SPECIE OF LOVE

LIES

*Chapter 16*

*LIES*

*Ava's POV*

My heart wouldn’t stop pounding.

I kept watching Damien through the rearview mirror. Sweat beaded on his forehead, sliding down his temple. It wasn’t from driving — he wasn’t driving. He just sat in the passenger seat, jaw locked, knuckles white against his thigh.

Mrs. Cole and the two men took her car. Marie, Damien, and I were in his.

“You know you can just tell me the truth,” Damien said, not looking at me. His voice was low, strained. “We can take another route. To my place. Or yours.”

Marie shot me a look. _Spit it out._

But I didn’t budge.

“Sorry, I don’t follow. What truth?” I kept my tone flat. Unapologetic. “Can you expatiate?”

That made him turn. His eyes found mine in the mirror, then over his shoulder. Hard.

“We’re five minutes from the hospital, Ava.” His voice dropped. “The truth will come out. And I know my mom. She won’t take it lightly with you.”

I said nothing.

We pulled up to the hospital exactly five minutes later.

Mrs. Cole and the two men were already waiting out front. She flicked her wrist, dismissing the men, and gestured for us to come over.

We got to her.

“Ava,” she said, her voice both worried and steel-edged. “I’m asking you for the last time. Are you pregnant?”

I didn’t answer. I just walked past her into the hospital. They followed.

---

Mrs. Cole explained everything to the doctor — the misoprostol, the pregnancy scare, the accusation. A test was ordered. We waited in his office.

An hour crawled by.

The door opened. The doctor came in, results in hand. He sat. Cleared his throat.

“Okay. So this is the outcome of the result.”

“Is she pregnant?” Mrs. Cole asked, cutting straight through.

“No, ma’am.”

I smiled. Just barely. Just enough to hide the tremor in my hands.

_This doctor is a coward._

Marie stared at me, confusion written all over her face.

“So the misoprostol?” Mrs. Cole pressed.

The doctor put on a mask of fake concern, leaning forward. “Ma, that was the mistake of an incompetent nurse. She’s been sacked. We had a critical patient who couldn’t afford surgery. The nurse prescribed misoprostol without my consent. Gave it to another nurse to administer. The patient took the drug immediately and gave the remaining back to the nurse.”

He paused, like it pained him.

“To cover it up, they poured the leftover into an empty typhoid medication bottle. They were about to trash it when I caught them. Said it was expired. But I checked — it wasn’t. I confiscated it.”

His eyes dropped.

“Later that day, the patient was brought in dead. Our findings showed misoprostol caused a severe reaction her body couldn’t fight. Her friend confirmed she’d taken a drug here that morning. I checked the CCTV. Found the truth. Both nurses are behind bars now.”

He turned to Marie. “I’m so sorry, ma.”

“Can I go now?” I snapped, anger flaring hot in my chest.

“Let’s all talk outside. Thank you, Doctor Williams,” Mrs. Cole said. The doctor gave a small, obedient bow.

---

Outside, the air felt too thin.

“Okay,” Mrs. Cole started. “I’m sorry for the inconvenience. But I did what any mother would do. He already has a fiancée. It’s only right to help him build a family, not watch someone try to ruin everything.”

She pulled out her phone. Deleted the video right in front of me. Then she patted my shoulder — her touch cold.

“And you, Marie. I’m deeply sorry. If you ever feel sick, come here. Williams will add it to my tab.” Her concern was rehearsed.

Then the sunglasses went on. Her voice turned to steel as she pointed a finger at me.

“I’ve done my part. Stay away from Damien.”

She didn’t wait for a response. The man in black opened the car door. She paused, calling over her shoulder.

“Damien, I’ve had the wedding postponed to next week. You have a week and some days to process things. I want to see you at the Cole Palace. Isabella called in sick. That’s why she isn’t here.”

The door shut. The car purred. Then _zoom_ — she was gone.

“Hey,” Damien said, stepping toward me, voice breaking.

“Damien, I love you.” The words tasted like blood. “But I won’t be the tool the devil uses to ruin the family God is building for you. What we have is beautiful. But maybe in another lifetime.”

I turned before I could see his face crumble. Got into the cab Marie had already ordered.

Through the window, I watched him. He cried — ugly, shattering sobs — and sank to his knees on the pavement. His driver rushed out to help him into the car.

---

In the cab, silence choked me.

Marie didn’t say a word.

I kept rubbing my stomach.

_Am I really not pregnant?_ But I had the symptoms — the nausea, the dizziness, the vomiting, the sudden hunger. Was that all just typhoid?

Or was this planned? By Isabella?

Is that why she didn’t come? Did she think the doctor would spill? Did they cook up that story together? Or was this the doctor’s plan alone?

_What if I’m really not pregnant?_

The thought clawed at me.

_Crrrrrrrrrr—_

The screech of metal and shattering glass ripped me out of my head.

I opened my eyes to white. Sterile. Antiseptic.

I was lying on a hospital bed. Marie and Damien were asleep on the couch near me.

Wait. _What?_

Was I in an accident? But why wasn’t Marie hurt?

This wasn’t a dream. I remembered — we’d just left the hospital. We were in a cab.

Then it hit me.

The cab _had_ crashed.

“MY BABY!” I screamed, my hands flying to my stomach.

They both jolted awake.

---

*AUTHOR'S NOTE*

You’re worried, right?

Comment how you feel right now.

Please 🙏😘

And as always, loviesss 😘 RIDE, DINE, AND READ ❤️

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