Chapter 3: I Refuse to Be His Weakness

The card slipped from my fingers onto the hospital blanket, and five words stared back at me.

Don't believe everything you see.

I kept reading them over and over, but my heart just wouldn't calm down.

Grace Holloway had introduced herself as Kingsley Group's senior legal counsel, and if she was Ethan's lawyer, then why would she secretly warn me?

Nothing made sense anymore.

A soft knock interrupted my thoughts.

"May I come in?"

I swiftly moved the card under my pillow, then looked up.

The nurse was standing in the doorway, looking sorry for something, and she had a gentle smile on her face.

"Someone is here to see you."

"I don't want visitors."

She hesitated.

"He said it will only take a minute."

Just as I was about to say no again, I heard a voice that sounded really familiar coming from somewhere in the room.

"Ava."

Every muscle in my body stiffened.

Ethan.

He stood in the doorway wearing the same charcoal suit from the previous night, but something about him had changed.

He looked different, his black hair wasn't perfectly styled like it usually was, and there were dark circles under his gray eyes. For the first time, he seemed really tired, not like his usual self where nothing could touch him.

The nurse glanced between us.

"I'll give you some privacy."

She quietly closed the door behind her.

The room fell quiet, and for a moment, neither of us said a word. Then, Ethan slowly moved closer to my bed, his footsteps breaking the silence.

"How are you feeling?"

A bitter smile touched my lips.

You're bringing this up now, after everything we've been through and twelve hours after our divorce was finalized?

"You don't get to ask."

His jaw tightened.

"I heard you fainted."

"So, that's the real reason you're here?" I said, my voice icy. "You're just making sure I don't do something crazy before the divorce is finalized?"

His gaze met mine.

"No."

"No?"

"I came because..."

The words died on his lips.

Because what?

He glanced at the IV in my arm, then quickly shifted his gaze away.

It's probably a good idea to stay in the hospital for a little while, just to make sure everything is okay.

"That's none of your concern."

"It is."

He replied too fast, and for a split second, a strange look crossed his face before he went back to looking calm.

"I mean... until you've recovered."

I folded my arms.

When you decided to be with someone else, you gave up the right to care about what happens to me.

His shoulders stiffened.

"I know."

The quiet admission caught me off guard, and there was no excuse, no denial, only two words.

"Our finance department will cover every hospital expense."

A humorless laugh escaped me.

"There you are."

His brows knitted together.

"What do you mean?"

"The real Ethan Kingsley."

I held his gaze.

"The billionaire who believes money can fix everything."

His lips parted, but no sound came out.

"I don't need your pity," I said, "and I'm not looking for a handout. What I don't want is for you to feel guilty about something that's not your fault."

"It isn't guilt."

"Then what is it?"

For the first time...

He had no answer.

There was a knock at the door, and before we could even say anything, it swung open.

Sophia walked into the room, holding a beautiful bouquet of white lilies in her hands.

Her smile disappeared in an instant when she saw Ethan standing right next to my bed.

"Ethan?"

Relief quickly replaced her surprise.

"I've been looking everywhere for you."

Ethan's eyes met hers for a brief moment as she wrapped her hand around his arm, but he quickly and gently pulled away, his touch soft as he removed her hand from his arm.

It was just a quick moment, but Sophia and I both caught it, and for a split second, her smile slipped.

"I didn't know you were visiting Ava."

"I was just leaving," Ethan replied evenly.

Sophia turned toward me.

"I'm glad you're awake."

She placed the flowers on the table.

"I was really worried."

"Thank you."

My voice remained polite, nothing more.

She hesitated before speaking again.

"I hope everything is alright between us."

I looked directly into her eyes.

"You came to my anniversary dinner."

"You announced your engagement."

You stayed with me the whole time as I signed the papers to end my marriage.

I offered her a small, emotionless smile.

"And now you're asking whether I resent you?"

Her face flushed.

"I never wanted to hurt you."

"No?"

She lowered her eyes.

"I was tired of hiding."

For a second...

I almost believed her.

"Ethan," she said softly.

He interrupted before she could continue.

"We're leaving."

She blinked.

"But—"

"Now."

She put on a fake smile and trailed behind him as he headed for the door. Just as they were about to step out, Ethan suddenly stopped in his tracks.

He glanced over his shoulder, our eyes locking for just a brief moment.

Questions flooded my mind.

Who sent those anonymous messages?

Why had his own lawyer warned me?

And why had signing those divorce papers seemed to hurt him almost as much as it hurt me?

I broke the moment first.

"You should go."

Then, just a few seconds passed, and the door closed with a soft click, and suddenly the room was really quiet.

It wasn't until that moment that I felt the tears well up, and it wasn't because I still had feelings for Ethan, but because something deep inside of me had finally been set loose, like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders.

She used to be the kind of woman who would beg for any little bit of love, even if it meant feeling lonely all the time. But that woman doesn't exist anymore, the one who thought being alone was just part of loving someone.

The moment I put my signature on those papers, it was like I had laid her to rest.

A gentle pang spread through me, and without thinking, my hand drifted to my belly.

I wasn't alone anymore.

Now I have someone who needs me, someone who can't defend themselves, someone who makes it all worth it.

I closed my eyes.

"I'm not sure what's ahead of us," I said quietly, "but one thing I can promise is that I'll always be here for you. I'll keep you safe and make sure you never feel like you don't belong or that you're not loved. You deserve to feel wanted and cherished, and I'll do everything in my power to make that happen."

My phone's soft buzz broke the silence, and I guess the nurse had found it and put it next to me on the bed.

The screen lit up.

Unknown Number.

One message appeared.

Leave New York today.

Before I could react, another arrived.

They're already watching the hospital.

As I stood there, a shiver ran down my spine, and I slowly turned to face the window that looked out over the parking lot.

A black SUV was parked across the street from my house, and the man inside was wearing dark sunglasses, staring straight at my window.

I was staring at him, and suddenly he looked up, his eyes locking onto mine as he lifted his phone, and I felt my breath hitch in my throat.

I couldn't help but wonder, was he snapping a photo of me or just checking to see if I was still around?

Either way...

Someone was watching me.

*Chapter 4: The Man in the Black SUV*

Sleep never came, and long after the nurses dimmed the lights, I lay awake staring at the ceiling while the steady beep of the heart monitor echoed through the room. Every time I closed my eyes, the previous night replayed with painful clarity: Ethan's unreadable expression, Sophia Whitmore standing proudly beside him, the divorce papers, and the cold weight of the pen in my trembling hand. And then there was the anonymous text.

I'm heading out of New York today, it seems like they're already keeping an eye on the hospital.

As the first light of dawn crept in, I felt utterly drained, like my body was weighed down by a heavy fatigue. But my mind was wide awake, racing with thoughts that refused to quiet down. I stretched out my hand and grabbed the nightstand, my fingers closing around the business card that Grace Holloway had discreetly handed me before she left.

"Don't believe everything you see."

The words seemed harmless at first, yet beside the text message, they carried an entirely different meaning. Someone was lying, and the question was... who? Grace? The stranger sending the messages? Or Ethan himself?

Just as I was lost in thought, a gentle knock at the door broke the silence, and a nurse walked in with a friendly smile on her face, holding a tray that had all my medication neatly arranged on it.

"Good morning, Ms. Bennett, how are you doing today?"

"Better," I lied.

As the nurse finished taking my blood pressure, she gave me a gentle reminder to try and manage my stress levels, but I just couldn't help thinking that it's easier said than done. Once she was gone, the room fell silent once again. I couldn't stand the idea of spending another minute in bed, so I slowly got up, put on my slippers, and made my way to the window, being careful not to slip or stumble. The stillness of the room was almost palpable, and I felt a strong urge to break free from it, even if it was just for a little while.

The hospital parking lot seemed like any other, with doctors rushing to get to their next appointment and visitors carrying gifts for their loved ones. Ambulances were coming and going, their sirens occasionally piercing the air. For a split second, I thought maybe I had just imagined the whole thing, that it was all just a product of my overactive imagination. But then, I caught sight of something that made my heart skip a beat, and I knew that everything was all too real.

On the other side of the street, under some maple trees, a black SUV was parked. It wasn't going anywhere and it wasn't near the emergency door. It just seemed to be waiting around. There was a guy sitting in the driver's seat, wearing sunglasses even though it was early morning and not very bright. He had his phone in one hand, and the camera was pointing right at my window.

A shiver ran down my spine as I wondered if I was just being paranoid, but then I instinctively ducked behind the curtain. That's when he lowered his phone, and it seemed like he had been waiting for me to make that move. My heart skipped a beat - this was no coincidence. Somebody clearly knew exactly which room I was in, and that realization sent a chill through me. I couldn't shake the feeling that I was being watched, and now it seemed like my instincts had been right all along. The fact that he had anticipated my actions made me feel like I was in a precarious situation, and I couldn't help but wonder what his next move would be.

My hand automatically went to my belly, where a tiny life was growing, and it was the one thing I could count on. I wasn't going to let fear take over and make my choices for me, no matter who was trying to scare me or why. I took a deep breath and closed the curtain, shutting out the uncertainty.

A short while later, a different nurse came in to take my temperature, and I tried to sound pretty nonchalant when I asked her, "Do staff members get to park their cars across the street?" But she just scrunched up her face in a frown.

Normally, that parking lot is only for hospital staff, but security can't possibly stop every single vehicle that pulls up and waits there.

She glanced toward the window.

"Did someone bother you?"

I forced a small smile.

"No. I was just curious."

She still seemed unsure, but luckily she decided to let it go. After she was gone, I took another look out the window, and the SUV was no longer there. You'd think I would have felt better, but the empty spot where it had been parked actually made me feel more on edge. It was as if whoever had been watching me wanted to make a point - they could vanish into thin air whenever they felt like it, and that was a pretty unsettling thought.

As the day wore on, that nagging feeling just wouldn't leave me alone, and every time I heard someone walking by my room, my heart would start racing. Even the slightest knock would make me jump. But by the time evening rolled around, I had pretty much talked myself into calming down and not letting my imagination run wild with all sorts of scary scenarios. That's when the door swung open and Grace Holloway walked in. She didn't say a word, just shut the door behind her and locked it, the soft click of the lock seeming really loud in the silence of the room.

She rarely looked nervous, but tonight fear was written across her face.

"We don't have much time," she whispered.

I straightened carefully against the pillows.

"You left the card."

She nodded.

"And the warning?"

Her hesitation answered before she did.

"No."

That one word was all it took to send a shiver down my spine, making me feel uneasy all over again.

"So someone else is trying to contact me?"

"I think so."

The silence between us grew thicker, until Grace got up and walked across the room, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Ms. Bennett... I need you to listen carefully."

"I'm listening."

She inhaled slowly.

"The divorce isn't as simple as it looks."

A bitter laugh escaped me.

"It looked simple enough."

"It wasn't Ethan's decision."

My eyes narrowed.

"I watched him sign those papers."

"I know."

Don't expect me to think that he didn't have a choice.

I want you to trust that there are individuals out there who have a lot more influence and control than we do.

For the first time since she had walked in, Grace glanced nervously at the door, as if she was worried that someone might be eavesdropping on her.

"There's more to the Kingsley family than meets the eye, and some things are going on behind closed doors that aren't immediately apparent."

"What things?"

"I can't explain everything."

Frustration rose inside me.

"Then why come here?"

"Because you're in danger."

The room suddenly felt colder.

"What kind of danger?"

Grace looked directly into my eyes.

"The fewer people who know about your pregnancy, the safer you'll be."

My fingers instinctively tightened over the blanket.

"How do you know?"

"I handled the medical documents."

My heart skipped.

"So someone else knows?"

She rapidly shook her head, her expression firm, "No, and we have to make sure it stays that way."

A thousand questions crowded my mind.

"Does Ethan know?"

"No."

"Should I tell him?"

Grace didn't answer immediately. Finally, she whispered,

"Not yet."

What she said was scary, but the way she said it was even scarier because she sounded so sure of herself.

"If the wrong person discovers that child exists..."

She stopped herself.

"What?"

"I don't have proof."

"Grace."

"I just need you to trust me."

The sound of three loud knocks filled the room, making me pause before I could say anything. These weren't the soft, gentle knocks you'd expect from a nurse or the uncertain taps of a visitor - they were slow, intentional, and demanding of attention.

Grace froze, and her face drained of color.

"That's him," she whispered.

The door handle turned, first once, then again, but the lock didn't give in. A calm, gentle voice came through the wood, speaking in a soothing tone.

"Ms. Bennett."

A pause.

"My name is Marcus Kingsley."

Another pause.

"I believe it's time we had a conversation."

My face went white as a sheet, and Grace backed away from the bed, her eyes glued to the door. We both just stood there, frozen in time. Then, the door handle turned one last time, and everything seemed to stop.

Chapter 5: The Devil's Proposal

The door handle stopped moving.

Silence swallowed the room.

For a moment, all I could hear was my heart racing like crazy.

Grace was standing really still by the window, and her face had gone completely white.

She wasn't looking at me anymore.

She was staring at the door.

Three slow knocks echoed through the room.

"Ms. Carter."

The voice on the other side of the door was really calm and polite, you know, it sounded pretty sophisticated too.

"I hope I'm not interrupting."

She moved in close, her voice barely audible as she whispered something in my ear, giving me just enough time to catch what she was saying.

"Whatever happens, don't let him see your fear."

I swallowed the knot in my throat.

"Come in."

The lock clicked, and the door opened.

Marcus Kingsley stepped inside with the effortless authority of a man accustomed to entering any room without permission.

He wasn't physically intimidating, nor did he need to be, because power clung to him as naturally as the perfectly tailored charcoal suit he wore.

His silver hair was neatly combed back, and every measured step seemed deliberate.

He looked around the room, his gaze moving from one person to another, until it finally landed on Grace.

"There you are."

His voice remained pleasant.

"I was wondering where my legal counsel had disappeared to."

Grace straightened.

"I came here of my own accord."

A small, faint smile crept onto his face, but somehow it didn't quite make it to his eyes, which seemed to remain distant, unaffected.

"You've always been loyal."

The compliment sounded disturbingly similar to a warning.

It wasn't until that moment that he finally noticed me and turned his attention in my direction.

"So..."

His gaze rested on my face.

"You're Ava."

"I was Ava Kingsley."

For a split second, his face showed something that was hard to make out.

"Then you've already accepted reality."

"I accepted the divorce."

His face remained perfectly composed.

"Good."

He didn't bother asking, just pulled the chair up and sat down right across from me.

Grace stayed on her feet, and the quiet between us grew thicker, until Marcus finally put his hands on the shiny handle of his walking stick.

"I owe you an apology."

I looked at him steadily.

"I wasn't expecting one."

"You became involved in matters that should never have touched your life."

A bitter laugh escaped me.

"My marriage wasn't a business arrangement."

"He said no, his tone steady, but then added, it started out that way."

His words struck harder than I expected.

"So that's all three years meant?"

"A necessary alliance."

Three years.

Reduced to two words.

Necessary alliance.

My heart felt heavy, but I was determined not to break down, I had already cried so much for Ethan Kingsley.

Marcus watched me in silence before speaking again.

"You're stronger than I anticipated."

"I didn't have much choice."

He shook his head, just a little, and said, "No, I suppose you didn't."

The room became silent once more, and then he posed a question that caught me completely off guard.

"Do you hate Ethan?"

I frowned.

"What difference would that make?"

"It matters."

"To whom?"

Instead of answering, Marcus studied me carefully.

"My son has always allowed emotion to influence his decisions."

"What are you trying to say?"

"Only that compassion often clouds his judgment."

"My husband divorced me."

"My former husband," I corrected quietly.

He inclined his head.

"Yes."

A hint of sadness flashed across his face, but it was quickly replaced by his usual calm demeanor.

"You believe Ethan chose this."

"I watched him hand me the divorce papers."

"I know."

"He chose Sophia Blake."

Marcus turned toward the window.

"Sometimes..."

He paused.

"...people make the choice they believe will protect everyone else."

I felt my heartbeat quicken.

"Did you force him?"

Marcus just didn't say anything, he simply fixed his jacket sleeve, really calmly.

That silence told me more than words ever could.

A shiver ran down my spine as I thought about what Grace had said - that Ethan didn't want a divorce, and now Marcus was being really vague about it, refusing to say it wasn't true.

For the first time since signing those papers, I questioned everything I thought I knew.

Marcus slipped one hand inside his jacket, and every muscle in my body tensed.

He pulled out a cream-colored envelope instead of a weapon and carefully put it down on the blanket next to me.

I didn't touch it.

"What's inside?"

"A chance."

"A chance for what?"

"To disappear."

I stared at him.

"You expect me to run?"

"I expect you to survive."

His quiet reply carried far more weight than if he had shouted.

I looked at his face, but I didn't see any sign of happiness or meanness, just a complete confidence that he was right.

"If you stay in New York," he said in a calm voice, "things will happen that we won't be able to control, and it's not going to be good for either of us, we'll be caught up in it and won't be able to stop it, no matter what we do."

"Who's threatening me?"

His gaze remained fixed on mine.

"The fewer names you know, the safer you'll be."

A knot formed in my stomach, because part of me wanted to dismiss everything he said, yet another part believed every word.

And that frightened me even more.

---

Marcus stood up, but Grace and I just sat there, not moving.

He took a quick look at the envelope that was still sealed, then he fixed his jacket sleeve.

"I've said everything I came to say."

"You haven't answered a single question," I replied.

He said "no" and his face didn't give away anything. "I only answered the one that counts," he added, still not showing any emotion.

"And what question is that?"

"Whether you're safe."

The room was quiet once more, and our eyes locked.

"For someone who claims to care about my safety, you're asking me to disappear without telling me why."

A small smile played on his lips, just barely visible, as it pulled up at one corner of his mouth.

"If I tell you everything..."

He paused.

You're not going to make it, so there's no point in even trying to learn anything.

The words settled heavily between us.

Grace stepped forward.

"That's enough."

Marcus looked at her calmly.

I told you a long time ago that being loyal comes with a price.

"And I accepted it."

"I know."

A look of real disappointment showed on his face for the first time.

"I only wish you understood who you're protecting."

"I'm protecting the innocent."

"So am I."

Grace's expression hardened.

"No."

"You're protecting your empire."

Marcus didn't say a word, he just gave me a look.

"You think I'm your enemy."

"Aren't you?"

"If I were..."

His gaze wandered down to my stomach for a moment, then came back up to meet my eyes.

"...this conversation would never have happened."

A shiver ran down my spine, and without thinking, my hand went to my stomach.

As I felt that tiny heartbeat inside me, it was like everything became more real in that moment.

As I lay in the hospital, something shifted inside me - for the first time since I woke up, my fear wasn't about my own well-being, it was about my baby's.

Nothing else mattered, not the end of my marriage, not losing my home, not the future I had dreamed of - all of that was nothing compared to this tiny life that was counting on me.

I had spent three years trying to become the perfect wife, but now I only wanted to become the kind of mother my child deserved.

If running was the only way to protect my baby, would I do it?

I didn't know, because running meant believing Marcus, and staying meant trusting no one.

Either choice could destroy us.

Marcus reached for the door.

"When Ethan contacts you..."

My heart skipped.

"...listen carefully."

Hope flickered before his next words extinguished it.

"But don't believe everything he tells you."

The sentence echoed through my mind.

Don't believe everything you see.

Grace's card.

Now Marcus.

Two different warnings, and the same message.

Marcus put his hand on the door handle, then turned around to take one last look.

"Some lies are told to keep the people we care about safe," he said, his voice barely above a whisper, "but then there are truths that can tear families apart, causing damage that can never be fixed."

He opened the door.

Just before stepping outside, he stopped.

"If you value your child's life..."

His gaze met mine.

"...leave New York before sunrise."

He disappeared, and the door closed with a soft click.

The silence he left behind felt even heavier than his presence.

We just sat there, not saying a word, for what felt like a really long time, Grace and me.

My gaze wandered back to the cream-colored envelope that was still sitting on the blanket.

It looked ordinary, yet somehow it felt more dangerous than anything Marcus had said.

I felt lost and unsure, my voice barely above a whisper, as I said "I just don't know who to trust anymore."

Grace finally sat beside my bed.

"You don't have to believe anyone."

"Then what am I supposed to do?"

Her eyes fell to my hand, which was gently curled over my belly, a protective gesture that seemed to speak volumes.

"Believe the one person who has never lied to you."

I frowned.

"Who?"

She gave me a small, sad smile.

"Your instincts."

A tear escaped before I could stop it.

"I thought I knew Ethan."

"You still might."

"I watched him divorce me."

She stopped talking for a moment, then said, "You saw him sign some papers, but that doesn't necessarily mean everything is okay."

I closed my eyes, and memories flooded back.

Ethan's trembling hand hovering over my wedding ring.

I saw a look of fear cross his face when my phone suddenly lit up with messages from an unknown number.

His desperate insistence that I ignore them.

I thought he was just looking out for himself back then.

Now... I wasn't sure.

"What if I've misunderstood everything?" I asked quietly.

Grace didn't say a word, she just gave my hand a gentle squeeze.

The silence returned.

Then my phone vibrated.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

Grace and I exchanged a glance.

Slowly, I picked it up.

Unknown Number.

My thumb hesitated before opening the first message.

Did Marcus give you an envelope?

I felt a chill run down my spine, it was terrifying to think that someone outside these four walls knew that secret.

No one.

Another message appeared almost instantly.

Don't open it.

A third followed before I could even breathe.

Look out the window.

As I slowly pulled the curtain back, my heart started racing like crazy.

The black SUV was back, and its driver's door stood open.

The man in sunglasses was nowhere to be seen.

Instead... Ethan stood beside the vehicle.

He kept looking over his shoulder as if he knew someone was following him.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, two men showed up in the parking lot, one from each end, and they were both wearing dark suits.

They weren't walking quickly, and they didn't need to, because their confidence made something inside me snap.

Ethan turned around, and his gaze rose up to meet mine, his eyes locking onto my hospital room window.

As our eyes locked from far away, his face suddenly went pale.

He shook his head violently.

His lips moved.

No.

He was talking, but not to the guys around him, he was talking to me.

One of the strangers reached inside his jacket.

Grace gasped beside me.

"Ava..."

My phone vibrated one final time.

Hands shaking uncontrollably, I looked down.

If Ethan sees you... He dies

The word seared themselves into my mind