CHAPTER 39

After three weeks of quiet but relentless worry, Ava finally convinced Xavier to let her visit the doctor alone. Despite his protective nature and persistent offers to accompany her, she managed to assure him that she would be fine. That morning, after Xavier had left for the office, Ava tried to distract herself by reading a book, but her thoughts kept drifting to the nagging unease she had been feeling. Suddenly, she paused, her gaze falling on the calendar on her nightstand. Her heart pounded as she calculated the dates, realizing with growing dread that her period was now three weeks late.

A wave of anxiety crashed over her, and she quickly reached for her phone, the days and weeks blurring together in her mind. Could it be? Her hands trembled as she hurried out of the house to the nearest pharmacy, returning moments later with a pregnancy test. The minutes felt like hours as she followed the instructions meticulously, her breath caught in her throat. When the results appeared, confirming her deepest suspicion, Ava's world seemed to tilt on its axis.

She was pregnant.

Tears welled up in her eyes, not just from the shock but from the overwhelming flood of emotions that followed. Joy, fear, and uncertainty tangled together, leaving her breathless. She pressed a hand to her abdomen, a sense of profound responsibility settling over her. How would Xavier react? They weren't married, and she hadn't even told her parents. The future seemed suddenly uncertain, and the reality of her situation weighed heavily on her.

"Oh, Christ," she whispered to herself, running a hand through her hair as she sat down on the bed, trying to make sense of it all. She closed her eyes, taking deep, shaky breaths in an attempt to calm the storm raging inside her. But her thoughts raced uncontrollably, each one bringing with it a new wave of anxiety and hope.

As she sat there, her phone rang, startling her from her reverie. She answered it without checking the caller ID, her voice still tinged with the raw emotion she was struggling to contain.

"Good morning, this is Roain Hospital. Am I speaking with Ms. Jones?" a calm, professional voice asked on the other end of the line.

"Yes, this is she. How can I help you?" Ava replied, her tone distant, the emotional turmoil bubbling just below the surface.

"I'm calling to confirm your appointment with Dr. Drake today," the woman continued.

"Yes, I'll be there. Is there any way to reschedule it to an earlier time?" Ava asked, the urgency in her voice unmistakable.

"Dr. Drake is available now. Can you come in within the next half hour?" the woman offered, sensing the anxiety in Ava's tone.

"Yes, thank you," Ava said, quickly ending the call. She grabbed her handbag and made her way to the door, her mind racing. As she stepped out of the apartment, she dialed another number.

"Kage, I'll be fine. You don't need to come, and that's an order," she said firmly, though her voice wavered slightly. Just days earlier, she had witnessed a side of Xavier and Kage that she had never fully confronted before—their ruthlessness, their capacity for violence. The memory still haunted her, even though she had come to terms with the dangerous world Xavier inhabited. But now, with the knowledge that she was carrying his child, the weight of that reality bore down on her with renewed intensity. The thought of raising a child in such an environment terrified her, and for the first time, she allowed herself to feel a pang of doubt.

Pushing those thoughts aside for the moment, Ava focused on the task at hand. She drove to the hospital, her mind a swirl of emotions—fear, hope, uncertainty. When she arrived, she explained her symptoms to the doctor, mentioning the persistent nosebleeds that had plagued her for weeks. The doctor, noticing her distress, ordered a series of tests.

The wait was agonizing. Every minute felt like an eternity as she sat in the sterile, cold room, her mind running through every possible outcome. She tried to calm herself, but the knot in her stomach only tightened as the minutes ticked by.

Finally, she was called back into the examination room. Dr. Drake was there, his expression serious, yet compassionate.

"Ms. Jones, do you have anyone with you today?" he asked gently, his eyes meeting hers with concern.

"No, I'm alone. Is it something serious? I can handle it," Ava replied, her voice steady, though her heart was racing. She forced a smile, but inside, she was crumbling.

Dr. Drake hesitated, clearly choosing his words carefully. "Ms. Jones, I'm afraid you've been diagnosed with lung cancer. It's in the early stages, but it's imperative that we begin treatment as soon as possible."

Ava felt the world blur around her. The words hit her like a physical blow, knocking the breath from her lungs. "Lung cancer?" she repeated, barely able to comprehend it. "Am I going to die?" The question slipped out before she could stop it, her voice breaking as tears filled her eyes.

Dr. Drake's expression softened with empathy. "No, Ms. Jones. You're in the first stage, and while the situation is serious, it's not without hope. If we start treatment now, you have a strong chance of recovery. But it will be a difficult journey, and the cancer cells will become more aggressive over time if left untreated."

Ava nodded, trying to process the information, but another, even more urgent thought pushed its way to the forefront of her mind. "I'm pregnant," she whispered, the tears now freely flowing down her cheeks. "Will this... will this kill my baby?"

Dr. Drake looked at her, surprise flickering across his face. "How far along are you?" he asked gently, his eyes searching hers.

"I just found out today," Ava replied, her hand instinctively moving to her still-flat stomach.

The doctor paused, clearly weighing his words. "Your pregnancy will complicate things, Ms. Jones, but it doesn't mean it's impossible. The cancer is in its early stages, which means the immediate threat to your baby is minimal. However, as your pregnancy progresses, so will the cancer, and it will become more challenging to treat without putting your child at risk."

Ava sat there, numb, trying to absorb the gravity of what he was saying. The life she had imagined with Xavier, the future she had dreamed of, suddenly seemed so fragile. The enormity of the decisions she would have to make overwhelmed her, and she felt a wave of despair wash over her.

"Thank you, doctor," she managed to say, her voice trembling. "I need some time to think."

"Ms. Jones, I understand this is a lot to take in, but please know that time is of the essence. We need to start treatment soon," Dr. Drake urged, his voice firm but kind.

"I know," Ava whispered, standing up slowly. "I'll be back. I just... I need to talk to someone first."

Dr. Drake nodded, handing her the file with her test results. "Take care, Ms. Jones. We'll be here when you're ready."

Ava left the hospital in a daze, her mind spinning as she drove to Xavier's office. The fear of what lay ahead gnawed at her, but she knew she couldn't face this alone. She needed to tell Xavier the truth—the whole truth. When she arrived at the office, she was surprised to find the elevator out of service, with workers repairing it.

"What happened?" she asked one of the employees, who was overseeing the repair work.

"The elevator and the CCTV systems malfunctioned earlier today, Ms. Jones," the man explained.

Ava nodded, barely processing the information, her thoughts elsewhere. She made her way up to the 50th floor, her heart pounding with every step. As she approached Xavier's office, she noticed the door was slightly ajar, and she could hear voices coming from inside. She hesitated, a sudden sense of dread washing over her.

Ava's heart nearly stopped when she heard the unmistakable voice of Victoria echoing from within Xavier's office, her words dripping with seduction.

"Fuck me, Xavier. You know you want it," Victoria purred, her voice carrying an almost mocking confidence.

Ava froze in the hallway, her entire body going cold as a sense of dread washed over her. For a fleeting moment, she thought she might have misheard, that perhaps her fears and anxieties were playing tricks on her. But as she moved closer, the horrifying reality began to unfold before her eyes, confirming her worst fears.