3

The final school bell rang, sounding through the corridors of Willow Creek Elementary. The Grade 4 students burst out of their seats with the energy of freedom, racing to pack up their bags and shout their goodbyes.

“Bye, Miss Ava!”

“See you tomorrow, Miss Ava!”

Ava stood by the door with her usual warm smile, high-fiving a few students as they filed out. She wore a simple cream blouse tucked into navy slacks, hair pinned into a neat bun. Comfortable. Effortless. Beautiful.

“Don’t forget your homework, Casey!” she called after a student who was already halfway down the hall.

Casey skidded to a halt, turned, and ran back to grab the worksheet from his desk. “Thanks, Miss Ava!”

When the classroom emptied, Ava began stacking the leftover papers on her desk. Just as she reached for her water bottle, she heard soft footsteps and a gentle sniffle coming from the hallway.

Curious, she stepped out.

Near the entrance to the Grade 1 classes, a small boy sat on the steps, his backpack tucked tightly into his arms. He had one leg in a brace, his feet dangling above the floor. His eyes were glassy, and he blinked rapidly as if trying not to cry.

Ava approached slowly, crouching to his level. “Hey,” she said, her voice gentle. “You alright, sweetheart?”

The boy looked up and sniffed. “My mom hasn’t come yet.”

Ava’s heart clenched. She recognized him…his name was Liam. Not one of hers, but she’d seen him around. Always quiet, always sitting by himself.

She sat beside him, brushing his soft curls from his forehead. “Well, lucky for you, I don’t have anywhere to be just yet,” she said playfully. “Mind if I wait with you?”

He shook his head. Then, surprising her, he leaned into her. She pulled him into her arms, resting him on her hip like she’d done a thousand times for her younger cousins.

“You hungry?” she asked, reaching into her bag. She pulled out a granola bar and offered it to him.

He nodded shyly and took it. “Thanks.”

They sat like that for nearly thirty minutes. Most of the teachers had gone home. The halls were quiet now, and the sky outside was starting to turn orange.

Ava never once checked her watch.

Instead, she talked to Liam about dinosaurs and how he thought robots would take over the world one day. He laughed at her dramatic gasps and even showed her his drawing of a T-Rex in a tutu.

Just when she was about to text the school admin, a car pulled up by the front gate, and a woman came rushing out, breathless and red-faced.

“Liam!” she called.

Liam’s eyes lit up. He reached for his crutch, but Ava helped him up and walked with him to his mom.

The woman stopped short when she saw Ava, clearly not expecting a teacher to be with her son so late.

“I’m… I’m so sorry,” she said, catching her breath. “There was a terrible hold-up. The traffic was crazy, and my phone died…”

“It’s alright,” Ava interrupted kindly, still holding Liam’s hand. “He was safe, and that’s what matters. We just had a little chat.”

The woman looked at her, eyes wet with gratitude. “You’re an angel. Thank you.”

Ava smiled. “He’s a sweet boy.”

She ruffled Liam’s hair gently and waved as they walked off.

And when she finally walked back inside, her heart was full.

Because this… this was why she could never quit teaching.

Ava glanced at her phone as she stepped into the parking lot. Three missed calls. Two texts. All from Alexander.

‘Babe, are you still at school?’

‘Call me back, I miss you.’

‘Just checking in, love.’

Her chest ached. She clutched the phone tighter but didn’t reply. Not yet.

Deirdre was still weighing heavily on her mind.

Her heart thudded as she slid into her car. The evening sun cast a soft orange tint on the windshield, but the warmth didn’t reach her chest. As much as she hated conflict, she couldn’t let things fester. She couldn’t live in the same city with her husband’s mother thinking she was some scheming, low-class opportunist. Not when she had done absolutely nothing wrong.

So she typed the company’s address into her GPS and started the car.

The ride was quiet. No music. Just the low rumble of the engine and the sound of her fingers tapping nervously against the steering wheel.

When she finally pulled into the parking lot of Hart & Haven Global, she sucked in a breath.

The building was massive…glass and steel, standing tall with sharp edges and an aura of money and power. Employees in suits walked in and out with purpose. Valets ushered cars into underground garages. Everything looked refined, corporate, and fast-paced.

Ava stepped out of her modest sedan in her simple blouse and slacks, feeling oddly out of place. She hugged her bag closer to her side. With everyone walking so quickly and talking into earpieces, she looked more like an intern than the wife of the CEO’s son.

Maybe that was why Deirdre didn’t think she was good enough.

Ava shook the thought away almost immediately. That kind of thinking wasn’t her. It never had been. She had nothing to prove to anyone…except maybe to Deirdre, and only because she still hoped they could meet halfway. Somehow.

She walked into the building, greeted by cold air-conditioning and the scent of fresh flowers and paper. Everything gleamed…crisp lines, dark wood, huge LED screens on the walls streaming news and company updates. The reception desk alone looked like something from a futuristic movie…glass top, curved corners, two assistants in matching navy blazers and headsets.

“Good afternoon. Welcome to Reed & Haven. Do you have an appointment?”

Ava gave a polite smile. “No… but I’m here to see Mrs. Reed.”

Both receptionists paused. One gave the other a quick glance before reaching for the phone.

“Name, please?”

“Ava Reed. I’m…” she hesitated, “...her daughter-in-law.”

There was a longer pause this time. Then the woman nodded quickly, speaking quietly into the receiver.

Ava stood back, swallowing the anxiety creeping up her throat. Her palms were sweaty.

“Someone will escort you up shortly,” the receptionist finally said with a practiced smile.

A suited man soon appeared and led her through a pair of private elevators. As they rode upward in silence, Ava stared at the glowing numbers, her stomach tightening with every floor.

When the elevator finally opened, she stepped into a quieter, more luxurious part of the building. Carpets. Framed art. Soft lighting. It screamed wealth.

They stopped at a wide door with Deirdre Hart engraved in bold silver letters.

Ava took one breath in and raised her hand to knock.

But before her knuckles could touch the door, it flew open.

A man…young, flustered, holding a clipboard…burst out like he was running for his life.

“Watch out…!”

He barely missed her shoulder as he ducked and bolted down the hall.

Behind him, a small figurine clattered to the ground with a dull thunk, spinning to a stop at Ava’s feet.

She stared at it, stunned.

This… this was going to be harder than she thought.