CHAPTER 050
+25 BONUS
CHAPTER 050
AVA’S POV
My breath caught, and a chill ran down my spine as Richard’s eyes seemed to pierce my soul. I had always. wondered why he disliked me but could never bring myself to ask.
I wanted to protest, to suggest hiring extra help to care for Grandpa at his house instead, but the look in his eyes silenced me.
He wanted me around, and who was I to deny him that?
The drive back home or rather, Jason’s villa, since I no longer considered it my home was silent. Grandpa was taking a nap in the back seat while I sat in the passenger seat, with Jason driving. Soon, we arrived.
What I didn’t expect was Jason stepping in to plead with me that Grandpa staying here meant I’d have to move back into the house.
“It’ll look strange if you’re not here,” Jason said when Grandpa wasn’t within earshot.
I swallowed hard, my mind scrambling for an excuse. I couldn’t bear it, I needed to be far away from Jason.
Being close to him always softened me, and I was scared that the courage I had found to serve him the divorce papers would leave me if I stayed here again.
“I… I could visit every day instead…” I stammered.
Jason cut me off, his tone soft. “Ava, it’s just a few days. We need to make this convincing for Grandpa’s sake. I know we’re not on good terms right now, but can you please do this – not for me, but for Grandpa, until he fully recovers?”
The thought of moving back into this house, of pretending to be a happy couple, made my chest tighten. But Grandpa’s health came first.
That evening, I sat across from Jason and Grandpa at the dining table. The room was filled with the smell of roasted chicken, but the aroma turned my stomach.
I pushed the food around my plate, feeling nauseous and barely able to take a bite with a fake smile on my face.
Jason, of course, cracked jokes and nodded attentively as Grandpa recounted old stories.
I wondered how he could pretend perfectly like everything was okay.
“Jason, remember that fishing trip we took when you were a teenager?” Grandpa asked his voice light with nostalgia.
Jason grinned. “The one where you caught the biggest fish of the day and wouldn’t stop bragging about it?”
Grandpa chuckled. “Exactly! Ava, you should’ve seen his face when I reeled it in.”
I smiled, though the warmth in my expression was as fake as the laughter that followed.
Jason’s eyes flicked toward me, but I quickly looked away, pretending to be engrossed in my plate.
After dinner, I excused myself to the guest bathroom, I needed a moment alone. I stared at myself in the mirror, my hands gripping the edge of the sink.
I didn’t know how long I could keep on with this act of pretense when deep down my heart was bleeding.
When I returned to the living room, Grandpa had already retired for the night. Jason was in the kitchen, tidying up.
1/2
CHAPTER 050
+25 BONUS
I paused in the doorway, watching him for a moment, and wondered why he was going through the stress when we had someone paid for that.
Watching him reminded me of the past when he would cook for me and clean up afterwards and we were truly happy but everything changed that night Laura appeared at my doorstep.
“Everything okay?” he asked, not turning around.
“Fine,” I replied shortly, stepping further into the room. “ll take the guest room tonight.”
Jason straightened, wiping his hands on a towel before facing me. “You know that won’t work. Grandpa’s sharp. He’ll notice.”
“So what do you suggest?” My voice was laced with frustration.
“We share the bedroom,” he said simply as if it were the most logical solution in the world.
My stomach twisted. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. We’d be getting divorced soon and I sincerely don’t want to share a bed with a confused man like you.”
He ran a hand through his head and let out a deep sigh. “Ava, it’s just for a few days, we could divide the bed with pillows to avoid getting closer to each other.”
I thought for a while, I just needed to endure all this for a few days and afterward, I leave.
“Fine. But keep your distance as you promised.”
Later that night, I lay on the edge of the bed, my back to Jason. Every inch of me was tense, my senses heightened by the sound of his even breathing behind me. The space between us was wide, but I still felt hot.
I wanted him to cuddle me, kiss me, rub my belly, but I couldn’t allow him even if he wanted to because… it would make it harder for me to lose feelings for him.
I tried to focus on the baby, placing a hand over my stomach to see if I’d drift off to sleep, but Jason’s voice interrupted my thoughts.
“Ava,” Jason called my name with a deep, sleepy voice that coursed through me like electricity.
I clenched my jaw. “What do you want, Jason?”
He shifted slightly toward me, and I could feel the heat from his body, his hot breath on my neck as he sniffed me.
At that moment, I felt a shiver run through me, my heart racing for reasons I couldn’t explain. “Jason,” I whispered, my voice trembling, “what are you doing?”
He didn’t answer, but I felt his body move closer, the space between us closing in on something dangerous something I dreaded yet couldn’t resist.
My breath caught in my throat, and for a split second, I forgot everything.
