4

Ava bent slowly and picked up the little figurine…its arm chipped, its face cracked. She quietly placed it on the side table beside the door and then gently knocked, even though it had just been flung open.

“Come in,” came Deirdre’s voice was sharp and full of venom, like she'd been waiting to unleash it on someone else and didn’t care who.

Ava stepped in carefully.

Deirdre was standing behind her desk, arms crossed, her lips pressed into a thin line. The office was stunning…floor-to-ceiling windows behind her, two large bookshelves, and a glass desk so wide it looked like it belonged to a CEO on Wall Street.

And yet, it wasn’t the office that made Ava’s heart pound.

It was the woman standing in it.

Deirdre’s eyes landed on Ava and narrowed instantly.

“You have some nerve showing up here.” Her voice was colder than ice. “What do you want? Come to beg for sympathy?”

Ava clasped her hands in front of her, forcing a polite smile. “I didn’t mean to barge in on your day. I just… I thought we could talk.”

“About what?” Deirdre snapped. “Are you here to ask me to accept you? Pathetic. You think one heartwarming conversation is going to make me forget who you are?”

Ava’s lips parted, but she quickly recovered. “No, ma’am. I’m not here to argue or cause any trouble. I respect you… and I know how much Alexander loves you. I just wanted to see if we could… start over. Clear the air.”

Deirdre scoffed, walking out from behind her desk and approaching Ava with slow, deliberate steps.

“Start over?” she repeated mockingly. “With you? Tell me, Ava…where exactly do you think someone like you fits in my world? You think being sweet makes you worthy?”

Ava didn’t respond. Her heart was beating fast, but her posture stayed calm.

“You’re nothing,” Deirdre hissed. “A glorified babysitter with a tragic story. Oh wait…was it both your parents who died? That’s right. You're an orphan, raised on pity and handouts. Alexander didn’t just marry below his class…he married a charity case.”

Ava’s jaw tensed, but she didn’t break.

Deirdre leaned in just a bit. “Do you know how humiliating it is to introduce you as his wife? A woman with no background, no breeding, no name. You walk into a room and people wonder if you’re staff.”

Ava’s throat felt tight, but her voice stayed soft. “Ma’am, I didn’t come here to fight. I came to…”

“To what?” Deirdre snapped. “To grovel? To prove you’re good enough for my son? Newsflash…you never will be. You were a mistake from the beginning. A phase. A warm body he clung to in a moment of weakness. You’re not love. You’re a lesson. And when he learns it, I’ll be there waiting.”

Ava blinked, hard. The tears stung, but she forced them to stay in.

She still wouldn’t cry in front of her.

“I’m not here to beg,” Ava said quietly. “I just wanted to try. For his sake. I hoped maybe… you’d give me a chance.”

Deirdre stared at her like she was filth on the bottom of her shoe. “If you had any dignity, you’d disappear. You’d leave him and spare him the embarrassment. But of course, you won’t. You’re clinging to his last name like it’s a lifeline. Just like an orphan would.”

Ava’s chest rose and fell slowly. She didn’t trust her voice anymore, so she didn’t say another word.

Deirdre waved her hand toward the door, disgusted. “Get out of my office.”

Ava didn’t say a word.

She simply nodded once, turned on her heel, and walked toward the door.

Her shoes barely made a sound on the carpeted floor. Her hands shook as she reached for the handle. Her chest felt like it was being squeezed.

Still, she walked out without a single tear falling.

But damn, did it hurt.

Ava stepped out of the building and walked quickly to her car. The farther she got from Deirdre’s office, the easier it became to breathe again. Her hand trembled slightly as she unlocked the door, slid into the seat, and shut it.

She stared out the windshield for a moment. No words. Just silence and a heavy ache in her chest.

Then she looked down at her phone.

Seven missed calls.

Four messages.

All from Alexander.

She bit her lip, sighed softly, and finally opened them.

‘Where are you, sweetheart?’

‘I’ve been trying to reach you.’

‘Call me when you see this.’

‘Ava?’

Her fingers moved quickly.

‘Sorry. I had something to take care of. Just saw your calls.’

Almost immediately, her phone lit up with his name.

She hesitated, then answered.

“Hey,” she said, trying to keep her tone light.

“Ava,” his voice was deep and sharp, but not angry…concerned. “What’s going on? Why didn’t you answer me earlier?”

“I wasn’t ignoring you,” she said softly. “I just had…something on my mind. Something I needed to do.”

There was a pause. She could practically feel him analyzing her words.

“You okay?” he asked. “You don’t sound like yourself.”

Ava smiled faintly, even though her eyes still stung. “I’m fine, Alex. Really. Just a little tired.”

“No, something’s wrong.” His voice lowered slightly. “Talk to me. Did something happen?”

She shook her head, even though he couldn’t see her. “It’s nothing. I promise. I just… had a long day.”

Another pause.

“Where are you right now?” he asked.

“In my car,” she replied.

“I’m coming over.”

She let out a small laugh, the first real one all day. “You don’t have to do that. I’m fine, Alexander.”

“I don’t care. I’m still coming,” he said.

“Babe,” she said gently, her voice warm, “I love you for worrying. But I’m okay. I’ll be home soon. Let me breathe a little, yeah?”

There was silence for a second, then a sigh on his end.

“Alright. But call me the second you get in.”

“I will.”

“I mean it, Ava.”

“I know. I mean it too.”

The call ended.

And as soon as the line went dead, Ava leaned her head back against the seat and let out a long, heavy sigh. One she’d been holding in since she stepped into that office.

She closed her eyes for a second, then quietly whispered to herself…

“I’m okay.”