Echoes of the Past

Chapter 9

Ava's POV

I felt so sad. I ended up in our bedroom, sitting on the edge of the bed, staring at my reflection in the mirror across from me. Who was I? A wife? A mother? A woman who is torn between two men?

Just then, I heard the front door open, and James called out, "Ava, I'm home!"

Quickly, I wiped away the tears that had started to fall, not wanting him to see me like this. "I'm in here!" I called back, trying to keep my voice steady.

He came into the bedroom, smiling at me. "Hey, how was your day?"

I forced a smile. "It was fine. How was your meeting?"

"Productive, I think," he said, loosening his tie as he sat down beside me. "But that's enough about work. How are you feeling? Still sure about... you know, trying for a baby?"

I nodded, trying to ignore the knot in my stomach. "Yes, I'm sure. I want this, James. I want us to have a family."

He smiled and leaned in to kiss me, but as soon as his lips touched mine, I had to fight the urge to pull away. Why did I feel this way?

"What's wrong?" James asked, sensing my hesitation.

"Nothing," I lied, forcing another smile. "I'm just tired. It's been a long day."

He nodded, seemingly accepting my excuse. "Alright, let's get some rest then."

I nodded again, but as I lay down beside him, I couldn't shake the feeling that everything was slipping out of control. And I had no idea how to stop it.

The next morning while I was in the kitchen when my phone beeped. My hands trembled as I picked it up, still reeling from what my mother had revealed about Cole. The lack of sleep from the night before clung to me like a fog, and I was trying to shake it off with a cup of coffee, hoping it would be enough to get me through the day.

But when I saw the message on my screen, my heart sank. It was from Cole.

"I need to see you as soon as possible. Please, it's very important."

I stared at the message, my mind racing. I had promised James that I wouldn't talk to Cole anymore and keep my distance yet Cole didn't want to leave me alone. So I refrained from responding as I knew it would only worsen things. I decided to ignore it and went back to my chores, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't concentrate. My thoughts kept drifting back to Cole, to the weight of the message and what it might mean.

An hour later, a knock at the door startled me. My stomach tightened into a knot as I opened it and saw Cole standing there.

"Cole? What are you doing here? You can't be here."

"I know that," he replied, his voice low and tense. "I'm risking coming here, but I have no choice."

"Risking? What do you mean?" I asked, my voice shaky.

"I sent you a message, but you didn't reply. I need to speak to you. May I come in?" Cole's eyes pleaded with me.

I hesitated, glancing around nervously. "No, I think it's better if you don't. But what's going on?"

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Then come with me. We'll go somewhere far away where we can talk."

Before I could refuse, he was already moving toward his car. Reluctantly, I grabbed my keys and followed him, feeling a mix of dread and curiosity. We drove in silence, the tension between us palpable, until he pulled over next to the river, far from town.

"What is happening, Cole? Why did you bring me here?" I asked, my anxiety growing.

He looked at me, his expression troubled. "I have to leave," he said quietly.