Total pages in book: 158
Estimated words: 156392 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 782(@200wpm)___ 626(@250wpm)___ 521(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 156392 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 782(@200wpm)___ 626(@250wpm)___ 521(@300wpm)
I can tell he hates that he lost control over her state and that he can’t monitor her at all times like he did before. I can also tell it’s taking all his restraint not to force himself into her life again so he won’t hurt her.
I respect that about him. I also respect that he always puts her well-being before his.
Ultimately, though, I still despise the twat from the bottom of my heart. He can blame his father for it.
I release a long sigh. “She’s slowly recovering. She hasn’t had an episode in three weeks and the lower dose of medicine has helped reduce the level of lethargic phases. Silver and Cecily are with her, talking about a nonsensical film. Ari will probably join them after uni. Now, you’d better leave before she sees you.”
He nods. “I’ll be back later.”
“I’d rather you weren’t.”
“I will be.” He casts a glance at his father. “I’ll wait for you outside. Don’t stay long, as it’s best she doesn’t see you either.”
Aiden and I watch as his son walks out with that edge of infuriating arrogance both father and son excel at.
If I didn’t know Eli was suffering, I’d think he was completely normal with the level of calm he projects onto the outside world.
“Stop thinking about ways to eliminate my son.” Aiden stands in front of me, effectively blocking my view. “And no, you can’t poison him.”
“You should’ve kept him far away from my daughter like I asked twenty-three years ago. This whole mess is because of you.”
“Nonsense. This whole mess happened because you refuse to admit your daughter is a grown-up who can make her own decisions, and if that means tying her life with Eli’s, so be it.”
“Over my dead body.”
“Can be arranged for my son’s happiness.”
“Is that a threat?”
“Maybe.”
We glare at each other for a long beat before he releases a strained breath. “Listen, wanker, I don’t give a fuck about your edgy attempts to threaten him every time you see him, but it’s different now. He’s lost weight. He barely eats, sleeps, or functions properly. Creighton flew back from the States to stay with him and Elsa has been worried sick about him. I am worried about him. Every day, he comes to work, looking like a functional zombie who’s susceptible to undergo cardiac arrest at any given moment. The only thing that’s pushing him to survive is Ava. So if I can overlook the fact that she stabbed him, you can also overlook your nonsensical bias.”
I narrow my eyes. “He told you about the stabbing?”
“He went the extra mile so I wouldn’t know, and I let him believe I was in the dark. You and I both recognize he did that to protect Ava from my wrath and to avoid any tarnishing of our relationship, so stop being a bastard and let the kids be, would you?”
That would be possible if Aiden hadn’t stolen Silver’s first waltz from me. Or if the fact that he was her first fiancé, even if it was fake, didn’t exist.
And no, I still haven’t forgotten about that, and I never will.
“Don’t give my son a hard time or I’ll come for you, Nash,” Aiden says in a dark tone.
“Then come for me, King.”
We glare at each other for a few more moments. The only reason he disengages is because his precious son is calling him.
“We’ll be in-laws for life, Nash. I hope you’re also mentally prepared for Remi and Ari, because they’re already happening in the background.”
Aiden walks away before I can shove him against the wall and choke him to death. The prick loves antagonizing me, so the last bit is not true.
I’m struggling as it is with the first part.
And no, I still don’t accept Eli. Even if he’s a bit more tolerable than his father.
After fetching some ridiculously-named coffees from the local shop, I walk back to Ava’s room.
My steps come to a halt when I hear laughter. Good God. It’s been a long time since I heard my daughter laugh so freely and sound so happy.
She’s been a little social butterfly since she was born, but her light has been stripped away by the abnormal neurons in her head.
Neurons she has because I was selfish enough to procreate and pass down faulty genes to her.
But Silver is right. I wouldn’t have it any other way. We would’ve loved our little miracle no matter what.
Ava, however, struggled so much, especially during her teenage years and beyond, and my sweet girl tried her best to hide and was in denial for far too long.
She’s slowly healing now. Ava doesn’t seem to care about the pain that comes with this loathsome therapy method. If anything, she goes in with a blinding amount of hope that puts me to shame for ever opposing the experiment in the first place.