historical

Connor had left a person to guard Ava Kelly so that if she suddenly remembers Aaron and events, she might run to Lake Huron. It didn't happen, other than Ava freezing at random places and stare at it with complex thoughts.

The rank student passed the Sophomore at the borderline of failure, the national chess competition slipped off her hands during the same year. It took her time, but slowly got back to herself, she started studying and focusing on the right things as she frequented Kelly international.

Connor had next met her in the country S when she was around Shawn. He was shocked but she didn't identify him. He wanted to tell Aaron but he didn't know how Aaron's appearance might affect Ava as it might make her live through the same trauma.

He had spoken with his mother who was staying away, she had studied through many cases and suggested not to bring them up to face to face forcefully. So Connor let fate play out, without telling it to others.

--- In the hospital ---

Aarvi had asked everyone to go home and rest. She laid on the bed to sort her thoughts. She had thought she might get angry but she wasn't. She was blank about her opinion about Jordan's actions.

It was true, she had suffered a lot in sophomore year with all the confusion, emptiness, unknown longing, feeling foreign. It was like happiness rushed to her but it slapped her on the face and left her back in hell. It was more painful than just staying in hell.

However, she felt terrible for Aaron, who had to live through longing for her while she had no idea about him. She was even going to marry a random man when he was living in the hopes of seeing her, being with her, and also fear of losing her.

Aaron tucked her, before his long fingers grazed over her cheeks, "Catch some sleep." His voice was deep and soothing.

Aarvi moved aside to make some space, flipped to the side, and looked at him with her innocent puppy eyes. He didn't deny it, he placed his mobile on the side stand, and climbed the bed.

Placing his head on the pillow, he flipped to her side. He could feel she was about to cry, she was holding on for so long because everyone was there.

Aarvi gazed into his amber eyes which were stubborn to reveal any emotions. He was handsome in his teenage years, his adolescence had changed to masculine, and became classy and heartthrob.

Aarvi placed her cold left palm on his cheek. It was cold due to IV on her backhand yet Aaron didn't flinch, he couldn't hold due to IV.

Weighing everything, Aarvi still liked her two years with Aaron. She had less worry and a person who she could blindly follow. She had immense trust in him. When he had told her he would marry her right after she turned twenty-one so that she could stay with him all the time, she had accepted it without the need to think twice about it. She couldn't believe the Avron mansion was her dream house and she had picked that name.

A few questions were at the tip of her tongue, 'Did you miss me?' However, she knew he terribly missed her. 'Was it hard on you? To be so patient with me.' She also knew the response to it. It was hard but he would still feel it was worth it for her. Such questions were a lot and she knew the answers to each of those questions.

Aaron drew her to his embrace when her silent tears rolled out, then she cried her heart out, without being able to put anything in words, having no power to go back to the past and change everything.

Aaron wanted to stop her but if he did, she would bury her emotions hence he let her cry so that she could feel light. And him? He was happy as long as she was happy and also safe.

Aarvi was already weak so she soon felt exhausted and dozed off. Aaron stayed awake till the ministered IV was completed. It was four at dawn when he had dozed off with Aarvi in his arms.

----

At Harmon mansion,

Leon had completed his new morning routine and was having his breakfast when his men reached the dining hall.

"Boss.. We tried to reach you in the night but couldn't connect." The man in a leather jacket reported with a hint of hesitation.

Leon placed his fork down as he lifted his brows. "Get my mobile." He ordered the butler. Then he cued the man to continue.

"Yesterday evening, the whole Rivas family rushed to the hospital with tight security. We tried to check but the floor was entirely blocked and the cameras were off so we couldn't see what was happening inside." He reported everything.

Leon feigned ignorance on the information, finding nothing useful for him, "That old geezer must be dying." He snickered.

Elder Harmon, who was eating, paused. He had the urge to throw his breakfast plate on Leon's face. He placed his spoon down and sneered, "Why don't you speed up your search? I will die soon anyway." He meant to focus on his mindless work of searching for his will.

Leon inhaled sharply and flashed a smile without getting irritated, "I will make sure to dump your body on the street. Rest in peace."

Elder Harmon wanted to retort but the man interjected to avoid Leon flipping the table after the old man's comment. "Ms. Parkinson is at the gates."

Confusion flashed in Leon's eyes. She should have been acting and taking Aarvi aka Ava under control. So he couldn't understand why she was here. "Bring her in. Check if anybody is following her."

"Yes, Boss." The man ran out as he called the gate guards to let Charlotte inside.

Soon she made her way inside the mansion, with a dark face, holding files. Leon started his act of polite, helpless, and kind businessman, standing in the living hall. "Lieutenant Parkinson, please welcome."

Charlotte went in and smashed the file on the center table without greeting him. "Mr. Harmon, did you create fake evidence?"

She spat the question at him. The previous day, she was punished to kneel for three hours holding the heavy rifle in her hands, up over her head. It was torturous. The reason behind the punishment was the evidence that she had produced to them without cross-checking.

It was important for her to write a reflection letter to her chief else she might lose her hard-earned promotion for one stupidity. Upon that, the laughing face of Prince Charming, Oops, Aaron Rivas, repeatedly appeared in her head.