her away to go play in her bedroom with the rest of the kids. I didn’t want her to see me agreeing with Andrew after all that he had done to her.

“Is divorcing him your best option?” Andrew asked. “I don’t want you sacrificing your happiness for me.”

I knew he was just laying it on thick. Learning everything that I had about him, I knew there was nothing genuine in his actions. He only wanted what would give him power and money. Somehow, he saw something in me.

Father or not, he intended to use me to get what he wanted. Nothing more.

“You were right,” I told him. “Ethan and I may not always be together, but you’re my father. I need to choose you.”

Andrew smirked at me, clearly content with my answer.

“Well, then my wonderful daughter,” He drawled out his words, “I would like you and your mother to come live with me indefinitely. Perhaps until you marry again, or until you take over my business.”

I nodded in agreement, pretending to be ecstatic over the whole prospect. Even though, it made the bile in my stomach bubble and fizzle into my throat, burning it.

Andrew disgusted me, but I had a part to play.

I brought my mother to Andrew’s house. They caught up with each other awkwardly in the living room while I explored his great manor a little more fully. As I walked through the halls of ornate paintings and sculptures, I came across a very familiar figure.

“Baron?” I asked, seeing him emerge from a spare bedroom.

Apparently, he lived with Andrew. Upon seeing me, Baron enveloped me in a hug and breathed into my shoulder deeply.

“Ava!” He cooed, “I’m so happy to see you. I heard about the divorce and I need to tell you something.”

I pulled away and nodded my head, urging him to continue. I thought that maybe he was going to confess to his crimes right then and there.

That didn’t happen, but what he said next was terrible nonetheless.

“I have loved you since I first met you, Ava. We can finally be together now that Ethan is out of the way.”