Chapter 280


    Chapter 0280


    I’m seated in the living room, going over some words and numbers. If I ever want to go back to teaching.


    then I need to relearn words and numbers


    Iris was sleeping in a portable crib that I dragged from upstairs. I didn’t like the idea of leaving her in her


    room all by herself all the time. So here we are. She was just chilling while I basically studied all over


    again.


    My head was still reeling from everything I’d learned yesterday about Ethan. I still can’t believe that he


    yed me in such a cruel manner. That I hadn’t suspected a thing during the months he and I were


    together.


    I don’t know what pushed me into his arms in the first ce. Was it because Emma came back and I


    wanted Rowan to see that his rtionship with her didn’t affect me? Or was it because I’d been so


    desperate and starved of affection that I’d fallen for the first man who showed interest in me?


    It frustrated me that I didn’t know what had been going on in my mind when it all happened or what drove


    me. Unless I get my memory back, then I’ll always wonder what motivated my actions.


    My phone rings, pulling me from my thoughts.


    I pick it up, but unfortunately, I can’t read the number that was shing on the screen. So far, the only


    numbers that were programmed on the phone were Rowan’s, the driver’s, my bodyguards, and Noah’s


    school office.


    After a second of debating whether to pick it, I tap on the green answering icon.


    “Hello?” I ask tentatively..


    “Hey, Ava…how are you?” I don’t recognize the voice though it sounds sweet,


    “Who’s this?”


    A breath catches on the other side of the phone, making me feel terrible. It is obvious that I’ve managed.


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    to hurt their feelings.


    She answers slowly “It’s your mother, Nora”


    I haven’t seen her since we left the hospital. Rowan had told her and Theo to give me some time to


    adjust


    to the idea before they coulde to visit.


    Everyone has confirmed that they are indeed my parents. Noah told me that I’m the one who told him


    was adopted by Kate and James. I then introduced him to Nora and Theo. Still, I was having a hard time


    I clear my throat awkwardly. I honestly didn’t mean to hurt her feelings.


    “Hey…I’m sorry, I just didn’t know whose number it was, and I didn’t recognize your voice.”


    She’s quick to answer, “It’s okay, I totally understand.”


    “Did Rowan give you my number?”


    Again, just like yesterday, today he’d gone to work reluctantly. If it weren’t for the fact that he had an


    important meeting, he would have stayed. He did promise toe back home immediately after, though.


    “Yes. I hope you don’t mind,” she states with hesitation.


    From what I’ve seen for the few hours I was with her at the hospital, she seemed like a really sweet


    woman. I’d wanted Rowan to tell me about their story. How it is, I ended up as Kate and James daughter.


    He told me that it wasn’t his story to tell and that he would leave it to them to fill in the nks.


    I still don’t know how it is that such a sweet couple raised such a maniptive man. I mean, who does.


    that? Who the hell seduces and sleeps with the woman he’s hell–bent on killing? I was having a hard


    time


    wrapping my head around that particr truth.


    “I wanted to invite you to lunch,” she begins, pulling me from my thoughts. “I will be honest and direct. I


    miss you, Ava. You’re my daughter and it’s killing me that after months of waiting for you to wake up, I


    can’t even hold you because you don’t remember me


    The heartbreak in her voice is clear as day. Witnessing it even through the phone moves something I


    can’t


    honestly exin inside me.


    As a mother, I feel for her. It would destroy me if any of my children ever forgot me.


    “I really don’t know about that,” I tell her truthfully. “Rowan says I’m not safe since my attacker hasn’t


    been caught yet.”


    I still wonder why someone would want me dead. Did I maybe piss someone off so much that they


    decided I deserved to die? I mostly keep to myself, so someone wanting to harm me didn’t make sense. I


    mean, who would I offend when I barely have any friends?


    Don’t worry about that… I’lle pick you up” she says. “We’re Howell’s Ava. I dare anyone toe at


    you


    There was that name again, Rowan told me that Iris’sst name Is Howell. It sounded really familiar. Like


    I’d heard it somewhere.


    think about declining, but I decide otherwise. Maybe I could get more answers concerning Ethan, Sure.


    “Okay then” I agree and she squeals in delight.


    She tells me that they’ll be by in a few minutes before hanging up.


    I hurriedly change Iris then myself. I decided to just go with a silky blouse and some trousers. It will be


    easier to breastfeed Iris in that aspared to a dress.


    1 wait patiently as excitement starts buzzing inside me. I couldn’t stay locked up in the house, forever. It


    was about time I go out. What’s the worst thing that could happen?