She Accepted Divorce, He Panicked

101 Ava's Fear

Scarlett's POV

I don't think she is going to like what Ava has to say.

I was surprised that Jack Fuller seemed to know Ava's true color, but not for long. He has always been a calculating fox and I doubt he'd let anyone fool him, not even his own daughter.

But I don't think Mom knows about it at all. If she thinks Ava is her angelic tame daughter, then she really believes that. She is a devout bellever. And as horrible as Jack Fuller might be, there is one thing I can't deny of him he loves his wife.

I guess I shouldn't feel bad for Mom. I should envy her. She might know all the truth, but she is happy, living in the little illusional bubble where everything is kind, good, and alright. She doesn't have to feel bad for keeping a little girl at home just to be her daughter's blood vessel because her husband told her the little girl is an orphan who needed help; she doesn't have to know that her own daughter broke the ugly truth to the orphan that she was adopted, because Jack Fuller determined it was an accident no matter what I said; she doesn't have to feel bad for trapping me here as a prisoner, because maybe not as much as she loves Ava, she also "cares" about me, and that makes what she did a desperate try of a mother to keep all her kids around her. Nothing evil.

Her kindness hurt me the most when the ugly truth came out. I was devastated to realize that no one in the family ever loved me, and yet I couldn't say a harsh thing to this innocent woman. Sometimes I wonder which is cruler-right out evil, or self-tricking lies. At least against the former, I could try to defend myself. But fake love? You wouldn't know how deep you sank before you are suffocated.

"I'll let you two have some time alone then!" Mom says, giving me another hug. I can feel her genuine excitement. Me and Ava getting along has been one of her biggest wishes for years, and today she sees the first glimpse of hope for that.

"Jack!" Mom puts down the apple on the table, waiting for her husband by the door with a pout. Jack Fuller moves his legs reluctantly, and when passing between Ava and me he says-

"Be nice to your sister."

He doesn't say who he is talking to, and he looks at neither of us.

The room falls into silence. Ava is not talking long after they left. That's her habit in case anyone hears. her. I sit down on the chair far away from her, close to the door. There is no telling what Ava would do when we are alone, and I learned to protect myself. "So where's your apology? I'm listening," I lean my chair backward on the wall, its two front legs in the air. This way I can see the Fullers in the hallway. Jack Fuller hands Mom a cup of hot coffee.

"If you are trying to get me to say something bad-" Ava glares at me, her tone cold and vicious.

"They are coming," I glance at Ava and she instantly bites her lips. She knows how unlikely that is, but still,

she dares not to risk it.

101 Ava's Feat

"Does it ever tire you? To play a role ALL your life?" I shake my head, taunting her coldly. I can't imagine doing something like that. It's exhausting. Maybe that's why she is so mean and nasty in front of me - she needs an outlet of her true self, and to whom better than the adopted sister who nobody cares or wouldNôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

believe?

"Open the door!" Ava demands. I snort coldly, enlarging the gap so Ava could also see her parents. The fullers look over at me with slight confusion, but remembering where they are, Mom sends over an encouraging smile, and Jack Fuller looks away from me. He has always looked at me that way since I was too young to understand any of that. It's a hatred rooted deep in his heart, fear even. But I don't know what on earth could get him, a rich, powerful, decisive man to hate or fear a little girl who only recognized him as her own father. "What did you tell Sebastian?!" Ava's cold voice snaps me out of my memory.

"What?" I frown. Nothing recently, nothing but "sign those damn papers" over and over again, actually. Is that a crime, too?

"You told him the truth, didn't you?!" Ava nails her eyes on me, true fear and anger burning in there, Otherwise why would he come and ask if I could do something like buy your life?!"

22