4

AVA

Over the next few hours, my mind reeled. Harder than it'd ever done before. I scratched my nails against the door, kicking, screaming for someone to stop them before they left. No one responded. To all of them, I was probably just another mentally unstable patient.

The nurse in the room tried convincing me to get back to my bed. I didn't respond. After many fruitless attempts, she later called for help via the red button on the wall. “W-what did you just do?” I stuttered.

She stared at me with a mix of fear and pity. The help button attached to her uniform gleamed red. She pressed it. Her lips pulled open and before she could make up some seismic lie to calm my flaring nerves, the door slammed open.

The doctor, an aged man with grey stricken hair, hauled in, his eyes flashing with fear, confusion and disinterest. “I'm on my god-damned break, Cara. This better be worth it.”

He snapped at the nurse. She ran over to the other side. “It's the client.” She pointed at me before leaning close to the man to whisper. 

I took a step forward with the scratchy texture of the hospital gown scratching against my flesh. The duo in front of me both shifted backwards before the nurse finally whispered what she wanted to say into his ears.

I tried to hear what they said. I couldn't. Her voice was lighter than feathers. However, I could tell whatever she said was mocking. I caught the tilt in her smile and with the way the doctor looked at me, his eyes confirmed my assumptions.

The silence in the room wrapped tighter around us than any sheet would. The doctor, ignoring me, shifted his gaze to the nurse standing behind him.

“Add mentally unstable to her file. Her husband pointed that out and from what I see, turns out he's right after all.”

His words knocked out all the air in my lungs. I choked. Rubbing a palm over my chest to ease my chest’s heavy heaving, I stepped forward, veins throbbing against my forehead.

I clenched my fists tightly, digging my nails into my palms until I felt blood drip down from the spots my nails dug. I bit my lips, sniffling. Tears stung my eyes. I rubbed my bloody knuckles over my eyes while trying to hold in the wave of rage tumbling down my back.

Stay calm, Ava.

Stay calm.

I chanted the words like a mantra. It didn't work. Not all mantras work. At least not this one. The cold temperature of the room sent jolts of electricity through me causing my breaths to quiver as they rolled out.

I opened my lips to speak, to yell, to rant, to give the two of them an unmeasurable piece of my mind but all that came out was “Did Carson tell you that?”

Silence creeped in after my voice. I didn't allow it to settle in before I stepped forward, watching as he took a step backwards. “Did Carson tell you I was mentally unstable? Did he?”

I gripped my jaw. “Is that his plan?”

I never expected my husband to be this scheming. Just so he'd have something to tell the public when they asked why he was now with Giselle, he'd obviously tipped the doctor's to diagnose me of being mentally unstable. So this was his ruse. 

His exit from our marriage.

How didn't I see it? How?

Tears burned a trail down my cheeks. He didn't love me. He never did. All he saw was a cheap way to success. He only married me for wealth and all it came with. Our marriage was two-sided with him on one end going off on business trips, barely acknowledging me as his wife and always being ‘busy’.

On the other side, there was me. Always trying. Always striving. All for what? His love. I always thought if I tried hard enough, he'd one day stare at me lovingly, maybe pull me close, caress me, whisper sweet nothings into my ears and make love to me.

Oh boy was I stupid. 

Really stupid.

Carson has taught me a valuable lesson. One I'll hold tightly. My heart raced harder than it'd ever done as I opened my lips, speaking in a clear voice. 

“How much did he pay you?”

The doctor raised a brow. “Ugh?”

I spoke again, this time, my voice belting through the air in the room. “I. Said. How. Much. Did. My. Husband. Pay. You. To. Diagnose. Me. Of. Bein—”

My voice faltered. I found it hard to say the following words. It was heavy on my tongue. 

“Of being mentally unstable?”

He chuckled, eyes gleaming with venom.

“Y-yes.”

I shivered. A cloud of sweat gleamed over my forehead, sending droplets dripping down my forehead.

When I felt a droplet on my chin, I wiped it off while still maintaining eye contact with him. The weight of his gaze burned my flesh. 

It took him a while before he finally spat out the words I wanted to hear. “He knows the boss. The owner of this hospital is literally his business partner.” He started then finished. “He settled on me to make the report.”

“How much?”

“$50,000!”

“Fifty thousand dollars?” I asked in shock. My heart quivered in my chest. Without batting an eye at me, he turned to the nurse, “Go make a copy of the report and have the mailing department get it to Mr Carson. I'll keep an eye on her.”

The nurse took the paper from him, turned and made her way towards the door. I had to do something. She was going away. 

Just before the nurse's fingers could grip the door's knob, I spat. “I'll d-double it. I promise I will. Just get me out of this hospital. I’ll mail you a check immediately.” 

I peeled off the bandages on my arm. Breath shaking.

The scorn written on the doctor's face was crystal clear. He eyed me for a long second before tilting his gaze towards the nurse at the door. They both stared at each other for longer than a few seconds before they both cracked into laughter.

“I-i promise all I need to do—”

I tried to speak. They didn't let me. 

Their laughter shut me up quicker than I expected.

My mind went blank within seconds. 

When they finally stopped, the silence that followed was worse. It scratched at my heart.

The doctor's voice first slipped in. “It’s funny hearing from you. Oh c'mon, you've lost everything. Literally everything. Your husband has it all now. I heard you're a business prodigy, I guess you know in a world as fucked up as ours, the man/woman with the cash is the one who calls the shots. Now don't be stupid, ms.”

With that, he turned to the nurse. “You may leave.” Before she stepped out, he finished. “And call for three help. We might need to chain her down if she doesn't correspond.”

The sound of the nurse's heels soon faded. The silence in the room remained heavy. Really heavy. When the three towering male helps came, I heard a clink. I traced the sound with my eyes and saw it.

Chains.

The three men were stalking me. The doctor's orders revved through the air. “Are you going to cooperate or should force be added?”

My lips quivered. I tried to speak. To tell them I'd sue them if they laid their hands on me but nothing came out. After a minute of saying nothing, the doctor turned and walked towards the door.

The help was just about to grab me when I spat. “I'll pay you $200,000 right now.”

He laughed. “How would you do that?”

“All I need is a call and I'll have my assistant send you the money immediately.”

He stared at me for a long, nerving minute before he spat. “I see a spark in your eyes. I have a feeling you might be telling the truth. But,” he paused. “How can I trust you?”

I quivered. “I'll have my assistant send the money to you.”

It cost me another long drawn minute of nothing but tension riddled silence before he finally spoke again. “One call. You have one minute.”

I let out a sigh of relief. “Here.”

He dug his hand into the pocket of his uniform and slipped out his phone. He passed it to me. My fingers quivered as I gripped it. My fingers quivered against the screen of the phone as I dialed my assistant, Ria’s number. 

I was sure she'd pick up.

It didn't take long before she picked the call. Her voice slipped out quickly. “Ava, where are you? I've been trying to speak to Carson ever since. He said you were at the hospital. I tried to call your phone but it hasn't been going through…”

“Yes, I'm at the hospital. I need your help Ria. I'm in big trouble here and I need you to empty out all the money from my savings account for the company.” 

Ria's voice followed mine. “About that, I have to tell you that your husband has full control over that account. I tried to hide it from him. After he took over, he emptied all the other accounts you have under the company's name.”

Shit. 

After my father died and I took over his business as part of my inheritance, I never really invested into a personal account. I kept all my money in stocks, shares and capital for the business. I built it into one of the biggest firms in LA with my blood and sweat. I thought giving it to Carson was a good idea. I was such a fool?

“How much is in my personal account?”

My heart quivered in my chest as I waited for Ria’s response. “$70,000.”

She beamed shortly.

“That's not enough. That's not enough.” 

I chanted it like a mantra. The doctor was growing impatient. I could tell. His patience was wearing thin. I didn't have any more time.

“Can you explain the situation you're in to me, Ava? I promise I'll help in any way I can.”

I glanced at him. He grunted, “You better not tell her..”

“I need $130,000 to complete the payment.”

“What payment? What for?”

I choked on a breath. “My freedom.”

Silence filled the air.

“Hand the phone over. I guess giving you a chance was useless after all.”

I was just about to give him.back the phone when all of a sudden, he spoke. “I'm willing to give you the money, Ava.”

Ria's tone cut through the air. I froze. He did too.

“Are you sure, Ria?” Tears streamed down my face.

“You've been more than an employer, Ava. I'm willing to do way much more than that for you.”

It didn't take long before she sent the money to them. When we finished, she came over to the hospital to pick me up with my car. As we entered my car, I asked. “What is David up to now?”

“He's having a grand diner party at a rented out hotel to announce his relationship with Giselle to the world.”

Rage rolled down my veins. “Can you get me a ticket, a dress and a gift?"

“What are you up to, Ava?”

My eyes darkened. “You'll see.”