My Ex-Husband Begged Me to Take Him Back - Chapter 58

Chapter 58: The manipulation

Ava stared at the file, her heart swelling with appreciation. Nicholas had acted swiftly, even before she had fully explained her situation. She felt a sense of security as if everything wasn’t entirely falling apart. But there was more to ask. Her one issue was resolved, but it wasn’t the end.

Nicholas shifted uncomfortably as her silence thickened. He expected to see excitement and delight in her face, but she said nothing. “If something is not right or if you want to change anything, we can talk about it,” he offered cautiously.

Ava shook her head, dismissing his concern. “No, it’s perfect. I’ll have my father sign the deal.” She shut the file and lifted her head, her eyes locking with his. “You mentioned you were checking the surveillance footage from the Hotel Siera. Did you find anything?”

Nicholas sighed, his expression falling into one of dismay. “She went to meet him at the hotel that day, but she didn’t stay long. Just handed him some cash and left. But she forgot her phone there, and that’s why her location was showing there.”

“What?” Ava exclaimed with disbelief. “But wasn’t Brian dating Gianna? If it wasn’t her, then who was with him?” She grew restless. Proving Gianna’s presence at the hotel with Brian was crucial to clearing her name. “Are you sure Brian isn’t lying?”

“Loyalty isn’t something you can expect from a man like him,” Nicholas said scornfully. “Both Brian and Gianna are playing each other, using one another for mutual benefit. Brian isn’t doing good in his career—no new projects, no money. Gianna’s helping him financially, and in return, she is using him to her advantage.”

Ava’s stomach churned with disgust. She had known Gianna was manipulative, but this was beyond her imagination. Gianna claimed that she loved Dylan, but she secretly had an affair with Brain to fulfill her selfish desires.

Ava felt her skin crawl at the thought. She clenched her fists, feeling the bitterness rise. How far would Gianna go to destroy others and get what she wanted? Lies upon lies, all while pretending to be innocent.

“I interrogated Brian.” Nicholas’s voice cut through her thoughts. “He told me everything. He has been helping her in conspiring against you, providing her with the contact information for the thugs as well as a hacker.”

A hacker?

Ava’s mind spun as the realization dawned upon her. That must be how Gianna managed to access her unused bank account, transferring money without her knowledge. Ava was astounded and angry at the same time at Gianna’s cunning methods to frame her. How far was Gianna willing to go to ruin her life?

“Her actual plan was to kidnap you,” Nicholas continued, “but Brian doesn’t know why the thugs suddenly changed their plan and targeted her instead.”

“You mean – she was really raped!” Ava’s heart sank. As much as she despised Gianna, the thought of her falling into her own trap horrified her.

Nicholas shrugged, feeling the weight of the situation. “Well, her medical reports claim that she was raped. But I have a feeling that something is not right. Let me look into it further. I’ll get to the bottom of this. Give me some time.”

Ava nodded, but her heart felt heavy. She had hoped that Gianna had fabricated the entire story, but with Nicholas’s revelation, that hope was quickly slipping away.

If Gianna really had been raped, Ava didn’t know what to think anymore. How had everything become so twisted? Her mind was a storm of questions, doubts, and emotions. All she could do now was wait for Nicholas to uncover the truth.

At Dylan’s place…

In the dimly lit study, Dylan sat slumped at his desk, his hand massaging his temple as if trying to will away the headache pounding in his skull.

In the meantime, the door cracked open. He lifted his head and saw Justin entering.

Justin’s face clouded with worry when he saw his stooped posture. “Sir, are you okay?” He approached the worktable. “If you’re not well, we should head to the hospital.”

“No need.” Dylan waved the suggestion off. “I’ll be fine. There is no time for that now.”

Justin observed him closely, clearly seeing his discomfort. “I can see you’re upset, especially after everything that has happened. But you need to keep calm. Stress will only make things worse.”

Dylan rubbed his brow. “Do you think Gianna could be lying about the whole thing? What if it’s her scheme to frame Ava?”

His question caught Justin off guard. “Lie?” He echoed with disbelief. He had never considered the possibility of that. “I hadn’t thought of that. It would be… unthinkable for someone to fabricate something as horrific as their own kidnapping and rape…”

His voice drifted off, uncertainty creeping into his tone as he processed the idea. “But, given Gianna’s clear hostility toward Ava Madam, we can’t completely rule it out. It’s hard to imagine someone hurting one’s own self for the sake of framing others.”

He paused as he reflected on the whole situation. “I don’t know Ava madam well, but from what I’ve seen, she doesn’t seem like the kind of person who would conspire to commit something so cruel. Yet, the evidence—it’s all against her.”

The room turned silent afterward.

Dylan’s mind was gnawing at the thought that Ava might be telling the truth after all. If she was innocent and he found out too late, it would be a humiliation he could barely stand.

The image of Ava’s desperation and the lack of guilt in her eyes told a whole different story, prompting him to investigate more deeply.

“I want you to look into Gianna’s recent activities,” Dylan commanded, breaking the oppressive silence.

“Okay, Mr. Brooks,” Justin said resolutely. “I’ll check on this.”

“Do it fast,” Dylan urged.

Justin nodded, understanding the severity of the situation.

“And make sure Gianna doesn’t go to the cops and make this worse,” Dylan added urgently.

“Don’t worry, I’ve got this.” With that promise, Justin walked out.

Dylan leaned back on his seat, his fingers pressing against his throbbing temples. Ava’s tear-filled eyes, her pleading for him to believe her, gnawed at him. “Are you telling the truth?” he mumbled.