Bound By Fate

Chapter Four

Amidst the quiet, sunny afternoon, the curtains draped over the windows made the room faintly dark as Ava Henry sat on the old wooden chair. Sprawled across the table were books she had attempted to read, but her raging thoughts never let her get past the first page. With arms braced on the desk and her head lowered, she gave in to her distracting thoughts. They weren’t distracting, though, they were simply an aspect of her life she couldn’t just put away. Almost instinctively, she remained at the table for hours, thinking about the life she had lived for seven years, about her sick husband she had stayed committed to, and wondering, for once, if a time would come when there would be a change in his health, if there would ever be a time when she could begin to live out the childhood dreams she once had about marriage.

And most times, she wondered if she had made the right choice in marrying Mark Henry. Assessing the situation, she was oftentimes certain she had made the right decision, only that things do change, and we have very little control over adversity.

The chemistry between them was sudden when they first met. She was sitting at the dining table, dressed in a blue top and black jeans, her hair tied into a neat bun, when her dad walked in with a tall, good-looking man. She stole glances at him when she hugged her dad and went inside to allow them to carry on with their business talks. They spent about an hour at her father’s place before Stephen De Mornay drove him home, and Mark couldn’t keep his curiosity about the young girl to himself.

“Your daughter looks so different from you. How old is she?” Mark turned to his friend with a gentle grin.

“She’s twenty-five. I think she has more of her mom’s features,” Stephen replied, smiling happily to himself, impressed that his cold friend, after so many years, had finally been struck by a woman. It had been his major concern for so long. Their professional relationship as business moguls had, over time, grown into a tight bond, to the point where they became concerned about each other’s lives. And this was one aspect of Mark’s life that had bothered Stephen for years. He wanted his friend to be happy with a family of his own, but Mark’s illusions of his first wife were just too strong.

“She’s so beautiful,” Mark commented with ease. “Would it be a problem if she joined us for dinner tonight?”

Stephen beamed happily and looked at his friend with delighted eyes. “Wow, this is getting interesting, Mark.” His smile turned into a wide grin.

“Hey, what’s that supposed to mean?” Mark looked at his friend closely.

“Oh, nothing at all.” Stephen looked from his friend to the road.

“Well, that’s not a problem at all. I’ll make sure she’s in for dinner,” Stephen assured him.

When Stephen drove back, their conversation occupied his mind. Mark was not the kind of man to invite a lady to dinner without interest, let alone his daughter. Saying she was beautiful was yet more proof that something had sparked between them. Stephen made sure to follow it through until something good came of it.

“I'd like you to be in your best dress, Ava. My friend would like you to join us for dinner,” Stephen announced when she opened the door for him. For a moment, she blinked in shock, letting his words register.

“Your friend? Mister Mark, you mean?” Ava asked for clarity.

“Yes.” He nodded.

“Ummm.” She hesitated, wondering if it was proper to ask. “I hope there’s no problem at all?”

“Absolutely no problem, my dear,” Stephen replied, looking directly into her eyes with a toothless smile. Just when he was about to take his leave, she stopped him with a question.

“Dad.” He turned to her. “Can you tell me more about Mister Mark?”

Stephen expelled a deep breath as a moment of silence settled. He wondered if he’d spoil this brewing attraction between them, but it also pleased him to satisfy her curiosity.

“Mark Henry heads the biggest French bank in the city.”

“Montpellier Trust Bank?” she asked, raising her brows.

“Yes.” He nodded, watching how her eyes slowly grew pensive as her lips hung open. He could tell she was impressed. “He’s been married but lost his wife and two kids in a plane crash.”

“Oh, that’s sad to hear.”

“Well, what’s even sadder is that he’s refused to get a wife and start over.”

“I think his family was special to him,” she commented. “Has he told you any reasons for that?”

“I think Mark would be willing to answer your questions when you meet him.” He held her gaze. “I’ll need to leave now, dear.” With a small smile, it took him a couple of minutes to tear his eyes away from her before he turned to leave.

“Thanks, Dad,” she said. But what her father had failed to tell her was that Mark’s health was failing, and he had lost much of his youthful strength. Her father had only shown her the perfect side of Mark Henry.

After he left, she spent the next two hours mulling over Mark as she sifted through her clothes for a nice dress, wondering why he wanted her to join them for dinner. By the time her father came in to call her, he nodded in approval of her appearance. “You look.” He paused, taking his time to admire her. Her dress hugged all the right places. “Gorgeous, Ava,” he added. He was certain his friend would be dazzled.

She walked closely behind her father as they made their way to the dining table. Stephen’s eyes met hers when she glanced at him, and all through dinner, she felt his gaze lingering on her.

The time at the table turned out to be wonderful as Ava sat with the two men. They talked about a number of subjects, politics, the latest sports news, and trending entertainment gossip. Mark was impressed that the young lady was knowledgeable enough to contribute. She had interesting views on the forthcoming elections and some of the ongoing world crises. Right then, he knew she would be a great companion, someone he could share ideas with and confide in.

After they were done eating, Stephen sensed that his friend would want some personal time with Ava. He slipped away without a word, and they didn’t even notice.

“Do you mind if we take a walk along the walkway?” Mark asked. There was a little hesitation from Ava; she didn’t answer immediately, as though wary of this man. But strangely, she nodded.

“It’s fine.”

The night was chilly and quiet as they walked, unconsciously listening to the gentle sound of each step they took. She tried to rid herself of the butterflies in her chest as she breathed softly.

“So, where did you graduate from?” he began.

“And how did you know I’m through with school?” She looked up at him with flirtatious eyes and a smile.

“Well, I just know.” He shrugged.

“That’s not true. My dad told you, right?”

“Not at all,” he replied. “I just guessed, and I got it right.”

“Well, I graduated from Columbia University.”

“Columbia? That’s a good school. So, do you plan on getting more degrees?”

“I’m not thinking about that yet. It’s not like I want to become a professor.” She shrugged. “I just want to explore other fields and make money.”

He chuckled. “Yeah, making money is good. But it’s a lot easier with sufficient education.”

“For now, I think I’m okay with my first degree.”

“Unless you don’t want to make money.”

“I do, but.” She exhaled.

“Demands too much, right?” he finished for her.

“You sound like you never enjoyed studying law. How was it for you?” she asked.

“Boring. Complicated.”

“Yeah, law is a complicated field. Its long years of study make it really challenging for students.”

“Absolutely,” she admitted.

And for the next three hours, they talked about the special moments she had in school. She told him about the friends she made, the groups and societies she joined, and the setbacks she faced. She felt free asking him questions about himself, and there was no hesitation or fear as he shared sad and bitter memories with her.

By the time they were done talking, he knew he had found the companion he’d been searching for.

“Would you like us to talk again next time?” he asked.

“Of course.” She answered quickly.

And over the next four weeks, their bond grew with every date. He spent his free hours on the phone with her, they took long walks together, and he knew he couldn’t keep his feelings to himself any longer.

“I love you, Ava,” he told her when they stopped at her father’s gate, his gaze locked with hers. Her eyes trailed away as she absorbed the words she had never expected.

“Me too, Mister Mark.” She looked up at him with happy eyes and a small smile.

“Really?”

“Yeah,” she replied, blushing.

Slowly, he leaned toward her and pressed his mouth to hers in a gentle kiss. She welcomed him as her lips parted. The exchange went on for thirty seconds, deepening with urgency and a need neither had ever felt before. His fingers wound around her neck, while her hands found his chest, grabbing his shirt and pulling him closer. When they pulled away, she panted softly to catch her breath.

It didn’t take long for Mark to tie the knot. They were married barely three months after courting. There was no end to Stephen’s pleasure for his friend and daughter.

Their wedding was nothing short of illustrious. Highly respected personalities were present, and videos and photos of the event lingered on social media long after it was over. But three years after moving in as his wife, tragedy loomed.

She was in the foyer, going through a novel, when she received a call from the butler, who had just left for the airport with Mark.

“Ma’am,” Harrington called softly when she answered. She could sense the urgency and trepidation in his voice. “A stroke caught up with Mister Mark at the airport. We’re about to move him to the hospital.”

“Oh my goodness.” She shot to her feet, a hand flying to her chest in horror.

“How?” she demanded.

“I can’t explain that now, ma’am.”

“Please, what’s the name of the

hospital?” she pressed.

Harrington rattled off the address. With haste, she grabbed her bag and car keys and hurried out the door.