I stood straighter, making her jerk back. “See that it doesn't.” I straightened my jacket. “I never make empty threats.”
I swirled around and walked briskly to my office, ready to take Ben down a notch and remind him of his place.
“Jealousy doesn’t suit you, my friend,” he said with a little shake of his head.
That threw me back for a second.
“This girl has no interest in me. It’s both shocking and humbling.”
I shrugged, feeling some relief at his words, but as my anger started to subside and some rationality managed to seep back in, I realized the amount of horror I’d spat at her.
I glanced in her direction as I took my seat behind my desk but she wasn’t there anymore. I looked around a little in panic, thinking she’d quit on the spot and I wouldn't blame her if she had, but I let out a little breath when I noticed her coat was still on her chair.
“So, she is the reason for your delayed return. I can’t blame you. She is stunning, and for the few minutes I managed to talk to her before you interrupted like a demented psychopath, she seemed sweet and genuine.”
I looked at him silently. There was no point denying or confirming his words when his tone carried the certainty of his statement.
“It’s not her fault that you like her, you know? There’s no need to punish her for it.”
If only it was that simple. “She’s not from our world. She would not fit in,” I replied with conviction, noticing I was spending too much time convincing myself of that. “I don’t need complications in my life.”
He sighed. “Maybe it’s because she wouldn’t fit in but she is what you need, but then again, maybe not.” He looked at his watch. “Well, what do I know? I’m a 36-year-old bachelor.” He stood up. “I better go and get my bag ready.”
"Yes, I think it is for the best.”
He looked at me for a few more seconds before shaking his head. Whatever he was thinking, I didn’t need to know.
I looked at Ava’s desk again but she was still not back and I couldn’t help but worry despite myself.
When she finally came back, she was pale, her eyes red-rimmed from crying, and the guilt I felt at that moment almost suffocated me.
I could almost feel the irrepressible itch to apologize and that was not something I’d ever done or would ever do.
I grabbed my jacket from the back of the chair and left my office to go somewhere, anywhere I would not have a direct view of her sad and worried face, knowing that I was the monster who did that.
My little brother might have been right, after all. I was the villain in this story.
Ethan…He was the key to all this. He was so easy to goad. He’d tell me everything I wanted to know about Ava without even realizing it.
I asked my driver to take me to Ethan’s office and stood in the waiting room until he was done with his patient.
“You only have fifteen minutes, Mr. St-John. Dr. Mills’ calendar is full,” his secretary said, gesturing to the door.
It truly irritated me that he was using this name, his mother’s maiden name, as if he was ashamed of the name he’d been given at birth.
“DoctorMills,” I said, walking into his office.
Ethan sighed. “Three times in a month? Hugo, no offense, but I don’t need to see you that much.”
“The pleasure is mutual, little brother.” I sat down uninvited on the chair across his desk. I let my eyes trail to his desk and stopped on the sonogram.
When he saw what I was looking at, he slid the image under his mouse pad, and I wanted to punch him unconscious.
“What can I do for you, Hugo?”
“It’s been over a month since everything happened. What is she planning to do?”
“Why don’t you ask her?”