My Ex-Husband Begged Me to Take Him Back - Chapter 28

Chapter 28: Serious health condition

Nicholas’s smile wavered for a brief moment, but he quickly regained his cheerful demeanor as if he were unfazed by the dire news. “Yes, but I have a very rare blood type—O negative. It’s quite tough to find a suitable donor,”

Ava couldn’t believe he was still smiling at this serious situation as if it was not a big deal. The doctor had clearly said that he had only a year to live without a transplant. What if he didn’t find a donor in time? How could he still be smiling?

“Do you know how serious your condition is?” she asked with a mix of surprise and concern.

“The doctor might have scared you,” Nicholas said dismissively, his demeanor casual. “They are like this – enjoy giving tension to others. But don’t worry. I am not going to die so soon.” He chuckled. “I’ll get a suitable donor soon,” he said with confidence as if he had already found a donor.

Ava couldn’t help but smile at his unyielding spirit. It was refreshing to see someone so full of life, even in the face of such a daunting health crisis. “You should rest now. I won’t disturb your recovery,” she said, rising from her chair, ready to leave.

“Will you come again?” Nicholas asked, a hint of impatience in his voice. His earlier smile faded, and for the first time, a flicker of worry crossed his features—a worry about whether he would see her again.

Ava paused, holding his gaze. She flashed a calculative grin. “Of course. I’ll visit you.”

“Thanks.” He smiled, relieved. “I have a request. Please don’t let anyone know about my health condition.”

Ava understood his concern. “Don’t worry. You can rely on me. Your little secret is safe with me. See you later.”

With that, she walked out.

A few minutes after Ava left the hospital, a man in a black suit entered the ward with worry etched on his face.

“Boss, I am sorry. I am late.” He bowed his head apologetically. “I was waiting with the client at the restaurant, but I wasn’t aware you had another attack. Thankfully, Ethan Moss, the VP of Williams Holdings, informed me about you.”

“I know,” Nicholas said as he recalled Ethan and Ava helping him. He had gone to the restaurant for the luncheon, but he suddenly had that attack. He could have died right there in the parking lot if Ava and Ethan hadn’t brought him to the hospital in time. He was grateful to them, especially Ava.

“They found me in the parking lot and rushed me to the hospital,” he added.

“They?” Alex, the assistant, squinted at him with curiosity and surprise.

“Ethan and Ava.”

Alex’s eyes widened slightly in surprise. “Ava? You mean Mr. Dylan Brooks’ wife?” The intrigue in his voice was unmistakable.

Nicholas nodded, a glimmer of something more than gratitude flickering in his gaze. He remembered more than just their act of kindness. While pulling into the parking lot earlier, he had noticed Dylan storming out of the restaurant with Gianna.

“I saw Dylan, too,” Nicholas recounted, “with his childhood sweetheart, Gianna. He looked like he was ready to explode. And in the same restaurant, Ava and Ethan were dining together. Did you notice anything unusual?”

Alex’s curiosity deepened, but he shook his head. “I was in the private room with the client. I don’t know what happened in the common dining area.”

“Find out what happened,” Nicholas commanded. “I want to know what is going on in Dylan’s life… and also how Ava is doing lately.”

“Consider it done.”

~~~~~~~~

The office was almost empty. The lights had turned off, only a few flickering in the lobbies. Dylan’s office light was still on.

Justin looked at the opaque glass wall of the CEO’s office from his desk and wondered why Dylan wasn’t going home yet. He had expected him to leave early as per the weariness he had seen in him in the morning. But it was ten o’clock, and Dylan was still working.

Concerned, Justin decided to check on him. He walked to the office and knocked softly before entering.

Dylan was leaning back in his chair, fingers pressing hard against the bridge of his nose, his posture slouched as if the weight of the world was resting on his shoulders. His laptop sat closed on the desk, untouched for what seemed like hours. The exhaustion radiating from Dylan was palpable.

But why wasn’t he going home?

“Mr. Brooks, sir,” he called out gently.

Dylan slowly lowered his hand, revealing a pair of groggy, bloodshot eyes that stared up at Justin.

“You should go home. You need rest. I’ll drive you home.”

“Home?” Dylan smiled scornfully. “That villa of mine… it’s not a home anymore. It’s cold. Eerie. I don’t want to go back there.”

“Then why don’t you call Ava Madam?” Justin ventured cautiously. “Maybe you should bring her back home.”

At the mere mention of her name, Dylan’s shoulders seemed to cave in. No matter how much he hated to accept the truth, he knew his villa was no longer a home without Ava. “She won’t come,” he muttered.

“If you talk to her,” Justin urged earnestly, “if you try to make things right, she’ll come back. You know she will.”

“Am I not trying?” Dylan snapped, shooting a sharp glare at him. “I have been putting up with her rude behavior ever since I came back from that business trip, trying to make things right. But she won’t listen! She humiliated me in front of everyone at the restaurant without a second thought!”

Justin sighed quietly, lowering his head as he considered Dylan’s words. He had heard about the incident at the restaurant. He agreed that Ava shouldn’t have slapped Dylan in public, but at the same time, he couldn’t say his boss was right.

“Madam wouldn’t have done that intending to humiliate you,” he said, hoping to de-escalate the situation.

Dylan scowled at him, displeased. “You always defend her. Are you my assistant or hers?”

“I am your assistant, sir, and it’s my duty to point out your mistakes.”

That was enough to intensify Dylan’s anger. “So you’re saying I’m the one at fault here? She refused to come with me and went with that bastard, Ethan.”