My Ex-Husband Begged Me to Take Him Back - Chapter 52

Chapter 52: Gianna lied!

Gianna’s fingers moved swiftly; her eyes focused as she swiped the screen to unlock her phone. She navigated to the banking app and transferred money to the man she had spoken to earlier.

She subsequently dialed his number. The call was connected in a few rings.

“I’ve transferred the money,” she said.

“Yes, I received it.” The man on the other end sounded pleased. “Let me know if you need my help.”

“Listen to me carefully.” Gianna’s voice dropped further as she instructed the man discreetly. At the end, she added, “I want no mistakes this time. Follow the instructions, and make sure no one suspects a thing.”

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

Nicholas and Ava settled into the cozy corner of the café. Their steaming lattes arrived swiftly. Ava picked up the cup and took a sip, the rich aroma of coffee filling her senses.

“I thought you would stay at the hospital for a few more days,” Nicholas was the one who started the conversation. “But you came out early. How are you feeling now?”

“Better!” Ava sighed deeply. “I felt suffocated there, especially with Gianna’s drama.” She smiled sarcastically as she took another sip of her coffee. “My injuries are not that serious. I’ll heal up in a few days. But what about you? Tell me about your health.”

Nicholas blinked, momentarily caught off guard by her question. He hadn’t expected her to ask, and the emotion that welled up within him was unfamiliar. It had been so long since someone had shown genuine interest in how he was doing. A complex mix of gratitude and melancholy washed over him, but he quickly masked it.

“Me?” He pointed at himself playfully, grinning to brush off the seriousness. “I’m enjoying life. Don’t worry, I’m not dying anytime soon.”

He flashed a broad grin as though everything was fine. He didn’t like talking about his health issues as he didn’t want anyone’s sympathy.

Ava couldn’t help but admire his confidence and how he handled his health issues with such light-heartedness. In her past life, she had always ignored this man, thinking he was one of the Bakers and that he was Dylan’s enemy.

Now, sitting across from him, she saw something different—a lively, friendly man who embraced life with humor and grace, despite everything.

“I’ve got something to show you.” Nicholas’s expression grew tense as he leaned forward, his earlier charm giving way to something far more serious. His charming smile disappeared by now.

Ava, sensing the shift in mood, grew equally serious, her curiosity piqued.

Nicholas reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. “Gianna has a secret affair with this actor.” He scrolled down the screen to find the photographs of Gianna with Brian. “She has been spotted with him several times. Take a look.” He pushed the phone across the table toward her.

Ava checked the photos, her eyes widening with disbelief as she saw Gianna cozied up to a man. The images were undeniable—close, intimate moments between the two, far beyond friendly encounters.

“She has been dating this man sneakily,” she mumbled in a daze, still trying to grasp the full impact of what she was seeing.

Nicholas nodded grimly. “Yes. And she was in contact with him on the day she claimed she had been kidnapped and raped.”

Ava blinked, her mind struggling to process what Nicholas was saying. She set the phone down, staring at him in confusion. “Wait… what are you saying?”

“Brian was with a woman at Hotel Siera that day,” Nicholas explained. “We suspect it was Gianna.”

“What?” Her mouth hung open, a wave of shock surging through her. “You mean to say… she was with this man at a hotel? That she wasn’t kidnapped or raped?” Her voice trailed off, her mind racing. “Are you telling me everything she claimed is fake?”

“It’s possible,” Nicholas replied carefully. “We’ve checked the surveillance footage from the hotel, but Gianna isn’t seen anywhere on it. But her phone’s location shows she was there. It’s likely she changed her appearance to avoid detection. We are still looking into it.”

Ava felt her stomach churn as the revelation sank in. She couldn’t believe Gianna had lied about such a horrific tragedy and had played the victim.

“I can’t believe she lied,” Ava muttered. “And because of that, I was subjected to public scrutiny – and even attacked.”

Ava’s heart clenched painfully, a fresh wave of bitterness washing over her. He could have investigated the truth, just as Nicholas had. Instead, Dylan had chosen to trust Gianna and never thoroughly investigated what had happened that day. The pain of his indifference stung sharper than ever.

“I want to expose her,” she said fiercely. Her resolve hardened in an instant. “I want her to feel the agony I went through. She deserves it.”

“I’m with you,” Nicholas asserted. “She will be punished for what she did. Just give me a few days. I’ll gather all the evidence we need.”

Ava offered him a weak smile, her emotions swirling in her chest. “Thank you,” she whispered. It should be her husband who would say all this, but he didn’t care about her.

Ava blinked away the tears, reminding herself that she was ending things with Dylan. It was pointless to think about him and feel sad. She wouldn’t look back.

“This is my card.” Nicholas slid his business card across the table. “Call me if you need anything. I’d love to help you.”

Ava nodded as she took his card. His help was what she needed. “Of course… I’ll call you. Thanks for everything, Nicholas – it means a lot. I don’t know how to repay your favor.”

“I owe you this life,” he interjected before she could even finish the sentence properly. “You saved me twice, remember?” He flashed his usual bright smile.

Ava chuckled softly. “Yes, I remember,” she said in a sarcastic tone. “I got the medicine for you and then took you to the hospital. That’s how I saved you twice.”

Nicholas simply smiled as he looked at her. Ava had no clue that she had saved him from drowning over a decade ago.

“Yes,” he mumbled, not revealing it.

“Oops, it’s quite late. I need to go home,” Ava said, checking her wristwatch. “Papa might be wondering why I haven’t returned yet. I got to go now.”

Because of the recent rumors and media frenzy, her father discovered the attack on her, and he was constantly worried and nervous about her ever since then. She had promised to be home by sundown, but time had slipped away while she was lost in conversation with Nicholas.

Ava hastily rose from the chair, ready to leave.

“So, you are going to see your father,” he said, rising to his feet.

“Yes, I’ll be staying with my father from now on. I am divorcing Dylan.”

“Oh!” He was taken aback at her directness. “Should I congratulate you?”

“Not yet.” She turned and walked away.

“Ava, wait! Let me give you a ride,” Nicholas called after her, quickening his pace to catch up.

Ava hesitated for a while, then she agreed. “Okay.”

He grinned, leading her out of the restaurant.