《Tangled Desires: Ex Husband Wants Me Back 》全部章節：第 41 章 - 第 50 章

AVA MAXWELL'S POV. The days had settled into a quiet rhythm, one that felt both comforting and temporary. I knew I wouldn’t stay in the mansion forever, but for now, it was where I needed to be. The housekeeper and the rest of the staff had welcomed me back warmly, their smiles genuine and their care evident in the little things they did—like the herbal soup that had been prepared for me the moment they heard about my pregnancy. I had barely taken a few sips when my phone started buzzing. Seeing Helen’s name flash across the screen, I immediately knew why she was calling. She must have seen the news and was probably panicking. The moment I answered, her worried voice filled my ear. “Ava! Why didn’t you call me? I had to find out from the news! Are you okay? How could you not tell me?” I sighed, feeling a pang of guilt. Helen was one of the few people in my life who had always been there for me, yet I hadn’t told her what happened. “Helen, I’m fine,” I assured her. “I didn’t want t

AVA MAXWELL'S POV.I stared at my phone screen, my fingers tightening around the device as I reread the article for what felt like the hundredth time. The words blurred slightly, not because I didn’t understand them, but because my brain refused to process the full weight of what Jerome had done.What the hell was he up to?Minutes ago, James had rushed into my office, breathless, shoving his tablet into my hands. His voice had been urgent, laced with something close to panic. “Ava, you need to see this.”And now, I was here, alone in my office, scrolling through the endless sea of comments under Jerome’s shocking press release.He had done it. He had flipped the entire narrative overnight. The same people who had vilified me, who had called me names and painted me as the jealous ex-wife, were now bending over backward to apologize, to sympathize, to praise my resilience.“Ava’s loyalty is unmatched.”“She never left her family even when the world turned against her.”“She endured all

AVAHe picked up the pill bottle and, without another word, took his medication.When he was done, he turned back to me, his gaze steady.“I’m sorry, Ava,” he said, his voice gentle but firm.I met his eyes, searching for any sign of deception. But there was none.“I should have talked to you before the press release,” he admitted. “I put you in a difficult position, and I regret that. But I had to do it.”I sighed. “To protect me and my father’s company.”“Yes,” he nodded. “But more than that… I did it because I refuse to let anyone hurt you again.”I didn’t know what to say to that.Because despite my anger, despite the frustration, I knew he meant it.I stroked my belly absentmindedly, my mind running through all the what-ifs.What if the press found out the full truth?What if this whole thing backfired?What if—Jerome placed his hands over mine, stopping my thoughts in their tracks.“We’ll figure this out together,” he murmured.I exhaled slowly, my fingers tightening against hi

AVA'S POV.Pain.It was all I could feel. It consumed every inch of me, burning and searing through my body like wildfire. My vision blurred as I tried to focus on anything, but the world around me was slipping away. The metallic scent of blood filled my nose, thick and suffocating, while the cold steel of the chair I was bound to pressed against my trembling body.I was going to die here.The realization sank into my bones like ice, chilling me to the core. Autumn stood in front of me, her beautiful face twisted with unrecognizable rage. My sister—the girl I had once loved, the one I had shared childhood secrets and stolen bedtime stories with—was unrecognizable.She wasn’t my sister anymore. She was a monster.“Sign it,” Autumn snarled, shoving the paper and pen in my face once more.I couldn’t even lift my hands to take them—not that I would have. They were bound tightly to the arms of the chair, the ropes cutting into my skin so deep that I could no longer feel my fingers. But tha

JEROME'S POV.The hospital smelled of antiseptic and misery, a cruel combination that made my stomach churn. I moved quickly, my strides long and determined as I rushed toward the VVIP suite. My heart was hammering, my mind clouded with anxiety.Ava was awake.That was the only thing that mattered.Marcus was standing outside her room, his usually unreadable expression betraying the exhaustion and relief he must have felt.“She’s awake,” he said immediately. “She’s been asking for you.”I didn’t let him say another word. I shoved the door open and stepped inside.And then I saw her.Ava.She was sitting up in bed, her small frame swallowed by the white hospital sheets. Her hair was disheveled, her skin far too pale, her lips dry and cracked. But it was her eyes—those beautiful brown eyes, now dull and glassy with exhaustion—that broke me.The moment her gaze locked with mine, tears welled up in them. Her chin trembled, and before I could say anything, a sob wracked her fragile body.I