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“I am.” I look at William. “I’ll come back another time.”
“That’s a shame,” Zena says. “Although I’m happy you two have made up. I knew it must have been a misunderstanding.” She smiles in Ava’s direction, missing the way her daughter’s shoulders stiffen at her words. “The hotel’s lovely, by the way. Thank you for arranging it all.”
Ava spins, pinning an accusing glare on me. “What?”
“Jet dealt with everything,” Zena chirps as she places the cup holder down onto the table beside William’s bed and then shrugs out of her coat. “And the flight and cars. I didn’t have to do a thing after he called.”
I hold Ava’s eyes in silence as Zena swans about, straightening up things on the table, then walking over to the window to open it wider.
“You were the one who called Mum?”
I clear my throat and nod. “I was.”
“He tried to call you a million times, darling. Couldn’t get through,” Zena hums as she walks back across the room to get the coffees.
Ava lets out a small gasp, her lower lip trembling as something in her eyes makes my heart fall to my feet.
“I blocked your number,” she whispers. “It’s all my—”
“It’s not your fault, Ava.” My voice cuts through the room like a knife, making everyone fall silent and stare at me.
She blinks at me, her lower lids heavy with tears and I fucking hate myself more in this moment than I ever have in my life.
“Not your fault,” I repeat more gently, holding her pained gaze.
She makes a choked sound and turns away, gripping onto the back of her chair so she can stand. “I need some air.” She wobbles on her feet, and Zena reaches out, grabbing her before she falls.
“Darling, you’re so pale.”
“I feel a little sick.”
“You okay, love?” William asks.
“I’m fine.” Ava tries to brush her mother off, but Zena keeps ahold of her upper arms and studies her face with concern.
“You’ve not been sleeping well, and now this? This is exactly how I was when… Darling, are you pregnant?”
I move in a flash before I have time to comprehend what I’m doing, wrapping Ava in my arms, and holding her up as her legs wobble beneath her.
“Are you?” I look down at her pale face and into dim blue eyes.
“No.” She scoffs. “So you can get off me.”
She pushes at my chest, but I can’t let her go.
“Leave me alone! You’ve done enough.”
She wobbles again, her eyes losing focus, so I sweep her up into my arms, holding her close against my chest as I stride over to the door and kick it open.
“We need a doctor!”
Eyes snap up from the medical desk further down the hall, then two medical staff hurry toward us.
“I’m fine,” Ava mumbles in a weak voice.
Zena rushes over and grabs her hand, but I hold her tighter to me as a nurse reaches us and starts talking to Ava.
“This is your fault!” Zena’s brows shoot up her forehead. “She’s not been herself since you left her for that model. You left her, and now she’s pregnant.”
