In the hospital, Rose and the others had left Ava to rest alone in the wardroom. Ava couldn't sleep, neither could she count the number of times she had sighed. Her mind was deeply troubled, the incident unfolding over and over again in her mind. She couldn't shake the thought off. Who tried to kill them? Was it an enemy of Carl or hers? The door creaked open, and a petite-looking nurse walked in. She had a blissful smile on her face. “Hey, Ava,” she called out in a hushed tone. Ava opened her eyes, inadvertently meeting hers. “Hi,” the nurse giggled. She was one of Ava's many colleagues, Chanel. Chanel walked up to Ava, both her hands tucked into her pocket. “How are you feeling?” She asked. Ava let out a deep sigh “I could be better,” she responded. Chanel nodded. They weren't exactly friends so there was little or nothing at all to talk about. It was becoming awkward. Ava broke the silence “How's work been?” “Oh, you know, the usual,” Chanel answered nonchalantly. “And Brando
It all happened too fast. The next thing they knew, the car had tumbled over. The car that caused the incident sped away, disappearing from the eyes of passersby. Ava could barely breathe; she was wheezing, and her face and neck were severely injured. She was unconscious, whereas Carl had been knocked out. There was a gash of wound on his forehead, blood seeping out. Ava felt the world around her spin, her eyes becoming bloodshot. The last thing she heard before succumbing to the darkness was the sound of an ambulance siren. Ava's eyes fluttered open to the sound of sobs. It was a familiar voice…. Her mother's. She struggled to keep her eyes open, blinking rapidly to adjust to the lighting. She was unconscious for 24 hours. She heard the nurse saying almost inaudibly “Ava here is one of our own. We've made sure her vitals and everything are in check. She's lucky not to have incurred severe injuries…..unlike the other” Ava let out a whimper. She tried to move out of her uncomforta
“Listen to me, it's okay to cry. You don't have to hide it” Said Liam, caressing her hand. “I understand what it's like losing someone close to you. Don't fight the emotions, let as much as you can out” As he spoke, Ava no longer hid her tears. Images of the times she spent with her father kept replaying over and over in her head, fueling her sadness. “There, there, I'm sure wherever your father is right now, he's no longer struggling.” Ava sniffed. “I think I need to take a leave,” she said, her voice barely audible. The least she could do now was visit her family. It made her feel even more guilty but it had to be done. Liam didn't object. He nodded. “You've got to see your family” “But what about you? How will you manage?” Ava asked. Who knows what might happen to him when she's gone? Liam shrugged.. “I'll manage. They stayed in silence, wallowing in each other's comfort without uttering any words. After a while, Ava wiped her eyes. “Thank you” she murmured. “What was that?”
Liam bombarded her with questions. “Just so you know, I'm still angry with you, but I won't leave you in the dark,” said Ava “Who are these people?” Liam asked again. Ava explained as much as she could to him, intentionally leaving out the part where she would be the one conducting his surgery. Liam was left short of words. He felt the weight of guilt crushing him slowly. This was the reason why Ava agreed to Kain's invitation for dinner. It wasn't what he thought. He felt bad for his outburst. He was still left to wonder why Kain agreed to it all. What were his plans this time? To crush his legs further? Liam didn't say a word throughout the process. He only listened to how coordinated Ava was with the professionals almost as if she was one of them. She really didn't lie to him. Everything she had been doing was for his good. She cared, but he was the one who doubted her. She seemed so excited about the fact that he might be normal again. He wondered why she was putting in so m
Ava said nothing. She cleaned up the mess he made and left the room. Early the next morning, Kain took a while out of his schedule to visit Liam. He found him lying on his back on the bed, his face focused on the ceiling. Kain walked calmly up to the windows, both his hands tucked in his pockets. He stood right next to Liam's wheelchair. He exhaled deeply, a small satisfied smile forming on his face. “You've never asked about the family business, how come? It used to be your most prized possession.” Kain knew Liam was awake; what he did not know was that thanks to Doctor Louis's special medicine, at that moment, he could see. “Hmm, too bad the only throne you have now is this wheelchair” Kain tapped on it slightly. “Best gift I ever gave to you” Liam exploited the short silence “If you're done talking, pick your ass up and leave” Kain chuckled “You know what I find funny?” He walked up to the bed, a mocking grin resting on his face. “Despite your disability, you're still so arro
Evie's suggestion made sense so why was Kain hesitating? Evie's eyes narrowed when he said “No, I can't have her fired” “What?” Thelma panicked. “What are you saying, Kain? If Ava is a doctor, she might have us reported. She'll gather evidence against us, and we might not be able to—” “Shut the fuck up, woman, and let me think” Kain hissed. Dismissing Ava wasn't an option. Kain was certain that out of the other women who had come to take care of Liam, Ava was the only one who had gotten through to him. Even if it was just to an extent, Liam trusted her. She had been nothing but kind and tolerable to him. Kain knew Liam would eventually get attached. He couldn't fire Ava now, it'd mean he'd have to start all over again. Kain began to think of Ava's situation as a challenge. The petty women who had come were too desperate they'd even kill Liam at the right price. Ava was different, she wanted to help genuinely. That was why Kain needed her to be his pawn. He would manipulate her an
Kain leaned back, pretending to lose appetite for the food. He needed his current state of sorrow to be convincing. “It was a few days after that he suddenly went blind. We called in Doctor Finn, the family doctor. He said the blindness was temporary, but he couldn't do anything for Liam's legs” ‘Temporary?’ Ava thought. It had been two years. This meant Liam would've likely gotten his sight earlier if they hadn't kept messing with his drugs. Kain sighed out “That's how things are now. He can't see or walk, and has to be taken care of.” His expression softened “I'm happy he's got someone like you to care for him” Ava had stopped listening. What if she really could make Liam walk again? What if he didn't have to be crippled for the rest of his life? “What if he can walk again?” Ava asked after the shirt silence. The sudden question threw Kain off balance. “What? The Doctors we've had said there was nothing they could do” said Kain. He didn't understand where she was headed. “His
“The truth is, I got an employment suspension, and I needed the job at the moment. Believe me, I had no idea who I would eventually care for,” Ava responded truthfully. “Hmm,” Finn sat in a short silence. He held his chin. The woman was a doctor? An orthopedic surgeon at that. Why would they employ her?? “And you believe he can walk again?” He asked. Ava nodded. Her eyes filled with determination, she added “I know Mr. Liam's state in the Blackwood household, and I think I want to help him” ‘On what cause? What will you gain, Doctor Patel?’ Finn studied her while pondering deeply. “You know….this doesn't concern you in any way, right?” Ava already had a comeback “You and I have something in common, Doctor Louis. You and I both save lives. We strive so that many can live comfortably. I can't sit back and watch when I know I can do something” ‘What a convincing speech’ said Finn inwardly. He had every reason to suspect that she had an ulterior motive. For all he knew, she could hav
Evie stormed off, clicking her heels loudly. She left Liam on the floor, reeling from the sickening fall. He started to panic. He needed help standing up, but he couldn't see a thing. And where was Ava when he needed her? Out having sundaes with his brother. The thought of it only made him angrier, bottled up with his frustration. As the heavens may have it, it began blurry, but Liam's sight opened again. Once he realized he could see, his eyes darted everywhere. ‘James!’ He exclaimed inwardly. He would call him. But Liam's phone was on the bedside table on the other side of the bed. He began crawling, and after two minutes of the agonizing crawl punctuated by his pained grunts, he got to the phone and dialed James. ********** “Finally decided we should meet up huh?” Said Carl. He and Ava were seated in a cafe joint back in Ashbury. Carl wondered what it was that made her arrange their meeting. Though she had a smile plastered on her face, he could tell that she was uneasy. “Yea