MARRIED TO DECEPTION

Chapter Five

Ava had gone halfway away from the room she had been in, when she realized she didn't know how to find the exit. The house was huge with so many curves and turns, she couldn't understand the fantasy of overly huge houses, her mind going to her grandparents' house as the thought crossed her mind.

Her home in Asheville was big, but not to the extent where you could get lost, or need an elevator to get to some part of the house.

Retracing her steps, hoping she would find the room she had left some minutes earlier.

She had passed through so many doors, opening them one by one, but she couldn't get to the room she had been in. She was left wondering if she had walked that far before realizing her predicament, or if she had branched to a different corner of the house without realizing it.

Stepping out of the last room on the corridor she was in, she bumped into Ethan, shock waves running through her body as she did so.

The part of her body that had hit his elbow was starting to throb, she turned around quickly offering a quick apology, before asking for the direction that led to the outside of the house.

Ethan stared at Ava, wondering if he should show sympathy or to continue trying to make her change her mind.

Deciding on the latter.

“Careful lady,” “You wouldn't want to ruin my perfect skin with your body, now would you?”.

“My skin care and dermatologist appointment is so expensive that I am sure you wouldn't be able to afford it if I asked you to pay for a section”, he added, looking at her with disgust.

He didn't have any dermatologist appointment or a skin care routine, but he knew the statement would annoy her, and probably make her back out. He was rewarded with the look of disgust and anger on her face.

Ava stared at Ethan for a long time, wondering if somehow her grandpa was punishing her for the death of his wife, wondering if he blamed her like she blamed herself and this was his way of making sure she suffered till she died.

Regaining her composure and trying hard to hide the disgust she felt, and making her face look as sorry as possible.

“I am sorry Ethan”, “I really wouldn't be able to afford it’’, “I wouldn't want to ruin your perfect skin”. She responded to him, trying hard to sound as sorry as possible.

“Hopefully I will be able to afford all of that when we get married”, she added, adding a tiny smile , hoping the smile looked sad and like she was sincerely distressed.

Ethan looked at Ava, wondering what her plan really was, putting it at another side of his mind for later investigation, he led her out of the house, telling her to stay nearby because they hadn't planned the day for the wedding yet, and he didn't want her running away, because his grandpa wouldn't let him hear the last of it.

Ava could feel the anger boil inside her, the anger was soon replaced with sadness when she remembered that this was someone she was going to spend the rest of her life with.

She had gone to her grandparents' house. She had wanted to lodge in a hotel but decided to be there instead, to feel her grandparent's presence once more.

Ethan had given her money to lodge wherever she wanted and also told her to call if the money wasn't enough.

She had been so close to telling him that she did not need his money, didn't want it, but instead she had smiled and acted like the most excited person in the world.

She felt the tears streaming again, the once lively house her grandparents called home was bare and void of the emotions she once felt whenever she was there.

Some of the house staff had gone, quit. She couldn't blame them though, there was no reason for them to stay. Some had decided to stay though, to make sure the house was still always neat.

She headed to her grandma's room, her scent hitting her hard. Immediately she stepped into the room, she was bawling now, certain she was going to get a headache when she wasn't in this state anymore.

But she didn't care, maybe it was her own way of wishing her grandma would come back to her when she couldn't bear seeing her cry anymore.

She walked to her bedside, pulling her pillow close to her, hugging it tight and crying so loudly.

She couldn't remember the last time she had cried so loud, and somehow she knew this wouldn't be the last, though she was hoping it wouldn't turn out that way.

She had thought of calling Camilla, but she was certain she wouldn't be able to form sentences properly, and she just wanted to be in her head, not pouring out her mind to someone. She was going to tell Camilla how the meeting had gone through, but not today.

She didn't realize she had slept off in the position she had been in, till she woke up by past 12 in the midnight.

Dragging her tired limbs, bulged eyes and shaking legs, she went out of the room, bumping into the head staff.

She couldn't afford to spend the whole night in Ophelia's room. She didn't want to keep having dreams about her, both good and bad. She looked at the lady she had just bumped into, smiling weakly, stepping aside to let her pass.

The old lady gave her a little squeeze, saying nothing before turning back to the direction she had come from.

Ava looked at the retreating form of Miss Grace. She had been really close to Ophelia when she had been alive. She was old, almost the same age as her grandma, but she didn't have any kids, and didn't seem to want one. And she had wanted to stay in the house, to feel close to Ophelia.

She had heard from her grandma that she didn't need the money and was just looking for people to spend time with. She had been married, but her husband had died, leaving her alone.

Not that it mattered anymore, shaking her head she went to the direction of her room, wondering how it would feel to sleep on the bed again.