Chapter 60: Family Emergency*

Zain, stepped out of the shower and noticed Ava, closing the bedside drawer in a hurry. She gets up walking up to him with a smile.

" We could have taken a shower together you know."

" You were sound asleep, it would be cruel of me to disturb your beauty sleep."

He told her, Ava chuckled proceeding to the bathroom. With steady steps, Zain walked over to the bedside drawer opening it slightly, he spotted a small white bottle pill... his face frowned reading through the context. Shortly after,

His phone rang on the side of the bed, Zain walked over to pick it up.

' yes'

' ....'

He ended the call once the other end related their words to him.

A while later, Ava stepped out of the shower whilst drying her hair with a towel, she creased her brows upon seeing Zain packing his luggage.

" Zain? Did something happen, why you packing?"

Ava, walked up to him with a curious-anxious look on her face.

" There's an emergency that needs my urgent attention, I need to leave for England."

" England?."

Zain paused clenching onto his clothes, he slowly turns around to face her.

" Have booked you a flight back to New York in an hour, you and Sonya can return back home and I'll see you once I return."

He told her, Ava had a sad expression on her face, tears were threatening to roll down. Her heart ached on the thought of him leaving... Leaving her behind.

" Ava..." Zain spoke softly." I'll be back before you know it, be a good girl and do as I say... Ok."

Ava nodded, once dressed up and ready to go. Their luggage had already been sent to the cars.

" Mom! Why are we leaving all of the sudden, what happened?."

Sonya walked down the stairwell with Charles trailing behind.

" Honey, an emergency came up and Zain needs to attend to it."

" Can't we stay for two more days?."

" Our tickets are already booked, it will be a waste."

" You don't have to worry about two tickets, Ava, I will get you two other tickets it's no big of a deal, Sonya wants to stay for two more days with her siblings... don't take that away from her." Charles said, adding. " I'm sure Mr Woods here wouldn't mind, right." A playful smirk curved on the corner of his mouth.

" We're leaving, Sonya, that's final... Get in the car."

" But mom -_

" Do as your mom says princess, will talk later."

Ava, glared at Charles. Sonya turned to her Dad giving him a hug, and went to sit in the car.

The cars drove off to the airport.

Zain took another plane while Ava and Sonya boarded a flight back to New York City. Ava went straight to Anderson Group Corporation as soon as they landed in New York.

" Ms Ava, welcome back." Jonathan welcomed her back with a warm smile.

" Thank you, Jonathan. How's everything been here while I was away?."

Ava proceeded to her office whilst going through the documents that Jonathan handed her.

" Good, though there's a few documents that needs your signature... Ms Qinn already signed her part."

" And where's my sister at the moment?."

" She hasn't come in yet."

Ava looked up from her papers staring at Jonathan with a raised brow. " Not yet in, you say? It's 12:45 pm."

" I haven't seen her since morning today."

Jonathan stated, Ava nodded slightly dismissing him, she brought out her phone tapping on Emma's ID... after a few rings the call was connected.

' Ava?'

' where are you, everything okay?'

' hmm, how are you.. how's Poland?'

' I'm in New York, at the office and you're not here yet.'

' New York? When did you return?'

' a while ago, Zain, had a family emergency and had to leave for England.'

' ah, I see .'

' tell me where you are, and I'll come to you.'

' no, i-i'm almost there...see you in a few .'

Emma disconnected the call, Ava frowned staring at her now blank screen... She noticed her sisters voice being low and toned down, which she knew very well it's not like her to portray such character.

A knock echoed inside, with Jonathan walking in.

" Ms Ava, everyone's waiting in the meeting room."

He informed. " Yes, I'll be right there."

She gave a slight nod.

Ava kept herself busy with work for the past one week, in this whole week she hasn't heard nor talked with Zain, ever since he left for England. She tried to get a hold of him a couple of times but he never responded nor called her back. But today she wasn't going to let him get to her for it was a special morning, it's finally Christmas and she was going to spend it with the family. Mr and Ms Qinn invited her grandparents and daughter to spend Christmas together as a family. Whilst Lucas took Trixie to meet and spend Christmas with his parents In Florida Miami, everything looked beautiful and the house was filled with love and warmth. Ava was happy to be surrounded by a happy loving family as she looked at every single person in the room, her smile slowly faded thinking about Zain, her heart ached more knowing Darcy, is there with him spending Christmas together while she's here, ' will he even be here to spend new years like he promised? I wonder '

Ava thought.

" Hey, are you okay?."

Emma squeezed Ava's hand under the table, Ava nodded with an awkward smile.

" I'm fine."

After finishing their meal, Alec's parents and Emma's grandparents sat in the garden to watch the kids play while engaging in a conversation with drinks.

Ava stepped out of the bathroom wiping her mouth as she approached the bed.

" How are you feeling?."

Emma walked in with a glass of warm milk.

" Stupid, pathetic, so dumb."

" Still no sign from him?." Ava shook her head. " Will you tell him?." Emma asked, Ava stared at Emma not knowing the answer to that.

England....

Zain stared at Ava's contact participating whether or not to make the call, it's been 30 minutes now still dotting on whether or not. The whole past week he's been avoiding her calls and texts, the guilt was eating him up slowly like termites... slowly eating him up from inside till he breaks. After debating for a while he finally makes the call.

....

Ava, was lying in bed staring at the ceiling when her phone began buzzing, picking it up and seeing the caller ID, her heart suddenly dropped. Debating whether or not to pick up, she sat up tapping the screen. Silence came from both ends, no one spoke for a few minutes... Ava found it very awkward, but again, what could she say?

' how are you doing?'

Zain, finally broke the uncomfortable silence from the other end. Ava, clenched her phone tightly.

' fine.'

She responded. ' I was told you ain't feeling well, did you see a doctor.'

' like I said, I'm fine...'

' Ava I.....

' I have to go...help Emma with the desert.'

Just as Zain was about to respond the call got disconnected. Zain stared at the blank screen in distress.