Depths of Deceit

by Kellie Wallace

  Elias placed his cup on the table and cleared his throat. “Um . . . I’m not sure how much Ava has told you about us.”

  “I know enough, son. I know my unborn grandchild is your baby.” Veronica twisted in her seat so she could face him. “Ava has always been secretive with her private life. Even to me. I didn’t even know she was marrying Liam until a week after the wedding.”

  “Is that why you disliked him?”

  Her eyebrow hooked. “I don’t like being deceived. Especially by my own daughter. It’s only ever been Ava and me.” She narrowed her eyes. “What has Ava told you about me, anyway?”

  “Not a lot. She rarely mentioned family when we worked together. She was all about business.”

  A crooked smile hooked Veronica’s lips. “That’s Ava. She likes to hold things close to her chest. No one has ever gotten close to her. Even Liam. I’m surprised how far she let you in. You must be special to her.”

  “I hope so.”

  “Look, my daughter doesn’t have a good track record with men. In fact, the media loves judging her on her particular lifestyle. Ava’s a beautiful woman. Even as a child, she had a certain appeal towards men. She knew how to play them, how to make them tick. When she turned thirteen, my stress levels almost killed me. I was so worried for her welfare. She was a wild girl and I couldn’t control her. So I snuck birth control pills into her cereal each morning and prayed she would be okay.”

  “Ms. Wolfe, Ava turned out perfectly,” Elias said. “She’s an extremely successful business woman. Despite what the press says, Ava is unlike anyone else I’ve ever met. There aren’t a lot of female media moguls in her position. She hasn’t let her past define her.”

  “People judge her for what’s printed in the tabloids. She’s not a cold bitch, just misunderstood. She’s a woman in a man’s world. No one understands her like I do. Ava needs to understand that life is fleeting.” Veronica withdrew a tissue from her nightgown and dabbled her eyes. “For years, she’s been so driven by her work that she’s missed out on living. All her friends have moved on and had babies of their own.”

  She glanced at Elias and squeezed his hand. “I want you to know that I don’t think this baby’s a burden. In fact, it’s saved my daughter. I know you’ll make Ava very happy. Welcome to the family, son.”

  Elias detected no ridicule or disdain in Veronica’s voice so he assumed Ava hadn’t mentioned Daisy or the upcoming wedding. Perhaps Ava was playing her own game of happy endings without the harsh reality. Elias wanted a future with her—or at least try for one—imagining playing with their son or daughter in the backyard with the dog. Ava had broken his ways, disrupted the rules he had lived by for years. After his fight with Daisy, he just drove, eager to get to his destination. He wanted one last chance with Ava, to prove the spark between them still existed. If he felt nothing, he would move on. His impeding wedding was getting closer by the day. So what did he really want? He was torn between two forces—the volcano and the tornado—both volatile and strong. Who would offer him the better future? Stringing both women along went against everything he stood for. He had to make his choice before it was too late.

  Chapter 23

  “Do you want to know the gender?” the female radiographer asked.

  A breath hitched in Ava’s throat as she studied the black and white screen. Her baby looked alien, curled up inside her like a Mimosa leaf. She had worked hard during the last two weeks to prepare for the birth. The nursery was freshly painted with new carpet, there were toys, and a mahogany crib was adorned with the finest bedding. Everything was neutral. All she needed was a splash of colour—blue or pink.

  She shot her hand out and a warm one enveloped hers. She turned her head and smiled at Elias towering above her. As much as she loved having him around, she couldn’t ignore the emptiness in her gut. This fling with Elias wasn’t real. He hadn’t canceled the wedding like he said he would. It was if Elias was clinging to the hope of returning to Daisy if they didn’t work out. Ava hated the feeling his false promises instilled in her.

  “Do you want to know?” he asked, squeezing her hand.

  Ava nodded numbly, hoping her smile was believable to everyone in the room. “Of course.”

  The radiographer smiled. “You’re having a healthy little girl.”

  Elias pressed a kiss to Ava’s forehead. “Isn’t that wonderful, Ava. A girl!”

  “Are you sure the baby’s okay?” Dazed by the rush of emotions inside her, Ava was didn’t even notice Elias’s show of affection. “I haven’t felt her move lately.”

  The woman handed her a tissue to rub the gel off her stomach. “Your little girl has a solid heartbeat and her stats look good. Every baby develops differently. You have nothing to worry about, Ava.”

  She pulled her shirt down and accepted Elias’s arm as he helped her off the bed. “That’s good to hear. When will I see you next?”

  “Doctor Mills would like to see you at twenty-eight weeks for another growth scan. If you have any concerns, please contact us. We rather you be paranoid than sit at home worrying. Okay?”

  Ava nodded, thanked the radiographer, and walked into the waiting room. Veronica was sitting by the door, tapping her foot anxiously. When she saw Ava approach, she bounced off the chair as if she was on fire.

  “What is it? What is it?” she cried.

  Ava gave her insurance card to the receptionist. “A girl.”

  Veronica’s screams of joy disrupted the entire waiting room so much that Elias had to drag her out of the medical centre. Ava joined them in the carpark. They were embracing, talking excitedly to each other. Despite what the future may hold, this was the time for new beginnings.

  After a stop for a celebratory lunch, Ava drove Veronica and Elias back home. She froze at the sight of Liam’s car parked across the street. She had to double check the plates to make sure it was really him.

  “Is that Liam?” Veronica asked from the backseat.

  Unresponsive, Ava pulled into the driveway and turned off the ignition. She sat in silence, watching Liam emerge from his car, dressed in jeans and a T-shirt. It was the first time she’d seen him without a suit. In her peripheral vision, Elias’s shoulders tensed.

  “What the fuck is he doing here?” he hissed.

  They excited the car and headed for the porch.

  “Ava!” Liam’s voice carried across the road.

  She ignored him as she unlocked the front door, swinging it open for Veronica and her shopping bags. A long shadow cast over her and she turned to find Elias standing between her and Liam.

  “What are you doing here?” he demanded.

  “I should be asking you the same question,” Liam retorted. “What are you doing with my ex-wife?”

  “I don’t see how that’s your business, Liam.”

  Ava blew out a frustrated breath and intercepted the two men, coming up between them. “Liam, what do you want?”

  His dark eyes narrowed. “I’m here on behalf of Daisy. She asked me to come.”

  “Are you her hand servant now?” Elias interjected. “Why hasn’t she bothered to make an effort to come here herself?”

  “She didn’t want to see you play house with Ava. You haven’t returned any of her calls!”

  “We’re taking a break.”

  “Come on, Elias.” Liam chuckled. “You’re being delusional. The wedding isn’t far away. You’ve said nothing about calling it off.”

  “Hey, cut it out!” Ava drummed her fists against the men’s chests, drawing their attention. “I don’t want any arguing.” Her eyes narrowed on Liam. “Go home. You shouldn’t be here. Daisy’s a grown woman. She doesn’t need a keeper.”

  “I’m not her Goddamn keeper, Ava. I’m just her friend. Daisy was too ashamed to confront the woman carrying her fiancé’s baby
. So she asked me to speak with you instead.”

  Ava rolled her eyes. “Come on, Liam. You expect me to believe that bullshit? What does she want?”

  Liam jerked his chin towards Elias. “Him. She wants her man back. Give him up, Ava. You’re not going to win this war.”

  “Elias doesn’t belong to me. I know that. But he's is the only support system I have left, besides mum. He’s here because I asked him to be.”

  Liam rested against the doorframe, one leg cocked. “Look, I don’t know what kind of arrangement you’ve got here, but Daisy wants what is rightfully hers. You can’t go around stealing men, Ava. You have a history of it, you know.”

  “I didn’t steal him from anyone. Elias and I just happened organically.” When she turned to him, she noticed Elias’s posture was combative—back straight, arms crossed over his chest, lips drawn downwards. His navy eyes were narrowed and she was certain he was grinding his teeth. He was holding back.

  Ava didn’t know what she wanted anymore and it was becoming too hard to handle. Either she had Elias or she didn’t. There was still a fragment of him that still belonged to Daisy.

  She touched his arm gently, snapping him out of his reverie. “Maybe it’s best you go,” she said softly. “Go home to Daisy. She obviously misses you. I appreciate you being here for me today.”

  “I’m not going anywhere while he’s hanging around,” he shot back, jerking his chin at Liam. “I don’t trust him.”

  “What don’t you trust me with?” Liam said. “Is it Ava?” He wiggled a menacing finger at him. “You know, the baby should’ve been mine. Did she tell you that we tried conceiving for years? We went through IVF, counselling, and even started the adoption process. But you fucking knocked her up after a one-night stand!”

  A growl escaped Elias’s lips before he launched full speed at Liam. He threw all his weight into his opponent, slamming them against the wall. He heaved a punch into Liam’s face and Ava heard a crack. Liam fought back, despite his broken nose, kicking and screaming so loud Veronica came out with a baseball bat.

  “What’s going on out here?” Her voice was barely audible over the men’s grunts and curses.

  “Mum, stay back,” Ava warned. She jumped out of the way as the men tumbled to the floor, throwing punches and ripping each other’s shirts. It pained her to see them fighting over her. But what could she offer them? She was used goods. Damaged. No one deserved her love. It would only destroy them.

  “Stop!” she cried, pulling at Elias’s shirt with all her strength. “You must stop. Get up, Liam. Get off, Elias!”

  Elias pushed Liam onto his back and straddled him, legs on either side of his hips. Elias’s bloodstained lips were pulled into a vicious sneer, a leer that spooked Ava. She never intended for him to be pulled in so deep. If she could take everything back, she would.

  She stepped behind the grunting and cursing men and squeezed her eyes shut, clenching her fists. “STOP IT NOW! I’M NOT WORTH IT!”

  Her cries fell on deaf ears, except for her mother’s, who she heard screaming out her name, her fingers pulling at her cardigan frantically. Growling in frustration, Liam propelled Elias back with so much force that he toppled into Ava, knocking her to the floor.

  Veronica’s screams froze the men in mid-fight. They stopped, glanced around, and gasped in unison at Ava on the ground cradling her belly.

  “What have you boys done?” Veronica pushed the men out of the way and kneeled beside Ava, stroking her forehead lovingly. “Are you all right?”

  “I’m fine.”

  Veronica set her stare on Liam and screamed, “Call an ambulance!”

  Ava didn’t know what happened after that. Her entire world was sucked into a soundless vacuum as she was taken to hospital. During the trip, she prayed for the baby to be okay. It hadn’t been a hard fall and she was certain Veronica was over-reacting, but she was glad she’d inflicted some guilt on Liam and Elias. They had instilled so much pain on her already.

  ~ ~ ~

  Ava awoke from a restless sleep. Rays of fractured sunlight bathed the small hospital room adorned with “Get Well” cards and flowers. Her mother lay slumped in a chair by the bed, a soft snore escaping her lips. Her hair was pulled back into an unwashed bun and the crumby remains of her lunch had gathered in her lap. Ava was comforted by her presence, forever grateful that Veronica had faithfully remained by her side, sharing tears of relief when the doctor reassured that the baby was uninjured from the fall.

  A man shouted outside in the hall and her bedroom door burst opened. Liam entered the room and slammed the door behind him, momentarily blinded by flashing lights and camera crews.

  “They’re still out there?” Ava asked, accepting the bottle of water and sandwich he handed her.

  Liam sat down in the chair next to Veronica. “The vultures never left. Channel Four and Nine are still in the halls and I told a reporter from Ten to fuck off. At least they’ll have some content for the news tonight.”

  Ava unwrapped her sandwich. “I don’t make headlines anymore. Why are they still interested in me?”

  “You’re a beautiful woman caught in the spotlight,” Veronica replied, wiping sleep from her eyes. Liam handed her a cup of water and she drained it. “Your baby has only piqued their interest. You haven’t publicly revealed the father so they’re hungry for a story. I’m afraid it’ll only get worse as your pregnancy continues.” She patted Ava’s knee. “But you’re not alone, honey. I’m here for you.”

  Ava stared at her ham sandwich, listening to doctors and nurses berate the journalists in the hall. She was foolish to think she was free from public interest. It would never end until the press found another story more scandalous.

  “Where’s Elias?” she asked, reaching for her phone on the bedside table. There were no new texts.

  Liam cleared his throat. “Elias’s gone back to Daisy.”

  “Why did he go?”

  “I told him too,” Liam said without an iota of repentance. “He’s not family.”

  Ava tossed her phone onto the bed in frustration. “And you’re family? We are divorced, Liam. You don’t get to make decisions for me anymore.”

  “Having your former employee at the hospital was making the journos curious. When I went for a piss, they asked me why Elias was here. It looked strange to them.”

  “What did you tell them?” Veronica probed. “My grandchild is in the middle of this disaster.”

  “I lied. I told them Elias was visiting a sick friend. They were so hungry for gossip that they swallowed it up.”

  Ava couldn’t deny that Elias’s absence created a massive void inside her. It swallowed her up like a black hole. She felt empty inside, soulless. Her dependence on him was frightening, yet the fight forced her to see the light. She couldn’t do this anymore, couldn’t be the third wheel in a relationship that only had one ending. She wanted answers. Needed closure. The love triangle had been going on long enough. The baby deserved a clean slate. She did too.

  “Liam, please call security,” she said, pulling the blankets up to her chin. “I wish to get some sleep before I’m discharged. I don’t want the vultures following us home.”

  Chapter 24

  Elias stood in the shadows of the hallway and listened to Daisy’s sobs coming from the bedroom. Her crocodile tears were loud and intentional, a ruse to trap him into an apology for breaking her heart when he returned from the hospital. She knew where he’d been, and with whom, pleading with him to break the chains shackling Ava, Daisy, and him together.

  For the first time in months, he felt ready to disconnect. His short fuse had almost caused the death of his unborn child. He’d stopped breathing when he saw Ava on the ground, clutching her stomach. He wasn’t going to fight Liam anymore because he wasn’t going to win. It was safer for Ava if he
stepped away.

  He entered the bedroom to find Daisy curled up on the bed, surrounded by a ring of crumpled tissues. Her engagement ring sat on the bedside table, winking in a beam of sunlight. There were times he felt like a rubber band, snapping back to her when things got rough, unable to severe the tie. He justified his affair with Ava as a moment of weakness, a union of two broken and lonely people.

  But Ava was right when she said there was no future together. As a typical, hot-blooded male, Elias had listened to his dick instead of his heart and almost lost the most important person in his life—Daisy.

  “Why aren’t you happy?” he asked, resting a hip on the edge of the mattress. He picked up the diamond ring and circled it around his finger. “I’m home for good now. I’m never leaving you again.”

  “I don’t believe that,” Daisy spat, turning around, narrowing her red-rimmed eyes. “I feel like I’m locked in a constant battle with her. Who’s going to win the coveted prize of Elias’s love? I respected your wishes for a break because I love you. But I’m giving you one last chance, Elias. Make your choice. It’s her or me.”

  “I choose you, Daisy.” He slipped the ring back onto her finger, feeling the warmth of her skin on his palm. “It’s always been you and me ever since we were kids. Let’s get married. We can leave the meddling press and public interest behind us.”

  She raised a skeptical eyebrow. “How can I trust you won’t stray again? You committed the ultimate betrayal by cheating on me. You created a child with another woman. I can’t simply move on from this. Ava has collateral over you now. She’s tied you down for the next eighteen years and she’ll use the baby against you. I’m certain of it. How can I be your wife when there’s another woman hanging over our heads?”

  “Daisy, you’ll have to learn to live with her being in our lives,” he replied sternly. “I’m going to be a father to this child whether you like it or not.”