Tous les chapitres de : Chapitre 71 - Chapitre 80

Ava’s POV I carried two thank-you bags filled with fruits and snacks down the corridor, the handles digging into my fingers with every step. When I reached Mom’s room, I pushed the door open. My steps immediately faltered. Mom was sitting on the bed, a chessboard spread out in front of her. Across from her sat someone I never expected to see. My jaw dropped. “Peter?!” His head snapped toward me. He slowly rose from his chair, and I stared at him. He looked much fresher than the last time I had seen him, his face brighter, his clothes neat, his eyes clearer. For a second, neither of us said anything. I walked toward them and set the bags beside the table. “Did you bring the fruit bar I specifically asked for?” Mom asked. My eyes remained fixed on Peter. I barely registered her question before nodding. “Hi, Ava,” Peter finally said. His voice sent a strange little ache through my chest. I looked from him to Mom, my eyes darting between them. Mom seemed to read my thou

Kate’s POV At the hospital, Vindell stayed inside Mrs. Ashford’s room while I busied myself with files, paperwork, and everything else that needed to be handled. I kept moving from one desk to another until, eventually, the chaos settled. I sank into one of the lobby chairs and let out a slow breath. For the first time since we arrived, I had nothing demanding my attention. Then my phone rang, Winston. My stomach tightened. I glanced around the lobby. People were scattered across the waiting area, nurses moved behind the reception desk, and a few patients sat quietly in the corners. I immediately stood. I couldn’t risk anyone overhearing me. I slipped through the emergency staircase door and descended a few steps before answering. “Hello?” “And how do you intend to pay me back for keeping quiet?” Winston’s low, husky voice rumbled through the phone. “Or do you think I took all that for nothing?” My fingers tightened around the phone.“Calm down. I need everything to settl

Ava’s POV Morning light slipped through the curtains and landed straight across my face, dragging me out of sleep. I groaned, pulled the blanket over my head, then gave up when the brightness refused to disappear. I’d been in this mansion for a while now, yet there were still corners of the place I hadn’t seen. The thought suddenly made me curious. I went looking for Sophia, but she wasn’t in her room. Then I heard her voice drifting from somewhere around the kitchen. Instead of following it, I decided to explore. If I was going to be trapped in this ridiculous mansion for the foreseeable future, I might as well know my way around it. The first room I wandered into was Vindell’s. The moment I stepped inside, I slowed. Everything was painfully organized. His clothes were arranged neatly. The books sat perfectly in place. Even the smallest objects looked like they had been positioned with a ruler. I glanced around, almost amused. His bedroom was bigger than my entire apar

Ava’s POV It was midnight, and the rain outside was coming down so hard it sounded like the entire sky had split open. Thunder cracked at intervals, rattling the windows and making me flinch beneath my covers. I kept turning endlessly. Sleep clearly wasn’t interested in me tonight. Somehow, I had gotten accustomed to the same boring routine, wake up, eat, shower, chat, sleep, and rinse and repeat. At first, I had enjoyed doing absolutely nothing. Now, I was beginning to feel like the walls of this mansion were closing in on me. I missed having somewhere to go. Something to do. A reason to wake up in the morning. I need a job. I turned again, this time facing the door. My breath caught. The door was wide open. I was certain I’d closed it. And standing in the doorway was a figure. A dark, motionless figure. My heart slammed into my ribs. I shot out of bed, nearly tripping over my own feet as I rushed toward the light switch. My fingers fumbled against the wall before I finall

Vindell’s POV Breakfast had become our morning ritual without either of us officially deciding it should be. By the time Ava came downstairs, I was already seated at the dining table, my sleeves rolled neatly to my elbows as I ate. The moment she stepped into the room, my attention drifted from my plate. There it was again. That faint scent that seemed to cling to her. I drew in a slow breath through my nose before I could stop myself, letting it settle somewhere in my chest. I hated how easily I noticed everything about her lately, the way her hair fell around her face, the little crease between her brows whenever she was thinking, even the way she held her spoon. My heartbeat picked up. I frowned at my plate. What the hell was happening to me? I didn’t have an answer. But I wasn’t exactly complaining. “Good morning,” she said as she slipped into the chair beside me. “Morning.” She immediately reached for her food. Ava always ate faster than I did. By the time I was ha