My Ex-Husband Begged Me to Take Him Back - Chapter 27

Chapter 27: You need a transplant.

Several minutes later…

They arrived at the hospital and Nicholas was pushed into the emergency room. Ava and Ethan looked at the closed door, their expressions serious.

“You should leave,” Ethan said, trying to nudge her gently. “We’ve brought him here on time. The doctors will handle the rest.”

Ava didn’t budge. Her expression remained firm as she turned to face him. “I’m not leaving,” she said with quiet determination. “Not until I know he is okay.”

Her response stunned Ethan. He blinked at her as he wondered why she was taking interest in that guy all of a sudden.

“Do you know who he is?” A deep frown formed between his brows, his confusion growing. “He is a part of the Baker family, an archrival of the Brooks!”

Ava met his gaze, unflinching. “I know exactly who he is, Ethan.”

Ethan’s frown deepened. “Since you already know it, you shouldn’t be involved with him. You have already angered Dylan today. If he finds out you’re helping someone from the Baker family, it’ll make things worse. You should go. I’ll stay and make sure he is okay.”

But Ava wasn’t ready to leave. Nicholas might be part of the Baker family by blood, but everyone in town knew he was an illegitimate son with a strained relationship with his biological father. He had clawed his way to success alone, building his own company without the help of the Baker fortune. In her eyes, he was a potential ally for the Williams in their fight against Dylan.

“Don’t worry, Ethan,” she said in a reassuring tone. “I know what I’m doing. If it makes you uncomfortable, you can leave.”

Ethan sighed helplessly, not willing to leave her alone. “Fine, we’ll stay here until he is stable. Happy?”

Ava’s stern expression broke into a small, grateful smile. “Thank you,” she said softly.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dylan’s knuckles were white as he gripped the steering wheel, fury surging through him like a storm. Ava’s slap still echoed in his mind, and her biting words replayed over and over, a fire of anger burning in his eyes. But it was her defense of Ethan that felt like a dagger lodged deep in his chest. Ava had stood up to him—her husband—because of another man. The more he thought, the more furious he grew.

“She has gone too far this time,” Gianna’s voice sliced through his thoughts, stoking his already blazing temper. “You can’t let her get away with this. She is married to you, and yet she is openly flirting with another man. Don’t you think she has been cheating on you?”

His jaw clenched and unclenched, tension rolling through his body as he struggled to rein in his fury.

Gianna’s eyes glittered with twisted satisfaction as she saw his frustration mounting. She was sure Dylan would leave Ava this time. And she knew just what to say to push him over the edge.

“That guy Ethan has been close to the Williams for a long time,” she continued. “We all noticed how he would follow her about the school campus as if he were her shadow. And what did she do? She always supported him—buying him meals, school supplies, everything. I bet they’ve been in love for a long time. She only pretended to love you. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have changed so drastically, treating you like an enemy simply because you missed your first anniversary.”

Dylan’s silence thickened, his face darkening even more. His grip on the steering wheel tightened further. Gianna’s words were feeding into his insecurities.

His mind raced back to those memories—Ethan’s constant presence, Ava’s kindness toward him, the way she always seemed to defend him. Was it possible? Had she chosen Ethan over him all along?

“You shouldn’t trust her, Dylan,” Gianna pressed on. “The Williams family can’t be trusted. They’re experts at betrayal, stabbing from behind. You should divorce Ava as soon as possible.”

Dylan’s chest tightened with jealousy and wounded pride. Suddenly, the car screeched to a jarring stop, the wheels screeching against the asphalt. Gianna’s heart lurched into her throat, fear gripping her. For a moment, she sat frozen, her mind trying to process what had just happened. The car was now stopped in the middle of nowhere. Before she could figure out what had just happened, she heard him say, “Get out of the car.”

The iciness in his tone made her flinch. She whipped her head toward him, eyes wide with disbelief, as though she hadn’t heard him correctly. “But, Dylan—we’re in the middle of nowhere. Do you really want to leave me here in an unknown place?”

Dylan’s face remained unreadable, his gaze fixed ahead, but his hands were clenched tightly around the steering wheel, knuckles white with restrained rage. His voice, when it came, was devoid of any warmth, colder than she had ever heard it before.

“Get out, Gianna!”

Panic surged through her veins. She hadn’t expected this reaction. She wanted to plead, to reason with him, but something in the hard set of his jaw, the fury swirling in his eyes, made her open the door frantically and jump out of the car.

Her heart hammered against her ribcage as she turned to look back at him. “Dylan—”

But the car sped off, leaving her standing alone there, the taillights disappearing into the distance. This wasn’t how she had imagined the night would go.

As she watched the car going farther away from her, her anger ignited like wildfire, her mouth twisting in rage.

“Ava!” She bared her teeth, her nails biting her palms. “It’s all because of you! I won’t let you and Dylan get back together.” She furiously reached into her bag for her phone and dialed a familiar number.

“I need your help,” she said when the line clicked through. “Let’s meet.”

At the hospital…

Nicholas stirred awake, blinking against the bright overhead lights. As his eyes adjusted, he caught sight of Ava seated beside him. He was surprised, not expecting to see her there. But his heart swelled with gratitude.

“You are awake,” Ava said, noticing him stirring and sitting up. “How are you feeling now?”

“Better,” Nicholas replied, a warm smile spreading across his face. “Thanks for saving me again.”

“Again?” Ava squinted at him, taken aback. She struggled to recall any previous incidents where she had come to his rescue.

Nicholas simply smiled, choosing to keep the past to himself for now. After all, he knew the complicated dynamics between them—she was Dylan’s wife. “I mean, you saved me by giving me my medicine in time and then bringing me to the hospital. So, you saved me twice. Thanks again for staying beside me.”

Ava couldn’t help but feel a sense of admiration for his upbeat spirit despite the circumstances. “Hmm, you are quite talkative,” she murmured, a faint smile tugging at her lips. A shadow of sadness crossed her features as she thought he was suffering from heart failure at such a young age.

“Yes, I am. You won’t be bored with me,” Nicholas chuckled, trying to lighten the mood. “Sorry, I might have terrified you. I didn’t plan to fall sick in front of you. It’s quite embarrassing.”

Ava’s expression shifted, seriousness settling over her. “I talked to the doctor. Your condition is getting worse. You need a transplant.”