(Ava)
I push myself up in bed. “I’m going to see my baby.” I start to rip off patches.
The doctor puts his hand on my arm. “Ava… Your mental health is in question. Legally, you aren’t allowed to see her.”
His words cut through me like a sword.
How can they think I would ever hurt my baby?
“I am her mother. I will never hurt her! She needs me right now, I have to see her!”
The doctor offers a subdued nod. “Ms. Lancaster, I’m sorry. I truly am. But I could lose my job if I take you.”
I whisper, voice hard. “I’m going to see Lila, now. Even if I have to crawl there and end up in jail.”
“I’ll take you.” The male nurse fixing my IV says with a smile, “Nico, nice to meet you.”
He looks like he should be on a most wanted poster with that neck tattoo. But he is my only choice.
The doctor holds up his hands. “Okay. I never heard anything,” and leaves the room.
***
Nico pulls the door open and pulls my wheelchair backwards into the room. He turns the chair to face the bed.
And my heart shatters.
Lila looks… so small. So pale.
Tubes and IVs snake from her tiny body. Machines beep in quiet, rhythmic intervals.
Her favorite stuffed bunny is next to her, the same one she’s had since she was a baby.
Tears blur my vision. I can barely breathe past the ache in my chest.
Nico pushes me closer, and I lean over taking her tiny hand in mine. Tears pour down my face.
“Oh God. Lila. Mommy’s here. Lila, don’t give up. I love you, baby. I love you so much.”
Without her, my life is meaningless.
I sat stiffly in the chair beside Lila’s bed, my fingers curled around her tiny hand, tracing the soft skin, memorizing every inch of her.
My chest feels hollow, as though someone has punched through my ribcage and ripped everything out.
She’s dying. My baby is dying.
“Call her father. I want to talk to him,” I demand.
“We left messages,” the nurse says, hesitant. “We spoke with Mrs. Lorne. She knows the gravity.”
Sienna won’t tell Zach. I know she won’t. Why did I ever trust her?
All that time she was acting the dedicated friend, how we could all exist as a blended family. Lies, all lies. Like a viper, she was waiting to strike.
Zach and I were so happy. So happy.
I try again with the nurse, she has kind eyes. “Our daughter is at the end of her life. Have a heart…I’m begging you…”
The nurse hesitates and then her shoulders slump. “I’ll go get the phone.”
It rings. And rings. Then—
“Hello?”
Sienna’s voice.
I clench my teeth. “Where’s Zach?”
She sighs dramatically. “Oh, it’s you. I heard you’d woken up.”
My grip tightens. “Where. Is. Zach.”
“He’s busy,” she drawls. “It’s Kai’s eighth birthday, you know. We’re throwing a huge party. We all need a rest from hospitals.”
My blood boils. I hate her so much. She has ruined my life. Taken my daughter’s life from me. “Lila is not going to make it. Zach should be here.”
Sienna yawns. “We’ll visit tomorrow.”
“Put him on the phone.”
“Patience darling. Be thankful I let you wake up in time to see Lila again,” her voice is lowered. The words shock me.
What?! Did she just admit that she is responsible for my coma?
“It was you. It was all you.” It was Sienna. She drugged me somehow.
“No one will believe you. You’re crazy. Everyone knows that.” I hear her laugh and the line goes dead. She hung up.
I want to hurl the phone at the wall, but I know if I do, they’ll stop me from seeing Lila.
I’m not going to stop calling until I get Zach. I hit the redial button and it rings out over and over. I try again.
Zach finally picks up.
“Zach.” I say, not able to get anything else out. I’m so angry, so sad.
“Ava,” he sighs. “Sienna told me you’re awake. She said you’re spiraling. I’d hoped you were over these manic, paranoid episodes.”
My hands shake with fury. “Lila has sepsis. She’s dying, Zach.”
A pause. Then— “Are you hallucinating again? I’ve just talked to a nurse, and they said Lila is stable. I hear you’re refusing medication.”
“Stable? She’s dying, Zach!”
He sighs. “You’re hallucinating. Take your meds. We’ll visit Lila tomorrow.”
“You used her for spare parts,” I spit, tears pooling in my eyes. “And now you’ve abandoned her. I told you she was yours.”
“Yes, she’s mine but you’re mentally unstable. You’re a drug addict. I can’t have that in my life, in my kids lives.”
“I love Lila more than anything in this world.”
He chuckles bitterly. “You tried to jump off a bridge with her… what loving mother does that?”
Tears form in my eyes as I have flashbacks of Lila screaming and me holding her on the edge of a bridge. My body collapses again. What have I done?
“You’re a joke, Ava. I’m done feeding into your delusions. I wish I’d never chose you.”
My blood turns icy while he hangs up on me.
I’ve never hated anyone as much as I hate Zach right now. He doesn’t deserve Lila. He doesn’t deserve her love, or mine.
I knew what his reputation was. I knew he was a feared and ruthless businessman. I knew he was a player who discarded women when he was done. But I wouldn’t listen. I thought he’d change, for me. He did.
No affairs. No temper. He was the most patient and loving husband and father.
Deep down I know I still love him and maybe a part of me always will. That young, hopeful, starry-eyed virgin part of me.
I’m so far removed from who I was, it really just a stupid dream. It always was.
Sometimes, this time, love is just not enough.
I’m done with him.
(Ava)I haven’t slept much.I kept thinking about Zach, about Sienna, about what he said to me—and what he didn’t. The way he made it sound like I started the whole thing.Like I’m the problem again.Why does he always have to just believe anything she says? He’s such an idiot that way. If she said that I’d beamed aliens down to attack her, he would believe her. I don’t even get the benefit of the doubt.By eight, Lila is playing quietly, and I’m sitting at the kitchen table, nursing my third coffee.I message the staff to take the day off—not because they did anything wrong, but because I don’t want anyone else in the house right now. I need space. I don’t want to answer questions or pretend to be polite. Not today.But also, Sienna cannot be trusted and I don’t trust she hasn’t got someone on her payroll right here in this household.I text Zach:I sent staff away. Need privacy. Can you let me know how Kai is?He calls almost immediately.I answer. “Hey.”“He’s in an induced coma,
(Zach)I wasn’t supposed to be home until tomorrow, but the Tokyo deal wrapped faster than expected. The jet dropped me on the tarmac in Vegas just after 7 p.m.My phone lights up as soon as I switch it off airplane mode.Missed calls. Two voicemails from Sienna.The first voicemail plays while I’m still halfway to the car.“Zach—it’s Kai. He collapsed. He’s in emergency. Ava was visiting when it happened. It was bad. Ava started going crazy at me.”What the hell?I call Sienna back immediately. She picks up on the first ring.“Is he okay?” I demand.“He’s still unconscious. I’ve never seen him like this, Zach. I’m scared.”“What happened with you and Ava?”“She showed up with Lila, didn’t wait for a response to the text she sent. I buzzed her in anyway. She verbally attacked me in front of the kids.”I’m already in the car, heading toward the hospital. “Sienna, you promised, no more arguing.”“I didn’t want to argue. Ava is paranoid. I’m telling you. I’m the villain, I’m manipulative
(Ava)I press the intercom at the front gate and wait, one hand on Lila’s back. She’s got her face buried in my neck, little fists clutching my shirt.“I know, baby. I don’t want to be here either, but we have to do this for Kai.” This is the last place I want to show up after the day I had but I promised Kai a visit with Lila.Sienna’s voice comes through the speaker, clipped and sugar-sweet. “Yes?”“It’s Ava. I’m here to visit Kai. Like we agreed.”Silence.Then the gate clicks open.Inside, Sienna Sinclair’s residence is spotless and cold. High ceilings, white marble, soft music drifting in from somewhere near the back. The kind of curated comfort that doesn’t come with warmth.A staff member nods me toward the family lounge and then vanishes like a ghost.Kai’s curled up on the couch with a blanket and his tablet. He looks way better than he did at the hospital. His face lights up when he sees us.“Lila! Ava!”“Ava,” Sienna says, tone clipped. “Wasn’t expecting you this early.”
(Ava)Luca slides the pickle off his burger and drops it onto my take out box without looking up.I pluck it off and pop it on my burger without a word.We’re having a quick bite before class resumes. We’re also finishing off our design details to hand in to the professor today for final assessment.“Rounded edge or squared off for the central island?” I ask.“Rounded. The rest of the space is straight lines. Needs some sexiness and curve.”“Exactly what I was thinking.”“You’re overthinking it. Just sketch what feels like the solution, not what looks like one.”“I’m trying to make it clean,” I murmur, biting my lip.“It’s too clean. Mess it up a little. That’s where your magic is.” He grins at me sideways. “We’re design soulmates.”“Or no one else can put up with our off-the-wall ideas…”“Either way, we have an edge.”Professor Moran’s voice pulls us from our rhythm. “Before we begin this class, I have an announcement you’ve all been waiting for.”Luca grabs my arm, mouthing, “Drumro
(Ava)Zach calls just after seven the next morning.I’m dressed, sipping my second coffee, Lila still asleep. I’ll take her to Paige in a couple of hours.I answer, keeping my voice casual. “Morning.”“Morning,” he says. “You’re looking gorgeous.”“Thanks. You look ready to smash some deals today. I’ve got a lunch meeting.”“With Luca?”“Yes.”Zach has that look on his face. The one that he always gets when Luca is mentioned. “Is that really necessary?”“Zach—”“I know what he’s up to, Ava. He’s still in love with you.”I sigh, setting my mug down harder than I mean to. “You’re not serious. You’re really going there? After you kept secrets from me with Sienna, you don’t trust me?”“I do trust you. It’s him I don’t trust.”I shake my head. “Unbelievable. Sienna drugged you for sex and I have to trust her.”“I’ve seen the way he looks at you. Everyone has.”“He’s my future business partner. He’s also a friend. We’ve worked damn hard on this.”“A friend who wanted to be more. Maybe still
(Ava)My phone buzzes just after I’ve cleared the kitchen bench. I’m still thinking about Kai, about how pale he looked earlier this morning.It’s eleven in the morning now. Have the doctors been to see him?Kai had Aplastic Anemia in the past time. Is it that again? Should I say something?Zach’s name flashes across the screen. Oh, at last. I answer.“Hey.”“Hey,” he says. It’s softer than I expect. “You home?”“Yeah. Lila’s with Paige. I’ve just been... regrouping. Going over my planner so I can fit in all my internships and classes. How’s Kai?”“The doctors did rounds. They’re sending Kai home.”My chest loosens a little. “That’s good.”“They’re still watching him, though. They said if anything else happens, they’ll start running tests—immune panels, marrow checks. I hate the thought of him having something serious.”My stomach turns. I sit down at the counter. “You must be so worried.”I know what it’s like to lose a child. But the marrow donation wasn’t the thing that killed Lil