Chapter 15: Doubt Between Us
1016 Words
Ava sat motionless on the edge of the bed, staring at the photograph in her trembling hands.
Ethan.
Victoria.
Wrapped in each other's arms.
The handwritten message on the back seemed to burn into her mind.
"Some people never truly let go."
She turned the photograph over again, hoping it would somehow look different.
It didn't.
A knock sounded at her bedroom door.
She quickly slipped the picture into a drawer.
"Come in."
Mrs. Wilson entered with a warm smile.
"I thought you might like some tea before bed."
"Thank you."
Mrs. Wilson placed the tray on the table but paused when she noticed Ava's pale face.
"Is everything alright?"
Ava forced a smile.
"I'm just tired."
Mrs. Wilson nodded gently.
"Try to get some rest."
After she left, Ava looked back at the drawer.
She wanted to ask Ethan about the photograph.
But another voice in her mind whispered...
What if it's true?
---
The next morning...
Ethan was already waiting in the dining room.
When Ava entered, he immediately noticed something was wrong.
"You didn't sleep."
"I'm fine."
"You've barely looked at me."
"I'm just tired."
Ethan frowned.
Something had changed overnight.
Mrs. Wilson served breakfast, but neither of them touched their food.
The silence felt heavier than ever.
Finally Ethan spoke.
"I have meetings all morning."
Ava nodded.
"Okay."
"I'll be back before dinner."
"Alright."
He stood.
Normally he would have wished her a good day.
Today...
He simply walked away.
Ava watched him leave.
She hated herself for feeling hurt.
---
At Blackwood Group Headquarters...
Ethan entered the executive conference room.
Every department head was already waiting.
Mr. Carter began the presentation.
"We've traced the anonymous letters."
Ethan looked up.
"To whom?"
"They were posted from different locations across the city."
"So someone planned this carefully."
"Yes, sir."
Another executive interrupted.
"We've also discovered someone has been leaking confidential company information."
The room fell silent.
Ethan's expression hardened.
"A traitor."
Mr. Carter nodded.
"We believe someone inside Blackwood Group is working with our enemies."
---
Meanwhile...
Victoria smiled as she watched another envelope being prepared.
Her assistant looked uncertain.
"Do you really think she'll believe it?"
Victoria laughed softly.
"Not immediately."
"But doubt is like poison."
"It spreads."
She sealed the envelope.
"This one should finish the job."
---
That afternoon...
Ava visited a nearby bookstore.
Books had always helped clear her mind.
She wandered through the shelves until a familiar voice called her name.
"Ava?"
She turned.
It was Lily.
Her best friend.
Lily hugged her tightly.
"I've missed you!"
"I've missed you too."
The two women sat in the bookstore café.
Lily smiled.
"So..."
"How's married life?"
Ava hesitated.
"It's... complicated."
Lily raised an eyebrow.
"Complicated usually means interesting."
Ava laughed weakly.
"You have no idea."
Lily studied her carefully.
"You're worried."
Ava nodded.
"What would you do..."
"...if you found out someone had lied to you?"
Lily became serious.
"I'd ask them directly."
"What if you're afraid of the answer?"
Lily reached across the table and squeezed Ava's hand.
"The truth may hurt."
"But imagination hurts even more."
Those words stayed with Ava.
---
Back at the mansion...
Ethan returned earlier than expected.
He searched the house.
Mrs. Wilson smiled.
"Mrs. Blackwood went into town."
He nodded.
"With security?"
Mrs. Wilson hesitated.
"I... don't think so."
His expression changed immediately.
He grabbed his phone.
"Mr. Carter."
"Find her."
"Now."
---
At that same moment...
Ava left the bookstore carrying several novels.
She smiled after spending time with Lily.
Maybe talking to Ethan really was the answer.
As she crossed the street...
A delivery truck suddenly accelerated toward her.
Its horn blared loudly.
People screamed.
"Ava!"
Someone grabbed her just before the truck sped past.
The books scattered across the road.
Her heart raced wildly.
She looked up.
Ethan.
He held her tightly.
"Are you alright?"
She nodded, still shaken.
"I... I think so."
Ethan looked toward the truck.
It hadn't stopped.
It had disappeared around the corner.
His face became dangerously calm.
"That wasn't an accident."
---
Minutes later...
Inside the SUV, neither of them spoke.
Finally Ava whispered,
"You came."
"You weren't answering your phone."
"I left it in my bag."
He exhaled slowly.
"I thought I'd lost you."
His voice cracked slightly.
Ava looked at him.
For the first time...
She saw genuine fear in his eyes.
Not fear for himself.
Fear for her.
Without thinking, she placed her hand over his.
"I'm okay."
He closed his eyes for a moment.
"Don't scare me like that again."
Ava smiled faintly.
"I'll try."
Then she remembered the photograph.
Her smile faded.
"Ethan..."
He turned toward her.
"Yes?"
She reached into her handbag and pulled out the photograph.
His expression froze.
"Where did you get this?"
"It was left in my room."
He stared at it for several seconds.
Then he sighed deeply.
"It's exactly what I expected."
"What does that mean?"
"It means someone wants you to stop trusting me."
He looked directly into her eyes.
"The picture is real."
Ava felt her heart sink.
"But..."
"It was taken three years ago."
"The day Victoria ended our engagement."
Ava blinked.
"You were... saying goodbye?"
He nodded.
"She hugged me."
"The photographer captured one second."
"They erased everyone else standing around us."
Ava stared at the photograph again.
Everything suddenly made sense.
The timing.
The anonymous note.
The editing.
It had all been planned.
She looked back at Ethan.
"I'm sorry."
He gently took the photograph from her hands.
"No."
"They wanted you to doubt me."
"You don't need to apologize for being human."
For the first time since their contract marriage began...
Ava made a choice.
She stepped forward and hugged him.
Ethan stood still in surprise.
Then, slowly...
He wrapped his arms around her.
Outside the parked SUV, hidden behind another vehicle, someone quietly lowered a camera.
Click.
Another photograph had been taken.
And somewhere across the city...
Victoria smiled as the new image arrived on her phone.
"So..."
"They're stronger than I thought."
Her smile slowly faded.
"That means it's time for something much more dangerous."
- Writer
