Chapter 371 Heaven or Hell
Alexander stood frozen, his gaze locked on Ava. His breath hitched in his throat as if he'd forgotten the very act of breathing.
Time stretched out before him, seconds morphing into what felt like centuries. It was as if he was caught in a temporal chasm, the world around him distant and unreachable.
His lips, trembling with unspoken words, parted slightly as he took a tentative step towards Ava.
Witnessing this, William made a move to intercept Alexander, only to be held back by Felix. The latter stood firm, a human barrier preventing William from getting any closer to Ava.
William's fists clenched in frustration, his hand hovering near Felix's collar, ready to toss him aside. But before he could act, Ava's voice rang out, "Don't come any closer!"
Her command brought Alexander to an abrupt halt, his body reacting instinctively like a soldier obeying an order.
Ava, meanwhile, slowly rose from the ground. A wave of dizziness washed over her, but she fought it back, refusing to let it show. She swallowed down her discomfort, lifted her head, and addressed William, "Will, I'm sorry, but I think I need to go back and rest."
"I'll walk you back," William offered, taking a step forward.
But Felix was there again, blocking his path.
"Get out of my way!" William's fists clenched, his body coiled to strike.
Felix, despite his bravado, felt a pang of unease. The fire in William's eyes suggested a brewing storm, and Felix feared he might be the one to bear the brunt of it. But he had a duty to fulfill, to carry out Alexander's orders, and that meant holding William back.
"Will," Ava interjected, her voice laced with fear of an impending physical altercation. "It's okay, you don't have to accompany me. I'll drive myself back home. I want to be alone. I hope you can entertain Ms. Fairfax well."
"But..." William began, his concern for Ava evident in his voice. "I..."
"Alright, Will, I've made up my mind. Don't make things difficult for me," Ava cut him off.
She knew William was a reasonable man, and she could reason with him.
True to her belief, William acquiesced, especially when it came to Ava. He always unconditionally obeyed her.
"Okay then, when you get home, make sure to give me a call. I want to hear your voice and make sure you're safe," William said.
Ava nodded.
She hadn't brought much with her, just a cellphone in her pocket. There was no need to return to the private room to retrieve anything.
As she moved to leave, she brushed past Alexander.
Alexander's hand twitched, an instinctive urge to reach out and stop her. But he held back, realizing he had no right to do so.
"Ava," he called out to her.
"Mr. Mitchell," Ava said coldly, "Since you said you came here to have dinner with Felix, then take your time eating. Unless you're lying, just as Will said, and you're actually following me."
Alexander's sudden appearance seemed too coincidental.
His lack of surprise upon seeing her suggested he knew she would be there. It wasn't a chance encounter.
Ava felt a wave of revulsion. They were divorced, yet he was still keeping tabs on her. It felt like she was under surveillance.
She was a free woman now, and even if he was the man she once loved, he had no right to secretly investigate her.
Moreover, she had no intention of continuing to love him.
Alexander felt a surge of panic. Initially, he hadn't cared about admitting his motives. He had come here for her, and that wasn't a big deal.
But now, seeing Ava's lonely gaze, he suddenly didn't dare to admit it.
He was afraid that if he confessed to tracking her down, she would be furious with him.
It was absurd, she was always furious with him.
Alexander didn't want to provoke Ava any further.
"You still haven't told me what you're hiding from me. Ava, even though I don't know what it is exactly, I have the right to know. You must tell me," Alexander said.
He had a vague sense of something amiss, but he didn't dare to confirm it. It felt like there was a thin veil separating them, and if he dared to pierce it, it would shatter. But once it shattered, he didn't know whether he would find heaven or hell on the other side.
