Torturing each other

Ava finally gathered up her courage and dialed Oliver's number. It was already 11.00 o'clock. Ava prayed Oliver wouldn't pick up the call, she was merely returning the call to be polite. She was also afraid the man will find another reason to torture her if she didn't return his call, or at least that's what she told herself. She will never admit that she actually wanted to hear his voice.

Oliver was actually asleep. When he called Ava, he didn't expect her to pick up neither he expected her to call back, so he went to bed with Orion. Usually, Oliver would work till very late at night but these days Orion would often make trouble if Oliver didn't lie down with him, so he got used to sleeping early with Orion. Before it was Ava who used to sleep beside him now it was his son.

As Oliver was a light sleeper he woke up the moment his phone vibrated on the bedside table. He picked up to check who was calling this late and was very surprised to see it was Ava. He smiled to himself and then waited, he only picked up the call when it was about to get disconnected.

"Hello." Oliver's voice was very low and sleepy which sounded very sexy.

Hearing Oliver's sexy voice Ava's heart hung in her mouth, she went completely blank. She forgot why she was calling and kept quiet only breathing heavily.

"If you don't have anything to say, I'll hang up," Oliver said after a few seconds.

"Wait… Wait, um… It's me." Ava said quickly biting her lips and cursing herself in her mind for the clumsiness.

Oliver's mouth twitched but he asked in an emotionless tone, "What can I do for you this late?

"Right…Didn't you call? I just saw your miss call so….I called to know…what's up? " Ava's nervousness was very apparent through the phone but she just couldn't control her beating heart, she didn't even know what she was so nervous about.

Oliver obviously could feel Ava's nervousness, he smiled thinking, how her face must have turned red right now and how she must be fidgeting with her finger at this moment. God, he really missed her, especially when she was all red in embarrassment.

Oliver said lightly, "Oh, I called to thank you for the clothes you bought for Orion. He liked them very much." Actually, He called because he wanted to hear her voice. He wondered when things reached this point between them that he had to make an excuse to talk to her. It was unbearable, every time he thought about Ava being in another man's arms, he was in so much pain that he wanted to tear the whole world. He couldn't wait anymore, he has to act fast and bring her back to him. Until then he will make small appearances in her life to remind her of his existence.

"Oh, it's alright you don't have to thank me. Tell him to practice more, he really has great potential to become a good pianist."

"OK! It's late, I should let you go to bed. It's not good for your health to stay up till late." Oliver said lightly but it sounded more like an order.

"Alright! You should go to bed too." Ava said biting her lips again, she didn't say bye or good night, as if she didn't want their conversation to end. What was happening to her? Ava pressed her chest to control her messed up heart, it has always been like this when it comes to Oliver. But it was different with Daniel. She and Daniel would always talk so lightly and easily as if they were siblings. Maybe in her heart, that's what Daniel's place was, and that's why she could never accept him as her husband and would rather treat him as a friend even knowing how much he really loved her.

Oliver didn't wait for Ava to hang up on him or say anything else like he used to, instead, he just hang up without saying anything else. However the moment the call was disconnected, Oliver looked at the phone and said quietly, "Goodnight, my love." He stood there on his own balcony looking into the starry sky, his heart was in pain. He suddenly felt very lonely. He looked into the darkness and let out a self-mockery laugh, he has been waiting for her for three years, but for what? In the end, she was the one who betrayed him and started a family with another man. For three years he has been living in a delusion that Ava was only his but that woman really broke that hurting his pride then why should he suffer because of her like this? Oliver's dark eyes became fierce and for a moment hatred blinded him, he wanted to make her suffer as much as he has suffered all these years but after a while when his eyes cleared he felt sad again, he couldn't hurt her again, he loved her too much. He believed when dawn breaks down there will be hope again and he won't give up until Ava was by his side.

Ava was a bit surprised to be hung up by Oliver like this and suddenly her heart start to feel empty. She stared at the phone and said 'Good night' to Oliver then looked up into the sky trying to make up Oliver's face there, Unknowingly two strings of tears fell down from the corner of her eyes. Why do we torture each other like this? She could not refuse anymore that no matter what she would always be in love with that man, then why pretend to be indifferent to each other? If she didn't owe Daniel she would have gone back to him even if he tortured her to death. Love was strange like that, sometime Ava wanted to let go of the past and run into his arm but her pride wouldn't let her do that. She was also afraid if she go back and found out Oliver was still holding onto Melody's memory in that room, her heart wouldn't be able to take it, and will die again. Her love for Oliver was selfish, she didn't want to share Oliver with anyone, she wanted him for only herself and that's why she refuses to admit how much she still loves him.

Before coming back, Ava actually thought her heart has let go of Oliver, but the more she sees him the more her heart reminds her that it beats for him and him only. Ava suddenly laughed out loud, did she develop Stockholm syndrome? Otherwise, why was she in love with a man who would only torture her in different ways? Didn't Oliver hurt her and her dignity time and time again? Then why would she think of going back to the man again? But she really couldn't control her heart, she couldn't even give Daniel a chance because of Oliver, Ava felt very helpless.