I glared at him fiercely, through clenched teeth. "No one has the right to mention my mother—not even you! Charles, get this straight. The one going to prison this time is me, not Freya!"
As soon as I spoke, my vision darkened, and I lost consciousness completely.
When I came to, I was already in the hospital.
The back of my head was bandaged, throbbing with a dull pain.
Charles kept vigil outside the ward, his haggard face visible through the glass.
He'd clearly been there for days, as evidenced by the shadow of stubble darkening his jaw.
The nurse told me he hadn't slept in three days.
But I refused to see him. I had the nurse send him away to be with Freya.
He stood outside the door like a statue, not moving at all.
Only on my discharge day did he finally confront me.
"Ava," h
